Jennifer Lopez is leveraging her personal brand to bridge the Spanish/English-language marketplace in the U.S. After turning up on Katie Couric's new talkshow, JLo announced a programming/marketing agreement with NuvoTV to target bicultural U.S. Latino viewers, and is now appearing in a new bilingual (English/Spanish) campaign for Verizon Wireless.

Kellogg has been working on a comprehensive brand overhaul during the last several months, and now one of the first significant fruits of its efforts is coming out: A new campaign promoting some of its classic cereals, focused on their simplicity and goodness.

Running under the tagline "Goodness of a Simple Grain," the new campaign extols Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and Raisin Bran in a farm-to-table positioning that is so popular these days (see: McDonald's farmer spots and Chipotle's Willie Nelson video) and combines it with simplicity messaging, emphasizing that there are only four ingredients, for instance, in Corn Flakes. One spot says Kellogg takes these products "from the seed to the spoon."

"We have a number of brands like this that we've been making for a hundred years," Doug VanDeVelde, Kellogg's SVP of morning foods, marketing and innovation, told Adweek. "But consumers weren't really aware of that, and we need to, in a very simple way, remind them."Continue reading...

If yo-yoing was a major sport, Chinese athletics brand Li-Ning would have a lock on the market for yo-yo gear. In the last four years, the brand has gone from potential global dominance to firing its CEO to moderate success at the London Olympics.

But struggling Li-Ning may be about to catch a big break. If rumors are true — and they appear to be — Li-Ning just drafted NBA superstar Dwyane Wade.

As first reported, and then confirmed, by blog Sneakerwatch, two-time world champion, NBA Finals MVP, and Miami Heat star Wade is going to pass on renewing his deal with Michael Jordan's Nike-backed Jordan Brand and instead sign onto Li-Ning's roster. That's huge news for Li-Ning, and a blow to Jordan Brand.Continue reading...

Eva Longoria certainly isn't the first actress or actor to yield to the conceit that they've got a great idea for a restaurant. But she may be the first to think she can sell a steakhouse aimed at women. Thus, Longoria's part-owned SHe by Morton's is reportedly all set for launch by New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.

It replaces her old Las Vegas eatery, Beso, a failed restaurant in which she also was a part-owner, on the same site. And while she's no longer busy with Desperate Housewives, she is busy campaigning for Barack Obama, and appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte to pitch her personal story in an outreach to women and Hispanics — two groups she'd no doubt welcome to her relaunched dining concept, too.

With a 1920's theme, SHe aims to be "an updated interpretation of the gilded age when wealth and excessive opulence ruled America's upper-class combined with a modern version of art deco to create a feeling of empowerment, especially for female guests," according to a news release. While set in the era of Prohibition, it won't prohibit men — and may have a successful role model in STK, a Vegas chophouse with a sexy vibe located at the racy Cosmopolitan hotel with the tagline "Not your daddy's steakhouse," which is also aimed at high-rolling, confident women.Continue reading...

A warning by the FDA over anti-aging claims is causing a furrowed brow at L'Oreal and its competitors.

Beauty creams, especially those that target the effects of aging on the skin, are the cream of the crop when it comes to getting consumers to . In 2011, the market for these typically expensive premium skin care products grew by 15 percent vs. just 1 percent for mass market products, according to research firm Euromonitor International.

Now one of the leaders in the market, L'Oreal's Lancome brand, is getting its manicured hand slapped by America's Food and Drug Administration over product claims the agency says have gone too far. The products are sold under the Genifique, Absolue, and Renergie brand names.Continue reading...

Jay-Z may only own a smidgen of the NBA’s new Brooklyn Nets team and the rusty-looking arena that was just built for them to play in, but he’s definitely playing his role to the hilt. The rapper supposedly helped design the team’s logo and pick the color scheme and sold out a slew of shows at their Barclays Center home.

And now, he and his wife, Beyoncé, are continuing to spread their influence for the Nets wherever they go — including, over Labor Day Weekend weekend, in Philadelphia for the Budweiser-sponsored Made In America festival, a music festival that Jay-Z had organized and headlined.Continue reading...

Jamaica Celebrates as World's Fastest Man and Woman Retain Olympic Titles

Jamaica celebrates its 50th anniversary of freedom today and it couldn't be better timed. Coming on the heels of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's 100-meter gold medal on Saturday to retain her title as world's fastest woman, Jamaicans continued the celebration after Bolt won his fourth Olympic gold medal Sunday, this one for the 100-meter dash in London. Before Bolt defended his World’s Fastest Man status and showed off all his post-race antics and unbelievable smile, the Puma-sponsored sprinter had himself a chicken wrap from McDonald’s, according to USA Today. This admission bodes well for Bolt’s wallet as he will likely be a much-sought-after pitchman in the wake of the Games, even as he disagrees with LOCOG's controversial Rule 40 governing athletes' personal sponsors. Only 25 years old, he may have another gold in him four years from now in Brazil. He's certainly not shy; having just passed one million Twitter fans, his bio reads: "The most naturally gifted athlete the world has ever seen."Continue reading...

"Some journalists have been surprised to see Olympic workers taping over the logos on their Dell and Apple computers, since neither company is bankrolling the games, and the U.S. women's soccer team has been told not to hand out its media guide because it has 12 small logos of its sponsors — which are not official Olympics 2012 backers."

The absurd levels to which Olympic organizers are going to erase any and every possible non-sponsor brand name from peaking out came to its absurd apex on Saturday during the archery competition. On his way to the bronze medal, Chinese archer Xiaoxiang Dai was forced to put neon-yellow tape on his hat to cover its nearly invisible, black on black logo for… the Chicago Bears. Continue reading...