Brand marketers should be paying attention to Pinterest, a virtual bulletin board with a social layer that lets users 'pin up' their interests, inspirations and what inspires them. It's a community network model emerging from the digital ooze that begets innovation as it's bubbling up from a grassroots embrace.

Tech Crunch wrote, "Pinterest Joins Twitter And Facebook As The Newest Self-Expression Engine," while ReadWriteWeb’s take, "User experience, a clean retro visual design, content curation, social collaboration and subscription: those are the things that Pinterest is leveraging to gain a lot of traction and buzz."

Traffic for the beta invite-only community, which launched in March 2010, reached 421 million page views in October, usurping the territory of that craft sites like Etsy established, and publishers and marketers are taking note. Brands on board include Etsy, Nordstrom, Lands' End and Time Inc.Continue reading...

In honor of today's kickoff game for the NFL's 2011 season (go Packers!), we invite you to watch the stupendously awesome video, "One More Yard."

It features Paul Cunningham, a former photo editor for Major League Baseball who (lovingly) makes and sells artisanal footballs (and baseballs, naturally) on his Etsy shop, Lemonball. Even if you don't like football, you'll love this video.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is how you add value with branding ... and tell your brand story with video. For inspiration about how a video like this could help your brand, check out one of our new favorite blogs: F**k Yeah Made In USA.

Apple exceeds one million Lion downloads on first day.

Borders liquidation plan approved by judge, while 11th hour Books-A-Million offer may save up to 30 stores, as employees start Google+ group.

California Milk Processor Board pulls controversial PMS campaign.

Etsy founder steps aside for new CEO.

Facebook Comments add videos, photos and website previews.

Fiat buys up US government stake in Chrysler.

Ford and Chevrolet will enhance NYC taxi fleet.Continue reading...

Alfa Romeo delays full return to US.

Amazon introduces digital textbook rentals.

American Airlines splits order between Airbus and Boeing.

Apple directors ponder succession.

BMW grows cautious on developed markets.

Borders succumbs to digital era as Barnes & Noble focuses on e-books.

Campbell expands lower-sodium soup options.Continue reading...

Amazon aims to re-write tax policy for the internet era.

American Electric Power scraps plan for carbon capture at plant.

Australia carbon tax finds resistance.

Boeing clears tests of 787 Dreamliner with All Nippon Airways and meets with AMR to Airbus.

Borders on brink of liquidation.

Carrefour experiences weakening in profit.

Chrysler and Fiat merge management structure.Continue reading...

• P&G and Old Spice agency W+K reveal the secrets of Old Spice Man Isaiah Mustafa's smooth moves in brand's Scent Vacation spot.

• After the jump: FedEx finds its Old Spice man, HTC's ChaCha(Cha) dance, from Etsy to Regretsy, and more.

From the Dept. of It's All in the Headline: "Japanese scientists develop human-shaped phone that feels like real skin" Continue reading...

Apple attacked by Calpers for the way it handles board elections.

Amazon tops charts of online retailers in UK for customer satisfaction.

American Express returns to the NBA.

Bank of America confirmed as WikiLeaks target, as banks deal with bad press over alleged foreclosure break-ins.

CarMax profits rise on stronger wholesale auto sales.

Dollar Tree and other dollar chains shine this holiday season.Continue reading...

Made-to-order is a booming business category for two reasons: the economy, and the fact that customized goods, although more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts, pay for the difference with the feel-good factor.

The range of goods is as broad as the day is long, including $1,250 custom bedding from Create-a-Mattress, above, a start-up in Needham, Mass., founded by former Dial-A-Mattress executive Evan Saks.

Brands are catering to customers' desires for pretty much any kind of product you can imagine: one-of-a-kind pet foods, bikes, chocolate bars, toilet paper.... The list is endless, but is there money to be made?Continue reading...