BMW is investing 3 billion euros in EVs and marketing. 

AP execs outraged over government probe of phone records.

Sony is targeted for breakup by American investor.

Airbus aims to steal limelight from Boeing at upcoming Paris Air Show.

Amazon workers go on strike in Germany.

BNP Paribas eyes mobile and online banking.

Citibank says "no fees" means "never."

Coach approached Tory Burch about a deal.

Coca-Cola faces claim that Coke top-secret recipe has been found.Continue reading...

Since last year’s launch of Aereo, the disruptive streaming service that allows consumers to watch TV online as well as on mobile devices for a small monthly fee, there has been a lot of legal wrangling between the company and broadcasters of every stripe. 

Two of the major players in the fight have been Barry Diller, whose IAC unit backs Aereo, and Rupert Murdoch, whose U.S. broadcast network FOX has threatened to move to cable to avoid losing out on streaming fees.

CBS head Les Moonves has also said his network could go the cable route if Aereo is allowed to continue unchecked. While CBS has previously taken legal action against Aereo, the tables have now turned as the streaming site moves to block future suits from CBS and its affiliates.Continue reading...

Apple posts first profit drop in a decade.

AP Twitter hack results in brief panic on Wall Street.

Coach prepares for change as Creative Director announces exit.

Lance Armstrong is accused of defrauding US in lawsuit.

BlackBerry brings back keyboard phone as part of rebirth.

Coke launches 61 unique websites for new teen-focused campaign as company's board also undergoes youth movement.

Dell approves executive-retention bonuses.

FedEx fends off rivals for US Postal contract.

Ford sees profits rise to North American record, offsetting losses in Europe.Continue reading...

After scoring a hit with the political drama House of Cards earlier this year, Netflix is set to release its second original series on Friday. This one, Hemlock Grove, is a 13-episode, small-town werewolf soap opera starring Famke Janssen and Bill Skarsgard.

The hope for Netflix is that it can give viewers something new to “binge watch,” a trend in recent years as consumers rent or DVR whole seasons of shows in order to catch up with their friends or the overall cultural conversation. “Our goal is to shut down a portion of America for a whole day,” House of Cards producer Beau Willimon told the New York Times when the series debuted in February.

Next month, Netflix will release 15 new episodes of the comedy Arrested Development, which originally aired on network TV, but the streaming site aquired the rights last year. The highly-anticipated relaunch of the series will likely drive new users to Netflix, if only for the duration of the series. With enough fan power backing Arrested Development, the brand's marketing power is currently focused on Hemlock Grove. As the Los Angeles Times points out, that push is needed because it can’t promote itself as usual television series do: with lead-ins from popular shows and in-network promotion.Continue reading...

In living rooms across the country, consumers are not watching just one screen, nor are they engaging with content in just one way as marketers and brands create increasingly innovative campaigns to keep consumers' eyes and ears on products.

Social media is now the acknowledged ‘elephant in the room’ as consumers increasingly engage in social activities while tuning into more traditional forms of content. According to Nielson's 2012 State of the Media report, nearly 41 percent of tablet owners and 38 percent of smartphone owners use the devices while watching television. 

While some broadcasts like the Oscars and ABC's The Bachelor benefit from such a social tie-in, most brands and advertisers are trying to figure out how to better leverage multiple media channels to build viewership and engagement without losing ground elsewhere. This season, The Bachelor incorporated live Twitter feeds into its broadcast. "I think it is fair to say that the integration of social media into live broadcasting is still in its infancy," Tim Bock, VP of production, alternative series and specials ABC told Mashable. "There are other entities utilizing these technologies on a show by show basis. But we at ABC are looking at the bigger picture of large scale implementation of audience interaction capabilities.”Continue reading...

JCPenney seeks to raise $1 billion as Martha Stewart loses a round in JCP-Macy's case.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg launches FWD.us with Silicon Valley heavyhitters on immigration reform.

Apple agrees to settle suit on iPhone and iPad warranties.

Argos plans digital "store of the future" to fight Amazon.

Bibigo Korean food brand partners with Psy.

Bitcoin finds Winklevoss twins rise in digital money as crash continues.

BlackBerry looks to apps and China for growth.

Burger King CEO leaves to take top job at H.J. Heinz.

Douwe Egberts goes to JAB for $9.8 billion.

Eli Lilly plans to lay off 30 percent of sales reps in major restructuring.Continue reading...

Pepsi isn't the only cola brand that has a songstress on its payroll. Diet Coke has been busy collaborating with golden-girl Taylor Swift for the next installment of its "Stay Extraordinary" campaign. 

Debuting during the American Idol broadcast on FOX Thursday night, Swift's new spot, "Music That Moves," highlight's the Grammy-winner's unique approach to song writing. Created by Droga5, the spot captures Swift in her natural element, penning lyrics whenever inspiration strikes—with a Diet Coke in hand, of course.Continue reading...

Roku has sold 5 million of its video and music streaming set-top boxes since launching in 2008, totaling 8 billion pieces of content streamed. That's an impressive performance for a little black box. 

As more and more reports swirl around the fact that consumers are turning away from traditional TV and cable, Roku claims that 25 percent of its customers use the device as their primary way of viewing television. 

"The milestone is significant, since it indicates that there’s a very real and growing market out there for a device that essentially just acts as a service layer for bringing web-based content to televisions, independent of what TV manufacturers themselves are doing with their own built-in Smart TV services," notes Tech Crunch.Continue reading...