Best Buy faces investor skepticism of its big-box strategy amid stiffening online competition.

BP may avoid gross negligence conviction in Gulf Oil spill.

CBS drops What's Trending web TV series after Steve Jobs flub.

Cisco sets more conservative growth target.

ConocoPhillips tries to fuel more natural-gas use.

Dell sets $5-billion share buyback.

Dreamworks masters YouTube and Zynga marketing.

Facebook chases Google+ with "smart lists" feature.Continue reading...

It's channeled Elvis, taken over Times Square, and slipped into a Gucci racing stripe for New York Fashion Week. Now Fiat USA is promoting the Fiat 500 in a new 30-second trailer that's breaking during ESPN's Monday Night Football telecast tonight.

The Chrysler-owned brand struck a product placement deal to feature the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio in Lopez's new music video, Papi, the latest single from her new album. As part of the agreement, Lopez will appear in commercials for the 2012 Fiat 500 which are scheduled to debut later in the year.Continue reading...

Our most-read blog posts of the week include Nike's Back to the Future shoes, Diet Coke's new can, Lady Gaga's social network, Fashion Week, and more:

#1 NIKE MAG eBay Auction Goes Live - and Back to the Future [Video]

#2 Chipotle Scores Sustainable Hit with Willie Nelson's Coldplay Cover

#3 Diet Coke's New Look Launches at Target

#4 Dear America: Zara Launches US Web Sales

#5 Honest Tea a Wallflower No More Thanks to Label Redesign

#6 Bollywood's Bodyguard Features Hollywood-Style Product Placement

#7 Lady Gaga's Gift to Fans: The LittleMonsters.com Social Network

#8 Sir Richard’s: The Philanthropic Prophylactic

#9 As Fiat x Gucci Unveils at Fashion Week, "Icon" Claim May Be Unfashionably Early

#10 New York Fashion Week: Greener, Cleaner and Meaner

Kia's gains in the U.S. market lately have been rather obscured by the even more impressive performance of its larger, siblling Hyundai brand. But more and more, Kia is earning its own place in the sun as it consolidates share increases and carves out a unique brand identity apart from any other.

One way is by building on its hamsters marketing campaign for the niftily designed Kia Soul mini-car. In the latest ad, the soul-mellowing effect of the Soul and its cargo of fun-loving, gyrating hamsters is so powerful that it prompts combatants in a hard-bitten combat video game to lay down their arms and dance along.

Indeed, Soul is "A new way to roll," starting at prices of under $14,000. The new ad, released just before Labor Day weekend, breaks just in time to welcome new competition to the tiny-car segment in the form of the Fiat 500 and the new Scion iQ, as well as a Smart brand determined to try again in the U.S. market.Continue reading...

One of the more interesting collaborations at New York's Fashion Week tweaks the fact that it's the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: a red-and-green-stripped Gucci version of the Fiat 500.

According to Fiat USA, "The exclusive FIAT 500 by Gucci limited-edition models represent the perfect combination of craftsmanship and style, and bring together two of Italy's most respected brands. These special editions of the FIAT 500 and 500 Cabrio have been customized by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with FIAT Centro Stile."

But read the fine print on the web teaser: "European version shown. North American model available in limited quantities late 2011." See, the Gucci-wrapped 500 actually debuted at Milan Fashion Week earlier this year. Yes, you've got to give Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne credit for having ... boldness.Continue reading...

Missoni isn't the only Italian brand that's coming to America. 

Bloomberg reports that Fiat Spa, which owns 53.5 percent of Chrysler Group LLC, “may shift planned production of Jeep and Alfa Romeo sport-utility vehicles from its oldest plant in Turin to North America and build a small city car at the factory instead.”

Now, the weak dollar may have Fiat moving some jobs to the United States.

The possible shift will be discussed Thursday when CEO Sergio Marchionne “hosts the first meeting of Fiat and Chrysler’s single management team” in Turin, Italy, Bloomberg hears.Continue reading...

Continuing the trend of brands taking over Times Square, FIAT North America brought its first TV commercial, "Drive-in," to life with an event that evoked Italia for Big Apple tourists and shoppers this past weekend, not letting Sunday's rain spoil the fun.

The lure of free espresso and gelato, bocce ball, music and a drive-in movie experience — thirty Fiat 500 sedans and cabrios arranged,  drive-in style, to watch movies on the Times Square jumbotron as dusk fell — wooed passersby to check out the "Simply More by Fiat" experience, where they could chat with Fiat product specialists (including Fiat North America head Laura Soave) and check out the 2012 Fiat 500 and Fiat 500 Cabrio.Continue reading...

Accenture drives social business adoption through gamification.

Amazon battles U.S. states over taxes.

Bally expands to India.

Banco Popular expands rebranding to Popular Inc.

Canada sees online ad revenue exceed print for the first time.

Cargill recalls 36 million pounds of turkey products.

CNN finds host Piers Morgan coming under parliamentary pressure and accusations by Heather Mills over hacking.

Coca-Cola joins brands testing cloud-based in-text social advertising.

comScore acquires analytics firm AdXpose.

Dunkin' Donuts rolls out Keurig single-serve cups, with Starbucks to follow.Continue reading...