While BlogHer attracts more than so-called "mommy bloggers" (a term uniformly disliked by moms who blog, by the way), its sixth annual conference, taking place next week in New York, has attracted a slew of high-profile brand sponsors.

P&G, PepsiCo, Hillshire Farm/Jimmy Dean, and Walmart are among the brand marketers paying for exposure as BlogHer 2010 Diamond Sponsors.

BlogHer reaches more than 20 million women each month. Its goal is simple.Continue reading...

Bosch VitaFresh marketing campaign, above, is yabba-dabba delicious (and nutritious!)

Biggest Twitter downer, apart from World Cup meltdown? Announcing an execution.

Post-plans for new slogan, U.S. Pork Board shows complete and utter lack of a sense of humor.Continue reading...

PepsiCo is looking for a few good partners. Ten, to be exact; and technology partners, that is. And they are looking to consumers to provide them.

Its new innovation incubator, PepsiCo10, will boost 10 entrepreneurs with money, marketing, and brand resources from a stable of products including Pepsi, Quaker, Frito-Lay, Tropicana and Gatorade.

Their latest engagement campaign offers venture capital-backed funding for pilot tech-based projects. Budgets can range from $250,000 to $10 million (and/or annual revenues of $250,000 or more). They'll also consider early stage tech startups that are already public or getting ready to launch.

"As it becomes more challenging to engage consumers, and as new [media] platforms emerge, we thought: 'What better way to get in with them and support them. There's lots of emerging technology and emerging platforms. The question is, how can they connect brands with consumers?” Seth Kaufman, PepsiCo's director of media strategy and investment, commented to Mediapost.Continue reading...

Gatorade is choosing tonight’s NBA playoffs to unveil a new TV advertising campaign meant to regain traction for the brand after last year’s lackluster repositioning around the “G” theme. The aim will be to get consumers used to the idea of drinking Gatorade products before, during and after workouts and other athletic activities – not just for hydrating during them.

The isotonics beverage brand is invoking its glorious past as the creator of, and predominant brand in, its category since 1965. Its new spot (above) evokes a sepia-toned, reaching-into-the-vaults nostalgia for that 40-plus year past, including its most iconic spokesman of all time, Michael Jordan. Another spot links Gatorade’s heritage to its attempt to redefine sports drinks today with its G Series product line.Continue reading...

McDonald's unveils new I'm Lovin' It campaign (above).

Virgin Atlantic is under investigation for alleged price-fixing.

Thanks to Japan and its love of smartphones, Apple sales are up.

Gatorade's new campaign has athletes drinking throughout their games.

Lay's won't need the FDA to launch a new form of salt.

Netflix is wooing users with price cuts for Wii-based service.Continue reading...

Gatorade, the elder citizen amongst sports drinks, is in search of its mojo.

A campaign launching two new products, G Series and G Series Pro, debuts later this month and is geared primarily to teenagers and specialized athletes. G Series targets the high school athlete, while G Series Pro caters to "business" athletes, personal trainers or elite athletes.

The brand's touted three-part regimen – pre, during, and post-workout – redefines the Gatorade athlete in a much broader terms so it now includes skateboarders, surfers, acrobats and gymnasts - and females. As part of the pre-launch, a mobile locker room has been traveling to high schools promoting the G Series.Continue reading...

The news media and blogosphere are exploding today with takes on Phil Mickelson’s third victory at The Masters golf tournament yesterday, just one short of the four green jackets held by the ignominious Tiger Woods.

Indeed, it makes for compelling drama. There’s a White Hat golfer (though he wore black yesterday, actually) whose wife and mother are suffering from breast cancer. And stirringly, he overcame, among others, the ultimate Black Hat whose estranged spouse – understandably – didn’t show up at the tournament to support her man.

But the bigger question for Mickelson, Woods and brand sponsors today is this: Does Mickelson’s continued ascension and Woods’ self-imposed morass suggest it’s time for brand marketers to take a closer look at the former as they continue to evaluate prospects for revival of the latter? Will Mickelson rise further if Tiger continues to fade? The two always have been rivals to some extent, but Woods has never really had to look over his shoulder at any single competitor.Continue reading...

Art by Patrick Broderick/ModernHumorist.com

Exactly what kind of public and private behavior does it take for a brand to forsake a celebrity spokesperson? Apparently a lot more than what Tiger Woods has confessed to.

There are reports today that Nike and Tiger already are back together filming TV commercials again. According to TMZ, Woods was garbed in black-and-red Nike clothing during a recent shoot on the Isleworth Country Club golf course in Windermere, Fla., which is near Woods’ home.

Regardless of the veracity of this particular report, remember that Nike in fact didn’t drop Woods after the scandal broke on Thanksgiving weekend last year, while other brands including Accenture, AT&T and Gatorade have given up their endorsement relationships with the world’s best golfer and one of its most recognizable personalities.

And whether Nike is fully on board at this point or not, Tiger has become phoenix-like as his personal revival tour has gained full steam.Continue reading...