With conference tournaments dominating this week in men's college basketball, it means that official March Madness is just around the corner. And when the NCAA men's tournament begins next week, brands are going to be more ready than ever to take advantage. That's because March Madness has become a multifaceted, extended marketing "season" much as the NFL Super Bowl represents earlier each year.

In fact, in some ways, March Madness arguably has become an even more effective tentpole marketing platform than the Super Bowl.Continue reading...

Europe generally isn't a happy place for global automakers right now, but the show — as in the Geneva International Motor Show, now on through Mar. 18th — must go on. And so the 82nd annual Swiss event is proving a great forum for the next wave of automotive technology and design both aimed at the slumping continent as well as potentially ever other market around the world.

Interestingly, the New York Times reported that the Geneva show overall displayed a marked lack of promotion of all-electric cars, especially compared with previous years. The North America International Auto Show in Detroit, in January, demonstrated a similar restraint on the part of global automakers — even though a handful, including Ford and Mitsubishi, are coming out with their own EVs this year.

"Reality is phasing in," Peter Schwarzenbauer, a member of Audi's management board and head of marketing for Audi AG, told the Times. "There are still more questions than answers."Continue reading...

Last year Mercedes-Benz took its F-cell vehicle on a tour across China, but it wasn't until the German luxury automaker put LEDs on the side of its F-Cell concept vehicle produces zero emissions to create an almost-invisible car and sent it on a tour of Germany that it garnered attention.

The stunt is part of the F-Cell World Drive, which kicked off January 30th in Stuttgart, Germany and will take three of the cars around 30,000 kilometres across four continents and 14 countries in 125 days.Continue reading...

Ace Hardware debuts first-ever paint campaign.

AIG sells $6 billion in AIA shares to help repay bailout loan.

Angie's List creates rare success with paid-content model.

Apple expected to pass 100 million iPad sales by year-end as iPad 3 is unveiled this week and excitement builds for Apple TV.

BP stock rises on proposed $17.6 billion settlement in oil spill.

Carlos Slim's America Movil reportedly starting a Netflix-like online service for Mexico.

Facebook asks advertisers for big investments in exchange for expanding fan base.

Frontier low-cost airline may be relaunched or sold.

GlaxoSmithKline expands in China.

GM struggles to make Volt a sustainable business.Continue reading...

As it has done for the past three Academy Award ceremonies, jcpenney will hit the Oscars red carpet by promoting its recent "brand refresh," showing off that it's had a little work done (new logo, single-monikered lowercase name) and is making a comeback in true Hollywood fashion.

New brand face Ellen DeGeneres will be featured in five 30-second commercials (watch "Changing Room" above and a sneak peek at others set in the Wild West, Victorian England and ancient Rome, below) that will air in North America during ABC's telecast on Sunday night.

Other brands debuting new campaigns at the 84th annual Academy Awards include Hyundai's new Wes Anderson commercials, and a glamorous spot for the sixth-generation SL roadster by Mercedes-Benz.Continue reading...

• Go ahead, customize that 2013 Mustang — but watch out for the little ballerina with the inner Black Swan.

• "For sale - a willing and able permanent or temporary employee." Unemployed woman auctions herself on eBay.

• "Eyevertising!" Unemployed Londoner offers ad space ... on his eye.

Below, check out Funny or Die's Kia Optima spoof with Blake Griffin and Jeff Goldblum; Salma Hayek's midnight run for the Milk Mustache campaign; will.i.am drives buzz for Chrysler; and more.Continue reading...

Mercedes-Benz has bought a prime-time slot during one of the most-watched television events on the planet — the Academy Awards ceremony — with the commercial above premiering during Sunday's Oscars telecast on ABC.

The minute-long spot touts the sixth generation SL with, appropriately, a vintage nod to the model's storied history, from the 1950's SL roadster through to the 1960's and so on to the latest iteration, the 2013 model, which passes them all on a soft-glowing sunny California day.Continue reading...

Kia has been showing off a head-turning concept car called the GT around the auto-show circuit lately. And now it looks as if the Korean brand's first rear-wheel-drive sedan will be introduced this summer — and very much resemble the GT.

Code-named KH, the production version of the car and the GT concept are based on the same mechanical platform that upholds Equus, the top-of-the-line nameplate for sibling brand Hyundai. This means that Kia is following very closely in the footsteps of Hyundai in plans to move upscale after establishing itself in the mainstream market.Continue reading...