Labor Day is fast approaching, and US college-sports fans are already unpacking their face paint, pennants, and big foam fingers (not too mention their coolers, hibachis, and tortilla-chip bowls) to prepare for another full year of football, basketball, water polo, fencing, bowling, and all the rest. 

And who is going to be enjoying all those intense rivalries right alongside some of America’s most ardent fans? That’s right, it’s the execs of UPS, who will be enjoying the fruits of three different sponsorship deals in the world of college athletics.

Post and Parcel reports that UPS has struck new “deals with college sports marketing and branding firm IMG College, along with sports conferences Big Ten and Pac-12 (that) will help it build growth in the business-to-business sector as well as accessing college sports fans across a country where college sports are arguably more popular than national professional sports.”Continue reading...

Some rebranded logos that caught our attention this week, starting with the Canadian Olympic Committee:Continue reading...

American Express forms venture with French luxury e-tailer, vente-privee.com.

Ashton Kutcher tipped to fill Charlie Sheen void on Two and a Half Men.

Bing continues to capture more searches as Microsoft's antitrust saga comes to an end.

BlackBerry product placement on BBC version of The Apprentice raises eyebrows.

BMW and Audi vie for luxury auto lead.

Bravo TV star Bethenny Frankel sued by former manager for a piece of her just-sold business.

Chevron criticized for corporate citizenship campaign in California.

Facebook claims no smear campaign intended by PR firm Burson-Marsteller vs. Google.Continue reading...

Amazon expands into the romance publishing business.

Avon widens internal probe into possible bribery of foreign officials.

Bank of America triples number of mortgage-help centers.

Chevron expands oil-shale play in Pennsylvania.

Denny’s expands presence on college campuses.

Duane Reade launches Facebook contest.

Electronic Arts profit soars as business model shifts.Continue reading...

Yesterday we reported that the Fargo Tourism Bureau had finally done the right thing and embraced its cult status by displaying an official Fargo "wood chipper" with which tourists can take photographs. It's an admirable display of a sense of humor.

Staying in North Dakota, we have another story that could use a little more of a sense of humor about doing the right thing. Except, nobody in the state can agree on what the right thing is. No matter, the NCAA has ruled and the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux logo and name must be scrapped… even though the state passed a law prohibiting the change.Continue reading...

Apple wins reversal of $625.5 million patent-infringement verdict.

Boeing says it was surprised by cracks in 737s.

CBS and Turner TV ratings for NCAA Final Four tourney dip from last year.

Cisco braces for "activist siege."

Discovery-owned Science Channel rebrands to Science.

Facebook scores Obama town hall.

Lady Gaga's country version of Born This Way benefits gay youths.

Satyam and former auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers will pay $17.5 million to settle US fraud suit.

Buffalo Wild Wings became one of the first restaurant brands to publicly wince at the prospect of a prolonged stalemate in the National Football League labor standoff – especially one that would begin forcing cancellation of regular-season games in September.

To help remind NFL executives and player activists that they’re tinkering not only with their own economic livelihoods but also those of a huge swath of the rest of the US economy, Buffalo Wild Wings has launched a Facebook campaign (during March Madness basketball, no less) to lobby the NFL to come to its senses.

“We’re not taking sides,” the "Save Our Season" (SOS) petition says. “We just want a football season. So join the movement and help us ensure there is one.”

Canceled NFL games could erode the chain’s average weekly sales by 15% during the season, according to one securities analyst — as fans stay home, mope, and play video games instead of coming out to a “BWW’s” for wings and big-screen action.

With many of its customers also big sports fans, Buffalo Wild Wing’s also does huge business around fantasy-football leagues as it hosts draft parties and promotes its Blogger League.Continue reading...

When is a sports car not a sports car? When it’s a minivan – sort of.

In a new advertising campaign for its slow-selling 911, Porsche Cars North America is repositioning the $78,000-to-$143,000 sports car as an “everyday” vehicle.

Think the 911 is only good for its fantasy-fulfillment chops? Think again.Continue reading...