What do fashion, a Chinese news agency and pizza have in common?

Times Square – hotter, and more popular than ever! And not just because it's summer.

This past Saturday, Express, the fashion retailer for style-conscious Millennials, set out to break the Guinness world record for the largest number of people modeling on a catwalk.  And despite temperatures hovering in the 100’s – they did, showing that wannabe models cannot resist a catwalk, no matter how crowded or sweaty.

A total of 1,243 people walked the Express runway, including the Naked Cowboy, police officers, tourists, and just regular locals, shattering the previous record of 521 set last year by Galeries Lafayette in Paris.Continue reading...

AOL shuffles execs.

BSkyB may lose UK "stranglehold" on Hollywood releases.

Dunkin' Donuts parent IPO could exceed $400M.

Express sets Guinness World record with Times Square fashion show.

Facebook iPad app appears in the wild, disappears.

Google gives Gmail a new logo and homepage.

Hyatt apologizes for turning up heat on protesters.

LinkedIn launches "Apply With LinkedIn" button.Continue reading...

New York State is getting ready to celebrate its first same-sex weddings on Sunday.

Following last month's passage of marriage equality legislation, the state’s travel bureau is getting in on the action by “offering wedding packages for same-sex couples in some of the most world-renowned travel destinations – from Niagara Falls to New York City” on its I Love NY website.

New York City is expecting to break the record for most marriage licenses given out in a day on Sunday with 764 available, the New York Times reports. That’s 20% higher than the previous high of  621 set on Valentine’s Day 2003, the paper notes.Continue reading...

As part of MasterCard Worldwide’s iconic "Priceless" campaign, the brand has created a New York-based promotional event for its Priceless Cities in-market branding campaign.

Given that it's summer in the Big Apple, Priceless New York centers around — what else? — the New York Yankees, creating a game for baseball fans to play by hiding Yankee’s seats throughout the city in partnership with Facebook Places.

Find the chairs and check-in via Facebook Places to be eligible to win special prizes, including meet-and-greets with Yankee greats, a “safari sleepover” at the Bronx Zoo, “V.I.P. treatment” at Marcus Samuelsson's red-hot Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem, and access to a new section of Yankee Stadium known as Batter’s Eye View – which includes a MasterCard Batter’s Eye Cafe.Continue reading...

Zipcar take note, Hertz On Demand is in the 'hood and redefining car-sharing.

Hertz's new service, formerly known as Connect by Hertz, has rebranded and now offers: no membership fees; expanded one way service; guaranteed availability Monday through Thursday in New York City; more car and SUV options including electric vehicles (EV’s) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV’s) at select locations; simplified reservation process; and 24/7 live, in-car assistance.Continue reading...

Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (PCNAB) is in the 'hood, the South Bronx hood to be precise, teaming up with New Yorkers like Grammy Award producer, rapper, and artist Swizz Beatz, graffiti artist Cope 2, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Assemblyman Carl Heastie, all gathered in support of healthier lifestyle choices.

Activities held today at THE POINT include:

• Sampling stations with Aquafina, Diet Sierra Mist, SoBe Lifewater and Pepsi MAX
• Cooking demonstrations from City Harvest highlighting healthy summer recipes
• Live art installations by Swizz Beatz, with parents, students and faculty from The Bronx Charter School for the Arts and Cope 2.

"Being a father and also being involved with The Bronx Charter School for the Arts, I understand even more how important it is to stay healthy," said Beatz (who's now a proud papa to a son with partner Alicia Keys) in a release. "The Bronx Flavor initiative shows Pepsi-Cola North America's commitment to the well-being of our community."Continue reading...

Heineken tonight launches a three-week pop-up club in New York as part of a local event marketing push to attract Hispanic hipsters (just don't call them Hispsters) and other indie culture vultures.

Featuring music, food, art, film and other events celebrating downtown Latino culture, “The Spot” is curated by Remezcla, a local Latina media guide, and located at the Openhouse Gallery in Nolita. Check out a preview below.Continue reading...

Coca-Cola isn't the only big brand to erect a green billboard. 

Richoh, known for its "managed document services" (based on its copiers and fax machines business), isn’t the first company you’d think of when you think of who is going green, but it's pulling out the stops to show the world that it is serious about lowering the company’s environmental impact by one-eighth of its 2000 levels by 2050.

Last year, Ricoh put up the first solar-powered billboard in New York's Times Square. And now EarthTechling.com notes that Ricoh has installed “the very first 100% eco-powered billboard in London.”Continue reading...