Disney sees higher TV ad revenues drive quarter and considers ESPN exit from U.K. sports coverage.

Dell seeks to transform brand, going private in $24 billion buyout under founder Michael Dell, as Microsoft gambles on involvement.

U.S. Postal Service plans to cut Saturday mail as Hallmark fights the cuts.

Apple loses right to iPhone brand in Brazil.

Arby's launches "fan of the week" promo via Facebook.

Lance Armstrong reportedly under investigation for obstruction and other serious crimes.

BP is hit by new $34 billion claim from U.S. state governments over Gulf spill.Continue reading...

It's not exactly the USA versus the USSR over which country could get to the moon first. (Actually, the technology involved is, in many ways, more complicated.) 

But the sudden rivalry between two coalitions of global automakers over fuel-cell technology will be an interesting and important struggle over the next few years. Which team — Daimler, Ford and Nissan, or BMW and Toyota — will be first to jointly bring an affordable, zero-emission car to market powered by hydrogen?

"We believe we were never as close to reaching a breakthrough in fuel-cell cars as today thanks to this partnership," said Thomas Weber, Daimler's head of research and development, according to Automotive News.

The age of mass-market, affordable fuel cell electric vehicles may soon be here thanks to a unique, three-way agreement among Nissan, Daimler and Ford. The three auto giants have joined forces to share Research & Development and investment for this next-generation, zero-emission technology.Continue reading...

Boeing sees Dreamliner pass a battery inspection in Japan but planes are still grounded, and company faces possiblity of a $5-billion writedown.

Barnes & Noble plans to close as many as one-third of its retail stores over next several years.

Daimler, Ford and Nisssan ink deal on fuel-cell cars.

ABC sees advertisers such as Hyundai and University of Phoenix connect with network for Oscars telecast.

Apple shares may not be as important as IBM stock in terms of a market bellwether.

CBS scores nearly $4 million for average Super Bowl spot.

Cracker Barrel rolls out plan to expand into groceries.Continue reading...

The annual North American car and truck of the year awards presented this morning at the Detroit auto show marked yet another step in the resurgence of the traditional American "Big Three" automakers.

The Cadillac ATS was named North American Car of the Year by a 49-member panel of U.S.-based journalists at the North American International Auto Show, beating out the other finalists, the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord (the latter of which also is built in the United States).

The Ram 1500 was named North American Truck/Utility of the Year, besting the new Ford C-Max and the Mazda CX-5, the other finalists. The organization of automotive journalists renamed this award for 2013 because of the dominance of sport-utility-vehicles in the segment, joining pickup trucks.

In some of the brand developments on the first day of the press preview included Chevrolet unveiling the 2014 Corvette Stinger, above, plus:Continue reading...

The Motor City is the hub of the global auto industry once more, and the North American International Auto Show that opens with a press preview on Monday in Detroit's Cobo Center will underscore that welcome returning reality. It's also expected that the U.S. market as a whole will pick up share versus other global markets in 2013.

Over the last decade, Detroit's traditional "Big Three" automakers have been transformed. Their shares of the market collapsed; then the Great Recession whacked the U.S. car market; then the federal government bailed out two of them.

But now, arguably, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are in their best shape collectively in a very long time.

Each is selling trucks at a healthy clip again, their most profitable segment. GM will finally shed the rest of the albatross of U.S.-government ownership soon and, with a slew of new-product launches ready for 2013, should enjoy a share uptick this year. Ford will be trying to build on its gains of the last few years with solid new models including a restyled Ford Fusion sedan, the hybrid-only C-Max and the new Escape. And Chrysler, now owned by Fiat, will attempt to keep building on its remarkable turnaround story.Continue reading...

AB InBev will return Clydesdales to Budweiser Super Bowl advertising.

Amazon offers free MP3 of CD purchases.

Apple was awarded 1,136 US patents last year, while top spot went to IBM.

BBC back in the spotlight with former star Jimmy Savile's official police report on abuses.

BlackBerry is restoring service in Europe as US carriage firms up for closely watched BlackBerry 10.

Boeing faces FAA investigation of 787 Dreamliner.

David Beckham strips off again for H&M.

Dish Network charges CBS with censorship due to litigation.

ESPN favored for more spending by ad execs in survey.

Ford plans to hire 2,200 white-collar workers as American Express begins mass layoffs.Continue reading...

Nissan is pulling out the stops for its North American Auto Show return next week — and the stopper. In a bid to woo car-lovers heading to the Detroit trade show next week, the Japanese automaker is appealing to the senses, including testing a brand smell that it may roll out to its dealers. And it won't be that dreaded "new car smell," either; Nissan describes its brand scent as "quite a modern smell — a bit Oriental," according to a press release.

"As is tradition in luxury hotels and retailers, which pipe pleasing music and fragrance into their lobby and common spaces, the Nissan display features its own special scents and sounds, carefully choreographed to create a complete experience for visitors," Nissan added of the multisensory exhibit design, above, which will travel to ten trade shows this year. "A distinctive fragrance will be periodically released into the display area."Continue reading...

Kia names first non-Korean as president and integrates Google Maps.

Avis to acquires Zipcar brand for $500 million.

Nivea woos investors as CEO admits Rihanna was the wrong brand ambassador and brand returns to NYC's Times Square as New Year's Eve event sponsor.

Amazon apologizes for Christmas Eve outage.

American Girl's 2013 Girl of the Year doll addresses U.S. arts education cuts.

Apple sees its store in Paris robbed.

BBC Worldwide appoints chief brands officer.Continue reading...