Last week we saw GoodGuide come out with sustainability grades and give Levi Strauss an A for do-gooder denim moves.

Today sees the formal launch of an industry-based Sustainable Apparel Coalition, an almost unimaginable collection of commercial companies (including Levi Strauss) and brands, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The group is out to change the world by developing a set of common metrics and standards.

They may not have the flashiest logo, but they have bigger aims: namely, to develop "a comprehensive database of the environmental impact of every manufacturer, component and process in apparel production, with the aim of using that information to eventually give every garment a sustainability score," according to the New York Times.Continue reading...

ABC's Oscars TV ratings on Sunday dropped 10% from a year ago.

Berkshire Hathaway adds to possible successors to Warren Buffett.

Carlyle Group buys Japanese auto-parts firm. 

Charlie Sheen circus continues with part 2 of Today Show interview.

CNN is taking Piers Morgan on a roller-coaster ride. 

Dior loses as Natalie Portman severs ties with brand following anti-Semitic remarks by John Galliano.Continue reading...

Academy Awards aims to capture TV/Twitter audience.

Adidas invites fans to name matchball at London 2012 Olympics.

Aldi takes a bite out of the Big Apple. 

Apple may bring out new Macbook Pro line this week.

BBC scraps BBC America newscast, looks to expand US distribution for BBC World  News channel.

BMW to unveil new model.Continue reading...

When Josh Bernoff talks, brands listen.

The social media guru and SVP of idea development at Forrester Research has released a Spinal Tap-like (goes to 11!) list of retailers who, in his view, are the best examples leveraging social media and digital technology.

Bernoff shared the savviest social retailers (APIs, community-building, Twitter/FB ninjas) he likes in a year-end snapshot for the US National Retail Federation.

His number one pick of the year: Best Buy, for how @Twelpforce engages 2,500 employees with customers via Twitter and an open API platform that drives traffic to BestBuy.com from other websites.

Read about Bernoff's other top social retailers of the year after the jump.Continue reading...

It wasn't just the unsuspecting audience members who flipped for Oprah's two-part, final Favorite Things gift-giving year-end special. Featured brands can also expect a boost in holiday sales thanks to the halo effect of the Winfrey wand.Continue reading...

Once upon a time, a luxury brand needed to do nothing more than demonstrate its exclusivity to be coveted by wealthy consumers.

But in today's redefined marketing environment, says the UK's Guardian, "more awareness develops around where products come from and how they are made. ... Customers feel conflicted about what they really 'need' in this new economic landscape, discouraging purchases that previously wouldn't have garnered a second thought."

This new brand of consumer consciousness creates an interesting dilemma for luxury brands as they move into the future.Continue reading...

Apple gains more acceptance in business, winning corporate IT support for the iPad.

Chrysler faces pushback from US dealers who are wary of the expense of carrying a separate Fiat brand as the 500 model looms.

HP and Dell continue their battle over 3Par; struggle underscores the need for data storage the business world.

Barneys hires former Gucci CEO to revive the luxury-retail brand after a two-year talent search.

Benihana’s reports improved sales, thanks in part to stepped-up promotional activities at its restaurants.Continue reading...

Read anything interesting on brands and branding lately? Post a link in the comments! Our recommendations:

The New Yorker on Haim Saban (the Guardian hears he's eyeing Newsweek).

Amazon to Drop Free Books from Kindle Bestseller List. [PW]

Tommy Hilfiger replants its American flag. [NYT]

How P&G weathered the recession. [Fortune]

(Gucci, Nivea, Nordstrom's and more.)Continue reading...