Gwen Stefani for HP, Michael Jordan for Hanes, Dr. Dre for HP, Peyton Manning for Sony, Lady Gaga for Polarioid, Lance Armstong for Radio Shack, Michael Vick for… ArTran?

A new study confirms what a lot of people on both ends of the advertising paradigm suspect: celebrity endorsements aren't worth it. My colleague Sheila Shayon earlier pondered this question — find out why the evidence is swinging in favor of taking back the swag bags and shutting down the gravy train.Continue reading...

They're no longer hawking a pre-paid kredit kard, but the Kardashians aren't missing a beat. Kim, Khloe and Kourtney are launching their Kardashian Kollection at more than 400 Sears locations in August. The line will feature clothing, jewelry, handbags, wallets and other accessories. 

"We love Sears," Kourtney stated. "There is a Sears right near our house.  It's such a great store that is part of America's retail history." The sisters put their name on a resortwear collection that was sold at Bebe last year.

Apple stock soars as Wall Street predicts what’s next for its iDarling (and iPhone alarms continue failing).

Angry Birds is coming to PlayStation 3 and PSP.

Blistex acquires Odor-Eaters brand.

Dunkin' Donuts launches ad campaign to celebrate the passion of real fans: 'I'm Drinkin' Dunkin'!'

Facebook, the top search term of 2010, hires game executive to direct partnerships.

Google hires crowdsourcing guru to manage Africa policy.Continue reading...

Here at brandchannel, we love the idea of brand licensing. Indeed, after all the work of building a strong, championed brand, why not leverage it a little?

The key is "a little." All brand owners dream of seeing their brand cross that line where consumers begin to willingly self-identity with it, whether that's by wearing a t-shirt or using a brand-licensed credit card.

Consider Trump licensing his name in India, or Everlast licensing to Sears. Everybody's doing it. One category of brands making substantial changes to the brand licensing approach is the automotive sector.

Ford and Lamborghini just launched online marketplaces to sell their merchandise in addition to already established relationships at retail outlets.

Intrigued to find out more, we interviewed Michael Stone, founder and CEO of brand licensing specialist Beanstalk, which has worked with Ford, Harley-Davidson, Land Rover and Stanley, about the benefits and pitfalls of brand licensing as a marketing tactic.Continue reading...

In 1893, Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck, two young men with a knack for selling watches, started a company that became one of the great direct marketing innovators and retail brands in the US.

The company sold everything imaginable, targeting primarily rural families via a giant mail order catalog. It wasn't until 1925, when American cities grew up, that Sears Roebuck, later to be known simply as Sears, opened retail stores.

Today, it seems, Sears is gradually going back to its direct marketing roots via online sales. While its retail store sales plummet, Sears is ramping up its e-tail offering with the hope of being more (Web)SavvySanta than the sad Santa depicted in its holiday 2010 campaign.Continue reading...

Apple attacked by Calpers for the way it handles board elections.

Amazon tops charts of online retailers in UK for customer satisfaction.

American Express returns to the NBA.

Bank of America confirmed as WikiLeaks target, as banks deal with bad press over alleged foreclosure break-ins.

CarMax profits rise on stronger wholesale auto sales.

Dollar Tree and other dollar chains shine this holiday season.Continue reading...

Apple opens new Mac software store, enables peer-to-peer app sharing.

BlackBerry parent RIM beats analyst estimates.

Canada Goose challenged by knock-offs.

Chevron and BP named in latest WikiLeaks cables.

CNN bids adieu to Larry King, pads schedule until Piers Morgan debut.

Dramamine brand sold by J&J for $76 million.Continue reading...

American Apparel grants 6.5M shares to employees.

Angry Birds on Android projected to generate $1 million per month in advertising.

Apple TV is #13 best-selling gadget at Amazon; Google TV is #430.

Google acquires technology to humanize robo-voices; and urges developers to get ready for Chrome extensions.

Groupon adds options for restaurants.

J.Crew sale faces legal challenges.Continue reading...