Activision puts Guitar Hero in diminished role.

AOL sees advertisers weighing politics after acquisition of Huffington Post. 

Belvedere Vodka partners with Usher.

Chrysler seeks “no-haggle” experience at dealers for new Fiat 500.

Cisco shares slip on weak outlook.

Coca-Cola grabs market share from PepsiCo in North America.

Ford kicks off social-media push for Explorer.Continue reading...

Expedia's Netherlands agency (Woedend) takes inspiration from the legendary Saul Bass and the Catch Me if You Can title sequence in this new :20 commercial and :10 tag-ons.

Watch more new spots — from Target, Pepsi Max, Victoria's Secret and other brands — after the jump.Continue reading...

Microsoft used the Golden Globes to unveil its new tagline while Kraft ran a new mac'n'cheese spot that marked its second commercial featuring the golden voice of Ted Williams — a big show of support with the "homeless to Hollywood" insta-star now in rehab. The bigger surprise, perhaps, is the girl's use of the word "piehole" in the spot, above — salty language that echoes the "Dad really screwed this up" in the brand's first spot featuring Williams, which debuted last week.

One look at the new Mercedes-Benz CLS, featured at the Detroit Auto Show this week, is apparently enough to drive a man from living on the fringe of society to getting a haircut, donning a suit and getting his life back on track. Now, where have we heard this story....?

AP settles copyright suit against Obama "Hope" poster artist Shepard Fairey.

Apple shares hit all-time high.

Burger King tests first stuffed hamburger.

Chrysler reports global sales increase.

Conan O'Brien says he's happy with life, ratings post-NBC.

Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav shakes up US network execs, promoting Eileen O'Neill to run TLC and Discovery Channel.Continue reading...

In the continuing saga of "Homeless to Hollywood" overnight sensation Ted Williams, the golden-voiced former DJ may have just made his first misstep: agreeing to appear on Dr. Phil's talkshow.

In an episode that airs Wednesday, Williams and his estranged family were brought together by the Oprah-fied self-help guru (we assume it's just matter of time before Williams appears on Winfrey's show, too).

In the course of taping an argument broke out, followed by news that Williams was "detained" by police. Apparently, a heated argument with his daughter, who was brought to Los Angeles for the Dr. Phil taping, led to a disturbance report. Some media outlets, incorrectly, used the word "arrested" in their reports of the incident.Continue reading...

Well, that didn't take long. Here's a behind-the-scenes peek at the first commercial featuring a voice-over by Ted Williams — aka the homeless man with the golden voice, overnight fame, new website and Facebook page.

As the just-hired voice of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, this spot debuted tonight during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on ESPN. It was recorded last week while he was in the middle of an Internet and media darling (and still wearing that jacket), and his second Kraft spot will debut during the Golden Globe Awards broadcast, Jan. 16th on NBC.

Kraft describes Williams' brand debut as "a gooey tale of family, hope, and second chances. And it'll make you feel all warm inside." Watch the spot and see if you agree, after the jump.Continue reading...

Without a doubt, the breakout personal brand of the week has to be Ted Williams, whose honey-coated pipes landed him instant fame, job offers and a live segment on the Today Show three days after a viral video of his mellifluously-voiced panhandling pitch propelled him from Columbus, Ohio, to the world stage.

Despite flying Williams out to Manhattan, putting him up in a nice hotel and spiffing him up with a good haircut, the Today Show wardrobe dept. apparently wants to remind you, and him, that this is indeed a camo-jacketed homeless man. In this, The Today show seems to be just continuing the spirit of the original video, which begins, "Gonna' make you work for your dollar. Say something with that great radio voice."Continue reading...