Victoria's Secret was just accused (by a Bloomberg News investigation) of using child labor; this week it's the Kardashians' turn on the hot seat.

Kim Kardashian and her controversy-stirring family are being accused of using sweatshops to manufacture the K-DASH and Kris Jenner Kollection lines for QVC,  by the US-based Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights, according to a report in Star magazine (via Radar). The family responded via a rep that they're unaware of such conditions but are taking the allegations "very seriously."

Other brands being targeted by the global labor and sweatshop watchdog include a Chinese manufacturer of Hasbro's Transformers toys; the Dallas Cowboys; and Walmart, the NFL and NCAA. (Update: Charles Kernaghan, executive director of The Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights, tells TMZ he was misquoted.)

Product placement may make a big leap soon if the reboot of the 1981 classic Cannonball Run gets the green light.

New York magazine's website reports that GM is deep "in discussions about backing an update of The Cannonball Run in a deal that would be much larger than your average product placement." Reportedly looking for an "equity stake," GM could go deep into its pockets in a gamble to pack the film with its models, and might even give the "new Corvette the lead."

There are several reasons this might be a disaster — so it's a good thing GM isn't getting involved.Continue reading...

Let’s get visual! Posters are always a popular medium of visually conveying messages, whether it is an advertisement or just a statement. Case in point: the eyecatching Back for the Future campaign poster by La Boca, above, promoting the Nike MAG (aka the "Marty McFly sneaker") release and eBay auction to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation.Continue reading...

News Corp. shares tumble as company goes on PR offensive with print apology as News International's former head Rebekah Brooks was arrested Sunday, London's police chief quits and actor Jude Law claims his phone was hacked. Prime Minister David Cameron called in Parliament to deal with the scandal, as speculation rises about possible harm to Murdoch's US empire.

ABS by Alan Schwartz balks at design copyright protection.

Amana introduces new online shopping tool.

Australia's government launches campaign for carbon tax.

Borders faces liquidation.Continue reading...

Burberry reported its first quarter earnings today, with retail sales growth of 49% a validation of the brand's strategic focus on digital innovation and emerging markets, especially China.

According to the brand's press release, "Continued innovation in Burberry’s two core categories, outerwear and large leather goods, drove nearly half of the growth in mainline sales, while Burberry Prorsum and London again outperformed, resulting in double-digit average selling price increases. Monthly flow of new fashion product, supported by synchronised digital initiatives, attracted the local luxury customer, while the increased penetration of core replenishment styles supported high tourist markets."

Fans, however, were more impressed by another piece of news: the naming of model-turned-Transformer star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who replaced Agyness Deyn as a regular Burberry model, today announced on Facebook as the first "Burberry Body." Her racy new campaign promoting a perfume of the same name debuts on September 1st.

When it's online in a more quality form, we'll update it. In the meantime, here is the Chevrolet Camaro commercial-Transformer 3 trailer playing before this weekend's top film, X-Men: First Class. The voiceover: "You may never have to outrun a Decepticon invasion... it's just nice to know you can."

Update: See Chevy's official version of this spot, dubbed "Getaway," below.Continue reading...

The toy industry and Hollywood have been bedfellows for decades, back to the era of Saturday-morning cartoon shows. And the synergies between the two businesses nearly always have been significant, sometimes even explosive.

Now Mattel, the world’s No. 1 toy company, aims to take this “transmedia” symbiosis to its logical conclusion. New York magazine reports that Mattel has challenged its designers to come up with a toy line that can simultaneously be turned into a TV show, feature, film, or game, creating a powerhouse brand from the start. No more waiting for the toy or the movie to come out.Continue reading...

It's a changing world in the toy business. Kids are focusing more of their attention on visual pursuits -- not just television and movies, but increasingly, video games and online entertainment. That means toy makers are scrambling to reinvent their brands and keep up with the times.

Hasbro, the second largest US toy maker behind Mattel, is making a big Hollywood push to remain competitive. "We actually reorganized the company to focus on our brand. Now we've become more consumer-centric," says Brian Goldner, Hasbro CEO, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.Continue reading...