Is the world ready for "Sugarpova"? It's a new brand of candy and sweets, leveraging the brand value of tennis star Maria Sharapova, expected to launch at the US Open in August.

This is just the latest commercial venture for the world's highest paid female athlete whose branding acumen seems to be as sharp as her tennis game.

The 24-year old professional tennis player is a winner in more ways than one, ranking number seven in the world's single women tennis players and having made over $24 million from June 2009 to June 2010, according to Forbes.

While Sharapova has earned her fair share from playing tennis, she has done even better from her commercial endorsements.Continue reading...

American Idol viewers crowned a new winner: Scotty McCreery.

AT&T expands 4G network.

Ashton Kutcher invests in Airbnb, his biggest social investment to date.

Carven, the French fashion brand, mulls possible IPO.

China widens lead in renewable energy ranking.

Diageo reorganizes business units.

DoubleTree by Hilton launches year-long global rebranding.

Facebook's Zuckerberg says movies, TV and music are next social frontiers as site announces music service with Spotify.Continue reading...

AIG raises $8.7 billion.

Amazon launches $164 Kindle 3G with ads, as B&N unveils $139 touchscreen Nook.

Apple passes 500,000 unique app offerings in its U.S. store.

Bharti Walmart expands wholesale stores.

Bob Dylan turns 70.

Boeing weighs options for new planes.

British Airways develops Windows 7 mobile boarding app.

California Pizza Kitchen agrees to buyout offer.Continue reading...

Lipton is promoting its green tea line in Asia with Japanese screen idol Takeshi Kaneshiro in a new campaign by DDB Shanghai. The spot, above, premiered last night in China at screenings of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.Continue reading...

Alberto-Culver acquisition by Unilever gets DOJ approval.

Apple's iPad Wi-Fi problems are back.

Ashton Kutcher receives mixed congrats on CBS gig from Charlie Sheen.

Cake Health aims to be the "Mint of health insurance.

Dell teases MacBook Air clone.

Meetup aims to help brands mobilize Facebook fans.

NBA launches gay-positive PSAs heading into playoffs.

Netflix ponders saving TV shows.

Ron Paul announces 2012 US presidential run.

& UK courts try to stop the tide of social media.

ADM and Cargill invest in diesel from soy in Brazil. 

British Airways’ Olympics-related advertising campaign takes off.

Carnival Cruise aligns with Live Nation.

Carrefour ousts head of its French business.

Cisco to reduce its bureaucracy.

Coca-Cola grows upbeat on India.

Glencore says orders for its IPO continue to roll in.Continue reading...

Amazon expands into the romance publishing business.

Avon widens internal probe into possible bribery of foreign officials.

Bank of America triples number of mortgage-help centers.

Chevron expands oil-shale play in Pennsylvania.

Denny’s expands presence on college campuses.

Duane Reade launches Facebook contest.

Electronic Arts profit soars as business model shifts.Continue reading...

NBC bids adieu to Steve Carell on The Office.

Office boosts Microsoft profits, though Windows sales slip — blame the iPad, with Apple now more profitable than Microsoft.

BlackBerry-maker RIM cuts Q1 earnings and revenue forecast. 

Apple's White iPhone 4 - a PR coup?

Bank of America to hike interest rates for late payments. 

Deutsche Bank announces record first-quarter profits. 

Hulu Plus comes to Xbox Live.Continue reading...