• Tesla Broke CR's Servers With Wall Street Rocket Car
    The amazing Tesla that broke "Consumer Reports"' measurement gauge, and servers, also broke some stock market numbers. "Consumer Reports" took the unusual step of letting non-subscribers read its superlative-filled review and its 103 score for the Tesla S P85D. That news crashed its servers and propelled Tesla's stock to an 8% gain. That's a $2.5 billion increase in market value.
  • A Trump Burger? Well, Why The Heck Not
    As part of its celebrations to mark National Burger Day U.K. last Thursday, U.K. chain Lucky Chip created a burger dedicated to our national hero and potential buffoon in chief. The Donald Trump is a "rich" burger, rich with double entendre: an aged beef patty cooked medium, so there might be blood. And a hair-piece-like array of charred onions on top. We'd vote for that.
  • Xerox Launches Campaign During U.S. Open
    Xerox, during the U.S. Open, is launching its first campaign in two years, and it is also the first new brand effort under CMO John Kennedy, who joined last summer. The effort, "Work Can Work Better" transcend's the last campaign, 2013's "Made Simple" because, besides taking a brand position, it highlights the the work processes it improves. Besides the nuts and bolts of the campaign Y&R New York, the company's longtime AOR,. is also doing brand strategy.
  • New Acura Chief Wants Exciting Cars
    Jon Ikeda, former designer and new general manager of Acura, is looking to sedans to add a spark of excitement to the brand. The automotive bellwether for the effort is the revived NSX supercar. "That will be one of my first challenges with R&D, working with them to see what we could do to get that going."
  • Reportedly, Amazon Won't Tempt Fire Again
    Amazon's first Fire phones crashed and burned. The company had said that it would continue with the project. Reportedly it will not: Amazon is shelving phone plans, among other projects, and has apparently laid off engineers from its Lab126 tech center, created to design the Kindle. Lab126 is also responsible for Fire tablets, TV and phone, the Dash button and the Echo speaker/voice-activated assistant. The phone's failure represented a $170 million loss.
  • Under New Leadership, Xerox Launches Campaign
    The brand strategy, from Y&R New York, the company's longtime agency partner, seeks to address the way people use and can benefit from technology-not just address the mechanics of the technology. The effort includes a multimedia campaign and a relaunch of the Xerox.com website, which features new content that is optimized for access via any device and that reflects the new business focus.
  • Ferrari May Make Chrysler Marchionne CEO
    Ferrari, a unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is considering appointing FCA Chairman Sergio Marchionne CEO after Amedeo Felisa retires this year. Ferrari, which goes public later in 2015, will be spun off in early 2016. Marchionne would add the CEO job to his current duties until then. Felisa may keep an advisory role. Fiat Chrysler is selling 90% of Ferrari to raise cash. Founding-family member Piero Ferrari plans to keep the remaining 10%.
  • McDonald's, Tyson Cut Ties To Farm For Animal Cruelty
    McDonald's won't use T&S Farms any more after an activist group, Mercy for Animals, went to the web with a video, showing ill, maltreated chickens at the plant being slaughtered brutally. The farm is contracted to chicken giant Tyson Foods, which supplies chicken to McDonald's, the second biggest purchaser of poultry in the USA. Tyson said the company was investigating, but is also terminating the farmer's contract, based on what it has seen.
  • FDA Says No, Not Natural, To Three Tobacco Brands
    The Food and Drug Administration took three cigarette brands to task for their labels, which claim they are "natural" or "additive-free." The warnings went to Winston maker ITG Brands LLC; Natural American Spirit maker Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc.; and Nat Sherman maker Sherman's 1400 Broadway N.Y.C. Ltd. The FDA said the products need an FDA modified risk tobacco product order before they can be legally introduced as 'natural' and 'additive free' into interstate commerce.
  • Mondelez Makes Marketing Department Changes
    Mondelez International, maker of brands like Oreo and Ritz, is planning changes in North America next year that include marketing department cuts. The reorganization comes as it faces stakeholder pressure to boost margins. The company said it shared some of the details with employees. The company is based in Chicago, but the North American marketing division works mostly out of East Hanover, N.J., and Toronto.
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