[Automotive] "The only way I can explain it is that the escalating prices of diesel fuel have soured some people on diesel even more than before," says a KBB analyst. "In essence, in spite of a lot of publicity on diesel, the decline has been stronger." He says the lack of awareness among American consumers about clean-diesel technology such as Mercedes-Benz Bluetec, is worsened by association with "diesel vehicles we see on the road every day." ...Read the whole story

[Restaurants] The new campaign, which comes out next week, focuses on the food again and uses the red-pigtailed Wendy as an animated icon. Wendy's says that, while the current red-wig campaign got the company a lot of attention, it wasn't driving sales. And its ad agency came up with the idea of leveraging the original pig tails in new spots that highlight food quality. ...Read the whole story

[Telecom] Clear Channel and Sprint sealed the deal sometime in the fall. "This was an opportunity to create something great on a blank canvas, and we wanted a company that would do the coolest things," says Dan Jasper, VP/marketing and business development at Clear Channel Branded Cities. "Sprint is the NFL partner, so we made a point to single them out first for the NFL project." ...Read the whole story

[Entertainment] The timing of this announcement might find an economic sweet spot. The family market is one of the fastest-growing segments of the cruise market, with more and more cruise lines offering larger rooms and amenities that appeal to families, extended families and doting grandparents, says one expert. And while a softer economy certainly impacts travel plans, "cruises, because of their fixed price, tend to be seen as a good value." ...Read the whole story

[Packaged Goods] The NBC one-hour special, airing during prime time on Mother's Day, will include guest appearances by celebrity moms and will show stories of historically prominent moms. At the end of the program, a celebrity host will crown "America's Favorite Mom" and name a rose in her honor. The winner gets cash and prizes, including an 18-carat gold "America's Favorite Mom" pendant encrusted with diamonds. ...Read the whole story

Instead of a cacophony of garbage that tends to cancel itself out like grey noise, we have - to paraphrase the new campaign for Chevy ... ...More