The beginning of the breakfast rush--which used to fall between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.--has moved up an hour, in part, because Americans are driving to work earlier, says Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA. As a result, McDonald's wants all its U.S. restaurants open by 5 a.m., up from 75% today. McDonald's executives say that breakfast has the most growth potential of any part of the day. To cash in, the company is looking at adding new fruit and grain items, such as oatmeal, to its breakfast menu. Since January, McDonald's has been reorganizing how it …

A new Bacardi spot featuring consumers ruminating about their "reasons" for drinking responsibly inverts classic liquor ads that play up sex and chic. Bacardi's familiar fruit bat logo briefly appears at the end of the spot, which is dubbed "Whatever Your Reason." While there are other, more familiar, branded spots running concurrently, "Whatever Your Reason" isn't a simple one-off. The company plans to keep the ad in rotation for the next 12 months, increasing its frequency across a variety of cable networks during the holidays, with particular attention on New Year's Eve promotions, according to Joe Metevier, brand …

Coca-Cola has boosted its marketing to try to get sales of Diet Coke --which hit a plateau in 2005 and dipped slightly in 2006--back on track. It put Diet Coke front and center at the Oscars, and the drink was given a bigger presence on "American Idol," of which Coke is a major sponsor. Magazine ads touted Diet Coke as everything from a coffee substitute to a post-yoga refreshment. A series of new television ads with the tagline "Yours, Diet Coke" shows folks in frantic or passionate hunts for the drink. Industry experts agree the decline is …

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer acknowledges he has been "hammered" by investors who argue that Microsoft should focus on its core desktop and server software business and forget businesses like digital music players and video games. But he maintains that Web services and consumer devices are key to its future. The company aims to make software that integrates the best features of desktop software, higher-end corporate software, Web services and devices. It needs to be in all of those areas to keep up with the pace of innovation, Ballmer says. Microsoft can also drive growth through its …

Most analysts expected Ford to lose money in the second quarter, but the automaker said it actually earned $750 million--its first profitable quarter in two years. The company also confirms it is exploring the sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover subsidiaries, and says it is conducting a strategic review of Volvo "that likely will conclude prior to year end." Ford also reports that its U.S. market share reversed its decline, rising to 15.6% for the quarter from 15.1% in the first quarter. It was 16.7% in the second quarter of 2006. Despite the quarterly earnings, the company …

For years, consumers were happy to buy their PCs online. But as laptops have become more popular, people have increasingly sought to touch and test out their computers before buying. During the first five months of this year, 60% of PCs sold to consumers were bought in a store--the highest share this decade--up from just under 53% two years ago, according to NPD Group. Now online retailers are going to new lengths to try to make shopping on their sites easier, more informative and engaging. The efforts include faster checkout; more online video about product; user reviews; click-to-call service …

Walt Disney says that it will snuff out depictions of smoking in Disney-label films, as well as discourage lighting up in the more adult fare released by its Touchstone Pictures and its specialty label, Miramax. "Heroes can be cool without smoking," says CEO Robert A. Iger. Iger also promises to place anti-smoking public service announcements on DVDs of future films--including from Touchstone and Miramax--that depict smoking. It will encourage theater owners to do the same. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and advocacy groups, such as the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Hollywood Unfiltered campaign, praised the announcement. But …

General Electric is issuing an Earth Rewards Platinum MasterCard that allows customers to use reward points to reduce global warming by purchasing greenhouse gas-emissions offsets. The offering is part of CEO Jeffrey Immelt's "ecomagination" campaign, under which GE sold $12 billion of environmentally friendly products last year. Consumers can pick what rewards they want--either 1% can be contributed to the emission-reduction projects, or ½% to the projects and ½% cash back. On Earth Day each year, accumulated points will be used to fund projects that reduce emissions led by a venture of GE's energy finance unit and electricity …

A multimedia campaign to promote Restylane--a dermal injection that reduces the appearance of wrinkles--includes a "Hottest Mom in America" contest. Medicis Pharmaceutical, which makes the product, plans to sponsor a reality television show, although it has yet to find a network to carry it. Potential contestants--who do not need to have used Restylane--can submit videos to the contest's Web site. The woman who is crowned "Hottest Mom in America" will receive a $25,000 college scholarship for a related child, $25,000 in cash, a year of free treatment with Restylane and an interview with a prominent modeling agency. …

Acknowledging that its restaurants are perceived by some people as frumpy and downscale, Red Lobster is undergoing its biggest makeover in its almost 40 years. The new menus put greater emphasis on freshness, and kitschy fish-shaped tables will be replaced by more natural-looking décor featuring stone and wood. Kim Lopdrup, president of Red Lobster, says that the initiative is part of a three-stage effort. The first phase involved improving operations so that customers got what they ordered and did not have to wait too long. The second is aimed at changing the public image and perception. The third will …