Chrysler will roll out a new marketing campaign Sunday for the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan that went on sale this fall. The ads--which emphasize the vehicle's flexible interior, safety and technology--will be placed mostly in media that have female audiences. Dodge is also giving 30 minivans to moms across the country to test drive--and blog about--for a week. There will also be a new campaign for the Dodge brand, which recently changed its tagline from "Grab Life by the Horns" to "Grab Life." Mark Spencer, senior manager of Dodge communications, says the shorter tagline is more encompassing and appeals …

Verizon Wireless, which had stopped selling most Bob Marley ringtone files because of a licensing dispute between the estate of the reggae singer and the Universal Music Group, says it plans to resume sales after a harsh statement from the family. Universal, a subsidiary of Vivendi, owns the rights to Marley's music. Last month, Verizon struck a deal with it to become the exclusive provider of ring tones from the catalog. Marley's family objected to the deal--calling it tantamount to an endorsement--and threatened to sue. The family yesterday said that it would not follow through with a suit …

A new Mercedes-Benz luxury concept car--the F700--offers passengers a bump-free experience thanks to laser-based sensor technology that lets the suspension adjust to road conditions on the fly. Unveiled at the 62nd International Auto Show in Frankfurt this week, the touring sedan incorporates two lasers in the front headlights that scan the road ahead for bumps, holes or debris. The sedan--part of DaimlerChrysler's vision of what cars may look like in the future--has other features designed to provide comfort and luxury. Four passengers must be seated in the traditional way, but if the front passenger seat is unoccupied the …

To grab more affluent working women, Ann Taylor is introducing a line in 24 of its top stores that's 40% more expensive than its usual merchandise. Called Collection, the line includes about 50 items built around the work-appropriate suits and dresses that created the label's reputation. The company says it doesn't plan to roll out the Collection at all of its roughly 350 Ann Taylor stores, but the line will be available on its Web site in a few weeks. Suit jackets will sell for $295 to $365; pants for $175 to $195; handbags from $295 to …

Palm practically invented the smart phone category, but until it delivers on broader promises of new software and a more contemporary lineup, it seems likely to continue its long slide. It has used the same operating software, with minor updates, for five years and is struggling to get a major new version out. In early September, Palm suffered an embarrassing setback when it pulled the plug on the Foleo, a mobile-computing companion to the Treo. The Foleo had a splashy debut in the spring, but critics scratched their heads over its limited business utility. Palm executives …

"The Gamekillers"--a new MTV series about young men's quests to win over women--is a prime example of the compromises being negotiated increasingly in the entertainment industry by marketers and media. It may not be obvious to viewers, but the series is also about Unilever PLC's quest to sell more Axe antiperspirant. Getting "branded entertainment" on the air isn't easy. While Unilever's ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty originally envisaged the show as a TV series, the company initially agreed to finance development of a single episode. That one-hour show aired several times last year on MTV, drawing enough of an audience …

Betting that diesel power will become an alternative to the hybrids popularized by Toyota and other Japanese carmakers, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen all plan to sell new diesel automobiles in the U.S. in the coming year. Many of them are being shown at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany this week. A lot of Americans recall diesel, circa 1983, as a dirty fuel that made cars noisy and hard to start on freezing winter mornings. But the technology, European car executives say, has advanced since then--with the latest generation of diesel engines virtually indistinguishable from gasoline engines in performance. …

Seeking to tamp down public outrage, Mattel CEO Robert Eckert told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee yesterday that the company would now test the safety of Chinese-made products with its own laboratories or with laboratories certified by the company. Other testimony by both federal regulators and toy manufacturers detailed loose Chinese standards and spotty U.S. enforcement that have contributed to a spate of recalls of Chinese-made toys, food and other products as health threats. Mattel's Eckert disputed reports that public warnings about the dangerous products were delayed because of disagreements with regulators, or that Mattel might be motivated by saving money …

Sam's Club members in Fayetteville, Ark. got a sneak peak at the unique features of a first-of-its-kind "green" store yesterday. It is designed to lessen the local environmental impact from recycled building materials and composted waste. The store is built in the 100-acre Clabber Creek ecosystem, which is home to several endangered species. Placement of the building was planned around the land's protection, and an additional retention pond in the rear of the property allows natural water filtration systems to cleanse water. Inside, 219 skylights are coupled with a high-efficiency lighting system that adjusts artificial light according to how much …

Over the summer, Bank of America has quietly rolled out a $1 increase in the amount it charges non-customers to withdraw cash from most of its ATMs. The bank decided to charge non-customers a $3 fee at 10,700 ATMs--nearly two-thirds of its network--in bank branches and supermarkets as a way to "reduce wait time for our own customers," says BOA spokeswoman Betty Riess. Most non-customers who use BOA ATMs, Riess says, do so at shopping malls, convenience stores and airports; the withdrawal fee at those machines remains $2. Citi, Chase, Wachovia and Wells Fargo say they have no immediate plans …