After spending years trying to get shoppers to embrace its softer side, Sears' latest strategy to stem slumping sales is to tap yet another new market: the young, hip and urban. It is teaming up with MTV to produce a back-to-school movie while adding a line of street clothes and accessories designed by hip-hop artist LL Cool J. "The American Mall," produced by the team responsible for the tween-loved "High School Musical" series, is a massive cross-promotion between MTV and Sears. Scenes for the 87-minute film were shot in a Utah Sears store. Characters wear Sears clothes, which shoppers …

In a move that could pave the way for a broader licensing of the Beatles' closely guarded catalogue, representatives of the band are in talks with both Activision and MTV Games to create a Beatles-themed video game. A final deal would have to win the blessing of both Apple Corps, the company established by the band to oversee its business interests, and EMI, the UK music group that owns the Beatles master recordings. Both declined to comment. The surviving Beatles and their heirs have been cautious about exploiting their material on new platforms, but Apple Corps has become more …

Nicole Kidman sashays in ads for Chanel No. 5 perfume. Eva Longoria, the bombshellette star of "Desperate Housewives," sells L'Oréal Paris hair color. Jessica Simpson struts for a hair extension company, HairUWear, and the acne skin-care line Proactiv Solution. Jamie Lee Curtis spoons up Dannon Activia yogurt while promoting environmentally friendly Honda cars. And Totes Isotoner describes its relationship with the singer Rihanna as "invaluable." Using celebrities for promotion is hardly new, but over the last decade, corporate brands have increasingly turned to Hollywood celebrities and musicians to sell their products. Stars showed up in nearly 14% of ads last …

A marketing pact announced Thursday between United and Continental airlines -- the nation's No. 2 and No. 4 in terms of traffic -- should help them forge close domestic ties and act in concert on international routes. Such a deal also avoids the labor tensions, service disruptions and high upfront costs of a merger. United has long coveted some kind of relationship with Continental, as their combined route network is complementary and powerful. Chicago-based United is strong in the Pacific and in the western U.S. Continental, based in Houston, has extensive routes to Latin America and a big hub in …

General Motors is shifting engineers from its next-generation big-truck programs to other projects as it further adapts to the current automotive environment with gasoline selling above $4 per gallon. GM made the decision to indefinitely postpone development of the next generation of big trucks -- originally due out in 2012 -- since the annual meeting on June 3, when it announced plans to close four truck plants, increase car production and study the future of the Hummer SUV brand. Engineers will continue to develop improvements for its current trucks, including engineering changes that will make more fuel-efficient options …

Marketers are cranking up for the Aug. 8 start of the Olympic Games in Beijing. A dozen -- including U.S. companies such as Coca-Cola, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak and Visa -- have spent about $40 million just to be top-level Games sponsors and will spend up to 10 times that to exploit the tie-in with ads, promotions and events in the U.S., China and other world markets. Coke has a mix of three Olympic-theme packaging designs. Some incorporate foreign languages and some use Olympic athletes. Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, track athlete Sanya Richards and NBA star LeBron James …

Under a licensing agreement announced Thursday, ConAgra -- which makes such products as Orville Redenbacher's popcorn and Hebrew National frankfurters -- will be allowed to use Procter & Gamble's packaging - from non-splatter valves on plastic bottles to wrappings - to make its products more user-friendly. It will also be able to use "nutritionally enhancing" food ingredients, such as Calsura calcium, used in PepsiCo's Tropicana orange juice, across its entire range of products. Jeff Weedman, vp of external business development at P&G, says the deal could provide a blueprint for collaboration with other companies in areas such as …