Nike kicked off a "Grapple in the Apple" campaign Thursday with a boxing match-style media event featuring flamboyant boxing promoter Don King and the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players in tennis, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Nike has endorsement deals with both and is looking to capitalize on a potential finals showdown between the two at the U.S. Open, which begins next week, by suggesting they're engaged in a heavyweight championship bout. The players have been given boxer-type nicknames: Roger "The Magician of Precision" Federer and Rafa "Matador of Spin" Nadal. The two have met in the …

General Motors chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner gave the public its first peek at the design of the Cherolet Cruze -- bigger than the Cobalt it replaces, but smaller than the midsize Malibu -- Thursday when he announced that the company is investing $500 million in the U.S. to build the vehicle. GM displayed a foam show model sprayed with a special coating to make it look like a real car. It plans to officially unveil Cruze at the Paris auto show next month. Wagoner says GM will begin production of the Cruze at its Lordstown, Ohio, small-car …

The Food and Drug Administration has added iceberg lettuce and spinach to the short but growing list of foods approved for irradiation -- including meat, poultry and some shellfish -- to kill dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. Companies may have a tough time selling the idea to consumers, however. The FDA says that irradiation done correctly and at approved levels reduces or eliminates bacteria without altering the nutritional value of the greens or harming consumers. Opponents say more testing is needed. Food & Water Watch calls irradiation an "impractical, ineffective and very expensive gimmick" that may ruin …

Maureen McGuire, Sears Holdings Corp.'s chief marketing officer, is leaving the company at the end of the month. Sears, which declined to make McGuire available for an interview, says she is departing for personal reasons. Richard Gerstein, head of marketing at the Sears division, will take her place as head of marketing for the combined company. In addition, Sears home services chief Mark Good announced his departure in a memo sent to employees Tuesday. Both executives played a big role in hedge fund manager Edward Lampert's efforts to turn the combination of Kmart and Sears into a thriving …

In a $300 million campaign that is said to be the largest in its history, comedian and proven pitchman Jerry Seinfeld will appear with Bill Gates in Microsoft ads with an immediate goal of reversing negative public perception of Windows Vista. He reportedly will receive about $10 million;. The ads will break Sept. 4. Microsoft is weary of being cast as a stodgy oldster by Apple's advertising. The new ad effort is expected to use some variation of the slogan "Windows, Not Walls," according to sources. They say the point is to stress breaking down barriers that …

Kellogg will reintroduce Hydrox cookies today at an event in New York that will feature three consumers who won a contest to be declared America's most ardent Hydrox fans. The winners also are part of a Web site (hydroxcookies.com), along with content like a history of Hydrox, which was first marketed by Sunshine in 1908. Sunshine was sold to Keebler in 1996 and Keebler was acquired by Kellogg in 2001; Kellogg stopped selling Hydrox in 2003. The brand was long a No. 2 to Nabisco's Oreos. The brand's centennial provided a peg to revive Hydrox …