Delta Air Lines thinks it has found a formula for making the process of loading hundreds of testy travelers into cramped planes more pleasant and efficient: Play some beats, and get 'em in the seats. Though playing "elevator music" during boarding is nothing new, Delta is among the first to concoct a contemporary music mix specifically targeted toward getting customers to their seats faster and keeping them there. Soon after Delta began playing upbeat music two years ago, flight attendants noticed that passengers were taking their seats and getting settled faster. "Once we started down that path, we …

As recently as last year, Wal-Mart and other retailers were touting in-store health clinics as the wave of the future, offering basic health care at low cost and with fewer hassles. But widespread acceptance of the clinics appears to be slow, with many consumers skeptical about getting a checkup where they get their groceries. Overall, there are about 981 retail health clinics currently operating in the U.S., according to Merchant Medicine, an industry consulting and research group. While some clinic operators have been expanding, others have given up. In the past year, Merchant Medicine estimates that 136 clinics …

Coca-Cola's whimsical ad dubbed "Bird's Nest" was one of the best-remembered and most-liked commercials during the first week of NBC's primetime Olympic coverage, according to Nielsen IAG. Emotional ads for General Electric and Visa also scored well. Emotional ads are a "natural fit" for the Olympics because it matches the content, says John Norman, an executive creative director at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam. "The Olympics are always full of heartfelt and underdog stories about the athletes," says Norman, who worked on "Bird's Nest." The ad features computer-animated birds swiping drinking straws to make a nest modeled on …

Crocs plans to expand the products offered through the Bite Shoes brand that it acquired last year. Bite has been a small but respected maker of ergonomically friendly adventure, hiking and walking footwear, along with a wide range of sandals. It also has developed a dedicated following for its tech-oriented line of functional and comfortable golf shoes, including golf sandals and golf hiking boots. "Our plans are to grow the line strategically, including, over time, a multitude of options for different types of golfers," says Ed Wunsch, director of marketing at Crocs. For most of this year, Crocs -- …

Domino's is announcing today that it will deliver a line of four, $4.99 oven-baked sub sandwiches -- including Philly Cheese Steak and Chicken Bacon Ranch -- whether or not consumers also order pizzas. It will be a wake-up call for sub shops Subway and Quiznos, which find themselves competing with pizza chains. "We're looking at everything," says CEO Dave Brandon. "We have more non-traditional products in various stages of R&D." Brandon says the move should boost Domino's lunch business and expects lots of calls from groups of office workers. Rivals are unimpressed. Pizza Hut delivers hot sandwiches regionally …

Lenders have spent billions of dollars in advertising to change the language of home loans and with it Americans' attitudes toward debt. Not long ago, "home equity" loans were known as second mortgages and were considered the borrowing of last resort, to be avoided by all but people in dire financial straits. Today, these loans have become universally accepted, their image transformed by ubiquitous ad campaigns from banks. "Calling it a 'second mortgage,' that's like hocking your house," says Pei-Yuan Chia, a former vice chairman at Citicorp who oversaw the bank's consumer business in the 1980s and 1990s. "But call …

Juicy Couture may rankle some parents for its high prices and risqué slogans --including "I'm a Juicy Girl" -- but no one can deny it's taking retail by storm. As classic clothiers struggle to reverse falling sales, the 12-year-old tracksuit company is expanding into every facet of fashion, from $45 computer mouse/pad sets to $180 charm bracelets to $2,000 couture dresses. Co-founders Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor, a former Hollywood costume designer and an actress, respectively, have no patience for the stuff of supply chains and fine-print balance sheets. In June, they ended any pretense and gave up their …