Chris Dannen writes that Eminem's recent lawsuit against Apple has a back story that involves an iPod ad and Steve Jobs personally. It seems that Apple made a commercial in 2004 that used one of Eminem's songs without his permission. It featured a "very cute and hip" 10-year-old boy singing to "Lose Yourself" on his iPod. Jobs purportedly spoke to Eminem's people, urging them to reconsider their objections. The rapper did not back down; neither did Jobs. The commercial ran with "Lose Yourself" within. Eminem sued and the parties eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed …

Jeremy Mullman gives us a breezy roundup of the National Beer Wholesalers' Association's semiannual confabulation in Las Vegas. Among the 10 takeaways: Several speakers seized on a recent study that showed moderate drinkers live longer than non-drinkers. That said, last year was a tough one for the industry and sales show little sign of picking up. Maybe that's why alcoholic energy brands such as Joose drew so much attention, although the army of busty blondes in fishnets at the booth had a bit to do with it, he allows. Jakk'd -- a caffeinated grain alcohol beverage -- also got …

Unilever is buying the personal care division of Sara Lee for €1.3 billion ($1.9 billion), delivering it brands such as Radox and Brylcreem. The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company says the products will complement its more upmarket brands, including Dove and Rexona, Marcus Leroux writes in the Times. It also hopes to expand the newly obtained brands in developing and emerging markets, which now comprise about 15% of its annual sales, according to CNNMoney's Julianne Pepitone. "Personal care is a strategic category and a key growth driver for Unilever," according to a statement by Unilever CEO Paul Polman. …

After conducting pilot programs for about a year, Sam's Club says it is launching free technical support service nationwide on any electronics purchase -- even if the product was not bought at one of its outlets, Lana F. Flowers reports. Sam's Club is a division of Wal-Mart. Sam's Club also will take returns of electronic merchandise for up to 90 days starting Nov. 1, which puts it in line with its chief competitor, Costco. Paid setup will start at $89 and delivery services at $50, according to a company press release. "It will help Sam's compete with anybody, …

Just in time for the holiday put-on-the-poundage season, Little Debbie's marketing team is taking to the streets to whet consumers' yearnings for its new chocolate cupcakes, which it describes as "moist ... filled with crème and topped with rich, chocolate icing and a white squiggle." Does that bring back after-school memories of chasing a couple of Hostesses with a glass of cool milk or what? TV spots promoting the brand's "Share-A-Thon Tour" -- which takes place in 21 cities next month -- launched this week, Elaine Wong reports. They depict consumers in different settings getting mad at each …

A $298 laptop computer that Hewlett-Packard has been selling at Wal-Mart to boost back-to-school sales quickly sold out twice, Justin Scheck reports, underscoring the company's success in grabbing market share by undercutting it rivals during the financial -- and technology sales -- slump. The closest Dell product costs $398. And this month H-P introduced PCs for the holiday season at lower prices than earlier offerings. "Our goal is profitable growth," says Todd Bradley, the chief of H-P's PC division. To achieve that, he says, H-P is improving "the efficiency of our operations" and also investing in new product innovations, …