As the economic downturn has made many bloggers -- and their followers -- even more distrustful and critical of big business than usual, companies like General Motors and American Airlines are trying to contain the damage that "badvocates" can do, Laurie Burkitt reports. A social media team of six GM employees monitors comment on the Web, for example -- tweeting, updating Facebook and occasionally commenting on personal blogs. The company even invited one critical blogger -- he ripped GM's "faceless," "nameless" marketing strategies -- to headquarters to interview CEO Fritz Henderson and other executives. American Airlines …

Although Kraft is struggling against private-label competition in key areas such as its cheese and Planters nuts franchises, its pizza business has enjoyed seven consecutive quarters of double-digit sales growth and has become a prime driver of the company's "convenient meals" business, its fastest-growing U.S. segment, Mike Hughlett reports. Kraft makes the most popular U.S. frozen pizza, DiGiorno (which pioneered frozen pizza with self-rising dough), as well as other top brands Tombstone and Jack's. It also produces supermarket versions of California Pizza Kitchen Products. "The quality of frozen pizza has grown dramatically in the past few …

In the interests of self-perseveration, advertising agencies are staring to resist some of the heavy-handed procurement practices by marketers looking to squeeze the best deal possible when vendors are most vulnerable: during the competitive review processes. Rupal Parekh strings together some convincing examples to weave his tale, including an opening anecdote of executives from one agency emerging from a meeting at Volkswagen of America a few weeks ago and whispering to their rivals, "Don't cave." "There has been a good deal of discussion about the over-the-top practices that have evolved in the past year, particularly," observes Tom Finneran, exec …

Hmmm. Haven't we been down this road before? Like 101 years ago?

Ahhhh. Leslie J. Allen writes that General Motors figures rear-seat passengers will use laptop computers, game players and other portable devices while drivers can use the connection to stream Internet radio stations.

Ewwww. "As Charmin notes on EnjoytheGo.com," Anthony Zumpano reports, "the brand is seeking bloggers who like the bathroom as much as blogging to stay posted inside the facilities, 'greet and entertain' restroom patrons, then blog the results."

"According to Nielsen and other data analyzed by Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, "writes Bonnie Rochman, "the least healthy cereals are the ones marketed most aggressively to children." General Mill's "Whole Grain Guaranteed" Cinnamon Toast Crunch takes the top position with the average 6- to 11-year-old exposed to 82 commercials over a 15-month period. Froot Loops barely makes the cut at No. 10.

Shannon Lee last year bought back the rights to her father's image from Universal Studios and has embarked on a multipronged endeavor to raise the late martial arts star's profile and post-mortem earnings, Sarah McBride reports. She has formed Bruce Lee Enterprises, a licensing company, and LeeWay Media Group, a production company, and consulted with the estates of other famous people, including Elvis Presley and John Wayne as part of her due diligence in an effort to boost her father's earnings from about $1 million a year to $5 to $10 million. If she didn't try …