San Francisco-based John Goodman was in his second day in his new job in charge of Sears and Kmart's apparel and home goods divisions -- one of the weakest portions of the retailer's business -- when Melissa Harris chatted with him. He told her that he was not there to "turn over the apple cart" or remake the brand but rather to "improve profitability and sales performance." He also wants to find synergies between the two brands in terms of talent and the sharing of information. "I really want this to have an entrepreneurial spirit, and think a …

Columnist David Lazarus decided to put Best Buy's new marketing campaign -- "They'll be happy, you'll be happy, we'll be happy" -- to the test. He took to the field and chatted with customers in several outlets. He did not find an overabundance of happy campers, he reports. When he himself asked a clerk for some advice on a computer under $500, the response was: "I don't know. I guess they're about the same." I'm guessing, along with Lazurus, that your experience has been about the same at most retailers, and that's the point of his piece. …

Marriott International is launching a high-end, franchise brand called the Autograph Collection, Thomas Heath reports, that will allow independent hotels to maintain their character while using Marriott's reach to bring in more customers and trim costs. Hotel owners will pay Marriott in return for using its infrastructure, which includes its reservation and Marriott Rewards system, as well as Marriott.com. Negotiations are in the works with 25 hotels to become franchisees by the end of 2010. Marriott's marketing plan involves the development of specific hotel categories -- such as boutique arts, historic iconic hotels, resorts, urban edge lifestyle …

Alissa Walker asks: Are the yellow cut-outs ingenious or invasive?

After yesterday's swift-if-expected rejection of its formal takeover bid by Cadbury management, Kraft is expected to sweeten its offer and take it to the confectionary giant's shareholders, Mike Hughlett reports. They, in turn, face a difficult decision in weighing whether Cadbury management can deliver more value than Kraft in the long term. "The offer is worse than the proposal the board previously rejected as fundamentally undervaluing Cadbury and its prospects," the board said in a statement, and chairman Roger Carr called it "derisory." Kraft's shares, which will finance 60% of the deal, have fallen slightly since the initial …

The response of some credit card companies to new federal regulations that take effect in February -- raising rates and reducing credit limits -- may boomerang, suggests Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who serves as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. He says the actions are helping to build support for the creation of a consumer financial protection agency. "People now understand the need for an ongoing supervisory power that's aimed at consumers and not as an afterthought to bank regulation," Frank tells Michelle Norris. Slipping into Betty Furness mode, Frank also suggests that consumers in …

McDonald's is putting a healthy dollop of marketing and ad support behind its third "Voice of McDonald's" competition, an "American Idol"-style karaoke contest in which servers are vying to be one of 12 semifinalists who make it to the company's biennial global conference next April, Emily Bryson York reports. The winner will take home $25,000. "I've always felt that our employees are our biggest assets," says Dean Barrett, McDonald's svp-global marketing. "So to allow our employees to have the fun and excitement and to have talent come through in a unique and different way has been a lot …