With a strategy reminiscent of And 1's "Mixtape Tour," Burger King will hit 41 cities in four months starting Feb. 5, seeking basketball players 18 and older who want to "show off their best moves on the court," Barry Janoff reports. It's also looking for people who are "game-changers" in their community. Syrus Yarbrough, who was a member of MTV's "The Real World: Boston" in 1997, and has since appeared in other reality TV shows, and a film crew will hit Los Angeles, Dallas, New Orleans, Cleveland, Baltimore and New York and other locales. Clips will …

Three years after coming under fire from gay activists for a Super Bowl commercial that showed two male mechanics who accidentally kiss, Mars will announce today that it is ready to return to the field, Bruce Horovitz reports. Carole Walker, the company's vp of integrated marketing, says that the new commercial has been vetted by a panel of 1,000 consumers. There's no kissing whatsoever, and "nothing that the gay community would find offensive." Instead, it will use a spot featuring octogenarians Abe Vigoda and Betty White to appeal to its 18-to-49, male target. This we gotta see …

Katherine Rosman writes: "Only in the world of infomercials could Popsicle sticks and Velcro build an empire." It seems that one bright glow in the retail gloom is "As seen on TV products" such as Bumpits -- plastic wedges that give your hair a little pouf -- ubiquitous Snuggies (for man, woman, child and pet), and Strap Perfect, which claims to increase bra sizes by a full cup. At least two forces are at work. The first is bargain basement rates at television stations. Infomercials have stepped into airtime formally blocked out by cost-cutting national and local advertisers. …

Speaking of the iPad, as everyone seems to be doing this morning, we located two stories that delve into the implications of the device for marketers. Forrester Research's Josh Bernoff tells "Marketplace"'s Kai Ryssdal that the iPad and other new products and apps are responsible for shattering the Web into pieces, which particularly creates problems for entities trying to reach consumers. Take Kraft Foods, for example, and its iFood app for the iPhone. "If you happen to have a Google Android and you want to get that, well, you're going to have to wait and see …

When the snow begins falling, a minor fender-bender can quickly become a multi-car pileup. Toyota seems to have found itself on a very slick road, judging by Tom Walsh's column today. Yesterday, Walsh warned Detroit automakers about gloating about Toyota's PR woes, but they're not exactly paying attention, if Nick Bunkley's story in the New York Times headlined "Carmakers Pounce On Toyota Owners" is any indication. Walsh reports that, to avoid the appearance of gloating, however, General Motors didn't issue a news release about its offer of zero-percent financing or other incentives to people …

Robert Siegel chats with John Price, a brand manager for Scotts Miracle-Gro, about the company's deal with Major League Baseball to sell fans grass seed blends that match those used at their favorite ballpark. The target is perfect, Price says. Baseball fans tend to own their own homes. "What better way to marry people that love having a great lawn with tapping into a sport that people love as well that features a great lawn?" he asks. Price also makes it clear that these seeds really are something special -- premium, top-of-the-line varieties that you would …