It looks like Stefani Germanotta, or her people, is attempting to trademark everything GaGa, right down to hypothetical boxer shorts, bras and gift certificates. Citing the pitfalls of over-extension -- "Harley-Davidson-branded cake decorating kit anyone?" -- Abe Sauer cautions the suddenly ubiquitous chanteuse to look before she leaps into such products as a "Lady GaGa GooGoo Sippy Cup."

A plurality of respondents (41%) to a Rasmussen Reports poll thinks Tiger Woods' televised public apology last week was sincere, Mark Dolliver reports, but a majority still harbor an unfavorable (51%) opinion of him. Rasmussen notes that the favorable total (36%) is unchanged since mid-December, while the unfavorable total has risen slightly. The others aren't sure or, presumably, couldn't care less.

Consultants Karl Gustafson and Rich Schreuer write that there should be a corollary to the adage that "You can't manage (or improve) what you can't measure." After interviewing managers at 400 companies, they find that "measurement alone will not lead to results." There are four ways to construct successful marketing-performance improvement initiatives, they write and elaborate upon: 1. Foster senior-level buy-in; 2. Seek strategic alignment; 3. Make targeted investments in people, technology and data systems; 4. Develop strong processes. "Marketing performance is not an initiative or a one-time event," Gustafson and Schreuer caution; "rather, it is …

Kristin Nocco, who used to push Prozac, Humulin and Ceclor for Eli Lilly, now works for the State of Pennsylvania as an "academic detailer." She gives doctors a rundown of the latest independent research on which drugs and other treatments work best for different conditions. "The idea is to let doctors see how that expensive, brand name drug stacks up against the older, cheaper one," Gregory Warner reports. "The industry's trying to sell a product," says Tom Snedden, Nocco's boss and the head of a program for Pennsylvania that helps low-income seniors pay for drugs. "What we're trying to …

Anjali Athavaley unveils a dirty little secret this morning: Most Americans clean their fridges only once or twice a year. Where there's dirt, there is, of course, an opportunity -- and don't think that the likes of Whirlpool, Viking Range and Sub-Zero aren't aware of it. They are offering features including "souped-up" shelves, bacteria-killing devices and better lighting to help Americans keep their iceboxes cleaner. A new GE model, for example, will have 10 lighting sources instead of the usual three, making spills and spoiling food easier to spot. And new Whirlpool models will feature shelves with microscopic …

Hurting as dinner diners dwindle, some of the "upper-echelon" eateries in the casual restaurant category are turning to bargain prices on booze and appetizers to "put "butts in the seats," as Sandy Beall, founder of the Ruby Tuesday chain, puts it. Bruce Horovitz points out that T.G.I. Friday's has long had a Happy Hour but now establishments like The Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang's are taking the risk of cannibalizing more profitable full-menu sales. Ruby Tuesday's is offering all-day $5 drinks and a $2-off on a Happy Hour appetizers menu. After 31 years, the Cheesecake Factory is rolling …

Can I see a show of hands, please: How may of you knew that Asics is an acronym for the Latin phrase "Anima sana in corpore sano." And now for the Around the Net in Brand Marketing extra credit question: Can you translate that? Right! "A sound mind in a sound body." Eleftheria Parpis reports that a new global campaign from the running shoe marketer will feature the "Sound mind, sound body" tagline in TV, print and online advertising. The "pervading" theme of the campaign is "the cleansing power of sport," writes Parpis, such as in a 30-second …