After touring Ford's revamped -- to the tune of $500 million -- Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne this week, Brent Snavely reports that the all-new, fuel-efficient Ford Focus that is rolling off the line there is indicative of the reinvention taking place at the automaker. The plant formerly manufactured SUVs. Workers are assembling about a half-dozen cars per day that will help Ford smooth out the production process and ensure the quality of the new car. One big break with recent times is that the cars are being assembled in the U.S. at all.

Writing in the "You're the Boss" blog and bearing the title "A Sound Approach to Marketing," MP Mueller looks at the ways that different noises can build a strong emotional connection. For example, the founder of the Austin-based boutique advertising agency Door Number 3 writes about "the silent sigh of relief when I hear that soothing, reassuring HHHHHMMMM bar emitted as my four-year-old laptop boots up." Ain't that the truth. There are, of course, emotive soundtracks and jingles -- including the ones we love to hate. And sensory branding companies such as DMX and Play Network fashion customized …

MGA Entertainment CEO Isaac Larian says he cried yesterday when he found out that a federal appeals court in San Francisco had thrown out a lower court's decision that would have forced his company to turn over the Bratz line of dolls to Mattel. Carter Bryant, the dolls' designer, was under contract to Mattel when he sold the concept to MGA, as Ann Zimmerman reports, and the original finding was based on copyright infringement. "America thrives on competition; Barbie, the all-American girl, will too,'' wrote chief judge Alex Kozinski in yesterday's ruling. "We always …

Love it, particularly No. 8: "Ignore content. Writers are too damned expensive."

Even after losing about $20 million worth of deals, Tiger Woods remains atop the leader boards in annual endorsements and as America's favorite male athlete in two new reports.

Sears and Kmart have already started pitching their Christmas Club card, which launched in mid-August last year to boost consumer shopping. Promotions include in-store, social media and online ads, Elaine Wong reports. Consumers can put away as little as $5, $10 or $20, and the retailers will add an extra 3% towards the amount accumulated on the card (up to $100) by Nov. 15. "We want people to understand you don't have to put all your money away now," says Susan Ehrlich, Sears Holdings' financial services president. The goal is to "focus on [contributing] a little …