At least one ad agency president is calling "bullshit" to the Food and Drug Administration's decision to put off regulatory guidelines for social media and online marketing until early next year, revealing the eagerness with which the industry wants to digitally engage with consumers. The federal agency had been expected to announce the guidelines by the end of this year after public hearings were held in November 2009.

When it comes to marketing on a budget, there's a fine line between terrific and terrible.

With an eye on the $43 billion spent by tweens annually, the toy industry is going after the demographic this year. See what Mattel, Hasbro, Disney and Crayola are up to.

Who among us didn't laugh at the Snuggie when first it appeared? Now who is laughing all the way to the bank! The product looked ridiculous plus it was advertised as an infomercial. But Thomas Haire, editor of a trade pub that covers the direct-response industry, says Snuggie was unique because the company did not flinch when it was so widely ridiculed for looking silly. "They were able to laugh at themselves, and I think the American consumer sensed they were in on the joke, too." Snuggies have gone from "call now" to strictly retail, which is nearly …

President Obama could sign the bill into law as early as today. While the measure is being hailed by many, its critics say it will expand the reach of government without making food safer. New requirements would make manufacturers and farmers design strategies to prevent contamination, then continually test to make sure they work. Previously, the federal government had to trace the source of an outbreak after people became ill. The measure also gives the FDA the authority to recall food and FDA access to internal records at farms and food-production facilities.

Online retailers are tapping into comments and preferences on social sites to make gift recommendations to customers. It's all experimental at this point. The latest efforts focus on Facebook, where sites can tap into user information with permission. In a year's time, more than half of the top 25 retail sites have integrated with the popular social network.

At 7 pm, UConn's women's basketball team looks for its record-making 89th consecutive win, against Florida State. On board will be many marketers, not the least of which are insurance companies based in Hartford, the insurance capital. Tip-off takes place at XL Center, named for XL Insurance, which signed six-year naming rights in 2007 for the home to both UConn men's and women's hoops and the Big East Women's Basketball championship through 2011. New York Life has a season-long marketing deal with both the UConn Huskies men's and women' basketball team, which includes an on-court logo and …

It's developing a 10,000-square-foot space that replaces a pharmacy that had been run by the University of Arkansas. Walmart on Campus plans to open when classes resume next month. The format appears to be part of a set of small-format test for the retailer. Such drug or convenience stores could give Walmart access to urban markets and, if they are successful, it may look to acquire a drug chain such as Rite Aid.

The company behind Absolut vodka, Chivas Regal Scotch whisky and Mumm champagne says the holiday season may be the turning point for the alcoholic-drinks business. It would be a relief for Pernod Ricard, which has been struggling since it bought Absolut two years ago. In major cities where the economy is improving, revelers are back in the bars, the glut of champagne in France is in the past and prices have stabilized for the good stuff such as Mumm and Perrier-Jouet.

Record new fines follow a probe into recalls.