It's okay to laugh. Branded entertainment has taken to "SNL"-type skits on video, where anything can go, or at least a lot more than on TV. Actors are getting in on the action. "Funny Or Die," a website started by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, is one locus for such products. The site's branded entertainment director, Chris Bruss, says he produces 10 to 15 videos per quarter based on a sponsorship model. The Internet Ad Bureau says that model is on the rise, with revenues up 88% for sponsorships last year. Actors Jason Bateman and Will Arnett launched DumbDumb earlier …

Chrysler Group LLC has tapped four banks to lead its effort to refinance $7.1 billion in government loans, per a source. The automaker plans to send top brass on the road possibly next month to lure investors to buy its debt with a goal to complete the debt offering by June. The company wants to talk to smaller hedge funds and equity investment firms with money who may not know about Chrysler's post-bankruptcy progress and its five-year business plan.

A new spot for Corona Light by U.S. distributor Crown Imports eschews, for the first time, anything to do with beaches, waves and bikinis. The new spot features New York DJs working a rooftop party in L.A. The brand last year started moving away from the beach scene to get consumers to start thinking about other places Corona Light might be imbibed. The beach will remain central to ads for Corona Extra, but the company wants Corona Light to be more urbane.

Chrysler's Corvette fighter, the Dodge Viper, was supposed to go away. It may be coiled to strike again. The company has confirmed that it will revive the sports car. The new management team, run by CEO Sergio Marchionne will want to see more than just street performance from the vehicle: it would also like to see revenue performance -- profits not just promotional value for the Dodge brand.

Kraft is boosting digital, in-stadium ads, ads in program books, and messaging around Minor League Baseball Web sites and Facebook this year. The company has given online tool kits to retailers to use for in-store creative. And at the company's 30 core markets where ballpark attendance is high, it will increase in-store and team activation. Kraft is also partnering with TerraCycle to get customers to recycle cheese wrappers through a promotion called "Cheese Brigade."

Connecticut's tourism business will boost its social and online efforts, plus advertising and other marketing programs to bring more tourists to the eastern portion of Connecticut. The Wilmington, Del.-based Caspari McCormick said the Mystic.org tourism website, which launched last June, has seen solid growth. The agency's managing director, Andy Wood, talked up the region's online programs and 2011 marketing plans at an event in Mystic on Tuesday.

Athletic shoe company Puma has signed a deal with L.A. entertainment marketing firm NMA Group. Puma said the agency would handle entertainment initiatives around film, TV, music, talent and entertainment PR, and work with Puma's own entertainment marketing teams in LA and London. The agency said its job is to raise Puma's profile by getting the brand cast in television and film and handling sponsorship deals with artists. NMA Group does product integration work for brands like Heineken, Xbox, Dunkin' Donuts, General Motors, HSN, Reelz Channel and the American Cancer Society.

The sports apparel company Under Armour has signed 18-year-old baseball phenom Bryce Harper to a multi-year deal. Harper was the top selection in the MLB draft by the Washington Nationals. He plays outfield with the team's Class A team. The company also recently signed Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, both of whom are expected to be first-round picks for the NFL this month.

The Interactive Ad Bureau says last year online spend reached a record $26 billion, a 15% leap versus the year before. In the fourth quarter alone, online advertisers spent 19% more than in the quarter in 2009, the fifth consecutive quarter of revenue growth for the online advertising industry. The IAB finds that search advertising remains the most popular ad format for U.S. online advertisers, accounting for some 46% of online ad spending for the year.

Ford plans to roll out 15 new vehicles over the next four years in China, starting with its first global vehicle, the all-new Focus. The automaker also plans to more than double dealerships in China to 700 and boost its work force. The plan is part of Ford's regional strategy that includes introducing 50 new models and powertrains in the Asia-Pacific region in the next four years. Ford expects the region and other emerging markets to generate 70% of its sales growth during the next 10 years. China became the world's leading auto market in 2009, and sales …