Rebecca Van Dyck led Nike Inc.'s "Just Do It" campaign and helped Apple market iPhone. Now she is will try to revive Levi Strauss & Co.'s namesake brand. Van Dyck, who joined Apple in 2007 on the day the iPhone was introduced, was tapped in March to help lead Levi's first global marketing push. The larger goal is bringing Levi's back to the front of a crowded pack. "I had always worn Levi's, but they sort of drifted away in my mind," said Van Dyck. "I want us to be present and show up and be confident, and …

Colorado wants a big boost in tourism and has tapped Denver-based Karsh Hagan to help. The Colorado Tourism Office has hired the agency to create a new campaign. The firm beat several national and local advertising firms, including Denver's MMG Worldwide, which handled the duties in 2010. MMG Worldwide recently won an award for its work on a Barbados tourism campaign. The state, which has the Rocky Mountains as a draw, has been trying to regain the tourism business it lost in the 1990s when voters rejected a proposal to continue funding tourism promotion with a 0.2% sales …

Barnes & Noble is offering a back-to-school deal on its Nook e-reader. The company is offering 12 free classics along with study guides and apps if buyers register their Nook before Oct. 31. Many classics are available for free download at places like Gutenberg.org, but the deal does include Spark Notes of tomes like War and Peace.

If the government can't do it, leave it to the musical "Chicago"'s "Seven Merry Murderesses." AIG slipped BoA a Mickey Finn with its $10 billion lawsuit to recover more than $10 billion in losses on $28 billion of investments in mortgage backed securities. Could the ladies be preparing poison for the rakes at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, too? Bnet columnist Constantine von Hoffman says "yes." The news sent BoA stock swooning like a Bob Fosse dancer, and, notes von Hoffman, that was before BofA's late day non-response to Fannie Mae's demands for more settlement money. He …

Spotify, which has entered the U.S. market, has just boosted its overall valuation to $1.1 billion based on its two most recent investment rounds. Investors see the platform filling a niche between existing rivals like Rhapsody and Google Music. Sources say the London-based company now has 1.4 million U.S. subscribers, of which 175,000 are paying $10 per month.

Change.org denounces Got Milk's ads targeting men whose female partners have PMS; GoDaddy's use of nearly nude photos of racer Danica Patrick and trainer Jillian Michaels; ads for Degree deodorant whose pitch is that it is "extra responsive in emotional moments." Columnist Nicole Skibola points out that, as women make 85% of consumer purchases, sexism as a marketing ploy probably doesn't make sense. "GoDaddy.com sends a message to women that the technology consumer market (which continues to be heavily male skewed) is not intended for their consumption; Got Milk and Degree suggest that women are emotional basket cases who …

Ford CEO Alan Mulally was a hit on "Late Night With David Letterman" last week, getting the message out that Ford is launching a range of electric cars starting with the Ford Focus Electric. That was a great platform for Ford, getting a CEO in a seat usually reserved for movie stars.

In an effort to boost test drives of the 2012 Ford Focus, the company has created a test track that incorporates laser tags and "Guitar Hero"-like elements to entice prospects. Under the "Start More Than a Car. Get More Than a Test Drive" program, people can drive a Focus on a course that rewards them with points for their driving skills and accuracy. Those skills are measured by lasers interacting between the car and ground targets. The driver gets instant feedback: the sound of a guitar chord or crowd cheering when points are scored. Participants are …

Blogger Bob Vosburgh points out that a new poll from the 2011 IFIC Functional Foods/Foods for Health Survey found that 90% of the 1,000 American adults questioned over the Internet can name at least one food and its associated benefit. Some 76% say that foods that can promote health can have a meaningful impact on their health when they consume them. The top five foods cited by those surveyed for being most helpful in improving or maintaining their health are fruits and vegetables, fish/fish oil, dairy, whole grains and herbs/spices. The top components or ingredients mentioned included calcium …

Smart Balance, one of the major makers of heart-healthy food products, is getting into the $2.5 billion gluten-free market and investors are taking notice, writes columnist Gene Marcial. He says Smart Balance acquired Canada-based Glutino Food Group this month. Marcial says food-without-gluten is increasingly being regarded by many healthy-food experts as a healthier way of eating, "along with the vastly popular natural and organic food products." Analysts say gluten-free products will exceed $5 billion by 2015. Wal-Mart, Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Target, Publix Super Markets, and Wegman's Food Markets are all getting into the act, per Marcial. Those …