Data from market research firm SodaHead indicate the Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet it may be a big seller but that it likely won't disturb the iPad's leadership role. More than 60% of those surveyed believe iPad will continue as the predominant tablet device. Younger consumers (under age 45) say they prefer the iPad device (66%); those over age 45 noted Kindle Fire's low price as a reason to buy or switch devices. More affluent consumers ($100,000/year income or more) also reported a preference for iPad.

Winn-Dixie's "Fuel Perks" program has increased store trips and sales while earning the company thousands of new customers. The program, which offers discounts on gasoline, is part of a rewards program launched in 2007 to give its core set of loyal, high-value customers big discounts. In 2008, the company added "Fuel Perks," wherein every $50 spent generates a 5-cent per gallon discount, up to 20 gallons. "The program was really a derivative of our core loyalty program that rewards the core set of shoppers driving significant business for us and the addition of Fuel Perks does …

Heatlhcare consultant and blogger Anthony Cirillo talks about Zappos chief Tony Hsieh, who spoke at the American Health Care Association annual conference in Las Vegas last month. He writes that he reached out to Hsieh on Twitter. "Instant response. No robots. Personalized email to me. Impressive," he writes. Cirillo says the health care business needs to focus on Zappos' style of purpose and passion. He notes that a recent Health Affairs survey of 800 recently hospitalized patients and 510 physicians found broad agreement that compassionate care is very important" to successful medical treatment. However, only 53% of patients …

OnStar has partnered with Google Ventures-backed RelayRides, a company that lets people who need one access a vehicle from someone living down the block or working in a nearby office. The system is designed to make a short-term rental quick and easy -- and even to give a user a wide range of vehicle choices. Owners, meanwhile, could get a chunk of change that could be applied to their monthly car payment -- or gas bill. As part of an exclusive relationship that will begin in early 2012, the car-sharing service will focus on GM vehicles equipped with …

Nestle has created a 23-second television ad that has high-pitched whistles that are meant to be heard only by dogs. "We wanted to create a TV commercial that our four-legged friends can enjoy ... but also allow the owner and dog to experience it together," said Nestlé's Anna Rabanus. Animal behavior experts studied the sounds that would get a dog to watch TV. The ad is being shown in Austria. Studies have shown that pet owners are generous and that if a dog likes something, the owner likes it, too.

Forbes, in partnership with Burson-Marsteller, Penn Schoen Berland and Landor, conducted a quantitative online survey among 2,500 U.S. adults in August 2011 to measure consumer perceptions of 100 top brands. The top of the list was dominated by old-school brands: Johnson & Johnson was number one because of trust in its baby products. General Mills, Hershey and Kraft were also up top. "The survey shows the extent to which the food industry has been doing an excellent job of reaching consumers," said Mark Penn, CEO of Burson Marsteller and Penn Schoen Berland. "The food industry has come a …

We can all agree with columnist Eric Wheeler that, because of social media, the traditional ad campaign (which would now include banner ads) is over: Facebook doubling its revenue the first half of the year to $1.6 billion and Nielsen's "State of Social" report that reinforces the massive amount of time spent interacting in online social environments. But, no surprise, the ad industry doesn't accept that the recipient, not the advertiser, controls the message

Apple's "intelligent assistant," Siri -- and iCloud -- could give the company new revenue from advertising. Columnist Stephen Wunker says Siri could allow Apple do hyper-targeted advertising. Apple would have unparalleled power due to both its data analytics and its ownership of the voice interface. Like Android, Siri could make the device itself less relevant to consumers. "Apple today may make two-third of the profits in the mobile handset industry, but Android has become a very credible challenger to the iPhone's market share," he writes. He argues Apple has a choice to stay device focused or make cheaper devices …

The insurance biz is now pretty much totally stepped in humor. But does it work? Robert Passikoff of Brand Keys says the firm is focusing on how car insurance companies like Allstate and Geico, for whom humor is central to their ad creative, are succeeding with this approach. A webinar hosted by the Advertising Research Foundation and Amy Shea, Brand Keys' EVP Global Brand Development, will present the findings from a new study extending the body-of-knowledge on how humor can build brand equity. Or not.

After eight days, Ford and the UAW reached a tentative agreement Tuesday for a four-year labor deal. Under the program Ford would create 12,000 jobs and invest $6.3 billion in most of its U.S. plants in exchange for union commitments to keep the Dearborn automaker on competitive pace with its rivals. The deal should mollify UAW members who want some of Ford's success. It's goal is to bring back American jobs, repatriate work from overseas, reinvest in the nation's manufacturing base, and persuade credit ratings agencies that Ford is moving in the right direction.