The lip balm brand ChapStick has angered some who say its latest print ad is overtly sexual. The ad shows a woman scrambling around a couch. The super says "Where do lost ChapSticks go?" Critics say the ad puts the focus on the woman's rear.

Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman is reversing decisions by ousted predecessor Leo Apotheker. She announced Thursday that the company has decided not to spin or sell off its PC division, a plan proposed in August by Apotheker, who was ousted by the company. Whitman said an internal review showed it would be more costly to sell or spin off the unit, called the Personal Services Group, than to keep it within the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company.

Republican candidates are unleashing TV ads in Iowa, New Hampshire and other early voting states intended to brand themselves and their rivals before the first ballots are cast in less than 10 weeks.

The NPD Group, a market research firm, reports there has been a 2% decrease in servings of seafood throughout the restaurant industry this year. This follows a 1% decrease in 2010, a 6% decrease in 2009, and a 1% decrease in 2008. One reason: the struggling economy, which has forced consumers to limit the amount they spend on outside-the-home dining. The seafood restaurant category is looking for a life preserver.

The NBA lockout is spawning humorous ads, including a Jordan Brand spot from Wieden + Kennedy, New York, suggesting that all-stars Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are globe-trotting to play with the locals in New Orleans city parks, pickup games in a Beijing city park, a Jewish basketball league, and with Williamsburg, Brooklyn hipsters.

Procter & Gamble today reported a profit of $3.02 billion for the July-August quarter, down 2% from the same period a year ago. Its earnings per share of $1.03 were up 1% from a year ago and met Wall Street's expectations. P&G reported that revenue was $21.9 billion, 9% more than a year ago, and sales grew by 4%.

Sears Holdings Corp. is hoping to stem a five-year sales decline by focusing on its brands like DieHard, Craftsman and Kenmore. Deals are in place to sell DieHard and Craftsman through other retailers, while executives have begun to look at ways to make money from the Kenmore brand without damaging Sears' core appliance business.

Walmart is moving out of New York. No, the company still plans to open a big box here, but it is closing its fashion office, ceding its fashion ambitions to Target. The company is closing a high-rent fashion-design and buying office it opened in Midtown just two years ago. The apparel office, located at 1372 Broadway between 38th and 39th streets, housed about 275 employees

Chevrolet dealers and their sales staffs are taking charm classes at Disneyland locations in Anaheim, Calif., and elsewhere. The customer service initiative is the latest in a campaign by General Motors Co. to boost market share in California, where Chevy has been trounced in past years by import brands.

A Swiss fair trade organization is asking people to write to George Clooney to get him to pressure Nestle to use only fair trade coffee in its brands. That's because, in Europe, Clooney has for years been the face of the company's instant coffee brand, Nespresso.