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 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.

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 …

Meineke Car Care has inked a three-year deal to sponsor the Texas Bowl. "We believe it's a good, solid branding opportunity over a long period of time," said the chairman of Driven Brands, the Charlotte, N.C.-based parent of Meineke. The company will back its reported $1 million-per-year title sponsorship of the "Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas" with a national ad campaign. The Texas Bowl will be shown on ESPN network, and had an average audience of 4.1 million last year.

Steve McKee, president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland, says brand marketers can fight commoditization pressures without succumbing to a price war. "While many companies host sales, offer discounts, and flood the market with coupons, more enlightened brands understand that it's the denominator of the equation that matters," he writes. McKee says brands merely add to a cut-rate mindset by offering their products at prices to compete with generics. He writes that margin-focused brands succeed by doing the opposite: improving their product or service, by adding features and benefits, improving packaging, and enhancing their image. Which, he says, is where advertising …

Kraft is giving Starbucks the heave-ho after a feud. Once partners, the two companies will now face off in the $4.1 billion U.S. packaged coffee market. Starting in August, Kraft will put its Gevalia coffee on supermarket shelves versus the Seattle company's retail offering, which Kraft used to distribute. Kraft will sell Gevalia as a premium coffee in over 20,000 stores, which means the 160-year-old Swedish Gevalia brand will be widely available here for the first time. Kraft had distributed Starbucks until March when the deal was undone in a court battle, in which Starbucks may have to …

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 …

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.

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.

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.