Like sports teams, events and stadiums, cities are considering selling naming rights. After Baltimore officials decided to close three fire companies later this summer, the City Council initially sought to avert the cuts with a new money-raising strategy: it passed a resolution this month urging the administration to explore selling ads on the city's fire trucks. Baltimore is joining dozens of other financially struggling cities, transit systems and school districts around the country that are selling advertisements, naming rights and sponsorships to raise money. KFC, for example, paid to repair fire hydrants in Brazil, Ind., and now the hydrants are …

Early adopters of innovative products could be an even more valuable audience for online advertisers than previously thought. New research, seen exclusively by Marketing Week, reveals they are 92% more likely than average consumers to be influenced by online advertising. Brands of many kinds -- not just in the technology sector -- could benefit from targeting this audience, according to the study by Kantar Media. Early adopters are 133% more likely than the average Internet user to agree that they spend a lot on clothing. The sites they visit are also more varied than advertisers might assume.

Shoppers are making fewer food-shopping trips this year but spending more on groceries, according to a study released Thursday by Acosta Sales & Marketing. More than a quarter of respondents said they were making fewer routine shopping trips this year than last, while only 5% said they were making more trips. Average monthly spending on groceries, however, increased 11%, to $309, primarily due to price increases, the study found. The report, which polled a random sample of 1,098 shoppers using an online survey found that 35% of households earning less than $45,000 reporting fewer shopping trips this year, vs. 14% …

Critics have called the chrome, V-shaped shield that dominates the face of most recent Acura models, such as the TL sedan and MDX crossover, a "beak." The distinctive feature has been toned down slightly on the maker's latest additions, including the all-new ILX, however. "We concede that we went a little overboard at some points," conceded Toshinobu Minami, the new design director for Honda's luxury brand.

Facebook appears to have competition for teens' attention, and they're drifting to other social-media sites as evidence mounts that the growth of the world's largest social network is slowing. Drawn to niche sites such as Foursquare and Tumblr, teens appear to be expanding beyond Facebook. According to market research firm YPulse, 18% of teens prefer to "check in" on Foursquare instead of Facebook, and 10% say Pinterest is a better site for browsing.

Philip Morris International Inc. is developing a cigarette that is supposed to pose lower health risks to users. The cigarette, which heats tobacco rather than burning it, will be ready by 2017. That plus two other new products would be sold under the existing brands like Marlboro. "We are on the eve of what we all believe could be a paradigm shift for our industry," CEO Louis Camilleri said in a speech. The new products have "the very real potential to not only be a game-changer, but also be the key to unlock several hitherto virgin territories, most notably the …

A new study has broken down the different kinds of things America's two major political parties apparently like. Buyology, a brand-research company, says, for instance, that "History Channel" is a favorite for Republicans, while "Animal Planet" is a favorite for Dems; Repubs eat at Subway, Democrats favor Wendy's. Democrats like Wii, while Repubs like xBox. As Woody Allen once said in a famous movie, "I have to go now. I'm due back on planet Earth."

Orbitz Worldwide of Chicago will introduce a new iPhone app on Thursday that it says will allow much easier booking of flights, hotels and rental cars. During May, nearly 6 million consumers used mobile devices to shop for travel on Orbitz, more than doubling the number during the same time last year, Orbitz said. And during the first quarter of the year, more than 9% of Orbitz hotel bookings were made via mobile devices.

Panera is turning one of its first Chicago stores over to the community. The store is converting to a pay-what-you-can model with only suggested prices and donation boxes. This is the St. Louis-based company's fourth "Panera Cares Community Cafe" and its first in Chicago. In an interview, founder and co-CEO Ron Shaich said the Lakeview-area location has particular significance for him because he wrote the company's mission statement there.

Microsoft is working with AKQA, Big Spaceship, Razorfish, Team Detroit, UM and Y&R to develop ad products for its Surface PC. For example, within MLS soccer team Seattle Sounders FC's Windows 8 app, Adidas could run a display ad that opens up to a product showcase. The preview ad would only run within Windows 8's Metro view-the user interface that resembles Xbox Live-that will be available on Surface or any tablets running Windows 8. The PC version of Windows 8 will also let users switch to the Metro view, so the Adidas ad could run in the Sounders app on …