Jean Halliday herein delineates Chrysler Group's advertising and explores just how the company has managed to generate so much buzz under the aegis of Olivier Francois, who took the reins as chief marketing officer in 2009.

Fricote, a French food magazine, got freelance art director Emilie Guelpa to design a set of tarts based on the industry benchmark Pantone color palette. Needless to say, the tarts are made with food items of various shades.

Ann Inc. reported Friday that net income for its fiscal fourth quarter dropped to $2.2 million from $8 million in the year-ago period, hurt by heavy promotions at namesake stores. Sales increased to $566.7 million, from $515.3 million, and same-store sales for fourth quarter rose 5.3%. By brand, same-store sales plummeted 10.9% at namesake stores, but rose 8.1% at Loft stores. Strength in the online channel boosted overall same-store results.

Nearly nine years after portable computer technology for scanning bar codes obviating the long checkout line, the supermarket chain Stop & Shop remains the only major U.S. retailer whose customers can use hand-held scanners, which were designed by Modiv Media Inc. But the Quincy, Mass., company says the surging popularity of smartphones could now make the concept more practical for retailers.

Despite the loss of its primary NASCAR team, Dodge is moving ahead with plans for the 2013 Sprint Cup Series by unveiling its new Charger race car.

Kids, young kids, are getting into the $3 billion annual over- and under-the-table NCAA betting scene? Well, in a TV and social-media campaign beginning today, tournament sponsor AT&T enlists a schoolroom full of first-graders to help a clueless grown-up make his tournament bracket selections.

While the office pool has moved online-with dozens of services like Pickhoops that offer to manage brackets for a small fee or banner ads-payment remains a stumbling block. A 2009 Microsoft survey estimated that 58 million Americans fill out brackets with about $12 billion wagered on the tournament.

Sara Blakely grew her undergarment empire without any outside investment, debt, or even a cent spent on advertising. Blakely started Spanx out of a Decatur, Ga., apartment with $5,000 in savings at 27 years old. Today, the company still won't advertise.

It's not joke. Some automakers want into the bicycle business, the electric bicycle business, to be specific. Open showed the RADe electric bike at the Geneva Motor Show, saying it can yield up to 90 miles range per charge at speeds up to 25 mph.

The makers of the UK's best-selling children's yogurt have been criticized for being too politically correct after dropping "Rip their heads off and suck their guts out" and switching to "pull their tops off and eat them all up."