Alex Rodriguez, who is set to make $19M this season with the New York Yankees as part of his 10-year, $275M contract, pitches the Dynasty Prepaid Visa RushCard in Spanish for a financial firm co-founded by music mogul Russell Simmons.

At the jump are examples of how two companies correctly rebranded. Their senior marketers offer signs that a rebranding effort is a house of cards. Wendy Newman or Lisa Fawcett, who rebuilt their respective brands, AMN Healthcare and CooperVision, from the ground up, give the 13 signals of a toppling rebrand. One example is obvious: if it starts and finishes with a logo.

The sports footwear and apparel company is banking on Derrick Rose's complete recovery from surgery on his left knee so that he can hit the court with the Chicago Bulls and also support the launch of D Rose 3 signature shoes and the debut of his Adidas clothing line and accessories.

Levi's "Go Forth" campaign is going to Flipboard for the brand's fall collection, putting branded content on iPad, iPhone and Android. Flipboard says the launch marks its first curated, shoppable "brand magazine." The campaign is running across Vanity Fair, Glamour, Details, Elle, Marie Claire, Esquire, ESPN, Fast Company and Rolling Stone on Flipboard.

While overall U.S. advertising expenditures were pretty flat in the second quarter, the restaurant industry bucked the trend, with a 2.1% gain, per Kantar Media North America. Heavy spending by Wendy's and Burger King pushed the category. In April, Wendy's began its dual-campaign strategy, with the "Red" character's "Now that's better" theme and Wendy Thomas's "Wendy's way" slogan. Burger King unveiled its revamped Summer Menu in early June. The quarter also saw heavy advertising from McDonald's for Spicy Chicken McBites, Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal and other products. The breakdowns are at the jump.

If you have to have a problem in the auto business, too much demand isn't a bad one. Hyundai has it. But even though supply is tight dealers are keeping prices down. Hyundai announced in May that it was hiring 877 workers and adding a third shift at its Alabama plant that manufactures Sonatas and Elantras. Hyundai set an all-time record with 61,099 vehicle sales in August, a 4.2% increase over August of 2011. Still the industry as a whole was up 20%. The brand has seen a huge increase in sales partly because of its designs. Its cars have …

Chevron is launching its first ever loyalty rewards program in the U.S. The program, with Safeway Inc., Chevron has been in discussion with Safeway for about a year, and the two companies matched up demographically and on a brand basis. "We looked at the profiles of their customers and of our customers, and there are enough similarities that we see some brand synergies," said Cary Knuth, general manager of marketing, sales and services, Chevron Americas Products. Customers can use Safeway's existing loyalty program to earn points and use them at Chevron- and Texaco-branded gas stations.

Red Robin has put its marketing account into review. Minneapolis-based agency Periscope, which handled both creative and media duties, will not defend the account. A year ago Red Robin named Denny Marie Post its new senior VP-chief marketing officer after senior VP-CMO Susan Lintonsmith left the chain a month prior.

Politically themed ads are hitting the airwaves. Brands like Maker's Mark, 7-Eleven, Boston Market and FedEx might be taking a risk, though, per one analyst. "This is a tight election with massive polarization," says Daniel Howard, marketing professor at Southern Methodist University. "This is not something I'd want to associate my brand with." 7-Eleven, for the fourth-consecutive presidential election, is selling coffee in red or blue cups (party specific) and the company is keeping its won poll, which the company says has mirrored election results. Maker's Mark bourbon has brought in James Carville and Mary Matalin for a party they …

Shoemaker Crocs Inc. is marketing to 13 to 30 year olds with its spring/summer collection featuring heels, boots and wedges. The new designs, as well as Retro clogs, are still made with its signature resin Croslite. Speaking at the Reuters Retail and Consumer Summit in New York, Jeff Lasher, Crocs' chief financial officer, said the original clog is 46% of overall sales, with 54% of sales coming from rain, winter and boat shoes.