Apple Inc. has been granted a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its store design. The trademark covers the furniture and fixtures, floors, lighting and shelves found in Apple stores, along with the "Genius Bar." In addition, the trademark covers Apple's all-glass storefront design. According to various reports, Apple first applied for the trademark in 2010, but its application was rejected by the patent office.

Abercrombie & Fitch wants to the Beatles' Apple Records headquarters on London's Saville Row into one of its namesake children's stores. The band famously played on the building's roof for "Let it Be." Abercrombie's proposal was recommended by planning authorities despite the objections of local retailers, who want to preserve the area's character and reputation as a center for upscale men's tailoring.

When it comes to being over-teased by Super Bowl advertisers, many of us feel -- at this point -- like patrons of an Italian restaurant who ate way too much bread before the pasta came. If, however, you aren't stuffed to the gills, or have a bottomless stomach for this stuff, here's a rundown of Super Bowl ads, such as they are.

New Orleans has something else to boast about besides hosting the Super Bowl this weekend. Recent job growth, economic output and rising home prices puts it at the top of the list of major metropolitan areas (including Silicon Valley) surveyed by the Brookings Institution. Forbes magazine calls the surrounding state of Louisiana "America's new frontier for business opportunity." Redwood City, Calif.-based Electronic Arts is scheduled to open a $30 million digital media center as early as this week at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

The Kroger Co. and London-based Dunnhumby Ltd. are going through loyalty card data looking for valuable insights to help Kroger, Macy's, Procter & Gamble and other clients better understand their customers. DunnhumbyUSA division has leveraged the explosion of big data to fuel its local growth from four employees in 2003 to almost 650 today. By the end of 2018, the company expects to have 1,000 employees, most of whom will work in Cincinnati. Thursday, leaders from DunnhumbyUSA will join city and economic development officials to break ground on the company's $100 million headquarters in Cincinnati.

The only domestic automaker to gain market share in 2012, Chrysler is betting it will need a new product blitz to keep its momentum going. And it has plenty of new cars, trucks and crossovers on the drawing board - 47 all-new or significantly refreshed models coming to market over the next four years, according to CEO Sergio Marchionne, including six from the Italian Alfa Romeo brand which is scheduled to make its return to the U.S. market late in 2013.

In Chinese mythology, a nian is a beast that comes out of hiding to attack people every spring. A new McDonald's campaign uses that creature to put a spin on the historical traditions of the most important Chinese holiday. In Chinese tradition the nian figure is repelled with fireworks and food offerings to satisfy his hunger. In the campaign, a modern-day nian is only satisfied by McDonald's seasonal CNY menu, setting the stage for a series of four TV commercials. In the spots, the nian tries to get its hands on customers' food, but they are reluctant to give up …

Mother Nature Network and Walmart are teaming up to launch an online destination (mnn.com/leaderboard) that profiles the biggest innovations in sustainability - and the pioneers who are creating them. "Thanks to the ingenuity, passion and innovative thinking of s so many people, we've seen an increase in sustainable technologies, processes and options in the past decade," said Andrea Thomas, SVP sustainability at Walmart.

It isn't on the top of the list of things people think about when they buy a car, but it's there: What's the insurance bill gonna be? The cost of insurance on a 2013 model -- if you have a clean record -- can go from $1,128 to $3,357 a year, according to a new study from Insure.com. SUVs and crossovers have replaced minivans when it comes to finding the most affordable 2013 model-year vehicles to insure, displacing minivans. The least expensive to insure is the 2013 Ford Edge SE.

Macy's has restructured its senior executive team, effective immediately. Thomas L. Cole is retiring as chief administrative officer after a 41-year career. He will remain with the company through May to help the transition. William S. Allen joins as chief human resources officer. Robert B. Harrison takes on a newly created role of chief omnichannel officer, responsible for technology and logistics. Karen M. Hoguet, chief financial officer, assumes additional responsibility for credit and customer services, real estate, non-merchandise purchasing and sustainability. Peter Sachse, chief stores officer, assumes additional responsibility for store planning, design and construction. All report to Terry J. …