Ford's chief global marketer, Jim Farley, made a point of apologizing for JWT India's ads showing bound and gagged women in the back of Ford's Figo car. He made the apology at the New York International Auto Show breakfast. "All of us at Ford and JWT were as shocked as you were," Farley said. "We are extremely sorry about the incident.... It is not acceptable."

The executive compensation data firm Equilar did an analysis for Forbes on salaries for all executives with "marketing" in their title (at all publicly traded U.S. companies). The compensation information is from the most recently disclosed fiscal year. Topping the list is Jeremy Burton, EVP, products operations and marketing at Hopkinton, Mass.-based global data storage firm EMC. He made nearly $10 million. Right behind is Assurant's top marketing executive, Alan Colberg.

Sonic Corp. executives said they are developing a loyalty program to help drive traffic for the brand. Advertising shifts have helped drive sales, said Clifford Hudson, Sonic's chairman and chief executive. "As we've noted beginning in January 2013, approximately 70% of our media dollars will be invested in national cable, with the remaining portion in local television and other mediums," Hudson said, adding that the exposure should eventually have a positive impact on new-store development.

Everyone wonders if Apple is Apple without Jobs. But Tim Cook has made some smart moves. Contributor Jay Yarow has 10 of them, noting that the downside of taking over for "arguably the greatest businessman of all time" means there isn't much he can do to improve upon Steve Jobs, but he can mess it all up easily. "Overall he's done a good job." Among smart moves: the iPad Mini; apologizing for Apple Maps; fixing Foxconn; iPhone 5.

Cadillac on Tuesday introduced its third-generation CTS sedan for the 2014 model year. it has revised, more sophisticated styling, and comes with a "Vsport" version that features GM's first twin-turbo V-6 engine and eight-speed transmission. "Longer, lower, leaner - that's what this car is all about," Mark Adams, executive director of Cadillac global design, said of the CTS last week in Detroit.

Ford Motor Co. is saddling up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that original "pony car," the Mustang. And it's going to get plenty of help, with 50 different companies planning to join in for the celebration by producing a wide range of products meant to commemorate the special occasion, everything from Mustang-emblazoned jackets to watches to video games. They'll use a new black-and-white logo featuring the familiar galloping horse over the words, "50 Years."

Gas prices are dropping across the United States. The current national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.67.This is two cents less than one week ago, 11 cents less expensive than one month ago and 23 cents less than the average price one year ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. The national average has fallen for five consecutive days, and 22 of 26 days since it hit the peak 2013 price at $3.79 on Feb. 27.

Nike has tapped up 10 emerging companies to join its Nike+ Accelerator program to use its tech platform as a basis for partner firms to develop active-lifestyle products. The Nike+ Accelerator outfits will spend three months developing products and services that leverage Nike+ and NikeFuel to inspire "everyday athletes." The ideas include a range of activity and health sectors, including training, coaching, gaming, sport and wellness.

Sterling Farms, a new grocery store co-owned by actor Wendell Pierce, opened in Marrero, La., on Friday. The store, located at a former Winn-Dixie, will cater to the largely low-income neighborhood and is the first of at least four grocery stores in the New Orleans area planned by Sterling Fresh Foods, owned by Pierce, a star of HBO series "Treme" and "The Wire."

That sucking noise automakers hear when they look at the nearest kid is their business going down the drain. Thirty years ago, half of 16-year-olds had a driver's license. By 2010 that figure had dropped to 28%, according to research from the University of Michigan. That's because you can be connected without having to drive, of course.