McDonald's says its expanded beverages lineup and ongoing breakfast focus is lifting sales and market share in the UK in the quarter, but warned growing competition will stunt global growth in the coming months. The restaurant said third-quarter sales for its European restaurants rose by just 0.2% versus last year with the UK, France and Russia supporting earnings across the region. The UK got kudos for its McCafe iced smoothies and frappes.

New vehicle buyers sometimes consider where the vehicle is made. But new info from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that buying a vehicle from the traditional Detroit Three automakers is not a guarantee of buying most "American" vehicle in a given segment. The Toyota Camry takes the "most American" title with 75% of its parts coming from North America (the United States and Canada). The Taurus comes in at 65%.

Brands are starting to divert TV ad budgets to online video, per research from video ad exchange Adap.TV's semiannual "State of the Video Industry" report. The report, conducted with the digital media site Digiday, involved a poll some 900 ad agencies, advertisers, ad networks, and publishers. The study found that brands upped their video ad budgets by 65% from 2012. Some 86% of brands and 91% of agencies expect to spend more on them next year.

Subaru is discontinuing the Tribeca SUV, which was polarizing at best, and in some quarters openly jeered at. Subaru defied the recession, well, except for the Tribeca, the most expensive car in Subaru's lineup. The Tribeca has generated just 78,000 sales since reaching the U.S. market in 2005. And volume fell to a mere 1,247 during the first nine months of this year. By comparison, U.S. sales of the ever-popular Subaru Outback came to 90,073 during the first three quarters of 2013.

Sour beers are were never popular in the U.S. but they are back. As well they should be as they are an ancient style of beer. At the Great American Beer Festival, they were a big hit and brewers are trying their hands at this all but forgotten style. New Belgium's CEO, Kim Jordan of Fort Collins, Colo., says the sour brew will appeal to wine drinkers.

Data from Millward Brown and GroupM's China division finds that nearly 40% of Chinese consumers are willing to click advertisements displayed on tablets - a rate 60% higher than advertisements on conventional PCs. What entices them are a clean and neat advertising environment, trendy and eye-catching display effects, and unique interactive features.

Hispanic sports fans are becoming a key demographic for marketers as the profile of the U.S. population shifts. A recent Nielsen study found that Hispanic sports fans are highly engaged, perpetually connected and enjoy buying sports-related merchandise. Some highlights: Forty-three percent of Hispanics feel loyalty toward sports sponsorships and 41% are inclined to buy products offered by sponsors. Three-quarters of Hispanics have purchased sports-related merchandise within the last 12 months, compared to 62% of non-Hispanics.

Target Corp. is reportedly testing a "hands-on" electronics department along the lines of Apple's minimalist retail experience; brightly lit displays that encourage shoppers to try out sample consumer electronics products. Target is testing the concept at stores in Brooklyn Park, Mankato, Ridgedale and the Quarry location in Minneapolis, as well as outside Minnesota.

The Cincinnati-based marketer has developed a process to make new-age plastic that's thinner, cheaper and greener than the current industry standard. Not only is P&G planning to use the material for its own products, its patent applications also indicate the company may have a business-to-business goldmine if it can sell it to other marketers from non-competitive package-goods players to automotive giants.

Target will begin assessing the sustainability of 7,500 personal care, beauty, household cleaning and baby care products this month as part of the new Target Sustainable Product Standard program. Target, in partnership with industry experts, vendors and NGO's, developed the standard to establish a common language and definition that will be used to inform its merchandising and product placement decisions.