New York Times
Universal's "Fast & Furious" franchise has sold over $1.8 billion in tickets worldwide, but it's not on the A-list. But it has a ginormous following: Its Facebook page has 24.9 million "likes," more than any active film series except "Avatar." Its star Vin Diesel, has 39 million Facebook fans; among actors, only Will Smith has more. So the studio is promoting "Fast & Furious 6" with online promotions, and an ad on the Super Bowl. It got more buzz than "Iron Man 3" and "Star Trek Into Darkness." The "Fast & Furious 6" extended Super Bowl ad has been viewed …
Detroit Bureau
Chinese automakers are like Nessy: people swear they exist but few people have seen one. But the all-new Chinese brand Qoros plans to be seen in a big way at its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show where it will launch not only a new sedan, the Qoros 3, but also two concept studies that it promises will be part of a "rapid expansion of the model range." More importantly, the company said it is tapping a global brain trust of "internationally renowned suppliers such as Magna Steyr, TRW, Continental, Bosch, Getrag, Benteler, Lear, Microsoft, Harman, Neusoft-Alpine and Iconmobile.
AdExchanger
Last holiday season, retailers with e-commerce sites went bigger on marketing technologies than in 2011, according to data gathered from Evidon and analyzed by kbs+ Ventures. The study analyzed 20 retail brands including Best Buy, Old Navy, Disney, Target, and Walmart. Of these retail sites, 75% used Google AdWords as an ad network, while 50% used Burst Media. But retailers used 51% fewer advertising networks during the holiday season, while there was a 44% spike in DSP (demand-side platform) use. Turn was used by 55% of retail sites, with Invite Media and MediaMath close behind, deployed by 50% and 40% …
VentureBeat.com
Zappos makes well over a billion dollars in sales, and is on Fortune magazine's lists of "best places in America" to work. And it has a 500-page "culture book." Corporate culture does, after all, drive the company. David Vik, the "coach" of Zappos, a former chiropractor who joined the company as the 119th employee talks about his role in creating a positive corporate culture. He also, by the way, came up with the graphic that would eventually become its iconic shoe-as-exclamation-mark logo.
Business Insider
Famous brands in America have wildly different names abroad. Sometimes they make sense. Sometimes not so much. Examples: Burger King in Australia is Hungry Jack's; retailer TJ Maxx is TK Maxx abroad; Lay's is Walkers in the UK, Sabritas in Mexico and Tapuchips in Israel, Poca in Vietnam and Chipsy in Egypt (in Arabic, of course). Then there's Axe: in Ireland, the UK and Australia and New Zealand it's called Lynx. Campbell has a really appropriate name in the UK: Batchelors. For some confusion, the 3 Musketeers bar is called Milky Way in the UK, while Milky Way is called …
Nation's Restaurant News
This year several chains, including McDonald's, Carl's Jr. and Wendy's, are finding new ways to market fish items typically promoted during Lent, which began on Feb. 13. Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Chicago-based Technomic Inc., said most restaurant chains should consider at a bare minimum having some kind of fish or non-meat option for people observing Lent, at least to prevent the loss of traffic.
Detroit Bureau
Elena Ford has held a number of marketing jobs at Ford Motor over the years. Now she will be VP leader of the company's new Global Dealer and Consumer Experience organization. In another move, external communications executive Ray Day has been named group vice president of communications. Day, who continues to report to Ford chief operating officer Mark Fields, remains responsible for the company's global external and internal communications and public relations activities. His role includes building Ford's reputation globally and leading communications efforts aimed at reach customers, employees, dealers, suppliers, news media, communities, governments and policy-makers.
NYSportsJournalism.com
Lindsey Vonn, skiing gold medalist (and close, personal friend of Tiger Woods), is not letting her recent accident and knee surgery prevent her from moving ahead with a marketing campaign for Tweezerman beauty products, which includes a TV spot and social media activation.
NYSportsJournalism.com
Adidas has unveiled Energy Boost, which just might turn the running and training categories upside down. In this Q&A, adidas group president of brands Erich Stamminger explains how pushing creative boundaries in technology and marketing, and supporting the careers of such players as Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Derrick Rose, is driving adidas' growth worldwide. "Innovation and adidas belong together. Innovation is in our DNA. And I believe that consumers and athletes are responding very well to what we are and how we are presenting our products."
Brand-e.biz
Angry Birds games maker Rovio is expanding its brand advertising partnership team in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific with the aim of becoming a direct media partner to big brands. Rovio will offer in-game advertising as well as brand partnerships for characters outside the game. "The model of simply placing standard display ads in online and mobile properties is not necessarily strategic for the majority of tier-one brands, and that model was in need of disruption," says Michele Tobin, head of North American brand advertising partnerships at Rovio.