Mark Peigh, SVP and managing director of IPG, talks about a brand study, begun five years ago and covering the U.S., China, Brazil, Russia, India and UK markets. Peigh throws light on some of the key insights for India, the rise of voluntary brand advocates and the changing role of advertising in these markets.

Well, discounts don't seem to be working. Sears is closing 80 stores this year and mulling selling its auto centers. The Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based company posted a steep first-quarter loss Thursday as revenue continued its seven-year slide, with a $402 million loss in the first quarter. That's worse than the $279 million it lost during the same period a year ago.

After three years of Apple being at the top of the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands survey, Google has overtaken the number one slot. The Internet search giant's brand value jumped 40% while Apple's dipped 20%, and Google Glass is credited for that sharp jump up.

A website touting Gap's support for better working conditions for Bangladesh garment workers is, apparently, a fraud. The site, GapDoesMore.com, says "Do More Than Sell Clothes" and pushes ideas such as better compensation for workers who died in a 2013 factory fire in Aswad. The site is a parody by the group 18MillionRising, which advocates for the rights of Asian workers.

The WNBA is launching a campaign to market specifically to the LGBT community, a move that makes it the first pro league to specifically recruit gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender fans to its games. It knows the LGBT demo is a big part of its fan base. The difference now is that the league is talking about it publicly and making it a deliberate part of its marketing strategy.

One of the gaps in the FCA product line-up is a shortage of hybrid or electric vehicles. The new Fiat 500e is the exception. But it's a money loser, and CEO Sergio Marchionne knows it. In fact, the new 500e is going to cost FCA more than $10k each time one rolls out of the showroom.

Papa John's founder John Schnatter recently revealed the insight that propelled the company to success. "At the time, Domino's owned speed, Caesar's owned price, Pizza Hut variety, and 65% of the marketplace was independents," he said. "So I said, 'What if you had a chain that acted like an independent? What if you had a chain focused on quality?' It's pretty obvious." He said Jack Trout's 1981 book, "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind," turned on the light.

Those Krackel bars, the best thing about the '90s after Nirvana, are coming back. "The Hershey Company Announces A Big Comeback: Krackel Bar Is Back!!!" the release from Hershey says, presumably with the exclamation marks intact.

Programmatic ad buying is maturing and one sign is the growth of brand messaging. Last year, ads bought programmatically were 100% direct-response due to retargeting capabilities. Now 20% are branding. Casale Media's Q1 report on programmatic sees brand communications buys lifting through 2014, "as initial tests prove successful and the creative application of first-party data to media selection evolves."

"X-Men Days of Future Past," starring Hugh Jackman, is doing well in terms of promotional-tie-ups with Indian brands. Jackman is a brand ambassador for mobile brand Micromax, which is spending more than an Indian brand ever has on a film with promotional tie-ins. Amer Jaleel, national creative director, Lowe Lintas, handling the Micromax account, says that the international appeal of Jackman was key for the brand.