Automotive News
The Chevrolet Volt won't be available nationally until late next spring, but the company is launching a gauntlet-tossing campaign this fall. The first of two long-form digital ads aims to show how the Volt's gasoline assist engine eliminates range anxiety, versus all-electric. The second ad compares the nickel metal hydride battery technology in the top-selling Toyota Prius to that of late 1990s consumer electronics.
NYSportsJournalism.com
Falken Tires has signed a deal making it the official tire of Major League Baseball. The effort, starting with the 2016 season, includes a multi-platform marketing support to include the All-Star Game, post-season and World Series. To jump-start the pact, Falken said it would have "global marketing rights for the 2015 MLB post-season." The company says the deal marks the company's first deal with a professional sports league after 30 years marketing around motorsports.
Nation's Restaurant News
Taco Bell Corp. is launching a new website that allows users to order and pay ahead on their personal computers and tablets, as they already do on their smartphones. And they don't have to use just the mobile app. The new, responsive website has a URL that is hard to forget: ta.co, which company officials said is designed to be fun and easier to access.
Chain Store Age
Watch out Uber, Amazon may just steal away your drivers. The online giant is launching an Uber-like program, called Flex, which uses on-demand independent contractors to deliver Amazon packages. The service is now available only in Seattle (and only to members of Amazon's Prime Now same-day delivery service), but the company expects to roll it out to other cities where Prime Now is offered, including Manhattan, Baltimore, Miami, Dallas, and Chicago.
Arizona Republic
After 22 years with its iconic blue-and-yellow logo adorned with a red crown, Phoenix-based Best Western International introduced new logos and a new name Tuesday at its annual convention. The company with 4,100 worldwide properties is changing its name to Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and property owners will vote next month on using a new, more modern blue-globe logo that identifies the company simply as "BW."
New York Post
Verizon, surrounded by a feisty group of rivals, will look to further stand out from the crowd this week when it debuts go90, a mobile video service that, sources tell The Post, will be backed by a powerful $80 million marketing blitz. The move is a huge bet for the wireless carrier, industry insiders said, but Verizon may not have a choice.
Chain Store Age
The fast-casual eatery will open a three-story 5,000-sq.-ft. restaurant, its largest location yet, on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the corner of West 37th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan's Garment District. The restaurant is built to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) specifications,and incudes water and energy efficiency features, air quality control and waste diversion efforts, among other initiatives.
NYSportsJournalism.com
Rhone Apparel, founded in 2012 by Nate Checketts and Kyle McClure, describes itself as a "premium active wear company that produces high-quality attire for men." The "athleisure" category in which it competes accounted for more than $33 billion in sales last year. Nate Checketts, co-founder and CEO for Rhone, says his company is primed for growth.
Nation's Restaurant News
As a growing number of restaurant chains move into the mobile and digital space, the features available to guests are become increasingly complex. Restaurant chains can now allow guests to order ahead, pay for their meal and skip the line. Guests can choose to have their meals delivered, order and send gift cards, or study the nutritional aspects of their customized choices. And they can track their loyalty reward points.
PC World
LG is hoping to have your ultralight laptop of choice as it enters the U.S. PC market. The LG Gram weighs just 2.19 pounds, yet manages either a 13- or 14-inch 1080p IPS display. In other words, it's lighter than both the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air, but with the same- or larger-sized display and a higher resolution. (Apple's 12-inch MacBook still wins out on lightness and display density.)