USA Today
Joe is 62 years old, and never felt better. The character representin' for Topps' bubble-gum brand Bazooka is even getting a makeover, courtesy of illustrator Victor Intrasombat. The company let fans opine on more than 100 different variations by Intrasombat, Benjamin Balistreri (How to Train Your Dragon), Nickelodeon's Robert Lilly and others, with more than 100,000 votes cast.
Chicago Tribune
Chicago-based Belle and Whistle plans to launch online July 1, with a line of "glamorous" swimwear that aims to be "the bathing suit equivalent of a cocktail dress." The seven styles include The Showstopper, a light pink velvet bikini with jewel embellishments and silk tassels. There's also The Goddess, and Vixen. Bottoms run $125 to $145 and tops are $150 to $170.
The Drum
Jingles are not gone (there's actually something of a comeback with a few brands) but many are forgotten. Here, Jungle Studios' Chris Turner goes on a voyage back to the days of classic jingles. If you don't recognize them, many are from the U.K. But the first was in 1923, Christmas eve, with "Have You Tried Wheaties?" sung by the "Wheaties Quartet." Enjoy!
TUAW
Automotive producers may have to start making trains. Analysts at Barclays predict U.S. auto sales may drop 40% in the next 25 years because people will share driverless cars. Vehicle ownership will drop as families move to having just one car. But the market for autonomous technology will grow to $42 billion by 2025 and self-driving cars may account for a quarter of global auto sales by 2035, according to Boston Consulting Group.
Nation's Restaurant News
With avian flu putting a lid on egg production, Whataburger Restaurants LLC has reduced its breakfast hours to deal with a national egg shortage. The San Antonio-based quick-service chain, which has 770 restaurants in 10 states, reduced its breakfast hours to 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekends, from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. daily.
Tallahassee Democrat
Florida's business-marketing arm may create a new campaign to attract out-of-state and international companies. The future of "The Perfect Climate for Business" brand campaign, created in 2013, depends on what the business-building group Enterprise Florida gets out of lawmakers. Florida's secretary of commerce and CEO of Enterprise Florida wants the state budget to earmark $5 million for business marketing.
Orlando Sentinel
Florida's top tourism city, and therefore one of the top tourist destinations in the world, is launching a new campaign. Since places like Sea World and Disney World do fine marketing themselves, the effort, "Orlando - The Never-Ending Story" focuses on tourists' experiences via social media and the hashtag #myorlandostory.
Bloomberg
Dunkin' Donuts is hoping to expand beyond donuts as breakfast with new Chips Ahoy doughnuts filled with cookie dough-flavored buttercream. The donuts, launching this week, will be tested at about 40 restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. The company will introduce filled croissant doughnuts later this year.
The Verge
Tesla, which sells its own cars and is thus at perennial war with traditional dealers, just lost a battle in Texas. The state's legislature has failed to vote on bills that would have allowed Tesla to sell its cars directly to customers, even though Tesla hired nearly two dozen lobbyists there.
Fortune
Boston Market was once nearly bankrupt, but it has been getting out of the red and plans to get even more mojo going with a new, health-focused ad campaign. The company is trimming sodium and pointing out that its meals can be just 500 calories. This week it launches a new ad campaign called "All Good."
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