For more than a decade, if Apple manufactured it, we purchased it - in bulk. There was no reason to hyper-evaluate the new specifications; we just sent a purchase order to Tekserve (now T2 Computing) for as many of the new Apple devices as we needed (and maybe a few we didn't need). There were so many Apple devices in our offices, someone once said, "It looks like Steve Jobs threw up in here." That was then.

Social media has produced its own breed of stars, from the video bloggers of YouTube to the style mavens of Instagram, and major media companies and brands have increasingly turned to this group as a way to reach the ad blockers and cord cutters of the world. But they also come with their own set of risks.

Streetwear has evolved into a somewhat hard-to-define category; even the streetwear veterans and experts don't have a concise, digestible way to convey what it means exactly. But, broadly speaking, it refers to clothing brands that are rooted in urban, youth culture. It's connected to skateboarding, hip-hop, and surfing.

With the 2017 NASCAR season about to start at the Daytona 500, and Formula 1 just behind, marketers are gearing up. Global spending on motorsports sanctioning bodies, teams and tracks is expected to total $5.75 billion in 2017, up 3.1% from $5.58 billion in 2016, but behind the projected 4.5% increase in overall global sponsorship spending, according to IEG.

WWE has eclipsed 750 million social media followers across 16 global social media platforms, which it said "further cements its position as one of the most-followed brands in the world." Digital engagement "continued to grow over the past year with video views up 56% to more than 15.1 billion and social media engagements up 45% to 1.1 billion from 2015."

Starbucks announced that its Teavana bottled teas will soon hit the market. Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch InBev announced a partnership eight months ago in which the beer giant would manufacture and distribute the teas. The teas will be in select grocery and convenience retailers in New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Missouri.

If you believed the Trouble Brewing beers sold at Wal-Mart are truly craft beers, instead of private-label beers produced at a large industrial brewery in Rochester, N.Y., you're not alone. But one Cincinnati beer drinker is so mad that he's suing the world's largest company over what he's calling the "wholesale fiction" around the ales, seeking compensatory damages.

With Burlington Coat Factory the latest retailer to no longer offer Ivanka Trump products on its website, the president's daughter is fighting to keep her retail base together in the face of a boycott movement. Some stories are still carrying the line. TJX, owner of Marshalls and T.J. Maxx, has instructed staff to blend Trump products with other merchandise rather than feature it on its own.

Despite their deep pocketbooks, pro basketball players have an appetite for The Cheesecake Factory that borders on cult fanaticism. Attempts to crack this have come in the form of speculation from team trainers and sports analysts. They point to portion sizes, consistency and accessible luxury among motivations driving pro ballers' passion for Cheesecake Factory.

The American Cancer Society has been named the Grand Sports Marketer of the Year for 2016 based on votes cast among the more than 50,000 readers of NYSportsJournalism, votes cast via social media and input from marketing analysts. The honor recognizes its efforts involving coaches, teams, athletes and sports organizations throughout the past year.