Time
A new study finds that most mac and cheese products contain chemicals that make plastics more flexible and are found in things like shampoo, fast food and cosmetics. The highest concentrations of phthalates were found in the packets of cheese powder. Past research has linked the chemical to health issues including hormone disruption and lower sperm count.
Columbus Dispatch
KFC's online retail store (KFClimited.com shop) is carrying items including a string bow tie, fried-chicken socks and a T-shirt printed with Colonel Sanders' mug. Other items include art work, a necklace bearing a gold-plated "Finger Lickin' Good" pendant and shirts with drumsticks all over them. Many of the items are already sold out.
Crain's Detroit Business
Coca-Cola has signed on as a Landmark-level partner at the new Little Caesars Arena. The brand, whose relationship with the Detroit Red Wings dates back to the defunct Olympia Stadium and throughout Joe Louis Arena's 38-year history, will be the presenting sponsor at the team's home opener Oct. 5 in the new arena.
TechCrunch
Jet, the online retailer bought by Walmart last year, has struck a deal with smart access provider Latch in an effort to make deliveries easier for its customers in urban areas. Over 100,000 residents living in 1,000 buildings will get free and full access to Latch's residential "R" system for the exterior door of their building, with the install paid for by a "joint investment" from Jet and Latch.
Campaign Live
Haagen-Dazs premieres the video element to this brand refresh. From Saatchi & Saatchi London, the spot still features attractive actors. Only this time, they're playful-not sexual-dancing to Pharrell Williams' "Come Get It Bae." This is an attempt to appeal to a Millennial audience, said Haagen-Dazs's Jennifer Jorgensen.
The Drive
Honda has created a custom "Minnie Van" out of a 2018 Honda Odyssey designed to look like Minnie Mouse. The Odyssey gets a custom pink wrap with white polka-dots, a staple of Minnie's style. The one-off Minnie Van isn't for sale, but fans will get a chance to get up close to it this weekend at the Disney D23 Expo in Los Angeles.
Business Insider
Nordstrom's website was crashing Thursday during "early access" to its anniversary sale. Nordstrom cardholders were supposed to be able to shop the sale before it opens to the public on July 21. However, many shoppers were unable to purchase items, as the website crashed before they could check out. Customers took to social media to complain about the problems. Nordstrom apologized for the site issues in a Twitter post.
NYSportsJournalism.com
The newly minted NBA G League - rebranded from the Developmental League via a multi-year deal with Gatorade - is breaking the first marketing campaign in its 16-year history. The multi-media effort, under the umbrella theme, "We Don't Go For Good. We Go For Great," is anchored by a TV spot with support from social media, in-arena activation and player-themed platforms.
eTurboNews
Qatar Airways' TV spot, "No Borders, Only Horizons," has been viewed by more than 54 million viewers worldwide, making it the top viral video during the last week of June. The spot was viewed more than 50 million times on the airline's Facebook page, nearly 800,000 times on Twitter, more than three million views on Instagram and more than one million views on YouTube.
Brand Channel
Microsoft is looking for ways to bring Internet access to the 24 million Americans living in rural communities who lack it. The company hopes to take unused television broadcasting frequencies and put them to use for broadband. Called white-space technology, the unused television stations are found on the dial all across the U.S., no matter how populated an area.