Villa Italian Kitchen, a QSR pizza brand, is demanding a piece of the pumpkin spice pie with this reportedly delicious marriage of a cheese pizza and the seasonal flavors of fall. It will be available at the chain's nearly 230 locations nationwide on Sept. 22, the first day of autumn.

The Golden State Warriors have a multi-year partnership with international Internet services provider Rakuten, Inc. that includes placing the Rakuten logo on all Warriors jerseys, as well as a variety of other team marketing and activation, beginning with the upcoming 2017-18 NBA season. The Warriors had 4 of the top 11 best-selling jerseys in the NBA from April through their championship run in June.

Unnamed sources told the "New York Post" that the retailer's flagship store could see floor space reduced by as much as 70 square feet as the developer strains to attract tenants and shoppers to the Hudson Yards project. The store was supposed to be 250,000 square feet. Yet another source says the reduction is closer to 10,000 square feet.

Jerri DeVard, who has held marketing positions for Nokia, Verizon and Citigroup, is the new executive vice president and CMO for the Boca Raton, Fla.-based office supplies retailer. DeVard was previously the senior vice president and CMO for ADT Corp. She serves on the board of directors for Under Armour and Cars.com.

Smithfield Foods has signed a multiyear deal to become a primary team sponsor for Stewart-Haas Racing beginning with the 2018 racing season. It had been a sponsor with Richard Petty Motorsports. The move became a catalyst in shakeups on both teams, with Danica Patrick saying she would leave Stewart-Haas Racing after the current season and Richard Petty Motorsports saying that driver Aric Almirloa would not return.

The automaker will recreate three popular TV theme songs using the sounds of the engines of three of its cars in new ads. The songs pay tribute to "Cheers," "Star Trek," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Each ad blends sounds from the SQ5, TT RS, and R8 V10 to create a kind of orchestra.

With many on social media mocking the restaurant chain for choosing a mascot that resembles a turd, Denny's CMO stood by its decision. While every marketing campaign might upset some people, it is succeeding at creating buzz about the brand without damaging it, says one New York-based brand consultant.

The new brand, Hearth & Hand, is Magnolia's first partnership with a retailer. Joanna and Chip Gaines will design the collection exclusively for Target. The line will be available beginning Nov. 5 and will include more than 300 items. The Gaineses' show is on HGTV.

Kroger Co., which has made no secret of its intention to pursue alternate means to feed customers, is preparing to open a restaurant near its Cincinnati headquarters. Kitchen 1883 - an apparent reference to the year Barney Kroger founded the food retailer - will open in Union, Ky., near a Kroger Marketplace store. The retailer, which has been advertising for positions for several weeks, held a hiring event.

Michael F. Jacobson is moving from being the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest to chief scientist. He has co-directed or directed the nonprofit nutrition and food-safety watchdog group since its founding in 1971. Dr. Peter G. Lurie, associate commissioner for public health strategy and analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, will be the new executive director and president.