Apparently Lincoln's deal also includes the automaker's sponsorship of NYT archival content around technology and design.

I'm a Johnny Come Lately I guess. It seems some 200,000 regular NYTimes.com print-issue customers who are getting this Lincoln free-subscription offer. Reportedly about half are expected to take the offer based on some behavioral algorithm of mistrust. The subscription is worth $15 a month since you get free Web access including mobile versions, though not iPad. One commenter suggests the promotion means the Times is hedging their bet, since Lincoln probably isn't paying the $1.5 million per month -- or twice that, potentially -- the NYT would get from subscribers shelling out each month on an individual basis.

Someone I know got an email that said "Though NYTimes.com will soon begin charging for unlimited access, Lincoln is offering you a free digital subscription for the remainder of 2011. Enjoy all that NYTimes.com has to offer every day — investigative news and special reports, videos, blogs and more. It's all yours at no charge, compliments of Lincoln." Apparently the offer, which does not include e-reader edition, or crosswords. expires March 27 so, as they say, act soon, whatever that means in this case, as there doesn't appear to be any activation involved from what I can tell.

Estée Lauder is launching a new skincare line called Idealist, and to emphasize how well the products work on all types of skin, the company is making a multicultural splash with the marketing campaign. Both TV and print ads will feature models Joan Smalls, Liu Wen and Constance Jablonski, with an "Every Woman Can Be Beautiful" theme. The line includes Even Skintone Illuminator, which works on all ethnicities and promises results in two weeks, powered by such ingredients as rice bran extract, Vitamin E, licorice and gentian. And its Cooling Eye Illuminator, which also contains magnolia extract, caffeine, and …

Electronic Arts will be offering Florida's Natural juices in its Restaurant City and Pet Society social games. The Florida's Natural products will be used as an in-game feature and giftable virtual items, such as serving virtual versions of Florida's Natural juices to friends in Restaurant City or visiting Florida's Natural juice stands within Pet Society. "Florida's Natural recognized the opportunity to build brand preference amongst the hundreds of thousands of avid female players of Restaurant City and Pet Society," said Joy Taylor, Director of Global Marketing Solutions at Electronic Arts, in a statement. "Through this collaboration we were …

Pharma company Bristol-Myers Squibb bribed thousands of California doctors and pharmacists to promote its drugs, state officials said. Thousands of California doctors were bribed as the company dangled illegal kickbacks and L.A. Laker "happy hours," the Los Angeles Times reports. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced March 18 that his office had joined a previously sealed whistleblower lawsuit against the company, calling it the largest health insurance fraud case ever pursued by a California state agency. Two of the three whistleblowers in the case are former Lakers player Lucius Allen and his wife, Eve, who worked for …

GM says it has suspended production at Shreveport Assembly in Louisiana for the week of March 21 due to a parts shortage resulting from the crisis in Japan. "We will resume production at Shreveport as soon as possible, and at this point, we have sufficient vehicles to meet customer demand," says a company release. The company says it's other plants will run normally.

Tania Yuki has joined Visible World as vice president-advertiser solutions. She had been senior director of cross-media and video insights at comScore.

Daily deals site LivingSocial said it will match every $5 donation to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund.

Yokohama Tire Corporation has partnered with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Boston Celtics for the  fourth consecutive year, as part of Yokohama's 2011 sports marketing program. "The agreement with the Celtics enables Yokohama to execute promotions designed to drive traffic to dealers," said , Shawn Denlein, Yokohama director of sales, Consumer Products. The effort includes "Home Team Pride" program, running through April 30. During that period, consumers in Boston and northern New England can receive an official Boston Celtics team shooting shirt with the purchase of four Yokohama tires from participating dealers. Yokohama also gets usage rights of …