marketing

Can Kettle Chips Go from Foodie Fave to Super Bowl Snack?

Kettle Chips are the high-brow sophisticates of the salty snacks aisle, but that doesn't mean they don't want to be invited to your Super Bowl party. And this year, the brand is making a genuine play to put its offbeat flavors on the game day coffee table.

$50,000 Prize If You Can Find Way to Block Robocalls

Those annoying prerecorded phone pitches known as robocalls aren't just getting on the nerves of millions of consumers: The government is fed up too, and it's turning to the public for help, offering a cash reward for the best way to stop the unwanted sales calls.

Fake Reviews: Don't Fall for This Online Marketing Scam

Shoppers love online customer reviews. They offer the benefit of other people's experiences with a product before you buy, so you can have a better idea whether it's worth the money. Yes, they're great -- if you can trust the source. But often, you can't.

'John Carter' of Where? Disney's Bad PR Mars Film Launch

For weeks, movie industry watchers have been commenting about the inadequacy of Disney's marketing campaign for John Carter, and ticket sales lived down to expectations. But the movie's not the Ishtar-level awfulness it's being made out to be.

To Score Off Linsanity, Businesses Use a Fast Break

With Jeremy Lin's standout performances bringing a sudden shine to the otherwise lackluster New York Knicks, a number of companies have hitched their wagons to his star to buff up their brands. And with the value of such an association easy to see, why wouldn't they?

Is Apple Trying to Break Hearts with Obsolete iPads?

Earlier this month, Apple's marketing department pitched iPad 2 as a great gift for Valentine's Day. But with the iPad 3 a mere three weeks from release, we have to call foul. A dozen roses may not last that long, but no one's buying a $499 flower arrangement.

Support Builds for LEGO Anti-Sexism Drive

LEGO's newest toys are drawing a some loud complaints from parents, who complain that the girl-centric marketing of the Friends line is sexist. In less than a month, a petition against it has generated more than 42,000 signatures and plenty of commentary.

Coke Shares Its Secret Formula (Well, Sort Of)

Coca-Cola is finally giving consumers a glimpse of its secret formula -- but just a glimpse. Earlier this month, the formula was moved to its World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta as part of the company's 125th anniversary celebrations.

Retailers Pin Back-to-School Hopes on Exclusive Lines

The nation's big retailers are betting on exclusive lines to ring up back-to-school sales, and also targeting kids and teens where they wile away the hours -- online -- with digital campaigns designed to both entertain and stoke a social-shopping experience tailor-made for the tech-savvy generation.

The Three Key Ways LinkedIn Makes Money

Trefis currently has a $30 price estimate for LinkedIn stock -- about a third of the market price. Why the disparity? Take a look at the prospects for the three businesses that bring in the vast majority of LinkedIn's revenue, and the answer becomes clear.

Will Open Letter to McDonald's Bite Into Profits?

McDonald's got a letter from 550 health experts Wednesday accusing the fast food giant of ignoring the impact its products -- and its marketing -- have on America's children. It's not the first such criticism of McDonald's, but so far, the attacks don't appear to have hurt its sales.

Will 'Low Prices' Woo Shoppers Back to Walmart?

A few years ago, Walmart reinvented itself with fewer items on the shelves, neater stores and less focus on price. It didn't work. The retail giant has seen seven straight quarters of falling sales. So Walmart is returning to its roots -- the old variety of products, and "low prices, every day."

Easing Ronald McDonald Out of a Job

He's becoming notably absent these days. Fighting back against more upscale chains, McDonald's is more focused now on selling profitable coffee drinks and salads -- and downplaying its namesake clown, who's more associated with Big Macs and Happy Meals.

Bidding for Authors: When Books Sell at Auction

To those outside the publishing industry, the deals that get covered in the press might give the impression that book auctions are as rare as solar eclipses. In fact, they happen with remarkable regularity. But that doesn't mean they're any less nerve-wracking for authors.

Food Fight: KFC and Franchisees Disagree on Ad Strategy

A judge in Louisville, Ky., has ruled that KFC must cooperate with franchisees on advertising, but that it can nix campaigns that it believes could hurt the brand. Disagreement over whether KFC should emphasize its fried or grilled chicken sparked the dispute.

ComScore: More Advertising Coming to Online Videos

Research firm ComScore projects that spending on online-video advertising will more than triple between 2010 and 2015. But that doesn't mean you'll necessarily see more commercials per video. Spending will continue to lag behind the huge growth in online videos, according to ComScore.

Jersey Shore, the Book?

MTV's Jersey Shore may bring in big numbers on TV. But recent attempts by the program's stars to become best-selling authors have met with, at best, modest success. And the same goes for other Jersey Shore-related books.

How to Succeed in Boosting Exports: 10 Easy Lessons

President Obama has set a goal for the nation -- doubling U.S. exports in the next five years -- and helping smaller businesses is a big part of his plan. But for advice from the trenches, we've interviewed five executives at global export leaders and gleaned 10 tips you can apply to your own company.

Oprah's OWN Delivers a Strong Debut for Advertisers

Oprah Winfrey's new cable network is commanding some of the highest ad prices on cable, and it justified those rates with its heavily watched debut. Now, OWN will have to prove it can maintain its viewership levels throughout the year.

Forget Facebook: Email's a Stronger Marketing Tool

As more shoppers spend their money online, retailers are deciding where to put their e-marketing. According to a new ForeSee study, promotional emails were still far more effective at driving traffic to retail sites than social networks like Facebook this holiday season.