Last week Interbrand issued its 2008 Best Global Brands rankings. While most of the top 10 remained unchanged, with IBM and Microsoft swapping places (IBM rose from 3 to 2), one big change emerged: Google rose from 20 to 10, with Mercedes-Benz dropping to 11.

Brand extensions, like Jeep’s strollers, Maxim’s hair color, or Apple’s iTunes are lucrative ways that a brand can increase its revenue and customer base-or confuse and alienate them. In an increasingly borderless world in which brands can be as powerful as currency, stretching brands that already have strong equity has become an ever more important avenue for growth.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications has announced today that it has signed an exclusive four year sponsorship agreement with female tennis player, Maria Sharapova, to become the company’s first global brand ambassador.

Many people pay silly money to wear a particular logo or a designer brand. Of course, a designer outfit doesn't keep you any warmer or dryer than an unbranded one, but functionality is only part of the story. Designer products say something about you – you are a trendy, sexy or sophisticated person. Brands help us to express who we think we are and who we want to be.

LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, has after a three month global review appointed London-based Bartle, Bogle, Hegarty (BBH) for the strategic and creative development of its worldwide marketing communications.

AmbironTrustWave announces the change of their brand name to Trustwave, effective immediately.

For the seventh consecutive year, Canon U.S.A., Inc., has been named number one in brand loyalty within the "Office Copier" category, by Brand Key's Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.

Advertising within highly engaging gaming experience shown to have significant positive impact on purchase consideration, ad recall and “coolness” perception of brands.

Say what you will, Shakespeare, but a McNugget by any other name is just not as tasty. At least, not to the 3- to 5-year-old set.

Preschool children preferred the taste of foods and drinks in McDonald’s packaging to the same foods and drinks in unbranded packaging, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Consumers often abandon products when other social groups adopt them. Teens want to distinguish themselves from their parents. Jocks want to separate themselves from geeks. Rich Brits stopped buying Burberry once it became the brand of choice for soccer hooligans and Shanghai urbanites avoid the Volkswagen model that is preferred by the suburban nouveau riche.

What do Kylie, Paul Newman, and Celine Dion have in common" They are all celebrity entrepreneurs. But does selling their own products rather than endorsing others help boost sales"