Breaking News

• Bond film breaks product-placement record
  The upcoming MGM/Sony James Bond movie "Skyfall" has shattered one record already: The $45 million raised through product-placement deals more than doubles that attained by "Minority Report" in 2002. But despite the movie franchise's legacy for placement dating back a half century, purists are twittering about a Heineken partnership suggesting that Bond has switched from vodka to beer. Other partnerships are less controversial, among them Mattel, 7UP, Kodak, Calvin Klein, Norelco, Ford, Jaguar, Rolex and Omega. Bloomberg Businessweek (4/5)     

Company News

• Sears licenses DieHard, Craftsman and Kenmore names
  Sears wants to expand the brand value of names such as Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard by licensing them to other manufacturers for products that don't need to be sold at Sears stores. "We believe some of the most successful and innovative companies in the world will be interested in licensing" the three brand names, said Allan Feldman of Sears' licensing partner. The Wall Street Journal (4/5)     

• Funny or Die division to make traditional spots
  The Internet comedy site Funny or Die is forming a commercial division called Gifted Youth. The company founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay has already been involved in branded entertainment shorts, but brands have shown interest in having the company produce traditional-length spots. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Media Decoder blog (4/5)     

• Other News

• Kodak seeks court's nod to sell Times Square billboard
  The Wall Street Journal (4/5)     

• Acura cross-promotes "Avengers" product integration
  MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (4/5)     

Market Trends

• Screenvision's app gets audiences to show up earlier
  In a reverse of preshow warnings to shut off cellphones in the movie theater, Screenvision has created an application encouraging interactivity between audiences and their preshow commercial block. The Screenfanz app encourages audiences to come early, with such features as location check-in and contests and games related to the spots. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/5), MediaPost Communications/Digital Outsider blog (4/6)     

On Leadership

Top five news stories from SmartBrief on Leadership this week. Want more leadership news?

• How to run a successful brainstorming session (The Heart of Innovation blog)

• How to make $15 million by playing blackjack (The Atlantic)

• 3 questions to help leaders prepare for the worst (CBS MoneyWatch)

• Bosses just want to be like Steve Jobs (The Wall Street Journal)

• Is leadership obsolete? (Financial Times)

Interactive

• Microsoft puts cash on the table to lure app developers
  Microsoft is going to extensive lengths to woo mobile application developers for its Windows Phone platform. Incentives include financing, free smartphones and high-profile spots in both its app market and Windows Phone advertising. "We have very limited resources, and we have to put them toward the platforms with the biggest bang for our buck," said Foursquare's Holger Luedorf, who added the company would probably not have written a Windows app without Microsoft's financial assistance. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/5), The Wall Street Journal (4/5)     

• Pepsi teams with Funny or Die on Wal-Mart taste test
  Pepsi is launching a taste test of its reduced-sugar soft drink Pepsi Next on Facebook. The page will drive consumers to one of 800 Wal-Mart Supercenters in 40 cities in order to participate in a program in which some taste testers will win inclusion in Funny or Die personalized parodies of consumer reactions to their first taste of the drink. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (4/5)     

• Facebook is a global language, marketers say
  Facebook is emerging as a global mass medium for marketers, industry experts say. Companies such as Nike, Domino's Pizza, Levi's and Starbucks have all run global Facebook campaigns, learning to translate and adapt their social content to dozens of languages and cultural contexts. "Facebook has become a single point and language that translates almost across the entire globe," says Dennis Maloney of Domino's. ClickZ (4/5)     

Featured Content

Multicultural Marketing

• Pampers' page takes pride in baby's Hispanic heritage
  A Pampers online campaign and contest encourages Hispanic parents to visit a Pampers Latino Facebook page themed "Mi milagro. Nuestra herencia" ("My miracle. Our heritage"). Visitors can win custom body suits for babies themed to countries of origin as well as Latin American vacations. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (4/5)     

SmartQuote

Of course, I'm a legend. But it's not because of any great gift I have. It's because I'm a risk taker." --Mary Wells Lawrence, member, Advertising Hall of Fame