General Mills (GIS) champions brand champions---also known as brand personas---for each of their labels. The company says that giving their target consumer a face, name, worldview, habits, likes and dislikes helps them to guide where the brand should go, what it should be, what role it plays in consumers’ lives.

Carbonated beverages are a long way from losing their fizz says Coca-Cola (KO), announcing profits of 14% and sales growth of 9% during 3Q 2008. Coke Zero and a revitalized approach to marketing have contributed to the positive numbers says CMO Joe Tripodi.

Not so much for Pepsico (PEP); the company is reportedly embarking on a three year, 1.2 billion makeover in an effort to regain lost market share.

Roto-Rooter considered a PR program to  fund Joe the Plumber’s schooling so he could become certified, but scuttled it because they were already getting all the publicity they could handle. The company has been flooded with local media organizations wanting to interview a ‘Joe the Plumber’ in their locality.

Walgreens (WAG) is touting its in-store Take Care Clinics, in a 33-market advertising campaign, as an affordable, time efficient alternative to doctor’s offices and emergency rooms. The rapidly expanding retail clinics provide new revenue opportunities for drug chains including CVS, Albertson’s and Rite Aid.

Bank of America (BAC) is reaching out to customers jittery about the financial crisis with messages communicating “security, stability, and using the word ‘guaranteed,’” says Businessweek blog Brand New Day. Private banking clients can participate in conference calls with Bank of America’s economists, and the company has a “war room” where BOA economists and “chief thinkers” respond to news headlines and explain the impact on customers.

Gap Inc. (GPS) told its investors last week of plans to create smaller stores and close units over the next 3-5 years to increase productivity, says Chain Store Age. The company also outlined marketing objectives for 2009, which include driving traffic to Gap store locations, driving traffic, increasing differentiation and fine tuning the product mix at Banana Republic, and aligning Old Navy marketing more closely to its young moms target.

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