The CLIO Awards, among the world's most recognized international advertising, design and communications competitions, this week announced the Coca-Cola Company as this year's inaugural Brand Icon Award recipient, recognized for continuous and exceptional creative execution over the years. The Brand Icon Award, a new annual honor from the CLIO Awards, distinguishes one brand that has transcended the product or service it provides to become a permanent fixture in popular culture. Each recipient is chosen for elevating its brand to icon status among its peers, industry experts and consumers. "As one of the most beloved, enduring and valuable brands in history, Coca-Cola continues to set the gold standard for out-of-the-box creative thinking …"

As health activists grow increasingly loud with concerns over the dangers of consuming genetically modified ingredients, Whole Foods has rolled out a plan to label all such foods in its more than 300 markets, becoming the first retailer in the country to initiate the transparent labeling of GMOs. The move will be phased in over five years, the company says. "Our company has been in support of mandatory [GMO] labeling for years and years, starting in the '80s," said Walter Robb, the chain's co-chief executive. "During the last couple years, we really heard a lot from our customers about their desire for labeling. As we began to look at our position, I think it became clear that this was a step …"

Whether it's discussing the mid-life crisis she had when she got bangs or when she dances with Jimmy Fallon or presents the Academy Award for Best Picture, First Lady Michelle Obama certainly gets her fair share of press. And, while it has been widely reported that she is popular among Americans, it may come as more of a surprise just how many feel she has a positive influence on her husband's decisions and was a positive factor in his 2012 re-election, a new Harris Poll finds. Regardless of personal feelings as to whether or not "great" is a description that can be applied to her husband, Michelle Obama is clearly an appealing figure, with about two thirds (65%) of Americans indicating that …

Passenger nightmares are evolving from isolated incidents into bona fide trends aboard Carnival Cruise Lines ships — and what was already a PR nightmare is evolving into a widespread brand crisis. Another Carnival cruise ship, the Carnival Dream, has suffered power problems that kept the ship's toilets from working for several hours Wednesday night and has prompted the company to fly passengers home. Passengers were reportedly leaving the ship, docked in St. Maarten, after it experienced what Carnival said was "a technical issue" that resulted in interruptions in the operation of toilets and elevators "for a few hours" Wednesday night. "At no time did the ship lose power," the company said in a statement Thursday. But, the company said, "We are making arrangements to fly all guests home via private charter flights …"

Strativity Group, a global customer experience transformation firm, this week announced the release of its 2013 Corporate Love Meter, an international survey of 402 executives polled about their company's customer relationships. Respondents scored themselves poorly, with 74% characterizing their customer relationships as an "open marriages," meaning they fully expect customers to use competitor services. While 52% believe customer relationships will strengthen in 2013, the survey identified substantial gaps between perspectives of executives and non-executives, the latter, which interacts most with customers. Two-thirds of executives expect to implement a new approach this year to rejuvenate relationships, while 52% of non-executives are sticking to a "business as usual" approach. "Much like personal relationships, companies must engage and maintain strong communications with their customers, even when they aren't at odds …"

Vuclip this week announced the results of a survey focused on the consumer habits and lifestyles of mobile phone users across the globe. The survey generated 120,000 responses from unique users globally. The results indicate a growing acceptance of mobile phone use in social settings, and offer a look at the extent to which we view mobile devices as symbols of status. The survey results indicate that mobile devices are now the first place most of us turn for information when researching an important purchase. "We sliced the data expecting the key findings to vary from region to region, but really the biggest difference we saw in responses was less geographical and more generational. The under 18 crowd is really driving trends …"

In recognition of International Women's Day last week, global executive search firm Rosenzweig & Co. reports that it sees a tipping point in the not-too-distant future where gender will no longer play an important role in the hiring decisions of corporate leaders. "We're seeing some trends emerge that give us a feeling of guarded optimism that gender bias at the highest corporate levels will go the way of the dinosaurs," said Jay Rosenzweig, managing partner of Rosenzweig & Co. "Our optimism is guarded because the corporate world is still largely dominated by men, but optimistic because there is a trajectory of positive change. We choose to believe that the glass is half full and the tipping point is near …"

Meredith Hispanic Ventures, publishers of Siempre Mujer and Ser Padres magazines, this week released findings from a new study identifying the shopping, cooking, and eating habits of the modern Latino family. The report is part of a series of trend reports to be rolled out by Meredith Hispanic Ventures throughout 2013 and 2014. Since Hispanics currently represent 16% of the total U.S. population, have a predominately larger household and spend more money on groceries than non-Hispanic households, it is critical that marketers understand the role that food plays in the lives of Latinos. In order to gain deeper insight into the changing food consumption behaviors in the Latino marketplace, the research department at Hispanic Ventures …

Eateries from corner delis to movie concession stands got a last-minute reprieve this week after a judge's decision to strike down New York City's groundbreaking ban on big sugary drinks --- but Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the decision is merely a "temporary setback." Speaking at a Manhattan diner that is voluntarily complying with the policy, Bloomberg urged city establishments to shrink their cups and bottles  anyway. Hours after the overturning of the 16-ounce size limit for sodas and some other sweet drinks as arbitrary and outside city health regulators' purview, Bloomberg defended it as a groundbreaking anti-obesity effort and all but challenged businesses to comply out of concern for their customers. "If you know what you're doing is harmful to people's health, common sense says if you care …"

An Army report released last week finds the service still has trouble diagnosing and treating soldiers for post-traumatic stress disorder, despite more than doubling its number of military and civilian behavioral health workers over the past five years. Confusing paperwork, inconsistent training and guidelines, and incompatible data systems have hindered the service as it tries to deal with behavioral health issues, the report said. It's a crucial issue: After a decade of war, soldier suicides outpace combat deaths. Last May, the Army commissioned a task force to conduct a sweeping review of how it evaluates soldiers for mental health problems at all its facilities. The review came under pressure from Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, of Washington, who was upset to learn that hundreds of soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center south of Seattle had had their PTSD diagnoses reversed …

The best things in life are free, as they say --- and when shopping online, free shipping is one of them. With major shipping carriers recently announcing price increases of at least 5 percent in 2013, free shipping may be harder to come by this year. A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that despite the possibly higher shipping costs they could be charged, 51 percent of U.S. adults indicate they are neither more or less likely to shop online. An additional 7 percent report they are more likely to shop online. "Free shipping offers entice online consumers, but retailers may have more difficulty providing them as costs rise. To still present free shipping as an option, some stores may need to …"

Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" went on sale this week, amid criticism that she's too successful and rich to lead a movement. But Sandberg says her focus remains on spurring action and progress among women. "The conversation, the debate is all good, because where we were before was stagnation — and stagnation is bad," she said. "And sometimes it takes real heated debate to wake people up and find a solution," she added, an AP release reports. Sandberg aims to arm women with the tools and guidance they need to keep moving forward in the workforce. The book's release is coupled with the launch of Sandberg's LeanIn.org, a nonprofit that will receive all of the book's proceeds …

The newly released 2013 MamboTrack Annual Natural and Organic Product Survey reveals that conscious shoppers are increasing their spend on organics — but are now more closely sourcing food products, seeking out non-genetically-modified foods, and buying sustainable "farm to table" food products traceable to local/regional farmers and producers. "Farm to table" buying mirrors local food trends with conscious shoppers tracing their food products to regional growers and producers. About 7 in 10 healthy consumers sourced brands by reading package labels or in-store signage while more than 6 in 10 visited brand or product websites. "Eco shoppers have moved beyond ingredient lists and are now focused on tracing the source of their food supply …"

Facebook doesn't want to be dismissed as an Internet has-been before its social network even enters its adolescence. In an effort to remain hip, it is infusing the focal point of its website with a more dynamic look and additional controls. The changes unveiled last week are an attempt to address complaints that Facebook's hub — the News Feed — is degenerating into a jumble of monotonous musings and disjointed pictures. By keeping Facebook relevant, Zuckerberg hopes to avoid the fate of his company's social networking forerunners, Friendster and MySpace. Those once-trendy sites quickly flamed out, largely because they didn't say attuned to the changing interest of fickle audience. Making that mistake is even more costly …

While consumers continue to rely heavily on their mobile devices, businesses are still not prepared to put mobile first, according to a new study from Kontagent, a leader in providing mobile customer intelligence. The study, recently released in conjunction with Econsultancy, found that more than two thirds of companies did not have a defined way to determine if mobile experiences were truly effective and only a third actually track and report specific performance of their must-have apps. "Many companies fall into the trap that they believe they need a consistent mobile presence, but fall short of taking the proper steps to ensure the experience is effective. Mobile adoption is outpacing any historical adoption trend. Businesses that will succeed …"

Data on newly formed companies and their founders are hard to come by, but a vital component to measuring economic health. In an effort to learn more about the challenges facing today's entrepreneurs, LegalZoom and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation surveyed 1,431 business owners who formed their companies through LegalZoom in 2012. Perhaps the most interesting finding is that 60 percent of entrepreneurs in the sample spent more than six months working on their business idea before forming their entity. "Policymakers, understandably, want to discern how public policy might be able to help remove obstacles entrepreneurs commonly face. Forty percent of the respondents reported facing no regulatory or policy barriers at all …"

Eloqua this week announced results from a comprehensive survey of U.S.-based B2B marketers, which was published in a report entitled Defining the Modern Marketer: From Real to Ideal. The report, created in conjunction with BtoB Magazine, offers in-depth insight into how marketing's role has evolved to include both art and science and more specifically, what skills and technologies marketers need to improve ROI. The study found that the modern marketer persona is ideally three-fold — a hybrid of content marketer, brand marketer and Web marketer. "The B2B buying process has fundamentally changed. As prospects conduct the bulk of their research online, sales reps enter the buying cycle much later. The process has become marketing-driven and today's marketing team plays a critical role …"

Market research company Euromonitor International this week released a white paper identifying four consumer types to optimize marketing strategy. Companies often identify market segments using demographics alone. Euromonitor's consumer types move beyond standard demographics, focusing on personality and traits such as media consumption, buying behaviors, individual aspirations and more. This type of segmentation empowers companies to think more creatively about potential customers and create products and campaigns tailored to consumers' interests and attitudes. The firm's whitepaper discusses basic characteristics of the four consumer types and provides an in-depth discussion of the "Undaunted Striver," an attractive consumer type for companies looking to expand into emerging markets. Understanding these consumer types allows marketers to rethink their strategy …

Attorneys who have tried unsuccessfully for years to sue the Vatican over failures to stop clergy sex abuse are looking into whether former Pope Benedict XVI is more legally vulnerable in retirement, especially if he travels beyond the Vatican walls. A U.S. lawyer for the Vatican argues that, like any former head of state, Benedict retains legal immunity regardless of whether he is in or out of office. But advocates for victims say immunity in this case should be tested, since modern-day courts have never before dealt with an emeritus pope, an AP news release reports. "So much of this is unprecedented," said Pamela Spees, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York. "There's nothing set in stone about it …"

Demonstrating the growing importance of incorporating mobility into enterprises, most CIOs believe mobility will generate significant sources of new revenue for their businesses, and most will invest 31-40 percent of their discretionary budgets to achieve that goal, compared with only 19 percent of CIOs surveyed last year, according to Accenture. In the company's new CIO Mobility Survey, the overwhelming majority of respondents (79 percent) cited mobility as a revenue generator and said it would significantly improve customer interactions (84 percent) as well as significantly affect their business (83 percent). The survey also revealed that mobility is a top priority in the coming year for more than one-third (34 percent) of CIOs; and 42 percent of CIOs ranked mobility …

StrongMail, a provider of email marketing and cross-channel marketing solutions for enterprises, recently revealed findings from its inaugural Holiday Retail Marketing Survey. With comScore reporting that Cyber Week alone had record-breaking online sales that topped $5 billion, StrongMail commissioned its own holiday shopping study to help understand how retailers' marketing efforts directly affected the purchasing habits of U.S. online consumers, including the effectiveness of email versus other marketing channels. "Email has typically been our strongest medium in terms of marketing effectiveness, and this year in particular was a huge success," said Wayne Miller, digital marketing manager at Zumba Fitness. "Our Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns outperformed our 2011 campaigns by 400 percent, which is a testament to the marketing optimization we were able to achieve …"

Product managers and marketers earned an average of $100,000 to $120,000 a year in 2012, according to Pragmatic Marketing's 13th Annual Product Management and Marketing Survey. The average salary was up slightly from the previous year's average of $98,068. Annual bonuses, on the other hand, fell to $10,000 from the previous $13,501. Both fluctuations are consistent with changes in technology compensation overall, according to industry reports. So what were the factors that pushed respondents to earn above-average salaries? Having more than 15 years of experience amped up the pay for 60 percent of respondents. Who they report to also had an impact, with 47 percent of those reporting directly to the president earning above the $120,000 mark …

Investor relations professionals at public companies plan to embrace mobile technologies and incorporate them into their communications strategies this year, according to a survey conducted by theIRapp, the investor relations app building technology platform that allows public companies to optimize their IR content for iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices. "The use of mobile technology and IR apps in communications is a new and emerging category," said Jeff Corbin, co-founder of theIRapp. "Companies are only beginning to recognize the power of mobile to shareholder engagement and communications as can be seen by the fact that today only approximately 100 native IR apps can be found in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Market. While these tend to belong to larger corporations …"

The maker of Budweiser is using splashy newspaper ads to poke fun at a lawsuit that alleges its beer is watered down. In full-page ads in U.S. newspapers nationwide this weekend, Anheuser-Busch InBev shows one of the 71 million cans of drinking water it has sent to the American Red Cross and other relief organizations in disasters. "They must have tested one of these," the ad says. The class action lawsuit, filed in several states, accuses the brewer of cheating consumers out of the stated alcohol percentage by adding water just before bottling its beers. Anheuser-Busch has called the claims groundless. In the ads, the company calls its beer "the best beer we know how to brew. We take no shortcuts and make no exceptions. Ever," the company says in the campaign …