Before he was a ‘Sir’ or married to the devil Heather Mills, Paul McCartney was a Beatle. And now it seems Macca (as he’s know in the U.K.) will reprise his Beatlemania days with a guest cameo on AMC’s period piece “Mad Men.” Aside from a walk-on role, McCartney has also granted the show’s request to use his songs.

As requested by Apple, the Fair Labor Association will commence voluntary inspection of the tech company’s supply factories following a public outcry over the hazardous working conditions many of its assembly workers face overseas.

We’re not sure if voluntary means free, but it’s likely that Apple could afford to pay at least a little retribution to the people building the iWhatevers. On Monday, shares of the company hit $500 for the first time, closing the day at $502.60.

Grammy ratings are up as well, at least according to early reports. With an audience of 39.91 million viewers, Sunday night’s ceremony marked the second most-watched telecast in the award show’s history, behind only its 1984 program.

Seems that all of the advertisers during music’s biggest night probably got exactly what they paid for, but when it comes to building those professional relationships, Fast Company offers five ways to get the most ROI out of that mere “thank you” card.

Now if you’re really looking to ramp up your media relations—but forgot Valentine’s Day—here’s a collection of ready-made tokens of appreciation perfect for that special journalist or social media guru in your life.

Now if only we could find our pen. We’re pretty sure somebody stole it. Thankfully, Paper Mate has its new Facebook venture, trading “likes” for helping catching pesky pen thieves around the office. (via Creativity)

Meanwhile, one suspect behind an alleged “Woolly Mammoth” video gone viral has been brought to justice—well, sort of. The noted writer and videographer Ludovic Petho helped break the mysterious case claiming responsibility for the original video, but not the doctored footage used to trick people the world-over.

This may seem too good to be true, but rest assured it isn’t a trick. Best Buy’s loyalty program is taking consumer satisfaction to a whole new level, gratifying its valuable customers with surprise rewards. Case in point: movie premiere tickets. But does it still count if it was “Twilight”?

PETA’s vegan-inspired Valentine’s Day campaign probably surprised a few folks. Part One: a faux awareness video and website dubbed “Boyfriend Went Vegan and Knocked the Bottom out of Me,” also known by its simple acronym, BWVAKTOOM. (Careful, as with most PETA promos, this one might be NSFW.)



And what’s any good PETA campaign without a scandalous publicity stunt?



PETA is probably as happy as it could be with McDonald’s. The fast food chain vowed that its pork suppliers will begin phasing out the use of tiny crates housing pigs while pregnant, also known as sow stalls. While “not a simple process,” says Bob Langert, McDonald’s VP of sustainability, it marks another step toward a public image of even more golden golden-arches.

And speaking of public image, residents of Nogent-sur-Marne are not happy about plans to erect a statue in the blue-collar town just east of Paris resembling that of France’s Italian-born First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, which many feel is some form of political agenda, despite its mayor’s denial.

No one can deny that PR pros love of coffee, but could our caffeinated friend also be our Valentine’s Day Cupid? According to a study by Dunkin Donuts, 70 percent of respondents say coffee will be a part of their V-Day plans, with 50 percent claiming they’d rather get coffee from their sweetheart than flowers. If you go that route, however, make it French Vanilla—the most romantic flavor.

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