Do we apologize too much? Some PR pros think so. But many of them would probably agree that Mike Daisy, the man who fabricated details about the factories where Apple products are made, needs to do more of it. And sure enough, he issued an apology on his blog on Sunday: “I am sorry I was careless with [my audience’s] trust.” The Atlantic Wire called it his most sincere, yet ineffective apology yet.

Speaking of Apple, the new iPad HD experienced a “record weekend” for sales this month, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. But the device earned its share of criticism, with consumers complaining that the device has poor screen resolution and display for magazines and that it gets hot after too much use.

From devices to devising, Gilad Elbaz has created a startup he calls Factual, where the millionaire entrepreneur plans to house every answer known to man.

Wonder if that includes answers from Jimmy Fallon’s moderated Facebook Q&A with Madonna this weekend. If you missed it, here are six things Fuse learned from the interview. Otherwise, watch the full conversation below.



As for the biggest questions answered over the weekend, how could we fail to mention these 11 from the highly anticipated season 5 premiere of AMC’s “Mad Men.” Two words: diaper rash.

“Mad Men” wasn’t the only big debut over the weekend. The state of Illinois on Sunday became the first to sell lottery tickets online, and they sold fast: 1,600 tickets in its opening hours. With the state’s Mega Millions jackpot at $356 million, officials anticipate the swift ticket sales will continue until Tuesday night’s drawing.

Tickets for the lottery weren’t the only ones selling big this weekend. “The Hunger Games” raked in a record $155 million in its box office debut, more than any other non-sequel, and only behind that of the final “Harry Potter” film ($169.3 million) and “The Dark Knight” ($158.4 million).

Though not as hotly anticipated as “The Hunger Games,” mobile photo app Instagram hopes to build buzz for its Android market debut. Its creators launched a sign-up page over the weekend for eager non-iPhone users looking to be “the first in line” for the launch.

Don’t be the first, the last or anywhere in between when using the word “strong” as part of a client pitch or new campaign. That’s because Tour de France champion and “trademark bully” Lance Armstrong is looking to ban anyone from infringing upon his “Livestrong” brand.

In terms of mascots, it might be in your brand’s best interest to find one—and quick. Advertising Age makes the case that mascots help draw attention to brands and give them a voice. That way, consumers feel they’re engaging with a person instead of a faceless corporation.

Too bad Abercrombie & Fitch didn’t have a cuddly, lovable character to help handle its latest PR crisis. At no fault of its own, the retailer caught flak after a bootleg Chinese website mistranslated the store’s description on a pair of pants. “Dark brown” pants took on a new name—that of a racial slur.

A financial crisis at Olive Garden could be on the mend after parent company Darden Restaurants revitalized the chain’s Italian flair, while holding down the cost of food, resulting in 2.2 percent growth in sales for the franchise. I think we all know who’s really to thank, though—that 85-year-old Marilyn Hagerty and her poignant online review.

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