Top 10 stories for GMA SmartBrief

As promised, here are the 10 most-clicked GMA SmartBrief stories from the past 30 days. Feel free to share these greatest hits with your colleagues and tell them about SmartBrief. Also, if you enjoy GMA SmartBrief, we'd appreciate you recommending it to others who might find it useful. It's FREE and open to everyone. Thanks for subscribing!
1) How Campbell's CEO thanked his way to success
Leaders who offer positive feedback can motivate others, writes Douglas Conant, CEO of Campbell Soup. He recommends sending handwritten congratulatory notes -- he writes that he has sent 30,000 in the past 10 years -- because they "build goodwill and lead to higher productivity." Harvard Business Review online (02/16)
2) Kraft is set to launch liquid flavoring for water
Kraft Foods is planning a March rollout of MiO, a line of concentrated liquid flavors that can be added to water, including Strawberry Watermelon and Berry Pomegranate. One $3.99 bottle makes about 24 servings, adding zero calories and no artificial flavors. USA TODAY (02/21)
3) Wrigley's president for North America will step down
Crain's Chicago Business (02/17)
4) PepsiCo will sell Tropicana in carafes, not cartons
PepsiCo's Tropicana orange juice, which launched and then quickly scrapped a change in its 59-ounce cardboard-carton design in 2009, is shifting from cartons to clear carafes. "The biggest insight was that consumers like to see the juice," a spokeswoman said, adding that inspiration came from carafes used in homes and restaurants, not from the packaging used by Coca-Cola's Simply brand. Chicago Tribune (02/16) Wall Street Journal, The (02/17)
5) Aunt Jemima opens the kitchen doors
The Aunt Jemima brand has posted videos on its Facebook page showing how the pancakes, waffles and other products are made, and featuring employees who will appear at events throughout the year. "The goal is really to share with America how we make our pancakes, waffles and French toast, which is exactly the way you do it at home," said Andy Reichgut, vice president of marketing for parent company Pinnacle Foods. Adweek (02/17)
6) Coca-Cola says uncovered recipe is not the real thing
Coca-Cola said a recipe for Coke unearthed by the public radio show "This American Life" is not the same as the real one, which is stored in an Atlanta vault. The radio show said it found a 1979 newspaper photo of a notebook page with the recipe that belonged to a friend of pharmacist John Pemberton, Coke's inventor. Reuters (02/15) Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (02/15)
7) Del Monte deal on hold; more bids sought
KKR & Co.'s bid to acquire Del Monte for $5.3 billion was stalled by a judge who said Barclays Plc, the company running the original auction, engaged in "misconduct" because it helped finance the offer from the KKR-led investment group. Del Monte is now seeking other bids. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (02/22)
8) Danone CFO talks "small" acquisitions
Pierre-Andre Terisse, chief financial officer of Danone, said the yogurt manufacturer might acquire smaller companies to expand in bottled water and medical nutrition. The company also plans to introduce fresh fruit to its lines through a joint venture with Chiquita Brands International. Bloomberg (02/15)
9) Oreo campaign crumbles as Lil Wayne chimes in
Oreo's attempt to secure the world record for most "likes" on a single Facebook post in a 24-hour period fell short after rap artist Lil Wayne decided to hijack the promotion. Oreo secured more than 56,600 "likes," but a competing post by Lil Wayne bagged almost four times as many in a move that the rapper's digital manager, Mazy Kazerooni, said was meant to cement the star's position as a social media A-lister. "I want people to think 'Bieber, Gaga and Lil Wayne,' " Kazerooni said. Mashable (02/15)
10) Cargill shows an appetite for emerging markets
Cargill, which has doubled in size over the past decade, has been acquiring companies around the world, and should soon have more money after deciding to sell its 64% stake in fertilizer company Mosaic Co. The company is investing in "regions that are taking up a greater share of the world's growth," said CEO Greg Page, particularly China, Russia, India and Brazil. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (02/16)

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