Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Plano, Texas, collaborated with Marvel Entertainment for a limited-edition collectible can series, an online game and a new commercial organized around the upcoming feature film “Marvel’s The Avengers.”

Honest Tea, the Bethesda, Md.-based subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, will host “The Great Recycle” in New York City’s Time Square on April 30. Designed to support the city’s pledge to double recycle efforts by 2017, Honest Tea and its partners — GrowNYC, Recyclebank, Coca-Cola Live Positively, Global Inheritance and Five-Boro Green Services — will place a 30-foot-tall recycling bin in Times Square. The goal is to crowd-source recycle more than 45,000 plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers in 10 hours on April 30, the company says.

Chicago-based Technomic’s Adult Beverage Resource Group reported that the Top 250 spirits brands grew 3.1 percent in total volume in 2011, which is slightly lower than the total market’s 3.5 percent increase. Deerfield, Ill.-based Beam Inc.’s Skinnygirl Cocktails outpaced all other brands with a 388 percent gain to break the 500,000 case mark and rank as the fastest-growing brand, according to Technomic.

Heineken USA, White Plains, N.Y., honored Harbor Distributing LLC, Anaheim, Calif., and Mission Beverage Co. , Los Angeles, with its fifth annual 1864 Award for Responsibility, which recognizes partners that embrace the values of moderation and responsibility. The awards were presented at Heineken USA’s annual National Distributor Conference in Atlanta last week.

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo unveiled an “Internet Taste Test” for its new reduced-sugar Pepsi Next variety. Designed to be a digital incarnation of the product’s “Drink it to believe it” premise, the product’s marketing campaign encourages consumers to take their first sip of the cola at Walmart Supercenter sampling events, at similar events in 40 national cities or online via its Internet Taste Test.

Bacardi Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda, released its Corporate Responsibility Report that documents the family-owned, privately held spirits company’s improved global environmental efficiencies and increased engagement with responsible suppliers. In addition, the company also announced professional tennis player Rafael Nadal as the new Bacardi Ltd. Global Social Responsibility Ambassador and face of its “Champions Drink Responsibly” program.

Tingyi Holding Corp., Tianjin, China, and Purchase, N.Y-based PepsiCo Inc. announced that the two parties have completed their transaction to create a strategic beverage alliance in China. The alliance was approved by the shareholders of Tingyi in February and received regulatory approval March 29.

The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, announced a multi-year product and marketing agreement with Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., the Canton, Mass.-based parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, and the National DCP, which is the exclusive supply chain partner for Dunkin’ Brands.

The U.S. craft brewing industry increased 13 percent in volume and grew 15 percent in retail sales in 2011, according to full year data released by the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo. The increases accounted for 1.3 million additional barrels from 2010 to 2011, during which annual craft beer production reached nearly 11.5 million barrels, the association said.