At MediaPost's OMMA Social conference Tuesday, panelists discussed the creepy factor: It's all about etiquette when it comes to where and how to gather data. But as John Montgomery, COO of GroupM Interaction, North America pointed out, the real problem is that people are largely ignorant about what marketers and agencies are doing. ...Read the whole story

Despite gains, consumers are still sweating about the economy, and growing increasingly fierce in their convictions that the government is to blame. And the nation's retailers have their own fears, with fuel costs bumping unemployment out of first place for the first time since 2009. Taken together, the two studies paint a picture of larger struggles for retailers in the months ahead. ...Read the whole story

PepsiCo's Mountain Dew is "dew-ing" it up big with a multi-pronged campaign around the upcoming summer blockbuster, "The Dark Knight Rises." The ambitious campaign reflects a natural synergy: The audience "sweet spot" for both Mountain Dew and the movie, from Warner Bros. Pictures in association with Legendary Pictures, is Millennials 18 to 24, according to the soft-drink brand. ...Read the whole story

Despite the increasing number of options available to consumers, they're still watching the majority of their video programming on television sets -- a behavior that has some effect on consumers' purchase considerations. ...Read the whole story

Piaggio's motorcycle brand Moto Guzzi USA is moving into high gear with marketing designed both to expand awareness to riders outside the brand's fan base, and also entice non-riders to swing a leg over the bikes with the cafe-racing heritage and unique 90-degree engine angle.The 90-year old brand, which tends to be known for its heritage motorcycles hearkening back to racing, has launched a "Moto Guzzi Originals" microsite. Rather than being a bikes-and-specs product site, however, the platform is more of a social media engine and digital lifestyle hub. ...Read the whole story

General Motors' decision to pull its advertising on Facebook comes as a blow to the social network on the eve of its initial public offering and will likely heighten skepticism about the effectiveness of advertising on the site as its business model comes under increased scrutiny. The automaker confirmed a report by The Wall Street Journal Wednesday that GM's marketing executives had halted $10 million in ad spending on Facebook because it found the ads had little impact on consumers. The company will still maintain its brand page on Facebook, but end the use of paid advertising. ...Read the whole story

Consumers and brands have spent their first few years on social media finding their voice -- who they are, what they want to say, and ... ...More