• Interpublic Unveils New Lab Initiative, Backs Platform That Links Brands With Social Networks by Joe Mandese

    Interpublic has quietly struck a deal to begin utilizing a promising new online marketing service that could finally enable Madison Avenue to unleash the power of social networks on behalf of their clients' brands. The deal, which is being officially announced today, involves a partnership between Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab and SocialVibe, a company that provides incentives for members of social networks to interact and endorse consumer brands. The business--which has been in development for a couple of years--opened a public beta in May and already has begun quietly working with marketers ranging from Adobe to Coca-Cola Co. to Sprint, ... ...Read the whole story

  • video Study: Advertisers Must Approach Video 'Super Sharers' With Care by Gavin O'Malley

    More than just a source for stupid-human tricks, online video is fast becoming the de facto medium for friends and family to connect, according to new research conducted by interactive agency Sharpe Partners. "Videos are really the postcards of our future," Kathy Sharpe, CEO of Sharpe Partners, told Online Media Daily. "It's not about YouTube celebrities or viral videos, but connections between friends and family." ...Read the whole story

  • video NBC's Olympic Ratings Surpass Goal, But Video Ads Lag by Mark Walsh

    NBC Universal's $1 billion advertising bet on the Beijing Olympics has paid off with ratings surpassing the network's expectations. But the $5.75 million spent on online video ads is only a drop in the bucket, according to a new estimate by eMarketer. Calling the video ad performance "passable," the market research firm said most of the record traffic to NBCOlympics.com was not driven by video viewers. ...Read the whole story

  • metrics Demandbase Secures Funding, Launches New Services by Gavin O'Malley

    Supporting its efforts to transform the practice of lead generation for sales and marketing professionals, startup Demandbase today is expected to announce an additional $8 million in venture funding. The funding will be used to grow the company as it scales its technology platform, named Demandbase Central, to support its first two on-demand services, which also are debuting today. ...Read the whole story

  • gaming Audi's iPhone App Lets Gamers Drive New Vehicle First by Karl Greenberg

    Audi has become the first automaker to park a branded app on the iPhone. The "Audi A4 Challenge" lets iPhone owners "drive" the 2009 model year vehicle, which goes on sale next month. The application exploits the motion sensor in the device that changes perspective when the phone is rotated. The game, a free download at Apple's Application Store, uses the motion sensor steers a virtual A4 through a series of progressively challenging courses. ...Read the whole story

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