• WPP Launches GroupM Next, Copeland Heads Innovation Unit by Steve McClellan

    WPP's GroupM has created a new innovations unit called GroupM Next that will be overseen by Chris Copeland, the CEO of GroupM Search. The unit is designed to help clients at the company's media shops -- Mindshare, MediaCom, MEC and Maxus -- better navigate the evolving digital sector. ...Read the whole story

  • New Online Ad Model Gives Brands Inventory For Free, In Exchange For Case Study Results by Joe Mandese

    In one of the most enterprising efforts to leverage the vast pools of unsold online advertising inventory, a serial online ad entrepreneur Tuesday unveiled a new model that will give marketers free online advertising in exchange for research on the results of how well the ads performed. The new model, which was announced during Ad:Tech San Francisco by Neil Monnens, establishes yet another intermediary platform in the increasingly cluttered field of advertising technology, but also represents a unique solution for publishers looking for authenticated case studies proving the performance of ads on their Web sites to sell to other marketers. ...Read the whole story

  • search Search Marketers Should Brace For Industry Consolidation by Laurie Sullivan

    The search engine marketing industry should brace for consolidation this year, as enterprise brands look for a variety of SEM services and support from one company. The move could even consolidate a few small platform providers to compete with larger agencies, such as Havas and GroupM. ...Read the whole story

  • AOL, Mindshare To Create Original Programs by Gavin O'Malley

    Together, AOL and Mindshare plan to create original programming -- the direction and quality of which will be based largely on proprietary data and insights. Among Mindshare's large roster of brand clients, the two hope to marry brands to shows, tapping user experience. ...Read the whole story

  • Autotrader.com Tops In Local Online Ad Dollars by Mark Walsh

    Autotrader.com topped the ranking of local online ad revenue leaders in 2011, taking in more than $1 billion in sales on the strength of a rebounding U.S. auto market. The car site edged out perennial local ad powerhouse AT&T Yellowpages.com, with nearly $1 billion in revenue, followed by newcomer Groupon, at $650 million. ...Read the whole story

  • Google Finds Channel Attribution Useful, But Misunderstood by Laurie Sullivan

    More than half of marketers responding to a survey on the impact of attribution said that understanding the path to conversion allows them to more accurately disburse budgets, per a Google Analytics study. Fifty-two percent of client-side marketers report that attribution has led to an increase in spending on some digital channels, while 72% of marketers say that attribution leads to better ROI. ...Read the whole story

  • Online Radio Moving Up The Charts by Mark Walsh

    Online radio is the fastest-growing music-listening category among U.S. consumers, according to new findings from NPD Group. The market research firm found 43% of U.S. Web users in 2011 chose to listen to music via Pandora, Slacker, Yahoo Music and other online radio services, up nine percentage points from 2010. Traditional AM/FM radio remained steady. ...Read the whole story

  • TRUSTe Unveils Mobile Targeting, Opt-Out Tool by Wendy Davis

    TRUSTe is unveiling a new tool that mobile companies will use to target iPhone and Android users, while also enabling consumers to opt out of receiving in-app ads targeted based on their activity. ...Read the whole story

  • ExxonMobil Taps shopkick To Lure Drivers by Mark Walsh

    Mobile startup shopkick has turned to Big Oil for its latest retail partner. Under a new deal, ExxonMobil will let customers that use the shopkick app at its gas station convenience stores earn points that can be redeemed at the stores of other retailers that work with shopkick. ...Read the whole story

  • ACTV8 Powers Fox Show Apps by David Goetzl

    ACTV8.me, which powers second-screen interactivity synced with TV content, will launch apps linked with Fox shows such as "New Girl." Fox has also taken an undisclosed stake in the company. ...Read the whole story

  • Ohio A.G. Weighs In On Antitrust Case Against Google by Wendy Davis

    The Attorney General of Ohio is asking a state appeals court to reject arguments put forward by Google in an antitrust case brought by shopping search company myTriggers, a former AdWords advertiser. ...Read the whole story

  • Samsung to Open Mobile Ad Exchange by Steve Smith

    Samsung ups its mobile game against both Google and Apple with the announcement this week of the AdHub real-time bidding private exchange for mobile developers and advertisers. The exchange will serve targeted ads into smartphone and tablet inventory. ...Read the whole story

  • comScore: Android Captures Majority Share of Smartphone Platforms by Steve Smith

    The Android operating system now occupies half of the smartphones phones in the U.S., according to comScore. Already on an accelerated growth path, mobile content usage across every categories also saw increases. ...Read the whole story

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