• June 17, 2009

Mobile search provider Getfugu is partnering with Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab, giving IPG's clients and agency partners exclusive rights to test the San Francisco-based startup's technology.

Under the agreement, IPG will get first crack at sampling Getfugu's mobile search service through a series of focus groups at the holding company's Los Angeles-based Lab. Getfugu will get useful feedback from the research in advance of the company's planned launch this fall.

Getfugu is also under consideration to be part of Greenhaus, the program started in April by IPG's Mediabrands unit to provide emerging companies with marketing resources and active consultation on product development. The company was founded by former Google Game Evangelist Bernard Stolar and has brought on Ask Jeeves (Ask.com) founder David Warthen as CTO.

The Emerging Media Lab has worked with agencies and marketing services companies, including Initiative, Universal McCann, DraftFCB, and GolinHarris International and some 4,000 marketers explore and develop new digital initiatives. --Mark Walsh