Interpublic Group has teamed up with Web 2.0 services firm Spongecell, the companies said Thursday. As part of the agreement, Interpublic will have preferred partner status in implementing
Spongecell's solutions for its clients. Interpublic will also obtain a preferred equity share in Spongecell. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Spongecell's flagship
product, Spongecell Promote, offers Web services and tools that allow marketers and Web sites to manage events, track audiences, and maximize attendance.
"Spongecell brings together virtual and
real world event management and marketing solutions that fit well with many of our agency brands, such as Momentum, Jack Morton, Octagon and RG/A," Bant Breen, president of Interpublic's Futures
Marketing Group, said in a statement.
Spongecell is a dynamic Ajax-based calendar, which features a drag-and-drop interface and mobile capability. What sets it apart from a fairly large pack of
Ajax-based providers is artificial intelligence able to turn natural language into structured calendar entries.