Last night I ended up at a bowling alley in Manhattan. The way I landed there was sort of convoluted, to say the least, but beside the point. At any rate, I arrived on the third floor of the stylish Bowlmor Lanes to find the joint packed with raucous agency types from Arnold MPG, FCB, Modem Media, Deutsch, The Digital Edge, Avenue A, Ogilvy, and others. There was also an agency I'd never heard of--Integrated Media Solutions.

News alert: Google is allowing banner ads, skyscrapers, leaderboards, and so-called inline rectangles within its AdSense ad network. The search giant won't accept rich media ads, but I wouldn't bet against it in the future; it's entirely possible that Google will eventually accept more than just banners. For the company that's most associated with text ads and links, the addition of banners is kind of a big deal.

Yesterday, I mentioned the burgeoning interest among marketers in advertising within videogames--console-based, PC, and online videogames. Desperate to reach elusive 18-34-year-old males, marketers are grasping at a panoply of branded entertainment options but advertising in videogames is a prime area of interest. The area's also gaining some traction.

Marketers are increasingly turning to videogames--console-based, online, and so-called advergames that are built-to-order by advertisers seeking to create the ultimate in branded experiences. Product placement and promotion in videogames are part of the broader trend toward branded entertainment.

Online music services are sprouting like weeds after a hard rain--again.

Millennials. Born in 1982, this is the next big generation marketers are wondering how best to reach.

Some interesting comments today by Martin Nisenholtz, the CEO of New York Times Digital, at United Business Media's NOP World Conference in New York.

There were some interesting discussions at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Leadership Forum yesterday.

Ladies and gentlemen: Today is the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Leadership Forum in New York City. It's a chance to hear about some of the most topical issues in the online world from the brand marketer's perspective. That, in itself, is significant as more marketers are turning to online media though clearly, the broadcast and cable upfronts are still getting the lion's share of the media dollars.

Hispanics are probably the fastest growing group of consumers going online, and yet there has been relatively little content devoted to their interests and needs. However, new initiatives spearheaded by Yahoo! and America Online and supported by key partners augur a change in the status quo.