Not going anywhere for a while? Visit SnickersSatisfies.com. The popular candy bar has updated its former slogan circa the 1980s, "Snickers Satisfies," by transforming it into an entertaining Web site complete with a viral component. Each day a different interactive scenario entertains visitors; once they've finished with it, users can e-mail it to a friend or download it as a screensaver (PC users only). One scenario features a mattress, complete with annoying mattress tag, and a pair of scissors. Visitors are encouraged to snip off the mattress tag, but must be prepared for the consequences: the police. Once the …

The Gizmondo handheld is a lot of things. It plays video games, movies, and music; it's capable of browsing the Web and sending e-mail and text messages; and it snaps pictures. It even has a global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation and tracking device. And for brands like Adidas, Sprite, and Levi's, the Gizmondo is a way to connect with young, impulsive, and increasingly elusive consumers. These brands and others have already partnered with the manufacturer of the device, Tiger Telematics, to target young consumers via a questionnaire distributed at the time of purchase. The questionnaire polls kids on their interests, …

When NBC's Universal Pictures created the marketing plan for its teen horror thriller "Cry Wolf," it pursued an unconventional advertising venue. To promote the flick, which hit theaters nationwide last month, it used a medium that was, until quite recently, considered marginal real estate: instant messaging. Rogue Pictures, a division of NBC Universal, teamed up with America Online to create a mobile horror movie trivia game for AOL Instant Messaging (AIM) users. To play the game, AIM users would text their screen names to a "Cry Wolf" screen address. The studio is hardly alone. Many blue-chip advertisers across categories …

It's no secret that the online sector is booming. And you, dear readers, have a front-row seat to witness this trend firsthand. As the economy hums along and digital media businesses, technologies, and content properties grow, we take a look this month at the long-term outlook for the interactive industry. omma contributor Lynn Russo delivers a comprehensive online forecast. As we went to press, TNS Media Intelligence reported that total advertising expenditures for the first half of 2005 increased 4.5 percent over the same period in 2004, to $70.5 billion. Online display advertising increased 9.4 percent for the first …