The burgeoning digital out-of-home media marketplace is undergoing some consolidation among some key trade groups. The Digital Signage Association and the Self-Service & Kiosk Association Tuesday announced plans to merge and form a new organization called the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA).  The news comes just weeks after the Out-of-home Video Advertising Bureau (OVAB) relaunched itself as the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA).

One of the astounding things about "Men's Health" magazine is that it assumes its readers are too stupid to know that eating the option not slathered in mayonnaise in the fast food joint is less bad than super-sizing your bacon, patty and cheese. The even more astounding thing is that editor in chief David Zinczenko and Rodale have managed to turn "Eat This, Not That" into a franchise across all its titles as well as a series of books that (apparently many, many) dim-witted middle-Americans strip-mall grazers, well, gobble up (more than 6 million copies have been sold to date). …

A broad coalition of digital rights groups and trade associations has weighed in on Google’s side in its court battle with Viacom about copyright infringement on YouTube. The organizations, including the American Library Association, Center for Democracy & Technology, Electronic Frontier Foundation, NetCoalition (which includes Amazon, eBay and Yahoo) argue that YouTube is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s safe harbor provisions, which generally say that copies are immune from liability when users upload infringing material, provided the material is removed upon request. If Viacom’s argument that YouTube should be liable is accepted by the court, …

A tagline used in promotions for "Treme," HBO's new series, is “Won’t Bow, Don’t Know How,� in reference to the determination of the citizens of New Orleans after Katrina. And the show will bow again. After just its premiere Sunday, which had so-so ratings, HBO has already renewed the drama about post-Katrina life in NOLA for a second season.

A big part of a new-car sales psychology is a vehicle will be worth a few years down the line when a consumer decides to get a new vehicle. Ford says resale values of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles are up 23% over the past year, because of stronger demand for Ford's new vehicle lineup and improved quality and durability ratings. The company says warranty repair rates on are down 40% globally in the past three years. The Dearborn automaker says the 2010 Ford Taurus is selling 50% higher at auction than the 2009 Taurus after one year in …

Reese's is calling its promotion around Iron Man II, "Part Chocolate. Part Peanut Butter. All Hero." The effort includes ads, on-pack, instant-win promotions dangling a chance to be a walk-on in a future Marvel film, a contest among MIT biz students (Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, went to MIT, ostensibly). Among other sweepstake rewards, a trip for two to visit a Marvel film set, a trip for two to attend a Marvel film premiere and 100 third runners up will receive a Sega Iron Man 2 video game. On campus, MIT MBA students will have to figure out …

The industry went wild this week as companies began announcing plans for paid search advertising platforms. And while it's all good for the companies launching the platforms, what about advertisers, brands and consumers using the social tools. Stay tuned to learn the changes that will need to take place. Google did it. Now Twitter and Bill Gross's company TweetUp will have to do it, too.

Google Product Management Director Ari Paparo writes in a blog post that the company is developing new measurement products designed to gauge the impact of ads on brand awareness or on user interest in products being advertised. Paparo explains that in the future campaign measurement will occur in near real-time, creating an almost immediate feedback loop. Today, the process is linear. Marketers plan campaigns, buy ad space, run campaigns, and measure the results, often with weeks between. The measurement tools will give agencies and advertisers the ability to test multiple creatives and media plans, and immediately chance them to …

new report from the Cinema Ad Council with findings from an industry survey about emotional attachment to brands. If we're talking about feelings, can I bring my security blanket?