Tony Jarvis just issued a battle cry for out-of-home companies to take ad budgets from the TV spot market. Their best arguing point? Spot is still stuck on average quarter-hour ratings, which "isn't even close to an eyes-on" metric.

Tony Jarvis just issued a battle cry for out-of-home companies to take ad budgets from the TV spot market. Their best arguing point? Spot is still stuck on average quarter-hour ratings, which "isn't even close to an eyes-on" metric.

In the early 90s, kids TV executive Haim Saban could be found taking meetings with anyone who listen about a kitschy Japanese action kids show called “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” All that turned out to be the start of a billion dollar empire for Saban, mostly as the result of a $5.3 billion sale of the Fox Family Channel to the Walt Disney Company in 2001. Now Saban is returning to his roots, of sorts. Recently he started up a brand and licensing company to be run by an executive from his days at Fox Family, Elie Dekel. …

Google's Senior Android Project Manager Erick Tseng has tweeted on Twitter about his departure for Facebook. The news has not been announced by either company, but TechCrunch says Tseng, who has been in front of changes related to Android, confirmed the news with a tweet.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a sports marketing agency that handles everything from auto racing to the BoSox has hired Jonathan Chin as VP, integrated sales. Chin will be responsible for selling integrated media, marketing and sponsorship programs across FSG's sports and entertainment portfolio. In addition, he will work to secure property representation relationships, generate strategic partnership opportunities and assist with new business development. Prior to joining FSG, Chin served as senior director of corporate partnerships for the Boston Bruins and TD Garden. Chin was responsible for selling media and marketing partnerships for the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, the Legends …

Harley-Davidson is launching it's most comprehensive effort to date aimed at getting guys to ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The company, which has in recent years been focusing its rider-ed efforts on getting more women to ride, will feature a woman rider in the new campaign, who also happens to be a model. The "Start Something" campaign, has an anti-Walter Mitty message, with the idea that you have to stop dreaming and actually do it. Ads feature model and motorcycle enthusiast Marisa Miller, with advertising focused on the Maxim Hot 100 issue that includes a spread featuring Miller with a Harley-Davidson …

British Petroleum says it will spend $500,000 to help spread the word that the Gulf Coast states should not be avoided as tourist destinations due to the oil spill. Coast tourism officials told BP that the campaign needs to begin immediately to counter the negative perception of the oil spill coming from the international media. About 150 people from the tourism industry attended a meeting this week at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. They said their charter boats, hotels and restaurants are losing business because people believe there is oil on the beaches.--Tanya Irwin

That's the surprising evolution of the smart phone user, according to Chad Stoller, EVP Digital Strategy at BBDO. Speaking on the Buyers' Roundtable panel at OMMA Mobile, Stoller said the ubiquity and ease of smart phone access is breeding new casual browsing habits among consumers that could well challenge the conventional notion of TV's couch potatoes. Stoller said smart phone users are starting to use their phones to browse while sitting on their couches watching TV. More people are leisurely consuming mobile data," he said, asking attendees if they happen to know how much mobile data people are …

CNNMoney reveals GM worked with a mysterious partner on its OnStar systems for the new Chevy Volt and other product lines. Motor Trend magazine suggests that "mysterious partner" could be Google. Will GM cars get Android built in? It's not uncommon for big tech companies to get into the auto game, especially as more automakers build in computer systems. Ford Sync is an in-car communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft.

Verizon Wireless just revealed that it's working together with Google on an iPad killer. According to The Wall Street Journal, the effort is part of a larger push to "catch up with iPad host AT&T in devices that connect to wireless networks." Verizon and Google are already quite close. Last year the carrier promoted the heck out the Motorola Droid, which runs Google's Android software. Discussing "the next big wave of opportunities" with The Journal, Verizon Wireless head Lowell McAdam said: "We're working on tablets together, for example ... We're looking at all the things Google has in its …