Some the nation's biggest advertisers and media companies are participating in a research and beta testing project spearheaded by Publicis' VivaKi operation, that is designed to find a scalable engagement model for the growing tablet media that connects marketers to both video and print users on the devices. The complete list of participants is still being finalized but the participants include ABC TV, Bank of America, Bonnier, Cadillac, Microsoft Advertising, Rodale Inc., Scripps Networks Interactive and General Mills among others. The project kicks off in October. "As tablet adaption increases, the future isn't going to wait for …

Google will acquire cell phone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in cash. The deal will give the Mountain View, Calif., company the fodder to support the Android operating system through patents and intellectual property. The move is Google's biggest acquisition to date.

Weight Watchers Magazine's single-copy sales rose 9.8% in the first half 2011, outpacing an average decline of 9.2% among the top 100 magazines of -9.15%, according to a statement from the magazine, based on an analysis of data from the Audit Bureau of Circulations' 2011 semiannual FAS-FAX report for U.S. and Canadian consumer magazines. The data indicates that Weight Watchers Magazine now ranks in the top 15 most sold consumer magazines in the U.S. in terms of single copy sales. Weight Watchers Magazine's 2011 ad page growth (through the current September/October issue) is +6.0%, vs. 2010 according to …

Interpublic may initially have acquired a stake in Facebook for strategic reasons, but it's realizing a considerable profit, according to a transaction disclosed this morning in a filing to the Securities & Exchange Commission. Interpublic, the parent of Initiative, Universal McCann, Reprise Media and other media and full-service agencies said it has agreed to sell about half its stake in the social network in a "privately negotiated" transaction that will net it $133 million in cash. Interpublic did not disclose the buyer of the stake, but said it would record a $132 million pre-tax gain on the transaction, and …

Taking a blatant stab at the L. A. Sheriff's department, a rapper known as The Game sends a message through Twitter containing the phone number at the Compton station, prompting hundreds of calls that media reports say jammed phone lines and delayed emergency services. The Game, which CNN names as Jayceon Taylor, encouraged his 580,000 followers to call the phone number if they wanted an internship with him. His response in a Twitter tweet to the department's opposition: "Yall can track a tweet down but cant solve murders ! Dat was an accident but maybe now yall can actually …

Horizon Media and mcgarrybowen have been selected to handle media and creative advertising chores by United Continental Holdings (UAL), the company confirmed. The client, which owns both United Airlines and Continental Airlines spends about $100 million annually on ads. In a press release that was issued earlier today, the client said it had named mcgarrybown as lead agency partner and that the shop would partner with Horizon to execute the airline's marketing communications strategy, traditional and digital creative and media planning and buying. Mark Bergsrud, senior vice president of marketing stated that "selecting a new long-term agency partner …

Electronics giant Sony has selected Omnicom's OMD for media planning and buying duties covering most of the Asia Pacific region including China and Singapore. Ad spending on the account is estimated at $125 million, which is huge for that region of world, an area where agencies are deploying greater resources due to forecasts of significant growth in the coming years. ZenithOptimedia recently predicted that the region's ad expenditures would grow 6% to $123 billion this year, and grow another 8% in 2012 to $133 billion. WPP's MEC was the incumbent on the account and a finalist in the review along …

Sean Creamer has been named to the new position of Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and will now oversee the company's day-to-day operations and execute growth strategies. Sean will report to Bill Kerr, President and Chief Executive Officer. He was most recently Executive Vice President, U.S. Media Services.

Mobile marketing firm Velti has introduced a Web-based platform called 5ml that lets brands and agencies create rich media ads and mobile content using the HTML5 programming language. Through the software's drag-and-drop interface, Velti promises marketers a simple way for non-technical users to build HTML5-based ads and sites comparable to native apps. The 5ml service can be used independently or as part of  the company's flagship mGage platform for running mobile campaigns. Mobile ad networks are increasingly adding rich media tools as part of their service offerings to help streamline the fragmented mobile ad process. To that end, …

Turner Broadcasting has pulled the plug on two year old late night talk show "Lopez Tonight". TBS had hoped use the show to build on its younger viewers -- already there from its Adult Swim programming. "Lopez Tonight" originally ran weekdays in the 11 p.m to midnight time slot. Then April 2010 - amid the high profile ouster at NBC --TBS suprisingly inked a deal with Conan O'Brien. Premiering November 2010, O'Brien's show got the 11 p.m. time slot, pushing back Lopez to midnight. Both shows haven't been setting the world on fire in terms of viewers …