Publicis Groupe's Starcom MediaVest Groupe is teaming with ShareThis, a tech company that enables the sharing of web pages, to develop and test a new buying metric to assess the value of shared content on the web. The new metric would measure what the companies describe as a "raw social traffic score," by tallying both the number of times readers share pages from websites and the number of times those "shares" are clicked on by the recipients and then comparing that data to page views. "The resulting figure can then be benchmarked against the broader measure of social quality spanning …

Ad technology firm appssavvy Thursday rolled out the mobile SDK (software development kit) for its recently launched “adtivity” platform, which displays center-of-the-page ads meant to fit with a user’s online social activity from content-sharing to checking-in to playing a game. The new SDK will allow publishers to bring the same ad functionality to the iPhone and iPad as well as Android devices. “Building on the launch of our adtivity platform and its success on the web, today’s Mobile SDK release is bringing to mobile app publishers the ability to deliver scalable, center-of-the-experience, display ads that move well beyond the …

Under a new deal, Microsoft will integrate Mojiva’s Mocean Mobile platform into its suite of digital advertising technologies including AdExpert, pubCenter and adCenter, to serve mobile display ads across its network of mobile apps and online properties. At the same time, the Mojiva ad network will connect to Microsoft’s Advertising Exchange for Mobile, providing additional inventory to the system by the first half of 2012. “This agreement will provide mobile developers and publishers a true global “one stop shop” for monetizing their mobile advertising inventory with comprehensive, easy-to-use and well-documented ad solutions for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android apps as …

MTV vet John Shea has joined NBCUniversal's Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media Division in the new position of executive vice president and CMO of Integrated Media.

Southwest Airlines will try its luck again with another reality TV show -- this one on the TLC network. The network will do 13 episodes focusing on the good, bad, an ugly of flying. Southwest had recent run-ins with film director Kevin Smith -- for being overweight -- and the ejection of two woman kissing on a plane. Southwest has been the subject of "Airline," which ran on A&E Network from 2004 to 2005.

Omnicom Group confirmed today that it has purchased Marina Maher Communications (MMC), the New York-based PR firm that specializes is marketing to women. The shop will be housed under Omnicom's Diversified Agency Services group but will remain an independent agency run by Maher and not folded into one of the group's existing PR networks such as Ketchum or Porter Novelli. Maher founded the shop in 1983 and has crafted campaigns for numerous Fortune 500 companies. The agency has focused on consumer products, food and beverage companies, and the prescription and OTC drug categories. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Clear Channel Airports announced a renewal of an "experiential marketing and sponsorship" deal with Airport Marketing Income, which develops creative new ways for brands to market to consumers inside airports. Among the brand experiences created during its initial deal, starting in 2009, was Google's sponsorship of free WiFi in more than 50 airports. Other marketers using the program include: BlueCross BlueShield, Dunkin Donuts, Hotels.com, Lexus, Pepsi, Sprint, and Under Armour.

There’s no shortage of surveys predicting big gains in holiday shopping via mobile devices. The latest is from mobile ad network InMobi, which estimates 60 million mobile consumers will use their devices to shop, research purchases, or seek retailer information on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. About 45% will use their phones for comparison shopping, up from 22% in 2010. Almost a third (31%) will check updates on sales and promotions, 26% will view product photos and 15% will make purchases on their device while in a store. More details here. The findings are based on an on-device survey InMobile …

Amid a questionable employment market in Western Europe, TMP Worldwide, the largest independent recruitment agency, is opening shop in Hamburg, Germany. At least they picked the right part of the Eurozone.

Mobile marketing firm Velti Tuesday announced acquiring U.K.-based Mobile Interactive Group (MIG) for $25 million to further bolster its capabilities.  MIG provides mobile marketing, m-commerce and mobile billing services in 44 countries, with operations in the U.S., Netherlands, Belgium and Australia, besides England. It boasts 300 enterprise customers include Skype, Vodafone, O2, and PepsiCo, according to the release. The 160-employee company had more than $100 million in gross billings and over $20 million in 2010 net revenues. Velti said it will pay a minimum of $25 million, including $20 million in cash at closing. Depending on MIG’s performance, the …