Auto intelligence firm Polk has partnered with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, led by Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., for a strategic business program to help automotive manufacturers better target their marketing efforts with ethnic audiences, the companies announced today. The agreement will allow the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to gain insight about vehicle buying habits among African American, Asian and Hispanic consumers.  As part of this agreement, market shares and penetrations among the different ethnic groups will be provided for all automotive brands. "We are excited about the partnership between the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Polk, the worldwide leader of …

That's what it sounds like after reading a release from NBC Universal announcing that the "former Vice Chairman of Zenith Media" has been named its fifth "CMO in Residence," effective in the fourth-quarter of 2011, which presumably means now. "Most recently, as the Vice Chairman of Zenith Media, Green was charged with providing strategic oversight to Zenith's video investments, including the consolidation of traditional broadcast and cable buying departments with video buying duties for emerging platforms, such as digital and out of home," the NBCU release said, implying that Green has left the agency, where she began as a …

Interpublic just unveiled plans to launch a new agency specializing in "transmedia" storytelling, or advertising and content that develops a narrative simultaneously across multiple media platforms. The Los Angeles-based shop, which has been named Amusement Park Entertainment, will be headed by renowned Madison Avenue creative director Jimmy Smith, who most recently was group creative director on the Gatorade account at Omnicom's TBWA/CHIAT/DAY unit. "Creative ideas can live in another form of media or inspire a new business line that's even more profitable than the original brand. Games, books, TV shows, movies and mobile entertainment – all of them have come …

WPP ad shop Ogilvy & Mather has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Promo Digital LLC in Russia (Promo), subject to regulatory approvals. Founded in 1997 and based in Moscow, Promo is a digital marketing services agency which specializes in creating internet, mobile and multimedia campaigns for a variety of clients in Russia. The agency employs 53 people and major clients include Gazprom, LG and MTS. Promo's unaudited revenues for the year ended 31 December 2010 were $2.6 million, WPP said. The price of the acquisition was not disclosed. WPP said the deal reflects the holding …

Simon Bond, BBDO: Moving into earned media, means a deeper relationship. "There are some things that happen: they don't listen which ends up in divorce," says Smon Bond of BBDO. "We need to make sure that to maximizing opportunity in earned media is letting consumers play a role. Make sure you are being genuine, empathic. make sure you are being responsive in the moment. The real important thing is to be human. Be real and act real. Lauren Weinberg at Yahoo!: 80% say they want brands to be genuine. The brands that can do these things that exemplfify qualitifes …

Simon Bond, CMO of BBDO Proximity talked about storytelling at the IAB MIXX conference. "How we tell stories has changed completely because of social. we used to tell stories just through one way communication. Consumers would listen and watch. now the canvas has fundamentally changed. it's multifaceted participatory model where consumer wants to be front and center. so how we tell it is fundamentally changed." He says the new research with Yahoo! is about putting consumer front and center.

TED, the ideas-centric non-profit has launched its second annual Ads Worth Spreading initiative at the IAB MIXX Conference stage in New York today. Agencies, brands, producers and individuals can submit work that expresses a "clever, compelling or infectious idea." TED will open submissions on Oct. 15, and close on Dec. 31. During this time, six teams of two – made up of one TED speaker and one "rising star" from the advertising industry will nominate ads from specific areas of interest. In addition, TED's 24 Advocates from the advertising industry will also suggestions and nominate ads. YouTube's Ad …

TED, the ideas-centric non-profit has launched its second annual Ads Worth Spreading initiative at the IAB MIXX Conference stage in New York today. Agencies, brands, producers and individuals can submit work that expresses a "clever, compelling or infectious idea." TED will open submissions on Oct. 15, and close on Dec. 31. During this time, six teams of two – made up of one TED speaker and one "rising star" from the advertising industry will nominate ads from specific areas of interest. In addition, TED's 24 Advocates from the advertising industry will also suggestions and nominate ads. YouTube's Ad …

The IAB today introduced what it calls the first tablet buyer's guide for the U.S. mobile marketplace to help advertisers and agencies clarify issues on planning, design, execution and measurement of three specific types of display advertising: In-App Ads - Ads delivered in apps downloaded to and resident on the tablet Tablet Web Ads in PC-Optimized Websites - Ads served to consumers using tablet web browsers, but browsing websites designed with the PC audience in mind Tablet Web Ads in Tablet-Optimized Websites - Ads served to consumers using tablet web browsers, in web pages designed specifically …

Growth in ad expenditures around the world slowed in the second quarter to 5.7% and totaled $127 billion in 36 key markets measured by Nielsen's Global AdView Pulse report, released today. By comparison, growth in the first quarter was 8.9%, while first half spending was up 7.2%. While there was spending growth overall in the second quarter, the Nielsen data recorded declines in half the markets that the company's AdView Pulse report measures. Economic worries on the part advertisers were cited as the reason for the market spending declines. "Compared to the 8.9 percent growth rate in the …