Sprint has partnered with Zoove to let subscribers use the mobile marketing firm’s StarStar dialing codes to create vanity shortcodes in place of conventional 10-digit phone numbers. The StarStar Me offering allows people to choose a name, nickname or unique word in place of their mobile phone number to adopt numbers formatted like **SARAH (**72724) or **CHLOE (**24563). Sprint subscribers can get two StarStar Me numbers per mobile phone number, each for $2.99 a month. Calls can be made to StarStar Me numbers from any Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T mobile phone within the U.S. The other major wireless …

Wi-Fi provider Boingo Wireless said today Microsoft will sponsor free Wi-Fi at locations in Manhattan and San Francisco from now through the end of the year. The effort will promote the launch this month of Windows 8 and Windows Store for Windows 8, in particular, by showcasing new apps via the program’s branded welcome screen. Under the deal, Microsoft will sponsor Wi-Fi in six New York subway stations in the Chelsea neighborhood as well as hotspots in San Francisco at locations including Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, UN Plaza, the Financial District, and Nob Hill. Starting Nov. 1, the software …

Publicis Groupe's MediaVest USA has been awarded media agency of record duties for The Travelers Companies, provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. The appointment, per sources, was made without a formal review and is effective immediately. The incumbent was WPP's MediaCom. The client spent around $100 million on ads the previous two years according to Nielsen. The scope of work includes media planning and buying, as well as content, and data and analytics solutions for all Travelers' lines of business, including personal and business insurance, the companies confirmed. The shift was due in part to the …

More bad news from beleaguered social games maker Zynga. The company on Thursday said it expects a loss for the third-quarter on weak demand for certain games and lowered its full-year outlook. The company expects to report a net loss of between 12 cents and 14 cents a share and, or between break-even and a loss of 1 cent per share on an adjusted basis for the quarter. In preliminary results released after the market close today, Zynga forecast Q3 revenue in the range of $300 million to $305 million. Analysts have projected break-even earnings on revenue of almost …

After launching its own app store front last year to compete with Apple’s App Store and Google Play, Opera Software is adding new promotional features for developers. The Norway-based company today announced a number of new marketing options in the Opera Mobile Store accessed through its flagship Opera Mini and Opera Mobile browsers. The new ad options include sponsored product listings on the home page as well as on major content categories; rich media ads showcasing apps; browser launch page banners in the new Opera Mini 7 software; contextually relevant text ads and App of the Week promos on …

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft today announced finalizing the strategic partnership announced in April. The newly created subsidiary—Nook Media—encompasses Barnes & Noble’s Nook and college businesses. Under the agreement, Microsoft is investing $300 million in the entity and will hold a 17.6% stake in Nook Media, with Barnes & Noble owning the balance of equity. The bookseller is launching a Nook app for Windows 8, and Microsoft will roll out its Windows 8 tablets on Oct. 26. “We look forward to working closely with our new partner Microsoft to add value to their innovative new platform by bringing great …

LinkedIn today began rolling out its redesigned companies pages for the 2 million businesses with a profile on the professional networking site. The new-look pages were launched last month with a small group of companies including Philips, Citi, Dell and HP. Along with changes aimed at giving companies a more visually appealing presence on LinkedIn, the company added a new feature today that lets businesses highlight certain items at the top of their update stream. Through the Featured Update tool, brands can give prominent placement for news they want to spotlight for up to 48 hours.

In connection with the announcing surpassing one billion users today, Facebook is rolling out its first brand campaign targeted across 13 countries: Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Spain, UK, and the US. The centerpiece of the campaign, developed by Wieden and Kennedy, Facebook’s agency of record since Oct. 2011, is a one minute, 30 second video likening Facebook to everyday things that bring people together: chairs, doorbells, bridges, and games. The video was shot in locations around the world including New Orleans, Buenos Aires and L.A. and launched on Facebook today. “For the …

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg used Facebook itself to announce this morning that the 'social network' now had over 1 billion active users.

Snack food giant Mondelez International on Wednesday announced a new program aimed at accelerating mobile development for key brands like Oreo and Trident by teaming with startups to launch innovative marketing concepts. Mondelez, which split off as a separate, publicly-traded entity from Kraft Foods this week, also committed to investing 10% of its global marketing budget to mobile. Under its Mobile Futures program, the company will select startups to pair with brands that also include Ritz and iDGum to brainstorm and launch branded pilots within 90 days. The goal is for up to 10 Mondelez brands to participate, each …