Her other hand
may be sending email
Ad Networks and Analytics:
- Word of mouth marketing firm BzzAgent is forming the first-ever global WOM Alliance. Partners include Sweden's Buzzador and Germany's TRND.
- Burst Media launched redOrbit.com, a branded vertical ad network "for science enthusiasts and techies." It purportedly reaches "22 million highly educated, affluent and influential" users.
- Giant Realm's launched Giant Realm Direct, an ad-serving platform for marketers on a budget — and that need to reach 18-34-year-old men.
Agencies and Marketing Execs:
- Sling Entertainment has just lost its co-founders and top executive team: CEO Blake Krikorian, SVP Jason Krikorian, President Jason Hirschhorn and Chief Creative Officer Ben White.
- Bazaarvoice added Ken Saunders to its team as company CFO.
- Online ad agency avVenta Worldwide received a $20 million investment from private equity firm TZP Group.
- PR firm Morris + King launched a digital unit, SeisMK. It is hoped existing clients — like AOL, Wikipedia, Stardoll, Glam Media and Heavy — will begin frequenting SeisMK for their digital needs.
- Touting a digital-only approach, startup Roux Interactive is pitching labels like Wachovia Securities, Mosanto and Energizer.
Biz Buzz:
- Sony is posting its first operating loss since 1995 — news that sent Japan's NIKKEI into a tailspin.
- Goodmail Systems secured $5 million more in funding, part of a $25 million funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. $4 million of the money was invested by Omidyar Network.
Campaigns of Note:
- The Kellogg School of Management launched its fifth-annual Super Bowl Advertising Review. The effort measures marketing effectiveness based on the school's criteria, and is entirely student-run.
- Google is hosting an inauguration ball to welcome President Elect Barack Obama into office.
Mobile:
- In a 52-page complaint filed today, the Center for Dgital Democracy and US Public Interest Research Group asked the FTC to investigate whether a handful of mobile marketers violate user privacy. Named violators: mobile software firm Bango, local ad platform MarchEx, and mobile ad network AdMob — all of which purportedly mine user data without informing them first.
- Mobile marketing firm Kinetic Mobile is changing its name to Joule. Joule will be repositioned as an independent mobile marketing label under WPP's GroupM.
- Obama — a compulsive BlackBerry user — is holding fast to his favorite mobile unit, even as security-concerned advocates deluge him with reasons to let it go.
- Rumor has it Palm may sell its new Pre unit for $149 — bringing a reinvigorated spirit of competition to the smartphone/iPhone arena.
Music:
- Here we go again: music label EMI is suing entrepreneur Michael Robertson's MP3Tunes.com, arguing the three-year-old company profits unlawfully from copyrighted tracks.
Publishing:
- The New York Times has launched an enhanced version of Your Money, an online financial resource. The update includes focuses on retirement, student loans, mortgages and investments. It will also feature reviews on finance products and savings tools, as well as weekly podcasts from finance journalists.
- Nielsen Business Media — which recently consolidated its editorial newsdesks — entered an agreement to syndicate headlines from paidContent.org, a property now owned by Guardian News & Media.
- U2 singer Bono has become a New York Times columnist.
Search:
Social Networks:
- SocialVibe, an ad and branding platform for social networks (generously endorsed by Publicis), cleared $8 million in a funding round led by JAFCO Ventures. Redpoint also participated.
- Facebook is launching a "Like" feature that mimics Google's FriendFeed.
User Experience:
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