Google Street View deluged
with local guerrilla art

Agencies and Marketing Execs:

• Japanese ad agency Dentsu purchased McGarryBowen, a six-year-old independent firm on Madison Avenue.
• Droga5 won Puma's $100 million global marketing account, which explains why Puma sneakers are heavy on the spin at HoneyShed.
• Microsoft appointed Ashley Highfield to VP/Managing Director of its just-launched UK Consumer and Online Division. Highfield will develop Microsoft's online ad operations, among other responsibilities, within the United Kingdom.

Campaigns of Note:

• Amazon has launched an updated Deals Widget, enabling users to display Amazon deals and ongoing promotions on their webpages.
• In a gesture of kindness toward hipster wallets, Apple is expected to offer Black Friday sales this year — including a $100 price reduction on "at least a few Mac models."
• Street View on Google Maps has been invaded by "real-world Easter Eggs" produced by local artists. ("Easter eggs" are defined as hidden programs in a webpage or piece of media — like "secret" special features in a DVD or video game.)
• Sprout.com has launched Inside.Sprout.com, a corporate blog intended to communicate updates on the site as well as stories related to its goal: connecting users to movies they'll love.

Legal, Government and Regulation:

• Argentina joins the list of countries censoring search results on Yahoo and Google, including those about certain celebrities and public officials.
• The US District Court of Northern California has received a class action lawsuit against NebuAd and any ISPs that tested its technology.

Mobile:

• Apple is increasingly positioning the iPhone and iPod touch as mobile gaming devices.

New and Improved:

• Microsoft is adding social features to its Live.com portal. Users will be able to consolidate content from other services across the web onto their dashboards. Live Messenger will also be integrated.

Search:

• Google has produced a 22-page Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide.
• Rumor has it Apple may be building its own search engine technology. The company currently uses Google's search technology on iPhone and the iPod touch.
• A Yahoo local-vertical study found internet and search are heavily-used by consumers in research and decision-making mode. (Was that a secret?)

Social Networks:

• Mobile traffic to m.facebook.com has tripled to 15 million in the past year. "I think this number will only continue to grow and everyone in the ecosystem will benefit," said JupiterResearch analyst Julie Ask.
• Facebook has released new advertising metrics: responder demographics, responder profiles and advertising performance.
• Buzznet launched JustJaredJr.com, a tween-targeting spin off to celeb gossip rag JustJared.com. The site was positioned as more of a social network than a content destination, although first glance would suggest otherwise.