Prada launches online auction

Ad Buying, Planning and Selling:

• Media service agency KSL Media is launching eWorld Asset Trading, allowing for the bartering of surplus for ad inventory.
• Emmis Communications is opening its Emmis Interactive online ad production and sales unit to other radio stations. It's already signed a Pittsburgh broadcaster as its first outside client.

Ad Networks and Analytics:

• Video ad network YuMe has debuted new tools: one that lets publishers create mini ad networks comprised of videos; and another with real-time monitoring tools to see how spots are performing.

Agencies and Marketing Execs:

• John Burbank's joined Nielsen as its first-ever CMO. Burbank is responsible for branding and new business deals.
• OMD made Initiative's Alan Cohen its CEO of US operations.
• Epic, formerly AzoogleAds, made Jonathan Gillman its in-house manager of regulatory affairs. Gillman served as the Florida AG investigating its naughty advertising practices.
• Havas chairman Vincent Bollore is looking to acquire research firm Harris Interactive.
• Austin Ventures hired ex-CEO Jeffrey Dachis of Razorfish to head its hunt for new social networking tools and companies to acquire.

Broadband:

• AT&T claims it is absolutely not throttling the internet connections of P2P users.
• The MPAA and RIAA get snuggly with ISPs as industry groups recognize them as the first and best line of defense against piracy.

Campaigns of Note:

• The CollegeHumor network hopes to differentiate itself by helping users fulfill "their stupidest wish ever." All part of its branding game.
• Prada.com has launched an online "Prototypes" auction.
• Saturn exceeded expectations in the first three weeks since launching its brand-centric social network, pulling in over 1,200 fans and users.
• AutoTrader.com is launching a campaign to find new car buyers and encourage dealers to use the site for promotional purposes.

Gaming:

• That Nintendo availed its WiiWare Channel to third-party developers could spell success for small publishers waiting for a big break.

Mobile:

• Difference in screen size and user expectations may force brands to un-learn what they know about online advertising for mobile devices.
• UK-based Blyk, an ad-funded mobile network, registered 100K users in its first six months and enjoys a 29 percent response rate to its ads, which run in exchange for free wireless minutes.

New and Improved:

• National Geographic is relaunching its website with expanded video offerings and interactivity, including the ability to get email or text reminders when a show is about to be broadcast.
• Discovery.com updated its logo to suit simpler tastes.

Online Content:

• NBC, FremantleMedia and MySpace are holding virtual auditions for NBC's show America's Got Talent. An episode will be devoted to those found online.
• Fremantle is also working with Heavy.com on "LoveRace," a dating show featuring profiles and personal info submitted online, as well as online videos of wooing contestants.

Publishing:

• quadrantOne, the anti-Yahoo newspaper consortium, is faring well. qOne is shooting for 325 sites by June's end. A "large retail advertiser" is said to be testing the system.
• Nielsen Online says the only newspaper sites to see increased time spent were those operated by the top 11 papers.
• CondéNet bought SFO Media, a publisher of niche travel blogs like TripHacker.com.
• Forbes.com is using Lingospot's contextual linking technology to link users to other pages related to stories being read.

Retail:

• Starbucks is selling its record label to Concord Music Group so it can focus on digital music and books.

Signs of Doom:

• Tim O'Reilly managed to get Google to pull sponsorship for WebGuild Conferences and Events, which doesn't sit well with WebGuild.

Social Networks:

• Users may not know it, but apps on social networks don't have the same privacy controls and guidelines the networks do.
• A Maryland high school asked parents to monitor students' Facebook activity after some kids brought taunting and other negative behavior online.
• MySpace has taken the beta wrapping off its Application Gallery. Users may now browse and submit apps.
• Yahoo is looking to turn its entire portal into a social network, giving users more power to customize experiences and connect with Yahoo products.
• Micro Persuasion has ruled that Twitter, however niche-oriented, is nonetheless influential. Twitter is now the 439th largest social networking destination online.

User Experience:

• MTV is enabling users to customize avatars in virtual extensions of hit shows like The Hills and Pimp My Ride. MTV reserves the right to use avatars in online promotions of the shows.

Image credit: Tomgreenville.