Not quite Da Vinci

Yahoo has made a number of deals in hopes of changing its fortunes and quelling shareholder worries.

The first ad-relevant deal is with agency Havas. Havas will work with Yahoo to build an online platform, linking the agency to Yahoo's Right Media Exchange. Data from its Artemis database will be used to better target ads for clients. Havas will also use Yahoo's AMP ad management system to place and track campaigns.

The relationship models a deal Yahoo made with WPP last month.

Secondly, Yahoo shall sell display and video advertising on a free online classifieds subsect off WalMart.com. It will also manage ad targeting, delivery, pricing and reporting. The contract is exclusive and multi-year.

The relationship further blurs publisher-retailer lines, Advertising Age argues.

Thirdly, Yahoo added 94 US newspapers to its Newspaper Consortium, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Chicago Sun-Times.

This brings the total number of papers in the program to 779. Some papers run Yahoo-targeted ads; others utilize Yahoo HotJobs.

Fourth, Yahoo announced its admission to the CBS Audience Network.

And finally, Yahoo set forth a program to combine Yahoo Smart Ads technology with content from ShopLocal.

Following the barrage of news, President Sue Decker of Yahoo told yesterday's Advertising 2.0 attendees to expect a "renaissance in display advertising."