Links for 2007-10-26 : FaceBook, Goodby, Digital, Diddy, Honeyshed, iPhone, iPod, Magazines

• Microsoft Drops $240 Million for 1.6% of Facebook

  After a long talk, Microsoft has agreed to invest $240 million into Facebook for a 1.6 percent stake in the company. This values the social networking site at $15 billion, $5 billion higher than previous estimates. The deal leaves Yahoo and Google in the dust: competition amongst the three contenders was reportedly part of the reason why Microsoft bid so high. Facebook is perceived as a goldmine for advertisers because users have completed their profiles in a curiously honest fashion.

  (tags: facebook socialmedia microsoft)



• Goodby Charts ‘Digital Evolution’

  Goodby (finally) gets with the program!Like many successful traditional agencies who failed to evolve, Goodby had found salvation through digital media.

  (tags: digital marketing advertising agencies Goodby future)



• Digital Signage Turns Heads

  I am always wary of studies like this, but Digital OoH is seemingly getting noticed by (and getting the thumbs aloft from) consumers.

  (tags: digital ooh outdoor strategy research stats)



• Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs enters premium vodka deal

  Diddy in da (marketing) house! Says Combs: “I’m not just a celebrity endorser, I’m a brand builder. I’m a luxury brand builder.”

  (tags: marketing strategy luxury diddy)



• Seen in Amsterdam: The Message is on the Medium

  Cool global warming-themed piece of “ambient” street art to remind motorists about conservation.

  (tags: eco green ambient art)

• Honeyshed Launches

  PDroga5 and Digitas launch an online outlet for branded entertainment. Honeyshed is currently in beta, intended to give advertisers and users an idea of what sort of content the site will house.

  (tags: brandedentertainment marketing)

• Social Networkers Profiled

  US and international social networkers are more likely to own technology, consume more digital entertainment and own more mobile devices, according to an Ipsos Insight study.

  (tags: socialmedia research stats future)

• iPhone in Class of its own - Shoppers Tend Not to Cross-Shop Other Handsets - Marketing Charts

  The iPhone was the biggest handset launch ever: it drew 20 times more interest than the average phone launch.It drew higher volumes of shoppers than either the Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii.

  (tags: iphone marketing npd stats research)

• Student’s iPod Ad Gets a Remake, and Makes the Big Time

  A television commercial for the new iPod Touch from TBWA/Chiat/Day, is based on a commercial that an 18-year-old student Nick Haley created on his own one day last month.

  (tags: apple usergenerated onlinevideo future ipod advertising)

• Branded Entertainment Has to Entertain

  Q&A with Mediacom’s Adam Pincus.

  (tags: brandedentertainment marketing strategy)

• Maghound: a Netflix for Magazines?

  Time Inc. plans to introduce an online service next year that will offer pay-as-you-go, mix-and-match, highly flexible magazine subscriptions from a variety of publishers.

  (tags: business magazines future)