Microsoft’s Atlas Ad Business Purchased By Facebook

Microsofts Atlas Ad Business Purchased By FacebookMicrosoft does seem to be taking an opposite route from that of Facebook when it comes to online advertising, as the former is making its exit from the business, while the latter does seem to want to go all in, so to speak. Why do I say that? Well, word has reached the news vine that Microsoft is selling off its Atlas Advertising Suite to social network Facebook, having announced the deal earlier this afternoon, and the entire deal’s price remain undisclosed, although Advertising Age did have a rough estimate that placed it at $30 million to $50 million, which is relatively pocket change for both companies.

Microsoft has finally cut off all ties with its inflated (relatively speaking) purchase of online advertising company aQuantive who owned Atlas tools back in 2007 for a massive $6.3 billion, which is more than twice what Google forked out for rival agency DoubleClick a few weeks earlier. Google seemed to have managed to come out better from their deal when it came to online display ads, and I guess Microsoft is just glad to have shed this earlier business purchase of theirs. Will Facebook be able to do wonders with their latest purchase?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Bing Maps Gets New World Imagery, Corning Willow Glass At Least 3 Years Away From Appearing In Consumer Products,

Mystery Nokia smartphone flaunted in European Lumia 920 ad

Nokia Lumia 920 ad from Europe shows a mystery model

A recent Nokia Lumia 920 TV commercial from Netherlands carrier KPN Mobiel — spotted by My Nokia Blog — shows a curious yellow handset at the five second mark, and after squinting for a bit we’re still not sure what we’re seeing. It’s obviously not a 920, and it doesn’t match any other existing models that we can remember. Our mobile experts noticed that it vaguely resembles the Nokia Lumia 822 from US carrier Verizon, but the headphone nub, camera pod position and tapered design don’t match that model — which also appears to be smaller than the one pictured above. Could the Finnish carrier be holding out on us until Mobile World Congress 2013? Or is it some kind of Dutch variant of the 822? We’ve no idea, but if any of you do, we’re sure you’ll let us know below. You can scope the video after the fold.

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Via: WM Power User

Source: KPM (YouTube)

Was BlackBerry’s Super Bowl Ad the Dumbest Tech Ad You’ve Ever Seen?

BlackBerry’s Super Bowl ad from last night was… uh… interesting. The company claimed that in 30 seconds, it was easier to show us what BB10 couldn’t do—which is perhaps some of the laziest marketing ever. More »

BlackBerry Super Bowl ad shows the few things a Z10 can’t do (video)

BlackBerry Super Bowl ad shows the few things a Z10 can't do video

BlackBerry vowed to pull out all the stops to get BlackBerry 10 noticed — and the company certainly isn’t holding back with its promised Super Bowl spot. The ad claims that it’s easier to show what the Z10 can’t do in 30 seconds than what it can, and goes to extremes that include setting a man on fire and giving him elephant legs. We do still get a glance (or rather, Peek) at the phone itself, thankfully. Does the commercial make us want to drop everything for a Z10? Not necessarily, but we’ll likely remember what we saw. Check the clip for yourself after the break.

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Samsung Targets BlackBerry And Business Users In New Ad With That Guy From 30 Rock

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Samsung is known for going after Apple in its smartphone ads, with commercials that are admittedly pretty funny, depicting the Apple faithful waiting in line, for instance. Now they’ve got a new video out, but this one, rather than taking some playful punches at the big guy on the block, takes the boot to the already downtrodden BlackBerry in an attempt to win over more business customers.

Samsung obviously doesn’t mention BlackBerry by name, but it’s pretty clear who they’re meant to be talking about when depicting clueless, out-of-touch employees clinging to a platform with physical keyboards and a straightforward business focus. Using those hapless employees who haven’t converted to glorious Android as foils, Samsung uses the ad to target some prevailing beliefs about why Google’s mobile OS isn’t as good a fit for the business world as RIM’s, including those around device security.

Overall, it’s not a bad commercial, and as a bonus it features the guy who played Josh in early episodes of 30 Rock, before he was unceremoniously dumped for a Canadian guy who also ended up not actually being in the show very much. But since it depicts a clichéd startup office featuring young people freely and openly spitballing about a mobile game called “Unicorn Apocalypse,” it’s hard maintaining my feelings of good will towards this Samsung effort. Still, love it or hate it, it’s definitely worth a watch.

Samsung Turns Overly Attached Girlfriend Into an Overly Attached Ad

I don’t particularly like Justin Bieber, but I don’t have anything against him either. But I have to say that when the Overly Attached Girlfriend came up with an overly funny response to his Boyfriend music video, I was overly amused.

Turns out millions of others all over the world found her parody funny as well, since it went viral, and even resulted in a meme of its own.

overly attached girlfriendThere are many perks of having your video go viral. One of them is getting a couple of cents for every view from YouTube if you run ads on it. Another is the possibility of getting an endorsement deal from a big brand because of that viral video – a possibility which came true for the Overly Attached Girlfriend.

Samsung reached out and got her to endorse their new solid state drives. What better way to do the ad than to create another ‘Overly Attached’ video, right?

It seems like the concept is better on paper, though, because the whole ad gets a bit confusing and the ‘rap’ song isn’t exactly Grammy-worthy. What do you think?

[via BuzzFeed]


Steve Ballmer returns triumphantly to Microsoft ads for Windows Phone 8, now with less Crazy Eddie (video)

Steve Ballmer makes his triumphant return to Microsoft ads for Windows Phone 8, this time with less Crazy Eddie video

The last time we saw Steve Ballmer star in a commercial for Microsoft, he was extolling the virtues of a 286-based PC running the glory that was Windows 1.0 — in 1986. You can imagine the surprise we got 26 years later when Microsoft premiered an ad featuring the now-CEO during its Windows Phone 8 event. If you were expecting that same kind of unbridled enthusiasm Crazy Eddie once used to hawk underpriced TVs, you may be either pleased or disappointed. It’s a very level-headed and well-spoken Ballmer this time around, with the executive calmly highlighting the advice he gets through his HTC Windows Phone 8X from people like his wife and a certain Billy G. Besides evoking nostalgia, the pitch is an illustration of what Windows Phone’s live tiles can do as well as a reflection of Microsoft coming full circle — as it was two decades ago, Redmond is fighting for market attention at a time when new interface concepts are challenging its main business. We’re just glad there’s fewer plaid business suits in 2012.

Continue reading Steve Ballmer returns triumphantly to Microsoft ads for Windows Phone 8, now with less Crazy Eddie (video)

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Steve Ballmer returns triumphantly to Microsoft ads for Windows Phone 8, now with less Crazy Eddie (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London’s Human Flesh Meat Market: Serving up Fresh Homo Sapiens

Stories about people having to eat other people in times of crises are pretty common. A mountain climber eating his fallen companion so he wouldn’t starve to death. Trapped miners eating a dead friend while they waited for help. Gory, but unfortunately true in some cases.

So how would you feel about eating fresh ‘human’ meat, not because you’re starving or anything, but just for the heck of it?

Human Meat1Fake ‘human’ meat, that is. To promote Resident Evil 6, Capcom set up a temporary butcher shop in the Smithfield meat market East London. While the meat was actual meat, it’s not really from humans (obviously.)

They served up a selection of parts, from human hands and entire arms to offal which included fingertips and weiner tips (and when I say weiner, I don’t mean sausages.) Check out the gallery and you’ll see what I mean.

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The campaign obviously relied a lot on shock value. To be honest, though, the whole thing just kind of grossed me out. But I’m thinking that was their point.

[via BuzzFeed]


Facebook opens mobile ads for apps to all developers, keeps them on the money train

Facebook opens mobile ads for apps to all developers, keeps them on the money train

It’s no secret that Facebook saw FarmVille for iOS as writing on the wall: it had to either tap into mobile app revenue or risk losing income (and marketing-savvy developers) whenever someone left the web. Following a beta this summer, the company’s solution to its dilemma is now open to everyone. All developers on the social network can build ads that link from Facebook’s Android and iOS apps to either Google Play or the App Store — offering both an easy plug for their native apps and that all-important ad revenue for Facebook. The system currently takes a shotgun approach and may pitch social networkers for apps they already have or don’t want, but it should be refined in the next few months to where some curious purchasers won’t even have to leave Facebook to load that hot new title. Hopefully the increased recognition for mobile developers is worth sullying our once pristine news feeds.

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Facebook opens mobile ads for apps to all developers, keeps them on the money train originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and… dancers?

Microsoft airs its fist Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and dancers

Considering how interested we are in trying out Microsoft’s new Surface Windows 8 tablets, it turns out we should’ve been practicing the art of dance instead of blogging. The first TV spot for the tablets aired tonight during Dancing with the Stars, fitting, since it featured an entire troupe of dancers and was directed by Jon Chu, best known for his work on flicks like the Step Up series and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. While it didn’t expose any deep details about the hardware, its potential pricetag or the software running on it, it appears Microsoft will separate itself from the pack based on that slick Touch Cover, Type Cover and kickstand. At the end it teases “coming 10/26” and promises a future behind the scenes video from the ad, but that’s it. Check out the minute-long spot itself embedded after the break and let us know if you spot any new information about the slate.

Continue reading Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and… dancers?

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Microsoft airs its first Surface tablet ad, focuses on keyboard, kickstand and… dancers? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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