Microsoft today announced the [ Middle East and Africa winners of its new creative storytelling contest The Microsoft Advertising Story Awards )MSAs(. In a closely contested competition Michelle McKenna, Taryn Scher & Philippa Heal, from Ogilvy South Africa won the brand category, and Tal Schweiger, Copywriter & Nir Hersztadt, Art Director, from McCann Erikson Digital Israel won the not-for-profit category of the awards,

Take a second to think about your favorite ad. Can you picture it? How did it make you feel? Why did it resonate with you? Wouldn't you like to ask one of the advertising industry's leaders what ad they consider most memorable? We had the opportunity to ask this question of David Sable, CEO of Y&R and one of the global judges for the Microsoft Advertising Story Awards . His favorite ad of all-time?

Storytelling is one of the most talked-about topics in advertising lately, but how to develop an effective tale that connects with the viewer isn't nearly as discussed. In a recent interview, we sat down with Jacki Kelley, CEO, Universal McCann as well as one of our global judges for the Microsoft Advertising Story Awards to define what makes a story worthwhile. Basically, it needs to be "R.A.R.E.," according to the digital team at Universal McCann.

Being CEO of any company requires a fair amount of looking into the crystal ball, pinpointing what will be the "next big thing" and forming lasting partnerships. GroupM CEO Rob Norman is no stranger to all of the above. As a long time partner with Microsoft Advertising, he has seen his fair share of technological transitions and what advertisers will be excited about. We caught up with him at CES, the electronics trends epicenter,

Ah, the sweet taste of success. You've have a spoonful once or twice in your life, right? Maybe more? Perhaps it was just last week when you presented that killer idea that you just know someone rumbled they wish they had thought of that ) zing !(. Maybe it was finishing that project ahead of schedule and showing everyone it can be done ) yes !(.

It's pretty common to assume that most campaigns start with one "big idea." Picture the brainstorming session as it has transformed throughout the years: "We will have a paperboy stand on the street corner and yell 'EXTRA!' to attract attention to our special edition!" "We'll go from door-to-door, demonstrating how effective this household product is' right in their own home !

If youve been reading the headlines or sifting through your social networks lately, theres no doubt youve seen or heard a few words revolving around Windows Phone: A design gem . The thing is gorgeous. and this little hashtag: #smokedbywindowsphone Smoked by what? We sat down with Ben Rudolph, Director of Windows Phone Evangelism, to elaborate on the mobile mania recently swarming the product and to get a glimpse of whats next on the horizon. Basically,

Close your eyes for a moment and pretend you've just been tasked to orchestrate a multi-screen campaign that targets men aged 24 - 54 in urban areas that index high for professional sports viewership. Relatively easy a few years ago, but what about now? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of options. There are tablets, smart phones, PCs, televisions - all with several variations. How do you know your campaign is in the right context on the right device?

In the second installation of our Mindshare mini-series, we talk with Cary Tilds, leader of Digital Media operations, on how technology is woven throughout the campaign process at Mindshare from start to finish. "It starts way upstream in research and brand planning," she begins. Then, through a dizzying array of technology deployments complemented by media mix modeling, the campaigns begin to tell a story.

In our latest installation of AdVision, we chat with Marylee Sachs, author of The Changing MO of the CMO, about how our connections via social, digital and new media are changing the way marketers develop messaging strategies. In the interview, she covers topics such as the importance of analytics, authentic storytelling and giving consumers the opportunity to connect on an emotional level with their preferred brands.

We are pleased to announce a new member of the Microsoft Advertising family that will be helping to develop Microsoft's mobile advertising proposition. Mandeep Mason, who comes to us from Nokia, will be Director of Mobile Advertising Sales EMEA in the global Advertising and Online )A&O( division. Mason brings seven years of experience delivering innovative and award-winning mobile strategies for major media agencies and brands. While at Nokia,

In this edition of AdVison, our very own Mel Carson looks into the crystal ball with Y&Rs David Sable on what to expect for 2012. Storytelling is getting much more important, Sable said. With the increasing number of advertising channels entering the market so rapidly, advertisers must now carefully consider how to captivate their audiences without getting lost in the shuffle.

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to work in advertising. There was something so exciting and alluring about creating an ad that made people actually feel something. I had to be a part of that. I imagined myself creating one of those brilliant spots running during the Superbowl or being part of the team that made it happen. I wanted to bring the world the next Herding Cats or create thirty seconds of something so memorable,

In our latest AdVision installment, we talk to Maria Luisa Francoli, Global CEO of MPG about the importance of storytelling for brands and connecting with consumers across platforms. As a longtime Microsoft Advertising partner, Maria Luisa finds value with the relationship as Microsoft has been valuable in terms of developing new ideas, sharing new experience and delivering value to our clients.

In another world several years and several media plans ago, I was in advertising sales. I began my stint working at my college newspaper )remember those?( entering hand-written insertion orders and frantically leafing through the daily edition to see that my clients investment appeared in print as beautifully as I imagined when I sold the space. Graduation came and went and so began my collection of media sales adventures. Online display? Check. Search? Of course. Radio?

In another world several years and several media plans ago, I was in advertising sales. I began my stint working at my college newspaper )remember those?( entering hand-written insertion orders and frantically leafing through the daily edition to see my that my clients investment appeared in print as beautifully as I imagined when I sold the space. Graduation came and went and so began my collection of media sales adventures. Online display? Check. Search? Of course. Radio?

What does science fiction have to do with the evolution of media consumption? In this week's AdVision, we discuss how our hunger for multi-screen media consumption is transforming the way we digest our world. Brian Monahan EVP, Managing Partner, IPG Emerging Media Lab sat down with us during Advertising Week 2011 to discuss the media evolution and companion devices.

What does science fiction have to do with the evolution of media consumption? In this week's AdVision, we discuss how our hunger for multi-screen media consumption is transforming the way we digest our world. Brian Monahan EVP, Managing Partner, IPG Emerging Media Lab sat down with us during Advertising Week 2011 to discuss the media evolution and companion devices.

Welcome to our latest installment of our AdVision series, where we interview the top minds in the advertising industry on topics ranging from analytical insights to where to find creative inspiration. In this week's segment, we interview Natasha Hritizuk, Director of Global Insights and Analytics with Microsoft Advertising about how shoppers behave when making purchasing decisions, and the emerging ways that media can be used to influence consumer decisions.

We caught up with adland.tv 's Ask Dabitch at Advertising Week and talked about creativity, what's new and interesting in digital advertising and how it's an integral part of pop culture. "Adland.tv is an archive of all the commercials that I find and curate from all over the world... it's an important slice of pop culture, we need to save it. It's our history," she said. As a creativity connoisseur,