Ever wonder what it would be like to talk to the people behind the scenes on your favourite feature film? Last week, six journalists and bloggers across Europe found out what that was like. They were the handful of people who participated in the worlds first Q&A session using Avatar Kinect, the social entertainment experience launched by Microsoft just last month that allows Xbox users to meet and converse in virtual worlds via their avatar characters.

It's always a pleasure when we get a chance to chat to Emma Wilson, MD of the UK digital agency Harvest Digital. Always on the pulse, she gives us some thought in to what trends in digital are driving their business.   Integration with offline planners is key, as are ad exchanges and gathering as much data as possible to provide actionable sign-posts all contribute to being "critical" to their clients success. Read more Harvest's contribution to digital insight ,

At Microsoft Advertising we strive to offer the newest and most creative tools and techniques, allowing marketers to explore news ways of engaging customers. This week weve launched a campaign that does just that. Capital Ones 'Credit Made Clearer' campaign is about educating consumers of the potential finance orientated pit-falls when traveling. When combined with inspirational and useful holiday advice this makes for a compelling and useful resource,

The ability to target consumers online based on myriad attributes is commonplace in todays digital marketplace. There is much to be gleaned about a consumer based on the habits they exhibit online Ill use myself as an example. Based on my cookie data, an online marketer would know that Im a 30-year old female living in Seattle, WA. They would also know that I am in the market for a handbag and Ive been searching for flights to go back east for Thanksgiving.

For marketers, the rise of social media has helped crystallize the importance of word-of-mouth. But lately, social has become synonymous with a platform, when in reality its a fundamental human behavior. In fact, 90% of consumer conversations happen offline, far away from what we currently think of when we say social media. Every day, people talk to each other, providing guidance on which experiences to embrace and which to avoid.

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One of the many things I love about the Cannes International Advertising Festival is its consistency: year after year the event continues to be a global mash-up of cutting edge creatives, celebrities, ad industry leaders and talented marketersall of them fired up for a week of workshops, networking, awards, and of course, parties. )The Cannes ad festival takes place the week before Ironman France, which is hosted just down the road in Nice.

Number 32 in our Ad Vision Series of videos, sees me on the pier with Jon Haber from OMD talking mobile marketing. Jon gives us the inside scoop on his team and their approach to innovating campaigns in the mobile space, and talks about how theyre constantly trying to push the boundaries of whats possible. As he says, mobile now is so much more of robust offering with location-based services, couponing, CRM,

Being a marketing manager at Microsoft I constantly keep an eye on the industry to see whats new and innovative. Day in day out, we often just see the same old things done but occasionally, there comes along a gem that makes you sit back, take note and think what a fantastic idea! The Obstacle: Within Korea, Tesco had to overcome one obstacle they had fewer stores against the number one supermarket retailer in Korea.

One of the many things I love about the Cannes International Advertising Festival is its consistency: year after year the event continues to be a global mash-up of cutting edge creatives, celebrities, ad industry leaders and talented marketersall of them fired up for a week of workshops, networking, awards, and of course, parties. )The Cannes ad festival takes place the week before Ironman France, which is hosted just down the road in Nice.

After a brief sojourn post Cannes Lions, we're going to start releasing some more fantastic insight from digital leaders as part of our Ad Vision Series of interviews. Every week for the next few months, we'll showcase thoughts captured in the south of France from advertising and marketing experts from all over the world. In today's chat, Andrew Bibby talks to Nick Seckold, who heads up Digital Direct at Mindshare Asia Pacific, about advertising in the region,

Since the launch of Windows Phone 7 last year, app developers have been monetizing their Windows Phone 7 apps with the Microsoft Advertising Ad SDK for Windows Phone 7, which is powered by the industrys first, real-time bidded Mobile Ad Exchange. The SDK is designed to maximize in-app advertising revenue by empowering multiple ad networks to bid on mobile inventory at the exact moment when an impression is served, increasing yield and reducing waste.

Anyone else out there hiding behind the sofa as the next digital creation appears from the darkness to terrify an already confused and overwhelmed media community? Just me, then? Mind you, I was afraid of the Cybermen. Digital media shouldnt be a scary place yet the pace of change in the sector sometimes makes you wonder if youll ever truly get to grips with constantly evolving challenges and opportunities that define and then almost immediately re-define the sector.

Last month, we announced the Microsoft Advertising Exchange in Europe was open in the UK and Netherlands, with France and Germany coming soon. While we were in Cannes for the advertising festival, we grabbed 3 minutes with Dennis Buchheim, who heads up the Scale Display team at Microsoft, to get his thoughts on what the roll out means for advertisers and agencies, how brands should be thinking about the exchange within the overall digital marketing mix,

Advertisers and the advertising industry should put budget aside to participate in the Silicon Valley mentality of Risk and Reward and divert energy and resources into experiments to uncover new opportunities and collaborative cultures. Such was the statement of Publicis and Contagious at the Cannes Lions on Friday.

I am pleased to announce the expansion of Microsoft Advertisings mobile rich media solutions in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain with the addition of a new partner, EyeWonder . This partnership not only complements Microsoft Advertisings current rich media offering in EMEA provided by PointRoll , but it will also allow us to deliver more interactive and innovative ad experiences across Microsofts premium mobile browse properties outside of the U.S.

It is an exciting time for advertisers, as worldwide media consumption continues to grow, so does the opportunity to reach audiences with increasingly relevant content. Today, people are consuming media across a number of devices and mediums. Current Nielsen research reveals that in homes with both TV and internet, even the homes that are traditionally light on TV usage are starting to stream more internet video via their computers.

Jim Farley, Group Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Service at Ford, has partnered with WPP to bring their brand story to life with consumers by doing three things giving up, letting go, and loving it. Give Up: Give your brand to your customers. You might as well because they are already doing it. You can still be responsible for and even manage your brand but now, the customers own it. Let Go: Let go of the creative process. You need to trust the agency.

By Tom Brunner Coca-Cola brought their leaders in creativity to the stage to talk about the Liquid and Linked Mystique: Jonathan Mildenhall, VP Global Advertising Strategy and Creative Excellence, Pio Schunker, Senior VP Integrated Marketing Content, and Ivan Pollard, VP Global Connections. Liquid and Linked as they explained, is a strategic approach for marketing communications where they try to build even-deeper connections with consumers.

A very interesting panel gave their opinion today in Cannes at the McCann Worldgroup & MRM Worldwide session on which next technologies will have the biggest impact on peoples lives and how these will inform and shape their experiences and enable them to shape their own. Nick Brien, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer - McCann Worldgroup was leading the conversation. Black Eyes Peas Will.i.