Microsoft launches ZenZui, plus other interactive industry launches, hires, partnerships and announcements.

Editor's note: We list the companies and people alphabetically according to what company hires what person or another company. Our weekly column is always looking for announcements, so please email them to mediamotions@imediaconnection.com.

ABCSearch, a privately held PPC search network, announced it has released an upgraded version of ClickShield to protect its online advertisers from click fraud. ClickShield is a propriety fraud-monitoring software customized to defend ABCSearch's advertisers. The new version of ClickShield has already deflected an additional 11,000 potential fraudulent clicks a day.

Apptera, a provider of technology for mobile advertising, search and commerce, announced the promotion of Randy Haldeman to chief marketing officer. Haldeman, who has served as vice president of marketing at Apptera for the past year and a half, will continue to lead the company's marketing success with his outside-the-box thinking. Haldeman has more than two decades of experience in building companies in the enterprise software, internet and media space.

Bango, a player in the mobile web marketplace, introduced a new service, called Bango 2Go, which is a simple, cost effective way for brands and content providers to launch a presence on the mobile web. The new service -- the first of its kind in the world -- takes the guesswork out of participating in what industry analysts call the next internet "gold rush."

Behavior Design, which creates compelling user experiences to help clients strengthen online brands, improve website usability, increase online revenues and decrease operating costs, has added four professionals to its core team: Software Developer Lacy Gene Garrison and Visual Designers Matthew Armendariz, Alison Zack and Nick Keppol.

CleverSet, a provider of recommendations for eCommerce companies, announced that Donna Custance has joined the company as vice president of marketing. Custance, who most recently served as vice president of programming, production and marketing at Canadian online video company Travel Shop Television, has 15 years experience directing the brand management and communications strategies of both Fortune 500 and startup companies.

The Council for Marketing and Opinion Research (CMOR) is calling on all survey research professionals to join the State Capitol Network, a new volunteer committee created to monitor and respond to state legislative issues affecting the survey research profession. Volunteers interested in joining the State Capitol Network should contact CMOR's State Legislative Director, LaToya Rembert-Lang at lrembert@cmor.org or 202-775-5171.

Cramer, a digital marketing and event solutions agency, announced that Dr. Joanna Horobin, president and CEO, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, has joined the company's advisory board. Dr. Horobin has more than 20 years of pharmaceutical drug development experience in multiple therapeutic areas, with a focus on oncology and a particular interest in the development of combination strategies.

Datran Media announced that Q Interactive has licensed its top-ranked email marketing and delivery platform, StormPost 2.5, to power its email delivery system. Q Interactive selected StormPost based on the software’s industry-wide reputation and ability to meet the complex deliverability and integration demands of high-growth companies.

Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence service, announced that it has been named a "Cool Vendor" and has been listed in the "Cool Vendor: CRM and Analytics" report, by Bill Glassman et al, published on March 5, 2007 by Gartner, Inc. Gartner's 2007 Cool Vendor report recognizes innovative vendors that target solutions for marketing and analytics to help companies drive competitive advantage through the differentiation of marketing processes.

Horizon Interactive, the digital arm of Horizon Media, is further bolstering its renowned digital media and interactive advertising operations with several key additions to the company's New York headquarters: Kristen Kelly has been hired as account management supervisor; Jim Pasqualone has been hired as senior search marketing manager; Carol Song joins as search marketing coordinator; Will Restrepo joins as campaign management supervisor; John Poor, previously of WhenU.com, and Jenna Beatty, previously of Beyond Interactive, have been appointed media planners; NaLene Jones joins Horizon Interactive as an email deployment manager; and Blake Eisler has been named account manager.

iCrossing, a global digital marketing agency committed to people's desire to find, and JumpTap, a provider of mobile search and advertising, announced that the two companies have entered into a strategic partnership to enable new mobile advertising opportunities for iCrossing clients.

Innuity, Inc., a Software as a Service (SaaS) company that designs, acquires and integrates applications to deliver affordable solutions to small businesses, introduced LeadConnect, its new local advertising offering. The LeadConnect service provides a simple-to-use system to gather key business data from business owners and distribute that information to the major local search engines and yellow page directories, including Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

Jungle 8, a brand strategy and graphic design agency for non-profit organizations including Art Share Los Angeles and The Daniel Pearl Foundation, recently completed a series of branding and positioning workshops with the non-profit theatrical-based youth organization Teen2Teen. The series resulted in an integrated marketing strategy, including the official website and promotional materials for this group of aspiring Broadway performers and teaching artists.

LookSmart, an online advertising and technology company, is bringing two new vice presidents into its fold who are expected to help LookSmart grow and service its advertiser and publisher base. LookSmart has hired Ari Kaufman as vice president of publisher services and Jonathan Ewert as the East Coast vice president of advertising and publisher services. They join Yolanda Loh, vice president of ad sales, to complete the company's executive sales management structure.

Microsoft Corp. announced the launch of ZenZui,  an independent company with the mission of transforming the way people engage, consume and interact with web content through a revolutionary mobile user experience and information ecosystem. ZenZui's Zooming User Interface, a technology patented by Microsoft, was initially developed by the Microsoft Research lab in Redmond, Wash.

MIVA has signed an exclusive Pay-Per-Click deal with CONDE NAST Interactive. Under the terms of the agreement, MIVA will deliver PPC ads across all 12 sites in the Condé Nast Interactive U.K. portfolio including Vogue.com, GQ.com, and Glamourmagazine.com.

PopularMedia, the company that introduced the science of analytics and optimization to the art of viral marketing, announced the launch of the PopularMedia Agency Partner program. The Agency Program gives digital agencies a viral marketing analytics platform that fits easily within client budgets and takes the guesswork out of "what's viral" by taking a data-driven approach to scaling up viral marketing programs.

 Telephia, provider of syndicated consumer research to the telecom and mobile media markets, announced it will provide consumer research data to MobiTV, a global leader in mobile and broadband television and music services.

VoiceSignal, a provider of mobile voice technology solutions, announced a partnership with mobile advertising pioneer Enpocket to provide highly relevant advertisements for the newly announced VSearch voice search service to be offered by VoiceSignal.

The Wireless Association announced that it has formally launched an industry-wide Common Short Code (CSC) Auditing and Monitoring Initiative to ensure that off-portal third party content providers are in compliance with the industry's Consumer Best Practices (CBP) and are ultimately honoring the terms and conditions under which wireless subscribers purchase mobile products and services. CTIA has chosen Telephia to administer and manage this multi-million dollar program.

[x+1], which equips online marketers with unique, real-time decision making that lifts ad and site conversion rates, announced that Jiri Muselik has joined the company as vice president, engineering, a newly created position. Muselik joins [x+1] from Consumer Reports where he had served as director of web applications since November 2004. Prior to that, he held management or consulting positions with a number of notable companies including: Leigh Media, Footstar, Time Inc. New Media and InterContinental Marketing.

Dawn Anfuso is senior editor, iMedia Connection. Read full bio.