-- Microsoft To Test Ad Effectiveness Tool:  Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) will begin beta testing a new measurement tool called “Engagement Mapping” next month. Instead of linking sales, leads and traffic to the last ad that a user clicked on a website, Engagement Mapping measures ad exposure, ultimately bringing together all the online activity that may have connected a consumer to a product. The system is designed to give advertisers a clearer view of how to plan an online ad campaign - and to give Microsoft an edge against competitors such as Google.

-- Online Ads To Grow To $147 Million Worldwide: In yet another report looking at where online ad spending has been and where it may be headed, The Kelsey Group is forecasting that interactive ad revenues will rise from $45 billion in 2007 to $147 billion globally by 2012, representing a 23.4 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate). In terms of the share of the worldwide ad market, internet ads grew from 6.1 percent of revenues in 2006 to 7.4 percent in 2007; in five years, that number will reach 21 percent. Focusing just on the U.S., online ad revs are expected to grow from $22.5 billion in 2007 to $62.4 billion in 2012, for a 22.6 percent CAGR. Turning to local search revenues, Kelsey Group is projecting that category to increase from $2.1 billion to $6.6 billion global, for a rise of 25.5 percent CAGR.

-- NYT Adds Online Luxury Real Estate Ad Program: The NYT’s Great Homes and Destinations, its national real estate online luxury section, will work with regional newspapers across the country to up-sell their print agate, print display, e-commerce and broker listings. The ads will be aggregated within the NYTimes.com’s Real Estate and Great Homes and Destinations classifieds sections. Among the initial papers that have joined the NYT ad program are The Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Beach Post, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

-- Blinxx Teams With Publicis’ Denuo: Video search engine Blinxx has struck a partnership with Publicis Groupe’s Denuo Group based on trying to figure out ways to best tie advertising to online video. The companies hint at trying to modify contextual ad methods, but offer no other details

-- Forrester Finds Online Ads Irrelevant: As DVR household penetration grows from 19 percent in 2006 to 55 percent in 2011, the prevalence of ad-skipping and other related advances will make ads increasingly irrelevant, Forrester Research says in a new report called The Connected Agency. According to the report, many viewers already find ads less motivating, less entertaining and less trustworthy - “symptoms of a world of pain” for agencies.

-- WPP Realigns Global Search Operations: WPP Group is combining the search assets from all its global properties to create a specialist unit with GroupM, which houses the ad holding company’s media buying and planning functions. The unified search group will avail itself of sister WPP shop 24/7 Real Media’s search unit. The unit will also absorb search marketer Outrider as well as paid search specialists Catalyst and Quisma. Under WPP’s search alignment, each media agency within GroupM will carve out a dedicated mini-unit: MindShare Search, MediaCom Search, Maxus Search and Mediaedge:cia Search.

-- MediaCom Initiates Global Digital Reorg: WPP Group’s agencies are not just looking globally when it comes to search. WPP’s buying and planning agency MediaCom is trying to streamline its global digital ad buys. As part of the restructuring, Beyond Interactive, MediaCom’s U.S. digital unit, will now be known as Beyond Interaction and will assume a wider role as it coordinates buying across 23 countries. The move comes as WPP is planning more international digital acquisitions, with particular consideration being given to independents in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

-- About.com Teams With MSG: About.com has formed a joint marketing arrangement with MSG Interactive. The two will collaborate on digital sponsorships related to events hosted by MSG properties. The digital arm of Cablevision’s (NYSE: CVC) Madison Square Garden venue in New York, MSG Interactive also handles the online, digital and wireless programming for Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and MSG television network, as well as the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty.

-- Electronic Arts And IMG In Branding Deal: Electronic Arts (NSDQ: ERTS) is partnering with sports and entertainment marketer IMG. The branding company will try to secure deals on behalf of EA with sports camps and gaming lounges. IMG will also try to extend EA’s games to publishing products and performance apparel makers.

-- Turner Sports Teams With Roush Fenway: Turner Sports is working with Nascar team Roush Fenway Racing on the building up the motoracing collective’s website. The announcement coincided with the launch Roush Fenways’ redesigned site. As part of their deal, Turner Sports will provide exclusive on- and off-track video clips, breaking news, real-time standings and co-sponsorships. In essence, the partnership extends Turner Sports’ existing arrangement with Nascar in general.