-According to the latest eMarketer estimates, total media ad spending worldwide rose 5.4 percent this year to just under $519 billion. link

-Portland, OR-based creative agency Parliament has developed a platform for VIZIO to hype the Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1 between Stanford and Wisconsin called “Fandemonium” (above). link

-Charleston, SC marketing/comms firm BOLD Communications Group will merge with Salisbury, NC’s Pearson DeBoer Creative Solutions, effective January 1, 2013. As a result of the union, BOLD will assume the former PDCS location in Salisbury. The new leadership will consist of PDCS partner Patrick Pearson, who will serve as VP/GM of BOLD and Jonathan Weaver, CD for PDCS. Matthew DeBoer is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities and PDCS will be dissolved.

-Is this the best marketing stunt of 2012? link

-The Wall Street Journal offers its list of best and worst ads of 2012. link

-Kraft is ready to announce over 40 new products come 2013. link