To celebrate this week’s Facebook IPO bonanza, we’ve dedicated our Five Things You Might Have Missed blog entirely to Facebook marketing, news and management! You’re not going to want to skip this one — well, unless you work for GM.

1.) Facebook Got Run Over by a Car Company: Just as planet Wall Street was getting ready to pop bottles over the initial public offering for Facebook, GM had to rain on their parade. The car maker announced on Wednesday that it would be pulling a massive $10 million dollars in Facebook ads. The reason? “They don’t work.” Facebook isn’t a place for shoppers, according to GM. Ouch. Way to be a downer, GM. But seriously, we all sort of saw this coming (and kind of agree.)

2.) And they’re off! Facebook threw its hat in the race to become the next Groupon this week alongside heavy hitter American Express. AMEX and Facebook are just two of dozens of Groupon wannabes out there in BrandingLand, but unlike those other clones, these two have the financial chutzpah to potentially take a chunk out of Groupon’s business. It’ll be a race to the finish to see who really profits as deal mania finally tapers off.

3.) Hype ‘Rises:’ So maybe Facebook doesn’t work so great for that whole ad thing, but you can’t argue with its power as a hype machine — especially when it comes to entertainment. The Dark Knight Rises, the final installment in the Christopher Nolan Batman films, is a great example of how Facebook can pimp a product brilliantly without ever having to purchase an ad. Loaded with clips and exclusive contests, TDKR’s page is a one-stop-shop for fanboys and movie freaks.

4.) IPOh, I get it: We were a tad baffled on how Facebook would actually make money on this IPO thing, so thankfully those folks at CNN did a great job of explaining how an Internet brand becomes a cash making machine.

5.) Ads in Action: It was all well and good to hear about GM’s dissatisfaction with Facebook advertising, but how do they really work for the little guy? According to our final must-read on the list, not too darn good. This fascinating NPR piece about Pizza Delicious in New Orleans breaks down the numbers, dollars and likes behind purchasing a real-life Facebook ad. Eye opening stuff that could sway small business owners who are trying to decide whether or not to dip their feet in the Facebook waters.

In a week filled with political bombshells, high-profile deaths (RIP Maurice Sendak and Vidal Sassoon) and Mother’s Day marketing mania, you might have forgotten to get caught up on the latest digital engagement and online marketing news. But we’ve got you covered with a little list we call our Five Things You Might Have Missed.

1.) Long-lasting Banner Flavor Goodness: While Stride gum may not have the catchy jingle that Big Red had back in the day, the chewing gum has made quite a name for itself for being a long-lasting confection. And its latest ploy for chewing gum domination comes in the form of the world’s longest banner ad. Digital Buzz Blog turned us on to the ad that challenged eager clickers to click and hold the targeted area for as long as they could. The winner clocked in at 46 minutes and 27 seconds and walked away with $500 bucks, while Stride might just have created a new banner ad-gaming sub-genre.

2.) Spammer Convention: Our friends in Sweden have come up with a nifty way to thwart spamming — throw a spammer summit! Microsoft and Hotmail Sweden are the forces behind Spammers Aid, a new campaign set on educating spam marketers on new and innovative techniques in online marketing that don’t involve blowing up innocent folks’ inboxes. Spammers will attend a seminar in Stockholm this summer, and we think it’s a swell idea.

3.) Prison Cuisine: Over in Spain, marketers for the J.J. Abrams’ drama Alcatraz delivered a little bit of the famous prison to some adventurous eaters. “Lucky” Spanish diners got to eat like the incarcerated when they ordered their meals online, receiving prison food packaged on metal trays and stuffed in boxed (filled with Alcatraz swag like magnets, of course). The limited time promo brilliantly pushed the show’s premise and TV fans got a whole new version of the TV dinner.

4.) Apps and Likes: Mobile marketing, social media marketing and app development all converged in a marketing supernova this week when Facebook announced it will be opening its own app store! Now all of those Facebook apps that you see your friends feverishly downloading will be in one place. More of a hub and less of a traditional store, we’re anxious to see if this will amp up Facebook app development — especially those from big brands.

5.) When Mama Tweeted Obama: Lastly, it seems, like everybody else, we can’t stop talking about the President of the United States this week. On Mother’s Day, one lucky mom will have the chance to actually tweet with the Commander in Chief. The grassroots Twitter marketing fundraising effort hopes that a personalized tweet from Barack Obama on Mother’s Day is incentive for one lucky winner to bring in at least five other donations.

Honesty in Facebook marketing?! Kitties attacking all kinds of webpages?! Freaky job postings?! What the heck is going on? Fear not. We sort it all out just for you in our weekly list of Five Things You Might Have Missed.

1.) The Sarah Phillips Warning: This week, Sarah Phillips made headlines for getting fired from ESPN after a Deadspin article painted the columnist as a con artist with several identities who help spearhead some big-time Internet scams. The scandal reminds us that if you’re hiding something, bloggers will always find it — and no brand is above being occasionally duped.

2.) Kitty Cat Attack! As YouTube has proven time and time again, everything is better with cats. So cat treat maker Temptations is letting Facebook fans put cats everywhere they go online. The Kitty Hijack app available on Temptations Canada’s Facebook page gets dragged into your bookmark bar and then the feline fun is unleashed as kittens crawl all over any site you visit. The funny, frenetic frenzy is Facebook and online marketing purrfection.

3.) Help Wanted: Here’s a jaw-dropping print campaign from the UK for the non-profit Freedom from Torture. Made to look like a job posting, these ads boldly seek to fill the positions of “Torturer,” “Abuser” and “Kidnapper.” Bent on making a point and standing out in an employment-starved climate, Freedom from Torture turns a simple classified ad into something unforgettable.

4.) Rocking Crowdsourcing: We love to see a spunky individual who can turn themselves into a brand by using online and social media marketing, and nobody better personifies these attributes than musician Amanda Palmer. David Meerman Scott profiles Palmer’s ingenious way of using Kickstarter to fund her new album on WebInkNow and we think it’s worth the read. Palmer has raised more than $350,000 and the total goes up nearly every minute, thanks in large part to her huge social media following.

5.) Coming Clean with Social Media Flubs: Common Sense Media’s goal is to help parents control their children’s use of Facebook and mobile phones. To get the message out, the group has released a series of funny TV ads. In the spots, parents admit to their social media flubs and misconceptions. Tech- and Facebook-addicted kids are a very real, very “now” issue and Common Sense attacks it with humor and heart.

Wanna know how Twitter is helping some nuns or where to play the biggest game of pinball in the world? Then read on, dear friends, because this edition of our Five Things You Might Have Missed list has juicy online marketing and social media news for everybody!

1.) Rollerskating — Better than Crack: Hey, if you found a better local commercial for a roller rink that’s about to go viral, then by all means, post the darn thing! If not, please enjoy the so-hilariously-bad-it’s-brilliant ad for Roller Kingdom in Reno, Nevada.

2.) Help a Sister Out: Nuns on Twitter? Sure! Reverend James Martin is hoping his hashtag #WhatSistersMeantoMe will help raise awareness for work of modern nuns around the world. The Vatican, which has gone Twitter-crazy in the last six months, has embraced the campaign, and now Twitter is filled with nun tales, proving every cause can benefit from a good Twitter campaign.

3.) Le Pinball Wizard: Ford Paris had a little fun with those tres serious French drivers with a one-of-a-kind digital installation which turned parking on a busy Parisian street into a game of pinball. As the drivers banged back and forth between two cars, pinball game noises sounded from a display above. It’s outdoor advertising turned into a game, and all we can say is, “J’adore!”

4.) Gadget-free Getaway: Last week we yammered about turning off our tech and this week we find several articles about how the travel industry is marketing gadget-free vacations. Coincidence? Nah. Gadget-free is the latest trend in getting consumers to spend time (and money) on things like travel where they can interact with one another. Like in person. Call it “anti-tech chic.” We think it’s here to stay.

5.) And Speaking of Phones: Rounding out the quintet this week is a new mobile marketing campaign from Greenpeace. Greenpeace Mode puts your phone to work for good when it’s on silent. The ingenious setting sends out messages about Greenpeace’s latest efforts and causes while you’re busy at work and school. Talk about gadget-free work!

Any blog content management genius will tell you that coming up with a Top 5 or Top 10 list is just an easy ploy to rope in more readers. And they’re right! Still, we happen to think ours — the Five Things You Might Have Missed List — is also pretty darn entertaining and informative. Take a peek and tell us what you think!

1.) Your New Business Idol is Only 9 Years Old: High atop our list this week is the story of Caine Monroy and his cardboard arcade. If you think it sounds like a Spielberg movie now, just wait until you hear the real-life details: Monroy converted his dad’s garage into a cardboard arcade and, with the help of online branding, some enthusiastic customers and a great video, he’s become the latest meme as well as an inspiring startup story for folks of all ages.

2.) Enter the Branding Police: There’s a new sheriff in town on Twitter, and he’s gonna get ya if you mess with the Olympics. Forbes turned us on to the new (and slightly ominous) prospect of Twitter brand cops this week. Turns out the Olympics are taking their image and branding more seriously than ever, enlisting the help of monitors to shut down accounts illegally using the Olympic name and logo on Twitter.

3.) Up, Up and Away: Jack White and his label Third Man Records came up with a one-of-a-kind way to help sales of his new solo record positively soar. Third Man shoved limited edition flexi-disks into balloons and set them free on April 1st from their headquarters in Nashville. The label expects about 10 percent of the copies to be found. The stunt scooped up a handful of headlines for the indie record label and even made hippies happy — the balloons are biodegradable.

4.) Step Away from the Android: Did you set down your smartphone on April 14th and say “enough is enough!”? If so, you were the few and proud who participated in art blog/collective Provocative Penguin’s Leave Your Phone at Home Day. The event encouraged followers to unplug and not use their phones for a whole day. Gasp! We’re happy to report that humanity continued to function as folks left their phones at home and think it’s a great idea any time of the year.

5.) A Little French, A Lotta Fabulous: Lastly, we close out our list with “Petit H,” a video from luxury brand Hermès. The video is a promotional piece for Petit H, which Adverblog describes as a “creative workshop that brings together materials, artists and craftsmen in single space, faithful to the exacting standards that characterize Hermès.” It’s a beautiful video that’s meant to spark creative fires. We say job well done, Hermès.

Howdy! Welcome to the digital engagement, social media marketing and online branding jamboree we like to call our Five Things You Might Have Missed list. Yee haw!

1.) Hunter & Bear Return: That interactive dynamic duo from Tippex is back! The hunter and bear that forever changed viral marketing and online commercials is back in a birthday party gone wrong clip. This time, Tippex has more user-generated fun up its sleeve, and we love making the hunter and bear do all sorts of crazy things. Tippex wisely didn’t really change the video formula that put it on the map — and users have already welcomed the duo back with open arms and major views (74,000 and growing).

2.) Rock Your Blog Out: Here’s a nifty little add-on for blog creators and music lovers alike. Spotify has come up with a plugin that serves as a music player for blogs and websites so visitors can listen to your playlist while they’re on your site. With the Spotify Play Button, users can hear whole albums without having to leave the page they are viewing. This widget is bound to be a favorite among music and entertainment bloggers as well as blog readers who like to rock out while they read.

3.) Behold, Chocolate Mountain: Didn’t get enough sweet stuff from the Easter Bunny? Alton Towers Resort launched a promotional stunt sure to satisfy even the biggest chocoholic. The UK-based family resort created a massive chocolate climbing wall complete with a 70,000 meter chocolate waterfall and a biscuit crumb grotto. It’s Wonka-style promotion, and we’re big fans of campaigns built on pure imagination.

4.) Le TicTac Attack: Here’s a French TicTac ad that plays with the flash mob idea while illustrating the power of bad breath. With way over 700,000 hits, the spot is proof viral viewers love a little humor when dealing with a touchy topic like bad breath.

5.) Twitter Trickster: Oh, Betty White. We want to be over your antics, but gosh darn it, you keep doing stuff to adhere yourself to your collective hearts even further. Like this week when you pulled a fast one on Twitter on your co-star Valerie Bertinelli. Betty played the old lady card and told Bertinelli that @BettyMWhite wasn’t really her account after a sexy tweet about Ryan Seacrest was unleashed. But it is her account, a fact Bertinelli didn’t find out until after she tweeted about how the account was a fraud. Funny stuff — and perfect PR for White’s Off Their Rockers, her new show where she and other seniors pull pranks.

Between all the campaign drama and sports shenanigans, you might have missed some of the smartest, sassiest and strangest stories from social media and online marketing this week. Fear not, gentle reader! We have you covered.

1.) The BK Blige Bilge: If you missed this story about Mary J. Blige’s yanked commercial for Burger King, you really were hiding under a rock this week. Nevertheless, it’s a list topper for personifying all that is ridiculous with viral advertising, racial sensitivity and celebrity endorsements. Claims of racism aside, we dare you not to chuckle while listening to Blige warble the ingredients of Burger King’s new chicken wraps. In the end, BK apologized for releasing a spot they claim “wasn’t ready” and Blige apologized for offending anyone with the commercial. Perhaps the ad was pulled because it’s a really horrible ad. Just a thought.

2.) A PSA with Balls: We’re always on the lookout for print ads that have a strong voice and a clever delivery. So we were thrilled when we found these ads for the League Against Cancer on I Believe in Advertising. The photos feature cell phones, joysticks and magicubes on the front flap of men’s underwear in an effort to raise awareness for testicular cancer. On the band of the underwear is the message “Give your fingers a better use. Examine yourself for testicular cancer.” Kudos to the League for grabbing their audience in a way that’s hip and bound to make them think.

3.) Hand Over that Password: This ominous sign of the times couldn’t be over looked by those of us who work in the social media marketing field and who often hustle for freelance jobs. The Atlantic and other big news sources were in a tizzy this week at the news of Representative Ed Perlmutter’s proposed amendment to H.R. 3309, the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2012, in an effort to thwart employers from demanding the passwords of employees’ social media accounts. Perlmutter’s amendment was voted down and now all of media land is gearing up for a social media privacy battle unlike anything we’ve seen thus far.

4.) And Speaking of Creepy: Without giving too much away, we can tell you the latest promo for Google+’s Project Glass is part science fiction, part annoying Google+ branding at its most shrill. Yet whatever you think of these yet-to-be made Google goggles, it can’t be denied that the idea is a groundbreaking one. Tell us what you think about this Geordi LaForge-style innovation in the comments section below.

5.) When Skype Talks Smack, You Can See it: Finally, we haven’t had a good old trash talking from a tech brand in quite some time. Thankfully, the good folks at Skype answered our prayers with a series of UK ads that straight up diss Facebook and Twitter. Oh no they didn’t! (Oh yes they did!) And the result is pretty entertaining.

This week’s Five Things You Might Have Missed promises the best in viral marketing, Twitter management gone wrong, some digital Easter eggs and even a walrus on your back! Read, enjoy, tweet and repeat!

1.) Tweet the Wrong Thing: Spike Lee on Twitter just seems like a recipe for ill communication — and this week, boy was it. The diminutive ’90s auteur raised eyebrows when he re-tweeted the wrong address for George Zimmerman, the man who allegedly shot teenager Trayvon Martin. The tweet ticked off tons of tweeps and put Lee on the defensive. Martin’s story is already a highly-charged one and Lee’s misinformed tweet proves how out of control Twitter can get when the wrong information spreads like wildfire.

2.) Happiness 360: Streets Ice Cream took its good-time brand to the streets with a pop-up 360 photo booth that invited passersby to jump, dance and interact in front of a Matrix-style camera. The end campaign is an interactive one which features ordinary folks in extraordinary poses and promises to end lame sponsored photo booths forever.

3.) Cat in a Raincoat!: Columbia Sportswear embraces the spirit of invention with its “Great Moments in Trying Stuff” viral campaign. An earnest 1950s style announcer takes viewers on a hilarious journey through innovations, like sweaty hot dog buns, mesh tank tops and a not-too-happy cat in a raincoat — all brilliantly illustrating Columbia’s outerwear technology.

4.) An App to Dye For: PAAS Easter Egg dye partnered with Heinz Vinegar to come up with this cool Easter egg decorating app just in time for the holiday. It’s digital egg dying without all the mess — genius! The cute seasonal game is sure to be a hit for egg-enthusiastic youngsters, but PAAS gives the app a little something extra by donating $1.00 for every download to Make a Wish Foundation through April 8th.

5.) I am the Walrus: We wrap up this week’s list with a spot for muscle cream from Allgauer Latschenkiefer. Nicely shot, cleverly edited and, featuring a piggybacking walrus, this viral ad is simple, funny and sweet.

Tech oddities! Branding delights! Social media marvels! Step right up and enjoy the little online marketing circus we like to call “Five Things You Might Have Missed!”

1.) Meet the Social Pizza: What’s more social than sharing a few slices of pizza? How about actually creating a pizza on social media? Domino’s in Australia is calling on Facebook fans to create the ultimate social media pizza pie. Through March 25th, Domino’s fans down under will have the opportunity to vote on favorite sauce, crust and topping combinations, with the winning concoctions featured on Domino’s menu. Amateur pizza chefs will also get a shot at $1,000 bucks for coming up with a great pizza name.

2.) Skin Vibrations: Here’s one from the “What the Tech?” files. Nokia is reportedly working on a patent to help smartphone holders literally feel when they receive a call. A small patch of fabric or a tattoo can be attached to the skin and will vibrate when an incoming call is received. While still in the developement stage, the vibrating tattoo officially ushers in the era of humans being literally attached to their phones.

3.) Main Events: Like the rest of Facebook, Facebook Events got a big-time makeover this week. Unlike Timeline and some of the other updates, however, this one is bound to make plenty of people happy. Easy for brands and individuals alike to use and keep organized, the new Facebook Events is the must-use use tool of the spring on the planet’s biggest social media mecca. Check out Social Media Examiner’s in-depth look at Facebook Events to learn about all the new features.

4.) Holy Phileas Fogg! So they might not be able to make your skin vibrate today, but Nokia claims its battery can last on a trip around the world. Inspired by the 140th anniversary of Around the World in 80 Days, Nokia sent its phone to 12 cities and 4 continents with a single charged battery and no charger. The results are a globe-trotting, good-time viral hit.

5.) Help for Your Ugly Office: We close out our list with a drool worthy digital contest from Turnstone. Those makers of pricey but awesome office accoutrements, Turnstone is giving away 5 office makeovers to startups with great ideas and amazing stories. Wannabes are encouraged to pitch their dream office ideas to Turnstone via video. After a judging committee sifts through the submissions, Turnstone will post the best videos and users will vote for their favorite. It’s a cool contest with a great prize from a brand that encourages vision and personality.

Happy Friday! From Facebook pages gone ugly to blunt billboards, we’ve rounded up all the social media marketing, digital branding and online marketing news on a list we call our Five Things You Might Have Missed.

1.) Blogapalooza: Topping our list is a new study from Neilsen that is music to our ears: Blogging is back and bigger than ever. According to Neilsen, blogging is on the rise and the three major platforms — Blogger, WordPress and Tumblr — account for 80 million unique views in October 2011 alone. This is great news for blog writers and blog readers and more proof that if you blog it, they will come.

2.) ‘Sync. Tweet. Save: This brilliant Twitter marketing campaign from AmEx is a game changer. For the first time, the brand will use specially-created hashtags to reward card holders with bonuses. Each time AmEx customers tweet about using their card to buy coffee or get gas, for example, their cards get bonus points. It’s social media savvy meets rewarding customer loyalty.

3.) Pretty Ugly: The unpretty side of social media reared its ugly head this week in a controversial and popular Facebook contest called “The Most Beautiful Teen.” Parents were horrified when news of the page, which calls upon teens to sound off on the appearance of other teenagers, surfaced. Teens being teens, the comments got out of control and Facebook shut down the site — but not before the media hopped on the story at lightening speed.

4.) Hot Dogs in Hot Water: Those rascals from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are at it again. This time, it’s a billboard that states Hot Dogs Cause Butt Cancer. (Alrighty then.) Sometimes it’s the blunt and simple messages people remember most.

5.) The Fed Tries Twitter: And finally, the Federal Reserve took to Twitter to clear up its much-maligned messages and image. We say bravo, Fed. If Twitter marketing can work for Charlie Sheen, then anything is possible!