Another crazy week has come to an end, and that means we are armed and ready with a chunky list of the best in online management, social media marketing and digital engagement news. Sit back and enjoy our 5 things you might have missed.

1.) Ferris is Saved: That long-awaited and much-discussed Matthew Broderick/Ferris Bueller Honda ad finally saw the light of day online just days ahead of its Super Bowl debut. The result? Ferris and the humor from the ’80s may not have aged all that well, but those of us from the John Hughes generation are sure to make this clip a viral hit.

2.) Let the iPad 3 Rumors Begin: As the Super Bowl passes and a predictable awards season slumps towards the finish line, America needs something to look forward to. Thankfully, the hubbub around the spring iPad 3 should do the trick. The usual fever pitch of crazy is happening, proving even without Steve Jobs, new Apple products can still stir up a PR frenzy.

3.) Komen Foundation Flails on Facebook: Oh goodness. We’re doubt you missed this story if you own a computer and have logged on Facebook at all this week. Nevertheless, it is listworthy for proving how fast bad news travels in the age of social media. The Susan G. Komen Foundation announced it would sever its ties with Planned Parenthood this week and within hours the story exploded on Facebook and was trending topic on Twitter. Komen thus far isn’t backing down and Planned Parenthood supporters are already on the defensive. Look to Facebook to continue serving as the battleground for this hotly-debated topic.

4.) A New Kind of Bear Tale: A new interactive documentary, Bear 71 makes the list for showing how technology, Internet marketing and viral content can be used to make provocative points while drawing attention to important issues. Bear 71 hopefully is the wave of the future for online marketing of documentaries that normally get lost in the blockbuster shuffle.

5.) Back in the Groove: Another ’80s favorite is back for the Super Bowl — Madonna! The original Queen of Pop returned with a full-court media blitz this week and was everywhere from Leno to Google+ and beyond. Madonna at 53 is still an innovator when it comes to pushing her brand in new ways and we’re happy to have her back.

Google+, which continues to roll out cool features for brand pages, still hasn’t quite won the hearts of social media experts. Despite its fast sign-up process and easy access to millions of users, many marketers have been slow to hop on the Google+ bandwagon. But maybe Barack Obama’s fondness for the platform will change their minds.

Yesterday, the president let the people interview him about issues and topics sprung from last week’s state of the union address. He answered questions submitted to Google+ and YouTube. According to Google and the White House, 227,000 users sent in 133,000 questions and cast 1.6 million votes to determine which of the questions the president would answer. The event was broadcast via video stream on the White House website, YouTube and in an exclusive Google+ Hangout. The prez and his team know how to rock social media and have done this kind of Internet Q&A before, the last time being a Twitter town hall over the summer. So it’s an eyebrow raiser when Team Obama takes to a relatively new platform like Google+ Hangouts.

That said, we can certainly see the appeal of Hangouts. Hangouts, in case you haven’t heard, are Google+’s true leg up on the social media competition and sponsored brand Hangouts are another trend we’re bound to see more of this year. Hangouts allow an invited group to get together and chat through live-streaming video. These state-of-the-art get togethers connect users instantly and “face to face.” For brands, organizations and politicians, this kind of access and back and forth is worth its weight in gold. Marketing magazines and blogs have been pondering the branded possibilities for Hangouts for months and it looks like the White House has yet again blazed another social media trail.

So, readers, tell us — are you still resisting Google+ and, if so, why? Let’s Hangout in the comment section below!

Perhaps you’re just dipping your toes into the blog creation and blog marketing pool. It might appear as though by blogging for your business, your blog probably wont be seen by very many people beyond your devoted group of followers. Maybe. But maybe not. Thanks to the easy practice of Twitter marketing, your blog could develop a long and far-reaching life — one that could even lead to big-time book deals.

Okay, so we can’t promise that people will want to buy your book based on your blog about shoe repair, but hey, crazier things have happened, right? In fact, we’ve seen dozens of writers and small brands catapult their blogs into big deals just by diligently using Twitter. Twitter, with its limited characters and lightening-fast results, takes well-read blogs and gives them the instant satisfaction treatment. Lots of super-popular blogging stars — like The Bloggess, for example — use Twitter to continue the conversations started on their blogs while chatting about new things that come up while live on Twitter. The Bloggess, thanks to her one-woman PR juggernaut on Twitter, has a hotly-anticipated memoir coming out this spring.

This pattern of blog to Twitter to book has become somewhat of a blueprint for new authors and wannabe Internet stars. So why couldn’t the brilliantly, witty thoughts you have on Twitter translate into a bestseller? But let’s say you don’t want to be the next David Sedaris; you just want people to find your blog and your company. Twitter can still totally help with that. Recently, I worked on a project with a staffing agency who wanted to use their blog to give job searching tips. I thought it was a great idea, but knew in order for the blog to get real traction, Twitter would have to be utilized. After some convincing, they now use Twitter to post new jobs, start conversations about career changes and direct folks back to their informative blog.

In the end, your company blog, even if it is about shoe repair, deserves to be read — and Twitter is a fantastic way to bring readers to you. And who knows… if you tweet with finesse, you could end up on the best seller list.

Social media experts like ourselves have been predicting the arrival of the branded social network for years. But the truth is many have tried but few brands have been able to inspire the kind of ongoing conversation and interaction needed to keep a social network alive. Yet Lego’s new attempt at branded social media might be just the thing to catapult the platform into mainstream popularity.

ReBrick is a little bit social, a little bit Pinterest, and 100 percent Lego. Lego is already one of the most photographed and shared brands on the Internet, so why not create a hub that serves as an exchange of all things awesomely Lego? And that is exactly what ReBrick intends to do. As a toy and iconic brand, Lego has always been about creating, so ReBrick highlights the best in Lego creations instead of the latest in Lego products. Mainly the project hopes to unite the millions of existing Lego-based communities that are spread all over the web. “Lego has a very strong and vibrant community, with hundreds of thousands of videos and many millions of pictures on online,” said Peter Espersen, Lego’s online community leader in an interview with Click Z News. “But they’re all distributed across hundreds of blogs and thousands of websites. It’s about giving fans the credit that they deserve and putting an amplifier to the interesting stuff they’re doing so everyone around the web can find it.” For Lego fans, ReBrick could prove to be the all-in-one stop for great ideas and creations from all over the web. For social media marketing gurus, the expansion of branded social networks could prove to be a challenge.

Granted, it takes a mega-brand like Lego to conquer its own social media platform but as niche networks expand, the need for the general social media management might diminish a tad. Custom-made social networks that speak directly to a vivid and enthusiastic audience are undoubtedly the wave of the future. And only time will tell how this will change the face of social media marketing.

Here’s a social media marketing experiment we invite you to try: Walk around your neighborhood, get the names of five or six small businesses and then Google them. We’re betting that most of the businesses have both a Facebook page, a website and a couple other social media accounts. And then there are surely a few that just have a website. But the most surprising finding will be companies that have solely a Facebook page, and we’re nearly positive that you’ll find a few of those. Relying solely on Facebook to get your company’s information out until you can afford a website is a big risk… plus it sounds crazy. But can it actually work?

Prompted by a late night craving, I recently discovered that the owners of my favorite neighborhood cupcake and frozen yogurt joint has clearly chosen to dive headfirst into Facebook until the website of their dreams can be built. The current website is just a “coming soon” page even though the business has been open for a number of months. The Facebook page, however, is a different story. The local business has chosen to use the page to list its hours, location and menu items. But beyond that, the page prominently features photos of crowds inside enjoying tasty treats, pictures of mouth-watering cupcake creations and status updates with new yogurt flavors. Not only do you get the basic “where are they and what time do they open” kind of information, but you also receive an updated, closer look at the company than a regular static website can really provide.

This neighborhood sweet spot isn’t alone in choosing to focus on Facebook first. Since 2009, big brands have been slowly moving away from marketing their websites to concentrate on Facebook marketing. This being said, traditional websites aren’t going anywhere. The point of social media marketing in the first place is to drive your followers back to your website. Proper Facebook management should always push readers to the website for more content. Websites are the digital hub of a brand and need to be capable of serving the masses. But until that awesome website can be built, Facebook is an effective — even tasty — alternative.

What a week! Between awards show cattiness, brand breakdowns and Internet shutdowns, there is no shortage of things to dish about. So let’s get right into all the latest online marketing news in a list we all know and love as our “Five Things You Might Have Missed.”

1.) Timeline App-valanche: In its short life, Facebook’s Timeline has been known for garnering a lot of resistance and headlines. We can now add apps to that list. Tons of blogs reported on the addition of Timeline apps this week because, love it or loathe it, Timeline is Facebook’s latest product and apps could be the next big thing in Facebook marketing.

2.) Lionel Richie, Free Speech Protector? This video from slick ad director Matthijs Volt may not have set out to say a lot about piracy and SOPA but by using dialogue from hit films (without permission) to recreate Lionel Richie’s hit “Hello” the video is the kind of thumbing of the nose the movement needs right now. Funny, brilliantly edited and released at a time of year when we celebrate film, this viral hit laughs at piracy laws and makes us smile, too.

3.) MINI is Red Hot and Social: The itty bitty car MINI has launched a giant Facebook campaign in which one of its cars is suspended on a hill by a rope with a Bunsen burner underneath, burning away at the rope. This crazy science experiment relies on Facebook page likes to release the car into the wild. Users who like the brand also get to check in on the car’s status.

4.) From Tart to Sour: This week, Pinkberry was the latest brand to hop onto to Twitter to put out a bad PR fire. Co-founder of the yogurt empire Young Lee was arrested after chasing down a transient and beating him with a tire iron. Company heads swiftly took to Twitter to state that Young has not been an active part of Pinkberry since 2010 and now serves solely as a stockholder. The company is desperately (and understandably) trying to distance itself from Lee, but given the amount of negative posts online, it might take more than a few tweets and a press release to make its image sweet again.

5.) Going Wiki-less: During the SOPA protests blackouts of Wednesday, many big websites shutdown services, and the most missed site had to be Wikipedia. Wiki withdraw proved how much we would miss uncensored unregulated information and the message was received loud and clear.

Here’s Lesson Numero Uno from Social Media Marketing 101: Followers might not always tell you when they’re happy, but expect your Facebook page and Twitter account to light up like a Christmas tree when they’re unhappy. East coast grocery store chain Wegmans is the latest brand to experience this lesson in real life — and at the center of the brouhaha is actor Alec Baldwin.

Back in December, 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin raised more than a couple of eyebrows after refusing to shut off his smartphone aboard an American Airlines flight. Señor Baldwin was in the middle of a Words with Friends game and told flight attendants that he simply wasn’t going to turn his device off. The flight crew booted Baldwin off and “planegate” was born.

Days after the event, Wegmans quietly pulled its holiday ads featuring Baldwin and his mother, a vocal Wegmans devotee and shopper. Wegmans would later say the spots were yanked because a “couple dozen” of people complained about them, but that was nothing compared to the couple hundred of folks who angrily wanted Baldwin back on the air. Facebook petitions as well as postings on Wegmans’ wall were quickly set into motion to get the final commercials aired. Imagine! People actually wanting to see a commercial? And with Alec Baldwin, who can already be seen in a quartet of omnipresent ads for Captial One?

Nevertheless, Wegmans listened and last week announced they would be airing the commercials in the response to the “numerous” complaints they had received. The family-owned chain worked quickly to make the whole mess disappear and released a statement saying, “Clearly, many more people support Alec, as evidenced by the hundreds and hundreds of tweets, emails and phone calls we have received. We enjoyed working with Alec Baldwin and his mom, Carol, and would do it again. We appreciate all the kind things they have said about Wegmans and respect the good work they do for communities.”

All’s well that ends well, and it seems neither Baldwin nor Wegmans is the worse for wear. But our question is this, dear readers: When do you respond to a social media backlash and when do you stick to your guns? Sound off below!

On today’s five-item menu: The White House serves up a meaty Twitter marketing topic, IKEA hosts a hot sleepover jam, a juicy burger from the dark side and so much more. Bon Appetit!

1.) Turning the Tide: Here in the U.S., many states have taken drastic measures to get rid of plastic grocery bags. Yet worldwide, the pesky polluters continue to be a problem. So in a wise effort to get shoppers to switch to reusable grocery bags, Tide came up with one you can write your shopping list on. This planet-friendly maneuver is also brand-friendly, as Tide’s logo is prominently displayed.

2.) Take a Bite of the Dark Side: This crazy-ass Darth Vader hamburger from France’s Quick fast food chain was on every blog this week. But in case you missed it, the restaurant came up with a “Dark Vador” burger to celebrate the release of the Phantom Menace in 3D. Notable for its black hamburger buns and strange-looking sauces, this burger might cause a travel frenzy to Paris from geeks hoping to get a taste before the promotional item goes away on March 1st.

3.) Facebook Fan Slumber Party: IKEA once again took the Facebook page to another level when it held a sleepover in one of its stores in the U.K. 100 lucky followers on Facebook got to spend the night in Swedish retail slumber with massages, bedtime stories and goody bags. And IKEA took the opportunity to promote its line of mattresses and bedding.

4.) That Bag Can Talk: Tostitos debuted an unlikely but very likable spokesperson this week: a talking bag. In a series of ads that are getting a lot of play online, the bag talks about being dip worthy and entertains a group of football fans. It’s funny advertising for the snack crowd and it signals the arrival of the upcoming Super Bowl advertising-pollooza.

5.) The White House Pours a #40: This week, the White House took to Twitter to ask followers, “What can you buy with #40dollars?” The topic, which was launched in response to Congress’ rejection of a tax cut that would have put an extra $40 on American’s paychecks, became a hashtag which developed into a lively conversation between Washington and Twitter users. While detractors say the administration is out of touch with Americans, it can’t be argued how well they keep in touch with voters using social media.

Look out Kardashians and Ashton, there’s a new Twitter sensation in town. Rupert Murdoch joined Twitter recently. The 80-year-old mogul who once poo-pooed the Internet as a place solely for predators and porn, has joined the ranks of celebrities, politicians and big brands in trying to use Twitter marketing to help re-invent his image. See, 2011 wasn’t so kind to Murdoch, and Twitter is a great way to have a friendly chat with tweeps to say “Hey, I’m just like you — just richer!”

The billionaire scooped up more than 40,000 followers in less than 48 hours and looked like he was taking to Twitter like a Jersey Shore star takes to spray tanning. Yet it wasn’t long until Murdoch got a taste for how quickly the Twitter tides can turn.

Yesterday Murdoch tweeted “Maybe Brits have too many holidays for a broke country!” in reference to England’s many winter holidays. As it usually rolls in TwitterLand, it only took a few minutes for Murdoch to get flooded with angry replies. Even his wife tweeted, “RUPERT!! delete tweet!!” Punsters, critics and tweeps filled with UK pride all lined up to smack Murdoch for his comment. Later, his wife defended him saying, “”EVERY1 @rupertmurdoch was only having a joke PROMSIE!!!” While Murdoch himself lamented “I’m getting killed for fooling around here and friends frightened what I may really say!”

Still, it wasn’t a total loss: The media mogul again apologized and quickly turned the tables by answering questions from followers and sharing his New Year’s resolutions. Good for you, Rupert! While we can’t commend all of Murdoch’s business practices, we have to give the old dude props for being himself on social media.

Twitter marketing specialists often see this kind of thing happen to business owners. We help clients smooth over these kinds of Twitstorms on a fairly regular basis, and can tell you this: The smart move isn’t to hop off of Twitter but to keep tweeting and keep communicating.

What we marketers love about social media marketing is the immediate opportunities to connect with our customers. But the line of communication works both ways. When consumers are unhappy campers, the first they do is voice their grievances on sites like Twitter and Facebook. The New York Times is the latest brand to be on the receiving end of a Twitter attack from ticked off readers.

Things at the New York Times got messy yesterday when an accidental spam email wound up in the inboxes of 8 million subscribers. The solicitation message, which asked readers to reconsider their home delivery service, was originally intended for only a small group of subscribers. Recipients of the email took to Twitter to ponder if the New York Times had been hacked, while others hopped on the networking site to voice their displeasure at getting such a message. Soon the Times and the whole mess was a top trending topic and big news story.

Digital missteps like this one are pretty serious, so the interest was high yesterday to see how the company would rectify its mistake. The Times quickly responded to the tweets, assuring readers that the message was just spam and that it should be deleted. The tweets back and forth showed that the Times was listening to its following and responding to the issue with the latest developments. By the end of the day on Wednesday, the PR team from the Times had put out the Twitter fire and business went on as usual.

The fact is that technical screw ups and miscommunications are bound to happen. And people are bound to get upset about said screw ups. But there’s a proper way to handle them and the NYT, as far as we can tell, did just that. So, readers, share with us: Did you get one of those messages from the Times? Have you ever had a brand reach out to you on Twitter to fix a complaint? Let us know!