Interpublic Group is a global marketing communications company that invested $5 million for stake in Facebook. This gave them less than half a percent in the social networking company. Recently they sold that stake for $133 million in a privately negotiated transaction. In five years, half a percent of Facebook stock gave the communications company a $128 million in profit. Wow.

Joanne Bradford, Chief Media Officer of MSN is leaving Microsoft to join Spot Runner.  The MSN network receives 465 million unique users per month.  Before Chief Media Officer, Bradford was corporate VP of Global Sales and Marketing.  She was also the Chief Media Revenue Officer and in 2001, Bradford was VP and Director of BusinessWeek’s advertising sales divison. 

In the meantime, Greg Nelson, a 12 year team member of Microsoft will lead the MSN team.  Nelson was a GM of MSN.com International beforehand.  As of a month ago, Bradford reported to Steve Berkowitz.  Berkowitz will be leaving later this year as well.

Spot Runner was founded by Nick Group and David Waxman.  These two created Firefly Network Inc, a company that Microsoft acquired in 1998.  Firefly had the technology that was used as the foundation for Microsoft Passport. 

Spot Runner is a company to buy 30 second TV ads online.  Investors include Battery Ventures, Index Ventures, WPP, Interpublic Group, and CBS.

[Image credit: Microsoft PressPass]