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Microsoft has launched the Microsoft Advertising Story Awards, tasking marketers from 30 countries with submitting a campaign idea for a brand or non-profit using Microsoft Advertising’s storytelling platforms.

If online search results are slowed by even a fraction of a second, people search less – a 400ms delay leads to a 0.44% drop in search volume. And impatience isn’t just limited to search, as four out of five online users will keeping on clicking away if a video stalls while loading.

Every second, one hour of video is uploaded to Google’s YouTube. That equates to a decade’s worth of footage every single day. Or, in 10 days, an entire video century.

The video-sharing website has lots more time-bending stats it wants to communicate. Which is why the Google Data Arts team has joined forces with digital production outfit Punk & Butler to develop a new website, onehourpersecond.com, with illustrations by Alex Eben Meyer.

Artist will.i.am – aka Intel’s director of creative innovation – is gearing up for world tour as part of the Intel Ultrabook Project, writes Mark Terry. The 12-city, 12-month tour, which will kick off in Mexico City at the end of the month, will deliver a dozen original pieces of music inspired by the cities will.i.am visits, and 10,000 downloads of each piece of music will be available exclusively on the Intel.com website.

Brands just can’t get enough of musicians when it comes to hiring creative talent. Polaroid boasts Lady Gaga as its creative director, car maker Lotus has appointed rapper and DJ Swizz Beatz vp of creative design and global marketing – the artist also holds the same position over at Reebok – and last year, Puma recruited Professor Green as its Puma Social Ambassador, says Maria Stadtmuller.

There are two major issues facing the evolution of the Internet. One hinders the enjoyment of the consumer. The other prevents companies from really engaging with their customers digitally, says Giles Ivey*.

The first problem is caused by clutter. The content of media websites is being swamped by advertising to such an extent that it’s turning off viewers. Over-saturation of online advertising has eroded consumer trust.