Zappos.com is one of the companies, which recognize that aspiring creative minds can be a powerful force for the business, and so it does its best to support new talents. The online retailer kicked off a new initiative called Emerging Designer Program to help young designers get their lines selling at the major retailer’s store. The same idea lies behind the contest launched recently by Walmart, which also encouraged people to submit their creations for a change to get them sold at the supermarket.

Procter&Gamble, which is the global Olympics sponsor, is launching a new digital campaign dubbed 1 Thank You = 1 Chance to Win as extension on its ‘Thank You Mum’ activity dedicated to support Olympic athletes (the ‘P&G Thanks, Mom’ was launched back in 2010). The effort was kicked off yesterday, March 5, in the UK ahead of Mothers’ Day celebrated on March 18—it is expected to roll across other markets on respective national days.

L’Oréal Paris has tapped another beautiful lady, fashion super-model Natasha Poly, as its new international spokeswoman. The company, which has collaborated with a roster of fashion, music and cinema celebrities, including Doutzen Kroes, Claudia Schiffer, Gwen Stefani, Patrick Dempsey, Jane Fonda, Hugh Laurie and Beyoncé Knowles to name but a few, invited 26-year old Poly to represent its promotional efforts. The new ambassadress is a truly great fit for the company, considering her impressive career—after winning a modeling competition in Moscow at the age of 15, Poly collaborated with over 54 fashion houses, including leading international brands such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel and Valentino.

Google has announced a contest called Pwnium at the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver this month. It would give out rewards worth up to $1 million to anyone who can hack its Chrome web browser. The contest is a kind of CanSec’s annual Pwn2Own competition, where IT-minds are challenged to hack targeted web browsers and mobile operating systems. The Pwn2Own competition kicks off on March 7. 

Sprite has launched a new campaign dubbed ‘Uncontainable Game’ in a very Nikeish style, encouraging young consumers to share their dedication to sport. The new marketing effort, which was launched last night during NBA All-Star weekend in the USA, stars legendary basketball players Kobe Bryant and LeBron James along with Andrea Bargnani of Italy, Al Horford of the Dominican Republic, Omri Casspi of Israel and Serge Ibaka of the Republic of Congo, and is considered the largest global campaign Sprite has ever executed since this effort is to be launched across 27 countries. Ad Age reports that “Sprite plans to carry the program into at least 2014.

Red Bull, the energy drink brand known for its bold nature, is inviting the USA feel the spirit of Venice to the American environment. On April 14, the brand will be hosting a hilarious competition Red Bull Candola for the second year running on the New River in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where a maximum of 30 teams of three will be rowing in safe and nature-friendly entirely human-powered boats made from or inspired by Red Bull cans. Not for speed records, but for fun.