Digital happenings this week from LinkedIn, FT, Nandos and more

Real-estate focused creative shop BlackArc Ogilvy has launched a digital unit to service Chinese real estate companies. The new BlackArc OgilvyOne Organisation (BAOOO) will provide digital marketing, customer relationship management and one-to-one marketing services. 

The Financial Times (FT) has launched a new web app for the Indian market. Targeting new readers in the country, the app grants users free access to all homepage stories and features the latest Indian and international business news and analysis. WSJ has also launched a new game app on Facebook testing readers' ability to identify top business and political news makers across the region. The new apps confirm both publications' commitment to communicating the respective titles' content across digital platforms. 

Business-to-business social media giant Linked-In has lost its global managing director of marketing solutions after just 14 months. Moving forward, Clive Punter is reportedly looking to work with businesses and private equity houses as a consultant. Punter joined Linked-In in August 210 from CBS and was promoted to his global role in January.

Fast food chain Nandos has appointed Blugrapes as its social media consultancy following a closed door pitch in October. The agency will be responsible for all social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, as the well as Nandos' year-end campaign focusing on social engagements and new store openings.  

According to the IAB/PWC Quaterly Ad Spend Report, online advertising spend in New Zealand has increased 26 per cent year-on-year and 5.3 per cent on the second quarter. Cross media efficiencies, online video, social media and internet access from mobile devices are some of the main drivers behind the growth that is forecast to grow to an annual spend of US$300 million. Search and directories returned the highest growth.

Coca-Cola has appointed Shanghai-based Luxury Box as digital agency-of-record for its bottled water brand Ice Dew on the Mainland. Luxury Box is a branding and interactive agency under McCann Worldgroup and will take responsibility for the digital engagement strategy, creative and implementation for Ice Dew in 2012.

Nescafe has launched its largest-to-date digital drive in terms of scale and duration in China. In partnership with OgilvyOne, the four-month 'Live out your boldness' campaign consists of a social media programme and website targeting China's young adults. The campaign is being rolled out across two phases with the first releasing video stories of individuals that have chosen to live beyond social norms.

Leading Japanese social network Mixi has partnered with Twitter on new products, business services and advertising opportunities. The two social networks will reportedly only work together on special occasions, the first of which is a Christmas-themed app called Mixixmas.