Not sure if you're being facetious, but recent versions of Ubuntu have included by default an advertisement for Landscape (not Launchpad, mea culpa):

http://www.ralree.com/2011/11/25/removing-advertising-from-u...

If this is no longer the case that's great. :)

/etc/motd is a script that generates the motd on any somewhat vrecent version of ubuntu, it is not just that static file. On ubuntu server, one of the things it includes is an ad for landscape. you won't see it on Ubuntu desktop.