Pros and Cons of Pre-Roll vs. In-Banner Video Ads

  banners, Emily, in-banner, in-banner video, online advertising, pre-roll, Video      0 comments    Posted on August 22, 2012 by Emily

The days and weeks until November are dwindling and campaign spending is ramping up rapidly. There has been a lot of speculation recently about how to utilize online advertising - specifically for video - in the crucial final stretch leading up to November 6. Is it pre-roll or bust? But what if that's all sold out? How does in-banner video work? Is that a viable alternative? 

Read on for our pros and cons of pre-roll and in-banner video! 

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Twitter Doghouse

  app, Emily, Ruby on Rails, twitter, Twitter Doghouse      0 comments    Posted on July 30, 2012 by Emily

The Olympics started this weekend, which means our collective Twitter feeds are suddenly inundated with Olympics-from-every-angle coverage. Not so into it? Check out the new "Twitter Doghouse" app, which allows you to unfollow fellow tweeters for scheduled periods of time. You can use Twitter Doghouse to (a) jokingly call out obnoxious behavior (and, if you want, ping said tweeps to let them know you've "doghoused" them) or (b) seriously avoid Twitter-centric events of limited interest to the non-involved (Think "SXSW").

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Start your week off right: Bacon Bourbon Brownies [RECIPE!]

  bacon, bourbon, brownies, chocolate, Emily, recipes      0 comments    Posted on June 18, 2012 by Emily

Three of our favorite things come together in one amazing recipe that will leave you wondering if you’re eating a brownie, a handful of bacon or a shot of bourbon. Good news: It’s all three in one delicious concoction!

Bacon Bourbon Brownies. Let's start this week of right, you guys. 

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Time to filter that Gmail inbox!

  Emily, filters, gmail, hacks, inbox      0 comments    Posted on May 31, 2012 by Emily

At Blueprint, we think - and write - a lot about how to be more productive, safe, and organized in our web usage. (What, us, anal?) So imagine our delight when we stumbled upon this delightful guide to a series of Gmail hacks to "make life easier on you and the people you communicate with." Sold. First up? Ungunking your Inbox. 

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Does Facebook like Republicans more than Democrats?

  Emily, facebook, FB PAC, fundraising, Influence Explorer, political action committee, sunlight      0 comments    Posted on May 8, 2012 by Emily

Bucking the trend - or at least the perception - that technology companies are more closely aligned with the Democratic Party than the GOP, Facebook’s Political Action Committee "FB PAC" contributed slightly more to Republican politicians during the 1st quarter of 2012 than to Democrats. So does this mean that Facebook "likes" (ha!) Republicans more than Democrats? 

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A handy guide to Instagram filters

  Emily, facebook, instagram, photography      0 comments    Posted on April 10, 2012 by Emily

I wanted to write a rant about how its recent acquisition by Facebook can/will ruin my beloved Instagram. And/or all the thoughtful things one could do with a billion dollars. But I'm trying to come from a peaceful and productive place, so I present you instead with The Atlantic's handy guide to Instagram's various filters (via Lifehacker). Share it with your mother, share it with your teenage cousin. Share it with the babies. If Facebook usage is any indication, they'll be all over Instagram in no time. 

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Hunger Games marketing proves the odds are in digital's favor

  advertising, digital, Emily, marketing, social media, the hunger games      0 comments    Posted on March 20, 2012 by Emily

Selling a movie (like most things) used to be a snap. You had your print campaign, you ran some trailers in theaters and you poured money into a broadcast TV buy.

Today, that kind of campaign simply doesn't cut it. As evidenced by the recent (we'll call it masterful) promotion of the upcoming film "The Hunger Games," movie promotion increasingly lives on the web and relies on using social media and, according to The New York Times, a "blizzard of other inexpensive yet effective online techniques to pull off what may be the marketer’s ultimate trick: persuading fans to persuade each other."

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Facebook: the great equalizer

  adage, advertising, comscore, Emily, facebook, marketing      0 comments    Posted on March 5, 2012 by Emily

Of the more than 2,000 sites tracked by ComScore, Facebook is the most "evenly used." In October alone, Americans spent 136,000 cumulative years on Facebook. Wow. 

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"We can now literally target the household"

  digital ads, Emily, micro-targeting, targetblue      0 comments    Posted on February 21, 2012 by Emily

Political campaigns have long been slow to adopt the "latest" in Madison Avenue advertising tactics. It is a common joke (truth) that we are operating "10 years behind" commercial advertisers. The latest trend--micro-targeted online ads that can literally be served on the household level--is poised to change that as political campaigns, PACs and other interest groups match data on how consumers (AKA voters) behave both online and off and what charitable donations they make with voter registration records. 

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Blueprint's 1st Annual Oscar Poll

  Emily, oscars, poll      0 comments    Posted on January 24, 2012 by Emily

The Oscar nominees are out and - we must admit - we're kinda miffed and a bit disappointed. Where is Ryan Gosling?! Who actually saw Hugo? 

In the spirit of making this awards season slightly more fun, we're introducing our first annual Blueprint Interactive Oscar Poll. 

Let's get to the voting...

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