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Archive for June, 2013

Highlights – Links from the Blogads Network

by Paige Wilcox
Thursday, June 27th, 2013

No need for a case of FOMO this week. Here are some of the highlights of what’s been going on around the Blogads network:


Tom and Lorenzo take a look at the fashion of Mad Men’s season finale:

I’m not sure I can wait until the next and final season of these reviews!

Curbly provides 12 DIY pet accessory ideas:

My cat is going to love the DIY bow tie I have my eyes on.

IMBOYCRAZY lists out some life wisdom in the 113th installment of “The Blind Leading the Blind:”

This series is always such a treat.

IMBOYCRAZY’s Alexi Wasser also makes an appearance interviewing the cast behind The Kings of Summer on LadyGunn:

I can vouch for the movie: very entertaining and will make you want to build an insane tree house.

The ladies behind Betches Love This are featured in the NY Times Style section this week:

For anyone out of the loop, make sure to check out their extensive Betch List.

Hark, the responsive ad, a profound failure of imagination

by Henry Copeland
Monday, June 24th, 2013

There’s been lots of talk about responsive design for websites. If you’re not following the discussion, here’s the gist of the argument for responsive design: publishers should offer readers the same digital content everywhere, just repackaged and reformatted for different devices.

Google is pushing responsive design hard, arguing that ‘optimized’ sites will serve readers better by offering a uniform content experience. (Cynically, one might argue that Google has a strong interest in pushing publishers to push the same content out across multiple devices in various formats so the task of processing and presenting this information is simpler for Google if it’s not different across multiple devices.) The responsive design approach is cheaper for everyone too, since it means publishers don’t have to rethink their content strategies for each new device, just the formatting.

Now advertisers are beginning to explore ways to make their ads responsive. Build one ad, then tweak it automatically so it can run on a half-dozen form factors — desktop, iPad, mini, iPhone, XX and other tablets. You can see an example of one such solution here:

The idea of responsive ads seems silly to me. Imagine trying to build an ad that would “resize” automatically to run on TV, radio, glossy magazines and newspapers. In theory, this might be possible. But this strategy would result in least-common-denominator content, probably just chunks of black and white text. Though even this dumbed down ad wouldn’t work on radio, so maybe a transmitter could be constructed that would turn “responsively” this text into morse code.

Trying to resize both editorial and advertising reflects a giant failure of imagination. Just as the best web sites live and breath in the many dimensions that were unimaginable in the monochrome and two dimensional world of newsprint publishing, the best tablet and mobile sites someday will embody dimensions and colors and experiential textures that aren’t imagined in today’s world of desktop publishing and reading.

By definition, the best ads won’t be responsive; the best content and ads will be unfungible across devices because they’ll embody features that are unique to each tier of device. With this philosophy in mind, Blogads teams are busy working on new ad units that will be uniquely effective on tablets, rather than just resizing versions of desktop ad units. Watch this ever-mutating space to see what we come up with.

Hot Off the Presses – Links from the Blogads Network

by Paige Wilcox
Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

Here’s the hard-hitting news you missed this week from around the Blogads network:


Immaculate Infatuation provides the guide to Killing It This Summer:

Challenge accepted.

Betches Love This are ready for Anchorman 2:

Kristin Wiig as a potential love interest for Brick? Yes, please.

Pinterest Fail warns against the Hair Bow:

And yet, I’m still going to attempt this anyways.

Geeks Are Sexy showcases the trailer for The Lego Movie:

It took me a while to figure out if this was a joke or not. I’m 75% sure now that it’s not.

Tom and Lorenzo take a look at the cast of Man of Steel at the Taormina Festival:

I want to go to there.

Diversions – Links from the Blogads Network

by Paige Wilcox
Thursday, June 13th, 2013

There’s nothing wrong with taking a little break from your day to remind yourself why you love the Internet with the help of these posts from around the Blogads network:

Dlisted introduces its new site design:

Lookin’ good, Dlisted. Lookin’ good.

Betches Love This rank “The Betches of Games of Thrones:”

How are there so many characters on this show?!

CuteOverload captures Mango’s dinner:

I’m afraid something very bad happened right after that picture was taken.

WSWCM reveals their weekend plans:

I think this goes for weekday plans, too.

Dulce Candy shows how to “Earn Your Stripes:”

It’s jailbird-chic.

Summer Plans? – Links from the Blogads Network

by Paige Wilcox
Friday, June 7th, 2013

If you’re wondering how to fill the upcoming, hot summer days, these bloggers from around the Blogads network have some suggestions:

WSWCM shows how to appropriately show your vacation envy in the office:

You should probably deactivate your Facebook and Instagram accounts starting now to avoid the impending influx of soul-crushing vacation pics.

Comediva reveals “How to Get Lucky at a Wedding:”

Fail-proof guide for any summer weddings that you’ll be attending.

The Pintester announces The Pintester Movement:

You, too, can revel in the joy of failing at Pinterest DIYs.

LadyGunn reviews upcoming album releases this month:

This summer is definitely calling for some fresh tunes.

Apocalypstick provides the Patrick Batemen American Psycho workout routine:

I’m feeling beach-ready already. Now, someone pass me the guac.


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