The year “2017” looks more like something you’d see in the opening crawl of an 80’s sci-fi movie than the actual year, doesn’t it? The future is now, and nothing could illustrate that fact better than this year’s most mind-boggling, exciting, thought-provoking trends in technology. Here are a few of the technological projects you can expect to see in headlines for the rest of this year. Dreaming of Electric Sheep
We should probably start looking for a young John Connor, because prominent
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Gruen Agency: One of 2016’s Best Companies to Work For
When Kim Holen first arrived at Gruen Agency nearly seven years ago, it was still very much a classic Yellow Pages agency on the cusp of transitioning into the realm of digital marketing. The general manager has since witnessed a complete metamorphosis — not only in the way the business functions, but in how it’s structured. She’s a gatekeeper, finding the people that fill the bright office overlooking Minneapolis’ skyline. Those people were humbled to learn last month that their employer
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The DraftKings Dilemma: A Legal Case for Responsible SEO
Have you seen a commercial for DraftKings or FanDuel? The better question might be, how long has it been since you saw a commercial for DraftKings or FanDuel? The two hottest daily fantasy sports sites spent a combined $206 million on television ads alone between January 1 and October 5, 2015. For consumers and sports fans, DraftKings and FanDuel are practically inescapable. But with a meteoric rise in renown has come increased scrutiny, shining a spotlight on the need for responsible
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Gruen Agency Sponsors Ideas and Innovation at Startup Weekend Messina
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Last year, nearly 530,000 new businesses were started each month, and when all was said and done, 2014 represented the biggest year-over-year increase in startups in 20 years. That doesn't mean today's entrepreneurs don't face sincere, imposing challenges. With greater volume comes greater competition in a space already hotly contested. With mentors, resources, investors, and partnerships all on the line and demanding attention, it can be difficult
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Two Ways Facebook’s ‘Dislike’ Button Could Impact Brands (And One Way It Won’t)
One of the longest-running requests for Facebook is the “Dislike” button, a hypothetical counterpoint to the iconic “Like” button that would allow users to express their disagreement or discontent with a post. For the entirety of Facebook’s mainstream history, disapproval or dissatisfaction could only be expressed in comments or as an addendum while sharing the offending post. Facebook’s reasoning has been well-intentioned: negativity looks and feels very different to the receiver than it does
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Our Take: Comedy Central’s Clever Use of Google AdWords for Trevor Noah’s ‘Daily Show’
Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" has been entertaining the nation with political satire and commentary for just shy of 20 years. On Monday, September 28, South African comedian Trevor Noah steps behind the desk that Jon Stewart built. And in a digital world where content is king, Stewart--the eviscerator, exposer, and destroyer--was an undisputed king of content. So how do you hype an audience that fell head over heels in love with Stewart for a relative newcomer who could change the format or
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Gmail Sponsored Promotions Give Incredible Value to Advertisers, But Not for Long
For advertisers and digital marketers in the know, Gmail Sponsored Promotions (GSP) have become a favorite for cost-effective lead generation and brand awareness since the private beta kicked off a couple years ago. The big boon here is how GSP approaches native advertising, matching the form and function of the associated platform. That platform is Gmail inboxes--specifically, beneath the Promotions tab. Appropriately, GSP ad units look and behave like the emails beneath them, right down to
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5 Insider Tips for Facebook Advertising, from Facebook Itself
40 million small businesses are on Facebook, but only 2 million of them are using Facebook’s built-in advertising. If you’re a social media marketer with experience in Facebook for Business, you’ve probably enjoyed the rich spoils of this relatively unexplored territory. Clickthrough rates are high, cost-per-conversion is outperforming paid search advertising (in places, several times over), and Facebook’s familiar aesthetic allows for compelling ad copy and images to act in concert. The
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Three Google I/O 2015 Announcements that Could Impact Your Business
Since 2008, Google has used its annual I/O conference to give software developers, engineers, and other tech-oriented folks a glimpse at the near and distant futures of Google products, services, and technologies. Recent years have been the debut stage for everything from Google Glass to Google Cardboard, with dozens of developments in-between. Yesterday's I/O 2015 keynote placed a great emphasis on Android and how Google's smartphone OS will be optimized and reinvented in the months and years
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What Google’s Art, Copy & Code Team Can Teach Us About an Advertising Revolution
A revolution in advertising is taking place. It might not surprise you to hear Google is at the forefront. Google’s Art, Copy & Code team intrigued us after attending a Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) event held in our very own building, the International Market Square. We thank Google’s Vikram Tank (@vikramtank) for providing an illuminating picture into what's next for advertising. There are some takeaways about the future of advertising we’d like to share with you, but
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