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By Vlad Vidaeff   Twitter, are you ready for some football?  The NFL and Twitter have recently announced a streaming partnership for Thursday Night Football games.  This blog will discuss the terms of the agreement and what it means for the struggling social media network.  In the past, I have been critical of Twitter for several proposed or implemented changes to its platform.  In this case, I whole-heartedly support Twitter’s effort to make live TV an important aspect of its strategy moving forward. (more…) (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   As a full-service boutique advertising agency, The REFUGE Group offers a vast array of marketing services ranging from traditional marketing to digital marketing and public relations/events.  Under the digital marketing umbrella, one of our core competencies is the analytics services that we provide to our clients.  This blog will give you a preview of the way in which we provide key metrics on a weekly basis. (more…) (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   LinkedIn has been the haven for B2B marketers for quite some time.  Known as the “Facebook for professionals,” the network’s active users are mostly professionals in a variety of industries.  Along with individual profiles, many companies have company pages on LinkedIn.  Given its user base, LinkedIn has recently introduced LinkedIn Account Targeting.  This blog will discuss how companies can run effective account-based marketing campaigns by using this new tool. (more…) (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   Looking back on the technological innovation that has taken place during my lifetime alone is remarkable.  Here’s a snapshot of what things were like when I was a kid: I would log-on to the Internet using dial-up so I could IM with my friends; while I was online, our landline phone could not be used; loading a web page took so long that I would often read a magazine while I was waiting; cell phones resembled small bricks and the best part was playing snake; a couple years earlier, cell phones didn’t even exist; if I (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   The good old days of Facebook are long over.  The days where Facebook’s algorithm made it easy for brands to reach consumers with a significant reach are long gone.  Facebook’s current algorithm makes it essential to use Facebook advertising for successful advertising campaigns on the social network.  This blog will discuss Canvas, the recent full-screen ad experience built for mobile. (more…) (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   It’s no secret that Twitter has been in a state of flux lately: the company has been playing musical chairs with its executives, its stock price has plummeted, and it’s planning to eliminate its iconic 140-character limit.  In another major change, Twitter has recently introduced a ‘best Tweets first’ timeline.  This blog will discuss the features of this new update and whether it’s a solid decision for Twitter’s short-term and long-term growth goals. (more…) (more…)

It’s technically winter in Texas but we know that Houston doesn’t have a true cold season.  It’s early March and the temperature this week has been in the 70’s.  Unlike other parts of the country, winter and spring are perfect times to spend some time enjoying the outdoors.  This blog will touch on how outdoor cabinetry can help you create the perfect outdoor kitchen. (more…) (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   If you’ve ever watched a video online, you’re familiar with Flash.  Flash is the software provided by Adobe that allows you to watch a video on your device.  If you’ve used Flash, you are also familiar with the constant need to download updates and new versions of the software.  This is not due to constant innovation on the part of Adobe.  It’s due to the frequent bugs and other errors that make patches a necessity.  Along with several other heavy hitters, Google has announced that it will no longer support Flash.  This blog will explore the (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   One of the aspects of Twitter that has made it so iconic and different from any other social media platform is its 140-character limit.  Along with creating the use of hashtags, the character limit has become synonymous with Twitter.  It has also had a major impact on how users and brands communicate on the platform.  Due to the character limit, you have to be concise and brief in getting your message across.  All of this is set to change.  Twitter has announced that it will axe the character limit and institute a new character limit of (more…)

By Vlad Vidaeff   Ali vs. Frazier.  McDonald’s vs. Burger King.  Wal-Mart vs. Target.  Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi.  Apple vs. Amazon?  It’s safe to say that you’re probably not human if you’ve never purchased anything from Apple or Amazon in your life.  The retail giants have become so large that they now compete in some of the same circles.  One of those circles is streaming media.  Competition breeds competition and neither heavyweight wants to lay down.  This blog will discuss Amazon Prime’s omission from Apple TV. (more…) (more…)