Fable & Spirit Honored as Best New Restaurant at 2019 Golden Foodie Awards

Longtime O.C. restaurateurs Darren and Jean Coyle and their team were honored Sunday as their new Fable & Spirit in Newport Beach was named Best New Restaurant at the 2019 Golden Foodie Awards.

Fable & Spirit has been the subject of much buzz since it opened in summer, a sister restaurant to the Coyles’ much-lauded Dubin 4 Gastropub, as well as Wineworks for Everyone, both in Mission Viejo. Be sure to catch a full review of Fable & Spirit in the November of Orange Coast magazine.

At Orange Coast, we’re glad to have our nose to the ground in the O.C. food community, as many of the winners this year have been included in our magazine over the past year or two.

Chef John Park of Toast was named 2019 Chef of the Year. Ross Pangilinan of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar and Terrace by Mix Mix was among those nominated for Chef of the Year. Pangilinan had won the 2017 Best New Restaurant award, and was named 2018 Rising Star Chef of the Year.

Illustration by Melinda Josie

Chef Shachi Mehra of Adya of was named 2019 Rising Star Chef of the Year. Mehra, above, who recently also won the top prize on an episode of Food Network’s popular competition show “Chopped,” was profiled in a 2016 Orange Coast feature on prominent women in some of Orange County’s busiest kitchens.

Photo credit: Ralph Palumbo

At Five Crowns in Corona del Mar, the staff earned the Golden Foodie award for Best Service. The five women who keep the 64-year-old restaurant thriving were featured in an Orange Coast profile in August.

Photo credit: Lily Fassnacht

Acclaimed bar guru Ravin Buzzell at CDM Restaurant was named bartender of the year. He was profiled in Orange Coast‘s July Best of Orange County cover feature.

Photo credit: Mariah Tauger

Blind Rabbit in Anaheim, on the cover of Orange Coast in 2018 for a feature on Hidden O.C., took home an award for best cocktail for a drink called “The wait for it.”

The Golden Foodie Awards were created to honor the best chefs, libations, and cuisine of chef-driven and independent restaurants in Orange County. For a full list of nominees and winners, visit the Golden Foodies website.

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Federal Judge Set to Sentence Chinese Fugitive in Birth Tourism Case

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Civic Center Skyhawk Now Located at OC Fairgrounds

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UPDATE: Huntington Beach Film Festival Rolls With Another Venue Change

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AGENTS’ ORANGE: the Unabridged Political History of Orange County, 1960 – 2000. PART ONE.

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Trashcan Sinatras at The Coach House – 10/4

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Toke of the Week: Bloom Farms CBD Vape Cartridges

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OC & Long Beach Brewers Win Big at the First California Craft Brewers Cup—What the Ale!

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Is Manny Escamilla the Progressive Candidate That Can Win in Santa Ana?

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Orange county Sign Company NEWS

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Touchy Subject: Sex Therapist’s Unusual Path Uncovers Intimate Problems–And Surprises

Sex therapist Stephanie Buehler. Photo credit: Jason Wallis

 

Just to be clear: No sex occurs in a sex-therapy session. “I had one guy who asked, ‘So what do you do, exactly? Do you stand there with a clipboard and a stopwatch and watch us have sex?’ No! I do not want to watch you have sex!” Buehler says with a laugh. “That is definitely not part of my job. There’s absolutely no touching or disrobing in my office.”

While actual sex isn’t part of her job description, Buehler’s extensive knowledge on the subject has manifested in a successful career.

In her 20th year of practice as a psychologist and certified sex therapist at the Hoag Pelvic Health Program, Buehler regularly sees clients, speaks at national and international conferences, has written four books, and operates The Buehler Institute—a continuing education program on sex therapy. We talked with Buehler about her experience as a professional “sexpert.”

You previously worked as an elementary school teacher in downtown L.A. before becoming a psychologist. That’s quite a career change! What made you pursue sex therapy?

I decided I wanted to be a psychologist, and when I was earning my doctorate, I started to work with an endocrinologist. And the endocrinologist said, “You know, people come in all the time to get their hormones tested to try and figure out why they don’t have any sexual desire. And if you learn sex therapy, I can send them to you, because most don’t have any problems with their hormones.” I thought, “Well, that sounds interesting.” I’ve been doing (sex therapy) ever since.

What is the path to becoming a sex therapist?

There’s no degree yet for sex therapy, and no license for it. You have to have at least a master’s degree or doctorate and be licensed as a psychotherapist, and then you get additional training on your own. I’m certified with the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. It requires 150 hours of education, 50 hours of supervision, 300 clinical hours, and a few other requirements to get that certification.

What does occur in a typical sex therapy session?

Most people don’t know how to have a sit-down at the kitchen table, using adult language, about what they need sexually. I create a space that’s safe, where people don’t feel judged, and where they can open up and learn how to have productive conversations about sex.

You treat a wide range of sexual problems. Is there an issue you see often?

I would say the most common issue is mismatched sexual desire. And that happens a lot: One person has higher desire than the other, and people sometimes treat it as a disaster. But it isn’t. It’s a very common issue.

How much can an unhappy sex life affect a person?

It’s huge! This quote sums it up well: When a couple’s sex life works, it accounts for 15 percent to 20 percent of their relationship satisfaction, but when it doesn’t work, it accounts for 50 percent to 70 percent of their dissatisfaction (from “Rekindling Desire” by Barry and Emily McCarthy). Sexual dissatisfaction is cited as one of the top reasons couples divorce.

Other than unsatisfying sex lives, what sexual problems in our society concern you most today?

More recently, the orgasm gap between men and women. About 75 percent of women do not have an orgasm with intercourse, and yet we act as if it’s the norm to have (one). We have all of these role models—whether it’s in film or “Game of Thrones” or something—where with traditional intercourse, the woman is having an orgasm, and that’s just not true. I think a lot of couples and women are puzzled by this and sometimes feel inadequate. It’s OK for women to figure out how they can have pleasure. There’s not just one way, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

What situations have most surprised you in your 20 years of practice?

I think what surprises me is how many people today are wanting to explore open relationships and open marriages. There have been various social experiments in the U.S. with open marriage, and if it works, that’s great. But the thing that saddens and surprises me is how many people think that’s going to be a solution to an already rickety relationship.

What does your husband think about your work?

He thinks it’s great! He gets bragging rights with his friends—“I’m married to a sex therapist.” He’s a very humorous person, so I can’t even imagine the kinds of jokes that he thinks up when I’m not around. I probably don’t want to know!

What do you think is Orange County’s biggest problem with sex?

I would say it’s chasing after the Orange County dream and having a hard time balancing that with having a healthy sex life. So many couples come in and say, “We don’t have time for sex.” If you’re working 50 or 60 hours per week and are a helicopter parent on top of that, you’re not going to have any time left for sex. Sometimes, it really is getting people to look at their lives and reset their priorities.

Can you give advice to readers about when to consider seeing a sex therapist?

I think the big one is if a couple is fighting about their sex life and they seem to fight about it a lot; stop fighting and call somebody and get some help, because it’s here and it’s available. Another would be if one of you is dissatisfied with your sex life. That’s serious! Sex is not a trivial thing, and it shouldn’t be marginalized. Don’t be embarrassed if it’s something you want to address in your life. It’s an important part of your life. If you had migraine headaches, you would not hesitate to find a doctor and get treatment. But for some reason, if you have issues with mental health or your sex life, there’s sometimes a stigma or not wanting to spend the money on therapy.

The post Touchy Subject: Sex Therapist’s Unusual Path Uncovers Intimate Problems–And Surprises appeared first on Orange Coast Magazine.

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Danika Brysha’s Health Journey Led Her to Create Model Meals

Photo credit: John Gilhooley

 

Newport Beach native and Model Meals founder Danika Brysha struggled with her relationship with food before trying the Whole30 diet when she moved to New York for plus-size modeling in 2014. Among the many health benefits she experienced from eliminating inflammatory foods, Brysha also lost a significant amount of weight, effectively putting her out of work. She started cooking and selling Whole30 meals out of her studio apartment to make money, but the expenses put her further in debt. Brysha moved back to O.C. and into her parents’ garage in 2015 to create a Whole30 meal delivery service. Four years later, Model Meals has expanded across the country, and Brysha is modeling again for companies that include Talbots and Old Navy.

What major differences did you feel after you first tried Whole30?

I took Adderall after college to help me focus. I realized I was losing a lot of creativity and my personality with prescription drugs, so when I did Whole30, I got off them and I was able to focus better with food and sobriety. At the end of those 30 days, my mind was blown and everything became clear.

Why did you decide to make Model Meals nonsubscription-based?

We’re not a subscription because busy people who are ordering our meals don’t want to think about food. I don’t want you to have to worry about canceling a subscription. You can get four or 40 meals, and it’s a la carte so you can get whatever you need and it’s not like you’re locked into this thing for an endless amount of time. But we do have a subscription option if people email us for it.

How many meals are delivered each week?

Our menu changes weekly; we deliver anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 meals. We’re delivering to about 10 more states this year. Our Santa Ana kitchen is going to serve Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Whole30 focuses on eliminating foods that cause inflammation. Why is it important to avoid these types of foods?

Inflammation is what feeds disease in our body. Our gut is called our second brain because it impacts so much of how we feel. If we’re eating food that’s inflaming our body, we’ll run into all sorts of issues. The best thing you can do for yourself is to tune in to your body and notice how you feel when you eat something. It’s all about mindfulness.

How do you find balance with this plan?

I’m not always the perfect eater. I had fries today with my lunch because I wanted them. It took me a long time to give myself that permission. This whole wellness thing can go in the opposite direction and can make people feel shameful and like if they’re not doing it perfectly then they shouldn’t do it at all. But that shouldn’t be the case. I really like the phrase “progress not perfection.”

The post Danika Brysha’s Health Journey Led Her to Create Model Meals appeared first on Orange Coast Magazine.

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Detox, Heat, Repeat: Open Mind was Key to Releasing Stress and Battling Illness

Illustration by Hannah Agosta

 

It’s a rare human being who doesn’t relish a relaxing, rejuvenating afternoon at the spa. Self-care is a hard-to-come-by commodity in our climate of “rush, hurry, this needed to be done by yesterday.”

Picture a few hours alone—not speaking, texting, calling, or planning but spending your time on activities that nurture body, mind, and spirit. Imagining these concepts is about as far as many of us get.

To qualify: I am female. I eat healthy. I exercise regularly and am reasonably fit. However, I live on the coast, hedged in by beach bodies, so it’s always apparent I have room for improvement. The term “young” no longer applies to me, but “old” is far from reality as well. Bearing all this in mind, I savor any opportunity for a steamy lifting facial or a vigorous deep-tissue massage. And I’m at a point in my life where I’m not only concerned with external beauty but internal health, too.

I drive past O2 Wellness Center in San Clemente on a regular basis. Finally, sheer curiosity propelled me in there to perform all my usual investigative techniques: touring the facility with the owner, pocketing reading materials, returning home, researching on my own, and ruminating on my newly acquired information.

All the traditional spa accouterments are available at 02 Wellness, but this time I’m in the market for something unusual. I enter the center toting a litany of complaints. A lethal sinus infection, a hacking cough, an unrelenting headache, and a runny yet chapped nose. Waging war with this illness has me feeling polluted, irritable, and desperate for a new solution since my ideas aren’t panning out. So, I toss aside daily life’s travails to indulge in a few hours devoted to me.

I get a guided tour of all the services. While I toss back Dixie cups of oxygen-infused alkaline water, the guide answers questions. She’s honest, knowledgeable, and informative without ever being pushy. I’m like a kid at a fair, dying to hit all the rides.

I kick off the affair with a 30-minute ionic foot-detox bath. This bath produces positive and negative ions that echo through the body, removing toxins and rebalancing cellular energy. The pores in our hands and feet are the largest ones in our body. They soak stuff up, hence my cold, but they also readily purge stuff back out. Since I’m on my feet for eight hours a day, sitting still with my feet submerged in warm, salty water is nirvana. Watching the water turn colors as the “ick” is leeched out of me is beyond fascinating.

I move on to the sauna. Traditional dry saunas heat the air to an astronomical 220 degrees. Not here. This infrared sauna goes from 110 to 150 degrees. It heats the body from the inside. Because of this, my core body temperature rises slowly, resulting in a deeper and more detoxifying sweat.

I love being toasty. I lie on my back, lights off. I take deep yoga breaths, in and out, slowing my heart rate. My sinuses and lungs feel less mucked up. Pinpricks of sweat arise on my body. The heat is caressing rather than stifling. During the last few minutes, I scrunch my body into a compact ball then stretch it back out, over and over. My tightly wound natural state is no longer present. Instead, I’m limber, supple, and pliable.

It is in my final treatment when I see how the order of services is significant. Entering the hydration booth after exiting the sauna is blissful. Now my body is treated to a warm, ultrafine mist infused with activated oxygen and platinum, gold, silver, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Harking back to the days of the ancient Romans and Egyptians, the healing properties and health benefits of precious metals are vast and numerous. Today, with our overprocessed food and environment, all of us are lacking—so bring it on!

For me, the booth mimics being underwater. The luminescent lights shift from aquamarine to violet to emerald. Cocooned in mist, I’m adrift at sea, every pore and cell greedily laps up the moisture. The light spray has a slightly metallic aroma, and I envision walking out with gleaming skin. All the sick is siphoned out of me, replaced with regenerated product.

As I curl up in an armchair in the lobby, I suck up a collagen shot through a golden straw. Remember my runny yet chapped nose? I do a five-minute nebulizing session with colloidal silver, breathing it in through both my nose and mouth, doubling down. Colloidal silver fights the good fight against bacteria, so the chapped area eventually disappears.

I’m a firm believer that positive attitude and outlook can affect an outcome. I pay attention when my body speaks. I trudged into the spa saddled with sickness but retained an open mind. I left there brimming with hope and faith in a new experience that I will definitely repeat.

The post Detox, Heat, Repeat: Open Mind was Key to Releasing Stress and Battling Illness appeared first on Orange Coast Magazine.

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Big Weekend Open Thread on Impeachment and Whatever! (commenting fixed!)

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Paddleboard Yoga Class On Dana Point Harbor Offers An Engaging Workout

Photograph courtesy of Visit Dana Point

The Workout
30 minutes of paddling on Dana Point Harbor and an hour of yoga practice on the board

The Details
Poses held on the moving surface engage more muscles.

Cost
$35 with board rental or $25 if you bring your own board

When
8 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month. Register at iheartyoga.org.

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A Serene Mid Century Gem in Laguna Beach

Originally published in Design O.C.

Surrounded by vegetation and overlooking the ocean, this secluded home reflects the owners’ love for modernism, nature and music.

Once part of a botanical garden, the lot on which this two-story house is located has the best of what Laguna Beach offers. Close to the ocean, but at the same time protected from the hustle and bustle, the 4,500-square-foot family residence was originally built in 1961 by renowned architect J. Herbert Brownell “to be suited to the physical environment, honestly expressing the use of simple materials, dramatic, warm in feeling and designed to function well for the intended purpose.”

Last year, Graham Architecture and Lucas Design Associates joined forces—for architecture and interior design, respectively—to adapt the house to its new owners. The couple, who have two young adult children, have a second home in Kauai, and aimed to reflect both their personalities and passions throughout the home while preserving the character of the original structure. “Our clients wanted to create a home that felt casual and showcased their love of nature, travel and modernist architecture,” says David Lucas, founding partner and creative director at Lucas Design Associates.

Remodeled with the objective of highlighting the dwellers’ collection of antique rugs, Indonesian wooden screens and antiques, the four-bedroom home goes against Southern California norms by featuring a dark palette. Textures were added through oak floors and cabinetry, natural stone patterned with fossils and blackened cedar combined with burnished concrete blocks and custom back-painted glass.

“We worked closely with the architect, Carlton Graham, and the clients to maintain the integrity of the existing floor plan, and intentionally kept the intimate scale of the home,” says David.

Inspired by the owners’ visits to the Schindler House and Eames House (in Los Angeles), the makeover of the four-bedroom house included the transformation of the indoor pool pavilion into a spacious master bedroom suite, the design of a custom 14-seat dining room table to comfortably host family and the preference for an indoor/outdoor living style. For example, the courtyard is now fit for spontaneous dance parties and entertaining.

Inside, everything was chosen to align with the owners’ taste, interests and personal experiences, including the many midcentury furniture pieces and the Quadraflex mono speaker from the 1950s, echoing the couple’s love for music. “You’re able to find well-designed, high-quality pieces that are full of character yet are made of simple, comfortable materials that are not overly styled or gaudy,” says Suzie Lucas, founding partner and lead designer at Lucas Design Associates. “We focused on integrating nature-inspired elements and modern accents in order to create a retreat for our clients, a sort of safe sanctuary immersed in a picturesque landscape,” David adds. lucasinterior.com

Lucas Design Associates, Images by Aaron Leitz

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A Chance, Tuesday, for Anaheim Council to reverse their $100 MILLION giveaway to the Angels!

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HRC: 2018 Hate Crimes & Incidents in OC Highest on Record

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Poorman’s Radio Days: How I left Private School and Got Bounced From Boarding School

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Concert Guide, Sept. 27-Oct. 3

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The Vulturas Put Social Media in Their Sights

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OCDA Clears Anaheim Police in Justin Perkins’ Death, Video Released

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OC logos listens to and works with yo...

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Pita Pitaki Serves Up Greek Home Cooking

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Ohana Festival returns to Dana Point This Weekend!

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2019 Toyota Mirai Hydrogen Fuel Cell Beats My EV in Range, But …

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Best display advertising campaign: Elko

Engagement and impact are two of the biggest drivers of success in display advertising! And this is exactly what Bannerflow’s winner of the best summer display campaign for 2019 achieves.

Every quarter, we highlight a display campaign built in our creative management platform (CMP) that stands-out. There were many excellent designs submitted and after analysis by our in-house creative team the best entry was chosen.

The winner of the best summer display advertising campaign of 2019 went to Icelandic consumer electronics retailer, Elko.

Elko’s winning campaign uses a Rich Media slider to to showcase the capabilities and placement of a Samsung Frame TV in the real world. This simple interactive feature not only got viewers to engage with the ad but increased click-through rates for Elko too.

We spoke to the creator of the campaign, Guðrún Ósk Sigurjónsdóttir, Digital Asset Manager, at Elko, about how she created the winning campaign.

What was the purpose of this campaign and how did this translate into design challenges?

We have been advertising a new model of the Frame TV by Samsung the past two, or three years. Often we just have the option of using our print advertising – the Elko paper which comes out weekly. However, this time around, I thought we needed to showcase both the TV and the art mode in the same picture online!

At first I made just a static HTML5 banner, with the TV cut in half and the art displayed in the other half, showing the TV working as a TV. Then I started to play around with the HTML5 Widgets in Bannerflow. In particular, the slider, which I thought would be perfect for selling the TV.

I simply edited the pictures I was going to use in photoshop, and then uploaded them into Bannerflow. And they came out, like they came out! Which was perfect!

Previously, I had used the slider widget in testing – and even then I had only ever used it with products with no background. I had been thinking about using the slider for a while but I was waiting for the perfect product. We needed to sell the capabilities of the Frame TV in one ad, and the slider shows both functions!

Can you describe some of the technical details of this particular banner set?

The Icelandic copy in the ad says “when it’s on its tv” on the left side it, and on the right side it says “…when it’s off, it’s art”. This is because when you use the product and switch-off TV mode, the Frame TV displays the art that the customer has chosen.

Also, for different versions of Frame TV, and display ad sizes, we showcased different types of art.

Did using the Bannerflow HTML5 widgets help?

Compared to static banners, the Bannerflow widgets allow us to achieve a much greater impact. I don’t think viewers wouldn’t have engaged with the ad as much otherwise. The Frame TV display campaign saw increased engagement and click-rates thanks to its use of interactivity!

However, we are still learning to use the widgets and plan to use them more and more. When we first started using Bannerflow we focused on just showing static images of products and used plain backgrounds but now we are trying to make something different and unique, which stands out.

Are the assets custom built exclusively for the ad campaign?

The assets were made specifically for the ad campaign. I used a still picture from our website but adjusted and made it especially for this campaign. I also selected the artwork that I put in the Frame TV from a promotional image from Samsung – which I then had to photoshop to get the image I wanted.

How do you tackle the design process of building banners?

As a marketing team of four, we try to work together and throw ideas around.

If get an idea I put it in trello, and then we review our ideas before selecting the best one! If that’s the case, I make a design concept in Bannerflow and share it using the showcase feature.

We use the showcase feature in Bannerflow to share our concepts with other members of the marketing department, or anyone else who is in who is involved in the project. Everyone can easily approve or comment.

It quickens the process too. Before Bannerflow, we just sent pictures via email, or trello, and waited for comments. Using Bannerflow is so much quicker as we can change the concept or get it approval easily.

When working on the design process which other tools, beyond Bannerflow, do you use?

I tend to use pen and paper for sketching ideas quite a lot! Then I mostly use Photoshop for prepping the assets to use in the banners. It’s easy to edit the assets into the right format or size before uploading them into Bannerflow.

What is it about the Bannerflow platform that makes designing ads easier?

For us, it’s really easy to produce all the different sizes. We just make one banner and then scale it to the different sizes we need – without any of the repetitive design tasks!

We also don’t have to edit the image and copy elements as much when scaling. This increases the time we spend on creating new ads. I would say we now create ads around 50% faster compared to before. Bannerflow gives us more of a chance to be creative, as it lets us do more in the same amount of time!

We haven’t used too many of the Bannerflow widgets just yet but are using animations such as snow for Christmas campaigns regularly. However, we are currently promoting the iPhone 11 and are using the video widget. We’re enjoying trying out new widgets!

As a designer, how do you continue to find inspiration?

I always have a hobby, I’m either drawing or making stuff up. Likewise, I like to have my head in a place where I can easily create. I always feel like being creative – mostly with pen and paper – but now with Bannerflow I can do it with ads and products too!

How we selected the winning campaign

Bannerflow’s Customer Success, Operations and Marketing Team sat down together to decide on the best display advertising campaign for summer 2019. Each team considered the design, performance, complexity, features, and formats for each campaign submitted.

Selected campaigns were then presented to a panel of judges who rated them from 1 to 10. The campaign with the highest total won display ad of the season!

Want to know more using Rich Media features in your display advertising? Get in contact with us if you would like to learn how you can create exceptional display advertising just like Elko.

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Eat & Drink This Now! Whitestone Restaurant & Bar in Dana Point

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OCHCA: Rabies-Infected Bat Found in Anaheim

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Comedian Ari Shaffir is Not Good at PSAs

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Karl Strauss Crazy Eyes Coffee Bock, Our Beer of the Week!

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UPDATED: Rep. Cisneros Calls For Trump Impeachment Inquiry

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John Wayne Airport Getting Shiny New Electric Buses

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Rev. Lou Sheldon Finally Admits Traditional Values Coalition is a Mess

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UCI launches first Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in UC system

Irvine, Calif., Sept. 24, 2019 – The University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business has launched a Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, the only one of its kind in the UC system. The inaugural class of 42 students will be matched with mentors and also participate in a variety of co-curricular activities – such as workshops, speaker series and site visits – that complement classroom instruction. This combination of academics and experiential learning will provide graduates with the entrepreneurial tools and connections necessary to launch a business or grow an established company.

The nine-month, full-time, accelerated degree program is the result of a collaboration among Imran Currim, UCI Distinguished Professor of business and director of the campus’s Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Christopher Bauman, UCI associate professor of organization and management and MIE faculty director; and Ken Beall, managing member of Dartbrook Partners LLC and chairman of UCI Beall Applied Innovation. Their goal was to institute a unique program that adds value to what students learn in the classroom by leveraging the entrepreneurial expertise of the local business community.

“So many entrepreneurs are deeply knowledgeable about the science, engineering or technology behind their ideas but have blind spots when it comes to the business issues,” Currim said. “By the time they graduate, our students will be able to strategically build teams, foster collaboration, create new markets, redefine existing ones, and finance and grow a business.”

The program’s foundation of project-based coursework is followed by experiential learning opportunities. In the classroom, students work in teams to apply teachings to real-world scenarios, as well as learn to set goals, develop business plans, solve problems together and work on their business plans.

“We want to inspire students to think creatively about solving problems,” Bauman said. “Entrepreneurs take a big leap and create companies from the ground up, while intrapreneurs develop innovative ideas, programs, processes or products that are critical if their existing businesses are to continue to thrive. Our students can do well in either environment by identifying problems, unmet needs or underserved markets and devising solutions that produce or add value.”

The program requires a minimum of 36 units – 28 core units and eight elective units – and a capstone project. Core classes address ideation, the process of innovation and entrepreneurship; developing a business model; preparing a business plan; raising the necessary financing; forming teams; and launching a new business. For electives, students can choose to further study topics such as new product development, business growth strategies and internet marketing.

“There is a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Orange County, and students will be connected to those resources, tools and networks in new and exciting ways that will help them achieve success,” Beall said. “The MIE program will also strengthen the school’s existing partnerships and create new ones, as well as help drive the continued growth and prosperity of the local business community and beyond.”

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

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Sammy Hagar Making Up for 86’d HB Fest with a Free Show … in Mexico

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Bone Appétit with John Henson from Halloween Baking Championship

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The Warner Files: Fortune Tellers Banned!

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Who is Responsible for 12-Year-Old Boy’s Sex Assault on First Grade Girl?

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Hana Vu Has a Love-Hate Relationship With Internet Content

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Toke of the Week: 710 Labs’ Concentrates

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Sammy Hagar High Tide Beach Party & Car Show CANCELLED!

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Slain Nicholson Couple’s Estate and Murdered Maid’s Family Square Off in Court

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OC Grub Guide 9/19-9/25: Food Halls and Fabulous People

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OC logos listens to and also deals wi...

OC logos listens to and also deals with you. In addition to quality handiwork, we give you dependability, from initial handshake through job verdict. And also continue to focus on the art of quality signage making. With over three decades experience in the market, we have in fact seen it all. Not just do we make the logos, we will install as well as finalize authorizations of them for you. Our focus on imagination and expert solution has actually made our company vary from the others. A specialized indicator crafter leads a team of experts on every work. https://ift.tt/31j7H91 Posted by https://bit.ly/31tHUKW

Another Shot of Bourbon Jones, Long Beach’s Feistiest Blues Band

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Your Guide to Sept. 20 Climate Strikes in Orange County

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SoCal Queer Punks Seek World Domination

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How Last Year’s Fight for $15 at Disney Compares With the ’84 Strike [Alt-Disney]

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Police Cite Homeless After Santa Ana Removes Artists Village Benches

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Str8 Up Tacos Has the Best Vegetarian Tacos, But You Have to Find It First

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8 steps to create the perfect Black Friday banner campaign

Creating the perfect Black Friday display campaign is key for any winning marketing strategy. But it’s a competitive day, with every impression hard won, and every click won against the clock.

Black Friday is a once a year bonanza and making sure your brand’s banner ad stands out is vital. In this blog, we will go through 8 ways you can create a Black Friday display campaign that performs, including:

1. The importance of brand consistency on Black Friday
2. How rich media can grab the attention of consumers
3. Why using digital video helps make your ads stand out
4. Why a variety of ad sizes enables you to make an impression
5. How live data feeds can add relevancy and urgency
6. Why real-time updates are essential to beat a competitor’s offer
7. The benefits of optimising your display ads during Black Friday
8. Using retargeting to make every view count

Firstly, lets begin with exclusive Bannerflow display advertising insights into why creating a high-performing Black Friday ad is so important.

An engaging Black Friday sales banner is essential

Previously just a US shopping event, Black Friday is now key for European brands. In fact, according to the latest eMarketer research, 2018, Black Friday sales surged in France, Germany and Italy.

For both European and US advertisers, getting your display campaign right has never been more crucial. It is also a day when having your best ad creative live can pay-off big time as consumers hunt for the best deal. Check out the two display stats below:

Bannerflow display advertising analysis into Black Friday saw clicks on banners rise by 23.92%, compared to the average Friday during 2018. While, click-through rate (CTR) jumped by an astonishing 26.66%! The main driver? E-commerce display campaigns designed and served specifically for the event.

Yet, what is it that marketing teams can do to make sure they make the most of Black Friday? Read on to find out how…

1. The importance of brand consistency on Black Friday

The first step in creating your ultimate Black Friday banner is getting your branding right. And yes, this sounds simple but so many brands get it wrong!

If you hide your branding, or don’t follow your brand guidelines, and say, go all black and white, your brand loses its visual identity. The imagery that consumers associate with your brand comes from hard earned brand awareness – so use it, don’t throw it all away! Take this Three Sweden banner from 2018:

It’s a brilliant example of how to incorporate recognisable branding with a Black Friday concept.

Graphic Designer at Three Sweden, Ehsan Aslani explains: “The challenge in display advertising is to stand out but not to scream it out. We developed what we called ‘Threeality’. We aim to not have lots going on in a banner or ‘flash’ the best prices but rather be distinct and elegant.”

In this campaign, consumers recognise Three’s branding, they see that it is a Black Friday deal, and they are far more likely to click because they know and trust the company.

Read the full case study here: See how Nordic Telecom leaders, Three Sweden create an agile and iterative display advertising process.

2. How Rich Media can grab the attention of consumers

For many years, the humble banner ad was static and offered very little in terms of interactivity. This isn’t the case anymore thanks to the use of Rich Media. As a minimum expectation, your Black Friday ad should feature some form of engaging Rich Media.

Rich Media refers to features that encourage viewers to interact and engage with a HTML5 banner ad. These are elements that set your Black Friday brand apart and gives you a higher result. For example, it could be a simple as a hover, exploding confetti, or even a basic animation. More advanced ads might even feature Spotify playlists, video, forms, games – the sky’s the limit!

Creating Rich Media HTML5 ads is easier than you think too. However, that wasn’t always the case! Once upon-a-time Rich Media campaigns took weeks of repetitive coding with an agency.

Today, if you use a creative management platform (CMP), complex display campaigns can take less than a day to create, in-house. And thanks to HTML5 widgets even the most advanced features can quickly be added to any Black Friday ad.

3. How real-time data feeds can add relevancy and urgency

Data feeds are a great way of making your Black Friday banner ads more relevant. They offer the ability to present consumers with ‘live’ content. For example, specific products or the latest offers.

But what is a data feed? A data feed is essentially a spreadsheet that regularly updates the content in an ad. Often, display advertising feeds are XML-files, which contain data such as words, and sentences, numeric values, image URLs, and links. You can even use them to dynamically display live product inventory.

Thus, for many brands they are perfect for Black Friday. For example, you could schedule different offers to appear and disappear during the day, or supply live updates of the exact number of products that remain in your brand’s product inventory.

Adding live feed to your perfect Black Friday banner isn’t difficult either. As with adding Rich Media, a CMP, such as Bannerflow, makes it easy for a designer to hook up a banner sets to display content fed by a data feed.

Meaning your Black Friday ad can remain relevant and make consumers eager not to miss an opportunity during the event!

4. Why using digital video helps make your ads stand out

When it comes to standing out from the competition during the busy Black Friday period – video is your best friend. In-banner video is an effective way to capture the attention of viewers and is easy to implement too.

In fact, according to Bannerflow data, video banners gives an 18.4% higher click-through rate (CTR) than their static counterparts. According to IAB Europe, video also makes up one-fifth of all display ads.

Georg Jensen is a great example of an e-commerce brand who use high-quality video to make their ads stand out from the competition. And experience a far higher engagement rate as a result.

In-banner video can be used as a simple backdrop to a banner or more creatively, as part of an animation. For instance, a product trailer that ends with a product feed and a CTA.

To read more on video display advertising, read our best practice guide here.

5. Why a variety of ad sizes enables more efficient media buying

Having flexibility over the sizes of the banners you produce will work in your favour when buying media – especially over the winter holiday season. After all, the more screens your ad appears on, the better!

Moreover, creating Black Friday ads in less popular display sizes will ultimately:

• Reduce your cost per mille (CPM) since competition is lower for the less popular sizes.
• Allow your demand-side-platform (DSP) to make learnings faster, as it can now test from a variety of sizes.
• Make buying inventory easier when you’re not restricted by different publishers size requirements.

Using a CMP makes scaling your Black Friday ads into different sizes simple too. Using smart algorithms, design assets and text are copied into new sizes in the correct format.

Thus more banners you make, the better the learning. And the more banners you have on Black Friday, the opportunities you have to convert!

6. Why real-time updates are essential to beat competitor offers

We all know that during the Black Friday rush products and pricing on sale can rapidly change. And often, if your ads are handled by a third party, it can be difficult to keep them up-to-date with these changes.

For Head of Tre Creative Agency and Creative Director of Three Sweden, Kristian Lundman, having the ability to amend ads in real-time is important for staying ahead of the competition: “We have an agile process once our display advertising has gone live, and are always ready to make adjustments, react and optimise our ads.”

With a creative management platform, advertisers can amend live campaigns ads and have those amends live within 15 minutes. So if your nearest competitor drops their prices, you can retaliate with an even better offer!

7. The benefits of optimising your display ads during Black Friday

Over such a short – yet crucial – time such as Black Friday, it’s important to have an eye over performance in real-time. However, reacting and improving ad performance with amends in real-time can be tricky, or nearly impossible without the right ad tech.

For display advertisers it is essential that you use a creative management platform that provides live analytics data for real-time banner optimisation. An enterprise-level CMP should have a real-time editor tool too, this enables instant publishing and updates on the fly.

For Paradox, a leading global publisher of video games based in Stockholm, Sweden, analysing and optimising plays a huge role in their display advertising production. “[Using Bannerflow] we can create the first set, and create two or three variations with different CTAs, slogans or imagery easily. Typically, we will have three different sets running and switch them out quickly based on performance throughout the campaign.”

Furthermore, for each campaign it’s crucial to A/B test different variants of copy, design and CTAs. Plus, to keep an eye on performance and switch out lower performing campaigns with replacements as the holiday period progresses.

To learn more about effective A/B testing read our ultimate guide.

8. Using retargeting to make every view count

Time and time again, the data shows that retargeting ads perform better than standardised campaigns. Average CTR for banners is 0.07%, yet the average for retargeting banners is 0.7%. Therefore, why not use this tactic for your Black Friday banners too?

This can take the form of an ad that retargets users after they abandon their online checkout with selected products still in their basket. Or rather, an ad that simply retargets visits to your website with your most popular products.

Simply set-up a retargeting pixel on your website, and apply it when setting the publishing rules for your display campaigns. For more information, check out this comprehensive guide to retargeting here.

Note: There’s nothing more annoying than repetitive or irrelevant banner ads. So remember to set your frequency capping and stop retargeting after viewers have completed a purchase!

Conclusion

In display advertising, if your brand fails to make an engaging and relevant Black Friday ad then they risk being lost amongst all the noise.

Black Friday is a gold mine for advertisers but like a gold rush – it’s all about being prepared, having the right tactics, and tools. Only then will you beat the competition!

Using the right technology and strategies helps your display advertising to perform. Get in contact with Bannerflow to find out how our CMP can help you ou can create your best Black Friday campaign.

The post 8 steps to create the perfect Black Friday banner campaign appeared first on Bannerflow Blog.

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Boundaries [Savage Love]

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Power Serge to Shock HOB Anaheim with 15th Annual Last Show Ever!

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OC GOP Asks Dana Point Asm. Bill Brough to End Re-election Bid

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Bellator MMA Giveaway – 9/28

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San Clemente and Lincoln High Schools Probe Racist Taunts at Football Game

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Artists Channel Titans at Nocturnal Wonderland 2019

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Poorman’s Radio Days: Recounting the Depeche Mode Riot of 1990

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Living a Dream & Surviving a Nightmare at KAABOO

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KAABOO Opens with a Summer Party Atmosphere for Haves and Have Nots

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Immigrant Activists Score Victory Over Private Prisons, ICE Detention Centers

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Now Open: Social in Huntington Beach and MORE!

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Weapons of Mass Creation Return with Tranquil Tunes for Turbulent Times

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Discord at OCCORD? Progressive Nonprofit Suffers Staff Exodus

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Hayes Carll at The Coach House – 10/2

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Donor Recognition Signage – Why is it Effective?

Samek, A. S. and Sheremeta, R. M. (2013). Recognizing Contributors: An Experiment on Public Goods.
Ariely, D., Bracha, A., and Meier, S. (2009). Doing Good or Doing Well ? Image Motivation and Monetary Incentives in Behaving Prosocially. American Economic Review, 99(1):544– 55.
When done properly, donor recognition systems go beyond signage to become an iconic part of the architectural environment. At ASI, with experience in bringing donor recognition visions to life, our consultants walk clients through different types of materials, eco-friendly options, and electronic displays. Our goal is always to thematically and visually compliment the architectural integrity of a space, while integrating an organization’s mission, values, and brand. To be cost-effective, donor recognition signage is designed with flexibility and longevity in mind, often with modular or digital elements that allow changes.
Signage for donor recognition is a creative and interactive piece of what we do at ASI. The process of planning, designing and creating donor recognition signage is especially hands-on.

Where is Donor Recognition Signage Found?

Donor Recognition Wall – Recognition walls consist of multiple signs or one large sign system that displays many names. Often, recognition walls are permanent installations that contain digital or modular elements for future updates.

What is Donor Recognition Signage?

Donor Recognition Plaque – Plaques are more traditional and normally honor an individual, organization, or small group of individuals. Often, plaques are posted outside doors in buildings that a major contribution helped build.
Andreoni, J. and Bernheim, B. D. (2009). Social Image and the 50-50 Norm: A Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Audience Effects. Econometrica, 77(5):1607–36.

Why is Donor Recognition Signage Effective?

While there is an opportunity to showcase an organization in full, there is also the opportunity to retain and attract donors through recognition signage. Research shows a relationship between donation amount and level of recognition received by donors (Samek & Sheremeta, 2015) as well significant evidence that individuals are more likely to donate when they receive public recognition (Andreoni & Bernheim, 2009).

Best Practice Tips

1. Appreciation – A key element of donor retention is thanking your donors and letting them know you appreciate their contributions. Public recognition makes clear that your relationship is valued.
2. Build a legacy – Recognition signage remains on display for a long period of time. This is attractive to donors who wish to showcase their legacy.
3. Inspire other Donors – Prospective donors see donor recognition signs and are encouraged to give. Recognition can motivate donors to be strong and lasting supporters of your organization. Today, there is the sense that donor recognition signage is not only for acknowledgement but that it creates a unique storytelling opportunity for an organization to share its mission and values. Modern designs are generally architecturally integrated, artful installations that speak to the organization’s roots while honoring the generosity of donors that make their growth possible.
Holmes, J. G., Miller, D. T., and Lerner, M. J. (2002). Committing altruism under the cloak of self-interest: The exchange fiction. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(2):144–51.
Karlan, D. and McConnell, M. A. (2014). Hey look at me: The effect of giving circles on giving. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 106:402–12.
Samek, A. S. and Sheremeta, R. M. (2015). Selective Recognition: How to Recognize Donors to Increase Charitable Giving
• Healthcare Facilities
• Educational Institutions
• Museums
• Parks and Cultural Centers
References
• Consult your organization’s community so that they can share thoughts on the addition of a donor recognition installation as will alter the landscape of the space.
• Ensure you work with a signage company that will create donor recognition signage that fits the culture of your organization.

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Giveaway – SoCal Hoedown on 10/5!

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TODAY ONLY get 25% OFF Cigar & Spirit Golf Tournament

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Live Nation Rolls Out “End of Summer No Bummer” Ticket Discounts

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UCI Grad Student Researching Gender Differences in Homelessness

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Last Weekend to Vote in Canstruction Orange County 2019!

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Man of Guit-Steel: Meet the Luthier Who Helped Junior Brown Create His Signature Instrument(s)

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Guit-Steel is Not the Only Invention Junior Brown Dreamed Up

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Real Housewives of Madrid [Special Screenings, Sept. 12-19]

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The Political Psychology Behind the ’84 Disneyland Strike [Alt-Disney]

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Nocturnal Wonderland Gets Ready to Say Goodnight to Glen Helen

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OC logos pays attention to and also c...

OC logos pays attention to and also collaborates with you. Along with quality craftsmanship, we provide you reliability, from first handshake via job verdict. As well as continue to focus on the art of high quality signage making. With over thirty years experience in the industry, we have really seen it all. Not just do we make the signs, we will mount as well as wrap up authorizations of them for you. Our concentrate on creative imagination and also expert solution has made our business vary from the others. A dedicated sign crafter leads a team of professionals on every job. https://ift.tt/32DMVBl Posted by https://bit.ly/31tHUKW

Eat & Drink This Now! Elevated Dining at Orange Hill

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Is the Battle for Whale-Watching Customers Underhanded or Healthy Competition?

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Chapman Professor Backs Bernie Sanders’ Public Education Plan

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Nova Kitchen & Bar in Garden Grove Was Built by Money . . . Lots of It

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Comedian Mark Normand Wants 70 Percent

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Dynamic in-house display advertising with Kindred Group

Display advertising is an important channel within iGaming – and it requires the right technology to do it effectively. The mass-production of dynamic creatives, real-time optimisation, and the ability to control ads across markets are minimum requirements.

Hence the adoption of creative management platforms (CMPs) by iGaming marketing teams. Kindred Group is an in-house marketing powerhouse that benefits from the functionality of a CMP. Read on to find out how…

iGaming and the benefits of using a creative management platform (CMP)

Kindred Group controls 11 of Europe’s most successful online gambling brands, and has over 25.6 million customers, with Unibet being its biggest brand. The majority of Kindred Group’s worldwide display advertising production is done in-house, using Bannerflow, from its London office.

Bannerflow spoke to Kindred Group’s Head of Acquisition Optimisation Max Taub about the challenges of display advertising and strategies her team use in order to remain successful.

What are the challenges of display advertising in iGaming?

Max Taub: Every market we operate in has different regulations. For example, the UK is very different from Sweden. Plus, regulations change all the time. Reacting at scale, to changing regulations within individual markets is very challenging.

Additionally, with so many brands, across so many markets, we need to be on time for every sporting event taking place in that market. This is especially important when you are a large sportsbook operator like Kindred Group.

This means our ad production needs to be rapid, always on time, and interesting to our customers. Especially as many people these days are banner-blind.

Is banner-blindness one of the biggest challenges?

Max: Yes, especially when it comes to display advertising. Even if a customer sees your ad (assuming they don’t have an ad blocker!) your banner really needs to stand out. Today, if you remain generic with your creatives, no one will click, no one will convert, and you’re not going to get any customers.

Also, ads need to speak to different segments of customers, it’s not enough that you just grab their attention. You also need to keep those customers coming back too! Plus, know why a customer has, or hasn’t performed a specific action with your banners.

How has Kindred Group overcome these challenges?

Max: It’s easy, it all comes down to having the right people! We have a great in-house team – we’re very fortunate to have a great team of experts at Kindred Group.

Our programmatic team is fully capable of creating and controlling all our audience segments, and our creative team works extremely fast.

Plus, we have both the right technology and the right in-house processes in place. For example, by using the Bannerflow platform, the creative team can design innovative dynamic banner campaigns quickly and easily.

Does working in-house help too?

Max: Yes, of course. In-house marketing is very important to Kindred Group.

We’re faster for a start. The programmatic team sits next to my team and if they need something done urgently it’s easy to communicate. Good communication is essential for us and having our team in the same place just makes life easy.

If you work with an external agency, they deal with a lot of urgent requests from many different clients. We only focus on one client and that’s Kindred Group. I don’t see how we could work with an external agency.

How important is being data-focused in your display advertising?

Max: Without data, there’s no point in doing what we’re doing. We can be as creative as we want but if our advertising not performing I don’t care how creative a banner is. Kindred Group puts a lot of pride in being data-driven. Data is behind everything we do.

How do you use data to enhance your display advertising?

Max: Obviously, there is the analytics module in Bannerflow, which we use. We analyse impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and we even have our own custom metrics in there too. We can see everything we want to see in the platform.

Furthermore, when we build a campaign, we have templates pre-built in Bannerflow that already contain what we know works (and not what doesn’t). If you compare our display advertising from three years ago to today, it has completely changed. For example, from having the CTA in just one frame, we now have it in all of our frames.

Plus, of course, we optimise and test. If we see one banner design is performing better than another, we push that design and replace it with another to test. The programmatic team test other specific areas, such as CTAs and offers too.

How do you use live data feeds in your display campaigns?

Max: Very useful. For example, we recently implemented a new feature in our dynamic banners called value stats. Value stat data provides smart insights into the games highlighted in an ad. The value stat data feed is tailored for each market and we find it works really well.

We also have our banners that feature the latest odds for specific games. For example, Champions League fixtures. And then there are banners that display the latest jackpot numbers for our online casino games. It’s really important to have this live and reactive data, as it makes a huge impact.

How do you make sure you stay relevant in your display advertising?

Yes, of course – staying relevant to the customer is a priority. Moreover, a bonus with using live data feeds is that you can use the same banner again and again, and still stay relevant. And the more relevant you are to the customer, the more likely it is a customer will click on your banner.

And this, of course, helps with our return on investment (ROI).

How does using Bannerflow support Kindred Group?

Max: Through helping us control banners across our many different markets. We serve at least 10 different languages, plus variations of English copy. Using Bannerflow’s translation management and scaling tool, makes it really easy for us to produce the ad versions needed for our campaigns in different markets.

For example, if we take one of our football campaigns, the banner set is extremely large, with many different language variations. On top of this, when you produce programmatic campaigns you need at least three different versions of each ad within each language! Meaning, one variation for acquisition, another for retargeting, and then another for retention. Then for affiliates, we need different versions too!

Essentially, Bannerflow helps us produce lots of banners!

How many banners do you produce in a week?

Max: Well, it depends on the week. Roughly – let’s say during the last football season – for one campaign, we produce probably 20 different versions, in at least 10 different sizes, as well as the three audience variations, so 600 minimum. That’s a lot of banners!

Plus, we then have the affiliate sizes, more programmatic sizes, and a separate project for mobile banners too.

How many people use Bannerflow at Kindred Group?

Max: Every day – probably about 10 people. However, the number of people who use it to view different projects is a lot more.

If you didn’t have Bannerflow how many more people would you need?

Max: A lot. Just thinking of all the translations, optimising, and then having a designer do it all manually – you just can’t go back to the old way.

Why is Bannerflow the right solution for your organisation?

Max: Scalability and then the other ad technologies (such as data feeds) it enables. We can create innovative display ads really easily, and it offers all the right [ad network] integrations for us – from our programmatic platform to our affiliate platforms.

We also have a great relationship with Bannerflow. Any problem, any issue, Bannerflow’s customer success team help us and it’s dealt with quickly.

What’s your overall experience of Bannerflow?

Max: Great! It’s been amazing to see how the platform has evolved (and is still evolving!).

Plus, we have an open relationship with what we want in the product – it’s been customised to cater for our specific needs. We feel like we are partners in the development of the platform.

Next steps

The Bannerflow creative management platform enables Kindred Group to produce the dynamic data-driven display advertising campaigns it needs.

If you would like to find out how your brand could benefit from high-performance display advertising then please get in touch, or apply for a demo.

The post Dynamic in-house display advertising with Kindred Group appeared first on Bannerflow Blog.

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Anaheim Violates Its Own Ticket Policy, Abuses Continue After Weekly Exposé

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John Reese’s SGE Files for Bankruptcy

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2020 Soul X-Line Crosses the Style, Roominess and Value Boxes

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Poorman’s Radio Days: My First Punk Concert

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OC Signs listens to as well as collab...

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Disney Food Service Workers Ratify Contract, Wages Rise to $15 Per Hour

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Summer Nights with Sunset Jazz at Newport on 9/18!

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Public Charge Rule Another Brick in Trump’s Invisible Immigration Wall

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DUI Checkpoint in Santa Ana TONIGHT (Sept. 6)

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How Meliá Hotels International produces DCO display advertising in-house

Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) and in-house marketing are both transforming the way companies do digital marketing.

In this blog, you will discover how one of the world’s largest hotel groups, Meliá Hotels International, has moved its display advertising in-house and increased performance by adopting a dynamic strategy.

Personalising display advertising across brands and markets

Headquartered in Palma, Majorca, Meliá Hotels International in-house display advertising production is complex, with even basic campaigns containing thousands of ads.The in-house team at Meliá produces display campaigns for 7 brands and 2 loyalty programmes, across 43 different countries. They engage millions of customers every year, in 9 different languages!

We spoke to Digital Design and Production Specialists Sergio Fernández Vidal and Joan Canyelles Bestard to find out how they moved ad production in-house and began using DCO.

What are the unique challenges facing the travel industry?

Sergio Fernández Vidal: When I was offered to lead our global display advertising four years ago, one of the main challenges was to optimise our ad production process across all our markets worldwide.

The main disadvantage we had was that we had split our campaign production by region. Meaning that each regional team had its own production agencies and freelancers. This made it difficult to reuse and control our ad creatives.

In addition, the interpretation and application of the Meliá brand image was inconsistent – there was also no easy way to approve display advertising.

Joan Canyelles Bestard: The rapid production of a high volume of display advertising has always been a challenge. Plus, the creation of dynamic creatives was too complex and tedious for us to carry out in-house, so we were forced to outsource production.

How has Meliá become more efficient at display advertising?

Sergio: The first step was to use an ad server, this allowed us to produce ads that followed a single set of specifications. Next, we started to centralise the production of our branding campaigns by using a single creative agency. Then using the Bannerflow platform, we moved our regional display ad production into an in-house marketing function.

Joan: We’ve had to come to terms with the fact that, little by little, digital production is best carried and controlled out in-house. This helps us to maintain both brand identity and increase visual quality across Meliá’s brands, while reducing production costs. Today we are much more independent and rely less on external agencies.

What is it like producing and controlling campaigns for multiple markets?

Sergio: We currently produce banners for four global regions: Spain and Portugal, EMEA, APAC and America. Thanks to Bannerflow, our entire ad production is now in-house and uses the same production platform.

This allows us to be much more efficient, as we benefit from production synergies between the different regional marketing teams. What’s more, we have cut down on our duplication and agency costs.

When producing display advertising how important is being reactive?

Sergio: It’s definitely an advantage! By using Bannerflow we can update live ads in an active campaign without having to re-traffic them e.g. send tags back to the demand side platforms (DSPs), etc.

It also enables us to be more aware of how well a campaign is performing and have the ability to make ad optimisations in real-time.

How do you perform dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) at Meliá?

Sergio: We use DCO for both prospecting and retargeting campaigns focused on a specific product, for example, a specific hotel and city combination.

To perform DCO we use a variety of tools to generate our display ads. First, we create and manage the data feeds ourselves; the ad server takes care of the optimisation logic; and Bannerflow enables us to design and control the ad variations.

Bannerflow allows us to perform DCO using richer and personalised ad designs. This helps our ads stand out and perform better, which is in contrast to other more rigid template-based solutions.

Our goal in the future is to focus more on our audience segments. For example, different age ranges, relationship statuses, and whether the customer is a leisure or business traveler.

What difference has DCO made to your display campaigns?

Sergio: It was clear from the beginning that given the number of products, brands and markets we cover, producing dynamic advertising would be key to improving our ad performance.

The prices of our products change daily and are dependent on many variables. Without DCO it was impossible to keep track of that information and we would have to update ads manually.

We now make dynamic campaigns that are more user-oriented and tailored by using our data and Bannerflow. Furthermore, we use the information from our customer relationship marketing (CRM) and data management platform (DMP). This means we can build creatives that are more focused on the users’ needs. By doing this we can reach our goal of even greater ad personalisation and increase ROI.

How has using Bannerflow helped Meliá achieve its business goals?

Sergio: The main advantage is that we are able to produce ad creatives in many more sizes in a much shorter time. The number of hours it takes us to build a display campaign has been reduced by more than 50%! Allowing us to access much more programmatic inventory.

In addition, since the production process is so much faster, we are able to create more ad variations for a campaign. As well as, A/B test different copy and visual elements.

We have also managed to connect all aspects of our display ad production and moved to an in-house model. Bannerflow and moving in-house enabled us to improve our response times and increase the amount of ad creatives we produce.

What has the overall experience of using Bannerflow been like?

Joan: Firstly, without Bannerflow, we wouldn’t be able to create the HTML5 creatives needed for the production of our global campaigns. These consist of more than 1,000 banners!

Next, concerning the creation of dynamic display ads, we have taken a huge step forward in quality because we are no longer dependent on external agencies to produce complex ad creatives. And because Bannerflow is integrated into our ad server, we can apply user-based optimisation logic to any dynamic ad regardless of the design.

Sergio: Our quality standards have improved significantly. Plus, sharing creatives and approving ads is easy when everyone uses the same platform. It’s so much better than never-ending email threads with different versions of a zip file!

All in all, we are very happy with how the platform works. However, we are especially happy with the support team. They are always friendly and approachable and focused on helping us achieve our goals.

Next steps

The Bannerflow creative management platform (CMP) is helping Meliá Hotels International take control of its display advertising.

The in-house team at Meliá can now produce thousands of display ads and produce effective DCO ads. Improving Meliá’s ad performance and gaining a greater return on investment (ROI) from its display campaigns.

If you would like to find out your brand could benefit from in-house display advertising and DCO then please get in touch, or apply for a demo.

The post How Meliá Hotels International produces DCO display advertising in-house appeared first on Bannerflow Blog.

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Signs from early Orange County Sign C...

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: With Melvin Gordon Holding Out, Justin Jackson Worth A Pickup

By Matt Citak

(CBS Boston/CBS Local)The calendar has finally flipped to September, which means that after a long seven months of waiting, the NFL is officially back.

The 2019 season kicks off on Thursday night with the Green Bay Packers traveling to Chicago to take on the Bears at Soldier Field. While this NFC North matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Khalil Mack is a tantalizing battle to start the season, Thursday’s game is even more exciting because of what it represents.

The return of fantasy football.

By now, most leagues have finished their drafts and the rosters are set. However, a lot has changed over the last few days with NFL rosters getting down to 53 players. There are likely some players sitting on your league’s waiver wire whose value increased due to these roster moves, and now deserve a spot on your team.

With that said, let’s jump right into it. Here are the top waiver wire adds heading into Week 1.

RB Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills

A few days ago, the Bills’ backfield looked rather crowded with Singletary, LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon all on the roster. However, following McCoy’s release, things seem a lot clearer in Buffalo.

The Bills used the 74th overall pick in April’s draft to select Singletary, and it now appears as if the rookie out of Florida Atlantic will lead Buffalo’s backfield in Week 1. Yes, Gore and Yeldon will still garner some touches early on, but if you have an opportunity to snag a likely lead back on the waiver wire at this time of the year, you do it and don’t think twice.

If Singletary is somehow still available in your league, grab him immediately. If he’s gone and you’re in need of a running back, the ageless Gore could also be worth a look, as he may end up receiving most of the Bills’ goal-line carries this season.

RB Justin Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers

Let me preface this by saying if Melvin Gordon were to return to the team at any point, Jackson’s fantasy value would all but vanish. But at the time of this writing, Gordon is still away from the team, which means Jackson is certainly worth taking a chance on.

Austin Ekeler is owned in just about all fantasy leagues, and for good reason. The third-year back provided fantasy owners with some value even when Gordon was playing last season, and when he was injured, Ekeler took over as the team’s lead back. However, early reports out of Los Angeles indicate that while Gordon is absent this year, Ekeler and Jackson could be used in more of a 50-50 split.

The Chargers offense should once again be dominant this season. Jackson could be looking at double-digit touches each week while Gordon holds out, and if anything were to happen to Ekeler, the sophomore running back would take over Los Angeles’ backfield. He’s worth a speculative add.

RB Carlos Hyde, Houston Texans

Hyde did not look good last season. The veteran averaged a mere 3.3 yards per carry in 2018, and although he signed with Kansas City in the offseason, it was clear towards the end of training camp that he was not going to be there for long.

From a fantasy perspective, the trade to Houston could not have helped his value more. After Lamar Miller tore his ACL in the preseason, it looked like the Texans might roll with Duke Johnson Jr. as their lead back. As promising as he’s looked at times, Johnson has never carried the ball more than 104 times in a season while in the NFL. Hyde has an opportunity now to immediately split carries with Johnson, as the Texans don’t have much depth at all behind the two veterans.

Even though he hasn’t topped 4.0 yards per carry since 2016, Hyde could easily get double-digit touches in a Texans offense that features Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, and also just recently traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. You could do a lot worse than the soon-to-be 29-year-old Hyde.

WR Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

As you can tell by the first three names on this list, fantasy football is all about opportunity. Heading into Week 1, Samuel, the 49ers’ second-round pick out of South Carolina, looks like he will get a great opportunity to shine in his rookie season.

The 49ers are currently dealing with some injuries at wide receiver, as both Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd are banged up. Combine that with the release of veteran Jordan Matthews, and it is clear that Samuel will enter the season as the team’s number three receiver behind Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin.

Samuel showed his big-play ability during the preseason, picking up six catches for 104 yards and two runs for 59 yards. If Kyle Shanahan can get Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers offense going, Samuel could end up being one of fantasy’s big surprises this year.

WR D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks

Metcalf recently underwent minor knee surgery, and although head coach Pete Carroll expressed optimism that the rookie receiver could be back on the field for Week 1, there is certainly the chance that Metcalf misses the first week or two of the season. But once he does return to the field, Metcalf will enter a solid situation.

It looked like Metcalf was going to be in a prime position for a breakout this year after the Seahawks surprisingly cut Jaron Brown over the weekend. Seattle brought Brown back on-board Monday, but the rookie should still be able to win the number two receiver job opposite Tyler Lockett. When he does, Metcalf could easily become Russell Wilson’s go-to target in the red zone.

Carroll praised Metcalf’s performance in training camp prior to the surgery. The rookie will have some making up to do once he’s back on the field, but it shouldn’t take long for Metcalf to play his way into the starting lineup. Even in Seattle’s run-heavy offense, Metcalf has an opportunity to surprise a lot of people this year, and prove to the rest of the league that they made a mistake allowing him to drop all the way down to the 64th pick in April’s draft.

Matt Citak is a contributing writer for CBS Local. Follow him on Twitter here for all things fantasy football, New York Giants and more.

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