Giphy is a new search engine specifically made for none other than GIFS. Simple, organized and straightforward, the site displays items in a grid pattern with gifs only animating when hovered over. The site offers a wide range of hashtags from emotions to reactions to television shows and  more. Users can also discover new gifs by browsing by different categories.

What's interesting about Giphy is that the site attributes gif creators with their artwork. Most gif creators get lost in the shuffle of reblogs and the copy and pasting of URLs, but Giphy will supply the original creator's URL when sharing on different social networks like Twitter, Facebook and of course Tumblr.

By attributing the creators, gifs have become framed more as an art medium more than just clips of television shows or just weird awesomeness. The art and design section has some amazing gifs that I wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

It's no news that gifs are popular and are being frequently used in various ways on the web, so finally having a public gif library seems a bit overdue. Nonetheless, I welcome Giphy. While our internet culture is quickly changing how we communicate, these digital libraries of hashtags and now gifs are becoming more of a resource and a window into how we think. 

In Dove's latest campaign, women describe themselves to an artist who then proceeds to sketch them. The artist then listens to strangers describe the same women and sketches their drawings. The end result is two sketches that speak volumes about self-criticism and how women see themselves. It's a simple project stripped from the bells and whistles and sends a clear message that hits the core of Dove's mission statement.

Dove does a wonderful job at championing a bigger idea rather than the simple ask for purchasing products. From its commercials to its website, the brand places emphasis on celebrating female empowerment and finding self-confidence.

The "Dove Real Women Sketches" video was uploaded in mid-April and, as of today, reached over 25 million views. The video's message resonates to a larger audience because it focuses on bigger ideas, which makes it instantly sharable. It even sparked a humorous male-centric parody.

In the case of Dove's latest YouTube sensation, selling products was secondary to its overall goal to inspire women. Sometimes the loudest brand messaging is not when the brand is talking about its products but about its beliefs. 

Skip the obnoxious sales people. Avoid the risk of being caught "planning" by a friend or close family member at your local shopping mall.

Ocappi, a new online jewelry store, allows people to shop for and try on their dream engagement rings in the privacy of their own home, free of charge and hassle. Much like the Warby Parker business model, there is no obligation to purchase and free shipping both ways. 

Their "One&Only Try-On Service" allows the consumer to add up to six replica rings (set with cubic zirconium stones) to their order and check out at no charge. The six replica rings will then be shipped directly to the consumer, allowing five days to try on and play dress up with. There is a pre-paid return label included in the package to send them back, at no cost. Discrete, convenient and free.

It will be interesting to see if Ocappi can successfully shift the typical jewelry shopping experience using this e-commerce model of no-hassle trial and convenience.

What more could a possible-bride-to-be ask for when making what could be one of the most important jewelry purchases of her life?

---via PSFK.

Last December, "Monsters University" released another transmedia marketing effort by way of a Tumblr Blog called The Grumblr.  

Quietly creating content for the past three months, the Tumblr is written by Grumblr, a student at Monsters University. The blogger writes blog posts that are so wonderfully crafted in the voice of a college sophomore that every detail is a nice nod to the social network and fellow Tumblr users.

The last time I saw a film taking advantage of Tumblr is "Hunger Games"'s Capitol Couture fashion editorial, and while that was an excellent example of transmedia  advertising, The Grumblr hones in on assimilating itself in the Tumblr community --The Grumblr relies less on imagery and more on the youthful culture of the network.

Not to discredit any of the artfully-crafted image posts, but the blog's content plays up the writer's point of view versus leaking content from the film. The blogger indulges in homemade memes, and he posts Instagram-like images with clever hashtags that mirrors real Tumblr users (I defintiely used some of his tags back in my college days). What's unique about The Grumblr is that the storyteller isn't telling the the movie''s main characters' story but his story within that world.

The Grumblr makes the Pixar's universe richer and bigger. Parody is one thing that takes the cake in Pixar's transmedia marketing. Much like its university website, Pixar's Tumblr blog is well-written and is so detailed that its websites become an experience of itself. 

Manpacks is like Netflix for men's underwear, except that you don't have to return anything once you've used it. Because that would be awkward.​

The logic behind Manpacks is simple. Take items that men need to replace regularly—personal care, razors, socks, underwear—and create a service that results in one less thing guys have to remember. It also helps that guys tend to be somewhat brand loyal to most of the items that Manpacks offers, things the average guy doesn't want to spend a lot of time thinking about.

Manpacks also has the best return policy of all time.

​Manpacks, because you're too old for your mom to still be buying your underwear.

WSAV: News, Weather, and Sports for Savannah, GA

Earlier this month, music, film and interactive folks flocked to Austin, Texas for the annual SXSW conference. One of the big mobile app announcements to come out of the event is a new social radio service called WahWah.

What is WahWah?
WahWah is a personalized radio service that makes listening to music more social and customized. You can listen with friends, fellow WahWah listeners around the globe or by yourself. The songs you hear can also relate to your location or activity you've selected.

How does WahWah work?
Get started by downloading the app and signing up using your Facebook account. Browse stations from trending and featured lists, your Facebook friends, stations created around you and activity. The app pulls from its library of 15 million songs to serve up the best music based on the context. Everyone who clicks on a radio station listens to the music at the same time.

How does WahWah differ from "Pandora" and similar music apps?
WahWah adds a layer of customization that isn't available on Pandora or Spotify by letting users select their location and activity. Also, because of its social nature, it's great for group activities like exercise or studying — even if you are physically separated from your group.

How much does WahWah cost?
WahWah is free at the Apple App Store.

Relax, Chicken Little, the social media sky is not falling. Despite opinions to the contrary from a number of leading social media professionals, I'm here to tell you that the upcoming changes to Facebook Newsfeed will not mean less organic visibliity for brands in the Newsfeeds of people who like their pages. Here's why.

The changes to Facebook Newsfeed are all about improving both the user experience (i.e. less clutter, larger Newsfeed stories) and the user interface (i.e. navigation moving from the left side of the page to the top right). Beyond that, the only other change being made is that Facebook is giving its users new ways to isolate and view very specific items in their Newsfeeds: photos, music, and games. In fact, the only item absent from the new list is Top Stories, which (powered by the Facebook EdgeRank algorithm) is currently the default view for all Facebook users. My guess is that the Top Stories feed (and EdgeRank) is not going away; it's most likely been absorbed into the Newsfeed view (see image above), the top item in the new list of feeds and the one that will automatically reset every twenty-four hours as users' default Newsfeed view (as it does now).

Facebook users have had long options for isolating and viewing only certain items in their Newsfeed; the new design just makes those options a little easier to find, so most of this isn't really anything that new. And if past performance is any indicator of future behavior, all of the data points to Facebook users not making heavy use of these alternate feeds. Currently, most Facebook users don't consistently switch their feed from Top Stories (EdgeRank) to Most Recent (all posts in reverse chronological order). That's a big reason why the average unique impressions per Facebook post by a brand page is typically less than 5% of that page's total likes. It's also why Facebook can make a strong case that brands need to consistently run Marketplace Ads and Promoted Posts; they've engineered their own monopoly.

So despite all of the hype last week, the upcoming changes to the Facebook Newsfeed are mostly cosmetic. Don't expect to see any significant long term shift in user behavior away from branded content.

The EdgeRank algorithm is about the closest thing Facebook has to a cash cow. Don't expect them to do anything that would put that cow out to pasture any time soon.

A new photo app called Photolettering from House Industries allows users to lay text over photos. It's a simple app that provides a number of stylish typefaces.

It's a great little photo app to keep in a Content Manager's back pocket for creating content on the go. One of my favorite features of the app is that text placement is easily controlled with finger gestures. You can also resize and rotate text with gesturing. My only complaints are the limited number of filters in the app and only three of their typefaces are free. The 24 paid typefaces can be purchased for $10 or you can buy them a la carte at $1 a piece. With that said, many of the typefaces are gorgeous and some are so fun they already write captions for themselves that it's probably worth the splurge.

It would make a nice addition to other photo-editing apps such as Camera + or Snapseed.

(Images from House Industries)

The updated News Feed structure is broken into specific topics, making it easier to dig deeper into certain kinds of content. Types of streams include music, games and “following,” where users can find updates from celebrities and brands in addition to their friends. The News Feed update will also standardize content across mobile devices, tablets and desktop screens, allowing for easy browsing at any moment.

The syncing of layouts across devices means that imagery will be equally prominent on desktop screens as well as mobile. According to Facebook, 50% of updates shared on the site contain imagery, showing the importance of this move. Facebook has also admitted that teens are becoming less interested with the platform and are turning to more mobile and visual focused digital environments like Instagram. This update will help to address that trend and retain time spent on the site.

In terms of advertising, Facebook’s updated News Feeds will not affect paid placements, although the change does open opportunities for more dynamic, targeted and relevant units for the categorical feeds. Looking forward, Facebook’s “Paid Profile Personalization” patent shows that users may one day be able to pay a fee to remove promoted content, further proving that the quality of posts will always remain crucial for long-term success. 

While impact of brand engagement and impressions is unknown, it is clear that quality and relevance of content is more important than ever. Users will have increased customization of their Facebook experiences and brands should ensure a personal tone to remain relevant. 

We’ll make sure to share updates as the changes play out. To try out the new Facebook News Feed for yourself, sign up on the waiting list. 

Tax time is right around the corner. It can often be a jarring time of year as we're forced to examine how we've used our money over the past year. Most of us wouldn't mind a few pointers managing our money, but for some of us the thought of consulting a financial advisor is about as appealing as a trip to the doctor or dentist. Enter LearnVest.

What is LearnVest?

LearnVest is a financial tool that can help you with everything from basic monthly budgeting to debt reduction to financial planning. It helps you analyze both where you are now and where you need to be. In short, it can help you develop and achieve both short-term and long-term financial goals.

How does LearnVest work?

LearnVest.com is where you get started by inputing your financial information and syncing your financial accounts: checking, savings, home equity, school loans, credit cards, etc. LearnVest provides you with a real-time snapshot of your finances.

How does LearnVest differ from Mint and similar financial services?

There are a number of great personal finance apps out there but most of them require you to know what your financial goals are. LearnVest goes beyond just showing you where you are; it helps you figure out what your financial goals should be and what you need to to do achieve them.

How much does LearnVest cost?

LearnVest has several plans to choose from starting at free and ranging up to about $400.