User talk:Marcopollo

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[edit] Blockdot

Blockdot is an award-winning interactive media studio based in Dallas, Texas specializing in Interactive Entertainment and Advergaming technologies, with a satelite office in Austin, Texas.

Since 2001, Blockdot has built hundreds of entertaining experiences and online promotional strategies for brands around the world. Their "Interactive Entertainment" services include: Advergame solutions; branded entertainment Websites, widgets; social media applications; community applications; cross-platform game development; game portal development and content; Serious Games for knowledge and training; and strategic consulting.

In 2005, Blockdot was acquired by Media General (NYSE: MEG), a publicly owned communications company with interests in newspapers, television stations, and interactive media.

[edit] Recent Projects:

Taco Fu: An arcade-style game for Taco Bell. In the game, you’re an expert in the art of “Taco Fu,” forced to defend your honor – and your Taco Bell food – against a hungry horde. Use your keyboard to jump, punch, and kick the masked bandits rushing toward you.

Chevy Cobalt Labs: A cutting-edge Web site for Chevy, with fuel-injected fun and a street cred image. After signing up for a free membership, users can speed into four turbo-charged sections:

  • Tricked or Trashed: Battle for bragging rights for the best Cobalt on the site.
  • Mod Street: Design computer-generated tricked-out Cobalts.
  • Street Showcase: Post pictures of Cobalts designed in Mod Street.
  • Track Challenge: Race for the checkered flag on the site’s spectacular tracks.

DORITOS® Unlock the Xbox contest: DORITOS asked gamers to submit their ideas for the first ever user-generated title for Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade. Thousands of entries were received, and Blockdot turned the ideas of five finalists into actual games.

Destination Insemination: A hilarious game promoting Universal Pictures’ movie Baby Mama — staring Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”).

Battlestar Galactica - Raptor’s Revenge: Based on the hit TV series Battlestar Galactica, the game challenges you to defend your Colonial Raptor against the attacking Cylon Raiders.

Now You Know Better! $1,000,000 Game Show: Blockdot’s launches "Now You Know Better! $1,000,000 Game Show for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. Players compete in a real-time trivia battle against celebrities like Gary Coleman (Arnold from "Diff'rent Strokes"), Dustin Diamond (Screech from "Saved by the Bell") and Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth ("The Apprentice").


[edit] History

This whole section is dodgy from the point of view of Wikipedia:NPOV and Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not, and should also be referenced. (How could you know this unless you have a conflict of interest? The name Blockdot was originally inspired by a general discussion among friends at a local bar. These friends had recently quit their jobs at an Internet-based technology company that was struggling to survive the .com bust. The term .com left a sour taste in all of their mouths and they knew they had to block the negative connotations of another .com business model.

With the beers, thin crust pizza and hot wings helping facilitate the discussion, someone suddenly blurted out "We need to block the dot." There was a nodding of heads around the table. Then someone said "What about Block Dot?" It was quirky, short, simple—and way better than some of the other ideas, such as Monkey Robot Island, McBullFerg (a combination of the names of the three original founders), or BMF - Bielinski, McMinn & Ferguson. A URL search for Blockdot found it was available. The next morning everyone regrouped and it became official—Blockdot was born.

Notable Dates:

05/1995 - Boxerjam.com, a Blockdot property, is founded by Julann Griffin, co-creator of television's Jeopardy! game show. Boxerjam.com launches as the gaming platform for AOL.com.

04/1998 - Blockdot founders release "Good Willie Hunting" recognized as the first political satire Advergame

12/1999 - Blockdot's founders release "Elf Bowing," the first downloadable game to make it to the list of Top 10 PC Games installed. In just one month, it was installed 7.8 million times.

04/2001 - Blockdot launches Kewlbox.com, a web gaming portal, to serve as the platform for Advergame campaigns.

08/2005 - Media General (NYSE: MEG), a publicly owned communications company, purchases Blockdot.

05/2005 - Conan O'Brien plays Blockdot-designed Skittles® game on his hit late-night comedy/talk show.

[edit] Awards

2008:

Adobe Systems

Adobe Site of the Day - Chevy Cobalt Labs
Adobe Site of the Day - Now You Know Better! $1,000,000 Game Show
Adobe Site of the Day - Berry Brawl

2007:

W3 Awards

Silver Award - Search Engine Category
Silver Award - Pharmaceuticals Category
Silver Award - Employment Category

Davey Awards

Silver Award - Online Advertising & Marketing
Silver Award - Integrated Campaign
Silver Award - Interactive Multimedia

Internet Advertising Competition
Best Game Site/Interactive Application

Web Marketing Association
Best Game Site/Interactive Application

Promo Magazine
Best Small Budget Campaign

Adweek Magazine
BUZZ Award

Summit International
Summit Creative Award

The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
WEBBY Award

Texas Monthly Magazine
Bum Steer Award

2006:

Adobe Systems
Adobe Site of the Day - Find the Pink Spoon

MAA Worldwide Awards
Best Small Budget Campaign

Ad:Tech
Best Use of Rich Media

Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas Awards
Best Onscreen Unwind

2004:

Ad:Tech
Best Use of Rich Media

Dallas-Ft.Worth Interactive Marketing Association
Most Effective Use of Rich Media

SXSW Conference
Web Award

2003-2001:

Dallas Society of Visual Communications
Bronze Award – Interactive

Macromedia
Macromedia Site of the Day - HP Diego Smart Game

Entrepreneur Magazine
Best Business of the Year

Brandweek Magazine
Marketers of the Next Generation



Dallas, TX

[edit] Kidprov

A proposed deletion template has been added to the article Kidprov, suggesting that it be deleted according to the proposed deletion process. All contributions are appreciated, but this article may not satisfy Wikipedia's criteria for inclusion, and the deletion notice should explain why (see also "What Wikipedia is not" and Wikipedia's deletion policy). You may prevent the proposed deletion by removing the {{dated prod}} notice, but please explain why you disagree with the proposed deletion in your edit summary or on its talk page.

Please consider improving the article to address the issues raised because even though removing the deletion notice will prevent deletion through the proposed deletion process, the article may still be deleted if it matches any of the speedy deletion criteria or it can be sent to Articles for Deletion, where it may be deleted if consensus to delete is reached. Do you want to opt out of receiving this notice? Deb (talk) 12:05, 24 April 2008 (UTC)