Eric Picard

Eric Picard is the director of advertising strategy and emerging media planning at Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions. In his role, he helps set corporate-level strategy for how Microsoft approaches advertising from a business and technology standpoint. His team manages long-term advertising platform and product strategy, emerging media strategy, and planning for incubation and research teams, and designs next generation advertising products. Formerly, Eric was founder and director of product management at Bluestreak, where he oversaw advertising products, such as third-party ad serving, ad analytics, and rich media and led development of many company technologies. He helped pioneer rich media advertising in the late '90s and has been active in most of the critical industry conversations related to technology, including the IAB's Measurement Committee and Rich Media Task Force. Prior to Bluestreak, Eric founded 9th Square Inc. and Waterworks Interactive Inc.

Recent articles by Eric Picard

Ad Serving 101, Revised
Time for an update to the introductory course. Nov 17, 2008

Winning in Online Advertising in a Down Economy
Providing a means to preserve revenue and margins, increase efficiency, or reduce costs always has a place -- especially when times are tough. Oct 20, 2008

Appearing Soon in an Ad Near You
Imagine this: ads featuring you, your kid, and your ex-girlfriend! Why it's not as far-fetched as it seems. Sep 22, 2008

Why Search Doesn't Really Matter
Rules that exist for search advertising don't necessarily apply to other media. Here's why. Aug 25, 2008

Supply and Demand in Online Advertising
What's wrong with today's approach to buying and selling online display advertising -- and a proposal for change. Jul 28, 2008

Counting the Streams in a New Media Age
Media distribution is becoming fragmented much quicker than the currency can handle. Jun 30, 2008

Is an Impression a Commodity?
At what point does the delivery vehicle for digital advertising move from being a premium good to being a raw commodity? Jun 2, 2008

Media Agencies vs. Ad Networks
As an advertiser, why would you buy from an ad network that can mark up inventory to any amount it likes? May 5, 2008

The Future of Advertising: A Conversation With Jeff Einstein, Part 2
Is the obsession with ROI an exercise in arrogance? Last of a series. Apr 7, 2008

The Future of Advertising: A Conversation With Jeff Einstein, Part 1
Is the obsession with ROI an exercise in arrogance? Part one of a series. Mar 10, 2008

More articles by Eric Picard ...