So maybe we’re a bit behind the times, but we recently found a study from Exact Target and CoTweet that further cements our commitment to the idea of Bread. The paper’s called “The Social Break-Up,” and dissects how consumers interact with brands. 

The social world is changing relationships. People aren’t wearing just one letterman jacket anymore, they’ve got love affairs with brands, bands and even Pringles cans. These arrangements are often fleeting, though. Break-ups don’t happen after hours of agonizing phone conversations — fans and followers can dump your brand with the click of a button. 

The study starts with a number of salient points about email marketing, but what got us fired up was the discussion about Facebook break-ups. 44 percent of those surveyed said that they “unliked” a brand because they posted too frequently. Just below that number, at 43 percent, was “my wall was becoming too crowded with marketing posts and I needed to get rid of some of them.” Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed were just simply bored of the shared content. 

Cue the theme music, because that’s where Bread comes in! You don’t want to fracture your fan base by asking people to buy things. And asking fans for likes on posts about products seems a little desperate. Instead, companies should share compelling content that engages their users. Unless you’re Don Draper, there shouldn’t be any place for marketing jargon on social media (we could listen to Don talk all day). Be real, be accessible. 

Leave the advertising up to us and create meaningful conversations with your followers. Bread links don’t disturb your voice on social media, and they don’t alter the content your sharing. We just let you show those big, beautiful billboards off.

Seems like a win-win for everyone, right?

Since everyone’s all aglow about bunnies, peeps and that fake grass that lines the bottom of baskets, we’d like to plant an Easter egg of our own.  

And, well, since you’re here — it seems you’ve found it already. 

We’re announcing a soft launch of Bread Pro today. That’s right. Before we climb atop our roof and shout it to the masses, we’re opening our doors — ever so slightly — to those of you who’ve been patiently waiting. We won’t get the marketing cogs turning for a short while, so dive in and explore all the new features available in Bread Pro.  

Gone are the days of microscopic advertisements on your social media site’s sidebar. Bread Pro offers full-page billboard designs. Not to mention real-time analytics, a billboard creator that supports images, texts and video functionality, and timing and frequency controls on your billboards. Yes, we know your fans love the Linkmercials you attach to your shared content, but they don’t always have to see them. Now, how frequently they see your billboards is up to you.  

So, go on, give Bread Pro a spin. Make a billboard showing off your latest project. Promote a charity of your choice. Give a little hat-tip to your favorite band. Bread is the only link-shortening service that lets you place a fully customizable advertisement in front of your shared content.  

The weather’s been nice in San Francisco lately, but it never gets that warm outside. It’s just April, but we miss that paralyzing, unbearable heat you get in places that are actually susceptible to the seasons. You know that, I’d-go-swimming-if-the-pool-didn’t-feel-like-a-bathtub type of weather?  We rarely see that here in the Bay, so we thought a couple of our employees could use some warming up.

We selected two very, very lucky Bread workers to go on an all-expenses paid trip to Cancun! White sand, clear water and margaritas — here’s to Spring Break 2012! 

Just kidding.

You think that’s in the budget? Instead, we thought parading them around the ad:tech conference wearing massive, foam-covered, blue outfits was the best way to raise their body temperatures.

Welcome back, Bread Men! We hadn’t seen these little, err, big guys since SXSW, so it was time to bring them back, anyway.

At the Moscone center, we cozied up with the guys from Yousendit, met some new people in the advertising world and brought a few babies to tears. Apparently, big, blue things that aren’t the cookie monster horrify children. Who would’ve thought?

After the crowds died down, we moseyed over to the Westfield mall for lunch. There was  a street performer on the way who laid down a nice Bread-themed song — we’d adapt it as our official theme song, if we weren’t so committed to this MegaUpload track. 

Security wasn’t too pleased with us at the mall. We pranced up and down the staircase a few times before a nice woman kindly directed us to the nearest exit. She took a Bread sticker, though, so we expect to see her shortening her links with Bre.ad very, very soon. 

Following our foray into the mall, we went back to Bread Labs and let our mascots peel those toasty suits off. People here in the office wear many hats. And sometimes those hats come in the form of humongous, fuzzy Bread suits. 

Later, the Bread team met up with the good people of ReTargeter at Vessel for their ad:tech party. We’re partnering with them, and couldn’t be more excited about it.

Sorry, R. Kelly, there wasn’t an after, after party for us. No hotel lobby, either. We had work to do, after all. 

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more adventures in Breadworld,

Team Bread

See what we’re baking over at Breadpro.com. 

The Bread mascots hit the streets of Austin for SXSW 2012, and folks posted photos with the hashtag #ifoundbreadatSXSW for a chance to win a cash prize.

Huge congratulations to our winner, Caroline Wallace, for her creative photo:

See more on the Bread mascots in Entrepreneur Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and Buzzfeed.

Hey bakers,

Team Bre.ad is working hard baking up our exciting new product, Bre.ad Pro.

Social media marketing should be better, and we’re here help. Bre.ad Pro launches later this year.

Please email us (hello at bre dot ad) if you are interested in getting early access to our new version.

Features include: rich media activation, Facebook and Twitter integration, frequency capping, and full-page customization.

With love from the bakery,
Team Bre.ad

This week we are spotlighting a truly inspiring venture making waves outside of Silicon Valley and NYC’s incubating environments. Urban Light is a youth-focused organization based in Chiang Mai, Thailand committed to recycling, rebuilding and restoring the lives of boys who are victims of child prostitution and sexploitation. The founder & Center Mom, Alezandra Russell, has been using Bre.ad billboards to educate the public about the organization and bring this serious social issue into the international spotlight. We’re totally impressed with what Alezandra has accomplished already and think you will be too. Learn more about Urban Light and how you can help at http://www.urban-light.org/ and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date.

Noticed more mustachioed faces this month? It’s nothing to laugh about! The Laugh Factory staff joins over a million other Movember participants who are growing out their facial hair to change the face of men’s health. Team Bre.ad loves the Movember cause — raising awareness and funds to fight prostate cancer — so we’re thrilled to announce that the Laugh Factory’s billboard endorsing Movember is this week’s Billboard of the Week. Want to learn more about the Movember movement? Check out their website. Want to get your laugh on while surrounded by the finest mustaches in Los Angeles? Visit the Laugh Factory and give the staff a high five.