Archive for April, 2010

Yamming It Up

Monday, April 26th, 2010

yammerlogo1Keeping up to date on what is going on in the organization can be tough, especially when you take into account the fast pace at which we do things. Back in 2009, we wanted a way to stay connected as we opened offices all over the world. After debating the use of several different systems, we finally decided to use Yammer (www.yammer.com). Similar to a Facebook news feed, our team can post updates on Yammer about what they are doing and what’s going on in the office. With a mix of useful information and entertaining observations on the feed, Yammer creates a communication vehicle and promotes transparency within the company, both endlessly pursued goals of ours.

Consistent interaction with Yammer makes work easier in a number of ways:
-    Brainstorming: Team members post a question and get immediate thoughts, ideas, and feedback
-    Collaborating: Another team member might be able to contribute to a project someone else been Yammering about (i.e. a graph or a customer quote)
-    Instant updates: Yammer provides access to the most up-to-date information within the company
-    Feedback: Our team members can see what our customers or press are saying about the Rubicon Project

Frank said it best: “Active communication is one of our culture values.  Yammer gives us the ability to communicate in real-time with our entire team in NY, LA, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney.   We’re able to share more “raw” information, which has already increased our internal efficiency quite significantly.  It also makes information sharing fun.” We highly recommend Yammer to any company hoping to encourage “by the people for the people” communication in the office!


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Social Sports Fun

Monday, April 19th, 2010
Our spring 2010 kickball team

Our spring 2010 kickball team

Two of our cultural values are competition and fun. Some people don’t think these two go well together but we do! Here at the Rubicon Project, we have several different sports teams that play in local leagues. Anyone in the company who is interested can play and it’s all in the name of some good competition and a fun time.

If basketball, soccer, kickball, or softball is your thing- we’ve got you covered! With sports teams in Los Angeles and New York City, our teams share battle stories with the rest of the company as we go out there and try to make everyone proud. Not only is joining a sports team a great way to spend time with our co-workers, it’s a really great bonding experience for all of us. Our friends and family also are invited to play, which makes our Rubicon Project family even larger.

Note: If you would like to play in the Venice kickball league (pictured) please sign up at www.planetsocialsports.com! We love new competition :)


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March Madness!

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Our LA team at Q's Billiards

Our LA team at Q's Billiards

March is one heck of a month- not only because things are super busy around here but also because it’s March Madness! On Monday, April 5th the #1 seeded Duke Blue Devils were pitted against “Cinderella story magic” that is the Butler Bulldogs. Coast to coast (Los Angeles and New York) our Rubicon Project team members took this opportunity to celebrate the end of the tournament with a championship watch party at our local watering holes.

To make things a little more fun and reminisce on times past, the theme of the day at work was “support your alma mater”. Our team members were sporting Michigan State zip ups, UC Santa Barbara t-shirts, and representing schools from all across the country. It was fun hearing the rivalries commence and even better to hear “hey I didn’t know you went there! Cool!”. Nothing like getting to know each other a little bit better.

In the end, Cinderella didn’t get the Prince as we all watched Butler lose by two points in the last second. But, after good co workers, good food, and good drinks it was hard to go home disappointed. See you at the Big Dance next year!


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Going Back to School

Thursday, April 1st, 2010
This blog post is written by Mike Baumwoll: Author and volunteer extraordinaire

One of our rock star volunteers: Mike Baumwoll

Rubicon strives not only to make a difference in the advertising space, but also in our community. One of the many aspects that distinguish the Rubicon Project from other companies is its devotion to giving back.

On Wednesday, March 24, the NYC team trekked to the Newark Educators’ Community Charter School in Newark, New Jersey.  With Rubicon shirts on our backs and our train tickets in hand, the NY team went back to school!

Upon arrival, the team was welcomed with open arms. The school was filled with excited kids anxious to meet us. And we were excited to meet them!

Our team spent time with the students individually and were able to really bond with the kids while reading their favorite books like The Giving Tree, Dr. Seuss, and the Magic School Bus. It really brought back some exciting childhood memories!We also spent time painting chalkboards as well as organizing additional books for the school library.

According to Rubicon team member Elinor Adams, “It was a great opportunity for team bonding, as well as a chance to give back to a group of people who have already worked so hard creating an amazing learning environment for all of these great kids!”

Rubicon newbie Ben Karetny felt the same way, “Overall, it was a really great experience, and I hope someday we can visit them again!”
Aside from all the laughter, reading, and games of rock- paper- scissors, our NY team seemed to truly connect with the students of the Newark Educators’ Community Charter School. The experience was outlined by Rubicon team member Mike Baumwoll, “It’s exciting to play a small role in shaping the lives of children who will soon shape our community.”


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