Glossary

The Blueprint Style (or cyanotype style) is a visual aesthetic that mimics the look of traditional blueprints, which are architectural or engineering technical drawings. This style is characterised by a precise colour combination: white (or light-coloured) lines on a deep cyan blue background.

It originated as a result of the contact printing process called cyanotype, invented in 1842, which produced a negative copy of the original drawing (which had dark lines on a light background).

Blue Monday (which translates as "sad Monday") is a term that refers to the supposed most depressing day of the year, conventionally identified as the third Monday in January. Despite its unscientific origins, having been created in 2005 as part of a travel agency's advertising campaign, it has become a media phenomenon and a recognised date in the marketing calendar.

Blow-up is an enlargement. It is the technical process, in photography, video, or print, through which an image is reproduced in a significantly larger format than the original.

Originally, the term referred specifically to the darkroom process of creating a large print (e.g. a poster) from a small negative. Today, it is also used in the digital sphere to indicate the enlargement (or upscaling) of a file.

The term Blogosphere (from the English blogosphere) refers to the global, interconnected, and constantly evolving collection of all blogs, the bloggers who run them, and the readers who interact with them. It is a true digital ecosystem based on the publication of personal, thematic, or corporate content. It is perceived as a shared space where users exchange ideas, delve deeper into news, and discuss, sometimes in opposition to traditional media.

Blogging is the activity of managing and updating a Blog, which is an online space (often a section of a website or a dedicated platform) where textual content, multimedia, or both, known as posts, are published regularly. It is essentially a "digital diary" or an online journal managed by an individual, a group, or a company, characterised by a generally informal style and the presentation of information in reverse chronological order.

A Blogger is an individual who manages and maintains a blog, which is a website or a section of a site where they regularly publish written content, multimedia, or both, on specific topics of their interest or expertise. They are a digital content creator who uses their platform to share information, opinions, reviews, or personal stories, establishing a direct dialogue with readers.

A Blog (a contraction of the term "Weblog") is a type of website, or a specific section of one, where content (known as 'articles' or 'posts') is published regularly and is typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent appears first).

Starting out as a sort of online diary for sharing personal thoughts, it has evolved into a powerful tool for information, marketing, and personal branding.

The Blockchain (literally a "chain of blocks") is a shared, decentralised digital ledger that stores transactions or data in blocks concatenated in chronological order using cryptography. This structure ensures that, once recorded, the data is immutable and cannot be retrospectively altered or deleted without the consent of the entire network. Its distributed nature, where every computer (node) holds a copy of the ledger, eliminates the need for a central intermediary.

A Blister (or blister pack) is a common type of packaging consisting of two components: a transparent, pre-formed plastic cavity (the 'bubble' or blister) and a rigid backing (usually a printed cardboard or an aluminium foil) to which the plastic is sealed.

Its purpose is to contain, protect, and make the product inside visible.

A Blind Test is a market research methodology where a product is submitted for evaluation by a sample of consumers without the brand or packaging being recognisable.

Participants are asked to test and judge the product (e.g. by tasting it, touching it, or using it) anonymously or in neutral packaging.

A Blind Offer is, in the context of marketing and advertising, a promotional technique that deliberately conceals the identity of the brand or the exact nature of the product it is promoting. It is a pure form of teaser campaign, designed to stimulate maximum curiosity and word-of-mouth, prompting the audience to ask "Who is behind this?" or "What is it about?".

In a more transactional context (e.g. real estate or acquisitions), the term refers to a financial offer made without knowing all the details of the asset or the competitors' bids.

In the context of audio and video production, the Blimp (also known as a Zeppelin) is an essential accessory for microphones. It is a rigid, hollow, and aerodynamically shaped casing (similar to an airship, hence the name) designed to house a microphone (usually a shotgun mic).

Its structure creates a "bubble" of still air around the microphone capsule, protecting it physically and, most importantly, from wind noise.

The Bleed (or Abundance or trim margin in Italian) is a fundamental technical term in printing and prepress. It denotes the portion of a graphic element (such as a background image, a photo, or a solid colour) that extends beyond the final trim line (the trim) of the page.

It is not a visible area in the finished product but a technical margin that is cut off.

"Blastare" is a neologism derived from the English verb to blast (to explode, to destroy) which, in the language of the web and social networks, refers to the action of verbally attacking, ridiculing, or silencing an interlocutor in public, in an overwhelming manner, and often with a particularly sharp retort or an unassailable argument. The action aims to humiliate or shut up the interlocutor from a position of supposed intellectual or moral superiority, leaving them no chance to reply.

The Blanket Rate ( or flat rate) is a single, fixed, and predetermined rate that covers a wide range of services, quantities, or conditions, instead of calculating the price for every single item, hour, or variable. It is a fixed price or all-inclusive price that drastically simplifies quoting and invoicing.

It is often the economic component that governs a Blanket Contract.