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Budweiser has released a patriotic new ad featuring its iconic Clydesdale horses just two weeks after Dylan Mulvaney's Bud Light deal sparked a huge backlash, but the public is not biting the bit.
The one-minute spot was released on social media Friday and features shots of the iconic Clydesdales galloping across the country, in open fields, and past landmarks includingthe Lincoln Memorial and the New York City skyline.
A deep-voiced narrator says that Budweiser is 'a story bigger than beer' as the horses race across the screen.
'This is the story of the American spirit,' he says.
The ad for the beer - which like Bud Light is also owned by Anheuser-Busch appears to be a pivot to return to traditional values for the brand which historically appeals to blue-collar American workers.
This is in stark difference to Bud Light's doomed partnership with trans influencer Mulvaney - which ended in a lukewarm apology from the firm's CEO.
However, online users slammed the ad as a pathetic attempt to right the ship that was permanently sent in the wrong direction with the Mulvaney partnership.
The iconic Clydesdales are shown galloping across iconic American settings
'My favorite advertisement by amile was the Clydesdales after 9/11. It was absolute perfection. After your embrace of the trans agenda, glorifying a man looking for his 15 mins of fame by mocking women. I will never buy, drink or serve your beer again,' wrote one user.
'Is the horse trans now?' wrote radio host Dan O'Donnell.
'Nope, you guys destroyed your own base and market because you had to go woke. I'll never drink any of your products again,' wrote Brandon Saario.
'Lol, hard pivot huh?' wrote Angela McArdle, the chair of the Libertarian Party.
Commentator Philip Holloway wrote: 'Don't look now Anheuser Busch and Budweiser but the Clydesdale has already left the barn. The train has sailed, the ship has left the station.'
In one shot, the ad showcases two people raising an American flag as one places her hand over her heart.
As the flag is raised, the narrator says: 'Brewed for those who found opportunity in challenge and hope in tomorrow.'
In another shot, the ad shows the downtown NYC skyline, where the Freedom tower now stands instead of the World Trade Center. At that moment, the narrator says the word: 'Remember.'
Not everyone appreciated the reference. Brandon Morse, the senior editor of Red State responded: 'I'm not sure a lineup of B-roll footage and some guy throwing middle-America buzzwords at us will win us back, and frankly, bringing 9/11 into this is kind of insulting.'
The Budweiser Clydesdales have been featured in the Budweiser Super Bowl ad for more than 30 years
The targeted ad arrives as Anheuser-Busch continues to navigate the controversy surrounding Bud Light's partnership.
Bud Light and Budweiser are distinct brands housed under the same parent company. With the new ad, the latter - often called The King of Beers - appears to be stepping in to save the reputation of Bud Light.
In her controversial ad, Mulvaney posted a clip of herself sipping from a one-off, custom Bud Light can with her face on to promote its March Madness competition - and the backlash saw parent company Anheuser-Busch lose $6billion in market cap within six days.
Mulvaney became well known for the 'days of girlhood' videos, in which the 26-year-old documented the first year of identifying as a girl.
But the TikTok star, 26, has angered some feminists and conservatives over claims she's 'play-acting' being a 'girl,' and co-opting parts of womanhood she finds interesting - without having to deal with the misogyny or prejudice many women face.
Even the Budweiser Clydesdales have not escaped the backlash against the partnership, as a Budweiser distributor in Missouri canceled all scheduled events to showcase the massive horses last week amid safety concerns.
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth, 46, delivered a lackluster apology on Friday
Whitworth issued this public statement on Friday, two weeks into the controversy
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth delivered a lackluster apology on Friday.
'We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer,' said Whitworth in the statement.
In a statement after the initial blow back, the company tried to calm conservative consumers with a statement.
'Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points.
'From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney.
'This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.'
Whitworth is seen in the early 1990s, in a feature about the sporting and academic star in his local Delaware newspaper
Whitworth qualified for theIronman World Championship - an ultra-triathlon held annually in Hawaii - but did not take up his place, joining the CIA in 2001 instead
The decision to team up with Mulvaney was reportedly made by a low-level marketing executive, but that has not stopped Whitworth and his vice president of marketing for Bud Light, Alissa Heinerscheid, from facing a torrent of criticism.
Yet few are better positioned to draw on a lifetime of challenging situations than Whitworth - an 'all American hero' and trainee doctor who joined the Marines - where he was a star athlete - and the CIA, recruiting and handling spies across the Middle East, before going to Harvard Business School.
Whitworth has lived across the United States, and has been a registered Republican for most of his life.
'I felt fortunate to have been born in the United States,' he said. 'I felt like I needed to pay that back - like I had a bit of indebtedness that I needed to pay.'
Whitworth grew up in the Alapocas Woods area just outside Wilmington, Delaware - the son of a doctor, Michael Whitworth, and his wife Sara.
He attended Salesianum School, a Catholic high school in Wilmington, and graduated in 1994, having led the school soccer team to win the state championship. He was also fiendishly academic, earning straight As in honors pre-calculus.
Whitworth then decided to follow in his father's footsteps and study medicine, attending Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
Yet midway through his college career, he had a change of heart.
Having always admired military and government service, he decided he wanted to join the Marines, attending Officer Cadet School and being commissioned as a lieutenant in his senior year.
Whitworth played soccer at high school in Wilmington and at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania
His grandfather worked at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), serving under President Hoover, before running the training in Quantico, Virginia.
'That's where kind of the attachment to serving the country came from,' Whitworth told Fox News in an October interview.
By the age of 25, Whitworth, 6ft 2in and 185lbs, was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, and making headlines as an Ironman.
He ran the Marine Corp Marathon in a remarkable two hours 55 minutes, and the following year qualified for the Ironman World Championship - an ultra-triathlon held annually in Hawaii.
Whitworth did not take up his place, however: by then, he had decided to leave the Marines, after three years, and join the CIA.
In the aftermath of 9/11, from 2001-6, Whitworth worked in some of the toughest spots around the globe at the height of the War on Terror - Pakistan, Tunisia, Iraq.
His LinkedIn describes his role as: 'Specialized in the recruitment and handling of human sources with access to vital intelligence that prevented and disrupted terrorist threats.'
The CEO of Anheuser-Busch is seenduring a Belgian Economic Mission to the U.S. in June 2022. AB-InBev, the parent company for Anheuser-Busch, is based in Belgium
Whitworth is seen addressing an Anheuser-Busch gathering
His family were proud, but worried.
His older sister Kelty - an All-American swimmer at Ursuline Academy in Delaware, who then went to Harvard - told him it was time to get out.
'While she appreciated what I had been doing she, as any protective sibling would be, was constantly saying, 'OK, you've done eight years now … What do you think about prioritizing yourself?'' he told Fox Business.
Whitworth described his sister as being a 'strong, well-grounded opinion' in his life.
He reluctantly agreed with her, but on the condition that he would only leave if he got in to Harvard, like her.
'There are a bunch of great business schools but I always felt like she had something on me, too,' he explained.
'So, I was like, 'All right, fine, I'm going to go there'.'
He prepared for his Graduate Management Admission Test while in Baghdad, studying late at night after his CIA shifts ended.
In 2006 he arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Whitworth continued to play sports, particularly rugby.
But he focused on his studies, and on graduation landed a prime job with PepsiCo.
In 2013, he joined AB-Inbev - the Belgian-based brewing company, formed from the merger of US firm Anheuser-Busch with brewing companies around the world.
He rose up the ranks, leading trade marketing, category and sales technology divisions before becoming US Chief Sales Officer in November 2017, and finally US CEO.
'It's hard to find a few things that are as closely attached to the United States of America than Anheuser-Busch,' he said at the time of his appointment, in July 2021.
Whitworth is seen in a Budweiser hoody greeting drinkers at a trade fair
'That passion for the country just naturally connected to a passion for Anheuser-Busch and I grew up drinking Budweiser.
'I would bring Budweiser to college parties, and not even really care what was in the keg.'
Whitworth credits his Marine training with helping him rise to the top of corporate America.
'They put you through a process to screen you, to see if do you have the capabilities to lead Marines,' he said.
'Then they give you what they believe are the right leadership principles and then they give you a platoon of Marines, and you have to go see if that all works.
'That early experience gave me an appreciation that I've continued to build upon — what it means to connect with, sell to, market to someone from Philadelphia or somebody from San Antonio.'
It's certainly made him a wealthy man.
Whitworth is believed to earn $12 million a year, and lives with his wife Meredith in a $7 million apartment on the Upper East Side, close to Central Park.
He will draw on all of his experience as he helps Anheuser-Busch weather the Mulvaney storm.
'None of us get it right every time. We're not supposed to,' he told Business Insider, in the November 2021 interview about his hiring technique.
'But I want to see people that get it wrong and then quickly move on to try and get it right.'
Anheuser-Busch defended gifting Dylan Mulvaney her personalized can in a statement: 'From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale'
In early April, Mulvaney shared a video of herself in a bathtub sipping from a can of Bud Light to announce her new partnership with the brand
The company has been hit with a barrage of complaints, with many customers filming themselves pouring the liquid away
Last week, the company's doubling down only enraged angered customers more.
Onlookers are now criticizing the maneuver as a shameless publicity grab, amid the recent trend of companies going 'woke' to better their bottom lines.
Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light vice president of marketing, previously stoked the flames of the controversy by saying she had a mandate to update the brand's 'fratty' and 'out-of-touch' image.
'I'm a businesswoman. I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was "This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light,"' she said in a video that has been heavily criticized.
'It’s like we need to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand,' she added.
'What does evolve and elevate mean? It means inclusivity. It means shifting the tone. It means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive and feels lighter and brighter and different.
'And appeals to women and to men,' she concluded in an interview from March 30.
This patriotic Budweiser ad 2023 aims to evoke the classic Budweiser vibe, with the iconic Clydesdale running through scenes of blue-collar America, first responders, firefighters, and farmers sharing a cold one. The narrator concludes the spot with a grand statement: “This story is bigger than beer.Why did Budweiser stop making Clydesdale commercials? ›
A Budweiser distributor in Missouri is canceling events featuring the beer giant's famous Clydesdale horses as Bud Light faces boycott threats over its marketing partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.What is the new Budweiser Pro America ad with iconic mascot? ›
The advertisement, which was released on social media Friday, features one of Budweiser's famous Clydesdale horses traversing the country from New York City to the Grand Canyon, passing by scenes in the American heartland as a narrator delivers a patriotic message.Where can I see the Budweiser Clydesdales in 2023? ›
Warm Springs Ranch, home of Budweiser Clydesdales, set to open for 2023 season. The horses at Warm Springs Ranch are set to give their welcome, helping visitors gallop — or, at least, trot — out of winter's doldrums and into a fresh, new season.What happens to the Budweiser Clydesdales when they retire? ›
Clydesdales retire to prestigious homes such as Anheuser-Busch's Grant's Farm, in St. Louis, or other display stables. > Members of the breed can live to 20 years old and beyond.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales in Super Bowl 2023? ›
For the record, the Clydesdales were in Budweiser's 2023 Super Bowl ad, but it was a blink-and-you-miss-it type appearance.What happens to Budweiser Clydesdales that don t make the cut? ›
"They must have a white blaze, a black mane and tail ... and four white, stocking feet." Those that don't make the cut are sold for roughly $5,000 apiece. But some of the mares, like 8-year-old Darla, the mother of Budweiser's future Super Bowl star, are kept around to keep future generations going.Who owns the Budweiser Clydesdales now? ›
Presently, the Budweiser Clydesdales reside at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis for public viewing. Visitors can also see the Clydesdales up-close at Warm Springs Ranch, the premier Budweiser Clydesdales breeding establishment in Boonville, Missouri.What is the number one selling beer in America? ›
Bud Light trailed with a 7.3% share in the period. Bud Light sales fell 24.6% in the period year over year, while Modelo sales jumped 10.2%, the data shows. Still, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand Bud Light leads U.S. beer sales so far this year, according to Bump Williams.What was the old Budweiser slogan? ›
After the ban was lifted, the slogan “King of Bottled Beer” returned and Anheuser-Busch once again began brewing its signature brand. A bottle of Budweiser beer. The slogan was changed to the “King of Beers” in the mid-twentieth century as aluminum cans became a more popular form of packaging.
Launched in 1882, the Quaker Oats man was the first (according to the company) branded cereal mascot.What are the Budweiser dogs called? ›
Meet the newest member of the Budweiser Clydesdale family, Barley. In 1950, the Budweiser Clydesdales received their very own mascot: the Dalmatian. Since then, Dalmatians have served as friend and companion to the Budweiser Clydesdale team, sitting aside the driver.How much does it cost to have the Budweiser Clydesdales at an event? ›
This month, Anheuser-Busch quietly started charging a $2,000-per-day fee for public appearances by its Budweiser Clydesdales, ending the decades-long practice of the brewer absorbing almost all of the cost of showcasing its iconic horses before adoring crowds.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales male or female? ›
"There's several qualifications they have to meet to be on a Budweiser hitch. One of them is they have to be a gelding, that's a male horse. They have to be bay in color, have a black mane and tale, white blaze face, and with Clydesdales there's always the famous white feathers.How much does it cost to get the Budweiser Clydesdales? ›
Most sell for $2,500-$5,000, but top-level horses can fetch $10,000 or even cost as much as a luxury car. Factors affecting that price include the horse's bloodline, size, age, color, markings and level of training.How many years do Clydesdales live? ›
Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales gelded? ›
In order to join the World Famous Budweiser hitch, a Clydesdale must: stand at least 18 hands high (6 feet tall) be a gelding and at least 4 years old. have a bay coat, four white stockings, a blaze of white on the face, a black mane and a black tail.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales all male horses? ›
To qualify for one of the hitches, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding with an even temperament and strong, draft horse appearance, be at least four years old, stand at least 18 hands (72 inches, 183 cm) at the withers when fully mature, and weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds (820 and 1,040 kg).Who are the 4 new baby Budweiser Clydesdales? ›
In the last few weeks, four new additions to the Anheuser-Busch team were born at Warm Springs Ranch. Baby boy Clydesdales, Razor, Stinger, Baron, and Sergeant. Each one was named with the first letter of their mom's name. “All boys, all perfect color, the future looks bright for the Budweiser Clydesdales,” Trout said.Who are the 4 new Clydesdales? ›
The four colts, Barron, Sergeant, Stinger and Razor, were born recently on the Warm Springs Ranch property, a 300-plus-acre facility for the Budweiser Clydesdales in Boonville, Missouri — located about 150 miles west of St. Louis.
Budweiser opted to focus its primetime commercial on how Budweiser is consumed and celebrated by various, diverse groups of people, rather than show Clydesdales rushing through blizzards with Budweiser bottles and a puppy in tote.What does Budweiser do to horses tails? ›
PETA claims that Budweiser “misled” the public by claiming the horses have their hair trimmed. An undercover investigation, however, found that two members of staff from Budweiser's breeding and training facilities admitted that the tails are severed permanently at the tailbone.Does Budweiser amputated Clydesdales tails? ›
Anheuser-Busch has used the massive horses in its signature Budweiser commercials and at promotional events to pull wagons of beer for decades. The tradition of docking their tails was meant to keep their hair from getting tangled in the wagon hitches, but it's used for purely cosmetic purposes today, Guillermo said.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales treated well? ›
These special draft horses are treated like royalty. After training, they're pampered with long grooming sessions. Although they work hard, there is plenty of time to relax and just be horses.Can you buy a Budweiser Clydesdale? ›
Clydesdale horses can be purchased privately. In fact, Budweiser even sells foals to the public but there are many other breeders you can choose from as well.Can you ride a Clydesdale? ›
Can you ride Clydesdales? Yes! Most equipment manufactures now offer saddles, bits and bridles in draft horse sizes. The Clydesdales are very easy to train and their great style is a hit in the show ring.How many Clydesdales are left? ›
Since Clydesdale horses were primarily used as draft horses, some of the demand for them disappeared when cars and machines were invented. This caused the breed to decline in popularity. Today, there are only about 5.000 Clydesdale horses left worldwide.Which country drink the most beer? ›
The Czech Republic remained the world's top in per-capita beer consumption for the 29th consecutive year since 1993. Among the top 35 countries, eight countries saw a decrease in consumption from 2020 to 2021.Which U.S. city has the best beer? ›
"No matter how you pour it, Pittsburgh comes out on top," says The Best Beer Cities in the U.S. study that analyzed various data to make its rankings. "The Steel City boasts a high rate of bars and breweries and has one of the most affordable beer scenes in the country."What state consumes the most beer? ›
Naturally, the most populous states in the U.S. consume the most beer by volume. California leads the pack with over 772 million gallons consumed per annum. Rounding out the top five states that drink the most beer are Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York, respectively.
The Budweiser from Budějovice has been called "The Beer of Kings" since the 16th century. Adolphus Busch adapted this slogan to "The King of Beers." This history notwithstanding, Anheuser Busch owns the trademark to these slogans in the United States.What does Budweiser stand for? ›
BUDWEISER - Remember Every Soldier in Every War Died under Battle (backward slang) | AcronymFinder.Who is now the king of beers? ›
Budweiser American-Style Lager. King of Beers since 1876. Budweiser.What food brand has two mascots? ›
What you might not know about Chick-fil-A is that the chain has two different mascots. The original was a chicken named Doodles. You can still see the shape of its head in the logo.What was McDonald's mascot throughout the years? ›
The characters that remained following the lawsuit were Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar and the French Fry Gobblins (renamed the Fry Guys and later the Fry Kids with the addition of the Fry Girls) while Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, Captain Crook and the Professor were used until 1985.What are the oldest running commercials? ›
The world's longest running TV commercial is the Discount Tire Company's Thank you commercial, produced by Swartwout Productions (Arizona, USA) and first aired in 1975. The same commercial has been aired continuously every year in parts of the USA.What dog rides with the Clydesdales? ›
The Mascots' Roots
The Dalmatian didn't join the Clydesdales hitch until 1950. Not likely to lose its place as the Clydesdales' mascot any time soon, the Dalmatian is the perfect dog for the job.
While Snoopy is known to be a beagle, Bayley's breed of Mini Sheepadoodle – the result of crossing an Old English Sheepdog with a Miniature Poodle – has resulted in a near carbon copy of the drawn animal, in real life. Snoopy is the famously silent dog that originated in the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M.What famous dog has a spot on his eye? ›
Pete the Pup (original, 1924 – June 1930; second Pete, September 9, 1929 – January 28, 1946) was a character in Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies (later known as The Little Rascals) during the 1930s, otherwise known as "Pete, the dog with the ring around his eye", or simply "Petey".Will there be a new Clydesdale commercial? ›
You'll have to pay attention if you want to see the Budweiser Clydesdales in a Super Bowl commercial this Sunday. The iconic horses make only a very brief appearance at the start of an advertisement for the beer.
After sitting out the 2021 Super Bowl to focus on philanthropic causes, Anheuser-Busch came back strong with a 1-minute spot featuring the brand's majestic Budweiser Clydesdales in 2022. There won't be a repeat in 2023. Instead, we'll be stuck reminiscing about previous years' Clydesdale commercials.Where will the Budweiser Clydesdales be? ›
Where Legends Are Born. Warm Springs Ranch is the official breeding facility of the Budweiser Clydesdales. Resting on 300-plus acres of rolling hills in the heart of Missouri, our state-of-the-art establishment will take your breath away.What's up Budweiser commercial year? ›
Whassup? (also known as Wazzup) was a commercial campaign for Budweiser beer from 1999 to 2002. The first spot aired during Monday Night Football on December 20, 1999. The ad campaign ran in much of the world and became a pop culture catchphrase, comically slurring "what's up?".How much is the Budweiser Clydesdales appearance fee? ›
This month, Anheuser-Busch quietly started charging a $2,000-per-day fee for public appearances by its Budweiser Clydesdales, ending the decades-long practice of the brewer absorbing almost all of the cost of showcasing its iconic horses before adoring crowds.Are the Budweiser Clydesdales all male? ›
"There's several qualifications they have to meet to be on a Budweiser hitch. One of them is they have to be a gelding, that's a male horse. They have to be bay in color, have a black mane and tale, white blaze face, and with Clydesdales there's always the famous white feathers.Do the Budweiser Clydesdales still travel? ›
Presently, the Budweiser Clydesdales reside at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis for public viewing. Visitors can also see the Clydesdales up-close at Warm Springs Ranch, the premier Budweiser Clydesdales breeding establishment in Boonville, Missouri. Both attractions are open seasonally.Why did Budweiser leave the Super Bowl 2023? ›
The beer wasn't chosen for a national spot because its sales are “extremely regional,” Garbe said, and revealed that the roughly 150-year-old brand will be relaunched this year to focus on a “younger and multicultural audience.”What gender are Budweiser Clydesdales? ›
The Budweiser Clydesdale Stables at Grant's Farm house approximately 35 mares, stallions and foals, with an average of 15 foals produced each year.Can you own a Clydesdale horse? ›
Can you buy a Clydesdale Horse? Clydesdale horses can be purchased privately. In fact, Budweiser even sells foals to the public but there are many other breeders you can choose from as well.How long do Clydesdales live? ›
Clydesdales generally live into their late teens to early twenties.
Since Clydesdale horses were primarily used as draft horses, some of the demand for them disappeared when cars and machines were invented. This caused the breed to decline in popularity. Today, there are only about 5.000 Clydesdale horses left worldwide.Who is the older guy on the beer commercial? ›
The Most Interesting Man in the World was an advertising campaign for Dos Equis beer featuring actor Jonathan Goldsmith as a bearded, debonair older gentleman with voiceovers that were both humorous and outrageous. The advertisements first began appearing in the United States in 2006 and became a popular Internet meme.Who wrote the Budweiser jingle? ›
"Here Comes the King" is a well-known advertising jingle written for Budweiser, whose slogan is "The King of Beers." Budweiser is the flagship brand of the Anheuser-Busch brewery. Copyrighted in 1971, the music and lyrics are by Steve Karmen, who also wrote six other jingles for Anheuser-Busch.


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“You can get about £450 scrap, which is why a lot of floats got scrapped,” says Hall.
“But first we always check the state of the batteries. There’s no point in throwing them away if they still have two or three good years left.
Milk floats are robust, too. “You rarely see one that’s come off second best in an accident,” says Hall. “But a lot of floats have been run into the ground and most of the old milk float engineers just don’t exist any more.”
But as well as restoring old floats to original condition, Hall has plans to modernise them. “We now have a prototype lithium-ion set [of batteries] that will plug into the existing set-up. As battery technology advances and the cost comes down, we hope that the cost of our set-up will come down as well.”
The improvements are not only in efficiency. The weight saving between the old-fashioned lead-acid batteries and modern lithium-ion is huge.
“We use a 30kW set from a Nissan Leaf. The total weight including the custom-built battery box, charger and management system is 350kg. That replaces the 1,100kg of lead-acid battery. A further advantage is that then you can use the existing electric car charging network,” says Hall.
His workshop is crammed with milk floats in various states of disrepair and refurbishment, but there’s much more besides.
I ask whether Hall sees himself as a collector or as an enthusiast. “My place here has often been described as a vehicle orphanage, I get excited about buying and selling, rather than having a big collection. It’s exciting to see how things get repurposed and how they’re helping people to make a living.
“We live in a throwaway society so with the floats it’s a case of they’re one of the last old-school vehicles, but it’s only because they were built so damn tough that they’re still around.
“There’s something about a milk float that puts a smile on someone’s face. Old police cars less so…”
But for all the nostalgia, there’s a serious side to Hall’s work: he wants to reinvent the milk float for current needs.
“We need to get more floats working. Not just milk, more like a mini version of your high street, like a local shop. Independent small businesses that are under pressure, such as butchers, bakers and florists, they can share a database of people – especially the older generation as there’s a lot more people becoming isolated due to the rise in online shopping.

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text: According to LiveMint, Japanese auto giant Honda will continue to retail cars featuring diesel engines even after BS-VI emission norms are enforced. They are the second manufacturer, after Ford Motors, to make this statement. Honda plans to make available models with upgraded BS-VI engines in both petrol and diesel starting the fourth quarter of this financial year. According to a senior official of Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), the company plans to upgrade both its diesel engines. These engines power various models in Honda’s portfolio like the Amaze, Honda City, the WR-V, the BR-V, the Civic and the CR-V.Rajesh Goel, Senior Vice President & Director, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Limited, said, “From our experience, for the fuel choice among petrol or diesel, 80 per cent of customers make a rational choice based on consideration of driving distance and recovery period. However, there are still 20 per cent customers who make an emotional choice towards a particular fuel. The company will take care of these 20 per cent emotional choice buyers as well.”Mr Goel said that fuel dynamics will change after BS-VI norms are enforced, and that price gaps will increase between petrol and diesel models. He said, “But we believe the demand for diesel will not vanish immediately. Therefore, we will continue to offer the diesel models in line with market demand and gradually move towards future alternatives.” Mr Goel is confident that the move from BS-IV to BS-VI will be smooth and he says Honda’s progress towards implementation of BS-VI compliant engines is on schedule. “Smooth run-out of BS-IV vehicles and switch over to BS-VI vehicles will be a key task during this financial year. HCIL will progressively introduce BS-VI compliant models from fourth quarter of this fiscal.” he said. Honda currently sells Amaze, WR-V, City and BR-V with a 1.5 litre diesel engine, while Civic and CR-V are powered by a 1.6 litre diesel powertrain. All the cars are available with petrol engine as well.With diesel cars set to become costlier after the BS-VI implementation, industry leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has said that it would discontinue all diesel models starting 1 April 2020. Tata Motors is also in the process of phasing out small capacity diesel engines from it’s portfolio.udos to Honda Cars India Limited. Now the second manufacturer who is on board. Honda understands that Indians love diesel vehicles, want diesel vehicles (even if they do not buy them). Good to see Honda putting in the effort. We find it a little strange that not one India based auto manufacturer wants to put in the effort of upgrading their entire fleet to meet BS-VI compliance. Tsk! Tsk!


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U.S. producer prices recorded their biggest increase in five months in November amid rising costs for services, pointing to steadily rising inflation pressures.
The Labor Department said on Wednesday its producer price index for final demand increased 0.4 percent last month, the largest gain since June, after being unchanged in October.
In the 12 months through October, the PPI rose 1.3 percent, the biggest gain since November 2014. The PPI rose 0.8 percent in the 12 months through October.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the PPI rising 0.1 percent last month and accelerating 0.9 percent from a year ago.
A 0.5 percent increase in the cost of services accounted for more than 80 percent of the rise in the final demand PPI last month. The increase, which followed a 0.3 percent decline in October, was the largest since January.
Producer prices are rising as some of the drag from last year's plunge in oil prices continues to fade. Oil prices are hovering around $50 per barrel, which could help offset some of the anticipated dampening impact on inflation from the dollar's renewed strength.
The dollar has gained 3.5 percent against the currencies of the United States' main trading partners since the Nov. 8 election of Donald Trump as the next president. The greenback's rally had appeared to fade for much of the year
Inflation is steadily moving toward the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
Energy prices fell 0.3 percent in November after climbing 2.5 percent the prior month. Wholesale food prices rose 0.6 percent after declining 0.8 percent in October.
Health care costs gained 0.2 percent last month after increasing 0.3 percent in October. The cost of hospital inpatient care increased 0.2 percent after rising 0.3 percent in October. These health care costs feed into the Fed's preferred inflation measure, the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index.
Last month, the volatile trade services component — which measures changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers — shot up 1.3 percent. That was the biggest increase since January and snapped four straight months of declines.
A key gauge of underlying producer price pressures that excludes food, energy and trade services advanced 0.2 percent. That followed a 0.1 percent dip in October.
The so-called core PPI increased 1.8 percent in the 12 months through November, the largest rise since August 2014. The core PPI increased 1.6 percent in the 12 months through October.


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Apple’s headset is here. At WWDC 2023, Apple gave the world a first look at the Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset that is its first new tech platform in years. Tim Cook said the device “puts big virtual screens on the world.” It’s controlled using your eyes, hands, and voice, and has an Apple Watch-like dial to adjust between virtual and augmented reality.
The event also included major new hardware releases for the Mac Pro and Mac Studio, plus the debut of a new 15-inch MacBook Air. Apple also used the event to announce updates for many of its operating systems and apps, including iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and more.
If you just want to watch the highlights from the keynote presentation, we’ve got you. This video runs through the most important details in a little over 25 minutes, or just scroll down and check out every update posted about the event as it happened.
- Apple Vision Pro first look: the mixed reality future is (almost) here
- Apple announces macOS Sonoma with game mode and support for desktop widgets
- Apple announces Mac Pro with M2 Ultra, starting at $6,999
- Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Air is the ‘world’s thinnest’
- Live blog: Apple’s VR headset, iOS 17, and more at WWDC 2023
Apple has announced an augmented reality headset called Apple Vision Pro that “seamlessly” blends the real and digital world. “It’s the first Apple product you look through, and not at,” CEO Tim Cook said of the device, which looks like a pair of ski goggles. As rumored, it features a separate battery pack and is controlled with eyes, hands, and voice. It will start at $3,499 and launch early next year, starting in the US market with more countries coming later in the year.Read Article >
Vision Pro is positioned as primarily an AR device, but it can switch between augmented and full virtual reality using a dial.
Jun 24LG is going to support that hotel AirPlay thing.
It wasn’t the biggest announcement at WWDC this year, but Apple debuting TV AirPlay in hotels is a welcome thing, and LG announced Thursday it’ll support it on LG Pro:Centric Smart Hotel TVs later this year (via MacRumors).
When you encounter one, you’ll be able to connect and start AirPlaying TikToks or whatever by scanning a QR code on the TV.
Despite some hints toward a possible Apple smart display with its new StandBy feature for iPhones, Apple’s WWDC was underwhelming for the smart home. But Apple did announce one noteworthy addition, Siri will soon handle “multiple commands” in succession without you having to say its name again.Read Article >
This might seem like a small update, but for anyone who uses voice control in the smart home, saying, “Siri, turn off the dining room lights,” then “Lock the front door,” then “Turn off the fan,” will be an improvement. However, it’s also another example of how Apple is still playing catch-up in the smart home.
For a lot of developers, watching WWDC is a trepidatious affair where they wait to find out whether they’ve been “Sherlocked” — that is, their apps have been outmoded by Apple building their features into its operating systems. We saw it this year when Apple announced Journal, which many have compared to the third-party app Day One. Last year, it was Continuity Cam, which is a lot like smartphone-as-a-webcam-app Camo, and before that, there was Screen Time, which gobbled up traits from Moment.Read Article >
We’re used to seeing Apple’s new features come from some currently popular app. But it’s less common for Apple to reach back and find inspiration in old, once-ubiquitous tech that predates the iPhone and even the company itself — and this year, that’s exactly what it did, starting with answering machines.
- You can buy the new 15-inch MacBook Air today.
Monica’s review called it exactly what was asked for:
This device doesn’t manufacture a need; it found a need, and it’s filling it. We don’t need to be convinced that we want the Air 15. We’ve been waiting for it.
Jun 12NordVPN is looking into making a VPN app for Apple TV.
But the VPN provider needs more details before it commits:
“We are concerned that there may be some limitations for consumer VPN products and the update will only benefit B2B VPN solutions,” NordVPN PR Manager Egidijus Jurgelionis wrote in an email to The Verge, “If not, our users will be able to use NordVPN on their Apple TVs sometime in the nearest future.”
Jun 11YouTuber Christopher Lawley asked developers and creators about their favorite features from WWDC 2023.
It’s interesting what they’re looking forward to — Overcast creator and podcaster Marco Arment says SwiftUI code will be “way less error-prone,” while David Sparks of MacSparky called out what he says is much-improved dictation.
Apple TVs will get native VPN app support in tvOS 17, according to an Apple press release (via 9to5Mac). It’s one of many features that didn’t make it into the keynote at WWDC 2023, but it could be a big deal for some folks. Assuming native VPN apps on Apple’s streaming box work as they do elsewhere, you might not have to wait to get home to catch up on streaming shows when traveling with an Apple TV 4K in tow.Read Article >
Right now, in tvOS 17, to use a VPN with your Apple TV, you’ll need to do something like install a VPN on your router to do it, and not all routers support this. Native VPN support is one of the rare advantages Google’s Chromecast or Amazon’s Fire TV devices hold over the Apple TV right now.
Apple used the Vision Pro’s $3,499 price tag to give the headset every advantage over the competition. It has dual 4K displays, runs one of the best laptop chips in the business, and comes with sophisticated eye- and hand-tracking technologies. But it also has one advantage money can’t buy: Apple’s developer ecosystem. Perhaps the headset’s single biggest advantage will be the ability for iPhone and iPad developers to easily plug their existing apps into the device’s operating system using familiar tools and frameworks.Read Article >
Already, the system stands in stark contrast to headsets from Meta, Valve, PlayStation, and HTC, which mostly rely on apps and games made in Unity or OpenXR to power their virtual and augmented reality experiences. While some competitors, like the Meta Quest, have key apps like Microsoft Office, Xbox, and Netflix, offerings beyond this are limited. In the several years that Meta’s headset has been out, the Meta Quest Store has only released about 400 games and apps. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a sign that there’s a serious lack of content optimized for VR.
Jun 9Even Apple’s Vision Pro can’t escape dongle life.
In Apple’s WWDC Platforms State of the Union video, the headset is shown on a table with what looks like a USB-C dongle, as pointed out by MacRumors. It could be a way to connect the headset to a Mac for development, a more convenient power connection than the battery pack, or maybe some kind of Apple-only diagnostic tool.
- Raise a glass to the Vergecast vs. Waveform tech trivia competition!
If you didn’t catch the recent podcast bonus episode pitting the Vergecast crew against Waveform in a round of tech trivia, it’s a great Friday afternoon listen.
There’s a segment about G Fuel gamer energy drink flavors that had me in stitches. It also reminded me I have a stash of the stuff from, like, I think PAX East 2017? Why not finally try it?
“Yes, hello? Poison control?”
This week’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) wasn’t all about operating system updates and Apple’s new mixed reality headset. Apple also revealed a number of new Macs, including a 15-inch MacBook Air as well as revamped versions of the Mac Pro and Mac Studio with Apple Silicon. All three will be available on Tuesday, June 13th, though you can currently preorder them from Apple, Amazon, and other retailers.Read Article >
Apple claims the newest MacBook Air is “the world’s thinnest 15-inch laptop.” Its 15.3-inch screen boasts 500 nits of brightness, but it’s otherwise similar to last year’s redesigned 13-inch model. It comes equipped with a 1080p webcam, a MagSafe charging connector, and Apple’s base M2 chip, which is the same processor found in the 13-inch MacBook Air.
Apple has spent years slowly making green bubbles feel like a worse kind of message — no typing indicators, tiny photos, no end-to-end encryption — but those constraints have always been limited to conversations in Messages; use any other app on your iPhone, and there’s generally parity with Android. But with iOS 17 later this year, Apple will expand those platform differences to phone calls, adding a big, splashy sign that your friend or family member bought the wrong phone.Read Article >
The biggest change is thanks to Apple’s new Contact Poster feature for phone calls, one of Apple’s banner improvements for iOS 17. When you set a Contact Poster, you choose a photo of yourself that fills an iPhone’s entire screen along with the font that displays your name. The vibe is very similar to the customizable lock screens added with iOS 16. Then, when you call someone, your personalized contact card takes over the screen of their phone instead of the large blank page that appears today. (Notably, you can limit sharing to contacts only or require iOS to ask if you want to share it.)
A couple of years ago, laptop sales were through the roof. With the majority of the population stuck at home for both work and school, plus flush with cash from government stimulus checks, many people were in need of better computers for use at home. And many of them bought laptops, to the tune of 340 million units in 2021.Read Article >
But that wave is long over. Overall laptop sales fell by double digits in 2022, and they haven’t bounced back in 2023. Apple, ever the outlier in so many markets, did manage to squeak out an increase in 2022 over 2021. But the last two quarters have seen the sharpest year-over-year percentage decline in revenue from the Mac in half a decade. Last quarter’s Mac revenue was the lowest since the third quarter of 2020. (Jason Snell over at Six Colors has a lot of handy charts that illustrate this — you want to look for the “Mac revenue” and “year-over-year Mac revenue change” charts.) Despite a huge bump from the revamped MacBook Pro that came out in late 2021 and strong performance from last year’s M2 Air, Mac sales have slowed down a lot.
Jun 9Today on The Vergecast: They sherlocked Chumby!
It’s the mid-2000’s again, apparently, because widgets are back and everybody’s bumping their phones to share contact information. So we spent the show debating which of Apple’s new-old ideas might stick around this time — plus where the new set of crypto scandals might lead the industry.
Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t seem fazed by Apple’s introduction of the Vision Pro.Read Article >
In a companywide meeting with Meta employees today that The Verge watched, the CEO said Apple’s device didn’t present any major breakthroughs in technology that Meta hadn’t “already explored” and that its vision for how people will use the device is “not the one that I want.” He also pointed to the fact that Meta’s upcoming Quest 3 headset will be much cheaper, at $499 compared to the Vision Pro’s $3,499 price tag, giving Meta the opening to reach a wider user base.
Jun 8Watch the Vergecast crew talk about Apple’s Vision Pro — and the best of WWDC.
Plus, we grabbed Marques Brownlee and our friends from the Waveform podcast to talk about all their favorite stuff, too. Grocery lists came up too often, and we’re very sorry about that. Plus, a long debate about whether the Vision Pro is any good — and how much it matters.
Apple’s revealing that its new Vision Pro mixed reality headset is outfitted with displays that have a 90Hz refresh rate. The new detail comes in an online WWDC session for developers where Apple shares how 2D video and stereoscopic 3D video work in the headset.Read Article >
It’s common to see 90 to 120Hz screens on tech from smartphones to PC gaming monitors, as it provides quicker responsiveness and smoother motion than slower displays. Apple has generally used 60Hz displays on everything it makes other than some of its “pro” devices like the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro that have 120Hz ProMotion displays. For a screen directly in front of your eyes, that added speed will make a big difference.
- The Vergecast vs. Waveform WWDC trivia challenge is live!
You can watch it on the WVFRM YouTube channel or listen to it in the Vergecast and Waveform podcast feeds. I’m not going to spoil the winner, but I will say that Nilay, David, and Dan holds their own against some tough competition.
Jun 7xrOS lives!
Apple’s Vision Pro virtual reality headset (yes, it’s VR) runs on “visionOS.” But if you dig into the developer sessions at WWDC, you’ll notice “xrOS” on various slides and named videos. It was the rumored name and also probably the internal name for the operating system. And now it gets to have a legacy.
Apple has a new development framework that can be used to turn your iPhone into an autonomous pet-tracking camera. According to documentation on Apple’s website, developers can use pet-tracking features with motorized phone stands to capture and follow your pet around your house while you’re not home.Read Article >
As noted by Apple, developers can achieve this using a new framework called DockKit, which can create “photo and video experiences” while an iPhone is mounted on a motorized stand. From there, devs can then use something called the Animal Body Pose API (application programming interface), which is capable of identifying and tracking animals with your phone’s camera. It’s able to identify a pet’s pose, too, including if your pet is sitting down, standing up, or begging for food.
I still remember using the iPhone 4 for the first time in 2010. That was when Apple shipped its first-ever Retina display and Steve Jobs said that, once you use it, “you can’t go back.” It was something I couldn’t unsee, like looking through prescription glasses for the first time.Read Article >
That’s exactly how I felt after a demo of the Apple Vision Pro yesterday at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. A computer you strap to your face should be primarily judged not only by what you can do with it but also by the quality of what you can see through it. The Vision Pro blows away every other headset in this regard. It’s the industry’s Retina display moment. There’s no going back.
Jun 7“Vision Pro outclassed Meta Quest Pro and every other headset I’ve ever tried to a degree that is utterly show-stopping.”
High praise for Apple’s Vision Pro headset from UploadVR.
Apple held a monstrous WWDC this year, and a ton of what was rumored, it turns out, will actually see the light of day. There’s the new 15-inch MacBook Air, M2-powered Mac Studio, and Apple’s finally realized AR headset — which we now know is called the Vision Pro.Read Article >
As usual, Apple didn’t touch on everything new during its opening keynote. But lots of small features that could change the way you use your Apple devices (or are just fun to play with) get packed in, and we’ve collected as many of those as we could find here. To keep this article from being a mile long, I’ve noted in the top iOS 17 section where I could confirm features will hit other platforms. So take a deep breath and dive in.


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Online food ordering and delivery firm Foodpanda expects India to be among its top three markets globally by fiscal 2019, even as it rubbished the reports of the company exiting the country. “We are growing very fast in India and will be in the top three markets globally for the company by FY19. India is […]
02 Feb 2016
The INR 3,000 crore invetsment firm, Matrix Partners India has announced the first institutional round of funding for LimeTray. With the portfolio comprising of companies like LimeRoad, Chumbak Designs, MSwipe (mobile POS), Newshunt (mobile local language platform), Ola (cab marketplace), Quikr (online classifieds), Stayzilla (stays marketplace); the firm invests in companies targeting the Indian consumer market at […]
01 Oct 2014
TaxiForSure.com is an aggregator of car rentals and taxis in India. The startup, based out of Bangalore, works with various taxi operators and enables them with technology to ensure that customers get an easily accessible, safe, reliable taxi ride ‘for sure’. They are running a awesomeness wizard campaign. As a next generation global accelerator, […]
09 Jul 2014


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DICE is making a new Battlefield game for mobile devices
DICE has announced that the Battlefield franchise is coming to mobile devices next year. The upcoming release will mark the first time the massively popular first-person shooter has appeared on phones and tablets, giving players the opportunity to take Battlefield on the go.
The game is being developed in partnership with Industrial Toys and Battlefield developer DICE, according to a blog post on EA’s website. (DICE is owned by EA.)
“Make no mistake, this is a standalone game,” said Oskar Gabrielson, General Manager DICE. “A completely different game from the one we’re making for console and PC, designed specifically for the mobile platform.”
According to Gabrielson, the new title is being built from the ground up and will offer a “fully-fledged, skill-based experience.” The game is already in testing, with more details to come later this year. It’s unclear if the upcoming title will feature the same multiplayer experience the franchise is famous for, including modes like Domination and Team Deathmatch.
The mobile Battlefield is being developed separately from the title that’s coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC this holiday season. DICE said it has the biggest development team ever working on the title, setting up monumental expectations for the next entry.
The mobile market is huge for gaming and is already occupied by the Call of Duty franchise and titles like PUBG Mobile, the latter of which has surpassed one billion total downloads. Meanwhile, EA recently announced that Apex Legends, which already has 100 million players, will soon begin testing on mobile devices. Mobile devices are more capable than ever, so it’s no surprise to hear Battlefield will make its debut on phones and tablets.
EA said it won’t attend this year’s E3, which is going virtual this summer. However, it’s possible the developer will hold its own showcase around then, where it could show off what it’s working on, including Battlefield for mobile devices.


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Photo: Tobias Schwarz Agence France-Presse
About half of all of the destinations that have relaxed the restrictions can be found in Europe. On the photo, the airport Berlin
The number of destinations opening up to tourism has been increasing slowly since the trough of the crisis. Thus, 40 % of them have relaxed their restrictions.
According to the follow-up of the world tourism Organization (UNWTO), 40 % or 87 destinations had eased restrictions on travel, compared to 22% on 15 June and 3% on 15 may. This progression, ” confirms the trend of an adaptation of the slow but continuous and to reboot the responsible of the international tourism “, said the specialized Agency of the united Nations.
Of these 87 destinations, only 4 have completely lifted all restrictions, while others have maintained certain measures such as the partial closure of the borders. At the other end, 115 destinations, or 53 % of all destinations in the world, they continue to keep their borders completely closed to tourism.
It goes without saying that the destinations heavily dependent on tourism are more likely to relax the travel restrictions. Out of the 87 destinations, having done so since the depths of the pandemic, 20 are small island developing States, many of whom depend on tourism as a central pillar of the employment, the economic growth and development. But the report also shows that ” about half (41) of all of the destinations that have relaxed the restrictions can be found in Europe, confirming the leading role of the region for the start-up responsible tourism “.
The UNWTO added that among the 115 destinations now have their borders completely closed to international tourism, a majority (88) the fact that for more than 12 weeks. “The cost of the travel restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 has historical dimensions. “The OMT was this week that at the end of the month of may already, the pandemic had led to a loss of 320 billion dollars in revenue, is already three times the cost of the global economic crisis of 2008-2009.


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Meanwhile, the market for RISC and Itanium-based servers continues to plummet.
Gartner estimated RISC/Itanium server shipments for the first quarter of 27,973 units, down 38.8 percent over last year. Revenue for those servers fell 35.8 percent to $1.4 billion.
IBM is still the leader in this part of the market despite an 18.9 percent drop in shipments and a 32.3-percent drop in revenue. Oracle saw its shipments dive by 60.4 percent to 7,459 units, with revenue falling 38.3 percent. HP's shipments fell 39.0 percent, with revenue falling 39.6 percent.
Rich Baldwin, CIO and chief strategy officer at Nth Generation Computing, a San Diego-based solution provider and HP partner, said the drop in HP server sales is really just a blip on the radar, and that HP is in position to strengthen its server business.
"It's true the industry is changing," Baldwin said. "I see the cloud taking share. But I also see Meg [Whitman, HP's CEO,] making the right changes and empowering her people. Moral at HP is high."
HP sales have had to contend with strong pricing competition from Dell, and HP is responding, Baldwin said. In addition, he said, Whitman has committed her company to win against Dell in the server market.
"HP is telling us, 'We're not going to lose on price,'" he said. "Some people are going to buy on price today, but HP is doing what it takes to respond."
While Dell's server sales are up, Dell's profits continue to bleed, Baldwin said. "Sure, you can grab share with lower profits, but that's not a sustainable business model," he said.
Gartner's Hewitt is not convinced that Dell is getting market share just by ignoring profits. "I see Dell's ASPs [average selling prices] growing. They're selling a viable server for virtualization. And they're selling in new geographies."
In the RISC/Itanium market, HP's Superdome and other Itanium-based servers risk becoming irrelevant despite HP's court victory vs. Oracle over Oracle's decision to stop developing software for HP's Itanium servers, Baldwin said.
"We are seeing big customers who buy Superdome servers placing fewer orders," Baldwin said. "And those servers are priced at around a million dollars. However, things are moving to industry-standard servers. HP's HP's Gen8 servers are doing well. In fact, they're doing so well that people don't need to buy as many. So the people who were buying Superdomes and now switching to ProLiant DL980s. Price for the DL980s are a magnitude of order less than Superdomes, but people buy multiple DL980s."
HP declined to discuss its falling server shipments and sales.
However, HP responded to CRN requests for more information with an email which read, "HP continues to be the No. 1 worldwide server leader for 17 years and now 68 quarters. As a leader in defining next-generation computing platforms for decades. HP recently unveiled the world’s first commercially available HP Moonshot system, delivering compelling new infrastructure economics by using up to 89 percent less energy, 80 percent less space and costing less than 77 percent compared to traditional servers."
PUBLISH MAY 28, 2013


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It’s Cyber Monday: Everyone at Work Knows You’re Shopping Right Now So Be Careful
(Image via Centro)
“So many people do their holiday shopping online that the idea of 'Cyber Monday' seems like a relic of an era when online retail was a novelty in search of legitimacy. Still, the name — and the sales — persist, but shopping on the job today could land you in a heap of trouble with the boss." Read more at Consumerist.
Advertising in 2016 Will Be All About Virtual Reality
(Image via The Telegraph)
“Of the technologies we will see maturing for marketing use in 2016, virtual reality (VR) is the most exciting. The bravest brands have already dipped their toes in the water: The NBA was the first to VR stream a sports event, and The New York Times recently partnered with Google to get Cardboard viewers on the faces of their subscribers. Expect more. While receiving a Cardboard VR viewer via direct mail may trigger flashbacks of the days when AOL trial discs were ubiquitous, the branded viewer seems less likely to wind up in recycling bins than your average flyer or conference swag.” More at Digiday.
AdForum’s Ad of the Day: “Winter Memories to Last a Lifetime” by Conexta AG
Job of the Day: Senior Copywriter at Huge in Brooklyn
Our Senior Copywriters have a passion for writing and keen understanding of the specific demands of digital media. (In short: love words. Appreciate brevity.) In addition to creating content, media and marketing for a wide variety of users and user needs, Senior Copywriters are responsible for brainstorming creative concepts with the project team, developing original campaigns, and representing the writer’s perspective in client presentations. Details at Huge.
MGM International Selects McCann, PHD
“At some point before you left the office for the holiday with visions of drumsticks dancing in your heads, MGM International completed its dual creative/media agency reviews, awarding the business to McCann and Omnicom’s PHD, respectively.” Details at AgencySpy.
Xbox and Amazon Win Black Friday Buzz Wars
“This shopping season, Salesforce is using its live social tracker to better understand how, and how often, brands lead the Black Friday and Cyber Monday conversation online. The tool can be used to see which brands people are talking about most on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well as the terms mentioned most often and the most-used tags. It also shows which campaign strategies are resonating with consumers and how Black Friday buzz varies in different regions of the United States.” Full story at Adweek.
Food Talk: Salt Warnings Displayed at Restaurant Chains in New York City
“New York City begins a new era in nutritional warnings this week, when chain restaurants will have to start putting a special symbol on highly salty dishes. The first-of-its-kind rule takes effect Tuesday. It will require a salt-shaker emblem on some sandwiches, salads and other menu items that top the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams — about a teaspoon — of sodium.” More at Business Insider.
Agency of the Week
J Walter Thompson New York: For the past 150 years, JWT New York has been about marrying intelligent, sophisticated ideas to the technological innovations of the moment. As the headquarters of a global network of more than 10,000 people in 90 offices in more than 200 countries, we are indeed “worldmade”. Inspired by and of the world and taking those global insights and combining them with technology to deliver highly relevant communications across a wide array of platforms – paid, owned, co-created and earned -- for the brands that we serve.


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Lexington Blueberry Festival off to a start
LEXINGTON - Every vendor at the four-day festival that opened Thursday afternoon at Lexington Community Park was asked to provide one key ingredient somewhere on their menu.
Not a surprise that the shared ingredient, found up and down the lines of food trucks and hot dog, sausage sandwich and cheese fries booths was blueberries — since 4 p.m. Thursday was opening day for 2016 Lexington Blueberry Festival.
Vendors found surprising ways to participate.
Brian Foegan, running a Cheese on a Stick stand, said he has experimented, after he started offering food at the the Blueberry Festival a few years back. This year, his blueberry deep-fried cheese — Swiss cheese fried in light batter, then topped with blueberries and powdered sugar — returned.
While not everyone is willing to try unfamiliar foods, those who tried that combination liked it, Foegan said. The melted confection "started to catch on last year."
Foegan Concessions is a homegrown mobile food business, since Foegan is a Lexington resident who bought the mobile food business from a friend 25 years ago. "We do about 32 events a year," including some very large ones: the Ohio State Fair, the Indy 500, and the quarter horse show at the state fairgrounds. This week in August used to be a vacation week for his family. "It's when the kids go back to school. But we do it because it's in Lexington," he said.
At the Panchos Tacos booth, those stepping up in line could choose tacos, quesadillas or nachos, with the option of blueberry chile sauce on the side or as a topping. "It's mild," said Jesus Davalos, who started the Mansfield-area business with Alejandro Anchondo just a few months ago. Panchos Tacos was branching out to the Lexington Blueberry Festival for the first time, after serving at venues in downtown Mansfield.
Customers who'd previously tried Panchos Tacos during Final Fridays in Mansfield stepped into line for more.
Beth Schafrath served lemonade and blueberry fry pies made in Wayne County, with vanilla ice cream. The family business, Pride Services of America, is decorated with a patriotic red, white and blue logo that honors her late father, who served in World War II. It was designed to honor other veterans as well.
Lerch's, a mobile food business out of Smithville in Wayne County, was selling blueberry cake donuts and blueberry lemonade. Gail Snyder, who runs the stand with husband Joe, said the donuts proved "very popular." "They are almost like a blueberry muffin, with a dusting of sugar," a woman working at the stand chimed in.
Kevin Lyons, a restaurant owner and magician from Philippi, West Virginia, who has been taking his "Soda-Licious" old-fashioned soda chuck wagon to festivals for the past several years, said he could not come up with blueberry soda in time for the Blueberry Festival, which he signed onto for the first time this year.
But Lyons, who went further afield this year, driving 250 miles to get to Lexington after three West Virginia festivals were canceled, had a good reason. Blueberry Festival organizers "just let me in a week and a half ago," as a substitute for a vendor who canceled. He came as close as he could, using other aromatic flavors such as black cherry, birch beer, root beer and sarsaparilla soda.
Hungry people wandering through the food area, trying to figure out what new blueberry adventure to try next as the festival continues through 6 p.m. Sunday, should ask what berry items are on the menu. The one-fair-only items aren't always posted on the regular menu board.


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City University London becomes TIGA member
City's School of Mathematics, Computer Science & Engineering is now a member of TIGA, the non-profit trade association representing the voice of the UK independent games industry.
This is a welcome addition to the affiliations that the School already maintains with the burgeoning Tech City cluster, the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS), the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), and Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing in Data Processing (SAP).
Dr Greg Slabaugh, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science said:
"The UK game development industry generates an annual turnover of close to £3bn. Through its provision of trained and highly sought after graduates in computer games technology, City's important association with TIGA reinforces the vital links we have already established within the burgeoning digital and creative industries in the UK and further afield."
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:
"City University London has shown an appetite for innovation in its undergraduate and postgraduate courses: its BSc in Computer Science with Games Technology and its Computer Games Technology MSc are well respected and successful. The video game industry needs talented, well-educated students emerging each year in order to compete successfully. City is making an important contribution to the games industry and we are delighted to be working with them."
Alumni from City's computer games technology course now work in companies such as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Playfish and Criterion Software (part of Electronic Arts). City has been running undergraduate programmes in computer games technology since 2004, while postgraduate programmes in the field came on stream in 2008.
Earlier in the month, City hosted the London Game Developers Workshop Series which attracted major computer gaming industry consultants and developers.


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The tulip mania created by non-fungible tokens a few months ago continues to expand, and there is no telling when it will stop. The latest NFT project to make headlines is known as Chiliz, but it does not involve a restaurant chain. The Chiliz NFT platform was developed by the same team that crated tokens for the AC Milan soccer franchise of the Italian Serie A, and it has already reached one billion dollars in terms of market capitalization.
Even though Chiliz started off as an AC Milan project, it has expanded to accommodate other professional soccer teams such as Barcelona, Atletico de Madrid, and even their Serie A rivals Roma and Juventus. Chiliz can issue club tokens that can appreciate in value according to demand. Club executives can give away tokens as part of fan loyalty schemes, and the tokens can be exchanged for tickets, apparel, souvenirs, snacks at the games, and many other items. These tokens can also be traded among fans, and it stands to reason that their value will be commensurate to the club's popularity; after all, professional sports teams are subject to supply and demand that is dictated by how popular they are, and not necessarily how many championships they achieve.
Fan engagement is something that blockchain developers have been paying close attention to. The market for sports trading cards, memorabilia, licensed apparel, broadcasting, and game tickets is estimated to generate billions of dollars each year. Sports executives started off accepting major digital currencies such as Bitcoin in order to pay for tickets and official apparel, so they are already familiar with the blockchain world. Platforms such as Chiliz make perfect sense because they provide advanced management of assets related to fan engagement, and they also make it easier for investors to tap into this market.
NFTs are blockchain projects that do not function as currencies; instead, they represent an underlying value that can be physical, digital, or even intangible. One NFT that represents a piece of digital art drew a $6.5 million investment in February, and another NFT representing a Twitter update is being auctioned for more than $2 million.


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MVB Bank snaps up majority stake in Indianapolis fintech Trabian
MVB Financial Corp, the holding company for Virginia-based MVB Bank, has acquired a majority stake in Indianapolis fintech Trabian Technology.
Larry Mazza, MVB Bank’s president and CEO, says the deal – the value of which remains undisclosed – will “significantly” expand MVB’s fintech vertical “by putting more ‘Tech’ in our ‘Fin’”.
Founded back in 2003, Trabian is a software development firm. Its services cover platform integrations with the likes of Stripe, Trulioo, Temenos and Plaid.
As well as digital banking customisations, money movement, website building, and the user experience around account opening.
Alongside the technological expertise Trabian will bring to the bank’s own products, Mazza says Trabian owns an established book of business.
Hence, the deal “simultaneously adds a new revenue stream and profit centre” to the bank.
The software company’s customers span community banks, credit unions, digital banks, and fintechs.
They include Credit Union 1, autobooks, payrailz, TwinStar Credit Union, and Proponent.
“Trabian’s well-established reputation and nearly two decades of fintech experience carry with it a leading role in the financial services ecosystem,” says Mazza.
Founder and CEO of Trabian, Matt Dean, will sit on MVB’s board of directors as an executive chairman. He will also remain Trabian’s CEO.
The fintech’s co-founder and chief operating officer, Trey Reeme, will now serve as Trabian’s president.
Dean says the deal provides his company with an avenue to differentiate it from “non-fintech focused development shops”.


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Wells Fargo to open $100 million West Des Moines office12/24/2014
In January, employees of the metro’s largest employer will start to move into its new multimillion-dollar building on the company’s West Des Moines campus. Wells Fargo & Co. built the new wing to house about 1,800 employees, which analysts say shows its commitment to the Des Moines area and its confidence in the housing market’s recovery. With about 13,500 workers in central Iowa, Wells Fargo is the area’s largest employer. It maintains its residential lending headquarters, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, in West Des Moines.
Scooter’s Coffee expanding in the metro
Two 450-square-foot drive-thru-only kiosks are planned for the Sherwood Forest retail center at 73rd Street and Hickman Road in Windsor Heights and near Copper Creek on University Avenue in Pleasant Hill. The menus will be the same as the Scooter’s coffee shops downtown, and the drive-thru locations are expected to open in early spring.
Scenic Route Bakery to open in East Village
Katy Nelson is the pasty chef behind the new East Village bakery, which she hopes to open before the New Year. Nelson operates the business with her father, Mark Nelson. Scenic Route Bakery is located at 350 E. Locust St. in Des Moines and will serve baked goods, soups, salads, sandwiches and plated desserts. Katy Nelson is originally from Ames and graduated from Des Moines Area Community College’s culinary program. She went on to study at the French Pastry School in Chicago and worked in Seattle before moving back to Iowa to work at Clive’s Table 128. The bakery will seat about 90 inside and an additional 25 on a seasonal patio. Hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and it will be closed on Sunday.
Second location for pet store now open
April Lawrence opened the second location of Bone-A-Patreat in Hawthorne Plaza, at 9250 University Ave. in West Des Moines. The store sells pet food, treats and toys. The original location is in the Uptown Shopping Center at 4110 University Ave. in Des Moines. The new store is about twice the size of the original, and both offer all-natural pet food, as well as all kinds of pet accessories. West Des Moines hours are 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. Call 515-518-3600, visit www.boneapatreat.com or find it on Facebook.
Gusto Pizza Co. to expand in springtime
With current locations at 1905 Ingersoll Ave. in Des Moines and 8950 University Ave. in West Des Moines, Gusto Pizza Co. will expand its offerings to the Johnston area. The new location will be found at 8605 Chambery Boulevard and is set to open in spring 2015. It is located in a building currently undergoing construction on the northwest corner of Chambery and 86th Street.
Ankeny welcomes new sign store
Signarama, a store offering signs, vehicle wraps, banners and other graphic services, has opened in at 1450 N.E. 69th Pl #55 in Ankeny. Tyler Tamisiea, originally from the Okoboji area, opened the new store after working for Johnson & Johnson in the Midwest. There are two Signarama locations in the metro, and all are independently owned. The Ankeny store is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 515-216-1240, visit www.signarama.com/ia-ankeny or find it on Facebook.
Hubbell Realty to renovate historic Maytag offices
West Des Moines-based developer Hubbell Realty Co. recently gained initial approval on its plans to renovate the century-old office buildings that served as Maytag’s headquarters in Newton. The plan would turn the brick buildings into 42 residential loft apartments called Factory Lofts. Maytag’s parent company Whirlpool closed all of its Newton operations in 2007, leading to years of layoffs. Hubbell’s $7 million project was approved by the Newton City Council earlier in December, and it now hinges on the distribution of low-income housing tax credits and historic tax credits. All but six of the residential units would be income-restricted. The announcement about allowing incentives is expected to arrive in March. CV


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nam.R at Meetup GreenTech verte
Our team will be at the Meetup GreenTech Verte that will take place on 5th & 6th October 2020, completely online via videoconference. You will be able to meet us thanks to our virtual booth.
We will be pleased to present you our program tRees, an artificial intelligence platform that enables massive renovations by allowing access to data for everyone in order to accelerate decision-making.
More about GreenTech Verte: “The GreenTech verte initiative, launched in February 2016 by the Ministry of the Environment, enables the emergence and development of young innovative companies developing new products and services for green and blue growth.”


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Gree Electric Appliances, China's largest air-conditioner maker, is entering the fast-growing electric vehicle market with a CNY13bn (US$2bn) acquisition of electric vehicle manufacturer Zhuhai Yinlong New Energy.
According to Bloomberg, the appliance maker, which announced its intention to buy Yinlong in March, is among the dozens of startups and industrial companies venturing into the field of electric vehicles after China designated new-energy vehicles a strategic industry as part of a broader push to upgrade its manufacturing sector. Electric vehicles also would curtail tailpipe emissions that contribute to worsening air pollution in major cities.
Gree is making the purchase in order to support the Chinese government's push to clean up the environment and promote greener technologies, Chairman Dong Mingzhu reportedly said in an interview in Beijing in March. "The decision was made with the premier's work report target to have blue skies, green pastures and clear water," she said, referring to Premier Li Keqiang's report to the legislature that listed the government's priorities for the year.
According to Bloomberg, Yinlong started manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles in 2009 and has a line of seven electric passenger cars and 18 electric buses. The company sold 3,189 electric buses as of January, giving it a market share of 3.6% in China, Yinlong said.
The report added Gree is entering a crowded electric vehicle market with tough competition from other well-funded investors. Over 200 Chinese companies are developing 4,000 models of new-energy vehicles and unveiling prototypes.
The appliance maker is diversifying into electric vehicles even as its sales slump.
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Gree receives about 86 percent of its revenue from manufacturing air conditioners and parts and sells two out of every five air-conditioners in China, Bloomberg added.


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Walmart Plans Expansion in Mexico and Central America
Feb 25, 2014
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Wal-Mart de México, S.A.B. de C.V. (Walmex), Walmart's Mexico and Central America business, plans to invest 15.0 billion pesos (approx USD $1.1 billion) in 2014 to increase its sales floor area and enhance technology for e-commerce.
An estimated 8.4 billion pesos will be used to for new store openings, and the company expects to add 3.7 million square feet of sales floor. In Mexico, sales floor is expected to increase 5.0%. In Central America it is expected to increase 7.6%.
The investment of 6.6 billion pesos will include:
• 3.5 billion pesos for remodeling and maintenance
• 1.2 billion pesos for logistics
• 1.9 billion pesos for technology, e-commerce & other improvements
Back to Breaking News


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All stores will be closed for inventory from Saturday, Dec. 14 through Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Girl Scout offices and stores will be closed in observance of the holidays
from Wednesday, Dec. 25 through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014.
View/Search Camp Listings
Girl Scouts San Diego :: 1231 Upas Street, 92103 :: (619) 298-8391 or (800) 643-4798 :: email@example.com
The GIRL SCOUTS name, mark and all associated trademarks and logotypes, including the trefoil design, are owned by GSUSA.


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At Gamescom this week Warner Bros. Interactive released a new trailer for the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins showcasing Firefly as the latest villain to join the Origins cast. Of course, Joker and Two Face make their appearances and we even get a glimpse of Black Mask.
For those who are interested in this game on Wii U, the Amazon deal we shared with you last week is still live, meaning you can get the game for $49.99 with an additional $10 Amazon credit.
- Image & Form discuss the possibility of
- Digital Foundry goes hands-on with Twilight Princess HD
- Chasing Aurora dev offers to port Undertale to Wii U
- Rumor: Star Fox stuck in development hell


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Online gambling operator Betsson AB saw its profits jump by three-fifths in the third quarter thanks to a surge in customer activity.
Figures released Friday by the Stockhom-listed Betsson show revenue of SEK1.67b (US$191.1m) in the three months ending September 30, up 31% from the same period last year and a new company record (for the second straight quarter). Earnings did even better, rising 37% to SEK416.6m while net income spiked 60% to SEK290.6m.
To be clear, Q3 2019 was a downer for Betsson due to its struggles to adapt to Sweden’s regulated online market and disruptions to its Dutch– and Norwegian-facing operations. That quarter also showed an 8% fall in active customers, while Q3 2020 showed active customers up 46% to a record 920k and customer deposits jumping 53%.
Online casino revenue got a major pandemic boost, rising 39% to SEK1.3b, pushing casino’s share of the overall pie up four points to 78%. Organic growth (absent recent acquisitions) was a more modest but still impressive 29%.
Sports betting got a lift from this summer’s resumption of major league play, pushing revenue up 12% to SEK352.6m despite margins falling 0.8 points to 7%. Revenue from ‘other products’ spoiled the positive narrative, falling 4% to SEK17.6m.
All of Betsson’s geographic regions reported positive growth, including its mainstay Nordic markets, which shot up 17% (5% organic) to SEK559m. Western Europe rose 23% (3% organic) to SEK486.5m, Central & Eastern Europe and Central Asia gained 40% to SEK447m while the Rest of the World posted the biggest improvement, more than doubling to SEK184.2m.
Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall credited the Nordic rebound to the company’s new ‘pay and play’ Jalla Casino brand, which made its Swedish debut in April. The company’s Latin American operations got a boost from last year’s acquisition of Brazil’s Suaposta and Betsson followed that up in Q3 by taking a 70% stake in Colombia-licensed Colbet.
In the UK, this week saw Betsson announce a new streamlined approach focusing on the Rizk brand the company acquired in February. Rizk was recently granted an online casino license in Croatia so the brand appears to feature prominently in Betsson’s regional expansion strategy.
Trading to date in the current quarter has daily revenue up around 45% from the full Q4 2019 daily average, although Betsson qualified that this was in part due to an “unusually high” sportsbook margin.


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RBC Capital raised the Dow Jones industrial average component's price target to 168 from 157 and kept an outperform rating on the stock. The analysts expect Apple's market cap to hit or exceed a $1 trillion in the next 12-18 months.
"Longer-term, we think there is potential for Apple to continue growing Services revenue by double digits year-over-year given the company's expanding installed base [of devices], increasing App Store sales within the current installed base, demand for cloud storage/compute services, and further adoption of Apple Pay," analyst Amit Daryanani wrote.
Apple shares edged up 0.6% to 153.99 in afternoon trading on the stock market today.
Qualcomm was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan on its deal to buy NXP Semiconductors (NXPI). The deal is expected to close soon. Analyst Rod Hall has a 68 price target on the stock.
Hall still expects some bad news about Qualcomm's contract dispute with Apple. Last week, the company announced lawsuits against four manufacturers of Apple iPhones and iPads over breach of contract.
But overall he's bullish on the stock.
"Though volatility in the shares could remain high through the summer we see the valuation gap as too large to continue to ignore with the [NXP Semiconductors] closure approaching," Hall wrote in a note. "We advise investors to add to positions at current levels."
Qualcomm shares climbed 2.8% to 59.28.
Ciena was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus on improving market trends and recent contract awards. The company will announce second-quarter results on June 1.
Ciena shares jumped 6.4% to 24.41.
Finish line was upgraded to buy from neural at Monness Crespi & Hardt with a 17 price target.
Last week, Foot Locker (FL) shares plunged after missing Q1 earnings and sales forecasts. On Thursday, Hibbett Sports (HIBB) topped earnings forecasts though same-store sales sank 4.9%. On Tuesday, Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) plunged after missing sales estimates.
Finish line shares were up 2.2% to 14.17 after rebounding from steep Friday intraday losses to close up 1.5% that day.


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A large number of scams prey on seniors, so if you're one of them, a family member of one or a caretaker of one, you may want to download a new guide that the state of Wisconsin's consumer protection agency just released.
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection just published the extensive senior guide, which contains info about common scams and lots of tips on how to prevent becoming a victim and how to deal with it if you do. »Read Full Blog Post
Charter Communications Inc. is close to buying Time Warner Cable for about $55 billion, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because of the private nature of the deal talks. »Read Full Article


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- Vivian Hendriksz |
London - The public may have been shocked this weekend when news broke that notes had been left in Zara clothes by unpaid garment workers, who made apparel for the fast-fashion giant but did not receive payment. However, the unfortunate truth remains - these types of practices happen more often than one would like to think in the fashion industry.
Shoppers in Istanbul, Turkey, found a series of handmade labels from third-party tucked into various garments this weekend which read: "I made the product you are about to buy, but I haven't received any payment for it!"
The truth behind Zara workers plea for help notes
The idea to leave notes in Zara clothing was thought up by the Clean Clothes Campaign Turkey, who are working together with former factory workers of Bravo Tekstil, a manufacturing complex in Istanbul, to raise awareness for their rights to their wages. The workers have been campaigning for more than a year for 3 months wages, severance pay and unpaid holiday after the factory, which produced apparel for Zara (owned by Inditex), Next and Mango, suddenly shut down in July, 2016.
After failing to receive any payment from the brands, the ex-Bravo workers went to numerous Zara stores in Istanbul and placed their own labels on Zara products in order to ensure their voices were heard. "We are the Bravo factory workers who made this product you are about to buy. For years we produced clothing for Zara," continues the note. "Then our factory suddenly closed, without paying us our last 3 months of wages and severance payment. Please tell Zara to pay us our money!"
While shoppers shared their outrage at message left in the clothing via social media channels online, it is heartbreaking that former factory workers have had to employ such tactics to get a response from the responsible brands. After the factory was shut, workers came together to form a union, launching an online petition calling on the retailers from whom they had been producing apparel for to step up and take responsibility for all their workers. However, after more than a year, neither Zara, or Mango or Next have made a suitable offer to compensate the payment owed to the 140 workers employed by Bravo.
"The bravery of the workers should be applauded"
"Mango, Next and Inditex previously made an offer to the workers, but it was not sufficient to cover all the workers demands, which include three months wages, severance pay and unpaid holidays," said Dominique Muller, Policy Director at Labour Behind the Label, the UK branch of Clean Clothes Campaign to FashionUnited. Since the workers declined their first offer, Mango, Next and Inditex have all refused to come together and re-negotiate their initial compensation offer. "None of the brands have been very active at sitting down and talking about since then, so things have come to a point when workers felt that they had to go public," added Muller.
Clothing companies are responsible for all aspects of the production of their goods, but can decide to change suppliers and pull out of a factory at any given time, which can lead to the sudden closure of a manufacturing centre. As 75 percent of the Bravo factory's overall production was for Zara, the workers chose to focus on raising awareness concerning Zara's involvement. Currently worth approximately 8.6 billion pounds, it is difficult to understand why one of the industry's most successful fast fashion brands refuses to take responsibility for all its workers.
Although concerned shoppers took to social media to voice their concern over the messages found in Zara garments in late October, Inditex did not issue an official statement concerning the situation until November 3, after meeting with the local IndustriALL branch. A spokesperson for Inditex shared the following statement with FashionUnited: "Inditex has met all of its contractual obligations to Bravo Tekstil and is currently working on a proposal with the local IndustriALL affiliate, Mango and Next to establish a hardship fund for the workers affected by the fraudulent disappearance of the Bravo factory’s owner."
"This hardship fund would cover unpaid wages, notice indemnity, unused vacation, and severance payments of workers that were employed at the time of the sudden shutdown of their factory in July 2016. We are committed to finding a swift solution for all of those impacted." The spokesperson added that Inditex was doing everything in its power to rectify the situation and that Inditex complied with all legal responsibility it had in the matter.
Next responded to FashionUnited's request for a comment on its involvement in the case and a spokesperson for the British fashion retailer shared the following statement: “Next is currently working with Inditex, Mango and the local IndustriALL affiliate on a proposal to establish a hardship fund for the workers affected by the fraudulent disappearance of the Bravo factory’s owner. Although an offer of funding was declined a while ago, Next remains committed to supporting a solution for the workers involved."
Although the notes have had the desired effect, it remains to be seen if and when the workers will finally receive their much owed-payments. "We support the workers and hope public support will encourage brands to come back and sit and talk about making a deal with the workers," added Mueller. However, Muller adds that she has yet to hear anything personally from the brands since reports first began emerging last weekend, which is a reflection of the difficultly brands retain when it comes to taking full responsibility for their own supply chain.
"Workers are at the benevolence of the brands in this case, which makes it a difficult situation."
Photo: Clean Clothes Campaign Turkey


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The World Trade Organization today said it will appoint a three-member panel to determine if U.S. efforts to crack down on offshore Internet gambling operations violate international trade accords.
The WTO announcement comes in response to a challenge filed by Antigua and Barbuda, a Caribbean island nation that is a major nexus for the Internet gambling industry. U.S. laws that ban the transfer of funds to offshore gambling operations and make it difficult for non-U.S. firms to obtain gaming licenses violate trade agreements ensuring market access to "cross-border services," the complaint said.
Internet gambling became a major part of Antigua and Barbuda's economy during the 1990s, when up to 100 different online gaming companies employing more than 5,000 people operated in the island nation. Today, there are fewer than 40 Internet gambling companies located on the islands employing half as many local residents. Island officials attribute the industry's decline in part to the U.S. crackdown.
Antigua and Barbuda strictly regulates its online wagering industry, said chief foreign affairs representative Ronald M. Sanders. The U.S. policy is draining a significant source of the government's revenue, he said.
"We didn't look for this fight, but my government is very mindful of its responsibility to our people to maintain their jobs and to defend our small and vulnerable economy," Sanders said in an interview following the WTO hearing.
Antigua and Barbuda began seeking investments from online casinos a decade ago, Sanders said, as a way to reduce the country's dependence on tourism, which remains highly vulnerable to hurricanes and fluctuations in the global economy.
U.S. trade authorities maintain that online gambling services are not within the scope of U.S. trade commitments. U.S. officials also have argued that online gambling services are a haven for money laundering that supports terrorism.
U.S. trade officials did not return calls seeking comment, but in a statement before the WTO today, one official expressed confidence that the U.S. would prevail in the dispute, saying online gambling services "present psychological dangers to some segments of society, as well as creating serious social problems and law enforcement difficulties."
Under WTO rules, both sides in the trade dispute have 30 days to agree upon the appointees to the three-member board. The board's decision could come as early as six months later, and the decision may be appealed. Any ruling by the appellate board, however, would be binding, and could force the U.S. to change its trade policies with respect to online gambling.
Some 54 nations, mostly in Europe and the Caribbean, have legalized regulated online gambling, according to the Interactive Gaming Council. Already, there are signs that other countries may take sides against the United States. Several nations, including Taiwan, Mexico, Canada and the
EU states, said today they would reserve their right to join the dispute on the side of Antigua and Barbuda.
Within the United States, five states have outlawed certain aspects of Internet
gambling, and most state laws that prohibit some types of online wagering generally apply to Internet gambling as well.
Faced with an industry that is almost entirely based overseas, U.S. law enforcement has turned to Congress for help. Last month, the House of Representatives voted to ban credit card payments to online casinos. The U.S. Justice Department maintains that the Wire Act already prohibits the transfer of funds to overseas gambling operations.
The online gambling industry remains one of the Internet's few cash cows, with much of its success owed to an increase in demand from U.S. consumers. Since the mid-1990s, Internet gambling operators have established nearly 1,800 online wagering sites operated from outside the United States, according to a report last year by the U.S. General Accounting Office. Global revenues from Internet gambling are projected to exceed $5 billion this year, with 50 to 70 percent of that revenue from U.S. customers, the GAO said.