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YouGov’s global media outlook report takes a deep dive into media consumption across 17 markets
The report takes a deep dive into four aspects of media consumption: Watching, listening, reading and social.
Globally, media consumption remains high with websites/apps (42 percent) being the most consumed media.
“Globally, there remains a high stickiness (those who claim to have maintained or increased their consumption of each media type in the past 12 months and are likely to maintain or consume more in the next 12 months) towards media such as streaming music and videos, radio, podcasts, websites and apps and online and offline print (media),”
Zafar Shah, Account Director at YouGov, told Arab News.
“However, the main growth drivers (those who claim to have maintained or increased their consumption of each media type in the last 12 months and are likely to do more in the next 12 months) when it comes to media consumption in 2022 lie in streaming music and videos, apps and social media,” he added.
Although watching live TV is ahead of video streaming, a higher proportion of global consumers plan to increase their consumption of streamed video next year across all age groups.
Those aged 18-44 are twice as likely to increase their consumption of streamed video than those aged 55+ with India, UAE, Mexico and Indonesia having the highest proportion of viewers planning to increase their use of video streaming services in the next year.
Pandemic-imposed lockdowns gave a big boost to video-on-demand services followed by some churn. However, YouGov’s data shows that consumers show more stickiness to VOD than other types of paid-for content services with 36 percent currently subscribing to and intending to stick with paying for VOD services in the coming year.
In terms of audio, radio was hit hard by the pandemic, but that does not mean audio is dead: 59 percent claimed to have listened to podcasts in the past year and 22 percent plan to stream more music in the next year, with that number going up to 38 percent for Generation Z audiences.
In fact, podcasts are the only media with a higher projected annual consumption in the next 12 months compared to the previous year.
The countries with audiences most likely to increase their music streaming and podcast consumption include India, Mexico, Indonesia and the UAE.
It is no surprise that social media usage has increased across the world. Globally, 87 percent claimed to have interacted with social media in the past year; one third of adults increased their use of social media in the past year while 40 percent interacted with social media at the same level.
This behavior is expected to continue with nearly half (47 percent) expecting to maintain the same level of interaction and 24 percent planning to increase their use of social media in the next year.
While consumption remains high, the social media landscape has changed over the years due to big tech controversies and the popularity of new players.
“While social media consumption growth is largely expected to be driven by the Middle East and Asian markets, we actually see a decrease in usage for platforms such as Facebook in markets like the US and UK year-on-year,” Shah said.
Usage and growth figures vary by platform, he said. For instance, the growth of short-form video and other formats by newer players such as TikTok and Snapchat has challenged older players such as Meta and Twitter.
“While some (platforms) have been impacted more by controversy, others have benefited from as a result of macro-environment changes like the pandemic lockdown and restrictions,” Shah said.
Younger audiences such as Generation Zs (39 percent) are most likely to increase their social media consumption, while older audiences such as those over the age of 55 (12 percent) are least likely to consume more.
Commenting on the differences between advanced markets such as the UK and US versus the UAE, Shah said:
“The UK and US are fairly saturated markets when it comes to the growth potential of various media.”
“For instance, while streaming music has reported growth potential of 18 percent in the UK and 28 percent in the US, it is considerably higher in the UAE at 55 percent.”
Similarly, he added, both video streaming and podcasts are expected to grow in the UK and US but to a much lower degree than in the UAE.
The biggest difference perhaps is in the consumption of traditional media in the UAE. Even as digital media continues to grow, traditional channels enjoy relatively high consumption rates in the Emirates.
“The stickiness of traditional media like live TV is fairly high in the UAE and unlike other developed markets, traditional media such as TV, radio and print are still seen as growth drivers in the UAE — in most cases twice as much as they are in the UK and US.”
News Source: Arab News


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Nestlé S.A buys N17.5bn of Nigerian unit shares in 8 months
The Switzerland-based Nestlé S.A, majority shareholder of Nestlé Nigeria plc, has bought about N17.5 billion worth of the Nigerian unit’s shares in the past eight months, BusinessDay analysis shows.
The majority shareholder in the largest Nigerian listed fast-moving consumer goods (FCMG) company has between March 2 and November 2, 2021, bought 12,611,629 units of Nestlé Nigeria shares, according to notifications of share dealings by the company’s insiders.
“The fundamentals of Nestle remain strong and the parent company remains committed to Nigeria, especially as its product portfolio remains household names and leading brands across the different segments of the FMCG market,” notes Yadinma Onwu, executive vice-chairman, Funds Matrix & Assets Management Limited.
In his view, the continued acquisition of Nigerian unit shares by the parent company “may not be unconnected to their inability to source foreign currency to repatriate their dividends. So, it may have been a decision aimed at reinvesting the dividend to increase their equity stake, rather than losing value on the Naira amount of the dividend.”
Nestlé S.A. is a Swiss multinational food and drinks processing conglomerate headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland, and is the largest food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since 2014.
Nestlé Nigeria, a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A., is one of Nigeria’s largest food and beverage companies and has been in operations in the country since 1961. The company produces and markets global brands like Maggi seasoning cube, Milo, and Nestle Pure Life Water.
Apart from Societe Des Produits Nestlé S.A, Switzerland, with 524,559,457 ordinary shares (representing 66.18%) and Stanbic IBTC Nominees Limited with 5.59 percent, no other shareholder held 5 percent or more of the paid-up capital of the company as of September 30, 2021.
In line with Nestle’s purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone today and for generations to come, the company in 2020 broadened its portfolio to help consumers fulfil their nutrition needs.
Nestle Nigeria’s latest innovation is the new Golden Morn Multi-Cereal, fortified with iron and other vitamins and minerals, Wassim Elhusseini, its managing director/CEO, said.
In nine months to September 30, 2021, Nestlé Nigeria unaudited financial statements for the period shows revenue of N261.591 billion as against N212.732 billion in 2020, up 23 percent.
Profit before income tax increased by 5 percent to N51.584 billion from N49.261 billion in 2020; while profit for the period rose to N33.584 billion from N31.937 billion, up 5 percent.
The CEO noted that the last quarter of 2021 offers Nestlé Nigeria the opportunity to build on the achievements of the first three quarters, adding, “The company will remain focused on ensuring the well-being of its people and on ensuring the continuous provision of high-quality nutrition to consumers across the country.
“We are pleased with the Q3, 2021 performance of our Company which is again, a testament to the dedication and commitment of our people to ensure that we continue to deliver value for our shareholders, our communities, and our consumers.
“It is clear that the business environment will continue to change rapidly during this COVID-19 era. We will, therefore, continue to adapt to new ways of working, ensuring that our business remains agile to continuously deliver our promise of affordable nutritious food and beverages to meet the needs of our consumers.”
At N1,400 per share as at close of trading on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, its market cap stood at N1.109 trillion. Nestle’s stock price has decreased by 6.6 percent this year.
Nestlé Nigeria announced an interim dividend of N25 per share, which will be paid to shareholders whose names appear on the register of the member as at close of business on November 19.
The proposed interim dividend for the period ended September 30, 2021, amounts to N19.8 billion.
Nestle Nigeria has 792,656,252 shares outstanding –currently held by all its shareholders.
Analysts ask investors to HOLD Nestle stock: “We note that the beverage segment had been the stronger growth force in recent years, averaging 8 percent over the last two years (food has averaged 1% in the same period),” said Chinma Ukadike’s team of analysts at Lagos-based Vetiva in their recent note following Nestlé scorecards.
However, the earnings beat in the third quarter was driven by a robust performance in the company’s food segment, which grew 42 percent y/y and outstripped the beverage segment (which only grew 8percent y/y)”, Ukadike said.
“Admittedly, driven by its increased foreign currency inter-company borrowings, exchange rate depreciation as well as generally higher yields, Nestle’s finance costs have jumped considerably so far this year, rising 2.5x to N4.7 billion.
“With more efficient working capital management, Nestle’s overall cash balance has improved significantly (+32percent) to N116.7 billion. Thus, we estimate a target price (TP) of N1,602.80 and rate the stock a HOLD”, Vetiva analysts added.
Vetiva’s HOLD rating for Nestlé Nigeria stocks is because they consider it correctly valued with little upside or downside, and where potential return between +5 and +14.99 percent is expected to be realized between the current price and the analysts’ target price (TP).
Meristem research analysts said their revenue outlook for Nestle Nigeria Plc full year 2021 remains positive “primarily influenced by the robust performance recorded so far and the expectation of improved demand relative to the corresponding period last year.”
They noted further that their earnings expectation for the end of the year “is largely contingent on our topline outlook and the ability of the firm to manage cost pressures.”
“We retain our 2021FY target price of N1,482.13 on the back of an expected Earnings Per Share (EPS)of N51.51 and a target price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.77x. Hence, we rate the ticker a HOLD”, added Meristem analysts who also noted their HOLD rating for Nestle Nigeria Plc stocks is because their Target Price of the stock ranges between -10percent and 10 percent as against the current market price.
Earlier this year, United Capital research analysts asked investors to also HOLD Nestle Nigeria plc shares. They said: “Nestle’s products have strong brand backing with wide distribution coverage. In addition, most of the company’s products are fairly inelastic given the retail appeal to the bottom of the pyramid segment of the market.”
However, United Capital analysts expect the cost to remain a concern in the 2021 financial year “as raw material cost remains elevated.”

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By Casey Frye, CCNN Writer
There’s something about eating unhealthy-but-yummy comfort food that’s just so… well, comforting! Whether you’re going through a broken heart or the loss of a beloved pet, nothing takes the emotional edge off more than some ice cream, fast food, or a bag of chips. Although that may seem true, a new study found that chowing down on delicious food has nothing to do with making us feel better.
Experimenters gathered a group of volunteers and made them watch a 20 minute video designed to trigger fear, anger, and sadness. When the video was over, researchers offered the upset participants either their favorite comfort food, a food item they liked, a granola bar, or nothing at all. The experimenters thought that those who received their favorite food would bounce back from the disturbing video much faster than the rest, but what they found was an absolute shock.
It turned out that all of the participants reported feeling much better after 3 minutes had passed, regardless of whether they received their preferred comfort food, a favorite food, a granola bar, or nothing at all. What could explain this unexpected effect? According to the leader of the study, time is what made them feel better, not food. Researchers explain that although people may think what they eat makes them feel better, it’s really just the time that passes while consuming the item.
They hope this information will get rid of the notion of comfort food, which tends to have way too many calories and lots of fat. In fact, you’re more likely likely to feel better by eating healthy mood boosting foods like fruits and veggies.
Featured image courtesy of Purple Sherbet on Flickr. Image of donuts courtesy of makelessnoise on Flickr.


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An agreement has been signed to set up the UK’s only beverage carton reprocessing facility near Halifax.
The Alliance for Beverage Cartons & the Environment (ACE) and its members Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc and Elopak, have signed the agreement with Sonoco Alcore.
The plant will be operational from 2013 and capable of recycling 25,000 tonnes of cartons sorted from household and commercial waste streams by local authorities and their waste management contractors.
ACE UK chief executive Richard Hands said: “This decision underlines the firm commitment of our member to constantly improve the environmental performance of their beverage cartons. The already low carbon footprint will become even lower, valuable materials will go back into the UK economy and local authorities can meet the expectations of many householders that their waste should be reprocessed in this country.
“We are confident that by the end of 2013, a further ten local authorities will have started collecting cartons in their kerbside service, sending them to the new mill for recycling by ACE UK and Sonoco Alcore.”
As the wood fibres found in beverage cartons are flexible and strong, they can be recycled into consumer and industrial products such as the tubes for cling film and the cores for rolls of textiles.
Sonoco Alcore Europe vice president industrial converting Adam Wood added: “Our company has a long history of recycling and reuse, and this opportunity with ACE UK strengthens our focus on sustainability. This partnership provides us with the fibre we need to produce our engineered tubes and cores, and we are looking forward to receiving a growing stream of cartons.
“Additionally, as an integrated manufacturer, it is important for us to know our material sources and we know ACE UK members are committed to sourcing from responsibly managed forests. This partnership has brought real business benefits to our UK operations while supporting our sustainable business practices.”


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Samsung recently took the wraps off a technology which will allow it to launch devices with foldable, rollable and even stretchable screens in the near future, with reports that Huawei and LG are some of the phone makers looking to get in on the same action.
While this is exciting, does it mean app developers will have to rethink their products?
Google thinks so, as it announced it is optimising its operating system to enable apps to seamlessly adapt to different screen sizes. VP of Android Engineering, Dave Burke, made understanding this simpler, by explaining that developers can think of a device as both a phone and a tablet.
“The defining feature for this form factor is something we call screen continuity. For example, you might start a video on the folded smaller screen while on the go, but later sit down and want a more immersive experience. You can simply unfold the device to get a larger tablet-sized screen. As you unfold, the app seamlessly transfers to the bigger screen without missing a beat.”
And while Avi Greengart, an analyst at Global Data, echoed this when he told CNET “maps and media and gaming, if game developers optimise for the form factor, are certainly going to be more immersive,” an article on Tom’s Guide warned that “the promise of more immersive apps may not be enough to justify the cost of a foldable smartphone”.
That’s where multi-tasking will come in.
When opened there will be a lot more space for developers to play around with, which consumers might use to play games, watch videos or split the screen to open several apps. Samsung has said its foldable device will be capable of running up to three apps at once, a feature dubbed Multi-Active Window.
For instance, half the display could run popular game Fortnite, while the other half could be used to chat with teammates, an essential part of the game. This also has useful business applications, such as having email, collaboration apps like Slack and a video call open at the same time.
Developers will need to start thinking about how they can optimise their apps for such use.
As for when the screen is folded, Adrian Velthuis, chief revenue officer at advertising company Mobile Posse, told Mobile World Live (MWL) that developers will have to create “snackable” sizes for both content and advertising, adding that research at his company shows form factor has a big impact on how users consume content – which means foldables are likely to be a game changer.
Speaking to MWL Beatrice Olivas, chief revenue officer of app marketing company Motive, stated that if foldable devices become the norm, developers “will need to re-envision the way they reach consumers”, when it comes to monetisation and advertising.
Olivas added Google’s announcement that Android will natively support the new form will prevent further fragmentation in the market.
On the other hand, an article in Wired by Brian Barrett claims Android’s fragmented history may actually be a good thing.
He quoted Chris Harrison, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute as saying: “For Android, there’s been such a crazy array of devices already made that developers already have to work with all kinds of sizes and shapes. App developers are pretty savvy about getting their applications to fit properly.”
Not all may agree with that though. A report in Android Central states “there are millions of apps out there that really aren’t designed to run on anything but a four- to six-inch phone screen”, something which will “have to change as these new flexible form factors are released to the world”.
And while some, like Amit Dar, general manager, US, at mobile advertising technology company Taptica, believe foldable devices are mostly hype as “it will take time until the market actually gets its hands on these new phones,” the fact that others like Barrett claim “they’re glimpses of the next great mobile frontier” means developers will at the very least need to start thinking about how to adapt to them.
The editorial views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and will not necessarily reflect the views of the GSMA, its Members or Associate Members.


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Apple and Samsung have been fined €10 million and €5 million respectively ($11.5 million and $5.7 million) after an investigation found that the two tech giants deliberately slow down their smartphones without the consent of users, possibly to compel customers to buy newer models.
The two companies were found to have encouraged customers to install software updates that their phones cannot handle very well, without informing them. The operating system updates meanwhile, are not reversible.
The fines which specifically relate to the iPhone 6 and the Samsung Note 4, were handed in Italy after the Italian anti-trust authority investigated complaints from customers around January.
According to the Italian agency’s findings, Apple ‘insistently suggested’ to users of the iPhone 6 to upgrade their iOS to a version designed for the iPhone 7. Customers were not warned that the system update would reduce the speed of their device. The investigations found Apple did not give customers important information about the phone’s lithium batteries like their duration, replacement, care and maintenance.
Samsung also repeatedly suggested to users of its 2014 Note 4, to upgrade their Android OS to a version that is more suitable for the Note 7, without informing them that the update would slow down their device and result in malfunctions that are not covered by warranty.
The two companies – Apple especially – have been at the centre of rumours and complaints that they deliberately slow down older models of their phones to make them obsolete and compel customers to discard them. This is however the first time that they have actually been fined for it.
In 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook apologised after it emerged the company was slowing down some iPhone models. The company explained that the reason for that was rather to make the old phones last longer as their batteries get older, and prevent them from having unexpected shutdowns.
On their part, Samsung have promised to cooperate with authorities and have also said that they do not encourage system upgrades to reduce the performance and lifespan of its phones.


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International technology group Andritz has announced that due to the global Covid-19 crisis it expects a negative impact on the development of its sales and earnings in the 2020 business year. As a result, Andritz has suspended its sales and earnings forecast for the fiscal 2020 as disclosed at the presentation of the results for 2019.
The extent depends on the duration of the crisis and its future impact on the global economy and on the markets served by Andritz. Hence, it cannot be quantified at the moment with sufficient certainty, the company reported.
Andritz is anticipating a slight increase in sales and unchanged earnings before extraordinary effects (EBITA) compared to 2019 (before extraordinary effects).
In order to counteract a possible drop in sales as best as possible, Andritz has already initiated temporary cost-saving measures in many countries where the group is active.
A change of the resolution concerning use of profits (dividend proposal) is not planned at the moment, however – depending on the further development of the corona crisis – this cannot be excluded.
The Annual General Meeting originally scheduled for March 25, 2020, had to be cancelled due to the regulations introduced by the Austrian Federal Government.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JL)


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Russia explores establishing a stablecoin settlement platform while India prepares to test its CBDC
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(Kitco News) - Stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) continue to be hot topics in the world of cryptocurrencies as governments around the world increasingly entertain the idea of integrating digital assets into their financial ecosystems.
On Tuesday, reports emerged that Russia’s Finance Ministry has begun working with governments of “friendly” nations to create a cross-border stablecoin-based payment platform.
According to Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev, the move is being done in an effort to avoid the use of U.S. dollars and euros. Moiseev implied that part of the reason for creating the new platform was to offer payment options that all parties deem acceptable.
“We offer mutually acceptable tokenized instruments that will be used on these platforms, which are essentially clearing platforms that we are currently developing with countries,” Moiseev said. “Stablecoins can be pegged to some generally recognized instrument, for example, gold, the value of which is clear and appreciable for all parties involved.”
Russia’s increased openness to cryptocurrencies comes as the country has been the target of severe sanctions by the United States and the European Union following its invasion of Ukraine in February. Threats to remove Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT, messaging system, have added a sense of urgency to the creation of such a platform.
This latest development follows Monday's announcement from the Bank of Russia that it has agreed with the finance ministry to legalize the use of cryptocurrencies for cross-border payments.
|South Korea to launch a separate market for digital securities in 2022|
India begins testing its CBDC
Meanwhile, India has now progressed to the next stage of development for its CBDC as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked four state-run banks to begin testing the digital currency as it prepares for its full launch by the end of 2022.
This comes despite the central bank seeking a ban on crypto trading in the country, highlighting the difference in perception between CBDCs and public cryptocurrencies.
According to a local media report, the RBI has selected the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India and Bank of Baroda “to run the pilot internally.”
The central bank is also reportedly in discussions with several fintec companies related to the development of the digital rupee, including the U.S.-based Fidelity National Information Services, Inc (FIS).
FIS currently advises several central banks on a variety of CBDC-related issues including offline payments, programmable payments, new monetary policy toolkit, interest-bearing CBDC, fractional banking issues, financial inclusion, and cross-border CBDC payments, according to Julia Demidova, senior director at FIS.
The RBI is currently planning to introduce the digital rupee in stages during the current fiscal year that ends in march.
India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has previously spoken positively about the prospects of a CBDC and how it can facilitate the settlement of large transactions between countries or institutions.
“There are clear advantages in a central bank driven digital currency because, in this day and age, bulk payments happening between countries, large transactions between institutions and large transactions between central banks themselves of each country are all better enabled with digital currency,” Sitharaman said.


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PARIS — French contemporary brands Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot are growing their thriving family.
Groupe SMCP, which controls the three brands, has agreed to sell a 51 percent stake to L Capital, the private equity arm of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury group headed by Bernard Arnault, and Florac, an investment fund owned by the Louis-Dreyfus family, the three parties said Monday.
“With the creation of a ready-to-wear group made up of creative and aspirational brands, this transaction aims to confirm the success of the Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot brands in Europe and accelerate their international expansion,” L Capital and Florac said.
The deal comes as Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot prepare to enter the United States and Asia, with the aim of growing their joint store network to 500 by mid-2012 from 338 at present, SMCP chief executive officer Frédéric Biousse told WWD.
“We have been thinking for some time that it might be timely for us to join forces with partners who could contribute connections and contacts, and also a certain know-how in these geographical areas,” he said.
Biousse declined to provide financial details of the deal, which is expected to be finalized within six to eight weeks, subject to regulatory approval.
He said SMCP chose L Capital because of its existing assets in the textile sector and its experience working with rapidly expanding, formerly family-run brands.
“The other thing, of course, is that L Capital is backed by a prestigious group and has a tremendous number of contacts overseas, namely in the United States and Asia, and we know this fund will bring us precious operational assistance,” he noted.
L Capital has increased its presence in the contemporary segment this year by taking stakes in Barcelona-based Pepe Jeans and Italian apparel and denim brand Dondup.
Biousse said Florac was selected because of the Louis-Dreyfus clan’s reputation for strong ethics and family values. The firm is founded and run by Marie-Jeanne Meyer, former managing director of Louis Dreyfus Group and sister of the late billionaire Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
“For us, coming from a family culture, it is extremely reassuring working with people who are very knowledgeable about international trade, but who are also very attached to the human and family dimensions of our firms. This alliance allows us to benefit immediately from strong operational added value, while still preserving our culture and reassuring our teams,” said Biousse.
L Capital and Florac are acting through newly created firm LF Invest, in which they each have a 50 percent stake, he specified.
Day-to-day operations at Groupe SMCP will remain in the hands of its historical shareholders. “For us, the most important thing was that these funds took a stake on the express condition that we remain, which suits us, because we have absolutely no intention of leaving,” Biousse explained.
Groupe SMCP will be presided over by sisters Evelyne Chétrite and Judith Milgrom, the designers who founded Sandro and Maje, respectively. Biousse will share the ceo post with his financial partner Elie Kouby, former commercial director of fashion chain Comptoir des Cotonniers.
SMCP has created a U.S. subsidiary to oversee the opening of its first Stateside stores next year. Sandro and Maje will open two stores each in New York City in April or May 2011, with a launch in as-yet-unspecified U.S. department stores in July. The brands are scheduled to launch in Asia in late 2011 or early 2012, Biousse added.
SMCP is also introducing a new multibrand format dubbed Suite 341 — a wordplay on the phrase “three for one” — that will carry Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot alongside guest brands and homeware items. The first of the stores opened in Angoulême in southwestern France on Sept. 18.
“Multibrand shops and specialty stores are making a comeback,” noted Biousse.
The boutiques will open in smaller French towns where demand is not strong enough to support separate stores for each brand — Brest, Lorient and Mulhouse are next in line — in addition to European capitals, where they will act as a testing ground for the future development of the three labels. Japan will follow late next year.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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Wow, there’s a lot of news to cover on the Eagle Force Returns front, so let’s get to it!
First off, The Drawn Word is working on a limited edition Eagle Force Returns metal card set as part of the “Kickstarter Make/100” creative initiative focused on editions of 100. Look for it to launch this week. Follow The Drawn Word for more info.
Last but not least, did you miss out on the Eagle Force Returns trading card Kickstarter? If so, then good news! The set of 25 cards has been listed on the Fresh Monkey Fiction website. Make sure to swing by and pick up a set for yourself if you haven’t already!
You can discuss all the latest Eagle Force Returns news by joining us after the break!


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So, you go to log into GTA Online only to find that you have no money, your account has been reset, or even worse – your account has been banned altogether. So, what the hell happened? Well, Rockstar just made a major push to penalize players that used the in-game cash exploit known as the apartment garage glitch.
The penalization for the exploit has come along with a patch that prevents you from taking advantage of the exploit ever again, and it comes without warning. Rockstar managed to identify everyone who used the exploit, and seemingly overnight, reset their accounts back to zero. Anyone penalized in this push has lost all the progress they have made since starting the game – some of which go back the entire seven years the game has been on the market.
Rockstar recently explained its decision on its official support pages and explained that
“As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a healthy game environment for all players, anyone found to be abusing exploits and cheats to illegitimately gain GTA$ and in-game items may be subject to penalties including cash balance adjustments, character resets, suspensions, and up to permanent bans as appropriate.”
Obviously, this hit can be pretty devastating for those that have made the most out of the exploit while it was available, but at the same time, it’s not exactly fair that some people are able to rack up as much money as they want for free while others are forced to earn it or purchase it with real-world currency. GTA Online might be used as a life simulator at times, but it doesn’t have a welfare department.
Naturally, there has been a bunch of backlash over the massive deployment of penalties, and Rockstar has, so far, remained silent. Even if the studio decided to reverse its decision it’s not clear if it could or not, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated with anything new that comes our way. For what it’s worth, it’s probably best to keep an eye on the official GTA Online and GTA V patch notes to make sure you know what’s going on behind the curtains.
In the meantime, be sure to check out our full list of GTA 5 cheats or learn about the next big update coming to GTA Online. If you’re looking to make GTA V look way better on the PC, you can check out our list of 4K and realism mods for GTA V (and how to install them).
In early September 2020, Rockstar managed to identify anyone that took advantage of the long-running apartment garage glitch and reset all accounts to zero, effectively erasing any progress those players made during the lifespan of their account. At the same time, Rockstar announced that it would continue to crack down on players that exploit any bug or hack to get free GTA$ or free in-game items.
The apartment garage glitch in GTA Online would allow players to make millions of in-game GTA$ by tricking the game. Basically, all you had to do was purchase a property and then work through a series of menus. As of September 2020, Rockstar has patched the exploit (after ignoring it for years) and penalized all players that had taken advantage of it over the last seven years.


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The Federal Trade Commission has filed an administrative complaint and authorized a suit in federal court to block The Procter & Gamble Company's proposed acquisition of Billie, Inc., a subscription-based female-centric body care/grooming brand, according to StreetInsider.com.
As previously reported by Global Cosmetic Industry, the transaction was announced in January 2020.
According to StreetInsider.com, the complaint alleges that "the proposed acquisition would allow P&G, the market-leading supplier of both women’s and men’s wet shave razors, to buy Billie, a newer but expanding maker of women’s razors, and thereby eliminate growing competition that benefits consumers."
The complaint also reportedly alleges that the proposed acquisition "would eliminate substantial and growing head-to-head competition between P&G and nascent competitor Billie in U.S. wet shave razor markets."
The FTC will file a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that is said to seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop the deal pending an administrative trial that is set for June 22, 2021.


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A popular part of the Computer Animation Festival is the premiere screening of the SIGGRAPH 2013 Electronic Theater. Here’s a time lapse quick clip of the Arena filling up before the show starts. We seemed to have filled the place!
The 40th SIGGRAPH Conference kicked off on 21 July 2013 in Anaheim with the Business Symposium, Emerging Technologies, Art Gallery, Special Sessions and many other meetings and events. The day concluded with the immensely popular Papers Fast Forward closing out … Continued
SIGGRAPH 2013 Art Gallery Chair Victoria Szabo from Duke University, takes you on a high-level tour of this year’s art exhibition in Anaheim The Art Gallery’s 2013 theme, XYZN: Scale, draws attention to a key critical affordance of computer-based authorship: … Continued
Studio sessions at SIGGRAPH 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, offer a collaborative working environment and give attendees a chance to come together to learn, experiment, and create. Attendees can try out a wide range of new techniques … Continued
SIGGRAPH 2013, 21 -25 July at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, released the final lineup of 15 Production Sessions to be featured at this year’s conference. These Production Sessions are part of the overall Computer Animation Festival, which is … Continued
The SIGGRAPH 2012 Exhibition continued the tradition of being a top draw with attendees. Los Angeles – SIGGRAPH 2012, the world’s premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, welcomed 21,212 artists, research scientists, gaming experts and developers, filmmakers, students, … Continued


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Australia has experienced an extraordinary cryptocurrency boom in recent years, unveiling a myriad of opportunities beyond conventional fiat currency. According to a report by EY, Australia’s cryptocurrency industry could grow significantly and potentially reach 30 times its current size by 2030.
As such, Aussies are now exploring different ways to use their digital assets now that an increasing number of merchants, businesses, and service providers are accepting crypto payments.
In this article, we will explore the diverse range of things you can use your crypto money for in Australia, highlighting the unique opportunities and experiences available.
The world of e-commerce has embraced cryptocurrency as a form of payment. As a result, numerous online merchants in Australia have successfully broadened their range of payment options, demonstrating their innovative approach by incorporating cryptocurrencies. This not only allows them to diversify their revenue streams but also serves as a means of attracting a fresh influx of customers.
As such, whether you’re looking to buy gadgets, clothing, home goods or even books in your next vacation in Australia, you will not have to worry about finding stores that accept crypto.
Internet Service Providers
Crypto enthusiasts now have the exciting opportunity to use their digital assets to conveniently pay for their internet NBN bills.
Although no official announcement has been made, a reliable tip from a Launtel customer indicates that a new payment method has been added. Interestingly, alongside the usual credit card options, customers now have the option to pay with Bitcoin.
Now, crypto enthusiasts no longer need to go through the trouble of converting their Bitcoin or other digital assets into cash just to pay for their NBN internet bill.
Online Game Sites & Casinos
If you are a gamer or a casual online gambler who enjoys playing poker or blackjack and would want to use your cryptocurrencies then you can freely do so in Australia!
In fact, crypto casino sites have become the gold standard for Australian players as it allows them to place anonymous bets, browse through a wide variety of games, gain instant payouts and epic bonuses.
When it comes to online casino sites, Australia is brimming with options, which can make choosing the absolute best among them seem like a daunting task. However, you can breathe a sigh of relief because there are websites like https://www.casinoaus.net/bitcoin-casinos-australia/ that provide a comprehensive list of the top crypto casinos. These platforms can help you make an informed decision you can rely on.
Travel and Accommodation
Lastly and the most surprising of all the things you can spend your cryptocurrency in Australia is to pay for your air travel and hotel expenses.
Accordingly, Brisbane Airport partnered with TravelbyBit and has allowed travelers to dine and shop at terminal retailers. Now, there are even more options for Bitcoin enthusiasts as airlines like Qantas, American Airlines, and Lufthansa have joined the list of “Bitcoin-friendly” companies. These airlines now offer the convenience of purchasing first-class plane tickets with cryptocurrency, adding a new level of ease and flexibility for travelers.
If you are staying in Australia for a couple of nights, you also never have to worry about running out of cash as you can easily use your digital assets in hotels and other types of accommodation.
The increasing range of applications for cryptocurrency is revolutionizing our understanding and utilization of money. Whether you possess a passion for technology, enjoy exploring the world, or appreciate the finest things in life, there exist countless opportunities to indulge in the expenditure of your digital currency.
As more businesses and service providers in Australia recognize the benefits of digital currency, their ecosystem continues to grow and evolve. The potential of using cryptocurrency for everyday transactions, ranging from online shopping to travel bookings, showcases the immense possibilities of this emerging financial technology to revolutionize the transactional experience of every Australian and challenge the limitations of traditional payment methods.


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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to Get Android Security Patch for January 2020
South Korean company Samsung is going to roll out an update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 along with the Android security patch for January 2020. As per a report published by XDA Developers, the update with software version N970FXXS1BSLD is being rolled out in Germany for the Galaxy Note 10 series devices. The report has asserted that the latest update does not include new features apart from the latest security updates.
Apart from the Galaxy Note 10 series, the Galaxy Tab S5e and Galaxy A10, A10s, A20, A30, A50 too have got the latest January 2020 security patches. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ owners in Germany are expected to have got the update notification. The global rollout should begin soon and in case you haven't received a notification, you can manually do so by going to the Software update section in the phone settings.
In the later part of 2019, Samsung had begun rolling out One UI 2.0 based on Android 10 for some of its devices in the Galaxy M, Galaxy S and Note series. The Galaxy Note 10 in December last year had got the One UI 2.0 update which included all features introduced with Android 10, accompanied by some One UI specific changes.


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A massive crowd looked on with bated breath as out of thousands of entries one lucky name was pulled from a giant drum on stage.
The event was the grand prize draw for a 2014 Yamaha FZ6R Motorcycle which was part of the month-long Guinness Rev Up Under the Crown Promotion which saw winners of various prizes from around the island.
It’s been an exciting few months for loyalists to the brand who have had the chance to win coveted prizes such as free Guinness and cash, $100 Fuel Vouchers, smart phones from DIGICEL, Beats Headphones, Apple Ipods, $250 grocery vouchers, LED Smart TVs and lots of Guinness merchandise.
It all came down to the final prize of the Yamaha Bike on April 10th at the Gros Islet Street Party. The momentum built as the crowd enjoyed the music and were entertained by local band Phase Two and the Guinness Ladies. Finally the climax came and Anthony Evans of Marisule, Gros Islet, was announced as the winner.
Though he was not in the crowd that night Evans was officially awarded his prize on Wednesday at a handover ceremony and he could not have been more grateful.
“I didn’t know I had won until Saturday morning when I got a call from a friend. I was in shock and I really started to celebrate when I got the official call from Guinness,” explained a smiling Evans. “I had a good feeling when I entered the promotion but we all think we will be lucky I guess. It’s been quite a week with people congratulating me and I am so happy to have won.”
Guinness Brand Manager, Sylvester Henry, spoke about the ambitious promotion.
“This promotion was a great undertaking and judging by the equally great response from Guinness consumers we are on the right track. What added to the momentum was our Rev Up road shows which took the grand prize around the island for display,” Henry noted.
“We gave away some great prizes such as Smart TVs, Smart Phones, Cash, and Free Beer along the way and had an opportunity to really engage our customers. We also recently launched our new look bottle and we assure our consumers that there are still more great things to come from the brand this year.”


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Seen for the first time in black exterior colour in new teaser video.
Interior will be all-black; will get panoramic sunroof.
Will feature a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with internet connectivity.
MG Hector SUV now under production at MG’s facility in Halol, Gujarat.
Set to be unveiled on 15 May 2019; launch slated for June.
Pre-launch bookings to begin in June only.
MG Motor is set to make its India debut with the launch of the Hector SUV in June 2019. Before that, it will be unveiled in its full production-spec form on May 15. Meanwhile, MG has released a new teaser video to show the Hector in production at carmaker’s facility in Halol, Gujarat.
The teaser video takes us through some of the manufacturing processes of Hector from the chassis and body construction to the drivetrain to the dashboard fitting. The Hector can be seen in five exterior colours throughout the teaser - red, white, grey, deep purple and for the first time - black.
Meanwhile, an all-black interior theme can also be seen in the process. MG Motor had earlier revealed a dual-tone black-beige interior theme on the Hector that was showcased at a dealer event. It remains to be seen whether the Hector will get a dual-tone interior theme. The large 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment unit can be seen positioned in the centre of the dashboard in the video.
Apart from the large 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with internet connectivity, the Hector will get features like a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree parking camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system and dynamic turn indicators. It will be offered with two powertrains - a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine coupled to a 48V mild-hybrid.
It is expected to be offered in two or three variants with prices starting from Rs 15 lakh. MG Motor say that pre-orders for the Hector will open in June. The Hector will face competition from the likes of the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass, Mahindra XUV500 and Hyundai Tucson too.


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Telecommunications Giant MTN Uganda has unveiled their 3rd edition of the rewards filled MoMoNyabo promotion, this time, under the theme “MoMoNyabo Together and with Shs 1.2Bn to give away.”
According to a press statement from the Y’ello Service, this year’s promotion has been designed to help MTN customers with the ‘much-needed support following the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of many Ugandans.’
They communicated that unlike previous editions which were characterized by fanfare around the country and giving away of cars, motorbikes and other prizes, this year’s billion shilling promotion will focus on supporting customers to meet their most urgent needs such as domestic welfare, rebuilding small businesses or meeting outstanding obligations among others.
“Life has not been the same for many. Times are tough, and every Ugandan is trying to find a way to rebuild following effects of COVID. It’s in this spirit that MTN is stepping in to be part of several efforts aimed at supporting Ugandans to rebuild” MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer, Somdev Sen said in the statement.
As such, the MoMoNyabo Together promotion will reward customers that have embraced MoMo, and use it to pay for airtime, bundles, utilities like Yaka, NWSC, TV subscription plus shopping, school fees among several other services.
The promotion will cover lucky customers and MTN MoMo Agents and merchants. The winners will be chosen in draws to be broadcast on NBS and Bukedde TV every day, starting at 8:20pm.
“Every week day, two customers that have used MTN MoMo to pay for airtime, bundles or another service, will randomly be chosen and each will win a guaranteed UGX 1m/- with a chance to triple that amount and also win an additional UGX 2m/- for friends and loved ones through an exciting game show. This brings the total amount available for each winner and their beneficiaries to UGX 5m/-.” They further communicated.
MTN notified customers that they don’t have to deposit all their money on the phone but just keep some on MTN MoMo for use in the most deserving of scenarios.
“For example, if you have 5,000/-, you can deposit 2,000/- on your MTN MoMo account and use it to pay for airtime, bundles or other services and enter the MoMoNyabo Together promotion for a chance to win money.”
The promotion’s Terms and Conditions are available at www.mtn.co.ug/mtnmomo


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Best Buy began offering up to $262.50 for Nexus 4 T-Mobile trade-ins this week, which falls in line with some of the previous Nexus 5 rumors pointing to the successor launching soon.
The retailer recently announced a new trade-in program in anticipation for the release of the next-generation model. However, the only catch is that those looking to cash in on their older device will have to accept store credit instead of cash. It will also have to be a T-Mobile version of the handset.
If the smartphone is in nearly perfect shape, users can receive up to $262.50. With minor scuffs they can still get around $250.
The device's successor, the Nexus 5, is expected to be unveiled in the next few months.
The device has already been spotted at both the FCC and Bluetooth SIG.
The device that passed through FCC features a 4.96-inch screen, a Snapdragon 800 processor, LTE connectivity, NFC, CDMA/EV-DO, HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, and a 2300 mAh battery. It also comes with Google's latest Android 4.4 KitKat software.
There are pics of the device's Qi charging and NFC antenna that show the alignment of the camera cutout on the back panel. Engadget believes that this is definitely an LG made device and the model number LG-D820 in the filing confirms that fact. LG officials also filed the confidentiality request for the report, according to the site.
A handset that could be the Nexus 5 also made an appearance at Google's Android 4.4; KitKat statue unveiling that took place earlier this week.
A picture was sent by an anonymous tipster to Android Authority that attended the event. They also received a video taken from unveiling that shows people snapping pics celebrating with one of them holding an unidentified Nexus phone.
Some other recent rumors point to the smartphone being made by Motorola.


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MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine has announced via his Twitter account that there are some major tour announcements forthcoming: "A huge announcement is coming for next summer in the States and in Europe and the UK. Just went through a couple weeks of hell arranging something special for summer. Stay tuned! We're going to have some Big shows coming up."
Could a Big 4 be in the works for the U.S. to compete with Ozzfest and Mayhem Fest?


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Between July and September 2018, almost 50 million square feet of warehouse inventory opened up across the nation. That might lead you to believe that there is plenty of warehouse space to go around at the moment. But in reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to a new report, the demand for warehouse space is higher than it’s been in almost two decades right now with more and more companies snatching up warehouse space and making it hard for others to find the space they need.
So, why is warehouse space in such high demand right now? It’s largely due to the unprecedented growth of the e-commerce industry. From big behemoths like Amazon to smaller enterprises, there are e-commerce companies that are setting up shop on the internet and renting out warehouse space to store everything they sell to their customers. This has sent the warehouse availability rate plummeting to 7.1 percent and made it tough for some companies to track down available warehouse space in their cities.
What’s more, those companies that are able to find warehouse space that works for them are paying the price for it. In cities like New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the cost to rent warehouse space has gone up significantly in recent months. In New York City, in particular, the price per square foot for warehouses has risen by more than 80 percent in some parts of the city. Warehouse costs could continue to rise through the remainder of the year, too, as the holiday season inches closer and more companies seek to utilize warehouses to store and ship goods.
Finding open warehouse space in most cities is a tall task these days. But you can do it with assistance from companies like Affiliated Warehouse Companies. We can show you warehouse space in your city and help you get your hands on it. Call us at 732-739-2323 today to start looking around.


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You’ll also want to investigate top Galaxy S21 alternatives like the Galaxy Note 20 series and Google’s Pixel devices. And if you’re fine with moving away from Android, make sure you check out Apple’s iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series and iPhone 11 series.
While there are some tempting phones on shelves right now, we’re hearing more about the devices coming to replace these devices in 2021 and beyond.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Rumors
Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 series might be called Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra and carry the following model numbers: SM-S901x, SM-S906x, and SM-S908x. The names are evidently tentative, but that’s what you should expect at this point.
We’ve learned quite a bit about the Galaxy S22 display sizes, two of which will reportedly be smaller than their predecessors. We’ve learned about potential upgrades to the cameras. And we’ve heard about new colors. According to analyst Ross Young, here are the Galaxy S22 color options:
- Galaxy S22 – Black, Green, Pink Gold, White
- Galaxy S22+ – Black, Green, Pink Gold, White
- Galaxy S22 Ultra – Black, Dark Red, Green, White
The Galaxy S22 series is still in development which means plans can, and likely will, change before the company announces its nw Galaxy S models.
And because it’s Samsung, we’ll likely see a steady stream of Galaxy S22 rumors emerge throughout the year as we push toward the official release. These rumors will help you decide if the company’s Galaxy S22 models are worth the wait.
The Galaxy S22 release date is still many weeks away and a lot of you may not want to wait to upgrade your phone. That said, the Galaxy S22 should definitely be on your radar if you’re planning to make a switch this year or sometime next year.
In this guide we’ll take you through the best reasons to wait for the Samsung Galaxy S22 and the best reasons to go with another device long before the announcements.
Wait for Even Better Performance
You can expect the Galaxy S22 series to build on the foundation left behind by the Galaxy S21 series and offer improved performance in a number of key areas.
Per usual, you can expect the Galaxy S22 to come with an Exynos processor in some markets and a Qualcomm chipset in others.
Nothing is confirmed, but there's a good chance the Galaxy S22 utilizes Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon processor. It should be the processor that powers the Galaxy S22 series in most markets.
Initially, it looked like the chip would be called the Snapdragon 898, but it's actually called "Snapdragon 8 Gen 1."
The processor has already shown up in Galaxy S22 benchmarks.
Like the Snapdragon, we've seen the Exynos 2200 appear in early benchmarks. The processor has shown up on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
New processors should help the Galaxy S22 series deliver even better performance in key areas like speed, battery life, gaming, and multitasking.
The Galaxy S22+ and Galaxy S22 Ultra batteries have passed 3C certification. The Galaxy S22+ is listed with a 4,370 mAh battery (probably a 4500 mAh capacity) while the Galaxy S22 Ultra is listed with a 4,855 mAh battery (probably 5000 mAh capacity).
The Galaxy S22 battery has also received certification in South Korea and it's listed at 3,590 mAh which probably means 3,700 mAh.
Digitimes is also saying that Samsung is "reconsidering adopting vapor chambers for its new smartphones for 2022." This could help the devices run at peak performance for longer periods of time.
The report doesn't mention the Galaxy S22 series, but there's certainly a chance the flagship devices adopt this technology.
We've also heard that Samsung is currently testing improved charging power on the Galaxy S22. The information comes from leaker Ice Universe. He says the company is trying to bring charging power above 25W to 45W or 65W fast charging.
In a new tweet, Ice Universe says he's 100% sure the company will bring 45W wireless charging to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Twitter leaker FrontTron also claims Samsung is planning to test 65W charging on the Galaxy S22 series.
Another report points to 25W charging across the board, but we'd take it with a grain of salt given what we've heard thus far.
If you're a power user and you aren't thrilled with what's out there right now, you might want to sit back and wait for the Galaxy S22 series.
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Here are 9 interesting facts about the most talked about technological advancement that the world has witnessed thus far; The Blockchain –
- It can be used to assess scientific research claims.
- Blockchain technology has managed and distributed more than $270 billion in transactions.
- Blockchain’s market size will be $60 billion
… Read the rest
In the past few months companies have been aggressively pursuing blockchain technology to understand how it can revolutionize their businesses. The auto industry is said to some vested interest in this field presently. Four of the largest auto manufacturers in the world are now part of a group working to … Read the rest
Blockchain pioneer Charles Hoskinson’s latest project involves putting the birthplace of coffee on the blockchain. Hoskinson, who co-founded Ethereum and is at the helm at smart-contract fueled decentralized blockchain startup Cardano, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Science and Technology for ag-tech development on the … Read the rest
Streaming content is widely substituting traditional cable and television as the primary way for people to watch video content. According to a Pew Research Center survey, a whopping 61% of respondents aged 18-29 primarily use online streaming services to watch television. Streaming content is the wave of the future. SuccessLife … Read the rest
QuarkChain is the latest entrant into the blockchain domain that is working to create a highly scalable and secure blockchain which can handle up to one million transactions per second using a two-layered blockchain system. They are seeking to bring crypto to a wider mainstream audience and will support smart … Read the rest
Forgeries have long been an inescapable problem in the art world. By some estimates, roughly half of the artwork circulating on the international market is fake. The problem is that the current methods of authentication leave plenty of gaps in the system. Works of art disappear and then mysteriously reappear … Read the rest
According to the public records published on 2nd May, The Arizona House of Representatives passed a tax bill called Senate Bill 1091. The Senate Bill allows the citizens to pay their taxes using cryptocurrencies. However, in the recent vote, this initiative has been impeded with various amendments. The order release … Read the rest
New evidences are emerging, stating that practicable uses of blockchain are closer than what many health IT and security professionals have predicted. Blockchain holds big potential for overcoming issues of trust and ironing out technology wrinkles in the sharing of clinical and financial data in healthcare. While that is becoming … Read the rest
JPMorgan Chase is seeking to patent a system for using distributed ledgers as a way to facilitate and reconcile financial transactions, newly-released filings show. In a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday (which was originally submitted last October), JPMorgan outlined a system that uses … Read the rest
Cloud-based graphics-rendering firm OTOY has introduced RNDR, “a blockchain-based rendering platform that leverages a distributed network of idle GPUs to render graphics more quickly and efficiently,” making the process of rendering and streaming virtual reality (VR) scenes easier for all users. RNDR is now announcing partnerships with blockchain developers … Read the rest


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Reuters – China’s soybean imports are set to drop by a quarter in the last three months of 2018, their biggest fall in at least 12 years as buyers curb purchases amid the China-U.S. trade war and high domestic stockpiles.
Soybeans have been at the heart of the tit-for-tat trade dispute between the world’s top two economies.
Why it matters: Trade disputes between the U.S. and China have destabilized markets making demand and price forecasts difficult.
China in July imposed a retaliatory 25 per cent import duty on United States soybeans as part of the conflict, a saga that has gathered steam since then with the introduction of fresh tariffs on other products.
Soybean imports by China, which buys 60 per cent of the oilseed traded worldwide, will likely decline to around 18-20 million tonnes in the fourth quarter, compared with 24.1 million tonnes in the same period last year, traders said.
“Imports will average around six million tonnes per month in the fourth quarter,” said a Singapore-based trader at an international company that owns oilseed processing plants in China.
“Purchases are going to be mainly from Brazil and some from Argentina and Canada. Buyers are not willing to take chances by bringing in U.S. beans,” the trader added, declining to be identified, as he was not authorized to speak with media.
The landed cost of U.S. beans in China is currently similar to Brazilian soybeans even with the 25 per cent tariff, but Chinese crushers are reluctant to take U.S. supply as they fear authorities may not approve cargoes and that tariffs could climb further.
“Right now China’s import duty on U.S. wheat is 25 per cent, who knows, the duty might go up to 50 per cent by the time your boat arrives,” said Ole Houe, director of advisory services at brokerage IKON Commodities in Sydney.
China’s soybean purchases of around 24 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of last year were more than triple 2006 levels, climbing for 10 out of 12 years, according to the country’s customs data.
The estimated decline of four to six million tonnes in October to December this year would be the biggest fall since at least 2006.
China, which largely uses soybeans in feed for the world’s biggest pig herd, is unlikely to face a shortfall in supplies despite the drop in imports because it has abundant domestic reserves after a strong pace of imports.
“We will be fine until the end of February. For March, April, it’s a bit tight, but if demand is not so good, then we can probably even survive until then,” said a Beijing-based soybean trader, who forecast imports in the fourth quarter at 20 million tonnes last week.
Soybean stocks at China’s ports stood at 8.57 million tonnes this week, down marginally from a record of around nine million tonnes at the end of the previous week.
Crush margins in Shandong, the hub of China’s soybean processing industry, have been in positive territory since early August, reaping strong profits for companies making feed ingredients.
Processors are making 305 yuan (US$44.04) a tonne, not far from last month’s two-year high of 315 yuan.
“Soymeal demand from the feed millers has been pretty strong as they build stocks,” said the first Singapore-based source.


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Black Friday hasn't even officially started, and yet, a lot of great deals have already been happening. What else can be better than knowing that Apple's latest iPad 10.2 is currently on sale for a ridiculous amount, at least in the United States? Already, the new iPad costs $250 (with $80 off its regular price of $329, its starting regular cost) at Best Buy. However, even the marked-down price tag may not last come Cyber Monday this year.
Indeed, the same $80 off on the iPad price is how it was in last year's epic Cyber Monday Deal, may not be enjoyed for long because as early as now, other participating retailers of the Black Friday 2019 are also offering this same Apple product at a discounted price. In an article TechRadar posted on its website, it indicated that Walmart, for one, is currently selling the iPad 10.2 for $29 of its regular price. This is undoubtedly a good sign that everyone can look forward to even bigger discounts come Black Friday and Cyber Monday, officially happening on Nov. 29.
Repeating Last Year's Cyber Monday Deal for iPad
With this exciting deal, Apple enthusiasts are probably wondering how low can the price of an iPad go for Cyber Monday. Last year, some retailers such as Amazon and Walmart cut their prices by $100 on Cyber Monday. That was after the $80 discount for the Black Friday iPad Deal, the cost everyone thought was already epic at that time.
In the United Kingdom, cuts were a little more modest but definitely appreciated. Customers were able to buy an iPad at a cost hovering around £30 discount or £299 for the final price. The product got sold out through various retail shops with particular colors such as gold for one, which is quite more difficult to find than the standard silver choice.
Just a Caveat to This Year's Cyber Monday Deal
Most people who are looking forward to the best deals in this year's biggest sale are confident that the leading retail stores are giving discounts with the iPad, again, come Cyber Monday. However, the Apple deal this year may not be as remarkable as everything has to do with both size and timing. For instance, iPad 9.7 just came out in late September, and this means it will only be more than two months old when Cyber Monday comes on Dec. 3.
Last year's new iPad, launched at exactly the same price, was released in March 2018, which was a little over eight months old during the time Cyber Monday came during Black Friday 2018. Moreover, today's market is also in a slightly different iPad class as this year's device is a bit bigger. Therefore, we're all dealing with an item that will only be two months old, not to mention, bigger than the one that was eight months old and smaller when it was sold on Cyber Monday.


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Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.21 per share on Tuesday, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.29 by 6.2%. This is a 23.42% decrease over earnings of $1.58 per share from the same period last year.
The company reported quarterly sales of $10.88 billion, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $11 billion by 1.09%. This is a 8.81% increase over sales of $9.999 billion the same period last year.
“Fiscal 2019 was highlighted by significant progress in our strategy to grow our business through differentiated capabilities, deliver service and value to our customers, and sustain our company and our world for future generations,” said Noel White, Tyson Foods’ CEO in a statement.
“We’re very optimistic about fiscal 2020, and we currently expect to meet or exceed our long-term earnings algorithm of high single-digit adjusted earnings per share growth as we’re well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in the global marketplace.”
Tyson Foods shares were trading down by 2.2% at $80.98 at the time of publication Monday. The stock has a 52-week high of $94.07 and a 52-week low of $49.77.


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Main Contents begins from here.
May 7, 2010
Panasonic to Establish Global Consumer Research Center
Osaka, Japan - Panasonic Corporation announced today its plan to establish the Global Consumer Research Center in its head office in Osaka by the end of March 2011, aiming to enhance its capability to design and develop products that meet with local needs.
Panasonic aims to become the No.1 Green Innovation Company in the electronics industry by 2018, as well as to implement a business paradigm shift for growth under its new mid-term management plan called "GT12" that covers the next three years from April 2010 to March 2013. As part of its efforts to shift its business from Japan-centric to globally-oriented, Panasonic focuses on the high-volume segments in emerging markets. It is crucial for the company to strengthen customer-oriented products planning capability by carrying out accurate assessments of various lifestyles and customs.
To realize stronger products planning capability, Panasonic will promote research for various lifestyles and customs by establishing lifestyle research centers in key emerging markets such as India and Brazil. In addition, the new Global Consumer Research Center in Japan is expected to play a central role among the lifestyle research centers all around the world. By sharing the knowledge of customers' needs and tastes gained from its research in various markets, Panasonic strives to pursue further efficiencies and achieve an optimized approach for utilizing its management resources to enhance its capability to develop and design products and to create new markets.
The lifestyle research centers are intended to assess the rapidly changing customers' needs and tastes in emerging markets and to have them efficiently reflected in marketing initiatives. Most importantly, the acquired data will also be used by the lifestyle research hub, the Global Consumer Research Center, in combination with knowledge and resources in Japan to assess an optimized balance between local standards and global standard. As a result, enhanced standardization of products for emerging markets can be achieved through these initiatives.
Panasonic strives to create innovations in manufacturing all around the world based on the research of regional lifestyles and customs to further expand overseas business at an accelerated pace. The expansion will enhance product development of high-volume segment and thereby new markets will be created.
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.42 trillion yen (US$79.4 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2010. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net.
- Akira Kadota (Japan)
- International PR
- Tel: +81-3-6403-3040
- Panasonic News Bureau (Japan)
- Tel: +81-3-3542-6205
Investor Relations Contacts
- Makoto Mihara (Japan)
- HInvestor Relations
- Tel: +81-6-6908-1121
- Yuko Iwatsu (U.S.)
- Panasonic Finance (America), Inc.
- Tel: +1-212-698-1365
- Hiroko Carvell (Europe)
- Panasonic Finance (Europe) plc
- Tel: +44-20-7562-4400
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The PC gaming space is rapidly evolving, and new opportunities are opening up for game developers. Explore why the PC is now the hottest game system and how Intel-inspired Ultrabook™ devices are leading the way in delivering powerful and portable processing power.
With the introduction of Windows 8*, touch capabilities on PCs will soon become mainstream. Geared toward popular new form factors like the Ultrabook™, Tablets, and All-In-One (AIO) devices, Windows 8 has taken a fresh look at how we interact with these devices.
Racing game fans around the world are taking the wheel thanks to the new touch capabilities from iRacing. iRacing allows people to race head-to-head globally. When the Ultrabook™ was released, iRacing wanted to implement the touch capabilities into their newest game.


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Equities analysts predict that Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE:EMR) will post earnings of $0.67 per share for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Five analysts have provided estimates for Emerson Electric’s earnings. The highest EPS estimate is $0.69 and the lowest is $0.65. Emerson Electric posted earnings per share of $0.74 during the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year over year growth rate of 9.5%. The business is scheduled to report its next earnings report on Tuesday, February 4th.
On average, analysts expect that Emerson Electric will report full year earnings of $3.63 per share for the current year, with EPS estimates ranging from $3.51 to $3.70. For the next year, analysts expect that the business will report earnings of $3.92 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $3.74 to $4.10. Zacks’ EPS averages are a mean average based on a survey of research analysts that that provide coverage for Emerson Electric.
Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The industrial products company reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.07. Emerson Electric had a net margin of 12.55% and a return on equity of 26.32%. The firm had revenue of $4.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.02 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.89 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 1.7% on a year-over-year basis.
In related news, VP Sara Yang Bosco sold 10,969 shares of Emerson Electric stock in a transaction on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.55, for a total transaction of $806,769.95. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 88,817 shares in the company, valued at $6,532,490.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Surendralal Lanca Karsanbhai sold 4,779 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.70, for a total value of $352,212.30. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 39,005 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,874,668.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 56,565 shares of company stock valued at $4,168,420 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.07% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gradient Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Emerson Electric by 164.4% in the third quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 386 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. raised its holdings in shares of Emerson Electric by 12.8% during the 3rd quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 382,028 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 43,374 shares in the last quarter. Ellevest Inc. boosted its position in shares of Emerson Electric by 110.0% during the 2nd quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 420 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Emerson Electric by 80.3% during the 2nd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 440 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Garrett Wealth Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Emerson Electric in the third quarter valued at $31,000. 69.18% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
EMR traded down $0.53 during trading on Friday, hitting $72.75. 1,999,258 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,201,984. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.72, a PEG ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.37. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $69.77 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $65.08. Emerson Electric has a 12-month low of $55.38 and a 12-month high of $75.54. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 14th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.75%. Emerson Electric’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.20%.
Emerson Electric Company Profile
Emerson Electric Co, a technology and engineering company, provides various solutions to industrial, commercial, and consumer markets worldwide. The company's Automation Solutions segment offers products and integrated solutions, including measurement and analytical instrumentation; valves, actuators, and regulators; industrial solutions; and process control systems and solutions.
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CHINA, Peking. African swine fever has left deep marks on the Chinese trade balance. The Middle Kingdom had to spend considerably more money on animal products in mid-2019.
The high production losses in pork last year forced the People's Republic of China to significantly expand imports. According to provisional figures from the Chinese customs authorities, imports of pork rose by 77% to 2.11 mill. t. The value of goods grew by 125% to a new record level of € 4.2 bn, reported the AgE. Chinese importers spent even more money, € 7.5 bn. on beef, whose purchase volume rose by 60% to 1.66 mill. t. In addition, 23% more sheep and goat meat and 55% more poultry meat was imported, for which € 1.69 bn. and € 1.79 bn. respectively were paid. In 2019, China bought meat products for a total of € 17.5 bn., 69% more than the year before.
Last year, the People's Republic imported agricultural and food products to a total value of € 136 bn., 10% more than in 2018. The agricultural trade deficit will increase to € 65 bn.
In 2019, Chinese agricultural exports showed a slight decline in revenue of € 680 mill. or 0.9% to € 71.3 bn. compared to the previous year. Due to the significant increase in the value of imports, the agricultural trade balance of the People's Republic deteriorated in 2019. Compared to the previous year, the deficit grew by the equivalent of € 12.64 bn. to € 64.7 bn.


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Published: May 28, 2019
iRobot, makers of the robotic vacuum Roomba and robotic mop Braava, posted a teaser image on its Facebook page teasing an upcoming announcement slated for May 29.
It’s a metal iRobot logo with a circle of light racing around it. The caption below the logo says “EVOLVING 5.29.19”.
What could this mysterious announcement be?
Here are my 3 guesses:
- The Roomba’s navigation algorithms are getting a major update – this would be nice but nah, this is not worthy of a teaser announcement.
- There is a new Roomba model – this would be the most exciting in my opinion, but I don’t expect this to be the case since iRobot just released the i7 and i7+ this past September. We are too close for a new Roomba to be announced. but hopefully not?)
- There is a new robot in a different product line, e.g. the Braava floor mop – this is the most likely scenario. iRobot has stated they are launching THREE new products this year. This is probably one of these launches.
This is an exciting year for iRobot fans. It announced the Terra robotic lawn mower in January, and still has two more new products to go.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this. What do you think? Another robotic mop or a Roomba that can climb the stairs?
Update May 29, 2019:


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Company ready for UK launch
FanDuel partners with Opta for games data
Fantasy sports company FanDuel has announced a partnership deal with sports data provider Opta, ahead of launching its next generation fantasy football product in the UK.
Opta, part of Perform Group, will provide live performance statistics for FanDuel’s new fantasy football platform, to be launched in early August.
It condenses the traditional season-long format of fantasy sports into one day,
Since it was founded in 2009 Edinburgh-based FanDuel has amassed more than 6 million registered users across the US and Canada and 4 million app downloads.
Available on web and mobile, the UK product is being built by the same UK-based team that developed FanDuel’s popular US product and will focus on the English Premier League.
Karol Corcoran, director of international marketing at FanDuel, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Opta. They’re a world-leader in their field. Their expertise and data will add to the excitement of our live game experience, letting users watch their fantasy team rack up points as the real games play out on the pitch.
“Our team has spent a lot of time developing the right product for the UK’s football fans and we’ve already had a lot of positive feedback from users during our beta contest phase, which was rolled out during the 2016 Euros. We can’t wait to bring the full product to market.”
In an interview with Daily Business last month chief executive Nigel Eccles said: “We felt for years there was an opportunity in the UK market. We looked at the existing products and believe we can do it better.”


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For four years the Federal Communications Commission tossed the idea around like a beach ball: a coast-to-coast free wireless service across the low end of the 2GHz "AWS-3" band. The service would pay for itself via advertisements and by selling commercial access to various portions of the license area. The company that proposed the plan, M2Z Networks, would commit to building out the project in a decade, and pay five percent of its annual revenue to the United States Treasury.
But on Wednesday M2Z informed the press that the FCC has told the company and its backers that the Commission is dropping the concept, and that is so:
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What it takes to build brand trust today
Trust is becoming crucial to how audiences engage with brands. How can marketers respond?
September 11, 2019
This can feel like a crazy time to talk about building trusted brands, as I’ve been doing at DMEXCO this week. We live at a time when trust itself seems to be on a steep decline. The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that the majority of the population in most countries don’t trust governments, businesses or the media. People are more engaged with the news, up 22 percentage points in fact. However, that news tends to involve tales of corporate scandals, abuse of data, fake stories and a breakdown of leadership. We’re seeing a trend towards people taking direct action – but that action often comes from frustration at abuse of power. Audiences and members of the public have had their fill of people and institutions they don’t trust. And this is the same for the media channels they consume.
It’s easy to look at all of this and assume that people no longer trust brands either – that they no longer want that type of relationship with them. What’s perhaps surprising is that some of the most cynical people in this regard are those building and managing the brands themselves. In the latest Thought Leadership Impact report, an annual study that LinkedIn conducts with Edelman, suppliers of thought leadership are far less likely than those consuming it to believe that it enhances their brands’ reputation – or increases trust in their organisations. In fact, they are around half as likely to believe in their ability to earn trust as their audience are. As marketers, I think we should find this statistic shocking – we seem to have given up. We’ve fallen into the trap of believing that we are powerless in influencing our own reputation and building relationships founded on trust.
Brands can’t afford to be cynical about brand trust
And yet, this cynicism is badly misplaced. People may find it difficult to identify brands that they can identify with and trust – but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped looking. The greatest obstacle to building a trusted reputation for your brand is a refusal to invest in doing so; a refusal to believe that it’s really possible. Look at the data, and you’ll see that there are huge opportunities for those who see beyond this. People have a real appetite for trusting brands. We are just not giving them the brands they can trust.
In the Edelman Trust Barometer, there’s one very notable exception to the general rule of prevailing distrust – and that’s the fact that the business people feel closest to is the one they work for. Three quarters of the world’s population trust their employer – that’s around 50% more than trust any other institution. Employers are seen as trustworthy sources of information on the most divisive societal issues. They are far more likely to be believed on subjects like the future of the global economy or the impact of technology than any other institution.
How shared purpose drives trust in businesses
What builds this trusted relationship with an employer? The answer is a shared sense of purpose. More than two-thirds of employees (67%) say that they now expect this from the business they work for – and in the Trust Barometer, it’s societal impact, values, a vision for the future and a clear mission and purpose that are the key drivers of employee trust.
There’s no doubt therefore, that people can trust a business – in fact they actively seek out and align with at least one business in life that they will trust on the issues that they care most about. The big question is: can this trust translate to other businesses and brands? As a marketer can you engage other audiences on the same level as your own employees?
The business case for investing in trust
Take a look at the LinkedIn and Edelman thought leadership study and you find that 86% of business decision-makers say that thought leadership enhances a brand’s reputation and increases their trust in an organisation. Staying on top of the latest brands is one of the top five reasons why LinkedIn members engage with content on our platform. Gartner’s Corporate Brand Survey has shown how alignment with a brand drives budget allocation and behaviour. A high personal connection to a brand means that you are more than 3.5x more likely to pay a premium for it. It’s possible to build these types of deeper, trusted connections – but you have to be willing and ready to do it.
You can’t build a better brand reputation if you’re not prepared to allocate time and budget to actually building a brand. Research from Les Binet and Peter Field confirms that brand and activation marketing work in very different ways, on very different timescales. You can’t create a brand just by doing a lot of sales activation. You have to consciously invest in the right type of activity, that can drive the types of emotional response that build long-term memories. You can’t drive sustainable, long-term growth without doing this – and you can’t hope to influence your trust and reputation as a brand without doing it, either.
But here’s the secret sauce. If you want to build brand trust, you have to prioritise it. Trust is earned, not bought, and earning it involves having a strategy that aligns with how influence works today.
The principles of influencing brand reputation
There’s been fascinating research in this area from Dr. Tali Sharot and her team at The Affective Brain Lab, which recently worked with the consultancy MHP on a report detailing The Networked Age. In it, Dr. Sharot’s team describe eight key psychological principles that communicators have to understand if they want to influence how people feel about their brands. They include the importance of intuition – and the fact that we are significantly more open to being influenced by people we perceive as experts, and who believe share our own values. Another key element of these principles is that we gravitate towards the views of those around us, and seek out people who hold our own deeply shared worldview. We are tribal – and the way that brands seek to influence people and build trust has to reflect this.
There are two obvious conclusions about what makes a trusted brand that I’d like to leave with you with. The brand has to be human: communicated through authentic, credible individuals. And that brand also has to have clear and differentiated values and purpose. It has to stand for something – and that has to involve having the courage to stand against things too.
Building a human brand through thought leaders
On the human side, building trusted brands involves leveraging three types of influencers: the actively engaged employees of the business, who are already aligned with its values and have a license to discuss them with their peers; relevant internal experts who may not have massive reach but massively tick the box on perceived credibility; and business leaders, who remain one of the most under-used brand assets of all.
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that people are more likely to trust CEOs to do the right thing than they are to trust politicians or national leaders. Leaders play a key role in growing trust in employers, with 71% of employees saying it’s now critically important for their CEO to respond to challenging times. However, it’s not just their own CEO that people trust in this way. In fact, 76% say that CEOs should take the lead on change in areas like prejudice, discrimination, the environment and preparing for the future – and that they shouldn’t wait for governments to impose direction. This marks an increase of 11 percentage points over a year ago.
We can see the rise of the CEO as a lever of trust in activity on LinkedIn. Top executives like Satya Nadella at Microsoft or Ben Van Beurden at Shell are posting in-depth articles around 4-5 times a year, a frequency that builds influence while retaining authority and credibility. However, they are also supplementing this type of thought leadership with shorter-form posts, shares and comments that demonstrate authenticity. When business leaders act as human beings and show their values on their sleeve, it dramatically increases their influence on brand and reputation.
Leading through experts – with purpose
A more human approach to building brands aligns with many of the principles of influence: our instinct to judge by intuition and respond to people whom we recognise as experts. However, the tribal nature of influence makes other demands of brands too. We’re influenced far more by people who share our values. That has to mean leading with purpose. And if that purpose is going to mean something it has to be a purpose that we’re prepared for people to disagree with. It has to involve taking some well-calculated risks.
Corporate brands are far less distinctive than we like to think they are. In Gartner’s Corporate Brand Survey, only 29% of respondents felt that a given company was really distinguishable from its competitors. A lot of that lack of distinctiveness comes from a reluctance to take a stand – and yet, if we look in detail at the data on trust and influence, that’s what we need to do if we want to build brand reputation.
There’s been one incredibly powerful example of this recently – and that’s Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign, supporting the quarterback who took a knee during the US national anthem at NFL matches, in protest at police brutality and racial discrimination. Most brands would be reluctant to take sides on a subject as sensitive and divisive as this – especially as large number of Americans, including the President, interpreted Kaepernick’s protest as unpatriotic and an insult to military veterans. Nike knew that taking a stand would cost the business in some respects – and it did. Incensed consumers took to social media to show pictures of themselves burning Nike products. A sizeable chunk of the customer base decided to boycott the brand.
However, the benefits of Nike taking a stand and putting a definite position and values out there, increased influence and reputation among those aligned with the stand by far more. It built trust – and that dramatically increased brand value. The company’s sales increased by $6.38 billion and its stock value rose by 6.25%.
Let’s make no mistake – that Nike campaign was definitely not a no-brainer at the time. It felt like a risk that was guaranteed to antagonise large numbers of people and cost it customers. But in today’s environment, the opportunity to build a genuinely trusted reputation among people who share your values counts for more.
Choosing the right environment and audience
It’s not just how you choose to build a trusted brand, or whom you choose to build it through that matters. Where you choose to do it counts as well. If you want to reach people who are in the right mindset and open to being influenced by you, who are interested in your values and who are likely to identify with them, then you have to make sure that you are in the right environment. And for most businesses and brands, that environment is LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is by far the most trusted social media platform – a clear number one in Business Insider’s Digital Trust Report. And the profile and mindset of its members also supports the building of trust. The Edelman Trust Barometer finds a significant trust gap between the general population, who are generally distrustful of institutions, and the ‘informed public’ of college-educated professionals, who are engaged with news, in the top 25% of household income for their market, and more open to trusting businesses and brands. These people are significantly more likely to be found on LinkedIn.
The greatest strength of LinkedIn as a trust-building platform, though, is the way it enables brands to deploy all of their most important forms of influence: customers, employees and stakeholders. This is an environment where engaged employees can be empowered to talk about your business; where audiences expect thought leadership from your credible experts; and where CEOs have a natural role as influencers.
When we take a step back from the craziness of fake news, the current political environment and the breakdown of institutions and platforms, it’s clear that there is an environment, an opportunity and an appetite for trusted brands. The only thing remaining is for marketers to take that vital first step – and be willing to use it.