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Nothing has disrupted the trajectory of the financial industry in recent years as much as digital technology. In a 2013 survey, Accenture found that 80 percent of bank customers use online banking at least once a month with 37 percent expecting to use mobile banking more often. Physical branches are expensive to build and maintain but an important component of sales for financial institutions. There is a critical balance that banks and credit unions hope to achieve in the coming years between in-person and online customer services.
Fraud issues and regulatory pressures have made financial institutions cautious in offering full services across devices. At the same time digitally empowered customers are looking for comprehensive services at their fingertips using smartphones, tablets and desktops.
Ivan Schneider, a financial technology journalist reported that: Banks increasingly understand that they must meet the mobile customer’s need for a seamless experience while also implementing security measures that maintain competitive parity and meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
Each of these issues points to the importance of across-the-board fraud prevention for online and mobile banking services. Fraud mitigation has become a critical part of native app planning for the future especially as customers move from desktops to more mobile devices.
Some of the key fraud types that the financial industry fights are:
- Account takeover
- Synthetic identity
- Identity theft
Fighting each of these types of fraud is critical whether transactions originate on a web server or mobile app. Since there is no one perfect way to fight fraud, financial institutions are looking at multi-layered approaches that include both device and identity-based intelligence. Fraud prevention managers understand that not only do they need an accurate system in place, but one that also cuts down on manual reviews for better efficiency.
The financial industry is highly competitive. A fraud mitigation service that can cut down on fraud with very little impact to customers—basically a frictionless experience—will be in high demand as digital banking continues to grow.
White Paper: How to Stop Online and Mobile Banking Fraud


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Smart watches have grabbed the attention of technology geeks and dorks like us, world over. However, average teens haven’t really developed an affinity for these extensions to smartphones, yet. So, to attract the teenage population, the NEX band was developed and unveiled recently, sporting the appearance of a trendy bracelet and enabling teenagers to send secret messages, unlock game levels and personalize their look.
This probably won’t win the favor of too many parents out there, but the NEX band does seem to sport some pretty eye-catching technology. The bands sport small LEDs that light up every time you receive a smartphone notification. That apart, NEX-band-wearing friends can also assign coded colors to recognize messages from each other, making these bands extremely interactive. Availability and pricing of these bands haven’t been announced yet.
[Via – Springwise]

domain: news


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Psychic VR Lab, the company that provides the VR creative platform ‘STYLY (https://styly.cc)’ and SVR announces the foundation of ‘SVR Lab (Social VR Lab)’ a virtual reality laboratory for creating VR content and training creators using STYLY in Lahore, Pakistan and Punjab, India.
Contirbution to the development of the VR market in the MESA area
We have already held workshops in Pakistan for 15 Universities, 2165 students in total, but we will continue to hold workshops not only for India and Pakistan students, but for MESA area students too, and promote new VR content in areas such as fashion, art, and shopping.
Mir Nausharwan, our CAO (Chief Alliance Officer) and chief executive for India and Pakistan, commented that the growing economy of India and Pakistan is estimated to exceed Japan in 2030, America in 2050, and will become an enormous market.
SVR will provide the latest VR equipment needed for content creation to students, who have high potential. They will also give lectures and provide tools to train the next generation of VR creators, and contribute to the development of the VR market.


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French website NoWhereElse has posted images from a source in China of what is believed to be the motherboard for Apple’s next iPhone, expected to be introduced in September. The device will include NFC, the “particularly reliable” source told the website, although the images do not appear to provide any indication of whether or not NFC will be supported.
- Discover joins effort to speed up EMV checkout
- Amex bot notifies purchases through Facebook Messenger
- Walmart Pay arrives in 15 more states
- ABN Amro takes payments to WhatsApp
- EMV claims more than a third of global card-present payments


text: TOKYO -- U.S. President Bill Clinton will have his hands full this week as thousands of protesters representing labor organizations, environmental groups and farmers converge on Seattle to assail World Trade Organization, or WTO, delegates who will be attempting to launch another round of trade talks intended to further open markets around the world. Worse yet for Clinton, the trade officials representing the 134 WTO countries are fighting like alley cats among themselves. Last week, they gave up attempts in Geneva to agree on an agenda in Seattle and to draft a ministerial declaration necessary to get the so-called Millennial Round going. One of Clinton's biggest headaches is Japan. Tokyo loves the WTO because it feels it can use the multilateral regime to undercut Washington's attempts to use its trade laws unilaterally to punish Japan with sanctions and to pry open its markets. The list of issues that divides the two capitals is big enough to choke a horse and includes disputes over how to handle labor, investment and antitrust policies in the new round. But the two biggest points of departure involve Japanese protection of its farmers and American antidumping laws. The bilateral beef over agriculture hinges on the mind-bending term "multifunctionality." Japan wants the WTO to give special treatment to farm products, arguing agriculture plays a central role in conserving the environment, ensuring food security and safeguarding the livelihood of farmers. Tokyo believes these multiple factors -- and not just economic issues -- should be considered during future WTO negotiations to liberalize agricultural markets. For years, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture has been working overtime at home to build a consensus around multifunctionality. Not alone, the European Union and the developing countries have backed Tokyo on this concept. The U.S. sees multifunctionality as yet another protectionist ploy and is refusing to let it see the light of day in Seattle. Ultimately, Washington wants agricultural products to be treated more or less like manufactured goods within the WTO, which would eventually entail significant reductions in tariffs and subsidies for Japanese farmers. Fortunately for Clinton -- and unfortunately for Japan -- the EU is showing signs of softening. A month ago, it stopped using the term multifunctionality, apparently opting instead to accept considering merely "nontrade concerns" (already agreed in the Uruguay Round) for negotiating agricultural liberalization in the coming trade round. Given that the Japanese and the developing countries seem to be the only full-blown proponents of multifunctionality, they'll have a tough time in Seattle. Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which enjoy big voter support from the farm lobby and have a lower house election on the horizon, are desperate to find a compromise. The other big bilateral bone of contention is over U.S. antidumping laws, which Washington uses to impose tariffs on imported goods when it determines they are being sold below cost in the U.S. market and are causing injury to domestic industry. Tokyo wants the new trade round to take up proposals to make it more difficult for the U.S. to use its antidumping legislation against Japanese exporters. In June, for example, the International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., ruled that Japanese steelmakers have been dumping hot-rolled steel in the U.S. and slapped punitive duties of up to 67% on them. In a carefully orchestrated move timed to influence the talks this week, Tokyo recently filed a complaint with the WTO saying the action was unfair. Again, Tokyo is fighting an uphill battle. The antidumping lobby in Washington, led by American steelmakers, exerts considerable political influence. It came as no surprise when U.S. Secretary of Commerce William Daley declared in an op-ed piece in last Monday's Financial Times that "one of the highest U.S. priorities for Seattle ... is maintaining strong U.S. trade laws that prevent dumping and subsidized imports from throwing Americans out of work." Moreover, the Europeans, which have their own antidumping regimes, are basically with the U.S. on this issue. The word around Tokyo is that Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and the delegation he's leading to Seattle dread the talks. Apparently more isolated on agriculture and facing stiff U.S. resistance on antidumping, it's likely they'll have some explaining to do when they return home. In the run-up to Seattle, there's been lots of talk that the nasty bickering between Japan, the U.S. and the other WTO members will result in an aborted launch of the Millennial Round. Will this happen? Probably not. The negotiators in Seattle know that in 1982 efforts to begin the Uruguay Round collapsed and that it took four years to finally get those talks started. Keep in mind, the Millennial Round won't just be about agriculture and antidumping. It's also intended to achieve greater liberalization in a myriad other important areas, including industrial goods and financial services. The delegates also want to renew the no-tariff moratorium on e-commerce.


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A new study, undertaken by Deloitte LLP on behalf of Preston City Council, has shown that the city centre should still expand its shopping and leisure offer over the next 15 years despite the ongoing difficult economic conditions.
Taking into account growth in internet trading, the study advises that new modern, shopping spaces should be provided in the city centre in the future. Although existing vacant premises should mostly meet any short term requirements, there is still a need to provide more suitable premises in the longer term to attract new major high street brands and restaurants, who are currently looking for opportunities in the region.
The assessment of leisure needs shows Preston could also support a further 8 cinema screens and almost 30,000 more health club and gym membership places by 2027.
A survey of towns and cities, based on the presence of national retailers * found that Preston is ranked 60th in the country and is behind only Manchester and Liverpool centres in the North West.
Ongoing regeneration projects in the city centre, such as Fishergate Central, will continue to improve Preston’s attractiveness to retailers and leisure operators. Other significant retail projects in the pipeline such as the Markets Quarter and Queen Street will deliver some of the new commercial city centre space required. And City Deal, if given the green light, will provide thousands more new homes bringing more people into the city centre seeking retail and leisure activities.
Councillor John Swindells, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said of the report:
“The council welcomes the findings in this report. It is pleasing to find it supports the ongoing regeneration work in Preston and it gives us a new focus for our continued efforts in attracting businesses and developers into the city.
“Driving up footfall into the city centre and improving the leisure and night time economy for residents, workers and visitors are two of our main priorities that will help to maintain Preston as the principal commercial centre serving Lancashire.”
The study, along with the recently published Hotel Needs Assessment, will be used to inform the emerging Preston City Centre Plan which will be subject to public consultation later in the Autumn.


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Issues I discovered on TikTok: The outlet in a pasta spoon is one serving of spaghetti. What to do when a debt collector comes knocking. Find out how to sizzling wire a Kia utilizing a USB wire and a screwdriver.
Oh sure, you learn that proper.
A trending TikTok problem publicizing a way for stealing sure makes and fashions of Kia and Hyundai autos caused vehicle thefts to soar throughout the nation, in accordance with experiences from several police departments.
Now, Kia and its father or mother firm Hyundai are getting sued by pissed off victims.
On Wednesday, a nationwide class motion lawsuit was filed towards the automakers for a defect that the problem uncovered. The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court docket in Orange County, California, alleges that Kias constructed between 2011 and 2021 and Hyundais constructed from 2015 to 2021 that have been geared up with conventional key engines, moderately than keyless fobs, have been “intentionally” constructed with out “engine immobilizers.” This apparently crucial, cheap and quite common gadget is supposed to stop vehicles from being hot-wired and stolen. The criticism says that nearly ever automobile maker over the past 20 years has used it, and but Kia and Hyundai didn’t — therefore the simple automobile jackings from youngsters.
Kia and Hyundai refused to touch upon the pending litigation, however did say that immobilizers grew to become customary on their autos after November 1, 2021.
Because the “Kia Problem” began to pop off on TikTok after which YouTube in July, police in a number of cities have reported some severe automobile theft stats. In St. Petersburg, Florida, over a 3rd of all automobile thefts may very well be linked to the problem, according to a CNBC report. In Chicago, that quantity reaches 77%, which is a 767% improve in Kia and Hyundai thefts, in accordance with a community advisory from the Chicago Police Division that linked the thefts to the TikTok problem.
The lawsuit claims that Kia and Hyundai had beforehand seemed into the efficacy of constructing with engine immobilizers and determined towards it, “blatantly valuing earnings over the protection and safety of their prospects.” Moreover, the lawsuit alleges that the automakers didn’t make an effort to even warn prospects of the danger of theft by youths in search of road cred on social media.
“With the huge rise in publicity of the defect, it’s unlikely that the thefts will cease with out energetic intervention by Kia or Hyundai,” reads the lawsuit. “A complete prison ecosystem has materialized; exacerbated by thefts solely additional fueled by TikToks, movies and memes selling the prison habits.”
A little bit dramatic, however, significantly, how embarrassing to know that your automobile was stolen, not by somebody who perhaps wanted to promote it for elements and feed their household, however by your native department of Kia Boys — the lovable identify for teams of youths benefiting from their TikTok information for wild joyrides?
Whereas the truth that many of those thefts have been recorded on video and revealed on-line ought to make discovering them simpler, the plaintiffs argue that the the restore prices are sometimes substantial. TikTokers first want to interrupt into the vehicles, which suggests busting a window and popping off the steering column, to not point out collateral joyride harm, which may exceed $10,000 in accordance with the swimsuit. The lawsuit argues that the problem has even result in provide chain points — elements wanted to restore any recovered automobile have been delayed because of the sheer demand for them.
Hyundai mentioned it is going to begin promoting and putting in safety kits that ought to shield towards the strategy of entry thieves are utilizing to interrupt into autos at Hyundai dealerships throughout the nation. The automaker can also be working with police departments to make steering wheel locks obtainable.
Amusing absurdity of this case apart, these automobile jackings have actual penalties on individuals’s lives. Stephanie McQuarrie, one of many three named plaintiffs, mentioned she wakened on the morning of September 11 to search out her 2015 Kia Optima lacking from her driveway in Davenport, Florida, leaving her unable to go to work, ensuing within the lack of her job as a housekeeping supervisor. The automobile was later discovered on the facet of a freeway, unable to begin, and is presumed to be a complete loss.
MLG Attorneys at Regulation, the auto-defect agency that filed the criticism, didn’t reply to TechCrunch’s request for details about what number of different victims have joined the category motion swimsuit. The plaintiffs are in search of financial damages and equitable aid on behalf of themselves and “all different individuals and entities nationwide who bought or leased 2011-21 Kia autos or 2015-21 Hyundai autos geared up with conventional key ignition programs.”
For its half, TikTok has a coverage that asks customers to not publish, add, stream or share content material that promotes vandalism or harm to property. So in case you too are on the lookout for an educational video of the best way to sizzling wire certainly one of these now-infamous autos, you’re shit out of luck. As an alternative of educational movies, you’re extra more likely to discover proof of the aftermath, together with movies of the harm finished, PSAs from involved residents and recommendations on the best way to not get your automobile jacked by roving Kia Boys.
TikTok didn’t reply to a request for remark.


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Volkswagen Group has decided to skip the Auto Expo 2018 citing low return on investments as the primary reason. In addition to Volkswagen, the VW Group also owns brands like Skoda, Audi, Ducati, Lamborghini and Porsche and they’re all pulling out of the Auto Expo 2018. Brands such as Chevrolet have already announced their exit from India so their absence was expected. What’s even more surprising is that Nissan, Datsun, Ford, Bajaj, KTM and Royal Enfield are also considering taking time off during the Auto Expo 2018.
Ford had taken the stage at the last Expo to display the new Endeavour and its halo product, the Mustang. Nissan too took the Expo’s glitter to showcase the supercar killer GT-R worth Rs. 2.0 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). At the Datsun stall, the attention grabber was the GO-Cross concept, a crossover that’s bigger than all Datsun cars on sale today. Volkswagen showcased the Ameo compact sedan, which went on sale later in 2016.
Also Read: Toyota Fortuner VS Ford Endeavour
Auto Expo 2016 Success
On the success scale, the GT-R and the Mustang are doing very well in their segments. The Endeavour has seen a lot of ups and downs given Ford’s ‘profits-first’ strategy and the Endy’s yo-yo pricing. Despite an aggressive price tag, several segment-first features and punchy diesel engine, the Volkswagen Ameo is surviving on fat discounts.
The stage is also set far from Delhi at Greater NOIDA, which sees fewer feet stamping on the Expo floor. As far too many brands launch, announce and showcase their products, they all have to fight for precious media coverage and readers’ attention. Many good cars and bikes are buried under the dozens of events during a short span. Manufacturers instead prefer spending on lavish launches for each model separately thereby getting complete attention from the media houses and, thus, maximum coverage.
Auto Expo 2018 Will Be Interesting
The Auto Expo 2018 won’t be bland though as new players like French carmaker, Peugeot, South Korea’s Kia and Chinese SAIC have already confirmed their participation.
Source: Economic Times
- 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Datsun GO, GO Plus this Diwali - October 12, 2018
- Mini Electric Production Designs Unveiled for the First Time - July 13, 2018
- More Volvo XC40 Variants Inbound? - July 11, 2018


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Bharti Airtel launched ‘mEducation’, providing access to a range of mobile education services such as English lessons, exam preparation and career advice.The platform allows Airtel customers across India to easily access various education services including courses for language skills, entrance exam preparation and career counseling from universities and professors in India.
LG has launched its latest flagship smartphone in Seoul, South Korea and the device may soon arrive in other markets. This device is the Optimus G, which the company recently unveiled during IFA 2012.The Optimus G is an Android 4.0 ICS based device, and it is powered by Qualcomm’s Fusion 3 chip which includes a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC. It additionally includes 2GB of RAM and features a 4.7-true HD IPS Plus display with a 1280x768 resolution and a pixel density of 320ppi.The Optimus G further includes a 13 megapixel BSI sensor with an f/2.4 autofocus lens and dual LED flash.
Posted by Sinoj Mathew at Thursday, September 20, 2012
GoDaddy, one of the world's biggest Internet hosting companies and website registration companies, blamed technical problems for a nearly six-hour service disruption that affected some of its more than 10 million customers on Monday.Sporadic outages throughout the day were caused by "a series of internal network events" that corrupted data in the company's networking equipment, interim Chief Executive Scott Wagner said in a statement.Go Daddy spokeswoman Elizabeth Driscoll declined to say how many customers had been affected by the outage.
Posted by Sinoj Mathew at Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Google today announced the availability of two new features for Google Maps in India - turn-by-turn voice-guided driving directions through Google Maps Navigation (Beta) and live traffic information for several major cities.Now, users in India will be able to access free voice-guided GPS navigation on their Android smartphones and view live traffic information on desktop and mobile devices.
Posted by Sinoj Mathew at Thursday, September 06, 2012
Today, Microsoft officially releases Windows Server 2012, the first of its latest wave of new operating systems. It shares a few things with the upcoming Windows 8 client operating system, including the same Windows NT 6.2 kernel, and the same Metro and Desktop split-personality graphical interface—at least if you choose to install it. It also shares the same sort of cloud-centric focus as the Windows 8 client—except rather than just connecting to cloud services, Server 2012 is intended to be the building block for them.
Posted by Sinoj Mathew at Wednesday, September 05, 2012


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By Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent
A STOUT war erupted yesterday as Diageo announced it is to test market a new low-alcohol Guinness in Limerick.
Beamish & Crawford said they were concerned the move will undermine and damage the stout category as a whole.
Guinness Mid-Strength will have a 2.8% alcohol content compared to 4.8% in Guinness draught.
Diageo have told Limerick publicans: "Our unique brewing process has enabled us to produce the first lower alcohol beer on the market to offer premium taste, quality and true beer credibility.
"It offers consumers a positive choice from brand Guinness to moderate their alcohol intake, without compromising on taste or quality."
But Beamish & Crawford fear the move could damage the stout category as a whole. The brewers’ spokesperson said they were not quite sure what Diageo were up to in launching a half strength stout.
She said: "It seems to fly in the face of the concept of a true pint of stout, seems to suggest that they are not happy with their own product, and it seems ludicrous in the light of previous attempts to launch lighter versions, colder version and bigger versions of their own stout product."
She said the Beamish & Crawford stout formula had been perfected over decades and they did not see any need to tamper with perfection.
"We are however, concerned that this latest attempt by Diageo will yet again undermine and damage the stout category as a whole."
A spokesperson for Diageo said they had decided to introduce the new product following market research into lower alcohol stout.
The Limerick test will continue for six months after which they will assess the situation.
Limerick publicans leader David Hickey, a Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) national executive representative, said they have been in talks with Guinness about the new stout and it will be available from next month.
Publicans in Limerick have been given a detailed briefing on the new product and it is believed the move has been welcomed in the trade.


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Jeep is putting quite a lot of focus on improving its line-up, as it unveiled the 2022 facelift version of its popular Renegade SUV in Brazil. This will be the second update/facelift for the popular SUV, which will first go on sale in Brazil followed by other international markets. The Renegade which has been around since 2014, is the American brand’s smallest SUV vehicle globally, however, the 2022 update brings in a host of subtle cosmetic changes, along with a bunch of new features and tech as well.
According to the Team-BHP report, the 2022 Renegade facelift version sports a new slimmer grille upfront along with a new set of headlamps which are integrated with the turn indicators and LED daytime running lamp (DRLs). The front bumper gets a beefier cladding and the rectangular fog lamps move up a bit than before giving it a new look altogether.
The SUV’s profile largely remains unchanged; however, the rear sports new graphics for the tail-lamps and a restyled bumper with a prominent faux skid plate and narrower lights at the bends. The 2022 facelift version also features a new dual-tone design for its alloy wheels.
There aren’t many changes to the overall design and layout of the 2022 Renegade’s interior. However, it has been updated with an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, a 7.0-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a new steering wheel. Additionally, the infotainment system is also expected to run new software, but the climate control switchgear remains the same as the pre-facelift Compass model in India.
The 2022 Renegade facelift version currently unveiled in Brazil sports a T270 badge on its tailgate. This means it will be powered by a new 1.3-litre turbo-flex unit producing 185 BHP and 270 Nm that runs on ethanol. Its petrol sibling is capable of producing 180bhp.
At present, the Renegade is offered in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations which are paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. The automatic also comes in a nine-speed in select markets.
The 2022 Jeep Renegade facelift is expected to hit the dealership late this month or February.


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By Hayden Francis-Legg, Mildred Cookson and Nathanael Hodge
The milling industry has been pivotal to many historical events. The situation in 2020 also brought mills to the forefront in a period of adversity when the world was placed into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the USA and UK, the lockdown led to a huge increase in home baking which resulted in a shortage of flour on supermarket shelves. As retail flour usually represents a small percentage of total flour consumption, the large increase in demand for flour for home baking led to logistical issues and shortages in the supermarkets. This in turn led smaller traditional mills across the USA and UK to dramatically increase their production of flour. By late April, however, flour supply had returned to normal despite the shortage in the early weeks of the pandemic – which even made the national news in both the UK and America.


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NEW YORK — Credit card companies could find themselves amazed at the size of their own bills if a landmark trial set to begin in Brooklyn federal court today doesn’t go their way.
Although seven years in the making, the closely watched case has taken on new significance in recent years as use of debit cards has grown exponentially.
With potential damages reaching to between $39 billion and $100 billion, the trial pits two huge industries — retailing and banking — against each other and promises to shed light on the processes by which consumers access credit and retailers are charged for both credit and debit services.
Wal-Mart Stores and Limited filed their lawsuit in 1996 against Visa USA and MasterCard International, alleging that the card services violated antitrust laws by tying their debit cards to their traditional credit services. Essentially, under the so-called "honor all cards" rule, a merchant who accepts a Visa or MasterCard credit card is obligated to also accept the card association’s debit card.
Others have since joined in the lawsuit: Sears, Roebuck & Co.; Safeway; Circuit City; Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse; the International Mass Retail Association; the National Retail Federation, and the Food Marketing Institute.
In addition to alleging that the credit card-debit tying arrangement was illegal, the retailers charged that Visa and MasterCard attempted and conspired to monopolize the debit card market. They also said that because of the tying arrangement, Visa and MasterCard were able to charge higher fees for use of the debit cards, despite lower costs and risks, than those of credit cards.
Barring a last-minute settlement, the trial is expected to last three months.
As lawsuits go, this antitrust action has certainly attained mega status. More than 400 depositions — question-and-answer sessions as part of the routine evidence-gathering techniques used in preparation for trial — were taken, according to sources familiar with the case. In comparison, depositions in the Microsoft antitrust action were reportedly under 75. Moreover, documents sifted through by lawyers for both the retailers and the card associations are said to be in the millions, possibly as many as there are class-action plaintiffs.
Judge John Gleeson, the Brooklyn federal court judge overseeing the case, classified the lawsuit as a class action in 1997. Since then, more than five million merchants have joined the class. Virtually all merchants, even those no longer in business, can be included in the class as long as they have accepted a Visa or MasterCard in the last 10 years.The lawsuit centers on the fees that are charged for two different debit transactions: off-line, requiring a signature in the same manner as a credit card charge, and online, requiring a user to punch in a secret personal identification number at a point-of-sale box. Funds are transferred to the retailer’s account several days later in the offline method, but that time frame is shortened to 24 hours or less when using the online procedure.
The difference might not be all that meaningful to consumers, but it is for the retailers. According to a spokesman for the class-action plaintiff merchants, "Acceptance of signature-based debit cards costs merchants on average $1.54 per $100 transaction, in comparison with just 12 cents per $100 transaction when PIN pads are used."
The use of debit cards by consumers has been increasing steadily each year, with more PIN pads being installed year after year at merchants such as supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores. According to Visa, its own debit volume in 2002 rose to more than $1.1 trillion, an 18 percent increase over 2001. And MasterCard has said that the number of times consumers used PIN debit cards grew by 39 percent in 2002 over 2001’s volume.
Tracey Mullin, NRF’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement earlier this month that one impact from the processing cost disparity is that it "artificially inflates the price of almost every product sold."
The original complaint said that there were 1.2 billion retail transactions in 1996 involving the VisaCheck or MasterMoney debit cards, totaling $46 billion. The fees on these transactions were $580 million. Had the retailers been able to refuse the Visa and MasterCard debit cards and have customers use another form of payment, such as cash, check or other credit cards, the costs incurred by retailers would have been only $90 million.
Lloyd Constantine of Constantine & Partners, lead counsel for the merchants, said, "Prices for merchants and consumers should be $100 billion less over the next decade if we are successful. Visa and MasterCard will be forced to change their monopolistic practices and stop squeezing every last penny of their hidden tax on consumers who shop at stores forced to accept off-line debit transactions at inflated prices."Noah Hanft, general counsel for MasterCard International, said in a recent statement, "The ‘honor-all-cards’ rule has resulted in American consumers having the broadest range of payment choices in the world. We’re confident that once the jury has evaluated all the evidence, it will uphold this pro-competitive rule and protect this critically important consumer benefit."
Hanft has charged that the merchants are attempting to use the antitrust laws to "take the choice of how to pay away from the consumers and claim it for themselves."
Financial sources said that Wal-Mart is in the hunt for a bank it can purchase, with the intent of issuing its own cards using its own proprietary debit network. A Wal-Mart spokesman said he was aware of no such interest on Wal-Mart’s part.
According to a joint "Debit Issuer Survey" study released last August by Dove Consulting and Pulse, an electronic funds-transfer network, only 26 percent of financial institutions impose a fee for online transactions on all or part of their debit cardholders. The fees range from 25 cents to $1. More importantly, so far, none of the card issuers surveyed imposed transaction fees for offline debit purchases.
Peter Kim's Los Angeles-based premium denim line has always had its finger on the pulse of youth. This season, novelty is back in a way reminiscent of early Aughts, with studs, lace-ups, racing waxed denim and more. For more highlights if some of the key brands at the Vegas trade shows, go to WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: Patrick Gray; Styles by @thealexbadia; Story by @karihamanaka and @marcy_wwd)
"I was driving back on Saturday afternoon from the beach, and I just saw this sign saying 'Skydiving for $95.' And I was like, I can't not sky dive for $95," says Tom Bateman about a moment in Hawaii while shooting "Snatched." #wwdeye (📷: @vsteves; Interview by @ktauer; Styled by @thealexbadia)


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INTERNATIONAL REPORT; Foreign Deals Rise in Ulster
Published: May 22, 1989
The move to unify the European market in 1992 has helped spur foreign investment in Northern Ireland, said the chief executive of the Industrial Development Board, the British panel responsible for developing the province's industrial sector.
The board ''can offer a quick turnaround for foreign manufacturing companies that want to be up and running in time to take advantage of what will be the world's largest consumer market in 1992,'' said the executive, Tony Hopkins, who is in the United States to encourage more investment. Internal barriers to trade within the 12-nation European Community are scheduled to be dismantled by the end of 1992.
Development agreements in the year ended March 31 reached $664 million, the highest since the board was formed in 1982, and produced a record number of jobs, 5,653.
Most of the growth came from two projects. Montupet of France, which makes aluminum auto parts, moved into the plant formerly used by the De Lorean Car Company, and Daewoo Electronics Ltd. of South Korea plans to produce videocassette recorders. In all, seven foreign companies established operations in Northern Ireland in 1988.


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Tesla Shares Drop on Disappointing Deliveries and Plant Downtime
Ticker Symbol: TSLA
The largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world, Tesla Inc, announced over the long July 4th weekend that quarterly deliveries for the second quarter were 254,695 cars worldwide, missing the average analyst forecast of 261,387 cars. Additionally, the company announced that it would halt production in numerous plants to upgrade factories and boost output. Shares were down 3% in mid-morning trading and are off almost 50% from their all-time high.
Despite deliveries missing expectations, production during June was robust, with the company stating that output hit a record during the month. This may be an indication that the miss on deliveries in the second quarter was potentially an aberration, and that a swift manufacturing recovery is possible. Tesla’s volumes have been impacted by COVID 19-related shutdowns affecting the Shanghai plant, which is the company’s most productive factory.
The company also announced that it would pause production on its Model Y assembly line in the first two weeks of July, followed by an almost 3 weeks pause of the Model 3 line in Shanghai. Furthermore, news reports out of Germany suggest that production at the carmaker’s plant near Berlin would also be stopped for two weeks starting on July 11th. The company has two other plants, for a total of four across its global footprint. Its original plant in Fremont, California should continue production uninterrupted, and its plant near Austin, Texas is still not fully operational.
Recent commentary from Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has served to dampen investor sentiment on the company. In a May 31st interview, the CEO mentioned that “Berlin and Austin are losing billions of dollars right now because there’s a ton of expense and hardly any output.” Additionally, the CEO has been voicing his concern about a global recession. The company laid off 200 workers in a California facility recently. Musk also stated recently that the company would reduce its salaried workforce by 10% in three months.
Notwithstanding the issues with the sentiment, management has prioritized its focus on ramping up production in Shanghai which may be the most important factor in near-term performance. The company took extraordinary steps to ensure that the factory could remain open despite the Chinese government’s zero-COVID policy, with thousands of workers sleeping and living at the plant to maintain at least some production, highlighting the importance of China to Tesla’s overall financial health and output.
This content is provided for general information purposes only and is not to be taken as investment advice nor as a recommendation for any security, investment strategy or investment account.


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Big Win for SlotsMillion Online Casino
The International Gaming Awards (IGA) just had its 12th annual event, giving notable prizes to many of the world’s biggest casinos and software providers. One of the biggest winners on the night was SlotsMillion, who claimed the award for the Online Slots Operator of the Year.
To win this award SlotsMillion beat some of the most well known and widely respected gambling brands in the world, including William Hill, Mr. Green, Casumo, and the Kindred Group, the latter of which is behind brands like 32Red and UniBet.
IGA looked at several different things before handing out this award. They weren’t just looking for the casino with the most games or the best customer support, but rather they were looking for a casino that could tick many different boxes and was able to standout in a highly competitive field.
SlotsMillion was able to standout by offering something different, winning countless praise from its many customers, and continuing to provide one of the most diverse and expansive online casinos in the world.
SlotsMillion provides players with a choice of over 3,000 games—a staggering figure when you consider that the average online casino has just a few hundred games.
Expansion Throughout Scandinavia
In addition to this big award win, SlotsMillion have been expanding their offerings and their reach, taking the SlotsMillion brand into more countries and within reach of more players.
One of the biggest moves they have made in recent months is to advance into the Scandinavian market, offering their services in Norway, Finland and Sweden. This gives players throughout these gambling-loving countries access to all the 3,000+ games and award winning services.


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The "Marvel Cinematic Dining Adventure" stars Brie Larsen and Anthony Mackie... kind of.
Disney wants you to make like the "Cha-Cha Slide" and reverse, reverse!
As concerns about the coronavirus delta variant spread, Disney is mandating its U.S. employees be vaccinated.
The CDC has recommended Americans start wearing masks again as covid-19 cases surge.
"Disney Premier Access" charges €8 to €15 per ride; Standby Pass added for select virtual queues.
Fully vaccinated guests won't be required to wear masks at Disneyland or Disney World starting tomorrow, June 15
The Paris theme park will be the last of the international Disney properties to reopen.
Theme park reservations will be limited and subject to availability.
Anaheim theme park will become one of the county’s first Point-Of-Dispensing (POD) sites for distribution of…
Playing with Baby Yoda on your watch is cool, but the old-school Giga Pet is ice cold.
Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock criticized the decision, noting that it will most likely keep both parks…
Hulu’s international expansion is on pause not just because of the pandemic, but because higher valuations mean more…
Walt Disney’s parks chief Josh D’Amaro said 28,000 resort employees for the United States parks will be laid off.
Source code on the Disney+ website seems to point to a forthcoming feature titled Group Watch.
A Disney spokesperson told io9 the company has temporarily provided land for a state-run facility for the Central…
Walt Disney World in Florida reopened over the weekend while the state broke a new record for most cases in a single…


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The iconic sneakers are coming back in a sustainable version: This year Adidas wants to bring vegan shoes made of mushroom leather to the market
Source & Copyright by Adidas
Author: House of Eden
- Vegan shoes are part of the Adidas Sustainability Agenda
- The shoes will be made of Mylo™, a leather substitute made from mushrooms
- For their development, Adidas is working with the biotech company Bolt Threads
Last year, Adidas already launched vegan models of some of their iconic sneakers. The well-known Parley Shoe, the Stan Smith, the Superstar and the Samba have since then been available as versions made from recycled polyester. Now, the company has set itself another goal.
In 2021, Adidas is additionally planning vegan, biodegradable shoes. To do so, the brand uses a raw material which originates from natural mycelium (part of a mushroom) and is increasingly becoming more popular: Mylo™.
Adidas is working with Bolt Threads to develop these vegan shoes. The biotech company provides the innovative biological leather alternative Mylo™. In the production process, it is processed in the same way as animal leather traditionally is. The material is soft, supple and has an unmistakable feel - the difference is hardly noticeable.
Bolt Threads is already working with some well-known brands that use Mylo™ as a leather substitute for their products. These include Lululemon and Stella McCartney. It has not yet been announced which models will be launched as vegan versions. However, we will know soon: Adidas and Bolt Threads have been working on the products since October 2020 and promised to launch the collection in the course of 2021.
Related topics: Vegan en vogue: Top 5 luxury labels for vegan clothing
Adidas innovates for a more sustainable future
In addition to the use of vegetable materials, Adidas has also declared their goal to fight plastic waste in the future. The company is primarily planning to recycle plastic from the oceans in order to replace other environmentally harmful materials. Further strategies for environmental protection are also planned:
- In 2021, Adidas plans to produce 17 million pairs of shoes from recycled plastic waste
- Adidas plans to exclusively use recycled polyester by 2024 - currently, the percentage is over 50 percent already
- Since 2021, Adidas only uses recycled packaging for transport and deliveries
- By 2030, the CO2 emissions should be reduced by 30 percent
- By 2050, Adidas wants to reach climate neutrality to reach


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Privacy-Focused Browsers Oppose Google’s FLoC Technology
DuckDuckGo, Brave and Vivaldi Rejected Google’s Call to Implement FLoC in Their Browsers.
However, privacy-focused companies such as Brave, DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi, and others rejected Google’s call to implement FLoC in their own browsers.
Image Source: Twitter
This creation of a personally identifiable profile is exactly why user privacy advocates reject cookies on browsers and websites.
Browsing app developers such as DuckDuckGo and Brave strongly believe that FLoC technology doesn’t protect privacy and it certainly isn’t beneficial to users. The companies want Google to stop tracking user behavior. They say creating groups to protect users is just fluff, as tracking still continues in the new FLoC system.
On April 9th, DuckDuckGo announced that it has updated its web browser extension to block Google’s new FLoC tracking method in Chrome. They’ve also pointed that removing all trackers will actually improve the website loading speed by 46% and also decrease Internet data usage up to 34%.
Like Brave and DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi also notes that while it uses Google’s Chromium as the underpinnings of its own browser, it is free to do its own thing when it comes to FLoC. Unlike Google, Vivaldi stands up for the privacy rights of its users and does not approve of tracking and profiling, “in any disguise.” As a result, Vivaldi will also block Google’s FLoC technology.
At the moment, FLoC is being tested in a small percentage of users in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the US.
Google intends to further expand the testing in more regions in the upcoming weeks.


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Interlink Supply’s annual Black Friday “Blackout Week” will kick off Monday, Nov. 24 at 12 a.m. MT and conclude on Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. MT, offering a different “doorbuster” sale each day and discounts on products throughout the week.
A look in photos at the 2014 Experience Conference and Exhibition, which was held from April 24-26 at the Embassy Suites Convention Center and Spa in Frisco, Texas.
Beginning April 21, Google will start judging websites based on their mobile friendliness. What exactly does this mean to you cleaning website? Find out in the latest edition of The Hitman Advertising Show, which will also cover tips and suggestions on getting mobile compliant.


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The concept can launch to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds and drive for up to 124 miles on battery power alone.Porsche has revealed the Cayman e-volution, a research vehicle that hints at the company's vision for electric performance cars.With an 800-volt battery system, the electrified Cayman is said to be capable of launching to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds. It can also cruise for up to 124 miles on battery power alone.
The company cautions that the vehicle "will not go into series production," but instead demonstrates how sporty future models might be.
The production-bound Mission E integrates a similar battery with a much longer expected range of 311 miles. Drivers can expect to charge up to 80 percent in just 15 minutes.
The electric Cayman will be on display at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Stuttgart.


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Mark Zuckerberg rejected almost all the recent criticism of Facebook on Tuesday, claiming the fundamentals of the business remain strong and arguing the company will be fine in the long term.
Speaking publicly for the first time since Facebook’s May 18 IPO — after which the company’s value has plummeted by almost 50 percent — Zuckerberg admitted that the share price is a disappointment while not acknowledging much in the way of error.
He went straight at the question on everyone’s minds – mobile – saying that Facebook had already made a lot of progress.
“We’ve been in a quiet period for six months or so, since up to the time we started with the IPO,” Zuckerberg told the packed crowd at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference in San Francisco. “A lot has changed. Six months ago on mobile we hadn’t launched our new set of apps. Apple hadn’t announced iOS integration. Six months ago, we didn’t run a single ad on mobile.”
Zuckerberg placed as much blame on the quiet period as on his own company's efforts.
“It’s easy for a lot of folks without us being out there talking about what we’re doing to underestimate how fundamentally good mobile is for us.”
Moderator Michael Arrington, the founder of TechCrunch, pushed Zuckerberg on the issue, seeking to unearth an admission of error or some morsel of news.
The Facebook CEO continued to defend the company, arguing that this was but the latest in a long string of controversies.
"Facebook has not been an uncontroversial company in the past," he said. "It's not like this is the first up and down we've ever had."
He noted that whenever the press and analysts are too laudatory of his company, he tries to deflate his employees' egos. When the criticism ratchets up, Zuckerberg opts for an ego boost. For now, Zuckerberg said many were too critical, but he liked it that way.
"I would rather be underestimated," he said, the coda to a performance that has boosted the company's stock price by three perecent in after-hours trading.
So what did Facebook mess up, if anything? It bet the house on HTML 5, which the company is now correcting, he said. Though he is bullish on the future of HTML 5, Zuckerberg said the company should have made iOS and Android apps sooner.
And that was that, as Arrington segued into questions about Zynga, Instagram and the oft-rumored Facebook phone.
"It's always been the wrong strategy for us," Zuckerberg said, noting that his company's biggest hurdle is to develop the right ads for mobile. Though Facebook built a multibillion- dollar business on its desktop ads, mobile would require more integrated promotions.
Zuckerberg threw an elbow or two at Google, saying that Facebook generates a billion searches a day, “and we’re not even trying.”
When asked whether he still codes, he said he couldn’t because the rule at Facbeook is that if a piece of your code breaks, you have to fix it. And now he’s too busy with meetings.
"Does Mark Zuckerberg’s code break?" Arrington asked.
“Yes, everything I do breaks,” Zuckerberg said. “But we fix it quickly.”
The crowd roared.
Arrington kept the mood light, joking that Zuckerberg seemed to a past comment — "we don't build services to make money, we make money to build better services" — a bit too seriously.
Zuckerberg laughed, but stressed that he did not wake up every day to make money, or have fun for that matter.
"For me it's not about fun," he told Arrington. "It's about the mission."


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Fashion retailers are preparing themselves for rising sourcing costs, knowing it will be tricky to pass them onto consumers, just-style was told today (September 23).
It follows news earlier in the week that cotton prices have broken through the $1 per pound barrier for only the second time in history.
Josh Green, chief executive of trade data firm Panjiva, told just-style: “We currently have raw material prices going up at the same time as labor prices, and that is a really tough combination.”
With consumer demand also in slow recovery for many mature markets, fashion retailers also face the challenge of keeping prices at bay.
Green said: “The total cost of production is going to be impacted significantly by rising cotton prices and most companies are preparing for increasing costs.”
Green added it will be difficult not to pass these costs onto consumers, but that most retailers may prefer to substitute cotton-rich products, or even absorb the margin deficit themselves.
A combination of droughts in China, the world’s largest cotton grower, together with export limits in India and floods in Pakistan, are blamed for rising cotton prices.


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First Five-Star Car In Africa announces GlobalNCAP
The first-ever five-star crash test results have been announced by Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsForAfrica programme in partnership with AA South Africa, supported by the FIA Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
In a milestone moment for vehicle safety, the India manufactured Mahindra XUV300 becomes Global NCAP’s first five star car in Africa. The XUV300 achieved a five star rating for the Indian market in 2020. Global NCAP’s Indian and African programmes share the same assessment protocols, and following a production compliance review, the rating has been confirmed for the model’s roll-out in Africa.
Saul Billingsley, Executive Director of the FIA Foundation said: “This is a significant safety milestone for the African market and shows exceptional progress in the short time since the launch of the programme in late 2017. African consumers have the right to know, and make purchasing choices based on, the safety of vehicles in the market. This result shows that manufacturers can, and must, make cars to protect the safety of all who use the roads no matter where in the world they are.”
David Ward, Towards Zero Foundation President said: “We are delighted to see the first five-star result in our Safer Cars for Africa project. This is a landmark moment for vehicle safety in Africa. We are particularly pleased to recognise the continued safety commitment from Mahindra. The XUV300 was engineered in India and demonstrates the capability of the domestic Indian auto industry to achieve excellence in safety design and performance for global export markets.”
Willem Groenewald, AA South Africa CEO said: “This is a milestone event for the #SaferCarsforAfrica project, and signals that it is possible to achieve this excellent rating for vehicles in our market. We are particularly pleased that this rating has been achieved through a compliance review. We applaud the fact that there is a reasonably priced five-star vehicle available in Africa which gives consumers a safe choice when purchasing a new car.”


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For example, a nighttime showing of the latest blockbuster could cost users a few extra dollars to book, and MoviePass will tip customers to when surge pricing is added for a particular show. The fees will range from $2 to $6, depending on the film.
MoviePass indicates which movies are affected by peak pricing by including a red lightning icon above the specific showtime.
You'll also be warned that a movie may be entering peak pricing soon with a gray lightning icon.
In order to bypass these new fees, MoviePass plans to release a new "Peak Pass" subscription plan in the coming weeks.


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Microsoft and Sony are reportedly preparing to kick off a new console cycle in 2014. However, Nintendo will likely launch its next-gen console two years earlier in 2012.
“Both MS and Sony are telegraphing to each other that they’re delaying, to milk the current [generation] and fill in previous craters better,” an inside source told Kotaku.
Other sources confirmed the above-mentioned 2014 date, although they emphasized both companies could debut new consoles in 2013 if they feel “pushed.”
However, if MS were to introduce a console in 2013, it would only be a “Kinect-upgraded” system, rather than a full-on, next-gen console.
According to the source, even Microsoft doesn’t yet know what components will be in the next Xbox, as Redmond is “is wrestling with whether to be profitable on day one.”
“I think we’ll see a game of chicken between Sony and Microsoft,” M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon opined.
“Sony definitely isn’t launching a successor before 2014 and could stand to benefit by having Microsoft launch first as PS3 builds in to North America and builds a strong position in Europe. Microsoft claims there’s a lot more room in Xbox 360 for developers to max out, but here PS3 could have a strong advantage.”


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Still suffering a hangover after emptying your wallet at the LCBO over the holidays?
You can drown your sorrows knowing that your money goes to a good cause: All those handsome profits are plowed back into general revenues to help bankroll hospitals and schools.
The LCBO robs Peter (you) to pay Paul (the government). That biblical theory might make you feel better, but it’s not the whole story.
Follow the money, as the province’s auditor general did recently. You’ll find that the LCBO is failing to maximize its profits — because it is leaving too much money on the table.
Yes, liquor stores charge you top dollar. But to the auditor’s astonishment, the LCBO frequently gives a break to its suppliers by paying them a more generous wholesale price than winemakers expect — and more than the market dictates.
This is still official LCBO policy. No, it was not devised after a few too many drinks by inebriated bureaucrats or politicians on the take.
It is simply one of those bizarre outcomes of bureaucracy gone awry. And a function of too much cash flow at one of the world’s biggest buyers of alcohol — a bounty that obscures the inefficiencies and price distortions that lie within.
Just days after the auditor’s scathing report last month, the LCBO issued its customary self-congratulatory press release trumpeting record revenues from the Christmas buying rush: $51 million. It racked up record net sales of $4.6 billion in 2010-11, which generated a handsome dividend of $1.56 billion for the provincial treasury.
Sounds good. Until you consider how much higher the profit could have been had the LCBO applied sound business principles by seeking the lowest-possible wholesale prices from suppliers. By virtue of its 618-store monopoly in a province of 13 million people, the LCBO could surely use its massive buying power to browbeat its suppliers.
Impossible, counters the LCBO with a straight face. Lower prices would violate its longstanding “social responsibility mandate” dictated by provincial governments of all political stripes who fret that as the price of plonk goes down, consumption goes up.
But here’s the question that left auditor general Jim McCarter scratching his head: Why not keep retail prices high (fulfilling its mandate) but still seek lower wholesale prices? By increasing its markup, the LCBO could pocket even higher profits to enrich its shareholders — you and me.
“A Walmart would certainly go back to their supplier and say, ‘Would you sell it to us cheaper?’ ” McCarter lectured the LCBO. “Nobody has your buying clout.”
Here’s how the bizarre policy works: The LCBO sets a price range for a particular class of wine. Suppliers bid with a proposed retail price, then work backwards from the LCBO’s fixed markup to arrive at a pre-determined wholesale price.
Absurdly, if a supplier’s suggested retail price (and therefore his wholesale price) is deemed too low, the LCBO goes back to the supplier and offers to pay a higher wholesale price so as to bump up the final selling price.
You have to wonder what a winery in Italy or Chile would think if an email arrived from the liquor board during negotiations, complaining that their proposed wholesale price was too low — and beseeching them to reconsider:
“Sir, we respectfully request that you bump up your wholesale price. The LCBO would feel guilty profiting from bigger markups. Kindly avoid low bids in future.”
Doubtless the winemakers of the world would raise a glass to toast the generosity, obstinacy and lunacy of Ontarians handing them more money.
But they already know the LCBO’s dirty little secret: It robs Peter (you and me) to overpay Paul (winemakers).
Drunk on cash flow, the liquor board has turned a rigid social responsibility mandate on its head — making winemakers richer, drinkers poorer, and shareholders dizzier. Time to sober up.


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String Blockchain, a number one innovator within the blockchain and crypto house, is happy to announce its triumph on the extremely esteemed World Blockchain Summit in Dubai. Going head-to-head in opposition to a few of the business’s brightest minds, String was topped the winner of the Startup Grandslam Pitch Competitors, thereby cementing its place as a formidable participant within the blockchain and crypto panorama.
The World Blockchain Summit is a premier annual occasion that brings collectively leaders, innovators, and fans from throughout the globe to debate the newest developments in blockchain know-how. As a part of this yr’s summit, String had the chance to take part within the Startup Grandslam Pitch Competitors, the place startups offered their concepts and options to a panel of professional judges.
String’s group needs to increase its profound gratitude to the esteemed panel of judges for recognizing the potential of its revolutionary method to blockchain know-how.
In a press release, Ace Desai, Founder, and CEO of String, expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the World Blockchain Summit for offering a platform for startups to share their concepts and join with business leaders. He acknowledged, “We’re extremely honored and grateful to have received the Startup Grandslam Pitch Competitors on the World Blockchain Summit. The occasion supplied a superb alternative for us to showcase our revolutionary blockchain options to a world viewers, and we’re thrilled that our imaginative and prescient has been acknowledged by the professional panel of judges.”
Desai additionally highlighted the significance of collaboration and partnership within the blockchain business, stating that “we imagine that collaboration is the important thing to unlocking the complete potential of blockchain know-how. We’re at all times open to working with different startups, enterprises, and organizations to discover new use circumstances and purposes for our platform. Profitable the Startup Grandslam Pitch Competitors is only the start, and we stay up for constructing new partnerships and increasing our attain within the blockchain ecosystem.”
The World Blockchain Summit proved to be an occasion that fostered collaboration, innovation, and progress inside the blockchain sector. String, a group with years of expertise within the business with DXC, Apple, IBM, Shell, Web3 Basis, and extra, is honored to have been a part of this prestigious gathering and appears ahead to leveraging its victory within the Startup Grandslam Pitch Competitors to additional develop and broaden its blockchain options.


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LoveRaw describes the “extremely difficult” course since launching in the garage
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LoveRaw, one of the leading vegan chocolate brands, described its struggles to be successful in a recent interview.
The couple behind the business started off with just £ 600 in one of their parents’ garages and even declined an offer from Dragon’s Den.
In an interview with Manchester Evening News, Rimi and Manav Tharpar described how they started their business from a small garage in the north of England.
“There was a sink, a few cupboards and a window facing the garage – that was it. It allowed me to start making our products at home ‘, Rimi mentionned.
Today the duo employ 16 people and sell a range of products including chocolate butter cups, M: Lk chocolate bars and Cre & m filled wafer bars.
From fights to success
An “extremely difficult” semester allowed LoveRaw to grow and start producing products in factories.
As a result of COVID-19, the brand has been affected like many other companies.
Manav added: “We had to put people on leave because some areas of the business died completely… We just tried to find enough work but it was very difficult.”
They’ve gone it alone since turning down an offer on the iconic commercial program, Dragon’s Den.
Vegan chocolate brand
The brand’s mission is to continue making “legendary” vegan chocolate without artificial “nonsense”.
They have been able to grow since moving the business online.
The duo said: “Online it’s really strong, and it’s getting bigger and bigger – we’re going to have a fantastic year. “
Additionally, LowRaw products are available from Ocado, Boots, Coop, Holland & Barrett, among others.


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- Levi Strauss & Co. is finally returning to the public markets.
- The “Levi’s” brand and double-digit profit growth could boost the stock.
- Slower revenue growth could hurt the stock in later years.
Levi Strauss & Co. will return to the public markets Thursday under the ticker “LEVI.” The San Francisco-based clothing company best known for its riveted blue jeans will issue 36.7 million shares priced between $14 and $16 per share. If sold at $15 per share, the offering would raise about $550.5 million. The current range also values the company at between $5.4 billion and $6.2 billion.
Levi’s first went public in 1971 only to return to private hands in 1985. The company specifies that they have returned to the public market to raise cash for “general corporate purposes.” Whatever the reasoning, LEVI presents a possible opportunity for traders. But investors should weigh the pros and cons before opening a position in Levi’s.
Levi’s Advantages: Growth and Proven Adaptability
The primary advantage hinges on the “Levi’s” brand. This company opened its doors 166 years ago and holds a name recognition advantage unmatched by any peers. Over time, it has boosted its popularity — and its revenue — by adapting its pants to current consumer tastes.
Moreover, it continues to change its image according to consumer tastes, and that has spurred sales growth over the past few years. The company’s compound annual growth rate currently stands at over 11 percent. In 2018, the company reported a net income of $285 million on $5.6 billion in revenue. About 45 percent of its revenue comes from outside of the Americas.
Finally, Levi’s wants to venture beyond men’s “bottoms,” the traditional clothing line that drives most of its sales. Now it wants to focus more on tops and apparel designed for women. If successful, this could provide a source of much-needed revenue growth.
Levi’s Disadvantages: Slow Revenue Growth, and Stock Control to Stay in the Family
Investors should understand that the company will issue A shares counting for one vote each. Descendants of founder Levi Strauss will hold B shares which are worth 10 votes. Hence, control will remain with the founding family. Moreover, the company’s long history offers little more than name recognition. Any clothing maker can manufacture blue jeans, and clothing remains a fickle business where customers can switch to competing brands.
Sales from wholesalers accounted for 27 percent of company revenues in 2018, but these arrangements do not depend on long-term contracts — meaning they could disappear at any moment.
And despite double-digit profit growth, revenue has increased by an average rate of only 2.3 percent. The slow revenue growth rate implies the company has achieved its double-digit profit increases through methods such as cost-cutting. In the long run, revenues will have to increase at a faster rate if the company wants to maintain double-digit profit growth. Hence, investors will likely pay close attention to how well Levi’s apparel sells outside of its core market in men’s blue jeans.
Should You Invest in LEVI?
Offering stock means that Levi’s will join other popular clothing brands such as Nike and Gap Inc. on the public markets. Pent-up demand to invest in this venerable label as well as recent profit growth rates could drive Levi’s stock higher soon after the IPO.
However, unlike the tech companies based in its local area, Levi’s has seen slow revenue growth in recent years. Moreover, it remains unclear whether consumers will take to Levi’s clothing beyond men’s blue jeans. This industry remains highly competitive, and any failure to stay current with consumer tastes could hurt its already modest revenue growth.
Consumers have turned to Levi’s blue jeans for decades. Although traders might initially welcome Levi’s stock onto the trading floor, momentum could fade like a pair of old blue jeans once the initial excitement dies down.
More on Investing
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- Boeing Stock Drops After a Second Fatal Plane Crash
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Christmas may not always be the holiday you've known all these time.
Here are some of the most interesting holiday spots in Brazil.
Charlie Brown gets censored on Christmas.
Eddie Redmayne shares the experience of portraying Lili Elbe, the first transgender in history, in “The Danish Girl,” where he stars alongside co-Golden Globe nominee, Alicia Vikander.
Experience warmness in the month of December by visting Latin America.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is rumored to be released in December 2016. New worlds include Arendelle and even the world of Star Wars.
Unfortunately, there is no specific drug treatment for the virus yet.
The next iPod touch was said to arrive after the holidays, but the calendar makes another turn soon. Is 2015 long enough to bring the device?
New source codes of the much-awaited Heists DLC for "GTA" Online have leaked right after Christmas.
The 'Lizard Squad' has claimed to man the Christmas attack on Xbox Live and PSN -- not their first time doing such activities.
Microsoft's successor to the Nokia Lumia 1320 might just get a major camera upgrade, reports say.
Are Story Mode updates out by 2015? Shawn Fonteno shares something about a certain DLC.
5 non-traditional eggnog recipes for a traditional Christmas
From chasing girls to mutant creatures, 2014 gave us pranks that scared its victims to death. Relive the memories here!
Consiga dos boletos por el precio de uno con el código OBWW2018.
The superhero movie "Deadpool" has crushed box-office records despite the restricted rating (Rated R) given to the film.
This was the first time in their 52 years in the industry to reveal three cover girls.


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According to a study commissioned by Parcelforce Worldwide, popular awkward and large gifts sent by carriers include a bike, an inflatable unicorn, a boomerang, a mannequin, sports equipment, a pogo stick and a Star Wars Millennium Falcon. The study showed that Parcelforce Worldwide was the most popular carrier to send awkward and large parcels with and customers will continue to benefit from full tracking and interactive delivery notification messaging when sending.
65% of people voted Christmas as their favourite seasonal holiday and West Midlands is the festive capital of the UK, according to the study. Younger shoppers tend to be more prepared with 45% of 18-24 year olds doing their Christmas shopping 1-2 months in advance.
When it comes to sending Christmas presents abroad, a quarter of people in the UK surveyed have sent gifts over the festive period to friends and family cross-border. Australia, New Zealand and USA are the most popular destinations to send Christmas presents abroad (27%), followed by France (13%) and Germany (11%).


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Tito is an urban electric vehicle model fully manufactured in Argentina by Coradir. Developed in the western province of San Luis, it can drive up to 100 kilometers with one full charge and it has space for four people.
“TITO,” a nod to the common Spanish-language diminutive “autito” (little car), “was born unintentionally,” according to Juan Manuel Baretto, CEO of Coradir, a technology company that had never once built a car.
As electric car sales accelerate more and more each year, with Europe and China leading the way, in Latin America that trend is much slower. The transport sector is highly oil-dependent, and Argentina is no exception. Despite this, the government is promoting an electromobility bill that would force every car manufacturer to build only electric cars in the next couple of years.
In 2018 Coradir’s CEO and his team decided to develop a battery bank platform, motor train and all the associated electronics so that any national car manufacturer could develop its own version of TITO, but the project fell flat.
“Then, we realized we already had a complete car and asked ourselves, ‘what if we make it available to the public?’ At that moment the 100% electric TITO was born,” explained Baretto.
Its development began in 2020 and the first units were built as demo vehicles in the second half of 2021. Finally, serial production was launched last January. The basic edition costs around USD $16,500 and you’ll pay around $18,250 if you want air conditioning.
Coradir, a tech-company historically dedicated to computers and telecoms, had no background in the automobile industry. “Every two or three years we try to develop product lines that take us out of our comfort zone and face new challenges, and this is one of several changes that we made over the years,” Baretto told Argentina Reports.
“TITO” is a 2.83 meter long, three-door urban car, with enough space for four people. It has a 4.5 kWh powered electric motor which receives its energy from a lithium battery with an eight kWh capacity. It can drive up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) with one single charge, and it takes between six to eight hours to fully charge, although it admits partial charges. Out on the open road, the compact cruiser races to a maximum velocity of 65 km/h.
Argentina has historically relied on natural gas and oil as its two main energy sources. As a country that has signed the Paris Agreement and has developed a set of goals to lower its emissions, it faces the huge challenge of decarbonizing the transport sector.
Earlier this year, President Alberto Fernández sent the “Electromobility Bill” to Congress which, if approved, will prohibit the manufacture of vehicles with internal combustion engines from 2041. “We will develop electromobility to turn Argentina into the South American platform for electric vehicles,” he said.
When asked about the environmental ambitions of the company, Baretto explained, “The respect for the environment is always in sight. In 2009 our company obtained the first international environmental certificate ISO 14001 and this changed our minds. Since then, the bases of sustainability and care for the environment are part of all our projects.”
“The increase in the use of renewable energies is very welcome, but it is still insufficient to power the whole society, but we must continue fighting and moving forward,” he said when asked about the company’s views on fossil fuels and “green” energies.
Nowadays, the company is producing 80 cars per month, but they look forward to increasing production to 200 monthly units. “The new production level will be set according to public demand, which for the moment is more than excellent,” said Baretto.
The company also announced the launch of “TITA,” a pick-up truck version of its predecessor that borrows its name from the femine version of TITO. “Many customers told us that they loved TITO but that they needed a work tool, so that is how the 100% electric TITA was conceived,” the CEO said.
“We want to fill cities and industries with 100% electric TITO’s and TITA’s, not only to make the advantages of electromobility available to the public (zero emissions and very low noise pollution) but also because, in addition to being very necessary, it is the technical path right where we should go to ensure a sustainable future and cleaner cities with a better quality of life.”


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Axel Springer has been awarded a partial victory today (24 June) in its fight against ad blocking software provider Eyeo.
According to a Reuters report, German court has ruled that the publisher should not be charged to be put on the company’s “white list” exempting it from blanket blocking.
In most cases, companies are white listed for free, subject to a check that advertising is acceptable, with Eyeo taking a cut of the extra revenues the largest advertisers make.
Axel Springer described ad blocking as an “unacceptably aggressive business practice” but the court stated that it did not object to ad-blockers as such.
Eyeo, which has previous emerged victorious from appeals by Axel Springer, was recorded as stating it would appeal the ruling, which it described as depending on “an obscure, newly passed statute in German unfair competition law”.
This follows the German publisher’s move in 2015 to ban readers using ad-blockers from its Bild tabloid website.
Ad blockers are being employed on the mobile web by 22% of the global 1.9 billion smartphone users, according to analytics and advisory firm PageFair’s study conducted in March 2016.


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The economy and the pandemicThe government should provide incentives and tax cuts to help businesses and individuals.
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has led to demand collapse and supply shocks as businesses have shut down. The demand disruption and supply shock is set to decrease the gross domestic product of countries. The extent of the fall will depend on how long this persists. As per the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, on the assumption that the epidemic peaks in China in the first quarter of 2020 and outbreaks in other countries prove mild and contained, the annual global GDP growth is projected to drop to 2.4 percent in 2020, from an already weak 2.9 percent in 2019. Emerging economies will be in greater trouble, and there will be capital flight to more secure advanced economies.
The occurrence of Covid-19 can be related with the Black Swan concept introduced by American economist Nassim Nicholas Taleb. In the last decade, we saw outbreaks of different diseases like Ebola, SARS and MERS, but we were not prepared for their large economic impacts. The spread of Covid -19 throughout the world and slump in oil prices, increase in US unemployment rate, contraction in airline industry, crash in the United States, Europe and Asian stock markets, and drastic interest rate cuts show how unprepared the world economy was to withstand such shocks.
The current economic phenomenon is different from the recession of 2009 as then the recession came from within the financial markets, and a limited sector was affected. But now we have a health emergency, many businesses have shut down and people and businesses in all sectors have been affected.
In order to keep public spirits up amid the gloom, many countries have offered residents helicopter money so that they can maintain their purchasing capacity. But a question has been raised whether this aid should be given equally or in a targeted fashion as everybody's income has not been affected to the same degree.
Countries are now rushing to save lives, and it is the duty of every person in charge to do so. A recent study by Michael Greenstone and Vishan Nigam of the University of Chicago’s Becker Friedman Institute for Economics has suggested that if a dollar value is given to life, moderate social distancing has the potential to save well over a million lives, and those saved lives are worth $8 trillion to the United States economy, which is about 40 percent of its GDP.
It can be presumed that a decrease in Nepal's GDP and economic growth is inevitable. Industry, construction and service sectors, which account for a major proportion of the GDP, have been severely affected due to the lockdown as production has halted and demand for goods and services is also suppressed. Further, the agriculture sector, which contributes more than 25 percent of the GDP, may also shrink if the lockdown continues up to the monsoon and the pandemic worsens. The Asian Development Bank has also recently revised Nepal’s economic growth rate to 5.3 percent from its earlier 6.3 percent; and it may go down further if the pandemic continues and restrictive measures need to be continued.
The Gulf countries and other economies like the United States, Japan, India and Australia, which are major sources of remittance for Nepal, are under full or partial lockdown; and the income of Nepalis working in these countries has been severely impacted. Consequently, the remittance to GDP ratio, which has been falling since fiscal 2016-17, is expected to plunge, leading to a decrease in the overall national savings.
Public borrowing is going to rise sharply in the coming weeks as the government needs funds due to increased spending on healthcare and public welfare. There is a possibility that these large fiscal deficits will be financed by Nepal Rastra Bank, and receivables from the government will remain in the central bank's books permanently.
Nepal Rastra Bank's investment in government treasury bills, bonds and savings certificates at the end of fiscal 2015-16 amounted to Rs21.28 billion. It swelled by 118 percent to Rs46.41 billion in fiscal 2016-17 and again increased by 60 percent year-on-year to Rs74.24 billion in fiscal 2017-18. This figure will increase exponentially if the pandemic intensifies and heavy expenditure needs to be done in the healthcare system and government revenue decreases due to a reduction in business activity and imports.
The government of Nepal and Nepal Rastra Bank recently introduced relief packages to save the economy and normalise people’s lives. It seems that the relief and exemptions need to be broadened. The central bank has extended the instalment payment deadline for loans from mid-April to mid-July. However, as most of the businesses are not running and the lockdown has been extended to April 15, businesses will face a cash crunch to manage two instalments at the same time. Instead of extending the payment due date, if payment is deferred by a month or two, businesses and individuals whose income has been affected will get more relief.
In order to raise the morale of the hospitality sector and small industries which have been hit hard by the lockdown, some incentives, in addition to the existing deferral of the tax payment deadline, such as tax cuts if 90 percent of the existing employees are retained should be given, and a restructuring of loans on a case by case basis should be permitted. Tax cuts can be made for individuals so that demand can be maintained at shrunken capacity and demand recession can be prevented. Further, some packages should be introduced by the federal and local governments to engage the people who might return from overseas after international boundaries are opened as many are expected to lose their jobs due to economic effects of Covid -19.
What do you think?
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CGTrader, one of the world’s largest 3D model repositories, launched back in 2011. The company, which is now backed by funding from Intel Capital, has taken advantage of their positioning within the 3D model marketplace, to expand their scope into 3D printing. By leveraging their popularity among designers, they have been able to swiftly capture market share in the growing 3D printing industry.
Today, CGTrader unveiled new tools, which will enable designers as well as brands, to take advantage of the lucrative opportunities within the 3D printing space. One of the biggest concerns of 3D model designers, who are looking to sell their designs to customers that wish to print them out, is intellectual property theft. Many design repositories allow buyers to download the design directly to their PC. At that point, there is no telling what they will do with it. Unscrupulous buyers could edit the design, and resell it as their own, perhaps leading to lost opportunities for the original creator. Where there is no control, there is usually no market. This is where CGTrader has stepped in. They have partnered with one of the worlds top licensing and security providers, Authentise, whose technology is changing the way 3D models are sold and shared.
Authentise uses a system which sends 3D model files directly to the buyer’s 3D printer. It can only be printed out from the printer, meaning no editing, copying, or reselling can take place.
“With this update, we are solving the most pressing problems limiting the growth of quality 3D content in the market – namely licensing and 3D printing challenges.” stated Marius Kalytis, CEO of CGTrader.
Authentise, who has been a growing force within the IP secuirty market, is only one of the companies working with CGTrader on this rather large update. In addition, CGTrader has teamed up with Sculpteo, a 3D printing service provider. Sculpteo is known for their high quality, quickly delivered 3D prints to customers around the globe. What this partnership does, is open up 3D printing to virtually everyone, whether they own a printer or not. Any 3D model design purchased at the CGTrader marketplace can now be sent to Sculpteo, to be 3D printed, and then delivered to your doorstep within days.
“3D printing is rapidly entering everyday lives and will transform multiple industries over the coming decade. CGTrader.com marketplace aims to empower creative individuals to monetize their designs and thereby attract more high-quality designs to the market, giving the buyers a very clear use case for their printer.” said Kalytis.
As the market for 3D printed goods expands, CGTrader certainly looks to be in a very strong position to realize that growth, along with the market. The ability to ensure designers that their designs are safe from IP theft goes a long way in attracting high-quality pieces of work. Discuss these changes to CGTrader at the CGTrader 3D printing forum thread.
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Philadelphia, the iconic cream cheese brand that has graced breakfast tables for more than 150 years, has announced a significant expansion of its plant-based cream cheese. Now owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, the brand is bringing its first plant-based spread to supermarkets across the nation.
This development is in response to the growing consumer demand for vegan products, with more than half of Americans seeking to incorporate more plant-based items into their diets. Philadelphia’s entry into the plant-based cream cheese market aims to provide a fresh sensory experience for those searching for dairy-free alternatives.
Before Philadelphia entered the plant-based sector, the company reveals, less than half of those who sampled vegan cream cheese spread became repeat customers. However, Philadelphia’s regional trial of its original plant-based cream cheese launch provided encouraging results.
Last year, the brand launched its first vegan cream cheese at select retailers in the Southeast of the United States and found that repeat purchase rates almost doubled compared to the category average. Here, 70 percent of consumers reported that the product exceeded their expectations.
Philadelphia decided to expand its vegan cream cheese nationwide to fill this market gap.
Philadelphia’s vegan cream cheese in three flavors
Philadelphia’s research and development team dedicated more than two years to understanding the needs of consumers seeking plant-based products. They focused on replicating the taste, texture, and ingredient profile of traditional cream cheese that consumers know and love.
As a result, Philadelphia created a plant-based spread using coconut oil as a base, supplemented with potato starch and fava bean protein, providing a comparable taste and texture to conventional dairy cream cheese.
Beyond its Original flavor, Philadelphia is branching out into more adventurous territories with its plant-based spread. Responding to the original flavor’s market trial success and aiming to cater to diverse consumer preferences, Philadelphia is introducing Strawberry and Chive & Onion flavors.
“To be the first mainstream cream cheese brand launching a plant-based spread option with widespread accessibility across the US is an important milestone for Philadelphia and our fans,” Keenan White, Senior Brand Manager, Philadelphia at the Kraft Heinz Company, said in a statement.
“Whether on their morning bagel, a veggie pairing for lunch, or a delicious dip creation for snack time, we are proud to provide consumers with a delicious product that fits their lifestyle,” White said.
Despite the regional limitations of its initial launch, Philadelphia’s Plant-Based spread has already made significant strides in the vegan spread market. In the Southeast, it’s the fourth top-performing plant-based cream cheese and holds the sixth position nationwide.
The new Philadelphia vegan cream cheeses are now hitting retailers far and wide, including Target, Meijer, and Albertsons.
As Philadelphia rolls out the product across the country, the brand expects to further solidify its position in the plant-based sector, where other brands, including Oatly and Nurishh (owned by Bel Group), have recently expanded their vegan cream cheese offerings.
Kraft Heinz ventures into vegan cheese
Philadelphia’s foray into plant-based spreads not only provides great news for vegan and flexitarian consumers but also aligns with Kraft Heinz’s broader shift towards environmentally sustainable offerings. This new product launch supports Kraft Heinz’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and expands the conglomerate’s plant-based product range.
How else is Kraft Heinz working to hit its sustainability targets? Luckily, with more vegan cheese (and other products) through its joint venture with The Not Company (NotCo), a Chilean company that uses artificial intelligence to develop next-level vegan dairy and meat alternatives.
This collaboration, known as the Kraft Heinz Not Company, plans to reimagine various iconic Kraft Heinz brands with vegan-friendly formulations. The partnership has already resulted in a vegan version of Kraft’s iconic mayonnaise and NotCheese slices, a dairy-free take on Kraft Singles.
Similar to the regional Philadelphia vegan cream cheese test, the initial launch of its NotCheese Plant-Based Slices saw a successful limited-market test in Cleveland, OH last year. Within eight weeks, repeat purchases of the vegan cheeses were at 20 percent and a majority of shoppers interviewed (91 percent) provided overwhelmingly positive reviews for the NotCheese slices.
In June, the company announced a national launch of the vegan Kraft singles in Provolone, American, and Cheddar flavors.
“The decision to expand nationally was based on our successful Cleveland test market that ran for 16 weeks starting in November 2022,” Katie Pekarek, Head of Marketing and Strategy for the Kraft Heinz Not Company, previously told VegNews. “Kraft NotCheese Slices quickly became the number one branded plant-based slice in dollar sales.”
“We wanted the rest of the country to have the opportunity to enjoy our delicious Kraft NotCheese slices,” she said.


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When Manchester United dismantled the L.A. Galaxy by a score of 7-0 on Wednesday, its players donned jerseys with the logo for Chevrolet, which this year displaced Aon for that real estate.
For Aon, having that prominent space gave it a major boost in brand awareness. But a new partnership with the famed club will go even further in answering the big question challenging the company's marketing department: What, exactly, does the company do?
That's why content marketing is a key component of Aon's eight-year, $240 million sponsorship of Manchester United that was signed in April 2013.
"Without content marketing, we can't explain what we do," said Phil Clement, Aon's global chief marketing and communications officer.
Business-to-business marketers like Aon are embracing various forms of content marketing, from producing articles and videos for their own sites to working with publishers to create and run so-called native ads, which seek to mimic editorial content.
A full 75% of b-to-b marketers told Ad Age last year that they plan to increase their content marketing budgets. A recent Forrester study, however, showed that more than half of b-to-b marketers believe their efforts in this space are only somewhat effective.
To understand why Aon feels the need to explain itself, go back to 2009 when the company announced a four-year, $130 million deal to appear on Manchester United jerseys -- commonly referred to as "kits." (That arrangement ended this year when Chevy's deal started.)
The initial four-year placement created an "explosion in brand awareness," according to Mr. Clement. Last year, the company signed its current deal with the soccer club, giving Aon naming rights to the team's practice facility and putting the Aon logo on the team's practice kits and making it a presenting sponsor for off-season tours, including Wednesday's match in L.A.
"If you look at emerging markets, kids 8 years old to 19 will all be thinking of Aon as a big important company," Mr. Clement said. "More people on the planet recognize our brand than don't," he added. "They just don't know what we do."
So, what does Aon do? It's not an insurance company -- a common mistake, according to Mr. Clement -- though it does act as an insurance and reinsurance brokerage. The publicly traded company also offers risk management to clients, human resources and outsourcing solutions. Its employees number around 65,000 and it reported first quarter earnings of $325 million from $2.9 billion in revenue.
As part of the content marketing push, Aon created an online hub that explains how six services it offers -- talent, health, risk, retirement and data and analytics -- relates to Manchester United, an Aon client. The section on talent, for instance, features interviews with the team's staff, including Kath Phipps, the receptionist at the Aon Training Complex who has spent the last 45 years with the team.
People from across various departments at Aon have a hand in producing the content, including its marketing and PR teams, as well as external PR agencies and outside writers it hires.
"Content is in the middle of every marketing function," Mr. Clement said.
But producing content is only one part of the overall effort. "Once you solve the content problem, you have a distribution problem," he said. "Build it and they will come is not a good strategy in content marketing; you have to focus on distribution as much as the creation."
The company is not necessarily trying to explain itself to children in developing nations. Instead it's using a combination of social media and direct distribution through seminars and traditional public relations, for instance, to target a specific audience: Customers who follow soccer.
"There's not a lot of reason to go to the Aon microsite if you're a fan," Mr. Clement acknowledged. "But there are a ton of reasons to go if you're an HR professional or risk manager."