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Customer focus in action in the new digital age
| Katharina Knaut
Successful debut for KraussMaffei HEY!TALKS
KraussMaffei has launched a new online talk show format, "HEY!TALKS", which brings together plastics specialists from different industries with KraussMaffei experts for interactive exchanges.
A KraussMaffei world premiere took place on the morning of October 21, when the company hosted the first event in the six-part "HEY!TALKS" series. In these half-hour online talkshows, which took place twice a day from October 21 to 23, KraussMaffei experts talked to moderator Thomas Sauermann about new developments in plastics processing and answered questions from participating plastics experts.
Each talk show had its own focus. The spectrum ranged from digitization in service and manufacturing, innovations in extrusion and reaction processing technology to solutions that promote plastics processing in the circular economy. The experts talked about digital services and the possibilities of digital transformation, as well as sustainable solutions for the packaging industry and the opportunities Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) offers for silicone and PUR specialists.
Injection molders from the logistics and packaging industry, silicone specialists, compounders, recyclers and polyurethane processors followed the topics with great interest and asked the KraussMaffei experts several questions.
Marketing Manager Mathias Künstner drew a positive conclusion after the events: "HEY!TALKS meet our customers' wishes and needs for condensed information. Minimal time requirement, entertaining, modern and contemporary implementation and interactive design are therefore among the success factors of the new format".
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If you’re a foodie in New York City, you know Katz, Carnegie, and 2nd Avenue Deli are golden standards when it comes to good pastrami. Those classics are what inspired Nosh Delicatessen,
Late this month Nosh Delicatessen will open its doors on El Camino Real in the same shopping center as craft store—and its founders promise to deliver sandwiches that would make any East Coast native proud.
According to a news release, the menu will include traditional sandwiches such as corned beef, pastrami, turkey pastrami and chopped liver, as well as homemade Matzo ball soup, deli salads, Nova Lox—and, of course, bagels. Sandwiches will range from $4 to $10, and there will catering services and party plates, too.
The founders have owned more than 22 restaurants and combined have more than 50 years of experience in the industry—but they say it was the lack of any true New York-style delis that prompted them to launch Nosh Delicatessen.
After they open the Encinitas location, they plan to open two more locations before the year ends: one in La Jolla, and another in a still-to-be-determined part of San Diego.
Patch will keep you updated with more information as it becomes available.

domain: news


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Leet residents reminded of recycling guidelines
Leet residents should be aware of minor changes to recycling guidelines, effective immediately.
Refuse hauler Waste Management no longer collects recyclables in plastic bags, Manager Betsy Rengers said.
“Take plastic bags to your local grocery store for recycling,” Rengers said.
Bags can wrap around the hauling equipment and cause troubles at the recycling center, she said. Instead, residents should place loose items in a bin for pick-up.
“If they are in a garbage bag, the recycler will put them into the garbage,” she said.
Rengers said residents can try to use this rule for remembering what is collected: “If you buy it at the grocery store and it is bigger than two inches-by-two inches, and smaller than a two-gallon bucket, it’s recyclable.”
That includes bottles, cans, paper, empty milk cartons, juice boxes and cardboard.
For more, visit recycleoftenrecycleright.com.


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Who gets your style vote? Cindy McCain or Michelle Obama?
Us Weekly's cover story this week will be "Michelle Obama: Why Barack Loves Her," citing her penchant for shopping at Target and her love for "Sex and the City," (OK, we may have to take points off for that) in an article about the untold story of a down-to-earth mom and the man who calls her "my rock." Did I mention she's also a bacon lover, as reported on "The View?"
Meanwhile, Cindy McCain has reportly been shopping for some campaign (and possibly inaugural) ready-to-wear and couture.
According to wwd.com, Cindy visited Oscar de la Renta's showroom last week to check out the designer's White House-worthy offerings. And she was seen wearing a suspiciously Chanel-esque wristwatch. And who's inaccessible to blue-collar voters?
With two beige Suburbans and a team of sweltering Secret Service agents in tow, Cindy popped into Oscar's showroom to peruse the designer's duds. He's already got a track record for dressing first lady Laura Bush and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Asked by a WWD reporter how long the potential first lady been shopping, one of her security agents, who was sweltering in the New York heat outside 550 Seventh Ave., removed his sunglasses to wipe his brow and replied, "Way too long."
Oh, I have a feeling this is just the beginning of her shopping excursions, guys.
Photos: Cindy McCain, left, and Michelle Obama, have distinctly different styles. Which do you prefer and why?


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C&W seals £10.4bn HK deal
Cable & Wireless chief executive Graham Wallace has another £4.3bn cash to put into the kitty as the merger of its Hong Kong Telecom subsidiary with Pacific Century Cyber Works was completed.
C&W also gets a 20.2% stake in the enlarged PCCW in return for its 54% holding in HKT, making the deal worth £10.4bn to C&W, based on Wednesday's HK$15.80 PCCW closing price. The enlarged PCCW is in better shape to exploit broadband communications growth in Asia.
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Google rolls out custom emojis to Chat for personalised experience
Google has rolled out custom emojis to its Chat for personalised experience.
San Francisco, (IANS) Google has rolled out custom emojis to its Chat for personalised experience.
Emojis are a great method for users to express themselves in Google Chat, the tech giant said in a blogpost.
Custom emojis uploaded by employees can be viewed and used by all colleagues in Chat messages and comments.
Before launching to end users, administratives can set organisational guidelines and designate emoji managers, users who can browse and delete custom emojis.
Users can create custom emojis on the web versions of Chat or Gmail if the feature is enabled for their organisational unit.
The feature is available to all Google Workspace users, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, the company said.
Unfortunately, it is not available for the users with personal Google accounts.
Earlier, the company had rolled out the ability to send multiple photos and videos simultaneously via its Chat.
Users were able select more than one image or video at a time when sending a message in Google Chat.
This feature was available across iOS devices and Android devices.
The Google Chat media pickerAallowed users to pick up to 20 photos and videos to send at one go.
News BY IANS (Indo-Asian News Service)
This article has been republished with permission from IANS. The views expressed in the article are that of the author and not of the publisher or its management.


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8 Times Uber Has Tracked People The ride-hailing company is watching you.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It’s been a rocky year for Uber, although the ride-hailing app’s troubles started long before 2017. For years, Uber has found itself in the middle of scandals -- from issues with drivers to infringing on privacy. However, the one thing we’ve learned about Uber is that it has no boundaries.
From creating software to spy on its competitor Lyft to tracking the whereabouts of law enforcement officials, the company takes extraordinary measures to put itself at the top. However, it looks like it may be finally facing the consequences.
Related: The Worst Hacks of 2017 -- So Far
In its most recent scandal, Uber’s use of the software “Greyball,” which was used to track authorities in cities that were cracking down on the app and have drivers avoid picking them up, has subjected the company to federal inquiry by the U.S. Department of Justice. As the criminal investigation is underway, the company continues its internal investigation over sexual harassment and is in the middle of a lawsuit over intellectual property with Google’s self-driving company Waymo.
There were plenty of other times Uber has done some questionable activity -- especially when it comes to tracking people.
Check out these seven times the company has tracked people.
Customers’ iPhone screens -- potentially
Turns out, Uber’s stalking capabilities go beyond GPS. Most recently, in October, it surfaced that Uber had special permissions in its iPhone app that allowed it to access users’ personal information, giving them the ability to potentially record a person’s iPhone screen without their knowledge. Security researcher Will Strafech discovered the special “entitlement” in the Uber app code, which Apple does not usually grant to non-Apple apps because it allows access to extremely sensitive information. The code starts with "com.apple.private," and typically, Apple will reject any third-party app from its store if it discovers it using this.
While there’s no evidence that the ride-hailing company has actually taken advantage of the entitlement, it is still unclear why Apple allowed Uber access in the first place.
Related: Apple Gave Uber's App 'Unprecedented' Access to a Secret Backdoor That Can Record iPhone Screens
In late 2016, Uber updated its software to be able to track users everywhere they went if they had the app running in the background. If the app is closed, Uber could still track a user for five minutes after finishing their ride.
While the company received some backlash from consumers, it defended itself by explaining that the feature was used to enhance rider safety and improve pick up and drop off locations. But finally in late August 2017, the company decided to remove the controversial feature as it tries to repair its reputation and alleviate privacy concerns of consumers.
In the latest Uber news, it was revealed that the company has a secret piece of software called “Hell” that it used to track Lyft drivers.
Between 2014 and 2016, the technology was reportedly used to try to recruit Lyft drivers to join Uber. The system created fake Lyft accounts and would order rides in different parts of a city, which would then reveal information of up to eight of Lyft’s nearest drivers. Because Lyft assigns its drivers unique ID numbers, the software managed to track the habits of drivers and also find out if a driver was working for both Lyft and Uber.
The software was programmed to offer more pickups to drivers working for both companies, and offer incentives to those drivers when they accepted rides in the Uber app.
In March, The New York Times revealed that Uber used secret software called “Greyball” to track local law enforcement who had tried to "clamp down" on the service. Uber would track officials by mapping out where their offices were and targeting the people who most often opened the app.
When one of these identified officials would attempt to use the Uber app, they would be shown a number of cars, which were in fact nonexistent “ghost cars” running on a fake Uber app. If a ride did accidentally pick up one of these passengers, Uber would often call them and ask them to cancel the ride.
In June 2016, Uber rolled out a new update to its app that monitored the speed and other traffic-related factors of its drivers. The feature crunched GPS data from a driver’s phone, turning it into speed information in real time.
This new addition came a year after Uber tested tracking driver actions in Houston. In late 2015, Uber monitored some of the movements of its Houston drivers through a sensor installed on their smartphones. The drivers were unaware of the sensors, which could detect any accelerating or braking.
Friends and familyNot all tracking is bad. In May 2016, Uber launched “Trip Tracker,” which lets someone watch a friend or family member’s trip progress and receive a notification when they arrived at their destination. Trip Tracker is part of Uber’s Family Profile, which lets up to 10 family members share one account.
Upon discovering in early 2015 that Uber's iOS app was “secretly identifying and tagging iPhones even after its app had been deleted and the devices erased,” Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to address the issue.
Uber was using a private software framework called IOKit that gave it access to information on users’ iPhones such as a device’s serial number, which was a breach of its agreement with Apple. Being able to access this information enabled Uber to store serial numbers on its servers, and then see when an app is deleted and reinstalled. However, Uber could not see what the device was doing in between installations.
So, what’s the point then? For example, in China, Uber at the time offered incentives for drivers to sign up new users. The technology ensured that drivers wouldn’t create multiple accounts on one phone, which it was able to detect.
Typically, it’s easy for Apple to detect when an app is using private software, which results in immediate disqualification. However, Uber “geofenced” Apple’s campus, so the private function would not be noticeable within that boundary. After changing its App Store review process, Apple noticed Uber’s scheme, and handled the situation privately.
In 2014, Buzzfeed reporter Johana Bhuiyan rode in an Uber to meet with John Mohrer, a general manager of Uber New York. Upon arriving at the location, Mohrer was waiting for her, sharing with her that he had tracked her using the company’s “God View” tool -- which was only available to certain executives and to be used for “legitimate business purposes.”
“God View” was an internal tool that allowed users to track Uber vehicles and customers who had requested a car.


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In response, the Environmental Audit Committee, chaired by Labour’s Mary Creagh, hit out at the government for ‘rejecting’ what it said was a need to “act urgently to end the era of throwaway fashion”.
In February this year, the Committee published a report in which it called for action to address so-called ‘fast-fashion’ which sees over “a million tonnes of clothes disposed of every year in the UK” (see letsrecycle.com story ).
Recommendations ranged from a landfill and incineration ban for unsold stock to a 1p charge per garment for producers to help fund material collection.
In its official response, the government today ruled out any sort of landfill ban for textiles in favour of more ‘positive approaches’. And, while it noted the 1p ‘levy’ suggestion, it said it would consider extended producer responsibility (EPR) measures for textiles as part of an existing Waste Strategy commitment.
On unsold stock, the government response said that it agrees that the priority for dealing with unsold stock should be reuse and recycling, ahead of incineration and landfilling. “This priority is embedded in the waste hierarchy and legislation is in place to support this. We believe that positive approaches are required to find outlets for waste textiles rather than simply imposing a landfill ban and, as set out in the Resources and Waste Strategy, we are developing a mix of policy measures to support reuse and closed loop recycling.”
Ministers said they would be focusing on continuing to support WRAP’s voluntary Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) and looking at areas such as eco design and eco-labelling.
The government response said: “We will take forward the best mix of policy measures to tackle the environmental impact of textiles, considering voluntary commitments, eco-design product standards, the potential for extended producer responsibility, the provision of better information for consumers on the sustainability of their purchases as through improved product labelling and improving collection systems”.
And the government went on to emphasise its support for SCAP saying it is encouraged by the collective efforts made by SCAP members to date. “The latest SCAP report… shows that between 2012 and 2017 signatories have reduced their water and carbon footprints by 17.7% and 11.9% respectively against a target of 15% per tonne of clothing by 2020, and waste across the product life cycle by 1.1% against a target of 3.5%. More work is required to address waste in the supply chain and SCAP signatories are working on plans to address this, for instance through buying specifications and supplier engagement programmes.”
“Fashion producers should be forced to clear up the mountains of waste they create”
Environmental Audit Committee chair
Commenting on this, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) expressed disappointment that its recommendations had been rejected and that more was not being done.
EAC chair Mary Creagh, said: “Fashion producers should be forced to clear up the mountains of waste they create. The government has rejected our call, demonstrating that it is content to tolerate practices that trash the environment and exploit workers despite having just committed to net zero emission targets.
She added: “The Government is out of step with the public who are shocked by the fact that we are sending 300,000 tonnes of clothes a year to incineration or landfill. Ministers have failed to recognise that urgent action must be taken to change the fast fashion business model which produces cheap clothes that cost the earth.”
According to the EAC, consumption of new clothing is estimated to be higher in the UK than any other European country, at 26.7 kg per capita compared to 16.7 kg in Germany.
The Committee believes that the fashion industry’s current business model is unsustainable, especially with “growing consumption across the world, driving widespread environmental damage”.
On the subject of extended producer responsibility, the EAC said a charge of 1p per garment on producers could raise £35 million for better clothing collection and sorting in the UK.
Responding to this, the government says: “As stated earlier, in our Resources and Waste Strategy we committed to reviewing and consulting on measures such as EPR and product standards for five new waste streams by 2025, with two of these to be completed by 2020.
“One of the waste streams identified is textiles, including at least all clothing, as well as other household and commercial textiles such as bed linen. Although we are not in a position to confirm when each of the five waste streams will be considered, the Committee’s recommendation is noted.”


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The Electric arm of the Hero Group, Hero Electric has introduced its new 'Flash' electric scooter in the country with prices starting at ₹ 19,990 (ex-showroom, Delhi). The new scooter is targeted at first-time electric vehicle users and will address commuting concerns for small distances.
The Hero Flash is powered by a 250 watt electric motor that is coupled with a 48-volt 20 Ah VRLA battery and comes equipped with a complete short-circuit protection. The Flash electric scooter has a claimed range of 65 km per single charge, while it weighs just 87 kg, much lighter than most scooters conventional entry-level scooters on sale at present.
Unlike conventional scooters, the Hero Flash does not need a driving license or vehicle registration to be ridden on public roads. As a result, the model caters to a wider demographic right from teenagers to retired individuals given the ease of commute given the model comes with an automatic transmission.
Commenting on the launch, Hero Electric CEO Global, Sohinder Gill said, With Flash, we are moving further ahead with our vision of making India an electrically mobile nation. It weighs only 87 kilos, helping it score very high on manoeuvrability."
With respect to aesthetics, the Hero Flash electric scooter matches most conventional models in design. The slender design makes it visibly smaller than most scooters while a massive headlamp cluster takes prominence at the front. Hero Electric has equipped the scooter with some decent hardware including magnesium alloy wheels, telescopic front forks and a full-body crash guard. The scooter also comes with a useable under-seat storage compartment.


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Personal income includes the various “factor returns”?wages, salaries, rents, interest, dividends, and proprietors’ income?plus transfer payments that individuals receive from the government. All of these items together constitute the income available to individuals for use in purchasing consumption goods, paying taxes, and saving. Personal income is much superior to GDP as a measure whose variations tell us something about changes in people’s economic well-being as the economy ebbs and flows.
Examining how the components of personal income have changed, however, we see that the recovery so far has been somewhat ambiguous, even apart from its “joblessness.” For example, private wages and salaries, which peaked in the third quarter of 2008 at $5,419 billion and then fell during the next three quarters to $5,129 billion, or by 5.4 percent, regained only a small fraction of their loss and ended the year at an annual rate of $5,179 billion, still 4.4 percent below their previous quarterly peak. It seems unlikely that the current shortfall will be eliminated within the next two years, even if the economy continues to recover steadily. Absent a turnaround in private employment, the prospects for a return to the previous high rate of wage and salary payments seem even less encouraging.
While private wage and salary income was falling, the disbursement of government wages and salaries was ascending. Between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the fourth quarter of 2009, such government payments (at an annual rate) increased from $1,106 billion to $1,189 billion, or by 7.5 percent in just two years.
Anybody surprised that government workers have been benefiting at everyone else’s expense? Higgs continues:
Another such troubling sign has to do with the flow of government transfer payments to individuals, which have increased greatly since the recession’s onset. In the fourth quarter of 2007, they were running at an annual rate of $1,721 billion; by the fourth quarter of 2009, they had reached $2,130, having risen by an astounding 24 percent in just two years. Of course, unemployment insurance payments (a subset of all government transfer payments to individuals) ballooned even faster, increasing from an annual rate of $34 billion in the fourth quarter of 2007 to $127 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009, or by 274 percent. In 2007 as a whole, total government transfers to individuals amounted to 14.2 percent of personal income; late in 2009, they constituted 17.5 percent.
To sum, transfer payments such as food stamps and unemployment benefits were up a whopping 24% in two years, and grew from 14.2% of personal income to 17.5%
As I noted last month, the radical far-left statists at NC Policy Watch had this to say about government transfer payments:
…money spent on food stamps or unemployment directly stimulates the economy because people almost always spend it. That helps create jobs.
I’ll ask again, if food stamps and unemployment benefits create jobs, and such transfer payments are up dramatically in the last two years – where are those jobs?


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4 things holding back IoT, and why success comes through agile adoption
By Amit Midha January 3, 2018
- The APJ region is projected to ‘become the frontline for the Internet of Things’
- However adoption is slowed due to fragmentation of standards
THE Internet of Things (IoT) is set to have a huge impact on the APJ region, but few organisations have been able to find the formula to success – or even envisage what this will look like. However, according to IDC, the APJ region is projected to ‘become the frontline for the Internet of Things’, with 8.6 billion devices connected, and US$583 billion of market opportunity by 2020. For Malaysia, it is forecasted that the initial IoT potential will register RM9.8 billion by 2020, and is expected to experience exponential growth beyond 2020 to reach RM32.7 billion in 2025.
So what do businesses need to do to capitalise on this opportunity?
The reason for this growth is evident in its potential benefits: IoT has the scope to move us from guessing to knowing about our physical world, making our world more intelligent. However, this does not mean that for the organisations that are planning on using IoT, adopting it is an easy feat. There will be some challenges to overcome, which can be addressed by an agile approach.
What is holding back IoT adoption?
Research suggests, whilst enterprises agree that the scope for IoT is promising, they are still in the beginning stages of adoption – 90% are still in the planning phase. So what is causing this delay?
First and foremost: the complexity and fragmentation of the IoT market and its solutions. Angel.co reports that there are over 3,000 IoT startups globally. Navigating through the intricacies of the IoT market is holding enterprises back in the planning phase. Enterprises are often looking for customised and comprehensive solutions, but these are slow to create.
Secondly: there are far too many standards—there are currently over 400 and growing. If you look across different vertical markets, the list grows even more as applications become more niche. This is confusing and time consuming in the research and development phase.
Thirdly: the proliferation of data. More connected devices means more data. Analytics is often created custom in line with specific business needs. For example, in an industrial automation scenario, maintenance alerts and warnings need to be triggered when certain parameters or conditions are met. So planning how to manage the increasing amounts of data takes time to establish.
And finally: security. A report by McKinsey showed the greatest concern about IoT is security. However, many connected devices are currently not designed with security in mind, instead viewed as an add-on after the fact.
Why the right approach is an agile approach
These challenges cannot be resolved overnight, so to navigate these barriers and see the benefits of IoT quicker, organisations should take an agile approach to implementation.
This requires moving quickly out of the planning phase, and choosing a few use cases that solve real problems as proofs of concept. This offers quick evaluation and feedback, targeting high priority issues first. As a report by Deloitte argues: “targeted deployments…reduce initial investment, shorten lead-times to value creation and maximise the value generated”.
The technology used has to allow for faster implementation, and for new projects to develop based on the success of previous projects. Interoperability is the key to achieving this.
IoT initiatives at Saensuk Municipality in Thailand is just one example of the why. They are leveraging IoT solutions for an intelligent eldercare patient monitoring pilot project, achieved by using health monitoring, emergency notification, environment sensing, home monitoring, and tracking for safety. Value is found by connecting the data across these applications and allowing them to interact–value is found in interoperability.
Working with end-to-end solution providers means projects are more likely to offer interoperability in the long term, across edge to core to cloud. Whilst one overarching platform is not available today, seeking solutions that work towards this goal will help implementations come together as you add more use cases.
An open source platform is an important step towards making this possible. EdgeX Foundry, an open source project hosted by the Linux Foundation, is building a common open framework for edge computing with an ecosystem of interoperable components. It offers interoperability across standards, applications and services across a wide range of IoT use cases. Therefore, cautiously evaluating and selecting providers embracing open source will pay off in the long run.
To further accelerate IoT adoption, Dell Technologies recently unveiled a new IoT Division dedicated to helping customers navigate the complex and often fragmented IoT landscape, and is committed to investing US$1 billion in new IoT products, solutions, labs, partner program and ecosystem over the next three years via its venture arm, Dell Technologies Capital.
The reality is that IoT adoption will be a challenge and will have failures along the way. Start small, fail quick, and keep “interoperability” at the core of technology adoption. With this agile approach, IoT projects can speed from a theory to a reality.
Amit Midha is Dell EMC president of commercial APJ


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It's once again time for "How the Trumps Are Profiting Off the Presidency!" This time, we turn to Ivanka, whose businesses appeared to be taking a hit after numerous retailers stopped stocking her clothing and jewelry lines. However, despite the setback from major retailers, Ivanka's sales soared in February―thanks to Kellyanne Conway's questionably ethical endorsement.
On February 9, Donald Trump complained that Nordstrom was treating Ivanka unfairly for dropping her line, claiming poor sales. Which is how business works, something you'd think self-described successful businessman Donald Trump would know. Anyway, Conway defended Ivanka on Fox & Friends, saying of her line "I'm going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody."
According to retailer Lyst, sales of Ivanka's line went up 346% from January to February, going from the site's 550th most popular brand to the 11th, The Washington Post reports. Ivanka Trump brand president Abigail Klem said the beginning of February held "the best performing weeks in the history of the brand."
Conway's endorsement was seen by many as a violation of ethics, as federal rules specifically prohibit the use of public office for personal gain "for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity." However, given that Ivanka has no official title in the White House, it's murky as to whether those rules apply to her. White House Deputy Counsel Stefan Passantino later said Conway "inadvertently" promoted Ivanka, a reminder that ethics rules only matter if you intend to break them.
Lyst says Ivanka's sales are going down again after the PR boost, and more and more retailers have been dropping her brand. Because why carry such a controversial brand when you can get black pumps and shift dresses literally anywhere else?


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(Yicai Global) Sept. 14 -- Jong Ie Nara set up Shanghai Zhezhile Stationery in Shanghai in recent years to strengthen its marketing in China. It expects to increase its sales channels in China and thus expand its business in the country's stationery market by displaying at the China International Import Expo.
Jong Ie Nara was founded forty-six years ago in the central city of Chungju and became a highly popular stationery brand with the longest history in South Korea. Its name means 'world of paper.' It produces origami paper, glue sticks and other products. Its sales volume in China made up about 20 percent of its total sales last year. China is thus its second-largest and most important market after South Korea.
Jong Ie Nara now wants to expand in China. The CIIE is one of the major commercial events in China and has attracted great attention both there and in South Korea, said Jun Ho Kim, general manager of Jong Ie Nara's Shanghai branch. The company will display origami paper, glue sticks and other products which are bestselling among parents in South Korea as well as its glue sticks which are popular in China at the expo.
Jun Ho Kim hopes to widen Jong Ie Nara's limited sales channels both online and offline and buff the appeal of its products to more Chinese consumers.
Kim also wants to introduce South Korea's origami culture to China and the whole world via the CIIE, and hopes the trade fair can stand as a platform for China-South Korea cultural exchanges.
Editor: Ben Armour


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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has confirmed that four of the platform’s top executives are exiting the company. VP of media Katie Stanton, VP of product Kevin Weil, VP of engineering Alex Roetter and HR head Brian Schipper are departing from the micro blogging site.
“I’m sad to announce that Alex Roetter, Skip Schipper, Katie Stanton, and Kevin Weil have chosen to leave the company. Alex and Kevin, both here over five years, scaled the ads product and engineering teams from producing near-zero revenue to the over-$2 billion run rate it is today…”
wrote Dorsey in his tweet.


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iPhoneForums.Net News Team
- Jun 18, 2010
- Reaction score
Steve Jobs has replied in typically succinct, yet informative, fashion to an email from a customer who wanted to know when the slowdown issues that some iPhone 3G owners have experienced since installing iOS 4 would be addressed. Apple had already previously confirmed that it was investigating the matter, now it looks like help could be on the way for all you slowdown sufferers in the near future. Heres the email exchange in full, courtesy of MacRumors :
Customer: I've waited patiently through 4.0.1 and 4.0.2, looking for a fix that will make my phone work again. I've read the forums that advise me to jailbreak my phone or use some other method so I can downgrade back to a version of iPhone 3, however I'm not prepared to use a method that is not supported by Apple.
Steve Jobs: Software update coming soon.
Sent from my iPhone.
MacRumors concludes that Jobs is probably referring to iOS 4.1, which is currently undergoing testing, with the betas apparently already greatly improving the speed of performance on iPhone 3Gs.


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Hyundai, Kia Busted for Overstating Fuel Economy Claims after EPA Probe
November 2, 2012 8:25 AM
Revised Numbers from Hyundai
Millions to be paid out to owners over misleading claims
Back in December of 2011,
called on the EPA to investigate Hyundai over its fuel economy claims. According to Consumer Watchdog, Hyundai claimed that its Elantra was good for 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on highway. The problem the organization had with the claims is that it received a higher than usual number of complaints that real-world mileage was in the mid-20 mpg range.
The EPA did investigate Hyundai for misleading mileage claims as well as Kia, and changes in fuel economy estimates are coming as a result of the investigation. Both Kia and Hyundai will be lowering the fuel economy estimates on the majority of their 2012 to 2013 models after EPA testing discovered discrepancies between its data and the company's data.
Hyundai and Kia admitted to overstating the estimated fuel economy on window stickers of about 900,000 vehicles sold since late 2010. The two automakers will reportedly spend millions of dollars to compensate owners for faulty claims of economy.
Hyundai will also have to retract its widely used claim that it leads the industry with four vehicle models able to get 40 mpg on the highway. That statement will be retracted because estimated highway economy on the 2013 Accent, Veloster, and Elantra are being reduced to below 40 mpg.
Some of the biggest losers include the Hyundai Accent and the all-new, redesigned 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The Accent saw its 30/40/33 (city/highway/combined) rating drop to 28/37/31. The Santa Fe Sport (2WD) saw a huge drop in its highway rating, going from 21/31/25 (city/highway/combined) to 20/27/23.
Many of the mileage adjustments take Hyundai models from being class leaders to either middle-of-the-pack or lower.
On the Kia side of things, the Soul took the biggest hit as it saw its highway numbers drop by 6 mpg (35 mpg highway to 29 mpg highway).
Overstating fuel efficiency is a significant blunder by the two car companies because gas prices are up, and many people are shopping based on fuel economy claims by the manufacturer. The EPA notes that window sticker values have previously been reduced on only two vehicles sense 2000, so that makes Hyundai’s folly even more egregious.
"Given the importance of fuel efficiency to all of us, we're extremely sorry about these errors," said Hyundai Motor America President and CEO John Krafcik. "We're going to make this right."
Krafcik blamed the inaccurate fuel efficiency claims on "procedural errors" in the fuel-economy testing methodology the company used. Hyundai-Kia's combined fleetwide fuel economy average declined from 27 MPG to 26 mpg for the 2012 model year working out to about a 3% reduction.
Krafcik added, "We've identified the source of the discrepancies between our prior testing method and the EPA's recommended approach."
"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer
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If you happened to find yourself scouring the internet in search of an Intex inflatable pool last spring, only to come up empty-handed, you had company. According to Sabeena Hickman, the president and chief executive of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, pool sales skyrocketed as Americans faced a quarantined season at home.
Based on permit numbers, 94,000 new in-ground residential pools will be built by the close of 2020, an increase of almost 21 percent from 2019. (The demand for hot tubs is more appreciable: Numbers are up 400 percent this year from last, according to Ms. Hickman, and tubs are largely backlogged six months.)
A dearth of conventional pools has brought a new type of soaking apparatus to the forefront, aided by social media: the stock tank pool. Crafted from a galvanized metal tank traditionally used as a feed trough for farm animals, a stock tank pool can be assembled in a day with a few D.I.Y. items that can be found at most hardware stores. With cooler weather approaching, and states headed toward probable lockdowns, some water lovers are opting for the next best thing: the make-your-own hot tub.
According to Ben Uyeda, the designer and co-founder of HomeMade Modern, an online design source that publishes instructions for home furnishings and projects, the D.I.Y. hot tub moment has definitely arrived. Mr. Uyeda’s videos detailing how to make your own hot tub have received millions of views. His first video featured a wood-burning heater, and his second, more user-friendly iteration included a heater made out of a propane tank.
“Every time we’ve done a hot tub-related project like this — in a scrappy vein — the thumbnails for it have just generated massive amounts of clicks,” he said.
The popularity of the hot tub videos reflects both the zeitgeist and this particular moment of the pandemic, Mr. Uyeda said. “You start with the essentials, and then you add things for efficiency.” He said that people are now more likely to take up D.I.Y. projects that are lifestyle upgrades, unlike early in the pandemic, when they sought remedies for immediate problems.
For Andrew Rowland, 30, and Caitlin Wallace-Rowland, 29, who live in New Orleans, the recent addition of a stock tank hot tub was a luxury that followed a long list of home renovations. “We kind of renovated our entire front and backyards, and then we were sort of running out of activities,” Ms. Wallace-Rowland said. After taking numerous weekend trips to the Mississippi coast so that their 2-year-old daughter, Laurel, could swim, they decided a pool was the next project to tackle.
In September, they fashioned what is now their hot tub out of a galvanized stock tank, with a heating apparatus configured from a propane tank. Ms. Wallace-Rowland, an artist and textile designer, planned where the pool would go and designed a landscaping scheme for it. Mr. Rowland, a director of system operations for a charter school, assumed the task of building the actual tub, which he described as “a very peaceful install.” The result is a tub that suits their petite yard and allows for year-round enjoyment.
Sara Haddox, 34, installed a stock tank hot tub at her home in Llano, Tex., which she largely rents out on Airbnb, in September, as well. “My husband went on a big hunting trip, and while he was gone, I was bored, so I decided to go ahead and bring the hot tub idea to life,” Ms. Haddox said.
Calling upon her degree in construction science, Ms. Haddox, who manages her family’s rental property, created an insulated stock tank hot tub with an electric heater (rather than a propane one) so that it reaches a higher temperature and stays hotter for a longer time.
Her initial inspiration, she said, came from Pinterest and Instagram, where people had posted photos of stock tank tubs in stunning settings. “I just loved these shots of these, like, isolated tubs, where you could just, you know, be in nature and just see forever and just enjoy being outside in a new way,” she said. “Those pictures really sunk in.”
She had considered building a tub for several years, she said, but the events of 2020 forced her hand. The result is a tub that has drawn attention to her family’s Airbnb, which appears on Instagram as @houseonthellano. Although visitors may not be able to enjoy the nearby ice-cold Llano River in winter, or the city’s restaurants and museums, they can enjoy the property’s fire pit and, now, its winter-friendly hot tub.
“We needed to offer a more complete vacation package,” Ms. Haddox said. Her homemade hot tub helped.
A hot tub began as a hot weather pool project for E. Spencer Schubert. A sculptor in Kansas City, Mo., Mr. Schubert, 43, decided to add a stock tank pool to his property at the start of the pandemic as a way to make up for his family’s lost summer. He and his wife, Ryann, 42, rented an excavator and installed an eight-foot stock tank swimming pool with surrounding decking. As for converting the pool into a hot tub, that was “just the next iteration,” Mr. Schubert said.
The stock tank is now heated with a propane heater, and Mr. Schubert has converted the yard into a multi-season oasis, with a fire pit and “circus lights.” “During the reasonable temperature part of the year, the place of the house that we use the most is the backyard,” he said.
Although the temperature of the tub reaches about 90 degrees, Mr. Schubert said that Missouri’s cold winters will likely limit their use of it in February. Nonetheless, the D.I.Y. hot tub will lengthen the life of the Schubert family’s pool season.
E. Spencer Schubert’s stock tank pool.
The stock tank pool rose in popularity early in the pandemic, said Jovana Johnson and Janice Luna, the owners of H20 Tank Avenue in Santa Clarita, Calif., which delivers stock tanks to customers in that state, Arizona and Nevada. When they started their company in May, Ms. Johnson and Ms. Luna immediately sold all of the 27 tanks they had ordered.
“We said: ‘OK, you know what? I think we’re going to order another set of tanks, but this time we were going to go distributor status,’” Ms. Johnson said. She and Ms. Luna placed their second order for 150 stock tanks, many of which sold on pre-order via Instagram.
Now that the season has changed, they see potential in the market for tubs with heating options and have added a “tankuzzi” service as a way to extend the stock pool season. They sell a tankless, propane heater that increases the temperature of the water to 105 degrees.
“We’re fortunate here in Southern California to have very mild winters,” Ms. Luna said, which she said allows customers to use their pools and tubs all year long.
Ms. Johnson pointed out that a stock tank hot tub is flexible. (“If you decide to move, you can take it with you,” she said.) A traditional hot tub can weigh over a ton and often gets left behind in a move. The aesthetic of the stock tank hot tub has developed its own unique following, too.
“It’s just a chic look,” Ms. Johnson said.
As for the rolling-up-the-shirt sleeves nature of the stock tank hot tub, Mr. Uyeda insists that building it yourself is part of the point. “It’s a homemade everything moment,” he said.


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OAK BROOK, IL -- McDonald’s Corp., reeling from an industry wide restaurant slump and slowing growth from its all-day breakfast push, is looking to beverages to help perk up the business.
Also read, Consumer Groups Petition Fast Food Chains to Reduce Antibiotic Use.
The world’s biggest food-service company, which last year focused its advertising on cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches, plans to offer $1 sodas and $2 McCafe specialty drinks across the U.S. It’s turning to higher-margin beverages at a time when cheap grocery prices are prodding more Americans to eat at home. The drink promotion may also help McDonald’s cope with the eventual rebound in food costs.
McDonald’s has been revamping its menu and marketing since Steve Easterbrook took the helm almost two years ago. Along with the introduction of all-day breakfast, Easterbrook has relied more on discounts and promotions across the country. Last year, the chain advertised two-for-$2 and two-for-$5 deals to bring back diners they’d lost after nixing its popular Dollar Menu.
McDonald’s leads a $228 billion U.S. fast-food industry that faces slackening growth. After increasing 2.4 percent last year, revenue gains will slow to 1.5 percent this year and 1.6 percent in 2018, data from researcher IBISWorld show. McDonald’s shares have gained 5 percent this year, about the same as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Restaurants Index.
“Demand has been a little weak,” said Jack Russo, analyst at Edward D. Jones & Co. “A lot of these guys think they’ve got to keep promoting to keep people coming in the door.”
The McDonald’s promotion, which starts in April, will include soft drinks of any size for $1. For a limited time, customers can also buy small McCafe beverages such as smoothies and frappes for $2. At stores in Chicago on Tuesday, small McCafe frappes sold for between $2.69 and $3.09. The chain plans to support the rollout with national advertising.
The strategy aims to create “noticeable changes” for customers, said Adam Salgado, vice president of U.S. marketing at Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald’s. “It’s adding another layer of great value for customers with more choices.”
The shift from food to drink may reflect a changing environment. Over the past several years, profits have been helped by cheaper commodity prices. But that may not last much longer: The consumer-price index rose a larger-than-forecast 0.6 percent in January, the most in almost four years, Labor Department figures show.
Snack maker PepsiCo Inc. said on a Feb. 15 conference call that it expects commodity inflation to accelerate this year. Potbelly Corp., a U.S. sandwich chain, also warned about rising costs. Advertising drinks, which typically have higher profit margins than food, is easier on the bottom line.
Beverages are “some of the highest-margin products, so they can probably afford to do it,” said Peter Saleh, an analyst at BTIG LLC. Gross margins for drinks can be as high as about 90 percent, while food is usually about 65 percent to 70 percent, Saleh said.
McDonald’s competitors are making their own overtures toward budget-minded diners. Wendy’s Co. is continuing its four-for-$4 meal deal, which includes a cheeseburger, nuggets, fries and a drink. Starbucks Corp. and Dunkin’ Donuts, meanwhile, both have rewards programs that lock customers in with free and discounted beverages and food.
Fast-food customers always are looking for a deal, Salgado said.
“We know that there are budget-conscious consumers out there,” he said. “Value will always be a part of our strategy.”
SOURCE Leslie Patton, Bloomberg
News & Updates
Stay informed with the latest news around foodservice, agriculture and other related food news.


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What started in 2010 as a funky gringo taco joint on Greenville Avenue is now poised to spread tacos across the globe. It’s too bad founder Rusty Fenton is not here to see the success of his little baby. Fenton passed away in June 2013.
Today, Buffalo Wild Wings made a majority investment in Rusty Taco. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Currently there are nine locations: two company-owned restaurants and seven franchised locations in three markets (Dallas, Denver, and Minneapolis/St. Paul). In a press release, Rusty Taco CEO Steve Dunn says, “Our co-founder, Rusty Fenton, always said, ‘Tacos are the most important meal of the day’ and we truly live that every day by providing our guests with the freshest ingredients and authentic tasting tacos at an affordable price.”


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With the Game Awards taking place today, December 10, the anticipation for big and exciting surprises is at its peak. Microsoft has been teasing some Xbox announcements taking place at the show but has begun tempering expectations based on reactions.
Aaron Greenberg, general manager of Xbox marketing, has warned fans that many of their predictions about what could be announced have far exceeded reality. Greenberg has maintained that the announcements are exciting, but for everyone to just think a bit smaller.
You will see us & our social handles promoting tune-in for @thegameawards tomorrow. We hope you support the industry & watch. While we have a couple moments in the show, I would dial expectations way down versus speculation I am seeing, especially how big we went last year!
— Aaron Greenberg 🙅🏼♂💚U (@aarongreenberg) December 9, 2020
Microsoft used the Game Awards last year to announce the Xbox Series X, which was easily the biggest surprise of the show. It’s unlikely that anything the company has planned for today could top that, especially with Halo Infinite confirmed to be skipping the event. Xbox’s shooter exclusive recently got a confirmed Fall 2021 release window along with a minor update on progress since the delay earlier this year.
One such rumor has suggested that a new Forza Horizon entry will be announced at the show. While not explicitly denying it, the official Twitter account for the game has also downplayed some involvement with tonight’s proceedings, even shooting down the suggestion that a small crossover with Cyberpunk 2077 might be revealed for Forza Horizon 4.
Microsoft has a lot to still divulge with regards to all the new studios it has acquired over the past year and big projects from in-house studios like The Initiative. Make sure to check out what to expect from The Game Awards and how to watch it with our guide here to not miss a second of it.


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Dealerships in a growing number of states---including New York, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania---are petitioning to have themselves declared “essential” businesses so they can stay open despite “stay-home” orders aimed at limiting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s a fast-changing situation, but in recent days some state and local officials are making a greater distinction between dealership service and parts operations, which are more likely to be considered “essential,” vs. the sales department, which in some states may need to be put on reduced operations or even possibly closed.
“The question of whether the state considers dealers as essential or non-essential has frustrated and confused many,” the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Assn. said in a bulletin to its members.
In a March 20 update to its members, the New York City-based association said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced “employees involved in auto repairs, supply/parts and body shop operations are considered essential workers.”
That makes those employees exempt from a state mandate to reduce employee attendance, aimed at maintaining a safe distance between workers, the association said.
But “the governor did not identify dealerships' sales departments as essential,” the association said. That means, “those departments will have to be reduced by 75%.”
The same reasoning applies to dealership accounting and payroll employees. Those that support service and parts are “essential,” according to the association. Those that support the sales department aren’t.
The city and county of San Francisco kicked off this discussion, with a shelter-in-place order on March 16, which apparently exempted dealerships---specifically, “gas stations and auto-supply, auto-repair and related facilities.”
The National Automobile Dealers Assn. and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation cited the San Francisco order exempting dealerships as an example they would like the federal government to follow.


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Apple Inc. is facing further headaches in China with a regulator now saying it will strengthen its oversight of the company's consumer-rights practices, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The announcement by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce follows continued attacks by state-controlled media against Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).
The government-controlled People's Daily has run articles criticizing Apple's warranty policies for its iPhone and computers.
Apple is among other foreign companies that have seen increased criticism from Chinese media in the past year.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal.


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The latest news on marketing
Deceptive advertising? Products promise health benefits that are inflated or not supported by science.
Greatest ad campaign ever.
Using likes of Shrek and Dora to market treats should be banned, researcher says
Former food exec Hank Cardello says it’s possible for companies to make money and promote health.
Two commercial diet programs are fighting over ad claims. But ignore the ads when you pick a program.
Enough about the kids. The over-35 crowd is where the online sales are, research shows.
A great product and inviting customer experience is essential to building a steady stream of referrals.
Obama said the flyover was a mistake and the staffer responsible resigned.
Carrie Prejean has signed with the publicity firm that represents Rick Warren.
It's tempting to answer a competitor's ad campaign, but stick to what makes you unique.


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gamescom 2020 making plans to go digital
Organizers say the show will go on, even if not in physical form
The gamescom organisers have announced plans to host this year's show, even if there are physical restrictions.
Koelnmesse and game – the German Games Industry Association jointly announced that gamescom will definitely take place at least in a digital format from 25 to 29 August. They say it will not be postponed. The same goes for the devcom developer conference (22 to 24 August), which starts off gamescom week.
Planned measures have been announced in light of the corona crisis. Existing digital formats such as gamescom: Opening Night Live and gamescom now will be significantly expanded and new modules added.
An evaluation will be made in mid-May as to how gamescom can also take place on-site in Cologne. If an on-site event is possible, there will also be more information at that stage with regard to which changes need to be made in order to fully ensure the health of all visitors. This has been arranged with the largest exhibitors, therefore all gamescom plans are continuing at full speed.
At the same time, the organisers ensure that visitors will receive a refund for already paid tickets and exhibitors will be reimbursed in full for payments made to Koelnmesse if gamescom or devcom cannot take place on location in Cologne by official order. Further information on the digital formats will be announced in the coming months.
Earlier this year, the industry saw the cancellation of GDC 2020, and E3 2020.
Wasteland 3 delayed


text: Quick, what's going to be the hottest tech gadget this holiday shopping season? If you didn't say the iPad, you haven't been paying attention over the last six months.Consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers about their plans for the holiday spending spree, as well as top picks on their wish list, and released the results today. The iPad or tablet ranked highest, followed by a laptop, HDTV set, Kindle or e-reader, and an iPod or MP3 player."Unless Android gets it together in the tablet department, Apple could have a very good holiday season," Andrew Eisner, Retrevo's director of community and content, in his blog.At the head of the pack of tech-gadget consumers is a young guy who already has an iPhone, according to the survey. That is, 70 percent of consumers age 18 to 34 plan to buy an electronic gadget, followed by 53 percent age 35-54, and 31 percent age 55 and up.On the gender gap, 65 percent of men will buy an electronic gadget compared to 52 percent of women. Meanwhile, 83 percent of iPhone owners will add to their collection of gadgets this year.Apparently, high unemployment and a tight-fisted economy won't dampen consumer appetite for tech gadgets, according to Retrevo. Dollars spent on gadgets will likely come out of the travel budget. Retrevo's survey found that 16 percent of respondents said they will spend more on electronics this year, while 28 percent said they will spend less on travel. Tom Kaneshige covers Apple and Networking for CIO.com. Follow Tom on Twitter @kaneshige. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter @CIOonline. Email Tom at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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February 17, 2011
A 2010 Window & Door Dealer of the Year, General Millwork Supply Inc., is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2011. One way it is marking the occasion is with the launch of a new Web site.
"General Millwork is emerging from the economic turndown in a strong position because we have remained focused on our core values: relationships with suppliers, collaboration with our professional... more »
February 3, 2011
K.C. Co., a Beltsville, Md., based dealer and distributor for Pella Windows & Doors, is celebrating its 80th year serving homeowners, builders, commercial general contractors, remodeling contractors and architects in the Mid-Atlantic area. Since James A. Cassidy started the business in 1931, offering just a few lines of commercial products, the organization has built a reputation for... more »
February 3, 2011
In 2011, Simonton Windows is marking its 65th anniversary, and according to Mark Savan, president, the Parkersburg, W.Va.-based vinyl window manufacturer will be emphasizing its capabilities to meet homeowner needs for aesthetically-pleasing windows that also offer high levels of energy efficiency.
“The advances in technology over the past 65 years have dramatically increased the... more »
February 1, 2011
Intek Plastics Inc. reports it has reduced its energy consumption by 17 percent in the first year of its Joint Energy Efficiency Plan, a four-year effort developed in cooperation with Xcel Energy. Intek’s goal is a 25 percent reduction, or 1.5 million kilowatt hours, by 2014.
With its efforts in 2010 alone, the extruder of custom plastic products, including window and door components, has... more »
December 13, 2010
Veka Inc. recently organized four charity events for its employees in Fombell, Pa.; Reno, Nev.; and Terrell, Texas. With the Veka Gives Back program, the extruder set aside one week for voluntary collections of donations for three charities, and also hosted an American Red Cross Blood Drive for one day at its facilities.
As a result of the efforts, Veka collected over 3,000 items for... more »
December 7, 2010
Eager to assist a good cause, employees from Edgetech I.G. and its and sister company LMI Custom Mixing recently held a drive that resulted in the collection of 5,000 books, along with additional supplies, for children on the Caribbean island of Grenada. The drive was spurred by a relative of an Edgetech employee living in the area, who recognized a need to provide books and supplies to the... more »
November 2, 2010
Jeld-Wen Inc. has been honored with The Home Depot’s annual “Partner of the Year” award for the retailer’s millwork division. The window and door manufacturer has been a supplier to the building products giant for more than seven years.
“The Home Depot is one of the most recognized brands in the world and it’s an honor to be selected Partner of the Year,... more »
October 20, 2010
The employees of Sunrise Windows in Temperance, Mich., recently joined together to make a significant donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, “the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists,” according to the organization’s Web site. The effort was held on October 8 as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
"Passionately Pink... more »
October 18, 2010
The Asian Pacific American Legal Center recently presented its 2010 Public Service Award to Walter and Shirley Wang in honor of their efforts to support and promote the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in China, Africa and the U.S.
Shirley Wang is CEO of Plastpro Inc., the fiberglass door manufacturer. Walter Wang, her husband, is CEO of JM Eagle, the producer of plastic... more »
October 18, 2010
More than 300 Simonton Windows employees collectively lost 1,470 pounds during the six-week Simonton Summer Challenge. More than 150 teams of two employees each from the manufacturer's facilities in West Virginia, Illinois, Oklahoma and California competed, with the winning team, “Tons of Fun,” losing a combined 49 pounds by cutting out cheeseburgers, embracing exercising and... more »


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The life of a professional athlete is pretty darn good. Average salaries have never been higher and are continuing to climb. Athletes with business acumen can work with brands to help elevate their portfolios even further. And that opens up a whole new way to earn.
Looking at the players from the Forbes' highest-paid athletes list, there are several that make more than half of their earnings in areas besides their sport. In fact, Usain Bolt made $31 million over the past year despite retiring in 2017.
These numbers are just from the past year and they point to a trend with professional athletes. Sure, you can sign hefty contracts, but those are usually capped. The potential for earning big money really comes from endorsement deals – which can be as high as the sky. Check out these top seven endorsement earners below.
LeBron James – $85.5 million in total earnings
LeBron nearly took home nine figures over the past year. Even with a max contract at $33.5 million, his on-court income with the Lakers made up just 39 percent of his total earnings. Maybe that's for the best – though he passed Michael Jordan for fourth on the all-time scoring list, the Lakers missed the playoffs. It's the first time in a decade and a half LeBron found himself on the outside looking in during the postseason.
But that didn't stop LeBron from being a savvy businessman. The companies he founded continue to thrive, including Uninterrupted (multimedia) and Spring Hill Entertainment (production). He also has stakes in Blaze Pizza and Liverpool F.C. That's on top of his endorsement deals from Nike, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, and Kia Motors.
Perhaps the most important move he made this offseason, though, was finally starting production on Space Jam 2. The original made $230 million worldwide at the box office and more than $1 billion in merchandise sales.
Roger Federer – $77.2 million in total earnings
Tennis players can make a good chunk of change on the court, though their earnings often pale in comparison to other athletes. Federer took home an impressive $12.2 million en route to winning his 20th Grand Slam. That's more than any other men's player in history.
Off the court, Federer signed a massive deal with Japanese clothing company Uniqlo, worth a reported $300 million over ten years. He also added pasta brand Barilla to his extensive portfolio, which includes deals with Credit Suisse, Mercedes, Rolex, Wilson, Jura, and Lindt, among others.
Steph Curry – $76.9 million in total earnings
In 2017, Curry signed what was, at the time, the largest contract in NBA history. The five-year deal will pay Curry $201 million throughout its duration, including $34.9 million this past season. But the two-time All-Star still makes plenty of money thanks to his long list of endorsements and business ventures.
Curry has deals with Under Armour, Chase Bank, JBL, Nissan/Infiniti, and Vivo. Like LeBron, he also has a production company – Curry's is called Unanimous Media. Last year, the company agreed to a deal with Sony Pictures. This year, Curry debuted Holey Moley, a new reality show that showcases the sharpshooter's love of golf.
Kevin Durant – $57.3 million in total earnings
Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2016, winning two titles and two Finals MVPs over the next three seasons. He also took pay cuts to remain in the Bay, bringing home a salary of $25.3 million this past season. His time as a Warrior ended poorly – he missed nine games and immediately tore his Achilles in his first game back. He'll likely miss all of next season, which is a huge bummer.
Don't feel too bad for Durant financially, though. His presence in Silicon Valley has led to the Durant Company forming alongside his business partner Rich Kleiman. Durant's company has more than 30 investments, and he's also partnered with Nike, Beats by Dre, Panini, and American Airlines.
Tiger Woods – $47.7 million in total earnings
Woods is no longer an unstoppable force on the golf course, but he's still made plenty of money. His on-the-course earnings include a huge win during the Masters; it was Woods' first major win in 11 years. That's a good story, of course, but it only made up for a small portion of Woods' earnings.
Woods made 97 percent of his money this past year through endorsements. With 15 major wins now under his belt, Woods is grateful for companies like Nike, TaylorMade, Bridgestone, and Monster Energy. They've all helped keep his pockets full when the golfer's play wasn't at its best.
Rafael Nadal – $41.4 million in total earnings
If someone named a random year this century and told you to guess who won the French Open during that year, you could guess Rafael Nadal and you'd probably be correct. Nadal has won an amazing 12 French Open titles. His 18 major championships are second only to Federer, so perhaps it's no surprise that they're also first and second in earnings.
Nadal has counted Kia Motors as a sponsor since 2006. He also has endorsement deals with Nike, Telefonica, Babolat, and Richard Mille. All those deals combined to make up 65 percent of Nadal's earnings over the past year.
Phil Mickelson – $41.3 million in total earnings
Mickelson and Woods squared off in a one-on-one match last Thanksgiving, winning $9 million in what was dubbed "The Match." Lefty also won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this March, his 44th career title on the PGA tour.
Mickelson has plenty of partnerships with companies, including Rolex, ExxonMobil, Amgen, Greenbrier, and Intrepid Financial Partners.
Perhaps Mickelson's most famous endorsement deal is with Mizzen + Main, a clothing company. Mickelson, never the one to shy away from risk, starred in a bizarre video for the brand, and…well, it was a hit. A good reminder that sometimes you gotta think outside the box to make good money.


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India vs Pakistan World Cup match has triggered a massive jump in the popularity of fantasy cricket “First Captains” at Paytm First Games. It has led to 3x growth in the number of players during the match on June 16th and is poised to cross 1 million new users during the Cricket World Cup 2019.
With the growing popularity of cricket on Paytm First Games, it is well positioned to dominate the gaming market and challenge the existing players like Dream 11. The company said in its statement that “Within a year of launch, Paytm First Games has 30 million registered users. It offers more than 300 engaging games including the popular ones like fantasy, rummy, battle center, 8 ball pool, ludo, and live quiz.”
Sudhanshu Gupta, COO, Paytm First Games said, “The World Cup has generated a phenomenal uplift in our cricket fantasy game called First Captains. We have a robust line up of innovations and product enhancements that we have released every week during the world cup and will continue to engage and excite our users in the weeks and cricketing seasons to come. The average user is creating atleast 2.5 teams per match with one-fifth of the users creating more than 5 teams to compete in the different formats. There’s also been a very positive response to the casual play along and predictor that we’ve added alongside the basic format of fantasy. ”


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Thursday, 7 September, 2023
FAA Approves UPS Delivery Drones for Amazon Prime Air Expansion
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted approval for UPS to deploy its delivery drones, marking a significant development in the expansion of Amazon Prime Air. This move will enable Amazon to utilize UPS drones for package delivery services, enhancing the efficiency and reach of its delivery network. The FAA's decision reflects a growing trend in the use of drones for commercial delivery purposes, paving the way for innovative logistics solutions in the future.


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Last week the creative minds behind PaRappa the Rapper and Gitaroo Man revealed a mysterious new collaboration — and today they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the game to life. Tentatively titled Project Rap Rabbit, the rhythm game is coming to both PlayStation 4 and PC, and will be a joint effort between Masaya Matsuura’s NanaOn-Sha studio and Keiichi Yano’s iNiS. The creators are looking to raise £855,000 (around $1.1 million) to fund development.
The story-driven music game stars a young rabbit named Toto-Maru, as he travels through a world that combines historical Japan with sci-fi elements, using the power of rap to bring peace. Yano describes it as “a brand-new type of rhythm-action game that fuses elements from our past titles with mechanics fresh to music gaming.”
Based on early screenshots, the game looks similar to PaRappa, with players hitting buttons in time to the music. The big difference is that you’ll have more choice over what lyrics you rap, and this, in turn, will influence how the story plays out. “Different paths through each battle will unlock bespoke bonuses and outcomes,” explains Yano. “It’s a system that draws inspiration from the dialogue wheels of Mass Effect and Fallout 4, as well as the classic call-and-response gameplay established two decades ago in PaRappa The Rapper.”
Project Rap Rabbit looks to be fairly early in development, with a planned release for summer 2018. It’s also potentially the start of something much bigger. “We hope to make it the first installment of our return to story-driven music adventures,” says Yano.


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Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has signed a channel distribution deal with Amazon, which will make Nickelodeon Japan and MTV MIX available on Amazon Prime Video Channels from July 3. Amazon Prime members can access the channels when they register on Prime Video Channels, a new service that launched on 14 June.
The rollout of Nickelodeon Japan and MTV MIX on Amazon Prime follows their launch last year in Japan. Both are available in Japan only on OTT platforms. Commenting, Mark Whitehead, president and managing director, Asia Pacific, VIMN said: “OTT video services, like Amazon Prime Video, represent an exciting growth path for our brands in a mature subscription TV market like Japan. It speaks to the ongoing connection between our brands and viewers that both channels are now available across three OTT platforms in Japan.”
Nickelodeon Japan will offer Amazon Prime members a range of popular Nickelodeon animation titles and the documentary special – JoJo Siwa: My World. MTV MIX, meanwhile, will offer fans a curated 24/7 international music and entertainment experience.
Red Bull TV launches on Toshiba TVs digitaltveurope.com/2021/10/19/red… https://t.co/z0UZm4Ls9a
19 October 2021 @ 16:30:00 UTC


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Sony Music Entertainment ( SME ) posted a nearly 33 percent year-over-year increase in revenue (in addition to a 13.26 percent quarter-on-quarter increase when accounting for recording and publishing only) in the three months ending Sept. 30 , according to a recently published results report.
The Big Three label’s Q3 2022 (and Q2 FY2022) showing emerged in a performance breakdown from parent Sony Group. According to the analysis, the conglomerate’s music segment generated ¥359.32 billion (about $2.42 billion at today’s exchange rates) during the three-month stretch.
As usual, the lion’s share of revenue (¥356.93 billion/$2.41 billion) is attributed to external customers, while the remaining ¥2.39 billion ($16.13 million) derives from intersegment sales to various divisions of the Sony Group.
Also in line with Sony’s previous earnings reports, music’s total revenue includes contributions (¥59.48 billion/$401.19 million this time) from “visual media and platform” or “production and distribution of animation titles and game applications, and various service offerings for music and visual products.”
Regardless, the aforementioned ¥356.93 billion/$2.41 billion in music revenue represents a 32.91 percent improvement from the third quarter of 2021, and the total derived solely from recorded music and publishing, ¥297.45 billion (2.01 billion dollars), reflecting a remarkable jump of 46.09 percent. from the same period in 2021.
(In addition to the increase in streaming subscription revenue described below, management highlighted the “impact of exchange rates” when explaining SMB’s strengthened sales and operating income in the third quarter, the latter of which is said to have benefited from ¥5.7 billion/38, $45 million payment from “dispute settlements received in relation to lawsuits.”)
Predictably, continued streaming growth drove a large portion of the gain, to a 34.10 percent year-over-year increase in registered music revenue in the category, to ¥151.93 billion ($1.02 billion). Executives took the opportunity to highlight that “an average of 48 of our songs ranked in the top 100 songs in Spotify’s weekly global music rankings for the first half of the current financial year,” compared to an average of 36 throughout the previous financial year.
Still, Sony Music managed to improve “other” recorded music revenue, which includes physical sales, by 67.50 percent from Q3 2021, the document shows, and the period has delivered about ¥72.03 billion ($485.70 million) in the category.
But revenue resulting specifically from CDs, vinyl and other physical products, despite growing 20.24 percent year over year, fell on a quarterly basis to 24.35 billion yen ($164.28 million), the report showed . However, Sony Music Entertainment’s download revenue (¥14.14 billion/$95.39 million) more than doubled from Q3 2021 and almost flat from Q2 2022.
Rounding out the “other” category is ¥33.55 billion ($226.34 million) from synchronization and public performance licensing as well as merchandise; the number also more than doubled from Q3 2021 and improved by 23.03 per cent from the previous quarter.
In addition, Sony Music Publishing is said to have achieved a revenue increase of 55.34 percent year-on-year during the third quarter of 2022 by pulling down ¥73.49 billion ($495.44 million). Within the publishing total, streaming rose 26.23 percent QoQ to ¥42.19 billion ($284.52 million), per breakdown.
Sony Music’s top-selling projects (by revenue) for Q3 2022 include Beyonce’s Renaissanceharry styles’ Harry’s houseof the future I never liked youand Doja Cat’s Her planet, respectively. Looking ahead to the rest of the fiscal year (which ends March 31), management raised its annual sales guidance for the music segment to ¥1.37 trillion ($9.24 billion), in addition to raising its operating income forecast to ¥265 billion ($1.79 billion dollars).


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The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price has been garnering a lot of attention lately. It could be because this share climbed to yet another new record high last week of $70. It could be because this company’s share price has appreciated more than 700% since its March lows. Or it just could be that Afterpay, with its ‘new way to pay’, is a natural to the spotlight.
But now Afterpay has conquered a $70 price tag, an ~$18 billion market capitalisation and (as it looks likely) membership of the ASX 20 club, some investors are wondering ‘where to from here?’ Or perhaps more opportunistically, ‘how high can Afterpay shares climb?’
As Afterpay is a relatively new company with a relatively new product idea in buy now, pay later (BNPL), it is the sort of company that can be difficult to value and chart a growth trajectory for. But I want to start at the finish line by looking at the largest payments company in the world: Visa Inc. (NYSE: V).
You probably know Visa from its almost universal presence on the credit and debit cards that most people have in their wallet or on their phone.
But don’t let Visa’s tiny logo on your card fool you. This is a gargantuan company with a truly global reach. It’s currently valued at US$416.5 billion (A$598 billion), which is more than 4½ times the size of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA). Visa makes money by clipping the ticket of every transaction that goes through its payment network. Think about how many people are tapping their Visa cards every day in Australia alone, take it to the world stage, and you get some idea of this company’s dominance.
Is Afterpay the new Visa?
So is this Afterpay’s endgame? To rival Visa, Mastercard and American Express in terms of global presence and market dominance? I’m sure Afterpay would like to think so. But is the runway there for this company?
Well, it’s hard to say. If Afterpay can get to the point where every shop in the world asks you ‘how would you like to pay, cash, card or Afterpay?’, then it will have made it. But how far off is this?
In Australia, not far in my view. Yes, it does have to contend locally with rivals like Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) and Openpay Group Ltd (ASX: OPY). But I think retailers in this country are at a point where they almost have to offer customers an option to ‘Afterpay it’. And signs are looking good for the US and UK markets too. In fact, Afterpay recently announced that it now has more than a million UK-based active users. And that’s after just a year in the market. Things are even better in the US, where Afterpay is enjoying widespread enthusiasm and more than 5 million active customers.
I still think there is at least a little froth in the current Afterpay share price, and I don’t think things are as rosy as the market is assuming for this company. Remember, Afterpay has yet to turn a profit. But if the company continues to grow on its current trajectory, paying $18 billion for the ‘next Visa’ would seem pretty cheap.
I’m not investing in Afterpay at these levels, but in not doing so, I acknowledge that I might be on the wrong side of history here.
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Sebastian Bowen owns shares of American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Mastercard and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Mastercard. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.


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Last year, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) rolled out its new OC Bus Mobile Ticketing Application to speed up boarding times and make it easier for residents to use transit. Already, nearly one million fares have been purchased with the easy to use app. With a $1.55 million investment from the MSRC through its County Transportation Commission Partnership Program, OCTA developed a mobile ticketing app for customers to purchase fares using their smart phones. The app allows users to board OCTA’s buses by displaying valid fare payments using bar codes on their phone. Additionally, the app displays route maps and schedules, and has a robust back-office system that allows OCTA staff to assist riders with their OC Bus mobile application.
OCTA’s existing fare collection system had been in place for nearly 15 years, and given the advances in new payment technologies such as phone apps and contactless credit and debit cards, OCTA wanted to modernize its system to be more in synch with the way people travel and make easy digital payments today. The agency’s entire fixed route fleet now has electronic readers to accommodate the app. The benefits of mobile ticketing include enabling customers to be able to self-service their rides, providing OCTA with the ability to accept fares from neighboring agencies through electronic readers, and stimulating a growth in ridership because of the ease of use.
In the first six months of the program, 32% of downloads resulted in ticket purchases, while the industry average is 20-40% within the first twelve months. By the fall, there were more than 78,000 registered users with approximately 950,000 fares purchased via the app.
To find out more information about OCTA’s mobile ticketing app, please visit http://www.octa.net/Bus/Mobile/Mobile-Ticketing-App/


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The forthcoming 2020 Ford F-450 will be even more versatile and more reliable truck than the current 2019 model. Blue Oval company will additionally upgrade the Super Duty lineup which includes the F-450 model. The new model will get a more modern look that is closer to the look of the F-150 model. Both General Motors and Dodge already started with the same strategy.
Heavy-duty model is based on the light duty model. Ford is now continuing with the same steps. After the latest spy shots, more exterior details are visible. However, the interior is still quite a mystery for everyone. On top of that, F-450 will get mechanical changes. That means the Super Duty model will get a new engine and possibly a new transmission.
2020 Ford F-450 Facelift
The forthcoming 2020 Ford F-450 comes with a striking design and it looks more attractive than before. We can’t say it is one of the best designs that we saw in the heavy-duty segment. However, Blue Oval did make it shinier and more modern. After the latest spy photos, we have a closer picture of how the ongoing model will look like. Ford will introduce a facelift. The grille is more open and it sports a large Ford’s badge in the middle.
LED headlights are brand-new and front fascia holds more chrome trims. The rear end comes with a modern pair of taillights that are even more sculpted than before. The F-450 truck will arrive in numerous different styles and trim levels. The trim level will largely determine the level of luxury from the outside, but especially from the inside.
The interior of the arriving truck will be even more pleasant. The cabin now looks closer to the F-150 light-duty model, which is a good thing. The 2020 Ford F-450 offers a high level of comfort and plenty of room. Some upgrades will surely happen, but spy photos didn’t show any interior detail. We can bet on the updated infotainment system and new Co-Pilot 360 safety suit.
The layout will surely largely remain. We expect for the base model to introduce even more standard equipment. Higher trim levels will offer premium amenities such as leather upholstery as standard.
2020 Ford F-450 Powertrain
The most significant change will happen under the bonnet. According to the latest reports, F-450 Super Duty will get a new powertrain. For the start, a 6.2-liter V8 remains standard powertrain option. This engine is producing 385 HP and 430 lb-ft of torque. Optionally, a 6.7-liter Power Stroke engine is available.
Strong turbodiesel variant generates 450 horses and up to 930 lb-ft of torque. Now, the all-new 7.0-liter V8 powertrain could find its place under the hood. This engine is more fuel efficient than the previous options. Also, it will be mated to a brand-new 10-speed automatic transmission. According to the latest information, the towing payload will be improved with up to 35,000 pounds.
Price and Release Date
The price of the 2020 Ford F-450 will be $45,000 or slightly above that. We believe the price of the base model will be increased but not significantly. However, opting for the Platinum trim level could cost you around $70,000. The Super Duty truck will go on sale in the third quarter of 2019.


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Two Singapore start-up companies are currently in high gear to step up their efforts in producing the country’s first batch of electric motorcycles for the Southeast Asia market – Scorpio Electric and Ion Mobility. The news was reported as Singapore relaxed its ruling for electric bikes with more than 10kW to be allowed on the roads in their move to adopt environmentally-friendly vehicles.
Scorpio Electric, in particular, has a clear target to launch its very first model in the middle of this year which is already backed with proper facilities to assist in producing and assembling around 8,000 electric motorcycles per year. The best thing about their bikes is the inclusion of ‘artificial intelligence’ and data analytics for greater energy efficiency.
Starting with the Southeast Asia market as a testbed, the brand hopes to be a global brand in the near future, one that is up there with Apple and Tesla. With that being said, another Singaporean company looks to have its hand in the market as well – Ion Mobility.
Their goals are somewhat the same with Scorpio Electric but with an addition of coming up with products that are affordable to match its overall performance. The market for consumer electric motorcycle, especially in the region is still a young one, and having a healthy competition allows for greater development not just for their products, but how countries can adopt these machines quickly and effectively.
In the past few years alone, we’ve seen great development strides in the world of electric motorcycles. One of the biggest is MotoE – MotoGP’s first all-electric race series that uses Energica bikes to compete in a one-make race.
Other brands already have a few samples in their arsenal but companies like Scorpio Electric and Ion Mobility are sure to make products that are more affordable for the masses, especially in developing the economy.


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The global mobile apps economy is set to be worth $17.5billion by 2012, according to an independent report commissioned by GetJar (http://www.getjar.com/), the world’s second largest app store.
Mobile app downloads across all types of handset are also expected to increase from over seven billion downloads in 2009 to almost 50 billion in 2012 — a year-on-year growth rate of 92%.
This would mean that the value of apps sold would be greater than the value of CDs sold in 2012 ($13.83 billion).
To understand the potential of the “global mobile apps economy,” GetJar commissioned independent consulting firm Chetan Sharma Consulting to lift the lid on the rapidly expanding global apps market. The aim of the project was to analyze the potential and real value of the mobile apps market worldwide, using first hand data.
It is clear that by 2012, off-deck paid-for apps will be the biggest revenue generator, accounting for almost 50 per cent of all apps revenue. By comparison, in 2009, on-deck apps available from mobile operators accounted for over 60% of all apps revenue, but this will fall significantly to just under 23% by 2012.
The study outlines opportunities for both high end smart phones (such as the iPhone) and feature phones. In 2009, 90% of handsets in use worldwide were so-called feature phones, while smart phones and data cards accounted for the remaining 10% of the market. In some regions such as North America, uptake of smart phones was much higher (over 20%) than other regions (3% in Middle East/Africa).
Apps economies are evolving differently worldwide, suggesting a need for greater focus on developing different apps business models — as opposed to a “one size fits all” approach. For instance, the average app selling price (ASP) in North America was $1.09, significantly higher compared to ASPs in developing markets such as South America ($0.20) and Asia ($0.10). At the same time, post 2012, app downloads in developing regions such as Asia may eventually exceed those in Western regions although monetization of these downloads will require different business models (advertising, virtual currency) than those seen in developed markets.
The revenue opportunities in Europe are set to soar from $1.5 billion in 2009 to $8.5billion in 2012, while in North America the figure will rise from around $2.1 billion to around $6.7billion in 2012. Currently apps are most popular in Asia, with the region accounting for 37% of global downloads in 2009. However, while Asia had the highest number of downloads, users in North America spent the most money on apps, accounting for over 50% of revenue.
Other findings from the research include:
° Advertising based revenue models have become increasingly popular. In 2009, advertising contributed almost 12% of the overall apps revenue. However, this share is expected to more than double to over 28% by 2012 — given the high proportion of prepay users in developing markets.
° The battle of the app stores is well underway. In 2009 the number of app stores leapt from eight to 38, an increase of 375%. The number of app stores is expected to further increase in 2010.
° The price of mobile applications can vary from $0.99 to $999, however the average selling price in 2009 was approximately $1.9. This is predicted to decrease by 29% over the next three years, although advertising revenue derived from apps is likely to stay relatively flat.
The model focused on apps consumption by five major regions: North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Middle East and Africa.


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Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) has lost half of its market value since the company’s initial public offering in May.
Facebook is the world’s largest social network with more than 900 million users. Facebook has some 850,000 users in San Antonio.
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Today, our Union and the company met for the first time since August. You may recall that the Union released a statement on August 26th here announcing the next round of bargaining and explaining that the company would not have any counter-proposals and instead demanded that we vote on their previous offer. The company got upset about our statements and released a letter of their own August 26th here stating that we were spreading misinformation and they would be responding to our proposals.
Then, Plant Manager Jim Pritchett released this letter complaining about the Union's upcoming march and rally stating that we should be focused on bargaining, not a rally. Well today our Union showed up ready to bargain with the company and in their regular dishonest fashion they showed up with their same old proposal. There were no changes. This is apparently their idea of bargaining and it will not result in an agreement.
The company refuses to address the Union's concerns about job security, grievance and arbitrations, lay-off and recall, job biding, temporary job assignments, qualifications, seniority, medical exams, work hours, overtime, mandatory on-call, leaves of absence, subcontracting, vacations, use of cameras in break areas, safety equipment, holidays, use of FMLA, health insurance for active employees and retirees, and discipline.


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Lockdown may be over for now, but thanks to a wonderful thing called tiers, we’re still not allowed to meet with loved ones indoors!
With this in mind, Spanish wine brand Campo Viejo is set to fill the social void of friends and family members, enabling Brits nationwide to #ShareAWine with loved ones by offering a FREE life size pop up cut-out of their mum, dad, loved one or friend with every order of Campo Viejo wine from 1st December at: Shareawine.com
Campo Viejo is a flagship Rioja winery and the no.1 Spanish wine brand in the UK*. Ever since two local winemakers – Beristain and Ortigüela – created the first vintage in 1959, Campo Viejo has represented the expressiveness, colour and vibrancy of Rioja.
A multi-award winning and sustainable winery, Campo Viejo has a love and respect for the land and its winemaking heritage.
Since sharing (a bottle of wine) is caring, the initiative was launched after a survey found that during lockdown, the nation confided in people with 26 percent agreeing that this year they have relied more on friends, family and neighbors than ever. The survey also revealed that even though we were apart, thanks to bubbles and zooms, more than a quarter (27 percent) spent more time with friends this year than in 2019.
Lucy Bearman, Brand Director from Campo Viejo said: “For almost a year we’ve all been stuck at home missing our friends and family and whilst we’re glad everyone has been abiding by the rules, it hasn’t been fun. We want to bring a little bit of joy to people as Christmas gets closer. Having your best friend round for a glass of Campo Viejo wine is the perfect antidote to a glum weekend stuck at home!”
It’s not just their best friends. The study also found that lockdown caused 32 percent of Brits to reconnect or even make new friends with old friends from their past (67 percent), including with their neighbors (25 percent) and work colleagues (23 percent ). In reality, 2020 has made us so virtual that 19% of people have made new online friends. So nothing prevents them from getting new or old friends into their life to share a glass of wine with them.
Available nationwide from 1 December, wine lovers will receive a free pop-up shipped with each purchase of Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo or Campo Viejo Viura-Tempranillo Blanco from Shareawine.com. All they have to do is visit the online store and upload a photo and they can share a bottle of wine with their bestie within 48 hours. Cheers to that!
Although pop-up friends won’t be the best at keeping a conversation, they’re going to add humor to those Zoom calls with friends on Friday night. The best bit? With cardboard, there’s no need for social distancing!
Any order of Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo and Campo Viejo Viura-Tempranillo Blanco from Shareawine.com (£15 plus shipping, nationwide) to get your hands on your own free pop up cut-out!