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For the past 12 years, Chris the Saladman has been one of the few purveyors of green things at deep-fried fairs and festivals across the valley. But now, as other area cooks opt to go mobile, Chris Olson has decided to set up shop in a spot sans wheels.
Olson plans to open Chris' on Broadway Featuring Saladman by the first of October in the building that formerly housed Jeffrey's Next Door. In addition to his salads and wraps, Olson will also offer 12-15 different burgers, hand-cut fries, smoked ribs and chicken.
"We'll do breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings, and we'll have Friday-Saturday night steak and scampi or steak and ahi dinners," said Olson.
Chris' on Broadway will be smoke- and alcohol-free, but Olson said patrons are more than welcome to take their grub to go and saddle up next door at Broadway Bar for a cheap cocktail and a smoke.
And in brews news, Brewforia took a quick breather after the Barley Bros. festival before launching into its latest sudsy undertaking, Oktoberfest. For $30, you'll get a bottomless beer stein and the chance to watch besotted lads in lederhosen rock the accordion. Not to mention, there will be plenty of schnitzel, beer games and a $250 grand prize Best Beard Contest. Ocktoberfest runs from 1-11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Century Link Arena. For more information, visit oktoberfestid.com.
And in other exciting craft-brew news, Garden City will soon be home to another microbrewery, Crooked Fence Brewing. The spot is getting situated at 5242 Chinden Blvd., east of Glenwood Street. Frequent BW illustrator and cover artist Kelly Knopp is designing the labels and marketing for the brewery, including the oh-so-delicious-sounding Three Picket Porter, which is aged in Jack Daniels whiskey barrels. For updates on Crooked Fence's official grand opening, visit cfbrewing.blogspot.com.
In the mood for a beercation? Grand Teton Brewing Company has organized an overnight adventure from Boise to the brewery in Victor. The bus leaves Monday, Sept. 19, at 9 a.m. and returns on Tuesday, Sept. 20, by 9 p.m. The package includes a tour of Grand Teton, the chance to brew your own beer and ample beer-tasting opportunities. Lodging, transportation, meals and beers are all provided. Tickets are $249 and can be purchased by emailing email@example.com.


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Solid start for U.S. manufacturing technology orders in 2012
March 14, 2012
By Manufacturing AUTOMATION
January U.S. manufacturing technology orders totalled $401.69 million US, according to AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) program, was down 26.5 percent from December, but up 8.4 percent when compared with the total of $370.46 million US reported for January 2011.
“January’s increase in manufacturing technology orders over 2011 is great in light of lower forecasts by experts,” said AMT president Douglas K. Woods. “I think the continued growth highlights manufacturers’ increasing confidence in future growth and that their bottom lines are being channeled into investments in advanced manufacturing technologies.”
The USMTO report, compiled by the trade association representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national U.S. orders data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity.
- The ROI of machine vision: Vision system reduces scrap in high-mix welding environment and pays for itself in two weeks
- CATAAlliance singles out embedded systems as key to reindustrializing Canada

domain: news


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Chennai, NFAPost: CARSTORES Private Limited has announced the opening of its First Ecommerce Site in VR MALL, Chennai.
CARSTORES is a unique concept-driven Ecommerce Site that institutes Fastest Disbursal, Lowest EMI and We Speed Your Financial Wheels.
CARSTORES is a leading brand in the auto finance sector. The Chennai-based auto finance organisation was launched four years ago.
CARSTORES Director Mathew S said, “We hope to implement a Pan-India operation. We are planning to open outlets in more than 50 cities all over India.”


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World’s oldest travel operating firm Thomas Cook collapsed on Monday, leaving hundreds and thousands of holidaymakers stranded across Europe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history.
As per the reports, at least 600,000 vacationers had booked through the company, which remain cancelled now. In this situation, the British government has asked the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority to launch a repatriation programme over the next two weeks, starting from Monday to October 6, to bring Thomas Cook customers back to the UK.
The demise of Thomas Cook marks the end of one of Britain’s oldest companies that started life in 1841. With it’s collapse, the firm has ceased trading, its four airlines will be grounded, and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries, including 9,000 in the UK, will lose their jobs. The firm has been running hotels, resorts and airlines for 19 million people a year. The company has 1.7 billion pounds ($2.1 billion) of debt.
The 178-year-old company several months ago had blamed a slowdown in bookings because of online competition, a changing travel market and geopolitical events and Brexit uncertainty for contributing to its crushing debt burden.
The firm had said on Friday that it was seeking 200 million pounds ($250 million) to avoid going bust and was in weekend talks with shareholders and creditors to stave off failure.


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CBCA 2019 conference announced
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced that its National Conference will be held from 31 May to 2 June 2019 at QT Hotel in Canberra.
The 13th national conference will be themed ‘And Now They’re Laughing!’ in reference to the theme of the first national conference in 1992, titled ‘At Least They’re Reading’.
The program will highlight the outstanding contribution made by writers of humour to Australian children’s literature and to children’s literacy, and much more. Regular features include book launches, trade display, conference bookshop, book signings and networking events. Keep in touch on Facebook and cbca.org.au
For trade and sponsorship enquiries contact Greg Vickers.


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Fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone became notorious for saying that if you aren’t seated in the first three rows at a show during Fashion Week, you might as well stay home. Well, if the first three rows are where the power players sit, then it goes without saying that the crème de la crème of the fashion world sits in the front row, and the front row only.
Obviously, sitting in the front row is important to fashion show attendees, but it’s also extremely important to designers. With an average of 125 assigned front row seats at a typical fashion show, many designers are judged just as harshly by who sits in those seats than by the clothes that come down the runway. Score a coterie of major editors like In Style’s Ariel Foxman and Harper’s Bazaar’s Glenda Bailey? You’re in the conversation. Score a major A-lister like Jennifer Lawrence, Rooney Mara, or or Nicole Kidman? You’re all but guaranteed a ton of press simply for nabbing top celebrities.
Erin Hawker, a PR veteran and founder of Agentry PR (who’s in charge of seating at top shows this season including Christian Siriano) says that doing the front row seating for a show is basically like “a science.”
“First you have to count how many front row seats you have, and then guestimate how many should go to the media, retailers, VIPs, and friends of the brand,” Hawker says. “Once you’ve determined that, there’s always internal fighting that goes on as to who deserves to be in the front row.”
Celebrities invited to a show almost always land in the front row. Designers actively court big stars for this purpose, sometimes paying them to attend. Lesser celebrities, meanwhile, vie for seats as a means of scoring the press of being associated with Fashion Week. Celebrities are usually seated together in the middle of the runway, where photographers can get them all in a single shot—also known as the money shot.
Fashion “it” girls, socialites and “friends of the brand” also fall in the front row category. Former hedge-fund manager turned Vbeauté founder Julie Macklowe has been a front row fixture for over ten years.
“I started purchasing a lot of clothes when I had my hedge fund career, and I had that income, and supporting a lot of younger designers, and that got me my ticket,” she says. While Macklowe says that she used to go to anything she was invited to, she’s gotten much pickier about what she’ll attend in recent years, choosing to only go to the shows of designers she’s friends with—people like Zang Toi, Naeem Khan, and Carolina Herrera.
As for whether Macklowe would attend a show where she wasn’t seated in the front row, she says: “Generally my view is, if your not in the font row, you probably don’t have a super-strong relationship with the designer. And like my friend Tom Murro of Celebrity Magnet says, ‘Go front row, or go home.’”
Select members of the media also get a prime spot. Hawker says she tries to represent one person from each major publication in the front row at the shows she handles, but there’s a definite hierarchy. “We’ll have the Editor-in-Chief in the front row, and the Market Director if there’s room, and sometimes someone more junior who is really reviewing the show, like someone from Vogue.com,” she says.
Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and other key press tend to get seated at the end of the runway next to the photographers—where models pivot and you get the longest look at each outfit. It’s also the easiest spot to make a quick exit, as Wintour has proven season after season.
Another group that’s been infiltrating the front row to much debate: Fashion bloggers such as Bryan Yambao (aka Bryan Boy), Susie Lau (aka Susie Bubble) and the Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine.
According to Lainy Hedaya, a front row regular and founder of fashion blog Haute Inhabit, having a good seat as a blogger is necessary to get the best content for her site and her 46,000 Instagram followers, particularly because her readership expects gorgeous and original photos that just wouldn’t be possible without a good view of the runway, she told us.
Of course, the problem for publicists who decide who actually gets to sit in the front row is that almost most everyone in attendance at Fashion Week thinks they deserve one of the best seats. Who can forget Jill Zarin storming out of the Luca Luca show on the “Real Housewives of New York” because she found herself in the second row? Last season, celebrity spawn Angela Simmons reportedly quipped from her second row seat at Custo Barcelona: “Why would they invite me if I’m not sitting front-row?”
One way that publicists handle the many overwhelming egos associated with Fashion Week seating is by giving those who are expecting a front row seat a heads up if they aren’t getting one. Linda Gaunt, whose firm is handling Cynthia Rowley, among other shows this season says, “We let [people] know so that they can make a decision not to attend, as opposed to bruising an ego or putting them in an awkward position.”
The good news for those that do make the ascent to the front row? According to Hawker: “I rarely move people back once I’ve seated them in the front.”


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'Fidget frenzy' and start of school term lifts cut-price retailer The Works after tough period of national lockdowns
- The firm's first-half sales rose 17.9% on the equivalent period two years ago
- Midlands-based The Works sells crafts, toys and games, amongst other items
- It was forced to shut its stores by the authorities during the national lockdowns
Discount chain The Works has posted impressive results following a challenging start to the year when lockdown restrictions forced its stores to temporarily close.
Booming online purchases combined with high footfall in its outlets helped the company's sales for the six months to 31 October jump by 17.9 per cent on the equivalent period two years ago.
It credited strong back-to-school trade and demand for 'fidget frenzy' goods like fidget spinners and neon balls for its performance, and believes it may have profited from the growth in staycations among Britons.
Store popularity: Booming online purchases combined with high footfall in its outlets helped the company's first-half sales jump by 17.9 per cent on the equivalent period two years ago
The retailer also said it benefited from consumers doing their Christmas shopping sooner than usual this year and is confident this trend will persist into the height of the festive season.
Warwickshire-based The Works, which sells stationery, toys and games, amongst other items, saw total sales plunge by a fifth during the previous fiscal year despite an acceleration in online revenues.
It was forced to shut its stores by the UK Government during national lockdowns because they were considered 'non-essential' just like hospitality venues, clothing shops and theatres.
To try and boost trade, the business has reoriented its strategy towards strengthening its digital platform and refurbishing existing stores instead of opening new ones, and said it has achieved 'great progress' in doing so.
Chief executive Gavin Peck said: 'It's clear from these results that our products resonated extremely well with customers during the pandemic, helping them to read, learn, play and craft through lockdown.
'Our strong sales in recent months demonstrate that demand has been maintained and customers continue to value our offer. It's particularly pleasing to see that, whilst our online sales continue to run at almost double their pre-pandemic levels, store sales are also growing.'
New term: The Works credited high levels of back-to-school trade and demand for 'fidget frenzy' goods like fidget spinners and neon balls for its performance
The firm admitted that it was currently being impacted by a shortage of haulage drivers and shipping capacity, but stated that its decision to strengthen its supply chain earlier this year means its stock levels in the run-up to Christmas were robust.
Even with higher freight costs, The Works is forecasting results for this financial year will be in line with initial expectations thanks to the larger-than-anticipated levels of trading in recent months.
Peck added: 'Looking ahead, we have a fantastic range of products for our customers this Christmas with initial demand for them already very strong.
'We are cautiously optimistic about prospects for our peak sales season and our ability to trade through the ongoing supply chain challenges faced by the majority of our sector.'
Superior position: Discount retailer B&M has had a much better pandemic than The Works as it has been allowed to keep its stores open in the UK during strict lockdown period
The company's trading update comes a day after fellow discount retailer B&M declared upbeat results following the reopening of stores in France and solid demand for general merchandise and seasonal goods.
B&M has had a much better pandemic than The Works because it has been allowed to keep its stores open in the UK during strict lockdown periods and is planning to launch another 45 stores this year.
It returned £3.7million in furlough money to the exchequer and waived £80million in business rates relief towards the end of last year as customer numbers took off when the first lockdown started.
B&M has also been affected by increasing supply chain costs but had imported their stock earlier than it normally would in preparation for the Christmas trading season.
Shares in The Works ended trading 0.2 per cent at 57.1p on Friday and have seen their value grow by more than half since the start of 2021.


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Unless Wellness Warehouse removes Ahava products from its shelves before 4 February 2011, Open Shuhada Street will be forced to launch demonstrations at its stores.
International victories for the campaign against Ahava products – Wellness Warehouse must drop Ahava or face protests.
From Open Shuhada Street, 24 January 2011
This month the international campaign against Ahava achieved two significant victories. Two major retailers in the UK and in Canada have decided to stop selling Ahava products. Open Shuhada Street welcomes this exciting news and calls on Wellness Warehouse to follow suit or face protest at its stores.
The UK retailer John Lewis announced early this month that it is no longer stocking Ahava products. In a letter to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, John Lewis’s Managing Director wrote, “As a socially responsible retailer, John Lewis takes very seriously the treatment of workers and their working conditions. We expect all our suppliers not only to obey the law, but also to respect the rights, interests and well-being of their employees, their communities and the environment.” He went on to say: ‘In relation to your specific enquiry about Ahava Dead Sea products, I can confirm that John Lewis has ceased stocking these particular products”.
Video of Open Shuhada Street’s Ahava protest in October 2010:
On the other side of the Atlantic, The Bay, a major Canadian retailer, announced this month that it has decided to drop Ahava products.  The Bay publicly claimed that its decision to stop selling Ahava was not informed by “political considerations” but due to slow sales.  However, the international decline of Ahava’s sales is a direct result of the ongoing boycott campaign, as the CEO of Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd. recently admitted.
Open Shuhada Street lauds John Lewis’s principled stance. We only hope that South African retailers will come to the same admirable conclusion. Like John Lewis, Wellness Warehouse professes to have high ethical standards. On its website, Wellness Warehouse claims to be “passionate about making it possible to live life well; a life that is healthy, environmentally sustainable, socially aware and responsible. This means caring for the earth and its people. It also means empowering our communities and suppliers.”
In transparent contradiction of this mission statement, Wellness Warehouse has refused to comply with Open Shuhada Street’s request that it stop selling Ahava.
Ahava products are manufactured by Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd., a privately held Israeli cosmetics company using minerals and mud from the Dead Sea. Their main factory is located in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the occupied West Bank. Ahava’s factory appropriates the water and land resources of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and operates without license from the Palestinian Authority. Selling Ahava products thus amounts to tacit support for the illegal Israeli occupation and human rights abuses.
Furthermore, selling Ahava products violates South African trade law. Ahava products are labelled as “Made in Israel,” but according to international law the West Bank cannot be considered part of the State of Israel, it is Occupied Palestinian Territory. Under South African trade law it is unlawful to market or sell products that carry false labels of origin.  Last year, Open Shuhada Street filed an affidavit with the South African Police Service charging Wellness Warehouse and Ahava’s South African importer, SDV Pharmaceuticals, with selling deceptively labelled Ahava products in violation of South African law.
John Lewis and The Bay decided to stop selling Ahava products this month. Now, it is Wellness Warehouse’s turn. Open Shuhada Street reiterates its call to Wellness Warehouse – stop tacitly supporting the illegal Israeli occupation!
Unless Wellness Warehouse removes Ahava products from its shelves before 4 February, 2011, Open Shuhada Street will be forced to launch demonstrations at its stores.
 “BDS Movement Victory: John Lewis Stops Stocking Ahava Products in Britain” (http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2011/01/14-0)
 Report on The Bay dropping Ahava products from the Stolen Beauty (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/424/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5536)
 “The Bay drops Ahava, but not because of boycott” JTA, January 14, 2011. (http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/01/14/2742561/the-bay-drops-ahava-but-not-because-of-boycott)
 “The Canadian Retailer The Bay Drops Cosmetics Line as Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories Admits Declining Sales and Attempts to Rebrand; Victory for Human Rights Boycott Campaign”
 “Our Philosophy” Wellness Warehouse (http://www.wellnesswarehouse.com/about/?id=6)
 See section 7 of the Merchandise Marks Act (17 of 1941 as amended).
Circling the Drain is a term used in medical circles to describe a patient for whom death is impending and yet continues to cling to life.
Video courtesy of Seymour Alexander
Despite the Palestine Solidarity Campaign AGM being held, as well as other events going on today, over thirty human-rights demonstrators (plus a few new faces), campaigned, chanted, leafleted and spoke to local residents, shoppers and visitors informing them regarding Ahava’s corporate complicity in violations of international law over the sale of natural resources that are pillaged from illegally occupied territory. More than a few customers decided to impose their own boycott of Ahava after hearing about the human rights abuses committed by the Israeli Government against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
An observation in a previous post entitled The Return of Roberta Moore - that the Zionist Federation organised counter-demonstration is ‘melting away’ seems to be coming true. During the first half of today’s picket, no Zionist turned up which demonstrators, the police and even the Israeli security guard employed by Ahava welcomed. Protestors spread out in front of the shop and started to talk to people and leaflet from outside both pens without any interuptions or interference from any Zionists.
Last month, Ahava shop manager Rita made it clear that she considered the Zionists’ presence unwelcome and their behaviour detrimental to Ahava’s trade. So perhaps Zionist Federation Co Vice-Chair Jonathan Hoffman spent his Saturday in the pub, called it quits and admitted that his Ahava cause is a lost one.
In a new low, only TWO embarrassed-looking Zionist Federation counter-demonstrators eventually turned up (a third one was spotted, but left shortly afterwards) which made their cause look even worse, if that’s possible, when compared to the over thirty human-rights demonstrators present who were campaigning for altruism, equality, compassion and freedom, as well as the closure of the illegal settlement company Ahava.
I’ll leave you with a few photographs.
Report, The Electronic Intifada, 20 January 2011
Canadian and United Kingdom solidarity activists have scored recent victories towards deshelving cosmetics made in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Canadians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East (CPJME) reported that on 11 January, Canadian retail chain The Bay dropped Ahava products from its stores. Ahava cosmetic products are made from materials from the Dead Sea in the West Bank, assembled in the Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem, and are labeled “made in Israel.”
The company itself is partially owned by Mitzpe Shalem and another settlement, Kalia. An international campaign focusing on the boycott of Ahava products has been making waves across Europe and North America over the last two years.
CPJME stated that The Bay dropped Ahava products because they had not “been meeting expectations,” and that the company had “quietly informed” its customers who had objected to the store stocking Ahava products that they would not continue to do so (“The Bay drops controversial AHAVA products,” 13 January 2011).
However, two days later, The Bay (known also as HBC), issued a joint statement with Canada-based Jewish groups who had immediately protested the retail chain’s decision. The move to drop Ahava products was “solely for commercial reasons,” and that “at no point did political considerations enter into” the decision, the statement claims (“The Bay drops Ahava, but not because of boycott,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency,” 14 January 2011).
The announcement adds that Ahava products will be rebranded and will be back on shelves across Canada by this spring. The Bay “neither subscribes to nor endorses politically-motivated boycotts of merchandise from countries with which Canada has open and established trading relationships, including Israel,” the statement says.
The Stolen Beauty campaign, which has been a key organizer of international boycotts of Ahava products, released an action alert this week encouraging boycott supporters to thank HBC, regardless of its future plans and reasons for stopping its sales of Ahava. “Your message of thanks is crucial as right-wing, pro-occupation groups berate and pressure The Bay to reinstate sales of Ahava,” the alert stated (“Thank you for dropping Ahava products!“).
Nevertheless, The Bay’s decision followed a similar move by British retail chain John Lewis, which had publicly announced on 7 January that it has stopped stocking and selling Ahava products.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign issued a press release welcoming John Lewis’ decision, and reprinted part of a letter drafted by the company to the activist group (“John Lewis stops stocking Ahava products in Britain,” 14 January 2011).
Andy Street, John Lewis’ managing director, wrote: “As a socially responsible retailer, John Lewis takes very seriously the treatment of workers and their working conditions. We expect all our suppliers not only to obey the law, but also to respect the rights, interests and well-being of their employees, their communities and the environment … In relation to your specific enquiry about Ahava Dead Sea products, I can confirm that John Lewis has ceased stocking these particular products.”
Sarah Colborne, director of operations with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, stated that Ahava and other companies that profit from Israel’s illegal occupation are being sent a clear message by consumers.
“Although governments, including our own, are failing to end Israel’s violations of international law and human rights, we can all take action by refusing to buy Israeli goods and joining the movement for [boycott, divestment and sanctions],” Colborne said. “The [Palestine Solidarity Campaign] will continue to ensure that companies which profit from Israel’s occupation pay the price for their complicity in Israel’s crimes.”
Meanwhile, across the world, solidarity activists continue to campaign with the Palestinian-led call for boycott, divestment and sanctions.
Ireland artist join boycott pledge
The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) announced that two hundred Irish artists have signed onto its Israel boycott pledge, with singer-songwriter Dylan Walshe joining as the latest signatory.
IPSC launched its national campaign in August 2010 in an effort to encourage Irish cultural workers to “avail of any invitation to perform or exhibit in Israel, nor to accept any funding from any institution linked to the government of Israel, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights (“Irish artists’ pledge to boycott Israel reaches 200 signatories,” 13 January 2011).”
Walshe joins high-profile Irish artists who have committed to the boycott, such as actor Stephen Rea and musician Christy Moore. Raymond Deane, IPSC Cultural Boycott Officer and contributor to The Electronic Intifada, stated in the press release that “[a]s the Israeli state becomes ever more racist, expansionist and oppressive, we have seen the growth in its isolation by international civil society through the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.”
Deane, who is also a composer and himself a signatory to the pledge, added, “[t]he success of this boycott pledge is indicative of wider feelings toward Israel, both in Ireland and around the world. Indeed, similar pledges and initiatives are being organized in many other countries.”
Boycott of Israel Philharmonic’s US tour urged
Palestine-based activists with the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) issued a statement on 16 January calling for US solidarity groups to boycott the upcoming American tour of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, scheduled for February (“Boycott the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra on its US Tour!,” 16 January 2011).
PACBI said the orchestra is scheduled to perform in Palm Beach, New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. “We urge activists to continue the principled tradition of activists in New York and Los Angeles in 2007, when they protested the [orchestra's] appearance in their cities,” states the press release.
“As befits an institution that identifies with the Israeli state, the [Israel Philharmonic] proudly announces its partnership with the army under a scheme whereby special concerts for Israeli soldiers are organized at their army outposts,” PACBI adds. “The orchestra has lent itself to the official Israeli propaganda campaign titled Brand Israel, which aims to divert attention from Israel’s violations of international law and Palestinian rights to its artistic and scientific achievements.”
PACBI encourages boycott activists in the US to protest and boycott the orchestra’s concerts, saying that as long as it continues to partner with the Israeli government in “planning, implementing and whitewashing war crimes and international law violations,” Israel’s cultural establishment “cannot be exempted from the growing boycott movement.”
Israeli activists initiate boycott campaigns
Activists with the Israeli group Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call From Within (BFW) drafted a letter to British Telecom (BT) on 18 January, calling for the company to cut ties with the Israeli telecommunications company Bezeq International (“Boycott From Within’s letter to BT,” 18 January 2011).
In January 2010, BT incorporated Bezeq International, a subsidiary of Bezeq Israel, into its Global Alliance. The Bezeq corporation provides telecommunication services to illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Thousands of British customers of BT have already joined a campaign calling for the companies to cut ties.
“We are saddened and dismayed by your company’s complicity in severe breaches of international law and the violation of human rights through your relationship with Bezeq International, and call on you to end this relationship at once,” states the activists’ letter. “By partnering with Bezeq, [British Telecom] is supporting the infrastructure which enables illegal Israeli settlements, built in violation of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to exist,” the letter adds.
“We maintain that such willful blindness to Israeli crimes is not only immoral, but is also in contrast to [British Telecom's] fiduciary responsibility to its investors, as it may put the company’s high-regard in the international community at risk.”
Meanwhile, BFW activists say they helped play a key role in the recent decision by French pop star Vanessa Paradis to cancel a planned concert in Tel Aviv.
After the group drafted a letter urging Paradis and her partner, American film icon Johnny Depp, to cancel their upcoming visit, the singer announced on 15 January that her performance was cancelled.
The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that insiders close to the star claimed that Paradis “acceded to calls to cancel the show made by Palestinian solidarity groups” (“Did pop star Paradis cancel Israel concert over politics?,” 16 January 2011).
BFW activists have launched a similar campaign directed at American singer Macy Gray, who this week posted on her Facebook page that she was considering canceling her performance in Tel Aviv due to Israel’s “disgusting” treatment of Palestinians.
“I’m getting alot [sic] of letters from activists urging/begging me to boycott by NOT performing in protest of Apartheid against the Palestinians,” Gray posted on her page.
Activists with BFW stated that “[c]oming to perform in Israel has become a political act, a statement of support for the State of Israel’s ongoing crimes and human rights violations. It is also an act against a rapidly growing nonviolent, human-rights based civil society Palestinian movement (“Macy Gray, Performing in Israel is Already Political – Stand for Human Rights and Cancel!“).”
By Mary-Jo Nadeau | January 20, 2011
This month, the Hudson Bay Company (HBC) have discontinued sales of Ahava cosmetic products. Ahava is an Israeli company that has been a target of the Palestinian campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.
HBC was the main retailer in Canada that carries Ahava’s line, and has been targeted by a number of Palestine solidarity group over the past 18 months. Many participated in the campaign across the country, including Tadamon in Montreal, the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid in Toronto, with Canadians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East being the latest group to join in.
HBC’s decision was seen as a major BDS victory, and is being widely celebrated by BDS activists. After receiving a deluge of angry pro-Israeli e-mails and supportive pro-Palestinian e-mails, HBC partnered up with the Canada-Israeli Committee (CIC) to issue a joint statement announcing that the discontinuation of Ahava was a business decision, not a political one.
In addition to revealing that Ahava sales have been declining for some time, and admitting that it was not profitable to carry their products, HBC also affirmed their support for Israel and promised to launch a reformulated Ahava line the spring. Pro-Israel groups quickly declared victory and proclaimed that HBC made a business decision that had nothing to do with BDS.
A debate is now taking place within the BDS movement about whether the HBC decision is a victory. We believe that it is, and here’s why.
Ahava: a major international boycott target
In 2005, over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations endorsed a call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law. All Israeli companies profit from and contribute to Israeli apartheid and are therefore targets of the BDS campaign.
Ahava became a focus of BDS activists because of its particularly egregious role in the occupation of the West Bank. The company is majority-owned by two West Bank settlements, has manufacturing facilities in those settlements and its entire product line is manufactured from materials stolen from the Dead Sea, which is located in the occupied West Bank. Building settlements in and extracting resources from occupied territories is illegal under international law. Ahava’s entire operation is therefore in contravention of the Geneva Conventions. Companies that sell Ahava products are also in violation of international law.
HBC decision: Apolitical business decision or BDS victory?
The ultimate goal of the BDS campaign is to put economic and political pressure on Israel, but a key step in achieving this goal is education and raising awareness about Israeli apartheid. Every time a BDS story makes headlines, we achieve a victory because it engages the public in a debate about Israel, Palestine and the BDS campaign. When these debates happen, people around the world increasingly side with Palestinians precisely because the facts emerging from a 60-year history of Palestinian dispossession, displacement and ethnic cleansing by Israel are undeniable.
Moreover, the Ahava debate is taking place as we mark the two-year anniversary of Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s massacre in Gaza, which left over 1,400 Palestinians dead, over 5,000 injured and at least 6,000 homes destroyed or severely damaged. After five years of the growing BDS campaign and in the wake of atrocities like Cast Lead, the on-going siege on Gaza, home demolitions and the continued construction of the apartheid wall, the Israeli narrative is rapidly losing ground. The Zionist outcry about HBC’s decision shows their increasing fear of BDS.
Beyond their educational value, the purpose of consumer boycotts is to hit Israeli companies where it hurts — their bottom-line. By HBC’s own admission, Ahava sales have been declining for some time now. Ahava is reformulating and rebranding because their image has been so badly damaged by the BDS campaign. This is all good news — the BDS campaign is affecting this company’s profits.
Significantly, these declining sales have happened despite efforts by the CIC’s Buycott campaign, which has urged supporters to buy Israeli goods, including Ahava products. Their strategy is clearly failing to stop BDS and apparently is not even effective enough to keep Ahava profitable in Canada. This is more good news.
BDS and big business
The BDS campaign is not built on the naive assumption that corporations will drop Israeli products out of some moral imperative. HBC is Canada’s oldest corporation and has been profiting off of colonialism and genocide here in Canada for generations. We do not expect HBC or any other big business to take a courageous stand against Israeli apartheid. Our goal is to apply intense public pressure so that carrying Israeli goods ceases to be profitable. It will take time to build the kind of momentum needed to make that a reality, but we are well on our way. Ahava is no longer profitable to HBC and the BDS movement will continue to educate and agitate until this true of all Israeli goods sold in Canada.
Mary-Jo Nadeau is a member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) and Faculty 4 Palestine.
THE RETURN OF Roberta Moore
By Bradley Marchal
Before hearing a few weeks ago that the figurehead of the far-right Islamophobic English Defence League’s (EDL) Jewish Division, Kahanist Roberta Moore recently made a brief appearance in the media, I always wondered what happened to Moore, who was at one time Ahava’s and Jonathan Hoffman’s biggest supporter on Monmouth Street, only to suddenly disappear without a trace.
Moore, who never really enjoyed much popular support, was eventually reduced to pleading on the Jewish Division’s Facebook page for non-existent sympathizers to mobilise for counter-demos, threatening them with expulsion if they failed to turn up. The last time Moore and her skanky cohorts came out to show their support for Zionism was during the Ahava demonstration on Saturday, 23 October. That was the day before Kahanist Moore and American ‘Surfing Rabbi’, Nachum Shifren delivered speeches before EDL supporters outside the Israeli Embassy in London. The highlight of that event was when someone had enough of Moore’s drivel and threw water on the sound system in the middle of her speech. If you can stomach it, you can view that here, with the interruption edited out at 3:40.
Many people, including myself, wondered why Moore abandoned Ahava, Hoffman and the Zionist Federation, who at the moment look like they’re all down for the count. The decision, recently publicised by John Lewis not to sell Ahava – comes right on the heels of the Canadian department store chain The Bay to do the same, which means at the moment, things are really looking dire.
Just as bad for the Zionists, is that during the past few Ahava actions, several demoralised counter-demonstrators offered not to turn up if boycott activists agreed to call off their campaign, which confirms that cracks are definitely beginning to appear in the Zionist Federation camp.
Some possible answers to questions regarding the motives of Moore and the EDL can be found by reading blogs posted on thejc.com, the Jewish Chronicle’s website. Browsing through thejc.com must be comparable to rummaging through a rubbish tip, as now I understand why some notable people refer to it as “JCrap”, but eventually I found some of the missing pieces of the puzzle.
Why did Moore stop attending the counter-demonstrations?
On a 20th November JC blog posting entitled “Buycott Day 1. Not a good show”, Moore, using one of her pseudonyms, “Ufara Bat-Asherah” explains the EDL’s reasoning for not attending the Saturday counter-demonstrations:
“The Jewish Division believes that Ahava must start court proceedings against the demonstrators on harassment and racist charges and not tolerate such protests outside” “But they (the EDL) do not see fit to waste their weekends doing repetitive counter-demonstrations outside the Ahava if the shop itself will not take a firm action against it.”
Observing the Jewish Division’s very small turnout, one also suspects a more obvious reason for pulling out rather than the one stated above by Moore.
Was Moore and the EDL motivated by any other factors?
Despite their alleged allegiance to Zionism, Moore and the EDL may have had an ulterior motive, which was to use the Ahava BUYcott for financial gain.
Activists monitoring the Jewish Division’s Facebook page throughout November 2010, confirmed Moore was seeking two other people to mount an all-night security detail (described as “a soldier’s duty”) outside the Ahava shop during the night of Friday, 19 November, hours before the BUYcott was due to start.
In the 20 November blog, this is what “Ufara Bat-Asherah” (Moore) writes:
“Furthermore Ahava were hesitant to appoint security to protect their shop the night before the buycott, and the EDL thinks that this was the minimum they could have done to protect themselves and not expect others to volunteer to keep their shop safe.”
So were the EDL expecting payment for their services? Whatever the answer, we now know that there was no EDL goon squad standing guard outside the Ahava shop during the night of Friday, 19 November.
As it turned out, thanks to a widely-promoted EDL rally on Monmouth Street that never materialised, activists reported a very low turnout on Saturday, the first day of the BUYcott. By sheer coincidence, sometime during the early hours of Sunday, 21 November, Ahava’s locks were allegedly superglued and the shop remained closed for an extended time until a locksmith arrived - which sealed the BUYcott’s fate and turned it into a non-event.
Who organises the Ahava counter-demonstration?
Moore (again using her “Ufara Bat-Asherah” pseudonym) also trashes the Zionist Federation Co Vice-Chair Jonathan Hoffman’s claim that the fortnightly Ahava counter-demo is organised solely by himself and not the ZF.
In a 22 October 2010 blog entitled: “Letter published in JC today about Ahava demos”, Hoffman writes:
“First, this (the Ahava counter-demonstration) is not a ZF-organised demonstration. The ZF does not organise events on Shabbat. I organise it.”
The Zionist Federation doesn’t organise events on Shabbat? Not entirely true Jonathan. On a JC blog posted 18 November, Hoffman claims that the Ahava BUYcott, held during the weekend of the 20/21 November “is a Zionist Federation initiative.” The weekend BUYcott was also publicised on the Zionist Federation’s website.
Almost one month after Hoffman made his claim that he alone organises the counter-demonstration, Moore, using her ‘nom de guerre’, writes in a 20 November blog:
“…since the ZF is responsible for arranging this counter-demo at the Ahava, they (the EDL) do not want to steal their limelight.”
So there you have it. The truth laid bare and Jonathan Hoffman is exposed once again – this time by Moore, a close ally who inadvertently spills the beans.
Not only is the Ahava counter-demonstration organised by the Zionist Federation (on Shabbat nonetheless), but Moore admits that she pulled out because she didn’t “want to steal their limelight.”
Now if only Ahava would pull out as quickly as Moore did, that would make this a truly happy ending.
January 14 – Ahava’s goods, processed on stolen Palestinian land, are becoming too hot to handle. Leading British retail business John Lewis is now refusing to stock this toxic brand. Canadian retailer The Bay has also confirmed that it had also discontinued sales of Ahava products. John Lewis’ decision signifies yet another victory for the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Consumers are refusing to buy goods from companies profiting from Israel’s illegal occupation.
John Lewis’ Managing Director, Andy Street, wrote to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in a letter dated 7 January:
‘As a socially responsible retailer, John Lewis takes very seriously the treatment of workers and their working conditions. We expect all our suppliers not only to obey the law, but also to respect the rights, interests and well-being of their employees, their communities and the environment.’
He ended by stating:
‘In relation to your specific enquiry about Ahava Dead Sea products, I can confirm that John Lewis has ceased stocking these particular products’.
Sarah Colborne, PSC’s Director of Campaigns and Operations, said:
‘PSC welcomes John Lewis’ decision to stop stocking Ahava products. Israel’s continued attacks on the Palestinian population – whether living under a brutal blockade in Gaza, under illegal occupation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, or under constant assault inside Israel, has led to a seismic shift in public opinion, with the movement for peace and justice for Palestinians gaining massive support internationally.
‘Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories, an Israeli cosmetics company, has its manufacturing plant and visitors’ centre based in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the West Bank. The company is 44 per cent owned by Mitzpe Shalem and another settlement, Kalia, so Ahava’s profits subsidise these illegal colonies.
‘Ahava’s manufacturing plant is in an illegal Israeli settlement, on stolen Palestinian land. Its beauty products can’t conceal the role Ahava plays in Israel’s dirty occupation. Ahava, and other companies profiting from Israel’s illegal occupation, are being sent a clear message by consumers who are refusing to buy their products. Although governments, including our own, are failing to end Israel’s violations of international law and human rights, we can all take action by refusing to buy Israeli goods and joining the movement for BDS. The PSC will continue to ensure that companies which profit from Israel’s occupation pay the price for their complicity in Israel’s crimes’.
In 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a call for international boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel. PSC launched its national boycott campaign in 2002, and supports fortnightly protests outside Ahava’s store in Covent Garden, London.
 The Bay has confirmed that it had discontinued sales of Ahava products – with their CEO Bonnie Brooks saying on 13 January 2011: ‘the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) discontinued sales of AHAVA beauty products, primarily because of sales results which had been declining for several years.’ It acknowledged that ‘Although this decision was made by HBC solely for commercial reasons, it occurred at the same time as an aggressive campaign by several groups advocating a boycott of AHAVA products.’
Thank John Lewis for their decision not to sell Ahava products:
Call their Customer Service team on 08456 049 049, any time between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week. (Local rate number for BT users only. As mobile and other network call charges may vary, please refer to your service provider for more details.)
Write to: Customer Services, John Lewis plc, PO Box 19615, Erskine PA8 6WU.
The Canadian Retailer ‘The Bay’ Drops Cosmetics Line as Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories Admits Declining Sales and Attempts to Rebrand; Victory for Human Rights Boycott Campaign
Yesterday was an amazing day when, in open recognition of declining sales and the toxicity of the brand, the CEO of giant Canadian retailer The Bay, together with the heads of Canada’s main pro-Israel lobby groups, let slip that Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories, an Israeli cosmetics manufacturer based in an illegal settlement in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank, is pulling its products off the shelf, curtailing international distribution of its signature line and attempting to rebrand its now tarnished image.
This victory for the Stolen Beauty Ahava boycott was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of grassroots human rights campaigners from North America, The United Kingdom, France, The Czech Republic, South Africa, Israel, and Palestine, among others countries, to hold Ahava accountable for its violations of international law and its unconscionable occupation profiteering.
But even with this acknowledgement of the success of our campaign, now is not the time to let up the pressure. In the same statement announcing its rationale for dropping Ahava from its inventory, The Bay announced that Ahava would be back with a new, re-branded product line in the spring. This attempt to fool international consumers with a repackaged brand will not go unchallenged, and our campaign will continue.
Background on Ahava’s illegal business practices
Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories is an Israeli cosmetics company that has its manufacturing plant and visitors center near the shores of the Dead Sea in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. The company is 44% owned by Mitzpe Shalem and another settlement, Kalia, so that the company’s profits are subsidizing these illegal colonies. Although its goods are manufactured in the West Bank, Ahava labels them as “products of Israel,” a practice that is illegal under European Union law and is currently being investigated in the UK and Holland.
Part of a growing international movement
Modeled on the worldwide campaign against apartheid-era South Africa, the movement for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel was created in 2005 in response to Israel’s many violations of Palestinian rights. The BDS movement has grown and achieved significant successes, particularly following Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip in 2009, which killed over 1400 Palestinians. The Stolen Beauty campaign is a part of this growing international movement. Says Rae Abileah, a Jewish American of Israeli descent and a campaigner with CODEPINK, “Ahava means love in Hebrew, but there is no love in occupation. We are part of a grassroots effort to bring about a just peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Email ’The Bay’ (Stolen Beauty form letter - just fill in your details).
NEXT AHAVA DEMO: Sat 22 Jan, 12-2, 39 Monmouth Street WC2
Video courtesy of Mr Alex Seymour
After a break during the Christmas and New Year period, pro-Palestine human rights demonstrators came together for the first Ahava protest of 2011. As usual, no fewer than eleven police were in attendance as were a small number of Zionists to oppose the campaign.
Over the two-hour period, campaigners chanted, sang and spoke with passers-by about the Ahava and the broader campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. Many members of the public were attracted by Debbie’s operatic voice and came to see what was going on and enquire about it. A significant number of passers-by were supportive of the campaign and pleased to see demonstrators out in force, similarly, those who weren’t aware of the campaign, were pleased to find out more.
Among the people campaigners spoke to included a self-described left-wing Israeli man and his wife who said that they both deeply ashamed of their government and assured us that many of their fellow citizens share their feelings. They fully supported the boycott campaign and wished us the best of luck.
Co Vice-Chair of the Zionist Federation, Jonathan Hoffman, as usual, was bumbling about despite Ahava management on the 23rd Dec asking him not to be present. Calling the boycott campaign a “nazi boycott”, he was similarly determined as ever to make unsupported accusations about human rights campaigners, which is no real shock considering Israel’s recent denouncement of Israeli human rights organisations as acting against their interests.
Ahava has been the subject of an ongoing international campaign for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against both Israeli and settlement produce. All of Ahava’s products, baring their tweezers, are manufactured on the illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem. The settlement and the factory are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Conventions and in addition, the products contravene UK DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) guidelines on labelling, as they are claimed to have been produced in Israel, which the guidelines explicitly state would be a crime.
The next protest against Ahava will take place on Saturday 22nd January from 12 noon till 2pm. New faces are always welcome.
Adidas – Don’t Run with Apartheid
Protestors Demand Adidas Kick The Occupation to the Kerb
08 Jan 2011
Today, Palestine solidarity activists visited the Adidas store in Covent Garden, London, to protest the company’s sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon, due to take place in March 2011.
A small group of protestors entered the shop and spoke with a member of management explaining the issue and presenting a letter to be forwarded to the UK and European head offices. The management were cooperative and aware of the issue at hand. Protestors continued outside the shop to give leaflets to passers-by and those entering the shop which asked them to demand that Adidas withdraw’s its sponsorship. Passers-by were supportive and engaged and mentioned to us about the Ahava campaign that was going on round the corner in Monmouth Street. It was a boost to all to know local people did take notice and knew about the issues.
Over recent weeks a global campaign has kicked off against Adidas under the mantle, “Adidas: Don’t Run with Apartheid”. Protests and letters have been sent from across the globe and there is some prospect that Adidas may respond to citizen pressure.
Currently, through its sponsorship, not only does Adidas’ support for this event undermine the Palestinian call for a cultural and sporting boycott of Israel, the proposed route of the marathon goes through the illegal settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev.
Where the construction of these illegal settlements are a violation of international law – namely the Fourth Geneva Convention, Adidas’ sponsorship of the marathon acts to aid and abet this war crime.
In addition, the marathon is organised by the same municipality that routinely organises house evictions and demolitions in East Jerusalem.
The construction of illegal settlements has caused the death of numerous Palestinian demonstrators who have gone to non-violently protest the theft of their land. We mourn the recent death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah who died as a result of inhaling tear gas fired at her by Israeli soldiers on 31/12/2010. Only a year previously, her brother, Basem Abu Rahmah died having been shot at with a tear gas canister directly to his chest at a protest in the same location.
More reasons why Adidas should withdraw its sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon can be found here.
The global campaign is asking for people worldwide to take the time to contact Adidas and demand they withdraw their involvement.
Here’s a sample letter:
I want to express my concern and disapproval at Adidas for sponsoring the forthcoming Jerusalem Marathon on the 25th March 2011. The route of the marathon will pass through Israeli controlled West Jerusalem, before winding its way around the illegal settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev which has been built on stolen Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem.
Where these settlements are located is a violation of international law, in particular, the Fourth Geneva Convention. Adidas’ sponsorship acts to aid and abet this war crime.
It is important to note that Adidas’ sponsorship of the marathon, whether in the current form or in a revised one, undermines the Palestinian call out for a cultural, sporting and economic boycott of Israel. In 2005, hundreds of Palestinian civil society, trade union and charitable organisations came together in unison to call for global non-violent citizen action through a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign to pressure Israel into conforming with its human rights and international obligations.
Since 1967 Israel has moved over 260,000 Settlers into the Occupied Palestinian Territories, flouting international law and dozens of UN resolutions and forcing Palestinians of their land.
The marathon is organised by the same municipality that routinely organises house evictions and demolitions in East Jerusalem. Adidas’ sponsorship signals an international ‘business as usual’ message to apartheid and occupation, perpetuated by Israel, on behalf of Adidas.
I ask that Adidas withdraws its sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon and stands up and join the many companies, athletes, singers, celebrities, politicians and citizens worldwide who have already done so, for human rights and for an end to the apartheid occupation.
In the event that Adidas chooses to sponsor this event, people in London and throughout the world will ensure that every patron who walks through the doors of your shops, as well as Adidas stockists, will be informed as to exactly what they are supporting.
Add your voice to the growing numbers and make a real impact!
you can send a message to Adidas UK here.
08 Jan 2011
On the way back, we noticed this poster at an underground (subway) station (below) advertising a photo exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum sponsored by Veolia, a firm complicit in the ongoing occupation and dispossession of the Palestinian people.


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Digital marketers are reporting a trend—their search traffic seems to be disappearing.
Through various browser, operating system, mobile app and privacy changes, a growing number of search results no longer contain keyword information (called encrypted search or SSL search) or are completely missing from referral information (called dark search). Without this critical information marketers are left with one option—use more paid search. Adobe Digital Index investigated 250 billion visits to 1500+ websites to understand the extent of the issue and uncovered three important trends:
- Google’s Chrome browser (which uses Google Search by default) is expected to surpass Internet Explorer in market share by late 2014
- 51% of Google search traffic isnow “dark” or encrypted—up ~300% since last year.
- Marketers are now paying more for Google search traffic with an increase in CPCs
Chrome’s browser share grows with mobile adoption
Google’s push for cross-platform compatibility between PC, tablet, and smartphone with the introduction of the Chrome App and the growth of Android has accelerated its share of browsing growth. If this trend continues Chrome will become the top browser bylate 2014. Of the four major US browsers, Safari is the only other serving mobile browsing. IE and Firefox, inexplicably, haven’t released iPhone mobile apps and as such are losing overall market share.
“Encrypted” + “dark” search traffic up 4X since last year
Keyword optimization, an early pillar of search marketing, is quickly becoming a thing of the past. In October of 2011 Google announced it would begin encrypting search traffic for users logged into a Google account and now more than half of click-throughs from Google are encrypted or dark.
Let’s start with a little background. Normally when someone clicks through from one website to another their browser tells the website where it came from. Many websites use this “referrer” information to customize content and help visitors find what they are looking for quickly. For purposes of this analysis wegrouped click-throughs into three buckets; traditional, encrypted, and dark, depending on thekind of “referrer” information that is passed along:
- Traditional search: both the referring search engine and the keyword are passed along
- All search click-throughsfrom http://www.google.com
- Paid search click-throughs from https://www.google.com
- Encrypted search: only the referring search engine is passed along, no keyword data.
- Organic search click-throughsfrom https://www.google.com
- Organic search click-throughsfrom https://www.google.com
- Dark search: neither the search engine or keyword is passed along
- All search click-throughsfrom https://encrypted.google.com/
Encrypted search has grown faster than expected.
Keyword “not-provided,” aka encrypted search, has far surpassed the “single-digit” share.As of April, 33% of Google search click-throughs are encrypted to hide keyword data for the average website—2.5 times more than last year. The chart below demonstrates the impact on average and the impact to different quartiles. It also shows that the impact of encrypted search has impacted all sites evenly.
Internet users are generally unaware of when their search results are encrypted. Except for paid search, where keyword data is passed-on regardless of the user’s privacy preferences, encryption has slowly become the default for more and more searches including when a user is signed into their Google account, searching from the Firefox (v14+) search bar, and searching while using “incognito” mode. The loss of this referral information disables keyword-based optimization for natural/organic search traffic, de-personalizing the website experience and diminishing business results.
Where has all the search traffic gone?
Encrypted search isn’t the only challenge search marketers are facing. Since June 2012 another more serious issue has come up, which we refer to as “dark” search. While encrypted search results hide the keyword, dark search results hide both the keyword and the fact that the click-through came from a search engine at all. Because dark search is incorrectly categorized as “direct” traffic we’re able to estimate the extent of this issue by observing the traffic trends from these two sources. Since June 2012 the share of traffic from search, which was trending up, has decreased by six percentage pointsand or approximately 19% of all Google search traffic.
Many have attributed the rise in dark search to the decision to make encryption the default for searches from Safari on iOS 6. However, iOS 6 wasn’t released until three months after the search share started trending down. The increase in dark search seems instead to coincide with the release of the Chrome App on iOS devices, which became the number one download from the App Store soon after its release.
Marketers turn to paid search instead
The effect of encrypted and dark search is most obvious for retailers. Since last year natural/organic search traffic has become less valuable relative to paid search traffic. For the average retailer a paid search click through now results in $1.06 more revenue than a natural search click through. Last year the difference was only $0.65.
As the relative value of paid vs. natural/organic search has increased marketers have focused less on SEO and are paying more for search traffic instead. On average the cost-per-click of paid search has increased double digits since last year.
What can marketers do?
We expect the gap between paid and natural/organic search to continue to widen as marketers lose the capability to deliver keyword-based personalization for visits coming from natural/organic search. Marketers should consider shifting their optimizations efforts towards audience profiling and visitor retargeting techniques. As paid search continues to become more valuable relative to natural/organic marketers shouldlearn to use new paid search tools to target multi-device users and would be wise to continue to diversify their spend across multiple search engines.
Have you seen a decline in natural search quantity and quality? Did you increase your investment in paid search?
All data-points reference analysis performed by Adobe Digital Index and calculated as follows:
- Browser share = visits from X browser/total visits
- Google search share = visits from X category/total visits from
- Google Search Referral Type share = visits from X referral type/total visits
- Revenue per click-through = revenue from X click-throughs/clicks from X click-throughs
- Cost per click-through = cost of X click-throughs/clicks from X click-throughs
About Adobe Digital Insights
Adobe Digital Insights publishes research on digital marketing and other topics of interest to senior marketing and e-commerce executives across industries. Research is based on the analysis of select, anonymous, and aggregated data from more than 5,000 companies worldwide that use the Adobe Digital Marketing Cloud to obtain real-time data and analysis of activity on websites, social media, and advertising.
Receive email updates on the latest Adobe Digital Insights Research.


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The store is selling a variety of racist signs. Nicola Shanks, a Colorado woman, is calling out the owner Antique Corral, who she said is selling racist and offensive “white only” signage, according to NBC News. Shanks said she was shopping in the store several months ago while visiting Cortez, a town near the Utah border. At the store, Shanks said she saw signs that read, “Public swimming pool white only,” “We serve colored carry out only,” and “Colored seated in rear.” (…) At the time of the incident, Shanks said she demanded to speak to the owner, Cheryl Dean, who wasn’t around. Shanks reportedly spent months unsuccessfully trying to reach Dean. Then, Shanks went back to the store and demanded Dean remove the signs. “She told me to go back to England where I came from,” Shanks wrote on her Facebook page, per NBC News. Dean told NBC News that she’s been selling the signs in her store off and on for the past 15 years and has never received a complaint. She also didn’t understand why the signs are considered racist.
via dailydot: Antique store blasted for selling ‘white only’ signs


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Sony is expanding the capabilities of its longstanding racing franchise, Gran Turismo 7, and announced this week at CES 2023 that players will be able to launch PSVR 2 with a free upgrade for existing owners. This marks the first time that the next generation console, PlayStation 5`s virtual reality headset will be available for use in-game.
SIE President Jim Ryan shared during the event that 30 million PS5 units have already been sold and reassured customers that it should now become easier to find the console available for purchase from this point forward – something VR early-adopters investing in PSVR2 need to bear in mind when upgrading. Details are still sparse on how compatibility between GT7 and PSVR 2 as well as what degree of motion controller/gamepad input is supported but we`re hoping it’ll provide comprehensive support compared to 2017’s GT Sport’s version featuring limited mode variants tied only gamepad input.
Read more about this here: https://www.roadtovr.com/gran-turismo-7-psvr-2-support/


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Africa today is a safer, more stable and prosperous region. The world's attention is increasingly turning to Africa, as one of the few places left where significant growth can be achieved, but success depends on understanding this diverse continent. Matthew Angus, Research Director of KLA, a South African based research agency, talks to us about how mobile research is gaining traction as the best way to gain insights into African markets.
Huawei is to launch a low-cost Windows Phone 8 device in seven African markets this quarter as part of a partnership with Microsoft to drive up smartphone penetration on the continent. Currently in Africa, smartphones account for only about 10 percent of total phones in the market.
This is just one of the themes being discussed at the 2013 Mobile Web East Africa Conference in Kenya. This promises to be a fascinating conference, exploring how mobile has changed the lives of African people, a subject we’re particularly interested in.
Given all the headaches, why has mapping moved to the centre of some of the most contentious fights in tech, including Apple's escalating feud with Google? Mobile software competitors - Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nokia, and a host of others -all share the same hunch that maps sit at the core of our digital future.


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With phase one of the trade deal between the U.S. and China signed, some investors can breathe a sigh of relief. A little more stability was restored in the global economy now that China has agreed to step up purchases from U.S. farmers and the U.S. halted plans for additional tariffs on Chinese products.
The deal doesn't signal an end to the tariffs and trade tensions that have been going on for more than a year now, but it is a step in the right direction and that bodes well for a host of Chinese stocks, including JD.com (JD -1.78%), Baidu (BIDU -0.48%), and Lenovo (LNVGY -1.79%). All three have been trading higher since the deal was inked. With hopes of more progress on trade talks in the ensuing months, the stocks are poised to appreciate even further. Here's why.
1. JD.com to benefit from an improving economy in China
Both the U.S. and China have been losers in the trade war, but the Chinese economy is getting particularly hurt. That isn't good news for JD.com, one of the country's biggest eCommerce providers. With tariffs making it costlier to do business, the economy slowed down to a pace not seen in years. But with the U.S. and China making progress, that helps the Chinese economy, which means more business for JD.com.
Even during the trade war, the company has been able to post gains, with sales up 28.7% in the third quarter. For the fourth quarter, JD.com projected revenue growth of between 21% and 25% year over year. That growth may be better if there is less pressure on the Chinese economy and China's GDP increases in the second half of this year.
From a valuation perspective, shares may appear to be pricey. After a strong 2019, shares have been gaining in 2020, up 8% since the start of the year. Wall Street expects more upside this year with the average price target for JD.com stock standing at $40.85, implying the stock can increase an additional 11%. As it stands, shares are trading at 25 times earnings, although Wall Street expects earnings growth of 38% in the fiscal year.
2. Baidu's stock soars in 2020
After trading down for much of 2019 thanks to a slowing economy and trade war with the U.S., China's largest internet search company is gaining in 2020. A big reason for that growth in the early part of the new year has to do with phase one of the trade deal. After all, part of the reason Baidu has been struggling is the trade war. An easing of the trade tensions should serve to boost the economy in China which will bode well for Baidu's stock. Also helping Baidu's stock in 2020 is wins in the artificial intelligence market and progress with its efforts related to self-driving vehicles.
Shares of Baidu got a good boost on news of phase one of the trade deal but since then have slumped. Year-to-date, the stock is down 2%, which could present a buying opportunity. Wall Street has a $144.96 price target on shares, which implies Baidu's stock can appreciate nearly 11% in 2020.
3. Lenovo is optimistic now that phase one is inked
Chinese technology companies have been hit particularly hard in the 18-month trade war as tariffs made the cost of business more expensive. It also injected uncertainty into business and weighed on the economy in China. But that all changes now that progress has been made, which benefits Lenovo, the Chinese computer maker. Morgan Stanley analysts recently added Lenovo to a list of 29 stocks that will benefit from phase one of the deal.
"We believe IT/Internet-related and Transportation stocks will benefit the most from any de-escalation of trade tensions -- IT and Internet due to their exposure to tariff impacts and technology bans, while Transportation stocks, especially Airlines, should benefit from an improved global trade outlook and strengthened CNY/USD," Morgan Stanley analysts wrote.
Meanwhile, in a recent interview, Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yang Yuanqing said the signing of phase one of the trade deal is good news as the computer maker thinks it will bring "some certainty" to the relationship between the two countries and that he hopes improvements in the business climate will come as a result of the deal. "For 2020, we are full of expectations," he said. "After the uncertainty is removed, I believe our company and the entire business will be boosted and see a growing trend."
He's not the only one who is optimistic about the prospects for Lenovo. Wall Street has an average price target of $17.19 on shares of Lenovo, implying 21% growth this year.


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Beam launches toothbrush connected to app
Beam Technologies LLC has launched its Beam Brush, an app-connected toothbrush.
The manual brush has an embedded sensor that maps brushing behavior and sends the data to an associated Android or iPhone app via Bluetooth, according to a news release. The brush costs $49.99.
As Business First wrote last month, Beam Technologies has secured $550,000 from local investors since November 2011.
Beam Technologies CEO Alex Frommeyer said in an e-mail that he is attending the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas and can not immediately discuss the product launch.
Frommeyer wrote that he will talk with Business First Wednesday about his experiences at the show.
Andrew Robinson covers these beats: Restaurants, retail, government, human resources, technology, automotive (dealers, services), media/marketing/printing, young professionals, West End, East End and Oldham County.
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By Kajizilkree - 04.04.2020
Free btc loader app review
The malware works by intercepting cryptocurrency wallet addresseswhich are used to send funds online from one account to free btc loader app review. Bitcoin wallet addresses are composed of long strings of characters for security reasons, meaning people tend to copy and paste them rather than typing them out.
By intercepting the address when it is copied and secretly replace it with a wallet address of their own, attackers were able to redirect funds to their own accounts. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous https://idcatalog.ru/review/free-btc-loader-app-review-1.html Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A free btc loader app review Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May,the first ever read more bitcoin transaction took place.
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This represented a 1, per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters It is not the first time this type of malware has free btc loader app review discovered on Android apps, though infected apps had free btc loader app review before appeared in the official Google Play store.
A spokesperson for Google was not immediately available for comment. Watch more.
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A third of Brits have revealed in a recent study that they are struggling to get a full night’s sleep due to anxiety over cleaning duties.
A study of 2,000 adults found many of us could be suffering from cleaning-induced insomnia thanks to growing lists of household chores. Organising the fridge, packing lunches and cleaning up shoes left on the floor are among the niggling errands keeping the nation awake.
Do you have anxiety over cleaning your house?
Other chores putting Brits on edge include coats piled up higgledy-piggledy on coat hooks and clothes shoved into drawers. As well as dirty dishes and plumping pillows.
The research, commissioned by Dunelm, also found 64 per cent can’t unwind in the evening until they have cleared up after their dinner. A further three in 10 admitted to eating their dinner later than they’d like because they’re working through chores before they start cooking.
‘Trying to concentrate or relax around mess can be hard, I’m the first to admit that I find it hard to relax when surrounded by clutter,’ explains Dr Dawn Harper, TV medic and GP.
‘Just the knowledge that there are dishes to put away, dust gathering on top of the TV or a bed to make, can really influence our stress levels and overall happiness.
‘This is an issue that genuinely affects the mental wellbeing of millions of Brits and the fact that it is impacting the sleep of British adults, according to Dunelm’s survey, is concerning given as a nation we aren’t getting nearly enough shut-eye as it is.
Dr Dawn Harper, who sees people every week suffering from stress-related illnesses, has a few tricks to alleviate anxiety over-cleaning.
‘Try taking a few minutes to clear up mess as you notice it, rather than letting it build up to become a stressor,’ she suggests.
‘Prioritise keeping clear and clean the spaces in your home that should be your relaxing sanctuaries, for example, the bedroom, living area and bathroom so you always have havens to unwind in.’
The study found the kitchen and living room to be the biggest cause of anxiety. A fifth admitted their kitchen cupboards are in disarray, with 78 per cent saying they can’t ignore crumbs on the side.
However, more than a quarter of people claim it’s the master bedroom which causes them the most stress. This can have a significant impact on sleep.
It is our floor that is causing us the most anxiety in our bedrooms. One in four believes they’re always likely to find something that needs clearing on their bedroom floor.
‘Floordrobes’ are becoming increasingly common, with those surveyed citing that they get dressed from the floor at least three days a week.
However, it seems our cleaning anxiety is being fed by what others think of our home. A fifth of Brits worry what friends and family think of their tidying habits and home style.
Just over a third ‘feel dirty’ when their home isn’t spick and span. While 18 per cent will feel claustrophobic in their own home when surround by heaps of mess.
However, there is some good news. Social media is making us better at cleaning up. 29 per cent believe they’ve become better at keeping things clean and tidy thanks to cleaning gurus and influencers like Mrs Hinch, Style Sisters, and Marie Kondo.
‘Practical storage solutions are a top trend this year, and sales have definitely been driven by influencers like Mrs Hinch,’ Debbie Drake, Dunelm’s design director.
Are you battling cleaning induced insomnia?


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Ericsson and Ciena have signed a global agreement to develop joint transport solutions for converged IP and optical networks that also use SDN (software-defined networking) features.
Service providers will be able to launch Ethernet services more quickly and make them work across other carriers more easily with a new set of standards for carrier Ethernet equipment, backers of the specifications say.
After several days of gains, tech stocks dropped Thursday as markets declined on disappointing news from Europe, where government officials are meeting to try to solve the sovereign debt crisis afflicting several countries in the euro area.
Major U.S. stock markets on Friday closed for a sixth straight week of losses, the worst weekly losing streak since the third quarter of 2002, during the dot-com bust.
Ciena plunged deeper into the red following its acquisition of Nortel Networks' metro Ethernet business, with sales of its legacy products stagnating, it reported Wednesday.
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Enjoy some leading Indonesian authors in translation including two newly translated works by Eka Kurniawan.
Spotlighting books on Balinese Music & Performance as the UH Mānoa Asian Theatre Program kicks off "Battle of the Monkey Kings" this week.
This week, our bookshelf spotlights recent recipients of book prizes in Southeast Asian studies from the Association of Asian Studies.
Spotlighting Indonesian books in translation by the Lontar Foundation as Indonesia will be the Guest of Honor at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Plan your perfect Southeast Asia getaway with recent and forthcoming releases highlighting travel and adventure in the region.
This week's bookshelf spotlights film in Southeast Asia including a recent release on Indonesian Screen Culture.
This week our bookshelf spotlights recent releases on Javanese art, music, and dance.
We spotlight the festivals and folktales of Southeast Asia as the region celebrates the new year this week with water festivals Songkran and Thingyan.
This week we spotlight new books on Indonesia by ISEAS including 'A 14th Century Malay Code of Laws' by UH SEA faculty Uli Kozok.
The CSEAS Bookshelf Spotlight returns with a feature on language acquisition featuring many professors at UH-Mānoa.


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Hyderabad | 29th August 2018 | The Pulp and Paper Times
China’s ban on inferior quality waste paper about nine month back is turning profitable for Indian paper mills in terms of export of paper to china. This trend of ban might prevail to the ‘complete ban’ on all type of waste paper. “China has announced that all waste paper, of which they are importing, will be completely banned by March 2020. This is a good lesson and information which is coming to us and accordingly we can make strategy in our industry. China is very prominent in implementing its announcement.” Mr. P. S. Patwari, Executive Director of Emami Paper Mills Ltd. said during inauguration of PaperTech 2018 Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) based on Energy Conservation in Process Industries at Hyderabad. For years, China had lenient standards for scrap imports, and much of the plastics and wastepaper that arrived in container ships was loaded with contaminants, such as cheese-encrusted pizza boxes. Much of it had to be discarded because those contaminants can’t easily or economically be separated out. The government this year started demanding a cleaner trash stream in a bid to keep extra waste out of its own landfills.
“The ban on inferior grade of waste paper, whatever industry based on that grade of waste paper, either fully shut or partially shut in China. This shut has created a shortage of particular paper products, and Newsprint is one of them. More than 2 Million tons newsprint capacity in China has been shut because of ban on waste paper. It’s a global shortage and India paper mill should be ready to meet this shortage. Except to Newsprint, packaging paper, Kraft and duplex board are being exported to china now.” Mr. Patwari said.
China’s environmental concern is extended to Southeast Asia nations also. Thailand will ban imports of 432 types of scrap electronics within six months, an environment ministry official said on 16th August 2018, the latest country to respond to China’s crackdown on imports of high-tech trash this year.
Southeast Asia nations fear they are the new dumping ground for the world’s trash after China banned the entry of several types of waste as part of a campaign against “foreign garbage” Thailand’s ban comes weeks after regional neighbor Vietnam said it would stop issuing new licenses for waste imports and crack down on illegal shipments of paper, plastic and metal.
“The benefit of ban on waste paper by China and Vietnam and USA’s trade war is helping Indian Paper Industry. Tightening of the environmental norms in China is causing million of Industry over there. The demand of pulp has gone up, the cost of pulp also gone up. This has jacked up prices of pulp and this in turn has resulted in prices of paper and finished products going up. Good days don’t always last. Paper Industry must utilise the extra money for better efficiency and energy conservation.” said by Mr. Sanjay Singh, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC Limited -Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division. “
The country’s demand for newsprint is estimated to be about 2.8 million tonnes but production is about 1.2 mt, and the balance is imported, if we produce all that we consume domestically, we would be able to save about Rs. 10,000 crore every year.” Mr. Patwari said.
American recycling programs and processing plants have struggled to meet the stricter standards. U.S. exports of recovered paper to China fell 39 percent in the first five months of this year, U.S. export data show. A ton of recovered cardboard fetches $74 in the U.S., where it sold for $170 a year ago, according to RISI. Some inferior grades of paper and plastic are bringing so little revenue that some U.S. recycling programs consider it to be more economical to stick it in landfills.


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Plant-Based Innovator PURIS today announced the launch of its first consumer brand: AcreMade. The brand’s first product launch comes in the form of a plant-based egg made using yellow field peas and is now available via the AcreMade website.
PURIS which was founded in 1985 with the intention of developing safer, more sustainable foods from plants has achieved key breakthroughs in clean manufacturing. As a result, they promise great food at a lower cost, lower environmental impact, and with less waste. The company currently produces a range of non-GMO, plant-based ingredients made from soy, pulses, lentils and corn.
Using PURIS’ 35+ years of experience, AcreMade’s plant-based egg comes in the form of a shelf-stable powder that the brand says is ‘perfect for scrambling or baking’. Each serving contains 5gs of pea protein, and consumers can order a multipack which contains 8 x 4.9oz pouches (2.45 lbs per case), or 12 egg equivalent per pouch for $54.99.
“We’re thrilled to be launching AcreMade as our first direct to consumer brand,” said Nicole Atchison, CEO of AcreMade and PURIS Holdings.
“AcreMade is another step towards healthier choices for people, practices that are safe for soil and animals, and a food supply ready to feed a growing planet.”
Despite PURIS’ documented experience, the brand launches in a market with heavy competition from popular brands such as JUST Egg and Follow Your Heart.


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A new series of Q&A sessions from Lebrusan Studio is aiming to answer the questions and solve the problems of people within the jewellery industry.
Arabel Lebrusan is creative director of Lebrusan Studio and has worked in sustainable jewellery for the last two decades.
The AMA sessions will run 10-11am every Friday morning via Google Meet.
Lebrusan is open to questions about operating a lifestyle business, ethical sourcing and sustainable materials.
Additionally, in time for International Women’s Day, Lebrusan will also take questions about being a woman and a mother in business.
Questions will be asked via a chat box system in Google Meet, and will be answered on a first come, first served basis.
The first session will take place this Friday, 12 February, with Lebrusan Studio not confirming for how many weeks the AMA sessions will continue.
The company has been making a number of changes this year, despite the uncertainty in the jewellery industry and beyond.
Near the end of last year it announced a change of premises and now has a Hatton Garden home. Read more below:


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SocialÂ mediaÂ had another big year inÂ 2018. GDPR compliance was big, influencer marketing continued to change and gain steam, the growth of Instagram was huge and of course Facebook dominated with a new algorithm along with the privacy scandal, writes,Â by Yuval Ben-Itzhak, CEO, Socialbakers.Â
2018 was a huge year for social media. There were so many changes to navigate including GDPR compliance, privacy scandals and a new algorithm at Facebook, the impact of influencer marketing, and the rise of Instagram (and the departure of its founders) to name a just a few. Social media marketers found themselves having to aim for targets that were not only moving, but morphing into new entities altogether. For brands that need to reach more consumers and raise brand awareness on social media, here are the biggest trends from 2018 you should consider as you develop your strategies for the coming year.
The steady decline of organic content on Facebook
When you examine the metrics for engagement on the Facebook app, one development has remained consistently true throughout 2018. That undeniable trend is the steady decline of engagement and reach for Facebook organic content. Some believe this may be tied to the introduction of the new algorithm at the beginning of the year. But our numbers show that probably isn’t the case. As you can see in the graph below, the decline of engagement with organic Facebook content began months before the new algorithm was introduced. In just over a year, audiences have shifted away from engaging with this type of content.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean brands should abandon Facebook. If your audience is still mainly on Facebook, you should keep posting at high volume. But now more than ever, you must post content that is relevant to the audience. With the decline in engagement and the new algorithm that punishes spam, the ability to understand which organic content will resonate with your audience on Facebook is key. We have seen that when brands post highly relevant content, they do gain back engagement and get love from Facebook users. Even with the overall decline in this venue.
So, what is driving the decline in Facebook engagement? Are people simply tired of a text-based format? That brings us the next big trend of 2018.
The dramatic rise of Instagram and Stories
In the ever-changing universe of social media, perhaps the biggest story of 2018 is the rise of Stories. These are the multimedia posts that combine video, pictures and text and drive high levels of engagement. Compared to passive, text-based posts, they are much more compelling, interactive and attractive to social media users. And they have helped drive a growing transfer of social media marketing initiatives to one of the newly established home of Stories, Instagram.
In 2018, Instagram hit significant milestones, dethroning Snapchat as the most-used social media platform among teens,Â and the volume of brands posting Instagram Stories increased by 400%. Don’t forget that Instagram began with a feed similar to Facebook. The introduction of Stories to Instagram changed all that, increasing engagement with users and attracting the attention of brand advertisers. Stories also had a similar effect in venues like WhatsApp. Although Instagram posts still garner more impressions than Instagram Stories, the trend is clear. Stories are the new stars of social media, and you can expect to see a continuing uplift in impressions and engagement with them in the year ahead.
In many ways, the adoption of Stories is similar to adoption of mobile. In terms of scale and velocity, people are moving to them in droves and there is no sign of a slowdown. The question is why aren’t more brands adopting it as well?
Even with all the new attention on Stories and Instagram, brands are still moving slowly to catch up with this trend. We still see many brands investing most heavily in traditional Facebook ads. Instagram may have a smaller audience than Facebook, but their users are much more engaged. Because their audiences are already on Instagram, and Stories offer superior traction for engagement, we recommend that advertisers take advantage of this trend as soon as they can.
The golden age of influencer marketing
In 2018, it became clear that influencer marketing should not be considered an experimental or boutique advertising model. It is a big enabler of revenue, and big brands are getting on board. It’s estimated that influencer marketing ad spending will reach $10 billion by 2020.1 The reason is that consumers prefer to see authentic content from people who they trust and follow on social media, rather than content they are getting from a brand.
But in this golden age of influencer marketing, there is also a good deal of fraud. In 2018, social media marketers learned they need to do their due diligence before investing in an influencer.
There are three types of influencer marketing fraud to be aware of: Fake fans, fake engagement and fake interests.
Fake fans â€“ A fraudulent influencer can easily purchase a fake profile with many followers, or purchase the followers directly themselves. On the black market, a mere $50 will buy you 1,000 followers.
Fake engagement â€“ An influencer may have authentic followers, but uses software or automated tools that comment or like their posts to create fraudulent engagement metrics.
Fake interests â€“ An influencer with genuine engagement in one topic may pass themselves off as an influencer in another topic, when in reality they have no engagement with users on that alternative topic.
It’s critical that brands gain the capability to sniff out influencer marketing fraud. For instance, brands could examine an influencer’s performance over a longer time period, like six months, and their engagement level per 1,000 fans. The first metric can uncover spikes that may indicate fake activity, while the second metric indicates whether genuine, on-topic engagement with the target audience is taking place. Without these data insights, brands may waste time and money on an influencer with no real reach or engagement.
The limited success of chatbots
When chatbots arrived on the social media scene a few years ago, they were supposed to be the next big thing for customer relations and brand outreach. Chatbots were deployed on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp to communicate one-on-one with consumers and prospects, solving problems and marketing goods and services. In 2018, the brands who experimented with chatbots began to realize they weren’t going to be the big success they thought they would be.
The truth is that chatbots can have difficulty understanding exactly what a person is asking of them. Many chatbot interactions end up with a menu-driven conversation. You must select an option, click, and then you are given another option. There isn’t much room for nuance or ambiguity. In 2018, using a computer to conduct a conversation can still be a barrier to an engaging experience.
However, in process-oriented industries, chatbots are generating a significant return on investment. If you need to book an airline flight or reserve a hotel room, a chatbot is handy way to walk you through that process. But if you want to complain that your hotel room is not what you expected, a chatbot probably can’t resolve the problem. It will take you through the first few steps of the process, then hand you off to a human who can address your issue. But taking those first few steps out of the dialogue is still a major benefit for these types of vertical industries.
Overall, in terms of raising brand awareness and reaching a broader audience of consumers, chatbots were still not ready for prime time in 2018.
Data is still king
2018 was truly a remarkable year for social media. And these are just of a few of the many emerging trends that had a transformative impact on how brands use social channels to reach their target audiences. Of course, there is one aspect of social media that didn’t change in 2018. If you want to successfully leverage platforms like Facebook and Instagram and others, you need solid data to drive your decision making. In 2019, reliable data will still be a business imperative to help you know precisely where to invest your advertising budget in order to maximize reach, engagement and business impact.