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(FB - Free Report
) has fallen into the cellar of the Zacks Rank because analysts keep lowering their EPS estimates, trying to keep up with the digital advertising giant's "reversal of growth."
Even though that downturn is more self-inflicted than caused by celebrities inspiring the masses to #deletefacebook, the path of transformation and reinvention for Mark Zuckerberg's dream machine will result in slower revenue and earnings growth for possibly another year as the company builds a better friend machine.
What was self-inflicted? The company's own realization in 2017 that they needed to control two flows of dis-information and potential tribalism:
(1) the ad buyers who could target specific audiences with destructive or manipulative messaging (i.e., "fake news")
(2) the individual users and groups who could spread their dis-information and political propaganda, even hate speech, without recourse
And Zuck & Co. also realized they couldn't limit the virulent effect of "bots" without also reengineering their own algorithms.
In short, the mea culpa for being involved in massive political warfare -- sometimes even promoting hate groups -- has brought the mighty influence machine to a reckoning where costs are rising, less advertising is being accepted (i.e., lower revenues), and many users and former users have noticed the new restrictive nature of "big brother" Alphabet's (GOOGL) "little brother."
I discussed these techno-cultural dynamics in my July podcast and article...
Still a Growth Machine
All this said, the company is still estimated to grow sales over 36% this year to $55+ billion.
And even next year still looks great in analyst binoculars with a 24.5% top line advance to a record $69 billion.
EPS growth -- despite the rising costs of hiring many thousands of human "social police" to watch the ads and content streams -- is expected to hit +14% this year and next.
And this after 2018 EPS estimates fell from $7.66 to $7.08 in the past 60 days, while 2019 profit projections dropped over 13% from $9.33 to $8.09.
Yet still, these consensus projections from dozens of Wall Street investment banks for the #2 digital ad powerhouse, with over 2 billion monthly active users (MAU) worldwide, are what will keep large growth investors buying Facebook shares at these levels and lower as the company reinvents its platform for the better and innovates to monetize Instagram advertising.
In fact, those large funds, whether its David Tepper's Appaloosa, Andreas Halvorsen's Viking Global, or Steve Mandel's Lone Pine Capital won't mind the dips at all.
We joined them in March on the first dip to back to $150 and we sold above $190 in my TAZR Trader
portfolio. I always believed that Zuck & Co. knew what they had to do to make the social media ecosystem a better environment for friends, family, entrepreneurs and even the occasional political affiliation.
And I'll probably do it again after we get the first sign that estimates have bottomed and are about to turn upward again.
The Zacks Rank will let us know.
The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All
Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.


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Mercedes-Benz’s Climate Pledge: All Cars To Be Carbon-neutral By 2039
Mercedes-Benz pledged on Monday to make its new passenger car fleet carbon-neutral within two decades, an ambitious goal built on electric vehicles and renewable energy.
The target, described as a “fundamental transformation of our company,” appears to be more aggressive than similar carbon-neutral targets announced by Volkswagen (VLKAF) and other major auto makers.
Mercedes, owned by Daimler (DDAIF), will slash its carbon footprint by building far fewer combustion engines. By 2030, the German manufacturer aims to have all-electric models and hybrids make up more than half of its total car sales.
And Mercedes plans to lean on wind power and other forms of clean energy to make its vast manufacturing operations cleaner. The auto maker set a goal of carbon-neutral European plants by 2022.Mercedes explicitly cited environmental worries as the reason behind the overhaul.
“We have set a clear course to help prevent further acceleration of climate change,” the auto maker said in a statement, adding that the Paris climate accord is “more than an obligation — it’s our conviction.
“Mercedes on Monday introduced the first of its Mercedes-Benz EQC generation of electric models.
Rival VW announced a bold move of its own in March. The company, which also owns the Audi, Bentley and Porsche brands, said it will launch 70 electric models in a decade and be completely carbon neutral by 2050.
Volkswagen aims to make electric vehicles at least 40% of its total sales by 2040.Daimler’s carbon-neutral announcement does not include its vast commercial vehicle fleet, which includes Freightliner trucks and Thomas Built Buses.
Still, the Mercedes pledge is the latest shift away by auto makers away from traditional engines.
“If we’re going to meet our climate goals, the internal combustion engine has to go away,” said Carol Lee Rawn, senior director of transportation at Ceres, a nonprofit sustainability group.
None of this will be easy.Mercedes acknowledged that its makeover is a “huge challenge” — both technologically and financially. It will require enormous amounts of investment to renovate factories, supply chains and develop new models. And Mercedes vowed to continue to offer performance and luxury — without creating sticker shock.
“We want to make sustainable mobility even more exciting, not more expensive,” Mercedes said.

domain: news


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- 15 April 2016
- Transport / Logistics Services
Australia Post is the latest mail operator to test delivery drones with a ‘closed field trial’ of a system.
In a statement issued yesterday (15 April), Australia Post said: “This closed-field trial is an important next step in testing the new technology which will potentially deliver small parcels safely and securely to customers’ homes, allowing for faster transportation of time critical items like medication.”
Australia Post Managing Director and Group CEO Ahmed Fahour said: “We’re excited to be the first major parcels and logistics company in Australia to test Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) technology for commercial delivery applications. We will put this innovative technology through its paces over the coming weeks and months to understand what it can deliver, how far it can travel, and ultimately, how our customers could receive a parcel.
“RPA technology will continue to evolve over the coming years and while we’re not sure what role it will play in our future, we do think there are opportunities for time-critical deliveries or where there are significant distances between the road and front door.”
According to local sources, Australia Post has launched its drone trials at Dandenong South in Melbourne’s south-east.
Where drone delivery could be useful in large rural areas such as Australia’s Outback it remains to be seen whether the UAV systems would work in densely packed urban areas. They have been tested and proven for shore to ship delivery of urgent goods and with getting medicines to rural locations in Africa however. They are prone to problems with the weather – a week of October gales in the UK could ground a fleet until they have passed for example and that would not be a very good investment in meteorologically volatile regions such as northern Europe! In tropical areas it may well work better and more reliably.


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Today, in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and many other places to travel, shopping, do not exchange local currency, with WeChat payment, Alipay and other sweep code, according to the exchange rate of the day, the local currency can be automatically converted into RMB payment.
The range of mobile payments is expanding, with WeChat recently announcing that Amsterdam airport in the Netherlands has become Europe’s first WeChat smart flagship airport to experiment with the idea of allowing WeChat apps to order duty-free goods.
Users can buy goods in the small program before they arrive at the airport, and when they arrive at the airport, they will be able to pay for the pickup at the “WeChat pickup point” sweep code. At present, more than 80% of the merchants at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol have opened WeChat payments.
China’s mobile payments are accelerating the pace of overseas development
Alipay’s overseas offline payment has covered more than 40 countries and regions, access to including eating, drinking, transportation and other fields of hundreds of thousands of overseas merchants stores. More than 149 international airports around the world have access to Wechat payment, which supports payment in 13 currencies. By April 2019, the number of merchants covered by WeChat payment in Europe has increased by 3.5 times compared with last year.
According to the white paper on the development and trend of China mobile payment overseas tourism market in 2018, mobile payment accounted for 32% of the total transaction volume of Chinese outbound tourists, surpassing cash payment for the first time, with nearly 70% of Chinese tourists getting used to paying by mobile phone overseas.
Mobile payment overseas development generally begins with reversed transmission “demand”, pay treasure, pay WeChat covers many businesses at home, as “overseas purchase” scope expands unceasingly, many overseas merchants also hope to be able to access the mobile payment service for Chinese tourists, the third-party payment providers will need to help these merchants solve the problem of information, capital circulation, improving the Chinese outbound tourism consumption experience.
In addition to WeChat payment and Alipay, China unionpay is also gradually increasing the pace of international cooperation by virtue of its advantages in channels and cooperation.
In November 2018, UnionPay International, in cooperation with Malaysia Axiata Telecom Group, realized its wallet product Boost support UnionPay QR Code payment service through electronic card issuance. At present, consumers in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and other places can be tied to the mobile payment client to issue a UnionPay card, in the global UnionPay QR code merchant sweep code payment.
Lowering service barriers to promote the development of local inclusive finance
According to the World Bank, there are currently 2 billion people in developing countries who do not have bank accounts, only 10% per cent hold credit cards and only a 21% of those with loan needs receive loans through formal financial institutions.
Ant financial research found that in densely populated “One Belt And One Road” countries, although the economy is rising, the financial system is developing slowly and unevenly, and the cost of financial services for ordinary people is very high. In addition to promoting the development of local e-commerce and Internet economy, it can also greatly reduce the threshold for ordinary people to obtain financial services.
For example, in India, Thailand, the Philippines and other countries and regions, Alipay has landed nine local “Alipay”. Paytm, built in cooperation with India, can charge phone bills, pay utility bills, transfer money, and purchase goods and services online. Half of paytm250 million users are from second-tier and lower-tier cities and rural areas in India, contributing to the development of inclusive finance in India.


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The company is the latest tech giant to go public after seemingly endless rounds of venture capital, and its performance and experience will be instructive for other unicorns such as Slack, which is planning to go public soon, and Stripe, which is hotly tipped to go public in the year ahead though no plans have yet been revealed.
For all the cautionary tales, there are companies like payment processor Square, which went public at $9 per share, rose 45% on the first day of trading and now sell for around $70.
Pinterest, Inc. led by Chairman, Co-Founder, President and CEO Ben Silbermann and Co-Founder, Chief Design and Creative Officer, Evan Sharp ring the opening bell celebrating the IPO of Pinterest Inc.at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., April 18, 2019.
Shares of the digital-scrapbooking company opened at US$23.75.
Zoom's China-born founder Eric Yuan, 49, who was refused a United States visa eight times, now holds shares worth more than £2 billion in his company. During Pinterest's IPO process, the company obtained loyal users but failed to create a significant strategy for making money off of this base.
IPOs of Pinterest and other such loss-making unicorns - startup companies with valuations of at least one billion US dollars - have presented a predicament for investors sitting on the fence.
Ride-hailing global behemoth Uber is preparing what will likely be the year's biggest IPO in the U.S. It will seek to raise about $10 billion in May in a listing valuing it at about $100 billion, people familiar with its plans have said. In contrast to Pinterest Zoom in 2018 and made a small profit of about 7.6 million dollars. "We call it discovery". Pinterest highlights that statistic as an advantage over other platforms, given that mothers are 'primary decision-makers when it comes to buying products and services for their household.
Zoom raised $356.8 million after selling 9.91 million shares in the IPO. 'Pinterest is one of the few friendly corners of the Internet, he said. The company had about $756 million in revenue from online advertisements in 2018, a 60% growth rate that accelerated from the previous year.
- At least 28 killed on tourist bus — Madeira crash
- Blue Jackets advance after sweep of mighty Lightning
- Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah? Jamie Carragher picks most important Liverpool player
- Game of Thrones Season 8 Opening Credits Explained
- Notre Dame cathedral may be completely destroyed by fire
- Woman made threats against Columbine High School, FBI says
- President Trump is preparing a rebuttal to the Mueller report
- Pochettino: Spurs can defy odds to upset 'favourites' Man City
- A champions League spot is in our hands, Emery
- Anti-vax moms sue NYC as U.S. heads toward record measles spread


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Lots of lolly: taste of nostalgia leads to sweet success
IT'S a pretty sweet idea: space dust, liquorice shoelaces, satin cushions -- whatever your favourite -- children of all ages are getting to indulge themselves with the explosion of sweet shops all over the country.
Now the fastest-growing sector in retail, old-fashioned sweet shops have mushroomed in towns all over Ireland and one British franchise company is hoping to create 150 jobs by the end of next year.
Mr Simms Olde Fashioned Sweet Shoppe is opening its ninth Irish outlet in Bandon, Co Cork, next week.
Plans are already at an advanced stage ahead of the opening of shops in Tralee and Macroom in the next three weeks, to add to those in Limerick, Cork, Dungarvan, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Clare.
Mr Simms Ireland managing director John Costello said it was the shops' "feelgood factor" that appealed to people.
"They appeal to people of all ages, from the baby in the pram to the old lady who remembers buying her satin cushions when she was a child," Mr Costello said.
"People love going into the shops who can't afford to buy their kids new trainers anymore but who still can afford a couple of euro for some sweets."
In Killarney alone, two independently owned sweet shops have opened since the start of the summer.
Michael Cotter and his partner Galina Bart opened Mr McQuire's Olde Sweet Shop in May and say they're beginning to enjoy some return trade.
"So far so good but Killarney is a summer town and we do worry about winter," he said.
Meanwhile, Niall O'Loughlin (32) is hoping to recreate some of the authenticity of his grandfather's general grocery store in Miltown Malbay with his 'Granda Charlie's Auld Sweet Shop', also in Killarney.
Mr O'Loughlin, who is diabetic, stocks a range of sugar-free sweets and has kitted out his shop with a 1920s counter and till and even an old wireless from the 1940s.
"The smell I associate with my grandfather's shop is aniseed and I have a jar of this that I open so customers can smell it," he says.
But Killarney's original candy man, Michael Sheehan, is bemused by the growth in the sweet shop sector in the town.
He's been selling old-fashioned sweets by the quarter from his licensed premises Reidy & Sons, on Main Street, since the 1960s.
When asked what he made of the new competition, he replied: "Sure, let them all have a go."
Sweet-maker Anton Shevlin of Athlone Sweets says that while there's definitely a boom in the confectionery business, he hopes it's not just a novelty.
"We sell a lot of our products to sweet shops and its great to see people going back to basics but we must remember this has not been the trend in Ireland where we tend to go for one-stop-shops where you can buy your newspaper, sweets and groceries in the one place," he says.


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Yu-Gi-Oh-pocalypse! YCS Sydney 2016 begins + WIN with our Breakers of Shadow competition!
Yu-Gi-Oh players rejoice! Its a HUGE week for Australian Yu-Gi-Oh fans as we get a brand new set with Breakers of Shadow and we host the latest YCS Tournament in Sydney this weekend!
You can check out some of the big cards from Cherry's box opening and watch the full video below. You can WIN the top cards from our box break by liking and sharing the video on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Competition is drawn this Sunday (17/1/2016).
The team from Yu-Gi-Oh singles has also revealed their team competing at YCS 2016. You can check out their coverage of the event here!
Keep your eyes glued to Cherry's blog because you don't want to miss a thing!


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The Times We Live In: As we are all well aware by now, the days of privacy and discretion are over for many. We are all used to people broadcasting their lives in intimate detail across all digital platforms at all times, and we are also growing accustomed to daily news about sexting politicians and hacked celeb nudie pics. Here’s yet another example of private information gone public: Andy Boyle, a newsroom Web developer for the Boston Globe and boston.com, took it upon himself to live-tweet a fight he witnessed at a Burger King between a young married couple; or as he put it in his first tweet documenting the incident, “I am listening to a marriage disintegrate at a table next to me in this restaurant. Aaron Sorkin couldn’t write this any better.” Boyle goes on to give blow-by-blow Twitter coverage of the argument and even posted a picture of the couple. While, yes, it does make a for an entertaining read, it is a totally voyeuristic, tasteless move on Boyle’s part. It’s one thing to jot down interesting/funny/embarrassing human interactions that you overhear for your own amusement or for material for something creative like a short story or movie scene or whatever; but to publicly post over 20 tweets and pictures for all of your followers and the rest of the Web to see is crossing a line — it’s exploitative. Particularly, something so personal and painful as a marriage imploding. Unfortunatley, it seems that everyone wants attention, whether it’s more Twitter followers or Web buzz, even if it’s at the expense of others’ privacy. The Daily What
More in Media
Adalytics Research asks, ‘Are YouTube advertisers inadvertently harvesting data from millions of children?’
Publishers’ Q2 earnings reveal digital advertising is still in a tight spot, but digital subscriptions are picking up steam.
Experts reflect how the failures of social media and online advertising can help the industry improve the next era of innovation.
Ad position: web_bfu


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No longer the exclusive iPhone carrier, AT&T is frequently knocked as a poor carrier with lousy wireless service, but if you ask their CEO, it sounds a bit like the customers are the ones taking advantage of them.
Grab bag o' news this week as no one really duked it out for top dog in the headline race. Apple's got a few tricks up its sleeves, Samsung did well in sales, lawsuits are such a constant they're like air anymore, and the iPad still kicks major butt. So what else did happen this week worth your time? How about these 10 stories, tips, and reviews?
We all know Ashton Kutcher will soon be playing Steve Jobs, but did you know the enigmatic Apple co-founder also has a rare acting cameo to his name? Thanks to a long-lost in-house short film called “1944,” the truth can finally be revealed as Jobs portrays his own version of President Roosevelt during World War II. This and a whole lot more make up the news for this hump day on Wednesday, May 2, 2012!
There’s no denying that Apple makes a fascinating subject for authors, and it seems more books are being published attempting to demystify the company’s secrets and methods than ever before. Author Ken Segall has just debuted another one entitled Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success.
Yeah, we were pretty excited that Tim Cook was visiting Valve headquarters as Apple is really rocking out the gaming world lately. And yeah, we were pretty deflated when Apple went and shot down that rumor. But there were other things rocking out this week, so go take a peek.
Since the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs last year, interest in the tech pioneer’s life has accelerated. A journalist who interviewed Jobs extensively over the course of 25 years has recently unearthed audio recordings of those meetings which shed new light on the man, the myth and the legend.
Like it or not, Ashton Kutcher will be stepping into the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ shoes (and sandals) for an independent feature film based on the maverick’s life. As it turns out, the movie is on the fast track in the hopes of getting a release later this year.
As widely reported this week, That ‘70s Show doofus Kelso (better known as Ashton Kutcher) has been cast in a new indie feature based on the life of Steve Jobs. Okay, so looking at some pictures side by side, the guy does resemble Jobs -- especially in his younger days. But that got us thinking: Are there better actors who could play Steve Jobs?
Earlier this week, an interview with Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page claimed that Steve Jobs really didn’t hate Android as documented in his official biography. Now, the man who literally wrote the book on Jobs is setting the record straight, saying it was definitely not “for show.”


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Get the holiday-themed masks from celebrity-loved face mask model, MASKC. And because the pandemic progresses, many airways are tightening their COVID restrictions even more, and are now banning material face masks altogether in favor of disposable masks. EasyJet said its customer surveys showed around half of British shoppers had been planning to take more holiday than ordinary this yr, with a third planning to spend up to £1,000 extra after missing trips abroad during the pandemic. EasyJet mentioned flights to Spanish destinations, particularly the Canary Islands, had been most in demand, led by Tenerife, Alicante, Málaga and Lanzarote, with bookings to Lanzarote up 427% week on week. From 4am on Friday, worldwide arrivals or holidaymakers returning to England will not need to supply a unfavorable pre-departure check, nor self-isolate until they receive an extra unfavorable PCR check result from the primary two days on arrival.
- The business skilled educating team


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Pascaline Wilheim is the fashion director of the Parisian textiles and fabric fair Première Vision, a role she has held since 1998.
“Of course, fashion is often nostalgic and sometimes indulges in formal reflections of past eras, but creative new textiles have changed everything. For over twenty years now, they have been laying the founding stones of difference, comfort, lightness, elasticity and sensuality to such a level that it is now impossible to go back. Research into new clothing shapes looks to be taking precedence, the ingredients that go into textiles are constantly in a creative simmer, so the future should be bright,” Wilheim told Isetan Park.
Under her guidance, Première Vision has played a key role in driving the global trend for technical fabrication. “There has been such progress made in new materials that people who wanted all natural are now starting to see the benefits of synthetic. The 100% silk, wool, whatever hysteria is over,” she added.
In addition, Wilheim is credited with having created the Première Vision PV Awards in 2009, an annual textiles competition, judged by an international jury and presided over by an influential industry figure. Past presidents have included Véronique Nichanian, Ennio Capasa, Roland Mouret , Felipe Oliveira Baptista , Yiqing Yin and Alessandro Sartori .
The PV Awards consist of four prizes, each recognising excellence in textile production relating to a distinct category, specifically: The Grand Jury, Handle, Innovation and Imagination.
Wilheim is a graduate of ENSAD.


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Apple could hit a $3 trillion market cap in 2022, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, as quoted on CNBC.
Apple has a market cap of over $2 trillion, currently. It topped $1 trillion mark in 2018 and the $2 trillion threshold in 2020.
The company is benefiting from continued momentum in the Services segment, driven by strong App Store sales and robust adoption of Apple Music and Apple Pay. Non-iPhone devices, particularly Apple Watch and AirPod, are the other notable drivers in the long haul.
Going by valuation metrics, P/E (ttm) of AAPL is 28.4 times versus the industry-average of 26.0 times. Forward P/E of AAPL is 24.5 times versus the industry score of 22.1 times. Though these measures point to higher valuation of Apple than the industry, a higher P/E is always not a sign of worry. It shows investors’ confidence in a particular stock among the bunch.
MacDailyNews Take: From Danny’s lips to Mr. Market’s ears!
As for Apple hitting hit $3 trillion market cap by mid-2022, it’s totally doable. – MacDailyNews, January 13, 2021
Trillion, schmillion. Over time, Apple will go much higher than that. The company is currently horribly undervalued. — MacDailyNews, March 1, 2018


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Fanticipate, a patented online auction platform for fans to bid on unique memorabilia and experiences from their favorite competitors before the game even starts, has partnered with Breeders' Cup to offer a series of auctions coinciding with select Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races and the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Proceeds will benefit Breeders' Cup Charities. With Fanticipate, fans have the exciting opportunity to own items used by entrants in these races, enabling them to “own a piece of the action.”
The series of auctions will kick off with Saturday's GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park and will continue with: the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and G1 Flower Bowl Invitational (Sept. 4 at Saratoga); the GI Woodbine Mile (Sept. 18) the GI Breeders' Futurity, the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. and GI Keeneland Turf Mile (Oct. 9) and will conclude with the Breeders' Cup World Championships (November 5-6 at Del Mar).
The first auction for the Haskell will include uniquely curated items from participants, such as a one-of-a-kind race day photo of Mandaloun and other items from the entrants' owners and connections. Breeders' Cup has also donated two Stretch Run Reserved Seats to the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar to be auctioned off as part of the Haskell auction. Fans can view and bid on these items at www.fanticipate.com/breederscup.


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World Trade Organization (WTO) on Wednesday, February 28th will turn the world’s attention to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), where it’s Business Forum will take center stage.
The high level event will be held during the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13). This forum promises to be a pivotal gathering of private and public sector leaders from across the globe.
Their voices will shed light on crucial topics impacting international trade, ranging from policy considerations to industry-specific concerns.
At the same time, the event will kick off with the aim of tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing the WTO. The forum will feature a diverse array of speakers offering their perspectives.
Currently, the world is witnessing unprecedented shifts in trade dynamics. However, the WTO Business Forum emerges as a pivotal platform to deliberate on the most pressing issues confronting the global trade landscape.
This issues range from regulatory challenges to technological disruptions. The forum will serve as a platform for robust discussions. Likewise, this discussions are aimed at charting a path forward in the realm of international commerce.
This isn’t the first time a Business Forum has been organized in conjunction with a WTO Ministerial Conference.
WTO upcoming forum follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the successful Business Forum held in December 2017 in Buenos Aires. This forum builds upon the legacy of fruitful exchanges and impactful discussions. The Abu Dhabi edition is poised to set new benchmarks in fostering collaboration and driving actionable outcomes in the realm of global trade.
WTO Private Sector Perspectives & Organizers
WTO particular significance is the inclusion of private sector perspectives. The event will bring together representatives from businesses worldwide. They will share their insights, providing a unique lens through which to examine the complexities of global trade.
A summary of the perspectives will be presented to the Chair of MC13 and the WTO Director-General. This will ensure that private sector input is integral to the broader discourse.
More over, the event will be Co-organized by the International Chamber of Commerce and the WTO. Moreover, this event exemplifies the collaborative spirit necessary for effective global governance.
Furthermore, the event will bring together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. The forum seeks to foster dialogue and cooperation in addressing the challenges of our interconnected world.
MC13 Accreditation and Accessibility
Likewise, It’s important to note that MC13 accreditation grants access to the Business Forum. It provides attendees with a unique opportunity to engage with high-level discussions on trade-related issues.
Additionally, for those unable to attend in person, the event will have a webcast on the WTO website. This will endure accessibility and inclusivity.
Even as the world grapples with an array of trade challenges, the WTO Business Forum stands as a beacon of hope. More so, It will bring together diverse stakeholders to collectively address and navigate the complexities of the global trade landscape.
On the other hand, the event promises to be a catalyst for meaningful dialogue and actionable solutions that will shape the future of international commerce.


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The employer brand is the champion running the race in today’s global talent marathon.
To remain competitive, companies are articulating the fittest versions of themselves and empowering their employees deliver the employer brand message with impact and scale. As Frans Mahieu, Kimberly-Clark‘s global marketing director for people strategy, put it to me: “Everyone is a living billboard and ambassador for the company.”
Among the first to recognise the value of employer branding is the tech industry, where competition for talent has always been rife. According to Ineke Hoekman-Van Hassel, human resources director at Microsoft, "In our industry, this is ongoing and always has been a strategic imperative.” With the arrival of Satya Nadella as CEO, the company and its employer brand has been reinvigorated: “Satya looks not only to human resources, but to our storytelling communications team to bring the mission and culture initiatives to life through storytelling and major company-wide programs,” says Ineke.
Above: Anita interviewed about her white paper, The Employee Economy
The changes have certainly made Satya Nadella a popular man inside the company: he enjoys a staggering 93 per cent approval rating among current and former Microsoft employees, which is well above the industry average. “What I realise more than ever now is that my job is curation of our culture,’ says Nadella. “If you don't focus on creating a culture that allows people to do their best work, then you’ve created nothing.”
Breaking the functional divide
The employer brand is part of the holy brand trinity for many companies: corporate, marketing and employer. The growing energy around employer branding is leading to greater functional collaboration and is an opportunity for co-creation. Alfonso Auñón García, head of global talent acquisition at HEINEKEN, told me that the HR Leadership team at HEINEKEN raised the question of employer branding three years ago. “In the beginning it was a team of two getting under the skin of who HEINEKEN was, what did employees really think of the brand and the HEINEKEN culture? We wanted to go on a journey but we had to ask first ‘what is that journey’?”
"The growing energy around employer branding is leading to greater functional collaboration and is an opportunity for co-creation."
That journey went far and wide: a survey of 700 employees across 20 countries, reflecting the diversity of the business and a survey of 1,300 external stakeholders. After six months, HEINEKEN had isolated three key themes as its brand DNA - fame, adventure and friends - and Alfonso had the beginning of a exciting story. But it went further than simply a story. For HEINEKEN’s human resources function, employer branding was an opportunity to co-create with other functions such as marketing, corporate communications and IT. The resulting glocal Go Places campaign channelled real company truths and insights, cross-functional collaboration, was localised and had a clear proposition that worked across all roles and functions. It embraced marketing methodology in a meaningful way and offered a clear framework to deliver against both human resources and brand key performance indicators. If you’ve not seen it, do: goplaces.theHEINEKENcompany.com/en
While HEINEKEN is a great example of co-creation between functions, Kimberly-Clark went in a different direction: moving one of their senior marketers into human resources. According to Frans Mahieu, Kimberly-Clark’s global marketing director for people strategy, “When I first came into this position six years ago it was a rarity for a marketer to be undertaking a human resources role. Now it’s a movement, with 50 per cent of large companies actively using marketing or communications professionals to bring in new approaches to their employer brand efforts.” At Kimberly-Clark, human resources owns the employer brand; it’s more integration than co-creation, Frans told me. We work closely with marketing and use the same processes as our consumer brands. We apply the same philosophy, techniques and processes we use in marketing for our consumer brands, for our employer brand.”
Changing propositions through people
Technology and the Internet of Things have given us a plethora of new companies with very different structures and cultures. The question of what makes them attractive to millennials has influenced organisational developments in more mature companies, too. How do you change your proposition and attract a new breed of talent into your organisation?
Elsevier has been on this journey: Hannfried von Hindenburg, senior vice president of global communications, provided me with some valuable insights. “We are now an information analytics company specialising in science and health. As such, we need to attract technology talent and brand ourselves as a technology company. That’s why employer branding is so important. I believe that if you brand yourself as a tech employer then your overall brand positioning shifts towards tech as well – a much-welcomed and mutually-reinforcing virtuous circle.”
With such a shift in positioning and strategy, embedding this with existing employees was critical for Elsevier. So how did they translate this to their employee value proposition?
“Our employee value proposition is based on a purpose and mission that we think most of our staff can identify with and that helps to motivate them. From there, we frame our corporate strategy as a means to ‘lead the way in science, technology and health for the benefit of humanity’. This enables staff to better understand what our journey is and how we intend to reach our business goals. Today’s employees want to feel that special sense of synergy between what they stand for and what a company represents, and developing a clear employer brand for us is central to that process.”
Micro-branding: personalised attraction
Does a homogenous employer brand proposition address the nuances which exist across different functions in an organisation? ABN Amro is moving away from the traditional image of a bank towards becoming a digital brand, which will see them compete for talent not only with other banks but with the likes of Google, Facebook and Dutch online retailer Coolblue. To achieve this, ABN Amro has translated its positioning into a targeted talent strategy based on six specific personas, each with its own attraction strategy. Each persona represents the current and future skills ABN Amro needs to take the company forward on its journey. For example, as Ruth Bielderman, head of talent attraction, explains: “We took our employer brand to The Next Web, an international digital event where most of the attendees tend to be start-ups, innovation labs and so on. We wanted to discuss the transformation that digitalisation is bringing to banks with the right target groups; why they should work within ABN Amro and not a company like Coolblue.”
"Does a homogenous employer brand proposition address the nuances which exist across different functions in an organisation?"
With such a segmented approach to talent acquisition by job function, is ABN Amro creating an organisation of micro-cultures? Do you need a homogenous group tied to the same behaviours to make an organisation successful, or can you construct a group of tribes all working in their own way to deliver the greater company goals? I believe that it is possible if you have an overarching commonality that is the glue, such as a company’s values. This is where ABN Amro has significantly invested; in defining tangible and relatable values that work across all functions and all levels.
Employer branding from the top
When the current chief executive officer of DSM, Feike Sijbesma, joined the company in 2010, he felt that the company was undervalue externally and asked for a rebranding of what the company stood for. In 2011, DSM introduced a mission statement: to create brighter lives for people today and generations to come. With this, they established a purpose for the company which translated into its value proposition for customers and for employees and prospective employees: “Working for DSM is doing something meaningful for the benefit of people and planet.”
At DSM, employer branding is part of their strategy at a board level and a driver in their human reosurces transformation. Jos Van Haastrecht, global brand and communications director, and Anneke Luijkenaar, vice president global talent acquisition, both of DSM described the role of their chief executive officer in this strategy: “The chief brand officer is the CEO and he’s also our chief talent officer. He takes immense interest in everything that goes on in the organisation around these fronts. At DSM, the brand is co-owned by the chief executive officer and it is then translated into various disciplines. It is a collaborative effort. It is a seamless transition, everybody who works in the company, sees that our mission, our brand purpose has nothing to do with greenwashing. It is just there and part of everything we do.”
What do organisations do when, say, purpose positioning is not such a key differentiator in attracting and retaining the very best of talent? Or worse still, that your company operates in a sector that until recently was wholly unappealing for many?
After the 2008 financial crisis, rather than going down the route of corporate purpose branding ING Group looked internally. ING researched whether they could become a loved brand in a category that was not respected. In 2011 ING Group ran a research project on brand love. They built a statistical model and analysis around it: what is ‘brand love’ for employees, what is it for customers and management? They found a strong correlation between brands being loved and employees recommending the brand. ING Group’s head of global brand management, Nanne Bos told me, “It’s all about clarity for these groups: what do we stand for, the consistency and coherence of the messaging.”
"What is ‘brand love’ for employees, what is it for customers and management?"
ING Group have given their management two KPIs: they have until 2020 to be the most empowering bank and achieve a five-point improvement in their net promoter score. “Talent does not want to work for typical multinationals which stand for the past,” Nanne told me. “It is about changing the structure, getting the right people in, role modelling, leadership skills. The future is merging culture, reputation and brand management.”
The people business
In the service sector, people are literally your business. A well-articulated employer brand and employee value proposition is not a nice to have; it’s a must. A point I could not put better than Abhinav Kumar, chief communications and marketing officer Europe at Tata Consultancy Services: “As a services business with 378,000 employees worldwide, our human capital is literally the primary asset the company has. Our ability to attract, evolve and retain great talent is the most important contributor in our business' success.” So how does a company of this size and complexity deliver a compelling employer brand proposition? Abhinav explained that it is enshrined in their employee value proposition with three simple thematic components: creating rewarding long-term careers, ensuring work-life balance and finding challenging/exciting/ambitious work for people to engage in. “While it is simplistic, almost a perfect coverage of employees in the company when polled agree that these are the primary reasons they continue to work in the company.”
"So how does a company of this size and complexity deliver a compelling employer brand proposition?"
Advocacy is an important component for all businesses; however in the service sector it is integral in driving reputation and business success. Abhinav explained; “The two best advocates we have are our employees and our clients. We have strong referral programmes in place which are a major channel contributor to our recruitment efforts. We encourage our employees to be active on social media and share their and the company's successes, which of course helps project the employer brand further to their own networks.”
From micro-branding to CEO leadership: given the space limitations here, I’m able to only touch on a few of the aspects that make up today’s emerging employee economy: for a more in-depth look, download my white paper, The Employee Economy.


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Sony is due to announce a new addition to its NEX cameral line, and it looks like the first picture of that new addition has just hit the rumor mill. Sony Alpha Rumors is reporting that the NEX-F3, which will replace the NEX-C3, will be officially announced sometime next month.
You can tell from the picture that the camera will have a 16.1MP sensor (probably the same one found in the Nikon D7000), AVCHD video, and a pop-up flash (a feature previously reserved for the higher-end NEX-7). People are also concluding that the F3 will have a 180 degree tilting LCD screen — a first for the NEX series and a feature that would make taking self portraits much easier.
Fortunately, unlike with the rumored D600, we don’t have long to wait before the official announcement. Until then, Sony fans will just have to hope the company springs a few more leaks.


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Google and BlackBerry to build a more secure Android for business
Former mobile foes Google and BlackBerry have announced a landmark partnership, which will see the creation of a version of Android secure enough for enterprise use.
The companies are working to bring the BlackBerry BES 12 enterprise deployment service and a host of new security features to Google’s Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system.
The initiative will make it easier for workplaces to deploy enterprise apps on Android phones and tablets, while offering tougher security and easier device management.
The BES12 roll out will work in tandem with the Google Play for Work ecosystem, BlackBerry wrote in a statement (via CrackBerry).
The Canadian firm said: “New features are now available through Android and BES12 that enable organizations to further secure enterprise and personal data on Android devices, set new levels of hardware based encryption, and ensure tight integration with Google Play for Work, for increased application management, while delivering a consistent end-user and management experience across their Android fleet.”
Related: How to install Android apps on a BlackBerry phone
The announcement may be tied in with the expected launch of an Android device made by BlackBerry.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen recently said his company would build an Android phone if the OS was secure enough.
With the Waterloo company providing that security, perhaps the first Android phone to feature the bolstered software will be built by BlackBerry?


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With a panel of automotive industry insiders including Roger Penske and Craig Jackson serving as the judges, Harold Craige of New Bern, N.C., a self-described "1941 model with modern updates," emerged as the grand prize winner in the Shell V-Power "Ultimate Enthusiast Contest."
Automotive enthusiasts from across the country shared their stories of why they were the most deserving of the title of the "Ultimate Enthusiast," but it was Craige’s passion for performance and educating future generations of drivers that set the grand prize winner apart from the competition.
As grand prize winner, Craige will receive an "Ultimate Enthusiast" week in Italy, where he and a guest will explore the country’s historic sites and rich automotive history, including an exclusive Ferrari experience in the Prancing Horse’s home town of Maranello, Italy, where Craige will have the opportunity to witness first-hand how Shell has worked closely with Ferrari for more than 60 years on its technical partnership.
"I’m thrilled to be recognized as the ‘Ultimate Enthusiast’ and incredibly honored that these superstars in the automotive world thought so highly of my entry and ultimately my passion for cars," said Craige, a 71-year-old whose submission detailed an unwavering appreciation for the "rolling art" of automobiles. "I’m already counting down the days until I touch down in Italy. What a way to start off the new year!"
Craige was announced as the grand prize winner at the opening night gala of the 42nd Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he was joined by fellow finalists Paul Gabriel (El Cajon, Calif.) and Ross Luzzader (Hyde Park, Utah). All three finalists received a VIP experience at Barrett-Jackson’s world famous car auction and a year’s worth of Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline.
"We wanted to find and celebrate true automotive enthusiasts, and we did," said Elizabeth Hudson, U.S. Fuels category manager at Shell Oil Products U.S. "There were so many unique tales, but they all had one thing in common … an overwhelming passion for all things automotive and a deep appreciation for the automotive community. While we received a variety of amazing stories, Harold truly stood out and demonstrated an unrelenting passion for automobiles and performance and it’s with that same pride in performance that goes into the development of fuels like Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline."
Top entries were scored by a panel of judges including Roger Penske, founder and chairman of the Penske Corp.; Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson Auction Co.; Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver; and Larry Webster, editor-in-chief of Road & Track; Alan Taylor, host of Motor Trend Radio; and Tony Marini, executive director of Hot August Nights.
"Harold possesses a rare trait that I really admire," said Penske. "[In his entry] he showcased an ability to educate others in the realm of automobiles and strives to teach the future generations the value of an older automobile."
Fellow judge Tony Marini added, "When it comes to being an ‘Ultimate Enthusiast,’ I would say Harold fits the bill. His love for automobiles started when he was a young boy and as he has grown, his love for cars has grown."
While the Shell Ultimate Enthusiast Contest is now closed, consumers still have the opportunity to win a $50 Shell Gift Card by becoming a fan of the Shell Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shell and entering the daily online giveaway on the "On The Road" tab.


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The headlines are everywhere. Supplies are down and prices are up. Flooding, tornadoes and poor spring weather in the USA and the World are leading to short supplies and ever increasing prices.
In response to these recent events we are placing an emergency mid-season order for bulk grains and you can take part in our volume purchase to receive “special pricing”. This offer is available to local Western Slope customers only.
We are holding this order open for 96 hours only!Please place your order immediately to be guaranteed supply.
Lead time for orders is already 10 weeks. By Fall it could be longer or supplies could be gone. Many products are already out of stock.
See recent news headlines below:
Farm Flooding Keeps Grain Supplies Tight
Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2011
Crop Weather Mayhem Delays U.S. Corn, Rice Planting as Prices Extend Gains
Bloomberg - Jun 9, 2011
Ancient wheat plague threatens world crops anew
AFP - Jun 9, 2011
Low global wheat supply leads to higher food prices
KTVB - Jun 7, 2011
Oklahoma wheat harvest dismal, as predicted
NewsOK.com - Jun 9, 2011
Analysis: China drought ignites global grain supply concerns
Reuters - May 26, 2011
Wheat fungus invades Middle East and Africa
Al-Arabiya - June 12, 2011
Use the order form below to email your order to The Urban Homemaker or call 800-552-7323.The order deadline is Thursday, June 16 2011.ORDER FORM


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The Nationwide Marketing Group has made a capital investment in long-time supplier Retailer Web Services (RWS), a 12-year-old provider of e-commerce, digital marketing and web design solutions developed exclusively for independent hardlines dealers.
Nationwide, the $18.5 billion buying and marketing group, said the investment will help accelerate the release of RWS’s new automated digital marketing solution, dubbed AdRocket, and is part of a larger effort to deliver an end-to-end digital marketing platform for independent retailers.
“With over 90 percent of shoppers in our members’ categories researching online to select a store, our members must have the best tools available to level the playing field,” said Tom Hickman, Nationwide’s newly-appointed president.
The capital infusion follows the group’s recent acquisition of website developer Site on Time, which was announced earlier this year.
RWS said the investment will tightly integrate its solution suite with Nationwide’s digital platform to provide members with “a complete digital marketing toolset.”
The company has long provided digital marketing services to Nationwide, and served as the backbone of the online initiatives of rival Mega Group USA, which merged with Nationwide last fall.
RWS remains privately-held, and Nationwide’s investment “does not require any exclusivity,” founder/CEO Jim Kane said.
Its new AdRocket digital marketing solution is designed to address the wildly varying “quality, execution and reporting” of digital ads, said COO Jennie Gilbert, and provide dealers with more effective digital campaigns.
The funding underscores the race by independent dealer organizations to give their members digital parity with Amazon and multichannel big-box chains. Rival buying group AVB/BrandSource plans to unveil a new website platform at its Spring Summit next month that AVB Technology president Dave Meekings described as “a game changer.”
The completely redesigned site was built to generate greater dealer visibility, and to provide cutting-edge analytics and management tools to exploit opportunities and “seamlessly integrate with the group’s … digital marketing initiatives,” BrandSource said.
Similarly, Appliance Dealers Cooperative (ADC), a chapter of the NECO collective of regional Northeast buying groups, has created its own software platform that includes inventory, competitive pricing, website design and digital marketing and advertising functions, executive director and CEO Ken Miele relayed to TWICE.
“It’s a game changer,” he said.


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Huawei said revelations that the U.S. National Security Agency had worked to crack into its servers and network gear and spy on the company will not have a negative impact on its business, according to acting CEO Eric Xu. However, the reports, which surfaced in March, have led Huawei executives and workers to engage in time-consuming damage control.
In March both the New York Times and Germany's Der Spiegel reported that the NSA has been spying on the company via so-called "back doors" into the company's servers in Shenzhen, China. Xu addressed those reports this week during a Huawei analyst conference.
"On the NSA ... it does not have a big impact on business growth," Xu said, according to Reuters. "But it has an impact on workloads, in communicating with and persuading current industry stakeholders (that products are secure), and that's more tiresome."
The surveillance activities were included in NSA documents provided by former agency contractor Edward Snowden. Via the operation called "Shotgiant," which began in 2007 and made major inroads into Huawei's servers during 2010, the NSA gleaned sensitive information about Huawei's technology and even monitored communications of the company's top executives, including its founder, Ren Zhengfei.
According to documents, the NSA also intended to use the information it gained about Huawei's technology, which included product source codes, to exploit Huawei equipment wherever it was deployed--whether in nations considered allies or others that avoided U.S. products--by conducting espionage and even offensive cyber-operations if ordered by the president. The irony, of course, is that U.S. officials have long suspected, but never offered definitive proof, that Huawei has ties to the Chinese government or military, and the company's products could be used as vehicle for espionage against the U.S. Huawei has denied those claims.
Since the Snowden revelations began last year, some U.S.-based multinational companies, including network gear makers, have seen their businesses suffer after the Chinese government pressured domestic firms to avoid purchasing U.S. products.
At Huawei's analyst conference, Xu also revealed that when Ren steps down as permanent CEO the company will be run by a team of executives, not a single person. "I can clearly tell everyone here that in the future the successor to Mr. Ren will not just be one person," Xu said, though he did not say when the new management structure would be put in place.
Since 2011 Xu, Guo Ping and Ken Hu have taken six-month turns as acting Huawei CEO, though Ren remains the company's permanent CEO. According to the Wall Street Journal, Huawei has said Ren has the right to veto decisions made by the company's board, but Huawei board member Chen Lifang told the Journal in an interview last year that Ren had never exercised the veto right.
Overall, privately held Huawei has said its financial performance was strong across all business areas in 2013, with revenue of $38 billion, up 8.5 percent year-over-year. Sales at Huawei's carrier network unit increased 4 percent to $26.7 billion last year, while its enterprise division increased revenue 32 percent to $2.4 billion. Huawei is targeting total 2018 revenue almost double the total revenue the company booked in 2013.
Huawei's consumer business is also growing, though not as fast it the company had expected. In 2013 Huawei's consumer business group, which includes smartphones, saw its sales jump 18 percent to $9.17 billion. In its annual report, Huawei said its smartphone shipments grew to 52 million in 2013, up more than 60 percent from the 32 million it had in 2012. However, that missed the company's goal of 60 million smartphone shipments for 2013. Huawei is targeting 80 million smartphone shipments in 2014.
The company aims to make itself more of a premier smartphone brand in 2014, and to that end it plans to spend $300 million on global marketing in 2014, Shao Yang, Huawei's vice president of marketing for its consumer business, told Reuters at the conference.
Huawei plans to use word-of-mouth campaigns to fight back against the huge marketing campaigns undertaken by rivals such as Samsung Electronics and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Xu said, according to Mobile World Live. Huawei needs to be "really customer-centric" and to become a "lovable and trusted brand," Xu said.
"We don't think there are problems with our strategy for devices," Xu said. "Actually, our strategy for the terminal business has been set and determined in one of our executive meetings. I believe there will be no major changes to that strategy moving forwards."
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Reuters article
- see this separate Reuters article
- see this PCWorld article
- see this Mobile World Live article
- see this separate Mobile World Live article
Huawei ships 52M smartphones in 2013, again misses its own target
Huawei targeted by NSA espionage program
Huawei backtracks, won't release a dual-OS Android, Windows Phone smartphone
Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei tout their respective NFV roadmaps
Huawei focused on U.S. handset biz with networks in deep freeze


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Shares of Spotify Technology (SPOT) were down about 10% in early trading on Wednesday as the company reported total monthly active users (MAUs) of 356 million, versus the consensus estimate of 360.4 million. Spotify had guided for MAUs of 354 million to 364 million.
The music streaming company posted a net loss per share of €0.25, versus the consensus estimate of a net loss per share of €0.43. Meanwhile, revenue grew 16% year-on-year to €2.15 billion.
This growth in revenue was on the back of a 14% year-on-year gain in premium revenue and 46% year-on-year growth in ad-supported revenue.
Additionally, Spotify saw a 24% year-on-year increase in MAUs and a 21% year-on-year jump in the number of premium subscribers.
Looking ahead to 2Q, Spotify estimates total MAUs of between 366 million and 373 million and total revenue of between €2.16 billion and €2.36 billion. This guidance incorporates a 200 basis points forex impact. (See Spotify stock analysis on TipRanks)
For full-year 2021, Spotify noted it has “modestly” lowered its total MAU range, consistent with the lower-than-expected MAU growth it experienced in 1Q.
For 2021, Spotify now expects total MAUs to be between 402 million and 422 million. Incorporating a 75 basis point forex impact, the company is calling for revenue of €9.11 billion to €9.51 billion.
Today, Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $428 price target (61.5% upside potential).
Meanwhile, yesterday, Rosenblatt Securities analyst Mark Zgutowicz reiterated a Buy rating on Spotify with a $425 price target.
Zgutowicz thinks the recent price hikes in family/student/duo plans by Spotify across major markets is “just the beginning of new revenue lift initiatives over the next 24 months.”
Additionally, Zgutowicz expects the company to implement a podcast exclusives paywall by the end of 2021, with a minimum subscription of $3 per month.
Consensus among analysts is that Spotify is a Moderate Buy, based on 12 Buys, 7 Holds, and 2 Sells. The average analyst price target of $349.61 implies a potential 32% upside. Shares have gained about 108% over the past year.


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Fuse Create has promoted both managing director Aleena Mazhar and executive creative director Steve Miller to senior vice-president.
Already partners at the agency, the promotions reflect the “positive impact their leadership has had on the agency,” said a release.
“As the founders of the agency, we’re aware that our future success relies more and more on the incredible talent we attract to join our family,” said Fuse Create CEO Stephen Brown. “Aleena and Steve have continually demonstrated the values that allow us to ‘turn heads’, build a great culture, foster strong client relationships, and steer this company in the right direction.”
Promotions—Zulu Alpha Kilo
Zulu Alpha Kilo has promoted both Heather Segal and Maxine Thomas into chief strategy officer roles.
Segal has been with the agency since 2016, and was instrumental in its Gold Effie-winning “Feed Imagination” campaign for Goldfish crackers, the launch of Subaru’s “Welcome To Uncommon” brand platform and Pizza Pizza’s “Fixed Rate Pizza” campaign.
Thomas has a reputation for building longstanding brand platforms going back to her time working at Taxi with Zulu founder and creative chairman Zak Mroueh, where they built brands like Canadian Tire, WestJet and Viagra together. Prior to joining Zulu, she was a partner and head of strategy at Rethink. She joined the agency in 2019 and has worked on clients including Bell and Interac.
“Heather and Maxine are simply the best there is and I’m ecstatic to shine a spotlight on these two brilliant leaders,” said agency president and CEO, Mike Sutton.
New Hires—Creative Guild
Hamilton-based Creative Guild has made three additions to its creative team following new business with Arby’s Canada, WOW 1 Day Painting, and Flightpath Charter Airways
Jeff Blay joins as creative director after previously working with Enterprise. He has worked on top brands including Labatt, McCain, Sobeys, Metrolinx and The Beer Store.
New digital marketing lead Aaron Brown was most recently at Scotiabank, where he was senior digital marketing manager and team lead, with experience in digital acquisition, ad operations, product management, product marketing and media planning and buying.
Nicolas Mertens is the agency’s new social media strategist. Mertens has experience leading social media and PR programs for organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association, Delta Commercial Faucets, and L’Occitane en Provence Canada.
“We’re always looking for talented and agile people who share a vision to do innovative work, and fit with the culture we’re working to build—and I think we’ve hired exceptionally well for these roles,” said Creative Guild’s managing director, Evan Livermore.
Fernando Hernández is joining Rethink as group creative director in Toronto. Hernández was most recently executive creative director at R/GA New York, where he won the Grand Prix for Good in Cannes’ Health Lions in 2014.
“We’re so proud to have such a talented and globally recognized creative like Fernando join our team,“ said Rethink’s chief creative officer Mike Dubrick. “I’m a big fan of his work and excited about the type of leadership and creativity he can bring to the team.”
Born and raised in Colombia but currently living in New York, Hernández will be moving to Toronto. “After my first meeting with Mike I didn’t have to think twice about joining the team,” he said.
“The work that I see coming out of Rethink on the weekly is the type of work that I want to be doing, and the culture is something that I want to be a part of.”
New Hires—Dentsu Canada
Maxime Sauté has joined Dentsu Creative as executive creative director, with the remit of “delivering modern creativity” through its agency model. He reports into chief creative officer Jordan Doucette, and will partner with recently hired chief strategy officer Rafik Belmesk on the strategic vision for clients.
Sauté was most recently at Rethink, working his way up to partner, creative director on clients including Fondation Emergence, IKEA, Molson Coors, Coors Light, A&W, McDonald’s Canada, Mentos, United Way and the Canadian Red Cross. He started his career at a production house in Belgium, with previous agency stops at Sid Lee and Cossette.
“We have tremendous momentum at Dentsu Creative right now; the work, the clients and the next generation of creative leaders that we’re attracting—it’s an exciting time to be at our agency,” said Doucette. “In Max we have a bold, thoughtful, and innovative leader that will push our clients and teams to have a real impact in the communities that we live and work.”
Business Expansion—Citizen Relations
Citizen Relations has announced the expansion of its global digital capabilities with the creation of a new division called dComm3.
In a release, Citizen said that by boosting earned media with the power of digital, dComm3 will enable the agency to more effectively influence audiences through more personalization, performance and dynamic content to better connect marketing, sales and data.
Led by chief digital officer Crystalyn Stuart-Loayza, it brings together more than 15 technical experts across strategy, activation and intelligence, embedding digital across the way earned programs are built, executed and measured.
“While Citizen has been providing social and digital communications services to its clients for years, we felt there was much more to be done,” said CEO Nick Cowling. “We wanted to build an offering that would drive conversation surgically, bring our campaigns to life online in a truly connected fashion and deliver performance like never before—our new digital team is doing just that.”
Pet products company Earth Rated has selected Arrivals + Departures as its AOR for Canada and the U.S. following a review. The agency will be responsible for developing the brand’s strategic and creative platforms in an effort to bring a new voice to their U.S. and Canadian markets through a series of omni-channel campaigns.
“From the moment we started, we’ve made it our mission to create high quality, thoughtfully designed, responsible products that positively impact everyday life with a dog,” said chief marketing officer Yael Grimman in a release. “As we move through our next phase of transformation and growth, we want a partner that shares the same philosophies and isn’t shy to push the envelope.”
“When we first met with the Earth Rated team, we instantly saw a like-mindedness in both our entrepreneurial roots as well our attitudes towards how we work and how we behave”, said A + D partner and president Mike Bevacqua. “We were impressed with their pet experience led, easy-to-use product design and by their deep commitment to their community of brand advocates.
New Office / New Brand —M5
Atlantic Canadian agency M5 has just unveiled a new brand identity and a new office in St. John’s. The new space has an open floor plan to “foster an interdisciplinary approach to client services,” according to a release. M5 offers full-service marketing communications including strategy, creative, media, and website development, as well as research, consulting, public affairs and video production. Along with St. John’s, M5 has offices in Halifax, Saint John, Moncton and Charlottetown.
“Our new brand is more than just a look,” said M5 partner Heather Dalton. “It’s a representation of the evolution of our approach to the work that we do. If a business has a goal or a problem to solve, we believe we are best positioned to help. We have the interdisciplinary team, the insatiable curiosity, and the track record of success that our clients—current and future—deserve.”


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Enchanted delivery: Monthly subscription boxes bring New Mexico goods to your doorstep
LAS CRUCES – Displaced New Mexicans — or residents who want to experience new products while supporting New Mexico businesses — will soon have a way to get a box of New Mexico-grown products shipped directly to their doorsteps.
Enchanted New Mexico Boxes — a subscription-based service, locally curated to provide a taste of New Mexico on a monthly basis — was started by Heather Salopek, owner of the Mesilla-based Legacy Pecans, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The suffering sets in
“I’ve gone from running a very successful business to literally losing money, month after month,” Salopek told me last week. “And that has been the most devastating thing through all of this. I’ve worked tirelessly — put all of my blood, sweat and tears — into building Legacy over the last six years. And, within a matter of months and through no fault of my own, I have seen it crumble.”
If Salopek’s company was to fail, she said, she hoped it would be of her own accord — rather than something she has no control over.
“And, as we move into the holiday season, there are a lot of unknowns,” she said. “And that makes it hard for me to know, inventory-wise, how to prepare for it. Usually, I can run my numbers and prepare for the holidays — especially with my corporate gifting. This year, I just don’t know what to expect. We’re in uncharted territory, and I don’t have a crystal ball.”
Legacy Pecans, she said, had not been making any money out of the store since the pandemic arrived in March.
“We were going on five months; month-after-month, we were losing money,” she said. “When it’s just one or two months, you can sustain. But with this, there was no end in sight.”
Born of desperation
Inventory in Salopek’s store, on the plaza in Mesilla, had just not been moving. The store had gone from being very successful to one that was losing money, month after month. There simply wasn’t the foot traffic on the plaza to support it.
Salopek said that because Mesilla — and the plaza, specifically — relies so heavily on tourism, Salopek said businesses were also negatively impacted by quarantine orders for out-of-state visitors and restrictions placed on state parks.
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On a 107-degree day in July, Salopek took a hike up “A” Mountain. And there an idea was born.
“I’m all about putting myself in uncomfortable situations,” she said. “It was in the middle of a hot summer day, but I wanted to go on a hike and ease my mind a little bit. It was on that hike that I realized that I have got to pivot and find a way that we can all overcome this together.”
And so, she started thinking.
“People aren’t coming into the store,” she explained. “And so how do I get these products into the hearts and the homes of people, in a safe environment? And that’s sort of where the idea for a subscription box came from.”
On the plaza, she said, it’s easy to see that her business was not the only one feeling the effects of the pandemic.
“When you drive around the plaza and don’t even see a car, or you walk into the Double Eagle and there are only five people in the restaurant — that’s when you know that you’re not in this alone,” she said.
No one goes hungry
But, as Salopek was thinking about this, she wanted a piece of it that could really help the community.
“And I knew that Marci (Dickerson) had been giving out free meals,” she explained. “So I called her up and asked her how she was doing it — whether it was through Revolution 120, The Game, or personally. Like, what were the logistics? And she said, ‘We’re about to do a whole push about ‘No One Goes Hungry in our Community,’ and I would love for you to be a sponsor of that.’”
And, because Dickerson already had the logistics worked out, Salopek told her that she would “100% be a sponsor of that.”
“So the Enchanted New Mexico Boxes are not only helping small businesses survive the pandemic, it’s also donating funds to ‘No One Goes Hungry in our Community,’” she told the Sun-News. “And we’ve had two giveaway events now, and residents can pick up food every day at both of The Game locations.”
Initially, Salopek just donated funds out of her own pocket — since the Enchanted New Mexico Boxes were not yet up-and-running.
“But, as the business grows and I have customers purchasing the boxes, then we’ll move to a one-to-one model — where each box purchased will go toward feeding the community and those in need.”
A taste of New Mexico on your doorstep
The response from out-of-state subscribers has been fantastic so far, Salopek said.
“Most of (the initial boxes) are being shipped out of New Mexico,” she added. “People love the taste of New Mexico — the chile, the pecans, the spices. And many small businesses don’t have the ability, or the capacity, to ship out of state. What we’re offering is sort of a one-stop-shop. You get your pecans, your coffee, your spices, salsas and sweets and savories — and it all shows up in one box.”
One of the most gratifying parts has been to see people rally together to support their local community — people who love New Mexico, who love New Mexico flavor, and who want to be a part of the project, she said.
“We’ve seen it on the subscriber side, among people who want to know how they can purchase a box, and on the small-business side, among businesses wanting to have their products included in our boxes,” Salopek said. It been exciting to see these small businesses really advocating for themselves — and seeing this opportunity and wanting to be a part of it.”
Others are reading:Doña Ana County back in the 'green'
One thing that’s unique about New Mexico, Salopek explained, is that we have very different flavors in the south and the north.
“Being able to encapsulate all of them is a way to provide a gift that encompasses all of New Mexico,” she added. “It’s not just southern New Mexico that’s suffering. It’s not just northern New Mexico that’s suffering these detrimental downturns in tourism. It’s all of us.”
New products, new customers
“This has been just as much of a treat for me as it is for those who receive it,” Salopek said. “As a native New Mexican who is very ingrained in this community and in our local agriculture, I’m even being introduced to new companies and things I didn’t know about. For instance, I actually found a box of red chile that you just add water to — it’s a mix, and I didn’t know we had that. So, the element of surprise has been fantastic.”
Each box will have six types of categories that goes in each — but what that gets filled with will change each month.
“One of those categories is handmade goods,” she said. “This month is the Organ Mountain Outfitters tote. But to be able to look for different artisans, and to discover all of the different things that come out of New Mexico and see how creative our own communities are has been a wonderful surprise for me. Whether it’s handmade coasters or keychains or totes, it’s been a really cool experience.”
In the inaugural box, set to ship on Oct. 4, all of the small businesses were hand-selected to reach different clienteles and different target markets, Salopek explained.
“And so, for them, this was an exciting way for them to reach another target market — another group of potential customers who maybe haven’t seen their product before,” she said. “My customer base at Legacy Pecans is likely a very different customer base than Organ Mountain Outfitters’ or The Fresh Chile Company’s. This is a way to come together and introduce these brands to people who may not have seen them before, but will absolutely love them.”
Organ Mountain Outfitters
“Heather first approached us a few weeks ago about using our tote bags for the first subscription box, which would basically include a taste of New Mexico,” said Chris Lang, owner of Organ Mountain Outfitters, which will be included in the first box. “They’re the same totes that we started off with at the farmers market, four years ago. We hand-screen-print them here in Las Cruces, and they’re just a nice, 100% canvas material.”
Lang said he felt the concept — curating local goods for people across the nation that just really miss home right now — was a great fit for our modern times.
“I think a lot of people have a sense of wanting to be home. And this is a way for those people to have a taste of home, delivered to their door,” he said.
When the pandemic happened, Organ Mountain Outfitters had to close both of its retail locations — in Las Cruces and Albuquerque’s Nob Hill District.
“That really forced us to focus our attention online, and to talk to our audience through social media and our website,” he explained. “As a result, we’ve actually seen an uptick in sales, year-over-year, because of that strategy. And, now that both retail stores are back open, they’re climbing back up. Compared to last year — month-to-date — the store is up more than 23 percent, compared to this time last year. We’ve had to hire some people. We’ve had to increase our shipping and our logistics. That’s where our focus has been over the last few months.”
Lang said that being invited to participate in the New Mexico Enchanted Box project was a great honor.
“These products (in the box) are really what identify people with New Mexico, and with Las Cruces,” he said. “And to be included, as a brand that really represents New Mexico, is very fulfilling for our team — to know that people love us like they love green chile, or they love pecans. For us to be a part of that is pretty special for us. She’s done a great job with it.”
The Fresh Chile Company
Randy McMillan, owner of The Fresh Chile Co., said he was eager to get involved after learning of the project.
“Heather called me and said, ‘Hey, I love your product. And I want to get some of the best stuff possible in the first package.’ And I said sure,” McMillan explained. “We’re a New Mexico company, and all of our products are (grown and manufactured in) New Mexico. So we’re excited to be a part of that.”
McMillan saw it as a way to help promote the state, and to promote his products. Like Organ Mountain Outfitters, The Fresh Chile Co. has also seen its sales grow during the pandemic.
“The pandemic has really increased our sales significantly,” McMillan explained. “People are cooking more at home, they’re looking for more interesting things to cook with, and our sales have increased radically.”
The company’s online and in-store sales have both increased, McMillan said.
“Grocery stores, on the whole, have seen business boom through this,” he said. “If you’re not eating out, you’re still eating. So, instead of eating out, you’re buying at the grocery store.
Ninety-five percent of The Fresh Chile Company’s business is online, McMillan said Only about 5% of its sales account for in-store purchases. McMillan said he was eager to get on-board with the Enchanted New Mexico Boxes project, as it would help him reach a new customer base.
“A lot of her customers will be people other than my customers,” McMillan said. “They’ll be introduced to the product for the first time, and will want to continue to have it. It’ll just be really good — for everybody.”
Since the pandemic set in, McMillan said he’s seen “well over a 100% increase, year-over-year. I’d say it’s been between 200 and 300 percent, since this started.”
Part of it, he said, is because the company was started with the capacity to handle e-commerce and online sales. And the pandemic has driven more sales online. But customers, he said, were also “online, and bored and on their computers.” And Facebook posts have been able to drive traffic to the company’s website.
To find out more about the New Mexico Enchanted box, and how it works, visit https://www.enchantednmbox.com/howitworks. An individual box retails for $49.99, a three-month subscription is $45 a month, and a six-month subscription is $43 a month, available online at https://www.enchantednmbox.com/. For information, also visit https://www.facebook.com/enchantednmbox and @enchantednmbox on Instagram. Vendors interested in being considered for future boxes may contact email@example.com.
Damien Willis is a reporter and columnist for the Las Cruces Sun-News. His biweekly column focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in Las Cruces and around the region. Have a story to share? Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.org or @DamienWillis on Twitter.
More from this series:
- New Mexico film 'The Penny' among many productions halted amid COVID-19 pandemic
- Often overlooked, Las Cruces-area truckers provide essential service during pandemic
- Award-winning teacher steps away from profession due to pandemic
- A life well-lived: Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez remembers his Tío Sergio


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May 27th, 2023 marks a significant milestone for Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House as it proudly celebrates 15 years of serving its loyal customers with exceptional coffee and creating a warm and inviting community space. Patrick Dugan’s will hold store specials starting May 22nd, with their Mocha Monday special, and continue offering specials throughout the week.
Beyond the discounts and deals, Patrick Dugan’s Coffee Shop holds a special place in the community. According to Mia Bernal, who is the store manager, the coffee shop is the heart of downtown, a hub for fellowship, studying, and making cherished memories. Patrick Dugan’s has witnessed engagements, graduation photoshoots, and heartfelt gatherings, making it a true home away from home.
Mia Bernal has been an integral part of Patrick Dugan’s team for the past 12 years. As a leader, Mia takes pride in her role within the coffee shop, guiding the dedicated team that keeps Patrick Dugan’s running smoothly and providing excellent service to customers day in and day out.
Over the years, Patrick Dugan’s Coffee Shop has undergone changes that have kept the space exciting and fresh. With growing demand, the shop expanded its floor space in 2018. It added more room for customers to relax and enjoy their coffee. Alongside the physical changes, the team has also refined their coffee-making process, meticulously weighing, measuring, and timing each shot to ensure perfection in every cup.
The coffee shop’s reputation extends far beyond its local community, with visitors from near and far seeking out Patrick Dugan’s as a must-visit destination. Mia has noted that she has had customers from other countries come into Patrick Dugan’s and fall in love with their coffee. It truly says something when people plan their visits around the opportunity to experience Patrick Dugan’s exceptional brews.
Moreover, Patrick Dugan’s Coffee Shop has been a pillar of support for the community, providing employment opportunities for college students and individuals looking to step out of their comfort zones. It has served as a valuable employer for personal and professional growth.
Mia Bernal emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and accepted. Every aspect of the coffee shop, from the carefully selected furniture to the thoughtfully designed layout, is intentionally crafted to foster a judgment-free environment.
As Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House celebrates its 15th year anniversary, the community joins in the festivities, grateful for the warm embrace, exceptional coffee, and enduring memories it has provided throughout the years. Cheers to Patrick Dugan’s and the next chapter of their journey. When asked what Mia is looking forward to in the next five years, she responded “Celebrating 20 years in style.”


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FBI's Ability To Crack iPhones Raises More Questions
The FBI, with its newfound hack, has agreed to unlock other iPhones. While the dispute with Apple is off the front burner for now, the company is still facing other legal challenges, including one case in Brooklyn. Serious legal and technical questions linger.
iPhone SE, iPad Pro Now Available At Apple Stores
The smaller, less-expensive iPhone SE, along with the iPad Pro, are now available for sale starting March 31. In addition, a new teardown of the iPhone SE shows how Apple managed to create its smaller iPhone.
Office 365, Slack Gain Enterprise Users: Study
Microsoft's Office 365 is the most popular off-the-shelf cloud application, while Slack is the fastest growing among business customers, according to a report from Okta, an identity and mobility management service provider.
Microsoft Shrugs Off iPad Pro Threat
Apple is going after Windows PC users with its smaller iPad Pro. Will the updated device pose a threat to Microsoft? Redmond says it isn't worried.
iOS 9.3 Web Links Bug Causes Apps To Crash
In the wake of a bricking problem with older iPhones and iPads, users who have downloaded iOS 9.3 are now encountering a separate issue that is causing apps to crash or freeze when launched. This time, Apple may not be to blame.
What Retailers Really Know About Their Customers
Retailers are getting smarter about delivering better customer experiences across multiple channels. Yet in spite of ongoing technology investments, the promise of relevant, personalized marketing is still falling short. Here are some of the latest tools retailers are using, how they're using them, and what it all means to their businesses and customers.
9 iPhone SE Alternatives That Are Cheaper
Apple recently unveiled the smaller, less expensive iPhone SE, which starts at $399, to appeal to new buyers. But there are lower-cost alternatives. Here are 9 choices to consider.
iPhone SE, New iPad Storage Pricing Is A Rip-Off
Apple continues its practice of overcharging for storage with its newly unveiled iPhone SE and the new smaller iPad. The company's devices should come with more onboard storage, and upgrading shouldn't be so expensive.
Facebook Drops Support For BlackBerry
In another blow to the beleaguered smartphone maker, social media titan Facebook announced it would drop BlackBerry support for Messenger, its popular messaging application.
Apple, FBI Head Into Court March 22
The FBI's Feb. 16 court order citing the All Writs Act and demanding Apple's cooperation in unlocking an iPhone will go before a judge March 22, after more than a month of global attention and a day after a press event at Apple Headquarters.
Apple Engineers Could Quit Over iPhone Encryption Case
Several Apple engineers have told the New York Times that they'd consider leaving one of the industry's most prized companies and positions rather than be made to create a so-called GovtOS to crack the iPhone's encryption technology.
Apple Legal Filing: 'The Founders Would Be Appalled'
Apple filed another legal brief March 15 in its fight with the FBI and DOJ. The iPhone maker is fighting efforts to give up its source code, and several tech and security experts agree, calling the government's request "potentially cataclysmic."
iPhone Encryption Battle: What Apple Can Learn From BlackBerry
BlackBerry was the preferred smartphone for business users a mere five years ago, until the company decided to allow certain governments to access user messages. Apple could face the same confidence loss from corporate customers if the company assists the FBI to crack the security of the iPhone.
10 Ways Predictive Analytics Improves Innovation
From drug discovery to price optimization, across virtually every industry, more companies are using predictive analytics to increase revenue, reduce costs, and modernize the way they do business. Here are some examples.
iPhone Encryption Battle: Feds Launch Latest Salvo
The government's impatience is evident in its third filing asking for Apple's cooperation in unlocking the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists. The document is a point-by-point rebuttal that reads like the government taking a final, very deep breath before it completely loses its temper.
US Anti-Encryption Legislation Is Imminent: Report
US Senators Feinstein and Burr are preparing legislation that would punish tech companies that refuse to cooperate with investigators, Reuters reports. French lawmakers recently backed a similar mandate that goes one step further by threatening jail time for execs who don't cooperate with law enforcement.
Galaxy S7: Shortcomings Revealed
Samsung's flagship smartphone reaches stores March 11. Here are some fast facts about the Galaxy S7 you need to know before you buy.


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At the 9th international “Women in Business” conference, Lider business weekly and Bisnode company presented the list of most powerful women in Croatian business. Gordana Kovačević, president of Ericsson Nikola Tesla, has for many years been on the list of most influential women and named the most powerful woman in Croatian business for four consecutive years. This year, the jury therefore presented Gordana Kovačević with a special award for the overall contribution to Croatian economy.
At the annual conference on corporate social responsibility, CSR Index awards were officially presented for the 12th consecutive time. Organized by the Croatian Business Council for Sustainable Development (HR PSOR) and the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK), and in the presence of numerous renowned guests, the awards were presented to companies for the best CSR achievements. The companies were awarded in nine categories, and more than a hundred companies entered the competition this year.
Ericsson Nikola Tesla, the largest Croatian exporter of knowledge and one of the leading ICT companies in the region, celebrated 70 years of successful business. The unforgettable event in Arena Zagreb was attended by over 4000 guests, famous people from public life and scientific community, customers, business partners, employees and retired employees.
Second in a row IOT Forum was organized by Bug, a publishing house specialized in technology, and gathered leading regional subjects in the field of Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is an important technology that has yet to be widely applied and monetized. In the forum participated vendors of technology solutions and products, service providers as well as potential business and individual end users and companies offering their own solutions based on Internet of Things.
At the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Science, University of Zagreb (FPZ), a new joint Traffic and Logistics Data Science Lab was officially opened. Through the Lab Ericsson Nikola Tesla and FPZ will continue their successful long-term cooperation in the field of science and research, development and education. The opening event at the Faculty, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia Davor Božinović, Professor Miljenko Šimpraga, PhD, Vice-rector for Innovations, Technology Transfer and Communications at the Universit of Zagreb, and a team of managers and leading experts in this field from Ericsson Nikola Tesla.
Ericsson’s (NASDAQ: ERIC) 5G technology leadership was at the heart of Vodafone UK’s launch of 5G for consumer and business customers in London earlier this month. The spectacular cityscape views of London’s Sky Garden hosted a dedicated launch event powered by Ericsson 5G technology, including a virtual demonstration with highlights from the latest Ericsson ConsumerLab Report: 5G Consumer Potential.


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The Real Estate Board of New York’s biannual report found that asking retail rents per square foot during the fall of 2020 declined in all 17 of the corridors it tracks in Manhattan, dropping by as much as 25% in the year-ago period. The report called the decreases “historic” and noted that eight areas experienced their lowest price per square foot averages in at least a decade. The areas included such traditional retail hot spots as SoHo and the upper part of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue.
“While asking rents dropped significantly, taking rents are reported to be much lower, with some brokers citing average differences between asking and taking rents around 20%,” the report stated. “Increases in retail availabilities and feedback from both tenant and retail brokers indicate that we are in a tenant’s market.”
Here are some highlights from the report.
• In the city’s priciest retail neighborhood — Fifth Avenue from 49th to 59th Streets — the average asking rent fell 8% year-over-year to $2,618 per square foot. But it was down 32% from its peak rent back in spring 2018. Along the less prestigious part of Fifth Avenue, from 42nd to 49th Streets, the average asking rent fell 16% year-over-over to $717 per square foot.
• The average asking rents declined 13% year-over-year to $784 per square foot on Madison Avenue, from 57th to 72th Streets. The lowest asking rent per square foot was $450, a 29% increase from last year.
• Downtown, on Houston Street and Broome Street, the average asking rent plummeted 25% year-over-year, to $367 per square foot. It was down 62% from the area’s peak in spring 2018.
• Eleven corridors have witnessed an increase in available retail space ranging from 6% to 67% since fall 2019, reflecting a substantial slowdown in Manhattan retail transaction volume.
The Real Estate Board said that some property owners are willing to provide tenant improvements and concessions. They are also open to more creative deal making, including shorter lease agreements and percent-of-sales rent offerings in the near-term.
“The current market provides ample opportunity for retailers seeking entrance to the Manhattan market and exemplifies landlords' increased flexibility during these uncertain economic times,” the report said.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook has some privacy concerns. In a speech at Tuesday's IAPP Global Privacy Summit, Cook spoke about the importance of privacy, but also delivered a warning regarding ongoing legislation that could regulate the App Store.
Cook kept his speech vague. He never called out any specific pieces of legislation or lawsuit; in fact, he only went into detail when promoting Apple’s privacy efforts.
However, if you’ve paid attention to what the United States and the European Union have been doing to Big Tech, you’ll understand his posturing.
Cook claimed during the speech that efforts to regulate and enforce healthy competition on the Apple App Store will have negative effects on privacy and security.
"...policymakers are taking steps, in the name of competition, that would force Apple to let apps onto iPhone that circumvent the App Store through a process called sideloading," said Cook
Apple has a pretty tight grip on what’s allowed on its App Store and has even dealt with lawsuits and kicked certain apps out for breaking its App Store rules.
The European Union recently passed The Digital Markets Act which will force Big Tech to open up their messaging services to work with smaller platforms and points to iMessage as an example. The EU is also pressing for third-party app stores, which is essentially circumventing the App Store and sideloading apps onto the iPhone and iPad.
Cook stated sideloading will have profound consequences.
He claimed that, by sideloading, “data-hungry companies” will be able to skirt hardware security and rules to track people without their consent. It would create vulnerabilities that weren’t there before when Apple had complete control over its online store.
Cook backtracked a little by saying the tech giant does believe in competition and wants to foster that environment, but doesn’t want to undermine user privacy.
Apple’s ongoing security efforts
Cook also pointed out the efforts Apple has made to ensure user privacy. He specifically mentioned that the iPhone automatically encrypts personal data and data stored on the iCloud, which is also end-to-end encrypted. Not even Apple knows what’s in it.
And in 2021, Apple added the ATT (app tracking transparency tool) that forces other apps to ask permission to track user data. Apple is arguably doing more than most tech companies when it comes to user privacy.
However, who's to say that Apple can’t roll out new protections while also fostering a more competitive environment in the App Store at the same time? Plus, Apple users aren’t inherently better protected against bad actors.
AirTags, for example, can be used to track people. And this isn’t malware, it’s a design flaw. Granted, Apple knows about this and is working on fixing this flaw through, for now, software notifications.
Cook's concerns may not be completely unwarranted, but there's still no hard proof that giving people the option to sideload, however risky, will be the end of user privacy.
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Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.