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During the event that was held in London called WTF is Content Marketing, marketing executives from the biggest European firms gather to talk about the issues that they are facing in their industry. One of the common issues that many brands, publishers and agencies are facing is the challenge to prove the link between content marketing and return on investment.
The challenges that companies face in terms of ROI has been a long standing one, just like marketing. A new dimension was opened when the era of platforms was introduced, content marketing is crowding the customers news feed and influencers are on the rise. Things became a little bit unclear when the problem about organic reach and its decline started to arise.
According to TUI Group’s group head of social, Rachel Hawkes, one of the biggest issues they have had to face in terms of content marketing is linking all the different types of technology that the company uses. It is important that these techs are integrated with one another. She cited as an example their efforts now in merging the analytics they gather from Curalate, a user-generated content tool, and their analytics gathered onsite. Through this they are able to see if a visitor has clicked on any type of UGC, went to the checkout page and bought something. The company is targeting that by the end of next year they will be able to determine how much social media is contributing to the value chain in terms of driving sales, increasing consideration as well as promoting loyalty.
The global head of digital publishing of the brand Bp, Ben Jeffries, said that for their company RI is considered a bit unusual. The firm hired a content team with a small but full time staffs that are in house. With this they want to make sure that the effort is generating profit but the company is not open to the idea of spending a lot of money in hiring an agency that will do the content marketing and then putting too much effort in measuring the result.


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[img id="80436" align="alignleft"] The Treasure Island supermarket at East 55th Street and South Lake Park Avenue is scheduled to open Wednesday, store representatives announced this week.
Maria Kamberos, executive vice president of Treasure Island, cited logistical concerns as the cause for the delay. Representatives had originally expressed intentions of opening the store by mid-February. The postponement has left the Hyde Park area bereft of its single major grocer since the Hyde Park Co-op supermarket closed its doors in January.
“There was a lot of clean-up to do, and we had to get our licenses. If we could have opened the next day, we would have. We’re working to open as quickly as we can,” Kamberos said.
Structural renovations, which representatives estimate could cost around $5 million, will begin in the produce section and continue throughout each of the departments.
“Everything will be very state-of-the-art,” Kamberos said. She added that the renovations must be approved by the city of Chicago before they can begin.
One of Treasure Island’s major renovations will include installing glass panes across the entire storefront, creating “a nice visual of the inside,” Kamberos said.
On Saturday afternoon, construction was still underway at the store location as employees stocked shelves across a floor littered with tools and pallets of supplies.
“It’s a big difference from last Monday,” said Mark Ferguson, a deli worker.
“We’ll be here as long as it takes to open by Wednesday,” said Kathy Doyle, a deli manager. Doyle said her initial impression of the new supermarket was that the different departments worked well together, creating an atmosphere of teamwork.
The supermarket also released data to the MAROON on Saturday concerning the number of former Co-op employees that the new grocer has hired. Since the store’s closure, a group of laid-off workers have organized in response to what many thought was Treasure Island’s lack of sincerity in its efforts to rehire many of the employees.
After Treasure Island invited all Co-op employees to reapply, 85 to 90 interviews were conducted over the course of two weeks.
When the grocer opens tomorrow, 56 former Co-op employees will be on the payroll, according to Kamberos, with an additional 40 members hired largely from around the Hyde Park area, including 12 students from surrounding-area schools such as Kenwood Academy.
One of the employees on the floor Saturday, Maurice Caffey, was a former Co-op employee, rehired by Treasure Island.
“I’m just glad to have a job. It’s survival,” Caffey said, adding that he felt the interview process had gone well. “The thing is, the Co-op was one big happy family. Everyone had each other’s back, especially if they was going through something.”
The University’s announcement last year that Treasure Island, a specialty grocer with six other locations throughout Chicago, would inhabit the space formerly occupied by the Co-op was also met with some fear that the new grocer would sell items at significantly higher prices, a fear which Kamberos sought to downplay.
“I believe it will actually be cheaper than the Co-op,” Kamberos said, attributing Treasure Island’s competitive prices to the supermarket’s buying power and ability to buy directly from vendors and pass on the savings to customers.
“But there’s so much to choose from, you may end up buying more and spending more,” she said. “We have a lot of items different from what staple grocery stores will carry.”
Treasure Island will continue to supply items from local food venues such as Cedars.
Treasure Island hopes in part to cater to Hyde Park’s student population, providing a selection of prepared foods which will lend themselves well to a “grab-and-go” diet.
“We want to make it convenient,” Kamberos said.

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Residents in Devon, Somerset and Torbay urged to remain vigilant as new COVID-19 scams continue to be identified
Posted on: 24 April 2020
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service is reminding residents to ‘stay home, stay safe and stay scam aware’, as new coronavirus (COVID-19) related scams continue to emerge.
Since the outbreak there has been a rise in scams exploiting the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19). These include medical kits that claim to prevent or cure the disease, counterfeit or unsafe medical supplies, such as hand sanitizer and swabbing kits, and financial scams, including phone calls claiming to be from your bank or mortgage provider.
Trading Standards Officers are continuing to monitor new scams and have identified an automated telephone call claiming that wearing face masks is now a legal requirement, which then asks for an order to be placed immediately with a debit or credit card.
The equipment will then either fail to arrive, be over-priced or counterfeit and unlikely to meet essential safety requirements.
Anyone that receives a call like this should hang up immediately without passing on any personal or financial information.
A full list of coronavirus (COVID-19) related scams can be found on the National Trading Standards website.
There are many steps that can be taken to help protect yourself and others from scams, including:
- Asking any unexpected visitors for ID.
- Trying to rely on trusted contacts for any help that you may need or consider using a service from a ‘Buy with confidence’ business if you can’t get a personal recommendation.
- Trusting your instincts and saying no to any offers, either on the phone, online or in person, that seem suspicious.
- Being wary of unexpected emails or texts and not clicking on links or attachments. Always go to the organisation’s website to check correct information and contact details.
- Never give out personal or financial information to people you don’t know.
- Try to look up contact details such as phone numbers yourself rather than relying on those given to you over the phone.
- Only making online payments if there is a padlock symbol in the browser and you have carefully checked the site and website address for inconsistencies.
For more information about coronavirus (COVID-19) scams and how to safeguard yourself visit the Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards website.
Rachael Holden, Group Manager for Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service, said: “We’ve produced a simple guide to help people recognise scams and know what to do if they think they’ve inadvertently fallen victim to one. Residents are urged to familiarise themselves with it and share it with their friends and family so they can continue looking out for elderly or vulnerable members of the community who are at greater risk of being targeted by these fraudsters. If you see or hear anything suspicious contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or via the webform on their website.”
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: “At times like this it is important to look out for each other and remain aware of the small number of criminals that try to take advantage of the impact of coronavirus. It is good to see work continuing to keep local residents in Devon safe and informed.”
“I would urge everyone to be mindful of potential coronavirus scams and take appropriate steps to help safeguard yourself, your business and members of your local community.”
All the information contained in the guide as well as a printable version can be viewed on their website here.Posted in:


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Once touted as a silver bullet for data collation, analysis, as well as customer service, AI and ML have grown past the original hype and smart marketers are using them as a way to amplify human intelligence, rather than as a replacement for it.
CMO spoke to various experts in the marketing field about what difference AI will really make to marketing in 2019.1.
Fiftyfive5 director, Andrea Collier, said businesses will slow down when it comes to the incessant adoption of AI in marketing and be forced to think about the best value and application.
In 2019, Schmidt also expected to see AI-powered marketing attribution starting to hit its stride.
“In today’s digital environment, attribution continues to be a challenge – businesses are still piecing together data points from different platforms and many are still struggling to understand the full path to purchase – which marketing channels are driving revenue? What kinds of content help retain customers and at which stage of the customer journey? Where are customers falling out of the funnel? AI can sequence that customer journey together and identify when a customer comes to a company’s site and leaves without converting,” he said.
“In addition to the obvious partnership with sales, truly savvy marketers will partner with their customer success, product management, and user experience peers to maximise the impact of conversational AI will have on the business.”
Up next: Our next 5 predictions for artificial intelligence in marketing in 2019.
This article was summarized automatically with AI / Article-Σ ™/ BuildR BOT™.


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Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s group is getting into genetic mapping, looking to make a health care trend led by disruptive US startups like 23andMe more affordable and widespread in India’s growing consumer market.
The energy-to-ecommerce conglomerate will roll out within weeks a comprehensive 12,000-rupee ($145) genome sequencing test, according to Ramesh Hariharan, chief executive officer of Strand Life Sciences Pvt., which has developed the product. Reliance Industries Ltd., led by Asia’s richest person, acquired the Bengaluru-based firm in 2021 and now owns about 80% of it.
The genome test, which is about 86% cheaper than other offerings available locally, can reveal a person’s predisposition to cancers, cardiac and neuro-degenerative ailments as well as identify inherited genetic disorders, he said.
The project to bring affordable personal gene-mapping to India’s 1.4 billion people — on track to be the world’s most populous nation — will potentially create a treasure trove of biological data that can aid drug development and disease prevention in the region. It also dovetails with Ambani’s ambitions to dive further into the world of data — he has often called it the “new oil” — as he pivots his $192 billion empire beyond refining into consumer and digital services.
“It’ll be the cheapest such genomic profile in the world,” Hariharan said, who also co-founded Strand Life Sciences. “We’re going out at an aggressive price point to drive adoption as it gives us a chance to build a viable business in preventive health care.”
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Although the figures of wealth and income disparities are already staggering in wealthier Western countries, they are significantly worse in countries like India and China. One instance that clearly depicts the disparity is the fact that an average Indian would need to work 17 million years to become as wealthy as Mukesh Ambani.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the topic, read more about it here.


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Best-selling US vape announces investment to target convenience stores
JUUL Labs UK has announced plans to invest in a dedicated field resource for the symbol and independent retail channels.
The company, which launched in July last year through specialist vaping stores, sees convenience as a key channel in which to accelerate its mission of improving the lives of the UK’s 7.4m adult smokers. The investment will see the company triple its field force by the end of April bringing the number of business development executives to seventy-five.
John Patterson, sales director, JUUL Labs UK says “For the UK launch, we followed the same process as we did when we launched in the States in 2015 – get into specialist vape, then into some key accounts before heavily targeting convenience. That strategy worked incredibly well for us and JUUL now has over 75% of the vape market in US convenience. We are incredibly excited about our roll out into symbol and convenience as JUUL is a brand that has already resonated with adult smokers in the UK through the vape channel and Sainsburys. There is a real appetite for the brand and we now want to ensure that current JUUL users and those smokers who want to make the switch from tobacco can easily find JUUL in their local store.“
Heading up the new, upweighted team will be Steve Lintott, Head of Field Sales. “JUUL is a new product in the UK delivering a different experience for adult smokers. While many companies are scaling down or permanently using third party and sales agency staff to call on the independent trade, we wanted to show retailers that we are committed to growing JUUL and the vape category in the UK by investing in our own people. Our representatives will live, breathe and fully understand not only the JUUL brand and its mission, but also be experts in the vaping category to help retailers maximise the opportunity, as we aim to improve the lives of UK adult smokers.”
In addition to engaging retailers, delivering stock, providing POS, insight and category education, the new team will also enforce JUUL’s Challenge 25 policy, which all JUUL stockists must adhere to. Lintott concludes “At JUUL, we are only interested in targeting adult smokers and Challenge 25 is a prerequisite for any JUUL retailer. Our mission – to improve the lives of the world’s one billion adult smokers – is a big responsibility and we need to ensure that our retail partners, big and small, value our mission and act responsibly.”
The JUUL range available to convenience and symbol retailers is: JUUL Starter Pack (JUUL device, charger and four sample JUULpods RRP £29.99) and five 4-pack flavoured JUULpods refills – Golden Tobacco, Glacier Mint, Mango Nectar, Royal Creme and Apple Orchard (RRP£9.99). JUULpods are also available in a 2-pack with an RRP of £5.99.
Retailers interested in becoming a JUUL stockist should contact firstname.lastname@example.org


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Popular technology magazine WIRED has announced that it will be featuring a new NFC marketing campaign from automaker Lexus. The magazine claims that the new NFC advertisements are the first ever in the magazine industry. The ads will feature new navigation and safety technology that will be incorporated into upcoming Lexus models. These advertisements are being billed as an interactive experience, allowing WIRED readers to get hands-on experience with the new technology coming from Lexus.
Technology Quotes That Invite Thought -
Readers with NFC-enabled smart phones will be able to test out the Lexus Enform with Safety Connect system. This system is an updated version of Lexus’ navigation technology and includes information services. Enform will allow drivers to conduct Internet searches using voice commands rather than inputting data manually. It will also feature various social media integration options. The system will be included in the new 2013 Lexus GS.
WIRED believes that the advertisements are “cutting edge,” but the magazine’s initiative may not be met with the response it is hoping for. Currently, the content embedded in the advertisements can only be accessed through Android smart phones. These devices must also be NFC-enabled. This could be problematic because there are very few NFC-enabled Android mobile devices currently available. Though many mobile companies have manufactured new phones with NFC capabilities, consumers have yet to show rampant support for the technology, opting instead to purchase popular devices that do not support NFC technology. Nonetheless, WIRED believes that more people will be drawn to NFC advertisements as the technology becomes more familiar.


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The average price of an apartment in Dubai has fallen to AED1.2 million ($330,000) and are likely to drop further in 2019, according to new research.
Cavendish Maxwell’s Property Market Report for Dubai in 2018 also said that average villa/townhouse values in the emirate have dropped by AED500,000 in the past year to AED1.8 million.
The report said the prospect of purchasing a residential property in Dubai is now “more attractive for residents and overseas investors alike”.
Manika Dhama, head of Strategic Consulting and Research at Cavendish Maxwell, said: “Dubai’s real estate market continued to face challenges in 2018. Certain fundamental demand factors, like increased government spending, regulations, policies and up-take need to improve for a recovery in 2019.”
The report said that in the office sector, rentals mostly declined in secondary locations, as tenants and investors favoured Grade A stock in prime business areas such as DIFC, Business Bay, Dubai Marina and One Central buildings in the World Trade Centre district.
It added that Dubai’s retail sector witnessed developers becoming more flexible on lease terms and offering incentives to retain tenants and new entrants, in order to offset the downward pressure.
Demand from international brands for outlets in destination malls such as Mall of the Emirates and The Dubai Mall remained strong, it noted.
Cavendish Maxwell also said Dubai’s hospitality market continued to see incentives from the Dubai government to strengthen demand, such as free limited-stay visas for transit passengers and a VAT refund scheme for tourists.
The report recorded a further 1,303 rooms added to Dubai’s hotel room inventory, in addition to the Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing’s (DCTCM) reported figures, marking a total room inventory rise of 6.9 percent in 2018.
Dubai Land Department figures showed a total of AED194 billion worth of transactions occurred from January to November, with Emiratis responsible for the largest share in Dubai’s real estate market, worth AED11.5 billion, followed by Indians, Brits, Pakistanis and Jordanians.


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Arctic® Apple vortex set to descend upon the US!
Does the world really need a new spin on the basic apple? Apparently the folks at Okanagan Specialty Fruit and now the USDA think so. There’s a new apple variety, created in a laboratory that could…
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An Apple launch event planned for March seems assured to focus on the Cupertino company's new smartwatch, but experts say there is a chance Apple will show off another new gadget.
Swift on the heels of a Texas jury ordering Apple to pay $532.9 million to a patent troll, Ericsson is also lodging complaints about patent infringement against the Mac- and iPhone-maker.
Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM, says the company is right on track with its plan to shift away from the hardware segment and focus more on business analytics, cloud computing, mobile, and security.
Reading IDC's latest report, you might think Android and iOS are the only two mobile operating systems on the market. Well, they aren't the only ones, but they are dominating the landscape.
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2014 isuzu d-max – new pick up - the best cars for 2014, Certainly, we should not ignore, the fact that the 2014 isuzu d-max weighs two tons (empty), and at the same time, the primary “service activities” of the vehicle. 2013 isuzu d-max specifications and performance | new cars, 2013 isuzu d-max specifications and performance that are before you, will tell you much about this vehicle.isuzu d-max is an effective and efficient truck. Variants, specs and prices of the 2014 isuzu d-max - auto news, Auto news variants, specs and prices of the 2014 isuzu d-max all new isuzu pick-up to be launched on wednesday text: vince pornelos / photos: isuzu.
New isuzu d-max will have ph production starting 2014 - auto, Following the launch of the 2014 isuzu d-max yesterday, isuzu philippines corporation announced that the model is slated for local production. these models will be. 2013 isuzu d-max x-runner special edition on sale in australia, Isuzu ute's limited-edition d-max x-runner package is back in australia, this time with the all-new range that hit australia last year.. 2013 isuzu d-max - top cars list - top cars list, 2013 isuzu d-max - isuzu motors ltd., one of the most successful japanese car manufacturers are always producing cars with diesel engines. isuzu became a m.


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For the past 10 years, start-ups have had the upper hand in the battle for innovation. This battle is rapidly transforming into a quest for adoption at scale. Incumbents are catching up with new business models, through innovation labs and corporate ventures.
Leading example: They successfully launched a new startup for Brunel: Pack, the on-demand job community.
Experience how corporate ventures are able to innovate at a faster pace than ever before.


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The three major German Operators Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica Deutschland and Vodafone Deutschland joined hand to launch Mobile Connect on Monday.
The globally established mobile-phone-based login procedure enables simple and protected login to Inter-net services on PCs, tablets and mobile phones. All customers need to register is their smartphone and their mobile phone number. There is no need to enter a user name and password. And the personal mobile phone number becomes a unique digital identity for Internet purchases or regis-tration on online portals. In future, Mobile Connect could also enable digi-tal visits to government agencies.
Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone invite all mobile brands and vir-tual network operators without their own network to also support the GSMA standard Mobile Connect. According to the GSMA, 70 operators in nearly 40 countries have already introduced Mobile Connect.


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| Last updated
You thought you'd seen just about every ice cream flavour under the sun, but now Ben and Jerry's has thrown us a bit of a curveball by saying it will be adding a CBD-infused product to its range, telling customers: "We're doing this for our fans."
The only problem? The company can't do so until it becomes legalised. Ah.
Currently, the United States' Food and Drug Administration prohibits the use of CBD (or cannabidiol) in food and drink.
However, it will be holding a public hearing on the legalisation today (31 May) - and Ben and Jerry's submitted a comment to be considered, according to 3News Las Vegas.
The regulator has said it plans to use the public comments to inform a federal working group looking 'to explore potential pathways for dietary supplements and/or conventional foods containing CBD to be lawfully marketed'.
"You probably already know that we're fans of all things groovy," a message on the Ben and Jerry's website says.
"So it's no surprise that we can't wait to get into the latest food trend: cannabidiol, or CBD. We are committed to bringing CBD-infused ice cream to your freezer as soon as it's legalised at the federal level."
Citing a recent National Restaurant Association survey, which found that three in four chefs named CBD and cannabis-infused food as a hot trend in 2019, the message continued: "Currently, the FDA prohibits adding CBD to food and beverages.
"But change is on the horizon: They've set a public hearing on the legalisation of CBD-infused foods and beverages for May 31st, and we've submitted a comment to them in support of legalisation."
According to The Guardian, Ben & Jerry's is looking into sustainably sourced CBD from Vermont, which is where the firm has been based since its first store was opened in 1978.
"We're doing this for our fans," said Ben & Jerry's CEO Matthew McCarthy.
"We've listened and brought them everything from Non-Dairy indulgences to on-the-go portions with our Pint Slices. We aspire to love our fans more than they love us and we want to give them what they're looking for in a fun, Ben & Jerry's way."
Ben and Jerry's is also urging people to contact the FDA to help the plight - but it seems the company won't have to try too hard to convince consumers, as they're already pretty sold.
"IS THIS REAL LIFE?! CBDICECREAM?????" one person tweeted.
Another person said: "@benandjerrys is making cbd ice cream. If ya'll know me I absolutely do not eat ice cream but that's an ice cream I'll eat."
A third wrote: "I just read that Ben and Jerry's is working on a CBD ice cream. Hell yes!"
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Mozilla, a nonprofit organization dedicated to putting the power of the Web in people's hands, today announced that the Mozilla Marketplace will open for developers to submit Web apps at Mobile World Congress. By building on open Web technologies like HTML5 and Mozilla-proposed APIs, the Mozilla Marketplace will enable developers to write one app that runs across devices and platforms. As part of Mozilla's mission to keep the Web open and put people in control of their Web experience, users can buy apps once and use it on any HTML5-enabled device.
"The Web is the largest platform in the world. We are enabling the Web to be the marketplace, giving developers the opportunity to play on the biggest playing field imaginable," said Todd Simpson, Mozilla's Chief of Innovation. "By building the missing pieces, Mozilla is now unlocking the potential of the Web to be the platform for creating and consuming content everywhere."
The Mozilla Marketplace enables developers to create and distribute applications that work across HTML5-enabled devices and operating systems (OS). Mozilla is advancing the Web as a platform and closing the technology gap between Web and native apps, creating new APIs and putting developers back in control of every aspect of the app experience - from easy development and distribution to direct consumer interaction.
The Mozilla Web Apps platform gives content owners, operators and service providers an unprecedented direct connection to their customers and limitless possibilities for consumer interaction and customized experiences, while also enjoying open and flexible billing options. What's more, the "write once, deploy everywhere" nature of the platform will massively reduce the cost of creating, versioning and maintaining applications, enabling a truly open, standards-based Web that advances opportunity and innovation for all.
The Mozilla Web Apps platform will feature:
- New Mozilla-proposed APIs that advance the Web as a platform and will be submitted to the W3C for standardization.
- A new identity system for the Web that puts users in control of their content, tying apps to the user and not the device or platform.
The Mozilla Marketplace will open for developers to submit Web apps at Mobile World Congress next week and will open to consumers later this year. The Mozilla Marketplace will feature apps in the categories of games, media, music, productivity and more. Come by the Mozilla booth at Stand 7B96 in Hall 7 at Mobile World Congress to see demos and learn more.
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IIC featured on The Nonprofit Communicator – the blog of Community Media Workshop (2011)
Ferrell, Nora. “$42,000 Distributed to 15 Lucky Nonprofits.” November 9, 2011.
IIC featured as a guest post on What’s Possible – the Tides Foundation blog (2011)
What’s Possible: The Tides Blog | Creating Shared Value in the Real Estate Industry
Editor’s Note: This guest post comes from Colleen Poynton and Anna Ruman at Investing In Communities. “You gotta spend money to make money.” It’s a familiar phrase, and whether you’re a company spending millions on advertising or a nonprofit paying a full-time grant writer, new income comes at a price.
IIC featured in Chicago Sun-Times (2010)
Roeder, Dave. “Brokers Urged to Take Giving to the Next Level.” Chicago Sun-Times. November 24, 2010.
IIC Founder featured in Chicago Sun-Times (2009)
Roeder, Dave. “In the Business of Giving Back.” Chicago Sun-Times. December 23, 2009.


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In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Ford becomes the pioneer of workplace charging network. They are installing these stations at nearly every Ford facility in the U.S. and Canada, enabling the employees to accomplish their daily commute to work entirely on electricity.
This service will allow Ford employees to charge their electric cars – Ford Focus Electric, Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi – free for the first four hours. Ford estimates it will cost the company about 50 cents to fully charge a vehicle, saving employees up to $2 in gasoline each day.
Apart from saving money, this plan will also let Ford to put on a green face. Ford’s workplace EV chargers are different from competitor programs in that they will be networked together. As a result, the company will be able to gather additional information on electrified vehicle use, such as the number of hours vehicles are charging and the amount of CO2 reduced. These are good for bragging rights.
Ford plans to install electric vehicle charging stations at more than 50 of its company offices, product development campuses and manufacturing facilities. As for the public charging stations, while the number of available units is growing in the U.S., Ford does not have an immediate plan to expand it.


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TV companies have found a way to get an early crack at Madison Avenue billions. Now one of the nation’s biggest media buyers hopes to do the same for media businesses focused on Black consumers.
Each Spring, the nation’s biggest TV companies work for millions of dollars as part of a process known as the “upfront.” Now, Interpublic Group’s large IPG Mediabrands unit will during the week of March 15 kick off what it calls an “Equity Upfront” — a different version of the big sales sessions that help set up advance ad deals for TV and digital media — that seeks to match Black-owned media as well as media outlets that aim for Black audiences with some of the company’s clients.
The big ad-buying operation, which manages some $40 billion in ad spending around the world, will bring together more than 20 media companies such as Entertainment Studios’ The Grio, ViacomCBS’ BET, Essence Communications and Urban One with advertisers that include Aetna/CVS, American Express, Johnson & Johnson and BMW.
“This is the first of its kind, but it is definitely not meant to be a one-off event,” says Joy Profet, executive vice president and chief growth officer of Magna, Mediabrands’ media-intelligence unit, in an interview. “There is the expectation this will grow into an industry standard,” and plans are in development to spur discussions between advertisers and Latino, Asian and LGTBQ+ media as well.
Media outlets focused on Black audiences typically have not gotten the largest share of Madison Avenue’s purse. BET, for example, took in an estimated $203 million in 2020, according to Kagan, a market-research firm that is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Urban One’s TV One won around $70 million. CNN, meanwhile, secured $715.4 million.
To be certain, the outlets focused on such audiences are smaller than their general-market counterparts. But some big advertisers have shown definite interest in reaching Black consumers. In 2018, consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble struck a pact with ABC that made it part of the central storyline in an episode of the comedy “Black-ish.” P&G has over the years devised other initiatives aimed directly at Black consumers.
The “Equity Upfront” will take place just as many TV and digital outlets start making outreach to advertisers as part of a decades-old cycle that gives them price incentives to buy commercial inventory several months in advance of when they might need it. Over the years, others have tried to emulate the idea. A host of large digital companies take part in a series of presentations known as “NewFronts” each year. In 1999, Hearst’s “O: The Oprah Magazine” held an “upfront” in a bid to get marketers to consider running ads in the periodical’s pages before it launched in 2000.
Executives at IPG Mediabrands were spurred to consider the idea after examining both consumer data as well as last year’s protests around the death of George Floyd while in custody of police in Minneapolis. “We definitely wanted to make ourselves more accountable, make sure our clients truly recognized the importance of this audience,” says Dani Benowitz, U.S. president of Magna, in an interview.
Madison Avenue’s treatment of minorities has come under scrutiny multiple times in the past, with advocacy groups and others scrutinizing the number of people of color employed by major ad agencies. This has surfaced even though many advertising executives acknowledge the growing influence of those very same groups of consumers.
According to Mediabrands research, Black consumers wield $1.4 trillion in spending. And yet, says Profet, more than half don’t feel represented when they see many mainstream commercials. ”We know that when brands represent them from a cultural perspective or an identity perspective, this audience will respond,” she says.
Because some of these media outlets are often smaller, they don’t always get consideration from large media buyers. This event may help to change that. “They don’t necessarily have the scale that others do to get access to our clients,” says Benowitz. “This is going to help them put together better opportunities.”
Executives hope to hold monthly sessions, and, over time, expand their efforts. There are even some hopes that some of Mediabrands’ competitors might join. “It is a long-term initiative for us,” says Profet.


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During last year’s Super Bowl, some of the emotional, intense ads backfired.
Remember that Nationwide ad with the dead boy talking about child safety? As a parent, I couldn’t even watch that. So, while last year the ads all tried to be deep and emotional, this year, everybody kept it light with lots of babies and puppies.
Doritos ran an ad with a fetus reaching for a chip during an ultrasound. Budweiser ran an ad featuring actress Helen Mirren warning Americans not to drive drunk.
“Your friends and family thank you, the friends and family of other drivers thank you, your future self thanks you,” Mirren said in the ad.
The lighter touch was meant to entertain, not offend, Super Bowl watchers.
“People want to be a little friendlier, a little bit more humorous, a little less aggressively out there and edgy,” said Adam Hanft, CEO of Hanft Projects, a brand strategy firm. “It was sort of a tamed edginess I would say.”
And Budweiser got a nice freebie at the end, when the Bronco’s winning quarterback Peyton Manning said he was going to celebrate by drinking Budweiser. Budweiser says it didn’t pay for that, but it had to be worth millions.
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Chorion has signed a number of licensing deals for The World of Eric Carle in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan and Australia, on the eve of the 40th anniversary on March 20 of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the brand's most famous character.In the U.S., there
April 6, 2018
Chorion has signed a number of licensing deals for The World of Eric Carle in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan and Australia, on the eve of the 40th anniversary on March 20 of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the brand's most famous character.
In the U.S., there are now 23 licensees in place including recently signed agreements with Dunecraft for terrariums; Pacific Playtents for play tents, tunnels and play parachutes; Bioworld for headwear, bags and wallets; Epicuren for children's skin care products; Meadwestvaco for calendars; Rasta Imposta for Halloween costumes and accessories; and Vtech for VSmile Baby The Very Hungry Caterpillar software.
In the U.K., where the book is published by Puffin, Brecrest will produce apparel and infant bedding; H&A for bath products; Character World for bedding; Rainbow Designs for wooden and soft toys (adding to their existing range of plush); Shreds for aprons, tabards, bags and painting sets; U.K. Greetings will be the partner for greetings cards; Fabric Flavours for children's T-shirts; Funky Feet for infant footwear; Talking Tables for party goods; and If for bookmarks.
In Germany, publisher Gerstenberg has a range of promotional programs planned throughout the year. Schmidt Spiele and University Games are the partners for games and puzzles; Nudnik for infant apparel and plush; Gerstenberg for stationery and cardboard storage boxes; and Werkhaus for wooden toys.
Japan now has 25 licensees on board for The World of Eric Carle and in Australia the number of licenses continues to grow with Portmerion now on board for ceramic dinnerware, storage jars and money banks.
Written by Eric Carle and originally published by Penguin in the U.S., The Very Hungry Caterpillar sells one copy every 30 seconds. The picture book has been translated into more than 45 languages and has sold over 29 million copies and a new The Very Hungry Caterpillar pop-up book is being published this year, with the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, Taiwan and Norway releasing in time for The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day.
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar continues to enchant children around the world and we are delighted to be bringing new products to the market as we begin a year of celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the brand's most beloved character," says Eric Karp, executive vice president of global licensing and merchandising at Chorion.
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on the faces
a weird and
FCB helped Glad use pop culture to describe the quality of one of its products in a highly stylized new campaign titled, Anti-Leak.
Promoting the company’s Advanced Protection kitchen bag, the campaign features a series of print ads in which Glad’s trash bags help prevent “leaks” related to themes in the entertainment industry.
“We hope people will think differently of our brand and the key benefit this bag delivers,” explains Nick Higgins, Glad’s Marketing Director. “This modern and fresh point-of-view reflects our desire to remain as loved by consumers today as we have in the past decades,”
Fusing trash bag-shaped comments onto the faces of brilliantly illustrated, fictitious celebrities, the effort is an eye-popping triumph.
“Actor” and “Singer”
“We are constantly pushing and challenging ourselves on Glad to demonstrate the product benefits in interesting and compelling ways,” adds Lisa Bright, FCB Chicago EVP, Executive Creative Director. “This assignment was no different. Our Anti-Leak campaign delivered on the message that Glad can hold up against even the worst kinds of leaks.”
The first two executions of the series — “Actor” and “Singer” — ran in national print publications, including the May 6 issue of People and the May 3 issue of Entertainment Weekly.
The ads will also appear on billboards and posters across the country.


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Last December, Instagram said it had purged millions of fake accounts, in an effort to provide more accurate numbers to marketers. Now, Italian security researchers say about 8% of Instagram accounts appear to be run by computer-generated “bots.”
How hot is live streaming? More than 21 million videogame fans tuned into Amazon.com’s Twitch earlier this month to check out the Electronic Entertainment Expo – nearly double the number of last year’s viewers.
Automakers are developing one of the largest public key infrastructure security systems ever conceived, the heart of an effort to protect a new generation of networked vehicles that is expected to hit the mass market by the early 2020s.
Microsoft is turning its focus on developing countries like India, hoping that consumer willingness to try something new to save a few dollars will at last make it a superpower in the worldwide smartphone wars.


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Connecting state and local government leaders
A bill awaiting the governor's signature in Illinois would give some SNAP recipients the option to use their benefits at restaurants and to purchase hot prepared food at grocery stores.
Elderly, disabled and homeless food stamp recipients in Illinois would be able to use their benefits at restaurants under legislation forwarded to Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month.
The bill, approved by wide margins in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly, directs the state to establish a Restaurant Meals Program as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Restaurants can choose whether to participate and must offer discounted meals to be eligible.
Currently, SNAP recipients can use their benefits only to buy groceries (ranging from poultry, dairy and vegetables to snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages). Benefits can’t be used to pay for hot food or prepared meals “fit for immediate consumption,” according to the federal Department of Agriculture, which funds and runs SNAP.
But the USDA has long allowed states to decide for themselves whether SNAP benefits can be redeemed at restaurants within their borders via the Restaurant Meals Program. Established in 1977, the program is a voluntary component of SNAP that gives states the ability to grant restaurant benefits to food stamp recipients who are elderly (over the age of 60), disabled or homeless. States don’t have to take legislative action to opt into the program, though doing so can shield the move from dismantling by future administrations.
But participation is rare. Arizona administers the program at the state level, while a handful of counties in California also participate. Rhode Island is participating in a pilot program, and Maryland passed a similar bill in May that was signed by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
Proponents of the measure say it grants additional dining options to people who may struggle to prepare their own meals.
“Somebody’s who’s homeless, for example, they don’t have a place to prepare that food, or somebody who’s disabled, they’re not able to come home and cook a meal themselves,” state Rep. Tom Demmer, a Republican, told WICS-TV. But restaurant meals are more expensive than groceries, Demmer noted, meaning a person could spend a larger portion of their SNAP benefits to receive a smaller amount of food.
“The prices of foods at restaurants are higher than what it might be at the grocery store and so, there's a little bit of a trade-off there,” he said. “So we want to make sure people aren't running out of benefits at the end of the month.”
In Arizona, most restaurants participating in the program are fast-food establishments, including Subway and Jack in the Box. But the state’s program also allows grocery stores to sell sandwiches and other prepared foods.
Illinois State Rep. Sonya Harper, the legislation’s main sponsor, told the Chicago Tribune she doesn’t expect many fast-food restaurants to participate in the program there. The goal, she told the paper, was to allow people to use benefits to buy hot food from grocery stores where they already shop regularly.
“It makes your life easier,” she said.
It’s unclear if Pritzker, a Democrat, plans to sign the legislation. His office did not return a request for comment. If signed, the law will take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Kate Elizabeth Queram is a Staff Correspondent for Route Fifty and is based in Washington, D.C.
NEXT STORY: Food Banks Win in Trump Trade War


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Saudi is set to account for more than 50 per cent of the Gulf region's district cooling operating capacity and 33 per cent of overall revenue by 2016, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7 per cent, according to a report.
UAE-based Rubber World Industries (RWI) will showcase its range of rubber-based insulated building materials and trading products an upcoming industrial exhibition in Ajman.
Sponsored and organised by the Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Indu
Gerab Energy Systems has formed an exclusive marketing tie-up with Articmaster, a US-based manufacturer, for the patented energy saving technology for HVAC and chillers, which enables up to 20 percent energy savings.
The new green technolo
The Saudi heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) sector is expected to achieve between 30 and 50 per cent growth to emerge as a SR4.5 billion ($1.19 billion) market by 2014, said the organisers of an upcoming HVAC event in Riyadh.
UAE-based Rubber World Industries has announced the launch of 50 new trading products for the region’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) industry.
The new line of products will be widely distributed all over the GCC, s
The use of copper ducting in ventilation and central air-conditioning networks promotes indoor air quality, said the International Copper Association (ICA), the apex body promoting the use of copper across various sectors.
“Indoor air qual
The HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning) sector in the Middle East will be the focus of a trade show to be held in Abu Dhabi next year.
The HVAC Gulf Exhibition & Conference will be held from April 20 to 23 simultaneousl
Drake & Scull (DSI) is strengthening its presence in Kuwait with a KD4.5 million contract.
Drake & Scull International (DSI), the region’s leading mechanical and electrical engineering contracting company, said it had been awarded


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Neither offer chain challenges nor the danger of Omicron could prevent individuals from shelling out this vacation period.
How much spending? According to the Mastercard SpendingPulse, U.S. shoppers used 8.5 % more this holiday getaway period than they did past year.
This ranks as the greatest calendar year-around-year holiday paying out boost that Mastercard has viewed in 17 decades.
The Mastercard SpendingPulse charts paying both on the net and in-retail outlet from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. The report fround that complete retail profits this vacation period had been 10.7 per cent greater than during the similar period of time in 2019. Product sales at bodily merchants rose 2.4 percent when compared with 2019 although on line revenue had been an spectacular 61.4 % better than two years in the past.
E-commerce carries on to increase. The SpendingPulse study discovered that e-commerce product sales rose 11 percent from 2020 to 2021, when generating up about 21 p.c of total retail investing. In 2019, on the internet income accounted for just 14.6 % of whole retail income in the course of the holiday getaway season.
Sure retail categories performed superior than other folks this holiday break season. Clothing income rose 47.3 per cent when as opposed with 2020, though jewelry gross sales increased by 32 percent.


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The Suzuki Vitara isn’t sold all around the world but it is a relatively popular small crossover, which is currently produced in Hungary and China. However, its sales in Europe have declined in recent years with just about 40,000 units delivered to customers in 2022 compared to more than 80,000 in 2019. Drastic times call for drastic measures and there’s no better proof of that phrase than Suzuki’s latest marketing campaign in Spain.
Suzuki Iberica decided to show how practical the Vitara is by asking 23 people to get inside the cabin. This isn’t close to the world record of 57 people inside an original Volkswagen Beetle but it’s still impressive considering the Vitara has a relatively small 2,500-millimetre wheelbase. Suzuki emphasises the Vitara has one of the largest cabins in relation to its compact exterior dimensions.
Gallery: 23 people inside Suzuki Vitara
During the Suzuki Family Day in Spain celebrating 20 years of Suzuki Iberica, the brand took an example of the Vitara facelift and folded down its rear seats to free more space. Six people sit in the front and another seventeen in the area behind the front seats, which has a volume of 1,119 litres. Suzuki says all 23 participants are medium-sized youngsters, who complete the challenge with “a fun choreography, a lot of elasticity, and enthusiasm.” Footage from the experiment can be seen at the top of this page.
Launched in 2015, the current fourth-generation Vitara was facelifted in 2018 but is still one of the oldest models in Europe’s subcompact segment. Beginning in March 2020, the model is available on the Old Continent only with a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine supported by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The peak system output is 127 bhp and 173 lb-ft of torque. In selected countries on the continent, such as Hungary, France, Poland, and the Netherlands, there’s also a more powerful 1.5-litre hybrid with 115 bhp.


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Technology: TopForm Offers Full Relational Database Support
TopForm Software, Norcross, Ga., will provide its customers with the option to use an open relational database for real-time data storage and access. Oracle will be the first supported database, with mySQL and other common database products to follow.
“Our customers requested a more flexible system that would provide greater access to data, and Oracle is that solution,” said Brian Fritsche, president/CEO. “This is our first significant step toward adopting an open architecture that gives customers more control over their business.” On December 27, TopForm will start testing Oracle with one of its premier customers, Baltimor-based Webb/Mason. TopForm anticipates launching the new platform, along with technical support, for general distribution during the first quarter of 2007. Customers will also have the ability to integrate third-party applications, and design custom e-commerce software.
For additional information, call (800) 448-1484, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org or visit www.topform.com.


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Interbrand is a global brand consultancy, and each year they publish a ranking of the top 100 most valuable brands in the world. It’s no surprise that the top spot is held by Apple. Their brand is valued at US$170 billion dollars (the amount Bernie Madoff’s first employee owes the US Government, according to MSN).
In Asia-Pacific, eleven companies are featured among the world’s 100 most valuable brands. It’s great to see Huawei at #88 with a brand value of US$4.9 billion. The most valuable brand from Asia-Pacific is Toyota – #6 globally valued at US$49 billion.
The rankings are interesting – but the report is fascinating. Commenting in the report, Jez Frampton, Global Chief Executive Officer wrote that people want to personally design the life they want to live “It’s why we hold brands to such high expectations—for better choices, richer experiences, meaningful narratives, one-on-one attention, new form factors,” wrote Mr Frampton. “Brands are now expected to move at the speed of people’s demands—at the speed of their lives.”
Like you – I had to read that twice. I immediately thought “Speed of Light” and wanted to Wikipedia Einstein. But that’s “Speed of Life” and it appears, on careful review, that might actually be faster.


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Holger Laubenthal is the new CEO of Cembra Money Bank, effective from 1 March. He will succeed Robert Oudmayer, who will step down and take early retirement, as announced in October.
Laubenthal was most recently president of the consumer and manufacturing division of Kuwait-based Alghanim Industries Group. He previously spent many years at General Electric. From 2016 until 2019, he was president and CEO of GE Inspection Technologies, based in Germany and the US, CEO of GE Money Bank Russia and on the executive board of GE Money Bank Germany.
Oudmayer led the bank for over 11 years, and will support the transition in March and assist the board of directors throughout 2021.
Chairman Felix Weber said: ‘Holger has a compelling industry track record in international consumer finance, combined with a strong leadership. He is also familiar with the Swiss market and knows Cembra as a leading Swiss player in consumer finance.
‘On behalf of theboard of directors, I sincerely thank Robert for his outstanding contribution to the development of Cembra. He has been the driving force to position Cembra as a leading Swiss provider of financial solutions and services, led the IPO of the company in 2013, and built the strong position Cembra has today through organic growth and selected acquisition.’


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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency Tuesday and banned the sales of all vaping products in the state for four months.
A Public Health Issue
Baker said in his announcement, “the purpose of this public health emergency is to temporarily pause all sales of vaping products so that we can work with our medical experts to identify what is making people sick and how to better regulate these products to protect the health of our residents.”
The temporary statewide ban would be on the sale of all flavored and non-flavored vaping products and would remain in place until Jan. 25, 2020, Baker said. The ban also extends to all online sales of vaping products. This also includes online and retail sales of tobacco and marijuana used for vaping.
A Danger To Young People
Baker continued, “the use of e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products is exploding and we are seeing reports of serious lung illnesses, particularly in our young people.”
As of Tuesday, 61 cases of unexplained vaping-associated pulmonary disease have been reported in Massachusetts. Nationwide, the number is in the hundreds.
What do you think about this latest ban? Leave a note in the comments. You can also contact us for more information! Feel free to shoot us an email to Outreach@ConsiderTheConsumer.com, find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or even connect with us directly on our website!
About the Author: Aisha K. Staggers is a writer, lecturer, political analyst and literary agent. She appears almost weekly for “Staggers State of Things” on the Dr. Vibe Show. Her work has been published by Paper Magazine, AfroPunk, The Spool, GREY Journal, MTV News, HuffPost, Blavity, Atlanta Blackstar, For Harriet, New York Review of Books and a host of other first-run publications and syndicated outlets. Find her on Twitter @AishaStaggers. For more of her work, check out her page here!


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However, the Nikola Badger is not a battery-electric vehicle like the Tesla Cybertruck. Instead, the upcoming pickup truck runs on hydrogen fuel cell technology. But, there will be an auxiliary battery pack onboard the Nikola Badger.
The pickup truck can produce 918 PS of peak power and 1,328 Nm of torque output. It can drive up to 482 km on pure electric mode.
It is claimed to be capable of reaching 0-100 kmph in 2.9 seconds. Also, it can operate in both FCEV and BEV modes.
As the company claims, the electric pickup will be available in limited numbers in 2020 only, starting from September.
Nikola also claims that the upcoming pickup truck is powered by a scaled-down version of the technology that the company has already developed for larger commercial trucks.
In fact, the pickup truck is apparently powered by a scaled-down version of the tech that Nikola developed for its big commercial trucks.
Commenting on the upcioming electric pickup truck, Trevor Milton, Nikola’s CEO and founder, said, “Nikola has a billions worth of technology in our semi-truck program, so why not build it into a pickup truck?”
He also said, “I have been working on this pickup program for years and believe the market is now ready for something that can handle a full day’s worth of work without running out of energy.”
Is the American motoring dream in India coming to an abrupt and complete end? The answer looks affirmative. After the unceremonious exit of General Motors and Ford Motors’ complete sellout to Mahindra & Mahindra, the solitary American two-wheeler offering; Harley-Davidson is stopping production and scaling down operations to imported bikes only. This would leave the premium superbike market for the major European ones like Triumph, BMW, Ducati and Japanese rivals like Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. How will the luxury bike market and overall auto market pan out in a complete absence of American players? Chanchal Pal Chauhan reports.


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The pharmaceutical giant behind the painkiller OxyContin is ceasing its promotion and advertising of medications to doctors in Canada.
Representatives for the Canadian-branch of Purdue Pharma said in a June 27 letter to health regulators that they ended “all promotional and advertising activities relating to our prescription opioids” in the country June 20, reports The Globe and Mail.
Purdue’s action comes in response to a request from Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor for pharmaceutical companies to suspend pill promotion amid rising rates of opioid abuse in Canada. Taylor argues this will give the government more time to craft stricter regulations regarding prescription painkillers.
Purdue Pharma faces a bevy of lawsuits in the U.S. alleging the company’s aggressive marketing of prescription opioids helped spark the current addiction crisis. (RELATED: More Than A Quarter Of US States Are Now Suing The Makers Of OxyContin)
“While we have taken this action, we remain steadfast in our belief that Canadian prescribers require the most recent information, including on the most current guidelines, to ensure their patients are treated appropriately,” David Pidduck, president and CEO of Purdue Pharma in Canada, said in the letter. “Going forward requests for information about our opioid products from health care professionals will be addressed reactively through direct communication with the experienced health care professionals in our Medical Affairs department.”
Purdue Pharma announced June 19 they eliminated their entire remaining U.S. sales team, effectively ending any contact the company has with medical providers regarding their medications. The company cut more than half of their sales force in February when they announced an official end to their promotion of opioid painkillers directly to doctors in the U.S.
Purdue Pharma denies allegations of complicity in the opioid epidemic and claims they are committed to curbing rates of opioid abuse.
Purdue Pharma is facing 26 lawsuits filed by state attorneys general and more than 400 lawsuits from cities and counties across the country. They accuse the company of orchestrating a fraudulent marketing scheme to boost sales of OxyContin that downplayed the risks for addiction from pain medication.
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Ingram Micro has warned that the current recession will be the worst the IT industry has ever experienced, with it warning that it will have to cut a further eight per cent of its workforce.
The prediction came as Ingram Micro announced fourth quarter losses of $564.3m after sales fell 13 per cent to $8.6bn. The firm incurred a $742.6m goodwill charge – excluding that the firm made a fourth quarter profit of $95.5m.
Despite a poor fourth quarter performance, full year sales fell just short of its 2007 record of $35bn, with 2008 seeing revenues of $34.4bn. Profits hit $410.5m for the year excluding the write down, while its gross margin was 5.92 per cent – the highest for a decade.
Sales in the distributor’s two largest markets – EMEA and North America – were down, due to falling demand. North American sales fell one per cent, however, EMEA was hit particularly hard with sales dropping 21 per cent.
Ingram Micro’s chief executive officer Greg Spierkel warned that the IT industry was in for a particularly bad time. "Business and consumer confidence are at their weakest in a decade. I would not be surprised to see negative growth for another three to five quarters, making this the longest contraction in out industry."
He also warned that the deteriorating conditions had forced the company to make the difficult decision of laying off a further eight per cent of the company’s workforce – primarily in North America and EMEA – in addition to the cuts announced last year.


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In many parts of the U.S., the farming industry has been forced to waste food due to supply chain interruptions from COVID-19. But the Carbon Cowboys featured in Peter Byck's 10-part documentary series say sales are soaring.
In his series, Byck details the farming technique known as regenerative grazing, which involves quickly rotating cattle from pasture to pasture, before they can damage the land — similar to how bison herds move across The Great Plains. The practice, which does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, builds soils that are richer in carbon, which in turn boosts crop and livestock yields.
The series, directed by Peter Byck, was filmed over six years in various rural communities across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. View it online at CarbonCowboys.org.


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Samsung brings fight to its competitors - analysts
Samsung Electronics Co. wanted to bring the fight to its competitors. Following Samsung's launch of its newest smartphone in the iPhone country, USA, the South Korean titan also opened a research and development center in Finland, the home market of Nokia Corp.
"This decision to establish our R&D presence in Northern Europe reflects the importance we place on the European market," Samsung said in a statement. The center would be Samsung Electronics R&D Institute UK's branch.
Its investment in Finland signified a tougher competition for Nokia. Research firm International Data Corporation stated that Samsung already took Nokia's top spot in its home market. In the first quarter, Samsung was able to grab 36.1% share in Finland's market compared with Nokia's 33.6%.
Samsung reported more than 30 R&D centers worldwide. It said that it planned to maintain its market domination by spending more billions on marketing and research. However, analysts remarked that spending so much for an R&D facility would not mean that a company could already attain success in taking most shares in the market. Analysts added that corporations could put their cash pile into good use by working on their services in their retail outlets.
Samsung reported a 9% increase from the first quarter. Its operating profit became KRW9.53 trillion or US$8.5 billion compared with the first quarter's KRW8.78 trillion. It also reported 9% jump in mobile sales from KRW31.77 trillion to KRW34.85 trillion.
Join the Conversation


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YORK, PA - Loyal Rutterï¿½ï¿½s customer Arthur Bankert is the sixth winner in the companyï¿½ï¿½s Fuel Up Free sweepstakes, which is awarding a yearï¿½ï¿½s worth of free gasoline to eight lucky customers.
"I stop in for a cup of coffee almost every morning, and some mornings I meet a few people at the store to sit and talk," Bankert said.
The sweepstakes involves customers scanning their Rutterï¿½ï¿½s Rewards loyalty cards when they make a purchase from a designated list of qualified items.
The Rutterï¿½ï¿½s Rewards loyalty program began in October of 2009. Nearly 1,600 items at the companyï¿½ï¿½s 56 stores carries a rewards value, which ranges from 1 cent to 10 cents per gallon. Each time a customer purchases one of those items, he receives a net reward in cash savings on a purchase of up to 20 gallons of gas. Rewards are redeemable immediately and valid up to 60 days from the date it is earned.
Two more customers will win a yearï¿½ï¿½s supply of free gasoline in the sweepstakes, which ends at the end of September.
Earlier this week, Rutterï¿½ï¿½s also announced its July winners in its Register, Scan and Win Sweepstakes, who were awarded a 3-pack of Sloppy Joe sliders, new to the menu this month at Rutterï¿½ï¿½s.
"Weï¿½ï¿½ve gotten extremely positive customer responses to our new Sloppy Joe sandwiches, we thought itï¿½ï¿½d be a great way to reward our loyal customers," said Vice President of Food Service Jerry Weiner.
Winners for the monthly contest are drawn from a pool of customers who scanner their registered Rutterï¿½ï¿½s Rewards card.


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The decline of Windows as a mobile platform has been much discussed. From Windows 10 Mobile failing to make an impact to Microsoft pulling out of the hardware market, Windows Phone has been through tough times. They are about to get tougher, however, IDC predicts that within five years, Windows Phone will have a market share of zero.
The market-watching firm today released its 5-year prediction for the smartphone market. The news is not good for Windows Phone.
Microsoft's platform has been in a steep decline for a couple of years. It market share has dropped as smartphone sales have dried up. The company's decision to end the Lumia brand last year created a vacuum. Microsoft, and Nokia before it, were the runaway best-selling manufacturer on the back of Lumia.
With no more Microsoft hardware, a huge void was created in Windows Phone. OEMs have simply lost confidence in the platform. Why would they build hardware for Windows 10 Mobile when Microsoft does not want to do it?
It's a conundrum the company has attempted to address with reassurances that Windows 10 Mobile will be fully supported. Manufacturers are not buying it.
Salvaging Windows Phone?
While Lumia was the top-selling Windows-based brand, it is worth noting that the platform was failing even with Microsoft's hardware. Perhaps the decline would have been slower, but it was happening anyway.
IDC reports that it is going to get a lot worse in the coming years:
“Windows Phone continues to decline as a share of the smartphone space as many OEMs have given up producing phones for the platform. As a result, IDC expects 2017 volumes to decline 69.5% to just 1.8 million units. It is unclear at this time if Microsoft has a clear plan to persuade OEMs to get back on board with the platform, or if it plans to release a device itself like it did with Surface devices. Until this production question is addressed, IDC doesn't see a clear path to turning around the platform.”
Microsoft certainly still has plans for Windows Phone. Indeed, the company is likely to return to the hardware front with the oft-rumored Surface Phone. Redmond is likely to steer a mobile course directly for business and enterprise and treat the consumer as an afterthought.
At this point, it is the only course of action that makes sense. However, considering Android and iOS already have a commanding lead in enterprise, it is hard to see how Microsoft can break the hold. We could argue that Windows 10 Mobile could offer much more to a business, but Microsoft's rivals have the market position.


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2016 was a record year for San Francisco tourism, according to the latest stats from the San Francisco Travel Association.
The Association reports that the city welcomed a record total of 25.1 million visitors in 2016, an increase of 2.3 percent from 2015. In 2016, the 25.1 million visitors brought $9.69 billion in spending to San Francisco, up by 3.3 percent from 2015.
2016 marked the seventh consecutive year of record-breaking growth for San Francisco’s tourism industry, said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel.
Of the 25.1 million people who visited the city last year, 10.4 million were overnight visitors and 14.7 million visited for the day, with both figures increasing by 2.3 percent. Overnight visitors spent $7.77 billion (86.8 percent of all visitor spending), up 3.4 percent over the previous year. Day visitors spent $1.18 billion (13.2 percent of visitor spending), up 3.5 percent from 2015. Total direct spending by visitors was $8.9 billion. Convention/meeting direct spending is estimated at $754 million.
Overnight visitors from the United States totaled 7.5 million (72 percent of all overnight visitors) and spent $2.9 billion (38 percent of all overnight guest spending). Domestic overnight visitor volume increased 2.5 percent and their spending increased 4.8 percent over 2016.


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There were 777 tech M&A deals in second quarter valued at $52.1 billion. This is nearly double the value of the 628 deals that occurred in Q2 of last year that totaled $30.8 billion, according to Ernst & Young’s “Global Technology M&A Update.”
PE showed a marked rise in transaction values. There were 76 PE-backed tech deals in Q2 valued at $8 billion. This is up 60% from the 51 deals in Q2 2010 that totaled $5 billion.
A rebounding economy helped corporate and PE deals surge in Q2, says Joe Steger, Ernst & Young’s global technology transaction advisory services leader. “As the economy has been improving, stock prices and valuations have risen,” Steger says. “Private equity has a lot of cash to invest and they’re looking for opportunities to deploy it.”
However, private equity was still a small part–about 10%–of the overall number of deals. Steger says that corporate buyers typically acquire many small tech companies in emerging technologies like cloud computing, software as a services, social networking and smart mobile apps. “These companies do not have a history of profitability,” he says.
In second quarter, software was the most popular place for PE firms to invest. A little more than half, or 54%, of PE deals were in software, says Steger. In fact, PE’s biggest investment–Golden Gate Capital’s $1.8 billion buy of Lawson— was a software deal. Other notable software deals include Apax Partners $2 billion buy of Epicor Software and Activant Solutions. Providence Equity Partners also bought SRA International in Q2 for $1.8 billion.
PE firms like software “for the recurring cash flows that come out of the maintenance base,” Steger says.
Buyout shops also liked IT services, which comprised 21% of PE deals in Q2. Examples include Providence’s buy of SRA. PE firms like IT services because it’s “more of a business they can get their arms around and get more stable cash flows,” Steger says. “They don’t have to worry about technological obsolescence as much compared to other sectors.”


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The Samsung Galaxy S3 launching on T-Mobile and AT&T should not be that surprising.
However, the smartphone market seems to constantly be changing with the news that Verizon will be receiving the device as well, but none of these major carriers have officially confirmed the S3.
Now there are reports that all but solidify the device on Big Red's two biggest competitors.
Bluetooth SIG has reportedly approved two Samsung Galaxy S3 models specifically created for North America. The two models include the SGH-I747, and the SGH-T999. Based on information provided by Amazon, the SGH-I747 will be released on AT&T and the SGH-T999 is T-Mobile's S3. PocketNow is reporting this confirmation as well.
The difference between the two versions will probably be the processor as the AT&T model will most likely have a dual-core Snapdragon S4 to accommodate LTE connectivity; the T-Mobile S3 will feature Samsung's quad-core Exynos chip.
The AT&T version might also come with 2GB of RAM.
If Verizon offers the Samsung Galaxy S3 it will most likely have a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip since the carrier will want to utilize its LTE network.
Carriers such as T-Mobile and Sprint can skip the dual-core chip since both of their 4G networks are not quite up to LTE standards yet.
However, both companies are moving quickly towards deploying LTE technology all over the U.S. so they will be able to carry the new iPhone when it launches later on this year.
The third-generation iPad launched back in November, and it is available on Verizon and AT&T.
Samsung seems to be accommodating all carriers by altering the specifications on the S3.
Still, Apple normally chooses to keep its device's specifications the same, so consumers should not expect the iPhone to have different features on different carriers.
And if a carrier is not ready for LTE, then the iPhone will probably not be coming to that company.


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Rather than a percent of gum and a newspaper, subway riders may quickly be capable of find craft beer and nearby espresso in Manhattan’s busiest stations. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will search for requests from country-wide and nearby food and drinks brands to take grasp leases at 3 transit hubs in Manhattan. The request suggested utilizing The Wall Street Journal, which consists of greater than sixteen 000 square feet of retail space in Midtown stations. The MTA hopes to emulate Grand Central Terminal, where neighborhood meal brands including Shake Shack and Café Grumpy mix with small retailers. Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chief development officer, instructed the Journal that the authority is trying to carry independent, nearby shops and high-stop options to its subways.
“Not just Starbucks,” he stated, however also “perhaps a greater New York espresso area.” A video posted by way of the MTA for the request cited the retail at the Fulton Street Station and Turnstyle Underground Market on the 59th Street–Columbus Circle Station because of the model for destiny subway retail. The first request is for the 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal station, wherein approximately 18 retail gadgets occupy 8,800 square ft. Later this year the MTA will are seeking proposals for nine retail units totaling 5,000 square toes at the 47-50 Streets Rockefeller Center subway station.
Early next yr the request will extend to a few units totaling 2,400 square ft at Times Square-forty second Street, in step with the Journal. About 260,000 riders swipe in at the 3 stations day by day, the document stated. According to the document, the first new retailers should arrive at the bus terminal station with the aid of spring 2021. In March, the MTA announced that airport-fashion merchandising machines might take the area of a few subway newsstands. Lieber said at the time that the exchange is a part of a “reimagining of what retail in the subway seems like.”
Two of the things in this existence that no people can do without are food and drinks. We have to have food and drink to live to tell the tale, but in addition, they play a major role in our social lives. Interactions along with own family gatherings, dating, or just sitting down with a chum for a drink or a cup of coffee. And what several commercial enterprise offers, both large and small, had been consummated over lunch or dinner? The solution is “limitless.” Restaurants provide the ambiance for social gatherings and commercial enterprise conferences.
After all, a fantastic many of our parents had their first date in an eating place and got to understand each other over food and drinks. Had they not executed so, then a number of us won’t be right here nowadays. In the extraordinary nations all around the global, with all of our cultural variations, foods and drinks are what carry human beings collectively. In Hawaii they have the Luau, Germany has Oktoberfest, Russia has Easter Feast, Mexico has Cinco de Mayo, and your own home metropolis has the police officers on the donut keep. Imagine what existence might be like if we ate just because we needed to. There could be no gala’s, no galas, and very few social gatherings. But, of the path, we would nonetheless see the police officers at the donut keep because. Nicely, simply due to the fact.


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Air Force Fitness Test Changes. 1, airmen who fail the abdominal circumference (ac) portion of the test but pass the other. Air force announces changes to fitness test waistline requirement.
Air force is rolling out a new way to test physical fitness this week. Air force pushes mandatory physical assessments to.
168440 Riat Fairford Usn
Air force’s waistline requirement will no longer automatically fail the physical fitness test (pft), the air force announced on wednesday. Airmen can make their test official by initialing next to their total score and fitness category section, prior to leaving the testing.
Air Force Fitness Test Changes
Even more changes may be on the horizon, brown said.Luckily for me, the air force used 2003 as the gauge where you’re at year.Military.com | by oriana pawlyk.One of the biggest changes is that the waist measurement score component that was added into the pt test score in the early 2000s has been removed.
Physical fitness assessments will now resume for airmen on july 1.Shaw air force base, s.c.Study out tuesday encourages the air force to retool parts of its fitness test to incorporate more practical measures of everyday health,.Tests will resume july 1, according to a march 4 release.
The air force is bringing their fitness test back after a hiatus due to the global pandemic, and there have been some changes.The air force is considering changing age brackets used for fitness assessments and redistributing fitness points.The air force is delaying physical fitness testing for the fourth time due to the coronavirus pandemic.The air force will resume physical fitness testing july 1 with only three components:
The idea is that airmen are now allowed to take mock tests prior to the real.The space force could carry over the air force’s recent policy change that allows personnel to take three diagnostic fitness tests before their designated pt test date, and use a score from an earlier test instead of having only one shot at passing.The united states air force physical fitness assessment is designed to test the body composition, muscular strength/endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of airmen in the united states air force.To this date, i had gone almost a decade satisfying air force requirements by passing my pt test faithfully, without ever needing to visit the gym.
Washington (afns) — the air force will resume physical fitness testing july 1 with only three components:“along with removing the waist measurement, we are also exploring alternative strength and cardio components to.


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Currency Control: Venezuelans Allowed Fewer U.S. Dollars For Florida Trips
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – President Nicolás Maduro's government is slashing the amount of U.S. dollars Venezuelans traveling to Florida and other popular destinations can take with them under decade-old currency controls.
Till now travelers to any part of the United States have been allowed to charge a maximum of $2,500 annually to their Venezuelan credit cards and to buy up to 500 U.S. dollars. But now, Venezuelans traveling to Florida only will be allowed to a maximum of just $700 on their credit cards and no more than $300 in cash.
The maximum for people traveling to states other than Florida will remain the same.
The restrictions published Friday in the Official Gazette follow a partial devaluation of the bolivar that has made it costlier for Venezuelans to travel abroad generally and which the government hopes will help safeguard a dwindling local dollar supply.
Venezuelans have been flocking to south Florida and other easily-accessed international destinations to buy as much hard currency as they can under the rigid foreign currency exchange system.
The demand for air travel has overwhelmed airlines, which are sold out months in advance, and contributed to the capital flight that has drained central bank reserves by 30 percent over the past year.
As part of the new restrictions, cash allowances were also reduced for destinations such as Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Peru.
The government is also cutting to $300 from $500 the amount that Venezuelans can spend annually on Internet purchases from overseas merchants.
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Larchmont Nurseries wants you to know they have pallets and pallets of rock salt available. Owner Joanne Grossman says “Salt is so scarce now. The salt made for the East Coast was shipped to Georgia and other areas hit with snow for the first time so there was not enough for the East Coast. We are now getting it from Canada and Vermont.”
First come, first served.


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Here's the case for how Apple could blow up the cable industry
Apple is the company best positioned to take on cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner Cable.
That's one of the key takeaways from a new report on the future of TV, from the investment banking firm Pacific Crest Securities.
Apple is reportedly working on a streaming TV service delivered online. The Wall Street Journal reported a few months ago that the service may launch this fall, but Re/Code's Peter Kafka and Dawn Chmielewski reported last week that the service could be delayed as Apple tries to negotiate programming deals with local broadcast networks.
Les Moonves, the CEO of CBS, said at Re/code's Code conference this week that he recently met with Eddy Cue, Apple's head of software and services, to talk about a TV service.
One of Apple's strengths is taking complicated products and technologies and creating simple, great user experiences. The iPhone wasn't by any means the first "smartphone," but Apple made it consumer-friendly, and put it in the hands of millions of people. The same can be said for the personal computer, as well as the modern tablet.
In a note earlier this month, Pacific Crest Securities analysts argued that when it comes to a TV service, Apple will win where it's won before - on experience, not on price. The firm estimates the monthly cost for Apple's service will start at between $40 and $50 per month, which, when added with a broadband internet subscription, could be just as much as it costs to get TV from your cable company.
Pacific Crest Securities
But that doesn't really matter, Andy Hargreaves, a research analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, told Business Insider.
People hate their cable companies. The customer service is awful, the contracts lock you in, the equipment that you have to rent is expensive, and the number of buttons you have to press on the remote to actually watch something you want to watch is ridiculous. And if your TV provider offers viewing on a smartphone or tablet app, it's likely you can't watch everything you could watch if you were at home, watching on your TV.
"If you can build your service sans all those elements," Hargreaves told us, referring to common cable-company complaints, "I think there's a lot of people who are willing to pay just as much for pay TV as they currently do."
If Apple ends up launching a TV service, it would come amidst a huge shift in the way that people are watching TV. Pay TV providers are losing subscribers, because an increasing number of people are choosing to subscribe to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu instead of paying for cable and satellite.
"Fortunately, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Dish, and DirecTV are four of the most-hated companies in America," Hargreaves said. "So there's a stated willingness from consumers to change to something better."
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A spike in attacks against IP PBXs that started last fall shows no signs of abating, spawning speculation that those responsible have tapped intobotnets and cloud computing resources to carry out their illegal activities.
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Developers with Android skills are now in greater demand than those with iPhone expertise, according to a recent report.
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Skype is looking toward developing markets for its mobile business as the popular voice-over-Internet Protocol service seeks to grow its presence in places where smartphone use is less common.
Mobile network operators and their equipment suppliers are working hard to make telephony over data-oriented LTE (Long-Term Evolution) mobile networks a reality, with the number of demos at Mobile World Congress a sign they are getting closer.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission took a major step Tuesday toward ending subsidies for traditional telephone service in rural areas and redirecting the money to broadband deployment.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will unveil a proposal Tuesday to phase out subsidies for traditional telephone service to rural areas, with the money transferred to a broadband deployment program.
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PALM HARBOR, Fla. (WFLA) – When Kirsten Lang and her husband opened the first Grain and Berry location in Palm Harbor, they were providing a product few other restaurants in the Bay area were providing: Acai bowls and other healthy eating and drinking alternatives.
This week, the restaurant announced it’s adding something different to the menu: fresh produce.
Customers can order farm-fresh fruits and vegetables from the restaurant and then pick it up in minutes.
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Lang says it’s a healthy alternative to shopping at traditional retailers, where customers really don’t know how much the produce has been handled before they purchase it.
“The nice thing is, this comes directly from the farm, so you’re not getting a lot of people touching it,” said Lang. “We don’t have people coming in all day touching it.”
Lang tells 8 On Your side, sales at the location are down a bit, but she says this isn’t an effort to keep the restaurant afloat, rather providing a valuable service to her customers.
“You can call ahead and we can actually put a bag together for you and bring it out to your car,” said Lang. “So it’s just reducing the possibility of germs. “
Lauren Cook was picking up a to-go order and had heard the restaurant was now selling fruits and vegetables.
She says it’s a shopping option she is now going to seriously consider.
“Yeah, definitely,” said Cook. “Because this is a place that I would come to anyway and I feel like it’s a little bit of a safer environment. There aren’t too many people in here right now. “
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Baby retailier Mothercare has reported poor sales in the run-to to Christmas and issued a profits warning.
It said its UK sales have suffered with spending by consumers down both in its stores and online too.
Mothercare said its UK like-for-like sales were down 7.2% in the 12 weeks to December 30, while online, the sales were down 6.9%, reports the Birmingham Mail.
As a result, Mothercare now expects adjusted group profit for the year is likely to be in the range of £1m- £5m.
Chief executive Mark Newton-Jones said: "As we signalled in November, there has been a softening in the UK market with lower footfall and website traffic resulting in lower spend in both stores and online. This trend has continued.
"Going forward, we are not anticipating any improvement in the short-term market conditions for the UK."
Retailers have been hammered by weak consumer confidence off the back of soaring inflation, which has hit 3.1% following the collapse in the pound after the Brexit vote.


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While Judea and Samaria stands strong, is Ben & Jerry’s headed for a Rocky Road – or total meltdown?
Ben & Jerry’s announced earlier this week that it would end sales of its ice cream in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).” Also coming to light is that their original intention was to end sales of their product throughout all of Israel. The despicable action from the owners – two “woke,” JINO Jews – aligns itself with the anti-Semitic, hate-Israel ways of the BDS movement.
Numerous kosher stores, and even Morton Williams, a non-kosher supermarket, are removing Ben & Jerry’s products from their store shelves (Morton Williams will remove about 70%). Calls around the world have also ignited campaigns to revoke Ben & Jerry’s kashruth certifications. The Town of Hempstead, Long Island, announced a move to cut ties and municipal contracts with Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said that he has written to 35 United States governors noting that the decision by Ben & Jerry’s violates individual states’ anti-BDS legislation.
Did Ben & Jerry’s take into consideration that not selling their product in the “OPT” will force hundreds of PA Arab workers onto the unemployment line? The very people they take sides with will ultimately be hurt. What’s really behind Ben & Jerry’s move? Eugene Kontorovich, constitutional and international law professor and expert on legal issues in the Israeli-Arab conflict tweeted: “SCOOP (on Ben & Jerry’s): I’ve been told by (a Ben & Jerry’s) insider that company’s board invited Omar Shakir, a professional BDS activist, to advise them, rejected calls to hear experts on other side. This ain’t about the settlements.” Shakir, former Regional Director of Human Rights Watch, was kicked out of Israel in 2019 for being a BDS activist.
Since their announcement, thousands of memes and news reports began circulating like wildfire across social media, blowing up our phones, and flooding our personal inboxes. The decision by Ben & Jerry’s triggered a firestorm of strong reactions from Jews worldwide that work in Israel’s favor.
On the flip side, Avi Zinger, the CEO of Ben & Jerry’s Israel, has been fighting for years against BDS groups and has refused to implement the boycott.
In spite of all of this, the residents of Judea and Samaria are standing strong. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan issued this statement in Arutz Sheva:
We will not give up Samaria, the ancient kingdom of Israel, for ice cream, nor will we give up Joshua’s Altar or ancient Shilo for a McDonald’s hamburger.
The people of Samaria and this country will stand firm long after Ben & Jerry’s ice cream melts and disappears from the world. We will not give in to this anti-Semitism that permeates Jews in the United States as well.
I call on all residents of the State of Israel and Samaria, and all lovers of Israel in the world, to stop consuming the ice cream that is trying to create a boycott of Israel.
We will not succumb to threats from either left-wing organizations or commercial companies that are willing to boycott Israel in order to flatter certain people. We will continue to build Samaria, enjoy culture, a good education and also ice cream. Not necessarily Ben & Jerry’s.
Who knew that a beloved summer treat could trigger such a strong public response that has united Jews in favor of Israel. If ice cream could drive such a backlash against Ben & Jerry’s, we wonder what it will take to change the worldwide narrative that works day and night to delegitimize Israel.
*** TAKE ACTION ***
Contact Ben & Jerry’s to demand they stop their discriminatory boycott of the 800,000 Jews in eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.