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Steve Smith, David Warner to suffer financial losses after ball-tampering controversy
Steve Smith and David Warner, two of the glittering names in world cricket and the IPL, are among the biggest earners among Australian sportspersonsUpdated: Mar 28, 2018 11:08 IST
The Cape Town ball tampering scandal will burn a hole in Steve Smith and David Warner’s pockets. The two biggest earners in Australian cricket are expected to lose substantially in the wake of ‘Sandpapergate’ that has disgraced Australian cricket.
Smith and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, the player caught on camera attempting to doctor the ball with a piece of tape, were banished for their role in an incident which has dragged Australian cricket’s reputation through the mud. Vice-captain David Warner was also sent packing, amid reports of a massive falling out between him and the team’s fast bowlers who feel they have been unfairly linked to the row.
Under pressure to punish Smith and Warner for bringing the national side to disrepute, Cricket Australia will be on a sticky wicket when it renegotiates the (Australian) $600 million five-year TV deal with Channel Nine at the end of this year. The marketability of the Baggy Green has taken a beating after the tampering controversy.
Smith and Warner were among the clutch of international players who were ‘retained’ by their respective IPL teams. Smith has already been axed as Rajasthan Royals captain and Sunrisers Hyderabad could take a similar decision on their talismanic leader, Warner.
Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had retained Smith and Warner for Rs 12 crore and Rs 12.5 crore, respectively.
“The scandal will hit the image of both the IPL stars and they could lose almost 20 per cent of the their sponsorship earnings because of this,” said a source aware of Smith and Warner’s endorsement deals in India and Australia.
Sanitarium, on Tuesday, became the first company to distance itself from Steve Smith as cereal-makers Weet-Bix, that once boasted of the Aussie skipper as one of its kids, removed all his references from their website.
Smith is also the face of Korean electronics brand Samsung and one of the global brand ambassadors of American footwear company New Balance, besides being the brand ambassador of Australia.
If Smith is banned for a year, he stands to lose roughly $4.5 million from on-field earnings alone. The Australia captain is on the highest retainer contract list with a base salary of around $2 million per year as he pockets $14,000 per Test.
Warner’s IPL career income till date is approximately more than Rs 45.70 crore while Smith’s career earnings from IPL is around 32.9 crore.
Warner is associated with brands like Asics (footware), LG Electronics, Channel Nine (broadcasters), Gray Nichollas (UK bat manufactuers), Milo (Nestle’s health drink) and Make my wish (an Australia-based NGO).
Jaimie Fuller, executive chairman of the Skins compression wear group of companies, said Cricket Australia’s reputation was on the line due to the ball-tampering scandal.
In a full-page advertisement in Australian newspapers, Fuller pointed out that cricket was more than just a game in Australia.
“Cricket is such a part of our national psyche that it helps define us. It helps give us a sense of what is fair, and what is not; what is right and what is wrong. Even though you (Cricket Australia) are presiding over the sport, it doesn’t belong to you. You are the custodians of it. And now you must get your job right.”
First Published: Mar 28, 2018 08:11 IST


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Electric car sales in Turkiye increased by 148.6% in January-October 2022 compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 4 thousand 939.
According to the data compiled by the Automotive Distributors Association (ODD), total sales of automobiles and light commercial vehicles in Turkiye decreased by 4.7% in the 10-month period of this year compared to the same period of 2021, amounting to 585 thousand 752 units.
In the said period, automobile sales decreased by 6% to 446 thousand 664, while light commercial vehicle sales decreased by 0.4% to 139 thousand 88.
When the automobile market is evaluated according to the engine type, it is noteworthy that the decline in the sales of diesel-powered automobiles, whose production has been gradually reduced worldwide, and which is planned to be completely stopped in the future, continues. The fact that manufacturers offer fewer diesel-powered vehicles to the market compared to previous years is also considered to be one of the important factors in the decline in diesel sales.
Auto gas car sales also decreased. The sales of hybrid and electric cars, which are expected to replace cars with internal combustion engines in the future, continued to increase as in recent years. Many manufacturers have started to release their previously announced models.
Gasoline cars remain in the first place
In the Turkish automobile market, in the 10 months of this year, gasoline cars ranked first with 316 thousand 109 sales, while diesel cars took the second place with 74 thousand 677 units.
While hybrid car sales were 43,897 units, auto gas car sales were recorded as 7 thousand 42 units and electric car sales as 4 thousand 939 units.
In January-October 2021, 312 thousand 193 gasoline, 97 thousand 110 diesel, 40 thousand 820 hybrid, 23 thousand 202 auto gas and 1,987 electric cars were sold.
Diesel car sales continue to decline
Gasoline car sales rose by 1.3% in the 10 months of this year compared to the same period in 2021.
Diesel car sales decreased by 23.1% and auto gas car sales by 69.6%.
In this period, hybrid car sales increased by 7.5% and electric car sales increased by 148.6%.
The share of hybrid and electric cars in sales was 10.9%
The share of diesel cars in sales, which was 20.4% in January-October 2021, decreased to 16.7% in the same period of this year.
In the said period, the share of gasoline cars increased from 65.7% to 70.8%, while the share of auto gas cars decreased from 4.9% to 1.6%.
The share of electric cars in total sales increased from 0.4% to 1.1%, and the share of hybrid cars from 8.6% to 9.8%.
The data pointed out that the share of electric and hybrid cars, which are also becoming widespread in the world, in the Turkish automobile market is at low levels. Although it is low in terms of units, the growth rate of sales reveals the interest of consumers in electric cars.
Recently, many important brands have offered their electric cars to the Turkish market. The market share of “green cars” is expected to increase in the following periods, with Togg entering the market in March 2023 and with developments in the world.
Source: Trthaber / Translated by Irem Yildiz

domain: news


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Frequently, ad blocking is presented primarily as being problem for publishers.
For instance, as Digiday’s Ricardo Bilton notes, even small amounts of lost impressions add up at scale, and “the difficult economics of the publishing industry means the problem is likely to get even worse.”
To be sure, ad blocking is a huge challenge – and in many cases existential threat – for publishers that rely on ad revenue. But finding a new revenue model or going out of business is easy compared to the challenges advertisers face.
After all, most advertisers aren’t going to go out of business because consumers blocked their ads, so they’ll be left to grapple with the fact that it’s getting more and more difficult to reach consumers effectively online.
Major brands in particular, which spend big bucks promoting their wares across multiple online and offline channels, are going to move a certain amount of product regardless.
But digital campaigns may become more involved and complex, the skills and knowledge required to reach consumers online may change rapidly, and customer acquisition costs may become problematic.
A good example of this can be seen with the rise of native advertising and the evolution of social media to a paid media channel.
While some brands are comfortable with content, native advertising is fraught with peril and, with it being referred to as repurposed bovine waste, there’s no guarantee that even if native ads can’t be blocked, they’ll actually help advertisers cut through the clutter.
As for social, advertisers are increasingly being forced to pay for reach on social platforms where reach was once offered at no cost. There might not be an inherent problem with this, but it can be problematic when the price of reach is added to the cost of content creation which is crucial to so many social campaigns.
Unfortunately for advertisers, the inconvenient truth of growing consumer distaste for advertising has been known for a long time.
While better methods of attribution suggest that display advertising isn’t completely ineffective, poor direct ROI for banner ad campaigns is as old as the online display ad medium, as is the concept of banner ad blindness.
And while advertisers pour lots of money into video ads, the online advertising channel du jour, according to FairPage and Adobe, video ads may be partly responsible for ad blocking’s rapid growth.
So while publishers may be guilty of relying too heavily on a revenue source that consumers could choose to opt out of, many advertisers are guilty of completely ignoring the fact that consumers just don’t want to view their messages – in whatever format they come.


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Airlines and travel firms are experiencing a surge in demand following Boris Johnson’s road map for how coronavirus restrictions will be eased.
Holidaymakers are already making plans for trips as far ahead as next year, amid “pent-up demand” for breaks, travel firms have said.
Plans to convert a former Aberdeen travel agent into a new gastro-pub have been approved.
A north-east property tycoon has lodged £1 million plans to convert a former Aberdeen travel agent into a new gastro-pub.
Two Thomas Cook stores in Aberdeen have been sold as part of a deal to save thousands of jobs across the UK.
Sir Rod Stewart serenaded a couple after their wedding day was nearly ruined by the Thomas Cook collapse.
Two years ago a training camp was almost called off following the collapse of Monarch Airlines, now this year's camp has hit by the collapse of Thomas Cook
Members of the public affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook are being warned to watch out for scam calls.
Thomas Cook workers who lost their jobs following the company's collapse are being invited to an event in Aberdeen tomorrow.
A father-of-two has spoken of his disappointment after finding out his family holiday is in jeopardy.
A man has told how he found out about the collapse of Thomas Cook while on holiday.
A mum-of-two has had her “secret” package holiday cancelled for next year after shelling out £5,000.
While thousands of jobs have been lost – the firm has had to close 600 stores, which employed 21,000 people in different countries.
An Aberdeen woman has spoken of her disappointment that her family will now miss out on their holiday to Turkey.
Thomas Cook has announced plans to close 21 stores - including one in Aberdeen - putting 320 jobs at risk.
Travel giant Thomas Cook is to close 50 high street shops, putting 400 jobs at risk, just weeks before Christmas.
Travel operator Thomas Cook has announced it has axed its summer 2016 service from Aberdeen to a popular tourist destination.


text: Some 3D renderings have popped up that are claiming to be conceptional designs of the Apple iPhone. From appearance alone it looks as though this phone will be a traditional clamshell design constructed from brushed metal. Of course Apple has made no announcements about this phone, but this could be one of those purposeful leaks to gauge a reaction from the public or a complete hoax. This mockup is so old my grandma used it to grind corn into meal. It has a date on it and everything.


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While Nokia's executives have already announced the company's intention to scale back its CDMA business in the U.S., the handset maker is still releasing CDMA phones. Today, company announced the Nokia 2135, a simple handset that runs on CDMA networks and boasts a 400-entry-phonebook, 3.5 hours of talktime and 11 days of standby. The phone also has a speaker phone, user-assignable ringtones and other basic features. The handset should launch this fall in the U.S.
Nokia spokesman Keith Nowak pointed out that many media outlets took Nokia's plans to scale back its CDMA business a little too far:Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â "We're not doing R&D in CDMA anymore, but all the CDMA products moving forward will have a Nokia design and UI. Manufacturing and engineering of these products will be done by an ODM partner. You'll see more CDMA products from us, but not devices that we have done the true R&D on. We'll be using the traditional ODM model, except the phone really will look and feel like Nokia phones since they will have our UI and design," Nowak said.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â
Nokia's first CDMA 1xEV-DO handset Article


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Music consumption in the United Kingdom climbed by 3.5 percent in 2015 to total £1.1 billion ($1.6 billion) in retail sales value, according to annual figures released today by labels trade body the BPI.
The rise was largely driven by sustained growth in the streaming sector — which, like the U.S., nearly doubled — by 82 percent in volume to 26.8 billion audio streams, up from 14.8 billion the previous year, and now representing over a fifth (22 percent) of music consumed in the U.K. Streaming subscription revenues totalled £251 million ($368 million) in 2015, almost a 50 percent rise on the previous year’s total of £168 million ($246 million).
When combined with downloads — which fell by around 14 percent overall to total £293 million ($430 million) — digital formats account for 54 percent of all British music consumption. BPI notes that if streaming through music video sites was added into the equation alongside audio services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play and Deezer, the total number of streams would cross the 50 billion mark.
A slower-than-anticipated decline in CD sales also contributed to the strong figures. Based on Official Charts Company data, CD sales dropped by 3.9 percent annually to stand at 53 million units, generating sales of £468 million ($687 million). Despite the uptake in streaming, the format still accounts for 66 percent of all albums sold in the U.K.
Vinyl consumption, as has been widely reported, hit a 21-year high in Britain last year, with just over 2 million vinyl records sold. The total value of physical sales across vinyl and CD was broadly flat at £515 million ($755 million).
The combined total of albums sold across physical formats, digital downloads and streaming (using the Album Equivalent Sales metric) was 121 million albums in 2015 — up 4 percent on the previous year’s total of 117 million albums (or equivalent). However, there were a number of exceptional factors that helped boost the annual consumption figures.
Firstly, Officials Chart Company data for 2015 is based on a 53-week year, which means British music fans had several extra days to purchase or stream their favourite artists compared with the previous year. The Q4 release of Adele’s 25 also had a dramatic impact on domestic music sales by shifting 2.5 million copies in just six weeks — the first multi-million album release in a calendar year since Adele’s 21 in 2011. As has been previously reported, 25 sold 7 million units in the U.S. during the same time frame to become the year’s biggest and fastest selling album globally.
Other British artists who performed well on both sides of the Atlantic included Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, who each passed 2 million lifetime sales of X and In The Lonely Hour, respectively, in both markets. Sheeran was the most streamed artist in his home country in 2015.
In total, home-grown artists claimed seven of the top 10 best-selling albums of the year in the U.K., with Coldplay, James Bay and Jess Glynne among the most popular. Now 92 was the year’s biggest-selling compilation album, shifting over 800,000 copies to rank just above Now 90 and Now 91 in the compilations chart.
The best-selling albums by international artists in 2015 included Elvis Presley’s orchestral compilation If I Can Dream followed by Justin Bieber’s Purpose and Taylor Swift’s 1989. The biggest-selling single of the year was “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, first released in 2014.
To coincide with the BPI 2015 report, the U.K. Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) has also published its annual sales round up, which revealed that the U.K.’s combined games, video and music market grew to £6.1 billion ($8.9 billion) last year — its highest ever total and arresting a decade of decline.
Having climbed to just over £6 billion in 2004, entertainment sales steadily fell for the next ten years as retailers like Our Price and Virgin disappeared from the British high street and online piracy decimated physical sales. In 2012, the combined sector had fallen to £5.2 billion ($7.6 billion).
“Ten years ago the entertainment business was on the edge of a precipice,” commented ERA CEO Kim Bayley. “Piracy was rampant and there were few legal alternatives. Thanks to huge investments by the likes of Apple and Steam and Netflix and Spotify, there has been a significant turnaround,”
“Hopefully we have now all learned the lesson of the vinyl LP that older formats can happily co-exist with newer ways of enjoying entertainment,” Bayley went on to say. “The fact is that different formats provide different benefits to different groups of entertainment fans. That diversity is proving to be the entertainment market’s greatest strength.”
Best-selling albums in the U.K. in 2015
1. Adele / 25 / XL Recordings (Beggars Group)
2. Ed Sheeran / X / Asylum/Atlantic Records UK (Warner Music UK)
3. Sam Smith / In The Lonely Hour / Capitol/Capitol (Universal Music UK)
4. Elvis Presley / If I Can Dream / Sony Music CG/Sony Music CG (Sony Music Entertainment UK)
5. Justin Bieber / Purpose / Def Jam/Virgin EMI (Universal Music UK)
6. Taylor Swift / 1989 / EMI/Virgin EMI (Universal Music UK)
7. Jess Glynne / I Cry When I Laugh / Atlantic/Atlantic Records UK (Warner Music UK)
8. James Bay / Chaos And The Calm / Republic Records/Virgin EMI (Universal Music UK)
9. Coldplay / A Head Full Of Dreams / Parlophone/Parlophone (Warner Music UK)
10. George Ezra / Wanted on Voyage / Columbia/Columbia Label Group (Sony Music Entertainment UK)


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PALO ALTO — If Hollywood movie makers were trying to create the quintessential Silicon Valley scene, they couldn’t have done any better than the one Saturday afternoon in the 4100 block of El Camino Real.
Hundreds of people, nearly all of them snapping photos with iPhones, milled about at the opening of America’s newest Tesla store, one mile from Stanford University and three miles from Google’s campus. The sleek, white showroom gleamed. Flat screen monitors touted the benefits of the company’s pricey and tech-hip all-electric vehicles. Music from a live DJ pulsed. And the valet parking was thick with visitors arriving in Tesla Model S sedans they already owned.
“It’s awesome. It looks easy to drive, and it looks so much better than a minivan. Minivans are for old people,” said Vilma Estacio-Melamed, of San Jose, who admired a white Model X, Tesla’s new SUV, which is scheduled to begin production next year.
The 27,000 square foot retail outlet, the vehicular equivalent of an Apple store, is the fifth Tesla location in the Bay Area, joining stores and service centers at Santana Row in San Jose, Fremont, Burlingame and San Rafael. Tesla now has 41 locations in North America.
“It’s in the heart of Silicon Valley,” said Telsa spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson. “The market is very strong for us in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. We’re opening stores in places where we expect to sell vehicles.”
Founded in 2003, Palo Alto-based Tesla Motors has become a darling of high-tech set and environmentalists. From 2008 to 2012, the company sold 2,400 of its first vehicle, the Tesla Roadster, a two-seat electric sports car, with a base price of $109,000.
Its second car, the Model S, is a sedan that came out last year to rave reviews. The vehicle, which goes up to 265 miles on an electric charge and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, was named 2013 Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine and received the highest score ever for a vehicle from Consumer Reports. The car has a base price of $69,900 to $79,900 before tax credits, depending on the battery pack.
“It’s the first expensive car we’ve ever bought,” said Christine Sireci, of Saratoga, who bought a dark blue Model S in March with her husband, Don, and visited the store Saturday. “I was driving a 2000 Chevy Astro. But I drove the Tesla and I fell in love with it.”
Through June 30, Tesla sold 13,000 Model S cars and expects to sell 21,000 this year, Georgeson said.
Despite the huge buzz for the company — whose CEO, Elon Musk, is a celebrity and whose stock price has jumped from $22 a share in January 2012 to $178 on Friday — electric vehicles still represent less than 1 percent of American car sales. By comparison, General Motors sells 10 million vehicles a year.
There is also plenty of competition in the green motoring space. For much of the year, the top-selling car in California has been the Toyota Prius, which has sold more than 4 million worldwide since its launch in 1997. Larger carmakers, such as Nissan, with its all-electric Leaf, and Chevrolet, with its plug-in hybrid Volt, sell alternative vehicles for half to one third the cost of a Tesla.
And after a year of glowing press coverage, Tesla hit some bumps in the road when a video showing a Model S bursting into flames went viral earlier this month. The fire was the result of a driver near Kent, Wash., driving over a piece of metal debris on a freeway. As the stock dropped, Musk reassured the public that the fire was a freak occurrence and that the driver was not injured. A gasoline-powered car would have burned much worse in the same accident, he said.
The company has so far received 6,000 orders for its Model X SUV, with customers putting down $5,000 for the standard version and $40,000 for the signature version, even though Tesla has not announced the price of the vehicle or exactly when it will begin delivery. Most deliveries are expected in 2015, and the base price is expected to range from $70,000 to $90,000.
That is a lot of money, said Estacio-Melamed, snapping a photo of the Model X on Saturday in the new Palo Alto showroom.
“But if it is better than all the other cars,” she said, “maybe it’s worth it.”
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN


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In order to be able to meet the increasing demand in China, Daimler wants to expand production capacities by 45 percent with its joint venture partner Baic Motor. The Chinese website of the Beijing Benz Automotive (BBAC) joint venture published a document showing that the number of working days at the two plants in Beijing will be increased to 312 a year. Previously, the production days at the two factories were 290 and 250 days. In addition, a 7.5-hour shift per working day is to be introduced at one of the two factories. The combined capacity of the two factories was last 520,000 vehicles a year.
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According to McKinsey & Company, email is almost 40 times better at acquiring net new customers than Facebook and Twitter.
Hard to believe? Not if you consider that the number of email users is exploding, offering test beds galore: Radicati predicts that the total number of worldwide email users, including both business and consumer users, will increase from over 2.5 billion in 2014 to over 2.8 billion in 2018.
Yes, our team cites email as the most effective lead generation tactic, but we're not alone. Forty-two percent of businesses, along with ...
Email is one of the most effective marketing channels, consistently able to drive high levels of traffic and conversion.
However if you’ve been running various campaigns, with different content, subject line variations and goals how do you know whether they’re successful or not? Can you be sure that any uplift is directly attributable to your last ‘brilliant’ email? Do you even know what you should be looking out for?
When planning any campaign, on any marketing channel, it’s vital that ...
Does the ringing of your morning alarm clock sound like the firing of a starting gun?
For most marketers, it does. Marketers often find themselves rushing from task to task and fighting the numerous distractions and lack of structure that affect their productivity.
The following infographic by AtTask shows the highlights and lowlights of a marketer's typical day....
In France, holding a Twitter account and a bank card will be enough for anyone to tweet money.
Officials from Groupe BPCE, France's second-largest bank by branches, and its online-payment unit S-Money will unveil details of the service tomorrow at a press event in Paris. Twitter users will be able to "send money to other users easily, rapidly, securely and free of charge with a simple tweet," BPCE said last month in a statement previewing the feature.
There's still room for innovation in email marketing.
Many are quick to write off email as old-fashioned, but think about the customer experience: Members of your audience no longer sit down to check their Hotmail account once a day or once a week; email is now a habitual part of the consumer and customer experience.


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A video platform startup, Glass Protocol, has suspended its development, citing a lack of “sustainable demand for video NFTs.”
Glass Protocol, a video platform allowing creators to monetize their videos with non-fungible tokens (NFTs), won’t get any new updates as the startup’s founders don’t see any “sustainable demand for video NFTs.”
Glass co-founders Sam Sends and Varun Iyer wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that they’re suspending the development of the startup. They added that the website, protocol, and NFTs “will remain operational and are stored safely.” Sends added the team is now exploring “different pivots” within the crypto space without going into details.
Although the main reason behind the move remains unclear, Sends pointed out that the project experimented with different purchase models and user experiences. However, the team has concluded that “there is not sustainable demand for video NFTs,” he said.
We've decided to end active development of Glass.— varun (@varuuniyer) September 8, 2023
Founded in 2021, the Los Angeles-based NFT startup was trying to build a web3 ecosystem where creators and communities could directly engage with one another using blockchain technology.
You might also like: Google makes update to crypto policy regarding NFTs
The announcement comes almost a year after Glass raised $5 million in a funding round co-led by TCG Crypto and 1kx. As per Axios, Glass succeeded to generate around $1 million in revenue for its creators in 2021. The firm also managed to gain about $100,000 in revenue from NFT sales and planned to work with at least 10,000 creators. At that time, the platform had over 100 creators and transitioned its interface from Ethereum to Solana.
In the meantime, the NFT market is witnessing a significant surge after taking a downward curve. By the end of August, the number of transactions surpassed the 275,000 mark, with the average value of a sale hovering around $51. However, the total amount of wash trades increased with the market activity. As of Aug. 31, the NFT wash volume reached $4.5 million in more than 28,200 wash transactions, according to data from CryptoSlam.
Read more: Binance NFT ends Sandbox staking and drops Polygon network


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updated 11:00 am EDT, Mon June 23, 2008
Gravis iPhone 3G deal
Germany's T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, has signed a deal to sell the iPhone 3G through a local reseller, an industry publication reports. People in DT's "business circles" are said to have acknowledged a deal with Gravis, a computer vendor which already sells a number of Apple products including Macs and iPod and iPhone accessories. There is no mention of Apple involvement in any negotiations, despite the company's usual insistence on control of all sales.
iPhones sold through Gravis would still have to be attached to a T-Mobile subscription. The latter is also said to be negotiating deals with vendors like Saturn and Media Markt, but these are incomplete; the major obstacle is said to be the companies' relationship to Debitel, currently an exclusive partner in selling phone contracts.


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Apple is trying to maximise their profits at all costs (patents abuse, green label removal, deplorable working conditions)0
It’s been a pretty bad quarter for Apple, PR wise, if we don’t look at products launches. I’m sure it won’t turn iSheeps into Androids, but it’s still pretty interesting to follow what they’re doing:
- Litigation: Apple is getting more and more aggressive in its use of its ridiculous patents which should never have been awarded in the first place. A good thing for consumers that most of Apple’s attempts in the US have failed.
- Environment: Apple’s product are becoming increasingly difficult to service and recycle and thus are less and less “green”. For this reason, Apple has decided to pull off their products from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry. This prevents many large corporations and US governmental agencies from ordering Apple products, but may be more lucrative for Apple who might sell more AppleCare subscriptions to consumers.
- Working conditions: Despite having found illegal working conditions and endemic abuses in its factories and having pledged to fix the situation and obey the law, it seems nothing has changed at Apple’s factories, according to a report by SumOfUs.org titled “Beyond Foxconn : Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain”.
Apple uses iSheeps with no relevant knowledge as experts in its ongoing legal battle against Samsung [FOSS patents]
Google may be rigging online ads and “may be responsible for at least four classes of antitrust violations” in the EU [RWW]
It’s a well known fact that Steve Jobs is a control freak, only relaxing the rules when threatened by antitrust lawsuits and this story is just one of many that confirms how it can badly affect small businesses.
Yes, the fact that Apple is having full control over the vertical integration of its products can be a good thing for end users. Apple controls the experience and doesn’t need to justify its actions, even if there are glaring contradictions in the way apps are approved. The problem, if you’re a developer or content provider, is that you don’t know what is going to happen and if you have to make investments to publish something on the Appstore specifically, then you could end up being screwed.
It happened to Derek, to people trying to introduce widgets to iOS, hell, it even happened to Google.
Now that the mini tablet market (iPhone, Android) is blooming and that it’s becoming clear that iOS won’t own more than 20% of the market, it would be a good idea for developers to put away their flashy toys and to focus more on other platforms.
Congrats to Apple for it’s record quarter, they sure know how to please a pretty large amount of the consumers out there, just like Mc Donald’s provides food for a lot of people ;).
The interesting thing in those earnings reports is how a company carefully crafts its message for Wall Street to make the investors happy. Steve Jobs is really amazing at that, but it usually only fools fanbois and the people who have heavily invested in the company. The others talk about the Apple distortion field.
Here’s the official word from Research In Motion’s Co-CEO Jim Balsillie:
“For those of us who live outside of Apple’s distortion field, we know that 7″ tablets will actually be a big portion of the market and we know that Adobe Flash support actually matters to customers who want a real web experience. We also know that while Apple’s attempt to control the ecosystem and maintain a closed platform may be good for Apple, developers want more options and customers want to fully access the overwhelming majority of web sites that use Flash. We think many customers are getting tired of being told what to think by Apple. And by the way, RIM has achieved record shipments for five consecutive quarters and recently shared guidance of 13.8 – 14.4 million BlackBerry smartphones for the current quarter. Apple’s preference to compare its September-ending quarter with RIM’s August-ending quarter doesn’t tell the whole story because it doesn’t take into account that industry demand in September is typically stronger than summer months, nor does it explain why Apple only shipped 8.4 million devices in its prior quarter and whether Apple’s Q4 results were padded by unfulfilled Q3 customer demand and channel orders. As usual, whether the subject is antennas, Flash or shipments, there is more to the story and sooner or later, even people inside the distortion field will begin to resent being told half a story.”
– Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion (RIM)


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The European Commission will investigate the tax structure of Ikea company to establish whether European legislation of state aid was breached. Reports said that Ikea company, which has its headquarters in The Netherlands, was given preferential taxation by other companies.
European Commission for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, stated that big, small and medium sized companies should pay tax according to what is requested of them, without preferential treatment.
An Ikea spokesperson, however, said that the company’s tax structure is according to European laws.
The European Commission’s decision is part of a series of other decisions taken by the European Competition Authority to safeguard the agreement on taxation between European countries and multi-national companies.


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An increasing number of couples are throwing away the idea of a traditional wedding in favor of marrying away from home, according to a new report from the Destination Weddings Travel Group.
“More people want to do it now,” said Richard Calvert, the president and CEO of the group, “The world is a smaller place, and so [people] want to get away.”
The company, a full-service wedding planning group specializing in international destination weddings, surveyed 20,000 couples it has worked with since its launch. The group has partnerships in more than 42 countries.
Almost a quarter of all couples are opting to have a destination wedding and 45% of those couples want to have them internationally.
The group’s report takes stock of trends and changes in the destination wedding market, including cost, new territories and the effect of the Supreme Court’s LGBT ruling on same sex marriage.
“A lot of new trends are coming into the market, so we thought it was about time to do some research, see what was relevant to the market and recalibrate,” Calvert said.
According to the Destination Weddings Travel Group, the cost of an at-home wedding is now at $30,000 plus, a number that has increased 13% since 2010.
In comparison, the average cost of a destination wedding—including travel, accommodations and the ceremony—is less than $10,000.
While the low cost compared to an at-home wedding can be a selling point for destination wedding specialists, the average cost doesn’t reflect the true range of how much a destination wedding might cost.
“We see everything from the budget-conscious couple to as opulent and luxurious as you can imagine; the actual range is enormous,” Calvert said.
According to the report, the positive news for travel agents is that about 70% of costs that go into planning and executing a destination wedding are commissionable—no matter where the wedding takes place.
Cabins booked for cruise weddings and transportation are always commissionable as is hotel or resort accommodations. With the average length of stay for a destination wedding is four days for guests and seven days for the bride and groom, agents can realize heavy commissions just out of accommodations.
Only the wedding ceremony and reception are not commissionable.
While the traditional spots for destination weddings have remained the standard—Mexico, Hawaii and Jamaica—a host of new territories have entered the market, giving couples more to choose from.
According to the report, many of the emerging destinations are the typical Caribbean or hot weather locations—Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, and Grenada top of that list—but Calvert said that other destinations are also becoming popular.
“There’s some unusual destinations popping up,” said Calvert. “We’ve done some in Iceland this year. Some other people wanted to get married in the mountains in Austria. As [destination weddings] become more popular, the destinations get more diverse.”
Calvert’s group has had many different requests from potential clients, including a couple who wanted to do an underwater vow renewal, so even though there may be a typical catalog of destinations for a wedding, agents should be open and ready to accommodate couples’ requests.
“People want the traditional, sunny destination weddings on a beautiful beach and other people want to do something out of the ordinary,” he said.
Emergence of LGBT
Last month’s decision by the Supreme Court to make same-sex marriage a constitutional right nationwide has also opened the destination weddings niche to a new, thriving market, Calvert said.
The decision requires state and local officials to honor same-sex marriages from other regions, which opens up numerous opportunities for agents selling LGBT weddings.
Calvert’s group launched a website dedicated to same-sex marriage in 2012, but has recently seen a significant spike in interest after the ruling.
And while traditional destination weddings locations aren’t different for LGBT weddings, new destinations have emerged following the ruling.
Inside the U.S., Florida is quickly becoming a popular LGBT marriage destination. Outside the country, St. Thomas, Curacao and the Dominican Republic are all seeing a steady increase interest from same-sex couples, according to the group’s report.


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For almost two years now, rumors have been circulating online about the upcoming arcade football simulator LEGO 2K Goooal! from 2K Games and Sumo Digital studio. According to insider Kurakasis , the title will be officially announced in March.
The same source writes that the official release of LEGO 2K Goooal! will take place shortly after the presentation – in May or June. 2K Games hopes to release the game closer to the 2024 European Football Championship, which begins on June 14.
For the first time, a football simulator in LEGO format became known from VGC material in February 2022 . The same post mentioned LEGO 2K Drive, which came out last spring.


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NNN Lease Market NewsDiscount store Family Dollar has a 10-year lease on a location on Van Buren Boulevard in Riverside, according to a statement from the commercial real estate company that helped put the deal together.
Family Dollar will take up a 10,000-square-foot site at Van Buren Plaza, on Riverside's west side. They are leasing the store from Tustin-based Kensington Real Estate Group.
A Hesperia shopping center anchored by a Fresh & Easy market has been sold to an Irvine-based real estate investment trust for $13.5 million, according to a statement.
The 52,000-square-foot Topaz Marketplace, in the 14100 block of Main Street, is three years old and 100 percent occupied. Other tenants include DeVita Dialysis, Wood Grill Buffet and Metro PCS.
The price, $253 per square foot, is considered one of the healthiest of the year for retail properties with a price tag above $10 million, according to Faris Lee Investments, a commercial real estate firm that specializes in retail deals.


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Sears Canada will close three large stores in premier locations by the end of October, including the anchor store at the Rideau Centre in Ottawa, the Sears at the Chinook Centre in suburban Calgary and the eight-floor store at the Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver.
All are located in Cadillac Fairview malls.
A spokesman for Sears said 670 people are currently employed at the three locations: 310 in Vancouver, 160 in Calgary and 200 in Ottawa.
Ending the leases in the three locations will generate $170-million pretax for the retailer, which has already cut 470 jobs and slashed prices amid sliding sales and profits and the threat of new competition from Target. The U.S. retailer of cheap-and-cheerful fashion and homeware plans to enter the Canadian market beginning in 2013.
Calvin McDonald, president and chief executive officer, Sears Canada Inc., said Cadillac Fairview first approached Sears about four weeks ago.
The deal was attractive to Sears because the locations weren’t playing to the retailer’s strengths and the money will help Sears drive growth in other areas, he said.
“This was the right move for Sears,” said McDonald. “This isn’t an exit of the market.”
He pointed out that the three cities have numerous other Sears locations – nine in the Vancouver area alone.
Part of the transition plan will involve moving as many qualified employees as possible into surrounding stores and expanded operations in markets including Ottawa, where the Pinecrest Sears Home Store will expand from 42,000 to 68,000, re-opening with a new look in June.
“It was a tough day for many people. We have a wonderful associate base that has been very loyal,” said McDonald.
Sears is also expanding some dealer operations in smaller markets, growing locations from 3,000 square feet to 20,000.
It is also planning to refresh four full-line stores in Barrie, Belleville, Newmarket and Hamilton by mid-May and plans to launch small urban major appliance stores in Toronto.
Analyst Keith Howlett of Desjardins Securities described the news Friday as positive, allowing Sears to monetize three under-market leases.
“Sears Canada has a strong balance sheet underpinned by owned real estate and valuable under-market leases. These assets afford the company some additional breathing room, as it seeks to turn the tide of declining sales and profitability,” he wrote in a note on Friday.
The Vancouver and Ottawa locations are former downtown Eaton’s locations re-opened as Sears stores in 2000. The suburban Calgary location has been a Sears store since 1965. The Chinook Centre is Calgary’s top-performing mall, according to Howlett.
Sears reported in February that profit fell to $38.7 million or 36 cents a share, from $82.7 million, or 77 cents the previous year.
Sales at stores open more than a year, considered a key retail measure, were down 7.4 per cent compared to the year earlier period.
Sears is majority owned by Sears Holdings in the United States.
Cadillac Fairview confirmed the deal to end the lease agreements. The move makes it possible for the mall owners to rent the spaces to new tenants at higher rates, although no one was revealing who is interested in the locations.
“Sears has been a valued and long-standing tenant of Cadillac Fairview and continues to be an important tenant in several CF shopping centres,” according to an e-mail from Cadillac Fairview in response to an interview request.
“Cadillac Fairview is always looking for opportunities to update the merchandising mix at our shopping centres, to create a fresh and enticing shopping environment for our customers, and this agreement with Sears is a reflection of that.”


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Single digit temperatures are not enough to scare off hundreds of shoppers ready to pounce on holiday deals.
"Saving money, that's the most important thing this year is to save money," said Tasha Kalolo. "Make our dollar go the furthest we possibly can."
Kalolo was among dozens of shoppers waiting in line at the Target in South Anchorage. That store opened at 9:00 P.M. Thursday.
Sears and Walmart also opened on Thanksgiving night. Kohls and Best Buy open at midnight.
Not everyone was in line to take advantage of discounted electronics and accessories.
"Whipped cream, mint jelly and a Dr. Pepper for my Grandpa," said Brittany Cermak of her Thanksgiving shopping list.
Walmart and Target have been criticized by some for opening on Thanksgiving night, out of concern it will take away from employees time with their families.
"Our team members are pretty excited here at Target to come in," said Team Leader Bill Harper. "We offer a number of options for them including schedule tools to make sure we accommodate their schedules."
Some shoppers started lining up at Toys-R-Us at 4:00 P.M. Thursday, and some wondered if it was worth their time.
"What brought me out here was the 30 dollar free gift bag BabiesrRus.com says we were all supposed to get, all 200 of us," said Marriane Mueller. "And we're not getting them."
Contact Adam Pinsker


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It has been some time since we took a have a look at oblique taxes, so this week, we can be turning our consideration to numerous latest VAT developments, beginning with Cyprus, the place the authorities just lately unveiled plans scale back the value-added tax price on the availability of electrical energy to low-income households, in response to excessive worldwide power costs.
The speed can be lowered from 19 % to 5 % for six months, the Council of Ministers agreed on November 4, with the measure applied instantly after its approval by the European Fee.
In the meantime, in Vietnam, VAT price cuts on numerous items and companies just lately come into power, efficient till the tip of this yr.
A 30 % discount is in place from November 1 in relation to the VAT chargeable on:
- all types of transportation;
- lodging companies;
- meals and beverage companies;
- journey company and tour operator companies, and assist companies associated to the promotion and group of excursions;
- publishing services and products;
- audiovisual leisure;
- art work;
- cultural actions; and
- sports activities and leisure companies (excluding digitally traded companies, together with software program).
In Europe, the European Fee opened infringement proceedings referring to Denmark, Lithuania, and Croatia for failing to correctly implement the brand new value-added tax guidelines overlaying e-commerce.
The brand new guidelines are meant to simplify VAT for firms and shoppers concerned in cross-border on-line gross sales inside the EU and to create a fairer setting for EU sellers by eradicating the VAT exemption for low-value imports from outdoors the European Union.
The Fee stated that since Denmark, Croatia and Lithuania have failed to supply clear explanations on the way in which they’ve transposed these directives, it can not examine that these Member States have utterly and accurately transposed the related provisions into nationwide legislation.
And final however not least, the authorities in Aruba have agreed to implement a value-added tax, to shore up the nation’s funds, in talks with the Dutch Authorities.
The VAT regime is predicted to be applied from 2023 and would carefully comply with worldwide finest practices, together with the requirements drawn up by the OECD.
Till subsequent week!
Concerning the Writer
Kitty Miv, Editor
Kitty was born in Argentina in 1960 to a Scottish cattle rancher and his Argentine spouse. Educated in Edinburgh and at Princeton, Kitty labored for the World Financial institution as an economist, the place she met and married an emigre Iranian banker. Throughout her time with the Financial institution, Kitty labored in quite a lot of rising markets, together with a spell within the ex-USSR as a Transition Economies Group Chief. Kitty is now a guide in Brussels and has free-lance writing relationships with quite a lot of distinguished financial publications. email@example.com


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Is It Time To Update Your eCommerce Site?
The most successful retailers have updated ecommerce solutions — rather than vestiges from the turn of the 21st century. A recent report from RSR Research notes that the highest-performing retailers have eCommerce sites that are positioned as being a vital part of the
customers total shopping experience. The laggards? Many times their ecommerce systems are in the way of their success.
According to the report:
It turns out that under-performers are far more likely to be hanging on to legacy homegrown eCommerce sites than their better-performing competitors. This is consistent with other studies that we have conducted; laggards are far more likely than Winners to operate old technology long past its “sell by” date. In the case of eCommerce, while it may have been true that retailers were forced to develop their own capabilities in 2000, in 2014 commercially available solutions (delivered as an outsourced service, “in the cloud”, or licensed for on-premise operation) offer far greater functionality and flexibility than yesterday’s custom sites could.
It’s important for retailers to get current with commerce technology because shoppers are leading the way. As shoppers rely increasingly on smartphones and tablets to research and ultimately purchase products, retailers that haven’t upgraded their mobile commerce systems will be left behind. The way customers are shopping differently than they did 15, 10 or even just five years ago: 44 percent of respondents told RSR that keeping up with evolving consumer shopping patterns was one of the top three business challenges.
That wasn’t the toughest hurdle, however, said those surveyed. Forty-six percent of respondents said getting customers to engage more with their brand online was their top challenge. Pushing content to consumers through email or texts may drive short-term results, but those techniques don’t necessarily promote repeat business or loyalty. To that end, many retailers are eyeing social media as a significant marketing tool. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said that social media will be a valid selling tool in 2015.
It’s critical for retailers to keep up with their customers’ technology use, just as they do with their tastes in merchandise. Implementing mobile payment systems, buy-online-pick-up-in-store and using geo-location to offer personalized shopping experiences are all ways in which the retailer of today will usher in the shopper of tomorrow.


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The countdown to Brexit is on, with the month of the UK’s withdrawal from Europe now upon us.
Issues have been highlighted by businesses since the referendum vote, and with the latest leave date now on the calendar, several key concerns remain.
With two of the six UK oil refineries on the South Humber Bank, one of the biggest issues should we face a No-Deal scenario is the unfair advantage it will grant to global producers.
Britain faces a 4.7 per cent tariff on fuel exports should we leave and face World Trade Organization rules, while the UK has established a 0 per cent import rate.
Both Total Lindsey Oil Refinery and Phillips 66 have made their views clear, and have lobbied through the UK Petroleum Industry Association.
Total, French-owned, has restructured significantly in recent years, having been put on the market previously, and a lack of a level playing field saw grave concerns for the North Killingholme site voiced in Westminster. It is seen as oil's equivalent of a cheap steel dump on the UK, while security of supply as well as the economic impact the loss of any refinery would trigger have been hammered home.
Jean-Marc Durand, general manager, said Total Lindsey Oil Refinery is aligned with the position of UK Petroleum Industry Association and All Party Parliamentary Group on the UK Oil Refining Sector - calling for a think again by the Department for International Trade and reciprocal tariffs.
Mr Durand said: "We want to maintain a level playing field. We have concerns regarding the draft 'No Deal'” import tariffs, specifically to set import tariffs at 0 per cent whilst export tariffs are 4.7 per cent."
It is united with neighbour US-owned Phillips 66, where lead executive Darren Cunningham has described it as a “competitive disadvantage” and a “negative headwind the industry doesn’t need”. Both are channeling lobbying through UKPIA.
A spokesperson said: “With little more than four weeks until the UK potentially leaves the EU, UKPIA has not been made aware of any announcements from the UK Government which would alleviate our strongly-held concerns about the impact of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit on the UK’s refining sector.
“UKPIA continues to be significantly concerned about the threat to UK refineries as a result of the proposed temporary tariff schedule in the event of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, with difficult decisions for companies a real possibility as a result.
“We remain worried about the mid-to-long-term effect on the competitiveness of UK refineries with UK exports facing a WTO tariff barrier while products from the EU and the rest of the world would be allowed to come into the UK tariff-free. Europe is a major export market for UK refineries, with over 40 per cent of petrol exports in 2018 going to the EU, and the government’s tariff schedule would put significant pressure on UK refiners by distorting competition between the UK and refineries elsewhere.
“In recent weeks we have witnessed more focus from within government on areas of concern to our sector, but we encourage ministers to continue to engage with our industry in order to avoid and mitigate any potential upheaval from a ‘No Deal’.”
At neighbouring Port of Immingham, lead figures – together with colleagues in Hull – are working closely with the Department for Transport to ensure the site remains operational, with emergency truck stops and even motorway holding areas in place should the worst fears of port congestion materialise.
As reported last week, port director Simon Bird said: “The government has said it wants to get a deal, and that’s great, but in the absence of a deal we don’t have any clarity and need to plan for the worst. What we hear is cargo coming into the UK is not going to have any more burdens in terms of checking, and in most cases customs duty and clearance will be done away from the port. That’s great news that cargo can be moved away.
“It is the other way that concerns us, the linkage to Dutch and Belgian ports, and what the administration they bring in to the port will do to cargo back here.
“Until the politicians conclude what they are going to conclude we don’t know and that’s what this trade resilience is all about.
“We need clarity. We are all logistics professionals and experts, and once we understand what the law is we will accommodate the law in our operations. With the lack of clarity we can only plan for the worst.”
It is exports that are now at the top of the list when it comes to the seafood industry too. Action has been taken on imports, with European road travel for vital Norwegian supplies swapped for sailings from Sweden to the heart of the cluster.
Simon Dwyer is a senior figure on the Seafood Grimsby and Humber cluster board, as secretariat of the Grimsby Fish Merchants’ Association. He said: “The majority of medium to large processors have had Brexit on the radar for a long time and have been working towards any potential challenges around frictionless trade and labour in particular.
“On the face of it, in terms of raw material coming in to Grimsby for processing – fresh fish from Iceland and Norway – we are not envisaging any major issues, unless there are issues with ships or trucks entering or leaving the port. Barring that, in terms of goods arriving and getting into the supply chain, we don’t see any issues.
“Companies are already switching routes. Norwegian cargo is coming from Gothenberg to Immingham, rather than through five or six countries to then cross on the Calais to Dover.
“The biggest concern is exports from the region into France. It isn’t a significant volume but companies are doing it and are going to be a lot more work and documentation involved with export health certificates, catch certificates and additional charges. While there is to be a fast-track from Calais to Boulogne-sur-Mer every single truck and consignment will be checked at a border inspection post. Two to three trucks a day go from Grimsby, and will be arriving along with 25 to 30 from Scotland. We don’t know how it is going to pad out at the moment in terms of speed of customs clearance, the check itself and when it gets in the cross-docking and logistics hubs to be distributed to various destinations in France.
“There will be a hard cost that’s for sure, as it will be more onerous putting the paperwork together.”
Micro-business support is being developed, while the EU worker settlement scheme as been flagged up, with labour concerns signposted to legal experts.


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Inscrit le: 06 Mar 2018
| Posté le: Sam 25 Aoû - 10:18 (2018) Sujet du message: Augusto Fernandez Jersey
|EDS: Updated with quotes of David Dollar.
BEIJING， April 16 (Xinhua) -- International confidence in China's economic future obviously improved following the release of key statistics for its economic performance in the first quarter on Friday， as people outside China have come to accept China's "new normal" of slower growth between 6.5 percent and 7 percent.
David Dollar， senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center， Brookings Institution， said Chinese authorities have "done something" on the macro level to stabilize the situation over the last couple of months.
"If you go back three months or so ... there was a real worry around the world about a hard landing in China. There have been the missteps in the exchange market. There was the worry about an unruly devaluation，" he said.
"Chinese economic data is showing signs of stabilization， including recent PMI numbers， as well as the latest figures on industrial production and retail sales，" Suan Teck Kin， an economist with the United Overseas Bank in Singapore， was quoted by Reuters as saying.
"All this obsession with a Chinese hard-landing I think is a bit too much，" Suan said.
China's gross domestic product grew by an annualized 6.7 percent in the first quarter， with March industrial output surprising at 6.8 percent.
Its exports grew by 11.5 percent in March， the first expansion since June， though a lower base last year and seasonal factors associated with the Chinese New Year may be some distorting factors.
Retail sales in the first quarter rose by 10.3 percent from a year before， up from 10.2 percent in the previous quarter.
"The latest data are strong enough to show that despite its prolonged slowdown， China remains a main engine of global growth，" the Associated Press reported.
The AFP also said that "green shoots (are) appearing" even though the quarterly growth has slowed.
Challenges remain as China tries to push through a transition from growth driven by investment and exports to growth led by consumption and the services sector.
Some of the observers voiced concerns over the rise in corporate debt while acknowledging the signs of recovery.
However， the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a report on Wednesday that China's corporate debt risks are rising but still manageable.
The IMF report said risks are concentrated in five sectors such as real estate， manufacturing， retail and wholesale， mining and steel， where earnings relative to interest expense have fallen despite declining nominal interest rates.
It estimates that bank loans potentially at risk in China amount to almost 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars， which could translate into potential bank losses of 756 billion dollars.
"This number may seem large but it is manageable， given China's bank and policy buffers and continued strong growth in the economy，" said Jose Vinals， director of the IMF's monetary and capital markets department.
In its latest quarterly forecast released earlier this week， the IMF raised its China growth projections for both 2016 and 2017 by 0.2 percentage point， a bright spot amid sluggish global growth.
Economists and analysts agree that the Q1 growth， though slowest in seven years， is in line with market expectations.
Chen Fengying， world economy research fellow with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations， said people outside China have gradually come to accept the "new normal" of China as the authorities increased their communication efforts on the economic policies.
"The economists and investors outside China no longer expect 9 percent or faster growth，" she said. "It is a process of China's messages of policy adjustments getting through to international investors."
(Xinhua correspondent Gao Pan based in Washington contributed to this report.)
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Earlier this week, Mazda celebrated a very special occasion as they produced the One-Millionth MX-5.
On 22 April 2016 this historic event took place. This comes 27 years after production started at the Ujina Plant No. 1, in Hiroshima, in April 1989.
“From the 1st generation through to today’s 4th generation model, the reason we have been able to continue selling the MX-5 all these years is due to the strong support of fans aroundthe world,” said Mazda Motor Corporation Representative Director, President and CEO Masamichi Kogai.
“Mazda was founded in Hiroshima 96 years ago, and as we move toward our centennial year we will continue offering customers the joy of driving with this model, which has become a symbol of our brand.”
Mazda’s goal has always been to create a special bond with customers and become a’one-and-only’ brand that customer will choose again and again.
From the very start in 1989, the MX-5 has always offered unrivalled driving pleasure. Subsequently, the lightweight roadster has built up quite a cult following from enthusiasts globally.
Everyone loves a Miata!
The little roadster has also collected over 200 awards around the world. The latest 4th gen MX-5 has already won a whole host of awards since its launch last year, including 2015-2016 Car of the Year Japan, World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year 2016.
And not to forget that Mazda SA also won the 2016 Company of the Year earlier this year.
The MX-5 is famous for holding the Guinness World Record for the best-selling open-top two-seater sports car for many years.
Here’s a brief overview of the Miata’s 27 year history:
History of the Mazda MX-5
Feb 1989 – Original MX-5 debuts at Chicago Auto Show
Oct 1997 – Second-generation MX-5 debuts at Tokyo Motor ShowDec
Dec 1998 – 10th Anniversary Limited Edition MX-5 launched
May 2000 – Recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s best-selling two-seater sportscar (531,890 units produced)
Jan 2002 – Production reaches 600,000 units (Guinness World Record updated)
Mar 2005 – Third-generation MX-5 debuts at Geneva International Motor Show
Apr 2005 – Production reaches 700,000 units (Guinness World Record updated)
Jul 2006 – Retractable hardtop model debuts at British International Motor Show
Jan 2007 – Production reaches 800,000 units (Guinness World Record updated)
Jul 2009 – 20th Anniversary Limited Edition MX-5 launched
Feb 2011 – Production reaches 900,000 units (Guinness World Record updated)
Apr 2014 – 25th Anniversary Edition MX-5 launched
Sep 2014 – Fourth-generation MX-5 debuts
Mar 2016 – Mazda MX-5 RF debuts at New York International Auto Show
“The MX-5 is a symbol of Mazda’s car-making philosophy and tireless pursuit of driving pleasure.”


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The Kenyan garment manufacturing sector has evolved in the last few years with more fashion production houses moving away from massive orders where margins are small and hours are long, to partnering with high-end international brands where bespoke craftsmanship and artisan finishes matter more.
Panâh, a Nairobi-based fashion production house that creates ethical employment opportunities and invests in its employees and their communities, has becoming one of the local Kenyan trailblazers in the garment manufacturing sector. Panâh provides consulting, sourcing, and manufacturing services for high-end US and European design houses as well as emerging African fashion brands with a specific interest of building local capacity and promoting trade with Africa. It is also Panâh’s goal to establish Africa as a global source of luxury products in the future.
The Kenyan fashion production house is proud to announce a new collaboration with celebrated French street artist Philippe Baudelocque. From 14th March 2014 Philippe Baudelocque will create artworks at Panah’s Nairobi production house and Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. At Panah, the street artist will produce artwork symbolizing the craftsmanship and community, whilst Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage will host a drawing of an elephant, contributing to anti-poaching awareness raising campaign.
Baudelocque is best known for his street chalk art – often drawing on black background, and creating enormous, intricately designed animalism.
PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook


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Norwegian state betting and gaming operator Norsk Tipping has expanded its igaming portfolio with the addition of a new game, Piratzy Gold, developed by Bwloto.
The e-instant is the latest addition to Bwloto’s Piratzy series and will fall under Norsk Tipping’s Yezz category of casino and slot titles.
“We are extremely excited to introduce Piratzy Gold as the next instalment in our Piratzy series,” a Bwloto spokesperson said.
“Building upon the foundation of the original Piratzy, we have added thrilling features and captivating visuals to create a truly immersive experience. Players will embark on a swashbuckling adventure while enjoying the familiar fun of Yatzy.”
Bwloto and Norsk Tipping jointly outlined that the new release is indicative of a ‘shared commitment to delivering top-quality gaming experiences to players’ between the two companies.
Icelandic company Bwloto has developed the game with enhanced graphics and sound effects, responsible gaming features and ‘intuitive’ gameplay mechanics focussed on player engagement and entertainment. Also included are special bonuses and new features.
The deal marks a further strengthening of Bwloto’s ties to the Nordic markets, particularly state-backed lottery and gaming operators, after Finland’s Veikkaus took its Rähinärinki title live last year.


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Online video outlets are finally starting to chip away at television's hold on advertisers.
Several major advertisers, including MasterCard, Mondelez International and Verizon Wireless in the past year have moved a portion of the money they previously spent on television to online outlets, conscious that viewers are more frequently watching video online, ad executives say. And with online outlets in recent weeks unveiling plans to ramp up their programming, more shifts are likely, say media buyers.
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Halo 4's Spartan Ops promises to continue the fight after the campaign finishes. Each week, 343 Industries plans to release five short canonical missions set six months after the end of the main storyline, which will eventually add up to a 50-mission season told through ten 'episodes.' Better yet, Spartan Ops will also be free, with the first five missions included on-disc.
This new trailer helps to give some context to the action and introduces some of the characters you'll encounter as part of Crimson Team.
Halo 4 is set to release on November 6th. Look out for our full review later this week.


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German gov't imposes speed limit on motorcycles only, riders protest
Think Pinoy riders are discriminated against? It's much worse in Germany.
Germany’s Kickz auctioning Kobe Bryant tribute Vespa
If you're a big Mamba fan, you might want this Kobe Bryant tribute Vespa.
Germany wants to ban noisy motorcycles
Germany wants to make motorcycles as quiet as city cars.
Watch: David Hasselhoff as Moped Rider
David Hasselhoff reprises his role as Michael Knight in this funny ad for a German car sales site.


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Nokia is scrambling to line up games before its new game console, N-Gage, enters retail stores in October.
Imagine waving your mobile phone at a filling pump to pay for gas or tapping it on some tiny gadget to buy a bag of doughnuts. That's the vision of Nokia and MasterCard International Inc. The two companies have teamed to test technology that they hop...
At Sony Computer Entertainment's pre-E3 press conference, the company shocked the industry with the announcement of a new handheld system to challenge the Game Boy Advance.
Microsoft has unveiled a host of new games and features for its Xbox gaming console and online gaming service this week, as well as new offerings that aim to make Xbox the focus of home entertainment centers.
The Bank of America has warned its customers to be aware of a scam which attempts to get them to log in to a fake Web site which then captures their personal financial details.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, the company formed when Japan's Hitachi bought IBM's hard disk drive business, announced Wednesday the development of a notebook computer hard disk drive that stands to offer users higher performance with little p...
The phrase "nothing good comes for free" appears to be the latest motto coming out of Redmond, Washington, as Microsoft this week announced that it was turning another of its free content services into a fee-based offering.
Microsoft keeps pushing into the living room, announcing add-ons for its Xbox game console that let users view photos, listen to music, and even sing along to karaoke.
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2021 Marketing Trends: Pt. 1
It’s worth emphasizing that the effects of what we’re all watching play out in real-time will be rippling throughout brand marketing, PR, digital marketing, communications, and platforms for decades to come. There is a pathway to focus and develop a clear plan to emerge from this volatile period stronger than ever while building a new loyal customer base along the way. Welcome to Serendipit Marketing Trend Watch, the first in a series where Serendipit takes an in-depth look at some of the hottest and emerging trends in marketing, digital, and PR.
2020 Redux: Now What?
Discover 2021’s Most Defining Trends
Remember Peloton Wife? In December 2019, the fitness giant’s holiday campaign was widely criticized by consumers and news media for sexism, with the spot drawing comparisons to Black Mirror, a long-running original dystopian series on Netflix. In July that same year, an opinion reporter in the New York Times aptly described this growing online phenomenon as “civility porn.”
Just 36 hours later, Ryan Reynolds and Maximum Effort Productions released an Aviation Gin ad starring #PelotonWife. How? Newsjacking and no existing exclusivity clause or contract for the now-viral star, Monica Ruiz. While Peloton publicly professed their dismay for the online social communities’ misinterpretation of their intent, they’d given the actress their blessing to do the piece as it provided a diffusement point for the controversy. The tongue-in-cheek jab at Peloton Husband introduced gin to newer, younger audiences and gave everyone a happier ending for Peloton Ex-Wife. Crisis averted. Consumers and all media types ended up buzzing for both brands, sparking a good laugh, turning a brand crisis into a triumph. Aviation Gin took off, and people still love Peloton. (Just ask our founders and team – we have one in our private Covid-safe office gym, and competition for the best workouts and spots is fierce.) Win/win.
Then came 2020.
If you really want to make 2021 your year, pay careful attention to the big picture 2021 marketing trends.
Nothing else captures the essence of the year better than Match.com’s “Match Made in Hell/Make 2021 Your Year” campaign, released in December. The diabolically clever ad is set to a reworked version of millennial influencer/music powerhouse Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” carrying us on along for the journey as Satan and 2020 meet and fall in love. We see the couple from hell in all their glory. Satan stands watch outside the bathroom while 2020 is gleefully stealing TP. We see them laughing together, solo dates in empty stadiums and theaters, and snapping selfies in front of a dumpster fire. In short, it was a perfect representation of the brand and the year. In the follow-up ad, Satan and 2020 talk about their relationship in a hilarious take on Match.com testimonials. That’s the type of outstanding branding and PR and fresh creative marketing we all can love.
When life (or marketing) hands you lemons, make lemonade. It happens to be a perfectly awesome mixer for gin. Vodka, tequila, and whisky, too.
We’re a few weeks into 2021, and with the gavel down on a historic second impeachment and the pandemic not even close to being controlled, big picture marketing trends for 2021 are quite predictably going to be driven by more crisis PR, Brandstanding, and Consequence Culture. Hopefully, as vaccines roll out and we emerge from the virus’s grip, we will move into a renewed feeling of community, (maybe beyond strictly online social communities?) and the economy and cultural environment will stabilize, but it’s going to be a bumpy ride for a long while yet.
So, we all get it. Staying laser-focused on business and producing results looks daunting in 2021. But we also know it’s achievable. After all, in the year from hell, we found ways to achieve blazing hot results for our brands and clients, and made great use of online network tools (lookin’ at you, Zoom).
Happily, many health experts are projecting a much better outlook by summer, and we have a Super Bowl on the horizon!
Is your brand solid, appealing to the right audiences, and consistent in voice, tone, and values?
2021 Marketing Trends: Perils, Pitfalls & Awesome Opportunities
The Super Bowl is iconic for many reasons. Football fans may be centered around the game, but everybody watches for ads, exciting halftime shows, and entertainment superstars. Performance slip-ups circulate in the form of memes within seconds on community-based social networking sites. Brands and host cities end up being the biggest winners of the day. Many of our most enduring and influential ads arrive during the big game day. Collective feelings of nostalgia never fail to arrive with the Budweiser Clydesdales.
But for now and the foreseeable future, this year is different. Social unrest and the pandemic are still raging across the country. Packing thousands of football fans in a stadium, gathering in entertainment venues, hotels, restaurants, then sending them home to their respective states during a pandemic seems like a losing bet. Even with the sanitary precautions and the debut of the cashless experience supported by ‘reverse ATMs,’ it feels like Satan is already bored and sweeping through dating profiles looking for a hot new chick.
Destinations are also in the spotlight, so it’s one long commercial for Tampa and the Sunshine State between time outs and game day features. All the crisis PR ingredients are brewing for businesses associated with the event, but the focus is still the venerated spots in the Super Bowl lineup. Aside from title sponsor Pepsi and the rest of the varsity ad squad, marketers are growing increasingly wary of the potential fallout to come, and many will choose to sit on the sidelines this year. We’ll know soon enough.
For more on big brands shunning Super Bowl ads, see the latest in Variety.
Tourism soars in host cities and states for 2-3 years post-Super Bowl. For instance, hosting Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 returned a gross economic impact of $720M. Add in recreational cannabis tax revenues, and we’ll be set for a shorter recovery time and lots of great marketing and business opportunities, which is why Arizonans were elated when the NFL announced the city of Phoenix as a host city for Super Bowl LVII in 2023. By then, things should be much closer to normal. Arizona and the Super Bowl will be back in the global spotlight for all the right reasons. Believe it.
The Diamondbacks began to play in 1998 as an expansion team alongside the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Remember the stunning 7th game of the D-backs/Yankees 2001 World Series? Down by one in the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, and Luis Gonzalez clinched the win with a walk-off hit! Winning a Super Bowl trophy in our own hometown and state would feel sublime. Smart local businesses and brands have plenty of time to start planning and preparing for 2023!
Are all your marketing bases fully covered for the future?
More Marketing Problems? No Thanks.
Will Satan and 2020 be part of the Super Bowl ad lineup on February 7th in Tampa, Florida? We know we will be watching. With so many seeking connections through virtual means, competitors might take a newsjacking page from Ryan’s playbook and take a playful swipe at Match.com. Will the next stop be marriage and a honeymoon basking in volcanoes, or are they headed for couples counseling? After all, there’s always Plenty of Fish in the sea. Ashley Madison, operating more on the DL since its epic database hacking put the fear of God into the minds and the hearts of many, has an opening for a big comeback with another ‘rejected Super Bowl ad’ that flashes into the future with Satan. Will they take it? Will Match.com counter with a hopeful story highlighting an Angel and 2021 falling in love? The creative possibilities for these brands are all deliciously enticing, which is precisely why we love what we do. It’s addicting, challenging, and stressful at times, but above all, it’s fun.
With another Cupid-focused retail holiday season gearing up, Dirty Pop Cards has the perfect antidote to bad breakups, and you should see how they’ve put an oh so naughty spin on Valentine’s Day. (We have to plug them because our team has so much fun working with them.) There are wholesale and affiliate programs for savvy retailers and influencers. It’s practically guaranteed we’ll see 2020 theme cards popping up in brand extensions from cardmaking giants like Hallmark and American Greetings and niche companies for decades to come, but this time, Gen Zers will be reminiscing about the bad old days.
Every move forward from here must be carefully planned and calculated.
2021 Digital Trends & The Social Landscape
The bottom line: We’re all consumers from birth to death. Virtual learning, regular use of online network tools, and work from home are daily realities for many people. Puzzles and board games saw a comeback. In our search for safety, security, travel, and beauty in the world, millions of consumers embraced virtual tours of homes, travel destinations, and museums and attended virtual or socially distanced happy hours, religious services, events, and engaged in online social communities. We ordered groceries and products online. More people adopted pets for companionship and their quiet way of soothing and making us laugh, emptying many shelters.
Having weathered the first round of ups and downs riding the pandemic marketing rollercoaster of 2020, by November, it was clear the hell ride was just getting started.
Marketers and brands: Take a deep breath and say hello to 2021. With everything that’s going on, it’s critical for all brands to stay alert, listen, and be ready to pivot at a moment’s notice. As the old adage goes, it’s always darkest before dawn.
Laptop and mobile shopping habits gradually became more mainstream, and after the year we’ve had, there’s no going back. Conveniences such as home delivery, curbside pickup, contact-free experiences, virtual tours, and customized experiences are also on the rise. Hand in hand with the pandemic, Crisis PR, and rapid adaptations for retail businesses and services to continue operations, cannabis was designated as essential. Millions agreed, and the industry boomed.
Personal and professional Zoom meetings, virtual learning, and more time spent at home while still at work have become daily realities for many people. While safe at home, we got out of our comfort zone, wore cozy clothes, and escaped virtually to museums, galleries, and attractions in local or faraway destinations; ordered from GrubHub and Amazon and shopped for products online and in-app. As we mentioned before, old-fashioned puzzles, family and niche board games, as well as hobbies, saw a comeback. Of course, many of these marketing trends have been steadily climbing in popularity year by year — demographic by demographic — technology upgrade by upgrade. Information, community, and convenience. All from our laptops and smartphones.
Anxiety, mental health, and sleep have all suffered. Last year saw cannabis being designated as an essential business. Millions of plant lovers agreed, and the industry boomed, all while many other companies struggled to stay open or failed. By the November election, it was clear the cannabis sector will continue making considerable inroads in the American economy for years to come.
Americans bought 67 percent more weed last year, outpacing 2019 by 40 percent.
Cancel Culture vs. Consequence Culture in the Digital Landscape
Everyone is weary from the ongoing impact of the pandemic and our volatile social environment. Looking back, the year that shall not be named offered more than its share of PR crisis management and dizzying pivots that set the stage for some of 2021’s most defining trends and lessons. This time, we know that anything can and will happen, and we’ll all be better prepared for the shockwaves.
Social justice hashtags and Karen became some of the biggest buzzwords of the year. Sharing to community-based social networking sites as many brands and employees got entangled either resulted in controversy through sparking it or standing up to it. ‘Hello, PR Crisis team? We have a situation.’
Large or small company, keeping a finger on the market pulse through real-time data analytics and social monitoring makes solid business sense. Right now, the power and importance of the #Brandstanding, #SocialEquity, and #SocialJustice trends are playing out in the national stage spotlight as well as globally.
One by one, major corporations, donors, and brands are taking a public stand and making their brand values known. These strategic moves are reaffirming and reassuring to millions who share their values and beyond infuriating to others. As marketers, you must always be mindful and authentic in your messaging, but it’s become vital now and in the future. Smart analytics and insights, social channel monitoring, and nimble response times are the keys to success.
In 2021, many businesses and marketers agree that #CancelCulture tags should be more aptly called #ConsequenceCulture. Hopefully, everyone learns their lessons. Make sure everyone knows what your brand values and policies are, and they understand how to conduct compelling online tours, consultations, and interactions, wherever they may be applicable. And remember, employees are only as good as their training. No matter what type of business you’re marketing, everyone from C-Suite to staff should know what to do and who to call for help in a crisis.
Digital regulations on content and ad compliance are already changing, making effective marketing particularly difficult in industries such as the hemp, cannabis, and wellness categories. Strict regulations are the norm. In 2021, we fully expect new hurdles to clear for digital campaigns and marketers as big tech platforms adjust their TOS and guidelines in anticipation of possible legislative changes. Some may face lawsuits and extensive investigations. The question everyone is asking: How will these events affect digital platforms, marketing, and consumer behavior?
Keeping Up with the Evolution of Marketing
The Times They Are a-Changin’ – Bob Dylan
Understanding the cultural shifts and impacts of our newest generations of consumers is no longer optional. It’s mandatory. As the full impact of recent events become clearer, so do the challenges. While the national political scene remains volatile, conversations from larger virtual communities and social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter often spill into shared, less well-known apps, along with other niches, community-based social networking sites, and hyperlocal platforms like NextDoor. Use any dark periods to conduct a diligent review of all the platforms your brand has a presence on or those you may be considering for future marketing.
Take another look at all your upcoming social marketing messaging and short-term strategies. Adjust the voice and tone if needed, or reschedule campaigns for a later date. Listen. Customers will. As always, be true to your brand values and business.
Consumers from every demographic are flocking to TikTok, the playground of choice of the next generation power demographic – Gen Z. If you haven’t seen them flex yet, you will. Gen Z is more likely to buy from brands that have established clear values, are inclusive, and have a strong online social community. These digital natives are using channels like TikTok, and Instagram Reels in new and inventive ways to make their presence known and their voices heard, and they’re currently wielding an estimated $140B+ in spending. They are 40 percent of the total consumer base and the most racially and ethnically diverse and progressive generation to date.
See more on Marketing to Gen Z from Serendipit founder Alexis Krisay here.
Self-Care Comes Into Focus
There’s always a social channel or shopping app beckoning and enticing us all in this digitally-driven world.
As the new year begins, let’s keep our eyes on the prize: staying sane, healthy, eliminating the pandemic, and getting life back to normal again. Of course, it’s going to look and feel drastically different, which is why social media listening is such an important online marketing tool.
Health and wellness will continue as a top trend, with a massive emphasis on easing anxiety, sleep, and other self-care. Hospitality, student housing, and rental communities are also making strategic use of wellness and fitness trends by rolling these and other lifestyle and fitness conveniences into amenities. Healthcare providers and insurance companies are also incorporating more information, services, and savings options through AI-enhanced digital apps.
Exercise, wellness, cooking, self-improvement, and guided meditation channels are rapidly growing in popularity, even on TikTok! Last year, premium mindfulness and meditation app Headspace gained a ton of market awareness and traction with consumers when they offered a free year of content to the unemployed based on the honor system.
Calm – the #1 app for sleep and meditation – reaches people in 15-second ads that breakthrough news and commercial noise for timed breaks from the world featuring soothing natural sounds and images. Through its free app trial, more people are discovering the Calm channel on Netflix, too. With affordable plans for businesses based on size, many are rolling benefits like memberships and other innovative healthcare apps and platforms into employee health benefits.
How can your company take advantage of virtual opportunities and goodwill building acts and amenities that will resonate with customers and prospects?
The Handwriting on the Digital Wall
Virtual communities and social networks like TikTok are also very timely topics. Promoted as an alternative to Twitter, the Parler platform had a large user base they were hoping to monetize through an advertising model driven by influencers.
Whether the platform will return or fade into obscurity is still unknown, but it’s clear to the Parler founder that the doors to all sorts of vendors are firmly shut in the US. In recent days on CNBC That’s a Wrap, Parler CEO John Matze admitted he didn’t think the platform would return. However, within a few days, the company was able to secure new hosting services through a server in Russia. Parler is certain to remain in the news for a while. Since the platform requires identity verification and has yet to monetize or identify their influencers, growth will remain a challenge in the future.
On the flip side, enthusiastic and dedicated Gen Zers and lawyers for the app TikTok faced a potential ban in the US pushed by the President. While matters were in court, users called on Gen Zers, K-POP stans, and the BTS ARMY to act by adapting to new forms of consumer protest. They used hashtags to support #SocialJustice movements like #BLM, the George Floyd protests, and reducing attendance at Trump rallies. Virtual communities and social networks are shaping our world and defining the decade. A broad spectrum of the older generations can still sing the “I am stuck on Bandaid” jingle, but our nation’s bandage has been ripped away.
Need more perspective on the cultural shifts? Rolling Stone’s Culture Council talked about ten important ones here.
The Social Media Generation
Youth, core values of diversity and inclusiveness combined with digital native culture AND love for online social communities and platforms are it. Gen Z will be essential to watch as a new Administration and a post-Trump world begin to form. All of these factors will effectively reshape marketing in 2021. We’ve got a lot of work to do. As radio and TV programs always say during the bumpers, stay tuned. And if you don’t like the program, change the channel or tune everything out for a while.
Final Thoughts on 2021 Marketing Trends
How can your company take advantage of virtual opportunities and goodwill building acts and amenities that will resonate with customers and prospects?
What new possibilities and markets will your brand be exploring in 2021?
How will you determine your KPIs and measure success?
Give Serendipit a call, or order online. We’re ready to deliver.
2021 Marketing Trends: Part 2
While the audio app is still in private beta mode, it has the potential to become an essential go-to for thought leadership. People are sick of webinars, Zoom events, MeetUps, and networking. Plus, Clubhouse’s audio-only format and conversational style mean being camera-ready isn’t a necessity, and you can drop in and out at any time. There are clubs for churches, music and arts events, a hybrid blend of industry-focused communities, and so much more. Like TikTok and YouTube, anyone can be a creator. The invitation-only platform’s exclusivity is beginning to generate the same type of excitement as 2004’s legendary Gmail launch on April Fool’s Day. You can bet we’ve reserved our handles and, like everyone else, seeking invites from friends or colleagues on the private Beta testing list. The only questions are when it will launch publicly and how, when, and if brands will be able to join the club. From there, who knows? We’ll bring you more details on ClubHouse soon.
How are you demonstrating your company’s brand values and thought leadership?
Connect with Serendipit on social for more marketing, PR, and digital tips!


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BMW went through a decidedly boring phase wherein a lot of the cars they were offering looked similar to one other. Apparently, the automaker saw the downside of their cars sharing a certain look and so they chose to put an end to it. Similar to Audi’s long term plan to give each car its own identity, BMW seems to want the same for its models as well. This was confirmed after Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW Group styling boss, said that their future lineup will eventually feature a more varied appearance.
In an interview between Automotive News, van Hooydonk said that their next generation vehicles will have stronger characters that are easily distinguishable from others in the lineup. As for the styling of the future models, he described them to have fewer and flatter lines, but they will be sharper and more precise.
The very first model that will benefit from BMW’s new styling elements will be the upcoming X2 crossover. It will demonstrate van Hooydonk’s latest design principles and will be rounder despite the sharper lines. As you can see in the next generation 8 series that is pictured here, it combines a curvy appearance with sharper lines. That’s all for the exterior at least.
Moving inside the cabin, BMW’s plan is to follow the current trend which is to go for more updated, modern technology. This means getting rid of physical buttons. Simplifying the interior and the functions of the car has a greater meaning. As the cars become more intelligent, they will require less input.
Despite the fact that most BMW models today look similar to each other, this has not affected their overall sales. In 2017 alone, the automaker was able to deliver an impressive number of 2,088,283 units. That is 4.2 percent more than the number of vehicles they sold the year before that. However, BMW still has not beaten Mercedes’ sales volume for that year. With BMW’s new plan to make their vehicles look more different from each other, they hope to beat Mercedes’ annual sales by 2020.
As mentioned earlier, Audi has also experienced the same issue with their cars, because a lot of them tend to look alike - all with the same design elements. The reason why they stuck to this is because the Four Rings wanted their models to be recognized in emerging markets like China.
But now that the market already knows them, then they could already change their look. The first model that will be subjected to this change is the Q2. However, an electric crossover like the E-Tron Quattro should also receive updates on its looks.