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Capitalism for the Greater Good: How Millennials Are Changing the Narrative
Millennials are putting their consumer weight, entrepreneurial skills, and investment dollars behind companies and projects that have a positive social impact. Using the free market economy to improve society has become an intrinsic part of millennials’ worldview and expectation.
“It is the great multiplication of the productions of all the different arts, in consequence of the division of labour, which occasions, in a well-governed society, that universal opulence which extends itself to the lowest ranks of the people.”
—Adam Smith, father of modern free market economic theory, Scottish political economist and author of The Wealth of Nations
Some of the greatest economic minds of the modern world have well understood the connection between the free market and prosperity for all. As Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital, noted in an interview at the World Economic Forum annual meetings in Davos last year, “At its best, capitalism creates opportunity for everyone, inspiring healthy competition and improving our society.”
For the millennial generation, using the free market economy to improve our society has become an intrinsic part of their worldview and expectation. They use their collective consumer power, entrepreneurial skills, and investment dollars to have a direct social impact, and the idea of building, consuming, and investing with an eye to the greater good is key to the psychological makeup of this generation.
And in increasing numbers they are coming to believe that business in general can be a force for good. In the Deloitte Millennial Survey 2017, 76 percent of millennial respondents said they regard business as having positive social values. That figure has been consistently rising since Deloitte’s 2014 survey.
Beyond just holding positive values, however, millennials are actively engaged in living socially conscious lives —both personally and professionally. They want, and indeed expect, companies that they support and work for to have a social impact.
In a survey of 1300 U.S. millennials conducted by media outlet Elite Daily in 2015, 75 percent of respondents reported that it was important for companies to give back to society, rather than focusing solely on profit. And 90 percent of MBAs from business schools in Europe and North America prefer working for organizations committed to social responsibility, according to a study from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
This generation is willing to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to having a social impact — by paying more for a product from a company that is having an impact, or working for less in order to be part of a socially responsible company.
For the millennial generation, using the free market economy to improve our society has become an intrinsic part of their worldview and expectation.
According to research from Cone Communications, 9 in 10 millennial consumers would consider switching brands to one demonstrating a social impact.
Ivory Ella, a fast-fashion e-tailer that donates 10 percent of profits to Save the Elephants and other charitable organizations, has found that the company’s social mission is important to its target customer base. “Millennials want to wear clothes from companies that are focused on the greater good,” says CEO and co-founder John Allen (himself a member of Gen-Y). “It makes them feel happy and vibrant.”
The Town Kitchen is a prime example not only of millennial entrepreneurs focused on the greater good, but also of how investment dollars are flowing to start-ups with a focus on social impact. The Town Kitchen delivers chef-designed lunches to companies and individuals in the Oakland and San Francisco Bay area. Companies can order via an app, and the firm works with local chefs and artisans — and low-income urban youth — to plan, prepare, build, box and deliver the lunches. One of the key goals of the company is to provide well-paying, stable jobs to local young people.
Explains millennial entrepreneur Sabrina Mutukisna, co-founder and CEO of The Town Kitchen: “So much dignity comes from having a great job. We are helping to create upward economic mobility for them by providing good food and a good job.” (Mutukisna cites starting wages of $15 to $20 an hour; minimum wage in California is $10.50 an hour)
To raise early-stage capital, the team at The Town Kitchen launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in 2014. “It got great traction,” notes Mutukisna. The group raised 103% of its $40,000 goal. The Town Kitchen also participated in Tumml, a start-up accelerator whose mission is “to empower entrepreneurs to solve urban problems.”
“We used about $65,000 of capital to get to $1 million in revenue,” Mutukisna notes, “with the idea of leveraging food tech to create a scalable, high-growth company around urban youth and foster youth, while keeping the costs down for bricks and mortar.”
Mutukisna says that capitalism, and access to capital, are critical for urban development. “My view on capitalism is that it can be used for good. So many problems in urban cities require the investment of capital into those cities to help young people to thrive — and for them to ultimately stay in and invest in those cities, too.”
So why is this generation so focused on change? Gabriel Bosché, president and millennial strategist at global business consultancy The Millennial Solution, puts it down to this generation’s drive to constantly improve on things: “Pew researchers have found time and time again that this generation truly does believe that the best days for us and for our country are ahead, and we want to be a part of making a global difference. We want to have our fingerprints on it, and we want to do it together.”
Justin Dent, a millennial and executive director of nonprofit GenFKD, summed it up with his take on millennials and their connection to capitalism and entrepreneurship: “We see a problem that is affecting a set of people, and we go out and solve it. By that definition, capitalism can simply mean that there is a place for everyone — where enterprise can thrive and everyone can benefit from it.”


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Panel throws in wage towel
The Indian Tea Association (ITA), the apex tea association, has informed the Assam government of the industry's inability to pay the interim relief to its workers because of financial adversity.
- Published 9.07.18
Guwahati: The Indian Tea Association (ITA), the apex tea association, has informed the Assam government of the industry's inability to pay the interim relief to its workers because of financial adversity.
A delegation led by ITA chairman Azam Monem along with vice chairman Vivek Goenka, former chairman C.K. Dhanuka, secretary general Arijit Raha and secretary of Assam branch ITA Abhijeet Sharma, met Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, on Saturday night to discuss several critical issues confronting the Assam tea industry.
"We have expressed our inability to pay the interim relief of Rs 30 to the workers and have told the government," Monem said. The ITA, which also represents the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations, has 325 gardens as members. He said the association will discuss the issue with tea unions and the labour department. "Nobody wants the industry to die and the industry does not want to pay badly as well. The market is very depressed now," he said.
The Assam government had issued a notification on July 3 asking the tea industry to pay a minimum amount of interim relief of Rs 30 per day with retrospective effect from March till the finalisation of the revised minimum wages. At present the industry is paying Rs 137 as daily wages.
Monem said the organised sector is constrained by high overhead costs and unremunerative prices which has resulted in many estates sustaining losses and being compelled to compromise the developmental activities in tea estates like replanting/rejuvenation of old bushes, investments on worker welfare and others. Assam tea accounts for over 50 per cent of tea exports.
Another ITA official said the tea industry had in principle agreed to consider an interim pending finalisation prospectively. "However, pursuant to deliberations at the meeting a proposal to pay from April was under consideration. The quantum was not decided. This high increase was not envisaged. We had given Rs 17.50 in Bengal. The level was expected to be around that level," he said.
Monem claimed the government has agreed to compensate the losses of the industry by helping in welfare provisions like ration and said the industry is happy to learn that the state government has decided to provide free medicines to estate hospitals under health benefit schemes like the Atal Amrit Abhiyan.
The association said the industry is under acute stress because of tea prices remaining stagnant over the last five years .
The industry is at present making open market purchases at exorbitant rates to provide ration at concessional rates to workers and dependents. This is becoming difficult to sustain and the state government has been requested to restore the erstwhile system of distribution of food grains through the management as is provided in Bengal. "The higher costs incurred on account of food grains puts the Assam tea producer at a competitive disadvantage in the domestic market space when compared to the tea producer in Bengal."
It said the capacity of the industry to absorb high increases in the cost of production merits consideration. "As labour costs constitute 60 per cent of the total cost of production, an abnormal increase in cash wage would have far reaching consequences on the sustainability of the entire supply chain including small growers' segment of the tea industry," the association said.

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"Fraudsters are pivoting to video, which is bad news for publishers looking to siphon cash from the growing pot of video ad spend," wrote Digiday in a recent article overviewing the state of video ad fraud.
According to eMarketer, digital video ad spend will reach $15.42 billion this year, rising to $22.18 billion by 2021. But despite this rosy outlook, invalid traffic remains a concern, and the fraudsters are set to profit if marketers don't get smarter about the risks of ad fraud in video.
Video is a cross-device, cross-screen form of entertainment, and the fraudsters are active in all mediums.
Invalid Traffic (IVT) rates for video ads vary across devices
Video IVT rates highest for Connected TV/OTT: Over 20%
- Over one-in-five (20.4%) of programmatically-sold Connected TV/OTT video ads in October 2017 were measured as invalid, according to Pixalate research.
- Of these invalid impressions, the vast majority (96.3%) were Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT).
Nearly 97% of Connected TV/OTT ads are video. This is a premium format and can draw extremely high CPMs, which attract fraudsters.
According to eMarketer, programmatic TV ad spend will nearly double from $1.13 billion this year to $2.09 billion in 2018. It will then rise to $3.8 billion in 2019.
Marketers should shore up their Connected TV/OTT anti-fraud practices, or else the pending boom in ad spend will cause a lot of money to be lost to fraudsters.
Desktop video IVT rates just under 9%
- Just under one-in-10 (8.89%) of desktop video ads served via programmatic were invalid in October 2017, according to Pixalate's research.
- Of these invalid impressions, 71.7% were Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT)
Mobile in-app video IVT rates at 8%, while mobile web checks in just below 5%
- Mobile was a tale of two environments: In-app video ads were invalid just under 8% of the time, according to Pixalate's October 2017 research.
- Programmatic mobile web video ads had a still-notable 4.31% invalid traffic rate, though it was nearly half the amount of mobile in-app invalid activity.
- 86.1% of invalid impressions for mobile web video were measured as SIVT
- 91.1% of invalid impressions for mobile app video were measured as SIVT
The size of video ad fraud depends on the environment
As Pixalate's data research into October 2017 programmatic video trends reveals, IVT for video ads can vary greatly depending on the device and environment.
Notably, Connected TV/OTT — one of the environments set for the largest increase in video ad spend over the next half-decade — is one of the riskiest in terms of invalid traffic.
Want more data-driven insights? Sign up for our blog!


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News, analysis and tips on the Google Android operating system, and devices and apps that use it.
Sharon Profis compares the security, ease of use and availability of some of the most popular mobile payment options.
The Android OS grows up with a mature design and sophisticated features.
Pricing not available
We go hands-on with the new version of Android. Check out what's new!
Lackluster performance and a poor display make the dual-SIM Posh Mobile Memo not even worth its budget price.
The 8.9-inch tablet adds item-identifying Firefly function and audio enhancing Dolby Atmos technology.
The fitness tracker packs in a range of features including a colour touchscreen, heart rate tracker and GPS.
The new device's sensors will track heart rate, steps taken, calories burned and sleep, according to a Microsoft privacy statement.
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
Chinese company Apus has released its pared-down Android launcher to massive international success. But it's doing it without focusing on the Chinese market. We sat down with founder Li Tao to find out why.
Apple Pay or merchants' CurrentC? Consumers will have to decide which mobile payments system works better for them.


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Apple stays at third place in the 2019 FORTUNE 500, in which companies are ranked by total revenues for their respective fiscal years. The tech giant has made the list for 37 years.
Included in the FORTUNE 500 are companies that are incorporated in the U.S. and operate in the U.S. and file financial statements with a government agency. Included in the top 10, in descending order, are: Walmart, Exxon Mobile, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, United Health Group, McKesson, CVS Health, AT&T and AmerisourceBergen.
Here’s what FORTUNE has to say about Apple: “Two thousand eighteen will be remembered as the year that Apple first achieved a market value of $1 trillion, as well as when growth in iPhones, Apple’s largest single product by far, began to slow. Before the introduction of the iPod—the iPhone’s precursor—Apple was a once-exciting computer maker. Now, only a retailer and an oil company are bigger. Its challenge: as consumers hang onto phones longer, Apple is repositioning itself as a services provider. Already iTunes, Apple Music, iCloud, and cuts from sales in its popular Apple Store generate billions of dollars of sales.”


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Qualtrics Advances On List With Introduction Of Experience Management Platform
Qualtrics, the leader in experience management software, announced that it has been ranked number six on the prestigious Forbes 2017 Cloud 100 list, an annual roster of the world’s top private companies leading the cloud technology revolution published by Forbes in collaboration with Bessemer Venture Partners.
Qualtrics ranked #12 on last year’s inaugural list and gained traction this year thanks to its rapid growth and the launch of its Experience Management or XM Platform™ in February 2017. Qualtrics’ growth and the enormous opportunity the XM Platform presents led Qualtrics’ investors to reinvest in the company, with a $ 180 million funding round in April 2017, at a $ 2.5B valuation.
Ryan Smith, co-founder and CEO of Qualtrics, said, “It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the top 10 private cloud companies in the world. We are revolutionizing how organizations are managing the experiences they provide to their customers, employees and other key stakeholders. Qualtrics pioneered the experience management industry and this award is just one more indication of the impact the XM Platform is having by changing how organizations manage the experiences they provide.”
The Qualtrics XM Platform manages the four core experiences of business—customer, employee, product, and brand experience—on a single platform. The platform automatically analyzes these touchpoints, helping organizations uncover key business drivers, predict future customer needs, and retain employees and customers.
The recognition comes as many experience management luminaries such as JetBlue, BMW, and Home Depot have turned to Qualtrics for help growing their programs. It also follows the recent recognition by independent research firm Forrester, who named Qualtrics a leader in their recent The Forrester Wave™: Customer Feedback Management Platforms, Q2 2017 report.
Qualtrics was selected for the Cloud 100 award through a rigorous selection process involving hundreds of submissions from the top cloud startups and a panel of judges made up of a majority of public cloud company CEOs. The panel selected and ranked the top 100 companies globally based on four factors: market leadership (35%), estimated valuation (30%), operating metrics (20%), and people & culture (15%).


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In a letter to the editor of Men’s Journal, the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association this week wrote to share viewpoints about the magazine’s reporting in its July 2012 edition about its preference for organic over conventionally raised chicken, that alluded to a recent feather meal study and claims of nutritional superiority.
John Glisson, DVM, MAM, Ph.D., director of research programs at the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and Ashley Peterson, Ph.D., vice president of science and technology at the National Chicken Council, offered a scientific perspective on the claims that certain chemical and antimicrobial residues were found in chicken “feather meal,”and thus are fed to chickens.
For instance, the study in question used a small sample size from 4 lb. and 22 lb. bags of feather meal. “The U.S. poultry industry does not use 4 lb. and 22 lb. bags of feather meal in its commercial feed formulations, and industry experts speculate that the material in these bags were intended to be used as organic fertilizer and not as a source of feed,” Glisson and Peterson wrote. “Furthermore, the study failed to address other potential delivery mechanisms for these types of substances, such as potable water.”
The letter seeks to remind Men’s Journal readers that all chicken produced in the United States is inspected by the USDA, and inspectors test chicken meat samples for chemical and antimicrobial residues so that all poultry is in compliance with USDA standards before it is allowed to enter the marketplace.
“We know consumers have many choices when it comes to their chicken meat purchases,” the letter continued. “However, we do not believe it serves consumers to stigmatize certain production systems to boost others.
“The amazing variety of chicken products today allows consumers to choose products that take into account many factors, including taste preference, personal values and affordability. Your readers should know, however, that USDA says the ‘organic’ label does not indicate that the product has safety, quality or nutritional attributes that are any higher than traditionally raised products.
“All chicken production systems, including organic, natural, and conventional methods, address issues as necessary to achieve its primary objective – the commitment to provide consumers with safe, wholesome and affordable food. The chicken industry works diligently to ensure that no matter which production system they choose to support with their food dollars, consumers can have confidence in the safety and nutrition of all of their chicken purchases,” concluded the letter.
A copy of the letter is available by clicking here.


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Traffic more than doubles since Q4 2014
The platform that describes itself as “easy to use and hard to explain” is no longer just the domain of angsty teenagers and fandom, according to a recent report from a leading web company.
The sometimes-dismissed Tumblr — which allows users to share all kinds of content from text, photos, GIFs, videos, audio and links — is skyrocketing in popularity, and brands should take notice.
According to Bit.ly’s most recent web index, traffic for Tumblr (a Yahoo company since 2013) has more than doubled from the fourth quarter of 2014 to the first quarter of 2015. The microblogging service’s biggest increase is among desktop users, while Bit.ly says Facebook’s desktop use is on the decline.
It’s something of a breakthrough for a platform that’s always been mobile-first: a 2013 CNN article stated that more than half of Tumblr’s users accessed it with its mobile app, and that that crowd did so “an average of seven times a day.”
With 420 million users, 237 million blogs and 111 billion posts (and counting), this wonderfully addictive platform is rapidly gaining new converts every day — even the White House has an account. That’s a lot of eyeballs on your content, and some of its communities have grown so massive they’re becoming subcultures in their own right (kind of like Reddit).
But here’s the thing: while all of the top 100 global brands are on Twitter and Facebook, according to Contently, only 31 of those same brands are on Tumblr.
Some in the past have said Tumblr isn’t a great platform for business, but that hasn’t stopped several companies — including Calvin Klein, Coca-Cola, Disney and Lexus — from pioneering the business value of the social platform.
Granted, Tumblr’s sheer flexibility presents communicators and marketers with its own set of challenges—which is why Social Media Examiner threw together this handy how-to list for business on Tumblr.
And as the platform’s authority expands and its user base continues to diversify, Bit.ly’s latest index is just more quantitative proof for brands: time to think outside the Facebook box.


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SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite the coronavirus pandemic, South Korea’s two full-service airlines are expected to swing to a profit for the second quarter on increased cargo demand, industry sources said Wednesday.
But seven low-cost carriers (LCCs) are widely predicted to suffer greater setbacks in the April-June period as the COVID-19 outbreak has led to a tumble in demand for international air travel.
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea’s top full-service carrier, is projected to post operating income of 82.5 billion won (US$69.2 million) for the second quarter, a sharp turnaround from a 98.6 billion-won loss a year earlier, according to market estimates.
Amid a tumble in international passenger demand, sales are estimated to reach some 2.2 trillion won for the three-month period, down 29 percent from the previous year.
Revenue from its cargo business is projected to reach 1.2 trillion won, more than half the total. Before the coronavirus outbreak, cargo accounted for some 20 percent of total sales.
No. 2 industry player Asiana Airlines Co., which has been put up for sale due to a cash crunch at its parent group, is also forecast to pull off an earnings surprise.
The market consensus on Asiana’s second-quarter operating profit came to 101.7 billion won, compared with an operating loss of 124.1 billion won a year earlier. In the first quarter, Asiana chalked up an operating loss of 208.2 billion won.
Analysts said Korean Air and Asiana appear to have posted relatively good results in the second quarter thanks to brisk cargo business, forecasting a positive outlook for the third quarter.
Also responsible were their cost-cutting efforts, including furloughs and other measures, they added.
In contrast, the country’s seven low-cost carriers are feared to see their operating losses widen for the second quarter from three months earlier due to a plunge in international air travel, their main revenue source.
Jeju Air Co., South Korea’s budget carrier, is to report its second-quarter results later on Wednesday. Most other carriers are expected to unveil earnings on Aug. 14.
Industry watchers painted a gloomy outlook for local carriers’ earnings for the third quarter as the prolonged coronavirus crisis has international travel demand nose-diving.
In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, South Korean carriers are currently operating only 20 percent of their international flights despite the summer vacation season, they said.


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Evolving Trends For An Enhanced Cinematic Experience
The Indian cinema industry has mapped a significant journey since its inception in 1913 with a silent feature film. It has evolved stupendously over the years vis-à-vis content, delivery mechanism and emerging technologies, which has redefined the entire movie watching experience. Cinema watching historically has always been associated with a social and ecstatic experience. However, the new age online streaming services have introduced a 'lone watching culture'. Industry players have there by, focused on overhauling the cinema experience through innovations technology and efficient implementation, offering higher standards of enhanced movie watching.
The media and entertainment industry signals at a high growth rate due to an increase in disposable income and change in lifestyle. Industry players are now tapping into the regional markets, which hold significant growth potential. According to the reports of IBEF, the Indian entertainment and media industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.10 percent. It is anticipated to reach Rs.2660.20 billion by 2023. The robust demand is owing to the socioeconomic factors across the Indian market, signals at the scope of enormous growth of the film exhibition industry currently under screened at eight screens per million population as compared to U.S. at 125, UK at 60 and China at 16. Movie theatre companies are now focusing on infrastructural development and innovation to offer movie patrons an overall experience, beyond only content making theatres to a one stop entertainment destination.
In the past few years, we have witnessed a surge in multiplexes staging multiple shows, diverse screen formats, enhanced audio quality in addition to aesthetics, comfort, hygiene and safety conditions to the patrons of cinema. The film exhibition industry has witnessed a number of technological disruptions, which has enhanced the cinematic experience manifold. The new age innovative solutions have paved the way to make cinema theatres offer 'experience' over only 'convenience'. It is crucial to acknowledge consumer preferences have evolved. Therefore it is invariable to innovate to live up to their expectations constantly. Technology has been the key differentiator in making cinema theatres revamp its services and offer beyond only screens to Friday releases.
It is integral to have a profound understanding of the market and every aspect of cinema viewing, to ensure the right engineering of technological innovations
Five new trends leading to enhanced movie watching experience are:
•Screen Formats: New screen formats have been introduced to offer enigmatic movie experience through extralarge screens and immersive 3D experience. The large format screens, Immersive Sound and Cinema (IMAX) technology, RGB Laser projection systems etc have overhauled movie-watching experience in India. IMAX technology entails a massive screen, custom surround sound system, and bigger than usual 3D glasses, making patrons feel the actions in the cinema. It is important for industry players to meet global standards to ensure the segment develops. The reach of IMAX content has evolved beyond Hollywood to Bollywood with movies such as Bahubali & Thugs of Hindostan being released in IMAX format.
•4DX Technology: 4DX screen format has induced an experiential quotient, while watching a cinema. 4DX format, introduced by PVR in India through its sensory technology enables viewers to feel breathe taking special effects and elements of cinema like wind, fog, lightening and many others. This has also opened more avenues for movie makers to explore content with the superior quality of VFX.
•Digital Cinemas: Digital cinemas refer to production, delivery and projection of motion pictures in theatres using digital technology such as hard discs, satellites or other electronic transmissions. Digital format offers superior movie viewing experience but to better picture quality and clarity. Also, as majority sound systems have inbuilt digital Dolby, the sound quality is better. Additionally, it offers higher cost efficiency as it evades further investments in projectors/in prints.
•Inclusive Cinema Viewing: India in comparison to other developed economies lags, concerning infra-structural growth of the cinema exhibition industry. Until a few years back, it was mostly an unorganised sector which stalled holistic infrastructural development. However, there are brands now that are focusing on making cinema viewing inclusive through innovation. PVR has introduced Accessible Cinema theatres such facilities are already prevalent in the U.S. Audience in today's age are much aware. Being industry players, it is poignant to address their needs and offer a broader choice to them.
•Consumer Centric Approach: Multiplexes today, focus more on consumer experience. The cinema theatres are designed to offer a holistic experience with a variety of F&B services, utmost convenience through digital services like mobile apps. Brands have designed loyalty programs installed air purification systems with an aim to delight the patrons with unique and customised offerings.
It is integral to have a profound understanding of the market and every aspect of cinema viewing, to ensure the right engineering of technological innovations. Indian moviegoers have been ever evolving and appreciative of the new formats being introduced in the movie exhibition space. To be able to keep the momentum of business growth it is necessary to keep reinventing and pushing the envelope.


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Arctic Express Pack developed a patented gel pack manufacturing technology designed to streamline the labor-intensive process needed to manufacture, freeze, store and transport gel packs used to keep commodities at a desired temperature during storage.
With Triveni Polymers Pvt. Ltd. in Kundli, Gerresheimer has already been well positioned in India for many years. A second production plant in Kosamba (Gujarat) is to strengthen the production capacity for Triveni plastic containers, which are in strong demand worldwide.
PepsiCo, producer of soda beverages and snack brands such as Lay’s potato chips, among other products, joined forces with Danimer Scientific several years ago with the goal to develop sustainable flexible packaging, Danimer says in a news release published on its website.
Shelf-life guidance for vacuum and modified atmosphere packed (VP/MAP) chilled fresh beef, lamb and pork has been updated by the FSA. According to a spokesman for AIPIA this could be a real opportunity to roll out more smart condition monitoring labels for the proteins packaging market.
Stora Enso’s design for eco-friendly pellet packaging was awarded with a prestigious Worldstar award. The renewable and recyclable packaging is designed for heavy use in transporting and warehousing of wood pellets for heating.


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Yahoo's board is allegedly meeting today to discuss Microsoft's 44.6 billion proposal to buy it out and save it from a slow, painful death, according to Michael Arrington on Techcrunch.
This of course comes a day after the House Judiciary Committee cancelled a hearing on the privacy and antitrust implications of the deal.
My colleague Roy Mark was told scheduling conflicts were the cause for the kibosh on the meeting but I wonder. Did Yahoo call Congress and tell them they were meeting, causing the politicos to take the No. 5 train to WaitandSeeville?
A fair question and one I don't have an answer for. I have not been able to get anyone from Yahoo via e-mail or the phone all week, and that goes for today's request for confirmation of the alleged board meeting.
Because Yahoo has ignored my requests, I've been trying to go around the gatekeepers, so to speak. I've been trying talk to Yahoo board members by calling the companies they represent to make their living, but their PR and HR handlers have been telling me that not only will the board members not speak to me about the deal, but they "will not" ask them for me.
It's like a dirty secret or something. Anyway, if anyone has phone numbers of Yahoo's board members, send them over. Just kidding! Or am I?
This leads us to here and now … one week -- and a blazingly fast one at that -- after Microsoft slapped its generous, 62 percent premium on the table for Yahoos to blanch look at.
Arrington believes Yahoo only has two roads to go after potential bidders gave Yahoo the middle finger: Accept the offer and try to increase the price with no negotiating leverage, or strike a deal with Google to outsource search advertising and even search itself.
Jeez, both possibilities are great aren't they? Capitulate, but try to draw a little more succor from a competitor, or ask for a life preserver from the biggest ship in the sea. I'm sure a deal is in shareholders' best interests, which is why I think it will get done.
Despite this, I don't like it all; it disrupts the three-horse race of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft in search and ads. I would much rather prefer to see Yahoo rekindle its fire, and I think its mobile developer platform and social networking-meets-Web mail announcements at CES are promising, and I prefer to see Yahoo bring those to fruition.
On the Microsoft side, I happen to feel the software giant is trying to buy its way into the next big thing: the Internet services market. By being a seminal player in 1975, Microsoft was able to groom the Windows operating system to its 90 percent-plus market share.
Now it's 2008 and Microsoft realizes that -- waaaiiiiitttt a minute, uh oh -- Google has the pole position spot in the Web services race. Because of this, Microsoft is trying to buy its way in to the market. This is not the traditional Microsoft way.
Now Redmond reeks of sweat and fear. If Microsoft fails, expect Google to define the new operating system on the Web in 10 years.
Speaking of sweat and fear, neither AOL nor Ask.com, the two biggest search vendors after Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, will return my requests for comment about a possible Microhoo deal. Instead, we must rely on passing statements from Time Warner CEO and IAC CEO Barry Diller that Microhoo would boosts the value of AOL and Ask.com.
Whatever. Ask.com is still figuring out what its new CEO will do to increase search share, and AOL is still trying to create separation between its Web access business and its Web portal and ad business.
These vendors are as likely to get taken out as Yahoo by a Google or a News Corp. If Microhoo goes through, expect more dominoes to fall as the Internet sector does the consolidation tango.


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Having likely anticipated the popularity of the Toyota GT-86, Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ triplets, Nissan has reportedly been working a compact sports car of its own, one that will slot under 370Z Coupe.
Unlike the rear-wheel-drive triplets, Nissan’s sports car — known internally as the ‘Mini-Z’ — will be based on the front-wheel-drive architecture of the Juke crossover and borrow its 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. An optional all-wheel-drive system with torque-vectoring could be offered to level the playing field.
Like the stylistically-funky Juke, the Mini-Z will adopt a radical design inside and out (let’s just hope it’s not too out-of-this-world). Sales in China (the primary market), Japan and Europe could begin as early as late 2013 with prices starting under $22,000. There is no word on whether it would be offered in North America.


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Arla Foods to invest in on-the-go coffee production
The Danish dairy company that produces and markets beverages for Starbucks stated that it is meeting “increased global demand.”
The factory in the Danish city of Esbjerg is expected to be completed by the end of the following year.
The expansion will increase our capacity by approximately 20%. A spokesperson for Arla stated, “We are investing EUR41m (US$43.1m) in the dairy to expand production, packaging lines, and cooling areas because demand has exceeded the dairy’s capacity.” Just Drinks has asked Arla to quantify the increase in capacity more precisely.
Without providing additional information, the spokesperson stated, “The ready-to-drink coffee beverage category has grown by an average of 20% per year, with a record growth of nearly 34% in 2021.”
In 2010, Arla and Starbucks reached a production and distribution agreement covering Europe. In 2018, the contract was extended for an additional 21 years, encompassing the entire EMEA region.
When Arla released its financial results for 2021 in February, the cooperative reported that volume-based sales of Starbucks-branded products increased by nearly 34%. Compared to the previous year, sales volumes increased by 27.3%.
In 2021, Arla, whose brands include Castello cheese and Lurpak butter, generated group revenue of EUR11.2bn, up 5.6% from the previous year.
Read more • just-drinks.com
Source: Coffee Talk


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Jameson is showing loyal consumers a different side of the brand. The most popular Irish whiskey in the world recently released its first cask strength bottle, Bow Street 18 Year, to be available worldwide.
The Cask Strength is an 18-year-old whiskey matured in bourbon and sherry casks. It’s bottled at 55.3 percent alcohol and isn’t chill filtered. That strength, plus an intense flavor profile and a $290 price tag, makes it different in every way from the Jamo you shoot with pickle juice at a dive bar.
“I’m thrilled that Irish whiskey fans around the world can now experience the full intensity of our whiskey or add a few drops of water to enjoy it at their own preferred strength,” Billy Leighton, the master blender at Midleton Distillery where the spirit was made, told The Spirits Business.


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For thousands of years, people have been trying to figure out just how far they've traveled.
Read This Article
The 2014 Ford Mustang has been priced and there are a few changes coming for the iconic pony.
Next week, automobile manufacturers, executives, and journalists from around the world will gather in the snowy confines of Geneva, Switzerland.
Thanks to high demand for subcompacts, Ford has increased production of the popular Fiesta in Europe.


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Department for International Trade:
CEP associates to join new UK trade panel
30 September 2020
Two Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) associates are members of a new expert trade panel set up to support UK trade negotiations.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) has said that Professor Tony Venables, BP Professor of Economics at Oxford University and associate of CEP, will chair the panel.
Dr Swati Dhingra, Assistant Professor of Economics at LSE, and associate of CEP, will also be a member of the panel.
The panel will advise DIT on the use of cutting-edge trade models and techniques. This advice will include recommendations on how best to incorporate wider global economic developments, such as the impact of Covid-19, into its economic and trade modelling.
The other members of the panel are: Professor Michael Plummer, Eni Professor of International Economics at the Bologna Institute for Policy Research at The Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe; Dr Graham Gudgin, Honorary Research Associate at the Centre for Business Research (CBR) in the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge and Dr Christine McDaniel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, USA.
Professor Tony Venables, said: “Trade policy modelling provides the tools for thinking through possible effects on the UK of changes in trade policy and in the world economy at large.
"The panel will provide DIT with analysis and recommendations on how best to use these tools to fully capture effects, while being evidence based and presenting findings in a comprehensible and transparent manner."


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When the Chromebook Pixel was announced, a lot of head-scratching ensued. What’s the point of a fantastic piece of expensive, high-end hardware that runs an internet-tethered OS like Chrome OS? After all, Chromebooks have settled into a niche at the bottom of the device market, one where netbooks were once aimed.
Then, I heard that Google was giving Pixels to its employees. Obviously most Google’s employees are developers, and in order to do their work, they’d have to do development.
Prior to I/O, I fully expected that Google would announce a cloud-based IDE, which would explain why employees were given Pixels.
No such announcement came.
However, every I/O attendee received a Chromebook Pixel, which only strengthens my hunch that a cloud-based IDE is coming.
There were several announcements at I/O that contributed to this line of thinking.
First, Android Studio, a custom IDE for Android development based on IntelliJ IDEA, which will include hooks for Cloud Messaging and other Google services. Speaking of Google services, the Play Services APIs and Hangouts were also announced.
The former adds several features that are self-contained, allowing developers to upgrade apps without requiring newer versions of Android. The latter consolidates several messaging products and effectively removes support for XMPP in favor of the Hangouts API.
Google has been slowly backing away from open standards recently in favor of their own APIs, e.g. lost in the most recent Spring-cleaning announcement, which included Google Reader, was an announcement that the CalDAV API would be limited to a whitelist in favor of the Calendar API. Details are scant, but the loss of CalDAV support for calendar applications like iCal is kind of a big deal.
I/O this year focused squarely on developers, not on product. No new Android version was unveiled, but rather, existing Android apps, like Maps, Plus, Play Services and Hangouts, received major, version-independent updates. This points to alleviating a huge developer concern, fragmentation.
So, why give attendees an expensive paperweight in the Pixel?
The other shoe has to be a browser-based IDE that leverages the computing power of the Pixel with Google’s network infrastructure, while providing all Google’s APIs and services in one package, the ultimate ecosystem package for Android and possibly Chrome OS developers.
This isn’t all that crazy, given that services like App Engine already use Google’s infrastructure.
Should this IDE materialize, the key here is distributing the compilation workload between the machine and server, while minimizing the bandwidth consumption.
But if you happen to live in a Google Fiber city, you could develop on a Pixel and use Google’s bandwidth and server infrastructure, allowing Google to control even the transport of your code.
So, Google could have all the bases covered, providing an unprecedented development experience.
Anyway, I’m not a developer, but I play one sometimes. I’ve run this idea past a few developers, and it seems plausible, even a little bit desirable.
What do you think?
Find the comments.


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The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) will allow all public transport, except goods transporters, to run during the upcoming Muslim Eid-ul-Azha festival (31 July-2 August). Cattle markets will be allowed to operate in specifically designated. areas. The demand for animals to sacrifice is predicted to be low as the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the economy hard. Farmers have already started selling their cattle at low prices to meat traders out of fear of incurring losses.
World Vision reached 2.05 million people including 775,405 children in Bangladesh with life-saving assistance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.


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Payment Volume Surges, Cryptocurrency the Next Area to Focus On
PayPal reported it made a profit of $1.22 per share to easily beat the $1.01 expected from market analysts. Business sales for Q1 were reported at $60.3 billion, again higher than the market consensus of $5.90 billion. Higher revenues came as total payment volume (TPV) grew 50% to hit $285 billion, while Wall Street analysts were calling for $265 billion.
“Our strong first quarter results demonstrate sustained momentum in our business as the world shifts into the digital economy. Our addressable market continues to grow as we launch new products and services for our 392 million active accounts,” said Dan Schulman, president and CEO of the company.
The company said it added 14.5 million net new active accounts to increase its total user base to 392 million. Net profit came in at $1.10 billion, while business sales recorded a 31% year-over-year (YOY) increase as the pandemic accelerated the shift to online payments and ecommerce.
For Q2, PayPal said it is looking to earn $1.12 per share on sales of $6.25 billion. This is higher than earnings per share of $1.10 and business revenues of $6.16 billion that surveyed market analysts were expecting.
For 2021, the company is projecting 20% growth in business sales to $25.75 billion, while the earnings per share is forecasted to come in at $4.70. These projections compare to $4.57 earnings per share and business sales of $25.71 billion.
“Our record-breaking first quarter results underscore the ongoing strength, diversification, and relevance of our scaled, two-sided, global payments platform. We are raising our FY’21 guidance based on these strong results,” commented CFO and Executive Vice President of Global Customer Operation, John Rainey.
In a call with analysts, CEO Dan Schulman noted the cryptocurrency transaction as an extremely important growth engine for the company going forward. The company witnessed strong activity from its users in this business sector, with about a half of all cryptocurrency traders on PayPal opening their app on a daily basis.
“We’ve got a tremendous amount of really great results going on tactically with our crypto efforts,” said Schulman.
PayPal’s cryptocurrency products expanded in Q1 to allow US customers to transact business using cryptocurrency. Last month, the company launched a new feature on its Venmo platform which allows users to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrency assets.
In Q4 last year, PayPal also reported strong business growth, with one analyst saying PayPal has established itself as a “financial super app.”
PayPal stock is up 4.1% in early trading Thursday. On a year-to-end (YTD) basis, shares of PayPal are up a bit over 5.6%, following a year with extremely strong gains.
PayPal, a major payment-processing company, reported stronger-than-expected earnings as a result of a surge in total payment volume processed on the network. The company noted the cryptocurrency sector as the next key growth driver for business sales and profits.
About the Author
Luigi Wewege is the Senior Vice President, and Head of Private Banking at Caye International Bank. Outside of the bank, he serves as an Instructor at the FinTech School which provides online training courses on the latest technological and innovation developments within the financial services industry. Luigi is also the published author of: The Digital Banking Revolution.


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The new kid on the block is Blab.im -- an app providing real-time, streaming-video conversations for up to four people at a time. The audience watches, can comment within the Blab and on Twitter, and can switch places with the original chatters.
How should brands be thinking about Blab? Is it just a flash in the pan? Or a sea change in communications?
What Blab is
Blab's new, easy, fun, free, completely interactive and on 24/7. Its creators -- from Chief Tecnology Officer Furqan Rydhan to Community Manager Brittany Metz -- are there (they don't seem to sleep) and they update features in real time. And, oh yes, the immediacy of Blab is addicting.
Here's the step-by-step guide to using Blab, which is essentially plug and play.
Right now, the average time being spent on Blabs, according to its CEO, Shaan Puri, is 64 minutes -- making it a close competitor to TV and Netflix. That is mind-boggling, given our short and fractured attention span, which is said to lag behind that of a goldfish.
Among those who drop into Blabs are Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag from "The Hills," Al Jazeera, T-Mobile CEO John Legere, and people from all walks of life who sometimes end up getting on airplanes to meet in real life.
Blab is social-media city. There's already a Blabaholics group on Facebook, and a Blab Rehab Show for addicts. And here's a collection of tweets from fans who love Blab.
Where did Blab come from?
Blab has a bit of a complicated heritage. It was incubated at Monkey Inferno, a San Francisco-based incubator which has since been dissolved. Blab's co-founder and main investor is Michael Birch, who created Bebo, a messaging app that was sold to AOL in 2008 for $850 million.
Birch bought Bebo in 2013 for $1 billion and created Monkey Inferno with the same team that built Bebo, including CEO Shaan Puri. Blab spun off as its own company in January 2015, with Birch as its main investor and Puri as CEO. "That kind of financial security means we're a fast-paced but low-stress workplace," says Puri. "When we saw the way Blab was taking off, and saw the potential of the project, we doubled down to focus entirely on Blab," he explains. The beta of Blab launched in April.
What's Blab's business model?
None, so far. The goal, says Puri, is to build the audience to the point where it becomes possible to make money. Brands, he says, are usually late to the party. When they see that you have people's attention, they take a closer look.
There is, without a doubt, a bit of mania on the platform. But many think that frenzy is just beginning.
"We just make the tool," Puri says. "The people make the products."
Frankly, I think brands that jump into Blab in these early days will be rewarded with the attention of audiences they cannot reach on other platforms. The key is creating content with authenticity and value. Blab is no place for PR-speak.
How can brands use Blab?
There already are Blab shows with substantial audiences about everything from cooking to legal advice. Brands should care because Blab is growing at breakneck speed, with top Blabs attracting thousands of viewers.
Brands should consider Blab for:
- Holding town halls with executives taking questions from the community
- Running contests
- Holding career days for students to ask questions about working for the company
- Featuring talks by your experts
- Sponsoring live events
- Launching and "unboxing" new products
- Demonstrating support for charities -- already money has been raised for clean water and NoKidHungry
- Conducting product training sessions
- Doing live reporting from conferences and shows
- Creating blog posts, pins, Instagram photos, tweets, video trailers and graphics from points made in Blabs
What's the bottom line on Blab?
In the end, Blab's eventual success is going to be about good guests, good topics and shorter segments. And those are the very things that create opportunities for brands.
If your brand isn't Blabbing, it should consider jumping in.


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(video)Hoodlums attack food vendor’s vehicle; steal his supplies
As the Lockdown over Coronavirus persists, a food vendor who was on his way to supply food items to some market women, was attacked by some hoodlums along Airport road, Ajao Estate, Lagos on Sunday April 12th.
A video making the rounds on social media, shows the vehicle after it was attacked by the hoodlums who stole items such as tubers of yam amongst others.
Watch the video below
FOLLOW US on


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Adele Smashes Another Record As ’21’ Becomes First Album To Sell 3 Million Digital Copies
Adele has practically been in hiding for more than a year but the iconic singer still has the ability to break records with her smash hit second album ’21’ becoming the first to pass the three million sales mark digitally.
The 25-year-old, who has taken a step back from the spotlight since giving birth to son Angelo in October 2012, released the critically-acclaimed album in 2011 and it quickly topped charts around the world becoming the best-selling album of the 21st century following the popularity of the singles ‘Rolling In The Deep,’ ‘Someone Like You’ and ‘Set Fire To The Rain.’
While it may have been released three years ago, ’21’ is still maintaining its firm grip on sales and has become the first album to sell three million copies through downloads with a rep from Nielsen SoundScan confirmed to Rolling Stone.
The album has sold more than 28 million copies worldwide and has been certified platinum an incredible 16 times in the UK.
After a lengthy hiatus, Adele could be making a reappearance soon with producer William Orbit, who has has created hits for the likes of Madonna and Britney Spears, revealing he’ll be working with the Brit singer in the New Year.
“I know I’ll be doing some writing with Adele in the new year,” Orbit told PRS M Magazine in November.
As if that wasn’t enough for Adele, the ‘Hometown Glory’ hitmaker was awarded with a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles last month for her services to the music industry and now has the title Miss Adele Adkins MBE.
In a statement released after she received the honour, Adele said: “It was an honour to be recognised and a very proud moment to be awarded alongside such wonderful and inspirational people. Very posh indeed.”


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Thomson Reuters BioWorld took a deep dive into the subject and surfaced today with a detailed report outlining a bustling new global business with roughly 700 so-called follow-ons put in the clinic by 245 companies and institutions. Looking ahead to 2020, analysts say, you can anticipate that biosimilars will account for about $25 billion out of $100 billion in sales for off-patent biologics.
The EU was the first to outline a regulatory pathway for biosimilars, and it's been seeing the largest number of approvals. Drugmakers in India and Korea, meanwhile, have clearly outlined a big role for themselves in delivering less expensive biosimilars to the developing world, where people often find themselves unable to afford biologics at branded prices. And while the U.S. is just now opening the door to biosimilars, Thomson Reuters BioWorld concludes that dozens of meetings have occurred at the FDA with developers racing to penetrate the world's biggest drug market.
In some respects, the report echoes many earlier estimates for biosimilars, such as an expected 20% to 30% discount off the price. But it also offers a richly detailed look at how manufacturers plan to fight back, often quite effectively by offering similar discounts on their aging products. And the lead developers in the space, meanwhile, are working up some ambitious grassroots marketing campaigns aimed directly at physicians and payers as they go toe-to-toe with the originators.
"We're going to have to communicate," Richard Davies, Hospira's ($HSP) senior vice president and chief commercial officer, tells Thomson Reuters.
This battle is just about to begin in the U.S., but a number of big players ranging from the likes of Sandoz to Eli Lilly ($LLY) are preparing to throw their weight behind the first wave of biosimilars set to crash the market. -- John Carroll, editor-in-chief (email | Twitter)


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Amazon Pushes To Recruit Veterans
Amazon is making a push to recruit veterans, and says it has ways to support them.
In a press release issued July 13th, the company says it aims to hire over 100,000 veterans and military spouses by 2024. This will add to what the company estimates is the 40,000 veterans already in its employ.
Ex-Air Force Major General John Quintas, former advisor for political-military affairs to the Pentagon, is heading up veteran recruitment efforts for Amazon.
Quintas retired in 2017, and said his experience in the military-industrial complex has been useful at Amazon.
“I served 29 years. I was a former weapons systems officer. I had a really rewarding career around the world and Amazon valued my experience. I landed softly in a great role with a great company.”
Amazon has faced criticism lately with reportsthat its injury rate is nearly double that of other warehouse jobs. Quintas said as far as physical safety for vets, he isn’t the person to speak to at Amazon.
“I think there’s just somebody better at Amazon to address that, that’s not my area of expertise. As the director of global military affairs, I’m looking out for the specific challenges that veterans face as they transition.”
Quintas said a specific issue transitioning veterans face is “cultural adaptation” or switching from a structured military environment to one with more ambiguity.
To help transitioning veterans, Quintas said Amazon has a mentor program.
This program is run by a company called Veterati and can be signed up for using LinkedIn. A person has to make a profile and answer questions about what they’re looking for in a mentor, also agreeing to a non-exclusive license to share personal information.
Another problem for veterans is suicide. Since 9/11, over 30,000 vets have killed themselves. Quintas said this was a concern, and his team – comprised of veterans and military spouses – is sympathetic.
“I have team members from every branch of service, I have military spouses, I have reservists. We own understanding the military experience as they come to Amazon.”
Quintas said that Amazon tries to create stability and growth for all its employees by offering educational benefits.
A recent reportputs Amazon’s warehouse turnover rate at 150%, meaning the company is replacing its warehouse workforce every 8 months. To receive educational benefits, a worker must be at Amazon for a year.
Amazon is slated to open its third facility in Tulsa in 2021.


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Verizon extends 15GB of extra data deal to customers through May
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Verizon announced today that it’s extending its pledge to provide an additional 15GB of high-speed data to customers with a wireless plan through May 31st due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Verizon notes that customers will not have to perform an additional action to opt into the extended offer as it intends to automatically add the additional data to both consumer and small business accounts. Verizon is not waiving data caps, though, so if you max out your data plan, your internet speeds can still be reduced. In late March, Verizon announced it would provide additional data to mobile customers at no extra cost through April 30th.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the world, many communications companies have made pledges…


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Sony has announced next month’s line-up of PlayStation Plus titles coming to PS4, PS3, and PS Vita over the next month, and it’s a doozy.
We’ve got a nice tasty selection of games coming to PlayStation Plus this month, well, it’s tasty if you’re into being scared shitless or are a fan of Game of Thrones. Either way, this is a pretty good month and definitely isn’t one to miss out on.
Coming to PlayStation 4 this month is Supermassive Games’ critically-acclaimed slasher game, Until Dawn. Can you survive being murdered? Probably not, eh? Also coming to PS4 is Game of Thrones: A Telltale Series, which is perfect for those sick of the direction that the current show is going, now you can shape the story.
Another addition to PS4 this month is Sony’s first game in their new “PlayLink” range, a series of games tailor-made for group play allowing people to dive in on smartphones or tablets. That game is called “That’s You” and it’s essentially a party quiz game where players reveal what they really think about each other. Lovely.
For PlayStation 3 this month, we’ve got Tokyo Jungle and Darkstalkers Resurrection, and on PS Vita there’s Don’t Die Mr Robot, which is also cross-buy with PS4, and Element4l.
All of these games will be available throughout July from July 4.


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Latest from Nicole Cappella
The recent global pandemic changed a lot for the data centre industry. An immediate increase in demand for data centre services emerged as businesses made a rapid switch to a remote work environment.
The data centre market in Vietnam is growing quickly, bolstered by a variety of factors including digital acceleration resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The data centre market by investment is expected to reach $673 million USD by 2026.
Teraco Data Environments, a leading data centre services provider in South Africa, has completed a new hyperscale data centre in Brackenfell, Cape Town. The data centre, known as CT2, is Teraco’s second data centre campus in Cape Town and the largest in the Western Cape.
As people and businesses spend more time online, data centre workloads are growing – with no sign of slowing down. Data centre owners and operators are faced with different, sometimes competing priorities – to scale data centre services to meet demand, while still maintaining progress toward environmental targets. Plans to add capacity at an existing… Read More
Paratus Group, a leading African data centre services provider, has announced the opening of a new data centre in Lusaka, Zambia. The new data centre will be added to the Paratus Group’s existing network, currently available in 28 African countries. Paratus’ Lusaka data centre will offer colocation services including dedicated, shared, caged, and private suite… Read More
Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications provider headquartered in India, has announced that it will invest $673 million USD in data centres. The main purpose of this investment will be to expand Airtel’s data centre footprint to meet growing customer demand in the country. Nxtra, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, will make the investment sometime in… Read More
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced plans to open a new availability region in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Known as AWS Asia Pacific (Auckland), this will be the first availability region in New Zealand. The AWS Auckland Region will consist of three Availability Zones (AZs) and will be owned and operated by a local AWS subsidiary… Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities across different populations worldwide, while putting people that were already at risk in an even more vulnerable position. One group that was impacted by the pandemic are Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs). Understanding the changing situation for FDPs, and addressing the increased vulnerabilities that the pandemic has caused requires accurate, reliable… Read More
In a state of the union speech, EU president Ursula von der Leyen outlined a new act intended to drive the EU’s autonomy, resilience and self-sufficiency by supporting the semiconductor supply chain.
APAC data centre investment to hit a new record this year
The data centre investment market in APAC is expected to reach a new high this year – with $1.8 billion already invested in the first half of 2021. This amounts to 80% of 2020’s total year-long investment accomplished in just six months – leading industry experts to believe that 2021 will be a record year as well.
Currently valued at $13.01 billion, the Chinese data centre market is expected to experience remarkable growth through 2026, almost tripling to $36.18 billion. According to a recent market study, the data centre market in China and Hong Kong could register a CAGR of 19.2% over the next five years.
Throughout the UK, large consumers of energy are coming under scrutiny, due to concerns about their impact on power grids and on the environment. Generally, data centers are large consumers of energy – even though industry leaders have invested a great deal in limiting energy consumption and meeting sustainability goals.


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Sharp Acquires Multi-Line Dealer Federalgraphics
The Recycler reports that Sharp Corporation has acquired Federalgraphics, LLC, of Macon, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama, and Federalgraphics of Columbus, Inc., for an undisclosed sum.
Federalgraphics markets document solutions and sells and services the Konica-Minolta, Kyocera, KIP Wide-Format, Riso, and Lexmark copier/MFPs, printers, and fax machines. Federalgraphics also sells and services other office equipment, including mailing systems (FP), phone systems, folders, and inserters (MBM). It also markets MPS (Managed Print Services) and IT Managed Services. Ron Sparkman and Chad Hasty will continue to run the acquired business for Sharp, which will now feature the sale of Sharp’s full line of copier/MFPs and professional display products.
“We are elated to have Federalgraphics join the Sharp family and further expand our presence in Georgia and Alabama,” commented Anthony Sci, senior vice president of Sharp Business Systems. “We are committed to upholding the standard of excellence that Federalgraphics customers have come to expect as well as adding the value of Sharp’s extensive catalog of products and services.”
- December 2017: Sharp National Dealer Meeting: Foxconn Benefits, Smart Office, Smart MFPs, Smart Meetings, and More
- September 2017: Sharp Acquires Bay Area Dealer Arista Business Imaging Solutions
- March 2017: Sharp Expands Direct-Sales Operation in California with AVC Acquisition
- February 2016: Sharp Adds Raines Office Solutions as Authorized Dealer
- February 2016: Sharp Expanding Direct Sales in Texas with Acquisition of Meridian Office Systems


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One manufacturer reports that stores and distributors are returning Google more TV devices than they have sold.
The advance could lead to motion sensors showing up in running shoes and tennis rackets.
New electronics enable a jump in performance in a prototype display made by Samsung.
Analysts expect a big increase in sales, even though consumers aren’t yet wowed.
The story behind Intel’s new design.
A hackable camera opens new possibilities for digital photos.
Changing chip design on demand could allow TVs and other devices to upgrade their own hardware.
A new method produces dense arrays of carbon nanotubes for digital logic.
Two recent developments—a plastic processor and printed memory—show that computing doesn’t have to rely on inflexible silicon.
A counterintuitive approach could yield smaller, faster, more energy-efficient chips.


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WESTBROOK, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --
If you live on a private road, or you don't clear the snow that piles up in your driveway on your own, you might use hired help.
It can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 to hire someone to plow for you.
While it's bad news for your wallet, it's good news for those who rely on plowing for income.
The longer the snow season lasts, the more business those contractors get.
A snowy winter is also good for the folks who sell the plows themselves like Messer Truck Equipment in Westbrook.
The president of the company, Jeff Messer, says his business reaps the benefits of a snowy winter the winter after.
Most of Messer's sales are done between Labor Day and December.
Customers coming in with memories of big snow piles lingering into April gives Messer more confidence a year will be good.
When he places his order for next season’s plows next week, he thinks he’ll order more than he did last year.
“The economy's still fairly strong, we had a good winter so I think I'm going to go a little bit larger than last year and I think sales will be good,” said Messer.
Other winners include people who ice fish.
Maine Game Wardens are extending the ice fishing season until April 16th because of the unusually cold weather.


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Google Acquires Meebo for a Reported $100M to Boost Google+
June 5, 2012 9:28 AM
comment(s) - last by
The details regarding how much Google spent on its Meebo purchase are unclear at this point
In an attempt to increase
, Google is acquiring social networking company Meebo for a reported $100 million USD.
Other specific details regarding the acquisition are unclear at this point, but the announcement of the acquisition was made Monday.
"We are always looking for better ways to help users share content and connect with others across the Web, just as they do in real life," said Google in a statement. "With the Meebo team's expertise in social publisher tools, we believe they will be a great fit with the Google Plus team."
Google launched its social network Google+ as an invite-only service back in July 2011. Many believed the new site would challenge Facebook, which long held the title as king of the social networks (and still does).
Google+ grew quickly, obtaining
20 million visitors
by late July. The social network was
opened up to everyone
in September 2011, and today, Google+ has 170 million users total. However, growth isn't really the issue for Google; rather, the amount of user activity seems to be troubling the search giant.
In October 2011, Google+ Vice President of Product Bradley Horowitz discussed Google+'s reception and activity. Many said that the hype for Google+ died off quickly, and people resumed their Facebook/Twitter-related digital lives. But Horowitz said Google+ wasn't meant to be a Facebook or Twitter rival, just a better Google experience. In addition, he mentioned that two-thirds of the
activity on Google+
was private sharing, which is apparently why the site seemed like a ghost town.
Google has since made plenty of advertisements for its social network and tried harder to draw people to it when logging in to their Gmail accounts. Now, Google is taking the next step and purchasing Silicon Valley-based Meebo in an effort to make Google+ a powerful social network with as much activity as Facebook, which has over 900 million active users.
"Together with Google, we're super jazzed to roll up our sleeves and get cracking on even bigger and better ways to help users and website owners alike," said Meebo in a blog post.
Meebo currently has an audience of over 100 million users in the U.S.
San Francisco Chronicle
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: What on earth is Meebo?
6/5/2012 12:34:22 PM
Meebo is just an web-based IMS emulator that lets you chat with people on AIM, Windows Live, etc etc without having to install their clients.
I agree though, a quick blurb should have been in the article.
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The expected changes to the Australian Privacy Act and the recent announcement by Google that it will finally start to deprecate third-party cookies for one per cent of Chrome users in early 2024, makes it clear that the world of data collection and usage in Australia is set to change – and organisations’ mindsets and plans towards it must also change accordingly.
First-party data is the pot of gold all brands want, and the ability to build quality audiences will become a key priority.
Due to the current macroeconomic landscape and aggressive inflation, organisations are placing more focus on marketing investment that show a ‘real’ return. This will be particularly important when considering that while total advertising expenditure remains strong, market growth has slowed down compared to previous rates according to IAB Australia Online Advertising Expenditure Report.
This bodes well for media owners who already hold these data insights thanks to their direct contact with audiences. They are building substantial, engaged, loyal audiences that they can derive value from in a number of ways.
For brands, it is not quite as simple. To reach the right people with the right message at the right time, access to appropriate media networks is required which is becoming increasingly expensive.
As a result, we are seeing an upswing in brands starting to think and act more like media owners, with these brands considering how they can build relationships with their audience that go beyond a simple vendor-customer model.
When it comes to audience and data insights, the historical divide between brands and media owners is blurring. Here’s how:
The rise of retail media
There has been a lot written about the rise of retail media this year with forward-looking retail organisations already monetising valuable data assets for brands by building out their own advertising networks – retail media networks (RMNs).
Online retailers are collecting more data on shopper behaviour and outcomes than ever before, and they are in a unique position to utilise this data and collaborate with brands who need more effective ways to reach their current and potential customers. This all takes place through RMNs.
Retail media networks empower multiple companies to unlock rich, actionable customer insights, deliver powerful marketing and achieve accurate measurement.
Major retailers like Coles and Woolworths have already made significant headway and they could be set to dominate the entire retail media ad market as they provide unique targeting and attribution solutions for brands. PwC estimated Australia’s retailer media market stood at $850m in 2022, and to have taken $1 billion from the Australian ad market last year, forecasting revenues to hit $2bn by mid-2025 in its central forecast.
Retailers are now exploring ways to offer even richer media experiences, bringing together data from multiple parties and creating expansive ecosystems which also include media companies, tech partners, and brands. To do this, they are using secure data collaboration technologies such as data clean rooms to connect datasets across multiple organisations without requiring any data to be moved, centralised, or commingled.
Analysis of the data allows them to resolve identities across their various data sets, unlocking consumer insights, letting them build and activate high-value audiences and measure the success of those campaigns without risk. Data clean rooms are enabling these activities not only across the retailers’ owned property but also through off-site activations across the media companies’ audiences.
How brands can build their own pot of gold
Alongside these collaborations, brands should be considering how they can build their own first-party data assets at scale. Just as traditional media owners build their audience around compelling and captivating content, so must brands create experiences that resonate and provide value to their audience.
To build and scale an audience, brands first need to build and scale their content creation capabilities. Content marketing is one of the key components of audience growth brands can deploy, but it requires investment. It also requires a coherent strategy, in harmony with all other marketing activities. This is an opportunity to become an educator and a reliable source of information or entertainment that brings an even larger audience to the brand.
For example, sportswear brand Nike has expanded its business empire – and its audience – through content creation. Nike’s Training Club app offers users workout plans, tips, nutrition advice and celebrity interviews and is updated with fresh content daily. Recently, Nike also branched out onto Netflix, launching workout session content on the streaming platform.
Beauty giant L’Oreal also gained traction from branching out into content production. It opened its Content Factory in 2015 to develop creative content across social platforms to encourage engagement with its brands and drive business. Both could now be considered ‘media’ companies, and both have achieved this status through considerable investment.
Ensuring privacy guard-rails
Identifying customers across various devices and channels is essential. But in order to leverage data effectively and comply with incoming privacy regulations, brands must prioritise establishing consent frameworks that empower consumers to control the collection of their data in a transparent and fully consented manner.
Consumers expect privacy and security as top priorities, so it will be vital for brands to foster trusted partnerships and implement robust data collaboration technology and processes. Put simply, data must be safeguarded at any cost. Any audience-building strategy must begin with a careful evaluation of how to extract value from the data and collaborate with partners without compromising customer security or privacy.
The success of retail media should be a source of great inspiration for brands to securely and compliantly build data assets, forging stronger audience connections. By embracing a media owner mindset, brands will be able to enhance audience value and establish ownership within their media properties.
Richard Knott is general manager of ANZ at InfoSum.


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Two lens makers tapped by Apple to supply 8MP cameras for iPhone 5
A new report claims that Apple has made a deal with Largan Precision and Genius Electronic Optical to build and supply 8-megapixel camera lenses for the company's forthcoming next-generation handset.
“The two companies are reported to continue supplying lenses for Apple’s newest iPhone 5 with an 8-megapixel camera. With relatively higher production yield, Largan, commanding nearly 20% of the global market, will reportedly garner a big order from Apple.”
Both companies were previously responsible for production of 5-megapixel lens modules for the current-generation iPhone 4. Today’s report claims the two companies will compete and work together as they continue to share Apple has one of their largest customers for the upcoming next-gen iPhone. Last year both companies covered 27.5 percent of global market share and it could move even higher as iPhone sales continue to grow. It’s not surprising that Apple continues to source parts from multiple suppliers. This is a move that is common for the company in an attempt to create competition amongst suppliers, drive down prices, and increase production quality while reducing risk.
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Bandai Namco has shared a new story trailer for Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Featured above, the new trailer introduces the recently confirmed fighters Yamcha, Tien, as well as the completely new character Android 21.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is launching sometime next February, worldwide, across PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. In case you missed it – we recorded exclusive, hands-on gameplay for the game, complete with our commentary on how it plays and feels. You can find that here.


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TBWA\ Greater China announced today that it had won Wyeth GOLD brand under Pfizer Nutrition in a competitive pitch against four other agencies.
TBWA is now Pfizer Nutrition’s key strategic and creative partner in Greater China, extending its relationship from ILLUMA and ENERCAL Plus to the Wyeth GOLD brand.
Earlier in 2011, TBWA launched ILLUMA, Wyeth’s super premium infant milk formula brand, which became one of Pfizer’s fastest ever growing new product launches. In Hong Kong, TBWA launched a high-end e-magazine as part of an integrated campaign for ILLUMA.
Wyeth Gold Brand provides various types of children and maternal formula milk powder and special formula powder, including: SMA Gold (Stage 1), Promil Gold (Stage 2), Progress Gold (Stage 3) and Promise Gold (Stage 4), which are all in the premium segment. Wyeth Gold currently the leading brand in the domestic formula milk powder market, which is trusted and loved by parents around the world.
“TBWA showed strong collaboration and cross-border harmony in their work. The strategic thinking, creative quality, commitment and chemistry were all there, so we’re pleased to appoint TBWA as our strategic business partner for China and Hong Kong,” said Helen Chow, General Manager – Marketing Operation of Pfizer Nutrition China.
Ian Thubron, President of TBWA\ Greater China, commented, “We’ve steadily built our relationship with Pfizer Nutrition over the past couple of years. We’re thrilled that they have the confidence to choose TBWA as their key strategic partner.”
Thubron added, “TBWA is consistently delivering ‘Iconic Ideas’ for its clients. We’ve recently won AIA and Bawang, so 2012 is going to be a strong year for TBWA in Greater China.”


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Wesgro, the official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, has partnered with Finfind to develop and launch a Fund Matchmaking Portal to help businesses find best funding option available for their needs.
The Fund Matchmaking Portal utilises information submitted by businesses and compares it against the mandates of more than 300 funders, and more than 600 finance products. The concept of the portal was driven by recognition of the considerable need for businesses across the region to access funding.
During the initial COVID-19 lockdown, the Western Cape Government, City of Cape Town and Wesgro developed and launched the COVID-19 Support Finder Tool, which was designed to assist businesses in identifying viable support structures for their businesses. The uptake was strong, with more than 6,500 businesses utilising the tool during the lockdown.
Through implementing the COVID19 Support Finder Tool, and day-to-day interactions with local companies, the Wesgro Investment Promotion unit recognised that a knowledge gap existed among business in the region with regards to funding options for businesses in South Africa. The overwhelming majority of businesses that engage with Wesgro seeking funding have a limited understanding of funding channels existing in both the public and private sector across the country.
Head of Investment Promotion at Wesgro, James Milne, said: “Is this portal a silver bullet for the business funding problem in South Africa? Unfortunately not. The majority of businesses we work with still need considerable support in becoming ‘funding ready’. However, for those that have strong documentation in place, our hope is that this portal provides a structure for exploring the funding landscape, in a fast and efficient manner. Our objective is to continue reshaping and improving the platform as we learn from the data generated, in order to help more businesses access funding”.
The Investment Promotion unit also recognised that matchmaking alone does not guarantee that a business will be successful in accessing funding. Accordingly, in the case of a viable application, the unit will work with clients to ensure linkages to funders are supported on an ongoing basis to help companies through the ‘last mile’ of funding access.
“This is another welcome addition to our collective investment facilitation offering. As an investment friendly destination we welcome the opportunity to strengthen Cape Town’s strategy of investment promotion and facilitation. Cape Town remains a forward-looking globally competitive city that offers great opportunities for investors with lower cost of operation and access to a sizeable market in the rest of South Africa and Africa,” added Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Member for Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Asset Management at the City of Cape Town.
Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, welcomed the launch of the Fund Matchmaking Portal: “We are working hard to create an enabling environment for those who want to start their businesses and grow their businesses in the Western Cape. Understanding the financing landscape in South Africa is a critical step to improving the ease of doing business in the province and so we encourage businesses to make use of this resource and all the support services we have available, including our Red Tape Reduction Unit who can further assist businesses to access the funding.”
Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, commented: “The Fund Matchmaking Portal is an exciting development borne out of Wesgro’s response to the COVID19 pandemic. Helping businesses understand the funding landscape is an important part of Wesgro’s role, and we hope that the portal helps accelerate access to funding for local businesses.”
Is your business looking for funding? Access the Fund Matchmaking Portal here: https://www.wesgro.co.za/invest/funding


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Sasai Econet Financial Services, a subsidiary of Econet Telecom Lesotho continues to make significant inroads
in its effort to positively transform lives throughout the Mountain Kingdom and by tirelessly working towards reshaping the country’s financial services landscape.
Beyond Sasai Econet Financial Service’ strides to reach the unbanked population in Lesotho with innovative financial solutions, the company has also forged partnerships with renowned and leading remittance service providers such as Sasai Money Transfer and Terrapay.
The General Manager – Sasai Econet Financial Services, Ms ‘Matikoe Letsie, said Sasai Econet Financial Services has, over a decade, embarked on a mission that is directed towards bringing financial inclusion to every
corner in Lesotho with an unobstructed vision to empower individuals, families, and businesses with accessible,
reliable, and innovative financial solutions.
She said EcoCash Spache-Fono, which is Sasai Econet Financial Services’ pioneering mobile money platform,
has become a symbol of convenience, empowerment, and progress. It has not only revolutionized the way Basotho transact but has also become a catalyst for economic growth and stability. Through EcoCash, entrepreneurs have been empowered to launch and expand their businesses, families can send and receive funds
across distances, and communities now have access to financial services that were once beyond their reach.
Transcending borders and collaborating with these renowned remit partners strives to bring even greater ease
and speed to international remittances, connecting families across borders and enabling them to send and receive funds securely through the EcoCash platform.
Sasai Econet Financial Services’ partnership with Sasai Money Transfer allows both organizations to empower
thousands of Basotho and other residents across the Mountain Kingdom to use a safe and secure FinTech platform. Customer can now receive money from their friends and loved ones in South Africa, UK, China, Pakistan,
India, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, Ghana, Somalia, and Malawi. Moreover, this partnership also facilitates faster, simpler, and secure cross-border payments for EcoCash customers
when receiving money and making payments across these countries.
Through the collaboration with with Terrapay, customers can simply Download the Hello Paisa app from Google
Play Store, or the Apple Store then add the recipient details and select the country (Lesotho). Payments can be
made via EFT or any of Hello Paisa pay in points (Pick ‘n Pay, Spar, Checkers, Boxer, Shoprite, Ackermans,
PEP, Makro, Hello Store) and the recipient will securely receive money in their EcoCash wallet with great convenience and ease.
“What is also thrilling about these partnerships is that they offer a much more needed solution to increase
access to and use of remittances received by households for greater financial inclusion and investment opportunities” said Letsie
EcoCash Spache-Fono has evolved drastically since its inception over a decade ago to bring about financial
freedom and inclusion to sectors of the population in Lesotho that has, for a long time, been left behind. Once
money is in the EcoCash Spache-Fono, customers can transact from the comfort of their homes. They can pay
water bills, buy electricity, pay Econet contract bills, pay ground rent, pay insurance premiums, pay TV subscriptions, municipal rates


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Microsoft first announced the £56 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard – the company behind
LicensingSource.net chats to Jalil Rahman, director of licensing and brand partnerships at Liberty, ahead
Tinderbox – the digital media licensing division of Beanstalk – is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
“We are excited to continue to reach into new countries and territories in 2023
The in-person event is due to take place in New York on 27-28 October.
The Halo Master Chief Chibi coin – which is legal tender – was released
How Tinderbox is enjoying success by moving the brand into new categories such as bedd
Licensee creates new Xbox and Halo licensed home textiles.
Ambitious company working with Microsoft to bring bestselling video games franchise to new formats.


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Friday Mar 21
South Africa: Chevrolet Trailblazer - a Phoenix Rises
The Chevrolet Trailblazer showed a lot of promise when it first arrived on South African shores two years ago.
Credit for repairs turns denials into dollars
Garber Buick's Kay Eaton, left, and Bobbie Herron have found that helping customers who are short of cash get credit can lead to more vehicles service orders -- and more profit -- for the Saginaw, Mich., dealership.
India Auto News
General Motors' Thailand plant's millionth vehicle a Chevrolet Trailblazer
Earlier in February, General Motors Thailand and Southeast Asia Operations celebrated the production of its millionth vehicle, a Chevrolet Trailblazer.


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Hey, I'm Dan! I invest in startups at Madrona and write the DL, a weekly newsletter about tech in the Pacific Northwest
Built with Webflow
Accolade went public on July 2, and it was Seattle’s first IPO of the year! Geekwire wrote a great article on the IPO and interviewed Accolade’s CEO, Raj Singh.
Casper, the company fka as a mattress startup and now a “Sleep Economy” company, released their S-1 (document you file before an IPO) last week...
A couple years ago, we had a 20th anniversary celebration for Madrona, and one of the events was a fireside chat between Jeff Bezos and Tom Alberg, one of Madrona’s founders and the first outside investor in Amazon.


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Chump change it ain't.
With a net worth estimated at a cool $2.1 billion, Baltimore's Blaustein brood ranks as number 108 on Forbes' magazine's list of the 185 richest families in America, worth a combined $1.2 trillion.
The only Charm City clan to make the list, the Blausteins made their bucks in the early 20th century, according to the Blaustein Philantrhopic Group's website. It seems that Louis, a Lithuanian immigrant and his son, Jacob, teamed up to deliver kerosene in a horse-drawn wagon through the streets of Baltimore.
In 1910, the pair named their fledgling business the American Oil Company -- Or Amoco.
Three other Maryland families made Forbes' list, which will be published in the July 21 issue.
They're the Rales family of Potomac, Md. (they founded the Danaher Corp., an umbrella biz based in Potomac) with an estimated net worth of $7.9 billion, placing them in 32nd place; the Bethesda heirs to the Marriott hotel chain, with an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion (#47) and the Perdues of Salisbury poultry fame, with an approximate fortune of $2 billion (#115.)
Granted, the Free Staters are pikers compared to the top-ranking dynasty on Forbes' list, the descendants of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. That crew is worth a gasp-worthy $152 billion.
Still, $2.1 bill will buy a lot of pot roast.


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MILAN — Italian eyewear giant Luxottica on Thursday confirmed a tax audit over some of its accounting practices, but insisted it follows universally accepted practices.
The audit concerns alleged irregularities in the use of a practice called transfer pricing, which is understood to be the price at which divisions of a company transact with each other. Transactions may include the trade of supplies or labor between departments.
Luxottica said it “has been consistently adopting and applying a fair and correct transfer pricing policy, totally compliant with the law and the most updated guidelines issued by the OECD [the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development],” which the company described as “the undisputed leading authority for transfer pricing.”
Luxottica, which in addition to house brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley, produces eyewear collections for brands including Burberry, Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Versace, said “the challenge by the Italian Revenue Service specifically concern[s] the ordinary export of products by the Italian manufacturing company Luxottica Srl to its trading affiliates located in all the main markets.”
The company underscored that these “are routine commercial transactions, i.e. the sales of products within the corporate group of Luxottica. These are not extraordinary transactions, nor transactions involving low-tax jurisdictions or otherwise aimed at shifting income abroad.”
It is understood that the Guardia di Finanza, an Italian police force under the authority of the national minister of economy and finance, and the Italian Revenue Service have been looking at Luxottica’s accounts to determine whether the company has evaded declaring income in Italy. A source said the evasion would revolve around an unfaithful tax declaration of more than 2 million euros, or $2.6 million at current exchange.
Following a request from prosecutors, the police have been visiting Luxottica’s headquarters and offices in the Italian town of Agordo, near Belluno.
“The Italian company Luxottica Srl sells its products to affiliates generally resident in OECD member countries and in any case in high-tax jurisdictions, so no tax benefit was sought in these transactions: It is not even conceivable to argue the existence of a transfer pricing practice aimed at an abusive intent and subject to sanctions,” contended the company.
@juicebeauty, where @gwynethpaltrow holds the title of creative director of makeup, has become one of the foremost labels in the organic beauty category –– with sales on track to hit $100 million this year. What’s behind the rapid growth the brand is experiencing right now? It all started in 2005 when the wellness movement was just getting started. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty
Stay up to do date with breaking news and trending stories with WWD’s “The Essentialist.” Our newsletter delivers the top news in fashion right to your inbox. Want more info? Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: @kukukuba)
"I want to tell a story that inspires people to feel good about themselves, but also I'm making a commentary about the lack of female stories and female directors and saying this should change," said @imheathergraham on her latest project "Half Magic." The comedy feature, which the actress wrote and directed, is based on her own struggles as a woman in show business. Read @andrewnodell's full interview with Graham on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @jgreenery)
@meltcosmetics cofounders @lora_arellano and @danabomar built their brand on a single idea: a true matte lipstick. To set the brand apart, they said they always put their customers first –– including a personalized note in each package. #wwdsummits #wwdbeauty
@moncler unveiled its latest project, #MonclerGenius, yesterday at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian outwear maker gave show-goers a preview of the monthly collections – which were created by eight designers and creative talents including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and more – that will start rolling out in the summer.