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June 9 – There have been many conferences and discussion on the topic of branding Croatia. Many of them miss the point entirely. 5 gifts and future trends to focus on.
Last week saw another branding conference in Croatia. This is in addition to the annual conference, Branding Croatia, and the several panel discussions which take place in various conferences, such as the recent Diaspora Tourism conference in Split. One person who attended last week’s conference had several observations. The first was that President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic’s call for the need for a positive image of Croatia was little more than a pre-election stunt, and not one which is justified by the actions and results of the ruling authorities over the last few years.
The other observation another friend participating made was that the speakers were all Croatian, and that surely for such an important topic, the input of international experience and viewpoints were essential. If Croatia is to develop a global brand, then surely one should take on board the views of those living in the global community. To not do so, my friend said, would be akin to having the big fish in a fishbowl talking with authority about things that happen in the ocean.
But that is a separate discussion, as I want to focus on the branding of Croatia, and how – at least in the opinion of this foreigner living in Croatia for 16 years – much of the current discussion is both missing the point and letting slip some natural advantages which Croatia.
The chaps who run Croatia are famous for not taking advantage of golden opportunities. As previously discussed on TCN, the Game of Thrones gift brought a huge global marketing opportunity for the countries where filming took place. Northern Ireland took full advantage, as you can see from the national tourist board website, above. And while global brands such as Johnnie Walker produced limited edition products for the launch of the final GoT series 8, the Croatian National Tourist Board, home of Kings Landing, could not even manage a post on Facebook. And if you try and search for information about this tourist gift on the official website, well, good luck…
It is seven years since the late Anthony Bourdain told the world about Croatia and its ‘world-class food, world-class wine, world-class cheese.’ Seven years later, Dalmatia still has no wine road, and gourmet tourism – despite its huge potential – is bringing in peanuts compared to destinations with much less to offer.
And it is almost a year since probably the greatest gift of all time, much more even than Game of Thrones, as the tiny country which dared to dream won tens of millions of hearts during the World Cup and its aftermath. It was left to a small country with no football pedigree whatsoever that has never even been to the World Cup, to take advantage. Visit Rwanda’s innovative partnership with Premier League giants Arsenal will include, among other things, exposure on the Arsenal shirt more than 35 million times a day.
Croatia has had some fantastic branding in the past – and the slogan, The Mediterranean as It Once Was, was a genius way of attracting tourists to newly independent Croatia after the devastation of the Homeland War in the 1990s. It was the hook that first brought Croatia to the attention of this correspondent watching the advert on CNN back in 2002 during my previous life as an aid worker in Somaliland, so I have the Croatian National Tourist Board to thank for that. Thank you.
So how do we brand Croatia moving forward, and what are the key ingredients? In my opinion, there are two things which are crucial and which are often overlooked. The first thing is that branding Croatia should include a focus on the future, especially where Croatia is strong and has something world-class to offer. And the second thing is that the branding of Croatia should not focus solely on tourism, but more on the opportunities of the country itself. This obsession with packing more and more tourists into our coastal towns and cities so that the numbers look good is not only contributing to a worsening tourism experience for the visitor, but is also doing irreversible damage to the pristine nature which was the original main attraction.
And, if we focus on Croatia’s strengths as well as global trends, we can see that Croatia can reposition itself from its current stereotype of a summer sun and beach destination packing in millions of low-paying tourists, to something altogether more sustainable throughout the year, and something much healthier both for the environment and the economy. Here are the five areas of focus that Croatia should include in its brand for the future – at least in the opinion of one fat foreign blogger.
(TCN with Mate Rimac and Concept One on the 2016 Nikola Tesla EV Rally in Porec)
1. From Tesla to Rimac – the home of clean energy and innovation
Nikola Tesla was a genius, whose inventions transformed the way we live. He was also an ethnic Serb who was born and grew up in the village of Smiljan, in which is today modern Croatia. Tesla only visited Serbia once, and yet Belgrade named its international airport after him. Meanwhile in Croatia…
Smiljan is a lovely spot, with plenty of space. As Telsa’s birthplace, it is also the symbolic home of the Tesla revolution. So let’s give people a product to match that potential, an Old Trafford Theatre of Dreams for the e-mobility generation. I have been fortunate to have taken part in the Nikola Tesla EV Rally a few times. One of the undoubted highlights of the trip for these Tesla car converts is a visit to Smiljan, a chance to pay homage to Nikola Tesla and where it all began.
Looking forward, as branding Croatia should be doing, something like 75% of tourists to Croatia arrive by car. By 2030, there will be 21 million new electric vehicles on Europe’s roads. From a tourism and economic viewpoint, it would make sense for Croatia to be at the forefront of the e-revolution, but with a gift of the Tesla birthplace, a brand to build on and develop for sure. Especially when Croatia has a modern-day Tesla in the shape of Mate Rimac, whose electric supercars and technology is taking the world by storm.
2. A Digital Nomad heartland
The world is changing, and changing rapidly. As technology kills some traditional jobs, so too it opens up new opportunities. And the digitalisation of the world is also a game-changer. Who would have thought, for example, that a striking 15-year-old Swedish schoolgirl could spark a global movement and transform the climate crisis debate within just a few months of not going to school on a Friday?
A huge opportunity is presenting itself for countries who are open to change and the future – the rise of the digital nomad. Countries such as Malta and Estonia have already embraced this new trend, with significant economic advantage. It is claimed that there will be up to one billion digital nomads in the world by 2035. ONE BILLION! Is there an industry or company in the world currently which employs so many people?
Imagine if Croatia could brand itself and market its considerable competitive advantages to the digital nomad community. If it could become one of, let’s say, the 11 best locations in the world to live the digital nomad lifestyle. Rather than spending 2 weeks on a crowded beach, this new generation visitor would pay taxes, rent, and spend money on food, entertainment and travel. Throughout the year.
And getting the branding right will not be that difficult if you look at those competitive advantages – EU country, safe, English widely-spoken, great lifestyle, great fibre optics, fantastic climate, naturally beautiful, easy onward connections to Europe and the rest of the world, very affordable by EU standards. And innovative and progressive – the land of Tesla and Rimac, remember?
3. Health and Safety, a winning combination
Health and safety might sound like a department of the UK government, but Croatia has so many gifts in the branding as a healthy and safe destination.
As a gimmick, of course, Hvar was the birthplace of the father of dactyloscopy, or fingerprinting to you and me, but modern Croatia is also known as one of the safest places in Europe, very child-friendly, and I can confirm that it is an incredible place to bring up children. That safety factor is increasingly important as a branding tool in a growingly uncertain world.
The safeness of Croatia goes hand in hand with its healthy message as well. With more than 130 indigenous grape varieties and fantastically fresh and local regional products that so enchanted Bourdain, the UNESCO recognition of the healthy Mediterranean Diet of Brac and Hvar is symbolic of a culture of gastronomy which is being increasingly sought-after by citizens of more globalised countries.
And let’s not forget health tourism, for organised tourism in Europe began due to Croatia’s temperate and recuperative climate, with the founding of the Hvar Health Society to cater to the convalescing Austro-Hungarian aristocracy way back in 1868. And that tradition of healthcare excellence continues today, with industry experts all agreeing that Croatia has the potential to be in the world’s top 10 medical tourism destinations within 10 years. Learn more about that here. And medical tourism, like e-mobility and digitial nomads, is a 12-month business potential.
4. A sporting paradise, from World Cup Finals to jogging in nature
Who can forget (ok, as an Englishman, I am trying to forget THAT semi-final) the incredible scenes in Russia last summer, as Croatia’s World Cup heroes and their fans achieved more global online interest in Croatia that at any time in the combined history of the modern State (with an incredible 60 billion article views, according to media monitoring company, Mediatoolkit). One can argue about how well Croatia took advantage of this gift, but the fact is that the World Cup success in Russia was just one of an incredible list of sporting achievements by this small country (for an overview of Croatia as a sporting nation, check out the Total Croatia sports guide).
As we looked at previously, Google Trends shows just how much interest there is in Croatia during the World Cup and Euro championships, and why it makes sense to brand Croatian tourism and football together.
But the promotion of Croatia as a sporting destination goes way beyond football and fits in with the healthy and active image of this young, beautiful and innovative country. One fabulous example of how sport and tourism are working well to promote healthy and active tourism is the Run Croatia project, which is building nicely and bringing in an increasing number of visitors to take part in its races, 12 months a year. Learn more about the Run Croatia project here.
5. Lifestyle plus
Why would you live anywhere else?
The famous three-hour coffees, the fjaka lifestyle, the warm hospitality, the great climate, the fresh and local food – there are few places in the world that can match the Croatian lifestyle. One of the challenges for those of us struggling with the daily grind is to earn enough money in the Croatian economy to be able to enjoy life to the fullest, and I think I think it is a truism that the perfect life balance is to make your money abroad or online and life the Croatian way.
Branding the Croatian lifestyle as part of the strategy will be attractive to the digital nomad generation.
Should we be looking to brand Croatia as a tourism destination or as a lifestyle choice? By focusing on Croatia’s considerable competitive advantages, coupled with embracing and anticipating global trends, the potential of Croatia to brand itself as an innovative, healthy and welcoming destination is phenomenal.
Ah, those two words in the same sentence again – Croatia and potential.


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Hampstead, Md. -- JoS. A. Bank Clothiers reported Wednesday that net income for the second quarter surged 24.7% to $20.6 million, compared with $16.5 million in the year-ago period.
Sales rose 22.4% to $230.7 million from $188.4 million. Same-store sales increased 14.7%.
“While sales are just one component of overall profit and August is a relatively small sales month, our comparable store sales in August are up slightly compared to the same period last year, despite the impact of the recent hurricane,” said R. Neal Black, president and CEO.

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Audi India is already on top this year with high cumulative sales in India but they want to be even better in the coming year by launching 10 models in India by the end of 2015 to further strengthen its position in the market and boost its sales volume in the country.
The new offerings will include next GEN flagship SUV Q7 which will make its global debut at the Detroit motor show in 2015. Other than that next gen TT will also arrive in India in late 2015 apart from that there will be few facelifts like of Q3 etc. Audi India will enter into new segments as well like company is currently working on A3 sedan based hatchback.
Models like A4, A6, SUVs Q3, Q5 & Q7 and Sedan A3 which are now locally produced here once used to be imported as CBUs (completely built unit) at the time of their launch. Yesterday Audi India launched A3 cabriolet at the price of 44.75 lakh which is almost double the price of A3 sedan which is produce locally here and A3 cabriolet as CBU unit.
Audi India retained over 10,000 units becomes the first luxury company to go beyond 10,000 unit mark overtaking Mercedes and BMW by narrowest margin.
|Audi India||10,003 units|
|Mercedes Benz||9,003 units|
Audi India Head Joe King said, “Next year we plan to launch around ten products in the Indian market. It is going to be an exciting and busy year for us,” “We are looking to bring in next round of investments into the country, keeping in mind the immense long term potential of the Indian market,” King added.
Audi India sell around 17 models in India Audi A3, A4, A6, A7 sportback, Audi 8L, Audi Q3S, Q3, Q5, Q7, Audi S4, S6, Audi RS 5 Coupe, Audi RS 7 sportback, Audi TT Coupe, Super sports car Audi R8, R8 spyder and Audi R8 V10 plus wants to expand its line up further more.


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Chinese Automakers SAIC, Geely Turn up Heat on Global Rivals
China's domestic automakers SAIC and Geely are launching new models and marketing strategies to challenge better-known foreign brands in the world's largest car market.
SAIC Motor Corp's logos are pictured at its booth during the Auto China 2016 auto show in Beijing, China April 26, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)
Global automakers face fresh threats to their profits in China from domestic automakers SAIC and Geely, which are launching new models and marketing strategies to challenge better-known foreign brands in the world's largest car market.
The country's biggest automaker, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), wants to double sales of its fully owned domestic brands this year - albeit from a low base - executives told a group of reporters.
"China success is the base of overseas market success," said Zhang Liang, product portfolio planning director for SAIC Motor's passenger vehicles operation.
Zhang said SAIC's MG and Roewe - brands based on technology acquired from bankrupt British carmaker MG Rover - plan a total of five car models and nine sport utility vehicles, and would aim to offer quality comparable to global brands such as Nissan, but at a lower price.
A concept shown to reporters for an MG sports coupe it will exhibit at this week's Shanghai auto show could pass for a Jaguar.
"I worry for them," Zhang said of the global brands. "You see local technology getting stronger and stronger."
SAIC, controlled by Shanghai's municipal government, has toiled for years in the shadow of its foreign partners, Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co, who are obliged by Beijing to form joint ventures with a local automaker for their China operations.
Those two joint ventures accounted for about 16.5 percent of the Chinese passenger car market last year, compared with just 1.3 percent share for SAIC's own brands.
However, those 50-50 alliances with GM and VW have generated floods of cash that SAIC has ploughed into hiring European designers to give its future MG vehicles more flair.
It has spent 2.25 billion yuan ($327 million) on new research and engineering facilities in Shanghai, where company engineers are working with the same suppliers as their foreign rivals to improve the safety, quality and reliability of MG and Roewe models.
In one lab, Roewe and MG vehicles are shaken on machines that simulate rough roads. In another lab, cars are frozen, then subjected to boiling simulated desert heat, while engineers evaluate the performance of engines and climate control systems.
With the help of suppliers such as Mobileye NV, an Israeli autonomous vehicle firm Intel is buying for $15 billion, SAIC plans to offer advanced safety systems such as automatic emergency braking, as established rivals do.
Rival Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, through its ownership of Swedish luxury automaker Volvo Cars, is pursuing a similar strategy of marrying European styling and developed market safety and quality engineering to Chinese production costs, primarily through its new Lynk & Co brand, company executives told Reuters.
Geely staged an elaborate party at Shanghai's West Bund Art Center to debut the production version of its forthcoming sports utility vehicle and a prototype for its "03" model, a sedan to go with a planned sporty coupe.
Geely president An Conghui told Reuters in an interview that Lynk & Co would allow Geely to compete head-on with global automakers both in China and overseas. Lynk & Co has said it plans to sell vehicles in the United States and Europe after launching in China.
Geely brand models currently are priced up to about 150,000 yuan ($22,000). Lynk & Co cars should sell for up to 250,000 yuan - in the heart of the mainstream segment that accounts for about 45 percent of Chinese passenger vehicle sales and that is now dominated by foreign brands such as Volkswagen, GM, Ford Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd. The brand could move higher in price, or lower, depending on how consumers respond, he said.
"It is not easy for Chinese makers to break into this segment in the past," An said. "But now with Lynk & Co in place, we want to really go into this segment and compete with foreign brands."
SAIC, Geely and other rising Chinese automakers such as Great Wall and Chery Automobile Co Ltd have a long way to go to achieve the sales levels of the U.S., European, Japanese and Korean brands in China.
Chinese consumers are wary of the quality and safety of domestic brand vehicles, and dispelling those fears would take time and money, SAIC and Geely executives said.
Lynk & Co will offer what executives called a "lifetime" warranty, and also plan to allow consumers to pay for access to a vehicle on a subscription basis - by the month or mile - instead of committing to a purchase.(Get detailed and live results of each and every seat of the state Assemblies in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram to know which candidate/party is leading or trailing and to know who has won and who has lost and by what margin. Our one-of-its-kind Election Analytics Centre lets you put on the psephologist's hat. Know interesting facts and trivia about the elections. Elections = News18)
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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is sticking by the budget surplus despite the mid-year budget update showing big revenue writedowns and sluggish wage growth. The government on Monda...
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is sticking by the budget surplus despite the mid-year budget update showing big revenue writedowns and sluggish wage growth. The government on Monday slashed $22 billion from the forward estimates and revised down its 2019/20 budget surplus from $7.1 billion to $5 billion. Despite the worsening economic outlook, the treasurer told Sky News that Australia was still in a better position than other G7 nations. "While other economies this year … all experienced negative economic growth, Australia continued to perform very strongly. We are in our 29th consecutive year of economic growth," he said. Meanwhile, Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers hit out at the government for delivering such disappointing figures on wage growth ahead of the Christmas period. "The families and workers and pensioners of Australia didn't ask for weaker growth, higher unemployment and weaker wages but that is what Morrison and Frydenberg have put in the stocking for Australians," he said.
The Christmas period is already a burden on the finances before factoring in the price hike of seasonally popular items and services.
Those delicious prawns are in hot demand for the long lunches, families hitting the road can be stung by higher petrol prices and don’t even think about an Uber ride on New Year’s Eve.
A typical Australian household is planning to spend $969 on Christmas, according to comparison site Finder, contributing to a national total of $18.8 billion.
Travel costs are the biggest weight on savings with an expected spend of $471. Gifts are not far behind at $386 or $7.5 billion collectively.
RELATED: Five best apps to track cheap petrol
“Christmas is notoriously expensive,” Finder money expert Bessie Hassan said.
“From end of year celebrations to office Kris Kringles, costs can start piling up from November.
“Christmas shopping can leave a serious dent in your savings. Not to mention the cost of food, alcohol and other festive goodies.”
Spending at Christmas is all well and good, but 28 per cent of Aussies won’t have enough cash to cover the seasonal costs, the money expert said.
Nearly 20 per cent will be resorting to credit cards and 7 per cent will lean on buy now, pay later services.
“Stick to a budget and actively track your purchases to avoid overspending,” Ms Hassan said. “Writing a list of everyone you need to buy for can help prevent those hasty, last-minute purchases.
“Those who do end up with post-festive debt should consider a balance transfer card.
“These typically come with an interest-free period of up to 24 months and can take the sting out of your interest charges.”
Serina Bird, personal finance expert and the author of The Joyful Frugalista, says being organised for Christmas is the best way to stay in control of your finances.
She also suggested Australians opt for creative and sustainable gifts as opposed to splashing on cheap plastic toys and gimmicks.
“People definitely spend a lot more at Christmas time, it’s an expensive time of year for everyone,” she told news.com.au.
“Have those conversations early. There’s a lot of vulnerabilities at Christmas because it’s not just your immediate family. Often it’s in-laws and other relatives so you feel like you need to spend to make sure everybody is happy and impressed.
“We often overspend at Christmas because we’re worried about other people being happy, and that can just lead us down a trail of debt and misery ourselves.”
WHEN TO BUY PETROL
Petrol prices are varying across the country in the lead-up to Christmas.
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane’s unleaded fuel prices were at their highest point in two years last week, but they are now dropping and will continue to fall in the days and weeks to come.
Rod Attrill, finance and household savings expert at comparison site comparethemarket.com.au, told news.com.au those major cities had already reached the peak in their petrol cycles and that prices were now “coming down the other side”.
“Each day you can hold off on filling up before any long Christmas drives the better,” he explained.
“It’s a better idea to top up rather than fill up with prices coming down until New Year’s or early in the new year – those three cities are seeing prices come off, with some by upwards of 2.5 cents by day.
“That’s a pretty good tip that can save you at the bowser, and also remember that sometimes service stations that are not along the main drive can be a bit cheaper.”
But Mr Attrill urged motorists in Adelaide and Perth to “fill up now” as prices were “on the way up”, with Adelaide due to reach its peak in the next week.
“Prices are certainly going to rise in those cities, so if drivers can get out and fill their tanks now that would be a really good thing to do,” he said.
Mr Attrill said prices were remaining “fairly constant” in Canberra as it had a different petrol price cycle that avoided the “big swings” other cities experienced.
He said all motorists should shop around and use fuel price apps – such as the comparison site’s own Simples Fuel app – to make sure they got the best deal possible.
“In the December quarter, motorists were paying an average of 149 cents per litre – 6 cents per litre more than the previous quarter,” Mr Attrill said.
“Fuel in Brisbane was the highest in the country, with a quarterly price average of 152 cents per litre, while Perth motorists paid the least, at 145 cents per litre.
“Petrol prices this Christmas are likely to fall, as most major cities have passed the top of their petrol cycles already, which is a huge relief for motorists filling up at the bowser this festive season.”
— additional reporting from Alexis Carey


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2013-12-08 13:58:33 - Recently published research from Business Monitor International, "Pakistan Agribusiness Report Q1 2014", is now available at Fast Market Research
We maintain a cautious outlook on the agribusiness sector in Pakistan, as growth in key segments - wheat, rice and cotton - will remain impeded by high input costs, lack of infrastructure, inefficient government policy and vulnerability to climatic changes. With production continuously falling short of demand, domestic prices have risen to levels that are making it difficult for these segments to compete in international markets. We highlight the need for investment and supportive government policies to bolster long-term growth in the sector, which according to our estimates accounted for more than 21% of the country's total GDP during 2012.
* Sugar consumption growth to 2017: 14.3%, to 5.0mn tonnes. Demand, boosted by growth in population and incomes, will
fall just short of supply until 2017.
* Rice production growth to 2016/17: 16.0%, to 6.5mn tonnes. Production growth will mainly be a result of base effects; year-on-year (y-o-y) average growth after 2012/13 will be sluggish, as demand for Pakistani exports stutters and domestic consumption remains low.
* 2013 real GDP growth: 3.6%. Down from 4.4% y-o-y in 2012.
* Consumer price inflation: 7.4% average in 2013 (down from 11% in 2012).
* BMI universe agribusiness market value: US$42.2bn in 2013 (down from US$43.3bn in 2012; forecast to grow annually by 1.2% on average to 2017).
Full Report Details at
- www.fastmr.com/prod/723611_pakistan_agribusiness_report_q1_2014. ..
There is little optimism about Pakistan's rice segment. Basmati rice farmers in Pakistan are seeking support from the government to help them offset losses incurred during August 2013 flooding. The flood hit the northern region of the country, which produces close to 50% of the country's total basmati rice. The Basmati Rice Growers Association of Pakistan has said that farmers are using heavy doses of urea-based fertilisers to revive the affected plants. This has increased production costs. The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan believes damage to 10% of the rice crop could increase prices by at least 10% during the year, thereby hurting exports. Basmati rice exports have already declined from 970,000 tonnes in 2010 to 630,000 tonnes in 2013, a drop of 35%.
With a complete recovery in wheat production looking unlikely in 2013/14, Pakistan is expected to import between 800,000 tonnes and 1mn tonnes of wheat during the 2013/14 marketing year. A major proportion of this is likely to come from the Black Sea region. In 2012/13, Pakistan imported only 200,000 tonnes of wheat. That said, the US has extended its cooperation to Pakistan as part of an effort to help the latter increase wheat production. In October 2013, scientists from the US and Pakistan introduced and tested a new variety of wheat - NARC-2011. The development is a part of the broader Wheat Productivity Enhancement Project, which aims to introduce disease-resistant wheat varieties to Pakistan.
Some solace for the sugar segment came in October 2013, when the government in Pakistan announced it will allow sugar mills to export 500,000 metric tonnes of sugar, from total production of 53mn tonnes. Local sugar mills and the state-run grain trader, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), reportedly have stocks of 1.9mn tonnes for domestic consumption. In addition, the TCP has procured a total of 50,000 tonnes of sugar from close to 40 mills in a deal totalling PKR2.51bn. It is hoped that the procurement will help millers meet their debts to sugar cane growers and thus enable them to make payments to banks.
The cotton segment continues to face a slew of challenges. Pakistan's raw cotton exports fell by a massive 67% y-o-y during 2012/13, to US$154mn, owing to reduced production and higher prices in the domestic market compared with those in the international market. Part of the loss in demand was also owing to quality issues; Pakistan loses out to markets such as India in this regard. In volume terms, exports were down from 1.5mn bales during 2011/12 to only 0.5mn bales in 2012/13.
About Business Monitor International
Business Monitor International (BMI) offers a comprehensive range of products and services designed to help senior executives, analysts and researchers assess and better manage operating risks, and exploit business opportunities, across 175 markets. BMI offers three main areas of expertise: Country Risk BMI's country risk and macroeconomic forecast portfolio includes weekly financial market reports, monthly regional Monitors, and in-depth quarterly Business Forecast Reports. Industry Analysis BMI covers a total of 17 industry verticals through a portfolio of services, including in-depth quarterly Country Forecast Reports. View more research from Business Monitor International at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1010
About Fast Market Research
Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.
For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com
or call us at 1.800.844.8156.


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.XXX: Lawley, Duke to Debate at XBIZ EU London Conference
LOS ANGELES — XBIZ is pleased to announce that it has slated a special .XXX debate session at XBIZ EU featuring ICM Registry CEO Stuart Lawley and Free Speech Coalition's Diane Duke.
The pair will discuss and debate issues relative to ICM's .XXX sponsored top-level domain and its upcoming Sept. 7 launch. The debate is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23 at 5 p.m.
Lawley, who founded ICM, told XBIZ he plans on discussing the benefits of .XXX domain names, particularly since the debate will be held during the sunrise period when industry members can register their names.
"I am sure the discussion will be lively, and I look forward to making the benefits and new opportunities that .XXX presents crystal clear to the attendees," he said. "With the launch starting on Sept. 7, it is about time we got the chance to publicly debunk the myths and misunderstandings that, in some quarters, surround .XXX, that have been propagated by certain special interest groups leading to unnecessary confusion in the adult webmaster marketplace."
Duke, who leads the adult industry trade group as executive director, told XBIZ that she plans on setting the record straight about .XXX and informing adult businesses about their options now that .XXX domains are rolling out.
"I would like adult businesses to walk away with the understanding that they have options, that they don’t have to give in and throw money at ICM to protect their brand and that purchasing a .XXX TLD could actually do more harm to their business than good," she said.
From Sept. 23-25, XBIZ EU will bring together industry executives from international markets at London’s Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury hotel, for a slate of unparalleled business-networking and deal-making opportunities.
Attendees can also expect three days of cutting-edge educational seminars, engaging technology workshops, special guest keynote presentations designed especially for the European market.
For event information and details, visit XBIZEU.com.


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Genius Sports debuted a new betting product in time for the 2022 World Cup next month. In-Play MultiBet is a live betting product that will add even more value to the offer of sportsbooks, and will boost turnover and opportunities.
The new product allows customers to bet on multiple events within a single match and, as Genius said, this is “an essential part of every major sportsbook’s offering. Through In-Play MultiBet, customers can place bets one once a game has started, allowing them to bet after every goal, touchdown and during breaks”.
Ultimately, Genius Sports hopes this product will appeal to both punters’ desire for greater control and bookmakers desire for better business opportunities. But we won’t have to wait long to see if this AI-powered product will succeed; it will be put to the test when the FIFA World Cup begins on 20 November.
In-Play MultiBet will also be available for the English Premier League, Liga MX and NFL, among other competitions around the world, including FIBA-sponsored basketball leagues and FIVB-organized volleyball competitions.
“Combining same-match game rooms with unstoppable growth in betting is a game-changing innovation for us and our partners,” said Jack Davison, Commercial Director of Genius Sports (CCO).
“Starting with the biggest sporting event of the year, the FIFA World Cup, In-Play MultiBet will enable our partners to unlock higher margins and drive engagement across major gaming and halftime events.”
Recently, Genius released a new free game “pick’em” in partnership with Indianapolis Colts and Caesars Entertainment, marking a major development and release moment for the company.


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Sugar Hill releases three Nickel Creek CDs on Record Day
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
– Sugar Hill Records will release a trio of Nickel Creek titles on deluxe vinyl - exclusively for Record Store Day, Saturday April 16. The titles include Nickel Creek's now Platinum certified debut, "Nickel Creek," "This Side" and their final Sugar Hill release, "Why Should The Fire Die?"
All titles are deluxe two-album sets featuring digitally remastered audio. A mandolin autographed by the members of Nickel Creek will be given away online as part of a Record Store Day promotion as well.
Nickel Creek began their relationship with Sugar Hill Records in 2000. Their self-titled debut has sold over one million albums to date. The 2002 release, "This Side," captured the Grammy for "Best Contemporary Folk Album." Their third album, "Why Should The Fire Die?," was released in 2005. The band parted ways in 2007 after their Farewell (For Now) Tour.
In its fifth year, Record Store Day is a day to highlight independent record stores. Limited edition vinyl and cd releases are made available exclusively for the day, and hundreds of musicians across the country perform at various events.
More news for Nickel Creek
CD reviews for Nickel Creek
Like those annual warnings predicting it's not a matter of if, but rather when a hurricane will strike some part of the U.S., the possibility of a Nickel Creek reunion was never in doubt. After all, when two of the players (Sara and Sean Watkins) are siblings and the third (the ever nimble Chris Thile) maintains an amiable relationship with the pair, a regrouping would seem somewhat inevitable. Happily though, the prospects are far more pleasant than the dire notice served up by the weather forecasters. ...


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DOWNEY, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 2,000 screaming girls and adoring fans turned out to see teenage professional skateboarder Steven Fernandez at Stonewood Center in Downey on Saturday, but the event was shut down prematurely due to the large crowds.
The teenager from Compton was scheduled with Keelan Dadd for a celebrity appearance at Zumiez clothing store at 1 p.m., but had to leave after more people than expected turned up.
"The clothing store and event staff were overwhelmed with the large crowd inside the mall, which caused the business to close their doors and cancel the event," Downey police released in a statement.
Authorities could be seen in riot gear and stores had their security gates closed as crowds were dispersed. The mall was temporarily closed, but reopened by 4:30 p.m.
In a Tweet, Fernandez blamed the police for not being able to meet his fans.
Video shows Fernandez being chased by fans into his car outside the mall.
No injuries or arrests were made.


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VIP Jeoun Transport and VIVO Energy Ghana, parent company of Shell Fuel Station, have partnered to launch a new service dubbed: ‘Premium Centre’ aimed at providing exclusive services to commuters from Accra to Kumasi.
Among the services that will be provided on-trip in the bus include free WiFi services, executive passenger waiting area, free luggage space, and a night police escort, all at GH₵65.
Commenting on the new service, the Operations Manager of VIP Jeoun Transport, Dennis Kusi, said the service was introduced as a niche market to provide commuters some level of comfort and luxury that has never been experienced before.
“Passengers who take VIP always know how comfortable our buses are. But this time, we want passengers to experience cruising like never before,” Mr. Kusisaid.
Also, commenting on the partnership, Marketing Manager of VIVO Energy, Jerry Boachie-Danquah, noted that his outfit shares the vision of VIP in travel life more easy and comfortable for clients, hence, Shell’s decision to provide the space for the buses.
“Shell is giving you everything you need in one place to make your life easier,” he said.
The Premium Centre service will be launched on Tuesday April 11th; with the first five passengers to be on board to receive 10 percent discount.
The Premium Centre service will be stationed at the Airport Shell filling station, with pre-booking departure times scheduled for 6am, 12 noon and 6pm.
Incorporated in 2008, VIP Jeoun Transport began operations in 2009 with just nine buses but now has over 400 fleet of buses.


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Kia Debuts New Carnival MPV at India’s Biggest Car Show
Today at the Delhi Auto Expo 2023, Kia showed off its new facelifted Carnival MPV. Called the KA4 there, the new Carnival looks like an evolution of the current MPV that we get in the U.S., and we will likely get the new one as a 2024 model. The new fourth-generation Carnival is a newer expression of the Carnival that we get in the US, and Kia gave it newer Telluride-inspired styling.
Is there a new Kia Carnival coming out?
Kia debuted the KA4, or Carnival, at India’s largest auto show. It makes sense as India is a growing, large, market for Kia. Though a new Carnival is also expected in the U.S., Kia has yet to confirm whether it will be this version, or something else yet. But, it’s likely that this is the new facelifted Carnival. Though according to some, like Car Expert, the new 2024 Carnival will take more styling cues from the EV9.
The new version has some hallmarks of Kia’s new design language. Like the small Kia Niro SUV, it has some blades behind the back doors that are painted in a contrasting color. It also appears to have more ground clearance than the current version, but that could be a visual trick created by the black trim along the entire bottom of the minivan.
According to the Times of India, it’s the new generation of Kia Carnival, at least for Asian markets.
Will the new Kia Carnival seat eight?
New Carnival will still have three rows. It also gets a new look that’s more angular, and it has a definite Kia Telluride look to the grille. But, unlike that SUV, it has automatic sliding doors. It will also get heated and ventilated front seats, wireless chargers, a dual sunroof, and “flex” second row seating.
It also has the ability to create a lounge, with second row seats that spin 360 degrees. For the driver, the new KA4 gets a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays, one on the center stack and one in the gauge cluster. The new Carnival will have big shoes to fill, however, as the current third-generation won many awards.
What is the Kia Carnival comparable to?
The Kia Carnival splits the difference or tries to, between a minivan and an SUV. It has classic two-box look of an SUV, but then it has sliding doors and the huge passenger volume of a minivan. While many compare it to the Toyota Sienna or the Honda Odyssey, it seems to attract a different kind of buyer. It has slightly less storage space.
Today’s Carnival comes in seven- or eight-passenger versions. It has automatic sliding doors, and the seats can fold flat. It has the same 290-horsepower V6 that you get in a Kia Telluride, but it only comes as a front-wheel drive vehicle. Today’s Carnival starts at about $35,000, but a pimped-out SX prestige version is nearly $50,000 with options.


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WOW! Vivo Y15s launches with ENTRY-LEVEL MediaTek chip from 2018 at Rs. 11000
Vivo Y15s has launched in India as the company’s entry-level smartphone at a price of Rs. 10,990. Here are all specs, details.
After rocking the market with the Vivo T1 5G a few weeks ago, Vivo has now launched another phone to cater to the entry-level segment. Called the Vivo Y15s, it costs Rs. 10,990 and takes on the likes of the Motorola Moto E40, Realme Narzo 20, and Redmi 9 Power. However, unlike the others in this segment that run a full-fledged version of Android 11, the Y15s runs on a watered-down Android 11 Go edition, upon which rests a version of custom FunTouch OS 11.1. Not a very powerful phone the, it seems.
It doesn't get better though. Underneath that pretty body sits a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset – an entry-level chipset from 2018 that wasn't powerful enough to begin with even in 2018. Vivo is using this four-year-old chipset on a phone that stands up against some fairly modern and certainly more capable phones from Motorola, Redmi and even Realme. And weirdly, Vivo pits the phone as one for the millennials who seek “cutting-edge” technologies.
Psst! That Helio P35 isn't exactly cutting-edge, Vivo!
Vivo Y15s: What else is there
By now, you have a fair idea of this phone being an entry-level simple model. Hence, it offers a fairly standard 6.5-inch HD LCD display with a small waterdrop notch holding an 8MP selfie camera. The rear cameras consist of a 13MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera. The phone comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.
Another highlight is the 5000mAh capacity battery but Vivo does not mention whether there is any kind of fast charging available on this one. The device sports a microUSB port for charging and data transfer. The phone is available in Mystic Blue and Wave Green colours.
Based on the specs sheet, the Vivo Y15s isn't exactly a desirable smartphone for the price it sells. In fact, the Moto E40 selling at a much lower price of Rs. 9,999 offers a much superior smartphone experience. You get the more powerful Unisoc T700 chip, a solid battery life, a 90Hz HD+ LCD display, an IP52 water repellent rating, and a much better 48MP main camera. Even the Redmi 9 Power at Rs. 11,499 offers a bigger 6000mAh battery, FHD+ LCD display, 18W fast charging, 48MP quad cameras, stereo speakers, and a Snapdragon 662 chip.
Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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How delicious is that cup of hot chocolate? The answer may lie in the color of the cup as much as the drink itself:
"The colour of the container where food and drink are served can enhance some attributes like taste and aroma," as explained by Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, researcher at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). Along with her colleague Charles Spence, from the University of Oxford (UK), the scientist has come to the conclusion in the case of drinking chocolate.
Both conducted an experiment in which 57 participants had to evaluate samples of hot chocolate served in four different types of plastic cup. They were the same size but of different colours: white, cream, red and orange with white on the inside.
Published in the Journal of Sensory Studies, the results reveal that the flavour of chocolate served in orange or cream coloured cups was better for the tasting volunteers.


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No one can argue that recently listed Trade Me has been a phenomenally successful business.
But having already wrapped up the New Zealand market, and Australia and other territories already occupied by strong competitors such as eBay, where does it go to from here?
Speaking to NBR yesterday afternoon, Trade Me chairman David Kirk said there was still a lot of room for domestic growth.
Higher classified fees
One area was Trade Me’s classified verticals – property, jobs and cars.
“There are opportunities to growth the number of listings, and to grow price over time,” Mr Kirk said.
Mr Kirk said Trade Me classifieds were cheaper than listings in other media. The site had to provide value for customers or it would lose listings, but at the same time there was room to increase charges in a “sensible, carefully managed way.”
There were no plans Mr Kirk was aware of to raise listing fees in Trade Me's core auction business.
A second area of growth was e-commerce. New goods now accounted for 40% of Trade Me sales, and there was potential to lift this further as retailers expanded their online business.
Trade Me had no ambition to hold inventory or build warehouses in the manner of Amazon, Mr Kirk said. But he saw a growing role for his company in maintaining a platform to host professional retailers. Trade Me could offer a trusted brand, and deliver a large audience.
Although there is no dominant, all-purpose e-tailer in New Zealand like Amazon.com, Mr Kirk did not think this left a gap in the market. He said many New Zealanders shopped at Amazon and other offshore etailers. “It’s a global market.”
Some Trade Me users will have mixed feelings about the site’s e-commerce ambitions. On some sites, such as eBay, it’s now difficult to wade through all the listings from commercial traders to find good, old fashioned amateur auctions.
A third growth area was Treat Me, Trade Me’s recently launched daily deal site.
The chairman said that, in financial terms, Treat Me was still in a start up phase.
Asked if daily deal sites represented a valid business model, the chairman was candid.
“To be honest, I really don’t know,” Mr Kirk said.
Like others, Mr Kirk saw New Zealand’s daily deal market (recently estimated at $158 million) as overcrowded.
“Not everyone’s going to survive,” Mr Kirk said. He saw Trade Me’s trusted brand as the key to it being one of the last deal sites left standing.
Once the market had consolidated down to two or three big players, it would become much more clear how much potential Treat Me had as a Trade Me unit.
Mr Kirk said Trade Me had no plans whatsoever to expand into Australia or any other territory at this point.
Dividend: Should stay at 80%
In Trade Me’s prospectus, the company says, subject to market conditions, it aims to pay 80% of its profit in dividends (equating to a 5.1% yield based on the company’s listing price).
The prospectus doesn’t speak to a time-frame beyond 2013. But Mr Kirk said that with the business generating a lot of cash, capital expenditure low, and no plans for major acquisitions, he saw dividends staying at the 80% level long term.
Mr Kirk disputed NBR’s description that Trade Me had been saddled with $166 million in Fairfax debt and parent company loans.
The one-time Fairfax chief executive said Trade Me had chosen to take on the debt. “Debt is always cheaper than equity,” Mr Kirk said. The debt level was appropriate for a company of Trade Me’s size.
Over the next two years, he saw Trade Me’s debt “staying at about the same level or falling marginally.”
More shares floated
Mr Kirk would not comment on whether more Trade Me shares would be floating (one third of shares were made available during its IPO,”
“That’s a matter for Fairfax,” Mr Kirk said.
This article is tagged with the following keywords. Find out more about MyNBR Tags


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It is understood that Zaim's new job responsibilities include continuing to serve core client Mondelez out of the US as well as setting up an e-commerce offering for the market.
No successor has been named, but Carat Asia-Pacific CEO Sean O'Brien will temporarily take over. Zaim indicated the company is in the final stages of a decision.
Zaim told Campaign Asia-Pacific in an exclusive interview that Carat has been looking for a replacement while he travelled back and forth between New York and Shanghai during an ongoing transition period that started early this year.
"I actually have two jobs now, and personally it's very taxing on me," he said. "My China job ends at 6 pm and my New York one starts then."
Having been in the mainland Chinese market for nearly 10 years, Zaim said he initiated his own career advancement in January 2015. "I need to move out now, not later, to benefit my career," he said. The condition was to look for his own successor before leaving China.
Zaim became CEO of Carat China in March 2012. The business has grown by 120 percent since then, he claimed, adding that China is now Carat's third largest revenue-contributor globally.
Last July, Carat China lost a decade-long client, BMW China, said to be worth US$450 million in billings, to Starcom China. Clients remaining on the roster include Adidas, British Airways, Disney Shanghai, Ferrero, Lego, Mondelēz, Nippon Paint, Pernod Ricard, Red Star Macalline, Wyeth, Pfizer and Tinghsin International Group.
Given the market's importance, filling Zaim's shoes is crucial. "I’ll be honest, the CEO task is more challenging than in 2012 since we are now growing from a larger base than before," he said.
Carat's management team is not in favour of hiring a "typical media-agency person who holds a traditional mindset", he said. However, existing second-in-commands at Carat China seem to fall into that category and are not a good fit, he said.
"The talent in the market is still very traditional," he said. "The first option, after looking internally as a rule of thumb, was to look for senior agency leaders from other media agencies, which we quickly decided within the first six months, this is not the route to take. The second option is to bring in someone with a slightly different background who will be more suitable for Carat."
The way Carat structures its operations is different from other international media agencies, Zaim said. "None of the other big media agencies have e-commerce divisions like us," he said. "When we set it up, we took a different wheel. E-commerce to us is still media: transactional media. So we went ahead and hired people from Taobao and other e-commerce platforms for this division."


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Across the internet, many analysts and researchers who take interest in such things are predicting another update to Google’s Panda algorithm. An update reputed to affect 1% of all sites on the internet today, many SEOs could be caught out.
Recent years have seen the US search engine giant make huge leaps forward to prevent spam sites ranking highly on their SERPs. However, with more than 30 million sites likely to be affected by this secret change, many bona fide sites could find themselves having issues.
The introduction of Panda in 2011 saw many so-called black hat sites knocked down the rankings; this is good. However, it also negatively affected highly regarded sites such as Forbes.com.
Keyword density problems have been the major issue here, but so has duplicate content. Though this can be hard to control, it is imperative that online marketers keep tabs on where their content is displayed and used by third parties.
A search engine optimisation campaign also requires the coherent management of links and meta tags, and ensuring these stay relevant to the page and the site. It is a process in and of cultivation and delivery.
The fact that the Panda changes are not to be fleshed out will rankle some in the search marketing industry. Particularly with Google claiming they would be more transparent.
However, employing white hat techniques, keeping keywords above the fold and not being to reliant on third party ads will always be favoured.
Monitoring sites found to be affected by the changes will also provide useful information for better targeted campaigns.


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Burgers from McDonald’s and Burger King now cost over five euros.Picture: dpa / Oliver Berg
The days of the one euro burger are over. Food prices aren’t just rising in supermarkets – Fast food chains and takeaway restaurants also pass higher costs on to their customers.
Due to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the prices of energy and food products such as oil, wheat, soy and meat are rising. As a result, Burger King, McDonald’s and other fast food chains have increased the prices of their products considerably.
Over five euros for fast food burgers
“Energy costs, such as electricity and natural gas, are a major driver of prices, and for other commodities such as beef, the 50 percent price increase was sometimes even greater,” he said. affirmed the Federal Association of System Gastronomy, to which Burger King and also the North Sea belong, compared to “Chip .de”.
For all hamburger dishes at McDonald’s and Burger King, more than five euros are currently owed. For comparison: the classic Big Mac and the standard Whopper now cost € 5.49 – according to “Chip.de” this is 90 cents more than two years ago and 50 cents more than last year.
And even small takeaways suffer from delivery bottlenecks: Where until recently you could order a doner kebab for 3.50 euros, today you sometimes pay between five and six euros.
Delivery bottlenecks due to war in Ukraine
Many countries depend on imports from Ukraine. For example, Germany gets 90% of its sunflower oil needs from the country. But due to the war, trade relations are currently suspended. A sharp rise in demand from hamster purchases also results in bottlenecks and empty shelves.
Sometimes there are large gaps in oil platforms. Bild: rtn – radio tele nord / rtn, frank bründel
Germany’s dependence on Russia’s oil, coal and gas imports also plays an important role. The development of alternative trade routes should help reduce this dependence, but until then, prices will continue to rise.
French fries are becoming more expensive due to insufficient harvests
But not only the war in Ukraine is responsible for customers having to dig a little deeper into their pockets for their burgers: Crop failures are also responsible for rising prices. In 2021, for example, the potato harvest was poor due to the weather. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture reported that there was a 9.2% decline in crop yield from the previous year due to the cold spring and changing summer weather.
A serving of King Pommes currently costs a whopping € 3.29 – last year the fried snack was only € 2.79. This incurs an additional 50 cents. At McDonald’s, you also pay 3.69 euros for a large portion of fries.
Sunflower oil, cereals, cucumbers and tomatoes: after the prices of various foods have increased in recent weeks, now the next price hike looks imminent: dairy products are now affected.


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- You are here:
- mark ovenden
Stateside, Ford execs are quick to point out the automaker's expansion in the plug-in sector. And despite a minimal presence in the pure EV space, the Blue Oval has been promoting its plug-in vehicles as part of an overall effort to boost fleetwide fuel economy. Too bad the company's UK chief ...


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HELENA, Mont. — A petition on Change.org is pushing to have Montana sold to Canada to help pay off some of the U.S. national debt.
Petition creator Ian Hammond wants to sell the state to Canada for $1 trillion.
“We have too much debt and Montana is useless,” according to the petition. “Just tell them it has beavers or something.”
More than 7,500 people have signed the petition as of Tuesday. The petition is trying to reach at least 10,000 online signatures.


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At its launch event yesterday, LG was pretty vague about the availability of the G3 outside of Korea. Thankfully, all the four major carriers in the United States have already confirmed that they would be launching the phone later this year on their network.
The LG G3 will be available on all the four major carriers in the United States — T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. While T-Mobile and AT&T did not announce any specific details about the handset, Sprint confirmed that the Shine Gold color of the handset is going to be exclusive to their network and would also support their HD Voice and Spark LTE network.
Verizon also confirmed that the G3 would be XLTE ready providing users with super fast download speeds. None of the carriers have announced the launch date or pricing details though. T-Mobile and Sprint, however, announced that they have a few “beta model” of G3 up for grabs.
Check out the information page of the LG G3 on your respective carrier website for more information. Expect details about the price and release date to be available sometime towards the end of next month.[Via AT&T, Sprint & T-Mobile]


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Online retail sales showed healthy gains on "Cyber Monday," a key kickoff for online shopping for the holiday season, surveys showed.
London Fashion Week opened on Friday with a new push for online sales, as designers seek to turn the democratisation of the catwalk through live streaming and Twitter into cold, hard cash.
Many people looking for a new puppy for the family are buying them online - with significant potential risk of future health and behavioural problems with their dogs, according to University of Adelaide research.
US online retail sales are expected to grow to $294 billion this year, with nearly one-third of the total from mobile devices, a research firm said Monday.
Two independent studies use two very different approaches to reach the same conclusion: some online retailers really do have an advantage over traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
RadioShack rarely talks about its online business. While e-commerce has exploded in the past decade, the Fort Worth, Texas-based consumer electronics chain's online sales have declined more than 20 percent.
Most stores were closed but Americans still managed to shop on Christmas Day—increasingly on their smartphones.
As the online holiday shopping season winds down this weekend, analysts who track sales say there's at least one clear winner this year: Amazon.com Inc.
European Union antitrust regulators have raided the offices of several companies that make and sell consumer electronics and domestic appliances, in an investigation into whether they artificially boosted the prices of goods ...
Online sales during the US retail sector's Cyber Monday promotion grew 16 percent from last year to $2.29 billion, lifted by more shopping on mobile devices, a market tracker said Tuesday.


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Soft drinks sold in Australia have higher levels of glucose, which is linked to an increased chance of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, a study shows.
- Some Australian soft drinks 22 per cent higher in glucose than US brands
- Increased glucose linked to heart disease, diabetes
- Over 30 per cent of people regularly consume soft drinks
An international comparison, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, revealed several popular Australian soft drinks had glucose levels which were 22 per cent higher than those found in the United States.
Professor Bronwyn Kingwell, from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, said the findings were particularly relevant for Australians who drank lots of soft drinks.
"Given that glucose, but not fructose, rapidly elevates plasma glucose and insulin, regular consumption of Australian soft drinks has potential health implications regarding type 2 diabetes and its complications," she said.
Many leading health organisations — including the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Consumers Health Forum — have called on the Federal Government to consider introducing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks, to combat rising rates of obesity.
"Given the high rate of consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and type 2 diabetes and heart disease, these new findings are of significant concern," Professor Kingwell said.
In Australia, soft drinks are usually sweetened with sucrose, while in the US, high-fructose corn syrup is the main sweetener.
Professor Kingwell said the health effects of having too much high-fructose syrup were well known, including a build-up of fat in the liver.
But she said not as much was known about the health risks of consuming glucose-sweetened drinks.
Professor Kingwell said the latest Australian Health Survey found 39 per cent of all men and 29 per cent of women regularly drank sugar-sweetened beverages, making it the largest source of sugar in the Australian diet.
"Given the already high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in Australia and high rates of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, these new findings are of significant concern and warrant further investigation as soon as possible," she said.
Research from the Obesity Policy Coalition showed a 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks in Australia could save more than 1,600 lives and raise $400 million per year for obesity prevention initiatives.
Soft drink manufacturers have rejected calls for a sugar tax, disputing the link between soft drinks and obesity.


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These days 3D printing is becoming popular for the way it drives the printing process into new realms. It has become an essential part of many industries, and is loved by designers for the value it provides as an efficient way to prototype new products. Given the rising popularity of 3D printing, this article will highlight the industry trends that will boost profits.
The market potential of 3D printing
The 3D printing market was valued at USD 13.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.1% from 2021 to 2030. Adding to these optimistic trends, specialist firms in the industry have also predicted a 27% average yearly growth rate for the 3D printing market, hitting a market turnover of $115 billion by 2030.
These rapid growth rates are mostly due to the increased usage of 3D printing in prototyping, tooling, and design in the manufacturing and industrial domains. This is due to the rising demand and more adaptable features offered by various modern 3D printers.
Furthermore, the expansion of 3D printing applications into many other fields, such as healthcare, consumer items, and education, will likely be an even bigger driver of the 3D printing industry. And with 3D printers becoming more affordable and widely available, their usage is no longer confined to the traditional manufacturing sector, but is gradually expanding to cover domestic and household usage as well.
Popular 3D printed items
The development of 3D printing for industrial products is mainly driven by the growth of the 3D metal printing industry, which demonstrated a CAGR of 22.9% from 2021 to 2030, with a market value of $22.6 billion.
Applications for 3D metal printing centered around manufacturing processes such as prototyping, tooling, and creating functional parts for the automotive, aerospace & defense, healthcare, consumer electronics, and construction industries. The Asia Pacific region is the market that is expected to see the most significant growth over the next 5-10 years, in view of the industrial and construction needs of the emerging markets.
The growth of the 3D metal industry is largely due to the fact that the 3D printing process is much faster than traditional manufacturing parts production. This is particularly true for some built-to-spec, uniquely crafted items such as customized gears and shafts. 3D printing offers both flexible and tailored industry solutions as the designs, dimensions and shapes printed can be highly adjustable with the relevant software.
And of course, while metal printers may require a high initial investment, these days 3D metal printers start from a much more economical price, yet are still able to promise high strength and high productivity.
Fortunately, for those businesses that may struggle with the initial investment needed, there is a good alternative to enter the 3D printing business for industrial products. That is, by hiring a 3D printing service to have your desired 3D printed products delivered directly to your door. Such highly customized options often provide not only flexibility in terms of 3D metal printing material but also versatility in terms of 3D printing technologies.
The dentistry industry is the most prominent specialization in the medical field that has embraced 3D printing technology. 3D printers are used for the production of different dental prosthetic devices. The dental 3D printing market is expected to grow by more than two-fold within five years from now, up to $7.9 billion in 2027, from the current estimated market size of $3.1 billion.
Three main factors that propelled this growth include the rise of the cosmetic dentistry in line with the rising worldwide disposable income, increasing tooth loss issues among the world’s aging population, and the fact that 3D printing in dental applications can help to improve the overall speed, throughputs, and quality of dental prosthesis equipment.
The current average market price for a dental-grade 3D printer is typically around $3000 per set according to industry experts. In the wholesale world, however, costs are influenced not only by volume but also by the launch of innovative, lower-cost technologies, such as the introduction of LCD technology-based 3D dental printers. Wholesale level LCD 3D dental-grade printers can be as low as around half the average market price or even way below that.
Fashion items and accessories
The exclusivity and highly customizable nature of 3D printing makes it a good alternative for the fashion industry. Among all types of fashion products, jewelry stands out as the most suitable item for 3D printing and this is in part because of the high growth of the jewelry market world wide, with a CAGR of 12.1% between 2019 to 2026. But it is also due to the way 3D printers match the needs of jewelry designers.
Through the use of computer design software, 3D printers help to substantially reduce the reliance on the otherwise labor-intensive handcrafting process for complex jewelry designs. Furthermore, 3D printing precision technology ensures optimal accuracy and detail, which meets the requirements of jewelry production techniques such as engravings and filigrees. Overall this means that 3D printing has made jewelry production more cost-effective and offers an effective, time-saving solution to designers’ needs.
Similar to dental 3D printers, resin-based printers are most suited for 3D jewelry printing and the emergence of LCD 3D printing technology has opened up more possibilities for lower-cost 3D jewelry printers, for example, this model which is similar to the one featured in the picture below.
The bottom line
Overall, 3D printers offer a unique solution to many industries worldwide and this will drive the growth of 3D printing market for machines and services. For those interested in entering this market, there are three key products that one should pay attention to in order to gain a competitive edge, which are industrial, medical, and fashion products. And the good news is that the advancement in 3D printing technologies has enabled lower investment possibilities, particularly at the wholesale level, which makes 3D printers more accessible for large and smaller businesses alike. Those interested in capitalizing on this growing market could look into these factors further or check out the range of 3D printing machines available on Alibaba.com.


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AOL is gradually rolling out its giant multimedia Project Devil ad units across its own properties, but the firm has even bigger hopes for the ad experiment. Ultimately, the company aims to deliver the units on non-AOL sites, too. The next step leading in that direction, however, will be the placement of the units on an additional eight sites next month.
AOL introduced the Devil ads – which enable features like video, mapping, and social media functionality – on just two of its properties, Moviefone.com and StyleList.com, in September. The publisher will add another eight of its sites to the short list in November, according to Dirk Freytag, SVP at AOL and CEO of its ad management platform company, AdTech. AdTech powers ad serving and management on AOL properties and runs ad delivery and management for hundreds of publisher sites in the U.S. and Europe, the bulk of which are based in Europe.
Devil ads for Wal-Mart appeared on Stylelist yesterday, according to an AOL spokesperson. When the product launched, AOL said seven brands would run the units: Cheerios, Lexus, Macy’s, Olay, Pillsbury Crescents, Sprint, and Suave Professionals.
AOL is not hurrying the roll out. Since the ads are the sole placement on pages where they appear, the addition of the new units has resulted in fewer impressions, said Freytag. Yet, he said although the inventory volume has decreased, ad revenue has remained the same. The company expects its ad revenue to grow as the Devil promos are disseminated across its sites, he told ClickZ News.
“We’re learning,” said Freytag, explaining that the extension of the ads will be gradual.
“We need advertisers to understand and accept this is something different,” he said, while stating that AOL intends for the initiative to “help the industry.”
In its stated goal to help publishers bring in higher ad prices, AOL is taking a similar tack to the Online Publishers Association. The OPA last year introduced new jumbo ad sizes in an effort to generate more premium ad dollars for its publisher members.
If AOL does go through with its plan to extend the Project Devil ads to non-AOL sites, it is unclear whether the firm would use its broad-reaching Advertising.com network to do it. But it seems like the logical approach.
We all know that Facebook is a viable source of huge amounts of mobile traffic with relatively cheap CPCs). It’s too good an opportunity to ignore in today’s digital landscape - even if your mobile landing-page experience isn’t up to snuff.
For years, advertisers have tolerated a big elephant in the room: the fact that their digital ads aren't always appearing where they would want them to.
Deep learning tools are the next major area of AI-based research, and it will spark a wave of future innovation in every industry – bringing a new era of marketing which both advertisers and end-users will benefit from.
B2B marketers will soon have a new best friend in LinkedIn, as the professional social network is set to launch a number of powerful new ad targeting options later this year.


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Baanx.com has just announced that Ian Scarffe will join David Drake and many other Blockchain figures on their Advisory Board. Now listing 2 of the top 3 listed Global Blockchain Experts on ICO Bench.
Baanx.com is delivering a fast-growing Decentralised Cryptobank Network – where businesses, brands, banks, charities, and individuals can white label the Cryptobank in their own name and promote to their customer following, whilst sharing their Banking Licenses in a rules-based environment.
Ian Scarffe will provide vital counsel on business-critical issues such as investor relations, marketing, partnership and business development. Having been integral in many very large Blockchain Foundations within recent times he is rated as one of the top leaders in this field.
Baanx.com is very pleased to welcome Ian Scarffe, a highly experienced Blockchain Expert, entrepreneur, and advisor, to our Advisory Board. Ian has already been invaluable to Baanx.com and we are excited to continue working with him on a formal basis going forwards”, said Garth Howat, CEO & Founder.
Ian Scarffe is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and consultant with business experience from around the world. As a leading entrepreneur, Ian is on a personal mission to develop a culture of entrepreneurship, helping startups achieve their full potential as well as helping to expand existing companies.
An expert in Bitcoin, Blockchain and Crypto industries, Ian Scarffe is at the very heart of revolutionizing the financing industry across the globe and currently consults and advises for a range of companies. Scarffe’s overall mission is to foster a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities across the world.


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Titan International Inc. is hosting farm, forestry and off-the-road tire service training sessions with the Tire Industry Association (TIA) this summer.
Nokian Tyres plc is building a research and development center focused on heavy commercial tires at its headquarters in Nokia, Finland. It's the company's second major investment in the heavy tire segment in the past year.
The latest tires for forestry applications from Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) are designed to face the most diverse forestry applications.
Primex brand forestry tires from Alliance Tire Group are the Southeastern Wood Producers Association's (SWPA) “Tire of Choice” for the second straight year.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has named James Crouch as its new original equipment manufacturers (OEM) manager for agricultural and forestry tires in North America.
Nokian Tyres plc has unveiled a full range of new forestry skidder tires for North America and abroad. The Logger King LS-2 comes in five sizes and is designed for the most demanding forestry work.
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. plans to purchase the Alliance Tire Group (ATG) in a deal that exceeds $1.1 billion and is expected to be finalized on July 1, 2016.
As the economy goes, forestry follows. And for forestry tire dealers, improvements in the economy and specifically the construction business are good signs for 2016.
The Trelleborg Wheel Systems division of Trelleborg AB has improved the performance of its forestry tires by borrowing innovations from its agricultural tires.
The Trelleborg Wheel Systems division of Trelleborg AB has borrowed innovations from its agricultural tires to improve the performance of its new line of forestry tires. The Twin Forestry tires series is available worldwide
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has been selected by GIANTS Software as an official partner of the new Farming Simulator 15 video game. As a result, agricultural and forestry machines within the game are fitted with Trelleborg’s tires.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has added a new size in its T418 line of forestry tires.
Nokian Heavy Tyres has introduced a new 35.5L-32 26-ply Forest King TRS LS-2 skidder tire made specifically for the challenging conditions in the United States and Canada.


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We know that ‘Google My Business’ is the new shopfront – the very face of your business. But what lies ahead for the tool that’s already become a consumers’ go-to for first impressions? Cutting out the eCommerce middleman, of course. Andrew and Chris talk Google My Business’ latest eCommerce features and what it means for the future of online shopping in our 104th episode of ‘Get Fact Up’.
Chris Hogan speaks to Naomi Spies of Ruby Communications about the benefits of an open-door policy and remote and flexible workspaces. Live interview from ISR Training's Q&A-style event 'Entrepreneurs (The Real Stories)'.


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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management contract with Compagnie Tunisienne de Développement Touristique for a new upscale resort and conference property in the port city Sousse, Tunisia. Scheduled to open in July 2009, the beachside Mövenpick Resort & Thalasso Sousse will comprise 627 rooms, including 39 suites. Six restaurants, five bars, a nightclub, tennis courts, and the Thalasso Centre with a health and fitness club as well as an indoor seawater swimming pool will also be on the property. For business travelers, the resort will boast a conference hall with space for more than 800 people and three executive boardrooms
The resort’s location will be near a shopping mall, casino and 36-hole golf course and North Africa’s largest international airport will open in Enfidah, 30 minutes from Sousse, in November.


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Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has introduced a new generation of Wallet-as-a-Service.
According to the platform’s Jan. 23 announcement, the embedded wallet service will be an enterprise-grade solution based on Coinbase’s Wallet-as-a-Service technology, allowing developers to create non-custodial crypto wallets.
“Secured by advanced MPC technology from the world’s most reputable name in crypto, Coinbase Embedded Wallet is the easiest, fastest, and most secure way for brands and builders to bring the world onchain.”
Currently, the program is available only to a few people; users must fill out a form to apply for a wallet. If a user chooses to provide their personal information, Coinbase will use it to facilitate alpha testing and contact interested developers.
Last month, Coinbase launched a new wallet feature that makes transferring funds worldwide more accessible. Users can now transfer money by sharing a link via various channels, including widely used messaging apps and social networks. The update added compatibility with various social networks and messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Telegram, and Snapchat, as well as by email.
In addition, Coinbase introduced Instamint function on its platform, a tool that allows users to create non-fungible tokens (NFTs) using AI. For a limited time, Coinbase is offering a free NFT experience.


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Blockchain technology is one invention that has gained attention recently in the constantly changing world of finance and technology.
Blockchain is now recognized as a significant factor in transforming the payments industry. In this article, we will examine how blockchain technology is altering payments by enhancing their security, effectiveness, and accessibility. Enhanced Security The increased security offered by blockchain technology in payments is among its most important benefits.
Traditional payment methods rely on institutions, like banks, to verify and keep track of transactions. This technique is centralized and prone to fraud, hacking, and data leaks.Read more on curiousmindmagazine.com


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Adobe Systems on Thursday said it reached an agreement to acquire Scene7, a move meant to help Adobe offer online media delivery services.
Scene7 offers rich-media hosting services, specifically for delivering images to Web sites.
Adobe said the acquisition helps expand its interactive-publishing services. Earlier this year, CEO Bruce Chizen said the company intends to offer an online version of image-editing application Photoshop sometime this year.
"This acquisition will help Adobe build out a robust Internet infrastructure, allowing us to further develop Scene7's brand name customer list and accelerate the online availability of technologies relied on by millions of creatives worldwide," John Loiacono, Adobe's senior vice president of creative solutions, said in a statement.
Financial terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close at the end of May, were not disclosed. Scene7 CEO Doug Mack is set to become vice president of creative solutions at Adobe.
Although Adobe is one of the largest vendors of packaged software, company executives say online services will play a larger role in Adobe's offerings.
The timing of the acquisition comes only a few days after Microsoft announced an early version of an. The service aims to complement Microsoft's Silverlight browser plug-in, which can be used for displaying rich media such as videos.


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InMobi, a leading provider of content, monetisation and marketing technologies that help businesses fuel growth, today announced a direct integration of its InMobi Exchange supply-side side platform (SSP) into Yahoo’s demand-side platform (DSP).
This will give advertisers, brands and media buyers across Yahoo’s extensive global portfolio of clients direct access to premium in-app supply and a global user base, at scale.
Previously, InMobi’s substantial supply of international audiences had only been available through third-party exchanges for Yahoo; this collaboration provides SDK-powered direct inventory, without intermediaries, creating smooth supply path optimisation for advertisers around the world and establishing increased transparency and efficiency for buyers. For InMobi’s wide stable of publisher partners, being plugged directly into Yahoo’s DSP means increased monetisation capability and higher coverage with premium Fortune 500 brands.
“Yahoo and InMobi have a long and distinguished presence in the region and their direct integration brings together two heavyweights for the first time at scale,” says Richard O’Sullivan, VP and GM, Australia & New Zealand at InMobi (pictured above). “Advertisers accessing Yahoo DSP will now have access to mobile-first inventory across both premium supply and the increasingly, in-demand gaming.”
Yahoo’s omnichannel DSP is fuelled by more than 200 billion data signals, enabling optimised and efficient reach and relevance. Yahoo partners with the industry’s premier supply, including its own SSP, to bring advertisers and brands robust inventory opportunities, while driving supply optimisation.
“Supply path optimisation is an important element that many are focused on throughout the industry,” says Kunal Nagpal, senior vice president and general manager, Publisher Platform and Exchange at InMobi. “This partnership gives advertisers a straight line to the Yahoo DSP with greater efficiencies in setting-up and optimising campaigns to better reach target audiences.”
“Yahoo cultivates robust, diverse premium supply,” says Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, vice president of Global Revenue and Client Solutions at Yahoo. “In partnering with InMobi, we’re creating a more direct line of sight for advertisers and boosting transparency and optimisation opportunities.”
The first major exhibition of advertising and communication design in the NGV’s history, The Rigg Design Prize 2022 highlights the creativity underpinning the work of eight leading Australian-based agencies. For the exhibition, each agency will develop a suite of campaign assets – including billboards, street posters and moving image – to celebrate how creativity can […]
After 11 months of quietly building up their new business Queen Charles, Alex Carr (pictured, left) and Jon Kelly (pictured, right) have finally found enough time to launch their brand and experience consultancy to the wider market. Based in Sydney, Queen Charles aims to help businesses of all shapes and sizes consistently stand out and […]
Dentsu International has announced the appointment of Michael Bass (pictured) as chief trading officer, media, Dentsu Asia Pacific. With over 20 years’ experience, Bass’ career has included a range of senior investment and trading roles across the media sector. Bass spent seven years at IPG Mediabrands as trading director of Initiative and subsequently moved on […]
Integrated communications firm Icon Agency has been ranked the fourth fastest growing agency in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, according to the 2022 PRovoke PR Agency ‘Fast Movers’ rankings. Icon’s fee income for calendar 2021 grew 84.3 per cent, making it the fastest-growing and largest independent agency in Australia. The Melbourne-based indy was ranked […]
Tiger Brokers, an online broker for millennials and Gen Z, is offering fans the chance to win sideline seats to Melbourne Storm’s Round 21 clash against the Titans at AAMI Park (Friday 5 August 2022). The campaign has reached its peak, and now every Australian can also have the chance to win a Melbourne Storm […]


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Sambrook quits Data Select after five and half years to become new sales director at 20:20 Mobile
20:20 Mobile has appointed Data Select business development and operations director Philip Sambrook as its new sales director.
Data Select sales director Ian Miller will take on Sambrook’s fulfilment accounts whilst current marketing director Jason Kemp will head up the retail team.
Sambrook, who joined Data Select in 2007, will team up with the Crewe-based hardware distributor later this month.
His appointment is understood to part of an expansion of 20:20 sales team.
Prior to joining Data Select, Sambrook spent two years heading up Carphone Warehouse’s SIM-free distribution business Mobile Phone Express before it closed in October 2007. He later joined former airtime distributor Fone Logistics as its head of sales for two years.
Data Select confirmed Sambrook has left the firm. 20:20 Mobile was unavailable for comment.


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Colorado Walgreens stores going solar
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The company estimates once all the solar systems are installed, it will result in the reduction of some 47.5 million poinds of carbon dioxide emission in the next 20 years, based on calculations from Environmental Protection Agency data.
The first Walgreens store to get the green upgrade is the one at 24250 E. Smoky Hill Road, Aurora. Stores in Arvada, Boulder, Centennial, Dillion, Englewood, Erie, Grand Junction, Lakewood, Littleton, Sterling and Thornton are slated to get the solar panels in coming months.
“A strong commitment to the local community is one of our company’s core values,” Menno Enters, director of energy and sustainability at Walgreens (NYSE: WAG), said in a news release. “SolarCity is helping us contribute to the health of the local communities we operate in by providing us with clean energy as well as contributing to the local economy in Colorado.”
The solar push began for the drugstore chain in 2007. Walgreens officials have vowed to reduce the company’s energy use in its 8,057 stores, with 125 million square feet of retail space, across the country by 2020. It’s also responding to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Challenge.
“The adoption of solar by companies like Walgreens has an economic impact in the community as it drives the growth of local jobs. Since we launched our services in Colorado in 2009, our two local offices in Denver and Parker now employ more than 180 people,” said Eric Wittenberg, SolarCity’s (Nasdaq: SCTY) regional vice president of Colorado.
Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog. Phone: 303-803-9232.
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Torchy’s Tacos is scheduled to open its first Frisco restaurant next week.
The Austin-based restaurant chain serves a variety of dishes, boasting, most of all, its “damn good tacos.” While the menu offers some traditional tacos — including beef and chicken fajitas — most are made with a twist, using special ingredients.
The Texas Hottie — the chain’s taco of the month — is made of a hot chicken tender, cayenne sauce, cabbage slaw, chow-chow pickled relish, honey and cotija cheese, served on a flour tortilla.
The Trailer Park taco is prepared with fried chicken, green chiles, lettuce, pico de gallo and cheddar jack cheese, topped with poblano sauce — but guests can “get it trashy” and replace the lettuce with queso.
Jalapeno cheddar sausage, pico de gallo, cheddar jack cheese and poblano sauce come with the Republican taco, while the Democrat taco is made of barbacoa, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, onions and a lime wedge, topped with tomatillo sauce.
The chain also serves a variety of breakfast tacos — including migas and chorizo — and chips with salsa, queso and guacamole.
“Happy Hour” runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday with discounted beer and margaritas — from a house frozen and Tito’s Cherry Limeade to the Torchy’s Tini and Perfected Patrón.
Their “weekend cures,” served only on Saturday and Sunday, include the mimosa, bloody Mary, tequila sunrise and sangria.
Torchy’s will open June 16 at 2947 Preston Road.


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Feds Shut Down More Than 1,600 Fake Online Pharmacies
Authorities from the Food and Drug Administration closed these illegal pharmacy websites and sent letters to hundreds more that sell counterfeit prescription drugs and dangerous supplements.
The Wall Street Journal: Authorities Shut Down 1,600 Fake Pharmacy Websites
Federal regulators and law-enforcement agencies shut more than 1,600 illegal pharmacy websites this week, including fake Walgreens and CVS websites. The Food and Drug Administration also issued warning letters to operators of hundreds of websites that sell counterfeit prescription drugs and potentially dangerous supplements that contain active ingredients used in erectile-dysfunction drugs (Dooren, 6/27).
CNN: FDA Shuts Down 1,677 Online Pharmacies
The prices may look tempting, but ordering from an online pharmacy is often a bad deal, according to Interpol and the U.S Food and Drug Administration, announcing a crackdown Thursday on thousands of websites. The FDA said it has shut down 1,677 sites for selling counterfeit or substandard medication, or for selling drugs without appropriate safeguards. Other sites received regulatory warnings. Officials said they also arrested 58 people and seized more than $41 million worth of illegal medicines (Hellerman, 6/27).


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KFC Introduces Homegrown Canola Oil
17 May 2012 --- KFC is supporting local Australian farmers, using HOCAN, high-oleic canola oil developed to keep the iconic KFC taste. Nikki Lawson, Chief Marketing Officer for KFC Australia, is proud to announce the brand’s ongoing investment in the Australian economy.
17 May 2012 --- KFC Australia announced they will be introducing canola oil to cook its freshly prepared foods, sourced entirely from Australian farmers. The oil will be rolled out across KFC’s Australian stores by the end of May, delivering the same great taste people know and love.
KFC is supporting local Australian farmers, using HOCAN, high-oleic canola oil developed to keep the iconic KFC taste. Nikki Lawson, Chief Marketing Officer for KFC Australia, is proud to announce the brand’s ongoing investment in the Australian economy.
“KFC is proud of the association we have with Australian farmers across the spectrum of our menu. Our entire range of chicken and all our fresh produce is homegrown and locally sourced. Our move to canola oil deepens our commitment to providing our customers with the best quality food, grown and cooked in our own backyard,” said Ms Lawson.
KFC has been trialing the new oil in Tasmanian stores since October 2010 ensuring its chicken keeps the iconic KFC taste. The canola will be sourced from reputable Australian suppliers, including Cargill, MSM Milling and Integro Foods.
“We are delighted that KFC is sourcing 100% of its canola oil from Australian farmers. This is a great vote of confidence in the Australian industry,” said Stuart Roberts, managing director of Integro Foods, a division of Goodman Fielder Limited.
“KFC’s decision to switch to high-oleic canola oil 100% sourced from Australian farmers is great news for consumers and the Australian industry.
“Australian consumers increasingly want to be able to make informed decisions about their food, expecting companies to be transparent about where their food is sourced and how it is cooked. Cooking with high quality oil sourced solely from Australian farms is a fantastic example of a company listening to its customers and delivering on their expectations.”
Canola farming is a $1.6billion industry in Australia with the 2011/12 season turning over 3 million tonnes of canola. With over 10,000 Australian farmers growing canola, KFC is investing in the local economy to deliver homegrown, high quality food.
“By late-May 2012, all our stores across Australia will be using canola oil to cook our great-tasting chicken. At KFC, we are continually looking at new ways we can support our local community and deliver quality food to fellow Australians,” said Ms Lawson.
In early 2012, KFC also introduced fresh salads and free range chicken options to its menu as part of a wider initiative to deliver great-tasting food to Australians.
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The Menu Foods pet food contamination and recall has put us over the edge. How little concern is going into the production of a sold item that is meant the extend the life of a furry family member, not cut it short.
So we created a Pet Food Recall Resource Center on our sites. There you’ll find headlines of the most recent Alerts and News, links to stay in the nose and links on how to get active.
If you have any items you think we should add, just let us know. So far I think the Dogster Dog Blog has been the single biggest source of all recall news thank to Joy Ward intrepid coverage and every making sure she knows every single last detail that could save a pets life. We’re backing this 100% and doing all we can to get the word out farther and faster.
Much woof and meow!


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By Emma Koehn
Ballarat small business owner Paul Ballinger has spent two years battling real estate listing giant REA Group over his right to use a few simple words and says he has no regrets despite the process costing tens of thousands.
"If you’ve got a business and a trade mark, you’ve got to be prepared to stand up for it," the owner of Real Estate Home Loans said.
Mr Ballinger has owned and operated his regional mortgage broking business for close to 20 years. The company trade marked its logo — a house with the phrasing "Real Estate Home Loans".
In 2017, REA Group lodged applications for two trade marks relating to its mortgage broking arm, "Realestate.com.au Home Loans". It applied to register its own logo with IP Australia, the federal government agency that administers intellectual property rights and legislation, as well as directly owning the wordmark for the brand.
Mr Ballinger was looking to expand his own business at the time, and news of the applications concerned him, given his belief the two brands were similar. He decided to object, initiating a process with the Australian Trade Marks Office that eventually cost his company $50,000. His business turns over $500,000 a year.
"The thought process was, 'We've just got to protect our position'," Mr Ballinger said.
He said Real Estate Home Loans tried to negotiate with REA Group ahead of time but claimed the company would not engage with offers to compromise.
In August, trade marks hearing officer Debrett Lyons decided the two companies' logos were not similar enough to confuse consumers and that REA Group was allowed to trademark its logo.
However, Mr Ballinger's objection to the company trademarking the words "realestate.com.au Home Loans," was accepted, with the decision noting the words were not distinct enough to the brand for REA Group to lay claim to ownership of them.
Mr Ballinger, whose company owns assets including the website "realestatehomeloans.com.au", saw that decision as a hard-fought win to protect his own brand.
However, the decision has no impact on how REA Group runs its branding or on what it calls its home loans offer.
Mr Ballinger said while he did not regret taking on the REA Group his experience showed even having a trade mark was no guarantee of protection.
"I registered the trade mark 20 years ago on my own. What I own is the logo with that terminology, that's where it gets very frustrating. You pay trade mark office fees, you have to renew every 10 years, but it doesn't automatically protect you. If there is an issue, you have to be prepared to spend the money to protect your position," Mr Ballinger said.
REA Group declined to comment on its applications for trade marks or the results of the case.
Objections take at least a year
Objecting to a trademark application takes at least 12 months and almost always requires assistance from intellectual property lawyers.
IP Australia said the objections process is designed to give both parties to an intellectual property dispute the chance to organise evidence and prepare their arguments before a decision is made.
"While I understand the opposition process can be confronting for small businesses, it is a more cost effective and less stressful option than pursuing the matter through court. It is important to remember that only 2 per cent of all accepted trade mark applications ever get opposed," said Paula Adamson, general manager of the trademark and design group at IP Australia.
Mr Ballinger said the costs of fighting an infringement of a trademark in the general court system are significant and there should be a simpler way.
"You are talking possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars now [to fight a case]. It would have been good if there were a more cost-effective resolution system for this type of dispute."