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Auto dealers fret over delay in policy review
Elizade rolls out scheme to tackle economic slump
The endless delay in review of the nation’s automotive policy is creating a challenging market scenario for industry operators who lamented that the situation is going from bad to worse.
Indeed, the billions of naira invested in setting up vehicle assembly plants are being threatened, as players said government’s poorly planned automotive policy and the current revenue shortfall in the country subjected the sector to many challenges that may continue to deter foreign investors.
Speaking in Lagos at the 2016 Fleet Managers’ Forum titled; ‘Innovation at Work’ organised by Elizade Nigeria Limited, the Chairman of the organisation, Herbert Ajayi, said: “The not-so-coordinated economic policy of government in the automotive industry is not helping matters.”
The National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), which was launched in 2013, under the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration attracted top automakers across the world, as manufacturers were wooed to set up vehicle assembly plants.
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration earlier in the year, endorsed the initiative, when the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, told players that the plan was laudable, adding that the policy would be fine-tuned in order to set an effective implementation framework and incorporate a number of suggestions offered by local automakers and other stakeholders.
Managing Director of the company, Ademola Adejo, who said the sector was struck by double tsunami – government continuous silence and economic slump urged government to give a clear path that would enable investors make necessary plans.
“We have put up plants, investing billions of naira into assemblage however, when setting up plants; you are to have markets for the vehicle you want to building. But what we see today is a shrinking market. In 2014 we had total size of 50, 000 units but the market size has crashed.
“Market size is going down, while we are increasing market capacity. We already tabled our plea before the government; there are only two countries like with the kind of population we have that do not have viable automotive sector. In terms of population and size, Nigeria should have a viable auto industry. But as much as 800,0000 used vehicles are being imported into the country. We can’t favour importation of ‘tokumbo’ vehicles and expect a new car market to grow.
“Things are getting more difficult than we expected. We can’t make new purchase to go ahead with our businesses. The market is grossly uncertain. With a population of about 180 million people, Nigeria has the potential to manufacture vehicles, but how can we attract investment if we make the situation uncertain to investors?”
Adeojo, who said the organisation has offered 50 per cent reduction on cost of labour and 17.5 per cent off cost of spare-parts to help customer prioritise preventive maintenance as way of surviving the harsh economic condition, said government must address fundamental challenges in the sector to create a viable automotive industry.
Urging government to create a viable finance option to ease vehicle purchase, Adeojo said: “We are in a very tough time in the country. Today, the exchange rate is over N500 to a dollar in the parallel market. While others are facing the economic downturn, we are confronted with the forex problem and the challenges of automotive policy.”
The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) had told the Buhari-led administration to promote a policy environment that is conducive to the development of the automotive sector if the country is willing to unlock the economic potential of the Continent.
Lamenting that prices of new vehicles have risen exponentially, Adeojo said, the automotive policy and dollar-naira inequality left the organisation with limited customer satisfaction options.
Stating that car lovers must consider buying JAC motor, a new brand the company is marketing in the country, he said the firm would remain relevant by offering products that could deliver optimium value for money.
Adeojo said the organisation would reinforce its partnership with users to deliver maximum level; standard and innovation that would reduce the challenges as recession hits.
“We have invested so much in IT to improve our services so that we can manage and deliver value to customers,” he disclosed.
Adejo, who disclosed that the company was working new services centres as it look out for new ways that would reduce challenges for vehicle users said the country needs to stand together and tackle necessary challenges with one voice.


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'Childbirth is a mother': New business, postwell, turns 'postpartum into post wellness'
Two years ago at a friend’s baby shower, Oakley resident Jess Kerr had an epiphany: The pink and blue gift bags were filled with lots of cute clothes, blankets, diapers and other baby necessities, but not much for mom.
That seemed unfair. After all, she’s doing all the work, right?
Months later, Kerr later received a sobbing phone call from her friend who was standing in the aisle at her neighborhood Target store less than 24 hours after leaving the hospital following delivery. "I had no idea I would leak everywhere," her friend said as she cried. "No idea what to get or what to do here."
Her friend was in pain with no idea what she needed to buy to be more comfortable. And she was too embarrassed and uncomfortable to ask strangers for help.
“I felt like we, her friends, had failed her,” Kerr said. “She didn’t need the six matching onesies I gave her, she needed mesh underwear and overnight pads.”
Giving moms what they need after delivery
That haunted Kerr, and she decided to take action. After a two-year gestation, Kerr is delivering a new product, postwell gift boxes, filled with what new moms need to look after themselves following delivery.
She has experience working with launching businesses. "I tell people to fall in love with a problem, then build the solution," she said. "So I took my own advice."
“Childbirth is a mother,” is the tagline on her mom-care product boxes. “We turn postpartum into post wellness."
Kerr said she was frustrated with the Instagram-world depiction of life after childbirth. "It's like models holding babies," she said. "And if your experience isn't like that, how does that make you feel? It's not real," she said.
Postwell is going to deal with what's real.
What's in the postwell box?
Postwell has two boxes available now, with two others in development.
Kerr said the $60 basic box has all of the postpartum recovery essentials with no frills, helpful regardless of birth plan — vaginal, C-section, home birth or natural. For mom’s relief and comfort, the box contains:
- Rael Overnight Pads
- Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray
- Earth Mama Herbal Sitz
- A Momwasher Peri Bottle
- Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads
- Tucks Pads
- Medline Deluxe Perineal Cold Packs
The $30 Trifecta has the three absolute "must have" products for postpartum recovery: Rael Overnight Pads, Earth Mama Herbal Perineal and the Momwasher Peri Bottle.
She said she's interested in adding quality products that are a good value. And she's seeking products produced by companies that are owned by women and moms.
Postwell box a way for women to share what to expect after birth
Kerr said she hopes the box is not only useful because of what's inside it, but that it acts as a conversation starter so women can share what to expect with the mom-to-be.
"I am hoping the postwell box will help women talk. Your friend or sister gives this to you and you have a real talk about real-life expectations. I want women to be prepared and empowered to own that time. They have just given birth."
Kerr, a 2016 graduate of the University of Dayton’s Entrepreneurial Studies and Marketing program, is well versed in what it takes to start a business. She’s currently a program manager for The Brandery, a Cincinnati startup accelerator that invests in five to six high-growth startups per year and helps them launch.
Practice what you preach
Now she's putting into practice what she tells other startups.
She did a lot of research before launching her new gift line, spending months interviewing first-time and experienced moms as well as hundreds of doctors and NICU and delivery nurses, midwives and doulas to find out what every new mom needs in those days after delivery.
She said moms were a great source of what works. "I don't have kids," she said. "So I was interviewing everyone I could find."
Then she set out to build boxes that would help those moms when they come home after delivery.
What's next for postwell?
Kerr has new boxes in the works. In the planning stages are a “motherload” box sometime in the next month that will have extra pads, packs and more breastfeeding aids for mom. She’s also planning a C-section box soon.
There will also be a special packaging line for moms who experience delivery and place babies for adoption or experience the death of the baby following delivery. "Those moms still need the physical aftercare," Kerr said.
All the feels
Kerr said she's grateful for what she's learned working with so many start-ups, "I've learned from the best and they've been incredibly helpful," she said.
"When it's all said and done, and you are getting ready to launch the site, it's exhilarating and terrifying," she said. "That moment before you hit send… I never understood what I was asking others to do until it was my send button being pushed. It has increased my respect for them, and now I understand.
"It's so rewarding."

domain: news


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WNYC’s new iPhone app is now live in iTunes, the latest product of our mobile partnership with New York Public Radio. The WNYC app follows on the heels of its classical cousin, WQXR, whose iPhone app launched last month. We’re working together on Android versions for both, coming soon.
WNYC is one of the top public radio stations in the country, with an exciting mix of news, culture, and music. The app was designed to present this abundance of content in a way that’s appealing and easy to navigate. You can listen to programming, read blogs and news feeds, find local events, pledge your support, and more.
The app is powered by the PRX station app platform, which streamlines the development and updating process while letting WNYC’s unique identity take center stage.
Learn more about WNYC and the app in this press release.


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Horizon Zero Dawn hit store shelves for the PlayStation 4 on February 28, 2017. To celebrate the game’s second year anniversary, updated sales figures have been announced. Since launch, Aloy’s first journey has crossed 10 million units in sales. It’s an impressive feat for a new IP, particularly one from a studio known for first-person shooters that’s transitioned into the wild world of third-person action RPGs.
Guerrilla Games’ Managing Director Herman Hulst announced the news in a post on the PlayStation Blog. In his post, Hulst speaks of his and the team’s surprise at still receiving messages from fans about the game’s impact. He continues, “and yet, here we are, already well over 10 million copies sold worldwide; the idea that we were able to bring Aloy’s journey to so many players is astounding.”
August 2018 marks the most recent report on Horizon’s sales numbers. Then, the title had reportedly reached five million copies sold at retail. Earlier in 2018, on Horizon’s first year anniversary, Sony revealed the game had surpassed seven million units sold, digital and physical copies included. Much of the three million units sold across the last year can likely be attributed to the release of the Complete Edition, which launched in December 2017.
The celebratory blog post also features cosplay photos and images of fan art, all of which are worth checking out. In addition, Hulst offers a brief look into the making of Horizon Zero Dawn. One anecdote he recounts is that Killzone 3‘s intruder pilot, Jammer, was used as a model for Aloy in the title’s earliest stages of development in 2010. He also reveals that when the team finally found a suitable model for Aloy, it was in Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra.
Horizon Zero Dawn Sales Cross 10 Million Units in Two Years
Now the wait persists for Horizon Zero Dawn’s inevitable sequel.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]


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Retail parks see lowest vacancies for five years
Retail parks remain resilient with the vacancy rate falling to 4.7%, the lowest level since 2018, following an ongoing period of strong occupational demand.
Savills research shows 92 store openings in Scotland last year, the highest level since 2019. Momentum has continued into the first quarter of this year with 27 openings led by Lidl, Poundland and Home Bargains.
As a result of this strong activity, vacancy rates across Scotland currently stand at just 4.3%, which remains below the UK average of 4.7%.
Overall, Savills has seen the discount retailers and F&B operators continue to drive acquisitions, with Lidl remaining the most active retailer taking 50 units in the UK last year, followed by Greggs at 34.
In Scotland, the retailers accounted for seven and three openings respectively.
Savills says the vacancy rate is expected to fall further over the course of the year. A number of additional deals have already exchanged and are awaiting on conditions such as planning or refurbishment, which, when complete, will likely bring the vacancy rate down to even lower levels.
A substantial proportion of the vacant stock in Scotland is also either largely obsolete or due for repurposing or redevelopment.
Ian Buchan, director in the out of town retail team at Savills Scotland, comments: “A combination of lack of development, absence of corporate failures and the ongoing strength of new openings have led to a real shortage of available space across retail parks in Scotland.”
The research from Savills shows that net effective retail parks rents rose 1.1% in 2022, with the drive thru sector seeing more significant rental growth of 8.9% due to the volume of operators vying for space of that format.
Sam Arrowsmith, commercial research director at Savills, adds: “Despite the strength of wider headwinds, rents across the retail park market have remained robust.
“Given the lack of availability, there is a confidence that we will continue to see further growth going forwards, with 2023 already getting off to a strong start as retailers continue to expand out of town.”


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According to a New York Times article, nearly 10 percent of Americans do not have bank accounts. These and other underbanked people may be taken advantage of by lenders, check cashing facilities, and pawnbrokers through excessive interest rates and fees. Fortunately, in this country, there are many options for consumers to choose, including prepaid debit cards. What if the Postal Service explored partnering with prepaid debit card providers to sell prepaid debit cards at post offices, just as they are now sold at other retail outlets?
A microbusiness is just what its name implies. Very small. As in nine employees or less. But don’t let size fool you — microbusinesses are essential to the U.S. economy, making up roughly 75 percent of private businesses.
You can find microbusinesses in agriculture, law, and online...Read More


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Brad Paisley's 2022 Ocean City concert is canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances"
After first being postponed from its original September 2021 date, Brad Paisley's rescheduled Ocean City concert set for June 12 has now been canceled.
The announcement by Special Events Productions Inc., which stages entertainment events for the town of Ocean city, cited "unforeseen circumstances."
All tickets will be refunded through the original point of sale beginning March 14, according to the announcement. Contact Ticketmaster for refunds on tickets purchased through that agency. Refunds for tickets purchased through the Roland E Powell Convention Center box office can be picked up there.
More:Ocean City vigil offers hopes, prayers for Ukraine: PHOTOS
More:Oceans Calling: What do we know about Ocean City's new three-day music festival?
When the original concert was postponed in 2021, here's what promoters had to say:
"Ocean City Concerts regrets to inform the fans that due to sponsor concerns, the promotors of the event have decided to reschedule the Brad Paisley concert," according to the statement.


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For most ardent Ganesh devotees, a ringside view of the Ganpati visarjan at Mumbai’s Girgaum Chowpatty would probably be a dream come true. For 18-year-old Malavika Amte, the dream came true last year when she won a chopper tour of the Ganesh idol immersion ceremonies across the city. The contest was a joint promotion by Vodafone and RadioCity, and Amte was among 22 winners from across Mumbai. Neither company says how much the contest cost, but clearly both consider it money well spent. They’re planning to repeat—and extend—the contest this year, taking it to Pune and Kolhapur, and also launching a similar theme around Navratra in Ahmedabad next month.
What the Ganesh Mahotsav is to Maharashtra, Onam and the snakeboat races are to Kerala. And if Lalbaghcha Raja is the undisputed king of celebrations to honour the elephant god, Alappuzha’s Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the de facto leader of the 20-odd snakeboat races in Kerala. This year, though, the long sinuous raceboats were upstaged by a small raft—it entered Punamuda Lake before the chundans, holding afloat a Mahindra & Mahindra Maxx, launched in the state just a month earlier. M&M also sponsored a boat for the race; team members wore red t-shirts with the Maxx logo and the vehicle was part of the pre-race parade. All this for just Rs 2 lakh—the cost of sponsoring the boat. The return on investment, though, is expected to be manifold. “Once people know that a company is supporting them in the boat race, even if it sells poison, they will readily consume it,” remarks Sunny Thopil, a veteran boatsman from Alappuzha.
No one is selling poison but, yes, companies are seeking new ways to curry favour with their consumers. And festivals seem to have the ‘it’ factor that’s crucial to success; indeed, increasingly, festivals are becoming big business for India Inc. The growing community participation is a heaven-sent opportunity for marketers and brand managers to showcase their offerings and make an emotional connect with a virtually captive audience that’s eager to spend. And since the Hindu calendar is bursting at the seams with celebrations for one deity or the other, there’s occasion to do this almost without pause from August until January. (The festivities around other religions, such as Eid and Christmas, are welcome bonuses.)
Take a peek at some numbers: there are over 10,000 Durga Puja pandals, more than 20,000 Ganesh Mahotsav pandals and several hundred Garbha mandals during the respective festivals. Chennai alone hosts 3,000 music concerts during the katcheri season. A few hundred million people attend these festivities across the country every year, each spending two-three hours at the venue on average. Imagine the customer-brand interaction potential.
The Spending Season
So, what are companies doing? Festive season marketing immediately calls to mind ‘puja’ discounts and exchange offers. But that’s not what this is about at all. Activities centred on the congregation sites—the Diwali melas, Garbha mandals and Ganesh and Durga Puja pandals—are the flavour of the season among marketers. They put up banners and hoardings at pandals, set up stalls and even do on-site brand launches. Branded entry arches, pillars, gateways and visitor-assistance booths are also becoming commonplace—some companies even set up their own puja pandals.
Not surprisingly, there’s big money involved. Brand specialist Harish Bijoor, who is CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults, estimates the festival advertising market to be worth at least Rs 1,000 crore. (Many media planners think that’s an underestimation, since the Mumbai Ganesh festival alone garners a few hundred crore.) According to Bijoor, in a market where brands are largely seen on television, festivals are an opportunity for the consumer to touch, feel, smell and even taste them. “The brand gets off the pedestal and into people’s lives as they celebrate something close to their hearts.”
For marketers, the choice of festival is easily decided: there has to be large-scale community participation and it has to be family-friendly. That’s why the biggest Indian festivals—Holi and Diwali—don’t strictly qualify. Holi and Janmashtami celebrations are boisterous, raucous affairs and not very family-friendly, while Diwali is mainly celebrated at home, with close family members. Even the now-popular Diwali melas are largely about pre-festival purchases of lamps etc.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of being present in a puja pandal or any community-based festivity is that the target consumer group is available en masse and virtually captive (“trapped” inside the festive arena). Consumer interaction with the brand in these places is then measured in hours, rather than minutes—exponentially increasing the chances of conversion, since even the usually-value-conscious Indian becomes an unapologetic shopaholic during festivals .
Queues at Lalbaghcha Raja, one of the oldest and biggest Ganpati Mahotsavs in Mumbai, stretch for kilometres and devotees wait for several hours along the road for their chance to see the idol. For a brand manager, then, it is unthinkable to be not present on the Parel-Lalbagh road for those 11 days. Huge banners and hoardings cover the two-km stretch of road leading to the pandal, while beverage companies such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola set up stalls at regular intervals.
According to Sudhir Salvi, Committee Member of the Lalbaghcha Raja Mandal, the queue of advertisers seeking branding space begins in May. Last year, the committee earned Rs 2 crore as ad revenues, while donations from devotees crossed Rs 10 crore; this year, Salvi estimates ad revenues will be around Rs 3 crore, and daan-peti (donation-box) collections, Rs 13 crore.
Radio channel Big FM has paid the committee Rs 25 lakh to air the aarti live for the duration of the Mahotsav, while Tata Indicom and Varun Industries have paid similar sums as sponsorships—their hoardings dominate the pandal and its surroundings.
Not Just Ads
Of course, it isn’t only ads. Tata Indicom has launched a prepaid mobile plan especially for the festival season, which is being promoted with television commercials on local Marathi channels as well as an elaborate on-ground activation programme at the puja pandal and 13 other Ganpati pandals across the city. “This is the perfect occasion for us to amplify our message,” points out Lloyd Mathias, Chief Marketing Officer, Tata Tele Services. “People are in a festive mood and are much more receptive to our messaging than they would normally be.” He adds that while such an association does result in incremental sales, what is more important is the resonance it creates with consumers.
More than the Ganesh Mahotsav, though, companies make a beeline for Durga Puja and Navratra. George Agnelo, Vice-President (Sales), Dabur India, explains why. “Ganpati celebrations come with strong religious sentiments. So, you can’t do many activations around the Ganpati pandal and are restricted to, at most, a few branding activities.” Durga Puja and Navaratra, on the other hand, are more like “carnivals”, says Anuradha Aggarwal, Vice-President, Brand and Insights, Vodafone. “Not only do people come to offer prayers but the fun element is much higher.”
And companies are only too eager to join in the fun. That means programmes such as the makeover marathon launched by Dabur at 10 Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata last year; centring on its facial bleach brand Fem, the company promised women a makeover in just 15 minutes. Dabur’s Agnelo claims that such activations lead to an almost 30% jump in seasonal sales of the company’s beauty brands.
Other FMCG companies are also thinking out of the box. Marico, for instance, has a tie-up with the Lokhandwala Sarbojainik Durgoutsav in Mumbai where, in exchange for 1,000 litres of Saffola oil, the bhog offered to the deity through the five days of festivities and subsequently distributed among devotees is branded as Saffola Healthy Bhog. “This is an excellent way to reach out to the community and make them feel we care for them,” points out Sameer Sathpathy, Marketing Head of Marico. He adds that associations such as this lift Saffola sales by almost 10-15% post the festival season.
Similarly, the Kolkata-based Emami has earmarked Rs 1 crore this year for spends on festivals. And that’s not for putting up Emami posters in pandals. Instead, the company will organise a bhog competition between the various Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata. The bhog is to be cooked using Emami’s recently-launched edible oil brand, Healthy and Tasty. Another event involves door-to-door delivery of bhog in branded containers. “The idea is to integrate Healthy and Tasty in the day-to-day life of people,” says Aditya Agarwal, Marketing Director, Emami.
Of course, increased visibility of the brandname is also vital, especially given the footfalls at Kolkata’s puja pandals. Emami doesn’t plan to be left behind in that; in fact, its branding exercise will begin before the puja starts. Typically, Kolkata pandals are theme-based and organisers keep them shrouded in tin sheets until the grand opening, so the mystery is maintained. This year, Emami plans to sponsor branded tin sheets for some of the biggest pujas in the city.
Even more than consumer products companies, though, telecom companies are seeking new ways to reach out to devotees during the festive season. “Festivals give us the opportunity to know our customers. For a brand such as ours, which doesn’t have much legacy, it is crucial to bond with our target audience,” says Rajiv Bawa, Head, Corporate Affairs, Uninor. That means going beyond mere sponsorship and advertising—Uninor has an elaborate festival marketing plan this year and plans to be present in festivals across the country. Bawa declines to share details but others aren’t so reticent. While puja organisers in Kolkata point out that the company has been willing to buy inventory (ad space) at even twice the asking rate, JD Bhai, an Ahmedabad-based Garbha organiser, claims to be organising a Navratra event for Uninor in the city. “Uninor felt it is better to have a Garbha of its own rather than sponsoring here and there,” he says.
Festival season marketing doesn’t impact regular advertising.
Better Than TV?
Does the economics of festival-season marketing pan out? Most companies, especially those in the FMCG sector, report spikes in sales during and after the festival season. “By giving them an experience such as this [the aerial visarjan tour], we succeeded in touching their emotions. Listenership will automatically follow,” points out Ashit Kukian, Marketing Head, RadioCity. That confidence is echoed by Jubin Mani Kurien, Sales Manager, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kerala. Referring to the Maxx activation during the boatrace, he says: “All this will definitely help Maxx sales pick up in the coming months. The impact will be over the long-term.”
But ’tis the season to spend, after all. So, will on-ground activations trigger the spurt or will it happen more naturally? Most companies aren’t sure, but they aren’t too worried, either. “I don’t think people purchase SIM cards at a puja pandal. The idea of being in a festival is to tell people we are a part of them and we care for them,” points out Bawa of Uninor. Dabur’s Agnelo seconds that viewpoint. “Our brands do see a decent increase in sales during this time, but the idea of being on-ground is more to connect with people,” he says.
For their part, media planners believe on-ground festival promotions do give brands a fillip. Compared to a below-the-line activation on a regular day, festival-season engagements will generate higher returns, believes Ambika Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of Jagran Solutions (the activation arm of Dainik Jagran). And compared to TV? A 10-second spot on Star Plus on primetime would cost a brand Rs 1-1.5 lakh. In contrast, Indicom’s activation (the prepaid scheme launched at Ganesh pandals) “will enable the brand to reach millions at almost 1/15th the cost of what it would have paid to be on prime-time on a leading general entertainment channel such as Star Plus,” points out Srikanth Raman, General Manager of StarWiz, the activation arm of media agency Starcom MediaVest.
The hype around festival marketing notwithstanding, regular advertising continues to grow. In fact, the festival season often sees new advertisers appearing on television, radio and print (See: Ad Season). Still, on-ground activations often prove invaluable. “Star Plus definitely would give the advantage in terms of reach, but a branding in a puja pandal has an advantage in terms of the captive audience a brand would get. The translation of the message into sales could be higher,” he adds.
That’s an insight consumer durables, FMCG and telecom companies have known—and used to their advantage—for a while. Now, increasingly, radio and television are also finding festival gatherings an excellent platform to connect with their audiences even off-air.
Already, the daily soaps on Hindi channels weave special, festival-centric episodes into the storyline. They’re now going a step forward by taking stars of the popular shows out of the screens and into pandals, where they interact in character with visitors. Last year, Zee Bangla took Oindrila Sen, who plays Dusthu in the popular show Saat Paake Bandha, to the Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata. ‘Dusthu’ participated in the festivities, chatted with her fans and gave them insights on the show. This way, the Bengali channel not only encouraged sampling of its shows but also strengthened ties with existing viewers. The Zee group also owns four big Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata, costing about Rs 25 lakh each. The investment makes immense sense, says Sujay Kutty, Business Head, Zee Bangla. “During the pujas, it is not only the people of Kolkata, but lakhs of people from various places in Bengal who visit the city to see the pujas. This makes it the best opportunity for us to showcase our shows.”
Meanwhile, the Zee Group’s Marathi channel, Zee Marathi, has been leveraging the popularity of the Ganesh Mahotsav. It has organised the Sarvojinik Ganesh Utsav Mandal Spradha, a pandal contest across 12-13 towns in Maharashtra. The judges will be characters of popular shows from the channel. “The entire state waits year-long for these 10 days of festivities. By these activities, we build a direct rapport with our consumers,” points out Nikhil Sane, Business Head, Zee Marathi.
The Star Network, however, has a slightly different approach. Instead of setting up its own pandals, Star Ananda, the Bengali news channel, has created an on-air property Sharad Ananda, which features pandals across Kolkata. The channel has tied up with more than 50 pandals across the city to buy visible branding space across these pandals, which it resells to on-air advertisers. For instance, a consumer durables brand that buys inventory in Sharad Ananda also gets an on-ground presence in the pandals. The property, according to Neeraj Sanan, Head-Marketing, Star Ananda and Star Majha (the Marathi news channel from the group), is worth Rs 2 crore. “An activation exercise like this makes more sense because I can reach out to more pandals and more people. Had I adopted a few pandals, my access would have been limited,” he points out. The network has a similar property for its Marathi channel, Majha Bappa.
Divine Opportunity For Organisers
It isn’t only the marketers and brand managers who benefit from spending on festivals and community gatherings. For the organisers of such events, it’s a divine opportunity to make their celebrations bigger and better. The cost of setting up Lalbaghcha Raja last year was Rs 2 crore, which it made up in ad revenue alone; the Rs 10 crore collected from devotees were used for the committee’s various charities and community activities.
The scale of Kolkata’s pujas has also increased exponentially with increased corporate participation. Arijit Maitra, President of Samaj Sebi, a puja committee in South Kolkata, recalls how difficult it was to get a sponsor for his puja just five years ago. Now, he routinely turns away advertisers, citing lack of space. “Two years ago, I sold stalls for Rs 5,000. Last year, stalls went for Rs 20,000 each,” he says. This year, brands are even willing to pay 50% more.
In Gujarat, too, brand involvement in Garbha mandals has made the nine nights of festivities more colourful. Popular clubs such as Karnavati and Rajpath spend Rs 50-70 lakh in organising a Garbha event, and usually end up richer by Rs 10-15 lakh; more than half the money comes from advertising. For the past few years, Airtel and Vodafone have been the leading sponsors of most Garbha events in the city, but this year, two new telecom rivals, Uninor and Docomo, have jumped into the fray. Despite the increased competition, Airtel claimed the title sponsorship of the coveted Karnavati Club Garbha, but at Rs 20 lakh—a 30% premium over last year.
Of course, there are festivals that are thriving even without advertising. The 117-year Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati Trust in Pune is one of the richest in Maharashtra and has still managed to stay away from advertisers. Mahesh Shankar Suryavanshi, Accountant at the trust, declares that the trust relies only on its Hundi collections, which were Rs 10 crore in 2009.
There’s also a different type of corporate association at play in Chennai’s music festival. Corporate sponsorships are the bread and butter of these music sabhas—the Music Academy, the largest Carnatic music organiser in Chennai, for instance, has N Murali, Joint Managing Director of The Hindu and R Seshasayee, MD, Ashok Leyland as patrons. But there is no commercial angle—the associations are driven more by love of music.
Meanwhile, even as companies and brands vie for pride of place at festivals, the nature of the event itself may be changing. In Mumbai, for instance, many Durga Puja pandals are becoming elitist affairs, focusing on advertising by premium brands and catering to a more upscale crowd. At the Lokhandwala pandal, which is led by Bollywood singer Abhijit Bhattacharya, advertising rates start at Rs 5 lakh and go up to Rs 20-25 lakh. Bhattacharya is clear he will only entertain top brands; last year, Kingfisher Airlines created an air-conditioned lounge inside the pandal for VIP devotees. “Our puja attracts the cream of Mumbai in terms of footfalls,” he says to explain the puja pandal’s positioning. The pandal attracted 30-35 advertisers last year and 50,000 visitors over five days.
Bhattacharya isn’t alone in going upmarket. Krishnendu Sen, CEO of outdoor marketing agency Katha Advertising, also started a premium pandal in Mumbai last year. “The promise I made to the advertisers was that this would be a corporate puja that would be graced by the who’s-who of the corporate world.” The advertisers were asked to customise stalls to suit their brand identity. A leading five-star hotel chain set up an air-conditioned lounge in the pandal and was also asked to take care of the F&B section within the lounge. Similarly, restaurant chain Mainland China, which set up a food counter at the pandal, had a custom-designed stall. From 15 advertisers last year, Sen claims to have got half as many more this year. He also expects the number of visitors to go up from 10,000 last year to 20,000 per day.
The Fatigue Factor
The premium pandal may not bring brands the eyeballs they would get at more traditional gatherings, but such innovations do address a problem that’s creeping into festival marketing: fatigue. For a relatively new marketing avenue, the risk of burnout has assumed alarming proportions. Already, companies are complaining that the festival marketing space is becoming overcrowded and that there’s a sense of sameness to the activities. “We are reaching a point where the law of diminishing marginal utility will kick in and the effectiveness will reduce,” points out Atul Nath, MD of below-the-line marketing company Candid Marketing.
With everything about the festivals—from the rituals, to the physical space, from the arati to the prasad—becoming monetised, an overdose of brand participation is perhaps only to be expected. Bijoor agrees, but also believes that consumers are becoming increasingly desensitised. “The thinking is clear: ‘If the pandal has to be as big as the one I want to see and hang out at, it needs money. If a corporate is paying that money, so be it.’”
Perhaps the way out may be to increase the depth, rather than the breadth of association with festivals. Starcom’s Raman suggests that “brands need to create a value chain and ensure that they associate with the community even after the festival. Many festival organisers spend a significant amount of their festival spoils on CSR activities. Companies should also participate in those CSR activities.”
By Ajita Shashidhar With inputs from Navan Ignatius, Karthik Krishnan, Sriram Srinivasan and Himanshu Kakkar. Email us at business AT outlookindia.com
The cover story was bang on. Festivals have become very commercial over the last decade. Before that, festivities used to be less showy and more religious. Soon, I see festivals becoming only a means to rake in more money.
In Festive Business (October 2, 2010), Sujay Kutty, Business Head, Zee Bangla, was identified as Nikhil Sane, Business Head, Zee Marathi. The error is regretted.
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The FBM KLCI opened higher on Monday, as investors welcomed reports that profits at China's industrial firms grew by 19.1% yoy in August, the fourth straight month of gains, buoyed in part by a rebound in commodities prices and equipment manufacturing. Traders put their focuses on the first debate between US President Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Tuesday ahead of the November election. Investors also anticipated a new fiscal support in the US as well as UK-Europe post-Brexit trade talks as they continue this week. Market participants await for the release of August trade data later in the day. In early trading, the healthcare sector, financials, utilities were mainly higher. Meanwhile, shares in basic materials, consumer discretionary fell. A decline in oil prices in Asia also pushed lower energy stocks.
Historically, the Malaysia Stock Market (FBM KLCI) reached an all time high of 1896.23 in July of 2014. Malaysia Stock Market (FBM KLCI) - data, forecasts, historical chart - was last updated on September of 2020.
The Malaysia Stock Market (FBM KLCI) is expected to trade at 1489.40 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 1431.14 in 12 months time.


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Passing the Assembly, A.B. 431 authorizes a person to operate one or more brew pubs in this State and increases the number of barrels of malt beverages that such a person may manufacture for all …More
Review a consolidated presentation of the latest legal proceedings or filter updates by state below.
Government affairs current issues, news and announcements from the Brewers Association and members of the House and Senate Small Brewers Caucus.
On December 20, 2017, Congress passed H.R. 1, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Learn more about how this bill could affect your brewery.
Passing initial committee consideration, Senate Bill 181 seeks to raise the tax on malt beverages from 16 cents to 24 cents per gallon.
Passing the House, H.B. 161 would require beverage manufacturer licensees to pay the beer tax on beverages sold at farmers’ markets.
Companions Assembly Bill 6404 and Senate Bill 5173 seek to increase to 2,000 the number of barrels that a restaurant brewer (brew-pub) may produce to sell at retail or wholesale. The current limit is 250 …More
Amended prior to passing he House to remove provisions relating to increasing the barrel cap under which self-distribution and no cause termination of distributors are effective, House Bill 500 retains provisions relating to the sale …More
H.B. 642 seeks to increase the number of additional retail locations to ten where a brewery may sell its malt beverages and to authorize a brewery to sell its malt beverages at the brewery regardless …More
Passing the House, House Bill 480 seeks to require the ABC commission and the department of revenue to certify on an annual basis that brewery and distillery permit holders are compliant with state tax requirements …More
Pennsylvania brewer D.G. Yuengling & Son has entered a motion to file an amicus curiae in U.S. District Court objecting to the final judgment proposed by the Department of Justice in the merger of Anheuser-Busch …More
House Bill 1049 consolidates into one paragraph the provisions that govern the sale of a manufacturer’s product for off-premises consumption to non-licensees from the licensed manufacturer’s facility. It also repeals and replaces in a separate …More
The Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling in Cadena Comercial USA Corp. d/b/a OXXO v. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, finding in favor of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and weighing in for the first …More


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Path of Exile Begins August Expansion Countdown
Grinding Gear Games has begun an official count down on site to its next major content release for Path of Exile in August.
The countdown begins with today’s 1.1.5d patch, and will continue next week with new teaser screenshots, plus feature, lore, and name reveal. GGG promises a month packed full of previews and updates as they ramp up for the next expansion’s release on August 21, 10am NZ.
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GENEVA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- An international joint agribusiness block-chain initiative has been named "Covantis", the Geneva-based Chinese food and agricultural trading giant COFCO International said Wednesday.
COFCO International told Xinhua that the founding members of the initiative have agreed on the name and launched a new website -- www.covantis.io -- for it.
The new website is to explain the initiative's vision to connect the agri-industry via an independent and trusted digital platform enabling post-trade efficiency for all participants.
Covantis will also be the name of the digital platform now in development and expected to launch in 2020 subject to regulatory approvals, COFCO International said.
According to the company, Covantis is a block-chain initiative focused on modernizing global trade operations.
The founding members of the initiative include COFCO International and other major players in the agri-industry like Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Bunge (BG), Cargill, Louis Dreyfus Company, and Glencore Agriculture.


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Yesterday at Apple’s event in San Francisco Tim Cook officially unveils the long awaited iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus.
The phone will be available with a new jet black colorway, said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple. It will also available in a more regular black shade. “We call it simply, ‘Black,’” Schiller said. It’s also available in gold, silver, and rose gold (read: pink).
The phones feature several hardware changes relative to previous models, including the much debated removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack in place of a second speaker grille, recessed antenna lines on the back, a “force-sensitive, solid-state” home button that works with Apple’s 3D Touch, and dual rear cameras on the larger model. But altogether, they don’t look all that different from the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus released last year, or the 6 and 6 Plus from 2014
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus both carry optical image stabilizers, as well as six-element lenses, wider aperture, quad-LED flash, and a new Apple-designed digital signal processor (DSP), Schiller said. The phones both have a new 7MP FaceTime camera on the front, up from 5 megapixels. And they can shoot in RAW format.
The iPhone 7 Plus uses twin 12-megapixel cameras. The wide-angle camera uses a 28mm lens, and the telephoto lens comes in at 56mm. Optical zoom goes up to 2x, and digital zoom goes up to 10x.
Later this year Apple will release an update to iOS 10 that will make it possible for the iPhone 7 Plus to see Live Previews with bokeh, or blurred backgrounds, while taking portrait photos, Schiller said.
Storage has been upgraded rapidly: 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The jet black option will only have the larger two options available. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus from last year are seeing their storage choices go up, too: 32GB and 128GB.
The iPhone 7 will start at $649, while the iPhone 7 Plus will start at $769.
Preorders begin on September 9, and they’ll be available on September 16. As for iOS 10, it will come out for everyone on September 13.
Also, Apple is expanding its iPhone Upgrade Program. It’s going beyond the U.S. and coming to China and the United Kingdom. It starts at $32 per month and is not tied to any carrier.
Source : VentureBeat


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Facebook said the number of applications using bidding with its Facebook Audience Network monetization platform is seven times larger than at the same time last year.
The social network added that among publishers that have adopted this approach, roughly one-half now earn their majority of revenue from the platform via bidding.
According to Facebook, most of the 10 largest publishers using Audience Network are using bidding, including News Break, Voodoo and Zynga.
Facebook Audience Network head of partnerships Amit Bhojwani said in a blog post, “The growth in bidding adoption by Audience Network publishers has complemented the increase in our total bidding payouts to publishers. These milestones signal an inflection point, as we see bidding becoming the new normal in how our publishers choose to monetize their inventory. We expect adoption to continue to grow as we move toward a bidding-first approach in the future.”
In other Facebook Audience Network news, IronSource is now part of its partner program.
ironSource vice president of product Nimrod Zuta said in the blog post, “We are excited to partner with Audience Network to make its demand available through bidding on our LevelPlay platform. In-app bidding helps our game developers and publishers maximize their ad revenue and save valuable time, enabling them to grow their games in what is an increasingly competitive industry. By the end of the year, we expect that 70% of our mediation traffic will run through bidding as it becomes the de facto approach to ad monetization.”


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Incoming chief executive Gavin O’Reilly warned the group would also breach banking agreements, as it struggles under a E1.3billion debt and this year would see its UK and Ireland businesses suffer a 20 per cent fall in advertising.
The company suffered losses of €161million for the year to December. It is in talks with its debt holders and banks in an attempt to restructure the debt.
O’Reilly refused to rule out a sale of The Independent and its sister paper The Independent on Sunday but said he could not comment further because of the talks with debt-holders. It is believed investment bank Lazard has been retained to advise on a possible sale.
But O’Reilly confirmed the company was selling stakes in online bingo firm Cashcade, German price comparison site Verivox and its South African advertising business in the scramble for cash.
Outgoing chief executive Sir Anthony O’Reilly, Gavin’s father, is expected to inject cash alongside major shareholder Denis O’Brien.


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Invincible is the first streaming TV provider to acquire a traditional broadcast and cable TV network — with plans to build YTA’s streaming footprint.
PHILADELPHIA, October 05, 2022 --Invincible Entertainment Partners, an independent production and distribution company with diverse operations in OTT and streaming technology— today announced it has acquired YTA Broadcast Network, an American television network that offers a variety of original programs covering topics for viewers encompassing talk, sports, cooking, news, movies, comedy and more. With the deal, Invincible now owns and operates one of the largest groups of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) networks with 18 owned and operated channels including The Sonic Channel, Cinepride, Frightflix, Slopes TV, and Business Rockstars. Financial terms were not disclosed.
As part of the deal, Invincible Entertainment partner and board member Thom Beers—a producer best known for his work on "Deadliest Catch," "Storage Wars," and "Monster Garage," will leverage his content library by adding his personal behind the scenes perspective to his shows and giving audiences a whole new perspective on what they didn’t see on the first time around.
"Adding traditional broadcast to our channel offerings diversifies our portfolio and expands advertising opportunities for our brand partners," said Thomas Ashley, CEO at Invincible. "We look forward to bringing a fresh lineup of programming to the network and expanding its distribution to cable and streaming TV providers."
Formerly known as Youtoo America, YTA Broadcast Network launched in 1985 as cable channel The Nostalgia Channel and featured vintage movies. More than 41 million households have reception of YTA TV through cable or over-the-air reception. It is also available through streaming services, on digital media players and on its website.
"Invincible is a clear leader in FAST streaming TV and tech. Combine that with their very deep content library and longstanding relationships with distributors—and we felt this was a terrific opportunity for us to take the YTA Network to the next level," said Scott Miller, YTA CEO.
As part of the deal, Invincible Entertainment partner and board member Thom Beers—a producer best known for his work on "Deadliest Catch," "Storage Wars," and "Monster Garage," will leverage his content library by adding his personal behind-the-scenes perspective to his shows and giving audiences a whole new perspective on what they didn’t see on the first time around. These enhanced programs will be part of the YTA programming lineup in the coming months.
YTA owner and Chairman Ed Frazier added: "We are delighted for this next step in the evolution of YTA and look forward to the next chapter of growth along with Invincible."
The move follows Invincible’s acquisition of Business Rockstars — the first integrated, multi-platform media company for entrepreneurs, startups, and founders— which it purchased in 2020 for $20M.
For more information, visit www.invincibleent.com/yta.
About Invincible Entertainment
Invincible is an established entertainment production and distribution company based in Philadelphia, PA with diverse operations in OTT and streaming technology including the Galxy TV streaming TV platform. Invincible manages a massive content catalog of nearly 5,000 assets including major brands such as "The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog," "Kong," "Double Dragon," "Highlander" and many others. Invincible Operates 18 FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) networks including FrightFlix, Watch it Kid, Watch it Scream, Cinepride, Dungeon TV, Ski TV, Screen Dreams, El Conflicto, Entrepreneur TV and our flagship Galxy TV—a free television streaming service that gives audiences access to great programming from multiple providers. For more information, visit https://www.invincibleent.com/.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221005005639/en/
Flight PR Alysha Light firstname.lastname@example.org


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Sunday, September 18, 2022
KARACHI: In view of a strong demand for dollars and drying reserves of the greenback in the country, analysts predict that the local unit is expected to continue its downward spiral unabated during the next week.
The dollar, which is trending upwards globally, settled at Rs236.84 at the end of trading on Friday compared to Rs228.18, the closing price of the last week, The News reported.
The rupee’s weekly losses clocked in at Rs8.66 versus the greenback.
The Pakistani currency remained depressed during the whole week and lost its value in every trading session. It was mainly owing to growing payment pressure as well as a strengthening dollar in the global market against other currencies.
Analysts said the floods bleakened the country’s economic outlook after devastating the agriculture sector, piling pressure on the overall economic indicators of the country.
“The major dent came from the flood-hit cotton crop. Now textile millers are exploring import options in the world cotton markets to keep the local industry’s wheels moving,” analysts said.
The estimates suggest the textile industry has to import billions of rupees worth of cotton this year for producing textile goods.
As imports are more than exports, banks are offering premium (or higher than market rate) to exporters, and this is only going to strengthen the dollar down the line.
At the current rate, analysts believe the dollar may surpass the all-time high of Rs240 in a few days.
Samiullah Tariq, Head of Research at Pak-Kuwait Investment Company, said the market experienced the liquidity crunch as the dollars were in short supply compared to its demand.
“The import payments kept the rupee under pressure during the whole week,” he said.
He added that the dollar indexation also had a role in its appreciation against the local market.
“The rupee is likely to continue to struggle until import payments ease and Pakistan receives dollar inflows.”
He said there were reports that funds were coming from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and another multilateral institution, but not before next month.
“If any commitment from any external institution or friendly country materialises in the next week, the rupee may recover some losses, otherwise the free fall is likely to continue.”
He noted there were chances that dollar appreciation might slow down next week if it crosses Rs239.94, the highest since July 2022.


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Lagos - Some electricity consumers in
Lagos on Monday kicked against the plan to increase electricity tariff as
announced by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Raji Fashola (SAN).
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Electricity
Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had to fulfil some obligations before
considering any increment.
NAN recalls that the minister, at a news conference in Abuja on Dec. 8, said
that electricity tariff would slightly go up he, however, said that the government would meet with the Nigeria Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC) to ensure that consumers and investors are not
Reacting to the planned increase, Mr Abdul-Rasak Osho, Chairman, Iponri Estate
Residents Association, told NAN that consumers had kicked against it during the
consultative forum organised by DISCOs in Lagos.
He said that the consumers had condemned the plan because power supply was not
The chairman said that consumers were paying for electricity supply that was
not available and so there was no need for the planned increment.
"The management of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) met with us more
than three times on the issue and we objected to the increment because we are
not enjoying the power supply.
Also read: Abuja residents reject proposed hike in electricity tariff
“They promised to improve on the supply and we said when the power improved, we
would come back and talk again.
“It is strange to now hear the minister saying the tariff will increase.
“Honestly, there is nothing to increase because in the last three days, we have
not had power supply and at the end of the month, they will bring outrageous
bills,’’ he said.
Mr Yusuf Raji, Chairman, Alaba-Oro, Mosafejo Landlords Association, said that
DISCOs should ensure that all houses in the community were metered before any
Raji said that most of the meters in the community were obsolete and faulty and
needed to be replaced with pre-paid meters.
The chairman said that because of the problem, most of the consumers in the
area were given estimated bills of between N25,000 and N40,000 in November
"We have told them that if there is going to be meaningful increment in
tariff, our community should be metered so that we will be able to monitor our
energy consumption,” he said.
Mr Ade-Owas Owabumuwa, President, Amuwo-Odofin Landlords Association, New Town,
said that consumers in Amuwo-Odofin were against any attempt to increase tariff
without meaningful improvement in power supply.
"We told Ikeja Electric when they came to dialogue with us that tariff increment
should not be their priority now.
"They should make supply regular and change our bad transformers within our
community; if all these are done, then they can go ahead with the increment,”
Owabumuwa urged the minister to ensure that all houses in the country were
metered before introducing any increment in tariff.


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World Travel Awards has reached an agreement with Realtours and the Associação Empresarial de São Tomé e Príncipe to host the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony 2017.
The event will be held in the city of São Tomé, with major sponsors including CST, Mota Engil, HBD, BISTP and Ghana Link Networks Services already confirmed.
This is in addition to official institutional and financial support from the government of São Tomé & Príncipe.
World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “With our Grand Tour 2016 underway we are already turning our attention to 2017 and lining up a series of exciting destination hosts.
“São Tomé & Príncipe is the first of these to be confirmed - an exciting destination seeing exponential growth on the international hospitality scene.
“It will be a pleasure to welcome our nominees to this growing destination next year.”
São Tomé & Príncipe has been chosen to host the African Gala Ceremony in 2017 in an event that will bring all relevant African players in the industry to the country. The event promises to be a stunning celebration of excellence and outstanding achievements in the hospitality industry.
A series of promotional events will be launched as of now to start building up for what will be one of the largest events ever held in São Tomé & Príncipe.
Each year WTA covers the globe with a series of regional Gala Ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region.
Each WTA Gala Ceremony offers unrivalled networking opportunities to members of the travel and tourism industry, with the events welcoming government and industry leaders as well as international print and broadcast media.
WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.


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Monday, May 18, 2009
Xirrus Aims At Disaster Teams, Event Organizers
Thousand Oaks-based Xirrus, a developer of Wi-Fi networking equipment, announced Monday that it has put together a portable, pre-packaged kit which is designed for deploying Wi-Fi into disaster response and temporary events. According to Xirrus, its new pre-packaged Wi-Fi kit is aimed at disaster response command posts, conferences and expositions, and events such as festivals, markets, and fairs, and pulls together its access points along with firewalls, DHCP and other servers, and a tripod, cabling, and carrying cases. The firm said it would offer the new product online, priced starting at $3,999. Xirrus is venture backed by Canaan Partners, U.S. Venture Partners, August Capital, and QuestMark Partners.


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Wednesday was a busy day for beverages, with Pennsylvania dramatically loosening alcohol sales and Philadelphia looking to pass a soda tax.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted with an overwhelming majority on Tuesday for a bill that will make it easier to buy and sell beer, wine and liquor, according to NBC 10. Governor Tom Wolf signed it into law less than a day later on Wednesday, allowing grocery stores and other outlets to sell takeout wine and formalizing beer sales in convenience stores that have already begun as a result of lawsuits. Pennsylvania consumers can also have wine shipped directly to their homes by private wine wholesalers, and casinos can sell liquor 24 hours a day (in contrast to 19 hours before the law passed). State liquor stores will have greater flexibility in their hours and pricing.
Not everyone was in favor of the more lenient regulations. The head of the union that represents state liquor store clerks was vocally against the bill when a version of it passed in the Pennsylvania Senate in December.
“We’re opposed to it and think it’s crazy that we would do this,” Wendell Young IV, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, told NBC 10.
Representatives, on the other hand, felt they were responding to public opinion.
Rep. Lee James (R-Venago) said that the new legislation is “exactly what my constituents would like to see take place.”
House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) told Philly.com that the law “dramatically improves consumer convenience, and it preserves the jobs.”
Closer to home, a City Council committee voted on Wednesday to approve a new tax on sugary drinks and diet sodas. The funds that the tax raise will go to expand pre-K, fund community schools and overhaul parks, libraries and recreation centers, Philly.com reported.
If legislators approve the tax on Thursday for it to officially become a law, a tax rate of 1.5 cents per ounce will be levied on soda. The original proposition was 3 cents per ounce, but the new number was established with the caveat that diet soda would be included. The projected revenue of the tax is $91 million a year.
As with the loosened alcohol restrictions, the new tax hasn’t been welcomed by all. The soda industry spent nearly $3 million to kill the tax, Philly.com reported. Former Mayor of Philadelphia Michael Nutter tried twice to push a soda tax through to law and was defeated both times.Comments powered by Disqus
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.


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The increasing reliance on internet connectivity has boosted the cybersecurity industry. Find out more about the sector’s outlook and stocks to watch in 2023.
Cybersecurity industry overview and outlook
Cybersecurity stocks are the shares of companies involved in protecting online systems against criminal activity – such as ransomware, phishing and other kinds of cyberattacks.
The industry has been on the rise ever since the creation of the internet, but it’s boomed since the Covid-19 pandemic began and remote work became essential.
This has meant that established computing giants are also moving into the sector, either launching their own offerings or acquiring existing firms. For example, Microsoft (MSFT) has started selling its cybersecurity products at a discounted rate, undercutting a lot of smaller firms. And Alphabet (GOOGL) acquired cybersecurity firm Mandiant in a $5.4 billion deal in 2022.
In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the geopolitical tensions created enough fear of nation-backed cybercrime that U.S. President Biden publicly encouraged companies to tighten their cyber defences and invest in the sector.
Morgan Stanley’s survey of chief information officers conducted in July 2022 found that cloud computing and security software were at the top of the priority list for businesses – ahead of analytics and artificial intelligence.
This supports projections that global spending on risk management products will grow 11.3% in 2023, up to £188.3 billion.
While this all sounds positive for cybersecurity stocks, the global bear market still wiped value off the cybersecurity industry throughout 2022, so it’s important to read up on the latest industry news before taking your position.
How to trade and invest in cybersecurity stocks
Trading and investing in the cybersecurity industry have grown in popularity over the last few years due to the industry’s growth, opening up a variety of routes to the market.
For those with a longer-term outlook on the sector, investing is the most common route. This involves buying the shares of an individual company or buying a unit of an exchange traded fund that tracks a basket of cybersecurity stocks, in the hope that they rise in price and can be sold on for profit later.
But for those with a more short-term, speculative view, trading cybersecurity stocks could open up more opportunities. By taking a position on company shares and ETFs via derivative products – such as CFDs – you can try and predict which direction the market price will move in. And because you never take ownership of the underlying shares or units, you can take advantage of markets that are falling in price, as well as those that are rising.
However, trading CFDs does come with its own drawbacks. So, it’s important to read up on the risks of CFDs, and how to mitigate them.
Open a City Index account today, or practise trading first in a risk-free demo account.
Best cybersecurity stocks
The best cybersecurity stocks will vary depending on whether you’re looking to trade or invest in the company. For the longer-term view, you’d be looking for stability and growth, but for short-term traders, volatility is important in creating opportunities.
It’s worth noting that the cybersecurity industry is extremely dynamic due to constantly changing threats. This means the ‘best’ companies to trade today might not be the best tomorrow as companies will need to work quickly to have a competitive advantage. That makes it important to do your research and due diligence, and not rush into positions.
Let’s take a look at some of the top stocks by market capitalisation.
U.S. cybersecurity stocks
The U.S. has the largest cybersecurity market, not only in terms of consumers seeking the products, but the sheer number of companies involved in the sector. You can always get exposure to some of the larger, diversified companies (like Microsoft and Google) but some of the world’s larger pure-play cyber stocks are listed in the U.S. too.
- CrowdStrike - $22 billion
- Zscaler - $15 billion
- SentinelOne - $4 billion
CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) is an endpoint security company, which provides protection for devices that connect to a network, such as laptops and PCs, as well as servers. CrowdStrike also has integration agreements with other tech companies to protect data across entire IT infrastructures.
CrowdStrike’s software is cloud-based, which made it a particularly popular solution for companies throughout the pandemic with the switch to remote working. Even in the post-pandemic world, CrowdStrike’s sales have been growing with the greater number of hybrid workers. The company’s non-GAAP net income was $96.1 million for Q3 2023, compared to $41.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2022.
However, that didn’t stop the company’s shares from falling over 45% throughout the last year.
Open an account or log in to trade CrowdStrike shares and view its live share price.
Zscaler (ZS) is another cloud security company, which enables organisations to provide employees with access to internal apps and services securely.
Scaler started out as a software-as-a-service product for cloud computing protection, but is now more focused on end-user monitoring products, which have risen in popularity with the working-from-home trend.
Zscaler has been increasing its sales throughout the last few years, posting impressive revenue growth, but remains unprofitable. Investors do seem to be turning away from such high-growth-low-profit stocks at the moment, which saw Zscaler stocks sold off by 65% throughout 2022.
Open an account or log in to trade Zcaler shares and view its live share price.
SentinelOne (S) is a relatively new cybersecurity stock, only going public via an initial public offering (IPO) in June 2021. It operates a cloud-based endpoint security platform – directly competing with CrowdStrike – which means it detects and resolves cyber threats.
At the time of its IPO, SentinelOne was valued at $10 billion and is now worth just over $3.75 billion. But despite the market slowdown, the company has been popular and has increased its revenue by 105% year-on-year, reporting sales of $115.3 million in Q3 2023.
Open an account or log in to trade SentinelOne shares and view its live share price.
Canadian cybersecurity stocks
Like the U.S., Canada is home to a lot of pure-play cyber stocks, as well as some diversified listings. Unlike the U.S., there aren’t as many to choose from. Here are some of the most popular stocks for those interested in cybersecurity trades.
- Blackberry - $2 billion
- Absolute Software - $801 million
- Magnet Forensics - $499 million
Blackberry (BB) is probably most well-known as a smartphone manufacturing company, so a lot of people aren’t even aware that it’s a leading cybersecurity software firm too. But it’s exactly this diversified nature that many believe puts Blackberry in a good position.
BB uses machine learning to design solutions, which means its capabilities are continuously evolving as threats to the industry change.
The cybersecurity segment made BlackBerry $106 million in Q3 2023, compared to $128 million in the same period the year before and far lower than expectations of $164 million. This caused Blackberry shares to drop despite otherwise posting positive earnings – giving an insight into how much significance investors place on Blackberry’s cybersecurity arm.
Trade Blackberry shares in a live account, or practise trading first in a demo.
Absolute Software (ABST) is a platform-based company that helps users strengthen their resilience to ransomware and malicious attacks. It’s commonly used in commercial, healthcare and education industries, as well as by governments.
Although it is a Canada-based, and Toronto-listed company, it derives most of its revenue from U.S. markets. For FY22, Absolute reported record revenues of $197.3 million, but its net income fell from $3.7 million in FY21 to -$24.5 million as supply chain issues and macroeconomic factors weighed on costs.
Ontario-based Magnet Forensics is a data analytics company that aids government agencies involved in investigating cybercrimes. It has a host of products that help security agencies investigate fraud, prevent IP theft, track down cyber criminals and look into employee harassment.
Magnet Forensics’ services are in high demand, but like a lot of tech stocks, its share price has seen better days. For Q3 2022, the company saw revenues up 41% YoY, but net income was down to $1.4 million from $2.2 million in Q3 2021. Magnet Forensics said the decline was due to increased investment in marketing and R&D.
UK cybersecurity stocks
The UK only has a couple of publicly listed cyber stocks to choose from, as a lot of companies have been acquired in recent years or gone private. But the sector is still home to some big names, including:
- Darktrace - $2 billion
- Kape Technologies $1 billion
Darktrace (DARK) is a British-American tech company specialising in cyber defence. It uses self-learning artificial intelligence tools to fight against cyber-attacks in real time.
Despite being a relatively new firm, established in 2013, Darktrace is the largest pure-play cybersecurity stock on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Previously, Avast held the title, but the firm was acquired by Norton Life Rock (Gen Digital) in September 2022.
Darktrace launched its IPO on the LSE in April 2022 at a price of 250p per share. Like a lot of cyber companies, its shares have experienced extreme volatility, reaching a high of £9.45 in October 2022 and falling back to 254p in January 2023.
In February 2023, Darktrace was accused by New York-based hedge fund Quintessential Capital Management (QCM) of questionable sales and accounting practices in a 69-page report. Darktrace has denied the allegations and hired auditor EY to review its finances.
Darktrace is not yet profitable, but its annual recurring revenue rose 40% for the year to $511.5 million. However it has also warned of waning customer sign ups, which could impact its future outlook.
Open an account or log in to trade Darktrace shares and view its live share price.
Kape Technologies is an AIM-listed cybersecurity stock that’s focused on developing digital products for individuals. Although it’s not a large cap, it’s become a must-watch for cybersecurity stock fans given its improving fundamentals.
Unlike Darktrace, Kape Technologies became profitable three years ago and continued ever since. For its H1 results, it reported operating profit was up 333% to $59 million and revenues were up 216% to $302 million.
In the last three years, Kape’s share price has risen over 75%, from 159p per share to 280p. That’s not to say it hasn’t experienced its fair share of volatility along the way, especially given the broader market decline.
However, following the acquisition of Avast, there’s been a lot of speculation that Kape Technologies could also be the target of a larger cybersecurity firm.
Chinese cybersecurity stocks
Chinese cybersecurity stocks have been experiencing greater investment as the government looks to shore up data protection – especially amid rising tensions with the United States.
There aren’t many public, pure-play cyber defence companies to trade in China and as reporting obligations are different, there’s little information out there about company performance.
Some big names in the industry are DBAPPSecurity and Bluedon – two network information security companies – and Hillstone Networks, a cybersecurity solutions firm.
Another option for trading the cybersecurity industry is an exchange traded fund – which gives you exposure to multiple companies from a single position.
For example, the First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF replicates the price and yield of the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index, which tracks the price of Nasdaq-listed companies involved in building and managing security protocols for individuals and corporations.
Not all of the companies are solely involved in cyber defence, but it gives exposure to the industry.
Its top holdings are:
- Palo Alto
Open an account or log in to trade shares and ETFs, or learn more about trading with City Index.


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Drink trends 2021? How everything going in the world at the moment it’s no surprise that everyone is getting on the health train. The beverage industry has had a rollercoaster journey over the past year. There have been positives that have come out of all the hardship the industry has endured. Spurring on exciting innovations and unique offerings! Getting very creative with take-aways drinks and canned cocktails to new health drinks that give you a kick. Let’s see what 2021 is going to have in store and how it’s going to rise above the insanity of 2020.
1. To-Go Cocktails
A trend that flourished during the pandemic has been alcohol to go cocktails. We think that it might not just be a pandemic fad. For many restaurants and bars it was a way to keep the sales flowing, being a lifesaver for many struggling places. In the Netherlands a combination of walking routes and take-away cocktails became increasingly popular. Starting with a Winter Gluh Wein walk to summer sangria routes. Great for social distancing and supporting every place you buy you on the go cocktail from.
2. Seltzers - Spiked Water Trend
You have probably seen them around. Flavoured water with a low alcohol percentage. This health-focused beverage is carbonated, alcoholic and flavoured water with no gluten, low in calories and very social media-friendly has become very popular!
With more and more people becoming aware that the future of the world is in our hands today people are wanting to minimize their carbon footprint. Helping the earth with your drink choices has never felt so good. Many places are giving options for carbon-negative options on the cocktail menus. Opting for sustainable brands and local products. The booze industry can make a huge difference if consumers change their drink buying behavior. Sustainable drink accessories are becoming increasingly popular, check out these sustainable wine coolers! Brewdog has actually come out with a line of new beers all carbon negative! It was “designed to introduce its members to a diverse range of beer styles and breweries, promising super-fresh beer shipped directly to the customer”, said BrewDog.
4. Sugar Free Drinks
Joining the better for you trend is the sugar-free drinks. The health importance of reducing sugar has been a well known issue for many years. Nothing like a pandemic to highlight this trend even more! Sugar is the cause of many damaging health conditions. No wonder people are on the lookout for a tasty sugar free drink!
5. Nootropics Cocktails
With everything that has been going on the past year it’s no surprise that people have been trying to pay extra attention to their mental health. After many of us drinking our entire booze collection at home, it’s time to mix it up with a natural not so boozy buzz. For the people who haven’t heard of Nootropics, they are natural or synthetic substances that can be taken to boost brain performance in healthy people. Gaining more popularity the past years, used most often to boost memory, focus, creativity, intelligence and motivation.
The not-so-fun part is always when the hangover kicks in the next day. Something that’s healthy, tastes good and gives you a wee little buzz. It sounds too good to be true, right? Well we have a new type of cocktail for you made with kin euphorics. It’s a blend of nootropics, adaptogens, and botanics. This alcohol alternative claims to help you achieve blissed-out feels without sacrificing brain cells or performance the days after. Because we all know hangovers do not last just 1 day the older you get. Check out this company who is offering this new cocktail and see if you can ditch the boozy cocktails in the future.
6. Boxed Wine
Boxed wine has made a comeback. Goodbye are the days of below average tasting wine out of a box. The quality has increased drastically, with delicious wine-in-boxes now on the shelf. You can’t deny the convenience of boxed wine! Add to that it’s affordability, why would you not! It allows home workers to enjoy a glass of wine after work without opening a whole bottle. Enjoy fever trips to the shops and the box staying fresh for up to six weeks after opening it.
7. Premium Pours
We used to take for granted being able to go out for dinner, pop down the pub or dance till we dropped. After being denied this for so long doing any of these now adventurous things is seen as more of an outing than ever. Therefore a trend we are seeing post lockdown is that the consumer is willing to pay more for a better-quality serve. Wanting to add something extra to their drink and choosing to make the experience as memorable as possible! Artisanal and independent brands are being preferred. It can be compared to the roaring 20’s. After the great depression people were wanting to let loose, enjoy and spend!!
8. Eco-Friendly Wine Coolers
If you want to be eco-friendly and cost, the Coolenator is the way to go! Bags of ice are heavy, drippy, and always come in disposable, one-use plastic bags which are often dropped or blown away adding to the pollution. Coolenators are reusable for years and are completely condensation-free on their exterior, eliminating unsightly rings on your tables or dangerous slippery puddles! Coolenators can also be recharged, unlike ice. These coolers are definitely one for the future with all the cool benefits they have.


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The refreshed 2018 Honda Odyssey VTi-L has copped a significant active safety upgrade and the ability to tow up to 1000kg.
The 2018 Honda Odyssey has been teased ahead of its global debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January.
ANCAP has today awarded the Jeep Cherokee, Skoda Rapid, Honda Odyssey and Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid with five-star crash safety ratings. It’s Jeep’s first ever five-star ANCAP rating.
In a Nutshell The multi-award winning Honda Odyssey is back with more safety features, a new engine and transmission, more interior room and practicality. Practical Motoring Says Styling and interior practicality updates should put the Honda Odyssey back on the shopping lists of those after a roomy seven-seater that doesn’t


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NEW YORK, March 10, 2021 – VTEX, a multinational tech company that provides a global, fully integrated, end-to-end commerce solution, announced today it has hired Michael von Bodungen as its chief customer officer, effective immediately.
Von Bodungen brings nearly 30 years of experience in the ecommerce sector to VTEX, having specialties in omni-channel commerce, cloud architectures, engagement delivery, and ecommerce and order management. As chief customer officer, von Bodungen will be responsible for managing the following teams:
“I’ve spent most of my career in ecommerce consulting and systems integration, so I’m thrilled at the opportunity VTEX has given me to support teams that are improving the customer journey,” said von Bodungen. “We have an excellent customer services team in place that we continue to add to. While most software companies sell their product and walk away, VTEX is different. Our team is engaged in an ongoing relationship with our customers to ensure they meet their growth KPIs and have the best service possible. That is something I wanted to be a part of.”
Before joining the VTEX team, von Bodungen worked with global commerce services company PFSweb as its VP of commerce strategy and technology. PFSweb acquired the commerce agency CrossView, where von Bodungen served as its CEO.
“As our business continues to grow and we work with more customers, it’s become more important to make sure our customers have all the support they need from us to be successful,” said Amit Shah, chief strategy officer and U.S. general manager of VTEX. “Michael is going to be instrumental in managing our customer services teams and help us scale support for our customers as we continue to grow.”
For more information about VTEX’s ecommerce and marketplace platform, visit www.vtex.com.


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Nissan and NBC announced today a multi-faceted, robust 360 marketing program for season two of “Heroes,” encompassing product integration, off-channel platforms, wireless applications, traditional television advertising and significant on-air and online sponsorships.
“Nissan is constantly searching for opportunities to build extensive advertising partnerships that allow us to engage consumers by building brand awareness on many platforms,” says Steve Kerho, director of interactive media, Nissan North America. “This ongoing partnership with NBC also gives us the opportunity to introduce the all-new Nissan Rogue, a new CUV that epitomizes the exciting and adventurous spirit that defines ‘Heroes.'”
“We’re committed to doing business with our clients in ways that extend beyond the 30-second spot and are thrilled to join forces again with Nissan to build on our successful season-one partnership,” says Mike Pilot, president, NBC Universal Ad Sales. “This deal exemplifies the concept of having an ‘upstream relationship’ with our clients and shows just what can be achieved when the clients and creative teams come together early in the process.”
In this one-of-a-kind deal, Nissan will use “Heroes” as the central hub of a multi-pronged marketing campaign for the launch of its new crossover vehicle, the Nissan Rogue. The campaign will kick off on the night of the “Heroes” season premiere, which will be exclusively sponsored by Nissan and broadcast with limited commercial interruption. To further enhance the viewer connection to the Rogue, the vehicle will be integrated into the premiere episode and driven by a main character.
Nissan will also roadblock the full episode of “Heroes” on NBC Rewind for 24 hours after the show’s on-air premiere, marking the first time an advertiser has executed this type of program on NBC Rewind. In addition to more traditional advertising opportunities both on-air and online, the Nissan Rogue campaign also includes sponsorship of numerous unique off channel platforms including a “Heroes” music video and the season one DVD release. Nissan Rogue will also be involved in NBC’s wireless platforms and will sponsor the Heroes 360 WAP sites.