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It’s safe to say the way we get our information has changed dramatically over the past couple of years. We no longer rely on the radio and cable tv for our information. Instead, we use social media and digital services to entertain and inform us. Though you may think entertainment technology has hit its peak, you’re mistaken. Here are the five trends that are shaping entertainment technology.
Several years ago, cable companies responded to consumers by researching rating and public interest. However, these decisions took days, even weeks to make. Why? Because the technology just wasn’t advanced enough. But now, companies are using real-time data to develop software and services for the consumer. Through real-time data, companies can quickly understand the consumer and enhance customer service.
Most of us aren’t aware of how smartphones work in connection to wifi. We only know whether our wifi connection is strong or not. But as entertainment shifts to online services, and more people rely on wireless communication, it’s putting pressure on bandwidth. Thus, telecom industries need to meet the growth of market demands. In response to the demand, new 5G networks create high-speed communication for its users, changing the way we receive our information for the better.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and are becoming mainstream and giving people a real glimpse into the future. The global VR market is estimated to increase to $26 billion US by the end of 2022. But what does this mean? Services such as Facebook 360 and YouTube 360 will be able to expand, allowing users to experience and interact with content. As the culture shifts to experience-based demand, entertainment technology will focus on this sphere.
Convergence in the Industry
Streaming services, TV companies, social networks, and telecom are all trying to get a piece of the pie. In a race to put their name on the map, companies are trying to converge their services, consolidate them to increase profit and users. For example, AT&T and Time Warner merged and Disney acquired most of 21st Century Fox. As the competition increases, companies are consolidating to stake a claim in the marketplace.
From Cable to Video Streaming
With 2.5 billion people using smartphones globally, there’s a definite shift from cable television to video streaming. Though cable is still being used, it’s expected to decrease by 25 percent by 2022. But the debate between cable vs. video streaming makes it hard to pick sides. Cable typically offers more channels. However, it’s simply less flexible for people who are on the go or don’t own a tv. Through their smartphones, they can still stay connected to series and movies.
Though these are current trends, media and entertainment are continually evolving as companies are continuing to push the boundaries to serve consumers better. By the speed of change, we can only guess how entertainment technology will shape the world.


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Holistic healthcare brand Otsuka Pharmaceutical has announced a promising partnership with Science 37, the trailblazing startup out of MIT that’s transforming clinical trials for everyone.
The growing appeal of orphan drugs to manufacturers isn’t a groundbreaking story, but a new report identifies some head-spinning facts behind the focal shift from blockbuster to rare-disease drugs.
Pfizer and Novartis have been independently developing therapies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and they’re now set to join forces to yield a combination therapy for the fatty liver disease linked closely with metabolic disorders.
Pharmaceutical giant Roche’s new app for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) revolutionizes how doctors care for patients with the disease.
Deploying ambassadors to speak at the marketing conference DigiPharma Connect, Snapchat is vying to position itself as the best social media outlet for pharma marketing.
Last week, many Amazon Prime members received more than their usual flow of order confirmations and shipping notifications, with the retail leviathan inviting some users to “Meet PillPack, a new member of the Amazon family.”
At the BrightInsight Ecosystem Event, which explores use cases and best practices in digital health, Harvard Business School Professor Gary Loveman shared some lessons for health care professionals gleaned from his unconventional career path.
Though pioneering a brand-new health-monitoring technology, scientists at the Technical University of Munich are doing it through an ancient art: tattoos.
Marked demographic shifts among American doctors are forecasting a new future for the profession.
Best practices for avoiding the novel corona virus are fairly well publicized, but for people who have contracted COVID-19 guidance can be harder to come by.
Ten years after acquiring its competitor Duane Reade, Walgreens has set its sights on a whole different type of growth, announcing its plan to establish doctor’s offices in hundreds of its familiar brick-and-mortar stores.
Responding to rampant criticism of rising drug prices, pharma giant Eli Lilly will begin selling an authorized generic of its preeminent insulin therapy, Humalog, at half-price.
Forecasting next year’s biggest shifts within the healthcare landscape, Syneos Health has released 2019 Health Trend Ten, available for download now, which explicates ten of the trends that will redefine healthcare globally.
The advent of federal regulatory guidelines for developing gene therapies—which transplant new genes into people’s cells in order to correct disorders—is a crucial moment in the narrative of the still-novel treatment type.
Complications from drug interactions can present patients with whole new afflictions.
The State Supreme Court just resolved a 10-year battle between the Cleveland Clinic and a former patient, retired U.S.
Beginning with its acquisition of PillPack, Amazon’s grand entrance into healthcare continues with its partnership with J.P.
A landmark approval by the FDA will put the first marijuana-derived prescription drug behind pharmacy counters this fall.
A new Deloitte report explores the near-future of blockchain: how seriously the world’s top executives, including many in healthcare, regard the emerging technology and how soon they might invest in it.
Nonprofit hospital system Partners HealthCare has unveiled a joint venture with Circulation, an on-demand rideshare service, through which Medicare patients receive free rides to their doctor’s offices in non-emergencies.
To retail behemoths, the health care realm is growing irresistible.
With funding from Google, Stanford, and venture capital giants Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, seven-year-old Zipline has already revolutionized health care in Rwanda.
Advantia Health, a leading-edge medical company committed to empowering women with integrated health care services, announced a new partnership with Elligo Health Research, which will offer Advantia’s clients access to a whole new realm of resources, through clinical trials.
A recent proposal by the U.S.
In a telling new study, pre- and post-surgical efforts by pharmacists yielded staggering effects on patient opioid use.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled new machine-learning tools reflecting—and beginning to tackle—some of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine.
GlaxoSmithKline announced that it will acquire Waltham, Massachusetts-based drug company Tesaro, which develops novel cancer treatments, for $5.1 billion cash.
In the first half of this new year, the United States FDA will incentivize many pharmaceutical brands to make their biggest prescription drugs available over the counter.
Tilray, a medical-cannabis producer, has established a new partnership with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, affording the former sales and distribution channels in tens of new countries.
While the term “micro-influencer” may still sound to you like some flippant, gen-Z farce, the side hustle cum way of life just scored serious validation.

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At a time when the Himachal government is talking about taking steps to streamline marketing of agricultural products, small, marginal farmers remain hamstrung by the absence of cold storage facilities in the state. Fruit and vegetable growers have been persistently demanding low-cost small capacity cold storages that would vastly benefit them in selling their produce.
Though apples are the main cash crop in six districts there is little or no post-harvest infrastructure. The two controlled atmospheric (CA) stores in the state do not serve the purpose as most apple cultivators are marginal.
Mahendra Upadhyaya, president of the Kullu Fruit Growers Association, said fruits and vegetables are grown in the Kullu valley in a big way but due to the absence of cold storages farmers are forced to sell their entire produce in the market at the prevailing prices. "If there are cold storage facilities farmers can earn a lot more money. For marginal growers small cold storages are more useful and it would be more beneficial if they are installed in houses. We have heard there is technology through which a simple room could be turned into a cold store and the government should focus on bringing this technology to the farmers," he added.
Rakesh Mehta, an apple grower in Kotgarh, said: "Instead of investing in large cold stores the government should support marginal fruit and vegetable growers to build low cost cold storages. The two controlled atmospheric cold storages are not benefitting most cultivators."
The two controlled atmospheric cold storages, located in Jarol and in Gumma in Shimla district, each have a capacity of 640 metric tonnes. 75% of the space in both stores rented out to a private firm, Gemtree, for five years while the remaining space is left for fruit and vegetable growers. The himachal pradesh horticulture produce marketing committee has roped in a German company to introduce low-cost cold storage technology in the state.


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Cricket Craze for ICC World Cup 2023 – Hoteliers sharing insights on India Vs Pakistan match in Ahmedabad
Mehul Sharma Founder & CEO, Signum Hotels & Resorts The ICC World Cup is one of the most significant and eagerly anticipated events in the global cricket calendar. With the 2023 edition set to take place
Founder & CEO, Signum Hotels & Resorts
The ICC World Cup is one of the most significant and eagerly anticipated events in the global cricket calendar. With the 2023 edition set to take place in India, the country’s hospitality industry is poised to benefit from the influx of international visitors. It has been 12 years since India last hosted the World Cup.
Firstly, the number of tourists visiting the country is expected to skyrocket during the event, especially from cricket-loving nations such as Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. This will have a direct impact on the hospitality industry with an increased demand for accommodation, transportation, and dining options. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation services will have the opportunity to cater to a larger clientele, ultimately boosting their revenues.
The surge in demand for travel and tickets due to the India-Pakistan World Cup match in Ahmedabad has caused cities hosting key matches to be fully booked. Online travel agencies are experiencing an 80-100% increase in demand for October-November compared to last year. Airfare prices have significantly risen, particularly for popular sports event locations. Ahmedabad witnessed the largest hike of 50-60%, while Mumbai and Kolkata increased by 40-50% and 30-40% respectively. Additionally, other cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Pune have seen a rise in fares ranging from 20-40%.
Another factor that will contribute to the growth of the hospitality sector is the massive investment by the Indian government in improving infrastructure. With the Indian government investing heavily in the construction of new airports, roads, and highways, the travel and tourism sector in the country is expected to see a boost. These infrastructure improvements will also aid in national travel, with more people expected to travel within the country, further benefiting the hospitality industry.
The ICC World Cup 2023 is a huge chance for small and medium-sized enterprises to boost their revenue and provide employment opportunities by offering catering, transportation, and lodging services. This event is expected to have a positive impact on India’s hospitality industry, with increased demand for accommodation, transportation, and dining options, and a boost in tourism. It’s also an opportunity to showcase India’s cultural heritage and promote economic growth.
Swajib Swapan Chatterjee
COO, Sinclairs Hotels and Resorts
Cricket runs through the veins of Indians, and the ICC Cricket World Cup will take this patriotism to unparalleled levels. India is set to host the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 after 12 years, from October 5 to November 19, 2023. The World Cup will be hosted in 10 cities and showcase the best of cricket with 48 one-day matches between the competing nations: Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands. This unparalleled enthusiasm will attract both local and international tourists who want to be the witness of this grand experience.
Sports tourism is a rapidly growing sector in India with a substantial impact on domestic and international travel. The exposure that this grand event brings to host cities holds immense potential for boosting tourism. Beyond the event itself, visitors can explore what the city has to offer, possibly leading to extended stays and repeat visits. A recent survey shows that sports enthusiasts are willing to travel cross country or abroad to attend sporting events. India’s position as a significant source market for sports travel is poised to strengthen further.
Since India is the host nation for the World Cup this year, it is a great opportunity for India to showcase its hospitality, culture, and ability to successfully host global events. International tourists will visit these venues not only to enjoy the sport but also to soak in the rich history and culture of these cities.
The occupancy of the hotels of the hosting cities and nearby tourist venues will rise sharply. This will give hidden gems like picturesque hill stations, serene beaches, and historical sites a chance to shine on the global stage. Hotels, resorts, and homestays will witness a spike in bookings, contributing to the local economy. Additionally, restaurants, bars, pubs, street vendors, and various small businesses thrive during this time, thanks to the increased footfall of cricket enthusiasts. Research shows that travellers from UK, U.S., Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia are enquiring and booking flights and hotels in the host cities. Airfares for top venues like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata have grown 40%-60% over the past year. Other host cities are also seeing 20%-30% increases in flight prices. This pricing surge emphasizes the tremendous growth in travel demand.
The arrival of visitors raises economic growth and cultural exchange, making it a win-win situation for India and its tourism industry.
General Manager, Courtyard By Marriott Navi Mumbai
India is hosting the World Cup after more than a decade, since 2011. The Cricket frenzy will bring back the festive fervor to the hospitality industry. India is one of the favourite contenders to lift the cup this year, we will get to witness the pace as the tournament progresses. We are a cricket loving nation and this ICC World Cup 2023 will bring a major boom. Hotels, restaurants and bars will get to leverage on it and it will be a great opportunity to bring in additional revenue. The host cities of the key matches have already seen a major surge in the hotel room demand like never before. The inbound travel increases considerably giving us the additional scope of business.
Courtyard By Marriott Navi Mumbai’s location next to the D.Y. Patil stadium is a bonus. The close proximity to the stadium has already given us the advantage. The hotel has managed to gain popularity as a sports friendly hotel with the movement from the boards, officials and players. There are only a limited number of stadium hotels in the world and we are one of them. The stadium view rooms and The Box Lounge, by the poolside located on the 8th floor, has a bird’s eye view of the stadium. To bask in the fervor, the lounge has life size led screens to and view of the stadium will give you a feel of virtually watching the match in the stadium.
We have special screenings combined with irresistible food and beverage offers for you to enjoy the games with your friends and family and create memories.
Front Office Manager, Eastin Easy Vita
SOLD OUT TO CRICKET MANIA!
The hotel industry has hit a sixer with the upcoming series of the ICC World Cup 2023 in the city of Ahmedabad and the rest of India.
The festival of Diwali has arrived early in Ahmedabad and its neighbouring cities. Cricket frenzy fans have left no stone unturned on spending and watching their favourite team or idol in real time. The room inventories have skyrocketed to approximately Rs 80,000 per room per night in the wake of high demand in the city of Ahmedabad.
Excited by the prospective turn of events with the upcoming series of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad with the India Vs Pakistan match Zulfikar Sandhi, Sales Manager, Eastin Residences Vadodara enthusiastically stated that “Vadodara is just 1 ½ hours’ drive from Ahmedabad, where the match is being played and, already most of the hotels out here have sold out rooms. In fact, when we at Eastin Residences Vadodara got the news of the series, we already kept aside 22 rooms that is a total of 50% room occupancy to cater to this special crowd and it has been sold out at high rates. Along with an increase in the room revenue for the days – 13-15th October 2023, our room dining service has been spruced up to serve the guests, who will turn in late after the match. There will be a special late dining combo menu to satiate the hunger pangs and that includes enticing Veg Biryani to Chicken Biryani and Chinese Veg & Non-Veg Combos; to Veg & Chicken Cheese Grill Sandwich Combos…which is surely going to increase the F&B revenue. Also, guests can enjoy our minibar, which will be well-stocked with non-alcoholic drinks, chocolates, and wafers, which will be another reason to see an increase in our revenue. So, you see, we are in a win-win situation”.
“we are expecting good demand for F&B Business during match days, because we are welcoming guests to catch the live action on the giant screen in the cool ambiance of Madira and Moksha, our bar. It will have exciting liquor offers that will include beer bucket and veg & non-veg starters to get the good times rolling for all.”Bapu Sirsat, Front Office Manager, Eastin Easy Vita
Founder and Creative Soul of Cafe MAKA Courtyard in Delhi
The ICC World Cup 2023 is gearing up to be a game-changer for the hospitality scene, especially hotels and restaurants. This cricket extravaganza, which graces us every four years, promises to be a carnival for cricket aficionados from across the globe. Let’s delve into why it’s poised to be a bonanza for the hospitality industry.
Imagine a colossal event like the World Cup unfolding in your city. It’s like a magnetic pull for tourists worldwide. These globetrotters need a comfy place to rest their heads and some delicious bites to Savor. That’s where hotels and restaurants come into play, with bookings soaring and eateries bustling.
Cricket tournaments aren’t swift affairs; they stretch over weeks. Visitors flocking for the World Cup tend to make it a lengthy vacation. This extended stay spells pure gold for hotels, allowing them to roll out enticing World Cup packages and deals to entice guests.
With stadiums bursting at the seams with fervent fans, it sets off a ripple effect nearby. Hotels and eateries in the vicinity witness a windfall as fans seek convenient lodgings and dining before and after the matches.
Cricket buffs are renowned for their fervour and celebrations. They often congregate in restaurants and pubs to catch the games together. Restaurants can amp up the atmosphere with special World Cup-themed menus and promotions, drawing both locals and tourists into the festive spirit.
The World Cup doesn’t just dish out benefits to hotels and restaurants; it elevates the entire local economy. Shops, transportation services, and entertainment venues all experience a surge in business during the tournament, indirectly bolstering the hospitality sector.
Being the host city or country for a World Cup thrusts you onto the global stage. This exposure can yield a lasting dividend in the form of increased tourism even after the tournament’s final whistle. Visitors who relish their stay are more inclined to return for future escapades.
In a nutshell, the ICC World Cup 2023 is a golden ticket for the hospitality industry. Hotels and restaurants are in for a windfall thanks to the influx of tourists, prolonged stays, and the vibrant ambiance fueled by cricket zealots. This event doesn’t just offer immediate financial gains but also etches a lasting imprint on the local economy and tourism sector.


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Tired of steakhouses with dark wood paneling, masculine decor and testosterone-filled rooms?
Fret no more.
STK, a steakhouse geared toward female customers, is opening its first restaurant in Washington. Restaurant operator The One Group has signed a lease at 1250 Connecticut Ave. NW in Brookfield Office Properties Inc.’s eight-story, 210,000-square-foot building south of Dupont Circle.
U.K.-based One Group opened its first STK restaurant in Manhattan in 2011. It now operates other STK locations in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Las Vegas and London.
STK targets female diners “in decor, vibe and menu,” it says, with small steaks, as well as medium and large cuts of meat. It also serves seafood.
No word on when the Connecticut Avenue location will open, but TopShelf can hardly wait to see how you design and market a restaurant toward women.
✒Chicago-based Roti Mediterranean Grill continues its Washington-area expansion, with plans to open a restaurant in Bethesda in March.
The Bethesda store will be near Montgomery Mall at 10327 Westlake Drive.
Washington now has more Roti locations than there are in the company’s hometown Chicago market. There are nine local stores and two more locations on the drawing board, in Rockville and Gaithersburg.
Roti, whose menu includes pitas, cous-cous, grilled meats and hummus, will open its first restaurant in Manhattan next month.
✒Another Windy City favorite, Chicago-based Protein Bar, whose light fare menu includes high-protein drinks, chili, soups, salads and its signature, low-calorie Bar-ritos, has opened a second Washington location in Ballston.
The new store, at 800 N. Glebe Road, debuted Jan. 30.
Protein Bar opened its first Washington location in Penn Quarter in August and has plans to open another location at 19th and K streets NW this spring.
Founder Matt Matros opened the first Protein Bar in Chicago in 2009 after losing 60 pounds on a high-protein diet.
The chain has eight locations in the Chicago area now.
✒Zoom Room, a national chain of dog training clubs, will open a location in Rockville next month.
Two Washington-area businessmen, Steve Mulder, a former lobbyist, and partner Jean-Louis Marechal, a computer consultant, have the initial Washington-area franchise for Zoom Room and may open additional locations.
Zoom Room offers things like dog training classes, agility coaching, obedience training, scent tracking and shy dog training, and it includes canine cross-training classes for dogs and their owners.
Owners pay by the class, starting at around $30 per class. It also sells retail products, including toys and treats.
Zoom Room will open Feb. 16 at 11771 Rockville Pike.
Zoom Room has 19 locations in nine states.
✒White House | Black Market is expanding its presence in the Washington area, where the boutique clothier has signed a lease to open a new store at 903 King St. in Alexandria.
The retailer will open in the current site of Old Town Master Pieces, a carpet and rug dealer, Next Realty Mid-Atlantic LLC says. Next Realty brokers Andrew Rose and Brannen Blazer represented the landlord in the 10-year lease, while KLNB brokers Jen Price and Mike Pratt represented White House | Black Market. The landlord for the property is A & H LLC.
The 4,326-square-foot store at King and N. Alfred streets will be White House | Black Market’s 14th in the region. The retailer opened its first store in Baltimore 25 years ago and was acquired by Chico’s in 2003.
“This is a flagship location on a prime corner in one of the region’s best shopping areas,” Rose said in a statement. “It is an ideal location for this boutique with strong ties to the region.”


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New name, new opportunities for Siemens Enterprise
Brian Riggs, Principal Analyst, Enterprise
Following a weeks-long marketing campaign, Siemens Enterprise Communications has changed its corporate name. The enterprise communications specialist, previously owned by Siemens AG and now a joint venture between Siemens AG and private equity firm the Gores Group, will now be called Unify. Although it is a risk, this move is also a necessity because, while the Siemens name has considerable brand equity in Germany, it is considerably less well known elsewhere.
In addition, because it has existed for more than century the Siemens brand is not necessarily associated with the leading-edge business communications technology for which Unify wants to be known. Taking Unify as a name identifies the company closely with the market for unified communications solutions, helping it to draw attention to the innovative UC technology it has introduced over the past several years. The most recent of these innovations is “Project Ansible,” a content and communications hub that will help Unify to strongly differentiate itself from its competitors.
While changing its name will help focus customer attention on the new and dynamic aspects of the company, Unify still faces a number of challenges. Much of the company’s business stems from the sale and support of legacy products. It continues to have low visibility in North America and other key regions, and Ansible is as yet unreleased and faces uncertain customer demand.
New name, new identity, same partner for operators
Changing a long-established, well-known corporate name is risky. Companies typically change their names following an acquisition (United Telephone to Sprint), following a divestiture (Lucent to Avaya), when a product brand eclipses the company brand (Matsushita Electronic to Panasonic), or when a name has regional but not international value (Lucky Goldstar to LG).
The impetus for Siemens Enterprise changing to Unify is a combination of a number of these. The Siemens Enterprise joint venture came about due to Siemens AG’s desire to exit the communications systems market. Despite coming five years after the partial divestiture, the rebranding will help Unify build a new identity for itself, one that is not related to its historical roots.
In changing its name Unify is seeking to build a brand that resonates in all the regions in which it operates, not just in its German stronghold. It will also be able to further distance itself from Siemens AG, which, after spinning off its carrier and enterprise communications divisions to the Nokia and Gores joint ventures, now focuses on energy, healthcare, automation, and other industries unrelated to communications. Siemens AG is no longer building a brand in the communications industry, nor does it have technical assets that its erstwhile enterprise subsidiary can leverage to develop new products and solutions.
Project Ansible, a new opportunity for operators
The change in corporate brand also parallels some exciting new introductions to Unify’s product portfolio. Earlier in 2013 the company introduced “Project Ansible,” a software platform that aggregates content and communications from multiple sources, maps them into business processes, and otherwise makes them more easily available to enterprise users. It is a thought-leading solution, showcasing Unify’s engineering expertise and ability to conceive of and develop leading-edge, wholly differentiated communications solutions. Ansible remains a work in progress, but Unify is already engaging with partners, including Deutsche Telekom, IBM, Telefonica, and Verizon, to bring it to market. Ansible will enter beta in early 2014 and is expected to be made available later in the year; it will first be offered as a service rather than as a premise-based product. So for operators, Unify Ansible represents a way of differentiating their enterprise communications offerings, either by reselling the software to businesses or by offering Ansible as a service.
Both the name change and the introduction of Project Ansible demonstrate Unify’s new interest in investing in corporate and product marketing. In the years leading up to and following the spin-off from Siemens AG, Unify made at best sporadic efforts to raise awareness of the company and its products. While these were not unsuccessful, they were also not the sustained marketing initiatives that the company is now engaged in. These aggressive – and generally effective –marketing campaigns have the potential to directly benefit operators and Unify’s other partners.
However, the corporate rebranding is also a risky move for Unify. The company still relies heavily on sales within Germany, and the loss of a known and trusted brand could negatively impact the company if sales and marketing initiatives are not properly executed. In addition, the new identity removes none of the hurdles that have long blocked Unify’s growth. These include a set of legacy business communications systems that have at best an awkward migration path to Unify’s more modern communications platforms.
Despite its new name, Unify seems to be experiencing an identity crisis. It spent a number of years turning Enterasys into “a Siemens Enterprise Company” so that it could offer its enterprise customers both voice and data solutions. However, earlier this year the Gores Group, which owned Enterasys, sold the company to Extreme Networks. Furthermore, a couple of years ago, Siemens Enterprise made the bold move of introducing a set of cloud-based services, positioning itself not only as a developer of premises-based solutions but of hosted communications services as well. However, after only a year on the market the cloud services were quietly withdrawn. And in early 2012, Siemens Enterprise SEN planned an IPO that would result in both Siemens AG and the Gores Group significantly reducing their stakes in Unify. This was expected to take place in late 2012, but never did.
Nevertheless, Unify has generated a considerable amount of energy around both its corporate rebranding and the upcoming release of Ansible. This has increased the visibility of the company in the industry and energized its employees. It is now Unify’s task to translate all this into increased sales so that it can become a more formidable presence in the UC market.


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Interparfums makes solid progress with earnings in Q1
International fragrance company Inter Parfums, Inc. (Interparfums) achieved net income of $27.7 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, up 175% from $10.1 million in the prior-year period. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $0.87, compared to $0.32 in the same period in the previous year.
As pointed out by Interparfums chairman and CEO in a release published on Monday, due to the outbreak of Covid-19, “comparisons with the first quarter of last year are not especially meaningful.” The fragrance group therefore also provided data comparing its latest quarterly results with the equivalent period in 2019.
Compared to Q1 2019’s total of $18.9 million, the company’s Q1 2021 net income increased 47%, while diluted EPS rose 45% from $0.60.
As previously reported, Interparfums’ net sales for the first quarter of 2021 came to $198.5 million, rising 37% from $144.8 million in the prior-year period and 11% from $178.2 million in Q1 2019.
According to Madar, the company made particular progress in regions where stores have been able to reopen due to the lifting of lockdowns. This includes North America and Asia, where quarterly sales rose 56% and 34% year over year, respectively. The group also saw strong gains in the Middle East, where sales increased 32%; Eastern Europe, were they shot up 125%, and Central and South America, which achieved 22% growth.
Following the introduction of renewed restrictions due to the arrival of a third wave of Covid-19 in the region, Interparfums’ revenues in Western Europe did not made the same progress in the quarter.
Commenting on the group’s plans moving forwards, Madar explained, “we continue to believe that our business model, financial resources, distribution network, and talented staff could support a substantially larger business. To accelerate our pace of growth, we have been actively pursuing prospective license agreements with brands who are seeking a new partner to jumpstart their fragrance franchise.”
Looking towards the end of the year, the executive explained that its new product pipeline for the rest of 2021 is dominated by brand extensions for fragrances including Montblanc “Explorer,” “Coach Dreams” and Jimmy Choo “Urban Hero,” as well as for the Oscar de la Renta “Bella,” Hollister “Wave” and Anna Sui “Fantasia” lines. Entirely new fragrance launches planned for this year include a women’s line for Lanvin, an Abercrombie & Fitch duo, the “Driven” men’s collection for Dunhill and a male grooming collection for Guess.
In the first quarter, Interparfums launched the Oscar de la Renta “Alibi,” Guess “Bella Vita” and Hollister “Canyon Escape” fragrances, as well as the debut scent for MCM.
Highlighting the company’s unexpectedly high percentage sales growth in Q1, Interparfums EVP and CFO Russell Greenberg explained that “as we resume more normalized operations, S,G&A expenses should likewise normalize, especially promotional and advertising expenses which should approach historical levels of 21% of net sales.”
On Monday, Interparfums also affirmed its full-year financial guidance for 2021, reporting that it expects to achieve annual net sales of approximately $700 million, resulting in diluted EPS of $1.65.
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The January/February issue of Ambassador magazine, will be filling newsstands come January 1, 2010 and will unveil the winners of its 2010 Red Seal Awards. Awards chosen by Metro Detroiters who have taken the time to let Ambassador know who and what their favorites are within Metro Detroit.
Readers are encouraged to vote for their favorite spa, restaurant, salon, store, lounge, athlete, TV and radio personalities, band, DJ, gourmet market and many more on Ambassador magazine’s website. One lucky voter will win a luxurious holiday gift basket.
“It’s important that the awards reflect the opinions of Metro Detroiters and our readers. The more people that vote the better” said Ambassador Publisher Denise Ilitch.
Ambassador will celebrate the 3rd Annual Red Seal Awards in January with an impressive guest list including celebrities, media personalities, business owners and several lucky readers. The evening will entertain and enlighten guests while highlighting the area’s best taste makers, outstanding venues and spectacular businesses.
To be apart of this great celebration, vote for your favorite venues at www.ambassadormag.com. Just click on the ballot in the middle of the homepage, titled Vote 2010 Red Seal Awards and vote away! Ambassador will announce the date and location of the Red Seal Award ceremony in the upcoming weeks.
Ambassador magazine is your liaison to the good life. With in-depth editorial and breathtaking images, Ambassador explores the latest trends in fashion, beauty, travel, business, technology, lifestyle and more.


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The agriculture sector has been grappling with multiple challenges for a long time. From climate change to weed and pest control, and post harvest issues such as consumer demand to packaging, it’s been a very rough ride for the sector. But finally it appears that there could be a solution in sight for most of these issues – in the name of big data.
Big data is already revolutionizing the medicine and engineering industries and has completely changed retail. It increasingly looks like the next stop could be our farms.
There’s some evidence to suggest this. For instance, sensors on fields are already being used to collect granular data points on soil conditions, fertilizer requirements, pest infestations, and water availability among other factors. We’ve also seen more and more GPS units on combines, tractors, and trucks that are being used to determine optimum use of heavy equipment on farms. And more recently, venture capitalists have been spending millions of dollars on agriculture focused data analytics companies. Just a few months ago, several well-known investors dropped $40 million into the Farmers Business network, an agricultural data analytics startup.
The Farmers Business Network is expected to use the money to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to patrol fields and collect data on crop ripeness and potential problems. They will also be investing in RFID technology that would allow them to collect a constant stream of data as a product moves through the value chain, from the farm to the recycle bin. Through RFID, individual plants can be monitored for growth rate and nutrient content. And at its best, the technology can also help farmers even out cash flow and hedge against losses.
It’s just the beginning though. Currently, the market for these precision farming tools (such as yield monitoring, crop scouting, field mapping, and weather forecasting software) is still very small. But that market is expected to grow 14% in the U.S.A. by 2022. Once these technologies are fully adopted, researchers believe that we could witness an increase in farm productivity never seen since mechanization.
On the consumer end, things will be even much better. Package sensors will be used that automatically detect gases when food starts to go bad. Algorithms will also be formulated to provide you with recipes for whatever you have in the pantry, meaning that very little food, if any, will go to waste.


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Adobe released Flash Player 11.2 on Tuesday, addressing two critical arbitrary code execution vulnerabilities and introducing a silent update option.
Box, a provider of cloud-hosted enterprise collaboration and content management software, will announce on Wednesday a new service designed to consolidate in a single repository companies' mobile applications and the data they generate.
Puppet Labs has added a data library to the enterprise version of its open-source IT automation software, allowing administrators to more easily reuse operational data in their own scripts and programs.
Italy's biggest private broadcaster has lost its right to use the international Internet domain www.mediaset.com after failing to renew its registration and losing an appeal to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) last month.
Nokia will bring the first of several Lumia smartphones to China starting in April, as the company moves to reclaim its share in a key market where Android handsets have begun to dominate.
Jive Software has developed a version of its enterprise social collaboration software designed for intranets, the latest product it creates for specific workplace scenarios.
Train passengers will soon be able to use their mobile phones on the city's subways.
The European Commission is to get tough on cybercrime, but won't target illegal file-sharing, it revealed on Wednesday.
DeNA, a major mobile platform operator in Japan, said Wednesday it has signed deals with China's three largest carriers to offer its games through their official app stores.
Amazon's Kindle Touch 3G e-reader will start shipping across the globe with free 3G wireless access on April 27, Amazon said on Tuesday.
Rovio Entertainment, the developer of the popular Angry Birds games, has acquired Futuremark Games Studio, the games development arm of Futuremark, a developer of PC performance test software.
Google is working on a number of advanced programming technologies to ease complex Web application development, a Google engineer revealed at a conference for software developers.
Software company Bluestacks is trying to close the gap between Microsoft's Windows and Google's Android OS with its App Player application, which was released in beta on Tuesday.
U.S. lawmakers called on three large U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Energy, to start monitoring their IT purchases for possible malware, counterfeits or other security flaws, after a watchdog agency pointed out potential vulner...
The U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration has identified 95 MHz of wireless spectrum now used by government agencies that could be used for commercial mobile service, but mobile operators may have to share the spectrum with ...
A new tide of demand for high-performance computer equipment is sweeping the world, as eSports becomes a major form of entertainment and spectator activity. With that, the technology supporting eSports is maturing rapidly.
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The online travel titan faces a reality check after years of extraordinary growth. Booking Holdings forecast that third-quarter growth in its accommodation room nights booked rate would be between 6 percent and 9 percent, well below the 20 percent range typical in the past.
Maturing industry innovators like to pretend they still to have wide room to expand. So Booking Holdings, which is two decades old, prefers to talk about how it has only “a single-digit market share in the very large global accommodations market.”
Cold facts undercut this spin. On Thursday, the conglomerate — which includes Agoda, Booking.com, Kayak, Priceline, OpenTable, and other brands — reported second-quarter financial metrics that showed that the torrid growth of its early years has ended.
Booking Holdings reported a decline in its pace of adding bookings of accommodation (meaning hotels and alternative lodging). It had only a 12 percent year-over-year gain in accommodation room nights booked, to 190.5 million, in the three months to June 30.
In an unusual move, Booking executives said Wednesday they needed an additional evening to make sure the room nights rate was correct and delayed its earnings call by a day for a recount. It said its rooms booked growth rate beat the guidance it had given investors for the metric, which was true. But the guidance was unusually low given the company’s historical performance.
Looking ahead, the company forecast its accommodation room nights booked rate for the third quarter would be between 6 percent and 9 percent. That would be the lowest rate in memory and disappointing given that it will be a strong season for the financial reporting of summer travel in the northern hemisphere.
Compare the low accommodation room nights booked pace to the second quarter of last year, when the company saw a 21 percent increase in room night growth — which at the time had been its slowest bump in several years.
The rooms booked rate decline is notable because hotels in many destinations worldwide saw record occupancy levels in the second quarter of 2018 and many hotel groups reported strong growth.
Executives said somewhat improbably and without numbers that travel may have been reduced because parts of the northern European market were suffering unusually hot weather and many people were sitting at home watching the World Cup.
This spring, Booking Holdings said it expected to have grown its listings of vacation rentals to 5 million listings, which it said would beat Airbnb’s total. On Thursday the company said it had met this goal and that it now has 5.5 million in homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay — up 23 percent, year-over-year.
Given the additional lodging inventory, the slowdown in room nights booked is also striking.
A Slowdown of Choice
The deceleration in room rate growth is partly deliberate.
Speaking during the company’s second-quarter earnings call Thursday, CEO Glenn Fogel said, “I am never happy no matter how fast we’re growing, I always want to do more. But part of our belief is that [when] choosing profit versus growth, you can always buy more growth, but is that long-term benefit for the franchise?”
In other words, Booking Holdings had decided to “sacrifice growth in order to optimize returns on performance ad spend,” according to Goldman Sachs Investment Research analyst Heath Terry in a July 24 research note. Performance-based advertising refers to online ads, such as the paid ads atop Google search results.
Terry said the company’s move was a response to “increasing competition on both the supply and demand side of the market.
The deceleration in growth is also due to the expanding size of Booking Holdings. Officials have warned for years that its growth would decelerate because of the so-called law of large numbers — meaning that, it’s harder for a company to beat its quarterly metrics as it gets larger.
Both a toggling back in ad spend and tougher comparisons because of size are also key reasons why the company’s rival, Expedia Group, reported that the number of room nights booked through its brands rose only 12 percent from the same period a year earlier, in the second quarter of 2018. That was down from 21 percent in the same period a year earlier.
“The OTAs [online travel agencies] have historically skewed in favor of room nights and revenue growth over margin, but that balance now appears to be tilting towards margin over room nights with both Booking Holdings and Expedia Group now talking about efforts to rationalize spend,” Jake Fuller, a research analyst at Guggenheim Partners, wrote in a recent report.
For the three months ending June 30, Booking Holdings revenue increased 16.9 percent from the same period a year earlier to $3.537 billion.
Net income rose 35.7 percent year-over-year to $977 million. That means the company enjoys margins at the operating level that are above or near the recent peaks of its online travel peers and that are roughly five times above the average for non-travel public companies based in the U.S.
Executives offered few details on the company’s July acquisition of online travel company HotelsCombined that it hopes to close by the end of the year. Some analysts had been puzzled by it.
“The strategy is ‘scale matters,'” said Fogel. “We bring in these [smaller] competitor companies that have a customer base [we don’t have], and perhaps they do certain things that we don’t do as well. And perhaps we can optimize in terms of the amount of people we need to run the entire organization through some synergies to be gotten.”
On the company’s April acquisition of FareHarbor, an enterprise software company serving tour operators, Fogel said he expected his brands would eventually offer tours and activity products more prominently.
Executives offered a little additional light on their decision to make a strategic investment of $500 million in Chinese car-hailing giant Didi Chuxing that promised to push the conglomerate’s hotel offers to Didi users.
“Our strategy [in China] is to maximize our opportunity to develop our own brand there and at the same time establish partnerships with the company’s great customer base,” Fogel said. He also said that, in China, Google cannot be a supplier of customers to us because it’s not present in a large way there.
Fogel said of his China strategy that he wanted Booking.com and Agoda to become full-service providers. When it comes to ground transportation in China, rental cars are not commonly used. Fogel said the Didi deal would let users of the Booking.com or Agoda apps and book ground transportation powered by Didi.
Fogel added that the Didi deal will also work to build recognition of its brand name among Didi customers through various marketing programs. He also believed that the equity investment in Didi would return value to the company.
For more on Booking Holdings’ overall strategy, see Skift’s interviews with CEO Glenn Fogel from this spring: “Booking Holdings CEO on the Foolishness of a Short-Term Focus” and “Booking Holdings CEO: We’re on the Road Toward Going Full-Service.”
On Thursday, Booking Holdings forecast a third-quarter revenue growth of between 8 percent and 11 percent, which would also represent a slowdown over past performance. Startup-like growth rates can’t last forever.
The Daily Newsletter
Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch
Photo credit: Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel appeared in July 2017 at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado. The company reported its second-quarter earnings for 2018 on Wednesday. Jordan Curet / Brainstorm Tech


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If you’re a makeup fanatic—or just a fan of the Kardashian-Jenner clan—you might have heard that Kylie Jenner made a big, new announcement last week: her cosmetics brand, Kylie Cosmetics, is releasing lip kits.
Yep, you heard that right and, no, it’s not 2015 and you’re not having deja vu. The lip kits are getting a revamp as Jenner’s cosmetics company is going back to basics with the first product they ever launched.
According to Jenner’s Instagram post, the new lip kits are going to be smudge-resistant, vegan, lightweight, and able to offer eight hours of wear. Plus, the packaging is revamped, now in a light pink color to match the products in Kylie Skin, Jenner’s skincare line that was unveiled in 2019.
The exact release date of the new lip kits is still under wraps, so if you’re looking forward to trying it out yourself, you’ll have to keep an eye out in order to stay up to date. After all, when Jenner launched her first lip kits in 2015, they did sell out in less than a minute.
Will Jenner be able to replicate the same success that the lip kits first did, six years after the fact? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: she’ll definitely try to.


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That was among the refreshingly candid gems we got last week from an NBC exec. He was beamed in from New York to enhance our case discussion about NBC’s decision on whether to buy the rights to Major League Baseball.
But what he really gave us was a wakeup call about the future of TV.
Get ready for Hulu (now an online service where you can watch many TV shows for free) to cost you money, perhaps a subscription fee. Get ready for your cable company to deny you high-speed if you don’t subscribe to cable too. And if you want to watch TV online, you’ll need a password from your cable company.
“We are resigned to letting people watch where they want to watch,” the exec said. “We just have to figure out how to monetize it.”
It’s not an easy nut to crack. Take Hulu, which has short commercials on its free online shows. NBC makes 20 cents per viewing of a TV show on Hulu. On TV, for the same show, they make 60 cents.
It’s that kind of gap that’s killing them – and not just them. Every old media platform is struggling with the same issue. How do we continue to fund the quality of programming/news/information that our customers want on the smaller returns that new digital platforms offer? So far, the math just isn’t working out in their favor.
I’m no stranger to dying media platforms (hello, my career in newspapers!). Which means I’m rooting for NBC and all the other media companies to figure something out. After many hours pondering this problem with scared and desperate journalists, I think part of the solution is to stop giving away the milk for (almost) free.
Media companies jumped online assuming that the same strategy they used on their old platform would work: We make content, businesses buy advertising, we make money. But they didn’t realize that online ads wouldn’t deliver the same fat revenues – or even enough revenue to cover the cost of making that content. So they gave away content without getting enough in return. And it’s killing them.
It’s time to figure out a way to shut off the free. Which is exactly what this NBC exec was talking about.
Almost everyone listening to him insisted they would never, ever pay for Hulu or any of the other services they’re used to getting for free. But I’m not so sure. I remember my parents telling me about how people were initially appalled by the idea of cable TV. Why would anyone pay for television?
Here’s hoping they can figure out how to make us pay for it again.


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Dubbed the “Freedom Edition,” the suggested list price for the discs are $19.99 for Blu-ray and $14.99 for DVD, according to a Sony representative. The average Blu-ray goes for $23-$25 retail, so the lowered “Interview” list price could be a nod to the film’s accelerated rollout.
“The Interview” grossed over $15 million in box office and streaming purchases within its first two weeks of release.
The comedy, which had a $45 million production budget, was at one time set for a nationwide release in more than 2,000 theaters. Sony pulled the film after a group claiming responsibility for the November hack of the studio threatened attacks on par with 9/11.
After a wave of public support from President Barack Obama and various free speech entities, the film saw an enthusiastic response in the first days of 2015.
The “Freedom Edition” will feature commentary from directors Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Franco and Rogen’s guest starring episode of the Discovery Channel’s “Naked and Afraid,” a gag reel and even the audition footage for Randall Park –the actor who plays North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.
Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to 'The Interview' Release (Photos)
As Sony CEO Michael Lynton prepares to exit, here’s TheWrap’s blow-by-blow of 2014’s devastating cyberattack on the studio
As Sony CEO Michael Lynton announces his resignation, let's look back at one of the darkest periods of his tenure: the Sony hack.
Movies By Jason Hughes | January 8, 2015 @ 9:38 PM
Photos By Tim Kenneally and Deborah Day | January 7, 2015 @ 6:04 PM


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The iconic hip-hop producer and rapper launched his Beats By Dre collection in 2008, in association with electronics company Monster.
He has since gone on to team up with Lady GaGa and Sean 'Diddy' Combs to launch their own special designs of audio equipment.
Now Jay-Z is giving them some competition in the marketplace - he's unveiled a new venture for his management/publishing company Roc Nation with headphone experts Skullcandy.
The Roc Nation Aviator, touted by Skullcandy reps as "pushing new levels" of style and sound in the audio industry, is made with superior metals and plush memory foam ear cushions.
Jay-Z says in a statement, "Our passion is creating amazing music. We're dedicated to delivering the best in live performances. Now with the Roc Nation/Skullcandy partnership, we're offering the best way for people to experience the soundtrack of their lives."
Rick Alden, Skullcandy CEO, adds, "This partnership is an incredible opportunity for Skullcandy. By teaming up with Roc Nation on both the creative and marketing direction of these new products, we are able to set the bar at a new high - challenging the future quality of what emerges in the industry from here on out."
The Roc Nation Aviator will go on sale in the U.S. in June (10).


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HTC's Peter Chou is having his own "burning platform" moment after sending a company-wide email, leaked to Bloomberg, entitled "We are coming back." The CEO, shocked at recent sales dips has talked of a company lacking "decision, strategic direction or [a] sense of urgency" and requested that employees should "kill bureaucracy." He praised the success of the well-lauded One X, but said that the company's own "processes, rules and norms" could be stumbling blocks, instead urging employees to "follow rules and criteria, but don't let small things kill the major goals." The missive has already been confirmed as real by an HTC spokesperson, who probably promptly burned a stack of TPS reports to demonstrate their commitment.
HTC CEO issues rallying call to staff, tells them to 'kill bureaucracy'
Daniel Cooper|@danielwcooper|August 15, 2012 8:39 AM


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HYBE has grown tremendously over the past few years. The South Korean entertainment company, which was founded in 2005 as the only record label known as Big Hit Music, has been around for a long time. Their only artist was BTS, but as the company expanded with the success of BTS, Big Hit became a subsidiary and began acquiring other Korean record labels such as Pledis Entertainment, Source Music, and also acquiring the company. Americans like Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings and, most recently, a hip-hop label. Quality control. Despite already dominating many music markets, HYBE is still not growing.
As of August 2021, HYBE has also been eyeing SM Entertainment. However, the attempt to acquire a majority stake in the company has been met with controversy.
Why does HYBE want to buy a majority stake in SM Entertainment?
SM Entertainment Founded in 1995 by music producer Lee Soo-man, it has been one of Korea’s largest entertainment companies for decades. It is responsible for helping popularize K-pop around the world with early groups such as Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, and Shinee, as well as new acts such as ECO, NCT, Red Velvet, SuperM, and Aespa. It makes sense that HYBE would want to join forces with SM Entertainment. to make himself a more powerful force in the K-pop industry.
HYBE’s plan to acquire SM Entertainment It comes after news that Lee, the company’s founder and largest shareholder, is planning to sell his shares to a major company in order to further expand SM’s reach. Lee, but so are other companies, including CJ Group and Korean tech giant Kakao.
Was HYBE successful in acquiring a majority stake in SM Entertainment?
On February 7, news outlet Yonhap reported that Kakao had become SM Entertainment’s second-largest shareholder by purchasing a 9.05 percent stake in the company. This caused a dispute between SM Entertainment and Lee, who threatened to sue his own company for apparently using illegal business practices by creating new shares without first offering them to existing shareholders. to overcome management disputes The following day on February 9, Variety reported that Lee had agreed with HYBE himself. As part of the deal, HYBE would purchase a 14.8 percent stake in SM Entertainment and replace Lee as the company’s largest shareholder, Bang Si-. HYBE founder hyuk and Lee said they made the deal because “Have a shared vision” for the future of K-pop. “HYBE fully agrees with former chief producer Lee’s strategic initiatives, including a metaverse, multi-label system, and a sustainable vision campaign,” Si-hyuk said in a statement. “Using our talents and resources, HYBE will strengthen K-pop’s presence on the global stage.” According to the Los Angeles Times, HYBE is planning to acquire up to 40 percent of SM Entertainment.
As of March 6th, HYBE’s goal of acquiring a majority of SM Entertainment’s operations was revealed. It came a step closer when the Seoul Eastern District Court declared Lee’s side and granted a temporary injunction to block SM Entertainment. By issuing new shares for Kakao, this means that the previous agreement that SM Entertainment made with Kakao to become the company’s second-largest shareholder will not pass. The court explained that the decision was made because the deal was made without the consent of shareholders.
SM Entertainment How to respond to HYBE participation?
While Lee thinks HYBE’s takeover of SM Entertainment is the best for the company’s growth, but SM Entertainment’s CFO, Jang Cheol-hyuk It published a YouTube video on Feb. 19 revealing that the company overall disagreed with the move. Jang believes that HYBE’s collaboration with SM Entertainment will create a monopoly in the K-Pop music market. According to US News, a monopoly is “a market where one business acts as the only supplier of goods or services.” Basically, this means that if HYBE takes over SM Entertainment, HYBE will be seen. Jang said that this would have a negative effect on K-pop because there would be a lack of “diversity” in the industry as most of the artists would be owned by HYBE, as this could lead to less competition. Jang said HYBE’s acquisition of SM Entertainment could lead to a lack of innovation in K-pop, as well as an increase in ticket prices and other merchandise.
On the other hand, it’s important to note that while HYBE, SM, YG, and JYP are some of the biggest companies in the K-Pop industry, they are not the only ones. There are CUBE, Starship, Jellyfish, RBW, and other record labels. There are countless others that make up the industry and represent many well-known K-Pop groups HYBE and SM. The combination will undoubtedly make an impact. But it doesn’t always mean that it creates a monopoly.
HYBE’s majority stake in SM Entertainment Will it affect the artists of SM?
Zhang believed that HYBE’s takeover would also have a negative impact on SM’s artists. Therefore, SM artists will have no choice but to be demoted,” he said.
Despite SM Entertainment’s claims, Si-hyuk told CNN in an interview on March 5 that HYBE is not trying to “dominate” the entire K-pop industry. Buying these companies is increasing the popularity of K-pop around the world. Latin and Afrobeat music is growing rapidly. So where we are It is therefore urgent to increase the number of exposures.”
In order to do this, Si-hyuk said he encouraged the company’s smaller labels to maintain their “independence”, contrary to Jang’s point that the acquisition would result in a lack of diversity. Independently working under their labels, from Pledis Entertainment’s SEVENTEEN to ADOR’s NewJeans.
So what will happen next?
Since HYBE’s reported goal is to buy up to 40 percent of SM Entertainment’s shares (according to the Los Angeles Times), it appears to be continuing to look for opportunities to further expand within the company. But that won’t be the case if there’s no back-and-forth communication.
According to Reuters on March 6, HYBE has acquired another 0.98 percent stake in SM Entertainment. through tender offer This increased their total stake in the company to 15.78 percent. While their initial offer was intended to gain an additional 25 percent stake in the company, it was dropped as SM’s stock price soared.
On March 7, Kakao made an offer to secure an additional 35% stake in SM Entertainment after HYBE made an unsuccessful offer. Meanwhile, as reported by the Korean Herald at the end of February, HYBE filed a petition with the Korean Financial Regulatory Authority requesting an investigation into SM’s unusually high stock price. This led to their failed bid. believed to be a product of manipulation of the stock price in the part of SM
It looks like this battle for control of SM will be “real-life Game of Thrones”.
Image Source: Getty/ Han Myung-Gu


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Beige Book: Segmented Recovery Inches Ahead. Housing Market Depressed
The Federal Reserve has released the Beige Book
The Beige Book is a compilation of anecdotal information and data on
current economic conditions across the country. The findings are NOT
THE VIEWS OF FEDERAL RESERVE OFFICIALS...instead,
each Federal Reserve bank interviews key business contacts, economists,
market experts, and other sources in their specific district. This
report is published eight times a year.
DJ Newswire Quick Recap...
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: US ECONOMIC GROWTH CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY EXPANDS IN MOST DISTRICTS
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: RETAIL, TOURISM SPENDING BROADLY IMPROVES
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: HOUSEHOLDS REMAIN PRICE SENSITIVE IN SEVERAL DISTRICTS
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXPECTATIONS GENERALLY POSITIVE
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: HOUSING MARKETS REMAIN DEPRESSED
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: PRICES FOR GOODS STABLE DESPITE RISING INPUT COSTS
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: HIRING ACTIVITY IMPROVES ACROSS MOST DISTRICTS
DJN-DJ FED BEIGE BOOK: WAGE PRESSURE SUBDUED ACROSS MOST DISTRICTS
DJN-DJ Fed Beige Book: US Economic Growth Continues To Improve
Excerpts From The Release...
Real Estate and Construction
Residential real estate and construction activity remained at a low level in all Districts. Some districts reported further weakening in home sales. Others characterized the market as soft or sluggish. The Chicago District reported that high inventories of unsold homes continued to be a drag on new residential construction and home prices. Residential house prices were mixed. Price declines were observed in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Kansas City; prices were flat to up in Minneapolis, and prices edged up in Boston. The Dallas District reported that home prices increased on a year-over-year basis. The rental market continued to offer incentives to tenants in New York, while strong demand for rental units was reported in Richmond and Dallas. Outlooks for 2011 were mixed.
Conditions in the commercial real estate industry were mixed during the reporting period. Several Districts reported flat demand and high vacancy rates, which translated into limited nonresidential construction activity. The New York, Atlanta, and Kansas City Districts noted some weakening in nonresidential activity, while the Boston and Dallas Districts indicated some modest improvement in commercial real estate. Reports from Cleveland and Chicago noted that most new projects fell generally into the infrastructure category. Contacts in Boston, Richmond, Kansas City, and Dallas expressed some optimism about the near-term outlook in their Districts, but contacts in several other Districts expressed a more cautious outlook.
Banking and Finance
Banking conditions remained stable across most Districts. Lending activity was reported as steady or unchanged in New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco, while a slight improvement was noted in Cleveland, Richmond and Chicago. The Atlanta District reported constrained credit conditions and weak loan demand. Contacts in Chicago and Dallas said that increased competition for high-quality borrowers resulted in more aggressive loan pricing.
Demand for commercial and industrial loans was generally stable, though several Districts noted improvements in specific loan categories. The Cleveland and Chicago Districts reported increased lending for mergers and acquisitions, and access to credit by small businesses in Atlanta improved slightly.
Consumer lending has remained stable at weak levels in most Districts. The San Francisco District reported that loan demand declined slightly as a result of households' desire to deleverage, while Chicago saw a small pickup in consumer lending. Several Districts reported increases in lending related to residential real estate, and, in particular, to refinancing activity. Reports on changes in credit standards were mixed. Bankers in New York reported a tightening in credit standards across all loan categories, Kansas City contacts indicated no change in lending standards, and Atlanta reported an easing in standards for small firms. Contacts in the Cleveland, Richmond, and Chicago Districts reported improved credit quality, but San Francisco bankers noted ongoing struggles with credit quality. The Cleveland and Richmond Districts both reported declines in delinquencies.
Labor and Prices
Hiring activity showed some improvement across most Districts, although employers are waiting for clearer signals of expanding business prospects before adding significantly to payrolls. A preference for part-time and temporary workers was reported in the Atlanta and Chicago Districts. Seasonal hiring in retail trade is expected to be higher this year in Chicago and San Francisco than in the previous two years.
Employers in the Boston, Richmond, and Minneapolis Districts reported having difficulty finding skilled workers. Employment agencies in the New York, Richmond, and Chicago Districts reported a moderate increase in new job openings, while staffing firms in Dallas said that hiring activity is strong. Boston staffing contacts noted that labor demand has strengthened, particularly in the information technology, medical, manufacturing, and legal sectors. Wage pressures remain subdued across Districts. Contacts in Richmond and Kansas City noted that they expect little change in wage pressures during the upcoming months. However, employers in San Francisco reported significant increases in employee benefit costs.
Prices of final goods and services were fairly stable across Districts despite rising input costs, especially for agricultural commodities, metals, and fuel. Companies in the Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco Districts reported a limited ability to pass through higher input costs to customers given the relative softness in demand. However, some manufacturers in the Boston, Cleveland, and
Atlanta Districts have announced plans to raise their product prices in the near future. Retailers in Philadelphia and San Francisco noted price increases on selected products imported from Asian countries. Reports from the Chicago and Dallas Districts indicated that that record-high inventories and forecasts for a warmer-than-normal winter are putting downward pressure on natural gas prices.
Consumer Spending and Tourism
Retail spending showed improvement across most Districts, with the exception of Boston, Cleveland, Richmond and St. Louis, where results were mixed. A return to more seasonably cool weather was credited for boosting sales in the New York and Dallas Districts. Grocers reported rising sales in Cleveland and Richmond, while sales dropped off in San Francisco. Purchases of apparel improved in the Philadelphia, Chicago, and Dallas Districts. Expectations for the holiday shopping season were positive across Districts; however, in Richmond, retailers expected holiday shopping to be restrained. Reports from the Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Chicago Districts indicated that consumers remained value conscious and tended to focus on buying necessities. Purchases of big ticket items were soft in Richmond, St. Louis, and Kansas City.
Manufacturing activity continued to expand in most Districts. New York was the only District where manufacturing activity was reported to have weakened, while Dallas reported that manufacturing was mixed. Metal fabrication increased in Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco. Contacts in automotive industries reported gains in Boston, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, and Chicago. The Boston, Kansas City, and San Francisco Districts reported increased sales for high-technology manufacturers, though Dallas noted that growth in orders and production in high-technology industries had slowed from earlier in the year. Steel producers and service centers in the Cleveland District reported that volume was either flat or improving, while Chicago noted some temporary softening in steel demand. Refiners in the Dallas and San Francisco Districts noted reduced production levels. The Philadelphia and Dallas Districts indicated little improvement in demand for manufacturers with ties to residential housing and construction. The Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Kansas City Districts reported that capital spending or spending plans had increased. On net, manufacturers in the St. Louis District reported they planned to expand operations. Contacts in Boston, New York, and Richmond commented on increasing input costs. Several Districts noted an optimistic outlook from manufacturers. Boston and Richmond described manufacturers as upbeat; New York and Chicago reported contacts as more optimistic; and Philadelphia and Minneapolis manufacturers expect increases in activity in the near term. However, several contacts in Dallas expressed concern about a decline in demand from government agencies, as budget shortfalls continue.
A depressed housing market, burgeoning retail and tourism statistics, consumer price sensitivity, and rising producer price pressures are among the things noted in the Fed's latest beige book, released today. Two Plain and Simple's come to mind after reading the Beige Book...
From Fed Sees Lagging Labor Market Recovery. Cuts Inflation Forecast. Is More QE Coming?
Plain and Simple: the Fed's GDP outlook indicates we should be expecting an uptick in economic activity in the year ahead. This data is a precursor to that prediction. The problem is retailers and product sellers don't have much pricing power (must sell at discounts) nor do they have stable demand. With unemployment stubbornly high, the rising cost of inputs can't be passed along to the consumer level nd firms will be forced to trim other expenses (temporary hiring) or accept thinner profit margins.
From ADP: Services Sector Adds 79,000 Jobs. Goods Producers Finally Expand Hiring
Plain and Simple: Good Stuff! Private industry added 93,000 jobs in November and October was revised better by 39,000. Inside the data, service providing industries expanded hiring for the 10th consecutive month while goods producing firms expanded hiring for the first time since....March 2007. If this doesn't scream "WE'RE REPLACING HUMAN BRAWN WITH TECHNOLOGY" then I don't know what does. Welcome to the age of efficiency and high productivity where American (Korean) made robots battle Chinese children for global manufacturing supremacy! American innovation is leaving the untrained (non-specialized) blue collar worker behind. 6.2 million Americans have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer.....
And a brief update on the market...
After this morning's heavy losses, MBS have rallied almost all day, finally perching on a ledge between 100-15 and 100-23 in the FN 4.0. All eyes are STILL on NFP tomorrow as nothing has really happened today.
And finally, just because it struck me as "cool," MG presents the Fed Voter Quote of the day!
From Bullard: "QUANTITATIVE EASING HAS NO IMPACT ON LONGER-RUN U.S. FISCAL OUTLOOK, WHICH
REMAINS POOR REGARDLESS OF FED ACTIONS"
You tell 'em Jimmy! Sorry to hear that you'll lose your voting rights in January.


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Posted: Post Date – 03:43 pm, Wed – Jun 15, 22
Hyderabad: The Telangana startup ecosystem is now ranked in the top 10 global ecosystems and is ranked number four in the Asian ecosystem for affordable talent, according to a recent report. Startup Genome’s 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER), which was released at London Tech Week this week, reported that Telangana-based startups are among the top 20 startups in the world in different categories. .
While the youngest state is one of the top 10 global ecosystems for affordable talent, in terms of funding it is among the top 15 in Asian ecosystems. Meanwhile, in terms of knowledge, which measures innovation through research and patent activity, Telangana ranks among the top 20 Asian ecosystems. Telangana is also among the top 25 Asian ecosystems and top 15 Asian emerging ecosystems for performance that assesses the value created by tech startups from exits and funding.
Startup Genome worked closely with Telangana startup ecosystem creator T-Hub to showcase the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem at GSER 2022. The GSER is the world’s most comprehensive data-driven investigation of startups with over 280 business innovation ecosystems and 3 million startups analyzed. The report includes a ranking of the top 140 ecosystems, continental insights, and founder-focused articles from thought-leading experts.
The report mentions that the Telangana startup ecosystem created $4.8 billion in value from July 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. It cited access to talent and policy incentives as reasons why a startup startup should move to Telangana and said AI, Big Data and Analytics, Life Sciences, and Agtech sectors stand out for their density of talent, support resources, and startup activity.
T-Hub CEO M Srinivas Rao said: “Telangana is at the forefront of building a world-class innovation ecosystem through a combination of passionate entrepreneurs, availability of high-quality talent, supportive government policies. and access to capital. The startup community has seen phenomenal growth in a variety of sectors, especially Life Sciences, AI, Big Data, Analytics, and Agritech.”


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Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is alerting consumer who want to check out charities before donating any money that they can now find out information about a charity with a mouse click.
The department regulates charitable giving and Florida law requires charities to register and provide financial information about income and expenditures. There are a record number of charities registered with the department this year, 10,843, an increase of nearly 700 over 2003.
The department has provided financial information about charities to consumers through its annual "Gift Givers' Guide" for years. Now, all the information in the guide is available online.
Consumers who want to ensure a charity is properly registered can check by logging on to www.800helpfla.com. Like the paper guide, the site will also provide a breakdown of how much a charity spends on fundraising, how much on administrative costs such as salaries and operating expenses and how much money actually goes toward program services.
Consumers should always make sure a charity is registered before donating and check on how a charity spends its money. The department does not endorse any charity, even those properly registered. The department has no authority to mandate how a charity spends its funds but does provide financial information so consumers can make educated decisions about where to contribute.
"With so many charities seeking donations, it's important for consumers to take the time to ensure their dollars are going to a legitimate charity and being spent as they intended," Bronson said. "While we will certainly continue to make our Gift Givers' Guide book available upon request, putting the information on line helps consumers get that information immediately."
Bronson also reiterates the following tips to consider when deciding whether to donate to an organization:
- Don't judge an organization based on an impressive sounding name. Find out what it actually does.
- Be wary of emotional appeals and organizations that have only vague plans for spending the funds they collect.
- Never give cash. Write a check payable only to an organization-not an individual.
- Be wary of organizations that offer to send a runner to pick up your donation.
- Reputable charities are willing to wait for your contribution.
- Consumers have the right to ask for an organization's financial report and its federal tax identification number-the latter of which you'll need to claim your contribution as a tax deduction.
- Ask the organization to send you written information about its activities. If an organization is not registered, contact the department.
People who have additional questions or want to report a potential scam should call the Department's hotline at 1-800-HELP FLA (1-800-435-7352).


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Business clothes open doors of opportunity
MURFREESBORO – Although Jody Powers has served in her church for many years, the empty-nester wanted to branch outside of faith fellowship to help women in need. And her church’s jail ministry provided the starting point for her ideas.
“For years I kept ... wondering why we didn’t have a clothes closet for some of the women coming out of jail. ... Things kept coming into my path that made it obvious that (opening a clothes closet) was what I was supposed to do,” said Powers, who garnered 501c3 nonprofit status for Amelia’s Closet: A Clothier of Hope.
Powers saw a need for disadvantaged women — from single moms to those getting out of jail or recovering from domestic violence — to be able to have business attire for job interviews. Often, these women struggle with some of the basic needs and don’t have the money to buy clothing appropriate for better-paying employment opportunities.
It wasn’t until January this year that she began speaking with others about her idea. While Powers planned to eventually find a permanent location and storage facility for Amelia’s Closet, she wanted to start out with a traveling boutique by converting a food truck into a mobile venue. But she ran into a friend who offered an affordable space.
So earlier this month, she took Amelia’s Closet from her guest bedroom into a store front-style facility located at 855 W. College St., Suite V. For now, clients are seen by appointment only.
As she began formulating ideas, Powers researched the word “hope” and discovered the name Amelia — which is also her granddaughter’s name — means industrious, striving and admiring. The name also brings to mind female pioneer Amelia Earheart, whose visage and vision can be found all around the clothing shop.
“We want to help prevent poverty and homelessness and human trafficking. The No. 1 target is women that are vulnerable because they don’t have gainful employment. They are desperate and will rely on anything just to take care of their kids. Statistics show 84 percent of homeless families are headed by a woman,” Powers said.
And by February the program garnered nonprofit status — and the attention of other agencies that help women such as Doors of Hope, which helps women transitioning from jail back into society.
“The first time Jody did the closet for two of our clients ... it was just amazing to see each of them choose clothing off the rack and take into the dressing room like you would a department store. ... And then there was Jody’s volunteers applauding them and telling them how great they looked. ... It even changed the way the women walked and held themselves and that was a huge deal. It meant a lot that I got to witness it,” said Maridel Williams, founder of Doors of Hope.
That first impression is so important, and it happens quickly, Powers said.
“Interviewers judge applicants within the first three to seven seconds,” Powers said. “So it’s important to have the right clothing for an interview.”
The small storage space at Amelia’s Closet requires Powers and her volunteers to be specific about donations.
“We want new, or three years or newer clothing, higher end than Goodwill,” Powers said.
Clothes need to be clean in appearance and smell, pressed and on hangers. Conservative attire is also a must. Skirts and dresses should be at least knee-length and tops should not be sheer and necklines must not be lower than a hand-width from the collarbone, she said.
Clothing donations can be dropped off at any Big B Cleaners location in Murfreesboro. Donors are also encouraged to pay for dry cleaning if apparel needs it.
“We are also hoping to partner with retail stores to get out-of-season clothing because we want to be a step above even a consignment store ... so they can make the best first impression possible,” Powers said.
Along with getting a full interview ensemble, women can return to Amelia’s Closet for a coordinating wardrobe.
“We give them an interview outfit, shoes, new hosiery, jewelry, purses, whatever they need for their interview. Once the partner agency calls back for a second appointment when (clients) get hired, we give them a week’s worth of interchangable outfits,” Powers said. That might mean a skirt, blazer, a couple of pairs of pants, shoes, blouses and jewelry.
The first client to go through the whole process covered all the scenarios for who the agency wants to help.
“She’s a veteran, a domestic violence victim, she’d been arrested with a DUI, been homeless and lived at a shelter. Now she has her own place and she started a better job,” Powers explained. “She seems to be doing well.”
Powers hopes to keep up with all the clients of Amelia’s Closet for at least a year. Plans are in the works to start a mentoring program for the women. She also hopes to offer classes such as interview tips, and social and business etiquette to help women. Volunteers will be needed to help with those areas, as well as helping the women find just the right clothing.
And Powers has plans to unveil a 12-on-12 program, a fundraiser to get 12 individuals or organizations to donate $1,000 for a year. Funding will help pay for operating expenses and any purchases that need to be made, whether it’s new hosiery or clothing items Amelia’s Closet may not have that a client needs.
So far the clothes closet has a good start. But needs are rising as more clients get referred to Powers, especially in plus sizes.
Powers said often clients are going into jail a size 6 but coming out a size 16 due to poor diet.
While clothing is an important aspect to Amelia’s Closet, “it’s so much more than the clothes,” Powers said.
“(The right clothing) gives a woman the self-esteem she needs to walk into an interview that might otherwise be pretty scary,” Williams said.
Contact Nancy De Gennaro at 615-278-5148 or email@example.com, or follow her on Twitter @DNJMama
•Suits Skirt and/or pants with blazer
•Blazers — Business or business casual
•Skirts — Professional style
•Dresses — Sheath or shirt-dresses preferred
•Pants — Business or business casual
•Shoes — Close-toed and 3-inch heel or lower
•Overcoats/jackets (tan is OK, too)
These items should be in black, navy, gray or brown only (solids, pinstripe, herringbone or similar pattern).
•Button-up shirts, blouses, cardigans and sweaters in solids or moderate patterns.
•Scarves and moderate jewelry to accessorize.
•New hosiery (solid colors) and new undergarments.
Email firstname.lastname@example.org or call Jody Powers at 615-584-9029.


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"In the spring of 2009, the company came up with a fairly radical scheme in response to a user backlash over changes to its terms of service earlier that year. From that point on, Facebook pledged that every future proposed change to its governing documents would go through a user comment period. If 7,000 or more users commented on the proposal, it would trigger a site-wide vote. And if 30 percent of all Facebook users voted either "yea" or "nay" on the changes, the company would submit to their will. The catch is that this applied only to changes to the company's terms of service. Changes to actual features, like facial recognition or couples pages, were never up for referendum.
(...)That system will include a new "Ask the Chief Privacy Offer" feature and regular webcasts by chief privacy officer Erin Egan to address users' questions and concerns, according to Shrage's announcement. The company also hopes it will also result in more substantive comments on proposed changes in the future, now that there's no incentive to flood Facebook with form-letter comments in a bid to meet the vote threshold."


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Blog Post Archive
Living large in Macau on Wynn’s dime
How much does it take to live in Macau? Wynn International executive Linda Chen seems to be testing the outer limit after Wynn Resorts disclosed spending $5.4 million on her house and another $9.3 million (so far!) to renovate ...
Devil’s in the details in Best Buy agreement
The devil's in the details in Best Buy's agreement with founder and former Chairman and CEO Richard Schulze. Some details are serious and others seem downright silly.
Lululemon’s timing not so sheer here
Lululemon's recall of see-through yoga pants have been generating lots of headlines. But in the midst of this, the company decided to give its top executives a bump in their bonuses.
IBM’s ex-CEO is well-decorated
In the annals of executive decorating, the disclosure in IBM's proxy statement filed earlier this week probably doesn't rank quite as high as former Tyco CEO Dennis Koslowski's $6,000 shower curtain or former Merrill Lynch CEO Jon Thain's $35,000 ...
Savoring juicy details on Heinz/Buffett deal
The merger proxy filed by HJ Heinz provides some interesting details on its $23 billion deal with Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital.
Ex-CEO gets 2 iPads and more as severance
Marsh & McLennan's former CEO gets two iPads, an iPhone, a Blackberry and a Bloomberg terminal as part of his parting gifts.
Whirlpool dips its toe into deficit debate
Whirlpool's stock has been on a tear lately, climbing over 40% in the past six months. So a new disclosure about concerns over deficit spending seems a bit unusual.
Friday night finds: the CEO guest ranch
Late Friday, heading into the three day weekend, Solera Holdings disclosed an agreement to rent a luxury ranch in Jackson Hole, Wy. from a company owned by its CEO.
Welcome to the New, Improved footnoted
Long in the works, our new site features deeper content, real-time updates, improved searchability, complete archival access, better organization, and a more user-friendly experience.
Early earnings oops prompts Google to DIY
Back in October, Google's third quarter earnings were accidentally released too early, creating a market meltdown that prompted Google's stock to drop over 10% in one day. Now the company is making sure that doesn't happen again.


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24 Jan Nike and Ford Caught in Crossfire of Trump’s Trade Overhaul
Trump on Monday signed papers that he said would fulfill promises to tackle trade policies immediately after taking office. During the campaign, Trump routinely derided the pacts as job-killers, calling TPP “a potential disaster” and saying Nafta was “one of the worst deals ever.” While the administration didn’t release the documents, the president has said he would prevent U.S. jobs from being outsourced and may impose punitive tariffs on imports.
TPP also would have generated savings for retailers such as Target Corp., Foot Locker Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The cut in import costs would have been $450 million a year, according to the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.
“It won’t make people that happy if the price of tennis shoes goes up, if the price of clothing goes up and if the price of motor vehicles goes up,” said Donald Grimes, an economist at the University of Michigan. “That contradicts the idea of making people better off.”
Read the full article at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-23/nike-and-ford-caught-in-crossfire-of-trump-s-free-trade-overhaul


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Interesting story: These are very scary times, aren't they? Here's why…
The country’s a mess.
We’re potentially in the middle of the most dangerous and devastating financial crisis we’ve ever seen before. Some of the largest and most venerable financial institutions on Wall Street have gone under, and many others have Stage 4 Cancer. Which means, in a case like this, it’s not a question of “if”they’re going to collapse, but “when” they’re going to collapse.
Suddenly CEO’s and other top officials are being questioned and held accountable for not only their decision-making, but the outrageous salaries they continue taking, irrespective of the mess they’ve created. The walls are crumbling all around them, but their cash-flow keeps coming in like a faucet that can’t be stopped.
While you and I sit back and get the screws tightened all around us.
And now the government wants us to bail these pirates out, to the tune of $700 Billion dollars. For most people, myself included, this isn’t even a real number, let alone one I can actually picture in my mind.
On the front page of USA Today this morning, the feds are claiming if we don’t bail these companies out, we’re all in deep shit! Last night, W said, “Our entire economy is in danger! Without immediate action by Congress, America could slip into a financial panic… more banks could fail, including some in your community.”
It used to be cash is king, now even the safety and stability of your money-market funds and checking accounts are coming into question. You scrimp and save year after year, and for what?
Are the days of hyper-inflation far away? Is it only a matter of time until we’re all out on the street, homeless and wandering around, wondering what happened?
It’s VERY scary out there.
Look, this isn’t our parents world we’re living in any more. Over the last few years the prices of darn-near everything are spiraling out of control. Years ago, it wasn’t uncommon to be spending 10 to 15% of what you make, on your mortgage payment — but today that wouldn’t even buy you a shack out underneath the highway!
Most people are spending 40 to 50% of what they’re earning on their mortgage, and some folks in high-cost areas are spending 60 to 70% of their paycheck, or even more… just to make their monthly nut!
The price of cars, entertainment, and gasoline has gotten completely out of hand, and yet… your salary hasn’t gone up nearly as much, has it?
And forget about trying to fly somewhere — who can afford the price of an airline ticket nowadays?
A day doesn’t go buy when you don’t hear something in the news about how some poor bastard died because they couldn’t afford health insurance, and yet… insurance companies are setting record profits, year after year!
Why, I ask you? Why?
It used to be, you’d hear about how elderly people are needing to eat dog food just to survive — now you’re hearing about how entire families are starving.
How long can this go on? How will we survive?
And yet, in spite of this, every day a new application arrives in your mailbox, encouraging you to take out even more credit, feeding the big giant monster even more.
Is anyone listening to this?
Is the end near?
Is it fair to bail out these big companies when hundreds of thousands of hard-working small business-owners are shutting their doors, because of the impact all this is having on them?
Sometimes, financial death is as powerful as physical death, and yet… no one has the cure.
These are scary times, aren’t they?
What you’ve just witnessed, is an example of how to use fear and paranoia in your sales copy and marketing, to get people to take action.
Had I wrapped up that conversation with a closing presentation that offered you some kind of a magic blanket to put over your head that would make this all go away and allow you to return to happier and more carefree times… all for $197 dollars (or two EZ-pay debits of only $99 each), I’d be a rich man.
It’s not very easy to use paranoia to sell, but if you can use it, it’s VERY effective.
What you want to do is tie it to the deepest fears your prospects are feeling right NOW, and if you can tie it to a bunch of crap the media is talking about all day long (whether it’s true or not), you get the added benefit of having society support your argument, giving you all the social proof you need.
Fear and paranoia are extremely effective selling tools, but they’re also somewhat dangerous. Where does selling start and social responsibility begin?
I’m not smart enough to figure that one out for you. But like Spiderman once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
So use it wisely.
Damn, I’m good…
Now go sell something, Craig Garber
P.S. Discover everything you’d ever want to know about how to use fear, paranoia, and 45 other emotional buy-buttons inside the Seductive Selling System. Not only do you get a 180-day guarantee, but if you don’t earn at least an extra $10,000 in the next 12 months from everything in the system, I’ll buy it back from you. Check it out at at http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive
Check out all the King’s products at http://www.kingofcopy.com/products
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