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European flat products purchasing activity has been slow over the last month. Consumption in mainland Europe is stagnating. Most fourth quarter deals have now been concluded at the levels prevailing in the third trimester. Producers have been unable to implement their proposed increases due to lacklustre demand and the declining costs of inputs such as scrap, iron ore and coking coal. On the other hand, the strong US dollar is keeping third country imports at bay and supply from Italy is restricted.
German market sentiment is poor at present due to concerns about a recent drop in industrial production. End-users are cautious. They are only purchasing for their immediate needs. Competition in the stockholding sector is tough. Overall, demand is stable but not at a high level.
The French market is quiet with modest demand. Participants are concerned that the situation is static. End-users still have short order books and are fighting for the small amount of business available. Ex-mill flat product prices have generally been stable over the last month, whilst distributors’ resale values have deteriorated. However, there is a feeling that steelmakers may try to lift prices in the first quarter next year. The current euro/US dollar exchange rate is keeping third country imports at a normal level.
As the recession in the Italian economy continues to bite, steel producers are still attempting to impose basis rises. They were, briefly, successful in late September but, since then, prices have dropped back to the level reported in our last issue. The initiative was sparked by a fluctuation in the exchange rate when the euro weakened against the dollar. This was expected to make imported material less attractive. However, Chinese prices were unchanged, despite the currency movements. There is no pressure from Turkish supply, which is currently too expensive. A lack of demand is widespread across all consuming sectors. There are fears that prices may weaken further.
UK service centres report brisk sales in October, with many being even busier than in the previous month. However, resale values are being slightly negatively affected by a degree of destocking at some companies and, reportedly, aggressive selling by Tata’s distribution outlets. Otherwise, they are fairly steady. Stockholders’ buying prices remain the same as a month ago. The proposed rise was not implemented as there was no support from raw material costs. Inventories remain on the low side because of a lack of confidence in future price movements.
There have been no real changes in either basis figures or activity levels in the Belgian market. The economic situation is poor, so steel demand is slow as many end-users have depleted order books. Service centres are battling for every sale, even over small quantities. Their margins are very low. There are few third country import offers and prices are not attractive.
The Spanish economy is slowly getting back on track with more government investment promised for 2015. However, any success in ramping up steel prices was shortlived because of slack demand. It was thought that a fluctuation in the exchange rate would help sustain a rise but this was not the case. Basis numbers remain firm. Third country offers are very close to European figures. A number of distributors report slightly improved sales volumes but activity is inconsistent. Many customers are purchasing on a weekly basis.


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Container Store operates 59 locations, booked sales of $707m last year and six years ago sold a majority stake to a Private Equity House. CEO Kip Tindell was interviewed on March 21 by the WSJ. Key comments he made and my suggested actions for your business are highlighted in this post.
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Don't-Miss App Stories
It's prettier, easier to use, and it's available now to download in the Google Play store.
The latest Google Calendar update for Android now includes autocomplete for event addresses.
Between Dropbox for Business, the new Carousel photo app, and Mailbox's platform expansion, one thing is clear: Dropbox wants to be more than a cloud locker.
Breather makes finding a quiet place to work in Manhattan or Montreal as easy as ordering a car on Uber or a vacation rental on Airbnb.
One app, many devices.
As the expected announcement of Microsoft Office for the Apple iPad looms, CloudOn offers a last-ditch effort to secure new customers.
A new Android app borrows Facebook's Chat Heads idea and puts it to good use to save you time.
Skype just released a new version of its Android app that promises to make it easy to keep Skype running without taxing your battery.
If Google keeps Voice around, how will it force those people to use Google+?
Reports suggest a version of Office for Apple's tablet is finally happening.
Google's Docs and Sheets apps now can tap into third-party plug-ins, or apps, to better match up to Microsoft Office in terms of features.
The streaming radio app piggybacks off of Slacker radio and is exclusively available to Samsung Galaxy device users.
Following in the footsteps of Firefox and Chrome, Opera has jumped on board the WebRTC bandwagon.
Notebooks just got more notebook-like, though you'll want to hold off on digitally handwriting everything just yet.


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Experts from Guardio Labs have discovered a new malicious campaign by Dermant Colors to distribute malicious extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Let me remind you that we also wrote that New Windows Trojan steals passwords from Chrome and stores them in MongoDB database.
More than 30 extensions, installed more than 1,000,000 times in total, introduced “affiliate” links into search results and redirected users to malicious sites.
The campaign is named Dermant Colors because all extensions offer users custom colour settings and infiltrate victims’ computers without malicious code to evade detection. According to experts, by mid-October 2022, 30 variants of such extensions were available in the Chrome and Edge online stores.
Infection with such an extension begins with various sites offering to watch videos or download software. When trying to download software or watch a video, the victim is redirected to another site, where it is reported that in order to continue, she urgently needs to install a special extension.
If the user agrees, he is prompted to install a seemingly innocuous extension that customizes colors. However, once installed, the extensions redirect users to various pages with malicious scripts that tell the extensions exactly how to embed in search results and links to which “partner” sites to show.
As a result, the extension will redirect the search queries of the victim and return results from partner sites of the extension developers, which will help them to receive income from ad impressions and sale of search data.
What’s more, Dormant Colors extensions also intercept browsing data based on a long list of 10,000 sites. They automatically redirect victims to the same pages, only with affiliate links appended to the URL. After such implementation of affiliate tags in the address, any purchase made on the site will generate a commission for malware developers.
In the video below, the researchers demonstrate this behavior of extensions.
Experts warn that using the same technique of side-loading malicious code, operators of Dormant Colors can perform more dangerous actions. For example, redirect victims to phishing pages to steal credentials for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, banking sites, or social networks. To do this, malware operators will simply need to download additional scripts.
Alternative scheme of possible attacks
While all extensions discovered by experts have now been removed, the researchers urge users to remain vigilant as this campaign is constantly updated with new extensions and domains.


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Artificial intelligence (AI) pathology company Paige has raised $45 million in a series B round and said it plans to use the cash to expand its portfolio, get products approved in the U.S., and rev up its commercial efforts in key global markets.
The biggest contributor to the latest round of financing was Healthcare Venture Partners, while Breyer Capital, Kenan Turnacioglu, and other funds participated. To date, Paige has raised more than $70 million.
In a statement, the company said the cash infusion will be helpful for "delving deeper into cancer pathology, novel biomarkers and prognostic capabilities," in addition to securing approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Paige, which was founded through a license agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, announced in May that its AI technology for pathology and oncology received the breakthrough device designation from the FDA.
The company's Paige Insight AI-native digital pathology slide viewer and Paige Prostate module for prostate cancer detection recently received the CE Mark for primary diagnosis, paving the way for use in Europe. Paige noted that its digital slide archive includes more than 1.2 million images.


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Not only is innovation: why the Google stock price better than Apple?
Since the Apple after the loss of the world's most valuable company, into 2013, the stock below its highs of last year fell by about 40%, in contrast, Google's share price rose all the way this year, it could even become the first technology company share price broke us $ 1000. Why had once is industry and investors watch of crazy rose of Apple stock and also zhiqian does not is watch of Google (at least in last year, Google shares of performance does not satisfactory) in oakley sunglasses sale
this year formed has near ice fire double days stark instead of stories? has analysis think, this is because Apple of innovation force weakened, also has comments think, from recently Google oakley sunglasses cheap
glasses (Google Glass) and Chromebook of publishing see, Apple "cool" of Thunder is Google preemption has. In fact, innovation and "cool" is a relative term. Judge whether an enterprise has continued to develop, and is mainly look at their products and services in the industry, and as cheap oakley sunglasses
a revenue model is irreplaceable, and ductility. There is no denying that Apple is currently still in the Smartphone and tablet computer industry bellwether, but in both of these areas are also the most competitive field, foes say there has been a strong challenger to Samsung. Call cheap oakleys
Samsung is Apple powerful Challenger, is because it is cheap oakley sunglasses
not only the most important source of revenue and profit only profit in the Smartphone industry, is blessed beyond the Apple market share, as its revenues and profits in the future, on the ultimate Apple laid a good basis for profitable and beyond. If, this is only at the product level challenges, important ecosystem in the Smartphone industry, Google Android has a 70% per cent of the market share last year beat out Apple.


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Corteva Agriscience and Adama U.S. have been given permission by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to accept returns of chlorpyrifos insecticide products from farmers across the country. This comes after the EPA canceled food and feed tolerances for chlorpyrifos in the United States.
Because of the lack of tolerance for any residue of the pesticide legally allowed on or in agricultural commodities along with processed food, chlorpyrifos has not been legally used on food or feed crops. The nationwide expiration date for these tolerances was Feb. 28, 2022.
“Due to the late-season timing of the revocation announcement, many stocks of unusable chlorpyrifos remain in the supply chain,” North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “I applaud Corteva and Adama for their correspondence with the EPA to take back the unusable product.”
The EPA’s evaluation of chlorpyrifos found that they could exceed the safe limit for exposure and could cause adverse side effects to people.
Those wanting to return their Adama or Corteva chlorpyrifos products are encouraged to contact their respective distributor or retailer. Contacting Corteva customer service by June 23, 2023, will put customers in the summer wave of collections or Sept. 22, 2023, for the fall collection period. For those with other chlorpyrifos products that have no discernible uses, you can continue to store them safely until noted.
Contact your dealers or local co-ops with any questions or advice for products in need of disposal.


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Costa Becomes First Cruise Company to Offer Regularly Scheduled Routes from Mauritius
Costa Marina to Sail Indian Ocean Itineraries from Mauritius to Seychelles, Kenya, Madagascar and Reunion Beginning in December 2007
Beginning in December 2007, Costa, Europe and South America’s Number One Cruise Line, will become the first cruise operator worldwide to offer Indian Ocean cruises departing from Mauritius. The news was officially announced Monday in the beautiful island locale during a press conference co-hosted by Costa Crociere SpA Chairman & CEO Pier Luigi Foschi and Xavier Luc Duval, Mauritius’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications.
“In 2008 we will confirm our role as leaders in innovation by offering our customers a truly unique holiday destination, never before marketed by a cruise operator,” said Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman & CEO of Costa Crociere SpA. “Following the opening of new routes in Asia and Dubai last year, next winter we will also offer cruises from Mauritius, itineraries which are already proving to be popular judging from the advance bookings. I would like to thank the authorities of Mauritius for their cooperation and commitment, which have enabled us to be the first to offer cruise departures from this splendid island.”
“We are proud to have such a prestigious partner bringing quality visitors to our island,” said Xavier Luc Duval, Mauritius’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications. “Thanks to the high standard of the tourist facilities and the wide range of excursions, Mauritius is the ideal base for this operation, which will reveal to an international clientele not only our turquoise sea, but also the rich heritage of our culture and our traditions. We are sure this operation will have beneficial effects on our tourist industry and on other sectors of our economy.”
In the course of the 2007/2008 winter season, the 25,600-ton Costa Marina, which features a total guest capacity of 1,000, will set sail from Mauritius every Saturday on six 14-day cruises in the Indian Ocean. The first departure is scheduled for December 22, 2007, with the last one on March 1, 2008. The itinerary includes two day stopovers in Mauritius and Mahe (Seychelles), and one-day calls at Mombasa (Kenya), Mayotte, Nosy Be (Madagascar), Toamasina (Madagascar) and Reunion.


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Sales going up
23 January 2013
Memco is celebrating a groundbreaking first year in sales for Memcom, its elevator emergency telephone, with exceptional sales across Europe. "We were confident we had an excellent autodialler in Memcom," says Paul Mong
"The speed and level of success of the product in its first year has surprised even us though." Michael Hadlow, head of operations for the Nova Lift Company, Kent has switched purchase of all autodiallers to Memcom. "The product is very reliable and because of that we experience less down-time with our elevators," says Hadlow.


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XUZHOU, China, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The 2023 Forbes China Globalization Innovators Selection 30&30 has recognized XCMG Machinery (SHE: 000425, “XCMG”) as a Leading Brand for its tremendous success in international markets as well as pioneering innovations that are advancing global industry development.
The Forbes China 30&30 Selection celebrates Chinese brands that are achieving robust growth worldwide and pursuing cutting-edge innovation. In 80 years, XCMG has grown into a leading construction machinery enterprise with global competitiveness, influence, and an iconic brand in China’s equipment manufacturing industry, covering 95 percent of the countries participating in the “Belt and Road” Initiative.
“We’re very honored to be recognized as one of the leading brands for successful globalization and innovation. XCMG is committed to bringing the best products and services to our customers worldwide, and we will continue to advance technological innovations and integrated business development as a leader of the global construction machinery industry,” said Yang Dongsheng, chairman of XCMG.
Its international revenue has accounted for 40 percent of XCMG’s total revenue from January to October 2023.
High-quality development leads to global success
On December 23, 2023, XCMG officially established its global procurement center to break down the barriers of traditional organizational and operation models as well as processes, systems, and mechanisms to achieve all-around and synergetic development, integrating all available resources, and creating greater value through value purchasing transformation.
In the meantime, XCMG has also inaugurated the international business division and announced the 14 global regions of operation to support the elaborate management of overseas businesses, which is also part of the group’s “1+14+N” international operation strategy to embrace the changes, expedite transformation, and achieve continuous success.
The World Brand Lab published the list of the 2023 World’s 500 Most Influential Brands on December 13 in New York City, and XCMG has been recognized as one of the brands with a ranking of 382nd, the highest ranking among all Chinese construction machinery companies. The XCMG brand is now valued at 113.619 billion yuan (USD 15.94 billion).
“As one of the largest construction machinery manufacturers in China, XCMG has always been firmly committed to the goal of building a world-class industry chain and contribute to building a better tomorrow with high-quality products and services,” said Yang.
SOURCE XCMG Machinery


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First annual “Brickspace Secret Santa” Nominate a Deserving Child Today!
“BRICKSPACE SECRET SANTA”
Brought to by The Brickspace – Twin Soo Bricks
NOMINATE A CHILD TODAY!
To help combat the blues in these trying times, a new local Lego business The Brickspace – Twin Soo Bricks, has opened up a contest to help spread a little Christmas cheer to the kids of Sault Ste. Marie.
INTRODUCING… The first annual “Brickspace Secret Santa”, a contest where you can nominate a deserving child to win a Lego Minifigure, with one special twist – it will look just like them!
The Brickspace will then choose NOT JUST ONE, BUT 5 LUCKY WINNERS to get their own personalized Lego person OF THEMSELVES!
The team at The Brickspace – Twin Soo Bricks knows that it’s been a tough year for everyone, but some of the smallest people have had the biggest difficulties of all. With all of these new changes in society, children have had to make some serious adjustments to so many aspects of their lives. With the challenges of online learning, social distancing from both friends and loved ones, and even changes to major holidays, kids have had to be as resilient as all of us in these unprecedented times – a hard ask of such young minds. ~ Derek Pearce (Owner/Operator for The Brickspace)
To nominate a child in need of a fun pick-me-up this Christmas, or if your child has a friend in need they would like to nominate visit thebrickspace.ca/secret-santa before December 14 and fill out the online form.
We know that some of you are kids at heart, but for the purpose of this giveaway nominees must be under 18. 🙁
WINNERS will be announced on December 15, giving enough time for the production of these one-of-a-kind personalized minifigures.
“It’s our way of giving back to the community,” says owner-operator Derek Pearce. “We may not have a physical store yet, but that’s not going to stop us from spreading cheer!” Pearce had planned to open his new downtown building block store in early 2020 but plans were halted because of the pandemic. Instead, he’s been working on custom projects such as the Sault Ste. Marie Museum custom building block set, and a few fun new Sault Historical Collection sets to hit the shelves in early 2021, along with the storefront location.
Pearce explains that projects and giveaways like this Secret Santa is something you can expect frequently from The Brickspace. “As a parent myself, I know how much of a difference even the smallest things can make in a kid’s life, so I just want to spread some smiles to the people of Sault Ste. Marie. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that you can have fun building at any age.”
About The Brickspace – Twin Soo Bricks
Shop, Build, Party!
The online home of The Brickspace, Sault Ste. Marie’s premiere building block hub! From custom and historical sets celebrating Sault Ste. Marie, 3D printed customized blocks, LEGO® parties, build and buy activities and more, The Brickspace – Twin Soo Bricks has a lot of fun in store for all ages.
Right now, we’re here for all of your LEGO® and Building Block needs online, but keep coming back for more details on our 2021 storefront launch, Downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.


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Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist best known for the inventor of the World Wide Web, says that Australian plans to make digital giants pay for journalism could set a precedent that would make the Internet as we know it unusable makes.
“In particular, I fear that this code harbors the risk of violating a fundamental principle of the Internet by requiring payment for the linking of certain online content,” Berners-Lee told a Senate committee that was proposing a bill to create the new media Bargaining Code checked.
It is a question that divides proponents and critics of the proposed Australian law: does it effectively make Google and Facebook “pay for clicks” and could this be the beginning of the end of free access?
The struggle is being closely watched in the European Union, where officials and lawmakers are creating massive new digital regulations.
Google claims the law requires it to pay for clicks. Google regional executive director Melanie Silva told the same Senate committee that read Berners-Lee’s post last month that she was most concerned that the code “only requires payments for links and snippets.”
“The concept of paying a very small group of website or content creators to only appear in our organic search results sets a dangerous precedent for us that poses an unmanageable risk from a product and business model perspective,” said Silva .
Facebook regional vice president Simon Milner agreed that the potential cost of messaging under the Code was “completely unlimited and undetectable”.
The Australian Code uniquely contains a negotiation safety net. A court of arbitration would prevent digital giants from abusing their dominant bargaining positions by offering news companies payment offers for their journalism.
In the event of a stalemate, the panel would make a binding decision on whose best bid wins.
Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s think tank for responsible technology, said the monetary value of journalism of public interest is not yet known.
“The reason this is a short-lived process is because no one has ever tried it,” Lewis told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“How do you value fact-based news without advertising? Messages have always been rated based on how many ads the outlet can sell. With Google and Facebook dominating the advertising market and taking that out of the equation, let’s try to figure out the value of public interest journalism, ”added Lewis.
Google has responded to the threat of mandatory arbitration by stepping up negotiations on licensing agreements with Australian media companies on its own news showcase model.
Facebook responded Thursday by preventing users from accessing and sharing Australian news.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg changed the bill after weekend talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai, managing directors of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, to make it clear that the platforms are not charged per news snippet or link.
“We never intended that. . . For example, if the arbitrator oversaw a deal between a television broadcaster and one of the digital platforms, that digital platform would pay 2 cents for every click in the coming year, ”said Frydenberg. “That was never the intention. The intent was always to get a lump sum payment and we explicitly stated that in the code. “
Dan Stinton is the managing director of Guardian Australia and New Zealand, which are negotiating a license agreement through Google’s News Showcase.
According to Stinton, Google has benefited from News by working with search users referring to journalism, the consumer data Google collects from publishers, and from its revenue sharing from advertisements published with news articles.
“Google has made an argument that they are being asked to pay for links in search and they are not,” Stinton said.
“They don’t steal published content, but I believe they are using their market power to favor their own businesses to the detriment of publishers, and that’s not right,” said Stinton.
“It pays not just for links and snippets within the search, but for all of the benefits Google gets,” he added.
Since launching News Showcase in October, Google has closed pay deals with more than 450 publications worldwide.
The EU Executive Commission has proposed new rules to tame the biggest digital gatekeepers. Proposals that prevail through negotiation between legislators in the 27-member bloc parliament could be amended to include elements of the Australian model.
The UK, which recently left the EU, is planning similar digital reforms that will mess up relationships between online platforms and news publishers.
“There’s definitely an influence,” said Angela Mills Wade, executive director of the European Publishers Council, a media company lobby group. “It is closely monitored by everyone involved in the outcome.”
Publishers in European countries can already charge technology companies for the use of their stories under recently revised copyright rules. France was the first country to incorporate these rules into national law, and Google initially resisted payments. It changed its mind when a court ordered it to negotiate that resulted in a deal with a group of French publishers.
Part of the Australian model that has attracted European attention is the requirement of binding arbitration if payment talks fail to lead to an agreement that Google has resisted because it would give the company less control.
Mills Wade said several leading EU lawmakers want to add an arbitration mechanism to digital regulations.
“Given that Google and Facebook have undermined the scope of the publishing right, it is clear that regulatory action is needed, particularly the final arbitration mechanism,” said Mills Wade. “Otherwise the majority of publishers will not have the bargaining power to reach agreements.”
Google has other news payment agreements, including a multi-year agreement with tycoon Rupert Murdochs News Corp.
Mills Wade welcomed the deal, saying it shows that Google is “putting a lot of emphasis” on news content.
“However, regulators in Australia, but also in Europe, should not be misled if they believe that individual deals, especially shortly before comprehensive laws come into force, are the answer to ensuring fair compensation for all publishers, large and small, whose content is used by google, “she said.
Chan contributed from London


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Yildirim has decided that Jews are stingy and should not be allowed into Turkey:
He apparently has no problem with Israelis staying away from Turkey--but the Turkish people themselves may not appreciate Yildirim chasing away their best customers:
The Turkish tourism industry has been seriously affected by the recent tension between former allies Turkey and Israel. The Turkish economy has lost at least $400 million due to reservation cancellations from Israeli tourists, according to tourism agencies.I suppose Mr. Güner could always go to Mr. Yildirim, who surely has a way to make up for those measly millions those cheap Israelis were spending in Turkey in the past. Yildirim keeps this up and Turkey will be the ones who'll need a flotilla.
Some 50,000 Israelis have cancelled their reservations indefinitely. Furthermore, the Israel Travel Agents Association has announced that it cancelled 100,000 reservations out of a total of 150,000.
The cancellations, which came after Israeli soldiers killed eight Turkish citizens and a American of Turkish origins on an aid ship headed toward the Gaza Strip, have created a $400 million loss for the economy. Tour operators in Turkey said they want to recoup their losses.
Levantin Tour, a tourism company has posted a 3.5 million Turkish Liras loss due to cancelled reservations, according to the owner of the company, Levent Güner. Levantin Tour has been bringing tourists from Israel to Turkey for the past 15 years.
“Our company’s main business channel has been cut,” Güner said. “Who will retrieve my 3.5 million-lira loss?”
Of course, with all due respect for Yildirim, maybe he was talking about the situation now that Israelis are no longer visiting Turkey in the same numbers as before.
That's it--this is his way of encouraging them to come to Turkey to visit.
Reverse psychology--of course!
Technorati Tag: Turkey.


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Predictions: 14 digital marketing predictions for 2021
- 14 December, 2020 07:07
In 2021 savvy marketers will continue to embrace creative ways of connecting with consumers to build awareness and drive demand through online touchpoints and digital insights in their campaigns. And with the absence of large events and in-person gatherings, restricted, by year’s end we could have smaller events with much richer digital integrations based on the learnings from 2020, says Cohesity CMO, Lynn Lucas.
In everything, digital must be the channel, according to Capacity Digital CEO, David Karandish. “The traditional workplace is dead. We can’t assume business will be done in person, in the same location anymore. The definition of ‘availability’ is also shifting and people are unplugging from the matrix a bit,” says Karandish.
This makes adaptability a key factor yet again in 2021. "Things will continue to be in a constant state of flux and, as leaders, we need to focus on how marketing can be a catalyst for change to maintain growth,” Showpad chief growth officer, Marissa Aydlett, tells CMO.
Based on these imperatives, we explore the major ingredients that will help drive digital marketing success in the New Year.
1. First-party data
Ogilvy head of experience technology, Jason Davey, sees digital marketing strategies shifting to prioritise first-party data as the looming cookie crisis gets real (despite some delays). It's for this reason he sees customer data platform (CDP) vendors enjoying a meteoric rise as multi-channel data collection, attribution, curation and decisioning becomes more accessible and affordable.
“As a result of lots of effort in integrating data across digital channels in 2020, we will see a further increase in the use of virtual agents by brands, assisting customers in a conversational shop assistant-like interaction to traverse the complexities of modern life from changing phone plans to buying your next car," Davey predicts. "This will, in turn, put more emphasis on CMOs to determine the ‘tone of conversation’ for their brand.
“All this data will continue to drive the hyper-personalisation trend, with more interest in predictive data analysis. Digital twin computing will become the standard way to predict real-world data impacts in a virtual world simulation."
Also expecting a shift to first-party data is BlackLine CMO, Andres Botero. “With Google Chrome ending its support of third-party cookies in 2021, digital marketers will need to shift from reliance on third-party data for audience targeting and campaign measurement to a new model - improving the way they collect, manage, and activate their first-party data," he says.
"In addition, marketers will want to partner with publishers that have obtained first-party data through legitimate and privacy-centric collection methods. Publishers have an opportunity to prove the value of their first-party data to brands while figuring out how to scale through programmatic advertising."
The marketing chief notes brands are getting excited about the ability to unify first-party data sources into a single customer view in a CDP, although the platforms don't necessarily do everything a marketer expects them to do.
“The collection, management and activation of first-party data can be facilitated with current marketing technology, for example, CRM, marketing automation and identity resolution platforms for reaching people across email, the open Web and CTV. The opportunity to improve how first-party data is used may reside with the existing tools in a marketer's stack rather than by implementing new tech,” Botero says.
HubSpot head of marketing A/NZ, Kat Warboys, believes the demise of cookies, as well as the challenges COVID has brought with it this year, has made it imperative marketers find a new approach. The key is being able to adapt the way they advertise to how consumers like to buy.
“We’re seeing a shift in strategy, with marketers using first-party data and contextual advertising to create personalised and relevant content for consumers,” Warboys says.
“In 2021, the secret to delivering better advertising lies in marketers’ ability to unlock the data at their disposal and leverage it to deliver hyper-relevant messaging and a unified buying experience. At HubSpot, we call it ‘CRM-powered advertising’."
As well as enabling marketers to create more relevant, engaging ads for prospects by providing them with up-to-date customer data, this approach is about automating ads based on live CRM data and accessing reliable reporting based on holistic customer data.
“Relevant and timely messaging is the key to grabbing consumers’ attention, engaging them, and guiding them throughout the entire buyer’s journey,” Warboys says.
GoDaddy senior marketing director Australia, Suzanne Michell, has seen how the past 12 months have been the catalyst for huge insights-driven changes in the digital marketing landscape. “It’s a trend I expect to continue in 2021,” she says.
“Mass adoption of CRM systems this year will enable platform businesses to enhance their targeting and user experience capabilities in the months and years ahead. Deeper insights into customers increases targeting abilities to provide greater accuracy and more personalised customer engagement. This can help to drive smarter marketing, increased growth and better overall user experiences."
2. Privacy will disrupt adtech
A year ago, a privacy prediction might have been more focused on regulation. Today, we are seeing the tech giants taking the lead on privacy by limiting cross-site tracking - Apple through its strengthening ITP and Google with the promised sunsetting of third-party cookies.
“Once these measures are in place, regulation can almost stand down completely because the tech will make it near impossible to violate related regulations," claims TrafficGuard COO and cofounder, Luke Taylor. "For adtech, this means disruption. Some businesses that rely on tracking mechanisms to provide services and data to advertisers such as retargeting companies, data companies and maybe even some DSPs, won’t be able to operate.”
Taylor also sees new types of tech evolving to help marketers measure performance and this could see them even shift the ways they measure success. “If they haven’t started yet, marketers need to be testing these new tools and measures while they can still track and attribute conversions to verify effectiveness in this current, trackable environment,” he says.
In terms of advertising, marketers will need to gain a better understanding of context to guide their future strategies and put more emphasis on creativity to cut through when their audiences aren’t as targeted as they once were. “Advertising will need to work harder when it's not as targeted,” Taylor continues.
For Adswerve president and CEO, Clint Tasset, embracing a privacy-first culture will be an executive priority. “We can expect to see the ad industry follow the footsteps of Big Tech’s self-guided push to become more privacy-focused, especially in light of progressive consumer data privacy regulations like the GDPR and CPRA. The momentum around greater consumer privacy in the public and private sectors is reaching critical mass. It’s no longer a question of ‘if’ an industry-wide privacy framework will arise, but ‘when’,” says Tasset.
“Businesses need to ask themselves if they want to ride the wave or let it take them under. To prepare, they’ll likely need to restructure their organisations and rethink their existing processes to embrace a privacy-first culture."
Rising privacy requirements will bring about the renaissance of contextual targeting, according to Integral Ad Science country manager A/NZ, Jessica Miles. “The usefulness of data will be limited by the death of cookies. If you have all this data about the individual but no way to activate that data in digital environments you might be better off not having it at all,” she says.
“There will be an increasing reliance on contextual targeting as a proxy for the audience. However, contextual targeting in 2021 will be more sophisticated than ever before. With cutting edge technology, we can now ascertain the sentiment and emotion of an article, interpreting the content the way a human would. With these increased capabilities, we’ll see more advertisers take advantage of both context targeting and avoidance to drive additional value and greater alignment in their digital marketing."
Off the back of this, advertisers will start to substitute that audience data with contextual intelligence rather than having to support all the data management and privacy regulations that go along with capturing and leaving personally identifiable information,” Miles adds.
Criteo A/NZ commercial director, Colin Barnard, agrees one of the paramount initiatives for the advertising industry is the development and adoption of a future-proofed solution for online identity that isn’t reliant on cookies or large tech players with vested interests.
“This affects the entire industry – advertisers, publishers, adtech partners and consumers, so everyone is invested. In 2021, we’ll see more industry collaboration towards new identity solutions,” says Barnard.
Index Exchange regional MD, Adele Wieser, says while personalisation is nothing new to the industry, the way it continues to deliver personalised marketing will require a pivot with the impending deprecation of third-party cookies next year. “Though challenging in the short-term, the death of the third-party cookie is an opportunity for marketers to build closer, more meaningful relationships with consumers as well as publishing partners,” Wieser says.
“Working in tandem, trusted marketers and publishers can utilise first-party data to provide scalable, addressable advertising opportunities, underpinned by consent and control. As a result, brands will be able to engage with the right audiences, at the right time."
3. Consumers will own their data
We live in a world today where data is king. "The holy grail for every organisation is to have a single customer view - a platform where they can store millions of different data points about their customers that can be viewed in one place,” says Cheetah Digital VP go-to-market APAC, Billy Loizou.
However, Loizou questions if the industry got it wrong, with trust at an all-time low and consumer data security issues at an all-time high following data breaches and new regulations. He imagines a world where the consumer owns their data and has a single brand view, where they can store all the different data points brands have about them in one place.
“You control and manage a profile of all your information and decide what data can be used for marketing and targeting purposes," he explains. This model changes how businesses start paying for advertising, instead of paying media agencies and social giants they pay the customer.
SlickText CRO, Brian Wilson, sees this leading to permission-based campaigns becoming more normalised throughout all marketing channels. “You know customers actually want those notifications and touchpoints because they opt in for them, creating a greater marketing ROI while connecting you with your core audience, says Wilson.
“It will also become increasingly important to keep lists as up to date as possible to maximize ROI and adhere to compliance mandates. Blasting as many people with non-personalised messaging just doesn’t work anymore. Brands are smarter and using smarter, more intelligent channels, like SMS,” he says.
4. The reinvention of email
Email is a foundational aspect of marketing and a primary channel for communicating new offerings, promotions and perspectives designed to entice potential customers into engaging. And it's been even more critical during this past year.
“Since the beginning of COVID, there has been a shrinkage of channels due to the shutdown of face-to-face events, phones going unanswered in empty offices as employees are now working from home, and commuters no longer listening to advertising or seeing billboards designed to steer our desires. This change steered marketers to email at an intensity that has never been seen before,” says Attivo Networks CMO, Carolyn Crandall. "Even the historically sacred LinkedIn has become an overused tool for solicitation as vendors fill our message boxes."
2021 shows no sign this will change any time in the first half of the year, related to marketing’s dependency on email and online marketing - potentially even longer as people’s interest in safety outweighs the benefits of in-person activities.
“In 2020, savvy marketers either had or quickly began investing in the right tools for obtaining and managing a viable database, a marketing automation system, the right content and the ability to make sure all of their hard work actually hit their target’s inbox,” Crandall says.
“Assuming these tools are in now in place for tracking and ROI analysis, marketing needs to look more closely at the buyer’s journey and experience. This will include a hard look at the prospect’s experience based on what they engage with and when."
This should then lead to an assessment of content and a plan that provides fresh and relevant information and perspectives so optouts don’t occur, Crandall says. "Integrated channel plans will also need to go beyond email and include search, website, social media and other third-party advertising and content syndication sources," she continues.
"Having hyperawareness on an engaging buyer’s experience will be critical because with one opt out, it becomes game over for proactive email outreach and you may be left with only a phone option that rings straight to voicemail."
With the rise in reliance on email will come a greater imperative to ensure security and adopting a zero-trust approach to email security. In particular, multi-factor authentication will be a must for 2021, according to Valimail vice-president of standards and new technologies, Seth Blank.
“This means all parties must first confirm their identities through email and then a second time through texts to their phones or preferably with codes from an authentication app or hardware security token,” Blank says.
“Currently, only some of the biggest companies that send the most emails have multi-factor authentication in place. But these extra levels of security should be built in from day one. If they aren’t, people don’t want to go back and do extra work to protect themselves and their companies from risk. Security as a whole is a hard thing to talk about because most people don’t care about the implications until it is too late and a data breach or phishing attack is upon them."
5. Connected channels
Modern marketing know incorporating multiple channels within campaigns is much more effective than simply putting all your resources into one channel - even a versatile channel like SMS, says SlickText CMO, Meg Scales. The marketing chief predicts we’ll see channels and varying tactics continue to cross-integrate in the coming year.
“For example, channels will adopt services like loyalty programs to better connect brands with customers through a variety of strategies within just one platform. Also, a customer interaction in one channel could trigger a personalised, automated sequence in another, creating data- and behaviour-driven campaigns many are unable to produce currently due to a lack of time, money and expertise,” she says.
This increased connectivity across tech, especially related to shared data, has provided a new way for businesses to meet and exceed customer expectations, according to SevenRooms senior VP, Marybeth Sheppard. “In 2021, it’s no longer enough to offer customers multiple disparate touchpoints. Instead, to capture and retain loyal customers, businesses must offer streamlined, personalised and meaningful experiences across all channels,” says Sheppard.
“For businesses in 2021, we’ll see a more fully connected experience across the customer lifecycle - whether tailored to a consumer or business customer, or new or existing clientele. There will be a greater need for connectivity, fluidity and balance between professional and personal. The businesses who will be most successful will have a balanced blend of empathy, authenticity and social responsibility, which will be communicated through all aspects of their communications."
With digital advertising becoming increasingly competitive, Code3 executive VP of commerce, Greg Wolny, sees an urgent need for brands to leverage demand-side platforms (DSPs) to move up the funnel and engage with customers as they are in the research phase. “It's no longer enough to only have Amazon Sponsored Product Ads, for instance, to get in front of shoppers before they purchase,” says Wolny.
“In today's landscape, brands need to invest earlier in the shopper journey to educate them on why their product is superior. Brands are also responding to increased competition by expanding to social media and other marketplaces. Doing so improves efficiencies and insight into consumer behaviour beyond a specific channel."
6. Experimentation vs. certainty
“Optimisation isn’t just perfecting what you’re already doing, it’s constantly refining the whole process, including personalisation, experimentation, CMS and ecommerce, and introducing new elements based on what you’ve learned,” says Episerver CMO, Kirsten Allegri Williams. The marketing predicts experimentation will come to the fore in 2021 as part of an ongoing process of optimisation.
“Keep the preferences of consumers in sight during all these processes, retail executives are relying more and more on agile platforms – and that’s where an optimisation-led mindset comes in,” says Williams. “Adjusting to today’s environment means continuously building new experiences that can meet the expectations not only for consumers as they are today, but as they will be tomorrow. Moving fast has its benefits, but it can’t yield long-term results without dedicated optimisation."
In 2021, we’ll also see digital marketing move from ‘certainty’ to ‘probability’. “Driven by the increasing drive towards protecting consumer privacy, there is an upheaval underway that is changing the entire data infrastructure of digital marketing,” says MiQ Digital COO, Paul Silver. "This is shifting us away from traditional deterministic solutions that rely on identifiable consumer data towards more probabilistic methods, that use aggregated - and, thus, anonymous - datasets.
“The big players are all making moves in this direction. Chrome’s privacy sandbox, Apple’s SKAdNetwork, the emergence of clean rooms such as Ads Data Hub, Amazon Marketing Cloud and the arrival of open web platforms such as Infosum. All of this points to one conclusion: Marketers should get comfortable with aggregation rather than precision."
Silver sees this having big implications for how we plan and buy. "The view of a single customer or event will inevitably start to be more fuzzy. But there are also major opportunities for agile companies to rethink the notion of data-driven marketing, by working with partners who can provide the behavioural analytics and activations needed to thrive in this new era of data,” he argues.
7. Content’s reign isn’t over
If content is King, in 2021 context will be Queen, says Cheetah Digital CMO, Richard Jones. “Having a more detailed understanding of your customer, from zero-party-based interests to a more detailed view on customer interactions makes next-generation personalisation all the rage," he says.
"Applying machine learning and analytics to your personalisation strategy will allow marketers to drive efficiency, effectiveness, automation and optimisation."
Content marketing will remain a key priority in 2021, but there will be a sharper focus on storytelling, for both B2B and B2C organisations, predicts Nintex head of marketing, APAC, Eileen Tan. “2020 has been a turbulent and disruptive year for many, and the amount of digital content has exploded exponentially since the world went into lockdown, and still remain in various stages of home isolation around the globe," she says.
"We have been absolutely inundated with information, and compelling content will be critical to cut through the noise in the market. Storytelling marketing will allow organisations to connect and engage more effectively with customers and prospective clients. Customers are looking for a personal and emotional connection when making their purchasing decisions, and a story that resonates strongly with them will help organisations establish that initial connection."
The marketer expects to see marketers developing more customer stories that will be heavily utilised, with more supporting ‘bite-sized' content that can be easily consumed, such as quotes, short videos, blog posts and more. “Compelling storytelling should also underpin all other marketing activities for a seamless end-user experience, from building personas for solution marketing through to personalised content for ABM campaigns. Good storytelling never goes out of fashion and I believe it will be more important than ever in the new year.,” she says.
In complement to this, Forrester analyst, Stephanie Liu, expects to see a significant an increase in loyalty and retention marketing.
“Consumers have already seen an uptick in messages meant to reassure them on how brands are protecting customers and employees amid a pandemic. In 2021, these reassuring messages will continue as brands vie to remain top of mind (and top of wallet) for customers, many of whom will be more selective in their spending as economies slowly recover from COVID-19 impacts,” says Liu.
Up next: 7 more digital marketing predictions for 2021
8. The rise of QR code marketing
No one cold have predicted QR codes would take off in 2020. It’s just one many things about the year of COVID that have change.
“New shopping habits, consumer wishlists and work commitments have all shifted and been formed. Just look at QR codes,” says Sandbox Media CEO, Luke Sullivan. “The unpredictability of government decisions and impacts of a cookieless world are huge. While we all wish we had a crystal ball, the unpredictable nature of 2021 is an incredible time to take some calculated risk and get ahead. Don’t let the analysis cause paralysis. The start of the decade starts in 2021."
QR codes are on the rise because they provide consumers contactless delivery, pickup and payment options - necessary for our current public health protocols. Brands should use this adopted consumer habit to their advantage by tracking engagement via their advertising and marketing tactics, says CallRail VP of marketing, Palmer Houchins.
"For instance, marketers could use QR codes in 2021 to track engagement via product packaging, direct mail and OOH ads to mirror consumer behaviour and better understand what’s working and what’s not. This will put additional information about products and services in the hands of consumers and help marketers improve their strategies in the future,” he says.
Kaimera chief strategy officer, Stewart Gurney, isn't as convinced QR codes will hang around, but they will have a lasting legacy. “Five years ago, QR codes were a hot topic for advertisers, despite the fact 60 per cent of people didn’t really know what they were and penetration sitting at around 13 per cent, we started to see them everywhere,” says Gurney.
“Whether it was codes on pack on actually embedded into advertising, QR codes were starting to appear in droves around us. Then they disappeared. Consumers refused to get on-board, putting QR codes firmly in the ‘too hard’ basket, allowing them to sit unscanned and underutilised. COVID has changed all that.
"2020 was the year that millions of Australians finally got on the QR code train creating familiarity with the technology - and more importantly- lasting behaviour,” he says. “However, I predict the QR code’s moment of glory will be short lived, disappearing in line with changing restrictions and legislation."
Yet Gurney says the familiarity and the behaviours around using your phone to access greater utility and information will remain. He sees this as a great opportunity for things like Google Lens or augmented reality platforms, and brands, to tap into this behaviour.
"We'll usurp the clunky QR code and continue to get consumers scanning and unlocking layers of content and information,” he says.
9. Predictive marketing
Several other industry pundits see Gen Z paving the way in shaping predictive technologies and personalisation in 2021 and beyond. Gen Z has the highest expectations for these technologies in the future, with 84 per cent believing all software and websites will incorporate digital learning and AI capabilities within the next five years, says WP Engine A/NZ country manager, Mark Randall. Nearly eight in 10 of Gen Z believe biometrics will also see increased adoption over that time period,.
“Gen Z is also more enthusiastic about leveraging new technologies like voice to power digital experiences than any other generation, so we expect marketers to follow suit by increasing their investments in voice and visual search optimisation,” says Randall.
When it comes to making predictions around predictive technologies, Truescope co-founder and CTO, Michael Bade, believes the future is predictable. “Into the future, the use of predictive technologies will be used to support communication planning by forecasting outcomes around a business announcement or particular event, based on the analysis of historical information,” he says.
“Predictive technologies provide professionals with the essential data insights and the confidence to make and back their strategies. Combining AI and recommendations, the predictive technology will, for example, enable teams to be alerted to trending social activity relevant to an organisation or brand before a story breaks -giving you time to craft the right message."
10. Universal IDs
Hand-in-hand with the demise of the cookie and rise of first-party data is the concept of new people identifiers. For Verizon Media A/NZ director of brand innovation and marketing, Anny Havercroft, consumer centricity will evolve as the digital marketing industry and adtech reaches a new level of maturity. This will see a new generation of unified identity solutions such as ConnectID harmonising the way brands approach consumers and create a more consistent brand narrative across channels and platforms, she says.
“There will be improvements to audience messaging and targeting, which will be paramount to advertisers’ ability to provide customers personalised offerings following the loss of cookies in 2022," Havercroft says. "Programmatic’s expansion across channels beyond ‘traditional display’ [audio, BVOD, digital out-of-home] will see omnichannel platforms serving across media channels, creating a smoother brand story for customers and improving measurement and attribution for advertisers."
In 2020, marketers have come to realise that identity management models are outdated and fail to account for greater privacy-by-design. “With the impending demise of third-party cookies only a year away, players such as The Trade Desk are pioneering promising approaches to Unified ID 2.0 - a universal ID based on voluntarily provided encrypted email addresses. Like all the walled gardens, the open web is looking towards a single sign-on to survive,” says Aqilliz CEO, Gowthaman Ragothaman. However, Ragothaman cautions that such ID solutions must be designed with longevity, underscored by open-source principles, privacy-enhancing mechanisms, interoperability, and compliance.
“Any universal ID will need to address a fragmented landscape of data protection frameworks. Data provenance will be critical, ensuring transparency of how data has been used within the digital media supply chain once consent is obtained. Having an ongoing record of all processing activities will be essential, should audits arise. Admittedly, walled gardens have the advantage of being able to maintain and provide this record, hence ensuring compliance,” he says.
And to do this, the industry will need to encourage independent and neutral governance. “Rather than relying on industry bodies, I foresee a growing acceptance of emerging technologies that place the trust in tech alone, limiting the need for manual intervention,” says Ragothaman.
11. The end of growth hacking
With all this maturity around digital technologies and data-driven marketing, 2021 could see the end of growth hacking as a tactic for digital marketers.
“This year has seen some major developments in the digital marketing landscape, tech giants selling media inventory become subject to more rigorous regulation and at the same time adtech is getting smarter. Because of this, digital marketers are going to have to learn to not only work within these constraints but also figure out how to stay ahead of the curve and leverage this change,” says Fergus head of marketing, Robbie Dunphy.
“So what does this mean? Gone are the days of making sure your meta description is between 140 and 160 characters at all costs. As search algorithms improve, optimising your digital assets is becoming less and less about trying to hack Google and more about focussing on creating authentic and positive user experience."
Similarly with PPC and socials, Dunphy also hopes to see the end of ‘growth hacking’. "It seems self-serving ad platform algorithms are finally purging themselves of lucrative but lazy ad creative and favouring campaigns with healthy engagement metrics. Investing in creative and finding a way to say something novel is going to be any marketer’s best shot at delivering returns,” he says.
“But this should really feel like a return to marketing fundamentals more than anything. Communicating an impactful brand promise that is clearly aligned with a strong value prop and a robust business strategy to support it should be the main priority, and that’s nothing new.”
12. The value of authenticity and culture
Another significant prediction for 2021 is that it will be the year brands start taking culture seriously. "Culture has always been important to individuals and while brands have known this for years, many haven’t known where to begin,” says Twitter Australia head of client partnerships, Angus Keene.
"The significance of culture to consumers is simply too high for brands to ignore now though. It plays a hugely important role in shaping consumers’ purchase decisions and is almost as important as having a positive brand reputation. As we enter 2021, with many of the big sporting and entertainment events restarting - think the Olympics - it presents the perfect opportunity for brands to get involved."
Keene suggests this could be through event sponsorship, competitions or even simply tapping into the conversations happening around the event. "Leveraging these events and taking a stance will help brands become more culturally relevant and can lead to a heightened influence on purchase decisions,” he says.
“Brands should remember, though, it’s not a one-size-fits-all method. They should be thoughtful in their approach to ensure both authenticity to themselves and their audience. Brands that do this and get it right will go a long way to win the hearts and minds of Aussies."
Brand authenticity and culture play a significant focus for social media, agrees blueAPACHE head of marketing, Renata Di Stefano. “The greatest engagement from our audience over the past few months has been where our culture and brand DNA are on display," she says.
"Everyone is striving for happy, light-hearted content and organisations want to buy from a company where their values align, where the marketing spin is not actually marketing, but the brand truth.
“With so much content available online, you only have a split second to engage interest before the visitor scroll past and honesty goes a long way to engaging a following. Getting the right mix of truth in your content, not pushing a product or service rather elevating your brand values will drive the social media tone of voice and this is where you will see the organisations who just say they are something actually have to prove it."
13. Podcasting come into its own
The opportunities for podcasts has already taken hold this year and these audio content productions are expected to continue to be appealing both internally and externally for more organisations.
Casted CEO and co-founder, Lindsay Tjepkema, points to internal use cases such as onboarding for new employees, board meetings, sales enablement and employee engagement. External use cases may include customer success, complementary commentary to events, or even product troubleshooting.
“Podcasts are excellent tools for these use cases in particular because of their ability to be consumed on-demand and foster a sense of connection between the host and listener,” says Tjepkema.
While podcasting isn’t new, it’s still growing in popularity as media consumption trends evolve and celebrities and industry leaders enter the space. Square head of marketing, Australia, Jessica Cook, notes Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates, recently launched a limited-series podcast with filmmaker, actress and activist Rashida Jones.
“Brands can choose to create their own podcasts, like Gucci or Square, or advertise via carefully selected partners,” says Cook. “The targeting and brand positioning benefits of these channels are attractive and can pay dividends if brands align with the right partners."
14. The right message at the right time
What’s old always becomes new again, and in 2021, the marketing edict of getting the right message to the right person at the right time still holds true, even while channels and methods are evolving.
"Smart brand marketers looking to get ahead in 2021 must deliver the right offerings and messages to consumers in places they are already engaging with brands,” says Wasson Enterprise co-founder and former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO, Greg Wasson. “Take in-store grocery shopping for example. Consumers make decisions about the products they buy and the brands they support every time they step inside a grocery store. And in 2021, this is one place consumers will frequent.
"Brand marketers need to leverage 'last mile' impressions delivered in-store, at the moment of greatest potential impact to sway a purchase. The brands that do this are going to stay relevant in the new year."
Finally, marketers will need to stress test their plans and operations on the basis that the future is already here. "There are no playbooks for what is coming, which is both daunting and exciting, but the most agile marketers will evolve and seize the opportunities in front of them,” says Essence VP and managing director, Australia, James Graver.
“With marketers facing tectonic shifts in consumer behaviour, market-wide volatility and downward budgetary pressures, 2021 will largely be defined by which path marketers choose to take in response to this, and what questions they ask of their data, technology, processes, performance and, of course, partners to set them up for sustainable value creation."
Seizing these opportunities begins with uniting your organisation around a culture of experimentation and learning. It means identifying the assumptions of what works in their businesses today, and looking for new ways to prove or disprove these views through transformative capability areas such as data clean rooms.
"It also means defining their beliefs on what will shape the next era of modern marketing, and starting the work now to emerge as forward-thinking, product-driven and mission-obsessed brands,” Graver adds.
Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, follow our regular updates via CMO Australia's Linkedin company page, or join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia.


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From the Magazine
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — State of Retail is one of the most consistently read departments in Bicycle Retailer's print magazine. In each issue 10 retailers weigh in on topics that affect their business, the industry and their communities. BRAIN is now publishing a version of the column online, allowing readers to respond in our comments section.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — BRAIN's State of Retail panelists are selected to present a cross-section of retailers around the country. They generously volunteer their time to talk to us about a retail topic as we prepare each issue, 18 times a year. We choose new panelists each year.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Bicycle Retailer & Industry News' lastest print issue, the July 15 edition, features coverage of the retail scene in Vancouver, where recent improvements to cycling infrastructure are leading to growth in bike sales.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The latest print edition of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News includes coverage of Interbike's "Manifesto," a document that came out of this winter's IBD Summit in Arizona.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The March 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News includes coverage of efforts to control international pricing, a landmark new study on cycling participation commissioned by PeopleForBikes, and a feature on bike retailers setting up shop in mixed-use “hub” environments.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The latest issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News features articles about the increased number of motorsports brands entering the bike market, a look at proposed e-bike legislation and the second part of our series on the cycling media — including a look at an alleged “pay-for-play” scandal at a major cycling website.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — It's been 12 months since Shimano American overhauled its U.S. distribution, cutting its roster of U.S. distributors and emphasizing its own dealer direct sales.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — From Austin, Texas, to Taichung, Taiwan, the newest issue of Bicycle Retailer takes a look at the cycling industry from several perspectives.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Is Detroit now a biking city?
Maybe not quite, but on a recent visit to the Motor City, BRAIN's Val Vanderpool found a surprisingly vibrant bike scene, with well attended group rides, thriving retail operations and a growing array of industry suppliers.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The October 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News features an article on VeloFix, a new franchised mobile bike repair business. The Canadian-based company is offering turn-key franchises, marketing primarily to shop mechanics who want to go out on their own.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Do electric mountain bikes belong on the trails? As IMBA plans to discuss the question at next week's World Summit in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, the August 15 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News takes a look.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The U.S. bike industry employs more than 71,000 people and generates $6.5 billion in annual sales. Bike advocates are wielding numbers like that when they visit Capitol Hill in search of support.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The July 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News has landed in mailboxes.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Join the BRAIN crew on the roads and bike paths of the Beehive State in the June 15 issue, featuring our Salt Lake City Dealer Tour.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The May 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News is arriving in mailboxes this week, and subscribers now have the option to receive a dynamic digital edition of the magazine.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The April 15 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, arriving in mailboxes this week, features an in-depth examination of retail bike pricing, inspired by the reduced pricing promotion announced by Giant USA last month.
RYE, NY (BRAIN) — While the biggest charity “thons” were flat or slightly down in 2012, most dedicated to cycling saw healthy increases.
SCOTTS VALLEY, CA (BRAIN) — Easton-Bell Sports is rebounding from a tumultuous year—a dramatic reshuffling of top management, the departure of key staff and the return of Terry Lee as the company’s CEO.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Troy had a garage full of bikes, 20 years’ experience wrenching, a daughter getting braces soon—and an itch to try a lightweight carbon 29er hardtail.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Benjamin Cox says that sourcing a line of accessories from Taiwanese, Chinese and Vietnamese manufacturers for his single-location store is a big investment of capital and time.


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MAYER, Ariz. — Justin Sayne Leathers has announced the release of its new Insanity male enhancement product.
According to the company, it has had a remarkable year to date with significant milestones furthering its expansion into the male enhancement and sexual wellness markets.
“We feel strongly that all forms of sensation play are the wave of the future,” JSL’s Justin Sayne says. “Now that we have completed the ‘Insanity’ product, we feel confident moving into all other areas of sexual wellness, including the rapidly expanding market for men.”
“Insanity can be sold on the mainstream market, a much larger scope than we find in the adult shops,” Sayne adds. “We intend to utilize the profits from the Insanity project to target new audiences and capture new markets.”
JSL’s President of Sales Clint Strunk says that Insanity for men is a 100 percent all natural male enhancement pill “made from a mixture like no other pill on the market.”
“Insanity is formulated to add a touch of wild abandon to your sex life,” Strunk says, “without the side effects of headaches or that jittery feeling you get from some pills on the market.”
Strunk explains that Insanity is a high impact product in a small package.
“Cutting away all the fillers required to produce a large looking product,” Strunk notes, “Insanity offers only the active ingredients required [making it] tiny and easy to swallow.”
For more information, click here.


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There’s a lawn mower that can go well over 100 mph. The thing’s so cool it already broke a record.
Honda's new Mean Mower V2 has broken a Guinness World Record, to be precise. The riding lawnmower can go from zero-to-100 miles per hour in six-point-29 seconds and hit a top speed of just over 150 miles per hour. This compares to an average riding mower that zips along at around five to six miles per hour.
To meet Guinness qualifications in addition to speed, the Mean Mower had to be able to actually cut grass and look like a functional mower. Honda's first Mean Mower debuted in 2014 and was only able to hit a top speed of 116 miles per hour.
You may want to buy a helmet to ride this with!


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Intel has revealed that it will be launching its 11th Gen Core mobile processors via a virtual, live-streamed event next month on September 2. Otherwise known as Tiger Lake, this lineup will be the first to incorporate an iGPU based on Intel’s newer, faster Xe graphics architecture. You may want to temper your overall expectations, though, since these chips represent another iteration of the aging (but tried and true) 10 nm process.
Additionally, graphics lead Raja Koduri will be updating us on the work he’s been doing next Thursday (August 13). Hopefully, he’ll have something to share regarding Intel’s discrete graphics card plans, which we haven’t heard much of since CES 2020’s DG1 showing.


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Hortgro anticipates increase in plum, peach and nectarine crops as part of a “high-quality export season”
South African stone fruit suppliers are predicting a stable and high-quality 2022/23 export season, with improved volumes and a return to smooth trading after a series of logistical challenges over the past year.
According to figures from trade body Hortgro, exporters are forecasting a 4 per cent increase for both plums and peaches at 86,000 tonnes and 6,550 tonnes respectively, with a 15 per cent rise in nectarines to 23,650 tonnes.
Better weather conditions and a focus on quality and fruit size have left growers expecting a good to above-average stonefruit crop, Hortgro said.
There has been particular attention on expanding the nectarine and plum sectors, with several new orchards planted over the past five years to support volume growth.
With the recent South African port strikes now over and a focus on removing the backlog in the system, fruit and other perishable products are being prioritised to ensure on-time delivery to European markets, the trade body said.
The return to stability and a larger estimated export crop had set South Africa up for a positive UK promotional campaign for 2022/23, Hortgro outlined.
This year’s push will be primarily focused on retailer collaboration, and in particular driving sales during the peak weeks for plum supply.
A range of in-store promotions will feature, as well as an exclusive competition with Sainsbury’s, offering customers the chance to win a trip to South Africa.
The contest will be promoted in packs of South African plums and in Sainsbury’s customer magazine.
Branded shroud units will be on display in Morrisons stores, in addition to digital advertising on both Ocado and Tesco’s websites.
Completing the wide-scale promotion will be trade advertising, trade and consumer PR, social media activity, influencer collaborations and monthly newsletters circulated to key industry figures.
Hortgro said that, at a time when consumers are facing a cost-of-living crisis, South African stonefruit represented a cost-effective and tasty option.
“Retailers are planning to support the campaign by offering South African stonefruit at excellent price points this season, which makes it a healthy and affordable snack for consumers,” said Jacques du Preez, general manager of trade and markets at Hortgro.
“Stonefruit lends itself perfectly to cooking at home without having to spend a lot, whether you’re stewing it for winter puddings or adding it to hearty curries.”


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During M. Holland’s recent Plastics Reflections webinar, our panelists discussed the macroeconomic factors influencing global and domestic economies — including what it means for suppliers, distributors and manufacturers in the plastics industry. In case you missed it, click here to gain access to the full recording.
A recent Plastics News article focuses on M. Holland’s distribution of Purell medical-grade resins from LyondellBasell. Click here to read the article.
Germany may have to pour another $39 billion into saving the country’s largest natural gas importer, Uniper, as its losses continue to mount. The government separately approved a $195 billion rescue package for soaring energy prices on Friday.
Container imports coming through U.S. ports are tumbling sharply after more than two years of surging demand. Combined imports into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach fell 18.2% year over year in September.
The American Trucking Associations’ truck tonnage index fell a sharp 3.8% from August to September.
Economic growth in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council will remain strong but slow significantly next year as high oil prices hurt demand for the commodity, economists say.
The U.K.’s prime minister resigned after just six weeks in office, the shortest tenure on record, after her failed tax cut plan sent the country’s currency crashing and forced Bank of England intervention.
India’s economy will grow well below its potential over the next two years as the central bank’s rate hikes show little progress in easing price pressures.
Canadian home prices fell by a record 3.1% from August to September, led by sharp declines in Ontario.
Walmart’s Mexico unit posted a 10% jump in third-quarter profit despite rising logistics and labor costs.
Mexico’s Grupo Financiero Banorte, which owns one of the country’s largest banks and pension funds, raised its full-year outlook after a 30% surge in third-quarter profit.
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Rick Ross Slaps Streetwear Brand DGK With a Lawsuit
When it comes to his money, Rick Ross doesn’t play. The Miami bawse has slapped streetwear brand DGK with a lawsuit claiming the company hasn’t been paying him properly.
In his suit, Rozay claims that DGK hired him in March 2015 to promote the brand’s Hustle Sport collection. As part of the deal, Ross would wear their shirts and other gear, which he has done on his social media platforms. For his services, the 40-year-old rapper would be paid $10,000 a month, plus another 7 percent of the profits.
However, DGK (an acronym for Dirty Ghetto Kids) told Ross they were broke in November 2015 and stopped paying him since, reports TMZ. As a result, Ross is suing for $80,000 in back royalties.
Attorneys for DGK had no comment on the matter.
Ross, whose reported net worth is $42 million, recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of his debut album, Port of Miami, with a start-studded concert. Rappers Jeezy, Meek Mill, Rich Homie Quan, Wale, Trick Daddy, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Trina and Young Greatness all came out to honor Rozay's impact on Miami and the rap game itself.
If you missed the concert, you can watch in its entirety at TIDAL.


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If you're dipping your big toe into the waters of social media marketing--all the while wondering if these somewhat obscure channels will really help promote your business or brand--I've got some good news for you. A well-researched report entitled the "2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report," was published this month, and it should be required reading for entrepreneurs and small-business owners. It was put together by Michael A. Stelzner, the so-called grandfather of white papers.
Stelzner, who is also the founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com, asked 8,600 marketers to participate in a survey and ended up with a respectable 1,898 e-mailed responses.
The respondents were mostly small-business owners focused on attracting other businesses or consumers. The median age was 40 to 49 and females represented 60 percent of the participants. A majority of respondents said they currently invest at least six hours a week in social media activities, with another 12 percent saying they spend more than 20 hours per week focused on social media-related marketing.
The Benefits of Social Media
The top benefit of social media marketing, according to a whopping 85 percent of the respondents, was the fact that social media was indeed generating exposure for their businesses. The second most significant benefit was improved web traffic, and the opportunity to build new partnerships was also cited as one of the rewards of social media marketing. More than half of the respondents claim social media generates qualified leads.
Favorite Social Media Tools
When they reach into their social media tool bag, which tools are small- to medium-size businesses most likely to use? As might be expected, most of those responding said they'd likely choose Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogging. The order in which these tools would be used depends on how long the marketer has been dabbling in social media.
For instance, newcomers to social media marketing said Facebook is their No. 1 choice, followed by Twitter and LinkedIn. But among veteran social media practitioners, Twitter is the tool of choice for 96 percent of that group, followed closely by Facebook. This group also employs video more than the novices.
The marketers also said they plan to increase their use of blogs, Facebook, video or YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn in the near future, and 80 percent said they're giving up on MySpace or plan on cutting back on efforts in that direction.
Surprisingly, and this is something I particularly like to see, most marketers said they intend to devote most of their efforts to blogging-related activities.
Second only to blogs, Facebook is the area where businesses believe they can achieve the most substantial marketing results, and 80 percent of business-to-consumer companies plan to increase those efforts. Seventy-three percent of marketers plan to increase video/YouTube marketing, and 71 percent are opting to boost their use of Twitter in the future. Business-to-business owners say they'll increase their use of LinkedIn (72.2 percent versus 59.1 percent of business-to-consumer marketers.)
Less Popular Resources
Not so high on the respondents agendas are planned activities in such social media arenas as forums, social bookmarking, Digg, Reddit, Mixx, StumbleUpon, Ning and MySpace. Adding insult to injury in the case of MySpace, most business say they have no plans to use the social networking platform, and only 9 percent say they'll increase their MySpace activities. Quite a fall for what was the most popular networking site in the world just a few years ago.
The survey also queried respondents about which social media tools they were especially interested in learning more about, and social bookmarking barely edged out Twitter for the top spot. Facebook came in third, followed closely by Digg/Reddit/Mixx/StumbleUpon and then LinkedIn.
The Role of Outsourcing
Concluding the survey was a question about whether or not these marketers were outsourcing any of their social media marketing tasks. Most said they were doing the work in-house, probably because the concept is so new to them. In the case of larger business, however, 25.7 percent said they are currently outsourcing their social media work as compared to 10.6 percent of sole proprietors. The outsourcing trend is expected to show increases in the next report.


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Central Saint Martins backs protest by fashion students
Graduate shows 2015: the head of Central Saint Martins' BA Fashion course has voiced support for a guerrilla presentation staged by students who were not chosen to exhibit at the school's official press show.
Course director Willie Walters called last week's #encoreCSM protest a "fantastic initiative".
The presentation was a protest by students at the London institution – one of world's most highly regarded fashion universities – who were dissatisfied with being excluded from the end-of-year catwalk show.
"I thought that the #encoreCSM show was a fantastic initiative which allowed those students not selected for the press show to present their designs in a setting which related directly to the college and their course," Walters told Dezeen. "I was thrilled that these students were so proactive and professional in their approach."
As a result of the growing amount of students at the university, only 40 – approximately one third of the annual cohort – were chosen to present their graduate collections in front of the international media.
The group of students who weren't selected staged their protest in Granary Square, the public space outside the Central Saint Martins King's Cross campus, during the press show on 3 June.
"Our aim is for equal representation in support of current and future students on the BA Fashion pathway," read flyers handed out by students taking part in the protest.
The students dressed models and friends with their garments and stood them in a line around the square's fountain, in front of visitors arriving at and leaving the press show as well as members of the public.
"They may well be disappointed not to be chosen but we find that this makes very little difference to their employability," said Walters. "It also has no bearing on their degree marks and this is made plain to the students."
The 40 designers in the press show were selected by a panel of judges and examiners following three fashion presentations that included all students, held two weeks before the official event.
"The work of 40 students takes usually just over one hour [to show] and we know from experience – whilst still being extremely long in terms of a fashion show – this is an acceptable time duration from an audience point of view," said Walters.
Magazines including Vogue and i-D covered the protests. Prominent journalists who attended the official show – including the Telegraph's Hilary Alexander – also posted photos of the guerrilla show on Instagram.
The number of students in Central Saint Martin's fashion department has grown over the last 20 years. Approximately 110 students are now accepted onto the BA Fashion course's Womenswear, Menswear, Fashion Print, Fashion Knit and Fashion Design with Marketing pathways each year.
"Up until 1996 all final year students showed their work in one single show but when these numbers rose to above 80 the result was that no matter how exciting these collections were, no audience could take it in," said Walters.
"The press show is for the press and although it may be attended by fashion business, most employers come to see the work of all the students at our exhibition which is held at the end of June," she added.
Many of London's top design institutions have also been growing the number of students taking their courses. In 2014, a record number of international students applied to study architecture and design courses in the UK, up 14 per cent on the previous year.


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Coronavirus 2020 Update – Friday 12th June
We are now allowed to open!
The Environment Agency announced yesterday that canoes and paddle craft hire could recommence on the River Nene. We will be open from Saturday 13th June, from 10am till 5pm at the weekend and available for bookings during the week. Please book using our email or facebook messenger, as we can only monitor the landline number at the weekend. Look forward to seeing you on the river.


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2 Nov , 2016
Who will miss Vine? Many, among them the Pinoy fanbase, and more. This as Twitter already announced it will totally kill off the struggling short-form video sharing platform Vine in the coming months. It was brought about by the restructuring of the company which affected some 350 employees shown the entrance door to unemployment. The […]
6 Jan , 2016
Are you ready for 10,000 character limit per tweet? Is this good news for twit addicts? The possibility of posting tweets up to 10,000 characters is in the neighborhood. According to well informed sources in the industry, Twitter may soon introduce the new feature which will allow users to send tweets longer than 140 characters, […]
8 Aug , 2011
It is more of affirmation than surprise that more Filipinos are on board the social microblogging network of Twitter. The Pinoy penchant for technology and innovation in communication, among others, is a common knowledge. Here’s a new development. Twitter announced on 1st of August that its translation center is now available for Filipino and Malay languages.
21 May , 2011
With this post, we say goodbye to our handful of friends in the MyBloglog community. Early in February, this writer received a notice from Yahoo that the service is closing. To some who found enough friends and interacted for some time on various issues and field of interest, its bowing out in the social networking arena will be missed.
8 Apr , 2011
The giving of nickname is popular among Bicolano families. Or I would rather say a part of our culture. I grew up in a family where calling someone the real name is a “crime” for a seemingly unsound connotation.


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ONE of Huddersfield’s best-known retail figures is off to New York – but not solely for retail therapy!
Peters’ store buyer Caroline Whittle is set to take a bite of the ‘Big Apple’ by taking part in the New York Marathon.
Caroline is in training to run the 26.2 mile course in November, all in the name of charity.
But while the New York route may not take in Macy’s and Bloomingdales, Caroline intends to indulge in some retail therapy at the famous stores before her big race and is arriving a few days before the big day so that she can indulge her first passion – shopping.
“I hope my legs will be able to last the distance after all the shopping I plan to do,’’ she said.
“I’m a regular runner and I’m training hard.
“I’ve recruited friends from Total Fitness in Waterloo to join ‘Caroline’s Running Club’ and I’m out every morning at 6am.”
She managed to complete the 2005 London Marathon in just over four hours, raising a staggering £6,500 for Cancer Research.
For the New York circuit she hopes to better her time and the amount she can raise in sponsorship, which this year will go to Bowel Cancer UK and the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust to build a children’s hospice in Brackenhall.
She said: “The New York course is harder than London as it’s quite hilly.
“But running around Huddersfield gives you plenty of hill practice, so I think I should be able to beat my time.”
The BBC, who are currently filming a documentary at Peters, have already kicked off the marathon fund with a £1,000 donation.
And Peters is holding a charity fashion show on March 17 with tickets available in store.
Caroline says she’s getting plenty of support with lots of friends and family accompanying her on the trip across the pond who will join in her pasta party before the endurance event.


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(Featured Image Source – Bandai Namco Entertainment)
The team behind Scarlet Nexus has released their first developer diary video, where they spoke about what the game’s title means and how it reflects on the world of the game.
Scarlet Nexus is an upcoming action RPG developed by Bandai Namco Studios. Taking place in a distant future, the world of Scarlet Nexus is under threat from entities known as “Others, it is up to psionic soldiers to protect humanity. The game calls its style “Brain Punk,” and we can see why. The future of SCARLET NEXUS is a mix between psychic abilities and technology.


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Dyson, the British company known for its high-tech vacuum cleaners, has decided to scrap its £2.5 billion electric car project. In an email sent to all employees, Sir James Dyson, the founder of the...
Could the coronavirus outbreak instigate a broader change for the better in society? Professor Peter Cochrane believes it could
Travelex systems went down for a month following a ransomware outage launched on New Year’s Eve
Trade in 'data enabled services' between the UK and EU is valued at more than £120 billion
Royal BAM Group CISO Ian Hill examines the many different IT security threats posed by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak
Computing talks to Superdry’s business intelligence manager Brad Woodward about its BI-led fight-back against online rivals and budget stores