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Javier M. Delgado is now Senior Director of Marketing at Walmart. Previously, he had been filling the role of Group Director, Multicultural Marketing at Coca-Cola.
AppsFlyer has appointed Guy Flechter as its Data Protection Officer. In this new role, he will lead the company’s data security and privacy. The appointment follows the recent hiring of Flechter as Chief Information Security Officer.
Jeff Lucas, former global head of sales at Snapchat’s parent company Snap, is joining Oath as vice president-head of Americas sales. In this newly-created role, Lucas will manage Oath’s national and mid-market sales teams in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.
Pam Hamlin is stepping out from her role as CEO of Arnold Worldwide. Hamlin said in an emailed statement that she has decided to explore “what’s next” for her, and said it was the right time for new leadership to take the agency forward.
Nike’s Converse brand has appointed Sophie Bambuck as new chief marketing officer, filling a void created by the departure of Julien Cahn in February.
SC Johnson has named Christian Gradlmuller new head of global media, Shelf Commercialization, as reported by AdLatina.
Marketing communications agency Campbell Ewald announced that it has promoted Laura Rogers to Executive Creative Director. Previously Group Creative Director, Rogers will continue to oversee creative for OnStar, Cadillac Magazine and Chevrolet New Roads Magazine, plus content specific programs for clients including Valero and Meritage Homes.
Cross-cultural agency The Community has promoted Denise Soberon and Jackie Guerra to the position of idea director.
What: After a competitive review, Domino’s has named The community as its U.S. Hispanic agency of record (AOR). Why it matters: The community will create a 360-degree marketing campaign especially targeted at U.S. Hispanics.
The community, the multi-cultural agency known for its creative campaigns, has been chosen as Domino’s AOR. Starting in mid-2018, we can expect a 360-degree campaign including traditional, social, digital, and mobile advertising for the U.S. Hispanic market.
“Domino’s is not only a class-leading brand but also a company that truly sees and understands the importance of the Hispanic consumer,” said Luis Montero, president of The community. “Our mission is to leverage our progressive multicultural approach to help Domino’s become the dominant No. 1 pizza brand in every Hispanic neighborhood and we couldn’t be more excited about our collaboration.”
“We sought a collaborative creative partner that would help us continue to elevate our brand with the influential Hispanic community,” added Karen Kaiser, VP of advertising at Domino’s. “The community’s combination of strategic thinking, creative bravery, and passion for our brand is what differentiated them from other agencies.”
A summary for Corporate Marketers, Media Sales Executives and Advertising Agencies to see what clients are moving into the market and/or targeting Multicultural consumers right now.
2018 NETWORKING SOLUTIONS. To find out about Portada’s new networking solutions targeting the decision makers of the below campaigns, please contact our Sales Manager Isabel Ojeda at Isabel@portada-online.com.
Energy giant Shell has launched a global review of its creative and media business, after working with WPP-owned agencies JWT and MediaCom for decades. Incumbent MediaCom built ‘Team Media for Shell’ designed to handle planning and buying for the firm’s global retail business as well as its corporate and recruitment advertising when it won the global account. Shell is estimated to spend around US$200m on marketing each year.
TurboTax®, the nation’s leading online tax preparation service from Intuit Inc., announced the launch of its new integrated Latino marketing campaign aimed at giving Latinos the confidence that with TurboTax their taxes are done right with a guaranteed maximum refund. The integrated program includes TV, radio and digital advertising, community events and social media activations, in both English and Spanish, to ensure relevancy among acculturated and unacculturated consumers. The Hispanic marketing campaign kicked off with “No hay por que tener miedo” (There’s Nothing to Be Afraid Of) advertising theme. The TV spot creative was concepted by Multicultural agency GALLEGOS United in collaboration with TurboTax’s AOR Wieden+ Kennedy. The Spanish language spot is running on Univision, Telemundo and Azteca America among others and will air through the end of tax season.Through key media integrations on the leading networks and Spanish-language programming including Univision’s “Despierta América” and Telemundo’s “Don Francisco Te Invita”, the brand will be providing insight into the benefits of filing taxes with TurboTax. These are being executed in partnership with GALLEGOS United and Hispanic public relations agency, Havas FORMULATIN.
Netflix has announced its quarterly results, and they plan to increase their ad spend from US $1.3 billion to $2 billion in 2018. Netflix is a major global advertiser, particularly in the digital category. The ad spend is producing a positive ROI: “We’re taking marketing spend up a little faster than revenue for this year (from about US $1.3 billion to approximately US $2 billion) because our testing results indicate this is wise, ” Netflix Q4 earnings release says.
Domino’s has appointed The Community as its U.S. Hispanic agency of record, following a review.The Community will be tasked with creating campaigns encompassing traditional, social, digital, and mobile advertising for the U.S. Hispanic market. Its first work is expected to launch in mid-2018.
NEW PORTADA RESEARCH REPORT: “Content Marketing Initiatives targeting Hispanic and Multicultural Audiences”. The report is filled with intelligence for brand marketing executives targeting multicultural consumers – the majority of consumers in many major U.S. markets – as well as for media and marketing tech vendors. This report provides a description of 20 content marketing initiatives. Each program’s main elements are described (Brands involved, Target Audience, Owned Properties, Paid Media Program, Key Influencers) are summarized and the agencies and brand decision-makers behind them are listed. Described companies include: Avocados from Mexico, Barilla, Best Western, Ford, General Mills, Hershey’s, Kellogg, Kimberly Clark, Kraft, Makita, Miller Coors, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, State Farm, Sprint, Unilever, Verizon, Vilore and Wonderful Pistachios. Buy the report here Upgrade to “Research Plus Membership” for only US$ 999 and access this report and 9 more!
Dennis Holt’s independent media agency USIM has been named print and broadcast media agency of apparel retailer Modell’s Sporting Goods, Mediapost has reported. USIM was selected following a formal review.Omnicom’s Zimmerman Advertising was the incumbent.USIM will be in charge of providing insights, strategy, planning and execution, and the business will be managed out of USIM’s New York City office.
Fort Worth-based PAVLOV Advertising has been named agency of record for San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and the San Antonio Airport System (SAAS), according to a news release. The US$4 million contract covers an initial three-year term, with the option to extend for two additional one-year periods.The provided services include: advertising creative, graphic design, traditional and digital media planning and placement, public relations and interactive to promote SAT’s service offerings from new routes and in-airport concessions to the SAT “Meet Me” loyalty program and parking.
HSBC, the British banking and financial services company, has launched a review of its global media account.The incumbent on the account is GroupM’s Mindshare. ID Comms, the U.K.-based media consulting company, will be running the pitch. It is thought the bank spends about US$400m a year on media but the bank does not disclose its spend.
Procter & Gamble Co., one of the world’s biggest ad spender, Procter & Gamble Co., It’s moving more media planning and buying in-house, according to Chief Financial Officer Jon Moeller.P&G has already cut agency and production costs by US$750 million annually in recent years, and looks to cut another US$400 million in the future.The firm will automate more media planning, production and distribution, bringing more of it in-house and more likely affecting its’ North American media shops: Omnicom’s Hearts & Science and Dentsu Aegis Network’s Carat.
Tecate, the Mexican growth engine inside the Heineken USA portfolio, announced an evolution to their award winning “Born Bold” campaign introduced in 2015 called “We Are Bold.” The new campaign is built around four friends’ brotherly bond while emphasizing the camaraderie, rivalries and unspoken, yet understood inside jokes during their regular barbecues (BBQ). The “We Are Bold” campaign is rooted in consumer insights for the beer brand’s core demographic, the bicultural Hispanic male, and the role that the BBQ grilling occasion or Carne Asada, as literally translated by this group, plays culturally as a social forum to grow closer to their friends and as a key consumption occasion.The campaign will launch on national Hispanic and English television with two 30-second spots created by Tecate with Nómades including “CHILL” and “GYM” with a third, “COMPETITION,” debuting closer to May.Tecate will increase their investment in paid media by five-fold in 2018 with the campaign running for 52 weeks, up from 17 in 2017, across online video, broadcast, digital, social, PR and out-of-home. Billboards will start appearing in select Sun Belt states (AZ, CA, NM, NV and TX) in the coming weeks and expanding to 30 key markets including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando and others by early Spring.
2018 NETWORKING SOLUTIONS. To find out about Portada’s new networking solutions targeting the decision makers of the above campaigns, please contact our Sales Manager Isabel Ojeda at Isabel@portada-online.com.
Telemundo-owned WNJU New York has named John Gonzalez vice president of technology and operations. In his new role, Gonzalez will implement digital upgrades to station operational infrastructure and further expansion of the station’s online platforms.
Jeffrey Duque is the new Vice President at H Code Media. He’s leading the launch of a newly formed division at H Code Media named H Code Studio – a full-service content studio that combines the identity of a brand, the storytelling of a production house, and the scale of a digital platform. Previously Duque, worked at impreMedia’s Studio ñ.
ROI Influencer Mediahas appointed former IPG Mediabrands strategist Mary Hill as director, brand & content strategy. In the new role, Hill is tasked with growing the firm’s multicultural division by both expanding the company’s media offerings and its influencer talent roster.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced Judith McKenna‘s promotion to President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Walmart International, the company’s second-largest operating segment. She will be succeeding David Cheesewright, who has been in the role since 2014 and recently shared his desire to retire from a full-time role.
Veritas Technologies, a leader in multi-cloud data management, has appointed Greg Hughes as chief executive officer, part of a planned succession strategy to lead the next phase of the company’s evolution.
Bobby Hershfield was named VP and executive creative director at multicultural agency The Community.
GALLEGOS United has announced it has hired Dino Spadavecchia as executive creative director. Spadavecchia will oversee development and execution of creative concepts for all clients. He reports directly to Harvey Marco, co-president and chief creative officer.
NIKE, Inc. has promoted Dirk-Jan “DJ” van Hameren to VP, Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, van Hameren will lead Nike’s Global Marketing organization to authentically connect with every consumer who interacts with the NIKE brand and deepen relationships with them.
Facebook has appointed Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton to lead the firm’s multibillion-dollar drive to secure rights for live sports streaming. He will start his partnership with the social network after the winter Olympic Games in South Korea.
Rubén Correa is now copyeditor and writer for CNN Español at CNN.
What: According to Zenith’s Online Video Forecast, viewers will spend an average of 47.4 minutes a day watching videos online this year, up from 39.6 minutes in 2016. This is partly driven by a 35% increase in viewing on mobile devices, for a total of 28.8 minutes a day. We spoke to industry experts from The Story Room, Walton Isaacson, Havas Media, and the community about how they are tackling video. Why It Matters: Zenith predicts that by 2019, 72% of all online viewing will occur on mobile devices. In contrast, viewing on desktop PCs, laptops, and smart TVs will only increase by 2% to 18.6 minutes a day, and then shrink by 1% in 2018 and 2% in 2019.
What does this mean for how brand marketers and media buyers will be distributing their ad spend? And how is the United States leading the global marketing industry in shifting budgets from fixed devices and television to mobile?
The United States Accounts for 44% of Global Mobile Expenditure
U.S. ad spend has reacted more strongly to this trend than other global markets: The U.S. accounts for 44% of all global mobile expenditure this year, while its share of overall global ad market is just 35%.
To those in the industry, this isn’t such a surprise. Jacqueline Hernandez, Digital and Social Media Strategist at the community, said, “The U.S. has had a tendency to be a trendsetter in social and digital behaviors and, as a result, has also led the charge in how we approach those behaviors as marketers.”
Hernandez attributed this greatly to the large numbers of younger users pushing US mobile adoption: “While all age groups are watching more online video, the younger the demographic, the greater the propensity for online video consumption.” She added that “generation Z, which will be a key adult target in 5-10 years, already shows a significant preference for watching longer format video (even feature length films) on handheld devices.”
The native experience in some mobile apps/platforms require a different delivery mechanism but can be just as effective.
Diego Prusky, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of digital marketing agency The Story Room agreed, noting that the United States is driving US mobile video growth because US consumers were early smartphone and video adopters, and also because “smartphone penetration in the US is now over 80% and the millennial plus generation Z digital natives account for over 40% of the population.”
Albert Thompson, Digital Strategist at Walton Isaacson, also reminded us that American content is not heavily censored: “You must remember, content is less censored here than in other countries so consumption is endless with very little constraints and often, as a result, there is an over-abundance of it.”
Fixed Devices Vs. Mobile: Which Is More Effective?
While trends indicate that mobile video is the future, the study argued that fixed devices are still “more effective at conveying brand messages, and so command a price premium from advertisers” due to fact that fixed devices are displayed on larger screens, in less distracting environments, than those viewed on mobile devices. Not everyone agrees here.
Jessica Richards, EVP, Managing Director of Socialyse at Havas Media argued that mobile has its own advantages: “The native experience in some mobile apps/platforms require a different delivery mechanism but can be just as effective.”
The sheer number of variables involved in measuring the effectiveness of a mobile ad means that standardization will be important, Richards argued, in order to determine “the value of a view with so many disparate factors to manage for: decrease in attention, distinct mechanisms for content delivery (i.e. a Snap, Messenger, Roku), and differing measurement solutions across platforms.” She pointed to the challenges associated with getting a “true read on performance” as a major roadblock, and admitted that in the end, “it is difficult to state that one channel/size truly delivers the best performance across all audiences, especially younger demographics.”
Prusky of The Story Room also noted the ways that younger generations’ habits and preferences are forcing marketers to adjust their strategies. “Younger generations will much rather interact with a digital video or an influencer video than watch a 30-second commercial,” Prusky explained.
Prusky highlighted the importance of user experience, and delivering the right content to customers on the devices they are using: “When our foodie / Food Network consumer is on the subway checking Instagram, we need to have a quick Food Hack video or a review, and when they are leaning back on their sofa checking Facebook we need to have a hands and pans video or an influencer video that will entertain them and drive them to try our recipes.”
Richards of Havas Media agreed that the device is secondary to adjusting content to consumer needs. “Most smart advertisers have started to evolve their marketing approach to more naturally align to how the consumer behaves.” Brand marketers must think like their customers and anticipate not only what their needs are and when those needs are most urgent, but also the devices that consumers will use to resolve them.
“This means brands/agencies are beginning to take a stance that video content should be delivered agnostic of device/channel,” Richards elaborated, “using data to segment appropriate audiences, which leads to an increase video distribution in digital environments, primarily mobile.”
Regardless of whether mobile is less effective than fixed video, it is important to recognize that consumers interact with mobile differently than they do with a fixed device. “Remember, video displayed on mobile devices are often consumed while in transit, minor stopping points again while in transit, or while multi-tasking,” Thompson of Walton Isaacson explained. “Video content via mobile devices has to take into account the ‘mobility’ of the consumer.”
Global Budgets Set to Shift Toward Video
If Zenith’s predictions are any indication, the industry is starting to embrace the power of video. According to the study, fixed video ad spend is estimated to reach $15.2 billion this year, while mobile ad spend is still only at $12 billion. But next year, mobile video ad spend will surpass fixed video ad spend at $18 billion compared to $15 billion.
There is nothing more personal than video on your phone that’s done in the right way: original, customized and relevant creative made for mobile viewing in a vertical style.
Andy Amendola, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Media at the community, argued that “mobile is the first screen now” because “the mobile device is the distraction so if can reach your target there you win.” Aside from the fact that many of us spend the majority of our days looking at our phones is the fact that the phone adds an added element of personalization because you speak directly to an individual through the screen.
Amendola added: “There is nothing more personal than video on your phone that’s done in the right way: original, customized and relevant creative made for mobile viewing in a vertical style.”
Limited by Time, Lack of Creative Development, but Rich Source of Marketing Data
Despite its popularity among consumers, mobile video is still an imperfect tool for marketers in many ways. Richards of Havas Media noted that “limitations on creative/content development (time to create, number of pieces available, etc.) lead to a lot of brands and advertisers still using a limited or single piece of content or creative across multiple platforms, without variation in message, testing of content (length, animation, imagery), or pure understanding of consumer interest on platform.” This leads to the “oxymoron” that native ads really aren’t so native at all. “Additionally,” Richards continued, “while measurement is improving dramatically, it is not 100% and there are still a lot of platforms that remain ‘walled gardens’ which inhibits a truly agnostic video strategy.”
While measurement is improving dramatically, it is not 100% and there are still a lot of platforms that remain ‘walled gardens’ which inhibits a truly agnostic video strategy.
But others embrace the alternatives that video presents. Prusky from The Story Room said that digital video was “the highest priority for our clients due to the consumption and possibilities across the digital ecosystem.” He mentioned that The Story Room created a mix of pre-produced, on-site, 360, live and real time video that is distributed through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, website, and an app. “These add up to millions of video views, but also to valuable marketing data that allows us to segment consumers and better understand who they are and what they are interested in,” Richards said in defense of the new marketing format.
Despite the roadblocks, Richards, at least, is optimistic that the industry will work out the kinks: “Video will continue to being a growing market because technology, brands, advertisers and platforms are investing heavily in solving the core challenges in media delivery, content and measurement.”
People change positions, get promoted or move to other companies. Portada is here to tell you about it.
::: Mirum Mexico – Rodrigo Perez Ochoa ::: Liz Ross – Periscope ::: The Community – Ana Bermudez ::: Walter Thompson Chile – Quino Oneto Gaona ::: Lew’Lara TBWA – Felipe Luchi :::
Click here for previous Latam Changing Places editions Mirum Mexico has announced the appointment of Rodrigo Perez Ochoa as managing director. Rodrigo will lead the agency operations in Mexico and supervise the Planning, Creativity, Social, Production, Development and Media groups work .Pérez Ochoa was founder and director of Foo Studio. He worked with clients such as Volkswagen, SAB Miller and Brown Forman, among others. He began his career at Unilever, where he spent 10 years and was brand manager for Axe, Rexona and Dove.
Liz Ross has joined full-service agency Periscope as president and CEO.She succeeds Greg Kurowski. The move follows Ms. Ross’ departure in May from Mediabrands, Interpublic Group of Companies’ media agency network, where she most recently served as CMO.Her goal is to grow the agency, which does about US$65 million in revenue, into a US$100 million shop within five years. The international presence is the result of an investment over the last couple of years in offshore production operations. She’ll plans to expand the shop’s domestic footprint as well, but the first order of business will be to find a chief creative officer and ramp up on new business.
Agency The Community, part of SapientNitro, has appointed Ana Bermudez as their new account director. She will report directly to Luis Montero, president of the agency. She will be responsible for increasing the effectiveness and managing communication solutions for th agency clients.Prioir to joining The Community, Bermudez was group account director of Alma DDB.
Walter Thompson Chile has announced the appointment of Quino Oneto Gaona as creative director. Quino led creativity at agency FWK in Argentina since 2005. He previously worked as an editor at Agulla & Baccetti, Ogilvy and FCB Argentina.
Lew’Lara TBWA has announced the appointment of Felipe Luchi as CCO. Manir Fadel will replace Luchi. Throughout his career, Luchi has created campaigns for clients such as P&G, Santander, Nivea, Natura, FIAT, BR Foods, Nissan, Adidas, Heineken, Alpargatas, TIM, Banco Real, Nokia, Tigre, Embratel and Grupo Estado, among others. Luchi began his career as an art director in Rio de Janeiro and then moved to San Pablo.


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Thursday, October 29, 2020 9:39 AM
NEW YORK—Yes, I know, it’s not even November yet. But I’m a Virgo: I like to be prepared, and I love to have a game plan—and so do small businesses. As we begin to approach what is sure to be a very different holiday season than the ones we’re used to, many small businesses across the country have joined the campaign to Shop Early, Shop Local, which encourages consumers to get their holiday shopping done ahead of time and to support local businesses in the process. This week, we’re taking a look at how different small businesses across the country are promoting this idea—giving you plenty of inspiration to get your practice on board, too.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 1:03 PM
On the search for alternative ways to celebrate Halloween
with little ones this year? Head over to the CDC website
for some options, from candy scavenger hunts to virtual costume concepts and so much more.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 1:47 PM
We will know whether a vaccine is safe and effective by the end of November, beginning of December. The amount of doses that will be available in December will not certainly be enough to vaccinate everybody—you'll have to wait several months into 2021.
Friday, October 23, 2020 2:22 PM
We’d initially seen a downturn around February, along the early Covid-19 outbreak impacting our China factory. However, starting in April and May, new customer acquisition and retention exceeded projections. That’s when order volume went up by more than 54 percent year-over-year, and we saw a 35 percent growth in overall unit sales. With so many optometrist locations still only open at a limited capacity, customers are finding more reasons to turn to an affordable e-commerce alternative.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 12:30 AM
In Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, a character asks someone, “How did you go bankrupt?” The other replies, “Two ways: gradually, then suddenly.” The passage is famous for its terse articulation of how it feels to realize a behavior that had been slowly working its way through one’s life has become inescapably dominant, seemingly overnight. A lot of 2020 has felt that way, in both good and bad ways. Leaving aside hot-button issues of cultural and political import, much of day-to-day life is getting a major overhaul. Working from home, once a rare indulgence, became a necessity for white-collar employees, and many companies will keep generous flex time policies even when there’s no longer a health-related imperative. Read More
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 3:30 PM
NEW YORK—As the COVID-19 virus continues to affect our everyday activities, Jobson continues its salute to the industry's health care workers, especially ECPs, for continuing to provide essential eyecare during the pandemic. This week, we honor five more Eyecare Heroes in our online gallery located at the Eyecare Heroes site
. Dr. Mark Keyes and Dr. Kaitlin Keyes, Accomac Optometric
, Accomac, Va.; Dr. Terry Null, VisionQuest EyeCare
, McCordsville, Ind.; Dr. Trent McKinney, Oasis Eye Care
, Venice Fla.; and Shawne Gillies, director of Facilities & Campus Planning, New England College of Optometry
, Boston, Mass. ECPs in the Gallery were selected from among the nominations submitted by readers of Vision Monday
. Read More
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 12:42 PM
Of course, there’s one big determining factor in all of this and that’s reimbursement. If telehealth reimbursement doesn’t figure out the payments so that the same service provided through telehealth is reimbursed at the same rate as in-person, then we could see an even bigger falloff of telehealth. If reimbursement is wrong, I could see us falling into the low single-digit office visits. That would be sad to see and would no doubt anger many patients who grew fond of telehealth during COVID.
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 9:38 AM
14-year-old Anika Chebrolu might just help us cure COVID-19. The teenager recently discovered "a lead molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus," CNN reports
. This discovery could lead to an effective treatment for the virus. Head over to CNN
to learn more about Chebrolu's research and what it means for the medical field moving forward.
Friday, October 16, 2020 4:21 PM
It is unfortunate because [this is] such a sacred part of American tradition, the family gathering around Thanksgiving. You may have to bite the bullet and sacrifice that social gathering.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 3:46 PM
Many of the rent relief agreements negotiated between landlords and tenants in Q2, which are mostly rent deferrals and not abatements, are coming due in Q4 and Q1, 2021. This represents overhang that could create rent collections pressure at end of the year.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 11:30 AM
NEW YORK—Leading experts from innovative medical, retail and eyecare companies described how new healthcare business models are delivering convenience, greater access and more affordable and personalized medicine during a wide-ranging program at the latest session of the Vision Monday Global Leadership Summit. The speakers offered diverse points of view on the program’s theme, “Who Are the New Gatekeepers? What’s Vision’s Role?” Collectively, they exemplified a new approach to vision care that is wider in scope, more accessible and more fully integrated into the broader healthcare matrix. The Summit program, held October 7, was the second in the four-part virtual series "AFTERSHOCKS: Remaking Healthcare's Future, Vision Beyond 2020," the VM Summit's major theme. Read More
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 12:21 AM
NEW YORK—Memories of a "larger than life" personality, an industry leader, mentor and friend to so many poured in earlier this week about the late Henry Shyer, vice-chairman of Zyloware, who passed away last weekend on Oct. 10, as VMAIL reported.
Services were held by the Shyer family (and live streamed via Zoom and Facebook) for Shyer, who was recognized by suppliers, laboratory executives, his company team and associates, retailers and distributors for his contributions to the modern eyewear industry and his funny and fierce sense of humor and friendship.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 9:26 AM
The old rulebook of how we understand and interact within the real world no longer applies, and in many mays the pandemic has been a catalyst for this digital transformation. Physical retail must evolve in response, and AR has proven that it can add enormous value for consumers in the shopping journey. Now is the time for business leaders and brands to not only reimagine retail, but to catapult these immersive shopping experiences into the future.
Friday, October 9, 2020 2:50 PM
NEW YORK—On Thursday, members of the optical community from all around the world came together for one purpose: World Sight Day. The annual holiday is one of the most important days for fundraising and education regarding eye health and advocacy, and this year was no exception. Even with COVID-10 putting a hold on large gatherings and social events, the optical community was able to adapt and change for a safe—and mostly virtual—World Sight Day, taking the message online as well as into our own communities.
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 2:07 PM
In the mood for some good news? You can now get paid to see SNL live
—if you get in, that is. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in New York State, you can't see a show live unless you're a paid employee. So, the team over at SNL is handing out $150 to the lucky few who get in to see the show. Head over to Vulture
for the full story.

domain: news


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Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) was once again a media favorite in 2019, with comic shop retailers, publishers, and Diamond all doing their part to drive media coverage on a local and national level, which resulted in an estimated $4 million in free publicity and an estimated 1.35 million people attending the event.
This year, over 5.2 million comics were distributed at over 2,200 participating comic book shops worldwide on Saturday, May 4th. The FCBD festivities were covered by over 700 TV broadcast stations and several thousand news outlets including CNN, NPR, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, and Entertainment Weekly. It also received exposure on the Reuter’s Board in Times Square. The total coverage created an uptick in press mentions, generating $4 million in free publicity for the event, comic shops, and the comics industry overall.
Word of this year’s event also spread through social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and others. Several thousand tweets referenced Free Comic Book Day on Twitter, resulting in the event trending nationally at the #2 spot on Twitter. FCBD also received support and promotion on social media from celebrities such as Krypton actor, Cameron Cuffe, and soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
— Cameron Cuffe (@thecameroncuffe) May 1, 2019
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) May 4, 2019
The Free Comic Book Day website recorded over 118,000 unique visitors on the day of the event, exceeding the previous years’ unique visitor count by over 20%.
“This year’s Free Comic Book Day received top-notch press coverage from a variety of media platforms, allowing the event to grow and reach a larger audience than ever before,” said Free Comic Book Day spokesperson, Ashton Greenwood. “We appreciate the support from the press, but this event wouldn’t be what it is without the support of the local retailers and fans who help spread the word about Free Comic Book Day and come out to celebrate and make the day a huge success!“
The total publicity generated helped send an estimated 1.4 million people to comic book shops all across the world, leaving retailers extremely pleased with the outcome of their events. According to a survey of participating Free Comic Book Day retailers by Diamond, 92% of retailers felt “extremely positive” or “positive” with the outcome of their events, and 58% said FCBD was their highest sales receipt of the year.
“Free Comic Book Day is more than an event; it’s the collaboration of an entire industry putting forth its best effort to welcome new and returning readers to the world of comic books,” said Greenwood. “The industry will use this year’s success as a springboard for what’s to come for next year’s FCBD on May 2, 2020.”


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AppleCare+ coverage to cost $15 for HomePod mini
In addition to the recently revealed iPhones, Apple also introduced a mini version of its smart speaker. At just 3.3-inches tall, the HomePod Mini can fill the entire room with rich 360‑degree audio. Most notably, the Siri-enabled speaker will only set buyers back $99. Customers can also choose to add on AppleCare+ for $15 when pre-orders start on November 6.
As is standard with Apple products, every HomePod Mini will come with one year of hardware coverage through its limited warranty and 90-days of complimentary tech support. The additional AppleCare+ coverage will offer up to two years of tech support and accidental damage coverage. AppleCare+ for the mini will cover two incidents of accidental damage every 12 months, each subject to a $15 service fee.


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Silicon Valley investor Adam Draper is refocusing his accelerator program solely on bitcoin, in hopes of taking the currency mainstream.
Tom Perkins, partner emeritus of Kleiner Perkins, says in an e-mail to Bloomberg that he really meant what some feared he'd said to the Wall Street Journal -- that criticizing the rich is akin to Nazism.
Microscopic sculptures by artist Jonty Hurwitz are so tiny that they can fit easily inside the eye of a needle, on a human hair -- or on the forehead of an ant.
The men behind the jaw-dropping effects of "Gravity" and "Minority Report" reveal how movies both predict and influence today's tech.
The website has only been available to the public for a little over a month, but it's already gaining attention among tech elite.
New Zealand, Austria, Denmark and Spain are among the next nations to get a taste of Apple's supersized smartphones.
Now that the former Microsoft CEO owns the Los Angeles Clippers, there's at least one more thing he needs to do. Eradicate the iPads.
In a series of new ads for the Galaxy Note 4, Samsung mocks everything from Apple's inept livestream at its event to its new watch to its supposed geniuses.
The biggest earthquake to rock the San Francisco Bay Area in 25 years hit early Sunday, and technology -- including a project in part backed by Google -- could put us into a better position than ever to react.
CNET editor Dong Ngo explains the USB standard and the significance of the latest USB Type-C.


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Solaria Appoints Solar Industry Veteran Vikas Desai as New President
Solaria Corporation, announced the appointment of solar industry veteran Vikas Desai as the company’s new president.
October 27, 2021. By News Bureau
An accomplished solar industry executive, Mr. Desai served as senior vice president and general manager of SunPower Corporation’s residential and light commercial business unit, which he founded and scaled up to $1 billion in annualized revenues.
Vikas Desai also held CEO roles at EchoFirst (acquired by SunEdison) and Powerside, a power analytics provider, and served as senior vice president and general manager at the distributed solar divisions of both SunEdison and Flextronics.
“Vikas has a passion for building teams and go-to-market channels; we are very pleased that he is joining the outstanding professionals on Solaria’s leadership team,” said Solaria CEO Tony Alvarez.
“Vikas has built multiple businesses in both the solar and related technology realms. He brings deep experience and expertise in residential solar, having scaled multiple distributed solar businesses globally.”
“I’m thrilled to be part of a team that is dedicated to developing and delivering unparalleled products with excellent customer service, powered by our network of Pro Partners,” noted Mr. Desai. “Solaria offers unrivaled advanced technology. I look forward to working with Solaria’s talented team to help accelerate the company’s growth and scale its success as it expands its offerings and global reach.”
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String Inverter Technologies will Lead Future Solar Biz in C&I as well as Utility Segments
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We are Working on Technology that would Facilitate Conversion of Existing Fuel Bikes to Hybrid


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Maurer told Swiss regional television station Tele Züri he plans to use the occasion to give new impetus to stalled talks on a possible free trade agreement between Switzerland and the US.
In his comments, the minister, who is serving as Swiss president this year under the country's rotating presidency system, noted that the US is, alongside the EU, Switzerland’s most important trading partner.
The partnership between the two countries should now be made concrete within the framework of a free trade agreement, Maurer said.
News of the minister's sit-down with Trump in Davos comes a month after former economics minister Johann Schneider-Ammann saw his own meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Emmet Lighthizer cancelled at the last minute.
Schneider-Ammann managed to meet with an official representing Lighthizer but came away saying that talks towards any possible free trade agreement were still very much in the “exploratory stage”.
Among the stumbling blocks is the agriculture issue, according to Swiss daily Tages Anzeiger. There are concerns that the US could force Switzerland to allow genetically modified products, which would be problematic for the Alpine country.
There is currently a moratorium on genetically modified crops in Switzerland.
However, the upper house of the Swiss parliament in December said urged the Swiss government to pursue a free trade agreement or a preferential trade agreement with the US.
A 2006 attempt to forge such a Swiss–US trade agreement failed over Swiss government concerns in the face of the powerful US agricultural sector.


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Microsoft is reportedly set to refresh its ARM-powered Surface Pro X in the fall.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft will update the 2-in-1 with a new ‘SQ2’ processor and introduce the ‘platinum’ colour option along with new Type Cover colours. Unfortunately, sources told Windows Central that the new Pro X — Pro X 2? — won’t feature any significant design changes.
The biggest external change will be the new colour option. Microsoft has long offered its Surface devices in a ‘platinum’ colour, and more recently in matte black. It looks like the Surface Pro X 2 will also be available in platinum. The first Pro X only came in black. Windows Central suggests this is Microsoft’s way of indicating the Pro X 2 will be ready for the mainstream consumer.
Additionally, the Type Cover accessories for the Pro X 2 will come in the same colours as what’s available for the standard Surface Pro device.
As for the new SQ2 processor, it’s likely based on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 and will boast improved performance over last year’s SQ1. Interestingly, Microsoft reportedly plans to announce x86 64-bit app emulation, which could enter preview later this year. If that the case, the Surface Pro X2 may not suffer from the app problem that plagued the original Pro X.
Currently, Windows on ARM can only emulate 32-bit x86 apps — x86 being the instruction set used by Intel and AMD CPUs and also what most apps and games use. However, most modern programs use the 64-bit variant which, unfortunately, ARM CPUs currently can’t emulate. That meant for the Surface Pro X, there was an unfortunate lack of apps.
With the more powerful SQ2 and support for 64-bit x86 emulation, the Surface Pro X 2 could be an excellent option when it arrives, assuming the emulation works well. And with more platforms adopting ARM, it could encourage developers to begin transitioning their apps to ARM as well.
Finally, Windows Central notes that it hasn’t heard any rumours about the Surface Pro X 2 supporting 5G. Considering one of the big benefits of the 8cx Gen 2 is 5G support, if the SQ2 is based on that chip, it could very well include 5G. If so, the Pro X 2 would be the first Surface device to offer 5G connectivity.
The Surface Pro X 2 could arrive in October alongside a new, low-cost 12.5-inch Surface Laptop codenamed ‘Sparti.’
Source: Windows Central


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If you want to sit back this summer with a cold Coca-Cola in your hand, it'll cost you a bit more.
The soft drink giant is raising its prices in response to the impact of President Trump's recent tariffs.
The company told the Wall Street Journal the price hike is meant to compensate for increases in delivery costs and metal prices.
It comes after the president imposed billions of dollars in tariffs on Chinese goods earlier this year.
Coca-Cola is just one company caught in the cross fire of rising U.S. trade tensions.
Tariffs on steel and aluminum are having an impact on Whirlpool, GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler.


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Skillweb has added support for Android phones to its SmartTask Attend time and attendance service for field workers. “The solution is designed to reduce the time spent capturing location and attendance data where fixed systems are not viable and to drive down the cost of collating time sheets and visit reports,” says managing director Paul Ridden.
- MCX suffers email address data breach
- Samsung to offer money transfers
- MCX responds to criticism
- White paper explores the role of TSMs in cross-border NFC payments
- McDonald’s adopts Softcard


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Robots are infiltrating warehouses, classrooms, farms, and citystreets. Now, they are making themselves useful in the renewable energy industry. SunPower Corporation, a solar cell manufacturer headquartered in Silicon Valley, will use robots and drones to make solar power plants more efficient.
The company is starting construction on its new "Oasis" power plants in North America and China during the next several weeks. In this new generation of power plants, project design is automated using drones and software. The drones fly over a site to gather data, and then the software creates and evaluates thousands of designs and recommends the best options. This way, developers can easily compare potential sites, and customized configurations can make the most out of the available space.
Tom Werner, president and CEO of SunPower, said in a press announcement:
An Oasis solar power plant may be designed 90 percent faster than the time required to design conventional solar power plants. While flat, rectangular-shaped sites are required for other trackers on the market, Oasis can take advantage of unused irregularly shaped areas and slopes up to ten degrees to generate up to 60 percent more energy than conventional technology installed at the same site. Each additional ten acres of usable land on a site may represent two to four more megawatts of power, which can significantly impact a project's bottom line.
The new systems are also being designed with room for agriculture. As solar power becomes widely accepted, it's not always easy to find space to locate large solar arrays. (This is part of the reason that floating solar projects are becoming more common around the world.) The distance between rows leaves just the right amount of room for farming activities, and SunPower is partnering with University of California, Davis to find the ideal crop varieties.
The big star of Oasis is a fleet of robotic panel cleaners that SunPower added to its toolkit when it acquired Greenbotics, Inc., in 2013. Solar panels typically convert approximately 20 percent of the sun's energy into electricity, but if they are dirty, that conversion efficiency is reduced. Dust, pollen, and even bird droppings can build up on solar panels and block a percentage of the sun's light from entering the system.
Robots glide over rows of solar panels, gently removing dirt. The robotic system uses 75 percent less water than manual-cleaning methods and can operate at night to avoid getting in the way of precious sunlight. According to SunPower, the new robotic method is twice as fast as the current robotic cleaning technology and 10 times faster than manual cleaning methods.
For residential solar installations, the small amount of grime that builds up on solar panels isn't significant enough to make it worth frequently climbing on your roof or hiring someone to clean a few panels. But it's a different story for giant solar power plants, where even small percentages can add up to many lost megawatts, or in other words, less money.


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- Telegram shares 50% of advertising revenue with content creators, driving monetization through TON blockchain for secure transactions.
- Telegram’s innovation in monetization and privacy: strategy opens up ads to 100 countries, fostering global growth and crypto adoption.
Telegram has always put the privacy of its users first. With the new revenue sharing plan, Pavel Durov reaffirms this commitment, promising to develop advertising tools that respect privacy as much as possible. This approach is more important than ever, given the growing concern about the security of our personal data.
How does this new monetization strategy work?
All payments will be made using The Open Network (TON), a blockchain that was created by Telegram’s founders but which, since 2020, is operated by a community of independent developers.
This new model not only motivates creators to produce better quality content and encourage more user interaction, but also sets a new standard in how messaging platforms approach content monetization.
Following reports from ETHNews, TON’s native token, TON token, experienced a nearly 40% increase in value following the announcement, evidencing the market’s excitement at the news.
Empowerment and expansion through the blockchain
By deciding on TON to handle transactions, Telegram is not only demonstrating the potential of blockchain for large-scale applications, but also betting on decentralized management. This choice to empower a community of developers to run TON underscores Telegram’s commitment to a more decentralized economy.
The expansion of its ad platform to nearly a hundred new countries reflects Telegram’s aspirations to grow globally. As previously reported by ETHNews, this move will not only increase Telegram’s revenue, but also raise its international profile, capturing the interest of a wider and more varied group of users and content generators.
By adopting blockchain technology with TON, Telegram adds a higher level of security and clarity to all transactions. This ensures that content creators receive payments quickly and securely.
In this way, Telegram not only opens doors to new ways for creators to generate revenue, but also maintains its fundamental commitment to privacy throughout the process.


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The Federal Trade Commission says Medtronic can move forward with a proposed acquisition so long as the company promptly divests a subsidiary that makes certain medical devices used in sinus procedures.
In a proposed order this week, FTC imposed the condition on Medtronic's planned $936.2 million acquisition of Intersect ENT Inc., a California-based maker of sinus implants. The deal was first announced last year.
FTC says that Medtronic, which is based in Dublin but has operational headquarters in Fridley, would need to promptly sell a subsidiary of Intersect ENT called Fiagon, which makes ear, nose and throat navigation systems and balloon sinus dilation products.
The FTC said the Fiagon business would be sold to Hemostasis LLC, which is based in White Bear Lake, according to a news release announcing the proposed order.
"Medtronic is the top provider of ear, nose and throat navigation systems," said Holly Vedova, director of the FTC's bureau of competition, said in a statement. "We are requiring Medtronic to divest Fiagon because we are concerned that the deal would otherwise lead to higher prices and reduced innovation in this important medical care market."
The commission voted 4-0 to issue an administrative complaint in the case and accept the proposed consent order for public comment. The FTC soon will publish the consent agreement in the Federal Register and take comments over a 30-day period.
Medtronic said Thursday that the acquisition is expected to close during its first quarter, which ends July 29.
"Since the announcement of our intent to acquire, we have worked with the FTC and respect the commission's decision regarding the divestiture of the Fiagon subsidiary," the company said. "We will announce further details following a successful close."
Medtronic is the dominant provider of ear, nose and throat (ENT) navigation systems, which the FTC says allow physicians to view and track medical instruments as they're being used in sinus procedures. The company also sells balloon sinus dilation products used to clear blocked sinuses.
FTC's proposed order says Fiagon must be sold no later than 10 days after Medtronic acquires Intersect. In addition, to prevent future consolidation, Medtronic and Intersect over the next decade must obtain prior approval from FTC to acquire additional technology for ENT navigation and balloon sinus dilation.
"Divestiture buyer Hemostatis must obtain prior approval for three years before transferring any of the divested assets to any buyer, and for seven additional years before transferring any divested assets to a buyer that manufactures and sells ENT navigation systems or balloon sinus dilation products," FTC said in a statement.
A independent monitor will report on the companies' compliance with the order, FTC says.


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Barely two and a half years after Instagram was launched, eclipsing Hipstamatic through superior sharing functions to be the Social Network that makes Restaurant Owners want to Pull out their Hair, Google has slipped into the kitchen to take a selfie with the cooks.
In a nutshell, Google Glass (stylized GLASS) is a hands-free wearable device which displays information to the user, connects to the internet through voice commands, takes pictures and moving images, and broadcasts what the user is seeing in real-time. Fittingly, the device made its initial debut at New York Fashion Week in partnership with the women’s luxury brand, Diane Von Furstenberg during their Spring/Summer 2013 showcase. With Google co-founder, Sergey Brin seated in the front row the label sent models down the runway wearing colour coordinated prototypes of the device. Some of the footage captured was streamed live, while the rest was turned into a film, DVF through GLASS which took a new spin on showing audiences “what it was like to be at Fashion Week” — a headline that might otherwise receive little more than a nod.
If devices like GLASS can truly capture Life, some inevitable and uncomfortable questions arise. Much has been written about what it could mean for collecting and quickly sharing data in real-time (through the eyes of the beholder, no less, who could be some dude on the bus) and what that could mean for privacy. For instance, the technology has been prematurely banned from a bar in Seattle, and it’s inevitable that other establishments will follow suit. Some fear that GLASS will drown us in data, but there is a larger concern about how technologies like it might shape everyday behaviour. How will we interact with each other knowing that any moment could be uploaded to a server? As The Guardian’s Charles Arthur suggests, new social norms could develop as a result of GLASS and other wearable technologies, like signaling when the device is on and off through gestures or other behaviours. Of course there are positive aspects; hands-free messaging, the implications for Maps and memory capture, the unprecedented opportunity to record the world just as you see it.
Arthur reminds us that smartphones are responsible for the “hunched walk” that has become the standard posture on city sidewalks across the globe. And if photo sharing has altered how we experience a simple cappuccino (we take a picture of it first; we wait for a “Like,” we drink it knowing that it is a documented extension of how we’d like to be seen) imagine the implications for GLASS as a mass consumer product. What you see is what the Internet gets.
*Using the hashtag #ifihadglass on twitter, the GLASS Explorer project made the device available to a select group of developers for a trial period. The company has since confirmed that GLASS will support lens prescriptions later this year.


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LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Britain's Whitbread said full-year results would reach the top end of market forecasts as growing demand across its Premier Inn hotels, Costa Coffee and restaurant businesses helped sales rise in the group's fourth quarter.
The company said on Thursday group like-for-like sales rose 6.8 percent in the 11 weeks to Feb. 13, up from 4.3 percent in its last quarter, with underlying sales at its Premier Inn and UK Costa divisions up 8.3 percent and 7.3 percent respectively.
Premier Inn's revenue per available room (RevPAR), a key industry measure, rose 9.6 percent, up from 6.5 percent in the previous quarter, feeling the benefits of an improving hotel market in both London and its much larger regional business.
Underlying sales at the group's restaurant business, which includes brands such as Brewers Fayre rose 4.4 percent, helped by strong demand over Christmas.
Whitbread, whose shares hit an all-time high of 4,221 pence on Tuesday, said the strong group performance meant it expected to deliver full-year results at the top end of expectations.
The group is expected to post a pretax profit between 371 and 406 million pounds, with an average consensus of 393 million pounds, according to a Reuters poll of 20 analysts.


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NEW YORK (CNNMoney) If you think Microsoft should just kill off Internet Explorer already, you might just get your wish. The browser has become synonymous with bugs, security problems and outdated technology. Even as Internet Explorer has improved dramatically in recent years, it continues to lose serious ground to rival browsers.
Once the most-used Web browser, Internet Explorer had been on a steady downward trajectory for years. Its share of the browser market fell below the 50% threshold in 2010 and sank below 20% in October, according to browser usage tracker StatCounter. Google’s Chrome is currently the browser leader, commanding a 48% share of the market.
This summer, Microsoft promised big, upcoming changes for Internet Explorer. Now, it appears those changes could include the once-unthinkable: Replacing IE with a new browser.
ZDNet reported this week that Microsoft would introduce a new, stripped down browser that has been codenamed “Spartan.” It would debut with Windows 10 next year, and it would function similarly to Chrome and Firefox.
Microsoft declined to comment.
The Spartan browser will be built on a different software platform from IE, so it won’t be backwards-compatible, ZDNet reported. That means Microsoft will continue to ship IE with Windows to ensure that corporate apps continue to function properly.
Company IT departments and governments tend to be very slow to adopt new browser versions, particularly if they build custom applications for them. That’s why the most-used version of Internet Explorer stubbornly remains IE 8, which debuted in 2009.
South Korea even passed a law in 1999 requiring that banks and retailers use digital certificates — created by Microsoft, and available exclusively on Internet Explorer.
So IE won’t go away just yet. But this could be the beginning of the end.
Kathy’s notes: I must add that web developers despise Internet Explorer as the browser display is unpredictable and getting your website to display properly on older versions of IE can be a nightmare. I use Chrome for building websites and also love Firefox’s Firebug tool for making on screen design changes.


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PETALING JAYA: CJ Century Logistics Holdings Bhd returned to the black, with a net profit of RM11.06mil for the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2021 (Q3’21), thanks to gain on disposal of a subsidiary operating the courier services.
This compared with a net loss of RM544,000 in Q3’20.
For the quarter in review, CJ Century posted a lower revenue of RM187.82mil compared with RM197.29mil in Q3’20, due to lower activities in procurement logistics services segment.
Year-to-date, CJ Century posted a net profit of RM633,000 on revenue of RM638.85mil, compared with a net loss of RM4.8mil and revenue of RM417.8mil in the corresponding period last year.
CJ Century CEO Steven Teow said the group was optimistic that it could perform better in Q4’21 and future years.
“Despite the gloom brought about by the pandemic, it has brought about positive opportunities to us as it gave us a chance to relook at ourselves and realign our business strategies towards targeting new areas for growth, while the loss-making courier services has been disposed of,” he said in a statement.
“Our focus on providing effective logistics solutions has enabled us to retain our key customers as well as healthily growing our customer base,” he added.


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AFC Bournemouth are introducing a new, modern and convenient way for supporters to order food and drink in the concourses at Vitality Stadium.
In order to save time for fans seeking refreshments on a matchday, the club have teamed up with SwipeStation, with an app available for people to download and then order food and drink.
A trial period will initially take place in the Vitality Main Stand, for those supporters who enter via turnstile A. Should this be a success, then the system will be used across the entire stadium.
Fans can avoid queues by ordering and paying for their drinks or food from anywhere in or around the stadium - even without an internet connection.
Payment is taken over the app and once an order has been placed, all you have to do is scan a QR code at one of the stations near the bar area. Supporters will then be able to collect their items from a fast lane at the bar.
The club is introducing this new digital system in order to make matchday a more convenient experience, with the trial of the new technology starting in the Vitality Main Stand Bar 1 at the Manchester United game on Wednesday 18th April.
Head of catering operations Paul Fudge said: "We’re delighted to welcome this new technology as it will speed up the process of ordering refreshments massively, meaning less supporters will be missing any of the game.
"The app is simple to use and will not only reduce waiting times at the bar but will also give the opportunity for fans to order their food and drink from anywhere in the stadium."
Supporters situated in the Vitality Main Stand entering via turnstile A are advised to download the app before the evening kick-off with Manchester United.


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|By PR Newswire||
|August 15, 2014 08:00 AM EDT||
YIWU, China, Aug. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Yosen Group, Inc. (stock symbol: YOSN) ("Yosen", or "the Company") announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2014.
Net sales, gross profit, gross profit margin and selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") shown for the periods presented all exclude discontinued operations.
Net sales for the second quarter 2014 were reported at $3,053,135, a 7.7% year-over-year increase over $2,834,839 for the second quarter 2013. Net sales for the six months ended June 30, 2014 were $7,316,160, a 22.0% year-over-year increase over $5,997,873 for the six months ended June 30, 2013. The increase was primarily attributable to the new revenue generated from our international trade business in New York.
Gross profit for the three months ended June 30, 2014 was $291,064, an increase of 69.6% compared to $171,641 for the three months ended June 30, 2013. Gross profit for the six months ended June 30, 2014 was $620,322, an increase of 99.4% compared to $311,108 for the six months ended June 30, 2013.
Profit margin for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 was 9.5% and 8.5% compared to 6.1% and 5.2% for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2013. The international trade business again contributed to the higher profit margin.
SG&A expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2014 were $288,149, a decrease of 47.3% compared to $546,646 for the three months ended June 30, 2013. SG&A expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2014 were $576,361, a decrease of 53.0% compared to $1,227,541 for the six months ended June 30, 2013. The decrease in SG&A expenses was the result of reduction in staff related cost and store management fees.
Net income from continuing operations was $64,826 and $178,601 respectively for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to net loss of $357,219 and $885,047 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.
Net income excluding non-cash stock-based compensation expense (a non-GAAP measure) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 was $94,968 and $218,078, compared to net loss of $310,886 and $847,030 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.
Net income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 was $7,468 and $31,626 compared to net loss $414,219 and $1,053,696 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.
Yosen's CEO Mr. Zhenggang Wang commented, "We are very pleased that Yosen continues to be profitable during the second quarter. This time of the year is usually a slow season for 3C products (Computers, Communication, Consumer Electronics), and neither Apple nor Samsung introduced any heavyweight new products at this time. However, thanks to Yosen's strategic repositioning over the last few years and strict cost control measures, the Company was able to maintain its profitability. We anticipate the Company to continue to grow significantly in both sales and profitability, and receive increased subsidies from China Telecom as a result of our proven cooperative model.
"Yosen's U.S. subsidiary, Yosen Trading, has been growing very nicely despite that it is still young. We plan to open our second warehousing facility in New York in the near future. The cross-border e-commerce platform that Yosen has been developing jointly with China Commodity City has already attracted many potential customers and prospective cooperation partners from Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as well as from the U.S. We anticipate this e-commerce platform co-developed with yiwugou.com, as well as Yosen's own B2B and B2C cross-border trading platforms, will go live online later this year. We believe these vehicles will become Yosen's major source of profitability in the future."
Earlier this year, Yosen announced that it signed an agreement with a subsidiary of China Commodity City Group Ltd. to cooperate exclusively in cross border trade, e-commerce, warehousing and logistics in four major states in the U.S. (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania). Yosen launched its international trade and wholesale business at the end of last year through its U.S. subsidiary, and has made clear breakthrough within a short period of time. The Company anticipates further progress in the field and will update shareholders accordingly.
About Yosen Group, Inc.
Yosen Group, Inc. ("Yosen Group", or "Yosen") was founded in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, in 1997. Yosen is a leading retailer of 3C merchandise (Computers, Communication products and Consumer electronics) in Eastern China. The Company partners with China's three dominant telecommunication operators including China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom, and operates 3C specialty stores within mass merchandisers at prime locations. Yosen distributes the best-selling products of Apple, Samsung, among others. Yosen Group, though its corporate headquarters in China and its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, is committed to building cross-border sales channels for bringing the world's best consumer products to China and, simultaneously, introducing China's most competitive products to the overseas markets. Yosen Group is China Commodity City Group's exclusive partner in the Greater New York area. The Company operates under the "Yosen" and "Yong Xin" brand names.
For more information, visit http://www.yosn.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this press release, constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future performance. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. The Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.
For more information, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Yosen Group, Inc.
GENBAND has announced that SageNet is leveraging the Nuvia platform to deliver Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) to its large base of retail and enterprise customers. Nuvia’s cloud-based solution provides SageNet’s customers with a full suite of business communications and collaboration tools. Two large national SageNet retail customers have recently signed up to deploy the Nuvia platform and the company will continue to sell the service to new and existing customers. Nuvia’s capabilities include HD voice, video, multimedia messaging, mobility, conferencing, Web collaboration, deskt...
Mar. 29, 2015 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,422
The WebRTC Summit 2014 New York, to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 16th International Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, Big Data Expo, and DevOps Summit.
Mar. 28, 2015 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,507
SYS-CON Media announced today that @WebRTCSummit Blog, the largest WebRTC resource in the world, has been launched. @WebRTCSummit Blog offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. @WebRTCSummit Blog can be bookmarked ▸ Here @WebRTCSummit conference site can be bookmarked ▸ Here
Mar. 28, 2015 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,761
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cisco, the worldwide leader in IT that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, has been named “Gold Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Cisco makes amazing things happen by connecting the unconnected. Cisco has shaped the future of the Internet by becoming the worldwide leader in transforming how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco and our partners are building the platform for the Internet of Everything by connecting the...
Mar. 28, 2015 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 5,169
Temasys has announced senior management additions to its team. Joining are David Holloway as Vice President of Commercial and Nadine Yap as Vice President of Product. Over the past 12 months Temasys has doubled in size as it adds new customers and expands the development of its Skylink platform. Skylink leads the charge to move WebRTC, traditionally seen as a desktop, browser based technology, to become a ubiquitous web communications technology on web and mobile, as well as Internet of Things compatible devices.
Mar. 28, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,793
SYS-CON Events announced today that robomq.io will exhibit at SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. robomq.io is an interoperable and composable platform that connects any device to any application. It helps systems integrators and the solution providers build new and innovative products and service for industries requiring monitoring or intelligence from devices and sensors.
Mar. 28, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,435
Wearable technology was dominant at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , and MWC was no exception to this trend. New versions of favorites, such as the Samsung Gear (three new products were released: the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit), shared the limelight with new wearables like Pebble Time Steel (the new premium version of the company’s previously released smartwatch) and the LG Watch Urbane. The most dramatic difference at MWC was an emphasis on presenting wearables as fashion accessories and moving away from the original clunky technology associated with t...
Mar. 28, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,317
Docker is an excellent platform for organizations interested in running microservices. It offers portability and consistency between development and production environments, quick provisioning times, and a simple way to isolate services. In his session at DevOps Summit at 16th Cloud Expo, Shannon Williams, co-founder of Rancher Labs, will walk through these and other benefits of using Docker to run microservices, and provide an overview of RancherOS, a minimalist distribution of Linux designed expressly to run Docker. He will also discuss Rancher, an orchestration and service discovery platf...
Mar. 28, 2015 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,406
SYS-CON Events announced today that Akana, formerly SOA Software, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Akana’s comprehensive suite of API Management, API Security, Integrated SOA Governance, and Cloud Integration solutions helps businesses accelerate digital transformation by securely extending their reach across multiple channels – mobile, cloud and Internet of Things. Akana enables enterprises to share data as APIs, connect and integrate applications, drive part...
Mar. 28, 2015 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,496
SYS-CON Events announced today that Vitria Technology, Inc. will exhibit at SYS-CON’s @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Vitria will showcase the company’s new IoT Analytics Platform through live demonstrations at booth #330. Vitria’s IoT Analytics Platform, fully integrated and powered by an operational intelligence engine, enables customers to rapidly build and operationalize advanced analytics to deliver timely business outcomes for use cases across the industrial, enterprise, and consumer segments.
Mar. 28, 2015 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,148
SYS-CON Events announced today that Solgenia will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Solgenia is the global market leader in Cloud Collaboration and Cloud Infrastructure software solutions. Designed to “Bridge the Gap” between Personal and Professional Social, Mobile and Cloud user experiences, our solutions help large and medium-sized organizations dr...
Mar. 28, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,755
SYS-CON Events announced today that Liaison Technologies, a leading provider of data management and integration cloud services and solutions, has been named "Silver Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY. Liaison Technologies is a recognized market leader in providing cloud-enabled data integration and data management solutions to break down complex information barriers, enabling enterprises to make smarter decisions, faster.
Mar. 28, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,412
Cloud is not a commodity. And no matter what you call it, computing doesn’t come out of the sky. It comes from physical hardware inside brick and mortar facilities connected by hundreds of miles of networking cable. And no two clouds are built the same way. SoftLayer gives you the highest performing cloud infrastructure available. One platform that takes data centers around the world that are full of the widest range of cloud computing options, and then integrates and automates everything. Join SoftLayer on June 9 at 16th Cloud Expo to learn about IBM Cloud's SoftLayer platform, explore se...
Mar. 28, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,601
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential M2M Brand by Onalytica in the ‘Machine to Machine: Top 100 Influencers and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed the online debate on M2M by looking at over 85,000 tweets to provide the most influential individuals and brands that drive the discussion. According to Onalytica the "analysis showed a very engaged community with a lot of interactive tweets. The M2M discussion seems to be more fragmented and driven by some of the major brands present in the M2M space. This really allows some room for influential individuals to create more high value inter...
Mar. 28, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 4,628
The world's leading Cloud event, Cloud Expo has launched Microservices Journal on the SYS-CON.com portal, featuring over 19,000 original articles, news stories, features, and blog entries. DevOps Journal is focused on this critical enterprise IT topic in the world of cloud computing. Microservices Journal offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. Follow new article posts on Twitter at @MicroservicesE
Mar. 28, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,403
SYS-CON Events announced today the IoT Bootcamp – Jumpstart Your IoT Strategy, being held June 9–10, 2015, in conjunction with 16th Cloud Expo and Internet of @ThingsExpo at the Javits Center in New York City. This is your chance to jumpstart your IoT strategy. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the IoT Bootcamp is not just based on presentations but includes hands-on demos and walkthroughs. We will introduce you to a variety of Do-It-Yourself IoT platforms including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, Spark and Intel Edison. You will also get an overview of cloud technologies s...
Mar. 28, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,029
SYS-CON Events announced today that SafeLogic has been named “Bag Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. SafeLogic provides security products for applications in mobile and server/appliance environments. SafeLogic’s flagship product CryptoComply is a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic engine designed to secure data on servers, workstations, appliances, mobile devices, and in the Cloud.
Mar. 28, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,374
Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities. Accordingly, attendees at the upcoming 16th Cloud Expo at the Javits Center in New York June 9-11 will find fresh new content in a new track called PaaS | Containers & Microservices Containers are not being considered for the first time by the cloud community, but a current era of re-consideration has pushed them to the top of the cloud agenda. With the launch of Docker's initial release in March of 2013, interest was revved up several notches. Then late last...
Mar. 28, 2015 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,189
SOA Software has changed its name to Akana. With roots in Web Services and SOA Governance, Akana has established itself as a leader in API Management and is expanding into cloud integration as an alternative to the traditional heavyweight enterprise service bus (ESB). The company recently announced that it achieved more than 90% year-over-year growth. As Akana, the company now addresses the evolution and diversification of SOA, unifying security, management, and DevOps across SOA, APIs, microservices, and more.
Mar. 28, 2015 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,018
After making a doctor’s appointment via your mobile device, you receive a calendar invite. The day of your appointment, you get a reminder with the doctor’s location and contact information. As you enter the doctor’s exam room, the medical team is equipped with the latest tablet containing your medical history – he or she makes real time updates to your medical file. At the end of your visit, you receive an electronic prescription to your preferred pharmacy and can schedule your next appointment.
Mar. 28, 2015 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 625


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The owner of the UK’s biggest shopping malls, including The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Intu has tumbled into administration after failed crunch talks with its lenders.
The shopping centre owner said it has applied to appoint administrators from KPMG, after warning earlier on Friday that it was on the verge of collapse.
The confirmation came minutes after the London Stock Exchange suspended shares in the listed firm.
What will happen to the shopping centres?
However, the company said its shopping centres will continue to trade for the time being despite its insolvency.
Intu had been in a desperate scramble to agree a “standstill” on its current loan agreements.
Earlier on Friday the group said it was likely to appoint administrators, as it remained unable to agree the terms of such a deal with its creditors.
What have Intu said?
In a statement, the group, which had until midnight on Friday to reach a deal, said “insufficient alignment and agreement has been achieved”.
Earlier this week, Intu said it put the administrators from KPMG on stand-by as it looked to secure a deal ahead of the midnight deadline on its current loan covenants.
The group has struggled under a £4.5 billion debt burden for the past year, but has been hammered by significantly lower rent payments from retail tenants since the coronavirus outbreak.
Which shopping centres do Intu own?
The full list is as follows:
- intu Braehead Glasgow
- intu Broadmarsh, Nottingham
- intu Chapelfield, Norwich
- intu Derby
- intu Eldon Square, Newcastle
- intu Lakeside, Essex
- intu Merry Hill, West Midlands
- intu Metrocentre, Gateshead
- intu Milton Keynes
- intu Potteries, Stoke on Trent
- intu Trafford Centre, Manchester
- intu Uxbridge
- intu Victoria Centre, Nottingham
- intu Watford
- Manchester Arndale
- St David’s, Cardiff
- The Mall, Cribbs Causeway
How many people does Intu employ?
Intu employs about 3,000 staff across the UK, while a further 102,000 work for the shops within its shopping centres.
It warned on Tuesday, June 23, that its malls may be forced to shut if it was unable to secure the standstill agreement.


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Microsoft is obviously going through a tough time. Although its turnover is increasing, some of its products are selling much less today. To boost its sales, the firm would consider offering inexpensive computers connected to the Cloud and financed by advertisements.
Several Internet users have recently spotted a job offer on the Microsoft. The Redmond firm is notably looking for a senior director of software engineering to lead a team in charge of exploring web and cloud experiences in Windows. Before being taken down, the ad stated that this team should produce ” from low-cost PCs to revenue generated by advertising and subscriptions “.
This is not a big surprise for Internet users. Satya Nadella, the boss of Microsoft, had already mentioned such a project at the last conference on the company’s balance sheet. In addition, this is not the first time that the Redmond firm has exploited advertisements. Indeed, Microsoft’s web browser already contains ads, not to mention that it now takes care of ads for Netflix’s first ad-supported subscription tier.
Microsoft seems to want to integrate advertisements into all of its products. However, this is likely to displease a large part of its customers. What do you think ?


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Those with long enough memories might recall a song from the 1960s suggesting that all we needed to achieve world harmony was a Great Big Melting Pot. But then, crooner Madelaine Bell?s musings were penned...
Twenty-year-old cyber security researcher apprehended on suspicion of involvement
MPs question legal basis for facial recognition trials conducted by police forces
Neither Apple nor Microsoft have yet issued a fix
Trump could stop JEDI cloud contract over competition concerns as bidding comes down Microsoft versus Amazon


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A compression molder plans to start one of the few business-to-business Web sites covering the plastics composites industry. Kaushal Chokshi, president of molder Kawin International Inc. of Romeoville, Ill., plans to launch a new portal in August targeting thermoset composites.
The site will be rolled out in the United States, but will have some Indian ties. Kawin bought an Internet-based technology company in November in Chokshi's hometown of Baroda, India, near Bombay.
The Indian company, called Kawin Interactive, will develop the portal and program the site, while Kawin's Romeoville headquarters will host the content, Chokshi said. Working from India will help lower the costs of starting the site, he added.
Chokshi said few sites will be as sweeping as Kawin's, to be called compositenet.com. The site will include an area where composite parts and equipment can be bought and an auction area to sell material and equipment. The auction feature will start in November.
Other aspects will include a classified marketplace, a forum to discuss industry issues and an extensive directory linking to composites companies, services and news sections, he said.
"We toyed four to five years back with having a vertical portal," said Chokshi, who bought the domain name then. "We want a site that goes across the board into the entire thermoset area."
The company will start with 15 workers, and plans to double that figure in six to eight months, Chokshi said.
The portal will be free to users but will charge a fee to sponsors and those linking to other Web sites.
Chokshi established Kawin in 1996. The company initially provided thermoset turnkey systems, marketing presses and services to customers. The company started compression molding parts from sheet molding compound last year.


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The pandemic has generated global supply shocks that have affected the automotive industry of luxury cars in Argentina. From a general perspective, Chinese OEM’s supply disruption, and the closure of car factories due to the pandemic, caused interruption in global value chains, and reallocation of priorities for supplying cars in other geographies, delaying some imports and new model launches in Argentina.
In 2020, the currency controls in place in Argentina allowed the black market to flourish with an unofficial exchange rate, called the blue-chip swap. As there is increasing risk perception related to the country’s fiscal policy and indebtedness, tight currency controls that are limiting the amounts in local currency to be converted into US dollars, and inflation remaining over 40%, demand for US dollars has escalated, as a savings protection method.
Lexus, Toyota's popular high-end brand of luxury cars, was recently officially launched in Argentina. With the arrival of Lexus, Toyota now competes directly with some of the most popular luxury car brands, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
In general, premium and luxury car sales have been adversely affected by deteriorated consumer confidence as a result of political uncertainty and increasing risk perception related to the government indebtedness. However, the economic downturn in 2020 has reduced pressure on inflation, which for the year fell by eight percentage points from 2019.
Electric models in Argentina are slowly becoming a trend, with currently four models of electric cars being sold in Argentina today: Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e (USD88,500), Nissan Leaf (USD61,600), Renault Kangoo Z.E.
Demand for premium and luxury cars has proven to be less dependent on the economic scenario in the country, as the industry targets high-end consumers with typically more capability to protect themselves against adverse economic factors. As car companies restore their supply chains after disruptions due to COVID-19, brand innovation will continue to boost premium and luxury car sales.
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HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry reported increases in all three key performance metrics during January 2013, according to data from STR.
Overall, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy rose 3.6 percent to 51.0 percent, its average daily rate was up 5.1 percent to US$105.96 and its revenue per available room increased 8.8 percent to US$54.02.
“January RevPAR growth rate was the strongest performance we’ve seen since June 2012,” said Brad Garner, STR’s COO. “The results were driven both by solid ADR and demand gains with Washington D.C., Miami and New York among the top performers.
“The Chain Scale segments saw growth across all scales, with Luxury leading in both ADR and RevPAR growth rates. Independent hotels also saw strong results this month,” he continued.
Among the Top 25 Markets, New York, New York, achieved the only double-digit occupancy increase, rising 11.4 percent to 73.8 percent. New Orleans, Louisiana, fell 4.5 percent in occupancy to 57.4 percent, posting the largest decrease in that metric.
The three markets that achieved the largest ADR increases were: Washington, D.C. (+17.0 percent to US$151.75); Oahu Island, Hawaii (+15.0 percent to US$209.06); and Miami-Hialeah, Florida (+12.2 percent to US$211.11). New Orleans posted the only ADR decrease, falling 0.2 percent to US$144.76.
Three markets experienced RevPAR increases of more than 15 percent: Washington, D.C. (+25.8 percent to US$79.24); Miami-Hialeah (+17.5 percent to US$174.26); and New York (+16.3 percent to US$145.17). New Orleans posted the largest RevPAR decrease, down 4.7 percent to US$83.12.
Marriott International Acquires Gaylord Hotels -
Marriott International, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Gaylord Entertainment Company to acquire the Gaylord brand and hotel management company for $210 million.
If Gaylord Entertainment’s shareholders approve the company’s conversion into a real estate investment trust (REIT), which is expected in August, Gaylord will continue to own the existing Gaylord hotels and Marriott will assume management of these properties under long-term agreements. The agreement is also subject to lender consent to amendments to Gaylord’s credit facility and other customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Hawaii visitor traffic picks up -
Hawaii arrivals by air are running 11 percent above year-ago levels so far this May, a greater improvement than seen in previous months.
According to daily postings by the state, May arrivals will top 600,000 this weekend. Arrivals from the mainland so far this month are up 7 percent and international arrivals are up 28 percent, including a 36 percent year-to-year increase from Japan.
Hotels - 5 things to know: 23 May 2012 -
• Blog: Blackstone-Accor deal is a win-win
• Revenue managers have some catching up to do
• Invesco: Real-estate opportunities remain in Europe
• Study lends insight into American summer travelers
• ABVI adding hotels at a record pace in 2012
Hotels - 5 things to know: 21 May 2012 -
• STR: Upper-tier US hotels performed best in April
• New ADA pool-lift requirement deadline extended
• Gaylord’s Colorado project clears tax-incentive hurdle
• Study highlights Memorial Day travel trends
• Best Western predicts busy summer travel season
US hotel results week ending 12 May | STR Reports -
The U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week of 6-12 May 2012, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy ended the week virtually flat with a 0.1-percent increase to 62.7 percent, average daily rate increased 4.5 percent to US$105.85 and revenue per available room jumped 4.5 percent to US$66.35.
Hospitality Industry – Hotels Business Current and Future Trends -
On the home has long been synonymous with the hospitality industry. Any changes in trends in the hospitality industry have an impact on a large scale otherwise diverse industry. What could be an opportunity for a traveler a question of survival for hotels can be? It is not a bit too simple, suggest that the new concepts in hotel industry reveal an atmosphere of intense competition. Here is a look at some key questions:
STR US hotel results for week ending 5 May -
The U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week of 29 April-5 May 2012, according to data from STR. In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy was up 5.1 percent to 63.2 percent, average daily rate increased 5.2 percent to US$107.18 and revenue per available room jumped 10.5 percent to US$67.70.
Among the Top 25 Markets, Oahu Island, Hawaii, reported the largest occupancy increase, rising 16.0 percent to 83.9 percent, followed by San Diego, California (+11.8 percent to 70.0 percent), and Dallas, Texas (+11.0 percent to 62.7 percent). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-New Jersey, posted the largest occupancy decrease, falling 2.4 percent in occupancy to 68.6 percent.
A Reality Check for the Hospitality Industry: Are You As Hospitable As You Think? -
As an industry focused on how it makes people feel, it’s essential for professionals in this industry to stop and ask themselves, “Am I practicing the art of hospitality?”
Did you know it can take 3-4 purchases before a company can consider a customer loyal? Knowing this fact makes consumers wonder why businesses aren’t trying harder to earn their loyalty and ensure they’ll never choose another competitor’s product.
Hotels - 5 things to know: 17 May 2012 -
• STR, STR Global release performance, pipeline data
• Survey: Europe at risk for double-dip recession
• Choice introduces new F&B, dual-brand initiatives
• HVS: US hotel revenues, profits spreading
• Global smartphone use rises
STR Issues Strong Summer Forecast for U.S. Hotel Industry -
The U.S. hotel industry is expected to report strong performance results in summer 2012, according to the annual summer forecast by STR, a company that analyzes hotels. STR predicts occupancy for June, July and August combined will rise 1.8 percent to 69 percent, average daily rate will increase 3.9 percent to $106.64 and revenue per available room will increase 5.7 percent to $73.59.
STR: US hotel results week ending 5 May -
The U.S. hotel industry experienced increases in all three key performance metrics during the week of 29 April-5 May 2012, according to data from STR.
In year-over-year comparisons for the week, occupancy was up 5.1 percent to 63.2 percent, average daily rate increased 5.2 percent to US$107.18 and revenue per available room jumped 10.5 percent to US$67.70.
Among the Top 25 Markets, Oahu Island, Hawaii, reported the largest occupancy increase, rising 16.0 percent to 83.9 percent, followed by San Diego, California (+11.8 percent to 70.0 percent), and Dallas, Texas (+11.0 percent to 62.7 percent). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-New Jersey, posted the largest occupancy decrease, falling 2.4 percent in occupancy to 68.6 percent
St. Louis posts top occupancy, RevPAR gains -
St. Louis achieved the largest occupancy and revenue-per-available-room increases during the week of 6-12 May 2012, according to data from STR, parent company of HotelNewsNow.com.
The market’s occupancy rose 22.1% to 71.4%, its RevPAR jumped 29.8% to $61.26 and its average daily rate increased 6.3% to $85.82.
Marriott Vacations Off to Strong 2012 Start -
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: VAC), the world’s leading pure-play vacation ownership company recently spun off from Marriott International in late 2011, is off to a strong start as an independent company. At least that’s one way to view the global timeshare company after Marriott recently reported its first quarter 2012 financial results.


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Walmart Santa sweater doing coke is pulled off Canadian website as retailer is forced to apologize after risque clothing item going viral on social media.
Who knew Santa did blow?
The retailer pulled the holiday outfit — along with several other risque seasonal sweaters — Saturday after the ‘choice’ item caused a stir with social media users, Global News Canada reported.
‘These sweaters, sold by a third-party seller on Walmart.ca, do not represent Walmart’s values and have no place on our website,’ a spokesperson told the outlet. ‘We have removed these products from our marketplace. We apologize for any unintended offense this may have caused.’
Yall. Look at this description for this Christmas sweater from Walmart pic.twitter.com/lBdmKQ1JoZ
— Jason John (@HurrbaSousJohn) December 7, 2019
Re imagining Santa’s values:
The sweater showed Santa with three white lines on a table with the phrase ‘let it snow.’
But in the event there is confusion as to what the three white lines are suppose to depict a purported description reads as follows: ‘We all know how snow works. It’s white, powdery and the best snow comes straight from South America,’
Adding, ‘That’s bad news for jolly old St. Nick, who lives far away in the North Pole. That’s why Santa really likes to savor the moment when he gets his hands on some quality, grade A, Colombian snow.’
Other ’naughty’ items for sale depicted Father Christmas in compromising situations, including with his pants off — roasting his ‘chestnuts’ — in front of a fireplace.
The clothing items quickly made the rounds on social media, with shoppers expresing shock about Saint Nicholas’ antics.
‘EXCUSE ME HWAT, WALMART IS ADVERTISING COCAINE ON ITS CHRISTMAS SWEATERS,’ wrote one user.
Wrote another, ‘Damn Walmart was selling a sweater that had santa sniffing coke I’m mad I didnt see it I would’ve copped up.’
It remains unclear how Walmart came to sign off on the ‘after hours’ Santa items…