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Date: 25 October 2016
Company Name: Royal Selangor
The inaugural Royal Selangor Design Week took place on 25 October 2016 at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral, with a line-up of award-winning designers and speakers who gave a series of round-table talks and presentations on the crucial elements that shape contemporary design.
Executive Director of Royal Selangor International, Yong Yoon Li said that it was great to connect with people who shared Royal Selangor’s passion for design and innovation. The response from the inaugural design week was encouraging and they could not have done it without the support of local and international speakers.
The conference started with an opening keynote address by Freeman Lau, Founder of KL&K Creative Strategics, Hong Kong. The other speakers included Jarrod Lim, Founder of Jarrod Lim Design, Singapore; Ian Macready and Voon Wong, Directors of Viewport Studio, United Kingdom; Jamy Yang, Founder of YANG DESIGN and YANG HOUSE, China; Nathan Yong, Founder of Nathan Yong Design, Singapore; and Xu Xiaoyong, an artist and sculptor from China.
The event ended with a closing keynote delivered by Lauren Sizeland, Head of Business Development and Licensing for Victoria and Albert Museum, United Kingdom, who shared how the museum collaborates with trend forecasters to identify the latest global design themes.


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NHTSA Investigates Reports of Ford Fiesta Doors Suddenly Opening While Driving
Federal auto safety officials are investigating potential door problems with certain Ford Fiesta vehicles, following consumer reports that suggest the doors may inadvertently open while the car is parked or in motion, posing a serious injury and crash hazard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a formal probe into problems with 2011 through 2013 Ford Fiesta vehicles (PDF) on September 11.
The investigation comes after more than 100 reports were submitted where drivers indicated that the Ford Fiesta doors failed to properly latch, opening suddenly while the vehicle was driving at highway speeds in some cases.
Did You Know?
Millions of Philips CPAP Machines Recalled
Philips DreamStation, CPAP and BiPAP machines sold in recent years may pose a risk of cancer, lung damage and other injuries.Learn More
This could pose a serious risk, potentially allowing occupants to fall out of the vehicle or increasing the risk of an accident as the driver attempts to close the door while the vehicle is in motion. Additionally, the defect door latches may result in the loss of valuable items in the vehicles or create situations that allow theft from locked vehicles.
Serious Risks with Ford Fiesta Door Problems
Some of the incident reports have described extremely hazardous situations.
On September 11, the NHTSA received a report that a 2012 Ford Fiesta owner was traveling with her 6 year old grandson in the back seat when the rear passenger door the child was sitting next to swung open.
Another incident that was reported in August indicated a driver and passenger were traveling at speeds over 40 mph when the front passenger door inadvertently opened, forcing the passenger to hold the door closed until the driver could stop the vehicle.
The reports to Ford Motor Company include 12 reports that the doors opened after they were shut and the vehicle was in motion.
Ford is aware of at least one injury report, involving an owner who was struck by the rebounding door after attempting to close it.
Other reports have indicated unoccupied passenger side and rear doors opening causing the drivers to pull over and close the doors. Two complaints have indicated the owners had to tie the doors shut with rope because the doors would not latch, furthering the safety hazard.
The NHTSA and ODI announced they will be analyzing the scope, frequency, and the possible consequences of all of the alleged incidents to determine if a safety risk exists and will then determine if a recall is necessary.
Investigators recommend that in the meantime, consumers with model year 2011 through 2013 Ford Fiesta vehicles should be cautious and always look to see if the dashboard “Door Ajar” lights are illuminated before and while driving the vehicles.
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PeterOctober 19, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Unfortunately I encountered the same problem on my 2011 Ford Fiesta. Driving at low speed in a parking lot all of a sudden the rear door opened ans did not stay shut. I had to use a dog's leash to keep the door closed.
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But for those hoping that some international body will hold Walmart, the other retailers or even the factory owner responsible, don’t hold your breath. While multilateral free trade agreements have done an effective job of providing U.S. consumers with cheap imported products, they’ve been woefully short on ensuring that the suppliers of such goods treat their workers fairly.
This raises a larger point about who has the power to force such companies out of the market. Walmart isn’t the only one guilty of a “see-no-evil, hear-no-evil” attitude regarding overseas laborers; we, the consumers, are all too often guilty of putting low prices before everything else.
Keep this in mind while shopping this holiday season. Voting with one’s wallet might be the only way to guarantee that unscrupulous global retailers are held accountable.


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“ We are taking steps to promote Electronic System Design and Manufacturing in the country for economic development, employment generation and increase of exports in this sector”, official sources at Ministry told here Tuesday.
Official said Ministry is taking steps to increase availability of high-technology manpower in electronic design and manufacturing sector to create enabling environment for local and foreign investment and to achieve target of 500 high-end human resource creation to 500 Masters and 100 PhDs annually by 2017.
To meet these targets, official said extensive
“Semi-conductor wafer fabrication facilities will be established for manufacturing of chips and components”.
Besides, establishment of Conformity Assessment Centres will facilitate production of quality electronic products.
Official said electronics manufacturing industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world and at present it is estimated at
Industrial base in this sector is negligible in the country while
By establishing electronics manufacturing industry large number of unemployed youth can be deployed in this industry, he added.
For self-reliance of the country, official said, promotion of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing industry is essentially required.
Talking about key areas of electronics system design and manufacturing, he said it includes consumer electronics, IT & Telecom, Automotive electronics, electronic components, chip design, medical electronics, power electronics, LEDs manufacturing and LED lights.
Electronics components and semi-conductor Chips are essential part of any electronic products, he stated.
For indigenous design and self-reliance in electronics, semi-conductor chip design and water fabrication facilities are essentially required. Setting up of chip design centres require less investment as compared to wafer fabrication facility, he added.
A lot of foreign exchange can be earned through Integrated circuit design services to international companies, official said, adding
“Setting up of chip design centres across the country will provide enabling environment for the semi conductor wafer fabrication industry and will also attract foreign investment in this sector”.
In order to increase the export of electronic products in the quality- conscious international market, he said, it is essential to produce high quality products which are compliant with global standards including
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Macy's closing stores, laying off 2,500 workers
Five stores nationwide will close by spring
Macy's is laying off 2,500 workers and closing some stores as it restructures business.
The company plans to close five stores across the country by the spring.
The stores are located in Mesa, Ariz., Overland Park, Kan., Florissant, Mo., Irondequoit, N.Y. and Murray, Utah.
Massachusetts stores that don't exist anymore
Macy's says the changes being announced are estimated to generate savings of approximately $100 million per year, beginning this year.
The company announced future plans to open eight new stores across the country over the next two years. The new stores would be located in New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, Palo Alto, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
Macy’s has corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York City. The company operates about 840 department stores in 45 states.
Macy’s cut 7,000 positions in 2009.
In 2013, the company announced the closure of a former store in Belmont.


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UK skincare manufacturer Medik8 has launched the new H.E.O mask designed to target dry skin.
Skincare brand WOW Facial Ltd has launched the Synergy 6 NX-Gen SPF 50 to its new Intradermology skin health range.
The British Skin Foundation (BSF) and ITN Productions Industry News will be co-producing a new TV programme looking at skin stigma, skin disease and mental health, misinformation and developments in dermatology.
Skincare company SkinCeuticals held an evening masterclass on March 6 to introduce the Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight.
Skincare brand AlumierMD has launched the @Home Hydration Kit to help patients continue their skincare routines.
Aesthetic distributor AestheticSource will host CPD-accredited webinars and live training throughout February and March.
UK skincare manufacturer Medik8 has launched the Crystal Retinal 20 serum as part of its Crystal Retinal range.
Skincare company NeoStrata has launched the NeoStrata Glycolic Renewal Serum as part of its RESURFACE range.
A new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) has suggested that the cause of eczema is due to a protein deficiency.
Skincare brand Medik8 has released an at-home 10% glycolic acid peel called Sleep Glycolic.


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This is according to a new research note from Melissa Earlam at UBS on Campari Group (Skyy Spirits in the US). She notes that completion in the US vodka category has “increased aggressively since Labor Day and has persisted since...which could step up even further into the Holiday period.” Skyy Vodka benefits from a strong presence at the off-premise (75% of volumes), but increased promotions and competition from other vodkas will keep Skyy on its toes. “Given our view that the on-trade recovery in the US will be modest, we continue to believe that SKYY is relatively well positioned, however, it may well come at a higher promotional cost,” said Melissa.
Skyy and other vodka brands priced between $10-20 per liter have seen the greatest increase in promotional activity year over year, with a 7% point average increase in volumes sold on promotion, according to Nielsen data in the four weeks to October 17. Brands that have seen the greatest promotional increase in the last 4 weeks include: Constellation’s Svedka (+17% points), Brown-Forman’s Finland (+14% points) and Diageo’s Smirnoff (+10% points). SKYY’s increase in promotional activity over the same period has lagged with a 4% point increase.
BELVEDERE VODKA SIGNS WITH ARNELL
Ad Age is reporting that Belvedere Vodka, owned by LVMH, is the latest spirits brand to sign with a new marketing agency. In Belvedere’s case, they’ve shifted their creative-advertising to Arnell Group, which beat out the incumbent company, WPP's Berlin Cameron United. Other companies that were vying for the brand include Havas' Euro RSCG and independent Cossette.
The old advertising that featured downtown hipsters and uptown elite no longer resonates with audiences due to the recession. Belvedere President Charles Gibbs told Ad Age’s Jeremy Mullman that "people's priorities are changing, and you need to establish your new relevance in their lives...now we're going to broaden the audience we're talking to."
Belvedere’s market share was flat this summer so they’re hoping a new ad campaign would breathe some life into the brand. Charles said Belvedere would likely increase spending behind the new campaign next year after cutting its ad budget in 2008.
WIRTZ BEVERAGE HAS APPOINTED Mark Switaj as vp of training and development. He will oversee both the strategy and implementation of a unified corporate training and leadership development initiative across the company’s national operations. Previously Mark worked as director of training and development at Wirtz Beverage Illinois.
CONSUMERS STICKING TO THEIR SHOPPING LISTS. Back in 2007, just two years ago, 60% of shoppers made their purchasing decisions at home, while the rest made their decisions in-store. This year, that number has shot up to 83%, according to IRI. "It is essential for CPG companies to rework their marketing and merchandising strategies to begin impacting the consumer while they are at home making their shoppinglists," writes IRI in a report.
PILOTS DRINKING ON THE JOB. Here’s a terrifying statistic: from 1997 to 2008, an average of 11 commercial pilots a year tested positive for alcohol, according to the Federal Aviation Administration records and published by USA Today. The agency prohibits flying with more than 0.04% alcohol in the blood. The FAA does more than 10,000 random alcohol tests a year and 13 pilots tested positive last year.
Until tomorrow, Megan
“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”
William Ellery Channing
--------- Sell Day Calendar ----------
Today's Sell Day: 9
Sell days this month: 20
Sell days this month last year: 19
This month ends on a: Mon.
This month last year ended on a: Fri.
YTD sell days Over/Under: -1
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CALDWELL – Rachael Bell of Caldwell will be a featured exhibitor at the annual Fall Pottery Festival and Sale hosted by the Potters Guild of New Jersey.
The show will take place at the Community Presbyterian Church, 1459 Deer Path, Mountainside, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17.
Showcasing American art made by more than 30 artists from across the state, the event will offer a chance for residents to meet the makers.
Available for sale will be a selection of vases, wall pieces, pitchers, teapots, platters, casseroles, raku and pit-fired vessels in varying colors and styles, and one-of-a-kind sculptures and decorative ceramic objects.
Bell has been creating pottery since 2004 and comes from a family of artists.
“I am thrilled to be able to display and sell my pieces at the Potters Guild show alongside so many talented ceramic artists,” she said. “I hope that everyone who attends finds some special items for gifts – or for themselves!”
Admission is free. For information, go online to pottersguildnj.org.


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Kenya targets a stake in international freight rates for imports and exports by strengthening its local shipping industry, a State official has said.
Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said the country is rallying other Africa countries to embrace the use of domestic shipping and maritime services to reduce payment of most of the freight to international shipping lines.
State officials preparing for the Africa Maritime Cabotage and Blue Economy conference slated for November 8 to 10 in Mombasa also said in interviews that Kenya spends Sh600 billion on freight rates paid to foreign shipping lines annually in imports and exports costs which can be reduced with implementation of a cabotage policy.
They said the policy will protect and nurture the local shipping industry. The officials also believe the use of domestic shipping and maritime services will create employment for youth
Kenya is pushing for the use of domestic shipping and maritime services in a bid to stimulate industries and create employment opportunities for the youth.
The State officials said the strategy can help reduce dependency on foreign shipping lines and improve the balance of trade.
The officials said Kenya will save billions of shillings annually as cost of imports and exports if it transports its own cargo on local shipping lines.
Secretary for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Geofrey Kaituko said the continent was set to promote and regulate the use of domestic and maritime resources within African nations.
“By encouraging the use of domestic shipping and maritime services, we can stimulate local industries and create employment opportunities for the youth. Additionally, this strategy can help reduce dependency on foreign shipping lines, thereby improving the balance of trade,” Kaituko said.
He was flanked by KMA acting director general John Omingo, Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (Pmaesa) secretary general Andre Ciseau and Intergovernment Standing Committee on Shipping (Iscos) secretary general Daniel Kiange.
Mr Omingo noted that Kenya could save up to Sh600 billion in the transportation of its imports and exports if it develops a vibrant domestic sea transport.
“Our maritime cabotage can start in shallow waters, then deep waters and later continental waters. We pay more than Sh600 billion to foreign shipping lines annually for our imports and exports,” he noted.
Omingo said East Africa has been left behind in implementing maritime cabotage compared to West Africa and hence there is a lot to learn when representatives from 28 countries in the continent meet in Mombasa.
Colonel Ciseau said maritime cabotage could help in protecting maritime resources against poaching and other illegal activities.
Mr Kiange said it was time for Africa to invest in the carriage of its own cargo so as to benefit from international trade. “We can successfully implement maritime cabotage through close collaboration and having our own ships,” he noted.
Kaituko said that Africa has coastlines stretching more than 38,000 kilometres, abundant natural resources and a rapidly growing population but this potential has been underutilised.
“International shipping lines have dominated maritime trade, often to the detriment of African nations. African maritime cabotage seeks to address this issue and harness the continent’s maritime resources for its own development,” he argued.
He observed that African maritime cabotage will play a crucial role in enhancing the security of African waters.
“By regulating and monitoring maritime activities, countries can better combat illegal activities like piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing. These activities not only threaten national security but also hinder economic growth,” he said.
He noted that by implementing effective cabotage regulations, African nations can ensure that their maritime boundaries are secure and well-patrolled.
He said the use of domestic shipping for regional trade will lead to more efficient and eco-friendly transportation.
“This not only reduces the carbon footprint but also contributes to preserving the delicate marine ecosystems along the African coasts,” he noted.
He however said that the development of a robust maritime industry will require substantial investment in infrastructure, shipbuilding, training, and technology.
“Additionally, it demands transparent and efficient regulatory frameworks to ensure that cabotage rules are adhered to and enforced consistently,” he added.


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The theft of customer data from TJX Companies' retail stores is worse than originally thought, the parent company of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and others acknowledged Wednesday in a statement.
An ongoing investigation into the security breach has revealed that, while the company previously believed that the intrusion took place from May 2006 to January 2007, TJX now believes its computer system was maliciously hacked in July 2005 and on various subsequent dates in 2005.
Even worse, the company now believes portions of the credit and debit card transactions at its U.S., Puerto Rican, and Canadian stores -- excluding debit card transactions with cards issued by Canadian banks -- from January 2003 through June 2004 were compromised. TJX, whose assets include 826 T.J. Maxx, 751 Marshalls, and 271 HomeGoods locations, had previously reported that the 2003 transaction data had potentially been accessed.
For most of the transactions from September 2003 through June 2004, some of the card information was masked at the time of the transaction, making that portion unavailable to the intruder, the company said in a statement. Further, names and addresses weren't included with the credit and debit card data believed to have been stolen. Debit card PINs, information from transactions at Bob's Stores, and transactions made with debit cards issued by Canadian banks aren't believed to have been compromised.
This bad news about the data breach comes amidst TJX's report Wednesday of strong financials for fiscal 2007, ended Jan. 27. Revenue for fiscal 2007 was $17. 4 billion, up 9% from the previous fiscal year. Profits for fiscal 2007 were $738 million, up from $690.4 million in fiscal 2006. The earnings, however, included a fourth-quarter charge of 1 cent per share, or about $4.5 million, related to the hack, including the costs to investigate and contain the intrusion, enhance computer security, and communicate with customers. TJX says it learned of the data breach in mid-December but, at the request of law enforcement, didn't make news of the attack public. The company has since hired General Dynamics and IBM to evaluate the intrusion and identify affected data.
"We are dedicating substantial resources to investigating and evaluating the intrusion, which, given the nature of the breach, the size and international scope of our operations, and the complexity of the way credit card transactions are processed, is, by necessity, taking time," TJX CEO and president Carol Meyrowitz said in a statement.
TJX also believes that additional drivers' license numbers, along with the related names and addresses, were compromised for the last four months of 2003 and May and June 2004. TJX collected this information when T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods customers in the United States and Puerto Rico attempted to make merchandise returns without a receipt. TJX has also likely run afoul of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard created by Visa and MasterCard, as a number of documents sent by Visa to financial institutions that issue cards and manage Visa transactions indicate TJX was storing credit and debit card data in violation of the standard.
Overseas, TJX's investigation found evidence of an intrusion to the portion of its computer system that processes T.J. Maxx customer transactions in the United Kingdom and Ireland. While TJX is concerned that customer data was stolen as a result of this cyberattack, the company can't confirm any unauthorized access to customer data or any theft of customer data from T.J. Maxx.
Customer data in the retail sector has proven to be much in demand among cyberattackers. The Stop & Shop supermarket chain late last week revealed that it had discovered some tampering of checkout lane Electronic Funds Transfer units -- the PIN pad that customers often use to make purchases -- at two Rhode Island stores that may have led to the theft of credit and debit card account as well as PIN information. Stop & Shop says it has performed an inventory and inspection of EFT units in all of its stores in response to the discovery of the EFT unit tampering. The company subsequently discovered evidence of payment device tampering at three other Rhode Island locations and one store in Massachusetts, but it hasn't received reports of any fraudulent transactions at those locations.
In her comments Wednesday regarding TJX's financial performance, Meyrowitz noted that the company lowered costs and reinvested some of these savings in increased marketing and more effective advertising campaigns. Looks like a large portion of that money should've gone to improvements in the company's IT security.


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US-based S&L Hospitality has unveiled the newly renovated and rebranded hotel The Harborview in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
Located at 135 East Grand Ave, the new waterfront hotel destination has emerged following successful completion of extensive renovations.
The Harborview features modern furniture and fixtures, aesthetic design, two meeting and event rooms, guest rooms with upgraded amenities and outdoor enhancements.
S&L Hospitality chief executive officer Eric Lund said: “Deciding to renovate and rebrand as an independent boutique-style hotel allows us to offer unique amenities and further partner with local businesses.
“We have made so many positive changes and we are thrilled to invest in beautiful Port Washington with a new restaurant, new meeting space and a revitalised hotel.”
Additional features include a business centre, fitness centre, Wi-Fi, and a newly launched marketplace.
It also has a new dining experience offering Wisconsin menu and a bar.
The hotel has been owned and operated by S&L Hospitality since 1998 and has undergone several renovations to date.
General manager Cathy Wilger said: “Exceptional service remains at the forefront, going above and beyond the conventional hotel experience.
“We take pride in exceeding our guests’ expectations through warm hospitality, first-rate guest service, inviting accommodations and lakefront charm that can only be experienced at The Harborview.”


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AN INDIAN restaurant in Canning Vale has defended its conviction for breaching food regulations after being fined more than $10,000 over the handling of pet meat.
The Department of Health published a notice of the conviction online today, saying that Kopikaran Krishnasamy and Kalaiamutham Pty Ltd, trading as Cafe Marica, had been convicted for breaching the food act back in February.
The business was fined $12,000 in total with an additional $1382.30 in costs for failing to prevent pet meat being handled in a premises in which food was sold.
However a spokesman for the business said the incident came down to a mistake due to a lack of understanding of English.
“We usually buy our lamb from reputable buyers such as Woolworths or Coles,” he said.
“A customer came in and recommended another producer to our chef, who doesn’t speak English very well.”
The spokesman said the fresh lamb was packaged in a bag that was labelled ‘pet meat’, however the chef was unable to read the label.
He returned to the business and started to prepare the lamb for cooking when the City of Gosnells officers arrived to inspect the business.
“It was never served to a customer,” he said.
“We were lucky that the City of Gosnells came in the same day we purchased the meat.”
The spokesman said it was not actually pet meat in the bag, but the person they had bought it from put it in a pet meat bag to avoid tighter regulations.
“We want to do the right thing and move forward as a business,” he said.


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Microsites to Serve Microsegments
For the rest of the August 2009 issue of CRM magazine, please click here.
Women just use computers for organizing recipes and counting calories, right? That’s the message many visitors came away with after visiting Della, a microsite targeting the female consumer. Launched in May by computer giant Dell, the site, as you might imagine, was less-than-favorably received, with Dell accused of stereotyping women and downplaying their aptitude for technology.
Dell, to its credit, used social media to tap into consumers’ outrage. The Della branding was scrapped and the site’s girly imagery and language toned down. The feedback, however, would have been useful before the campaign launched and hoopla ensued. “There are enough tools and capabilities that you should be using to be able to vet this better,” says Bruce Temkin, a Forrester Research analyst and customer experience researcher.
According to Ashleigh Young, board director for iris, an integrated marketing company, microsites work best when targeting a niche group. She credits Dell for being innovative but says the brand ultimately had a problem with relevancy. “The [marketing] agency fell into a trap that most do,” Young says. “They relied on stereotypes in marketing to women.”
Temkin strongly agrees. “‘Women’ are not a microsegment,” he says. “They are roughly half the population. Trying to microsegment half the population seems odd to begin with.”
Young still has praise for Dell’s overall effort: “They used social networking, once [Della] launched—to listen to the conversation—and they were able to manage it as opposed to having the conversation overtake them.”
Other top brands have jumped into microsites, too. (See "Do You Know Your URLs?," from this month's Insight section, for other examples.) For just a few weeks beginning in early May, Office Depot hosted OfficeDepotSavesSmallBusiness.com, a microsite for small-business owners and workers, a traditional target for the office-supplies retailer. Visitors could submit recession-survival tips and vote on their favorites, with the winner to get $25,000.
Young, who worked on the campaign on behalf of iris, says that Office Depot was reluctant to have its name in the URL, but an existing SaveSmallBusiness.com would have cost more than $10,000 to procure. The short-lived microsite was part of Office Depot’s effort to brand itself as the “smarter” choice for businesses in tough economic times. The move, a response to Staples’ popular “Easy Button” campaign, led to Office Depot’s next microsite, TheSurvivalOfTheSmartest.com. (See image, below.) The company also registered SurvivalOfTheSmartest.com, just to be safe.
The tips microsite featured basic social networking, such as the ability to forward a link to a friend. Within just a few weeks, approximately two million hits had generated more than 600 tips. About halfway through the contest, people averaged about four minutes per visit; by the end, the average was between five and six minutes—an unusually high level of engagement, Young says. Even in early July, after the contest was over, the average visitor was sticking around longer than two minutes.
“It’s letting consumers participate using social media with the brand rather than just visiting the Web site or reading an ad in the newspaper,” she says, adding that a contest always helps. “When you have a company that’s a bit less explosive and provocative, and clients are a bit more conservative, incentives encourage participation.”
Before creating a microsite, you have to make sure there’s interest and that people will participate. That means getting the word out early. “The biggest downfall of any brand and microsite is a lack of support,” Young says. “If no one knows it’s there, no one’s going to participate. We had extensive conversations with Office Depot to make sure we had a lot of awareness around the site launch.”
Young says that Office Depot hopes to harness the tips and customer information gleaned from the microsite. “A microsite is relatively low in costs,” she points out. “If you can then repurpose that content to make it fresher and more usable…it’s amazing and it’s a real benefit to marketers.” It can also bolster branding.
Temkin says that branding and customer experiences go hand-in-hand. Although branding missteps such as Dell’s may create temporary controversy, they add more confusion than harm to the brand. “When you have branding mishaps, you establish an unclear set of expectations for customers,” he says.
Nothing to do but learn from mistakes—which Dell seems to have done with Della’s quick turnaround. Temkin says that this may encourage Dell to rethink its customer segmentation strategies and improve its marketing messages in the future.
CAPTION: Office Depot recently launched TheSurvivalOfTheSmartest.com, a kind of “macro-microsite.” The company’s “Small Business Self-Bailout Plan” is housed there (see top left), under which it’s running its “Adopt a Small Business Contest.”
SIDEBAR: After the Slice
Bruce Temkin, a Forrester Research analyst and customer experience researcher, has three recommendations for how to treat customers who have been segmented through microsites:
- Ensure that people self-identify with the segment you’ve created.
- Add value in a way that’s unique to that segment.
- Continue to reinforce your core brand components.
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The news that Spider Man was coming to PC was greeted with joy by many fans of the popular superhero. However, one gamer took his frustrations out on his PS4 Pro, destroying the console in a fit of rage. It’s unclear why the man was so upset about the news, but it’s safe to say that he won’t be enjoying the game on his PC anytime soon. While it’s always disappointing to see someone react so negatively to news about a video game, it’s important to remember that everyone reacts differently to news and announcements. Some people might be overjoyed at the prospect of playing Spider Man on their PC, while others might be more reserved in their excitement. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide how they want to react to the news.
It’s no secret that some gamers are very passionate about their chosen console. While there are many great games available on multiple platforms these days, there are still some exclusives that can be a source of contention among gamers. Recently, one PlayStation 4 Pro owner took things to extreme measures when he decided to cut his console in half to express his displeasure with Sony’s decision to bring Spider-Man to the PC.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we all have different opinions when it comes to gaming. While it’s perfectly fine to be passionate about your hobby, it’s important not to take things too far. After all, it’s just a game.
It’s a sad reality that, in a world where so many people are deprived of basic necessities like food and water, there are those who spend their hard-earned money (perhaps) to destroy things that many others wouldn’t even dream of having. It’s a wasteful, destructive act that does nothing to improve the world or make it a better place for everyone. Surely there are better ways to spend our time and resources than by causing destruction and senseless ruin. Wouldn’t it be better to use our efforts to build something up instead of tearing it down? Let’s focus on making the world a better place for all, not just for a few.


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With New York Fashion Week barely two days in, the Big Apple is already a virtual breeding ground for models, both old-hat and fresh-faced. They can be seen munching on crackers backstage at Lincoln Center, having a champagne at chic parties, and even (it’s true!) riding the subways. With so many nestled in every nook and cranny of New York this week, it can be hard to keep track (not that we’re complaining).
To help us pinpoint the runway models to watch, we sat down with ONE Management founder Scott Lipps, who filled us in on his 7 rising girls to keep an eye on.
“For us, we see so many girls that come through our doors, and the modeling business is just inundated with girls,” Scott says of how he spots young superstars. “I usually notice the ones who are personable and that get it and want to succeed. It’s personality, drive and ambition, desire to make it.”
Click through the gallery to see Scott’s top 7 rising runway models!
"Luma’s shooting with Mario Testino this week, with Mert and Marcus, and you'll see her a little bit during Fashion Week," Scott says. "She’s one of my favorite girls at the moment. She’s from Brazil and such a warm spirit, and her beauty is undeniable. She's like Adriana Lima meets Sofia Loren, amazing, just such an incredible beauty. It’s hard to take a bad photo of her. I don’t think I could ever take a bad photo of her. That kind of beauty to me never goes out of style.”
"Kai is incredibly beautiful and so sweet and almost shy," Scott says of the model. "She was really great last season, and now she's really coming into her own. She's a beautiful girl from Jamaica."
"Ola is a great example of those girls who just really interesting faces," Scott says. "They’re babies in the business and they’re just starting, and they have that kind of beauty that’s so interesting. After being in this business for so many years, you kind of just understand what to look for."
"Dasha has an exclusive contract this season which I'm not really at liberty to share right now," Scott says. An exclusive contract means a model has signed on to show in one designer's show and no one else's.
Another model doing an exclusive at New York Fashion Week, Liz is another breakout star. "We have like 60 girls in our package this season, and it’s hard to narrow it down to the 4 or 5," Scott says. "But Liz is really among those to watch."
"She's doing a ton of new shows; she’s new to us, and has amazing personal style," Scott says. "She’s just a cool spirit ansd her look is very now." She walked in Peter Som's show this New York Fashion Week.
"You'll see Betty on a lot of the runways, and she was also the face of Tom Ford Beauty this past season," Scott says. "She has such a cool British style."


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Ephi Zlotnitsky landed in Washington as a 22-year-old immigrant from Israel on a July Saturday in 1989.
The next day, the former Israel paratrooper, who barely spoke English, walked into a local kosher deli and got a job. As he recalls it: "The owner said, 'I don't have a job for you.' I said, 'I'm not leaving.' He asked me, what can I do?"
"Whatever you want," Zlotnitsky replied. "Wash dishes. Clean floors."
He did all that - and also made a mean Israeli salad.
Fast forward 28 years. The peripatetic Zlotnitsky, now 50, has started several companies, including a real estate company and a Maryland-based software firm.
But it's his foray into airline travel that got my attention. His latest mission is fixing sleep problems for travelers. I thought Zlotnitsky's little project to bring peaceful sleep to airline travelers was timely. The entrepreneur has helped invent an airplane pillow with the kitschy name of JetComfy.
JetComfy reminds me of those wacky late-night ads hawking offbeat contraptions like the Veg-O-Matic, Pocket Fisherman and Inside the Shell Egg Scrambler.
The airspace for plane pillows is as crowded as the skies. The horseshoe pillow has been around for decades. A former Virgin Atlantic flight attendant, a few years back, invented a J-shaped pillow.
Zlotnitsky and a business partner have invested three years and $350,000 to create the JetComfy. The pillow is the size of a purse and sells for $39.99.
About 10,000 units have been sold since it went on sale in January. Zlotnitsky said he has plans to open the first JetComfy comfort sales center in Dulles International Airport in August and hopes to expand to 25 locations at larger airports in a year.
The pillow is available now on Amazon Prime and at Luggage Plus stores and will be offered online by Walmart later this month.
It weighs less than a pound and measures 9.5-by-5.5 inches. It looks nothing like a pillow - more like a foam headrest attached to a foot-long pole supported by the arm of your seat.
Zlotnitsky is betting that, among the more than 3 billion people who fly every year, there is enough of a market for him to sell millions of JetComfys. "We plan to sell over 350,000 units by mid-2018 in the U.S. alone," he said. "We are working to start distribution is Europe, China, Australia and the Middle East."
JetComfy all started on a diving trip with his wife to Bora Bora in 2014. As they were exiting the Air Tahiti jet, he heard a passenger named David Brecht, a battery engineer from San Diego, call it the "worst flight ever."
At the hotel bar later, the two decided to team up to bring restful sleep to those who can't afford to buy spacious first-class seats. Zlotnitsky's idea was to re-create the comfort of your chin resting in the cup of your hand with your elbow resting on the desk or table.
"That's the natural position," he said. "You tell somebody to rest their head, and that's what they are going to do."
They created mock-ups out of cardboard. They drew designs on toilet paper. They bought "selfie sticks" for the pillow stand. They Skyped between Maryland and San Diego. They bought a used 3-D printer for $2,300. They bought used airline seats on eBay to test their designs. They bought foam, aluminum, plastic. They pulled all-nighters.
They tried out several names: EZ Rest (using Zlotnitsky's initials); EasyComfy. Their wives came up with JetComfy.
The low point came on a factory-hunting trip to China in March 2016. Zlotnitsky arrived in Shenzhen, an industrial city of 12 million, in the middle of the night, meandering for three hours in a cab with a driver who did not understand English.
" 'That's it,' I thought," Zlotnitsky said. "I'm not coming back from this one. It was like a movie."
But he did come back after finding a small factory that could build most of the parts for his pillow. By last summer, they had nine test pillows that they asked friends and family to try. They sent samples to the Hallmark Channel and media outlets. They got a write-up on the HuffPost's website and a profile by a San Diego television station.
Zlotnitsky sent me a free sample. My wife, Polly, took it with her on a trip overseas last week to serve as my guinea pig.
"JetComfy is a plus," she reported back from Europe. "Not nirvana, but a definite improvement. It has earned a return ticket."


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On the 25 June 2019, Microsoft and Verizon Media officially confirmed their search partnership expansion across Australia and New Zealand. Now both Yahoo and AOL campaigns are exclusively serviced by Microsoft Advertising. As a Microsoft Advertising Elite Channel Partner, ReachLocal is excited to hear about this partnership and the increased reach it will add to our clients' search advertising campaigns.
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ReachLocal is proud to partner with some of the top technology companies on the web. We work with top brands like Google, Bing, Facebook, and more to get your business in front of consumers on the top places they surf, search, and socialize online – all so you can reach and convert more consumers.


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Mayor announces Trader Joe’s will be coming to Draper in 2023
DRAPER, Utah — Draper Mayor Troy Walker announced Friday that his city has been selected for a new location for Trader Joe’s.
It is expected the store will open in 2023.
According to Walker’s announcement on Facebook, the location of the store will be 11479 S. State Street.
The city was quick to spread the word across social media.
Guess what new store is coming to Draper? It starts with a “T” and ends with a “Joe’s”. https://t.co/Uv1tzbUzvW
— Draper City (@drapercity) October 14, 2022
This will be the fourth store in the state. Currently, the stores can be found in Salt Lake City, Cottonwood Heights and Orem.
No other details about the new store were provided. In his post, however, Walker said additional details would be provided soon.
- Trader Joe’s renaming international food products
- The mysterious companies behind Costco’s Kirkland Signature and Trader Joe’s O’s
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The Indonesia government will be collecting tax from digital services earlier amid the COVID-19 impact on economic sectors. According to an article by Jakarta Globe, the move was initiated by president Joko Widodo to boost tax revenues as the country too battles economic slowdown. The digital taxes will be applied to foreign digital service providers in Indonesia. These include the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Zoom, among others who are ramping up their presence in the country.
In response to the digital taxes, finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that since the stay home notice issued by the government, several are utilising such global technology platforms which are booming growth, hence eligible to pay taxes. According to Indrawati, the new regulation on digital taxes by the government will provide a new definition on taxes to companies with economic in presence in the country.
Implementation of digital taxes are a common sight in Southeast Asia countries recently. Early this year, the Singapore government too charged Goods and Services Tax (GST on 100 foreign digital players including Netflix, Spotify and Amazon. The Singapore government said the Overseas Vendor Registration (OVR) regime was aimed at achieving a level playing field in GST treatment for services, whether procured locally or overseas.
While in Malaysia, Google announced that it will be adding on a 6% digital tax charge beginning 1 January 2020. Previously, the tax charge was only applicable to its Google G Suite account holders, which includes apps such as Gmail, Docs, Hangouts, Slides, Drive, and Calendar. According to Google, the amount of service tax charged will be reflected as a separate line in “Transactions” under “Billing and Payments”. It added that consumers’ invoice will show the amount of service tax charged.
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Once again this year, the federal government has designated October National Cyber Security Awareness Month. I’m sure you’re all aware of the several high-profile data breaches that have occurred this year, perhaps most notably, the Equifax breach. When Equifax was hacked, the private information, including Social Security numbers, of nearly half the country was exposed. No one wants to see a security incident of that magnitude. That’s one of the reasons why NCSAM feels especially vital this year.
At Connection, we’re using the month of October to help educate our customers on the importance of cyber security, as well as to provide them with the tools and resources needed to ensure their organization’s data remains secure.
In this first week, the theme is exploring a few simple steps to online safety. Throughout the week, we will discuss top consumer cyber security concerns, as well as provide simple steps to protect against theft of your identity and data, and tips for bouncing back if your data is compromised.
Stay tuned for upcoming topics: cyber security in the workplace, today’s predictions for tomorrow’s Internet, careers in cyber security, and protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Also, be sure to check back this week for more on the steps you can take to secure your information online.


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Brands pursue scale, services, and content
5G consumer benefits unclear as rollout accelerates
Having spent years struggling to differentiate their brands, Covid-19 suddenly validated telecom providers as essential to keeping the world connected, even when economies shut down and people quarantine at home. The closure of physical stores slowed device sales and subscriber growth, however, and the telecom provider category declined 4 percent in value following a 1 percent increase a year ago.
Telecom providers aggressively pursued the rollout of 5G, but less successfully explained the benefits of 5G for consumers. They built scale, services, and content, and expand into other categories, specifically entertainment. Meanwhile, category consolidation continued. After years of regulatory and judicial review, the merger of Sprint and T-mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, eliminated the AT&T-Verizon duopoly that had dominated the US telecom market.
The merger not only resulted in three strong players in the US market, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, it also produced a new fourth competitor—Dish. An over-the-top streaming service, Dish purchased a prepaid telecom service called Boost when it was spun off from Sprint as a condition of its merger with T-Mobile. Dish plans to use T-Mobile’s network and introduce its own 5G service.
Consolidation reshaped the European telecom market as well, with UK-based Vodafone’s acquisition of the Liberty Global operations in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, and Romania. The deal made Vodafone Europe’s largest provider of mobile and broadband and strengthened its position against key European competitors Deutsche Telekom and Telefónica.
Brand and differentiation
Telecom brands continued the effort to differentiate and be seen as more than a utility. Most notably, AT&T became an entertainment brand with its acquisition of Time Warner. Being a creator and distributor of content helps free AT&T from being perceived as a commodity, but it does not necessarily ease business pressure as much as it changes them, shifting AT&T into the “streaming wars” and a competitive set that includes Disney, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple, and Netflix.
In addition, AT&T introduced AT&T TV, a service that streams more than 100 TV channels over the internet. This new service comes as AT&T’s DirectTV satellite business declines. AT&T acquired DirectTV in 2015, and the launch of the new streaming business reflects the industrywide growth of OTT streaming and the pressure on satellite and cable businesses.
Two other major US telecom providers, Xfinity and Spectrum, illustrate the pressure on cable businesses, as they are owned by Comcast and Charter Communications, respectively, communications giants and cable leaders. With Xfinity and Spectrum, mobile phone service can be bundled into packages including cable, at a time when cable is pressured by streaming.
O2, which operates in the UK and several other European countries, refreshed the brand recently with the strapline “Breath it all in” to celebrate the life-giving force that comes from oxygen and being connected. O2 has been successful identifying the brand with music, having rebranded London’s Millennium Dome over 10 years ago as the O2 Arena, which has become the world’s leading sports and entertainment venue in audience size.
Some brands have differentiated by communicating about purpose, which was the intent of a message delivered by Vodafone’s CEO at the 2019 Mobile World Congress. The message focused on building trust, reducing environmental impact, simplifying offerings, and collaborating with like-minded competitors on 5G networking sharing and other projects.
Similarly, France-based Orange intends to differentiate by transforming over the next five years from a pure telecom provider to a digital platform. It is focusing on the development of its network, AI, and data applications to sell more services to both consumers and B2B customers.
In an exercise that involved surveying both internal and external stakeholders, Orange recently revised its raison d’ être, which begins, “As a trusted partner, Orange gives everyone the keys to a responsible digital world.” Some of the specific actions include helping people monitor their screen time and donate unused minutes to others.
Orange began its digital offering with the launch of Orange Bank several years ago and is now expanding its Internet of Things home connectivity and intends to be involved in e-commerce and health and wellness. Through its Orange Business Services division Orange plans to become a leader in cloud technology.
Although France remains the largest revenue market for Orange, the brand is also strong in West Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Orange introduced a mobile wallet called Orange Money in West Africa and will expand its offering.
Without clear differentiation, a brand’s fallback position often becomes price. Price competition in the UK was expected to intensify after promulgation of contract transparency regulations making it easier to move among providers rather than be locked into contracts.
Even in markets like India or Latin America that leap frogged to mobile, brands are also facing the need to find a distinctive proposition. The lack of a strong brand proposition opens a brand—and sometimes an entire market—to disruption.
In India, Jio rapidly grew market share with pricing that undercut the established brands, precipitating market consolidation and propelling Jio to become India’s leading telecom provider, with around 370 million subscribers. Iliad, which operates a brand in France called Free, has attempted to disrupt the Italian telecom market with price.
To build differentiation as well as margin, many telecom providers bundle offerings of mobile service with TV and internet. In Spain, for example Movistar offers a complete package, while O2 in Spain has a no-frills offer.
Rolling out 5G
Bundling options may change with 5G, sometimes seen as the ultimate cable-cutter. The pace of the 5G rollout varied by country. In the US and UK, the major telecom providers have begun developing 5G infrastructure, but few mobile handsets are 5G capable, and communication around 5G generally has not clearly articulated the consumer benefits. In France, the government was expected to issue 5G licenses in spring 2020 but postponed the process because of Covid-19.
Verizon reorganized its business to focus on 5G and its core strengths in telecommunications, having tried with limited success to develop a media business with its acquisitions of AOL, Yahoo, and the Huffington Post. Verizon streams content on its Verizon Fios fiber optic service. Similarly, Vodafone provides access to content with a paid TV offer, but not as a branded content owner.
In anticipation of 5G, Vodafone, a sponsor of e-sports, entered a partnership with e-sports marketer ESL to stream e-sports events on its 5G network. The mobile gaming experience will improve with 5G, a useful benefit with the growth of cloud gaming from entries like Google’s Stadia. The upgrade to 5G also promises to improve the experience of working remotely. Verizon signed an agreement to acquire BlueJeans Network Inc., a videoconferencing service.
Despite the lack of complete clarity about 5G benefits, consumers are preparing for the technology upgrade. Over a quarter of smartphone owners who intended to buy a new smartphone in the next six months, definitely planned to buy a 5G-enabled phone, according to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech US data. Another 42 percent said their next phone probably would be 5G-enabled. And, according a similar study of five European countries, people plan to pay over £750 ($980) for a 5G-enabled phone.
Slower sales hurt
Having struggled for years to differentiate their brands, the extreme social separation during the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the essential contribution made by telecom providers. They provided the wired, wireless, or fiber optic lifeline that connected people and businesses to the rest of the world. With stores closed, however, people purchased fewer mobile phones, which impacted revenue and subscriber growth for some network operators. The pandemic had additional implications for brands like AT&T that expanded into streaming services. While being quarantined at home, people had more time to explore online entertainment, which potentially helped build audience size. But advertising declined as companies cut costs. The telecom category declined 4 percent in value after rising 1 percent a year ago. Anticipating post-pandemic online behavior changes, Verizon signed an agreement to acquire BlueJeans Network Inc., one of the videoconferencing options people used for socializing or working while quarantined at home.
Brand Building Action Points
- Be authentic
Authenticity is key. But authenticity cannot be invented. A belief in what the brand stands for needs to permeate the organization at every level, including the board, so that every action, every communication is infused with brand commitment and sounds authentic because it is.
- Unify the organization
To be well received in the market, the innovations that spring from the minds of the engineers need to correspond with the consumer insights emanating from the marketing department. A fuller explanation of 5G could help accelerate consumer acceptance of this new technology, although the full potential of 5G can only be imagined.
- Unify the brand
Coordinate the brand’s assets in a 360-degree way. Even activation efforts to draw more people into the brand’s stores should connect with a larger brand purpose. Visiting the physical store, the customer needs to feel serviced, not sold. Reviewing the monthly statement, the customer needs to feel confident, not confused.
- Address industry challenges
By addressing key industry challenges, brands can help improve the lives of their customers. Among these challenges are digital inclusion, especially for brands that serve people in more rural or developing markets and have an opportunity to democratize the technology and empower people. Other challenges include cyber bullying, cyber security, and screen addiction.


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Click here to read the cover feature: Just how prepared are you for 2011?
Click here to read the top marketing strategies for 2011
Click here to read about brand budgets in 2011
Click here to read what consumer behaviour Richard Madden thinks marketers should be mindful of in the year ahead
Click here to check out the brands to watch in 2011
’Drugs should not be legalised.’ This is just one of the statements written on a poster campaign that ran throughout 2010, which was designed to cause debate while people waited for a Tube. Elliot Moss, director of business development at Mishcon de Reya Solicitors highlights the campaign, which promotes The Economist magazine, as one of the standout campaigns of last year. He says: “It’s engaging and it makes me think. I’ve seen it on the Underground, I’ve seen it in print – it’s a strong campaign. They want to know what I think and it’s challenging me. That’s very smart.”
John Lewis is never knowingly undersold, according to its marketing, and the retailer certainly hasn’t undersold itself in terms of its advertising, according to Sally Cowdry, marketing director at O2 UK. Its “Always a Woman” campaign, which showed a female living through several key events, such as marriage and having children, has been nominated by Cowdry as the best advertising campaign of 2010. “It made me think ’wow’. The retailer tapped into a trend – in a recessionary environment people get nostalgic. John Lewis chose a brilliant way to show the brand’s heritage beautifully and stylishly,” she says.
The fashion store’s Lucky Machine campaign has been given the thumbs up by Keith Grainger, chief executive at publisher Redwood. In the run-up to Uniqlo’s website relaunch in September last year, it developed a new social media initiative called Lucky Machine, a game designed to offer players the chance to win prizes and Uniqlo discounts. The game also encouraged players to invite their friends to play via Facebook or Twitter with an incentive to win more prizes. “The combination of traditional advertising channels combined with content and social can develop into amazing integrated campaigns,” says Grainger.
They danced at Liverpool Street Station, they sang in Trafalgar Square and then last year they serenaded travellers arriving at Heathrow Terminal 5. The flash mobs of T-Mobile aimed to demonstrate its strapline ’life is for sharing’. The latest multi-channel ad campaign, set in London’s airport, is a favourite of Karl Gregory, managing director of Match: “Building on its flash mob successes of 2009, it’s a great case study of how a simple idea can hit viral jackpot.”
News International used 2010 to hit back at suggestions that mobile was killing the printed newspaper industry. It ran “the UK’s best handheld campaign”, promoting the positives of having a print product that was “easy to share” with friends and “didn’t require a contract”. Reid Holland, marketing director at Hachette Filipacchi UK, “absolutely loved” the campaign, created by Glue Isobar. “It captured the moment, capitalising on the iPhone buzz. A massively successful social media strategy, ending up as an ad during The X-Factor. Brilliant.”
The British coffee brand has been uncharacteristically aggressive with its marketing, which Andrew Mullins, managing director at the Independent, Independent on Sunday and London Evening Standard, believes makes Costa a winner. In 2009/2010 it ran a poster campaign saying that seven out of ten coffee lovers prefer its coffee over rival Starbucks’. It followed this with a controversial campaign in 2010 featuring monkeys attempting to make coffee. The chain’s inaugural TV campaign aimed to demonstrate the skill that it takes to make a cup of coffee, and supported it with press activity.
These bold campaigns caught the eye of Mullins who says: “In a very competitive market, Costa attempted to drive preference through classic rational and emotional arguments in TV and print, creating a fully integrated campaign that achieved real


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Over the past decades, emerging markets, free-trade agreements, new producers and consumers along with technological advancements have made international trade not only cheaper but faster, allowing it to grow annually twice as fast as the world economy.
Many people now, however are skeptic about the continuation of this fast-paced growth in international trade. An evidence of this skepticism is the slow average growth of only 2.2% over past two years, which is much less than the 20-year average of 5.3% (as shown in the graph below). Many have attributed this slow growth to sluggish increase in imports and exports in developed countries (0.2% and 1.5% respectively) and moderate import export growth in developing economies (4.4% and 3.3% respectively). Most of us would agree that these poor growth rates were a result of the unhealthy condition of the world economy caused by EU’s lingering recession and high unemployment and Fed’s decision to taper QE that resulted in emerging market volatility with large current account imbalances.
Chart 1: Average international export and GDP growth
As can be seen in the chart above, growth in international trade in 2014 and 2015 has been predicted to be 4.9% and 5.1% respectively. In fact, some economists and trade specialists strongly believe that trade will grow around 8 percent annually over the next few decades. These figures are primarily based on business surveys and production data that depict global economic recovery especially in EU along with reduction in US unemployment and an expectation for the world GDP to grow by 3%, in market exchange rates, over the next two years.
Chart 2: World exports and imports:
Source: WTO Short-term trade statistics.
Table 1: GDP and merchandise trade by region, 2011-13
Annual % change
a Includes the Caribbean
b Hong Kong, China; Republic of Korea; Singapore and Chinese Taipei
Source: WTO Secretariat.
Unfortunately, these reasons are insufficient and growth predictions might be erroneous if the failure of some major deals like Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between North America and Europe and the failure of 159 WTO signotaries in reaching a consensus on basic trade facilitation measures during Bali round, are not taken into account.
According to the WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo:
“It’s clear that trade is going to improve as the world economy improves. But I know that just waiting for an automatic increase in trade will not be enough for WTO Members. We can actively support trade growth by updating the rules and reaching new trade agreements. The deal in Bali last December illustrates this. Concluding the Doha round would provide a strong foundation for trade in the future, and a powerful stimulus in today’s slow growth environment. We are currently discussing new ideas and new approaches which would help us to get the job done — and to do it quickly.” (Farewell to the Age of Free Trade, Businessweek). In his statement, Roberto Azevêdo, has made it clear that growth in international trade cannot be achieved without cooperation among countries.
The premise that emerging economies would grow exponentially and technology would immensely facilitate in connecting businesses is partly flawed because technological advancement may not necessarily result in economic integration. For instance, the advent of 3D printing and synthetic biology has encouraged companies to keep operations in-house, reducing the incentive to outsource production in later stages.
Today, globalization and Internet have forced companies to use economies of scale for survival. As a result, industries have consolidated to be dominated by a single state-owned firm that is rarely forced into free trade; creating a protectionist environment for themselves.
Emerging markets particularly have not proven to be as resilient as it was expected. These economies especially India and Brazil have seen a tremendous decline in their growth over the past two years. Currency crisis (Argentina) and geopolitical situation with in countries in Middle East can have severe impact on trade. Many of these emerging economies are trying to achieve growth in services and not manufacturing. Services will employ fewer people than manufacturing and will face more trade barriers from the developed world.
A stronger consensus, in the international community, in favor of free trade can help overcome these challenges. Right now, every prominent trading economy is caught up in its own problems at home. For instance, Obama administration has been weakened by criticism on ObamaCare and, therefore, has little Congress support for the TPP and US-European trade pact while leaders in China are busy tackling land reform issues. Japan is fighting its deflation and aging population as UK is consumed in austerity.
Lack of global leadership in trade arena has given way to more protectionist policies. According to the findings of the Center for Economic Policy Research, a UK based think tank, G-20 recently passed 23% more protectionist policies than it ever did in the last five years. In fact, there has been a higher tendency towards regional agreements, which are not primarily focused on cooperation but preferential agreements aimed at discriminating against non-signatory members (as in case of China under TTP), making the fairness of free trade questionable.
Therefore, achieving the optimal level of cooperation among countries to ensure bilateral agreements that are mutually beneficial will not be an easy task. It will require leaders of major economies to act smartly and put efforts in making next rounds of WTO more fruitful. This is crucial because the world might be devastated by any contraction in world trade. Over the past decades, trade has not only made world economy more dynamic but helped in interlinking countries and their economies, reducing war and conflict. Hence, restoring trade is important economically as well as for the overall prosperity and peace of the world.


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The slow reactivation of air traffic, and the uncertainty that still reigns in the travel business due to the coronavirus, has made the airline holding company IAG open to one strategic review of your asset portfolio. The company is considering different ways to raise cash and strengthen its funds before exiting the crisis. Divestitures, associations and joint ventures are not ruled out.
Among the cards in the hand of the company he runs Louis Gallego their planes, the traveler loyalty program or the cargo unit are found, according to the sources consulted. This initiative is in an initial phase, so there are no firm decisions yet. Since IAG has avoided comment.
The miles program IAG Loyalty It has more than 35 million members worldwide. The holding company also manages IAG Cargowhich operates a global network of air freight transport, and IAG Global Services. The fleet of the holding company that includes British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling It is made up of 533 aircraft, operated through the aforementioned brands, with 279 destinations and 118 million passengers a year before the pandemic began.
The group’s flagship, British Airways, is seeing an increase in sales due to the lifting of some restrictions, but the long-haul business remains heavily affected by the effect of the omicron variant globally.
In addition to IAG, other industry benchmarks are exploring ways to maximize the value of their asset portfolios, including United Airlineswhich is exploring the possible sale of a minority stake in its MileagePlus frequent flyer program.


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09 February 2021
Facebook ads and iOS 14 update
You may have heard about the ominous, impending Facebook Ads and Apple iOS 14 changes? Well, they have arrived, and if you’ve logged into your Facebook account recently you may have seen an Apple iOS update notification at the top of your Ads Manager. So just how significant is it for brands, digital marketers and consumers?
In this piece, we will look at why these changes have been made, what the impact is on your Facebook account and most importantly, how does it affect your business?
The iOS 14 Update
Once again, privacy and data usage take centre stage in the latest update from Apple. iOS 14 for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV will now require app developers to provide details of their privacy policies, what data they are collecting and how that data will be used.
This all seems like the norm these days, however, Facebook has the spotlight unnervingly shone directly on them in this instance. For most apps, this change is relatively harmless, whereas for Facebook and in particular Facebook Advertising it is more significant.
For many years Facebook has operated on an opt-out approach. Facebook will alert you that your data is being collected and will be used for XYZ. The onus was on you – the user – to opt-out in the privacy settings (…which let’s face it, no one ever does) for your data to remain private.
iOS 14 however now requires all apps to get permission from the user to allow tracking or access their device’s ad identifier in order to collect data. So instead of Facebook’s opt-out approach, users must now explicitly opt-in for apps to get these permissions. Apple just played an UNO™ reverse card on Facebook.
The ‘default’ opt-out position i.e. where Apple now actively guides you, is not so favourable for the Facebook advertising machine.
Bad News for Facebook?
Facebook’s response is quite clearly one of worry and you can see why, as this update could seriously damage their revenue. From 2017 to 2020, Facebook’s ad revenue has grown from $17.4 billion to $33.7 billion.
According to Statista.com, 80% of users only use Facebook on their mobile phone and iPhone has a market share of 51%, meaning that of that 80%, there will be a significant proportion on Apple and iOS 14.
As a result, the number of users who decide to opt-in and allow Facebook to track their data is likely to be… well small, especially in an era of data scandals and documentaries such as the ‘Great Hack’ and the ‘Social Dilemma’ – which have already shifted behaviour.
Facebook has been understandably vocal on this update, stating this will negatively impact small businesses who look to advertise using their platform and whilst a nice ploy, they are not wrong. They have also been quick to put out webinars that aim to advise around the issue.
Large corporations are significant to Facebook’s ad revenue as the biggest individual spenders, and should they choose to spend their money elsewhere, it would not be good news for Facebook (the June 2020 boycott by 40 of them saw the share price drop by 8.3% for example); however the millions of small businesses with smaller budgets make up the real lion’s share of its ad total revenue (75%+).
It is these businesses with the most to gain out of Facebook’s advertising platform, and how it affects them, in reality, will play a key part in how this pans out.
How does iOS 14 affect your Facebook ads?
Facebook Ads and Apple iOS 14’s biggest effects to advertising are:
- Tracking Pixel actions from Facebook ads means any traditional tracking such as Leads, Add to Cart, Purchases, custom conversions, etc. will now be under-reported due to users opting out of having their data tracked.
- Optimising your ads for these actions becomes harder as the Facebook pixel isn’t learning as much. The Facebook pixel is capturing less data and therefore your ads possibly won’t be optimised as effectively for users who are completing the conversion actions.
- Retargeting ads for users who visited your website from an iOS 14 device won’t be served to the audience who have previously engaged with you.
- Building audiences becomes more difficult as you won’t have data on who visited your site from iOS devices. iOS users will not go into Retargeting or Lookalike audiences.
- App Installs or other App related conversions for iOS devices won’t be able to be optimised, if you have an app you are advertising.
Keep in mind that these changes only impact iOS 14 users and are yet to impact Android or desktop users. Additionally, Facebook has released several articles around some of the biggest changes to Ads Manager, Ads Report and Ads Insight.
Next Steps and Recommendations
As I alluded to before, this update impacts smaller businesses more than larger businesses.
Facebook is warning that this update could shrink its audience network by 50% as the estimated installation of Apple iOS 14 is 72% across all devices.
Smaller businesses operate with lower budgets and need as many options as possible when targeting their desired audience; and clarity on where their spend is having an effect.
It is also important to remember that Facebook is not the only player in the market and with change comes opportunity. Moving some budget away from Facebook and exploring the increasing potential of channels like Google, Bing, and LinkedIn, building remarketing audiences through these platforms – can have some diverse, ulterior benefits – and it’s crucial you get ahead of the game and a strategy together to test and learn.
Knowing your audience is key to success, so as you use these alternative platforms to build a picture of your audience you’re going to have numerous data points and dashboards.
At Boldspace we offer brand building, communications and analytics. Our analytics platform BoldLens™ was built for the changeability of modern comms and modern tech in mind – integrating all your comms overlain with your revenue – to give you the best view of your ROI, with the most reactive approach possible.
Our custom dashboard collates all data points across earned, owned and paid media channels to accurately report and build a picture of your audience in one location.
Get in touch with Boldspace
Facebook is at a point in its cycle where it is too big to fail, so this by no means the end, but a chance/change to adapt to as quickly as possible, whereas always in today’s landscape – the most reactive brands will win.
Monitor your data closely to understand the impact and use these findings to help prepare yourself as iOS 14 adoption continues over time.
Reach out to Boldspace if you have any concerns, or simply want to turbocharge your strategy.


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KOOEY Australia has closed its Bibra Lake headquarters.
Just last year the West Australian swimwear label was being paraded on the runway in Las Vegas by international Miss Universe contestants and its owner Nikki Silverthorne was photographed with pageant owner and billionaire Donald Trump.
Miss Universe Australia 2011 Scherri-Lee Biggs even designed a range for the label, Kooey by Scherri-Lee.
But after several months without even a Tweet or Facebook post, Ms Silverthorne confirmed this week: "We've closed up shop in WA."
As well as Kooey Australia, the label's parent company, Brandwest, has also ended production of the other swimwear labels in its stable, such as surf brand West Surfing Products.
Ms Silverthorne said Brandwest, of which she was a shareholder, would now concentrate on distributing in the US. However, she would remain based in Perth.
She said West Surfing Products would no longer be designed in WA. However, both swimwear labels would continue to be manufactured in China.
"It's not worth doing it in Australia anymore," she said.
"The retail market in general here is bad."
Ms Silverthorne said stores pushed payments for shipments out to 180 days.
"The overheads in Australia are three times what they are in the US," she said.
Kooey has been notably absent from the line-up of swimwear labels launching campaigns to promote new ranges for this summer.
Its online shop is also not operational.
Ms Silverthorne said there was a Kooey 2013-14 collection, but they had kept it low key and it was being sold in some stores.
The brand is now on a hiatus and another range may not be released - in the US - for a year.
Kooey became something of a darling of the local swimwear scene.
It has had a past association with the local Miss Universe competitions and has also shown at the Perth Fashion Festival and Australian Fashion Week.
In addition to the international Miss Universe pageant, its swimwear has also been used for the Miss USA pageant. In December 2008 it rode out a scandal when its founder and former designer, Joanne Pellew, was sentenced to 3½ years jail after a District Court trial in which she and her husband were convicted of conspiracy to sell or supply cannabis.


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By Deirdre Tynan •
Published: 28 Sep 2021 • 12:33
Older consumers, those on low incomes and rural households will need more support to switch to electric vehicles due to concerns about affordability, range and the UK’s charging infrastructure, new Which? research has found.
Electric car ownership has soared in the last few years and, with the government’s ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles looming, motorists are being encouraged to consider switching. However, Which? found there are stark contrasts between different groups of consumers and how they view the transition to electric vehicles.
The Which? survey found that while two in five people (44 per cent) are comfortable switching to electric vehicles, almost half (49 per cent) are not. The consumer champion found seven in 10 (71 per cent) 18-24-year-olds are comfortable switching to electric vehicles and around half (56 per cent) of those aged between 18 and 39 said they intended to buy one in the future.
However, only a quarter of those aged 65 and above are comfortable switching (26 per cent) or intend to buy an electric vehicle (23 per cent). More than half (52 per cent) of respondents aged 65 and above do not intend to buy an electric vehicle in the future.
Urban dwellers are also more comfortable transitioning to electric vehicles than rural residents, with almost half (47 per cent) of those living in urban areas open to switching and two-fifths (42 per cent) planning to buy one. However, only a third of those living in rural areas felt comfortable switching (34 per cent) or intend to buy an electric vehicle (36 per cent).
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Rights and Food Policy, said: “The mass adoption of electric vehicles is a key element of the government’s net-zero strategy, but while some consumers are ready to switch, our research shows older consumers and those from lower-income or rural households are less inclined to embrace the electric car revolution.
“It is vital that action is taken to address significant barriers including concerns about battery range, cost and the UK’s charging infrastructure that could deter motorists from switching to electric vehicles. Consumers also need more support to ensure they can make the decision to buy an electric car.”
Electric cars are currently more expensive to buy compared to petrol or diesel vehicles – a possible contributing factor to lower enthusiasm levels for switching among lower-income households.
The consumer champion found just a third of households (32 per cent) on lower incomes (£21,000 and below) intend to make their next car an electric vehicle and two-fifths (41 per cent) said they have no intention of buying one. This compares to more than half (57 per cent) in more affluent households (more than £48,000) saying they would buy an electric car in the future and only a fifth (21 per cent) saying they had no intention of buying one.
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Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.
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Metro AG (B4B.DE)
FRANKFURT Family-owned German investment group Haniel [FHANI.UL] said on Thursday that it had transferred a 7.3 percent stake in retailer Metro AG [B4B.DE] to a Czech-Slovak investor group, after receiving antitrust clearance.
FRANKFURT, Oct 4 Family-owned German investment group Haniel said on Thursday that it had transferred a 7.3 percent stake in retailer Metro AG to a Czech-Slovak investor group, after receiving antitrust clearance.
Sept 14 The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Friday:
BERLIN German retailer Metro AG plans to sell its struggling Real hypermarkets and is confident of interest in the chain, though bankers played down talk it might attract Amazon and a price tag of up to 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion).
* Move to sell Real not linked to new investor in Metro -CEO (Adds HSBC analyst upgrade)
BERLIN, Sept 14 German retailer Metro AG previously had contact with potential buyers for its struggling Real hypermarkets so it is optimistic its decision to put them for sale will be met with interest, chief executive Olaf Koch said on Friday.
FRANKFURT German retailer Metro AG has decided to sell its struggling Real hypermarkets to focus on its wholesale business, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
* Ceconomy shares gain more than 4 pct (Adds analyst comment, background)
BERLIN Shares in Metro AG jumped on Monday as Ceconomy announced it may join family-owned Haniel [FHANI.UL] in selling a stake in the German retailer to an investor group led by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
* Czech-Slovak investor group could buy more (Recasts, adds details on deal)


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Around the globe, the Chinese tourist is a sought-after customer as the new generation of spending-happy travelers sets out to explore. But at the same time, China itself has been climbing the ranks of international tourism, earning the position of world’s third-largest tourist destination.
According to a report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, China occupied that spot for the second year in a row in 2012, with a total of 58 million international tourists visiting. The No. 1 destination was France, followed by the United States. And China is expected to surpass both nations to become the world’s top tourism destination by 2015, according to Taleb Rifai, the secretary general of UNWTO, as reported by the state-owned Xinhua news agency.
While this is good news for China’s general tourism industry, some areas of the country have seen declines in visitors. A report by the China Daily found that tourism in the capital Beijing dropped 14 percent in the first half of 2013. The report is citing reasons like “frequent air pollution” for the lull in visitors.
World News Australia reports that even with new visa-free travel flexibility in China, travelers are still being put off by reports of noxious air problems. The Australian site cited a downward trend in tourism over the past three years, adding that during the past six months 2.14 million people visited the capital. The dip in Beijing visitors began in 2012, when the city welcomed 5 million tourists, down from 5.2 million the previous year.
According to a rating index by Beijing’s China Tourism Academy, tourists rated the capital city 75.28 on a scale of satisfaction with their visit in the second quarter, down about five points from the previous quarter. The China Tourism Academy also reported an increase of complaints by inbound tourists nationwide, at a rate of 7.2 percent of visitors in the second quarter, compared with 5.77 the previous quarter.
In order to reverse the dwindling numbers and increased dissatisfaction, Beijing’s Commission of Tourism Development held a meeting in July to discuss ways to boost tourism in the city.


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Infographic: The year of the crypto crash (Inside Bitcoins). By. News Editor. -. 2019-01-29. Facebook · Twitter · Pinterest · WhatsApp. Year of the Crypto Crash.
How Big Is The Bitcoin Ledger A single block on the Bitcoin blockchain can actually store up to 1 MB of data. Depending
There are signs investors are increasingly holding bitcoin, confident that a long-term bull market lies ahead.
Comparing this book with other book it will be foolish, because you can find the exact information in this book, I'm pretty sure that you will not find any book like this.
Investing in Bitcoin could end up costing you a fortune, I think. You’d be much better trying to make a million today by.
Research shows that each time Bitcoin moves $500 or more, the popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase crashes, leaving.
<img src='https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hVKQPfKbunI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEjCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAxUIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJDeAE=&rs=AOn4CLDprz8Lj-Y0wOfNqRq4UoqxrHrJRg' alt='Why I Sold My Bitcoin.
(BTC Crash 2020)’ class=’alignleft’>Nobody is responsible if ever Bitcoin crash happens. I never understand some of you guys. We all know that crypto is highly volatile, why are you in it at that level.
8 May 2020.
There will be a pullback, and that will determine what kind of crash it is,” Luno's Ayyar said. “We could pull back to 8K, hold, and them move.
Bitcoin price stares into consolidation above $9,400 following a rejection from $9,600. Seller dominance is expected to.
16 Mar 2020.
So for the citizens of that land, this felt a bit like the second coming. The shills bros could be heard rejoicing far and wide. Self-confessed “bitcoin.
What Bitcoin Wallet According to Zou, the company began working on integrating crypto features to its app in 2019, when
The first time any of us normal people heard about names like Lehmann Brothers, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and others was during the Financial Crash of 2007-2008. What most people know was that a huge.
The SNI Mempool Crash Course in Bitcoin Political Economy.
From this, a vision of the future could develop, which in turn gave bitcoins real market value.


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NTL, the US cable communications company, has followed on the heels of yesterday's AltaVista announcement with plans for its own free internet service.
NTL's service, ntlworld, will be offered to customers in ntl's cable areas while those outside can transfer there telephone service from their existing supplier for £10 a month. The only catch then is that they must spend £10 a month on non-online calls.
NTL's will be first to market with a launched slated for six weeks time. AltaVista says its service will be ready in three months. However, the next few weeks is almost certain to see market announcements from a wave of competitors.
Barclay Knapp, NTL chief executive officer, said: "NTL has a vision to bring the internet to all UK homes either via the PC, or the TV. ntlworld will help the UK in a drive to lead the world in marking ecommerce, e-entertainment and e-education available to everyone."


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By Don Clark
Cisco Systems Inc. said it would stop selling data-storage hardware, a business that it entered with its $415 million acquisition of Whiptail in 2013.
New Jersey startup Whiptail specialized in equipment that stores data on chips known as flash memory rather than disk drives, a technology that has attracted many large and small competitors. Cisco
But Cisco said Friday it would discontinue the resulting line of products, known as Invicta, as part of recent efforts to narrow its focus on the most promising businesses. A Cisco spokeswoman said some employees would lose their jobs, but she declined to disclose how many people would be affected.
Cisco entered the storage market despite the risk of angering longtime partners that sold competing hardware. Tim Stammers, a senior analyst at 451 Research, said the company tried to use other terms than “data storage” when discussing Invicta, a tactic he called a “silly dance.”
The Invicta products also suffered from technical problems, Mr. Stammers noted. The Cisco spokeswoman said the company recently held shipments for several months while it addressed the issues.


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A knife-wielding masked raider robbed a Spar store in Neath after demanding money from the shop assistant.
The menacing figure went into the store at around 8.45pm on Sunday and fled via School Road with money from the till.
He is described as stocky and is believed to be in his mid 20s and was wearing a mask and a hi-visibility jacket.
South Wales Police is investigating the robbery. Officers said no-one was hurt during the raid.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 1600035242.


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A tablet controlled by your brain
April 19, 2013
Samsung is researching how to bring mind control to its mobile devices with the hope of developing ways for people with mobility impairments to connect to the world, MIT Technology Review reports.
In collaboration with Roozbeh Jafari, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas, Dallas, Samsung researchers are testing how people can use their thoughts to launch an application, select a contact, select a song from a playlist, or power up or down a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.
In their demonstration, the researchers found that people could launch an application and make selections within it by concentrating on an icon that was blinking at a distinctive frequency.


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The 2006 Digital Photo Survey by software company Corel and online survey firm Zoomerang reveals that 55% of people who take digital photos find managing and organizing their digital photos to be overwhelming and confusing. Another 45% said they do not use any kind of photo management software at all.
While many people used to just stuff their printed pictures in shoeboxes, nowadays people also just stuff their digital photos in digital shoeboxes in various folders online and offline without using photo management software but just relying on the operating system itself to keep track of their photos, the study said.
Other findings: 86% of people who take digital photos share them with family and friends, email is the number one preferred method of sharing digital photos (80%), and 80% said they print their photos at home.
“An overwhelming 91% of respondents feel that sharing photos helps create meaningful, personal, and emotional connections,” the survey said.


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(CTN NEWS) – Direct sales plans are only for the rest of the world, so BMW could have pressured dealers to stop insane “market adjustments.”
In its third-quarter global business update, BMW announced its plans to launch a direct sales model in multiple global markets by 2024.
Customers can order directly from BMW, Mini, and Rolls Royce, similar to what Tesla, Rivian, and other and start-up brands are already offering. One tiny catch: it’s not happening in the United States. Not yet, at least.
In 2024, BMW plans to launch a direct sales model, starting with Mini, which it owns, and then the company itself by 2026.
According to the report, Dr. Nicolas Peter, a Member of the Board of Management at BMW forsaid, “We want customers to be able to order directly from us.”
BMW is reportedly in “constructive talks” with its dealer network, but no further details are provided about this.
As a result of contract laws and other local regulations surroundingvehicle sales and dealer group requirements, separating from dealership franchises is difficult here in the U.S.
Rivian and Tesla have infamously faced such issues since their inception, and it is one of the issues that confound automakers who also want to enter the market directly.
BMW North American customers will not be able to purchase directly from the company itself.
A company spokesperson told MotorTrend in an email: “News reports arising from the BMW Group Q3 global business update in Munich discussed a planned change in the retail sales model in Europe and other markets outside of the U.S.
This change only affects European and other markets outside the U.S. and does not impact our business model or operations here in the U.S.”
The threat of major players like BMW adopting a direct sales model in the U.S. would have helped leverage against these insane recent dealer “market adjustments” that sometimes triple the price of a new car.
Franchise dealers and their unfair markups will continue to be aproblem until more major OEMs step up and put real teeth into their warnings about such practices.
RELATED CTN NEWS:


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Posts Tagged ‘Nissan’
December auto sales slowed a bit from the brisk pace earlier this year, but automakers still were on target to finish 2013 with the best numbers in six years.
Toyota led the way with nearly a 16.5 percent increase, followed by General Motors at 16 percent. Chrysler, Nissan and Ford all reported 11 percent gains.
Technology that saves lives — and fuel — is getting better and cheaper, meaning it’s no longer confined to luxury brands like Mercedes and Volvo.
Nissan’s U.S. sales leaped 25 percent last month while Chrysler sales rose 11 percent, signs that auto sales rebounded from a slight dip in April and will continue to boost the U.S. economy.
Fixtures in Huntington Station for more than 30 years, Habberstad Nissan and Habberstad VW have been sold to a New Jersey-based car dealer. Nissan of North Plainfield, N.J., owned by Patrick and Alain Dibre, bought the two dealerships from Howie Habberstad, one of two Habberstad brothers who own auto dealerships on Long Island. Terms of [...]