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Corporate tax reform, the perennial bridesmaid of Washington’s crowded and contentious policy agenda, may finally move forward over the next few months as the new Trump administration and Republican majorities in Congress attempt to fulfill top 2016 campaign commitments. Although there have been a number of studies and proposals over the years, insiders expect that House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady’s and House Speaker Paul Ryan’s ambitious but heretofore relatively obscure “Better Way” plan of June 2016 will play a major role in the current discussion due to its potential for affecting international trade, another key Trump priority. If enacted, this complex proposal would have a profound impact on all American businesses that are part of an international supply chain. This column attempts to tease out some possible implications for New Jersey.
Although the Better Way plan contains many interesting features, one provision in particular has sparked an intense and growing debate: a proposal to replace the current 35 percent federal tax on worldwide corporate income with a 20 percent tax on net income arising from the consumption of goods or use of services inside the United States. To equalize the treatment of domestic and foreign producers/service providers, the Better Way plan would apply the new 20 percent tax to imports as a “border adjustment.” For simplicity, we’ll refer to the entire scheme as a “border-adjusted tax.”
Got it? If not, don’t panic, you’re in good company. Luckily, for our current purposes we can fast-forward to the summary headline: a border-adjusted tax would effectively exempt U.S. taxpayer corporations from any U.S. tax on foreign earnings or exports while imposing a 20 percent tax on all imports.
Proponents argue that this new tax structure would be more efficient and fairer to U.S. companies that compete on a global scale — indeed, most “rich” countries do not tax foreign corporate earnings — and ultimately promote U.S. production while obviating many current tax-avoidance (tax-sheltering) strategies.
On the face of it, however, a border-adjusted tax looks like a major tax break for export-oriented companies and an equally huge protective tariff on imported goods and services. Everything else being equal, a 20 percent border adjustment would mean that Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other retailers would have to pay 20 percent more for the mostly foreign-made products they sell in the U.S. That sounds like a potential disaster for retail margins and American consumers.
Of course, everything else may not be equal. Standard economic theory asserts that the new tax structure would fuel a dramatic rise in the value of the American dollar against foreign currencies, making imports cheaper and exports more expensive in dollar terms. In theory, this anticipated change in the exchange rate would exactly offset the economic impact of both the 20 percent tax on imports and the new tax exemption for foreign earnings, leaving all producers and service providers, both domestic and foreign, in the same position as now.
Standard economic theory or not, many major retailers are extremely dubious and have launched a furious lobbying effort against the Better Way plan’s border-adjusted tax. (Memo to former Obama administration staffers: It is a very good time to be a tax or trade tax lobbyist in Washington, D.C.)
So, what does all this have to do with New Jersey?
In general, a border-adjusted tax’s impact on any one state will depend on that state’s particular economic characteristics. For an import- and logistics-oriented state with a high immigrant population like New Jersey, the effects could be profound.
Assuming no change in exchange rates, a border-adjusted tax regime would plausibly boost New Jersey’s manufacturing base. Trouble is, New Jersey has less manufacturing compared with the rest of the nation. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturing accounted for about 8.7 percent of the nation’s nonfarm employment in 2015 but only 6.1 percent of New Jersey’s nonfarm employment. More significantly, New Jersey’s 2.1 percent share of the nation’s manufactured goods exports (by value) is both small relative to its 2.8 percent share of the nation’s population and surprising in light of the state’s strategic coastal position.
Meanwhile, of course, New Jersey-based manufacturers that import components, consume services, or license intellectual property from abroad would face a substantial increase in nondeductible costs under a border-adjusted tax. Similarly, reduced demand for more expensive imports would negatively impact New Jersey’s substantial and relatively well-paid transportation, logistics, and distribution sector linked to Ports Elizabeth and Newark. In 2015, this sector provided 11.2 percent of the state’s private-sector jobs, compared with 8.8 percent nationally. Even if the border-adjusted tax ultimately boosted U.S. exports, there is no guarantee that New Jersey would grab a proportionate share of the resulting economic activity or that the shift would not be hugely disruptive.
Speaking of disruptive, a switch to a border-adjusted tax at the federal level would force a major retooling of state revenue systems, especially in states like New Jersey, which maintain a state corporate income tax with strong links to the federal corporate income tax. Although New Jersey’s Corporate Business Tax, the state’s third-largest revenue source, is overdue for a major overhaul, adjusting the CBT to a fundamentally new federal tax regime would be extremely complex and fraught with unanticipated risk.
But the largest potential impact would be on New Jerseyans as individuals. Absent a surge in the dollar, they could face much higher prices for everyday consumer staples imported from China and other countries. However, if the dollar does surge as economic theory predicts, one impact would be a dramatic reduction in the dollar-denominated value of assets (i.e., wealth) that American firms and individuals hold abroad. For a state with the third-highest ratio of foreign-born residents (over 21 percent as of 2012), many with close economic ties to their country of origin, this could have a profound adverse impact.
Although a border-adjusted tax is intriguing as national policy, the bottom line for New Jersey compared with other states appears to be less potential upside reward coupled with more downside risk. Unless you believe that academic theories and models always prove out in the ultra-complex real world economy, caution and further analysis seem warranted.


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After multiple certifications and launch teasers, Redmi India today confirmed that the Note 11S will be announced on February 9. The device will have a 108MP main camera and be powered by a MediaTek chipset, but we don’t have exact details at the moment.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S to be released on February 9
There have been rumors in the past that the phone will feature an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro unit. There will be at least three configurations, the base 6GB RAM and 64GB storage model as well as the 6/128GB intermediate option and the 8/128GB version. We’ll keep an eye out for more spec details and update you accordingly.

domain: news


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Global Ports Holdings is set to be the biggest listing in London in years after setting the range for its upcoming float.
The world’s largest independent operator of ports used by cargo and cruise ships announced plans for a UK listing last month.
It has now confirmed the price range for the float at between 735p and 875p per share, valuing GPH at between £462m and £539m.
This would make GPH the second biggest listing of 2017, behind only BioPharma Credit which was valued at £611m, and on a par with Eddie Stobart Logistics, according to PwC data.
In a rare move, the float will be open to retail investors as well as institutions. Emre Sayin, chief executive of GPH, said London had been chosen not only because of the strength of the City, but because the UK is the second biggest cruise market.
“I’m excited to be able to offer people who may have been our customers, the chance to invest,” said Emre Sayin, chief executive of GPH. The minimum investment is £1,000.
He added that the company had received “very encouraging feedback” since announcing the flotation in mind-April, which he said “highlighted the strength of our business model and the potential to build on our market leading position”.
The company has 14 ports - including in Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik - handling 7.8m passengers a year.
Proceeds from the flotation, which is intended to raise a minimum of $200m (£155m), will be used to fund further expansion, with Mr Sayin saying that top regions for acquisitions are the Mediterranean - where GPH has almost a 25pc market share - and the Caribbean and Asia.
The company added Labour peer Lord Mandelson to its board in March, an appointment which the chief executive said allowed them to tap into the former EU Trade Commissioner’s extensive network of global contacts to help them access new markets.
GPH is currently in talks with nine ports in Europe, seven ports in the Caribbean and four ports in Asia about potential deals.
Last year the company had annual revenues of $115m and and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation to $81m, with the company’s model of offering cruise passengers going through its terminals services which are useful during port calls. It sees itself as being in a market similar to that of airports 30 years ago, with similar opportunities to place retail outlets, cafes and services such as money changing and mobile phone deals to passengers.
The majority owner of GPH is Istanbul-listed Global Investment Holdings, which holds almost 90pc of the business, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development controlling the remainder.
The IPO market slowed in the wake of the Brexit vote, with listings abandoned or shelved because of uncertainty, worsening an already slow year that was the quietest since 2012.


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Pharmaceutical packaging company Sharp Corp. wants to expand its operations in Upper Macungie.
Sharp, at 7451 Keebler Way, plans to add floor space to build more "clean rooms" -- sterile and climate-controlled -- as well as remodel an adjacent 25,000-square-foot building on Keebler Way for production, according to a report in The Morning Call. It would add 10 to 12 employees to its roll of 250 to 300 employees, the report said.
A decade ago, Sharp had converted a former Keebler warehouse into "clean rooms" to package medicines such as Comtrex, Sudafed and Nicorette.
According to its website, Sharp’s facility in Upper Macungie, which opened in 2004, is 180,000 square feet with 30 suites and an automated warehouse. It recently added biotech and clinical packaging suites and cold storage capability.


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Raving fans across the world visit the world’s biggest electronic dance music festivals Tomorrowland every year. This year Tomorrowland music festival will gather music lovers in Belgium from July 19 to 29.
Interesting fact associated with this year’s Tomorrowland is that the crew and about 8,000 participants will be wearing T-shirts made by Indian tribals.
The Tomorrowland team, on account of celebrating their 15th anniversary, aspires to send out a powerful message by opting for sustainable T-shirts for their crew members.
These T-shirts made of organic cotton is manufactured in the garment factories based at Tirupur and Coimbatore. The cotton was raised in 26 villages under Pachipenta, Kurupam and Gummalakshmipuram in Vizianagaram district and Bhamini of Srikakulam district by the tribals of Andhra Pradesh. 230 farmers cultivated about 18 tonnes of organic cotton to be transformed into T-shirts.
It has been possible due to the vision and efforts of Grameena Vikas Kendram, an NGO along with the partnership of Urban Fibres, Belgium. The NGO under its Regenerate the Environment Society and Economy through Textiles (RESET) programme, took utmost care in producing the cotton by teaming up with farmers, ginners, spinners, knitters, dyers and garment workers in the supply chain.
The regenerative cotton was produced using climate resilient techniques and carbon farming. Farmers were convinced not to use chemical pesticides and herbicides and synthetic fertilisers. Furthermore, the unisex model T-shirts were printed with eco-friendly dyes.
“It’s a proud moment for us to sell 30,000 sustainable crew T-shirts for one of world’s largest music festivals by assuring 30% additional income for the tribal cotton growers of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts,” Sarat Gidda, Vice President of the NGO, told to a leading newspaper.
Seeing the response, the NGO is further aiming for 62,500 acres and 15,000 farmers in the coming five years for the cultivation of regenerative cotton. Through RESET, it has plans to take up organic cotton cultivation in Kadapa of Andhra Pradesh and Warangal of Telangana by later this year. “Our aim is to create the world’s first regenerative cotton value chain by imbibing the principles of ethical production and calling for conscious consumption, seriatim setting in motion, a self-sustaining system,” affirmed Sarat.
Image Source: http://eventdeals.com


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Right in the centre of the smartphone revolution is Qualcomm, whose processors and modems are found inside every major smartphone nowadays. The company has played a major role in making LTE a common feature in today’s smartphones and has constantly pushed the bar forward in mobile performance and battery life.
Qualcomm usually releases two major SoCs in a year, around which most OEMs plan their device launches. This year, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 801 at MWC, a seemingly minor upgrade over its predecessor — the Snapdragon 800. The successor of 801 though, dubbed Snapdragon 805, is slated to be released later this year and promises to push the bar in terms of performance in mobile devices even higher.


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The pandemic has severely affected the tourism and hospitality sector. Urgo Canada Hotels (UHC) did not deliver, but the company nevertheless managed to recover to continue its development.
The name of the company may not be familiar to you, but its hotels certainly are. UHC operates 17 hotels in Canada with over 2,600 rooms, mainly located in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces. Large international signage such as Hilton and Marriott, to name a few, are part of their portfolio.
“We own several hotels, developer and hotel manager for different groups,” explains Serge Primo, managing partner and president of UHC, part of Urgo Hotels & Resorts, an American company headquartered in Maryland.
technology to the rescue
Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has had to deal with a significant decrease in the number of customers in the hotels it manages or owns.
“Over the course of a year, we recorded very modest occupancy rates,” confirms Mr. Primo. However, we had to serve our customers well, who had new needs. Technology has become essential to managing our customers. This is one of the greatest lessons of the COVID-19 crisis. ”
universal health coverage Quickly implement digital hotel signage service platforms to facilitate contactless check-in and check-out. Room access is now also done electronically, as a code is sent to the guest to unlock their room door. “We have already planned to roll out these digital services, but the pandemic has speeded up the process,” explains Serge Primo.
Many clients, confined to their rooms, needed a stable and fast internet connection to be able to work remotely. “They can conduct several video conferencing on the same day and have access to their company’s IT system. Fortunately, we have just modernized all our IT infrastructure, which has enabled us to provide a service that meets the expectations of our customers,” confirms Mr. Primo.
In this period of change and uncertainty, Videotron Business technologies have helped the company deal with the situation.
since last summer, universal health coverage It is working to re-launch its activities. “Quebec tourists are back, especially in resort hotels, which have a good level of attendance,” Mr. Primo said. We are also receiving more and more American and Ontario tourists. As for international customers, we’ll have to wait until Spring 2022 to see them come back in numbers. The same goes for business agreements. ”
So the company continues its growth momentum with the opening of six new hotels in Quebec since last spring. Among them is the Delta Mont-Sainte-Anne, with 211 rooms, which is located at the foot of the ski and mountain bike resort in the Charlevoix region.
Last June there was also the opening of the Humaniti, a 193-room luxury establishment under the Marriott Autograph Collection theme, attached to the prestigious Humaniti real estate complex, in downtown Montreal.
“We still have several projects in the pipeline, including a new hotel in Laval that will open its doors at the end of 2022,” reveals Serge Primo. We also want to increase our presence across the country by adding new institutions to our portfolio of assets in other provinces. ”
The opening of new hotels in the midst of a pandemic testifies to the reputation of a successful company. universal health coverage. “The future is bright for us,” he says.
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Update: The August security update for Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ has started rolling out in India as well. It weighs in at around 600MB for both devices, and arrives as version G955FXXU1AQH3 for the S8+.
Original story follows:
Sprint has announced that it has enabled the Calling PLUS functionality on Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ units on its network. It lets you use WiFi calling and VoLTE in conjunction - the latter was not available on Sprint's Galaxy S8 duo earlier.
Scheduled to be released today, the update arrives as version G950USQU1AQGL for the Galaxy S8 and G955USQU1AQGL for the S8+. Following is the complete change-log (common for both devices).
Meanwhile, Samsung has started pushing out the August security update to the flagship duo. Weighing in at around 600MB, the update is currently hitting units in Germany, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Aside from the latest security patch, the update also includes improvements related to auto brightness control and PC connection stability.


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Virginia farmers can count Cuba out as a possible place to sell their products, again.
Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Carlton Courter says state officials have decided to cancel an agricultural trade mission to Cuba set for this spring. Courter said the political climate is not conducive to furthering trade right now.
Officials with 12 Virginia companies accompanied Courter and Secretary of Commerce and Trade Michael Schewel on a trade mission to Cuba last October, trying to sell wood, pork, apples and soybeans to the island nation.
Maryland agricultural officials recently announced they have canceled a scheduled trade mission to Cuba as well.


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Trade War (USA-China) Impact on India
05, Sep 2018
Prelims level : Mains level : GS - II Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Timeline of trade war:
- President Trump placed a 30% tariff on foreign solar panels on January, 2018, mainly targeting Chinese exports.
- The USTR initiates an investigation into certain acts, policies and practices of the Chinese government relating to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation.
- USA explored the opportunity of putting tariffs over Chinese products and imposed the proposed tariffs stating it as a response to the unfair trade practices of China over the years including theft of U.S. intellectual property
- In March, import duties of 25 per cent and 10 per cent on steel and aluminium respectively on USA import.
- The US-China trade war officially started with both nations slapping tariffs worth $34 billion on each other’s exports in June
- China reacted listing down its plans to counter the US decision by hitting the American exports with 25 percent The proposed package targeted over 100 US-made products, including cars, airplanes, and soybeans, the top US agricultural export to China, covering $50 billion worth of US exports
- The problem with the tactic of weaponizing tariffs, however, is that this artillery leaves huge collateral damage in its wake and the outcome is nearly impossible to control in an integrated global economy
Impact on India causing threats: / Rupee:
- The biggest impact could be on the rupee which is already battling historic lows against the US The rising price of oil threatens to widen India’s current account deficit, impacting India’s macroeconomic stability and weakening the rupee.
- The US Federal Reserve is already poised to end its quantitative easing policy and has embarked on gradual hiking of interest rates, encouraging flight of capital from debt and equity markets in emerging economies. The trade war will put the process on steroids.
- Inflation in the USA may compel the US Federal Reserve to hike interest rates, and this may lead to capital outflow from emerging markets as American investors look to chasebetter returns back home and in the process, they make the Indian market into a squeeze
- India is obviously one of those countries with higher exposure to commodities, especially oil imports, so it will widen the current account deficit into a deeper stretch and this is basically negative for rupee
- Consequently, our petroleum products exports will become uncompetitive with rising fuel price
- Steel and aluminium product export from India to USA will be hit due to USA tariff on it
- Inflation will be on the upswing with increase in oil price, even though oil price rise is not related to trade war.
- Nonetheless increase in oil price will cause increase in price of daily food needs in India
- Our exports plus imports of goods and services constitute around 42% of GDP. Also, we have a current account deficit dependent on external capital inflows for financing.
- Dumping of Chinese goods may happen in future due to closing of gate in USA and this may hurt our manufacturing sector and our ambitious “Made in India” project.
- Foreign investments may be reduced or investors will be cautious to invest in India due to trade war and this will affect job creation
- USA trade war on the world is likely to cause a strain on the relationship between India and USA because of recent forcing of USA president towards India to reduce the import duty on Harley Davidson bikes in India
- It may bolster India’s bargaining position with respect to USA because of USA reactionary policies towards china, the china and Russia are getting closer and also the growing Russia Pakistan bilateral relations, is evident in first bilateral military exercise between Russia and Pakistan –DRUZBHA held recently, will isolate the USA in south Asia leaving only India as a only lynchpin against china in “Asia pivot policy”
- International institutions are also affected by this war like WTO,
- USA threatened to withdraw from the WTO if the trade body acts against USA interests. This undermines the reputation and also destabilize the WTO position in global order.
Impact on India causing opportunities:
- In the short to medium term, the US-China trade tussle presents some opportunities. India has a $51.08 billion trade deficit with China may benefit
- China imposed levies on US goods such as soybean and simultaneously removes them from Indian Beijing has reportedly slashed tariffs on soybean imported from India, South Korea, Bangladesh, Laos, and Sri Lanka from the current three percent to zero, which may boost our soybean export to china
- Some experts are cautiously optimistic that if Chinese exports to the US slow down as a result of the trade war, India may be able to gain some traction in textile, garments and gems and jewellery
- It may also create an market opportunity for India in Europe as USA is also imposing tariffs on Europe also.
- India may also seek the opportunity to reduce its own trade deficit against And, also take the relations to a new height. of late, India and China have taken conciliatory and coordinated steps on stabilizing bilateral ties.
- While China has made it easier for India to export non-Basmati rice, removed import duties on anti-cancer drugs and agreed to share (hydrological) data and
- India has also moved to allay its fears on Indo-Pacific policy, put subtle distance between Delhi and the Dalai Lama, given license to Bank of China to operate within its shores and given in to Chinese demands on renaming of Taiwan
- If anything, that history teaches us on trade war means that there is no winner but always losers
- With recovering of global economy is in nascent stage after the 2008 sub-prime crisis, this trade war between the two large economies could derail the global economic growth and also badly hurt the developing countries
- Moreover, there are forums like WTO to deal with trade disputes and both USA and china should deal this through WTO and negotiations not through retaliatory tariffs.


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ADOTAS — Adify has unveiled a transparent, brand-safe global ad network that gives advertisers private marketplaces for their campaigns.
Adify Media reaches across the vertical ad networks that use Adify Network Builder as well as several Cox media properties to give advertisers and media planners customized access to engaged, educated and affluent audiences. Adify Media has already created private marketplaces for top marketers such as Best Western Hotels, Eukanuba, Febreze, HP, Microsoft and Can-Am Spyder roadster.
Adify now offers two distinct and compliementary lines of business – Adify Network Builder and Adify Media. Adify Network Builder provides Global 100 Media Companies, entrepreneurs, advertisers and quality independent publishers the tools and services to create vertical ad networks that reach highly engaged audiences. while Adify Media delivers opt-in supplemental media revenues for Adify Network Builder customers to maximize the value they generate from online advertising.
The cable company Cox acquired Adify for $300 million last year. According to ComScore, vertical ad networks have increased substantially in the past year, from 21.5 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience in March 2008 to 57.1 percent in March 2009.


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Creative Noggin reports that the agency’s two-year client contract with the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau was recently renewed.
Business partners Trish McCabe Rawls and Tracy Mask Marlowe secured the initial pact in 2009 and take pride in creating serious traction for Texas tourism, focusing on the local Fredericksburg economy.
“It’s been wonderful seeing the client achieve growth during a time period when so many destinations are struggling or flat,” Marlowe says.
With a goal of highlighting the unique attributes (such as shopping, food/wine, heritage, art, the great outdoors) which grace Fredericksburg, the CN team developed a series of ads, “rather than trying to throw everything (at it) but the kitchen sink,” explains Marlowe.
Ads are married with the content on Fredericksburg CVB’s new Web site (which Marlowe and Rawls launched on July 25).
The site not only carries the brand’s new look-and-feel, but presents the content in a consistent framework.
“The team at Creative Noggin, in conjunction with our internal staff, has done a great job in the past two years of interpreting the Fredericksburg brand in a fresh and innovative way,” says Ernie Loeffler, director of Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau.
He explains that the CN team synthesized knowledge gained from the bureau’s brand audit and successfully integrated it into all marketing materials: purchased advertising; print collateral; Web site-social media and a corporate identity package.
“The historic German town angle certainly hasn’t changed,” adds Rawls. “But with more sophisticated offerings available, we had to update the brand to appeal to a younger set, which is a good match for all that Fredericksburg has to offer.”
For more information, check out the CVB’s Web Site at the following link: www.VisitFredericksburgTX.com.
An innovator by nature, Beverly Ingle thinks creatively and does not shirk from intuition. Spending the last 20 years in the advertising industry, Ingle gradually realized that marketing success revolved not only around the product, but also the process.
Employing this epiphany and armed with massive research, Ingle recently founded Resilient By Design. Her new company teaches “design thinking,” which may possibly spark an evolution of the solution.
Ingle explains design thinking as a seven-stage process in which problems can be framed, the right questions can be asked, more ideas can be created, and the best answers can be chosen.
“The steps aren’t linear; they can occur simultaneously and can be repeated,” she says. “Design thinkers share a common set of values that drive innovation, including creativity, ambidextrous thinking, teamwork, end-user focus and curiosity.”
Ingle is in the process of developing a book of business based on this new expertise, which she estimates will require a significant amount of time, focus and effort to educate the market. But she’s up for the challenge.
“I’m not exactly selling services that are immediately recognized by the average business or community leader, but once they are understood, leaders enthusiastically embrace the power of design strategy and innovation processes and the ability to produce sustainable change,” Ingle says.
She stresses that these new tools are commonly used on the West Coast, and while the concepts seem foreign now, they soon won’t be.
“Effectively managing innovation so that the changes are sustainable is incredibly important to realize resiliency and success in today’s market. ... I can’t emphasize that enough,” Ingle adds. “It is the end of the world as we know it.
Go to www.resilientbydesign.com.
Got TEDx? Last year, a devoted group of thought leaders banded together at Trinity University to create the TEDxSanAntonio experience.
With featured speakers igniting deep discussion and connection, the event united a small group bursting with big ideas. This year, on Oct. 15, they’re back — fueled, in part, by the time and talent of ad industry volunteers such as Jennifer Miliken from Roger Christian; Brooke LaRue Miceli from Creative Link; and Guerra DeBerry Coody’s Marcie Casas. The group is now in the midst of a quest for speakers and sponsors.
“We’re working on speaker recruitment,” explains Milikien. “Possible topics are infinite. San Antonio is chock-full of talent and creativity, and TEDxSanAntonio is one of the few events where these are both highlighted and encouraged.”
Casas agrees. “It’s about unleashing creativity and seeing the profound impact that a single idea can have on a community,” she says. “TEDxSanAntonio has the power to bring together people from just about every industry in San Antonio.”
Milikien adds that, as a volunteer for TEDxSanAntonio, she and her PR teammates are helping promote some of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking minds in this city — and beyond.
To suggest a TEDX speaker or to learn more, go to http://www.TEDxSanAntonio.com/speakers/suggest-a-speaker.


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Writing an automobile's obituary
By ROBERT KOCH
Hour Staff Writer
In their day, Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler automobiles were easily recognized by their lines and styling, and known for their quality engineering, according to Myron Semchuck, a Norwalk car enthusiast who proudly owns a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere and a 1967 Dodge Dart GT convertible.
Like other classic car buffs, Semchuk took notice when Chrysler LLC filed for bankruptcy last Thursday.
"It's kind of sad, because it seems Americans kind of had a love affair with their (American-made) cars for years, and now all of a sudden that's going away. Chrysler was always noted for their engineering. They were the cutting edge. Now they're not cutting edge -- they're not even in the running anymore. I feel bad about that," Semchuk said. "As far as old car enthusiasts, there is still going to be a soft spot in your heart."
"(But) it seems Chrysler is heading the way of Studebaker and American Motors," Semchuk said.
Chrysler, the nation's third-largest car manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy protection last Thursday after a group of creditors defied government pressure to wipe out the automaker's debt. The company plans to emerge in as little as 30 days as a leaner, more nimble company, with Fiat potentially becoming the majority owner.
Attorneys for Chrysler LLC will ask a federal bankruptcy judge Monday to let the ailing automaker start using a new infusion of $4.5 billion in loans from the Treasury Department to keep operating under bankruptcy protection.
Semchuk said he also once owned an American Motors Corp. Rambler. These days, his prize possessions are the red-and-white Belvedere, which has its original lines and fins, but also some more modern features, such as a sun roof, disc brakes, air conditioning and a 350-cubic-inch Chevy Corvette engine.
His Dodge Dart is red with a black convertible top. The 225-cubic-inch slant six-cylinder engine is paired with an automatic transmission. Semchuk said he had the car since his college days.
"It's in pretty good shape. I enter it in car shows and drive it around on Sundays," Semchuck said. "I'm going to try to keep it as long as I can. It reminds me of the gold old days of Chrysler and Plymouth."
Fred A. Bondi, Norwalk councilman and member of the Coachmen Rod & Custom Car Club, fondly remembers his 2006 Chrysler 300, which he traded last year for a Cadillac. He said he's not giving up on Chrysler and may even trade his Cadillac for another Chrysler.
"(The Chrysler 300) drove beautifully, it looked very nice," Bondi said. "I was thinking about trading my Cadillac in because I wasn't happy with it. This was before the (bankruptcy) talks, but I think they'll probably come out of it with the Fiat talks and the government."
While the prospect of American automobile manufacturers going out of business leaves car buffs shuddering, it wouldn't mean the end of collecting and restoring old Belvederes, Darts, Pontiac GTOs, Chevelles and Ford Mustangs, according to car collectors. Parts for such vehicles still can be found, they say.
"I don't think it means anything, because the only way you can get parts for that car now is you have to go on the Internet, or we have to find them in junkyards," Bondi said. "Guys that have had the Dodges and Chryslers, they love those cars and they're pretty loyal to those cars."
"We have some guys that think Mopar, which is the Dodge company, is all they want to own. And the same thing goes with guys that own Fords and Chevys. Those are the cars they continue to love," Bondi said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story


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This fall Supreme has joined Clarks to release a new style – the Desert Mali Boot. Custom fit for Supreme, the shoes will come in a genuine leather and a nubuck suede upper, leather insole and lining, and crepe sole bottom with a debossed logo on the heel loop. The Desert Mali Boot will be available in four different colorways made exclusively for Supreme. Available in-store in New York, LA, London and online on October 20th, and Japan on October 22nd.


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This year's National Day holiday in China saw record numbers of people taking trips at home and abroad, but many Chinese tourists now seem to be shunning the colossal shopping trips they were once renowned for in favor of a bit more rest and relaxation.
More than 30,000 people a day visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwestern Sichuan Province during the weeklong holiday beginning on Oct. 1
A police officer commented on his blog that he "could not tell if it was a center for breeding pandas or for people," after directing traffic at the site.
Congestion at the newly opened Shanghai Disneyland reached epic proportions during the holiday. One local resident said he had to wait over two hours for a 5-minute ride. "It is more like hell than a magic kingdom," he said.
According to the National Tourism Administration, the number of people traveling domestically and abroad during this year's holiday reached a record 593 million, up 13% from last year. Spending increased 14% to 482.2 billion yuan ($71.1 billion), also a record.
The number of people traveling by train was another record high. On Oct. 7, the last day, traffic jams formed on expressways across the country with the volume of people returning from vacation.
The throngs of people on their way home also threw train stations and airports into a state of complete chaos.
This year, however, was marked by a diversified set of destinations and purposes. Rising income levels and the easing of visa requirements meant there was an increase in the number of people traveling overseas. The number of people visiting Russia doubled from the same period last year, below the numbers visiting South Korea and Japan.
Morocco, Tunisia and Tonga were also popular destinations, each seeing the number of Chinese tourists quadruple from a year ago.
Unease in Hong Kong
Chinese tourists gained a reputation for being big shoppers and going on group sightseeing tours.
However, the keyword now seems to be "relaxing."
Even when visiting Japan, previously a common destination for mammoth shopping sprees, more people now seem to be opting for activities like trying on kimono or watching fireflies.
"The number of people who want to create memories through extraordinary experiences is increasing," said an official at the China National Tourism Administration, signalling shifting consumption patterns.
However, this has led to a sense of impending crisis in Hong Kong, another traditional shopping mecca.
Coupled with the fall of the yuan, the move away from shopping holidays spells trouble for the territory's retailers.
Sales at jewelry giant Chow Sang Sang Holdings International dropped about 10% year-on-year during the week. Shares of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group slumped to a four-month low after it announced sales during the July-September period had fallen 30% on Oct. 17.
Cosmetics have also seen a decline in sales.
Exacerbated by the effects of the lower consumption tax rate on cosmetics in China brought in on Oct. 1, sales of beauty products in Hong Kong decreased "between 8% and 9%" in value during the holiday, according to the Cosmetic & Perfumery Association of Hong Kong.
Beijing's Finance Ministry initiated the measure to spur consumption across mainland China.
Although nearly 80% of tourists who visit Hong Kong are Chinese, Rickey Tse, chairman of the Hong Kong Inbound Tour Operators Association, said, "We cannot rely only on Chinese people."
The number of Chinese traveling abroad over the whole of 2016 is expected to reach around 130 million people, an increase of 12% from 2015, more than the entire population of Japan.


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St Pierre Belgian Waffle with Butter has won the gold award in the Breakfast Food category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s 2020 sofi™ Awards, distinguishing it from nearly 2,000 entries across 39 product categories.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized among our peers within the specialty food industry,” said Paul Baker, co-founder of St Pierre Groupe. “When we launched the brand to the U.S. in 2012, we had no idea what to expect. It’s been a truly humbling and rewarding experience. And we are so proud of moments like this.”
This is the first time St Pierre has won a sofiTM Award. As the number one brioche brand and one of the fastest-growing bakery brands in the U.S.1, St Pierre has experienced positive year-over-year growth, with sales jumping more than 70% in 20192 and another 60% in 20203. The Belgian Waffle with Butter is part of a range of more than 20 products including sliced brioche bread, croissants and filled crepes.
St Pierre products are made from authentic recipes in France and Belgium, inspired by European café culture, to elevate every meal experience and make every day magnifique. St Pierre can be found in the bakery department at national and regional retailers like Target, Kroger, Meijer and Food Lion.
The Specialty Food Association’s sofiTM Awards have been honoring the best in specialty food for 48 years. A panel of expert industry judges selected the sofiTM Award winners through a blind tasting process. Products are judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality and innovation. For the complete list of the winners, visit https://www.specialtyfood.com/
To learn more about St Pierre, visit www.stpierrebakery.com.
About St Pierre
St Pierre is the No. 1 brioche brand and fastest-growing bakery brand in the U.S.1 Based in the U.K., St Pierre was introduced to the U.S. market in 2012 to bring the European bakery experience to the mainstream U.S. consumer. St Pierre is part of U.K.-based St Pierre Groupe, an international market leader in the bakery sector with a brand portfolio that also includes Baker Street and Paul Hollywood.
About the Specialty Food Association
Founded in 1952 in New York City, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) is the leading advocate for the $158.4 billion specialty food industry. Representing makers, importers, entrepreneurs, retailers, distributors and others in the trade, the SFA aims to champion, nurture and connect its members to deliver traditional and innovative new products to consumers that expand consumption of specialty foods. With over 4,000 member companies, the Association helps its members through providing information, research, educational events, and celebrating the industry through its awards programs. The SFA is known for hosting the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows and presents the sofi™ Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com
1 Nielsen, ACN Report, February 2018 AOC
2 Nielsen, ACN Report, December 2019 AOC
3 Nielsen, ACN Report, August 2020 AOC


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The eMarketer’s latest UK retail ecommerce forecast has revealed an increase in smartphone use to buy goods and services in the UK.
The new study shows that 58.6% of the country’s digital buyers ages 14 and older, accounting for 25.17 million people, will make online purchases via smartphone in 2017.
According to eMarketer’s predictions, UK retail ecommerce sales made via smartphones will be worth GBP 16 billion in 2017, accounting for 46.5% of overall retail mobile ecommerce sales, which includes both smartphones and other mobile devices such as tablets. Furthermore, the total value of transactions made through mobile ecommerce is expected to hit GBP 35 billion.
Following this trends, the smartphone commerce will increase by 45.7% from 2016, outpacing the anticipated 14.5% increase in overall retail ecommerce. Further predictions put the retail mobile ecommerce in the UK at GBP 58.50 billion, with a 51.7% share of the country’s retail ecommerce sales, by 2021.


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NYC’s Most Affordable Offices Being Depleted, Broker SaysDavid M. Levitt
The surge of office demand from New York’s technology, media and fashion companies is rapidly depleting the supply of affordable space in the city, especially in lower Manhattan, according to brokerage Studley Inc.
Downtown had 4.3 million square feet (399,000 square meters) of available Class B offices at the end of last month, 45 percent less than in 2011, Studley said in a report posted on its website today. The market’s lower rents are being taken advantage of by a wide range of cost-conscious tenants, including engineers and architects, advertising, schools and health care, Studley executives said.
While lower Manhattan’s smaller and older office buildings are filling up, the area’s supply of the highest-quality, most-expensive space has been growing, with the opening of new skyscrapers at the World Trade Center site. As the downtown market gets tighter, tenants are going to have to reach deeper into their pockets for some of that real estate, said Heidi Learner, Studley’s chief economist.
“The early-bird tenants have largely taken the best stock” of Class B and C offices, she said in an interview. Latecomers “are going to be forced to go into a little higher-quality space and pay up for it, while realizing that what they’re paying is still significantly less than what they’d be paying in either Midtown or midtown south.”
Downtown has about 8.7 million square feet of unrented Class A space, including 4.4 million square feet added in the three years through March, according to Studley. That includes offices in the new 4 World Trade Center and the almost-completed 1 World Trade Center, the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building. The market has a total of 95 million square feet of offices.
Leases were signed for about 10 million square feet of downtown space in the year through March, the biggest four-quarter tally since 2000, the firm said. The surge was driven largely by creative companies, many of them looking for better rents than they can get in the converted factories of midtown south, where demand has pushed costs out of reach for some smaller firms.
A report published in December by New York City’s Economic Development Corp. said the need for Class B and C buildings, critical to companies that have grown out of their startup phase, will exceed the supply starting in 2018. That’s due to the expected expansion of such companies and conversions of old buildings to residences, typically the most lucrative property type for developers.
“If we really want to help these businesses grow, we need to really use our resources and some of the tools in our toolbox, whether it’s zoning or tax incentives to encourage the preservation of existing B-space or funkier spaces that these companies want to be in,” Alicia Glen, New York’s deputy mayor for housing and economic development, told reporters last week after a speech to the Association for a Better New York.
She advocates encouraging commercial and manufacturing zones outside of the city’s central business districts.
“We actively want to see mixed-use communities,” Glen said.
While the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio has made creation of more affordable housing one of its top priorities, it also plans to “take a fresh look” at the need for less-costly offices in all five boroughs, Kyle Kimball, president of the Economic Development Corp., said in an e-mail last month.
State economic incentives, implemented after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to encourage companies to move to lower Manhattan, were renewed in the new state budget, Learner said. That should soften the blow of higher rents, she said.
The availability rate of Class B and C offices downtown fell to 8.7 percent at the end of the first quarter, compared with the 15.2 percent rate of early 2011, according to a draft of a separate report by Studley. Space priced at less than $40 a square foot was depleted by the middle of last year, prompting tenants to look at buildings formerly dominated by financial companies along Water Street on the east side.
Among companies taking advantage of downtown’s lower costs was MacMillan Publishers Ltd.’s science and education unit, which in the quarter took about 176,000 square feet at 1 New York Plaza, a 50-story tower near the foot of Manhattan owned by Brookfield Office Properties Inc. Similar-quality space downtown costs about $20 less per square foot than in Midtown, said Steve Coutts, senior vice president for research at Studley.
Asking rents in lower Manhattan averaged $49.12 a square foot at the end of the quarter, a 22 percent jump from a year earlier, according to data published yesterday by brokerage Cushman & Wakefield Inc. Office rents in midtown south averaged $60.02 a square foot, a 15 percent increase. In Midtown, the largest and most expensive U.S. office market, the average was $70.06 a square foot, up 6 percent.
Leasing throughout Manhattan is accelerating even as banks and other large financial companies scale back, said Donald Noland, managing director of research at Cushman. The roughly 9.4 million square feet leased in the first quarter was the highest three-month total in 10 years, he said.
While tenants still have choices, the market is more likely to be tighter than looser over the next six months, Noland said.
One question is whether the trend will help fill vacancies at the World Trade Center, where 2.4 million square feet remain available in towers 1 and 4. Two 2 million square feet more may be added if 3 World Trade Center is built. The planned tower, where advertising firm GroupM Inc. has agreed to take 500,000 square feet, is the subject of financing negotiations between developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the 16-acre (6.5-hectare) site.
One World Trade Center is seeing “considerable interest” from media, technology, fashion and financial services companies, according to Eric Engelhardt, who oversees leasing for the Durst Organization, the Port Authority’s development partner on the tower. Conde Nast Publications Inc. will be the anchor tenant, with 1.2 million square feet of space.


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UK food and drink exports reach £16.4bn in first nine months of 2018
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has published analysis showing that food and drink exports increased by 1.8% to £16.4bn from January to September 2018, when compared to the same period in 2017. Exports of branded goods grew £35.2m to £4.3bn, up 0.8%.
The food and drink trade deficit narrowed by 1.3% and it now stands at -£18.0bn, which is £243.0m lower than the same period in 2017. Export growth to EU markets (+4.1%) was positive, while exports to non-EU markets declined (-1.8%), with the EU exports share growing to 62.1%.
The analysis also includes national and regional export comparison across the UK. England has shown growth of just 6.2%, compared to the increase of 9.2% in Wales. FDF analysis of English regions reveals that the East Midlands and North East of England recorded growth of just 2.6% and 0.8% respectively in 2015-17. These rates are much lower than leading export regions, with the South East showing growth of 8.4% and London 7.2% during the same period.
The variation in growth across nations and regions indicates that there may be businesses in some parts of the country where export potential remains untapped.
Ian Wright CBE, chief executive, Food and Drink Federation, said: “Despite the tumultuous times, UK food and drink exports continue to grow. These results record a very creditable performance across many product categories and destination markets.”
Minister of State at the Department for International Trade, Graham Stuart, said: “UK food and drink is highly-regarded across the world, and I’m delighted that these latest figures from the Food and Drink Federation show such a positive increase in exports. It’s testament to the dedication and commitment to quality of UK businesses.”
Elsa Fairbanks, director, Food & Drink Exports Association (FDEA), said: “The FDEA has received positive feedback from members in our recent 2018 Export Survey – exporters of all sizes from around the UK. Most respondents report continued export growth both in EU and non-EU markets although in the main this comes from more “established” markets. As the reality of the changing trading environment emerges, there is concern that sales may start to fall in the EU after Brexit and many exporters are exploring opportunities in new areas further afield. In light of this, we fully endorse the need for practical help and support to ensure that companies are prepared for what lies ahead.”


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According to Tile Trader, another of the hot design directions for 2018 will be home owners seeking to transform the bathroom with a luxury resort vibe. This year, home owners will seek to recreate the elegance of a boutique spa at home. To help them on their way, Tile Trader is offering the subtle texture and muted tones of Java wall and floor tiles. This range exudes tranquillity, ideal for transforming the bathroom into a relaxing sanctuary.
Instarmac Group acquires Granfix Products One big news story in the tile adhesive and grout sector in the last 12...Continue Reading
The Spanish tile industry comes together once a year in Valencia to share all that is beautiful, inventive and designed...Continue Reading
Caesarstone’s recently launched Metropolitan Collection, comprising of nine colours, has been shortlisted for the Surfaces category in the FX International...Continue Reading


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The net profit of Infosys, the country’s second-largest IT service company, rose 6.3% to Rs 4,335 crore in the March quarter. However, due to the uncertainties caused by the coronavirus, the company has not disclosed any estimate about the company’s earnings in FY 2020-21.
Infosys has told the BSE that the company had a net profit of Rs 4,078 crore in the same period a year ago. The company has stated that its income increased by 8 percent to Rs 23,267 crore in the period January-March 2020. The company had a revenue of Rs 21,539 crore between January and March last year.
“Considering the uncertainty associated with the business due to Covid-19, the company is currently expected to disclose an estimate of earnings and margins in FY 2020-21,” Infosys said in a briefing to the stock markets.
Infosys Q4 net profit up 6.3 pc at Rs 4,335 crore; revenue rises 8 pc to Rs 23,267 crore
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 20, 2020
Infosys Chief Operating Officer Praveen Rao said that the COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on the operating model since the last few weeks of March.
Infosys net profit grew by 8 percent to Rs 16,639 crore in FY 2019-20. During this period, the company’s revenue also increased by 9.8 percent to Rs 90,791 crore. The company has decided to pay a final dividend at the rate of Rs 9.50 per share.


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Toys R Us extends layaway
The Columbus Dispatch - October 18, 2012 11:41 AM
Toys R Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16.
The offer, which started in September, was originally going to end on Oct. 31 but was extended after customers responded enthusiastically to the program, the retailer said in a release.
After Toys R Us announced its layaway program, other retailers stepped up and announced their own programs, including Walmart and Kmart.


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Performance list for the Nike Victor Cahoon Track Classic to be held Saturday, May 13th at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas, Virginia. MileStat.com will be on-site...
List of committed schools for the Nike Victor Cahoon Track Classic. Reminder: The deadline for entry is May 9, 2006 at 11:59 pm. Register at www.directathletics.com
- No discussion yet. Be the first!


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- News tagged "microsoft"
Monday, 25 Nov 2013
A number of Xbox One owners are reporting issues with their consoles' disc drives, where it will click and grind whenever a disc is inserted and would not read discs properly.
Thursday, 21 Nov 2013
One of the biggest mobile app hackathons in the world will be happening in Singapore this weekend, on 23 November and 24 November. The 36-hour hackathon will see developers, designers and entrepreneurs try to build an app that will win them entry into the AngelHack Global Hackcelerator Program.
Wednesday, 20 Nov 2013
A visibly emotional Bill Gates tears up at a shareholder meeting when he talks about Microsoft's search for a new CEO.
Friday, 8 Nov 2013
Microsoft says it's aware of targeted attacks mainly in the Middle East and South Asia, which affect customers using Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Office 2003-2010, and all supported versions of Microsoft Lync. While a security update is in the works, concerned users can apply a Microsoft Fix it solution now.
Thursday, 7 Nov 2013
In conjunction with the launch of IE11, Microsoft Singapore today unveiled Inori Aizawa (藍澤 祈), an original anime character whose backstory symbolizes the browser's transformation into a contemporary browser. A special anime version of IE11 featuring Inori will also be made available for download starting today.
According to reports, Microsoft has shortened its list of potential new CEOs from about 40 to just 8 - five of whom are outside of Microsoft and three from within.
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2013
Microsoft has acknowledged mouse lag issues in some games on Windows 8.1 and is currently working on a fix. In the meanwhile, there are a few workarounds you can try.
Thursday, 31 Oct 2013
It has been confirmed that Call of Duty: Ghosts will run at just 720p resolution on the Xbox One, whereas the PlayStation 4 gamers will get to enjoy the game in all of its 1080p glory.
According to Microsoft, Windows XP systems have an infection rate that's six times higher than Windows 8. And this is likely to increase once support for the 12-year old OS comes to an end next year.
Monday, 14 Oct 2013
Microsoft has officially detailed what's new in the upcoming Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update. The third and last update of 2013 will bring support for larger and higher-res screens, quad-core processors, as well as a handful of features such as Driving mode, improved Internet Sharing, and screen rotation lock. Hit the jump for more juicy details.


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Most UK consumers now have pre-owned items, clothing most popular category
Around 25% of people in the UK have no pre-owned items in their wardrobes, according to a new British Heart Foundation (BHF) study, although while that might be seen as bad news from one angle, it also means that 75% are already switched on to pre-owned.
The BHF commissioned Censuswide to survey over 4,600 people and found that clothes are the UK's favourite item to buy secondhand.
Gen Z (16-26 year-olds) are leading the way with 23% of respondents from that age range stating that between 50% and 74% of items in their wardrobes are pre-owned, compared to only 10% of Gen X (43-58 year-olds) who said the same.
Importantly too, 42% of respondents said the proportion of pre-owned in their wardrobes has increased over the last few years and that their main motivation for buying secondhand was to find cheaper alternatives due to the rising cost of living.
That’s interesting given that pre-owned is also seen as a more sustainable way to shop, rather than just a way to save money. But consumers aren’t ignoring sustainability altogether. Some 32% said donating items is one of the top three actions they’d take to help protect the planet, as well as recycling more (46%) and reducing food waste by meal planning (30%).
However, 19% of people said not knowing what they can donate or what condition the items need to be in, is the biggest barrier for donating pre-owned items.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, BHF Retail Director, said: “There’s been a real shift in the public’s perception around shopping and donating pre-loved and our survey shows we need to continue championing the joys of secondhand shopping to see the entire nation favouring it in their wardrobes and around their homes.”
The charity is running a campaign at the moment to encourage people to shop and donate pre-owned, called Reuse Revolution. And it said that in a year, it saves 13,000 pre-owned clothes from going to waste in the UK. Since launching its Depop account, the BHF has also become one of the top sellers on the site.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Mothercare sales slump as markets remain "challenging"
Retailer Mothercare has revealed UK sales tumbled 8.8% in its fourth quarter and warned that trading conditions are set to remain “challenging”.
The babycare chain said the like-for-like sales fall in the three months to 30 March marked an improvement on the previous two quarters, but the result was boosted by clearance promotions from shop closures.
It added that the clearance sales had “significantly” hit online sales. Shares fell 7% after the figures.
Mothercare also revealed total UK sales tumbled 14.5% in the quarter after Mothercare swung the axe on 40 stores over the past three months.
The group said it had now completed its store closure programme ahead of schedule, leaving it with 80 shops, down from 137 a year ago – a 30% reduction.
Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones said: “Whilst this has been a difficult but necessary process, to right-size the UK, it has meant that we have had to say goodbye to many loyal and longstanding colleagues.”
He insisted the “disruption we have seen from both the organisational changes and the UK store closures is now largely behind us”.
He added: “Looking ahead, we expect market conditions in the UK and in some international markets to remain challenging.”
The group is also bracing for a continued impact from the large amount of cut-price clearance stock being sold in recent months.
But Newton-Jones said: “We enter the new financial year in a more robust position as a restructured business fit for the future.”
The update showed that international sales fell 4.9% in constant currencies.
Group-wide sales were 8.8% lower overall in the quarter, leaving worldwide sales 9.6% down for the full year.
The figures come after Mothercare recently agreed a £13.5 million sale of its Early Learning Centre business to toy chain The Entertainer in a move to help slash its debt pile.
Retail expert Clive Black, at Shore Capital, said that, despite ongoing sales falls, he believed Mothercare management had brought the chain back from the brink.
“Mothercare is out of the surgical ward and heading for the calmer medical ward,” he said.
“To fulfil the change programme’s potential though, it needs to sustainably trade better and markets remain challenging.”


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Rush Limbaugh, the king of right-wing radio, is also the master of placing himself squarely in the middle of public debate. My guess is that he was starting to see himself slip out of the national dialogue, but like the Kardashians, he knows exactly how to get himself front and center again.
This time he called student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute" for publicly protesting the fact that her school's heath insurance policy does not cover her contraception, and his name is now again on the tongue of every news outlet in the nation.
What isn't being scrutinized in this endless coverage, however, is how much money the companies which posture against sexism by pulling their ads from a sexist show -- or which proudly proclaim that they never would have advertised on such a show in the first place -- are wasting creating their own sexist ads, because advertising firms lack women in their upper ranks, especially as creative directors.
Because of this dearth of female voices, companies are spending billions creating ads that can be nearly as offensive or clueless as Limbaugh's remarks. Marketing companies need to catch on. Having more women's voices higher in the ranks would be better for both the advertising companies and those they serve.
For example, ads with babies and animals were much more popular with consumers this Super Bowl, but that didn't stop advertisers from using naked women. According to the USA Today/Facebook ad meter, Go Daddy's female-objectifying "Cloud" commercial was ranked the lowest at 56, followed by its equally offensive "Paint" commercial at 53. That's a seven million dollar mistake.
Number 1 on the ad meter was Doritos" baby in a sling. According to Kat Gordon, founder of Maternal Instinct, a marketing agency focused on helping brands connect with the mom market and the force behind the 3 percent Conference -- a first ever event for female creative directors -- women make up only 3 percent of all creative directors in advertising agencies.
There are over 8 million women-owned businesses in the United States, with, says the U.S. Census Bureau, women overseeing over 80 percent of consumer spending in the US. We oversee the majority of the spending -- about $5 trillion dollars annually -- on the goods being advertised, but we are not represented in the creation process.
This is particularly confounding when we see that the numbers show that women make for good business. According to a White House Project Report, "Fortune 500 companies with high percentages of women officers experienced, on average, a 35.1 percent higher return on equity and a 34 percent higher total return to shareholders than did those with low percentages of women corporate officers."
Facebook, which has the loudest champion for women in leadership, Sheryl Sandberg, as its COO, has harnessed the power of women. She showed advertisers how to reach its majority of female users and helped grow Facebook from 70 million users and almost no revenue to 600 million users and $3.7 billion in revenue since her arrival.
Another example of the power of women in business is the Best Buy's Women's Leadership Forum (WOLF), a program that brings together female customers and female employees at all levels in the organization. WOLF created an increase in revenue from female customers of 11 percent, or $4.4 billion in less than five years.
Yet, surveys show more than 90 percent of women -- women who, incidentally, spend the money -- think that advertisers do not understand them. Considering that $171 billion was spent on advertising in 2011, this is a number that companies should be alarmed about.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting that women are inherently more noble than men when it comes to advertising. If 97 percent of creative directors were female you'd probably see David Beckham not just selling underwear (spanking Go Daddy with a rank of 26 on USA Today's ad meter) but naked in bed, covering himself in Birkin bags to lure Victoria away from her tough job for a romp in the bedroom.
But the point isn't about gaining a majority, it's that smart businesses see the value of having more gender balance in decision-making positions. Then maybe we would see fewer ads that seem just as sexist as Mr. Limbaugh himself.


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Flinging angry birds at green pigs, adding filters to your photos and booking a table at your favourite restaurant through an app has become second nature to the millions of smartphone users out there.
A report released today has revealed that apps are not only useful and entertaining but are also boosting the economy. Since the first iPhone was released five years ago, the subsequent ‘app economy’ has created more than 466,000 jobs in the US alone.
To put this into perspective, that is enough job roles to employ every unemployed person in the North West (307,000 unemployed) and North East (153,000 unemployed) regions of the UK.
The research, carried out by Arbor Networks and TechNet, revealed that programmers, user interface designers, tech marketers and support roles have seen massive growth from a level of zero in 2007, to almost half a million posts today.
It is not particularly surprising that apps are having such an effect on more than just our entertainment levels, when you consider that Apple’s App store has surpassed the 15 billion downloads mark, with the Android store following close behind surpassing the 10 billion downloads post late last year.
There are no figures for app-related jobs in the UK as yet, but considering the demand from companies for apps (everyone has one) and their huge retail figures, an educated guess would suggest the same effect as on the other side of the pond.
With tablet computer sales sky-rocketing and apps being integrated into TVs, desktop computers and any other device they could possibly be squeezed into, the growth of app-related jobs is set to continue.
A further boost to the app-development jobs market is Microsoft’s latest Windows development is forecast with the launch Windows 8’s anticipated app store, Windows Store.
Windows Store has been crafted to incentivize app developers to develop for the platform – which has yet to take off as quickly as its Apple and Android counterparts – and the incentives are pretty enticing. Developers for Windows Phone will enjoy a 70/30 revenue split for all revenues made from their apps on the platform and if their apps sales gross over $25,000, that split goes up to 80/20 in favour of the developer.
This is bound to pique the interest of many developers who are battling against the tidal wave of competition in the flooded and largely unregulated Android market as well as the heavily-saturated iPhone market that currently has over 500,000 applications.
The ‘app economy’ in the States generated almost $20 billion in revenue in 2011, according to the study, based on app downloads, in-app revenues, sales of virtual and physical goods and services.
Mid-2011 a Flurry report revealed that the daily time spent in mobile apps surpasses desktop and mobile web consumption.
Will apps soon be the only way that we access the net? Will there be an app for everything?


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Newly initiated PEKEMA Riders Club aims to consolidate all motorcycle owners who buy their bikes with members of PEKEMA.
The Persatuan Pengimpot dan Peniaga Kenderaan Melayu Malaysia, better known as PEKEMA, marked a major milestone over the weekend when the association launched its first ever PEKEMA Riders Club.
The launch, held on Saturday in the Saloma Bistro and Theatre Restaurant, KL, brought various clubs together, both big and small, to celebrate its initiation. These included our friends from the Ducati Club of Malaysia (DCM), as well as other prominent groups such as the Harley-Davidson Owners Group (HOG) Malaysia Chapter, and the Air Force Bikers Community. Also present were celebrity bikers Awie and Fauziah Latiff.
Through the club’s formation, the organisation aims to consolidate all motorcycle owners who purchased their bikes from PEKEMA member entities, regardless of bike brand, model, and type. Appointed as the club’s president is Datuk SM Zulkifli SM Amin. Datuk SM Zulkifli is also the managing director of SMS Auto World Sdn Bhd, Malaysian distributor and importer of Moto Guzzi motorcycles.
Several top-tier EXCO members of PEKEMA were present during the auspicious launch ceremony. Also present alongside Datuk SM Zulkifli during the ceremony was PEKEMA president Datuk Haji Zainuddin Abd. Rahman.
“This club was formed not to overshadow all other existing motorcycle clubs in Malaysia. Instead, the club would serve as a universal platform that allows all consumers to directly interact with their bike sellers who are members of PEKEMA,” explained Datuk SM Zulkifli during his opening speech. He further stated that part of the club’s activities besides group rides will involve acts of charity to benefit communities in need through PEKEMA’s very own charity arm.
A symbolic plaque signing ceremony was held on stage witnessed by many club and club members present, alongside PEKEMA’s own EXCO members, and a select group of journalists. Shortly after, Datul Zulkifli, alongside PEKEMA president Datuk Haji Zainuddin proceeded presenting donations and contributions to a few deserving non-governmental organisations and several folks in need.
Membership is open to all bikers in Malaysia, with a one-time membership payment fee of RM60. Registration form as well as further details can be acquired via PEKEMA’s official website.
PEKEMA Riders Club Launch @ Saloma Bistro and Theatre Restaurant, KL


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Samsung’s subsequent Unpacked occasion is simply across the nook. The corporate introduced Tuesday that it is holding an occasion on Feb. 9 to introduce its next-generation Galaxy S gadgets, which can presumably be known asThe corporate , however solely simply introduced the precise date. The occasion is being held nearly on Samsung’s web site and can start at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT).
The highest-of-the-line Galaxy S22 Extremely is predicted to be the star of the present. Rumors and leaks have indicated that it will likely be a successor to the, which hasn’t seen a brand new model since 2020, and Samsung even implied as a lot in a current weblog publish. Samsung is predicted to launch three variations of its new telephone this yr, because it’s achieved prior to now. Which means we’ll seemingly see a Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus alongside the . No matter the brand new Galaxy lineup will appear to be, prospects can now .
The corporate introduced a slew of merchandise at its 5 Unpacked occasions final yr. In January (the identical week as CES 2021), the corporate took the wraps off thewith a Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and . The flagship line was unveiled alongside the and . Then in March, Samsung introduced the , adopted by new in April. Later in August, Samsung unveiled the , , and . New choices to had been then introduced in October.
Learn on for the whole lot we all know to this point about 2022’s first Unpacked occasion. We’ll replace this story as new data turns into obtainable.
What day is the subsequent Samsung occasion?
Samsung’s subsequent Unpacked occasion will happen on Feb. 9. That traces up with a earlier rumor from leaker Ice Universe that indicated the Galaxy S22 can be introduced on that day. Promotional materials in regards to the occasion was also leaked by well-known tipster Evan Blass earlier than Samsung’s announcement.
The occasion comes proper after Samsung unveiled thein early January forward of The brand new telephone is a extra budget-friendly model of the Galaxy S21 with a couple of good options and specs sacrificed to achieve a cheaper price.
Samsung hosted February events in 2020 and 2019 as well, but both were the company’s first event of the year. The launches showed off foldable phones, earbuds and the company’s S lineup with the S20 and S10, respectively. Both events were followed up by another launch in August focused on the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Watch.
Will the next Galaxy Unpacked be livestreamed?
The event will be hosted on Samsung’s website on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT). Previous live events have also been hosted on Samsung’s YouTube page, which we expect to be the case for this upcoming event. We’ll update this story with more details as they become available.
In the meantime, check out CNET’s, our and how the and . For more about Android phones, check out CNET’s and . If you’re more of an Apple fan, take a look at all the rumors about , the and .


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The long-sought all-purpose grocery store and meat market for the downtown area may be coming soon.
Owners of the Busy Bee Meat Market in Fort Lauderdale are negotiating with Janet Harrison, who owns the building on Lake Avenue that once housed the Central Market.
Busy Bee market owner Nick Gurmarelli said Thursday he expects to lease the 3,300 square feet of grocery store space. Some details still must be worked out, he said.
Harrison will meet with a contractor next week to determine how much it will cost to renovate the building to suit Gurmarelli's needs, said Diane Fenner, coordinator of the Main Street program, which is overseeing the renovation of Lake Worth's downtown.
"I expect it will work out. It looks like they need something there, and we have checked that area out and it looks pretty good for us," Gurmarelli said in an interview this week.
"We talked to many people up there and we received several letters from people living there who have urged us to locate our store there," he said.
"We checked the background of the store they had there, and it did pretty well. Now we just have to work out the terms with the building owner."
At Fenner's request, City Commissioner George Harrs wrote Gurmarelli two weeks ago, urging him to locate his second market here.
"I am consistently and repeatedly asked, 'Why can't we get another market downtown,' " Harrs wrote. "I cannot tell you how much we would like to see you open a market here like the one you run in Fort Lauderdale."
Many elderly people live in downtown Lake Worth and now must travel by trolley to the closest Winn-Dixie or Publix store more than a mile away.
"For many elderly people, the trolley ride is traumatic because it involves waiting and staying aboard as the trolley makes its circuitous route," Fenner said.
Downtown residents like Aino Darrigan loved having a market almost next door that they could walk to, said the longtime resident.
"I have to go 18 blocks to the nearest grocery store," Darrigan said. "I have a car, but there are many people living around here who can't drive or don't have cars," she said. "It's a nuisance to have to go so far. It was wonderful when we had a grocery store nearby."
Edna Hogan, secretary of the city's Downtown Development Agency, echoed the need for a grocery store.
"An (all-purpose) grocery store would do a lot for the downtown area, especially with the Main Street program. It will fill in a vacant storefront, as well as serving the many people who live downtown," Hogan said.
The Central Market closed its doors two years ago after serving the community at the Lake Avenue site for 50 years. The owners, who were getting older, gave up the business and sold the building, Fenner said.
Downtown Lake Worth has had a grocery store since 1911, and during one period had two grocery stores, she said. An anchor-type store would help attract customers for other businesses, she said.
The problem finding a replacement was magnified because chains such as Winn- Dixie and Publix only place new stores in shopping centers, Fenner said. They will not come into a free-standing building.
And the only suitable store would be an all-purpose market selling meats, vegetables, canned and paper goods of all kinds, she said. A quality store meeting those criteria is hard to find, she said.
"An up-front investment up to $200,000 is required," she said. Fenner said she approached Gurmarelli after taking over the Main Street program because she was familiar with their operation. "I used to live in Fort Lauderdale," she said.
A meeting is scheduled for April 28 among the parties involved, Fenner said.


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On Tuesday, January 27, 2015, Apple released its 2015 first quarter earnings report. This quarter crushed a couple of records and was truly a historic quarter for Apple. Apple’s net income for the quarter was $18 billion, up 37% year-over-year. Not only is this figure the greatest profit Apple has ever earned in a quarter, but it is also the most profit ever earned by any company in history. To put this into perspective, last quarter Apple earned $8.3 million per hour in profit, 24 hours per day. Similarly, earnings per share crushed expectations-$3.06 vs. $2.60 expected. Apple ended the quarter with $178 billion in cash. In other terms, Apple could buy Ford, GM, and Tesla and still have $41.3 billion left over. Finally, despite strong negative headwinds from fluctuating foreign currencies, Apple has provided strong guidance for the March quarter as they feel, “very, very confident in the pipeline of products and services.”
One of the newest services offered by Apple is Apple Pay and Tim proudly shared some figures on how this business is doing. Currently Apple Pay has grown to over 750 banks and credit unions and just three months after launch, Apple Pay transactions account for two out of every three dollars spent via contactless payments. For some merchants this figure is much higher. Panera states that 80% of their contactless payments are made through Apple Pay. When Tim was pressed about future expansion of the service, Tim said that Apple “hasn’t even completed the first inning of Apple Pay.” Not only did Tim mention plans to expand Apple Pay geographically, but he also hinted at some future innovations possibly including C2C payment going after rival, Venmo.
Apple has never been as dependent on iPhone revenue as this past quarter. For better or worse, the iPhone now makes up 69% of Apple’s total revenue and iPhone is mainly what drove this record breaking quarter. In Q1 2015, Apple sold 74.4 million iPhone, equating to more than 34,000 iPhones per hour! This represents a colossal 46% growth year-over-year and was Apple’s strongest iPhone units quarter by over 23 million units. This growth was partly fueled by sales in foreign countries. China, Brazil, and Singapore saw double the amount of iPhone sales this quarter compared to the previous. Although Tim wouldn’t reveal the mix of iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5S, and iPhone 5C, he said that the iPhone 6 by far held the largest percentage of sales, though there was some clear geographic preferences to the 6 Plus in certain regions. This quarter also saw the highest number of customers new to iPhone, as well as the highest Android switcher rate compared to the previous 3 launches. Apple also sold their one billionth iOS device this quarter.
Both App Store and Mac set records for quarterly revenue. Apple sold 5.52 billion Macs this past quarter resulting in $6.9 billion in revenue. Tim was proud to share that Mac sales were up despite a declining PC market as the Mac has gained market share 34 out of the last 35 quarters.
Despite tremendous growth in Apple’s other segments, iPad remains a small dark cloud for the company. Analysts expected 22 million iPads to be sold and Apple fell short, selling 21.4 million resulting in a 17% decrease year-over-year. Tim did not have a specific explanation for this drop but believes that, “over the long arc of time, iPad is a great business. I feel very, very good about what’s in the pipeline.” Despite the disappointment in units sold, 98% of customers are satisfied with their iPad Airs and 60% of customers looking to purchase a tablet in the next 90 days, plan to purchase an iPad. Tim expressed that the iPad upgrade cycle is longer than iPhone, but shorter than Mac and told analysts that 50% of iPads sold were to customers new to iPad. This leads Tim to believe that the market is not saturated and the iPad can continue to grow in the future.
The biggest news out of Apple yesterday (if you’re not a stock holder or much into finance) was the announcement that Apple will begin shipping the Apple Watch in April. Previously the company had mentioned “Early 2015” and many analysts predicted a March release. Tim has defined “Early 2015” to be the first four months of the year, “mid” to be the next four months, and “end” to be the last four months, defining for the first time with a little more specificity what Apple means by its generic product launch dates. Tim also mentioned that he is, “using [the Apple Watch] every day, loving it, and can’t live without it!”
This quarter was one for the record books. The stock was up well over 6% in after-hour trading and over 9% in pre-market trading. The challenge ahead of Apple, which was almost always one of their challenges (except for the past year or so when people believed Apple was “doomed”), is whether or not Apple can sustain this growth. Clearly, growth this tremendous is not sustainable for any company under any conditions, but can Apple continue to reach more markets and more consumers to maintain some sort of impressive profitability they are known for? Tim believes yes, only time will tell!
(Image from Business Wolf)


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Northwestern University to offer Coursera MOOCs
- Staff Chicago Business Journal
Coursera now counts 62 schools offering courses on its platform, and in this latest group, 16 schools are located overseas, VentureBeat said. The Daily Northwestern reported that Northwestern students can’t receive credit for Coursera’s offerings, but that for-credit online courses would be available in the fall through Semester Online, which, according to its web site, is a consortium of colleges and universities including Duke University, Emory University, and Washington University in St. Louis as well as Northwestern.
In January, the New York Times reported on Coursera’s efforts to monetize, saying the company hasn’t yet articulated a way to profitability and that its first significant revenue actually came from Amazon referrals. Ron Leuty of the San Francisco Business Times is in the midst of reporting on his experience with MOOCs, including a class on Coursera.
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New research shows alcohol-free beer is seeing a growth in popularity in the UK in anticipation of Dry January.
The research, conducted by AB InBev UK, reveals that 32 per cent of the British public have now tried alcohol-free beer, with one in ten women drinking it on a weekly basis.
Beck’s Blue is the market leader in the low and alcohol-free beer category, driving the 5 per cent growth in UK on-trade sales, accounting for 58 per cent of the category. It increased 15 per cent yearly in retail and 10 per cent in outlets like pubs and bars.
In January, 34 per cent of the British public will be looking to consume alcohol-free beer, an increase of 16 per cent from 2014. Some 21 per cent of millennials (18-34 year olds) are likely to choose alcohol-free beer, an increase of ten per cent from 2014. AB InBev claims this supports a growing health trend among millennials, with 41 per cent of those aged 18 to 19 actively trying to moderate their drinking habits.
Londoners are the most inclined to consume alcohol-free beer across the UK, with 18 per cent drinking every time they go out.
AB InBev is the largest brewer in the world and has a 25 per cent global market share. The research, conducted by the company, comes as part of their CSR campaign of ‘Global Smart Drinking Goals’ that aim to encourage consumers to make smart drinking choices and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol by the end of 2025. The company has promised that at least 20% of its global beer volume will be alcohol-free or lower-alcohol by 2020.
Commenting on the research Anna Tolley, legal and corporate affairs director at AB InBev UK & Ireland, said: "It’s great to see the growing popularity of alcohol-free beer among the UK public – especially millennials. Offering consumers choice is an important part of our commitment to responsible drinking and we are proud to brew Beck’s Blue, the market leading alcohol-free beer".


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Nike's "Take Control"
Superstar soccer player Andres Iniesta dominiates the midfield in this spot but mostly in the form of a string puppet moving about on a miniature soccer field as created by Aardman Animations for Wieden+Kennedy, London. The twist is surpassed by another involving who's pulling the strings--instead of a hand, we see that the strings are being manipulated by a foot which wears, like Iniesta, Nike's new shoe, the CTR 369 Maestri III.
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy | London Anders Stake, Stuart Harkness, creatives; Michelle Brough, producer. Production Company: Aardman Animations Patrick Boivin, director/storyboard/animation; Jason Fletcher-Bartholomew, producer; Maggie O�Connor, production coordinator; Jay Clarke, storyboard; Grant Maisey, animation; Ben Barrrowman, floor mgr; Sam Morris, DP; Joe Maxwell, camera assistant; Nat Sale, electrician; Nick Herbert, rigging; Cool Rain, models; Sion Lane, set; Jim Lewis, CGI supervisor; Jim Lewis, Paule Quinton, Bram Ttwheam, Mike Shirra, Owen Revell, Andy Hunwick, Fincher Trist, compositing.
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- 5 min read
Marvel tops attention scores at Super Bowl: Study
NBC, the Super Bowl's broadcaster this year, acknowledged that ad sales were going at a "record pace," and 30-second spots had sold for USD 6.5 million. That did not stop brand giants like Lay’s, Cheetos, Marvel, GM and Pepsi from scooping them up. The study by Entropik reveals top five most resonating Super Bowl ads in 2021...
NBC — the Super Bowl's broadcaster this year — acknowledged that ad sales were going at a "record pace," and 30-second spots had sold for USD 6.5 million. That did not stop brand giants like Lay’s, Cheetos, Marvel, GM and Pepsi from scooping them up. This is approximately one million dollars more than spending in 2021.
In 2021, CBS sold Super Bowl spots for an average of USD 5.6 million, as reported by Bloomberg. Modern-day rates illustrate a stark contrast from the USD 37,500 from the first Super Bowl’s 30 seconds screentime cost in 1967.
According to Dan Lovinger, executive vice president of advertising sales for NBC Sports Group, the number of ads aired during the game is going to be around 80-90, like in previous years. First-time advertisers like Crypto.com and Enfamil are joining longtime advertisers Budweiser, Pepsi, Toyota and Doritos. At the same time, brands like Vroom made a comeback at Super Bowl LVI in SoFi stadium in Los Angeles.
Premature | Enfamil
Its minute-long commercial celebrating preemies, titled "Premature", features Super Bowl babies who arrived too soon!
According to Entropik’s emotion insights, the ad recorded solid attention and engagement levels at 64.25 and 36.47 seconds. The ad collected a decent top-of-the-list Affect Lab score of 46.31. The ad garnered higher than benchmarking scores and performed at par for visual appeal and positive emotions.
However, the negative emotions were also significantly high – due to the children shown in NICU like arrangements. From the 42nd second to the 46th second, when Mekhi Becton makes an appearance, attention spikes, and happiness and surprise emotions peak when viewers figure out the plot.
Towards the end, from 55th seconds to 59th seconds, the final brand name and tagline display perform superior when it comes to attention, engagement, positive and negative emotions.
Road to Super Bowl LVI | Pepsi
The 127 seconds starry ad features Super Bowl champions is grabbing eyeballs with nearly 290K views on YouTube. In this commercial, PepsiCo's Beverage and Frito-Lay Brands Unite for Joint NFL Playoff Campaign, "Road to Super Bowl LVI," advertising a wide range of products.
Stats reveal that 90 per cent of households enjoy snacks and beverages together on Super Bowl Sunday. The spot upsells the camaraderie that happens when viewers come together and enjoy football with their favorite snacks and drinks.
Entropik's emotion insights tell the same story about this catchy ad as the commercial garners a strong attention score of 64.13 along with a decent engagement level of 35.35. The Affect Lab score remains at 46.05, significantly higher than the industry benchmark at 44.75.
The engagement rises when the players board the Superbowl bus and peaks at 116th second, where Bradshaw enjoys on the roof of the bus with a handful of snacks and drinks.
2022 Chevy Silverado - Boyfriend | Chevrolet
In this commercial bagging 167K views on YouTube alone, the ad uses a clever narrative to showcase Chevy Silverado’s latest features.
According to Entropik's emotion report, attention levels peak to an average of 64.7, higher than the industry benchmark, and engagement chalks up to 28.7. The Affect Lab rating is 41.96, which is slightly less than the industry benchmarking.
The engagement dips at the 14th second during the conversation between the father and the boyfriend. The engagement rises again when the father explains the features of the car in the final segment
However, scores peak again when the viewers can see the view of the car completely with the tagline" Find New Roads".
Questions? | Cheetos
Megan Thee Stallion may have exotic animals as co-stars in ‘flamin' hot’ super bowl ad, or that’s what the short commercial with over 3.6 million views on YouTube tells us.
Entropik's emotion insights unveil that the ad records a strong attention score of 64.48 and an AL rating of 41.57. The engagement levels remain at 25.5. While the Cheetos commercial had high visual appeal, the comprehension was lower than the category benchmark.
Then by the end the 'flamin' hot' tagline appears written on the board, and noticeability and earned attention are recorded at a high.
Moon Knight | Marvel
The trailer sources reveal that Moon Knight collected more than 75 million views in its first 24 hours.
As per Entropik’s emotion insights, the trailer records a peak of 65.62 and engagement of 23.92. The AffectLab rating reaches 41.39. Marvel, too, scores significantly low on comprehension, positive and negative emotions versus the category benchmarking scores.
At the 1.08-1.12 mins, when the anti-hero gets a call and he is shocked talking to someone who addresses them as "Mark," the attention and engagement rise.
Besides, when the Marvel logo comes on early in the ad, gets clear screen time, and stands out against the black background, it records relatively high positive emotions and low negative emotions.
When the protagonist appears in a mask at 1.45 minutes-1.50 minutes, the emotion graph witnesses the maximum spikes and dips. Even with Disney, in spite of prolonged noticeability, there is high retention and high positive emotions. It highlights the high likeability of the brand and its content.
To sum up, while the price of ads has skyrocketed, Super Bowl viewership has drastically dropped in the last five years. The biggest drop was recorded in last year's game, which garnered nearly eight million less viewers than the year before. Here, an exciting stat reveals that big names have theoretically increased viewership during halftime.