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BuddyMedia, a New York-based start-up that develops social-network games as well as branded applications for clients, has launched a new product that tackles one of the challenges of social advertising: that it's just plain difficult to tell how successful it is.
The company calls the creation "BuddyBrain," and is gearing it toward clients who turn to BuddyMedia for "appvertising," or branded apps designed specifically for product marketing. The data provided to clients--yes, arranged in the shape of a brain--provides statistics on installs, usage, and time spent per user; a feed of news and blog reports relevant to the brand and campaign; and documentation resources.
Facebook and other social networks typically provide a less extensive array of analytics to developers who have created applications on their platforms.
"Many advertisers and marketers are becoming aware of the value in advertising through social media channels, but have yet to do so because of an inaccurate perception that no methods or tools exist to sufficiently measure the reach and success of a campaign," CEO Michael Lazerow said in a statement. "We've spent the past few months developing the BuddyBrain to combat these very fears to both entice more brands to make the leap into social advertising and to better service our existing clientele."
Early BuddyBrain stats, the company says, have come up with some numbers that conveniently support BuddyMedia's own cause: that consumers are 75 times more likely to "interact" with a widget ad than a banner ad, that "appvertisements" average 140,000 installs in the first month of a campaign, and that 85 percent of social-network users who install a branded application will use it more than once.
Some of BuddyMedia's clients have included FedEx, Microsoft, Reebok, and Anheuser-Busch.


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Last December, Infinity Ward and Activision released Season One for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, an update that brought lots of new content to CoD players for free. While Season One was set to end on the first week of February, Infinity Ward announced that the update will be extended to February 11 as there will be more content added as part of the first season.
Regarding the extension, Infinity Ward stated:
“Over the next few weeks, a host of new items and challenges will arrive, including an in-game Challenge to earn the new Crossbow weapon, more remixed game modes, new playlists, and more in the Store to discover. To make room for all that activity, we are making a one-time extension of Season One – it’s now ending on February 11. During that time, there will be 2XP, 2X Weapon XP, and 2X Tier Progression to help you finish up your Officer Ranks and Tiers, and get you ready for an exciting Season Two.”
Alongside the upcoming content, the Modern Warfare Season One update included the following maps:
- Crash (Multiplayer)
- Shipment (Multiplayer)
- Vacant (Multiplayer)
- Atrium (2v2 Gunfight)
- Cargo (2v2 Gunfight)
- Shipment (2v2 Gunfight)
- Port (Ground War)
Season One also introduced three new game modes:
- Reinforce – Work as a team to capture zones and stay alive
- Infected – Infect everyone, or survive the game to win
- Gunfight O.S.P. – 2v2 rules, but players must gather weapons as the game progresses
Finally, the update introduced two base weapons — the HOLGER-26 automatic LMG and the RAM-7 bullpup assault rifle, as well the Battle Pass system.
For more info on the Season One extension, visit: the official Infinity Ward website.

domain: news


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Fast food consumption is high, along with high rates of activity but people are eating healthier snacks, according to the first Shape of Victoria survey.
The survey revealed high rates of fast food consumption, and widespread inactivity; but on the plus side, more than half of those surveyed claim they are eating healthier snacks, such as fruit.
The research analysed eating and exercise attitudes and behaviours of more than 1000 Victorians and concluded that unhealthy lifestyle choices have become the ‘norm’ with a need for improvement in diet and activity levels.
The results showed that:
- Almost 50% said they did not know how much they ate in any one day.
- Up to 45% admitted to overeating when there were stressed or upset.
- Almost 80% said that overeating has become the new ‘normal’.
- More than 85% said that they believe what had been regarded as treats in the past were now considered every day foods.
- Half of those surveyed believed their diet was unhealthy, but did little about it.
For example, only one in 14 consumed the recommended amount of vegetables; half regularly consumed biscuits and chocolate; one in four ate takeaway at least every second day; one in three skip breakfast (which is associated with eating more later in the day); and one third only exercise once a week, at most.
The good news
Nearly 60% of those surveyed regularly ate fruit as a snack: other popular snacks were yoghurt, vegetables and nuts.
Additionally, people who were dieting or on a weight loss plan said they were doing so for ‘general health and wellbeing’. And for those who ate takeaway foods were choosing roast, instead of fried chicken, grilled fish and salad, and lean protein in sandwiches, such as tuna or egg.
According to Heart Foundation CEO Diana Heggie, the survey reveals a mismatch between what Victorians thought were healthy lifestyle choices and what they actually did in real life.
She says we have become accustomed to overeating and access to unhealthy foods.
“Many people also seem to be falling into the habit of ‘mindless eating’ which can add up to a lot of extra kilojoules, which are difficult to turn off,” she says.
“The danger is that when you eat more than you need to and are not as active as you should be, toxic fat can build up around your vital organs, putting you at risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.”
The Victorian survey results demonstrate that more need to be done to encourage Victorians to improve their health and wellbeing, says Victorian Minister for Health Jill Hennessy.
As a community we need to work together to improve our attitudes, approaches and habits about food choices and activity, she says.
Cancer Council (Vic) prevention, director, Craig Sinclair says understanding our “bad habits” and help people take small steps to overcome them.
“The data is clearly showing us where we make can make small improvements in our eating and lifestyle habits that could make a real and very significant difference to our long-term health,” Sinclair says.
“By choosing to eat healthier meals at home more often, opting for health snacks like fruit, nuts and low-fat yoghurt; and incorporating more physical activity into our day we can start to make a healthy difference to our lives and the lives of others.”
The survey was part of the LiveLighter public health campaign delivered by the Cancer Council Victoria in Partnership with the Heart Foundation.
It is supported by a website, www.livelighter.com.au, which also includes information for consumers, recipes and an activity planner.


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Self-driving cars could bring improvements in safety, but they also pose new risks on the road, warns KPMG's cyber security team.
With internet access baked in from the off, driverless cars may be vulnerable to hacking techniques recognisable from other areas of computing.
Wil Rockall, a director at KPMG, warns that "the industry will need to be very alert to the risk of cyber manipulation and attack".
"Self-drive cars will probably work through internet connectivity and, just as large volumes of electronic traffic can be routed to overwhelm websites, the opportunity for self-drive traffic being routed to create ‘spam jams’ or disruption is a very real prospect."
'Road to nowhere'
Rockall suggests that manufacturers could build safety features in to lessen the risk of this happening. "The industry takes safety and security incredibly seriously. Doubtless, overrides could be built in so that drivers could shut down many of the car’s capabilities if hacked. That way, humans will still be able to ensure their cars don’t route them on the road to nowhere.”
But Google's prototype self-driving car, revealed on Tuesday, is largely controlled using an app, and has just two physical buttons: stop, and go. The company has taken a very different approach to firms like Audi and Volvo, who market the driverless features as an addition to, rather than replacement for, a traditional driver.
Despite his warnings, Rockall believes that self-driving cars will be a reality, and a largely positive one. "The technology is already available and, with test drives showing early signs of success, an unstoppable journey has started on what will become a well-travelled road."
'Humans are unreliable'
“There is an almost perfect combination of good reasons for self-drive technology. Top of the list is safety because humans are unreliable, easily distracted and have vastly slower reaction times than software. With a computer brain at the wheel, driving will also be more efficient, meaning that environmental and economic benefits will quickly be noticed."
Rockall's comments follow those of Senator John Rockefeller, who worried that self-driving cars would be vulnerable to international hacking at a US senate committee hearing in mid-May.
"In other words, can some 14-year old in Indonesia figure out how to do this and just shut your car down … because everything is now wired up?"


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Rentrak agreed to buy Kantar Media’s TV measurement assets in the U.S. from WPP for $98 million in Rentrak stock.
At the same time WPP’s media buying giant GroupM said it will buy TV audience measurement data from Rentrak.
Rentrak will integrate its measurement data into a number of Kantar’s services that focus on digital media, advertising expenditures and purchase data.
“This agreement is designed to help all of our U.S. agency and TV advertiser clients with new services in television measurement and consumer insights,” Rentrak’s vice chairman and chief executive officer Bill Livek said in a statement.
The transaction gives WPP a 12% stake in Rentrak. WPP is also buying $56 million in Rentrak stock from Rentrak, which will bring its ownership to 16.7%. WPP said it may also purchase Rentrak shares on the open market so long as its stake in Rentrak stays below 20%.
Rentrak said that between buying Kantar and doing business with GroupM, it expects to add $7 million to $9 million in revenue in fiscal 2016.
Rentrak, which competes with Nielsen, said GroupM’s agencies will begin using Rentrak’s services to help guide its media planning and buying in the U.S. Rentrak says it now works with all of the largest agency holding companies.
“The proliferation of channels has so significantly fragmented audiences that legacy sample methodology simply can’t keep up,” Irwin Gotlieb, global chairman of GroupM, said in a statement. “Television measurement needs to move toward census-based methodology. Our agencies are doing such refined targeting and segmentation, and that work can only be supported by census data. It is our hope that we can act as catalysts in moving the industry toward greater data reliability and accountability.”
Rino Scanzoni, GroupM’s chief investment officer in North America, added that “integrating consumer data with granular TV viewing requires a broad database to measure consistency and predictability. Utilizing Rentrak data will be strategically important as we further refine TV targeting to deliver more precision and accountability, increasing the medium’s effectiveness and value to our clients.”
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Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.


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Pieter Nota, head of BMW sales, has told the Financial Times that the German luxury carmaker will not replace the i3 battery electric vehicle (BEV). BMW will instead concentrate on introducing battery and plug-in hybrid technology in its other vehicles and developing new BEVs.
‘There’s no specific plan for an i3 successor,’ said Nota. ‘We are now bringing electrification more to the mainstream,’ he added. While BMW plans to release plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of its best-selling models, emissions targets have also led them to plan 13 BEVs by 2023. The new range of BEVs will kick off with the iNext model, announced for 2021.
The Financial Times article also reports that BMW wants to push the electrification of other popular models instead of investing in the i3. The i4 announced for model year 2021, for example, is essentially a 3-series with electric power and a heavily modified body but production is possible on the same line as cars with internal combustion engines.
In 2023, the i5 (based on the 5 Series) and the iX5 (based on the X5) will be launched on the market. In the same year, the i7 (based on the seventh generation of the 7 Series, internally called G70) will also be shown. This means that the G70 will offer all three drive types: a pure electric car, a plug-in hybrid and a combustion engine.
The i3 was an electric pioneer for BMW and the industry in general and more than 150,000 units have been sold since its launch in 2013. BMW will continue to sell the car for a few more years, however - ‘The i3 is actually doing extremely well in its sixth year of production already,’ Nota commented.
Earlier this month, commenting on business performance in August, Nota said that continued strong sales growth of the BMW i3 was another positive for the business, with the i3 being the world's most successful electric vehicle in its segment. He noted that the plug-in hybrid version of the new BMW 3 Series, the BMW 330e, was also added to BMW’s line-up of electric vehicles in August. The BMW i3 sold 24,870 units (+21.2%) worldwide through to August this year.
BMW recently confirmed that Oliver Zipse will replace Harald Krüger as the company’s CEO. One of the reasons for Krüger’s downfall is believed to be BMW’s lack of progress in electric vehicles. There have been questions over the carmaker’s commitment to the technology and its failure to capitalise on its early adoption of the technology with the i3.


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Wilmington, Delaware – Plug-in hybrid vehicle company Fisker Automotive plans to develop and build a family-oriented plug-in hybrid sedan in General Motors’ plant in Wilmington, Delaware.
Fisker Automotive has signed a letter of intent with Motors Liquidation Company, the company formed after General Motors declared bankruptcy, to purchase the Wilmington plant for US$18 million after a routine four-month evaluation period.
An additional $175 million will be spent to refurbish and retool the factory over the next three years. Funds will come from a conditional loan of $528.7 granted to the company in September by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Fisker Automotive anticipates full production of 75,000 to 100,000 vehicles per year by 2014, with more than half being imported. The sedan is expected to cost about $39,900 after U.S. federal tax credits.


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Supermarkets have recorded a boost in trade, as the coronavirus flattens other areas of retail trade.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Wednesday showed retail trade rose an estimated 0.4 per cent in February, after falls in both December and January.
In seasonally adjusted terms, Australian turnover rose 1.7 per cent in February 2020 compared with February 2019.
The increase was driven by record demand in supermarkets, due to panic buying associated with the coronavirus outbreak.
It offset declines on the clothing, footwear and personal accessory sectors, which reported downturns stemming from the pandemic.
Duty-free and luxury good stores have also been hit by the downturn in overseas visitors related to COVID-19.
Other than supermarkets, retailers with no specific links to tourism were largely unaffected in February 2020, the ABS said.
It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged Australians to stop bulk purchasing.
"Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it. It is not sensible, it is not helpful and it has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis. That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing," Mr Morrison said
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said supermarkets would be kept open at all costs.
Even in nations that went to a complete lockdown there were still supermarket and food delivery services available.
"The important point to make is 98 per cent of all the products that are on supermarket shelves in Australasia are made in Australia so our supply lines are good and they are ramping up production if a number of items that have become hot property in recent times."
He added: "Who would want to live on a diet of dried pasta. Seriously?"
The data is an estimate only, and is part of a new series of analysis being published by the ABS to measure the impact of coronavirus on Australia. The final monthly estimate for February will be published in April.
We have removed our paywall from our stories about the coronavirus. This is a rapidly changing situation and we want to make sure our readers are as informed as possible. If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.


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In the inevitable future, the price will go down. And if people stop buying into it, then the price could drop thousands of dollars, making many people lose money when others are in a frantic to sell. To add on, Bitcoin investing is a bad idea because it actually poses a very big health risk to people. In 2018, experts in the field of energy have said that bitcoin miners, the producers of bitcoins, use enough energy too power 3.3 million households! That means that if it was a country, it would be the 59th biggest power user in the world!
Marriott International vs. Airbnb Although Marriott International has a competitive advantage of being the largest hotel company in the world, experiencing years of remarkable growth with the acquisition of Starwood Hotels, and ranking at number 163 on this year’s Fortune 500, it operates in a highly competitive market. The recent success of Airbnb, for example, has had major effects on the hotel industry as it has quickly become a threat. Airbnb, founded in 2008, is an online hospitality service that provides short-term lodging and unique travel accommodations around the world with more than 3,000,000 lodging listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries. Having a value of over $10 billion, Airbnb “exceeds that of well-established global hotel chains like Hyatt” (Hospitality Net). This proves that this online service is significantly surpassing these stable hotel chains that have been competing in the industry for over 60 years.
In excess of the 36 hours a month allowed by Chinese law was routinely demanded from Foxconn employees (Fiona, James and Mimi). Of the 100 largest economies in the world, corporations are more than countries (based on a comparison of corporate sales and country GDPs) (Anderson and Cavanagh 3). When the national corporations in underdeveloped countries compete with transnational corporations, they are in the disadvantage position, which makes the economy rely heavily on transnational corporations. What’s more, underdeveloped countries take the risk of cultural invasion which makes them lose the control of cultural and social
It wins a lot of customers with Windows operating system, most people are familiar with it as well as Microsoft Office, which is its biggest advantage, so it should keep on and do better on Windows, and have good cooperation with corporations. Secondly, it seems that there is few opportunity of smartphone and table computer market for Microsoft, so it could become its sideline, and not invest too much on it, unless it has new creation and total confidence to win it back. Thirdly, the excellent talent and team is one of Microsoft’s strengths, it should make the best use of them. For example, it could exert collective intelligence and try to create new market. Competitive advantage is temporary.
Price Clubs first year of business proved troublesome for the owners, bringing in $16 million dollars in sales but with a loss of $750,000. The loss baffled the Prices until they decided to extend membership to Government employees like, hospitals and financial institutions. This new policy turned the company into a massive success story. In 1980, Price Club went public and eager investors allow wanted to share in the rapid growth of the chain. Price Club entered the public domain with a nearly $150 million dollars in sales and earning $6 million dollars in profits before taxes.
The current population of 320 million people is already a massive obstacle for development. In addition, there are many problems that are associated with rapid population growth some are known as insufficient food supplies, Economic insecurity, poverty and low standard of living. Rapid population growth affects poverty as it brings in a lot of workers, this depresses wages and increases poverty. Rapid population also affects the standard of living for example if a country has a real GDP of 1.8 trillion dollars and another country has a GDP of
We see China’s Baidu is leader in this and is extensively using Artificial Intelligence. 4. Venture into Hardware products Stepping into more hardware business like - Microsoft which not only provides services through its windows platform, but also manufactures Microsoft surface, mobile based platform and other hardware products. People entering hardware business is usually less compared to the other businesses due to its minimal barriers of entry and the huge losses they incur but this would be a great opportunity for them to step into this business and explore new opportunities and create jobs while Artificial Intelligence is taking over the IT industry. 5.
First of all, every week, United Kingdom has to send £350 million to Brussel for their membership fee. Yet, the money was not spend well, billions are lost to fraud and waste. United Kingdom has always been one of the largest contributors to the EU budget, yet the country received less that it should be. Second, by voting leave, United Kingdom can create about 300,000 job opportunities through trade deals. The European Union has failed or yet to complete for a long time a trade deal with important countries, United States, Japan, ASEAN, India, and Mercosur.
With Artificial Intelligence on the rise, an estimated forty percent of American jobs could potentially be filled by robots within the next ten to fifteen years. Contributing to the high unemployment rates already prevalent in the United States, introducing more robots to the workforce has the potential to leave up to seventy-five percent of Americans with no source of income. While in certain aspects, Artificial Intelligence may have positive impacts on society, it is dramatically diminishing the amount of human-operated jobs across the globe. Gradually, the “upper class” will slip into the “middle class,” and the middle class will fall into the “lower class,” resulting in the skyrocket of American poverty rates. The solution to this detrimental issue, a Universal Basic Income, granting every person, no matter their “status” or wealth, monthly payments of equal amounts.
On one hand, there is the challenge of impact to customer satisfaction through delayed payouts or prolonged investigation during a period of stress. Additionally, there are costs of investigation and pressure from insurance industry regulators. On the other hand, improper payouts cause a hit to profitability and encourage similar delinquent behavior from other policy holders. According to FBI, the insurance industry in the USA consists of over 7000 companies that collectively collect over $1 trillion annually in premiums. FBI also estimates the total cost of insurance fraud (non-health insurance) to be more than $40 billion annually [ ].


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A JERSEY-based medicinal cannabis firm has completed the “remarkable achievement” of making its first commercial shipment to the UK – after four years of preparation.
Northern Leaf, which has a production capacity of eight tonnes per year, is also the first local grower to have achieved accreditation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK.
The company has said it is in a “prime position” to serve the UK market, where an estimated 32,000 medicinal cannabis patients can now benefit from a Jersey-grown product.
Northern Leaf yesterday announced that it had made the first ever commercial shipment of high-THC medical cannabis flower from a company based in Great Britain to patients in the UK.
The company’s chief executive, Don Perrott, said: “We are thrilled to provide patients in the UK with the first locally-grown medicinal cannabis product.
“After four years of preparation to complete our state-of-the-art facility and achieve our GMP status, to supply patients at home and abroad with a high quality product is a remarkable achievement.”
The UK delivery follows on from a recent, large shipment made by the firm to Australia, with Northern Leaf anticipating that “at least one further market is expected to come online this year”.
Mr Perrott added: “This is a very exciting time for Northern Leaf as we begin to introduce a wider range of products with differing levels of cannabinoid and terpene profiles to ensure patients have treatment options that are specifically tailored to their therapeutic needs.
“We will shortly have a range of new strains available to patients in the European and rest of world markets to complement the launch of our first product and are now well on our way to creating a leading cannabis business in Europe that will help to improve patients’ quality of life at home and abroad.”


text: GOSHEN — The wintry weather times perfectly with a two-day event that kicked off in Goshen Friday. The Fire and Ice Festival is designed to promote the downtown area of Goshen. It's part of a continuing effort by the city to increase the foot traffic for local stores. The event centers on carvers making ice sculptures in the downtown business district. 50 different businesses have sponsored 50 blocks of ice. All will be carved near storefronts by members of the Michiana Ice Carvers Association. The public is invited to take a look at the sculptures. While there, it’s hoped visitors will go into local shops, restaurants and specialty stores. “We have a lot to offer and as more people realize that, and just, you know spending money in the local stores, helps the local economy,” said Grace Hunsberger, director of First Fridays. “That’s one of the drives of having these events downtown. First Fridays is an event that started in June of 2007 that is aimed to bring people into the downtown Goshen area. This event is similar to one held during the holiday season called “Shop outside the Box.” It encouraged people to shop locally during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Merchants say events like this are paying off dividends for the downtown, resulting in more foot traffic, sales and business growth. “One of the big questions I get from people all the time is how is that your little downtown hasn’t dried up like so many and you know I have to tell them, we have to attribute it to the community effort, things like First Friday.” said Lauren Hodges of Accents Framing & Gifts. “What is really nice is that the local public, the local people…they want to see small businesses, family businesses, you know, succeed,” said Dustin Mattern of Mattern’s Butcher Shop-Deli. “They see the benefit of that for themselves and their families well, because they’re preserving the history of the city.” The fire portion of the event comes from a chili cook-off tomorrow involving nine restaurants.


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According to numbers provided Monday by Georgia Department of Human Services Sec. Candice Broce, about 1.7 million people still need their cases processed...While the state has yet to break down…
This afternoon, Governor Deal announced that Georgia would not move forward with a state-based health insurance exchange. Instead, Georgia will have, by default, a federally facilitated exchange. While a state-based exchange would have been more easily tailored for Georgia and could have been more responsive to the needs of Georgia’s health care consumers, a federally facilitated exchange will still provide information, decision tools, and access to tax credits to help consumers find and purchase meaningful and affordable health insurance.
As the federal exchange gets built out, it will be important that federal officials consider the needs of consumers in states like Georgia. To that end, earlier this week Georgians for a Healthy Future joined with consumer advocates in states across the country to submit a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommending that federal officials create a robust stakeholder planning process, ensure in-person consumer assistance programs meet consumers’ needs, and ensure that qualified health plans available on the exchange protect consumers and meet their needs. You can learn more about health insurance exchanges in Georgia by visiting Georgians for a Healthy Future’s health insurance exchange resource page here. We look forward to working with policymakers to ensure that the federally facilitated exchange is successful in Georgia and that consumers have better access to meaningful and comprehensive health coverage for themselves and their families.


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The Co-operative store in Bacup has closed its doors for the last time.
The shop ceased trading on Saturday, September 17.
The Free Press last month that the store on Irwell Street in the town was to cease trading and would be replaced by a B and M Bargains store. All 16 of the staff who worked at the Co-Op food store have been taken on by the bargain brand.
Concerns were raised about the future of the Co-op after Morrisons opened its superstore in the town three years ago, and worry was expressed for smaller shops.
Following the closure announcement, the Co-Op said the decision to close the store had been taken with ‘the greatest reluctance’ and thanked their shoppers for their custom.
“A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that our store on Irwell Street in Bacup has been sold to B and M. The store closed on Saturday, September 17.”
An opening date for the new B and M store has not been confirmed.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We have no opening date for the store set as yet and we have no confirmation on how many jobs will be created.”


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DARTMOUTH -- So what if the Chinese invented fade-proof inks 4,600 years ago? Nathan Tardif, working in the basement of his modest seaside home here, thinks he can do it better.
Hence the bold challenge laid down on the website of his 18-month-old company, Noodler's Ink LLC, addressed to the ''forgers and identity thieves": He'll pay $1,000 to anyone who can remove his Noodler's Black from a standard security check.
''Industrial bleach will rot the pulp of the paper before it removes the ink," he said. ''As to forgers who are using ultraviolet light to fade out signatures, my ink is also impervious to that."
Tardif, 31, spent the formative years of his adolescence buying antique fountain pens and learning lost repair arts, such as retipping gold nibs with iridium, the smooth metal that actually touches the paper. He turned his attention to ink after a pen lover issued a challenge of his own. ''He said, 'Give me a fountain pen ink that I can use on the newspaper crossword puzzle but won't bleed into the paper and won't show through on the other side, and I'll buy 18 bottles,' " Tardif recalled.
He went far beyond that initial goal. His line of inks span a rainbow of vibrant colors. His naming runs to the poetic and obscure. A bloody red is called Antietam, after the Civil War battle; a dark teal is called Squetegue, inspired by the skin of what is commonly known as weakfish.
Amid a plethora of established brands from the big pen companies, Noodler's is catching on among fountain pen users.
''A lot of people are asking for it by name," said Bruce Poduska, sales manager at Bromfield Pen Shop in Boston. ''The colors are just really, really rich, and it seems to fit a niche. Fountain pen people are pretty picky. They're looking for just the right shade of hot pink, not too pink and not too hot."
Recently Tardif prepared a weekly shipment of eight cases, 144 bottles each. Noodler's typically retails for $12 a bottle, and he confided that profits per bottle ''stink."
''I'm hanging on by the skin of my teeth," he said.
Still he perseveres, with a crotchety stubbornness that would make Andy Rooney proud. Among his latest concoctions is Firefly, an intense chartreuse that outblazes the typical highlighter pen.
''It looks like it's from Mars," Tardif said. ''People just hold up the bottle, and it sells itself."
Planning an Arctic expedition? Try Noodler's Polar Black, guaranteed to flow at temperatures down to -110 degrees Fahrenheit. ''It sells OK in Scandinavia and Canada," Tardif said.
Still in the works are Bumblebee, which will produce a line of alternating black and yellow stripes; Christmas ink, which will change color from red to green as the temperature rises; and glow-in-the-dark ink.
Underpinning the venture is an old-fashioned, made-in-America pride. Tardif said he was dismayed when he learned that several US pen makers were manufacturing their ink overseas. ''I thought that Americans were more than capable of making a better ink and making it competitively, even in Massachusetts," he said.
Jeffrey Krasner can be reached at email@example.com.


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Coach follows Burberry, Versace, Gucci and Hugo Boss, pledging to go fur-free
Fur continues to fall out of fashion, with Coach becoming the latest high-end label to say that it will no longer include it in its merchandise.
The brand, known for its signature bags, gloves and bags, says it plans to be fur-free by the time it unveils its Fall 2019 collection.
"The decision to go fur-free is a truly meaningful milestone for the brand,” Joshua Schulman, president and CEO of Coach said in a statement, noting that the move was in line with corporate responsibility markers Coach established three years ago.
Haute labels and designers have increasingly shed fur in recent months, following years of criticism of how animals are treated to obtain the material.
Burberry, the high-end British line known for its chic rain coats and boots, said last month that it would no longer use real fur. And in March, famed label Versace said it was implementing a similar policy, echoing moves by such other designers such as Hugo Boss and Gucci.
Other fabrics have come under fire. In June, low-priced clothing chain Forever 21 said it would ban mohair from its scarves, sweaters and other products by 2020 amid concerns about animal rights. Fast-fashion giants H&M and Zara also said they would no longer sell items containing the yarn within two years.
People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals applauded Coach's move but added that it needs to do more.
"Today's shoppers don't want to wear the fur of tormented animals,'' PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman said in a statement, "and PETA looks forward to Coach pulling angora and mohair from its designs next.''


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P&G Olay Play Could Shift Women's Products Advertising During Super Bowl
Olay skin care ad during Super Bowl with actress Sarah Michelle Geller could usher in era of for women’s products during the event. Marketing experts say as advertisers look to identify more with women’s issues and take on political or social bents, they should tie brands with messaging that is straightforward.
You may also be interested in...
E.l.f. will launch its first TV spot during Super Bowl LVII, while FENTY Beauty has introduced a limited-edition makeup collection in anticipation of Rihanna headlining the halftime show. Veteran P&G will have a strong presence again this year, both during the game and in the lead-up on social media.
CHPA appoints Anne Marie Murphy deputy general counsel; CRN promotes Andrew Wong to senior VP, scientific and regulatory affairs; and Sarah Michelle Gellar promotes the Colgate Optic White High Impact line.


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The headlines in 2023 for retail media have so far been dominated by all the new bells and whistles of this relatively young advertising offering. These new baubles include (but are definitely not limited to) promises of measurement and incrementality, onsite and offsite display audience expansion options, and a sprinkling of CTV partnerships that promise to reach new shoppers and spur double-digit growth.
But, as someone who has her head under the hood of retail media and has been tinkering with it since its inception, if we’re all being honest here those hopes are still in development.


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Irina Shayk is one busy lady.
Not only did she make time to roll around in her undies for the new XTI footwear ads, she also has signed on as the newest face of Rampage.
But Shayk says that the Rampage gig is a big step up. "I was very excited to shoot this campaign because such iconic supermodels have worked with Rampage before me such as Bar Refaeli and Gisele Bundchen," said the Russian model.
Shayk also told People, "It gives you so much visibility.. so many models went on to do movies after Sports Illustrated and look, now I'm doing a Rampage campaign so it's a great thing!"
Set to debut during New York Fashion Week, the new Rampage campaign includes print ads and behind-the-scenes video, which you can check out below.
And don't worry if Irina's toned body and perfect skin make you feel a bit bad about your own -- we know for a fact that the model has been caught previously with her legs unshaven (gasp!).
Because models like Irina Shayk are just like us, y'know?


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Bucking the trend: Car dealership Lookers on the right track as profits up 1 per cent
Car dealership Lookers appeared to be on the road to recovery today as it announced a better-than-expected increase in profits - its third in a row.
The modest rise of 1.1 per cent took its new car sales volumes to 54,317, as the company overcame the weakest new car market since 1994.
Shares in the Manchester-based group, which has 111 franchise dealerships representing 31 marques at 70 sites, were up slightly at 1.3 per cent on the back of the news.
On the right track: Car dealership Lookers appeared to be on the road to recovery today as it announced an increase in profits
Used car sales volumes were up 2.5 per cent to 40,404 against a flat market, it added.
Pre-tax profits edged up to £33.8million from 2010's record of £33.6million, which Lookers described as a 'significant achievement'.
Chief executive Peter Jones added: 'These results give us confidence that we can continue to grow the business in 2012, despite short term market conditions remaining challenging.'
The driving force behind the 2011 improvement came from profits generated by dealership aftersales and its independent parts division, which represented 60 per cent of profit in the year.
Its total dividend for 2011 also increased by 21 per cent to 2.18p a share.
The company said it had made a good start to the current year, with the business still outperforming the retail new car market.
Mr Jones added that Lookers was trading ahead of budget and the prior year in the first quarter of 2012: 'We have a healthy order book for the delivery of new cars in the important month of March and aftersales continue to perform well.'
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In recent weeks, cruise lines have responded to the nation’s changing economic barometer with reduced pricing, consumer perks, schedule shifts, adjustment/removal of fuel surcharges and other proactive tactics. Agents are also scurrying— working the phones and ramping up promotion— much as they did after 9/11.
”Business has been way down,” notes Sabine Harris, owner, Cruise Planners in Tampa, FL. “I worked on a Christmas cruise yesterday only because Princess had a rate you could not pass up, but other than that, I have had very few new orders.” She believes many of her customers are scared, particularly with the current job situation, and they’re not focused on vacations. “I will say, though, the cruise lines are really stepping up with ‘bargains.’ For the folks that have no worries about the economy, they are quite lucky [with the great offers out in the marketplace],” Harris notes.
Jim Sweat, managing director, travel agency services, AAA Auto Club South, also in Tampa, says discounting and a relaxation of rules worked for the industry after 9/11. This time, though, he says, it’s a bit different. “Consumers are worried about their jobs, their 401(k)s, the stock market, their homes’ values…a much different fear,” says Sweat.
“The middle-class portion of our customer base is holding back right now a bit because they are still having difficulty visualizing what their lives are going to be like long-term vs. short-term,” acknowledges Sweat. And, even within the affluent market, “we continue to see some descent activity,” he notes.
Leisure analyst Robin Farley of UBS Warburg recently told her firm’s investors that “October was reportedly a challenging month with cruise lines [being] more aggressive with 2009 promotions to maintain the integrity of the yield curve going forward.” She said if lines promote now and fill more cabins, they might not need to continually lower prices as departure dates near. That could keep both fares and agency commissions from tanking.
Cruise lines are devising increasingly creative promotions. Hours after the U.S. presidential election was over, Celebrity Cruises issued a three-day “Post-Election Sale-a-Bration” on many ships. Through December 31, American Safari Cruises’ is giving agents up to 20 percent commission and passengers a $250-per-person travel credit on select departures of the company’s two Mexico itineraries. Several lines are also fielding veteran and military discounts this month.
Also helping are adjustments or removal of fuel surcharges. Some lines are also moving ships to better capture demand. “Close-to-home cruise options…are clearly the preference of the vast majority of the mainstream vacation market right now,” says Gerry Cahill, president and CEO, Carnival Cruise Lines. So, Carnival will launch year-round cruises from the Port of Baltimore on Carnival Pride starting April 27, 2009, several months earlier than planned. Carnival cited market conditions, economic uncertainty and high air costs to Europe as factors.
Meanwhile, Harris keeps actively promoting. Still, she says: “I don’t remember it being this bad, [even after 9/11]. I hope it gets better with [Barack Obama] in charge.”
The good news? “The U.S. dollar is getting stronger against the British pound and the euro, something we have not seen for a few years,” says Sweat. “Perhaps that should be an important factor in convincing customers that their trip to Europe will be more affordable.” In addition, Sweat says that over the past several weeks, his group’s Alaska consumer events have been very well attended, with more sales interest than anticipated.
Moving forward, Sweat says those agents who have strong relationships with both vendor partners and their customer base will be the first to turn the corner.


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The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday that [it] is planning to lay off 28,000 workers at its theme parks in California and Florida as it struggles with the months long closure of Disneyland, and capacity limits and other restrictions at Walt Disney World — all due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic — exacerbated in California by the State’s unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen — we have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment,” [chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Josh] D’Amaro said in a statement.
So, the governor of California, one of the states hardest hit by COVID-19, should just lift restrictions to keep people from being laid off? It’s not as though things are booming in Florida. Forbes notes that while Walt Disney World hit capacity limits over Labor Day, a rough fall is expected. The Florida park’s attendance dropped 80% compared with 2019 and hours were cut after the holiday.
It's true Disney has taken a big earnings hit from the pandemic. But using employees as ransom to pressure California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom into lifting restrictions is no solution while the pandemic still rages.
Why doesn’t Disney use its muscle and pressure Donald Trump to adequately deal with the pandemic, the way just about every other developed country has managed to do? That way, nobody would have to choose between their lives and their living.


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Recent research has revealed that many technology vendors are in the dark when it comes to channel marketing, and while they recognize the millions of dollars they pay out in marketing funds to partners...
Daily tech news and analysis channel partners need to know now, including Wisconsin's LCD plant, Android creator's smartphone, Infosys CEO's resignation and more
Check out which articles grabbed the most attention this week
Chinese hardware giant reported $291m profit for its PC business but still ended up in the red
Untangle and ADTRAN point to areas of importance for solution providers


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Havas Media Group has appointed ecommerce practitioner Brendon Peters as e-commerce director of Havas Market, the groups newly launched full-service ecommerce offering.
The appointment of Peters will help develop Havas Market’s commerce product suite across the Australian offering’s full spectrum of capabilities, including commerce consultancy, customer experience, ecommerce and online marketplace strategy, fulfilment strategies, operations, CRM, and analytics.
Virginia Hyland, CEO of Havas Media Group said, “Peters has a wealth of experience, both client and agency side, and a credible, unique point of view around how we can design and deliver a meaningful impact on a business as a proven partner.
“The past 12 months have seen us grow and transform some of Australia’s most loved brands in the ecommerce space. With Brendon joining the team, our clients will immediately reap the benefits of his proven experience as they continue their ecommerce journey.”
Peters will work closely with clients to collaboratively solve complex business challenges and transform their ecommerce strategies to deliver tangible results, including driving incremental revenue, according to Hyland.
“Another key component of Brendon’s role will involve providing end-to-end strategic recommendations across the entire ecommerce ecosystem,” she said.
Peters’ past experience includes being the e-commerce manager at ASX-listed Noni B Group, head of e-commerce at House of Quirky, a senior consultant at Practicology ANZ and global ecommerce accelerator Pattern International.
Peters said, “By putting the customer first, we are creating superior customer experiences across all our clients’ channels – helping them achieve targets, but also helping them understand their business needs to scale.”
Havas Market is a tailored iteration of the global Havas ecommerce offering designed for the needs of the Australian market. Its capabilities have been fully integrated into the broader Havas Media business, ensuring ecommerce is seamlessly connected to a single communication approach and enhancing Havas’ ability to work with clients across the entire customer journey.


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He was pulled from the water by two other boys.
They used Sellotape to lock the boy up before going for a family day out with his sisters.
Life has some semblance of normality amid the chaos.
Another woman was injured.
It's also known as the Merkel-Raute
He lured his victims to McDonald's with free burgers.
He's everyone's worst enemy right now.
Filmed at Miami Airport, the object appears in the sky in the far distance.
Is it a delayed St Patrick's Day celebration?
Nine people were killed.
Some staff were even offered career advancement for 'sexual favours'
Ellie says it gave her confidence back.
Last-minute wine shopping isn't a great idea.
He was among the nine people killed in the shopping centre massacre.
From The Ancient One to Valkyrie
He was sort of reunited with Billie Piper for it, too.


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The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Monday that some Lysol products could kill COVID-19 on surfaces in just two minutes.
In a press release, the agency said that Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist could effectively kill the coronavirus.
“EPA is committed to identifying new tools and providing accurate and up-to-date information to help the American public protect themselves and their families from the novel coronavirus,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler in the release. “EPA's review of products tested against this virus marks an important milestone in President Trump’s all of the government approach to fighting the spread of COVID-19."
The agency said the Lysol products were the first products that had been reviewed by its laboratory testing data and approved label claims.


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American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer GameStop has launched its NFT marketplace enabling gamers, creators, collectors and others to buy, sell and trade NFTs.
Sean has been involved with the web since the late nineties. He worked as a software developer and technical author for huge tech companies such as Microsoft, Disney and Adobe for over two decades. Discovering crypto and web3 beginning in 2017, he’s now extremely bullish on web3, blockchain technologies and NFTs.
GameStop releases public beta NFT marketplace Former head of TikTok gaming leaves Web2 to build core Web3 protocol
Jason Fung said he hopes to solve interoperability problems with Metaverse development through his new company Meta0.
Reddit announces new blockchain-backed ‘Collectible Avatars’
The company said that the project is set to utilize the Polygon blockchain for decentralized trading and third-party sales.
NFT platform wars could be ahead, says new DappRadar report
OpenSea, UniSwap, MagicEden, eBay and others are acquiring NFT aggregation tools and taking a stand to gain market share of the evolving NFT ecosystem.
DappRadar and LayerZero launch chain-agnostic staking token
A new staking mechanism through RADAR token has been created that is set to minimize gas fees and support recurring APR across multiple blockchains.
Coinbase providing customer geolocation data to ICE: Report
The U.S. government agency is reportedly using Coinbase Tracer to access customers' historical geo-tracking data and transactions on over a dozen cryptocurrencies.
Meta set to begin testing NFTs on Instagram Stories with Spark AR
Earlier this week, Meta also announced it would join with other tech companies to create a Metaverse standards body.
Blockchain isn’t as decentralized as you think: Defense agency report
The report published Tuesday highlights several scenarios in which various actors can garner excessive, centralized control of a blockchain system.
Uniswap acquires NFT marketplace aggregator Genie to further its goals
Decentralized exchange Uniswap to add additional NFT functionality to its platform following the acquisition.
GameFi continues to grow despite crypto winter: DappRadar report
The report seems to show that turbulence in the crypto markets has failed to rattle investments and forward movement of several GameFi and metaverse projects.
What decentralization? Solana lender Solend approves whale wallet takeover to avoid DeFi implosion
There’s more trouble in DeFi as Solend launches a spur-of-the-moment move to crack into a whale’s wallet.
Sweeping layoffs, hiring and firing as crypto prices take a massive downturn
Brutal economic conditions coupled with dramatically falling crypto prices have led to massive layoffs within the blockchain industry.
Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer introduces NFT-enabled smartwatch
Watches, blockchain and NFTs combine with the launch of TAG Heuer’s new luxury wearable.
Former president of the New York Stock Exchange joins Uniswap Labs as an adviser
Uniswap said it is betting on her experience with TradFi translating over to DeFi to further help them evolve their place in Web3.
Crypto users take to Twitter to lament the ongoing market downturn
What goes up must come down. And then go up again. Then come down again. And on and on and on...


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Move to iOS for Android wasn’t developed by Apple.
Apple’s legal counsel discussed autonomous vehicle plans with California Department of Motor Vehicles.
iFixit has performed their teardown of the iPad mini 4. Let’s see what’s inside.
Laurene Powell Jobs has pledged $50 million to help reimagine how high schools in the United States operate and bring them into the 21st century.
If you upgraded to iOS 9.1 through the beta program and would like to downgrade to iOS 9, follow this guide.
Rogers said to have interest in acquiring MTS Allstream.
Apple has won an appeals court ruling that may force Samsung to stop using some features in its mobile devices.
Satya Nadella used an iPhone to show off Microsoft-based apps and services at the Salesforce Dreamforce conference.
Sperm banks say users don’t need to sell a kidney to afford the new iPhone.
Android fans are trashing Apple’s first-ever Android app with 1-star reviews on Google Play store.
Uber remains a contentious issue in Edmonton, as officials determine what would make the service operate legally in the city.
Walmart has a sale on their entry iPhone 6 upgrades right now.


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In association with
Campaign Work, Friday, 22 February 2013 09:58AM
The Territorial Army has launched live TV ads from Afghanistan, as part of a recruitment drive. A series of ad by JWT London showed members of the Territorial Army in action, carrying out duties such as a routine vehicle check or handing over shifts on a lookout tower. The ads were directed by Nick Murphy and produced with ITN Productions.
This article was first published on Campaign Work
The games console as we know it is dead. When Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One earlier this week, it was clear that this was more than a device that would enable you to play Call of Duty or FIFA – this was, in Microsoft’s own words, “an all-in-one home entertainment system”.


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A few days ago, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha was officially unveiled in China, a smartphone whose ratio-screen / body is 180.6%. Today, Xiaomi released the first official unboxing video of this smartphone. The deluxe package includes the Mi Mix Alpha, charger and cable, a 3.5mm USB-C audio connection cable and a protective case specifically designed for the device.
In the specifications section, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha uses Samsung’s new 108MP sensor (the triple camera module includes a 108-megapixel sensor + 20-megapixel wide-angle + 12-megapixel telephoto sensor) developed in collaboration with Xiaomi. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 855+ chipset backed by 12GB of RAM along with a native UFS 3.0 12GB memory and a 4050mAh battery that supports fast 40W charging.
The camera takes pictures at a resolution of 12032 x 9024 pixels. To show off its prowess, Xiaomi expertise a photo taken with the camera and then showed that you can zoom in to 8x without losing a lot of detail.


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The competition in the Malayalam print media in the UAE is getting more intense as the South Indian language newspapers have started attracting the readers with special incentives, gifts and promotions.
The Malayalam newspapers published from the UAE/GCC are also taking out their internet editions to encourage readers to buy hard copies instead of reading the free web editions. For the first time, a free Malayalam weekly Calicut Times has been launched in the UAE market on an experimental basis.
Nissar Sayed, Editor-in-Chief, Siraj Malayalam newspaper, said: "We are engaged in a marathon campaign to increase annual subscription. Our cover price of Dh1.5 per copy is the lowest in the industry as all others are selling at Dh2. As part of our successful completion 1,000 days by Siraj in the UAE. We are offering a discount of Dh100 for new subscribers plus gifts like electronic products, watches, gold coins and air tickets."
He said the advertisement revenue for all Malayalam newspapers is down. He said major newspapers – the Malayalam News, the first Malayalam newspaper published by the Saudi Research and Publication Group in the region and Deepika, a 100 years old Malayalam newspaper, have closed their Dubai editions a few years after launching the UAE editions.
Other experiments such as the Arabia Weekly and Arabia Evening newspaper too closed after a few years due to high cost that could not be met with advertisement revenue. "Thank God and our readers that Siraj has completed 1000 days in Dubai. We hope Siraj will not end up like Malayalam News, Deepika or Arabia."
The launch cover price of Dh1 was increased to Dh1.5 and the internet edition was pulled out to attract more readers to buy hard copies. "Our target is to get 5,000 new subscribers during the current campaign. We have set up 50 readers forums in different emirates and those who bring maximum subscriptions are rewarded with gold coins and air tickets.
He said the launch of free weekly newspapers such as Calicut News will not affect the mainstream Malayalam dailies. Siraj has four editions in Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Calicut and Kannur. It is also considering editions in Qatar and other GCC countries, where there are many readers of the Malayalam newspaper. Gulf Madhyamam too is delaying its internet editions to increase newspaper circulation.
KM Abbas, Editor-in-Charge of Siraj said the newspaper is also conducting media seminars in each emirate with the help of reader's forum.
Abbas, who is co-ordinating the 1,000 days campaign in different emirates said: "In order to get relevant news from various emirates, we have appointed voluntary citizen reporters who are not working for money. We have a good team of reporters network throughout the UAE and other Gulf countries."
He said Risala, a Malayalam weekly published from Calicut, will also be launched in the UAE soon.
Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the daily Emirates Business 24|7 newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.


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Actualidad nacional e internacionalDic. 3, 2020
México: cae 29% la producción de moras en principal estado productor de ese país (en inglés)
As the debate continues whether Mexican imports harm U.S. domestic growers, Mexican growers report a significant decline in blackberry production in Michoacan.
The Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP) reports that blackberry production in Michoacán has plummeted by 29 percent, as reported by La Voz de Michoacan.
With just over 148,000 tons during the first ten months of the year, the production of this fruit in 2020 looks to be the lowest in the last five years and seems to be catching the economic slowdown that prevails in the state.
This compares to January to October 2019, where 208,046 tons of blackberries were shipped, reflecting a decrease of 28.9 percent.
Michoacán accounts for 93.5 percent of the total production of blackberries in the country and brings together nearly all the product destined for export, which has had its ups and downs due to harvest problems and border closures throughout the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to this problem, the president of the National Association of Berries (Aneberries), José Luis Bustamante Fernández has pointed out that the pandemic has been particularly detrimental to Mexican berries, not only in terms of production, but also in the channels of commercialization.
The health contingency impacted the issue of internal sales channels for at least four months, but it especially affected the logistics of routes and export processes for strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, especially with the neighboring U.S.
The municipality of Los Reyes, with 69,663 tons, is the main producer in Michoacan, representing 40 percent of the blackberries that are produced, as well as 95 percent that are exported.
Producebluebook/november 30, 2020VOLVER A NOTICIAS


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Refresh Renovations and Zones Landscaping is back with episode 19 of The Renovation and Outdoor Living Show, and this week we’re going to talk about Outdoor Lighting & Security. Host Rawdon Christie will be discussing how you can get the lighting right for winter and how you can stay safe at home with the latest security and CCTV technology.
Our first guest is Rob Willcox, the Managing Director of SmartLife, a New Zealand owned and operated home and automation business. Rob has over 20 years of experience in the industry and will be telling us what a smart home can do for your outdoors - from acoustic landscape speakers to RGB lighting, you do not want to miss this unique opportunity to learn about the latest trends.
We’ll then be joined by Barry Sluiters, Managing Director of the Garden Lighting Company Ltd. For over 35 years, Barry and his company have helped thousands of clients transform their outdoor areas with taylormade lighting solutions. He’ll be discussing every aspect of outdoor lighting, focusing on lighting for the winter.
Episode 19 will air this Tuesday, 9th June, at 2:00 P.M. NZST.
We hope to see you there!
When: Tuesday, 9th June at 2:00 P.M. NZST.
Where: You can watch the stream on this page.
Make sure to drop a like on our Facebook page to stay up to date.


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The Top PR Firms in Fashion & Luxury Retail
With the fashion industry still finding its footing amid the ever-changing social media landscape, the PR power players on this list are getting creative in making their luxury fashion clients stand out.Read More
From King Louis XIV’s use of fashion as a political tool at the court of Versailles to the stockingless women’s looks during World War II (due to nylon being reallocated to manufacture parachutes), fashion has always both reflected and shaped the cultural conversation. But the technology boom of the past decade has drastically changed that dialogue, making fashion (and practically every other industry) more accessible. As Savannah Engel, the founder of Savi PR, puts it, this latest evolution has also created a “Wild West” in fashion marketing.
Where things were more structured and formulaic in the past, boutique and global agencies today need to be well-versed in everything from creating press materials and securing traditional media placement to dreaming up (and executing) buzzworthy collaborations and activations. Then, of course, there’s the VIP and influencer component, which, thanks to social media, has become a primary focus—one that’s exciting as it allows brands to engage with customers directly but also presents the challenge of standing out among the endless content.
“The thinking behind our work needs to become more strategic to cut through the noise and deliver results,” PR Consulting founder and president Pierre Rougier tells Observer, adding, “Fashion PR in the traditional sense has become obsolete.” In addition to using social media to share content that’s both creative and in keeping with a brand’s ethos, it’s also an effective sales tool. “With social media increasingly competing against web and email as a main channel of conversion, there has never been a more interesting time to shop as a consumer.” Linda Gaunt, founder and president of Linda Gaunt Communications, elaborates. “Users no longer have to leave their apps to shop, and we recognize the importance of capturing users’ attention in real-time.”
KCD Worldwide CEO Rachna Shah confirms that this has created a tougher retail environment, but it has also presented agencies and brands with the opportunity to get more creative. “Brands are being more intention-driven in their choices; they are developing events and activations that cater to the top clients but appeal to the media and VIP,” she says, noting that this also means placing importance on regional growth.
But at the end of the day, the leaders on this list (some of whom helped build and solidify the images of brands like Armani and Michael Kors before creating their own firms) agree that successfully engaging consumers still starts with establishing a firm partnership between agency and client. “I think after Covid, people and brands are really yearning for interaction and a sense of community,” says Engel. “This shift in our industry means we have to think differently, but we’re still intimately involved with brands from events and partnerships to analytics and even design meetings so that we can build a real community; that’s what it’s all about.” Ahead, meet the creatives writing the new rules of luxury fashion.
There are global agencies, and then there’s Karla Otto; a commanding presence with 14 offices that span every major fashion capital around the world, from New York to Milan to Tokyo. Founded in 1982 by model-turned-public relations maven Karla Otto, the agency represents clients across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, hospitality and even the arts (the prestigious Opéra National De Paris being the most notable among the latter sector). Presently led by chief executive officer Alexander Werz and chief business officer Lissy Von Schwarzkopf, Karla Otto recently added Ferragamo to its portfolio of luxury fashion clients, which also includes names like Givenchy, Loewe and Valentino.
“Our international community of experts allow us to develop and execute campaigns with global impact and local relevance, spanning communications, talent, creative, strategy and experiential,” Von Schwarzkopf tells Observer. But what’s truly unique to Karla Otto is the data that it’s able to provide its luxury fashion houses (and all of its clients), which provides more clarity in a fast-changing industry. “We formally launched a new Insights division, which leverages our unique position and expertise in the global luxury industry to provide research, data analysis, strategy and measurable solutions for our clients,” says Von Schwarzkopf. Having established this new division in 2023, Karla Otto works with partner agencies Lefty and Ctzar to publish data-based industry reports, such as the agency’s recently-shared calculations that Paris Fashion Week had garnered the city a record-breaking $314.6 million in earned media value.
“The balance between global and local is essential, and the success of our agency is the sum of amazing local market leads in the U.S., EMEA, APAC and divisional leads across all categories,” Von Schwarzkopf says, noting that despite its global presence, Karla Otto has always prioritized a “local boutique feel.”
- Rachna Shah, Global CEO
With more than 50 luxury brands among its clients, from Valentino and Versace to Marc Jacobs and Off-White, KCD Worldwide is a fashion force to be reckoned with. Though founded in 1984 by Kezia Keeble, Paul Cavaco and John Duka (that’s where the KCD comes from), the agency has been largely led by Julie Mannion and the late Ed Filipowski since 1994. But all that changed in December of 2023 when KCD announced Rachna Shah as the new global CEO of its offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris.
Mentored by Filipowski, who passed away in 2020, Shah joined the company in 1997 as an assistant publicist. She’s held many titles in the years since, cultivating expertise across each of the agency’s full-service areas, from media relations and creative production to digital, where Shah was the driving force behind KCD’s digital integration. “We develop strategies that are creative-led, we produce and manage events with the utmost meticulous care and planning and we have a dedicated staff that brings expertise from many different backgrounds and points of view,” Shah tells Observer of KCD’s strengths.
In addition to expanding upon its senior leadership in 2023 (KCD welcomed Adrien Giraux as EVP and Gretchen Vater as managing director of its Global Creative Group), the agency took on projects like the LACMA Art + Film Gala, the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Albie Awards and Tommy Hilfiger’s return to New York Fashion Week. Having also added clients like Sonia Rykiel and Rochas to the KCD roster, luxury fashion is still at the forefront of the firm’s partnerships. But as part of KCD’s next evolution, the global agency also named Tom Ford Beauty to its client roster, establishing its first-ever luxury beauty vertical in 2023, with plans for expansion in 2024 and beyond.
- Linda Gaunt, Founder/President
In the 20 years since Linda Gaunt established her eponymous boutique agency, Linda Gaunt Communications (LGC) has expanded its luxury client roster to include hospitality with the likes of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and accessories with brands like high-end jeweler Graff. But luxury fashion is still a primary focus for the agency, which is especially fitting when you consider that Gaunt honed her expertise in the luxury fashion space at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman before joining the team at Giorgio Armani in 1990, where she would remain until 2002 as the EVP of Marketing and Communications.
“It’s really about building a brand from the inside and understanding how to support all aspects of the business,” Gaunt tells Observer of her New York City-based firm. While Gaunt’s experience in the industry informs part of that understanding, the LGC founder and president also credits her 20-person team, many of whom have been with the agency for 10 or more years. “Being a real partner, and not just getting the work done, but thinking deeply and seeing the opportunity is a point of pride,” she says, adding that she strives to create a “collaborative and supportive” environment.
From media relations and events to influencer marketing, LGC’s tailored approach has helped some of its longtime clients to engage in cultural conversation in new ways. At the start of 2024, menswear designer Todd Snyder returned to the runway after four years, skipping New York to be the opening show and featured designer at Pitti Uomo in Florence. And LGC helped redefine the typical CEO announcement with sustainability-driven Eileen Fisher and her responsible brand transition. That put the focus on the legacy brand’s groundbreaking sustainability efforts, garnering attention from a new generation in the process.
In addition to its longtime clients (Gaunt notes that Todd Snyder has been with the agency since the menswear label launched in 2011), LGC welcomed several luxury fashion clients to its firm in 2023, including American heritage brand Woolrich and emerging labels Saint Art and Mayson the Label.
- Pierre Rougier, Founder/President & Sylvie Picquet-Damesme, Partner/CEO
A list of longstanding luxury fashion clients that includes Alaïa, Louis Vuitton and Dries Van Noten doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of PR Consulting, which also represents some of the biggest names across lifestyle and hospitality (think The Mark Hotel, Hotel Fouquet’s and Sant Ambroeus Hospitality Group). With offices in New York City and Paris, the global agency is headed by Pierre Rougier, who founded PRC in 1997, and Sylvie Picquet-Damesme, who serves as partner and CEO.
With the belief that today’s public relations should function synergistically across all categories, PR Consulting helped to integrate hospitality with the biggest night in fashion by expanding upon The Mark’s history as the Upper East Side hotel of choice for celebrities prepping for the annual Met Gala. “By working with top media outlets, entertainment networks and photographers, we offered the first look of guests departing for the 2023 Costume Institute Gala,” Picquet-Damesme shares. Another point of pride for PR Consulting is its longtime partnership with the legendary French fashion house Alaïa, and its recent resurgence under creative director Pieter Mulier (appointed in 2021 as the first creative director following founder Azzedine Alaïa’s passing in 2017). Working with Mulier to build the designer’s presence while maintaining the Maison’s vision, PR Consulting helped Alaïa to launch a physical store in the U.S. in 2023—its first since the original New York City flagship closed in 1991.
As well as signing fashion brands like Setchu and ME + EM and luxury jewelry manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre, PR Consulting also prioritized its digital approach. “In 2024, we have formalized our extensive experience with the influencer, VIP and special events components of our communications work into standalone departments of the agency,” Rougier tells Observer.
- Savannah Engel, Founder/CEO
It’s been less than eight years since Savannah Engel (who got her public relations start with Michael Kors and later Barney’s) decided to branch out on her own, but she’s quickly set herself apart from the traditional PR set. With the launch of Savi in 2017, Engel put the focus on community, working with fashion clients like Markarian, PatBO and Ciao Lucia across all areas of their business to connect with customers in a new way.
“We really want to change the game,” Engel tells Observer of expanding brands’ reach beyond traditional press. “I came from the old world of fashion, which was quite structured and inaccessible in a way, but our industry has changed so much, so quickly,” she explains. “Social media has opened up the fashion industry so that it’s accessible to everyone. In the U.S., it’s not just about New York, Miami and Los Angeles, anymore; there are consumers across the country to consider, and they are culturally very different.”
To keep up with these changes, Engel and her New York City-based team, which doubled in size in 2023, prioritize brand-building through collaborations and VIP and influencer relationships. And while that can mean dressing Beyoncé (as was the case when the singer wore custom PatBO during her Renaissance world tour in 2023), Engel notes that it can also be something less traditional, such as working with a chef in Memphis, Tennessee, or throwing a block party in support of a charitable organization (the latter of which Savi did for newly-signed luxury sunglass label Krewe when they shut down NYC’s Gansevoort Street for a New Orleans-inspired crawfish bowl that raised funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering).
But before all of that, Engel started the year in Washington, D.C., alongside Markarian designer Alexandra O’Neill and Dr. Jill Biden. Attending the ceremony that placed Dr. Jill Biden’s inaugural look (created by O’Neill) alongside the First Ladies Collection in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Engel spoke of the sense of pride she had in celebrating the historical moment with O’Neill—a longtime friend of Engel’s and Savi’s first official client. And that can be said for each of the brands Savi works with. “I’m very lucky that my team is super passionate about what they do, and we’re a family,” says Engel, who notes they’ll be working on some exciting rebrands in the year ahead. “Our clients are family, too, and when they have a win, we’re cheering with them.”


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Over on Twitter, user DroidXAce released a series of images that allegedly show several Nintendo Switch accessories currently in the works from manufacturer Hori. The images have been verified as legitimate by French publication, LetsPlayVideoGames.
In the first image above, you can see a dual charging station similar to that of the PlayStation 4, as well as a stand.
Accessories aside, one of the most important clues these images give prospective buyers is the increased possibility that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be a Nintendo Switch launch title.
If true, this could signal a potential win for Nintendo, as the gaming community has been crossing their fingers, hoping Breath of the Wild would indeed launch with the Switch this March. Although, there’s always the possibility that these skins are nothing more than aesthetic coincidences.
Other accessories shown include a Hori game controller, which we have to admit, looks pretty good all things considered. Additionally, there’s also this interesting arcade joystick.
We have to wonder which games this accessory will be compatible
All will be revealed Friday morning during Nintendo’s Treehouse Event, where the company will officially display the Nintendo Switch in all of its (hopeful) glory. You can watch the event live on Twitch, so set aside some time at 6:30 a.m. (PST) or 9:30 a.m. (EST) to learn more about the Switch and whether or not Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is indeed a launch title. Fingers crossed!
For more on the Nintendo Switch, be sure to check out some of our previous features including how the acquisition of indie game developers offers the Nintendo Switch a better chance at success, our initial coverage of the Nintendo Switch reveal, and a list of nine indie games that have the best chance of a Nintendo Switch release!


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|By PR Newswire||
|January 10, 2013 07:30 AM EST||
LONDON, January 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
- UK consumers spent 34% more on Boxing Day 2012 online purchases through paid search ads than in 2011
UK retailers spent 27% more on search marketing through Google and other major search engines during this past Christmas season than in 2011 with more than 31% of all paid search clicks coming from mobile phones and tablets according to data from global digital marketing technology leader, Kenshoo.
The Kenshoo 2012 Global Online Retail Holiday Shopping Report reveals UK retailers' Boxing Day search ads generated a 34% increase in online sales revenue with a 43% increase in conversion rates year-on-year (YoY) . Overall, for the season, advertisers in the Kenshoo U.K. retail index generated £12.95 return on ad spend or nearly 13 GBP for every 1 Pound invested in paid search.
"Savvy U.K. retailers planned ahead for post-Christmas shopping and allocated budgets to capture Boxing Day peaks," said Aaron Goldman, chief marketing officer at Kenshoo. "Despite increased competition throughout the Christmas season, Kenshoo U.K. clients adapted their strategies to achieve strong results including creating bespoke campaigns to target consumers by device type."
The Kenshoo study found that tablets emerged as a critical consumer shopping device, generating 18% of all paid search clicks and 21% of total revenue. More affluent tablet owners produced an average order value (AOV) of £88.48 from search ads, significantly higher than the £73.78 AOV for computers. Despite the strong performance, the average paid search cost-per-click (CPC) for tablets is 31% less expensive than computers.
2012 U.K. Retail Paid Search Key Metrics - Breakdown by Device
Device Clicks Conversions Revenue Ad Spend Cost-per-Click Conversion Rate Average Order Value Computer 68.88% 78.07% 75.32% 78.74% GBP 0.36 6.53% GBP73.78 Phone 13.09% 3.62% 3.40% 7.09% GBP 0.17 1.59% GBP71.98 Tablet 18.02% 18.31% 21.27% 14.17% GBP 0.25 5.85% GBP88.84
Other key U.K. findings revealed in Kenshoo's report include:
- When comparing paid search ads across mobile phone operating systems, Apple's iOS (iPhone) devices were dominant (62.4% of clicks), leaving Android behind (34.55% of clicks) with lower conversion rates and smaller average order sizes, while Blackberry drew just 2.18% of clicks
- For paid search ads delivered through tablet devices, 98.3% of clicks came from iOS (iPad) with just 1.07% coming from Blackberry and 0.62% from Android
- Paid search conversion rates in the U.K. grew steadily from late November through the first three weeks in December and did not drop until the final few days before Christmas
- Consumers were choosier with clicks as Christmas Season paid search impressions were up 18% but clicks were down 2%
The Kenshoo 2012 Global Online Retail Holiday Shopping Report provides charts, graphs and insights supporting these trends along with search marketing imperatives for advertisers in the year ahead for search, social, and mobile.
The data analysed for this report reflect a representative cross-section of Kenshoo clients (advertisers and agencies) managing paid search programs for the retail vertical across all major markets (including Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, U.S. and U.K.) with active campaigns tracking impressions, clicks, conversions and revenue over the 12+ month period from November 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012. This index includes all major retail categories such as, but not limited to, electronics, books, apparel, appliances, shoes, sporting goods and more. The data set covers 24+ billion paid impressions and clicks on search engines including Google, Yahoo!, Bing, AOL and Baidu that delivered more than $1.7 billion dollars in online sales revenue.
In addition to the U.K., the Kenshoo 2012 Global Online Retail Holiday Shopping Report also includes sections covering search advertising trends in the United States. Please visit http://www.Kenshoo.com/2012GlobalOnlineRetailShoppingSeasonReport to download the entire report.
Kenshoo is a digital marketing technology company that engineers premium solutions for search marketing, social media and online advertising. Brands, agencies and developers use Kenshoo Enterprise, Kenshoo Local and Kenshoo Social to direct more than £16 billion in annual client sales revenue. The Kenshoo Universal Platform delivers automation, intelligence, integration and scale to make better marketing investments. With campaigns running in more than 190 countries for nearly half of the Fortune 50 and all 10 top global ad agency networks, Kenshoo's UK clients include Accor, Burberry, GroupM, Havas, John Lewis, Omnicom and Tesco. Kenshoo has 16 international locations and is backed by Sequoia Capital, Arts Alliance and Tenaya Capital. Please visit http://www.Kenshoo.com for more information.
Kenshoo is a trademark of Kenshoo Ltd. Other company and brand names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SYS-CON Events announced today that Outlyer, a monitoring service for DevOps and operations teams, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Outlyer is a monitoring service for DevOps and Operations teams running Cloud, SaaS, Microservices and IoT deployments. Designed for today's dynamic environments that need beyond cloud-scale monitoring, we make monitoring effortless so you ...
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China Unicom exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which took place at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, in November 2016. China United Network Communications Group Co. Ltd ("China Unicom") was officially established in 2009 on the basis of the merger of former China Netcom and former China Unicom. China Unicom mainly operates a full range of telecommunications services including mobile broadband (GSM, WCDMA, LTE FDD, TD-LTE), fixed-line broadband, ICT, data communica...
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With the introduction of IoT and Smart Living in every aspect of our lives, one question has become relevant: What are the security implications? To answer this, first we have to look and explore the security models of the technologies that IoT is founded upon. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nevi Kaja, a Research Engineer at Ford Motor Company, will discuss some of the security challenges of the IoT infrastructure and relate how these aspects impact Smart Living. The material will be delivered i...
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Apache Hadoop is emerging as a distributed platform for handling large and fast incoming streams of data. Predictive maintenance, supply chain optimization, and Internet-of-Things analysis are examples where Hadoop provides the scalable storage, processing, and analytics platform to gain meaningful insights from granular data that is typically only valuable from a large-scale, aggregate view. One architecture useful for capturing and analyzing streaming data is the Lambda Architecture, represent...
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GeoProve is a new mobile location verification platform setup by industry superstar and former Primesight CEO Naren Patel and former Bloomberg Media, Metro, BBC, Primesight exec Matt Teeman.
Joining them in this old boys club is former Primesight colleague Nigel Clarkson, who has been appointed as a non-executive director, though surely he should be focussing all of his energy in his latest role as Hivestack’s Global Chief Revenue Officer.
We understand that GeoProve works in a similar way to online verification tags. It offers brands and agencies a self-serve platform that should be able to detect any campaign configuration issues and bad data points. There are two scoring metrics that act as a ‘health check’; a Location Health Score and a Location Supply Score.
GeoProve has been independently verified and has signed up Blis, the programmatic advertising specialist, as its first launch client.
With Naren at the helm it is sure to be a success.


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This has been consistent with recent technology – resolution from our smaller devices or even YouTube doesn’t render clearly when streamed over our larger televisions. Sony’s new televisions will incorporate their X-Reality Pro software into every one of their future Bravia televisions. It properly pixelates what your video or image should look like in real time.
It essentially restores the proper resolution for a low quality video to help make it look great on a TV with such a high pixel density. You may not gather it from the press shot above, but the television shown is making use of the X-Reality technology from a tiny YouTube video with low resolution.
Hopefully we see technology like this implemented into other manufacturers as well. it seems almost mandatory at this point, and would greatly help re-pixelate poor HDMI transfers. To some extent, we could save bandwidth by playing lower quality videos, but Sony’s television would just make up for it with their X-Reality Pro software.


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OXO's kitchen gadget for taking corn off the cob combines a mouse-shaped handle with a blade and measuring cup. The only other way to get corn off the cob is with a huge knife (fun but not safe) or manually with your chompers. (Which is not a good idea if you're meaning to spit it back into a communal salad bowl.) [OXO via SciFiTech]
OXO Corn Stripper is Simply Ingenious
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