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The repercussions of the Hayne Royal Commission are definitely being felt by the big-four banks, and the latest Roy Morgan survey shows that NAB is faring the worst of all.
According to the Roy Morgan Net Trust Score Survey conducted February 9/10, shortly after the Hayne Report was handed down, NAB has attained the dubious distinction as the most distrusted bank brand in Australia.
The study, which has measured the banks’ Net Trust Score (NTS) since 2017, showed a predictable decline for all of the big-four banks, however NAB’s distrust score has managed to double year-on-year.
Though good customer service ranks as the number one factor of a brand’s trust, the data shows that greed, dishonesty and a lack of integrity are the major driving factors of distrust.
Prior to the Hayne Report, January’s survey revealed CBA as the bank brand with the lowest level of trust and highest level of distrust.
In January, 36.9 per cent of Australians distrusted NAB, a number which jumped to 53.7 per cent in February.
With NAB’s trust rating dropping from 18.5 per cent to 11.5 per cent, its Net Trust Score sits at a stunning -42.2 per cent, as compared to the other three major banks, which are sitting in the minus twenties.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine describes NAB’s rating as being: “the highest level of distrust we have ever seen for a bank brand in Australia.
“The real question is what happens next”.
It falls on Clemenger Melbourne, NAB’s creative and digital agency, to stop the bleeding and rebuild the bank’s flagging public image.
NAB is the agency’s biggest client, and the upcoming campaign — alongside the campaigns for the other big-four banks — could turn out to be its most important yet.
B&T spoke with WE Buchan’s Michelle Ryan following the results of the Hayne Royal Commission about how the banks should respond, in both a commercial and ethical sense.
The full interview can be read here.
Pinterest has introduced a new suite of creator and Pinner products and experiences globally, as the platform continues to evolve to become home for the next generation of creators. At its second annual Pinterest Creators Festival, featuring Megan Thee Stallion and Storm Reid. Pinterest creators Kerin Rose Gold, Wendy’s World, Henri Purnell, Carolina Gelen and […]
Agency Digitas ANZ has developed its own unique brew of beer, galvanizing the team to channel its expertise in data, technology, digital media and creative. The brainchild of senior creative at Digitas, Nick Duron – Digitas’ ‘Unicorn Punch’ comes in alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties and was created as a means of making Australian and New […]
As Australia prepares to hit its 70 per cent nationwide double vaccination milestone, a new study from Afterpay reveals how Gen Z and Millennials are ready to Press Play on their lives, after 9 in 10 (88 per cent) missed key life events through lockdowns. From hitting restaurants, cafés and pubs and jetting off overseas, […]
New data from Hootsuite and We Are Social reveals that as of June, social media user numbers have jumped by 13 per cent since the same time last year, with the latest data showing an increase of more than half a billion users in just 12 months. The Digital 2021: July Global Statshot report revealed key findings […]
Producers Rodney Rigby and Junkyard Dog Productions have announced that the worldwide smash hit, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical COME FROM AWAY, has reopened at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The pandemic led to all theatre shows closing curtains in Sydney, however, with vaccinations rates soaring and restrictions easing, the theatre is back and Sydney […]
Former PMs, high-ranking politicians and climate experts blow the whistle on how Australia became an international climate change pariah in the new Guardian Australia podcast series, Australia v the climate. Guardian Australia will release a special investigative podcast series ahead of the Cop26 global climate summit, scrutinising Australia’s role in the climate crisis over more […]
TBWA\Sydney Group has announced two new key promotions of Nitsa Lotus to chief growth officer and Tanya Vragalis to managing director. In her new role, Lotus will be focused on leading growth initiatives and innovation across each of the agencies within the TBWA\Sydney Group – TBWA, Eleven, Fleishman Hillard, Fabric and Bolt – as well […]
The beauty industry needs to reflect greater diversity both in front and behind the camera, as consumers increasingly align with brands that share their values, according to a panel of leading experts speaking at Are Media’s latest insight series TRENDtalks: Beauty. Hosted by leading Australian beauty expert and presenter Michael Brown, TRENDtalks: Beauty also highlighted […]
Findings from the latest Podsights Benchmark Australian Report shows ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network is a market leader in advertising effectiveness and continues to perform well above global benchmarks. Through its partnership with Podsights, ARN is setting the standard for podcast advertising measurement, providing commercial partners with data-led insights to ensure maximum engagement and conversion with iHeartPodcast […]
Advertising revenue for metropolitan commercial radio stations reached $53.149 million in September, reflecting a year on year rise of 12.7 per cent, according to data compiled by Milton Data and released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia (CRA). September quarter ad revenue totalled $151.373 million, up 16.1 per cent from the corresponding period a year […]
GAMURS Group, the esports and entertainment media network that reaches more than 100 million passionate gamers globally per month, has announced the appointment of Alex Walker as its vice president of content for the Asia Pacific region. Walker joins GAMURS after more than six years at Allure Media and Nine’s Pedestrian Group, where he was […]


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CPI inflation rose to 2.1% YoY in April, from 1.5% in March. That reflected a rise in food price inflation back up to 1.9% YoY, the highest since late 2020. That seems to reflect supply issues in late March and early April at the beginning of this latest Covid-19 outbreak. Food prices at that time rose, interrupting the seasonal fall that usually occurs between the Lunar New Year holiday and late June.
Daily wholesale data in the last few weeks suggest food prices have once again started to fall, though for now, the extent of the decline is modest. This bears close monitoring because recently the need to “stabilise prices” has been appearing in official statements, and because this rise in food prices is just about the only sign of rising inflation in China right now.
Asset prices in the economy weak right now. Core CPI was once again sluggish in April. Leading indicators do imply that should turn up, but modestly. Within CPI, energy price inflation accelerated in April, but global prices don't point to a lot more upside from here. Indeed, overall PPI inflation softened to 8% YoY in April. In absolute terms that is of course still high, but the trend of recent months is down, and if global price indices and the relationship of those with the USD prove accurate, there's more downside for PPI inflation ahead.

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LeoVince USA will be expanding into the Canadian market and presenting their brand directly to Canadian customers today through Sunday at the North American International Motorcycle Show at the Toronto International Centre.
Starting Tuesday, LeoVince USA will be selling and servicing Canada directly through leovinceusa.com and from its Richmond, Calif., headquarters.
LeoVince has long maintained a Canadian selling presence through a distributor, but now Canadian consumers and dealers will have direct access to LeoVince products, staff and support.
"Following our recent warehouse and staff expansion, we are excited to offer our industry-leading customer service and products to Canada. We are looking forward to working with the extremely passionate dealers and riders of this market," said Tim Calhoun, executive vice president of LeoVince USA.
The LeoVince USA staff now offers expanded customer service with the addition of a product specialist who is fluent in French.
"Our reach will include all the provinces and territories of Canada with the exception of Quebec. There are some market nuances we need to address in order to sell there, and we will look to that province in the future," Calhoun said. "We are excited to continue to expand the LeoVince family of brands throughout North America."
Canadian dealers will also be eligible to join LeoVince USA's FORZA Power Dealer Canada program to support LeoVince product sales.


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Machinery auction report with photos and prices
According to Martin Lonergan of Cork Marts, English buyers “dominated” its most recent machinery auction.
The auctioneer reported they were in the market for collectable tractors at Corrin Event Centre on Thursday, December 9th, 2021.
He explained that a Fordson Super Major sold at €5,950, and a Ford Tw 20 changed hands for €14,800, with both travelling across the Irish sea.
The restored Ford 5000 came under the hammer at €21,000, with an English buyer placing the final bid.
Ahead of the auction, he described this as “a very rare, fully restored Ford 5000 dual-power, two-speed PTO”.
“The tractor is in immaculate condition and is surely one of the finest examples around of this very rare tractor.”
Meanwhile, a clearance New Holland TS90 2002 four-wheel drive with a Tanco loader showing over 9000 hours sold without any implements, for €31,600.
Another Fordson Super Major found a new owner in Ireland at €7,050.
The highest bid for a Dooley cattle trailer build in 2008 was €15,400, and a “very clean” Ford 2600 made €5,100.
Several balers, bale trailers, grain trailers, tractors, loaders, fertiliser spreaders, sprayers and cattle trailers were on offer.
Machinery auction report
Speaking following the hybrid auction, Martin Lonergan, an auctioneer at Cork Marts, told That’s Farming:
“The auction entries were down due to the red weather warnings, but on the night, buyers’ appetite was not dampened by the inclement weather conditions.”
“The sale boosted an 82% clearance rate with over 250 registered online bidders and 60 ringside for the auction which we held in conjunction with MartEye.”
“Furthermore, online and real-time bidding worked very well with auction boards displaying the lots and price, along with the standard audio of an auction.”
“A UK-based buyer managed to buy online while crossing the Irish Sea on the ferry. We will hold our next sale in the new year,” he concluded.


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Samsung is warning users against updating their PCs to Windows 10, as the company’s drivers aren’t up to the task.
According to Samsung’s support team, its computers’ do not fully support Microsoft’s newest operating system, which Microsoft has been pushing hard and encouraging people to update to. The advice from the Korean computer maker comes following a number of customers complaining about their Samsung computers not working after making the upgrade to Windows 10.
The Register this week reported on the email sent by Samsung’s UK support staff to a customer. In the email, a support employee said Samsung is still coordinating with Microsoft to address the issue.
“The Drivers that we have on our website are not yet compatible to the latest version of Windows,” the email read. “What we usually recommend is to keep the current Windows version and we’ll update you once the Windows 10 have no more issues on any Samsung laptops and computers or even monitors.”
Ever since first announcing Windows 10, Microsoft has been warning manufacturers to get their drivers in order. Despite having nearly two years to do so, Samsung still isn’t ready.
For the most part, if you are a Samsung user running Windows 8.1, you are unlikely to have any major issues with upgrading. The problem appears to arise more with users making the jump from Windows 7 to 10.
Microsoft has not commented specifically on the matter, but is advising users to check Samsung’s Windows 10 page for information on whether or not their device is compatible.
This hiccup isn’t ideal for Microsoft. The Redmond giant has been urging users to make the free upgrade to Windows 10 since it became available and the free upgrade option expires on June 29. After that you’ll need to fork over $119 to make the switch to the latest operating system.
However, Samsung probably deserves more of the blame. Drivers are the responsibility of hardware manufacturers, not Microsoft. Not providing drivers for Windows 10 does Samsung’s customers a disservice, since it means they can’t upgrade to the newest OS.
While adoption has been impressive for the most part, Microsoft has still been met with criticism over its nagging update notifications to users urging them to switch. Microsoft claims that there are more than 300 million devices globally now running Windows 10.
- Windows 11 tips and tricks: 8 hidden settings you need to try
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- Beware! The latest Windows 11 update might crash your PC
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BABSON HOSTS ANNUAL BABSON ENTREPRENEURSHIP FORUM ON NOVEMBER 15TH
With a theme of Shaping The Future, this year’s Forum will feature a prominent group of speakers to consider the entrepreneurial opportunities with the power to generate economic and social value everywhere in the world.
“Shaping The Future” Speakers and Panelists include:
- David Fialkow, Co-Founder, General Catalyst Partners
- Yuchun Lee, Entrepreneur; Global Thought Leader; Executive-In-Residence, General Catalyst Partners
- Robin Chase, Founder, Former CEO, Buzzcar.com and Zipcar
- Albe Zakes, Global Vice President, Communication, TerraCycle
- Carissa Reiniger, Entrepreneur & Small Business Growth Expert, Founded Silver Lining Ltd.
- Twyla Garrett, Entrepreneur, Author, Corporate Speaker who has been invited to speak at the White House on issues of job creation and economic growth
- Sramana Mitra, Founder of One Million by One Million (1M/1M), a global virtual incubator; Silicon Valley Entrepreneur and Strategy Consultant, Author, Blogger, Columnist
- Caron Demars, Leads the Global Entrepreneurship Program in the Economic Bureau, a U.S. State Department-led effort.
- Jenny Rushmore, Director of Responsible Travel, TripAdvisor
- Zenobia Moochhala, Co-Founder & Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Consumer Subscription Services
- Jules Pieri, Founder and CEO, The Grommet
- Nikhil Goyal, Author of a forthcoming book on reclaiming the freedom to learn; named one of the “World Changers” for Dell #Inspire 100
- Mike Cagney, Co-Founder and a Managing Partner of Cabezon Investment Group, a global macro hedge fund
- Gene Miller, Executive Director of the game-changing college access nonprofit, FUEL Education
- Gil Alterovitz, Director, Biomedical Cybernetics Laboratory and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
- Jon Carson, Serial Entrepreneur, CEO of BiddingForGood
This year the Forum launches Futurepreneurs, a new initiative to encourage youth entrepreneurship. Six teams of high school students will compete for the opportunity to pitch their business ideas on stage.
The Forum’s daylong experience is Babson’s flagship student-led event, and pulls in hundreds of business professionals, students, entrepreneurs and interested neighbors.
Recently named No. 1 in Entrepreneurship by U.S. News and World Report for its 20th consecutive year, Babson College will host the event on its Wellesley campus.


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The cargo pouch kicks are releasing shortly.
Including a massive collaborative piece with MADSAKI and Mr.
The three bags are slated to drop on July 20.
Displaying original artworks by Studio PONCOTAN which inspired the animated clip.
The duo’s collaborative merch is also set to re-release.
Produced from the same canvas he uses for his work.
Taking place at STPI Gallery this July 13.
Featuring Supreme, Takashi Murakami, KAPITAL, Y-3, NUMBER (N)INE and more.
Exclusive goods printed with bespoke Murakami art.


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Bricks and mortar retailers across the country have been dealt another tough hand as footfall continues to plummet.
According to the latest BRC-Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor, footfall in April decreased by 3.3% in April 2018, compared to the same period last year.
The footfall slump, which has been, in part, attributed to high rainfall at the beginning of the month, follows on from a 6% drop in March. The rate of decline across the UK’s high streets over March and April 2018 is the largest since 2009’s recession.
Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, said: “Not since the depths of recession in 2009, has footfall over March and April declined to such a degree, and even then the drop was less severe at -3.8%.”
Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of British Retail Consortium, added: “A wet start to April had a dampening effect on visits across the UK’s shopping locations adding to the long term downward in footfall resulting from changing consumer behaviour.
“That shift in the way we shop, coupled with a highly challenging business environment, is having a significant impact on the nation’s high streets: in April nearly 1 in 10 shops in town centres was vacant.”
In the last two weeks footfall did recover however, averaging +1.5% assisted by improved weather.


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There were some announcements by Ford (NYSE:F) last week that, combined with other tailwinds, helped spark a 15% in F stock Wednesday.
First, the company said it will be doing its part to ensure that hospitals have the medical equipment they need to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The company is working with General Electric (NYSE:GE) subsidiary GE Healthcare to produce hospital ventilators that can be mass-produced. Ford also plans to begin manufacturing full-face shields for hospital workers and first responders. The company plans to produce up to 100,000 protective shields per week.
And the sentiment toward F stock rose even higher after lawmakers reached a tentative agreement on the $2 trillion economic stimulus package. This was good news for the automaker and gave investors some much-needed relief.
The COVID-19 crisis is far from being resolved, but there are many reasons to be hopeful about Ford’s ability to bounce back from the economic downturn. Listed below are three reasons to be optimistic about F stock in the coming year.
1. Ford Can Survive Shutdowns
On March 18, Ford announced that it was suspending production at its factories in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico until at least March 30. The company plans to take this time to clean the facilities and review its inventory levels.
Even after Ford reopens its factories, it’s likely that the company will face a decrease in demand over the next year. However, Ford has ample cash reserves that will allow the company to survive extended factory shutdowns.
Since 2009, the company has maintained a cash reserve of at least $20 billion, with an additional $10 million available on lines of credit.
2. Ford Is Conserving Cash
In the past week, Ford has taken several steps to converse cash and improve its balance sheet. Last week, the company announced it was temporarily suspending dividend payments. In 2019, the company paid over $2 billion in dividend payments, so that alone is a substantial savings opportunity.
Ford also announced that it is borrowing over $15 billion from its two existing credit lines. This will allow the company more flexibility over the coming months.
3. Ford Will Continue Investing
Like many companies, Ford is going to be looking for ways to conserve cash. But that doesn’t mean the company will stop focusing on product development. In the future, the company still plans to move forward with electric vehicles and self-driving cars.
Overall, Ford has given itself a little breathing room and the company will be okay for the time being, in spite of the lost revenue. The biggest question F stock investors need to consider is how quickly the economy will recover after the pandemic is over.
If the country moves into a recession, then Ford’s problems could last a lot longer than a couple of months.
Jamie Johnson is a personal finance freelance writer and has been writing for InvestorPlace since mid-2019. She writes for a number of other well-known financial sites, including Credit Karma, Quicken Loans and Bankrate. As of this writing, Jamie Johnson did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


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Ford recalls 370,000 cars over loss-of-steering risk
The Bottom Line
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Ford is recalling 370,000 cars because of potential corrosion to their steering shaft that may result in loss of steering.
No incidents or injuries have been reported.
The cars include 2005 to 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Cars.
About 355,000 are in the U.S. and 15,000 in Canada.
Dealers will inspect the cars and will replace any parts of the steering shaft that are affected.
Ohio is one of the states included in the recall.


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After 2 years of sky-high approval numbers, the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research approved 22 novel drugs in 2016, down from the 19-year high of 45 in 2015. The FDA also approved many new dose forms, formulations, combination products and vaccines.
This week, PharmaCompass, shares its analysis of the new drug approvals by the FDA in 2016.
Reasons behind the low approvals in 2016
Of the 22 novel drugs approved by the FDA, the FDA approved 9 products with orphan designation, in line with the industry’s recent focus on rare diseases. However, as the industry shifts its focus towards biotechnology, only 7 of the novel products approved were biologic applications.
The 9 orphan designees approved (41% of all new drug approvals) were significantly lower than the 21 (47%) orphan designees approved in 2015 and 17 (41%) in 2014. FDA’s approval of 4 (18%) oncology drugs in 2016, was also down from the 14 (31%) approvals in 2015, 9 (22%) in 2014 and 9 (33%) in 2013.
The reasons for the low 2016 approval count, have been attributed to the agency approving five drugs in 2015 that actually had approval action dates in 2016 and an increase in the number of drugs that the agency rejected.
A key reason for the rejections was the sponsors’ failure to comply with good manufacturing practice regulations.
Gilead’s Epclusa, the first all-oral, pan-genotypic, single tablet regimen for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, is expected to become the most profitable approval of 2016 with expected sales of $ 8.4 billion by 2022.
2016 also saw the FDA’s contentious approval of Exondys 51™ (eteplirsen) under its accelerated approval process. Exondys 51™ treats Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disease which causes progressive muscle wasting that affects around 20,000 boys and young men in the United States.
Approvals of three biosimilars which
target $ 33 billion in brand drug sales
In a giant leap for the generic pharmaceutical industry, three biosimilar applications were approved in 2016 that target brand drugs which generated more than $ 33 billion in sales last year.
All the three biosimilars approved were tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF α) inhibitors used to manage inflammatory conditions.
Pfizer and Celltrion’s Inflectra, a biosimilar to Janssen’s Remicade® (2016 sales - $ 8.8 billion), was the first to get approval for all Remicade-approved indications, except pediatric ulcerative colitis. Inflectra was launched at risk in November 2016.
On Sept. 23, 2016, Amgen’s Amjevita™ (adalimumab – atto), a biosimilar of the world’s best-selling drug by revenue, AbbVie’s Humira®(2016 sales - $ 16.4 billion), was also approved for treating adults with a variety of medical conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, to ulcerative colitis.
Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy drug is now available in a new strength
Diclegis, a combination of an antihistamine (doxylamine succinate) and a form of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl), made headlines when the FDA issued a warning letter for the social media promotion of the drug by Kim Kardashain, star of the reality show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’
Duchesnay, the company which produces Diclegis, got approval for Bonjesta which combines twice the amount of doxylamine and pyridoxine when compared with Diclegis which contains 10mg of each ingredient.
Indian generic companies get approvals for
As the generic industry in the U.S. continues to face severe pricing pressure, Indian generic companies are attempting to overcome these challenges by trying to move up the value chain by supplying differentiated generic products.
Consistent with this strategy, the applications of Sun Pharmaceuticals for a new ophthalmic version of Bromfenac (Bromsite) and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratory for an injectable version of Sumatriptan (Zembrace™ SymTouch) to treat migraines were also approved.
Pfizer launches an opioid treatment with
The abuse of opioids, including prescription painkillers and drugs like heroin, is something the United States has struggled with since before the 1900s. Last year, the FDA announced that immediate-release opioid painkillers such as oxycodone and fentanyl will have to carry a "black box" warning about the risk of abuse, addiction, overdose and death.
Pfizer got approval last year for Troxyca ER a combination containing oxycodone and naltrexone. Troxyca ER has properties that are expected to reduce abuse when crushed and administered by the oral and intranasal routes.
In it, the oxycodone releases slowly over several hours. If the capsules are crushed, the encased naltrexone mixes with oxycodone, essentially cancelling any euphoric effects.
Pfizer also received approval for an extended release form of Tofacitinib (Xeljanz® XR) to treat adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate.
A dietary supplement gets approved along with new forms of commonly used drugs
Although DHEA is included in some dietary supplements, the efficacy and safety of those products have not been established for diagnosing, curing, mitigating, treating or preventing any disease.
Diabetes treatments, one of the most commonly prescribed drug categories in the U.S., saw the addition of Sanofi and Novo Nordisk’s fixed-dose, long-acting insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist combinations to the list of options available to treat adult type-2 diabetes.
The approval of new drugs ensures that the world has access to improved healthcare solutions and breakthrough medical therapies.
With Donald Trump “focused on accelerating the FDA” and an on-going argument that drugs should not have to be proven effective before getting approved, this year looks like the one where the new drug approval scenario will be shaken up for time to come.


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Product PayPal Innovation Buy Now, Pay Later Research and Insights
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While crowded malls and long lines may not be in the cards this year, the holiday season is still a critical time for retailers.
Despite this, new research commissioned by PayPal and conducted by Netfluential reveals that many U.S. retailers are taking a reactive, wait-and-see approach to the holidays. Still, other merchants are being proactive by finding innovative, tech-enabled ways to reach consumers in the new environment.
Among the 1,000 small and medium-sized retailers surveyed in sectors ranging from home goods and electronics to fashion and cosmetics, only a small number (39 percent) are proactively preparing their businesses for the holidays. One in 5 businesses claim their future is dependent on this year’s holiday results, but over half (57 percent) of retailers hadn’t started preparations at the time the survey was conducted. That includes adjusting staffing levels: 70 percent say they’re not planning to hire additional holiday help or bring back employees let go due to COVID-related cutbacks.
One possible reason for this lack of preparation is caution and uncertainty about shoppers’ willingness to spend as much as they did in previous holiday seasons. With more than 1 in 3 merchants expecting holiday sales to be lower than last year, the research shows that some merchants are implementing key strategies to boost revenue, including offering financing like PayPal’s “buy now, pay later” options such as Pay in 4, which is part of PayPal’s suite of pay later solutions and available in Q4. Headed into the holiday shopping season, flexible payment offerings like these help retailers shift from reactive mode to more strategic planning. Considering the current economic and health uncertainties, retailers must continue to adapt to drive sales and support consumers, who often depend on retailers to help make the holidays special.
Merchants are also embracing additional methods of digital sales outside of their own websites. Thirty-nine percent of merchants are planning to sell products on digital marketplaces, and 31 percent will make products available for purchase through social media apps. These adjustments can help merchants replace diminished foot traffic with online traffic.
The vast majority (81 percent) of retailers are taking extra precautions to keep shoppers safe. First, retailers are finding ways to limit physical contact and help customers practice social distancing. Nearly half (46 percent) are planning to offer curbside pick-up, while about the same amount will make masks mandatory and implement physical distancing rules. Thirty-four percent also say they will offer hand sanitizer in-store.
Digital solutions are also making it easier for customers to shop safely and more flexibly. More than a third (34 percent) of retailers who sell in brick-and-mortar stores are implementing cashless payment options. In addition, among fashion retailers, 39 percent plan to offer virtual alternatives to fitting rooms, including online fit or sizing tools, virtual showrooms and virtual stylists.
This holiday season, merchants can take a proactive approach to sales by embracing digital payment options, flexible payments, and more. Learn more about PayPal’s newest pay later option, Pay in 4, ahead of the holiday season, and for more on PayPal's research findings, view the below infographics.
1 "An online study commissioned by PayPal and conducted by Netfluential in August 2020 involving 1000 U.S. PayPal SMB merchants selling products directly to consumers through a website or e-commerce platform. The sample is made up of merchants in different verticals, 200 in fashion, 200 in cosmetics and 600 across home-goods, furniture, garden electronics and sport."
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China Hongqiao Group Ltd., the subject of allegations by an anonymous short-seller, said it will spend about $1.6 billion to purchase two aluminum processing firms, bolstering its expansion beyond primary metal production.
The upshot of a series of transactions will see the world’s biggest aluminum smelter take majority control of Loften Environmental Technology Co. Ltd., an aluminum foil producer, according to a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday. In August, Hongqiao had agreed to buy 28% of Loften for about 900 million yuan (US$131 million). It will now boost that stake to 74% at an additional cost of 10 billion yuan.
Loften’s increase in value from August will accrue from its own purchase of aluminum alloy processor Shandong Innovative Metal Technology Co. from Binzhou Hengwang Shareholding Management Corp., in a separate deal worth 7 billion yuan, according to the statement.
The acquisitions “will play a very important role in enhancing the group’s position in the area of aluminum deep processing through industrial integration and also bring positive impact to the group’s production and operation,” Hongqiao said.
“Hongqiao has a strategy to focus on expanding its downstream business and this is in line with that strategy,” Wan Ling, aluminum analyst at CRU Group in Beijing, said by phone.
Innovative Metal, based in Zouping, the same northern city as Hongqiao, is China’s biggest producer of aluminum alloy billet, according to its website. Alloy billet can be used to make foil. Hongqiao is the main supplier of liquid aluminum to Innovative Metal, according to a separate e-mailed statement from Hongqiao.
Hongqiao said it’s still preparing an announcement to rebut and clarify anonymous claims made on the Hongqiao Exposed website, which question the firm’s cash flow, debt load, undisclosed related-party transactions and its environmental record. In its initial rejection of the allegations, Hongqiao called the report “one-sided, misleading and speculative.”
The report said readers should assume its author holds a short position in Hongqiao that would benefit from a decline in its securities.
The aluminum firm’s shares fell as much as 2.5% in Hong Kong before trading flat at HK$7.30 by 1.19 p.m. Helped by a rally in metal prices, the stock is 58% higher this year and up 3.4% since Nov. 21., when the anonymous report was published.
On the same day, Loften, whose shares are now suspended, said it planned to make asset purchases of up to 10 billion yuan.
By Bloomberg News


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French XR hardware startup Lynx known for crowdfunding Lynx R-1 Mixed Reality HeadsetAnnounced today that it has secured $ 4 million in a Series A round led by social VR platform Somnium Space.
along with Somnium spaceParticipants in the latest funding round include what Lynx calls the company’s early supporters and “other investors involved in the AR / VR space, such as former Meta and Google engineers.” Is also included.
This brings the company’s total external funding to $ 6.8 million. Crunchbase Data, next $ 800,000 Kickstarter Campaign for R-1 Headset Back in late 2021, we achieved a $ 2 million seed round in early 2019. As part of the deal, Somnium Space founder and CEO Artur Sychov has joined the company’s board of directors.
Built on Qualcomm’s XR2 chipset, the Lynx R-1 combines a high-quality camera with a virtual reality display to deliver pass-through AR in addition to standard VR (also known as mixed reality), an early pioneer in this category. It has become. The headset also throws away the standard Fresnel lens in a new optical system called the “4x Reflection Refraction Freeform Prism”. This is said to go beyond what Fresnel can do today and slim down the size of the Lynx R-1.
“At Somnium Space, we truly believe in the future of open, decentralized Metaverse that empowers our users. This includes not only software, but also critical hardware,” said Somnium Space’s founder. And CEO Artur Sychov said. “The Lynx team, led by Stan, has created an extraordinary AR / VR device (Lynx-r) with openness in mind, which gives us all the way of thinking and interacting in this market category. It will change and revolutionize. We are very pleased to be able to support this company. Together, we believe we can push the limits and possibilities of the VR / AR industry. “
Founded in 2019, Lynx also has high ambitions for R-1 headsets. The consumer version is priced at $ 600 and the company aims to lead the way to the same product category that many established players will soon enter. Meta with Project Cambria Apple with a rumored headset, A code named N301 reportedly..
“We now have the opportunity to work with Lynx to create a mixed reality European champion, which is a user and developer desperately looking at the products of big tech companies and their closed ecosystem alternatives. Backed by a vibrant community of, “says Stan Larroque, founder and CEO of Lynx. “If the underlying platform, the door used to access it, remains in the hands of the same big company with a damaging business model, what’s the point of creating a European metaverse?” He said. I will add.
Since the design of the Lynx R-1 was completed, the company has also expanded its office in Paris and is currently conducting research and development on more than 200 square meters, establishing a new office in Taiwan.


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Fitting app available for CooperVision contact lenses
NEW ORLEANS – CooperVision announced the launch of a contact lens fitting app for its multifocal and toric lenses here at SECO.
The OptiExpert app, available for iPhone, iPad and Android mobile and tablet devices, provides multifocal and toric calculators and oxygen profiles for a selected range of lenses, the company announced in a press release.
The app also offers the ability to securely store images of a patient’s ocular condition as well as recommendations of CooperVision branded lenses.
CooperVision senior director of professional and academic affairs, Michele L. Andrews, OD, told Primary Care Optometry News that doctors who were already confident with their fitting are finding the app useful.
“They’re using it to double check what they’ve already chosen,” she said.
Andrews noted that oxygen transmissibility is not the same across the entire surface of multifocal or toric contact lenses, but, typically the Dk/t measurement is taken only in the center of the lens.
“The app can be used to show patients the difference in oxygen transmissibility and help explain why it was recommended that they switch lenses,” she said.
CooperVision also announced in a press release that a clinical study has shown that the power recommendations generated by the OptiExpert app for its Clariti 1 Day multifocal closely matched recommendations from eye care professionals who followed the fitting guide.
“These findings indicate that 100% of wearers can now be successfully fitted with Clariti 1 Day multifocal using two pairs of trial lenses or less,” according to the release.
The findings of this study, which was conducted by the Centre for Ocular Research & Education, were first presented at the recent American Academy of Optometry meeting.
The OptiExpert app is available in 15 languages in 79 countries, Andrews told PCON, and each country has its respective lenses and parameters. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosure: Andrews is employed by CooperVision.


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Wii U Daily is a brand new fan site focusing on Nintendo’s upcoming console, the Wii U. We’ll be covering all aspects of the new console, including news, games, rumors, videos and images, and much, much more.
- April’s top 30 best selling games in Ja
- Japan is getting a new Splatoon Wii U bundle
- There will be two Zelda Wii U demos at E3
- Inti Creates CEO hates new Mighty No. 9 trailer
TAGS: Nintendo, wii u, wii u daily


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Michael Jackson’s iconic white glove is just one of more than 2,000 items from the King of Pop’s Neverland Ranch that will be put up for auction in April.
The auction will take place from April 22 to 25 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., though bids will also be accepted online.
“Michael Jackson was a collector of everything,” Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, told Fox News. “We’ve never seen a collection that is as extensive and eccentric as his.”
Among the items on the block are: a custom-designed, white spandex glove completely covered in clear Swarovski crystals; a costume jacket that Jackson wore for his Hollywood Walk of Fame star dedication ceremony; a pair of acrylic, rhinestoned tube socks; three suits of armour; and even the gates to the ranch.
Some of the items will be shown in London, England and Dublin, Ireland before the auction.
The total value of everything on the block is estimated at $1.5 million to $3 million. A portion of the proceeds will go to the charity MusiCares.
You can check out what’s being auctioned off on the Julien website here, as well the actual auction itself when the Auction Network broadcasts the sale live on TV and online.
Jackson has struggled with money in recent years and in November he gave up the deed to the 2,500-acre Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, Calif.
Despite the financial troubles, Julien told Britain’s Daily Telegraph that his company has been working closely with Jackson for the past five months and the auction “is something that Michael is doing of his own free will. He is not being forced into it.”


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SpiceJet’s 3-day sale offer: Chandigarh among select cities to benefit
Budget carrier SpiceJet on Thursday announced another sale offer, sixth in a row since January, with all-inclusive fares as low as Rs 1,899 from select cities including Chandigarh, Guwahati, Jaipur and Lucknow.chandigarh Updated: May 16, 2014 00:03 IST
Budget carrier SpiceJet on Thursday announced another sale offer, sixth in a row since January, with all-inclusive fares as low as Rs 1,899 from select cities including Chandigarh, Guwahati, Jaipur and Lucknow.
This is along with benefits that include better timings and increased frequency.
Booking dates for the current three-day offer starts from May 15 and for travel between July 1 and September 30, 2014, SpiceJet said in a release.
The offer provides various options to book tickets from Agartala, Bagdogra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Jaipur, Jammu, Lucknow, Srinagar, Udaipur, Varanasi on direct, via and connecting flights, it said.
"Based on the overwhelming response to the last campaign, we are glad to offer discounted fare offer as this proven to stimulate potential flyer to prefer air travel instead of any other mode of travel plus travel more often," SpiceJet Chief Commercial Officer Kaneswaran Avili said.
The airline's revamped network has better connectivity with cities across the country and as these offers are applicable on all direct as well as via and connecting flights, he said.
The Kalanithi Maran-promoted carrier has been on a promotional and discounted fares spree since January this year, when it reduced ticket prices by up to 50 per cent immediately after the lean travel season set in January.
The move forced the other players including full-service airlines - Air India and Jet Airways - to follow suit.
SpiceJet's rupee one offer had attracted a mad rush of passengers with its website crashing within hours of the launch of the scheme. Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation came down heavily on it, terming the rupee one offer as "predatory" and a "malpractice" and asking it to stop it immediately.


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Turning east Feb 1, 2019 (WiC 439)
“There are now more auto designers in Shanghai than in any other city in the world, including Detroit and LA”
David Hilton, head of design at GAC Motor in Guangzhou, tells the Wall Street Journal that Shanghai has become a magnet for design talent from overseas. Hilton, whose grandfather founded Oldsmobile in the nineteenth century, joined GAC from UK-based Bentley. The WSJ names seven other top international car designers who quit multinationals to work for Chinese auto brands, with Hilton saying the best foreign designers can make in China double what they earn in the US.
Wang reassures Davos Jan 25, 2019 (WiC 438)
“There will be a lot of uncertainties in 2019 but one certainty is that China’s growth will continue and be sustainable”
Wang Qishan, China’s vice-president, dismisses Chinese slowdown alarms in a speech this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He said last year’s 6.6% growth was still a “pretty significant number, not low at all”.
Keeping things private Jan 18, 2019 (WiC 437)
“We’re not a public company. We don’t care so much about beautiful balance sheets”
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei hosted an impromptu press event in Shenzhen on Monday in which he reiterated that his company had never spied for the Chinese government. He added that he “missed” his daughter (Huawei’s CFO, Meng Wanzhou) who has been detained in Canada for possible extradition to the US but was optimistic that justice would prevail. The privately-held firm, he pointed out, has no outside stockholders (but 97,000 staff are shareholders) and will make revenues of $108.5 billion in 2018, up 21%. Huawei has already signed 30 5G commercial contracts and shipped 25,000 5G base stations, reports the Wall Street Journal.
A win for whoppers Jan 11, 2019 (WiC 436)
“It’s a milestone, but also a starting point”
Ekrem Ozer, CEO of Burger King, on the fast food giant’s opening of its 1,000th restaurant in mainland China last month in Shanghai’s Qingpu district. Another thousand Chinese Burger King outlets are planned for the next three years he said.


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Condé Nast is the latest publisher to join the war on ad blocking. Its GQ magazine is preventing people using ad blockers from accessing its site with a popup asking them to disable their ad blockers or pay 50 cents to read an article.
GQ isn’t the first publication to take a hard line in forcing people to disable their ad blockers. Forbes has a message on its welcome screen asking people to turn off their ad blockers in order to access the site (but to soften the blow, it’s promising an ad-light version of the site in exchange).
Other publishers have taken a gentler approach, serving friendly messages to ad block users asking them to disable their ad blockers.
For the payment part, GQ is using CoinTent, a micropayment system started earlier this year that lets publishers charge for access to an article or video. Once you click the pay button, you’re prompted to set up an account with a digital wallet that’s designed to make it easy to buy content around the Web. CoinTent’s site also lists another Condé Nast site Epicurious as a client. GQ and Condé Nast haven’t responded to requests for comment.
Ad blocking has become a major concern among mainstream publishers this past year as consumers, fed up with ads clogging their surfing experience and worried about their online privacy, have begun ad blocking in big numbers. Ad blocking means lost revenue for publishers as it means fewer eyeballs to sell ads against.
Inside Hearst UK’s multi-pronged approach to third-party cookie replacements
Hearst UK's Ryan Buckley and Faye Turner are testing everything from 50,000-person panels to clean rooms.
Out of home fights for greater ad share as it cites better value on action taken by consumers
An OAAA study found that OOH is on par with other media in eliciting action from those consumers who recall seeing the ads. And since it's much less costly, it's a more effective means of influencing consumers.
The Rundown: BuzzFeed Inc. revenue up by 26% despite hits to commerce business, expects similar momentum in Q2
Despite significant declines in BuzzFeed Inc.’s commerce business, overall revenue was up, due to increases in the company's advertising and content arms.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: Omnicom Media Group tackles supply-chain challenges for its clients
The media agency network created a metric designed to help brands calculate where and when to redirect media spend as a result of supply chain issues they face — rather than just putting a halt on spend when there’s a supply crunch.
The Rundown: Podcast production companies and platforms pitch diverse audiences and ad targeting improvements at IAB’s Podcast Upfront
The three-day podcast-focused event highlighted improvements in dynamic ad insertion, machine learning and diversity of creators, content and audiences.


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Blackhat – Upcoming Cyber Thriller Movie
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Android 5.0, Lollipop Release: A sweet new take on Android
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Indian Railways has finally launched their official Android application: IRCTC Connect on Google Playstore.
SEANux – a version of Linux from the Syrian Electronic Army
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Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 — The Next Version Of Windows Operating system
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Secrecy Locks Your Files In Encrypted, Password-Protected Vaults
Android: We’ve talked before about how to protect your sensitive data.


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Ace Hardware to open Aug. 3 in Kamas
July 12, 2011
A new Ace Hardware store will open in Kamas on August 3.
The franchise is the newest addition to the Kamas Food Town business park completed early last year. It joins Family Dollar and Subway.
The store created about eight new jobs, said Ace retail project manager Gary Johnson. The site was chosen to serve the local community and meet the needs of the growing second-home market in the Kamas Valley, he said.
The 8,750-square-foot store is considered "medium-sized" and will offer paints, tools, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, hardware, fasteners, housewares and small appliances, lawn and garden supplies, automotive supplies and even sporting goods, Johnson said.
Developers Denis and Steven Tanner, and Kevin and Kathleen Hoyt, reached out to several major retailers. They were interested in Ace and the corporation was interested in their project, Denis Tanner explained.
"They have a very good program; I was really impressed with them and thought it was a good fit. It will complement the grocery store and serve to draw people into both," he said.
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The choice of an Ace Hardware is confusing to some Kamas residents since the town already has a hardware store on Main Street: Southfork.
According to store manager Steffan Markham, the location has been independent for about seven years. Prior to that it was owned by John and Polly Hoyt and was affiliated with Ace Hardware.
Main Street-business owner Vickie McClusky said she fears the new store on S.R. 248 will take business away from Main Street.
"I don’t agree with it. There’s already a hardware store," she said.
She’d like to see a clothing or major appliance retailer.
"Something we don’t have. I don’t get it at all," she said.
Main Street business owners live in Kamas, and when a Kamas resident wants to open a business, they want to open on Main Street, she said.
"It will slowly put all us small-town businesses out of business," McClusky added.
Tanner said that is not his intention. His goal is to make the Food Town business park successful.
"I think everyone needs competition," he said.
Jesse Atkinson, chairman of Kamas City Planning Commission, said he does not want to see any "mom and pop" businesses pushed out by larger stores, but Kamas needs all the commercial tax base that wants to come.
"We must welcome businesses in; I don’t want to turn anyone away," he said. "We’ve had two or three new businesses (at the business park) in just the last year or two and they have helped out our city."


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GAME has finally began to stock EA games following turbulent times for the financially troubled retailer this year.
Big EA titles such as Mass Effect 3, FIFA Street, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 and others are now in stock on the retailer's website.
EA was one of numerous publishers who pulled stock from the retailer due to credit insurance problems last month as it struggled to avoid going into administration.
GAME lost the support of Nintendo, EA, Sega, Capcom, Tecmo Koei, Microsoft and Activision, rendering it unable to offer recent releases such as Mass Effect 3, Street Fighter X Tekken and FIFA Street.
GAME last week officially announced it is no longer in administration, thanks to Comet owners OpCapita, which confirmed it's to buy a large portion of the troubled retailer.


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CT Interactive showcased latest and newest products at ICE London 2024
2 minutos de lectura
(London, SoloAzar Exclusive).- Martin Ivanov, COO at CT Interactive, granted an interview to SoloAzar about the recent participation of the firm at ICE London 2024. Ivanov highlighted the success of this edition, and said their team is excited about the new opportunities that Barcelona 2025 ICE edition will bring.
“At ICE London 2024, CT Interactive showcased an array of novelties, building on the success of 2023", commented COO Martin Ivanov, about the novelties presented at the recent tradeshow.
“When we added 17 new games to our portfolio. Our focus remains on delivering innovative gaming content with contemporary mechanics, classic fruit games, and holiday-themed slots”, he continued explaining.
And added the following: “This year, we're continuing by releasing two new games per month, each offering striking designs and intriguing gameplay with innovative mechanics. All attendees had the chance to witness what releases we have prepared for the next six months, which was met with great interest.”
The CT Interactive booth at ICE 2024 edition was highly impactful and Mr. Ivanov said in this regard: “We had a dedicated team showcasing our latest products and solutions, including our newest team members. The response from attendees was positive, and we successfully engaged with industry leaders and potential partners. In terms of commercial outcomes, we were able to increase brand visibility and secure promising business opportunities. We're particularly pleased with the positive reception of our new team members, who play a crucial role in our ongoing success.”
When asked about the changes and the future of the industry, and the aspects to highlight and how is the company preparing for it, the COO considered that the industry is evolving rapidly, with a growing emphasis on personalized experiences and original products. And then he added: “CT Interactive is well-prepared for these changes, focusing on presenting a portfolio of customizable gaming solutions and services. With over 200 HTML 5 games available for mobile, tablet, and desktop devices, we are equipped to meet the diverse preferences of players and provide our clients with the tools to attract new audiences.”
Related to the last edition in London of ICE show, and how is CT Interactive preparing for next year in Barcelona, Martin expressed that: "The last edition in London was a tremendous success for us. We introduced new team members, showcased our latest products, and received positive feedback. Looking ahead to Barcelona 2025, we plan to build on this success by continuing to innovate, expand our market presence, and strengthen our partnerships. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and are committed to maintaining our position as a leading force in the gaming world.
Finally, CT Interactive COO Martin Ivanov, gave us a preview about the next events that the firm is going to be present: “Our team of experts will present our latest content at SBC Summit, SiGMA Europe, Peru Gaming Show, and BEGE 2024. Keep an eye out for our stands at these events, as our team will be there to present our latest developments and products.”
País: United Kingdom
GAT EXPO CARTAGENA DE INDIAS 2024
09 de April 2024
Successful presentation of R. Franco and R. Franco Digital on the 25th anniversary of GAT Expo Colombia
(Madrid).- R. Franco and R. Franco Digital once again aroused great interest among operators at GAT Expo Colombia with their latest developments and products fully adapted to the Latin American market.
Friday 19 Apr 2024 / 12:00
(Cartagena, SoloAzar Exclusive).- “Women promoting the industry as a challenge,” was the topic of a panel organized by ASFEG, the Women's Gaming Association, at the recent GAT EXPO 2024. Speakers talked about female participation in the gaming industry, analyzed the current scenario and shared inspiring message for women in order to achieve gender equality.
Friday 19 Apr 2024 / 12:00
(Cartagena de Indias, Exclusive SoloAzar) - At GAT Expo Cartagena 2024, Fast Track stood out with its innovative CRM solutions designed specifically for the iGaming industry. Muriel Le Senechal, Solutions Consultant at Fast Track spoke about her good experience at the show, the exceptional feedback at Fast Track's booth, which impressed visitors with its real-time data integration and AI and finally reflected on GAT's 25th anniversary as an evolution in the Latin American gaming industry.
Thursday 18 Apr 2024 / 12:00
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Impossible, Beyond, All Legendary. These are just a few of the names that adorn plant-based meat substitutes these days. With nicknames like this, consumers might be right to expect that the health benefits of switching to a pet-free lifestyle are well worth the price of admission. And maybe they are.
What consumers might not expect, however, is that the products they buy don’t contain real meat. For vegetarians who regularly eat such diet alternatives, it can be hard to swallow the idea that a product that claims to be “100% vegan” could be anything else. However, a list of recently passed laws says otherwise, and many states have now passed laws prohibiting the labeling of plant proteins in a way that suggests they are of animal origin, even when the packaging described with precision the true nature of the product.
Supporters of these laws argue that more restrictive labeling will reduce consumer confusion. Opponents argue that the current legislative push has less to do with consumer protection, and more to do with catering to the meat industry. And this last argument can have teeth. Consider, for example, that two of the three politicians who introduced Louisiana’s Food Labeling Truth Act, which prohibits anyone labeling a food product from intentionally branding or distort the food product as an agricultural product, openly stated that the law is primarily aimed at protecting the animal agriculture industry.
Not surprisingly, a flurry of litigation ensued to challenge these laws. To date, defenders and manufacturers of plant-based foods have filed lawsuits in many states, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, California, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri. While the individual claims raised in these lawsuits vary, they share a common thread in that virtually all of them stem from claims that these truth-in-labeling laws violate the First Amendment.
Initially, the challengers seemed to gain the upper hand, with a string of legal wins from Arkansas, California and Mississippi, among others. However, in November 2020, the Western District of Oklahoma dealt a blow to these efforts, which may indicate a trend reversal.
The case in question, Upton’s Naturals Co. v. Stitt, involved a challenge by Upton’s Naturals and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) of Oklahoma’s Meat Consumer Protection Act. Similar to legislation passed in other states, the law prohibits “denaturing a product such as meat that does not come from harvested production livestock.” Although the Act allows vegetable protein producers to use traditional terms associated with meat to describe their products (e.g., uniform in size and prominence relative to the name of the product.
The plaintiffs in Upton’s Naturals sought to ban the law’s application, alleging its labeling requirements constituted forced disclosure, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. For example, one of the products specifically considered by the court was Upton’s “Ch’eesy Bacon Mac”. Granted, the product didn’t actually contain bacon. But then again, its ingredient list didn’t refer to pork protein either. In addition, and as pointed out by the applicants, the term “vegan” was prominently displayed on the product label, although it is not as big or as prominent as the name of the product.
The Western District of Oklahoma denied the plaintiffs’ injunction, arguing that they could not demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits. Applying the standard set out by the Supreme Court in Zauderer v. Office of the Disciplinary Council of the Ohio Supreme Court, the court ruled that the state need only show that the compelled disclosure was “reasonably connected” to a substantial government interest. As long as this standard was met, the state could legally require speakers to disclose “purely factual and uncontroversial information” without violating the Constitution.
In the words of the court, “the possibility of deception arising from the use of meat-related terms for plant-based products is evident from the natural inference that a consumer would draw from the meat-related terms used” . Put simply, “many shoppers just don’t have the time, or maybe even the inclination, to study product labels in more detail. “
So, regardless of whether the packaging revealed the product’s true “vegan” nature, the use of traditional meat terminology had the potential to confuse busy grocers who might not look past the name. As the court held, the statutory requirement that such disclosures be of the same size and type as the product name would mitigate this tendency and was, at the very least, reasonably related to the interest government to protect consumers.
Compare the reasoning of the Western District of Oklahoma with that of the Eastern District of Arkansas in Turtle Island Foods SPC v. Soman. There, the court ordered the Arkansas herbal labeling law on the grounds that terms like “hamburger” probably did not mislead consumers when changed to “vegetarian” and where the word “all vegan” was in the middle of the package. In the court’s opinion, such an argument “requires[d] the assumption that a reasonable consumer will ignore all other words on the label ”and will focus only on the word“ hamburger ”. Unlike Oklahoma law, Arkansas law did not provide an exception to the application for qualifiers large enough, but explicitly prohibited any use of a term “that is the same or similar to a term that has been used or defined historically with reference to a specific agricultural product.
Frankly, it is difficult to reconcile the reasoning of the above cases. As it stands, a manufacturer looking to market a plant-based meat substitute as a “burger” in Arkansas simply needs to be sure to include the term “vegan” or “vegetarian” prominently. ”On the packaging. Consumers are supposed to be careful enough to pick it up before they reach the checkout. In Oklahoma, however, it is only when the modifier is the same size and importance as the name of the product that a consumer can be sure they know what they are buying. Otherwise, shoppers in a hurry might find themselves eating pea protein for dinner when they thought they were grilling sliders.
It remains to be seen whether the Oklahoma court ruling represents new direction in the ongoing battle over herbal labeling or a one-time exception to the general trend. Sadly, anyone hoping for advice from the appeals court will be disappointed, at least for now. While Upton’s Naturals appealed to the 10th Circuit, that appeal was voluntarily rejected by plaintiffs in June 2021. Nonetheless, the ruling will likely serve as an important point of contact going forward for those on both sides of the equation.
Until the dust settles, the best advice to plant protein manufacturers is to err on the side of caution. While bigger isn’t always better, when it comes to complying with labeling truth laws, it almost certainly is. Eye-catching names are great, but if a brand markets a veggie patty as a “burger,” the best way to ensure compliance is to give both terms equal playing time.
* This article originally appeared in Food & Beverage Insider on September 2, 2021 and can be viewed here.


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The Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the largest and most inclusive national trade organization representing the professional beauty industry, sent a letter to Congress today urging lawmakers to extend the 45B FICA tax tip credit to the beauty industry before adjourning this year. The letter, which currently has nearly 4,000 signatures, urgently requests Speaker Pelosi and Leaders Schumer, McCarthy and McConnell to include the FICA Tax Tip Credit in the “Year End Bill.”
Like the restaurant industry, which was granted this credit in 1993, salon and spa professionals receive a significant amount of their income through tips, which by law must be reported as income. Salon and spa owners do not receive any of this tip income yet are required to pay 7.65% FICA taxes on all employee income, including customer-paid tips. While both restaurants and salon and spa industries share similar tip reporting burdens, salon owners continue to carry the burden of paying FICA taxes on the tip income of their employees.
Salons and barbershops comprise the second largest industry with tipped employees. The beauty industry employs women and minorities at a rate two times higher than the national average. More than 85 percent of industry professionals are women. The majority of industry establishments are small businesses, with 83 percent employing less than 10 individuals. Extending the existing 45B credit would address an inequity that has existed for almost thirty years, create parity with the largest tip industry and allow these small business employers to redeploy these savings to further support their employees and expand their businesses.
Members of the professional beauty community continue to voice their support of this legislation and the impact it would have on their businesses. Paige Garland of Rachel’s Salon & Day Spain Memphis, Tennessee, shares, “The beauty industry has been working to get this much needed legislation passed for as long as I can remember (and I have been in the industry a long time!). It is truly hard to believe that we have had to work this hard to have legislation passed that is simply common-sense fairness based on existing laws around the same credit receive by the restaurant industry. My team is my most important asset. Receiving this credit would allow me to shift from paying taxes on revenue my business does not receive to further investing in the women who work in my salon.”
The 45B FICA Tax Tip Credit for Salons is bipartisan, bicameral legislation which directly helps women, minorities, and small business owners while shrinking the tax gap and increasing tip reporting compliance. Employment-based salons have been subject to unfair disparities in the tax code for decades.
Lisa Lane of Lisa’s of Annapolis Salon in Annapolis, Maryland, states, “I feel that the passing of legislation 45B FICA Tax Tip Credit would ensure Women, Minorities and Salon owners like myself to not be penalized for reporting employees income on customer based tips. The credit would allow us to expand our businesses, hire new talent and help with training so that our businesses can thrive.”
Echoes Edwin Neill of Neill Corp in Hammond, Louisiana, “The current system penalizes salon owners who declare and pay taxes on their employee’s tips. Extending the 45B credit to the salon industry will increase tax compliance in the second most tipped industry after restaurants and bars.”
PBA has been responsible for championing this issue by continuing to meet with members of Congress and funding all costs for lobbying and legal fees. Shares PBA Government Affairs Director Myra Reddy, “Our members have advocated for access to this important compliance tool for decades. It’s time for Congress to extend 45B to our salon employers and help them retain their employees and afford their share of FICA taxes.”
To learn more about this bill and how you can get involved, visit https://probeauty.org/fica/.
To view and sign the letter sent to Congress, visit https://www.probeauty.org/docs/default-source/advocacy-documents/fica/beautyindustryletter.pdf
For more information on the Professional Beauty Association or to join now visit probeauty.org.
About Professional Beauty Association
The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is the largest and most inclusive trade organization representing the entire beauty industry. PBA exists to elevate, unite and serve the beauty industry and the professionals who improve people’s lives and is the only national organization to represent the entire beauty industry. Our members include manufacturers, distributors, salons, spas, schools, independent practitioners, students and industry suppliers. PBA is dedicated to advocating and fighting for the rights of the beauty industry, enhancing professionalism, and committed to the long-term success of the stylist and the businesses that employ and support them. For more information on membership levels and dues please visit: www.probeauty.org/join.


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Divvy offers half price 24-hour passes Monday
CHICAGO (STMW) - Divvy will sell half price 24-hour passes to those who want to travel throughout the city by bike on Monday.
As a way to celebrate “bonus” day for leap year, riders can purchase a 24-hour pass, which usually costs $9.95, for $5 available at all 475 stations, according to a statement from the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The pass offers unlimited 30 minute trips within a 24-hour period, and riders have to pay extra for trips that last longer than half an hour, according to the statement.
One rider who uses the ride-share system Monday has a chance to win a free Divvy annual membership, which allows for unlimited short trips, according to the statement.
Divvy, which features 4,760 bikes across 86.7 square miles, has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of trips last year, with nearly 3.2 million trips in 2015 compared to 2.4 million trips in 2014, according to the statement.


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Apple has been customizing and designing its own chips for many years now with the A-series in iPhones and iPads, and the M-series in its latest MacBooks and iPad Pro devices. While the company may have been working very hard, it had to rely on third-party suppliers and other businesses to provide them with wireless chips such as Broadcom and Skyworks. According to a new report, Apple may be creating a new team that would develop Apple’s own wireless chipset to remove the reliance on third parties. We previously reported that Apple may be developing its own modems for the 2023 iPhones, and it seems like it may be happening.
A new report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple is setting up a new team of engineers and designers to make its own wireless chips in-house, and remove its dependence on third-party businesses such as Broadcom and Skyworks. The move would allow Apple to control even more parts of the chip manufacturing process, and it would likely have to pay fewer fees and royalties. Apple is already hiring new engineers, and it’s looking to open a new office in Irvine, Southern California, to develop the wireless chips and wireless semiconductors.
The report also explains that Apple’s move would be “part of a broader strategy of expanding satellite offices, letting the tech giant target engineering hotbeds and attract employees who might not want to work at its home base in Silicon Valley. The approach also has helped Apple further its goal of making its own components.”
Notes mention that newly hired engineers would likely be working on wireless radios, radio-frequency integrated circuits, and wireless system-on-a-chip (SoC). In addition, engineers would also develop semiconductors for connecting Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, covering all of the third-party components provided to Apple by other large corporations.
Apple iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 series are the latest flagship devices from Apple. It comes with an upgraded A15 Bionic chipset, new cameras, and great new features.


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12 December 2017
Most of the time when the screen on your smartphone shatters, you give it to a local shop to get it repaired. Did you ever think that giving it to them could lead to compromising sensitive data stored on your smartphone? Has the thought ever crossed your mind? If it has, your nightmare just may have become a reality. A study by researchers at the University of the Negev has surfaced on the internet showing how phones can be hacked at third party outlets when fixing a shattered screen. This leaves your device vulnerable to attackers who are looking to steal personal data. So how does this actually work?
It’s done through the use of a malicious chip which is embedded within the replacement device, giving full control to the attacker. What’s even scarier is the fact that it’s not done through software where anti-virus tools can remove it. It’s carried out through a physical chip which can be easily applied to the screen. The researchers at the University of the Negev even demonstrated how this could be done by hijacking a Huawei Nexus 6P smartphone and an LG G Pad 7 tablet. Notice how this can be done on a phone as well as a tablet! After hijacking the devices, the researchers showed how sensitive information such as passwords as well as downloaded apps could be seamlessly accessed. Phishing attempts were also made successfully using the above-mentioned devices.
Unfortunately, iPhone users may also be subjected to a similar attack as claimed by the researchers. This demonstration was done in order to caution manufacturers and urge them to take up more security measures on a hardware level as well. Here’s what the University of the Negev researchers had to say:
A well-motivated adversary may be fully capable of mounting such attacks in a large scale or against specific targets…System designers should consider replacement components to be outside the phone's trust boundary and design their defences accordingly.
Hackers can now use a malicious chip when repairing a smashed screen on your smartphone to gain access to all your data.


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CrowdStar gets $12 million, preps new games
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CrowdStar Inc., a Burlingame maker of mobile social games, raised $12 million more from prior investors to support the launch of two new tablet-optimized games targeting women users in the next several months.
Co-founder and CEO Jeff Tseng said the 70-person company has been heads down developing the new titles, which he would not describe but which he hopes will give the company greater stability in maintaining audiences.
“This round is on the back of the product plans and the strategy and our product development,” Tseng said.
Founded in 2008, CrowdStar got a sensational start making web games for Facebook, with titles like "Happy Aquarium," "Happy Island," "Happy Pets," "Zoo Paradise," and the various "Girl" games -- including "It Girl," "Social Girl," and "Modern Girl" -- attracting a combined 50 million users.
Last year, however, CrowdStar pivoted, saying it would build for mobile devices only going forward, and it laid off 25 employees even as it hired others to make that shift. Tseng said the company is now particularly focused on developing for tablets.
Before the latest fundraising, CrowdStar had previously raised $35 million from investors that included Time Warner, Intel Capital, The9 and NV Investments and YouWeb, the incubator run by Peter Relan, CrowdStar's co-founder and executive chairman, all of which participated in the new round.
Patrick Hoge covers technology for the San Francisco Business Times.
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‘How Nigeria can become a force in the auto industry’
Nigeria’s 4.1 million middle-class households and a projected 7.6 million upsurge by 2030 may turn the country to a major force in the auto industry if current efforts in the automotive sector are sustained.
Indeed, considering the over 350 million population of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the potentials of the region’s Common External Tariff, Managing Director, Nissan South Africa, who also doubles as President, National Association of Automobile Manufacturers South Africa (NAAMSA) and Vice President African Association of Automobile Manufacturers (AAAM), Mike Whitefield said government must see the automotive sector as the best avenue to industrialise and diversify the nation’s economy.
While players lamented that the sector is currently suffering a somewhat standstill, Whitefield told journalists recently that government must build a legislative frame work that allows stability and gives certainty to distance over a long period of time to move the industry forward.
Lamenting that only 40,000 of the 800,000 vehicles imported to Nigeria last year were new vehicles, he stated that Nigeria must grow the size of its new market by offering affordable solution.
“The size of the market can only happen if we can offer affordable solution. Affordable solution doesn’t only mean cheap car, but we have to find ways of creating access to finance for people to be able to buy cars. If you are lucky you would get vehicle finance at 24 per cent in Nigeria and quite frankly at 24 per cent you can’t do finance scheme,” Whitefield said.
Underscoring the need to get rid of importation of second hand vehicles in Nigeria, he stressed that “to stop used vehicles and not instantaneously offer solution for an alternative wouldn’t make any sense”.
Citing prevailing situation in South Africa, where the auto industry creates sustainable jobs and employs directly more than 83,000 people, the NAAMSA president said Nigeria must look at long term plans to make meaningful development in the sector.
Whitefield, who was part of a delegation that met with Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari recently said, “there are only two countries with a population of more than 100million people that doesn’t have functional motor industry – Bangladesh and Nigeria.”
Currently, there is no downstream in the automotive sector in Nigeria, Whitefield noted, adding that the AAAM has offered support to the country in an attempt to develop a robust automotive sector.
He said: “We have always deliberated on the local content issue and that was why we had with us as part of the delegation that met President Buhari the President of the South African Component Manufacturers Association. As manufacturers, we fully understand we can’t establish a sustainable modern industry without component manufacturers, so in the very early days as we developed the programme with Nigerian stakeholders, we realised components and part suppliers are key stakeholders we need to bring along. We are aware of it and we are working on it”.
Speaking on the organisation’s operation in Nigeria, Whitefield said Nissan has not been disappointed but frustrated because things haven’t moved as projected.
Whitefield said: “This isn’t due to policy but lack of foreign currency. But having done business in many developing countries, we realise you don’t go into any country and expect a short-term success.
“We intend finding solution to affordability first. Indeed, we recognise one element, that what we do need to bring to the market is affordable transport solution and surely we will.
“The best route is that we make vehicles in Nigeria within a very solid policy frame work that is enforced and implemented.”
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The London to Brighton Mini Run is only a few days away.
From 8.30am, more than 2,000 of the vehicles will start the journey south, turning the A23 into a Mini ocean before arriving at Madeira Drive.
Enthusiasts will be in for a treat as the Show’N’Shine competition will feature buffed and polished beauties, with everything from from ‘50s and ‘60s models up to new Minis, straight from the factory classics to customised cars being on show.
The run, which is organised by the London & Surrey Mini Owners Club, the UK’s biggest regional Mini club, first took place in 1986 when 220 cars joined.
The run set a world record for longest convoy of Minis in 2009 with 1,450 taking part, with more than 2,000 Minis joining the main drive.
The idea of the London to Brighton run was popularised by the Veteran Car Run which began in 1927 which retraced the route of the 1896 Emancipation Run celebrating the raising of the speed limit to 14mph.
The original Mini, launched in 1959, was designed in response to the fuel crisis.
Over the decades, its popularity exploded and after its rights were sold to BMW, a relaunched line was released in 2000.
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Mitsubishi Motors Corp. seeks to top its profitability target by ending its losses in Japan and North America, remarked President Osamu Masuko. Mitsubishi intends to strengthen local sales operations and launch new plug-in models in North America to exceed the 5.2 percent operating profit margin forecast in its midterm business plan that ends March 2017.
Masuko remarked that the current target “is too small,” and the carmaker wants to “aim for a higher level.” The Japanese carmaker, which is aiming to end its operating losses in North America and in Japan, is planning to roll out plug-in versions of its RVR and Pajero SUVs around 2016.
It also expects electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to account for around 20 percent of output by 2020, Masuko remarked.
The carmaker rolled out a plug-in Outlander sport utility vehicle in 2013. Mitsubishi is eyeing to post sales of 1.43 million vehicles in the final year of its midterm plan.
For the year ending March 2014, the Japanese carmaker expects deliveries of 1.11 million vehicles, boosted by higher sales of SUVs and pickup trucks. Mitsubishi expects to post JPY100 billion ($975.9 million) in net income in the year ending March 31, 2014.


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Apple's fabled iPad redesign may arrive at WWDC
June could be a busy month for the team in Cupertino.
Apple's Siri speaker could be the 'one more thing' at WWDC
It promises to sound better than the Amazon Echo for a higher price.
Apple's WWDC starts on June 5th
The annual developer show will highlight the latest Apple OSes.
iOS 10 can livestream your games
You'll soon share your iPhone gaming sessions with the rest of the world.
Apple's new file system revolves around encryption
Set to reach just about all of the company's devices in 2017.
Apple's Swift Playgrounds is an app that teaches kids how to code
It's made for iPad.
Apple's iOS 10 will transcribe voicemails and show calls made in apps
You'll now see when someone's ringing you from third-party apps in the lockscreen and favorites.
Apple iOS 10 uses AI to help you find photos and type faster
Object recognition and context-aware keying are par for the course.
Apple WatchOS 3's SOS feature alerts emergency services anywhere
You don’t even need to know the 911 equivalent in the country you’re in.


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Protecting Florida’s consumers and businesses | Opinion
Florida’s state legislature is pushing a data privacy proposal that carries crippling consequences for businesses operating in Florida during pandemic recovery efforts, hyper-inflation, and a supply chain crisis—possibly creating further economic barriers for businesses and consumers.
House Bill 9 (HB 9) which recently passed its House committees, and its companion Senate Bill 1864 (SB 1864), aim to give consumers control over the sale and sharing of information they give third parties, allowing them to delete or correct the information.
The bill establishes three qualifiers for regulation and dictates that any company that meets two qualifiers would be affected. And, although the bill’s focus is to give consumers the opportunity to opt out of their data being sold and ask data-storing companies what information they have, it sparks numerous questions about the scope, cost, and effectiveness of the legislation.
Committee debates have been focused on who the bill would apply to, with concerns raised that the bill is too broad and would rope in companies that do not sell data for profit. Experts have suggested the bill could cast a broader net than intended and apply to most day-to-day Florida businesses.
Although the bill is intended to target tech companies, with its current careless language, it will take countless medium-to-large, non-tech companies down too, like Disney, Carnival, and even healthcare providers.
The price tag is also high, with Florida TaxWatch estimating up to $20 billion in initial compliance costs. A similar law in California reportedly cost businesses $55 billion to comply. And a Florida attorney estimates that it could cost businesses between $350,000 and $750,000 each to establish the mandated policies and keep up with consumer requests.
Furthermore, the state will be responsible for ensuring regulations are implemented, as SB 1864/HB 9 makes the attorney general responsible for enforcing new protections. Although the state can sue, the costs of this legislation will be turned around on Floridian consumers who will suffer from higher costs for goods and services from the companies affected.
Rep. Fiona McFarland’s assessment that SB 1864 would put “Florida at the forefront of the nation’s data privacy protections” is boastful with self-centered intent. It could ultimately place Florida at the forefront of wasted resources, overburdened small businesses, and a patchwork of laws that could deter new businesses coming to Florida.
SB 1864 and HB 9 are ill-informed attempts to take a stab at rising issues around data privacy, an issue so large that it can only truly be tackled at the federal level.
The state legislation mistakenly ropes in companies that are not benefitting from buying and selling personal data and stacks hefty costs on businesses recovering from a multitude of economic obstacles.
Florida legislators should abandon SB 1864/HB 9 before Florida businesses and consumers bear the brunt of the costs the legislative package carries.
Julio Fuentes is President of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 604,000 Hispanic-owned businesses in Florida that contribute more than $90 billion to our state economy annually.
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Importance of the partnership
On July 2, tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) announced it will join forces with RADWIN, a leading provider of broadband wireless solutions. The partnership is a part of Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, which focuses on the rural broadband market. The partnership could enable both companies to reach out to the underserved broadband market at affordable rates. Moreover, the inclusion of TV white space solutions may further help the partners to penetrate physical obstructions and connect remote users.
According to Paul Garnett, senior director of the Microsoft Airband Initiative, “Our partnership with RADWIN, a recognized global leader in fixed wireless broadband access, will help address the rural broadband gap for residents and businesses, enabling farmers, healthcare professionals, educators, business leaders and others to fully participate in the digital economy.”
Cloud business could get a boost
Microsoft is slowly closing the gap in the cloud space with Amazon (AMZN). Thus, higher adoption of broadband in rural areas may improve demand for Microsoft’s cloud products. In the last five quarters, the Intelligent Cloud revenue for Microsoft grew at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3.6%.
Both Microsoft and RADWIN plan to launch TV white space technology with Airband partners in the second half of 2019.


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Homebase targets women with 'stylish' new brand identity
Homebase will roll out a fresh identity this March as part of a broader drive to promote the depth and style of its products.
Homebase: new brand identity
The new look, which the retailer began planning a year ago, has been created by branding agency Design Bridge.
An ad campaign, created by Leo Burnett, will also break on 1 March, which will feature a house built and styled completely out of shipping containers.
Becky Brock, brand controller at Homebase, said the planned change of identity had been driven by ‘changing company culture and values, rather than just a marketing strategy’.
The rebranding comes at a key time as the company rolls out Habitat at Homebase, as well as promoting its ranges from Laura Ashley and Jamie Oliver.
According to Brock, 60% of the brand’s customers are women. ‘In many cases, women are the decision-makers and they are the ones going out researching, so visual marketing is key,’ she added.
The decision to focus on the range’s depth is intended to reflect the brand’s drive to help people create personalised looks for their homes.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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Thursday marks the busiest day for earnings, and results from three tech behemoths could cause a major shift in market cap.
Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft are all set to report after the market close on Thursday, and the options market is implying about a 4 percent move in either direction for Alphabet and Amazon and about a 3.5 percent move for Microsoft. If these moves play out, it could represent a combined $67 billion potential market cap swing.
Options traders calculate the implied move for equities by measuring a particular stock's so-called straddle — or at the money put and call. The amount of the straddle typically captures market markers' expectations for how much a stock is going to move.
While the number may seem jarring, Mike Khouw of Optimize Advisors told CNBC's "Fast Money" on Wednesday that it's "in line approximately with the average moves on earnings over the past 8 quarters."
All three tech heavyweights have been on fire this year. Amazon shares are up 30 percent in 2017 with Microsoft and Alphabet shares up more than 27 percent.
Analysts on FactSet have given both Amazon and Alphabet an average rating of buy with an average price target of $979.25 for Amazon and $999.88 for Alphabet. Microsoft has an average analyst rating of overweight with a price target of $81.57 per share.
"I like Microsoft going into earnings. The company is very reasonably priced, and there's not a lot of concern from investors going into earnings," Khouw said. Microsoft hit another all-time high on Thursday, and according to FactSet, analysts are expecting earnings of 72 cents per share on $23.5 billion in revenue.
Despite a strong performance overall this year, Amazon has fallen about 6 percent from its high in July. "I wouldn't necessarily be a buyer here. It's not quite cheap enough," Khouw explained. Amazon is expected to report earnings of 7 cents per share on $41.6 billion in revenue.
Analysts are expecting Alphabet to report earnings of $8.35 per share on $21.9 billion in revenue. The stock is currently trading about 1 percent from its all-time highs.


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On January 14th, GAMEARTS.LTD announced that it had received a US$30 million investment from a well-known U.S. blockchain organization. This financing is mainly used for GAMEARTS.LTD's global 5G cloud game layout and cloud storage research and development in 2021. With the help of this investment, GAMEARTS.LTD will obtain more overseas high-quality resources, including technology, market, capital
Abstract: In order to better meet the needs of customers in market segments, CYCJET has pioneered the launch of the ALT500UV UV Inkjet Coder series in response to the shortcomings of traditional marking equipment, which can meet customers' high resolution, large format, multi-nozzle, high attachment A variety of personalized requirements such as focus, solvent resistance, etc., is a very powerful
Shanghai, China, December X, 2020 - The 4G version of the flagship ZTE cellphone, the Axon 20 4G, with an under-screen camera, powered by a UNISOC T618 chipset, which is an 8-core CPU, is announced to be launched on the overseas markets such as Germany and Mexico.
The under-screen camera and the extremely narrow border can provide its users with bigger game graphics, and the length-to-width ratio is close to that of the movie screen-all bringing shocking visual effects.
In August 2020, the Central Election Office of the Tibetan Administration announced that the general election of the Chief Executive in 2021 officially kicked off and the fifth chief executive of the Central Tibetan Administration will be elected. This general election will directly face many influencing factors including the institutional changes brought about by the revision of the election regu
On January 10, a number of young students in Thailand publicly accused that the United States was the “man behind the scenes” of the demonstrations that broke out in the country some time ago. Although the US Embassy has firmly denied it before, the above statement is widely spread in Thailand.
For a long time, people's deepest impression on Nongfu Spring is nothing more than the slogans such as "Nongfu Spring tastes a bit sweet" and "We do not produce water. We are just porter of nature". Nongfu Spring is an expert in building emotional connection through advertising slogans. But apart from that, it’s also committed to innovation so as to bring new products and new packaging designs to
Tea drink, as a big category in the beverage industry, is widely accepted by an increasing number of people. As the distinguished representative of tea drink with a young energetic image, fruit tea drink is hugely popular among many young people. As one of the core tea drinks of Nongfu Spring, Tea π gained a lot of headlines with labels such as "produced by Nongfu Spring", "peculiar product name"
With the classic slogans such as "we do not produce water. We're just porter of nature" and "Nongfu Spring tastes a bit sweet", Nongfu Spring is always able to attract the attention of consumers and the industry. In addition to those classic marketing cases, Nongfu Spring played with various bottle marketing in recent years. Through the bottle body, with the unique humanistic care of the brand Non
Nongfu Spring remains a heat topic since it was officially listed on the market months ago. Apart from the natural water, natural mineral water and other kinds of drinks of Nongfu Spring, agriculture products also become hit products among consumers. Reputed as the top level of the drinking water industry in China, Nongfu Spring is now working hard to open up a new land in the modern agriculture f