text:
Nearly half (46%) of consumers in the United States say they have used social media to publicly call out brands for bad behavior or poor service, according to recent research from Sprout Social.
The report was based on data conducted in July 2017 among 1,003 adults in the United States.
Younger consumers are significantly more likely to call out/complain about brands on social media than older consumers, the analysis found.
Some 56% of Millennial respondents say they have called out a brand on social media, compared with 44% of non-Millennial respondents.
Among respondents who say they would call out a brand on social media, 60% would do so because of dishonesty, 59% because of bad customer service, and 57% because of in-person rudeness.
Respondents say they call out brands on social media to raise awareness with other consumers (70% do so) and to get an apology or resolution (55%).
About the research: The report was based on data conducted in July 2017 among 1,003 adults in the United States.
Enter your email address to keep reading ...
Know someone who would enjoy it too? Share with your friends, free of charge, no sign up required! Simply share this link, and they will get instant access…
Social Media Articles
You may like these other MarketingProfs articles related to Social Media:
- Spotify Marketing: A Beginner's Guide [Infographic]
- The Best Days and Times to Post on Social Media
- How Business Owners Feel About Twitter's New Check Marks [Infographic]
- 24 Do's and Don'ts of Social Media [Infographic]
- Wither Facebook? The Social Platforms Used Most in 2023
- How B2B Marketers Can Use an Organic Social Media Strategy for Success in 2023: Dorien Morin-van Dam on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]


text:
According to the initial reports, it seems that the Apple iPhone 14 Plus did not have a good start in the market, and now newer information shows that Apple has stopped the production of the iPhone 14 Plus and is reassessing the demand for this handset.
A new report citing supply chain sources indicates that Apple has contacted at least one of its iPhone assembly partners and ordered an immediate halt to production of the iPhone 14 Plus. Also, the Cupertino giant has contacted 2 component manufacturing companies and requested them to reduce their production by 90%.
The report also notes that Apple has ordered at least one iPhone supplier to increase production of parts for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple has refused to make any official statement in this regard. However, it seems that iPhone customers are not willing to pay $899 for a non-Pro model.
Customers can buy the iPhone 14 Pro by paying only $100 more. Also, if you pay $200 more, you can buy the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Therefore, iPhone 14 Plus is probably not very popular among Apple fans. Despite the ongoing uncertainty regarding the iPhone 14 Plus, current information suggests that Apple is still planning to introduce the iPhone 15 Plus sometime next year.

domain: news


text:
Investors love little-known growth stories with proven successful strategies. Judges Scientific (LSE: JDG) applies a disciplined set of criteria in scooping up scientific instrument makers. That is a profitable niche. The Judges Scientific share price has soared in the past few years.
Recently the founder sold over three million pounds of his holding in Judges. What might this mean for the stock?
The Judges Scientific share price was already high
I think Judges is an excellent run business. It has identified an area with customers who have steady demand for expensive products. In scientific research, exactitude matters a lot – so customers are willing to pay a premium price for a high quality product. Through its discipline in buying companies at a low multiple of earnings, Judges has been able to build a diverse set of value producing assets which is hard to replicate. It matches a lot of what Warren Buffett suggests makes a good business.
The stock market had noticed this, pushing the share price upwards.
For example, the shares almost quadrupled between the start of 2017 and 2020. Over 2020 they moved around a lot. Shutdowns meant university labs and research institutes weren’t in such a rush to buy instruments. Those that were sold couldn’t always be installed quickly. Nonetheless, the robustness of the business model proved itself again and the shares added another £10 or so across the year. The organic order book at the start of 2021 was higher than a year before.
Last month the company guided that its adjusted earnings per share for the year would exceed market expectations. The Judges Scientific share price hit a new high. On 19th January, its founder David Cicurel sold 50,000 shares. That sounds like a lot and indeed it was a multi-million pound transaction. However, it was only 7% of his holding. After the sale, Mr. Cicurel still holds over 650,000 shares in the company he set up.
Directors sell shares for all sorts of different reasons. A sale in itself is not necessarily cause to concern.
I continue to find the business model compelling. The company has increased ordinary dividends each year by a double digit amount for over a decade now. I also expect that the pandemic will increase long-term demand for scientific instruments, so think that Judges Scientific’s growth story could actually still be in its opening innings.
However, the strong price rise in recent years has given me pause for thought. At a price-to-earnings ratio of 27, the shares are not cheap. While I like the dividend policy, the dividend yield sits below 1% due to the high share price.
But the well-constructed cash generative business model, quality assets and growing demand means that the share price has continued its ascent. It seems to have shrugged off the director’s sale and I don’t think the market is interpreting as a lack of confidence in the future Judges Scientific share price.
I will be spending time to examine the company and its market opportunity more closely to consider buying the shares. Judges Scientific probably has a magnifier that would be ideal for the task!
Right now, this ‘screaming BUY’ stock is trading at a steep discount from its IPO price, but it looks like the sky is the limit in the years ahead.
Because this North American company is the clear leader in its field which is estimated to be worth US$261 BILLION by 2025.
The Motley Fool UK analyst team has just published a comprehensive report that shows you exactly why we believe it has so much upside potential.
But I warn you, you’ll need to act quickly, given how fast this ‘Monster IPO’ is already moving.
christopherruane has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Judges Scientific. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


text:
Intel continues to invest in wearable technology and the Internet of things, most recently with the acquisition of small Swiss startup Composyt Light Labs, which is developing connected eyewear.
The world’s largest chip maker bought the small company, a spinoff of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, known by the acronym EPFL, at the end of 2014, but made the deal public Jan. 20. No financial details were released.
The acquisition is only the latest push by Intel into the booming wearable device market, which IDC analysts last year said will grow from more than 19 million units shipped in 2014 to 111.9 million units in 2018. It’s one of the new markets that Intel is aggressively moving into, part of CEO Brian Krzanich’s promise that the chip maker will not miss out on growth areas the way it did with the mobile device space.
Over the past year, Intel has partnered with a broad array of companies—from Fossil and Luxottica Group to Opening Ceremonies and SMS Audio—to develop wearable devices powered by its silicon. In addition, the company last year bought smart band maker Basis. Intel also has developed an array of development platforms for wearable technology—most recently introducing the button-sized Curie compute module at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show—and earlier this month announced it was investing $24.8 million in Vuzix, which makes enterprise-grade smart glasses.
The acquisition of Composyt fits in with Intel’s efforts. Composyt has been working with another EPFL company—Lemoptix, which is developing a laser microprojection technology—to develop a product that can be used with any eyewear. The ultra-miniature projector technology will be able to superimpose information on any glasses.
The two companies at the Augmented World Expo Conference in May 2014 showed off a prototype of smart glasses that included direct retina projection and a holographic combiner, according to Lemoptix officials. In a news article in September 2014 on the French site Le Temps, Composyt co-founder Mickael Guillaumee listed several use cases for the connected glasses, including having emails or arrows for a route being displayed. In addition, drivers could use the augmented reality in training, and applications could be used to help people with diseases like macular degeneration that impair eyesight, he said.
News of Intel’s acquisition comes just days after Google announced it was stopping sales of its high-profile Google Glass smart eyewear.


text:
Peugeot is to supply 250 e-Expert electric vans to Northgate Vehicle Hire.
The vans will be supplied by Simon Bailes Peugeot, and have been chosen as Northgate looks to increase the number of electric vehicles on its fleet.
The vans, featuring a driving range of up to 211 miles from a single charge, will be available to rent next year.
Northgate fleet director Tim Bailey said: “We’re working to provide the latest electric vehicle options to help support carbon reduction.
“By agreeing this initial deal with Peugeot for 250 new e-Experts, we can ensure that customers who want to use fit-for-purpose EVs in their fleets can do so quickly and with minimal impact on cashflow.”
Peugeot UK managing director David Peel said: “It’s great to be able to support such a large fleet provider like Northgate, as it works to offer customers a greater choice of electrified vehicles to suit their needs.
“By 2023, our entire vehicle fleet will feature an electrified variant, and our new e-Expert is a crucial vehicle in our electrification strategy.”


text:
Social Samosa takes a look at which campaign between Prega News’s #YourSecondHome and Pregakem’s #WeArePregnant performed better and had a deeper connect with the audience
Two of the leading brands in the pregnancy detection kit category - Prega News from the house of Mankind Pharmaceuticals and Pregakem of Alkem Healthcare launched innovative digital campaigns over the span of last few months.
These leading brands who otherwise mainly use celebrities to push their product, have taken a fresh approach to support a cause and connect with every expectant parent on digital. Last year, Kareena Kapoor was roped in by Prega News and husband-wife duo Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh are the face of Pregakem.
On the occasion of Mother’s Day this year, the brand released an online campaign titled ‘Your Second Home’ targeting offices. It was a tribute by the brand to all the expecting mothers who continue to work during their pregnancies. According to the company, since these women end up spending the maximum time in offices, therefore, the duty of making them comfortable and looking into their needs is the concern of their workplaces.
The video also highlights the emotional and physical demands of pregnancy and how uncomfortable sometimes things like furniture can be uncomfortable or certain smell can induce nausea in women causing extreme discomfort. The timing of the campaign was perfect and it was in line with the new Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act which has extended the paid leave for new mothers from 3 months to 6 months.
Few weeks back, the brand partnered with SpiceJet to launch a series of initiatives to make air travel for pregnant women more comfortable and enjoyable. This was an extension to the #YourSecondHome and resonated extremely well with all the expectant mothers.
Pregakem’s recent digital ad campaign titled #WeArePregnant, highlights the message that pregnancy is a beautiful phase in not only in a woman’s life, but in every husband’s life too. The brand tries to send across the message that the woman alone is not pregnant, but the couple is.
Social media noise
The Prega News campaign has been very well accepted and garnered more than 10 million views till date on YouTube. There was a lot of engagement from the brand’s side and using the hashtag #YourSecondHome, conversations were led on social media.
Prega News’s website has information on how offices can make their place pregnancy friendly. Also, a microsite was launched to support this cause.
On the day on the launch, Pregakem’s #WeArePregant was trending on Twitter. The brand with the help of influencers, tagged Bollywood celebrities and cricketers on Twitter, those who have recently delivered or are expecting. This helped to spread the work and appear in the news. The campaign on the brand's YouTube page has clocked around 10,000 views in less than four days.
Experts take: #YourSecondHome v/s #WeArePregnant
We asked Deepak Singh from The Social Street and Team Pumpkin’s Swati Nathani for their views on both the campaigns.
Deepak Singh, Chief Creative Officer, The Social Street liked both the campaigns, but feels Prega News has a better brand connect because of the time during which it was launched. According to him, the timing chosen for Prega News which was during Mother’s Day was perfect, making the message all the more perfect and relevant.
Singh added, “The world has opened up and today pregnancy isn’t seen solely as a woman’s responsibility. Hence, I think both thoughts are nice and are created with the intent of changing mindsets. From that point of view, I like both equally. If I see the execution also, both do justice to their respective plots. The characters chosen are nice and the story is well told in each case.”
Swati Nathani, co-founder & Chief Business Officer, Team Pumpkin finds the Prega News campaign to be the hands down winner in all the aspects.
She cited, “While Pregakem campaign is very emotionally done; it almost came across to me as being "nice" to someone just because she is pregnant. In my opinion, men must be nice to women and vice versa all the time, irrespective of their family statuses. On the other hand, Prega News handles the issue of workplace discrimination with pregnant women in a superb manner.”
It is quite refreshing to see, both the brands strategising new content especially for the digital audience, without the use of celebrity brand endorsers.
As they say, in digital you need to be quick and provide content which your audience wants to consume, Prega News seems to have hit the right spot with great timing and perfect execution.


text:
A growing number of users are complaining on Apple’s Support Forums that there is an ongoing problem with Apple’s iTunes Match service. The users claim the service times out when they attempt to upload new tracks to be matched by the iTunes servers.
“I’ve been using iTunes Match for about a year and a half and have started experiencing a new problem in the last couple of days. I’ve added a few new tracks to my library over the last couple of days and have attempted to “Update iTunes Match.” However, the matching process is stalling out at the end. It looks like it’s just about to finish but then it never does, ” writes Apple Support forum member Ryan Hargrove.
The issue apparently manifested itself on June 10th, and is still affecting users almost a week later. Attempts by users to fix the issue by updating iTunes, restarting their computers, and more have proven unsuccessful.
Apple’s System Status page shows all iTunes services as fully operational. Tests by users suggest the issue may be isolated to tracks that are not included in Apple’s iTunes library. Self-recordings and independent music tracks appear to stall during upload, while recognized songs are matched with no problem.
Apple has yet to comment on the issue. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more news.


text:
A special edition of Ubisoft’s upcoming techno-thriller Watch Dogs has been spotted in a Dutch advertisement for the game, touting an additional single-player mission for those willing to presumably dig a little deeper into their wallets. The mission, which appears to occur around a series of street races, gives players access to fount of free vehicles through an in-game contact upon completion, as well as discounts on some other, assuredly high-end motors. The Dutch source lists a possible holiday release for the title on November 21st of this year.
Watch Dogs wowed journalists and enthusiasts alike at last year’s E3 with an incredibly slick demo and intriguing potential gameplay systems involving nefarious tampering with a city’s electronic infrastructure, despite the limited information about and access to the game at the time of its reveal at Ubisoft’s press conference. The open-world title is currently listed by Ubisoft as in development for Windows, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360 and Wii U; while no word has been provided on the game’s presence on Microsoft’s soon-to-be revealed next-gen machine, one can safely assume it will find its way there as well.
Despite Watch Dogs’ passing similarity to Ubisoft’s open-world stabbing simulator, Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft has reported that the game is not being developed on that series’ engine, but rather a new engine developed in-house at Ubisoft Montreal.


text:
French spirits company Remy Cointreau reported higher annual sales and kept its target for profit growth for the full year, although demand for its premium cognac slowed down in China during the final quarter.
The maker of Remy Martin cognac and Mount Gay rum, which is trying to sell more of its higher priced spirits to boost profit, said sales came in at €1.216 billion ($1.36 billion) for its full financial year, which ended on 31 March.
"With full-year sales in line with the group's forecasts, Remy Cointreau confirms its guidance of growth in current operating profit for the financial year 2018/19, assuming constant exchange rates and consolidation scope," said the company.
Chief Finance Officer Luca Marotta said in January that he was comfortable with market estimates for a 13.5% rise in full-year current operating profit.
In the fourth quarter alone, revenue came in at €297.1 million, marking a like-for-like rise of 7%, albeit a slowdown from 8.7% growth in the third quarter.
The increase was above analysts' forecasts for 6.1% growth.
Remy Cointreau said that - as it had previously flagged - the fourth quarter reflected the negative impact of an earlier timing of the Chinese New Year in early February that had led to advance shipments of cognac in the third quarter.
Remy's cognac sales reached 209.1 million euros in the fourth quarter, marking a rise of 7.9% on a like-for-like basis. That increase, however, represented a slowdown from a rise of 15.6 percent in the third quarter, and was below analysts' expectations for an 8.1 percent increase.
Last week, Remy's larger rival Pernod also reported a sales slowdown, due partly to conditions in China.
There are global fears about an economic slowdown in China and also concerns that trade tensions between Beijing and Washington could have a knock-on effect on Chinese consumers, whose appetite for top brands has supported a rebound in the global luxury industry over the past two years.
Remy Cointreau, which makes the Louis XIII luxury cognac that sells for over $2,000 a bottle, would be particularly vulnerable to a slowdown in China, analysts have said.


text:
Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King has said there is “no sign yet that the level of promotions have tailed off” across the big four grocers.
King said the level of promotional activity - which last year was running at an average of 30% - has been sustained this year and are “largely driven by suppliers”.
According to Kantar Worldpanel, the level of sales of products on promotion for the 12 weeks to February 21 for the big four grocers stood at 33.2%. Last year it was 29.2%.
Sainsbury’s reported like-for-like sales in the 11 weeks to March 20, excluding petrol, were up 1.7%. Total sales excluding petrol were up 4.4%. Like-for-likes for the full year were up 4.3%, excluding fuel.
Sales growth has slowed since last year, hit by a drop in food price inflation. King also said non-food has performed well, and grew at three times the rate of food over the period.
In the previous quarter non-food grew at four times the rate of food, but the grocer said it expected it to fall back to a more normal rate of two to three times.


text:
Peter Som’s assessment of the lively CFDA party at Elie and Rory Tahari’s SoHo home Tuesday night couldn’t have been more spot-on. Over the course of the night, many of the guests crowded the Taharis’ rooftop yoga room and the adjoining terrace, including Leighton Meester, Phillip Lim, Richard Chai, Martha Stewart and Nicole Miller.
With the stock market in a free fall, the presidential race in its last four weeks and retailers gripping for rocky months ahead, guests chose to celebrate a new crop of CFDA members that was being welcomed at the event. “I was a new member last year,” Chai said. “I am passing the torch. I am doing the hazing.”
Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch, David Neville, Marcus Wainwright, Tina Lutz, Marcia Patmos, Yeohlee Teng, Arnold Scaasi and Charles Nolan were among the other designers welcoming such new members as Ron Anderson, Michael Bastian, Philip Crangi, Naeem Khan, Loree Rodkin, Kara Ross and Araks Yeramyan. The newbies were just part of the night’s attraction, though. Many were relishing the Tahari home (Rupert Murdoch’s old digs) and taking in the city vistas from the multitiered roof deck. “I think Elie put the moon and Mars up there,” joked Stan Herman, pointing to the picture-perfect starry night.
Stewart inspected the kitchen, washroom and bar area. Newcomer Eunice Lee said, “We were just salivating over this apartment. We were saying, ‘Let’s work hard so that we have a place like this, too, one day.’”
Rory Tahari admitted there was a pre-party “aha moment,” when the couple realized its gathering conflicted with the second presidential debate. “Elie said we’ll just tell everyone who wants to stay that they can watch the debate in the screening room,” Rory Tahari said. And so they did — bar the hostess herself, who snuck off after the party to catch Madonna at Madison Square Garden.
Meester showed her allegiance for new member Dana Foley by wearing a strapless black dress by the designer. Fresh off the set of “Gossip Girl,” the actress said she didn’t have time to worry about what she would wear. “I finished work at six, got home around seven and my friend and stylist Tom came over with a few of the dresses he had pulled. And I had earrings, a jacket and purse. But Foley + Corinna is one of my favorite stores — really.”
Nicole Miller chatted with new inductee Cheryl Finnegan, whose Virgins, Saints & Angels jewelry is carried in her freestanding stores. Asked if she offered any advice to Finnegan, Miller said: “This is a tough road. After the past two days, everyone realizes it’s going to be tough for every designer, especially new ones.”
And, of course, “the best thing anyone could do would be to go out and spend some money,” Miller said.
“So go out and buy something crazy like a tutu,” Finnegan said, gesturing toward the one she was wearing.
While inductees sported corsages to reflect their newly minted status, Matt Murphy donned an oversize hot pink “Palin Insane” button designed by artist Cecily Brown. “I’m promoting democracy tonight,” he said.
Amy Chan chimed in: “That’s a great thing. People want to do different things, step out more and make that last effort. This time is such a pivotal time.”
From overseeing America’s fastest-growing speciality retailers to codifying cool, WWD talked to the women who are leading the way for the future of beauty. Check out our Instagram Stories to see how these women built today and are creating tomorrow. (📸: @hannah_khymych) #wwdbeauty
For @laperlalingerie's spring 2018 show, the brand chose to host their event at @thevenetianmacao. With Chinese megastars @bingbing_fan and @hubing in attendance, La Perla debuted a rock ‘n’ roll-inspired collection. The show marked the start of Sands Macao Fashion Week, which runs from October 19 to 24 — the city’s first such event. Pictured here are models backstage with glimmering eyes. #wwdfashion (📷: Cheuk-Yin To)
Trending for spring 2018: top stitch design. Gone are the days of stitch just for seams — designers are using the once-minimal detail to create strong decorative elements. (📷: Paola Testa; Styled by @andrew_shang) #wwdfashion
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)


text:
By Tam Allenby, reporting from the Australian Craft Brewers Conference
The 2017 Australian Craft Brewers Conference kicked off yesterday (26 July) in Adelaide, with keynote speaker Professor Charlie Bamforth opening proceedings with a wide-ranging and entertaining address to the Australian craft brewing industry.
Professor Bamforth presented his opinion on a range of issues facing the brewing industry, from the importance of quality and consistency, his philosophy of ‘balance’ in a beer, and even his thoughts on the growing popularity of the purposely hazy New England IPA style.
But, it was his perspective on the ‘what makes craft’ debate that provided the main talking point from his address – a perspective that was not shared by Dr. Ina Verstl, beer academic and journalist, who spoke directly after Professor Bamforth.
“People have this word ‘craft’. To me, a craftsperson is somebody who is trained, and is able to do the job. Now in your homes, if you want to get in an electrician, you don’t want any old person to say ‘yeah sure, I can wire the house, no problem’ – they don’t know what they’re doing,” the renowned brewer, academic, teacher and author told the audience.
“And to me, the same thing applies in the world of brewing – you want people who are trained, know what they’re doing and are able to deliver. And whether you like it or not, you’ve got a far greater likelihood of finding those rigorously trained brewers, in larger brewing companies.
“What you’ll find in the craft area is that many of the growing craft brewers look to the bigger guys to recruit their brewers, because they know they’re well trained. And don’t kid yourself, some of these big brewing companies could make a hefeweizen meets Guinness with a touch of sourness thrown in, if they could market it and sell it enough.
“Craftspeople, in my opinion, are present in companies of all sizes, from the very biggest to the smallest. There’s many, many a craft brewer who has learned from the big guys – but when it gets nasty is when it comes to sales and marketing.”
Dr. Ina Verstl, editor of Brauwelt International and co-author of the book The Beer Monopoly, explained to the audience that to her, the ‘craft’ debate boils down to ownership and independence – in contrast to Bamforth’s ‘craftsmanship’ take.
“When it comes to motivations, strategies, ways of doing business, and reasons for doing business, we need to talk about two different classes of brewers: the independents and the big brewers,” Verstl said. “I would like there not to be a rift, and far more sharing, but business-wise there is no sharing.
“When you break down the dualisms of craft beer vs big beer down to their core – big vs small, local vs global – at their core is ownership. Ownership is central to what craft beer is. And craft beer is a political act, producing it, drinking it is one.
“The consumer makes a political choice – whether he’s fully aware of it, thinking ‘I only buy independent beer, I don’t support conglomerates’, or whether he just wants to support the guy with the brewery down the end of the road.”
Dr. Verstl also said that by developing an ‘indie’ seal and emblazoning it on their products, Australia’s independent brewers could differentiate their beers from those produced by ‘Big Beer’.
This would enable consumers to readily identify between beers produced by small independent brewers and larger corporate produced beers, and would reflect what is already happening in the US where the US Brewers Association has developed its own independent seal.
Prior to Verstl’s presentation, Bamforth also weighed in on the recent series of acquisitions of smaller brewing companies by multinationals such as AB InBev and Molson Coors in the US, saying that the main concern is transparency.
“We’re all aware of the fact that large breweries are acquiring smaller ones, and that is an unfair advantage as well – because if a large brewing company buys a small brewing company, that smaller brewing company now gets access to all of the resources of the big guys.
“But that doesn’t make the big guys bad, and it doesn’t make the small guys who sell to the big guys bad. If somebody comes along to you and offers you 50 million dollars to sell, sure as hell you’re gonna sell – but it needs to be transparent.
“So on the one hand I don’t think it’s right that people should masquerade as a smaller brewing company when they’re a big brewing company, but equally I don’t think it’s right that a drinker should say ‘oh, well that’s made by such and such brewing company, so by definition it must be shit’ – that’s just not true, there’s excellent beers made by larger brewing companies.”
Regardless of where you might sit in this debate, the take-home message from Bamforth for the brewers at the conference was a simple one: “People and quality,” are the key ingredients, and “if you look after your people, they will ensure the quality of your product.”


text:
9:15 PM 17th November 2021
Yorkshire’s Business Leaders Cite Supply Chain Disruption And Recruitment Challenges As Biggest Threats To Growth
Over half of business leaders in Yorkshire have seen their company significantly impacted by disruption to supply chains since the start of the year – with leaders fearing such interruptions will remain a key business challenge over the next 12 months, according to the findings from a new survey.
Conducted by Leeds-based finance recruitment consultancy Headstar over September/October 2021, the survey of over 80* senior business decision-makers from across the region found that most (53.6%) cited supply chain interruptions as having had the biggest impact on their business so far in 2021. The second biggest factor – staff shortages due to employees being forced to self-isolate –was quoted by just over half as many respondents (28.6%).
The survey also revealed that business leaders consider supply chain risk to be one of the three biggest challenges facing their company over the next 12 months (52%) - alongside recruiting quality talent (58%) and generating revenue (40%).
The findings come amid growing concerns about a supply chain crisis in the UK - caused by the pandemic, Brexit and a lorry driver shortage - with businesses across an increasing number of sectors, from hospitality and food production through to house building and manufacturing, feeling the strain.
Businesses recruiting despite the challenging backdrop
photo by Ian Taylor.
Unsurprisingly, such a challenging backdrop has made hitting financial targets harder than ever for businesses of all sizes. Asked in the survey if they expect their business to hit this year’s financial targets, 45% of respondents said they thought their company would be below or significantly below target. On a more positive note, over a third (36.9%) said their business remains on target, while a little under a fifth (17.9%) said their business was ahead of or significantly ahead of target.
The positives don’t stop there either; while many businesses are struggling to hit financial targets, two-thirds (66.7%) of those surveyed said that their company hadn’t made any redundancies due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In fact, the survey revealed Yorkshire’s businesses are investing in future growth during these challenging times, with almost three-quarters (73.1%) of senior decision-makers saying their business plans to grow its employee-base over the next six months - with nearly half (45%) saying by as much as 10%.
The way in which they are likely to recruit new people to their teams has changed following the pandemic, with almost two-thirds (60.7%) of respondents stating that video interviews and virtual recruitment processes have become the norm in their business, while over a quarter (28.6%) said the location of their business no longer limits its talent pool. While a competitive salary remains key to attracting talent, just over one in ten (13.1%) leaders said that, following the pandemic, their company was putting greater emphasis on offering non-monetary benefits, such as extra leave and health and wellbeing packages.
Permanent move to hybrid working for majority of businesses
Photo by Martijn Baudoin
Despite the Prime Minister’s recent comments on people working from home, it seems that more businesses than ever are backing hybrid working according to the findings from Headstar’s survey. Almost two-thirds (58%) of respondents said that their business is allowing employees to work from home through a blended weekly approach of office and home working, with almost a fifth (19%) going even further and not requiring staff to be in the office from week-to-week. At the opposite end of the spectrum, just over a fifth (22%) said that staff are required to work in the office whenever possible.
Business optimism in economy – with another lockdown viewed as unlikely
Commenting on the findings, James Roach, managing director of Headstar, said:
Headstar MD James Roach - photo by Giles Rocholl.
“It has been an incredibly challenging 18 months and our survey findings clearly show that businesses are still going through testing times, particularly when it comes to disruption in their supply chains.
“However, despite all the challenges they face, there appears to be a growing sense of optimism amongst Yorkshire’s businesses, with an increasing number moving their plans from resilience to expansion as the economy steadily improves. We’re certainly seeing real evidence of this at Headstar, with our team recruiting the best financial talent for more roles than ever before.
“It’s also great to see that, post-pandemic, a growing number of businesses are paying far greater attention to the mental health and wellbeing of employees, with many adopting hybrid and increasingly flexible working practices, as well as offering greater non-monetary benefits to secure, retain and incentivise staff.”
While Covid-19 infections in England continue to surge, the majority (65.5%) of those surveyed felt that another lockdown this year was unlikely, with just under a third (34.5%) fearing the worst.
When asked about the government’s support for businesses during the pandemic, an equally strong majority (68%) felt it had been good, with just under a fifth (17%) saying they thought it had been bad.
The survey also revealed that business leaders are generally more optimistic than pessimistic about the outlook for the UK economy; almost half of those surveyed (48%) were optimistic, while just 16% were pessimistic.


text:
Wine Australia & Tourism Australia partner for multi-million dollar campaign
Wine Australia and Tourism Australia have partnered for a $36 million marketing campaign which will try and entice Americans to visit Australia’s wineries.
The campaign was launched Sunday 4 February 2018 US-time with a Super Bowl ad featuring Australian celebrities Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride enjoying the nation’s wines.
The campaign is part-funded by the Australian Federal Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package.
The package aims to bring in up to 40, 000 additional international tourists to Australia’s wine regions by 2019-20, delivering an estimated $170 million to the economy.
Chief Executive Officer of Wine Australia, Andreas Clark, said the US campaign is the perfect opportunity to showcase Australia’s wineries to a engaged audience.
“This campaign puts the spotlight on contemporary Australia and we hope it inspires Americans to discover the beauty and sophistication of our wine regions and try some exceptional Australian wine,” Clark said.
“The Super Bowl has the largest reach of any advertising platform in the USA, with more than 100 million Americans tuning in across the USA and many millions more people globally.”
Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Anne Ruston, said the new ad will further strengthen one of Australia’s most important industries.
“The Australian wine sector has enjoyed significant growth in recent years and the $50m Package aims to build on this, with an ambitious agenda of targeted activities, including marketing campaigns in the USA and China,” Ruston said.
- Pepsi unveils new global marketing campaign
- YellowTail wine makes successful Super Bowl ad debut
- Australian wine a winner in 2017 with exports up
A Coca-Cola executive has revealed the beverage giant is soon set to start dabbling in alcohol, some...
Foodbank has launched its largest-ever Shop and Share campaign.
THE seafood industry wants country of origin labelling protections extended to menus in foodservice ...
Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) will be selling its US non-core commercial brand portfolio.
Coca-Cola Australia has launched the new Frozen Coke® No Sugar – a world-first innovation in the fr...
The Retail Food Group has just missed its revised forecasted net profit for its 2017 financial year.
Australians were all enthusiastically baking bread in the first COVID lockdown, this time around, '...
Fowles Wine, a boutique winery in the Strathbogie Ranges, is putting Victoria’s wines on the world ...


text:
By Anne D’Innocenzio // AP News, June 12 2019
Black and other darker-skinned women had long struggled to find makeup that matched or complemented their skin.
But a widening array of products is showing up at mainstream retailers with an eye toward the multicultural consumer.
A big game changer was Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty collection, which was launched two years ago and is sold at Sephora and Fentybeauty.com. Among the highlights: 50 shades of foundation from the palest white to deep brown.
Elsewhere, shoppers can now find more variety. Target, which started offering an assortment of textured hair care brands two decades ago, has in recent years expanded its space dedicated to the category to 36 feet from 8 feet in select stores. Last year it introduced new cosmetic brands which cater to women with medium to deep skin tones. Target now carries more than 150 brands and more than 400 products that cater to the multicultural customer. Earlier this year, the discounter expanded its multicultural sun care offerings with the introduction of Black Girl Sunscreen and Unsung.
Meanwhile, since January CVS Health has added 600 new shades of foundation and concealers. And this year, Walmart began carrying all shades of its top foundation brands across its chain: Maybelline Fit Me, Revlon Color Stay, Covergirl True Blend and L’Oreal True Match. The shade range expanded by more than 20% over the last year.
Multicultural customers tend to be engaged and more experimental, according to studies. Hispanic women who perform a beauty routine are more likely to experiment and adopt multiple steps into their routines, with two-thirds saying they create complex makeup looks, compared to 51% of U.S. women overall, according to a recent survey by Mintel. Black women are more likely to be interested in trends surrounding natural beauty products than women overall, Mintel says.
Still, “it’s a big challenge to navigate,” said Coye Nokes, a partner in OC&C Strategy Consultants’ consumer and retail practice. “Not every skin care is right.”
“…decide, which areas you want to splurge on. Maybelline, typically found at drugstores and other low-priced chains, recently launched a red lipstick which is marketed as universal and tested it on 50 diverse skin tones,” says Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail.
Here are some tips to navigate the options:
- Do the research: Do you want to go only with black entrepreneur-owned brands? For example, earlier this year Ulta launched Uoma Beauty, founded by Nigerian-born Sharon Chuter, who is a former executive at the luxury goods conglomerate LVHM. The exclusive collection has more than 51 foundations. Also, decide which areas you want to splurge on, says Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail. She cited Maybelline, typically found at drugstores and other low-priced chains, which recently launched a red lipstick that it has marketed as universal and tested it on 50 diverse skin tones. Also, request samples whether from a store or from a cosmetic company.
- Play with the tools: Sephora uses Color IQ, which scans the surface of your skin, captures the exact skin tone, and then assigns it a Color IQ number. That number is used to produce precise color matches for lip products, foundations, and concealers. At Ulta, shoppers can try on makeup using its GlamLab app that lets shoppers browse, filter and play around with products. Target customers can virtually try on hundreds of makeup items, including various lip and cheek colors via a feature called Target Beauty Studio on Target’s website. CVS is launching next month a new “shade finder” tool — similar to paint swatches — in 6,000 of its stores to help customers find the right shade of foundation and concealer across 12 different brands.
- Take advantage of store events and services: Target offers events at its stores where customers can meet with founders of multicultural brands. Last year, it held more than 30 events and it plans to hold more than 60 this year. Sephora also offers free beauty classes that address different skin care needs and beauty and makeup interests for all clients. And classes are customized for attendees. Macy’s, which has been expanding color ranges under long-time partners like Estee Lauder and more ethnic-focused brands like Black Up, says its beauty advisers are trained to understand skin care by concern.
In more than 170 stores in select markets, CVS launched CVS Pharmacy y mas, a shopping experience that provides more personalized service to the Hispanic community and includes bilingual staff. It personalizes the product selection including beauty products based on local demand.


text:
We’re delighted to announce that the ‘Guaranteed Irish Village’ returns to Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, from 5th to 10th December.
Gifted is the must-attend fair on the Irish Christmas calendar and similar to previous years, we’ll be curating our very own ‘GI Village’! We’ll have a number of our members exhibiting and selling a range of gifts, from Irish fashion and jewellery to artisan food hampers and beauty products.
The GI Village is a celebration of quality Irish craft and Irish design. We’re excited to announce the Guaranteed Irish members trading in the GI Village this year include:
- Foxford Woollen Mills
- Bia Beauty
- Holos Skincare
- Jo Browne
- Irish Country Hotels/Manor House Hotels
- Watermark Cards
- Emma’s So Naturals Eco-Soy Candles
- Donegal Socks
Like all our members, the companies participating in the GI Village generate quality jobs, contribute to their local communities and are proud of their Irish provenance.
Keep your eyes peeled on our social media accounts over the coming weeks, as throughout November and December, Guaranteed Irish will shine a spotlight on its members in the gift industry encouraging consumers to #BuyGI.


text:
Pirelli has chosen Marco Crola as its new CEO for the NAFTA region, effective immediately.
Crola joins Pirelli’s North American team from the company’s Milan headquarters, where he most recently served as senior vice president of global original equipment and prestige business. As CEO of NAFTA, Crola will be responsible for the car and motorcycle businesses and manufacturing facilities in Rome, Georgia, the U.S., and Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico. He follows former NAFTA CEO Pierluigi Dinelli, who left the company to pursue personal interests, Pirelli said.
Crola brings experience to his new role, having grown Pirelli’s global original equipment sales and prestige business unit since joining the company in 2006. Crola will focus on strengthening the OE and prestige assets in the NAFTA area to continue company’s growth in the region.
“It’s an honor to join the Pirelli team in North America, which is both one of the most exciting markets globally in the tire industry and for Pirelli as a company, thanks to our technology focus and increasing product offering tailored specifically for this market,” Crola said. “Pirelli has achieved great success in the past few years, and I look forward to working closely with the team and our partners to continue our company’s future growth here.”
Prior to Pirelli, Crola held senior leadership positions at General Electric Group, including CEO of General Electric – Plastics, Italy (1999) and head of operations, Middle East, Oil & Gas Business (2004); and at the Fiat Group as CEO of the service business and European head of sales in the automotive division.


text:
In an all-cash deal valued at $889 million, Nuvei Corp plans to purchase SafeCharge International Group Ltd. The firms noted that shareholders of SafeCharge would receive $5.55 of cash for every share – a premium of 25 percent to the stock’s closing price on Tuesday (May 21), Reuters reported.
SafeCharge shares increased by as high as 24 percent to 435 pence, which was near the 436 pence that Nuvei offered prior to “paring some of the gains,” per the report. SafeCharge noted that shareholders would still get a final dividend of 7.22 pence per share, which was previously announced.
Nuvei, which is based in Plano, Texas, was known at one point as Pivotal Payments prior to becoming renamed. Credit Suisse is serving as a financial adviser for Nuvei, while Shore Capital is reportedly in that capacity for SafeCharge. The deal comes amid the market debut of Finablr in the UAE and Network International in Britain.
In other recent news, digital payment company Nexi notched $2.3 billion in its initial public offering (IPO). The event marked the third IPO for a company related to payments in less than a year, and was reportedly the largest European IPO this year as of April. Shares of the company were given at nine euros each, which provided the firm with a value of 7.3 billion euros with debt.
The firm sold shares to upwards of 340 investors from around the world, and more than 100 from Italy. The offers also encompassed a capital increase of 700 million euros. Bain Capital, Advent International and Clessidra SGR were investors in the company. It was reported that the firm’s debt stood at 1.7 billion euros, and capital increase proceeds are going toward decreasing that. The European IPO market had a slow start to 2019, but the Nexi move and others signal that it is starting to warm up.


text:
Reliance is looking to invest in 20 Indian gaming startups this year
Reliance Games, a part of Reliance Entertainment, has also announced investments worth over $50,000 in marketing and technology
Reliance Games, a part of Reliance Entertainment, has also announced investments worth over $50,000 in marketing and technology to support some Indian startups as part of its 'PG Connects' event.
Reliance Entertainment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.
"The next 18-24 months present a massive opportunity as India is set to become the second-biggest smartphone market in the world. The market is at a inflection point and it is a green-field opportunity for game developers as domestic mobile game market grows significantly," Reliance Entertainment Digital CEO Amit Khanduja told .
A few years ago, there were about 40 gaming startups and now there are more than 250 startups, he added.
"So, although India is still an emerging game development hub the talent and startup ecosystem is growing exponentially and in the next 3-4 years, we are hoping to see the industry grow to accommodate up to 50,000 professionals working in this space," he said.
Khanduja added that while the company has not defined an investment fund, it plans to "publish with 20 Indie startups this year".
"We are more keen on strategic partnerships with startups than a particular quantum of financial investment where we can help the partner take their game to the next level for a launch. These partnerships include significant dollar investments in technology, marketing, analytics and people resources from Reliance Games," he said.
According to a FICCI-KPMG report, Indian gaming industry has grown from Rs 1,000 crore in 2010 to Rs 2,650 crore in 2015. This is projected to grow to Rs 3,080 crore by 2016-end and further to Rs 5,070 crore by the end of December 2020.
The company today announced the partnership with Indian Premier League's cricket team, Gujarat Lions, and has become the official gaming partner of the Rajkot-based team.
The games will allow players to customise their team, engage with their favourite T20 stars - Suresh Raina, Brendon McCullum, Aaron Finch and other cricketers in the Gujarat team by playing with their favorite superstars in the game.
Khanduja said the Indian market is "ripe for investments but it needs more than financial investments".
"Currently, indie-developers need significant hand holding in design, monetization, marketing and technology, we see strategic tie ups as the road to success than pure-play fund investments," he added.
The activity will see a big pick up, once these talented startups grow in terms of player engagement and monetization, he added.


text:
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
- Brent crude over $57 as rally continues
- China car sales up again in December
- ASOS, Lidl and Just Eat post strong Christmas sales
The boss of housebuilder Persimmon, Dean Finch, has warned that the new, more contagious Covid-19 strain is “particularly bad” and that “it could well affect output in the spring of this year”.
“We are clearly seeing customers look at how they want to live, where they want to live and whether they want to live in bigger houses as a result of the pandemic, and Persimmon is a beneficiary of that.”
“While the Group has achieved pre-Covid build rates since the end of June 2020, including during all subsequent lockdowns imposed in England, Scotland and Wales, we recognise the elevated risk to the Group’s planned build programmes presented by the higher transmission rates of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus.”
Morrisons has been applauded for guaranteeing to pay its store workers at least £10 an hour, becoming the first UK supermarket to do so.
“We’d love to see Morrisons accredit with the Living Wage Foundation to ensure that all staff earn a wage that covers the true cost of living, including outsourced cleaners, security guards and trolley collectors.”
“Every worker should be paid a fair wage they can live on. It’s just wrong that so many of our key workers, including in sectors like supermarkets and care, are being asked to survive on low pay.


text:
Brussels, Belgium (McKoy’s News) – EU and Japan Reach Free Trade Deal: The European Union and Japan have formally agreed an outline free-trade deal.
The agreement paves the way for trading in goods without tariff barriers between two of the world’s biggest economic areas.
However, few specific details are known and a full, workable agreement may take some time.
Two of the most important sectors are Japanese cars and, for Europe, EU farming goods into Japan.
The outline plan was signed in Brussels after a meeting between the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, on the eve of a meeting of the G20 group of leading economies in Hamburg.
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said the agreement showed the EU’s commitment to world trade: “We did it. We concluded EU-Japan political and trade talks. EU is more and more engaged globally.”
Mr. Tusk also said the deal countered the argument put forward by some of those in favour of Brexit that the EU was unable to promote free trade.
Contributed by Dr. Colin O Jarrett


text:
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was released last year and helped to restore the company’s reputation after the previous generation’s shortcomings. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, codenamed “Lanai” or “Pineapple,” is expected to perform even better, according to a notable developer and leaker, Kuba Wojciechowski.
Wojciechowski shared the first detailed information about the upcoming chip on Twitter, revealing that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will feature a 2+3+2+1 layout, which differs from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s 1+2+2+3 configuration. The new chip will reportedly use two all-new Arm CPU cores, one big Cortex-X core called Hunter ELP (which Qualcomm refers to as Gold Plus cores), and five medium-sized Cortex-A7xx cores. These five new cores will be divided into two Titanium cores and three Gold cores, with Wojciechowski speculating that the Titanium cores may have higher clock speeds or more cache.
In addition, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will feature two smaller Cortex-A5xx series cores, codenamed Hayes, which will be the successor to the current Cortex-A510 core. This suggests that the chip will see three new Arm CPU cores.
It is worth noting that these new cores from Arm are expected to replace the current lineup. Additionally, the new chip will drop 32-bit support entirely and only support 64-bit. While Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 had some regression in 32-bit support, this move shouldn’t surprise as Android has been heading in that direction for a while.
The leak suggests that there will be fewer little cores in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, although it is unclear what this reduction means for overall efficiency. With more mid-cores, particularly with the potential improvements in speed and cache of the Titanium cores, the chip’s multi-core performance metrics should improve even further. While it remains to be seen if the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will surpass Apple’s chip, many are looking forward to its release.


text:
Yield curve control is the next saga in the global monetary policy experiment. What does it mean for the economy and what are the future consequences?
The Bank of England is the first to pivot back to quantitative easing, claiming to restore market functioning and reduce risks of contagion.
What can we learn from the 18th century in regards to governance and power when designing a future built on Bitcoin?
While as of late American cities have been in decline, their unique dynamics lend themselves to great potential for Bitcoin adoption.
Another OpenSea bug strikes again. It’s a less-than-ideal way to end the week for the once blue chip NFT collection, Azukis. Holders of Azuki NFTs were awakened on Friday to an email from OpenSea that allegedly advised NFT owners that many Azuki NFTs were being delisted. The once blue chip collection has had a substantial […]
Cardano (ADA)‘s Vasil hard fork has had a dramatic impact on the network’s efficiency, according to a decentralized exchange (DEX). MuesliSwap, a DEX built for Cardano, says the upgrade has reduced transaction sizes from 14.73kB to 1.31kB, and gas fees from 1.44 ADA to 0.73 ADA. Cardano creator Charles Hoskinson touts the numbers quoted by […]
As the first drop in a series of NFT launches, the collection will be available on Binance NFT to celebrate the amazing careers and accomplishments of some of the world’s most recognizable athletes Amino, a new platform that is bringing health and fitness into Web3, has announced it is launching a new NFT collection to celebrate the incredible career of Klay Thompson, one of the famous “Splash Brothers” of the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are the reigning champions of the NBA, and this collection features unique artworks from Klay Thompson’s 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022 championship runs with the Warriors. Andrew Shore, the CEO of Amino, said in a statement that the Binance NFT marketplace is the perfect choice for the launch of the GRAILS collection. “Klay Thompson is a globally-recognized and beloved NBA superstar, and we are extremely excited to be kicking off our partnership with Klay’s NFT collection on Binance NFT to allow fans to be part of and experience his most iconic career moments in new and innovative ways,” he said. Amino says it is bringing health and wellness into Web3 and user engagement via NFTs. That is why the recognition of successful superstars is an important part of the company’s vision, Shore explained. To meet consumer demand for exclusive, high-end NFT drops, Binance NFT uses Mystery Boxes as part of its drops. These drops go on sale exclusively on the Binance NFT marketplace. The drop for the Klay Thompson collection is set to go live on October 18, 2022. The drop includes 10,000 Mystery Boxes at $50 each. Depending on rarity and exclusivity, some of these NFTs will include exclusive Klay Thompson memorabilia, from autographed jerseys, basketballs, and photographs, to live experiences and in-person and online access to events and other in-demand offerings. Every one of the 30 NFT collections set to be launched by Amino as part of the GRAILS project will celebrate iconic athletes across a range of sports. All of the drops will include rare NFTs that unlock special experiences and memorabilia, thereby helping to connect users not just to online, Web3 experiences but to real-world, in-person, and physical items and assets. Users can follow news about the Klay Thompson GRAILS drop on Twitter at @aminorewards and @thebinanceNFT. Amino says that future drops and athletes will be announced as part of this exciting new collection. Amino positions itself as a health and fitness ecosystem that brings personal wellness into Web3. It has a unique suite of personal fitness apps, premier athlete NFTs and Metaverse gaming for users to earn by staying active and “being the best version of themselves”.
It’s been a busy month for Epic Games when it comes to blockchain engagement. The Epic Games Store launched it’s first supported blockchain-based title, Blankos Block Party, earlier this month – and now it’s adding a second title to it’s slate of offerings. Let’s take a look at the title and what we can expect […]
ApeCoin has recently made it to the top 10 in terms of trading volume from over 100 of the largest ETH whales as seen in the past 24 hours. APE made it to the top 10 in terms of trading volume ApeCoin’s MRV has been seeing sustained growth APE price up by 1.46% The Bored Ape Yacht Club isn’t running out of cards to play with the integration of a new staking rewards program that caught the attention of many ETH whales. The developments surrounding the BAYC token could be the main culprit for its recent popularity. The buoyancy experienced with the increase in whale interest is just one of the many impressive developments happening for APE. Related Reading: QUANT Basks In Green As QNT Coin Surges 35% On 7-Day Rally ApeCoin Bullish Technical Indicators For one, ApeCoin’s MRV has been seeing sustained growth and doing tremendously well over the past month. With all of these positive indicators flashing, investors will see this as a bullish streak for APE. Additionally, APE’s market capitalization has also surged from $1.46 billion to as much as $1.65 billion as of this writing. According to CoinMarketCap, the APE price has skyrocketed by 1.46% or trading at $5.40 as of this writing. However, APE’s trading volume has seen a massive reduction from 590.45 million to 141.08 million. ApeCoin also registered a drop in terms of activity which shows the limited wallet transactions. Based on this scenario, the APE price could sink below the $5.135 key support line in the coming days. Moreover, the altcoin’s RSI at 39.64 and CMF at -0.03 also demonstrate a bearish movement. Based on the APE chart, there really isn’t much traction noted since its launch in March. Notably, APE has plunged by as much as 80% from its ATH with NFT demand going down; the demand for APE also dwindled down. There is really so much going on in the NFT market that is causing the sideways motion of ApeCoin. BAYC Innovates With Rewards Staking Program If there’s one thing really impressive about the BAYC, it is the creators who continuously reinvent themselves and innovate their brand to be more relevant to their target market. Its staking rewards program is one of its huge developments so far. With a rewards staking program, the crypto is locked up for a certain period at which you’re not allowed to trade it but it generates passive income for you as the owner. By letting someone gain access to your crypto for a prescribed time, you earn rewards. Staking rewards are extremely popular with investors because you gain more revenue by staking your altcoin especially if it’s relatively going up in value. The sneak peeks of the ApeCoin rewards staking program were rolled out on September 3. Recently, on September 22, Apecoin revealed that the rewards staking program will go live on October 31. Related Reading: Bitcoin Notches Highest Trading Volume In Over 3 Months, Binance Data Shows APE total market cap at $1.65 billion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com Featured image from MakeUseOf, Chart: TradingView.com
For a country in which hyperinflation has become an expectation, bitcoin is a potential for real savings.
The Bitcoin Racing team aims to spread Bitcoin adoption at a historical track in the U.K. this October.
Inery, a decentralized data system, is pleased to announce that $INR is live on Huobi as it moves to revolutionize how data is handled on the decentralized web. $INR began officially trading on the exchange at 13:00 UTC today, September 28, 2022. Investors can trade INR with the trading pair INR/USDT. Following the listing, the token […]
An early blockchain sandbox game project recently received its official launch. Despite being severely damaged, the current crypto market continues to garner a lot of attention. In reality, the so-called blockchain sandbox game is more like Lego Die Lego in that it allows players to create their own world by buying land and basic structures. […]
Tech titan Apple is reportedly allowing purchases of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its App Store marketplace. A report from the tech outlet The Information says Apple is requiring NFT sellers on its mobile marketplace to use the App Store’s in-app payment functionality, which charges a 30% commission. That’s significantly higher than the standard commission on the […]
The post Tech Giant Apple Authorizes NFT Purchases in Apps, Imposing Hefty Fees on Sales: Report appeared first on The Daily Hodl.
Without responsibility, freedom is meaningless. So Bitcoin is not just freedom money, it is responsible money, powered by RGU technology.


text:
Oddworld creator Lorne Lanning has confirmed that Oddworld – New ‘n’ Tasty will be arriving on the Xbox One later this year.
Lorne said the PlayStation versions of Oddworld – ‘New ‘n’ Tasty’ are already complete, Oddworld Inhabitants will focus on Steam versions, then the Xbox One versions at a later date.
“We’ve had some talks and I think we’re past it in a positive way. As soon as we get our obligations on the PS platforms out, our intention is to get rolling on the Xbox platform and really treat it with the same level of care,” he said. “We don’t have a release date as of yet, but we know it’ll be before the end of the year.”
Lorne also stated that it can be difficult to port to Xbox One as it’s on Unity making things a little tricky, but said that console manufacturers were understanding about this and were helping out. So Abe fans can now relax, as we are almost certain to see the return of our green alien friend very soon!
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!


text:
Saputo launches grated variant of Cathedral City Extra Mature cheddar cheese
Cathedral City has continued the extension of its Extra Mature offering through the addition of a new SKU to its grated lineup.
Extra Mature Grated went on sale this week in Asda stores with a further listing in Sainsbury’s earmarked for October (rsp: £1.50/180g)
The Saputo brand’s NPD has been launched in a bid to capitalise on 17% volume growth in the grated cheese market over the past 12 months, within which extra mature variants have over-indexed – growing 26% [IRI & Kantar 52 w/e 12 June 2021].
“We’ve seen huge growth of grated cheese, with consumers increasingly looking for ways to prep their meals more quickly and easily while juggling busy lives,” said marketing controller for Cathedral City Neil Stewart. “As life returns to a more ‘normal’ routine and its pace notches up still further, we expect this demand to accelerate.Source: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/dairy/saputo-launches-grated-variant-of-cathedral-city-extra-mature-cheddar/658494.article


text:
Author: Joe Kizlauskas
Last Updated: 26th July 2021
Rush Street Interactive Inc (RSI), an online casino and sports betting company, has acquired approval from the Michigan Gaming Control Board to operate online live dealer games on its BetRivers.com website in the state.
On RSI’s platform at BetRivers.com, Michigan residents can now play a range of online table games on their mobile devices and PCs.
The live dealer casino, powered by Evolution Gaming, provides BetRivers.com players with a variety of live tables, including high and low stakes Blackjack (with side bets like 21 +3, any pair, hot 3, and bust-o-rama), Roulette, and Baccarat.
RSI’s President, Richard Schwartz, said: “Many online players prefer and trust live dealer options because they can watch the action as it happens.
“A live dealer game is as close as you can get online to playing in a land-based casino and we’re thrilled to be among the first to offer Michigan residents the opportunity to sit and play on Evolution’s world-renowned virtual live dealer casino tables.”
The games are played in real time, and payouts are calculated in real time, so players may have a real casino experience from the comfort of their own home or from anywhere in the state.
Through its June partnership with Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, RSI has already built a strong online presence in Michigan.


text:
“We are the complete marketing suite for visual interest-based social networks,” Piqora CEO Sharad Verma told me yesterday. “We’re the only company that provides a unified dashboard for Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr.”
Editor’s Pick “Sure, you get 70 percent of your clicks in the first two days,” Pinquora CEO Shara Verma told me last week. “But there’s a huge long tail. Clicks kept coming all the way for 30 days, and even beyond.”
This is huge, because brands like Sephora say their Pinterest followers spend 15 times more than their Facebook fans.
According to Pinfluencer, the average campaign on its platform boosts brand website page visits per pin by 400 percent, doubles the pageviews per pin, and boosts revenue per pin by 50 percent, from $0.14 to $0.21.
Calling all Mark Cubans in consumer brands: Pinterest may be a greener pasture for brands to connect with customers than Facebook.


text:
New VR Games To Play On Samsung Gear VR – November 17, 2017 Weekend Edition
Samsung Gear VR is home to many wonderful VR games and experiences. The advantage of this platform is that it is mobile and only requires your Samsung phone and the headset to operate. There were some quality games and experiences that released this week for the Gear VR.
Below is the list of new Gear VR games you should check out this weekend:
The Hive – FREE
In this VR game, users will be getting tested by Queen Beatrix on how to become a productive member of The Hive. You will be hatched as an urban worker bee where you embark on an endless runner commute to collect pollen and nectar through the park streets, rooftops, and subway in a buzzing city.
There is 50 levels within the game that will be testing your bee skills. Players can catch one of four power-ups to speed up your journey. There will also be dangers along the way with urban hazards that will know you out of the game. You will also face a pesky beekeeper who want you back in the hive to have you working on making the honey.
ImmersionVR Reader – $4.99
ImmersionVR Reader provides multiple 360 degree reading environments to enable the reader to immerse themselves in the writing and beauty in the virtual space. The environment is customizable and will allow users to create a comfortable place of their own.
This VR app will also enable hands-free reading with all controls being gaze based. For readers who like to concentrate on the reading, this might be a great solution.
RGB3D The City Quakes: San Francisco 1906 & 1989 – $2.99
This new VR app for Gear VR will allow users to see the devastating earthquake footage from 1906 to the modern 1989 event in stereoscopic format.
Viewers will have a chance to witness the magnitude of the earthquakes that hit the famous city which caused massive destruction over 500 city blocks and leaving nearly a quarter of a million people homeless. Check out how this devastation impacted society.


text:
Tyson Foods recalls chicken nuggets due to presence of ‘hard, white plastic’
You may want to check those chicken nuggets in your freezer before feeding them to your kids. Tyson Foods is voluntarily recalling more than 130,000 pounds of the pre-cooked breaded delights, because they may contain hard plastic.
The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall of five-pound bags of Tyson Fully Cooked Panko Chicken Nuggets that were sold at Costco stores nationwide and 20 pound cases of bulk Spare Time brand cooked nuggets sold to a single wholesaler in Pennsylvania.
The Arkansas-based Tyson issued the recall after “a small number of consumers” told the company they had “found small pieces of hard, white plastic in the nuggets.” The plastic ranged in size from 21mm in length and 6.5mm in diameter.
The plastic material “may have come from a round, hard plastic rod used to connect a plastic transfer belt,” Tyson told the FSIS. Although the nuggets passed through a metal detector, it would not have picked up the plastic.
The five-pound bags sold at Costco feature “best if used by” dates of July 18, 2017 with case codes 2006SDL03 or 2006SDL33, Tyson said in a statement.
Customers who have bought the affected products should either throw them away or return them to the store where they purchased them. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions, FSIS said.
The nuggets aren’t the only meat products to be recalled in the last week. On Saturday, Adams Farm Slaughterhouse recalled beef, veal and bison products that might have been contaminated with E. coli bacteria, FSIS said.
On Wednesday, 502 Boundary Blvd recalled nearly 8,700 pounds of ham products that may have been contaminated with rubber. The boneless, ready-to-eat ham items were produced on July 18, the company told FSIS.


text:
Verizon and Samsung will unveil a prototype this week of a 5G phone they intend to commercially launch in first half of 2019.
Qualcomm is having yet another 5G fest this week, moving the road-show from Hong Kong to Hawaii. It will take this opportunity to once more labour the point about its 5G modem leadership and this time has recruited Verizon and Samsung for further emphasis. The three of them are conspiring to bring a 5G phone to market in the US next year but the only date commitment they will make is the first half of the year.
“5G will usher in a new era of mobile connectivity, allowing people to connect to data, experiences and other people in ways never thought possible,” said Brian Higgins, VP of Wireless Device and Product Marketing at Verizon. “Together, Samsung and Verizon have made huge gains in bringing 5G commercial services to consumers in several cities. Now, we’re partnering to create a smartphone to put the power of 5G in the palm of your hand.”
“Samsung offers end-to-end solutions that are accelerating the wide scale adoption of 5G and help us realize our vision of truly connected living,” said Justin Denison, SVP of Mobile Product Strategy and Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “We’re proud to work alongside innovative partners like Verizon and Qualcomm Technologies to deliver a smartphone that will fundamentally transform how people work and play.”
Meanwhile Qualcomm and Nokia have been doing some 5G testing in Finland, once more with this 1H 2019 5G switch on deadline in mind. This was all about demonstrating interoperability, something that has been called into question by a recent investigation into that sort of thing.
“These successful data calls are a significant step in making 5G a commercial reality in early 2019, and this milestone with Nokia will help enable 5G network deployments across various operators and regions around the world,” said Durga Malladi, GM of 4G/5G at Qualcomm. “We will continue to work together to ensure end users have access to the technologies needed to experience transformative 5G experiences.”
“These key milestone tests with Qualcomm Technologies show the flexibility and capabilities of our AirScale radio access technology to deliver on the promise of commercial 5G,” said Tommi Uitto, new President of Mobile Networks at Nokia. “We continue to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to ensure our customers can unleash the power of their commercial 5G networks, to support the many new and diverse applications that will meet the demands of people and connected things, as they begin to launch commercial services in early 2019.”
Lastly it should be noted that Apple is likely to be at least a year or so behind Samsung when it comes to 5G phones. A recent Bloomberg report alleges Apple will wait until at least 2020 before launching a 5G iPhone, which should mean September. The piece speculates that one reason for this could be Apple’s decision to go all in with Intel on 5G thanks to its legal war with Qualcomm, which will have a significant head start in this race.


text:
The WFA estimated advertisers lost about $45bn (£31bn) to fraud in the online advertising marketplace last year – a sum that could grow to $140bn by 2025 if left unchecked.
In a report encouraging members to take action to reduce their vulnerability to ad fraud, which it believes accounts for at least 30% of the market, the WFA suggested a number of measures advertisers should take.
It divided the recommendations into four categories: people and technology; education and communication; standards; and governance.
The first involved developing in-house expertise, while the second called for clear expectations and metrics. For standards, the WFA suggested avoiding run-of-exchange buys.
For governance, the organisation said brands should share information with law-enforcement authorities, as ISBA has done with London’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, and push for tougher legal consequences for ad-fraud perpetrators.
Speaking to Campaign about which measure would be the easiest first step, WFA head of marketing capabilities Robert Dreblow advised marketers to talk to their company’s cybersecurity consultants about third-party verification services.
He added: "Most companies are only in the early stages of dealing with ad fraud. In a survey at the end of last year, we found that only 7% said their ad-fraud process was highly advanced. Probably the priority for the majority is internal education and establishing in-house expertise."
Debbie Morrison, ISBA’s director of consultancy and best practice, said the need for brands to set clear expectations was one reason why ISBA created a new set of terms for advertisers to use when working with media agencies.
On governance, Morrison said: "It is up to the individual advertiser to decide what they should put in place to incentivise responsibility for mitigating ad fraud. Greater clarity of contracts is key. Advertisers could, for instance, build some KPIs around this subject into a payment-by-results scheme to incentivise their agencies."
Recommendations from the WFA
1. People and technology
Advertisers need to develop in-house expertise to support vendor selection, work with cybersecurity partners to help understand common threats and demand transparency of investment, including full disclosure of the websites being used to promote their products or services.
2. Education and communication
Brands need to set clear expectations of what they demand from their partners. They should set appropriate metrics that, where possible, relate back to business outcomes. They should also encourage open information-sharing related to preventing ad fraud.
Advertisers should avoid run-of-exchange buys in favour of databases of safe sites. Brands that need to hit digital investment targets may have to accept that these will not be achievable without exposing themselves to high levels of fraud.
Contracts with agencies and vendors need to ensure clear penalties for misallocating spend to ad fraud-related inventory, where preventing it could be reasonably achieved. Elements of the chain that have benefited from fraudulent activity should return fees and commissions to the advertiser.


text:
The latest disappointing import-export figures and weakness in yuan trading has renewed negative sentiments surrounding the Chinese economy, but neither signal a significant downturn.
Although, of course, it doesn’t help if exports contribute less to growth, but at the same time the State Council needs to put in restrictive measures to tame the runaway property sector.
The pressure is rising for a lower yuan against its trading partners to restore Chinese export competitiveness.
China’s exports are down 10%, with imports 1.9% lower compared to September last year in US dollar terms. Both figures were worse than expected, with exports expected to fall 3.3% and imports predicted to rise 0.6%, in US dollar terms.
In Renminbi terms, exports are down 5.6% and imports up 2.2% from September last year and again, both figures are off the estimates which had exports increasing 2.5% and imports up 5.5%.
The disappointing figures have been attributed to lower demand both domestically and overseas, according to reports in the English media such as Reuters and CNBC which cited economists.
The trade report dealt a further blow to the Chinese yuan. The official onshore exchange rate against the US dollar closed on Thursday just a tad stronger than 6.73 at 6.7299, compared to the previous close of 6.7180.
There are increasing number of analysts calling for further weakness in the currency to substantiate the flagging export outlook.
However, in a press briefing, Huang Songping, China’s customs spokesperson, argued that Renminbi depreciation has a limited impact on exports, according to a report in Caixin.
Although the weakened Renminbi might be helpful for export-oriented enterprises, the cost of importing raw materials will rise accordingly, he said.
Considering that the processing trade still accounts for a large proportion of imports and exports, this will further ease the impact of currency fluctuation.
Nevertheless, it can be argued that even with the a lower Renminbi, the currency is still much too strong for the Chinese economy.
In real exchange effective rate (REER) terms, the CNY is still approximately 14% above what it was in the middle of 2014, even though it has dropped roughly 3% year to date, according to calculations by Barclays. In comparison to the Japanese Yen (JPY), which in REER terms is 21% below the level at the end of 2012, the CNY REER is 27% above the value from the same period.
Huang remains hopeful that export pressure will ease in the fourth quarter this year, according to a report in Sina Finance.
Huang said in the report that the China Export Managerial Confidence Index for the last three quarters showed a rise from 36.9 in July to 38.7 in August and then 39.9 in September this year.
China’s exports to countries involved in the One Belt One Road initiative also saw moderate growth. Exports to Pakistan and Russia increased 14.9% and 14% respectively for the first three quarters this year, while exports to Poland and Bangladesh, increased 11.7% and 9.6% respectively.
Mechanical and electrical products and conventional labor-intensive products remain to be the driving force behind exports. Medical equipment and instruments lead the growth with 6.3%, while textiles, toys and plastic products had comparable increases.
Domestic demand for commodities also remains strong, he added, with demand for steel, crude oil, copper and other commodities still growing.
China has stated that there is no long term basis for a depreciation in the yuan and indeed that is what most investors see as it still maintains healthy current account surpluses every year.
Comments are closed.


text:
A Look At Ways Men And Women Spend Money Differently
According to a recent survey by the investment website SaveUp.com, men might be better at saving up for retirement than women.
The survey of over 20,000 SaveUp.com members found that the average man had $50,632 in his 401k, compared to $39,320 for women. Men also had 72% more in their IRAs. But that doesn't NECESSARILY mean men are better at saving than women are. It might just have to do with the fact that men still MAKE more than women. (According to the latest date, women make 77 cents to the dollar.) Regardless, there are definitely a lot of things that men spend more on than women do.
Check out four more ways men and women spend their money differently.
- Women give more to charity, and they're also more LIKELY to give. That's according to the 2010 report from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. In every single income group, households that were headed by women were more likely to give to charity. And even in the group with the lowest income, women gave almost twice as much.
- Women are more likely to search for a deal. According to data compiled by the website 8coupons.com, women take about 40% longer to make a purchase. And they're also more likely to compare prices at different stores.
- Men and women both like to shop when they're feeling depressed, but they buy different things. In one survey, women ranked clothing as the number one item they spend money on when they need some retail therapy, followed by food and shoes. Men chose food as number one, then electronics, then music or movies.
- Guys spend more on booze. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, single men spend around $500 annually, compared to $216 for women. With that said, women tend to drink less, simply because they're smaller. Plus, a guy is more likely to buy a woman a drink than the other way around.


text:
Microsoft’s Scarlet project, the 9th-generation Xbox consoles, will be showcased at the E3 2019.
The video game industry’s biggest annual expo, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2019), may not witness Sony’s participation, but if the latest reports are anything to go by, Microsoft may steal the show by announcing its next-in-line Xbox consoles at the show.
French outlet Jeux Video claims to confirm that Microsoft’s Scarlet project, the 9th-generation Xbox consoles, will be showcased at the E3 2019.
Microsoft will be announcing its partnership with Nintendo and present two new consoles at the annual expo. The first console will be an entry-level model from the Scarlet project, dubbed Xbox Lockheart, with low specs. The second model, dubbed Xbox Anaconda will be high-end, placed alongside the Xbox One X.
The new consoles are said to be backwards compatible with the current hardware and will include SSDs.
Though Microsoft may announce these purported consoles at the E3 2019, it is likely to commercially release them by 2020, around the same time as the release of its Halo Infinite.


text:
Ray Poynter, director of Vision Critical University, is no stranger to the Customer Intelligence Summit. One of the top influencers in market research, Poynter has delivered some of the most popular and most provocative presentations at the past Summits.
We’re delighted to announce that Poynter will once again join our star-studded lineup of keynote speakers this year. He’ll be appearing in Sydney on July 21, in London on September 15 and Chicago on September 22.
To give you a taste of what Poynter has in store for this year’s Summits, we’ve collected some of his most recent predictions. Here are three research practices that Poynter says will soon disappear and change the customer intelligence landscape.
According to Poynter, long surveys—those that take more than 20 minutes to complete—are on their way out.
“If you are still using long market research surveys, you are wasting money, collecting inaccurate information, annoying customers and missing out on the opportunity to gather impactful business insight,” he writes in a blog post.
Survey fatigue and the increasing complexity of the business landscape are resulting in a decline in survey response rates. Using ongoing discussions, insight communities and in-the-moment research methods are better ways of gathering customer intelligence, according to Poynter.
"If you are still using long market research surveys, you are wasting money, collecting inaccurate information, annoying customers and missing out on the opportunity to gather impactful business insight."
Siloed market research departments
Insight departments will become smaller in the enterprise, but it’s not because companies don’t have a need for researchers. Poynter expects the overall research pie to grow, but he also sees a trend towards democratization of insight in the company.
“More parts of the organization will integrate insight gathering into day-to-day operations,” predicts Poynter in Winning the Research Revolution, his latest e-book for Vision Critical.
Instead of being stuck in one department, “the work of researchers is being shared and having an impact throughout companies that have embraced customer centricity,” adds Poynter.
Completely manual systems
Automation and AI have been around for a while now, but their impact will soon be felt in research.
In his e-book, Poynter says the new wave of automation will now affect thinking and creative work—putting professions like market research and marketing under threat. In Japan, for example, advertising giant McCann has recently appointed an artificial intelligence program to be its creative director.
Researchers need to be savvy about automation and embrace its opportunities. “Automation and AI will make it easier for research to be involved at every stage of decision-making within a company,” says Poynter. “Researchers will be integral to helping companies validate the data they need to make the kinds of decisions that impact the entire business.”
Catch Ray Poynter at the 2016 Customer Intelligence Summit
This is just a small sample of Poynter’s intriguing thoughts about market research. Catch him at one of our Summits this year to learn more about the rapid technological changes facing research and what it means for insight pros. Save your spot today.


text:
ULTIMA Listed on GATE.IO
One of the most significant updates from the past week is the listing of ULTIMA on the GATE.IO exchange, a leading platform according to CoinMarketCap, with a daily trading volume exceeding $2 billion. GATE.IO holds high positions in the industry.
Trade the ULTIMA/USDT pair using this link: https://www.gate.iotrade/ULTIMA_USDT
ULTIMA Verified on CoinMarketCap
ULTIMA has successfully undergone verification on CoinMarketCap, a well-known platform for monitoring cryptocurrency dynamics, market values, and other key data.
All crucial metrics, including market capitalization and the circulating supply of ULTIMA, are now officially confirmed!
Visit the ULTIMA page and bookmark it for tracking the latest updates: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ultima/
The ULTIMA team sincerely wishes you a Merry Christmas!
We express gratitude to everyone accompanying us on this journey. May you celebrate the holidays in the warm company of loved ones, fulfilling wishes and achieving new joyful milestones!
Wishing you a fruitful new week!


text:
A sharp increase in burglaries across Fingal has seen the demand for safe deposit boxes rise, according to industry experts.
More and more householders in the north county are opting to move their
valuables out of the family home and bank them elsewhere for safe keeping.
The growing trend comes on foot of a spate of burglaries right across Fingal
over the past month –from Malahide and Swords to Blanchardstown and Castleknock.
One fed-up resident posted on Twitter just days ago:
“Multiple break-ins and attempted break-ins again last night in Malahide
with three gangs out at different times from 3am.
Happening every 3/4 days now with cars and possessions robbed.”
Warnings were issued to residents in west Dublin urging vigilance after
reports of thieves following shoppers laden with bags of goods bought in
the sales home.
Merrion Vaults, the first independent safe deposit box vault in Ireland, has
reported a significant increase in new clients from Fingal in the past
number of weeks.
Founder Seamus Fahy said more and more people were opting to store valuables off-site in preference to relying on a home safe for cash or valuables.
He said: “Once the valuables are in the home, the
risk remains. Burglars will get them.
The way to eliminate risk is to keep valuables off site in a safe
“Since Christmas we have seen a steady flow of homeowners from the
north Dublin area putting their valuables in our vaults.
“This provides them with peace of mind and can also contribute to reducing their annual home insurance bill.”
Seamus also advised all homeowners to check the terms of the cover for valuable jewellery items as some polices have strict
conditions linked to the cover.
“If you put your expensive watch or engagement ring on the bedside locker when you go to sleep and it is stolen, you may not be covered, as some policies require that you either wear the item or store in a safe.”
Merrion Vaults provides clients with a secure safe deposit box for as little as €4 a week.


text:
Canadian auto parts maker Martinrea International Inc. faces a possible court challenge from former vice-chairman Natale Rea, whose is alleging that certain directors and senior officers have breached their fiduciary duties.
Martinrea, which disclosed Friday that Mr. Rea’s employment had been terminated in June, 2012, said it hadn’t a received the formal statement of claim.
“While the company has not had a chance to review the claim or allegations, it will review same and respond appropriately in due course,” it said.
“The board will continue to act in the best interests of its shareholders and fulfill its fiduciary obligations.”
Mr. Rea had been a director and executive of the company from 2002, when the predecessor company acquired Rea International for about $200-million.
A news release issued Thursday on behalf of Mr. Rea and his company, Rea Holdings Inc., said he and other shareholders may seek a special meeting to remove the current directors and elect a new board.Report Typo/Error


text:
Phishers are still reeling in suckers using spoofed e-mails and fraudulent Web sites as bait, but they appear to running out of line. The number of phishing attacks on the financial services sector leveled off in May. However, phishers are getting more sophisticated as more than 95% of the attacks rely on the use of forged “from” addresses to hide their identity and to evade spam filters. The company most-targeted by phishing attacks in May was Citibank with 370 unique attacks, down from 475 in April, and compared to 98 in March, 58 in February, and only 34 during January. The number of attacks on the financial services sector increased slightly in May to 848 unique attacks, compared to 832 in April, 256 in March, 131 in February, and only 17 in January. Totally in May, there were 1197 new, unique phishing attacks reported to the Anti-Phishing Working Group. This was a relatively minor 6% increase over the number of attacks reported in April. The research group also noted that attacks against U.S. Bank surged 170%. Phishing attacks use “spoofed” e-mails and fraudulent Web sites to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account user names and passwords, social security numbers, etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers, ISPs and credit card companies phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them.
“To view captured phishing attacks click here.”:http://www.cardweb.com/cardtrak/phishing/main.amp


text:
The tech industry is buzzing about a new iPhone app that may one day be able to function as our virtual wallet. The app is called Passbook, and is currently being used as a central hub for all of consumers’ digital coupons, tickets, and loyalty cards.
Over the past few years, companies like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Google have been working hard for widespread mainstream adoption of mobile payments, but the technology has not yet caught on. Many tech analysts like Shaw Wu, believe that Passbook will be Apple’s vehicle for mobile payment once it catches on and becomes mainstream.
According to Gartner research, the mobile payments industry will grow to over $600 billion by 2016, so it may not be long until the only thing we will need when making a purchase will be the swipe of our phone.
To read the full article, visit http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-09-11/apple-passbook-app/57749550/1.
DSEF and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) foster honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.
About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visit www.bbb.org/us for more information.