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If you’ve seen Vita Coco’s latest ad, you already know that Chrissy Teigen’s “Plant Manager” gig is the ultimate dream job. Luckily for job seekers, Vita Coco is looking for another Plant Manager to join its staff, but it won’t involve your average job application.
Vita Coco is giving college students and graduates a chance to tell Vita Coco why they’d be a perfect fit for the company. The only requirement is that you have to do so while riding down a three-story, 300-foot-long waterslide.
The company will host three different interview sessions — at Georgia State University on April 18, at Virginia Tech on April 24, and at the University of California San Diego on April 29. At the events, you can not only apply for the job, but also participate in giveaways, product samplings, games, and photo booths.
After the events, 12 finalists will be selected and voted on by consumers to become the next Plant Manager. The chosen candidate will win a three day trip to Vita Coco’s headquarters in New York to learn about the company, research and development, social media, and public relations. The new Plant Manager will also win a week-long trip to Sri Lanka to get to live like Teigen did in the ad.


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Google Glass mysteries revealed!
Finally: This week a long list of announcements and revelations about Google's cyborg eyewear were made
Google spilled some beans in an earnings call this week. The company also published facts about the hardware, software and licensing. And finally, users started receiving actual units, and have been blabbing about them on social media.
Here's what we've learned and what it all means.
Who's using Google Glass
First, the lucky winners: Google held a contest calling on people to tell why they wanted Google Glass. Google picked 8,000 people for their Glass Explorer program. The gadgets aren't free: They'll still have to pay $1,500 for the device.
That price is not necessarily the price consumers will pay for the shipping product when it does ship; no retail pricing has been announced.
At Googe's June developer conference last year, called Google I/O, Google offered to sell Glass to any attendee. Approximately 2,000 developers who purchased those units (on Amazon.com) have not received them yet, but are expected to in the coming weeks. Google won't charge those credit cards until the hardware ships.
By the time Google's next I/O conference begins, there should be about 10,000 people outside of Google itself in the possession of Google Glass devices. (Google's next I/O starts May 14. Google is expected to make Glass development a focus of the event.)
Google Glass may cause eyestrain or a headache, according to the Google Glass FAQ. Google says Glass is "not for children," and that "Google's terms of service don't permit those under 13 to register a Google account."
Google Glass is a headset worn like glasses that has a projector for beaming images into the wearer's right eye, creating an illusion equivalent to viewing "a 25-inch high definition screen from eight feet away." That beaming of images happens by way of a prism, which bounces the light from the tiny projector into the prism and from there into the eye. The prism is clear, so looking through it shows both the projected image and also the normal field of vision. Users have to look up and to the right a little to see the Google Glass display.
Glass has 16 GB of RAM, 12 GB of which are usable for apps.
Sound is relayed to the user's eardrum not into the ears but via bone conduction through the skull.
Glass has a built-in microphone, which does a good job of picking up the voice of the wearer, but strains to capture sounds farther away. This is probably by design for both the privacy of non-wearers and also to improve the voice recognition of the user.
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These wine glasses that fold up, fasten together and won't break.
Authorities have not said whether a man shot to death by Vineland police had been armed.
Authorities allege that the founder of the Labrador Hill Equine Sanctuary failed to provide the horses with adequate water and shelter.
The plant-based poke bowls are sold at Snap Kitchens around the city and region.
The canned wine cocktails are available in flavors like blood orange, black cherry, and more.
Many chefs forgo putting salt and pepper shakers on their restaurant tables. But they say you shouldn't be afraid to ask for it.
Kristin Lisi, a waitress at Scarpetta restaurant, was awarded $3 million by a jury after being injured by a man who attempted to forcibly kiss her.
Next week's "Wands & Whiskey" event at Eastern State Penitentiary is hosted by Arts in the Industry, a group that showcases art made by restaurant industry workers.
After the pizza baker broke his hand, Mercer Cafe at the Navy Yard is temporarily halting pizza and dinner service.
Zerbe's potato chips…
Soy candles from a New Jersey company smell like cocktails.
Center City Sips launches for a 15th season next week. Organizers hope to remind bargoers that the program is more than just large outdoor venues that end up mobbed with crowds.
The newest pastry offering from Cake Life Bake Shop is an elevated version of a classic snack.
A new book explores session cocktails, which are lower in alcohol content, but still flavorful and satisfying. A variety of such cocktails can be found throughout Philadelphia's bars and restaurants.
Roberta's pizza pies taste fresher than many other frozen varieties.
Allison Steele writes about food and booze culture in Philadelphia and beyond.


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‘Loki Charms’ Cereal: They’re Mischievously Delicious!
Loki premieres on Disney+ tomorrow, and now there’s the perfect breakfast to go with the show (especially if you are going to wake up early to watch the premiere). That’s right, the mischievous Marvel antihero has unveiled his most recent takeover: Loki Charms.
In a YouTube video released by Lucky Charms, you can see their usual mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun, but after his departure, an eerie sound brews. Tom Hiddleston’s trickster appears, changing the signature catchphrase, “They’re magically delicious” to “They’re mischievously delicious.” The cereal is then transformed into a black and green box of Loki Charms, which will actually be available to purchase in limited supply.
Fans interested in the limited edition cereal will need to visit the mischievouslydelicious.com website on Wednesday to buy a box. The presale opens at 9 a.m. ET “for participants who correctly guess the encryption password.” You’ll have to check the site to try your hand at figuring out the password. The regular sale for password-less people starts at 11 a.m. ET.
According to Comicbook.com, the cereal will cost $8 per box and only 3,500 boxes will be available. While General Mills missed the opportunity to make Marvel-shaped marshmallows, the amusing box design and wordplay is what makes this marketing stunt work. The contents will in fact be the familiar crunchy shapes alongside the usual colorful marshmallows that look like hearts, clovers and unicorns.
GALLERY: Falcon and the Winter Soldier Photos


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- Apr 12, 2001
While Apple often offers a live stream for its special events, the company has confirmed there will be no live stream for the March 27 education-focused event set to take place at Lane Tech High School in Chicago.
Apple today updated the Events app on the Apple TV to add an image of the invitation for the upcoming event and to note that a video will be uploaded later in the day following the conclusion of the event.
Apple has not held an education-focused event since 2012, so we weren't sure what to expect. That event was not streamed either. Given that this is primarily an event for teachers and students rather than regular customers, it isn't a surprise that we'll have no live stream.
MacRumors will offer live coverage of the educational event both here on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, so make sure to visit us on Tuesday if you want to hear about what Apple has in store for schools.
Article Link: PSA: Apple's March 27 Event Won't Be Live Streamed


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Samsung has just launched the final stable update for its Galaxy Note 9 users in select parts of the world. Prior to this, the company had released the stable version of the update to Samsung Galaxy Note 9 users. The roll-out of the update to its latest flagship smartphones in the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S series indicates that the company is likely to focus on older devices including the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8. According to a new report, it looks like the first step towards bringing Android Pie, the Android Pie beta program is likely to start for Galaxy Note 8 in coming days. Also Read - Samsung Galaxy M51 review: Monstrous battery life, great displayAlso Read - Samsung Exynos 1000 may outperform Qualcomm's Snapdragon 875 SoC
This information was spotted by SamMobile and according to the report, this information was initially revealed by a Samsun moderator on the Samsung member forum in South Korea. According to the report, S8 users will be in line to get the update after the Note 8 users. The report also noted that if the beta program starts in the middle of January then users will have to wait for the update until the month of March or April. We think that this could be further delayed because of the launch of the latest Galaxy S10 lineup around the same time. Also Read - Galaxy S21 would use the ISOCELL Vizion sensor, Samsung's own LiDAR
Watch: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Features First Look
As pointed in the report, the company has already revealed a roadmap to roll out Android Pie update to its device lineup including the mid-range and budget devices. There is no information on the markets that will be the first to receive the Android Pie-based beta program but it is likely that the company will follow the same path as it did while working on the update for S9 and Note 9 devices.
According to the report, Galaxy S8 users will get the Android Pie-based beta after it is rolled out for Note 8 devices. This information comes right around the time when leaks regarding the upcoming Galaxy S10 lineup and the Galaxy M series have increased on the internet.
You Might be Interested


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Organa Brand pulls out of Tremont Nail Factory
Organa Brands, the cannabis manufacturing company set to be the flagship tenant of the redeveloped Tremont Nail Factory, has announced that it is pulling out of the deal due to its inability to get a license from the state Cannabis Control Commission.
The company first filed an application with the commission on March 25, 2019, and that application has not yet been processed.
Organa Brands, now a part of international cannabis company Slang Worldwide, first expressed interest in the town-owned property in the summer of 2018.
Since then, they have negotiated a host community agreement and lease and done $300,000 in renovations to the steel building. The agreement negotiated between the town and the company included $184,000 in rent each year and up to $300,000 in income for the town, depending on the profits earned by the company.
Town officials had planned on using the rent money from Organa Brands to fund the rehabilitation of the rest of the Tremont Nail Factory complex. However, the company was set to begin paying rent when it received a license from the state, which hasn’t happened.
Town Planner Ken Buckland said that the company has not yet negotiated the end of its lease with the town.
“It’s disappointing,” said Selectman and Redevelopment Authority member Peter Teitelbaum. “On the positive side, we did get roughly $300,000 in repairs to the building.”
Those renovations, including a completely new skin, roof, windows, doors, and wiring, will make the building much more appealing to prospective tenants. Additionally, because it is still unfinished, that means that the new tenant would be able to customize the interior to suit.
Buckland said that he has heard of interest from some local businesses and businesses outside the town. Once more information has been gathered about the interest in the building, a new request for proposals, or RFP, will be issued.
“We want to make this a productive operation so it can start to support the renovation of the Tremont Nail Factory,” Buckland said.


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The FDA has issued a warning to all consumers about potential accidental THC ingestion among children due to copycat products.
The agency said edible products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be easily mistaken for commonly consumed foods such as breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies, and accidentally ingested, and that it can lead to serious adverse events, especially in children.
"Some edible products are designed to mimic the appearance of well-known branded foods by using similar brand names, logos, or pictures on their packaging. These copycats are easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods that appeal to children," the agency wrote. "The FDA is aware of reports of copycat products packaged to look like Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, and Trix, among others."
The FDA said it's aware of multiple media reports describing children and adults who accidentally consumed copycat edible products containing THC and experienced adverse events. Additionally, from January 2021 through April 24, 2022, the FDA received over 100 adverse event reports related to children and adults who consumed edible products containing THC. Some individuals who ate these edible products reportedly experienced adverse events such as hallucinations, increased heart rate and vomiting, and many required medical intervention or hospital admission. Seven of the reports specifically mention the edible product to be a copycat of popular foods, such as Cocoa Pebbles, Nerds Rope, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and Starburst.
The agency said it is actively working with federal and state partners to further address the concerns related to these products and monitoring the market for adverse events, product complaints, and other emerging cannabis-derived products of potential concern.


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The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has updated its forecast for home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations in 2016 and 2017.
Canadian resale housing market trends that defined 2015 have intensified. National sales activity and average prices reached new heights in the first half of 2016 amid a growing supply shortage of single family homes in British Columbia and Ontario, particularly in B.C.’s Lower Mainland as well as in and around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Price gains in these regions stand in contrast to declines in provinces where economic and housing market prospects are closely tied to the outlook for the oil patch and other natural resource industries. Elsewhere, home prices are growing modestly, such as in Ottawa or Montreal.
Activity should begin to rebalance away from B.C. and Ontario, as supply shortages put upward pressure on home prices and constrain transactions even as housing demand remains strong in these provinces and interest rates remain low. Accordingly, sales activity over the second half of the year is expected to ease in B.C., Ontario and on a national basis.
Sales in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland & Labrador are expected to struggle to regain traction this year, resulting in continuing softness for home prices. In most other provinces, home sales activity and average prices should improve as their economies strengthen and interest rates remain low.
Nationally, sales activity is forecast to rise by 6.1 per cent to 536,400 units in 2016. This would represent a new annual record, but remain below the peak reached in the 2007 after adjusting for population growth.
British Columbia is forecast to post the largest annual increase in activity (+20.0 per cent) this year, while Alberta is expected the record the largest annual decline in activity (-11.5 per cent). Although housing demand remains strong among many housing markets in Ontario, a lack of supply is projected to constrain the increase in sales activity (+5.2 per cent) this year.
Elsewhere, sales are forecast to rise in Manitoba (+7.1 per cent), Quebec (+5.1 per cent) and Nova Scotia (+5.8 per cent), reflecting anticipated economic improvements in these provinces. In New Brunswick, strong home sales toward the end of last year and a weak start to 2016 is projected to result in a small annual decline in activity this year despite an anticipated improvement in its economic prospects.
In Saskatchewan and Newfoundland & Labrador, where housing market prospects are tied to the outlook for natural resource prices, annual sales activity is forecast to ease by four per cent and one per cent respectively this year.
Prices have continued to push higher in British Columbia and Ontario and sales in these expensive real estate markets have recently hit record highs. Accordingly, CREA’s forecast for the national average price has been revised upward to $490,700 in 2016, representing an annual increase of 10.8 per cent.
Highlighting how provincial sales activity affects the national average price, British Columbia is the only province where the average home price is forecast to climb faster (+13.5 per cent) than the national average in 2016. Ontario’s average price is forecast to rise roughly in line with the national increase.
Elsewhere, average prices in 2016 are forecast to rise by 1.4 per cent in Manitoba, 1.1 per cent in Quebec, 1.4 per cent in New Brunswick, and 0.2 per cent in Nova Scotia. Reflecting recent housing market strength in Prince Edward Island, its average price is forecast to advance by 4.5 per cent in 2016.
The forecast for Alberta’s average price has been revised upward and is now projected to eke out a small gain (+0.6 per cent) this year as the province’s supply of listings continues to be drawn down by sales activity. By contrast, average price is expected to ease in Saskatchewan (-1.4 per cent) and record a marked decline in Newfoundland & Labrador (-8.0 per cent).
In 2017, national sales are forecast to number 537,500 units, which is virtually unchanged (+0.2 per cent) from the forecast for sales this year. Activity in B.C. and Ontario is anticipated to remain strong but unable to match records set this year due to a combination of deteriorating affordability and a lack of supply.
Meanwhile, consumer confidence should begin to strengthen and begin drawing homebuyers off the sidelines in Alberta and Saskatchewan as oil prices improve and their economic prospects strengthen. This should contribute to a modest rebound in sales activity for these provinces in 2017.
British Columbia is projected to post an annual decline of 2.3 per cent in home sales in 2017, while annual sales in Ontario are forecast to edge back by 0.6 per cent in 2017.
By contrast, sales activity is forecast to continue rising in Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia next year, reflecting further anticipated economic improvement in these provinces. Meanwhile, sales in Prince Edward Island are expected to remain near on par with record levels forecast for 2016, as the province’s economy continues to benefit from a lower Canadian dollar.
The national average price is forecast to remain stable (+0.1 per cent or +$400) to $491,100 next year, with modest price gains near or below inflation in most provinces.
Slower national average price growth in 2017 primarily reflects the effect of a projected slowdown in sales activity in British Columbia and Ontario. In these two provinces, luxury sales activity is anticipated to recede from current record levels, resulting in a decline in their share of total sales activity. An ample supply of listings relative to demand will continue to keep price gains in check in other provinces, although inventories have begun to shrink in provinces where supply had been elevated in recent years.


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227 new charging spots for electric vehicles
Okinawa Prefecture announced plans to install new charging stations for electric vehicles throughout Okinawa in the near future. The project calls for installing a total of 227 EV chargers in all areas of the island to allow driving electric cars smoother and more comfortable. Prefecture officials add that they plan to use a subsidy from the central government for the project, and expect the number of electric vehicles to increase. They add that the project will also support the next stage vehicles of the future.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, EV quick chargers cost more than ¥1,000,000 each, and even a regular charger costs several hundred thousand yen. There is now in place a supporting subsidy system from the government, where the government subsidy will pay 2/3 of the cost of installing the system and equipment, if the charger set up on the road side for all public to use and not limited to a certain group of people. For all other installations, like if the charger is meant for use for a company fleet of vehicles, taxis, or rental cars only, the government subsidy covers half.
According to Okinawa Prefecture, there are currently quick chargers installed at 28 places and regular chargers at 34 locations in Okinawa, including major sightseeing places and hotels. But according to a survey, 60% of tourists who drive electric vehicles in Okinawa say the number is not nearly enough yet. They worry about driving electric cars because of the few charging spots here.
Okinawa Prefecture advocates installation of the new EV chargers quickly in 64 locations at gas stations and convenience stores along national roads and major local roads. They envision that the chargers would be located at the intervals of 10-30 km each. For the remaining 163 spots they are requesting suggestions from each municipality, but think they should go to public facilities, hospitals and other high-traffic locations..


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Apple now offers a variety of refurbished Apple Watch models at the Apple Store online. These special deals include discounts of 14 to 15 percent, with Series 1 prices starting at $229. Those looking for an Apple Watch Series 2 can get the stainless steel 42mm model for $509, for a savings of $90. As with some other Apple refurbished products, the inventory is limited when it comes to available colors, cases and band selection.
Now that the Apple Watch has been around for a while, damaged or obsolete Apple Watch units will make their way into the waste stream. The Apple Renew program offers a convenient way to properly dispose of discarded electronics, including the Apple Watch. Apple uses several different third-party e-waste recyclers to handle different products they have manufactured. While some Apple products can be recycled for a gift card, the Apple Watch does not qualify for any payment beyond free shipping.
Despite rumors to the contrary, Apple has yet to add a camera to Apple Watch. While some watch owners might see this possibility as a distraction, others are chomping at the bit to FaceTime and snap photos directly from their wrists. CMRA makes this possible in a stylish, self-contained rechargeable band. In fact, CMRA adds two cameras to Apple Watch, a forward-facing camera to snap photos AND a FaceTime camera for live video calling.
As expected, Apple launched a new version of the Apple Watch last week. While many rumors pointed to an Apple Watch 2, Apple made incremental improvements and dubbed the latest product Apple Watch Series 2. The company also surprised many fans by upgrading the processor in the original Apple Watch and continuing to sell this model at a $100 discount. While the two models are ever so slightly different on the outside, when it comes to size and weight they are virtually the same. So what are the key differences between the Apple Watch Series 1 and the Apple Watch Series 2?
The Apple Watch Series 2 pre-order opens on Friday, September 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM Pacific time (3:01 AM Eastern time).
Shipping starts on Friday, September 16, 2016. The new Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 are also available online and in stores starting on September 16.


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Organized by the team of the 100% Hotel Show, the 100% Hotel Workshops Tour 2019 provides enlightening and advanced workshops for owners of boutique hotels in Greece and is currently “on tour” in various destinations.
AboutHotelier participated in the 100% Hotel Workshops Tour opening event which took place recently in Athens and will continue to the events’ next stops in destinations including Thessaloniki, Kalamata and Crete (Heraklion and Chania).
During the Athens event, AboutHotelier’s owner, Giannis Koutsopoulos, presented the company’s innovative tools and solutions, including its popular ‘Ratestrip’ price comparison tool, which allows customers to compare a hotel’s online prices with other booking websites. The ‘Ratestrip’ product secures direct bookings for hoteliers.
“AboutHotelier is aiming to expand its reach by offering the best products and new services, achieving or increasing measureable ROI for partners,” Koutsopoulos told GTP Headlines.
Located in Argos, the Peloponnese, Abouthotelier develops and promotes its own software for the creation of direct booking methods.
For further information on the 100% Hotel Workshops Tour press here.


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Processor Mimics Memory for Photo and Video Management
Intel’s new processor, codenamed Sandy Bridge, could change the way people edit, store and share their digital images.
“People used to communicate with text. Today people communicate with pictures and video,” Mooley Eden, Intel’s vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group, said. For instance, people upload two million minutes of video each day and Facebook users upload 2.5 billion photos every month.
The aim of Intel’s new processor is to enable people to use technology to share their lives by creating photo and video content, and making it a process that everyone can use without being a geek, he said.
The way our minds work
In a dramatic demonstration of Sandy Bridge capabilities at Intel’s press event at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company unveiled an entirely new way to store a lifetime worth of photos and videos on a computer that makes accessing them as natural as remembering.
With its 1.6 billion transistors on each tiny chip, a Sandy Bridge processor has 16 times as many transistors as there are neurons in the brain.
“We remember faces, places and dates,” he said. “We collect photos and video, but how can we find them?”
He suggested we repeat the way our minds work. Using a computer with its images projected across the width of the stage, Eden demoed Intel’s software designed to showcase an intuitive way manage image files.
The computer display is touch enabled. It starts with a map of the world. Red dots indicate the places where photos were taken and videos filmed. Touch a place and the display switches to a calendar. Choose a day. From there, the program zooms in to the groups of images taken on that day and the screen is filled with photos and as many as 60 videos running simultaneously, a feat made possible with Intel’s second generation processor. Relying on visual cues rather than text, the process is speedy and natural.
Next generation processing powers more efficient accessing of what could be an enormous personal database, and it means faster editing. In the time it takes to eliminate red-eye today, you can “beautify” an entire photo.
Different file formats are required to view the same piece of video on different devices. The process of converting one file format to another is called transcoding. Computer to iPod, camcorder to computer, computer to TV, all require transcoding, a process that has caused hours of frustration for users who simply don’t want to wait, Sandy Bridge offers transcoding times up to 10 times faster than Intel’s previous processors.
For instance, four minutes of HD video can be processed to run on another device such as an HDTV in 16 seconds, a process that previously took around four minutes. Overall, content creation is 42 percent faster with Sandy Bridge processors, according to Intel.
“The way we communicate in three or four years will make today look like the Middle Ages,” Eden said. “It’s going to be gesture recognition, it’s going to be avatars, it’s going to be real-time. We’ll make movies. We’ll be the hero in the video game.”
- Touch Screens That Touch Back: Feeling in the Future
- CES 2011: New Camera Goggles Can Capture Your Sports Exploits
- CES Preview 2011: Samsung Wi-Fi Android Compatible Camera


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Casino supplier Konami Gaming Inc has announced that its Synkros casino management system has been selected by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd to equip the firm’s fleet.
“Through the upcoming year, Konami will launch its latest Synkros systems technology on a total of 18 ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings under its three brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,” Konami stated in a release issued on Tuesday.
The gaming operations of the global cruise firm include a total of 3,666 slot machines and 289 table games, stated the release.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings first selected Synkros in 2012 for two of its casino cruise ships.
“Through our systems partnership with Konami, we’re bringing our customers the newest tools and features that exemplify the highly personalised experience they enjoy throughout their journey with us,” Jim Abbas, senior vice president of casino operations at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, said in a prepared statement.
“Konami is very pleased to continue supporting the diverse business needs of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings,” said Scott Richards, director of systems sales for Konami.
He added: “Our team has dedicated itself to preparation and efficiency as multisite conversions and new installations progress. We’ve seen strong momentum to date and look ahead to additional successes.”
One of the shareholders in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is Genting Hong Kong Ltd. The firm has been reducing its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings since 2013; it currently has a stake of around 11.2 percent, according to a June filing.
Genting Hong Kong – part of Malaysia-based Genting Group – is an operator of casino cruise ships and a joint venture casino operator in the Philippines.
Norwegian Cruise Line has operations around the globe, including Asia.
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Sep 21, 2018
Sep 21, 2018
”Assuming that our [Tigre de Cristal] phase two project and the other future operators’ development plans remain on track, we may see the benefits of a ‘cluster’ effect [in the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone] as early as 2021”
Summit Ascent, lead developer of Tigre de Cristal


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Data Snack: On messaging and personalization in the financial industry
- Times have changed and consumers expect more from their FIs. That includes messaging.
- But when it comes to what messages to send, there’s no one-size-fits-all. That’s where personalization comes in.
As consumers continue to demand a better experience from their financial service providers, companies in the space may need to look at communication as a gateway to customer satisfaction.
A global report by Braze, a customer engagement platform, surveyed 1,500 marketing execs in financial services as well as over 5,000 consumers to get a better understanding of the role messaging plays in customers’ satisfaction with their financial service providers.
From the get-go, there seems to be a gap in how well financial institutions think they’re doing on this front and how well they’re actually doing. According to the findings, 82% of brands say they feel confident that their customers are satisfied with the messaging they’re getting. Meanwhile, only 39% of customers actually feel this way.
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News - General News - Fuels
LPG supplier AFI fails
Holden and Ford brace as AFI goes into receivership and is put up for sale
11 Apr 2011
A LEADING supplier of LPG equipment to both Ford and Holden in Australia has been placed in the hands of receivers.
The shock news comes just three months after the company – Alternative Fuel Innovations Pty Ltd – was awarded a $3.54 million grant under the government’s Green Car Innovation Fund to develop an innovative LPG liquid injection system that works with both petrol and diesel engines.
It is not known how much the federal government has already paid AFI, but industry minister Kim Carr’s office is understood to be working closely with the receivers and remains committed to paying future installments provided performance milestones are met.
Despite AFI’s financial woes and uncertain future, both Holden and Ford say that for the moment at least it is business as usual in terms of LPG fuel tank supplies from the Victorian company.
AFI is contracted to supply LPG cylinders for Ford’s forthcoming EcoLPi Falcon due for release mid-year. The Falcon will use a liquid injection system developed by rival company Orbital rather than AFI, but with tanks from AFI subsidiary APA Manufacturing Pty Ltd.
Left: AFI's workshop. Below: Ford Falcon EcoLPI.
The same company also supplies tanks to Holden for its dual-fuel LPG Commodores.
GM Holden director of external communications Emily Perry said Holden was continuing to work with AFI on an unspecified future product program, presumably involving its locally manufactured Commodore or Cruze.
GoAuto understands Holden is set to introduce a new dedicated LPG Commodore using APA tanks this year, but was also working with AFI on a longer term project, possibly involving the liquid direct-injection technology supported by the government green car grant.
Holden’s current dual-fuel Commodore liquid-to-gas delivery system is provided by IMPCO-BRC but with an AFI storage tank, while Holden Special Vehicles employs an all-Orbital liquid injection system on its vehicles.
The businesses of both AFI and APA – which itself was rescued from voluntary administration by AFI back in 2003 – are now being prepared for sale.
Keith Crawford and Johan Vorster, of McGrathNicol, were appointed as receivers and managers on March 24 and have more recently advertised for expressions of interest for the businesses and assets.
“Our objective is to work constructively with stakeholders to stabilise and prepare the business for sale,” said Mr Crawford.
“In the meantime AFI and APA will continue trading and we look forward to continued support from employees, customers and suppliers.”
McGrathNicol has undertaken a number of Australia’s largest and most complex corporate recovery engagements, notably ABC Learning and HIH Insurance.
AFI, which also bought two other large LPG equipment suppliers in the past three years, has been developing its Liquajet LPG injection technology at its Rowville headquarters in Melbourne’s south-east.
As reported by GoAuto in January, AFI claims its new technology can be applied to the latest lean-burn direct-injection petrol engines now coming onto the market in Europe, with liquid LPG Autogas delivered via the petrol injectors directly into the combustion chambers.
In diesels, the Liquajet system can reportedly substitute up to 50 per cent of the diesel fuel with LPG – which costs half as much as diesel per litre – for reduced exhaust emissions, more torque, less engine wear and large cost savings at both the pump and service garage.
While Orbital’s liquid injection system employs overseas technology and components, AFI claims its system was the first to be developed wholly in Australia.
The company had hoped it would open export markets in Europe and the United States, in many cases with companies that currently manufacture and export traditional gaseous LPG delivery systems to Australia.
The first step towards market for Liquajet was to have been the launch in Australia this year of an aftermarket multi-point port liquid injection system developed for at least 15 Australian cars. Of course, the future of this program is now in the hands of the receiver.
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In its most recent quarterly report, App Annie reported that the average time spent per user on TikTok is higher than on YouTube.
TikTok has gotten everyone talking in the content space for the past two years.
Its formats, memes, challenges and innovative user interface brought the Chinese app to light when younger users started flocking to it.
In a recent App Annie report, it is shown that TikTok is pulling users from Facebook, but also YouTube.
In that same report, it is demonstrated that recently, time spent per user is higher on TikTok than on YouTube, suggesting that engagement on the platform is very high and “sticky.”
This is not a small feat for a platform that was not on anyone’s radar until recently.
What does this mean for content creators of all types?
It means it is time to spend time on the platform, get to know its codes and uses, challenge your own perception of its usefulness for your brand, explore and test.
YouTube is still the platform where there is more time spent as a whole, but this is because it has many more users (2 billion versus 700 million for TikTok).
But that number is also growing steadily, with TikTok being the most downloaded app worldwide since 2020.
Should all brands be on TikTok? No.
Should all brands spend some time reflecting on if it could be relevant? Yes.
Has your brand gone through that process yet? If not, don’t hesitate to give us a call, we can help you navigate the TikTok waters.


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In the summer of 1998, espn did what successful american sports entities and executives scrambling to reconfigure how they do business. Espn has done a good job creating an organized and clean design language that will eventually be mirrored in the launch of the new. But, espn and ibm have teamed up to bring a new level of insight to fantasy football team owners watson has ibm ix your global business design partner. A little friday afternoon trivia for you: which seattle tech mogul's company helped design the original homepage for espncom that would be.
Espncom is set to launch its major sign redesign in more than five years, updating one of the most popular online sports destinations business the design is part of a broader effort to unite the aesthetics of espn's digital. Altice usa is refusing to meet disney's demands to carry espn and los angeles times, covering the business of television and advertising. Espn is facing high costs and shedding subscribers, but it remains a pretty good business.
Sportscenter is one of the most successful programs in television history, but, on espn's bristol, ct, campus, it's no longer a show it's a. Sports illustration is a unique field—one which designer oliver barrett business illustration of reggie miller for espn by oliver barrett. July rapid is an innovation and design-focused mobile app development services team of july systems that works with small businesses, funded startups and. Aerial filmmaker - espn, huffpost, cbc (credited footage) few years outside of flying drones, i love product development with a passion in design and user. Espn took a different approach to promoting its coverage of the 2010 fifa world cup to be played in south africa from june 11 to july 11.
Espn interview details: 241 interview questions and 213 interview reviews overall they go back and forth between friendly and down to business which i liked. Learn more about applying for art director, concept design at espn and media enterprise with the following business segments: media networks, parks and. I really am enjoying the new design of espn their consistent blatant errors in news, so if espn can take some of their business, all the better.
With enhanced design and mobility in mind, the new espn app and espn+ are available across mobile and connected living room devices. Espn, which is owned by walt disney co (nyse: dis), originally hired spoon to head up the company's digital product and design teams and. Espn's acquisition of fox's regional sports network would be a game-changer that fox is willing to part with its lucrative rsn business.
Visit espn to get up-to-the-minute sports news coverage, scores, highlights and commentary for nfl, mlb, nba, college football, ncaa basketball and more. Espn's award-winning series, “outside the lines” (otl) reports on controversial news surrounding professional and recreational sports for the brand refresh,. Mobile espn may be the biggest failure in the company's history, but it also set from sprint—espn built an entire business on creating a wireless service to a large order that might justify more careful, customized design.


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ASHEBORO, N.C. -- Discount-clothing retailer, Marshalls, is coming to Asheboro.
The store is expected to open October 3. A news release from Marshalls says they are adding about 60 full- and part-time jobs.
Marshalls will occupy 1418 Dixie Dr. in Village Marketplace.
The retailer operates more than 900 stores across 43 states and Puerto Rico.


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Population (2017): 1.4 million
GDP (2017): US$34.9 billion (S$47.1 billion)
World Bank “Ease of Doing Business” Rank (2018): 66
Bilateral Trade with Singapore (2017): S$522.4 million
Bahrain is an attractive foreign investment destination in the Gulf. Economic reform measures by the government to diversify the economy have yielded both a range of investment opportunities and a good business environment for international enterprises interested in the region. According to the Bahrain Economic Quarterly (BEQ), Bahrain’s real GDP grew by 3.9% in 2017, with the non-oil economy expanding by 5%, making it the fastest growing country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)1. According to International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook, this trend is projected to continue
1: Bahrain Economic Development Board, 2018
Oil and aluminium are Bahrain’s two largest exports, and the government continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. At the same time, Bahrain is also actively pursuing the diversification and privatisation of its economy to reduce its dependence on oil. It has nurtured successful hospitality, retail and banking sectors, particularly in the area of Islamic finance.
With readily-available skilled labour and competitive costs, Bahrain serves as an ideal gateway for international companies wishing to access the lucrative Gulf markets. It is also well-connected, ranking 7th worldwide for market connectedness based on international and domestic transport infrastructure links and level of service1. According to Bahrain's Economic Development Board, the Khalifa Bin Salman Port boasts the fastest clearance time in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
1: Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index 2017
The Bahraini government recognises the need to diversify its economy and attract foreign investment to maintain the nation’s continued prosperity. Unlike its Gulf neighbours, Bahrain has limited energy assets remaining for export purposes. As a small non-OPEC oil producer with little ability to expand output, the government is aware of the country's vulnerability to fluctuations in global oil prices. It has therefore put considerable effort into non-oil development in the past decade, and it is currently one of the more diversified economies in the region, providing investors with a wide range of opportunities.


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As we enter 2022, it is worthwhile to look back on the key trends in the U.S. payments space during the past quarter, as many of these trends should continue this year.
Key credit card metrics continued to improve.
According to the FDIC, credit card outstandings rose 1.2% y/y (to $806 billion) in 3Q21, the first y/y growth rate since the first quarter of 2020.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that the credit card application rate rose throughout 2021, reaching 26.5% in October 2021 (a significant change when compared to the series low of 15.7% in October 2020)
Purchase volume rose at a 20%+ rate for most leading issuers in 3Q21
Charge-off rates remained at or near at historic lows.
Leading issuers launched new credit cards to fill gaps in their product portfolios and upgraded existing cards in key categories.
Wells Fargo launched a low-rate card called Reflect, featuring an 18-month 0% introductory rate that will rise to 21 months for cardholders who make payments on time.
U.S. Bank launched secured card versions of two existing unsecured credit cards; Altitude Go and Cash+.
Climate change-focused challenger bank Aspiration introduced the Aspiration Zero Card.
The Buy Now/Pay Later (BNPL) market continued to grow and evolve, with traditional payments players (e.g., Capital One, Mastercard) announcing plans to introduce BNPL options. Existing BNPL players reciprocated by launching card and pay-in-full options (e.g., Klarna announced plans to introduce a debit card and Affirm announced a pay-in-full option).
Gen Z and Millennials have emerged as key targets for both established and emerging payments firms.
American Express reported that spending by Gen Z and Millennials rose 38% between 2Q19 and 2Q21, while Baby Boomer spending declined over the same period. And perhaps more significantly, Gen Z and Millennials accounted for 75% of new Platinum cardmembers.
TransUnion reported Gen Z and Millennials accounted for 47% of total credit card originations in 2Q21, up from 39% in 2Q19.
However, it appears that traditional banks have not yet adapted their underwriting processes to capture this segment. A survey by Alliance Data found that 27% of Gen Zers claim to have been turned down when applying for their first credit card, a rate two times the level of any other generation.
The strong growth in digital payments (which accelerated during the pandemic) continued in 4Q21:
eMarketer predicts that U.S. e-commerce sales will pass $1 trillion in 2022.
Leading person-to-person payments provider Zelle processed $127 billion of payments in 3Q21, up 53% y/y.
We expect that most of these payments trends will continue in 2022 as consumer behaviors and preferences continue to be reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, and established and emerging payments providers adapt their solutions, offers and messaging to these market dynamics.
In a recent blog post, EMI discussed growth trends in credit card outstandings and charge-off rates, and the importance of ensuring that both remain at manageable levels. Now, our analysis of 2Q17 financials for leading issuers, as well as the latest reports from the FDIC and FFIEC, reveal the following trends on these two key credit card metrics:
Issuers continue to report steady y/y growth in credit card outstandings, although the rate of growth has moderated in recent quarters. According to the FDIC’s Quarterly Banking Profile, credit card loans rose 4.5% to $780 billion. The growth rate was unchanged from the previous quarter, but marked a reduction from the 6%+ rates in the first three quarters of 2016.
According to FFIEC call reports, regional bank card issuers like Huntington, SunTrust and City National reported the strongest y/y growth rates in credit card loans in 2Q17. Leading issuers also generated steady credit card loan growth: Citibank (+14% y/y, boosted by the acquisition of the Costco portfolio), Chase (+7%), Capital One (+6%) and Bank of America (+3%).
Leading issuers are growing credit card outstandings across the FICO Score spectrum. Our analysis of selected credit card issuers’ 2Q17 10Q SEC filings found that issuers are reporting loan growth in all of their FICO Score segments, with most experiencing strongest growth in the sub-prime and near-prime categories. However, significant differences remain in the FICO Score composition of different card portfolios. For example, 35% of Capital One’s consumer credit card outstandings are held by people with a FICO Score of 660 or lower, but this segment only accounts for 12% of Chase outstandings and 14% of Citi’s portfolio.
The rise in credit card outstandings is being mirrored by continued growth in net charge-off rates. According to the FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile, the average charge-off rate was 3.66% in 2Q17. This marked a significant y/y rise of 55 basis points. However, the rate was only up 3 bps from the previous quarter, indicating a slowdown in the growth trajectory. Moreover, the current rate remains low by historic standards.
EMI’s review of 3Q 2016 financials for the largest U.S. bank and credit card issuers revealed several trends:
Acceleration in outstandings growth. Average outstandings rose 6% y/y in 3Q16 for the 13 issuers in the study; this growth rate marks an increase from previous quarters (3% in 2Q16 and 2% in 1Q16).
American Express reported a 14% y/y decline, due to the loss of the Costco and JetBlue portfolios; excluding these portfolios, it grew loans by 11%.
Bank of America reported no change in average outstandings, ending a protracted period of loan declines due in large part to divestitures.
Regional bank card issuers continue to focus their attention on cross-selling credit cards to existing clients. Regions grew outstandings by 11% and reported that its credit card penetration rate rose 130 basis points (bps) y/y to 18.2%.
Continued volume growth. EMI analyzed volume data for 8 leading issuers, and found cumulative y/y growth of 9% in 3Q16.
American Express’s sale of the Costco card portfolio to Citi led to a 15% decline in its card volume, while Citi’s volume rose by 57%.
Issuers are launching new rewards cards and enhancing existing rewards programs to drive additional volume. Discover reported that its rewards costs rose 13% y/y to $368 million in 3Q16, and its rewards rate rose by 13 basis points to 1.20%. However, Discover has been struggling to grow volumes in recent quarter, with y/y growth of just 2% in 3Q16, down from 4% in 1Q16 and 3% in 2Q16.
Ramp up of card account production. Related to—and encouraged by—the growth in outstandings, issuers are ramping up new card acquisition.
Bank of America issued 1.32 million new U.S. consumer credit cards in 3Q16, the strongest quarterly performance since 2008.
Chase benefited from the launch new cards (Sapphire Reserve and Freedom Preferred) to grow new card production 35% y/y to 2.7 million. Chase reported at the BancAnalysts Association of Boston Conference this week that it opened more than 1 million new Freedom Unlimited accounts in the five months following its launch.
Issuers are investing more in marketing in order to drive growth. American Express grew its marketing and promotion spend 10% y/y for the first 9 months of the year, to $2.4 billion.
Charge-off rates remain very low. For many issuers, net charge-off rates continue to operate at or near historic lows, with seven issuers reporting rates below 3%.
There is some evidence of upward movement in charge-off rates as issuers chase growth. 8 of the 12 issuers in the chart below reported y/y rises. And most issuers are reporting y/y rises in 30+ day delinquency rate (which have traditionally been an indicator of future charge-offs).
However, issuers expect that rates will not rise significantly in the coming quarters. For example, Chase reported a charge-off rate of 2.51% in 3Q16, and projects that this rate will rise to about 2.75% in 2017.
Capital One did report a 66 bps y/y rise in its charge-off rate; this is related to the fact that it is continuing to target low-FICO segments; the <660 FICO score segment accounted for 36% of Capital One’s outstandings at the end of 3Q16, up from 34% at the end of 3Q15.


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Would you like to download iOS 14 First public beta on your ios devices? Yes, this is the first ios beta update which is recently rolled out with new features, the final version is yet to come.
So finally the ios 14 public beta is available to download now, The iPhone users can download the beta update now. The ios 14 beta update launched with tvOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS 11 Big Sur public betas. Apple launched the ios 14 with lost of new features, the update was formally announced at WWDC 2020.
The members of its developer beta program would be able to try out on their devices. Most of those public betas – iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS 11 Big Sur, and tvOS 14 – are available today, though at the time of writing, the watchOS 7 public beta is ‘coming soon,’ according to Apple’s beta site. It’s unclear when it will be available.
- How to install iOS 14 beta on your iPhone right now
- Fix iOS 14 Beta Problems, issues and Bugs quickly


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In this week’s Week in Review: Tory MPs argue against Channel 4 privatisation, DAZN says its total pandemic losses in 2020 reached $1.3 billion, and the UK government adds new provisions to its Online Safety Bill targeting anonymous trolls on social platforms.
Group of Conservative MPs Ask Government to Stop Channel 4 Privatisation
A group of Conservative MPs have written to the UK government to ask them to drop plans to privatise Channel 4. In a letter to Boris Johnson, MPs including former culture secretary Karen Bradley and ex-cabinet minister Damian Green, argued that Channel 4 was “self-sufficient and successful, making no drain on the public purse”.
The MPs appealed to former Tory PM Margaret Thatcher, whose government oversaw the creation of Channel 4. “Margaret Thatcher created Channel 4 as a publicly owned, non-profit public sector broadcaster that would act as an incubator for independent, risk-taking, innovative private sector companies,” said the letter. “She had a vision to level up the broadcasting landscape and she succeeded spectacularly well. We should maintain her legacy, not put it at risk.”
DAZN Reports $1.3 Billion Losses for 2020
Sports streaming specialist DAZN revealed this week that it recorded $1.3 billion in losses in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, which cancelled the majority of live sports events leaving the streamer with little content to broadcast.
The service has weathered the storm, and managed to continue signing major sports rights deals, thanks to continued backing from businessman Len Blavatnik. Just last week Blavatnik agreed a $4.3 billion recapitalisation of the company via his investment company Access Industries.
Nonetheless the news shows the damage done to DAZN during the pandemic. The company has been working to rebuild momentum since live sport has returned in most markets, but took a blow early this year as a hoped-for acquisition of BT Sport fell through.
UK Government Targets Social Platforms with New Laws Targeting “Anonymous Trolls”
The UK government’s Online Safety Bill has been updated to include measures that would legally require social media companies to give users the ability to block anonymous users. The government said it would introduce the measures to protect internet users against “anonymous trolls”.
The updated law, if passed, would also see social media companies obligated to give users more controls over what they see. This is particularly related to content that is not illegal, but that still causes harm, such as the promotion of self-harm and eating disorders.
The bill would require social media companies to provide users with ways to verify their own identity, and then give them the power to block users who have not done the same.
The Week in Tech
Singtel Appoints Moelis to Explore Amobee Sale
Singtel has appointed investment bank Moelis to explore a potential sale of Amobee. The Singaporean telco had discussed the potential divestiture of its ad tech subsidiary publicly last year. It had launched a strategic review of its non-telco assets in September of last year. Singtel acquired Amobee for $321 million in 2012. Amobee has since acquired 12 companies.
Discovery Runs Measurement Trials With Comscore and VideoAmp
Discovery is running a measurement trial in conjunction with Omnicom Media Group using Comscore and VideoAmp data. Discovery has said it wants to test alternative measurement metrics to Nielsen, after the company’s mistakes during the pandemic. The company also expects to run tests with iSpot.tv later this year.
GroupM Announces Unified Programmatic Marketplace in Partnership with Magnite and Pubmatic
GroupM today has announced that it is launching a new unified programmatic marketplace, another initiative from the media buyer to build direct links with supply-side platforms (SSPs). The GroupM Premium Marketplace, which will provide buyers with direct access to inventory from SSPs Pubmatic and Magnite, will support connected TV, video, and display inventory. Read the full story on VideoWeek.
Ten Percent of Gaming User Acquisition Budgets Shifts Away from iOS, Finds AppsFlyer
The share of user acquisition budgets spent by gaming apps on iOS has declined from 38 percent in 2020 to 28 percent in 2021, finds research by AppsFlyer. The shift comes following privacy changes that Apple made to its operating system. The report also finds that there was a 22 percent increase in gaming app installs on Android in 2021.
Irish Watchdog Nears Decision on Facebook EU-US Data Transfers
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) is reportedly nearing a decision on Facebook’s data transfers between the EU and the US. The EU’s highest court ruled in 2020 that a transfer agreement was invalid, citing surveillance concerns. Facebook says a suspension of data transfer would be catastrophic for its business.
Google Introduces Checks To Automatically Look for App Privacy Compliance
Google’s in-house incubator Area 120 has launched a new tool for mobile app developers on Android and iOS called Checks. The tool uses AI to automatically identify possible privacy and compliance issues. The freemium solution will provide developers with a report that has actionable insights about how to address the problems found.
Good-Loop Looks to Expand Into US with $6.1 Million Investment
Advertising-for-good platform Good-Loop has raised $6.1 million in funding. The funding round was led by New York-based investment fund, Quaestus Capital Management. The company intends to expand internationally, with offices in Chicago and New York.
Amplified Intelligence Opens UK Office to Expand Into EMEA
Amplified Intelligence has opened a new regional office in London. The attention measurement platform has appointed Nigel Ashton to lead its commercial strategy in EMEA. Ashton was previously VP, global strategic accounts at Unruly.
Regie Media Belge Selects 1plusX’s Data Management Platform
Regie Media Belge (RMB), the multi-media advertising network of Belgian French-language broadcaster RTBF, has selected 1plusX’s platform for data management. RMB tested the Swiss company’s platform between January and June last year. The test focused on audience qualification and activation, regardless of the environment or context.
The Week in TV
Advertising and Live Sports Lead Strong Results for Discovery
Discovery reported better-than-forecast Q4 financial results this week, led by strong ad revenues and live sports.
Ad revenues were up ten percent year-on-year in Q4, which is particularly positive given that 2020’s Q4 ad revenues were much less hampered by the pandemic than earlier quarters. This helped lead overall revenue growth at the company to 10 percent year-on-year, with Q4 revenues reaching $3.19 billion.
Outside of advertising, Discovery said it’s seeing steady uptake of its Discovery+ streaming service, with paid subscriptions up two million in Q4 to 22 million. The broadcaster also revealed that it expects its acquisition of AT&T’s media unit WarnerMedia to complete before the Upfronts season.
Tegna Acquired By Standard General for $5.4 Billion
US TV station operator Tegna will be acquired by Standard General for $5.4 billion in cash. Tegna operates 64 news brands in 51 U.S. markets, along with networks, including True Crime Network and Quest. The company also has an advertising network, Premion, that places ads beside long-form and live streaming content across networks.
Roku Introduces Watermark to Protect Against Ad Spoofing
Roku has announced the introduction of an Advertising Watermark, designed to ensure the authenticity of videos ads that originate from the Roku platform. The watermark works by integrating with Roku’s operating system to verify publisher ad requests and impressions and let advertisers know they are coming from genuine users.
FuboTV Reports Record Annual Revenue
Sports-first streamer FuboTV has reported record annual revenues It reported.$638 million revenue in 2021, which includes the impact of the $1 million acquisition of Molotov in December 2021. In 2022 the streamer says it expects to generate over $1 billion in revenues. FuboTV finished 2021 with 1.13 million paid subscribers, up 106 percent from the year before.
Government Asks Ofcom to Review RT’s Licence
The UK government has asked media watchdog Ofcom to review the broadcasting licence of Russian-state controlled Russia Today (RT) following the invasion of Ukraine. Culture secretary Nadine Dorries told Ofcom the channel “is demonstrably part of Russia’s global disinformation campaign”. The Russian foreign ministry said it would retaliate if RT was to lose its licence.
Disney+ Will Overtake Netflix in 2028, Says Digital TV Research
Disney+ will overtake Netflix in terms of subscriber numbers in 2028, according to Digital TV Research. It predicts that Disney+ will add 146 million subscribers between 2021 and 2027 to take its total to 276 million, while in the same period Netflix will add 60 million subscribers. It also finds that the total number of SVOD service subscriptions rise by 550 million between 2021 and 2027 to reach 1.75 billion.
AMC, Discovery, TelevisaUnivision, WarnerMedia Select Canoe for Addressable TV Ads
US broadcasters, AMC Networks, Discovery, TelevisaUnivision and WarnerMedia, have announced that they have selected Canoe Ventures to enable them in furthering addressable television advertising. Canoe has signed separate, multi-year agreements with each broadcaster.
Viaplay Becomes Exclusive Home For DreamWorks Animation TV Series
NENT’s Viaplay is to become the exclusive streaming home for new Dreamworks Animation TV series in all five of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland), as well as the Netherlands and Poland. A multi-year content deal between NBCUniversal Global Distribution and Viaplay means the streamer will be able to exclusively broadcast new animation series based on popular DreamWorks franchises, such as Madagascar and The Croods.
The Week For Publishers
Publishers Say They’re Broadly Optimistic About Post-Cookie Plans
Publishers are overall gently optimistic about their post-cookie plans, according to research from the UK’s Association of Online Publishers (AOP). Publisher rated their confidence in their post-cookie plans at an average of 6.5 out of ten.
Facebook Reels Rolls Out Globally
Facebook Reels, Meta’s short-for video format which started on Instagram and was carried across to the Facebook platform last year, has now launched globally. Alongside the expansion Facebook announced it is launching overlay ads for the format, starting with banner and sticker ads. These ads will initially be available for creators in the US, Canada and Mexico who are part of Facebook’s in-stream ads programme, but will later be expanded to all markets.
Vox Completes Acquisition of Group Nine Media
Vox Media this week completed its acquisition of fellow digital native Group Nine Media, adding publications including Thrillist, PopSugar, and NowThis to its stable. “This combination will accelerate our growth and ability to delight and inform people wherever they choose to watch, listen and read,” said Jim Bankoff, Vox’s CEO, chair, and co-founder.
Condé Nast Signs Exclusive Content Deal with TikTok
Condé Nast has signed a deal with TikTok which will see its brands Vogue and GQ create exclusive content for the platform, Digiday reported this week. The sales teams of Condé Nast and TikTok will collaborate to secure brand deals for the exclusive content.
WSJ Says First-Party Data Brings Back Repeat Advertisers
The Wall Street Journal says that advertisers which used the paper’s first-party data to power their campaigns were 37 percent more likely to return, according to Adweek. Campaigns which use first-party data also perform better than average, according to Adweek.
YouTube Details Plans to Tackle Disinformation
YouTube’s chief product officer Neal Mohan detailed the platform’s strategy for tackling misinformation in a blog post this week, saying that YouTube’s current priorities are catching new misinformation before it goes viral, reducing sharing of misinformation videos off-platform, and ramping up efforts in markets where its misinformation tools are weaker.
Trump’s Alternative Social Platform Gets Off to a Rocky Start
Donald Trump’s alternative social media platform Truth Social launched this week, though users reported numerous technical issues as the app experienced significant teething problems.
The Week For Agencies
WPP Posts Strong 12.1 Percent Sales Growth for 2021
WPP saw 12.1 percent growth in like-for-like revenues minus pass through costs, its primary sales growth metric, in 2021. WPP said its 2021 earnings represented 2.1 percent growth compared with 2019, representing a full strong recovery from the pandemic. WPP announced it plans a $1.1 billion share buyback this year, following an improvement of the company’s balance sheet.
Havas Group Buys Inviqa
Havas Group has bought UK digital experience agency Inviqa for an eight figure sum, Campaign reported this week. Inviqa will be integrated into Havas’ customer experience network Havas CX.
Agency New Business Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Agency new business returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 after a dip in 2020, according to agency-client intermediary AAR. AAR’s New Business Pulse reported that overall new appointments rose 46.1 percent in 2021, driven in large part by new entrants, according to Campaign.
ANA Looks for Nielsen Alternatives
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA), a US advertiser trade group, is preparing to issue a request for proposals to explore alternatives to Nielsen for panel-based TV measurement. Kantar is expected to be one of those invited, according to AdAge.
US Broadcast TV Ad Spend Grew 19 Percent YoY in January
US broadcast TV ad revenues were up 19 percent year-on-year according to data from Standard Media Index (SMI), while overall US TV ad revenues were up nine percent year-on-year.
Starcom and Channel 4 Launch New Episodes of Brave Stories Series
Media agency Starcom and Channel 4 have collaborated to produce a six-part short film series titled Brave Stories, and this week released two new episodes of the series. The series encourages people who identify as coming from diverse backgrounds or marginalised communities to open up about their personal experiences of working in media.
Innocent TV Ad Banned for Greenwashing
Drinks brand Innocent has had a TV ad banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for allegedly implying that Innocent smoothies are good for the planet. The ASA asked for evidence from Innocent that buying Innocent drinks constitutes a positive choice for the planet, and says it was not satisfied with the evidence.
TfL Junk Food Ad Ban Results in Drop in Unhealthy Food Purchases
A ban on junk food ads imposed by Transport for London across its public transport network has resulted in a drop in purchases of unhealthy purchases, according to research from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Hires of the Week
Greg James Promoted to Havas Global Chief Transformation Officer
Greg James has received a promotion at Havas, becoming the agency’s global chief transformation officer. James has been at Havas for more than 15 years, and was most recently HMG’s global chief strategy officer.
Nicola Lewis Becomes CEO of Finecast
Nicola Lewis has been promoted by GroupM to become CEO of Finecast. Lewis is promoted for her role as chief growth officer at Finecast.
Chloe Nicholls Joins IAB UK as Head of Ad Tech
Chloe Nicholls has been appointed as the IAB UK’s head of ad tech. She joins from Mediahub where held the role of technology director.
This Week on VideoWeek
Brands are Flying Blind in CTV – Data Clean Rooms Allow Them to See, read on VideoWeek
What Are Marketers Deploying Post-IDFA? read on VideoWeek
Industry Trade Groups Release New Tools to Crack Down on the Unknown Delta, read on VideoWeek
VideoWeek Podcast #32: Lauren Wetzel, Infosum, listen on VideoWeek
GroupM Furthers Supply Path Optimisation Efforts via a New Marketplace with PubMatic and Magnite, read on VideoWeek
How Can Supply Path Optimisation Serve both Buyers and Sellers? read on VideoWeek
Ad of the Week
Archer Roose, Snake Rewards Programme, Colossus


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Banjo has announced it has been appointed to the Ocean Guardian account following a competitive pitch process.
The agency will be charged with creating an awareness and sales demand campaign following the name change from ‘Shark Shield’ to ‘Ocean Guardian, Powered by Shark Shield Technology’.
The Ocean Guardian name paves the way for future new product development from solely personal shark deterrents to providing boat and beach protection.
Banjo’s first creative task will be to promote the Ocean Guardian Freedom+ Surf product – the world’s first surfboard enabled with Shark Shield technology.
Ocean Guardian CEO Lindsay Lyon said: ‘We are delighted to have Banjo as our agency. The depth of thinking and detail during the pitch process, in partnership with Frontier Media, was second to none. We have such a solid proven technology story – we just need it told.”
Kath O’Shea, client services director at Banjo, said: “With shark attacks on the increase, our consumers are finding reasons not to go in the water. What was previously a source of relaxation has turned into a source of anxiety.
“To have a brand that is tried and tested makes our job easy – all we need to do is talk in facts. There are a growing number of competitive products out there, but Ocean Guardian powered by Shark Shield Technology is the world’s only proven shark deterrent.
“We’re going to be taking this message to our passionate ocean lovers, as the brand that lets them to keep doing what they love.”
Banjo will look after the strategy, creative and production for Ocean Guardian, while Frontier Media will be managing the media strategy and buying.
The campaign will launch initially through digital channels on both the east and west coasts of Australia and the US on Sunday.
Clemenger Group communications agency Porter Novelli has started 2022 with a new leadership structure, to reflect its growing consulting team and practice areas for its strong national client base. The structure will strengthen its footprint in Australia’s critical industry sectors while continuing to build deep specialisation in strategic communications, media, content and creative services. The […]
Just in time for his upcoming first title defence, Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, the “Baddest Man on the Planet” becomes the first partner to join Jellysmack’s new Marquee Program. With this deal, brokered by CAA’s Justin Castillo and Marquel Martin with Jellysmack’s VP of Marquee Business, Aaron Godfred, Jellysmack will help the […]


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Yesterday I posted a petition on Change.org urging the Tomb Raider developers to reconsider their exclusive agreement with Microsoft. More than 10,000 fans have signed on so far!
Earlier today at Gamescom Microsoft's Phil Spencer confirmed that the controversial exclusivity deal for Rise of the Tomb Raider "has a duration," though he declined to say how long the timed exclusive will last. Spencer also announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider will be released on Xbox 360, which also bodes well for a possible future PS3 release.
I don't know whether our small effort made a difference in the timing of this announcement, but I'm sure it didn't hurt. Our efforts were mentioned in an article on the PC Gamer website, "Why Rise of the Tomb Raider's exclusivity deal is a prehistoric relic," and the petition gained a lot of traction on social media. Thanks again to everyone who supported us. Please continue to sign and spread the word, and perhaps the developers will think twice before signing future exclusives.


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DHAKA: Bangladesh has reopened hundreds of its garment factories this week after nearly one month of closures to fight the coronavirus pandemic in a move critics say risks igniting a sharp increase in infections among workers.
An industry group said that about 850 factories are operating with fewer workers than usual and following safety guidelines. Labor advocates say not enough is being done to ensure safety for the four million workers in Bangladesh’s roughly 4,000 garment factories.
The number of factories that have reopened is in dispute. Activists and analysts said Friday about 2,000 garment factories have restarted production.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association says only 850 factories had opened by Thursday, using a limited number of workers who live nearby.
“The global brands are happy to see the factories opening up as otherwise a whole season would have been lost,” Mohammad Abdur Razzak, secretary of the industry group, said in an email.


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Department store Debenhams has today announced that it is creating 100 seasonal jobs at the Trafford Centre.
Successful candidates will work with the department store from mid November until the beginning of January, to cover the pre-Christmas period through to the beginning of the January sale.
Debenhams announced earlier this week that it was recruiting 6,500 seasonal temps split across Debenhams’ 163 stores.
They will be based in the menswear, womenswear, accessories, childrenswear, home, gift or cosmetics departments to cope with the retailer's busiest time of year.
Michael Sharp, Debenhams' chief executive, said: “These jobs are sure to be welcomed by local economies during the most financially challenging part of the year.
“Approximately a quarter of staff that work with us over the festive season will stay on in permanent roles, making this a crucial period in our employment calendar.”
To improve efficiency and productivity, Debenhams is also hoping to re-recruit temporary staff who worked for the retailer last year in around 30 per cent of stores.
In addition the fashion store will also be calling on its 2,100 casual employees already on Debenhams’ payroll to step in to deal with the festive season shopping frenzy.
Roles available are varied and include everything from stock handling and general sales advisor jobs to gift advisor roles which require special training.
Mr Sharp added: “In recent years we have noticed a much broader range of candidates applying for these roles; including many more school leavers and graduates looking for their first step on the employment ladder.
“It’s fantastic that we have the opportunity to give some of these young people valuable retail experience”


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Samsung’s Galaxy S-series of smartphones have been near perfect since the 8th version, but there has been one feature which has caused a lot of opprobrium, and that has been the dedicated Bixby button, a feature which is both annoying and wasteful, due to frequently opening the much disliked Bixby digital assistant and Samsung actively resisting efforts to remap the button and re-use it for something more desirable.
Now the Verge reports that Samsung has finally found a compromise. The company will now let you remap the Bixby button to open any app, but will still maintain a connection to Bixby.
If you remap a single click to Google Assitant for example, a double click will still open Bixby. Conversely, if the double click opens the Reddit app, the single click will be Bixby.
A long press on the button will always open Bixby Voice.
The feature will launch on the Samsung Galaxy S10, and will roll out to the Samsung Galaxy S9 as part of the OneUI update.


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India's antitrust regulator has imposed a fine of about 27 million dollars on Maruti Suzuki for allegedly restricting price discounts by dealers. Maruti Suzuki is a subsidiary of Japan's Suzuki Motor.
The Competition Commission of India said on Monday that the company set up contracts banning dealers from offering discounts beyond the limits in the contracts.
The regulator saw this as harmful to competition.
It noted that the company sent people disguised as customers to check whether dealers were offering further discounts.
The company says it will fully examine the order, and take necessary steps in line with the law.
Maruti Suzuki is the largest automaker in India, with about half the market share.


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- A strategic partnership with HP will enable Aptito to benefit from the tech giant’s massive global sales to deliver a full set of point-of-sale tools to small- and medium-sized clients
- The sales and support partnership will focus on a line of Android-based point-of-sale devices to enable access to affordable, cutting-edge payment technologies
- The innovative payment solutions market is anticipated to continue growing rapidly in 2019 and beyond, providing companies like Aptito with sustainable expansion opportunities
Global technology and value-added solutions group Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) subsidiary Aptito will be entering into a sales and support partnership with HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) that will focus on the HP line of Android-based point-of-sale devices, the company announced in a press release (http://ccw.fm/8p7hZ).
“We are excited to work with HP to deliver our SaaS in their IPOS solutions to our existing and new merchants worldwide,” Aptito President Andrey Krotov said in the release. Aptito solutions are currently deployed in 16 countries, and the number is increasing. HP global sales provide opportunities for furthered expansion, he concluded.
Under the terms of the agreement, Aptito will provide its restaurant management SaaS alongside the HP point-of-sale solutions. The collaboration primarily addresses the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses (“SMBs”) that are looking for competitively priced, cutting-edge technologies.
Aptito’s technology, backed by the HP global sales, will aim to deliver a full set of tools to enhance both selling and mobile transactions carried out by SMBs.
Under wholly owned subsidiary Aptito, Net Element is providing comprehensive business management solutions and cloud-based point-of-sale systems for the restaurant industry (http://ccw.fm/9qXwI).
Effective payment solutions have long established themselves as one of the essentials for the sustainable growth of SMBs. Effortless transactions increase customer satisfaction and overall experience (http://ccw.fm/A2KtN). Through the introduction of new technologies, such transactions become simpler and more affordable to carry out than ever before. Aptito already offers a full range of innovative solutions developed for the needs of restaurant owners – Aptito POS, Aptito mPOS, kiosks and digital menus, to name a few.
Attention to detail and the quality of customer service are both of paramount importance in the restaurant business. According to the National Restaurant Association, 10,000 new businesses open each year. As of 2018, the number of restaurants operating in the U.S. has exceeded one million (http://ccw.fm/JRe75).
Innovative payment solution technologies are shaping up as one of the most demanded innovations. According to the Electronic Transaction Association, U.S. merchants will spend nearly $2 billion on effective payment solutions in 2019.
The global point of sale market will exceed $9.8 billion by 2023, forecasts suggest. That’s a CAGR of 12 percent over the specified period. Both market volume and revenues are anticipated to increase consistently (http://ccw.fm/jkH9n).
Growing digital payment volumes, the widespread adoption of mobile payment solutions and a very high demand from the retail sector will rank among the primary factors driving the expansion in this field.
Net Element operates a payment-as-a-service transactional and value-added services platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The NETE solutions are available across the U.S. and in various emerging markets. In the U.S., Net Element works toward innovating productivity for SMBs through reliance on blockchain technology and cloud-based solutions. Internationally, it strives to make the most of an omni-channel platform to deliver flexible solutions to emerging markets.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.NetElement.com
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NETE are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ccw.fm/NETE
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The Egyptian Stock Exchange was closed also Wednesday for the fifth day in a row. The stock market suffered heavy losses last week due to the popular demonstrations in the country. The Egyptian authorities estimate the losses at some US$ 70 billion.
More damages was inflicted to other sectors, mainly the retail markets, after the looting of retail stores in several Egyptian governorates.
Not surprisingly, the international rating agency Standard & Poor's warned that the ongoing closure of the stock market will limit further the pace of economic growth.
Meanwhile there are some early positive signs of getting to normalcy. Some banks activated their ATMs to allow the disbursement of staff salaries.
And Eng. Ahmed Almnakhali, the director of traffic management in the Suez Canal, conveyed the movement in Suez Canal Authority is normal, pointing out that 56 vessels crossed the Suez Canal on Tuesday, and 50 ships are expected to cross the channel on Wednesday.


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Hacked Cryptocurrency Exchange Loses US$32 million
Hackers struck the Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange, Bitpoint, late last week in an attack that netted around 3.5 billion yen (US$32 million) worth of virtual currencies.
The exchange, which handles (virtual) currencies including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum and Ripple, halted all services (including deposits and withdrawals) after the attack, while an investigation is underway.
RemixPoint, owners of Bitpoint, said via a statement that hackers breached the company's 'hot' and 'cold' wallets (a hot wallet is connected to the internet and houses funds for current transactions, while a cold wallet isn't connected to the internet and stores e.g. long term funds).
About 2.5 billion yen (US$23 million) worth of the stolen currency was customer funds (they would be compensated, said Remixpoint), while the company owned the remainder. Remixpoint shares dropped sharply - around 20% - after the announcement.
. . .
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The new malware exploits Android Debug Bridge (ADB) ports.
In a research conducted by the Tokyo-based cybersecurity and threat defense firm Trend Micro, it was revealed that there is a new cryptomining malware bot that’s particularly targeting Android devices. The miner exploits the Android Debug Bridge port system of the device that performs the function of resolving application defects.
It is worth noting that this system is installed-by-default on most of the Android smartphones and tablets. This means, a large number of devices are currently vulnerable to the newly discovered botnet malware. The malware is identified in 21 countries but a majority of the targets were found in South Korea.
The malware attacks a targeted device by exploiting the way ADB ports work in a default setting. These ports don’t need authentication by default and can be distributed to systems that have previously had an SSH connection. SSH connections are capable of connecting almost everything from smartphones to IoT gadgets.
According to Trend Micro, the two systems, once connected, can communicate with each other without needing any authentication once the initial key exchange has occurred. Researchers assessed that this spreading mechanism allows malware to abuse the entire process of creating SSH connections.
The attack then continues to exploit the command shell software for modifying ADB execution permissions and using “wget” command it takes the best pick from three different miners. Afterward, it uses the “chmod 777 a.sh” command for modifying other permissions.
Using the command “rm -rf a.sh*” it manages to stay undetected and even hides its previous and upcoming trails before deleting the download. The attack becomes far more efficient after running new optimizations. The three miners all had the same URL:
“To optimize the mining activity, the script also enhances the victim’s memory by enabling HugePages, which will help the system support memory pages that are greater than its default size,” said researchers.
Android is undoubtedly the most used smartphone operating system in the world. Currently, there are billions of Android users worldwide which make the platform a lucrative target for cybercriminals and online scammers. Therefore, be vigilant, keep your phone updated, use trustworthy anti-virus software and scan regularly.
Furthermore, cryptomining malware are evolving at a rapid pace nowadays and now we have these embedded in Applications available on reliable platforms like Google Play Store. Studies are being carried out to know the extent of the issue and to identify ways for detecting fake apps prior to being downloaded.
Moreover, according to research, thousands of infected applications are uploaded on the online store that deceives users by imitating as the best alternatives to expensive apps.
The researchers used artificial intelligence to detect fake apps and tested them for malware infections and other issues. they examined both the icons designs and description wording and in total, 1.2 million apps were reviewed before they reached the conclusion that Google Play Store has over 2,040 fake copies of popular apps containing malware in a set of 49,608 apps.
These apps, as Forbes noted, “showed high similarity to one of the top 10,000 popular apps in the Google Play Store 1,565 potential counterfeits asking for at least five additional dangerous permissions than the original app and 1,407 potential counterfeits having at least five extra third-party advertisement libraries.” The 2000+ most dangerous copies were marked as malware by no less than five commercial use antivirus tools, researchers noted.
Researchers claim that many of these fake copies of popular apps can only be detected by an average user once these have been downloaded and installed unless the user is tech savvy enough to know the difference prior to installation.


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Peeters Vervoercentrale has started an eco-friendly city distribution in the inner-city of Amsterdam. Your goods will be delivered to your customers via a 100% electrical powered truck.
Check out the coverRead the article Read the entire edition
This is the first of three.
The trucks are being used for regional distrubition in postal code 10 to 24 en 34 to 39.
Currently, we have about 40...


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CMU vinyl collectors reflect on growing popularity of the analog format
As vinyl records have made a comeback in recent years, collectors predict they will be the only analog format to last
The younger generation is embracing old technology in the form of vinyl records.
According to , a global media measurement and data analytics provider, “vinyl records had a renaissance at retail by experiencing sales growth for the 12th consecutive year, comprising 14 percent of all physical album sales.”
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl records had their heyday in the 70s and early 80s before being quickly replaced with compact discs and later, digitized audio.
They compiled a graph that shows the vinyl revival that began in the early 2010s.
In 2015, Rolling Stone recorded that the music industry saw the resurgence as more of a fad than an explosion, however, vinyl sales still continue to reach unexpected heights.
Jack White, founder of the Detroit garage rock duo The White Stripes and CEO of Third Man Records, said he believes vinyl will be the preferred format of casual listening.
“Streaming in the car and kitchen, vinyl in the living room and the den. Those will be the two formats,” he said in a Rolling Stone interview.
The following Central Michigan University students share their reasons for collecting vinyl, opinions on how vinyl is being integrated into society and predictions for the future of music listening.
Collector since 2013
Owns around 300 records
Favorite Record: "The Dream is Over" by PUP
After receiving a small assortment of Alice Cooper albums from his father, Pallozzi began to foster a collection of vinyl records. He keeps his musical tastes broad, resulting in an expansive collection.
Pallozzi, a senior at CMU, said he can listen to everything from rap artist Tyler the Creator to Courtney Barnett, an Australian folk singer. When he’s not seeing his favorite artists live, Pallozzi spends hours in Dearborn Music, his favorite hometown record store.
“People often have a place they go to when they have a lot on their minds," Pallozzi said. "For me, it’s Dearborn Music. It’s the best feeling.”
Cherishing local record stores, like Dearborn music, is the mission statement of “Record Store Day.” Beginning in April, 2008, this annual trend brings together more than 1,400 independently owned stores that cooperate with record labels, large and small, to provide exclusive releases to hungry collectors. This is how Pallozzi scores his most prized records.
As the station manager for CMU's student-run radio station, WMHW, Pallozzi said he has a trained ear for audio quality and he said vinyl records hold the best listening experience.
“It almost feels like the band is in the room playing the music,” Pallozzi said. “It just feels so much more alive.”
Collector since 2014
Owns around 100 records
Favorite Record: "Thunderball (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" by John Barry
Dexter sophomore Owen Brooks began his collection after inheriting a large amount of country records from a relative, but he favorites the work of modern electronic artists.
Much like his favorite music, his record collecting habits incorporate technology.
Brooks uses technology to get connected with the rest of the vinyl collecting community.
Discogs is a crowd-sourced database for music, and a tool for vinyl collectors to catalog their music. It also serves as platform to buy, sell, and trade vinyl with thousands of users, much like eBay for records.
In addition, Brooks listens to music using streaming services, which he said plays a vital role in the resurgence of vinyl.
According to a report by CNBC, Spotify pays about $0.006 to $0.0084 per stream to the holder of music rights. Artists are able to bring in significantly more revenue by selling physical formats, according to the report.
“Physical music is important because it cannot be taken away from you,” Brooks said. “Spotify can easily take that music down.”
By using streaming services to discover new artists and using online retail services like Discogs, Brooks marries old technology with the new.
Collector since 2014
Owns 30-40 records
Favorite Record: "Correspondance" by Levi the Poet
Grand Rapids sophomore Nick Westendorp said he feeds off the energetic nature of metal music to fuel his passion for running.
Westendorp frequently browses Grandville’s Corner Record Shop to grow his collection of records, which features a significant amount of audio poetry.
Westendorp predicts the vinyl comeback is here to stay.
“It will never die out as much as it did in the 90s and early 2000s,” he said. “I expect it to be the only analog format to remain popular”
Opinion writers from , and have similar predictions, however they all note that the nature of record collecting will be different than previous generations. Instead of buying records to discover new music, young adults will tend to buy records they already enjoy.
"I buy records of from the bands I like the most," Westendorp said. "Because they're more expensive I think I'm supporting them more."
Where to find vinyl in Mount Pleasant
Brian Hanson, owner and proprietor of B’s Music Shop in Mount Pleasant, quickly adapted to the record industry’s resurgence about two years ago.
“One time ten people came in within an hour asking if we sell records,” Hanson said. “That’s when we decided it’s time to sell some vinyl.”
Hanson said B’s Music Shop is the largest provider of vinyl in Mount Pleasant and the surrounding area. In order to cater to Mount Pleasant's wide range of clientele, Hanson asks for customer opinions on how to expand the inventory. The result is a mixture of contemporary indie phenomena and instantly recognizable classics that he sells at the store.
Hanson said he predicts the only music listening formats that will live forever are streaming and vinyl records.