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This week, Multichannel News included comments from ARRIS CEO Bob Stanzione on Charter’s new Worldbox. At a recent Needham & Company investor conference in New York, Stanzione said he believes Worldbox will level the playing field for set-tops and that he expects ARRIS to have equal opportunity to bid to be a Worldbox supplier.
Separately, CED Magazine covered the expansion of WOW! Business’ 110 Mbps downstream/15 Mbps upstream broadband tier, which uses ARRIS cable modems, to Detroit and Evansville, Ind.
In other news, GigaOM noted that, as Ultra HD becomes more mainstream, the lack of standards for 4K and HDR has led to the forming of the UHD Alliance, a new industry consortium unveiled at CES last week.
Advanced Television reported newly released data from SNL Kagan that estimates that Americans spent more than $9 billion on mobile entertainment in 2014, nearly as much as was spent at the box office.
Finally, Digital TV Europe covered new figures from Digital TV Research that indicate pay-TV revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to reach $6.22 billion by 2020.
Check back next week for the latest industry news.
- Arris Not Boxed Out Of ‘Worldbox’ Opportunity (Jan. 14) By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News: While Cisco Systems was identified as a “key” supplier of Charter Communications’ new Worldbox” through 2015 at last week’s International CES, the market “overreacted” to the news, according to Bob Stanzione, Arris’s chairman and CEO.
- WOW! Business unleashes 110 Mbps tier in Detroit, Evansville (Jan. 13) By Mike Robuck, CED Magazine: WOW! Business announced the availability of its 110 Mbps downstream/15 Mbps upstream broadband tier in Detroit and Evansville, Ind.The 110/15 business offering, which uses Arris’ cable modems, was previously deployed in Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus.
- UHD is TV’s next big thing. So why is the industry divided? (Jan. 13) By Janko Roettgers, GigaOM: We’ve had gigantic TVs, curved TVs, 3D TVs, even TVs that can bend with the press of a button. TV makers tend to bring all their latest gimmicks to one-up each other at the annual CES show in Las Vegas.
- US mobile entertainment tops $9bn in 2014 (Jan. 14) By Staff Writer, Advanced Television: Americans are now spending almost as much on smartphone and tablet entertainment as at the box office.
- Pay TV revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa to hit US$6.22 billion (Jan. 14) By Staff Writer, Digital TV Europe: Pay TV revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa will more than triple in the decade starting 2010, reaching US$6.22 billion (€5.27 billion) in 2020, according to Digital TV Research.
This week, CNNMoney reported that some cable providers are increasing their modem rental fees in 2015 and highlighted the ARRIS SB6121 and SBG6580 as good options for consumers looking to purchase their own modem.
In other industry news, Multichannel News covered a recent report from Infonetics, which found that nearly 90 million DOCSIS 3.0 modems and gateway devices shipped in the last 12 quarters and indicated that momentum shows no signs of slowing in the near future.
Fortune noted in its coverage from CES 2015 that 4K has finally found its foothold in the mainstream, due in large part to an increase in available 4K content and more affordable 4K TVs entering the market. Similarly, Advanced Television reported that a recent study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) found that one-third of consumers may purchase a 4K TV within the next three years. Read more
As we close out another year, we thought you’d enjoy a recap of our favorite blogs from 2014. The following posts stood out because they exemplify the combination of fun, newsworthiness, and transparency that we strive for at ARRIS Everywhere. We hope you’ll enjoy reading them again or for the first time:
- Q&A: Advice from ARRIS Engineers: In honor of National Engineers Week in February, we sat down with a few of our engineers and asked them to provide advice to students seeking a career in engineering. See what they had to say about how millennials can seize the many opportunities in this exciting field.
- ARRIS Joins NASCAR Family and Joe Gibbs Racing: In August, we joined forces with Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR. We talked about what it meant to take the leap from a behind-the-scenes leader to a household name.
- Entertainment on our Terms: The Case for Personalization: Our 2014 Consumer Entertainment Index offered some surprising insights into the ways we watch entertainment. Content personalization, access, and control is not only growing in popularity, but is a vital pathway for the evolution of entertainment. In her blog post, ARRIS’s Sandy Howe highlighted the key findings that explain why we’ve reached a global inflection point in how we deliver entertainment that truly engages consumers.
- Cable Modem & Gateway Demo, Set-up and How-to: Helping our customers enjoy our products to the fullest is one of our highest priorities. In this video series installment, our Director of Global Retail Sales, Tom Boshell, took a detailed look at the ARRIS SURFboard® cable modem and gateway portfolio, providing an overview of key features as well as detailed demonstrations, set-up procedures, and more.
- ARRIS Previews Slim, New Ultra HD Set-tops at IBC 2014: Pushing the boundaries of innovative set-top design, we previewed an exciting evolution in our set-top portfolio at IBC 2014, with the launch of the next generation of set-tops— the ARRIS VIP4000 and VIP5000 series.
- SCTE 2014 CCAP Interoperability Demo Highlights DOCSIS 3.1 Leadership: At SCTE 2014, we showcased the ARRIS E6000 future-proof design through an interoperability demo on DOCSIS 3.1 and pre-silicon DOCSIS 3.1 test products—specifically, showing the test products acquiring downstream signals from the E6000.
As we look ahead to 2015, we look forward to offering you ARRIS’s perspective on the topics that matter most. Please let us know which blogs you found interesting and what type of content you would like to see more on our blog next year!
This week, Multichannel News included comments from ARRIS engineering fellow Sean McCarthy on the future of Ultra HD and how High Dynamic Range (HDR) TV will bring a new level of realness to the platform. Light Reading ran a similar story and noted that, while HDR is already mainstream in photography, the technology is starting to gain momentum in the video world.
Separately, Rapid TV News published a contributed article from ARRIS senior vice president Steve McCaffery on how, as smart technology and home automation become more commonplace, the gateway has emerged as a central point of communication to simplify the home entertainment experience.
In other industry news, FierceCable covered the results of Adobe’s Q3 2014 U.S. Digital Video Benchmark Report, which found that unique users of TV Everywhere content increased 34 percent year-over-year during the third quarter of 2014.
Finally, the Washington Post highlighted consumer research from NPD Group that found that, during this year’s Thanksgiving week, sales of TVs that are 32 inches or smaller fell 50 percent compared to last year, likely because solitary TV viewing is increasingly done with over-the-top (OTT) services on laptops and tablets.
Check back next week for the latest industry news.
- Picture Imperfect (Dec. 15) By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News: Proponents of Ultra HD/4K are still waiting for the pixel-packed format to deliver the kind of “wow” factor that excites consumers to snap up new, shiny 4K televisions in droves.
- HDR: The Next Big Video Thing (Dec. 19) By Mari Silbey, Light Reading: Let the hype cycle begin. Even with 4K TV still in its earliest deployments, video technologists have already moved on to the next big thing: High-Dynamic Range (HDR).
- The Future of TV Hinges on One Device (Dec. 15) By Steve McCaffery, Rapid TV News: The way we watch TV has changed completely. We’ve transitioned from a linear, living room model to an always-on, whole-home, distributed, time-shifted, multiscreen paradigm with more kinds of content than there are flavours at your local ice cream parlour.
- TV Everywhere Use Doubled in Q3, Adobe Says (Dec .17) By Daniel Frankel, FierceCable: Continuing to report surging use of authenticated multiscreen services from pay-TV operators, Adobe said the number of videos started within TV Everywhere apps nearly doubled in Q3, up 108 percent year over year.
- How Cord-cutting Is Changing The Kinds of TVs We Buy (Dec. 16) By Sarah Halzack, Washington Post: For shoppers who bought TVs during Black Friday sales, bigger was definitely better. Consumer research firm NPD Group found that over Thanksgiving week, sales of TVs that are 32 inches or smaller fell 50 percent compared to last year.
Multichannel News selected Tom Cloonan, our CTO of Cloud & Network Solutions, as one of its three technology executives of the Year. Tom is the first CTO from a technology company to receive this distinction, as this year’s field is the inaugural for considering candidates beyond the service provider and programmer communities.
Tom Cloonan, ARRIS CTO of Cloud & Network Solutions
Tom was recognized for his pioneering role in modern broadband technology and his ongoing contributions to the advancement of DOCSIS 3.1 and CCAP. Tom leads the architectural and product planning for ARRIS’s network product division, which was responsible for the ARRIS E6000 CER––the most successful CCAP platform on the market. He continues to be one of the most preeminent voices in the design and development of highly-scalable next-generation networks for the world’s leading service providers.
In an era, when lightning broadband speeds and the migration to all-IP technologies are going to drive tomorrow’s entertainment and communications experiences, Tom continues to play a vital role in helping the industry stay ahead of these technology trends.
Congratulations Tom, for your pioneering work here at ARRIS and throughout the industry!
This week, Multichannel News covered the results of a new Infonetics Research report that found that ARRIS remained the revenue leader in the global cable access market in Q3 2014.
On Sunday, 23rd November, ARRIS’s VP of Marketing Duncan Potter appeared on NBC’s Atlanta TechEdge where he discussed ARRIS’s portfolio and collaborations with key partners, such as NASCAR and Joe Gibbs Racing to demonstrate how we continue to transform the industry and consumers’ everyday experiences.
In other industry news, Alan Breznick of Light Reading reported that, despite the growing number of gigabit rollouts by rival providers, the US cable industry has continued to make impressive gains in the broadband market. Separately, Digital TV Europe highlighted new research that indicated that the premium over-the-top (OTT) market in Europe is set to grow by 80 percent over the next three years.
Finally, several outlets, including CNET, covered a report from DisplaySearch showing that global 4K television shipments increased by more than 500 percent in the last quarter, with more than 3 million 4K TVs shipped to retail outlets during Q3 2014.
Check back next week for the latest industry news.
- Arris Stays On Top Of Cable Access Heap (Nov. 25) By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News: Arris remained the top dog from a revenue perspective in a global cable access market that raked in $445 million in Q3 2014, up 8% versus the previous quarter, according to a new report from Infonetics Research.
- ARRIS interview with NBC’s Atlanta Tech Edge (Nov. 23) By Angel Maldonado, Atlanta TechEdge: After a multi-billion dollar deal with Motorola, ARRIS is ready to make their brand a household name…and they’re partnering with NASCAR to get it done.
- Broadband Reigns Supreme for Cable (Nov. 25) By Alan Breznick, Light Reading: Despite the growing number of gigabit rollouts by rival providers, the US cable industry continues to roll up impressive gains in the broadband market.
- Premium OTT market tipped to grow by 80% (Nov. 25) By Staff Writer, Digital TV Europe: The premium over-the-top video market is on-track to grow at a trajectory of 80% over the next three years, according to research commissioned by subscription billing firm Vindicia and video streaming platform provider Ooyala.
- 4K TV shipments soar to 6.4M in 2014 (Nov. 25) By Carrie Mihalcik, CNET: Shipments of 4K televisions jumped more than 500 percent last quarter as overall global TV shipments rebounded, according to a new report from DisplaySearch.


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Local changes to COVID-19 business grant criteria and a new initiative to refund the cost of business licences could help plough funds back into the hands of business owners across the South Hams and West Devon.
More local businesses can now access more money thanks to three changes to the way South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council are allocating COVID Business Grant funds from the Government.
- Lower claims threshold. A business that is eligible for funding now only needs to declare a 10% reduction in income or net profit to be able to claim financial support.
- Higher grant payments. Recognising that grant levels may not be enough to sustain local businesses through this tough time, the councils have upped the ARG payment (for impacted business-rated businesses and impacted/closed non-business-rated businesses) to match the LRSG closed addendum scheme for November and
January lockdown. This means businesses which weren’t required to close but chose to because loss of
footfall resulted in lower turnover can now access the same amounts as those businesses who were instructed to close during the national lockdowns. This is to recognise that open businesses with dramatically less turnover and not furloughing staff would still have significant costs. For example, a business that was previously eligible for £1,400 will now receive £2,000. Business owners who have already received money through the grant scheme
will automatically receive this additional payment into their bank account. Businesses who have not yet applied are
urged to do so as quickly as possible, as grants for the November and January lockdown close to new applications at the end of March.
- Licence refunds. Recognising that many local businesses, from taxi firms and pubs to cake decorators, will have experienced a much disrupted year, the Councils have decided to refund last year’s business licences. To apply for this refund, businesses need to complete a quick two-minute form via the councils’ websites: www.westdevon.gov.
uk/licensing-refund or www.southhams.gov.uk/Licensing-refund
- Once confirmed, the licence fee will be reimbursed direct into bank accounts.
These changes are accompanied by a new way for businesses to apply for a grant. Both councils now offer a streamlined application form on their websites to make life easier for local business owners.
There is one main form and one supplementary form to fill in and the team at the Councils will then calculate which of the 11+ grants a business is eligible for.
Businesses are asked to go to the respective Council’s website to find out more and complete their application.
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Razer announces inaugural conference set for May 7
By Digital News Asia March 10, 2021
- Four hours of discussion by industry veterans, focusing on three distinctive themes
- Register in advance to receive access to Razer’s internal team of developers
GAMER lifestyle brand, Razer, has announced its inaugural Razer Devcon set to take place virtually on May 7 on its official Razer Twitch channel.
The conference aims to “empower developers on all sizes and platforms” by providing insights on how to integrate the brand’s ecosystem at every level of development, the company said in a statement.
Razer DevCon will consist of a series of technology-focused panels packed with over four hours of what it claims to be "thought-provoking" discussions led by industry veterans from various Razer.
Also in the mix for discussions are Activision Blizzard; Renaud Ostrowski, audio artist at Vibe Avenue Studios; and Frank Rosay, game producer at iLLOGIKA.
Registration is open to all PC, console, and mobile gaming ecosystem developers. Developers are encouraged to register in advance in order to receive access to Razer’s internal team of developers and engineers that will help provide support and insight into utilising Razer technologies.
Interested members of the gaming community are also welcomed to tune in and gain unique insight into the future of the rapidly changing gaming industry, the company said.
In addition to receiving access to the internal Razer team, the first 1,000 registered and verified developers who attend the conference will receive an exclusive special attendee’s pack available only at Razer DevCon 2021. Additional prizes and awards will be announced at a later date.
Those interested in signing up for exclusive access to Razer developers and engineers may find more information here.
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Stock Market Plunge Puts Jack Dorsey Out of the Billionaire Club
Wednesday was not particularly too sunny for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as it took a dip during the early trading. The index dropped close to 500 points by midday and that took also took the Twitter stocks down.
Jack Dorsey, the founder and chief of Twitter was demoted from the billionaire club on Wednesday to the mega-millionaire ranks.
However, the overall stock market did not look too bright in the day but some of the problems that Twitter is facing could be essentially structural.
Since Dorsey became Twitter's CEO, the stock has been down about forty percent. The other company Square, which is not doing up to the mark either and on Thursday, that prompted Forbes to drop Dorsey out of the billionaire's club.
Dorsey's net worth was valued by Forbes at $2.2 billion in September. However, that dropped to $1.4 billion following the IPO of Square, the online payment application which he heads. According to Forbes, Dorsey whose net worth is $944 million missed the billionaire rank and much of it is attributed to the ups and downs his tech companies are going through.
- Nikola Motors puts hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck Badger project on back burner
- BMW expands vehicle recall over battery issue to more than 4,500 U.S. plug-in hybrids
- Karma Automotive announces attractive price tag & unique features for upcoming GSe-6 electric sedan
- Twin River acquires iconic Bally’s brand from Caesars Entertainment for $20 million
- Wynn Resorts’ Encore to close for 3 days a week due to low demand


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Ford didn’t invent the wildly popular compact-utility-vehicle segment, but the original Escape went on to become the long-time segment sales leader in Canada.
But times and market demand change, and other automakers have inserted smaller utility vehicles to fill in new gaps in their model ranges. Honda has the HR-V nestled in below the CR-V, and Nissan has slotted the new Qashqai between the larger Rogue and the Sentra subcompact-sedan line.
Yet, the Ford Escape has no understudy. The current generation is in its fifth model year, and despite a freshening for 2017, it’s losing ground to a growing band of fresher competitors.
It’s not as if there wasn’t already a suitable product in its global portfolio: The EcoSport was launched in Brazil in 2003. The second-generation EcoSport launched in early 2014 and spread to other markets including Europe.
Ford finally announced last November that it will introduce the EcoSport in Canada and the United States, but it’s not exactly rushing the Fiesta-based compact utility to market as the projected on-sale date is January 2018. By then, the basic design will be four years old, though of course it will have been freshened and adapted for the North American market.
Asked at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto in February why Ford waited so long to bring the EcoSport to Canada, Gonzalo Contrera, Ford Canada marketing manager for SUVs, said: “That’s when we can get it.”


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The announcement of a special economic package worth Rs 20 trillion by the Prime Minister has really gone beyond the expectations of various trade and industry bodies.The underlying message is quite clear — India has to convert the current crisis into an opportunity. It has to become an important player in global supply chain, then only the objective of becoming self-reliant can be achieved. Going by the talks of big manufacturing companies willing to leave China, India has to be more than ready to attract many of these investments. But this is easier said than done. The government will have to exhibit strong political will in carrying out bold labour reforms coupled with supportive tax regime in order to lure companies to set up a manufacturing base in India. One thing is getting increasingly clear, that the post-Covid world will not be the same as the pre-Covid world, particularly when it comes to China's role and impact in the global supply chain. India needs to make the most of the opportunities coming its way. The Prime Minister's announcement of this big economic package should be taken only as a first of many such steps required to propel India towards becoming a major economic power.
Sanjeev Kumar Singh Jabalpur
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201 · E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org
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An exhibition featuring the works of artisans and weavers from remote areas of India will be held at Connaught Place, New Delhi, during September 1-3. In what is a laudable attempt to preserve and promote the traditional Indian craft, the exhibition ‘Elegant Innovations’ will showcase revamped versions of Ilkal sarees from Bagalkot (Karnataka), stoles and shawls from Kutch (Gujarat) and embroidery works from Lucknow (UP).
The event is being organised by Somaiya Kala Vidya, a NGO that imparts design and business education to Kutchhi artisans. It is part of their Artisan-to-Artisan outreach programme, in which artisans trained in the modern methods of design then spread their knowledge by mentoring others from other remote corners of the country.
“We found that craftsmen and weavers engaged in their art were working like factory labourers at meager wages. Their children wanted white-collar jobs and did not wish to carry on with the traditional work. So we decided to teach them design principles and make them understand the dynamics of the market but most importantly we encouraged them to enjoy their art,” said Judy Frater, director and co-founder, Somaiya Kala Vidya.
In a seamless blend of artistic creativity from diverse cultures, the exhibits will include designs by Bagalkot weavers, who were mentored by weavers from Bhujodi and works by Chikan embroiders of Lucknow, developed with the assistance of Suf embroiders. Kurtas co-designed by fashion brand Nor Black Nor White, whose designs have been showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week will also be on display.
The price range of the pieces range between Rs1,200 and Rs5,000, to make them more appealing to a buyer.
The Artisan-to-Artisan mentorship programme was devised to reach out to weavers and artisans cut off from the mainstream through people engaged in the same profession. “It was much easier to inspire and motivate weavers by reaching out to them through our trained artisans from Kutch,” explained Frater. In the past, many of the artisans have gone on to work for brands like Fabindia and many have started their own labels; and even have celebrated designers such as Ritu Kumar showcase their work at fashion weeks.
The exhibition will take place at The Attic, 36 Regal Building, Connaught Place; September 1 (4-6pm) and September 2-3 (4-5pm).


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La Quinta by Wyndham Selma is now open in Selma, North Carolina. Owned by Jay Sai Corp., it is the 120th hotel to open using the La Quinta Del Sol prototype.
The 80-room hotel is near Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Smithfield Community Park. Amenities include an outdoor pool.
Another Del Sol hotel is expected to open in Galveston, Texas, this summer, according to Wyndham. There are 175 La Quinta hotels in the development pipeline and openings scheduled this year in several markets, such as Nashville, Tennessee; Santa Cruz, California and Denver.
“This is a milestone opening for the La Quinta by Wyndham brand, and we’re proud to unveil this innovative new property,” Krishna Paliwal, Wyndham’s president of La Quinta and head of architecture, design, and construction, said regarding the Selma hotel. “We’ve seen huge demand for this stylish, modern, prototype, which offers a comfortable stay with contemporary rooms and thoughtful amenities for guests. It’s a great investment opportunity for hotel owners.”
Wyndham acquired La Quinta in 2018 and since that time it has executed 122 new franchise contracts for the brand. The brand has gained RevPAR index points during the pandemic, the company said.
In August, Wyndham expanded its Wyndham Direct booking and billing service previously used by La Quinta to include Super 8 by Wyndham and Days Inn by Wyndham hotels in the U.S.


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Hero MotoCorp, Honda, TVS continue as top OEMs, as industry sinks nearly 11% in July
While the industry has shown positive signs in the first half of 2022, the overall July sales have taken a 10.92% plunge. In terms of individual OEMs performance, Hero MotoCorp continues to lead the sales, followed by Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India in the second spot, and TVS Motor Company in the third.
Hero MotoCorp July'22 sales:Hero MotoCorp managed to sell 3,20,301 units of two-wheelers in July and held 31.73% market share. The Splendor-maker managed to stay on top by selling the most two-wheelers last month, however, in comparison to July'21 sales the company saw a sharp decline as it has previously managed to retail 4,01,946 units. The overall market share also stumbled from 35.47% in July'21 to 31.73% last month.
Honda Motorcycle July'22 sales:HMSI managed to grab the second spot in the overall two-wheeler segment by registering 2,62,054 unit sales last month. In comparison to top-selling OEM, HMSI sold 58,247 units less. At this spot, HMSI held 25.97% of the market share and also managed to grow this marginally against 24.53% market share it held in the corresponding month a year ago.
TVS Motor Company July'22 sales:The Hosur-based two-wheeler maker sold 1,65,154 units last month which is nearly the same as against 1,65,555 units sold in July'21. The company also managed to grow its market share from 14.61% in July'21 to 16.36% in July'22.
Bajaj Auto sold 93,755 units of two-wheelers in July'22, however, this came out as a big dip against 1,37,565 units sold in the same month a year ago. The overall market share for Bajaj Auto also slumped from 12.14% in July'21 to 9.29% in July'22.
Bajaj Auto July'22 sales:
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More PPE for drivers with EGR
More protective equipment could be available to drivers and other customer-facing bus and coach employees. Precision-engineering specialist EGR has taken the decision to convert its manufacturing capacity to the supply of plastic protective face shields.
Australia’s largest manufacturer of rigid polymer sheeting used in personal protective equipment (PPE) will shortly increase its capacity from 25,000 units per day to more than 100,000, targeting existing users of PPE as well as addressing the need to stockpile equipment for future pandemics. EGR says its PPE products are designed to withstand the harshest environments and can be cleaned and maintained easily using commonly available surface cleaning solutions.
The products are currently being manufactured at EGR’s facility in Brisbane in line with European Standards and can be shipped to the UK within 48 hours.
James Horwill of EGR, which has a UK base in Milton Keynes, says the face shields are increasingly in demand beyond the medical profession: “Although perfect for frontline staff in hospitals and nursing homes they are also being requested by any customer-facing staff operating in any close contact spaces where it is vital to keep the minimum ‘social distance’ between those staff and the general public.
“We are responding to the need to protect people and are already receiving interest from both the public and private sectors, from supermarkets and shopping centres, through to bus operators and banks.
“Whereas there are several examples of smaller manufacturers that have turned their attention to making face masks and gowns, our expertise in plastics and polymers and the scale of our international group means we can manufacture more than half a million face shields in a week, helping to address a worldwide shortage.”
Find out more here


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Flow has kicked off its Youth Led Growth initiative with MedTech Bootcamps in Ramallah on September 21st and continued in the following weeks in Nablus and Bethlehem. Professionals in the medicine industry, students and interested youth joined the bootcamps to learn more about entrepreneurship and its implication in their work.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between traditional methods of creating a business and creative startup innovations, thus the bootcamp’s structure included Unlocking entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, the rationale behind some aspects of a startup business, and addressing the different types of MedTech companies, Insights on MedTech startups and an ideation workshop.
Flow has collaborated with several entrepreneurs, speakers and experts to deliver the desired outcome of the MedTech bootcamp. Flow is grateful to Ali Tazami and Subhi Mara’beh from Inggez, Aziz Kaddan from Myndlift, Reem Younis from AlphaOmega, Samer Toumeh from Sonaris, Mahmoud Kaiyal from Wikaya, Maroun Farah from Senso Medical and Christian Zaknoun from Thinking Consultancy Firm.


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Lahore, October 19, 2015 (PPI-OT): Japanese investors have shown keen interest in joint ventures with their Pakistani counterparts in the energy sector. This was stated by the head of 3-member Japanese delegation Shingo Shinozaki while taking to the LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
Vice President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik threw light on the trade and economic relations between the two countries while members of the delegation Keiji Yamamoto and Mirza Asif Baig also spoke on the occasion.
Delegation members said that research to identify areas of economic cooperation between Pakistan and Japan can help double the existing trade volume. Chambers of Commerce and Industry of both countries can play an important role in this regard.
The LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed said that Japan is playing a laudable role in economic uplift of Pakistan and striving to deepen mutual understanding through economic exchanges. He said that there is a great scope for establishing joint ventures between business communities of the two countries.
The LCCI Vice President said that Pakistan gives great importance to its relations with Japan as Japan is an important friend of Pakistan. He said that Japan is one of the trillion economies of the world and ranked at third place in the list of GDP-wise largest countries and can play an important role in the economic development of Pakistan.
He said that Japan is a major donor to Pakistan as well as an important trading partner. He said that among the top import and export destinations of Pakistan, Japan comes at 8th and 25th places respectively. Moreover, the bilateral trade has been averaging around US$ 2 Billion. The balance of trade heavily favours Japan as Pakistan’s share in two-way trade is just 10%.
Nasir Saeed said that Pakistan has strong economic and commercial ties with Japan but these relations need to be capitalized to attain greater share in Japanese market. He said that for closing the gap in trade balance, some serious efforts are desired to be made.
Vice President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik said that organizations like Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in social sector, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in promotion of trade and investment are playing their due role in Pakistan but we need to innovate the ways to produce better results.
“The best way for us is to identify the areas where we can cooperate with each other. It goes without saying that the role of Japanese Embassy is of key importance”, he added. Iftikhar Ali Malik said that frequent exchange of sector-specific delegations can make the representatives of Japanese private sector explore the opportunities of trade and investment in Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan is struggling to address the energy crisis. There is a huge scope in the field of power sector. We direly need technologies in renewable/alternate energy, solar energy and wind energy etc.
He said that it is an era of out-sourcing. Pakistan has been gifted with a large number of labour resources who are educated, skilled and hardworking. He said that Pakistan will welcome any initiative taken to transfer of technology to Pakistan for assembling purposes. It will be beneficial for both the countries.
“We seek much more assistance from Japan in order to bring long term peace and prosperity in Pakistan”, he added.
He also invited Japanese investors to invest in Pakistan and avail the liberal incentive packages being offered by the present government to the foreign investors.
For more information, contact:
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
Lahore -54000, Pakistan


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Yum! Brands, which operates the brands Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and WingStreet, has filed a lawsuit in China that is attracting headlines. There are several reasons why.
First, it isn’t every day that a major U.S. brand files a lawsuit in China. The case itself is even more unusual. Yum! is suing three Chinese communications companies because of a social media campaign it views as defamatory. The campaign cast aspersions on the quality of KFC’s ingredients. One popular post, illustrated with photoshopped images, claims that KFC’s chickens have eight legs and six wings.
Chinese Government Allows Suit to go to Court
Unlike the U.S., which protects freedom of speech online through the Communications Decency Act, or Europe, which with its “Right to be Forgotten” law has established itself as an advocate of privacy online, the Chinese government actively censors online content. It also has a reputation for favoring domestic businesses. Nonetheless, the Chinese government has allowed Yum!’s lawsuit to go to court. As this recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “KFC cited the Chinese government’s intensified campaign to clean up what it deems rumors on social media. It is very hard for companies to protect their reputation on the Internet, KFC said.”
Yum! was one of the first major American food brands to enter China. It now operates almost 7,000 restaurants in the country, and its China operations account for half of Yum!’s sales. So Yum! has been successful in building longstanding relationship with Chinese consumers. But like many derogatory online reputation campaigns, this one was founded on well-documented facts: Yum! has suffered food safety issues for years in China. For instance a government report found KFC’s chicken had unsafe levels of antibiotics. Yum! Brands lost $4.4 billion in market value after the ensuing publicity. Several similar incidents have contributed to Yum!’s reputation and profit fallout, and a general wariness among Chinese customers about dining at KFC restaurants.
WSJ “Crisis of the Week” Addresses Situation
Since 2009, the business media has been full of stories about this situation. Today’s edition of the Wall Street Journal’s “Crisis of the Week” column features crisis and reputation experts assessing how well Yum! has handled the issue. My view, excerpted below, is that a lawsuit was the wrong move.
“Yum! is right to address this issue aggressively, but a lawsuit won’t help its public image. The company should immediately launch a humorous and pervasive social media campaign on WeChat–imagine brightly animated gifs and longer-form cartoons showing hundreds of eight-legged chickens bursting through the doors and windows of KFC restaurants.
“….WeChat will be an excellent platform to launch this campaign (the app has over 600 million registered users). Concurrently with this likable campaign highlighting the absurdity of the attacks, Yum! should launch a more widespread and long-term informational campaign explaining their safety and quality-control practices. With careful execution, Yum! can capitalize on the attention now focused on their products.
“Yum! has already laid the groundwork for such a campaign. Its Chinese website states that if KFC had been able to create an eight-legged chicken, it would be in the running for a Nobel Prize. Currently Yum! Brands has a social media problem. But it is not too late for to turn this crisis into a golden moment for the KFC brand in China.”
Yum!’s Lawsuit the Wrong Move
A lawsuit was the wrong move for several reasons. One is the common warning against “feeding the trolls.” Engaging with harassing or inflammatory commenters on the Internet is a no-win game. It both legitimizes and encourages them. More importantly, social media—where the crisis began—is an incredibly effective tool for engaging your audiences directly to turn a crisis around. A lawsuit in no way addresses the reputation capital Yum! has lost, and by focusing on litigation, the company is missing a great opportunity.
What to Know
If you are a CEO, crisis manager or risk executive at a company facing a similar situation, Gabriella Coleman’s 2014 book Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous provides invaluable insight into the trolling culture – including the disruptive tactics such groups implement against large organizations.
If your organization is active in China or planning to be, China’s Super Consumers: What 1 Billion Customers Want and How to Sell it to Them, by Savio Chan and Michael Zakkour, will help you understand China’s culture and how to build relationships with Chinese consumers. The book also provides essential background on the importance of social media (and WeChat) to Chinese consumers.


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Vox Media’s new ad network connects advertisers to local media audiences
Concert Local is extension of Concert, Vox Media's publisher-led programmatic ad platform.
Vox Media has launched Concert Local, an advertising solution designed to help brands scale regional messaging by connecting them with publishers and smaller media brands at the local level.
A new addition to Vox’s ad suite. Concert Local is an extension of Concert, Vox Media’s programmatic ad platform that launched in 2016. Advertisers using Concert can buy ads across Vox-owned properties (including The Verge, SB Nation, Eater, and Curbed) and other syndicated outlets using Vox’s first-party audience data and “brand safe” approach.
Connecting advertisers to local media. The platform offers access to premium environments at scale with its Athena ad unit, a creative canvas that publishers can easily integrate for “non-disruptive” ad experiences. These high-impact ad types are design to load in-feed without covering up content or slowing down page performance.
Why we care. Concert Local is especially suited to small- and medium-sized advertisers looking to scale their messages locally. For larger brands, Concert Local offers a way to diversify messaging channels and reach local audiences outside of open web exchanges.
Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has signed on as a launch partner for Concert Local. The unique ad offering aligns with Omnicom’s programmatic approach, said Luke Lambert, head of programmatic for Optimum Media Direction (an Omnicom agency). Lambert added that the platform will help bring added value to clients focused on connecting with audiences through trusted local media content while “supporting the important work of local newsrooms across the country.”
More on the news. Concert Local was built in partnership with the Google News Initiative. Concert Local launched Wednesday with a number of publishers, including Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Dallas Morning News, Hearst Newspapers, and others.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


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The GTA online community has had its fair share of amazing moments and this excellent Mario Kart tribute is no exception to that.
For years now, GTA Online players have been creating some crazy missions and races of their own using the Rockstar Editor.
Hot off the Los Santos Tuners content drop, player GurpyColors has already found a new way to have fun.
Harkening back to those nostalgic GameCube days, they have attempted to replicate the wholesome fun of Mario Kart racing on the streets of Los Santos.
All you had to do was follow the damn kart
Racing around the new LS Car Meet, Tokyo Drift style, the footage from “GurpyColors” also includes their own version of the beloved Italian plumber himself. It is no surprise players continue to innovate within Rockstar’s now eight-year-old smash hit.
With the tools of the Rockstar Editor, a few handy mods here, and some hours aside there, the limit of what can be achieved has yet to be found.
The Mario Kart series celebrated its 35th anniversary earlier this year. Concluding with the release of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury in February, love for the chaotic racing series has not dwindled over the years. Passion to remake other industry-defining titles has kept other avid players busy too.
Metal Gear franchise fan Punished Twinkie Snake ambitiously sought to recreate Hideo Kojima’s saga in-game. Spanning across 18 minutes, the short film places viewers back inside some of the franchise’s most memorable moments. With a dash of GTA charm of course.
The Los Santo Tuners update brought a plethora of desirable vehicles, cosmetics and events to the world of GTA Online. Not only is this DLC a huge win for the community, but a refreshing injection of well-received additions to this ongoing multiplayer mammoth.
There is no sight of GTA VI on the horizon, so rest assured we’ll be having a few go-kart races of our own.


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NEW YORK Nike v. Kasky, which was being heard in the U.S. Supreme Court, was dismissed on a technicality today. The high court decided the case was not adequately advanced for its purposes and returned it to the lower courts, where it is likely to remain for some time.
The case has far-reaching implications for advertisers. If Nike had lost, it would have severely limited corporations' abilities to defend themselves publicly. Corporations and advertising lobbyist groups, which were concerned about First Amendment freedom of speech issues, are now left in limbo.
In question were statements Nike made in 1997 about conditions in its factories in Asia and a Nike print ad that said the sneaker company was doing a good job with overseas labor but could do better. Environmental activist Marc Kasky sued the Oregon-based company, arguing that the firm's disclaimers about the working conditions of its overseas laborers constituted false advertising under California's consumer-protection laws [Adweek, March 3].
"It keeps the issue alive," said Dan Jaffe, executive vice president of the Association of National Advertisers. "We agree with the [Supreme Court's] dissent. At the end of the day, First Amendment rights need to be protected."
Jaffe felt that the decision is further incentive for corporations to become actively involved in questions of free speech but would have liked to see some closure on the issue.
The ANA, the American Advertising Federation and the American Association of Advertising Agencies claims that the California ruling makes all companies vulnerable to such claims whenever they respond to issues of public debate. The groups argue that the Supreme Court should overturn the California Supreme Court ruling that public statements Nike made about its overseas labor practices constituted commercial speech and were therefore subject to claims of false and deceptive advertising [Adweek, March 3].


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The 5 Makeup Trends That You're About to See Everywhere
In 2017, we said goodbye to the Instagram eyebrow, highlighter that can direct airport traffic, and the harsh contouring that flooded our feeds for the last 365 days. Now it's all about the future of beauty and what 2018 holds. We asked celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta, who works with Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Camila Cabello, to predict the five biggest beauty trends for the new year. Spoiler: Lip gloss is back and it's poppin'. (It's poppin'.)
Ultra Violet is the color of the year according to Pantone, and Ta also predicts it will be huge for 2018. "Be prepared to see a boom of violet everywhere," says Ta. "Especially pretty on eye’s inner corners." If you're not convinced, let Rihanna's impact convince you to invest in a few purple products. Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman credits Rihanna in part for this year's color choice and thinks the singer and beauty mogul embodies violet. “When you think of this color, she perfectly sums up the originality, the inventiveness, the forward thinking, the non-conformity,” explains Pressman. Channel your inner Rihanna and reach for a few purple Fenty products.
Less Is More
Skin is in. It's time to put down the contour kits, brushes, sticks, and wands and go for a more natural look. "Go for less makeup and more skin, rather than the over-contoured look," urges Ta. Tinted moisturizers are a great place to start. See a full list of options here.
"A healthy glow finish on skin is in instead of matte caked or powdery finish," says Ta. A great way to kick off 2018 is to invest in your skin. Treat yourself to more masks in 2018. "Take care of that skin!" Ta says.
Pop of Color
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Brights are going to be big in 2018. "Color is back instead of all neutral monochromatic, but used in a clean way, not the over-the-top '80s way," says Ta. This is the year to experiment with bright eyeshadow palettes and crazy lips colors you've never thought to try.
Get Your Shine On
Head to the OC and let Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts know lip gloss is back. Ta says lip gloss makes your lips glimmer, "giving your face youthful radiance." Bonus, lip gloss and shimmery effect goes well with the natural, dewy look you're already looking for in 2018. Plus, we'll take any excuse to play Lil Mama's smash hit again.
Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
Visit us at www.citygirlbeautyproject.org


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TD Ameritrade launched Snapstock -- a new update to its mobile app that allows investors to scan any product barcode to find out detailed information about the publicly traded company that produces the product, while they are shopping.
Corporate Insight's Senior Analyst Dan Wiegand said the tool allows consumers to explore investment opportunities with their smartphones during the everyday shopping experience.
“With the Snapstock tool on TD Ameritrade’s iPhone and Android apps, clients can scan a product’s bar code with their phone’s camera and then view a quote for the company or add the company’s symbol to a watch list,” says Wiegand, regarding the announcement. “This tool is an innovative new way to make the mobile channel a driver of investment research and trading,” added Wigand who heads the firms mobile research practice.
According to the company’s release, Snapstock empowers consumers to utilize the information they already know (this is a great product) to consider investment opportunities in the company that produces the product.
"Investors tend to use our mobile trading platforms more for opening transactions than for closing ones," commented Nicole Sherrod, managing director of TD Ameritrade's Trader Group. "Because of this fact, we sought to integrate innovative new features which help support our investors' desire to always be on the lookout for investment opportunities no matter where they are -- the drugstore, the mall, or the market."
Snapstock is embedded in the latest version of TD Ameritrade Mobile, which is available to TD Ameritrade clients through both the Apple app store and Android Market.
To use TD Ameritrade Mobile's Snapstock, clients simply: -- Use their phone's camera to invoke the Snapstock scanning software and with one tap, scan a product UPC Barcode. Snapstock will then return the quote detail for the ticker symbol if the company is publicly traded. -- Either place a trade on the stock or add it to a watch list. Clients can also choose to view news, Level II, Charts or Option Chains for the security.
"Retail investors are the primary consumers of products produced by companies with a high likelihood of capital appreciation," Sherrod continued. "As such, they are at the forefront of the retail marketplace. They are well positioned to be at the leading edge of discovering the next big retail trading opportunity -- potentially more so even than Wall Street. This new product integration helps investors take advantage of that edge."
Ivy is Editor-at-Large for Advanced Trading and Wall Street & Technology. Ivy is responsible for writing in-depth feature articles, daily blogs and news articles with a focus on automated trading in the capital markets. As an industry expert, Ivy has reported on a myriad ... View Full Bio


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Wed, Jul. 22, 6:42 AM
- Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) reports sales rose 25% if the impact of the currency swings is backed out in Q2.
- North American business saw a sales increase of 1.0% to $2.7B after excluding the currency impact.
- Europe, Middle East and Africa business sales grew 79% to $1.3B (+127% excluding the currency impact).
- Whirlpool Latin America revenue fell 18.2% to $0.9B.
- Whirlpool Asia revenue +81% to $381M.
- Gross margin rate increased 57 bps to 17.38%.
- Operating profit margin decreased 30 bps to 6.8%.
- FY2015 Guidance: Diluted EPS: $9.50 to $10.50; Adjusted EPS: $12.00 to $13.00; Free cash flow: ~$700M; Capital expenditure: ~$750M to $800M.
- Unit shipment growth in FY2015: North America: ~4%; EMEA: Flat to +2%; Latin America: ~-15%; Asia: Flat.
Tue, Apr. 28, 9:12 AM
Tue, Apr. 28, 7:20 AM
- Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) reports its North American business saw a sales increase of 2.0% to $2.3B after excluding the currency impact.
- Sales were up 85.71% to $1.3B for the Europe, Middle East and Africa business.
- Whirlpool Latin America revenue fell 25% to $0.9B.
- Whirlpool Asia revenue +127.71% to $378M.
- Gross margin rate increased 30 bps to 17.60%.
- Operating profit margin decreased 36 bps to 6.56%.
- FY2015 Guidance: Diluted EPS: $9.00 to $10.00; Adjusted EPS: $12.00 to $13.00; Free cash flow: ~$700M; Capital expenditure: ~$750M to $800M.
- Unit shipment growth in FY2015: North America: ~4%; EMEA: Flat to +2%; Latin America: -10% to -12%; Asia: +1% to +3%.
- WHR -3.96% premarket.
- Q1 results
Wed, Apr. 8, 11:00 AM
- Shares of Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) are down 1.8% after rival Electrolux (OTC:ELUXF, OTCPK:ELUXY) warns on results in North America.
- The Swedish appliance seller expects to post a loss in Q1 due in part to costs tied to energy regulations.
- "Electrolux operations continue to be negatively impacted by the transition of the product ranges within refrigeration and freezers," reads the company's statement.
- Electrolux will release full Q1 results on April 24.
- Shares of Electrolux ADRs have fallen 7.7%.
- Electrolux update on North American operations
Wed, Feb. 4, 6:46 AM
- Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) reports its North American business saw a sales increase of 4.0% to $2.8B in Q4.
- Sales were up 112.50% to $1.7B for the Europe, Middle East and Africa business.
- Whirlpool Latin America revenue fell 7.14% to $1.3B, up 1.0% ex-currency and tax credit adjustments.
- Whirlpool Asia revenue +59.32% to $282M.
- Operating profit increased 20 bps to 7.60%.
- FY2015 Guidance: Diluted EPS: $10.75 to $11.75; Adjusted EPS: $14.00 to $15.00; Free cash flow: $700M to $800M; Capital expenditure: $800M to $850M.
- Unit shipment growth in FY2015: North America: ~4% to 6%; EMEA: Flat to +2%; Latin America: flat to -3%; Asia: +1% to +3%.
- WHR +1.96% premarket.
Jul. 23, 2014, 11:39 AM
- Anyone buying the knee-jerk 6% dive in Whirlpool (WHR +0.2%) following a big earnings miss and guidance cut is smiling as the stock turns green amid optimistic comments from management on the conference call, with CEO Jeff Fettig saying industry demand levels are set to accelerate in H2.
- Previously: Whirlpool tumbles after big miss and reduced guidance
Jul. 23, 2014, 8:18 AM
- Citing the costs associated with pending acquisitions in China and Europe, Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) cuts full-year EPS guidance to $10.30-$10.80 from $11.05-$11.55.
- As for Q2 results, North America sales of $2.7B rose about 4%, excluding currency impacts, with operating margin of 10.6%, up from 10.1%.
- Europe, Middle East, and Africa ales of $746M rose about 3% ex-currency.
- Latin America sales of $1.1B declined about 4% ex-currency.
- Asia sales of $211M fell about 9% ex-currency.
- Shares -5.7% premarket
- Previously: Whirlpool misses by $0.29, misses on revenue
Nov. 14, 2013, 12:48 PM
- Whirlpool (WHR +4.2%) is one of the biggest gainers in the S&P 500 as Janet Yellen's testimony in front of the Senate Banking Committee includes encouraging signs the company might continue to benefit from lower mortgage rates.
- Shares of Whirlpool are up 48% YTD and are threatening to etch out a new all-time high.
Oct. 14, 2013, 10:34 AM
- Whirlpool (WHR -6.5%) shares are down sharply on heavy volume after Cleveland Research issues a note that appliance demand has softened in Sept. (shipments are seen up 5%-7% YoY vs. Aug.'s 15%).
- Cleveland, which has a neutral rating on WHR, thinks Whirlpool will still hit Q3 EPS numbers despite weakening trends.
Oct. 14, 2013, 10:00 AM| Oct. 14, 2013, 10:00 AM | 3 Comments
Sep. 18, 2013, 9:40 AM
Aug. 28, 2013, 3:29 AM
- The rupee's collapse shows no sign of abating, with India's currency hitting yet another record low of 68.71 to the dollar. The USD-INR is now +2.9% at 68.225, while shares are down again, dropping 1.1%.
- "It is just impossible to put any realistic value to the rupee any more," says forex dealer Uday Bhatt.
- Foreign investors are fleeing the country, selling almost $1B of shares in the eight session through yesterday, although net purchases for 2013 are $12B. Bond outflows this year are $4.5B.
- Complicating matters for India is that the prices of gold and oil, its biggest imports, are surging this week due to the tension with Syria.
- The rupee's slide comes despite the government taking measures to try to stem the tide. The latest proposal is to create swap agreements with other countries to reduce demand for foreign currencies.
- The collapse in the rupee is causing havoc with companies such as Whirlpool of India (WHR), as the trend is boosting import costs at the same time that consumer spending is falling.
- ETFs - Stocks: INDY, EPI, PIN, INP, INDA, INXX, SCIF, SCIN, INDL, SMIN. Currency: ICN, INR
Jul. 19, 2013, 7:07 AMMore on Whirlpool (WHR) Q2 earnings: FY2013 EPS guidance is upped $0.25 to $10.05-$10.55. Free cash flow generation is raised $50M to $650M-$700M. "Given the strong underlying trends in our business, we recently resumed our share repurchase program ... Sales increased in every region of the world as we continued to expand margins." Shares +3.9% premarket. (PR) | Jul. 19, 2013, 7:07 AM | Comment!
Jun. 21, 2013, 12:25 PMShares of Whirlpool (WHR -5.1%) and Select Comfort (SCSS -2.9%) trade weak on what some analysts are calling a delayed reaction to weakness in the homebuilding sector. The pair are also acting as a bit of a drag for the Homebuilders ETF (XHB -2.8%) of which they are a holding. | Jun. 21, 2013, 12:25 PM | Comment!
Apr. 24, 2013, 9:46 AM
Jan. 31, 2013, 12:00 PMWhirlpool (WHR +2.9%) CEO Jeff Fettig thinks the company's demand in the U.S. will grow by 2% to 3% this year as the housing market keep up forward momentum. The appliance seller expects slightly better results in Latin America and Asia, forecasting 3% and 5% growth, respectively. (earnings) | Jan. 31, 2013, 12:00 PM | Comment!
WHR vs. ETF Alternatives
Whirlpool Corp is a manufacturer and marketer of home appliances. It produces and sells washers, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, freezers, microwave ovens, ranges, air purifiers, and other typical household appliances.
Other News & PR


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RISE sits at the nexus of the tech world. It’s where East meets West, where young tech startups meet established players, and where bright, curious minds from all over the world come to collaborate on the future of technology.
If your company is looking to build relationships in the tech industry, generate new
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RISE, Web Summit’s Asia-Pacific technology event, set to connect the East to the West, gathering Century-old brands alongside the fastest-growing tech giants
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Startups have been disrupting traditional industries for years by providing innovative solutions that challenge the status quo. They combine cutting-edge technology with new business models, challenging established companies and changing the way we live, work and play. Startups have been responsible for revolutionizing the way we shop, bank, travel, and communicate, among other things. This article will discuss how startups disrupt traditional industries with innovative solutions.
One of the key ways startups disrupt traditional industries is by introducing new technologies or processes that challenge established ways of doing things. For example, Airbnb disrupted the hotel industry by creating a platform for homeowners to rent out their spare rooms to travelers, bypassing traditional hotel chains. Similarly, Uber and Lyft disrupted the taxi industry by creating a platform for ride-sharing, enabling users to hail rides from their smartphone instead of using a traditional taxi service.
Another way startups disrupt traditional industries is by challenging established business models. For example, Dollar Shave Club disrupted the razor industry by offering a subscription-based model for its razors and shaving supplies, bypassing traditional retailers. The company was later acquired by Unilever for $1 billion, demonstrating how successful disruptive startups can be.
Startups also disrupt traditional industries by identifying unmet needs or gaps in the market and developing new products or services to address them. For example, 23andMe disrupted the healthcare industry by offering genetic testing services directly to consumers, enabling individuals to learn more about their ancestry and genetic predispositions to certain diseases.
Finally, startups can disrupt traditional industries by offering more affordable solutions to consumers. For example, Warby Parker disrupted the eyewear industry by offering high-quality glasses at a fraction of the price of traditional eyewear retailers.
In conclusion, startups are disrupting traditional industries with innovative solutions by introducing new technologies, challenging established business models, addressing unmet needs, and providing more affordable solutions to consumers. By doing so, they are changing the way we live, work and play, and paving the way for a more innovative and dynamic economy. As startups continue to disrupt traditional industries, it will be interesting to see what other creative solutions they come up with in the future.


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The company Square Enix and the studio Crystal Dynamics are in no hurry to give up on action-adventure the Marvel’s Avengers, which suffer from a lack of audience since the release in autumn 2020. It became known that the developers turned to Brian Wagoner, a respected specialist among the fans of the now-closed Marvel Heroes project, for help. He joined the Avengers team as a systems designer, which he shared on his Twitter page.
“I am thrilled to join this team and help them create new systems and features for Marvel’s Avengers,” he wrote.
The Marvel Heroes game mentioned above was developed and developed by Gazillion, which was shut down about four years ago due to Disney’s decision. According to Waggoner, he was hesitant to get involved with the Marvel license again after the incident, but the burning eyes of the Crystal Dynamics staff convinced him.
“I just could not refuse! Especially to join the studio, I was convinced by the approach of the management. They asked me to speak honestly about the game and its problems, which I did, and my advice was carefully listened to,” – said the designer of Marvel Heroes.
In mid-March , Operation Future Imperfect launched in Marvel’s Avengers , along with which the character Clint Barton appeared in the game with a new story campaign. At the same time, the project received improvements for the Xbox Series X | S and PlayStation 5 consoles .
It was supposed that the update would again increase interest in the action movie, but the attempt to recapture the departed audience was unsuccessful.


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For a brand we don’t think about very often, Fred Perry sure does have some high profile collaborations.
Amy Winehouse‘s line for the brand was subject to renewed interest after her untimely death, and apparently Raf Simons has done work with Fred Perry as well. Simons designed seven collections for the sportswear label in a partnership that ended last spring.
At the end of April — mere weeks after it was announced that Simons would be joining Dior — Perry announced the relaunch of its collab with the designer. The 28-piece spring 2013 collection will debut at Paris men’s fashion week later this month. As per the company’s website, Raf is pumped:
“We are very excited to re-launch the collaboration with Fred Perry. We have great appreciation for the heritage of the brand as well as their dynamism in guiding the brand towards the future. Their openness to create synergies between both our brands will bring interesting, creative results.”
We’re curious about the timing of all this. Did Simons decide to give it another go after he left Jil Sander, but before he knew he was headed to Dior? (Or did he know he was going to Dior at the time of his departure?) At Dior, he’ll be responsible for two more collections than he was at Jil Sander (couture!!!), and this project puts even more on his already full plate. Perhaps he feels renewed creatively, or perhaps he just wants the money. Speculation! So much of it!
Look, a piece from the collection!


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BJ's Restaurants VP Sells $43,919 in Stock (BJRI)
BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) VP Wayne L. Jones sold 1,187 shares of the company’s stock on the open market in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total value of $43,919.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,889 shares in the company, valued at approximately $217,893. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link.
Shares of BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) traded up 2.13% during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $36.90. 210,710 shares of the company’s stock traded hands. BJ's Restaurants has a 52 week low of $25.11 and a 52 week high of $37.10. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $34.3 and its 200-day moving average is $32.06. The company has a market cap of $1.038 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 61.13.
BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $219.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $219.25 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.32 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that BJ's Restaurants will post $0.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
BJRI has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Analysts at Zacks upgraded shares of BJ's Restaurants from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 14th. They now have a $43.00 price target on the stock. Separately, analysts at Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of BJ's Restaurants in a research note on Friday, July 25th. They now have a $43.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $38.00. Finally, analysts at Jefferies Group reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of BJ's Restaurants in a research note on Friday, July 25th. They now have a $28.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $25.00. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $32.13.
BJ’s Restaurants, Inc (NASDAQ:BJRI) owns and operates restaurants.
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Launch of the Pilot Brewery
If you had wandered in to the new Brewery Shop at Fuller’s historic Griffin Brewery last Friday (14 Sept), you would have seen Fuller’s employees and guests alike queuing up in anticipation to try one of the five new beers brewed on the recently installed Pilot Brewery.
The Pilot Brewery
The pilot brewery is an exciting addition for London’s oldest family brewer. It was installed earlier this year, and has an infusion mash tun, a copper/whirlpool with an external wort boiler, four fermentation tanks and two bright beer tanks – all provided by Gravity Systems Ltd.
The new plant produces around 10 barrels (40 firkins) of beer per brew which can then be packaged in bottle (by hand), cask or keg.
Brewing commenced in August and offers its brewers the opportunity to create some more experimental beers in small quantities.
Hayley Marlor, one of Fuller’s Shift Brewers, has been managing the installation and the first brews in the pilot brewery. Hayley said: “This has been a really exciting project to work on. From the moment the guys from Gravity Systems arrived with the first delivery of parts and being involved in the install, to bottling the first brew – Beer One – this has been a fascinating learning curve as a brewer. Fuller’s has been calling out for a pilot brewery for years and with the new shop creating suitable space, we finally have one. I feel so lucky to be able to work on this and I can’t wait to see what my brewing colleagues and I create in this fantastic new plant.”
The first five beers to be brewed and packaged in the plant are:
- Beer One (7.0% ABV)- a strong ale based on the Golden Pride recipe
- Galaxy Pale (4.0%ABV)- a pale ale made with Galaxy hops
- Grapefruit IPA (5.7% ABV)- made with real grapefruit peel and juice
- Thai Stout (4.8% ABV)- made with Thai spices
- New England IPA (5.5% ABV)- which consisted of experimenting with the use of Cryo Hops for the first time
Head Brewer, Georgina Young, said: “This pilot brewery is a fantastic addition to Fuller’s. Prior to this, the smallest batch we could brew was 160 barrels (625 firkins), so we tended always to play safe with flavours. We will be using the new brewery for trial-testing different raw materials such as new malts, hops, herbs, spices and fruits. We can test out new equipment and procedures before scaling up and we can attempt beer styles that have never been brewed here at Chiswick before. It will also play a role in training future brewers.”Fuller’s has been calling out for a pilot brewery for years and with the new shop creating suitable space, we finally have one.
Where Is It?
Located at the back of the shop, behind glass windows, it’s an added spectacle to the Fuller’s Visitors’ Experience, which is attended to by thousands of guests every year. The Visitors’ Experience, which includes the Brewery Tours and Shop, has had a recent re-brand and now carries the tag line ‘Experience the Works’. It champions all things Fuller’s – beer, brewing, and pubs.


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Blog: First festive retail figures
Leonie Barrie | 7 January 2013
With the festivities out of the way, not surprisingly attention is now focusing on the first figures coming through for retailers during the holiday season.
Over in the US, there was a mixed bag of December sales results. Many firms were forced to discount heavily to drive sales in the weekend prior to Christmas, in the hope of making up for weaker demand earlier in the month. But it would seem that last-minute shopping, coupled with post-Christmas bargain hunting, helped propel sales at the end of the month.
Another headwind looming over US consumer spending has also been averted. An agreement hammered out at the eleventh hour managed to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff", a combination of tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts that had been due to come into effect from the beginning of January.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Christmas trading was "not exceptional" for UK retailers, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with sales seen holding up with last year but driven by discounts. Looking ahead, 2013 is likely to be another tough year for retailers as austerity measures and uncertainty hit consumer confidence.
A stark reminder of the challenges comes in figures showing that the number of UK retailers collapsing into administration jumped 6% in 2012, including Peacocks, La Senza and JJB Sports. This could rise even further in the year ahead, according to business advisory firm Deloitte.
But some firms are making the most of opportunities to build their businesses. US clothing retailer Gap Inc has bought New York-based multi-brand women's wear retailer Intermix in a US$130m deal - its first acquisition since 2008.
And South Korean baby and children's wear retailer Suhyang Networks has been acquired by privately held Fung Retailing. The Hong Kong based firm says the acquisition is in line with plans to expand its portfolio of baby and children brands. It also intends to introduce international and European brands into Korea.
Retail shares have been among the biggest fallers in the last two weeks as financial markets react to President Vladimir Putin's retaliation to the imposition of sanctions on Russia....
With the spotlight already shining brightly on African textile and apparel production and its future potential, it is perhaps not surprising that there's also an increasing focus on African fashion as...
Half-way through the year and US apparel import data is taking shape to give a broader view of the sourcing patterns so far....
If evidence were needed as to how China's competitiveness is holding up, look no further than the latest US apparel import data....
- Impact of the TPP on the US textile industry?
- Cambodia's future outsourcing prospects uncertain
- Hazardous chemical removal a key industry issue
- Crystal Group nurtures its caring culture
- JC Penney emphasises new merchandising strategy
- Vietnam proposes 15% rise to regional minimum wage
- Hong Kong's Li & Fung reports "solid" H1
- Cambodia garment workers “dying on the job”
- Avery Dennison forms JV with Ningbo Shenzhou
- Accord and Alliance discord over inspections
- Global Database of the Top 1000 Apparel Producers - Company Names, Financial Performance, Key Executives, and Contact Details
- Global market review of denim and jeanswear – forecasts to 2020
- Textile Wholesaling in the UK - Industry Market Research Report
- Survey of the European Fabric Fairs: Spring/Summer 2015
- Prospects for the Textile and Clothing Industry in Turkey


text: 1sockchuck writes: After you’ve built one of the most efficient data centers on earth, how do you make it even better? One refinement at a time, as Microsoft has found in its data center in Dublin, the primary hub that powers the company’s online services throughout Europe. Since 2009, the company has boosted server density while improving its PUE (a key measure of energy efficiency) in Dublin. It's found that it can rely entirely on fresh air to cool its servers, and has disconnected mechanical cooling systems held in reserve for hot weather. The refinements get as esoteric as switching from black cabinets to white ones, which reflect light better and can reduce the amount of overhead lighting required in the $500 million data center.


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- Sandy Carter discusses the importance of web3 in reshaping the internet.
- She also explains the role of web3 domains in onboarding users to the next iteration of the web.
- And the role of decentralised IDs in enforcing user privacy laws on the web.
The non-fungible token (NFT) market has taken a significant hit since the crypto winter began last year. However, this has not prevented utility-focused projects from sealing multi-year partnerships as they continue to expand their ecosystems.
NFT domains can be used across a variety of sectors, including web3 gaming, decentralised applications, and metaverse platforms. The NFT industry has evolved from a market dominated by PFP JPEGs and NFT art to one of the most vital technologies for the mass adoption of web3.
Now the technology is widely used to onboard company employees and customers onto web3 through loyalty programs, it is also being used in the ticketing and events industries.
NFTs initially emerged as a blockchain-based technology that helps to uniquely identify digital items like art, music tracks, video clips and JPEGs.
But since the emergence of Unstoppable Domains, NFTs are now actively being used to identify on web3 platforms, giving users the power to choose and share the information they wish through NFT domains.
For this reason, they are seen as a potential solution to the long-running battle between antitrust regulators and big tech companies like Meta (formerly Facebook), Amazon, and Microsoft, all of which have faced lawsuits related to user privacy violations.
To explore more about web3 domains, we got in touch with Sandy Carter, the COO and Head of Business Development at Unstoppable Domains.
The web3 domain service provider last July reached unicorn status after completing a $65 million funding round led by Pantera Capital, just four years after its inception in 2018.
Please tell us about your journey in web3 and your role at Unstoppable Domains.
I’ve spent my entire career working on emerging technologies like AI and AR/VR, most recently as a VP at AWS. I was recruited to Unstoppable by our CEO and Co-Founder, Matt Gould. When I was first introduced to Unstoppable, I was drawn into the Web3 sector by its potential to reshape the Internet and put power back in the hands of people. I knew I had to be part of this movement! In some sense, this was a “return to the roots” moment since I’ve been helping drive e-commerce as early as Web 1.0 and helped shape social media for Web 2.0.
Today, as the COO and Head of Business Development at Unstoppable, I oversee the company’s day-to-day operations and drive strategic partnerships and growth opportunities. We’re on a mission to provide user-owned identity to every person on the planet, and I’m responsible for driving growth and developing business strategies in pursuit of that mission. This includes driving partnerships and integrations for Web3 and the Metaverse
Is there anything special about Unstoppable Domains compared to other web3 domain companies?
Unstoppable Domains is on a mission to bring user-owned identity to the planet. Our motto is utility over hype, which is why we’ve focused on building integrations with our community’s favourite dapps, games, metaverses and more. We now have 860 integrations, more integrations than any other Web3 domain provider.
Another offering that’s unique is the Unstoppable Profile. Each domain owner gets a profile that allows them to show who they are. You can add blockchain-verified NFTs and credentials, like tickets, awards, and more, and earn badges for your on-chain achievements. You can also build a personalized AI-generated or metaverse avatar and verify your social accounts. It’s a powerful way to showcase your identity on Web3 and connect with others.
We believe Web3 is about owning your assets for life. That’s why we don’t charge renewal fees. Once you buy an Unstoppable domain, it’s yours forever. Other Web3 domain projects charge users up to a few hundred dollars annually to renew their domains. We also mint our domains on Polygon with no gas fees, which helps ensure we can make them accessible to everyone.
Unstoppable Domains offers a range of different TLDs, including .crypto, .nft, .wallet, .x, .dao, .bitcoin, .polygon, .888, .blockchain, and .zil. With branded domains like .polygon, we’ve helped provide the digital identity layer for leading communities. We’re thrilled to be part of expanding this powerful technology to more people.
Given the news that Google bots are struggling to crawl web3 domains, how different are web3 domains from traditional web domains? And do you think we will ever see web3 domains on Google search?
Web3 domains bring a lot more utility than traditional web domains. While you can create a decentralized website with a Web3 domain that’s visible on browsers like Brave and Opera, there’s so much more you can do with a Web3 domain like sending crypto, building a profile, logging in without needing a password and more.
Unlike traditional web domains, decentralized websites are stored on IPFS, or the InterPlanetary File System, which is a method for decentralised storage of information. It enables users to store and retrieve files in a distributed manner, providing a resilient system.
Indexing to Google search will likely take some time, but we believe this is the future of the Internet. Browser developers like Brave are already actively working on web3 domain indexing, and you can already see Web3 domains displayed in Google Chrome with a browser extension, so I am confident it’s only a matter of time before Web3 domains appear in search results.
Which web3 domain use cases seem most attractive to brands and businesses? Any idea why?
There are three top use cases that brands and business love.
First is the concept of a loyalty program. Using token gating, brands can reward their “fans” based on accomplishing tasks showcased by badging on our Unstoppable Profile page. Loyalty programs have been around for a long time, but with Web3, the costs are lower. Web3 also provides more verifiable ways to prove tasks have been done.
The second is around creating community. Powerhouse brands like Polygon have embraced Web3 domains by creating their own digital identity extensions, such as “.polygon.” As a result, we are seeing stronger engagement in the community. Once released, our Messaging offering will level up that engagement.
Finally, we see businesses using Unstoppable domains to ease login and accommodate the demand that users have to own their own identity. Web3 domains can offer a ton of utility to businesses and their communities. Using a decentralized domain name like Unstoppable, which boasts over 860 integrations, users can encrypt their emails, create avatars that can travel with them through multiple metaverses, create personalized websites, and much more. Brands can both establish their own presence on the decentralized Web3 and harness the power of Web3 domains for their communities – there’s so much power to unlock.
Recently we’ve seen Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta asked to pay big fines for user privacy violations. Can Web3 digital identities help overcome this challenge? If yes, how?
Absolutely. Giving people more control over their data is one of the core promises in Web3. Unlike massive corporations that harvest and sell their users’ data, Web3 platforms allow users to decide what data and with whom they want to share it. A simple example of this is with Login with Unstoppable – when you log in to a platform using your Unstoppable domain, you get full visibility into what data will be shared with them, and can opt out of sharing certain data (like email addresses) if you wish.
Given the recent SEC lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase, how is this likely to affect the web3 industry?
It’s difficult to speculate on what might happen. My hope is that we can take this opportunity for meaningful dialogue on these technologies and, hopefully, a route to clear regulation.
Given the recent slowdown in NFT activity (transactions, mints, volume, funding) what needs to happen to take the industry to the next growth phase?
It’s clear this technology is here to stay — a great example is Reddit’s incredible Collectible Avatars campaign, which brought over 3 million non-crypto natives to the web3 almost overnight. Initiatives such as Nike’s .Swoosh and Starbucks’ Odyssey initiatives also demonstrate demand for NFTs and the innovation they can bring. I have no doubt that more brands will join them in the future. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats.
Do you think there is a place for web3 apps in Apple’s VisionPro headset?
Not only is there a place for Web3 dapps, but I also think that Apple’s Vision Pro could accelerate the mass adoption of the whole metaverse space altogether. Today, AR/VR headsets are still a novelty even in traditional gaming; however, a mass-market product launched by a giant like Apple could attract millions of new users to the space, ultimately catalyzing the adoption of metaverses and other web3 concepts in the future.
Anything else related to recent web3 events you want to add?
The next phase of adoption in Web3 is going to be about building user-friendly, intuitive programs and processes. There is so much opportunity for brands to connect more deeply with their communities through Web3, but mass adoption will be about hiding the complexity – that means avoiding unnecessary jargon, incorporating great design, and bringing real value to your communities.
I also think it’s important we don’t lose sight of inclusivity in Web3 and the metaverse. By bringing more diverse voices into the fold, I believe we can build a more innovative Web3. That’s why I founded Unstoppable Women of Web3, a member organization that’s focused on building a more inclusive decentralized future through global educational initiatives, networking events, and more.
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After tweeting “… trade wars are good, and easy to win” about a year and a half ago in reference to our nation’s growing trade tensions with China at that point, President Donald Trump was right about one thing. This trade war is clearly not as easy to “win” as he first claimed in March 2018, but, it is without a doubt the right course of action to take for all Americans.
While Trump’s actions, which include imposing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods manufactured in China, may appear to many as provocative and dangerous, they are actually greatly warranted, as is evident from the bipartisan support his measures have received. For decades, China has engaged in significantly unfair trade practices against the United States, with our government doing little about it.
As the current administration has correctly stated, China, the world’s largest exporter, has routinely been found to illegally and aggressively sell its products, manipulate its currency and steal America’s intellectual property, which are all part of a calculated effort to unethically elevate its economy above that of the U.S. As a result, everyday Americans playing by the rules have found themselves confined and limited by China’s previously unchallenged actions.
In a 2018 White House fact sheet, it was reported that China has endangered millions of American jobs through a number of unfair tactics, including forced technology transfer, “outright cyber theft” and the imposition of tariffs on American goods that, on average, are triple (although sometimes 10 times greater) what the United States has imposed on Chinese goods. Furthermore, China has been found to regularly promote the dumping of its goods, conditions of over-capacity and the usage of industrial subsidies that “make it impossible for many United States firms to compete on a level playing field,” according to the fact sheet. Moreover, China accounts for 87 percent of the counterfeit goods that are confiscated upon reaching our borders. Finally, a number of plans the nation has developed — including the Made in China 2025 initiative — pose a direct economic threat to our nation and other law-abiding countries.
Consider, as is detailed in a recent CNBC article, ordinary citizens trying to make a living as China moves to exploit them. With several different companies mentioned, it becomes strikingly clear that, despite the harm stemming from tariffs, Trump is answering a long call from many to attempt to put China in its place. “(I)t’s not a free market,” Neil Muyskens, CEO of the suffering Unicomp company, a small business that manufactures keyboards in Kentucky, said. “We are at a significant cost disadvantage and always have been.”
Many in this nation who are concerned about the impact of this trade war point to the decline of the stock market and the hardships felt by American consumers and businesses as evidence that our president is inadvertently harming this nation and throwing the worldwide economic landscape off balance. But while there are risks and rewards with any decision, the truth is confronting Beijing benefits the United States.
Already, since the White House first began tackling China’s unfair trade advantage, we have seen progress. While the road to a deal has been bumpy at times, with work still necessary, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held negotiations in order to arrive at a solution that both sides can agree to. Most of all, by taking a stand against Beijing’s harmful practices, China is less likely to engage in these types of aggressive habits in the future as long as we keep applying this level of pressure on their government.
Undoubtedly, Trump has encountered roadblocks. It is clear that such a great economic power like China, especially considering its behavior in the past, presents a unique challenge for the president and the U.S. And while many have been pessimistic about these efforts, our government doesn’t have much of an alternative choice. Ultimately, the United States can either continue to persevere as one of the world’s leading powers and triumph over these unethical conditions, or we can blink and allow China to further wreak havoc on our economy.
As one considers the state of the current situation, it is fully clear that we have no choice but to continue this lengthy confrontation and eventually earn the respect we deserve from, not only China, but also from all other nations that trade unfairly with the United States. In the end, we will thank President Trump for ending years of direct, blatant assault on our economy and elevating the needs of hard-working Americans above all else.
Evan Stern can be reached at email@example.com.


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Psyonix has announced that it has partnered with car manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini, and one of the first bits of content that will be added to Rocket League is the Lamborghini Huracán STO. The car will be available tomorrow, April 21st, and it will be part of a bundle. The bundle will include the Huracán STO, Huracán STO Engine Audio, two sets of Huracán STO Wheels (v1 and v2), Huracán STO Decal, Huracán STO Player Banner and Antenna, and Lamborghini Antenna. The bundle will have 2000 Credit introductory price until April 27th.
In addition, Automobili Lamborghini will be the official partner for the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) X Lamborghini Open as well as new event called Battle of the Bulls. The Battle of the Bulls will be a tournament featuring Rocket League’s top players. There will be five 1v1 matches with winners being awarded $5,000 while losers will get $1,000. The matches will be broadcast on Twitch between April 23rd and April 25th.
Last month, Psyonix announced a brand new Rocket League game called Sideswipe which will be released on mobile devices. Crafted with mobile gamers in mind, each Rocket League Sideswipe match is capped at two minutes and only allow for 1v1 or 2v2 set ups. As you can see from the alpha gameplay footage, the arena is much smaller to accommodate for the Sideswipe’s tighter focus. Earlier this month, update 1.94 was released which saw the release of Season 3.
Source: Press Release


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Brands need to invest heavily in their people and partnerships to prepare for the end of third-party cookies, says Optus’ acquisition and customer marketing director Angela Greenwood.
The telco inadvertently began its preparation for a cookie-less future four years ago when it started to partner with people across its organisation to make better use of its customer data and onboarded its CDP.
However, at the time Greenwood says the telco was simply looking at things such as how it could serve existing customers more relevant creative or suppress them from acquisition buys where relevant.
Its goals then evolved to look at how it could optimise more to return on ad spend, or how it could look at the characteristics of its most valuable customers and find more of them.
“In a happy coincidence, what's good for customer experience is also unsurprisingly good for setting yourselves up for success in a cookie-less future,” Greenwood says.
“And we are lucky to now be far enough along our maturity curve to be able to build out really granular audiences in our CDP.”
Optus has collaborated with Google in an Australian-first initiative to build its own predictive modelling using cloud and machine learning technology to create its own genetically engineered ‘baby audiences’.
The first model, which is now automated to rerun the data every morning, predicts whether a web user is going to convert on a post-paid mobile product within the next 14 days, looking at 700 features to see which are the greatest predictors.
Optus can then take the audiences into the Google marketing platform and find new customers.
However, Greenwood warns that the best data and the best targeting in the world won’t compensate for “crap creative”.
“Marketers have gotten a little lazy,” she says. “We've relied too much on the precision of media buying to do the heavy lifting for us and we haven't done enough to actually focus on thumb-stopping creative that is really going to get attention.
“This is where creative test-and-learn becomes absolutely critical … And something else we really need to be much more focused on as marketers in this [cookie-less] future is how we really optimise our creative to the right digital channel.”
For skippable videos, Optus breaks its creative storyboard into quarters and measures how many people make it through to each quadrant. The telco found that moving branding to the beginning of the spot, as opposed to leaving it at the end like in a traditional TVC, increases audience exposure from 41% to 94%.
“So, stop letting your creative agencies be lazy and put TVCs into YouTube,” she says.
Greenwood adds that using a split screen approach to create a vertical video in Facebook led to a 29% uplift in 3” view rate and a 107% uplift in conversion rate.
Exposure to skippable videos
Split screen vs full screen video on Facebook
In another example of the importance of finding the right context for a campain, Greenwood said Optus partnered with publisher Mamamia to increase brand salience for its first family mobile plan over a year ago.
Using podcast integrations, editorial formats, and digital storytelling, the campaign increased brand consideration for Optus within the Mamamia audience by 13% and purchase intent by 18%.
“Contextual is obviously queen in this future but as marketers that really sits on our shoulders to be disciplined enough to continually brief our creative and media agencies together and expect a united response,” she says.
“Again, something that we don't always hold ourselves to but when you do, it's really impactful.”
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