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The Smiley Company Illuminates Cities for International Day of Happiness

YourUpdateTV

Timed to International Day of Happiness, The Smiley Company unveiled large-scale projections around the world featuring the iconic smiley logo in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The projections are in support of the United Nations International Day of Happiness “2022 Happiness for All, Ukraine”* initiative and serve to call attention to and honor the bravery and resilience of the people of Ukraine. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/AyFO6v2Ihbg The Smiley projections appeared on the streets of major cities around the world including London, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Sydney. As part of this announcement, Smiley also donated to various humanitarian organizations supporting Ukraine and has been using its platform, The Smiley Movement, to further raise awareness and share resources for ways to donate to the Ukraine effort. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, International Day of Happiness aims to remind people around the world that actions matter and each person can help build a more compassionate world, wherever they are. Since its inception 50 years ago, Smiley’s mission is to spread good news to demonstrate the immense power in a smile through the spread of positivity, good news and optimism around the world. For more information on how to support Ukraine, visit https://smileymovement.org/ for a list of charities, ways to donate and resources taking positive action. * This initiative is in support of the United Nations official International Day of Happiness campaign and The Smiley Company is not officially affiliated with the UN or their initiatives surrounding International Day of Happiness. About The Smiley Company: For the past 50 years, Smiley has embraced positivity, creativity, and collaboration, inspiring forward-facing optimism around the world. Born as a symbol for good news in the newspaper France Soir in 1972, Smiley is now a universally recognised TOP 100 global licensing company registered in over 100 countries. Working with brand partners and leading retailers, Smiley spreads positivity through fashion, accessories, beauty, homewares, food packaging, stationery, and entertainment products. A lifestyle brand that encourages everyone to express more empathy, compassion, and gratitude, Smiley is determined to build a better future. About The Smiley Movement: Smiley Movement is a nonprofit community interest company sponsored by the original SmileyⓇ brand. Our vision is to inspire positive change in society by creating a happier, more equal and sustainable world, where everyone works hand-in-hand to address urgent societal and environmental problems. In 2017, philanthropist and social entrepreneur Nicolas Loufrani – Smiley’s CEO – identified a gap in the market between the people looking for opportunities to give back and the millions of charitable causes in need of support. Market research at the time showed ‘92% of the UK public want to do good in the world but are unsure how to’ and ‘82% would volunteer more if they were better informed about the charity sector’. Smiley Movement was born in 2018 to address this need by providing the technology and ecosystems that empower communities around the world to act on issues important to them. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 31, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Green Cubes Technology Announces Membership in CircuBAT Research Program

Green Cubes Technology

Green Cubes Technology, a leader in electrification and Lithium power solutions, today announced its participation as a founding member in CircuBAT. CircuBAT is a Swiss research program that aims to create a Swiss circular business model for the production, application, and recycling of Lithium-ion batteries. Seven Swiss research institutions and 24 companies are joining forces to look for ways to boost sustainability in all stages of a battery’s life cycle. CircuBAT will focus on finding solutions that boost sustainability in all phases of a Lithium-ion battery’s life cycle. This will include extending the lifespan of batteries during their first application. Researchers hope to achieve this by developing optimal charging and discharging strategies as well as new concepts for battery construction that make repairs easy. The project also aims to put batteries to use as stationary energy storage systems after they are retired from their first mobility-related application. To that end, CircuBAT will look at the best ways of integrating these batteries at a local level and ensuring their safe and efficient operation. Finally, the researchers will look for solutions for remanufacturing batteries and recovering materials that enable large quantities of high-quality secondary raw materials to be used to produce new batteries. Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH is the Leading House in the CircuBAT project. On the science side, an additional six Swiss research institutions are involved in the project: Empa, the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), the University of St. Gallen (HSG), the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST), the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel / Bienne (SIPBB) and the EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). These institutions are joined by 24 companies from economy and industry, among them Kyburz, Leclanché, Bühler and Green Cubes Technology. As a founding member of CircuBAT, Green Cubes Technology has made a multi-year financial investment in the program. The company will also contribute first-use lithium-ion batteries for experimentation and testing within the program, provide engineering design services to develop new more-efficient batteries, and contribute intellectual property to achieve the objectives of CircuBAT. Green Cubes Technology will participate in two working groups. The “First Use” group will focus on extending the life of first-use batteries through extensive analysis of deployed batteries in the field. Green Cubes Technology will contribute performance data collected from its prolific installed base of Lithium-ion batteries. The “Second Life” group will focus on creating second-use and second-life opportunities to minimize the total CO 2 footprint of lithium-ion battery systems during their lifetime. Since its inception 30 years ago, Green Cubes Technology has gained considerable experience minimizing the environmental impact of its deployed batteries. This positive impact will be amplified with a system of second life batteries, where the installed base of first use batteries is redeployed when they reach a certain age limit. The Lithium-ion cells used in Green Cubes Technology’s batteries are non-toxic, and are currently recycled and reprocessed at their end of life. Going forward, these cells can be repurposed into less demanding second life applications such as backup energy storage. “We joined the CircuBAT research program because its mission is very well aligned with ours,” said Keith Washington, CEO of Green Cubes Technology. “We all want the same thing and that is a circular economy for Lithium-ion batteries. We are looking forward to sharing our experience, and giving electric mobility batteries a second life with our Swiss partners in the CircuBAT research program, as they strive to make the Swiss economy as sustainable as possible” More information on the research program can be found on its website: https://circubat.ch. About Green Cubes Technology Green Cubes Technology develops and manufactures safe and reliable electrification solutions that enable its OEM and enterprise customers to transition from Lead Acid and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) power to Lithium-ion battery power. Green Cubes utilizes proven hardware and software platforms to build the most reliable Lithium power solutions in its industries. With over 300 employees across six countries, Green Cubes has been producing innovative, high-performance and high-quality power solutions since 1986. More information can be found at https://greencubestech.com. Contact Details Ray Young (General Media, Investor Relations) +1 916-505-4245 ray@razorsharppr.com Hayley Luz (Trade Media) +1 425-918-2742 hluz@greencubestech.com Company Website https://greencubestech.com/

March 31, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

INTRODUCING: STYLEST™

STYLEST

STYLEST—a new solutions-based fashion brand—is pleased to announce the launch of their debut wardrobe system: a Swim System™ for Summer 2022. STYLEST’s mission is to design fashion ‘systems’ that offer wardrobe solutions to help women achieve their best personal style as their bodies and lifestyles evolve. With their innovative 3-step Stylest Swim System™, STYLEST also introduces Aqualingerie™, a first-to-market, new fashion category intersecting three major apparel industries: shapewear, swimwear, and lingerie. “Swimwear wasn’t working for us, so we decided to change it. Aqualingerie is a brand new idea in fashion and will give women the freedom to wear the swimsuits they want. Everything we create at STYLEST is a solution, whether it’s support, a fit or fabric innovation, or a multi-tasking outfit maker, we design wardrobe systems that evolve with your life without sacrificing your style.” - Co-Founder, Joyann King Michael (Former Executive Editor of Harper’s BAZAAR and editor at InStyle and Glamour ) Style, systems, and solutions intersect at STYLEST, bringing a fashion-conscious approach and ease to wardrobing. It’s an edited approach to getting dressed created by three trusted authorities in the fashion industry: Joyann King Michael, Alia Yahia-Bosworth (Former Chief Style & Marketing Director at LOFT & ELLE Editor), and Chrissy McCurdy (Former Buyer at Ralph Lauren, Saks 5th Avenue & Komar). The idea for the brand began at a pool party, where Chrissy shared her secret for feeling her best poolside: wearing a bra with her swimsuit. The founders couldn’t believe a bra for the water didn’t exist. Necessity being the mother of invention, Aqualingerie™ was born. Aqualingerie takes the sculpting of shapewear and the function of lingerie to create an innovative, foundational layer to wear under your swimsuit (or even on its own). A behind-the-scenes boost, it is lightweight, fast-drying, and super-sculpting ‘lingerie’ engineered to wear in the water under your swimsuit. Hero pieces include the 6-Way Convertible Swim Bra that goes with all of fashion’s best-selling one-pieces, the High Rise Smoothing Swim Panty with tummy control and waist-cinching capabilities, and the Fully-Boosted Sculpting Bodysuit for the all-in-one solution. “After having my son, I put a bra on to give myself some confidence in swimsuits, and it was my hidden secret. I wasn't going to the grocery store without a bra on, so why wouldn't I be wearing one by the pool? STYLEST’s swim bras are engineered specifically for water and designed to go under swimsuits. Our construction has muscle support that helps lift and shape the bust so you can run after your kids and still look great.” - Co-Founder, Chrissy McCurdy Enter STYLEST Swim System Step 2—SculptSwim™. The brand’s collection of high-fashion, high-compression swimsuits made in STYLEST’s exclusive fabric, BOOST™. Ultra-flattering in all the right places and designed to be worn over Aqualingerie, the collection features the brand’s seasonal style edit of colors, prints, and silhouettes. Highlights include the Sculpting Puff Sleeve One Piece and the Sculpting One-Shoulder Tie One Piece. “Women dread shopping for swimsuits. At STYLEST, we want to change that. As a new mom, my life has evolved, and I rely on systems more than ever. I’ve been styling real women my entire career, and the key is a plan, not pieces. Our swim system takes all the guesswork out of looking great by the pool or beach.” - Co-Founder Alia Yahia-Bosworth Step 3 is the styled pieces that make it ‘a total look’. From a fashionable, SPF-friendly Swim Cardigan to their exclusive water-proof Easy Tie Swim Sarong, these pieces complete the total look but are designed with real life in mind. For launch, STYLEST is reinventing the fitting room experience with a seven-day free trial program powered by TryNow software, allowing our customers to try on our collection risk-free and in the comfort of their own home, not in the abrasive lighting and cramped space of a dressing room. STYLEST’s body-boosting swim system is only the beginning as the brand aims to change the total fashion experience for women as their bodies and lifestyles evolve. SYSTEMS. SOLUTIONS. STYLED EVERY TIME. Prices for the STYLEST Summer 2022 Collection range from $38-$228 Sizes range from XS-2XL, Bras 34B-42G For more information on STYLEST, please visit STYLEST.com. Contact Details STYLEST Amber Cardullo acardullo@ogakidigital.com

March 31, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LashLuxury is Introducing the First Ever "Clean Beauty" Eyelash Serum to the North American Cosmetics Market

LashLuxury

LashLuxury, a Canadian cosmetic start-up based in Toronto, is bringing their “clean beauty” eyelash serum to the rescue of your eyelashes. LashLuxury was created to help women combat thinning and sparse eyelashes which can be caused by a number of different issues. After extensive research the founders realized that most of the existing lash serums on the market used relatively harsh ingredients with many reported side effects. This led to the development and launch of the LashLuxury Daily Eyelash Serum which uses only “clean beauty” approved ingredients. “We wanted to create the first eyelash serum that not only enhances and supports the eyelash growth cycle but is also non-irritating and avoids all known harmful ingredients,” said Adam Burns, LashLuxury co-founder. “Canada has comprehensive cosmetic rules which prevent the use of prostaglandin analogs, often found in other eyelash serum products, so we needed to find an alternative ingredient. After a ton of research, we discovered that certain peptides are extremely effective at supporting collagen and keratin production which aides in hair and lash strength,” added Burns. In addition to their e-commerce store, LashLuxury publishes helpful articles such as “ The Best Eyelash Growth Products ” and “ Oils For Eyelash Growth ” to help educate consumers on what types of products will work best for their unique situation. About LashLuxury Founded in Toronto, Canada, LashLuxury is a clean beauty cosmetic start-up devoted to helping women combat thin and sparse eyelashes. Their flagship product, the Daily Eyelash Serum, is formulated with gentle yet powerful ingredients that help boost your eyelash growth cycle. You can find all of their products at www.lashluxury.ca and the company ships orders to customers in Canada, USA and UK free of charge. Contact Details LashLuxury Adam Burns +1 647-295-8939 partnerships@lashluxury.ca

March 30, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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AllWell Beauty Announces the Launch of their new Botanical Hydrating Moisturizer

AllWell Beauty

Say goodbye to dryness and dullness and hello to nourished, revitalized, younger-looking skin. AllWell Beauty’s lightweight yet powerful Botanical Hydrating Moisturizer absorbs quickly with weightless, all-day hydration that lasts. Formulated with proprietary, upcycled, antioxidant-rich Acer Rubrum Extract (Red Maple) for a moisturizing, matte ﬁnish, along with other powerful actives including ceramides, antioxidant peptides, hyaluronic acid, vegan collagen and more. The new moisturizer helps replenish the balance of ceramides supporting the skin barrier, improving skin ﬁrmness and hydration, and smoothing the appearance of wrinkles for a youthful look. “We are very excited for the launch of our second product, the Botanical Hydrating Moisturizer to the All Well Beauty lineup”, says Mike Hamilton, Founder and CEO, AllWell Beauty. “With each new launch within the brand, we are expanding what’s possible with our patented Plantrose® technology to improve the incredible benefits of our plant-based ingredients, in this case, our Acer Rubrum extract. Our mission of pushing the boundaries in beauty and creating a brand that is forward-thinking, sustainable and backed by clinical results in the upcycled beauty space has always been our driving force and we are inspired with each new product we introduce.” Key Ingredients: Acer Rubrum Extract The proprietary ingredient is upcycled from red maple trees. This unique dual-action particle in Acer Rubrum extract works to retain moisture and hydrate the skin, while absorbing excess oil for a visibly mattiﬁed complexion, leaving the skin balanced and renewed. The Botanical Hydrating Moisturizer contains materials upcycled from wood, sugar cane bagasse, corn cobs, and rejected, blemished avocados. Ceramides Plant-based lipids strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier, for a hydrated, bouncy ﬁnish. Improves skin elasticity. Peptides This peptide is clinically proven to increase skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of visible dark spots, due to its antioxidant eﬀect. It also protects skin oils from oxidizing when exposed to environmental aggressors, preventing free radical formation for a smooth, even appearance. Vegan Collagen A powerful humectant, this bio-designed collagen hydrates and improves skin elasticity for skin that’s youthful, reducing the appearance of ﬁne lines and wrinkles. Clinically proven to deliver superior skin hydration and improve skin elasticity. Bisabolol A healing, soothing ingredient, that calms the skin due to its anti-inﬂammatory, anti-aging, and anti-microbial properties. Acacia Seed Extract Rich in skin nutrients (peptides and sugars) that harmonize water ﬂow, drawing moisture to the deeper layers of the skin. The organic seeds are sustainably sourced from Burkina Faso and support local women's entrepreneurship and regional reforesting. Upcycled Beauty The Botanical Hydrating Moisturizer contains materials upcycled from wood, sugar cane bagasse, corn cobs, and rejected, blemished avocados. CLINICALLY PROVEN 93% experienced all-day hydration** 91% noticed smoother skin* 71% showed an improvement in the appearance of wrinkles* 76% noticed visibly less shiny skin during the day* * Results based on 34 participants of all skin types using the moisturizer twice daily for four weeks and** 29 participants using the moisturizer twice daily for two weeks. Available in a 50ML / 1.7 FL Oz jar, SRP $54 AllWell Beauty is on a mission to pioneer upcycling technology. Our patented Plantrose® technology provides a cleaner, faster, and more advanced method for transforming plants into powerful active ingredients from sustainably grown and harvested plant materials left over from post-production uses. By using ONLY water, heat, pressure, and time, the brand’s technology is innovative, clean, and green without the use of harsh chemicals. Leaping Bunny • Cruelty Free • Vegan • Made in USA • FSC • Recyclable packaging Contact Details Hannaway Public Relations Jennine Lavyne +1 917-447-1192 jennine@hannawaypr.com Company Website https://www.allwellbeauty.com

March 30, 2022 01:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Velocity Global to double its workforce by empowering employees to work anywhere

Velocity Global

Company offers unique benefits for remote work, currently employs 600+ in 47 countries Company will double its team for second year running Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, today announced that it will more than double in size throughout 2022 to help companies around the world put their people first by letting them work from anywhere. The company currently employs over 600 people in 47 countries across six continents. "We're doubling our team to meet the new reality for our clients and talent — anyone can work anywhere," said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. "We fulfill dreams of a new way to work that puts our people in control of how they live their lives. We do it for our team as an example for our clients of how to attract and nurture the best talent in the world." This year, Velocity Global will add more than 600 team members, following last year’s growth in which the company also doubled in size adding more than 300. Velocity Global proudly offers unique benefits to meet the growing demand for remote work. This includes initiatives that enhance well-being and resilience to reduce work-from-home burnout, workspaces for those who need them, primary and secondary caregiver support, and of course, the opportunity to work from wherever they choose around the globe. “What we are doing at Velocity Global is meeting our people where they are, empowering them to define who they are, and how we as an employer can be a meaningful part of their lives,” said Sarah Fern, chief people officer. “We put our people first in all of our employment practices, whether that is unlimited time off or our signature annual outreach program to travel anywhere in the world to take a coworker or client out for coffee. We work anywhere as a way of living life to the fullest, and deliver that same experience for our clients and talent around the world.” In 2021, the Velocity Global careers page attracted more than 100,000 visits, in addition to talent who found job listings through LinkedIn or other platforms. Of these, a staggering 26,000 people applied for a job, and 300 were employed by Velocity Global. Talent who are ready to be the CEOs of their own careers can visit the company’s careers page. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform™ simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. The platform offers a full suite of talent solutions, including global Employer of Record and Contractor Management, to help companies onboard, manage, and pay talent in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States. Thousands of brands rely on Velocity Global to build international teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a "Leader" in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information, visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global Chris McGrath +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

March 30, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Akeneo Honors PXM Champions at Unlock 2022

Akeneo

Akeneo, the global leader in Product Experience Management (PXM) solutions, announced today the winners of the Akeneo Unlock 2022 PXM Champions Awards. Hailed as one of the industry’s greatest recognitions, the awards honor brands that excel in using PXM best practices to drive accelerated growth, deliver outstanding product experiences, and turn challenges into opportunities as they adapt to the evolving omnichannel environment. The winners were honored at Unlock 2022, Akeneo’s flagship global summit for the Product Information Management (PIM) and PXM community, which was held on March 15th-16th in Paris. Each recipient has demonstrated extraordinary creativity, outstanding skills, and unparalleled commerce expertise in utilizing one or more of Akeneo’s PXM Studio solutions. “Consumers and business buyers demand more from brands and retailers. The new baseline is a consistent product experience across all touchpoints, which is hard enough. The differentiator is showcasing brand values, integrating environmental impact information, or highlighting second-hand collections,” says Kristin Naragon, Akeneo’s VP of Global Marketing and Strategy. “That’s why we’re so thrilled to celebrate this year’s PXM Champions. During a transformative moment for our industry, these brands have stepped up and used product experiences to take their businesses to the next level, while continuing to drive value for their customers.” The five award winners for this year are: Accelerator Award Butlers GmbH & Co.KG, the leading European retailer for home and living products, received the Accelerator Award in recognition of a successful transition from its homegrown legacy PIM solution Akeneo PIM in just six weeks, encompassing four countries, five sales channels, 15,079 products, 351 unique attributes, and just under one million data points. Working in partnership with Brandung, Butlers was able to relaunch a more powerful version of its eCommerce system in just eight weeks after implementing Akeneo PIM. With its new PIM, Butlers is able to maintain three times more data using the same amount of resources, allowing teams to double online conversion rates while reducing duplicate data maintenance and error rates companywide. Expansion Award Babolat, the world’s oldest racquet sports company, received the Expansion Award for its ambitious rollout of a D2C growth strategy after over a century of selling tennis racquets and equipment through a B2B model. Through Akeneo’s centralized product information management platform, Babolat was able to decrease time to market for new products, enabling the company to offer reliable, high-quality product information translated into eight languages from the launch of its showcase site in Europe and Japan. At the same time, the centralized product information allowed teams to streamline product data enrichment to satisfy both a B2B audience of distributors, retailers, coaches, and clubs as well as their new direct-to-customer audience of tennis players. Global Award Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the automotive manufacturer redefining the future of modern luxury vehicles, won the Global Award after a successful migration of more than one million SKUs into Akeneo’s centralized PIM platform allowed JLR teams worldwide to more effectively sell to a global audience. Led by iWin solutions architect Heddwyn Coombs, JLR leveraged Akeneo to increase speed to market for new products and collections across new territories, supporting a worldwide footprint of 39,000 employees across 195 countries, 28 languages, and 32 international websites. The speed and flexibility of Akeneo’s PIM empowered local teams to drive massive growth in 2021, increasing holiday sales for Jaguar by 174% and Land Rover by 218%. Leadership Award Azelis, the leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, took home the Leadership Award for its efforts in driving an industry-leading digital transformation from traditional sales channels to online product experiences. Working closely with Smile, Azelis was able to leverage Akeneo PIM to centralize a product catalog of more than 100,000 base products with unique marketing, regulatory, and operational requirements needed to serve 58 countries while still providing unique product enrichment on a local level. In just three months since implementing Akeneo PIM, Azelis experienced a 50% efficiency gain in processing product creation while simultaneously reducing errors by 50% thanks to Akeneo’s automation, validation rules, and workflows. Experience Award JPW Industries, the leading designer, manufacturer, and value-added distributor of machinery, specialty shop tools, and equipment for rugged applications, took home the Experience Award for facing an extremely diversified group of customers, selling to industrial, consumer, and construction markets across distributor, eCommerce, and field channels. With six unique brands under its umbrella, JPW worked closely with Bounteous to utilize Akeneo’s PIM, helping improve targeted brand experiences across all channels. Through Akeneo’s governance capabilities, JPW has been able to onboard more brands into the organization than expected, helping multiply and accelerate their growth curve and setting the company up for long-term, sustainable growth. Revalize, a worldwide leader in sector-specific revenue operations software for manufacturers, distributors, and specifiers, was awarded the Experience Award for its unique use of Akeneo PIM to reflect the companies’ respective brand values across multiple geographies. Revalize, being in the unique position of being a company that deals in data instead of physical products, sought a solution as flexible as its homegrown system without the need to leverage its in-house engineering team to create and maintain it. Working in tandem with its partners at Sitation, the company saw an immediate increase in Productivity Efficiency Quality (PEQ) after implementation, and the number of product updates the team can complete in a given time frame has remained well above previous levels since, while cost per SKU has gone down significantly across products. To learn more about Akeneo and for more information on the company’s next summit taking place in Fall 2022 in Boston, please visit www.akeneo.com. About Akeneo Akeneo is a global leader in Product Experience Management (PXM) helping businesses with products to unlock growth opportunities by delivering a consistent and compelling product experience across all channels, including eCommerce, mobile, print, points of sale and beyond. With its open platform, leading PIM, add-ons, connectors and marketplace, Akeneo PXM Studio dramatically improves product data quality and accuracy, simplifies catalog management, and accelerates the sharing of product information across channels and locales. Leading global brands, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, including Thras.io, Staples Canada, boohoo.com, and Air Liquide trust Akeneo to scale and customize their omnichannel commerce initiatives. Using Akeneo, brands and retailers can improve customer experience, increase sales, reduce time to market, go global, and boost team productivity. For more information: https://www.akeneo.com Contact Details N6A for Akeneo Nick Eghtessad +1 814-450-7478 akeneo@n6a.com Company Website https://www.akeneo.com

March 29, 2022 09:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Omnichannel Engagement Is Becoming a Centerpiece of Customer Experience Strategy for Many Organizations, According to Dash Research

Dash Network

Although brands have been transforming their customer experience (CX) models over the last several years, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many organizations’ plans for deploying omnichannel engagement strategies, according to a new report from Dash Research. An omnichannel strategy is a cross-channel strategy that gives a seamless and integrated experience to users across multiple channels. Unlike multichannel strategies, where each channel is managed individually, omnichannel engagement strategies streamline all customer touchpoints under a single platform, with a consistent and continuous experience for the user. “To enable omnichannel engagement, companies must remove data silos and capture and analyze customer interactions at scale,” says principal analyst Keith Kirkpatrick. “With these insights, organizations can uncover pain points, concerns, or challenges, and take action to improve omnichannel CX and drive increased customer retention and loyalty.” Kirkpatrick adds that there are five key market drivers for the growth of omnichannel engagement strategies: Poor levels of customer support A growing shift to digital interactions Changing demographics of customers The COVID-19 impact on sales, service, and support CX as a competitive differentiator Like any technology or approach, however, there are technical and operational barriers to complete market adoption. Dash Research’s analysis indicates that the most notable barriers to adopting and incorporating an omnichannel engagement strategy within the enterprise are: Technical challenges with implementing disparate software and workflow processes A lack of an agreed-upon and supported omnichannel vision Training and personnel issues Privacy issues Dash Research’s report, “Omnichannel Customer Engagement”, examines the market issues, drivers, and barriers for the use of platforms, software applications, and services that enable the deployment of omnichannel engagement strategies for CX. Several case studies illustrating the various ways omnichannel engagement is being used by end users are included in the report, along with best practices, software selection criteria, and recommendations for deploying omnichannel engagement strategies. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website. About Dash Research Dash Research, the market intelligence arm of Dash Network, provides in-depth research and insights on the worldwide CX market including a comprehensive assessment of technology solutions, business issues, market drivers, and end-user dynamics across industry sectors. Dash Research’s global market coverage combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a complete view of emerging business opportunities surrounding contact center technologies, customer data & analytics, customer data platforms, customer insights & feedback, customer relationship management, personalization & optimization, and employee experience. For more information, visit www.dashresearch.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Dash Network is an independent, integrated B2B research, events, and digital media platform focused on best business practices and technology solutions for the global Customer Experience (CX) market. The company provides a unique, CX-focused, full-service content and marketing solution, designed to enable industry participants’ strategic planning and go-to-market initiatives, while simultaneously extending the market reach of corporate brands and product messaging to a global audience of CX practitioners. For more information, visit www.dashnetwork.com or call +1.720.603.1700. Contact Details Clint Wheelock +1 720-603-1700 press@dashnetwork.com Company Website http://www.dashnetwork.com

March 29, 2022 05:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Irvine, CA Achieves Record Monthly Sales Driven By Apparel and Promotional Products Growth

Minuteman Press International Inc

Frank Matsumoto is the owner of Minuteman Press located at 18 Technology Drive, Suite 171, in Irvine, California. Frank has owned the business since 2010 and recently achieved record monthly sales. Frank says, “My growth was sparked by increases in apparel and promotional products sales. This made up 60% of my business while wide format printing was also a growth driver for us.” For nearly 12 years, Frank has built his brand by building relationships and following the Minuteman Press franchise business model to market his business. “I personally visit other local businesses to get to know other people and so they can get to know me. It also gives me the chance to see what they are doing in terms of promotional products as behind every counter are items like cups, pens, and t-shirts. Everywhere I go, I make sure to wear branded Minuteman Press apparel and I come prepared with our branded product catalogs. It starts with me wearing my own branded apparel and showing them our products, and then it goes – and grows – from there.” “As soon as I educate clients on our ability to go beyond printing, their mindset changes and suddenly they realize they can use our services for their apparel and promotional needs.” -Frank Matsumoto, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Irvine, CA One client that has taken full advantage of Minuteman Press’ printing, apparel, and promotional products capabilities is HI-CHEW ™. Frank says, “We started our relationship on a phone call for a rush order of postcards. I visited with them, introduced myself, and secured the order. At first, we did a run of 25,000 die-cut postcards. This turned into a reorder for 75,000 and then later over 100,000 die-cut postcards featuring HI-CHEW™ products and coupons.” Frank continues, “Thanks to fulfilling that first order and then building that relationship, the number of items we’ve provided for HI-CHEW™ has grown considerably over the past four years. At the end of 2021, we did their string backpacks, sunglasses, laminated tote bags, t-shirts, 13,000 hand sanitizers, keychains, and stickers on their specialty buckets. We also provide branded apparel for their employees and for customer giveaways.” “There’s no way to replace the touch and feel of a promotional item or printed piece. It is simply good business to use print as a marketing tool to reach your target audience and help increase brand awareness as well as ROI.” -Frank Matsumoto Over the past two years, Minuteman Press in Irvine has remained open and operating throughout the pandemic as an essential business. During that time, Frank ramped up his marketing across all channels. He says, “We used mailers, built up our social media, and solidified our presence by generating positive Google reviews. We have earned a 5-star rating with nearly 100 reviews, and we are proud to receive such amazing customer feedback.” Today, as more business events return to Irvine, Frank has seen an uptick in trade show supplies. Frank says, “Orders for trade shows can include everything from booth displays, banners, and table throws to apparel and promotional products. For all of these items, Minuteman Press is here to help.“ “Irvine has one of the largest business hubs in Orange County. There are a lot of opportunities here, and I also am in a business complex building relationships each day with other business owners. I’ve used a combination of direct marketing, promotional mailers, email marketing, social media marketing, and networking through my BNI group to grow over the years.” Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Frank worked in sales. “I was looking at several franchises and did my due diligence. I really liked the structure of Minuteman Press, as well as the B2B nature of the business. I didn’t want to rely on walk-ins like a general retail store, and I love the Monday-Friday business hours. It gives me the freedom and flexibility to do things like pick up my daughter from school and take her to her fencing class while still being able to build my business.” Frank appreciates the ongoing local support he’s received from Minuteman Press since buying the business. “Whenever I need something, Dan Byers and the regional team is here to help me. I also like the FLEX software we use to manage all of the different aspects of the business.” When asked what the biggest lesson he’s learned over the past 12 years as a business owner, Frank answers, “What comes to mind is one of the first things that was taught during the Minuteman Press training program. There was a sign that said, ‘If you don’t market, you won’t make it.’ Over the years, and especially over the past two years, I can say that marketing has been huge for our sustained growth and success.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Irvine, CA, visit their website: https://www.irvine.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 28, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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