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Social Cinema Platform Kinema Launches: Injects Community And Accessibility Back Into Film With A Seamless and Secure Live-Streaming, Virtual Chat, and Ticketing System

Kinema

Today, Kinema, a social cinema platform is announcing its launch, after a $2 million seed funding round backed by key investors, including Kindred Ventures, Lupa System, Galaxy Interactive and I2BF Global Ventures. The Kinema platform expands the film marketing and distribution industry by enabling a social and immersive cinema experience. With the goal of eliminating ‘theater deserts’ and expanding access to engaging film, Kinema is building a world-wide network of screening hosts, filmmakers and filmgoers. Over the last year, as the ability to gather in large public spaces diminished, the demand for films, shows and community connections grew. As the world makes the gradual transition to reopen, there will be more demand for the ‘new normal’ to which we became accustomed: a colorful variety of large, virtual and small in-person gatherings to enjoy entertainment together. Kinema’s mission is to offer filmmakers and communities alike unique cinematic experiences tailored to communities everywhere. Additionally, the team is committed to being a resource to filmmakers and distributors by providing a new way of digital distribution, marketing and monetization. “At Kinema, we’re enabling cinematic experiences that are impactful, thought-provoking, engaging and - most importantly - everywhere,” said Christie Marchese, CEO and founder at Kinema. “The pandemic taught us that the film-going experience can exist beyond the traditional movie theater. With Kinema we’re enabling global storytellers to connect with local audiences, and putting the power of curation directly in the hands of community leaders and influencers.” Kinema’s largest Series Seed investors include Kindred Ventures, Lupa Systems, and Galaxy Interactive. The company was initially incubated within and received pre-seed funding from Human Ventures’ startup studio. “Historically, filmmakers and their audiences have been separated from each other due to traditional intermediaries and conventional industry dynamics. However, we’ve reached an intersection of streaming technology and live virtual experiences that allows for a direct, rich, and authentically new moviegoing experience. Compellingly, Kinema is today building the future of screening movies: secure high-quality streaming in a truly social and distributed way – driven by the filmmakers, curators, and their communities, versus a handful of gatekeepers” said Steve Jang, Founder & Managing Partner of Kindred Ventures. “We are thrilled to lead the seed financing for the Kinema team and help them explore this exciting digital transformation for filmmakers and moviegoers. Kinema is both a tech platform that enables social cinema, and a network of non-theatrical exhibitors. Kinema’s non-theatrical exhibitors, or hosts, include nonprofits, education institutions, faith centers, and online influencers. In short, anyone or any place that represents or houses a community of people. Hosts can organize online events via the Virtual Kinema, which includes live text chat and live video broadcasting, enabling audiences to connect live with creators, talent and filmmakers. Hosts can also organize in person utilizing the platform’s cloud based, ultra secure film delivery application. “It was an obvious choice for us to support this endeavor,” said Heather Hartnett, CEO and General Partner, Human.vc. “This is an exciting project that is creating an engaging experience for viewers and sharing inspiring stories of incredible filmmakers.” In stealth while fundraising, Kinema and their host network have hosted over 450 screenings for tens of thousands of users. They also recently partnered with influencers and the creative community for the AAPI Storyteller’s Festival on Virtual Kinema. More at Kinema.com/AAPI. About Kinema Founded in 2021, Kinema believes it can change the way people connect with each other through great storytelling. That’s why they are on an ambitious mission to build the world’s largest movie distribution network, bringing people together in a shared human-centered movie viewing experience that is impactful, thought-provoking, and engaging. To learn more about Kinema, visit kinema.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Mackenzie Gavel +1 631-739-5716 mackenzie@kitehillpr.com

May 25, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The Chicken Sandwich Wars Get Cooking

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/8j9695ATEXA The demand for chicken sandwiches is higher than ever before. 65% of the U.S. population ordered a breaded chicken sandwich from a restaurant in the last six months You might say that bird is the word for customers picking from their favorite menu. Look behind those numbers and popularity and you will find culinary innovation, innovative flavors, and an evolution of process and product. Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have released an all-new Hand-Breaded Chicken sandwich lineup, as an evolution of Hardee’s already strong foothold in the space with their Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders that have been fan favorites for over a decade. The all-new sandwich lineup combines the best of both worlds with the Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich and the Hand-Breaded Chicken & Waffle Sandwich, a new play on a familiar combo, available at both Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., along with the Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit at Hardee’s featuring their iconic Made From Scratch Biscuits. With a crispy exterior and savory, complex interior, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Hand-Breaded Chicken sandwiches are brought to life with 100% premium white meat breast filet that is marinated in signature seasonings, dipped in buttermilk, hand-breaded in Southern-style flour and then cooked until golden brown. As part of the new lineup, consumers will be able to enjoy the chicken morning, noon and night with menu options offered all day long. To complement the release, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s will bring the fan obsession with hand-breaded to OnlyFans as the first national food chain to join the emerging platform. Looking ahead, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s will continue to evolve their hand-breaded offerings with even more impossible-to-ignore flavors in the months to come. For more information visit: carlsjr.com or hardees.com About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 25, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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THE NEW YORK INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS ITS FULL 2021 LINEUP & AWARD NOMINATIONS

Indo-American Arts Council

Celebrates Unmatched Breadth of Indian Cinema with Films in 15 Languages A New York-based film festival may offer inspiration for its industry peers in answering calls for greater diversity and cultural representation in Hollywood. The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), North America's oldest and most prestigious film festival which features cinema from India, and the Indian Diaspora, announces its full lineup. The festival dates are June 4-June 13 and films are available for pre-order starting Monday, May 17, 2021. Presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, Inc. (IAAC), and powered by MovieSaints, NYIFF celebrates the 21st year of independent, art house, alternate cinema from India and brings this rich collection of films to audiences in the U.S. and North America. Some films will also stream globally. Also, 24-hour online support will be provided by MovieSaints to ensure audiences across three continents have a seamless experience throughout the duration of the festival. “Last year, we had to reimagine the film festival in a virtual format, and it involved pivoting to an online platform. We emerged stronger with a larger footprint as global audiences engaged with the films,” said Suman Gollamudi, IAAC Executive Director. “This year, with the pandemic creating even more distress, we feel a greater responsibility to provide filmmakers an outlet to showcase their work. Plus, offer audiences hope through cinematic stories that give meaning, form and shape to lift our emotions.” Presented virtually for the second year in a row, the festival will feature 58 screenings (23 narrative features, 8 documentary features and 27 short films). The lineup will include worldwide, globally outside of India, the U.S. and NY premieres. Screenings will be followed by post-screening discussions with the filmmakers and acclaimed and celebrated personalities from the film industry. “We aimed to truly underscore the NYIFF commitment to diversity and cultural representation in film,” said Aseem Chhabra, NYIFF Festival Director. “This year, we will feature films in 15 languages spoken in India: Assamese, Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. All films will have English subtitles.” “NYIFF’s mission is to provide filmmakers, actors and industry professionals a platform to showcase their work, as well as foster an environment where filmmakers exchange ideas and interact with discerning and diverse audiences, journalists and aficionados,” Chhabra added. Films screened at NYIFF 2020 went out to win six National Awards, the most prominent film awards ceremony in India. This year, at NYIFF 2021, we are delighted to bring to you the following films that won National Awards: Khisa for “Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director” Sonsi for “Best Cinematography Non-Feature Film” Biryaani which received “Special Mention” Many of the films being shown at the festival have won accolades at leading international film festivals. Nasir won the NETPAC Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival and Sthalpuran won the Young Cinema Award at the Asian Pacific Screen Awards. Apart from these, we are proud to present to our audience, films that have played at Berlinale, Sundance Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and Rotterdam International Film Festival, among others. “For the first time, the 2021 lineup truly reflects the incredible diversity of Indian cinematic creativity,” said Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, Chairman IAAC. “This standout collection of films introduces new voices, fresh perspectives and original storytelling, which enhances the NYIFF curatorial legacy of spotlighting movies that go on to receive critical global acclaim.” “In addition, we will be unveiling a newly designed award in 2021,” continued Mattoo. “Conceived and created by IAAC Board Member and sculptor, Raj Shahani, this iconic award will epitomize the excellence that NYIFF seeks to foster with its annual awards presentation.” Each of these films along with the complete collection of NYIFF-recognized titles will be available for viewing starting June 4, 2021, at nyiff.us and nyiff.moviesaints.com. The cost to view each film ranges from US$4.99 for feature films (narrative and documentaries) and US$0.99 for shorts. Audiences outside the U.S., excluding India, can pay in their local currencies. In India, the cost will be Rs.150 for features and shorts starting at Rs. 50. There are also discount packages available. Feature Narratives Awakash (Marathi), dir. Chittaranjan Giri, 77 mins, 2020 Biryaani (Malayalam), dir. Sajin Baabu, 96 mins, 2020 Blue Bird (Kannada), dir. Ganesh Hegde, 106 mins, 2020 Fire in the Mountains (Hindi), dir. Ajitpal Singh, 82 mins, 2020 First Night (Tamil), dir. Jack Prabhu, Santoshh KK, 106 mins, 2020 Freddie’s Piano (English), dir. Aakash Prabhakar, Sudharshan Narayanan, 110 mins, 2020 God on the Balcony (Assamese), dir. Biswajeet Bora, 89 mins, 2020 Habaddi (Marathi), dir. Nachiket Samant, 110 mins, 2020 House of Orange Trees (Malayalam), dir. Dr. Biju Damodaran, 110 mins, 2020 June (Marathi), dir. Vaibhav Khisti, Suhrud Godbole, 94 mins, 2020 Mail (Telugu), dir. Uday Gurrala, 116 mins, 2020 Nasir (Tamil), dir. Arun Karthick, 78 mins, 2019 Nazarband (Captive) (Hindi), dir. Suman Mukhopadhyay, 85 mins, 2020 Parallel Lines (Kayamai Kadakka) (Tamil), dir. Kiran R, 104 mins, 2020 Parcel (Bengali), dir. Indrasis Acharya, 123 mins, 2020 Pinki Elli? (Where’s Pinki?) (Kannada), dir. Prithvi Konanur, 108 mins, 2020 Searching for Happiness (Bengali) dir. Suman Ghosh, 63 mins, 2021 Songs for Rain (Boroxun) (Assamese), dir. Krrishna Kt. Borah, 86 mins, 2020 Sthalpuran (Marathi), dir. Akshay Indikar, 85 mins, 2020 The Chicken Curry (Koli Taal) (Kannada), dir. Abhilash Shetty, 84 mins, 2020 The Tenant (English, Hindi), dir. Sushrat Jain, 112 mins, 2020 The Knot (Uljhan) (Hindi), dir. Ashish Pant, 113 mins, 2020 Zollywood (Marathi), dir. Trushant Ingle, 95 mins, 2019 Feature Documentaries Ahimsa Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless (English), dir. Ramesh Sharma, 92 mins, 2020 Borderlands (Punjabi, Bengali, Nepali, Manipuri), dir. Samarth Mahajan, 67 mins, 2021 Ghar Ka Pata (Home Address) (English, Hindi, Kashmiri), dir. Madhulika Jalali, 67 mins, 2020 Shut Up Sona (English, Hindi, Oriya), dir. Deepti Gupta, 85 mins. 2019 Talking Head (English, Bengali), dir. Spandan Banerjee, 94 mins, 2021 The Music of Satyajit Ray (English, Bengali), dir. Utpalendu Chakrabarty, 51 mins, 1984 The Space Between the Notes (English, Hindi), dir. Sumantra Ghosal, 52 mins, 2018 WOMB: Women of my Billions dir. Ajitesh Sharma (English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu), 103 mins, 2021 Short Narratives Adhura (Unfinished) (Hindi), dir. Arjun Lal, 19 mins, 2020 Annual Day (Salana Jalsa) (Marathi), dir. Pratik Thakare, 30 mins, 2020 Appa’s Seasons (Tamil), dir. Radhika Prasidhha, 22 mins, 2020 B. Selvi & Daughters (Tamil), dir. Drishya, 25 mins, 2020 Checking Out (English), dir. Vick Krishna, 15 mins, 2020 Happy Birthday (Hindi), dir. Ajay Kishore Shaw, 20 mins, 2020 Khayali Pulao (Hindi), dir. Tarun Dudeja, 26 mins, 2020 Khisa (Pocket) (Marathi), dir. Raj Pritam More, 16 mins, 2020 Kurma (English, Hindi), dir. Ramsee Chand, 18 mins, 2020 Laali (Hindi), dir. Abhiroop Basu, 30 mins, 2020 Loose Long Shirt (English), dir. Mitali Joshi, 6 mins, 2020 My Brother (Mera Bhai) (Hindi), dir. Shreela Agarwal, 22 mins, 2020 Naap (Hindi), dir. Harshit Acharya, 18 mins, 2020 Now That We’ve Met (English), dir. Nitya Turaga, 5 mins, 2020 Pilibhit (Hindi), dir. Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi, 23 mins, 2020 Pinni (Kannada), dir. Bhuvan Sathya, 20 mins, 2020 Sonsi (Shadow Bird) (Hindi) dir. Savita Singh, 26 mins, 2020 Sunday (Hindi), dir. Arun Fulara, 10 mins, 2020 Tasher Ghawr (English), dir. Sudipto Roy, 47 mins, 2020 The Miniaturist of Junagarh (Hindi, Urdu), dir. Kaushal Oza, 29 mins, 2020 Untouchability (Theetu) (Tamil), dir. Haresh Narayanan, 7 mins, 2020 Vulture (Xogun) (Assamese), dir. Utpal Borpujari, 16 mins, 2020 Short Documentaries At the Altar of India’s Freedom – INA Veterans in Malaysia (English) dir. Choodie Shivaram, 30 mins, 2018 Baluji (English), dir. Cécile Embleton, 22 mins, 2020 Seva (English), dir. Rippin Sindher, 16 mins, 2019 The Hero Within (Hindi), dir. Stanley Hector, 7 mins, 2021 What’s Your Story? (English), dir. O.P. Srivastava, 51 mins, 2020 Media RSVP is required to suman.gn@iaac.us by Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Also, screeners are available to media. Press materials and a photo gallery are available here. More information at: nyiff.us and nyiff.moviesaints.com. For frequently asked technology questions visit https://nyiff.moviesaints.com/faq/nyiff. The 21st Annual NYIFF Award Nominations This year’s nominations were chosen by a prestigious panel of filmmakers and will be judged by artists and media professionals. The winners will be announced as part of the closing event on June 13, 2021. Best Film Fire in the Mountains June Nasir Pinki Eli?/ Where is Pinki? Sthalpuran Best Director Ajit Pal Singh ( Fire in the Mountains ) Akshay Indikar ( Sthalpuran ) Arun Karthik ( Nasir ) Krishna Kt. Borah ( Songs for the Rain ) Suman Mukhopadhaya ( Nazarband ) Best Screenplay Biryaani Mail Pinki Eli?/ Where is Pinki? The Chicken Curry/ Koli Taal The Knot/ Uljhan Best Actor Deep Jyoti Kalita ( Songs for the Rain ) Harish Khanna ( God on the Balcony ) Siddharth Menon ( June ) Tanmay Dhanania ( Nazarband ) Vikas Kumar ( The Knot/ Uljhan ) Best Actress Akshatha Pandavapura ( Pinki Eli?/ Where is Pinki? ) Ashwini Giri ( Awakash ) Indira Tiwari ( Nazarband ) Kani Kusruti ( Biryanni ) Vinamrata Rai ( Fire in the Mountain ) Best Child Actor Aman S. Karkera ( Blue Bird ) Karan Dave ( Habaddi ) Neel Deshmukh ( Sthalpuran ) Porinandhi Jima Sultana ( God on the Balcony ) Rudraksh Jaiswal ( The Tenant ) Best Short (Narrative) Annual Day B. Selvi & Daughters Tasher Ghawr Sonsi Sunday The Miniaturist of Junagardh Best Short (Documentary) Baluji Seva The Hero Within Best Documentary Ahimsa WOMB: Women of my Billion The Space Between the Notes Shut Up Sona Talking Head About The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF): NYIFF is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premieres of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about India in the independent, art house, alternate and diaspora genres. Ten days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, award ceremonies, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain and educate North Americans about the real India, and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City. For more information, please visit the website at nyiff.us and at nyiff.moviesaints.com. About Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC): The IAAC supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India. We work cooperatively with colleagues around the U.S. to broaden our collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources and funding. Our focus is to help artists and art organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists from India to exhibit, perform and produce their work here. The IAAC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. For information, please visit www.iaac.us. About MovieSaints: MovieSaints is a comprehensive technology service provider for indie filmmakers and festivals. For indie films it offers solutions like secured global releases, a fundraising platform, secure storage and screener delivery services, etc. For festivals and film clubs it offers a customized, global virtual venue to host all sorts of film related events. Its Integrated Technology Suite includes secured streaming with foolproof piracy tracking, zone blocking for simultaneous online and offline releases, educational and corporate screenings, live Q&As, flexible pricing in over 100 countries, etc. For more information, please visit https://www.moviesaints.com. Contact Details Indo-American Arts Council Suman Gollamudi suman.gn@iaac.us Indo-American Arts Council Media Contact admin@iaac.us Company Website https://www.nyiff.us/

May 24, 2021 07:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar Wins Two Coveted Global InfoSec Awards at RSA 2021

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced two more prestigious industry award wins, this time as 2021 Global InfoSec award winners for the Cutting-Edge in Cybersecurity-as-a-Service (CSaaS) and the Most Innovative SecOps-as-a-Service, by Cyber Defense Magazine--the industry’s leading electronic information security magazine. This year marks Cyber Defense Magazine’s ninth year of honoring global InfoSec innovators. Its submission requirements are for any startup, early-stage, later stage, or public companies in the information security space who have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. “We’re thrilled to receive one of the most prestigious and coveted cybersecurity awards in the world from Cyber Defense Magazine,” said Cyvatar Co-Founder and Chief Executive Corey White. “We knew the competition would be tough, and with top judges who are leading infosec experts from around the globe, we couldn’t be more pleased.”. Award judges are CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals who voted based on their independent review of the company submitted materials on the website of each submission including but not limited to data sheets, white papers, product literature, and other market variables. “We scoured the globe looking for cybersecurity innovators that could make a huge difference and potentially help turn the tide against the exponential growth in cybercrime, said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. “Cyvatar is absolutely worthy of these coveted awards and consideration for deployment in your environment.” CDM has a flexible philosophy to find more innovative players with new and unique technologies, than the one with the most customers or money in the bank. CDM is always asking “What’s Next?” so we are looking for Next Generation InfoSec Solutions. Whether you’re a small business starting from scratch or need to amplify your existing security investments, Cyvatar is here for you. Get started for free or reach out to Cyvatar at CYVATAR.AI. About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online infosec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at CYVATAR.AI and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

May 19, 2021 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Premier Rugby Sevens to Bring Innovation and Equal Pay to North America’s Newest Sports League

Premier Rugby Sevens

North America has a groundbreaking new sports league. Scheduled to debut in the fall of 2021, Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s) will showcase North America’s top male and female players, including world-class Olympic athletes. The league will provide equal pay and high-performance access under one league umbrella, adopting a touring format in cities across the United States and Canada. The sport of sevens, as it is known in its short form, is an incredibly entertaining game that showcases a fast-paced style of rugby with nonstop action through a series of 15-minute games in a single day. Starting with a pilot season in the fall of 2021, PR7s will feature many U.S. players who played in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and are expected to play in the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The league will feature six men’s teams and four women’s teams that play multiple games in one location. The host cities and schedule, along with tryout information, player announcements, and team names, will be revealed in the coming months. Fans are encouraged to sign up for news alerts and schedule updates at PRSevens.com. The league’s first player signings feature several stars from both the U.S. Men’s and U.S. Women’s National Sevens Teams, including Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, Abby Gustaitis, Carlin Isles, Ilona Maher, Folau Niua, Naya Tapper, and Stephen Tomasin. Baker, Barrett, Gustaitis, and Tapper participated in a launch video, which can be viewed HERE. PR7s was founded by Owen Scannell, a former collegiate rugby player from Dartmouth College. Scannell left a career in investment banking in 2017 to earn his MBA from the Tuck School of Business, with a focus on launching a startup in sports and entertainment. He spent two years running the commercial, business, and logistical operations for an American rugby franchise before departing to lay the groundwork for PR7s. “Rugby sevens is the most exhilarating sport in the world and perfect for the next generation of young fans,” said Scannell. “Sevens is extremely accessible and enjoyable for new North American fans and players. Our goal is to entertain fans through high-quality digital content, and unforgettable festival experiences in attractive North American destinations and markets. PR7s will provide our partners with unique and unparalleled activations across all our platforms.” Scannell’s first hire was Mike Tolkin as the league’s general manager to oversee all rugby operations. Tolkin brings an impressive resume to PR7s, including the role of head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Rugby (15s) team starting in 2012, where he led the U.S. to qualify for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Most recently, Tolkin was head coach of Rugby United New York in their inaugural season in 2019. “Sevens is a fast-paced and dynamic game requiring skill, speed, power, and precision,” said Tolkin. “It's an incredibly entertaining game to watch, and PR7s wants to showcase the immense talent and athleticism of our athletes throughout North America. The U.S. teams have enjoyed great success on the world stage against international competition, and PR7s is a great opportunity to continue to grow that talent pool. Starting with many stars that are slated to play in the Olympics, our rosters will have incredible athletes who will provide a thrilling experience for our fans.” Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s) is a groundbreaking professional sports league in North America. Scheduled to debut in the Fall of 2021, PR7s is the first league of its kind with both women’s teams and men’s teams under one umbrella with equal pay. With a focus on accessibility and entertaining content for fans, the league will showcase the electrifying sport of rugby sevens through a single-day touring format in cities across the United States and Canada. To learn more about Premier Rugby Sevens, go to PRSevens.com and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric Nemeth eric.nemeth@prsevens.com

May 19, 2021 08:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Mirriad and Tecate Beer Partner to Enhance In-Content Advertising

Mirriad

Mirriad, a leading in-content advertising company who place brands into video using Academy Award Winning technology, released a new study outlining success from a January 2021 partnership with Mexican beer brand, Tecate. Research found that overall, 76% of consumers said the campaign made Tecate more appealing to them. The beverage brand turned to a new model to embed their brand into content and expand their marketing into music videos, relying on Mirriad’s newly launched Music Alliance —a specialist division dedicated to growing creative and financial opportunities for artists by placing brands into visual music content. As marketers look to engage audiences in an era of ad avoidance, the Alliance allows them to weave their brand imagery into artists’ music videos and connect with fans in an authentic way. Mirriad’s pioneering, patented AI technology scans content for its emotional register moment by moment thus allowing brands to appear in exactly the right place at the right time - and critically with the right audience. This bespoke technology allows for advanced targeting that authentically connects brands with customers at scale – a huge leap forward for the advertising industry. Using Mirriad’s technology, Tecate seamlessly embedded brand signage and product throughout Regional Mexican artist Giovanny Ayala’s hugely anticipated release, ‘Pa' Que No Te Anden Contando’ distributed by music label Gerencia 360. Research conducted by Kantar demonstrates the strength of the product and signage embeds in driving key brand KPI’s, including: Top of mind Awareness of Tecate was lifted by +27ppt as was any unaided awareness Awareness of Tecate advertising rose +43ppt The campaign increased affinity to Tecate by +8ppt and drove a +7ppt increase in Purchase intent Even further, consumers had very positive views of this advertising approach: 89% of regular Tecate consumers liked the format 85% said it was a natural fit to the content 80% said that it was not distracting Tecate wanted to highlight both their product and signage to promote their tagline, “Mexico is in us,” within Regional Mexican music, a genre popular amongst their Mexican American customers. Mirriad’s close partnerships across major labels and independently owned Hispanic labels meant that Tecate were presented with over a dozen Regional Mexican videos set to release within their campaign window. Once the video was chosen, Mirriad was able to execute this initiative within hours of the scheduled release, which is completely unprecedented. “We’re thrilled to have collaborated with Mirriad, tapping this cutting-edge technology to create relevant engagement between Tecate and Mexican music and culture,” says Oscar Martinez, Tecate USA Sr. Brand Director. “Our largely Mexican American consumer base embodies a maverick spirit, and the integration of this content into Giovany’s music video was a win-win for everyone.” “Coming out of the social movements of 2020, and only going stronger in 2021, it’s refreshing to see more companies leaning into multicultural consumers by allocating large advertising budgets to diverse content that resonate with these communities. Mirriad not only gives brands access into multicultural content, but also works to ensure brands are woven into the right contextual moments, in a way that feels authentic to the viewer,” says VP of Brand Partnerships at Mirriad, Maria Teresa Hernandez. “We’re really excited to see this latest research that supports what we’ve known for a long time around Mexican American consumers and their purchasing power. We look forward to continued work with other brand partners and Mirriad using this creative and innovative technology to reach audiences,” says Luis Del Villar, CEO of Gerencia360. “Giovanna Ayala is a Tecate fan and honored to have the brand support his artistry.” “Tecate empowering Regional Mexican artists is a great example of an authentic partnership of brand and genre that will only strengthen the relationship with their loyal audiences,” adds Hernandez. About Mirriad Mirriad's award-winning solution unleashes new revenue for content producers and distributors by creating new advertising inventory in content. Our patented, AI and computer vision technology dynamically inserts products and innovative signage formats after content is produced. Mirriad's market-first solution seamlessly integrates with existing subscription and advertising models, and dramatically improves the viewer experience by limiting commercial interruptions. Mirriad currently operates in the US, Europe and China. Contact Details Kite Hill Rachel Wyncoop +1 845-901-1349 mirriad@kitehillpr.com

May 19, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

COVID-19 crisis will lead to a new period of rapid, transformative growth and prosperity: Studio 44 reveal 10 key insights for business leaders

Stockwood Strategy

As we recover from the COVID pandemic, environmental, social and technological trends are converging, leading to rapid, disruptive and transformative change, the likes of which we have not experienced for more than a generation, argues Simon Sear, CEO and founder of Studio 44. Leaders need to ensure that they and their organisation are ready to innovate and transform. Sear said: “The COVID crisis will lead to a new period of rapid, transformative growth and prosperity just like the First World War led to the roaring twenties, the Second World War to the golden age of capitalism and the recession of the late 1970s to the expansive growth of the 1980s. Spring always follows winter.” Combining with this natural economic cycle are major tailwinds, such as society’s demand for more progress on racial and gender equality, social mobility and mental wellbeing, Studio 44 argues. Governments and wider society have reached a tipping point on progress with environmental sustainability, while technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), hyper-automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are supercharging change. These converging trends will result in rapid, disruptive and transformative change, the likes of which we have not experienced for more than a generation. Sear added: “Economists are predicting record growth and leaders need to ensure that their organisations are bold, more agile and quicker to change than at any time in history in order to deliver competitive performance in terms of cost efficiency, revenues and return on capital” Studio 44 has identified ten key insights by working with leaders during the challenging times of COVID, ranging from experimentation to mindset, technology to organisational culture. Sear concluded: “The crisis has highlighted many insights into how leaders can prepare for this next phase of growth and the journey ahead. They are at a once in a generation inflection point, opportunity is coming, and they need to ensure that they and their organisation are ready to innovate and transform.” Here is a summary of Studio 44’s top ten insights: Create a common mission: Often, in non-crisis times, organisations pay lip service to their mission. It’s written down, but no one really buys it. If the crisis did one thing very well, it was to provide a focus. The need for speed: The pace of change had been increasing, but the crisis supercharged this. Leaders need to focus their organisation on being able to respond quicker and with more agility than ever before. Change the corporate mindset: Many companies have long-held beliefs that limited their ability to respond and transform assumptions that need to be put in the bin. Make bold investments: The successful businesses of the last 12 months were the ones that had historically invested in new ways of working and bold new propositions. Experiment: In a decade that will be defined by rapid change and transformation, inexpensive, fast experimentation needs to be in the DNA of an organisation. Allocate your best people to your best opportunities: The pace of change is becoming ever faster and the war for talent continues to heat up. Leaders need to balance the need for transparency and fairness with quickly getting the right people in the right roles to optimise the chances of an organisation’s success. Teach more than new digital skills: In building on the successes of working from home and a period of change and disruption, it's crucial to teach employees new cognitive strategies and behaviours to enable them to adapt. Break the silos: During the COVID crisis innovative leaders gathered a multi-skilled team, incentivised them all for success in the same way and gave them the space to make it happen. Many leaders are now thinking about how they can maintain this kind of operating model and not return to older ways of working and the inefficiencies they create. Keep communicating: The pace of disruption and uncertainty in the next decade means that people will often feel unsettled and will seek reassurance. These are the same needs team members faced during the COVID crisis. Practice stakeholder capitalism: Leaders need to take a cooperative model into the next period of transformation. They need to take a long-term view, to have a strategy that not only ensures financial performance in the short term, but invests, and is seen to invest, in longer-term positive outcomes for all stakeholders. About Studio 44 Studio 44 is creating the future. It is a next generation consultancy that helps senior business leaders create step-out growth, disrupt markets and transform their culture and ways of working. It brings together smart people from tech, the arts, business and science with a common mission to create growth for clients with a focus on people and the planet. By bringing diverse thinking and the spirit and energy of a start-up to corporate clients Studio 44 radically shifts the operating model of a traditional consultancy. Contact Details Studio 44 Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://studio44.io/

May 19, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Digital transformation evades businesses that mismanage data

Stockwood Strategy

Data is poorly understood, inadequately valued and badly managed by global businesses costing them and their investors billions of dollars every year, according to a report published today by Anmut, the data valuation specialists. This is a big problem because it means most businesses are running on data that isn’t fit for purpose. The Anmut Data Leadership Report compiled data and anecdotal evidence from almost 100 Chief Data Officers from organisations headquartered on five continents whose collective annual revenues total over $1 trillion. The report finds that 91% of business leaders believe data is critical to the success of their businesses. However, only one in three (34%) of their companies manage their businesses’ data assets with the same disciplines as other business assets. These companies spend their allocated data management budget on creating value from their data that in turn helps them scale their businesses and develop their strategies. The remaining two thirds (66%) are using half of their data budgets to fix problems and errors identified within the data itself. According to the report, the average global business spends between 4% and 7% of annual operating expenses on managing its data. For a global financial services brand, that amounts to as much as $1.5-3 billion annually. “Time and again we’re seeing international businesses and household name brands coming under fire for reasons that seem preventable with hindsight,” says Herman Heyns, CEO of Anmut. "Those that succeed do so because they really understand the value of their data, and therefore prioritise and manage it well." Three quarters of respondents (76%) say their businesses are investing in large-scale data and digital transformation strategies. And, 63% say data is more critical than technology to achieve business transformation. Yet, Anmut's report also finds that technology investment regularly overshadows data investment. Technology gets three times the attention (73%) and five and a half times (88%) the budget as data. This is in spite of the fact that technology is dependent on reliable data to run well. Heyns adds: “The preference to invest in technology over data throws up a fascinating question about what digital transformation really means for businesses all over the world. Digital transformation is a term that’s used everywhere, in every annual report and corporate strategy document. Digital transformation is what companies do to become data-driven. The advances many companies make might be digital in name, but to create the transformation they're aiming for, they cannot lose sight of the data.” Chief Data Officers (CDOs) interviewed for the report regularly cite the challenge to make data something that everyone in their businesses understands, values and knows how to manage. The report finds that one third of company boards (33%) don’t consider data a ‘material asset’. 9 in 10 CDOs (87%) say putting a monetary value on data would enable people within the business to manage that data better. Heyns adds: “A critical issue for businesses’ data leaders is winning senior buy-in. When the board doesn’t appreciate the value of data to a company’s future performance, it’ll lack investment further down the business. That’s where data valuation comes into play. When the value of data assets are set out in pounds and pence, data can be thought of as a business asset. Then it climbs up the food chain, gets taken more seriously, impacts C-suite decision-making more readily, and receives greater investment. When data is treated like any other asset by assigning a monetary value to it, businesses can make better strategic decisions.” Anmut, whose clients include Smith & Nephew and Highways England, advises international companies across all sectors on how to manage, measure and value the data within their businesses. Intangible assets make up 90% of the total market value of the world’s largest companies. Anmut’s most conservative estimates put data at 20% to 30% of that. With only a third of companies managing that value well, it’s not a surprise that companies who do manage data well - the FANGS - have become the most valuable companies in history in the shortest time. In March, the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) published its report: Increasing Data Access across the UK Economy in which they commit to creating a framework within which the government may have the ability to make interventions into private and third sector organisations to unlock the full value of their data. DCMS follows governments in several leading economies including the US and Germany that are taking the lead to enforce better data management in business. About Anmut Consulting Anmut is the only data asset management company that makes the value of data unignorable, comparable and manageable for businesses investing in digital transformation. Anmut believes in the power of data-driven decisions to make people’s lives better, be they customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, local communities or future generations. Contact Details Anmut Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.anmut.co.uk/

May 19, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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iTradeNetwork Launches Advanced Food Traceability Tools Now Providing Instant Notification For Food Contamination

iTradeNetwork

Speed is critical when removing unsafe food from the supply chain to prevent illness and save lives. Since the beginning of May alone, there have been eight food safety recall events in the US. According to the US Department of Agriculture, about 48 million episodes of foodborne illness and 3,000 deaths occur per year in the US. The most common foodborne pathogens cause an estimated annual burden of $14 billion to $36 billion. iTradeNetwork (ITN), the global provider of supply chain management solutions and traceability for the food and beverage industry, has added new capabilities that instantly identify specific recalled products and simultaneously notify suppliers and buyers. These traceability tools help remove recalled products from the supply chain more quickly, whether they are in route from supplier to buyer, at a distribution center or at the final point-of-sale/consumption. These functions are unique in the industry and built on the strength of iTradeNetwork's 8,000 customers and integrated FDA/CDC alerts. “Food safety has never been more important,” explained iTradeNetwork’s CEO Rhonda Bassett-Spiers. “Our new traceability tools allow for instant and simultaneous notification about food recalls and provides the food’s exact location across the entire supply chain with surgical precision. Traceability also reduces food waste, saves money and protects brands. It is not overstating to say that this innovation will contribute to saving lives and livelihoods.” HOW IT WORKS iTradeNetwork’s new advanced traceability modules include: Incident and Recall Management: FDA/CDC alert integration is a new standard for the industry, combining system-level monitoring with machine learning accessible online or through a mobile app. Growers/suppliers and retailers can be notified of a food safety incident the moment it is suspected and isolate affected products whether they are pre-shipment, in-transit or in-store. This allows for immediate action to protect consumers and brand integrity. Recalls can be issued within seconds to protect customers and save lives. Label-less Trace: For protein providers, suppliers of lower risk produce commodities and high-volume produce operations not currently using PTI or item labeling, this technology enables alerts, notifications and food safety incident management based on purchase order data, not labels. iTradeNetwork is in a unique position to provide unparalleled supply chain visibility, processing millions of transactions annually for its network of more than 8,000 global customers. EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS iTradeNetwork is hosting a series of educational webinars to provide further information about traceability. Register here: Next-Level Traceability: A Live Solution Showcase Series Transforming Traceability: The Urgent Need for Food Safety Solutions Wednesday, May 19, 11am PST Traceability Without Labels: A Food Safety Breakthrough Solution for Fresh Produce Tuesday, May 25, 11am PST Traceability Without Labels: A Breakthrough for Protein-Related Recalls Thursday, May 27, 11am PST Label Traceability/Incident Alert & Recall Management Tuesday, June 1, 11am PST Palletized Advanced Shipment Notice (ASN) Traceability Solution Thursday, June 3, 11am PST ### ABOUT ITRADENETWORK iTradeNetwork, Inc. is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry, with more than 8,000 active customers. Suppliers and resellers connect on iTradeNetwork’s technology platform to create active partnerships and easily transact. The platform also provides one-stop-shopping for freight, food traceability, fresh inspection and supply chain compliance, which creates efficiencies for buyers and sellers alike. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Media please note: Visual assets, including photos, are available. To interview ITN's CEO Rhonda Bassett-Spiers or for other interview requests, please contact Robin Carr at (415) 971-3991 or itn@landispr.com. Contact Details Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 itn@landispr.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com/

May 18, 2021 09:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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