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ASMBLE launches powerful micro-community platform for brands, influencers, and their superfans

ASMBLE

Micro-community network ASMBLE has today announced the public launch of its platform for brands, creators, influencers, and superfans. Brands are using ASMBLE to build communities of influencers, creators, and superfans to identify and develop direct relationships with these powerful creators. These brand-owned micro-communities serve as a launchpad enabling content co-creation, influencer campaigns, focus groups, and customer insights. Following a year of beta testing with 2000 influencers and a range of brands in the US, ASMBLE is now accessible globally for all creators, influencers, and brands to join. ASMBLE was launched to help brands with creator-powered marketing while also addressing major underlying problems faced by the average semi-pro creator. Over 35 million semi-pro creators report burnout, isolation, and negative outcomes stemming from social media. In addition to financially rewarding creators through brand communities, ASMBLE’s creator-led communities provide creators with in-app tools, educational content, and peer support around topics of interest. Micro-communities from TikTokTips, to BlackParenting, to MindSet Matters - and dozens of other micro-communities - provide valuable industry insight and support that creators can’t find anywhere else. Nadeem Mazen, CEO and Co-Founder of ASMBLE commented: “The creator economy is today worth $100B every year and growing. Creators and influencers are the future of advertising because they wield authenticity and unprecedented audience trust, while the ground is shifting under traditional digital tracking and digital ads. Everything from streaming studio content wars to Big Tech acquisitions hinges on creators. Creators - as technologists, as producers, as trend-setters, and as subject-matter experts - are the fulcrum on which enormous industries tip. Trillions are at stake.” How ASMBLE works Brands purchase a seat to spin up one or more micro-communities in ASMBLE A dedicated community-building consultant is assigned to each brand. Brands and community-building consultants populate their micro-communities by inviting influencers, creators, superfans, or customers with whom they have an existing relationship. Brands invite influencers and superfans to their micro-community from other relevant micro-communities in ASMBLE, in order to grow their base and extend their creative capacity or reach. Brands create conversations, contests, focus-groups, live in-app events, and paying influencer marketing projects within their micro-community to learn from members or leverage their valuable skills. All micro-community members see when the brand responds to any given community-member - whether that is approval for a project idea, feedback on co-created content, or instant payment from the brand. Each community member learns from feedback that any other community member receives, creating a race to the top in ideation, collaboration, and quality content. Regarding the problem that ASMBLE has set out to solve, Nadeem Mazen said: “The creator economy is naive in its current state - almost every corner of this brave new world is messy, painful, stressful, and unsustainable for stakeholders on all sides. Marketplaces are lackluster, brands are skeptical, influencers get squeezed, and new creator business models fail to capture enough influencer buy-in to really scale. Both long-standing influencer marketplaces and new business models implicitly rely on creator trust and wellbeing in order to scale - yet explicitly treat popular creators as disposable and interchangeable. ASMBLE addresses these problems by addressing creators’ needs: creators are our partners and our fuel. By committing deeply to collective creator community and individual creator wellbeing - something largely missing across the social internet - we assemble a foundation of creator trust, retention, and activity that brands can leverage for their campaigns and strategic imperatives.” Looking ahead Nadeem Mazen added: “ASMBLE creators takes the opposite approach of the industry at present. Instead of focusing on how to woo paying brands, we offer influencers access to real, substantive emotional, professional, and creative support. The core of what we do is offer influencers and creators a safe space where they can talk about their work - which is seen as a cake walk from the outside, but is actually one of the highest pressure jobs” “ASMBLE will become the Y-Combinator for creators - an entire ecosystem of entrepreneurship curriculum, peer and mentor support, and even direct investment where we take a stake in content development and other financial growth.” About ASMBLE As the only social network for influencers and content creators, ASMBLE is uniquely positioned to accelerate brand awareness and market penetration for businesses. Our mobile-first platform promotes collaboration that raises the bar for compelling, authentic content. Our community focuses on human development, peer/mentor connections, and the value of authenticity. ASMBLE is deploying its network of talented, brand and product-obsessed creators against the toughest challenges of today’s leading brands. To explore ASMBLE, please visit: https://asmble.online/ Contact Details ASMBLE Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://asmble.online/

November 23, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Comcast Increases Xfinity Internet Speeds in Houston

Comcast Houston

Comcast has increased speeds for its highest-residential speed tier for Xfinity Internet – Gigabit Pro – providing an extra boost for both current and new customers in Houston. Beginning this month, Gigabit Pro speeds will increase from 2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) upload and download speeds to 3 Gbps symmetrical speeds nationwide. Xfinity is the country’s largest Gigabit network, delivering speeds faster than a Gig. Gigabit Pro uses enterprise-grade, fiber-based ethernet technology to make it possible for Xfinity Internet customers to receive symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds so you can stream or game in 4K in multiple rooms in your home. “Faster speeds will give Xfinity customers added capacity to power all their connected devices, in addition to the cybersecurity protection, in-home WiFi controls, and wall-to-wall WiFi coverage Xfinity already provides customers,” said Demian Voiles, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Comcast Houston Region. In addition to delivering the fastest speeds, Comcast provides unmatched value to Xfinity Internet customers through: Superior WiFi coverage – WiFi coverage with the xFi Advanced Gateway that is WiFi 6-capable and can deliver speeds faster than a gig, and xFi Pod s, which together creates a mesh network that reaches every corner of the home. Control connected devices – Using the Xfinity app, customers who lease an xFi Gateway have total control of their home network; manage device access, set parental controls, and pause WiFi. Advanced cybersecurity protection – xFi Advanced Security helps to protect all connected devices at the gateway level from malware and other cyber security threats. 4K streaming device with voice search – Xfinity Flex, a 4K streaming device with an award-winning voice remote to seamlessly watch and search for content from the Xfinity Stream app, Peacock, Netflix, Hulu, Prime, and other popular streaming services. Xfinity Mobile Xfinity Internet customers can get Xfinity Mobile, which combines the nation’s best 5G network with the power to auto-connect to millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country. Starting at $45 for one line, the lowest entry price for 5G unlimited data in the market, unlimited pricing for Xfinity Mobile is $80 for two lines, $100 for three lines, and $120 for four lines ($30 per line). Peacock Premium and thousands of hours of free content – Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, delivering originals, libraries of hit TV shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” plus films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and Hollywood’s biggest studios. Over the last decade, Comcast has invested nearly $30 billion to build an expansive, fiber-dense network that carries an immense amount of traffic and has demonstrated extraordinary performance throughout the pandemic. The company has doubled network capacity every 2.5 years to stay well ahead of demand. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

November 17, 2021 08:00 AM Central Standard Time

Auto Lenders Selects LevLane as Agency of Record

LevLane

Auto Lenders, the leading pre-owned car dealer in NJ and one of the largest pre-owned dealership groups on the East Coast, announced recently it has named LevLane as its new Agency of Record and Agency Partner. Auto Lenders awarded LevLane its marketing business in anticipation of the car dealer’s aggressive expansion plans for both its car selling and car buying divisions. Since its establishment in 1990, Auto Lenders — an independent, family-owned company, currently based in Voorhees, NJ — has experienced substantial growth in the region. The company’s car selling division currently operates eight showrooms across Southern New Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area. ALgo, Auto Lender’s car buying division, currently operates in 20 states. LevLane will play a key role in both divisions’ ambitious plans to expand by leading marketing strategy and execution for both brands. LevLane will handle all creative strategy and execution, SEO, SEM, media, and content marketing during the client’s expansion. The full-service advertising agency will work collaboratively with the Auto Lenders team to build brand awareness while supporting the company’s mission and vision for the future of car buying and selling. “Auto Lenders is at an inflection point,” said Brad Wimmer, President of Auto Lenders. “We are ready to grow, but knew we needed to find the right marketing partner to make that a reality. When we started our search, we wanted to find an agency that got us and understood our goals and our culture. The process was competitive, but LevLane’s research, insights, expertise, and their inspired creative and branding work went unmatched. Finding LevLane was that final piece we needed to complete the puzzle.” “Auto Lenders is a brand we are very familiar with in the Philadelphia region. So, when they called us, we knew they were a client we wanted to work with" said Josh Lev, SVP of Brand Engagement. "When two companies come together whose culture and goals align as ours do, great work happens. We believe this will be a successful partnership and we are honored to be selected as the team that will help them during this exciting time.” About LevLane LevLane is an award-winning, full-service, independent advertising agency in Philadelphia, PA that has been building brands that people love for nearly 40 years. About Auto Lenders Auto Lenders is an independent, family-owned car company that has been streamlining the auto buying process since 1990. Auto Lenders uses direct relationships with regional banks to cherry-pick the best pre-owned vehicles and offer quick credit options for buyers with all types of budgets. About ALgo ALgo is the auto buying division of Auto Lenders. ALgo’s mission is to make selling a car fast and easy for everyone by being transparent throughout the process and offering top prices for sellers. Contact Details Lauren Stralo +1 215-825-9692 lstralo@levlane.com Company Website https://www.levlane.com

November 16, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

COLOR FACTORY ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Color Factory

Color Factory, the experiential art museum that celebrates the joy of color, has announced Tina Malhotra as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 8, 2021. Malhotra has served as Color Factory’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for the past three years, overseeing the creative, environmental design, technical production, and physical build-out of each Color Factory location. “Creating experiences that elicit emotional responses has been a lifelong passion of mine. I’m honored to lead Color Factory as we build towards transformational growth and inclusivity,” said Malhotra. “Color has a unique and powerful ability to impact moods, elicit emotions and tell stories. It is a universal language that our artists, designers, and guests use to create genuine human connection and expand empathy. We’re focused on bringing joy and immersive art to as many people as possible through our visionary experiences and community partnerships.” Malhotra brings over 14 years of experience in experiential marketing, event production, and creative strategy. Prior to Color Factory, she spent 11 years in New York City developing experiences for brands like LEGO, HBO, Converse, Coca Cola, Delta and Condé Nast. Malhotra will be responsible for various verticals across the company’s growth plan, including marketplace positioning and creative development of its newest location in Chicago, opening Spring 2022. “We are proud to announce the exciting transition and have Tina lead as Color Factory’s exceptional visionary, spearheading the company for promising growth,” said Jeff Lind, former CEO, Color Factory. “Tina is the driving force behind the creation, builds, and creative direction of each Color Factory experience - she is a natural fit, and we are thrilled for her to take over as strategic head of the company.” Malhotra has notably helped develop and launch Color Factory’s New York City and Houston locations, and serves on the Board of Directors. ### ABOUT TINA MALHOTRA Praised for her acute attention to detail and proven track record in the experiential space, Tina Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Color Factory, brings over 13 years of experience in experiential marketing, event production, and creative strategy. Malhotra is responsible for various verticals across the company’s growth plan, including marketplace positioning and overseeing the creative development for its newest location launch in Chicago, opening May 2022. Prior to being appointed CEO in November 2021, Malhotra served as Color Factory’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for three years, overseeing the creative, environmental design, technical production and physical build-out of each Color Factory location. Malhotra spent 11 years in New York City creating experiences for brands, including LEGO, HBO, Converse, Coca Cola, Delta, Wired Magazine and Candy Crush. ABOUT COLOR FACTORY Color Factory is an experiential art museum. Within each Color Factory location, visitors are invited to experience the joy of color through interactive installations, immersive rooms, and carefully curated moments. Color Factory collaborates with artists, art institutions, nonprofits, and brand partners to tell compelling stories that make life just a little more joyful. Since the 2017 opening of its first pop-up in San Francisco, Color Factory has grown into a series of flagship locations in New York and Houston, with a new location in Chicago opening in Spring 2022. Each location is inspired by and gives back to the city itâs in, working with local communities to identify charitable partnerships and local businesses to support along the way. To learn more, visit https://www.colorfactory.co/. Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Jalila Singerff +1 613-614-6777 jalila@jiveprdigital.com Company Website http://colorfactory.co/

November 16, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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BEASY Partners with Toldright to Provide Digital Asset Creation Services to Athletes, Musicians and Creators of all Types

Beasy, LLC

Blockchain Made Easy (dba BEASY) announced today it has agreed to a multi-year partnership with toldright, a first-of-its-kind production resource company dedicated to enhancing the video content of their clients through storytelling. Toldright will provide value added services to BEASY enabled communities. Toldright is a disruptive, new on-demand model for video production that matches clients with experienced creative professionals to elevate the look and feel of their video content. Founded by world-class industry leaders, toldright’s exclusive ‘Neighborhood’ includes more than 1,800 fully-vetted Emmy Award-winning artists around the country, featuring top-tier producers, editors, on-air talent, technical specialists, and more. Demand for video content has exploded in recent years, and professional athletes and brands continue to use video to tell their stories. “Offering BEASY creators access to toldright’s top-notch network of video talent and storytellers will help them produce innovative and engaging digital content in support of their own brands,” says Bob Kramich, Founder and CEO of BEASY. “Video and storytelling are key factors to successful sales and marketing, especially for athletes in this name, image and likeness (NIL) era. We are thrilled to be working with such an incredible player in the market,” he adds. The partnership between BEASY and toldright now offers smaller companies, organizations and individuals access to what has traditionally only been available to large corporations. “We are excited to work with BEASY to exclusively link its rapidly-growing community to our extensive ‘Neighborhood’ of global top-tier talent typically reserved for major networks,” says Max Heineman, CEO and Co-Founder of toldright. “BEASY participants now have access to the highest-quality people and production tools for telling and authenticating their digital legacies using blockchain technology.” This is the third press-release in recent weeks from BEASY. On October 21st and November 1st, BEASY announced multi-year agreements with Tykes, Inc., and the Recording Artists Guild (RAG), respectively. # # # About BEASY Blockchain Made Easy ™️, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company’s core product, BEASY Authentication ™️, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com About toldright Toldright is the first-of-its-kind on-demand production resource, transforming the video industry and empowering companies of all sizes the opportunity to tell great stories with an end-to-end solution that delivers accessibility, efficiency, unprecedented value, and amazing content. Through our exclusive “neighborhood” of 1,800 fully vetted production and content creators around the nation, that includes Emmy and Oscar Award winners, toldright has the flexibility to provide 5-star experts to meet the demands of any project. Founded by world-class industry leaders, toldright has already been trusted by iconic brands including ESPN, Tiger Woods Foundation, NFLPA, LPGA, Twitter, Showtime, Adobe, Citi, Xerox, and Dell. For more information on toldright, please visit www.toldright.com. # # # Media Relations Contacts: BEASY, LLC. Contact: David Kaupp info@beasy1.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeasyInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beasy-blockchain-made-easy-llc/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beasy1859/ Toldright Matt Saler, Vice President M: +1 215 432 3149 301 E 57th Street New York, NY 10022 www.finnpartners.com Blockchain Made Easy, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company's core product, BEASY Authentication, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com Contact Details Beasy, LLC David Kaupp +1 978-360-6698 info@beasy1.com toldright Matt Saler, Vice President +1 215-432-3149 Company Website https://www.beasy1.com

November 09, 2021 11:06 AM Eastern Standard Time

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FORTRESS BRAND, a Leading Global Marketplace Accelerator, and SCHOOL HOUSE, a Powerhouse Creative Agency, Announce Strategic Partnership

Fortress Brand and School House

Fortress Brand and School House are joining forces to create a global omni-channel accelerator that addresses all Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) brand and product lifecycle needs. This first-of-its-kind agency partnership allows both Fortress Brand, a leading global marketplace accelerator, together with School House, a leading creative agency known for dynamic storytelling, to provide its brand partners with a proven competitive edge that drives business value at scale, from creation and brand identity, to retail, marketing, and sales. Fortress Brand and School House will leverage their expanded infrastructure and combined capabilities to drive continued game-changing growth for their beauty, health, and wellness brand partners. Headquartered in New York, NY, Fortress Brand is a technology-enabled direct-to- consumer channel partner specializing in driving growth for its clients on Amazon® and other e-commerce marketplaces. The Company offers a fully outsourced, turnkey e-commerce solution for leading CPG brands, providing re-seller protection, product development, and advertising services while leveraging proprietary data analytics within the world’s largest marketplaces. Fortress Brand’s customized strategies enable its brand partners to navigate the rapidly evolving marketplace landscape. Today, the Company represents over 45 leading beauty, health, and wellness brands, including Glow Recipe, Youth to the People, and HUM Nutrition. “The accelerating number of beauty, health, and wellness brand launches, combined with rising global supply chain concerns and competition, underscores Fortress Brand’s primary focus on identifying forward-thinking solutions for its client needs,” noted Alex and Matt Beer, Fortress Brand’s Co-CEOs and Founders. “The collective Fortress Brand and School House vision is to redefine the concept of client relations and brand partnerships by thoroughly understanding our brand partners’ every need. Together, we can then drive growth through each stage of the brand lifecycle, equipping our brand partners with the right tools, teams, and support to meet those needs. The School House partnership represents an important milestone in our continued evolution into the leading global omni-channel accelerator for beauty, health, and wellness brands.” Based in New York, NY, School House was founded nearly seven years ago with a vision to provide cut-through creative services based on compelling storytelling for the world’s most in-demand beauty brands. Through engaging and thoughtful design in an array of specialties under the disciplines of strategy and creative development, creative production, architectural design, and industrial design, School House has collaborated with over 75 client partners ranging from independent brands such as Ami Cole and IDEO Skincare, to founder-led brands including Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, J oanna Czech, Kosas, Pat McGrath Labs, and Tata Harper Skincare, to icons La Mer, Elemis and L'Occitane en Provence, to name a few. “At School House, our mission has always been to ensure a distinct point of difference in every beauty brand we touch – from voice and tone, visual identity, and creative strategy, to campaign content and environmental design. This is our mainstay. The creative outcome is always unique,” commented Christopher Skinner, Founder and Principal of School House. “We are thrilled to now expand this philosophy by offering our clients a trusted partner in Fortress Brand that can continue the brand’s lifecycle through a powerful presence on the world’s most rapidly growing marketplaces and channels.” The Company is excited to announce that its next phase of strategic partnership will be the School House Studios, an immersive physical creative content studio, which is set to open in New York City in Spring 2022. Fortress Brand and School House welcome inquiries from beauty, health, and wellness brands looking to accelerate their brand equity and growth across all channels. About Fortress Brand Established in 2012 and based in the heart of SoHo in NYC, Fortress Brand represents acclaimed beauty, health, and wellness brands on the Amazon® marketplace. With nearly a decade in business and 45 exclusive partnerships with names like Glow Recipe, Youth to the People and HUM Nutrition, our core strengths are channel control, protecting brand integrity, and driving growth on Amazon®. Recognized as one of Inc.’s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Companies and trusted by Amazon® as a verified partner, we are fully invested in our clients’ success from day one and stay on top of today’s rapidly changing market by investing deeply into technology, data and international capabilities. https://fortressbrand.com About School House School House is a creative agency, founded by former LVMH Executive Christopher Skinner, specializing in cut-through strategy, engaging creative and immersive environments for the world's most in-demand beauty brands. School House is built to mirror that of an in-house creative studio with dedicated talent across key creative disciplines needed in today's beauty market: brand and commercial strategy, branding and visual design, creative production, digital and social design, industrial design, visual merchandising, and architectural design. Select clients include Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, Perfect Diary, La Mer, Malin + Goetz, Tata Harper Skincare, L'Occitane en Provence, Joanna Czech, Elemis, Volition Beauty and MyGlamm. https://weareschoolhouse.com Contact Details School House: The Collective PR Debbie Burke-Smith +1 917-224-1415 debbie@thecollective-pr.com School House: The Collective PR Jennine Hannaway Lavyne +1 917-447-1192 jennine@hannawaypr.com Fortress Brand Gabby Barikian gabrielle.barikian@fortressbrand.com

November 03, 2021 10:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Making content king again: Instoried secures $8M to expand AI-powered platform that guarantees enhanced content performance and ROI

Instoried

Instoried, the only AI-powered pre-publication sentiment analysis tool that enhances content performance in real-time has raised $8M in funding from Pritt Investment Partners and 9Unicorns with participation from Mumbai Angels, Venture Catalysts Angel Fund and SOSV. Instoried turns traditional content performance tracking software on its head, delivering real-time sentiment analysis at the point of content creation to ensure performance ahead of publication. The startup’s AI engine dynamically determines the emotional engagement quotient of any type of written content and then makes smart recommendations to help content writers guarantee that their readers will be emotionally engaged. This enhanced emotional engagement enables businesses, enterprises and freelancers to dramatically improve content ROI through lead generation, brand engagement and product adoption. Instoried has seen customers increase lead generation 3-fold and double content ROI within 6 months of using the tool. Making use of complex Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms developed in-house, Instoried has tagged millions of lines of text with emotion and tone across all types of genres including business, health, politics and social media. The startup’s team of in-house linguists then annotate the text for context and semantics, providing the essential human understanding of tone from which their proprietary AI can learn. In simple terms, the tool can analyse content of any type or length to determine whether it is ‘any good’ insofar as it will achieve the goals of the content writer. Where content needs improvement to achieve these goals, Instoried provides real-time instructions for enhancing the copy to achieve optimal results. The Instoried SaaS platform delivers both content evaluation and content generation using OpenAI’s GPT-3. Some of the features include short-form content generation, emotional quotient analysis, grammar and plagiarism checking, headline analysis, tonality review and panel testing. Instoried has built web apps and APIs to help integrate the tool onto any licence-based platform. Instoried was founded in 2019 by Sharmin Ali. Sutanshu Raj joined as CTO and was later co-opted as a co-founder. Sharmin is both a published author and seasoned content creator having founded other companies in the media industry during her career. This insider insight inspired her mission to help businesses who have adopted content as a key driver in their marketing plan to stop “flying blind” when it comes to predicting content success. As a creative process, content writing is largely based on intuition which does not allow for a data-driven approach to audience engagement and content performance. Even existing software that can measure post-publication engagement, cannot tell businesses why their content is underperforming. So Sharmin joined forces with Sutanshu and built a team with rich tech, product, marketing and linguistic expertise to develop a tool that gauges and predicts content performance while creating it. Sharmin Ali, Founder & CEO, Instoried, commented: “With all brands doubling down on ecommerce and the world going virtual, there has never been a more important time for businesses to make their written content count and work hard. Over the past 12 months we have increased revenue 50x. We are now looking at scaling operations in the US. This fundraise will help us go to market, build a strong team in the US and add more product offerings to our existing portfolio. We are thrilled to have Pritt Investment Partners on board this content tech journey.” On investing in Instoried Scott Tripp, Director at Pritt Investment Partners said: “Pritt Investment Partners has been focused intently on investing in companies that have a strong product, management team, market in which to grow, and a solid plan for growth and favorable returns in the future. We believe we have found this in Instoried and Sharmin Ali. Instoried has successfully developed a SaaS based deep-tech platform that helps enterprises and individuals create emotionally engaging content, thereby improving return on investment (ROI) for marketing efforts and campaigns. As the digital marketing industry continues to grow we believe Instoried is well positioned with their product to take advantage of this opportunity and quickly penetrate the market. We are excited and proud to be a lead investor in the company and look forward to seeing the continued rapid growth of the company. This is only the beginning. Well done Sharmin and team!” “Instoried with its deep-tech tools have ensured that it analyses content so that companies can reach out to their target audience effectively and on time. We are optimistic about Instoried’s growth in the global content tech market that is likely to touch $400 billion in the next two years. Sharmin and her team are well equipped to emerge as leaders in this segment and we are excited to be a part of their growth story” added Dr. Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Co-founder & Director, 9Unicorns who have also invested in Instoried. Sharmin Ali added: “Instoried will enable brands, enterprises and freelancers to create more meaningful content in less time that resonates with their target audience. Our aim is to create a robust and all-inclusive content tool that can be the complete solution for content writers of all kinds. We want to make empathetic communication the next revolution in content marketing”. Instoried has previously raised $2M from investors including SOSV, Artesian Investments, Mumbai Angels, 9Unicorns, Venture Catalysts, Rockstud Capital. Instoried has received constant support from Censie Capital investment banking partners in their fundraising journey. About Instoried Instoried helps enterprises and individuals create emotionally engaging content which is also commercially rewarding. The platform helps content writers, in the SME category, e-commerce, FMCG, and other verticals to optimize emotions and generate emotive copy for marketing content. Instoried uses a data-driven approach using their proprietary AI driven technology to make real time analysis and suggestions to enhance content to increase engagement and interest for the reader. Instoried uses the principles of neuromarketing to offer smart recommendations to increase or decrease a particular emotion in the content. Instoried has won several awards including Best Product and Innovation (The Economic Times), Best AI Startup (IIT Kanpur) and Best Woman Driven Startup (JSS). Contact Details Instoried Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

October 27, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ElementalTV Debuts Newest CTV Tech Innovation, ELM iQ

ElementalTV

ElementalTV, an emerging media technology company and a division of Adoppler, today debuts its newest connected TV (CTV) tech solution, ELM iQ. The breakthrough CTV technology solution addresses the “last mile” creative problem, which is a major bottleneck for the CTV industry creative development and delivery. It accomplishes this by providing brands, publishers, and agencies to leverage real-time data to create new, compelling, customized creative ad content on the fly, and at scale. Current creative updating processes are manual and time consuming, with constant re-edits proving costly. ELM iQ leverages ElementalTV’s proprietary AI creative composer technology to address this massive slowdown in ad deployment. By pairing ELM iQ’s machine learning with real-time information from a partner’s database, CMS, or API, advertisers can now create and deliver dynamic CTV advertising content with near real-time speed and accuracy. ELM iQ creates new opportunities for brands to generate dynamic ad creative, by rapidly connecting data to develop immersive CTV ad creatives that are highly personalized and localized. The result is faster, near real-time ad executions and creates significant cost savings for brands, publishers, and agencies. “ELM iQ is an advanced technological solution that, we believe, has the power to propel CTV ad innovation to the next level,” says Sergey Lobko-Lobanovsky, Chief Technology Officer of ElementalTV. “Historically, video ad creatives for TV were not updated or refreshed very often, and when they were, it was usually seasonally or monthly. Advertisers today are looking for flexibility and speed to keep up with rapidly shifting consumer sentiments and buying behaviors. With ELM iQ and its smart machine learning technology, we now have the capability to do this in near real time, thus solving for advertisers the challenge of remaining agile and relevant in today’s competitive markets.” With ELM iQ, content creators can now focus squarely on conceptualizing and developing creative, relevant and hyper localized ad content that will resonate with its intended audiences, ensuring a better and more effective overall ad experience. “We see ELM iQ as a win for all stakeholders,” says Shafi Mustafa, VP Product Marketing for ElementalTV. “Viewers will see more dynamic and relevant ads with much fewer duplicate advertiser messages; publishers will benefit from increased bid density as more advertisers are now able to participate in CTV advertising; and advertisers will have the ability to create, update, and personalize creative messages in a highly scalable, low cost manner. This solution is a game changer.” ELM iQ is ElementalTV’s latest next-generation innovation, following the recent expansion of the company’s ELM product suite earlier this month. With the release of ELM, the company announced it surpassed one billion CTV advanced ad impressions in its first year of business. ELM iQ, a product of the company’s focus on rapid innovation, has been in beta with a select number of advertisers and is now available at scale. To learn more about ElementalTV and its solutions, visit www.elementaltv.com. About ElementalTV Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Pasadena, CA, ElementalTV is pioneering the next generation of CTV ad innovation. ElementalTV pushes the boundaries of how technology can immerse an audience’s advertisement experience. Its proprietary vertically integrated platform, ELM, combines a wide range of capabilities including advanced ad decisioning, demand-side platform (DSP), creative optimization, transcoding, and stitching to allow for seamless, next generation ad experience. To learn more, visit elementaltv.com. Contact Details Angelina Kaliszak angelina@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.elementaltv.com/

October 26, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

National Guard Veteran Darin Overstreet Transitions to Owning Minuteman Press Franchise in Aurora, Colorado

Minuteman Press International Inc

Darin Overstreet, co-owner of the Minuteman Press franchise located at 14190 E. Jewell Ave., Suite 1, has retired from the Colorado National Guard where he served as Chief Public Affairs Officer for the Joint Task Force - Centennial. Today, Darin, who also served in the U.S. Air Force, runs Minuteman Press in Aurora along with his wife Anne. Together, Darin and Anne provide local businesses and non-profits with design, printing, marketing, and mailing services. During his time of service, Darin was an integral part of several missions both at home and abroad. He shares, “We (the National Guard) did both federal and state missions that could take us anywhere from The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to El Salvador to right here in Colorado. In 2013, one mission that particularly hit home was the Colorado floods. The flood ripped through a dozen counties, and I was part of the Colorado National Guard’s Joint Staff. We coordinated everything from sandbagging and evacuations to helping people in flooded areas. After the floods, our team was brought in to help rebuild the highway that leads to Estes Park, Colorado. We were able to get the roads paved and, during the rebuild, I coordinated with the media including interviews, public relations, photography, video, and writing articles.” Darin continues, “I am most proud of the fact that I was part of team that truly made a difference and helped people when they needed us most. Over 15 years, our Public Affairs team received 75 National Military awards. I really enjoyed community relations, which is something I am still doing today in a different capacity with Minuteman Press, our Veteran-owned family business in Aurora.” Applying Military Skills to Business Ownership With Minuteman Press in Aurora, Darin has found the perfect opportunity to apply the skills he acquired during his years of military service. He says, “There are so many lessons and experiences I have taken with me – community relations, messaging, public relations, photography, and building relationships with so many different types of people. As the Director of Community Outreach, I was already connecting people who may not otherwise meet and I learned the value of simply helping others by providing service.” Darin adds, “90 percent of our clients are other local business owners like me. If I see that they can benefit from one another, I make meaningful connections and I see working with my clients as a two-way street. I love working with them on all of their marketing promotions and social media, and just building relationships. I want to serve and strengthen my community just as I did when I was in the National Guard.” One other benefit that Darin sees in the transition to business ownership is his ability to endorse and promote businesses, which was not the mission of the National Guard. He says, “Now, I can promote other businesses and help them, and I love being an active part of the Aurora community in this way. For example, during the pandemic I’ve been working to promote local artists. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photo/Video, and so I’ve been art-adjacent all my life. With Minuteman Press, I am able to help these incredible artists print on demand and promote their stories.” Buying the Business During the Pandemic and Operating as an Essential Business Darin and Anne bought their business in June 2020 and have remained open and operating throughout the pandemic as an essential business. They have seen high demand for a wide variety of products as businesses continue to ramp up their marketing efforts. Darin says, “We’ve seen high demand for direct mail and Every Door Direct Mail. We help businesses reach out to targeted geographic and demographic areas so they can tell their customers about operations changes, new guidelines, and of course, special offers.” He continues, “Throughout the pandemic, popular items have included large format printing (banners, posters, and signage), updated restaurant menus, stickers, and dye sublimation (face masks and apparel). We’ve also helped clients come up with special offers for subscription boxes featuring relevant printed and promotional items that their customers will appreciate and remember.” When asked why he chose Minuteman Press, Darin answers, “I looked at other franchises but I’ve always been interested in printing. I have a passion for art, photo and video, and with this business I feel like I can help others bring their visions and branding to life. When I visited Minuteman Press at the Denver Franchise Expo, they were very professional and straightforward. They told me about how the franchise model worked including their training, ongoing support, and capped royalties. I also found the startup costs reasonable and felt they had the knowledge and resources to really help us operate this business.” Darin also credits the local support team in Colorado for being there every step of the way. “Regional Vice President Jack Panzer and Area Manager Todd Golberg are there for us whenever we need them and it is a tremendous benefit to us to have their continued guidance and reassurance.” Minuteman Press in Aurora is located at 14190 East Jewell Avenue, Unit 1, Aurora, CO 80012. Contact Darin and Anne Overstreet at 303-751-5007 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/aurora21 Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Franchise Business Review has also named Minuteman Press International a Top Franchise for Veterans. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

October 25, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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