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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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AmeriLife Appoints Ford Stokes Senior Vice President, Annuity Marketing

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life, and health insurance solutions, today announced that it has hired Ford Stokes as senior vice president, Annuity Marketing. Stokes, reporting to AmeriLife Chief Marketing Officer Ovi Vitas, is charged with providing expert marketing strategies and implementation to AmeriLife affiliates, with the goal of helping financial advisors grow their advisory, insurance and annuities business. Most recently, Stokes served as an advisor to AmeriLife affiliate V2 Financial Group, where he implemented an aggressive, strategic marketing approach that helped grow V2’s profit 113.78% year over year in 2021. At AmeriLife, Stokes will, among other responsibilities, help define AmeriLife’s annuity marketing value proposition across its distribution network; help affiliates better activate cross-selling opportunities for annuities and retirement planning solutions; and drive third-party credibility of appointed advisors through exclusive thought leadership programs. "I can't wait to get started supporting AmeriLife’s affiliates and their advisors,” said Stokes. “Our affiliates work hard to protect and grow the hard-earned and hard-saved assets of their clients, while also ensuring they can help generate critical income for their clients’ retirement futures. We will work just as hard to help them help more Americans build a sound, successful retirement.” "Ford brings to AmeriLife a significant amount of consumer and financial industry expertise, business knowledge, and strategic acumen,” added Vitas. “I couldn’t be more excited to have Ford join the team, and I would encourage any financial advisor or insurance agent to get appointed with one of our affiliates to take advantage of the incredible expertise and qualified prospects that Ford and our team can provide.” Prior to joining AmeriLife, Stokes served as the chief marketing officer with a $2B independent marketing organization and was a former minority owner of a $3.4B registered investment advisor. He will continue to maintain his private wealth management practice based in Atlanta. Stokes earned his bachelor’s degree and MBA from Auburn University; holds a Series 65 Securities license; and is a licensed life and health insurance agent in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas and North Carolina. Stokes resides in Atlanta with his wife Diana and their twin girls, Grace and Madison. ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to offer insurance and retirement solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. By putting its mission into practice, AmeriLife has become recognized as a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees. For 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with the nation’s leading insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a national distribution network of over 250,000 insurance agents and advisors, over 40 marketing organizations, and nearly 50 insurance agency locations. Visit www.AmeriLife.com and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn for more information. Contact Details Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

October 22, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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What to Know About Planning a Wedding

YourUpdateTV

While the last year and the half has been difficult for those planning a wedding – with nearly half of 2020 engaged couples delaying their celebrations – the wedding industry has adapted and is embracing new trends to help people celebrate despite these mitigating circumstances. Recently, Wedding Expert with Shutterfly, Claire Roche, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss tips on planning a wedding, new trends, and what to expect moving forward. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/kZNOU5Yyoew Over the past year and a half, wedding celebrations have been impacted as the country grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as things return to normal, there is an emergence of thoughtful and unique personal touches added to the overall wedding design that truly celebrates a couple’s love story. The wedding industry has undergone big changes in the past year and a half and I’ve seen couples take a more simplified approach to their weddings. That doesn’t necessarily mean less expensive, but brides and grooms are really focusing on intimate ceremonies and celebrations that are unique to them. Finding those elements that are unique to a couple is something that has become even more important over the last year. Couples are diving deep into crafting their celebrations to look like them, feel like them, smell like them, and be full of their favorite things and people. With so many couples delaying their celebrations over the last 18 months, 2022 is already shaping up to be one of the busiest wedding years ever. One thing that all couples must do is to create a wedding day timeline. A detailed look at all of the things – setting a budget, finding a venue, booking vendors, finding a dress, etc – that couples will do before the big day. Shutterfly offers a breadth of customizable solutions to fit your personality and wedding style, no matter how you’re celebrating your nuptials. From cards to photobooks, from keepsakes to décor, Shutterfly offers everything you need to add your unique style to your wedding. Shutterfly offers a variety of styles to fit your wedding budget. For more information, visit Shutterfly.com/wedding About Claire Roche: As a Southern California wedding planner and owner of Grit and Grace Events, Claire is obsessed with the often forgotten and overlooked details of a wedding. She believes in the unique and customized elements that bring a wedding to life in a beautiful, yet attainable way. Claire has amassed nearly 1 million followers on TikTok and was recently named of one of the top people to follow if you’re planning a wedding. She’s an authentic voice in the wedding space and can speak to industry trends, products, and everything in between. 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

October 20, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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DFA Awards 2021 Winners Announcement

Hong Kong Design Centre

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 19 October 2021 - The DFA Awards is a flagship programme of the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC). It is comprised of five major awards to acknowledge leaders for their outstanding contributions to the design industry and celebrate projects at the forefront of design excellence with Asian perspectives. Three trailblazers in the world of design have been awarded in 2021: Patrick Whitney, Professor in Residence of Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health - DFA Lifetime Achievement Award (DFA LAA), Min-Liang Tan, CEO & Co-founder of Razer Inc. - DFA Design Leadership Award (DFA DLA), and Freeman Lau, Founder of KL&K Creative Strategics - DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer (DFA WOCD). In addition, 180 awards were conferred under the DFA Design for Asia Awards (DFA DFAA). Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government as the lead sponsor, the DFA Awards was launched in 2003 to underpin the role of designers within society, celebrate design excellence with positive influence and impacts in Asia. Upon reflection of this year's awards, Professor Eric Yim, Chairman of HKDC states: "Design is a vital part of Hong Kong, a city that brings people, culture and ideas together. This is especially critical at a time when the world has witnessed so much uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. This year, I am delighted to honour three exceptional leaders: Patrick Whitney, Min-Liang Tan, and Freeman Lau, all have shown through their work, dedication and leadership how design can be used to inspire communities, unite people from all walks of life through one singularity, and contribute to the betterment of society in Asia and beyond." DFA Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (DFA LAA) Patrick Whitney - Professor in Residence, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health Patrick Whitney is the Professor in Residence of D-lab in the Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, a leading laboratory that explores and demonstrates how design methods and frameworks can improve human well-being. He is widely regarded as a thought leader for pioneering the notions of human-centred design and strategic design. He is a highly esteemed speaker at multiple international design events, on topics such as innovation, sustainability and human well-being. Global Entrepreneur Magazine named him as one of 25 people worldwide contributing the most in bringing new ideas to businesses in China. DFA Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 honours Whitney's vast contribution to the design industry through design strategy development, education programmes, and his advisory work to governing design bodies, actively strengthening the relationship between design theory and practice. DFA Design Leadership Award 2021 (DFA DLA) Min-Liang Tan - CEO & Co-founder, Razer Inc. As the pioneer of e-sports hardware, former lawyer Min-Liang Tan is seen as a trailblazer for the younger generation, of someone following their dream and at the same time adding valuable contributions to society. As CEO, Co-founder and Creative Director of the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers – Razer Inc., Tan has demonstrated how forward-thinking and innovative design can disrupt the gaming industry. DFA Design Leadership Award 2021 honours his leadership throughout the years in pushing the boundaries of the gaming industry and driving industry innovation through design. Under Tan's strategic and creative direction, Razer has gone from a two-man startup to a multinational market leader and Unicorn in the technology world. DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer 2021 (DFA WOCD) Freeman Lau - Founder, KL&L Creative Strategics Freeman Lau is a Hong Kong designer, renowned for his art and design innovations. He is the brains behind some of Hong Kong's most iconic designs such as the Watson Water bottle, which earned him multiple awards. The design aesthetics and its functionality has lauded a critical breakthrough in the history of bottled water. In addition, Lau has been tirelessly promoting the development of design in Hong Kong, Greater China and Asia. Lau's creative prowess spans across the entire design spectrum, from graphic design, packaging design, to fine arts. His contributions are widely recognised in society His creative contributions have a significant, cultural impact in Asia, which is best demonstrated by his 'Chairplay' series. The series includes a range of furniture and sculptures, which has been shown worldwide at different exhibitions. The notion of Chairplay is a metaphor for the exploration of different human centric issues and is one of Lau's signature works. DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer 2021 honours his devotion and contribution to promoting the design, creative industry and culture of Hong Kong and Asia. DFA Design for Asia Awards 2021 (DFA DFAA) Since its launch in 2003, the DFA Design for Asia Awards has served to celebrate design excellence and acknowledge outstanding designs with Asian perspectives. It has been a stage upon which design talents and corporations can showcase their design projects internationally. It consists of the Grand Award and Category Award. Category Award entries are recruited by open submission to one of 24 categories under four key design disciplines, namely Apparel & Accessory Design, Communication Design, Environmental Design, and Product & Industrial Design; Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merit awards are presented to the outstanding projects. Gold award winners from the Category Award and other nominated design projects will be considered for the Grand Award. Dr Joseph Wong, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre mentions that: "Amidst the pandemic, creativity and innovation proves to be the remedy for improving our quality of life. We are pleased to award projects that meaningfully address critical issues such as humanitarian needs, environmental, cultural and sustainable development, revitalisation through technological advancements, and marriage of functionality and aesthetics." The Awards' international judging panel comprises experienced design professionals and experts. Entries were judged and 180 winners through rounds of judging and deliberation were conferred. These awards include 12 Grand Awards, six Grand Award with Special Mention and 162 Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merit under the Category Award. This year, companies from Mainland China and Japan are at the top of leaderboard with 52 awards, followed by Hong Kong awardees claiming 41 awards. For more information and the DFA Awards 2021 full list of awardees, please visit www.dfaawards.com. About DFA Awards ( www.dfaawards.com ) In 2003, the Hong Kong Design Centre launched the DFA Awards to underpin the role of designers in society, to celebrate design leadership and exemplary designs and projects with impact in Asia, as well as to recognise the rising force of emerging Hong Kong designers since 2005. The DFA Award, through its five major award programmes, has grown in its international influence in Asia. The five award programmes include DFA Lifetime Achievement Award, DFA Design Leadership Award, DFA World's Outstanding Chinese Designer, DFA Design for Asia Awards and DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award. #DFA About Hong Kong Design Centre ( www.hkdesigncentre.org ) Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is a non-governmental organisation, and was founded in 2001 as a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as an international centre of design excellence in Asia. Our public mission is to promote wider and strategic use of design and design thinking to create business value and improve societal well-being. HKDC's flagship programmes include Business of Design Week (BODW; since 2002) – Asia's leading annual event on design, innovation and brands; DFA Awards (since 2003) – a well-recognised annual awards that celebrate outstanding designs with Asian perspectives; and Knowledge of Design Week (KODW; since 2006) – an annual thematic programme that gathers the global design community to explore how design can solve complex challenges of our society. We also manage a Design Incubation Programme and Fashion Incubation Programme (since 2012 and 2016) – 2-year programmes to nurture future design and fashion entrepreneurs; and launched FASHION ASIA HONG KONG (since 2016) – an initiative combining conversations, interactions and cultural exchanges to position the city as an Asian hub for fashion trade and business development. #HongKongDesignCentre #HKDC About Create Hong Kong ( www.createhk.gov.hk ) Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated agency set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in June 2009. It is under the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and dedicated to spearheading the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. Its strategic focuses are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia's creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community. CreateHK sponsors the Hong Kong Design Centre to organise the DFA Awards for years and other projects to promote Hong Kong design. Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee. Contact Details Keith Yip keith.yip@hkdesigncentre.org

October 19, 2021 11:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Agora Data to Present at 2021 NIADA/NABD Convention

Agora

Agora Data’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Chris Barry, is slated to speak at the 2021 NIADA/NABD Automotive Finance & BHPH Expo. Barry will present “Groundbreaking Changes in Auto Financing to Fuel Growth” at 2:15 p.m. on November 2 in Orlando, Florida. Barry will share how new and revolutionary ways of accessing capital can help dealers compete with online retailers and large used-car superstores. Agora is pioneering change in the auto finance industry by completing the first-ever crowdsourced subprime securitizations in December 2020 and May 2021. Agora plans to execute these transactions regularly thereby permitting more and more dealers to tap into the capital markets. “Unlike any other time in history, independent and Buy Here Pay Here dealers are competing with mega-sized auto retailers who have the advantage of abundant capital with low rates and attractive terms. They may not know they have access to their competitors’ “secret sauce,” said Barry, who has more than 30 years of experience in auto lending, servicing, and ancillary products. “That’s why I’m excited to present at this year’s NIADA/NABD convention. I plan to spell out the most beneficial funding opportunities for independent and Buy Here Pay Here dealers, along with some bonus tips on leveraging robust data to improve loan portfolio performance.” At the convention, Barry will also participate in the BHPH Contract Purchasers Capital Panel, moderated by Ken Shilson. During this panel discussion, Barry and other industry experts will reveal the pros and cons of obtaining funding via securitization, bulk purchase or point of sale. Afterward, dealers can talk directly with Barry and the Agora team at the convention’s Finance Fair. “It’s extremely rewarding to see the looks on dealers’ faces when they find out they can now enjoy the same financial advantages typically reserved for big retail operations,” Barry said. “Much like their customers, Buy Here Pay Here dealers are underserved and underbanked. But Agora is here to change that.” Dealers are invited to drop by Agora’s booth #423 any day during the show to discuss the company’s groundbreaking capital solutions and learn how to access Agora’s completely free-of-charge, comprehensive portfolio analytics. About Agora Data, Inc: Founded in 2017, Agora Data’s platform delivers a suite of tools to empower Buy Here Pay Here dealers and finance companies to maximize their success. Agora is disrupting and influencing the industry by connecting its dealers and finance company members to Wall Street and other capital resources previously only available to large dealer groups. Agora Data’s family of auto finance products provides a wide range of critical funding paths so originators can obtain the cash they need to fuel growth. Powered by Agora’s proprietary, radical, AI-infused technology platform, originators now have access to robust data analytics and planning resources to help optimize the performance of their portfolio. Agora Data made history by closing the first-ever Crowdsourced Subprime Auto Securitization in 2020 and followed that up with its second transaction in early 2021. For more information, visit agoradata.com or contact us at 877-592-4672. Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

October 19, 2021 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

B Code Releases New Report, Examines Black Audiences Expectations from Digital Advertising Following a Tumultuous Year

B Code

B Code, a digital media company focused on helping brands and advertisers connect with Black audiences at scale across the digital landscape, today released the Black Attitudes Towards Digital Advertising report, which examines Black consumers’ thoughts towards digital advertising, including preferred channels, content, ad types and more. Over the past year, concerns surrounding underrepresentation and lack of diversity in media were brought front and center alongside the demand for Black voices to be heard and amplified. Since then advertisers have been reassessing how their efforts resonate with and support the Black community. This spurred the development of this B Code study which can be used as a resource to help advertisers understand how Black audiences are responding to different channels, content and ad formats. The Black and African-American population stays connected, is innovative and brand loyal, making them a highly valued audience to brands within the digital landscape. This community accounts for 13% of all U.S. population and 88% of African Americans age 25 and older hold a high school diploma or higher as recorded in 2019. Their spending power is also incredibly strong at $1.4T as of 2019, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth, and projected to grow to $1.8T by 2024. “To help close the gap between Black consumers and brands, advertisers must work from the ground up to tailor genuine and respectful messaging that effectively reaches and connects with Black audiences,” says Damian Benders, General Manager of B Code. “With B Code’s new study, we aim to help marketing professionals supplement the work they are doing with relevant creative with information on how to effectively push their messages across digital formats. We need to take advantage of these insights in every step of executing media strategies.” The Black Attitudes Towards Digital Advertising report uses proprietary data collected from the B Code Intelligence Center, which routinely surveys a large panel of Black consumers across target demographics. 568 Black respondents were surveyed from March 17 through March 22, 2021, and they are representative of all main geographical areas of the United States. The report is the second major study released by B Code following the announcement of its inception in June, 2021. Topline insights from the report include the following: Digital Ad Formats & Preferences The Black community is an evolving audience that is eager to stay up-to-date in the tech and the advertising world. While 54% of respondents say they are already likely to click on a digital ad, they are interested in seeing advancements in the ad space, with 45% demonstrating their interest in wanting to see more interactive video ads and other innovative models. Additionally, based on their personal digital behavior, Black audiences are most likely to see an ad on digital apps (72%) and social media (70%). Ad Effectiveness For advertising to connect effectively with the Black consumer, the content must not only be relevant to the reader, but it must also be relevant to the content they often find themselves around. 43% of respondents mentioned that a culturally relevant ad will be most effective in a culturally relevant website, rather than a general one, signaling the need for dedicated spaces in advertising. Also, 53% say an ad that is relevant to them personally will make them more likely to engage which is an indication that there is tolerance for even more personalization. In order for ads to be relevant to consumers, appropriate targeting must be a priority for advertisers. Black audiences are sensitive to their online privacy, with 54% stating that their identity should be protected online at all times and 49% support limiting or eliminating cookies as it will prevent personal information from being shared. Consistent with established best practices, survey respondents mostly prefer ads positioned at the beginning (42%) and at the middle (43%) of the content they are experiencing. Culture & Representation When targeting Black audiences, advertisers must ensure they are considering the ad content decisions that resonate most. Leveraging talent that reflects the diversity of the Black community and leaning into this audience’s desire to see their real stories highlighted will reap rewards be most impactful. Respondents said that an ad would grab their attention if it represented people like them (76%), featured stories of real people that are from the same ethnic/racial group (64%), and included music or other art that related to their ethnic/racial group (50%). Brand endorsements must also include culturally representative elements, with respondents saying they are more likely to pay attention to an ad if it features a Celebrity (67%) or influencer (65%) from their ethnic/racial group. To download the B Code Black Attitudes Towards Digital Advertising report, visit: https://www.bcodemedia.com/black-attitudes-towards-digital-ads About B Code B Code is a data-backed digital media entity focused on understanding Black audiences in order to authentically reach, inform and connect with them in the digital spaces they embrace most. At B Code, our mission is to empower brands with the right tools and resources to deliver meaningful and culturally-nuanced messaging for Black audiences, backed by proprietary data intelligence. Our marketing expertise, innovation, and resources make B Code one of few digital media agencies that can provide it all: Media, Creative, and Data Sourcing. Through the B Code publisher network, we aim to provide digital publishers with growth opportunities and access to increased ad revenue in order to dismantle investment disparities. Our overall insights-driven approach provides a constant pulse on ever-changing Black American sentiments, preferences, and habits. Contact Details North 6th Agency for B Code Paolo Ramos hcode@n6a.com Company Website https://www.bcodemedia.com/

October 19, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

ElementalTV Surpasses 1B+ CTV Ad Impressions in First Year of Business; Company Debuts ELM, a New Proprietary CTV Ad Platform, to Accelerate Expansion

ElementalTV

ElementalTV, an emerging media technology company and a division of Adoppler, has generated more than one billion connected TV (CTV) advanced ad impressions in its first year in the market, as the company pursues its mission to provide leading brands, advertisers and publishers with the tools necessary to unlock the full potential of the CTV ad experience. Today, ElementalTV immersive ad experiences reach 57% of CTV households in the U.S. and, after just one year of providing its proven CTV advertising solutions to some of the world’s top brands and content partners, ElementalTV is now debuting its new, proprietary Engagement Lift Media (ELM) platform to a wider marketplace. The ELM platform is the first and only fully vertically integrated platform, offering advanced ad decisioning, a demand-side platform (DSP), creative optimization, transcoding and stitching capabilities. This unified offering enables ElementalTV’s partners to deliver cost-effective, next generation CTV ad experiences, from localizing national video ad creatives via its innovative SmartFrame technology, to adding dynamic messaging within ad units, and contextual ad targeting. “CTV is the fastest growing medium today, but its ad experience is suboptimal,” says Omer Latif, CEO at ElementalTV. “We built our platform to reimagine the future of CTV advertising -- to create innovative and smart tech solutions for brands, to help publishers realize the full value of their content, and to pioneer a new and improved viewing experience for growing CTV audiences worldwide. Our approach is bold and breaks barriers. Through the ELM platform’s product suite, we enable our partners to leverage the addressability of digital to evolve audience engagement to a new standard.” The success over the past year and increasing demand for the new ELM platform are behind ElementalTV’s decision to accelerate the scaling of its business, including broadening its strategic partnership with top programmatic firm MPW Digital. The partnership with MPW Digital expands the company's efforts to introduce advertisers to the next generation of advanced CTV advertising capabilities and formats. “Our next phase of growth requires having the right partners who share our vision of being true pioneers and innovators in CTV advertising technology,” says Albert Yu, VP Analytics & Monetization at ElementalTV. “MPW Digital has been on this journey with us and we’re excited to have them play a critical role in our expansion.” “Over the past year we've seen ElementalTV’s ability to rapidly innovate and grow. It has been exciting to see their SmartFrame technology add value to advertisers' CTV campaigns,” says Marcus Weiss, COO at MPW Digital. “This is just the beginning and we’re looking forward to serving as a close extension of their team as they advance into the next phase of commercialization of ELM and continue to transform the CTV ad experience.” ElementalTV, a division of Adoppler, was started in 2020 to focus on technology solutions for CTV, creating breakthrough ad experiences for CTV audiences while delivering innovation and added value to advertisers and publishers. Today, through the ELM platform, ElementalTV is delivering more than 100 million advanced ad impressions per month. 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 Kite Hill PR Angelina Kaliszak angelina@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.elementaltv.com/

October 19, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Terra Wellington’s Fall Wellness Journey

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/6p0or23MAVA One of the busiest seasons is upon us. Between school activities, homework, and many people going back to the office—it’s sometimes hard to fit in personal care and extra family time. Terra Wellington is Editor in Chief of SimpleMomsGuide.com and has three wellness tips to help make the transition into fall a little smoother. SIMPLE PERSONAL CARE MATTERS: The fall ushers in cooler temperatures and a drop in humidity—leading to dry air and dry skin. That’s why Wellington suggests approaching skincare seasonally, including moisturizing your skin more often. She says, “It’s about giving yourself some simple personal care.” One product the lifestyle media personality recommends is Gold Bond Pure Moisture Daily Body and Face Lotion. It’s clinically shown to provide immediate hydration that lasts for 24 hours, while being ultra-lightweight and fast-absorbing, with 7 moisturizers and 3 vitamins, plus hyaluronic acid and grapeseed oil. This means it will help attract and retain moisture. The lotion is also free from parabens, dyes, and fragrances. Wellington says to use it daily to keep your skin looking healthy. For more information, go to goldbond.com. https://www.goldbond.com/en-us/products/pure-moisture-lotion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldbond/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldbond/ Hashtags: #SkinChampions #PureMoisture TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FALL HARVEST: Wellington’s fall wellness tips include taking advantage of fall-season produce, like butternut squash, pears, and grapes. She says it can be a money-saving move because it’s often on sale at local farmer’s markets. Whether eating your healthy harvest indoors or outdoors, Wellington recommends checking out Chinet. Her go-to’s include the brand’s disposable cutlery, cups, and plates made for every occasion. She says, “They can make your cleanup easier, especially if you’re outdoors. This gives you more time to enjoy your family.” “Chinet’s Crystal products provide a fancy touch to your meals,” says Wellington, adding, “Their comfort cups have lids to help avoid spills, especially if you’re on the go, which can make the journey more manageable.” The Classic line is made from 80% recycled material. For more information, go to mychinet.com. https://www.mychinet.com/products/ Instagram: Instagram.com/mychinet Facebook: Facebook.com/mychinet Twitter: Twitter.com/mychinet MAKE YOUR HEALTH TOP PRIORITY: Wellington says we may not be drinking as much water as we did in the summer, but it’s still very important to stay properly hydrated. In fact, studies have shown that drinking enough water can help reduce stress. “It can be as easy as having a glass of water nearby, you can take sips throughout the day,” says the media personality. Another fall wellness tip is to spend time outdoors—science shows that it is beneficial to a positive mindset and healthy body. “Being outdoors also provides opportunities to get in your exercise. You can hike, bike, or take a walk in your neighborhood,” says Wellington, “20 to 30 minutes is a good goal,” she adds. Her final tip is to get enough sleep. “Make sure you try to get at least seven to nine hours each night. Not only does sleep give you the proper amount of energy, but it also helps boost your immune system.” For more information, go to simplemomsguide.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

October 18, 2021 09:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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