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Personal Mobility, Retail Shopping, and Event Attendance Are Among the Areas Most Impacted.
ARMONK, N.Y., May 1, 2020 — Findings from an IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of U.S. consumers reveal shifting personal behavior and preferences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study polled more than 25,000 U.S. adults in April to understand how COVID-19 has affected their perspectives on several issues, including retail spending, transportation, future attendance at events in large venues, and returning to work. The results revealed that U.S. consumers plan to make significant changes in the way they go about their lives and work in the wake of the virus.
Many consumers indicated that they plan to reduce their use of or forgo ridesharing and public transportation entirely. They also indicated they are less likely to attend significant events once the crisis abates but are more likely to participate in sporting events. Many respondents expressed changes in the way they will shop and spend their money. They showed an increased willingness to use contactless payment technologies when shopping, alongside a reluctance and hesitation to make new car purchases due to personal financial concerns resulting from the pandemic.
“The study provides further evidence that COVID-19 is permanently altering U.S. consumer behavior. There are long term implications of the new consumer behaviors for industries like retail, transportation, and travel, among others. These organizations need to quickly adapt their business models to serve the new consumer behaviors to survive and thrive,” said Jesus Mantas, Senior Managing Partner, IBM Services.
Among the more noteworthy findings:
• Personal mobility could be different after the pandemic.
The survey results show consumer attitudes toward public transportation have shifted notably. More than 20 percent of respondents who regularly used buses, subways, or trains now said they no longer would, and another 28 percent said they would likely use public transportation less often.
More than half of people surveyed who used ridesharing apps and services said they would either use these less or stop using these services altogether. Findings were not quite as dire for taxis and other traditional car services, as a smaller 24 percent of people surveyed indicated they would no longer use these modes of transportation.
• More use of personal vehicles.
More than 17 percent of people surveyed said that they intend to use their vehicle more as a result of COVID-19, with approximately 1 in 4 saying they will use it as their exclusive mode of transportation going forward.
One-third of respondents said that constraints on their finances would “greatly” influence their decision to buy a vehicle once COVID-19 restrictions get lifted. More than 25 percent said that a lack of confidence in the global and U.S. economic outlook would impact their decisions to buy a vehicle - with nearly the same number of people saying they would be holding off on buying for more than six months. Consumers added that manufacturer incentive programs are not likely to persuade or change their thinking.
• Event attendance will be down for some time.
When asked about attendance at various types of significant events once stay-at-home restrictions get lifted, more than half of respondents said they are unwilling to be exposed to large crowds for the remainder of 2020. Conferences and trade shows had a strong response, with 75 percent indicating that they are unlikely to attend an in-person meeting or trade show in 2020. Bars and restaurants are more likely to fare much better.
More than one-third of consumers indicated they would visit these establishments, with only about ten percent saying they will not. Outdoor parks also represent a favored destination; one-third of respondents said they are very likely to visit an outdoor park after restrictions get lifted. Approximately 25 percent of consumers also indicated they would be ready to visit the beach, and 1 in 5 will be prepared to go shopping at malls and shopping centers.
• Retail Experience Continues to Evolve.
Due to their concerns about COVID-19, nearly 40 percent of consumers surveyed said they are likely to use contactless payment options via their mobile device or credit card when shopping. More than 75 percent of respondents indicate they are choosing to visit stores to buy essential goods (i.e., food & beverages and household & cleaning products). However, consumers in the Northwest were more likely to buy essential goods online.
The study also reveals that the pandemic has created a priority on shopping local for those surveyed - with 25 percent of respondents indicating they are now shopping more often at locally owned stores and buying more locally made, grown or sourced products.
• The Rise of the Remote Workforce.
The forced shift to operating as a mostly remote workforce has led to nearly 40 percent of respondents indicating they feel strongly that their employer should provide employee opt-in remote work options when returning to normal operations. And remote work appears to be growing on people, as more than 75 percent indicate they would like to continue to work remotely at least occasionally, while more than half - 54 percent - would like this to be their primary way of working.
The shift toward a more remote workforce could require more than a simple change of location - it may require the use of soft skills to continue to be productive and successful. A 2019 study from the IBV revealed that adaptability, time management, and the ability to work well on teams were most crucial to the workforce today. However, only 41 percent of CEOs surveyed felt they had the capability in terms of people skills and resources required to execute their business strategies. So it will be imperative for organizations to prioritize reskilling employees around these core capabilities, the IBM study concluded.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:55 PM | View the original post
TOKYO, April 30, 2020 — FUJIFILM Corporation has announced the expansion of its manufacturing capacity at FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Company. That would significantly increase the production of its influenza antiviral drug “Avigan® Tablet” (generic name: favipiravir) for treating patients with COVID-19.
To further boost the supply of Avigan, Fujifilm is allocating additional capacity at its FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Co., Ltd. facility in Japan, for production of pharmaceutical intermediates used to manufacture Avigan. Besides, Fujifilm has established strategic partnerships with domestic and overseas companies for various manufacturing processes to source raw materials and pharmaceutical substances.
Fujifilm expects to progressively increase the monthly production of Avigan up to 100,000 treatment courses by July 2020, approximately 2.5 times more compared to the beginning of March when the company first began its current production run. Also, Fujifilm plans to further accelerate production up to 300,000 treatment courses by September 2020.
According to Fujifilm, the Japanese government plans to stockpile two million treatment courses of Avigan, as part of the Japanese government’s emergency economic package announced on April 7. Fujifilm said it continues to respond to requests from the Japanese government and will also engage with other countries after consultation with the Japanese government.
Avigan, approved in Japan for manufacture and sale as an influenza antiviral drug, selectively inhibits viral RNA polymerase necessary for influenza virus replication. Avigan may have an antiviral effect on the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Because, like influenza viruses, coronaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses that also depend on viral RNA polymerase. To determine Avigan’s safety and efficacy to treat COVID-19, Avigan, as an investigational product, is being administered in clinical studies to COVID-19 patients.
A treatment course is the amount of Avigan Tablet described by the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases in its guidance for a regimen of favipiravir to treat COVID-19. This 14-day treatment regimen includes two loading doses of 1800 mg each on Day 1, followed by two maintenance doses of 800 mg each on Days 2 through 14.
Avigan Tablet was approved for manufacture and sale in Japan in 2014 as an influenza antiviral drug. The drug is considered for use only when there is an outbreak of novel or re-emerging influenza virus infections in which other influenza antiviral medications are insufficiently productive.
Meanwhile, FUJIFILM Corporation has announced the initiation of a U.S. phase II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this influenza antiviral drug for patients with COVID-19, a respiratory infection caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
On March 31, Fujifilm announced the start of phase III clinical trial of Avigan for COVID-19 patients in Japan.
The clinical trial in the U.S. will enroll approximately 50 patients with COVID-19 in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Fujifilm said it would continue to work to establish a treatment method for COVID-19 patients through conducting clinical trials and to contribute to ending the spread of this global pandemic as soon as possible by increasing the production of Avigan in collaboration with strategic partners worldwide.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:39 AM | View the original post
The 2020 program builds upon a 15-year legacy of empowering everyday heroes to help further their missions during a critical time.
NEW YORK, April 22, 2020 — L’Oréal Paris, the #1 global beauty brand, launches the 15th year of its signature philanthropic platform, Women of Worth. The program searches for honors and champions women who selflessly give back to their communities and build the worth of others every day. Over the past 14 years, L’Oréal Paris has honored 140 women with a combined $1.8 million, amplified their worthy causes, and provided them with a national platform to share their stories to make an even more significant impact in the lives of others.
Now more than ever, L’Oréal Paris continues to be wholly dedicated to these women, believing that in a time of crisis, it is crucial to give support to those who give so much of themselves to help the most vulnerable among us. In the spirit of its iconic tagline, “Because You’re Worth It,” L’Oréal Paris today announced the call for its 2020 Women of Worth nominations to the public at WomenofWorth.com.
Nominate a woman leading a nonprofit organization making a difference in her community for the chance to become one of the 10 Women of Worth 2020 Honorees and receive up to $35,000 in donations. Additionally, Americans may share the story of a woman who is truly inspirational in her work on the front lines in the fight against coronavirus. L’Oréal Paris will honor one of these COVID-19 Women of Worth throughout the program.
“L’Oréal Paris’ Women of Worth program has always been focused on elevating everyday women who dedicate their lives to serving their communities. Today, their work addressing a wide range of vulnerable populations is more important than ever. L’Oréal Paris has a unique ability to give these women and their causes a national platform, helping to elevate their stories and bring additional resources to underserved communities,” said Ali Goldstein, L’Oréal Paris USA President. “We are proud of the 140 women we have honored to date and are humbled to be able to honor even more women this year. They are examples of the change that can happen when we believe that we are all worth it.”
L’Oréal Paris provides each of the Women of Worth with a platform for her story. She gets the opportunity to build a network that amplifies her cause and makes an even more significant impact. The 2020 Honorees will join the 140 Women of Worth alumnae, who stand for a diverse range of purposes and inspirational stories.
Since 2005, L’Oréal Paris has partnered with Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, to orchestrate the call for nominations and welcome Honorees within the fold as shining examples of how giving back can genuinely change the world. Each of the Women of Worth will receive $10,000. One National Honoree, selected by popular vote, will be awarded an additional $25,000 for her work. All 2020 Honorees will be recognized and celebrated later this year.
The L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care brand dedicated to empowering women by offering luxurious and innovative products and services available in the mass market. The brand’s signature tagline, “Because I’m Worth It,” was born in the United States in 1973 to celebrate the beauty and intrinsic self-worth of women.
Points of Light is a global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. According to Points of Light, it envisions a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through affiliates in 200 cities across 37 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 14 million hours of service each year. “We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most,” Points of Light declared.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:50 AM | View the original post
Commitments from Philanthropists and Corporate Partners will benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO), powered by the UN Foundation, along with Local and Regional Charities.
Photo: In this screengrab, Jennifer Lopez performs during “One World: Together At Home” presented by Global Citizen on April 18, 2020. The global broadcast and digital exclusive would support frontline healthcare workers and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, powered by the UN Foundation. (Photo by Getty Images for Global Citizen). Image provided by & copyright © Global Citizen 2020.
Photo In this screengrab, Dr. David D. Ho of Columbia University speaks during “One World: Together At Home” presented by Global Citizen on April 18, 2020. The global broadcast and digital exclusive would support frontline healthcare workers and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, powered by the UN Foundation. (Photo by Getty Images for Global Citizen). Image provided by & copyright © Global Citizen 2020.
Photo: Screenshot. Irish musician Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, known professionally as Hozier, during “One World: Together At Home” presented by Global Citizen on April 18, 2020.
Photo: In this screengrab, Priyanka Chopra Jonas speaks during “One World: Together At Home” presented by Global Citizen on April 18, 2020. The global broadcast and digital exclusive would support frontline healthcare workers and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, powered by the UN Foundation. (Photo by Getty Images for Global Citizen). Image provided by & copyright © Global Citizen 2020.
NEW YORK, April 18, 2020 — International advocacy organization, Global Citizen, together with Lady Gaga, tonight announced $127 million in commitments to date in support of healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Corporate partners and philanthropists announced their support for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, powered by the UN Foundation, during the One World: Together At Home global broadcast event.
Donations to the fund will support WHO’s work around the world, the vaccine development alliance Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and UNICEF.
The historic eight-hour globally promoted special event garnered unprecedented worldwide distribution, reaching billions. More than 60 global broadcast networks across more than 175 countries, nine digital platforms, and hundreds of affiliates celebrated and supported brave healthcare workers doing life-saving work on the front lines.
One World: Together At Home kicked-off with a six-hour digital stream that was followed by a two-hour broadcast special. The broadcast special was hosted by Jimmy Fallon of ‘The Tonight Show,’ Jimmy Kimmel of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and Stephen Colbert of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,’ with friends from Sesame Street. All were on hand to help unify and inspire people around the world, focusing on communities impacted by COVID-19. The eight hours included conversations with and tributes to, the scientists, healthcare professionals, and other essential services workers that have championed the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several famous artists participated in the broadcast special. They included Alicia Keys, Amy Poehler, Andrea Bocelli, Awkwafina, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong, Burna Boy, Camila Cabello, Celine Dion, Chris Martin, David & Victoria Beckham, Eddie Vedder, Ellen DeGeneres, and Elton John.
Other leading actors who participated included FINNEAS, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J Balvin, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, LL COOL J, Lupita Nyong’o, Maluma, Matthew McConaughey, Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Pharrell Williams, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sam Smith, Shah Rukh Khan, Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and Usher.
The broadcast also included Former United States First Ladies Mrs. Laura Bush and Mrs. Michelle Obama, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The six-hour digital event included musical performances from Adam Lambert, Andra Day, Angèle, Anitta, Annie Lennox, Becky G, Ben Platt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Black Coffee, Bridget Moynahan, Burna Boy, Cassper Nyovest, Charlie Puth, Christine and the Queens, Common, Connie Britton, Danai Gurira, Delta Goodrem, Don Cheadle, Eason Chan, Ellie Goulding, Erin Richards, FINNEAS, Heidi Klum, Hozier, Hussain Al Jassmi, Jack Black, Jacky Cheung, Jack Johnson, Jameela Jamil, James McAvoy, Jason Segel, Jennifer Hudson, Jess Glynne, Jessie J, Jessie Reyez, John Legend, Juanes, Kesha, Lady Antebellum, Lang Lang, Leslie Odom Jr., Lewis Hamilton, Liam Payne, Lili Reinhart, Lilly Singh, Lindsey Vonn, Lisa Mishra, Lola Lennox, Luis Fonsi, Maren Morris, Matt Bomer, Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bublé, Milky Chance, Naomi Osaka, Natti Natasha, Niall Horan, Nomzamo Mbatha, P.K. Subban, Picture This, Rita Ora, Samuel L Jackson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sebastián Yatra, Sheryl Crow, Sho Madjozi, SOFI TUKKER, SuperM, The Killers, Tim Gunn, Vishal Mishra and Zucchero.
The benefit special aired on Saturday, April 18, 2020, on ABC, NBC, ViacomCBS Networks, The CW, iHeartMedia, Bell Media networks, and platforms in Canada and will air on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at 7:15 p.m. GMT on BBC One.
Other broadcasters included: AXS TV, beIN Media Group, Bloomberg Media, Canal + International, Caracol Television, Corus Entertainment, Deutsche Telekom, Digicel, DPAN.TV American Sign Language (ASL) supported by Comcast, DPG, Media, Dubai-TV, France-TV, Fuji TV, Hulu-Japan, Insight TV, JOOX, Katz Networks, LiveNow/ELEVEN Sports, Mediacorp, M6-France, MultiChoice, National Geographic, Naver Corp, NOVA-Bulgaria, One Championship, RAI Italy, Rede Globo, Rogers Media, RTE, RTL, Sony Pictures-Latin America, Seven Network, Sony Pictures-India, Turner Network Television International, SVT-Sweden, TV2-Denmark, TV2-Norway, TVE-Spain, TV4-Sweden, UNIVISION, Viacom18, and YLE-Finland.
The six-hour digital stream curated from around the world leading up to the global broadcast with many more performances and appearances aired on Amazon Prime Video, Apple, ARD, beIN Media Group, Bell Media, Brut Media, Caracol Television, Corus Entertainment, DailyMotion, Deutsche Telekom, Digicel, Facebook, France-TV, Hulu-Japan, IMDb, Instagram, JOOX, LiveXLive, M6-France, Mediacorp, Multichoice, Naver Corp, Network 10, One Championship, Rede Globo, Rogers Media, Roku, SET & Sony-Liv, The Guardian, TIDAL, TuneIn, TV2-Denmark, TV2-Norway, TVE-Spain, TVI-Portugal, Twitch, Twitter, Yahoo, YLE-Finland and YouTube.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:09 AM | View the original post
Photo: Casio expands PRO TREK lineup with new PRT-B50 titanium timepieces.
DOVER, N.J. — Casio America, Inc., has announced the latest additions to its PRO TREK collection of outdoor timepieces - the PRT-B50T-7 and PRT-B50YT-1. The new PRT-B50T-7 and PRT-B50YT-1 boast a functional design with a broad watch face that incorporates a large, rotating resin bezel and Arabic numeral indices. The PRT-B50T-7 is outfitted with a silver titanium band and the PRT-B50YT-1 with a Black IP titanium band, which makes them easy to take from a professional setting to the great outdoors.
Like their predecessors, the new PRT-B50T-7 and PRT-B50YT-1 are equipped with a quad sensor technology that can detect compass bearing, barometric pressure/altitude, temperature, and steps. Using Bluetooth and Casio’s Smartphone Link functionality, the timepieces can connect to the PRO TREK Connected app providing additional useful information for the outdoors, such as Route log, Calories burned, Location indicator and more!
Additional features include world time (38 cities + UTC), water-resistance up to 100 meters, a full auto double LED backlight, 1/100th second stopwatch, countdown timer, hand-retract function, full auto-calendar, five daily alarms, and 2-year battery life.
PRO TREK is a line of men’s watches designed and engineered to make them essential pieces of outdoor gear, including Tough Solar Power, Triple Sensor Technology, low temperature, water resistance, daily alarms, a stopwatch, and more. Whether individuals enjoy hiking, camping, mountain biking or hunting, Casio’s PRO TREK collection offers rugged, stylish and versatile timepieces for men with features that enhance any outdoor experience.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:24 AM | View the original post
Photo: CASIO ClassPad Example.
TOKYO, April 15, 2020 — Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today that it has now made the full PLUS suite of its ClassPad Web service for mathematical calculations free of charge worldwide. It would support students and teachers dealing with school closures due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Usually available as a paid subscription, the PLUS suite gives users access to all of ClassPad’s most advanced function calculation and graphing features. Casio has also made its Manager and Emulator software applications free of charge for teachers conducting online classes. Both will be free until August 31, 2020.
ClassPad is a Web service that allows users to calculate functions, make graphs, and perform both statistical and geometric calculations. Users can freely arrange their numerical formulas, geometric figures, and charts in the browser window. Casio is now providing the highest-grade PLUS suite free of charge — giving all users access to a computer algebra system (CAS). CAS can perform a wide variety of calculations based on expressions as well as other advanced features, such as the ability to handwrite math input. Graphs and other data created on ClasPad can be saved and shared for individual learning at home and online classes.
The other offering now made free is the Casio Manager and Emulator for teachers. It reproduces the operations of scientific calculators on PCs. These apps work with video conferencing tools to make it easy for students to see graphs and formulas the instructor writes on his or her screen during an online class. Even when students cannot meet in person for tuition due to school closures or stay-at-home orders, teachers can use these tools to teach calculation methods easily via the Web.
According to Casio, one has to download and install the software applications from the following education website to avail of the offer, free until August 31, 2020.
Casio’s Education Website:
https://edu.casio.com/softwarelicense/aid/
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:03 AM | View the original post
Photo: Merck is partnering with The Jenner Institute in the Institute’s efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19.
DARMSTADT, Germany, April 14, 2020 — Merck, a leading science and technology company, and The Jenner Institute today announced that the Jenner Institute had laid the foundation for large-scale production of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1nCoV-19.
With patients enrolled for clinical trials for this vaccine, the rapid development of the large-scale manufacturing process is a critical step in quickly and safely delivering it from the lab to patients.
“We have brought the future of vaccine manufacturing to the present,” said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. “This is an important step in treating COVID-19 and other diseases that impact global public health. This work marks a milestone in the vaccine manufacturing development journey, as clinical testing continues to advance.”
Tapping into Merck’s previous work provided a substantial head start for plans to scale-up the manufacture of Jenner’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Developing the manufacturing process itself would typically take at least six months to a year. Still, in just two months, Merck supported the Jenner team and their collaborators to evaluate the existing manufacturing platform for use with the new vaccine candidate.
Over the last two years, Merck’s collaboration with The Jenner Institute has led to the development of a rapid, scalable platform following good manufacturing practices and using disposable technologies for the Institute’s adenovirus platform. While the initial work with a rabies vaccine candidate, the platform was validated with different adenovirus constructs aiming at accelerating future vaccine development and manufacturing. Speed is a significant challenge when facing a new outbreak, such as this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations first announced their partnership to develop more robust and scalable vaccine manufacturing processes in April 2018.
“The Jenner Institute’s team was able to develop the 10-liter manufacturing scale process based on the previously generated platform with Merck, preparing us for the next round of scale-up efforts,” said Dr. Sandy Douglas, vaccine manufacturing scale-up project lead at The Jenner Institute. “Industry collaborations, such as ours with Merck, showcase the value that these efforts have in accelerating our response to outbreaks and pandemics and quickly delivering lifesaving vaccines to benefit the global population.”
The Jenner Institute was founded in November 2005 to develop innovative vaccines against major global diseases. Uniquely it focuses both on diseases of humans and livestock and tests new vaccine approaches in parallel in different species.
The Institute comprises the research activities of more than 30 Jenner Investigators who head leading research groups spanning human and veterinary vaccine research and development. Together the Institute Investigators comprise one of the most significant non-profit sector research and development activities in vaccinology.
The Institute is a partnership between the University of Oxford and The Pirbright Institute and is the successor to the former Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research.
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science, and performance materials. Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been essential to Merck’s technological and scientific advances since its founding in 1668.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:29 PM | View the original post
PURCHASE, NY - March 30, 2020 - Today, the partners in the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator announced grants of $20 million to three institutions—the University of Washington, University of Oxford, and La Jolla Institute for Immunology—to fund clinical trials to identify highly potent immunotherapies for the COVID-19 pandemic.
These grants mark the first investments to come from the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, a large-scale initiative launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Mastercard to speed the development of and access to therapies for COVID-19. Currently, there are no broad-spectrum antivirals or immunotherapies available to prevent or treat COVID-19.
“These grants to leading institutions in their fields will advance our understanding of how existing drugs and antibodies can contribute to addressing the pandemic we’re facing around the world,” said Mark Suzman, chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “These initial investments through the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will bring rigor to the study of these potential solutions. The way forward will be informed by sound science and shared data.”
Also, newly announced funding from government and philanthropic donors has added to the Accelerator’s initial funding. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative committed $25 million, and the U.K. government invested £40 million last week. The additional funds will allow the Accelerator to continue making grants to study repurposed drugs and investigate biological compounds for activity against COVID-19.
The researchers will investigate two well-established drugs, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. Both these drugs have known antiviral properties. These drugs treat malaria and a variety of rheumatological conditions. The trials aim to determine whether the drugs are effective as pre- and post-exposure preventive therapy for COVID-19. While these drugs both show initial promise, rigorous scientific evidence is needed to make decisions on how, where, and within which populations to use them in this pandemic.
The University of Washington will conduct a multi-site clinical trial in Western Washington and the New York City area, in collaboration with New York University’s School of Medicine, investigating whether hydroxychloroquine can effectively prevent COVID-19 in people already exposed to the infection. The trial will enroll up to 2,000 asymptomatic men and women who are close contacts of persons with confirmed or pending COVID-19 diagnoses. Participants will be randomly assigned to take hydroxychloroquine or a placebo over two weeks, and samples will be collected and tested daily to confirm new COVID-19 infections across the two groups. Sandoz, a Novartis division, has donated the hydroxychloroquine doses needed to conduct the study. Participant enrollment will begin in April.
The University of Oxford will lead a study of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in preventing COVID-19 in at-risk health care workers, frontline staff, and other high-risk groups. More than 40,000 participants in Asia and Europe would receive the drugs as daily prophylaxis for three months. The project, known as COPCOV, aims to determine definitively whether these drugs can prevent COVID-19 and thus protect the vital health care workforce. Participant enrollment will begin in April.
Nick Cammack, COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator Lead at Wellcome, said: “Investment in research is the world’s only exit strategy from COVID-19. Drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics are vital for saving lives, ending this pandemic, and preventing it from happening again. Now is the time to evaluate whether existing drugs will prove to be safe and effective. We urge others to join us in this collective global effort. Investing now in the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator is necessary if we are to change the course of this pandemic.”
In addition to funding drug trials, the Accelerator will provide $1.73 million to the La Jolla Institute for Immunology to establish a Coronavirus Immunotherapy Consortium, known as CoVIC. The effort will bring together scientists from around the world and enable them to share and evaluate candidate antibodies side by side in a blinded, multidisciplinary analysis to identify ideal therapeutic combinations. Antibody therapies protect frontline health care workers, contacts, and others who are exposed, as well as treat those who have already become sick.
“Today’s grants are an important next step in the Therapeutic Accelerator’s commitment to identifying and scaling treatments to combat COVID-19,” said Mike Froman, vice chairman of Mastercard. “To provide therapeutic solutions to this global pandemic, particularly for those most vulnerable, we need to speed up the research and development process through a collaborative funding effort by the private sector, philanthropic organizations, and governments. We welcome the participation of new organizations that can contribute the resources needed to help bring an end to this crisis.”
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:55 AM | View the original post
Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar, the latest generation T-Touch, is packed with Tissot’s unique watchmaking expertise. This Swiss-Made timepiece is connected, securely private, interactive, autonomous, contemporary, and long-lasting.
The T-Touch Connect Solar has a perpetual calendar and countdown. It has various timekeeping, meteorological, and altimeter functions, and alarms. To these, it adds an activity tracker and a smartphone with app notifications and updates.
“The T-Touch Connect Solar is a Swiss-Made connected watch,” Tissot stated. “This certification of component origin and quality is a guarantee of manufacturing excellence and security. No provider can access data via a component, or the operating system. And neither the watch nor its app sends data to a third party,” the company declared.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:17 PM | View the original post
SEATTLE, March 20, 2020 - Mastercard, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome have committed up to $125 million in seed funding to speed-up the response to the COVID-19 epidemic by identifying, assessing, developing, and scaling-up treatments.
Their announcement said that the three partners are committed to equitable access, including making products available and affordable in low-resource settings. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will play a catalytic role by accelerating and evaluating new and repurposed drugs and biologics to treat patients with COVID-19 in the immediate term, and other viral pathogens in the longer-term. Currently, there are no broad-spectrum antivirals or immunotherapies available for the fight against emerging pathogens, and none approved for use on COVID-19.
The Gates Foundation and Wellcome are each contributing up to $50 million, and the Mastercard Impact Fund has committed up to $25 million to catalyze the initial work of the Accelerator. The Gates Foundation’s funding is part of its $100 million commitment to the COVID-19 response announced last month.
“Viruses like COVID-19 spread rapidly, but the development of vaccines and treatments to stop them moves slowly,” said Mark Suzman, chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “If we want to make the world safe from outbreaks like COVID-19, particularly for those most vulnerable, then we need to find a way to make research and development move faster. That requires governments, private enterprise, and philanthropic organizations to act quickly to fund R&D.”
The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will work with the World Health Organization, governments, and private sector funders and organizations, as well as the global regulatory and policy-setting institutions. The Accelerator will have an end-to-end focus, from drug pipeline development through manufacturing and scale-up. By sharing research, coordinating investments, and pooling resources, these efforts can help to accelerate research.
The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will operate jointly as an initiative of the funders, drawing on expertise from inside and outside their organizations. The Accelerator will pursue several aspects of the development cycle to streamline the pathway from candidate product to clinical assessment, use, and manufacturing. To identify candidate compounds, the Accelerator will take a three-pronged approach. In essence, testing approved drugs for activity against COVID-19, screening libraries of thousands of compounds with confirmed safety data, and considering new investigational compounds and monoclonal antibodies.
Dr. Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, said, “This virus is an unprecedented global threat and one for which we must propel international partnerships to develop treatments, rapid diagnostics, and vaccines. Science is moving at a phenomenal pace against COVID-19. But to get ahead of this epidemic, we need greater investment and research co-ordination. The Therapeutics Accelerator will allow us to do this for potential treatments with support for research, development, assessment, and manufacturing. COVID-19 is an extremely challenging virus, but we’ve proved that through collaborating across borders, we can tackle emerging infectious diseases. We must strive to strengthen efforts in the face of COVID-19, and in doing so, continue to make sure that advances are accessible and affordable to all. Investing now, at scale, at-risk, and as a collective global effort is vital if we are to change the course of this epidemic. We welcome others to join us in this effort.”
While antiviral drugs are approved to lessen the severity of seasonal flu and treat HIV, among other viral diseases, none have demonstrated efficacy against the current epidemic. One reason for the lack of effective treatments is that products may not have an immediate market, which can slow or prevent their research and commercial development. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator would help by bringing together resources and expertise to lower the financial and technical risk for academia, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies while ensuring that these products are accessible and affordable to people in low-resource settings. The expertise of pharmaceutical companies will be critical in identifying, researching, and commercializing successful drugs.
“We’re proud to join this crucial effort to combat COVID-19 in furtherance of our commitment to inclusive growth,” said Mike Froman, vice chairman of Mastercard. “This global challenge not only represents a risk to the health and safety of populations all over the world, but also poses a potential disruption to the economic vitality of millions of people, businesses, and organizations worldwide. Our experience with financial inclusion shows us the importance of building a network of parties who bring not only their capital, but complementary assets and skillsets to the table, and we welcome other partners concerned about inclusive growth to join this effort.”
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, based in Seattle, Washington, USA, works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
The Wellcome Trust is a research-charity based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Sir Henry Wellcome to fund research to improve human and animal health.
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Its mission is to “Connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible.” Using secure data and networks, Mastercard’s innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses realize their highest potential.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:52 AM | View the original post
ORLANDO, Florida, March 18, 2020 — To aid colleges and universities who must move to an online-only operation, Engineerica Systems is offering complimentary accounts of “Accudemia,” their award-winning center management and cloud-based software. These accounts are available free of charge through the rest of the academic semester.
Wanting to help as many people as possible during this time, Engineerica, Inc., will assist higher education institutions by providing a complimentary “Accudemia” account to academic student service centers such as tutoring, advising, or counseling. It would aid higher institutions as they transition to virtual offerings and services.
“Accudemia” allows center staff and students to arrange appointments and meet virtually, even from their homes. The platform also automates confirmation and reminder emails with a customized message so college staff can provide students detailed instructions for their meetings. Staff, advisors, or tutors can also log meeting notes and schedule future meetings. Administrators will be able to track and report these meetings.
“The Coronavirus disrupted everyone’s lives on a global scale and is forcing colleges to move their operations online on short notice,” says Engineerica’s president Mon Nasser. “We wanted to help in this transition by offering our academic center management technology to any educational institution that can benefit from it. This technology will help students get the assistance they need from college staff without risking exposure to the virus. To provide the fastest possible assistance, we decided to offer the service to new users at no charge from now until the end of the semester. Since this is a cloud-based system, setup is quick and easy, and users can access it from anywhere at any time. Our Orlando-based tech support department will help in the setup and usage of the system. There are no strings attached to this offer. We are only looking to do what we can to combat the negative effects of this pandemic and help our community.”
Engineerica, Inc., of Orlando, Florida, USA, is a technology firm founded in 1995.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:01 PM | View the original post
New Delhi, March 16, 2020 — Hyundai Motor India Ltd. today launched the much-awaited All-New CRETA.
Building on the success of the 1st Generation CRETA, the 2nd Generation All-New CRETA would define the new Benchmark in its segment with its futuristic design, power-packed performance, and an extensive array of comfort & convenience features, the company said.
Speaking at the launch event, Mr. S S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “All New CRETA is the result of Hyundai’s Ultimate Science of Human Engineering to create the Ultimate SUV for Indian customers. It is built on a SUPERSTRUCTURE and promises a perfect Driving Experience. I am confident that All-New CRETA will continue to lead the segment.”
All New CRETA has been crafted along the lines of Hyundai Global Design Philosophy of ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ to offer customers the Ultimate SUV, the company said.
According to Hyundai, “All-New CRETA” is based on 6 Key Pillars for the Indian market:
• Masculine & Futuristic Design
Based on Hyundai’s Global Design Language of Sensuous Sportiness, All-New CRETA sports a bold and dynamic design that amplifies its unique & Futuristic appeal. Hyundai says it has designed it for urban and tech-savvy aficionados & the experimental yet flamboyant generation. The façade of All-New CRETA showcases Hyundai’s new signature face with Cascading Grille. At the same time, the side profile reflects a confident and sporty look with a dynamic rear design that compliments the overall Futuristic & Muscular Stance of All-New CRETA.
• Intuitive Experience & Comfort
All New CRETA projects a Sportier, Futuristic, and Progressive image with Premium Interiors, Spacious Cabin with comfortable seating.
• Advanced Connectivity
All New CRETA comes with Advanced Blue Link that offers over 50 Connectivity features and adds a new dimension to the in-car connectivity with enhanced convenience and comfort. Customers can now experience heightened voice-enabled functions by just saying ‘Hello Blue Link’ to control essential vehicle features such as Sunroof Open/Close, Seat Ventilation Control, Climate Control -Temperature, Fan Speed control, Wind Direction and Air-intake type control (Fresh/ Circulation). Along with in-vehicle assistance like Dial by Number, India’s public holidays’ information, now you can Track Live Cricket Scores, all at the ease of a voice command.
• Smart Technology
All New CRETA has a host of Smart Technology features ranging from Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold to Paddle Shifters that offer a sporty and fun-to-drive experience. With 8-Way Power Driver Seat and Tilt steering, All-New CRETA provides an optimal driving position to suit all its drivers.
• Powerful and Efficient Next Gen Powertrain
New BS6 engines - 1.5L MPi Petrol (6MT/ IVT), 1.5L U2 CRDi Diesel (6MT/ 6AT), and 1.4L Kappa Turbo GDi Petrol (7DCT) power All-New CRETA. To enhance the Driving Experience, All-New CRETA comes with three drive modes (Eco, Comfort & Sport) and Traction Control Modes (Snow, Sand & Mud) that optimizes driving comfort across different terrains.
The company stated that All-New CRETA makes the ride more comfortable & stable with reliable steering handling performance and improved suspension that suits the Indian road conditions.
• Hyundai Assurance
Hyundai said it had constructed All-New CRETA on a Superstructure that features an application of 74.3% Advanced & High Strength Steel. It provides Hyundai assurance of safety with enhanced crash performance through the expanded utilization of AHSS and hot-stamping parts.
• Colors
Hyundai will offer the ‘All-New CRETA’ with 10 Colour Options — Polar White, Typhoon Silver, Phantom Black, Lava Orange, Titan Grey, Deep Forest (Turbo Only), Galaxy Blue, and Mulberry Red. That includes 2 Dual Tone (Polar White with Phantom Black and Lava Orange with Phantom Black) options.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
What good is an SUV if it's not a CRETA. Presenting #AllNewCRETA, The Ultimate SUV offering Advanced Blue Link Technology with over 50 features.
— Hyundai India (@HyundaiIndia) March 16, 2020
Experience the Ultimate Performance with 5 New Powertrain Options.
Test Drive Today https://t.co/v1sOzBfyPD pic.twitter.com/MdhGhJSYtt
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:51 PM | View the original post
Photos: Jeep Brand Announces Worldwide Partnership with Groundbreaking Pop Team ‘Now United.’
The Jeep brand has revealed an innovative partnership with the world’s first global pop team Now United. They will promote the fashionable ‘Jeep Renegade’ through a series of brand integrations across digital and social media with music videos and live performances around the theme of “Come Together.”
The Jeep brand’s announcement as a global auto partner for ‘Now United’ will unite its global fan base with Now United’s 40 million-plus fans and followers around the world. Following a series of branded teasers on Now United’s social media channels through the current week, the campaign launched Saturday, March 7, 2020, with the official release of the new Now United song “Come Together.” The new music video has made an immediate impact, with 1.8 million views in the first 24 hours of posting.
The ‘Now United’ partnership will cater to first-time auto buyers through a dedicated digital and social media campaign with 15 group members. The campaign includes new music, daily and weekly YouTube shows, real-time social engagement on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, as well as branded onstage uniforms for the band members.
Now United is the world’s first global pop team, comprised of 15 different singers and dancers from 15 different countries: India, Brazil, United Kingdom, Mexico, Philippines, Finland, South Korea, Australia, Senegal, China, Japan, Germany, Russia, Canada and the United States of America. Created by music industry icon Simon Fuller in 2017, Now United has quickly amassed a passionate following of 40 million fans worldwide.
“The Jeep brand is unique in that it is truly a global automotive brand, one that is instantly recognizable across every continent,” said Olivier Francois, Chief Marketing Officer, FCA. “Our fans and followers around the world understand that passion, authenticity, and freedom drive the Jeep brand. Now United shares these same core attributes with us. As the band undertakes its summer tour with the first stop in Brazil, we look forward to a partnership with Simon Fuller that both represents and unites our fans in a way that the only Jeep and Now United could make possible.”
Simon Fuller added, “I am excited to be collaborating with Olivier Francois, a branding genius with an extraordinary innovative mind, and welcoming Jeep as a global partner of Now United. Jeep is such an iconic brand, and we share their powerful spirit and sense of adventure. Jeep’s involvement in our Come Together video is the first of many pioneering things we plan to do together, which will empower new ways to collaborate and engage our fans around the world”.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:53 AM | View the original post
Hyundai Motor recently unveiled the All-New i10 at the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA). The newest model in the company’s i-range features a new dynamic design, as well as comprehensive connectivity and advanced safety package.
Since its introduction in 2008, the i10 has been a success story for Hyundai in Europe. Its exterior body reflects its young spirit while ensuring uncompromised accessibility and comfort to support its diversified users in their everyday activities.
“The i10 has consistently been one of our sales drivers in Europe,” said says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe HQ. “The All-New Hyundai i10 is the latest example of our democratization of new technologies for our customers. We are launching it with the tagline “Go Big.” to emphasize the feeling that customers will get from this uncompromised city car. It might seem like a small car, but it makes a big statement!”
Customers can choose from 10 exterior base colors, including three new ones: Dragon Red, Brass, and Aqua Turquoise. The other exterior color choices are Phantom Black, Polar White, Star Dust, Sleek Silver, Champion Blue, Tomato Red, and Slate Blue. The option of a two-tone roof - in either Black or Red - further increases customers’ customization options and brings out the All-New i10’s playful side. Overall, 22 exterior color combinations are available.
The All-New i10 has one of the most comprehensive safety packages in its class and is equipped with the latest Hyundai SmartSense active safety and driving assistance features to comply with the highest European safety standards.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) utilizes a multi-function camera to detect not just cars but also pedestrians in front of the vehicle. Meanwhile, High Beam Assist (HBA) automatically switches between high and low beams. It provides optimal illumination of the road ahead to help drivers detect lights from oncoming vehicles at night.
Other safety features available in the All-New i10 include the Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), and the Intelligent Speed Limit Warning (ISLW).
The All-New i10 is available with a rear-view camera to assist drivers while parking. When reverse is selected, drivers can see where they are going on the screen in the center dashboard.
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company has an extensive range of world-class vehicles and mobility services available in more than 200 countries. Hyundai sold more than 4.5 million vehicles globally in 2018 and is currently employing more than 110,000 employees worldwide. Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with vehicles that are helping to build solutions for a more sustainable future.
Hyundai Motor Company is going to launch its all-new 2021 Hyundai Elantra at a World Premiere Event in Hollywood. The world premiere press conference will take place on March 17, 2020, at The Lot Studios in West Hollywood, California. The event will be live-streamed around the world.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:40 AM | View the original post
For the second time in the history of its partnership with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, TAG Heuer has unveiled a special edition timepiece that commemorates its on-going alliance with the championship-winning racing team. The vibrant blue and striking red and yellow colors found on the newly revealed 2020 Aston Martin Red Bull Racing car inspire this unique edition Formula 1 Chronograph from TAG Heuer.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:54 PM | View the original post
Photos: Alpine A110 Color Edition 2020 - Sunflower Yellow. Photographer © Lionel KORETZKY. Images provided by Alpine/Renault.
Alpine, the premium sports car manufacturer from France, has announced the Alpine A110 Color Edition 2020.
Like seasonal collections in the world of fashion, Alpine would annually refresh the color of this model.
For 2020, the A110 Color Edition comes finished exclusively in intense and thrilling — Sunflower Yellow.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:01 AM | View the original post
Photo: More than 1300 people, including several prominent personalities, attended Godrej L’Affaire.
MUMBAI, March 1, 2020 — Godrej L’Affaire, a curated experiential lifestyle platform by the Godrej Group, concluded its fourth season in Mumbai. More than 1300 people, including several prominent personalities, attended it.
Godrej L’Affaire was kicked-off by actress Bhumi Pednekar with her debut as a chef. Bhumi and Chef Varun Inamdar engaged in a live cook-off and a conversation on how to bake a blockbuster. Celebrity couple Karanvir Bohra & Teejay Sidhu was in an interview with anchor Sonam Chhabra on inculcating spirituality in children through travel. They also unveiled the trailer of their upcoming web series ‘Baby Yatra.’
Music director Shantanu Moitra did a standalone talk on his 100-day fascinating adventure across the Himalayas that changed his music forever. India’s leading designers Alan Abraham, Madhav Raman, Swarup Dutta, and Asha Sairam, were involved in an insightful conversation on sustainable designs for homes. The session was moderated by Preeti Singh, Editor of Houzz India, and powered by HR Johnson.
The highlight of the evening soirée was ace fashion-designers Monisha Jaising & Shweta Bachchan Nanda’s luxury fashion label MxS’s first-ever fashion show. The presentation was street-inspired and had sportive elements and fabric mash-ups, giving the collection a jolt of energy. Models Carol Gracias, Deepti Gujral, Aanchal Kumar, and Sucheta Sharma walked the ramp while Shie Lobo choreographed the show. BBLUNT did hair for the models while Asha Hariharan did the make-up. All models wore accessories and jewelry by Isharya and watches by Guess Watches.
Sushant Divgikr’s musical performance with his band Top Storey left the audience mesmerized.
The Godrej Group unveiled its “Food Trends Report 2020” at the event. The Food Trends Report 2020 is a compendium of insights, views, and predictions collated from conversations with 150 experts that include chefs, thought-leaders, and food influencers across significant cities.
Commenting on the fourth season’s success, Tanya Dubash, Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer, Godrej Group, said, “Godrej L’Affaire has redefined lifestyle trends with every new season. Be it personalities, experiences, footfalls, and brand partnerships, the event’s fourth season has raised the bar and turned out to be the most successful edition to date. Godrej L’Affaire has delivered on its promise of showcasing future lifestyle trends that people can adopt for modern-day living.”
Godrej L’Affaire’s fourth season presenting partner was MX Player, while Krsnaa Mehta of India Circus styled the on-ground event. The soirée offered experiences of top lifestyle brands such as Harley-Davidson, Guess Watches, BBLUNT, Esprit, Godrej Security Solutions, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Cinthol, Godrej Bambusa, Myntra, Script, Godrej Properties, and Goodknight Naturals.
Established in 1897, the Godrej Group has its roots in India’s Independence and Swadeshi movement. Its founder, Ardeshir Godrej, lawyer-turned-serial entrepreneur, failed with a few ventures before he struck gold with a locks business. Today, the Godrej Group enjoys the patronage of 1.1 billion consumers globally across consumer goods, food products, real estate, and appliances.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:40 AM | View the original post
The distinct and memorable Mastercard acceptance sound will provide additional assurance to consumers about the safe and secure completion of their payment transactions.
New Delhi, India — In another step towards deepening trust around digital payments in India, Mastercard has embedded its sonic brand melody into Android-based point-of-sale (PoS) devices. This milestone marks the first time Mastercard has rolled out the sonic tune on PoS devices in South Asia. Now, whenever Mastercard cardholders complete a payment transaction on these PoS machines, they will hear Mastercard’s sonic melody and see the double tick mark on the PoS screen. The new audio-visual sensory engagement provides simple, seamless familiarity and an additional assurance to the consumer and merchant that the transaction was safe and secure.
In the first phase of rollout, Mastercard will work with India Transact Services Ltd., an omnichannel merchant digital payment solutions company, to enable Mastercard’s sonic brand identity in PoS machines across five cities - Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune. In phase two, India Transact Services will implement Mastercard’s sonic tune on 10,000 ONGO PoS machines in more than 15 cities, including tier II & III towns, such as Bhubaneswar, Patna, Satara, and Coimbatore.
Since Mastercard launched its sonic brand identity globally in February 2019, it has exposed Indian consumers to the brand’s sonic melody through several digital campaigns, as well as television advertisements featuring cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The consumers and merchants warmly received the tune during Mastercard events and workshops around the country. Following the receptive response, Mastercard is now taking the next step to integrate its sonic melody into Android-based PoS machines powered by India Transact Services Ltd.
Talking about the launch, Mr. Ravi B. Goyal, Chairman & MD, AGS Transact Technologies Limited, said, “We consistently aim to simplify the digital payments experience for consumers and merchants through our brand ONGO. Our pan-India presence, along with Mastercard’s brand trust, will be the catalyst for strengthening the digital payments ecosystem in India.”
Manasi Narasimhan, Vice President, Marketing and Communication, South Asia, Mastercard, said, “Over the years, Mastercard has been working in India to increase consumers’ trust in the safety, security, and convenience of digital payments. Sound is a powerful way to create an emotionally and culturally relevant connection with consumers. Mastercard’s partnership with India Transact Services enables it to play the familiar, distinct, and memorable melody each time a Mastercard cardholder completes an Android PoS based transaction. This additional layer of reassurance will increase consumers’ trust and confidence in digital payments and goes a long way towards establishing Mastercard debit and credit cards as the preferred safe, secure, and convenient way to pay.”
Mastercard is a technology company in the global payments industry. Its global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities, such as shopping, traveling, running a business, and managing finances, more comfortable, more secure, and more efficient for everyone.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
#TapAndGo using your #Mastercard enabled contactless card and do not compromise on the safety and #security features while #shopping.
— Mastercard India (@mastercardindia) February 28, 2020
Watch the video to know more. pic.twitter.com/4FI5NFDxul
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:44 PM | View the original post
Torsional Stability and Flexible Properties of Sports Shoes to Fuel their Demand Worldwide, Says Fortune Business Insights.
Photos: The sports brand PUMA, and the world’s fastest hedgehog, Sonic, are once again joining forces ahead of the release of the blockbuster movie “Sonic the Hedgehog.” The PUMA x SONIC collection will feature the famous blue video game character in its designs and graphics. That collection blends Sonic’s playfulness with PUMA’s sport style design. The collection consists of the SONIC sneaker in two new colorways with a semi-transparent white or black grid look, bright color pops, and gold accents. Images provided by PUMA.
PUNE, India, February 22, 2020 — Fortune Business Insights have projected that due to the rising prevalence of sports culture, the global Sports Footwear Market size would reach USD 142.40 billion by 2026. Users prefer Sports footwear due to their physical properties such as motion control or torsional stability, and flexibility. Such benefits have increased the demand for sports shoes in the market worldwide.
Fortune Business Insights have published a report titled, “Sports Footwear Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Gender (Men, Women, and Kids), End-User (Professional Users and Recreational Users), Distribution Channel (Online and Offline), and Regional Forecasts, 2019 - 2026.” According to the report, the market value of Sports Footwear was USD 98.70 billion in 2018. It will rise at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 4.8 % from 2019 to 2026, the report says.
• Highlights of the Report:
The report on the Sports Footwear Market offers a comprehensive overview of the market and its growth parameters, such as drivers, restraints, and challenges. It also focuses on significant industry developments and critical insights into the market. The report presents a detailed segmentation of the market based on factors such as gender, end-user, distribution channel, and regions. The report lists the names of players operating in the market and the key strategies adopted by them to compete for the top position in the market. The report also contains the current Sports Footwear Market trends and opportunities.
The leading manufacturers in the Sports Footwear Market mentioned in the report are as follows:
• ASICS
• Nike Inc
• Diadora S.p.A.
• Adidas Group
• Puma SE
• Converse
• Reebok
• MIZUNO Corporation
• Sketchers, USA Inc.
• Armor Inc.
• Major Growth Drivers:
• Increasing Inclination Towards Physical Fitness Will Promote Growth.
The rise in participation in sports activities worldwide is a significant factor in promoting Sports Footwear Market growth. Further, the increasing number of people suffering from health issues due to the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle is propelling the need for physical fitness and exercises daily. Such factors are likely to increase the demand for sports shoes worldwide, thereby accelerating the rate of growth for the sports shoe market.
Moreover, governments of various nations are encouraging sports and recreational activities at schools and college levels. They are organizing numerous sports championships at district, state, and national levels to provide an opportunity for sports enthusiasts and boost the spirit of sports among youth. For instance, the Government of India is investing in programs encouraging the students to participate in sports activities by organizing various platforms such as ‘Khelo India.’
• Regional Analysis:
• The Asia Pacific to Thrive Owing to Government-supported Initiatives
Based on regional segmentation, we could categorize the global Sports Footwear Market into the regions of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. We could further segment each of these regions into countries. Among these, North America held the most extensive sports shoe market share and generated a revenue of USD 41.12 billion in 2018 and USD 42.89 billion in 2019. The USA and Canada have a vibrant sports culture and high preference for other similar activities.
On the other side, the sports shoe market in the Asia Pacific could witness robust growth on account of the increasing inclination towards fitness and sports activities. Besides this, the growing number of struck-down by disease population has propelled people to give importance to physical activities such as walking, jogging, running, and yoga. It would further promote the sports shoe market demand in the years to come.
Further, governments in developing nations such as India are promoting sports and recreational activities by making it a compulsory subject in schools. Thus, such initiatives will help add impetus to the regional sports shoe market growth in the forecast duration.
• Competitive Landscape:
• Launch of Innovative Products to Intensify Market Competition
Players operating in the Sports Footwear Market are keen on launching advanced products that are both innovative and will fulfill the requirement of the consumer. For instance, a Fast Flexweave running show was launched by Reebok, with the latest cutting-edge technology. Such innovations are encouraging other players to invest more in product development and maintain a strong foothold in the market. The presence of more sports and physical activity enthusiasts is likely to aid in the expansion of the regional market and earn high Sports Footwear Market revenue.
The authors of the report, Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd., have an office in Pune, India. The full story is available from them. According to them, they offer expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:57 AM | View the original post
A year after the overnight success of the first generation of the Tissot Heritage Navigator Chrono Auto 1973, Tissot launches the second series of its barrel-shaped chronograph. As a traditional innovative brand, Tissot presents this striking timepiece as part of the partnership that unites Tissot and the Kessel Classics vintage car racing team. This comfortable 43mm piece with high-quality finishes again mingles sports elegance with the neo-vintage design language.
Tissot calls it “The true spirit of classic racing.”
|GlobalGiants.Com|
The Tissot Heritage 1973, the number refers to the year when Tissot first got involved in car racing. #RacingLegacy pic.twitter.com/GCtqfGXvW0
— Tissot (@TISSOT) September 21, 2019
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:24 AM | View the original post
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