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

Instoried

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

October 27, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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APGA Champ Kevin Hall partners with Velocity Global

Velocity Global

Velocity Global today announced a partnership with 4-time Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour champion Kevin Hall. Hall competes on the APGA Tour in addition to Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR appearances. He joins 6-time PGA TOUR champion and recent European Tour BMW PGA Champion Billy Horschel as a brand ambassador for Velocity Global. “I met Kevin at Billy’s APGA tournament this summer and knew immediately that we had to work together,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. “He embodies our values in everything he does and his personal story of breaking down walls to access opportunity is an inspiration to all of us. I am honored that he will share these stories, along with his electric smile and contagious laugh, while wearing our brand on the front of his hat.” Hall plays each round in silence. He lost his hearing at the age of two due to a life-threatening illness, H-flu meningitis. Determined, he committed himself to the game of golf and earned a full academic and athletic scholarship to The Ohio State University - the first African-American player to receive a golf scholarship at Ohio State - and went on to win the Big Ten Championship by 11 shots. He most recently added his fourth APGA victory at TPC Deere Run in July, shooting an 8-under par 63. “Hard work earns your next opportunity, but it takes partners to open doors for our chosen path in life,” said Hall. “When I learned about Velocity Global’s platform to make work available to anyone, anywhere, I knew they understood the idea of partnership. Opening doors to people everywhere is something I can get behind. I am proud to represent them on and off the course.” The APGA is a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf through hosted tournaments, player development, and mentoring programs. Billy Horschel hosted his inaugural AGPA Tour Billy Horschel Invitational at TPC Sawgrass this summer. “Kevin is a fantastic guy and heck of a golfer,” said Horschel. “I’ve worked with Velocity Global for a couple of years and Kevin is a perfect fit for their people-first approach to the world. Kevin and Velocity Global’s values align as they both understand that hard work is just as important as being successful.” Hall will join the Velocity Global team this week at the company’s annual party in Denver, Colorado. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

October 26, 2021 09:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

YourUpdateTV

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that have been found to impact a person’s chances of developing certain cancers, including breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. Recently, 23andMe scientist, Ruth Tennen, and customer, Gina Burris, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the first and only FDA-authorized, direct-to-consumer test that detects select BRCA1/BRCA2 variants*. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/ziqp10R_j_A The genes are called BRCA because the link between these genes and breast cancer was discovered first. The genes themselves do not cause cancer. They actually help prevent it by repairing DNA breaks that can lead to cancer. Sometimes, changes in the BRCA genes occur that prevent them from functioning properly. These changes are called genetic variants or mutations. Variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be passed down through families, increasing the risk of developing certain cancers. Many people with a BRCA variant, both women and men, are unaware of their risk and what they can do about it. While it is true that having certain BRCA variants can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer, most cases of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers aren’t caused by inherited BRCA variants. And not every individual who inherits a BRCA variant will develop cancer. 23andMe offers a genetic test for three variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes to its Health + Ancestry Service customers. This genetic test detects three selected variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes – BRCA1 185delAG; BRCA1 5382insC; and BRCA2 6174delT – that are among the most studied and best understood. These three variants are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. (They can be found in people of other ethnicities, though this is rare.) If you have one of these three variants, you have an increased risk of developing certain cancers. For more information, visit 23andMe.com/brca *The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks, including the 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants). Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. The test is not intended to diagnose any disease and does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing any type of cancer. It is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatments. Warnings & Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health RIsk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of the 185delAG and 5382insC variants in the BRCA1 gene and the 6174delT variant in the BRCA2 gene. The report describes if a woman is at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and if a man is at increased risk of developing breast cancer or may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The three variants included in this report are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action. About Gina Burris: Gina Marie Burris lives in a small riverside community in western Pennsylvania. She is a children’s book author and blogger. At the age of 46 with no known family history of breast or ovarian cancer Gina discovered (via a 23andMe health report) she carries a BRCA variant. After making this discovery, Gina worked closely with a team of medical professionals and made the decision to take a preventative path. Since November 2020 Gina has undergone a bi-lateral salpingo-oophorectomy and double mastectomy straight to reconstruction. After finding refuge in the stories of survivors, previvors and patients, Gina felt compelled to share her own story, so she turned to the place she feels most comfortable, her keyboard. Gina’s blog www.rivergirlreflections.com follows her journey from early in the process through today. She has found a way to bring truth, grace, and a little humor to a serious situation. Gina aspires to bring awareness to what life with a BRCA variant looks like in today’s world. She has a passion for speaking freely about her experience and strives to be a small part of an educational community which shifts the wording in some common breast cancer awareness conversations. About Ruth Tennen: As a product scientist at 23andMe, Ruth develops new genetic health reports with the goal of helping 23andMe customers access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. Ruth received her bachelor's degree in molecular biology from Princeton University and her Ph.D. in cancer biology from Stanford University. Before joining 23andMe, she served as a science policy fellow at the State Department, helping promote science education and entrepreneurship in Africa, and as a lecturer at Stanford, teaching courses on experimental design, bioethics, and cancer. Ruth loves learning about and talking about science, and throughout her career, she has worked to inspire budding scientists by mentoring and teaching students at local schools, hospitals, and museums. 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 26, 2021 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ElementalTV Debuts Newest CTV Tech Innovation, ELM iQ

ElementalTV

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

October 26, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

DistroTV Now Set to Stream on Major Smart TV Platforms, In Addition to All Key Streaming Devices

DistroTV

DistroTV, the nation’s largest, independent free ad-supported streaming television platform, today announces that it is now available to stream on all major smart TV platforms, including Samsung, LG, and Sony. This is in addition to DistroTV’s availability across all key streaming device partners, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google TV, as well as on mobile platforms like iOS and Android. Audiences can view DistroTV’s 150+ growing channel lineup for free, on any web browser, by visiting distro.tv. The FAST platform is now truly available to stream anytime, anywhere, no registration or subscription required. “Our research shows that DistroTV viewership is on average occurring at a 15-times higher engagement rate on large screen devices versus mobile devices,” said Navdeep Saini, co-founder and CEO of DistroScale, parent company of DistroTV. “We’re thrilled to expand DistroTV’s video streaming experience through our new availability on these smart TVs, and to continue to provide our growing base of viewers with the content they crave, on the devices they prefer to watch on.” Specifically, DistroTV is available to stream on the following smart TV platforms: Samsung TVs, including the Neo QLED, QLED, Frame, Serif, Crystal UHD and HD models released since 2018; all series 6/7/8/9 are supported LG Smart TV models released since 2018 or TVs upgraded to WebOS 4.0 or above are supported, including OLED 8/9/X/1 series LED K/M/N/P series, all NanoCell and all QNED models All Sony SmartTVs equipped with AndroidTV or GoogleTV operating systems are supported Over the past few months, DistroTV has launched a variety of channels to appeal to a broader audience and to continue building out a robust viewing experience, such as Arcade Cloud, Strongman Champions League, Real America’s Voice, MotorRacing and Docurama, just to name a few. The FAST platform features films and shows across an array of genres and categories, including News & Opinion, Business, Comedy, Fun & Games, Local News, Live Sports, Outdoor Entertainment, Reality TV & Documentaries, Lifestyle, Music, Moods, Radio, and more. Additionally, DistroTV is set to feature a wide range of Halloween-themed content this October, ranging from family friendly to horror programming. This includes: FrightFlix (Horror Channel) Watch It Scream! (Horror Channel) Horror Machine (Horror Channel) CineLife by Magnolia Pictures (Showcasing their Horror Movies and content throughout month) PeopleTV (Themed content throughout month) The Film Detective (31 Days of Classic Horror throughout October) Stingray Karaoke (Special programming on Halloween Day – Spooktacular night of concerts) Fuse Backstage (Special programming on Halloween Day) DistroTV’s growing and diverse 150+ channel content library includes a mix of popular film and television shows, such as Bloomberg, EuroNews, People TV, Magellan TV and TD Ameritrade network, as well as independent channels like Black Enterprise, as well as Kweli TV, which spotlights the rich history and global diversity of the Black community; Canela TV, featuring Spanish programming; Latido Music, the leading channel for Latin music; and more. Audiences can view DistroTV channels for free anywhere across a wide array of CTV and mobile devices, as well as on the web by visiting distro.tv -- no registration or signup required. To become a viewer and explore which channels are available for live and on demand viewing, visit https://www.distro.tv or install DistroTV for free smart TV platforms, including Samsung, LG, and Sony, as well as on key streaming device partners, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google TV, and on mobile platforms like iOS and Android. About DistroTV DistroTV is the largest, independent, free, ad-supported streaming television service on the market. Launched in 2019 by parent company DistroScale, the platform caters to a multicultural, rapidly expanding, globally-minded audience of passionate viewers in the US, Canada, and UK. Satisfying the growing demand for premium video content in multiple languages, DistroTV delivers premium video content from producers globally across North America, the UK, Bollywood, Latin America, China, Southeast Asia, and growing. With more than 150 channels plus thousands of Video on Demand (VOD) shows, DistroTV cultivates content that covers a broad spectrum of topics to connect with peopleâs passion points around Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, News, Documentaries and International Content in live, linear and video-on-demand formats. DistroTV is available on the web, as well as through Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and iOS and Android devices. About DistroScale DistroTV is the first direct-to-consumer offering from DistroScale, a technology company founded in 2013 and known for providing a global clientele of thousands of media properties with the industryâs most comprehensive video platform for web, apps, and streaming. DistroScale is an all-in-one solution providing infrastructure, content delivery, curation, analytics and a full suite of monetization options. Video enabled by DistroScale reaches more than 250 million visitors per month. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. To become a DistroTV viewer, visit www.distro.tv. More information on DistroScale & DistroTV is available at www.distroscale.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Mackenzie Gavel +1 631-739-5716 mackenzie@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.distro.tv

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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H Code Launches A Code to Drive Authentic, Data-Driven Marketing to AAPI Audiences

H Code

H Code, the leading multicultural digital media company, today announces the launch of A Code, a digital media solutions platform for brands to deliver meaningful and genuine marketing experiences to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Former HubSpot marketing leader Sunny Chen has been appointed as Product Marketing Manager for A Code and will lead the company in driving strategic and accurate representation of AAPI communities in media initiatives. In addition to bolster the company’s multicultural marketing capabilities, A Code will provide targeted growth resources and access to increased ad revenue for brands. A Code launches at a time when advertisers, publishers and brands are working to better serve multicultural communities, and aims to be a valued partner for defining and expanding strategies to better engage with AAPI audiences. The U.S. is currently home to 22 million AAPI residents who are projected to collectively have $1.3 Trillion in addressable market and purchasing power by 2022, leaving much to be desired from marketers conscious of the economic influence of AAPI consumers. With a vast network of premium publisher partners and digital reach, A Code is able to connect leading brands directly with AAPI audiences and Asian-focused media while ensuring that strategies are aligned to deliver culturally relevant messaging and impactful creative work at scale. At the foundation of A Code’s offerings is meaningful, real-time insight into the purchase behaviors and sentiments of Asian audiences. Included in the platform’s offerings is A Code Intelligence Center, a primary component of the company that harnesses thousands of AAPI users to offer data-driven and quantitative approaches to understanding the Asian media landscape. A Code Content Studio then offers the ability to create culturally connected campaigns that drive brand stories across the platform. These two features, combined with A Code Digital Media Solutions, their in-house creative services team, allows for video and display assets to be created out of highly curated information appropriate for desired AAPI audiences. In his new role as Product Marketing Manager for A Code, Chen brings deep expertise in digital marketing and development of diversity equity and inclusion programs for organizations of all sizes. He is well versed in utilizing advertising, digital media and technology to launch new verticals within SaaS platforms to convert products and services internally, as well as externally to clients, partners and developer communities. In his former role at HubSpot, he co-launched the Black@INBOUND, a space for black business partners, customers, and the community at large to celebrate Black businesses with mentorship, networking, and HubSpot resources. “Today’s status quo in messaging does not represent Asian influence in domestic markets and to address these concerns, our team at A Code is set on building Asian relevance in U.S. culture to initiate a resonance through digital media solutions where the community and audiences are authentically represented,” said Sunny. “Companies must first understand that the AAPI community is extremely diverse and has a large intersection of interests across cultural identity; including a combination of familial ties, heritage, and countries of origin in the U.S., that can unlock impactful results when appropriately catered to.” To mark its launch, A Code also releases the AAPI Digital Fact Pack (Lite Edition), a resource designed to provide the understanding of the digital lives, attitudes, preferences and purchase intentions of the AAPI community. It uses data from A Code Intelligence Center’s 2021 AAPI Digital Consumption Survey to provide much needed insight and reflection for multicultural understanding, sensitivity, and connection. “We’re proud to now offer capabilities to better understand and appeal to AAPI audiences in addition to Black and Hispanic audiences, thereby creating an even more inclusive digital marketing platform. A Code will enable us to drive much-needed strategic initiatives to help provide unparalleled insight and access to this important demographic,” said Parker Morse, founder and CEO of H Code. Administered in October 2021, A Code’s AAPI Digital Fact Pack (Lite-Edition) surveyed over 1,300 AAPI respondents, representative of all main geographical areas of the U.S., and found that the AAPI community is hyperconnected and digitally engaged with loved ones, as well as with brands who support their community and understand their importance. Key insights include: In 2019, the AAPI median annual household income was higher than other demographics at $85,800, compared with $61,800 among all U.S. households 92% of respondents use the internet everyday and access it by smartphone primarily, indicating that this audience is highly mobile first AAPIs rely on the internet to drive their purchasing decisions and spend the most time online activities are searching for information, shopping, and researching products 1 in 2 respondents stream video content in their native language, illustrating a demand for content that highlights cultural ties, heritage, and connection to their countries of origin 9 in 10 of AAPIs use CTV platform services and 82% listen to audio content or music online, indicating a strong preference towards audio and visual streaming content over other media or channels Social media is where 55% of respondents are most likely to notice a digital ad and 33% learn of new brands and products, presenting a significant opportunity for brands to connect with them on social platforms To download the A Code Fact Pack, please visit: https://hcode.docsend.com/view/mgrjhdgmd44x964h About H Code Founded in 2015, H Code has solidified its place as the largest Hispanic digital media company in the United States. Committed to reaching Hispanic audiences at scale, H Code strives to leverage its learnings, brand equity, and expertise to shape the future of media by unlocking diverse audiences through data and authentic creative and content. Today, H Code’s employee base is 84% multicultural, 65% Hispanic/Latinx, and 49% female across its offices in the U.S. and Latin America. Named one of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation by multiple outlets, H Code strategically brings together targetable data, exclusive inventory, authentic creative and custom content, and more to influence powerful Hispanic consumers every day through digital and integrated campaigns. Backed by its proprietary intelligence platform that derives insights from a robust influencer network and the largest Hispanic digital panel, H Code delivers the most impactful, data-driven strategies to effectively reach and influence multicultural audiences online with unmatched authenticity. About A Code A Code is the digital media solutions platform for brands to deliver meaningful and genuine marketing experiences to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Our unity of proprietary data and intelligence insights allows you to engage with the fastest growing and most diverse consumer in the United States. A Code is a one-stop-shop to reach AAPI audiences with English and in-language content, creatives, and campaigns. We’ll help you navigate through the complex and diverse AAPI community, garner specific audience reach throughout all countries of origin, and make data-informed decisions. Instead of navigating through multiple media companies and targeting options, with A Code, you will have a 360 view and pulse of the AAPI community at your fingertips. Contact Details North 6th Agency for H Code Paolo Ramos +1 212-334-9753 hcode@n6a.com Company Website https://hcodemedia.com/

October 25, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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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Hear the Sounds of the Holidays Again

YourUpdateTV

HearingLife, a national hearing care company, recently commissioned The Harris Poll to conduct a survey* and found that 44% of Americans with hearing loss feel isolated during holiday gatherings because they struggle to hear their family and loved ones. HearingLife is helping to change that this holiday season through its “ Magic of Hearing Care ” campaign, giving back six free pairs of hearing aids to people in need. Recently, licensed psychotherapist and HearingLife spokesperson, Tom Kersting, as well as Chief Audiologist at HearingLife, Dr. Leslie Soiles teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to talk about the state of hearing loss in the U.S. and the available resources to better manage it. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/NfMOcbV6nTg The holiday season is a time for friends and family. It is a time to celebrate the magic of giving, receiving and the joy of spending time with loved ones. After a year of celebrating virtually, people will be cautiously and safely gathering with those they may have not seen in a year or more. Hearing loss can put a damper on those celebrations as individuals with hearing loss may experience feelings of embarrassment or frustration when they can’t hear or participate in conversations. Often, this can cause them to stop socializing or participating in events or activities that they used to enjoy. According to the latest HearingLife survey: 72% of Americans with hearing loss wish their hearing was better so they could enjoy holiday gatherings. And 43% would rather just stay home than attend large gatherings because they feel left out of conversation due to their hearing loss! Now is the time to learn more about hearing loss, its impact, and how to communicate and participate actively in life again. HearingLife provides the necessary resources for people with hearing loss to help them gain a renewed sense of self and revive relationships, especially during holiday gatherings or if you are joining events virtually this season. The holidays are a time to celebrate the magic of giving. Through the “Magic of Hearing Care” campaign, HearingLife is giving back 6 pairs of hearing aids for people in need with hearing loss. Submit your hearing loss story or your loved ones’ story at www.HearingLife.com/Magic by November 26 to participate. The hearing solutions that HearingLife offers not only benefit their customers, but their family and friends as well. With hearing aids, most people experiencing hearing loss can hear all the special moments and joyful music that they may have missed last year, like the sounds of bells ringing, glasses clinking, laughter and carolers. To learn more about hearing loss and the “Magic of Hearing Care” campaign go to: hearinglife.com/magic About Tom Kersting: Tom Kersting is a licensed psychotherapist, retired public school counselor and the author of Disconnected: How to protect your kids from the harmful effects of device dependency. He is a regular guest expert on many television news shows, including the TODAY Show, FOX & Friends, and more. Tom has also hosted various television series for A&E Network, Food Network, and the National Geographic Channel, offering insights and advice about parenting, relationships, and wellness. Because Tom is passionate about sharing his hearing experiences, he is working with HearingLife to spread awareness about #HearingGain. He lectures throughout the country and is the founder and owner of Valley Family Counseling Center in Ridgewood, NJ. About Dr. Leslie Soiles Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, Lic. #364: Dr. Leslie Soiles founded HearingLife's Shrewsbury's office (formerly New England Hearing Instruments) in 1996. As a Doctor of Audiology, she previously worked with Ear, Nose and Throat physicians for the first 20 years of her career. Dr. Soiles earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in 2006; her Master of Science degree in audiology from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1985; and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication disorders from Worcester State University in 1982. Dr. Soiles was born with hearing loss and utilizes her first-hand experience in her practice. In 2018, Dr. Soiles received the distinguished honor with the appointed role as Chief Audiologist for both HearingLife and the National Campaign for Better Hearing program in the U.S. As Chief Audiologist, Dr. Soiles trains and mentors hearing care providers, staff and helps people with hearing loss across the United States. Survey Method: *This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of HearingLife from August 19-23, 2021 among 2,044 adults ages 18+, among whom 253 have hearing loss. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact hearinglife@kaplow.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 20, 2021 04:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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