News Hub | News Direct

Communications

Advertising Communications Graphic Design Internet Marketing Media Publishing SEO
Article thumbnail News Release

QSR Automations Breaks into the Senior Living Sector

QSR Automations

QSR Automations, the global leader in restaurant technology, will now bring its innovative solutions to senior living operators around the country after entering a partnership with one of the nation’s leading providers of exceptional senior care. Leveraging its ConnectSmart platform, QSR Automations is poised to help senior living communities maximize efficiency in both front-of-house and back-of-house operations. Features including delayed timing and recipe integration ensure that dishes are made consistently and delivered to the table at exactly the right time, while servers and hosts can view the progress and status of each order without ever leaving the front desk. Hosts can check seating capacity in a dining room against reservations and parties waiting in a lobby to alert kitchen staff to the next rush and adjust labor accordingly. All of these efficiencies result in a calmer, quieter kitchen, and a more pleasant dining experience for guests. “Residents moving into senior living communities today are active, cultured, and unique, and they expect their dining experience in their new home to be the same,” said Connor Joffe, Senior Living Business Consultant at QSR Automations, citing a study by Mather Lifeways Institute on Aging that found that 80 percent of residents had a strong interest in the culinary experience of their communities—more than any other service line. “Operators that layer in efficient technology that replicates that of a traditional, world-class restaurant experience will come out on top.” Restaurant technology can also aid in off-premise ordering and contactless delivery, which may be crucial for residents who struggle with mobility, or are more vulnerable to COVID and other illnesses. QSR’s ConnectSmart platform can aid in timing to-go and delivery orders so they arrive at their destination the proper temperature, and automated packing checklists ensure dishes arrive with all utensils and condiments while eliminating waste. According to a senior living industry staffing survey conducted by Sodexo in August 2021, a third of senior living facilities have already invested in online and off-premise ordering capabilities, and technologies to improve labor and resource productivity, and an additional third plan to make similar investments in the future. “Our fully customizable solutions integrate seamlessly with existing systems, so communities aren’t required to start from scratch with all new technologies,” said Joffe. “We can meet each customer where they are and address their unique pain points to enhance staffing and operational efficiencies, and ultimately the resident experience.” To schedule an interview with Connor Joffe, business consultant, senior living at QSR Automations to support your outlet’s coverage of restaurant technology in use in senior living facilities, please contact Beth Clayton at bethc@thebsmnt.com. About QSR Automations QSR Automations, headquartered in Louisville, KY with offices in the United Kingdom, is a global industry leader in kitchen automation and guest management services. Since 1996, restaurant operators have turned to the brand’s signature platform, ConnectSmart, for customized solutions to improve the guest experience and drive operational excellence. Used in 21 of the nation’s top 25 casual dining chains, ConnectSmart leverages data to create customized solutions that make calmer kitchens, simpler workflows, and happier guests. We didn’t just pioneer restaurant technology. We perfected it. Contact Details Beth Clayton Director of Strategic Communications +1 317-407-2921 bethc@thebsmnt.com Company Website https://www.qsrautomations.com/

March 14, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Investis Digital Announces Strategic Hires

Investis Digital

Investis Digital, a leading global digital communications company, announced that it has expanded its European leadership team with the addition of Ian Gardiner, UK Head of Client Services; Khaleelah Jones, Director of Digital Marketing, and Al Loehnis, an Investis Digital co-founder who is returning to the company in the position of Director of Strategic Business Development, Europe. All appointments will be based in London. Ian Gardiner joins from Homeflow, a leading provider of managed digital services to the real estate sector. At Investis Digital, Ian will serve as Head of UK Client Services and will be responsible for the delivery and development of the company’s 24/7 client service model. Khaleelah Jones is the founder and former CEO of Careful Feet Digital, a boutique London-based digital agency that was acquired by Cohesis in 2021. Khaleelah has a track record of Digital leadership and she joins Investis Digital to build out and lead the European performance marketing capabilities. Al Loehnis will focus on Investis Digital’s IR and Corporate Communications solutions as Director of Strategic Business Development. In this new role, Al will oversee the UK arm of the company’s business development team and he will support key strategic growth initiatives across the region. “We are delighted to welcome Ian, Khaleelah, and Al to the team” said Adrian Goodliffe, Senior Managing Director, Europe. “These appointments come at a time of continued growth and expansion for the company, and they reflect our commitment to increased client service, keeping our solutions ahead of the market, and delivering measurable business value. We are looking forward to a great 2022!” Commenting on his return to the business he helped start, Al Loehnis said “The experience of the last two years has forced companies to think fresh about a digital-first communications approach and we can play a pivotal role in helping our clients realise that opportunity. It’s been great to reconnect with some old colleagues and to meet so many new, talented people. It’s an exciting time to be re-joining the business and I’m really looking forward to the next leg of the Investis Digital journey.” Investis Digital has been at the forefront of digital communications for two decades. Over time we have gained deep sector knowledge, invested in leading technologies, and built lasting and trusted relationships with more than1600 global companies, including Ascential, Anglo American, Rolls-Royce, Fruit of the Loom and Vodafone. Through a proprietary approach we call Connected Content™, we unite compelling communications, intelligent digital experiences, and performance marketing to help companies build deeper connections with audiences and drive business performance. We tell brand stories through strategic and engaging content that meets your audiences at the right time, in the right place, with the right message. We build and run intelligent websites and digital experiences that are rapidly deployed and strategically measured, underpinned by our secure, world-leading Connect.ID technology and 24/7 service. We find the audiences that matter most through powerful performance marketing solutions that optimize and amplify your brand across all touchpoints. This unique blend of expertise, technology and “always on” service allow clients to trust that their digital footprint and brand reputation is secure and protected 24/7 by our dedicated team of 500 digital experts across 9 global offices. To learn more on how Investis Digital has been powering digital communications since 2000, please visit: www.InvestisDigital.com Contact Details Investis Digital MaryAlina Mathew +1 646-766-9040 maryalina@investisdigital.com Company Website https://www.investisdigital.com

March 14, 2022 04:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Turning 3/14 (Pi Day) Into a National Pizza Holiday

YourUpdateTV

Americans eat three billion pizzas a year according to recent surveys. That number could go up due to an upcoming promotion from Blaze Pizza, one of the fastest-growing pizza chains in the country. Recently, Co-Founder and Chief Culinary Officer of Blaze Pizza, Chef Brad Kent, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss turning Pi Day into a national pizza holiday and how people can qualify for $3.14 pizza for the rest of March. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/huBfS1H0Fw4 Celebrating Pi Day this year is easier than ever before. To take advantage of the Blaze Pizza Pi Day promotion, guests need to download the Blaze Pizza app and sign up for Blaze Rewards. Registration is open through March 14th. Members will receive a one-time reward on their Blaze mobile app for the special $3.14 offer, which can be used in-restaurant or online, through the end of March. This offer applies to any 11-inch pizza, and any amount of toppings. Guests are able to build their own pizza, made with fresh in-house daily dough and high-quality ingredients. Blaze provides guests with endless options for customization. Guests can combine more than 45 different options, including ingredients like roasted peppers, artichokes, roasted garlic, and plant-based chorizo, or keep it simple with a classic pepperoni and cheese pizza. They go the extra mile to make sure every customer’s taste buds are met by providing options like five crusts to choose from, including signature made-from-scratch dough and a Keto crust with 6g net carbs, as well as nitrate-free meats and fresh pizza sauce and drizzles. For more information and to participate in the biggest pizza party of the year, download the Blaze Pizza app or visit www.fire.blazepizza.com/piday2022. About Chef Brad Kent: Known as the “Head Food Guy” and the Pizza Whisperer, Chef Brad Kent Co-founded Blaze Pizza in 2012 and has helped it become one of the fastest growing pizza chains in America. He’s dedicated to using the best fresh and natural ingredients and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. About Blaze Pizza: If you aren’t familiar with Blaze Pizza, or worse haven’t tried it yet(!), they are all about: Fresh made-from-scratch dough. Healthful, artisanal ingredients on the assembly line. Inventive to classic. You decide. Blazing hot oven + dedicated pizza smith + 180 seconds = fast-fire'd, perfectly crisp perfection. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 11, 2022 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

ibble Announces General Availability and Super Event Feature

ibble

Learn more at www.getibble.com or sxsw.getibble.com ibble, the social media app focused on authentic conversations and engagement, is coming out stealth in style as the unofficial app of SXSW. Making the partnership even more powerful and expanding on ibble's ability to facilitate conversations, the social media app also announces the Super Events feature. "When you ask a marketer what the best way is to market, they almost always say 'word of mouth' marketing. But when you ask where they spend their money it is rarely on word-of-mouth marketing," said Raymond Kaminski, CEO, and co-founder of ibble. "The way we built ibble, companies can now see and hear the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Our Super Events feature only adds to this by showing what was most talked about at SXSW, removing the hype and getting into the conversations that matter most – yours," "We're big believers in ibble because it allows creators and brands to connect with their audience in a more authentic way compared to the social media platforms of the last decade," said Mitch Morales, Founding Partner, Managing Director at Unknown Ventures. "The new Super Event feature is a great example of how the app generates new valuable touchpoints for users by blending digital and IRL experience." ibble is built with distinct features that positively impact how, when, and why people communicate on the social media app. With ibble, you do more than simply follow, explore and share. ibble makes conversations better by allowing users to learn and gain new perspectives through friends "sparking" conversations sharing news to the ibble community or a private group of friends. Because ibble bases conversations and questions on audio or video, it is easier to see others' true perspectives, connect at a deeper level, ask questions. Experts and influencers have the freedom to choose how and when to talk with their community without losing the conversation. "Our Super Event feature allows people to dive deeper into events, connecting with brands and participants at a deeper level," said Irving Lee, Co-founder, and Head of Partnerships. "We have built an innovative platform that bridges social media, engagement, and events with Super Events that captures experiences and conversations in one single place, and that is something that has never been available before." The Super Event feature was built to connect event participants deeper with brands, the event itself, and other participants. Super Event also removes FOMO (fear of missing out) by allowing people to be everywhere at once by showcasing everything happening at the event and giving the end-user the ability to move between experiences fluidly and virtually. Through ibble, users are given the unique experience to ask event experts questions before getting on stage. With the spark feature, ibble users can spin-off conversations to share their perspectives with video or audio. More importantly, these sparked conversations continue to grow and gain depth long after the event or presentation has ended. "The Super Event feature will improve the participant experience, speaker experience, and overall event. With ibble event badge holders, creators and partners will be able to take full advantage of the event without feeling the pain of being pulled in too many directions," added Mr. Kaminski. About Ibble.io Ibble.io is the social media app that enables experts and their communities to directly engage through audio and video conversations. Ibble makes events more accessible and adds depth through back-and-forth video and audio posts. Learn more at https://www.getibble.com/ Contact Details Jason Jepson +1 949-394-7033 press@ibble.io Company Website https://www.getibble.com/

March 11, 2022 10:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video Image
Article thumbnail News Release

100ms secures $20M funding round to enable the next generation of live video apps

100ms

Live Video infrastructure startup, 100ms, today announced their Series A funding round of $20M led by Falcon Edge's Alpha Wave Incubation, with participation from Matrix Partners India and LocalGlobe, along with existing investors Accel and Strive.vc. 100ms is enabling product creators to add live video interactions for online classrooms, virtual events, audio rooms, online communities, telehealth, and more. “Zoom and similar products helped us through the surge in digital adoption. We are missing one very important fact though - real 1:1 experiences cannot always be boxed into Zoom video tiles. Our belief is, going forward all companies will embed video experiences into their apps. 100ms provides the best-in-class infrastructure to power these video experiences.”, shares Abhinav Chaturvedi, Partner at Accel, on the continuation of the partnership from the seed stage. “Online gyms are asking trainees to report their injuries. Online schools are adding libraries, and enabling 1-1 help sessions. Online dating apps are looking to recreate better virtual meeting experiences. 100ms is enabling product makers to imagine and add sophisticated live-engagement, by abstracting the complexities of video streaming.” Anirudh Singh, Managing Director at Falcon Edge's Alpha Wave Incubation, commented on leading the round. With customers like WhiteHat Jr, Circle, Paytm Insider, Frontrow, and Kutumb, 100ms announced that it has witnessed over 20X growth in usage metrics over the last quarter. With this round of funding, the company aims to allow developers to build and deploy enterprise-class video applications in hours. "Mainstream video conferencing solutions are good enough, but not best-in-class for someone building a video-first business. Whether it’s online fitness, e-learning, gaming, or shopping, we’re very early in the journey of video-first experiences and the 100ms team has built a great product with phenomenal early traction. We’re excited to partner with Kshitij and Aniket in building a video-first future." said Pranay Desai, Principal, Matrix India. “Building and managing video infrastructure at scale is a non-trivial problem for most organizations”, said Kshitij Gupta, CEO at 100ms and former VP, Engineering at Disney-Hotstar. “Our goal is to make it easy for businesses of all sizes to deliver deeper-than-physical live video experiences within their products in less than half-dozen lines of code.” About 100ms 100ms aims to bring real-life interactions to the virtual world by providing world-class developer tooling for live video. Founded by engineers that built the video infrastructure at Facebook and Disney, 100ms has the vision to build rich, bespoke, and deeper-than-physical experiences for businesses and people. For more information, visit https://100ms.live or follow @100mslive. About Matrix Partners India Matrix Partners India is an investment firm with approximately $1 billion under management. Founded in 2006, the firm invests in Indian companies targeting the consumer and enterprise market at seed, early, and early growth stages. Matrix India has invested in several market-leading companies such as Ola (mobility), Dailyhunt (mobile local language platform), Razorpay (payments), OfBusiness (B2B Commerce, fintech), Five Star Business Finance (SME lending), Ola Electric (electric vehicles), DealShare (social commerce platform), Stanza Living (tech-enabled student housing platform), OneCard (mobile-first credit card), Country Delight (D2C dairy & fresh foods brand), GoKwik (e-commerce enablement platform), Captain Fresh (seafood marketplace), Bijnis (B2B platform for factories), MoEngage (intelligent marketing cloud platform), Superops (MSP software), Zupee (skill-based gaming app), Rocketlane (Customer onboarding software) and Itilite (corporate travel SaaS platform) among others. Matrix India has advisory offices in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. Matrix Partners has a global network of funds investing in the US, China, and India, with approximately $5 billion under management. Further information is available at www.matrixpartners.in. To know more about our investment philosophy & ideologies, check out the #MatrixMoments podcast. About Accel Accel is a global venture capital firm that is the first partner to exceptional teams everywhere, from inception through all phases of private company growth. Accel has been operating in India since 2008, and its investments include companies like BookMyShow, Browserstack, Flipkart, Freshworks, FalconX, Chargebee, Clevertap, Cure Fit, Musigma, Moneyview, Myntra, Moglix, Ninjacart, Swiggy, Stanza Living, Urban Company, Zetwerk, and Zenoti, among many others. We help ambitious entrepreneurs build iconic global businesses. For more, visit www.accel.com or https://twitter.com/Accel_India. About Strive.vc STRIVE is a B2B/SaaS-focused fund with over 80 investments across India, Southeast Asia, and Japan, and managing over $200M in AUM. The firm has invested in several dev infra and SaaS companies in India including Hasura, Testsigma, and Classplus. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.100ms.live/

March 11, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Alexanders Grace Secures Angel Funding for New Automated Influencer Marketing Platform

Alexanders Grace

First-of-its-kind platform brings transparency, hyper-targeting, and attribution to marketing and e-commerce, connecting social influencers, brands, and agencies; AG empowers celebrity through micro influencers to grow and monetize social presence Alexanders Grace, a first-of-its kind automated influencer marketing platform, today announced that it has received funding from angel investor and Baltimore business icon, Steven DeCastro. For businesses that want to leverage social influencers for marketing to target audiences, Alexanders Grace is a free solution that matches brands with influencers using pre-determined filters, organizational campaign goals, and assigns a publicly accessible Influencer Trust Score (ITS) that reflects an individual’s effectiveness and value. “AG provides brands with choice and control while compensating users for their engagement,” said Alexanders Grace CEO and Co-founder, Brad Bergersen. “For influencer marketing agencies, our platform offers a new channel for increasing their respective clients’ visibility and for creating new streams of recurring revenue.” Influencer engagement is a widely popular marketing practice, yet many brands struggle with attribution and measuring campaign ROI. Alexanders Grace not only solves transparency issues with its proprietary technology, but also incentivizes average citizens to monetize their social presence. According to industry data, engagement rate, such as the total number of likes, comments, and shares, is the best indicator of campaign effectiveness. Higher engagement rates lead to more awareness, conversions, and quantifiable ROI. “In a world where Facebook generates four million likes every minute, and in which more than 100 million photos are uploaded to Instagram daily, both influencers and brands need to build a following of targeted, engaged consumers to be relevant. The alternative is obscurity and no brand recognition. “Alexanders Grace helps you stand out on social media, providing a pipeline for consistent growth,” added Bergersen. “In addition, Alexanders Grace lets brands and users search influencers for free, which is something nobody else is offering.” AG serves as a pipeline for organic engagement with brands’ products and services. Influencers with the highest engagement rates are not famous people, but rather micro and nano influencers: ordinary people with under 10,000 followers for whom net engagement rates are between three to six times higher than that of a celebrity. AG aggregates myriad nano and micro influencers to create the perfect profile. “Imagine a smaller influencer with 10,000 followers who runs a coffee lovers review site that sells specialty products such as French presses, custom branded beans, organic filters, and other related items,” said Alexanders Grace Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Scott Mitchell. “While this person may not have a global presence comparable to actors, professional athletes, or high-profile media personalities, she does, however, have dedicated fans who comprise a highly-targeted audience that trusts and acts on her recommendations. “By leveraging big data and automation, AG has revolutionized the process of how influencers, brands, and customers interact.” Influencers on AG are compensated for supporting campaigns with posts from their respective social media accounts that funnel traffic to a brand’s web store. Important to note is that Alexanders Grace covers all costs from post to store checkout, in addition to managing communications, logistics and shipping. AG will also pay users for participating in surveys. To sign up for Alexanders Grace, please visit www.AlexandersGrace.com. ABOUT ALEXANDERS GRACE Headquartered in Baltimore, MD, Alexanders Grace is an automated influencer marketing and engagement platform that connects brands with the people who can reach their respective target audiences. Visit www.AlexandersGrace.com to launch your influencer journey! Contact Details Mostafa Razzak +1 917-912-0623 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net

March 10, 2022 10:32 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

My Code Releases New Entertainment Report that Examines Multicultural Film and TV Consumption Habits

My Code

My Code, the digital media company that enables brands, agencies, publishers and storytellers to decode and connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences, today released their Multicultural Entertainment report, which examines film and TV audience behaviors and attitudes among AAPI, Black and Hispanic American communities. The Multicultural Entertainment Report is the third report released since the company rebranded itself to My Code earlier this year, following its Smart Health and Wellness Tech and Smart Home Tech reports. The entertainment report adds to My Code’s growing suite of proprietary data that is designed to help advertisers better understand multicultural audiences as growing concerns of underrepresentation and lack of diversity in media have increased the demand for multicultural populations to be accurately represented. “There are fast-growing audiences who want and expect authentic representation in the content that’s produced for them to consume, especially as production companies and advertisers look to expand from COVID-19 influences in movie and TV viewing habits to reach wider audiences,” said Jennifer White, COO at My Code. “Our data illuminates the fact that multicultural audiences have specific preferences that require advertisers and studios to take a specialized approach if they’re to build authentic representation in media campaigns that are targeted at increasing diverse audiences.” The Multicultural Entertainment report was produced by My Code’s Intelligence Center, the company’s proprietary platform dedicated to providing a constant pulse on ever-changing multicultural American consumers’ sentiments, opinions, and habits. The report used data collected from over 1,000 adults representative of all main geographical areas of the United States, ages 18-64, between December 22, 2021, and January 3, 2022. The report highlights how overall growth across the AAPI, Black, and Hispanic populations outpaces the non-Hispanic White population, with 42% of the U.S. population now identified as multicultural. Additionally, growth in digital video viewership is the fastest among younger generations, with the largest shares of multicultural populations being Millennials, Gen Z, or younger. With multicultural audiences growing and younger generations consuming more media, there’s now a greater demand for accurate representation in new content than ever before, top insights include: Movies 8-in-10 multicultural adults view movies weekly, and it is clear that they value flexibility when watching movies at home, as streaming is the leading at-home movie access point. Over half of multicultural audiences watch action, comedy, drama, or adventure movies, revealing that movie genre choice is not monolithic. TV Nearly 9-in-10 multicultural adults watch TV shows weekly, and there is evidence that there is more preference for drama and action/adventure shows, with 49% typically watching each genre and 35% indicating that they typically watch sitcoms. In other words, drama and action/adventure are likely popular TV media diet staples, with other genres filling out individuals’ TV consumption similar to “surrounding content”. Representation Multicultural viewers don’t always feel understood by production studios, and in turn, studios don’t always make an authentic connection. While nearly all multicultural adults are frequent film and TV viewers, roughly 8-in-10 want to be considered during development, but only 1-in-3 feel the industry understands them. Diversity in Talent and Production Overall, multicultural audiences want more authentic representation in TV and movies; 65% want more depictions of multicultural people in ways that break down racial stereotypes, 67% want more diversity among talent playing leading roles, and 67% also want more diversity among the directors and writers that influence content. Award shows Less than half of Multicultural audiences feel that major American awards shows recognize diversity in category nominations, which is reflected in fragmented award show viewership behaviors. As a mirror for the industry, current awards show engagement reflects the role that authentic on- and off-camera representation has in audience building. To download the My Code Multicultural Entertainment Report, please visit this link to the report. About My Code My Code is a digital media company that enables brands, agencies, publishers, and storytellers to decode and connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences. My Code was formed following the expansion of H Code, a 2x Inc. 5000-ranked company founded in 2015, into additional demographics beyond Hispanic consumers. With a diverse team of marketers, sellers, researchers, and storytellers specializing in an ever-growing selection of Cultural and Affinity Codes, My Code helps companies of all sizes reach millions of Hispanic, Black, and AAPI consumers with unmatched authenticity. My Code combines proprietary insights from its Intelligence Center, first-party targetable datasets, and custom creative to deliver unparalleled multimedia content that effectively reaches diverse audiences across the digital landscape. Having evolved from its Hispanic-centric origins, My Code is now a robust, minority-dominant organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of the diverse communities and audiences it represents. Its purpose-driven media marketplace allows advertisers to easily invest in minority-owned and led publishers, creators, and producers. Today, My Code’s employee base is 85% multicultural, 70% Hispanic/Latinx, and 50% female across its offices in the U.S. and Latin America. Contact Details North 6th Agency for My Code +1 212-334-9753 mycode@n6a.com Company Website https://mycodemedia.com/

March 10, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

ibble Launches Social Networking App Landing One Of The Largest Series Seed Funding In Texas History

ibble

ibble, a new social media app empowering people to spark conversations and ignite new ideas has received $12.7MM, the largest series seed funding round in Texas history. Leading the seed round was Drive Capital followed by TTV Capital, Unknown Ventures, and Get Engaged Media. The investment in ibble comes amidst societies overwhelming frustrations with current social media platforms as they increasingly cut content; remove conversations and restrict engagement. “ibble is a Social Media App built on the idea of learning through conversations and having the ability to talk directly with the experts without the friction that currently exists on traditional social media apps and platforms,” said Raymond Kaminski, CEO and Co-founder of ibble. “We believe that talking with your community, not at your community, through the power of audio and video can spark more meaningful conversations and create more insightful engagement." ibble’s mission is to help people connect with and learn from experts through the power of video and audio conversations. Users are able to ask experts questions directly as well as spark conversations with their peers, naturally expanding candid conversations without friction. Is an expert always right? No, of course not. We believe what makes someone an "expert" is their relentless pursuit of the truth about a certain subject and their willingness to share it. For people who have been frustrated by structured and ad focused social media platforms that stifle conversations and are not easily suited to video and audio conversations, the solution is ibble – the social media app built by a distinguished team of entrepreneurs who believe that conversations and connections must have a healthy environment to thrive and grow in this digital age. “Brands, celebrities, influencers, the news, sports figures and more are looking for new ways to engage but that is almost impossible when dealing with the limits of current social media apps and platforms,” said Irving Lee, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships at ibble. “We built ibble knowing that authenticity is not found in a like, comment or status update, and how could it? ibble provides a platform that celebrates real conversations with real people and threads that mirror real life conversations; conversations you can jump in and out of." With ibble anything is possible through the power of conversation. Users can start a video or audio conversation about their favorite show. They can also ask their favorite influencer or celebrity a question and get a response back with a simple click of a button. ibble makes conversation easy because ibble has made conversation through social media possible, with a focus on the natural flow of conversations and questions. For brands, shows, influencers, celebrities and others, ibble has made it easy to talk with their community members directly while not having to worry about being throttled or competing brands advertised to them while they are communicating with them. About ibble ibble is the social media app that enables experts and their communities to directly engage through audio and video conversations. ibble makes events more accessible and adds depth through back-and-forth video and audio posts. Learn more at https://www.getibble.com/ Contact Details ibble Jason Jepson +1 949-394-7033 press@ibble.io Company Website https://www.getibble.com/

March 10, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

CSG Inspires Social Impact Through Partnership with We Make Change

CSG

DENVER, March 10, 2022 – CSG ® ’s (NASDAQ: CSGS) purpose is to envision, invent and shape a better, more future-ready world. Through community partnerships, the company is giving back and channeling the power of all to make a difference in the communities CSG serve around the world. Today, CSG joined forces with We Make Change, a global volunteering platform that connects skilled volunteers with social enterprises, to host a series of Change Days that allow CSG employees to share their knowledge and skills with social enterprises to help drive social change. Over two Change Day, CSGers dedicated more than 150 hours to support nine social enterprises committed to reducing inequalities and increasing digital inclusion. Most participants signed up to continue their volunteer service with their dedicated social enterprise. In 2022, CSG aspires to reach 40,000 hours of employee volunteer time. “As a global technology leader, CSG aims to dream bigger, where we create a more connected, inclusive and future-ready world that delivers greater impact for our colleagues, customers, and communities,” said Channing Jones, chief diversity and social responsibility officer, CSG. “By volunteering with organizations like We Make Change, our employees gain a better understanding of critical issues facing our communities while leveraging their experience to drive more meaningful impact. Adding social enterprises to our social impact program empowers us to not only serve with our time and intellectual capital but measure the positive impact CSG is making in communities across the globe. We are proud to think globally and act locally with partners like We Make Change that helps us accelerate real-world progress towards solving some of the most vital issues facing our world today.” The two CSG Change Days supported a total of nine social enterprises, including: Empowr: Teaches black youth students about software development foundations, how to build simple apps, and critical leadership techniques to showcase how their skills can impact the world and help increase the number of black-owned businesses. Leiho: Connects essential goods to vulnerable communities that are living without them - from socks that help the homeless stay warm to groceries that feed children in need. LocalPurse: Local Purse connects travelers with experienced local guides and artisans globally through virtual cultural and shopping experiences, having a minimal carbon footprint, and providing a sustainable way of supporting the travel industry. ZigWay: Gives low-income families and disadvantaged populations access to the everyday goods and services they need to break free from poverty. "This Change Day was a game-changing opportunity for Leiho to reignite our confidence and motivation towards making a difference where it truly matters,” said Joey Li, co-founder, Leiho. "Connecting with kind-hearted, sharp-minded CSGers helped us to make our brand messaging clear and concise and inject the transparency we desire for our mission. The added value of having access to the rich skills and expertise Leiho needs to implement greater change is critical for our young organization. CSG's originality and commitment to our success primed our imagination to evolve Leiho for massive social impact and influenced our vision of organic growth." “Employees giving just four hours of skilled volunteer time as part of a Change Day can significantly accelerate the positive impact of a social enterprise,” said James Sancto, co-founder and CEO, We Make Change. “For the social enterprise, they gain access to a vast pool of knowledge and expertise that can help advance their cause and deliver faster results to groups in need. For conscientious companies like CSG, it’s a chance to do more for the world and give their employees meaningful ways to give back to their communities and connect deeply to social issues where they have the power to affect change.” The upcoming CSG Change Days will focus on improving gender equality. By year’s end, CSG will have supported dozens of social enterprises from all corners of the world. # # # About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About We Make Change We Make Change connects skilled volunteers with Social Enterprises changing the world. We enable individuals and employees to volunteer their skills online to support the causes they care about with the time they can give. Our Change Day online volunteering events bring together corporate teams to develop their skills, connect with colleagues, and make change in just a few hours. With a fast-growing community of over 25,000 volunteers supporting more than 650 Social Enterprises in over 100 countries across the world, We Make Change enables anyone, anywhere to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To learn more or get involved, visit us at wemakechange.org and connect with us on LinkedIn. Copyright © 2022 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Kristine Østergaard Public Relations +44 (0)79 2047 7204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Kristine Østergaard +44 7920 477204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

March 10, 2022 06:30 AM Mountain Standard Time

1 ... 237238239240241 ... 343