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Top Toys (and Trends) for the Holiday Season

YourUpdateTV

The holidays are here, and as always, the most on-trend and innovative products will continue to be atop of wish lists. But this year, parents are looking to shop smart and are seeking out feature-rich toys that offer bang for their buck. Recently, Toy Trends Specialist with The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch, participated in a nationwide virtual media tour to discuss the top toys and trends for the holiday season. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/EBX9bVGD9jQ According to new research from the Toy Association, 64% of parents are looking to make connections with their kids this holiday season by buying todays they can play with together and create memories. Here are some of the top toys this holiday season: Rubble & Crew Bark Yard Crane Tower Playset Based on the construction yard and home base for the pups in Rubble & Crew, the new PAW Patrol spin-off series, this playset stands over 2 feet tall, providing hours of preschool-friendly building play. The playset comes with 12 ounces of all-new Kinetic Build-It Sand, four molds, interchangeable tools and a Rubble vehicle and pup, encouraging open-ended sensory play for preschoolers. Lights, sounds, music, and phrases from the series help bring the setting to life for fans. Hot Wheels® Ultimate T-Rex Transporter The Hot Wheels™ City Ultimate Hauler can gobble up and haul more than 20 1:64 scale cars and then transform into a growling, stomping T-Rex with a race track on its back. In hauler mode, pull it by the handle and it will eat the 1:64 scale cars in its path. Lower the tail and it transforms into a Robo T-Rex with lights and sounds and a two-lane race track. Kids can also launch cars from its mouth! Two 1:64 scale Hot Wheels® cars are included. Bearlieve Bear Bearlieve Bear is Build-A-Bear Workshop's first-ever interactive furry friend that responds to touch and the sound of your voice. From opening its eyes to wiggling its ears to verbalizing sweet phrases, Bearlieve Bear is poised to capture the hearts of children and adults alike as the must-have gift of the season. Guests can partake in Build-A-Bear’s special stuffing experience to create this new furry friend and participate in a specially designed heart ceremony to bring their new friend to life. Bearlieve Bear comes to life in Build-A-Bear Workshops in its own unique way as guests proclaim, “I BEARlieve!” while pressing the red heart on its paw during the iconic heart ceremony. Bearlieve Bear is introduced in Build-A-Bear’s family-friendly holiday film, Glisten and the Merry Mission. Storytime With Sunny Sunny’s expressive personality engages kiddos as she tells stories with surprising plot twists to keep them hanging on her every word. Sunny invites participation in 300+ activities with four disks and more than five hours of fairy tales, classic songs, guessing games, a poem creator, silly jokes, tongue twisters, daily routines and much more. Her animated face and movements add emotion and expression to jokes, stories and songs, inviting kids to respond as she asks them what they think. Sunny teaches healthy habits, encouraging good manners, brushing teeth and mindfulness exercises. Cleanup time is easy with a dedicated disk rack to store the four disks. When the day is done, take a quiet moment with Sunny as she leads kids in a bedtime routine. Set her gentle alarm, then fall asleep to her softly glowing night-light. Spy Guy Game Take on the role of Spy Guy, whose task is to find and catch a criminal who is prowling the city! Players will work together to search the long jigsaw puzzle board for clues aiming to catch the culprit as quickly as possible! Can you catch the criminal before he escapes from the city? Available at Target, Amazon, Trefl.com. For more information on these toys and much more, visit thegeniusofplay.org About Jennifer Lynch As an official spokesperson and toy trends specialist for The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch chats with toymakers throughout the year to track trends and developments impacting the toy aisles and kids’ entertainment. She has been interviewed by publications including New York Magazine, Inc. Magazine, The Spruce and Insider, and made appearances on the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, ABC News, KTLA-TV, Good Day Philadelphia, WGN Chicago, Bloomberg Radio, and CNET, among others. Jennifer has more than a decade of experience covering the toy and kids’ entertainment industries. Prior, she served as the editorial manager for aNb Media and its b2c review site TTPM.com, where she oversaw all digital and print communications, reviewed product, and co-hosted a web series conducting in-depth interviews with toy industry executives. She began her career in her home state of Pennsylvania, handling marketing communications for Penn State’s art galleries (her alma mater). She resides in New Jersey with her husband and baby girl. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 04, 2023 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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All Ears for Spotify: The Rise of Audiobooks and Where You Can Listen

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/_mhl8ZVreR8 The rise of audiobooks in sales and the number of listeners cannot be ignored anymore. Audiobooks offer an entertaining, engaging way to finally get around to all the books you’ve always meant to read, a new way to experience the stories you already love and a great way to discover your next favorite book. A recent Spotify survey found that 41% of audiobook listeners prefer audiobooks over physical books because of cognitive benefits like improving their memory or keeping their mind active. The demographics leading in listening were Gen Z and Millennials, with 72% of 18–34-year-olds listening to audiobooks. On November 7th a nationwide media tour was conducted with Xavier "X" Jernigan, Spotify AI DJ x Head of Cultural Partnerships, discussing the exciting news from Spotify as they announce that audiobooks are now available to Spotify Premium subscribers in the US, introducing tens of millions of new listeners to audiobooks. Adding audiobooks into Premium means that US subscribers will have access to 15 hours of monthly listening time from a catalog of more than 200,000 audiobooks - as part of their existing Premium subscription. Spotify users are now getting even more from their Premium subscription: an on-demand catalog of more than 100 million tracks and over 200,000 audiobooks, as well as more than 5 million podcasts. The Spotify Premium audiobook catalog includes many of the world’s most beloved titles as well as new releases: including over 70% of bestselling titles. This includes books from all of the Big 5 publishers and many independent publishers and authors - including beloved titles from classics like Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to modern sensations like Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us. For more information visiT: newsroom.spotify.com/audiobooks Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 01, 2023 10:32 AM Eastern Standard Time

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QYOU Media Reports Q3 FY 2023 Results

QYOU Media

Contact Details Doug Barker +1 437-992-4814 shareholder@qyoutv.com Company Website https://www.valuethemarkets.com

December 01, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Mirriad Advertising has "huge momentum" after contract signing

Mirriad Advertising PLC

Mirriad Advertising PLC (AIM:MIRI, OTCQX:MMDDF) CEO Stephan Beringer speaks to Thomas Warner from Proactive after the virtual product placement and in-content advertising pioneers announced the signing of an agreement with a top three entertainment network in the US. Beringer starts by explaining the unique nature of the business, discussing how traditional advertising, characterised by interruptive ads during video content, is losing its effectiveness. He highlights the rise of streaming services, where ads are minimal or non-existent, posing challenges for content creators and advertisers in monetising and reaching mass audiences. Mirriad's innovative solution involves virtual product placement, seamlessly integrating brands into the content itself, enhancing viewer experience without interruptions. Beringer also emphasises the customisable nature of their advertising technique. This approach allows different viewers to see different products within the same content, based on their location or profile, a significant leap from traditional product placement. This strategy aligns more with media buying, offering advertisers immediate, audience-specific impressions. Discussing the company's strategic pivot to the U.S., Beringer explained its importance, given the massive advertising market size and the potential for scaling advertising innovations from the U.S. He notes Mirriad's progress in the U.S., saying that he sees the company as carrying "huge momentum" at the moment. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

December 01, 2023 07:24 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Gotta-Have-It Gifts for the holiday season!

News Media Group, Inc.

Contact Details Karl Wayne +1 334-440-6397 karl@newsmg.com Company Website https://newsmg.com/

December 01, 2023 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Appier's AI solution empowers Nexon, yielding remarkable results in attracting valuable game users

Appier

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Media OutReach - 1 December 2023 - Appier, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence (AI), has announced significant results from its partnership with Nexon, the leading South Korean gaming company, to help the brand acquire high-value game users. KartRider Rush+ Marking a solid six-year partnership between Appier and Nexon, Appier's AI solution, AIBID, has played a pivotal role in achieving this milestone. AIBID, a proprietary AI audience model, meticulously identifies and targets high-value users, tailoring the approach to suit each unique game. Leveraging intricate analysis of user interactions within gaming applications, contextual data, and marketing graphics, AIBID excels not only in driving game installations but also in delivering an exceptional return on ad spend (ROAS), all while maintaining an outstanding user retention record. Dungeon & Fighter Mobile Nexon has adopted AIBID for the successful launches and high retention rates of its flagship titles, including Dungeon & Fighter Mobile and KartRider Rush+. "Witnessing AIBID's impact on our ROAS targets was truly exceptional. It's no wonder AIBID has seamlessly integrated into our user acquisition strategy, propelling our success to new heights," exclaimed WooChang Lee, Deputy Department Manager of Nexon. "Since adopting Appier's AIBID solution, our app's growth skyrocketed, generating impressive installs from day one. Notably, it consistently drew in high-quality users with remarkable retention rates. Appier's AI expertise is more than a solution; it's a catalyst for unparalleled growth and sustained excellence." In a standout campaign for Dungeon & Fighter Mobile last year, Nexon masterfully employed AIBID, securing high-value users from the very inception of the game's release. This strategic move led to an impressive 6.9% increase in level completion rates and a 1.4x surge in in-app purchases, witnessed from the first week to the fourth week. AIBID's re-engagement facet has proven equally impressive. Following a dip in installations for Nexon's popular game, KartRider Rush+, after 45 days post-launch, Nexon integrated AIBID's re-engagement tool, undertaking a strategic user retargeting effort. The outcome was nothing short of remarkable, with a striking 55% increase in user conversion rates (CVR) and a notable 16% upswing in in-app purchases. The re-engagement feature of AIBID effectively identifies users worth retargeting by analyzing recent user behavior patterns, including but not limited to in-app purchases within the last three days, reaching level 25 within five days, or logging into the game five or more times a day. The collaboration between Nexon and Appier shows no signs of waning, as Nexon unveils plans to introduce new features, including Appier's captivating 3D banners and in-banner videos. These innovative creative assets have not only garnered heightened user attention but have been successfully implemented in Nexon's new and time-honored games, such as KartRider: Drift and MapleStory M, resulting in a substantial increase in click-through rates (CTR). https://www.appier.com/en/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/appier/ About Appier Appier (TSE: 4180) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence to power business decision-making. Founded in 2012 with a vision of democratizing AI, Appier now has 17 offices across APAC, Europe, and US, and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visit www.appier.com for more information about Appier and its applications of generative AI. About NEXON Founded in 1994, NEXON Co., Ltd. (Nexon) (3659.TO) is a company engaged in the production, development and operation of online games and Virtual Worlds. First listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December 2011, Nexon was placed on JPX400 in 2015 and added to the Nikkei Stock Index 300 in 2017. In 2020, Nexon was added to the Nikkei 225. Nexon currently has more than 50 live games in more than 190 countries on PC, console, and mobile. Major game franchises include MapleStory, KartRider and Dungeon&Fighter. In 2021, Nexon completed the acquisition of Embark Studios AB, a company based in Stockholm, Sweden, developing multiple projects for global release. Contact Details Lara Sampara lara.sampara@appier.com

December 01, 2023 02:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Exploring New Trends in the Digital Economy: Meet HTX at NFT Taipei 2023

HTX

December 1, 2023 - The founder of TRON and a member of HTX's Global Advisory Board, Justin Sun, received an invitation to attend NFT Taipei 2023, a prominent NFT event in Asia. Taking the virtual stage, he delivered a captivating speech titled "The Intersection of Digital, Humanity, and Art," sharing unique insights into the NFT market. Sun, a cryptocurrency mogul, emphasized that HTX, as one of the leading global cryptocurrency exchanges, is actively monitoring the NFT market’s evolution. The exchange aims to foster innovative growth in the digital economy and provide users with a diverse digital asset trading experience. During his speech, Sun introduced his own NFT avatars, such as Tpunk#3442 and BAYC Tron NFT. He expressed the view that the digital era, comparable to the settlement of Mars, signifies a trend that the crypto world can spearhead. NFT avatars represent a novel form of digital art, showcasing a more universal punk style that embodies a fusion of individual talent and artistic inspiration from traditional art. This, coupled with widespread recognition and appreciation, symbolizes a new era in the digital art landscape. According to Sun, each generation defines its era through unique artistic forms and expressions. To us, NFTs and unique on-chain digital art represent the creativity and vision of our generation in today's era driven by blockchain and artificial intelligence. They not only serve as mediums for our exploration and self-expression but also act as our virtual galleries. NFTs enable us to both create art and achieve decentralized and global interaction within the art world. This interaction transcends physical boundaries, providing a real-time space for global creators to create and participate. Regarding the integration of traditional art and NFTs, Sun emphasized that NFTs in the digital age demonstrate profound human interest and imbue digital art with genuine value and identity, ensuring that creators receive the deserved respect and rewards for their intellectual labor. Through NFTs, artists can directly communicate with their audience, eliminating the need for intermediaries, and explore more possibilities for creation and interaction. Furthermore, Sun mentioned that the APENFT Foundation was established in 2021 to promote the integration of the metaverse, finance, and art. It houses collections with a total value exceeding 1 billion RMB, including Picasso's "Femme nue couchée avec collier," Andy Warhol's "Three Self-Portraits," Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi's "Portrait" for Justin Sun, Beeple's "Ocean's Front" and "ABUNBANCE," as well as the "Cube" NFT collection by the digital artist Pak and "Digital Zones" by Mitchel Chen. Sun expressed his pride in embracing new opportunities brought by digital art, as a member of HTX's Global Advisory Board and the founder of TRON. He also mentioned that HTX and TRON are dedicated to building a secure and reliable platform that allows more people to access NFTs and understand their value. He believes that NFTs will play a crucial role in connecting the digital world with the real world and exploring something more in human art and culture. NFT Taipei, known as the largest NFT art and blockchain forum in Asia, took place from November 30 to December 3 this year at the Songshan Cultural & Creative Park in Taipei. It brought together dozens of top leaders in the Web3 space to decode how to create new opportunities in blockchain and NFTs in the next bull run and discuss diverse topics such as AAA game firms engaging in blockchain games and DeFi's ability to meet market demands. Additionally, the OneOffs Fair during the NFT Taipei 2023 attracted hundreds of artists and over 100,000 participants around the world, featuring famous NFT projects including BAYC, the largest blue chip NFT community. As a steadfast advocate for the digital economy, HTX looks forward to leveraging the NFT Taipei event to establish closer connections with digital asset practitioners worldwide, jointly driving NFTs growth, exploring new trends and opportunities in the digital age, and creating new peaks in the digital economy. About HTX Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved from a crypto exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, wallets, research, investment, incubation and other areas. HTX serves millions of users worldwide, with a business presence covering over 160 countries and regions across five continents. Its three development strategies - "global development, technology drives development, and technology for good" underpin its commitment to providing comprehensive services and values to global cryptocurrency enthusiasts. Contact Details Michael Wang glo-media@htx-inc.com Company Website https://www.htx.com/

December 01, 2023 01:16 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Pizzeria Uno Celebrates its 80th Anniversary as the Birthplace of Chicago’s beloved Deep Dish Pizza

UNO Pizzeria & Grill

This December, Pizzeria Uno (known informally as Uno’s) will celebrate its 80 th anniversary which also commemorates the 80 th birthday of the introduction of Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Pizzeria Uno and its iconic location at the corner of Ohio and Wabash in downtown Chicago are universally regarded as the birthplace of Deep Dish pizza which has become a staple of the Chicago and American food landscape. To mark the occasion, Pizzeria Uno will host an 80 th Anniversary party at its downtown Chicago location on December 4 th at 6PM. The invite-only party will include entertainment, giveaways, pizza-making demonstrations and, of course, plenty of deep dish pizza for sampling. Included on the guest list is former Chicago Bear player and current sports radio host Tom Waddle. “I have been a long-time fan of Pizzeria Uno. It started back in my days at Boston College in Boston where I used to frequent the locations there with my then girlfriend who is now my wife. It’s such an iconic brand and the deep dish pizza has always been amazing. To think that it all started in this small brownstone building here in Chicago 80 years ago is amazing”. The deep dish story is an integral part of the rich Chicago food scene. In 1943, former University of Texas football star Ike Sewell and his friend WWII G.I. Ric Ricardo opened the flagship Pizzeria Uno Restaurant at its current location in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. As legend has it, the deep-dish pizza was born when the two experimented in the kitchen creating a “pizza pie” or the thick upside-down pizza that became known as the Chicago deep dish pizza. It wasn’t long before people were lining up at the door, so Sewell opened a second restaurant in response to Pizzeria Uno’s popularity, Pizzeria Due, which is one block away. In 1963, Ike then opened the historically relevant Su Casa, a Mexican restaurant, as a passion project. The legend of Pizzeria Uno was introduced to the rest of the US and the world starting in 1978 when entrepreneur Aaron Spencer, a Massachusetts resident and prominent businessman, purchased the franchise rights to the restaurant and brand. Spencer opened the first franchise location in Boston with an expanded menu to attract an even broader crowd. The restaurant added locations to as many as 20 states and multiple countries. Pizzeria Uno deep dish pizza is currently enjoyed in over 80 locations worldwide. Pizzeria Uno General Manager, Robert Komar, is proud of the mark that Pizzeria Uno has left on the food scene in Chicago. “To come to work each day knowing that this building here on the corner of Ohio and Wabash is the birthplace of deep dish pizza is an incredible feeling. Deep dish pizza, which is woven into the fabric of the Chicago and American food culture, is such an iconic part of this city. People come from all over the world to experience it here in this beautiful building. We are so proud to be part of the legacy here and will continue to serve up deep dish for another 80 years.” About UNO Pizzeria & Grill Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes approximately 80 company-owned and franchised UNO Pizzeria & Grill restaurants located in 18 states, and the District of Columbia, India, and Saudi Arabia. UNO is all about connecting people over pizza – from its famous Chicago Deep Dish, which UNO invented in 1943, to its Chicago Thin Crust, to its gluten-free and vegan pizzas. Contact Details Chris Dellamarggio +1 339-613-7641 cdellamarggio@unos.com Company Website https://www.unos.com/

November 30, 2023 02:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

Claravine Achieves the new AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency

Claravine

Claravine, The Data Standards Company TM, announced today that it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency in the category of Audience and Customer Data Management. Achieving the AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency recognizes Claravine for its expertise in providing customers with a software that empowers advertisers and marketers to reinvent workloads with solutions that offer improved ability to deliver on the promise of modern marketing by consistently creating and applying data standards. As advertisers and marketers look to leverage the cloud to innovate and lean into digital transformation, they are increasingly looking for partners with services and solutions purpose-built to meet their needs. AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency Partners provide customers such as advertising agencies, marketers, publishers, advertising or marketing technology providers, and analytics service providers with AWS validated solutions and services that help accelerate their advertising and marketing transformation. An added benefit for customers migrating or building advertising and marketing workloads on AWS is the number of integrations and distribution channels connecting shared data with flexibility and interoperability. Claravine is powered by AWS to support use cases in this industry. Claravine’s platform, The Data Standards Cloud, powered by AWS, lets customers take a proactive approach, addressing the root of data problems by activating unique standards across people and technology. Its collaborative user interface moves customers beyond engineered spreadsheets and slow, costly data cleanup. Used by Fortune 1000 companies, Claravine’s strategic integrations with top marketing and advertising platforms allow global organizations to define, apply and connect standards across their ecosystems for faster decisions, greater agility and increased return-on-investment (ROI) for their digital advertising dollars. Some of The Data Standards Cloud’s offerings include: Define standards in one shared platform: Put data standards in one accessible place, bringing taxonomy to life and helping customers quickly adapt to changing data needs. Standardize taxonomies, naming conventions, and metadata across all digital experiences. Improve measurement of digital campaigns and ROI. Achieving the AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency differentiates Claravine as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member with demonstrated technical proficiency and proven customer success in running cloud solutions on AWS for the advertising and marketing industry. This program showcases advertising and marketing technology consulting and software AWS Partners who have domain knowledge and are providing cloud services powered by AWS. To receive the AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency designation, AWS Partners must undergo a rigorous technical validation by AWS solution architects and have verified customer references. “Our team is dedicated to helping brands and agencies by leveraging the agility, breath of services, and pace of innovation that AWS provides. By achieving the AWS Advertising and Marketing Technology Competency, we can now provide data management processes to even more customers.” said Verl Allen, CEO of Claravine. “Our intuitive interface and varied list of top platform integrations make implementing increasingly needed data standards a seamless process.” AWS is enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, the AWS Competency Program helps customers identify which AWS Partner solutions and services are powered by AWS for specific industry use cases. For a specific industry solution to meet a need, explore the AWS Partner solutions offered in AWS Data Exchange, AWS Marketplace, or APN Partners, including Claravine. About Claravine Claravine is The Data Standards Company aiming to give people, teams and technology a shared understanding of their data. Claravine helps brands and agencies deliver on the promise of modern marketing by standardizing taxonomies, naming conventions, and metadata across all digital experiences at the source of data creation, supercharged by AI. The Data Standards Cloud empowers a proactive approach to marketing metadata naming conventions and taxonomy for fast, accurate and rich business insights that help deliver the experiences customers want. Claravine partners with a quarter of the Fortune 100 to define, apply and connect standards across their ecosystem for faster decisions, greater agility, and increased ROI. For more information, visit www.claravine.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Michael Kocher michael@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.claravine.com/

November 30, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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