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“It’s Worth the Wait” - Justin Bieber shows his commitment to his Tim Hortons collab and perfecting his Biebs Brew in new 60-second commercial

Tim Hortons

The new 60-second commercial for Justin Bieber’s next Tim Hortons collab has dropped, with Justin reconnecting with his Tims partner Pam and showing his devotion to co-developing the perfect Biebs Brew. Justin is the last one in the Tims office and pulling an all-nighter so he can be the first to try Biebs Brew, which is made with 100 per cent premium Arabica beans and is slowly steeped for 16 hours to enhance the bold and smooth flavor. The first part of the Tims x Justin Bieber collab was focused on Justin putting his own spin on his favorite treats at Tim Hortons: bite-sized Timbits donuts. For the second collab, Justin and Tims decided to develop a new twist on what the iconic brand is best known for: brewing the perfect cup of coffee. In product brainstorms with the Tims team, Justin shared that he prefers his coffee on ice, which led to working on a new flavor of Tim Hortons Cold Brew. Also inspired by a slight sweet tooth and his love for hints of delicious vanilla flavoring in his coffee, Justin and our beverage innovation team developed a creamy French Vanilla flavor to go with our Cold Brew. Biebs Brew is the perfect blend of those two beloved Tims flavors. "We couldn't stop at Timbiebs, we needed a Biebs Brew too. And we are bringing both to Tims next month,” said Justin. "Doing a Tim Hortons collab had always been a dream of mine. I grew up on Tim Hortons and it's always been something close to my heart." All three Timbiebs flavors – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle flavours – will return to Tims restaurants in Canada and the United States along with Biebs Brew on June 6. Guests in the US can get a $5 Biebs Bundle*: a large Biebs Brew and a 10-pack of Timbiebs for $5 when ordered through the Tims app. In the US, Tims restaurants will also be bringing back limited quantities of Timbiebs merchandise for guests, including the beanie, fanny pack, and tote bag that were developed in collaboration with Justin. When guests buy any Tims x Justin Bieber merch they get 50% off a second item**. “Timbiebs was a huge success – truly beyond all of our expectations – and what made it so great was the authenticity of the partnership,” said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer for Tim Hortons. “Even before the Timbiebs collaboration, Justin had often shared with fans how he’d grown up with Tim Hortons and was obsessed with the brand. His commitment to working with us to develop a natural and authentic twist on the Tims experience is what made Timbiebs a hit and we know guests are going to love Biebs Brew and his take on Tims Cold Brew.” * No substitutions. Valid on bundle only, if items are added à la carte, promotional price will not apply. Ends 7/5/22. Add'l terms apply: timhortons.com/offer-terms. ** Buy 1 item at reg. price, get 1 for 50% off, while supplies last. No substitutions. Tax extra. Cannot be combined w/ any other offer, including food & beverage offers. Not valid on digital orders. “Justin Bieber” and “Biebs” are trademarks of Bieber Time Holdings, LLC. TM & © Tim Hortons, 2022. “Worth the Wait” was developed by creative agency GUT Toronto and The French Shop. CREDIT LIST Tim Hortons Axel Schwan - Regional President Hope Bagozzi - Chief Marketing Officer Solange Bernard - Sr. Director, Marketing Communications Dibba Iran-Parasti - Director, Marketing Communications Anthony Campos - Sr. Manager, Media Michael Oliveira - Director, Communications Meghan Giffin - Manager, Communications Ashley Hum - Sr. Analyst, Marketing Communications Jay Pritchett - Director, US Marketing Rebecca Eidelstein - Director, US Marketing Communications Pamela Estupinan - Sr. Manager, US Marketing Communications Samantha Owen - Sr. Manager, US Media & CRM Elizabeth Knox - Manager, US Marketing Communications Justin Bieber SB Projects Allison Kaye - President Jules Ferree - Executive Vice President GUT Accounts Laura Cavalcanti - Account Supervisor Ryan O’Hagan - Business Director Ali Joyaa - Account Executive Gurpriya Seth - Account Coordinator Production Kelly Mark - Senior Producer Athena Kouverianos - Director of Production Vivian Poon - Producer Strategy Dino Demopoulos - CSO Gvantsa Dataushvili - Senior Strategist Emily Barnes - Director of Content Strategy Chantal Legge - Content Supervisor Will Ramos - Social Strategy Director Creative Brynna Aylward - Executive Creative Director, Creative Lead Matthew Kenney - Creative Director Frederick Nduna - Creative Director Sophia Kossoski - Senior Art Director Laura De Santis - Senior Copywriter Daniel Zhang - Art Director Chris Vena - Copywriter Monica Herrera - Designer Alex Allen - Associate Creative Director Andy Tamayo - Associate Creative Director Beth Barnes - Creative Resource Manager Junia Parodi - Creative Manager TFS Client Service Thomas Dayon - Account Director Gabrielle Papineau - Account Manager Sabrina Desjardins - Account Manager Creative Team Joëlle Fournier - Managing Director, Adaptation Valérie Forget - Adaptation Director Brigitte Hébert-Carle - Adaptation Copywriter Production Julie Lorazo - Producer MTL Vendors La Majueure - Sound Recording and Mixing Denise Charest - Casting Media Monks Christina Ho - Team Lead Daisuke Kazuya - Senior Account Manager Lajor Cole-Etti - Senior Account Manager Gustavo Manrique - Project Lead Luke Rocks - Account Manager Tiffany Ko - Account Manager Sonio Kulkarni - Associate Account Manager Horizon Sheri Rogers - SVP, Business Solutions David Mear - Director, Business Solutions Tim Harris - Associate Director, Business Solutions Cobi Zhang - Director, Media Investment & Activation Tanya Cross - Associate Director, Media Investment & Activation ALISON BROD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Adrianna Lauricella - Vice President Erika Berg Henty - Account Supervisor Tatum Treffeisen - Senior Account Executive Kate Beeks - Account Coordinator Craft Lisa Pasquin - President Ali Azzopardi - Vice President Brontë Wright - Account Manager Duncan Peng - Account Manager Kayla Mclean - Account Executive Robert Van Horne - Account Executive Emily Callahan - Account Coordinator Daisy Kling - Account Coordinator Red Apple Creative Nik Postinger - Audio Producer Luke McPeake - Engineer Holly Williams - Interim Client Success Executive Boy in the Castle Production Crew Colin Tilley - Director Jamee Ranta - EP/Producer Cora Johnson - Head of Production Clark Jackson - Line Producer Elias Talbot - Director of Photography David Cho - Production Supervisor Kevin Chang - Production Coordinator Nike Phillipides - 1st AD Mitchell Dillon - 2nd AD Kyle Schifflett - 2nd 2nd AD Colleen Smith - Improv Coach Camera Department Quaid Baca - 2nd Unit DoP Travis Montgomery - CAM OP Trevor Taylor - 1st AC - A cam Sharla Cipicchio - 1st AC - B cam Bryce Platz - 1st AC - C cam Seth Craven - 2nd AC - A cam Andy Kennedy - 2nd AC - B cam Sam Petroc - DIT Electric Department Brian “Red” Hickman - Gaffer Adam Flores - BB Electric Matt Hall - Electric Michael Koepke - Electric Alfredo Rodriguez - Electric Tomas Magana - Driver Grip Department Adama Shambour - Key Grip Jay Lopez - BB Grip Richie Warren - Grip Marissa Castrejon - Grip Randy Crisco - Grip Issac Cedano - Grip Art Department Brandon Mendez - Production Designer Duane Russell - Construction Coordinator Crystal Griego - Art Coordinator Dean Styers - Art Director Robb Duncan - Prop Master Benjamin Minty - Art Lead Richard Roraback - Set Dresser James Enrich - Set Dresser Armando Nunez - Set Dresser Joshua Ponce - Set Dresser Alfonso Ariana - Art Driver Jevon Dismuke - Art PA Priscilla Medina - Art PA Tim Madison - FX Operator VTR and Audio Rul Yacob - Boom Operator Ignacio C. Martinez - VTR Ignacio Martinez - Mixer Talent Eileen O’Connell - English Team Member Thomas Derasp-Verge - French Team Member Pierce Mayer - Stand-in Mike Fishbein - Talent Solutions Rep Grayson Music Ryan Kondrat - Director Chris Masson – Engineer Brian Bernard - Engineer Kelly McCluskey - Executive Producer Rich Hamilton - Music Supervisor Rooster Paul Proulx - Editor Jordan Giles - Editor Mariam Fahmy - French Editor Melissa Kahn - Executive Producer Soch Nwakaeze - Assistant Editor Austin Blackmore - Assistant Editor The Vanity Andrew Exworth - Colourist Jordan Benegbi - Colour Assistant Brock Cruess - Colour Assistant Michael Medeiros - Lead VFX Artist Adam Silcox-Vanwyk - Lead VFX Artist Sean Cochrane - VFX Artist Naveen Srivastava - VFX Artist Scott Olthoff - VFX Artist Noah Matikainen - VFX Artist Kalem Cahill - VFX Artist Andrew Farlow - VFX Artist Asher DiGiuseppe - VFX Artist Nicole Labbe - Producer Stephanie Pennington - Executive Producer About Tim Hortons Tim Hortons® is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, teas and our famous Iced Capp® beverages), fresh baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, breakfast snacking items, and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com. Contact Details Alison Brod Marketing + Communications Adrianna Lauricella +1 212-230-1800 tims@abmc-us.com Company Website https://www.timhortons.com/

June 01, 2022 06:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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SleepX approved by the Helsinki Committee to conduct clinical trial with the SleepX PRO smartphone application

Appyea

SleepX, a subsidiary of AppYea (OTC: APYP) focusing on the development of accurate wearable monitoring solutions to treat sleep apnea and snoring, announces it received approval from the Helsinki Committee to begin its planned clinical trial on the SleepX PRO application. This follows the company’s recent update that it intends to test the SleepX Pro application at a hospital sleep lab. The trial is the first step towards applying for an FDA approval under the first-of-its-kind medical device category for contactless detection of sleep apnea to be performed through the Artificial Intelligence (AI) analysis of breathing during sleep. SleepX Pro, which is designed to diagnose sleep apnea using only a smartphone, requires no physical contact with the subject. Global Smart Sleep Tracking Products Market to Garner a Revenue of USD 11,234.55 Million by 2028 and Grow with a CAGR of 17.50% during 2020-2028; Surge in Concern for Sleep-Related Disorders to Drive the Market Growth, according to Kenneth Research (May 16, 2022). “Poor sleep is associated with the compromised immune system, heart problems, reduce physical and mental performance, mood problems, obesity and many other health problems”, said Neil Kline, Founder & former CEO of the American Sleep Association, and a AppYea Board Member. “Unfortunately, most people with sleep disorder breathing problems, like sleep apnea, are undiagnosed and untreated. Our goal in this unique technology is to raise the awareness to the problem and to improve people’s they can live healthier and more fulfilling lives.” “SleepX PRO makes for a unique, quick and friendly diagnosis tool that will prevent subjects from having to spend nights at sleep labs while saving the healthcare system and insurance companies hundreds of millions of dollars”, said Boris (Bary) Molchadsky, President and CEO of SleepX, and Chair at AppYea. “We plan to make our diagnosis solution highly accessible so people get tested easily. SleepX is an Israeli research and development company recently acquired by AppYea. The company had developed a unique product for monitoring and treating sleep apnea and snoring. The technology is protected by several international patents and the company plans to start serial production in 2022. The company currently focuses its activities on the development and commercialization of its flagship product DreamIT. Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release includes forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth herein. No statement herein should be considered an offer or a solicitation of an offer for the purchase or sale of any securities. Although APYP believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements, which involve assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies, and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to adverse economic conditions, intense competition, entry of new competitors and products, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, inadequate capital, unexpected costs and operating deficits, increases in general and administrative costs, unanticipated losses, financial condition and stock price, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans and other specific risks. APYP does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement. Neither APYP nor SLEEPX are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. Contact Details Asaf Porat +1 800-674-3561 info@appyea.com Company Website http://www.appyea.com

May 31, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Why Influencer Marketing is Taking Over Online Advertising

TCM DIGITAL

TCM has launched NinjaInfluence, an all-in-one Influencer Marketing AI SaaS platform that provides an affordable yet powerful use of influencer marketing that enables eCommerce businesses to deal with increased ad costs and reduced marketing budgets due to unstable market sentiment. On Tuesday, May 24th, The Snap Company announced it will miss its projections due to decreased ad spending. The announcement triggered a spiral effect for most ad-driven super techs, such as Google and Facebook. This came as no surprise given the current environment, along with rising ad prices and macro headwinds likely to extend to every region of digital advertising. An article published by CNBC earlier this week states, “Social media companies were already having a rough year from the cutback in digital ad spending caused by rising inflation, supply chain challenges, and the war in Ukraine. Forecasts for the second quarter called for meager growth at best, and stock prices were getting hammered.” Following Snap’s disclosure, JMP Securities analysts shared, “Macro headwinds likely extend to all digital advertising.” They added that brand budgets, and especially digital ones, “are more at risk of being reduced as companies tighten ad budgets,” while direct response ads, or those that encourage viewers to take immediate action, are “more connected to consumer spend, particularly eCommerce.” Read the full CNBC article here. The eCommerce space is seeking alternative means to cut down advertising spending amid rising costs of social media ads in an environment that's highly volatile. Even now while ad costs rise, eCommerce has seen a massive uptick since the start of the pandemic, expected to total $5.55 trillion in 2022 and to grow by almost $11 trillion between 2021 and 2025. This increase can also be attributed to the effect of influenceres/online creators. An authentic and engaging presence online is critical to being disruptive in a saturated marketed experience. People want to be wowed, connect to something, and belong to a community. Enter influencers, a person valued by the audience much more than the classic pop-up ad. With such dedicated followings, you can shorten the sales cycle by standing apart from your competition. A strong brand doesn’t only optimize performance marketing in the short term but also makes it a source of sustainable growth. Stronger brands draw more organic acquisitions, retain more customers, and command higher sales. As the digital space becomes more crowded, brand identity and brand awareness will only become more crucial. When time is a critical commodity,one needs to be fast, agile, and ahead of its competitors. One needs to focus on brand equity and improve upon one's brand loyalty while maintaining one's ad spend. While inflationary pressure affects purchasing decisions, brands must strengthen their community reach and customer relationships. After spending over eight years operating within the eCommerce space both as an eCommerce seller and as a leading aggregator, we have experienced community creation, aptly named influencer marketing, first hand. But how do you go about finding the right influencers? Even if you do find the right influencers, how would you manage them, monetize, measure performance, and still be able to attend one's eCommerce business? Welcome to the solution of NinjaInfluence, TCM’s disruptive influencer marketing platform. With our dynamic and elastic AI search engine, we have curated a database of over 140 million influencers for you to filter and pinpoint the perfect brand representative. Each will be the champion brand ambassador and increase sales. Within the platform, you can conduct research, outreach, and campaign management along with tracking your real-time sales and social metrics. Even making payments to your influencers are just a click away using NinjaInfluence. You do not have to take the journey alone. Our team of Influencer Managers is here to oversee the entire process, from discovering and identifying the right influencer, to outreach and sending customized messages all the way to managing your entire marketing influencers funnel, your own dedicated Influencers Manager. With the assistance of the Influencer Manager, negotiate everything from partnership terms to campaign management as they set up eCommerce coupons, tracking links for sales, and social engagement. On June 1st at 9:00 am ET, the Ninjainfluence team will be conducting a live webinar. We invite you to join our live demonstration and roundtable discussion as we tackle the alternative means of online advertising and how to best engage with Influencers for the maximum outcome. To save your seat, click to register and write "Save my seat for the upcoming webinar." About NinjaInfluence NinjaInfluence is an influencer marketing software that supports users in easily managing their strategies and communicating with influencers/creators. Following up on its predecessor, NinjaOutreach, it provides access to over 140 million influencers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. In addition to its established search engine, NinjaInfluence offers a multitude of features such as eCommerce integration, full analytics dashboards, smart search manager, internal payment platform, related profile recommendation engine and a consolidated CRM-like workspace. Scalable and effective through its use of powerful big data technology, NinjaInfluence searches through millions of creators to intelligently identify qualified influencer leads, and enable the launch of influencer campaigns with traceable ROI. For more information, a free trial, or to subscribe to NinjaInfluence, visit https://NinjaInfluence.com/. Contact Details Gabi Bar +1 845-709-8324 gabi@tcmdigital.com Company Website https://ninjainfluence.com/

May 27, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The ForeverLawn Black and Green Grass Machine Returns at Charlotte Motor Speedway

ForeverLawn

ForeverLawn, Inc. ® will continue their sponsorship of Jeffrey Earnhardt and the “Black and Green Grass Machine” at the Alsco Uniforms 300 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Saturday, May 28, 2022. This race is part of ForeverLawn’s multi-race deal with Earnhardt and the Sam Hunt Racing team and will be streamed live from Charlotte Motor Speedway at 1:00 p.m. ET on FS1. “Last year our race at Charlotte was filled with memorable moments, one being when Jeffrey hit the wall and as a result flew the Harvest Church back panel banner on national TV,” says Dale Karmie, Co-Founder of ForeverLawn. “This year with SHR, we are hoping to get noticed for a different reason: running at the front. We also want to honor and pay tribute to all the men and women who gave their lives to serve and protect this great nation. God Bless America.” Earnhardt will pilot the No. 26 ForeverLawn Toyota GR Supra with a revamped version of the 2022 Black and Green Grass Machine paint scheme, as seen in the SRS Distribution 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. Continuing their ongoing sponsorship participation alongside ForeverLawn are the Accredited Petroleum Association, LifeGR, STR, and Precision Products. Viewers can follow Earnhardt and the ForeverLawn car by watching on FS1 or on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using #blackandgreengrassmachine. About ForeverLawn ForeverLawn ® improves spaces and communities through innovative synthetic grass solutions. Beginning in 2004 as the daring entrepreneurial venture of two brothers, ForeverLawn has consistently led the synthetic turf industry through groundbreaking approaches to products and practice. As the premium choice for synthetic surfacing, each product is engineered to solve unique consumer needs and desires while maintaining superior standards and natural aesthetics. Today the company services over eighty localized markets through their dealer network, with an impressive regional, national, and international project portfolio. Want to be a part of something bigger? Learn how you can be a person of impact through business ownership opportunities with ForeverLawn. For more information, contact opportunities@foreverlawn.com. Contact Details ForeverLawn, Inc. Julia Kontur +1 330-499-8873 julia@foreverlawn.com Company Website https://www.foreverlawn.com/

May 25, 2022 12:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Telematics can Now Issue Crypto Token for Driver Engagement, Powered by Damoov

Damoov

We are fast advancing to an age where the lines separating our real life from our virtual life are blurring. From Virtual Concerts to sites that let you buy virtual property anywhere in the world - it's all there already, and there is more coming up. In the latest development, Telematics major Damoov has announced the integration of the popular crypto networks of today, Solana and NEAR, to its Telematics platform. The integration opens up two significant possibilities. Firstly, companies building telematics-based apps can provide drivers with new ways of engaging by accruing crypto tokens for safe driving, eco driving or driver performance. The crypto tokens that have all known benefits and may be transferred to wallets across the entire blockchain ecosystem. On the other hand, gaming companies can easily build Play to Earn games where gamers can be rewarded with crypto for their real-life driving skills. Telematics is the field that studies vehicle movement and position data to arrive at actionable insights about driving skills, safety, and vehicle longevity. Companies like Damoov use machine learning to analyze the data to derive such insights. Damoov's APIs have been used by Automakers, Fleet Management Companies, Driving Schools, and Insurance companies to build their smartphone app for telematics. As per Ivan Shornikov, the CEO of Damoov, the promise is immense. " All existing smartphone telematics products are struggling with low driver's engagement. That is a game-changing step for driver engagement and future telematics. The new service unlocks huge opportunities to use crypto to improve safe driving, eco-driving, and driver performance," says Shornikov. " Most Importantly, this engagement feature doesn't require months of development. In as little as 30 mins, you can add crypto earning capabilities to your existing telematics-based apps for safe driving. " So, how does it work? Damoov's proprietary machine learning-based algorithm measures smartphone sensors data and translates it into driving behaviors, vehicle position and other variables to calculate Safe Driving Score, Eco Driving Score, and other performance metrics. These metrics can then be used as input for rewarding drivers as well as vehicle utilization. While such rewarding capabilities were already present in Damoov's telematics suite, the rewards get more real with the new developments. When it comes to Crypto gaming, we are also looking at some exciting possibilities. " We are in talks with Crypto Game Developers as well. We will soon see games where your real-life driving skills are linked to your virtual car and can reward you in the virtual world via crypto tokens," adds Shornikov. Damoov supports any 3rd party tokens launched on Solana or NEAR protocols, so Developers can launch their own tokens and connect them to Damoov platform. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Washington, Damoov has so far raised funding from Alchemist Accelerator and StartaVC. Contact Details Ivan Shornikov PR Contact connect@damoov.com Company Website https://damoov.com

May 25, 2022 07:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Spiceology Launches Two New Spice Blends With Chef Kwame Onwuachi, Bringing His Culinary Roots to Life

Spiceology

Spiceology, the fastest growing spice company in America, today announced its partnership and new product line with Kwame Onwuachi, James Beard award-winning chef and acclaimed author. This launch follows the release of Chef Kwame’s newest book, “ My America: Recipes From a Young Black Chef.” The two new spice blends capture key flavors represented throughout the cookbook and are inspired by the ingredients Onwuachi grew up with and still cooks with to this day. “I don’t remember a time where there wasn’t ‘house spice’ around,” said Chef Kwame Onwuachi, describing his mother’s secret spice blend that seasoned all of the food he grew up eating. “Trying to remember the moment when I was first introduced to house spice is like asking me the first time you had salt - it was just always there. I’m grateful Spiceology was able to help me bring these spice blends to life so that everyone can experience the flavors that sparked my passion for food.” The new blends created by Spiceology and Chef Kwame bring a modern twist to some of Onwuachi’s earliest memories: Kwame’s Mom’s House Spice ($14.95): This all-purpose blend embodies the flavors of Kwame’s mother’s secret recipe. The pairing possibilities are endless with flavor profiles of garlic, onion, black pepper, cayenne, and worcestershire. Intended to be eaten on and in “anything in your house,” Kwame’s Mom’s House Spice pairs with steak, chicken, Cajun food, curries, veggies, and more. Toasted Curry Powder ($14.95): This balance of spices that Onwuachi says “tastes like a symphony” is a combination of Jamaican and Trinadadian curry powders with notes of fenugreek, mustard seed, allspice, turmeric, and coriander. This blend goes beyond traditional curry dishes and can be used on popcorn, pickled veggies, rice dishes, potato salad, and jollof rice. “We’re firm believers in flavor innovation and storytelling with our collaborations and products,” said Chef Tony Reed, Senior Director of Innovation and Partnerships. “Being able to work with Chef Kwame helps us continue to push the needle, bringing his unique flavors to homes and dishes everywhere. These blends offer a complex yet approachable explosion of flavor and a way to experiment with new cuisines.” The blends are available for purchase on Spiceology.com and are available in 9 oz jars. Chef Kwame’s book can be found wherever books are sold. ABOUT SPICEOLOGY Founded in 2013, Spiceology is the fastest-growing spice company in America and is on a mission to bring the magic back to spices, the world’s first currency. The chef-owned and operated, one-stop spice shop develops innovative blends and offers over 400 ingredients that are ground fresh in small-batches and shipped fresh to consumers and chefs. Spiceology’s “experiment with flavor” ethos is not only embraced through excellent ingredients and unique combinations, but also through responsible business practices designed to create a better world with diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of the workforce. Spiceology products can be found on spiceology.com, in specialty retailers and grocers, in restaurants around the US, and as far away as Australia and Dubai. Visit spiceology.com for more information or to place an order, or follow Spiceology on Facebook and Instagram. For recipe inspiration, visit here. ABOUT CHEF KWAME Kwame Onwuachi is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author of the critically acclaimed memoir “Notes from a Young Black Chef,” which is being adapted into a feature film by A24. Kwame’s resume is incomparable as he has been named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine’s 2019 Chef of the Year, and is a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes. He was featured on the TIME 100 Next 2019 List and has been named the most important Chef in America by the San Francisco Chronicle. Kwame currently serves as Food & Wine’s executive producer. In this recently-appointed role, Kwame collaborated on big brand moments and events including the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, where he hosted cooking demonstrations and events. He also serves in the new role of Food & Wine’s pro ambassador to the hospitality industry and creator of “The Family Reunion: Presented by Kwame Onwuachi,” an annual multi-day event that takes place in Middleburg, Virginia and celebrates diversity in the hospitality community. In September 2021, Onwuachi hosted the esteemed James Beard Awards in Chicago. Kwame recently released his first-ever cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef,” which is a follow up to his critically acclaimed memoir “Notes from a Young Black Chef.” Contact Details Spiceology Cassidy Levine +1 908-770-7880 cassidy@spiceology.com Company Website https://spiceology.com/

May 24, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Metaverse UGC platform BUD raises $36.8M Series B

BUD

BUD, a metaverse user-generated platform, announces its $36.8M Series B round led by Sequoia Capital India with participation from ClearVue Partners, NetEase and Northern Light Venture Capital. Existing investors GGV Capital, Qiming Venture Partners and Source Code Capital also participated in the round. Founded in 2019 by former Snap engineers, Risa Feng and Shawn Lin, Singapore-headquartered BUD is a leading global metaverse UGC platform encouraging users to create and share 3D interactive experiences with its easy-to-use creation tools. To date, over 15 million 3D experiences and assets have been created on the platform and user-generated 3D assets have been traded more than 150 million times. Since its global launch in November 2021, BUD skyrocketed to the list of top 10 social apps in more than 38 countries around the world including North America, Southeast Asia and South America. With the right mix of technology and art, BUD greatly fulfills Gen Z's desire for entertainment, creation and sharing. It is becoming a preferred platform for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha to socialize in 3D immersive worlds. In addition to customizing unique avatars, users can also create and explore millions of experiences ranging from hangout places to battle royale games. The mobile-native creation tools require no prior coding knowledge. Without providing any preset 3D templates, BUD allows creators to build 3D experiences from scratch by using geometric modules and interactive props. Apart from adding texts, pictures, music and videos to enrich experiences, lighting and sky-box can be adjusted as well to create an immersive environment. Many aesthetic scenes and interactive experiences in BUD can look like they are created using professional PC software by professionals but they are actually all created by users on their mobile devices.. BUD’s users are young and digital natives, most of whom are teenage girls who likely do not have any coding experience but are creative and love self-expression. BUD is a virtual platform for them to showcase this creativity and get to know others with similar interests. The company intends to use the fresh funding to further develop its creation tools, grow its global user base and roll out web3 products for its metaverse ecosystem. The company has revealed clear plans to launch its own NFT marketplace. "The media of the next era will not be limited to familiar forms like text, pictures or videos, but will turn to more immersive and interactive formats. BUD is such a user-generated platform for the 3D world where everyone, not just hard-core gamers or professionals, has the chance to create and share whatever they want," shared Risa, CEO and co-founder at BUD. Graduated from Cornell with a degree in Computer Science, Risa joined Snapchat’s AR Division in 2017 and worked on frontier Lens experiences prior to founding BUD. "While BUD makes 3D content creation possible for mainstream gen-z consumers, we will continue to bring blockchain to mainstream consumers and allow our creators to truly own and monetize their creations," said Shawn, co-founder at BUD. Prior to founding BUD, Shawn spent three years at Snap, working on its performance optimization, developer framework and user growth. “BUD is establishing itself as a social destination for GenZ while uniquely enabling ownership of content in the metaverse. Millions of users are creating content on BUD and sharing their creations on social media, aiding the inherent virality of the BUD platform. We are impressed by the passion with which the founders have built BUD, and are excited about their future plans for localisation and growth.” Aakash Kapoor, VP, Sequoia India. “The immersive and interactive experience created by BUD users brings happiness to GenZ around the world. We’re excited for the progress BUD has made and look forward to the launch of its new web3 products.” said Jenny Lee, managing partner at GGV Capital. “With the immersive 3D experience of the product and explosive growth among GenZ users around the world, BUD is rapidly growing as a leading UGC platform in the emerging metaverse,” said William Chen, Founding Managing Partner of ClearVue Partners. "We are excited to work with this innovative team and to bring together our resources and experience in the global consumer, media, and entertainment industries.” About BUD BUD is a leading global metaverse UGC platform encouraging users to create and share 3D interactive experiences with its easy-to-use creation tools. Former Snap engineers Risa Feng and Shawn Lin founded BUD in 2019, and have grown the firm into a team of more than 100 people strong. It is expected to reach 200 employees by the end of this year. Headquartered in Singapore, BUD will have localization teams across the world. To date, over 15 million 3D experiences and assets have been created on the platform and user-generated 3D assets have been traded more than 150 million times. Since its global launch in November 2021, BUD skyrocketed to the list of top 10 social apps in more than 38 countries around the world including North America, Southeast Asia and South America. BUD has become a digital social hub where millions of people come to create, play and hangout. Contact Details BUD Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmoood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.joinbudapp.com/

May 23, 2022 02:09 PM Pacific Daylight Time

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ZERO LATENCY PUSHES IMMERSIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FORWARD WITH NEXT GENERATION PLATFORM RELEASE, AVAILABLE GLOBALLY NOW

Zero Latency

Zero Latency, the company that introduced the world to free-roam VR, has partnered with tech giant HTC to launch a first-of-its-kind multiplayer immersive entertainment platform. For the first time ever, groups as large as eight can discover Zero Latency’s award-winning experiences with nothing more than a headset – the game-changing HTC VIVE Focus 3. The new platform uses an exclusive remote rendering stack and the latest 6E wireless technology to seamlessly stream 5K VR to up to 8 players simultaneously, delivering up to 16x performance over traditional all-in-one headsets. With no backpack computers, sensors, or other distractions, Zero Latency’s world-first platform offers players the deepest, most effortless immersive experience available today. “With this new partnership, we’re taking a giant leap in the virtual entertainment space,” said Tim Ruse, chief executive officer at Zero Latency. “The evolution to remote rendering and 6E streaming not only improves performance, but removes the need for backpack PCs, cables, and other player distractions–it’s the most streamlined, natural experience yet for both our customers and our operators. Zero Latency has always invested heavily in innovation, and we’re excited to once again push the industry forward in partnership with HTC.” Zero Latency’s new platform is the best way yet to discover Zero Latency’s award-winning library of experiences, including Ubisoft’s AAA exclusive, Far Cry VR; cooperative zombie survival adventure, Undead Arena; mind-bending space mission, Singularity; and the all-action competitive world of Sol Raiders VR eSports. Players can take advantage of Zero Latency’s custom-designed VR gun controller to get in the thick of the action; the company is also investigating the use of hand-tracking in future titles. “Our customers often tell us Zero Latency is the best VR experience they’ve ever had,” said Scott Vandonkelaar, chief technology officer at Zero Latency. “Delivering experiences as deep and interactive as ours has never been possible with an all-in-one headset, so we built our own solution. Remote rendering and 6E wireless streaming means we can deliver our experiences at previously impossible performance levels, with less technology and fewer player distractions than ever. We’re blown away by the results and can’t wait for customers to experience it for themselves.” The new generation of Zero Latency is made possible in part through an exciting partnership with VR technology veterans HTC. “Partnering with Zero Latency to expand customer access to truly immersive virtual entertainment is a massive win for the industry,” said Thomas Dexmier, HTC Vive ANZ - Country Manager. “Bringing the VIVE Focus 3 headset to a company with the size and scale of Zero Latency reduces complicated hardware needs and ensures an interruption-free experience for players worldwide.” The VIVE Focus 3 headset brings a new set of unique capabilities to players, including: An innovative design: The VIVE Focus 3 is the most ergonomic and comfortable VR headset yet with an innovative counterweight design with equivalent front-back balance, perfect for intense, extended gameplay sessions. The new headset suits a wide range of both face shapes and vision types – including those with glasses High-resolution video: The headset features industry-leading 5K resolution (a combined resolution of 4896 x 2448 pixels), a wide 120-degree field of view, and a smooth 90-hertz refresh rate, delivering crisp and natural visuals Immersive sound: Featuring dual microphones with noise cancellation, the headset delivers 3D spatial sound and sound leakage reduction for unparalleled immersion Map sharing and LBE mode: Heavily customized for the location-based entertainment (LBE) industry, the VIVE Focus 3 headset allows users to create boundaries based on the available space and operate accurate co-location tracking to deliver a realistic, free-roaming experience Designed for high-traffic venues: Made with durable materials, the VIVE Focus 3 delivers long-lasting VR performance with its swappable battery, dramatically reducing the operational complexity in the venues. The headset is easy to clean with its magnetic cushions. And in an effort to optimize the customer turnaround, HTC’s patented quick-release button allows users to easily put on the headset to start playing without delays. For more information about Zero Latency, go to https://zerolatencyvr.com/. ### ABOUT ZERO LATENCY: Zero Latency is a global leader in immersive entertainment, working at the cutting edge of VR and location-based experiences. With 57 venues across 26 countries, Zero Latency is the largest free-roam VR network in the world. Since opening the world’s first free-roam VR venue in 2015, Zero Latency has thrilled more than 2 million players worldwide. Over the past year alone the company has seen a 124% jump in games played within the U.S. and 288% growth globally. Zero Latency is continuously innovating to raise the bar for customers, owners, and operators. Other first include: Partnering with Microsoft in 2019 to develop “inside out” tracking technology Launching Sol Raiders in 2019, the world’s first free-roam eSports game Releasing the AAA exclusive Far Cry VR experience alongside Ubisoft in 2021 SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Instagram and TikTok: @zerolatencyvr LinkedIn: Zero Latency VR Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Ashley Areeda +1 734-891-4013 aareeda@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://zerolatencyvr.com/

May 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Play Globally Inc. Welcomes Stephen Crystal to its Advisory Board and Partners with SCCG Management

Play Globally

Play Globally, Inc., a worldwide provider of free-to-play gaming innovations, today proudly announced the appointment of Stephen Crystal to its advisory board as well as a new partnership with Crystal’s firm, SCCG Management. This partnership brings additional expertise in sports betting, iGaming, sports team marketing, affiliate marketing, intellectual property protection, product commercialization, esports, capital formation, M&A, joint ventures, casino management and legal affairs in the casino and iGaming industry. Crystal will join veteran Advisory Board members Susan Hensel and Victor Pronk, providing over 75 years of collective experience across the sports betting and iGaming space. These globally recognized leaders provide high-value strategic prowess to Play Globally’s seasoned executive team as the company prepares to launch its LuckyFans prototype. LuckyFans drives live and recorded in-play sports data into a poker engine to determine the outcome of a fast-paced poker game. LuckyFans is free-to-play and leverages advanced machine learning and GPS technology for contextual fan engagement, sweepstakes, and prizes. SCCG was founded by Stephen Crystal who has served as President/CEO of multiple casino holding and public gaming companies. SCCG brings a vast international network of strategic client partners including top sportsbooks and racebooks, sports and racing leagues, fantasy sports and rewards entities, communications and marketing platforms, authentication technology and casino entities. Crystal has worked as an investor and advisor on financial and M&A projects totaling over $4B and served as the President, owner and operator of four major Las Vegas casinos. In addition to Crystal, the SCCG team also includes David Hanlon who served as a C-level executive at gaming giants Caesars World, Inc., Harrah’s, the Rio, and IGT in addition to serving as an Advisor to the Wharton Entrepreneurial Program. Pierre Cadena also plays a key role on the SCCG team, having helped to position Playtika, Otter Media and Crunchyroll for acquisition, each totaling over $1B. During his tenure at Caesars Interactive Entertainment as the VP of Strategy and Corporate Development, Pierre helped build Playtika, one of the world’s largest social mobile games. “The addition of Stephen to the Play Globally Advisory Board and the addition of his SCCG team to Play Globally’s team provides our company with a wealth of expertise in our space,” says Play Globally’s President/CEO Stephen Dunham. “We’re excited to partner with such well-respected industry leaders and to join their global network of strategic partners.” “Play Globally’s ingenuity and strategic role in the sports betting space presents a unique opportunity for leagues, teams, fans, and aligned entities worldwide,” says Stephen Crystal. “The combination of Play Globally’s existing intellectual property, their executive and advisory team, new upcoming technologies, and strategic positioning in the industry, particularly when combined with SCCG’s extensive network and capabilities, makes this opportunity particularly exciting.” About Play Globally, Inc. Play Globally, Inc. is a developer of innovative free-to-play games that utilize live, real-time in-play sports and racing data to determine the results of a live poker game. The company’s LuckyFans product line is scheduled for release in 2022 for a variety of professional sports and racing contests, providing users the opportunity to win real money sweepstakes prizes. LuckyFans is legal in all 50 states and most jurisdictions around the world. About SCCG Management SCCG Management is a consultancy that specializes in sports betting, iGaming, sports marketing, affiliate marketing, technology, intellectual property protection, product commercialization, esports, capital formation, M&A, joint ventures, casino management, and governmental and legal affairs for the casino and iGaming industry. Contact Details Alex shapiro +1 732-770-9395 ashapiro@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.playglobally.com/

May 19, 2022 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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