Communications

Advertising Communications Graphic Design Internet Marketing Media Publishing SEO
News Release Digital Asset Direct

Stagwell (STGW) Brings Together Assembly and ForwardPMX as Unified Global Brand

Assembly + ForwardPMX

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW ) agencies Assembly and ForwardPMX today announced that they are uniting as one organization, operating under the name Assembly globally. The newly combined agency will be home to 1,500 employees in over 20 countries and 30 locations across the globe, working with world-class brands, including Nike, Adobe, Ralph Lauren, Con Edison and Red Robin. Assembly will be part of the Stagwell Media Network, which manages nearly $5 billion in media across 7 agencies and delivers client-centric solutions across media, data, technology, insights and creativity. Assembly will be led by current ForwardPMX Global CEO, James Townsend, who is also the Global CEO of Stagwell Media Network. The agency’s management team will be a combination of Assembly and ForwardPMX leadership. In North America, ForwardPMX Managing Director Valerie Davis will be taking a lead role as North American President of the agency. Assembly executives Kim Sivillo and Kendra Mazey will also take on senior leadership roles within the US operation, with Shannon Pruitt and Jon Schaaf being elevated to new global roles across the Stagwell Media Network. Further management announcements will be shared in coming weeks. “In bringing these teams together, we are answering a clear market, client and employee opportunity to challenge the status quo,” said Townsend. “Assembly’s omnichannel media capabilities and buying scale paired with ForwardPMX’s digitally-led talent and global footprint can deliver something that is truly market-leading and capable of driving change and growth for CMOs and marketing leaders worldwide.” Townsend continued, “These are two growing businesses, with undeniable momentum, that belong together. Today, we’re taking a confident step forward to design and build an exciting future – one which ensures clients can access our strongest combined capabilities, while connecting our people to a wider, more diverse global community of experts.” A respected industry leader, Assembly has an impressive track record of driving results through a uniquely integrated media approach, having been named to Ad Age’s coveted A-List as Media Agency of the Year in 2018 and landing Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year in 2019. ForwardPMX brings global scale in data, technology and digital media, which are complementary to Assembly’s strength in omnichannel media and competitive US scale. ForwardPMX will help the combined business exponentially expand global capabilities, with its current footprint in more than 20 countries and a reputation as the partner of choice for brands navigating the complexities of global growth. The integration of Assembly and ForwardPMX is a key part of Stagwell’s effort to offer brands innovative partners that can help transform their businesses. Stagwell Chairman and CEO, Mark Penn, commented, “This combination brings together state-of-the art offline media and performance marketing expertise. Assembly and ForwardPMX have been partnering successfully for the past two years, so we know they can succeed for clients and that their cultures mesh well. We thank all of our current clients for their trust and are excited to share our new offering with the market.” About Stagwell: Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 24+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us For more information go to: www.stagwellglobal.com. Contact Details Assembly Sara Pollack, Vice President of Marketing +1 917-438-4923 sara.pollack@assemblyglobal.com

September 15, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The 2021 American Thoracic Society Virtual Event

Convey Services

In 2021 the American Thoracic Society hosted their annual conference as a virtual event. The ATS Virtual Conference provided both attendees and exhibitors with a virtual experience that would closely replicate the in-person environment. The ATS International Conference attracts pulmonary, critical care, and sleep professionals, from those in the earliest stages of their careers to those whose research or strides in clinical care has gained them international recognition. Each year, nearly 14,000 of these professionals choose to attend, present, and learn about the latest advances, meet with colleagues from around the world, and create new collaborations and connections. It is truly where today’s science meets tomorrow’s care. Download the case study for free at: Case Study in Virtual & Hybrid Events for Medical Organizations — The story of ATS 2021. “The MCI Group was tapped to be the event management company for the ATS virtual event, said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency that creates human-centric touchpoints to unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth. Cloud Conventions was selected as the virtual technology platform to manage the ATS virtual event. Our solutions is a sophisticated enterprise platform that manages everything needed to execute a flawless virtual event, tradeshow or conference.” ATS Virtual Conference Goal The virtual conference was designed around three main elements to meet the goal: • Presentations & Sessions • CME/MOC Education • The Industry Solution Center for sponsors Attendees at the ATS Virtual Conference engaged through networking events featuring experts from the medical industry, attendee-to-exhibitor real-time chat, online discussion forums and “ Community™ ” featuring searchable attendee directories, profile cards for each attendee and instant messaging between attendees. The live portion of the virtual conference was held over a five-day period, and on-demand content was made available for ninety days. Click here to download: Case Study in Virtual & Hybrid Events for Medical Organizations — The story of ATS 2021 About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 04:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Cloud Conventions Creates DIY Playbook for Managing & Delivering Virtual Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a new Do-it-Yourself (DIY) eBook for associations, nonprofits, and businesses designed to reduce cost and increase efficiency with a self-managed program to create and deliver a virtual conference or trade event. It’s all outlined in “The DIY Virtual and Hybrid Event — Case Study,” available for free to download. Cloud Conventions is a sophisticated event management platform that redefines the attendee and exhibitor experience focused on delivering virtual and hybrid events for associations and business. “Most organizations with live events that were scheduled in 2020 and 2021 have now had the experience of staging those events virtually,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “Even though live events are returning, maintaining a virtual event option will be vital to your event strategy, even after all of the challenges of COVID have passed. To simplify and demystify the process, we created a DIY program for meeting planners that have gotten comfortable with virtual events but want to maximize their effectiveness, while managing more of the elements themselves to reduce cost and maintain more control.” The cost and effort to add virtual options to complement a live event or as a stand-alone event has been overwhelming for many organizations with limited staff or a tight budget. Cloud Conventions’ DIY Virtual Events offer a low-cost subscription to the event management platform and a step-by-step playbook to simplify planning, execution, and management. The DIY event program shows you on how to create a content and session strategy, a virtual exhibit option for sponsors, expanded attendee engagement strategies and a way to automate onboarding attendees and manage the platform. A DIY platform comes configured and organized, making it easy to brand and add other elements without technical expertise or programming. “We generated two of our own virtual events before we began delivering virtual events to clients,” added Bradfield. “We took the lessons we gained from our events and coupled them with what we learned from executing hundreds of events for other customers. We created an eBook that outlines 9 key steps for executing a successful DIY virtual event. In this eBook, we relate those steps to how we delivered Cloud Conventions 2021, a virtual trade event for the telecommunications and cloud sales channel in May 2021.” The Cloud Conventions technology platform is designed with the non-technical user in mind with self-help and user tips built into administrative routines. The platform comes with templates for email communication, virtual exhibitor booths, session and content posts, directories and pages. Customers can take advantage of built-in Zoom or BlueJeans by Verizon conferencing capabilities to broadcast video sessions and keynotes. Event planners can also use their own preferred video accounts such as Teams, GoToMeeting or GlobalMeet. Analytics and reporting are automated to give the event organizer and exhibitors a detailed view of all attendee engagement. Click here to download: The DIY Virtual and Hybrid Event — Case Study About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 03:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Cloud Conventions Releases New eBook for Associations Detailing 2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a new eBook exclusively for event planners of professional associations and trade groups entitled “2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations,” available free to download. It offers practical advice for associations to make their next live, hybrid or virtual event deliver the right experience for the organization, its members, and sponsors. The eBooks focuses on the business case for redefining online event experiences backed by research. “Professionals that manage live and virtual conferences for associations struggle with how they should engage their membership now that live events are starting to return,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “We assembled this eBook to look at research from well-respected sources to see how having virtual event options has impacted how members engage with associations before, during and after the pandemic. We look at how sponsors view their investment in virtual events, and what it tells us about how associations should plan their event strategy moving forward.” In 2020 the pandemic forced associations to cancel in-person gatherings and pivot to everything from webinars to multi-day virtual conferences. Scrambling to offer some sort of online experience to replace the much-anticipated live conferences represented a fundamental change in the way an association and its membership connected historically. The result was a lower revenue producing virtual option that represented a huge decline in the association’s bottom line. However, the upside of virtual events, when effectively done, has been a game changer for many associations leading to increased attendance, greater member engagement and additional sponsorship revenue outside of membership or attendance fees. “Now that live events are starting to return, associations have asked themselves if continuing virtual events are really worth it,” added Bradfield. “ The 2020 study of 1,000 respondents, ‘Association Trends: From Disruption to Opportunity ’ produced by Community Brands reveals that having a virtual option for membership participation has moved from a nice to have, to a must have. Recent cancellations of live events because of renewed COVID concerns scheduled for this fall is an indicator that the pandemic is far from over. Having a virtual or hybrid option still is the best insurance that the show will go on, no matter what.” Although 2020 was disruptive, in the last several years revenue from membership dues has declined for many associations, while revenue from other sources increased, accounting for over half of the funding for a given group. “2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations” reviews the value delivered to the membership and key factors behind increased participation when doing virtual or hybrid events. Cloud Conventions is an event management platform that redefines the attendee and exhibitor experience with a strong focus on delivering virtual and hybrid events for association and nonprofit groups. Click here to download: 2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 03:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

100 SMALL BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR IN KING AND PIERCE COUNTIES TO EACH RECEIVE A $10,000 GRANT FROM COMCAST RISE TOTALING $1 MILLION

Comcast Washington

Comcast today announced it will award $1 million in grants to 100 small businesses owned by people of color in King and Pierce Counties, as well as technology and marketing resources to eligible businesses in the area. King and Pierce Counties are among six markets that also include Houston, Miami, Oakland, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. that were selected to award a $10,000 grant to 100 local businesses from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, for a total of $5 million across 600 businesses. Beginning on October 1, and through October 14, eligible businesses can apply for Comcast RISE monetary grants, and, or marketing and technology Services at www.ComcastRISE.com. Winners will be notified in November. Local small businesses seeking more information about the $10,000 grants may learn more about the Comcast RISE Investment Fund at a virtual public event being held tomorrow in partnership with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA). Interested parties may register here: Keep Rising: New Support Coming for Small Businesses Tickets, Wed, Sep 15, 2021, at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite. “Independent small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and today, more than ever, small businesses owned by people of color are hurting. Comcast is committed to supporting small businesses who have been hit the hardest by the economic impact of the pandemic and we are excited to announce the next wave of our Comcast RISE program here in Washington,” said Rodrigo Lopez, Region Senior Vice President, Comcast Washington. “Through the Comcast RISE Investment Fund and grants offering media, marketing, creative and technology services we aim to give meaningful support to the small businesses who are shaping our communities.” To help drive awareness about the program and provide additional support and training in King and Pierce Counties, Comcast is partnering with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Latino Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA). The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October 2020 to support small businesses owned by people of color and provide the resources and tools they need to thrive for years to come. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. Businesses must be in the following geographic locations to be eligible: Miami, FL (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties); Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties); Oakland, CA (City of Oakland); Seattle, WA (King and Pierce Counties); and Washington, D.C. (Wards 1-8). Comcast RISE Marketing and Technology Services In addition to the Investment Fund, Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” provides the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color nationwide to apply for one or more of the following support focus areas with the opportunity to receive one. Marketing Services: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. Creative Production: Turnkey:30 TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and 90-day media placement schedule. Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research, and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business. Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for technology makeover services.) Monetary Grants: In round one, which was announced in April of 2021, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses owned by people of color in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. As noted above, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide an additional $6 million in grants to 600 small businesses owned by people of color in six cities: Miami, Houston, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. All eligible applicants will receive a monthly Comcast RISE newsletter with educational content, and all small business owners can visit the Comcast RISE destination on the X1 platform featuring aggregated small business news, tips, insights, and more. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote. Comcast’s Ongoing Commitment to Advancing Digital Equity Comcast RISE is part of an expanded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) commitment that Comcast announced in June 2020, as well as an ongoing cross-company effort to address digital inequities. Over the next 10 years, Comcast is pledging $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will connect an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, visit www.business.comcast.com or call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Effectv Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Andy Colley Andy_Colley@Comcast.com Company Website https://washington.comcast.com/

September 14, 2021 08:45 AM Pacific Daylight Time

How the Airbnb Community is Supporting Afghan Refugees

YourUpdateTV

Over the past several years, the Airbnb community has opened thousands of doors to those in need. Airbnb.org -- an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in moments of crisis -- has helped to shelter those displaced by natural disasters, and offered hundreds of thousands of places to stay and peace of mind to frontline workers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Airbnb.org Host and Member of the Airbnb Host Advisory Board, Susan Bailey, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss Airbnb.org and a new initiative aimed at helping Afghan refugees. Over the past few weeks, it has become abundantly clear that the displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees here in the United States and elsewhere is a significant humanitarian crisis -- and in the face of this need, the Airbnb community is ready to once again step up. The announcement builds on efforts that have already begun in support of Afghan refugees at Airbnb and Airbnb.org. Recently, Airbnb.org infused emergency funding and support to the International Rescue Committee, HIAS and Church World Service to provide immediate temporary stays for up to 1,000 arriving Afghan refugees. Airbnb.org also worked with partners to place refugees in safe housing shortly after touching down in the US. Airbnb and Airbnb.org also recognize that the situation on the ground is fast evolving. Airbnb.org will closely collaborate with resettlement agencies and partners to go where the need goes, and evolve this initiative and our support as necessary. Organizations that are interested in partnering with Airbnb.org to help resettle Afghan refugees can get in touch here. Over the past four years, Airbnb.org and Airbnb have connected approximately 25,000 refugees -- including hundreds participating in the U.S. Special Immigrant Visa Program -- to temporary housing. In addition, earlier this year, Airbnb.org announced the creation of the $25 million Refugee Fund, to further expand Airbnb.org’s support of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide. To learn more about Airbnb.org’s work to open homes to Afghan refugees, go to airbnb.org/refugees About Susan Bailey: Susan Bailey is an Airbnb.org host. Susan and her husband Steve have hosted seven refugee families from five different countries since 2016. She has been an Airbnb Superhost since 2013 and is currently a member of Airbnb's Host Advisory Board. She hosts listings in Denver, CO and Long Beach, CA. In addition to her own listings, Susan hosts for friends and family throughout Colorado and California. She has had a passion for hosting guests in need since she began hosting. Susan was a global sales and marketing executive in the technology industry for thirty three years before launching her second career as a management consultant and host. Susan enjoys supporting nonprofit organizations and currently serves as co-chair of the Colorado Ballet Board of Trustees and as development chair for Operation Warm, based in Chadds Ford, PA. Susan is married with two children and recently became a grandmother. Nine month old baby Lucy is the source of immense personal joy for Susan. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

September 14, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

100 Small Businesses Owned by People of Color in the Twin Cities to Each Receive a $10,000 Grant from Comcast RISE Totaling $1 Million

Comcast Twin Cities

Comcast today announced it will award $1 million in grants to 100 small businesses owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, among others, in the Twin Cities, as well as technology and marketing resources to eligible businesses in the area. The Twin Cities is among six markets, including Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., that were selected to award a $10,000 grant to 100 local businesses from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, for a total of $6 million across 600 businesses. Beginning on October 1, and through October 14, eligible businesses can apply for Comcast RISE monetary grants, and, or marketing and technology services at www.ComcastRISE.com. Winners will be notified in late November. “The Comcast Rise Investment Fund will ensure that 100 businesses that exist today will continue to exist tomorrow,” said Governor Tim Walz, State of Minnesota. “Minnesota knows that this pandemic has created challenges for many small businesses, especially minority owned businesses. We continue to do everything we can to help them until things get better. I highly encourage small businesses owned by people of color to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity provided by our friends at Comcast.” The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October 2020 to support small businesses owned by people of color and provide the resources and tools they need to thrive for years to come. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. Businesses must be in the Twin Cities seven-county metro (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties) to be eligible. “While we know that no single organization can solve historic and systemic inequities overnight, we are committed to taking tangible actions that can drive long-term impact and change,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities. “Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund offer the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color to help grow their businesses, create jobs and play a vital role in supporting our communities. The Comcast RISE grants will provide more entrepreneurs of color with the resources and tools they need to scale their businesses and thrive for years to come.” Comcast RISE Marketing and Technology Services In addition to the Investment Fund, Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” provides the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color nationwide to apply for one or more of the following support focus areas with the opportunity to receive one. Marketing Services: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. Creative Production: Turnkey:30 TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and 90-day media placement schedule. Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research, and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business. Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for technology makeover services.) Monetary Grants: In round one, which was announced in April of 2021, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses owned by people of color in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. As noted above, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide an additional $6 million in grants to 600 small businesses owned by people of color in six cities: Miami, Houston, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. All eligible applicants will receive a monthly Comcast RISE newsletter with educational content, and all small business owners can visit the Comcast RISE destination on the X1 platform featuring aggregated small business news, tips, insights, and more. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote. Comcast’s Ongoing Commitment to Advancing Digital Equity Comcast RISE is part of Comcast’s ongoing efforts to advance digital equity and help to provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Corporation Jill Hornbacher +1 651-425-1695 jill_hornbacher@comcast.com Company Website https://twincities.comcast.com/

September 14, 2021 07:00 AM Central Daylight Time

Video Image

CSG Enhances ZEE5’s Data Ecosystem for Next Era of Personalized, Cross-Channel Entertainment Experiences

CSG

CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced a reinforced relationship with ZEE5, one of the largest over the top (OTT) streaming service platforms in India. With the power of CSG’s customer data platform, ZEE5 seamlessly integrates its customer data with a single, unified platform that takes a data-driven approach to create exceptional customer experiences. Easier and faster access to customer data worldwide generates comprehensive information mapping that provides ZEE5 with insights into customers’ content preferences. This in turn drives content decisions for ZEE5’s streaming service to build greater customer loyalty and increase new customer acquisition. "The Indian OTT market is evolving into a multi-billion-dollar entertainment industry, with a growing appetite for the experiences OTT platforms offer," said Ian Watterson, head of CSG’s Asia-Pacific business. “ZEE5 has over one million content options in more than 12 languages, making it a complex data landscape when it comes to volume, velocity and variety. CSG helps ZEE5 harness its customer data to form the backbone of their downstream customer analysis, allowing them to offer better content and provide recommendations suited to the individual user's interests. It is a privilege to work with ZEE5 and enable their business to thrive and grow as they bring innovative entertainment to life for their customers." CSG’s unified platform enables ZEE5 to leverage a 360-degree view of its 72.6 million active users to perform personalization at scale while delivering dynamic, cross-channel entertainment. The platform integrates first-, second- and third-party data, empowering ZEE5 to enrich its customer information and drive content-related decisions that create innovative streaming services. These insights lead ZEE5 to better customer engagement and retention metrics while uncovering opportunities to grow revenue. "Access to synchronized, intelligent data is critical for ZEE5 to accelerate testing customer outreach strategies and optimize customer engagement," said a ZEE5 spokesperson. “Working with CSG not only helps us convert complexity into customer-centric actions but positions us to lead in delivering personalized cross-channel streaming experiences across the fast-paced and ever-evolving Indian OTT market. With CSG’s agile data ecosystem, we can delight our customers and anticipate their content choices in a much sharper manner." With nearly 40 years of experience advancing customer experiences around the globe, CSG is known for making ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. CSG’s Customer Engagement suite of end-to-end capabilities manages more than 1.5 billion customer interactions every year and allows companies worldwide to engage with their customers at every touchpoint. The addition of Kitewheel in 2021 amplified CSG’s solution, creating a powerhouse, cloud-based engagement platform that orchestrates real-time, contextually relevant customer experiences for leading brands across multiple vertical markets. For more information on CSG’s award-winning customer engagement portfolio visit: www.csgi.com/capabilities/customer-engagement/ # # # About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetise, engage, and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California DMV, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at www.csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 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. About ZEE5: ZEE5 is India’s youngest OTT platform and a Multilingual storyteller for millions of entertainment seekers. ZEE5 stems from the stable of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a Global Content Powerhouse. An undisputed video streaming platform of choice for consumers; it offers an expansive and diverse library of content comprising over 150+ web series and 2 lakhs+ hours of on-demand content. The content offering spread across 12 languages (English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Punjabi) includes best of Originals, Indian and International Movies, TV Shows, Music, Kids shows, Edtech, Cineplays, News, Live TV, and Health & Lifestyle. A strong deep-tech stack, stemming from its partnerships with global tech disruptors, has enabled ZEE5 to offer a seamless and hyper-personalised content viewing experience in 11 navigational languages across multiple devices, ecosystems, and operating systems. Follow ZEE5 on facebook.com/ZEE5Premium, twitter.com/ZEE5Premium, instagram.com/ZEE5Premium CSG Contacts Jordy Spitale Public Relations +1 (504) 615-8820 jordy.spitale@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

September 13, 2021 03:40 PM Mountain Daylight Time

Cloud Conventions Announces New Virtual Event Management Platform Capabilities

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a suite of new features and additional capabilities to improve the user experience for virtual or hybrid events, trade shows and association conferences. New features include integration with the BlueJeans by Verizon video conferencing platform, a new unique 2D Virtual Showroom and Virtual Booth display, additional exhibitor engagement capabilities and new session registration and notification options. These new capabilities further enhance Cloud Conventions’ position as one of the premier enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platforms that is redefining the exhibitor and attendee experience. “As we learn more about what drives attendee and exhibitor engagement, those insights direct us to add features and capabilities to address and improve the attendee and exhibitor experience,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “The 2D Virtual Showroom and Exhibit Booth customizes the look and feel of the exhibit hall and offers a more engaging experience. It serves as a central navigation point using a unique image with embedded links, graphics and videos overlaid. We integrated with BlueJeans by Verizon to offer a conferencing platform that delivers high resolution video and Dolby-quality sound while allowing the participant to enter any session or keynote without leaving the platform. We also can cap registration on any session, creating a wait list and automatic notifications when the attendee has been cleared to attend.” The 2D Virtual Showroom and Exhibit Booth provides a self-managed, totally customized experience by adding a library of unique exhibit hall or virtual booth images and then overlaying them with interactive zones that link to embedded videos, navigational buttons, images, badge scan and message icons that link to other locations on the platform. Virtual showrooms can appear on the event site homepage or attendee dashboard to direct the user through the event experience or can become the main virtual exhibit hall. 2D virtual booths can be added to templates providing silver, gold and platinum exhibitors each with a distinctive booth experience based on sponsorship levels. BlueJeans by Verizon has a unique iFrame capability that allows attendees to connect automatically to live or keynote sessions from any location on the Cloud Conventions’ platform. Their attendee information is automatically transferred to BlueJeans, and their activity is recorded and delivered back to Cloud Conventions’ event reports. BlueJeans offers the industry's highest fidelity audio and video performance, as well as suite of comprehensive security features. It can host live events with up to 50,000 attendees and 150 presenters worldwide. BlueJeans streams to Facebook Live for larger audiences to view the session as it happens. About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 13, 2021 04:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

1 ... 218 219 220 221 222 ... 287