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☆ Why Auto Marketing Looks Poised for Growth in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

A year like that might typically drive auto marketing off a cliff. “We haven’t taken our foot off the accelerator, because we do see the transformation of EVs occurring,” Mr. Wager said. “You don’t put a vehicle in the Super Bowl to sell 20,000 vehicles—that doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. Wager said. “You wouldn’t put it on television normally, unless you’re creating the halo of the electrification of the brand,” Mr. Wager said. Kia will be at the Super Bowl again this year, this time advertising its Telluride SUV.

☆ Read the 15-page pitch deck that raised $6 million for StoryCo, a blockchain-based platform that links Hollywood creatives directly with fans
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

StoryCo founders Justin and J.P. Alanis are part of a wave of entrepreneurs building blockchain-based storytelling platforms. StoryCo raised a $6 million seed round from Web3-focused VC firms and Hollywood insiders. In other words, Hollywood studios have been gatekeepers to content — and profits — for far too long. StoryCo is one of several startups that see blockchain and Web3 technology creating big new opportunities for TV and film creatives. Passholders will have access to a project's treasury, which will include NFT sales, IP licensing revenue, and royalties.

☆ StoryCo and 'Halo' showrunner team up to launch 'Disco Ball,' a blockchain-based immersive story that's a model for Hollywood's move into Web3
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The blockchain-based creative platform StoryCo is launching a new immersive storytelling concept. People who sign up for a StoryPass (an NFT) can collect digital art and have creative control over "The Disco Ball." StoryCo just raised $6 million in a seed funding round led by VC firms Collab + Currency and Patron. At the end of "Disco Ball," NFT holders "will assume control over the infinitely expanding Disco Ball universe." Half of all net revenue from projects like "Disco Ball" would then be split among the treasury's members after its story writers and creators are compensated.

☆ Are jerks more likely to get ahead at work?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Even worse, all the cutthroat role models we're surrounded by at work make us hesitant about being nice ourselves. In the social sciences, the technical term for jerks — those who are combative, selfish, and manipulative — is "disagreeable." Call this the jerk way. All in all, being a jerk doesn't help you get ahead — but it also doesn't hurt. Sutton's no-asshole rule has become widely adopted, and businesses like Atlassian have overhauled their performance reviews in part to ensure that "brilliant jerks" can't get ahead.

☆ Playtika offers to buy 'Angry Birds' maker Rovio for 683 mln euros
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Israeli gaming firm Playtika Holding Corp (8II.F) said on Thursday it offered to buy Finnish game maker Rovio (ROVIO.HE), best known for its "Angry Birds" franchise, for 683 million euros ($737.50 million) in a sweetened all-cash deal. The offer price of 9.08 euros per share represents a premium of about 60% to Rovio's close of trading on Jan. 19. Rovio did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Playtika's offer is roughly 40 million euros more than its previous offer in November. The latest offer comes as the gaming industry is going through a round of consolidation.

☆ Why GM's new Chevy Corvette is a hybrid and not an all-electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Detroit automaker had discontinued all hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, to focus investment on all-electric vehicles. So why make a hybrid Corvette? 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car GMThe C8 features an exclusive Corvette engine and architecture. The hybrid system was specifically designed for the eighth-generation Corvette, according to Harlan Charles, Chevrolet Corvette product marketing manager. 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car GM

☆ 'Netflix correct your mistake' is trending on Twitter as fans vent about the cancellation of 'Warrior Nun'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Netflix canceled its fantasy drama series "Warrior Nun" in December, and fans are not happy. This snowballed into "#NETFLIX CORRECT YOUR MISTAKE" trending on Twitter. Over 108,000 people have signed an online petition on Change.org to renew "Warrior Nun" for its third season. Henry T. Casey, a senior editor at Tom's Guide, an online publication that reviews tech products, tweeted: "Honestly, respect to the Warrior Nun fans. We learned a lot from Sense and we're going to try not to do this in the future," Netflix tweeted.

☆ Why tech is holding up better than the rest — listen to 'The Homestretch'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

THERE WAS A FUNNY MOMENT WHENPEOPLE WERE TRYING TO SAY THATTRADING AND -- AND JAMES GORMANSAID WE'RE NOT A TRADING FIRM. TECH IS LEADING AND NVIDIA,BECAUSE THE CHINESE WILL SITDOWN WITH JANET YELLEN BUT ITCOULD BE A PURE BOUNCE BACK. AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT ISNECESSARY -- WE DID SELL SOMEBUT I'M NOT SURE WHETHER TO GETRID OF A POSITION LIKE THAT. NOW THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND MOREMONEY ON INSTRUMENTATION, MAKINGNEW DRUGS AWAY FROM COVID. BUT OVERALL, I DON'T THINK CALLTHIS A MOVE INTO THAT GROUP.

☆ China's NetEase buys gaming studio involved in major titles including Halo Infinite and Minecraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Canadian firm SkyBox Labs is co-developing Halo Infinite for Microsoft's Xbox. NetEase acquired SkyBox Labs as part of an aggressive international push and as it eyes a slice of the console market. NetEase announced on Friday it had acquired Canadian gaming studio SkyBox Labs which is co-developing major games including Halo Infinte, as the Chinese technology giant continues its aggressive international push. SkyBox labs will operate independently under NetEase, China's second-biggest gaming company. SkyBox Labs is currently co-developing Halo Infinite and working on projects with Minecraft.

☆ China reopening earlier than expected could hit supply chains in the short term, but boost growth in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMainland China's reopening came sooner than expected for investors, and Goldman Sachs warns it will lead to short-term strains in the workforce and supply chains. Positive outlook for GDP, Chinese yuanDespite shorter-term concerns for China's reopening, economists have a rosy outlook for China's growth in the long run. "Improved growth expectations in 2023 might outweigh unfavorable factors such as deterioration in goods and services trade balances," the Goldman Sachs note said. International travel to resumeThe economists at Goldman Sachs said the latest measures will likely benefit the surrounding region's growth as travel normalizes. Travelers with luggage's inside Terminal 1 at the Hong Kong International Airport on December 20, 2022 in Hong Kong, China.

☆ Snap up Tesla shares if Elon Musk's chaotic Twitter takeover drags the stock below $125, a veteran strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's Twitter saga could make Tesla stock a bargain if it falls to $125, a trading strategist said. Tesla has tanked 38% since Musk bought Twitter, which is seen as a distraction for the EV maker's CEO. "It's a momentum name, it was a high valuation, and Musk lost his halo," T3 Trading's Scott Redler said. "I've been trading Tesla for years," the chief strategist told Fox Business. Tesla shares were up 2.48% at $141.22 in premarket trading Wednesday, after closing 8% lower at $137.80 on Tuesday.

☆ Marc Benioff tells Salesforce workers that new employees are 'facing lower productivity'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Salesforce co-CEO Marc Benioff told employees in a Slack message on Friday that the company's newest hires aren't being productive enough, and he asked for feedback as to why that's the case. Last year, Salesforce acquired communications app Slack, and Benioff said people can work very effectively from their homes. On Friday he highlighted an issue that he said was affecting employees who joined Salesforce this year and last. Here's the full text of Benioff's Slack post:How do we increase the productivity of our employees at salesforce? New employees (hired during the pandemic in 2021 & 2022) are especially facing much lower productivity.

At the start of their new, much-anticipated Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” the Duchess of Sussex — the woman formerly known as Meghan Markle — is asked what her motivations are for creating the documentary. The Oprah interview won Harry and Meghan a swell of support, but also prompted some audience anger. The royal family today must constantly justify its existence in the modern world. This is understandable: They’ve been out of the royal family for almost double the amount of time that Meghan spent within it. Harry and Meghan still have the potential to be a unique hybrid of unofficial statespeople, philanthropic ambassadors and celebrities with a near-celestial kind of star power.

☆ North Carolina power grid attack stokes fear in rural LGBTQ community
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

However, authorities are considering the timing overlap and recent attacks on similar events nationwide as they proceed with their investigation. Regardless of whether investigators connect the two events, Sandhills Pride Director Lauren Mathers said repeated efforts to shut down what was billed as a family friendly drag performance have left the county’s LGBTQ community feeling vulnerable. The FBI posted a notice seeking information related to the North Carolina investigation, and Gov. Of the 124 incidents documented across 47 states as of late November, at least 10 occurred in North Carolina. Opponents of drag events catered toward families often falsely claim they “groom” children, implying attempts to sexually abuse them or somehow influence their sexual orientation or gender identity.

☆ I became an Amazon product manager with no tech experience. Here's how my years as a fitness trainer helped me land the gig.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Perri Ormont Blumberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ridge Carpenter is a physical trainer and product manager for Halo, Amazon's fitness tracker. When he applied for the position, the only detail he knew was that the job related to fitness. Now he gets to incorporate physical training into his new role and work on cool features every day. Eventually, a colleague and mentor referred me for a job as a fitness consultant at Amazon — which led me to my job today as a product manager at Amazon Halo. Now, as a product manager, I make sure the product team knows what to build based on our overall mission and strategy.

☆ Nutella maker Ferrero scoops up owner of Blue Bunny ice creams
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wells, which was founded in 1913 as a dairy delivery wagon business, has become the world's largest family owned and managed ice cream company. "This represents a win-win partnership, bringing together ice cream experts and confectionery champions," Giovanni Ferrero said in a statement. "Together, we have the power of one and are well placed to grow and compete in the ice cream market," he added. Ferrero bought Spanish ice cream company ICFC in a two-stage deal in 2019 and 2021. The Wells' transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in early 2023.

☆ Candy maker Ferrero to buy Halo Top owner, expanding North American business
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Candy maker Ferrero is buying Wells Enterprises, the ice cream giant that owns Blue Bunny, Blue Ribbon Classics and Halo Top. Comfort food staples like ice cream and candy saw their sales soar during the pandemic as consumers looked for ways to treat themselves. For its part, Ferrero reported global consolidated revenue of 12.7 billion euros ($13.3 billion) in its fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2021. Wells Enterprises was founded in 1913 and has grown to be the second-largest ice cream company in the U.S., trailing only Ben & Jerry's owner Unilever . Wells makes more than 200 million gallons of ice cream annually and has more than 4,000 employees.

☆ Forget smartwatches, consumers are buying up these quirky, alternative wearable devices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

People turned to activity trackers, smartwatches and other devices to keep tabs on their steps, vital statistics and more. Rather than sitting inside or on top of the ear canal, bone conduction headphones rest in front of the ear, leaving it uncovered. Bone conduction headphones by Shokz. Shokz ($125) pioneered bone conduction headphones, but the market has since expanded with other brands offering similar designs. But some audiophiles say the sound quality on bone conduction headphones and open earbuds is less than stellar.

☆ The electric Hummer isn't as great for the environment as you might think — and it proves not all EVs are created equal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

If you think driving a pint-sized Nissan Leaf is as good for the planet as driving a huge electric Hummer, think again. The GMC Hummer EV uses significantly more electricity than other EVs, meaning it produces more pollution upstream. Moreover, the GMC Hummer EV is in many ways a supersized gas guzzler for a new era. EVs can be energy guzzlers tooOn the whole, electric cars use less energy than gas-powered ones. The 4.5-ton elephant in the roomThe Hummer EV is a full 4,000 pounds heavier than a well-optioned, gas-powered Ford F-150.

☆ Activision acquisition would be good for Microsoft and the overall stock market
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

That implies that the other 35% of the market is made up of firms with equal to or less than about a 2% market share. For simplicity's sake, let's say an additional 17 firms have a 2% market share each to bring us to 100% of the market. That means the HHI, calculated by the market share number squared and then added together for all 27 companies, would be under 650. If the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal goes through, and you combine the market share concentration of the two companies, the HII would be just over 700. The other issue is how one measures the gaming market.

☆ Sweetgreen is among the 12 chains Taco Bell owner, Yum Brands, could buy as the company's CFO tells investors it's hunting for an acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A Yum Brands exec said the company was "scanning categories" that don't compete with its brands. Analyst Mark Kalinowski identified 12 chains Yum Brands could target, including Sweetgreen. Habit was Yum Brands' latest acquisition — it purchased the fast-casual chain in March 2020 in a deal valued at $375 million. Zoe's Kitchen could be a buy target for Yum Brands, a veteran analyst wrote in a research note last week. "It has a market cap bigger than I would have expected, so it'd be an expensive purchase for Yum Brands."

☆ Ex-employees from Europe’s 60 biggest fintech unicorns like Revolut and Klarna spawned 310 new startups, new data shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The biggest fintech startups in Europe are producing a large chunk of new founders in the industry. It's a sign that Europe's tech ecosystem is maturing, according to VC firm Accel. Europe's fintech boom is solving one of the biggest problems in the region's tech ecosystem, according to a new analysis: experienced founders. "Fintech has played a core role in the growth of the European tech ecosystem," Accel partner Luca Bocchio told Insider. The biggest producer of new startups, according to Accel, is N26.

Cyber Monday is delivering some fantastic deals on Xbox consoles, games, and gear, including the best price we've seen on the Xbox Series S.Microsoft's online store is the best place to find the more expensive and more powerful Xbox Series X console on Cyber Monday, while discounts on controllers and games can be found at stores like GameStop, Best Buy, and Amazon. Below, we've collected all the best Xbox deals during Cyber Monday 2022, from console sales and bundles to various popular games and accessories. Best Cyber Monday deals on Xbox consolesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Xbox Series S During the holidays, Microsoft is offering their budget console, the Xbox Series S, for $60 off. Deal Microsoft Xbox Series S|X Wireless Controller The new Xbox controller is a streamlined, enhanced version of the previous Xbox gamepad.

Deal Paramount Plus Essential Black Friday Deal (Annual Plan) Now through November 27, new and returning subscribers can get 50% off an annual Paramount Plus plan. Limited-Time Deal Paramount Plus Premium Black Friday Deal (Annual Plan) New and returning subscribers can get 50% off one year of Paramount Plus if you sign up by November 27. Rare Deal Paramount Plus/Showtime Essential Annual Plan For a limited-time, new members can get a year of Paramount Plus with Showtime for half off. Deal Paramount Plus/Showtime Premium Annual Plan Now until November 27, new members can get a year of Paramount Plus with Showtime for 50% off. This brings the bundle with an ad-free Paramount Plus Premium membership down to $75 for your first year.

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