ITV

Tag: Ford

  • Mavericks appoints Gaurav Tuli as new digital and tech director

    Mavericks appoints Gaurav Tuli as new digital and tech director

    MUMBAI: When brands talk clicks, The Mavericks wants to talk connections and its latest hire proves it’s serious. The integrated marketing communications agency has appointed Gaurav Tuli as director digital & tech, a move set to sharpen its AI-first, insight-led storytelling play. Armed with over 16 years of cross-market experience across India and Canada, Tuli has worked on marquee accounts including Bayer, Ford, Wendy’s, Jamie’s Italian, Pepsico, Swaraj Tractors, Hyatt, Interglobe, Oriflame, Luminous, and Himel. His track record spans sectors as varied as Auto, Healthcare, FMCG, Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Alcobev, Education and Beauty blending tech with creativity to deliver campaigns that don’t just convert, but connect.

    At The Mavericks, Tuli will anchor digital transformation with new service lines built on Generative AI, predictive analytics, and automation. But for him, AI isn’t about replacing creativity, it’s about amplifying it. “The intersection of data, technology, and creativity is where the most exciting things are happening,” he said. “From Generative Engine Optimisation for AI discoverability to predictive performance models, these tools help brands move faster, listen smarter, and create more meaningfully.”

    The Mavericks India founder & CEO Chetan Mahajan echoed the sentiment, noting: “Integrated communications is no longer about channels ,it’s about cohesion. In the digital age, integration means agility, real-time impact, and context. Gaurav will be integral to building that ecosystem.”

    With brands now seeking outcome-driven communication rather than vanity metrics, The Mavericks’ appointment signals its ambition to push boundaries. For Tuli, the task is clear: keep brands discoverable, scalable, and emotionally resonant in an AI-led, digital-first world
     

  • DDB Tribal north strengthens team with Ashna Nandrajog and Mohini Varma

    DDB Tribal north strengthens team with Ashna Nandrajog and Mohini Varma

    MUMBAI: DDB Mudra Group has announced a boost at DDB Tribal north, appointing Ashna Nandrajog as senior vice president – business and Mohini Varma as executive vice president – planning. This strategic move aims to fuel growth, creativity, and innovation.

    Nandrajog, a 20-year industry veteran, has worked with global brands like Bata, Ford, and Maruti Suzuki at top agencies including Contract, FCB Ulka, Ogilvy, and Publicis Capital. Her passion for travel and family fuels her dynamic approach to brand-building.

    Varma, an award-winning strategist and former NDTV correspondent, has shaped brand narratives for Netflix, Google, and Pepsico while working at Toaster, FCB, and JWT. She holds a Gold APAC Effie for impactful campaigns that drive real-world change.

    DDB Tribal president Ashutosh Sawhney said, “We’re scaling new heights, pushing boundaries, and hungrier than ever. The industry thrives on exceptional talent, and in Nandrajog and Varma, we’ve found the perfect blend of fire and maturity to capitalize on the immense opportunities before us, delivering outstanding work for our clients and building formidable teams.”

    Nandrajog said, “In an era of rapid digital transformation, DDB Mudra Group stands out for its integrated approach. I’m thrilled to join a company that champions brand building through impactful creativity and delivers holistic solutions across its diverse businesses. I’m eager to contribute to DDB’s continued growth and success.”

    Mohini Varma added, “At DDB, we believe in emotionally resonant creativity, rooted in deep human insights, that transform brands, markets, and culture. In a world where attention is a premium, genuine insights are paramount. I’m excited to co-author the next chapter of growth for our dynamic brands.”

    With two powerhouse leaders on board, DDB Tribal north is poised for an exciting phase of creative excellence and strategic expansion.
     

  • BOULT x Mustang: A bold partnership that simply gets your heart racing

    BOULT x Mustang: A bold partnership that simply gets your heart racing

    Mumbai: BOULT, an audio brand has unveiled an exhilarating partnership with Ford Mustang in India. Both BOULT and Ford Mustang are committed to making powerful technology accessible to everyone. BOULT’s ethos revolves around striving for better performance and delivering an unmatched experience. This partnership aims to provide buyers with a sense of adventure through cutting-edge technology and exceptional features. The tie-up with Ford Mustang is a testament to the shared pursuit of style, excellence and speed. With the introduction of the new BOULT Torq, BOULT Dash, and BOULT Derby, the brand intends to target the young, tech-savvy and luxury car enthusiasts buyer segment.

    This partnership with Ford Mustang gives BOULT access to the heritage and superlative design insights of the brand enabling Indian wearable manufacturer to work with the Ford Mustang team on bringing alive the years of unique Mustang designs to the new audio range by BOULT. The product line also opens up new avenues to leverage the aspirational audience segment who look forward to design supremacy in their favorite audio products.  

    “We are thrilled to partner with Ford Mustang, a brand that shares our dedication to style, excellence, and speed,” said BOULT co-founder Varun Gupta. Through this collaboration, we aim to captivate the young and tech-savvy buyer segment with our new offerings: BOULT Torq, BOULT Dash, and BOULT Derby. This long-term partnership not only opens up doors to a new audience segment but also gives an opportunity to look at product design in a new way.”

    “Partnering with Ford Mustang is a groundbreaking moment for BOULT, igniting a new era of innovation and excellence,” said BOULT senior brand & category manager Tom Stany. “Together, we are not just launching products; we are crafting experiences that embody the thrill of speed and the essence of cutting-edge technology. The BOULT Torq, BOULT Dash, and BOULT Derby are more than audio devices; they are a testament to our commitment to inspire and elevate the everyday lives of our consumers. This collaboration is a celebration of our shared vision to push boundaries and create something truly extraordinary.”

    The partnership commenced earlier this year and will see the launch of multiple products throughout the coming months, each designed to elevate the audio experience. The design partnership will be a driving force for BOULT for the years to come making it unique for the audio industry.

    To celebrate this exciting collaboration, BOULT has produced a captivating digital film entirely conceptualized and shot in-house by BOULT’s creative team. This film not only highlights the synergy between BOULT and Ford Mustang but also showcases the innovative spirit driving both brands forward and brings in a new era of design language for BOULT. The film opens up with shots of Ford Mustang racing through a track with each frame highlighting how the new products have been meticulously designed taking inspiration from the various elements of the car.

     
     

  • Ford India records highest-ever domestic wholesales in FY18

    Ford India records highest-ever domestic wholesales in FY18

    MUMBAI: As per a company statement, Ford India has recorded the highest ever domestic wholesales in its history at 265,714 units, in the year 2018. The number was 262,784 units in 2017. Domestic vehicle despatches in the past year stood at 97,804 units, up 12 per cent from 87,588 units in 2017.

    Ford India president and managing director Anurag Mehrotra said, “2018 was a turnaround year for Ford in India as we consistently delivered on our strategy of strong brand, right product, competitive cost and effective scale to strengthen our commitment to India. Despite headwinds due to regulatory and economic changes in India and export markets, we are confident of keeping the momentum in 2019. In India, we are confident of growing better than the industry and bringing many more customers to the Ford fold to experience the promise of transparency and differentiated experience.”

    However, exports in the month of December declined to 18,580 vehicles from 24,708 units in December 2017. Domestic wholesales in December stood at 5,840 vehicles as against 5,087 units in the same month last year.

  • Adobe Cloud will manage ads across TV & digital formats

    MUMBAI: Adobe has unveiled its new Adobe Advertising Cloud, the industry’s first end-to-end platform for managing advertising across traditional TV and digital formats. Combining capabilities from Adobe Media Optimizer (AMO) and recently acquired TubeMogul, Adobe Advertising Cloud simplifies the delivery of video, display and search advertising across channels and screens.

    Advertisers are facing an increasingly complex and fragmented landscape, with legacy silos for media planning and buying across TV and digital. That coupled with the proliferation of devices and massive amounts of data have made the advertising process overwhelming. According to the latest Adobe Digital Insights Advertising Report, 47 per cent of global marketers said that not having an integrated data and media buying solution was one of their biggest challenges. To help advertisers better navigate this landscape and more effectively reach consumers, Adobe is launching its Advertising Cloud which unifies and streamlines the entire ad planning and buying process.
    Now available globally, Adobe Advertising Cloud includes three offerings:

    – AMO Search: the leading search management platform
    – AMO Demand Side Platform: automates display, social, video and programmatic TV buying
    – AMO Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO): dynamic creative optimization tied into Creative Cloud

    Adobe Advertising Cloud already manages roughly $3.5 billion in annualized ad spend on behalf of more than 1,000 global clients, including Allstate, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Liberty Mutual, L’Oréal, MGM, Nickelodeon and Southwest Airlines.

    “With Adobe Advertising Cloud, brands can centralize all advertising planning and buying through one trusted platform with full transparency into exactly where their ads appear and how effective they are at driving business results,” said Adobe VP and GM – advertising Brett Wilson. “We are bridging longstanding media gaps – not just between TV and digital, but also between brand and performance advertising,” he added.

    Advertising Cloud includes the following:

    1. Cross-Channel Planning: Adobe Advertising Cloud is the most comprehensive platform to plan, buy and measure advertising. Advertisers can reach audiences wherever they are – whether they’re searching, on their social network or watching linear TV. The platform de-dupes TV and digital audiences, enabling marketers to build cost-effective incremental reach.

    2. Media Activation Across Devices: Adobe Advertising Cloud’s seamless integration with Adobe Experience Cloud means that marketers can easily reach discrete audiences across screens. In early tests of the new platform, match rates of ad viewers across screens exceeded 90 percent which is double the industry standard.

    3. Performance Without Compromise: Through a wealth of tools and safeguards, Adobe Advertising Cloud helps advertisers achieve their goals without compromising brand safety, media quality or transparency.

    4. Independence: Adobe Advertising Cloud is the largest independent advertising platform, with transparent fees and no media markups, ensuring Adobe Advertising Cloud’s incentives are always aligned with advertisers.

    5. Creative Optimization: Once the audiences have been defined and outreach channels identified, what message will be most effective? Through Adobe Advertising Cloud’s dynamic creative optimization solution, advertisers can create the most personalized, high-performing ads based on the customers’ interests or past behaviors.

  • Innovation at CES 2017 transcends industries and spurs emerging markets

    Innovation at CES 2017 transcends industries and spurs emerging markets

    LAS VEGAS: The latest emerging innovation across every major industry takes center stage this week at CES® 2017, with product launches that propel global markets from automotive, sports and fitness, software, healthcare, entertainment and more. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, CES 2017, the world’s largest innovation event, runs through tomorrow, January 8, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Keynotes and Headline Speakers

    During Friday morning’s keynote, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf introduced the 5G future, a new kind of network with unprecedented scale, speed and complexity. “5G will be the tipping point that builds on LTE and finally enables IoT,” said Mollenkopf. During the keynote, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 835, the first 10 nanometer mobile processor that can deliver extended battery life, built-in security, eye-based authentication, secure audio, on-device machine learning and immersive experiences.

    Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank took the keynote stage Friday afternoon and emphasized the importance of branding saying that “the key to any brand is to have personality and point of view.” Under Armour is innovating by putting technology front and center, investing $1 billion in health and fitness tech. Plank unveiled three new models of the company’s Record Equipped shoes, which give performance feedback based on workouts. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all-time, joined Plank onstage to demo the shoes and talk about UA Healthbox, powered by UA Record, the world’s first connected fitness system. The keynote wrapped with the unveiling of a new line of sleep apparel, dubbed Rest Win Repeat, in collaboration with Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady, designed to rebuild the body while it rests through infrared technology.

    Top industry executives and influencers joined global government officials at the annual Leaders in Technology Dinner on Friday evening. Ford President and CEO Mark Fields shared the company’s vision for how the future of mobility will be transformed by connectivity. “Imagine what could happen when the way you get around looks completely different. Cities will change. The way we work and play and socialize will transform. And it will all be enabled by connectivity,” said Fields. He announced that Ford Sync is expanding to deliver cloud-based services and that soon all Ford vehicles will be controlled remotely with the FordPass app. He also recapped Ford’s recent partnership with Toyota to form the SmartDeviceLink Consortium to establish industry-driven standards for in-vehicle apps.

    Conferences

    Day two and three of CES 2017 featured SuperSessions and conference tracks focused on technology trends and policy issues, as well as C Space Storytellers and the Sports Business Innovation Track.

    Friday’s SuperSession Powering the Sharing Economy to Transform Lives featured panelists from Grab, the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore and Lyft. Panelists discussed the potential of the sharing economy to democratize transportation and make travel an enjoyment, not a burden. Annabel Chang, director of public policy, Lyft, explained that among her company’s customer base, “Most people do not live within a quarter mile of a transit stop. A significant percentage of our riders take Lyft to a transportation hub, then take public transportation on their final leg.”

    The Self-Driving Cars: New Rules of the Road SuperSession moderated by USA Today’s tech reporter, Mike Snider, discussed with top executives from Blackberry, Intel and Mobileye how a collaborative approach between automakers, hardware and software developers is driving the rapid pace of self-driving innovations. The panelists agreed that in order to reach the expected goal of having self-driving cars on the road by 2020, the industry needs to fully solve the convergence of IoT and artificial intelligence.

    Friday’s SuperSession The Power of Hidden Figures, sponsored by IBM, focused on illuminating the story of women and minorities in traditionally non-cinematic roles: advancing the math and science fields. Moderated by journalist Soledad O’Brien, panelists included actress Octavia Spencer and representatives from IBM, New York City Department of Education, 20th Century Fox and Girls Who Code. IBM highlighted its organic commitment to diversity and inclusion over the past century.

    The Opportunities for the Global Innovation Economy SuperSession, moderated by Time Inc.’s Alan Murray, examined with CEOs from Flex, Ford and Intel how consumer technology companies are leveraging their power to build global brands and advance innovation in a rapidly changing world. The panelists – Mark Fields, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company; Brian Krzanich, CEO, Intel Corp and Mike McNamara, CEO, Flex – discussed how globalization and digitalization have been the two great trends in innovation over the last 50 years and what we can expect moving forward.

    C Space Storytellers

    During the Turner session, Otto Bell, vice president and group creative director of Courageous, Turner’s first-ever brand studio, announced the beginning of the “Post-Text Era” where images and video do all the talking. Courageous is developing new ways to utilize technology to reach viewers from 360 cameras to VR.

    At the Facebook session, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, VP of ads & business platforms, Facebook sat down for a fireside chat with Sony’s Josh Greenstein, president of worldwide marketing & distribution. Bosworth and Greenstein discussed how mobile and social media platforms are shaping Sony’s marketing campaigns to reach targeted audiences. Bosworth noted Facebook provides a myriad of platforms for marketing customization and distribution to targeted audiences.

    Executive producer of BBC Earth Productions, Charlotte Jones, provided a deep dive into the opportunities of storytelling through VR and AR during BBC’s Storytellers session on Friday. Collaborating with Oculus VR, BBC Earth Productions is creating interactive movies and games to be experienced by consumers using Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.

    Twitter CMO Leslie Berland opened the company’s Storytellers session Friday afternoon with a look back on 2016 using Tweets. Twitter has positioned itself as more than a social media platform. By changing the rules of storytelling, Twitter is able to capture news and real-time moments through its users.

    Sports Business Innovation

    Technology spans all industries including sports. The Sports Business Innovation track, presented by Turner Sports ran a series of jam-packed sessions that featured Gary Bettman, Commissioner NHL, Don Garber, Commissioner, Major League Soccer, Scott Blackmun, CEO, U.S. Olympic Committee, Brian France, Chairman and CEO, Nascar, Dan Gilbert, Majority Owner, Cleveland Cavaliers and Alejandro Agag, CEO, Formula E.

    These big names from professional sports leagues and partners took a deep-dive into the future of sports tech. The series focused on topics including: how to extend the fan experience, what the future of arena technology looks like and how virtual and augmented reality can become part of the experience, generational differences in content consumption and viewing patterns, and how data analytics effect personnel management and player performance.

    Innovation Policy Track

    Friday’s panel The Trolls and Tech: How to Fix Patents was moderated by CTA’s Michael Patrick Hayes and featured Tyler Grimm, legislature director for Rep. Darrell Issa; Athenahealth’s Colin Anawaty; Tech:NYC’s Julie Samuels and InterDigital’s Rob Stein. The panelists discussed the harm and damage patent trolls can do to businesses, as well as how Congress can find a reasonable solution for patent reform. US Patent and Trade Office director Michelle Lee gave the panel’s opening statement surrounding the agency’s recent efforts, reform and projects to combat the problem. US Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) made a surprise appearance, delivering closing comments and explaining how patent trolls can devastate small companies.

    Saturday’s panel New President, New Congress? What’s Next included Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH); Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D-CA); Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), with moderator Tiffany M. Moore, VP, congressional affairs, CTA. The session showed bipartisan agreement about many policies needed to promote innovation and support technological leadership, including high skilled immigration reform, endorsing strong encryption, flexibility for emerging sharing economy business models and making more spectrum available for commercial and public use. Attending his 35th CES, Rep. Issa emphasized that high skilled immigration reform would be one of his priorities, saying, “We need to make sure the companies who want to expand get the resources they need, including talent.”

    Friday also featured the Stars of CES Awards, presented by What Hi-Fi recognizing the top 10 audio and video products launched at this year’s show. The complete list of winners can be found at WhatHiFi.com.

    Saturday’s always popular Last Gadget Standing, presented by Living in Digital Times, featured the top products unveiled at CES 2017. Hosted by David Pogue from Yahoo! Tech, the innovations showcased included cutting-edge wearables, smart home technologies and connected networks. The Matrix Powerwatch, which never needs charging or battery replacement and displays how much electric power your body is generating and accurately measures calories burned was crowned the winner.

  • Innovation at CES 2017 transcends industries and spurs emerging markets

    Innovation at CES 2017 transcends industries and spurs emerging markets

    LAS VEGAS: The latest emerging innovation across every major industry takes center stage this week at CES® 2017, with product launches that propel global markets from automotive, sports and fitness, software, healthcare, entertainment and more. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, CES 2017, the world’s largest innovation event, runs through tomorrow, January 8, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Keynotes and Headline Speakers

    During Friday morning’s keynote, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf introduced the 5G future, a new kind of network with unprecedented scale, speed and complexity. “5G will be the tipping point that builds on LTE and finally enables IoT,” said Mollenkopf. During the keynote, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 835, the first 10 nanometer mobile processor that can deliver extended battery life, built-in security, eye-based authentication, secure audio, on-device machine learning and immersive experiences.

    Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank took the keynote stage Friday afternoon and emphasized the importance of branding saying that “the key to any brand is to have personality and point of view.” Under Armour is innovating by putting technology front and center, investing $1 billion in health and fitness tech. Plank unveiled three new models of the company’s Record Equipped shoes, which give performance feedback based on workouts. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all-time, joined Plank onstage to demo the shoes and talk about UA Healthbox, powered by UA Record, the world’s first connected fitness system. The keynote wrapped with the unveiling of a new line of sleep apparel, dubbed Rest Win Repeat, in collaboration with Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady, designed to rebuild the body while it rests through infrared technology.

    Top industry executives and influencers joined global government officials at the annual Leaders in Technology Dinner on Friday evening. Ford President and CEO Mark Fields shared the company’s vision for how the future of mobility will be transformed by connectivity. “Imagine what could happen when the way you get around looks completely different. Cities will change. The way we work and play and socialize will transform. And it will all be enabled by connectivity,” said Fields. He announced that Ford Sync is expanding to deliver cloud-based services and that soon all Ford vehicles will be controlled remotely with the FordPass app. He also recapped Ford’s recent partnership with Toyota to form the SmartDeviceLink Consortium to establish industry-driven standards for in-vehicle apps.

    Conferences

    Day two and three of CES 2017 featured SuperSessions and conference tracks focused on technology trends and policy issues, as well as C Space Storytellers and the Sports Business Innovation Track.

    Friday’s SuperSession Powering the Sharing Economy to Transform Lives featured panelists from Grab, the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore and Lyft. Panelists discussed the potential of the sharing economy to democratize transportation and make travel an enjoyment, not a burden. Annabel Chang, director of public policy, Lyft, explained that among her company’s customer base, “Most people do not live within a quarter mile of a transit stop. A significant percentage of our riders take Lyft to a transportation hub, then take public transportation on their final leg.”

    The Self-Driving Cars: New Rules of the Road SuperSession moderated by USA Today’s tech reporter, Mike Snider, discussed with top executives from Blackberry, Intel and Mobileye how a collaborative approach between automakers, hardware and software developers is driving the rapid pace of self-driving innovations. The panelists agreed that in order to reach the expected goal of having self-driving cars on the road by 2020, the industry needs to fully solve the convergence of IoT and artificial intelligence.

    Friday’s SuperSession The Power of Hidden Figures, sponsored by IBM, focused on illuminating the story of women and minorities in traditionally non-cinematic roles: advancing the math and science fields. Moderated by journalist Soledad O’Brien, panelists included actress Octavia Spencer and representatives from IBM, New York City Department of Education, 20th Century Fox and Girls Who Code. IBM highlighted its organic commitment to diversity and inclusion over the past century.

    The Opportunities for the Global Innovation Economy SuperSession, moderated by Time Inc.’s Alan Murray, examined with CEOs from Flex, Ford and Intel how consumer technology companies are leveraging their power to build global brands and advance innovation in a rapidly changing world. The panelists – Mark Fields, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company; Brian Krzanich, CEO, Intel Corp and Mike McNamara, CEO, Flex – discussed how globalization and digitalization have been the two great trends in innovation over the last 50 years and what we can expect moving forward.

    C Space Storytellers

    During the Turner session, Otto Bell, vice president and group creative director of Courageous, Turner’s first-ever brand studio, announced the beginning of the “Post-Text Era” where images and video do all the talking. Courageous is developing new ways to utilize technology to reach viewers from 360 cameras to VR.

    At the Facebook session, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, VP of ads & business platforms, Facebook sat down for a fireside chat with Sony’s Josh Greenstein, president of worldwide marketing & distribution. Bosworth and Greenstein discussed how mobile and social media platforms are shaping Sony’s marketing campaigns to reach targeted audiences. Bosworth noted Facebook provides a myriad of platforms for marketing customization and distribution to targeted audiences.

    Executive producer of BBC Earth Productions, Charlotte Jones, provided a deep dive into the opportunities of storytelling through VR and AR during BBC’s Storytellers session on Friday. Collaborating with Oculus VR, BBC Earth Productions is creating interactive movies and games to be experienced by consumers using Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.

    Twitter CMO Leslie Berland opened the company’s Storytellers session Friday afternoon with a look back on 2016 using Tweets. Twitter has positioned itself as more than a social media platform. By changing the rules of storytelling, Twitter is able to capture news and real-time moments through its users.

    Sports Business Innovation

    Technology spans all industries including sports. The Sports Business Innovation track, presented by Turner Sports ran a series of jam-packed sessions that featured Gary Bettman, Commissioner NHL, Don Garber, Commissioner, Major League Soccer, Scott Blackmun, CEO, U.S. Olympic Committee, Brian France, Chairman and CEO, Nascar, Dan Gilbert, Majority Owner, Cleveland Cavaliers and Alejandro Agag, CEO, Formula E.

    These big names from professional sports leagues and partners took a deep-dive into the future of sports tech. The series focused on topics including: how to extend the fan experience, what the future of arena technology looks like and how virtual and augmented reality can become part of the experience, generational differences in content consumption and viewing patterns, and how data analytics effect personnel management and player performance.

    Innovation Policy Track

    Friday’s panel The Trolls and Tech: How to Fix Patents was moderated by CTA’s Michael Patrick Hayes and featured Tyler Grimm, legislature director for Rep. Darrell Issa; Athenahealth’s Colin Anawaty; Tech:NYC’s Julie Samuels and InterDigital’s Rob Stein. The panelists discussed the harm and damage patent trolls can do to businesses, as well as how Congress can find a reasonable solution for patent reform. US Patent and Trade Office director Michelle Lee gave the panel’s opening statement surrounding the agency’s recent efforts, reform and projects to combat the problem. US Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) made a surprise appearance, delivering closing comments and explaining how patent trolls can devastate small companies.

    Saturday’s panel New President, New Congress? What’s Next included Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH); Rep. Eric Swalwell, (D-CA); Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), with moderator Tiffany M. Moore, VP, congressional affairs, CTA. The session showed bipartisan agreement about many policies needed to promote innovation and support technological leadership, including high skilled immigration reform, endorsing strong encryption, flexibility for emerging sharing economy business models and making more spectrum available for commercial and public use. Attending his 35th CES, Rep. Issa emphasized that high skilled immigration reform would be one of his priorities, saying, “We need to make sure the companies who want to expand get the resources they need, including talent.”

    Friday also featured the Stars of CES Awards, presented by What Hi-Fi recognizing the top 10 audio and video products launched at this year’s show. The complete list of winners can be found at WhatHiFi.com.

    Saturday’s always popular Last Gadget Standing, presented by Living in Digital Times, featured the top products unveiled at CES 2017. Hosted by David Pogue from Yahoo! Tech, the innovations showcased included cutting-edge wearables, smart home technologies and connected networks. The Matrix Powerwatch, which never needs charging or battery replacement and displays how much electric power your body is generating and accurately measures calories burned was crowned the winner.

  • JWT celebrates 150 years of Pioneering in Advertising

    JWT celebrates 150 years of Pioneering in Advertising

    MUMBAI: In celebration of the agency’s 150th anniversary, JWT today announced a yearlong program of innovative events and activations to highlight its pioneering spirit and rich history around the world.
     

    “JWT’s 150th is much more than just a birthday. This is a platform to galvanize our employees around our pioneering roots and spirit of inventiveness, and to share our mission with our clients and the world,” said Chairman and CEO Bob Jeffrey.
     

    J. Walter Thompson, the agency’s founder and the original ad man, paved the way for what is now known as modern advertising. Since the agency first opened its doors in 1864, Thompson’s vision as an innovator and pioneer has expanded into a global network of 10,000 employees, spanning 200 offices and 90 countries.
     

    “Every day is an opportunity to reinvent tomorrow, and together with our pioneering clients, we will continue to seize that opportunity for the next 150 years,” said Jeffrey.
     

    Over the decades, JWT has maintained a number of the industry’s longest-standing client relationships including: Unilever (109 years), Kimberly-Clark (84), Nestle (81), Kellogg’s (80), Rolex (68), Ford (67), U.S. Marines (66), Johnson & Johnson (51) and Shell (49).

    In celebrating the agency’s rich history of pioneering, JWT drives forward in its mission and vision for the future to invent pioneering ideas that people want to participate in and spend time with.
     

    “It is an honor to join JWT during such a momentous time. This is an agency with pioneering DNA – the brand, the clients and the people,” said Gustavo Martinez, Global President for JWT Worldwide. He added, “Our strategy for growth in the year ahead as a company will also draw its strength from our spirit of pioneering.”

     
    From hiring the first female creative director and pioneering magazine advertising to being the first agency to expand overseas and the first to send a Kit Kat into space, JWT has pioneered in the world of advertising with groundbreaking ideas that are bold and engaging, and introduced many of the world’s most memorable communications.

     
    In 2013, JWT’s innovative work won a number of accolades at global awards shows including the preeminent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. JWT’s “Fakka” for Vodafone brought home numerous awards, including a gold lion and was also the most awarded piece of strategic work in the industry last year. Additional award-winning campaigns were JWT Beijing’s “Missing Children” app for Baobeihuijia.com and JWT New York’s “Yes, Virginia the Musical” for Macy’s.

     
    And, JWT’s work for Nestlé’s Kit Kat played a significant role in the brand being named one of the most influential candy bars of all time by TIME magazine.  

     
    To kick off the anniversary celebrations, Jeffrey and Martinez unveiled a commemorative logo that revives the original historical mark from JWT’s earliest visual branding: the Owl and the Lamp. The owl, long a symbol of wisdom in many cultures, and the lamp, an emblem of light and clarity of vision, together symbolize that experience and knowledge lead to success.

     
    Additional 150th celebrations underway for the year include:

    •The Commodore Challenge – an internal contest in search of the three most pioneering ideas for the world, with cash prizes

    •Cannes seminar on pioneering and innovation

    •Pioneering Influencer Series with clients, alumni and industry icons

    •Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship for female creatives

    •Interactive historical timeline

    •Historical content series highlighting JWT’s first and best stories from around the world

    •JWTIntelligence 150th Initiative

    In 2014, JWT will also continue to reinvent and bolster our digital capabilities. Actively managing digital change, JWT touts more than 2,000 nontraditional specialists dedicated to delivering digital work for clients. The agency will continue to acquire pure-play digital agencies, with a special focus on emerging markets — recent acquisitions include Thomas Idea in Thailand, Post Visual in South Korea, Designercity in Hong Kong and Lemon Sky in Poland — while expanding existing digital networks.
     

    New business growth is an important signal of JWT’s contemporary relevance, as it often involves attracting clients from newer industries. The agency was recently named global agency of record for PUMA, confirming JWT’s credibility in the booming sectors of sport and fashion. Other new business wins included Energizer personal care brands, Air Canada and The Singapore Tourism Board.

  • AT&T and ‘American Idol’ part ways

    AT&T and ‘American Idol’ part ways

    MUMBAI: Judges have come and gone, but what had remained consistent about Fox’s American Idol apart from host Ryan Seacrest, are the sponsors.

     

    However, in a new development AT&T which has been the sponsor for the reality show for its last 12 editions has finally decided to part ways. The American telecom giant has earlier been quoted as saying that the show is a powerful platform that allows it to connect with its customers directly.

     

    However, it seems the show’s declining ratings has adversely affected the relationship between the two. As per the Nielsen data, reported in American dailies, the average audience size for Idol has dropped by 9.9 million viewers over the past three seasons, from 23.1 million in 2011 to 13.2 million last year.

     

    The other sponsors – Coke and Ford – are still associated with the show, the 13th edition of which went on air on 15 January.

  • Twitter adds CBS to its stable of big advertisers

    Twitter adds CBS to its stable of big advertisers

    MUMBAI: Twitter has been frantically adding partners to its Amplify advertising program ever since it began informally last year with a partnership between the social network, ESPN and the Ford Motor Company. In those initial ads, the sports broadcaster sent out clips of football games, disguised in a Ford Fusion ad, as short messages on the service.

    Since then, more than a dozen other content distributors, from the Fox television network to Globosat in Brazil, have joined the program, with brands including Heineken and AT&T promoting clips from major sports events like the U.S. Open tennis tournament and NCAA basketball games and live events like MTV‘s Video Music Awards.

    Twitter recently announced that it had signed CBS, one of its biggest partners yet. The broadcast and internet network intends to use Twitter Amplify to showcase content from 42 products, from TVGuide.com to its fantasy football site.

    As an example, Twitter and CBS showed off a possible “60 Minutes in 60 Seconds” ad, which could promote content from the revered television news magazine.