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By John Walker on March 12, 2012
Festival : Lovebytes Digital Spring. Festival of Art, Science and Technology
Date: Thursday 22nd-Saturday 24th March 2012
Venue: Across the city of Sheffield
Event Website: www.lovebytes.org.uk
This inspiring programme of events includes interactive art, music, performances, films, talks, workshops and educational projects for all ages. The events are open to everyone and many are free of charge.
I have visited this event a few times and have always left with a head full of creative ideas.
onedotzero : wow + flutter
One of my favourite parts of the festival is the onedotzero : wow + flutter screening which shows “cutting edge animation & motion graphics”. This year it is on Friday 23rd March. 11 am to 12:30 pm at the Showroom Cinema. Tickets £5/4.
Tickets tel. 0114 275 7727 or online.
Here is a trailer:
wow + flutter 11 trailer from onedotzero on Vimeo.
Showroom Cinema
The Showroom is the venue for many of the events. Its one of the largest independent cinemas in Europe and the place to be for anyone with a passion for film.
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Posted in Adult and Other Education, Advertising, Advertising and Marketing Services, Arts and entertainment, Arts, Antiques and Second-Hand Goods Retail, Arts, Sports and Recreation Goods Wholesale, Brands, Business Culture, Chemical and Petroleum Products Manufacturing, Clothing, Footwear and Accessories Manufacturing, Design and Photographic Services, Education and Human Capital, Electrical Equipment Manufacturing, Electronic Equipment and Computer Manufacturing, Fashion, Trends and Memes, Film Production and Distribution, IT and Telecommunications Services, Ideas and Innovation, Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Jewellery, Watch and Clock Manufacturing, Music Production and Publishing, Printing and Printing Support Activities, Product Research and Development, Publishing, Recruitment, Reputation, South Yorkshire, Technology, Television and Radio Broadcasting, Textiles and Furniture Manufacturing, Trade Shows, Seminars and Exhibitions, UK | Tagged Digital Spring, educational projects, film, interactive art, Lovebytes, music, onedotzero, performance, Sheffield, talks, workshops |
By John Walker on March 8, 2012
It looks like Britvic Soft Drinks, one of the two leading branded soft drinks businesses in the UK, has made quite an innovative move this Easter.
Who can resist their new Tango Milk Chocolate Easter Egg?
Posted in Brands, Distribution Channels, Expansion, Food, Drink and Tobacco Manufacturing, Food, Drink and Tobacco Retail, Food, Drink and Tobacco Wholesale, Ideas and Innovation, Marketing, Product Launches, Product Research and Development, UK | Tagged Britvic, Britvic Soft Drinks, Tango, Tango Easter Egg |
By John Walker on March 2, 2012
Shutterfly to provide stalking horse bid in court-supervised auction process
ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 01 —
Eastman Kodak Company has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Shutterfly, a leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service, for the proposed sale of certain assets of its KODAK Gallery on-line photo services business for $23.8 million. The terms of the agreement include the transfer of Gallery customer accounts and images in the U.S. and Canada to Shutterfly. The agreement comprises the initial, stalking horse bid in a Court-supervised auction process under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that will ensure the maximization of value for the assets.
This sale is consistent with our objective of focusing Kodak on a core set of businesses in which we can most profitably leverage our technology and brand strengths, and provides a well-proven mechanism for ensuring that Kodak receives maximum value from these assets,” said Pradeep Jotwani, President, Consumer Businesses and Chief Marketing Officer. KODAK Gallery is a unique property, with more than 75 million users, and an ability to attract new members through innovative customer offerings such as its category-leading popular mobile apps.
Jotwani emphasized that under the agreement, Kodak will work closely with Shutterfly to ensure a smooth transition and that customer photos will continue to be safeguarded throughout the process.
We appreciate the loyalty of the KODAK Gallery customers in the U.S. and Canada who have entrusted us with their photo memories. We know how much they value their photos, so we will ensure that a transition is smooth and easy for them, and that their images will be preserved and protected, Jotwani said. We are pleased that under this stalking horse agreement with Shutterfly, our customers will continue to enjoy a rewarding on-line photo experience.
Kodak will give customers who do not want their photos transferred to Shutterfly the opportunity to opt out of the transition process. Those customers could then retrieve their images through free downloads or by purchasing DVDs from KODAK Gallery.
Jotwani noted that Kodak is focusing its consumer business on retail and destination photo solutions as well as home printing products. Those businesses have attractive and growing sales of consumables, he said. We are by far the leader in retail print solutions, with an installed base that has grown now to 105,000 picture kiosks, while our consumer inkjet printers offer high-quality, affordable ink.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Kodak will seek U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval of sale and auction procedures by late March. Under these proposed procedures, other potential buyers may submit alternative bids to Kodak and seek to establish the superiority of their alternative bid. Kodak is targeting completion of the sale process this spring.
News Source: http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Kodak_Enters_into_Agreement_for_Proposed_Sale_of_Gallery_Photo_Services_Site_to_Shutterfly.htm
Posted in Business Continuity Planning, Chemical and Petroleum Products Manufacturing, Contact Management, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Deals and Agreements, Demergers, Design and Photographic Services, E-commerce, Information Technology, Internet Services, North America, People and Players, Printing and Printing Support Activities, Sales, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology | Tagged Eastman Kodak Company, Kodak, Pradeep Jotwani, Shutterfly, U.S. Bankruptcy Court |
By John Walker on March 2, 2012
Business Exhibition: The Great British Business Show
Date: Thursday 17th-Friday 18th May 2012
Venue: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
Event Website: www.greatbritishbusinessshow.co.uk
Growing your business isn’t just about buying that bit of machinery or leasing that new building. Growing too quickly can be your downfall, so careful financial planning and the right advice is key to progressing your business. The Great British Business Show is a free resource. Register at the Great British Business Show, and find out for free, what you can be doing to improve, expand and evolve your business.
Keynote Speakers
Will King
David Gold
Brad Burton
Jonathan Pfahl
Warren Cass
Albert Wright
Free Tickets
Order free tickets for Great British Business Show ExCeL 2012
About The Venue
ExCeL London, the international exhibition and convention centre, is the host venue for a variety of events from award winning exhibitions and conferences to international association meetings, product launches, banquets, award ceremonies, sporting events and great days out.
Situated in a stunning waterfront location, ExCeL London is located in the heart of London’s Royal Docks, within easy reach of central London.
The venue is part of a 100 acre campus, including 3 onsite DLR stations, easy access to the Jubilee Line and London City Airport, parking for 3,700 cars, 6 onsite hotels and numerous on-site bars and restaurants.
Map
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Posted in Advertising, Business Continuity Planning, Contact Management, Corporate Hospitality, East (E), Expansion, Market Research, Marketing, Startups, Trade Shows, Seminars and Exhibitions | Tagged Albert Wright, Brad Burton, David Gold, ExCeL, Jonathan Pfahl, The Great British Business Show, Warren Cass, Will King |
By John Walker on March 1, 2012
One thousand young people in the UK with no prior work experience or qualifications are being offered their crucial first career opportunity from today.
Applications are now open for the Barclays Apprenticeship Programme offering 1,000 places for young people to build a career in banking. The first Barclays apprentices to join the £20m programme will start work from the end of April.
Barclays Retail and Business Banking is specifically looking for people with no, or few, prior qualifications and experience as we believe that by providing additional training and mentoring we can develop young people’s confidence and skills to make a real impact in tackling youth employment.
Successful applicants will:
- Receive a full salary commensurate with entry level positions;
- Benefit from twelve months dedicated training, support and mentoring;
- Be given the potential to progress to a permanent position;
- Work to achieve a competency qualification in Financial Services similar to an NVQ, a BTEC Award in Customer Service, and qualifications in numeracy and literacy.?
Barclays is investing over £20m in the first year to cover salaries and invest in the additional training and support that will help us to develop and nurture long-term talent for the business.
A large number of the new opportunities will be based in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sunderland, Birmingham, London, Northampton and Coventry. The roles on offer range across Barclays UK Retail and Business Banking division providing services to customers in Barclays branches as well as our operational and contact centres.
Antony Jenkins, Chief Executive of Barclays Retail and Business Banking, said:
Britain faces a real challenge with many young people who have potential and want to work but are currently struggling to get their first job opportunity.
At Barclays our doors are wide open for people who are prepared to learn the ropes, work hard and provide great service to our customers even if they have not had a job before, because we want to support them to go on and develop fulfilling careers.
Creating jobs is one of the best ways that banks can support our economy, and this ground-breaking programme will change lives for people who would not have had the opportunity to work in banking until now.
How to Apply
Applications are open via the National Apprenticeship Service website.
Posted in Adult and Other Education, Business Banking, Education and Human Capital, Employment Levels, Financial Services, Governance, Grants and Funding Pronouncements, Ideas and Innovation, Private Sector, Recruitment, Skills and Training, Staff, Training, UK | Tagged Antony Jenkins, Barclays, Barclays Apprenticeship Programme, Barclays Retail and Business Banking, National Apprenticeship Service |
By John Walker on February 28, 2012
360i parent company Dentsu Network West to invest in Expion to catapult social software company’s growth through integration of earned & paid social media
Digital agency 360i and social software firm Expion today announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize the way brands invest in Facebook. The partnership will result in the development of a powerful integrated earned and paid Facebook platform and services offering, bringing together community management, advertising, social applications and advanced analytics to measure and improve brands’ Facebook marketing efforts. Under the partnership, 360i parent company Dentsu Network West has reached an agreement to take a minority stake in the company to catapult its growth.
Marketers have devoted significant resources to capitalize on Facebook’s expanding audience, creating four million brand pages and spending more than $3 billion on advertising in 2011. Yet despite this promising growth, marketers have not had a centralized platform to manage these resources and gain the insights needed to effectively optimize audience interactions across both earned and paid social media. As a result, most brands today do not have a holistic strategy for their investment in Facebook.
“As companies move from toe-dipping their social efforts to a consolidated strategy, they need full service providers that provide software, services, and customization to solve their needs,” said Jeremiah Owyang, Industry Analyst at Altimeter Group.
The partnership’s earned/paid offering will provide marketers with much needed simplification and enable holistic management of a brand’s Facebook presence. Real-time community analytics will inform ad targeting and bidding strategies, resulting in better advertising performance. Brands will also be able to closely align advertising with their content strategies, seamlessly driving deeper engagement and fan acquisition.
“This partnership strengthens 360i’s holistic social offering, enabling us to develop innovative programs for our clients that harness the full power of integrated earned and paid social media,” said Bryan Wiener, CEO of 360i. “After conducting an extensive evaluation of different social software systems, we determined that Expion was the best strategic partner because of the strength of their current offering and commitment to our shared vision of the future of social media.”
360i currently engages with more than 100 million people every day through the 100+ digtial communities it manages.
“Our mission is to be the industry’s leading, centralized platform to improve efficiency, sharing and management of social communities at the global and local level and this partnership will further this aim,” said Peter Heffring, CEO of Expion. “Global brands are demanding scalable technologies to improve returns on their paid media and we are excited to partner with 360i and Dentsu to address this challenge.”
News Source: http://www.360i.com/press/360i-expion-form-strategic-partnership-revolutionize-facebook-marketing
Posted in Advertising, Advertising and Marketing Services, Brands, Business Software, Contact Management, Cost Management, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Deals and Agreements, E-commerce, Fashion, Trends and Memes, Ideas and Innovation, Information Technology, Internet Services, Market Research, Marketing, Marketing Facilities, Recruitment, Reporting, Reputation, Sales, Sales, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology, Worldwide | Tagged 360i, advertising in 2011, Altimeter Group, Bryan Wiener, Dentsu Network West, Expion, Facebook, Facebook Marketing, Jeremiah Owyang, Peter Heffring |
By John Walker on February 27, 2012
Super-fast broadband is now available in two more Merseyside communities, BT announced today.
More than 9,400 householders and firms in Childwall, Liverpool, and over 2,300 in Rainford, St Helens, are poised to join in high-speed revolution as engineers complete the local upgrades in the coming weeks.
This latest development will take the number of premises in Merseyside with access to the high-speed technology to around 74,000.
It is already available in Allerdale, Birkdale, Formby, Heswall, Lark Lane, the Royal telephone exchange area of Liverpool and Stanley.
And further major investment is under way; BT has announced plans for its super-fast fibre network to pass more than 240,000 more Merseyside premises later this year.
The communications company’s local network business, Openreach, expects to make super-fast fibre broadband available to around two-thirds of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2014**. It will use a mix of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the premises (FTTP) technologies. Both offer speeds much faster than those currently available to many UK homes and businesses.
FTTC, where fibre is delivered to the street cabinet, offers download speeds of up to 40Mbps and upload speeds of up to 10Mbps. Openreach recently announced it will roughly double these speeds this Spring. FTTP, where fibre runs all the way to homes and businesses, currently offers download speeds of up to 100Mbps and these too, are expected to be soon boosted to up to 300Mbps this Spring.
By Spring 2013 BT aims to make speeds of up to 300Mbps commercially available in any area where super-fast fibre broadband has been deployed potentially transforming the competitiveness of businesses.*
Mike Blackburn, BT’s North West regional director, said:
“The arrival of super-fast broadband in Childwall and Rainford is a huge boost for local businesses and households. These are economically challenging times and super-fast broadband can transform their experience of the internet. They’re joining the more than seven million UK premises now passed by one of the world’s fastest growing fibre networks.
“Fast and reliable internet connections are an essential part of our national infrastructure, whether we want them for boosting our businesses, delivering essential public services , education online or entertainment at home. Nobody is doing more than BT to roll-out faster broadband across the region and we want to go further.
“The local authority, along with key local business organisations, are keen to get fibre broadband to as many local homes and businesses as possible and so we will offer our help and assistance to make that happen whilst ensuring that speeds are boosted in general.
“Internet users with a super-fast connection can do much more online, all at the same time. Upload speeds are the fastest in the UK and can deliver a major boost to the competitiveness of local businesses, offering them new ways of working flexibly and allowing large data and video files to be sent and received almost instantly. Other benefits include wider use of high quality videoconferencing and faster back-up of computer systems.”
At home a family could be simultaneously downloading a movie, watching a TV replay service, surfing the internet and playing games online. A music track can be downloaded in about two seconds, a whole album in 30 seconds and a feature length HD movie in 10 minutes, whilst high-resolution photos can be uploaded to Facebook in seconds.
Unlike other companies, Openreach offers access to all service providers on an open, wholesale basis, thereby underpinning a competitive market. For further information on Openreach’s super-fast broadband programme visit www.superfast-openreach.co.uk
Notes
*An installation charge may apply to any businesses or consumers wishing to take advantage of the 300MB on demand product.
** BT’s deployment plans are subject to an acceptable environment for investment.
News Source: http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=A84D9969-3619-4920-AE6D-F10FF9171427
Posted in Business Continuity Planning, Construction, Critical Infrastructure, E-commerce, Electric and Electronic Appliance Retail, Hire and Repair, Electronic Equipment and Computer Manufacturing, Ideas and Innovation, Information Technology, Internet Services, Media and Creative Services, Merseyside, Metal and Metal Products Manufacturing, Product Launches, Real Estate Services, Standards, Technology, Telecommunications, Telecommunications Services, The Work Place | Tagged Allerdale, Birkdale, BT, Childwall, fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), fibre to the premises (FTTP), Formby, Heswall, Lark Lane, Liverpool, Mbps, Mike Blackburn, Openreach, Rainford, St Helens, Stanley, Super-fast broadband |
By John Walker on February 22, 2012
Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) announced, today, that it has acquired Mykonos Software, the leading provider of Intrusion Deception Systems that protect websites and web applications. Under the terms of the agreement, Juniper acquired Mykonos Software for a cash purchase price of approximately $80 million.
Mykonos Software is a private company that was founded by serial entrepreneur David Koretz during those days of economic gloom at the beginning of 2009.
The acquisition allows Juniper to extend its security portfolio with the only intrusion deception system in the industry capable of detecting an attacker before an attack is in progress.
Koretz, chairman and chief executive officer of Mykonos Software, said:
…We are excited about the opportunity to leverage Juniper’s world-class organization to deliver the next generation of application security based on best of breed proactive and preventative technology.
Further information
How the Mykonos technology works.
News source: http://newsroom.juniper.net/press-releases/juniper-networks-announces-acquisition-of-mykonos–nyse-jnpr-0854389
Posted in Deals and Agreements, E-commerce, IT and Telecommunications Services, Ideas and Innovation, Information Security, Information Technology, Internet Services, North America, People and Players, Product Research and Development, Regulatory Compliance, Sales, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology | Tagged David Koretz, Juniper Networks, Mykonos Software |
By John Walker on February 15, 2012
Lunch time talk: Mark Stephens discusses his work as a solicitor specialising in media law, intellectual property rights and human rights.
Date: Friday 24th February 2012
Time: 1:15 pm at,
Venue: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH
Mark Stephens joins the ICA for this lunch time talk to discuss his work as a solicitor specialising in media law, intellectual property rights and human rights.
Speakers
Mark Stephens CBE
To Book
To book, call 020 7930 3647 or visit the ICA website.
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Related
Tens of thousands of protesters took part in protests across Europe on Saturday against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). An international accord that aims to cut trademark theft and tackle other online piracy.
Posted in Arts, Sports and Recreation, Contact Management, Film Production and Distribution, Governance, Information Security, Intellectual Property, Legal Advice, Legal services, Manufacturing, Media and Creative Services, Not-For-Profit Sector, Regulation, Regulatory Compliance, South West London (S.W.), Technology, Trade Shows, Seminars and Exhibitions | Tagged ACTA, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Mark Stephens |
By John Walker on February 15, 2012
Business Seminar: The Bribery Act - implications for your business
Date: Tuesday 6th March 2012
Time: 08.30 am to 10.00 am at,
Venue: Birkett Long, Basildon SS14 3EZ
The organisers, Birkett Long solicitors say:
The Bribery Act came into force on 1 July 2011 surrounded by a great deal of hype and uncertainty. Rather than jump in at the outset, at Birkett Long we have let the dust settle and now offer this seminar to answer the real questions that businesses have.
What is different about the new law? How can we make sure we have taken the right steps? What are the implications for our day to day activities? How will it affect our staff? These are the sort of questions that we will answer. Using a case study, our corporate governance experts and employment lawyers will provide practical advice. There will be ample opportunity to ask questions.
Speakers
David Wisbey, Birkett Long Chairman
Martin Hopkins, Birkett Long Partner
Tim Ogle, Birkett Long Partner
To Book
To book, call 01206 217334 or email yvonne.jenkins@birkettlong.co.uk
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Posted in Business Culture, Corporate Hospitality, Essex, Governance, Limited Liability Partnerships - LLPs, Morale, Political and Economic Philosophies, Politics & Legislation, Procurement, Public Spending and State Aid, Recruitment, Regulation, Reputation, Trade Shows, Seminars and Exhibitions, Training | Tagged Basildon, Birkett Long LLP, David Wisbey, Martin Hopkins, The Bribery Act, Tim Ogle |
