Photo of the Week: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

source: TIMES SQUARE AD COALITION
headline: TIMES SQUARE ADVERTISING COALITION MACY'S THANKSGIVING PARADE
caption: Saluting 85 years of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in Times Square. (PRNewsFoto/Times Square Advertising Coalition, Fred Rosenberg)
byline: FRED ROSENBERG
media contact info: George Lence, 917-270-0080, george@nicholaslence.com.
release date: 23 November 2011
release time: 13:01 EST
industries: ENT
city: NEW YORK
state: NY
country name: UNITED STATES
news release: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/signs-highlight-times-square-as-best-backdrop-for-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-134404598.html
photo identifier: 20111123/NY11866
credit: PR NEWSWIRE

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PR Newswire Stockholm Holds Seminar on the Emerging Social Media Landscape

PR Newswire Stockholm Holds Seminar on the Emerging Social Media Landscape

PR Newswire Stockholm presents a seminar and debate about the changing communications landscape and the effect of social and emerging media.



Stockholm, 15 November /PRNewswire/ — PR Newswire, the global leader in content and news distribution, recently held a two day event themed around ‘Emerging Media Today and Tomorrow’ hosted by Michael Pranikoff, Global Director of Emerging Media.

The communications landscape is constantly evolving and as a result the way you communicate and engage with your target audience needs to be continually reevaluated.

Both journalists and consumers have changed their media consumption patterns and as more and more content is uploaded every day it becomes increasingly harder to get your message out there and engage with your target audiences.



Michael discussed this ever changing environment and how to embrace these changes. He was joined over the two days by representatives from over 50 leading Nordic companies. The debate was followed by a champagne reception and a selection of canapés prepared by Stefan Eriksson (Swedish chef of the year 2005).

The response to the seminars was extremely positive and the demand to attend so high that many were left disappointed. As a result we decided to film the second day and make this available to everyone. You can find the presentation in five parts at www.youtube.com/PRNnordics

* Part 1 – Michael talks about engaging opportunities everywhere, the Swedish internet population and the content revolution. He also discusses the vast amount of content being uploaded and shared, as well as the complexity of new communication channels.

* Part 2 – Michael shares his thoughts on reach versus control when it comes to owned, paid and earned exposure, the complexity of the new marketing funnel, digital and traditional media, push and pull of content.

* Part 3 – Michael considers the new currency of trust over attention, where news consumers go to first for news about companies. He also talks about the long tail of corporate content and the importance of continuous communication. He also considers Twitter and the four types of Twitter users.

* Part 4 – Michael discusses the importance of search and context as the cornerstone of any successful communications strategy, and discusses how to adapt your content and news releases for search engines and how they affect the availability of your stories online. He also gives some best practice advice on how to write your news release to ensure internet visibility, keyword brainstorming ideas and the increasing importance of multimedia content.

* Part 5 – Michael analyses customer case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of multimedia assets in news releases, which type of information people share online and how to connect your various communications channels for enhanced search engine optimisation.



This was PR Newswire’s first event in the Nordics and given the extremely positive response will be the first of many.

“PR Newswire is the market leader globally within the content and news distribution markets because of our unparalleled network of news agencies, journalists, bloggers, websites and social media platforms. Our clients have to embrace an ever changing media landscape and Michael’s global experience really helped them understand how to take advantage of these new channels of distribution and the changing skill sets needed to be successful,” commented Johan Cohen, Nordic Director for PR Newswire.

He added, “We have been at the forefront of understanding and embracing this media revolution and have worked with our clients to develop a set of products that enable them to be successful in these spaces. As a result we have seen massive growth in the Nordic Region resulting in a move to our new offices by Stureplan in Stockholm where we hosted the seminars”

He continued, “The feedback we have had from clients who attended these events has been hugely positive and we are planning further events in the New Year where we will continue to listen and learn from our clients, working collaboratively to ensure our products and services continue to evolve in an ever changing media landscape.”

PR Newswire would like to thank all our guests who helped make these events such a success. We would also like to thank Vela who let us use her song Painkiller in our promotion video and lastly Able Film who made an excellent video that really captured the essence of the event.

PR Newswire is the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services, enabling organisations to connect and engage with their target audiences worldwide. Providing multimedia news targeting, distribution and monitoring products, PR Newswire helps you promote your brand, generate awareness, drive sales and increase revenue.


Media Contact:
Johan Cohen
Nordic Director PR Newswire
+46(0)8-1200-1301
Johan.cohen@prnewswire.se

Emerging Media Today and Tomorrow

* www.prnewswire.co.uk
* www.facebook.com/officialvela
* www.youtube.com/officialvela
* www.ablefilm.se
* www.youtube.com/PRNnordics

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The Arrest of New York Terrorist Bomber Jose Pimenthal

The alleged New York lone-wolf jihadist Jose Pimentel.


Read more at: http://www.investigativeproject.org/3303/the-ideas-behind-the-alleged-bomber

21 Nov 2011 21:05 Africa/Lagos


New York Bomber Suspect Arrest Prompts Warning: "Tune Into Your Surroundings During Thanksgiving Travel," Antiterrorism Expert Says

PR Newswire

BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2011

BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "The recent arrest of alleged New York bomber Jose Pimenthal underscores the need for all of us to be vigilant during the Thanksgiving travel rush," warns antiterrorism expert Todd McGhee who pioneered new security measures at Logan Airport, post 9/11 and later co-founded Protecting the Homeland Innovations, LLC in Braintree, Mass.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111102/NE98563 )

"Warning signs of a lone-wolf terrorist include hanging back when everyone is in a rush, appearing trancelike or spouting ideology. Tune into your surroundings instead of your iPod to pick up on out-of-step behaviors that could mean trouble," says McGhee.

On Sunday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the arrest of Jose Pimentel of Manhattan, "a 27-year-old Al Qaeda sympathizer" who he said was motivated by propaganda and planned to harm returning U.S. troops.

"If a stranger has to think about answering a simple questions like, 'Are you visiting your family?' it's a sign of trouble," says McGhee, adding, "This is what we teach security professionals to look for – subconscious responses people cannot hide. It's a like a tell in a poker player."

"Airport security is getting better, but the public must be aware of what to watch for and how to respond," says McGhee. McGhee's PHI (www.phitraining.com) provides antiterrorist training to security professionals at TSA, AMTRAK, NYPD and other agencies as well as public awareness campaigns.

"Pay attention to the ebb and flow of human activity in airports, rail stations and bus terminals to become more aware of behaviors that are out of step with the crowd. If you sense a threat go with your instincts. Move away and alert the nearest security professional or a gate agent. Do not try to detain the individual yourself. Your safety comes first," says McGhee.

McGhee adds, "Outside the boarding gates, airports are as public as city streets where anybody up to no good can hang out. Situational awareness helps to keep us safe from belligerent drunks, sexual predators, scammers and other troublemakers as well as terrorists."


SOURCE Protecting the Homeland Innovations, LLC

CONTACT: Richard Pirozzolo, +1-617-959-4613, dick@pirozzolo.com

Web Site: http://www.phitraining.com


Top Topics

Thanksgiving 2011

New York Terror Plot

MF Global Bankruptcy

Holiday Shopping

Lost Credit Card Claims Climb 19 Percent During the Holidays

Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety: Michael Jackson's Doctor and Other Recent Lawsuits: How Medical Practice Standards Affect Legal Liability

Lady Gaga is Coming to Town - Barneys New York Opens GAGA'S WORKSHOP and Unveils Madison Windows for the Holidays

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The Arrest of New York Terrorist Bomber Jose Pimenthal

The alleged New York lone-wolf jihadist Jose Pimentel.


Read more at: http://www.investigativeproject.org/3303/the-ideas-behind-the-alleged-bomber

21 Nov 2011 21:05 Africa/Lagos


New York Bomber Suspect Arrest Prompts Warning: "Tune Into Your Surroundings During Thanksgiving Travel," Antiterrorism Expert Says

PR Newswire

BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2011

BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "The recent arrest of alleged New York bomber Jose Pimenthal underscores the need for all of us to be vigilant during the Thanksgiving travel rush," warns antiterrorism expert Todd McGhee who pioneered new security measures at Logan Airport, post 9/11 and later co-founded Protecting the Homeland Innovations, LLC in Braintree, Mass.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111102/NE98563 )

"Warning signs of a lone-wolf terrorist include hanging back when everyone is in a rush, appearing trancelike or spouting ideology. Tune into your surroundings instead of your iPod to pick up on out-of-step behaviors that could mean trouble," says McGhee.

On Sunday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the arrest of Jose Pimentel of Manhattan, "a 27-year-old Al Qaeda sympathizer" who he said was motivated by propaganda and planned to harm returning U.S. troops.

"If a stranger has to think about answering a simple questions like, 'Are you visiting your family?' it's a sign of trouble," says McGhee, adding, "This is what we teach security professionals to look for – subconscious responses people cannot hide. It's a like a tell in a poker player."

"Airport security is getting better, but the public must be aware of what to watch for and how to respond," says McGhee. McGhee's PHI (www.phitraining.com) provides antiterrorist training to security professionals at TSA, AMTRAK, NYPD and other agencies as well as public awareness campaigns.

"Pay attention to the ebb and flow of human activity in airports, rail stations and bus terminals to become more aware of behaviors that are out of step with the crowd. If you sense a threat go with your instincts. Move away and alert the nearest security professional or a gate agent. Do not try to detain the individual yourself. Your safety comes first," says McGhee.

McGhee adds, "Outside the boarding gates, airports are as public as city streets where anybody up to no good can hang out. Situational awareness helps to keep us safe from belligerent drunks, sexual predators, scammers and other troublemakers as well as terrorists."


SOURCE Protecting the Homeland Innovations, LLC

CONTACT: Richard Pirozzolo, +1-617-959-4613, dick@pirozzolo.com

Web Site: http://www.phitraining.com


Top Topics

Thanksgiving 2011

New York Terror Plot

MF Global Bankruptcy

Holiday Shopping

Lost Credit Card Claims Climb 19 Percent During the Holidays

Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety: Michael Jackson's Doctor and Other Recent Lawsuits: How Medical Practice Standards Affect Legal Liability

Lady Gaga is Coming to Town - Barneys New York Opens GAGA'S WORKSHOP and Unveils Madison Windows for the Holidays

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Winners of "The 2011 American Music Awards®"

Click here for more photographs.

21 Nov 2011 06:29 Africa/Lagos


Winners Announced for "The 2011 American Music Awards®"
PERFORMANCES BY NICKI MINAJ, LMFAO, JUSTIN BIEBER, JENNIFER LOPEZ, PITBULL, KATY PERRY

Winners Include:
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Sprint New Artist of the Year: Hot Chelle Rae
Nicki Minaj, Adele, Bruno Mars and More
Katy Perry Receives Award of Achievement for Being the First Woman in History of Pop Music to Have Five No. 1 Singles from One Album

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Winners of the 39th Annual American Music Awards (AMAs) were announced this evening from the NOKIA Theatre, L.A LIVE. The show aired live on ABC at 8:00pm ET/ 7:00pm CT. Produced by dick clark productions (dcp), the 2011 AMAs were produced by Larry Klein and executive produced by Orly Adelson, president of dcp.

AMA highlights included live performances by Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Drake, an AMA record six collaborations including Nicki Minaj with David Guetta opening the show, Pitbull with Marc Anthony and Lil Jon, Gym Class Heroes with Adam Levine, will.i.am with Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias with Ludacris, and Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera. LMFAO closed the night out with a party filled with surprises.

Winners of the 39th American Music Awards included Taylor Swift winning (Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Artist / Country Music and Favorite Album / Country), Nicki Minaj taking home her very first American Music Awards (Favorite Artist, Rap/Hip-Hop and Favorite Album, Rap/Hip-Hop), Adele winning (Favorite Female Artist / Pop/Rock, Favorite Album / Pop/Rock and Favorite Artist / Adult Contemporary), Maroon 5 presented with (Favorite Band Duo or Group / Pop/Rock), Jennifer Lopez honored with (Favorite Artist / Latin Music), Hot Chelle Rae winning (Sprint New Artist of the Year award) and more. A complete list of winners is attached.

Katy Perry received a special AMA Award of Achievement for being the first woman in the history of pop music to have five No. 1 singles from one album.

Artists were honored in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, and Contemporary Inspirational.

This year, ABC aired a live pre-show "Countdown to The American Music Awards" hosted by Chris Harrison and Vanessa Lachey and live reporting by Ryan Devlin. In addition, fans were treated to the online pre-show "Coca-Cola Red Carpet LIVE! @ the 2011 AMAs" hosted by Lance Bass, Michael Buckley, Estelle, Sarah Hyland, Mario, Audrina Patridge and Josh Sussman that streamed live online worldwide at ABC.com, Livestream.com/AMAs and other partner sites.

About the Voting --

American Music Awards® nominees are selected from both BigChampagne's Ultimate Chart and Mediabase. The Ultimate Chart is a ranked list of the most popular artists and songs based on a weighted combination of music sales, radio and TV broadcast, internet streaming and video viewing, and incorporating additional online metrics, including activity on social networks. Mediabase monitors more than 1,800 radio stations in 180 U.S. and Canadian markets, 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week and provides vital airplay and programming information to more than 1,700 affiliate radio stations and every major broadcast group. Winners are chosen by public vote online.

About dick clark productions, inc. --

Founded in 1957, dick clark productions, inc. (dcp) is a leading independent producer of television programming. dcp produces perennial hits such as the "American Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Academy of Country Music Awards," and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest." dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including "So You Think You Can Dance," and owns and maintains one of the world's most unique and extensive entertainment libraries, which includes more than 30 years of "American Bandstand" footage. For additional information about dcp, please visit www.dickclarkproductions.com

About the American Music Awards --

In 1973 Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to pay tribute to popular musicians from various genres of music and to put audiences in touch with the latest phenomena in American music. Since its founding, the AMAs have honored and showcased the talents of some of the biggest names in the music industry. For press credential requests, please go to http://ama.dickclark.com.

ABC Media Relations:
Edwin Escobar (818) 460-7758, edwin.escobar@abc.com
Kristen Andersen (818) 460-7421, kristen.Andersen@abc.om

dick clark productions:
Lynda Dorf (310) 255-4650, ldorf@dickclark.com
Brian Rubin (310) 255-4602, brubin@dickclark.com

SLATE PR:
Andy Gelb (310) 461-0111, andy@slate-pr.com
Stephanie Samson (310) 461-0111, stephanie@slate-pr.com

2011 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS
WINNERS
NOVEMBER 20TH, 2011

POP or ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Bruno Mars

Favorite Female Artist
Adele

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Maroon 5

Favorite Album
Adele/21

COUNTRY MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Blake Shelton

Favorite Female Artist
Taylor Swift

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Lady Antebellum

Favorite Album
Taylor Swift/Speak Now

RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Nicki Minaj

Favorite Album
Nicki Minaj/Pink Friday

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Usher

Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce

Favorite Album
Rihanna/Loud

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Foo Fighters

ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Adele

LATIN MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Jennifer Lopez

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Favorite Artist
Casting Crowns

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

Sprint New Artist Of The Year
Hot Chelle Rae

SOURCE dick clark productions

Web Site: http://www.dickclarkproductions.com

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

21 Nov 2011

13:00 The Recording Academy® Announces 2012 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® Inductees

06:29 Winners Announced for "The 2011 American Music Awards®"

18 Nov 2011

20:55 Presenters Announced For the 39th Annual "American Music Awards®" Sunday, November 20th on ABC

15:00 Legacy Recordings Announces Now, Then & Forever, the Ultimate Earth, Wind & Fire Album Coming January 31, 2012

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Top Nigerian Newspaper Publisher Alex Ibru Passes Away

Dr. Alex Ibru left a great legacy.

The Founder and Publisher of the best newspaper in Nigeria has passed on. The great legacy of Chief Alex Ibru, The Guardian newspapers redefined and transformed the image and practice of modern journalism in Nigeria that indeed made The Guardian the flagship of the Nigerian press and a vehicle for the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa.

May his soul rest in peace.


~ from Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report online and founder of the annual Eko International Film Festival.

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Where in the World is Regis Going?

After "Live with Regis and Kelly," Regis Philbin will be appearing as a guest speaker aboard ultra-luxe Crystal Cruises' March 13, 2012 Hong Kong to Osaka sailing. (PRNewsFoto/Crystal Cruises)

18 Nov 2011 21:46 Africa/Lagos


Where in the World is Regis Going?

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With today marking Regis Philbin's last day on television's popular daytime talk show, Live with Regis and Kelly, rumors are rampant about what he'll be doing next. Here's one truth: come March 13, he'll be heading east—the Far East that is, as a guest speaker aboard Crystal Cruises' Hong Kong to Osaka voyage of its World Cruise.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111118/LA09998)

Multiple Emmy Award-winner and the Guinness World Record holder for "most hours on camera," Philbin is renowned in the U.S. for more than 50 years hosting TV talk shows, game shows, and a plethora of other entertainment programming. As part of Crystal's award-winning enrichment program, guests will have a rare opportunity to see, and interact with, the ever-affable "Reeg," speaking about his life and legendary career. Guests can experience his trademark wit "live" without the cameras, and even have their own fun chat session with him via an audience Q&A. His wife, Joy, will accompany him on the sailing.

Philbin has had a long-time rapport with Crystal, having sailed as a celebrity guest speaker more than 10 years ago, and, in more recent years, presenting Crystal President Gregg Michel with Condé Nast Traveler's "Best Large-Ship" Readers' Choice Award.

"Given all the opportunities open to him, we're thrilled Mr. Philbin wanted to come back aboard for another star-treatment 'Crystal Experience'," says Crystal's Vice President of Entertainment Bret Bullock.

The "Kingdoms of Silk & Jade" Crystal Serenity sailing overnights in Hong Kong before visiting Xiamen, Shanghai (overnight), and Dalian, then heads inland to Beijing for a complimentary three-day inland adventure, followed by calls in Seoul/Incheon (overnight), Nagasaki, and Osaka (overnight).

Crystal Cruises' award-winning entertainment offerings include a range of venues and performances, from cabaret nightclub to piano bar saloon; acclaimed productions to headline entertainers; and sophisticated enrichment activities to in-room Blu-ray-viewing, for all world travelers. The renowned Crystal Experience has been rated "World's Best" more than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

CONTACT: Mimi Weisband or Susan Wichmann 310-203-4305, mediarelations@crystalcruises.com
VISIT: Crystal's Media Center

SOURCE Crystal Cruises

Web Site: http://www.crystalcruises.com

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Chevron In Open Conflict With Brazil and Ecuador Over Worsening Oil Spills

American Company Faces Loss of Credibility With Oil Producing Nations in Latin America

QUITO, Ecuador, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chevron, which already faces allegations of fraud over an $18 billion liability in Ecuador for environmental damage, is being accused in Brazil of trying to cover up the extent of an oil spill caused by one of the company's offshore drilling rigs, leading to the company's second major conflict with a key Latin American oil-producing nation.

Misleading statements from Chevron about the size of the November 8th spill and its containment have led several Brazilian officials and environmental groups to criticize Chevron and demand more transparency from the oil giant, said Karen Hinton, spokesperson for the Ecuadorians who successfully sued Chevron for massive oil contamination in the rainforest.

According to the environmental group Greenpeace, whose activists today spilled black ink at the door of Chevron's Rio office, satellite pictures obtained by NASA show a spill "10 times bigger" than Chevron's estimate of 330 barrels a day. Rio state's Environmental Secretary Carlos Mink said, "The accident must be bigger than what is being announced. We are going to demand compensation…. The company must be punished in an exemplary manner."

Chevron already is in open conflict with Ecuador's government as part of its strategy to discredit the $18 billion judgment against it obtained in Ecuador's courts by rainforest residents. For almost three decades, Chevron's predecessor company Texaco dumped billions of gallons of toxic oil waste into the Amazon, leading to an environmental and public health catastrophe that dwarfs the extent of the BP calamity, according to evidence before the Ecuador court.

"Chevron's oil disaster in Brazil, and apparent cover-up, once again shows that the company has a systemic problem in failing to meet its environmental obligations to the communities where it does business," said Pablo Fajardo, the lead Ecuadorian lawyer who defeated Chevron in the 18-year legal battle.

"This type of dishonest behavior clearly puts Chevron at a competitive disadvantage relative to its peers, particularly in Latin America," he added.

Humberto Piaguaje, an indigenous leader in the area of Ecuador where Chevron operated, said Brazil should not trust Chevron to take responsibility for its actions.

"In Ecuador, we have lived with Chevron's contamination for five decades, and the company has refused to pay for the damage and destruction it caused. All governments in Latin America should beware of these basic facts before they do business with this company," said Piaguaje.

Chevron's management of its oil spills is not much better even in the United States. The oil giant recently agreed to a $4.5 million settlement with environmental officials in the state of Utah for two oil spills that polluted a creek and city pond. In that incident, Chevron also underestimated the amount of oil spilled, which contaminated a lake and impacted fish and wildlife.

In Ecuador, Chevron has tried to pressure President Rafael Correa to violate his country's Constitution – which guarantees Separation of Powers and an independent judiciary – and reach into the courthouse in Lago Agrio to quash the lawsuit, said Fajardo.

After an eight-year trial, the Ecuador court found Chevron responsible for the systematic dumping of billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon from 1964 to 1992, when Texaco operated a large oil concession with 378 wells and production stations. The dumping decimated indigenous groups and created a spike in cancer rates and other oil-related illnesses, according to evidence before the court.

The indigenous and farmer communities in the area of Ecuador where Chevron operated have accused the oil giant of fraud in trying to cover up several waste pits with dirt and engaging in a sham remediation to hide its environmental crimes, said Fajardo.

Contact: Karen Hinton, 703-798-3109, Karen@hintoncommunications.com

SOURCE Amazon Defense Coalition

http://hintoncommunications.com/

Iconic Image of Steve Jobs On TIME Magazine Commemorative Cover

16 Nov 2011 14:11 Africa/Lagos


Iconic Image of Steve Jobs, taken by Award-Winning Photographer Norman Seeff, selected for Time Magazine Commemorative Cover. (PRNewsFoto/Norman Seeff)

Iconic Image of Steve Jobs, Taken by Award-Winning Photographer Norman Seeff, Selected for Time Magazine Commemorative Cover
Limited archival prints of image available for sale by private collector

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning photographer Norman Seeff's image of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs was recently featured on the cover of Time and on the back cover of the Walter Isaacson-penned biography "Steve Jobs". It was also selected by Apple for their October 19 Memorial Service commemorating Jobs' life. The 1984 session took place at Jobs' home in Woodside, CA.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111116/LA07820)

Norman Seeff, who photographed Jobs sitting cross-legged with a new Macintosh on his lap, spoke of Jobs' intensity and determination, a quality Seeff says he also saw when he photographed musical greats Ray Charles and Tina Turner, and film directors Billy Wilder and Martin Scorsese. "Those people have what I call 'far vision.' They look out to the future." commented Seeff. He continued, "The dreamer always has a vision of the possibilities in the future. That was my sense of Steve."

Several archival 16" x 20" gelatin silver prints from this session are being offered for sale. The collector is also selling other vintage prints of Seeff's including Joni Mitchell, Andy Warhol, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Steve Martin and Martin Scorsese and more. See the gallery of images at: www.nssilverprints.com.


ABOUT NORMAN SEEFF
South African-born Seeff has been photographing and filming cultural, political and historical figures since his arrival to the US in 1969. His subjects range from rock and pop stars such as Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and will.i.am to cultural figures including Bob Fosse, Steve Jobs, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe and Andy Warhol.

A former creative director at United Artists Records, he has photographed and art directed the covers of hundreds of the most influential rock and pop albums including The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, The Eagle's Hotel California , Fleetwood Mac's Tusk and Tina Turner's Private Dancer.

Beginning with Ike & Tina Turner in 1975, Seeff began filming his photo sessions, using them as a launching point to explore the energy and inspiration of the creative process at work.


His film and tape archive of more than 800 shoots with musical artists, film directors, authors, television personalities, scientists, visionaries and entrepreneurs provides a unique insight of artists and innovators in the act of creation. It is being developed as The Sessions Project for public exhibition.

After 10 years as an A-list director of commercials in the 1990's, Seeff returned to photography and documentary filmmaking in 1999, directing and producing projects for the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Paramount Television and the California Institute of Technology. Seeff's recently completed documentary Triumph of the Dream explores the inner dynamics of the creative process of the engineers and scientists responsible for landing the two Rovers on Mars in 2004.

SOURCE Norman Seeff

CONTACT: Mary Ann Mattiello, +1-818-585-5240, maryann@nssilverprints.com

Web Site: http://www.nssilverprints.com













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IBM Study Reveals Challenges Midmarket CMOs Face to Sustain Brand Loyalty

The proliferation of social media and mobile devices is creating a new breed of consumers who are digitally savvy and able to quickly compare and evaluate which products and services they want to buy. Everyday consumers are creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data with 90 percent of the world's data created in the last two years alone. Savvy marketers are gaining insight from social media and incorporating it into their strategies. The key is predicting what consumers will want and then adapting marketing strategies to give them the right product when, where, and at what price they want it. The global IBM study of Midmarket CMOs revealed that building and sustaining brand loyalty is the top concern for today's midmarket CMOs, yet 72 percent do not feel sufficiently prepared to effectively build this loyalty. (PRNewsFoto/IBM)


16 Nov 2011 12:00 Africa/Lagos

IBM Study Reveals Challenges Midmarket CMOs Face to Sustain Brand Loyalty with Today's Social Consumer

Retailers Lee Jeans and wehkamp.nl Team with IBM to Engage the Individual Consumer through Social Channels

PR Newswire

ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2011

ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new global IBM (NYSE: IBM) study of Midmarket Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) revealed that building and sustaining brand loyalty is the top concern for today's midmarket CMOs, yet 72 percent do not feel sufficiently prepared to effectively build this loyalty. Additionally, 70 percent of midmarket CMOs are concerned about data explosion, as they are tasked with making sense of highly complex information generated constantly from a variety of sources such as consumer blogs, tweets, mobile texts and videos.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111116/NY07839 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

Today's CMOs need to be prepared to deal with an empowered consumer who is impacting brands instantly on Twitter, Facebook and other social channels. 61 percent of midmarket CMOs are struggling with how to manage the impact of social media will have on their marketing function. Many CMOs today are focused primarily on understanding market segments versus understanding the individual consumer in order to shape marketing strategies. Fewer than 50 percent of midmarket CMOs are taking the time to understand and evaluate the impact of consumer generated reviews, blogs and third party rankings on their brands.



The proliferation of social media and mobile devices is creating a new breed of consumers who are digitally savvy and able to quickly compare and evaluate which products and services they want to buy. Mobile commerce is expected to reach $31 billion by 2016, yet 62 percent of midmarket CMOs report being underprepared to deal with the proliferation of channels and devices. This increase in the mobile shopping trend further increases marketing challenges, complicates data collection and analysis, and threatens both customer service and customer retention.

Like their peers in larger organizations, midmarket CMOs are also being held more financially accountable to their organizations to produce business outcomes at a faster pace. The study also revealed that while midmarket CMOs believe ROI on marketing dollars spent will be the most important measuring stick for determining success of their business by 2015, the study noted 72 percent of CMOs are underprepared to manage the plummeting level of brand loyalty.

Aside from current economic conditions, there's an even bigger factor impacting brand loyalty. Innovations in technology and the spread of social networking have provided buyers with new tools for discovering, comparing, evaluating, choosing and experiencing brands. With the growth of social networks and a need for transparency, trust and personal exchanges between the consumer and the marketplace are now forming the cornerstone of small and midsize marketing efforts.

Everyday consumers are creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data with 90 percent of the world's data created in the last two years alone. Savvy marketers are gaining insight from social media and incorporating it into their strategies. The key is predicting what consumers will want and then adapting marketing strategies to give them the right product when, where, and at what price they want it.

Today, retailers are embracing technologies such as analytics to make sense of massive amounts of data consumers are generating every single second to effectively target the individual consumer and enhance the shopping experience.

Lee Jeans Teams with IBM to Understand the Individual Consumer

Lee Jeans, one of the most recognizable apparel brands in the world faced the challenge of capturing and analyzing the huge volume of information being generated by a variety of sources before any merchandising decisions could be made on its website, Lee.com. By adopting analytics technology, Lee employees now have the capability to quickly make informed decisions that will improve the consumer's shopping experience.

Now, all the information that merchandisers need such as how well items sell, what is currently in stock and what consumers are saying through social media channels is organized into simple visuals that are shown over product thumbnail images on the Lee website. With this visual layout that mirrors Lee.com, the merchandisers can easily move products around based on popularity and availability. Merchandisers are able to see which products are being viewed most often and most importantly, which ones are being purchased most often. This ultimately allows the Lee team to display the site in a way that provides the best shopping experience for consumers.

Lee is now also able to obtain all product view data, online sales, abandonment rates and conversion rates to give Lee merchandisers a quick snapshot of product performance. Lee is also capturing consumer sentiment data generated from social media channels such as Facebook and brand rating website Bazaarvoice. Facebook 'Likes' and Bazaarvoice ratings are also included in the tool at the product level and these insights are used to help with marketing and merchandising decisions. Using social media and analytics Lee can now make faster and more informed merchandising decisions targeted at its customers with a simple click of the mouse.

Analytics Helps European Retailer, wehkamp.nl Shift Casual Online Browsers to Committed Shoppers

With more consumers shopping online from their smartphones, the average buyer has grown savvier with purchases, performing extensive research beforehand and always hunting for better deals. As a result, online bargain hunters frequently add various products to their shopping cart, only to abandon these shopping sessions. If online retailers cannot recapture a potential customer's interest and draw the shopper back to that previous shopping session, sales are likely to go to a competitor, even if the price is no different.

wehkamp.nl, retailer based in the Netherlands, sells brand-name clothing along with home appliances, beauty products, furniture and computer equipment. The home shopping retailer receives more than a million unique visitors to its website, many of these visitors continuing on to other online retailers after browsing wehkamp.nl's wares.

As the holiday season begins, wehkamp.nl recognized the immense value that could be tapped by recapturing the interest and sales of these online browsers. wehkamp.nl is using IBM analytics technology to track a consumer's browsing and purchasing history to create a unique customer experience with display ads, personalized emails and on-site product recommendations, capturing the interest and dollars of online shoppers.

For example, if a shopper had viewed several skirts during an earlier visit, the company can regain the shopper's interest by tailoring the message specifically to the holiday or occasion and choosing specific delivery methods and timing. To date, wehkamp.nl has driven increased sales and customer loyalty across its various product lines by better capturing the attention of potential customers, even those who have left its website with a 271 percent increase in sales.

"Social media now offers a clear opportunity for companies of all sizes to sit at the same table and engage directly with the consumer. This has changed the way brand loyalty is acquired and earned," said Andy Monshaw, general manager of IBM Midmarket Business. "With the explosion of social media, businesses are gaining the opportunity to understand and target the consumer better, that is opening up new avenues for small and midsize businesses to realize the potential of this new information and communication technologies, but face the daunting task of intercepting and interpreting vast quantities of data to find -- meaningful insights."

For more information on the CMO Study: http://www.ibm.com/cmommstudy2011/
To register for the Smarter Commerce webcast on Nov. 17 at 10am ET: http://bit.ly/rAg0vX

For more information on IBM Midmarket Business: http://bit.ly/joxxPq
Facebook Page: IBM for Midsize Businesses: http://on.fb.me/sHgobr
Follow us on Twitter at: #MidmarketIBM
To hear how IBM is working with midmarket clients: http://bit.ly/rIjE5A

Contact:
Lizette Kodama
IBM Media Relations
646-675-0750
lkodama@us.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

Web Site: http://www.ibm.com

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