Month: August 2022

45% of Irish consumers expect to spend more money during the World Cup 2022

45% of Irish consumers expect to spend more money during the World Cup 2022, as revealed in new consumer research of 250 Irish respondents aged 18+ conducted by Talon Ireland and Bounce Insights.

Ireland is a nation of football enthusiasts, with football being the second most-watched sport. Despite not competing in the tournament, Talon Ireland expects to see increased engagement and movement from this audience profile.

The consumer behaviour study identifies two viewing opportunities – In home viewership and Out-of-Home viewership. 50% of respondents will be watching the matches at home. 27% planning to watch the matches in the pub and 11% of those surveyed are unsure of their plans yet, only knowing that they will be watching with friends – providing an opportunity to connect.

Out-of-Home Viewership: Targeting Opportunities

Data from Talon Ireland and Bounce Insights shows that Irish consumers are planning to walk (34%), drive (22%), taxi (17%), bus or DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) (17%) to watch the game, this highlights huge opportunities for Out-of-home (OOH) advertising. With most matches kicking off around the afternoon time, there is further opportunity for brands to capitalise on dynamic digital Out-of-Home (OOH) as brands can build up excitement and hype in the morning and target consumers who are out and about before the games begin.

In-Home Viewership: Targeting Opportunities

Irish fans plan on spending more on food and drink to elevate their In-home experiences. This year, given the tournament timing, there are likely to be more spontaneous gatherings than normal, all accompanied by food and drink. According to the data, snacks (66%) and beer (54%) are the items at the top of everyone’s list, creating a huge revenue opportunity for brands in this sector. Not to mention pizza (46%), crisps (45%), wine (22%), Chinese (18%), spirits (16%) and Indian (5%).

Although reports state that Irish consumers plan on cutting spending due to Inflation concerns, this new data reveals that the impact of the World Cup on consumer spending is still massive, especially given that this year’s tournament aligns with Christmas. 45% of respondents have admitted that they will be spending more money during the World Cup, with 47% unsure of the amount they will be spending and only a small minority (9%) saying they will be spending less.

Aoife Hudson, Deputy Managing Director at Talon Ireland, said: “With the world’s most anticipated sporting event of 2022 kicking off in November this year, and the final game set to take place just a week before Christmas, the advertising sector is gearing itself up for a very busy Q4. Without a doubt brands and advertisers need to put their best creative foot forward and tackle this quarter head-on. And Out-of-Home advertising (OOH) is the ultimate creative canvas for brands to capitalise on consumer interest for this once in four-year opportunity.”

With anticipation building, now is a critical time for brands to start planning their Out-of-Home (OOH) campaigns and gain that competitive advantage against their competitors. Talon Ireland has highlighted a few tips for advertisers to remember when planning World Cup campaigns:

  1. Preliminary planning. The timing of the FIFA World Cup tournament is a first for many. It begins on the 21st of November right through to the 18th of December which brings us right up to Christmas week. Traditionally it is the busiest time of year for advertising, however, this year even more so, putting strain on inventory availability.
  2. Be creative. Creativity is one of the most powerful weapons under a marketer’s control. There are countless studies to prove that creative Out-of-Home campaigns increase effectiveness. In this digital era, if your creative is compelling enough, people will do the amplification for you.
  3. Multi-environment approach. Growing investment, acceleration in digital and increased innovation means Out-of-Home formats can help your brand capture the full attention of the consumer through a multi-environment approach. Our research gave us insight into where spectators will be watching these games. Your campaign can be built into each environment they visit, from the moment they leave their house right through to their final destination.

F1 Manager 2022’s behind the scenes series heads toward the chequered flag with a look at motion-captured race weekends

Frontier Developments plc have  revealed their fourth behind-the-scenes video for F1® Manager 2022, the major new officially licenced F1® management simulation game. F1® Manager 2022 will launch on August 30 (August 25 for players who pre-order*) on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Steam and the Epic Games Store.

As the behind-the-scenes series continues, in ‘Episode 4 – True to Form’, players are introduced to Principal Mocap Specialist, Tina Nischan and Lead Animator, Tim West, whose work in bringing the paddock alive has created an authentic, true-to-life F1® experience in F1® Manager 2022.

Players are welcomed into the studio for the day, as they are immersed in the emotion of F1® through impressive motion capture technology. From podium celebrations to live reactions following a successful overtake, F1® Manager 2022 replicates the broadcast-style camera shots seen by fans across the globe during moments of high drama.

 

To accomplish this, Frontier brought together a group of professional motion capture performers and used real F1® car components, bringing further depth and immersion to the hub of race weekend activity. This is one of many ways Frontier has created a realistic F1® experience across the board, alongside car designs inspired by 2022’s regulation changes, detailed circuits, audio from real-world team radios and 3D scans of all twenty 2022 F1® drivers.

Frontier joined the BWT Alpine F1® team at Silverstone, working with their pit-crew to ensure that key elements of a race weekend such as vital pit-stops were accurately replicated in-game. Fernando Alonso’s No.1 mechanic, Jonny Goodenough, and Louise Turner, Team Inspector, join the team to discuss their roles within Alpine and the importance of pit-stops in achieving success on the track. In F1® Manager 2022, as in the real sport, a well-orchestrated pit-stop can be the difference between success and disappointment. Players will have to utilise their tactical planning to adapt their strategy on the fly, investing in their race engineers and managing their pit crew’s training focus to mitigate the risk of a mistake.

F1® Manager 2022 launches on August 30 on PC, PlayStation® 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99. Players looking to get ahead of the grid can pre-order the game digitally now and experience F1® Manager 2022 a full five days early from August 25*. The game will also be available in physical format for PlayStation® 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99.

*Early access and discount is exclusively available to those pre-ordering digitally. On PlayStation platforms, players must be a PlayStation Plus subscriber to receive the 10% pre-order discount.

The Future of Customer Experience has arrived as XDS Brand launches in Ireland

XDS Brand, a new and dynamic branding, packaging and implementation agency powered by Perigord, has today announced their official launch into the market, working with Irish based and international clients across a range of industries including FMCG, Retail and Life Science. The new agency will be a key part of the Tech Mahindra family through its Experience Design Services (XDS) division. The Dublin based company will be focusing on human-centred and purpose-driven experiences for their clients including innovative brand strategies, creating engaging, functional and sustainable packaging and comprehensive marketing communication solutions.

The announcement is part of the continuous development of the XDS Division within Tech Mahindra, an Indian multinational that specialises in digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services, acquired a 70% stake in Perigord in March 2021. The establishment of XDS Brand, powered by Perigord, and together with other XDS division companies such as BORN Group, Pininfarina, Mad*Pow and the Bio Agency and many others, will allow the agencies to collaborate together, crafting the best strategies for customer experience (CX) throughout all channels and therefore, ensuring that XDS Brand is a leader in the market not only in Ireland but on a global level as well.

XDS Brand will provide an even broader range of services to Perigord and Tech Mahindra clients and will have a larger team at their disposal thanks to the resources of the Tech Mahindra and the XDS network. This will include 40 new positions being created this year in Ireland and based in the company’s Dublin office. Additionally, XDS Brand plans to develop an international team across Ireland, the US and India within the next 18 months.

As part of today’s announcement, XDS Brand is also announcing the appointment of Salvatore Acerba as their new Vice President of Client Partnerships. His most recent role was as Vice President of Sales in SGS & Co and has previously held senior positions across a number of world renowned businesses within the branding and packaging industry over a 25 year career.

Speaking on today’s announcements, Gary Orr, CCO of Perigord & XDS Brand said, “We are delighted to finally announce the launch of XDS Brand and forming a new part of the Tech Mahindra XDS division, which boasts the top CX agencies in the world. With the XDS Brand forming part of this division it will allow us to develop our collective ambition of being the global leader in branding and packaging solutions. Furthermore, It will permit us to expand our goal of advising our clients on sustainable packaging, carbon footprint reduction and ensuring they are in line with their own objectives when it comes to ESG values. 

Additionally, we are excited to welcome Salvatore to XDS Brand as our new Vice President of Client Partnerships. His CV is world class and I am looking forward to collaborating with him as we look to develop and grow even further in the US market.”

Also commenting on his appointment, Salvatore Acerba, XDS Brand Vice President of Client Partnerships said, “I am honoured to be taking up this position with XDS Brand. They have shown that the company is on the cutting edge of expanding their clients’ branding from all aspects from sustainable packaging to augmented reality experiences. I am looking forward to working closely with Gary and the wider international team in ensuring that XDS Brand broadens its client base not only across the US but globally as the leader in this industry.”

JBL – Tour One headphones Quantum TWS earbuds and Tune Flex earbuds – First Look

As promised we would be back with more from JBL and here it is so we will be kept busy over the coming weeks with the latest from JBL and of course we look forward to testing these new products and soon we will have a real full hands on review of all the new products and do not forget the Quantum stream mic and the JBL reflect aero earbuds we just unboxed.

When we checked out these at the Dublin launch we were impressed at the new products and to start off the list their new headphones was on the top of my list and these I look forward to the most but but of course they all get the same treatment and we will have a full hands on review soon so check them out below and these come with True Adaptive Noise Cancelling JBL Pro Sound, hi-res certified and 4-mic Technology for Accurate and clear voice calls and comes with a nice travel case with goodies inside..

BUY 

Next is the Quantum TWS earbuds which are intended for the gamer but realistically anyone can use these, again a small stemmed earbud with nice silver accents and matt black finish and comes with an adapter to keep the latency issues at bay aka dual source which is a neat addition to the package. Also featured is JBL Quantum SURROUND and a Low latency wireless connection Fast Pair.

BUY 

Finally we have the JBL Tune Flex that come in a cool flat backed case with UBC charging and also inside we have a small case for the tips alone which is cool and not seen before and these are for the bass lovers so stay tune for more on these in the coming weeks and any questions you have you can ask on all our social handles and of course Youtube where we hang out quite a bit. The Tune flex come with JBL Pure Bass Sound , Active Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient and 4 mics for perfect calls so a bit of an all rounder here.

BUY

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4 Ways to Protect Your eCommerce Store From Cyber Criminals

eCommerce sites have always been hot targets for cyberattacks. These stores are treasure troves of financial and personal data for hackers. For businesses of all sizes, a security breach would mean the loss of sensitive data and trust from customers. This would cause huge financial losses to the business. This post is about the steps you as an eCommerce business owner can take to protect your business from hackers.

The Importance of eCommerce Security

eCommerce website security is crucial, as it protects:

 

  • Sensitive data and the privacy of customers on a website.
  • Safeguards the finances of online businesses.
  • Prevents fraud and financial scams.
  • Defends the reputation of an online store as safe to do transactions. 

 

When security measures are not implemented on an online store, the merchant and customers alike are at high risk for scams, data breaches, payment fraud, and other bigger threats. 

Your customers need to feel that their privacy and data are protected and that none of their information will be used without their knowledge. Below are some ways to protect your online business from cybercriminals. 

Use Data Encryption

All the information that buyers put into the website has to be encrypted. This includes email addresses, credit card information, phone numbers, and other personal details that hackers might use for identity theft. These types of information are used by online criminals for phishing.

Get Secure Server Layer Certificates (SSL)

Among the benefits of using SSL certificates in your website is encrypting data that is shared online. SSL certificates ensure that the information you share reaches the intended person. It is a crucial step as data sent passes through multiple computers before the intended server receives it. 

If SSL certificate encryption is unavailable, electronic devices between the sender and server can be able to access sensitive information. Hackers can read your exposed credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data. 

Use Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)

HTTPS is among the best ways you can secure an eCommerce store from fraud. It is an online protocol for a secure and safe internet connection. Websites that use HTTPS usually have a green lock in the address bar. The green lock means that the site is authentic, secure and that it is what it claims to be. 

Sites that use HTTPS rank higher in Google search ranks. However, before you enable HTTPS in your site, you need to acquire an SSL certificate.  

Use Anti-Malware Software

Your computer systems, web systems, and electronic devices need software or a program capable of detecting and blocking malware. Such kind of protective software is called anti-malware software. Effective anti-malware should scan your website round the clock. It should also let you automate and schedule scans daily, weekly etc. You can also use USB device control software to control USB devices to protect Windows OS.

 

Endnote

Online businesses should employ several security measures and protocols to ensure their stores remain afloat. Apart from the steps above, always ensure that you’ve implemented a proactive eCommerce security solution across your online businesses. 

 

Review of the Mobiletrader Application From Major Financial Broker Roboforex

Every experienced trader knows that time is the most valuable resource in this business. It is very important to be able to track any fluctuations and make transactions at any time. Mobile applications such as MobileTrader: Online Trading are an easy solution to this problem. In this article, we will analyze how convenient this application is and whether it will help you in your work.

Availability to Users

Before you can start interacting with any application, you need to install it on your device. MobileTrader: Online Trading has no problem with this, as it is publicly available on Google Play and offers free downloads. So you can access the market in just a couple of minutes, which is all it takes to install and sign up for the app.

Convenience First

The applications focus on a wide range of users is evidenced by its interface. It was developed by a specialized team of designers and mobile application developers. As a result, the application has an intuitive and simple interface. This makes a new user possible to adapt to the system in a matter of minutes.

Variety of Possibilities

MobileTrader: Online Trading will be a great choice for those who want to cover several areas of trading at once. The app allows you to exchange currencies, trade stocks, invest, and much more at the same time. In addition, you can try demo trading through the app, where you can test your tactics and assumptions.

Useful Tools
A user-friendly platform should have tools that will help the trader in his business. This applies to MobileTrader: Online Trading. Through this application on your phone you will have:
 Many charts are updated in real time
 Fourteen trading indicators
 Tools for chart analysis
 Open news portal

Security
Trading is built entirely on finances and their flow. That’s why every user worries about the safety of their account. With MobileTrader: Online Trading you have full control over your account in the app. You can perform any operations with it at any time, as well as view the history of its manipulations.

LEGO opens its first store in Ireland on Grafton street.

After months of anticipation, the LEGO Group opened the doors to the first ever LEGO Store in Ireland. Located in the heart of Dublin at 41 Grafton Street, the LEGO Store is already delighting fans, both young and old, with an exciting collection of sets and experiences.

LEGO-lovers from far and wide gathered at the opening, excited to see the new features and the uniquely Irish themes displayed throughout the store. Customers were immersed in the LEGO magic with Irish dancers, a LEGO mascot, extravagant displays and branded theatre turning the top of Grafton Street into Ireland’s very own LEGO-land. Sadly I am away on hols at the moment but the first thing I will be doing is taking a visit when I return and perhaps add some more to my car collection.

Visitors to the new store will be treated to the new ‘Retailtainment’ concept which blends physical and digital experiences that allow shoppers to immerse themselves in the famous LEGO brick, as well as create personalised products. This includes:

  • Minifigure Factory: The LEGO Minifigure Factory allows visitors to design and create a unique LEGO Minifigure – the perfect souvenir from your visit or gift for someone else.
  • LEGO Pick a Brick Wall: The Pick a Brick Wall is a great way for fans to select the exact elements that they require for their builds.
  • Store Associates: Whether visitors are picking out a gift, looking for the latest set or bringing your LEGO fan in for a special treat, Brick Specialists can help find a set that’s the perfect fit.
  • Hands-on Play opportunities, including free build challenges and events each month.
  • Build a Minifigure Tower mix and match from a wide selection of bottoms, tops, heads, hair pieces and accessories to customize minifigures.
  • Exclusive LEGO models: Look out for eye-catching 3D LEGO models throughout the store inspired by the city of Dublin and Irish culture

 

Natali Stojovic, Senior Vice President, LEGO Retail, The LEGO Group, said, “We are elated to see so many loyal fans come out for the first ever Irish LEGO Store and are happily opening our doors to give them the full LEGO experience and a weekend they will never forget.

“It’s fantastic to see guests interact with the latest in-store experiences and the new Retailtainment concept. The Dublin store will allow builders of all ages to be inspired by endless play possibilities and for new builders to welcome them into a new exciting journey of discovery into the LEGO universe.”

The brand-new LEGO store is offering the full range of exciting new products only available direct from LEGO stores and shop.lego.com including the likes of LEGO Icons Atari 2600 and LEGO Icons Lion Knights’ Castle.

Tech Review – TUDIA Dual Shield Merge Grip case for the Google Pixel 6a

Fancy a new case for the Google PIxel 6a well they are far and few between here in Ireland and we have one you could check out from TUDIA products which comes in a nice range of colours and does a superb job of protecting the device with a neat look too.

This case not only protects the rear of the phone and the camera hump this also has a lip around the front all round protecting the device even more and enabling you to place it face down, some case fail at this point only half covering the front but not the case here.

The back has really nice texture to it and looks well giving you additional grip as the Pixel 6a is a bit on the slippery side and having this case install eliminates this and more as you will see in the video review below, the buttons are also tactile and clicky which is what I like and overall the feeling with this case on the device is good and gives you that extra layer of security should you drop your phone and we all know that can be an expensive drop.

All ports are also accessible here and more room given for the USB port which again some leave out for certain charging cables that have a thicker end.

Check the video for a full hands on review

 

  • The Google Pixel 6a case is compatible with Pixel 6a only.
  • Certified military-grade protection and Tough Rhino Technology for dual layer protection against drops and scratches.
  • Protects your camera and screen with raised lips and edges.
  • The non-slip textured design on the back provides additional grip while holding your phone.
  • Buttons are designed to be slim and easily clickable for stress-free usage.

BUY Direct   BUY On Amazon

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Virgin Media expands market reach adding 450,000 premises nationwide in SIRO network deal

Virgin Media has announced a network deal with SIRO whereby Virgin Media will offer a full range of services to over 450,000 currently enabled SIRO premises throughout Ireland.

Virgin Media Ireland already offers 1Gbps (Gigabit per second) broadband speeds to one million premises across Virgin’s own super-fast network.

Virgin Media’s expansion will further drive competition and enable ultrafast digital services by helping businesses and communities connect to Virgin’s broadband and digital TV service in many more locations across Ireland.

CEO of Virgin Media, Tony Hanway said: “At Virgin Media we are always pushing the boundaries of speed and service delivery for our customers. Today’s announcement increases our network reach to 70% of all the premises in Ireland. Our new partnership with SIRO means we will be offering our market-leading ultrafast broadband and TV services to more Irish consumers and businesses than ever before.”

SIRO CEO John Keaney, welcoming the agreement between SIRO and Virgin Media noted: “SIRO is an open access wholesaler rolling out full fibre broadband to 154 towns and 770,000 premises across Ireland. Our objective is to deliver our world class connectivity to communities and businesses across Ireland, while constantly bringing innovation to the broadband market.”