News & Opinion

Bob Gold & Associates has been named public relations agency of record for predictive software company Immersion Neuroscience. The agency will help Immersion launch its new cloud-based audience prediction platform, which is intended to help identify, quantify and predict what live or taped events, training and entertainment motivate audiences to action, allowing companies to improve their ability to connect with consumers and increase ROI.   Find the full article written by Steve Barnes on O'Dwyer's.

  Many companies are founded with the dream of changing the world. Only a few do, and even fewer do it in a large and permanent way. Today, with the announcement of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) Wi-Fi Software Stack with OpenSync as a key component, the world has been permanently changed.    Plume® had a dream of enabling innovative new services to be deployed rapidly into consumers’ homes, accelerating the benefits from a wide range of new technologies. Based in the cloud, with a flexible agent installed on devices in the home, Plume would relieve the bottleneck of deploying completely new firmware for each feature and enable learning across millions of homes.  This approach has proved to not only be a successful technology but a successful business model. Several large service providers, including Bell Canada, Comcast, and Liberty Global have adopted the technology. Chipset vendors helped enable it, and several device manufacturers, including Samsung, put it on their platforms.  At Plume we realized, the best way to change the world was to do it with partners. So, we open-sourced our agent, creating OpenSync in October of 2018. In just over a year’s time, OpenSync has had explosive growth. It is now present in over 15 million access points and devices and is helping manage over half a billion clients. Contributions to OpenSync have been made by a range of companies. New adopters include Charter Communications, Vodafone, J:COM, affiliate members of the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), numerous independent service providers, and Samsung. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) adopters include: Arris, Askey, CIG, Comtrend, Hitron Technologies, Kaon Media, Quanta, Samsung, Sagemcom, Sercomm, Technicolor, Tenda, TP-Link, and Ubee. Support and reference designs have been enabled by Broadcom, Celeno, Mediatek, Qualcomm, and Quantenna.  Similar to Plume, the TIP Wi-Fi project group created in early 2019, sought to bring innovation to this technology domain, creating dis-aggregated solutions reducing vendor lock in and accelerating deployment of advances in Wi-Fi systems.  And like Plume, the TIP Wi-Fi project group is bringing forward an ecosystem centric approach to Wi-Fi system development, enlisting the collaboration of major service providers, OEMs, software and chipset vendors to create an open source Wi-Fi system.   Given the similarity of goals and approaches, Plume became one of the pioneering companies in the Wi-Fi project group, and is contributing OpenSync to be part of the TIP Access Point Wi-Fi Software Stack. Additionally, we are committing our support to the community effort to create this new class of access point software stack to facilitate and catalyze ubiquitous interoperability across devices, operating systems, software, and services. What does this mean for the industry?    TIP, with the power of its hundreds of member companies and organizations spread across service providers, technology companies, developers, integrators, chipset, and device makers will expand OpenSync capability and availability in more markets and verticals.     OpenSync will be supported by multiple cloud vendors. Already, the management of the same access points with an identical OpenSync agent on them has been demonstrated with cloud management from Tanaza, ConnectUS, and Plume clouds. TIP is creating a Cloud Software Development Kit that will encourage additional cloud implementations.    The TIP open AP development will accelerate a robust roadmap and additional contributions, particularly in the areas of enterprise, service provider, small business, and public Wi-Fi.    TIP will create test labs that will provide development, performance, interoperability, and certification testing.    The world has changed for the better. With OpenSync as a key component, and TIP taking a leadership role to drive the technology, we will build a future of fast, reliable access and new services that will change the way people live each and every day.  Author: Bill McFarland, CTO, Plume Find full blog post here.

  WASHINGTON, DC – December 3, 2019 – Clutch, the leading B2B ratings and reviews platform, published its annual ranking of the top advertising and marketing agencies as part of its 2019 Global Leaders Awards.   Clutch highlighted the top 15 service providers across its advertising and marketing categories. These segments include the top 15 content marketing agencies, market research firms, social media marketing agencies, and more.   Overall, the report highlights 240 top companies. Clutch bases its rankings on the quality and recency of the companies’ verified client reviews, their industry expertise, and their ability to deliver results.   You can read more about the methodology for Clutch’s Global Leaders here.   “Clutch is proud to recognize the best firms in the marketing and advertising industries as part of its Global Leaders Awards,” said Senior Analyst Sara Philibotte. “These companies display skill, creativity, and a commitment to producing the best possible results for their clients.”   Clutch’s research on the best advertising and marketing agencies is ongoing and it invites companies to get listed on Clutch now to increase their chances of being included in the 2020 Global Leaders Awards.   The full listing may be found here.  

WASHINGTON, DC – December 2, 2019 – Clutch, the leading B2B ratings and reviews platform, published its second annual ranking of the 1000 best B2B service providers around the world.    The Clutch 1000 is the most exclusive award offered by the platform. The list highlights companies that have rankings within the top 1% of all companies on Clutch.    To determine rankings, Clutch analyzes a company’s:   Quality and quantity of verified client reviews Recency of verified client reviews Offered services Portfolio of clients Brand reputation Visibility in its target market   Companies on the Clutch 1000 come from 35 countries and 374 different cities around the world.    The most popular services offered among companies on the list are mobile app development (21%), custom software development (15%), and web development (13%).   “As a member of the Clutch 1000, these companies represent the top tier of service providers on our platform,” said Clutch Founder Mike Beares. “With an impressive array of projects and clientele, superior knowledge, and attentive, detail-oriented customer service, these companies have established themselves as industry leaders both locally and in the global B2B market.”   The full listing may be found here.

If you missed the 55th Annual Los Angeles PRism Awards hosted by PRSA-LA, you can still check out Bob's acceptance speech here! https://youtu.be/UeNgIjReJiU Mic drop! Bob Gold, President & CEO of Bob Gold & Associates has always known how to keep a crowd entertained. It's no surprise that guests at the 55th Annual Los Angeles PRism Awards rose from their seats in a standing ovation to celebrate Bob being honored by PRSA-LA as the 2019 Communications Professional of the Year!

Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) today announced that it has adopted OpenSync, the world’s fastest-growing open-source initiative enabling the curation, delivery and support of services, and management of devices throughout the smart home. Enhanced by Charter, OpenSync powers Spectrum’s Advanced In-Home WiFi service.   OpenSync is a highly versatile cloud technology that is portable across various leading router operating systems. OpenSync enables third-party smart home services to be rapidly and broadly deployed across consumer premise equipment from multiple vendors through a common software framework. Charter is porting OpenSync to its latest WiFi router platforms and is committed to continuous enhancement of the software to rapidly deploy and support leading third party applications – including whole home WiFi, intelligent AI driven security and advanced parental, guest controls and more – to provide a state-of-the-art service and enhanced customer experience.   “Advanced In-Home WiFi provides Spectrum Internet and WiFi customers with the ability to optimize their home networks, offering both detailed insights and providing greater control of their connected devices to deliver an unmatched home WiFi experience,” said Rich DiGeronimo, Charter’s Chief Product and Technology Officer. “Integrating our core advanced technology and leading WiFi router with the OpenSync cloud platform and software stack allows us to nimbly deliver best-of-breed features and services. Approximately 300 million devices are connected to our vast network, and we take seriously our responsibility to deliver fast, reliable service, while protecting and securing our customers’ online private information.”   “Leveraging OpenSync, Charter has taken a bold step by decoupling the curation and delivery of smart home services from the CPE hardware, gaining a massive time-to-market and scalability advantage,” said Fahri Diner Co-founder and CEO of Plume. “We are honored to see that one of the most innovative and forward thinking service providers in the world has chosen to build a one-of-a kind consumer experience management platform using OpenSync.”   Spectrum recently launched Advanced In-Home WiFi in Austin, TX providing new Spectrum Internet with WiFi customers’ greater control and visibility into their home WiFi networks, including the ability to see all connected devices and to pause internet access to any single device. Customers also benefit from a single SSID for both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, seamless steering between those bands to ensure optimal connectivity, and remote telemetry providing Charter service representatives heightened ability to identify and resolve issues to provide superior customer support. Additional features are expected to launch in the coming months including parental controls and additional functionality to provide greater security of in-home networks.   Advanced In-Home WiFi features are accessible through the My Spectrum App, the top-rated wireline support app in the country. Spectrum will launch Advanced In-Home WiFi in a number of additional markets this year, with broader roll-out planned in 2020.

ITVT is pleased to present an audio recording of the TVOT SF 2019 session, “How Pay-TV Operators Are Revamping Their Platforms, Services and Business Models to Respond to the New Migrant Video Subscriber.” The Migrant Video Subscriber is rapidly changing our industry. We haven’t experienced anything like this before. The entire video ecosystem is being redefined across every fabric of our business. Relationships are fragile. New technologies are needed to manage content, digital and linear channels, distribution platforms. Confusion and overload color every decision. And the costs of innovation require financing. How do you get it? This panel will explore how to successfully navigate the turbulence ahead.Listen here.

PRSA Los Angeles’ Board Selects Bob Gold to be Honored at the 2019 PRism Awards in Los Angeles Bob Gold, President and CEO of Bob Gold & Associates, a Southern California boutique public relations and marketing agency, has been voted by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles Board of Directors to be honored as the 2019 Communications Professional of the Year to be presented at the Los Angeles PRism Awards celebration on October 15 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.   Bob Gold was selected for the program’s most distinguished individual accolade, Communications Professional of the Year, for his outstanding leadership and management skills, innovation and creativity, and unparalleled impact and outcomes for clients, as well as his commitment to important causes, charities and mentorship of young professionals. His award will be presented by longtime friend, KTLA-TV News anchor, Glen Walker. “To be recognized by peers is the ultimate compliment for every professional,” said Gold. “This honor is entirely unexpected, and deeply appreciated.” With over 30 years of experience in public relations and marketing, Gold’s impact on the industry and results for his clients are internationally recognized. The firm has recently been on a tear, adding new clients, staff and partners around the world. In the past year, the company has been recognized as the #2 Boutique PR Firm by Clutch, #13 PR firm in Los Angeles by O'Dwyer's, #2 B2B Advertising and Marketing Firm in Los Angeles by Clutch, and one of the Most Innovative and Attractive Work Environments by Cablefax. Bob Gold founded and manages Bob Gold & Associates, one of the premier independent integrated communications public relations agencies in the country.  The agency’s specialty is being experts at the nexus where video content meets technology and distribution. He has also helped raise millions of dollars for charities, taught hundreds of students and helped further strategic business plans for numerous businesses and associations. Throughout his career, Gold has helped launch dozens of companies, re-branded many others and created countless successful campaigns for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Gold is also the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Hemisphere Technologies Inc., a Nevada corporation, which is dedicated to investing in publicly traded and privately held technology companies. Gold has extensive experience in small and large-scale transactions and works as a key member engaged in all aspects including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, monitoring, and, where applicable, harvesting investments. Gold is also a published author of a popular children’s picture book, The Shiny Penny. Gold holds many honors including being inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers along with Comcast’s Brian Roberts, CNN’s Ted Turner and other notables. He holds a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California, where he also sits on the Alumni Board of Directors. When he’s not helping others, Gold can usually be found more than 60 feet underwater on a scuba diving “mancation” with his three sons. PRSA is the world’s largest and most reputable association for public relations professionals. For 55 years, PRSA-LA has been hosting the PRism Awards — the Los Angeles region’s premier awards program recognizing excellence in public relations strategic campaigns and tactical programs. The Los Angeles Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is comprised of nearly 600 agency, in-house and independent public relations professionals representing LA-area corporations, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

WASHINGTON, DC – September 24, 2019 – The best creative and design agencies understand the specific needs of the markets they work within. What works well in the retail industry may not succeed in the legal field. Clutch, the leading B2B ratings and reviews platform, released a new report highlighting the top-performing creative and design agencies in 14 specific industries. These industries are: automotive, business services, dental, ecommerce, education, financial services, financial technology, healthcare, hospitality, legal, media, nonprofit, real estate, and retail. The full listing may be found here.