News & Opinion

Diversity, Leadership, Remote Work, Data and Technology Take Center Stage at Women’s Leadership Conference   Women in Technology Hollywood (WiTH), focused on  elevating women in today’s dynamic tech-driven entertainment industry, will host their Annual SoCal Leadership Summit featuring more than 40 industry-leading female executives who will speak on the theme, “The Changing Nature of Leadership: Navigating Pandemics, Social Change and Remote Work” during the virtual event on Wednesday, October 7 from 9:30 am to 2 pm PT.   The summit will begin with the keynote “Stories from a Technology Informed Diversity Journey,” presented by Jeanne Holm, senior tech advisor and chief data officer for the city of Los Angeles. The session will deliver an exclusive first-hand look at how data and analytics have informed the city’s programs, and importantly, provide the tools, knowledge and roadmap for others to follow when starting their own organization’s diversity and equity journey.   Produced by MESA, the virtual event is designed to inform and inspire attendees on today’s most pertinent topics and challenges, such as diversity, leadership, and technology.  Attendees will hear from a range of experts on how emerging trends and new applications of data, AI and more in the smart content space are impacting the decision making of leadership today.   Sessions of note include:   Driving Social Impact and Empowering Women of Color in the Media and Tech Worlds -- a fireside chat with Jeanine D. Liburd, chief social impact and communications officer for BET Networks, who is curating and leading initiatives that empower and measurably impact the Black community COVID-19: Remote Work Now and Beyond -- addresses remote work challenges most impacting Hollywood organizations and the best practices to get people safely back to work Leading Through Critical Times -- a conversation with WiTH’s Women’s Leadership Award winners   Midway through the day attendees will be invited to join one of four breakout tracks — “Professional Development,” “Mentoring & Networking,” “Community,” and “Diversity, Equality & Inclusion” — with studio execs, vendor reps, and diversity experts offering a bevy of insights into the state of today’s M&E industry.   For complete details and program updates go to event website.   About WiTH   Women in Technology Hollywood (WiTH) is a vital professional organization of over 600 members that focuses on the unique position of women in today’s dynamic tech-driven entertainment industry. This powerful consortium began in March 2014 in an informal women’s reading circle at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and quickly evolved into a full-fledged employee business resource group at the studio with over 250 members. Managed by MESA, WiTH, was established to facilitate cross-studio women’s group communications and to address pressing issues specific to women technology executives in Hollywood: leadership, business and technology skills development, mentorship, negotiation, career development, vision, management, community engagement, empowerment, self-confidence and work/life balance.  For information, visit: https://www.withollywood.org/

  HappyKids, iFood.tv and The LEGO® Channel Will Debut on The Roku Channel   Future Today, the largest publisher of video streaming channels that reach millions of OTT viewers, today announced it is significantly expanding the footprint for its most successful programming by launching three new Free Advertising-Supported Linear TV (FAST) streaming channels on The Roku Channel, home of free and premium television on the Roku® platform, in the U.S.   “Future Today is a great partner and we’re very excited to include their free linear channels on The Roku Channel,” said Ashley Hovey, Director of AVOD Growth, Roku. “We strive to deliver amazing, free ad-supported content to our engaged users. This partnership not only provides easier and immediate access to some of Future Today’s most popular free content, it also reflects our continuing commitment to enhancing experience on The Roku Channel.”   Future Today’s new FAST channels on The Roku Channel include: HappyKids: a free and safe app designed to educate and entertain millions of kids of all ages with music, stories and activity guides across multiple platforms every day. Parents trust HappyKids to provide kid-safe content for every age group with music, rhymes, stories, movies, popular shows, DIY, activity guides, gaming videos, and more iFood.tv: iFood.tv has a tantalizing collection of over 50,000 cooking shows and video recipes every foodie will devour. Already a popular channel in the Food & Home category on the Roku platform, iFood.tv was one of the first streaming channels to launch on the Roku platform in 2011! The LEGO® Channel: a channel dedicated to inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow where kids can watch their favorite LEGO® Minifigure® characters.   “Over the last few years, The Roku Channel has become a formidable force in delivering free, ad-supported linear entertainment. The company is always innovating and improving its customer experience by growing its significant channel offerings. We’re excited to partner with Roku to deliver even more free linear TV channels on The Roku Channel,” said Vikrant Mathur, Founder, Future Today. “We are an innovation-first company helping shape the OTT landscape. Roku is a foundation for consumers who count on them to deliver the latest and greatest in entertainment content.”   Future Today properties are featured in The Roku Channel’s Live TV Channel Guide, which provides a convenient way to discover and tune in to linear TV channels available on The Roku Channel.   Future Today has quickly become the largest publisher of family-friendly content on streaming platforms, with a portfolio of over 150 apps for channels dedicated to the genre, and provides 24/7 access to many of today’s most popular TV series and movies free of charge to viewers across the world.   About Future Today Future Today is a leader in the ad-supported streaming media universe with its flagship channels –  Filmrise, Fawesome and HappyKids – ranking in the top free channels on the various OTT platforms. The company launched its first OTT channel in 2011 and has since then grown to operate more than 700 content channels with over 70 million app installs, and manages a library of more than 200,000 film, television and digital content assets in a variety of categories including entertainment, movies, food, lifestyle, animation and kids.  The Company’s cloud-based technology platform manages OTT services for more than 350 content owners, producers, distributors and major media companies helping them launch and monetize complex Connected TV channels across devices in a matter of days. Learn more about Future Today here.   LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group.?©2020 The LEGO Group.?    Roku® is a registered trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.

The selected leaders are considered the best in their specific fields. WASHINGTON, DC - September 21, 2020 – Clutch, a leading market research firm based in Washington, DC announced the 500 Leader Award winners from California.   While Silicon Valley continues to be a global tech hub, the industry is thriving across the state. Los Angeles holds the spot for the city with the second-highest tech employment(link is external) in the country.   In order to select Leader Award winners, Clutch looks into each company’s industry expertise and ability to deliver. This includes their services offered, social media presence, and brand reputation.   Read through the leaders here.

Organization Unites Studio-Focused IT, Data and Security Executives Under One Global Banner to Meet the Future of Media & Entertainment Head On [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://bobgoldpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MESA-REbrand-Reveal-v1-long-1-1.mp4"][/video]     MESA, an alliance of technology executives, production companies and content creators who are driving the future of the media and entertainment industry, announced today that it had united all of its communities, initiative-based associations, coalitions and workgroups under a new global banner. Formerly known as the Media & Entertainment Services Alliance, the organization will now go by MESA as part of the rebranding effort.   “We’re in evolving times,” said Guy Finley, president & CEO of MESA. “Our industries, careers, technologies, and standards are being disrupted quickly. It has never been more important to be nimble and flexible to meet the dramatic sea changes the Media & Entertainment industry is facing.  We’ve been working on this rebrand since last October and we’re proud to share the results of that endeavor today.”   MESA’s new corporate identity can be seen most clearly on the company’s revamped website, which generates more than 8 million unique users per year, and across the assortment of digital newsletters that reach 40,000-weekday readers a day. The company has also produced more than 200 events for over 60,000 attendees, and regularly hosts webinars and virtual events that drive the M&E industry forward.   From Los Angeles to London, MESA’s in-person events typically draw hundreds of studio executives, content distributors and Hollywood service vendors for candid conversations about challenges and best practices. With COVID-19, MESA has shifted its focus and has become the industry’s central virtual meeting and connecting point for technology leaders looking to find answers and solutions. MESA is using leading tools and digital tactics to ensure it remains central and vibrant for now while looking for ways to stay relevant when the industry returns as a hybrid of in-person and virtual conferences, webinars and committee meetings.   The redesigned M&E Daily, which continues to publish every weekday, provides readers with the latest news from the MESA community to content holders and service provider companies.     The M&E Daily is the flagship publication among MESA’s M&E industry newsletter offerings, which also includes M&E Europe, the WiTH Wire (Women in Technology Hollywood), the HITS List (Hollywood IT Society), the Smart Content News (Smart Content Council), CDSA’s Cybersecurity News (Content Delivery & Security Association as well as monthly newsletters for TPN Guardians (Trusted Partner Network) and EIDR Report (Entertainment ID Registry). Topics include remote work challenges, diversity and inclusion, professional development, security, data journey, customer experience and innovation and transformation.   MESA’s fourth quarter virtual event calendar speaks to the dedication to each organization by intertwining the needs of the 12 communities and initiatives that also include: Women in Technology Hollywood (WiTH) MESA Europe Hollywood IT Society (HITS) Entertainment ID Registry (EIDR) Smart Content Council Language Metadata Table (LMT) Working Group Content Localisation Council Audio Business Continuity Alliance (ABCA) Content Delivery & Security Association (CDSA) Trusted Partner Network (TPN) Media and Entertainment Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ME-ISAC) Burbank Think Tank   The organization has a four-fold mission: To support service providers in building efficiencies in the creation, production and distribution of physical and digital media and entertainment To foster end-to-end collaboration among entertainment service providers, their customers, and partners To promote its members and provide engaging meeting opportunities To provide tangible benefits to members including market intelligence, research initiatives, industry advocacy and collaborative workgroups About MESA The cornerstone of MESA’s value proposition is the strength of increased industry collaboration through our communities and initiative-based associations, coalitions, and workgroups. Each community’s strength is a result of steady and organic growth, integrity in our mission and approach, and the value we bring to each member or partner organization in our industry.   MESA’s 150-plus corporate members collaborate to advance change management, new workflow solutions and production/supply chain efficiencies. Founded in 2008, MESA’s Content Advisors direct an annual event schedule of over 25 meetings, conferences, and summits. MESA creates and curates content for 10 weekly newsletters and their M&E Journal that is published bi-annually. For information visit: https://www.mesaonline.org/.

 525 Episodes of New Programming from Kidtagious and Millimages Bolster Lego, Mattel and 9Story Hit Shows   [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://bobgoldpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Future-Today-Reel.mp4"][/video]   Future Today, a leader in creating and managing new platforms and programming channels that reach millions of viewers, today announced that Kidtagious Entertainment and Millimages, have chosen Happykids, the company’s flagship kids and family-themed channel, as their preferred platform, bringing more than 525 new episodes of their popular children’s TV programming to millions of happy little viewers and their families.    HappyKids has now expanded its library to include over 55,000 family-friendly movies, TV shows and educational videos. With the latest addition, dedicated fans now have free access to inventive and proven popular programs, including Molang and Truck Games from Millimages, as well as Future Card BuddyFight and Mofy from Kidtagious.   HappyKids has become the destination streaming platform for the most popular and established children’s programming brands, including Lego, Mattel, Nelvana, Moonbug, Super Simple Songs, 9Story Distribution International and others. These titles range from Barbie, Thomas & Friends and Hot Wheels from Mattel; Lego Ninjago and Friends from Lego; Pororo the Little Penguin among other shows from Iconix; Bakugan from Nelvana; and Camp Lakebottom from 9Story, to name but a few of the popular series.   “Kidtagious and Millimages are recognized leaders in family programming,” said David DiLorenzio, SVP Kids & Family at Future Today. “Together, they bring an extensive and unduplicated library of content that is both innovative and entertaining and will keep our audience captivated and engaged. They are the perfect complement to our existing library.”   Future Today is the largest publisher of family-focused content on streaming platforms with a portfolio of over 150 channels which the company manages through its cloud-based platform for studios, distribution companies and influencers. Since its launch in 2012, HappyKids has become one of the largest providers of free kids content in the US and has experienced explosive growth in both its content library and viewership, seeing user growth of 160% YoY in July alone.   “Future Today offers a best-in-class platform that will instantly introduce millions of new fans to our programming,” said Kerry Novick, SVP of Global Sales & Acquisitions at Kidtagious. “HappyKids delivers a kids-safe environment, and as one of the largest providers of children’s programming across connected TVs (CTV), it’s the perfect platform to deliver our content.”   The HappyKids app is available across numerous streaming platforms and devices, including Roku, Apple TV, AndroidTV, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast Xfinity, Cox Contour, iOS, Android, and most recently, as a linear channel on Vizio Smart TVs.   “Future Today is a great partner to fuel Millimages’ international growth and reach,” said Grace Lee, Sales Director at Millimages. “Their proven cross channel promotion, advertising and overall management make them an ideal one-stop shop to showcase our vast library of content.”   About Millimages Independent animation studio operating out of Paris, London and Shenzen with a catalogue of over 1,500 hours of produced content. Millimage’s prides in developing, producing and worldwide distributing & licensing high profile family entertainment on all media. Millimage’s embraces digital production and distribution with over 75 IPs over 100 digital networks generating 10M daily views.   About Kidtagious Kidtagious is an international children’s entertainment and technology licensing company powered by the visionaries, Al Kahn and Toper Taylor. Mr. Kahn brought us iconic brands and licensing programs including Pokémon, Cabbage Patch Kids, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Super Mario Brothers and more, earning him membership in the Licensing Hall of Fame and Kidscreen Hall of Fame. Mr. Taylor is a multiple Emmy Award winning studio chief with expertise in scaling businesses, creating and managing hit character driven brands, publishing, toys, consumer products, retail, data science and digital platforms.   About HappyKids HappyKids is a FREE and SAFE app designed to educate and entertain millions of kids across multiple platforms every day. Parents trust HappyKids to provide kid-safe content for every age group with music, rhymes, stories, movies, popular shows, DIY, activity guides and more. The content is segmented by age group for 0-2 yrs. (toddlers), 2-4 yrs. (preschoolers), 4-6 years, and kids 6+. There are also separate sections for Kids movies & TV shows, gaming videos, and a featured section which offers the best of everything. HappyKids is available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, xFinity, Vizio and most major connected TV and mobile devices.   About Future Today Future Today is a leader in the ad-supported streaming media universe with its flagship channels – Filmrise, Fawesome and HappyKids – ranking in the top free channels on the various OTT platforms. The company launched its first OTT channel in 2011 and has since then grown to operate more than 700 content channels with over 70 million app installs, and manages a library of more than 200,000 film, television and digital content assets in a variety of categories including entertainment, movies, food, lifestyle, animation and kids.  The Company’s cloud-based technology platform manages OTT services for more than 350 content owners, producers, distributors and major media companies helping them launch and monetize complex Connected TV channels across devices in a matter of days. Learn more about Future Today here.

O'Dwyer's has been conducting its PR firm rankings for 49 years. Rankings measure counseling and media contact services, not advertising or production expenses.    See the complete list of Public Relations Agencies here. See all Bob Gold & Associates awards & highlights here.

The B2B world is a dynamic, exciting space where new partnerships, innovative research and success stories come to the surface every day. Finding a way to reflect the dynamic nature of B2B news can be key to building brand awareness and getting press to “see” you. Despite video being an invaluable digital marketing powerhouse, most B2B PR agencies are not maximizing its power to engage. If a picture is worth a thousand words imagine how much a video is worth!The answer is a lot! In fact, according to Tubular Insights, 73% of B2B marketers say video positively impacts their ROI. It is among the most highly consumed and shared form of content; on social media alone, video gets shared 1200% more than text and images combined.Personable, easily digestible, and opening new avenues for coverage, video’s powerful form is becoming a creative way to amplify your corporate PR strategy.Here is how the team at Bob Gold & Associates has used video to gain critical attention and media coverage for our clients. Beyond the Press Release: Putting a Face to News Although technology is a booming space, B2B-focused content can be quite dry. Many tech companies lack “a face” alongside their releases or stories, making it difficult for media and future partners to feel a genuine connection.That’s where video comes in. Creating a video campaign is a fantastic way to go beyond the press release and turbo-charge your key messages. Repurposing video captured from events or initiatives provides a steady stream of content that can be shared on social media to spotlight company executives, connect with partners and media, and ensure you are engaging your target audiences. We work collaboratively with clients like CISCO, whose trend-focused series, “Curated Conversations and Cocktails,” (now a staple across all trade shows where CISCO takes part) helps them break through the noise during industry conventions by tactically sharing their industry leadership via  video online and across social media.More than anything, video spotlights executives and gives a human touch to their knowledge and industry expertise. For instance, Plume’s short perspective pieces shot during CES provide an amiable and authentic way to highlight new technologies and fresh topics like Smart Home 2.0, motion-enabled Wi-Fi, open-source software and more. ware and more.Content like this is also strategic as it creates traction, helping to support placements and thought leadership articles across key industry trades publications. Clients become well-known industry experts instead of seeming like they “came out of nowhere.”Spotlight Corporate Values and Have Important Conversations To really get it right, you want B2B PR to go beyond self-promotion; video can help carve out an invaluable space for supporting core corporate values.Specifically, video helps make important conversations not just shareable, but memorable; studies have shown that viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading text, making video a powerful tool for tackling difficult topics and creating lasting change.Businesses can use video to raise awareness for causes and new initiatives, as Viamedia did with their anti-racism #ChangeStartsRightHere campaign. Change is a process that requires consistent action, and knowing this, Viamedia used video’s creative, emotionally appealing form to drive audiences to a new landing page. There, business owners could sign up for free airtime that would allow them to comment on the steps they were taking to fight racism. It is measures like these that use video in a profound way, showcasing a company’s commitment to core values and, most importantly, the actions undertaken to support them. Amplify Your Message At the core of public relations is a deep appreciation for trust and meaningful relationships. Thanks to video, those sentiments can be communicated easily. Engaging and holding infinite creative potential, video is an impressive way to amplify your appreciation for business partners, employees, and friends.We are living in turbulent times and corporate PR ignores this at their peril risking looking tone deaf or worse -- uncaring. BG&A founder Bob Gold is using uplifting, original video to share his admiration on social media with “Words to Lift By.”  With this ongoing series, Bob has been able to turn a bleak situation into a positive one and amplify his message that kindness and compassion will get us through these unprecedented times.

IAE, a leading European manufacturer of livestock handling equipment, equestrian stabling, steel fencing and shelters, has implemented Label Cloud from NiceLabel, a leading global developer of label design software and label management systems.   IAE is using NiceLabel’s cloud-based Label Management System (Label Cloud) to simplify and streamline its labeling and work order documentation production, enabling it in turn to save time and resources. IAE decided to modernize their label management process to make updating this documentation easier, and to ensure it could produce labels in parallel with the documentation.   Jeremy Annable, Business Systems Manager at IAE, said: “We were looking for a solution that could simplify the production process for users to print work in process (WIP) documents and associated labels prior to starting a new works order. It was key to us that the solution could help the user to identify and pick all materials, assemble the product and apply the appropriate labels.”   The fact that IAE was able to get their label management system in the Cloud was a key factor in their system selection process. “We’ve moved quite a few of our systems to the Cloud. The fact that we could have labeling in the Cloud as well gave us a lot more flexibility in terms of integrations and APIs,” Daniel Mycock, IT Manager at IAE states. “When you’re integrating with many sources, this is the better way. Maintenance and software updates are just handled. It makes it a lot easier to manage and is more cost-effective.”   In making the choice, IAE worked with NiceLabel’s partner Cloud Printing Solutions, who introduced them to the NiceLabel team and their Label Cloud solution. NiceLabel’s Professional Services Group (PSG) assisted with the integration part of the project. The PSG team used the NiceLabel Integration system to configure integrations with IAE’s ERP system and AutoCAD. It then used the NiceLabel application builder to rapidly build the printing forms.   With NiceLabel, IAE has been able to move from a home-grown system with manual workarounds to a fully-integrated labeling solution. “Implementing NiceLabel solved a lot of IT problems. We don’t have the security implications we had with the previous system,” comments Annable. “As it stood before, we were at a dead-end. Now we’ve got control over the design of the labels, how we do it and which printer we put them to.” IAE can also make label changes much faster, since they’re done in-house.   NiceLabel also gives IAE the platform they need to plan for the future. Annable explains, “We’ve now got something to grow into. We’ve implemented forward-looking systems that are supported with the necessary controls, and we have all of these systems working together.”   Ken Moir, NiceLabel VP of Marketing said: “It’s great to see the level of flexibility and enhanced operational efficiency that IAE has already been able to achieve with our cloud labeling solution. We are confident that as it scales its business in the future, being able to make use of NiceLabel’s technology platform will prove to be a still more significant benefit than it does today.”     Detailed information on how NiceLabel helped IAE create a fully-integrated labeling solution is available at www.nicelabel.com/iae-case-study/.

Now Available at QVC, Target and Soon, 600 Best Buy Locations  aeris health, the Swiss leader in commercial and residential air purification systems that are improving health globally, and facing huge demands on its manufacturing as sales have doubled month over month since January, announced the completion of its $3.3 million Series A funding round to meet US demand. The funding, led by Tencent co-founder Vic Lee, Tinder co-founder Justin Mateen, PreAngel, Sarona Ventures, and additional investors, representing investments from the U.S., China, Israel and Switzerland.     aeris develops state-of-the-art, AI-powered air purifiers which learn and adapt to each user's personal habits and the air quality in their home over time by gathering data with proprietary sensor technology. Developed by MIT engineers, aeris’s medical-grade purifiers have been proven to remove at least 99.95% of indoor pollutants down to .1 microns, high clean air delivery rate (CADR), HEPA ratings of 13 and above as well as a sophisticated design.    Unlike most other air purifier companies, aeris is not reliant on third-party purchases, allowing the startup to develop air purifiers that are truly unique in the market, higher quality than competing models, and adapted for specific conditions such as odors and viruses without any loss of suction power, a common issue among conventional HEPA filters.    “The global pandemic has fueled a major shift in consumer awareness and concern over the air we breathe. Demand for clean air has never been higher. And our rapid growth in sales is proof that consumers recognize that not all air purifiers are built the same,” said aeris CEO, Pierre Bi. “With the latest round of funding, we’re now in a position to further capture this enormous opportunity and help consumers across the U.S. and North America protect themselves and their families from airborne pollutants, including coronavirus.”    aeris provides one of the only air purifiers in market today proven to remove feline coronavirus from the air, and are certified by major third-party standards testers, including AHAM and EN1822.     In addition to securing new funding, aeris purifiers will also be available in more than 600 Best Buy stores across the U.S. beginning fall of 2020.     aeris offers four unique products to best suit the needs of each customer, room size and budget:   aair lite:  A small air purifier that can remove 99.95% of the air-borne bacteria, mold, mildew, odor, and other pollutants from any space up to 350 ft².  aair 3-in-1-pro:  Using state-of-the-art technology, the aair 3-in-1 Pro eliminates indoor air pollutants while becoming more efficient and effective over time. For rooms 750 ft² and larger.  aair Medical Pro:  Hospital-grade air filtration that prevents even the most difficult airborne health hazards from affecting users.  aair Gas Pro:  Combining the power of our strongest air purifier and a filter designed with the ability to move odors at a molecular level, the aair Gas Pro will ensure that you never have to worry about distracting or embarrassing odors in your home again.    Since its inception in 2017, aeris has been recognized with two prestigious design awards: the iF Design Award in 2017, and the Red Dot Design Award Winner in 2019.    Ultimately, aeris has plans to expand into markets beyond air purification.  Pierre Bi expanded on this, saying that the company see itself as a “fundamentals of health” company.  This will mean using the design and engineering principles applied to air and expanding it into areas like water, nutrition, and sleep.      “Our vision is to create technology that aids in the long-term health of our customers. 600,000 to 700,000 Americans die early from air pollution every year: we see this as one example of many such hidden, lower-prioritized health concerns that must be urgently addressed, “Bi explained.  “That’s where aeris will come in.”  About aeris:  aeris is a Swiss company dedicated to improving global health through increased access to clean air. After launching its first purifier in China in 2017, the devices instantly became a hit for its ability effectively dealing with China's heavy pollution. Customers soon reported relief from respiratory problems and that they were feeling more energized than they had in years and as a result, global health issues related to air quality soon became aeris' number one priority. By 2018, aeris had expanded into Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, France, and Mexico; and, in 2019, the company expanded further to the United States, and is currently available in four different models at retailers such as Target, QVC, Amazon and on the company's website.  For more information, visit https://aerishealth.com/.