News Hub | News Direct

Communications

Advertising Communications Graphic Design Internet Marketing Media Publishing SEO
Article thumbnail News Release

Phil Steele Releases 2021 College Football Preview -- The Most Accurate College Football Magazine For 23 Years

Phil Steele

Proven as the most accurate college football magazine for the last 23 years, Phil Steele’s 2021 College Football Preview has become one of the top-selling books at Barnes & Noble in 2021. Steele spoke to 110 head coaches out of the 130 FBS schools to compile 352 pages of analysis, predictions, and unmatched information for every team. “The season officially starts, every year, when I get my copy of Phil Steele’s preseason magazine,” said ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit. “Really appreciate the hard work and relevant material.” Steele is a member of the Heisman Voting Committee and 14 other prestigious award committees in college football. His loyal readers and over 133,000 Twitter followers anticipate his preseason predictions. Here are a few highlights and excerpts from the 2021 edition: National Champion: Oklahoma Sooners Most improved team: Penn State Nittany Lions Heisman Trophy winner: Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler Surprise team of the year: Washington Huskies Largest margin of victory per game: Alabama Crimson Tide (+28.6 PPG differential) Team projected to lose games by the largest amount: Bowling Green (-25.8 PPG differential) Largest yards per game differential: Clemson Tigers (+257.1 YPG differential) Worst yards per game differential: UMass Minutemen (-241.2 YPG differential) Steele’s analysis and predictions go well beyond the Power Five conferences. He projects the Cincinnati Bearcats will be the top non-Power Five team in 2021, followed by the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, and the UCF Knights. He believes the Minnesota Golden Gophers have the 11 th best offensive line unit and the Wyoming Cowboys have the 59 th best linebacking crew. The magazine boasts hundreds of predictions across all conferences and player groupings. “The magazine has come a long way from the 1995 black and white first edition that covered just 86 FBS teams,” said Steele. “I appreciate all of my followers and readers who look forward to my magazine every year. It’s not only for the diehard fans but also the casual fans. With the legalization of sports betting in states across the country, many fans are looking to increase their knowledge of the teams and access to data across college football.” On Friday, Aug. 27, Steele and his team will update their projected stats and forecasts after factoring in injuries, suspensions, and transfers that have taken place since the book went to print. Updates are available via the digital version of the magazine at https://philsteele.com/digital-magazine-links/. This year, Steele tapped LEARFIELD to assist with production and distribution for the magazine, as well as sales promotion for both the print and digital formats. Once the season is underway, Steele’s work continues through Phil Steele Plus, a digital platform where Steele and his staff pour in countless hours to revise stats, analysis, power ratings, and individual team grades for all 130 teams after every game. Phil Steele Plus provides full access to his innovative color-coded stats system that is not available anywhere else. According to Chris Stassen (Stassen.com), Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is the most accurate preseason college football magazine over the last 23 years. Stassen uses simple, judgment-free mathematical scoring systems to assess the accuracy of the leading college football preseason magazines. About Phil Steele Phil Steele is nationally known as one of the best football analysts in the entire country. His superior knowledge of the game has landed him on the voting committee for every major post-season award including the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Phil is known for his preseason magazine, which has been dubbed “the college football bible” by many experts in the industry. The magazine gives a complete breakdown of every team in the country and predicts how they will do in the upcoming season. Find more information about Phil at PhilSteele.com and follow him on Twitter. Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://philsteele.com/

August 12, 2021 10:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Channel Factory Targets APAC Growth with Key Hire

Channel Factory

Channel Factory, the global brand suitability and YouTube measurement programme partner has appointed Alex Littlejohn as Managing Director to manage its existing operations and to spearhead it’s growth in the APAC region. Alex will be responsible for growing the Channel Factory’s existing operations in Singapore, and will be tasked with launching the business into the broader APAC Region with local offices across SEA and Australia slated for launch in Q4 2021. Alex has extensive experience in scaling AdTech Businesses having held the position of President International for Adconion Media Group for 8 years where he was responsible for growing the team from a standing start to over 250 employees across 8 European and 4 APAC Markets. Following Adconion’s acquisition by Singtel (SGX), Alex held the position of Senior Vice President APAC for Amobee where he managed the post merger integration of 3 Business Units and was responsible for the groups Regional Finance, Marketing, HR, Product, Sales and Operations Teams. He has been recognised in the 40 most influential people under 40 years in the media and marketing twice, on two continents and has been awarded multiple times in multiple markets for his contributions to the industry. “I am excited to be joining Channel Factory at such a pivotal time for the business. Our Mission is to build a better Video ecosystem that connects creators, brands, and consumers, and as one of only 7 accredited YouTube Measurement Partners globally am excited to further develop the existing Channel Factory operations in the region”, said Alex Littlejohn. “Alex clearly brings years of incredibly valuable experience to Channel Factory and we could not be more excited to welcome him to the team,” said Tony Chen, Founder & CEO of Channel Factory. “His impressive record and successful wins speak for themselves and we have full confidence in him to lead our business growth across the APAC region in each local market as we increase our global footprint and push the ad industry to be more conscious while we approach a new decade of recovery and regeneration.” About Channel Factory Channel Factory is a global technology and data platform that maximizes both performance efficiency and contextual suitability, turning YouTube’s 5 billion videos and 500 hours per minute of new content into brand-suitable, efficient advertising opportunities. Channel Factory’s mission is to create a suitable video ecosystem that connects creators, brands, and consumers - by enabling advertisers access to the most relevant videos, channels, and creators. Through their proprietary platform that harnesses the power of the deepest YouTube dataset in the industry, Channel Factory has enabled advanced brand suitability, customized content targeting, and maximum performance for the world’s biggest brands. Channel Factory’s algorithm ensures not only that advertisers run against content that aligns with their brand but also delivers outcomes by optimizing campaigns using active and historical campaign performance data.Channel Factory has offices across the USA and is present in over 30 countries worldwide including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Contact Details Kite Hill PR Kerriann Becker +1 631-235-7796 kerriann@kitehillpr.com

August 11, 2021 09:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

VBox ATSC 3.0 TestBed

VBox Communications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jonathan Rind VBox Communications Ltd +972-9-9502821 Marketing@vboxcomm.com VBOX ATSC 3.0 Testbed New Enhanced Version of TV Gateway for NextGenTV Developers & System Integrators HERZLIYA, ISRAEL August 11 th 2021 – VBox Communications, a pioneering specialist in broadcast TV streaming, recording and digital datacasting, announced the availability of its new ATSC 3.0 Testbed – an enhanced version of the company’s original ATSC 3.0 Android TV Gateway product released earlier this year. The VBox ATSC 3.0 Testbed is designed for TV stations, broadcast engineers, video system integrators, digital app developers, and others in the emerging NextGenTV technology development ecosystem looking to test “real-world” ATSC 3.0 features and functionality. As US deployments of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard approach 50% market penetration later this summer – and more than 70% by the end of 2021 – a priority shift towards commercial productization and monetization of potential NextGenTV capabilities is quickly coming into focus. VBox’s ATSC 3.0 Testbed provides an ideal, ready-made toolkit for monitoring service performance and ascertaining technical viability for product field trials and market launches. The VBox ATSC 3.0 Testbed offers the ability to analyze both linear and “beyond-TV” ATSC 3.0 signal provision through features such as: ATSC 3.0 Signal Reception: Ensuring signals arrive as expected, via ROUTE and DASH protocols; Advanced Emergency Alerts Reception: Enabling AEA-standard weather and storm information as well as localized emergency messaging; Electronic Service Guide Reception and Visualization: Monitoring of broadcaster/3 rd -party programming information for accuracy and timeliness; SDK Provision and Testing Documentation: Enabling oversight of 3 rd -party application development, deployment and compliance testing. AEA Advanced Emergency Alerts example: As an official member of the Advanced Television Systems Committee VBox Communications is committed to implementing ATSC 3.0 VBox’s ATSC 3.0 Testbed offers a unique approach to addressing the advanced features and benefits of the new ATSC 3.0 standard in addition to the video and audio features enhancements it provides. ESG Electronic Service Guide in ATSC 3.0 example: About VBox Communications: VBox Communications ( https://vboxcomm.com/ ) is an expert in Digital TV, offering products that deliver live TV broadcasts (e.g., DVB-T/T2, DVB-C, DVB-S2, ISDB-T/ATSC) to IP combined with OTT video streaming services, for home and business use. VBox’s innovative, end-to-end firmware, software, and hardware solutions empower telcos, STB/streamer OEMs, and integrators to harness the benefits of converged live broadcast and IP- based TV – while helping grow revenues, streamlining communications and reducing costs. The company is also an active contributor and participant in the evolving 5G Broadcast standard, with planned products in the pipeline. For more details about the ATSC 3.0 Testbed, please contact us at: marketing@vboxcomm.com. More information about the VBox ATSC 3.0 TV Gateway can be found at: https://vboxcomm.com/landing/landing-atsc3/ About VBox: VBox Communications is an expert in digital TV and new media, combining Live TV broadcast to IP and OTT. Our solutions empower Telco's, STB/streamer OEMs and integrators to harness the benefits of converged live broadcast TV and OTT services. VBox enables outstanding viewing experience (watch, stream and record at home and on the go) encompassing Live TV broadcast with OTT, supporting a variety of worldwide TV Sources. Contact Details VBox Communications Jonathan Rind +972 9-950-2821 jonathanr@vboxcomm.com Company Website https://vboxcomm.com/

August 11, 2021 09:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Enter Africa: Versus Africa seals fundraise as it paves the way for companies to access markets with ease

Versus Africa

Africa presents a $2.1 trillion consumer spending market for businesses seeking to explore new opportunities for their products and services. Enabling businesses to enter the continent is Versus Africa, a consumer insights platform, that has today announced a $850k pre-seed capital fundraise as it scales operations to support companies in Africa and around the world as they launch their products and services across Africa. A Techstars 2019 cohort start-up, Versus Africa helps brands get closer to their consumers by obtaining key insights and helping them make better business decisions. Versus combines online and offline consumer data to give brands actionable and competitive insights for the African market. Versus counts brands such as Pizza Hut, Vodacom among others and has partnered with several global agencies including R/GA to support their campaigns. The Versus Africa platform improves the go-to market strategy and approach of businesses selling in the continent. Through their unique African language sentiment analysis, the technology captures consumer insights using online (social listening and online brand tracking) and offline data trends (conducting in-person surveys through several thousand local scouts) to help brands inform, engage and adapt their product and service strategies. They ‘listen’ (for sentiment, trends and feedback) and then ‘ask’ (for opinions, about behaviours and motivations) to offer a complete insights package for businesses. Kemdi Ebi, CEO and Co-Founder of Versus commented: “We’ve purposely built our tool to help businesses “'listen” and ''ask” the African consumer to get true engagement and actionable insights. We’re helping them make sense of the thoughts and opinions of African consumers from varying backgrounds. For those who speak in different African languages and slang, we're able to accurately identify sentiment, trends and opportunities when we “listen” online. With real-time market research and unique patented tools that translate the complexity of local languages and cultures, Versus offers actionable insights to businesses that want to make their African market entry or continuing existence a success.” The complex nature of the continent with multiple languages, varying socio-political communities and cultural nuances means it has long been difficult for companies to be successful across multiple countries. Versus Africa offers a fresh lens into the market opportunity with their unique and dynamic research approach. “We have blended technology with boots on the ground to offer the purest insights to companies using Versus Africa. For the first time, businesses near and far are able to make better decisions on their product strategy in the continent. We are particularly excited because as we scale further, we are in pole position to be the go-to homegrown solution for easy, flexible and accurate research for the plethora of new local businesses cropping up across the continent” added Kemdi Ebi. Commenting on investing in Versus Africa, the MD of Techstars London Eamonn Carey said: "For the longest time, it’s been apparent that there is huge potential in markets throughout Africa - but one of the big challenges has always been getting real, detailed, granular data about users, habits, opinions and more. The Versus Africa platform helps local, regional and global brands get real, meaningful answers to their questions - helping them launch, grow and scale more effectively across the continent. I was incredibly impressed by the team, the tech and the vision they had to use a combo of tech and people to gather an incredible dataset for their customers." Various global research businesses have reported on Africa’s macro trends and geo-political events. Before Versus, there have been few that have achieved true regional and local market insights for businesses to make informed decisions. “How many Africans own and operate research in Africa? Not many. Africa deserves a local intelligence research edge born from within. There have been international research agencies and insights tools that have tried to explore Africa but only from a distant and macro lens, now, for the first time businesses will get true local insights to help them enter key markets across the continent. I hope our launch and growth propels more like-minded tech-focussed Africans to help grow this research industry” concluded Kemdi Ebi. About Versus Africa Versus Africa helps brands get closer to their consumers by obtaining insights and helping them make better business decisions. Versus combines online and offline consumer data to give brands actionable and competitive insights for the African market. Versus has served brands such as Pizza Hut, Vodacom among others and have partnered with several global agencies including R/GA.Versus Africa, a 2019 Techstars cohort startup, was recognised by Cannes Lion Festival for Innovation and it was the first African company to showcase at Slush Tokyo 2019. Contact Details Versus Africa Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

August 11, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Comcast Launching WiFi-Connected “Lift Zone” at Salvation Army Veterans and Family Center

Comcast Oregon / SW Washington

As part of its ongoing commitment to help connect low-income families and individuals to the internet so they can fully participate in distance-learning and the digital economy, Comcast today announced that the Salvation Army Veterans and Family Center in Beaverton is now a Lift Zone in Oregon/SW Washington. Working with its network of community-based organizations, Comcast is providing high-capacity WiFi access in safe spaces designed to help lift the experience for students – and in this case, veterans – in getting online, engaging in distance learning, accessing virtual support programs, and conducting job searches. This initiative provides free connectivity inside various partner community centers over the next three years. The Lift Zones feature free gig-speed WiFi provided by Comcast, which allows dozens of students/individuals to work on laptops simultaneously. "Our veterans and their families are very appreciative of our housing complex becoming a Lift Zone,” said Major Rhonda Lloyd of the Salvation Army Veterans and Family Center. “This will allow the children who live here to use the computer lab for schooling, and our veterans to access virtual training, and conduct job searches." Several more Lift Zone sites are currently under construction across Comcast’s Oregon/SW Washington service territory, with the goal of more than 30 by year’s end. There are already 20 Lift Zones in operation, primarily located at Boys and Girls Clubs. ABOUT COMCAST CORPORATION:Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Amy Keiter +1 503-407-9109 amy_keiter@comcast.com Company Website https://corporate.comcast.com/

August 10, 2021 08:35 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Seasoned HR Expert Joins Phase 4 Services to Offer Advice on Developing Strong Teams and Maintaining Workplace Culture

Phase 4 Services

Phase 4 Services, a laboratory management and consulting firm focused on supporting and growing hemp and cannabis testing labs, has hired experienced HR maven Kara Mittan to lead their human resources and administrative operations team. As VP of Human Resources, Mittan will assist Phase 4’s laboratory clients with effectively scaling their teams and implementing systems designed to maintain employee satisfaction and increase productivity. “We’ve seen first hand what challenges can arise when you go from a small, tight knit team to a large organization with multiple departments,” said Michael Kahn, Founder and CEO of MCR Labs, a cannabis testing lab operating in several Northeast cannabis markets. “Without Kara guiding the process and putting the tools in place to help us grow effectively, we likely would not have had the same success we've achieved in keeping pace with how fast this industry is expanding.” Having served as an HR director at several organizations since 2008, Mittan has significant experience across a diverse array of industries including international companies coordinating operations on multiple continents. Phase 4 Services is gaining critical HR knowledge and insight with Mittan’s addition to the consulting team. This will enable the firm to better guide clients in regards to building strong teams, fostering intra-organizational communication, and developing a healthy workplace culture. About Phase 4 Services: Phase 4 Services is a scientific consulting and laboratory management firm dedicated to growing, supporting, and enhancing hemp and cannabis testing laboratories. Founded by experts in analytical testing, pharmaceutical chemistry, business administration, and development strategy, our team is equipped with the knowledge and experience necessary to ensure partner laboratories are successful in their pursuit of advancing public health and safety for cannabis patients and consumers. For more information visit http://phase4services.com. Contact Details Phase 4 Services Joe Crinkley +1 857-230-0839 PR@phase4services.com Company Website https://phase4services.com/

August 10, 2021 10:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Jenne, Inc. Partners with SIPPIO

SIPPIO

SIPPIO, the only company to offer a 100 percent, Azure-native based cloud platform for Microsoft Teams, today announced that Jenne, Inc., the nation’s premier value-added distributor and master agent of technology products and cloud solutions, will offer SIPPIO to agents across the United States (U.S.). “From coast-to-coast, resellers and agents are inundated with requests for dedicated voice services from customers using Microsoft Teams for collaboration,” said Patrick Howard, vice president of vendor management and marketing for Jenne. Designed and architected for Microsoft Azure, SIPPIO is a global platform that empowers distributors, resellers, channel partners, integrators and managed service providers to capitalize on demand for voice-enabled collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams. SIPPIO eliminates the friction of migrating voice environments from rigid legacy technology to flexible cloud services. The evolution of hybrid work environments has accelerated demand for cloud communications and OPEX pricing. Platform consolidation is also a priority. Industry research shows that majority of enterprises are using at least three different communications service suppliers, with 69% claiming that the need for additional services outside of the core offerings was the reason why they had retained multiple suppliers. “As organizations across the globe migrate from legacy telco systems to Microsoft Teams, SIPPIO empowers partners with the solutions to help their customers maximize the value of collaboration tools by adding voice, without disrupting workflows,” said Dawn-Marie Elder, COO of SIPPIO. Voice-enabling Microsoft Teams with SIPPIO removes cost, complexity and time-to-market building direct routing as one-offs. SIPPIO makes it quick and easy for resellers to eliminate the need for capital expenditures and to build healthy revenue streams. In addition, consolidating enterprise communications onto Teams reduces the complexity of managing multiple systems, the drain on compute resources and the risk of non-compliance with regulations such as OSHA and HIPAA. “Our master agent program is growing and SIPPIO extends our ability to attract new agents as well as provide current partners with the agile cloud services their customers need to adapt to new hybrid work environments. Agents are excited because SIPPIO addresses what their customers are asking for. Partnering with SIPPIO reinforces our position as the premier Value-Added Distributor in the telecommunications industry,” added Howard. With a well-earned reputation for helping partners adapt, grow and succeed, Jenne is trusted by thousands of value-added resellers (VARs) across the country. The company’s high-touch, fast-response service and support, flexible pricing and on-time accurate delivery, coupled with its customer-centric approach to development, have fueled exponential growth. “Equally important to note is the alignment in our company cultures. SIPPIO stood out for its undeniably unique platform and innovation, but also for its commitment to customer experience. “Simply put, SIPPIO enables us to continue evolving, providing new services to help our partners thrive,” said Howard. About Jenne, Inc. Jenne, Inc. is a leading U.S. based value-added distributor and master agent of technology products and solutions focusing on unified communications and collaboration, networking and infrastructure, video conferencing, physical security, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the cloud, including equipment and software for the Enterprise and SMB markets. Founded in 1986, Jenne is committed to providing value added resellers, integrators and service providers with a broad product selection, competitive pricing, on-time accurate delivery, outstanding technical support plus ongoing sales and technical training through Jenne University. The company is headquartered in Avon, Ohio. About SIPPIO Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, SIPPIO is the largest platform provider to enable voice in Microsoft Teams. As a Co-Sell Preferred partner, SIPPIO provides partners and carriers with a fully automated, Azure native, end-to-end solution. Available globally with toll free and emergency services, SIPPIO does not require any code, build or maintenance. SIPPIO activates full calling capabilities in minutes and scales with business needs to enhance communications and collaboration to unify the modern workplace experience. Visit www.sippio.io for additional information. Contact Details Mostafa Razzak +1 917-912-0623 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net Company Website http://www.sippio.io

August 10, 2021 08:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

ThriveFantasy Partners with NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars for 2021 Season to be Daily Fantasy Sports and Esports Partner

ThriveFantasy

ThriveFantasy, the leading player prop daily fantasy sports and esports platform, announced today it has signed on as a Proud Partner and daily fantasy sports and esports partner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The partnership is a first of its kind with the Jaguars, as it will provide Jaguars fans with unique opportunities to participate in Thrive’s customized fantasy football contests throughout the season. “These are the types of partnerships that are the most fun to be a part of,” says Adam Weinstein, Founder and CEO of ThriveFantasy. “The Jaguars are at the forefront of innovation and are giving us the ability to be very creative in the ways we help engage their fanbase.” ThriveFantasy was created to give everyday fans a better chance at winning by challenging them to pick simple over/unders of yards, catches, touchdowns and more. Thrive will be creating custom Jaguars-only contests within its app to offer Jaguars fans the chance to win exclusive fan experiences. Fans can visit their mobile app store to download the ThriveFantasy app today. “We’re excited to welcome ThriveFantasy into the family of Jaguars partners, especially as fantasy sports continues to grow in popularity,” said Mike DiMartino, Jaguars vice president of corporate partnerships. “Thrive will give our fans yet another exciting opportunity to interact with their favorite team and, in this case, win prizes!” In the coming months, Jaguars fans can download the ThriveFantasy app and keep an eye out for: Match deposits up to $100 Custom Jaguars-only contests throughout the 2021-2022 season In-stadium signage with more information, QR codes and promotions 30-second TV Spots About ThriveFantasy ThriveFantasy is a Daily Fantasy Sports and Esports App for Player Props. Thrive eliminates the countless hours of research users have to spend, by only focusing on the top-tier athletes that have the biggest impact on the game. Follow ThriveFantasy on Instagram (@ThriveFantasy), Twitter (@ThriveFantasy) and Facebook (ThriveFantasy). Download the app today via the App Store and Google Play. App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/thrivefantasy/id1240062484 Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appster.p2f&hl=en_US Contact Details Michael Adorno madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.thrivefantasy.com/

August 09, 2021 09:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Malvertising Takes Aim at a New Target:IoT Devices Connected to Smart Home Networks

GeoEdge

Global cybersecurity company GeoEdge revealed it has uncovered a global-scale malvertising attack which is the first ad-based cybercrime aimed specifically at home-network based IoT devices. Working in cooperation with the company’s AdTech partners InMobi and Verve Group, GeoEdge’s security researchers identified both the attack vector as well its origins from bad actors in Slovenia and Ukraine. GeoEdge’s security research team has been investigating the malvertising attack on smart home IoT devices since mid-June 2021. The widely distributed attack vector is the first to use online advertising to silently install apps on home-WiFi-connected IoT devices, and only requires that hackers possess a basic understanding of device API documentation, some JavaScript knowledge and rudimentary online advertising skills. Market research firm IoT Analytics forecasts more than 30 billion IoT device connections worldwide by 2025, making home and industrial IoT an extremely attractive and vulnerable frontier for malvertisers. “GeoEdge’s patented behavioral code analysis technology and advanced malware detection capabilities detected these online ads covertly injecting malware into smart-home IoT devices,” said GeoEdge CEO Amnon Siev. “With the collaboration between InMobi and Verve, we exposed the origin, infrastructure and global scale of these attacks. This joint mission is built on trust and a deep understanding of the threat landscape which has enabled us to create a new standard for user protection.” “Malvertising,” or malicious advertising, spreads malware through the injection of malicious code into online display ads via online advertising networks, exposing user networks and connected devices to the potential risk of infection. Advertising networks are generally unaware they are serving malicious content and in the cases discovered by GeoEdge, users targeted with the attack aren't even required to click on the infected ad or navigate to a malicious page to initiate the attack on home network devices. “Digital advertising continues to capture a larger share of marketing budgets for companies large and small and as with that growth comes potential risks. It is critical that we have the checks and balances to identify and contain potential malicious threats before they can infect users’ devices,” added said Kunal Nagpal, SVP and GM, Publisher Platform and Exchange at InMobi. “Our collaboration with GeoEdge enhances user protection across the advertising ecosystem through advanced real-time detection, ensures the delivery of safe ads to our global partners and helps us maintain quality and user trust.” The impacts of the broad IoT attack revealed in GeoEdge’s research include the ability to manipulate IoT devices, download apps without users’ consent, and risks theft of personal information and monetary instruments as well as tampering with home systems such as smart locks and surveillance cameras. To block such attacks, GeoEdge notes that antivirus apps and even firewalls are not sufficient, making it necessary to continuously block infected ads in real-time to prevent them from being rendered and presented to users. “As we work to maintain a clean and transparent ecosystem, the ad security landscape constantly evolves, introducing new cybersecurity risks which require innovative solutions,” said Pieter de Zwart, VP of Engineering at GeoEdge partner Verve Group. “We are committed to ensuring a safe advertising experience and partnering with key industry players enables us fulfill that mission.” About GeoEdge GeoEdge is the premier provider of ad verification and transparency solutions for the online and mobile advertising ecosystem. The company’s mission is to protect the integrity of the digital advertising ecosystem and to preserve a quality experience for users. It ensures high ad quality and verifies that sites and apps offer a clean, safe, and engaging user experience. GeoEdge guards against non-compliance, malware, inappropriate content, data leakage, operational, and performance issues.‎ Leading publishers, ad platforms, exchanges, and networks rely on GeoEdge’s automated ad verification solutions to ‎monitor and protect their ad inventory – without sacrificing revenue. The company was founded in 2010 by a team with more than two decades of hands-on technical and online media experience. To learn more, visit http://www.geoedge.com About InMobi InMobi drives real connections between brands and consumers by leveraging its technology platforms and exclusive access to mobile intelligence. Its Marketing Cloud creates new paths for brands to understand, identify, engage and acquire connected consumers. As a leading technology company, InMobi has been recognized on both the 2018 and 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50 lists and as one of Fast Company’s 2018 World’s Most Innovative Companies. For more information, visit inmobi.com. About Verve Group Verve Group’s omnichannel ad platform connects advertisers, agencies, brands, and publishers to people in real time. With a privacy-first approach, Verve Group offers advertising innovation at scale with full-stack programmatic solutions in brand-safe environments. The global group is a trusted partner of 5,000+ advertisers and brands with direct connections to 4,000+ publishers and apps globally. Verve Group is part of Media and Games Invest (MGI) and has an international presence with over 200 employees in 20+ offices worldwide, spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Learn more at www.verve.com. Contact Details Rainier Communications (for GeoEdge) Steve Schuster +1 508-868-5892 steve@rainierco.com GeoEdge Michal Nissenson +972 54-395-7779 michal.nissenson@geoedge.com WIT Strategy for Verve Group Mark Naples mnaples@witstrategy.com InMobi Nick Lashinsky PR@inmobi.com

August 09, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

1 ... 271272273274275 ... 333