Elena Gilbert <3. . Wallpaper and background images in the TV 여자 캐릭터 club tagged: the vampire diaries elena gilbert invisible-tears.
This TV 여자 캐릭터 fan art might contain 매력, 섹시한 레이저, 호소, 섹시 함, 섹시 한, 초상화, 얼굴, 근접 촬영, 얼굴 만, 세로, 헤드샷, 피부, 스킨 톤, 누드 컬러, 부분 벌거 벗음, 묵시적 누드, 부분적인 벌거 벗음, 묵시적인 누드, 묵시적인된 누드, 부분적인 벌거숭이, and skintone.


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click on me
Growing up in Berkeley, California, I was exposed to many colorful, radical characters. I lived with my mother, an Intuitive, Certified Hypnotherapist, Activist, former Artist Model and Go-Go dancer. I also spent plenty of time with my father a popular Bay Area Photographer and retired Chairman / Professor of the Art Department at San Francisco City College. I was exposed early and gleefully mingled with people from various cultures, classes, races, backgrounds and sexual orientations.
One day at the tender age of 5, while riding around the streets of Oakland, I witnessed a woman standing on a corner, dressed in what i thought was a very snazzy yet provocative, making (what I didn't know at the time) extreme gestures at passing cars. With natural curiosity, I asked, "Mom, what is she doing?" My mother, forever the one to tell you like it is answered: "She is a Prostitute", Onika: "What does a Prostitute do?" Mom: "Well... she actually makes love, for money, dear" Onika, always the budding entrepreneur, "MOM!! I want to be a PROSTITUTE!!!"
The next week she enrolled me in Acting Classes :)
Most Recently....
ONIKA will be Directing the Feature Film GOD, THE CRACKHOUSE AND THE DEVIL Written By LEVY 'LEE" SIMON Starring Elvis Nolasco
The Role of AMY in THE AFFAIR, LADY COP in THE PATH, CARMEN in the upcoming HBO Mini Series THE NIGHT OF
MORIAH / HOMELESS WOMAN in THE DINNER, Directed By Oren Moverman, Starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney and Richard Coogan
LADY in the Immersive Production TENNESSEE ON HUDSON and CAMILLE and TRIXIE in the NEW CIRCLE THEATER COMPANY's INFERNO PROJECT
Recurring EMTtress on BLUE BLOODS
Supporting Roles in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, SISTERS (Tina Fey and Amy Pohler), DO NO HARM, DEXTER, DAMAGES, LAW & ORDER, POLITICAL ANIMALS, SIDE EFFECTS and the Independent feature THE CHALLENGER

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Thanks for requesting my work!
thanks for adding my piece!
The Cucuteni-Trypillian culture, also known as Cucuteni culture (from Romanian), Trypillian culture (from Ukrainian) or Tripolye culture (from Russian), is a late Neolithic archaeological culture which flourished between ca. 5500 BC and 2750 BC, from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dniester and Dnieper regions in modern-day Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, encompassing an area of more than 35,000 km2 (14,000 sq mi). At its peak the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture built the largest settlements in Neolithic Europe, some of which had populations of up to 15,000 inhabitants. Likewise, their density was very high, with the settlements averagely spaced 3 to 4 kilometers apart.


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N.J. State Police increase number of tickets issued on Turnpike and Parkway, target aggressive drivers
Updated: Apr. 01, 2019, 3:55 p.m. | Published: May. 29, 2010, 11:55 p.m.
By Mike Frassinelli/The Star-Ledger
Amanda Brown/The Star-LedgerThe New Jersey Turnpike near exit 11 in Woodbridge.
State troopers patrolling the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway last month wrote about 50 percent more traffic tickets than they did the previous April.
The tickets are being written in the name of safety — not revenue, according to a State Police spokesman, who added that any increases in summonses are part of an attempt to reduce the number of accidents. Fatal wrecks are down 12 percent this year on all New Jersey highways.
Previous coverage:
• State Police ramp up ticket writing on N.J. Turnpike, Garden State Parkway
"I wouldn't say we're making concerted efforts to write more summonses," State Police Capt. Gerald Lewis said. "But we absolutely are looking to enforce the motor vehicle laws and those behaviors which are causing these accidents."
State Police from "Troop D," which patrols the Turnpike, issued 6,791 total motor vehicle summonses last month, up from the 4,655 summonses issued in April 2009. For the first four months of this year, troopers on the Turnpike issued 24,409 tickets, up more than 20 percent from the 20,274 tickets issued between January and April last year.
State Police from "Troop E," which patrols the Parkway, issued 5,291 summonses last month, an increase from the 3,283 summonses issued in April 2009.
For the first four months of this year, police on the Parkway issued 19,209 tickets, up more than 10 percent from the 17,320 tickets issued between January and April last year.
Lewis said troopers are doing what they've always done — looking out for motorists who are too aggressive, drive too fast, get drunk or fail to keep their vehicles to the right.
A radio spot this week warns that State Police are on the lookout for aggressive drivers.
"You'll see us out there on New Jersey highways. Where you don't want to see us is in your rearview mirror," the commercial reads, as a police siren wails in the background.
Last month, troopers on the Turnpike issued 71 summonses to drunken drivers — more than double the 32 tickets given to drunken drivers in April 2009. There were also more summonses for toll evasion, high occupancy vehicle lane violations and truck parking violations.
But a five-year look back at Turnpike and Parkway statistics shows it is not so much a matter of writing more tickets this year as it was not writing as many last year at this time.
Every year from 2006 to 2008, troopers on the Turnpike wrote between 26,000 and 28,000 tickets for the first four months — until the number of tickets dropped to slightly more than 20,000 for the first four months of last year.
On the Parkway, troopers wrote anywhere from 20,000 and 25,000 tickets for the first four months of those years — until the number dropped to a little more than 17,000 last year.
"It appears that last year was a bit of an anomaly," Lewis said.
Overall, traffic on the Turnpike was about the same for the first four months of 2009 and 2010, with about 73 million riders for the first four months of each year. On the Parkway, there have been about 6 million fewer riders this year, but that was attributed to the three major storms in February 2010 that left the Parkway resembling a ghost town.
Turnpike Authority spokesman Joe Orlando said police are not writing more tickets as part of a revenue push. He said the money from the tickets goes to the municipalities, and the authority doesn't get a dime.
"The State Police have a job. They're out there enforcing," Orlando said. "The fatals are down, so somebody is doing the right thing out there. Whatever it takes to get people to drive slower and be safer."


Dynamic tests in JUnit 5 provides a quick introduction to dynamic tests and compares it with parameterized tests written with JUnit 4. By the way, if you want to know how you can write parameterized tests with JUnit 5, you should take a look at this blog post.
JUnit 5 Tutorial: Writing Assertions With Hamcrest is the latest part of my JUnit 5 tutorial, and it describes how you can write assertions by using Hamcrest matchers.
REST Assured with Groovy is a practical blog post that describes how you can leverage the syntax of Groovy programming language when you are writing automated tests with REST Assured.
Automation Testing, The Ultimate Guide: 74 Resources, Tools & Best Practices for Test Automation is a very comprehensive tutorial that helps you to get started with automated testing. It helps you to solve the most common problems faced by people who start writing automated tests and provides a huge list of test automation tools that can be useful to you.
Maintaining Value – Automation's Forgotten Cost is an interesting post that identify things which are often forgotten when people start to write automated tests for the first time.
Why we test — do things faster with Test-Driven Development is an interesting post which explains why doing TDD is faster than doing manual checking.
Working with all levels of ignorance is a thought-provoking post that explains why testing is not just a programming problem.


Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is working with food redistribution charity FareShare and local food manufacturer, PJ's Foods, to provide almost 19,000 meals to players and coaches during this week's Homeless World Cup (July 10-16).
Every day of the event, GCU's Encore catering team, headed by Frank McCabe, is serving more than 700 cooked breakfasts and dinners and 1100 packed lunches to participants on the University's Glasgow campus. Tesco is supplying food and bottled water for the event via FareShare.
GCU alumnus Scott Cherry founded PJ's Foods and fellow alumnus Kenneth O'Doherty is the company's Sales Director. It is supplying 8400 freshly made sandwiches, free of charge, for the teams' lunches.
Said Mr O'Doherty: "As a Glasgow-based company we were very keen to support the Homeless World Cup and we have encouraged the companies we work with to support it, too, by supplying ingredients."
As the Homeless World Cup hub, GCU is hosting hundreds of participants representing 52 countries who have come together to celebrate and highlight the year-round, life-changing work of the Homeless World Cup National Partner network.


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Lansdowne EMT is a hometown hero for her community, family
By Beccah Hendrickson
LANSDOWNE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A Delaware County EMT who has a weakened immune system puts it all on the line every day while saving lives during this pandemic.
The risk EMT Kimberly Ewing takes is greater than most.
"If every person that has medical issues in their life decides to quit, then there's going to be not many people left to help the people that need it," said Ewing, who works for the Lansdowne Fire Company.
She's immunocompromised and doing everything she can to protect herself, but she's not the only one who worries.
Her 16-year-old daughter Sarah holds her breath every time her mom leaves for a shift.
"It's been scary and hard because she has to stay safe on the ambulance with the COVID-19 patients she sees on the ambulance daily," said Sarah, who wants to follow in her mom's footsteps and be a nurse someday. She says that's why she studies so hard at school.
"I've lost half my freshman year, all of my sophomore year, I've missed many dances, but in the end, it's worth it to keep everyone safe," she said.
After nearly a year of putting her health at risk being on the frontlines, Kim was able to get the vaccine. She says she knows the pandemic isn't over, but at least she can feel a little more safe.
"I'm very grateful," she said.
It's been a long year, but Kim leaves home every day knowing she's making the world better for her family.
"Saving people's lives. Not many people can say they do that every day," said her daughter.
societydelaware citycoronaviruscovid 19 vaccinefeel goodhometown hero


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Q: Plot cylinder along curved axis I need a little help in the code to plot the cylinder along the given axis. Can you please let me know how to implement this in Matlab.The cylinder should be along the axis.
Let me know incase if you have further questions
%Code for axis
s=10;
vec=0.6;
i=0; x=0; y=0; z=0; x1=0; y1=0; z1=0;
for i=1:s
     x(i)=0;
     z(i)=i;
     y(i)=0;

end
angle=60;
j=0;
for j=1:s
if j<vec*s
     x1(j)=0;
     z1(j)=j;
     y1(j)=0;
end
end
plot3(x1,y1,z1); xlabel('X axis'); ylabel('Y axis'); zlabel('Z axis');

%code for the cylinder
t = 0:pi/10:2*pi;
[X,Y,Z] = cylinder(2+cos(t));
surf(X,Y,Z)
axis square

A: you can download the awesome Tubeplot library and then you easily plot a curved tube like that:
t=0:0.01:pi;
x=cos(t);
y=sin(t);
z=3*t;
r = sqrt(t)/2;
[X,Y,Z] = tubeplot(x,y,z,r,1,10);
surf(X,Y,Z,'EdgeColor','none')

and you'll get:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A team of researchers led by Justin R. Crepp, the Freimann Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Notre Dame, has directly imaged a very rare type of brown dwarf that can serve as a benchmark for studying objects with masses that lie between stars and planets. Their paper on the discovery was published recently in Astrophysical Journal.
Astronomers are constantly on the hunt for ever-colder star-like bodies, and two years ago a new class of objects was discovered by researchers using NASA's WISE space telescope. However, until now no one has known exactly how cool their surfaces really are – some evidence suggested they could be room temperature.
A new study shows that while these brown dwarfs, sometimes called failed stars, are indeed the coldest known free-floating celestial bodies, they are warmer than previously thought with temperatures about 250-350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To reach such low surface temperatures after cooling for billions of years means that these objects can only have about 5 to 20 times the mass of Jupiter. Unlike the Sun, these objects' only source of energy is from their gravitational contraction, which depends directly on their mass.
Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes have probed the stormy atmosphere of a brown dwarf, creating the most detailed "weather map" yet for this class of cool, star-like orbs. The forecast shows wind-driven, planet-sized clouds enshrouding these strange worlds.
"With Hubble and Spitzer, we were able to look at different atmospheric layers of a brown dwarf, similar to the way doctors use medical imaging techniques to study the different tissues in your body," said Daniel Apai, the principal investigator of the research at the University of Arizona in Tucson, who presented the results at the American Astronomical Society meeting Tuesday in Long Beach, Calif.
NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission has led to a bonanza of newfound supermassive black holes and extreme galaxies called hot DOGs, or dust-obscured galaxies.
Now, just as scientists are "meeting and greeting" the new neighbors, WISE has a surprise in store: there are far fewer brown dwarfs around us than predicted.


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Embedding Values & Taking an Active Stance – Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund in 2018
21.05.2018 / haascrb / CRB News, Uncategorized
Praised as ambitious and groundbreaking, the Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund (HSRIF) is the first and largest student-led SRI fund within a leading business school. It offers our MBA students real-world experience in delivering both strong financial returns and positive social impact. Since 2008, the student principals have more than doubled the initial investment to +$3M, learning through experience about SRI and ESG investment strategies and practices.
"The annual performance was impressive, the articulation of strategy to align with the Haas Principles very savvy, and most importantly it came through quite clearly that this was a truly impactful and educational experience for the principals."
– Michael Pearce, Cambridge Associates (MBA 08 & HSRIF Founding Principal)
The 2017-18 HSRIF Principals recently announced their annual summary of activities. They successfully produced another year of steady performance, with one advisory committee member noting that "the amount of risk to return has been strong, even heroic, in recent years." In addition to strong returns, the 2017-2018 Principals were able to define and act on several news initiatives that enhanced the values that inform investment decisions. They successfully applied the four Berkeley Haas Defining Principles to guide future investments and leveraged their role as investors to advocate for changes at Facebook in the wake of recent privacy concerns.
Included below is a summary of key highlights from the 2017-2018 HSRIF Annual Report, in particular the Fund's performance and values-driven activities:
2017-2018 Performance
Performance for the 2017-18 academic year was very solid, with the overall portfolio returning 14.8% in the year and the equities sub-portfolio up 21.1% in the same period. This compares to 13.6% for the Russell 3000 and 11% for an 80% Russell 3000 / 20% Barclays Aggregate portfolio.
Investment Beliefs and the Defining Principles
Ten Years of Standing for What We Believe In
This year, the Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund marked a decade of student-led socially responsible investing. As we look forward to the next ten years, the HSRIF Principals wanted to ensure that the Fund continued to be a vehicle not only through which students could learn about the principles of socially responsible investing, but that would also be an outward example to the business world of the Berkeley Haas values. Learning from the journey of other leaders in ESG and fund management, the HSRIF undertook the process of clarifying the components of the Investment Beliefs that will stand as a guide for future HSRIF Principals.
Their Investment Beliefs draw directly from the values of a Berkeley Haas Leader and the four Defining Principles that are so thoroughly engrained in the students who are educated here at Haas: Beyond Yourself, Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, and Students Always. The following description of their Investment Beliefs comes from the 2017-18 Annual Report:
Investment Beliefs
Fundamental approach, with ESG qualifier
Fundamental analysis is used to uncover the value of each investment for both learning and prudence purposes. Invest only in companies that are good or high potential to improve from an ESG perspective. Regardless of the financial return, HSRIF will not consider a business with poor ESG performance due to the belief that ESG factors drive long term value as a "high quality" company.
Intermediate time horizon
To avoid the impairment of perpetual value, the investment is made on securities that have upside in a longer term, offset by the fact that a new class of principals will come aboard to reevaluate the portfolio each year. A typical investment analysis time horizon is around 2-3 years, although the fund typically is a longer term holder of high quality equities.
Beyond Yourself
We believe that companies should be accountable to a wide set of stakeholders – from their overseas employees to their end consumer – and have a strong commitment to human rights of all people. As an institution, we have a rich history of supporting Anti-apartheid and Free Speech movements, and in advocating for the rights of the underrepresented and disadvantaged. As a fund, we commit to investing in companies that go "beyond themselves" to integrate a wider group of stakeholders into their management beliefs. (e.g. Starbucks)
Question the Status Quo
Prevailing economic theory has done little to incorporate environmental externalities into the valuation of companies. At HSRIF, we question this stance, believing firmly that incorporating analysis of the environmental effect of a company's activity is a more accurate assessment of the holding's long-term value. Through our portfolio of holdings, the HSRIF seeks to advance Berkeley's tradition of climate justice by supporting companies that minimize humans' effect on natural resources. (E.g. Canadian National Railway)
Confidence Without Attitude
Company leadership should be strong and inclusive, whether this is in the form of participatory voting rights, or a true commitment to diversity and representation at senior levels on boards. With strong governance and leaders that embody "confidence without attitude" we believe companies will not only hold themselves to more ethical standards, but also perform better financially. As the HSRIF, we invest in companies that have governance models that allow for participation, diversity, and responsibility. (E.g. Unilever)
Students Always
We are always learning, and we expect the companies we invest in to be as well. As investors, we look for companies that are actively managing their ESG and continually looking to improve the long-term viability and impact of their company. We take an activist role in companies that have improvements to make in ESG, but which are committed and open about their path to doing so. (E.g. Facebook)
Fund Diversification across Asset Classes
To provide downside protection, liquidity to fund the CRB draw and reflect that there are periods where it is harder to actively manage the portfolio (reflecting the nuances of the student calendar), the fund will be diversified between Fixed Income and equity , with the equity portion split between the individual equities portion of the portfolio and passive equity indices.
Facebook – An Active Investment Opportunity
A note from the 2017 – 2018 Principals:
"This year's HSRIF Principals have engaged Facebook as an active investment opportunity within the portfolio (more details on the active versus passive in the annual report).
As principals, one of the tools at our disposal is our collective voice. The current challenges facing Facebook present an opportunity to use our voice to drive positive change as it relates to ESG metrics and ratings, further securing the company's economic moat and our investment.
Please note our participation in the attached Open Letter to the CEOs of Facebook's Largest Institutional Shareholders as it is intended to amplify our voice by calling for action.
The letter illuminates ideas to be presented in Facebook's upcoming annual shareholder meeting that resonated with our Principals, including:
A shareholder resolution filed by Arjuna Capital and co-filed by The New York State Common Retirement Fund, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Baldwin Brothers, Inc., and Harrington Investments seeks a report on how the company is managing content governance (including election interference, fake news, hate speech and online sexual harassment propagated by the platform).
A shareholder resolution filed by Trillium Asset Management on behalf of the Park Foundation, calls for the board to appoint a Risk Oversight Committee, the presence of which may have anticipated and mitigated today's crisis.
A focus on disclosure pointing to research by Ranking Digital Rights that revealed that Facebook disclosed less about how it handles user information than six of its peers: Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Oath, Apple, and Kakao (a Korean company).
The company's board should be reconstituted with new independent directors who are experts in data usage and ethics to oversee company practices, and that the roles of Chairman and CEO be split and for Mr. Zuckerberg to step aside and let new leadership reinvent Facebook, while instituting best practices in good governance.
This public letter is our first step in engaging the company and we intend for this to be an active debate for future Principals to further engage. Please feel free to provide any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions as we move forward."
Read the letter in full here.
financeHSRIFsocially responsible investingSustainable Investment
2018 Patagonia Case Competition Top 10 Finalist Teams
Reflections from our 2018 Student Advisory Board Graduates


The Almar offers guest accommodation in the popular Columbus Ravine area of Scarborough. We are ideally situated for North Bay attractions including Peasholm Park and the North Bay beaches.
We have a well stocked bar including beers, wine list and champagnes. During summer months quiz nights and other entertainment will be offered.
The entire guest house is tastefully decorated with well appointed en suite rooms. Whether you are with us for a short stay or a longer break, we are sure that you will enjoy an extremely comfortable time with us.
Wildercombe House is located in a quiet location above the seaside town of Ilfracombe in North Devon.
This luxurious 5 star bed and breakfast accommodation has wonderful views across the hills and to the town.
The town of Ilfracombe has a range of shops, pubs and restaurants and it also provides easy access to explore the surrounding areas of Exmoor, Woolacombe and Croyde. There are also lots of activities to enjoy in the area from horse riding to golfing.
Keigwin House is a friendly and comfortable family run bed & breakfast situated on the tree lined Alexandra Road.
We are within easy walking distance of Penzance town centre and only 3 minutes walk from Penlee Park and the seafront.
Keigwin bed and breakfast is also the ideal stopover on your way to the Isles of Scilly being only a 2-minute drive from the ferry and 15 minutes from Lands End Airport.
Town Mills bed and breakfast is in the heart of the country town of Dulverton.
This charming converted mill house retains many of the original features making Town Mills a delightful bed and breakfast.
With a top 10% of business on trip advisor, we are only a 2 minute walk from Dulverton town centre, positioned in a quiet and peaceful location next to the old Dulverton mill stream that runs underneath the building.
The Lodge is 2.5 miles south of Jedburgh, situated in a secluded valley beside the Jed Water in its own 25 acres of land. It is a haven for bird life. The holiday accommodation consists of 8 bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms or shower rooms. All have tea/coffee making facilities.
The miles of unspoilt open hills are sparsely populated and have changed little over the centuries. They provide a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of modern life. It is beautiful walking countryside whether it be a leisurely stroll along the Roman Road, Dere Street, or walking the 62 1/2 miles of St. Cuthbert's way from Melrose to Lindisfarne.
Set in the heart of the Lake District, amid dramatic fells and picturesque valleys you will find The Ambleside Salutation Hotel & Spa.
Enjoying village centre location and boasting breathtaking views, this Lakeland hotel accommodation is ideal for a weekend getaway, midweek break, conference, or even a Christmas party!
If you're looking for an experience and destination rather than just a gym, the Ambleside Salutation Health Club and Spa offers you a stylish, dynamic, modern, user friendly and truly innovative exercise environment. Our state-of-the art facilities include world class Techno gym equipment, sauna, steam room, 13m indoor pool, tropical shower crushed ice fountain, poolside Jacuzzi and deluxe Canadian hot tub situated in our serenity garden. We feel we can offer you a truly new dimension in luxury and relaxation.
Hillside House Bed & Breakfast is situated near Gorey and Courtown Harbour and close to Ballymoney Beach on the Wexford Wicklow Border the sunny south east of Ireland.
Our Gorey B&B has six ensuite bedrooms. Free wifi access is available throughout the house. Each bedroom has a colour television, electric blankets and tea and coffee making facilities. The rooms to the front have wonderful views of Tara Hill and the Ballymoney coastline.
Hillside House Gorey B&B is minutes away from the bustling town of Gorey, with it's numerous award winning boutiques, fabulous restaurants and vibrant pubs and bars.
The Firs Guesthouse is situated in the picturesque coastal village of Runswick Bay, 8 miles north of Whitby, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.
Runswick Bay offers close proximity to many of the North of England's major tourist attractions.


"Attracting Preservice Teachers to Remote Locations" by Kenneth D. Young, Peter Grainger et al.
Young, K. D., Grainger, P., & James, D. (2018). Attracting Preservice Teachers to Remote Locations. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(2).


text:
package android.holo.cts.modifiers;

import android.app.Dialog;
import android.view.View;

/**
 * Interface to implement should you want to write a test that uses
 * a Dialog. Since a Dialog shows in a new window, implementation
 * of this interface is required in order to appropriately save
 * the Dialog for testing.
 */
interface DialogBuilder {

    Dialog buildDialog(View view);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Posts Tagged 'Henry Wickre'
Rolfe, Iowa, in the '40s and '50s: The Wickre Story — Part IV
This Rolfe Homecoming pin belongs to my sister, Clara, who was in the same graduating class as Sharon. When this pin was sold at Homecoming time in 1958, Clara and Sharon were juniors; I was yet to turn three years old.
This post includes the fourth (of a total of five) segment of a conversation I had last spring with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard, Rolfe High School class of 1960.
To listen to Sharon elaborate about many topics, including her success selling Homecoming pencils in the early 1950s, click on the following link. This segment is 6 minutes long. SharonWickreRickardDPart4
Sharon is shown here in front of the office at Climax Mill and Feed, later known as Climax Feed and Grain, in Rolfe, Iowa. (Even later, the office location behind Sharon became the Farmers Co-op grain elevator office.) The mill was purchased by her parents, Barbara and Henry Wickre, in 1944. Can't you just see this little girl selling those Homecoming pencils in Rolfe's "beer joints" in the early '50s?! (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Last spring Sharon and I talked about former Rolfe Public Library personnel. This image is of page 219 of the 1981 Pocahontas County History. When Mother (Marion Gunderson, lower right in the above image) retired in 1998 after working 35 years at the library, Bette Brinkman became the library director followed by Karen Kerns. Penny Tilden is the current director. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Sharon and several others mentioned that the Rolfe Public Library used to be at the location of Rolfe's current post office (shown on the map posted with the third segment). From there, in 1954 the library's collection was moved to the building pictured above.
One octogenarian said he thought, but wasn't sure, that before it was at the post office location, that the library was in the basement of maybe the "old bank building" in Rolfe. If you have a tidbit or a lot of information specifically about that, or in general about the former libraries, if you would email that information to me (at mariongundersonart@gmail.com) or comment below, it could help satisfy inquiring minds. (When a person offers information to me via personal communication, I do not include it on the blog unless I have permission from that person.)
To navigate to the posts that include the first three segments, click on these links: first segment (9 1/2 minutes), second segment (7 minutes) and third segment (6 1/2 minutes).
(Click here to go to Louise Shimon's blog's home page.)
Tags:Barbara Wickre, Climax Feed and Grain, Climax Mill and Feed, Henry Wickre, Sharon Rickard, Sharon Wickre
Posted in Iowa, Rolfe | Leave a Comment »
Rolfe, Iowa, in the '40s and '50s: The Wickre Story — Part II
According to Sharon (Wickre) Rickard, this photo was taken of the feed mill in Rolfe, Iowa, "After my dad opened for business." At the beginning of the Wickre ownership of this business in 1944, it was named Climax Mill and Feed. Later it was Climax Feed and Grain. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Click here to listen to the second of five segments of a conversation I had this spring with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard (Rolfe High School, 1960). This segment is approximately seven minutes long.
The first two segments refer mainly to Sharon's parents' Rolfe business shown in the photograph above. All of the five segments have to do with Sharon being raised in Rolfe, Iowa, from 1944 to 1960.
If anything Sharon said conjures up any of your memories, I hope you will email them to me (mariongundersonart@gmail.com) and/or include them below in the comment area.
Sharon's parents, Barbara and Henry Wickre, purchased Climax Mill and Feed in 1944, the same year they moved to Rolfe with Sharon and her sister Beryl. (Sharon was two years old at the time.) Because the functionality of the business changed at a later date, they changed the name to Climax Feed and Grain. That functionality change is explained in the first segment included in a previous post. That previous post shows two photos…including the "elevator" scale.
In the comment section of that previous post, my sister, Clara, asked me to tell my story about that scale. It IS a fun little story…..now! But, not then! You may navigate to that story by clicking on the following links.
Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating — Part I
Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating — Part II
Subsequent segments of my conversation with Sharon refer to several former and/or present landmarks in Rolfe, Iowa. I'll most likely have the third segment posted by mid- to late- next week.
(Click here to go to Louise Shimon's blog's home page.
Posted in Iowa, Rolfe | 1 Comment »
Rolfe, Iowa, in the '40s and '50s: The Wickre Story
Sharon (Wickre) Rickard said this photo is of Climax Feed and Grain, "When we bought it from Vic Shimon in 1944." (Click on photo to enlarge.)
This 2009 photo is of the same location as the photo at the top of this post. In this photo (immediately above) is the former Farmers Co-op grain elevator office and scale, used until moving to the new location to the south across Broad Street in 2002. The scale dial hung in the window and was used until the early/mid 1980's when it was replaced with a digital readout and printer system. (Click photo to enlarge.).
This post includes the first segment of a conversation I had with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard (Rolfe High School '60) this spring. We talked a lot about the Rolfe business owned by Sharon's parents: Climax Mill and Feed which later became Climax Feed and Grain.
To listen to the first segment (9 1/2 minutes long), click on this link: SharonWickreRickardDPart1.
Partial map of Rolfe, Iowa, including landmarks referred to by Sharon. (Click on map to enlarge.)
This map at left includes just one portion of Rolfe over a cross-section of time. (I.e., it includes a mix of former and current landmarks.) I've tried to include areas in Rolfe that Sharon mentioned during our conversation*.
I've divided Sharon's and my conversation into five segments. I'll include those segments in five sequential posts. However, in the string of those posts, I may intersperse additional posts about unrelated topics.
*If you want to refer to the map while you listen to the audio recording, you may do so by opening your browser to view the map, and then by opening a second tab/window in your browser to listen to the audio.
Most likely I won't post the second segment for another week or so, since I want to post something related to my dad. As far as my dad goes, his memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 31st at the Shared Ministry in Rolfe, Iowa. Immediately after the service, there will be a luncheon in the church basement. (I.e., we will not be going to the cemetery between the service and luncheon.)
Daddy requested that, in lieu of flowers, any memorials be given to the Rolfe Lions Club. For anyone who wishes to do so, contributions may be mailed to P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, Iowa, 50581.
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The overall direction for TMT sector from the Budget is positive, given the focus on digital economy and the opportunities for technology interventions across sectors.
The reform measures proposed in the Union Budget 2017 ('the Budget'), be it social, administrative, tax, digital economy are all dependent on the Technology, Media and Telecom ('TMT') industries. Digital economy being one of the key themes of the budget, large scale technology investments have been envisioned to enable the paradigm shift. To that effect, India's TMT sector could be considered as the platform that will accelerate our country's economic growth in the coming years.
The overall direction for TMT sector from the Budget is positive, given the focus on digital economy and the opportunities for technology interventions across sectors. Such large scale digitization of economy across the spectrum could positively impact the domestic technology and big-data analytics industry, as data assumes center stage in policy decisions.
With a target of INR 25 billion worth of digital transactions and initiatives to improve digital transactions like Aadhar enabled payments, cash-back schemes and referral bonus for Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app, one can expect significant opportunities for technology vendors.
Digital initiatives for education and healthcare sectors such as 'Swayam' program, facilitating online learning from top universities, telemedicine, and Aadhar based smart cards for citizens, enabled by high speed internet connectivity through Bharatnet could generate significant impetus to domestic telecom and software vendors.
Increasing allocation for Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS), along with the proposed labor reforms is expected to provide a boost to domestic electronic manufacturing industry.
Duty exemptions (BCD, Excise / CV duty and SAD) for m-POS, micro ATM, finger print readers / scanners and iris scanners and on their parts and components will help increase adoption of last mile digital payments.
The FM proposes to continue last year's trend to give tax breaks to start-ups and MSMEs. For certain start-ups, losses incurred in the first 7 years after incorporation are proposed to be allowed to be carry forward even if the shareholding of the original promoters is reduced below 51% as long as the original promoters continue to hold their shares in the Company.
Further, the profit-linked tax holiday for eligible start-ups which was introduced in the Finance Act 2016 for 3 consecutive years out of first 5 years of incorporation earlier, is now to be extended upto 7 years from incorporation. Given that the gestation/ turnaround period for a start-up to turn profitable takes longer time, this provides the much needed impetus to start-ups.
In another proposal, reduction in tax rate for companies with turnover up to INR 500 million for FY 2015-16 will make MSMEs more viable.
In an another significant tax proposal hitting IT/ ITeS companies, it is sought to clarify that deduction under section 10AA of the Act will now be eligible only after set-off of losses and unabsorbed depreciation i.e. at the total income stage. This would in effect override the recent Supreme Court ruling which allowed deduction under section 10A before set-off i.e. from the Gross Total Income of the eligible undertaking. This clarification will be a blow to many companies in SEZs in the IT / ITES sector.
On the transfer pricing front, going forward, the Indian taxpayers would need to make a corresponding secondary adjustment (above INR 10 million) to give effect to any primary adjustment, either suo moto or by the Assessing Officer and accepted by the taxpayer or as determined by way of Advance Pricing Agreement/ Safe Harbour Rules/Mutual Agreement Procedure. If the excess money so determined as a result of TP adjustment is not repatriated to India, the same would be treated as an advance made to the AE, on which prescribed interest would be charged.
Also, any expenditure incurred involving payment to persons specified under Section 40A(2)(b) of the Act which is currently covered under the ambit of Specified Domestic Transaction ('SDT') will cease to be so covered under the revised SDT definition. This reduces the administrative burden on companies.
From an indirect tax perspective, the Budget does not have any major announcements in view of the impending GST legislation.
Although the budget looks largely promising, there are certain issues which could have been addressed in the Budget, like restoration of rate of depreciation on computers and computer software to 60%, revised Safe Harbor Rules with rationalized margins for IT/ITeS industry, unresolved issues related to equalisation levy such as claim of credit, assessment, appeal mechanism etc. and disputes with respect to payments made for use of computer software.
At a time when the industry is facing global headwinds, the budget lays out opportunities for the TMT sector to focus on localized innovation, as digital services seek to cater to the larger population. The budget seeks to provide greater impetus to the Digital Economy to make India a more tax compliant society and to boost the Start-up/ MSME sector to push the agenda of growth.
In the wake of the de-monetization drive, the Budget seeks to achieve the Government's objective to Transform, Energise and Clean India, and it has chosen the Digital Economy as one of the key means to achieve this objective. The success of this initiative will depend on the implementation.
Tapati leads the Tax Industry Practice for Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT). In her capacity as a Tax Partner, she has served some of the largest and most reputed clients in the TMT space.
Tapati leads the Tax Industry Practice for Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT). In her capacity as a Tax Partner, she has served some of the largest and most reputed Show more.. clients in the TMT space.


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What Do You Do With 2 Free Hubble Equivalent Telescopes?
The Hubble Space Telescope stands with the Shuttle as one of the most iconic space craft of the past 2 decades. It has been an amazing boon to science giving us images into the far reaches of space, revealing much about the universe that we would not have known without it. For all it has given us however it is starting to show its age after being in space for a continuous 22 years and the last decade has been dedicated to building a successor. Currently the craft lined up to replace it is the James Webb Space Telescope and whilst its a worthy replacement it's nothing like the Hubble, for better and for worse.
You see Hubble really is a fully fledged observatory in space being able to capture several different wavelengths of light. This is why we're able to get those gorgeous pictures out of it as the light it sees is pretty close to what our eyes can see. It's not exact though as the various filters used to create the images are more aligned to detecting distinct spectral emissions so we end up with images made in what's called the Hubble Palette. The JWST on the other hand is a pure infrared telescope which is great for studying distant and faint objects but is incapable of producing anything like the Hubble does. To really replace Hubble we'd need a telescope, or maybe even a couple specialized ones working in tandem, that covered a similar array of spectra.
Turns out the National Reconnaissance Office had a couple of these spare.
It might come as a bit of a surprise that the US Department of Defense (of which the NRO is a child agency) has a space program that rivals that of NASA in terms of scale and budget, but it has been that way for some time now. Of course their objectives are decidedly different with NASA being focused on science and exploration and the DoD more interested in the intelligence gathering prospects. It seems that as part of their spy satellite programs they have produced 2 telescopes with Hubble like capabilities that they no longer require (they have not been launched and returned as we have had no missions capable of performing such a task) and have gifted them to NASA. The question now is what to do with these 2 potential Hubble replacements, lest the gift be wasted.
Now these things aren't exactly ready to fly satellites, they're basically skeletons ready to be molded into whatever shape NASA wants them to be in. So the basics are there like the housing and the primary (and secondary, something Hubble didn't have) mirror array but it's missing crucial parts like the sensors, communication systems and I'm guessing stationkeeping equipment. So there's a large parcel of work that's already been done, and no doubt anyone who was looking to build a satellite would love to have this much done for them for free, but to actually get these things flight ready will take quite some time and, most importantly, some budget. If the required funds were found immediately NASA believes they'd be ready to launch no earlier than 2020, or a turnaround time of about 8 years.
Personally I believe that we'd be best served by configuring both telescopes to be identical and then launch them as a stereoscopic pair that could perform in space interferometry. This would allow us to surpass the capabilities of Hubble significantly and would open up imaging opportunities that just weren't available otherwise. Of course we'd probably be better suited designing a whole new telescope with an even larger mirror array than the two combined but with NASA struggling to complete the JWST on time I can't see that happening for anytime in the near future. Using these two proto-Hubbles would be an excellent solution for the interim however.
It's not often that some like this happens so it will be very interesting to see what NASA does with these skeleton telescopes. I would love to see a visible spectrum telescope up there to replace the Hubble after it returns to Earth in a fiery blaze of glory but there are just as many other worthwhile goals for these little beauties. Whatever their fate I'm glad that they're now in the hands of NASA as they'll do a lot more good for mankind as science vessels than they ever would as spies.
dod, gift, hubble, jwst, nasa, nro, satellite, spare, telescope
Don Denesiuk says:
Beware secret agencies bearing gifts.
Cool as these are I believe they are a ploy by right wingers to mess with NASA's already strained budget. Wingers think that all government agencies are nothing but a waste of money that tax payers (Rich taxpayer especially) shouldn't have to support and they should be starved and 'drowned in the bathtub' as Grover Norquist is so fond of saying. The military and intelligence agencies are generally dominated by Conservative types. Republicans in congress are already trying to reduce NASA's already too small budget causing great strain on the planetary science missions while at the same time pressuring them to spend more of that precious money on the SLS that gives money to the old school cost plus type contractors while reducing expenditures on the real innovators of new space like SpaceX.
NASA should make a gift of these to Planetary Resources corporation that wants to orbit IR telescopes to survey potential asteroid targets to mine and not divert any resources to this attractive but already been done project.
Just my opinion of course.
David Klemke says:
There's no doubt that there's really no room for these telescopes in NASA's current budget which is already straining with JWST. Whilst I don't believe all of the right believe that the government needs to be cut (but the Tea Partiers have definitely been banging that drum for as long as they've been around) agencies like NASA have become something of a soft target when it comes to cutting the budget. Why they take away 5% of NASA's budget when the same could be accomplished by taking 0.05% of DoD's is beyond me, but that's how they like to play it.
I was definitely taken back by how hostile some members of congress were to NASA using companies like SpaceX, figuring that they'd love to pour money into a fully private company. Alas they're not and it's more about keeping the status quo more than anything.
Now that'd be an interesting use and I'm sure Planetary Resources would take damn good care of them too. They'd only need one to start off with and NASA could probably wrangle some time on them in exchange for their generous gift.


Numab's antibody fragment leads achieve all predetermined success criteria and have been successfully formulated in Intarcia's proprietary formulation technology.
Boston, MA, and Wädenswil, Switzerland, June 2, 2016 – Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., and Numab AG, today announced the achievement of several key milestones in the development of a multi-specific antibody targeting inflammatory / autoimmune diseases. This is an important step towards realizing the potential of combining Numab's antibody-based therapeutics with Intarcia's unique delivery and formulation technologies.
Numab applied its novel discovery and optimization platform to identify two highly potent, highly selective antibody fragment based leads. The chemical and biological profiles of the lead molecules have met or exceeded all of the success criteria that were established upon the initiation of the licensing collaboration early last year.
In addition, Intarcia has successfully formulated multiple lead molecules produced by Numab. Results confirm the robust stability of the Numab molecules, demonstrate the versatility of the Intarcia formulation technology, and are a testimony to the powerful synergies of the companies' respective technology platforms.
Founded in 2011, Numab discovers and develops innovative antibody-based therapeutics. Applying proprietary rabbit-based antibody discovery and engineering technology, Numab generates highly potent and stable antibody-based molecules that serve as building blocks to create multi-specific antibody-based therapeutics with tailored pharmacokinetic properties. Numab's therapeutic antibodies are designed to improve on existing therapies in terms of effect size, effect duration and safety. For further information, visit www.numab.com.
Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies to enhance treatment outcomes by optimizing and improving the efficacy, continuous administration and tolerability of drug therapies. In addition, delivering medicines just once or twice-yearly has the potential to ensure improved patient adherence and compliance, which is very poor in most chronic diseases. Intarcia's drug development expertise and competitive edge are demonstrated by its abilities to stabilize proteins and peptides at above-body temperature and to deliver them in a continuous and consistent manner via Intarcia's proprietary technology platform. Intarcia has successfully completed its FREEDOM Phase 3-stage development program for type 2 diabetes, which consisted of four separate clinical trials. Intarcia continues to conduct research and development, utilizing its platform technology, to treat other chronic serious disorders in the field of diabetes and obesity. For more information on the Company, please visit www.intarcia.com.
ITCA 650 (continuous subcutaneous delivery of exenatide) is being developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The investigational therapy employs Intarcia's proprietary technology platform, a matchstick-size, miniature osmotic pump that is placed sub-dermally to provide continuous and consistent drug therapy, and the company's proprietary formulation technology, which maintains stability of therapeutic peptides above human body temperature for extended periods of time. Exenatide, the active agent in ITCA 650, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that is currently marketed globally as twice-daily and once-weekly self-injection therapies for type 2 diabetes. When approved, ITCA 650 will be the first injection-free GLP-1 therapy that can deliver up to a full year of treatment from a single placement of the osmotic mini-pump. ITCA 650 is currently being evaluated in the FREEDOM global Phase 3 clinical trial program. All four FREEDOM trials have been successfully completed. FREEDOM-2 demonstrated head-to-head superiority in glucose control after 52 weeks over the market-leading oral therapy, Januvia® (sitagliptin). The fourth and last of the FREEDOM clinical trials, the FREEDOM-CVO trial, began close-out procedures in 4Q15 after reaching the target number of major cardiovascular events. The FREEDOM-CVO trial now has met its primary and secondary endpoints and succeeded in delivering the clinical results necessary for regulatory filings.


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Dr. Mamadou Tadiou Kone
kone.m@iugb.edu.ci
From September 2018, Dr. Koné Mamadou Tadiou is Assistant Professor in the school of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at the International University of Grand Bassam. He previously worked for several years as a research scientist in Montreal, Québec, Canada and Boston, MA, USA. From June 2002 to May 2007, he was an Assistant Professor of Computer Science in the Department of computer science and engineering, Université Laval, Québec. From April 1990 to June 2002, Dr. Koné worked successively at Panasonic Tokyo Information and Communications Research Laboratory and the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) as a Research Associate.
Before his industrial career, he received a "Licence de mathématiques"at the National University of Côte d'Ivoire in 1985; a Master of Science degree in Mathematical and Computing Science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT), Japan in March 1990, then and a Ph.D at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) in 2000. Currently, Dr. Koné is involved in research on software agents' technology, the semantic Web, eGovernment and eCommerce with their applications to a wide range of fields. He is editor of four books and contributed several articles to international workshops, conferences, book chapters and journals. In particular, he was the principal organizer of the first semantic Web symposium in Canada in June 2006.


Seite 243: "EAP, together with English for Occupational Purposes (EOP), is a branch of English for Specific Purposes"
Seite 245 zu EGAP: "Academic English skills, language, and activities relevant for students studying in any field. For instance, instruction in how to compile bibliographies, take notes, and listen to lectures"
Seite 245 zu ESAP: "Relevant for students in certain fields only. For instance writing a chemistry lab report."
Geht das in die richtige Richtung? Gibt's 'ne allgemein gültige Definition für EGAP/ESAP?
Könnte man sagen, es handelt sich um eine vertikale Gliederung innerhalb EAP?
Wie könnten die einzelnen Abstraktionsstufen (ich denke da an Hoffmann) aussehen?
Zitat: Various study skills require different levels of language proficiency. Study skills that require a comparatively large number of productive skills need relatively more language competence as opposed to those that require fewer productive skills. For example, a writing task may demand a more integrated language proficiency in listening, reading and writing on the part of the student than a task for library referencing. EGAP isolates the skills associated with study activities such as listening to lectures and participating in seminars and tutorials, and teaches the skills that are common to all disciplines. ESAP integrates the skills work of EG AP with help for students in their actual subject tasks. The difference is that ESAP courses focus on the actual tasks that students have to carry out while EGAP courses select more general contexts (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998).
Vielleicht hilft dir ihr Artikel ja ein wenig weiter?
Dudley-Evans, T. & St John, M.J. (1998): Developments in English for specific purposes: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-specific needs." In: Queensland Journal of Educational Research, 17(1), 48-67.
vielen Dank für deine hilfreiche Antwort und sorry für diese späte Rückmeldung von mir.
Aber kann man konkret an einem Text zeigen, inwiefern es sich hier um ESAP oder EGAP handelt?
Falls ja - wer hat das gemacht und wo wurde es publiziert?


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The People Factor: the Importance of Relationships in Sponsorship
Posted By Livewire, Tuesday 16 May 2017
Welcome to Livewire's report on the importance of relationships in sponsorship.
At Livewire, curiosity is one of our core values so it is not surprising that we set ourselves a task of uncovering the magic ingredient of the best sponsorships in Ireland. We wanted to understand how the people behind the biggest sponsorships in Ireland manage their relationships. Our goal was to lift the lid on these important relationships and pass on the learnings to the wider sponsorship industry.
All parties surveyed placed great importance on the quality of personal relationships for managing their sponsorships, but many admitted to often feeling frustrated. Overall, it is fantastic to witness the value placed on strong relationships, It makes us feel privileged to work in such a vibrant and people focused business. We are excited to present these learnings and hope that they will prove useful to people working in the sponsorship community.
After all, people buy from people.
Click here to read the report.
Livewire are sponsorship specialists that guide brands and rights holders through every stage of the sponsorship process. Livewire understands the commercial value of sponsorship and how to measure it, with precision. The company works with sponsors to enhance brand equity, establish consumer engagement and deliver bottom line impact. Livewire also work with rights holders to grow sponsorship revenue through brand-centric solutions. As part of Core Media Group, Livewire has unsurpassed market access and world-class resources.
www.livewire.ie
Tags: sponsorship
The 2016 Sponsorship Review - Part 3
Posted By Livewire, Monday 16 January 2017
In early 2016 Livewire held the view that the year ahead would be an exceptionally busy year for sponsors, driven by a "summer of sport", due to Ireland's involvement in Euro 2016, the Olympic Games, as well as annual stalwarts including the GAA Championships. Add to this an ever growing music and cultural festival scene, the landscape was likely to be both cluttered yet potentially exciting. In January we pointed to three trends to watch for the year ahead:
Superior activation strategies
Immersive media sponsorships
Sponsors looking for more from rights holders
For this report Livewire spoke to a select number of sponsors, rights holders and media owners to ask their views on the sponsorship campaigns which stood in 2016. We also asked them what is on their sponsorship Christmas wish list for 2017 and what they would like to see sponsors and rights holders do more of next year. The feedback is included in the report.
So, how did our predictions for key trends in 2016 fare? The answer lies in three separate reports in which we have analysed the above trends. Below is the third of these reports.
Read Part 1 here.
In early 2016 we pointed to an emerging trend of sponsors looking for more from rights holders. As brands increasingly recognise the role which sponsorship can play in addressing business needs, this has led to brands looking closely at the rights they own, or seek to buy, to ensure that they can be fully leveraged. At the same time there is an increased expectation from sponsors of robust evaluation, sophisticated data and fan analysis from rights holders.
When speaking with sponsors and rights holders, many were quick to acclaim the work created by AIB, Vodafone and Heineken in 2016. The following explores these campaigns in a little more detail. We have also examined the role which a rights holder has in answering the needs from sponsors as well as how sponsors can benefit despite ongoing scandals in the world of sport.
1. AIB & GAA
Within the Irish market, you do not have to look far to see how successful this sponsor rights holder collaboration has worked this year. AIB's award winning sponsorship of both the Club Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship has proven that a dynamic and mutually beneficial relationship can lead to enormous success for both sponsor and rights holder.
AIB has brought many positive elements into its relationship with the GAA, including strong strategic thinking based on a rich consumer insight and marketing expertise.
There is no doubt that the Club Championship in particular has benefited from this support. Meanwhile AIB benefits by being synonymous with a competition whose profile increases yearly. And a competition which places the bank in the heartland of the GAA community.
This close relationship between sponsor and rights holder allowed AIB to produce authentic, relevant and welcome content which added to the fan experience throughout the season. This included "The Toughest Trade" AFP TV programme on RTE, a spectacular 360 virtual reality video of Dublin fans on Hill 16 and a heavy social media presence supporting #TheToughest.
AIB has truly become a positive agent for the Club Championship.
2. ROLE OF THE RIGHTS HOLDER
In terms of developing the sponsor rights holder relationship, a number of rights holders this year have embraced the opportunity to understand their sponsorship family better through sponsor conferences. The purpose of such a strategy is not only to bring the sponsor family together and openly discuss the successes, challenges, and future plans for the rights holder, but also for the sponsors to mingle and develop their relationships, possibly enhancing future collaborations. In our view, this is a smart way for a rights holder to develop relationships with its sponsor base, to encourage further buy in from sponsors and to encourage sponsors to be more proactive and collaborate with the rights holder earlier in the season to plan for the year ahead.
As an extension to this sponsor led approach, we have seen some rights holders introduce innovative concepts around data and fan analysis. The GAA recently launched a membership and loyalty programme titled "Go Raibh Maith Agat". The programme provides members with an opportunity to earn points when attending games and allows its sponsors to offer exclusive deals and discounts. This adds value to the fan experience, but most importantly it allows the GAA to collate information obtained through the use of the membership card and provide its sponsors with valuable insights into consumer behaviour and trends which they previously may not have had access too.
From Livewire's research of the market, it is evident that those rights holders who place a central focus on their sponsors from an early stage, deliver not only on authentic, relevant and welcomed value for fans and sponsors but also paves the path for a greater insight into the platform.
3. VODAFONE & IRFU
Vodafone and the IRFU were certainly a force to be reckoned with in 2016. Mutual understanding of both the rights holder's and sponsor's objectives allowed these two stakeholders to raise the profile of both Irish rugby as well as Vodafone's core values and services. This award winning partnership is a prime example of where both the rights holder and sponsor have gone the extra mile and demonstrated a deep understanding of each other's capabilities, values, and commercial opportunities. This collaborative approach reached a crescendo when Ireland beat the All Blacks in Chicago in November, but this was just the cherry on top of a hugely successful 2016.
This campaign was particularly rich in the level of behind the scenes content provided. However, this content would never have materialised if it wasn't for the strong level of trust built up between Vodafone, the commercial team of the IRFU and the management of the Irish rugby team. Creating trust between sponsor and rights holder will be essential for the creation of valued behind the scenes content in 2017. An excellent example of this was Vodafone's AFP TV programme "Irish Rugby, What We Did Last Summer".
Other excellent campaign activations included the "Jersey Swap", and exclusive prizes including Vodafone's "Best Seats in the House". This sponsor's proactive and demanding approach has brought a new level of Irish rugby engagement, for both sponsor and fan.
And it must be noted that the IRFU has collaborated with their sponsor like every rights holder should i.e. through good understanding and clarity of objectives, an openness to new and innovative initiatives (e.g. "Irish Rugby, What We Did Last Summer") and a willingness to go that extra mile for its sponsor.
Despite the fact that the campaign was only launched this summer, the #TeamOfUs campaign triumphed at the Irish Sponsorship Awards – winning "Best Use of Social Media" and "Best Use of PR).
Sports fans are demanding more high quality behind the scenes content.
However, this is not possible without access to teams and athletes. And this is dependent on building trust between sponsor and rights holder.
In 2017 AFP will emerge as an increasingly valuable channel to share this sought after behind the scenes content.
1. LIVE NATION & HEINEKEN SOUND ATLAS
Away from the world of sport, 2016 saw Heineken bring a melting pot of musicians, artists, chefs, dancers, writers, and all kinds of creative people to Heineken Sound Atlas at Electric Picnic. This collaboration with rights holder Live Nation, highlighted the success sponsors can obtain when they seek more from the rights holder. Again, an early approach with the rights holder allowed Heineken to establish its objectives, activity roadmap and buy in from Live Nation. Through a dominant location and presence, by providing innovative concepts which added value to fans, (e.g. Heineken Cold Rooms) and onsite trade to customers, it is no surprise that the brand was seen as the best sponsor at Electric Picnic, an increase from 36% to 50% from 2015 to 2016 (Source: Electric Picnic Onsite Research). Heineken's collaborative approach with Live Nation allowed the brand to extend its story telling platform, engage the key target demographic of 18-24 year olds and build on commercial trade impact. Meanwhile "Heineken Sound Atlas" is truly engaging music fans by giving them the opportunity to explore and discover the most exciting live music scenes from around the globe.
After years of fruitful collaboration between sponsor and rights holder, it is difficult to envisage this premier music event without Heineken and its many innovative activations. For Livewire this is the tell-tale sign of a perfect partnership.
The debate around alcohol brands and sponsorship continues is a hot topic and as a result, rights holders are having to work more closely with sponsors to overcome these challenges and look at new and creative ways to achieve sponsor objectives around strict requirements.
Livewire believes that through a collaborative approach, no matter the industry, platform or restriction, challenges are more easily overcome. A deeper understanding of the sponsor objectives and industry will allow for delivery of the sponsors activity roadmap.
5. SCANDAL AND CHALLENGES
2016 will long be remembered as a year beset by sporting scandals and controversies. One high profile example was American swimmer's Ryan Lochte's false robbery report during the Rio Olympics which resulted in the swimmer swiftly losing four key sponsors – including Speedo and Ralph Lauren.
Meanwhile, Skins, the Australian owned sports manufacturer, was lauded for its treatment of the curious case of ultra-runner Robert Young. In May 2016 Young attempted his greatest challenge – the Trans America Record, 3,423.5 miles, usually attempted at 46 days of around 60 miles per day. Young completed almost 2,000 miles before collapsing with exhaustion – but worse was to come. He was accused from many sides of cheating – which is where this story really captured our interest.
Rather than endorsing, or cutting ties with their athlete, Skins instead employed two independent experts, and tasked them with the sole challenge of finding the truth. This report was released in October, and categorically showed, despite his protestations, that Young had indeed cheated on many of his runs.
A strong and trusting relationship between rights holders and their sponsors will allow for a more educated approach to handling such delicate scenarios – something that can absolutely be said of Skins interrogation of their sponsorship of Robert Young.
In the current climate, this can be viewed as a refreshing approach - and when compared with the sponsors involved with cycling and Team Sky, and indeed tennis and Maria Sharapova, it would be difficult to argue that a lot of rights holders and sponsors could learn from this experience.
In the wake of such negativity around sports scandals this year, Livewire believes that sponsors have a key role to play which they can ultimately benefit from.
Acting decisively towards sporting administrators and athletes when required, moving their sponsorship budgets to sporting bodies which have the best interests of their sport at heart, as well as demanding higher standards and accountability.
Sponsors can become agents for change and in the process, gain new fans.
Unsurprisingly when we asked our sponsors, rights holders and media owners to nominate the sponsorship campaigns which stood out for them in 2016, the consensus here were campaigns which showed clear evidence of both brands and rights holders working in unison. Both sponsors and rights holders referred to smart usage of assets, a clarity of objective based on good consumer insight and strong through-the-line execution via stakeholder collaboration. We believe that the examples we have outlined will act as beacons to the industry.
However, a real benefit from sponsors working more closely with rights holders will be in the form of data. The recently launched GAA membership/loyalty programme is an interesting development and could prove to be hugely beneficial for the rights holder and its sponsors alike. Brands are investing increasing levels of resources in order to understand their consumer base while rights holders are eager to understand who is attending matches, buying subscriptions etc. in order to communicate and sell to these fans more effectively. Closer collaboration between sponsors and rights holders will help to fulfil this data potential.
This article was originally published on Livewire.ie.
Posted By Livewire, Monday 9 January 2017
So, how did our predictions for key trends in 2016 fare? The answer lies in three separate reports in which we have analysed the above trends. Below is the second of these reports.
When speaking about immersion, we are referring to brands becoming a part of the narrative, enhancing the audience experience and being thought of as more than a disconnected, commercial add-on. 2016 has thrown up some excellent examples and potential for growth in this area. However, there are also challenges – most notably, how to deal with the concept of value and tentative approaches from industry stakeholders.
1. IMMERSIVE MEDIA IN 2016
Media sponsorship is not a media buy! Media value attainable from a potential sponsorship is relevant only in that the levels of reach and frequency achievable need to be considered against other, potentially more cost-efficient means of achieving the same. When assessing a sponsorship package, its worth is assessed in media value terms as standard practice. While this provides a common context for evaluating the opportunity, a base for negotiating and the cost of investment for an advertiser – it should not be the only means of assessing it. This is arguably more so given the trend towards immersion and how we can evaluate success.
"The Toughest Trade", created by AIB is an excellent example of advertiser-created programming and how a brand can move beyond simply badging a property. The brand was subtly integrated into the content, while also sponsoring each of the broadcasts. The format provided AIB with the perfect platform to further promote its sponsorship of the All-Ireland Club Championships, while forging a more meaningful relationship with viewers and fans alike.
More and more, the effects of a collaborative approach between media owners, agencies and advertisers are observed. While it is notable that brand objectives exceeded all targets: AIB became the GAA sponsor with the highest awareness in Ireland (Source: AAI Toolkit Seminar), the objective of increasing engagement with AIB's target audience was evident in its social media results – for example, 1.8 million video views. The key learning from this example is the breadth of value that can be garnered from immersive media sponsorship, far beyond the standard sting value. This is a new standard and AIB are out in front.
More recently, we have seen Vodafone cement its relationship with Irish Rugby through the airing of "Irish Rugby – What We Did Last Summer", an Advertiser Funded Programme (AFP) used to leverage what has become one of the standout sponsorships of 2016. These two examples illustrate how media sponsorships can bolster traditional sponsorship. If this is accepted, there is no reason we can't think about this in the reverse and use off-air activations to leverage media sponsorships and adopt a more dynamic way of thinking around media sponsorships.
Another example of this slow but effective shift towards more immersive media sponsorships and content can be seen in Skoda's sponsorship and involvement in "Daniel and Majella's B&B Roadtrip" which was originally broadcast on UTV Ireland in 2015.
In this case Skoda moved away from merely being attached to a property and instead formed part of the story and programme narrative. This was achieved through the Skoda Yeti becoming an intrinsic part of the show. The success of the relationship was illustrated when the sponsorship picked up the 'Best TV Broadcast Sponsorship' award at the 2016 Irish Sponsorship Awards. The show is demonstrative of the way in which the industry can start thinking about using sponsorship properties going forward and working added value into sponsorship deals which are tailored around the brand in question.
Going into 2017, while there is an established standard in television, there is scope for more activity and more innovation. An area of growth potential is radio AFP. While radio advertising spends are not expected to rise, there is scope to change the way radio is used in line with brand objectives. Heineken adopted an innovative approach in 2016 for its music campaign, introducing the weekly show, "Sound Atlas" across a number of the Media Central stations. Kelly-Anne Byrne hosted this slot, which was intrinsically linked to Heineken's Sound Atlas, focusing on some of the world's most exciting music scenes, around the globe – including Paris, Brooklyn, Berlin and Tokyo.
FM104 has also demonstrated a willingness to go beyond traditional media sponsorships. In a relatively risky move, the station replaced some scheduled programming in favour of the AIG-backed FM104's Dub Hub – a sports show which aired on the Friday evenings of big Dublin games. This provided AIG with a platform to engage with Dublin GAA fans through targeted content and on-air activations.
Acknowledging there is a long way to go, the idea that broadcast immersion can cross-over TV and radio is an exciting prospect. There is potential to be unlocked and 2016 has started the momentum.
The success of immersive media sponsorships hinges on the investment – time and monetary – from sponsors and media-owners.
The viewer or listener will benefit from effective immersive media sponsorships – the benefits include quality production and innovative content.
The rules and strategies for activating non-media sponsorships should be applied for media sponsorship.
Evolving the area of immersive sponsorships is slow, but promising.
2. THE VALUE OF BROADCAST STINGS
While Livewire champions immersion, we should acknowledge that the most traditional asset – the broadcast sting – continues to have unique value. At the most top-line level, the nature of a programme means a sponsor can establish a connection with a theme that can resonate in the mind of the audience. Obvious examples are presented where there are natural parallels between the brand and the theme of the show. For example, "Countrywide" on RTE Radio 1 is currently sponsored by National Dairy Council and "Futureproof", Newstalk's science and technology show is sponsored by The Science Foundation of Ireland. The opportunity to reach a community with such a pointed, frequent and creatively relevant message is something that a tangible value cannot be placed on. The association is functional in that it is representative of the brand's sphere and more importantly, 'owning' that theme enables a sponsor to stand out from its competition particularly when demand for relevant programming exceeds supply.
In addition to the above, there are specific audiences that are notoriously difficult to reach. For example, targeting adults 15-34 is relatively tough due to the shift towards online viewing. This makes a television programme like First Dates Ireland all the more valuable to a sponsor for both targeting an audience and eliminating opportunities for competitors. In 2016, the series reached 40% of adults 15-34 and 55% of women 15+, ensuring that the sponsor - its4women.ie, could communicate succinctly with its target audience.
A sponsorship that is not necessarily a natural fit between the brand and property can, in fact, bring its own benefits. Sponsorship can bring the opportunity to embed a brand within a context, routine or way of thinking and add to the audience experience. This creates a connection between a brand and a theme that would not otherwise be there. P&G's sponsorship of Ireland AM is an example of how household brands place themselves within prominent daytime programming thus becoming a normal fixture in the daily routine, making connections with those who are at home during the day. Cadbury's has also effectively done this with its sponsorship of The X-Factor on TV3 by changing the stings to match the programme theme creating a smooth transition and seemingly integrating into the show. Cadbury's took this further and activated the sponsorship strongly with the addition of an X Factor Party for the screening of the final.
The value of media sponsorship differs from that of a comparable media buy.
Understanding the value of traditional sponsorship enables us to think more proactively about a more dynamic approach to making use of a sponsorship opportunity.
Acknowledging the value in the opportunity against the tangible media value is key.
3. THE CHALLENGE OF VALUING MEDIA SPONSORSHIPS
So why talk about immersion and value? Prior to the trend towards branded content, AFPs and on air activations, traditional media sponsorships have always held a superior value that can be difficult to quantify. The added element of immersive opportunities adds to the qualitative element. Livewire's stance on this is two-fold:
First, while there are conversations around 'added value', value means different things in different contexts. There needs to be a distinction between cost to a sponsor, media value for the sponsor and overall value of a sponsorship to an advertiser. The cost is the market value of a sponsorship package, the media value is the amount the sponsor would pay in a standard media buy for the same media results as per its trading rates and the overall value is how the property in question can satisfy the sponsor's overall objective(s). 'Value' of a sponsorship is often skewed by what the sponsor would expect to achieve from a standard media campaign and this varies between advertisers. Therefore, the media value should be communicated, but only as a cost opportunity – a means of achieving the same reach and frequency through a standard media buy.
For all the examples outlined previously, there is an implicit logic to the sponsorship despite the media value that could be derived. It serves to think beyond media value and look at what sponsor can do with the show. Over and above the value of making a connection, there is the means of re-enforcing that connection through editorial content, product placement, PR opportunities, promotions, audience engagement etc. Sponsorship value needs to be thought of in terms of return on objectives as well as return on investment. There are intangible benefits to aligning with any given media property. It is these gains that differentiate sponsorship from a standard media buy.
Secondly, as previously alluded to, there are learnings to be taken from traditional off-air sponsorships. Frequently sponsors use broadcast to leverage existing non-media sponsorships. Examples from 2016 include AIB Club Championships sponsorship extending to the broadcast on TG4 and The Toughest Trade AFP on RTÉ, Vodafone's AFP for Irish Rugby on RTÉ, and Ulster Bank's sponsorship of RTÉ's Six Nations coverage. If done properly - adding to, rather than interfering with the fan experience, a brand can become a part of a passionate discourse in a relevant way and potentially influence brand perception, as well as being front and centre for a large audience. If media is one piece of the puzzle in that context, then there are measurement methods around effectiveness and affinity from off-air activations that can be applied to media sponsorships and their complimentary activations. A holistic approach to measuring media sponsorship that includes elements beyond the broadcast should be fostered across the industry and it is up to sponsors, agencies, media-owners and producers to nurture this potential and encourage innovation in sponsorship.
The concept of 'value' in a media sponsorship is open to interpretation depending on the approach and the stakeholder.
Measurement is not sufficiently applied throughout the industry to elements of media sponsorship that extend beyond the broadcast.
Livewire champions a rounded approach to measurement of media sponsorships where communication between all the stakeholders is key and learnings feed into future collaborations.
Media sponsorship is not a media buy! Being a good fit for the brand or reaching a specific audience is only one, though the most visible, piece of the media sponsorship puzzle. The opportunities offered range from influencing awareness and perception, to inhibiting competitors and allowing more on-point messages to more relevant audiences. Secondly, key to consideration of media sponsorship is the idea that when the transmission ends, the conversation around it is only beginning and that is the space the sponsor can capitalise on. More so, it is a conversation which the sponsor can initiate. There is a ready-made audience for the brand with added opportunities to engage in relevant context.
However, to drive this forward this will require a change in mind shift from media owners and brands. The industry must finally move away from a "badging exercise" and instead embrace new formats, social media, technology etc. which will leverage the scope and potential for media sponsorships – thus delivering brand objectives.
The final piece of the puzzle is a drive for a better understanding of the value that exists in immersive media sponsorships – beyond broadcast stings. This is an area of focus for Livewire in 2017.
Posted By Livewire, Wednesday 4 January 2017
Updated: Tuesday 3 January 2017
So, how did our predictions for key trends in 2016 fare? The answer lies in three separate reports in which we have analysed the above trends. Below is the first of these reports.
In this year of all years we have reviewed four activations which delivered in 2016.
Unsurprisingly as is so often found in sponsorship, sport flew the flag in terms of standout sponsor activations. Disappointingly, activations in other areas failed to hit the same heights.
To illustrate this point, below are two charts highlighting the sponsorships shortlisted for the 2017 European Sponsorship Association Excellence Awards and the winners of the 2016 Irish Sponsorship Awards. As can be seen below, sport represents more than 60% of both awards programmes.
1. LIDL - LADIES FOOTBALL
2016 started with a bang in the shape of the multiple award winning launch of Lidl's sponsorship of the LGFA and the Ladies National Football League, which kicked off with the provocative "Ladyball" concept.
This campaign stood out for several reasons. Firstly, it was evident that Lidl worked hand in hand with the LGFA to design a powerful 360 activation for their sponsorship.
Secondly Lidl's brave decision to create an entire campaign - bolstered by a reported adspend of €1.6 million on media channels (Source: Nielsen Ad Dynamix) - around a platform which traditionally would be viewed as having low reach, was lauded by many marketers that we spoke to as a brave, but clever move. This is illustrated by the sponsorship being shortlisted in the European Sponsorship Association Excellence Awards.
While interest levels among the public and the industry in women's sport in Ireland has steadily grown in the past five years – with Liberty Insurance's work on Camogie, the phenomenon that is Katie Taylor, and the advances made in the game of Women's rugby, due much of the credit - it is not untoward to say that spend, reach and indeed national interest in women's sport, never mind the LGFA, was at a relatively low level prior to the #SeriousSupport campaign.
From a commercial perspective, a heavy above the line campaign was buoyed with in-store competitions in support of local post primary schools and Ladies Gaelic Football clubs which crucially brought the sponsorship into the community. This for possibly the first time, gave Lidl a crucial platform for differentiation against its key competitor Aldi, as well as a channel to convey its local credentials.
Attendance at the Ladies Football Championship Final increased year on year to 34,445 but perhaps the most significant increase was in TV viewership, with a 100% increase YoY, from 104,000 to 207,790 (adults aged 15+) with the share of audience viewing increasing from 11% in 2015 to 27% for the 2016 final.
For comparison purposes the SSE FA Women's Cup is a high-profile competition which receives national coverage in the UK, but still falls short of the attendance for the Ladies Football Championship final:
2016 Ladies Football Championship Final: 34,445
2016 Ladies FA Cup Final: 32,912
Lidl's spend of €1.6m (Source: Nielsen Ad Dynamix) in media, represents only a proportion of the budget allocated to activating its sponsorship – with experiential, production, PR and rights holder fees all in addition to the €1.6m adspend, it is highly likely that this is the largest amount of money ever invested in support of women's sport in Ireland.
Lidl has been operating in the Irish market since 2000 and for the past 16 years most of its campaigns have focussed on tactical/brand messaging - specifically price and awareness building. This successful campaign was their first foray into a large scale national sponsorship – something which it's direct competitor has since responded to as Aldi launched "Play Rugby" in conjunction with the IRFU in September 2016.
Livewire maintain that adding value is integral to the success of any sponsorship – something which Lidl has undoubtedly achieved with Ladies GAA.
Lidl is ahead of the curve in how it has embraced and leveraged the potential of a female sport. And while we expect that other brands will wake up to the power of women's sport, they may still trail in Lidl's wake in 2017. It's an exciting time for this sector with Lidl, Aldi, SuperValu and Centra actively involved in sponsorship it promises to be one to watch for 2017.
2. BORD GAIS- ENERGY STUDENT THEATRE AWARDS (BGESTA)
Bord Gáis operates in a highly competitive sector, one which is driven by churn. Therefore, creating loyalty among its customer base is a key objective of most sponsorships that an energy brand engages in.
Internationally there is no better example of this than the British Gas sponsorship of SwimBritian. This award winning sponsorship helped move British Gas from 3rd to 1st choice energy provider in the UK, enabling the brand acquire 500,000 extra customers in 2009 alone. Between 2009 and 2015, when the partnership came to its conclusion, British Gas helped over 100,000 children learn to swim, provided 1.5 million free swims and supported elite athletes on the world stage. Crucially research conducted by British Gas showed that fans and participants of swimming were much more likely to consider British Gas. Bord Gáis decision to develop a platform supporting student theatre, having been title sponsors of the Irish Book Awards since 2010 is a logical progression of its sponsorship of the Arts in Ireland, and is designed to drive affinity. It also serves to elevate the naming rights deal struck with the Bord Gáis Theatre.
Families with children are likely to be an important market for Bord Gáis, so a sponsorship crafted around children is a sensible way to reach key decision makers in the home.
The third annual Bord Gáis Student Theatre Awards took place in May 2016. This platform has evolved into the biggest school's participation programme in Ireland and firmly established Bord Gáis as a proud supporter of the Arts.
Bord Gáis has elevated what could be viewed as a niche platform into a truly engaging programme with national reach, generating 2,888 entries from 1,500 schools across the country in 2016. Bord Gáis cleverly crafted its message to appeal to a younger audience. The activation of the sponsorship existed primarily on social, with fun video content. Collaborating with influencers to both promote (bloggers itscherrysue, Darragh Doyle, snapchat star James Patrice) and judge (Actress & writer Amy Huberman, Strictly Come Dancing star Tristan MacManus) the competition generated credible content that Bord Gáis seeded out across social channels.
This sponsorship, which was judged the winner of the "Best Arts & Cultural Sponsorship" at the 2016 Irish Sponsorship Awards, and has been shortlisted in the "Arts & Culture Sponsorship Awards" in the 2017 ESA Excellence Awards has experienced huge growth year on year.
Reaching out to family is a great driver of passion points – an objective which we believe is integral to sponsorship success for Bord Gáis.
Unlike other international markets, in Ireland sponsorship of arts events is traditionally challenging, with few truly national programmes available for sponsorship here.
We need to see brands and rights holders work together to create engaging sponsorships which consumer facing brands can make their own, echoing what BMW have created with The Tate Modern in the UK. Arts is one of the few 'clutter free' sectors that has the potential to allow brands reach out to families.
3. SPAR & THE TEAM OF GARY BREEN'S
While the excitement around Euro 2016 provided brands with an opportunity to engage football fans, only tournament sponsors are entitled to associate with the tournament itself. This created a challenge for official FAI sponsors looking to leverage their association with the team playing in the competition. SPAR was one such example – official partners of the FAI but not the competition.
The money invested by sponsors for the right to associate with either the Irish team or Euro 2016 serves to create an opportunity to engage football fans. The trick has always been maximising this opportunity with an activation strategy which connects, something SPAR did masterfully in Summer 2016. Their promotion to send "A Team of Gary Breens" to France to support the boys in green, along with the former Irish international himself, met their primary objective of driving footfall to stores.
Livewire research showed that post-tournament, 24% of people aware of the sponsorship were more likely to shop at the convenience retailer as a result of their sponsorship of the team. The activation ran in-store, alongside a broadcast partnership with Off The Ball on Newstalk. The campaign was activated both on-air and online through display, native content and a number of giveaways (incl. a signed team jersey), culminating in an outside broadcast event in J.T. Pim's in Dublin city centre
SPAR was keen to engage a core audience of sports fans from around the country, while granting the opportunity to communicate key brand messages on a national scale. SPAR wanted to communicate with fans of Irish soccer and Off The Ball was unequivocally the ideal platform to do this.
Increasing footfall is a primary objective for retailers for ad campaign/promotions. However, in a category which is traditionally one of the highest adspend sectors is incredibly difficult to achieve.
SPAR overcame the hurdle of not being in a position to promote its association at Euro 2016 with a strong activation which cut through the clutter around the tournament, engaged with listeners and delivered their objective of increasing footfall in stores.
4. LITTLEWOODS & GAA
The end of the year brought the launch of a partnership that may have been a surprise to some.
This was one of the biggest, and hotly contested sponsorship deals brokered in 2016. We see Littlewoods' investment being €2.5 to €3 million over the next three years, with the deal running through to 2019.
Livewire's research for this report showed that advertisers believe that the GAA arena is quite cluttered, with many brands in similar categories fighting to create resonance. Without fail, all marketers we spoke to referenced AIB as clear winners in this space.
Littlewoods has become sponsor of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship and the Camogie National League, as well as Go Games (a small sided hurling and football programme). While this sponsorship is in its infancy, there are insights to be taken from the brand's approach thus far.
The initial coverage of the launch has already highlighted that, by collaborating with a retailer operating primarily in fashion, the GAA is already being mentioned in new spaces, with coverage on sites including Her.ie and Evoke.ie reaching a community of fashion and style enthusiasts. The savvy timing of a pre-Christmas launch makes ultimate sense for Littlewoods as a retailer competing with bricks and mortar department stores.
Sports sponsorships involving fashion retailers in this market are relatively rare. Elverys are a manufacturer of sports clothing rather than a retailer, Dublin GAA and Arnotts had a rich 18-year partnership with the sponsorship driving home the Arnotts objective of driving their identity as a pillar of Dublin.
Livewire expects Littlewoods to use this sponsorship to create an emotive presence on the ground, building an identity difficult to create without a physical touchpoint.
Livewire will be watching this sponsorship in earnest in 2017. The emergence of a sponsor from a new category is likely to create new activation strategies, and may give rise to other fashion brands entering into the sponsorship market.
At the start of 2016 Livewire felt that a select few Irish sponsors were already mastering activation, and seeing the benefits of same. Unfortunately, the scale and quality of such activations by these leading brands in sport sponsorship remains the exception rather than the rule. Certainly, activations in areas including music and the arts haven't been as remarkable in their progress - notable exceptions in the music world includes Heineken and Electric Ireland. However, it feels as though the adage of "if it ain't broke…" is alive and well when it comes to sponsorship of music properties including the ever popular festival formats. Activations that were seen as cutting edge a few years ago are still touring the festival scene. Thus, we implore sponsors to break new ground in 2017. In particular, there is a major opportunity for sponsors in music to add value to festival fans in a new way, for example by taking advantage of tech and social innovations. Cashless festivals anyone!?
As our report has highlighted, VR (virtual reality) was a key feature of a number of the year's standout activation strategies. VR has real potential to enhance sponsor activation and we expect to see a major expansion in the use of VR and AI by sponsors in 2017.


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