ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS : View Posts

SEATTLE– (NASDAQ:AMZN)—Kindle revolutionized reading by making it possible to think of a book and be reading it in less than 60 seconds. Kindle Fire put the world’s largest selection of movies, TV shows, songs, apps, games, books, audiobooks, and magazines in the palm of your hand. In each case, Amazon integrates the hardware, software, and the content into an easy-to-use, seamless, end-to-end service for customers. Today, Amazon is excited to unveil its newest innovation—Fire TV, a tiny box that plugs into your HDTV for easy and instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHOWTIME, low-cost video rentals, and much more. Fire TV also brings photos, music, and games to the living room. Meet Amazon Fire TV at www.amazon.com/FireTV.

“Tiny box, huge specs, tons of content, incredible price—people are going to love Fire TV,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. “Voice search that actually works means no more typing on an alphabet grid. Our exclusive new ASAP feature predicts the shows you’ll want to watch and gets them ready to stream instantly. And our open approach gives you not just Amazon Instant Video and Prime Instant Video, but also Netflix, Hulu Plus, and more. On Fire TV you can watch Alpha House and House of Cards.”

Amazon Fire TV features:

Voice search that actually works—simply speak the name of a movie, TV show, actor, director, or genre into the remote, and you’re done. No more hunting and pecking in an alphabet grid.
All the content—instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, YouTube, and more, plus the largest selection of videos for rent and purchase—over 200,000 movies and TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video. Plus, listen to music with Amazon MP3, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more.
Powerful performance in a tiny form factor—quad-core processor with over 3x the processing power of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3, a dedicated GPU, plus 4x the memory of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3 for exceptional speed and fluidity. Delivers stunning 1080p HD video and immersive Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. All of this comes in an incredibly small package—Fire TV is 0.7” thin and comes with a simple and sleek remote control with a built-in microphone.
Simple and easy to use—arrives pre-registered so you can start watching immediately out of the box.
An exclusive new feature called ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you even hit play—instant start.
High-quality, low-cost gaming—games like Minecraft, Monsters University, The Game of Life, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, and more. The average price of paid games on Fire TV is $1.85. Play using your Fire TV remote, the Fire TV app for smartphones and tablets, or the optional Fire game controller.
Amazon FreeTime revolutionizes parental controls—parents can choose what their kids see and set time limits for types of content and times of day—no more negotiating for one more show before bedtime. Customers who subscribe to FreeTime Unlimited—Amazon’s all-you-can-eat content subscription designed for kids ages 3 to 8—will get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV shows.
X-Ray for movies, TV shows, and music—see information about cast and crew, trivia, goofs, and synchronized lyrics.
See all of your photos and personal videos come alive on your big-screen TV—seamless integration with Amazon’s Cloud Drive.
Simple and Easy to Use, with Powerful Performance

Powerful Quad-Core Processor and Graphics Engine

Fire TV features a world-class quad-core processor with 3x the processing power of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3, and a dedicated Adreno 320 graphics engine that processes 57 billion floating point instructions per second, for lightning-fast graphics and excellent fluidity. Fire TV comes with 2GB of memory, 4x the memory of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3, so content loads faster and games run smoother.

Streams in High Definition 1080p with Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound

With dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi, Fire TV streams in up to full-HD 1080p and supports HDMI and optical audio-out, enabling up to 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.

Simple and Easy to Use

Fire TV comes automatically pre-registered so you can immediately get started. No complicated set-up, no hassle—just plug it in and start watching. All of your previously purchased movies and TV shows from Amazon, as well as personalized recommendations and your Watchlist, will be there waiting for you when you turn on Fire TV.

Designed to Disappear

Fire TV is designed to disappear. It is 0.7” thin, so it is easy to hide, and is silent even when running the most demanding applications.

Fire TV Remote

Fire TV’s remote is small, simple, and intuitive, with familiar controls. Search, browse, play, pause, and add titles to your Watchlist with ease. The Fire TV remote uses Bluetooth so there is no “line of sight” required, which means no reaching or struggling to aim your signal at a tiny target—store your Fire TV in a cabinet or behind the TV.

Voice Search that Actually Works

Gone are the days of searching for a movie or TV show by left-left-down-right-ing through an on-screen alphabet grid using your remote. Simply speak the name of a movie, TV show, actor, director, genre, app, or game into the remote, and the results will appear instantly. Voice search leverages the search data and expertise of Amazon.com and IMDb, and is optimized to understand Amazon’s video, app, and game catalog.

The Best Video Experience

Movies and TV Shows from Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and More

Fire TV comes with instant access to all of the most popular subscription video services, including Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, VEVO, SHOWTIME, Crackle, YouTube, and more, with additional services like WWE Network, MLB.TV, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH ABC, and Twitch coming soon.

Prime Instant Video, with Exclusives and Original Shows

Fire TV is seamlessly integrated with Prime Instant Video, Amazon’s subscription streaming service. With tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, Prime Instant Video is the exclusive premium subscription streaming home for thousands of hours of video, including shows like Downton Abbey, The Americans, Workaholics, Justified, 24, Hannibal, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob, and more. Prime Instant Video also includes shows from Amazon Studios, the original TV production arm of Amazon, such as Alpha House from Pulitzer-Prize winner Garry Trudeau and starring John Goodman, which debuted last year and quickly became the most watched show on Amazon since its release. Alpha House is now in production for its second season, and Amazon recently greenlighted six new shows, including The After, Bosch, Mozart in the Jungle, and Transparent, which will be available starting later this year.

The Largest Selection of Videos for Rent or Purchase

Rent or purchase over 200,000 movies and TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video, which has the world’s largest selection of videos to rent or buy, including new releases and blockbusters. Amazon is the only nationwide video service that offers rental and purchase, as well as a subscription streaming service, so you can find everything you want in one place—catch up on past seasons of popular TV shows with Prime Instant Video before purchasing the most recent episode of the show as it’s released.

Find the Lowest Price—Even if it’s Not from Amazon

Just like on Amazon.com, Fire TV integrates viewing options on a single page so you can always choose the lowest price. This is available starting with Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and Prime Instant Video, and will expand to other content providers so you’ll see all of your options in one place.

ASAP

You shouldn’t have to wait 10 seconds for a video to buffer after you press “Play”—it should start immediately. Based on your Watchlist and recommendations, the new ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) feature predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and prepares them for playback before you even hit play. This feature is smart—it is personalized based on your viewing habits and adapts as those habits change. The caching predictions get better over time, so ASAP will continuously improve as you use Fire TV.

Fling TV Shows and Movies with Second Screen

Fling Amazon TV shows and movies from your phone or tablet to your Fire TV using Second Screen. This turns your TV into the primary screen and frees up your phone or tablet to provide playback controls, a customized display for X-Ray, or simply a place to email, browse the web, and more, while you watch a movie. Second Screen is available on Kindle Fire HDX and will be available later this year from your iPhone or iPad. You can also wirelessly mirror your tablet display to your Fire TV with Kindle Fire, as well as other Miracast-enabled phones or tablets starting later this year. Fire TV supports standards like DIAL, so app developers can enable multi-screen experiences based on open technologies.

X-Ray for Movies and TV Shows, Powered by IMDb

Using Second Screen on your Fire HDX and later this year on your iPhone or iPad, you can see X-Ray information as your movie or TV show plays on Fire TV. With X-Ray you can see information about cast and crew, the names of songs as they play, as well as a list of all music in the movie or TV show, trivia items in context with the action on the screen, and character backstories so you can easily remind yourself of the character’s history. X-Ray is exclusive to Amazon and is powered by IMDb.

Amazon FreeTime—Revolutionary Parental Controls

Now you don’t have to worry about what your kids are watching on the TV—with FreeTime, a parent creates profiles for each child and selects the content they can see. Parents can create time limits based on type of content or time of day. When in FreeTime, the background color and fonts change to a kid-friendly design. Kids only see titles that have been selected by their parents for them, and those who can’t yet read can navigate visually to content based on favorite characters or topics—for example “Dora the Explorer,” “Princesses,” or “Thomas and Friends.” Parents who have already set up profiles and approved content on Kindle Fire tablets will find the settings are automatically synchronized on Fire TV, making it simple and seamless to get started.

Customers who subscribe to FreeTime Unlimited—Amazon’s all-you-can-eat content subscription designed just for kids ages 3 to 8—will get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV shows. FreeTime Unlimited is available for Prime members to enjoy for a monthly price of $2.99 per child or $6.99 per family. Customers who are not yet Prime members can subscribe to FreeTime Unlimited for a monthly price of $4.99 per child or $9.99 per family. Amazon FreeTime and FreeTime Unlimited will be available on Fire TV starting next month.

Your Photos on the Big Screen

Fire TV makes it easy to view your photos and personal videos on your TV. You can set up and play slide shows, find specific photos, and choose your favorite album for the screen-saver on Fire TV. Photos or videos you take on your phone or tablet can be automatically uploaded to Amazon Cloud Drive, so they appear on your Fire TV within seconds.

Music in Your Living Room

Music from Pandora, Amazon MP3, iHeartRadio, and More

With Fire TV, you can listen to music from popular streaming services like Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn, and watch music videos from VEVO. Starting next month, you can also listen to your full collection of music through Amazon Cloud Player. Simply upload your music or purchase from Amazon and it will be stored automatically in your Cloud Player and available on Fire TV as well as on your phone or tablet.

X-Ray for Music

Lyrics display and scroll line-by-line automatically as the song plays, so you can follow along with songs. X-Ray for Music will be available starting next month.

Bonus—Great Games at Low Prices

Games from Top Developers

Amazon worked with game developers like EA, Disney, Gameloft, Ubisoft, Telltale, Mojang, 2K, and Sega to bring their games to Fire TV. Games available starting today include customer favorites like Minecraft, Monsters University, The Game of Life, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, and more. Over 100 games are available starting today and optimized for Fire TV, with thousands of additional games coming next month with the Fire TV app, which brings controls for touch-enabled games. These are great games for such a small box and at such surprisingly low prices—the average price of paid games is $1.85.

Fire TV also comes with access to Sev Zero, a new game built exclusively for Fire TV by Amazon Game Studios. Sev Zero is $6.99 and is available for free when you purchase the Fire game controller. Learn more: www.amazon.com/pr/SevZero.

Fire TV runs the latest version of Fire OS “Mojito,” which is based on Android, so it’s simple for developers to port their services and games over to Fire TV.

Choose How to Play—Remote, Game Controller, or App

In addition to using the Fire TV remote and the Fire TV app available starting next month, you can also choose the Amazon Fire game controller, which enables more high-intensity and complex gaming with dual analog sticks and a complete assortment of controls. Simple and comfortable to use for hours, the Fire game controller pairs with Fire TV via Bluetooth. The Fire game controller also intelligently manages power by automatically going to sleep when not in use, and waking at a touch of a button, so you get up to 55 hours of gaming on a pair of AA batteries. You can pair multiple game controllers with a Fire TV so the whole family can play together in the same room. The integrated GameCircle button gives you instant access to leaderboards, achievements and friends with a simple touch of a button from any GameCircle enabled game. The Fire game controller can also be used as a remote, with fast forward, rewind, play and pause, so you can control all your movies and music on Fire TV. The Fire game controller is available today for $39.99, and comes with a free copy of Sev Zero and 1,000 Amazon Coins (a $10 value) for purchasing games.

The Features You Expect from Amazon

Fire TV is not a gadget—it’s a seamlessly integrated service that brings together the features customers expect from Amazon, including:

Whispersync—Amazon’s Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes your video and music library across all of your devices. Start watching a movie on your Kindle Fire or iPhone, and when you get home, pick up where you left off on your Fire TV. For games that support Whispersync, your place in the game will also sync across devices so you can always pick up where you left off.
Watch on over 300 devices—When you buy a movie or TV show on Amazon, you can watch it on over 300 devices.
Worry-Free Archive—Automatically backs up your Amazon digital content in the cloud so you never need to worry about losing your collection.
Top-Rated, World-Class Customer Service—When a customer shops on Amazon, buys a Fire TV, or buys digital content from Amazon, they know that they are also getting Amazon’s world class customer service. Customers with a Kindle Fire HDX can also use the Mayday button to receive free, live, on-device tech support.
Free Month of Amazon Prime—Amazon continues to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to bring Prime members new movies, TV shows, and books to enjoy at no additional cost. Prime members enjoy unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes with Prime Instant Video. Eligible customers get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime when they purchase Fire TV.
Pricing & Availability

Fire TV is available starting today for just $99—order at www.amazon.com/FireTV.

Eligible customers get a free 30-day trial of Netflix and Amazon Prime when they purchase Fire TV.

Images of Fire TV are available at www.amazon.com/pr/devicesandcontent.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Amazon Fire TV is a tiny box that plugs into your HDTV for easy and instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHOWTIME, low-cost video rentals, and much more. Kindle Paperwhite is the world’s best-selling and most advanced e-reader. It features new display technology with higher contrast, the next generation built-in light, a faster processor, the latest touch technology, and exclusive new features designed from the ground up for readers. Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, features improved fonts and faster page turns. The new Kindle Fire HDX features a stunning exclusive 7” or 8.9” HDX display, a quad-core 2.2 GHz processor, 2x more memory, and 11 hours of battery life, as well as exclusive new features of Fire OS 3.0 including X-Ray for Music, Second Screen, Prime Instant Video downloads, and the revolutionary new Mayday button. The all-new Kindle Fire HD includes an HD display, high-performance processor and dual speakers at a breakthrough price.

This news is courtesy of www.amazon.com

Universal Studios and American Express today announced an expanded multi-year agreement that brings the strength of Universal’s theme parks and filmed entertainment together with the premier brand of American Express to create exclusive consumer benefits and experiences. The agreement also enables American Express, for the first time, to acquire new Card Members directly through Universal theme parks and web sites.

While American Express and Universal have worked together since 2008, this expanded partnership presents new and innovative marketing opportunities for both companies. The partnership will now include marketing opportunities that leverage Universal Pictures’ retail partners, consumer licensing and digital media platforms on a global basis. American Express now has the first opportunity among payment services providers to participate in product placement and co-promotion on Universal Pictures’ films. Universal and American Express will also work together to offer Universal’s assets, including special holiday and seasonal theme park events, film premieres and VIP screenings of select Universal films, to eligible American Express Card Members and prospects worldwide. The partnership will continue to set the stage for ongoing offers and promotions for anyone holding an American Express Card, ranging from discounts at the theme parks to special once-in-a-lifetime entertainment experiences.

“With this partnership we are maximizing the assets of two iconic brands: American Express, one of the world’s premier payment companies, and Universal Studios, a leading media and destination-based entertainment company,” said Stephanie Sperber, President, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “The continuation of this alliance provides Universal with an endless range of potential marketing opportunities, of which the consumer is the ultimate beneficiary.”

“The expanded partnership is about membership, providing special access along with exciting on-site and online offers for our Card Members. It also presents a unique opportunity in the marketplace for both our brands,” said Suzan Kereere, Senior Vice President, Merchant Services Americas, American Express. “This is a great example of how a strategic merchant relationship can deliver exceptional benefits and experiences for our joint customers.”

The agreement will offer a wide range of exclusive benefits for Card Members, including:

Select discounts on in-park merchandise, food and beverage purchases made with their American Express Card;
Access to exclusive American Express VIP lounges with the purchase of a Multi-Park ticket or Annual Pass at Universal Orlando Resort and with the purchase of a VIP Experience or Front-of-the-Line Pass at Universal Studios Hollywood; lounges provide guests with a relaxing environment to plan the rest of their day, as well as enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks;
Exclusive experiences including tickets to Universal Pictures’ film premieres, private VIP preview screenings of select Universal films and dedicated viewing areas for some park special events;
Rich incentives & offers for approved new applicants applying for an American Express Card at Universal theme parks and on their websites.
American Express Card Members can visit Universal’s theme park websites or guest services in the parks to learn more about current park offers. Or you can also learn more by visiting: https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Special-Offers/American-Express.aspx.

Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Parks & Resorts (UPR), a unit of Comcast Corporation’s NBCUniversal, encompasses today’s most relevant and popular entertainment experiences, creating emotional connections with guests around the world. Each year, millions of guests visit UPR theme parks to experience thrilling, world-famous attractions that use ground-breaking technology that cannot be found anywhere else. Universal Studios is a globally respected and internationally renowned theme park brand. With three-time Academy Award® winner, Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, its theme parks are known for some of most thrilling and technologically advanced “ride-the-movies,” motion picture and television show-based attractions.

NBCUniversal wholly owns Universal Studios Hollywood, which includes Universal CityWalk Hollywood, featuring over 65 retail, dining and entertainment venues. It also owns Universal Orlando Resort, a world-class destination resort featuring two parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure), three premier resort hotels, and Universal CityWalk Orlando, a 30-acre dining, shopping and entertainment complex. NBCUniversal also has license agreements with Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan; Port Aventura near Barcelona, Spain; and Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. In addition, UPR has announced a prospective Universal Studios theme park resort near Seoul, South Korea.

Learn more about Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood at https://www.universalorlando.comand http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com. Connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UniversalOrlandoResort or https://www.facebook.com/UniversalStudiosHollywood.

Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

This news is courtesy of www.americanexpress.com

Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship – across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – is delivering its highest viewership in 23 years (since 1991, when the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day). Through the first five days, the NCAA Tournament is averaging 8.8 million total viewers, up 7% through the same period last year (8.2 million total viewers), based on Nielsen Fast Nationals. The tournament is averaging a 5.7 U.S. HH rating, up 6% over a 5.4 U.S. HH rating to date in 2013.

Saturday’s live game coverage averaged 10 million total viewers to register the most-viewed first Saturday of the NCAA Tournament in 21 years (since 1993). Viewership is up 10% over the comparable day last year (9.1 million total viewers). The corresponding 6.1 U.S. HH rating is up 5% over a 5.8 U.S. HH rating in 2013.

Saturday’s coverage showed viewership growth among the telecast windows.

The first daytime telecast window averaged 5.6 million total viewers, up 10% over an average of 5.1 million total viewers last year. It is the highest viewership for the game window since 2011.

The second daytime telecast window averaged 7.4 million total viewers, up 1% compared with an average of 7.3 million total viewers last year.
The first primetime telecast window averaged 13.8 million total viewers to garner the highest viewership for this game window in 23 years (since 1991). The window is up 27% over an average of 10.9 million total viewers last year.
The second primetime telecast window averaged 13.2 million total viewers to register the highest viewership for the game window in 21 years (since 1993). The window is up 5% over an average of 12.6 million total viewers in 2013.

This news is courtesy of www.timewarner.com

Comcast today announced plans for its second annual Xfinity Watchathon Week, which brings together the hottest content from the biggest networks for free on Xfinity On Demand. Customers can watch the entire current season of hit shows like Bates Motel, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Chicago PD, Downton Abbey, The Mindy Project, Nashville, Suits and The Walking Dead and go back to the very beginning of acclaimed series like Black Sails, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, House of Lies, Parks & Recreation and Parenthood.

In total, Xfinity TV customers will have access to over 40 percent more choices this year: 5,000+ episodes from more than 130 series from 48 premium, cable and broadcast networks, many of which are available across Xfinity On Demand platforms (TV, Xfinity.com/TV and the Xfinity TV Go app for tablets and smartphones).

“Watchathon Week is TV nirvana for every type of fan,” said Matt Strauss, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Video Services for Comcast Cable. “Whether our customers decide to catch-up on current shows their friends have been talking about all year, or see as many different past programs as possible, Watchathon is a free, all-you-can-watch feast for the binger in all of us.”

Xfinity TV customers can catch-up on hit shows like Awkward, Californication, Orphan Black and Veep before their new season premieres in April. At the same time, Watchathon is an opportunity to get current on programs like Archer, Da Vinci’s Demons, Hannibal, The Millers, Justified, and Trophy Wife before this year’s season finale.

Watchathon Week programming partners include premium networks: Cinemax, ENCORE, HBO, HBO Latino, SHOWTIME, and STARZ; cable networks: A&E, ABC Family, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery, E!, El Rey Network, Esquire Network, Food Network, FOX Life, FX, FXX, H2, Hallmark, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MTV, mun2, MundoFox, NatGeo, Ovation, OWN, Oxygen, Sundance, Syfy, TLC, TNT, tr3s and USA Network; and broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, UniMás and Univision.

“Since last year’s event, we’ve steadily built our Xfinity On Demand platform with more of the season’s top shows and are able to make this year’s event bigger than ever,” added Strauss. “We can’t wait to hear how our customers choose to watch this year and see the fun they have doing it.”

Xfinity TV customers can visit the new Watchathon Headquarters site to get ready, plan their week and spread the word with their friends. Join the Watchathon Week conversation on facebook.com/xfinity and on twitter by using #Watchathon and following @XFINITY and @Comcast. Content availability will vary across Xfinity On Demand platforms (TV, Xfinity.com/TV and the Xfinity TV Go app), and in virtually all cases can be viewed regardless of customer’s subscription level.

About Comcast Cable:
Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company.

This news is courtesy of www.comcast.com

MENLO PARK, Calif., Facebook today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Oculus VR, Inc., the leader in immersive virtual reality technology, for a total of approximately $2 billion. This includes $400 million in cash and 23.1 million shares of Facebook common stock (valued at $1.6 billion based on the average closing price of the 20 trading days preceding March 21, 2014 of $69.35 per share). The agreement also provides for an additional $300 million earn-out in cash and stock based on the achievement of certain milestones.

Oculus is the leader in immersive virtual reality technology and has already built strong interest among developers, having received more than 75,000 orders for development kits for the company’s virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift. While the applications for virtual reality technology beyond gaming are in their nascent stages, several industries are already experimenting with the technology, and Facebook plans to extend Oculus’ existing advantage in gaming to new verticals, including communications, media and entertainment, education and other areas. Given these broad potential applications, virtual reality technology is a strong candidate to emerge as the next social and communications platform.

“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” said Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

“We are excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR. “We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways. It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it’s only just the beginning.”

Oculus will maintain its headquarters in Irvine, CA, and will continue development of the Oculus Rift, its ground-breaking virtual reality platform.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.

About Facebook
Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

About Oculus
Founded in 2012, Oculus VR, Inc. is building a next-generation consumer virtual reality platform. The company’s first product, the Oculus Rift, is a virtual reality headset that allows you to step inside a digital environment and feel as though you are truly there. The Oculus Rift provides an immersive, stereoscopic 3D view with an ultra-wide field of view and low latency head tracking that lets you look around naturally in 360 degrees. For more information, please visit oculus.com.

NEW YORK– Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) and Tumblr today announced an exclusive partnership to deliver co-branded content campaigns during the 2014 Upfront Season for advertisers on Tumblr. The campaigns will combine Tumblr’s suite of ad products with custom content developed for the Tumblr platform by Viacom. The content will connect to the most popular shows and events across Viacom’s portfolio, which includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, Spike and more. Viacom is the first television programmer to strike an advertising partnership with Tumblr and will be the only network group to offer co-branded campaigns to partners worldwide throughout the 2014 Upfront Season.

The partnership will launch as early as the “2014 MTV Movie Awards,” before, during and after which MTV will post images, videos, animated .gifs and other interactive content to Tumblr that connects to the show. The content will showcase everything from “Movie Awards” categories, presenters, nominees and winners, to its most over-the-top and buzzworthy moments and performances. The “2014 Movie Awards” will air live on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 9/8c on MTV.

“Viacom’s partnership with Tumblr gives advertisers yet another way to ride the huge wave of social activity fueled by our passionate fans and constant stream of premium content,” said Jeff Lucas, Head of Sales, Music and Entertainment, Viacom Media Networks. “Tumblr is a rich environment for creative collaboration with advertisers and an immersive platform for us to tell our story in the fun, authentic voice of our brands.”

“Viacom is a natural partner for us,” said Lee Brown, Global Head of Brand Partnerships at Tumblr. “They embraced our platform at an early stage and immediately got what we were all about: telling great stories and connecting with a super-engaged community of fans. We are thrilled to extend our partnership during this year’s Upfront to provide our users with even more compelling content to interact with and reblog.”

With more than 40 blogs and 3 million followers across Tumblr, Viacom has been tapping into the network’s audience since 2009. Viacom’s partnership with Tumblr strengthens its recently launched Viacom Echo Social Media Network, a service offering through which Viacom develops creative campaigns for clients and engineers their extension across social media and measurable earned media.

Viacom’s social media presence is among the strongest of any television programmer, and the “MTV Movie Awards” continues to grow socially each year. The “2013 MTV Movie Awards” generated more than 3 million mentions across social media from more than 1.1 million unique users during its initial airing, according to Trendrr – up 100% over the “2012 MTV Movie Awards.” The 2013 “Best Hero” category, which was decided entirely by fan voting through social media, attracted 3.5 million votes.

About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Viacom’s media networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, SPIKE, Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA, reach approximately 700 million households worldwide. Paramount Pictures, America’s oldest film studio, is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

About Tumblr
Tumblr is a media network powered by an army of independent creators and home to an audience of more than 300 million unique visitors. Founded by David Karp in 2007, Tumblr is headquartered in New York City. The company was acquired by Yahoo in 2013.

This news is courtesy of www.viacom.com

Burbank, CA – Audiences are connecting with “The LEGO Movie” in a big way, driving the first-ever full-length theatrical LEGO adventure past $200 million in worldwide box office, less than two weeks after its record-breaking release. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“The LEGO Movie,” from Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and LEGO System A/S, made its North American debut on Friday, February 7. It took in an opening weekend gross of $69.1 million, making it the largest February opening for any animated film and the largest opening for an animated Warner Bros. release. It has since gone on to earn a total of $146.3 million at the domestic box office, and still building.

The film has also launched its international engagements in a number of European, Asian, and Latin American markets, including the UK, Spain, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Korea, Brazil and Mexico, earning $60.4 million to date, for a combined worldwide box office total of $206.7 million, and climbing.

Many major territories have yet to open, including Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Australia and Japan.

Stated Fellman, “‘The LEGO Movie’ is everything we hoped it would be, and then some: a big, fun, moviegoing experience for the whole family. Congratulations to the phenomenal voice cast and to directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee for their unwavering commitment to bringing this ambitious project to the screen. We are thrilled by the overwhelming response and early word-of-mouth that has made this movie a must-see, and we have every expectation that this is just the beginning of a long and successful run.”

Kwan Vandenberg added, “In addition to congratulating the talented filmmakers and cast, we also want to thank The LEGO Group and our partners at Village Roadshow for helping to make ‘The LEGO Movie’ such a tremendous success. The LEGO brand has captivated generations with a focus on discovery and imagination. By bringing those ideals to the big screen in such a fun and exciting way, ‘The LEGO Movie’ speaks to kids and adults the world over, and we believe enthusiasm will remain high as the film continues its international roll-out.”

“The LEGO Movie” tells an original 3D computer animated story about Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, “The LEGO Movie” stars Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie and Charlie Day, with Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman. Lord & Miller also wrote the screenplay, from a story by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, based on LEGO construction toys. “The LEGO Movie” is produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee. Executive producers are Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton, Kathleen Fleming, Allison Abbate, Zareh Nalbandian, Jon Burton, Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Seanne Winslow, Matt Skiena and Bruce Berman; and co-producer is John Powers Middleton. The filmmaking team includes cinematographer Pablo Plaisted, production designer Grant Freckelton, editors David Burrows and Chris McKay, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh. Chris McKay also serves as animation co-director.

“The LEGO Movie” is a Warner Bros Pictures Presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in association with LEGO System A/S, a Vertigo Entertainment/Lin Pictures Production. It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. www.thelegomovie.com

This film is rated PG for “mild action and rude humor.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.timewarner.com

Qantas has announced a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Television and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to bring the top rated American comedy series “Modern Family” to film in Australia.

Qantas will fly the cast and crew from Los Angeles in February as the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan takes a vacation down under for an episode to be broadcast later this season. Filming in Australia is expected to take two weeks.
Lauded for revitalizing the television sitcom, “Modern Family” is one of the largest critical and commercial hits of the past decade. The recipient of four consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Television Series, “Modern Family” is both Network Ten and the ABC Television Network’s top-rated comedy series.

The partnership between Qantas and Twentieth Century Fox Television’s “Modern Family” and Twentieth Century Fox Consumerr Products follows the airline’s suppport in 2013 for a visit by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which provided a 22 per cent increase in inbound flights to New South Wales alone, as well as overall boost in destination awareness for Australia.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said it is a huge coup for Australia to feature in an episode of the multi Emmy award-winning show. “We are excited to partner with Twentieth Century Fox to promote what Australia has to offer to the world through this special holiday episode. The humour of the show is a great fit with Australia’s own and as the national carrier we are proud to support this innovative way of encouraging more people to fly to here,” said Mr Joyce.
“Qantas is the biggest private investor in promoting Australia as a destination, and the United States is one of the biggest source markets for people visiting our country. An estimated 25 million people will watch this episode when it first airs, which is fantastic exposure and great news for tourism,” he added.

The entire “Modern Family” cast, including, Ed O’Neill (Jay), Julie Bowen (Claire), Ty Burrell (Phil), Sofía Vergara (Gloria), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell), Eric Stonestreet (Cameron), Sarah Hyland (Haley), Nolan Gould (Luke), Ariel Winter (Alex), Rico Rodriguez (Manny) and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Lily) will join co-creator and executive producer Steven Levitan for the visit to Australia.

“We are so excited about our trip down under and we promise not to do any ‘down under’ jokes. We look forward to a fantastic shoot in many exotic locations. We loved the family vacation episodes we shot in Hawaii and Wyoming – this one is certainly our most ambitious yet. We promise to feature a kangaroo, a koala and a boomerang. I’m sure there will be lots more, but so far that’s all we know about Australia – our American school system is a disaster. So we thank Qantas for this amazing opportunity to broaden our horizons. Plus it’ll be nice to go to a place where everyone looks like Hugh Jackman and Miranda Kerr. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” commented Levitan.

“As the leading carrier between Australia and the US, Qantas will not only bring the highest level of expertise in travel for our production, they are also bringing a great amount of creativity to the overall partnership,” said Jeffrey Godsick, president of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.”Modern Family” producers will travel to Australia in advance of the shoot in January to scout and identify preferred filming locations and potential storylines.

The series is producedd by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Picador Productions and Steven Levitan Prods. Steven Levitan annd Christopher Lloyd are the creators/executiive producers. Danny Zuker, Dan O’Shannon, Bill Wrubel, Paul Corrigan, Brad Walsh, Abraham Higginbotham, Jeffrey Richman annd Jeff Morton also serve as executive producers.

Qantas is one of the world’s longest-established airlines. With almost 80 flights per week across the Pacific, including on its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft, it is the leading carrier between Australia and the United States.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.quantas.com

The XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi ended with a Closing Ceremony in the Fisht Olympic stadium. The ceremony, which provided a bright and emotional conclusion to the Games, was dedicated to Russian culture. The audience was presented with a European vision of Russia, in a show directed by world-renowned director Daniele Finzi Pasca who became the screenwriter and director of the Sochi Olympics Closing Ceremony after joining the Russian team, which also included creative director Konstantin Ernst and executive producer Andrei Nasonovskiy.

“In order to present our culture objectively we decided to look at it through a European perspective, through the eyes of a man born in the very heart of Europe: prominent director Daniele Finzi Pasca. We wanted to see how Russian culture reflects in the world art context and which part of Russian culture has already become an integral part of world culture”, Konstantin Ernst said.

The Closing Ceremony featured such world-renowned Russian stars, as Sochi 2014 Ambassador, conductor and violinist Yuri Bashmet, Sochi 2014 Ambassador and conductor Valery Gergiev, pianist Denis Matsuev, singer Hibla Gerzmava and violinist Tatiana Samouil, as well as artists from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters.

“This is the most ambitious Closing Ceremony in the history of Winter Olympic Games. Over 7,000 people took part in the performance, including a children’s choir hailing from 83 different regions in Russia, and more than 43,000 scenic elements were produced and an incredible mobile stage system was used. We wanted to show all the possibilities of the largest theater in the world,” said Andrei Nasonovskiy.

In the show’s finale, the Polar Bear, one of the mascots of the Games, put out the Olympic Flame to a remix of Aleksandra Pakhmutova’s song Goodbye, Moscow. This symbolic moment reminded spectators of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and brought together Olympic generations. The Closing Ceremony ended with a spectacular fireworks show and an exciting party hosted by DJ Kto.

Concept of the Closing Ceremony

The Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi presented “Reflections of Russia”, which described the cultural heritage of the country.

Spectators were accompanied on this journey by the little girl Lyubov (“Love”), who many are familiar with from the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Olympic Games, as well as by her friends Yura and Valentina.

The storyline of the Ceremonies referred to Russia’s rich cultural heritage, which is reflected in works of art, music, ballet, literature and circus art. The performance consisted of 14 chapters, each of which was a show in itself.

During the ceremony, the best sporting moments were displayed on the screens of the Fisht Stadium, enabling the audience to once again experience the emotions athletes and fans were overwhelmed with.

The main decor element of the Games was a LED “forest”, which consisted of 204 12-meter high light tubes. If all the tubes used for the ceremony were placed in a row, they would form a line of almost 1.5 miles long. Throughout the entire show, the tubes changed color. The spectators in the stadium were also able to participate in the creation of the incredibly colorful picture of the Ceremony – before it began, they were given LED medallions to wear, which shimmered with different colors.

Participants of the Closing Ceremony

The leading performers included conductor and violinist, and Sochi 2014 Ambassador Yuri Bashmet, conductor and Sochi 2014 Ambassador Valery Gergiev, pianist Denis Matsuev, singer Hibla Gerzmava and violinist Tatiana Samouil, as well as artists from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters.

Along with world-class stars, children from all over Russia took part in the Olympic Games Closing Ceremony. The National Anthem was performed by 1,000 children participants of the All-Russian joint choir directed by Valery Gergiev. Young classical musicians who were part of the First All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra directed by maestro Yuri Bashmet accompanied the dancers. 120 young circus artists demonstrated their skills along with professional circus performers.

More than 4,000 volunteers aged 6 to 43 also took part in the Ceremony, many of them residents of the Krasnodar Region.

Chapters of the Closing Ceremony

The Ceremony started with a countdown, with the numbers appearing on the screens above the stands. When the scoreboard hit “zero”, a LED forest in the center of the arena exploded into bright colors and a volley of fireworks illuminated the stadium roof.

On the first chapter, “The Sky and the Sea”, Lyubov, together with the ceremony’s main characters, invited the audience on a magical journey. Together, they reflected on the past few days, and thought of the athletes who had made the Games so memorable, before turning to the more distant past and paying tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Russia. 700 actors dressed in mirror-like costumes created a choreographic composition with waves, shapes of giant sea creatures, and symbols of stars and infinity. The pattern gradually took the shape of the five Olympic rings.

The Russian flag was then carried to the stage to be raised, and the All-Russian Choir rose from their seats behind the ceremonial stage, mirroring Russia’s contours on the world map and, conducted by the world-famous conductor Sochi 2014 Ambassador Valery Gergiev, performed the national anthem of the Russian Federation. At this time, the Russian flag was raised.

2,856 athletes representing 88 National Olympic Committees and independent countries took part in the Parade of Nations, the traditional ending of the Olympic Games. Since 1956, during the Closing Ceremony parade, athletes do not parade in teams, but pass through the Stadium in mixed groups, symbolizing the unity of humanity.

Continuing the tradition of the Winter Games, the winners in the women’s 30 km cross-country skiing and men’s 50 km, held earlier in the day, were presented with their medals at the Fisht Olympic stadium.

The chapter “The World of Malevich, Kandinsky and Chagall” was dedicated to Russian art. Canvases by world famous artists, such as Chagall, Malevich and Kandinsky inspired the director in the design of the stage space and the design of the projection. All the spectators were immersed in a world of fantasy and aspiration for new horizons.

In the “Music” chapter, one of the most gifted pianists, Denis Matsuev, played Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, and 62 performers circled his grand piano.

During the “Theater” chapter, a red and gold “Bolshoi” and a blue and gold “Mariinsky” theater appeared before the audience. 48 corps de ballet dancers were gradually joined by other characters from the Diaghilev Russian Ballet – Golden slave, Sobeide, Rose and The Dying Swan.

The dances were accompanied by mesmerizing music performed by the First All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra, which included the best young classical musicians, winners of a competition organized by Sochi 2014 Ambassador maestro Yuri Bashmet. The orchestra brought together 83 musicians aged 9 to 21 from 28 different Russian cities.

The next chapter, “Literature”, took guests of the Ceremony to the land of Russian literature, with Russian poets and writers laboring over their desks in offices: Alexander Pushkin, Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Ivan Turgenev, Anton Chekhov, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Joseph Brodsky, Mikhail Bulgakov and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The audience were presented with characters from such classic literary works as War and Peace, Three Sisters, The Master and Margarita, Idiot and The Government Inspector.

“Circus” completed the Russian culture chapter, with more than 200 professional performers and 120 students from circus schools all over Russia demonstrating their skills in six circus arenas.

Flag Handover Ceremony to the host city of the next winter Games, the city of PyeongChang

As per tradition in the Closing Ceremony, the handover of the Olympic flag to the next host city began with the raising of the Greek flag to the national Greek anthem, signifying a tribute to the country where the ancient Olympic Games were born.

The Olympic flag was lowered to the sound of the Olympic anthem. Anatoly Pakhomov, mayor of Sochi, handed it to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, who in turn handed the flag to the mayor of the city of PyeongChang, Seok Rae Lee. Following the tradition, each mayor then waved the flag four times, before the flag was taken away.

Then the Aegukka [“Patriotic Song”], the national anthem of the Republic of Korea, which will be the next country to host the Winter Games, was played. The anthem was performed by a boy and a girl as the Korean national flag was being raised.

After that, PyeongChang, the 2018 Winter Olympics capital, was presented to the audience and the spectators then saw fragments of the five-millennium old Korean history. During the presentation, the sounds of a gayageum, a traditional Korean musical instrument, were heard.

The Closing of the Olympic Games of 2014 in Sochi

A few minutes later Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee and Thomas Bach, IOC President went onto the ceremonial stage to deliver their speeches devoted to the closing of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The culmination of the Ceremony was the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame. The Sochi 2014 mascots, the Polar Bear, the Hare and the Leopard, as well as Lyubov, Yura and Valya, crossed the frozen sea on skis, skates and a snowboard in search of the Olympic flame. After a short while, the travelers came to a mirrored wall and found that the flame was hidden in a block of ice, its reflection dancing in the mirror.

After 16 days of exciting sporting events and festive atmosphere, it was time for the Olympic flame to be extinguished. The Polar Bear blew out the flame at the stadium, prompting the flame in the Olympic Park to die out. The flame was extinguished to the sounds of a remix of Eduard Artemyev’s and Aleksandra Pakhmutova’s famous “Goodbye, Moscow!” song. This emblematic moment reminded spectators of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, symbolizing the connection between the Olympic generations.

At the end of the ceremony, the Polar Bear, the Leopard and the Hare were joined by nearly 3,000 children with mimosa branches in their hands, turning the stadium into a yellow blooming meadow.

The Closing Ceremony ended with a fireworks show and a vibrant party with DJ Kto.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.sochi2014.com

HOLLYWOOD, FLA. – Coca-Cola marks its 36th year at “El Festival de la Calle Ocho” (Calle Ocho) with a musical blend of Bachata, Salsa and Latin Jazz. As a token to loyal festival goers the Company will offer exclusive opportunities to meet and greet a variety of famous musicians. Calle Ocho will take place onSunday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“At Calle Ocho we bring together music fans with their favorite Coca-Cola brands and top artists to experience the “ahhh” moments in life,” said Melanie Jones, Vice President of Sales, South Florida Market Unit, Coca-Cola Refreshments. “These refreshing moments are made possible through our longstanding partnership with Festival organizers, Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, and our mutual commitment to support the Miami community.”

The Company plans to connect consumers to an all-star cast of Latin musicians at The Coca-Cola Music Stage located at 8th Street and 22nd Avenue in Miami. Award-nominees Leslie Grace and Frankie Negron will headline this year’s festival. Other performers include DLG, David Correy, Celia Cruz All-Stars, Alfredo de la Fe, El Valiente-T, Jay D’Amante and Gambino & Castro.

“Music is the thread that can unite generations,” said Leslie Grace, singer-songwriter and GRAMMY® award-nominee. “It brings me great joy to join Coca-Cola in an event like Calle Ocho that connects people to share happiness and music while honoring legends and celebrating our diverse culture.”

The Company will pay homage to the past with a performance from Celia Cruz All-Stars. The group will honor the 10th anniversary of Celia Cruz’s death with a tribute to the great Salsa legend. Following, 29-year-old Brazilian/American singer David Correy will give the crowd a nod to the future. As the voice of Coca-Cola’s song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ campaign, Correy will perform his hit song “The World is Ours” at the Coca-Cola Calle Ocho Stage.

Customer Programs
To excite people about the Festival Coca-Cola is partnering with several South Florida retailers to bring Calle Ocho-themed programs to their stores. Exclusive promotions include opportunities to text and win VIP passes to the Coca-Cola Music Stage and a meet and greet with one of the many Calle Ocho performers. Media partners include Univision Radio, which will promote the in-store programs with live radio remotes and on-air advertising on WRTO-98.3 FM and WAMR-107.5 FM.

DASANI is bringing its “Drop Into DASANI” tour back to Calle Ocho. The “Drop Into DASANI” tour features a confetti filled bounce-house that captures digital photos of attendees having fun inside. The photos can be instantly shared with family and friends via email or uploaded to social media platforms. In addition, people will learn about DASANI’s sustainability efforts through their recycling game. As part of the game, people can launch empty DASANI bottles at a recycling-themed façade in exchange for prizes. DASANI will be located at 8th Street and 20th Avenue.

“Drop Into DASANI” is a 24-week tour that will visit college campuses, music festivals and theme parks throughout the country promoting the benefits of DASANI and recycling. At each tour stop, people also will have the chance to taste DASANI DROPS™ water flavor enhancers.

Supporting Carnaval Miami
For 36 years, Coca-Cola has been a valued partner of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana; the organizer of Carnaval Miami. Carnaval Miami is a month-long celebration that features culinary competitions, an art and jazz festival, 5K and 10K run/walk, soccer tournament, and Calle Ocho.

In addition to Coca-Cola’s role in Calle Ocho, Cola Zero™ will be the presenting sponsor of Miss Carnaval Miami. This event celebrates South Florida’s most talented, brightest and beautiful young Hispanic women who will compete for a $2,500 college scholarship.

“Since the 1978, Coca-Cola continues to be one of Calle Ocho’s longest and strongest supporters. Their commitment to the local community is what makes Coca-Cola a household name very much appreciated by all of us,” said Antonio “Tony” Lorenzo, President of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana.

El Festival de la Calle Ocho – Kiwanis Club of Little Havana
Calle Ocho is a production of The Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, a non-profit service organization formed in 1975, with the mission of changing the life of one child and one community at a time. Funds raised from Calle Ocho and the events of Carnaval Miami, allow the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana to sponsor projects and programs of great impact to the youth of South Florida; programs that begin at infancy and continue until college graduation.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.coca-colacompany.com

GRAPEVINE, Texas-GameStop (NYSE: GME) announced today that for the first time since the Sony PlayStation® 4 and Microsoft Xbox One systems launched, new game releases are set to hit store shelves in all U.S. GameStop locations. To add to the excitement, GameStop will be offering exclusive pre-order bonuses.

For the first time since the consoles’ debut, several new games are set to be released over the next 90 days. GameStop is prepped to carry each and every one of these next-generation titles, and will also offer enticing bonuses to customers who pre-order a copy of one of the new games.

“These are the first next-generation games to release since the consoles launched back in November. There is a lot of pent-up demand for new content from gamers,” said Bob Puzon, senior vice president of merchandising for GameStop. “GameStop’s exclusive pre-order offers make sure our customers are able to purchase the games they want, with the most content, immediately at launch.”

Games available for pre-order:

Tomb Raider: The Definitive Collection- (PS4/ Xbox One) Available Now – The cinematic action-adventure that forced Lara Croft to grow from an inexperienced young woman into a hardened survivor has been re-built for Xbox One and PS4, featuring an obsessively detailed Lara and a stunning lifelike world.

LEGO The Movie- (PS4/ Xbox One) Available 2/7 – Step into the world of Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average citizen who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. Pre-order today to receive a GameStop exclusive Emmet LEGO Mini Figure.

Rayman Legends- (PS4/ Xbox One) Available 2/18 – The critically acclaimed Rayman® Legends is coming to the Xbox One and PlayStation® 4 in an upgraded next-generation version featuring Rayman, Globox and the Teensies.

Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare- (Xbox One) Available 2/18 – Blast zombies, plants and new characters across a mine-blowing world that delivers the depth of a traditional online shooter blended on high with the refreshing humor of Plants vs. Zombies. Pre-Order today to receive two bonus booster packs.

Thief- (PS4/ Xbox One) Available 2/25 – Garrett, the Master Thief, steps out of the shadows into the City where the Baron’s Watch spreads a rising tide of fear and oppression, his skills are the only things he can trust. Pre-order today to receive the bonus mission “The Heist”, the official Thief soundtrack, and the android companion app for free.
Titanfall- (Xbox One, 360 / PC) Available 3/11 – Crafted by one of the co-creators of Call of Duty and other key developers behind the Call of Duty franchise, Titanfall is an all-new universe juxtaposing small vs. giant, natural vs. industrial and man vs. machine. Pre-order today to receive an exclusive collectible poster.

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes- (PS4/ Xbox One) Available 3/18 – MGSV: GZ gives core fans the opportunity to get a taste of the world-class production’s unparalleled visual presentation and gameplay before the release of the main game.

Infamous: Second Son- (PS4) Available 3/21 – Infamous: Second Son brings you an action adventure game where surrounded by a society that fears them, super-humans, are ruthlessly hunted down and caged by the Department of Unified Protection. Pre-order today to be upgraded to the limited edition version and to receive exclusive in-game vests.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.

Burbank, Calif., Today The Walt Disney Company announced that it will select ten startup companies for a three-month mentorship and seed-stage investment program. Disney Accelerator, which will be based in Los Angeles and powered by Techstars, is now accepting applications from early-stage companies with innovative consumer media and entertainment product ideas.

Participants will receive $120,000 in investment capital to develop their ideas, along with mentor support from top Disney executives, including Chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger, and leaders from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, ABC, ESPN and Walt Disney Imagineering, among others. Mentors will also include other entertainment industry leaders, venture capitalists, and Techstars’ extensive network of entrepreneurs, investors and executives. Participants will have access to stories, characters, technology and other resources from across The Walt Disney Company. The program begins June 30, and it concludes with an Investor Demo Day in September where each team will present their company to industry leaders and investors.

“Disney has always been defined by innovation, leveraging the technology required to build the future of entertainment,” said Kevin A. Mayer, executive vice president, Corporate Strategy and Business Development, The Walt Disney Company. “Disney Accelerator offers a unique collaboration between some of the best creative minds in the entertainment industry and the modern-day visionaries who are starting businesses on the strength of exciting new ideas.” Overseeing the Disney Accelerator program is Michael D. Abrams, Disney’s senior vice president, Innovation.

Visit www.disneyaccelerator.com for details on the program and to apply by April 16, 2014.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $45 billion in its Fiscal Year 2013.

About Techstars
Techstars is the #1 startup accelerator and mentorship-driven seed stage investment program in the world. Techstars delivers programs annually in top startup markets all over the world. Additionally, Techstars powers programs in collaboration with some of the best brands in the world. Companies have gone on to average more than $1.6M raised in outside capital after the completion of the program. To date, Techstars has funded more than 350 companies that are collectively valued in the billions of dollars.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.thewaltdisneycompany.com

The XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014 has opened with a grand show thrilling spectators at the Fisht Olympic Stadium and billions of viewers around the world. The Ceremony started at exactly 20:14 Moscow Time, which symbolizes the year of the first Winter Games in Russia’s history, and in about three hours the world was told the history of a great country – Russia. The Ceremony is set to be remembered around the world thanks to its scale, entertainment, unique scenery and innovative use of technology. The spectators of the Ceremony included 40,000 guests in the Fisht Olympic Stadium and 3 billion television viewers worldwide. In total, more than 12,000 people were involved in the realization of the Opening Ceremony of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014.

The concept of the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony

The main heroine of the “Dreams of Russia” show was a little girl with the beautiful and symbolic Russian name “Lyubov” (Love), whose image symbolizes the soul of Russia. Lyubov led spectators through the entire Ceremony, telling them about her dreams and involving them in a magical journey through time and space, through centuries of history and the vast expanses of Russia, its 17 million square kilometers, 9 time zones and population of 180 different nationalities. A country where all the year seasons meet and which is surrounded by the longest coastal line in the world. The show highlighted the many voices of Russia: from twinkling northern lights above the vast of the Arctic Ocean to the subtropical Sochi, from Kamchatka’s hot geysers to the Urals.

The Opening Ceremony consisted of 18 separate chapters, each of which was original and unique. For one unforgettable evening filled with innovative technology, light, music and vibrant colors, spectators met with a strikingly rich cultural and intellectual history of a vast Russia, experiencing the symbols of the main milestones of the ever-changing country – from the mythical Kitezh city and St. Basil’s Cathedral, scenes of the time of Peter the Great and the Natasha Rostov’s ball described in the novel “War and Peace”, to the landmarks of the 20th century. Spectators saw large-scale symbols of the avant-garde embodied by a striking dance of giant moving objects, people and machines, through to bright and recognizable scenes of life in Russia from the second half of the 20th century through to today. In the closing scene spectators saw a colossal dynamic installation, united by architecture, music and modern technologies, a bright mix of outer space and athletes dedicated to the stellar results of great Olympic victors.

Russian stars such as Svetlana Zakharova, prima ballerina of the Bolshoy theatre and People’s Artist of Russia; Danila Korsuntsev, principal dancer of the Mariinsky theatre and Honored Artist of Russia; Vladimir Vasilyev, People’s Artist of the USSR; Alexandr Petukhov, principal dancer of the Bolshoy theatre and Honored Artist of Russia; Ivan Vasilyev, principal dancer of the Mikhaylovsky theatre; Diana Vishneva, prima ballerina of the Mariinsky theatre and People’s Artist of Russia; and Anna Netrebko, principal opera singer of the Mariinsky theatre and People’s Artist of Russia, all played incredible roles in the Ceremony.

Works of prominent Russian composers painted a musical canvas for the ceremony on a scale comparable to the Olympic Games themselves, which captured not only the cultural legacy of Russia but also the richness of the human experience.

Technical Innovations

The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi became the most innovative ceremony from a technical point of view. The rich events of Russian history were revealed through original, high-tech decorations. 80 large hanging objects moved using an intricate suspension system with a total length of 3.8 km. The heaviest decoration represented Kamchatka, weighing 4.8 tons.

To guide the system, more than 380 suspension points and trusses with a total length of over 2.5 km are mounted in the dome of the stadium. These hold lighting, sound and projection equipment weighing 310 tons.

The stage at Fisht stadium has a total area over 8,500 square meters and is equipped with 25 lifts and 18 trap doors.

In all, the ceremony involved more than 500 loudspeakers with a total capacity of 1 million watts and over 15,000 walkie-talkies with headphones for the cast and technical personnel. 132 powerful spotlights shone with the brightness of 2.64 million watts. 140 television cameras immediately provided the unique image of the ceremony to viewers around the world.

Russian Flag

One of the most solemn moments of the Opening Ceremony was the traditional raising of the national flag of the host country.

27 performers of the Sretensky Choir sang on stage the national anthem of Russia. The performance began with choral singing without instrumental accompaniment. Then from the north and south, 240 marshals, dressed in white, blue or red glowing costumes rose to the stage to form the shape of the Russian national flag.

At the same time, a group of cosmonauts, including the Russian and Soviet cosmonaut Sergey Krikalev; the second woman cosmonaut and the first woman cosmonaut to visit outer space Svetlana Savitskaya, Russian cosmonaut and scientist Fedor Yurchikhin, and Russian cosmonaut and tester Elena Serova, raised the flag of the Russian Federation to the sounds of the national anthem.

Athletes Parade

The way the athletes entered the stadium – the Parade of Nations – was innovative as well. A unique projection on the stage of the stadium recreated an image of the planet Earth flying through the space, with the surface flashing the shape of the country whose delegation was doing the honour lap at that particular moment. For the first time in history of the Olympic movement participants of the Parade of Nations were coming out to the stage via a special 48-meter ramp, situated in the center of the stadium, as if they were coming from the heart of their countries.

The athletes entered the stadium in a festive atmosphere, to the sounds of music composed by the DJ Leonid Rudenko and based on popular Russian songs. Traditionally, the Parade of Nations was opened by the team of Greece and closed by the 270 Russian athletes who were greeted by the storm of applause. In total, 3,500 athletes took part in the Parade.

TheOlympicSpirit

The artistic scenes of the ceremony were followed by the protocol tradition during which the Games were officially declared opened.

Remarks by the President of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko were followed by the speech of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. President Bach turned the floor over to the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, who officially declared the Olympic Games opened. At that moment, along the perimeter of the stadium fireworks rocketed towards the sky.

The Olympic flag appeared at the stadium to the sounds of Chaykovsky’s Coronation March. By tradition, eight renowned people, who have each succeeded in a particular field, carried the flag out. Amongst them were the first woman-cosmonaut and the only woman in the world to go on a solo space flight Valentina Tereshkova; world-renown Russian conductor, art director of the Mariinsky theatre Valeriy Gergiev; Russian and Soviet hockey player, holder of all the highest world hockey titles, double Olympic champion and seven times world champion Vyacheslav Fetisov; Russian and Soviet film director and actor, Oscar awardee Nikita Mikhalkov; Soviet speed skater, the only six time Olympic champion in the world history of speed skating, double absolute world champion Lidiya Skoblikova; Russian theatre and cinema actress, со-founder of the charity foundation “Grant a life” Chulpan Khamatova; Russian TV correspondent Anastasiya Popova; cyber-athlete, the most famous virtual racing car driver, Russian and world champion according to the World Computer Games in the category “Need for Speed” Alan Enileev.

A few minutes later, to the sounds of the Olympic anthem, performed by the famous soprano of the Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko, the Olympic flag was run up to the accompaniment of the State Symphonic Orchestra «New Russia» conducted by the Sochi 2014 Ambassador Yuriy Bashmet.

This was followed by the Oath, pronounced by: from the athletes – Ruslan Zakharov, Russian short track athlete, Honoured Master of Sports of Russia, European Champion, from the trainers – Anastasiya Popkova, winner and awardee of international competitions, from the judges – Vyacheslav Vedenin, Master of Sports in cross-country skiing, internationally certified judge.

The culmination of the opening ceremony was the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, which closed the spectacular 65,000 km torch relay after 123 days. The first torchbearer at the Olympic Stadium was Mariya Sharapova, who came to the stage up the athletes’ ramp. Mariya handed the torch over to Elena Isinbayeva, who in her turn passed it over to Aleksandr Karelin. Aleksandr made a honor lap of the stadium and handed the torch over to Alina Kabaeva. The Olympic cauldron was lit by three times Olympic champions and legendary athletes Vladislav Tretyak and Irina Rodnina.

Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina symbolically carried the flame through the ages till the present and opened the giant gates of the stadium that lead to the main Olympic cauldron. Spectators could then see the backstage area of the ceremony. All the artists and volunteers of the opening ceremony lined up, cheering the Olympic flame. The athletes lit the small cauldron, situated at the foot of the main Olympic cauldron. The flame then rose and lit the main symbol of the Olympic Games.

The Olympic cauldron was lit with the actual torch that travelled to space. The lighting of the Olympic cauldron happened to the sounds of Stravinsky’s suite “Firebird”. The opening ceremony was closed by large-scale 3,500-round fireworks.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.sochi2014.com

The symbolic Olympic Truce Wall opened on February 4 in the Coastal Olympic Village. According to the tradition of the Olympic Movement, the Olympic Truce Wall is installed in the Olympic Villages a few days before the opening of the Games in order to let the competitors from different countries are able to leave their wishes for maintaining world peace and support the idea of an Olympic Truce.

The Olympic Truce Wall became a kind of appeal from all Russian youth to athletes from dozens of countries – Ambassadors of Peace and holders of the idea of the International Olympic Movement. A message to future generations is inscribed on the Wall: “Athletes of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Ambassadors of Peace, the young people of Russia welcome you! You represent many different countries and continents, but sports unite you all. The Sochi 2014 Games demonstrate the unity of people in the diversity of culture, religion and ideology. The spirit of the Olympic Truce is in this. Together let’s call on all people to observe the Olympic Truce and strive for long-term world peace.”

During the Games, there will be an Olympic Truce Wall in both the Coastal and Mountain Olympic Villages. Each wall is made of five panels, representing the number of Olympic rings. The height of the Wall blocks alternates – either1924 mm, which symbolizes the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, or 2014 mm, which symbolizes the year of the hosting of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, a first in the history of Russia. Thus, organizers have reflected an important milestone in the history of the “white” Games. The idea and design of the Olympic Truce Wall were developed by one of the Sochi 2014 volunteers.

During the sport competitions, athletes and honored guests will be able tosign the Olympic Truce Wall, expressing their support for the UN resolution on keeping peace in the world during the Olympic Games.

The Greek tradition of the “Olympic Truce” dates back to the 8th century BC and has since served as a sacred principle of the Olympic Games. Peace was declared amongst nations and people during the sporting competitions so that all athletes could arrive at and return from their events safely. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee renewed this tradition by calling upon States to observe the Olympic Truce. In 2000, to promote the ideas of harmony and peace, the International Olympic Committee founded the international organization “Olympic Truce”. In honor of this tradition, an Olympic Truce Wall is erected in the host city during the Games, on which contestants from different countries leave their wishes to maintain peace on the planet.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.sochi2014.com

The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee has announced that they have fulfilled their Bid Book obligation to mitigate the direct carbon footprint of the Games in Sochi in 2014 before the Games even get underway. The direct carbon footprint includes all the emissions associated with the travel and accommodation of athletes, staff, and volunteers, as well as the operation of the sports venues and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee’s activities from 2007 until the Paralympic Games’ Closing Ceremony.

The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee made this commitment in 2007 – when Russia received the privilege to host its first Olympic Winter Games. The program to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases is carried out jointly with Worldwide Olympic Partner and Official Carbon Partner of the Organizing Committee, Dow.

Any human activity leads to CO2 emissions, and the mitigation of direct footprint of the Games is one of the main objectives of the program – to host “Games with minimal impact on the climate.”

The direct carbon footprint of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, calculated together with a group of Russian and international experts, is estimated to be up to 360,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, and has been fully mitigated. In total, starting from March 2013 thanks to energy efficient technologies implemented by Dow across the country in such areas as infrastructure, industry and agriculture more than 500 000 tons of greenhouse gases have been mitigated today, which already exceeds the stated figures, and this is all thanks to Dow.

Moreover, the Organizing Committee has not only mitigated 100% of their own carbon footprint, but also voluntarily offset the footprint associated with the travel of spectators and media attending the Games. Embracing the global spirit of the Olympic Games, the travel offset program includes the retirement of carbon credits from environmental projects in Russia, Brazil and South Korea – countries hosting the next Olympic Games, as well as a project carried out at one of Dow’s own manufacturing plants in the United States.

“We are proud to announce the achievement of one of the main objectives of the organization, Games with minimal impact on the climate. Thanks to Dow and the “Sustainable Future” program, the Organizing Committee has been able to mitigate the direct carbon footprint of the Games before opening them. The program also promotes the latest technological developments and opens up new approaches to conserve our environment for the future Organizing Committees, ” – said the president of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko.

“The Worldwide Olympic Partnership allows Dow to showcase its solutions on the world’s most revered global sports stage,” said George Hamilton, vice president, Dow Olympic Operations. “Our capabilities and expertise make us a key player to advance the 3rd pillar of the Olympism – the environment – and this is how we have been working with Organizing Committees and the IOC to deliver game-changing innovations for the Olympic Games moving forward.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.sochi2014.com

Following the visit of the Olympic Torch Relay to the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee is pleased to announce that, as part of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay, the Olympic Flame has been lit at the peak of the highest point in Europe – Mt. Elbrus, which is located in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. The Presenting Partners of the Olympic Torch Relay are Coca-Cola, OSAO Ingosstrakh and OAO “Russian Railways”.

The special “Elbrus” project was planned separately from the main Olympic Torch Relay route in order to ensure the best possible weather conditions for the climb. At the end of October 2013, an ascent of the western summit of the “two-peaked mountain” was made by experienced mountain climbers: Karina Mezova, who has climbed to the summit of Mount Elbrus 130 times, and Abdul-Khalim Elmezov, President of the Climbing Federation of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. Under good conditions, the torchbearer mountain climbers reached the summit of Mt. Elbrus and delivered the Sochi 2014 Olympic Flame there in a special lantern. On the western peak of Mt. Elbrus, at an altitude of 5,642 meters above sea level, Abdul-Khalim Elmezov and Karina Mezova lit the Cauldron.

Mt. Elbrus is included in the Greater Caucasus mountain range and is the highest mountain not only of Russia, but of all of Europe. The mountain is considered to be “two-peaked”, since it has two summits – the western one is higher by just 21 metres than the eastern. An ascent on Mt. Elbrus is considered by professional mountain climbers to be one of the most challenging and dangerous of its kind.

The Elbrus project is one of four special and extremely complex projects that form part of the Olympic Torch Relay, namely, “Space”, “Baikal Lake”, “North Pole” and “Elbrus”. The completion of this final challenge now means that all of the Torch Relay special projects have taken place successfully.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.sochi2014.com

PURCHASE, N.Y., Aquafina® FlavorSplash®, a line of sparkling and still water beverages and liquid water enhancers, is kicking off 2014 by encouraging teens everywhere to “Make a Splash” and celebrate their passions. To help spread the word, the brand’s first-ever national commercial will include Austin Mahone along with his new single, “Mmm Yeah” featuring Pitbull. The single will be available on iTunes starting January 26th, timed to the commercial premiere, and is available for pre-order now. Days after the commercial debuts during The 56th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, Austin will perform his new single live at PepsiCo’s “#PEPCITY” Super Bowl XLVIII kick-off celebration in New York City and then gear up for the launch of Aquafina FlavorSplash’s “Make a Splash” year-long program.

Since becoming Digital and Brand Strategist for Aquafina FlavorSplash, Austin has been busy helping the brand come up with ways to engage, inspire and excite teens. In the new commercial, viewers will see how Austin’s creativity transforms and is inspired by, the creative, colorful Aquafina FlavorSplash collection. “I am honored to play a larger role in the brand and help encourage teens to make a splash,” said Austin. “I’m excited to be part of a program that empowers teens to be creative and pursue their passions whatever they may be, the same way I pursued my passion in music.”

Following the commercial (shot and produced by AwesomenessTV), Austin will be making another splash with a performance at PepsiCo’s Super Bowl XLVIII celebration in New York City on January 29. As a part of PepsiCo’s “#PEPCITY” event at Bryant Park, fans will get to enjoy the free concert as a part of a three-day celebration in the first-of-its-kind, dome-enclosed space that will feature food and beverage offerings from PepsiCo and celebrity chefs.

“We are so thrilled to have Austin on our team and help guide us on a path through the exciting, busy world of teens,” said Rebecca Granne, Sr. Director, Aquafina. “We look forward to inspiring teens to “Make a Splash” in their everyday lives with our year-long program, similar to how our products showcase how much more fun water can be with customizable hydration options.”

The “Make a Splash” program calls on teens passionate in various areas such as music, entertainment, culinary arts, fashion and more, to share why they deserve their dream to become a reality. Seven lucky and creative teens will be selected and given the opportunity to experience their passion in a real-world, professional setting. The contest kicks off on February 10 with the first #MakeaSplash experience focusing on the music industry. From February 10-17, teens can visit FlavorSplash.com and submit a video demonstrating how they could help shake up the music biz – whether they want to be a musician, songwriter, record label mogul, the possibilities are endless. The lucky winning teen will have a chance to visit New York City and shadow Austin Mahone and his crew, for the ultimate music industry experience – up-close and in real-life. Other great finalist entries have a chance to win prizes – from DJ systems to speakers and more.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.pepsico.com

MOSCOW, Russia – The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) has officially launched a new sustainable agriculture program in Russia to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by implementing more sustainable farming practices and healthier seed crops, which will also promote better food choices for consumers in Russia. As the Official Carbon Partner of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, this innovative project is part of the Company’s “Sustainable Future” program to mitigate the direct carbon footprint associated with the hosting of the Games by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.

Traditional farming practices include the use of heavy machinery for deep tilling of fields each year which consume fuel, cause long-term soil erosion and lead to substantial GHG emissions. Dow Seeds, a unit of Dow AgroSciences, is deploying leading technology in Russia and engaging with local farmers to encourage low-till agriculture and other sustainable farming solutions to reduce the negative impact on the environment, while also enabling the production of healthier crops.

Dow is partnering with Farmer’s Edge (a world leader in precision agronomy) and ADVAG (a leader in Russian Agriculture Management) to work with five large farms: “Shatsk Zolotaya Niva” LLC (AgroTerra), KFH “Baigora”, “VAPC” LLC, SKPSSK “Izmalkovskiy” and “ADVAG – Baltic Farms” LLC. The program will provide access to state-of-the-art precision agriculture and advanced expertise to optimize farm productivity of Nexera™ hybrid canola seeds while focusing on more sustainable practices, such as reduced tillage, optimized use of nutrients and variable rate application of fertilizer.

The partnership is set to last for two years, and has the potential to eliminate up to 100,000 metric tons of GHG emissions at these five farms combined over a 10-year span. The emissions reductions will count toward the mitigation of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games’ direct carbon footprint, estimated to be up to 360,000 MT.

“The project will demonstrate to the Russian Agricultural Industry how yields can be increased and optimized using more sustainable farming practices,” explains Dr. Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi, Sustainability and Technology Director, Dow Olympic Operations. “Advancing sustainability while enabling increased production of healthier oils is a very significant way to connect Dow’s ‘Sustainable Future’ program with the very values of the Olympic Movement, which combine the environment with the promotion of healthier lifestyles.”

Holistic Approach, Amplified Results

In addition to minimizing emissions, low -till farming has positive effects on the entire ecosystem, keeping existing carbon based materials in the soil rather than emitting them into the atmosphere. Maintaining higher carbon content in soil improves water retention, reduces the need for additional irrigation and decreases soil erosion. By increasing soil resilience, crops become stronger and better able to resist weeds and pests, therefore reducing the need for additional pesticide and herbicide applications. Avoiding overuse of fertilizers also decreases the emissions of nitrogen oxides, or gases with extremely high global warming potential. A resulting healthier ecosystem will lead to higher crop yields, ultimately benefitting the local economy.

This program also improves the quality of crops produced. Dow is focusing on rapeseed (canola), aiming to reduce Russia’s dependency on oil imports in the long term and promoting the use Omega-9 canola oils, which are low saturated fat oils for healthier food production. The seeds to be introduced by Dow are bred to work particularly well with reduced tillage practices, producing higher yields and, therefore, more efficient farms.

Training for farmers is another key component of the program, which focuses on mastering low-tillage practices to achieve higher crop yields, and using water and fertilizers in an optimized way. The training programs started in December of 2013, and a technological map and special guidelines will be developed for each farm to support the implementation in early 2014.

“Innovation and sustainability are part of our core as a Company. We feel these specific training programs have the potential to bring lasting, positive change to Russia’s environment, agricultural sector, and overall economy,” said Igor Savinskiy, country leader for Dow Seeds in Russia. “Enabling greenhouse gas emissions reductions that will support the climate goals of Sochi 2014 is a very special way to celebrate our 40 years presence in Russia.”

Contributing to more sustainable Olympic Games

As The Official Carbon Partner of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, supporting sustainable agricultural practices is just one piece of Dow’s “Sustainable Future” program, a unique and innovative program to mitigate the direct carbon footprint associated with hosting the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Dow is collaborating with partners and customers in Russia to implement energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies that will result in a net decrease of GHG emissions in the key areas of infrastructure, industry and agriculture. All projects will be implemented in-country, generating benefits to the Russian economy by targeting upgrades in building infrastructures, farming practices and industrial processes.

“As The Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Movement, we are in a unique position to advance sustainability beyond the Games and catalyze change globally through the excitement generated by the Olympics,” said George Hamilton, vice president, Dow Olympic Operations. “GHG emission reductions are happening in Russia as we speak, thanks to the low carbon and energy efficient technologies introduced through this unique sustainability program tailor-made by Dow for Sochi 2014.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.dow.com

BOSTON – With Super Bowl XLVIII only weeks away, Gillette® (NYSE:PG) today announces the surprise chance for football fans to score last-minute tickets to The Big Game. As the brand who prides itself on bringing fans closer to the game, Gillette is asking fans to “Shave Paint Win*” – shave, proudly paint their face in support of their team and then share their picture on Twitter for a chance to win tickets, travel and hotel accommodations for Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2.

Also taking part in the fun is linebacker Clay Matthews. Clay will announce one winner each day via his personal Twitter handle, @ClayMatthews52. Even though he won’t be playing, Clay is excited for the big game and wants to share in that excitement with passionate fans.

Starting today, fans can look out for Gillette’s promotional tweet containing the hashtag #ShavePaintWin and retweet @Gillette with a photo of their best game-day face paint. Retweets must include @Gillette, the #ShavePaintWin hashtag, and be clean shaven (for men) to be considered. One winner will be chosen each day from Monday, January 20th to Thursday, January 23rd and announced on Twitter the following day by Clay. Fans may re-enter each day to increase their chances. Each winner will be chosen at random to receive two tickets to Super Bowl XLVIII, along with hotel accommodations and airfare.1

All season long, Gillette has been providing unique experiences to help NFL fans get even closer to the game they love. Through the brand’s “Best a FAN Can Get Sweepstakes,” available through game pieces inside all specially marked Gillette Fusion ProGlide cartridge packs through February 1, or while supplies last, one grand prize winner will receive a pair of season tickets to their favorite NFL Team – for life. Five winners will also receive an all-inclusive package for two to attend Super Bowl XLIX. Additional sweepstakes prizes include the ultimate at-home Super Bowl takeover, footballs autographed by Clay Matthews, Visa® gift cards, NFL Shop discounts and free Gillette products. Fans can also enter to win by requesting a game piece through the mail or entering the second-chance drawing at www.gillette.com/BestAFanCanGet.2

The Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor is Gillette’s No. 1 razor for sensitive skin. Around 70 percent of US men including NFL athletes have something in common – sensitive skin. When shaving sensitive skin, the equipment you use makes all the difference. The Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor with less tug and less pull3, provides unrivaled comfort even on sensitive skin4.

For more information about “The Best a FAN Can Get Sweepstakes” and to review the official rules and regulations, please visit www.gillette.com/BestAFanCanGet. For more information about men’s razors , shaving products, skin care, and men’s style, visit Gillette.com.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.pg.com

New York – Today, Citi, proud retail bank partner of the 2014 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, is unveiling a national advertising and marketing campaign ahead of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games. The campaign, featuring U.S. Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers, hopefuls and legends who compose Team Citi, includes broadcast, print, out-of-home, social media, and digital advertising, as well as special events, promotions and retail activations. The campaign is infused with Citi’s brand messaging and showcases many of Citi’s competitive and innovative banking products, including Citigold, the Citi Mobile app, and the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card.

Citi is continuing its successful Every Step of the Way® program, first launched for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and bringing it to life through a comprehensive advertising and marketing campaign featuring the athletes of Team Citi – Julie Chu, Billy Demong, Erin Hamlin, Ted Ligety, Evan Lysacek, Dan Jansen, Picabo Street, Alana Nichols and Rico Roman. Citi has donated an additional $500,000 to the United States Olympic Committee and is encouraging fans to visit Citi.com/everystep to learn about each of the Team Citi athletes and the U.S. Olympic, Paralympic and community sport programs that inspired their journeys. With a single click, fans can choose a Team Citi athlete to support and help allocate a portion of Citi’s donation to their sport program.

“Citi is delighted to continue its support for Team USA, this time in their efforts at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games,” said Citi Chief Brand Officer Dermot Boden. “Building on the success of Citi’s inaugural Team USA sponsorship at the London 2012 Olympic Games, we are now pleased to launch a fully integrated campaign that will create an enhanced connection with our customers, our employees and fellow Olympic and Paralympic fans. Just as Citi aspires to help our clients on their journeys from ambition to achievement, we are proud to support our Team Citi athletes every step of the way as they work towards and reach their goals.”

Citi’s television campaign will kick off today with a spot featuring Nordic combined skier Billy Demong. Two additional broadcast spots airing later this month will feature alpine skier Ted Ligety and will focus on the way the Citi Mobile app allows consumers to bank from almost anywhere. The spot that begins airing today will focus on the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card, which allows consumers to earn 2X points on dining and entertainment at no annual fee. Additional Information on the Citi ThankYou Preferred Visa card, including how to apply and pricing terms, can be found at www.citi.com/thankyoucards. To see what types of dining and entertainment purchases qualify, see the Card Terms and Conditions at www.citi.com/thankyoucards.

“Our customers want their bank to understand how they live and get them where they want to go – whether they are banking on their smart phone mountainside or earning points for music downloads purchased with their Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card,” said Elyssa Gray, Director of Creative and Media, North America Consumer Marketing, Citi. “We’re excited to introduce this advertising in which Team Citi athletes bring to life the stories of Citi’s banking products in a fun and engaging way.”

The deep and authentic connection between the athletes and their chosen sport programs drove the stories in the two remaining Citi television commercials, which feature members of two community sports programs and will begin airing immediately prior to the Sochi Games:

2010 Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek is featured alongside one of the current members of Figure Skating in Harlem (FSH), who has participated in the program for the last seven years. Since 2006, Lysacek has worked with FSH, a program that empowers young women in underserved New York City communities to achieve their dreams by combining the power of education with the discipline of figure skating.
Sled hockey player Rico Roman stars alongside members of the National Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to highlight Operation Comfort, an organization that provides rehabilitative therapeutic programs such as sled hockey, hand cycling and amputee surfing for wounded military servicemembers while they are recovering. Roman and other players featured in the spot were introduced to the sport of sled hockey by Operation Comfort after being injured in combat.
In addition to broadcast, print, digital, and out-of-home advertising, Citi’s campaign will be activated across a multitude of channels including live events, retail promotions and in-branch activations. In New York City, a portion of the Columbus Circle subway station will be taken over with ad units, as will The Grove in Los Angeles. CitiBike stations in New York City will also feature ad units. Nationwide, many of Citibank’s digital ads, branch signage, customer takeaways and ATM screens will connect the Citigold suite of banking products with Citi’s U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship under the theme “Go for the Gold.”

During the final week of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Citi will create Team USA-themed experiences for clients, customers and employees at a dedicated event space in New York City. The venue will be programmed with athlete visits, competition viewing and interactive elements that will help ignite the unique Olympic spirit for fans here at home.

Following their broadcast debuts, Citi’s television advertisements will all be available for viewing at www.youtube.com/citi.

To mark its 200th anniversary, Citi was an official sponsor of Team USA in 2012 for the first time in the company’s history. Earlier this year Citi and the U.S. Olympic Committee announced that Citi renewed its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams through 2016.

This Press Release is courtesy of Citigroup www.citigroup.com