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Ripken Baseball Adds Its Fourth Ripken Experience™ through Partnership with Elizabethtown Sports Park in Kentucky

Ripken Baseball

Ripken Baseball, the leader in youth sports events, announced it will add its fourth Ripken Experience™ location in the United States through a partnership with Elizabethtown Sports Park in Elizabethtown, Ky. Officially named The Ripken Experience™ Elizabethtown, Ripken Baseball will bring world-class youth baseball and softball tournaments, plus week-long experiences, to the state-of-the-art complex starting in 2023. This year marks Elizabethtown Sports Park’s 10th anniversary since opening the complex, which has attracted 160,000 visitors annually. Within the past decade, Elizabethtown Sports Park has been responsible for generating $150 million in direct economic impact for the city. With the goal of bringing even more teams and families to Elizabethtown, Ripken Baseball will host events on the 12 interchangeable baseball/softball turf fields. “The fields and facilities at Elizabethtown Sports Park are in the top tier of youth complexes in America – a category I believe includes our other Ripken Experience™ locations across the country,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., who founded Ripken Baseball with his brother Bill. “When we think about The Ripken Experience™ Elizabethtown, the key word is experience. Our teams and their families will be treated like big-leaguers, creating lifelong memories together.” The Ripken Experience™ Elizabethtown joins Ripken Baseball’s lineup of youth sports destinations, including complexes in Aberdeen, Md.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Across its facilities, clinics, and tournaments, Ripken Baseball hosts more than 120,000 participants and 350,000 guests from all 50 states and 12 countries annually. “Bringing The Ripken Experience™ and the Elizabethtown Sports Park together creates the ultimate win for families and players,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory. “The excitement and energy behind this partnership are exactly why we feel it’s a perfect fit for us and we look forward to welcoming teams and their families to our community.” To start planning your trip to The Ripken Experience™ Elizabethtown, visit www.ripkenbaseball.com or give a Ripken Baseball teammate a call at 410-306-7575. About Elizabethtown Sports Park Elizabethtown Sports Park is a true destination for events of all sizes and caliber with three quads for baseball and softball, two championship-style turf fields, three large pavilions for events, and one accessible field with spectator seating. The mission of the sports park is to create experiences for people who yearn to be in the big leagues. This is the perfect place to play. A place for athletes to play like the pros. A place where everyone becomes a champion. The Ripken Experience is the premier baseball/softball partner with the sports park where we look to provide players, coaches, and families with the experiences and lifelong memories that will allow them to enjoy and play the game for as long as possible. For more information, visit: www.etownsports.com. About Ripken Baseball Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Recently expanding the best experience in youth sports to satellite locations through Ripken Select Tournaments, Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee), and The Ripken Experience™ Elizabethtown (Kentucky). Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.ripkenbaseball.com/

June 21, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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DistroTV Adds 120 New Channels, Citing Impressive Channel Growth of 87% YoY, and Launches New Regional Channel Bundles to Continue Global Content Expansion as FAST Market Heats Up

DistroTV

DistroTV, the nation’s largest, independent, free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform, today announced it has added 120 new channels to expand its core content categories, across news, media & entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. This in addition to growing its multicultural content line-up, to include new channel offerings to cater to English, Southeast Asian / Indian, and Spanish-speaking audiences, as well as a new bundle of channel content targeting the African community. This brings the DistroTV total channel library to more than 270, with DistroTV now available in more than 60 markets through its apps on streaming devices and smart TVs, as well as worldwide through distro.tv on the web. The company continues its rapid global expansion, empowering media companies to break down content barriers and bring diverse and independent content to our global viewers, wherever they may be watching, amidst an evolving free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) market. Through DistroTV’s easy-to-use interface, viewers can instantly watch their favorite channels and shows, with no registration, sign-up, or fees required. “The FAST market is on an incredible and steep upward growth trajectory, with even paid streaming platforms now understanding that if they do not embrace and ride this wave, they’ll get left behind,” said Navdeep Saini, co-founder and CEO of DistroScale, parent company of DistroTV. “At DistroTV, we’ve long been on a mission to break down barriers to entry and provide free TV for global audiences who want and deserve access to free, engaging programming across a range of cultures and languages. If our growth figures are any indication, we’re well on our way to accomplishing our goals, and we have no plans of slowing down.” Key highlights include: An impressive wave of new channels available to stream for free that appeal to DistroTV’s core US, UK, and Canadian audiences which includes a total of: 45 sports channels, doubling the initial channel count to include the most diverse collection of live & linear mainstream sports, combat sports, niche sports and outdoors channels, like beIN SPORTS Xtra, Swerve Sports, IMPACT Wrestling Channel, FightNetwork, ACL Cornhole, MotoAmerica TV and FuelTV. 13 documentary channels, with notable new additions including Goalcast, Beautiful Planet, and True History. Notable new additions to the entertainment & lifestyle category, including AXS TV Now, Heritage+, Planet Eat, and the return of Canadian foodie favorite, GustoTV. A total of 21 Spanish-language channels available in North America, such as Casa Comedy and Spanglish to the existing bundle of entertainment, documentaries, news and sports channels launched earlier this year, for a total of 25 Spanish-speaking channels globally. DistroTV Español is aimed at speakers in the U.S., as well as in Latin America and included the platform’s premiere of its first original movie, Escándalo Secreto: En Plena Cuarentena, which has seen impressive adoption across all LatAm audiences, both in the US and Latin American markets. The expansion of free-to-stream Indian channel content through DistroTV Desi; the bundle doubled since launch from 15 channels to 36 live streaming channels, featuring new additions such as ABP, Bollywood Prime, Epic, FOODFOOD by renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Desi TV, and more. The addition of these channel bundles will bring even more viewing access and content options to a multicultural Spanish speaking and South East Asian audience; The release of a new African channel bundle, DistroTV Africa, featuring 11 entertainment and music-oriented channels available to stream for free globally and available in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, and in those countries’ native languages; Since its launch in 2019, DistroTV has taken note and delivered on the demand for growth concerning its breadth of content and global audience. The streaming platform continues to focus on building a robust global network that delivers news, entertainment, music, sports, and lifestyle programming to international audiences. To become a part of this international audience, visit https://www.distro.tv or install DistroTV on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS or Android. About DistroTV DistroTV is the largest, independent, free, ad-supported streaming television service on the market. Launched in 2019 by parent company DistroScale, the platform caters to a multicultural, rapidly expanding, globally-minded audience of passionate viewers. Satisfying the growing demand for premium video content in multiple languages, DistroTV delivers premium video content from producers globally across North America, the UK, Bollywood, Latin America, China, Southeast Asia, and growing. With more than 200 channels plus thousands of Video on Demand (VOD) shows, DistroTV cultivates content that covers a broad spectrum of topics to connect with people’s passion points around Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, News, Documentaries and International Content in live, linear and video-on-demand formats. DistroTV is available to stream for free on the web, as well as through Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and iOS and Android devices. About DistroScale DistroTV is the first direct-to-consumer offering from DistroScale, a technology company founded in 2013 and known for providing a global clientele of thousands of media properties with the industry’s most comprehensive video platform for web, apps, and streaming. DistroScale is an all-in-one solution providing infrastructure, content delivery, curation, analytics and a full suite of monetization options. Video enabled by DistroScale reaches more than 250 million visitors per month. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. To become a DistroTV viewer, visit www.distro.tv. More information on DistroScale & DistroTV is available at www.distroscale.com. Contact Details Mackenzie Gavel +1 631-739-5716 mackenzie@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.distro.tv

June 21, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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The Connected Devices Making a Splash this Summer

News Media Group, Inc.

Contact Details News Media Group, Inc. Karl Wayne +1 334-440-6397 karl@newsmg.com Company Website https://newsmg.com/

June 21, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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trooVRS Launches as the First Editorial Platform Built for the Metaverse at Cannes Lions 2022

Troo Media

Troo Media, the creators of media platforms for the metaverse, today launched trooVRS, the first fully virtual and immersive editorial platform designed for the metaverse dedicated to reimagining men’s editorial, at Cannes Lions. Through immersive, VR-powered environments, trooVRS will deliver high quality editorial content and experiences in written, video, and audio-based formats that will empower male audiences across generations, race, nationalities, sexual orientation, and more with the tools and practical knowledge to positively impact their well-being. The trooVRS platform is built around the concept of “solutions journalism”, which is focused on curating content designed to provide practical knowledge and offer solutions, and elevate the quality of life of readers. On the platform, this content will target the interests and needs of men from all backgrounds by focusing on core subject matter like relationships, work, physical and mental health. The launch of trooVRS coincides with Men’s Health Month to reinforce the company’s commitment to serve as a constant voice of awareness for men’s health and encourage positive living choices. trooVRS will recruit writers and content creators from across the globe that represent a diverse set of ethnicities, nationalities, and perspectives in order to deliver a comprehensive experience for men of all backgrounds. This immersive editorial content is delivered through high-quality pixel streaming 3D “virtual worlds” which offer readers a safe space to discuss topics and build communities. The first virtual world, a remote, Scandinavian-inspired home built directly into a mountainside, is accessible today for brands and agencies to begin ideating customized experiences and activations on the platform. In addition to its core editorial offerings, trooVRS will also deliver curated NFT offerings across its environments with male audiences that support the editorial’s initiative of fostering self-care and community. trooVRS was conceptualized by Adrian Whant, a digital media and advertising veteran who has held leadership positions at companies like NBCUniversal, Univision, ABS-CBN, and digital startups, and Lisa Cavalli, the creator of influential digital Latina-focused publications HipLatina and BELatina. The two saw an opportunity to revitalize the stagnant men’s editorial space by capitalizing on the rapid expansion of metaverse-based solutions and the need for more modern and nuanced content that breaks down the dated stereotypes of masculinity. “While new media companies are emerging to connect with an increasingly diverse spectrum of audiences, we have seen very little in terms of platforms that reflect the modern values and ideals of men, which now cover a vast range of identities, interests and aspirations. The metaverse presents us with an opportunity to deliver content in a more immersive, intimate and effective environment, and its inherent decentralization will allow for the amplification of and participation from audiences that have been historically shut out in traditional media formats. With this in mind, we’re excited to introduce trooVRS as the new way for men to validate their own experiences and focus on self-improvement,” says Adrian Whant, Founder and CEO of Troo Media. The trooVRS platform also offers brands the opportunity to deliver highly curated and branded metaverse experiences to connect more deeply with male audiences. The virtual worlds are purpose-built with several environments where brands can hold activations such as presentations, tutorials and demos in relevant environments such as stages, kitchens, gyms, showrooms and more. They will also be able to offer exclusive real and virtual goods and services, including NFTs powered by blockchain technology. trooVRS is already in advanced discussions with leading brands to conceptualize initial activations on the platform. “It has been my long held belief, through direct experience, that culturally hyper-relevant content is the future of publishing success, for both media companies and brands. With trooVRS, our goal is to take the concept of solutions-driven journalism and disseminate it through new and exciting ways to create more enriching and fulfilling experiences and pave the way forward in the metaverse-driven era,” says Lisa Cavalli, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Troo Media. The virtual worlds on the trooVRS platform are designed by SPINE, an award-winning interactive media and 3D visualization studio. In collaboration with the trooVRS team, SPINE focused on constructing highly detailed, photo-realistic environments that set the platform apart from the standard gamified experiences with most current metaverse solutions. “I’m very excited to be working with Troo Media to bring their vision to life and to be building something that is both meaningful and forward-thinking. trooVRS is headed in the direction of where I see digital media evolving towards and I’m looking forward to pushing the platform to its highest potential,” says Kevin Smith, Founder and CEO of SPINE. trooVRS launches at Cannes with one virtual world already live and with an additional 5 nearing completion. The company is focused on building out its editorial roster, activating brands on the platform and continuing to build out the technology infrastructure. Troo Media will also be focused on building strategic partnerships in the coming months to bolster the growth and development of the platform. To learn more about trooVRS, please visit: https://troovrs.io/. About Troo Media Founded in 2022, TrooMedia is a purpose-built platform that serves as the foundation for trooVRS, an immersive media platform for users to engage with non-stereotypical men's lifestyle content across virtual editorial environments, shared experiences and worlds. TrooMedia was born out of the desire to create solution-driven storytelling that provides practical knowledge to readers, elevates the voices of global creators, and, most importantly, builds content that positively impacts people's lives. TrooMedia, with its partner SPINE 3D, builds virtual worlds in the metaverse designed to deliver cutting edge immersive and collaborative possibilities that deliver highly curated experiences between brands and consumers. The company is led by media, technology, and publishing leaders and is a proud minority, LGBTQ+, and women-owned digital media company. Contact Details North 6th Agency for Troo Media Kevin Pryor +1 212-334-9753 kpryor@n6a.com Company Website https://troovrs.io/

June 20, 2022 09:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Summer Dating Tips from an Expert

YourUpdateTV

According to a recent survey conducted by Bumble, more than one-third of respondents in the U.S. say they are more open to exploring a relationship with someone who lives in another city. Recently, Sex & Relationships Expert at Bumble, Shan Boodram, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss her top tips for finding a date this summer and advice on optimizing your dating profile. A video accompanying this announcement is available here: https://youtu.be/T7jBcsH4Mbs Travel is expected to be at an all-time high with vacations and weddings in full swing, which means the perfect opportunity for a summer romance in a new city or country. Dating apps like Bumble, the women-first dating and social networking app, can help you find new people you may be interested in – or at the very least, help you meet some new friends. “We’re excited to see all of the connections that will be made this summer, both abroad and at home, especially as we’re seeing a natural progression and eagerness for folks to meet in person again,” said Shan Boodram, Bumble’s Sex and Relationships Expert. “Though dating while traveling can just be a fun summer fling, we also found in a recent survey that more than one-third of respondents in the U.S. say they are more open to exploring a relationship with someone who lives in another city, so we encourage you to get out there, no matter where you may be!” Here are tips on dating while traveling, just in time for a summer of fun – and maybe even love. Plan ahead and save time: If you want to make the most out of your dating experience, lean into dating app features that may help you get a sneak preview of who you can connect with - before your trip. For example, Bumble offers a Travel Mode, which allows you to change your location to a new city so you can look for local connections before your arrival. Be open-minded: Just like you might be more open to trying a new food or activity when on vacation, apply that same attitude to meeting new people while abroad. If you meet someone who isn’t necessarily your type, don’t immediately dismiss them. Try to have an exploratory mindset and be willing to meet someone different. Update your bio: Every time you travel to a new city or country, updating your dating app bio can be a helpful way to attract the people and experiences you’re seeking. This can include the languages you speak, how long you’ll be in town, and even asking a question about the best local spot in the city. Ending on a question or an itinerary point on your travel list makes for easy conversation starters. Remember that you can change your radius to see people who are between 1-50 miles from you, too! Hop on a video call before meeting: Many online dating platforms provide secure and safe ways for people to connect. In turn, singles everywhere are getting creative, figuring out how to learn more about each other before meeting. On Bumble, you can make voice and video calls directly in the app, so you can speak to your date without sharing any personal information, like a phone number or email address. This can also help check if your new match is someone you want to spend time with on your vacation. Schedule a date as soon as possible: The time it takes to slowly build a connection is a luxury you don’t always have when traveling. Once you connect with someone you’re interested in and feel comfortable and confident with meeting them in person, don’t be shy about suggesting the first date or respectfully following up on a conversation. Also, don't be afraid to invite this person into your existing plans! People love to delight in their own city and you'd also be surprised at how many people haven't been tourists in their own town. Take charge when choosing the location: Being in charge of choosing your date location is a simple but effective way to feel safe when dating abroad. Ensure that your first date spot is somewhere in an open and public space, and suggest a daytime date for a first meeting, or if you're traveling with friends, invite them to join the group and bring friends too! Before going out and meeting someone new, let a trusted contact know where you're going, such as your rental home host, the hotel concierge, or a friend, and set time to text or check in with them every so often. If you’re on the date and feel like it’s not for you, pre-plan a natural exit strategy for yourself because if you feel uneasy at any point, it’s important that you trust your gut and put yourself first. Always feel like you can enlist the help of a bartender or server if needed and ensure that you’re familiar with local emergency contact numbers, too. For more data-driven tips, expert advice, and resources to help guide your dating journey this summer, visit bumble.com/the-buzz. The app is free and available worldwide within the App Store and Google Play. About Shan Boodram, Bumble's Sex & Relationships Expert: Shan Boodram is a certified sex educator and intimacy expert. Boodram is host of the top podcast, "Lovers and Friends," the best-selling author of “The Game of Desire,” resident expert on Netflix's “Too Hot to Handle,” and currently stars in Peacock’s new show “Ex-Rated with Andy Cohen". She is an ambassador for AIDS Healthcare Foundation and WomensHealth.gov, and a member of the American Sexual Health Association. About Bumble: Bumble, the women-first dating and social networking app, was founded by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014. Bumble connects people across dating (Bumble Date), friendship (Bumble BFF) and professional networking (Bumble Bizz). No matter the type of relationship, women make the first move on Bumble. Bumble is built on the importance of equitable relationships and how crucial they are to a healthy, happy life. They've built their platform around kindness, respect, and equality – and their community plays an important part in that. Bumble holds its users accountable for their actions and has zero tolerance for hate, aggression, or bullying. Bumble is free and available worldwide in the App Store and Google Play. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 17, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COLOR FACTORY CHICAGO IMMERSES GUESTS IN A SPECTRUM OF COLOR

Color Factory

The highly-anticipated, third permanent museum from Color Factory officially opened today in Chicago. The beloved destination immerses Chicagoans in art and color with experiences that engage all the senses, including 15 new installations and exciting artist partnerships across over 25,000 square feet. Color Factory wants its visitors to experience artful wonder and to bring the joy and inhibition that they experience at the museum back into their everyday lives. With successful locations in New York and Houston, the Chicago museum invites guests to embrace play and discovery and to engage their senses in unexpected ways. Above all, Color Factory seeks to make the joy of art and color accessible to more people. "We love Chicago and are thrilled to be opening our biggest museum to date in the heart of the city. We’re excited to share and celebrate the diversity, culture, and traditions of Chicago through these dynamic installations created in partnership with amazing artists. We can’t wait for guests to see, taste, touch, hear, and smell color in a whole new way!” said Tina Malhotra, CEO of Color Factory. Partnering with both local and internationally-known artists and creatives, the new Color Factory was designed specifically for Chicago and takes guests on a unique, dynamic, and colorful journey. Local artists Edra Soto and Akilah Townsend worked with Color Factory to develop an interactive Chicago color palette; international artist Camille Walala has created an expansive maze inspired by the city’s architecture, while Yuri Suzuki ’s experience plays with the connection between what we see and what we hear. Additionally, Color Factory is partnering with local institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art and Willis Tower, nonprofits like SocialWorks and 826CHI, as well as small businesses like Kurimu and Bon Femme both on-site at Color Factory and across the city. As the largest exhibition space in the company’s history bringing together an impressive roster of artists and custom installations, Color Factory Chicago is expected to be one of the city’s top destinations in 2022 - one that should not be missed. Color Factory Chicago will be open Tuesday - Sunday from 9am-8pm. Tickets are available for purchase for $38 for General Admission, and $28 for Children (3-12). To purchase visit: https://colorfactory.co/chicago/. Additional information on Color Factory can be found online at: https://colorfactory.co. ABOUT COLOR FACTORY Color Factory is an interactive art museum that invites visitors to experience the joy of color through multi-sensory installations, immersive rooms, and carefully curated moments. In each of our locations, Color Factory collaborates with artists, art institutions, nonprofits, and brand partners to bring more art and color to the world. At the core of Color Factory's mission and work are our partner artists. These creatives, designers, and makers tell their unique stories through site-specific exhibits created just for Color Factory. Our experiences are thoughtfully designed to awaken natural curiosity and encourage uninhibited play. Every hue is hand-selected and paired with a sensory experience to unleash the full power and impact of color. Inspired by the cities that we call home, we create custom palettes for each of our locations and work to identify local charities and businesses to support and give back to the community. Since our 2017 launch with a temporary space in San Francisco, Color Factory has grown into a series of permanent locations in New York and Houston, with a new flagship location in Chicago this year. To learn more, visit www.colorfactory.co. ABOUT WILLIS TOWER Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Willis Tower is an iconic urban destination and state-of-the art, human-centered workplace. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower is one of the world's tallest buildings, offering the region's most breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. The 103rd-floor Skydeck attracts more than 1.7 million visitors annually. The Tower recently underwent a $500 million restorative street-to-sky transformation that included the addition of Catalog, a 300,000 square-feet curated dining, entertainment and community experience, as well as a 30,000 square-foot outdoor terrace and 150,000 square feet of tenant amenity spaces. Willis Tower is the largest building in the country to have achieved LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information, visit WillisTower.com or connect on Facebook or Instagram. Contact Details Jalila Singerff | Senior Account Manager I jalila@jiveprdigital.com | 613.614.6777 +1 613-614-6777 jalila@jiveprdigital.com Company Website http://colorfactory.co/

June 17, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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BUCK Announces Successful Merge With VTProDesign

BUCK

BUCK (" BUCK " or the " Company "), a global creative company that brings brands, stories, and experiences to life through art, design, and technology, today announced it will be joining forces with VTProDesign (“ VTProDesign ”), the LA-based interactive design studio. The move is the first-of-its-kind network expansion for BUCK and an organic next step for both companies as they continue to create innovative experiences for their clients including Meta, Nike, Microsoft, Google, Airbnb, and Netflix, to name a few. While both companies stand to benefit from integration at the operational level, the driving force for the merger is attracting, retaining, and growing world-class talent. As the creative services industry continues to evolve, BUCK and VTProDesign are staking their success on how they work—not just what they create —putting sustainable creative culture and a commitment to craft front and center. Jeff Ellermeyer, Co-Founder and CEO of BUCK stated, “Our goal is really quite simple: to deliver incredible work by incredible people while fostering a strong culture. BUCK and VTProDesign is a partnership of exactly that. BUCK’s superpowers intersect design and technology, while VTProDesign has advanced their storytelling to experiences that blur the line between digital and physical. The partnership allows us to expand and grow with a network of like-minded talent and entrepreneurs across diverse offerings, regions and clients. We couldn’t think of a better group of masterminds than VTProDesign to join the BUCK family.” With digital revenue growth in the advertising industry 28%, the demand for immersive experiential marketing is also on the rise. 81% of both B2B and B2C marketers are currently planning in-person events, with or without a virtual component. BUCK’s merger with VTProDesign will boost the company’s talent pool in this crucial area, folding in expertise in physical experiences, interactive technologies, and bespoke tools to solve never-before-seen problems. “VTProDesign has always been about growth and advancements in innovation, reflecting our values and evolution as creators. BUCK is a natural fit for us, as we continue to grow our footprint, partnering with best-in-class creatives that are committed to craft, culture and people. The merge will ultimately result in tremendous growth for VTProDesign, unparalleled opportunity for our employees, and a really impressive mix of creatives all at one table. It’s a 5+5=11 situation, and we can’t wait to see what kind of groundbreaking work we come up with together,” said Vartan Tchekmedyian, CEO of VTProDesign. VTProDesign is no stranger to creating full 360 experiences regardless of medium, connecting people to brands, products and innovation through crafted experiences, using technology as a tool. The group names Netflix, Google, Ray-Ban, and Heineken as part of their client roster. Highlights of The Merge The network expansion is accretive to BUCK and VTProDesign, establishing a unique creative talent pool and positioning them for scaled business growth. BUCK Brand Leadership: The BUCK team has the track record and abilities to quickly amass a significant presence in the design, tech, and digital creative markets, along with the necessary expertise to integrate and incorporate new creatives across a diverse group of verticals and platforms. VTProDesign Brand Leadership: BUCK will be positioned with a best-in-class creative team, along with a management team composed of highly successful and experienced professionals across design, creative technology, and integrated production across four offices in Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, and Amsterdam. Focused Creative Market: BUCK believes it to be best suited for a network expansion as an influential and established creative company with eight straight years of high double-digit revenue growth. For 2022, BUCK will be managing in excess of 600 headcount globally with physical presences in LA, NY, Sydney, and Amsterdam. The 2022 forecast equates to 100% growth in trailing three years—all while managing the pandemic period. Merging in VTProDesign equates to an additional 50% of the 2021 hired headcount servicing a diversified client offering. VTProDesign, also a high growth company, is forecasted to add an additional 20% EBITDA to BUCK’s financials and double-digit revenue growth. BUCK entered an exclusive letter of intent with VTProDesign, officially closing on June 6th,, 2022 pursuant to which the two have merged. VTProDesign will retain its identity, and Vartan Tchekmedyian and Michael Fullman will both retain their positions at VTProDesign. Management Team Jeff Ellermeyer, Founder, and CEO of BUCK Jeff Ellermeyer has worked for nearly three decades at the intersection of technology and design, culminating in his current role as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BUCK. In 1996, Jeff founded Fullerene, a pioneering creative services company that worked with early web and music clients. In the early 2000s, when Jeff discovered motion design, he recognized it as the future of experience. He founded BUCK in 2003 on this belief and folded in Ryan Honey and Orion Tait as partners. Drawing on his education in Computer Science and Film, Jeff’s enthusiasm for innovation and culture-shifting creativity has guided him throughout his time at BUCK. His passion is to foster a scalable, sustainable creative culture that attracts, retains, and grows the world’s best talent. Ryan Honey, Founder, Co-Chief Creative Officer of BUCK With over two decades of experience building and leading teams through ground-breaking design and content production, Ryan Honey is Co-Founder and Co-Chief Creative Officer of BUCK. Starting in 1999 at the dawn of the broadband content revolution, Ryan served as Creative Director for Heavy.com, where he and his teams pushed the boundaries of what was possible within the browser. His experience in live-action and animation combined with his background in design led him to build an early motion graphics division heavily focused on commercial production and network packaging. In 2003, Ryan left Heavy and moved to Los Angeles, where he subsequently co-founded BUCK alongside Jeff Ellermeyer and Orion Tait. Since then Ryan has led numerous projects with world-famous clients such as Google, Apple, Meta, Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s, Toyota, and Honda, earning numerous awards, including an Emmy, multiple gold Cannes Lions, Clios, and over 150 additional awards from the most prestigious industry competitions in the world. Today, he continues to innovate, developing new capabilities at BUCK while fostering global growth. Wade Milne, Chief Financial Officer of BUCK Wade Milne brings over 20 years of finance and global capital market experience to his role as the Chief Financial Officer for BUCK. Graduating with a degree in accounting, Wade began his career in small business tax advising before working across multiple creative service brands, including the APAC region at parent holding company, IPG, where he successfully earned his CPA. After moving his base to the US market, Wade spent 5 years reshaping R/GA’s finance department on behalf of new leadership, partnering with the industry's best in retooling offerings and opening new locations. Following this, Wade spent time with Private Equity, strengthening his capital market muscle whilst strategically managing business operations for marketing and sales to global capital markets, before finding his long-term home at BUCK. Since joining BUCK in early 2020, Wade has successfully built its finance, FP&A, accounting function, has overseen its first external audit, led the debt raise, and has become a critical factor to BUCK’s M&A division and strategy. Vartan Tchekmedyian CEO of VTProDesign Vartan Tchekmedyian has been VTProDesign’s Chief Executive Officer since its inception, leading a team of artists, designers, and producers by providing high-level business strategy across all projects that run through the interactive L.A. design studio. Following his graduation from USC in 2010 - where he offered turnkey event production for both campus and corporate events - he founded VTProDesign as a team of one, with a simple goal of engaging with audiences through innovative mediums. Over the course of several years, Vartan successfully grew a small team focused on conceptualizing digital campaigns, expanding to the creation of full 360 experiences. Regardless of medium, Vartan’s vision is to connect people to brands, products and innovation through crafted experiences, using technology as a tool. Since then, the group has worked with household names such as Netflix, Google, Ray-Ban, and Heineken, building an honorable client roster. Michael Fullman, Chief Creative Officer of VTProDesign Michael is Chief Creative Officer at VTProDesign. He’s been progressing VT’s vision for 10 years, overseeing and pushing its creative growth and developing the organization to be a leader in interactive innovation. Michael graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a BA degree in theater and started working in music touring design shortly after. After joining VTPro, Michael dove into a combination of different projects, ranging from touring design for some wild acts to experiential designs for brands like Google. Michael has a deep understanding of design and production and has collaborated with countless brands and artists to bring their most complicated and technologically challenging ideas to life. About BUCK With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Amsterdam, BUCK is a global creative company pushing boundaries of art, design, technology, and digital experiences. Founded in 2004, the company has built a reputation for outstanding craftsmanship and innovation by finding creative opportunities in every challenge. BUCK has successfully created one-of-a-kind experiences for top clients across the cultural and technology spheres, including Meta, Nike, Google, Twitter, Airbnb, and Netflix, to name a few. Recognized as an industry leader within design and technology, BUCK’s awards include an Emmy, multiple gold Cannes Lions, Clios, pencils, cubes, and over 150 additional accolades from the most prestigious competitions in the world. Instagram: @buck_design Twitter: @buck_tv Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/buck About VTProDesign Building unique worlds to help brands connect audiences to radical experiences, VTProDesign is here to evoke emotion and create interactive journeys others are simply too scared to take on. The immersive design company leads with an innovative yet authentic foot forward, curating a team of trailblazers that push the boundaries on how an audience connects with an experience. Taking the immersive storytelling industry by storm, VTProDesign successfully merges art, design, and interactive visual & audio installations into one powerhouse, creating one-of-a-kind experiences. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vtprodesign/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vtprodesign References: AdAge: Agency Report 2022 Revenue Growth, 2022 Agency EA: The 2022 State of Experiential Research Study Findings, 2022 For investor inquiries, please contact: Wade Milne, Chief Financial Officer, wade@buck.co Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Jalila Singerff +1 613-614-6777 jalila@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://buck.co/

June 16, 2022 09:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Logitix Expands Performing Arts Division to Help Theaters and Arts Events Optimize Ticket Sales

Logitix

Logitix, the leader in live event ticketing technology and analytics, announced they are expanding their performing arts division to help theaters optimize pricing, distribution, and inventory management of tickets. As part of their growth in performing arts, Logitix named longtime industry executive Jack Rubin as their strategic advisor. As the Co-Founder and former CEO of Tessitura Network, Rubin is one of the preeminent leaders in enterprise CRM, ticketing, marketing, fundraising, and analytics for theaters, arts centers, operas, festivals, dance companies, and orchestras. “Jack is an absolute icon in our industry and will be an essential part of our continued growth in the performing arts,” said Logitix President Greg Nortman. “As the most trusted solution for optimizing ticket sales, we look forward to helping even more live events within the performing arts industry.” Logitix optimizes ticket sale outcomes for all of its partners through proprietary dynamic pricing and ticket sales distribution through multiple channels. Its unique platform analyzes millions of real-time data points, providing up-to-the-minute insights within the live event marketplace. “I recognize that Logitix has the technology, data, and analytics expertise tied to sales distribution channels that can produce considerable revenue for the performing arts sector,” said Rubin “What they bring are new sales channels for these organizations. They are clearly building something special in the world of ticketing and I’m thrilled to be part of the journey.” Rubin was Co-Founder and CEO of Tessitura Network from the company's inception in 2001 until he stepped down during a long-planned transition in 2021. He guided the company from an initial two-person organization with two license holders, to over 725 organizations in ten countries using Tessitura. Rubin’s prior experience includes the position of Chief Financial and Strategic Officer of Hotels.com, where he assisted in a successful IPO for the company in 2000. Jack has an M.B.A. from the Wharton Graduate School and a B.B.A from the University of Texas. About Logitix Logitix is the preeminent monetization engine and ticketing platform for the live event industry, combining optimized pricing, distribution, and inventory management with real-time insights to help sellers and buyers respond to a rapidly changing market environment. The Logitix vision is to automate the entire ticket life cycle and provide data-driven insights to serve the diverse needs of its clients. The company is backed by ZMC and is privately held. For more information about Logitix, visit Logitix.com or find them on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://logitix.com/

June 15, 2022 08:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Fimi Market Inc. Launches First-Ever NFT Marketplace for Women, Black Diaspora, Other Underrepresented Artists

Fimi Market Inc.

Fimi Market Inc., a technology company with a purpose to help people worldwide live and thrive through web3 experiences, has launched the Fimi NFT Marketplace, the only NFT art marketplace specifically designed to help women, people of color, Black diaspora artists and collectors sell and buy art while building lasting, successful creative careers and art collections. Artists and collectors can start minting, buying and selling today by visiting https://fimi.market, establishing an account, and either connecting their crypto wallet or opening a new one if needed. Fimi NFT Marketplace delivers art experiences through a thoughtful, multicultural, and human approach to technology, NFTs, and the metaverse – something notably absent in the current global NFT art arena, which has taken a precipitous drop in value in recent months. At the end of 2021, only 16% of NFT artists were women, and even fewer are artists of color ( source: ArtTactic ). “We’ve seen the true potential for web3 technology, despite the recent drop in crypto values, to help artists create and sell their work,” said Miguel Adwin, founder and CEO, Fimi Market. “An opportunity is now emerging for an NFT marketplace that is more widely accessible for those artists who have been traditionally marginalized by both technology and the traditional art world. Fimi is Jamaican for ‘for me,’ and Fimi NFT Marketplace is for them: for women artists, artists of color, Black diaspora artists and those from other underrepresented groups to engage the rapidly-growing NFT art market in ways that are representative, meaningful, and build lasting, financially-successful creative livelihoods.” “Sounds of Blackness is proud to celebrate Juneteenth as an Afro-centric holiday in America,” said Gary Hines, founder & music director of the three-time Grammy Award-winning and two-time NAACP Image Award nominee Sounds of Blackness. “We are offering a special limited-edition and exclusive NFT package of our new single, ‘Juneteenth Celebration.’* Sounds of Blackness recognizes that the metaverse can pave the way for entrepreneurism and economic freedom for historically underserved populations of people." Fimi NFT Marketplace is a multi-blockchain platform that accepts a wide range of crypto currencies. It will initially accept XLM, ETH, and MATIC cryptocurrencies, as well as the FIMI utility token, built on the Stellar Network. The FIMI Utility token provides benefits such as network-free transactions to mint, sell or buy on Stellar for holders of $100 or more in FIMI, reduced fees when sellers choose to receive payment in FIMI, as well as soon to be released perks such as early access to exclusive NFT drops and voting privileges for featured content. The FIMI utility token is available on the Stellar Decentralized Exchange (SDEX) and Bitmart Exchanges. The cost to mint an NFT on Stellar - the transaction fee also known as a “gas” fee - is less than $1 USD. Stellar also has minimal environmental impact for crypto currency: it uses just 0.00022 kilowatt-hours per transaction, compared to Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin, which use 238.22 and 1,575 kilowatt-hours, respectively, per transaction ( source: Statista ). Use of Fimi NFT Marketplace has a fee of 2.25% on each transaction, with a 20% refund if artists choose to get paid in FIMI tokens. (Other NFT marketplaces, like OpenSea and Foundation, can charge between 2.5% and 5% fee on their transactions.) Plus, artists will have the option to defer NFT minting costs until the time of its sale. The Genesis Artists - the first artists to mint on Fimi NFT Marketplace - are discovering a simple, user-friendly art minting experience. These artists include: Miriam Andolini Black Mamuu Nettie Bella Steve Brooks Ron Brown - mint by June 20 Chameleon Arts DroidINX GeekMom Sean Garrison Infinite Villains Kate Iverson Caitlin Karolczak - mint by June 20 Kwame Chris Malachi Mrs. Metal Rashad502 - mint by June 20 Sounds of Blackness - mint by June 20 Precious Wallace Combined with its focus on artists from underrepresented groups, Fimi NFT Marketplace truly puts artists and collectors first: they have the flexibility to mint NFTs on their preferred blockchain, defer minting costs until the time of sale, use multiple cryptocurrencies for buying or selling an NFT, and pay minimal transaction fees. In total, a transaction on Fimi NFT Marketplace means greater accessibility for artists and collectors, with minimized carbon impact and among the lowest transaction fees found in any NFT marketplace. “Minting is super easy and fast,” said Mrs. Metal, a Genesis Artist. “I really enjoyed how it took me step-by-step; even someone not so tech-friendly could use it without feeling like they are going to mess up.” “I honestly like the various minting options,” said Kwame, a Genesis Artist. “It adds a dynamic user experience and allows for a better artist-curated experience on a marketplace. I can tell this was well-thought out.” “It’s important for people from all backgrounds, regions and continents to see themselves in the metaverse as it takes shape,” Adwin said. “Starting with Fimi NFT Marketplace, we aim to help artists from underrepresented groups embrace the metaverse, connect with other artists and collectors to build community, and to help them financially grow so they can focus on what they do best: creating incredible works of art. No matter where you live or how you create or collect art, our goal is for you to see yourself and visualize your own success through Fimi NFT Marketplace - for you to say, ‘Fimi is for me.’” Artists are invited to visit https://fimi.market, create an account and upload their work - either a single NFT or an entire collection. *“Juneteenth Celebration” is produced and recorded by Karl Demer, Atomic K Studios; Rock the Cause Records is distributed by The Orchard. About Fimi Market Inc. Fimi is Jamaican – “for me” – and it’s for you. We strive to help people and communities, anywhere in the world, build financially-successful livelihoods through the potential of technology and the metaverse, in truly multicultural, representative, inclusive and supportive ways. Learn more at https://fimi.market. Contact Details Alice Riot for Fimi Market Inc. Dawn Bryant +1 612-859-6941 dawn.m.bryant@gmail.com Kelly Groehler +1 612-669-8602 kelly@aliceriot.com Company Website https://nft.fimi.market/

June 14, 2022 11:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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