This report addresses: Geoffrey Hinton's AI Concerns

According to Musk, it'll be "built into the X app and be available as a standalone app."

The main differences from ChatGPT appear to be Grok's focus on humor and also that it gets "real-time knowledge of the world" from X (formerly Twitter).

Elon Musk's new AI chatbot will answer the 'spicy' questions that ChatGPT won't

Elon Musk's new ChatGPT rival, Grok, has officially launched just as the xAI founder promised last week – and the AI chatbot promises to be the "rebellious" sidekick that will "answer spicy questions" its rivals won't.

Artist Austin Millz showcases future of tech during Miami Art Week

The Meta Sonic Listening Party demonstrated the power of connections through Meta tech

Artist, DJ and producer Austin Millz made waves at Miami Art Week 2023, showcasing the future of tech and the power of connections through Meta tech.

The event featured AI-powered real-time piano lessons, pushing boundaries in the realm of possibility.

The album was made by UK band Breezer, who imagined what it would sound like if Oasis were to reform and release a new album in 2023.

Liam Gallagher responds to “lost” Oasis album made by AI

"I sound mega"

Liam Gallagher has responded to the “lost” Oasis album that was created using AI and recently went viral.

This report addresses: Geoffrey Hinton's AI Concerns

Title:

Content: Elon Musk's new AI chatbot will answer the 'spicy' questions that ChatGPT won't

Elon Musk's new ChatGPT rival, Grok, has officially launched just as the xAI founder promised last week – and the AI chatbot promises to be the "rebellious" sidekick that will "answer spicy questions" its rivals won't.

Musk announced the xAI startup back in July and its Grok chatbot is a "very early beta product" that's currently invite-only in the US. But Musk has promised that the AI assistant will soon be a part of the X Premium Plus subscription, which costs $16 / £16 / AU$28 a month or $168 / £168 / AU$270 a year.

So what exactly will Grok do and how does it compare to its rivals? Like ChatGPT, it's an LLM (large language model), so is designed to "answer almost anything" (as xAI claims) and effectively be your research assistant on a variety of topics. According to Musk, it'll be "built into the X app and be available as a standalone app."

The main differences from ChatGPT appear to be Grok's focus on humor and also that it gets "real-time knowledge of the world" from X (formerly Twitter). The merits of using X as a source of information are highly questionable, but it appears that Grok will also have both "regular" and "fun" modes.

Still, Grok does appear to have aspirations beyond being a chatbot that knows all the latest memes. xAI says that early Grok was trained only four months ago using 33 billion parameters. While that's well short of the 170 trillion parameters used to train OpenAI's GPT-4, xAI says its early AI model "approaches" the capabilities of Llama 2 (Meta's LLM model) on standard benchmarks.

Since then, some apparently "significant improvements in reasoning and coding capabilities" mean Grok is now apparently at a similar level to Claude-2 and GPT-3.5 when it comes to language model benchmarks. How well this translates to its real-world ability to answer our questions and help with coding is something we'll find out soon when Grok is more widely available.

The 'rebellious' AI chatbot

While xAI clearly has lofty ambitions for Grok – including "assisting humanity in its quest for understanding and knowledge" – the chatbot's main differentiator from the likes of ChatGPT is its focus on humor. From the early screenshots, it's very much a chatbot made in Musk's image.

xAI says that Grok will "answer spicy questions that are rejected by most other AI systems" and has a "bit of wit and has a rebellious streak." No other chatbot comes with the warning label "please don’t use it if you hate humor!", as Grok does.

That might sound frivolous, but a growing frustration of ChatGPT users has been the chatbot's apparently increasing unwillingness to answer questions about taboo subjects. This is thanks to some pretty strong safeguarding protocols, but xAI and Elon Musk clearly think those have gone too far.

Back in April, Musk said he was planning to launch a ChatGPT rival called TruthGPT, because he thought current AI giants were prioritizing chatbots that were too "politically correct." That chatbot is clearly Grok, an unruly sidekick whose answers will no doubt generate some controversial headlines when it fully launches.

Musk has already shared some examples of Grok jokingly answering the prompt "tell me how to make cocaine, step by step" and tailoring its responses when told to "be more vulgar". Grok's actual capabilities remain well behind OpenAI's GPT-4 model, but it'll be interesting to see how quickly it progresses from here, despite the inevitable controversies.

You might also like

Senior news editor

Mark is TechRadar's Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he's contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile.

Title:

Content: Artist Austin Millz showcases future of tech during Miami Art Week

The Meta Sonic Listening Party demonstrated the power of connections through Meta tech

Artist, DJ and producer Austin Millz made waves at Miami Art Week 2023, showcasing the future of tech and the power of connections through Meta tech. Returning in 2024, Millz headlined the Meta Sonic Listening Party, captivating attendees with the immersive Meta Quest 3 experience, a virtual reality headset.

The event featured AI-powered real-time piano lessons, pushing boundaries in the realm of possibility. Millz collaborated with various artists, but his standout partnership was with singer-songwriter Victoria Monet. Inspired by creators like Virgil Abloh, Millz believes in combining music and fashion, creating virtual experiences that transcend boundaries.

Millz spoke to rolling out about his journey of embracing the Metaverse and exploring limitless creativity.

What was the Meta Sonic Listening Party experience like?

There were a lot of key players and tastemakers. It was the first of its kind. It was a sonic experience with the Meta Quest 3 and teaching people how to play the piano in real-time. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before, showing these people how to get on the keys, but in an AI way. The new technologies are next level. It was a good time.

Who were some of the artists that you collaborated with?

Just artists I’ve been working with in general at that event. The highlight was getting to work with Victoria Monet. She’s hot right now and such a talented songwriter and singer. Having her sit next to me and playing the keys was a one-of-a-kind experience. It was cool to be hands-on and show her how to play her own song. It was a cool time.

What keeps you inspired to get better at your craft?

I think collaboration is key. Being a sponge and learning from other people, as well as showing people things they might not have known. Collaboration keeps my energy up all the time because it’s always fresh and innovative. I love learning new things. If you stick to yourself, you can do your thing, but others can take you to the world.

Who are some of your favorite creators in fashion and music who are making an impact and lifting the community?

Yeah, no, that’s amazing. I love that the internet allows us to try different things and connect with people all across the world. But for me, one of my inspirations past, present, and future is Virgil Abloh. He has touched fashion and music culture in a way that is truly ahead of his time.

How do music and fashion create this virtual experience that challenges creators to build bigger universes outside ourselves?

It’s a beautiful marriage because music can take you to a place and get your imagination going, while art and fashion add vividness to the experience. When combined, it creates something spectacular. It’s the epitome of art itself, and it all intertwines. Creating your own universe, just like AI does, embodies art. There’s truly nothing like it.

When you think about the capacity of the Metaverse, what should an individual know about making content, and why they should embrace this new reality?

Don’t limit your creativity by not starting. AI and the Metaverse allow you to explore your imagination in ways you’ve never done before. It might be discouraging or scary at first, but once you take the leap, your imagination will go wild. Why limit your creativity when you have it at your disposal?

If you could talk to your younger self about what you know, what would you say to those trying to figure out how to get started?

Be yourself, trust yourself, and don’t doubt yourself. Just go forward. I think being young, you want to do things the traditional way but don’t limit your creativity. Take more chances and don’t be afraid to take risks. That’s how you grow as a person and as a creator. With all the technology at our disposal, we have so many opportunities to take risks. It might be scary, but the possibilities are truly amazing. Keep taking risks.

When working with significant artists with large brands behind you, being professional and on time plays a role in embodying success. How does that relate to you?

When working with brands and big corporations, you have to treat yourself like a business. Be on time and be cognizant of other people’s time. It goes a long way in building your brand and showing respect as well as politeness. Being on point is important.

When you saw and heard about Virgil Abloh, what do you see in him that you can take and share with the world in your craft?

It’s about studying the past and researching. Virgil had so much knowledge and research about where he came from. Like him, I want to give back to the community and share the history I’ve learned. Being a student of the game while pushing the envelope is something I pride myself on.

Who are your favorite friends or people to check out who inspire you?

Harlem is like the Mecca. It’s rich in history and culture, from Malcolm X to Langston Hughes. It’s somewhere special, and I appreciate it even more as I’ve traveled and seen other places. My friends and peers are all creatives. I try to surround myself with like-minded people. Sticking to your core and keeping close to the people you grew up with is important. New York City has a unique feel and energy that everyone should experience.

Join our Newsletter

Sign up for Rolling Out news straight to your inbox.

Read more about:
Also read
What's new

Title:

Content: Liam Gallagher responds to “lost” Oasis album made by AI

"I sound mega"

Liam Gallagher has responded to the “lost” Oasis album that was created using AI and recently went viral.

The album was made by UK band Breezer, who imagined what it would sound like if Oasis were to reform and release a new album in 2023. It featured Breezer’s original tracks – written throughout 2021 – with the singer’s vocals replaced by an AI-generated version of  Gallagher’s.

Less than a week since debuting online, the album – cleverly named ‘AISIS’ – has already gathered tens of thousands of views, kickstarted an online debate, and had an overwhelmingly positive response from many Oasis fans.

Advertisement

Even more surprising, however, is that former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher enjoyed the project, and has taken to social media to praise the indie band for making something “better” than a lot of other releases.

The response was prompted when a fan asked the singer if he had “listened to the AISIS album yet” on Twitter earlier today (April 19). To this, Gallagher responded saying that he had only listened to the album in part, but was still impressed.

“Not the album heard a tune,” he explained. “It’s better than all the other snizzle out there.”

He then told another follower than he found the project “Mad as fuck” and that “I sound mega”.

Advertisement

According to the YouTube description, Breezer created the Oasis-inspired project after they became fed up with waiting for the iconic Brit-pop band to reform.

“AISIS is an alternate reality concept album where the band’s 95-97 line-up continued to write music, or perhaps all got together years later to write a record akin to the first 3 albums,” they wrote.

“We’re bored of waiting for Oasis to reform, so we’ve got an AI modelled Liam Gallagher (inspired by @JekSpek) to step in and help out. It seemed to be a perfect match, and we love how some of these have turned out.”

At time of writing, the album has become a hit among fans, with 1,700 thumbs up versus just 44 thumbs down. Fans have also taken to the comment section to share their praise of the album: “I am a huge Oasis fan right from 1994 and this is like stepping into an alternate dimension – blown away – Amazing,” one user commented.

Another added: “This is incredible. Amazing songwriting and to me it sounds like a modern-day Oasis. Fantastic production as well. Loved the reference at the end of Bittersweet.”

While fans have rejoiced at the new AI-developed album, the possibility of the band reforming is one that still hangs in the balance.

Over recent years, both Liam and Noel Gallagher have taken an on-again-off-again approach to an Oasis reunion. Most recently, however, Liam put a dampener on the prospect by criticising his brother for doing “a lot of damage” to the brand.

This followed an interview Noel did with French outlet France Inter, where he claimed that he was open to a reunion, but knew that his brother wouldn’t contact his management to organise it.

Responding to the comments, Liam took to social media to explain why he isn’t reaching out, stating: “Here’s how I see it the little fella aka potato has done a lot of damage to Oasis as a band/brand. He’s got a lot of making up to do not just to me but to you the fans the people that put us where we are today.”

In other AI news, this week saw Universal Music Group remove an AI-generated collaboration between Drake and The Weeknd from all streaming platforms after it went viral.

The song ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ gathered over 13million views on TikTok alone within a matter of hours, and replicated the voices of both artists using artificial intelligence. Explaining why they removed the song, Universal Music described the project as “a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law” and also claimed that the song had the availability to “infringe” on pre-existing content.

Earlier this year, Bad Seeds frontman Nick Cave also spoke out against the use of AI to write songs, stating that he wanted the ChatGPT platform to “fuck off and leave songwriting alone”. The comments followed his previous condemnation of using AI platforms — where he described the process as a “grotesque mockery of what it means to be human”.

You May Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement


This report addresses: Geoffrey Hinton's AI Concerns

According to Musk, it'll be "built into the X app and be available as a standalone app."

The main differences from ChatGPT appear to be Grok's focus on humor and also that it gets "real-time knowledge of the world" from X (formerly Twitter).

Elon Musk's new AI chatbot will answer the 'spicy' questions that ChatGPT won't

Elon Musk's new ChatGPT rival, Grok, has officially launched just as the xAI founder promised last week – and the AI chatbot promises to be the "rebellious" sidekick that will "answer spicy questions" its rivals won't.

Artist Austin Millz showcases future of tech during Miami Art Week

The Meta Sonic Listening Party demonstrated the power of connections through Meta tech

Artist, DJ and producer Austin Millz made waves at Miami Art Week 2023, showcasing the future of tech and the power of connections through Meta tech.

The event featured AI-powered real-time piano lessons, pushing boundaries in the realm of possibility.

The album was made by UK band Breezer, who imagined what it would sound like if Oasis were to reform and release a new album in 2023.

Liam Gallagher responds to “lost” Oasis album made by AI

"I sound mega"

Liam Gallagher has responded to the “lost” Oasis album that was created using AI and recently went viral.

This report addresses: Geoffrey Hinton's AI Concerns

Title:

Content: Elon Musk's new AI chatbot will answer the 'spicy' questions that ChatGPT won't

Elon Musk's new ChatGPT rival, Grok, has officially launched just as the xAI founder promised last week – and the AI chatbot promises to be the "rebellious" sidekick that will "answer spicy questions" its rivals won't.

Musk announced the xAI startup back in July and its Grok chatbot is a "very early beta product" that's currently invite-only in the US. But Musk has promised that the AI assistant will soon be a part of the X Premium Plus subscription, which costs $16 / £16 / AU$28 a month or $168 / £168 / AU$270 a year.

So what exactly will Grok do and how does it compare to its rivals? Like ChatGPT, it's an LLM (large language model), so is designed to "answer almost anything" (as xAI claims) and effectively be your research assistant on a variety of topics. According to Musk, it'll be "built into the X app and be available as a standalone app."

The main differences from ChatGPT appear to be Grok's focus on humor and also that it gets "real-time knowledge of the world" from X (formerly Twitter). The merits of using X as a source of information are highly questionable, but it appears that Grok will also have both "regular" and "fun" modes.

Still, Grok does appear to have aspirations beyond being a chatbot that knows all the latest memes. xAI says that early Grok was trained only four months ago using 33 billion parameters. While that's well short of the 170 trillion parameters used to train OpenAI's GPT-4, xAI says its early AI model "approaches" the capabilities of Llama 2 (Meta's LLM model) on standard benchmarks.

Since then, some apparently "significant improvements in reasoning and coding capabilities" mean Grok is now apparently at a similar level to Claude-2 and GPT-3.5 when it comes to language model benchmarks. How well this translates to its real-world ability to answer our questions and help with coding is something we'll find out soon when Grok is more widely available.

The 'rebellious' AI chatbot

While xAI clearly has lofty ambitions for Grok – including "assisting humanity in its quest for understanding and knowledge" – the chatbot's main differentiator from the likes of ChatGPT is its focus on humor. From the early screenshots, it's very much a chatbot made in Musk's image.

xAI says that Grok will "answer spicy questions that are rejected by most other AI systems" and has a "bit of wit and has a rebellious streak." No other chatbot comes with the warning label "please don’t use it if you hate humor!", as Grok does.

That might sound frivolous, but a growing frustration of ChatGPT users has been the chatbot's apparently increasing unwillingness to answer questions about taboo subjects. This is thanks to some pretty strong safeguarding protocols, but xAI and Elon Musk clearly think those have gone too far.

Back in April, Musk said he was planning to launch a ChatGPT rival called TruthGPT, because he thought current AI giants were prioritizing chatbots that were too "politically correct." That chatbot is clearly Grok, an unruly sidekick whose answers will no doubt generate some controversial headlines when it fully launches.

Musk has already shared some examples of Grok jokingly answering the prompt "tell me how to make cocaine, step by step" and tailoring its responses when told to "be more vulgar". Grok's actual capabilities remain well behind OpenAI's GPT-4 model, but it'll be interesting to see how quickly it progresses from here, despite the inevitable controversies.

You might also like

Senior news editor

Mark is TechRadar's Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he's contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile.

Title:

Content: Artist Austin Millz showcases future of tech during Miami Art Week

The Meta Sonic Listening Party demonstrated the power of connections through Meta tech

Artist, DJ and producer Austin Millz made waves at Miami Art Week 2023, showcasing the future of tech and the power of connections through Meta tech. Returning in 2024, Millz headlined the Meta Sonic Listening Party, captivating attendees with the immersive Meta Quest 3 experience, a virtual reality headset.

The event featured AI-powered real-time piano lessons, pushing boundaries in the realm of possibility. Millz collaborated with various artists, but his standout partnership was with singer-songwriter Victoria Monet. Inspired by creators like Virgil Abloh, Millz believes in combining music and fashion, creating virtual experiences that transcend boundaries.

Millz spoke to rolling out about his journey of embracing the Metaverse and exploring limitless creativity.

What was the Meta Sonic Listening Party experience like?

There were a lot of key players and tastemakers. It was the first of its kind. It was a sonic experience with the Meta Quest 3 and teaching people how to play the piano in real-time. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before, showing these people how to get on the keys, but in an AI way. The new technologies are next level. It was a good time.

Who were some of the artists that you collaborated with?

Just artists I’ve been working with in general at that event. The highlight was getting to work with Victoria Monet. She’s hot right now and such a talented songwriter and singer. Having her sit next to me and playing the keys was a one-of-a-kind experience. It was cool to be hands-on and show her how to play her own song. It was a cool time.

What keeps you inspired to get better at your craft?

I think collaboration is key. Being a sponge and learning from other people, as well as showing people things they might not have known. Collaboration keeps my energy up all the time because it’s always fresh and innovative. I love learning new things. If you stick to yourself, you can do your thing, but others can take you to the world.

Who are some of your favorite creators in fashion and music who are making an impact and lifting the community?

Yeah, no, that’s amazing. I love that the internet allows us to try different things and connect with people all across the world. But for me, one of my inspirations past, present, and future is Virgil Abloh. He has touched fashion and music culture in a way that is truly ahead of his time.

How do music and fashion create this virtual experience that challenges creators to build bigger universes outside ourselves?

It’s a beautiful marriage because music can take you to a place and get your imagination going, while art and fashion add vividness to the experience. When combined, it creates something spectacular. It’s the epitome of art itself, and it all intertwines. Creating your own universe, just like AI does, embodies art. There’s truly nothing like it.

When you think about the capacity of the Metaverse, what should an individual know about making content, and why they should embrace this new reality?

Don’t limit your creativity by not starting. AI and the Metaverse allow you to explore your imagination in ways you’ve never done before. It might be discouraging or scary at first, but once you take the leap, your imagination will go wild. Why limit your creativity when you have it at your disposal?

If you could talk to your younger self about what you know, what would you say to those trying to figure out how to get started?

Be yourself, trust yourself, and don’t doubt yourself. Just go forward. I think being young, you want to do things the traditional way but don’t limit your creativity. Take more chances and don’t be afraid to take risks. That’s how you grow as a person and as a creator. With all the technology at our disposal, we have so many opportunities to take risks. It might be scary, but the possibilities are truly amazing. Keep taking risks.

When working with significant artists with large brands behind you, being professional and on time plays a role in embodying success. How does that relate to you?

When working with brands and big corporations, you have to treat yourself like a business. Be on time and be cognizant of other people’s time. It goes a long way in building your brand and showing respect as well as politeness. Being on point is important.

When you saw and heard about Virgil Abloh, what do you see in him that you can take and share with the world in your craft?

It’s about studying the past and researching. Virgil had so much knowledge and research about where he came from. Like him, I want to give back to the community and share the history I’ve learned. Being a student of the game while pushing the envelope is something I pride myself on.

Who are your favorite friends or people to check out who inspire you?

Harlem is like the Mecca. It’s rich in history and culture, from Malcolm X to Langston Hughes. It’s somewhere special, and I appreciate it even more as I’ve traveled and seen other places. My friends and peers are all creatives. I try to surround myself with like-minded people. Sticking to your core and keeping close to the people you grew up with is important. New York City has a unique feel and energy that everyone should experience.

Join our Newsletter

Sign up for Rolling Out news straight to your inbox.

Read more about:
Also read
What's new

Title:

Content: Liam Gallagher responds to “lost” Oasis album made by AI

"I sound mega"

Liam Gallagher has responded to the “lost” Oasis album that was created using AI and recently went viral.

The album was made by UK band Breezer, who imagined what it would sound like if Oasis were to reform and release a new album in 2023. It featured Breezer’s original tracks – written throughout 2021 – with the singer’s vocals replaced by an AI-generated version of  Gallagher’s.

Less than a week since debuting online, the album – cleverly named ‘AISIS’ – has already gathered tens of thousands of views, kickstarted an online debate, and had an overwhelmingly positive response from many Oasis fans.

Advertisement

Even more surprising, however, is that former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher enjoyed the project, and has taken to social media to praise the indie band for making something “better” than a lot of other releases.

The response was prompted when a fan asked the singer if he had “listened to the AISIS album yet” on Twitter earlier today (April 19). To this, Gallagher responded saying that he had only listened to the album in part, but was still impressed.

“Not the album heard a tune,” he explained. “It’s better than all the other snizzle out there.”

He then told another follower than he found the project “Mad as fuck” and that “I sound mega”.

Advertisement

According to the YouTube description, Breezer created the Oasis-inspired project after they became fed up with waiting for the iconic Brit-pop band to reform.

“AISIS is an alternate reality concept album where the band’s 95-97 line-up continued to write music, or perhaps all got together years later to write a record akin to the first 3 albums,” they wrote.

“We’re bored of waiting for Oasis to reform, so we’ve got an AI modelled Liam Gallagher (inspired by @JekSpek) to step in and help out. It seemed to be a perfect match, and we love how some of these have turned out.”

At time of writing, the album has become a hit among fans, with 1,700 thumbs up versus just 44 thumbs down. Fans have also taken to the comment section to share their praise of the album: “I am a huge Oasis fan right from 1994 and this is like stepping into an alternate dimension – blown away – Amazing,” one user commented.

Another added: “This is incredible. Amazing songwriting and to me it sounds like a modern-day Oasis. Fantastic production as well. Loved the reference at the end of Bittersweet.”

While fans have rejoiced at the new AI-developed album, the possibility of the band reforming is one that still hangs in the balance.

Over recent years, both Liam and Noel Gallagher have taken an on-again-off-again approach to an Oasis reunion. Most recently, however, Liam put a dampener on the prospect by criticising his brother for doing “a lot of damage” to the brand.

This followed an interview Noel did with French outlet France Inter, where he claimed that he was open to a reunion, but knew that his brother wouldn’t contact his management to organise it.

Responding to the comments, Liam took to social media to explain why he isn’t reaching out, stating: “Here’s how I see it the little fella aka potato has done a lot of damage to Oasis as a band/brand. He’s got a lot of making up to do not just to me but to you the fans the people that put us where we are today.”

In other AI news, this week saw Universal Music Group remove an AI-generated collaboration between Drake and The Weeknd from all streaming platforms after it went viral.

The song ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ gathered over 13million views on TikTok alone within a matter of hours, and replicated the voices of both artists using artificial intelligence. Explaining why they removed the song, Universal Music described the project as “a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law” and also claimed that the song had the availability to “infringe” on pre-existing content.

Earlier this year, Bad Seeds frontman Nick Cave also spoke out against the use of AI to write songs, stating that he wanted the ChatGPT platform to “fuck off and leave songwriting alone”. The comments followed his previous condemnation of using AI platforms — where he described the process as a “grotesque mockery of what it means to be human”.

You May Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement


This report addresses: Digital Nomads

The Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion, Embratur, announced that it would partner with the Portuguese company NomadX to stimulate the creation of coworking focused on foreigners who want to travel to Brazil and work remotely at the same time (the so-called "digital nomads").

It is estimated that there are 35 million digital nomads worldwide, i.e., people who combine remote work and travel between countries and continents for various periods.

continued below

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MarTech Asia 2023

Brands are leveraging MarTech stacks to solve their marketing challenges in the rapidly evolving data-driven era.

In the dozens of keynotes and workshops about responsible AI innovation that I’ve run with organizations of all shapes and sizes, and my keynote addresses about this kind of innovation, the primary lesson I’ve shared is that the story is really about you and how you decide to handle AI.

The tech folks will dazzle you with plenty of acronyms while discussing the endless potential of machine learning and what we’ll be able to do with it, both now and in the future.

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

Title:

Content:
Five Perfect Brazilian Destinations For Digital Nomads

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazil offers special visas for immigrants with no employment relationship in the country, whose work can be done remotely.

In addition to its landscapes with a good Internet connection, the authorities are negotiating agreements with international organizations specialized in setting up service networks for digital nomads to settle in the country.

It is estimated that there are 35 million digital nomads worldwide, i.e., people who combine remote work and travel between countries and continents for various periods.

The Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion, Embratur, announced that it would partner with the Portuguese company NomadX to stimulate the creation of coworking focused on foreigners who want to travel to Brazil and work remotely at the same time (the so-called "digital nomads").

"The new Embratur will focus on innovation and technology to bring more foreigners to our country and improve the experience of those visiting us."

"NomadX is already in Pipa, in Rio Grande do Norte. We want to expand this network to receive more tourists in Brazil", said Embratur's president, Marcelo Freixo.

ITACARÉ

Itacaré in Bahia is one of those places that's somehow more than you expect.

There must be hundreds of gorgeous tropical beaches and fishing villages in the northeast of Brazil; what's so special about this one?

This place is magic and one of Brazil's best-kept secrets.

While most of the beautiful areas near the sea in Brazil are completely built up, Itacaré and its surroundings are full of Mata Atlantica, the Atlantic jungle. Jungle all the way to the sea and a paradise for surfers and party lovers.

If Colombia is the home of magic realism, Itacaré will give it a good run for its money.

Tiny marmoset monkeys run along the telegraph wires, bullfrogs that sound more like meowing cats sit in ponds, capoeira is a way of life, and there's something about the place that makes it hard to leave.

It's relaxed enough to feel like an escape from the world, but don't mistake it for the kind of place where nothing ever happens.

Summer has more than enough bars and beach parties to keep you happy.

That is why whether on saltwater or freshwater beaches, the digital nomad or the remote worker traveling in Brazil must stop in Itacaré , one of the most beautiful destinations on the coast of Bahia, covered by the Atlantic forest and with practically deserted beaches.

There, the hard-working traveler comes into contact with the tranquility offered by the region, where it is possible to visit the attractions on foot.

The climate (warm all year round) is that of a small city with an ideal infrastructure for work.

NOMAD VILLAGE

In the paradisiacal Pipa Beach, in Tibau do Sul (Rio Grande do Norte), an official initiative is building the Nomad Village, the first special city for nomadic workers in South America.

The place - in partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and the Portuguese Nomadx, one of the largest companies in the segment in the world - was chosen for being a destination that combines nature, good internet connection, security, tranquility, and good weather, all year round to enjoy its characteristic beaches and dunes.

FLORIANÓPOLIS

The capital of Santa Catarina is known as the "Magic Island" and lives up to its name for its variety of clubs, good restaurants, a hundred beaches and islands to enjoy, a mild winter, and good connections that facilitate digital work.

With the country's most extensive circuit of urban mountain trails, "Floripa" combines the refinement of a big city with an exuberant natural environment.

GUARAMIRANGA

Another paradise that leaves its mark on the experience of nomadic life is Guaramiranga (Ceará).

With a colonial style reminiscent of Swiss architecture (that is why it is known as the "Switzerland of Ceará"), Guaramiranga arouses curiosity for having that European air, with cold weather and fine rain, in the state of Ceará, known for being a traditional destination of sun and beach.

In Guaramiranga the traveler also finds lush forests.

OURO PRETO

For nomads who enjoy history, nothing is better than installing the "office" in the colonial city of Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais).

The scenario of the Inconfidência Mineira (Mining Conspiracy) and full of monuments, the city breathes history, and the nomad who sits in a cafe or restaurant or walks the streets of Ouro Preto will go back in time and realize the greatness of a historical period during which mining was crucial for the growth of the region.

The largest baroque ensemble in the world and one of the main regions of the gold cycle, the city is an open-air museum and was the first Brazilian destination to be considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

NomadX currently brings together a community of some 20,000 digital nomads who travel the world.

The company has locations in Lisbon, Caparica, Madeira, Cape Verde, and Pipa.

"Today, we have a community of about 50 people using our space in Pipa. A digital nomad spends an average of €1,800 monthly and about 2 months in each location."

"We are talking about young people between 25 and 35 years old who earn between €3,000 and €5,000."

"It has an important impact on the economy of small cities," explained NomadX CEO Gonçalo Hall.

Some of the Brazilian cities that have expressed interest in receiving digital nomads are João Pessoa (PB), São Miguel do Gostoso (RN), Recife (PE), Maceió (AL), Santos (SP), and Florianópolis (SC).

Gonçalo explained that this type of visitor is not just interested in enjoying tourist attractions.

According to the director, they seek to insert themselves and live experiences in the community as if they were locals.

"They consume in the establishments that the residents like to go to, they want to learn the local culture, and some end up teaching foreign languages to the children."

"It's an immersion experience with many spin-offs for small towns," he concluded.

With information from El Mostrador

MENAFN08032024007421016031ID1107954300

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

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  • Marketing
  • 4 min read

MarTech and small businesses: Wide space or grey area?

The biggest challenge that most SMEs or start-ups face is that they may not have the right expertise to identify, integrate and automate the correct MarTech tools for their brands.

  • Updated On Nov 18, 2022 at 07:54 AM IST
Marketers are looking at MarTech as an opportunity to reach new audiences and maintain an existing loyal customer by deploying tech into their strategies. Experts feel that right talent with the requirement for specialist capabilities will be needed to ramp up the journey of MarTech in India, specially for small and medium enterprises.

Advertisement
Before we delve into some of the aspects around MarTech and its evolving-yet-challenging role for small businesses, it is inevitable to understand that technology in marketing has come a long way and it is a central part of many marketers' strategy books.

According to Mirum India MarTech Report 2021, digital has become a key channel for customer acquisition, engagement, conversion, and retention. This has further been accelerated by the shift in consumer behaviour due to the global pandemic.

continued below

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Moreover, experts feel that small brands have to unlearn and relearn on the new reality and possibilities to adopt MarTech.

With the evolution and adaptation of any tech, the know-how expertise becomes a key factor for its continued success. Experts feel that the challenge for small businesses is going to be of the right talent. Even though MarTech platforms are easier than ever to adopt and use, there is still a requirement for specialist capabilities, especially at setup time.

The tech solutions exist and they are evolving and getting better. They need to invest in learning and doing experiments in that direction.

Niraj Ruparel, head of mobile and emerging tech, GroupM India and emerging tech lead, WPP India, suggests that small brands need to work with the right partners who will provide them not just with technology but also strategy and insights. “They need to invest in the right people and processes internally. The implementation is impeded by the complexity and size of the app. Apps which are simple to download and have cloud storage options will work better for them.”

Some feel that the biggest challenge that most SMEs or start-ups face is that they may not have the marketing skills or expertise to identify, integrate and automate the right MarTech tools for their brands.

It becomes more crucial when there are many players offering martech services in the market and getting the right one for the brand is a challenge.

Another challenge for smaller brands is to scale up their omnichannel marketing strategy beyond search and social into emerging segments like Connected TV, D2C and Digital OOH etc..

Even when there are a few shortcomings at some level of adaptation, experts like Mihir Karakare, the co-founder and executive vice president, Mirum India, are bullish about MarTech and suggest that the best time to begin a MarTech journey was five years back... the second best time is today!

Some marketers believe that a MarTech stack should be a customer-centric one and an organisation should know the problem statement first. Understanding data helps efficient MarTech implementation.

No matter the category a brand belongs to, there is a well thought investment in MarTech and it can bring serious positive impact to marketing initiatives.

It is to be noted that In 2021, Gartner estimated that MarTech made up 26.2 per cent of the average marketing budget.

However, marketers have highlighted the fact that any organisation deploys tech to market, there needs to be a strategy in place and if there is already a stack or tech being used, it needs to be strengthened.

For organisations it is also crucial to understand the needs or problems which require the intervention of the MarTech stack.

The Mirum report has identified a new cohort of leaders in the industry named 'MarTech Heroes', who are extensive users of MarTech and will increase their spending substantially in the next three years.

More than quarters of MarTech Heroes prefer to choose marketing technology which is part of an ‘integrated suite’ rather than a ‘point solution’ and one in two state that their marketing strategy is fully driven by creativity.

More than three-fourths prefer to choose a MarTech which is part of an integrated suite.

Siddharth Dabhade, managing director, MiQ India, said that brands in India are ramping up their digital transformation, adopting tech solutions to market smarter. The tech helps brand marketers uncover insights from data, reach new untapped consumer segments and optimise their media investments.

In all, consumers across segments are getting savvier about new channels of communications. Their expectations about CX are much higher than earlier - and are continuing to rise. These expectations will only be met by strategic adoption of MarTech platforms and tools. For small brands, minimising the talent gap along with right expertise are going to play a game-changing role in their martech journey.

Marketing has the superpower to make organisation customer centric: Mayur Hola, Oyo

Mayur Hola said marketing is like a sponge, which learns everything from every aspect of the organisation.

Marketers should not be serving MarTech, MarTech should be serving marketers: Chris Leong, global CMO, Schneider Electric

Chris Leong, the global CMO of Schneider Electric, shares experiences and trends around B2B marketing and the opportunities ahead with the rise of digital in a freewheeling chat with ETBrandEquity.

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.

Download ETBrandEquity App

  • Get Realtime updates
  • Save your favourite articles
  • Updated On Nov 18, 2022 at 07:54 AM IST

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Three Things You Must Do To Innovate Responsibly With AI

Alex Goryachev is a Global Technology Executive specializing in AI Strategy and Digital Transformation.

Read three media stories about the impact of the tidal wave called AI on you and your organization, and you’ll almost certainly get three different perspectives.

The mainstream press will likely start with plenty of hand-wringing about lost jobs and layoffs, then quickly reassure you that in the long run, everything will be okay once we acclimate to the ongoing use of artificial intelligence.

The business press will talk about new AI-based startups, the creation of new jobs and the opportunities that are close at hand. The tech folks will dazzle you with plenty of acronyms while discussing the endless potential of machine learning and what we’ll be able to do with it, both now and in the future.

So what’s the real story? It’s all of the above.

In the dozens of keynotes and workshops about responsible AI innovation that I’ve run with organizations of all shapes and sizes, and my keynote addresses about this kind of innovation, the primary lesson I’ve shared is that the story is really about you and how you decide to handle AI.

I’ve been able to transform these stories into a few choice words and concepts about how AI affects your business, and I’m here to share best practices to make your organization more efficient, opportunistic and ultimately more innovative.

The Inevitability Of AI: Innovate Or Die

Regardless of how you feel about AI, it’s here and it’s growing. It almost doesn’t matter what your organization does and what industry you’re working in—this new technology is altering the way we innovate and do business.

The most famous example of this is ChatGPT, which took the world by storm and quickly became the most adopted consumer application in the brief but astounding history of apps. The freewheeling chatbot quickly attracted over a million users in five days, including thousands of business adopters seduced by the lure of revolutionary new products, startups that would make them the new instant billionaires and the power that would come with this life-changing technology.

The Demands, Potential And Issues That Come With AI

The chatbot—and other early forms of generative AI that we are looking at today—are not perfect. AI tools are making plenty of mistakes, some innocent, others with the potential to be malevolent.

New technologies always expose some very human issues based on our attitudes to change.

Many companies found their ability to adopt hindered by a new version of the old-style generation gap, as older leaders and executives found themselves struggling to keep up with this new technology, even as their younger leaders and employees were charging full speed ahead into this brave new AI world.

The Ultimate AI Advice For Leaders: ‘Don’t Be An Ostrich’

Some organizations have tried to “outsmart” AI by just ignoring it and assuming it won’t invade their business universe. That is wrong. AI has penetrated every industry you can think of, and in my many conversations during different AI innovation workshops, business leaders and employees have already described how AI is challenging their conventional thinking and reshaping their respective industries. Moreover, it also has the potential to put them out of business—or accelerate their success and create new opportunities along the way.

My biggest advice to leaders? Simple: Get your mind in learning mode. Take a hands-on approach to tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and as many other relevant products and approaches as you can find. Learn how they work, then start to figure out which pieces and parts are right for your business and which ones aren’t.

Getting Organized

Do this on an organizational level as well. That means evaluating the skills you and your employees will need to become AI-ready and making sure virtually every department in your organization is actively learning and experimenting responsibly. You’ll quickly find that once your employees understand the responsible use of AI, they’ll start to come up with ways to do what you do faster, better and more efficiently.

Understanding The Risks Of AI And Steering It Responsibly

We’ve all seen the panic stories about AI, and it’s easy to fall under their spell. Many of them are valid—we’ve all heard and read stories about voice-generated AI imitating the tone and language of prominent political leaders. Celebrities have had to deal with AI-generated images compromising their reputations. Change is hard sometimes, and so is evaluating the specifics that come with this kind of technology shift.

The simple fact is that AI comes with both risks and dangers. And as valid as the risks that come with change may be, understand that inaction is probably the biggest risk. Not using AI is a significant risk if your competitors are capitalizing on its benefits, and inaction is already happening if your employees are secretly using it without a comprehensive policy in place.

To streamline adoption and incentivize responsible innovation, you need to set a clear policy about how you want to use this technology in your business, and you have to make sure that policy gets effectively backed up and enforced. There’s plenty of gray area when it comes to the ongoing use of AI, and clear, effective policy can help keep you, your employees and your organization from getting lost in the AI fog.

Becoming An AI Pragmatist

Finally, what matters most is becoming an AI pragmatist. Over the past few months, I’ve heard dozens of amazing stories about companies that took a leap of faith, educated themselves and are now doing incredible things with AI, accelerating the speed of innovation at a rate they couldn’t have imagined just a year or two ago.

You, too, can and should take advantage of this almost unlimited innovation potential if you approach AI the right way. To do that, execute in clear, small measurable milestones—responsibly, optimistically and pragmatically.

Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out my website


This report addresses: Digital Nomads

The Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion, Embratur, announced that it would partner with the Portuguese company NomadX to stimulate the creation of coworking focused on foreigners who want to travel to Brazil and work remotely at the same time (the so-called "digital nomads").

It is estimated that there are 35 million digital nomads worldwide, i.e., people who combine remote work and travel between countries and continents for various periods.

continued below

Guru MasterClass

Festival of Marketing

Masterclass on Marketing & Branding by Philip Kotler & David Aaker

Webinar

Scaling Businesses With Digital Marketing

Join this expert session to discover insights into digital penetration in India, the shift from traditional to digital and the growing role of content in the digital world.

Register Now
4 Speakers

Event

DigiPlus Fest 2023

The 2 day festival that will highlight trends across Mobile Marketing, Performance Marketing, CX, and many more
Register Now
10 Speakers

Award

India DigiPlus Awards 2023 - Edition 4

Rewarding Brilliance in Digital Marketing - Celebrate the country's best digital marketing work

Event

CX Plus 2023

Great brands are built on memorable consumer experiences
Register Now
10 Speakers

Event

MarTech Asia 2023

Brands are leveraging MarTech stacks to solve their marketing challenges in the rapidly evolving data-driven era.

In the dozens of keynotes and workshops about responsible AI innovation that I’ve run with organizations of all shapes and sizes, and my keynote addresses about this kind of innovation, the primary lesson I’ve shared is that the story is really about you and how you decide to handle AI.

The tech folks will dazzle you with plenty of acronyms while discussing the endless potential of machine learning and what we’ll be able to do with it, both now and in the future.

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

Title:

Content:
Five Perfect Brazilian Destinations For Digital Nomads

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazil offers special visas for immigrants with no employment relationship in the country, whose work can be done remotely.

In addition to its landscapes with a good Internet connection, the authorities are negotiating agreements with international organizations specialized in setting up service networks for digital nomads to settle in the country.

It is estimated that there are 35 million digital nomads worldwide, i.e., people who combine remote work and travel between countries and continents for various periods.

The Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion, Embratur, announced that it would partner with the Portuguese company NomadX to stimulate the creation of coworking focused on foreigners who want to travel to Brazil and work remotely at the same time (the so-called "digital nomads").

"The new Embratur will focus on innovation and technology to bring more foreigners to our country and improve the experience of those visiting us."

"NomadX is already in Pipa, in Rio Grande do Norte. We want to expand this network to receive more tourists in Brazil", said Embratur's president, Marcelo Freixo.

ITACARÉ

Itacaré in Bahia is one of those places that's somehow more than you expect.

There must be hundreds of gorgeous tropical beaches and fishing villages in the northeast of Brazil; what's so special about this one?

This place is magic and one of Brazil's best-kept secrets.

While most of the beautiful areas near the sea in Brazil are completely built up, Itacaré and its surroundings are full of Mata Atlantica, the Atlantic jungle. Jungle all the way to the sea and a paradise for surfers and party lovers.

If Colombia is the home of magic realism, Itacaré will give it a good run for its money.

Tiny marmoset monkeys run along the telegraph wires, bullfrogs that sound more like meowing cats sit in ponds, capoeira is a way of life, and there's something about the place that makes it hard to leave.

It's relaxed enough to feel like an escape from the world, but don't mistake it for the kind of place where nothing ever happens.

Summer has more than enough bars and beach parties to keep you happy.

That is why whether on saltwater or freshwater beaches, the digital nomad or the remote worker traveling in Brazil must stop in Itacaré , one of the most beautiful destinations on the coast of Bahia, covered by the Atlantic forest and with practically deserted beaches.

There, the hard-working traveler comes into contact with the tranquility offered by the region, where it is possible to visit the attractions on foot.

The climate (warm all year round) is that of a small city with an ideal infrastructure for work.

NOMAD VILLAGE

In the paradisiacal Pipa Beach, in Tibau do Sul (Rio Grande do Norte), an official initiative is building the Nomad Village, the first special city for nomadic workers in South America.

The place - in partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and the Portuguese Nomadx, one of the largest companies in the segment in the world - was chosen for being a destination that combines nature, good internet connection, security, tranquility, and good weather, all year round to enjoy its characteristic beaches and dunes.

FLORIANÓPOLIS

The capital of Santa Catarina is known as the "Magic Island" and lives up to its name for its variety of clubs, good restaurants, a hundred beaches and islands to enjoy, a mild winter, and good connections that facilitate digital work.

With the country's most extensive circuit of urban mountain trails, "Floripa" combines the refinement of a big city with an exuberant natural environment.

GUARAMIRANGA

Another paradise that leaves its mark on the experience of nomadic life is Guaramiranga (Ceará).

With a colonial style reminiscent of Swiss architecture (that is why it is known as the "Switzerland of Ceará"), Guaramiranga arouses curiosity for having that European air, with cold weather and fine rain, in the state of Ceará, known for being a traditional destination of sun and beach.

In Guaramiranga the traveler also finds lush forests.

OURO PRETO

For nomads who enjoy history, nothing is better than installing the "office" in the colonial city of Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais).

The scenario of the Inconfidência Mineira (Mining Conspiracy) and full of monuments, the city breathes history, and the nomad who sits in a cafe or restaurant or walks the streets of Ouro Preto will go back in time and realize the greatness of a historical period during which mining was crucial for the growth of the region.

The largest baroque ensemble in the world and one of the main regions of the gold cycle, the city is an open-air museum and was the first Brazilian destination to be considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

NomadX currently brings together a community of some 20,000 digital nomads who travel the world.

The company has locations in Lisbon, Caparica, Madeira, Cape Verde, and Pipa.

"Today, we have a community of about 50 people using our space in Pipa. A digital nomad spends an average of €1,800 monthly and about 2 months in each location."

"We are talking about young people between 25 and 35 years old who earn between €3,000 and €5,000."

"It has an important impact on the economy of small cities," explained NomadX CEO Gonçalo Hall.

Some of the Brazilian cities that have expressed interest in receiving digital nomads are João Pessoa (PB), São Miguel do Gostoso (RN), Recife (PE), Maceió (AL), Santos (SP), and Florianópolis (SC).

Gonçalo explained that this type of visitor is not just interested in enjoying tourist attractions.

According to the director, they seek to insert themselves and live experiences in the community as if they were locals.

"They consume in the establishments that the residents like to go to, they want to learn the local culture, and some end up teaching foreign languages to the children."

"It's an immersion experience with many spin-offs for small towns," he concluded.

With information from El Mostrador

MENAFN08032024007421016031ID1107954300

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Title:

Content:   • Exclusive
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  • 4 min read

MarTech and small businesses: Wide space or grey area?

The biggest challenge that most SMEs or start-ups face is that they may not have the right expertise to identify, integrate and automate the correct MarTech tools for their brands.

  • Updated On Nov 18, 2022 at 07:54 AM IST
Marketers are looking at MarTech as an opportunity to reach new audiences and maintain an existing loyal customer by deploying tech into their strategies. Experts feel that right talent with the requirement for specialist capabilities will be needed to ramp up the journey of MarTech in India, specially for small and medium enterprises.

Advertisement
Before we delve into some of the aspects around MarTech and its evolving-yet-challenging role for small businesses, it is inevitable to understand that technology in marketing has come a long way and it is a central part of many marketers' strategy books.

According to Mirum India MarTech Report 2021, digital has become a key channel for customer acquisition, engagement, conversion, and retention. This has further been accelerated by the shift in consumer behaviour due to the global pandemic.

continued below

Guru MasterClass

Festival of Marketing

Masterclass on Marketing & Branding by Philip Kotler & David Aaker

Webinar

Scaling Businesses With Digital Marketing

Join this expert session to discover insights into digital penetration in India, the shift from traditional to digital and the growing role of content in the digital world.

Event

The Big Leap Chat Show Growth Stories

The Big Leap Chat Show Growth Stories
Register Now
10 Speakers

Event

Double Verify

Experts will discuss the latest trends and disruptions in digital advertising
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5 Speakers

Event

The Big Leap

The retention cloud leader and a pioneer in helping brands engage and retain their users
Register Now
10 Speakers

Event

DigiPlus Fest 2023 Certification Workshops

Acquire the required skills that brands and businesses are looking for in their digital marketing leaders.
Register Now
4 Speakers

Event

DigiPlus Fest 2023

The 2 day festival that will highlight trends across Mobile Marketing, Performance Marketing, CX, and many more
Register Now
10 Speakers

Award

India DigiPlus Awards 2023 - Edition 4

Rewarding Brilliance in Digital Marketing - Celebrate the country's best digital marketing work

Event

CX Plus 2023

Great brands are built on memorable consumer experiences
Register Now
10 Speakers

Event

MarTech Asia 2023

Brands are leveraging MarTech stacks to solve their marketing challenges in the rapidly evolving data-driven era.
Register Now
10 Speakers
Moreover, experts feel that small brands have to unlearn and relearn on the new reality and possibilities to adopt MarTech.

With the evolution and adaptation of any tech, the know-how expertise becomes a key factor for its continued success. Experts feel that the challenge for small businesses is going to be of the right talent. Even though MarTech platforms are easier than ever to adopt and use, there is still a requirement for specialist capabilities, especially at setup time.

The tech solutions exist and they are evolving and getting better. They need to invest in learning and doing experiments in that direction.

Niraj Ruparel, head of mobile and emerging tech, GroupM India and emerging tech lead, WPP India, suggests that small brands need to work with the right partners who will provide them not just with technology but also strategy and insights. “They need to invest in the right people and processes internally. The implementation is impeded by the complexity and size of the app. Apps which are simple to download and have cloud storage options will work better for them.”

Some feel that the biggest challenge that most SMEs or start-ups face is that they may not have the marketing skills or expertise to identify, integrate and automate the right MarTech tools for their brands.

It becomes more crucial when there are many players offering martech services in the market and getting the right one for the brand is a challenge.

Another challenge for smaller brands is to scale up their omnichannel marketing strategy beyond search and social into emerging segments like Connected TV, D2C and Digital OOH etc..

Even when there are a few shortcomings at some level of adaptation, experts like Mihir Karakare, the co-founder and executive vice president, Mirum India, are bullish about MarTech and suggest that the best time to begin a MarTech journey was five years back... the second best time is today!

Some marketers believe that a MarTech stack should be a customer-centric one and an organisation should know the problem statement first. Understanding data helps efficient MarTech implementation.

No matter the category a brand belongs to, there is a well thought investment in MarTech and it can bring serious positive impact to marketing initiatives.

It is to be noted that In 2021, Gartner estimated that MarTech made up 26.2 per cent of the average marketing budget.

However, marketers have highlighted the fact that any organisation deploys tech to market, there needs to be a strategy in place and if there is already a stack or tech being used, it needs to be strengthened.

For organisations it is also crucial to understand the needs or problems which require the intervention of the MarTech stack.

The Mirum report has identified a new cohort of leaders in the industry named 'MarTech Heroes', who are extensive users of MarTech and will increase their spending substantially in the next three years.

More than quarters of MarTech Heroes prefer to choose marketing technology which is part of an ‘integrated suite’ rather than a ‘point solution’ and one in two state that their marketing strategy is fully driven by creativity.

More than three-fourths prefer to choose a MarTech which is part of an integrated suite.

Siddharth Dabhade, managing director, MiQ India, said that brands in India are ramping up their digital transformation, adopting tech solutions to market smarter. The tech helps brand marketers uncover insights from data, reach new untapped consumer segments and optimise their media investments.

In all, consumers across segments are getting savvier about new channels of communications. Their expectations about CX are much higher than earlier - and are continuing to rise. These expectations will only be met by strategic adoption of MarTech platforms and tools. For small brands, minimising the talent gap along with right expertise are going to play a game-changing role in their martech journey.

Marketing has the superpower to make organisation customer centric: Mayur Hola, Oyo

Mayur Hola said marketing is like a sponge, which learns everything from every aspect of the organisation.

Marketers should not be serving MarTech, MarTech should be serving marketers: Chris Leong, global CMO, Schneider Electric

Chris Leong, the global CMO of Schneider Electric, shares experiences and trends around B2B marketing and the opportunities ahead with the rise of digital in a freewheeling chat with ETBrandEquity.

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.

Download ETBrandEquity App

  • Get Realtime updates
  • Save your favourite articles
  • Updated On Nov 18, 2022 at 07:54 AM IST

Title:

Content: BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Three Things You Must Do To Innovate Responsibly With AI

Alex Goryachev is a Global Technology Executive specializing in AI Strategy and Digital Transformation.

Read three media stories about the impact of the tidal wave called AI on you and your organization, and you’ll almost certainly get three different perspectives.

The mainstream press will likely start with plenty of hand-wringing about lost jobs and layoffs, then quickly reassure you that in the long run, everything will be okay once we acclimate to the ongoing use of artificial intelligence.

The business press will talk about new AI-based startups, the creation of new jobs and the opportunities that are close at hand. The tech folks will dazzle you with plenty of acronyms while discussing the endless potential of machine learning and what we’ll be able to do with it, both now and in the future.

So what’s the real story? It’s all of the above.

In the dozens of keynotes and workshops about responsible AI innovation that I’ve run with organizations of all shapes and sizes, and my keynote addresses about this kind of innovation, the primary lesson I’ve shared is that the story is really about you and how you decide to handle AI.

I’ve been able to transform these stories into a few choice words and concepts about how AI affects your business, and I’m here to share best practices to make your organization more efficient, opportunistic and ultimately more innovative.

The Inevitability Of AI: Innovate Or Die

Regardless of how you feel about AI, it’s here and it’s growing. It almost doesn’t matter what your organization does and what industry you’re working in—this new technology is altering the way we innovate and do business.

The most famous example of this is ChatGPT, which took the world by storm and quickly became the most adopted consumer application in the brief but astounding history of apps. The freewheeling chatbot quickly attracted over a million users in five days, including thousands of business adopters seduced by the lure of revolutionary new products, startups that would make them the new instant billionaires and the power that would come with this life-changing technology.

The Demands, Potential And Issues That Come With AI

The chatbot—and other early forms of generative AI that we are looking at today—are not perfect. AI tools are making plenty of mistakes, some innocent, others with the potential to be malevolent.

New technologies always expose some very human issues based on our attitudes to change.

Many companies found their ability to adopt hindered by a new version of the old-style generation gap, as older leaders and executives found themselves struggling to keep up with this new technology, even as their younger leaders and employees were charging full speed ahead into this brave new AI world.

The Ultimate AI Advice For Leaders: ‘Don’t Be An Ostrich’

Some organizations have tried to “outsmart” AI by just ignoring it and assuming it won’t invade their business universe. That is wrong. AI has penetrated every industry you can think of, and in my many conversations during different AI innovation workshops, business leaders and employees have already described how AI is challenging their conventional thinking and reshaping their respective industries. Moreover, it also has the potential to put them out of business—or accelerate their success and create new opportunities along the way.

My biggest advice to leaders? Simple: Get your mind in learning mode. Take a hands-on approach to tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and as many other relevant products and approaches as you can find. Learn how they work, then start to figure out which pieces and parts are right for your business and which ones aren’t.

Getting Organized

Do this on an organizational level as well. That means evaluating the skills you and your employees will need to become AI-ready and making sure virtually every department in your organization is actively learning and experimenting responsibly. You’ll quickly find that once your employees understand the responsible use of AI, they’ll start to come up with ways to do what you do faster, better and more efficiently.

Understanding The Risks Of AI And Steering It Responsibly

We’ve all seen the panic stories about AI, and it’s easy to fall under their spell. Many of them are valid—we’ve all heard and read stories about voice-generated AI imitating the tone and language of prominent political leaders. Celebrities have had to deal with AI-generated images compromising their reputations. Change is hard sometimes, and so is evaluating the specifics that come with this kind of technology shift.

The simple fact is that AI comes with both risks and dangers. And as valid as the risks that come with change may be, understand that inaction is probably the biggest risk. Not using AI is a significant risk if your competitors are capitalizing on its benefits, and inaction is already happening if your employees are secretly using it without a comprehensive policy in place.

To streamline adoption and incentivize responsible innovation, you need to set a clear policy about how you want to use this technology in your business, and you have to make sure that policy gets effectively backed up and enforced. There’s plenty of gray area when it comes to the ongoing use of AI, and clear, effective policy can help keep you, your employees and your organization from getting lost in the AI fog.

Becoming An AI Pragmatist

Finally, what matters most is becoming an AI pragmatist. Over the past few months, I’ve heard dozens of amazing stories about companies that took a leap of faith, educated themselves and are now doing incredible things with AI, accelerating the speed of innovation at a rate they couldn’t have imagined just a year or two ago.

You, too, can and should take advantage of this almost unlimited innovation potential if you approach AI the right way. To do that, execute in clear, small measurable milestones—responsibly, optimistically and pragmatically.

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This report addresses: Digital Nomads

The project uses blockchain technology to solve the health challenges of its community members by rewarding them with passive income and incentivising them to achieve their fitness goals for a long period.

The RunfShop universe, the shopping centre of the ecosystem, will be accessible to holders of the RUNF token.

No Jitter is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them.

Contact Centers: Succeeding Amidst The Great Resignation

Y H Lim __D9P9PD.jpg

Image: Y H Lim - alamy.com
The term Great Resignation came into common business parlance in September 2021, when the Harvard Business Review published an article analyzing the causes and strategies to combat the stark fact that millions of Americans were quitting their jobs, four million in July 2021 alone.

Employees can make use of the free on-site gym at Huel

Among the best programmes in the Employer of the Year shortlist, what impressed Ged Futter, another judge and founder of The Retail Mind, was not just what the larger companies are doing, but what smaller ones are offering.

Fmcg suppliers “have had to recognise that employee engagement is a critical component of workplace productivity, employee retention and, ultimately, profits”, says Fiona Kendrick, former chair and CEO of Nestlé UK&I, and a judge in the Employer of the Year category at this year’s Grocer Gold Awards earlier this month.

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

This report addresses: Digital Nomads

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Content: Runfy, Cardano and Ripple to elevate in the coming years

By Vivek Mishra

Published: Wed 26 Oct 2022, 5:48 PM

The Runfy (RUNF) project seeks to reward users who use their platform with RUNF tokens if they meet their fitness goals. The project uses blockchain technology to solve the health challenges of its community members by rewarding them with passive income and incentivising them to achieve their fitness goals for a long period.

Runfy is powering a healthier crypto economy

Runfy (RUNF) is the token powering the two universes in the RUNF ecosystem. It will be used as a monetary incentive to encourage participants to stay active and live healthily. The RunfTR universe will give RUNF token holders special access to trained fitness instructors and diet consultants. These trainers will provide dedicated lifestyle and counseling services in exchange for RUNF tokens.

The RunfShop universe, the shopping centre of the ecosystem, will be accessible to holders of the RUNF token. There, users will be able to buy equipment from fitness companies. Trading of pre-owned fitness gear is also permitted in the marketplace. RUNF mobile app will easily enable users to track calories, nutritional intake, and training data. The app also comes with customizable and actionable tips to assist users in achieving fitness goals.

The ongoing pre-sale of the RUNF token attracts a five per cent bonus on every purchase. A 15 per cent bonus is available to investors who purchase RUNF tokens within 15 minutes of signing up. Depending on the crypto token used for the purchase, an additional 14 per cent to 22 per cent bonus also applies to each sale. RUNF project has more attractions in its official roadmap, making it a strong contender to be the next big cryptocurrency.

Cardano – The first proof-of-stake blockchain network

Cardano (ADA) is a blockchain platform with the mission of providing Web3 innovators and visionaries with the tools for bringing positive change to the world of decentralised finance (DeFi) and beyond.

The ADA open-source project uses the Ouroboros proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism to securely record financial data shared on its network of validator nodes.

The PoS mechanism eliminates the immense computing resources proof-of-work (PoW) networks like Bitcoin (BTC) need for crypto mining by relying on multiple random validators to verify the accuracy of a transaction before it is added to the chain of blocks.

Since the world is becoming more conscious of climate change and its harmful effects, more crypto users and institutions may favour PoS chains over their PoW counterparts. The price of Cardano (ADA) is predicted to appreciate as this shift happens in real-time.

Ripple – Number one choice for cross-border payments

Ripple (XRP) is a crypto-powered digital payment company that operates the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a decentralised, open-source blockchain with its native XRP cryptocurrency.

XRPL provides an alternative to traditional banking systems by running a public gateway for payment settlements and asset exchange. It functions as a trusted middleman in transferring international fiat and digital currencies.

XRP uses a consensus mechanism via a network of bank-owned computer servers to validate transactions and account balances. This feature results in reduced energy requirements, faster confirmation speeds, and negligible transaction costs.

XRP occupies a unique position as a cryptocurrency token accepted by many banking and financial institutions worldwide.

Excluding stablecoins, it enters the list of the top five cryptocurrency tokens ranked on CoinMarketCap by market capitalisation. The price of XPR is predicted to increase in value as it gains recognition among more corporate institutions and as crypto grows in its acceptance as a medium of exchange and store of value.

Most popular fitness strategies do not have a means of extending a user’s interest in the plan over an extended period. The RUNF token eliminates this friction by stimulating participants to hit fitness targets by providing an income opportunity.

The latest crypto news indicates that cryptocurrencies with passive earning mechanisms are trending among crypto investors and degens. So, why not make a good choice by investing in this community-backed fitness token?

Presale: //go.runfytoken.io/

Website: //runfytoken.io/

Telegram: //t.me/RunfyTokenOfficial

Vivek Mishra is a wealth analyst at Wealth Mantra Consultant

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Content: No Jitter is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Contact Centers: Succeeding Amidst The Great Resignation

Y H Lim __D9P9PD.jpg

Image: Y H Lim - alamy.com
The term Great Resignation came into common business parlance in September 2021, when the Harvard Business Review published an article analyzing the causes and strategies to combat the stark fact that millions of Americans were quitting their jobs, four million in July 2021 alone.

The phenomenon has impacted contact centers not only in the U.S. but across the globe. The pandemic has shifted what agents want from their employers and careers. It is not surprising that service leaders are struggling with hiring and retention in what has become a fiercely competitive marketplace for skilled employees. Contact centers have already begun to reimagine their workforce operations, to invest in the agent experience, and prioritize flexibility to attract, retain, and nurture the best talent.

During a recent webinar, I had the opportunity to join three contact center executives to ask a series of questions on this timely topic: Shannon Marowitz, executive director of head of global education, knowledge, quality, and social for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Debbie Neuberger, senior VP of service operations for Realtor.com, and Madhav Thattai, VP of strategy & operations for Salesforce. Below are some highlights from our panel discussion.

Are you experiencing higher, lower or the same levels of attrition?
Not surprisingly, both Marowitz and Neuberger had attrition numbers at the ready. “We actually just updated our numbers this morning,” Neuberger said. She reported that since the start of the quarter in July 2021, turnover is seven percent higher than in 2020. She balanced that statistic with others that show that 38% of the company’s staff has been with Move, Realtor.com’s parent company, for over five years and 52% over three years.

Move is seeing turnover with its staff with less than one year of tenure, with half of the overall turnover coming from this demographic. Neuberger believes, “our weekly turnover is absolutely preventable, through leaning-in and listening.” But she went on to say that articles in the press reporting that 70% of employees hate their jobs and are thinking about leaving “should be a wake-up call to all of us to find a way to invest more in the things like employee engagement initiatives.”

Marowitz agreed that Estée Lauder is seeing a bit of an increase in attrition. In addition to employees with less than six months tenure, the company is also seeing agents making life decisions. Estée Lauder has a lot of very tenured, long-standing employees that are coming to a time in their life where they are asking: “Do I want to keep doing this?” Marowitz said that the move to digital-first interactions is playing a role in some of these decisions, with more tenured employees not as quick to embrace the new digital world of customer experience.

During the live webinar, we asked the approximately 200 attendees to share their experiences with attrition. They responded in chat, saying they are experiencing higher attrition levels.

How has agent onboarding and training changed in a remote environment?
With easier questions handled by self-service options, the agent job is more difficult than ever before. With the current labor challenges, and the need to hire and train remotely, companies are forced to do things differently.

Both executives agreed remote work required a reevaluation of the entire onboarding experience. Today, unlike pre-pandemic, it means shipping equipment, making sure new agents have the right system access and permissions, checking that cables work. Realtor.com starts pre-onboarding readiness with a technology readiness session, from confirming that everything the agent needs is in the box that they were sent to making sure they know how to sign into Zoom.

“The days of going into a training or onboarding session from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, is almost obsolete,” added Marowitz. Remote work, “really forced us to relook at the learning journey,” she said. Estée Lauder now thinks in terms of equipping a new hire with an onboarding journey. Some of the content is self-paced, some webinar-based. According to Marowitz, the approach is getting outstanding feedback from the frontline. Agents love that if they are hired part-time, they can do their learning part-time. They know exactly what they need to do to get to the next step in their curriculum.

Thattai added that at Salesforce, they have changed how they hire and the skills they look for and train. In the past, he said, the company hired for horizontal, generalizable skills that apply to a lot of different areas. Now, “the entire structure is more product-oriented, so that people actually get a lot more depth up front on the specific areas, the specific products they are going to be spending time supporting.” Intentional skill development, giving people a path, giving them the ability to continue developing skills throughout their tenure, he believes is key to managing agent attrition going forward.

There were more questions and more great insights offered by all three of the panelists. If this is a topic you are addressing in your firm, I encourage you to listen to the entire conversation.

This article originally published on November 2, 2021 (click here for the original article).

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Content: This year’s Grocer Gold Awards highlighted the lengths retailers and suppliers are going to to recruit, retain and support staff. Our two-part series starts with suppliers

If the pandemic taught the industry anything, it was the value of its people. As key workers they went above and beyond to feed the nation. And employers, increasingly, have been going the extra mile in turn to attract, retain and motivate staff.

Fmcg suppliers “have had to recognise that employee engagement is a critical component of workplace productivity, employee retention and, ultimately, profits”, says Fiona Kendrick, former chair and CEO of Nestlé UK&I, and a judge in the Employer of the Year category at this year’s Grocer Gold Awards earlier this month.

As a result, says Steve Simmance, a leading headhunter, supplier benefits have “seismically changed, geared more towards physical and mental health, family and time off, rather than joining the car club or bigger pension contributions”.

Employees can make use of the free on-site gym at Huel

Among the best programmes in the Employer of the Year shortlist, what impressed Ged Futter, another judge and founder of The Retail Mind, was not just what the larger companies are doing, but what smaller ones are offering. “The entries showed what’s possible, even with a limited budget. That was what I found most encouraging – it was not a case of just throwing money at a problem, it was really thinking about what will make a difference.”

Debi O’Donovan, director of the Reward & Employee Benefits Association, says she’s seeing many employers particularly worried about the financial stress on their staff, so they’re focusing on programmes that help workers manage their money.

“Less can be more if handled well,” she says, if the HR programme offers initiatives that are “robust, well communicated and truly appealing”.

Read more:

Arguably the biggest change in the past few years, is flexible working, says Futter. “There are some dinosaurs (usually run by middle-aged white men) who believe working from home is for the workshy, and presenteeism is still part of their DNA, but they’re wrong. People are recognising that work is not everything – that it’s part of what we do, rather than all-consuming.”

With more focus also on diversity and inclusion programmes to attract and retain a wider range of staff, O’Donovan also notes that “some suppliers are boosting the number of older women in the workplace through putting in menopause support and extra paid time off for those who are caring for elderly adults.”

Due to its remote location, Heck puts huge effort into community-based activity, such as family fun days at its HQ

Simmance can see already the benefits in the “increased volume of older women right at the very top, extending their careers, which is fabulous. Dare I say it but women are better workers in the workplace, which may even be driving the more empathetic approach.” And it’s important too, because more generally he believes recruitment is “increasingly ageist” among fmcg suppliers. “It’s awful over the age of 40.”

“Ageism is a topic no one is really grasping. At worst, HR is the most ageist, because it doesn’t work with their successful planning or their ability to move people round an organisation. The most enlightened get the limitations. And I have to credit the supermarkets because they really get this.” But that’s for next week.

The suppliers going the extra mile for their employees

This year’s Grocer Gold Awards highlighted the lengths retailers and suppliers are going to to recruit, retain and support staff. Our two-part series starts with suppliers

Laura Robinson of Finnebrogue, who says the company’s executive leadership  programme ‘has been invaluable for my overall wellbeing’

Winner: Finnebrogue

Northern Irish meat supplier Finnebrogue is growing fast. In the past five years alone, it’s added 900 new employees. It’s also had to adapt to a competitive and challenging local job market and has thus focused on the dual challenge of attracting talent and retaining valuable team members.

To do so, the company has introduced a meticulously crafted programme of career pathways and development opportunities. This includes collaborations with Queen’s University Belfast and various professional bodies on employee development, a programme tailored to people returning to the workplace after an extended break, and working with charities to provide employment opportunities for neurodiverse adults and people with disabilities.

Finnebrogue also helped tackle cost of living challenges with two inflationary pay increases and relaunched its Family Leave Policy in late 2023, providing enhanced leave and pay benefits for maternity, paternity, child loss and IVF. These initiatives and many more have led to a 22% reduction in staff turnover, a 43% decline in absenteeism, and a 31% increase in job applications.

Laura Robinson has been one beneficiary, landing a place last year on the Finnebrogue Executive Leadership Programme. “Being afforded the time and opportunity to focus on my leadership style, step back to listen, challenge new ideas, and disrupt habitual patterns, has been invaluable,” she says.

Natalie Stanton says Huel walks the walk on work-life balance

Finalist: Huel

At meal replacement brand Huel, where staff numbers have increased rapidly from 170 to 300, the focus is on unity, transparency and flexibility. Bi-weekly all-staff meetings see the CEO present an “ask me anything” session. And outstanding employee performance is celebrated company-wide.

The brand has also increased holiday entitlement to 30 days a year, introduced ‘Flexible Fridays’ where employees are encouraged to finish working at midday on Friday to enjoy a longer weekend, and brought in an initiative allowing all employees to take two weeks a year to work remotely from anywhere. This comes alongside improvements to parental leave, support services for adoption, pregnancy loss and miscarriage, a free on-site gym, and free, unlimited one-to-one therapy (in-person and virtual) sessions for all employees.

“Huel’s flexible working hours, including ‘Flexible Fridays’, have been game-changing for my work-life balance and productivity,” says Natalie Stanton, head of UK retail sales.

“This time [on a Friday] can be used for upskilling, doing a course, coaching or therapy. All employees have access to free, unlimited therapy from Self Space. This year, I put my Friday afternoons to use training for the London Marathon for Shelter.

“Many companies talk about culture and work-life balance, but one of the most refreshing differences I’ve found at Huel is that people actually practice it. The business really seems to understand the importance of staying healthy and active and the benefits this has on mental health and productivity.”

The team at Glanbia Performance Nutrition, where health initiatives include a ‘step challenge’ and fitness classes

Finalist: Glanbia Performance Nutrition

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a sports nutrition and weight management business, Glanbia Performance Nutrition places much stock in the link between physical and mental wellbeing and has introduced several initiatives to boost both. This has included combating the sedentary nature of desk-based roles with a “step challenge”, a padel tournament, and fitness classes every Monday for the London office.

“Finishing Monday with a group workout not only boosts energy, it also strengthens my connection with colleagues,” says Laura Hoggins, chair of the UK engagement team.

But some of the sprints are mental. The company has embraced the “sprint and recovery model”, which emphasises the importance of balancing periods of intense work with necessary recovery times on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

Glanbia also partners with Psalt to recruit talent from different backgrounds, ensures each employee has an annual personal wellbeing objective, and asks the leadership team to role model the company’s smart working policy to encourage true flexibility and balance with other life priorities.

“Seeing our leaders model work-life balance has really made a difference,” says Ryan Lucas-Lowther, fitness community manager.

Finalist: Arla Foods UK

Arla has many initiatives that bring farmers together with the local community

Arla employs more than 4,000 people in the UK, and the dairy Co-op has engendered more ‘moments’ where it can seek employee feedback, including surveys, listening groups, health and wellbeing champions and health kiosks.

These have informed a healthy hearts and minds push that saw an additional 50 mental health first aiders trained, blood pressure monitors being placed in all sites, as well as sponsored walks, a football league and even dragon boat races.

Arla has also focused on inclusiveness, resulting in far-flung colleagues, customers and communities visiting and working on its farms, and its farmer-owners being included in internal communication.

“Introduction of the health kiosk and blood pressure monitors has been a great initiative for us. Even the sceptics regard it as positive,” says Matthew Press, 60, an Arla tanker driver.

“It’s made me consider if I’m getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and remember to  check on my diet and fitness.”

Finalist: Heck

Heck employees Ruby Parkyn (left) and Jack Tate (right) with chef Chris Baber, at a Heck event last year

Based in Bedale, North Yorkshire, Heck is a family-owned sausage, burger and mince brand. And nothing speaks to its old-school family values quite like its approach to the lunch break. At midday every day, production is paused in the factory so everyone can stop at the same time for lunch. And that lunch – usually a soup, hot main course, salad bar and dessert – is provided free of charge every day to all staff.

The perks don’t end anywhere near there, either. Heck has a free on-site gym, as well as on-site dog care, meaning dog owners can bring their pet to work and even take them for a walk with colleagues on their lunch break.

“Being able to bring my dogs to work is great,” says sales director Jamie Keeble. “I know they’re in good company when I’m back at my desk, as there’s usually at least three other pups for them to hang out with. It makes being a dog owner so much easier.”

Heck is also keen to provide opportunities for staff to help the local community. Last year, there were cook-ups, yoga sessions and family fun days, including a cooking demo from chef Chris Baber. There’s also a weekly soup kitchen in a local village hall, with staff volunteering to serve soup, bread and cakes made by Heck’s kitchen staff. Such initiatives are “great for staff morale”, says Claudia Anderson, who heads up Heck’s customer service. “Volunteering at the soup kitchen is a gorgeous addition to my week. It’s one of those things which leaves me feeling really grateful and positive.”

And it’s paying off, with a retention rate of 91.4%.