Timo Werner lamented Germany’s wastefulness in front of goal after a record 3-0 loss to Netherlands left them without a goal or a win in the Nations League.Germany had never lost to their rivals by three or more goals but Ronald Koeman’s side enjoyed a famous success in Amsterdam as Virgil van Dijk’s first-half header was added to by late strikes from Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum.Having failed to score in two of their three games when they crashed out of the World Cup group stage in June, Joachim Low’s men are yet to score in either of their Nations League games after drawing 0-0 with France in their opening fixture. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! They had multiple opportunities to end the drought in Amsterdam, with Werner wasting a first-half one-on-one and substitute Leroy Sane somehow steering an even better opening wide after the break, and their lack of goals is becoming a concern.”We played very well at the beginning, created many chances, let them run without the ball and did everything we wanted to,” Werner said in quotes published on UEFA’s website.”Then there is this corner which hits the bar and is then turned in [by Van Dijk]. That was a punch in our stomach. We missed out on scoring when we had the chances to do so. That’s our biggest shortcoming.”A #NationsLeague nightmare in Amsterdam. #DieMannschaft #NEDGER pic.twitter.com/Nkozuf0WNZ— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) October 13, 2018Low admits his side’s inability to score is perplexing to him.”It’s not only about converting the chances,” he added.”We played okay until we conceded and did not use our chances. After conceding, you could see that recent results have led to a lack of confidence.”Why are we not scoring? That’s difficult to answer, we have clear chances.”Had we lost 1-0, it would have been acceptable, but breaking apart like this in the last 10 minutes is not good.”Huge result for @OnsOranje!Most exciting players in this Dutch side?#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/X3dC7aUjqJ— UEFA Nations League (@UEFAEURO) October 13, 2018Mats Hummels, who also came close with a second-half header that Ryan Babel cleared, could not fathom how Germany had failed to find the net.”It’s a matter of converting chances, no doubt,” he said.”We lost 3-0 in a match we have to win, that’s my opinion. It’s not like one player is squandering all the chances, sometimes it’s bad luck, sometimes ineptitude, my header is being cleared off the line.”We play away in Holland, should have scored three or four, and lose 3-0.” read more

Hugo Lloris is bracing himself to face “one of the best players in history” in Lionel Messi on Tuesday and believes the only way Tottenham can stop the Barcelona talisman is by sticking together.Spurs going into their final Champions League Group B game at Camp Nou needing to at least match Inter’s result versus PSV in order to secure progression to the last 16.Barca coach Ernesto Valverde has assured Inter his team will be doing everything they can to beat Spurs, though the manager has promised changes to his lineup that defeated Espanyol 4-0 over the weekend. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! Whether those changes will include the Barcelona star, who has 17 goals and nine assists between La Liga and the Champions League this season, is unknown, as Valverde told reporters it would be revealed when he released the lineup on Tuesday.However, Lloris is preparing himself mentally to play the Argentine superstar, who has scored three goals in his last three games and struck twice in Barca’s 4-2 win at Wembley in October.”You’re facing one of the best players in history,” Lloris said of Messi to reporters. “It will not be easy, but we will go out with 100 per cent belief that we can do it.”It will be very tough to stop someone like Lionel Messi, but we will only do it as a team.”If you watch the free-kicks [he scored against Espanyol on Saturday] there is nothing you can do. When they go in the top corner like the other night, he’s the type of player who can change the game and decide.”It’s very difficult to face a player like him. The only way to do it is as a team, not give him too much space and be at our best defensively.”Defeats to Inter at San Siro and to Barcelona at Wembley put the Tottenham’s Champions League knockout stage hopes in jeopardy, while a road draw against PSV did not help matters.But wins against PSV and Inter at Wembley in their last two continental contests have given Spurs a chance at advancement in the competition.A result against Barcelona at Camp Nou is the minimum required, however, they will face a Barca side that has already qualified for the knockout stage as group winners.Spurs enter the contest having regained some momentum following a 4-2 derby defeat to Arsenal on December 2 with a pair of Premier League wins over Southampton and Leicester respectively. read more

There’s an unspoken understanding that a man should always listen to his biwi if he has to do things right. Twinkle Khanna, in the latest season of Koffee With Karan, said that she gave an ultimatum to her husband Akshay Kumar that if Akshay did not do “sensible films”, she would not have a second chid with him.Clearly, Akshay Kumar took that threat to heart because not only was the couple’s second child Nitara born in 2012, but thereafter, Akshay’s films showed a marked improvement in quality. Where once there was a phase when Akshay would star in films like Thank You, Joker, Khiladi 786 and Boss, today, Akshay Kumar has both commercial success AND critical acclaim because of films like Special 26, Holiday, Baby, Airlift and Rustom.ALSO WATCH: Akshay Kumar’s angry, emotional message on Bengaluru molestationOPINION: How Akshay Kumar survives in a Khan’s worldALSO WATCH: Can Akshay beat Salman to be Bollywood’s No.1 star in 2017?Akshay was always perfect as the righteous, macho hero with great flair for comic timing. He has played the upright man’s man from the beginning of his career in films like Mohra, Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Elaan. Later on, he found his funnybones (no pun intended) with the Priyadarshan comedies (Hera Pheri, Garam Masala) and the occasional Mujhse Shaadi Karogi.But as Akshay’s stardom and fan following grew in stature, the actor began to take up films that combined the histrionics of ’80s maar-dhaar waale films and the abysmal sense of humour that South-potboilers have. Hence, you had something Rowdy Rathore directed by Prabhu Deva, which worked at the box office, no doubt about that but after two decades in the industry, was minor commercial success all that Akshay was looking forward to in his career? Wasn’t he good enough for tracing the heights that his contemporaries Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman had? Wasn’t he as adventurous as the younger kids like Ranbir Kapoor and Varun Dhawan who were showing considerable bravery in doing projects like Barfi! and Badlapur?advertisementDamn right, he was. Akshay just was not ready, for whatever reason. But now, he is.After a humble cameo in what Twinkle would call a ‘sensible’ film, OMG-Oh My God!, Akshay starred in Neeraj Pandey’s tight, gripping crime-caper Special 26. Note that, Akshay was not doing anything different in Special 26 terms of acting; he was still playing an upright professional (albeit, in the world of conning people), but this time, he had with him a no-nonsense writer-director and a bunch of good actors who gave their best and simultaneously accentuated Akshay’s core strengths as an actor. As a result, Special 26 was not only a hit but people sat up and took notice of Akshay as an actor, not just a performer.The Neeraj Pandey-Akshay Kumar team went on to produce Baby in 2015 and Rustom in 2016 – two films which used Akshay’s full potential as an intense, action-oriented actor – which further propelled Khiladi Kumar to a new phase of super-stardom that he had never tasted in his career.Now, having understood his full capability as an actor and star, Akshay has joined hands with the best filmmakers in town to produce (what looks on paper like) films with great potential.First up in 2017, there is Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 2, directed by Subhash Kapoor, where Akshay plays a bufoonish lawyer who soon enough grows a conscience and fights it out inside the courtroom against a rich lawyer played by National Award-winning actor Annu Kapoor. This is the kind of film nobody in his right mind would have expected Akshay to be in in his Khiladi 786 days.Next up, is the tri-lingual film 2.0, where Akshay plays a villainous ornithologist who locks horns with Rajinikanth, no less. This film would provide Akshay with a much-needed pan-Indian following in addition to being a good showcase for Akshay’s potential to play theatrically evil villains.Then, there are the two social dramas, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha and Padman. While R Balki’s (Cheeni Kum, Paa) Padman will feature Akshay play Arunachalam Muruganantham, the man who devoted his life to making low-cost sanitary napkins for India’s rural women. Meanwhile, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha is touted to be a social satire revolving around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.It was Aamir Khan who showed the potential of cinema where one could marry star status with good, earnest storytelling to make progressive but commercial cinema for one and all. Now, Akshay Kumar is taking that road to produce some quality films. In fact, there is also Akshay’s Crack with Neeraj Pandey and the sports drama Gold with Talaash director Reema Kagti in the pipeline.advertisementIf Akshay’s experimentation with films work out this year – and it is most likely that they would – we will have a new megastar in our midst, in addition to the Khans – someone more than his Khiladi image, an Akshay Kumar 2.0.(The writer tweets as @devarsighosh.) read more

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will meet in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, and Celta Vigo will face Alaves.Atletico will host the first leg against the two-time defending champions next week at a date to be determined.Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto says “we know each other very well. I’m sure it will be complicated, as it always is against them.”Barcelona, the tournament’s most successful club with 28 titles, will be playing in the semifinals for the seventh straight season.Celta, who ousted Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, are at home for the first leg against Alaves. Neither club has won the competition.The final will be on May 27. read more

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The organising committee of FIFA U-17 World Cup today launched its volunteer programme, providing thousands of volunteers with a chance to be part of Indias first ever global football tournament. Matches will be held across six cities between October 6 and 28 October. The all-encompassing programme aims to reach out to people aged over 18, from a variety of backgrounds and involve them in the FIFA U-17 World Cup India. The program will have a strong emphasis on diversity and gender equality, welcoming candidates from all sections of the society. Applicants who cant be physically available during the tournament at its six main venues can become e-volunteers and spread the competitions message digitally. Speaking about the launch, Local Oraginsing Committee chief Praful Patel, said: “This is an opportunity for all our countrymen to be involved in the tournament which will be a historic event for India. Volunteers play an extremely important role in every FIFA tournament and they will play a central role in India 2017, bringing all Indians together in various capacities to make this event a huge success. “I am confident that the volunteer programme will leave a lasting legacy of a new and more vibrant sporting culture in India.” Tournament Director of the LOC, Javier Ceppi added, “The interest that the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 has generated so far among Indians is unprecedented. Through different sources, we have already received thousands of applications to be a part of the World Cup, which we can now channel through the volunteer?s programme to make sure that everyone who wants to be involved in this historic event gets a chance to apply.” PTI AH AHadvertisement read more

Jose Mourinho has always been the type of a manager who has an answer ready for everything that is thrown at him. Barring the rare “brain-fade” moment during the post-match interview after Chelsea’s 1-3 loss to Liverpool during his latest spell in London, back in 2015. Then he had ‘nothing to say’ but he is and has always been very vocal about issues otherwise. (Also read: Chelsea beat Jose Mourinho’s 10-man Manchester United to reach FA Cup semi-finals) With the league title out of contention for quite a while now, thanks to many undeserving draws, United have been languishing at sixth for the longest of times. And, mostly he has blamed the busy fixtures list for his underperforming players. United were in four competitions after the turn of the year and this is what a not so impressed Mourinho said after beating Wigan 4-0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup.”We are going to have a very difficult season compared with other clubs. Liverpool will play 16 matches until the end of the season, Chelsea will play 16 plus some in the FA Cup and we are in this really crazy situation.”Southampton will have 15 days without football before the final (League Cup). In those 15 days we are going to play two matches against Saint-Etienne and the next round of the FA Cup, so the calendar in the best country of world football is nonsense” (Also read: Christmas fixtures great for fans, hard for players: Jose Mourinho)Two months from then and United have won the League Cup and are out of the FA Cup after a 10-men United were beaten by Antonio Conte’s Chelsea – again at the Bridge.advertisementAP PhotoSo, what next?United have a trophy, Mourinho therefore won’t go trophyless but his team has to qualify for the Champions League by all means and he knows that.United just play the league and the Europa League now, where they next host Rostov in the return leg of the last-16. While the top-four is certainly not out of contention, it looks doubtful a bit more each time United play in the league because be it bad luck or just lack of killer instinct – they just can’t take advantage of their opponents failures.They are currently sixth in the table with 49 points from 26 games while Liverpool, who are currently the No.4 side have 55 points from 28 matches. Spurs have 56 from 27, City have 55 from 27 and Arsenal have raked up 50 from 26 games. While, the table clearly gives United a chance to overturn the deficit and maybe finish as high as second but it’s a huge task considering the fact that they play Arsenal, City and Spurs away as well as league leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford.So, the Europa League is one of the options for his men to get back to the Champions League but for that they have to win it and United have often looked rusty here as well. While Mourinho kept complaining about the cluster of fixtures and how it is affecting his players and their fatigue but with only two competitions remaining, that goes out of the window.AP Photo So, is going out of the FA Cup a blessing in disguise for United?Well, it could be if you go by Mourinho’s words but the fact that his team is performing in patches and has been inconsistent can’t be overlooked either. They might have been on long unbeaten runs but their inefficiency without Zlatan Ibrahimovic was again up for display last night. He misses the next two league fixtures Middlesbrough and West Brom and so does Ander Herrera due to his double yellow last night – these two have been their star performers and without them United can again be exposed or frustrated in their next two crucial fixtures in the league.With just 12 games remaining in the league and the Europa League getting closer towards the business end – Mourinho has his work cut out if he wants to take his team to the elitist of competitions and now – he doesn’t have the ‘fixtures’ card to play as well. read more

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has hinted that he will be opening the innings alongside Chris Gayle in absence of injured skipper Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.WATCH: When Virat Kohli shattered IPL records with 973 runs”In the absence of Virat and KL Rahul, there are chances that I would be asked to bat at the top — a position which I enjoy the most and have been doing well, all my career. However, I will be happy to bat at any position,” Watson told reporters at the RCB training session, here on Saturday.Rahul will undergo a shoulder surgery in London, while Kohli has also been advised rest after sustaining a right shoulder injury during a Test match in Ranchi against Australia.Admitting that missing Kohli is a huge setback, Watson is confident that younger players like Sarfaraz Khan and Mandeep Singh would step up and contribute for the team.”It will be challenging for us to miss the services of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul for few games, but the team has players like Sarfaraz Khan, Sachin Baby and Mandeep Singh, who could be good replacements,” he said.Asked what would be his role in terms of leadership in the absence of Kohli, Watson said that it won’t change much from earlier years during which he has been helping the younger bowlers.”Whether Virat is leading the side or not, I have always been helping anyone whenever the need arises. I help out the bowlers, especially,” he said.advertisementWatson said that once Brad Hodge has apologised for his unsavoury comments about Virat Kohli, one should put an end to the matter.”I think in the end, Brad Hodge realised his mistake to have said something like that, especially against someone like Virat, who loves playing at the highest level,” said Watson.Hodge had apologised for his comments that India captain Kohli had pulled out of the series-deciding Dharamsala Test to save himself for the IPL campaign.Kohli had pulled out of the fourth Test due to a shoulder injury and Ajinkya Rahane led India to a eight-wicket win, helping the hosts seal a 2-1 series win.Hodge’s comments were criticized and it appears he feared that his own IPL stint as Gujarat Lions coach could be in jeopardy. read more

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has declared his admiration for Hull City counterpart Marco Silva before the sides clash in the Premier League on Saturday.”I know this manager when he was in Greece (with Olympiakos) and playing Champions League football and I was in Bayern Munich,” Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.”He is doing an outstanding job because it was absolutely at the bottom and he makes some great results.”I like the way they play. I liked the way they played when we were there and now they have players with a lot of talent in the way they want to play. It’s offensive, not just long balls.”They play with a lot of quality.”Guardiola added that City will put all their energy into securing a place in next season’s Champions League by finishing in the top four.”The situation is clear — eight games left and we need to qualify for the top four and that is our target for the end of the season,” he said.”I was expecting from the beginning of the season to fight for the Premier League until the end… we are a little bit disappointed, but I am quite happy with the way we made good things in this season.”City have not lost to Hull at home since 1930 when they were beaten 2-1 in an FA Cup tie. read more

Photo courtesy of BigStockPhoto.David Brooks had an interesting recent New York Times column on the limits of empathy, prompting over 200 very lively comments. Here was the gist of it:“Empathy makes you more aware of other people’s suffering, but it’s not clear it actually motivates you to take moral action or prevents you from taking immoral action… People who actually perform pro-social action don’t only feel for those who are suffering, they feel compelled to act by a sense of duty. Their lives are structured by sacred codes… religious, military, social or philosophic. The code isn’t just a set of rules. It’s a source of identity. It’s pursued with joy. It arouses the strongest emotions and attachments. Empathy is a sideshow.”Here is my take.1. People are empathetic. Their brains are wired for it.2. But Brooks is right – they don’t act upon that innate capacity for generosity just because they are empathetic. I agree they have to be called to act — in a compelling way.3. It’s our job to make that link. We need to align our cause with people’s deeply held emotions and values, so their capacity to care turns into true action.Empathy makes our job easier, but it doesn’t do our work for us. It is a wonderful starting point.As a wise person once told me, don’t tell people to value your cause. Show how your cause relates to their values. Then you have their attention – and inspire their action. read more

Like most executive directors, development directors, or fundraisers in small or emerging nonprofits, you’re working hard to bring in donations to meet your targets and acquire new donors to stay afloat—all while doing basically everything else. You’re like a superhero of the nonprofit world. And like most superheroes, along with the fabulous cape and amazing feats of strength, you also have a dangerous weakness. Superman had kryptonite, fundraisers have donor retention problems.No one wants to lose donors, but for small nonprofits, donor attrition can be deadly and kicks off a downward spiral that can be hard to correct. Unless you have another secret superpower:A solid donor stewardship plan.You could also call it a “happy donor” plan. Creating a clear plan will help you focus your resources wisely. You’ll also think more about what you’ll do for your donors this year — rather than only what you want from them. This simple shift will make you a better fundraiser, and help you reap more from all of the work and resources you put into finding and converting those donors in the first place.Your plan should live alongside your overall annual fundraising plan and include:Clear, simple goals for donor stewardshipWhen, where, and how you’ll acknowledge each type of donorWho’s responsible for making sure each task happensHow you’ll measure and report successJust like with any campaign or fundraising strategy, a plan will help you stay organized and keep your resources (including your time!) focused on the right things. And like most busy superhero fundraisers, you don’t have a minute to spare.If you’re a fundraiser for a small nonprofit and wondering how to balance bringing in new donors, stabilizing revenue, and retaining donors all while managing a to-do list a mile long, help is on the way. Join fundraising expert Sandy Rees, for this week’s webinar Secrets of Success in the Small Shop.   Register now to save your seat.(Can’t make the live session? Be sure to still register and we’ll make sure you get the materials to review on your schedule.) read more

Juventus defender Medhi Benatia has made an €8 million (£7m/$9m) move to Qatari club Al-Duhail after two and a half seasons with the Serie A giants.Benatia, 31, leaves Europe for the first time in his career, with Juve confirming the move on Monday.The fee is expected to be paid in two instalments by October 2019 and may increase a further €2m, the club said in a statement. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! Juventus wished Benatia the best on Twitter, with the defender replying with his regards and hopes he can watch his former club in Madrid when they face Atletico in the Champions League last 16.”Thank you all,” Benatia wrote. “It has been an immense pleasure! I hope to be able to come to Madrid to cheer for you – this Juve deserves it.”Benatia initially arrived at Juve on loan from Bayern Munich in 2016 before the club made the move permanent the following year.The Morocco international won two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia crowns during his time with the club.Grazie a tutti voi 🙏🏽e stato in immenso piacere !spero di potere venire a Madrid a tifare per voi 👌🏽🤲🏽questa juve se lo merita 👌🏽— MBenatia5 (@MedhiBenatia) January 28, 2019Prior to Juve, Benatia had spent the much of his career in Serie A, after beginning his career in France.After leaving Ligue 2 club Clermont in 2010, he signed with Udinese in Italy, spending three seasons with the side.A move to the capital followed, and after a successful season that saw him start 32 games for a Roma side that finished second to Juventus in Serie A, Benatia joined Bayern Munich.He would win two Bundesliga titles and a DFB Pokal in his two seasons with the Bundesliga giants before his return to Italy with Juve.Al-Duhail are six-time top-flight champions in Qatar and sit second through 15 games this season, now strengthening what is already the best defence in the competition. read more

Quick quiz! FF Chartwell is:A) A well-navigated steamshipB) Your best friend’s #FollowFriday suggestion.C) The butler on Downton AbbeySadly for all you sea captains, Twitter-ers, and period piece groupies, the answer is actually **D: An awesome font-based tool to create your own infographics. **Visual learners and Excel-avoiders rejoice: FF Chartwell transforms simple strings of numbers into graphs that are beautiful and easy to read. You can read the logic behind its development, which is a little less simple, or subscribe for the magic. It’s. So. Cool.We’re off to chart the percentage of people in a given day who look at infographics…survey says YES!Image via FontFont. read more

You may not think you like abstract art… but your brain is saying otherwise.Out of all of the types of painting, abstract art may be most likely to inspire mixed opinions (or even snide commentary). But regardless of what you think about drip paintings or cubism, the category-defying work has a unique effect on our brains. It turns out that abstract art can help you think more creatively!Dr. Vered Aviv of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance looked at several studies regarding abstract art in the publication Frontiers of Human Neuroscience. Below are some of her fascinating findings.Abstract paintings make you happyOne 2004 study indicates that in a strict sense, our brains “prefer” representational art, which causes more brain activity associated with reward systems. Yet, another study shows that while representational artworks are classified by observers as “more interesting,” abstract paintings evoke more positive emotions. Perhaps our brains are up to a little abstract challenge?Your brain doesn’t quite know how to categorize itAnother fMRI study demonstrates that different categories of painting — landscape, portrait, and still life — evoke activity at localized and category-specific brain regions. Abstract art doesn’t have its own special category of brain activity, but instead activates responses in parts of the brain that are activated by all types of art. It seems that our brain processes abstract art by understanding that it doesn’t belong in any other category.People tend to dwell on figurative details when looking at representational art. By contrast, abstract art lets the brain ‘scan’ the whole surface of a painting rather than drawing its focus to specific features. While abstract art is less closely linked to our memories, associations, or emotions, it may offer us a reward of a different kind — a slight detachment from reality.Aviv theorizes that abstract art may encourage our brains to explore new associations and emotional paths, possibly even forming new creative links in our brains.Freelancers, are you fans of abstract art? Why or why not?Antonia Blair likes all things related to art, design, and tech. Follow her on Twitter:@AntoniaBlairArt read more

When I arrived at the Austin Convention Center to hear Dennis Crowley (founder of Foursquare) speak about the future of location, I instantly checked into to the event from my Foursquare account. I figured this was fitting for obvious reasons, but I wasn’t expecting to be greeted with a special notification wishing me a happy third birthday on Foursquare at that very moment.It was the perfect segue into Crowley’s talk about how Foursquare is using data to reach users in new ways. As a marketer – and as a personal user who admittedly was once a far more active user – I was interested to hear what Crowley had to say about the future of the application, and what he thought about new competitors that have been popping up in the space (specifically Google).Anil Dash, co-founder of Activate and ThinkUp, began the session by asking Crowley what his response is when people approach him in the airport and ask him what he does. His reply: I tell them that I work on building technology for mobile phones that’s powered by mass relevance, and which helps people to find things near them. I found his answer to be a simple, yet effective way to describe the app that was launched at this very conference back in 2009.The remainder of the session established Crowley’s vision to evolve Foursquare from a gaming platform (i.e. check-ins) to a utility platform. Here are the top three takeaways from the SXSW 2013 keynote:There is more to Foursquare than badges and points. With more than 30 million users, Foursquare is sitting on a stock-pile of valuable user data. Although Foursquare still has its staple social currency – badges and points – Crowley emphasized that today’s platform is more focused on maps and recommendations than it is on the gaming aspect.In fact, Crowley’s vision to make social discoverability of real-life locations easier was birthed from the fact that he used to rip out magazine articles (like ads for lobster rolls) and bring them out to restaurants. He thought there must be a way to mimic and even amplify this behavior via technology. We can all relate to seeing something that piques our interest, but forgetting to write it down and then kicking ourselves later on for forgetting it. Foursquare provides such digital reminders – and taking it a step further, can introduce you to places you may not have otherwise discovered.Foursquare is here to stay. Foursquare’s API powers some of the hottest applications around: Flickr, Instagram, Path and Vine to name a few. With over 40K developers building on top of its API, the platform is not going anywhere anytime soon. Although Crowley did end up citing both Google and Facebook as big competitors, he noted that the “air is thin up there,” and that it’s not easy for many of these companies to play in the space.Check-ins can help inform the masses. As an application that prides itself in serving its users the best of what’s nearby, check-ins can both inform mass groups of people as well as provide valuable information to business owners. Features like Specials and Deals are great for promoting loyalty among current consumers clearly interested (and visiting) a business – but Foursquare’s data can also connect merchants to new consumers through its recommendation engine.“People ask: ‘How interesting can a check-in be?’ Individually, [it’s not]. As an aggregate, they are,” stated Crowley. He then proceeded to show an interactive map of New York check-ins during Hurricane Sandy, which really brought home just how much data this platform is able to aggregate.Are you using Foursquare as a social discovery guide? Let us know in the comments below or send me a note via Twitter (@meganconley_).Cover photo via Adweek read more

We are thrilled to announce that Digiday has awarded 360i with top agency honors in this year’s Digiday Awards competition, which recognizes excellence and breakthrough achievement in digital media, marketing and advertising. 360i was the only agency to win across multiple categories.In the ‘Judge’s Pick’ portion of the competition, Digiday’s editorial team named us the ‘Most Innovative Agency’ of 2013. We attribute this recognition to our culture of curiosity, passionate and persevering team members and amazing clients who are willing and eager to stretch the boundaries of marketing in the digital age.The Oreo Blackout Tweet”  tied for Best Creative and “The Great American Bacon Barter,” a 360i-led campaign on behalf of Oscar Mayer, took first in the Best Branding Campaign (B-to-C) category.Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and winners of the Digiday Awards! read more

We’re excited to announce the formal call for applicants for the 360iU Trainee Program, an initiative designed to help young marketers mature into the agency leaders of tomorrow. Interested candidates can apply now through Feb. 12.An extension of the agency’s dedicated educational arm, 360iU, the six-month program was created to guide passionate graduates as they pursue a career in Ad Land. The segue from academia to the professional world can be challenging for post-grads, as they acquire new skill sets to help them succeed outside of the classroom.As part of the 360iU Trainee program, college graduates interested in Account, Creative and Media will receive full-time on-the-job experience and ongoing learning opportunities – all with full pay and benefits. And the select group of trainees will be given the opportunity to rotate between subject matter teams to gain cross-agency experience.Recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing can apply to the program, which offers the following perks:Exposure to a 360iU curriculum that includes high-level courses such as Presentation Skills, Ideation, Storytelling and Emotional Intelligence, as well as specialized trainings in Media Planning & Optimization, Creative Ideation, Brand Journalism and Client ServiceThe opportunity to participate on and support client teams, and gain real life agency experienceCompetitive pay with benefitsFollowing the half-year 360iU Trainee Program, qualified candidates will graduate into full-time roles at the agency.College graduates interested in participating in the 360iU Trainee program should apply by Feb. 12. The session will officially begin in late February. For those graduating in May, a second session will begin in June (with details to follow later this spring). Please do not apply unless you have already graduated.How to apply:Apply via our website, selecting your preferred practice area: Account, Creative or Media.In your cover letter, provide three bullets that summarize why you want to participate in the program. Note: Account/Media applicants send their resumes through the same link. Please indicate your area of preference in your CL.Please also attach or link to a current resume or portfolio. read more

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of 360i’s Digital Nervous System (DNSTM), a proprietary technology platform engineered to drive search marketing performance.Devised and built over several months by our agency’s Product Development team, the tool monitors the health of paid search marketing campaigns and reverse-engineers Google’s Quality Score to automatically make recommendations that increase performance and reduce search advertising costs. The objective is simple: drive better search performance by providing real-time, data-driven recommendations.We created DNS to address a universal challenge inherent in today’s search landscape, which is that marketers have an incomplete understanding of Quality Score (the mechanism used by Google to rank the relevancy of a search campaign). Similar in vagueness to that of an individual’s personal credit score, with Quality Score marketers are offered little information about the right timing, ratios or cause and effect of their efforts. Despite spending billions of dollars in the Google auction each year, unlocking the secrets to a higher Quality Score has proven difficult for brands since they have little information about the right timing, ratios or cause and effect that produce the best results.Through a combination of performance dashboards and optimization tools, DNS helps marketers make adjustments – e.g. more tailored copy or more tightly themed ad groups – that give search campaigns significant lift. Specifically, the platform runs data through proprietary algorithms that are tailored to a brand’s specific goals and calculates a health score based on metrics such as click-through rate, landing page relevance, creative messaging and keyword optimization.Complementing existing talent and technologies, DNS provides an added technological layer that can evaluate a brand’s overall search health score and performance in real-time. The data identifies why Quality Score or ROI changes have occurred – and, more importantly, provides actionable direction for marketers when it comes to how to adjust the campaign for better performance.While DNS initially focuses on search marketing programs, the technology is designed for further adoption that will enable 360i to evaluate a brand’s performance across paid and earned media channels by utilizing accurate and timely data. DNS represents the latest in a series of innovations by our internal Product Development team, which is tasked with creating custom-built technologies (such as the 360iRMSTM influencer marketing tool) to drive efficiency across our teams and given brands a competitive edge.Read more about DNS in MediaPost. read more

Today, 360i has been named a Leader in Forrester Research, Inc.’s report: The Forrester Wave™: Lead Agencies, Q4 2016. 360i received the highest scores of any agency in the evaluation in the Strategy category – comprised of Corporate Vision and Corporate Culture – as well as the highest scores  in Campaign and Experience Development and Client Partnership criteria. According to Forrester, “360i sets the new pace for lead agencies with its ability to both deliver digitally-led strategies and help clients adapt internally to fully realize those strategies….” Forrester’s report stated: “Marketers long turned to their traditional advertising shops for lead agency services, but times they are a changin’. Dissatisfied with non-integrated, advertising-focused approaches, brands are pursuing non-traditional partners to serve as lead agency.”The report assessed the state of the lead agency market and how agencies in the industry stacked up against one another in terms of Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence. To make their determination Forrester examined past research, client need assessments and conducted agency and expert interviews.In the course of Forrester’s research, ten of 360i’s clients were interviewed. As part of their feedback, clients cited the agency’s “ability to hone in on undiscovered consumer truths, data-fueled consumer journeys, and subsequent campaign strategies, which leverage emerging technology.”In a statement earlier today, 360i CEO Sarah Hofstetter said, “We’re particularly honored by the powerful testimonials from our clients that demonstrate we’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk as a Lead Agency. Today’s ever-evolving marketing landscape doesn’t require separate digital and lead agencies – it requires an agency that can lead today and adapt for tomorrow. We look forward to helping clients continue to successfully navigate, succeed and plan for the future.”This recognition for the agency comes on the heels of media agency Vizeum strategically aligning with 360i in the United States, bringing its 150 employees into the fold for a combined force of nearly 1,000 and opening up opportunities for 360i to become an even more formidable contender in the integrated marketing and media AOR landscape.For more information or to view the report, please contact press@360i.com. read more