Newsroom

Nulo, the premium pet food brand dedicated to fueling healthier, happier lives for pets and the people who love them, today unveiled the release of a new 30-second television spot titled “Journey to Glory,” part of the second iteration of its award-winning* “Fuel Incredible” campaign. 

Developed in partnership with Nulo’s in-house creative team and directed by Kelly Lipscomb of Widespread Creative, the spot highlights a roster of Team USA athletes — Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Alex Ferreira, Brenna Huckaby, Maddie Mastro, Kristen Santos-Griswold and Jordan Stolz — preparing for competition in Milan-Cortina, accompanied by their beloved pets. The creative will begin airing nationally on NBC on January 7, with additional placements across NBC and Peacock appearing throughout this year’s Winter Games. 

“Fuel Incredible has always been about celebrating the emotional bond between athletes and their pets, highlighting the unconditional support and companionship pets provide through every challenge and triumph,” said Michael Landa, Nulo founder and CEO. “With ‘Journey to Glory,’ we’re proud to extend that story into this next chapter of inspiration, showing how athletes prepare to compete on the world stage with the help of invaluable mental and emotional support they receive from their four-legged family members.”

Building on the campaign’s successful launch tied to the 2024 Paris Games, “Fuel Incredible” continues Nulo’s mission to showcase the meaningful role pets play in the lives of elite athletes. The heartfelt new spot reinforces how pet companionship supports performance, resilience and wellbeing beyond the arenas of training and competition.

The new creative captures moments of daily life and preparation with U.S. athlete ambassadors and their pets, emphasizing the connection between physical performance and emotional support. The “Fuel Incredible” campaign spans broadcast, digital and social channels to reach sports fans and pet parents alike.

For more on Nulo athletes and their pets, visit nulo.com/be-inspired or follow their journeys to Milan-Cortina on Instagram.

* Winning award submissions from Nulo’s Fuel Incredible campaign include: 2025 Digiday Streaming & Video Award Best Ad “Every Dream They Hold”; 2025 Cynopsis Sports Media Awards, Marketing Campaign category; Muse Creative Awards Platinum Winner — Video-Sports, Video-Pets & Advertising-Advertising Campaign; 2024 MarCom Awards Platinum Winner in Strategic Communications, Advertising/Marketing & Video/Audio categories.

About Nulo

Nulo is on a mission to fuel the inner athlete in every pet. With a wide range of ultra-premium food formats available in more than 6,500 pet specialty retailers nationwide, Nulo ensures pets enjoy the best in digestive and immune health, skin and coat care, mobility, and weight management. Recognized as one of Forbes Magazine's "Most Innovative Brands at Retail," Nulo's offerings are rich in animal-based proteins and low in carbs, crafted to keep pets thriving alongside their human companions. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Austin, TX, Nulo continues to inspire pet parents and athletes alike. For more information, visit www.nulo.com.

Media Contact

Taylor Strategy
nulo@taylorstrategy.com

Truemed, the leading platform enabling qualified health purchases with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), today announced a strategic partnership with ThrivePass, the leading platform for lifestyle benefits, rewards and recognition, COBRA and tax-advantaged accounts.

This collaboration builds on Truemed's mission to make true medicine more accessible and affordable, while leveraging ThrivePass's strength as the fastest growing TPA for LSA, Rewards, COBRA and Tax-advantaged benefit accounts. The result: employees gain greater choice and affordability, and employers strengthen engagement with a benefits experience that goes beyond traditional healthcare.

Key Advantages of the Partnership:

• Streamlined Access: Qualified customers who receive a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from a licensed practitioner may be able to use HSA/FSA dollars for interventions such as wearable devices, nutrition counseling, stress-management programs, and other health interventions available through Truemed.
• Seamless Shopping: ThrivePass's platform will integrate with Truemed to provide a streamlined process to obtain an LMN through Truemed's network of independent licensed healthcare providers. Truemed's clinical rigor and integrated documentation standards help employees and employers comply with IRS guidelines while reducing their administrative burden.
• Comprehensive Benefits Experience: Employers can offer a single, unified platform that combines lifestyle benefits with tax-advantaged healthcare, creating a differentiated employee experience.
• Future-Ready Flexibility: The partnership positions both organizations to adapt to evolving employee expectations, while reinforcing a commitment to proactive health and well-being.

"This partnership with ThrivePass represents a step forward in making root-cause healthcare accessible and affordable to more employees," said Justin Mares, CEO of Truemed. "By combining our compliance-driven LMN process with ThrivePass's diverse benefits marketplace, we're empowering employers to deliver meaningful benefits in a way that is both flexible and future-ready."

"At ThrivePass, our mission is to make benefits personal," said Ryan Tacke, CEO of ThrivePass "Partnering with Truemed allows eligible employees to use pre-tax dollars for more of their healthcare needs. This partnership extends our commitment to giving employees the ability to invest in their health goals with the same ease and choice they enjoy across our platform."

Learn more at www.truemed.com/a/thrivepass.

Truemed is for qualified customers. See terms at www.truemed.com/disclosures.

About Truemed

Truemed partners with consumer health brands to accept HSA/FSA payments for root-cause healthcare expenses. By streamlining medical qualification and compliance, Truemed enables individuals to invest in medically necessary products and services using pre-tax dollars.

About ThrivePass

ThrivePass is a holistic benefits platform that empowers employees to choose from a wide range of experiences and services—from professional development to fitness, wellness, and beyond. ThrivePass helps employers deliver flexible, personalized benefits that drive engagement and satisfaction.

Media Contact

Tom Dahl
Head of Enterprise Partnerships
tom@truemed.com

American Packaging Corporation (APC) is showcasing its RE™ Design for Recycle High Barrier Paper pouch, a sustainable solution engineered for brands looking to boost shelf impact while reducing environmental footprint. The new pouch is ideal for single‑serve seasoning packets as well as larger format dry‑mix products, offering a combination of protective performance, recyclability, and standout graphics.

Designed for Recyclability and Product Protection

• PVDC‑free construction
• Grease and aroma resistance for flavor integrity
• High MVTR and OTR barriers to protect freshness and extend shelf life
• Eco‑friendly design contributing to reduced environmental impact
• High‑definition print capability for vivid, eye‑catching graphics on shelf

The pouch is suitable for a wide range of dry products—including seasonings, coffee, baking mixes, drink enhancers, cookies, and cereal bars—making it a versatile solution for brands prioritizing sustainability.

Learn More

To explore customization options or request product samples, visit www.americanpackaging.com.

About American Packaging Corporation

Founded in 1902, American Packaging Corporation is a recognized leader in the flexible packaging industry. Family-owned, APC distinguishes itself by investing in state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities, delivering packaging innovation, promoting sustainable products and practices, and focusing customer delight. Today, APC operates six Centers of Excellence in the United States and employs approximately 1,300 talented, motivated professionals. For more information, please visit americanpackaging.com.

Media Contact

Teri Meadow
American Packaging Corporation
TMeadow@AmericanPackaging.com

Talon Air, a leading Long Island-based jet charter and aircraft fleet management company, has been acquired in a private transaction that closed on January 2, 2026.

The new ownership group is led by current CEO James Chitty, Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Piazza and an investment group specializing in aviation. Talon Air has been an affiliate of Vista, who became a shareholder as part of its acquisition of Apollo Jets in 2021. James Chitty, who continued to run the business through a period of significant growth under the global group, will now run Talon as a fully independent business.

The vision is to focus on new partnership opportunities with private jet brokers and suppliers to the industry while providing continuity for its employees, aircraft owners and charter customers. "This is an exciting new chapter for our airplane owners as well as our dedicated team of employees, who provide the highest level of customer support and service," said Chitty.

"By aligning ownership with leadership, Talon Air will continue to build upon the rapid growth in managed aircraft and charter hours achieved in 2025, by investing in new growth opportunities," Chitty added. In 2025, Talon Air added 12 aircraft to its management operations, in the fourth quarter, including 9 in December.

About Talon Air

Talon Air, based out of Republic Airport in Farmingdale, NY, is among the top 15 charter operators in the United States, managing a fleet of approximately 40 midsized, super-midsized and heavy jets including Gulfstream IVSP, Gulfstream 450, Gulfstream V, Global 5000 and 6000. With the highest independent industry-recognized safety ratings (ARG/US Platinum Elite, Wyvern Wingman, and IS-BAO III Certification), the company maintains an FAA approved repair and maintenance station. Talon Air also offers jet charter services and the sale or acquisition of jets. For more information, visit www.talonairjets.com.

Media Contact

Katherine Heaviside
Epoch 5
kheaviside@epoch5.com
+1 631-427-1713

Mark L. Smith
Epoch 5
msmith@epoch5.com
+1 631-356-7097

Engine Data Science, LLC, a leading data and analytics platform purpose-built for the retail and CPG ecosystem, today announced the hiring of Chris Oswald as Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Chris will lead Engine's global technology strategy, platform innovation, and engineering organization as the company continues to expand its enterprise offerings.

Chris brings deep experience designing and operating enterprise-grade data platforms in highly complex environments where scale, reliability, and precision are critical. His leadership will support Engine's continued investment in building a dependable, high-performance platform that enables CPG teams to execute more effectively at retail.

Chris brings deep experience designing and operating enterprise-grade data platforms in highly complex environments where scale, reliability, and precision are critical. His leadership will support Engine's continued investment in building a dependable, high-performance platform that enables CPG teams to execute more effectively at retail.

"I believe Engine's offerings to the CPG industry are truly class-leading," said Chris. "I'm proud to join the Engine team and help evolve the platform, advance innovation, and leverage next-generation capabilities, including AI, across our product offerings to better connect data to business outcomes for our customers."

Most recently, Chris served as Vice President of Software Engineering at J.B. Hunt, where he led large engineering teams and oversaw highly scalable systems supporting one of the world's most complex logistics networks. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Software Engineering at Atlas Technology Group, where Nick and Chris previously worked together, partnering with Fortune 500 customers to deliver modern, data-driven solutions.

Chris's addition strengthens Engine's technology foundation and reinforces the company's commitment and continued investment in a trusted, market-leading analytics solution for retail and CPG organizations.

About Engine Data Science

Engine Data Science, LLC is a data-technology and analytics company focused on helping CPG brands and retail partners turn complex data into actionable insights. Purpose-built for the realities of retail execution, Engine's platform integrates retailer, syndicated, and proprietary data to enable faster, more confident decision-making across the organization. For more information, visit www.engine.net.

Media Contact

Pat Lockridge
COO, Engine Data Science
pat.lockridge@engine.net
+1 479-418-6595

Memphis Tours, a UK-based tour operator specializing in destination-focused travel experiences, today announced an expansion of its Egypt travel portfolio as international demand for structured cultural tourism continues to increase.

The move aligns with broader travel industry trends showing renewed interest in long-haul destinations offering historical depth, guided experiences, and professionally managed itineraries. Egypt has emerged as a key beneficiary of this shift, supported by infrastructure investments and enhanced accessibility to major heritage sites.

Expanded Egypt Trip Packages Address Evolving Traveler Preferences

In response to these developments, Memphis Tours has introduced a wider range of Egypt Trip Packages aimed at travelers seeking comprehensive, insight-driven journeys. The expanded portfolio includes itineraries designed for first-time visitors, returning travelers, and small private groups, with options spanning short cultural tours to extended multi-city programs.

The company stated that the updated packages emphasize itinerary balance, combining major archaeological destinations with organized travel logistics and licensed professional guides.

Focus on Guided Access to Key Archaeological Sites

According to Memphis Tours, the enhanced itineraries provide structured access to Egypt’s most visited landmarks, including the Pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Karnak and Luxor temple complexes, and the Valley of the Kings. Several programs also incorporate Nile cruise segments between Luxor and Aswan, offering guided exploration along historic river routes.

“Travelers increasingly value context and organization when visiting heritage-rich destinations,” a company spokesperson said. “Our Egypt programs are designed to deliver historical insight alongside reliable travel coordination.” 

Portfolio Includes Flexible and Multi-Segment Travel Options

Beyond core sightseeing programs, the expanded offerings include optional extensions such as Red Sea resort stays, domestic air travel between cities, and customizable scheduling for private tour arrangements. Memphis Tours noted that this flexibility allows travelers to tailor experiences based on time, comfort, and personal interests.

The company also highlighted its emphasis on end-to-end travel coordination, covering accommodations, ground transportation, and on-site support to reduce complexity for international visitors.

Availability and Booking Information

The newly expanded Egypt Trip Packages are now available through the company’s official website. Travelers and travel professionals can access detailed itineraries, seasonal availability, and booking information at www.memphistours.co.uk/egypt.

About Memphis Tours

Memphis Tours is a travel company specializing in guided and customized tour programs across Egypt and select international destinations. The company focuses on culturally focused travel planning, combining local expertise with structured itineraries designed for global travelers. For more information, visit www.memphistours.co.uk.

Media Contact

Ahmed Saleh
english.uk.mega@memphistours.com

Enterprise automation provider Flowable has released version 2025.2 of its business orchestration platform, aiming to help organizations deploy AI-driven automation at scale while maintaining regulatory control, transparency, and operational stability.

As AI integrations spread across enterprise workflows, organizations face mounting pressure to balance speed with governance. Fragmented tools, disconnected agents, and unclear dependencies create compliance gaps and delay effective digital modernisation. Flowable 2025.2 responds to these pressures by strengthening enterprise AI governance across the full automation lifecycle, from design and deployment through runtime execution and audit.

Enterprise Context and Governance Challenges

Flowable describes this challenge as a "complexity vortex," driven by fragmented systems, risky automation, and brittle processes that slow change. While AI can accelerate individual tasks, it introduces risk when decisions occur outside standardized processes. As a result, policy updates are delayed, audit findings take longer to resolve, and teams hesitate to modify systems that appear stable but carry hidden dependencies.

These constraints limit innovation and keep AI initiatives confined to pilots rather than production use. Governance gaps often appear at handoffs between teams, across shared services, and during audits. Unclear ownership, control, and visibility of AI, rules, and automated decisions makes accountability difficult, especially when AI agents act across multiple systems.

Release 2025.2 addresses these challenges by strengthening regulated workflow automation through orchestration, governance, and visibility. This approach reduces operational uncertainty and allows enterprises to adapt processes and policies while maintaining compliance.

Multi-agent Orchestration and Architectural Flexibility

Flowable 2025.2 strengthens support for multi-agent orchestration through compatibility with the A2A specification. This enables enterprises to coordinate AI agents from different vendors and frameworks under a single governed layer, without rebuilding their architecture as AI ecosystems evolve.

This approach mitigates vendor lock-in and improves interoperability across AI frameworks. Organizations can add, replace, or scale AI capabilities incrementally while maintaining consistent governance, security, and compliance controls. Agents from multiple ecosystems can collaborate while remaining accountable within enterprise processes.

AI-Assisted Design and Safer Change Management

A central focus of Flowable 2025.2 is improving how organizations manage change in complex automation environments. The release expands AI-assisted capabilities across automation process, case, decision, form, service, and agent models, supporting a low-code AI design approach. Integrated AI assistance helps teams identify model dependencies before changes are made, reducing the risk of unintended downstream effects.

This approach supports safer modernization by helping automation teams address compliance requirements and business changes without extended testing cycles or late-stage release delays.

For regulated teams, this design-time clarity helps reduce dependency on a small number of senior specialists. It allows broader groups of developers and process owners to participate in change with greater confidence.

Impact Analysis Before Deployment

The release also introduces enhanced AI impact analysis capabilities that allow teams to assess potential consequences before changes reach production. Flowable pinpoints where rules, variables, and services intersect across workflows, giving teams early visibility into what could fail before changes are made. Teams can query where a variable appears or what breaks if a rule changes.

These insights support explainable decisions before updates reach production. Improved visibility leads to more predictable releases and reduces the likelihood of risky changes late in the development cycle. For regulated organizations, the ability to evaluate impact upfront plays a critical role in maintaining audit readiness while accelerating delivery.

Visibility, Compliance, and Human Oversight

Governance and transparency remain key priorities in Flowable 2025.2. The release improves visibility into AI behavior through timelines of agent requests, responses, and tool usage. Cost transparency improves through token usage and invocation tracking, while audit trails document how AI-driven decisions align with organizational policies.

This visibility supports internal audits, regulatory reviews, and post-incident analysis with a consistent record of automated decision-making. Teams gain clearer insight into AI behavior across agents, tools, and workflows without relying on manual reconstruction after issues arise.

The platform also reinforces human-in-the-loop AI patterns. New features allow frontline teams to request AI assistance during workflows while keeping control over final decisions. Caseworkers, underwriters, and service teams can request summaries or recommendations while retaining control of final decisions and maintaining full auditability.

"When working with long documents such as medical reports or legal filings, teams often lose valuable time," said Flowable CTO Micha Kiener. "Flowable 2025.2 helps surface relevant information directly within workflows, while ensuring that human judgment and auditability remain central to every decision."

Flowable 2025.2 improves operational stability by separating AI tasks from core transaction processing. This reduces the risk that long-running AI calls delay databases or affect system performance, helping organizations scale automation without compromising oversight in mission-critical environments.

Platform Foundations Supporting Governed Automation and Velocity

Beyond AI-specific enhancements, Flowable 2025.2 strengthens its platform foundations to support sustained enterprise adoption. Improvements include broader model validation across design environments, expanded legacy IT system integration options through Apache Camel, enhanced CI and CD workflows, and extended service-level agreement modeling.

These updates reduce operational surprises by ensuring new automation capabilities work with existing systems, governance standards, and performance goals. They connect automation performance directly to business outcomes, including full-cycle timing and service quality. This supports what Flowable describes as governed automation with velocity, the ability to innovate quickly while maintaining operational control.

More information about Flowable 2025.2 can be found on Flowable's website.

About Flowable

Flowable provides an enterprise control panel for agentic automation, that ensures centralized governance, agility, and control to un-silo processes and automate work that is connected across systems, departments, and tools. The company supports enterprises worldwide with solutions for workflow orchestration, decision automation, and governed AI-driven process optimization. For more information, visit www.flowable.com.

Media Contact

Ben Zimdahl
Marketing Content Manager, Flowable
marketing@flowable.com
+41 31 329 09 00

AGM Global Vision has announced the launch of the Rattler V3 thermal riflescope family, marking the latest update to one of the company’s most widely adopted thermal optic platforms. The new lineup builds on the Rattler series’ existing reputation for durability and field performance while introducing several technical upgrades aimed at improving image quality, ranging capability, and overall usability.

The Rattler V3 launch expands AGM’s compact thermal offering and reflects broader trends in the thermal optics market, where demand continues to grow for lighter, more capable systems that integrate advanced ranging and ballistic tools without increasing size or complexity.

Expanded Rattler V3 Lineup

The Rattler V3 family consists of four models, each tailored to different use cases and performance requirements:

• Rattler V3 LRF 35-384
• Rattler V3 LRF 35-640
• Rattler V3 25-384
• Rattler V3 50-640 (introduced earlier in January 2025)

With the exception of the 25-384 model, all variants in the series incorporate an integrated laser rangefinder (LRF), a feature that has become increasingly sought after by hunters and precision shooters operating at extended distances or in low-visibility environments.

Integrated Rangefinding and Ballistic Capabilities

Both the Rattler V3 LRF 35-384 and LRF 35-640 models feature a built-in laser rangefinder rated to 1,000 meters. The rangefinder is paired with an onboard ballistic calculator designed to assist users in making real-time firing solutions without relying on external devices.

Compact Option Without LRF Integration

For users who do not require integrated rangefinding, and/or are on a bit of a budget, the Rattler V3 25-384 offers the same core imaging upgrades found across the V3 platform in a lighter and more compact configuration. By omitting the LRF module, this model prioritizes simplicity and reduced weight while maintaining the same processing improvements and rugged construction standards as the rest of the series.

This approach allows the Rattler V3 family to serve a wider range of users, from those seeking a fully integrated precision tool to those prioritizing minimal footprint and streamlined operation.

Imaging and Sensor Improvements

Across the entire Rattler V3 lineup, AGM has implemented several key imaging enhancements. All models feature sub-15mK thermal sensitivity, allowing the sensor to detect finer temperature differences and produce more detailed imagery in challenging conditions such as high humidity or low thermal contrast.

AGM recently provided a firmware update which includes the Image Boost 2.0 (an AI-enhanced imaging algorithm) with more firmware and algorithm updates in the works, delivering improved clarity, contrast, and target definition compared to previous generations. These improvements are intended to reduce image noise and enhance positive identification capabilities.

System Features and Construction

In addition to imaging upgrades, all Rattler V3 models include onboard video and audio recording, Wi-Fi connectivity, and support for AGM’s mobile app. Battery life is rated at up to seven hours on just one battery (two of them come included), depending on configuration and usage, and each optic is housed in a compact, weather-resistant chassis designed for field use in varied environments.

The RattlerV3 series was developed with direct input from our audience. AGM understands the importance of incorporating feedback from hunters and professionals who rely on their products in all conditions and applications.

Availability

The Rattler V3 thermal riflescope family is currently available through AGM Global Vision’s authorized dealer network worldwide. Additional product information, specifications, and demonstration content can be found through AGM’s official website and video platforms.

About AGM Global Vision

Founded in 2019 by experienced industry veterans, AGM Global Vision set out with a goal of being the No. 1 combined thermal, night vision and digital optics manufacturer in the country. Now available in over 100 countries worldwide, AGM now finds itself a global player in numerous product categories, including weapons-mounted thermal imaging, thermal handhelds, hybrid thermal/digital systems, traditional night vision goggles, digital day/night solutions, clip-on systems and various related accessories. For more information, visit www.agmglobalvision.com.

Media Contact

AGM Global Vision
contact@agm-support.com
+1 928-333-4300

South Florida’s Jewish community gathered this past Sunday morning for a powerful and deeply moving program honoring Holocaust memory, Jewish resilience, and the ongoing responsibility to confront rising antisemitism. The event featured Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. His visit underscored the importance of precise language, historical truth, and moral responsibility in confronting hatred directed at Jews.

The program was attended by civic and communal leaders, including Seth Salver, Mayor of Bal Harbour, reflecting the broad community commitment to Holocaust remembrance, education, and Jewish continuity. A central focus of the morning was Yad Vashem’s historic achievement of recovering and documenting the names of more than five million of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. This initiative reflects Yad Vashem’s mission to restore identity, dignity, and humanity to each victim, ensuring they are remembered as individuals rather than statistics.

“Recovering five million names is not a statistic, it is five million individual lives reclaimed from oblivion. Each name represents a world, a family, a story that matters forever,” said Dayan. The program emphasized that Holocaust remembrance is not solely about the past, but about strengthening Jewish identity and responsibility in the present and future. “This visit is about honoring survivors and victims, but it’s also about strengthening the bond between Yad Vashem and American Jews who feel a deep responsibility to remember, educate, and stand proudly as Jews,” said Tamar Major, national director of Philanthropy for the Yad Vashem USA Foundation. “At a time of rising antisemitism, Holocaust memory is not optional it is essential.”

The program was graciously hosted by Rabbi Yechiel Koskas, whose leadership and hospitality helped create a meaningful and dignified setting for the community gathering. The event was generously sponsored by Sam Shamie and Nancy Shamie. During the program, Sam Shamie announced a $100,000 pledge to Yad Vashem, made in memory of his sister, in support of Holocaust remembrance, education, and historical preservation.

Two Holocaust survivors were present and addressed the audience, offering personal reflections that reinforced the urgency of remembrance and the importance of ensuring that the lessons of history are never forgotten. The program also featured remarks from Robert Garson and Tila Falic Levi, members of a U.S. presidentially appointed Holocaust remembrance advisory committee, who spoke about the global responsibility to preserve historical truth and confront rising hatred against Jews worldwide. The morning concluded with a message of unity and resolve, reaffirming that Jewish memory is sustained most powerfully through community, education, leadership, and action.

Media Contact

Warren Cohn
Founder and CEO, RocketshipPR
warren@rocketshippr.com

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are distinguished by vast persistent worlds where thousands of players co-exist, each developing a character over extended periods. Unlike single-player or short-term multiplayer games, MMORPGs focus on long-term character progression and social interaction. Players accumulate experience, gear, and skills over weeks or years, forming lasting relationships through guilds, alliances, or teams. The persistent game environment, which evolves even when a player is offline, alongside features like leveling, quests, and cooperative play, defines the genre. This model has maintained interest in MMORPGs for decades. World of Warcraft (WoW), launched in 2004, remains one of the most widely played and influential titles, illustrating the enduring appeal of long-term online role-playing experiences.

Progression in MMORPGs can be substantial, leading some players to seek shortcuts. Blizzard, the developer of WoW, offers in-game level boost items to accelerate advancement, while third-party services, commonly referred to by players as WoW boost allow paying others to expedite leveling. In 2022, Blizzard took action against unauthorized boosting services because paying for assistance had become widespread. Such dynamics exemplify a core MMO characteristic: the drive to enhance one’s character and reach endgame goals often motivates players to pay for external help. Nevertheless, the fundamentals of the genre remain rooted in immersive worlds and social engagement. From EverQuest to modern MMOs such as Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) and Black Desert Online (BDO), long-term engagement strategies and community-driven virtual economies are central to sustaining player interest.

Key Elements of the MMO Genre

A defining feature of successful MMORPGs is a robust progression system. Players typically start at low levels and gradually improve abilities and equipment through quests, combat, and exploration. Early content provides structured guidance, while endgame objectives, including higher level caps, rare loot, and challenging encounters, engage experienced players. Games like FFXIV and The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) exemplify this balance, offering detailed quest lines, gear upgrades, and scalable challenges. Research on online games shows that persistent worlds, level progression, and character customization form core elements across nearly all MMOs. Incremental rewards for new abilities or items reinforce a sense of accomplishment and encourage continued play.

Social interaction is another hallmark of the genre. Formal group systems such as guilds, clans, or alliances, alongside matchmaking tools, facilitate cooperative play in dungeons, raids, and PvP events. In WoW, guilds often form around shared goals like raiding, player-versus-player combat, or socializing, fostering stronger player commitment. Multi-year studies demonstrate that players with greater guild responsibilities log more time in-game and are less likely to leave the game. Additional social features, including chat channels, friend lists, in-game events, and cross-server or cross-platform play, broaden engagement opportunities. The sense of belonging to a group creates informal “stickiness,” as players invest in relationships as well as character development. Social networks are critical for retention, and academic analyses have linked robust guild participation to lower quit rates.

Virtual economies in MMORPGs engage players for extended periods. Most titles implement auction houses or trading systems where gear, crafting materials, and currency circulate. These markets often follow real-world economic principles such as supply and demand. Blizzard’s economy, for example, has supported active trade in rare items and in-game gold for years. Some players, often called “gold farmers,” even earn real-world income by trading virtual currency, demonstrating the intersection of digital and actual economies. Developers must carefully balance these systems to prevent resource monopolization and address unauthorized markets, bots, and real-money trading violations.

Endgame content — activities for max-level characters — is crucial for player retention. After initial leveling, players pursue high-difficulty challenges, including large-scale raids, high-tier dungeons, player-versus-player competitions, or special events. WoW pioneered large-scale 40-player raid encounters, setting a template followed by many successors. Other MMOs have developed their own formats: FFXIV offers intricate 24-player trials and raids; ESO provides group dungeons and alliance war PvP; Guild Wars 2 features dynamic meta-events and world bosses; BDO incorporates open-world boss fights and large-scale guild PvP. Seasonal or expansion-driven content updates further sustain engagement by raising level caps, introducing fresh gear, and providing new challenges, such as WoW’s rotating Mythic+ dungeons with seasonal affixes.

World of Warcraft as a Benchmark for MMORPGs

By both design and impact, WoW has become the reference point in the MMORPG genre. Its early and sustained popularity redefined expectations for scale, revenue, and gameplay accessibility. Within its first decade, WoW reached multiple milestones that guided industry standards, at times reporting over 10 million subscribers concurrently. The subscription model, supported by regular expansion packs, proved highly lucrative, with peak revenue reaching approximately $1 billion annually. WoW’s polished graphics, intuitive interface, and accessible mechanics attracted mainstream audiences, making it “the first MMO to achieve mainstream success and remain rooted there,” effectively embedding online role-playing into popular culture.

WoW’s influence is evident in many successors. Its “holy trinity” of roles — tank, healer, damage dealer — and intuitive targeting-combat system became templates adopted across the genre. Guild mechanics and group coordination features established standards for social interaction, while the practice of scheduled content releases inspired expansion and patch strategies in other games. Elder Scrolls Online, Guild Wars 2, and Lineage titles explicitly referenced WoW when planning expansions and live-service strategies. Even beyond MMORPGs, WoW influenced cooperative gameplay and matchmaking in non-MMO titles such as Destiny 2.

Regionally, WoW’s success has been strongest in North America and Europe, consistently appearing in the upper tiers of Western MMO revenues. In Asia, its presence has fluctuated; while it experienced significant popularity in China, licensing issues led to server shutdowns in 2023, with relaunch plans announced for 2024. Meanwhile, other Asian MMOs dominate the regional market: FFXIV became Japan’s largest MMO, and BDO, developed in Korea, amassed a global audience of approximately 55 million players and generated over €2 billion in revenue by 2024. WoW’s Western dominance and its influence on global design illustrate its role as a benchmark while highlighting regional diversity in player preferences.

Character Development Systems in World of Warcraft

WoW offers multi-faceted character progression. Players begin at level 1 and advance to a cap, which has historically increased with each expansion (Dragonflight currently sets the cap at 70). Experience points are earned through questing, combat, and exploration. Level scaling ensures new or returning players can experience older content at relevant difficulty levels. Time-saving mechanisms, such as double-XP events and instant-level items, cater to players who prefer accelerated progression.

Class specialization and talent systems provide gameplay depth. Each class chooses a role, such as Tank, Healer, or Damage Dealer, and talents allow customization of playstyle. Over WoW’s history, talent trees have been streamlined into defined rows, with Dragonflight offering six rows per specialization and additional covenant or artifact abilities. Players frequently respec talents for new content, encouraging experimentation and sustained engagement.

Equipment progression drives endgame motivation. Gear quality, measured by item level, improves through dungeons, raids, PvP, and world quests. Seasonal raid tiers, PvP ranks, and weekly Mythic+ rewards create multiple avenues for gear improvement. Meta-progression features, such as relic upgrades and item enhancements, deepen progression beyond raw item level. Together, these systems foster a recurring cycle that encourages weekly and expansion-driven engagement.

Major expansions, released roughly every two years, increase level caps, add new zones, and introduce fresh mechanics. For instance, Warlords of Draenor added raid finder modes, while Legion introduced artifact weapons that grew with the player. Expansions integrate narrative and mechanical updates, motivating both veteran and returning players to pursue new development paths.

Why Players Continue to Choose World of Warcraft

WoW appeals to both newcomers and veterans. Free trials allow players to reach level 20 at no cost, and accessible leveling paths, including the “Chromie Time” feature, enable returning players to experience earlier expansions at relevant difficulty. Community resources, such as wikis, dungeon finders, and guides, support solo play while easing social integration. Casual players enjoy smooth progression, whereas veterans face complex challenges: Mythic raids, ranked PvP, Solo Shuffle, and other high-skill content.

Social structures reinforce retention. Guilds, social events, role-playing groups, and community contests foster loyalty, while in-game economies and chat channels enhance daily engagement. Studies show that guilded players log more hours and have lower attrition than solo players. Long-term investment in characters, cosmetic rewards, and legacy servers also strengthen commitment. Solo-friendly content, automated matchmaking, and scaling systems reduce barriers for new or returning players, while multiplayer coordination goals, such as Mythic+ dungeons and raid encounters, preserve cooperative challenge. Paid services like WoW Boosts, though controversial, illustrate strong demand for progression and underscore sustained engagement in the ecosystem.

Conclusion

World of Warcraft has profoundly impacted the MMORPG genre. It established subscription-based revenue models, expansion-driven content pipelines, and guild-centric social structures. Its persistent world, layered character progression, and evolving content became templates widely emulated by successors. WoW’s longevity, spanning over two decades, demonstrates that continuous character growth, social networks, and new content cycles can sustain a player base long-term. Although newer MMOs, such as FFXIV and BDO, have emerged to challenge its prominence, WoW remains a benchmark. Developers continue to measure live-service ambitions against WoW’s milestones. Its enduring appeal lies in deep character development, living communities, and consistent content updates, solidifying its status as a reference point in modern game design and a model of long-term player engagement.

About Epiccarry

Epiccarry publishes authoritative industry reports and in-depth analyses on MMORPG design, player retention, and long-term engagement. Its coverage includes recent news and academic commentary on World of Warcraft’s market performance, evolving game mechanics, and broader trends shaping the MMO genre. For more information, visit epiccarry.com.

Media Contact

Kyrylo Udruhov
k.udruhov@epiccarry.com

Nuqi Digital Wealth Limited, a DIFC-based asset management firm, through its investment banking division, has successfully arranged a $70 million three-year financing loan for Ipak Yuli Bank Uzbekistan, marking a major milestone in strengthening capital flows into Central Asia. The facility, executed through a combination of bilateral and syndication structures underscores Nuqi Wealth’s expanding role as a trusted arranger for emerging-market financial institutions.

Acting as NUQI Digital Wealth’s strategic partner in Uzbekistan, Umma Capital played a pivotal role in originating the transaction and opening the market to new international lenders. Leveraging its deep local relationships and on-the-ground expertise, Umma Capital was instrumental in introducing NUQI Digital Wealth to Ipak Yuli Bank and guiding counterparties through the country’s regulatory, banking, and execution landscape. This collaboration not only streamlined engagement with the bank’s senior management, but also helped build confidence among new investors entering Uzbekistan for the first time, reinforcing Umma Capital’s position as a key bridge between Uzbekistan financial institutions and global capital providers.

A standout feature of the deal is the speed and precision of execution. NUQI Digital Wealth managed the end-to-end funding process, delivering competitive terms for Ipak Yuli Bank amid shifting global financial conditions. The initial bilateral arrangement was completed within two months, demonstrating NUQI’s ability to mobilize capital quickly and efficiently.

NUQI Digital Wealth also secured the participation of a leading global financial institution as Lead Arranger for the syndication, further strengthening investor confidence. In addition, the firm successfully introduced new investors many engaging with Uzbekistan for the first time, highlighting rising interest among Asian capital providers in the country’s reform-driven banking sector. 

Commenting on the transaction, Dilip Samanthilaka, NUQI Digital Wealth’s managing director and head of Investment Banking, stated:

“Our objective is always to secure the best structure and the most strategic investor mix for our clients. This successful transaction demonstrates our ability to bring new global liquidity to dynamic markets like Uzbekistan, while managing the process with precision and speed.”

From the borrower’s side, Tursun Makhkamov, chief financial officer of Ipak Yuli Bank, emphasized the importance of the local partnership:

“As chief financial officer of Ipak Yuli Bank, I would like to highlight the pivotal role Umma Capital has played as our trusted advisor and representative in this transaction. Umma Capital not only safeguards and promotes the interests of Ipak Yuli Bank, but also brings deep local insight that is essential for successfully engaging with global partners. We are pleased to see Umma Capital partnering with Nuqi Wealth, as this collaboration is opening new channels of international funding and unlocking fresh potential for Uzbekistan’s capital markets.”

With this milestone, NUQI Digital Wealth further strengthens its position in arranging cross-border funding for financial institutions across emerging markets, continuing its mission to foster investment corridors between Asia, the GCC, and Central Asia.

Media Contact

Meher Gupta
director@contemporaryconnect.com

New research from healthcare consultancy Sage Growth Partners finds that 77% of health system and hospital C-suites are planning to increase participation in value-based care (VBC) models in the next two years, a marked rise since the 2023 survey.

The new report, "The C-Suite's View on Value-Based Care: Investment Heats Up Despite Cooling Sense of Progress," is the third in a series based on Sage Growth Partners' annual survey of 101 hospital and health system C-suite leaders. This installment examines executives' perspectives on VBC progress, their forecast for the near future, and how much revenue they really have at risk.

"Here's the latest plot twist on the winding journey to value-based care: despite slow progress during the last two years, many of today's C-suites are developing strategies to expand their participation in VBC models in the next two years," said Dan D'Orazio, CEO of Sage Growth Partners. "Value-based care is both a challenge for C-suites and a way to strengthen their organization's bottom line as payer dynamics evolve and macroeconomic uncertainties persist."

Key findings from the report include:

• 20% of C-suite leaders agree that the industry has made progress toward value-based care in the last two years, but that is fewer than those who agreed in our 2023 and 2022 surveys: 40% and 37%, respectively.
• 77% of C-suite leaders say their organization plans to increase participation in value-based care programs in the next two years — an increase from 57% in 2023.
• 69% of organizations are participating in an ACO, up from 53% in 2023; and 61% leverage bundled payment models, an increase from 46% in 2023.

Despite the outlook for continued VBC momentum and long-term commitments to alternative payment models, the survey results also reveal that C-suites are still far from having significant amounts of revenue at risk in value-based contracts:

• 54% of hospitals and health systems generate between 5% and 20% of revenue in VBC arrangements — but only a small percentage earn more than 20%.

"C-suite executives understand that value-based care can be instrumental as they face increasing pressure to balance improving care quality and population-level outcomes against financial performance," said Stephanie Kovalick, chief strategy officer of Sage Growth Partners. "Achieving that future requires strategic investments to overcome operational, clinical, and financial challenges."

Sage Growth Partners' independently surveyed a range of C-suite participants representing 101 healthcare provider organizations, including integrated delivery networks, academic medical centers, and independent hospitals.

The full report, “The C-Suite’s View on Value-Based Care: Investment Heats Up Despite a Cooling Sense of Progress,” is available to read the full report.

About Sage Growth Partners

Sage Growth Partners is a healthcare advisory firm with deep expertise in market research, strategy, and communications. Founded in 2005, the company's extensive domain experience ensures that healthcare organizations thrive amid the complexities of a rapidly changing marketplace. Sage Growth Partners serves clients across the full healthcare spectrum, including Press Ganey, GE HealthCare, Medecision, Xealth, LexisNexis, GoodRx, ProgenyHealth, Kyruus Health, Best Buy Health, New Jersey Brain and Spine, and Philips Healthcare. For more information, visit sage-growth.com.

Media Contact

John Gonda
jgonda@sage-growth.com
+1 616-309-4888

Vinmec Healthcare System, Vietnam’s leading private hospital network, is expanding its portfolio of premium, tailor-made services for international patients, offering a seamless and culturally attuned medical tourism experience grounded in global clinical standards.

As global demand for cost-effective and timely treatment continues to rise, Vinmec is positioning Vietnam as a new medical destination, one that combines advanced clinical capabilities, internationally accredited quality, and the hospitality Vietnam is known for.

Premium Services Tailored for International Patients

Vinmec has been advancing key specialties that are becoming central to its care for international patients.

“Vinmec is committed to delivering safe, seamless, and culturally attuned care for international patients as we strengthen Vietnam’s position in global medical tourism,” said Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung, CEO of Vinmec Healthcare System.

Cardiology remains a defining strength. As Asia’s first Cardiology Centers of Excellence and a member of the Cleveland Clinic Connected network, Vinmec offers diagnostics and interventions that match global standards, ranging from 3.0-Tesla MRI systems to highly advanced interventional techniques such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and Micra leadless pacemaker implantation. These capabilities provide overseas patients with timely access to treatments often delayed in their home countries.

The same focus on precision shapes Vinmec’s orthopaedics and sports medicine services, where 3D surgical planning, customized implants, anatomical-mapping arthroscopy, and motion-analysis technologies enable highly personalized reconstruction and rehabilitation. For athletes, active adults, and older travelers, this translates into predictable outcomes and faster recovery.

Besides, Vinmec’s oncology program offers a similarly integrated model, adhering to NCCN, ASCO, ASTRO, and ESMO guidelines. Comprehensive diagnostics support coordinated care that spans minimally invasive surgery, advanced radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and stem-cell transplantation.

Building on these established clinical pillars, the Vinmec Aesthetic Center — View Beauty combines Korean-developed aesthetic protocols with Vinmec’s advanced stem cell research platform, adhering to international standards. With a focus on natural-looking results, minimally invasive procedures, and absolute privacy, the center is trusted by international clients who value safety, discretion, and refined aesthetic care.

Elevating Medical Tourism in Vietnam

According to a recent study by Indochina Research, Vinmec is the most recognized hospital system among foreigners in Vietnam, reflecting its strong reputation and growing footprint in international patient care.

Supported by globally trained medical specialists, advanced technologies, and strategic partnerships such as its Cleveland Clinic Connected membership, Vinmec now delivers high-acuity care to patients arriving from the U.K., France, Australia, Canada, and other markets.

To enhance the international patient experience, Vinmec has implemented a dedicated service framework that ensures clear communication and culturally responsive support, including fast-track scheduling, tailored dietary and religious accommodations and multilingual guidance throughout the treatment journey.

With hospitals in key cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ha Long, and Phu Quoc, Vinmec offers international patients not only advanced medical care but a uniquely restorative setting in Vietnam’s most iconic destinations. Whether recovering from orthopedic treatment by the sea or pursuing aesthetic or regenerative therapy in a resort environment, patients benefit from Vietnam’s natural beauty, cultural warmth, and supportive healing atmosphere.

As Vietnam emerges as a promising hub for global medical travel, Vinmec is shaping a new vision of care that is both high-tech and deeply human.

About Vinmec Healthcare System

Vinmec is Vietnam’s leading private healthcare system, with a nationwide network of nine hospitals and seven outpatient clinics. Built to international standards, Vinmec delivers comprehensive, personalized, and specialized care. The system’s key milestones include a strategic partnership with Cleveland Clinic, one of the world’s top healthcare systems, enabling global clinical collaboration and access to world-class medical standards; leading healthcare services for foreigners in Vietnam, trusted by international residents for its high-quality care, globally trained physicians, and international-standard facilities; the only healthcare system in Asia honored at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2025, receiving two prestigious accolades: Hospital Group of the Year and Technology Innovation of the Year, reinforcing its leadership in the region; owner of two JCI-accredited hospitals, meeting the world’s most rigorous standards for patient safety and healthcare quality; the first and only healthcare system in Vietnam to establish Centers of Excellence (CoEs) across four key specialties: cardiology, oncology, orthopedics and sports medicine, and clinical immunology and allergy. For more information, visit www.vinmec.com.

Media Contact

Vinmec Healthcare System
v.medtour@vinmec.com

Clean Energy Counsel (CEC), a leading boutique law firm focused exclusively on clean energy, alternative fuels, and sustainable infrastructure, announced the promotion of four attorneys to partner and 11 attorneys to counsel. The promotions reflect the firm’s continued growth, deepening leadership bench, and long-term commitment to serving clients across the rapidly evolving clean energy sector.

The newly promoted partners are Shane Devins, Kristen Berry, Gary Stapleton, and Sandra Lee. CEC also announced its first-ever Counsel class, comprised of Brett Martino, Shae Harvey, Todd Larsen, Sally Huang, Alex Smorczewski, Aretha DiClemente, Anastasia Arsenio, Jonah Brotman, Michael Davey, Brent Schoradt, and Brad Alexander.

“These promotions reflect how far the firm has come and how intentionally it is building for the future,” said Zach Crowley, partner of Clean Energy Counsel. “CEC is well-positioned to continue growing alongside its clients and the clean energy industry as a whole.”

A Boutique Built for the Energy Transition

Clean Energy Counsel was founded with a singular focus on the clean energy industry, created to serve developers, investors, utilities, and emerging technology companies navigating the commercial and regulatory realities of renewable and sustainable infrastructure projects. From its inception, the firm set out to offer an alternative to traditional full-service law firms by combining deep sector fluency with practical, transaction-focused legal counsel.

Over the past several years, CEC has experienced sustained and deliberate growth aligned with the accelerating energy transition. Today, the firm consists of 44 attorneys and five administrative professionals, advising clients across the full lifecycle of clean energy projects nationwide. While many firms have expanded through mergers or diversification into adjacent practice areas, CEC has remained purpose-built around clean energy, allowing it to scale while preserving subject-matter depth and continuity of client service.

Compared to larger firms where clean energy practices are often one component of a broader platform, CEC operates as a fully integrated clean energy boutique. Its attorneys routinely compete with significantly larger firms on complex, first-of-their-kind transactions, offering clients senior-level attention, institutional knowledge, and efficiency that reflects decades of collective industry experience.

Partner Promotions Strengthen Core Capabilities

Each of the newly promoted partners has played a central role in building CEC’s market-leading practice and expanding its capabilities across development, real estate, offtake, financing, and M&A.

Kristen Berry advises renewable energy developers across utility-scale, commercial, and industrial, and distributed generation markets. Her practice spans development-stage and commercial agreements, including power purchase agreements, virtual PPAs and hedging arrangements, EPC and O&M contracts, REC transactions, energy services agreements, equipment supply and build-transfer structures, and EV charging master services agreements. She has helped advance several gigawatts of solar, wind, and energy storage projects nationwide.

Shane Devins focuses on the real estate and land use aspects of renewable and sustainable infrastructure projects. He advises on title and survey matters, entitlements, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, and the development and financing of large-scale solar, wind, and storage assets. His practice also includes joint ventures, M&A transactions, and cross-border investments, as well as work on sustainable agriculture and water conservation projects.

Gary Stapleton is known for his strategic approach to clean energy transactions, representing developers, investors, and emerging technology companies across solar, wind, battery storage, biomass, and waste-to-fuel projects. He also advises on infrastructure and real estate preservation initiatives and on single-asset and portfolio acquisitions in the United States and internationally.

Sandra Lee represents borrowers, lenders, tax equity investors, and buyers and sellers of clean energy assets. Her experience advising both sponsors and financing parties provides a balanced perspective that informs pragmatic guidance and efficient execution on complex transactions.

“These promotions reflect both the depth of the firm’s talent and the strength of the clean energy industry,” said Brad DeJean, founding partner of Clean Energy Counsel. “Promoting four partners at the same time signals confidence in our people, our clients, and the continued growth of the energy transition.”

Inaugural Counsel Class Formalizes Senior Leadership

CEC’s first-ever counsel class recognizes attorneys who play a critical role in leading complex matters, managing deal teams, mentoring colleagues, and serving as trusted advisors to clients across the renewable energy and sustainable technology sectors.

“This class of counsel promotions shows the depth of the firm’s senior bench,” said Jordan Dansby, partner. “Each of these attorneys can lead deals in their respective subject matter areas, train and mentor colleagues, and provide world-class service to clients.”

CEC’s counsels routinely manage transactions from start to finish, oversee client relationships, and advise on matters spanning development, project finance, M&A, tax equity, offtake arrangements, regulatory issues, and emerging clean energy technologies. Their collective experience allows the firm to handle transactions of any size or complexity with efficiency and strategic insight.

“Our counsel class consists of attorneys who are dominant in their areas of specialty,” said Kristen Berry, partner. “Their knowledge and experience make them highly sought after by our clients, and the counsel title recognizes the leadership they already bring to the firm.”

A Long-Term Leadership Model

The Counsel role at Clean Energy Counsel is designed as a long-term leadership position rather than a mandatory step toward partnership. Some counsels may ultimately pursue partnership, while others will remain in the role throughout their careers. Each path is equally valued and essential to the firm’s success.

CEC is intentionally not an up-or-out firm. Instead, it emphasizes sustainable growth, mentorship, and professional development, ensuring that clients benefit from stable, experienced teams and that attorneys can build long-term careers aligned with the firm’s mission.

Positioned for Continued Growth

With expanded partner and counsel leadership, Clean Energy Counsel enters 2026 with a durable platform built to support clients through the next phase of the energy transition. As projects become more complex and markets continue to evolve, the firm remains focused on delivering technically sophisticated, commercially practical advice grounded in deep industry knowledge.

About Clean Energy Counsel

At Clean Energy Counsel, we devote our legal power to advancing clean energy and a sustainable future. Speeding the world’s transition away from fossil fuels is what we care about most — and we believe this mission is urgent and imperative. It’s where we focus our collected experience, intelligence, and legal acumen. It’s why we’re redefining traditional law firm practices wherever they prove inefficient or self-serving. It’s the reason we prioritize the success of our clients’ projects over all other business considerations. Clean Energy Counsel provides a full range of legal services to support all types of clean energy projects at every phase in their life cycle — through development, construction, financing, and ongoing operations. We are the only mission-driven law firm focused on speeding the world’s transition to a clean energy future. Advancing clean energy isn’t just our job; it’s our hope for the future. For more information, visit www.cleanenergycounsel.com or contact the firm at 1 Sansome St., 35th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Disclaimer

This press release was distributed through Law Firm Newswire.

Media Contact

Heather Pierce
Clean Energy Counsel
heather@cleanenergycounsel.com
+1 213-722-5384

Magic Hour today announced the launch of its AI UGC Ad Generator, a new product designed to help marketers and creators produce realistic UGC-style video ads up to 60 seconds with directable creative control. Unlike prompt-only generators, Magic Hour lets users choose the first image to anchor the ad (including the actor and product) — or pick from over 200 AI actors — then refine output by specifying the script, scene description, tone, and the actor’s emotions.

Key Facts

• Output length: Up to 60 seconds
• Starting point: User-selected first image (actor + product)
• AI actors: Choose from over 200 AI actors (or use your own first image)
• Creative control: Script + scene + tone + emotions
• Use cases: Paid social ads, creative testing, product launches, landing page videos
• Availability: Available now for paid users at magichour.ai/create/ai-ugc-ad-generator

“UGC ads work because they feel human, but producing them at scale is slow and expensive,” said Runbo Li, co-founder and CEO of Magic Hour. “We built the AI UGC Ad Generator for teams that need speed without giving up direction. You can lock the first frame, keep your product present, and iterate on script, scene, tone, and emotion until the ad matches your brand.”

Built for Performance Marketers Who Test Fast

Creative teams often need many variants across hooks, scripts, tones, and emotional deliveries. Magic Hour’s AI UGC Ad Generator is built to support this workflow by starting from an anchored first image and letting users direct the performance, not just the visuals.

What You Can Control

• First image control: Choose the first frame to set the actor and product placement
• Script control: Provide the exact words you want spoken
• Scene direction: Describe the setting and what happens on screen
• Tone and emotion: Specify the vibe and delivery (for example: confident, warm, urgent, playful, skeptical, excited)
• Iteration: Rapidly generate variations by changing the script, scene, or emotional direction

How It Works

• Upload or select your first image (actor + product)
• Enter your script and describe the scene, tone, and emotion
• Generate a realistic UGC-style ad and iterate with variants until it is ready to run

FAQ / Common Questions

What is an AI UGC ad generator?

An AI UGC ad generator is a tool that creates user-generated-content style video ads designed to look and feel like real creator content, commonly used for TikTok, Reels, Shorts, and other paid social placements.

How is Magic Hour different from other AI video ad tools?

Magic Hour starts from a user-chosen first image to anchor the actor and product, and it supports direct control over script, scene direction, tone, and emotion, so teams can iterate intentionally instead of relying on generic generations.

What is the maximum video length?

Magic Hour supports up to 60 seconds for AI UGC ads.

Do I have to use a pre-written script?

No. You can write your own script, test multiple hooks, or iterate line-by-line until the delivery matches your brand.

Can I keep my product visible throughout the ad?

The generator is designed to keep the ad grounded in your chosen starting image (actor + product). Results vary by creative direction, but anchoring the first frame helps maintain consistency.

Who is this for?

• Performance marketing teams running rapid creative tests
• E-commerce brands launching new products
• Agencies producing high-volume paid social creatives
• Creators and founders who need ads without a full production pipeline

Is it available now?

Yes. The AI UGC Ad Generator is available now for paid users.

Where can I try it?

Visit magichour.ai/create/ai-ugc-ad-generator to give it a try.

About Magic Hour

Magic Hour is an AI video and image creation platform that helps creators and teams produce high-quality content faster, from ad creatives to stylized video transformations. The platform offers a growing set of tools designed for real-world workflows, enabling fast iteration, creative control, and production-ready outputs. Learn more at magichour.ai.

Media Contact

Runbo Li
Co-founder and CEO, Magic Hour AI
press@magichour.ai

Bento, the AI-powered email marketing and automation platform serving over 4,000 small businesses, today announces Tanuki AI — an AI marketing agent that transforms plain-English descriptions into complete, production-ready email automations and campaigns.

Instead of dragging and dropping nodes or learning complex interfaces, users simply describe what they need: "create a welcome series for new subscribers" or "build an abandoned cart recovery flow." Tanuki generates the complete workflow — triggers, delays, conditions, and email content — in seconds.

Tanuki AI includes two operating modes: Ask mode, which confirms actions before execution, and YOLO mode for users who want fully autonomous building. Every AI action can be reversed with one-click undo. The assistant works across all of Bento's email editors — visual, plain text, and raw HTML — adapting to each user's preferred workflow.

For developers, Bento's MCP Server integration brings Tanuki's capabilities directly into tools like Cursor and Claude Code, enabling teams to iterate on email copy and automation logic without leaving their development environment.

"We've built Cursor for email," said Jesse Hanley, founder of Bento. "Small business owners shouldn't need to hire consultants or spend weeks learning software to send effective marketing emails. With Tanuki, you just describe what you want and it happens."

The launch reflects Bento's broader mission to make enterprise-grade marketing tools accessible to small businesses. The platform consolidates email marketing, automation, transactional email, and AI-powered customer support into a single system with simple pricing: $0.01 per contact, no per-seat fees, and no feature tiers.

Bento achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance in 2025 with zero audit exceptions and maintains HIPAA compliance, delivering enterprise-level security without enterprise complexity.

About Bento

Bento is an AI-powered email marketing, automation, and CRM platform built for small businesses. Founded in 2019, the company serves more than 4,000 businesses worldwide with an AI-native approach that lets users create production-ready marketing automations using plain English. Bento replaces multiple point solutions with a single, unified platform and offers simple, transparent pricing. The company is SOC 2 Type II compliant, privately held, and independently operated, with a 4.9/5 rating on G2 and a 5/5 rating on Capterra. For more information, visit bentonow.com.

Media Contact

Jesse Hanley
Founder, Bento
jesse@bentonow.com

Unlisted, a groundbreaking digital real estate community focused on the 98% of homes that aren’t for sale — yet, announced today that Dan Gutfreund of Signature Sotheby’s International Realty has joined the platform as the exclusive Local Expert for ZIP code 48009 in Birmingham, Michigan.

Unlisted’s technology creates new opportunities across the real estate landscape. Buyers gain access to homes that align with their lifestyle and long-term goals, not only those currently listed on the MLS. Homeowners gain insight into how their property fits within local demand and the option to connect with interested buyers on their own terms. Real estate professionals benefit from tools that elevate their expertise, strengthen community presence, and support more informed, earlier conversations with clients and neighbors.

The platform leverages publicly available data to generate a digital property profile for every home in the United States. These profiles can be searched and organized into personalized collections of homes that meet a buyer’s criteria, even when those homes are not actively for sale. For homeowners, the profiles offer visibility into interest and provide a clearer understanding of potential opportunities.

Each vetted real estate professional on Unlisted receives an agent profile that connects to every home profile within their assigned ZIP code. Only one agent is selected per ZIP code, reinforcing Unlisted’s commitment to trusted local representation, deep market knowledge, and credibility. As the network continues to grow, Unlisted remains focused on transparency, connection, and opportunity throughout the home journey.

Dan Gutfreund brings a data-driven, client-focused approach to his role as a Local Expert. Founder of DG Realty Group and one of Michigan’s top-performing agents, Dan has built a nationally recognized brand in just over a decade. He leads a team of expert advisors and has overseen hundreds of successful transactions, consistently achieving more than $100 million in annual sales.

Ranked the number one agent in Michigan for individual sales volume in 2023 by The Wall Street Journal and RealTrends, Dan has also been named among Sotheby’s International Realty’s Top 100 Realtors Globally in 2024 and 2025. His background in urban development, city planning, residential brokerage, and commercial lending allows him to offer clients a comprehensive and strategic perspective, whether they are buying, selling, or evaluating long-term opportunities.

Dan shared his thoughts on the partnership, saying, “Birmingham is a market where timing, insight, and local knowledge matter. Unlisted creates a smarter way for buyers and homeowners to understand opportunities before a listing ever hits the market, and I’m excited to bring that advantage to my clients.”

Founder and CEO Katie Hill also commented on the announcement, noting, “Dan’s leadership, market intelligence, and consistent performance set him apart. He represents the level of expertise and trust we seek in every Local Expert who joins the Unlisted network.”

To learn more about Unlisted, visit UnlistedHomes.com. For Unlisted for Agents, visit UnlistedHomes.com/Agents.

To learn more about Dan Gutfreund, visit his Unlisted Profile or his website.

About Unlisted

Unlisted unlocks the potential in homes that aren’t for sale — yet. The company empowers home buyers to join the Waitlist for homes they love that aren’t for sale — in other words, unlisted. At the same time, homeowners collect a Waitlist of interested buyers for whenever the time comes to sell, giving everyone a head start. Unlisted also allows homeowners to control how their home is presented online; they can create a stunning up-to-date property profile that shows off the home’s best features and attracts more interest. With more time and more connection, Unlisted is a more human way to explore real estate that drives better outcomes for all. Selected for TechCrunch’s 2025 Startup Battlefield 200 as one of the top tech startups globally, and backed by HearstLab, Hearst Newspapers, VC414, StageNext Fund, and prominent angel investors, Unlisted gives buyers a competitive edge in today’s challenging housing market. For more information, visit UnlistedHomes.com.

Media Contact

Maura Racz
maura@unlistedinc.com

The Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) has outlined a proposal to reduce the country’s standard workweek from 48 hours to 40 hours, a reform expected to benefit approximately 13.4 millionworkers if approved. The initiative, which would require amendments to the Federal Labor Law, is currently under discussion and has not yet entered into force.

According to details outlined in the proposal, the reduction in working hours would be implemented gradually over several years. The draft establishes a phased approach, reducing the standard workweek to

• 46 hours in 2027
• 44 hours in 2028
• 42 hours in 2029
• and reaching 40 hours by 2030

The proposal also updates overtime rules by establishing the possibility of working between 9 and 12 hours of voluntary overtime per week, prohibiting overtime for minors, and introducing a cap of four triple-paid overtime hours per day, a limit that did not previously exist.

The proposal also contemplates the introduction of an electronic working hours registry as a new employer obligation, intended to support compliance with the proposed 40-hour workweek. The Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) would be responsible for issuing the secondary regulations governing this registry.

The proposal forms part of a broader effort by labor authorities to modernize working conditions and align Mexico’s labor framework with international standards on working time and work-life balance. According to STPS, the reform would be implemented gradually through consultations with employer organizations, labor unions, and industry stakeholders, reinforcing Mexico’s positioning within evolving global labor practices.

From an employer's perspective, the phased structure outlined in the proposal provides greater visibility for long-term workforce planning. Gradual adjustments to statutory working hours allow companies to evaluate staffing models, productivity expectations, and cost structures over time, rather than responding to a sudden regulatory shift.

For employers operating in Mexico, the proposed reduction introduces questions that extend beyond headline figures. Weekly scheduling, overtime thresholds, shift coverage, and payroll calculations are all directly tied to statutory working hours and would need to be reviewed if the reform advances.

Human Resources Mexico (HRM), an Employer of Record operating exclusively in Mexico, has been monitoring the proposal closely due to its potential impact on day-to-day employment administration. In EOR-managed structures, working hours are a core compliance element that affects employment contracts, overtime eligibility, and payroll execution.

“Changes to the legal work week don’t only affect how many hours employees work,” said Franklin Delano Frith II, general manager, principal of Human Resources Mexico. “They also influence how overtime is calculated, how schedules are structured, and how employers ensure compliance across different roles and industries. Even at the proposal stage, this is the type of reform companies should understand early.”

Based on HRM’s experience managing employment relationships in Mexico, any modification to maximum working hours would require coordinated updates across multiple areas, including employment agreements, internal work policies, and payroll systems. This is particularly relevant for foreign companies that rely on EOR models to manage local compliance while operating teams remotely or across multiple time zones.

The STPS has emphasized that the proposal remains subject to legislative debate and further refinement. The government has announced an expected timeline under which the reform would enter into force on May 1, 2026, with the first two-hour reduction to the standard workweek taking effect on January 1, 2027, subject to approval by the Mexican Congress.

Employers are not yet required to make operational changes. However, the formal presentation of the reform outlines a defined policy roadmap that companies may need to consider in long-term workforce planning.

As discussions continue, employers and industry participants are expected to follow developments closely. The proposal underscores how Mexico’s labor framework continues to evolve, reinforcing the importance of understanding not only current legal requirements but also upcoming changes that may shape employment practices in the coming years.

About Human Resources Mexico (HRM)

HRM offers employer of record services (EOR) for foreign companies that want to hire professional employees in Mexico. HRM is the most trusted EOR in Mexico for over 16 years with a physical office and Mexican expert team in Mexico. HRM offers EOR services exclusively in Mexico providing expert, public facing, red carpet service to both the client companies and client employees. For more information, visit www.payrollmexico.com.

Media Contact

Franklin Delano Frith II
franklin.frith@expandmexico.com
+52 664 748 0313

Global payments infrastructure provider Mercuryo has recently announced a partnership with Coinme to expand its fiat-to-crypto on-ramp services in the United States. This partnership utilizes Coinme’s stablecoin and crypto infrastructure to support fast and compliant conversions between fiat and digital assets.

The collaboration integrates Coinme’s stablecoin and crypto payments platform, which provides partners with U.S.-market rails for liquidity, settlement, custody, and on-ramp transaction fulfillment — infrastructure that can be as critical for international fintechs and Web3 companies entering the U.S. market.

“The U.S. represents one of the most dynamic markets for digital assets, and with Coinme’s trusted infrastructure, we can localize our global expertise and deliver solutions that truly fit the needs of American customers,” said Dilshan Dowlah, head of U.S. at Mercuryo.

Coinme said its platform combines regulated access with enterprise-grade infrastructure, including instant liquidity, automated transaction fulfillment, stablecoin support, and compliance coverage across 48 U.S. states.

“Our collaboration with Mercuryo enables people to seamlessly move from fiat into crypto, reducing friction for mass-market adoption of digital assets and Web3 use cases,” said Neil Bergquist, CEO and co-founder of Coinme. “For many global companies, it’s the infrastructure — the rails and fulfillment layer — that makes or breaks a U.S. launch. That’s exactly what we built Coinme’s CaaS platform to solve.”

By leveraging Coinme’s infrastructure, Mercuryo said it expects to scale more rapidly in the U.S., support a broader range of digital assets, and focus on user experience while Coinme manages underlying processing and compliance.

The partnership reflects continued investment in expanding reliable, scalable, and compliant access to digital assets across the United States, as demand for crypto and stablecoin services grows among consumers and enterprises alike.

About Coinme

Founded in 2014, Coinme is a leading licensed and regulated provider of an enterprise stablecoin and crypto payments platform. Coinme's global money movement platform enables a fully native and seamless crypto and stablecoin payment experience within our partners' applications. By integrating with Coinme's simple API suite, partners can quickly deploy crypto and stablecoin products and services natively on their front-end while leveraging Coinme's robust exchange and compliance infrastructure. For more information, please visit coinme.com.

About Mercuryo

Mercuryo is a payments infrastructure company focused on digital assets, providing on-ramp and off-ramp solutions and on-chain integration for Web3 applications. Mercuryo partners include Ledger, MetaMask, Trust Wallet and Revolut. For more information, visit mercuryo.io.

Media Contact

Delia Mendoza
pr@coinme.com

In the wake of the Compass-Anywhere merger, Unlisted, the real estate technology company empowering buyers and homeowners to unlock the 98% of homes that aren’t for sale — yet, forecasts what this moment reveals about future-proofing residential real estate.

“The real estate industry is at a defining inflection point, one that demands more than incremental change. The Compass-Anywhere merger prompts our industry to pressure test decades-old assumptions and reimagine existing models to truly reflect how consumers and real estate professionals operate today,” said Katie Hill, founder and CEO of Unlisted. “This moment creates necessary space for new thinking and reinforces that innovation, flexibility, and consumer relevance are no longer optional, but essential to the future of our industry.”

As consolidation accelerates across the real estate industry, a convergence of technological advances, shifting consumer expectations, and evolving legal and regulatory frameworks are reshaping how homes are bought and sold and driving change at a pace not seen in decades.

Hill added, “The merger demonstrates that long-standing foregone conclusions about how real estate works are being revisited, and true innovation is moving from the margins to the center.”

Designed to serve everyone with a stake in the housing market, Unlisted uniquely makes every home in the United States discoverable and searchable. Powered by sophisticated AI search, Unlisted opens the aperture to all homes within a specific zip code, school district, or set of criteria, not just homes listed for sale. Seeing beyond the 2% of homes that are currently listed for sale offers buyers, homeowners, and agents both transparency and choice. The national technology platform is brokerage-agnostic and promotes vetted real estate agents to both buyers and homeowners who seek local expertise when proactively exploring their options on Unlisted.

Backed by HearstLab, Hearst Newspapers, VC414, StageNext Fund, and prominent angel investors, Unlisted offers buyers, homeowners, and their real estate agents a competitive edge by providing earlier access to a bigger market.

About Unlisted

Unlisted unlocks the potential in homes that aren’t for sale — yet. The company empowers home buyers to join the Waitlist for homes they love that aren’t for sale — in other words, unlisted. At the same time, homeowners collect a Waitlist of interested buyers for whenever the time comes to sell, giving everyone a head start. Unlisted also allows homeowners to control how their home is presented online; they can create a stunning up-to-date property profile that shows off the home’s best features and attracts more interest. With more time and more connection, Unlisted is a more human way to explore real estate that drives better outcomes for all. Selected for TechCrunch’s 2025 Startup Battlefield 200 as one of the top tech startups globally, and backed by HearstLab, Hearst Newspapers, VC414, StageNext Fund, and prominent angel investors, Unlisted gives buyers a competitive edge in today’s challenging housing market. For more information, visit UnlistedHomes.com.

Media Contact

Maura Racz
maura@unlistedinc.com