Category: Brandpoint

2023-12-01T09:01:00

(BPT) – When Pierce was in the hospital battling childhood leukemia, he would often watch candy-making videos to distract him during the chemo treatments. When his cancer went into remission, he knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate: with a super sweet wish.

Make-A-Wish^® helped Pierce celebrate overcoming cancer by granting him a two-day candy maker and shopping spree extravaganza. The first day, he became a candy maker at Las Olas Confections Factory in Orlando, Florida, creating sweet treats of all kinds with his three older brothers.

“We came home with boxes of all the things that Pierce and the boys made, and they were snacking on them throughout the night,” said Pierce’s mom, Becky. “I was like ‘Oh my goodness’ but they all crashed really well at night.”

Rest was important because the second day of his wish was equally as exciting. Pierce spent hours at IT’SUGAR, filling numerous bags with colorful treats and he couldn’t pass up a massive red 5-pound gummy bear. IT’SUGAR creates an environment that fosters happiness and humor, making it the ideal location for Pierce to celebrate and fulfill his sweet wish.

“When you’re going through those hard times, all you’re doing is focusing on him living. To get to this point now, he is just enjoying everything. What Make-A-Wish has been able to do is really just bring out this life that he is living. He is alive again,” said Becky.

How wishes happen

Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the U.S., Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes worldwide.

IT’SUGAR is a proud partner of Make-A-Wish. Through their charity lollipop program, people can purchase a special rainbow Wish Pop candy that helps raise money to fund future wishes for kids like Pierce with critical illnesses. So far, the program has raised over $1 million to fund wishes and help create lasting memories for wish kids and their families.

IT’SUGAR is one of the largest specialty candy retailers in the world, with over 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Known for its absurd sugar innovations that celebrate lighthearted rebellion, IT’SUGAR aspires to a future where everyone has access to the pure joy that comes from indulging in favorite treats. For more information, please visit ITSUGAR.com.

2023-12-01T08:01:00

(BPT) – Holidays are all about gathering together with family and friends. But when you can’t be physically together, it’s even more important to stay connected, no matter where you are. Fortunately, today’s technology makes it easier than ever to stay connected to your loved ones.

T-Mobile understands the importance of keeping you connected wherever life may take you. To ensure you and your family stay connected this holiday season and beyond, the Un-carrier is offering the season’s best deals on top tech to ensure you can reach whoever you want, whenever you want, on the nation’s largest, fastest and most awarded 5G network. And customers on Go5G Next and Go5G Plus can take advantage of great benefits year-round, including Netflix on Us, Apple TV+ on Us, SiriusXM Streaming Platinum on Us, MLB.TV, MLS Season Pass, T-Mobile Tuesdays and more just for being a T-Mobile customer.

When planning your holiday shopping, consider this list of gifts that use technology at its best — making it easier to spend time together, wherever your travels take you this season.

Please all the tech lovers in your family

If you’re looking for gifts to suit just about any taste, you can snag the ultimate tech bundle at T-Mobile this holiday season! Get a free smartphone, smartwatch and earbuds bundle across leading brands from Samsung to Google and more when you stack qualifying holiday promotions, all via 24 monthly bill credits, plus tax. Whether you’re shopping for your family or yourself, you’ll be able to check off a few items on your list with this ultimate bundle.

Treat a family member, loved one or bestie with a new 5G phone

Looking for an extra special gift to help you stay close to an extra special someone? A new phone is just the right gift to keep you feeling close. Get $1,000 off the season’s hottest Android devices from Samsung, Google and Motorola when trading in an eligible device or adding a line on Go5G Next or Go5G Plus, via 24 monthly bill credits, plus tax. That’s $1,000 off the Samsung Galaxy S23, Google Pixel 8, motorola razr+ and more! Or you can get the new REVVL 6x PRO 5G or REVVL 6x 5G on T-Mobile when you add a line on most plans — or the REVVL 6x 5G on T-Mobile (or 6x PRO for $50) with any trade-in on most plans.

Stay connected to your kids almost anywhere, anytime

To ensure your kids stay safe at school, soccer practice and beyond, consider gifting them a smartwatch this holiday season. You can score a free SyncUP KIDS Watch via 24 monthly credits, plus tax, when you activate a new watch line at T-Mobile to ensure your kids stay connected and safe. Plus, T-Mobile is currently offering a free 3-pack of watch bands when picking up a SyncUP KIDS Watch in a T-Mobile store, while supplies last. And as an added bonus, video-calling is now available on the SyncUP KIDS Watch. Now you can video call your kids practically anywhere they are, whenever you want!

Bluetooth speakers for an epic family dance party

Does your idea of the perfect family gathering involve a lot less small talk, and a lot more grooving to your favorite tunes? You’ll be ready to rock the house together when you get the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 for your fam for just $179.99 — a T-Mobile exclusive. The Un-carrier is also offering up to $150 off select JBL products so you can choose the device best suited for you and your family.

Best tech stocking stuffers

Want the season’s best accessories to keep the whole family charged up and protected? T-Mobile is offering deals on a variety of tech accessories, including back-up chargers, wireless charging devices, cell phone grips, screen protectors, cases and more for excellent — and much appreciated — stocking stuffers for the whole family.

Keep it all in the family

Need a great phone plan to help everyone in your family keep in touch? T-Mobile has brought back one of its most popular deals this holiday! Get four voice lines for only $100 per month on Essentials. T-Mobile customers can save $480/year compared to AT&T and $240/year compared to Verizon on similar plans with four lines!

Get your holiday shopping done early and enjoy gifting the latest and greatest devices while stacking up on savings. Plus, you’ve been good this year — why not snag a gift or two for yourself while you’re at it? Visit T-MobileDeals.com to check out all the latest deals.

2023-11-30T15:01:00

(BPT) – Manufacturers face numerous challenges, from meeting regulations to handling equipment breakdowns and more. There’s no shortage of variables that cause logistical nightmares — losing companies money for every minute of downtime. According to a recent industry report by Deloitte, unplanned downtime alone can cost manufacturers an estimated $50 billion each year.

“Uptime is the name of the game in all types of production, including food and beverage manufacturing,” said Vic Stockman, vice president of Services, Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada, a world leading food processing and packaging company. “So it’s vital to prevent unwanted breakdowns, before unplanned downtime affects your bottom line.”

In today’s strained labor market, Stockman stressed two elements for operations to run as efficiently and sustainably as possible: providing the right training and knowing when you need outside support.

Here are his tips for boosting any operation’s performance, uptime and profits.

1. Manage maintenance

Although preventive maintenance is key to avoiding equipment failure, it’s challenging to stick to recommended maintenance intervals while following demanding production schedules. For that reason, he advises using experienced technicians so maintenance is done right the first time — reducing unwanted downtime.

“Plants can also consider World Class Manufacturing (WCM) approaches to optimize maintenance intervals, and explore other areas of improvement,” added Stockman. “At Tetra Pak, we used what we’ve learned from decades of experience in our WCM packaging material factories and share those insights with our food and beverage customers.”

Predictive maintenance is another great tool to maximize your processing equipment: Condition monitors report how the equipment is running to predict failures before they occur, so plants aren’t performing maintenance until it’s needed.

2. Optimize internal staff

Another vital aspect to efficient production is operator training, which ensures equipment is used properly. This is especially important during high staff turnover. If someone doesn’t have the right skills or training, it’s easier for them to replace many working components instead of properly diagnosing the root cause to a specific broken part or component — leading to additional downtime and increased need for parts that did not have to be replaced.

Having an on-site engineer can alleviate this issue. “Our on-site engineers tell us customers experience about a 25% reduction in unnecessary consumption of spare parts,” said Stockman. “Plant operators also have the opportunity to learn from on-site engineers, which ensures consistency during staffing changes.”

3. Improve procedures

Plants can also re-assess operating procedures to minimize downtime. Using the correct steps for maintenance, spare parts, cleaning intervals and more is crucial for consistent operations.

An outside consultant can evaluate how existing procedures are being executed and identify areas for improvement. For example, if a plant is experiencing a high rate of shrinkage, they may suggest more training in a certain area, pinpoint where a new sensor may improve outcomes — or another custom solution based on their observations.

Even the performance of a brand-new line can be enhanced with superior expertise and training. “One Tetra Pak customer with several brand-new lines increased uptime by 20% with better operator training,” Stockman said. “We made sure our customer’s operational team was well trained and understood how to react to different scenarios — and how to properly plan and sequence operations. For example, they staggered activities so peak utilities usage didn’t negatively impact multiple pieces of equipment.”

4. Tap outside expertise

To improve processes, consider remote support for your on-site team from an outside expert (who could be virtually anywhere) to discover the best solutions, with minimal downtime.

On-site employees can consult with experts who may better understand the problem and suggest next steps, which alleviates downtime in two ways: First, since the remote support engineer needs no travel time, they can “be there” quickly. Second, the remote expert can use their expertise, assess the problem with fresh eyes and suggest efficient solutions.

“With Tetra Pak’s remote support customers, about 90% of the issues we’re diagnosing are related to run settings and not the components, while less experienced staff may replace the many components instead of adjusting an incorrect setting,” explained Stockman. “It really pays to have this expertise at your fingertips.”

While these tips help your facility get the most value by producing as much as possible, they also make your plant run more sustainably. Minimizing lost product means less waste, running more efficiently means using fewer utilities to achieve the same goal, and cleaning less means saving chemicals and reducing water use.

“You can increase uptime and output with the right resources and mindset,” Stockman said. “By ensuring your employees are well trained, have the right tools — and can consult outside resources when needed — you’ll have the best expertise available to solve current issues and prevent unplanned downtime.”

To learn more about optimizing manufacturing operations, visit tetrapak.com/solutions/services.

2023-11-30T10:27:00

(BPT) – “Influenza took our child Emily from us.”

Joe Lastinger and his wife had no idea how serious flu could be. When their 3-year-old daughter Emily got sick, they took her to the doctor right away where a test confirmed she had influenza (flu). They brought her home and kept her hydrated and ensured she was rested, but it got progressively worse over the weekend. Within three days of her diagnosis, Emily passed away.

“Her absence is a constant in our lives,” Joe said. “Every milestone — whether hers or those of our other children — is missing something. While we experience the joy of such occasions, there is almost always a time when I catch my wife’s eye and know that we both are thinking of Emily.”

Flu can impact anyone of any age, race and gender.¹ While some people may be at higher risk for serious complications — such as young children, pregnant women, people 65 and older and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease — anyone can become seriously ill due to flu.^2,3

For this reason, pharmacist and GSK vaccines educator Dr. Leah Smith encourages vaccination of those six months of age and older as soon as possible, especially with the holidays in full swing and people gathering with loved ones.

“While most flu activity in the U.S. occurs from October through May, the peak is usually between December and February,⁴ so it is not too late to get your flu vaccination.”

“And, reminder — it takes about two weeks after flu vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body. Holiday travelers visiting family and friends should take this timing into consideration when making a plan to get vaccinated. However, even if you’re less than two weeks out from your trip, it’s still worth getting vaccinated, as some protection is better than none,” said Dr. Smith.⁵

Joe wants to spread his message so that other parents may avoid experiencing this painful loss.

“While we could never undo our failure to help protect our daughter through vaccination, we can at least help other parents. My hope is that every time I share Emily’s story, it will motivate people to take action to speak to their doctor or pharmacist about flu vaccination to help protect themselves and their loved ones from flu.”

How families can help protect themselves

“Seasonal flu is a very contagious respiratory virus that infects the nose, throat and lungs, and it should be taken seriously⁵,” explained Dr. Smith. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu can cause mild to severe illness. People may experience some or all of these symptoms, which usually come on suddenly, and can include⁵:

• fever
• cough
• sore throat
• runny/stuffy nose
• muscle/body aches
• headaches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children)

In addition to vaccination, Dr. Smith also recommends healthy habits such as frequent handwashing, plus staying away from anyone who is sick — and staying home from work or school when you are ill to help prevent spreading flu to others.⁶

Where you can receive flu vaccination

If you’re the “Chief Health Officer” of your family, you probably want to help protect your family from the flu, especially during peak flu season. Fortunately, flu vaccinations are usually quick and accessible. You and your family can get vaccinated at most doctor’s offices and clinics, and you can also receive flu vaccination in pharmacies, urgent care clinics, college health centers and even some schools or workplaces. Some pharmacies even have walk-in vaccinations.⁷

Flu vaccinations are usually free for people with medical insurance, including those with Medicaid, Medicare, ACA plans and private plans.⁸ For those without insurance or a primary care physician, speak with your local pharmacist or health department about your options for flu vaccination.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2023–24 Influenza Season. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/rr/pdfs/rr7202a1-H.pdf. Accessed August 29, 2023.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Facts About Influenza (Flu). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm. Accessed July 25, 2023.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People at Higher Risk of Flu Complications. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm. Accessed July 25, 2023.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Flu Season. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/index.html. Accessed July 25, 2023.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu Symptoms & Complications. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/symptoms.htm. Accessed July 25, 2023.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventive Steps. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/prevention.htm. Accessed September 27, 2023.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Summary: ‘Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—United States, 2023-24’. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/summary/summary-recommendations.htm#timing. Accessed November 16, 2023.
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How to Pay. Available at: https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/get-vaccinated/pay/index.html. Accessed August 1, 2023.

2023-11-30T10:01:00

(BPT) – As we head into winter, the days are growing shorter and nightfall comes earlier. Given the weather and lack of sunlight, you’ll likely spend more time indoors during the colder months. While this can bode well for spending quality time indoors with friends and family, especially during the holidays, it also means that you’ll spend a lot of time staring at screens.

While mobile devices can simplify life, too much screen time can harm your health. Screen time and blue light exposure have been raised as a growing health concern, and doctors, educators, employers and parents agree that there are potential risks from overexposure.

Blue light is part of our natural world, but high energy visible (HEV) blue light from digital devices can also affect your sleep, resulting in trouble sleeping, waking up during the night, or reduced alertness the next day.

According to Harvard Health, blue light — especially at night — can suppress your body’s release of melatonin, an important hormone that promotes feelings of sleepiness. Additionally, a survey by The Vision Council found that many American adults experience eyestrain, dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain after extended screen time and blue light exposure.

While you can’t and shouldn’t completely get rid of blue light, you can take steps to reduce your exposure. ZAGG, known for its device cases and screen protectors, cares about protecting users from high energy light exposure and has offered five tips to help you protect your eyes from blue light this winter and beyond.

1. Reduce screen time

The easiest way to protect your eyes from blue light is to reduce screen time. According to estimates by Eyesafe, the average screen time for U.S. adults has increased to over 13 hours a day. Children ages 8-12 and teens spend an average of 4-6 hours and up to nine hours, respectively, watching or using screens.

You don’t have to stop using your devices altogether. Find other hobbies and activities you can do on your own or with company to give your eyes a break.

2. Put away your devices before bedtime

For the sake of your sleep, it’s critical that you put away devices before going to bed. According to an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), too much blue light exposure from viewing screens at night may impact our circadian rhythms and cause trouble sleeping, waking during the night and reduced alertness the next day.

Aim to put away your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime so you can increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

3. Install blue light filtering screen protectors

Thanks to modern technology, there are now products on the market that can help reduce your exposure to blue light.

For example, ZAGG’s InvisibleShield Glass XTR3 is the world’s first screen protector with Eyesafe RPF60 technology that filters blue light which can disrupt sleep. This new-to-world Eyesafe technology filters intense blue light between 435-440 nanometers, which is the portion of the spectrum most concerning to eye doctors. Best of all, ZAGG screen protectors won’t change the color on your screen, meaning no yellow tint.

4. Wear blue light-blocking glasses

When using computers and tablets or watching TV, make it a habit to wear blue light–blocking glasses. There are many options for prescription and non-prescription eyeglasses with blue light filtration. They also come in several styles and colors so you can protect your eyes in style.

5. Use device software

Many devices now have software installed that can help reduce a user’s exposure to blue light. For example, you can set your device to night mode and adjust the screen display to a warmer temperature to reduce blue light output. The downside is your screen will have a yellow or amber tint. Alternatively, if you use a ZAGG screen protector or wear blue light-blocking glasses, you’ll receive the same filtering benefits without changing the colors on your screen.

This winter, make your eyes a priority. Using these five tips, you’ll be well on your way to reducing your exposure to blue light so you can decrease digital eyestrain and hopefully get a better night’s sleep. To learn more about blue light, visit ZAGG.com/Blue-Light-Filtering.

2023-11-29T16:35:00

(BPT) – Are video games at the top of your kids’ wish lists this year? Chances are good that they are. In a recent survey of U.S. adults and children aged 10 through 17 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), kids were most likely to ask parents for video game–related presents (72%). It’s not surprising, as there’s a video game out there for every player, and video games are a fun activity that can also engage friends and family in interactive play.

In the survey, a majority of both girls (59%) and boys (86%) say they plan to ask for video game gifts, with the top five requests being for game subscriptions (39%), game consoles (38%), game gear/accessories (32%), in-game currency (29%) and physical video games (22%). And they’re not just for kids — about 1 in 3 (32%) adults say they plan to buy video game gifts for themselves or others for the holidays, with that number jumping to 57% for parents.

“More than 212 million Americans play video games regularly, so it comes as no surprise that games are at the top of this year’s wish lists,” said Stan Pierre-Louis, president and CEO, ESA. “Whether a family is getting a new console, updating their controllers and headsets or adding to their library with new games and expansion packs, we know video games are a great tool for families to play together and connect during the holiday season and beyond.”

Before you head online or to a store to do your shopping, it’s important to take steps to ensure the games you choose for your kids are appropriate for their ages, and that you’re comfortable with their content.

If you’re a parent or caregiver — or other relative looking for games for the kids in your life — the ESA encourages taking these three steps before purchasing and gifting video game items for kids, so you can relax and let them have fun playing games they love.

1. Check the age and content rating information

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) assigns age and content ratings to video games and mobile apps to help parents and caregivers decide which are appropriate for kids. Parents should look out for the ESRB’s three-part rating system:

Rating Categories suggest age appropriateness. Ratings include E for Everyone, E10+ for ages 10 and older, T for Teen, M for Mature for ages 17 and older or AO for Adults Only.

Content Descriptors highlight content leading to the assigned age rating. ESRB has over 30 Content Descriptors to let parents know when a video game contains language, humor, violence and more.

Interactive Elements provide upfront notice about interactive features that may be important to parents. For example, the “In-Game Purchases” label lets parents know when a game offers the ability to spend money for additional in-game content, and the “Users Interact” label lets parents know when a game allows user-to-user communication.

You can find ESRB rating information on the front and back of all video game boxes, and on product detail pages on digital storefronts.

2. Make use of parental controls

Tools exist on virtually all game devices to help parents and caregivers manage gameplay experiences for their family. Parental controls can include:

• Filtering games by ESRB age rating
• Managing time spent playing games
• Controlling — or preventing — spending
• Limiting — or blocking — communication with other players
• PIN and password settings to prevent unwanted changes
• Regular playtime reports

3. Have family conversations about responsible online behavior

Video games are a positive and meaningful outlet for billions of players worldwide. To help your family enjoy their games, it’s important to communicate clear household rules around limits (such as time of day and duration of play), the types of games allowed and when it’s appropriate to spend money — then set up parental controls around these rules.

In addition, games increasingly allow interaction with others online. You’ll want to consider whether family members should be able to interact with other players and if so, with whom. You can decide to activate parental controls to block online communications. In some cases, parents can curate their kids’ friends list to only allow communications with people they know in real life.

If children are allowed to interact with others online, remember to discuss appropriate behavior, including treating other players kindly and respectfully. It’s also key to have conversations with children about interacting with strangers online. If they’re allowed to talk to strangers, make sure children understand what to do if they encounter another player behaving inappropriately. Remember: Kids can always mute, block and report players, and if they’re unsure what to do, let them know they can always ask you or another trusted adult for advice.

Learn more about nurturing ongoing conversations around video games in your home by checking out ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide and tools for parents, and following the ESRB blog. Steps the video game industry is taking to help protect everyone in the player community can be found on TheESA.com.