Bangladesh Brand Forum

The June 2024 issue of BBF Monthly continues the magazine's tradition of exploring diverse and impactful topics across various industries. This edition opens with a deep dive into the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, celebrating the innovative campaigns shaping the future of advertising and marketing. The issue also addresses the urgent need to make business registration in Bangladesh more startup-friendly, exploring the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and the potential reforms to simplify the process. In the realm of marketing and sales, the edition features an insightful article on the crisis in B2B marketing and sales, emphasising the importance of aligning disconnected funnels to boost efficiency and results. Another marketing-focused piece debates the merits of brand strategy, asking whether distinctiveness or differentiation is the key to long-term success. The edition also examines disruptive marketing and its potential as a powerful tool—when wielded correctly. For those in public relations, there's a guide to mastering PR reputation management in the digital age, offering strategies to protect and enhance brand image online. A feature on geographic-specific brand building highlights strategies for creating a strong local identity, while an article reflecting on 30 years of Amazon offers insights into the tech giant’s remarkable journey and evolution. For tech enthusiasts, a feature on Apple Intelligence delves into the company’s latest advancements, while a separate article offers tips on how to assess true macroeconomic risk in an increasingly volatile world. Entrepreneurs can gain insights from a comparison between fundraising and bootstrapping, helping them decide the best path for their startups. Additionally, the resurgence of brands as drivers of growth is analyzed, providing evidence of their renewed importance in today’s market. This edition of BBF Monthly is rich with thought-provoking content, offering readers a comprehensive look at current trends and the future landscape across multiple sectors. The publication cover was designed by globally acclaimed prolific visual artist Ms. Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Director & Creative Editor, Bangladesh Brand Forum. #BBFMonthly #BBFDigital

LinkedIn has launched its first AI agent, Hiring Assistant, a tool that integrates directly into LinkedIn's platform, enhancing recruiter productivity and candidate quality by automating key tasks such as AI-based searches, communication, and project management.  The new tool, which integrates directly with LinkedIn’s vast platform, allows recruiters to offload mundane tasks such as candidate sourcing, job description synthesis, and initial screening. Key features include "Experiential Memory," which allows the system to learn and adapt to each recruiter’s unique workflow, and "Project Memory," which stores and organizes information related to specific hiring projects. #BBFBrandNews #LinkedIn #HiringAssistant

Kutubuddin Ahmed, Chairman of Sheltech Group, Envoy Legacy and Envoy textiles Ltd. has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Bangladesh. In a letter of patent, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, stated: “I hereby appoint Kutubuddin Ahmed as the Honorary Consul of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, with competence for the defense and protection of the interests of Timor-Leste and its citizens in Dhaka, in accordance with the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the legislation in force in both Timor-Leste and Bangladesh.” Kutubuddin Ahmed was awarded the Title of Knight Officer of the Spanish Royal Order of Merit by the King of Spain in 2020. The esteemed King of Spain bestows this honor to foreign nationals for their significant contributions in developing the bilateral relations between their country of origin and Spain. Kutubuddin is the Former President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). He was secretary general of Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) and a recipient of the National Sports Award 2002. He was also awarded with the Business Person of the Year 2016 by DHL and The Daily Star. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from BUET, and his area of expertise and entrepreneurship includes not only textiles and garments manufacturing but also real estate, construction, ceramics, aviation and other industries. #BBFBrandNews #KutubuddinAhmed #TimorLeste

Apple unveils new iMac with M4 chip and AI-capabilities , available in fresh colours. Apple's new iMac, powered by the M4 chip, offers 1.7x faster daily productivity and over twice the speed for intensive tasks like photo editing and gaming. Content creators can experience 2.1x faster editing in Adobe apps, and gamers enjoy up to double the frame rates. The iMac also debuts Apple Intelligence, featuring enhanced Siri functionality and Writing Tools for improved editing assistance. The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display includes a nano-texture glass option to reduce glare, and it’s available in seven vibrant colors. Additionally, the iMac offers customizable memory, storage, and includes a magic keyboard and mouse. #BBFBrandNews #AppleIntelligence #iMac

Meta Platforms has entered a landmark partnership with Reuters, allowing its AI chatbot to provide users with real-time news content from the renowned international news platform. This multi-year licensing deal, the financial details of which remain undisclosed, will enable Meta’s AI to deliver summaries and direct links to Reuters articles, marking Meta’s first major news collaboration in recent years. This partnership addresses previous criticisms of Meta’s news handling and misinformation issues, aligning it with industry trends where tech giants like OpenAI and Perplexity are also securing partnerships with news organizations to enhance content credibility. Reuters has also been a fact-checking partner for Meta since 2020. #BBFBrandNews #Meta #Reuters