TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#investorrelations--The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI), Canada’s national association representing investor relations professionals, is pleased to announce Business Wire will continue as National Strategic Partner for the 11th consecutive year.

Business Wire’s support enables CIRI to deliver on its mandate to advance the practice of investor relations across Canada. This includes developing resources, delivering professional development events, providing networking opportunities and advocating on behalf of the investor relations profession.

“The last year has been challenging for all, with not-for-profit organizations having been particularly hard hit. With Business Wire’s steadfast commitment to CIRI and the profession, we are able to support the investor relations community through timely, relevant professional development and resources,” said Yvette Lokker, President & CEO, CIRI. “More importantly, we are able to bring the community together regularly to share experiences and learn from one another at this critical time when the profession is evolving and adapting to changing circumstances.”

“Business Wire is proud to support CIRI as its National Strategic Partner the past eleven years. CIRI’s mission to advance the stature and credibility of the investor relations profession aligns with Business Wire's strong commitment to the Canadian capital markets,” said Greg Blazina, Head of Canada, Business Wire. “As more and more Canadian issuers turn to Business Wire for secure and accurate dissemination of their news, we remain focused on delivering a world-class experience to the Canadian investor relations community.”

For more information on CIRI sponsorship, click here.

For more information on Business Wire’s investor relations solutions, click here.

About CIRI

CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For more information, please visit CIRI.org.

About Business Wire

Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in news release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Investor relations, public relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals, and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX Network. Business Wire’s worldwide newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media globally.

Learn more at www.businesswire.com. Follow us on Twitter @businesswire.

BW-C

Yvette Lokker
President & CEO
Canadian Investor Relations Institute
(416) 364-8200 ext. 101
ylokker@ciri.org

Greg Blazina
Head of Canada
Business Wire
(416) 593-0208
greg.blazina@businesswire.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Media Canada, representing hundreds of print and digital titles in every province and territory, issued a historic open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada calling on the Trudeau government to act now on their commitment to support local journalists.

In an unprecedented effort, publishers called the Trudeau government to task. “For months, you and your Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, have promised action to rein in the predatory monopoly practices of Google and Facebook against Canadian news media. But so far, all we’ve gotten is talk. And with every passing week, that talk grows hollower and hollower.”

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault repeated the government’s commitment to introduce legislation in the spring of 2021 on various media outlets, including CBC Radio, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, and CTV.

News Media Canada Chair Jamie Irving said, “Reporting real news costs real money. There are only two ways to cover those costs: advertising and subscriptions. But Google and Facebook use their control of the Internet and their highly sophisticated algorithms to divert 80% of all online advertising revenue in Canada. And they distribute the work of hardworking journalists across the country without compensation.”

Other countries, such as Australia, have tackled this challenge and reined in the web giants. In March of 2021, the Australian Parliament adopted the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) with support from all parties. The legislation requires Facebook and Google to negotiate collectively with that country’s media. Facebook and Google have negotiated compensation agreements with media companies to pay for content from publishers serving local and national audiences. “It’s a huge success,” said Rod Sims, Chairman of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, in an interview with The Financial Times. “The bargaining and arbitration model (in the Australian legislation) is actually a very light regulation in the sense that we want equal bargaining power,” he said. Dozens of small publishers have also signed or negotiated terms following the passage of a February law aimed at getting Big Tech to pay for news.

“Until all news media in Canada can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to use their market dominance to drive terms that are in their interests. Government inaction has created a vacuum and puts some publishers at a negotiating disadvantage without the backstop of legislation,” concluded Jamie Irving.

News Media Canada is calling on Parliament and the federal government to exercise their responsibilities to stand up to these two web giants and to restore fairness to the Canadian media marketplace.

About News Media Canada

News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

For further comment:
Jamie Irving, Chair
News Media Canada

Interview Requests:
media@newsmediacanada.ca

UKG Pro, Ceridian Dayforce, isolved People Cloud, Workday Human Capital Management, RUN Powered by ADP, and Oracle Cloud HCM are the 2021 Human Capital Management Emotional Footprint Champions.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SoftwareReviews, a division of IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, has published its 2021 Human Capital Management Emotional Footprint Awards, naming six vendors as Champions. The following vendors are champions according to the feedback provided by their users via SoftwareReviews’ comprehensive online survey:

• UKG Pro
• Ceridian Dayforce
• isolved People Cloud
• Workday Human Capital Management
• RUN Powered by ADP
• Oracle Cloud HCM

“With the pandemic disruption and resurgence of movements to combat racism and social injustice over the last year, HCM vendors have expanded their focus. This includes a greater emphasis on employee wellbeing, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), enabling management of a remote workforce, and using data, predictive analytics, and AI/machine learning to listen and respond to employee concerns in real-time as a means to improving the employee experience,” said Tracy-Lynn Reid, research lead, Info-Tech Research Group.

SoftwareReviews’ Net Emotional Footprint measures high-level user sentiment. It aggregates emotional ratings from 25 provocative questions, creating a powerful indicator of the overall user feeling toward the vendor and the product.

UKG Pro, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +84, excelled in being altruistic and fair. Ceridian Dayforce, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +84, performed exceptionally in many categories, exceeding user expectations in continually improving while being reliable. isolved People Cloud, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +83, performed well in being efficient and offering security protection.

Workday Human Capital Management, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +80, ranked high in helping innovate and transparency. Run Powered by ADP, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +81, scored excellently in performance improvement and product enhancement. Oracle Cloud HCM, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +78, performed well overall by being caring and inspiring.

In general, Human Capital Management software users responded most favorably when asked about vendors’ quality and effectiveness of service – and were most dissatisfied with vendors over-promising to deliver.

What Is the Emotional Footprint Diamond?

The Emotional Footprint Diamond illustrates the customer experience with software vendors and a complex relationship spanning procurement, implementation, service, and support. The Net Emotional Footprint of a vendor is a result of aggregated emotional response ratings in the areas of service, negotiation, product impact, conflict resolution, and strategy and innovation, creating a powerful indicator of overall user feeling toward the vendor and its product from the software user’s point of view. The data published in the Emotional Footprint Diamond is collected from real end-users through authentic software review surveys and meticulously verified. The survey uses standard net promoter scoring (positive percentage minus negative percentage) to arrive at the Net Emotional Footprint score. These skillfully crafted survey questions are informed by two decades of IT research and advisory. Vendors with top user scores receive the Emotional Footprint Award. The Emotional Footprint Awards, an initiative proudly founded in 100% user-review data, is free of traditional components such as market presence and analyst opinion, which are opaque in nature and may be influenced by vendor pressure, financial or otherwise.

About SoftwareReviews:

SoftwareReviews is a division of Info-Tech Research Group, an IT research and advisory firm established in 1997. Backed by two decades of IT research and advisory experience, SoftwareReviews is a leading source of expertise and insight into the enterprise software landscape and client-vendor relationships. By collecting real data from IT and business professionals, the SoftwareReviews methodology produces detailed and authentic insights into the experience of evaluating and purchasing enterprise software.

For more information, please contact:
Indrani Ray
Vice President, Communications and Brand
irayghosal@infotech.com
647.574.9559

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the fourth year in a row, Messagepoint Inc. has been named an overall leading provider of customer communications management (CCM) solutions in the 2021 CCM Aspire Leaderboard, a dynamic positioning grid that ranks CCM vendors across the industry according to their capabilities, vision and market presence. The Overall Leader designation recognizes Messagepoint’s continued ability to empower business users to manage complex content at scale, minimize authoring and change cycle times and reduce high template inventories.

“Messagepoint is a powerful solution for complex content control, authoring, migration and business user enablement with growing global adoption of its solutions,” said Kasper Roos, founder and CEO, Aspire Customer Communications Services. “We find Messagepoint to be especially robust in scenarios where content needs to be populated across multiple, cascading templates or where content varies widely, as it does when sending mandated communications.”

As a key innovator in the CCM industry, Messagepoint developed its AI/ML engine, Messagepoint’s Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine (MARCIE), which powers unique content migration and content optimization capabilities throughout the platform. The company leverages its AI capabilities, along with other unique innovations, to provide significant solutions that enable more intelligent management and authoring of all types of customer communications. Those solutions highlighted by the Aspire Leaderboard include Messagepoint Connected, the company’s recently updated interactive communications solution that enables customer-facing team members to respond to ad hoc customer requests with individually tailored communications. In addition, Rationalizer, a stand-alone product that is driving industry-wide transformation by enabling export for CCM migration and modernization and includes an intelligent content hub that powers physical and digital experiences outside of templates, was highlighted. Lastly, Messagepoint’s patented capabilities for managing communication variations drive both template reduction efficiencies and enable personalization at an unparalleled level.

“The fact that 2021 is the fourth year Messagepoint has received this high recognition on the Aspire Leaderboard reflects our company’s continued commitment to make it easier for business users to more intelligently control content and create new communications,” said Steve Biancaniello, CEO, Messagepoint. “The Messagepoint team is focused on developing solutions that support and advance the customer experience through all communication channels.”

Aspire Disclaimer

The Aspire Leaderboard™ is copyrighted by Aspire Customer Communications Services Ltd. and is based on the findings and opinions of Aspire’s consultancy organization. Aspire does not endorse any vendor, product or service included in the Aspire Leaderboard. For tailored RFP support please contact the Aspire team here.

About Aspire

Aspire Customer Communications Services is a boutique consulting firm specializing in the Customer Communications Management (CCM) and Digital Customer Experience (DCX) industries. Through deep market expertise and global insights, Aspire works with technology providers, service providers, enterprises and investors to help them achieve their CCM goals. Find more information about how Aspire is helping organizations navigate the complexities of the customer communications world at http://www.aspireccs.com.

About Messagepoint

Messagepoint is a leading provider of customer communications management software. Only Messagepoint harnesses AI-powered Content Intelligence to automate and simplify the process of migrating, optimizing, authoring and managing complex customer communications for non-technical (business) users. Customers rely on its award-winning platform to consistently deliver exceptional, highly personalized customer communications across all platforms and channels. For more information, visit www.messagepoint.com.

Patricia Kilgore
Sterling Kilgore
630-964-8500
pkilgore@sterlingkilgore.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following is a statement issued by Jamie Irving, Vice-President of Brunswick News Inc. and Chair of News Media Canada:

News Media Canada members are calling on the federal government to introduce the long-awaited policy to allow publishers to negotiate fairly with Facebook and Google.

Yesterday's announcement by Facebook regarding short-term commercial arrangements it has undertaken with a few Canadian media outlets underlines the need for the government to follow through urgently on the commitment it has made to curtail the predatory monopoly practices of both Facebook and Google and level the playing field for Canadian news media.

Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Canadian Heritage have committed to legislation to rein in the web giants, who abuse their monopoly power by diverting 80% of online advertising revenues in Canada and distributing content generated by Canadian journalists without compensation. Since October of last year, News Media Canada has called for Canada to adopt the approach enacted by the Australian Parliament, which requires the web giants to negotiate collectively with that country's news media to provide fair compensation for content.

Until news media in this country can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to divide and conquer, using their power and market dominance to drive terms that are in their favour against smaller, more financially vulnerable news media outlets. Far from contributing to the resolution of the problem, this approach only solidifies their stranglehold.

As the response of the opposition parties this week has shown, there is a broad, bipartisan consensus for action now. We call on the government to keep its commitment to Canadians who rely on local news and to introduce legislation before Parliament rises for the summer.

About News Media Canada

News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Jamie Irving, Chair, News Media Canada
jci@brunswicknews.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Inc. (“Postmedia”) and Wise Publishing, Inc, (“Wise Publishing”) today announced that Postmedia has made a strategic equity investment for a minority position in Wise Publishing. The two companies will partner on various initiatives, such as providing Postmedia’s vast audience with access to increased personal finance content and tools while further building the MoneyWise brand.

Wise Publishing is a fast-growing Canada-based personal finance publisher. Its popular websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca attract an audience of 10 million unique visitors monthly*.

“We are excited to be investing in Wise Publishing, an innovative digital media company which is complementary to our business,” said Mary Anne Lavallee, EVP and Chief Operating Officer at Postmedia. “The Wise Publishing team has proven success in the performance marketing space, leveraging relevant content, engaged financial audiences and innovative media technology.”

“It’s so critically important to find investors who understand your business, share your vision and can help your company realize its goals,” said Kyle Trattner, Wise Publishing CEO. “Postmedia enhances our incredibly strong group of experienced backers who align with our mission: to help millions of people make good financial decisions and get ahead in life.”

*Source: Internal data from Google Analytics.

About Wise Publishing, Inc.:

Wise Publishing, Inc. and its websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca provide personal finance information, news and tools in ways that are clear, trustworthy and engaging. Readers throughout North America have come to count on the Toronto-based company to help them save money, find the best bank accounts, get the best mortgage rates and navigate many other money matters. Wise Publishing content has been featured by leading media outlets including MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, Financial Post, USA Today, Fortune, CNBC and Fox Business, among others.

About Postmedia Network Inc.:

Postmedia Network Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B), is a news media company representing more than 120 brands across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offer advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences.

This news release may include information that is “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws. Postmedia has tried, where possible, to identify such information and statements by using words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should” and similar expressions and derivations thereof in connection with any discussion of future events, trends or prospects or future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the success of a strategic investment for Postmedia, both companies’ exploration of new business initiatives and the ability to access and engage certain audiences. By their nature, forward-looking information and statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the possibility that the initiatives described herein will not succeed; the impact of the initiatives on revenue; the possibility that Postmedia is unable to recoup its investment; competition from digital and other forms of media; the ability of Postmedia to build out its digital media and online businesses; the failure to maintain current print and online newspaper readership and circulation levels; possible damage to the reputation of Postmedia’s brands or trademarks; possible labour disruptions; possible environmental liabilities, litigation and pension plan obligations; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and the prices of newsprint and other commodities. For a complete list of our risk factors please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our annual management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended August 31, 2020. Although Postmedia bases such information and statements on assumptions believed to be reasonable when made, they are not guarantees of future performance and actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in which Postmedia operates, may differ materially from any such information and statements in this press release. Given these risks and uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of such information or statements. Other than as required by law, neither Postmedia nor Wise Publishing undertake, and both companies specifically decline, any obligation to update such information or statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such information or statements.

Wise Publishing, Inc.
Media Contact
Doug Whiteman, Editor-in-Chief
doug@wisepublishing.com

Postmedia
Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President, Communications
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Inc. (“Postmedia”) today announced that it is building a national distribution network for small parcel delivery. Postmedia Parcel Services, a new division of Postmedia, will leverage its extensive distribution network to expand its offerings to include trucking, sorting and distribution of small parcels beginning with a strategic partnership with Brunswick News Inc. in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and certain regions of Ontario.

“At Postmedia we have a long, proud history of delivering to homes in communities across our country,” said Andrew MacLeod, Postmedia’s President & CEO. “Extending our offerings and trusted relationships in the communities we already serve, through this new partnership, aligns to our corporate strategy.”

“Postmedia’s tremendous reach in communities across Canada complements our delivery services offerings – a business we have been growing over the past four years,” said Jamie Irving, Vice President Brunswick News.

The new service offering is expected to launch in early summer and scale up over the summer and fall. Postmedia Parcel Services will include the opening of sortation centres, expansion of Postmedia’s existing distribution network and operate 364 days a year.

About Postmedia Network Inc.

Postmedia Network Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B), is a Canadian newsmedia company representing more than 120 brands across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offer advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com or www.postmediasolutions.com.

Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President, Communications
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com

 Launching in Winter 2022, “W by Wattpad Books” will cater to contemporary fiction fans, debuting with five titles from some of the most exciting romance authors on Wattpad

The first title from “W by Wattpad Books” will be Lockdown on London Lane, from The Kissing Booth author and Wattpad superstar Beth Reekles

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After taking the publishing world by storm with some of the most exciting titles in YA, Wattpad Books today announced “W by Wattpad Books,” a new adult imprint to bring more internationally beloved Wattpad stories to bookshelves. With five commercial fiction and romance novels planned at launch, the first “W by Wattpad Books” title will debut on February 1, 2022 with Lockdown on London Lane by bestselling author Beth Reekles. The novel marks Beth Reekles’ return to Wattpad after a stream of incredible success in publishing and entertainment.

Reekles, who is known for her work in the YA space, began her writing career at just fifteen years old when she began writing The Kissing Booth on Wattpad. The story accumulated over 20 million reads on the platform before being published by Penguin Random House and becoming a smash-hit film from Netflix and Komixx Entertainment. On returning to Wattpad, Reekles said, “This is a full circle moment. My readers have grown up alongside me, and I am happy to be publishing my debut adult novel with Wattpad, the platform that brought us together.”

“W by Wattpad Books” brings the Wattpad Books approach to a wider segment of the book-buying market, combining human editorial expertise with Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology to identify and publish stand-out stories from diverse voices across the globe. Tina McIntyre, Head of Wattpad Books North America, will guide the strategy for the press and new imprint with Deanna McFadden, Publishing Director, guiding the editorial vision and acquisitions.

“There are hundreds of millions of incredible stories on Wattpad, and our work in YA has barely scratched the surface of must-read stories and talent on the platform,” said Ashleigh Gardner, Deputy General Manager at Wattpad Studios, Publishing. “W by Wattpad Books is the next step in the natural evolution of our publishing program. Over and over we’ve seen fans age up with the genres they love, following their favourite authors and stories to new adult settings in college or the workplace. For years, we’ve worked with international publishing partners to bring acclaimed adult novels to fans, resulting in massive success stories such as After and Chasing Red. I’m excited to continue to do what we do best at Wattpad: discover new talent, elevate diverse voices, and bring quality, in-demand stories to readers everywhere.”

Wattpad will continue to partner with Macmillan in the U.S and Raincoast Books in Canada for sales distribution. The first full slate of novels from “W by Wattpad Books” is as follows:

Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles (@Reekles)
Follow five stories of twenty-somethings through their week of quarantine, where romances will blossom, friendships fracture, and relationships are forged that could last a lifetime.

• Available on February 1, 2022
• 428K Reads

Drive by Tamara Lush (@TamaraLush)
He's an arrogant race car driver with an attitude. She's a stubborn tire mechanic out to prove herself in a man's world. When sparks fly, will their passion make it to the finish line? ...

• Available March 1, 2022
• 2.1M Reads

Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner (@lesserknown1)
When Aurie dies, only two people can save her soul: a seductive Empath who sees her ghost, and a hot werewolf investigating her death. But will she accept the desire swirling between the three of them? An LGBTQIA+ paranormal romance.

• Available March 15, 2022
• 135K Reads

Out of His League by Caroline A. Richardson (@MustangSabby)
After a spontaneous fling in Vegas with her favourite baseball player, Gretchen Harper starts to wonder if one night can possibly turn into forever.

• Available April 5, 2022
• 1.2M Reads

Stiletto Sisterhood by Fallon DeMornay (@FallonDeMornay)
Priyanka, Isobel, Caitriona, Eshe & Shayne are five diverse twenty-something best friends out to conquer their dreams. Follow their trials and triumphs as they face relationship dramas, job issues, and adjust to life in the adult world.

• Available April 12, 2022
• 443L Reads

ABOUT WATTPAD BOOKS

Wattpad Books publishes a new generation of diverse authors and stories the world needs to read. Leveraging Wattpad’s global community of 90 million passionate readers and data-backed insights about the genres and stories they love, Wattpad Books combines art & science to find the trends, genres, and writers that will shape the future of publishing. By elevating the stories and voices of communities around the world, Wattpad Books is creating new space for diverse writers on bookshelves everywhere.

Wattpad Books are stories the world needs, from voices you’ll love to read.

Visit books.wattpad.com for more information.

Crystal McCoy, Publicity Manager, Wattpad Books
crystal@wattpad.com

Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network will use Alida to uncover insights that strengthen the viewer experience

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alida (formerly Vision Critical), creator of the world’s first CXM & Insights Platform, today announced that Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks (Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network), America’s leading provider of outdoor lifestyle content, has chosen Alida Sparq and Alida Touchpoint to glean real-time ongoing viewer feedback and unlock customer insights to build a greater viewing experience for their audience.

“As media continues to evolve, real-time viewer feedback is a key component to understand details about how our outdoor lifestyle audiences are consuming programming on Outdoor Channel,” said Tim Cremin, President and General Manager of Winnercomm and Outdoor Sportsman Group Head of Programming. “Alida helps us accomplish that goal and we look forward to working together.”

With the continued evolution of viewer preferences today, it’s vital for entertainment and media companies to gather real-time feedback from their audiences to deliver a great experience that aligns with shifting attitudes and expectations. Alida’s flagship digital insights platform, Alida Sparq, will continue to support Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks in gaining rich insights from its viewers to understand their needs and preferences around hunting, fishing, shooting, adventure, and conservation shows. Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks will also use Alida Touchpoint to proactively meet its viewers where they are, such as its social and digital channels, to drive informed actions and build customer trust by actively listening and acting on their feedback.

“As the world adapts to changes around sporting and outdoor events, Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks is strongly committed to strengthening the relationship with their viewers,” said Ross Wainwright, CEO of Alida. “I’m excited that our expanded partnership will continue to help them optimize the experience for their audiences.”

Alida Sparq enables customer-centric brands to create a consistent flow of deep customer insights through a digital insight community. With Alida Sparq, brands turn customer truths into action to improve customer experience, accelerate innovation, increase revenue, and mitigate decision risk. Alida Touchpoint offers brands a mobile-first application designed to easily connect with current and potential customers to collect feedback or other preference data, drive calls-to-action, and engage through their customers’ preferred social and digital channels. To learn more about Alida Sparq and Alida Touchpoint, visit www.alida.com/products.

About Outdoor Sportsman Group

Outdoor Sportsman Group is comprised of the world’s foremost media and entertainment brands for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. It includes three leading multichannel networks: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network, as well as Sportsman Channel Canada and MOTV, the world’s leading subscription-based video-on-demand outdoor television content platform. The Group also consists of a number of established publishing assets: 16 outdoor magazines including Guns & Ammo, Game & Fish, Petersen’s Hunting, In-Fisherman and 20 top websites, including OutdoorChannelPlus.com. Additionally, Outdoor Sportsman Group includes television production operations, Winnercomm. For more information, visit www.outdoorsg.com. #MyOutdoorTV

About Alida

Alida believes in a world where customers are the ultimate source of truth. A world where the best business decisions are those made with customers, not for them. That's why Alida created the world's first CXM & Insights Platform to turn customer truth into action. For over 20 years, iconic brands like BuzzFeed, LinkedIn, and Red Bull have chosen Alida, formerly Vision Critical, as their secret weapon. Alida’s unique approach of coupling broad feedback with deep insights creates meaningful and lasting customer relationships and builds brands that stand the test of time.

Follow us at www.alida.com and engage with us on social media @alidaCXM.

Genevieve Raveau
Public Relations Manager, Alida
genevieve.raveau@alida.com

Tom Caraccioli
Outdoor Sportsman Group
212.852.6646
tom.caraccioli@outdoorsg.com

Shifts narrative from “stop gathering” to “if you are going to gather, gather responsibly; here’s how”.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A year ago, then 22 year old Lauren Holmes saw a spike in social media activity leading up to the May 24 long weekend showing youth in Ontario partying in large groups that was clearly not in line with social gathering restrictions in place at the time. In response, through her idea agency, Munchkin Media Group, she launched partyresponsibly.ca, the first national initiative dedicated to helping stop the spread of COVID-19 by raising awareness of responsible partying behavior among young adults 19+ while social gathering restrictions were in place.

Now, twelve months later with the pandemic still raging, vaccinations being added to the mix, and the summer “high season” for social contact among young adults nearly upon us once again, Lauren is launching a new initiative, gatherresponsibly.ca, aimed at the broader and now bigger issue (relative to the spread of COVID-19) of “gatherings” vs “parties” among young adults.

“If your province or region is under a stay-at-home order or in a lockdown, the most responsible way to gather is not to gather at all. If your province or region is not under a stay-at-home order or in a lockdown then as a young adult you are probably wondering how you can gather responsibly under whatever restrictions are in effect”, commented Ms. Holmes.

Gatherresponsibly.ca provides simple and easy to digest do’s and don’ts as to how to gather responsibly in a positive and engaging manner.

“Social media is clearly showing that young adults know they can’t do the big party thing at this point, and that they are shifting to planning smaller gatherings for the May 24 weekend and throughout the summer. Messaging needs to adapt to this shift and give guidance to young adults as to how to gather responsibly in an environment where with vaccinations progressing through the summer, there may be a tendency to let their guard down when they really cannot”, continued Ms. Holmes.

About Munchkin Media Group

Munchkin Media Group is an idea agency launched in 2018 by Lauren Holmes with four areas of focus (Munchkin Media, Munchkin Marketing, Munchkin Publishing and Munchkin Concepts). Initiatives have included the launch of partyresponsibly.ca, and the Canadian Student-Athlete Association.

Lauren Holmes
lauren@munchkinmediagroup.com
365-773-1282

Wattpad, the world’s leading social storytelling platform, and WEBTOON, the global leader in webcomics, are now both Naver brands, with a combined global monthly audience of more than 166 million people

Acquisition sets up Wattpad for continued growth and global leadership, including new investments in user initiatives to help Wattpad authors build an international audience and make money

Wattpad plans to grow its team by nearly 100 people in 2021

TORONTO & SEOUL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Naver, South Korea’s internet conglomerate, and Wattpad, the global multi-platform entertainment company for original stories and a leading social storytelling platform, today announced that Naver has completed its acquisition of Wattpad in a cash and stock transaction valued at more than an estimated USD $600 million.

The company will remain headquartered in Canada under the continued leadership of founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen. CEO & co-founder Allen Lau will report to WEBTOON CEO Jun Koo Kim.

As part of the Naver family of world-class brands, Wattpad will focus on its continued growth and innovations, expanding its teams and developing new initiatives to reward writers on the platform. Wattpad will grow its teams by nearly 50% in 2021, adding close to 100 new roles in engineering, marketing, content, and other parts of the company to continue to execute its vision to entertain and connect the world through stories.

The acquisition strengthens Naver’s leadership in social storytelling and entertainment, adding Wattpad’s expertise in machine learning, IP discovery, and data-backed TV and film development to Naver’s world-class roster of entertainment and content brands like WEBTOON. Wattpad’s core app will continue to operate independently, while exploring new ways to collaborate with WEBTOON and other Naver brands.

With a global community of more than 90 million people--including five million writers--who have written more than one billion uploads on the platform, Wattpad is a global leader in social storytelling and entertainment. Wattpad’s creator-first approach to nurturing and supporting reading and writing communities has helped authors around the world build a global audience and make money on the platform. The company recently celebrated a key milestone: since launching in 2019, writers in Wattpad’s Paid Stories program have earned more than a million dollars. Along with sponsored brand partnerships, and TV, film, and book adaptations, Wattpad Paid Stories are just one of a growing number of paths for Wattpad writers to earn money from their work.

Wattpad has created a new type of online writing influencer, catapulting a new generation of authors to international fame. The company’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology has revolutionized the art and science of understanding and finding great stories to adapt for TV, film, or to publish as books.

As previously announced, the acquisition will align Wattpad with Naver’s WEBTOON, and the company's monthly average of 76 million users around the world. Together, these two leading comics, entertainment, and storytelling companies, will reach a combined global monthly audience of more than 166 million people. WEBTOON is home to some of the biggest names in webcomics, including Lore Olympus, Rachel Smythe's Eisner Award-nominated series. WEBTOON Studios has worked with The Jim Henson Company; Crunchyroll; Vertigo Entertainment - the production company behind the IT franchise and The Lego Movie; Bound Entertainment - the global studio led by Snowpiercer and Okja producer Samuel Ha.

“Wattpad has created something truly unique: an engaged, positive global community of people who share a passion for great stories,” said Seong-Sook Han, CEO of Naver. "Through this acquisition, it is expected that the synergy between WEBTOON and Wattpad will be even greater. Gen Z around the world have fallen in love with storytelling platforms like Wattpad and WEBTOON. With a growing global user base of Gen Z readers and writers on Wattpad and WEBTOON, combined with hundreds of millions of incredible stories to fuel on-screen hits, Naver is quickly becoming an important player in the global entertainment and content market.”

“Wattpad has redefined writing in the digital era, creating new ways for indie authors to build a global audience and make money,” said WEBTOON founder and CEO, Jun Koo Kim. “We’re thrilled to have Wattpad join Naver and WEBTOON, aligning our teams and global communities to create more opportunities for writers everywhere.”

“We founded Wattpad with a vision to entertain and connect the world through stories,” said Allen Lau, CEO & co-founder, Wattpad. “By joining the Naver family of companies, we’re continuing that vision, with more resources and expertise to grow our global community and help writers everywhere achieve their dreams. Alongside Naver and WEBTOON, we’re positioned for faster growth and continued innovation to support writers and transform publishing and entertainment around the world.”

Wattpad announced a series of high profile innovations and global entertainment successes in Q1 2021. In March, Wattpad Brand Partnerships launched Wattpad Brand Originals, a new branded entertainment offering to develop branded TV series, films, podcasts, and digital media projects from hit Wattpad stories.

Wattpad’s award-winning work in TV, film, and publishing is transforming the global entertainment industry, using machine learning, audience insights, and data-backed development to create hit TV shows, films, and published books. Wattpad Books publishes a new generation of diverse authors and stories the world needs to read, combining art and science to find the trends, genres, and writers that will shape the future of publishing.

The company’s studio division, Wattpad Studios, currently has 90 TV and film projects in development with partners around the world, including the upcoming Netflix Original film with Nostromo Pictures, A Través de mi Ventana, based on Ariana Godoy’s 176 million read Wattpad sensation of the same name; and Blair Holden’s The Bad Boy's Girl, currently being developed as a film with the legendary Leone Film Group. Wattpad’s Vidio Original series Turn On, from Vidio, Wattpad, and Screenplay Films, broke records to become Vidio’s most-watched series so far in 2021, with 10 million views and a second season greenlight.

Among Wattpad’s growing slate of hit TV and film projects is the People’s Choice Award-winning After, from Voltage Pictures. The story began on Wattpad, accumulating more than one billion reads on the platform before becoming an international best-seller and film franchise. After also won three Teen Choice Awards in 2019, and the sequel After We Collided was an indie hit in 2020. Four additional films in the franchise are in production or development, for a total of six planned films in the After series.

ABOUT NAVER

Naver invests in the pursuit of transformation and innovation of technology platforms and is devoted to shared growth by connecting global users and partners. Founded in 1999, Naver is Korea’s largest information technology company. Naver operates Korea’s No.1 search engine and largest e-commerce platform, and is a leading provider of fintech services, digital content and cloud services to a global community. Naver cultivates a culture of ‘Founder-type leaders’ who continue to launch innovative mobile applications, including LINE (Japan’s No.1 messaging app), WEBTOON and SNOW. In 2018, Naver was ranked as the 9th most innovative company by Forbes and top 6th Future 50 company by Fortune magazine.

ABOUT WATTPAD

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. Wattpad’s flagship app is a leading social storytelling platform, home to a community of more than 90 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories. Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology allows the company to discover stand-out stories among more than one billion uploads written on the platform. Wattpad Studios and Wattpad Books are transforming entertainment and publishing, using data-backed insights to turn Wattpad stories into books, films and TV shows. Wattpad Brand Partnerships help brands build deep engagement with Gen Z consumers. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at company.wattpad.com.

Wattpad
Kiel Hume, Director of PR & Communications
Kiel@wattpad.com; 1-416-908-3604

Naver
Jungyoon Cha
jungyoon.cha@navercorp.com

SAINT-EUSTACHE, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HGreg has been named a 2021 winner of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies program, a national designation that recognizes companies that have excelled in areas of strategy, innovation, financials, culture and commitment to achieving sustainable growth. The 2021 Best Managed program award winners are among the best-in-class of Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues exceeding $25 million. Now in its 28th year, Canada’s Best Managed Companies remains one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies for innovative, world-class business practices.

“Receiving this award is a significant achievement, especially during times such as these,” says John Hairabedian, president and CEO of HGreg, one of the fastest growing automotive groups in North America. “It’s a testament to the good work of associates and a sign that we’re living up to our mission of redefining the car buying experience.”

The past year has been one of innovation and growth for HGreg – branded as HGrégoire in Quebec, HGreg.com in the U.S. The company recently expanded into the west coasts of Florida (Tampa) and the U.S. (Los Angeles), earned the titles of best-selling Nissan dealership in both Canada and the U.S. and started accepting payment by cryptocurrency.

Applicants of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program are evaluated by an independent judging panel comprised of representatives from program sponsors in addition to special guest judges. 2021 Best Managed companies share commonalities that include enabling a remote workforce, making employee health a top priority, acting with an increased sense of purpose and social responsibility, and a significantly heightened focus on cash flow.

2021 winners of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies award will be honoured at a virtual gala. The Best Managed virtual symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today’s business leaders. The Best Managed program is sponsored by CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business and TMX Group.

About HGreg

Founded in 1993, HGreg- which includes both HGregoire and HGreg.com- is committed to simplifying the car buying process through its core values of excellence in customer service, transparency, smart use of technology and a refreshing customer-focused philosophy. Supported by a passionate team of more than 1,900 car lovers, HGreg operates 32 dealerships in North America, including 20 in Quebec, offering both pre-owned and new vehicles. For more information visit hgregoire.com.

About Canada’s Best Managed Companies

Canada’s Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $25 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on four levels: 1) Canada’s Best Managed Companies new winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Canada’s Best Managed Companies winner (award recipients that have re-applied and successfully retained their Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (after three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully retained their award for 4-6 consecutive years); 4) Platinum Club member (winners that have maintained their Best Managed status for seven years or more). Program sponsors are CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business, and TMX Group. For more information, visit www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca.

Noémia L’Heureux-Daigneault
HGreg
(450) 472-7272, ext. 1183
noemia@hgregoire.com

Tia Giannone
Torchia Communications
(514) 999-1732
tia@torchiacom.com

Leading lifestyle travel brand seeking to expand licensing capabilities and develop consumer products

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Travel + Leisure Group, the newly established business line under Travel + Leisure Co. (formerly Wyndham Destinations; NYSE: TNL), launched a new brand licensing business to create a line of premium consumer products leveraging the iconic Travel + Leisure brand. Brand licensing will expand the company’s capacity to bring the Travel + Leisure brand to life through consumer products and services.

“Travel + Leisure is one of the most iconic names in travel, and as the new stewards of the brand, our goal at Travel + Leisure Group is to thoughtfully develop this brand beyond inspiration and into curated products and services that travelers can feel, touch and experience firsthand,” said Noah Brodsky, president of Travel + Leisure Group and chief brand officer for Travel + Leisure Co. “As we look towards the evolution of this storied brand, brand licensing will play a pivotal role in bringing our vision to life to expand our brand into new and unique areas.”

Travel + Leisure Group provides products and services developed to inspire travelers. The company is expanding beyond the pages of Travel + Leisure magazine by utilizing its expert-curated multi-platform content with the recent launch of the online travel gateway BookTandL.com, a new subscription travel club set to launch this summer, as well as consumer products like the Travelpro® x Travel + Leisure luggage collection.

Travel + Leisure Group’s brand licensing efforts will be spearheaded by veteran licensing expert Phil Raso, who joins the company in a newly created role as Director of Brand Licensing. Raso will be responsible for creating Travel + Leisure Group’s brand licensing long-term growth plan, developing its consumer products portfolio and expanding the company’s retail footprint.

“Travel + Leisure’s 50 years of expertise in the travel space opens us up to some incredible licensing opportunities. We can leverage that history and bring travel enthusiasts a multitude of purposeful products to serve their travel dreams,” said Raso. “Imagine Travel + Leisure not only inspiring your vacation ideas but also being with you throughout your journey— it is a thrilling prospect that we are eager to develop.”

Before joining the Travel + Leisure Group, Raso oversaw the licensed industrial products and publishing categories at Caterpillar Inc. He was instrumental in launching multiple products including the world’s strongest shovel, rugged coolers, and a line of award-winning smartphones. He has also actively served on various committees and benchmarking teams for the Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence (SPLiCE) trade organization.

For more information about Travel + Leisure Group and licensing opportunities, visit the Travel + Leisure Group page.

About Travel + Leisure Group

Travel + Leisure Group offers travelers a way to turn vacation inspiration into exceptional experiences through the top online and print travel content, online travel subscription and booking services, and branded consumer products all together in one place. This business provides a suite of products and services to inspire travelers with Travel + Leisure’s trusted expert multi-platform content, including subscription travel clubs, online travel gateway BookTandL.com, and brand licensing agreements. Learn more at https://www.travelandleisureco.com/us/en/our-brands/travel-leisure-group.

Media Contact:
Christina Baez
(786) 860-9305
Media@wyn.com

Company Achieves Third Consecutive Quarter of Improvement in Net Sales Trend; Strong Operating Performance Drives Increases in Margin and Free Cash Flow, Enabling Further Debt Reduction

SUSSEX, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) (“Quad” or the “Company”), today reported results for the first quarter of 2021.

Recent Highlights

• Achieved third consecutive quarter of improvement in net sales decline rate since the height of the pandemic.
• Achieved margin expansion and new business wins in agency solutions and print, while continuing to align costs to demand environment.
• Increased cash from operating activities to $73 million and Free Cash Flow to $56 million, up from $45 million and $16 million in 2020, respectively.
• Reduced Net Debt by $61 million during the first quarter and improved the Debt Leverage Ratio to 3.24x at March 31, 2021.
• Maintained strong liquidity position with up to $463 million in unused capacity under Quad’s revolving credit agreement and $81 million of cash on hand.

“We are very pleased with our performance during the first quarter,” said Joel Quadracci, Chairman, President & CEO of Quad. “Our team achieved a third straight quarter of improvement in net sales decline rate, increased our adjusted EBITDA margin, and drove higher cash flows. These positive trends included new business wins in agency solutions and print, reflecting how well our integrated marketing solutions offering is resonating in the marketplace. We remain focused on growing segment share and managing costs to drive strong cash flow, which will enable further debt reduction.

“We continue to leverage our commitment to client focus, platform excellence, innovation, strong culture and social purpose to accelerate our competitive position as a worldwide marketing solutions partner. Our integrated marketing platform creates superior value for our clients by helping them reduce the complexity of working with multiple agency partners and vendors, increase efficiencies, and improve marketing spend effectiveness across all channels. Our state-of-the-art offering and commitment to innovation has allowed us to establish and expand relationships with valued brands across top-performing verticals, including consumer technology, healthcare, finance and consumer-packaged goods. Our offering includes robust research capabilities to help brands and marketers better understand the drivers of consumer engagement and their purchasing journey, built on sound data and analytics. Recently, we announced our expanded partnership with Package InSight, an organization that studies brand packaging performance, consumer attention and shelf impact, to enhance this differentiating aspect of our offering.

“We will continue to remain nimble and adapt to the rapidly evolving demand landscape as the economy re-opens. We will remain disciplined in how we manage all aspects of our business, including taking advantage of value-creating opportunities that will help accelerate our transformation into higher margin products and services, and enhance our financial strength and create shareholder value. Notably, our strong culture and values include an enduring focus on social and environmental matters, and the benefit that this focus brings to the company and the communities we serve. For example, our comprehensive and sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion strategy is a moral and business imperative as it will ensure we attract and retain the talent we need to successfully compete and grow as a trusted marketing solutions partner. Similarly, our long-standing focus on conserving raw materials, minimizing waste and recycling make a meaningful impact on both the environment and the value we create.”

Summary Results

Results for the three months ended March 31, 2021, include:

• Net Sales — Net sales were $706 million in the first quarter of 2021, down 14% from the same period in 2020, primarily due to the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing print industry volume pressures. The first quarter decline represents a third quarter of sequential revenue improvement during the pandemic, as compared to a 21% decline in the fourth quarter of 2020, a 28% decline in the third quarter of 2020 and a 38% decline in the second quarter of 2020.

• Net Earnings (Loss) From Continuing Operations — Net earnings from continuing operations were $10 million or $0.19 diluted earnings per share in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of $19 million compared to the first quarter of 2020, which recorded a net loss of $9 million or $0.17 diluted loss per share.

• Adjusted EBITDA — Adjusted EBITDA was $66 million in the first quarter of 2021, as compared to $75 million in the same period in 2020, while Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 9.3% in 2021, as compared to 9.2% in 2020. The variance in Adjusted EBITDA to prior year reflects the impact of the net sales decline and $18 million of nonrecurring benefits realized in 2020, including a $12 million benefit from a change in the hourly production employee vacation policy, and a $6 million benefit in the cost of worker’s compensation claims from improved production safety procedures. These impacts were partially offset by savings from cost reduction initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved 15 basis points driven by cost savings initiatives more than offsetting the relative percentage decline in sales.

• Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities — Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $28 million to $73 million in the first quarter of 2021, as compared to $45 million in the same period in 2020, primarily due to improvements in working capital.

• Free Cash Flow — Free Cash Flow increased by $40 million to $56 million in the first quarter of 2021, as compared to $16 million in the same period in 2020, primarily due to higher net cash provided by operating activities as described above and a $12 million decrease in capital expenditures.

Dave Honan, Executive Vice President and CFO, concluded: “Our commitment to disciplined cost management and productivity improvements drove a higher Adjusted EBITDA margin and, when combined with new agency and print business wins, helped us deliver solid financial results despite the impact of the pandemic. This included a substantial increase in our Free Cash Flow, which enabled us to reduce Net Debt by $61 million and improve our Debt Leverage Ratio to 3.24x. We will continue to use our strong Free Cash Flow, in addition to proceeds from asset sales, to further reduce debt, and we expect to further improve our Debt Leverage Ratio to be at or near 3.0x by the end of 2021.”

Quarterly Conference Call

Quad will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 5, to discuss first quarter 2021 results. As part of the conference call, Quad will conduct a question and answer session. Investors are invited to email their questions in advance to IR@quad.com.

Participants can pre-register for the webcast by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10155015/e6ee4a26aa. Participants will be given a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call on May 5, bypassing the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

Alternatively, participants without internet access may dial in on the day of the call as follows:

• U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-328-5508
• International Toll: 1-412-317-5424

An audio replay of the call will be posted on the Investors section of Quad’s website shortly after the conference call ends. In addition, telephone playback will also be available until June 5, 2021, accessible as follows:

• U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-344-7529
• International Toll: 1-412-317-0088
• Replay Access Code: 10155015

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, our current expectations about the Company’s future results, financial condition, sales, earnings, free cash flow, margins, objectives, goals, strategies, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, prospects, projections and outlook of the Company and can generally be identified by the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “foresee,” “project,” “believe,” “continue” or the negatives of these terms, variations on them and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based largely on the Company’s expectations and judgments and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control.

The factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include, among others: the negative impacts the coronavirus (COVID-19) has had and will continue to have on the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows, results of operations and supply chain, as well as the global economy in general (including future uncertain impacts); the impact of decreasing demand for printed materials and significant overcapacity in the highly competitive environment creates downward pricing pressures and potential underutilization of assets; the impact of digital media and similar technological changes, including digital substitution by consumers; the impact of fluctuations in costs (including labor and labor-related costs, energy costs, freight rates and raw materials) and the impact of fluctuations in the availability of raw materials; the inability of the Company to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency rapidly enough to meet market conditions; the impact of the various restrictive covenants in the Company’s debt facilities on the Company’s ability to operate its business, as well as the uncertain negative impacts COVID-19 may have on the Company’s ability to continue to be in compliance with these restrictive covenants; the impact of increased business complexity as a result of the Company’s transformation to a marketing solutions partner; the impact negative publicity could have on our business; the failure to successfully identify, manage, complete and integrate acquisitions, investment opportunities or other significant transactions, as well as the successful identification and execution of strategic divestitures; the failure of clients to perform under contracts or to renew contracts with clients on favorable terms or at all; the impact of changing future economic conditions; the fragility and decline in overall distribution channels; the impact of changes in postal rates, service levels or regulations; the failure to attract and retain qualified talent across the enterprise; the impact of regulatory matters and legislative developments or changes in laws, including changes in cyber-security, privacy and environmental laws; significant capital expenditures may be needed to maintain the Company’s platforms and processes and to remain technologically and economically competitive; the impact of risks associated with the operations outside of the United States, including costs incurred or reputational damage suffered due to improper conduct of its employees, contractors or agents; the impact of an other than temporary decline in operating results and enterprise value that could lead to non-cash impairment charges due to the impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets; the impact on the holders of Quad’s class A common stock of a limited active market for such shares and the inability to independently elect directors or control decisions due to the voting power of the class B common stock; and the other risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which may be amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains financial measures not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (referred to as Non-GAAP), specifically Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share From Continuing Operations. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings (loss) attributable to Quad common shareholders excluding interest expense, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation and amortization, restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, (loss) earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax, net pension income, loss (gain) on debt extinguishment, equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entity, the Adjusted EBITDA for unconsolidated equity method investments (calculated in a consistent manner with the calculation for Quad) and net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales. Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property, plant and equipment. Debt Leverage Ratio is defined as total debt and finance lease obligations less cash and cash equivalents (Net Debt) divided by the last twelve months of Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share From Continuing Operations is defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated entity excluding restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, loss (gain) on debt extinguishment, and adjusted for income tax expense at a normalized tax rate, divided by diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding.

The Company believes that these Non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad’s performance and are important measures by which Quad’s management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These Non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These Non-GAAP measures may be different than Non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Reconciliation to the GAAP equivalent of these Non-GAAP measures are contained in tabular form on the attached unaudited financial statements.

About Quad

Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a worldwide marketing solutions partner that leverages its 50-year heritage of platform excellence, innovation, strong culture and social purpose to create a better way for its clients, employees and communities. The Company’s integrated marketing platform helps brands and marketers reduce complexity, increase efficiency and enhance marketing spend effectiveness. Quad provides its clients with unmatched scale for client on-site services and expanded subject expertise in marketing strategy, creative solutions, media deployment (which includes a strong foundation in print) and marketing management services. With a client-centric approach that drives the Company to continuously evolve its offering, combined with leading-edge technology and single-source simplicity, the Company has the resources and knowledge to help a wide variety of clients in multiple vertical industries, including retail, publishing, consumer technology, consumer packaged goods, financial services, insurance, healthcare and direct-to-consumer. Quad has multiple locations throughout North America, South America and Europe, and strategic partnerships in Asia and other parts of the world. For additional information visit www.QUAD.com.

The Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows include the cash flows related to the United States Book business for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

______________________________

The segment information contained in the above table does not include the operating results related to the United States Book business for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Investor Relations Contact
Katie Krebsbach
Investor Relations Lead, Quad
414-566-4247
kkrebsbach@quad.com

Media Contact
Claire Ho
Director of Corporate Communications, Quad
414-566-2955
cho@quad.com

The company aims to launch 50 community brands and hire 250 journalists and creators by 2023

VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Strong communities and trusted news sources are needed more than ever before. A new company is ready to breathe life into the media industry and it's targeting local communities.

Launching today is Overstory Media Group (OMG), an independent media company that delivers high-quality, fact-based journalism and storytelling. OMG provides tools, resources and financial support to help brands and journalists create in their community.

OMG is founded by Farhan Mohamed, former Editor-in-Chief and co-owner of Daily Hive, and tech entrepreneur Andrew Wilkinson. Mohamed helped grow Daily Hive from a passion project to a fully operating newsroom across Canada reaching 6.5 million people monthly. Wilkinson is the Co-founder of Tiny, a Canadian technology holding company that owns businesses like MetaLab, Dribbble, Girlboss, and WeCommerce.

The company already has an established and growing network of community-based brands in its ecosystem including Capital Daily, Vancouver Tech Journal, Fraser Valley Current, Burnaby Beacon, and Decomplicated. Its community creators are award-winning journalists, producers, creatives, and curious minds all of whom have joined the company in its journey to create meaningful change and fill in the gaps in community journalism.

“Our media network is a collective of like-minded individuals who care deeply about their community and the stories that drive them. Communities are transforming and the pandemic has shown us that more than ever before, people are searching for ways to connect,” says Farhan Mohamed, Co-founder & CEO, OMG. “We intend to help people find common ground through storytelling. In an era of news fatigue, we believe that informed communities are empowered communities and that content is best delivered by the people within them.”

“I’ve always loved the news and wanted to give back to my community of Victoria, so in 2019, I set out to recreate the local newspaper in digital form by creating a simple daily newsletter focused on my hometown. Today, Capital Daily has nearly 50,000 subscribers in a city with a population of 400,000,” says Andrew Wilkinson, Co-founder & Executive Chairman, OMG. “Now through OMG, we get to help others create in their community - whether connected by geography, industry, or interests.”

With Mohamed at the helm, the company aims to expand across Canada and abroad, launch 50 community brands by 2023 and hire 250 journalists under its roster. With a suite of 10 successful brands already under its belt, they're well on their way.

“When I try to persuade talented journalists to join the Capital Daily team, I tell them, ‘This is the place where you can write the stories your editor won’t let you write,’” says Jimmy Thomson Managing Editor, Capital Daily. “OMG is encouraging us to think this way: we don’t chase the bouncing ball, we step back and ask how we can meaningfully add something to the conversation. That’s what journalists want to do, and it’s largely missing from the media landscape today.”

“We look forward to continuing to expand and support our resilient network of brands who are bridging gaps in our communities,” added Mohamed. “We encourage anyone with a budding idea and interest in the work we’re doing in communities to connect with us.”

About Overstory Media Group (OMG)

Overstory Media Group (OMG) is an independent Canadian media company with a network of more than 10 brands and growing across all digital platforms. The OMG community is a collective of more than 30 full-time employees including award-winning journalists, producers, creatives and creators, delivering thoughtful content to hundreds of thousands people, each day. Our storytelling and highly-engaged audience provides our partners fresh ways to tell their stories and connect with communities around the world.

For more information, visit: www.omgmedia.com

OMG Media Relations
Jesse Paterson
416 577 2970
press@omgmedia.com

ManageEngine OpManager, Corvil Analytics, and Progress WhatsUp Gold are the 2021 Network Monitoring Emotional Footprint Champions.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SoftwareReviews, a division of IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, has published its 2021 Network Monitoring Emotional Footprint Awards, naming three vendors as Champions. The following vendors are champions according to the feedback provided by their users via SoftwareReviews’ comprehensive online survey.

ManageEngine OpManager
Corvil Analytics
Progress WhatsUp Gold

“You can’t manage what you can’t see. And while network monitoring software has always been critical to understanding where anomalies and outages occur, what’s driving them, and how they can be resolved with minimal impact to the business, the pandemic has made this an even more crucial capability for any organization in any sector,” says Mark Tauscheck, vice president, IT research infrastructure, Info-Tech Research Group. “Organizations want and need solutions that allow them to improve network performance even as the environment around them becomes increasingly complex. Our Emotional Footprint Report reinforces the importance of choosing the network monitoring solution that aligns most closely with the organization’s specific needs and illustrates how vendors continue to improve their offerings in this mission-critical market.”

SoftwareReviews’ Net Emotional Footprint measures high-level user sentiment. It aggregates emotional ratings from 25 provocative questions, creating a powerful indicator of the overall user feeling toward the vendor and the product.

ManageEngine OpManager, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +92, performed exceptionally in many categories, exceeding user expectations in being caring and showing integrity. Corvil Analytics, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +90, excelled in being respectful and efficient. Progress WhatsUp Gold, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +85, performed well in being altruistic.

In general, Network Monitoring software users responded most favorably when asked about vendors’ service experience and quality and effectiveness of service– and were most dissatisfied with vendors over-promising to deliver.

What Is the Emotional Footprint Diamond?

The Emotional Footprint Diamond illustrates the customer experience with software vendors and a complex relationship spanning procurement, implementation, service, and support. The Net Emotional Footprint of a vendor is a result of aggregated emotional response ratings in the areas of service, negotiation, product impact, conflict resolution, and strategy and innovation, creating a powerful indicator of overall user feeling toward the vendor and its product from the software user’s point of view. The data published in the Emotional Footprint Diamond is collected from real end-users through authentic software review surveys and meticulously verified. The survey uses standard net promoter scoring (positive percentage minus negative percentage) to arrive at the Net Emotional Footprint score. These skillfully crafted survey questions are informed by two decades of IT research and advisory. Vendors with top user scores receive the Emotional Footprint Award. The Emotional Footprint Awards, an initiative proudly founded in 100% user-review data, is free of traditional components such as market presence and analyst opinion, which are opaque in nature and may be influenced by vendor pressure, financial or otherwise.

About SoftwareReviews:

SoftwareReviews is a division of Info-Tech Research Group, an IT research and advisory firm established in 1997. Backed by two decades of IT research and advisory experience, SoftwareReviews is a leading source of expertise and insight into the enterprise software landscape and client-vendor relationships. By collecting real data from IT and business professionals, the SoftwareReviews methodology produces detailed and authentic insights into the experience of evaluating and purchasing enterprise software.

Indrani Ray
Vice President, Communications and Brand
irayghosal@infotech.com
647.574.9559

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AI--Knowledge management and library automation software developer Lucidea is once again sponsoring the Special Libraries Association’s exciting virtual interactive learning experience on April 29^th. As Presenting Sponsor of the InfoTrends event, they invite you to join them and your fellow librarians and information professionals to enjoy expert speakers, engaging discussions, and networking opportunities.

Lucidea is a long-time active supporter of librarians, knowledge managers, and other information professionals, and is proud to sponsor this new InfoTrends experience, designed as it is to explore emerging technologies, as well as new search and discovery strategies and tools.

It is Lucidea’s hope that their integrated library system and knowledge management software is helping mitigate the effects of the current pandemic on organizations, collections, and the profession.

Lucidea specialists look forward to interacting with you in their Virtual Booth, featuring powerful ILS and KM products SydneyEnterprise, GeniePlus, and Inmagic Presto. See why so many librarians choose Lucidea’s library automation and knowledge management systems for their libraries of all sizes and budgets. When you visit Lucidea’s Virtual Booth, you can enter to win a Kindle, download free content—like whitepapers and eBooks from Lucidea Press—or watch free webinars presented by experts including Stephen Abram, Stan Garfield, and Jean O'Grady.

In the meantime, contact them with any questions at 604-278-6717 or www.lucidea.com

Mark Maslowski
Marketing Manager
604-278-6717
mmaslowski@lucidea.com

Industry pays tribute to agency CEO’s outstanding leadership and recognizes Klick Ventures with Vision Award

TORONTO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Klick Health today proudly announced that its Chief Executive Officer Lori Grant was named 2021 Industry Person of the Year at Med Ad News’ 32nd Annual Manny Awards. Held virtually last night, the Manny Awards also recognized Klick Ventures with the Vision Award.

Med Ad News described Grant as “a highly regarded thought leader and proactive problem solver,” who, “has been instrumental in building Klick’s thriving client roster, client services teams, and in the company’s overall growth and success.”

Klick Co-Founder and Chairman Leerom Segal said, “Over the past 15 years, Lori has continued to amaze, inspire, and lead our organization in ways that are so remarkable. I am proud to call Lori a mentor, a confidante, an inspiration, and most importantly, a friend who I would trust with anything. Lori knows how to ask the tough questions and she’s equally comfortable making tough decisions, but always with a warm and kind heart.”

“Thank you to Med Ad News for this great honor,” Grant said in her pre-recorded acceptance speech, acknowledging that her work in healthcare is her life’s passion. “Honors like this do not come based on singular achievements, but on the collective achievements of many people, so I want to extend a huge thank you to my Klick family. The pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance of health, healthcare, and our industry...People are openly discussing what we can do to ensure the overall health of our wider communities. And people have a new appreciation for healthcare workers, frontline emergency room staff, and the entire healthcare community.”

People-first champion and highly regarded thought leader
A people-first champion, Grant has over 30 years of strategic leadership and healthcare marketing industry expertise on both the client and agency sides. She was named CEO in December 2019 after serving as President for six years. Then in early March 2020, she and her leadership team made the unprecedented decision to move to work from home, ahead of the curve, to protect the health and safety of Klicksters, their families, and their clients, when others suggested they were overreacting to the threat of COVID-19.

Klick Chief Creative Officer Rich Levy wrote in his nomination of Grant, “She has steered our valiant ship through what has been the most turbulent storm in our lifetimes, all the while leading our business through ongoing significant growth, demonstrating what a people-first culture is really all about, and further illustrating just how different Klick is.”

As a highly regarded industry thought leader, Grant sits on the Google Health Advisory Board, Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures’ Board of Governors, and the Digital Health Coalition Advisory Board. She has also been recognized on the Women Executive Network’s (WXN) Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, PharmaVOICE 100 Most Inspiring People in Health, Medical Marketing + Media’s (MM+M) inaugural “Hall of Femme,” and she has been named a PM360 ELITE Mentor.

Vision Award-winner Klick Ventures was honored for its progressive thinking and mandate. As the company’s health innovation-focused venture group, it builds on over two decades of partnering with life science companies to commercialize their businesses successfully. With a unique approach backed by proven playbooks and a highly experienced integrated team, Klick Ventures partners with investors to get ideas investment-ready and create commercial upside. It also partners with entrepreneurs to incubate their ideas and help ensure commercial success. For instance, Ventures played a foundational role in disrupting the non-emergency medical transportation model by co-founding and incubating Circulation, which was successfully built and exited in under two years.

For more than three decades, the Manny Awards have paid tribute to the creative work of agencies serving the healthcare market, their people, and their contributions to the industry.

About Klick Health
Klick Health is the world’s largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences. For over two decades, Klick has been laser-focused on developing, launching, and supporting life sciences brands to maximize their full market potential. Klick was named Large Agency of the Year for 2020 by Medical Marketing + Media (MM+M), marking its ninth Agency of the Year industry award in nine years. Follow Klick Health on Twitter at @KlickHealth. For more information on joining Klick, go to careers.klick.com.

About Klick Group
The Klick Group of companies—Klick Health (including Klick Katalyst), Klick Media Group, Klick Applied Sciences (including Klick Labs), Klick Consulting, Klick Ventures, and Sensei Labs—is an ecosystem of brilliant talent collectively working to maximize their people and clients’ full potential. Established in 1997, Klick has teams in New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, and across North America. Klick has consistently been named a Best Managed Company and Great Place to Work. In 2020, the company was recognized with 14 Best Workplace awards, including Best Workplaces for Women, Best Workplaces for Inclusion, Employee-Recommended Workplaces, Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and FORTUNE’s Best Places to Work in New York.

For media inquiries:
Marisa McWilliams, Manager, Communications & PR
pr@klick.com
416-214-4977

Sheryl Steinberg, VP, Communications
pr@klick.com
416-214-4977