All hail the Lotus Biscoff because it made us go all crazy a few years ago, and it’s safe to say we still are not over it. Seriously though, the stuff is addictive, so proceed with caution if you haven’t tried already. Lotus Biscoff is famed for its distinctive caramel taste and is commonly served with coffee in cafes and restaurants. A few years ago, a trinity of lotus cheesecakes was introduced in our country, too and many brands and cafes jumped on the bandwagon. There are so many cafes and home-based bakers that have included lotus cheesecake and desserts on their menu.
Let’s take a look at some places where you can get the most mouthwatering and heavenly lotus cheesecake. You know, just in case you have been craving it lately.
1. Swing
Swing was one of the first ones to introduce a lotus cheesecake on the menu. As if the interior was not enough to keep us hooked, their lotus cheesecake is one of their best desserts on the menu. Their cake is the perfect treat for all the sweet lovers who like an extra kick of sugar. Thick cream cheese is topped with drizzling lotus sauce and a biscuit, leaving you licking the spoon.
The Second Serving was among the first home base brands to introduce a lotus cheesecake. Their flavor is unique and distinctive and a perfect option for cream cheese lovers who like a balanced flavor. However, their customized boxes and giveaways for special occasions take the award home for being the best ones in town. So in case, you plan to surprise someone, hop on to their page.
Image source: facebook.com
3. Pie In The Sky
If you love the creamy lotus biscoff but do not like the idea of a cheesecake, then Pie In The Sky is the perfect option for you. Their version of cheesecake comes with a sponge cake instead of cream cheese. However, the top of the cake is loaded with lots of Biscoff enough to satisfy your cravings.
Image source: https://peekaboo.guru/
4. Therapeutic-Secrets By Amna
Therapeutic Secrets have also got a lot of rave reviews from their customers. They are known for their big cheesecakes, and their lotus cake comes in a two-tiered version which you customize as per your choice.
Image source: facebook.com
5. Theatre Live Bakery And Cafe
Despite opening in the middle of the pandemic, the Theatre was able to gain a lot of attention thanks to their relaxed and aesthetically pleasing ambiance and variety of flavors on the menu. Their lotus cheesecake is a must-try that is full of the creamy goodness of lotus.
Image source: facebook.com
6. Meat The Cheese
They offer a creamy cheesecake that screams Lotus in every bite! Meat The Cheese provides a lotus cake with the perfect crunchy top and drizzling lotus sauce which is sweet enough to keep you on the hook.
Image source: facebook.com
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
In the internet-powered world that we live in today, people have gotten used to quick gratification of their wants and needs whether that be a sandwich for their hungry stomach or the latest smartphone to hit the market. foodpanda is a dominating figure in the food and grocery delivery sector in Pakistan, allowing you to browse countless restaurants and shops to get your favorite products delivered to your doorstep. Until now, while you could browse through a few tech options, no smartphone brand had a presence on the Q-commerce platform. Recently, realme Pakistan has entered in a strategic partnership with foodpanda in order to make its products more readily available to potential customers.
This new development is great news for fans of the tech democratizer as they can purchase their much-liked realme products from the comfort of their homes and receive their brand new smartphones the very same day. Established in 2018 by Sky Li, realme as a brand has shown a deep understanding of what its consumers want with its range of high value for money smartphones that feature next-level technology at economical prices. The smartphone brand also goes above and beyond to remove barriers for customers to purchase its products through alternate delivery and payment channels such as with this partnership.
Through this partnership, realme fans in five major cities across the country including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Multan will be able to log onto the foodpanda app and browse through the entire realme catalogue including AIoT. Through the activation of brand stores in different areas, the aim of this partnership is to allow realme fans to purchase their desired products through two alternate payment channels (Cash on Delivery and Online Payment) and receive their products in the staggeringly low time of 30 minutes. This new partnership will act to target product availability area-wise and ensure that areas with high demand of realme products get catered to according to their needs. realme hopes to connect the open market with the massive potential of the q-commerce market in order to create a valuable shopping experience for its loyal fans.
This is an exciting time for tech enthusiasts in the country as realme and foodpanda work together to tear the barriers preventing the adoption of new technology in the country further down. realme has had an eventful year of coveted releases so far in 2022 with the debut of the high value for money 9 series phones (realme 9i and 9 Pro+) as well as the budget-stunner, realme C35. The smartphone brand does not plan to slow down by any means with two to three more phones expected to join the release slate before the year comes to a close. With a commitment to maintaining quality, realme has service centers in major cities across Pakistan so new customers coming through foodpanda can rest assured that they will be able to avail support from realme if the need arises. Consumers can expect realme products to drop on Foodpanda soon so keep your eyes peeled for realme to make its big debut on the Q-commerce platform.
June 24, 2022: Taking inspiration from the vision of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to help mainstream tourism in the country, PUBG MOBILE, Pakistan’s No. 1 gaming platform, is working towards bringing attention to Pakistan’s stunning scenery and beautiful culture both online as well as offline, which can be further supported with patronage from Pakistan’s foremost tourism authority.
From the rivers in Sindh and Punjab to the snow-capped mountains in Gilgit-Baltistan, PUBG MOBILE Pakistan’s users will get to travel across the plains and plateaus and numerous national monuments through PUBGM’s in-game activity that takes players on a virtual tour of the country from June 13 to July 3.
During the campaign, PUBG MOBILE’s users will win exciting prizes upon completing tasks while immersing themselves in the social and cultural experience that the region offers. To spread this message of positivity, PUBGM has branded a bus operating on the most popular route which include Kalma Chowk in Lahore, taking the Canal Road to Thokar Niaz Baig and Faizabad in Rawalpindi. Players will be able to take photos and join the online activity to claim their rewards.
Speaking on the occasion, Khawar Naeem, Country Head Pakistan, Tencent Games said, “This is an exciting initiative to highlight Pakistan’s most popular tourist attractions by featuring them in the virtual space of PUBG MOBILE. We want to promote Pakistan’s beauty in line with the vision of PTDC by sharing the untapped potential of the country based on its diverse topography and provide our users with a highly immersive experience”.
PUBG MOBILE’s Version 2.0 Update is available now! Download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.
June 24, 2022, Lahore — The annual Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Conference (CVPR) came to an end in New Orleans, with globally leading technology company OPPO successfully having seven of its submitted papers selected for the conference, putting it among the most successful technology companies at the event. OPPO also placed in eight of the widely watched competition events at the conference, taking home three first place, one second place, and four third place prizes.
“In 2012, deep neural networks designed for image recognition rejuvenated the research and application of artificial intelligence. Ever since, AI technology has seen a decade of rapid development.” said Guo Yandong, Chief Scientist in Intelligent Perception at OPPO.
“OPPO continues to promote artificial intelligence to accomplish complex perceptual and cognitive behaviors. We empower AI with higher cognitive abilities to understand and create beauty and develop embodied AI with autonomous behavior. I’m delighted to see that seven of our papers have been selected for this year’s conference. Building on this success, we will continue to explore both fundamental AI and cutting-edge AI technology, as well as the commercial applications that will enable us to bring the benefits of AI to more people.”
The Seven papers accepted by CVPR 2022 showcase OPPO‘s progress in creating humanizing AI
Seven papers submitted by OPPO for CVPR 2022 were selected for presentation at the conference. Their areas of research include multimodal information interaction, 3D human body reconstruction, personalized image aesthetics assessment, knowledge distillation, and others.
Cross-modular innovation is viewed as the way to ‘humanizing’ artificial intelligence. Text data frequently includes an elevated degree of over-simplification, while visual picture data contains a lot of specific contextual details. OPPO researchers proposed a new CRIS framework based on the CLIP model to enable AI to get a more fine-grained understanding of the text and image modal data.
The biggest difference between human and artificial intelligence today lies in multimodality. Humans can undoubtedly figure out data in both words and pictures and draw relationship between the two sorts of data. The novel method proposed by OPPO improves multimodal intelligence, which could potentially lead to artificial intelligence being able to truly understand and interpret the world through multiple forms of information such as language, hearing, vision, and others, making the robot and digital assistants of sci-fi movies become a reality.
3D human body remaking is one more region in which the OPPO Research Institute has made significant progress. At CVPR, OPPO demonstrated a process for automatically generating digital avatars of humans with clothing that behaves more naturally. By analyzing RGB video of humans captured with a camera, the OPPO model can accurately generate 3D, 1:1 dynamic models that include small details like logos or fabric textures. Creating accurate 3D models of clothes has remained one of the biggest challenges. The new model effectively reduces the requirements needed to perform 3D human body reconstruction, providing technical foundations that can be applied to areas such as virtual dressing rooms for online shopping, AI fitness instruction, and the creation of lifelike avatars in VR/AR worlds.
Structured Local Radiance Fields for Human Avatar Modeling
AI image recognition has now reached a stage where it can accurately identify a wide range of objects within an image. The ability of AI to evaluate images in terms of their perceived aesthetic quality is often strongly related to the big data used in training the AI model.
In collaboration with Leida Li, a professor from Xidian University proposed Personalized Image Aesthetics Assessment (PIAA) model. The model is the first to optimize AI aesthetics assessment by combining users’ subjective preferences with more generalized aesthetic values. In the future, the model will be used to create personalized experiences for users, not just limited to the curation of photo albums, but also provide recommendations on how to shoot the best photo and which content a user might prefer.
Personalized Image Aesthetics Assessment with Rich Attributes
OPPO has also chosen to make the PIAA model evaluation data set the open source for developers, with a number of research institutions and universities already expressing an interest in using the data to further their own efforts in personalized AI aesthetic assessment.
Further to this, OPPO also proposed a multi-view 3D semantic plane reconstruction solution capable of accurately analyzing surfaces within a 3D environment. Developed in partnership with Tsinghua University, the INS-Conv (INcremental Sparse Convolution) can achieve faster and more accurate online 3D semantic and instance segmentation. This can effectively reduce the computing power needed to perform environment recognition, which will enable such technology to be more easily adopted in applications such as automated driving and VR.
OPPO makes AI ‘lightweight’ with second place win in the NAS Challenge
CVPR 2022 also saw a number of technical challenges take place, with OPPO placing third and above in eight challenges. These include the neural architecture search (NAS) challenge, SoccerNet, SoccerNet Replay Grounding, ActivityNet temporal localization, the 4th Large-scale Video Object Segmentation Challenge.
From mobile photography to automated driving, deep learning models are being applied in an increasingly large pool of industries. However, deep learning relies heavily on big data and calculation power and consumes a lot of cost, both of which present challenges to its commercial implementation. Neural architecture search (NAS) techniques can automatically discover and implement optimal neural network architectures. In the NAS competition, OPPO researchers trained a supernetwork of 45,000 sub neural networks to inherit the parameters of the supernetwork by optimizing the Model.
Using the NAS technique, researchers only need to train a large super network and create a predictor to let the subnetworks learn by inheriting the super network parameters. This provides an efficient and low-cost approach to obtaining a deep learning model that outperforms those manually designed by expert network architects. This will ultimately bring previously unthinkable levels of AI technology to mobile devices in the near future.
During CPVR 2022, OPPO also participated in seminar presentations and three high-level workshops. At the SLAM seminar, OPPO researcher Deng Fan shared how real-time vSLAM could be run on smartphones and AR/VR devices. In AICITY Workshop, Li Wei proposed a multi-view based motion localization system to identify abnormal behavior of drivers while driving.
OPPO is bringing the benefits of AI to more people, sooner
This is the third year that OPPO has participated at CVPR. OPPO’s rising success at CVPR during these three years owes much to its continued investment in AI technology. At the beginning of 2020, the Institute of Intelligent Perception and Interaction was established under the OPPO Research Institute to further deepen OPPO’s exploration of cutting-edge AI technologies. Today, OPPO has more than 2,650 global patent applications in the field of AI.
Guided by its brand proposition, ‘Inspiration Ahead’, OPPO is also working with partners across the industry to take AI technology from the laboratory into daily life. OPPO’s AI technology has also been used to develop products and features such as the real-time spatial AR generator CybeReal, OPPO Air Glass, Omoji, and more. Through these technologies, OPPO is aiming to create more lifelike digital worlds that combine virtual and reality to create all-new experiences for users.
Karachi, June 24, 2022: Spotify announced Zoha Zuberi as June’s EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador. The program is part of Spotify’s commitment to showcase women creators revolutionizing Pakistan’s music industry and to celebrate the women-leading innovations and exciting developments in the Pakistani music scene. Zoha became the fourth Ambassador after Arooj Aftab, Mehak Ali, and Hadiqa Kiani, representing young and established women artists in the country. In addition, as the EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador of June, Zoha was featured on a Spotify digital billboard at Times Square NYC on the 23rd of June, promoting her latest single, “I Rather“.
For the last five years Zoha Zuberi, an independent singer and composer from Pakistan’s capital city, has changed music dynamics both within the country and internationally. The vibrant indie musician is a voice of her own, amongst the women making a mark for themselves in the entertainment scene through their unique compositions. Through songs such as ‘Kuch Kehna Chahta Hun‘, ‘Judaa‘, and ‘Jo Tu Na Mera‘, Zoha has captured the attention of a global audience across India, the US, Bangladesh, and Canada.
When asked about her feelings about being the EQUAL Ambassador of the month, Zoha said, “A sense of gratification is overwhelming but what this really means to me is far more than just a sense of personal achievement. It is for me and the woman of Pakistan to step into the spotlight. For all of us to express ourselves and take our place in the music scene.”
Zoha Zuberi is also featured on Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist alongside artists from Poland, Morocco, Peru and more, along with being on the cover of EQUAL Pakistan.
Rising inflation has been the talk of the town. To keep up with the demand and supply, brands are now increasing their retail prices, further adding weight to customers’ budgets. Amidst the skyrocketing inflation, designer HSY has announced that the brand will not increase its prices so the customer can go to them and shop for their bridal and luxury outfits as usual.
The designer shared the news on his social media account, reassuring the customers. He also announced the launch of different payment plans, so everyone has a chance to get their hands on designer pieces, even if it’s heavy on their pockets.
He further added that they want to treat their clients as their family, so they don’t feel like they are going to strangers while preparing for their special occasions.
HSY’s Statement Sparks A Debate
While HSY is a big name in luxury known for its stunning designs, good customer service, and statement pieces, it is known that the brand’s prices are not on the steeper side. While HSY charges for his craft and services, some customers already find it a little absurd. One such user took notice of the brand’s announcement and called out the designer on social media.
The netizen’s statement started an online debate, and social media agreed with the opinion. Meanwhile, some users also shared their own experiences with the designer. While the designer’s statement sounds like the brand is budget-friendly and is going to be the same in the near future, the reality is quite the opposite of that.
The designer turned actor reassures the customer that they can count on them. However, the customers are displeased. While HSY caters to a specific niche, is it justified to question the brand regarding its decision?
Islamabad, 24 June 2022 – Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL), Pakistan’s largest digital bank, has been recognized for its services in offering innovative digital financial solutions at the 13th Annual Retail Banker International (RBI), Asia Trailblazer Awards 2022. MMBL won the prestigious title of ‘Best Retail Bank in Pakistan’ along with an honorable mention of ‘Highly Commended’ for Excellence in Client Onboarding through its premium digital financial services application – MMBL DOST.
Organized in collaboration with Retail Banker International (RBI), UK, Middle East Economic Digest (MEED), UAE, and GlobalData (Singapore), the 13th annual edition of RBI Asia Trailblazers Awards celebrated retail banks and leaders in adapting to the modern customer in these unprecedented times. The awards program celebrated the best-in-class retail banking and consumer finance institutions and individuals for their innovative service offerings and commitment to customer excellence. For the 13th edition of the coveted awards this year, MMBL was among 50 winners selected from over 300 entries across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The winners were announced in a virtual ceremony given ongoing COVID-19 safety protocols.
The RBI Asia Trailblazer Awards highlighted MMBL’s continued efforts to introduce new innovative digital financial products and services to help curb the financial gap and promote financial inclusion in the country.
Commenting on the achievement, President & CEO MMBL, Ghazanfar Azzam said, “We are honoured to be recognized as the Best Retail Bank in Pakistan for the second year in a row. This prestigious title is a testament to our unwavering efforts in promoting financial inclusion in the country through digitally-led, customer-centric product offerings. MMBL is consistently optimizing products and services to meet the growing financial needs of our customers. We remain focussed on leveraging our extensive digital capabilities to continue serving the underserved/unserved segments of society.”
The Bank, through its expanding product portfolio, has been a key enabler for millions of Pakistanis to become financially empowered. Today, a significant ratio of financial transactions is processed digitally, further cementing MMBL’s place as a digitally-oriented organization committed to customer facilitation on all tiers. An insatiable drive for innovation coupled with a traditional brick-and-mortar network that expands across Pakistan, even in the most remote and inaccessible regions, has contributed to MMBL’s successful journey in the last 10 years.
As Pakistan’s leading digital financial institution, MMBL is currently serving over 40 million registered users, including 15 million+ monthly active mobile wallets and has over 100 branches across Pakistan. The Bank strives to facilitate customers by streamlining nationwide access to simplified and convenient financial solutions. MMBL, over the past decade, has introduced multiple innovative and customized digital and financial initiatives, such as digital onboarding of customers, Self-service banking through the DOST App (available on both iOs & Android), Internet Banking, the Women Inspirational Network (WIN) program, and the Humqadam program to provide employment opportunities to the differently-abled and much more.
In this hot heat, cherries are the ideal fruit to consume. They are low in calories and high in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Each fruit also contains potassium, magnesium, and calcium. They include antioxidants such as beta-carotene as well as the vital mineral choline. Pakistan is also the 48th highest producer of cherries, so make sure you consume all the cherries provided. To luxuriate in the deliciousness of fresh cherries, try these three dishes.
Cherry Pie
Imagr Source: Baker By Nature
Ingredients:
Chilled pie dough for top and bottom 9-inch pie
6 cups pitted fresh cherries
1/4 cup (30 grams) cornstarch
2/3 to 3/4 cup (135 to 150 grams) sugar, adjusted accordingly to sweetness of cherries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream
Additional sugar for topping crust (coarse sugar is a nice option)
Directions:
· Make filling
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, stir sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice and the salt together then add cherries. Gently toss to combine. Set aside.
Prepare and fill the crust
Remove half of dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch (1/8-inch thick) circle. (Occasionally, check if dough is sticking to the surface — add a small amount of flour when necessary).
Check for size by inverting pie dish over dough round. Look for a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. Carefully press the dough into the dish.
Spoon cherry pie filling into pie crust. Discard most of the liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Dot filling with little squares of cold butter.
Top pie
Roll out second half of dough then top pie. Use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 3/4-inch of the edge of the dish.
Fold edges of top crust underneath edges of bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it so that it creates a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. Then, crimp edges by pressing the pointer finger of one hand against the edge of the dough from the inside of the dish while gently pressing with two knuckles of the other hand from the outside Refrigerate dough at least 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
Bake pie
Just before baking, make egg wash by whisking egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush over the top crust. Then, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then, cut 3 to 4 slits in top of pie.
Bake for 20 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden and the filling is thick and bubbling. Cool pie at least 2 hours, preferably 3, before cutting to allow filling to set.
Michigan Cherry Salad
Image Source: Taste Of Home
Ingredients
7 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 9 cups)
3 ounces spring mix salad greens (about 5 cups)
1 large apple, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans/walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup fresh cherries
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh cherries
1/4 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.
Place cherries, vinegars, preserves and sugar in a blender. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat.
Cherry Chutney
Ingredients
3 cups fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes or until vegetables are tender and mixture achieves desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.
Inflation has gripped Pakistan strongly and the recent bans on imports are also not helping. So where does one turn to protect their hard-earned money from being reduced to a heap of nothing? It is more important now than ever to ensure your money does not lose its value. Here’s how you can do it:
Investment during times of inflation should not be discounted. You still need a way to expand your money and make more out of what already exists. Investing in irreplaceable things like land or real estate will keep you grounded.
Image Source: Investopedia
2. Make A Personal Budget
You need to chart a personal budget for yourself or your family too. What are your main expenditures and what are the secondary ones? This will help you cut down on unnecessary cash outflows so you can keep your money secure. Cutting down on small and unnecessary things ends up saving more than you can imagine.
3. Don’t Stop Learning
Many experts will have you know that the best way you can fight inflation is if you continue to learn more and educate yourself. This is because learning at a time like this can help with professional marketability and take you farther in your professional aspects. You need that raise or promotion and here’s one strong way you can get it!
Image Source: Entrepreneur
4. Invest In Natural Resources
Not many people will tell you this but this is a trick many financial experts swear by during times of inflation. Investing in natural resource-producing companies is an excellent way of bearing the storm of inflation. This is because you can take advantage of commodity price inflation which gets passed onto you in the form of profits.
5. Put Your Money In Long-Term Assets
Gold is considered the number one investment outlet, especially in Pakistan. Whenever people feel that they have extra that they could invest, they reach out to gold. Investing in gold can be a good option during inflation but not for the short term. Gold can give high returns over the long term which is decades. Put your money in and forget it, you might end up earning a fortune.
Lexus has blown it out of the park with its latest car commercials. The brand is a popular one without a doubt but its latest ad may not be everyone’s cup of tea despite its brilliance. How artistic is too artistic and has Lexus gone beyond that or is stretching the bounds of what an ad can be? Let’s find out:
Lexus has created ads for its cars without the cars themselves. See? It sounds unbelievable. This ad is apparently being worked upon since January because the idea is a tough one. It is difficult to execute but we can report back that the execution was brilliant. In this latest ad, you see all the common places where you see a car usually. A road, a garage, a highway.
However, that’s the thing— you don’t see a car. More than that, you don’t see a Lexus!
Have A Look:
Image Source: Ads of The World
What Do You See?
Instead, you just see text that says “No Lexus here. Because with the Lexus Relax 10 years warranty, you will see it as many times as you want.” This whole ad is also a marketing ploy to invite attention to the latest offering of Lexus. The 10-year warranty. This is also a new thing for automobile companies since the warranty they offer is usually of a couple of years or 5 years maximum.
Image Source: Ads of The World
Lexus has not only gone above and beyond in the warranty but also in the ad to speak about the warranty. The new warranty comes as part of a whole new brand created by Lexus called ‘Lexus Relax.’
Who Created The Ad?
The ad was created by the creative digital agency called ‘Burns’. It was first released in Spain this year. The ad is kind of unnerving and disconcerting. When you see it and you simply see empty spaces ahead of you with a voiceover you keep feeling strange.
Image Source: Ads of The World
It’s also interesting to note that in the ad they keep engaging the audience. “Wow have you seen it?” and then they respond with “me neither”. It’s the first ad of its kind and we have a feeling it’s already successful.
KARACHI 16th June 2022 – Every year, since the introduction of the first Kissan Day by Sarsabz Fertilizers (Fatima Fertilizers) in 2019, the company pays tribute to farmers through a social media campaign. Kissan Day, which falls on the 18th of December, highlights the importance of farmers for national food security, and aims to help them towards the path to success.
In 2021, on the third Kissan Day, Sarsabz chose the fast-growing platform SnackVideo, to pay tribute to farmers via a branded hashtag challenge #SalamKissan, receiving an astounding 1.5M+ user-generated videos.
Using the Salam Kissan song and the campaign hashtag, users were encouraged to create videos paying tribute to farmers, who work tirelessly without recognition. The response to the campaign was beyond all expectations, with celebrities, influencers and the general public all taking part. Over 1.5M user-generated videos were created, which garnered a staggering 4.19B+ views and over 277M likes.
Compared to last year, this year’s campaign with SnackVideo produced 3 times the result with the participation and reach going beyond expectations. The success of the campaign bagged SnackVideo the award for best social media campaign at the Pakistan Digital Awards 2022.
The Pakistan Digital Awards is an independent platform that recognizes and rewards the best digital platforms and talent across the country. With over 400 campaigns and nearly 700 participants, the award is a prestigious title for any brand.
Have you ever felt annoyed by the traffic here? Do you find yourself cursing everything while getting stuck in an unnecessary traffic jam? Mind you, this is a jam that could have been avoided due to a simple thing: not breaking the signal. The signals have been made for our own safety. It does not do well to break them whenever you please to do so. Of course, we must remember that rules can be ignored when it comes to emergencies. However, running a red light because you did not want to stop, is not a reason to do so.
Like everything, cars also have a smooth flow on the road. If the flow is broken, there is chaos everywhere. Running the red light not only causes problems in your lane but in many others too. The point of traffic signals is not to waste your time. It is to make sure that everyone gets their opportunity to cross the road. It is nothing too advanced to understand or comprehend. In fact, it is quite simple. Stop running through red lights!
Image Source: megainteresting.com
Traffic Signals Being Broken
People often find it an inconvenience to slow down at a signal. They think it is a lot of effort to slow down after the car is moving at a brisk pace. What one does not consider is that another car has just started to move from the other signal. Your decision to not slow the car could bring it to a terrifying abrupt stop. You could even hurt a pedestrian who is crossing the road, thinking the traffic has stopped or that you will stop.
This is also why the writer of the article thinks many problems could be solved by not breaking signals. What is the person going to do with the whole two seconds that they saved in crossing the red light? People have families in their cars, even those that break the signal. If they cannot give regard to their life, they should think about the people with them. Is it necessary to be involved in a signal-breaking accident and then realizing the signal shouldn’t have been broken?
Gif Source: giphy.com
Many Problems Solved
If people give more regard to following the traffic signals, a lot of fatalities and traffic jams can be avoided. There are a few seconds between the green and red light if there is no yellow present. If you are over the pedestrian line before it turns red, you can cross. Otherwise, you must reverse and wait. Don’t keep going! Additionally, one should never speed at a signal if the light has already turned yellow.
Just simply not breaking signals can solve a huge chunk of traffic issues that reside here in Pakistan. It’s justified if it had to be done in an emergency but otherwise, it’s just increasing risk. Just because it’s early morning and there aren’t many cars on the road, does not mean you break the signal. The writer of this article believes people who cannot respect road rules should not be given permission to drive until they learn.
As summer is approaching fast in its full swing hotness and rise in temperature, it is important to remain hydrated. There is a misconception amongst many individuals that coffee is a dehydrating drink modern research proves them mistaken.
Here are some proven benefits of drinking a cup of coffee every day:
Secret To Healthy, Flawless, And Shiny Skin
Coffee is a versatile substance that may supply several skincare advantages. Caffeine and chlorogenic acids in coffee efficiently protect the skin from UV-induced damage, thanks to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some Major Weight Loss Benefits Of Black Coffee
Chlorogenic acid, found in black coffee, aids in the slowing of glucose synthesis in the body. This shows that drinking black coffee after a meal reduces the amount of glucose and fat cells produced by your body.
It’s important to note that if you’re drinking black coffee for weight reduction, you shouldn’t add anything to it. This implies no added sugar, cream, milk, or other flavorings.
Coffee Enhances Mental Alertness In All Ages
Caffeine can enhance the effects of over-the-counter analgesics in the treatment of headaches and migraines. Coffee/caffeine consumption over time has been linked to a lower risk of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, regular coffee consumption may be part of a healthy balanced diet; it does not need to be avoided by the elderly.
Coffee Is An All-Season Drink
In Pakistan coffee consumption declines based on the mythical assumption of it being a dehydrating drink. Research has proven that drinking a daily 100ml (about 3.38 oz) of pure coffee has many health advantages. As the amount has only 1-2 kcal with 0 calories. Coffee hot-or cold supplies an extra kick in starting the day regardless of the day’s temperature.
A Coffee In Need!
A cup of coffee functions as your best friend just as they say seasons are temporary but coffee ensures life in all the seasons. As Jackie Chan once put it, “Coffee is a language itself.”
Your skin is covered in pores. These tiny holes are everywhere; the skin of your face, arms, legs, and everywhere else on your body. Pores serve an important function. They allow sweat and oil to escape through your skin, cooling you off and keeping your skin healthy.
Pores are also the openings of hair follicles. Even though pores are important, some people dislike their appearance — especially on areas of the body where they appear more noticeable, like on the nose and forehead. And no matter how much you would want to get rid of them, you cannot “erase” or “eliminate” your pores. However, there sure are ways which can reduce the appearance of your pores and make them look less noticeable.
Take a look at how you can take care of pores at home.
1. Cleansing
It goes without saying but cleansing your skin regularly is the key behind clean small pores. Over time, our skin gets exposed to pollution and sweat. These two are the most common causes behind clogged pores. Cleansing regularly can reduce the chances of dirt getting trapped on your skin. You can cleanse twice a day or once a day, but if you cleanse once a day, choose the nighttime. At the end of the day, your skin will have a buildup of dirt and/or makeup, and it’s critical to clean that all out before going to sleep.
Image source: Healthline.com
2. Exfoliation
Skin exfoliation is a dreaded concept. However, when done correctly, it does more good than harm. Exfoliation means getting rid of the top layer of the dead skin cells. While this can be done manually with scrubs, using acids like AHA, BHA and PHA can do wonders for the pores. They help to gently get rid of the dead skin cells while removing impurities and minimizing the appearance of pores. AHA, BHA and PHA are the holy grails when it comes to taking care of the pores. The key is to start with low concentration and work your way up without compromising on your skin barrier.
Image source: teenvogue.com
3. Prime & SPF
Always remember to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. UV and pollution cause free radicals that break down the collagen and elastin in the skin, making the skin less tight and enlarged pores. Primers that contain SPF are a perfect solution since they multitask by smoothing over pores while also providing sun protection.
Not only does the vitamin A-based topical smooth wrinkles and brighten dark spots, but it also works to stop acne and shrink pores. Retinol’s magic results from its ability to increase your skin’s collagen production while simultaneously decreasing its oil production, which leads to smoother skin, fewer breakouts and blackheads, and tighter pores.
While a home skincare routine can improve the quality of skin over time, going to a professional can do wonders for your skin. Facials are a great way to remove impurities and dead cell buildup from the skin. A chemical peel is an in-office treatment that will improve the appearance over time. The new generation of peels work under the surface of the skin and give you an instant glow without making your skin look worse before it looks better.
Image source: Pinterest.com
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Monsoon is here, which means uncertainty regarding the weather, clogged-up traffic on the roads and broken vehicles. However, to deal with the situation, the city traffic police offer free vehicle repair services to facilitate the public during the monsoon season. This will also help maintain a smooth flow of traffic.
The monsoon rains can often leave the motorists stranded on the roads for hours. To counter this situation, DIG Traffic has introduced this service for free to help people and keep the traffic flow smoothly. For this purpose, 26 vehicles are patrolling the city with essential repair equipment that can fix minor problems. Out of 26, eight will patrol Shahrah-e-Faisal, five in the district south, three in the district west and the rest on other busy roads, including major highways.
Free Vehicle Repair Services
26 vehicles patrolling the city will offer the following services,
Tire puncture fixing and reinflation
Car towing pump starting the car
Extinguishing car fire
Refuelling (enough to travel to the nearest petrol station) for bikes and cars
Some other minor fixes
According to the DIG, the services would have the necessary equipment to deal with emergencies like fixing punctures, inflating tires, towing vehicles and fire extinguishers. The DIG further added that the service would also provide medical assistance to the people.
Image source: mysocialdiary.com
“In case a vehicle stops moving, two litres of petrol would be provided to the car owners and half a litre to the motorcycle owners for the vehicles to reach the nearest petrol pump and to prevent traffic jams,” said Cheema.
“Citizens can call for getting assistance 24/7 from Madadgar 15 staff by calling their helpline 15. The Urban Flooding Rescue Unit team is also associated with Madadgar 15’s service”, the DIG added.
Karachi Police has established a particular unit associated with Madadgar 15. It means citizens can avail this service 24 hours a day and seven days a week by calling 15.
The initiative seems like a significant step to help the citizens of Karachi since monsoon always comes with unexpected situations, leading to emergencies and accidents. These services will help the citizens to reach out to concerned departments in case they meet with an urgent situation.
KraftHeinz has been in the business for close to a century now. They have amassed hundreds and thousands of fans who turn to the brand, especially for its ‘macaroni and cheese’ box which promises comfort unlike anything else. However, when the times get tough, the tough get going. Kraft is no longer the same brand now— everything is being updated. Have a look:
The logo of the company has also changed. From the iconic all caps to now only the K is capitalized. The color of the brand has also remarkably changed. It used to be many hues of blue before almost in an ombre effect. However, now it is just one color of deep blue which reflects the brand’s identity and association with blue over the years.
Image Source: VNBC
Many other aspects are subject to change such as the typography and the box designs too. However, what is really rubbing off on people the wrong way is the name change.
The Journey From Macaroni to Mac
Kraft’s iconic ‘macaroni and cheese’ box will now be called the ‘mac and cheese’ box. For 85 years, it has been called the former and people always turn towards it when they want a pick-me-up comfort food. Now its name is changing. That is a big thing.
Image Source: WCVB TV
The people over at Kraft added that this name change is coming to reflect how people refer to the box anyway. No one refers to it in its full form and they want to show that they are also going with the wave in 2022. It’s to reflect comfort in the modern, Gen-Z colloquial way.
How Did People Respond?
People did not take kindly to the new changes. They feel like a big part of their life is changing and they’re upset about it, it makes sense. Doesn’t it? Everyone is conflicted and they’re also voicing it on Twitter. Have a look at what they said:
As a marketing coordinator, I understand the new look. As a life time Kraft macaroni and cheese eater, my heart hurts.
The Pakistani drama industry is full of gems that have made us proud. However, many underrated actors who, when recognized and appreciated duly, will take our industry to new heights.
1. Mansha Pasha
Mansha Pasha is one of those underrated actors whose under-representation hurts your heart. She’s a woman of substance, and we hope our industry can recognize that!
Adeel Hussain’s roles in several movies have only shown that this man knows his acting stuff. Over the years he has gone under the radar which we’re hoping can change very soon.
Sarmad Khoosat’s work has always been at the centre of controversy. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s a phenomenal actor. All those who loved him in Churails, do you feel us?
This woman rocked every person watching Churails. From the expressions and the dialogue delivery all the way to how she could change herself according to roles: Nimra Bucha’s performance is a sight for sore eyes.
Ahmed Ali Akbar is also worthy of more attention than he gets. His performances ranging from Siyaah to Karachi Se Lahore, from ‘Yeh Raha Dil’ to ‘Mera Yaar Mila De,’ have made many his fans.
Amir Gilani is the actor who stole everybody’s attention as he starred next to Mawra Hocane. His performance in Sabaat shows he has a truckload of potential which can help him achievement accolades.
Rabab is an actress who deserves more screen time given her performances. She has played the role of Rukhi in Hum TV’s acclaimed series Zid phenomenally. She is also known for her leading roles in Piya Mann Bhaye and we hope she gets more.
Kinza Hashmi started her acting career in 2014 and appeared in several television commercials and serials after which her career took off. She played Rushna in Hum TV’s Ishq Tamasha for which she also received a nomination for Best Negative Actor at the Hum Awards. Playing negative characters seems to be her forte and our industry loves them all the more.
Hussain is super under-rated amongst her peers on this list. She has played a prominent role in dramas like Bashar Momin and Gul e Rana, among others. However, that is all she has to her name. Her performances would beg to change that!
Ali Rehman Khan has talent, the looks to go with it, and a personality/sense of humor that keeps bringing people back to his Instagram. He has also played several diverse roles in all of his careers so far which shows just how talented he is. Here’s to hoping we see more of him soon.
Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor are one of the very few celebrity couples that make us believe in love. The two are constantly working on new projects while raising two adorable little children. However, what we love most about them are the theme shoots they do! Here’s a round-up of their best ones yet:
1. Mughal Royal Couple
Their recent shoot with Lajwanti has left everyone in awe. Lajwanti is one of the leading bridal wear brands in Pakistan and they chose this gorgeous couple for their recent shoot. The two are decked in luxurious outfits based on the Mughal empire theme. Doesn’t this make you feel you’ve stepped right into the scene as it was? We’re obsessed.
For Danish Taimoor’s birthday last year, the couple dressed in a Gatsby theme but make it desi for Ayeza! While Danish Taimoor’s fit was nothing less than what Jay Gatsby would wear, Ayeza Khan channelled the vibe into a classy black saree. Power couple for sure!
This shoot is one of our favourites. The easy-going, laid-back vibe is making us envious. Danish Taimoor supports a casual striped shirt while Ayeza Khan is giving lessons on how to look chic for a picnic. The hat and the contrasting polka dot prints are one to look out for.
For a collaboration with Lake City, the couple channelled their inner biker couple vibe. Danish Taimoor is dressed in a leather jacket and boots, in an all-black fit! Ayeza Khan, on the other hand, complements him in a leopard print shirt and leather tights. The two are a sight for sore eyes in this vibe, should they channel this more?
Add this popular theme to this couple’s photoshoot portfolio! The two are dressed in tracksuits in matching colours. They look so fit doing nothing that we’re almost motivated to start going to the gym or playing a sport. Next time we’re going to a sports event – to watch of course – we’ll be taking inspiration from this.
While we don’t doubt that Danish Taimoor and Ayeza Khan have strict gym routines, we can’t help but believe this shoot is heavily edited. How can people look this put together while working out? Jokes aside, this deserves to be included in this list because the pose must not have been easy to pull off. Dressed in gym clothes and looking impeccable, the couple nails this gym session theme too.
Increased taxation on the import of mobile phone parts was recently announced in Pakistan. The policies that authorities had been enforcing previously encouraged the import of mobile phone parts by granting relief from import taxation to smartphone businesses. This resulted in an influx of smartphone/technology brands setting up local manufacturing plants in the country including realme, the popular Chinese technology brand which opened its assembly plant earlier this year. All of this increased market activity was instrumental in increasing the overall market share of the smartphone market up to USD 250 million and creating a plethora of jobs for the local population.
With inflation on the rise, the government is taking necessary measures to try and remedy the situation. The increased taxes being set are dependent on the phone’s price bracket with the tax increasing proportionally to the price range. realme Pakistan has had a great year so far with the launch of its realme 9 series, the realme 9i and 9 Pro+, as well as the latest budget C series handset, the realme C35.
realme Pakistan’s Country Director, Syed Mashood Hassan shed light on the recent changes happening in the smartphone industry and discussed how increased taxation will affect the state of the smartphone market. According to Syed Mashood, the increased taxation on imports of mobile phone parts will have an effect across the smartphone market as well as consumers. Unfortunately, the end users will have to bear the brunt of this policy change. However, realme fans need not worry as the tech democratizer stays true to its promise of delivering high-end tech in an affordable package and is working hard to ensure its products stay affordable for consumers.
Users that are on the fringes of the premium segment might abandon the segment and trickle down into the mid-range and budget smartphone segments due to the increased burden of costs. This is an opportunity that can prove to be beneficial for realme as users who were more acquainted with premium-priced brands will start to look towards high value for money brands like realme that can deliver similar specifications at a slightly lower price point.
In the past few months, the value of USD is frequently appreciating in comparison to the Pakistani Rupee (PKR). This has had a devastating effect on the buying power of consumers in Pakistan as goods and services are becoming more expensive without an adjustment in income to balance it out. realme is doing its best to maintain the buying power of consumers by offering alternative channels to purchase its products.
The tech democratizer has collaborated with Bank Alfalah and other offline channels in order to offer its customers the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) facility which allows customers to purchase a smartphone with delayed payment. Alternatively, realme is offering increased support to its other partners that offer the facility to purchase their products on an installment basis. realme’s goal is to minimize the effect on the buying power of consumers and allow them to purchase their products at a markup of 0%.
realme’s progress in the last quarter has been on the rise, increasing 45% with respect to sales since January 2022 and garnering a great response from customers especially after the launch of the realme C35 and they plan to continue to go strong in the latter half of 2022. The brand’s focus will be on releasing three to four new smartphones with 4GB / 128GB and 6GB / 128GB specifications for its Gen-Z audience. In August this year, the incredibly exciting realme Fan Fest 2022 will be taking place. Syed Mashood hopes that it will be a fun-filled event for loving realme fans and give the skeptics who have not had an experience with the realme brand a chance to experience their products and fall in love with realme as well. Recently across the border, our neighboring country opened the world’s first realme Global Flagship Store. With realme’s trajectory of growth so far, realme Pakistan is eager to follow in their footsteps so realme fans can enjoy the ultimate realme experience.
The reduction of consumer buying power can definitely prove challenging for smartphone manufacturers in Pakistan but it is not a challenge that cannot be overcome. It is important for brands to adapt to changing situations and facilitate their consumers wherever possible. realme Pakistan will strive to continue its commitment to provide superior value to its consumers and do what it can to lift the burden off the buyers in the market.
Lahore, Pakistan, 23rd June 2022 – Google today announced it has successfully launched Think Games, Pakistan’s first thought leadership and knowledge-sharing event for game developers, which saw over 1,600 attendees. First announced in May 2022, the two–day event aimed to create an environment for Google leaders and local gaming experts to share insights, tools, and best practices to help developers create, grow and scale world-class games.
Google today also celebrated the graduation of the Gaming Growth Lab (GGL), an 11-week acceleration program designed to help emerging mobile game studios in Pakistan reach their full potential by addressing their business challenges and expanding their offerings. Participants underwent training workshops and deep-dive consultations where they had access to a wide range of experts from Google and the gaming industry. A total of 54 mobile gaming studios graduated today after completing the program.
Think Games and GGL marked the latest efforts by Google to help grow Pakistan’s gaming industry and put it on the world map. Gaming continues to be one of the biggest industries worldwide and Pakistan is well-positioned to be a global gaming powerhouse. Globally, the gaming industry is expected to reach $219 billion in 2024. Some of the local game developers such as Hazel Mobile Group, Game District, and GeniTeam have gained recognition on the international stage.
Farhan Qureshi, Google Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, said, “We’re excited to see the progress of our key initiatives Think Games and Gaming Growth Lab as we strive to support Pakistan to become a top player in the global gaming industry. On top of a vibrant gaming ecosystem that is supported by companies like Google, the country has all the components it needs, among them a rising community of young, diverse, and entrepreneurial gaming developers who have the ambition and hunger to build great games. Our work is ongoing and through our various efforts, we hope to help Pakistani developers build great games for the world.”
Among the GGL graduates is MicZon, a mobile gaming publishing company founded by Nouman Sharif in 2018. The company’s key learnings from the GGL include strategies on user acquisition and games monetization. Since joining the program in March 2022, MicZon has seen a 35% increase in app downloads and revenue, and is forecasting a 20% year-on-year growth in downloads and revenue for 2022.
Ehtisham Malik, Head of Marketing at MicZon shared, “The GGL program is an important initiative that will take Pakistan’s gaming industry to the next level. All the information we learnt at GGL has been very helpful and relevant to our business. Thank you Google Gaming Growth Lab Pakistan for helping Pakistani developers and publishers!”
To know more about Google’s commitment to Pakistan Gaming, read and sign up on the Google for Games newsletter here.
