Posts made in June 2019

Pokémon x UNIQLO UT 2019 Grand Prix

UNIQLO announces that it will launch UNIQLO T-shirts (UTs) featuring winning designs from its Pokémon-themed UT GRAND PRIX 2019 design contest. Items will become available from June 28th at UNIQLO stores and through UNIQLO.com.

The contest attracted a record of more than 18,000 entries worldwide, reflecting the staggering popularity of Pokémon. The judging panel selected 22 winning designs.

Comment from UT GRAND PRIX Judge:

“Entries from more than 40 countries and regions demonstrated tremendous enthusiasm and wide-ranging interpretations of Pokémon. We were delighted with the prize-winning UT designs, and we are certain people everywhere will love wearing them.”


Overview of UT GRAND PRIX 2019 T-Shirts

Launch date

June 28, 2019

Pricing

$14.90 for men and women and $9.90

No. of colors and patterns

22 (10 for men, 10 for women, and 7 for kids)

Sizes

XS to 3XL* for men and women, Kids ages 3-12

*Available online only

Special website

http://www.uniqlo.com/utgp/2019/us/en/

About Pokémon

Pokémon, one of the world’s most popular entertainment franchises, began with the launch of the Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue video games in Japan in 1996. Pokémon gameplay, which features collecting, training, and trading unique creatures, rapidly gained tremendous popularity around the globe. The video games were soon followed by the introduction of the Pokémon Trading Card Came and beloved animated series. With total games sold in excess of 300 million and the Pokémon GO mobile game released in 2016 reaching over 850 million downloads worldwide (as of August 2018), Pokémon has been loved by people of all ages for over 20 years.

About the UT GRAND PRIX

UNIQLO has conducted its UT GRAND PRIX design competition since 2005 to foster creativity and talent around the world. The contest is open to anyone regardless of age, gender, or nationality. Previous contest themes have included Nintendo, Star Wars, and Marvel, and have attracted numerous entries, with winning designs being been sold around the globe.

About Judge of UT GRAND PRIX

The team is consisted of special 3 members, Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of the Pokémon Company, Ken Sugimori, Character Design and Art Director of GAME FREAK inc, and NIGO, Merchandise Department of the Pokémon Company and UNIQLO UT Design Team. Tsunekazu Ishihara is designed the characters of the Pokémon game series, and worked on official illustrations for all the main works. Ken Sugimori is a managing director of GAME FREAK inc. involved in all works of Pokémon software. NIGO is creative director of UNIQLO UT.

WEB OF VENOM: FUNERAL PYRE

Carnage Ramps Up his Hunt in ‘WEB OF VENOM: FUNERAL PYRE’

‘ABSOLUTE CARNAGE’ is set in motion this July!

Cletus Kasady is kicking off his murder spree before ABSOLUTE CARNAGE arrives this August! And the trail of bodies will first pile up in July’s WEB OF VENOM: FUNERAL PYRE!

For weeks, serial killer Carnage has been hunting former symbiote hosts and killing them. Next in the crosshairs of his inky tendrils is Andi Benton, formerly Mania, who’s back to living in Philadelphia and without any symbiote to save her…

“When I took this project, I warned Editorial that it was going to be vicious and bloody and cruel.,” said writer and Mania co-creator Cullen Bunn. “I’m leaning into Carnage’s horror vibe here. This is absolutely a horror story, with Andi as the hero and Carnage as the unstoppable killer.”

With terror and throat-gripping action, this utterly alien thriller will mark only the beginning of Carnage’s insatiable bloodlust.

Preview this story now, and for more information on WEB OF VENOM: FUNERAL PYRE #1 please visit Marvel.com.

WEB OF VENOM: FUNERAL PYRE #1

Written by CULLEN BUNN

Art by ALBERTO JIMINEZ ALBUQUERQUE, JOSHUA CASSARA

Colors by JAY DAVID RAMOS

Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY

On Sale 7/24/2019

To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com

or simply chat with some of your favorite heroes with Marvel’s chatbot accessible through Twitter and Facebook

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com.

  

Nat’l Pina Colada Day Cocktails

Nat’l Pina Colada Day (July 10): Toast with Reimagined Malibu Pina Colada Cocktails!

Malibu Coconut Water Pina Colada

·         Ingredients:

o    1 ½ part Malibu Original

o    1 ½ parts Coconut Water

o    2 parts Pineapple juice

o    ½ part Fresh Lime Juice

·         Method: Pour all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker, shake until cold and strain into a chilled glass filled with ice cubes, top with pineapple juice

·         Garnish: Slice of pineapple

 Malibu Pea’na Colada

·         Ingredients:

o    1 ¼ part Malibu Original

o    ¾ part Stoupakis Mastiha

o    ½ part Coconut Milk

o    ½ part Simple Syrup

o    ¾ part Snap Pea Juice

o    ½ part Lemon

o    Pinch salt

·         Method: Whip with pebble ice, serve over pebble ice

·         Garnish: Split Pea, Lemon Wheel


Classic Malibu Pina Colada

·         Ingredients:

o    1 part Malibu Original

o    1 ½ parts Pineapple juice

o    ½ part Coconut cream

·         Method: Pour everything in a shaker with ice, shake, pour and enjoy

·         Garnish: Slice of pineapple

KYGO & WHITNEY HOUSTON RELEASE “HIGHER LOVE”

Following a string of current successes, global superstar, producer and DJ, Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll – a.k.a. Kygo releases new single “Higher Love” with Whitney Houston, the most awarded female artist of all time, via RCA Records.  The single marks the first new Whitney Houston music released in a decade, since 2009’s “I Look To You.” Both Kygo and Pat Houston spoke to Rolling Stone to explain the collaboration HERE.

Pat Houston said of the single, “The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and our new partner Primary Wave are delighted with the collaboration between KYGO and WHITNEY. We knew KYGO would be the right producer to enhance Whitney’s powerful vocal performance on ‘Higher Love,’  to the standards and expectations that Whitney’s fans have recognized for over three decades.

The resurgence of this precious archival performance will carry Whitney’s musical legacy on to a younger generation for years to come.   Everyone should be ready to dance to this uplifting and inspiring record – a testament to KYGO’s incredible talent, and a reminder of why we fell in love with Whitney from the very beginning!!!” 

Kygo added, “I was honored when the Whitney Houston estate reached out and presented me with the opportunity to work with one of the greatest female vocalists of all time. I reworked the song from scratch and am really happy with how it turned out!”

“Higher Love” is a cover of the 1986 Steve Winwood classic, which celebrated its 33rd anniversary on June 20th. The Whitney Houston estate presented Kygo with the archival recording of Whitney’s version, which was previously released as a Japan-only bonus track on her I’m Your Baby Tonight physical album in 1990. Upon hearing the Whitney track, Kygo raced into the studio, thrilled to be given the opportunity to make music with one of the greatest female vocalists of all time.

“Higher Love” was written by Steve Winwood, Will Jennings and produced by Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll and Narada Michael Walden. Kygo is set to perform this song for the first time this Sunday, June 30th, at PrideFestival Utopia in New York City.

Total Bellas, 360 magazine,

Total Bellas Renewed

The hit series “Total Bellas,” following the lives of WWE® Superstars Nikki Bella® and Brie Bella®, has been greenlit for a fifth season on E!  Season four of “Total Bellas” featured Nikki exploring life as a newly single woman, Nikki and Brie expanding their brands, Brie and husband WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan® juggling work and parenthood,  and the Superstar twins’ return to the ring leading up to WWE’s first-ever all women’s pay-per-view event, Evolution®.  The fifth season of “Total Bellas,” will consist of 10, hour-long episodes premiering in early 2020.

“Nikki and Brie have never shied away from revealing every aspect of their lives to our viewers,” said Amy Introcaso-Davis, Executive Vice President, Development and Production, E! “They’re strong women who are incredibly relatable and connect deeply with our audience.”

“We’re at a really exciting point in our lives, and can’t wait to take the Bella Army on this journey as we continue to work hard and inspire them to live their dreams,” said Brie Bella.  “We’re looking forward to sharing our triumphs and challenges with our fans this season, and hope they all have as much fun as we’re having along the way,” added Nikki Bella.

The fourth season of “Total Bellas” ranked as a Top 3 program for E!, with an average of 783K total viewers.  Sunday night premieres of the series consistently ranked among the Top 10  programs in Primetime across ad-supported cable networks among W18-34.  “Total Bellas” ranked as a Top 2 most social Cable Reality series in Primetime on each of its premiere nights, averaging 151K Total Interactions across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter each Sunday night.  The series also averaged 3MM engagements across all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube) each week. “Total Bellas” currently has 1.3MM social followers, up +18% vs. season three. Nikki and Brie Bella have a combined following of more than 34MM social followers across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

“Total Bellas” is produced by WWE and Bunim/Murray Productions with Gil Goldschein, Russell Jay and Farnaz Farjam Chazan serving as Executive Producers for Bunim/Murray Productions and Kevin Dunn  and Chris Kaiser serving as Executive Producer for WWE. Nikki Bella and Brie Bella also serve as Executive Producers.

Follow along on social media for all things “Total Bellas”:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

About E! Entertainment

E! is the only global, multi-platform brand for all things pop culture. The network is currently available to 91 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S and 161 countries globally. E! programming includes popular series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Very Cavallari,” “Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian,” “Total Divas,” “Total Bellas,” “Botched,” “Dating #NoFilter” and “Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry;” topical series “Nightly Pop” and “Ladygang;” and new series “Flip It Like Disick” and “Relatively Nat & Liv.” “E! News” airs nightly on the network and is the leading multi-platform publisher delivering breaking entertainment news and pop culture coverage 24/7 across EOnline.com and all digital and social media. The brand’s robust digital programming slate includes “E! News’ The Rundown,” “Face Forward” and “What The Fashion” on Snapchat. E!’s “Live from the Red Carpet” signature events keep fans connected to their favorite stars on pop culture’s biggest nights and E! is also home to the “E! People’s Choice Awards,” the only award show for the people, by the people. E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. For more corporate information, visit www.nbcuniversal.com.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG, family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 28 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

About Bunim/Murray Productions

Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP) is the leading producer of innovative entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World, which recently moved to Facebook after 32 seasons on MTV. BMP continued to innovate with the first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. BMP’s current programming includes Keeping up with the Kardashians, Total Divas and Total Bellas (E!), The Challenge (MTV), Born This Way (A&E), Earth Live (National Geographic), The Real World and Ball in the Family (Facebook Watch), Endless Summer and Growing Up is a Drag (Snapchat), Miz and Mrs. (USA Network), and Family or Fiance (OWN). BMP has also produced They Call Us Monsters (PBS), Valentine Road (HBO), Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO) for BMP Films. Based in Glendale, CA, the company was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim, who were inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame in 2012. The company joined Banijay Group in 2010.

360 MAGAZINE, Vaughn Lowery

Celebrities and their Unusual Hobbies

Celebrities are renowned for being eccentric, and while some may actually be normal and lead as usual lifestyle as possible, there are some that follow this stereotype and are quite frankly weird in their lives away from the spotlight.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise since they have so much money to burn that they need to find something to keep them entertained, but whatever happened to playing golf or reading books? Here are some of the weirdest examples of celebrities who have strange hobbies away from their profession.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has played some unusual characters throughout his career; including Edward Scissor Hands, Captain Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka, all highlighting his love for eccentric characters. However, away from the screen, he doesn’t get any less weird as he likes to collect and play with Barbie Dolls, and he describes his ability to play with dolls as ‘one of the things I’m very good at.”

Aside from having dolls of characters that he has played in his career, he also has collected dolls of High School Musical characters, Paris Hilton and Beyonce. There is method in his madness; however, as he claims that he uses the dolls to get into character for his upcoming films, as well as using it as a way to bond with his kids.

Mike Tyson

You would be forgiven for thinking that Mike Tyson would be most likely to be seen playing casino games which can be played on online casinos; you can try Novibet here for your gambling needs. However, following his excellent boxing career, he has become a keen lover of pigeons and is apparently a skilled pigeon racing trainer. In fact, you can often see Tyson at the yearly event in California which highlights the best-bred birds at their peak.

He was so inspired by his first meeting with the birds that he dedicated his time in training his own to enable them to become the best racer they can be. Tyson is also keen to expand the lifestyle onto a younger generation and highlight all the characteristics that can be built by training pigeons. It’s undoubtedly a gear change from his life as the ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’.

Angelia Jolie

Angelina Jolie is renowned for being one of the highest-paid actresses in the world and has played badass characters such as Lara Croft and Maleficent. However, the roles that she has portrayed in these films could have gone to her head as she has openly admitted that she has an obsession with knives. She has admitted to having an extensive collection of ancient daggers and is always keen to add more.

Jolie believes this fascination with the knives was brought about during her younger years when she and partners would use the object in their private lives to build a deeper connection. Since then, the hobby has transformed into a collection, but she has also reiterated that she keeps the knives well away from her kids, which is at least positive parenting.

360 MAGAZINE, Vaughn Lowery, bar, spirits

How to Get Financing to Start a New Bar

So you’ve decided to become a bar owner, congratulations! Now, you find yourself in the same dilemma many creative, business-minded entrepreneurs know all too well: You need additional funds to make your dream come true. What to do?

Lucky for you, there are several options you can look into. Let’s examine each one to see which one is the right move for you.

Take out a personal loan

This is a popular option among budding entrepreneurs because it has a higher success rate and offers a greater degree of flexibility. This is your best bet if you are starting a bar from scratch or if you don’t have an established business history yet.

Unlike a business loan, a personal loan will not require you to put down collateral or provide proof of cash flow. After all, it’s difficult to show income if you don’t have it yet. Business loans also have major restrictions on how the loan is used, but a personal loan gives you more freedom.

Your personal financial history and credit score will determine your eligibility and the rates and terms of your loan. A credit score of 600 puts you in an excellent position to qualify. Documents you need to submit include but are not limited to personal identification, bank statements, W-2 or pay stubs, and tax return.

Keep in mind that personal loans are generally smaller compared to a business loan so you may need to look into more options to acquire the rest of the funding you need. We discuss more below.

Look for investors

This is an excellent solution to share the financial burden with someone else. Investors provide startup money and can bring their business management expertise to the table. For this to work, you’ll have to get comfortable with splitting profits and giving up a share of your business.

If you wish to retain control of your bar, silent investors are great because they get out of your hair after providing the funding. They might be involved in big-picture dealings and will offer help if needed, but other than that, they stay in the background and leave the daily management to you.

The catch? They might pressure you to turn a profit sooner rather than later though. They may get restless and force a sale.

Active investors will generally be more involved in the day-to-day operations of your bar in an effort to enhance the return of their investment. They can also be helpful to first-time entrepreneurs looking to make industry connections and learn the tricks of the trade.

While active investors bring their business to the enterprise, you will definitely have to give up a degree of control. Some investors might agree to simply advance capital in exchange for collateral and payback with interest or a percentage of your profits.

Turn to your friends, family, and peers

Use your connections! Do you know someone who has the resources to spare? You can start reaching out to your peers in the industry or even to friends and family. This fast-tracks your funding process by skipping the legal entanglements typically involved in a traditional loan.

If you go the family and friends route, the pitch probably isn’t going to be all that complicated. But keep in mind that money and family sometimes don’t mix. If your bar fails to take off, things might get ugly. Especially with equity involved, put everything in writing and bring in a business lawyer as a safety net.

Reach out to the world through crowdfunding

If you’ve exhausted all your connections to no avail, the internet might be your savior. Yes, you can raise money for your new bar from strangers online through websites like GoFundMe, Patreon, and Kickstarter. How great is that?

Needless to say, you will have to convince these people why they should fund your bar. Tell your story and make sure to let your passion shine through.

Transparency will get you far down this route. Be specific on how you intend to spend the money they give you and provide updates. You would be surprised at how many people would be willing to donate their own money to help you with your venture.

Depending on your campaign, you can give these backers perks or rewards in return. However, if you choose to do it via equity crowdfunding, which will easily attract investors, you are selling off a degree of ownership control over your company.

Know that you will also need to actively market your campaign, so it can be seen and gain traction fast. This will take a lot of patience and hard work.

Use your 401(k)

If you are looking to ditch the 9-to-5 life in favor of being your own boss as a bar owner, this might be something to consider if you have saved up enough from your previous jobs.

You’re staking your retirement savings here, so make sure you are 100% certain of your bar idea. Most people can get overconfident for their own good. Consult a tax attorney, if needed, and look at all angles before you take the leap.

Consider the other options presented in this article first before cracking your 401(k) nest egg.

Get funding for expensive equipment

Equipment is an essential investment for any bar operation that comes that a premium price. A lender or bank can help you purchase the required furnishings to get your business up and running through equipment financing.

Here, you receive the entire amount based on a price quote you provide to the lender. You can’t use the funding for anything other than the equipment you intend to buy.

The collateral here is the equipment itself, which is great because you won’t have to worry about paying off more in the unfortunate event that your bar goes under.

When securing your bar equipment, it is important to anticipate your needs and choose the right configuration for your establishment. For a bar, you’ll need equipment such as keg coolers, undercounter refrigerators, and commercial ice makers.

While it can be tempting to go for second-hand items, buying brand new equipment can benefit your business in the long run. Used equipment can lead to unpleasant surprises that might cost you way more than the savings you initially had. Replacement parts for last-generation models will likely be very hard to find, thus halting your operation longer than it should.

Plus, it can be difficult to find out how well it has been maintained and the service life it has left. With any luck, you might be able to track down the original invoice and check the warranty it comes with.

With brand new equipment, you enjoy more savings and peace of mind that your business runs as it should. Benefits include:

• For the higher price tag, you get equipment that is less likely to break down to avoid disruptions that can cost you precious business, especially during peak hours.

• New units are generally more energy-efficient and environment-friendly than older models

• They go for much higher resale value, especially for well-known brands

• You can count on a more responsive service department for servicing and readily available replacement parts

We are committed to protecting your investment. We have an excellent selection of brand new and highly durable products from Manitowoc ice makers to Beverage Air refrigerators that come with excellent warranties and unrivaled customer support. We make sure your purchases work their best beyond the initial quality control.

Explore the benefits of a business credit card

This is the perfect option for buying ingredients and supplies. You’ll only need your credit score as qualification, and it doesn’t have to be all that impressive either. If you are at 600, you have a good chance of getting approved. Plus, the application process is easy.

You know how you get some perks and rewards every time you swipe your personal credit card? You can enjoy the same for your bar here. You can get excellent cash back and credit for business expenses.

Consider credit card receipt financing

There are some lenders that partially base their loan on receiving part of the credit card receipts from your customers. The process basically involves selling your future credit card sales in exchange for a cash advance. A portion of each credit card sale is taken out as payment. This can be an interesting approach but can also interfere with your finances.

Financing your new bar the right way

As a rule of thumb, you should have at least six months of expenses available in the bank when you start. Most businesses fail because of a lack of financing. So either do it right from the beginning or hold off until you can.

Temara Melek, 360 MAGAZINE

TEMARA MELEK Releases New Single

Musician and Actress TEMARA MELEK Releases New Single “PRIVACY”

Temara Melek knows exactly who she is. Whether she’s gracing the screen on your favorite TV show or playing in your headphones, the young singer has always had a clear vision. “I’ve always loved pop music, I loved Britney Spears, Nsync, the Backstreet Boys and Madonna”. It’s no surprise then, that Melek’s new single “Privacy” is a glimmering pop track that makes listeners want to get up and dance. Temara full-heartedly leans into the pop-star persona, with catchy pop melodies and sparkling backing beats. She also recognizes this song as a bit of a departure from her earlier works. “This song shows a little more growth and maturity for me. I want people to understand it’s okay to take time for yourself so that you can find your own happiness.”

 
Fans may remember Temara from her hit songs like “Karma’s Not Pretty”, which skyrocketed to #1 on the UK’s Power FM Global Radio Network. The video featured prominent cameos from young stars Keegan Allen and Greg Sulkin. The success of the single even earned the young songstress an opening performance for Demi Lovato and in 2013, Temara was featured on DJ Antoine’s song “Go With Your Heart”, a song that went to number 1 on the dance charts in 6 European countries.
 
Over the years, Temara has also appeared in numerous shows like Legacies, The Vampire Diaries and Westworld. Outside of music and acting, Temara has nurtured a deep love and respect for animals. Melek lives a mostly plant-based lifestyle and uses her platform to garner attention to different issues facing animals like ocean pollution affecting the health and wellness of marine animals. 
 
Up next, Temara says she’s excited to release new music, “I’ve been in the studio and can’t wait to release more of what I’ve been working on!” You can stream “Privacy” now on all major streaming platforms and follow all of Temara’s adventures on Instagram @TemaraMelek

Photographer credit: Kalie Johnston

360 MAGAZINE, car battery

Can Car Be Recycled

Each year millions of cars are being recycled, that being sad, we got over 25 million tons of recycled materials thanks to our vehicles. More and more people choose to give their dead vehicle the second life and here is why:

  1. It is very financially beneficial. You might consider your rusty old car a junk but you can actually get hundreds and thousands of dollars from it. Imagine, you can get rid of your old car and put this money towards any financial goal, whether its a new car, house loan or this long-awaited trip.
  2. Less junk – more space. And free space is crazy expensive nowadays. Clear out your property and make space for something new in your life.
  3. Car recycling contributes around $25 billion to the national GDP. By recycling your car you not only contribute to your pocket but to our economy overall.
  4. More than 90% of your car consists of reusable materials. In fact, the whole new car can be made from your old wrecked vehicle with minimal damage to the environment. The easiest way to save the planet is not to do even more damage and car recycle is one of the best examples.
  5. Recycling your car is a responsible and conscious choice. Appropriate disposal is the best way to ensure that your car and its waste (oils, cases, lead from batteries), don’t end up killing our planet and negatively impacting our quality of life.

Last but not least, choose the car scrap company carefully and make sure they have the necessary certifications and recycle properly. Ask them how the car is recycled or simply look for how they are represented online. For example, UsJunkCars.com has a whole “green” section on their website and they are super concerned about being as ecological as possible. Look for sustainable businesses and recycle your car today!

PRIDE Campaign from SodaStream

SodaStream International Ltd. today unveiled its newest video campaign tweaking classic portraits from the past to include the LGBTQ community.

Photographs endure the test of time, which is why SodaStream decided to revisit classical moments through an LGBTQ lens- from miners proudly posing in their rough work attire while kissing, and a beautiful transgender bride standing next to her proud mom to a same-sex couple attending prom, this campaign is meant to share the message that no one should ever have to hide who they truly are.

The bride featured in the video is Lila Blilat, a transgender woman whose personal journey is close to SodaStream’s heart. Her incredible journey from a traditional, nomadic muslim community to a liberated, proud woman who became the face of the 2019 Tel Aviv Pride Parade is inspiring. Lila is from the traditional Bedouin town of Rahat in Israel where the SodaStream factory is located. SodaStream actively supports this community by providing  employment, especially for women, who are often not encouraged to work.

“At SodaStream we stand for people, no matter their origin, religion, gender or sexual preferences,” said SodaStream CMO Matti Yahav. “We are well-known for our fun and lighthearted way to convey important messages in our campaigns. This time around we wanted to strike another cord with a poignant and emotional campaign that anyone can – and should – relate to.”

Watch the new “Imagine a world” video.

“It’s a dream come true for me to have been chosen to be a picture-perfect beautiful bride in a global campaign. It gives me strength to continue to fight to be myself and to help others do the same. I truly believe this video helps share the love,” commented Lila Blilat.

About SodaStream

SodaStream, part of PepsiCo, is the world’s leader in at-home sparkling beverage preparation. Sodastream bubbles are better for the consumer – healthy, easy to make, light to carry – and better for the planet. One reusable SodaStream bottle replaces thousands of single use plastic bottles. Products are available at more than 80,000 retail stores across 46 countries.