Month: January 2024

Paramount

NEW YORK, January 12, 2024 /3BL/ – We Are All Human Foundation and Paramount’s Content For Change unveiled their collaborative Industry in Progress Study at the Hispanic Leadership Summit held at the United Nations. Conducted by Paramount Advertising’s Audience Impact and Intelligence team, the insights and research from this work highlight the nuances of representation in order to help marketers unlock the power of inclusive advertising, particularly as it relates to Hispanics in the United States.

The influence of media on the collective mindset is a well-established fact. Created by BET under Scott Mills’ leadership and further expanded both company-wide and globally by Paramount’s Social Impact team, Content For Change seeks to use data and insight to counteract bias and stereotypes to transform its creative ecosystem from content and creative supply chain to culture.

The Industry in Progress Study is focused on understanding the current state of diversity in the advertising industry and leveraging the gathered data to address disparities that exist among Black, Latinx, Asian and Indigenous Americans as well as people with disabilities, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ and those belonging to religious minorities. The goal is to gain insights that can overcome differences and identify more effective ways to represent minorities. While advertising has made significant strides in becoming more inclusive, the industry is still a work-in-progress according to both U.S. Hispanic consumers and ad industry professionals. This initiative is dedicated to contributing to the creation of a more equitable society by challenging and rectifying biased portrayals in media.

Insights from the Industry in Progress Study include:

To watch Paramount’s Content For Change presentation at the Hispanic Leadership Summit, please visit here.

The current state of U.S. Hispanic representation in advertising is lower than pre-pandemic levels and most disproportionate to their population size.U.S. Hispanics only have a 5% presence in video ads despite making up 20% of the populationIncreasing representation is not enough – U.S. Hispanic consumers value inclusive representation, yet face damaging negative tropes about themselves in advertising.52% of Hispanic consumers would avoid using brands that aren’t genuine with how they portray people like them in advertising42% of Hispanic consumers would think less of a brand that doesn’t represent people like themU.S. Hispanic consumers feel disregarded by big brands, but getting inclusion right pays dividends.Only 29% of Hispanic consumers feel their values are shared and reflected by big brands, down from 54% in 201883% of Hispanic consumers would be more favorable towards the brand if they played a positive role in their life, their family’s life and their community today

“Educating and bringing awareness to marketers of the profound impact of the U.S. Hispanic audience is a critical step in improving the quality and impact of inclusive advertising,” Lydia Daly, SVP, Market & Audience Intelligence, Paramount Advertising. “As a leader in the space, Paramount puts diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront of our client discussions, and we look forward to sharing our Industry in Progress insights in order to improve U.S. Hispanic representation in advertising now and in the future.”

“This study is a critical step towards understanding and enhancing the representation of the Hispanic community in the entertainment industry. This data gives the opportunity for companies to wake up and invest in the Hispanic Community. The mission of We Are All Human deeply aligns with Paramount’s Content for Change in our shared commitment to ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background, deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated in the United States” said Claudia Romo Edelman, Founder & CEO, We Are All Human Foundation and Hispanic Star.

To watch Paramount’s Content For Change presentation at the Hispanic Leadership Summit, please visit here.

About We Are All Human:

We Are All Human is a registered 501 (c)3 public charity devoted to advancing Equity, Diversity & Inclusion for all, with a particular focus on accelerating the progress of Hispanics in the United States. We Are All Human’s instruments include: Hispanic Promise (a first-of-its-kind non-legally binding national pledge to prepare, hire, promote, retain, celebrate and buy from Hispanics in the workplace, signed by 300+ companies), Hispanic Star (a brand that represents Latino empowerment, unity, and pride). Hispanic Star Fund (A fund to match the needs of the Latino community with the support of Corporate America) www.weareallhuman.org

About Paramount’s Content for Change:

Paramount’s Content for Change is a global company-wide, cross-brand initiative that seeks to harness the power of content to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes, and all forms of hate. Informed and inspired by BET’s groundbreaking campaign, Content for Change applies scientific research, rigor, and data to transform the entire creative ecosystem across three pillars – the content the company produces, the creative supply chain that powers it, and the culture that underpins everything Paramount does. For more information, go to www.contentforchange.paramount.com

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Call it archaeology by other means. Rather than sifting through tons of dirt and carefully cataloguing human artifacts, Eske Willerslev and his colleagues have used Illumina NovaSeq Systems to sequence 5000 ancient human genomes, revealing previously unseen historical nuance. This research tour de force, which is being published this month in four papers in the journal Nature, offers a rich view of early human migrations, mating habits, and disease variants, and their impact on modern Europeans.

“We wanted to sequence this ancient DNA so we could better understand human history,” says Willerslev, who is professor and director at the Centre of Excellence in GeoGenetics at the University of Copenhagen and the Prince Philip Professor of Ecology & Evolution at Cambridge University. “These results describe where we came from and why there’s so much variation in disease risk.”

The team brought together dozens of specialists, including molecular biologists, historians, archaeologists, and many others. This is the first time anyone has analyzed this many ancient DNA samples—it’s a massive effort, especially when compared to sequencing modern genomes, since much of the DNA has degraded and what remains are extremely short fragments. In addition to the human genomes, the team also sequenced ancient pathogens, plants, and animals.

The group compared these results to those catalogued in the UK Biobank, which recently surpassed the milestone of having sequenced and analyzed 500,000 whole human genomes—an impressively large cohort, and a modern answer to Willerslev’s ancient cohort. Comparing data helped them pinpoint where specific European populations originated and why those groups have higher susceptibility to some diseases.

Mass migrations 
The 5000 sequences represent three important groups: ancient hunter-gatherers; farmers, who emigrated from the Middle East around 10,000 years ago, and the Yamnaya, who originated in western Asia and moved toward northern Europe around 5000 years ago. These three groups are the ancestors of most modern Europeans.

Today, most eastern Europeans are descended from hunter-gatherers, while people in southern Europe mostly come from early farmers. The Yamnaya heavily influenced northern and northwestern Europe.

“The data showed us there is a great genetic divide between eastern and western Europeans,” says Willerslev. “The divide started around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago and is reflected in our genetics even today.”

A bloody history 
These massive waves of immigration came at a cost. When the farmers came north, into what is now Germany and Denmark, they completely displaced the hunter-gatherers in two generations. According to the genetic record, there was little to no interbreeding—the hunter-gatherers were simply wiped out. The same pattern happened when the Yamnaya came about 5000 years later.

“We have data on what must have been one of the last hunter-gatherers, who was living on an island,” says Willerslev. “You can imagine the forces that pushed him onto that island. He must have been quite scared.”

A stew of disease risk 
This genomic data also allowed researchers to model how these three migrations influenced Europeans’ disease risks and other traits.

“We paired UK Biobank data with the findings from these historical samples, and it told us a lot,” Willerslev explains. “Background for height is a Bronze Age [Yamnaya] trait, which makes a lot of sense, since northern Europeans are generally taller than other Europeans.”

The team also found that the farmers from southern Europe were genetically prone to mood-related disorders. Hunter-gatherers had gene variants linked to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer disease. Yamnaya were more susceptible to multiple sclerosis.

“Multiple sclerosis is a relatively new disease that we find in higher frequency in northern Europeans,” says Willerslev. “There’s been a lot of discussion about this high frequency and where it came from, but we can see from the data that, clearly, it’s a Yamnaya trait.”

The authors caution that this research does not prove the groups had these diseases, only that they had the genetic markers for them. However, those genes have been passed on to more modern Europeans, and their descendants around the world, potentially influencing global health.

“This data has been of great interest to physicians and others interested in the evolutionary history of disease-causing variants,” says Willerslev. “Now we can better understand where these conditions came from, and when.”

Originally published on Principal.com

DES MOINES, Iowa, January 12, 2024 /3BL/ – Principal Financial Group® and the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced a new presenting sponsorship of the John R. Wooden Award. The sponsorship reflects the dedication of Principal® to celebrate expertise, excellence, and equality in sports.

The Wooden Award offers a unique opportunity to pair the shared values of Coach Wooden and Principal to support the women, men and coaches who are shaping today’s game.

“Principal sponsorship of the Wooden Award is bigger than a financial commitment,” said Beth Wood, Principal executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Support for this prestigious award reinforces the core values which have always been part of what Principal believes while, at the same time, celebrates the commitment and expertise demonstrated by these talented athletes and coaches.”

Principal will be recognized as the official presenting sponsor of the John R. Wooden Award for both women’s and men’s categories and the Legends of Coaching Award.

“The Los Angeles Athletic Club is truly excited to welcome Principal® as our esteemed presenting sponsor.” said Sam Lagana, Chairman of the John R. Wooden Award program. “With a legacy spanning over 140 years, Principal embodies a values-driven ethos. The Principal mission seamlessly aligns with the ideals upheld by the Wooden Award. Our recognition of exceptional young women, men, and coaches in collegiate basketball mirrors the dedication of Principal to acknowledge individuals committed to personal growth within both athletic and academic realms. We eagerly anticipate honoring the outstanding players and coaches within collegiate basketball alongside Principal and celebrating the inherent goodness present within the sport.”

Beginning in 2020, Principal took steps to increase its impact on gender equality in sports—investing behind its mission to help everyone build a brighter future. Through its media support, Principal is an active endorser of NCAA Women’s and Men’s sports, helping amateur athletes forge a path toward a bright and secure financial future.

To further amplify the Wooden Award and uplift athletes, Principal is collaborating with ESPN via Disney Advertising to showcase the top women’s and men’s college basketball players through several player features starting in January with the Top 25. Top finalists will be revealed during various ESPN studio shows, and the women’s and men’s winners will be announced live on SportsCenter the day after each NCAA National Championship.

About Principal Financial Group 
Principal Financial Group® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with 19,500 employees1 passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for more than 140 years, we’re helping more than 61 million customers1 plan, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. Principal® is proud to be recognized as one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere2, a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and a “Best Places to Work in Money Management3.” Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com. 

1 As of September 30, 2023  
2 Ethisphere, 2023   
3 Pensions & Investments, 2022 

About the John R. Wooden Award

Created in 1976, by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All-America Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient. Honorees have proven to their university that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the John R. Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award Steering Committee, including making progress towards graduation and maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Previous winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Kevin Durant (’07), Candace Parker (’07; ’08), Maya Moore (’09; ’11), Breanna Stewart (’15; ’16), and last year’s recipients, Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Zach Edey of Purdue.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award All American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with the Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament brings together Special Olympics athletes and Wooden Award All Americans and coaches in attendance. It is hosted at the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award Weekend.

The Legends of Coaching Award presented by Principal will be presented to University of Kentucky coach John Calipari, along with the Wooden Award Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year on April 12, 2024.

For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to https://www.woodenaward.com and follow the Wooden Award on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward and @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram.

About Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC)

Founded in 1880, the Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) was built on a foundation of athleticism, and culture, embracing a rich tradition of social and physical vitality. Today’s membership reflects the diversity of people in Southern California, drawing from the professional, business, arts, and university communities. Within its historic 12 story building, LAAC offers several fitness floors with state-of-the-art equipment, an indoor running track, the international squash center, an Olympic sized swimming pool, the John Wooden Basketball Court, the Neptune Spa, two restaurants, three lounges, a ballroom, junior ballrooms, along with a 72-room hotel, and multiple options for communal and private working spaces. 

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​ ©2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc. 3297874-122023