‘Slide to Unlock’ by Amnesty International

Amnesty International has done an enormous amount of compelling video advertising globally in recent years, with spots ranging from the poignant to the unrelentingly brutal. But lately, the human-rights agency has been getting into digital, with some interesting and novel device-specific executions, mostly for Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

Swedish agency Garbergs has generated the idea for the Amnesty efforts there. The agency’s wallpapers for the iPhone show a prisoner being freed when the user activates the “Slide to Unlock” function. An ad on the iPad performs a similar operation.

Ad Agencies Drooling Over Microsoft’s $1 Billion Media Business

Microsoft is considering replacing its longtime media-buying agency Universal McCann, according to a report in AdAge. The company spends more than $1 billion on advertising every year, and McCann and its subsidiaries had a lock on Microsoft for years.

McCann still does the work of buying media space for Microsoft ads, but recently Microsoft offered the contract up for bid, and a bunch of agencies are expected to respond.

The Secrets out! Toyota makes sewing machines

Just when you thought you heard it all. When you think Toyota you typically don’t think Sewing machines but this just in, they do and they’re top of the line.

Although Toyota Sewing Machines weren’t brought to America until 1970 Toyota has been designing and producing their machines since 1946. These sewing machines are heavy duty and are capable of handling just about anything you can throw at it. It can take on and tackle the heaviest of fabrics like denim with style and ease. They have a sleek design that is sure to look good on any craft room table.

This machine provides a free arm, drop feed and a snap on foot for your sewing ease. Other accessories that come with this product are a zigzag foot, a zipper foot, a buttonhole foot, three needles (#90/14), a twin needle, a ball-point needle, an extra spool pin, three extra bobbins, and a driver for the needle plate, as well as a small screwdriver, a ripper, an oiler, a dust cover, and an instructional manual in English and Spanish.

Toyota Yaris Gets UV Protective Front Windows

Toyota announced that the front door glass in its redesigned Yaris reduces ultraviolet (UV) penetration by approximately 99% and claims its use is a world first. The new model is scheduled for launch at the end of this year.

When combining use of the glass with a windscreen that reduces UV penetration by 99% the result is an approximately 99% combined reduction in UV penetration through the front door windows and screen. Toyota claims that the resulting sunburn protection is equivalent to that of wearing gloves while driving.

Tata to acquire Suntel

Tata Communications (TCL) is set to acquire Sri Lanka’s second-largest land-based telephone company Suntel, India’s Economic Times (ET) newspaper reported on Monday.

TCL (formerly VSNL), which was acquired by the Tatas following the government’s divestment in 2002, has received the approval of the government, which still owns 26% stake in the company, for the proposed acquisition, the report said.

Suntel is currently owned by a joint venture between Swedish telecom giant , Metrocorp, Townsend of Hong Kong, National Development Bank, and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

Taj Hotels to be upgraded & rebranded

India’s Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, one of the largest hotel chains in South Asia is upgrading and re-branding its propeties in Sri Lanka to increase market share in the island’s booming tourism industry.

Hotels will be re-branded under two new brands; ‘The Gateway Hotels’ for the modern traveller and ‘Taj Vivanta’, a five start hospitality brand for the upper scale segment.

Taj owns a 50 percent stake in Taj Exotica, a 160 room resort in Sri Lanka’s South West coast, which has been re-branded as ‘Taj Vivanta Bentota’ from this week.

Hirdramani Group owned “Taj Airport Garden Hotel” will be expanded with 100 more rooms and re-branded under the Taj Group’s ‘The Gateway Hotel’ brand from January next year.

“The Taj Samudra – Colombo, is a unique property. We will look at this hotel in the next year because it needs a lot of work.” said Raymond Bickson, the chief executive of Indian Hotels company.

AAI plans to build an airport in Sri Lanka

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to build an airport in Sri Lanka, which could be its first foray into the international market in about 30 years. The state-owned operator had earlier built airports in Libya and Yemen.

“We are looking at bidding for an airport at Palaly in Sri Lanka. We have recently done the feasibility study for the airport,” said AAI Chairman V P Agarwal.

The airport is near the city of Jaffna and upgrading the airport will include building a runway and the terminal building and the project would be worth Rs 400-500 crore.

Domestic Air Services in Sri Lanka

Thirteen firms that applied to start domestic air services in Sri Lanka after the end of a 30-year war are awaiting the final nod from the island’s aviation ministry and the president’s office, an official said.

Director general of Sri Lanka’s civil aviation authority H M C Nimalsiri said domestic, foreign and joint ventures between local and overseas firms had applied to fly within the island.

“To import aircraft to Sri Lanka approval of the Presidential office is needed. Within 60 days of approval these companies can start operations.” Sri Lanka’s leisure industry has called for domestic air services to take high-end tourist to resorts away from Colombo.

The island’s air force also operates a commercial service to Jaffna and charters to airstrips especially in the east. The military has VIP transport aircraft which it bought during a 30-year war which ended last year.

Mahindra Group to make investments in Sri Lanka

India’s Mahindra Group is planning to make investments in Sri Lanka initially in tourism and financial services and also increasing vehicles sales in the island, an official said.

“Sri Lanka can provide a platform for large multinationals like us,” Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Mahindra Group told a news conference.

Mahindra said the group’s hospitality and finance sectors were represented in the team which visited Sri Lanka this week.

“That’s just the tip of the ice berg. We’re returning to meet with the BOI for comprehensive meetings with all our sectors. With the BOI we’ve decided we will create a road map for the group and set out specific priorities for each of our sectors.” he added.

Re-entry of controversial businessman Harry Jayawardene

Mr Jayawardene, who fell out of favour with the current administration, was appointed chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. The Board of Investment (BOI) saw a new face, Jayampathi Bandaranayake as Chairman/Director General while its former head, businessman Dhammika Perera has not been assigned to any other agency.

Nishantha Wickremasinghe continues as SriLankan Airlines and Leisha de Silva Chandrasena moved to the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board while her place at Sri Lanka Telecom is to be filled by Upali Newspapers Executive Director Nimal Welgama, who however says he is yet to receive the appointment.

Public official Indrani Sugathadasa was appointed chairperson of both the Securities and Exchange Commission and Insurance Board of Sri Lanka, posts held by Udaya Sri Kariyawasam who has not been assigned a new post so far.

Bank of Ceylon’s Gamini Wickremasinghe and People’s Bank – W. Karunajeeva retained their positions while the National Savings Bank saw the entry of Presidential Secretariat senior official Gamini Senerath (in addition to his current duties) and at the State Mortgage and Investment Bank it was Jagath Wellawatte.

Upali Liyanage was appointed chairman of the Lankaputhra Bank. Merchant Bank of Ceylon Chairman Janaka Ratnayake, who has courted attention with controversial decisions, was shibted to the Export Development Board and replaced by veteran trade union official M.R. Shah.