This quarter, Visual Vibe’s strong performance has been instrumental, reinforcing its pivotal role within Kintyre Holdings’ portfolio. Additionally, we are now unlocking value from our strategic investments in key properties, which are contributing positively to our income and strengthening our position as a dynamic investment holding company committed to delivering sustained value to our shareholders.

Change of Name & Purpose of the Business
At our Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in October 2024, the company officially rebranded from iCreate Limited to Kintyre Holdings (JA) Limited. This name change reflects our shift in purpose to an investment holding company, better aligning with our broader business strategy.

We are transitioning from a digital and creative training company to a diversified investment holding company.

This rebranding reflects our expanded focus across various sectors and strategic ventures, marking a significant shift in our corporate trajectory. Additionally, our purpose has been updated to reflect this new direction, positioning Kintyre Holdings as an investment holding company designed to foster sustainable growth across industries.

Financial Overview
Kintyre Holdings achieved strong growth in Q3 2024, driven by strategic investments and Visual Vibe’s expanding success in addition to gains from our investment assets.

Operational efficiency has improved, contributing to robust financial performance.

The Group is positioned for steady growth and profitability. Quarterly revenue reached $56.6 million, a 59.3% increase over Q3 2023, with year-to-date revenue at $128.4 million, up 57.5% year-over-year.

• REVENUE: Q3 2024 revenue reached JMD 55.1 million, up 59.3% from Q3 2023. Year-to-date revenue stands at JMD 123.4 million, showing a 57.5% increase over the same period in 2023, driven by strong performance in digital advertising.

• OPERATING PROFIT: Q3 2024 operating profit rose by 718.9%, from a loss of JMD 4.2M to a profit of JMD 26.2M. Year-to-date improved by 126.3%, from a
loss of JMD 126.4M to a profit of J$33.3M, driven by operational improvements and non-occurrence of one-off acquisition costs in 2023.

• Visual Vibe Operating Profit YTD 2024 vs YTD 2023: Year to date, Visual Vibe has posted a 46.8% increase in Operating Profits, bolstered by expanding its
network and introducing new advertising products like the backpack billboards and indoor digital screens.

• NET PROFIT: The Net profit for the parent company (Kintyre Holdings) Q3 2024 was JMD 21.4 million, an improvement from the loss of JMD 13.9 million recorded in Q3 2023.

• Year-to-date Net Profit stands at JMD 20.4 million, representing a significant improvement from the net loss of JMD 150.1 million in 2023. The positive shift in
net profit is attributed to the increased revenue from the DOOH advertising segment, greater control over operating expenses. YTD 2023 also had one-off acquisition related costs that weighed heavily on Net Profits.

• BALANCE SHEET: Total assets stood at JMD 564.7 million, down 19% year-over year, due to a reduction in goodwill and investments in assets. Total liabilities decreased by 40% to JMD 225.6 million, strengthening the company’s financial position.

Strategic Partnerships & New Business Initiatives
• New strategic partnerships for indoor advertising have been secured across the island, positioning Visual Vibe as a major player in the digital out-of-home advertising space.

• In addition, Kintyre Holdings has successfully partnered with SportsMax as their official out-of-home advertising partner for the 2024 Olympics. We showcased live streams of key races on our Hope Road, Spanish Town, and North Parade screens, reaching a wide audience and positioning our brand prominently during this high-profile event.
Physical and Technology Upgrades

• Visual Vibe upgraded its Manor Park screen to the latest technology, enhancing content quality and engagement.

• Yello Partnership: iCreate partnered with Yello to support SMEs by developing an affordable option for outdoor advertising, making high impact marketing accessible to smaller businesses across the region.

Impact of Hurricane Beryl
• Hurricane Beryl caused electrical outages and screen damage in remote areas, but we collaborated with JPS to use our screens for critical updates on rehabilitation efforts. This partnership minimized the storm’s impact and highlighted Visual Vibe’s role in community support during crises.

OUTLOOK
As we approach Q4 2024, Kintyre Holdings is focused on maintaining the growth momentum achieved in Q3. We are expanding our offerings, particularly through iCreate Institute’s new educational products, which will enhance our training services in the growing digital economy.

This expansion aligns with the increasing demand for innovative and agile upskilling
solutions.

Looking ahead, Kintyre Holdings is committed to operational efficiency, optimizing our assets, and driving cost-effective growth. We will continue to focus on executing our long-term strategy, ensuring profitability, and exploring new opportunities in key sectors to further strengthen our market position.

2024
Sustained Revenue Growth and Profitability:
• Target a 20% revenue increase in the second half of 2024 through expanded digital advertising and increased enrollments at iCreate Institute.
• Reach a net profit margin of 20% by optimizing operations and focusing on high margin business lines.

Expansion of Digital Advertising Network:
• Add 10 new indoor locations to our Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) network, leveraging partnerships that have been secured

Digital Transformation of iCreate Institute:
• Launch new courses and upgrade the learning management system to boost enrollment and enhance the student experience.

Strengthening Customer and Partner Relationships:
• Deepen existing partnerships, secure three new strategic partnerships, and achieve a 90% customer satisfaction rate by year-end.

Operational Efficiency and Cost Management:
• Reduce administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue from 60% to 50% by streamlining processes and adopting new technologies.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement:
• Focus on creative talent development, digital literacy, sustainable business practices and promoting charitable causes.

Risk Management and Strategic Flexibility:
• Continue monitoring market trends, adjusting strategies as needed, and maintaining robust risk management to ensure stability and growth.

Tyrone Wilson Executive Chairman Kintyre Holdings (JA) Limited

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In the fast-growing world of social media influencers, the challenges of negotiating brand deals and securing fair compensation are becoming increasingly evident. Jamie Hamilton’s experience as a style influencer is a case in point. Like many new creators, she negotiated her first big brand deal alone, believing she had secured a good rate. However, she later discovered a fellow influencer on the same campaign, with similar follower numbers, was paid significantly more. The difference? Her colleague had professional representation, while Hamilton did not.

As the influencer marketing industry is projected to hit $24 billion by the end of 2024, with further growth expected in the coming years, the question of whether influencers should hire agents or negotiate independently has gained prominence. While some creators navigate this landscape on their own, others rely on professionals to secure deals, leading to a wide disparity in earnings and opportunities.

The Wild West of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing, despite its maturity, remains highly unstructured. Creators act as independent contractors, with no official market rate for content creation or promotion. Pay secrecy is widespread, and there is little transparency in how brands assign value to influencers. This lack of standardization has resulted in significant pay disparities, particularly among marginalized groups.

For example, reports show that plus-size and Black influencers often receive lower compensation than their peers despite similar audience sizes and engagement rates. Hamilton’s experience with pay inequality is echoed by numerous influencers, revealing a consistent pattern of underpayment for creators who do not fit a brand’s traditional image.

The lack of formal structures means that influencers often operate without the legal protections or support systems typical in other industries. Creators frequently face rapid rises and falls in their careers, with little recourse if brands decide to pull back from campaigns or cut budgets. Additionally, child influencers — some of the youngest in the field — face precarious working conditions, with only two U.S. states requiring parents to set aside a portion of their earnings.

The Role of Agents in Leveling the Playing Field
Given these challenges, many influencers are turning to agents and managers to represent their interests and navigate the complexities of brand partnerships. Agencies and management firms provide several advantages, including:

Negotiation Expertise: Agents bring a deep understanding of industry standards, brand expectations, and market rates, allowing influencers to secure more lucrative deals. They can effectively push back on low offers and demand fair compensation for their clients’ work.

Brand Connections: Agents often have established relationships with brands, PR agencies, and marketing firms, which can lead to higher-quality partnerships and more consistent deal flow.

Contract and Legal Protections: With formal representation, influencers can ensure their contracts include clauses that protect their intellectual property, likeness, and creative control. These professionals also help navigate potential legal pitfalls.

Leveling Disparities: For influencers from marginalized communities, agents can help address pay gaps by advocating for equitable compensation based on reach, engagement, and audience influence — rather than appearance or background.

Some agencies, such as Gleam Futures and Digital Brand Architects, have built reputations for representing top-tier influencers and securing multi-million-dollar deals for their clients. These agencies act as intermediaries, positioning influencers for long-term success while handling the complexities of contracts, fees, and negotiation.

Best Case Examples
A notable case involves Chiara Ferragni, a fashion influencer with over 29 million Instagram followers. Ferragni, who is now considered one of the most successful influencers globally, has representation through a top-tier management firm that helped her grow her brand into a multi-million-dollar business, complete with her own fashion line and global endorsement deals. Ferragni’s success is a clear testament to the power of having expert negotiators who can leverage influence for greater financial gain.

Another example is Jackie Aina, a beauty influencer and advocate for diversity in the beauty industry. Aina has consistently used her platform to push for inclusion, and through her representation, she has managed to negotiate higher-paying, more meaningful partnerships that align with her values. Aina’s success in securing deals with top beauty brands demonstrates how professional management can help influencers amplify their impact while ensuring fair compensation.

The Argument Against Agents
Despite these benefits, not all influencers see the need for agents. Some creators prefer to maintain control over their brand and business, fearing that agents might dilute their creative voice or charge hefty fees. While top influencers may find it easier to secure representation, smaller creators might struggle to justify the cost of hiring an agent, especially in the early stages of their careers when cash flow is uncertain.

Additionally, some influencers have successfully built their businesses through direct relationships with brands. For instance, Emma Chamberlain, a YouTube sensation, initially negotiated many of her deals on her own before eventually bringing in professional representation as her career expanded.

The Future of Influencer Marketing
As influencer marketing continues to grow, the debate over professional representation is likely to intensify. With the industry projected to contribute significantly to the U.S. economy by 2027, creators will face mounting pressure to formalize their operations, especially around issues of compensation and intellectual property. As Alicia Clanton pointed out in her extensive report on the industry, influencers are now key players in shaping public opinion, consumer behavior, and even political outcomes. This level of influence demands more structure and accountability.

For now, creators must decide whether to go it alone or seek professional representation. While hiring an agent might not be feasible for everyone, the benefits of having experienced negotiators at the table cannot be ignored — especially in an industry where pay disparities are rampant, and deals can be as unpredictable as they are profitable.

Ultimately, the choice may come down to the influencer’s long-term goals: Do they want to maximize short-term profits, or are they focused on building a sustainable, lasting brand? For many, the answer could well involve an agent’s helping hand.

Anthony Smith Chief Executive Officer For Radio Jamaica Limited (RJRGLEANER) Has Released The Following Audited Financial Results Of The RJRGLEANER Communications Group (The Group) For The Year Ended March 31, 2024.

The financial year under review continued to be impacted by both local and international challenges, including the high levels of inflation over the past two or three years that have resulted in increased costs to the business.

At the same time, the implementation of higher interest rates by the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has seen many businesses taking a “wait and see” approach to marketing spend, and this has affected the Group’s advertising revenues. Despite the challenges, the Group’s revenues registered growth of 1% over the prior year but this was offset by higher cash and non-cash costs.

While the performance of the Group fell short of expectations, we are taking the necessary steps designed to bring long-term sustainability and success to the business, which operates in an industry that is also undergoing rapid change.

The Group recorded a pre-tax loss of $567 million and an after-tax loss of $529 million for the year, compared to a pre-tax profit of $245 million and an after-tax profit of $250 million for the prior year period.

Primary contributors to this year’s performance were: –
• An increase of $54 million (1%) in the Group’s revenues, driven mainly by increases in the Audio/Visual division of $55 million (2.3%) and in the Audio division of $44 million (5.5%), offset by a decrease of $44 million (1.9%) in the Print and Online division.
• The Group continued to experience softness in the overall advertising market as businesses reported the continued impact of local and global economic conditions.
• Direct expenses were higher than the previous year’s results by $86 million (3%), which included increased costs in airing of local and foreign productions, broadcast fees, and fees related to increased activities.
• Selling expenses were lower by $24 million (4%), driven by lower sales-related costs, as the Group continues to implement its cost containment strategy.
• Administrative expenses increased by $431 million (32%) compared with the prior year, driven primarily by:

 increased depreciation charges ($32 million) relating to ongoing capital projects, including the development of our Nextgen digital broadcast infrastructure,
 software upgrades and reclassification of expenses from the Other Operating expenses category of $150 million,
 increases in Expected Credit Loss (ECL) expenses of $191 million (including a $45 million reversal of a reduction in the prior year ECL) as customers delayed payments due to the challenging economic conditions,
 increases in operational expenses including insurance by $23 million and staff related expenses relating to canteen costs by $26 million and professional fees by $41 million.

• Other operating expenses were reduced by $100 million (11%) compared with the prior year; driven primarily by reclassification of depreciation costs to administrative expenses and deferral of software charges.
• Gain in fair value of investments of $62 million. During the year, the Group changed its investment properties accounting policy from a cost valuation method to a fair value method. This yielded a gain of $62 million which impacted positively on the Group’s results.
• Impairment and share of net loss of associated companies were higher by $48 million as the projected improvements in these companies during the year did not materialize, largely because of the economic climate.

Over the past year, we have embarked on an ambitious transformation journey to drive future growth and success. While this journey has resulted in short-term financial challenges, we believe it is essential for our long-term sustainability and competitiveness. For example, the significant investments we made in new technologies, processes and talent have increased our expenditure thus impacting our short-term financial performance. However, these investments are crucial for our turnaround strategy and will drive efficiency, innovation, and revenue growth in the future.

Partnering with consultants PWC, the company is in the process of designing a new Target Operating Model (TOM). This process is expected to result in fundamental changes to the way we do business — including the company’s structure, processes and policies which will be optimized and aligned to better ensure that we can execute our strategy. We expect to complete this exercise and begin implementing the change initiatives in September 2024.

Key highlights of our transformation initiatives include:

• The board and management of the company have agreed to the top five strategic imperatives needed to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the company. All the activities within the Group are now aligned around these initiatives.
• Partnering with consultants PWC, the company is in the process of designing a new Target Operating Model (TOM). This process is expected to result in fundamental changes to the way we do business — including the company’s structure, processes and policies which will be optimized and aligned to better ensure that we can execute our strategy. We expect to complete this exercise and begin implementing the change initiatives in September 2024.
• We have invested significantly to modernize and digitize our network infrastructure, bringing it to world class standards. For example, the installation of the new digital backhaul network is now complete and is supporting the transmission of High-Definition Services to the Group’s ATSC 3.0 (Next Gen TV) network. As at the end of June 2024, more than 66% of Jamaica’s population is now covered by the ATSC3.0DigitaI TV network, making Jamaica only the 2nd country in the world to achieve this level of coverage. This investment will present the Group with several new options to increase advertising and non-advertising revenues in the future.
• The Group has also been investing in its print operations, to increase operational efficiency and reliability. These investments are also expected to improve financial returns in subsequent years.

We acknowledge the short-term impact that these initiatives have had on the Group’s financial performance but are confident that our efforts will yield sustainable benefits, including:
• Improved operational efficiency
• Enhanced customer experience
• Increased and diversified revenue streams
• A lower cost base
• Stronger competitive positioning

We are committed to navigating this transition period and emerging stronger and we look forward to sharing the positive impact of our transformation initiatives in the coming quarters.

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In a landmark move set to redefine the advertising landscape, AMK Communications, through its subsidiary Click Digital Agency, is poised to launch Jamaica’s first AI-generated advertising campaign for the revolutionary InterMetroONE super app. This ground-breaking initiative not only marks a significant milestone for Jamaica but also positions AMK Communications as a leader in innovative marketing strategies within the Caribbean region.

A New Era of Advertising

The introduction of AI-generated advertising heralds a new era of creativity and efficiency in marketing. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, AMK Communications can produce highly targeted, data-driven campaigns that resonate deeply with diverse audiences. This technology enables the creation of personalized content at scale, ensuring that every message is relevant and engaging.

Unparalleled Benefits for Clients

For clients, the benefits of AI-generated advertising are manifold:

Enhanced Creativity: AI tools can analyse vast amounts of data to generate unique, creative concepts that might not emerge through traditional brainstorming sessions. This opens up new avenues for storytelling and brand expression.

Data-Driven Insights: AI provides valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences, allowing for more precise targeting and message customization. This ensures that marketing efforts are not only creative but also strategically aligned with audience interests.

Efficiency and Scalability: AI can rapidly produce multiple variations of ads, testing and refining them in real-time to optimize performance. This reduces the time and cost associated with traditional ad creation and allows for quick adjustments based on market feedback.

Personalization at Scale: With AI, it’s possible to create highly personalized advertisements for large audiences, ensuring that each viewer receives a message that feels uniquely tailored to them. This enhances engagement and drives better results.

Setting Trends in the Caribbean

AMK Communications’ initiative is part of a broader trend towards the adoption of AI in advertising. Globally, AI is being used to create more dynamic, interactive, and personalized ad experiences. From chatbots and virtual assistants to AI-driven video content, the possibilities are endless. This move by AMK places Jamaica and the Caribbean at the forefront of these international developments, showcasing the region’s ability to innovate and lead in the digital age.

Looking Ahead

The AI-generated campaign for InterMetroONE will serve as a benchmark for future marketing efforts, demonstrating the power and potential of artificial intelligence in advertising. As AI continues to evolve, it will unlock even more opportunities for creativity and efficiency, helping brands to connect with their audiences in deeper, more meaningful ways.

AMK Communications Limited and Click Digital Agency are not just launching a campaign; they are setting a new standard for the industry, proving that the future of advertising is here and it is powered by AI. Clients can look forward to a new realm of possibilities, where technology and creativity come together to deliver exceptional results.

Unilever has initiated talks with buyout firms to potentially sell its ice cream business, a move estimated to be worth up to $19.4 billion. This strategic decision aims to streamline Unilever’s operations and focus on its core business areas.

Unilever’s ice cream division, which includes renowned brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, and Wall’s, generated a turnover of €7.9 billion in 2023, representing about 13% of the company’s total sales. The separation will create a standalone ice cream business with significant global presence in both in-home and out-of-home segments.

The sale is driven by the distinct operational needs of the ice cream business, which differ from Unilever’s other segments. Ice cream has unique supply chain requirements, seasonal demand fluctuations, and higher capital intensity. By separating, Unilever can focus on its remaining core segments—Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, and Nutrition—aiming for mid-single-digit sales growth and improved margins post-separation​.

The potential buyers include private equity firms like Advent International, Blackstone, Cinven, and CVC Capital Partners, which have shown preliminary interest. The separation process will involve significant operational changes, including a major productivity program aimed at reducing costs by €800 million over the next three years, offsetting any dis-synergies from the separation. This plan also involves a restructuring that will impact approximately 7,500 predominantly office-based roles globally​​.

Overall, this move is expected to create a world-leading ice cream business with the flexibility to grow and innovate independently while enabling Unilever to become a more focused and higher-performing company.