MTG releases SIXPAD training gear in Singapore

Source: SIXPAD website.

AIBI has introduced the Training Gear SIXPAD from MTG, a beauty device manufacturer. Designed by Professor Toshio Moritani, an expert on electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and inspired by global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, the SIXPAD aims to deliver toned muscles without the need for heavy training.

Professor Moritani’s 30 years of research have focused on the effects of EMS training on human muscles. He has determined that the most effective frequency for training is 20Hz, which is incorporated into the SIXPAD training programme.

Tsuyoshi Matsushita, President of MTG, added that the design of the product and its colours are inspired by Ronaldo’s lifestyle. The black and orange of the SIXPAD reflect the colours of Ronaldo's own accessories, for example.

The 84g device works by sending electrical signals to directly stimulate and exercise the muscles. It can be used any time and worn under clothing. MTG is confident that there will be strong market demand for the product, and expects to sell 3 million units of the Training Gear SIXPAD.

Pauline Kwek, Marketing Director for sole distributor AIBI International said, “We have tested the products ourselves and are convinced by the results. We are certain that it will be a hit.”

"There are no limits to what you can achieve. Body revolution is all about unlocking your physical potential. For me, EMS is indispensable to daily training," said Ronaldo. “MTG has a range of products and after using the Training Gear SIXPAD, I would use the ReFa ACTIVE products to help my muscles relax.”

AIBI International is the sole distributor of MTG’s Athletics beauty series which is endorsed by Ronaldo in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Ronaldo also endorses the MTG ReFa ACTIVE and Facial Fitness PAO product families, which have sold over 1 million units in total.

Interested?

Launch pricing for the Training Gear SIXPAD Abs Fit is S$299, and for the SIXPAD Body Fit focusing on the waist, arms and legs, S$229. Both are available at all AIBI stores island-wide.

View the associated video

Checking out Ronaldo? Think twice

According to research from McAfee, part of Intel Security, cybercriminals are most likely to use popular Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's name to lure visitors to web pages designed to infect them with malware. The McAfee “Red Card Club” showcases the top eleven Brazil-bound players whose web pages are considered to be risky for fans to search for online. Following Ronaldo are Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Spain’s Iker Cassillas, Brazil’s Neymar and Algeria’s Karim Ziani.

Source: McAfee

Cybercriminals are likely to leverage consumer interest in the world’s most popular sport to lure victims to websites rigged with malware, malicious code capable of infecting a user’s machine and stealing passwords and personal information. McAfee researchers have used McAfee SiteAdvisor site ratings to determine which sites are risky to search when coupled with footballer names, and have calculated an overall risk percentage for each.

According to the research, fans run the greatest risk when visiting sites offering screensaver downloads and videos showcasing the extraordinary skills of the players. Searching for the latest Cristiano Ronaldo content yields more than a 3.7% chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.  

Players make the McAfee “Red Card Club” by scoring among the top eleven positions in terms of greatest probability by percentage of web page risk.

“Red Card Club” Rank	Player	Country	Risk %
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	3.76%
2	Lionel Messi	Argentina	3.72%
3	Iker Casillas	Spain	3.34%
4	Neymar	Brazil	3.14%
5	Karim Ziani	Algeria	3.00%
6	Karim Benzema	France	2.97%
7	Paulinho	Brazil	2.81%
8	Edinson Cavani	Uruguay	2.67%
9	Fernando Torres	Spain	2.65%
10	Eden Hazard	Belgium	2.50%
11	Gerard Piqué	Spain	2.45%

“We want to caution consumers through the McAfee “Red Card Club” to not to let their guard down as they join in all the excitement surrounding the World Cup online. Be especially wary of videos promising to show your idol’s skills as you might get more than you bargain for,” said David Freer, Vice President, Consumer – APAC at McAfee. "Cybercriminals will definitely try to capitalise on ‘World Cup fever’, so it’s wise not to be complacent by downloading content that might put you at risk.”

Tips to Stay Protected

To avoid the summertime blues of becoming infected during the Brazil games and beyond, McAfee suggests:

Beware of content that prompts you to download anything before providing you the content. Opt to watch streaming videos or download content from official websites of content providers.

• “Free downloads” are the highest virus-prone search term. Anyone searching for videos or files to download should be careful to not unleash malware on their computer.
  
• Established news sites may not entice you with exclusives for one solid reason: there usually aren’t any. Stick to official news sites that you trust for breaking news. However, trusted sites can also fall prey to hackers. Make sure to use a safe search tool that will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them. A complimentary version of McAfee's SiteAdvisor software can be downloaded at www.siteadvisor.com.
  
• Don’t download videos from suspect sites. The useful news can typically be found on official video sites, and don’t require users to download anything. If a website offers an exclusive video for you to download, don’t.
  
• Don’t 'log in' or provide other information: If you receive a message, text or email or visit a third-party website that asks for your information—credit card, email, home address, Facebook login, or other information—for access to an exclusive story, don’t give it out. Such requests are a common tactic for phishing that could lead to identity theft.
  
• If you do decide to search for information on a major event or celebrity in the news, make sure your entire household’s devices have protection, such as McAfee LiveSafe which protects all devices including PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphone and it also includes malware detection software; and McAfee Mobile Security to protect your smartphone or tablet from all types of malware.
• Always use password protection on your phone and other mobile devices. If your phone is lost or stolen, anyone who picks up the device could publish your information online.

Emirates' amazing video of football mega stars makes marketing gold

Emirates, the airline, has created a global campaign leveraging football on the back of the World Cup in Brazil this June. "Watch the moment when two football legends meet in the Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge," invites an eDM sent to its customers.

The campaign features a video of football stars Pelé and Cristiano Ronaldo, Emirates' new Global Ambassadors within an Emirates A380 plane, and asks email recipients to share and comment on social media with the #AllTimeGreats hashtag.

Businesses thinking of working with celebrities could borrow from the Emirates campaign. The campaign recipe is one which is likely to go viral. Emirates has managed to have two mega sports celebrities on its turf, playing out a story that weaves past and present realities, potential and luxury, opportunities found and lost, all at the same time. It'll be interesting to see what the #AllTimeGreats discussion is like.