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Rally® Awards 2024: Honoring Top Innovators in Recruitment Marketing and Employer Branding

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The 2024 Rally® Awards™ celebrate 22 winners across 15 categories, including Best Recruitment Marketing Campaign and Best Employer Brand Launch, plus Rising Star and Recruitment Marketer of the Year

BOSTON, June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Rally® Recruitment Marketing, the premier community of 50,000 recruitment marketing, employer branding and talent attraction professionals, proudly unveiled the winners of the 2024 Rally® Awards™ today.

“The 2024 Rally Award winners exemplify the vital role that skilled recruitment marketing professionals play in modern talent acquisition and the profound impact their work has on their organizations’ growth,” said Lori Sylvia, Rally’s Founder & CEO.

Celebrating its fifth year, the Rally Awards is a prestigious global competition that recognizes the most innovative and effective recruitment marketing and employer branding strategies designed to attract top talent. This year, the competition was fiercer than ever with a record number of submissions, showcasing the growing emphasis on sophisticated recruitment marketing and talent branding strategies in today’s competitive labor market. A total of 29 awards were given across 15 categories to 22 exceptional individuals and teams. Categories included Best Launch of a Recruitment Marketing Strategy, Best Employer Brand Video, Best Use of Organic Social Media in Recruitment Marketing and Best Use of Recruitment Marketing Technology. Special honors were also bestowed for Recruitment Marketing Rising Star and Recruitment Marketer of the Year, highlighting the bright futures and remarkable achievements of the leaders in the field.

“The 2024 Rally Award winners exemplify the critical role that skilled recruitment marketing professionals play in modern talent acquisition,” said Lori Sylvia, Rally’s Founder & CEO. “Today’s successful employers differentiate themselves by crafting compelling employer brands and actively engaging with potential candidates via social media and digital channels, moving beyond the outdated ‘post and pray’ approach. We’re delighted to highlight the innovative contributions of our Rally community members and the profound impact their work has on their organizations’ growth.”

This year, the Rally Awards was sponsored by Ph.Creative, a leading employer brand consultancy and agency. Melanie Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at Ph.Creative, commented on this year’s program. “As proud sponsors of the Rally Awards, I am thrilled to celebrate this year’s winners who exemplify excellence in recruitment marketing and employer branding. Their creativity, innovative strategies and remarkable results set a high standard in our field, highlighting the immense impact of these dedicated professionals in attracting and engaging top talent. Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding contributions and for leading the way for our industry,” she said.

Winners were selected by an independent panel of esteemed peer judges, many of whom are previous Rally Award winners:

Heather Johnson, Employer Branding Lead, Booz Allen HamiltonCasie Shimansky, Brand Editor, CiscoAnthony Rosato, Global Talent Acquisition Program Manager – Employment Branding, Qurate Retail GroupCristal Mikenas, Head of Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing, TakedaRachel Duran, Head of Global Employer Brand and Recruitment Marketing, Hewlett Packard EnterpriseAntonio Stephens, Director, Culture Communications and Talent Brand Marketing, Levi Strauss & Co.Christina Spadaro, Talent Branding Manager, Rapid7Audree Hall, Talent Brand Attraction Program Manager, Coupa SoftwareRobin Dagostino, Employer Branding & Marketing Senior Director, Boston Consulting GroupKayla Branham, Senior Manager, Recruitment Marketing, ADTWhitney Wallace, TA Marketing and Sourcing Manager, Baylor Scott & White Health (2023 Recruitment Marketing Rising Star)Liz Gelb-O’Connor, VP, Global Head Employer Brand & Marketing, ADP (2023 Recruitment Marketer of the Year)

Each entry was judged on strategy, quality, innovation and verified results.

2024 Rally Award winners by category:
Best Employer Brand Video
First Place:
Ford Motor Company — “Movers of the World, Makers of the Future”
Second Place (tie):
Evonik — “Be Part of Something Special”
King — “Making the World Playful”
Third Place:
Grab — “Grab life with both hands”

Best Employee Generated Content
First Place:
HCL Tech, Sahil Mehta, Vivek Garg, Abhimanyu Prathap, Surbhi Sharan, Sudarsana Ganguly — “Empowering People Through Music”
Second Place:
SiteOne Landscape Supply — “Lights, Camera, Action: Engaging Passive Candidates Through the Power of Employee Video Storytelling”

Best Talent E-Newsletter
First Place:
TTEC — “Keeping Smiles Connected: How Our Global Alumni Newsletter Bridges Distance and Fuels Growth”
Second Place:
UBS — “Recruitment Ready with UBS”

Best Use of Organic Social Media in Recruitment Marketing
First Place:
King — “Amplifying the Kingdom on LinkedIn”
Second Place (tie):
Church & Dwight — “Always-On Talent Attraction”
TTEC — “Bringing Smiles to TTEC EMEA’s Facebook Communities”

Best Use of Paid Social Media in Recruitment Marketing
First Place:
Baylor Scott & White Health — “BSWH Paid Social Media”

Best Use of Video in Recruitment Marketing
First Place:
Grab — “Grab life with both hands”
Second Place:
UBS — “UBS Apprenticeship Campaign Video”

Best Recruitment Marketing Campaign
First Place:
UBS — “UBS Apprenticeship Campaign”
Second Place:
Eaton, Raven Hazlett — “Attracting a Manufacturing Workforce in the Digital Age”

Best Content Marketing Program
First Place:
Grab — “Grab life with both hands”
Second Place:
Ascension Health — “Associate Storytelling – Ascension Careers”

Best Employer Brand Launch
First Place (tie):
Dunkin’, Kristen Ferguson, Ashley Fowler — “All ‘In For The Win”
SEB — “SEB Global EVP”
Second Place:
Intuitive — “Proving What’s Possible”

Best Careers Blog
First Place:
Cisco — “WeAreCisco Blog”
Second Place:
Baylor Scott & White Health — “BSWH The Heartbeat Blog”

Best Launch of Recruitment Marketing Strategy (Solo / Small Team)
First Place:
Gerdau North America, Bryce Rioux — “120+ Year Old Steel Manufacturer going All In on Recruitment Marketing”
Second Place:
Cleaver-Brooks — “Ignite your Career with Cleaver-Brooks”

Best Launch of Recruitment Marketing Strategy (Large Team)
First Place:
MetLife — “At MetLife, it’s All Together Possible!”

Best Use of Recruitment Marketing Technology
First Place:
Northwestern Mutual — “The Full Funnel: Northwestern Mutual’s Comprehensive View to Drive Marketing ROI, powered by Talentegy”

Recruitment Marketing Rising Star
Winner:
Sarah Osborne, Mutual of Omaha

Recruitment Marketer of the Year
Winner:
Megan Claar, Sheetz

2024 Rally Award Winner Quotes

Award recipients expressed their gratitude for the honor, highlighting the crucial role of their teams and leadership in championing employer branding and recruitment marketing as key strategic priorities within their organizations.

Rachel Flanders, Director of Talent Acquisition & Development, Cleaver-Brooks

We are incredibly proud of the Cleaver-Brooks Recruitment Marketing team for earning second place in the Best Launch of Recruitment Marketing Strategy, Small Team category. This achievement underscores the vital role of having a dedicated recruitment marketing team in building effective talent attraction campaigns, publicly recognizing our outstanding employees, and highlighting the numerous benefits of being a part of the Cleaver-Brooks family. Your hard work and innovative strategies are instrumental in attracting top talent and showcasing what makes our company a great place to work. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

Kristen Ferguson, Senior Manager-Talent Attraction, Inspire Brands

We are honored to receive the Rally Recruitment Marketing Award for Best Employer Brand Launch. This recognition for Dunkin’s All IN’ for the Win campaign is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our franchisees and the invaluable feedback from Dunkin’ team members. Our franchisees’ insights and dedication to this process exemplify how, at every level within Dunkin’, we are runnIN’, smilIN’, growIN’… all IN’. We are grateful for their partnership and proud to celebrate this achievement together.

Jennifer Blackledge, Employer Branding Communications, Ford Motor Company

Our Talent Attraction team is honored to have our “Movers of the World, Makers of the Future” video series recognized! From the day we covered the wall with sticky notes and had our “aha!” moment, to watching our vision come to life with the help of Communicore, we’ve all been so excited about this campaign. It just felt right and so representative of Ford: proud of our past but even more excited about the future. We’re so grateful to the employees featured in the video for sharing their stories with the world. Thank you, Rally!

Bryce Riou, Recruitment Marketing Leader, Gerdau

I feel truly grateful to be part of a team that is pushing the limits of what can be done to modernize our approach to recruitment marketing and employer branding. Receiving the 1st place award for best launch of recruitment marketing strategy (Solo / Small Team) was a true honor. Our strategy can be summed up as: meet candidates where they are and create a candidate experience that we’d want ourselves. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to the judges and the Rally team!

Meenakshi Benjwal, Associate Vice President, HCLTech

We’re truly thankful for this recognition in the employee-generated content category at the Rally Awards 2024. Big thanks to our amazing employer brand marketers for their dedication and innovative interventions in making the HCLTech Employee Value Proposition “Find Your Spark” a reality. This award is also special to us as it celebrates the exceptional song created by our talented employees on World Music Day and recognizes how we enable our people to pursue their passion in the workplace.

Richard Gordon, Employer Brand, Associate Director, King

We know that our social content makes a difference to the talent we want to attract, and winning the Best Use of Organic Social Media in Recruitment Marketing category for our work in Amplifying the Kingdom on LinkedIn feels like the best kind of endorsement of all the time, effort and resource we put into creating it. Content that authentically reflects what it’s like to work at King. This is recognition for anybody who contributes to this in any way – be it the Kingsters we feature, our social creative agency or any of the internal functions that help us do what we do!

Karla Diaz, Senior Director, Talent Attraction & Planning, Northwestern Mutual

We’re thrilled to be recognized by Rally Recruitment Marketing for outstanding achievements leveraging recruitment marketing technology to attract top talent. This award is a testament to the team’s dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence in talent attraction to revolutionize our recruitment marketing strategies and elevate our employer brand to new heights.

Michele Posehn, Sr. Recruiting Manager, Diversity and Early Talent Initiatives, SiteOne Landscape Supply

SiteOne has such a strong work culture and what we needed to attract and engage talent was an outlet to amplify the voices of those who live it and contribute to it every day. We partnered with iCIMS to leverage the power of video, transform our talent experience through authentic testimonials and put the ‘human’ back into ‘human resources.’ As a result, we’re able to create videos featuring our best spokespeople – our associates – to attract new candidates and grow and retain our existing team members.

Jonna Sjövall, Global Head of Talent Attraction and Campus Recruiting, UBS

We’re thrilled to have been honored with three Rally Awards this year. It’s a tough competition where we compete with the best recruitment marketing campaigns globally. This recognition is a testament to the innovative efforts and dedication of our Junior Talent, Recruiting and Talent Attraction teams. We’re proud of our hard work and more motivated than ever to keep engaging with young talent across the globe for the many career paths we offer. Also, a big congrats to all of the 2024 Rally Award winners!

James Barraclough, Employer Branding Project Management Team Lead, SEB

We embarked on this journey to uncover our authentic employer brand and put it into words and visuals, and we did so with the input of thousands of our SEB colleagues globally. We employed a data-led approach, looking to external talent, colleagues and our leaders for the input to shape our direction forward. After that, it’s all about getting our great people to share their experiences, whether through video, social media, articles or events. Ultimately, it’s about using data to build a human, employee centric employer brand. We believe we’ve done that and are already seeing some of the results of that, but we know this is a continuous process, so this is really just the beginning. We would like to thank our main agency partner Universum for their support and the Rally Awards for the honor and recognition!

Sarah Osborne, Sr. Recruitment Marketing Specialist, Talent Acquisition, Mutual of Omaha

Being named this year’s Recruitment Marketing Rising Star is a tremendous honor. Organizations like Rally and the support of the recruitment marketing community have made such an impact on my career, so to be acknowledged by Rally and my peers means the world to me. I couldn’t have achieved this without the continuous support from Mutual of Omaha and my amazing internal partners and talent acquisition team. I look forward to continuing to learn, grow and achieve great things in the field of recruitment marketing.

Megan Claar, Recruitment Marketing & Employer Branding Manager, Sheetz

With so many talented practitioners in Recruitment Marketing, it’s truly an honor to have received the most coveted award in our space. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our incredible #WorkFam here at Sheetz. It’s a high-five to all of us and validation of the magic we make when we collaborate and dare to dream big. It’s a humbling experience to be recognized by my peers and I look forward to continuing to lead the way in Recruitment Marketing. Here’s to breaking more molds, shattering ceilings and pushing boundaries in the world of RM!

Supporting Quotes

Support from across the community poured in to congratulate this year’s winners.

Grace Kraemer, Recruitment Marketing Manager, Aspirant RPO

Congratulations to Cleaver-Brooks on their remarkable achievement and all other winners and participants of the 2024 Rally Awards. It’s been an absolute honor and privilege collaborating with their outstanding team. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to elevate the employment brand and amplify the recruitment marketing efforts alongside such an exceptional group of professionals.

Jillian O’Malior, VP, Brand and Creative Solutions, Recruitics

We at Recruitics couldn’t be more excited to congratulate our amazing partners at Dunkin’ on winning the Best Employer Brand Launch for their “All ‘IN for the Win” EVP campaign. Working together on this strategic initiative has been a true pleasure, and we’re thrilled to see “All ‘IN” continue to thrive and inspire!

Stephen Quinn, CEO & Founder, Atomic

Working with Grab has been an exciting journey for Atomic and we’re delighted to see the campaign celebrated with 3x Rally Awards. This project let us get creative on a global scale, highlighting what makes Grab’s culture special. We enjoyed capturing real employee stories through videos and social media, showing what it really means to work at Grab. This partnership allowed us to create authentic and engaging content that aligns with Grab’s mission to improve lives.

Carolina Savatier, Strategy Consultant, Universum

At Universum we are thrilled to see SEB win a Rally Award and are proud of our strong collaboration with them throughout the project. Getting to know SEB as an employer was an exciting journey. The final EVP provided SEB with a refreshed employer brand, authentic and forward-looking, which yielded positive results both externally and internally. I’d like to extend my congratulations to the entire SEB team. This achievement underscores the power of strategic employer branding.

Diane Fanelli, Chief Operating Officer, iCIMS

SiteOne Landscape Supply’s successful and innovative approach to recruitment marketing underscores the power of video in creating meaningful connections with today’s talent, even in challenging hiring environments. By leveraging the authentic voices of their own employees, at a lower lift and lighter cost, SiteOne has not only enhanced their employer brand, but also bolstered their team with a recruitment strategy for long-term success. I’m proud of the transformative impact iCIMS Video Studio has had on our customers like SiteOne. We are honored to partner with the TA team on their mission to reach specialized talent and achieve their hiring goals through impactful storytelling and technology.

About The Rally® Awards

The Rally Awards is a global, peer-reviewed competition recognizing and celebrating excellence in recruitment marketing and employer branding practices. The goal of the competition is to uncover what marketing and branding strategies really work in recruiting and to share those strategies with the Rally Recruitment Marketing community of 50,000 professionals from around the world. Unlike other award competitions, the Rally Awards honor individuals who work in-house at employers, rather than agencies or vendors.

About Rally®

Rally® Recruitment Marketing is an online community where the best Recruitment Marketing ideas are learned and shared to educate and empower you to lead the future of talent acquisition. Rally with us at https://rallyrecruitmentmarketing.com.

Media Contact

Lori Sylvia, Rally Recruitment Marketing, 1 (508) 372-0744, info@rallyawards.com, https://rallyrecruitmentmarketing.com/ 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/rally-awards-2024-honoring-top-innovators-in-recruitment-marketing-and-employer-branding-302165791.html

SOURCE Rally Recruitment Marketing

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Best AI Tools for Small Business Marketing (2026): CapCut Featured for Creating Professional Video and Visual Content by Expert Consumers

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NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Expert Consumers has recognized CapCut in its 2026 coverage of the best AI tools for small business marketing, highlighting the platform’s collection of AI-powered features for creating and editing video, images, audio, and other visual content. The recognition reflects growing interest in tools that support practical marketing activities, including campaign development, promotional content production, and adapting creative assets for different digital channels.

Best AI Marketing Tools

Seedance 2.0 – an AI video generation model that creates videos from text prompts or imagesSeedream – an AI image generation model that creates high-quality visuals from text prompts

Small businesses face growing pressure to maintain an active digital presence while managing limited time and resources. From product photography and promotional videos to social media graphics and campaign materials, effective marketing depends on a steady supply of relevant, engaging content. Artificial intelligence is creating new ways to simplify these tasks and help businesses turn creative ideas into usable marketing assets.

CapCut provides a range of AI-assisted capabilities that support several stages of content production. These include prompt-based video generation, AI image creation, background removal, image expansion, music generation, and photo animation. For small businesses managing marketing internally, these functions offer options for developing creative assets without relying entirely on manual production processes.

AI Video Generation Supports Promotional Campaigns

Video is an important format for demonstrating products, explaining services, and introducing new offerings. Small businesses can use video across social media, websites, digital advertisements, and online product pages. Producing content regularly, however, can require considerable planning and editing.

CapCut’s Seedance 2.0 AI video generator offers a prompt-based approach to video creation. Users can describe a creative concept and generate video content that serves as a starting point for further editing.

For a small retailer preparing a product promotion, AI-generated video can help explore different visual approaches before a final concept is selected. A service provider could use the same process to develop ideas for an explainer or an introductory campaign.

Prompt-based generation can reduce the effort involved in developing initial concepts. Generated material still requires review to ensure the finished video accurately represents the business, communicates the intended message, and follows relevant brand guidelines.

AI Image Creation Helps Develop Marketing Materials

Visual content plays a central role in how businesses present products and services online. Promotional graphics, campaign imagery, and social media visuals need to communicate a clear message while maintaining a recognizable style.

CapCut’s Seedream AI image generator enables users to generate images from text prompts. The tool can support concept drafts, campaign planning, and experimentation with different visual directions before final assets are prepared.

For example, a small business planning a seasonal campaign could explore different visual themes and compositions during the early planning stage. These drafts can help establish a creative direction before additional time is spent refining the final materials.

CapCut’s GPT Image 2 provides another option for generating images from natural language instructions. The feature can support the development of promotional imagery, marketing graphics, and other visual assets.

AI image generation gives businesses more opportunities to test creative ideas during campaign development. However, generated images should be checked for visual errors, accurate product representation, and consistency with the intended brand identity before publication.

Image Editing Simplifies Content Preparation

Creating new marketing assets is only part of the production process. Existing photographs and graphics often need adjustments before they are suitable for different platforms.

CapCut’s AI background removal tool helps isolate subjects from their original backgrounds. This can simplify the preparation of product photographs, promotional graphics, and other images that require a different visual setting.

For a small retailer, background removal can make it easier to prepare product images for online listings or promotional materials. Separated subjects can be incorporated into new compositions without recreating the entire image.

The AI Image Extender addresses a separate challenge: adapting images to different dimensions. The tool generates additional visual content beyond an image’s original boundaries, helping users adjust compositions without relying entirely on cropping or stretching.

A campaign may require square graphics for social media, vertical visuals for mobile viewing, and horizontal banners for a website. Image expansion provides another option for adapting existing assets to those formats.

These editing capabilities can help reduce repetitive production work while supporting a more consistent presentation across marketing channels.

AI Audio and Photo Animation Expand Creative Options

Marketing content often combines visuals, movement, and sound. Music can establish a mood, support storytelling, and help create a more complete video presentation.

CapCut’s SeedMusic AI audio generator supports AI-assisted music creation based on prompts. The feature can help develop audio for promotional videos, product demonstrations, and social media content.

Generated music offers a starting point for matching audio to a campaign’s intended atmosphere. Before publication, businesses should review the output and confirm that the applicable usage terms cover the intended commercial application.

CapCut also provides a Photo-to-3D tool that transforms still images into more dynamic visual presentations. This capability can help repurpose existing photography for promotional videos, social posts, and digital campaigns.

For small businesses with an existing collection of product images, adding movement can provide another way to present familiar assets. The approach also expands the range of creative formats available without requiring every campaign to begin with new photography.

Connecting AI Tools to Everyday Marketing Workflows

The practical value of AI-powered creative tools depends on how effectively they address specific marketing needs. Small businesses do not necessarily need every available feature for every campaign. Selecting tools according to content requirements can help keep production focused.

A retailer might begin with Seedream to explore campaign concepts, then use GPT Image 2 to generate supporting visuals. Background removal can help prepare product photography, while AI Image Extender can adapt selected assets to different layouts. Seedance 2.0 can support video concept development, with SeedMusic offering an option for accompanying audio.

A service-based business might prioritize short promotional videos, explanatory graphics, and social media content instead. The same collection of tools can support different production requirements depending on the business model and campaign objectives.

Using AI does not remove the need for creative direction or quality control. Content should be checked for factual accuracy, appropriate product representation, brand consistency, and compliance with advertising requirements. Human review also helps ensure that generated assets serve a clear marketing purpose rather than adding unnecessary material to a campaign.

AI-Assisted Marketing for Small Businesses

Interest in the best AI tools for small business marketing reflects the need for practical ways to produce and adapt digital content. Businesses must balance the demand for regular campaign updates with the resources available for creative production.

Expert Consumers’ recognition of CapCut highlights the platform’s range of AI-assisted functions for video generation, image creation, editing, audio production, and photo animation. These capabilities offer small businesses several options for developing marketing materials across digital channels.

As AI becomes more integrated into content production, effective use will depend on matching the right tools to specific tasks. With clear campaign objectives, careful editing, and appropriate review, CapCut’s creative features can help businesses develop marketing assets while reducing some of the repetitive work involved in preparing content for publication.

Visit the Expert Consumers site for the full review.

About CapCut

CapCut is an AI-powered photo and video editing platform designed to make high-quality video creation accessible across devices. The platform supports creators, businesses, and everyday users with tools for video editing, AI video generation, captions, templates, audio, and visual editing. CapCut is available across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences, helping users create, edit, and prepare video content for social media, marketing, education, and personal projects.

About Better Business Advice: Better Business Advice covers the news and strategies driving modern business success. The information provided by Better Business Advice does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. As an affiliate, Better Business Advice may earn commissions from services mentioned in the links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-ai-tools-for-small-business-marketing-2026-capcut-featured-for-creating-professional-video-and-visual-content-by-expert-consumers-302918043.html

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org

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Beyond GRC: DigitalXForce Pioneers AI-Powered Risk Operations with Global X-ROC™ Rollout

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Enterprise TRiSCM™ innovator advances Continuous Control Assurance, cyber risk quantification and real-time Risk Operations across global enterprises, transforming traditional GRC into proactive Digital Trust

DALLAS, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DigitalXForce, the AI-native Enterprise Trust, Risk, Security and Compliance Management (TRiSCM™) platform, today announced the continued global rollout of X-ROC™ (XForce Risk Operations Center), its AI-powered approach to continuous enterprise risk operations.

The expansion builds on DigitalXForce’s recognition as a Leader in two IDC MarketScape assessments, its 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine innovation honors, and increasing enterprise demand for automated, continuous approaches to managing cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance.

Unlike traditional Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) platforms that primarily document risks and manage periodic assessments, DigitalXForce’s X-ROC combines Continuous Control Assurance (CCA), Continuous Control Monitoring (CCM), Cyber Risk Quantification (CRQ), AI-powered risk intelligence and remediation orchestration into an integrated risk operations model.

The objective is to help enterprises move beyond knowing whether controls are documented to continuously understand whether controls are operating effectively, which exposures matter most, and what action should be taken next.

New Research Reveals Why Traditional Security Scores Are Not Enough

The company’s DigitalXForce Security Posture Benchmark 2026, analyzing published security control responses from 2,112 companies, reveals a significant disconnect between high-level compliance scores and underlying security exposure.

Key findings include:

98.9% median control implementation: The median company reported 98.9% of applicable security controls in place, yet significant control gaps remained.54.9% reported data protection gaps: More than half of companies reported at least one missing control in the Data Protection and Encryption domain.52.0% reported encryption and key management gaps: Among 2,098 companies responding, 52.0% reported at least one control not in place.42.3% reported configuration and asset management gaps: Demonstrating continued exposure in foundational security practices.26.7% reported full control implementation: More than one-quarter reported all applicable controls in place under the benchmark’s assessment model.

The benchmark evaluated responses against DigitalXForce’s proprietary model of 94 controls across 12 domains, with mappings to NIST SP 800-53, NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and CIS Controls v8.1.

These findings highlight an important enterprise risk challenge: a high security or compliance score does not necessarily reveal which remaining control failures could create the greatest business impact.

DigitalXForce developed X-ROC to address this challenge by connecting control failures and changing risk conditions with supporting evidence, quantified business impact and accountable remediation workflows.

Read the research: https://digitalxforce.com/research/security-posture-benchmark-2026/

X-ROC: Bringing Operational Intelligence to Enterprise Risk

A Risk Operations Center (ROC) is an operating model designed to continuously identify, assess, prioritize, monitor and reduce enterprise risk.

While a traditional Security Operations Center (SOC) focuses on security threats and incidents, a Risk Operations Center focuses on the organization’s broader exposure, control effectiveness, business impact and risk remediation.

DigitalXForce X-ROC™ brings these capabilities together through an integrated operating model:

1. Continuous Risk Discovery and Monitoring

X-ROC ingests security posture changes, control failures, third-party risk events and other enterprise risk signals, connecting them with the underlying evidence.

2. Continuous Control Assurance and Automation

DigitalXForce CCA continuously validates control effectiveness through evidence collection, automated testing and ongoing monitoring. CCM provides the monitoring capability within CCA, tracking control conditions and associated risk signals.

3. AI-Powered Risk Intelligence

DigitalXForce’s proprietary AI engines, AI JedAI and XForce GPT, analyze risk signals, correlate related findings, support prioritization and generate business-oriented risk narratives and executive reporting, with analyst review.

4. Cyber Risk Quantification

Rather than prioritizing findings solely by technical severity, X-ROC incorporates quantified financial exposure and business impact to help organizations identify which risks deserve attention first.

5. Remediation Orchestration and Validation

X-ROC assigns risk ownership, tracks remediation against defined timelines and supports integration with enterprise workflow platforms such as ServiceNow and Jira.

Findings are validated through control retesting before closure, creating an evidence-based approach to risk reduction.

6. Executive Digital Trust Intelligence

X-ROC connects operational risk findings with broader enterprise trust, security, compliance and resilience reporting, helping CISOs, CROs, compliance leaders and boards understand the organization’s changing risk posture.

CEO Perspective: Redefining Enterprise Risk Operations

“X-ROC is redefining enterprise risk operations. By combining AI, continuous control assurance and risk intelligence, we’re helping global enterprises move from reacting to risk to staying ahead of it.”

— Lalit Ahluwalia, Founder & CEO, DigitalXForce

Global Enterprise Adoption of Continuous Risk Operations

DigitalXForce is advancing the adoption of X-ROC across its international enterprise customer ecosystem, supporting organizations seeking to consolidate fragmented governance, cybersecurity, compliance and risk management operations.

X-ROC supports two operating models:

Enterprise-operated Risk Operations Center: Organizations operate X-ROC directly using DigitalXForce’s platform, workflows, integrations and risk intelligence capabilities.Managed Risk Operations: DigitalXForce operates the risk operations layer as a managed service, providing continuous monitoring, prioritization and reporting while customers retain ownership of remediation actions.

The platform supports cloud and hybrid deployment architectures, enabling organizations to address enterprise security, operational and regional data residency requirements.

This flexibility is particularly relevant to multinational organizations managing complex regulatory requirements, multiple business units, distributed technology environments and third-party ecosystems.

Independent Industry Recognition Reinforces DigitalXForce’s Momentum

DigitalXForce’s X-ROC strategy builds on broader industry recognition of the company’s Enterprise TRiSCM™ platform and AI-powered risk management innovation.

Dual IDC MarketScape Leader Recognition

DigitalXForce was positioned as a Leader in:

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Governance, Risk, and Compliance Software Vendor Assessment, 2025 (Doc #US53615325, June 2025).IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Third-Party Risk Management Software 2026 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US53007725, September 2026).

These assessments evaluated vendor capabilities and strategies in their respective markets.

DigitalXForce’s recognition across both GRC and Third-Party Risk Management reflects its positioning across interconnected enterprise risk disciplines, supported by a unified platform architecture.

Cyber Defense Magazine Innovation Honors

DigitalXForce has also received recognition through the 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine Global InfoSec Awards, including innovation honors associated with AI TRiSCM, Automated GRC with Continuous Control Assurance, and X-ROC.

These recognitions contribute to DigitalXForce’s growing industry profile as it advances AI-powered governance, risk management and continuous assurance.

From GRC to Enterprise TRiSCM™: One Platform for Digital Trust

DigitalXForce’s Enterprise TRiSCM™ platform integrates 15 modules on a unified data layer, supporting more than 50 compliance frameworks and 250 technology integrations.

The architecture enables security, compliance, audit, risk and third-party risk teams to work from connected controls, shared evidence and continuously updated risk information rather than isolated tools and periodic assessments.

The platform is designed to enable five fundamental shifts:

From Periodic GRC → Continuous Control Assurance

From Fragmented Security Tools → Unified Enterprise Risk Intelligence

From Technical Severity → Quantified Business Risk

From Manual Remediation Tracking → Evidence-Based Risk Operations

From Compliance Reporting → Continuous Digital Trust

X-ROC serves as the operational layer of this strategy, connecting enterprise risk signals with prioritization, accountability and validated remediation.

Building the Future of AI-Powered Risk Operations

As enterprises accelerate adoption of cloud services, AI, autonomous technologies and complex third-party ecosystems, risk exposure is becoming increasingly dynamic.

DigitalXForce believes enterprise risk management must evolve accordingly.

The company’s vision is to make risk management a continuous operational capability rather than a periodic reporting exercise.

Through X-ROC, Continuous Control Assurance, AI-powered analysis and cyber risk quantification, DigitalXForce is working to establish a new operating model in which enterprises can identify emerging exposures, prioritize them based on business impact and verify that corrective actions are effective.

The SOC manages security incidents. X-ROC manages enterprise risk.

The future of GRC is not another dashboard. It is continuous, intelligent Risk Operations

About DigitalXForce — We Stop Risk Before It Strikes.

DigitalXForce, Industry’s first AI-Powered Enterprise TRiSCM (Trust, Risk, Security and Compliance Management) Platform, is pioneering the next generation of Automated GRC with Continuous Trust Assurance by converging AI, cybersecurity, compliance, operational resilience, and posture management into one unified Risk Intelligence platform. Designed with a modular and composable architecture, DigitalXForce delivers an integrated suite of capabilities spanning automated GRC, Enterprise Security Risk Posture Management (ESRPM), Third-Party Risk Management, Cyber Resilience, and Regulatory Compliance.

At the core of DigitalXForce is its AI-powered engine, which leverages intelligent agents, machine learning models, and a dynamic control library to autonomously monitor controls, map evidence, assess risks, and generate real-time insights. Trusted by global enterprises across healthcare, finance, critical infrastructure, and technology sectors, DigitalXForce delivers measurable value by reducing manual effort, accelerating audit readiness, and improving organizational resilience in today’s fast-evolving threat and compliance landscape.

Learn more about DigitalXForce at https://digitalxforce.com

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X-ROC Platform: https://digitalxforce.com/products/ai-powered-xforce-risk-operations-center/2026 Security Posture Benchmark: https://digitalxforce.com/research/security-posture-benchmark-2026/What Is a Risk Operations Center: https://digitalxforce.com/what-is-a-risk-operations-center/

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Best Protective iPhone Cases for 2026: Top Slim and Drop-Protection Options for iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max Recommended by Consumer365

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NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Consumer365 has recognized TORRAS in its review of the best iPhone cases for 2026, highlighting the Ostand Q3 Air and Ostand Q3 Air Pro as two options designed for iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max users seeking a balance between slim everyday usability and impact protection. The review examines documented features including case thickness, weight, grip, raised edges, magnetic support, corner protection, and drop-testing information.

Best iPhone Cases:

TORRAS – offers slim and protection-focused iPhone cases with air-cushioning, raised screen and camera edges, magnetic accessory support, textured grip, and built-in rotating stands, giving iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users options for balancing everyday portability with impact protection.

The feature evaluates several factors that can affect real-world case performance, including thickness, weight, grip, raised edges, corner design, magnetic accessory support, documented drop testing, and overall handling. Rather than treating protection as a single specification, the review highlights the trade-offs involved in choosing between a thinner case and a more protection-focused design.

TORRAS addresses those different priorities through the Q3 Air series. The Ostand Q3 Air emphasizes a slimmer and lighter profile while retaining protective features, magnetic support, and an integrated rotating stand. The Ostand Q3 Air Pro places greater emphasis on impact management through a dual-layer airbag structure designed to help manage force during accidental drops.

TORRAS Q3 Air Focuses on Slim Everyday Protection

The TORRAS Ostand Q3 Air is designed for buyers seeking protective coverage without moving into a heavily built case. According to documented specifications reviewed by Consumer365, the Q3 Air measures 3.35 mm thick and weighs between 46 g and 53.7 g, depending on configuration.

Those dimensions help define the Q3 Air’s role within the series. The case is intended to retain a relatively streamlined profile while adding cushioning around areas that may be exposed during daily handling.

TORRAS lists an 8 ft protection rating for the Q3 Air. Raised edges provide another layer of separation between the device and flat surfaces, with documented measurements of 1.2 mm around the screen and 0.55 mm around the camera.

Grip is another part of the design. A dot-matrix texture is intended to improve handling, particularly during one-handed use. Better grip can play an important role in protection because reducing the likelihood of a drop can be as relevant as managing impact after a fall occurs.

The case also incorporates an 18N magnetic hold for compatible magnetic charging and accessories. Its built-in stand rotates through 360 degrees and supports portrait and landscape positioning for video calls, streaming, hands-free viewing, and desk work without requiring a separate stand attachment.

The combination positions the Q3 Air as a case for buyers who place significant value on portability, handling, and everyday functionality while still looking for documented protective features.

Q3 Air Pro Places More Emphasis on Impact Management

The TORRAS Ostand Q3 Air Pro takes a more protection-focused approach. The main distinction is the Air² Pro Tech construction, which TORRAS describes as a sealed dual-layer airbag system.

The structure uses two layers with different roles during impact. The outer layer is designed to receive the initial force, while the inner layer helps disperse remaining energy. This approach concentrates protective engineering around impact management rather than relying only on additional bulk.

TORRAS documents controlled internal drop testing for the Q3 Air Pro at heights up to 5 meters, or 16.4 feet. Such testing provides a useful reference point when comparing protective phone cases, although controlled testing should not be interpreted as a guarantee against damage in every real-world accident. Drop angle, surface material, device condition, and other variables can affect the result of an impact.

The Q3 Air Pro also includes textured sides intended to support a more secure grip. A microfiber interior creates a softer contact surface between the case and device. A 1.45 mm raised screen edge provides added separation from flat surfaces, while raised camera protection helps protect another key contact area.

Magnetic functionality remains part of the design. The Q3 Air Pro carries an 18N magnetic hold and includes a stand that rotates through 360 degrees and opens up to 180 degrees. The adjustable design supports portrait and landscape viewing for video calls, streaming, filming, and desk work.

Consumer365’s review presents the Q3 Air Pro as the more protection-oriented option within the two-product comparison, while the Q3 Air is positioned around a lighter and slimmer everyday experience.

Understanding the Slim Versus Protective Case Trade-Off

The review also examines why case selection should extend beyond broad terms such as “thin” or “protective.” Case thickness can affect pocketability and hand feel, but thickness alone does not establish impact performance. Likewise, a higher documented drop-test height does not describe every aspect of daily usability.

A useful comparison begins with several separate criteria.

Thickness and weight help indicate how significantly a case changes the physical feel of a phone. Published measurements can make slim-case comparisons more transparent.

Grip and corner construction affect both prevention and impact management. Textured surfaces can reduce slipping, while cushioning around corners addresses areas commonly exposed during falls.

Raised screen and camera edges can reduce direct contact when a device is placed on a flat surface. Exact measurements are particularly useful when available.

Magnetic support matters for charging, mounts, wallets, and other compatible accessories. Magnetic strength and alignment can influence how securely accessories remain attached.

Documented testing provides context for protective claims. Controlled test results are more useful when accompanied by clear conditions and should be considered alongside case construction rather than treated as a guarantee.

For the Q3 Air and Q3 Air Pro, these criteria create two different decision paths. A preference for lower bulk and published weight and thickness specifications points toward the Q3 Air. Greater emphasis on impact management and the dual-layer airbag design points toward the Q3 Air Pro.

Choosing Between the TORRAS Q3 Air and Q3 Air Pro

Case selection ultimately depends on how the phone is used throughout the day. Frequent pocket storage, extended one-handed use, commuting, travel, desk use, and reliance on magnetic accessories can each change which features deserve the most attention.

The Q3 Air combines a documented 3.35 mm profile with air cushioning, raised edges, textured grip, an 18N magnetic hold, and a 360-degree rotating stand. Those characteristics support a balance between protection and a slimmer carrying experience.

The Q3 Air Pro shifts the balance toward impact protection through the sealed dual-layer airbag structure and documented controlled drop testing. Magnetic support, textured grip, interior cushioning, raised screen and camera protection, and a 360-degree rotating stand remain part of the design.

Consumer365’s review recognizes TORRAS for offering both approaches within the Q3 Air series rather than treating protection and slimness as identical priorities. The comparison gives iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users a clearer framework for considering protective construction, portability, grip, magnetic functionality, and documented testing before selecting a case.

For shoppers evaluating protective iPhone cases in 2026, the central question is not simply how much protection a case claims to provide. A more practical evaluation considers how that protection is achieved, how much bulk is introduced, and whether the case remains comfortable and functional during everyday use.

The full review is available at the Consumer365 website.

About TORRAS

TORRAS creates technology accessories that combine protection, thoughtful engineering, and practical everyday function. Across the Q3 Air, Q3 Air Pro, and Ostand series, TORRAS challenges the idea that better protection must mean more bulk, while using Ostand to make hands-free use and spontaneous content capture part of daily life.

About Consumer365.org: Consumer365 provides consumer news and industry insights. As an affiliate, Consumer365 may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-protective-iphone-cases-for-2026-top-slim-and-drop-protection-options-for-iphone-18-pro–iphone-18-pro-max-recommended-by-consumer365-302918070.html

SOURCE Consumer365.org

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