Charles Jillings, CEO of Utilico, energized by strong economic momentum across Latin America. Watch the video here.
Have just read the RNS and watched the Proactive interview and want to congratulate Mr Brandon and his team on the achievements in 2021 and for work on the projects underway. DVRG has a range of businesses and projects and each one is making substantial progress. Quite frankly the progress is mind boggling for the relatively small team numbers in DVRG. They have obviously worked their socks off and I am looking forward to some major news in 2022. It could be the year when Deep Verge gets the recognition it deserves. This is really exciting.
Smeeno, you said STC was launched in November and 30,000 tests so far. In fact they started selling tests in April 2021 so the 30,000 tests cover a much longer period. I know that because my wife bought a test at that time.
Shandypants2, agree with your comments. My wife bought the test and was underwhelmed. The products recommended might be good but why do customers have to search far and wide to buy them. Why can’t STC puts links to buy the products alongside the recommendations. Also, she expected to get a choice of products suitable for her but only one in each category (eg cleaner) was recommended. It’s not very customer friendly and seems to need further development. This leads me back to an earlier comment that STC needs to be run by an expert in business to consumer healthcare products.
Chesh/Frix, good reminder re turnover estimates. If MediaMonks have got us hitting the ground running and can do so for the US and China launches in June, then all looks good. Even if every first test was given free the sales revenue would be £18m for STC in 2022. Am I dreaming!
Gherkin, the problem is that John Story has a 13% shareholding that includes interests in financial instruments. I expect these are Contracts for Difference and constitute quite a chunk of his holding. No wonder the shorters had a field day in 2021. As long as he has these CFD’s, all they need to do is let the share price rise and then short the hell out of it again and again. He needs to stump up the cash for these CFD shares if he has it, otherwise the share price will continue to suffer.
Paul/Chesh, good points. Monks and O’Kennedy have had time to work their magic. We should see STC sales of 20,000 units in January then. But…..
I have my doubts as we have friends in with a Health & Beauty business and they are completely unaware of STC. My wife is a STC customer but only because I am a shareholder. Otherwise she would have been completely unaware of it. I just hope the targeted potential customers are the ones who will reach 20,000 in Jan.
Paul, it seems to me DVRG is essentially a business to business marketing company. With STC they have entered the business to consumer territory. They have no expertise in this field and this STC business is crying out to be led by a consumer marketing specialist. Or better still be floated off as a separate company that can devote all its skills and energy to grow this business quickly.
Paul, I had seen these blogs from the STC app. I’m very surprised the company does not send out this information to registered customers. The pre-Xmas one was even more product focussed. Haven’t they heard of email marketing!
T.Rat,
There is little doubt in my mind that Mr Brandon is exceptional in not only turning around businesses but in developing strategy for those businesses. What DVRG is doing is unique in the artificial skin and water monitoring/testing businesses. I had to go back to the TP note to remind myself of the developments in BT. Maybe the CE mark will be processed quicker than I thought.
T.Rat, thanks for the info.
As far as I can see Fast Track for medical devices is still available for the UK. I know we are not in the EU but there is a huge and urgent need for testing here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-devices-given-exceptional-use-authorisations-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/list-of-medical-devices-given-exceptional-use-authorisations
Microtox BT is not on the list of approved devices. The question is: Has DVRG applied to the MHRA for Fast Track approval of BT for the UK? If not, why not?
By the way, Dell a BT consortium member, operates equipment in all NHS hospitals. I think we can all see how BT would act to increase the safety and reduce the absenteeism currently experienced in the NHS hospitals. But that is only the tip of the iceberg for UK applications of BT.
Thanks Dingodog1, it's good to know. Mr Brandon said "its big" then why hasn't the company issued an RNS. Big implies price sensitive.
Dingodog1, what is this about STC Medical? I have not seen anything on this or a RNS.
If there is to be a skin test for medical purposes, will it be different from the "health and beauty" test. How will this work? Mr Brandon could you expand on this please?
Paulcon2021,
Yes, thank you Mr Brandon for helpfully explaining the thinking behind the name choice. It has been chosen as a lifestyle choice, presumably to gain repeat sales of the Skin Tracker Subscription Plan. Whether these subscription repeat sales can be achieved in mass remains to be seen. We do not know how many of the 30,000 registered users are subscription plans or paid for subscriptions as Newuncle has said.
Deep Verge promoted the subscription plan heavily with its product Stoer but it only led to breakeven on modest sales. Admittedly, the company said the product was designed and launched to demonstrate proof of concept for Labskin. Interestingly Stoer has an enhanced brand name with "Skincare for men" underneath the name
There is IMO a huge market out there for the Spot Check that could lead to subsequent purchases or Subscriptions. To achieve paid for sales growth to utilise the 20,000 per month test capacity we now have in the UK and the emerging 20,000 per month test capacity each in the USA and China from June 2022 (I think) - 60,000 per month in total - I suspect we will need an enhanced product brand name.
Health & Beauty Skin Test
SkinTrustClub
seems to tell much more to our beautiful ladies.
With Häagen-Dazs we all know it for great ice cream. The taste tingles our senses. I do not think SkinTrustClub as a brand name alone alone will excite or inform consumers to buy the product. I hope I am wrong as this is the path the company has chosen. But I cannot see any downside for the company to enhance the brand name to make it more obvious what is being sold. I would be interested to know what brand experts would say to this. Donald Miller said in his book that if you want to build a story brand "Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen".
Our unique product has IMO the potential for enormous rapid sales growth. Perhaps the app will be developed further to facilitate this and cosmetic companies will come to use the product as an "own label" product. I do hope the company will look at enhancing the product name to help achieve explosive sales growth we all want to see.
P2021, I think you are right a company can grow into a name. If, with its business, SkinTrustClub could establish a new company brand name then that would be great. Many have suggested the company might, if successful, one day be a candidate for a spin off to create more shareholder value.
Product branding is, I think another matter. iPhone is a great example for Apple. For me SkinTrustClub might be better as the business name. I just feel it's product name needs to tell customers what it is and what the benefits are. For me, HEALTH & BEAUTY SKIN TEST says it all.
Yes, interesting to debate as it's just my opinion.
Paulcon2021, thanks for your info on the blog. All great stuff. I think we all know women do these routines to be healthy and look beautiful. A healthy skin is a beautiful skin.
My issue is DVRG needs to rebrand the test so that it says what the product is. For example, HEALTH & BEAUTY SKIN TEST. SkinTrustClub says nothing to attract buyers of the product and IMO is holding back sales.
We all want this to be a great success. To achieve this something radical needs to happen as there are no signs of a major sales success in this market.
A new product is set to take skin care by storm. At Dragons Den they were overwhelmed when they heard about it and each Dragon wanted to invest in this new business. They liked the product. They liked the management. They liked the AI based technology. They would take the risk of a low sales level as it was a new business. But then came crunch!
They heard the company was giving the product away free during the Christmas period, just when every man should have been buying it as a Christmas present for his wife, partner, daughter and mother. No one bought it. There was no advertising. No one heard about it.
Then the company had a brain wave. They decided to give the product away free (hoping that customers would buy a second skin test after using the recommended skin care products). The dragons ran for the exit.
The dragons said the wrong solution had been found for the wrong problem. It needed a complete rebrand. They said it wasn’t a club. They said it wasn’t a trust. They couldn't understand why they should trust the club. They said the product name gave no clue to what the product was or what it could do for you. They couldn't understand why it was branded SkinTrustClub. They decided not to invest.
Here’s hope for a happy New Year and the emergence of the Health & Beauty Skin Test. Remember a healthy skin is a beautiful skin.
Are you motivated to buy the Health & Beauty Skin Test for your love ones?
The RNS today was a sign of the integrity of Mr Brandon, Mr Glover, the board and the company. It is a statement from a reputable company in which individuals and institutions can invest with confidence and companies/government bodies can partner with or enter into contracts with confidence.
This statement today must be read in conjunction with existing innovative, unique and ground breaking products and services offered by the company and those still in development.
Integrity is always a sign of strength and is extremely valuable to find it in a business that will have such a profound effect on peoples health and well-being. It always pay off.
Has a anyone read the prospectus? I have listened to the interviews and also read the prospectus and it becomes clear what prospects are based on fact and what are based on intentions/hope. The DCF value of the company is set out in the prospectus and this underlines why the placing was made at 10p. Main shareholders account for nearly 70% with one holding over 50% with all the risks that this brings. The Met coal price has increased by 300% in th least year or so. If it falls back down then this will a different story for Bens. These are my initial findings but more research being done.
Gidget, agree with you entirely. Thanks for posting link. Having held since 2019, I admire the change GB has brought about.
It now looks as if the Modern Water business has been de-risked with mass production coming in Apr/May next year from Gen3. I see Integumen's skin business having been de-risked. That leaves SkinTrustClub's business to be proven and we should see first results from the marketing campaign towards the end of the year. Modern Water's achievements now give me hope for the Breathalyser. News here will come eventually and I hope it will not be too long.