Has April 1 arrived early this year? Just read courtesy of the FT that former Chancellor George Osborne (below) is to be the new editor of the London Evening Standard. Current editor Sarah Sands is going off to be a ...
Read More »Prostitution and drugs in timely boost for UK economy
The UK’s economy is finally recovering after five years or so mired in recession and the Office of National Statistics (which usually gets its figures wrong, first time at least) has given chancellor George Osborne and his Conservative Party a ...
Read More »Will the UK’s IPA Bellwether report on Thursday show that better times are here at last?
The IPA’s ever efficient press office sent me a note yesterday advising me to look out for the latest edition of its Bellwether Report, due to be unveiled on Thursday. Forewarned is forearmed they say; and I shall dutifully write ...
Read More »Chancellor Osborne pushes Stephen Hester out of RBS – might his next stop be chairman of WPP?
Comings and goings at 83 per cent state-owned UK bank RBS don’t usually engage our attention but UK chancellor George Osborne’s apparent decision to get rid of RBS CEO Stephen Hester (left) should. Because RBS remains a huge bank, despite ...
Read More »Where are we as we go into the first weekend of 2013? Sorrell (as usual), fiscal cliffs, good old VW
In Europe, at least, the week following New Year is a touch half-hearted; many people taking an extended holiday and, even if they’re not, disinclined to ruminate too much on the challenges ahead. But we can usually rely on WPP ...
Read More »Hammer the tax avoiders like Starbucks and Amazon by all means – but don’t forget UK jobs
There’s a grave danger that the witch-hunt against global brands who fail to pay their “fair share” of UK corporation tax will boomerang on the political class that has instigated it. Google, Amazon and Starbucks have been chief whipping boys ...
Read More »BBH Christmas ad for Matalan is a sign of the times – make the best of a bad job in austerity Britain
BBH and main retail client Waitrose may have imposed their own self-denying ordinance this Christmas – preferring to expend Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal on a charity pitch – but it’s wheeled out the fizz (non-vintage definitely) and christmas pudding ...
Read More »Gloomsters in the ascendant in latest IPA survey of UK marketing intentions
The latest IPA Bellwether survey published today reveals that marketing budgets were revised down for a second successive quarter in Q3 to the greatest extent since the end of 2009. This was due to a tough trading environment hampering profitability ...
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