Brothers who built brand with purpose February 16, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks travelling, Topman, and the English weather with Rob Forkan – the tsunami orphan who co-founded new flip flop brand Gandys INNOCENT may have pioneered a whole new approach to marketing (the company has even published a book about its “story,” and “what they’ve learned”), but no business tale will ever be as [...]
Innovation Diary: Entrepreneurs are right to be overly-optimistic – it’s the rest of us who have the problem February 16, 2014 IF YOU’RE an optimistic sort, you may be more likely to live longer, feel less lonely, and be generally happier than those eternal pessimists who eke out their existences in constant worry. And it should come as little surprise that entrepreneurs are glass half-full types. A 2004 study by Manju Puri and David Robinson of [...]
Gimme 5 February 16, 2014 …NETWORKING SITES FOR ENTREPRENEURS The Supper Club Offers access to a vetted peer group; events; connections to other entrepreneurs; media coverage opportunities. Joiners fee of £495; social membership is £250 a month; growth membership is £500. supper-club.net OpenIDEO A global, web-based platform for innovation where designers and creative thinkers create together. Organisations or individuals can [...]
Unlocking the secret to startup success February 9, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks to the co-founders of Secret Escapes about their adventures in the online travel industry IF YOU watch television, it’s likely you’ll have been exposed (and possibly raised an eyebrow) to Secret Escapes’ marketing campaign – arguably the most provocative advert since Cindy Crawford donned denim hotpants for Pepsi. Brand ambassador Camilla Arfwedson’s [...]
Innovation Diary: There will be plenty more Wongas to come – even as the fintech sector begins to grow up February 9, 2014 FEW NEED telling about the growth of peer-to-peer lending. Whether driven away by dissatisfaction with traditional banking, or pulled by attractive returns and convenience, lenders and borrowers are increasing interested. According to Nesta, P2P business lending grew by 211 per cent between 2012 and 2013. And while P2P lenders control just 1 per cent (about [...]
Gimme 5 February 9, 2014 …CO-WORKING SPACES FOR ENTREPRENEURS ClubWorkspace A growing network of creative drop-in business bases. It has six locations: Bankside, Chancery Lane, Chiswick, Clerkenwell, Kennington and London Bridge. club.workspacegroup.co.uk Exchange at Somerset House Home to inspirational new startups including Hailo, Somerset House offers flexible office solutions in a community environment at competitive rates. somersethouse.org.uk/work One Alfred Place [...]
Data driven February 9, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks to Havas Media’s Paul Frampton UNUSUALLY for the media world, Paul Frampton, chief executive of Havas Media, has only worked at one group over the course of his career. He talks to City A.M. about the cultural and leadership changes his industry must make to prepare for a fast-changing media landscape. How [...]
The week in brief February 9, 2014 McVitie’s in “family of brands” £12m relaunch United Biscuits has announced a relaunch of its McVitie’s brand, unveiling a £12m multi-media advertising campaign as part of its efforts to accelerate growth for its sweet biscuits category. The food group will introduce updated packaging as part of the campaign, which begun last week with the broadcast [...]
24 Carat Ambition February 2, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks trends with Tracy De Groose CARAT, part of the Dentsu Aegis Network, is the UK’s second biggest media agency. Over the course of her career, chief executive Tracy De Groose has worked in marketing and communications on both the client and agency side. She talks to City A.M. about 2014’s big challenges [...]
The week in brief February 2, 2014 Jamie Oliver launches ad production business Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is launching a production house that will specialise in the creation of commercials, Campaign reported last week. The business, Fat Lemon Productions, will be led by executive producer Jane Bolton, formerly at Picasso Pictures and Nexus Network, and producer Cabell Hopkins, previously a producer M&C [...]
