From tech to Trump – here’s what prompted the big market moves of 2018 December 18, 2018 From Brexit to trade wars, nothing has been plain-sailing about 2018. It’s been a year of peaks and troughs across all major markets, so let’s have a look at the big moves of the past 12 months. Tech in turmoil This was the year when the tech giants raced to become the first ever $1 [...]
Google to fork out $1bn on new NYC campus, one week on from Apple’s splurge in Texas December 17, 2018 Alphabet's Google will invest more than $1bn (£793.6m) on building a new campus in New York, following in the footsteps of fellow tech giant Amazon in picking the US financial capital for expansion. Named Google Hudson Square, the new 1.7m square foot campus will consist of leased properties on New York’s technology corridor. The company said [...]
What this year’s Christmas adverts can teach us about making a great ad campaign December 17, 2018 With just over a week to go until Christmas Day, the big question is: have you bought all your presents yet? (I haven’t.) If you have, did any of this year’s festive ads sway your opinion? Did Elton John tickling the ivories mean that retailer John Lewis tickled your fancy, or did you feel like doing [...]
Apple to spend billions on new tech centres across the US December 13, 2018 Apple has said it will invest billions of dollars in spreading its physical presence across the US over the next five years, and aims to create 20,000 jobs in the process. The iPhone creator today said it will spend $1bn (£792m) on building a new tech campus in Texas, expanding its existing operations in the [...]
Hamleys pulls slime toy as kids craze gets hit by EU safety warnings December 13, 2018 Hamleys has pulled a toy slime product off its shelves, after a wider test by consumer group Which found several products had failed safety tests for containing high levels of boron. Frootiputti slime, made by Goobands and sold by Hamleys, contained more than four times the EU limit for boron levels. The group said exposure to [...]
Andy Warhol’s £6m selfie and how we can all now be famous for 15 minutes December 13, 2018 | City Talk One day in 1963, Andy Warhol walked into a New York photobooth and took what have become the world’s most famous selfies. One of these trailblazing self-portraits has just been sold at a Sotheby’s auction for just over £6m. These selfies perfectly suited Warhol’s vision of the pop art era of the late 1950s and [...]
‘Non-sexy’ is the new cool: UK fintech predictions for 2019 December 13, 2018 Despite the continued uncertainties of Brexit, 2018 was another year for the UK’s fintech sector. Record levels of investment poured into the community, with $16bn secured in the first six months of 2018, exceeding the value of investment in US fintech by almost $2bn. In addition, progressive regulation and a thriving financial services sector attracted [...]
The seven trends in the digital sport world to look out for in 2019 December 11, 2018 This has been a transformative year for the digital sport landscape, from tech giants Amazon and Facebook making major rights acquisitions to a rise in behind-the-scenes and self-authored content. Here, Charlie Beall of consultancy Seven League assesses the trends that dominated 2018 and look set to shape the next 12 months. 1. Athletes becoming media As [...]
WPP to slash 3,500 jobs as it launches new streamlining strategy December 11, 2018 Advertising group WPP is cutting 3,500 jobs as it restructures the business and shifts its focus to technology in a bid to stave off competition from tech giants. WPP today said it will spend £300m over the next three years as it simplifies the business, aiming to make annual savings of £275m by 2021. The [...]
Bored of Brexit? How the B-word went from advertiser’s dream to branding disaster December 11, 2018 The word “Brexit” is unavoidable. When we pick up a newspaper, turn on the TV, or log in to social media, the B-word follows us everywhere. For many of the world’s largest brands, this would be a dream. The likes of Nike, Coca-Cola and Amazon spend billions of pounds for the kind of ubiquity that [...]