Shakespeare on advertising: Boots hit the mark with Kylie campaign July 22, 2021 Boots recently announced a partnership with Kylie Cosmetics. The American beauty company started out as a manufacturer of lip kits – and a brand-extension exercise for its namesake Keeping Up with the Kardashians star – before becoming a billion-dollar industry juggernaut. The brand’s cosmetics will be sold throughout Boots’ UK stores. Data from YouGov BrandIndex [...]
Whitewash Croydon tram inquest verdict raises more questions than answers July 22, 2021 Today the inquest into the Sandilands tram crash concluded with the jury returning a disappointing verdict of accidental death. I share the anger that seven people’s deaths are put down as simply an accident, when we have seen both the safety problems that the investigation brought to light, and the attempts to hide from scrutiny. [...]
EY accused of concealing fraud in $8bn legal claim by NMC Health founder July 22, 2021 Ernst & Young, along with two other banks, face accusations it “actively concealed” a six-year fraud from investors in a new lawsuit over its auditing work for NMC Health, according to reports. BR Shetty, the Indian-born founder of the hospital operator, filed a court document in New York, alleging that the company had been subject [...]
City of London Corporation calls for workers to return to Square Mile July 22, 2021 The City of London’s local authority has called for a mass return of office workers to the Square Mile now Covid restrictions have almost entirely been lifted, saying that “the economic bounce back has to start now”. Chris Hayward, the City of London Corporation’s deputy policy and resources chair, said the Square Mile had to [...]
Opening match of The Hundred sets UK TV record for women’s cricket July 22, 2021 The opening match of The Hundred, English cricket’s new competition, attracted a record UK television audience for a women’s match. A peak audience of 1.95m watched as the Oval Invincibles beat the Manchester Originals in a closely-fought curtain-raiser to the tournament. The figures marked an encouraging start for a competition that has divided opinion since [...]
Robinsons owner Britvic sees revenues rocket as UK restrictions ease July 22, 2021 Britvic, which owns Robinsons and Tango, has seen its revenues surge since restrictions eased as the soft drinks retailer was hit hard by hospitality closures. Revenue at the company shot up 22.8 per cent to £384.8m in its third-quarter trading, as it said revenue has grown across all its units. In total, however, the company’s [...]
Unilever hit by rising commodity prices despite positive sales growth July 22, 2021 Consumer goods giant Unilever has drawn back its full-year operating margin forecast as commodity costs have surged in the past six months. The group, which owns Dove and Hellmann’s, turned over €25.8bn in its half-year results – just 0.3 per cent more than last year. However, the group has already raked in a further €13.5bn [...]
Not too Priti: Home Office crackdown could see journalists muzzled July 22, 2021 Journalists and whistleblowers could face lengthy prison sentences for exposing information in the public interest under new proposals put forward by the government, industry leaders have warned. Under Priti Patel the Home Office has opened a consultation on planned changes to the Official Secrets Act that could see reporters treated like spies or those who [...]
In the wake of Greensill: alternative finance has been tainted by the scandal and needs to claw back legitimacy July 22, 2021 The dust may be slowly settling on the Greensill scandal itself, but its ramifications are rumbling on for the alternative finance sector. Post launch, Greensill was feted in the community, receiving large investments as it grew and racking up numerous plaudits for transforming how business financing can evolve to better suit the payments exchange between [...]
Centrica profits lift as British Gas strike turns down the heat July 22, 2021 Centrica has taken home some £1bn in operating profits in the past six months, as industrial actions at subsidiary British Gas tones down. The group swung from a £338m statutory profit loss last year, it said in its result for the six months to 30 June. Shares sank 2.1 per cent in its afternoon trading, [...]
