EU referendum: Why I identified 23 May as the date of maximum pre-referendum fear – and why it offers a great opportunity to buy up commercial property April 4, 2016 It is often said that if you repeat something enough, you will eventually come to believe it, even if you have forgotten its underlying truth. Saying it presents the risk of being called to account – as has been aptly demonstrated recently in the EU referendum debate. One such statement that I have made repeatedly is that [...]
O consumer, where art thou? Near founder Anil Mathews on location intelligence and Facebook’s Free Basics April 4, 2016 It was once said that you can tell a lot about a man by his shoes. With today’s levels of smartphone penetration, you can probably tell more by his location data. By tracking the consumer’s journey both online and in the real world, location intelligence platforms are able to identify travellers, shoppers, students and other segmented [...]
How companies can avoid M&A failures like the “revolutionary” Time Warner-AOL merger April 3, 2016 Last year was the biggest ever for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with AB Inbev’s ‘MegaBrew’ deal with SABMiller and Pfizer Inc’s merger with Allergan PLC among the deals. The announcement last month of the IHS/Markit merger shows us that 2016 has the potential to be another landmark year for M&A announcements. At Landor we have spent [...]
The absurdist brilliance of Franciszka & Stefan Themerson April 1, 2016 Polish husband and wife Franciszka and Stefan Themerson’s output is so varied, spanning so many types of media and so many artistic styles, that making sense of it all in one room is rather overwhelming. Along the first wall is a row of cabinets filled with illustrations, mostly for children’s books – one features a [...]
Brazil: Between the rule of law and the rule of politics March 31, 2016 President Dilma Rousseff's hope of surviving a looming impeachment are becoming dimmer each day. On Monday, the Brazilian Bar association filed a new process to remove her from power on the grounds of accounting fraud. Yesterday, her party, PT, lost their largest ally in the Brazilian Congress as centrist party PMDB, presided by vice-president Michel Temer, withdrew their support [...]
iPhone SE review: Does Apple’s miniaturised phone live up to the hype or does size really matter? Here’s our day one verdict March 30, 2016 I feel like a giant. I feel like a god. My fingers feel as long and slender as a concert pianist’s. My thumbs reach right to the top corner of my phone screen for the first time in years. I feel alive. Apple today releases the iPhone SE, which looks almost identical to 2013’s diminutive iPhone [...]
Apple’s iPhone SE is the world’s best little phone March 30, 2016 Apple today releases the iPhone SE, which looks almost identical to 2013’s diminutive iPhone 5, with its 4” screen (how tiny!) and chamfered edges. Only little details like the gleaming Apple logo, matt edges and duel flash allow you to tell them apart by sight alone. It’s a sign that the Cult of Big may [...]
David Haye to donate 10 per cent of ticket sales for next fight to stricken fellow boxer Nick Blackwell March 30, 2016 Former world heavyweight champion David Haye has pledged 10 per cent of revenue from ticket sales for his next fight will be donated to seriously injured fellow English fighter Nick Blackwell. Middleweight Blackwell remains in an induced coma following his 10th-round stoppage by Chris Eubank Jr in their British title fight at Wembley Arena on [...]
Burger King has done it again: its releasing its “angriest” Whopper yet with a flaming red burger bun March 30, 2016 First, there was the black Whopper. Now, Burger King is out of the black and into the red with another colourful dish – this time the "angriest Whopper". According to the fast food chain, everything about this burger is angry. The bright red bun, which is infused with hot sauce, is filled with: "crispy angry onions, [...]
Property Entrepreneurs: How Pelican Media built an app to sell City apartments off-plan March 30, 2016 When the luxury apartments at Landmark Place in the City of London were launched in February, their details were presented on a series of iPad Pros. The new tablet had been launched just three months previously, but Tony Nicol could see the benefits of using the new hardware – and set his team racing to [...]