Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Bond’s Spectre blockbusters help Pinewood profits higher December 1, 2015 The double film bonanzas of the year, latest Bond instalment Spectre and the new Star Wars franchise The Force Awakens, have given UK film studio Pinewood a nice boost. The figures Profit before tax for the first half of the year was up 13 per cent to £4.3m while the group's operating profit rocketed 187 [...]
Chris Cairns says reputation has been scorched despite former New Zealand cricket captain being cleared of perjury and perverting course of justice November 30, 2015 Former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns believes his reputation has been “scorched” despite being acquitted of perjury and perverting the course of justice on Monday. Cairns, 45, was cleared at the end of a nine-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, having been accused of lying when he stated under oath during a 2012 libel trial [...]
Brand secrets for the digital age: Dentsu Aegis UK CEO Tracy De Groose on agency agility and the industry’s diversity problem November 29, 2015 Few in the UK’s advertising industry will have failed to note the aggressive expansion of Dentsu Aegis Network. Since it was formed last year in the largest merger ever seen in the industry, the UK arm has acquired a number of agencies, to disrupt the hegemony of the more established players. Its most recent [...]
Luxury investments: Classic cars rise in value by almost 500 per cent, as London residential property disappoints November 27, 2015 Got a substantial amount of spare cash lying around? Don't be tempted by property: classic cars are the best investment, according to new research. Knight Frank's Luxury Investment Index suggests class cars have increased in value by 498 per cent over the last 10 years, compared with high-end London residential property, which has risen a mere [...]
Forget Black Friday bargains and Cyber Monday sales – 2015 should be all about Giving Tuesday November 26, 2015 On one particular day during last year’s Christmas shopping season a phenomenon from across the Atlantic really took hold in the UK for the first time. Businesses lined up to get involved, pounds were spent in their millions, social media went into a frenzy, and even the Prime Minister was talking about it. This year [...]
BBC Three will stop broadcasting by February as it moves online-only, Trust confirms – but there’ll be no BBC One +1 channel November 26, 2015 BBC Three will cease broadcasting by February next year, the corporation confirmed today, in an attempt to save millions of pounds. The channel, aimed at a young adult audience, will move online-only. BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh defended the move as better serving them and the way younger audiences view television. "BBC Three is not closing, we are [...]
Unless retailers make delivery a priority, Black Friday 2015 could destroy their reputations November 26, 2015 Black Friday is upon us. The US import, which is arguably just a PR stunt for UK retailers, has once again caused discount hysteria. Even away from the high street, where the media flocks to witness fist-fights over discounted TVs, this flash sale causes problems. No more so than for the couriers tasked with getting these bargains [...]
Christmas shopping 2015: Why the two second rule is the golden rule for online shopping even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday November 26, 2015 Keeping websites up and running is not just for Black Friday – it's critical that online retailers keep their websites up and provide online shoppers with a quick and efficient experience throughout the festive season. On Black Friday last year, British consumers spent £810m on online purchases alone. That works out to a rate of £9,375 every second, [...]
SNP reaction to the Autumn Statement 2015: Chancellor George Osborne’s actions will hurt Scottish business November 26, 2015 As we start to pick over the detail of the Autumn Statement it would be easy for many to think the chancellor has pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat – although as one journalist put it yesterday, “his 'rabbit out of the hat' was to shoot the last rabbit". Today’s papers seem to hail [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: Why the Government Digital Services needs a boost from George Osborne November 25, 2015 Pity the bureaucrats this morning. Civil servants across Whitehall have been asked to impose more major cuts to departmental spending. BIS faces a cut of 17 per cent by 2020, while Transport will lose 37 per cent. Others, however, have been spared – some quite unexpectedly. The Arts Council’s budget will be increased, in spite [...]