Influencer marketing, fake followers, and sponsored content. Can brands and consumers trust online creatives? June 25, 2018 FACEBOOK, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and myriad other social media platforms have enabled clever and entrepreneurial creators to make a living by producing content for internet users to enjoy, whether that’s a makeup tutorials, video diaries, or simply cracking jokes while playing video games. It’s why YouTube stars such as Zoella and PewDiePie have become household [...]
The UK government has launched the Institute of Coding, a body of universities and tech leaders to tackle the digital skills gap June 22, 2018 A consortium of UK universities and employers, launched last night at the House of Lords, has been established to ensure the development of the UK’s next generation of digital talent at degree level and above. The Institute of Coding (IoC) will unite the tech industry with academics to spread digital skills training across the country, [...]
Last Week in the City: Markets Trumped by trade fears June 22, 2018 The week was dominated by trade war fears as Donald Trump said he would slap further tariffs on Chinese goods should there be any retaliatory measures. Despite this, Nasdaq hit a record high, although the Dow Jones Industrial Average erased all its gains in 2018 so far. The FTSE 100 fell 0.5% over the week [...]
The City’s Brexit plans are “impossible” for the EU says former political head of the City of London Corporation June 20, 2018 The City of London’s Brexit plans are “impossible” and should be abandoned in favour of continued membership of the EU’s Single Market, according to the man who led the Square Mile’s top lobbying body in the run-up to the EU referendum. Mark Boleat, the policy director of the City of London Corporation until May last [...]
City writes to chancellor asking for shake up of tax system June 18, 2018 Some of the City’s leading associations will call on the government to review the tax burden imposed on entrepreneurs and the broader finance industry. A letter is being readied by groups including the City of London Corporation, UK Finance, TheCityUK, the Investment Association and the Association of British Insurers, which will be handed to chancellor [...]
Unilever is going to stop working with influencers who buy followers on social media June 18, 2018 Consumer goods giant Unilever is cutting ties with so-called “influencers” on social media in a bid to make advertising more transparent. Influencers, such as celebrities and social media personalities, help expand a company’s advertising reach and digital message by posting about the brand’s products for a certain fee. The more of an audience an influencer [...]
World Cup 2018: England’s Jesse Lingard has trademarked his JLingz celebration — and he’s done so at the perfect time June 17, 2018 Jesse Lingard is ready to make his mark at the World Cup. Less than three weeks ago, as England were preparing for their first warm-up game against Nigeria, Lingard applied for four trademarks with the UK Intellectual Property Office; three featuring his nickname “JLingz” and another featuring the image of his goal celebration. Should the [...]
Govia Thameslink Railway chief executive Charles Horton resigns after ‘huge frustration’ caused by train timetable troubles June 15, 2018 The boss of Southern rail parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) Charles Horton is stepping down, it was announced today. Horton said: I recognise that passengers have been hugely frustrated at the significant disruption caused by the introduction of new timetables. It is the right time to hand leadership of GTR to a new pair [...]
Ranked: The banks that have closed the most branches since 2015 – and which regions have been hardest hit June 15, 2018 New analysis has revealed which of banks have shut the most branches since 2015, with NatWest, HSBC and Lloyds Bank reporting the highest number of closures. Some 2,868 UK retail branches will have shut up shop by the end of this year, with 879 bank closures during last year, according to Which? Money research. That [...]
Sajid Javid’s plan to drop doctors and nurses from skilled worker ‘tier 2’ visa cap will boost business – but it’s only ‘a good first move’, says CBI June 14, 2018 Government plans to relax immigration rules by stripping out doctors and nurses from the visa cap have been welcomed by businesses – but the Home Office is still being urged to do more. The cap – introduced by Theresa May when she was home secretary – sets a limit for all non-EU skilled workers at [...]