January 2007
Brand Strategy's Trends and News for January
Welcome to Brand Strategy's first email newsletter of the year. We're getting up to speed again now after the break for the holidays so look out for more trends, comment and thinking in 2007.
Remember to check out our blog - http://brandstrategy.wordpress.com for more frequent news, views and ideas.
Ruth Mortimer, editor (ruth.mortimer@centaur.co.uk) recommends…..
2007: THE YEAR OF THE PREDICTION
Deloitte has come up with predictions for the year ahead in three different sectors: technology, media and telecoms. Check out the trends and see if you are up to speed with the latest developments in each category:
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COME TOGETHER FOR CASH
Mergers and acquisitions are popular topics to write about but then they’re always going on. See the latest detailed comment from McKinsey on the current M&A situation and their effects on shareholders.
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Morag Cuddeford Jones, contributing editor, (morag.cuddeford@centaur.co.uk) recommends….
PEPSI FIZZES WITH ENTHUSIASM FOR CHANGE
Pepsi is apparently going to change its look every few weeks throughout 2007. Is this a positive step at a usually conservative FMCG giant or throwing away hard-won brand recognition? You decide:
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TRANS-FAT LAWSUIT TRANSFERS?
After withdrawing a lawsuit against Kentucky Fried Chicken when the brand agreed to remove trans fats from its products, US pressure group CSPI is reportedly ready to take on Burger King. Starbucks announced recently that it, too, will ban the artificial fats from its products. Is it time for all companies to fall in line?
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TRENDS, TRENDS, TRENDS
If you still haven’t seen enough on trends and predictions for 2007, then why not see what Marian Salzman at JWT has set out for the year ahead. And test if any of her predictions from last year actually came true.
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Maeve Hosea, feature writer, (maeve.hosea@centaur.co.uk) recommends...
A BURGER AND A CUP OF ETHICS, PLEASE
McDonalds tries to surf the ethical tide and up its green credentials with a rainforest connection. As of January 9th all of its 1,200 outlets in Britain will sell only coffee from growers certified by global non-profit organisation the Rainforest Alliance.
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MARKS OFFSETS ITS SPARKS
UK retail giant Marks and Spencer launches its £200m, 100-point eco-plan to inject environmental responsibility into every layer of its business and make it carbon neutral by 2012.
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AIRPORTS SECURE IN SCREENING OF AD REVENUE
Airports in the US have started allowing advertising in the trays consumers in the security screening area used to carry items such as phones, shoes and keys
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MYSPACE GOES OOH LA LA
Will the success of the social networking mover be repeated in continental Europe or will the Americanised fad fail to translate?
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Claudine Baker, feature writer, (claudine.baker@centaur.co.uk) recommends…
ROCKY THROWS THE PUNCHES
If you haven’t seen this amusing viral campaign for the Rocky Balboa film yet, check it out. It’s good to see how brands are tapping into all the new media trends this year:
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WAL-MART RILES COMMUNITIES
The Financial Times has produced an excellent article discussing the efforts of a religious community to take on the might of the Wal-Mart company. Well worth reading.
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Also from Brand Strategy magazine this month…
Mireille Guiliano, president of Clicquot Inc and author of French Women Don’t Get Fat is bubbling with excitement about her new book:
More...How is MTV dancing to the tune of a digital age?
More...Jo Harlow, global senior VP of marketing for Nokia, explains how segmentation makes sense for brands:
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