The media like to knock someone when they are down and Thomas Cook is in the dock again. Castigated for having let the lawyers rule the roost. Continue reading “Sorry? The lawyers may not be entirely wrong”
It is (sadly) not what you say that matters…
An interior design fad which surprisingly still endures is to buy books by the yard. Leather-bound, opulent and dusty. Classical literary tomes that give any home the veneer of educated sophistication. An instant library. Continue reading “Selling words by the yard”
The sponsors have finally felt compelled to intervene. Actual criminal charges laid against Sepp Blatter have proven the trigger for Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Visa and Budweiser to step in and call for change. Continue reading “FIFA World Cup intervention reflects poorly on sponsors”
The honeymoon is over for the poster child of the sharing economy. This weekend Airbnb launched its first global TV advertising campaign.
Its troubles could be just beginning. Continue reading “The honeymoon is over for Airbnb”
What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object has detained philosophers for generations. In the next few days we might be about to find out, thanks to the UK election.
One of the overriding social and business themes since the global financial meltdown has been the rise of consumer power. Continue reading “People v politicians: can anything rein in the spin?”
Today we have lost one of the greats.
Richie Benaud was not boastful, but he could boast one of the most impressive cricketing records. The then Australian record of 248 test wickets. A three-time Ashes winning captain. Skipper in the 1961 first ever tied Test. Continue reading ““Think fast. Talk slow.” Farewell Richie Benaud”
There’s been an awful lot said about the role and responsibility of business in society, and whether or how big business should recover the trust it once had with the public, or in many cases its customers. Continue reading “$200,000 of sage comms advice”
Rarely do you leave a discussion on energy policy with a clearer understanding of what’s going on than you started with, but that’s what happened last Thursday at an excellent talk by Oxford economics Professor Dieter Helm at the Social Market Foundation think tank. Continue reading “Energy is too important to be left to the politicians”
This first appeared in CorpComms, November/December 2013
Sorry shouldn’t be the last thing you say in a crisis
1. Don’t be afraid of saying sorry. In recent years we’ve seen a near epidemic of corporate and institutional scandals. It has been remarkable how difficult it has been for businesses simply to say they are sorry when things go awry. If things go wrong, don’t be afraid of apologising Continue reading “Apologies matter”
This first ran in the Huffington Post.
The payday lenders are front and central once again. After his assault on the energy companies Ed Miliband has switched his attention to another group with few friends and declared tax war on payday lenders.
Wonga is at times a little like an embarrassing relative. It can make us cringe but secretly perhaps we’re all glad it’s there. Continue reading “The payday lenders we love to hate”
Two-minute summary
Brands in the spotlight
From horse meat to tax evasion to energy price rises, consumer trust in corporate institutions has been rocked by scandal after scandal. Continue reading “Brands in the spotlight: managing reputation in the face of greater consumer accountability”
This blog first appeared in Real Business
The question of City bonuses will always be contentious but the facts remain that economics show us that price restraints don’t work. A one-year bonus cap may not trigger a brain drain, but over a prolonged period people are likely to go where the money is, and the markets that can attract the talent will reap the benefits. Continue reading “Time for business to engage its critics”
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