Sometimes you need to be able to put a value on what you do. It may be a financial value. It may be a social good. It may be something else. Continue reading “Economic impact, absurdity and advertising”
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”
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”
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”
This first ran here in the Huffington Post.
The news broke this week that that water buffalo has been found in South African meat. It is pretty clear that what we think we are eating is never what it seems, and perhaps it never has been. Continue reading “Food contamination: why everyone will get away with it”
In December 2012, the question of what global businesses should pay in local tax burst onto our screens.
UK Uncut went on the offensive. Starbucks misread the public mood.
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee sharpened its knives.
This is how the BBC News reported the stand off.
The cricket-loving world has been turned upside down since news of the spot-fixing scandal broke late last Saturday.
The police and customs are making their inquiries. Pakistan’s government and high commission are closely involved in the proceedings. Continue reading “Crisis comms: if cricket had a share price…”
Guy Corbet offers a view on Friday’s big apology.
Friday afternoon. A strange murmur was going through the office. Some people were congregating around the TV screens. Others had their heads down to meet weekend deadlines, so the broadcast was only coming through in fits and starts. Something big was happening.
What was this though? Continue reading “Tiger or pussy cat: a brand appealing to its base?”
Corbet Communications 