Sales & Marketing news

• New rules are going to fundamentally change the business models of brokers

  24-04-2017 23:52 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  It’s been a long time coming but MiFID II (MiFID) is almost upon us.Most people in the industry have been aware of the impending regulations for many years, but were able to brush it aside for a variety of reasons: the implementation date is far in the future / it’s been delayed / we are waiting for further guidance / it might get delayed again … but now it has become a reality and brokers, asset managers and vendors are hurrying to comply with the directives scheduled to go i
  
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• WEDBUSH: Amazon's share price could explode more than 35% higher (AMZN)

  24-04-2017 23:39 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Wedbush Securities just put a $1250 price target on Amazon's stock. 
  On April 24, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter circulated a first quarter preview to clients to reiterate his "Outperform" rating and raise his price target on shares of the retail giant from from $900 to $1250. That would represent a 38% increase. According to Factset, Pachter now has the highest price target of any analyst among the 46 that cover Amazon.
  Amazon reports earning
  
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• One of the biggest middlemen in the drug industry is losing its largest customer — and the stock is tanking

  24-04-2017 23:13 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the drug industry, said on Monday that its largest customer will not renew its contract with the company. Shares of Express Scripts were down 15.45% as of 5:40 p.m. ET.
  The customer, Anthem — owner of a variety of Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance firms — is responsible for roughly 18% of Express Scripts' first quarter revenue, Express Scripts said in a release.
  As a health insurer, Anthem contracts
  
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• POLL: People feel better about the economy since Trump got elected

  24-04-2017 22:24 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  People are feeling less anxious about the US economy since President Donald Trump won the election, according to a new Marketplace-Edison Research poll.
  Marketplace-Edison started its Economic Anxiety Index in October 2015, and for the first time since, Americans as a whole seem to be feeling less anxious about the economy.There's one demographic, however, that's feeling more nervous about the economy — 18- to 24-year-olds.
  The Marketplace-Edison survey, conducted in April, found that Amer
  
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• STOCKS SOAR AFTER FIRST ROUND OF FRENCH ELECTION: Here's what you need to know

  24-04-2017 22:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Stocks took off on Monday after the first round of the French presidential election.
  Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and anti-European Union, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen nabbed the top two spots in the first round of voting on Sunday and will square off in the second round in May.
  The strong showing and initial polling for Macron gave some relief for investors' fears that France could leave the EU. In response, the Euro jumped against the US dollar but cooled of
  
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• A bureaucratic mistake has revealed Apple’s secret team of self-driving car experts (AAPL, GOOG, GOOGL)

  24-04-2017 21:42 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  A secret team of NASA veterans and robotics experts recruited by Apple to lead its self-driving car project has had its cover blown by what appears to be a simple bureaucratic snafu. 
  An Apple filing obtained by Business Insider on Friday through a public records request contained the names of six individuals that Apple names as the official "driver/operators" of these driverless vehicles.
  The filing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles provided the
  
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• Investors may be missing 2 major market risks this week

  24-04-2017 20:29 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Global markets are leaping higher on Monday. The Dow is up about 240 points or 1.18% as of 2:27 ET after the results of the first round of the French election came in as predicted, with centrist Emmanuel Macron edging out far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. The two will meet in a run off May 7. 
  But Art Cashin, the legendary New York Stock Exchange floor trader and director of floor operations for UBS, noted on CNBC that markets may be missin
  
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• Saudi Arabia is making a 'U-turn' on a controversial policy

  24-04-2017 20:02 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Saudi Arabia has had a rough go of it of late.
  The oil crash, which shaved about 75% off the price of oil between June 2014 and February 2016, has wreaked havoc on Saudi Arabia's economy.
  Saudi economic growth during the first quarter of 2016 took place at a 1.5% annualized rate, which was the country's weakest since 2013. That growth slowed to 0.9% during the third quarter of the year before ticking back up to 1.2% in the fourth quarter.
  The slowdown in growth has helped contribute to Saudi Ara
  
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• Albertsons is reportedly considering a takeover of Whole Foods

  24-04-2017 19:42 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Grocery chain Albertsons is exploring buying Whole Foods, according to the Financial Times' James Fontanella-Khan.
  The FT, citing sources close to the matter, said that the private equity funds that own Albertsons, including Cerberus Capital Management, have held talks with bankers regarding a takeover of Whole Foods.
  Albertsons merged with rival grocery chain Safeway in 2014 and explored an initial public offering in 2015 before deciding against it.
  In March, reports from Bl
  
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• We're about to get a clear example proving the stock market is not the economy

  24-04-2017 19:14 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  When the results come in, US economic growth and earnings are on pace to show very different grades.
  Gross domestic product is forecast to grow by 1%, according to Bloomberg's estimate for the advance reading expected Friday.
  But the earnings per share for S&P 500 corporations is expected to do much better, up by 15% year-on-year, according to Deutsche Bank.
  Ultimately, this divergence is a reminder that what affects the stock market does not necessarily have a run-off effect on the economy.
  
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• The government shutdown looks like it will hinge on Trump's border wall

  24-04-2017 19:04 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Whether the federal government shuts down on Friday could hinge on whether Congress includes funding for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall in legislation to keep the government funded.
  Trump and administration officials have in recent days talked up the possibility of including funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. That could set up a showdown with Democrats and even members of his party as the clock ticks toward a shutdown.
  Asked by The Associated Press on Friday whether he
  
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• UBS: The Unicorn Frappuccino will drive Starbucks higher (SBUX)

  24-04-2017 19:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Shares of Starbucks have gained 10% so far in 2017, outpacing the broader S&P 500, and UBS equity analyst Dennis Geiger thinks there's more room for the stock to run. 
  In a note circulated to clients on April 24, titled "Outlook is All Rainbows and Unicorns," Geiger reaffirms his "Outperform" rating and $70 price target.
  "We also anticipate cold beverages LTOs [limited-time offers] to supplement the permanent platform and provide additional sss benefits, such as the
  
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• We took a helicopter to dinner at the Rockefeller Estate with the most powerful business players you've never heard of

  24-04-2017 18:39 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Last Thursday evening, some of the world's most innovative minds joined each other for dinner at one of the country's most storied old-money estates.
  The dinner was held by the Kairos Society, an elite group of young business entrepreneurs working to solve global issues, as part of its annual Global Summit. The summit brings together leaders from across industries — from Amazon CTO Werner Vogels to Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides — for a three-day event filled with discus
  
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• Trump's plan for the 'biggest tax cut we've ever had' is already looking like it could be messy

  24-04-2017 18:15 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  President Donald Trump told The Associated Press on Friday that he expected to roll out his plan for "maybe the biggest tax cut we've ever had" around Wednesday.
  But the rollout of one of the most anticipated pieces of Trump's agenda looks to have an unsettled path toward becoming law.
  "We're going to be putting that out on Wednesday or shortly thereafter," Trump told the AP. "Let me leave a little room just in case. ... And that's a big story, because a lot of people think I'm going to put it o
  
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• Airlines are destroying a main pillar of the stock market rally

  24-04-2017 18:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Airlines are making it awfully difficult for the industrial sector, which makes up about 10% of the S&P 500, to have a good earnings season.
  So difficult, in fact, that traders are paying the most in more than two years to protect against industrial share losses.
  The extent of their hedging shows investors aren't taking lightly the shrinking profit growth they've seen so far, nor the further contraction they expect. After all, earnings growth is commonly viewed
  
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• How brands can bounce back from disaster

  24-04-2017 18:00
  
  Dealing with a PR crisis can be one of the trickiest aspects of brand management, affecting everyone in the business from the CEO down. Add to that the fact videos can now go viral on social media in a matter of minutes, with extremely damaging consequences for any brand judged to have got things wrong, and the pressure is heightened.   
  US airline United Airlines found this out the hard way in April after video footage emerged of security officers dragging a passenger off a
  
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• Snapchat wants to grow its ad business by making it easier to buy geofilters (SNAP)

  24-04-2017 17:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Snapchat is looking to geofilters as the next source of growth for its fledgling ad business.
  Starting Monday, Snapchat maker Snap Inc. is allowing its ad partners in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada to sell and manage sponsored geofilters, which allow Snapchat users to place special filters over their photos and videos in certain locations.
  Snap's more than a dozen outside ad partners, like Amobee and VaynerMedia, will now be able to sell sponsored geofilters alongside fullscreen video a
  
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• Sears' turnaround timeline is shrinking — and it could be next in line to declare bankruptcy (SHLD)

  24-04-2017 16:58 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Time is running out for Sears to turn business around. 
  S&P Global Market Intelligence has identified Sears as the most vulnerable public retail company in the US, saying it has a 24% chance of default within a year.
  This comes after Sears revealed Friday that it has lost its second chief financial officer in six months, just as it begins talks with lenders over a looming $500 million debt payment.
  Sears also said Friday that it's planning to cut more costs 
  
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• Mondelēz’s top marketer leaves as it looks to ‘evolve’ CMO role

  24-04-2017 16:48
  
  Mondelēz’s chief marketing officer Dana Anderson has left her role, leading the confectionery giant to reassess whether it needs a CMO and what the future of the job could look like.
  Mondelēz says Anderson is leaving to “explore a new professional opportunity”. AdAge has since reported she will be joining consultancy firm MediaLink as its chief marketing officer.
  Mondelēz’ chief growth officer Tim Cofer says the departure offers an opportunity to “evo
  
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• Mondelēz’ top marketer leaves as it looks to ‘evolve’ CMO role

  24-04-2017 16:48
  
  Mondelēz’ chief marketing officer Dana Anderson has left her role, leading the confectionery giant to reassess whether it continues with the CMO position.
  In a statement Mondelēz said Anderson had decided to leave to “explore a new professional opportunity”. However, AdAge has since reported she will be joining consultancy firm MediaLink as its chief marketing officer.
  Mondelēz’ chief growth officer Tim Cofer says the departure opens up an opportunity to &l
  
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• Mondelez top marketer leaves as it looks to ‘evolve’ CMO role

  24-04-2017 16:48
  
  Mondelez’ chief marketing officer Dana Anderson has left her role, leading the confectionary giant to reassess whether it continues with the CMO position.
  In a statement Mondelez said Anderson had decided to leave to “explore a new professional opportunity”. However, AdAge has since reported she will be joining consultancy firm MediaLink as its chief marketing officer.
  Mondelez’ chief growth officer Tim Cofer says the departure opens up an opportunity to “evolve&rdq
  
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• L’Oréal on why artificial intelligence is ‘a revolution as big as the internet’

  24-04-2017 16:01
  
  L’Oréal has launched an artificial intelligence-powered Facebook Messenger bot as part of a drive to produce services for its beauty brands and learn more about consumers.
  In partnership with startup Automat Technologies, the beauty giant has developed a series of beauty services that will launch in the coming months on the Facebook Messenger platform.
  The first L’Oréal service, launching in Canada, will be a gifting service on the Messenger platform. The service looks
  
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• Sign up for our webinar on making consumer feedback work for your brand

  24-04-2017 11:57
  
  Top performing brands understand how to tap into consumer thinking to uncover new ideas and improve the speed and quality of decision-making. Community-based approaches provide a destination for consumers and a way for them to speak out and be heard. Brands not only receive attitudinal information and on-site discussion, but now real-time insight can be coupled with actionable consumer data. Hear from Toluna about where the community of the future is heading, with examples from specific brand e
  
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• United, Woolworths and Five Guys: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  United Airlines CEO Oscar MunozUnited Airlines to link executive pay to customer experience
  United Airlines has revealed plans to tie its executive pay structure to customer satisfaction levels as it seeks to rebuild its reputation following a recent PR disaster.
  Two weeks ago footage emerged of a passenger being violently dragged of a United plane for refusing to give up his seat on the over-booked flight.
  United has faced heavy criticism for its handling of the incident, particularly after it
  
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• LinkedIn, Jimmy Choo, Peugeot: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  LinkedIn rolls out enhanced targeting
  LinkedIn is rolling out new enhanced targeting capabilities that allow marketers to combine the site’s professional data with their own first-party data.
  Available for all LinkedIn advertising products, including sponsored content and sponsored InMail, the Matched Audiences service is made up of three elements – website targeting, account targeting and contact targeting.
  Website targeting enables marketers to target audiences based
  
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• Ikea, United Airlines, Spotify: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  Ikea takes humorous swipe at Balenciaga over new bag
  Ikea has launched a playful comeback after luxury fashion brand Balenciaga unveiled its latest tote bag, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Swedish retailer’s infamous blue Frakta shopper.
  The two bags are similar in colour, shape and style – even down to the double loop detail on the handle – yet with the designer version priced at $2,150 (£1,365) compared to 40p, Ikea has issued a tongue-in-cheek guide to
  
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• Apple, McDonald’s, LVMH: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  Apple looks to recreate ‘town squares’ with store redesigns
  Apple has unveiled the biggest redesigns of its stores in 15 years as it looks to offer educational sessions and hands-on training and turn them into “town squares”. The changes include the launch of ‘Today at Apple’, which offers hands-on training programmes in topics ranging from photo and video to music, coding, art and design.“At the heart of every Apple Store is the desire to educate and in
  
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• Alphabet, Facebook, United: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  Alphabet calls its Q1 performance “terrific”Alphabet, the holding company name for Google, has seen shares jump over 5% as it hailed its Q1 numbers as “terrific”.
  Revenues jumped from $20.3bn (£15.8bn) to $24.8bn, with year-over-year revenues rising 22%.  Operating income, meanwhile, was $6.6bn, up from $5.3bn in Q1 of 2016.
  Larry Page, the CEO of Alphabet, said Google’s decision to create Alpha
  
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• Alphabet, Barclays, United: Everything that matters this morning

  24-04-2017 09:06
  
  Alphabet calls its Q1 performance ‘terrific’
  Alphabet, the holding company name for Google, has seen shares jump over 5% as it hailed its Q1 numbers as “terrific”.
  Revenues jumped from $20.3bn (£15.8bn) to $24.8bn, with revenues rising 22% year on year. Operating income, meanwhile, was $6.6bn, up from $5.3bn in Q1 of 2016.
  Larry Page, the CEO of Alphabet, says Google’s decision to create Alphabet as a
  
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• Marketers must reclaim the word ‘innovation’ before it dies

  24-04-2017 08:00
  
  Innovation is everywhere. Speak to any brand and they will be looking to innovate, have innovation as part of an overall strategy or be looking at ways to weave innovative thinking into their business.
  But many companies seem to use the word, and all it implies, without being in the business of true innovation.
  The Oxford English Dictionary defines innovation as “a new method, idea, product”, and to innovate as the process of making “changes in something established,
  
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• TV networks fight mooted gambling ad ban

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  SYDNEY: A blanket ban on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts is reportedly going to be considered by the Australian government this week, but new data suggests the move could cost TV networks more than $135m in lost revenue.According to...
  
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• Pay TV faces growing piracy threat in UK

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  LONDON: Pay TV providers are well aware of the threat posed by pirated TV streaming services, but their concern is likely to grow after a new survey found that almost 10% of UK consumers already have access to such platforms.That suggests around...
  
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• Merck drives digital progress

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  NEW YORK: Merck, the pharma group, is pushing ahead into digital marketing despite the challenges of tight regulation and the need to transform long-standing mindsets.Patricia Brown, Executive Director/US Marketing at Merck & Co, discussed...
  
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• Lazada joins forces with Netflix and Uber

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  SINGAPORE: Although Amazon has delayed plans to enter the Southeast Asia region, local e-commerce firm Lazada has announced a partnership with two US companies, Netflix and Uber, to offer a membership package similar to Amazon's.Lazada, in which...
  
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• Instagram influencers receive official warning

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  WASHINGTON DC: Celebrities and other influencers who post content on Instagram have been warned by US regulators that they must fully reveal their relationship when they promote products on behalf of brands.The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last...
  
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• An effective ad impact model for TV

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  LONDON/BRUSSELS: TV advertisers can identify the most relevant aspects of campaign impact and work more closely with media and creative agencies to improve effectiveness by using an ad impact model, according to an industry figure.Writing in the...
  
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• Accenture sees opportunity in agency space

  24-04-2017 02:00
  
  LOS ANGELES: Accenture Interactive, the digital marketing services group, believes the traditional relationship between clients and agencies is "out of date", offering opportunities for consultancies to expand their presence in this space.Glen...
  
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