Sales & Marketing news

• Nordstrom's same-store sales miss

  11-05-2017 22:21 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Nordstrom capped off a rough day for the retail industry with another disappointing quarter.
  The high-end department store said same-store sales slipped 0.8% versus a year ago, missing the unchanged reading that analysts had forecast. 
  The company earned an adjusted $0.43 a share, easily beating the $0.27 that Wall Street was expecting. That included "an interest expense charge of $18 million, or $0.06, related to a $650 million debt refinancing completed in the first quarter
  
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• STOCKS SLIDE LOWER: Here's what you need to know (SPX, CCMP, INDU)

  11-05-2017 22:06 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Stocks slid on Thursday as an earnings miss from Macy's rippled through the retail sector and raised questions about US consumer growth.
  All three major indices slid less than 0.3% as stocks stayed mired in a tight trading range. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite fell slightly from record highs reached on Wednesday.
  First up, the scoreboard:
  Dow: 20,919.42, -23.69, (-0.11%)
  S&P 500: 2,394.44, -5.19 (-0.22%)
  Nasdaq: 6,115.96, -13.18 (-0.22%)
  US 10-year yield: 2.391%, -0.0232
  WTI crude
  
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• A top banker explains why he left Wells Fargo to join a tech company

  11-05-2017 21:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Daniel DeVall always had an entrepreneurial spirit.
  When he was growing up he did a number of odd jobs for his parents' window tinting business. He told Business Insider that this upbringing instilled in him a love for innovation and entrepreneurship. 
  DeVall, who served as Senior Vice President of Wells Fargo for two years, recently joined Tipalti, a California-based fintech company that seeks to simplify business to business transactions. He joined the company in March as its d
  
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• TRUMP'S CABINET IS FINALLY FULL: Meet who he's chosen for senior leadership positions

  11-05-2017 21:10 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  While President Donald Trump still has hundreds of key positions to fill that will shape his next four years in office, his Cabinet is now full.
  Trump has 24 official members of his Cabinet, and 111 days after he became president, the Senate has confirmed all of them. In the months since Trump took office, multiple high-level hires have withdrawn from the confirmation process, and one senior adviser resigned.
  Meet who Trump has named to counsel him for the next four years:
  SEE ALSO: Trump's
  
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• Macy's might shut down more stores (M)

  11-05-2017 21:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Macy's is in the process of shutting down 100 stores, or nearly 15% of its store base, as it battles plunging sales and traffic. 
  But it needs to close even more locations to revive business, according to analysts and industry experts. 
  The market "probably wants to see another 100 Macy's stores close," Jan Kniffen, CEO of consulting frim Worldwide Enterprises, told CNBC Thursday.
  Cowen & Co. analyst Oliver Chen echoed that statement in a research note Thursday.
  "We fear
  
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• There's a huge amount of pressure on Snap's latest initiative

  11-05-2017 20:47 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Snap's first earnings report disappointed investors, as the young company exhibited slowing user growth and hefty losses.
  Snap has focused on trying to land ad budgets from major, TV-centric marketers.
  Yet Snap has recently opened its ad products to smaller advertisers, a move that could prove crucial to accelerating revenue growth — but one that poses challenges.
  Snap may need an assist from the underbelly of the web.
  Because Snapchat's user growth has slowed, its parent company most lik
  
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• Here's how US trade policy has changed over the last century

  11-05-2017 20:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  President Trump made the debate over free trade one of the central topics of his campaign, and since his election has continued to argue that the US is in a "very unfair" position when it comes to trade.
  He originally focused his ire on China and Mexico, but also recently pointed to Canada and South Korea.
  But the debate over free trade versus protectionism long predates the current administration.
  In a recent report to clients, a Goldman Sachs equity research team led by&nbs
  
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• David Einhorn's GM timing is terrible (GM)

  11-05-2017 20:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Between General Motors' management and board of directors and activist hedge fund Greenlight Capital, the battle lines have now been clearly drawn going into GM's shareholder meeting early next month.
  Greenlight's David Einhorn, who controls 3.6% of the carmaker's stock, has released an extensive proposal in which he lays out the case of dividing existing GM shares into two classes of stock — dividend and growth — to unlock value and address GM's lackluster market performance during
  
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• The Goldman guys in the White House are acting exactly how America feared they would

  11-05-2017 19:13 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  One thing is certain after President Trump's Trumpenomics interview in The Economist: The Goldman Sachs guys in the White House are acting exactly as America feared they would.
  Instead of teaching Trump about the benefits of free-market capitalism, they are sitting by as sycophants, listening to their boss make misstep after misstep and cleaning up his messes behind the scenes when it's almost too late. One day, it might be.
  Both Goldman Sachs vets Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, and Gary
  
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• You can now bid on Rolex watches on 'the stock market of things'

  11-05-2017 19:04 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  If you've ever wanted to monitor the market for Rolex watches like a stock ticker, we have good news.
  StockX, an online retailer that calls itself the "stock market of things," just added two more categories: watches and handbags.
  Anyone looking to buy can list a price they're willing to pay for an item, while those looking to sell can list what they're looking to get for the item.
  Users can buy or sell instantly if the item is already listed on the website for a price they would accept. The pri
  
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• Jim Cramer calls Snap CEO Evan Spiegel 'arrogant' after first-ever earnings call (SNAP)

  11-05-2017 18:52 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel is under fire after his performance during Snap's first-ever earnings call. 
  Despite Snapchat's less-than-stellar growth during the first quarter, the 26-year-old Spiegel was defiant and laughed off concerns that Facebook was encroaching on Snapchat's turf, a move CNBC's Jim Cramer called "so arrogant." 
  "Evan Spiegel, listen to me and listen to me good," the 'Mad Money' host said. "You are going to introduce your call the next time. Then you’re goi
  
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• This chart shows how America stacks up in trade with everyone in the world

  11-05-2017 18:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  President Trump made the debate over free trade one of the central topics of his campaign, and since his election has continued to argue that the US is in a "very unfair" position when it comes to trade.
  He originally focused his energy on China and Mexico, but also recently pointed to Canada and South Korea.
  And so, in light of the administration's continued preoccupation with the US' trade deficit, a Goldman Sachs equity research team led by Robert D. Boroujerdi shared
  
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• With a new controller, Microsoft just took a big shot at Facebook and Sony in the race for cheap virtual reality (MSFT)

  11-05-2017 18:36 via feedproxy.google.com
  This holiday season, Microsoft and Acer are teaming up for a $399 virtual reality bundle — containing Acer's $299 Windows 10-powered virtual reality headset, along with brand-new motion controllers made by Microsoft specifically to control VR apps and games. 
  There's one big question, right off the bat: Apart from apps like Netflix or the Edge browser that are already listed in Microsoft's Windows Store, we don't know what games or other software will work with the headset. It's
  
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• Millennials reveal the top 100 brands they love

  11-05-2017 18:36 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Millennials make up a crucial group of consumers.
  Ad agency Moosylvania asked more than 1,500 millennials — defined as people age 16 to 36 — to select their favorite brands.
  Some are surprising.
  "Ultimately, the functionality of how the brand serves the consumer seems to win out," Norty Cohen, CEO of Moosylvania, said in a statement.
  Here are the top brands according to the survey.SEE ALSO: The surprising things millennials love — and hate
  100. Dollar Tree
  Headquarters:&n
  
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• Meet the new beauty brand making diversity part of its DNA

  11-05-2017 18:33
  
  When it comes to reaching 18- to 25-year-olds, brands should make diversity ‘part of their wallpaper’ – simply because consumers expect it, new bodycare brand ‘Being by Sanctuary Spa’ says.
  The brand has been launched today (11 May) by PZ Cussons Beauty, which also manufactures St.Tropez, Sanctuary Spa and Charles Worthington. ‘Being’ will launch with nine products in five fragrances, and includes products such as bubble bath, body scrub and hand cream.
  
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• Yes, that's J. Peterman from 'Seinfeld' pitching an IPO on TV — no, that's not the most surprising thing about it

  11-05-2017 18:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  YayYo is a startup that plans to be an aggregator for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.
  It's heavily marketing its IPO on television, and implying investors could make millions.
  YayYo's founder has an unusual history involving an arms dealer, infomercials, charges of stock manipulation, and "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus."
  "Ever heard of Uber or Lyft?"
  The man on TV has well-coiffed gray hair and looks directly into the camera. Behind him, there's a false backdrop of trading s
  
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• Bitcoin shoots past $1,800 for the first time

  11-05-2017 18:25 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Bitcoin is trading at another record high on Thursday. The cryptocurrency is up 4.59% at $1853.55 a coin after Ulmart, Russia's largest online retailer, said it would begin accepting bitcoin, Cryptocoin News says. 
  The announcement from Ulmart comes despite Russia's central bank saying it would wait until 2018 to consider allowing the use of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. At the beginning of April, Japan's regulators announced bitcoin is now a legal payment method in the
  
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• Booking.com’s CMO on his unconventional route to the top

  11-05-2017 16:25
  
  Booking.com’s Pepijn Rijvers might seem an odd choice for a CMO. He does not come from a traditional marketing background and had never held a marketing role before. He started his career as an entrepreneur in the financial services industry but in October 2008 moved to Booking.com, before taking on the CMO role two years ago. He has also headed up he supply and content team for Booking.com, something he says has allowed him to take a more entrepreneurial, varied approach to leading market
  
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• Moneysupermarket, Samsung and Airbnb: The top 10 TV advertisers in April

  11-05-2017 16:04
  Moneysupermarket has topped a list of the biggest TV advertisers by airtime in April, according to information compiled by data science company 4c.
  Moneysupermarket came in at number one with 2,438 minutes of TV airtime across both free and pay-to-view TV. That was up 67% compared to the previous month and 58% year on year and meant it rose up the rankings from fourth to first.
  In total, three brands – Moneysupermarket, Samsung and Oral-B – all aired in excess of 2,000 minutes of ads
  
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• International round-up: Gillette overhauls subscription service, Accenture buys Australian agencies

  11-05-2017 15:38
  
  Gillette overhauls subscription service to take on Dollar Shave Club
  Procter & Gamble’s Gillette shaving brand is making changes to its online subscription service in a bid to fend off new rivals stealing market share.
  The company, which competes with Dollar Shave Club, said on Tuesday it has changed the name of the service to ‘Gillette On Demand’ from ‘Gillette Shave Club’. It has also added features like the ability to order new cartridges by texting the word
  
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• Boots and Diageo on why brand purpose doesn’t have to be ‘lofty and do good’

  11-05-2017 15:07
  
  Working for a brand with purpose is easier and more fun because it creates a framework for every decision the business takes, according to Boots’ managing director, Elizabeth Fagan.
  Speaking at the latest Oystercatchers event last night (10 May) Fagan, who was appointed MD at Boots eight months ago following seven years as marketing director, explained that having a purpose helps an organisation create a “movement” from the inside out.
  “If you are an organisation that is
  
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• Coca-Cola dismisses talk of a ‘managed decline’ as it launches summer campaign

  11-05-2017 12:30
  
  Coca-Cola is launching its annual summer campaign at a critical time for the brand. It has just axed Coke Life after sales plummeted, the sugar tax is coming into force next year and 70% of its global sales by volume is still sparkling drinks at a time when people are drinking less soda. It is clear the brand has a big job ahead if it wants to keep up with changing consumer trends.
  The new campaign is an evolution of its hugely-popular and successful 2014 ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, whi
  
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• Brands are wrong to force marketers to be ‘whole-brained’, says Direct Line’s marketing boss

  11-05-2017 08:30
  
  Marketing is continually challenged to be more data-driven and analytical while still being creative, but that doesn’t mean individuals need to take on the burden of both parts of the equation, says Mark Evans, marketing director at Direct Line Group.
  While he agrees marketing as a discipline must incorporate people with both left- and right-brained skills, to demand both of one person isn’t always realistic and could be damaging.
  “Having spent 20 years in marketing you do lots
  
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• UK brands still harbour YouTube safety concerns

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  LONDON: While some brands have resumed ads on video-sharing platform YouTube, a number of large UK brands remain unconvinced by the site, and parent company Google's assurances.Brands such as McDonald's and RBS have resumed buying ad space on...
  
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• Tim Hortons tops WARC 100 in Canada

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  ONTARIO: Tim Hortons, the restaurant chain, and Mark's, the retailer, were named as the leading Canadian brands in the WARC 100, an annual ranking of the best marketing campaigns and companies according to their business impact.Now in its fourth...
  
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• More judges join WARC Asia Prize panel

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  SINGAPORE: Leading executives from Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and Bajaj will assist in judging the 2017 WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, which offers a $10,000 Prize fund for the best evidence of strategic marketing thinking in Asia.From the...
  
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• India's print medium soars

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  MUMBAI: Despite the global slump in print media, the Indian print media industry has grown 4.87% in the decade 2006-2016, according to figures released yesterday.The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), a nonprofit organisation that has certified...
  
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• Healthcare needs a mobile strategy

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  WASHINGTON: More and more consumers are searching for health information online, with around half searching on their mobile phones; it is incumbent on information service providers to respond to these trends, a new Admap paper argues.Writing in...
  
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• Colenso BBDO tops Australasian agency rankings

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  AUCKLAND/MELBOURNE: New Zealand's Colenso BBDO is the top agency in Australasia, edging Sydney-based creative agency Atomic 212 into second place, according to the Warc 100 regional analysis released this week.The Warc 100 is an annually-released...
  
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• Coke targets "decisive" moments

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  TORONTO: Coca-Cola, the soft drinks giant, is aiming to engage consumers at truly "decisive" moments in the purchase journey, such as when consumers are building online shopping lists.Ivan Pollard, SVP/strategic marketing at Coca-Cola, discussed...
  
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• Chatbots to save businesses $8bn annually by 2022

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  HAMPSHIRE: Call centres are under threat, a new study suggests, as chatbots redefine the customer service industry, with healthcare and banking sectors set to reap the greatest rewards from staffing reductions.Juniper, a UK research agency,
  
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• Amazon Echo set to hit 40% of UK homes by next year

  11-05-2017 01:46
  
  LONDON: As voice-interface devices look set to enter the mainstream, a new study shows that over half of Amazon Echo users can recall hearing advertising via the device.The Getting Vocal study by Radiocentre, the industry body for...
  
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