Sales & Marketing news

• The maker of Marlboro cigarettes is getting slammed after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock, citing 'harsh FDA regulatory objectives' (MO)

  22-01-2019 19:45 via feedproxy.google.com
  Altria was downgraded by Morgan Stanley on Monday, with analysts citing regulators threatening to supress the e-cigarette market. 
  The Food and Drug Administration on Friday reportedly threatened to pull all e-cigarette and vaping products off the market. 
  FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb blamed rising youth-vaping rates on the increased availability of e-cigarette products and named the brand Juul as a top-vape choice among teenagers. 
  The commissioner's stand against e-cigarettes
  
  Read more

• The government shutdown is in day 32 and has shattered the record for the longest shutdown in history

  22-01-2019 19:22 via feedproxy.google.com
  The government shutdown is now in its 32nd day, far surpassing the record for the longest of the modern era.
  This is the 21st time the federal government has had a funding lapse since the modern budgeting process began.
  Most of those times, the shutdown has been short and not involved employees being sent home, but that has changed in recent years.President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders have yet to come to an agreement to reopen the government, pushing the government shutdown into a histor
  
  Read more

• The government shutdown could cause the US economy to shrink, Credit Suisse warns

  22-01-2019 19:09 via feedproxy.google.com
  Economists have lowered US economic growth forecasts since the partial government shutdown began.
  About 800,000 government workers are bracing for a second missed paycheck this week.
  As the impasse enters its fifth week, some see an economic contraction as a possibility.
  After about a quarter of the US government was shut down in December, economists began to dim their outlooks for business activity in the country. But with the longest shutdown on record now entering its fifth week, some are con
  
  Read more

• Stocks are getting whacked as US reportedly calls off trade talks with China, global-growth fears mount

  22-01-2019 18:40 via feedproxy.google.com
  Stocks were hit hard Tuesday amid fears of a slowing global economy and as the US reportedly called off trade talks with China. 
  On Monday, China posted its slowest economic growth in a decade and South Korea saw a big drop in exports.
  Also on Monday, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its global growth outlook.
  Watch US equity markets trade live.
  US equity markets were under pressure Tuesday as worries of a slowing global economy persisted and after a report said the US has called
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Netflix bumps Lidl from top two UK brands as M&S falls from top 10

  22-01-2019 18:10
  Netflix has leapfrogged Lidl to take second spot in YouGov’s BrandIndex buzz rankings for 2018, marking the first time in five years that the German discounters Aldi and Lidl haven’t occupied the top two spots,
  Netflix only entered the top 10 in 2016 but jumped from third place in 2017, when it scored 14, to second in 2018 with a score of 16.4. YouGov points to subscription growth – it now has more than 139 million subscribers globally – and the success of its original f
  
  Read more

• A $2 trillion investment chief at Davos reveals a massive trade-war risk everyone is missing — and shares how his firm is protecting itself

  22-01-2019 17:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  As the US-China trade war rages on, Mark Haefele of UBS says many people are focused on the wrong thing. 
  Haefele — the global chief investment officer at $2 trillion UBS Wealth Management — told Business Insider in an exclusive interview how his firm is preparing for the wider implications of the global trade war.DAVOS — When Mark Haefele thinks about the ongoing trade war between the US and China, he's not necessarily focused on the tit-for-tat tariffs that have been lev
  
  Read more

• The utility being blamed for California's deadliest wildfire is soaring after raising $5.5 billion to get it through bankruptcy (PCG)

  22-01-2019 17:33 via feedproxy.google.com
  PG&E, California's biggest utility provider, said in a filing dated Monday that it had raised $5.5 billion to fund its bankruptcy, which it expects to take about two years.
  Last Monday, the company said it intends to file bankruptcy petitions under Chapter 11. 
  PG&E said it was having trouble with its transmission lines when the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history erupted, and that it may be responsible.
  Watch PG&E trade live.
  PG&E, California's big
  
  Read more

• Netflix is sliding after receiving its first Oscar nomination for best picture

  22-01-2019 16:57 via feedproxy.google.com
  Netflix on Tuesday received an Oscar nomination for best picture for the black-and-white drama "Roma." It was the streaming giant's first nomination for best picture.
  Despite the announcement, shares of Netflix slid nearly 3%, underperforming the broader market.
  Watch Netflix trade live here.
  Netflix shares fell more than 3% Tuesday morning after the streaming platform received its first best-picture Oscar nomination, for its black-and-white drama "Roma."
  The film drew other nominations across c
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• GOLDMAN SACHS: Record-high uncertainty about the global economy is squashing the chances of a stock-market comeback, but 2 sectors will help investors thrive no matter what

  22-01-2019 16:57 via feedproxy.google.com
  Uncertainty about the global economy has reached a record high, according to a 20-country index.
  This development doesn't bode well for the stock-market comeback that bulls have been waiting for.
  In light of this, equity strategists at Goldman Sachs identified two sectors of the market and nearly a dozen US stocks that should withstand further weakness in the global economy. Investors hate uncertainty, and right now there are more unnerving questions than answers popping up everywhere they
  
  Read more

• Why brands need to realign with customers’ expectations

  22-01-2019 16:41
  The post Why brands need to realign with customers’ expectations appeared first on Marketing Week.
  
  Read more

• The Body Shop to turn its stores into ‘activist hubs’ to combat the high street decline

  22-01-2019 16:38
  The Body Shop is planning to turn its stores into “activist hubs” in order to overcome difficult trading conditions on the UK high street and attract more visitors to its shops.
  The cosmetics retailer has spent the past 18 months redefining its brand purpose with the aim of putting “activism at the heart of its brand strategy”. The Body Shop already had an activist branch within the company, which led on creating a new brand purpose, but it now wants to put this at the h
  
  Read more

• Billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer's Elliott Management revealed a $1.4 billion stake in eBay, and the stock is surging (EBAY)

  22-01-2019 16:31 via feedproxy.google.com
  eBay shares were up more than 9% Monday after the hedge fund Elliott Management on Tuesday revealed a $1.4 billion stake, good for more than 4% of the company.
  Elliott’s stake was revealed in an open letter that recommends a way to create value opportunity at eBay.
  The hedge fund proposed a five-step plan, which it says could value eBay at $55-$63 per share, representing upside of more than 75% to 100% from Tuesday's price.
  Watch eBay trade live.
  eBay was surging, up more than 9% Tuesday t
  
  Read more

• The cannabis producer Tilray is gaining ground after announcing plans to acquire cultivator Natura Naturals (TLRY)

  22-01-2019 16:16 via feedproxy.google.com
  Tilray on Tuesday announced plans to acquire Natura Naturals, the parent company of a licensed cannabis cultivator.
  Tilray began trading on the Nasdaq in July, becoming the first cannabis company to have an initial public offering in the US.Since then, the company sped up developing its cannabis business.
  Watch Tilray trade live.
  The Canadian marijuana-producer Tilray was ticking Tuesday, up 1%, after announcing plans to acquire Natura Naturals, the parent company of a licensed cultivator o
  
  Read more

• Employees at some of Silicon Valley's most valuable startups tell us that fears of a recession are throwing ice water on their IPO dreams

  22-01-2019 15:58 via feedproxy.google.com
  2019 was supposed to be a blockbuster year for tech companies going public — but the volatility of the public markets is making some employees at IPO-bound tech companies nervous. 
  We spoke to a current employee at Uber and a current employee at Airbnb. Both companies are expected to hold their long-awaited IPOs this year. 
  The Uber employee says that there's a lot of anxiety within the company over the company's valuation — conflicting reports have said that Uber could go
  
  Read more

• Instagram will become a $14 billion business for Facebook this year, analyst says (FB)

  22-01-2019 15:57 via feedproxy.google.com
  Instagram will be a major driver of Facebook's growth, as revenue from Facebook's core business is expected to slow in the coming years, according to Jefferies.
  Facebook is due to report quarterly earnings next Wednesday.Shares were up 13% this year but are still down 20% over the past 12 months.
  Watch Facebook trade live here.
  Instagram will most likely generate $14 billion in revenue this year and become an increasingly important driver for Facebook's growth, as the platform's core business is
  
  Read more

• Arconic crashes 25% after its board says it's no longer considering a sale (ARNC)

  22-01-2019 14:48 via feedproxy.google.com
  Arconic, the aluminum-products maker, crashed more than 25% after its board of directors said it is no longer pursing a sale.
  Arconic was separated from the new Alcoa on November 1, 2016.
  Since then, Arconic has dealt high aluminum prices and struggled to keep up with demand. 
  Watch Arconic trade live.
  Arconic, the aluminum-products maker, crashed 25% Tuesday morning after its board of directors said it is no longer pursing a sale of the company. Apollo had offered more than $10 billion, ac
  
  Read more

• The sale of passports to the super wealthy gives free reign to mobsters and money launderers, Europe warns

  22-01-2019 14:35 via feedproxy.google.com
  The European Union is set to advise member nations how to root out abuse when selling residence or citizenship, a practice that critics warn gives free reign to foreign criminals operating in Europe. 
  Brussels is specifically examining the "citizenship for sale" programs operated by Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria, the Financial Times reported.
  Some 20 EU countries, including the UK, Portugal and Spain, offer some level of residency to wealthy non-citizens.
  The European Union is set to advise me
  
  Read more

• Johnson & Johnson is sliding after guidance comes up short (JNJ)

  22-01-2019 14:29 via feedproxy.google.com
  Johnson & Johnson beat on both the top and bottom lines.
  But its 2019 full-year guidance fell short of Wall Street expectations.
  Shares were sliding early Tuesday.
  Watch Johnson & Johnson trade live. Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday reported better-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter. But shares were sliding, down 1.39%, as the company's 2019 full-year guidance fell short of Wall Street expectations.
  The pharmaceutical giant reported adjusted earnings of $1.97 a share
  
  Read more

• Five insights on Gen Z

  22-01-2019 14:00 via warc.com
  Gen Z is the demographic coming of age now: fluent in digital communications, socially aware, and more cautious online – they are quite different from millennials. Movement’s Sarah Cantillon explores what makes this generation...
  
  Read more

• Colin Lewis (Feb p21 PRINT ONLY): 99.99% of the smartest people don’t work for your brand

  22-01-2019 12:57
  Bill Joy, one of the founders of Sun Microsystems, framed the principle that “no matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else”. It became known as Joy’s Law.
  The implications are profound, especially as Joy was not talking about the old ‘war for talent’ trope. Even if you get the best and the brightest to work for you, there will always be an infinite number of other, smarter people employed by others.
  Joy was arguing for tapping networks of
  
  Read more

• Europe's mightiest river is drying up, most likely causing a recession in Germany. Yes, really.

  22-01-2019 12:40 via feedproxy.google.com
  Germany probably fell into recession at the end of 2018 as the country's dominant manufacturing sector faltered.
  That was most likely due at least in part to an unusual negative factor: a shockingly low water level in the Rhine river.
  The Rhine is crucial for German industry because it provides not only an avenue for the distribution of raw materials to German manufacturers but also a means of transporting finished goods to Europe's largest port, Rotterdam.
  Low water levels prevent certain boats
  
  Read more

• Europe's mightiest river is drying up, causing a recession in Germany. Yes, really.

  22-01-2019 12:40 via feedproxy.google.com
  Germany probably fell into recession at the end of 2018 as the country's dominant manufacturing sector faltered.
  That was likely down, in part at least, to an unusual negative factor: a shockingly low water level in the River Rhine.
  The Rhine is crucial for German industry because it not only provides an avenue for the distribution of raw materials to German manufacturers, but also a means of transporting finished goods to Europe's largest port, Rotterdam.
  Low water levels prevent certain boats
  
  Read more

• Marketoonist on the state of user experience design

  22-01-2019 11:21
  Tom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne
  See more of the Marketoonist here
  The post Marketoonist on the state of user experience design appeared first on Marketing Week.
  
  Read more

• Stocks slide after the IMF cut its forecast for global growth amid mounting concerns about the US-China trade war

  22-01-2019 10:33 via feedproxy.google.com
  Stocks around the world are sliding Tuesday after a gloomy global growth outlook from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) caused concern for investors.
  On Monday, the IMF released its latest forecasts for global GDP growth in the coming two years, and lowered both estimates from previous forecasts.
  Growth in 2019, the fund said, will be 3.5% globally, while next year it will come in at 3.6%.Stocks around the world fell, with major Chinese indexes losing in excess of 1%.
  You can follow the late
  
  Read more

• The world's CEOs are getting increasingly nervous about the state of the global economy, a major new survey shows

  22-01-2019 10:32 via feedproxy.google.com
  Global CEOs have become increasingly pessimistic about global economic growth in the past year and expect their businesses to suffer in the short to medium term as a result. 
  CEOs have traditionally seen the US as the most attractive place to invest, but it is close to losing that crown, with China and India rising rapidly in the rankings.
  CEOs are less concerned with threats like terrorism and global warming, and are instead trying to react to geopolitical uncertainty brought about by popu
  
  Read more

• These are the world's 16 most competitive nations for attracting and retaining entrepreneurs

  22-01-2019 09:49 via feedproxy.google.com
  A huge part of economic success for any nation is ensuring that the best possible talent is in place in key industries, and that it stays there.
  A survey from French business school INSEAD looked at four key categories for encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation: a nation's ability to enable, attract, grow, and retain entrepreneurship. 
  Major Western economies like the USA, Germany, and the UK are close to the top of the list, but smaller nations such as Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Sin
  
  Read more

• Centaur Marketing rebrands as XEIM to help customers achieve ‘excellence in marketing’

  22-01-2019 09:00
  Marketing Week owner Centaur is rebranding its marketing business as XEIM as it looks to bring together its market-leading brands and help customers achieve “excellence in marketing”.
  XEIM will bring together brands including Marketing Week, Creative Review, Design Week, Econsultancy, the Festival of Marketing, the Marketing Week Mini-MBA, Oystercatchers, Fashion Monitor, Year Ahead, Foresight News, Influencer Intelligence, MarketMakers and Really B2B. The name is derived from
  
  Read more

• Why Eve’s CMO made the move from big corporate to the startup world

  22-01-2019 08:00
  Eve’s CMO Cheryl Calverley.The trend for senior marketers moving from big corporates to the startup world is accelerating. The convergence of these two worlds makes sense as startups hoping to drive their companies forward and professionalise their marketing meet senior marketers, hungry for the chance to experience all aspects of business and supercharge their growth.
  Take Sainsbury’s former marketing director Sarah Warby, who last January was appointed chief growth officer at start
  
  Read more

• WARC Media Awards: Tech winners announced

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  A campaign by Energy BBDO for the National Safety Council in the US to raise awareness ofprescription opioid overdose has won the Grand Prix in the Effective Use of Tech category in the 2018 WARC Media Awards.The Effective Use of Tech category...
  
  Read more

• The daily commute to work becomes a shopping trip

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  UK commuters shopping on their smartphones as they travel to work spend almost £23 billion a year, new research has calculated.An individual commuter’s average spend is £89 a week, amounting to a total of £22.8 billion a...
  
  Read more

• Old-time real-time advertising

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Twice in the last couple of months, the airline industry has conspired with the forces of nature to take me on an unexpected detour. And on each occasion, I kept running into advertising platforms that I’d long since forgotten but which,...
  
  Read more

• News meets data at the New York Times

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  The New York Times is using machine learning to inform all aspects of its business, from aiding newsroom decision-making to understanding why people stop subscribing.Chris Wiggins, the news organization’s chief data scientist, addressed this...
  
  Read more

• La Liga shoots for the Indian market

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Spain’s La Liga, the country’s leading association football league, is aiming to win more fans in India and boost viewing figures into the bargain.All that stands in the way is England’s mighty Premier League, by far and away the...
  
  Read more

• Granularity and scale: why Amazon ads are making an impression

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Amazon’s advertising business offers brands and agencies a degree of insight that is not afforded to rival tech giants and which is “insanely powerful”, according to a VP at a venture capital firm.John Denny of CAVU Venture...
  
  Read more

• China's consumers spend more but GDP growth slows

  22-01-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Spending by consumers in the world’s second-biggest economy was up 6.2% last year, official figures show, but this growth was overshadowed by the slowdown in the country’s GDP figures for the fourth quarter of 2018.Economic growth fell...
  
  Read more

Follow @sales_mrktinguk on Twitter!