Posts made in June, 2014

on Jun 28, 2014

By Cameron Clarke Andy Murray’s mother Judy is in line to net at least £70,000 in Wimbledon sponsorship deals, according to reports. That figure, quoted by the Telegraph and the Evening Standard, would leave even some of the championships’ players feeling envious. Mrs Murray, who works with Andy’s PR firm IMG, enjoys endorsement deals with Head, Robinsons squash and Lavazza. “Judy Murray is becoming a significant personality in her own right,” Brand Rapport’s Nigel Currie told the Telegraph. Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 28, 2014

By Cameron Clarke Two Scottish confectionery firms have won a landmark tax ruling after successfully arguing that their snowballs should be classed as cakes. Lees of Scotland and Tunnock’s appealed to the First Tier Tax Tribunal to challenge HM Revenue and Customs’ decision that the snowball product should not enjoy the same VAT exemption as tea cakes. The tribunal had to consider whether the snowball bore the same characteristics that an ordinary customers would recognise as a cake, and were presented with plate of Jaffa Cakes, Bakewell tarts, tea cakes, Lees Snowballs, Waitrose meringues and mini jam snow cakes to help them make up their Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 28, 2014

By Cameron Clarke Royal Bank of Scotland is to invest more than £1bn over the next three years to improve digital banking and modernise its branches with iPads and free Wi-Fi. The bank announced the investment after its chairman, Philip Hampton, told shareholders on Wednesday that its branch transactions had fallen by 30 per cent over the last three years while online and mobile transactions had risen by 230 per cent. “Our customers’ needs are rapidly changing, they want to bank day-to-day in the most convenient ways available,” said Les Matheson, head of UK retail operations at RBS. The upgrades will allow customers to do more Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 28, 2014

By Cameron Clarke Wonga is facing a further crisis PR battle as City of London Police confirmed it will reconsider opening a criminal investigation against the company. The controversial payday lender had previously been spared police scrutiny as the force left the financial regulator to conduct its own investigations. However now the Financial Conduct Authority’s work has concluded, City of London Police has said it will be “reassessing whether a criminal investigation is now appropriate”. Wonga sent letters from non-existent law firms to customers in arrears between 2008 and 2010. The Law Society has called for police to investigate. Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Jun 28, 2014

By Paul Frampton The dust has settled and the hangovers have finally diminished, so what did we really learn from Cannes Lions? Paul Frampton, CEO at Havas Media, takes a comprehensive look at the key themes that emerged on La Croisette this year. Read full story › Source: The Drum...