Moscow McDonalds shuttered as Russian government intervenes August 20, 2014 THE RUSSIAN government closed down four McDonalds outlets in Moscow yesterday, following a round of sanctions against western agricultural products. The government said that the closures, which included the first McDonalds ever opened in the country, were due to unsanitary conditions discovered by the Russian public health authority. The Russian arm of McDonalds said in [...]
The UBS rebrand: CMO Johan Jervoe talks art and Annie Leibovitz September 6, 2015 Following the financial crisis, banks have struggled to clean up their public image. But last week, the Swiss banking giant UBS began a global brand relaunch, its first since 2009. The campaign will be 70 per cent digital, and feature photographs by American portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz, as well as a 90 second [...]
Russia clamps down with 200 new McDonald’s investigations October 20, 2014 Russia has stepped up its action against restaurant chain McDonald’s, with 200 new investigations into the fast food outlet on various grounds. In the wake of sanctions on President Putin’s nation following his intervention in the conflict in Ukraine earlier this year, Russia clamped down on a number of restaurants in Moscow over poor hygiene [...]
Fifa arrests: Visa threatens to withdraw sponsorship as pressure increases May 28, 2015 Visa has become the first Fifa sponsor to threaten terminating its support for football's scandal-hit governing body. The financial services giant said "we will reassess our sponsorship" if Fifa does not make immediate changes to its conduct following the arrest of a number of top officials on bribery and racketeering charges brought by the US Department of [...]
Smile! You’re on my bodycam April 14, 2015 THE CITY’S traffic wardens are to get a new weapon in the war on illegal Square Mile parking. From next month the wardens – civil enforcement officers in the jargon – are to be armed with the latest in body-worn camera surveillance (Bodycams). The move follows a rise in the number and ferocity of abuse being [...]
Still lovin’ it? McDonald’s shows why a minimum wage hike is no free lunch October 27, 2014 McDonald's has been a major target for US protestors advocating a significant minimum wage hike. A multi-billion dollar company with a recognisable global brand, it has faced a high-profile campaign from those frustrated with low wage rates. Mandating higher wages for McDonald’s workers would not lead to job losses or cuts to hours, protestors argued. [...]
Fifa crisis: Massive broadcasting revenues ignored by fans targeting sponsors for reform May 29, 2015 After a number of top Fifa officials were arrested on accusations of bribery and racketeering this week, the already considerable pressure on Fifa's multinational sponsors was cranked up a notch by fans eager for reform. Companies such as Visa, Coca-Cola and McDonald's, who have their names visibly attached to Fifa's competitions, have all felt compelled to [...]
Halfords pedals to £1bn revenue after cycle boom June 5, 2015 HALFORDS recorded revenue in excess of £1bn in the year to the end of March thanks to strong sales in both its car and cycle businesses, sending shares higher in trading yesterday. The retailer posted an 11.4 per cent rise in full-year profit to £84.1m on an 6.8 per cent rise in revenue to £1.004bn. [...]
McDonald’s pulls the plug on chicken nuggets in Hong Kong July 25, 2014 McDonald's has had to withdraw thousands of chicken nuggets from sale in Hong Kong after revealing it had been using ingredients from a supplier at the epicentre of a Chinese food-hygiene scare. Shanghai Husi Food has been embroiled in the scandal since last Sunday when a television programme containing footage of employees using out-of-date meat and re-adding [...]
Charles Stanley’s £6m swing into the red June 18, 2015 Wealth management firm Charles Stanley started the arduous task of trying to turn around the business yesterday after revealing a £6m full year loss. The company, which traces its roots back about 200 years, saw a £6.1m profit last year evaporate to a £6.1m loss for the year ending March 2015, due to higher staff [...]