Can Ikea spark a UK shopping centre revival?
Matthew ValentineFollowing its £170m acquisition of the Kings Mall in London’s Hammersmith, Ikea is on a mission to rejuvenate UK retail. But what does this mean for the wider shopping centre sector?
Reality bites: Retailers count the cost of Christmas past
Matthew ValentineDoes the latest retail carnage on UK high streets mean the sector has hit rock bottom? A hardening of attitudes to discounting may show that reality has started to bite.
How Lastminute.com hustled its way into travel’s top flight
Matthew ValentineThe Inside Story: On a mission to break the mould, Lastminute.com’s guerrilla-style marketing and fierce challenger brand mentality, laced with lashings of humour, helped disrupt the travel industry forever.
3 questions I wish I’d asked as a junior marketer: KFC’s Meghan Farren
Matthew ValentineIt was an unorthodox career path that led Meghan Farren to become CMO of KFC UK and Ireland, which is why she believes being bold enough to take calculated risks can pay off in the long run.
Why design and marketing should become strategic partners
Matthew ValentineBrands across the marketing spectrum are reaping the rewards of joining forces with design at the start of the strategic process.
Return on engagement: Why John Lewis and Diageo are turning to personalisation
Matthew ValentineBrands including John Lewis and Diageo claim personalised products drive sales – and not just at Christmas – but those who judge success by ROI may be missing the point.
The rise of effectiveness and the dawn of Uber: Marketing moments of the decade, part II
Matthew ValentineIn the next installment of Marketing Week’s look back at the moments that defined the decade, we examine the rise of effectiveness, the dawn of Uber and the Netflix effect.
3 questions I wish I’d asked as a junior marketer: Birds Eye’s Steve Challouma
Matthew ValentineAchieving an outward-looking approach to his work has been a big focus for Birds Eye marketing director, Steve Challouma, who having spent more than two decades in the industry has learned how to channel shyness into creative firepower.
Trends 2020: The ghost of Brexit Future haunts brands and consumers
Matthew ValentineUncertainty over the shape of Brexit continues to make planning hard for brands and consumers, with skills shortages hitting companies facing the prospect of EU tariffs.
From the climate crisis to Brexit: Why brands are refusing to play it safe
Matthew ValentineAmid a cultural backdrop of climate emergency, Brexit chaos and fears over gun violence in the US, brands are increasingly deciding to take a stand, rather than play it safe.
Recommended reading: Confusion culture and meeting consumers’ ‘raw needs’
Matthew ValentineMarketing Week reviews the latest books and blogs for marketers.
Risk and reward: How retail brands are managing returns
Matthew ValentineA normal part of doing business or an expense crippling the bottom line, the issue of returns is climbing up the retail agenda as brands deliberate how to tackle repeat offenders.
The rental economy: ‘It’s not a trend, it’s a movement’
Matthew ValentineTired of a throwaway culture based on cheap products, shoppers are increasingly opting to rent products, from fashion to furniture, in their search for sustainable solutions that suit modern attitudes to ownership.
Why alternative job titles prove marketing is not the ‘colouring-in department’
Matthew ValentineDoes the plethora of new titles for senior marketing roles reflect a change in the nature of marketing, or is it a case of window dressing gone wild?
Social selling site Depop on why quantity is the key to quality
Matthew ValentinePeer-to-peer social selling Depop is convinced that its content strategy of ‘reposting the coolest shit’ is the secret to engaging Gen Z shoppers.