Author: Scott Dylan

Card Factory has announced its strategic entry into the US market with the successful acquisition of Minnesota-based Garven Holdings.The deal, valued at $25 million (£20m), marks a significant step in Card Factory’s international expansion plans.Garven Holdings, known for its brands Garven Design and Cadence Packaging, will offer Card Factory new opportunities in the £70bn US celebration market.With Anne Schulze and Walter Jungbauer remaining in leadership roles, the transition is set to be seamless.The acquisition supports Card Factory’s strategic aim to enhance its international partnerships.Card Factory has firmly positioned itself within the US market by acquiring Garven Holdings for $25 million…

Frasers Group has revised its profit expectations for the year as sales fall 8%, due to reduced consumer confidence.Pre-tax profits dropped significantly by 33%, affected by currency exchange rates and a decrease in the share price of Hugo Boss.Adjusted pre-tax profits also faced a downturn, slipping by 1.5% amidst challenging market conditions.Sales were notably impacted across all divisions, with a 20% decrease in financial services revenue and an 8.4% drop in the retail segment.Amid the challenging outlook, the property portfolio emerged as a bright spot, marking a 21% sales increase.Frasers Group has adjusted its profit outlook for the current fiscal…

New research by the Bar Council highlights significant income and career progression gaps between barristers of different ethnicities, with White barristers earning substantially more than their Black and Asian colleagues.The study reveals that the median earnings for White barristers are 54% higher than those for Black barristers and 32% higher than for Asian barristers. This stark income disparity underscores the ongoing challenges faced by ethnic minority barristers in the profession.The research also examined conversion rates from pupillage to tenancy, revealing that only 67% of Black pupils secured tenancy directly from pupillage compared to 82% of White pupils. While this gap…

Simon Hunt, an experienced figure in the spirits industry, has been appointed as the new chief executive of Campari Group, succeeding interim co-CEOs Paolo Marchesini and Fabio Di Fede.Having accumulated over 30 years in the premium and luxury spirits sector, Simon Hunt assumes leadership at Campari Group at a pivotal moment of growth. His tenure in the industry includes 14 influential years at William Grant & Sons, where he rose through the ranks from President and Managing Director of North America to ultimately serving as CEO until 2020.Simon Hunt’s career also includes significant roles at major drinks corporations. At Diageo,…

Porridge and granola will soon join a list of food items banned from advertising in the UK, following a government initiative aimed at tackling childhood obesity.In a significant move, the UK government has announced a sweeping ban on advertisements for certain foods deemed ‘unhealthy’. This legislation, set to take effect on television before 9 pm from 1 October 2025, targets a range of products including porridge, granola, ready meals, stuffed pasta, oat-based cereals, confectionery, and a variety of snacks such as crisps, pretzels, and salted popcorn.The decision, underpinned by a desire to combat rising obesity rates, uses a scoring system…

Discover the latest trend in gifting with the launch of exciting event gift cards, perfect for the holiday season.In a shift away from material presents, experiences like concerts and festivals are becoming more popular gifts, thanks to new offerings from event platforms.As research highlights a rising preference among millennials and Gen Z for experience-based gifts, new ticketing options cater to this trend.Gift cards offer dual benefits by enhancing consumer flexibility and providing event organisers with new revenue streams.With seamless purchasing and redeeming processes, event gift cards simplify gifting while boosting ticket sales for organisers.As the festive season approaches, a notable…

Social-first agency Campfire has analysed the Christmas adverts of 2024 with its social listening tool, VibeCheck.Tesco emerged victorious in the advertising sphere, though Lidl’s conventional approach was a close second with no negative feedback.Boots faced criticism for its non-traditional advert, which was largely disliked according to viewer comments.John Lewis’s emotional narrative received mixed sentiments, highlighting both its appeal and complexity.Coca-Cola’s AI-driven campaign failed to resonate, with a significant portion of negative reactions.A detailed analysis of the 2024 Christmas adverts by Campfire, using their VibeCheck social listening tool, gives valuable insights into audience reactions. The tool effectively categorises social media comments…

Lucky Socks Media has secured a significant partnership with Planet Sport for a season-long video content deal.The Manchester-based agency will provide quiz-based entertainment content for Planet Sport’s football title.Content will be distributed across social media platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.The collaboration has already achieved over 10 million views and substantial engagement.Both parties express optimism about continued growth and innovation.Lucky Socks Media, a digital agency founded by former BBC executive Stuart Rowson in 2023, has entered into a pivotal partnership with Planet Sport. This season-long agreement focuses on creating interactive, quiz-based video content for Planet Football, a prominent feature of…

Recent developments highlight a trend among supermarkets and brands to engage shoppers with festive promotions for Christmas 2024. Several grocery retailers have introduced innovative advent calendar schemes designed to enhance customer loyalty and drive in-store traffic.M&S has announced the discontinuation of its ’12 Days of Sparks’ initiative. Initially launched two years ago, this digital advent calendar was intended to offer customers discounts and free goods through the Sparks app. Despite a challenging start in 2022 due to customer dissatisfaction with the gifts and app issues, the scheme saw significant improvement in 2023, with millions of engagements. However, the retailer has…

In a significant shift, M&S has decided to discontinue its festive advent calendar, ’12 Days of Sparks’, sparking interest in what other retailers have planned for Christmas 2024.In 2023, M&S’s ’12 Days of Sparks’ was met with a warm reception, with more than 6 million doors opened within the first five days. Customers were eager to participate, especially with the chance to win a £10,000 gift card. However, despite its previous success, M&S has chosen to discontinue the initiative, as confirmed by Sharry Cramond, the M&S Food marketing and loyalty director.Meanwhile, Morrisons has introduced its ’12 Days of Christmas’ promotion,…