As I am in the market for a new mobile phone I have been looking at models currently available and due soon. For various reasons I think I would like one which operates on the Google Android operating system and have been using Sony Ericsson phones for a few years so one which is of […]
Toyota have been in the news a lot over the past week with publicity about the international recall of vehicles potentially affected by sticking accelerator pedals. It has been an interesting issue of managing corporate reputation during a crisis situation so I thought I would share some of my thoughts about it. There have been […]
Everyone else is talking about it, so I might as well do the same! I am interested in the iPad as a marketer – it has to be said that Apple have been very successful in creating products which have broad market appeal, and are certainly profitable with the announced 50% increase in profits for […]
SPA Professional Academy are delighted to be accredited for this recently updated qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. The Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing is a specialist award which introduces the key concepts and principles of services marketing applied to the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. We will be launching courses for this […]
In a House of Commons Science and Technology Committee enquiry the professional standards director for Boots, Paul Bennett may have had a Gerald Ratner moment, telling the committee that Boots have no scientific evidence that Homeopathic remedies work, but they sell them because customers want to buy them. Gerald Ratner is infamous for his remark […]
Not strictly SPA Professional Academy, but a student I taught in Kiev at the International Institute of Business was yesterday presented with the award for the top International Student for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Post-Graduate Diploma Managing Marketing Performance module. Congratulations to Natalia for her success – it is a great achievement for […]
For the first time since the 1950’s M&S are to sell branded products rather than just their own St Michael products. This represents a major change in branding strategy for the retailer. Over recent years the retailer have gradually introduced some additional brands, starting with Per Una and Autograph in their clothing department, and then […]
There are two interesting, but possibly contrasting, stories are in the news today from the motor industry in terms of the economic situation and how it is affecting two companies. Firstly, the good news comes from GM who have decided not to sell their European business due to “an improving business environment for GM over […]
At the CIM Yorkshire and Humberside Celebration Evening in Leeds last night one of our students was awarded Student of the Year for CIM Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in the region. Our congratulations go to Alice for the recognition of the determination she showed through her studies, for which the award is well deserved. In addtion […]
Whilst in Kiev at the weekend teaching CIM Chartered Post-Graduate Diploma I saw posters for “McFoxy” with a picture of cooked chicken on it. I thought it might be a new variation of McDonalds food but didn’t understand where the Foxy bit came in. However, when walking through a shopping centre I saw this place, […]
Interesting to see that Apple are ending their exclusive distribution deal with O2 for the iPhone in the UK. This week Apple have announced that the iPhone will be available on both the Orange and Vodafone networks. For the last two years the exclusive deal has meant that pricing of the handset could be controlled […]
As an avid fan of motorsport I have been following the recent investigation into alleged cheating by the Renault F1 team. Whilst there are many issues at stake in this, not all of which are as logical as the FIA as governing body of Formula One would like us to believe, one thing which is […]
