Most read stories in advertising, marketing, media and PR (25 Nov - 1 Dec 2012)

In the lead-up to its busiest trading period Thomas Cook is facing a crisis after the travel operator ditched its post Christmas ad campaign without a replacement lined up.

Starbucks is another brand in disarray after the controversy over its tax arrangements has seen its consumer satisfaction scores plunge on social media. The coffee chain is taking heed of criticisms and has now opened discussions with HMRC about its tax structure.

Asda received a welcome boost last week when a survey of mums by the Netmums website found that the Asda ad was the second most popular Christmas campaign, despite headlines about the ad being ‘sexist’. 

Clearcast has riled SodaStream by banning its £11m campaign two hours before it was due to debut last week, leading the drinks company to launch a protest TV ad.

The new ad features a black screen, with the words: "If you love the bubbles set them free" and directs viewers to YouTube where the banned ad can still be seen.

Meanwhile, Facebook has fallen foul of privacy groups who have written an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg asking for the withdrawal of changes to user privacy settings and data collection.

In less controversial news, Heineken International is holding a global pitch in order to find an agency to create a new digital platform for the Heineken beer brand.

Media agencies were interested to hear news that Gerry Boyle is preparing to step aside from his role as chief executive of ZenithOptimedia, the agency he has been at for more than 13 years.

In the PR world, two of the best-known communications directors in Britain, Paddy Harverson and D-J Collins, resigned from Clarence House and Google respectively, to launch a London-based comms agency for corporate clients and high net-worth individuals.

McDonald’s is looking to lure Christmas shoppers into its restaurants with the launch of its festive menu with a TV campaign starring a postman braving the elements.

The burger chain could soon face increased competition as it emerged Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone is preparing to move into fast food by bringing Five Guys, Obama’s favourite burger joint, to Britain.

EE, the 4G mobile network, looks set to continue splashing the cash by signing up as naming partner of Wembley Stadium in a deal that could see it fork out £8m a year.

 

The top 10 most shared stories on Twitter

1. Mother names their newborn baby ‘Hashtag’, The Wall
2. Starbucks' social-media sentiment hit by tax backlash, Marketing
3. A Twitter infographic: Learn to Tweet smarter, not harder [infographic], The Wall
4. Why digital marketing strategies fail, The Wall
5. Top 10 Christmas ads 2012, as voted by mums, Campaign
6. The growth of the Top 20 Social Networks [infographic], The Wall
7. Leveson Report – what are the implications for social media?, The Wall
8. Twitter has phenomenal relationship with TV and would be ‘poorer’ without it,The Wall
9. Social business, what works and what doesn’t, The Wall
10. Roger Federer cheesy Moet & Chandon pic, Brand Republic     

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