BlackBerry Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben at the BlackBerry Live keynote session this week.
(Credit:
Brian Bennett/CNET)
ORLANDO, Fla. — When Frank Boulben joined BlackBerry a year ago as its chief marketing officer, he found a company whose reputation with the public was in shambles.
To make matters worse, its marketing strategy was in complete disarray. Each country or region had their own version of a BlackBerry campaign, complete with different agencies and creative processes. Even within the same region, campaigns [...]
How BlackBerry is fixing its once ‘broken’ brand
BlackBerry Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben at the BlackBerry Live keynote session this week.
(Credit:
Brian Bennett/CNET)
ORLANDO, Fla. — When Frank Boulben joined BlackBerry a year ago as its chief marketing officer, he found a company whose reputation with the public was in shambles.
To make matters worse, its marketing strategy was in complete disarray. Each country or region had their own version of a BlackBerry campaign, complete with different agencies and creative processes. Even within the same region, campaigns [...]
‘I feel so humble’ – the common cry of heroes and villains | Julian Baggini
Saints and sinners of the world unite: you have nothing to lose but your pride. That would appear to be the message sent by the odd assortment of heroes and villains who have all claimed to have been humbled in recent times. This week Chris Huhne described his trial and imprisonment as “a humbling and sobering experience”. He follows in the footsteps of the similarly repentant Rupert Murdoch, who described his day of interrogation by MPs as “the most humble day of my life”.
Yet at the same time, others have been pr [...]
Sussex complete victory at Derby
Sussex made short work of Derbyshire on the final day as they completed a convincing nine-wicket victory.
It took the visitors only 7.5 overs to polish off Derbyshire’s second innings, bowling them out for 219.
Pace bowler Steve Magoffin caught Richard Johnson off James Anyon (3-46) and then took the last two wickets himself to finish with figures of 4-44.
Sussex opener Chris Nash went for a duck, but needing only 41 to win, they hurried home on 43-1 in the sixth over.
Opener Luke Wells ended the match with s [...]
Phones ‘used like digital dummies’
17 May 2013
Last updated at 10:09 ET
By Hannah Richardson
BBC News, in Birmingham
Children and teenagers who use electronic devices at night can be too tired to learn, say heads
Computers and smartphones have become a “digital dummy” used by parents to pacify their children, says a head teachers’ leader.
National Association of Head Teachers’ president Bernadette Hunter said children were left unmonitored in their rooms at night playing on elect [...]
Cannes 2013: Harvey Weinstein presents autumn preview … but remains the star
Around Oscar time this year, cheeky host Seth Macfarlane noted that the race being now run, and the winners and losers more or less apparent, thousands of dejected actresses were at least spared the burden of saying they found Harvey Weinstein attractive. But on Friday night here in Cannes, the cyclical business of finding Harvey sexy – for both men and women – began again in a big way as the great man unveiled his slate of upcoming projects at his annual party at the Majestic Hotel.
At this same bash last year, things were far more subdu [...]
Laudrup targets Michu strike partner
Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup says he wants to sign another striker to help share the goalscoring burden with Michu next season.
The 27-year-old signed as an attacking midfielder last July but mainly played up-front, finding the net 22 times.
Spaniard Michu, a
£2.2m signing from Rayo Vallecano,
picked up four prizes at
Swansea’s annual awards dinner.
“Without him we would have been struggling, he’s been so important, goals are important,” said Laudrup.
“We cannot think [...]
Building Solar in Spain Instead of Germany Could Save Billions
Siemens says it would make sense to build solar power plants in sunny countries in Europe rather than in cloudy ones. And wind turbines should be built in windy places.
These blindingly obvious suggestions run contrary to what’s actually happening. For example, a solar panel in Spain generates about twice as much electricity as the same-size solar panel in Germany because the sun shines on it more (here’s an graphic). But last year nearly half of all solar panels installed in Europe were installed in Germany, and only a small fraction we [...]
North Korea fires short-range missiles from east coast
North Korea has fired three short-range Scud missiles from its east coast, amid diplomatic efforts to ease tensions over the state’s nuclear programme.
Two missiles were launched on Saturday morning and another in the afternoon according to the South Korean defence ministry.
North Korea routinely tests such missiles, which can hit targets in South Korea. But the latest launches could signal a re-ignition of tension on the Korean peninsula, which ran high for several weeks following the imposition of tougher UN sanctions after Pyon [...]
Marquez quickest in Le Mans practice
Championship leader Marc Marquez posted the quickest lap in third practice at Le Mans for the French MotoGP race.
Marquez was the only rider to beat Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa’s fastest time from Friday practice.
Pedrosa
won in Jerez last time out,
but finished third fastest and half a second behind Marquez on Saturday.
MotoGP standings
Marc Marquez
– 61 points
Dani Pedrosa
– 58 points
Jorge Lorenzo
– 57 points
Valentino Ros [...]
Google Scolded on Taxes by British MPs
In what likely amounts to a combination of headline-chasing and genuine frustration, members of the British Parliament sounded off this week on Google and the company’s tax practices.
Margaret Hodge, chair of the public accounts committee, told Matt Brittin, Google’s northern Europe boss, that Google’s behavior on taxes was “devious” and “unethical.”
She added, for posterity, that Google does indeed “do evil,” a reference to Google’s longstanding motto, “Don’t be evil [...]
French same-sex marriage law signed by François Hollande
The French president, François Hollande, has signed a law authorising same-sex couples to marry and adopt children, after months of street protests, political slanging matches and a rise in homophobic attacks.
The move makes France the ninth country in Europe and the 14th globally to legalise same-sex marriage.
France’s official journal announced on Saturday that the bill had become law after the Constitutional Council rejected a challenge by the rightwing opposition on Friday.
The first same-sex marriage is due to be held in Montpe [...]
Ireland fly-half O’Gara retires
Ireland and Munster fly-half Ronan O’Gara will take up a coaching role with Racing Metro next season after announcing his retirement on Saturday.
The 36-year-old has been capped 128 times by Ireland and toured with the Lions on three occasions.
O’Gara made 240 appearances for Munster, winning two Heineken Cups and scoring 2,625 points.
O’Gara is set to become Metro’s kicking coach and will work alongside Irish fly-half Jonathan Sexton.
Leinster fly-half Sexton will move to the French outfit at [...]