Category: Business

Corporate blog supports Cisco in iPhone lawsuit

Cisco yesterday announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Apple, “to prevent Apple from infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco’s registered iPhone trademark.” For communicators it is expecially interesting to check out how Cisco uses its corporate blog to support the official press release. In the blog, Mark Chandler, Cisco’s SVP and General Counsel, is able to add pathos to the story, appealing to the emotions of the audience. Apple on the other hand does not have an official corporate blog to my knowledge which could be a disadvantage at this stage. Advantage Cisco.

[Via WSJ Law Blog.]

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The SEC opens up for corporate blogs in investor relations

Jonathan Schwartz, the chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems, suggested to the SEC that his corporate blog could be used as an approved channel to disclose corporate information. Although the response is not entirely positive, the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox leaves the door open for further discussion, according to CFO.com.

“The Commission encourages the use of websites as a source of information to the market and investors, and we welcome your offer to further discuss with us your views in this area,” Cox wrote.

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Sleep with the best in Scandinavia

Can you say no? Several bloggers, including me, have reacted to sexist ads from Radisson SAS hotels. The ads had slogans like “It’s easy to sleep with the best in Scandinavia” and “Can you say no?”, accompanied by photos of a seductive woman on a bed. Now ERK, the ethical board against sexually discriminative advertising, has brought its verdict that these ads are discriminative and insulting to women in general, and therefore breaking the ICC rules for advertising.

“Den aktuella kampanjen objektifierar enligt rådet kvinnor genom att den koppling som finns mellan bilden av en kvinna eller en man och rubriken. Anspelningen på prostituerade är enligt rådet klar och annonserna ger vid en hastig blick bilden av att det är kvinnan som betraktaren skall eller kan sova med. Härigenom förmedlar annonserna ett budskap som är kränkande och därmed diskriminerande för både män och kvinnor i allmänhet. Annonserna strider därför mot ICC:s grundregler för reklam.”

In its statement the board says that the ads allude to prostitutes. The ad in question can be seen here.

Via Martin Jönsson and Bisonblog.

Corporate blogs to double in 2006

JupiterResearch say that “deployment of corporate blogs will double in 2006”. According to their research 35 percent of large companies plan to launch corporate blogs this year. In addition to the existing 34 percent, “nearly 70 percent of all site operators will have implemented corporate blogs by the end of 2006”. I find that a little hard to believe, but I haven’t seen the research behind the numbers.

The report also says that “currently 64 percent of executives spend less than $500,000 to deploy and manage corporate Weblogs”. I’m not sure how to interpret those numbers but you must admit that you get a little curious about how 36 percent manage to spend above $500,000 when these babies are practically a no-cost communications channel.

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The world’s most powerful brands

Marketing research organisation Millward Brown Optimor launches a new global brand ranking of the world’s most powerful brands and thereby beats Interbrand’s classic brand league table by a couple of months. Millward is owned by WPP, while Interbrand are belong to arch-rival, Interpublic.

Top ten according to Millward are ($m):

1. Microsoft – 62,039
2. GE – 55,834
3. Coca-Cola – 41,406
4. China Mobile – 39,168
5. Marlboro – 38,510
6. Wal-Mart – 37,567
7. Google – 37,445
8. IBM – 36,084
9. Citibank – 31,028
10. Toyota – 30,201

Four out of ten are not on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands for 2005 ($m):

1 Coca-Cola 67,525
2 Microsoft 59,941
3 IBM 53,376
4 GE 46,996
5 Intel 35,588
6 Nokia 26,452
7 Disney 26,441
8 McDonald’s 26,014
9 Toyota 24,837
10 Marlboro 21,189