The Bottom Line

BBC Radio 4
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Oct 19, 2023 • 33min

Rebranding

Elon Musk’s decision to rename Twitter ‘X’ has been met with confusion, and in some cases even anger, but where does it rank amongst the best and worst rebrands?Evan Davis and guests discuss the complexity of changing a company or product name, logo and message, the reasons for doing it, and how to make it a success.These overhauls can be risky, though, and failure expensive – the panel discusses one the UK’s textbook rebranding disasters.Evan is joined by:Lee Rolston, chief growth officer at Jones Knowles Ritchie; Caroline Wiertz, professor of marketing at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) – City, University of London; Amanda Mackenzie, former chief marketing and communications officer at Aviva; Keith Wells, founder and director of Brandwell.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: The new ‘X’ logo displayed on a smartphone with the old Twitter logo in the background. Credit: Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.)
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Oct 12, 2023 • 29min

Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis

Demis Hassabis, Co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind, discusses Google's answer to ChatGPT and AI's breakthroughs, but also its downsides, including potential human extinction. He explores his journey from chess player to AI creator and the transformative breakthroughs in driverless cars and protein structure prediction. The podcast also covers legal issues surrounding AI, DeepMind's unique innovation culture, and Google's use of AI in various products.
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Oct 5, 2023 • 29min

Tradespeople

From plumbers to electricians, plasterers to builders, most of us need to hire a trader at some point. But what's it like to work in the industry, and how has it been affected by changes such as Brexit, the pandemic and inflation? How should you go about finding a trader who is trustworthy and will deliver quality work? In recent decades, going into a 'trade' has not been as strongly encouraged as to going to university, but tradespeople of all kinds are in short supply, so what is being done to encourage more young people to take up a trowel or pick up a drill? Evan Davis and guests discuss.CONTRIBUTORSChris Day - Electrician, Mayday Electrical Solutions Ltd.Kalece Okusanya - Decorator - Suave Property Care Will Davies - Co founder , Aspect Property Maintenance Tim Balcon - CEO, Construction Industry Training BoardPeter Gordon - ListenerPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball Editor: China Collins Sound: Tim Heffer and Graham Puddifoot Prod. Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
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Sep 28, 2023 • 29min

Back to the office

Many employers say they are desperate to get staff back into the office more often, but what's the best and fairest way to wean employees off remote working?As companies from tech to banking grapple with this issue, Evan Davis and guests discuss the productivity pros and cons, the impact on company culture and career progression, and the future of the office space itself. With many staff reluctant to give up the flexibility of remote working, is a hybrid model the answer to keeping them happy and how many office days each week should you go for? Plus, where do employees stand legally on return to the office requests, and what happens when workers simply refuse to comply?Evan is joined by:Kelly Beaver, CEO of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland; Stephen White, Chief Operating Officer of Santander UK; Ranjit Dhindsa, head of employment at Fieldfisher; and Nicholas Bloom, professor of economics, Stanford University.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: A businessman staring out of the window of an empty conference room. Credit: Chris Ryan/Getty Images)
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Jul 27, 2023 • 29min

Does Funny Sell?

Is humour the most effective way to get your product noticed? If so, why does it seem that the use of comedy in advertising is in decline? Recent research by Kantar found that 90% of consumers were more likely to remember and purchase a brand if the advert made them smile. So why the downturn? Are multi-national brands looking for a one size fits all approach, or are brands frightened of offending potential customers? Evan Davis and guests discuss.PRESENTER: Evan Davis GUESTSRory Sutherland, VP, Ogilvy UKLucy Greeves, Author and Creative StrategistDom Dwight, Marketing Director, Taylors of Harrogate and Yorkshire TeaADVERT CLIP: Yorkshire Tea - Induction Training with Sean Bean Courtesy of Taylors of Harrogate, Yorkshire Tea Creative: Lucky Generals Advertising AgencyPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinator: Brenda BrownThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University
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Jul 20, 2023 • 30min

What next for water?

England’s water companies are under fire – there’s public anger over sewage spills and leaks, and now regulators and government ministers are worried some of them are drowning in too much debt. So what’s gone wrong, and who will pay the price of fixing the industry?On the face of it, running a water company seems like a licence to print money – there’s guaranteed revenue, and no competition – but there’s a lot of infrastructure to build and maintain, and strict targets that are getting even tougher and more expensive to hit as environmental concerns grow. Many of England’s water firms have taken on very high levels of debt, but have they used it to invest, or pay off their shareholders? And does the regulator, Ofwat, have questions to answer for strangling spending on improvements in a bid to keep customer prices low?Evan Davis is joined by:Nicola Shaw, CEO, Yorkshire Water; Sir Ian Byatt, Ofwat Director General from 1989 to 2000; Verity Mitchell, UK analyst at Global Water Intelligence.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Mike Woolley Production co-ordinator: Brenda BrownProduced in partnership with The Open University.
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Jul 13, 2023 • 29min

Business on 'the box'

From The Office and Succession to The Apprentice and Dragons' Den, does the portrayal of business on television inspire or is it a total turn off to budding entrepreneurs? And how challenging is it to create great drama from the world of business? Is 'greed, for lack of a better word, good' as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street would have us believe? Or post financial crash, is the world looking to find a more equitable and kind example of the business world on screen? PRESENTER: EVAN DAVISGUESTSAsh Atalla, CEO, Roughcut ProductionsDave Fishwick, businessman, subject of Netflix movie, 'Bank of Dave' Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Restaurants, Great British Menu judgeMickey Down and Konrad Kay, co-writers, 'Industry' , BBC 2 drama seriesClip from 'Industry' BBC2 Bad Wolf Productions HBO/BBCProduced in Partnership with the Open UniversityPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball Editor: China Collins Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
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Jul 6, 2023 • 29min

Pre-loved

Demand for pre-loved goods has surged in the UK in recent years, with fashion, books and furniture especially popular. So what’s driving this boom in second-hand sales - the cost of living crisis or the increasingly eco-conscious shopper? And how are companies making money from it?Evan Davis and guests discuss the business of buying and selling pre-loved products, the growing number of online platforms specialising in them, and the bricks-and-mortar retailers looking to get in on the act. Plus, is buying second-hand really better for the environment, and what protection does the customer get when something goes wrong if they’re buying from a stranger rather than a business?GUESTSHugh Hurley, CEO, Gumtree Adam Jay, CEO, Vinted Marketplace Ana Estrougo, founder and CEO, The Octopus Club Adwoa Owusu-Darko, founder, Mini's World and seller on DepopProduced in partnership with The Open University.PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
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Jun 29, 2023 • 29min

Dame Sharon White

John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose are possibly two of the most trusted brands in retail. This week, Evan Davis interviews Dame Sharon White, who took over as Chair of the Partnership, literally weeks before lockdown. Post lockdown like all retailers the Partnership faces a cost of living crisis and getting customers back to the High Street. How is she facing these challenges and what are her plans for the future of the partnership?GUEST: Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis Partnership PRODUCTION TEAM Producers: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Hannah Montgomery and Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
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Jun 22, 2023 • 29min

Managing millennials (and Gen Z)

Podcast explores the attitudes and expectations of different generations in the workplace. Speakers challenge stereotypes about millennials and discuss their passion and dedication. They also address the challenges and benefits of remote work and the importance of constructive criticism and open communication in the workplace.

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