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news opinion


Branding is one of the most important elements of running a business ...


... and building the brand will impact on product development, marketing and, inevitably, the value of the company.


Branding has been described as ’the relationships that account for a customer’s decision to choose one product or service over another’.


When a brand is strong and respected, it provides protection for a business during economic downturns and, in fact, can even blunt the impact of any crisis, because of the goodwill that the company has in reserve.


And a strong brand can mean that when the company moves into new products or markets, it carries customers with it.


Apple is an extraordinary example of how, through strength of brand – which has grown on the back of innovation – the company can charge premium prices for products, with little resistance.


Brands can take a hit, too. Look at Tesco, whose brand value has now dropped below Aldi’s brand. Think about Microsoft, which is in the top four brands in the world in terms of dollar value, but has desperately needed Windows 10 to be a hit to shake off years of negative press. Despite its history, a Microsoft event generates nowhere near the same positive press as an Apple event – and yet the number of Windows users far exceeds Apple’s.


The Business Magazine has a much, much smaller footprint of course. But for us, brand is just as important. As we grow from being a publishing company to being an events and publishing company, our strong brand is one, we feel, that people trust and value.


That doesn’t make us complacent. We always want feedback and can only build reputation through listening to our readers, advertisers, guests and delegates. Email david@elcot.co.uk. The conversation starts here.


David Murray Publisher


www.businessmag.co.uk


R3 reports drop in personal insolvency rates


New figures reporting the number of individual insolvencies show a positive outlook for the Thames Valley.


The Southern Region Thames Valley Group of R3, which brings together insolvency specialists from across Berkshire and Hampshire, says the statistics indicate a drop in individual insolvency rates across the majority of local authority areas.


The regional insolvency statistics show the rate of individual insolvencies per 10,000 adults and are broken down into local authority areas. An individual insolvency is counted as a person who has either been made bankrupt or under a Debt Relief Order (DRO) or Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA).


In the Thames Valley, Wokingham has the lowest rate (8.8) and is second only to Wandsworth (8.2) in the whole of England and Wales.


Despite showing the largest decrease between 2013 (34.4) and 2014 (28.5), Swindon has continued to show the highest rates of individual insolvency in the Thames Valley. This places it in the top 50 highest rates for local authorities in England and Wales.


The most significant increase came from Reading, from 14.5 in 2013 to 18.2 in 2014, despite neighbours Slough, South Oxfordshire, and Windsor and Maidenhead showing decreases. Other local authorities reporting an increase in rates were Bracknell Forest, Milton Keynes and Oxford.


Bracknell Forest saw the smallest increase in the Thames Valley of 1.6 individual insolvencies per


10,000 people. Milton Keynes increased from 21.4 in 2013 to 23.4 in 2014, and Oxford jumped from 18.0 to 20.2.


A significant decrease was seen in West Berkshire, dropping from 19.1 in 2013 to 15.7 in 2014. Rates have been decreasing in West Berkshire since 2010. Aylesbury Vale, South Bucks, Cherwell, West Oxfordshire and Wycombe have also continued to decrease.


Central Bedfordshire saw a small decrease last year from 20.1 to 19.6, following an increase the previous year.


Over in Chiltern, rates have improved for the second year in a row after an increase in 2012.


Julia Branson, partner at James Cowper Kreston and member of the Southern Region Thames Valley Group of R3, said: “While it is encouraging to see the majority of local authority areas following a similar trend, these figures also make it clear that there is a significant difference between areas.


“Wokingham, for example, is leading the way with a decrease to 8.8 individual insolvencies per 10,000 people, but less than 10 miles away, in Reading, we have seen the highest increase in rates in the Thames Valley. Each local authority area has its own economic, social and geographic factors that have an impact on individual insolvencies, which is why even some neighbouring areas can have huge differences.”


Details: www.r3.org.uk Post-election bounce helps businesses pull ahead


Businesses in the Thames Valley are on course for a summer of success, according to the latest Business Trends Report by accountants and business advisers BDO LLP.


BDO’s Output Index rose to 104.4 in August (up from 104.1 in July), which indicates growth in business activity. Businesses have reacted positively to the political stability after the general election, and increased certainty has encouraged businesses to invest and focus on their long-term prospects. This is particularly true for sectors such as property and financial services which had feared policy change.


Although business optimism is down (falling from 103.9 to 103.2) it is still significantly above the long-term trend. This shows that the UK is starting to pull ahead from other global heavyweights in the eurozone and some emerging markets. The dip in optimism can be attributed to the export-focused manufacturing sector and its dependence on global markets.


Companies have also benefited from falling commodity prices. Although the BDO Inflation Index tipped into positive territory (rising to 95.2 from 94.6), cheaper commodities, especially oil, are keeping business costs down and improving profits.


Commenting on the findings, Simon Brooker, partner and head of BDO LLP in the Thames Valley, said: “Political certainty has bolstered short-term business confidence. The result is a thriving economy, despite global economic unrest.


“However, as business success continues to exceed other markets, the strong pound will make it harder for our exporters – particularly manufacturers – to find customers. We can’t let confidence tip over into complacency; keeping us competitive should be a government priority.”


Details: www.bdo.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2015


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