We’ve seen this before, but it always raises eyebrows when it happens: companies and entrepreneurs rushing to market with merchandise inspired by tragic events. Remember the t-shirts that cropped up after the fatal Costa Concordia cruise-ship grounding, and the Japanese tsunami relief gifts? Of course, the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks inspired items ranging from commemorative [...]
Sunday’s double-header of the Daytona 500 and the 85th annual Academy Awards isn’t just for sports and showbiz writers; the big spectator events offer plenty of spin-off angles and scope for business journalists of all stripes. Even if you aren’t near Florida or Hollywood, you can tap in to some related action. Obviously viewing parties [...]
As the most telegenic first-world problem in years continues to play out in the saga of the powerless Carnival Triumph and its hungry, mostly incommunicado and sewage-dodging thousands of passengers, you may be looking for more business angles to the story. Since power knocked out the ship’s power off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, discomforts have escalated and [...]
With a number of cable providers kicking off the new year by raising rates on subscribers, now might be a good moment for a look at cable television costs in your area, and alternatives for consumers — who are cutting the cable cord by the hundreds of thousands per year, according to recent reports. That [...]
Just in time to give winter-weary northeasterners a healthy shot of schadenfreude, and barely a year after the bungled journey of the Costa Concordia, another winter cruise ship disaster is unfolding on picturesque blue seas. While not deadly like the Costa Concordia accident, the journey of the Carnival Triumph must be ranking pretty high on the misery index, with [...]
One of February’s key observances is Black History Month, or African-American History Month as it is referred to by some organizations. The tradition of celebrating black history dates back to the 1920s and was federally recognized in 1976. While spotlighting businesses and business leaders merely on the basis of race or ethnicity can be sort [...]
With buzz about Lance Armstrong’s doping confession still at high volume, and the follow-on question of whether companies including the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service will attempt to claw back any of the millions of dollars in sponsorship monies Armstrong was paid, you might want to look for local angles to the business of sports marketing. [...]
For business writers, this coming week is the final stretch of a two-month study of consumer spending, advertising, marketing and sales tactics as buyers and sellers engage in their annual dance, each trying to woo maximum value from the other. To keep the momentum going, here are a few story ideas that span the last [...]
The month of December is speeding past as financial journalists juggle seasonal narratives from holiday shopping to the “fiscal cliff.” To liven up the mix, here are a few Quicktips on topics that risk getting lost in the Santa shuffle yet are worthy topics for business and economy features: Doomsday. According to some believers, shopping [...]
