The next big battle for the tobacco industry – some might say the final battle – will be waged around the issue of legislation that forces their cancer-causing products into plain cigarette packets that are free of company logos and branding.

Getting the best out of a marketing programme begins with being clear about what you want to achieve. Mark Rollinson explains why the success or failure of a marketing project begins with the brief

The UK arm of Signet suffered a slump in profits in its second quarter, as dire consumer spending took the shine off the retail jewellery group's US results. Its H Samuel, Ernest Jones and Leslie Davis chains in the UK posted operating income down by 40 per cent to $2.8m (£1.7m) for the second quarter to 30 July.

In an article in Saturday's paper, we reported that Manassen Foods, the Australian- branded food business being bought by China's Bright Food, is the owner of the Ryvita brand. In fact, while Manassen distributes the crispbread in Australia, the Ryvita brand is actually owned by the UK-listed group, Associated British Foods.

The conservative MP Alan Duncan has gone into battle with Westminster Council over the removal of an "enormous" tree he says is blighting his London home.

Alexia Leachman of Blossoming Brands explains how having a strong personal brand will make people buy into you as an individual, which is important if you want to get new business, seek investment, or get people to work for you.

Once they would have been called sell-outs, but today's artists are keen to take the corporate dollar, says Elisa Bray

Abercrombie and Fitch is offering to pay Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and his fellow Jersey Shore cast members if they will stop wearing the brand on the show.

Comment

Nestle raised its annual outlook yesterday after strong emerging markets demand for its Maggi and Nescafe brands boosted the underlying sales for the first half of the year by 7.5 per cent.

Personal presentation is just as important as any business plan, says Marianne Abib-Pech

Shane Byrne and Tommy Hill made up the ground they had lost in Saturday's rain-affected opener to the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch with a win apiece, yesterday.

Terry Smith, the outspoken chief executive of the Tullet Prebon brokerage, yesterday branded the deal to raise the US debt ceiling as a "bucket of fudge".

Brands and their identities can be leveraged to powerful effect to drive awareness, reputation and market share. Mark Rollinson sets out his five-stage process to create and manage a great visual expression for a brand.