From Sainsbury’s Christmas advert to the Lord Mayor’s Show 2015: Here’s what got us talking this week
Boris got into all sorts of bother in Israel. London's saddest skyscraper got given a new lease of life (fingers crossed). And Generation Rent got told to quit their whining.
Here's what got us talking this week
1) Are you ready for the Lord Mayor's Show?
Today marks the 800th time the procession has been carried out, and while things have changed a bit over the time, there's certainly a sense of history from the proceedings. Pageantmaster Dominic Reid has been overseeing the show for 24 years, following on from his father. He gives us a taste of today's events here, plus you can see what went on in the run up to today here. City PM will be taking part this year, but if you're not planning on attending, you might want to read our travel advice for avoiding the hot spots.
2) Cat takes on Man; Cat wins
After John Lewis' big launch event, this week it was the turn of Sainsbury's, which blew us away with a Mog the Cat animation, complete with book and plush toy. We fell for the loveable feline immediately, but it wasn't just us: critics and consumers alike couldn't stop viewing and sharing, which meant it overtook the Man on the Moon figures in almost half the time. Definitely made up for those less-than-steller results on Wednesday morning…
3) The Tube is more popular than Wales
Or at least, carries more people. New figures showed that it peaked on one particular day last month with 4.9m – that's 1.6-times the population of Wales. So it's good news that our fares aren't going up too much come 2 January. The other good news is that those who use the Tube, train or bus are slimmer and healthier than those who don't. All of which (perhaps) takes off the sting in the tail that is our ever-lengthening commute.
4) We're just not that into EU
David Cameron unveiled his agenda for EU reform this week, and with it the letter sent to Donald Tusk. But the Prime Minister managed to simultaneously annoy his allies in the European Union, push swing voters towards a Brexit and irk the commentariat.
5) A nation with no innovation
The UK talks a good game, but when it comes down to it, we're pretty rubbish. That's at least according to the people behind the Global Innovators List, who snubbed the entire country (again). We ask why the UK always falls behind in these global rankings and what we can do to make sure it gets back on top.
Leisurely Reads
RW Baird's respectful approach to the banking business
Think banking is all about “sharp elbows,” gruelling hours, and job-hopping ‘til you reach the top? Zealous midwesterners Paul Purcell and Steve Booth, who run wealth-management-cum-investment-bank outfit RW Baird, say they offer a more respectful way of doing business.
Novak Djokovic is the man to beat at this year's ATP World Tour Finals. He is currently on a 15 match winning streak at the tournament, having won the title for three years on the bounce. We crunch the numbers to see how his rivals stack up, and what they'll have to do to defeat the world no. 1.
Chart of the Week
How does TalkTalk's fall compare to other hacked firms?
In short, not well
Great Reads from Elsewhere
Is Don Draper still relevant? Ad men have started soul searching, and the'yre coming up empty, says the FT, which explores how the industry can save itself.
Once he was feted as the all-American swimming machine. But for almost five days in the fall of 2014, the most decorated Olympian in history lay curled in a fetal position in his Baltimore home, crestfallen and fearful, embarrassed at his behavior and uncertain of his future. As Michael Phelps prepares for his grand return at Rio next year, this article considers the journey he has had to make to get back on top.
The Last Word
The death of Helmut Schmidt is a profound moment for all post-war Germans.