De'Andre Swift and Terrell Edmunds Had the Time of Their Life at the NLCS
Very pure.
2023-10-19 22:16
Donald Trump: Court Keeping Me From Campaign Trail, Also I'm Headed to Florida For a Golf Tournament
VIDEO: Donald Trump skipping New York fraud trial for LIV Golf tournament.
2023-10-19 21:59
EU gives Meta and TikTok formal Hamas disinformation deadline
Both firms must respond within a week to the request for information under the EU's new tech rules.
2023-10-19 21:57
The Fifth Down: NFL awards never tell the whole story
In this week’s edition of The Fifth Down, Kinnu Singh observes how the league picks its award winners (and losers) through a not-so-objective process. Plus, Week 7 power rankings shine a spotlight on deserving NFL award-winners.
2023-10-19 21:48
Victoria’s Secret returns to ‘sex sells’ ethos after ‘feminist’ rebrand fails to boost sales
Just weeks after pledging to deliver a new feminist approach to its brand, Victoria’s Secret appears to have reverted to its tried and tested “sex sells” strategy following a slump in sales. The US lingerie chain had attempted to rehabiliate public perception following criticism that it promoted typically thin, white models as the preferred beauty standard. Relaunching its once blockbuster fashion show in September, Victoria’s Secret replaced its “Angels” with the VS Collective – a group of diverse, successful women including Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra. But executives are now reportedly re-embracing “sex appeal” after the short-lived makeover failed to boost sales. During a presentation last week, a top executive said Victoria’s Secret would be the subject of an image overhaul, adding “sexiness can be inclusive”. “Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers and that’s what we’re focused on,” Greg Unis, brand president of the company’s youth-focused venture Victoria’s Secret & Pink, told investors on Thursday (13 October). The reboot is part of a larger strategy to revive its sales after a five-year marketing overhaul fell short of expectations. According to the Business of Fashion, Victoria’s Secret is projecting $6.2bn in earnings this fiscal year – a five per cent drop on sales in 2022, and well below the $7.4bn sales reported in 2018. Now, Victoria’s Secret has laid out a roadmap to bolstering its revenue, including cost-cutting, reviving its swimwear and activewear ranges, and further expanding its offerings to include products such as sweaters, slip dresses, and corsets. Giving its stores a more “welcoming” facelift is also part of the plan. Chief executive Martin Waters added that the retailer’s inclusivity initiatives and campaigns had “not been enough to carry the day”, referring to the company’s performance in recent years. Once the purveyors of Swarovski-studded undergarments and unrealistic body standards, Victoria’s Secret has, in recent years, embarked on a journey to shed its hyper-sexualised image and pay attention to changing social norms. Its initial attempt to adjust its image came hot on the heels of declining sales due to the emergence of inclusive and diversity-friendly brands such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty and Third Love, as well as several controversies including top management at L Brands – the former parent company of Victoria’s Secret. In 2018, L Brands’ then-marketing boss Ed Razek sparked a backlash when he declared that Victoria’s Secret would never cast transgender and plus-size models in its annual Fashion show because it’s a “fantasy”. Razek resigned the following year after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour with models – allegations he called “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context”. Around the same time, an investigation by The New York Times uncovered ties between L Brands’ former chief executive Lex Werne and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which further sullied the reputation of Victoria’s Secret. In an effort to rehabilitate its image, the brand’s recent campaigns have featuring stars such as former US women’s football captain Megan Rapinoe, plus-size models Paloma Elsesser and Ali Tate-Cutler, and Brazillian transgender model Valentina Sampaio. Last month, Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ‘23 was released on Amazon Prime, with the company declaring the televised catwalk event was the “ultimate expression” of its commitment to a new Victoria’s Secret that’s more in step with the times. Despite its struggles, Victoria’s Secret still owns a lion’s share of the north American market today. “We’ve been insufficiently differentiated in this difficult market,” Waters said, during the meeting last Thursday. “[But] our ambition of being the world’s leading fashion retailer of intimates apparel is unchanged.” Read More Victoria’s Secret was never feminist – why are they bothering to try now? Victoria's Secret overhauls its racy fashion catwalk in its latest moves to be more inclusive From Naomi Campbell to Hailey Bieber: All the top models and celebs in Victoria Secret’s new Icons campaign
2023-10-19 20:49
Union Pacific's quarterly profit drops 19% on lower volumes
(Reuters) -Union Pacific reported a 19% fall in quarterly profit on Thursday, as higher labor costs and lower volumes outweighed
2023-10-19 20:25
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 disc players need to download this update before launch
'Marvel's Spider-Man 2' has some refinements that disc players will get from downloading the launch update.
2023-10-19 19:26
US broadly eases Venezuela oil sanctions after election deal
By Matt Spetalnick and Marianna Parraga WASHINGTON The Biden administration on Wednesday broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil
2023-10-19 19:24
Crunch time for Brazil ports as coffee flow hit, sugar faces delays
By Marcelo Teixeira Brazil's commodities export hubs are strained with record volumes of soy, corn and sugar to
2023-10-19 19:17
Lionel Messi confirms stance on loan move to Barcelona
Lionel Messi has confirmed he will not be leaving Inter Miami on loan during the MLS postseason break.
2023-10-19 18:26
Olympics being used as tool of political pressure and discrimination, Putin says
MOSCOW Russia has learnt that the Olympics can be used as a tool of political pressure and ethnic
2023-10-19 18:17
Woman's campaign for assisted death law change
Nichola Harris' mother died surrounded by "friends and loved ones singing and holding her hands".
2023-10-19 17:51