Are British consumers truly looking past the Starbucks tax flap in the nation and staying as loyal to the brand as the global chain recently claimed?

Some analysts say they don't think so.

In autumn, it was revealed that the company had paid only £8.5m ($13.8 million USD) in tax in the U.K. since entering the market there 14 years ago, despite having £3bn ($4.8 billion) in sales over the same period. 

Starbucks has pledged to pay an extra £20 million ($31.48 million) to the British government in corporation tax over the next two years to help repair the damage.

In a Jan. 25 earnings call, the chain said that British customers had "stayed loyal" through the contoversy. But an Agence France Presse report this week casts doubt on that claim.Continue reading...

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is going all out to promote cricket both inside and outside of the nation's borders. This includes a ramped up campaign featuring its shorter format Twenty20 matches and, now, an historic deal to bring the matches to the masses... online.
 
Through a deal with Google and YouTube, the IPL will have a branded channel for streaming live matches. This is a sagacious collaboration for Google, and the IPL -- which needs some good news in the face of recent controversy about Pakistani players. Above all, however, this is an excellent arrangement for YouTube. Continue reading...