The controversy could not come at a worse. On the eve of the IPO of Facebook, advertisers have begun to question the effectiveness of ads on Facebook. These are the basic economic model of social network, which is preparing to raise more than $ 16 billion in stock.

The automaker General Motors has announced it was stopping its advertising spending on Facebook, said the Wall Street Journal. This is a budget of 10 million that will evaporate from the platform. GM plans to continue to promote its brands on Facebook, but particularly by exploiting its free services, like his fan page.

It was a risk contemplated by Facebook as a preparatory document for the IPO, filed with the policeman American markets. But it could weigh on growth prospects of Facebook, if other advertisers were to make the same choice.

But a few hours after GM's announcement, another U.S. auto giant has responded, defending the ads on Facebook. "All that matters is performance. Our Facebook ads work when they are combined, strategically, with attractive content and innovation, "the group said Ford on Twitter.

The marketing director of Ford, interviewed by Forbes magazine, believes that we should not "be considered as a simple Facebook ad network," which is broadcast on the same banner ads elsewhere. Before conceding that "it is still early days and measurement criteria are not set to 100%."  

Other observers have called on advertisers to be cautious before max out General Motors: "We do not know why GM commercials have been no results," said Tom Skotidas and founder of an agency marketing to social networks.

One explanation could be introduced by the recent change in its presentation of Facebook pages and profiles, with the launch of the Journal ("Timeline"). The counseling agencies that had established communication strategies based on Facebook tabs and landing pages have in fact seen their recommendations become obsolete overnight.

ALSO READ:

"The action Facebook will be worth between 34 and 38 dollars

"Facebook has announced the arrival of priced applications

"Advertising: Facebook unveils strategy

Be realistic when you ask borrow money using online payday loans. Do not borrow more than you can afford to pay back, even if they offer you more money.

 

The invoice is salted for five hypermarkets Carrefour and Leclerc. The latter were sentenced Friday by the criminal court of Rouen to pay 140,000 euros in fines for "deceptive marketing practices."

The court points to operations such as "buy four, one free" or "20% free" set up on certain products. After controls, the investigators of the Departmental Direction of protecting the population of Seine-Maritime realized that these operations were unfavorable to consumers. The latter indeed paid these products more expensive than had they purchased individually. Similarly, the comparison price in the store were found. Result: Three of the Carrefour stores will have to pay 100,000 euros while two stores Leclerc pay 30,000 and 10,000 euros respectively cheapest personal loan rates.  

The stores are doing better than what the prosecutor of the Republic, Maela Guéguen, had addressed, namely a total of 190,000 euros in fines. The lawyers had demanded the release distributors to their customers because they believe these development operations were performed by providers who decided the proportion of free and conditioned themselves the product. For its part, the association UFC-Que Choisir, who received 2000 euros in damages, a judgment that recognizes hello "fraud and false advertising," according to his lawyer Catherine Kersual.

(With Agents)

ALSO READ:

"Carrefour: 3000 jobs threatened by the unions

"Hypermarkets have fallen out of favor

 

Johnny Hallyday is still found in the sights of the French tax authorities. According to Duck chained, the singer was notified of a recovery of 9 million euros, after a heavy investigation since late 2010. In January 2011, several searches took place at home and some of his relatives. Yesterday press service of Johnny Hallyday stated that he had "no comment". Interviewed this morning on RTL, the French rocker has refused to confirm that a tax adjustment it was notified in late 2001.  

When asked after the launch of its 2012 tour Tuesday night in Los Angeles, the singer said only: "I can confirm anything because it is you who teach me, I go out on stage, I is my music for me is what is most important. "

According to the weekly satirical, the IRS regrets the existence of "a complex network of companies operating in rather baroque", particularly for a Luxembourg company, Nerthus Invest SA, a shareholder is an entity based in Liberia.

The rocker is well again at the center of a tax case. He who had already seen straightening of some 100 million francs (15 million) in 1975. A sum which he performed fifteen years later. Johnny Hallyday, who has tried several ways to pay less tax in France, was eventually settled in Switzerland in 2007. This is the Swiss tax authorities that he pays taxes on his personal income. But his artistic and commercial activities performed in the Hexagon fall under French law.

This notification to the star falls ill. At 69, after his serious health problems, "the Taulier" was to make his comeback from the Orpheum Theater on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, before starting a huge tour in mid-May in France.

It could also be controversial, right in between the two rounds of presidential elections. Johnny Hallyday has also indicated today that he "meddles never openly political" believing that an artist does not have to decide, "he said in an interview with Republican Lorraine. Close to Jacques Chirac, Johnny Hallyday had taken position for Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 who married in 1996 with Laetitia.  

ALSO READ:

"Johnny Hallyday abandons politics for music

"Johnny" no more politics meddles "

"Madonna, Gaga Hallyday and struggling to fill stadiums

"Johnny Hallyday, a new album this summer

Presidential in major cities Paris | Leeds | Lyons | Toulouse | Leeds | Sheffield | Liverpool | Bordeaux | Lille

 

The success of the magazine inspires XXI Francois and Jean-Dominique Siegel. The two brothers, son of the founder of VSD, Maurice Siegel, April 5 launch a new "magbook" magazine mid-mid-book, Tomorrow We. Their ambition is to make a "marker of social change."

In line with Current, relaunched in 1970 by the post-68 generation, or the U.S. magazine Wired, established in 1993 to decipher the impact of technology in society, they hope to re-register in the frame of the time. "This magazine is a showcase to build something new, Siegel says Francois. If the stock settles, we will develop a website, a platform for trade and a think-tank. "We Demainmise on this societal positioning to differentiate itself from other" magbooks "turned to the big story (XXI), Foresight (& Usbek Rica) or polar (Alibis).

Like the latter, We Demainsera distributed in large networks of library. On an initial run of 30,000 copies, most books will be reserved for rays of Fnac, Virgin, Relay and large newsagents, and those of Carrefour hypermarkets, Auchan and Leclerc no fax payday advance. The title is based on the publisher Le Cherche Midi and its distribution network Interforum (Editis). Tomorrow we will start at 12 euros, and will cost 15 euros, the same price level as other "magbooks".

Create a "label"

The project was fully funded by the GS Group, owned by Francois and Jean-Dominique Sylvain Attal and Siegel, who oversees GS Press, governed and publisher of the monthly Info-Driver and two television quinzomadaires for Auchan and Leader Price. Jean-Dominique Siegel Demainun We hope to do the "label" that will generate a new economic model. Without advertising startup, the title is meant to seduce "brands involved," for traditional advertising or through partnerships, but also to attract investors.

 

Sad "bonus day". Not sure that traders and bankers Monday through Societe Generale, the light step, the square of Defence. They know the day their individual bonus for 2011. And they know they will not be at the party. Both because the trend since the 2008 crisis is for restraint and because the results of the bank financing and investment fell sharply last year, even swinging into the red in the fourth quarter. Frédéric Oudéa, CEO of the bank, has already warned that the envelopes of traders' bonuses would be halved compared to the previous year.

The ritual of Friday

Same rate at BNP Paribas. Given that less than 2 billion euros in premiums had been paid last year to market operators by French banks, the overall should be around 1 billion. Like other years, French banks have cut more bonuses that JPMorgan and other Goldman Sachs. Employees of BNP Paribas have been their fate on Friday. The French leader always announces bonuses on the eve of the weekend. "It allows teams to take advantage of Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the contrary or to digest the news," suggests a veteran of the bank. Credit Agricole will follow this advice by performing the ritual on Friday.

In this case, at BNP Paribas atmosphere was dark, but not excessive because the teams were prepared for the worst. "There was less of rabies in 2011, tells a room operator markets. Last year, some had returned home just after their announcement. "This year's very bad news for these professionals used to receive a bonus big part of their annual compensation, is the proliferation of" zero bonus. "

With respect to compensation, banks have long been criticized not only the excesses but also having transformed these so-called variable premiums in almost due. Even in failure mode, it was very rare to receive no bonus. This year, according to several sources, the losses in activity rates have resulted in an upsurge of "zero bonus" at BNP Paribas. "This suggests new carts, reflects a trader. When one has no bonus is that generally has three months to prove himself … "

"It may even be less than zero!" Adds another: according to our information, in fact, BNP Paribas has had this year the right to retain the deferred compensation in case of performance-cons. Societe Generale should not escape the same trends. This year the main challenge of the bank is not so much to retain the talents of a successful social in France. Not easy to find 880 volunteers to start when it's so cold outside.

ALSO READ:

"BNP Paribas – 6 billion in profits despite the crisis

 

For the Union of the national daily press (SPQN), the situation is bitter while 20 million French people consult each month at least one site of news releases, and that six of the seven major news sites are from the print media, newspaper companies have only marginally redistributive mechanisms of value, nonetheless very real in other areas of content creators, such as audiovisual, cinema or music. As revealed Tuesday Les Echos, the SPQN decided to take his pilgrim's staff and meet in the coming weeks the different candidates in the presidential election to submit their proposals.

€ 150 million

Teams to campaign, the union will submit two proposals. First, to extend the online press the VAT rate reduced to 2.1%, which already applies to the press. Then, a mechanism of redistribution of the value generated by the digital divide between market players (ISPs, portals info, search engines and manufacturers) and publishers of online news. According to the calculations of the firm Kurt Salmon, the manna that could be levied for the benefit of the press would represent 140 to 150 million euros a year. The idea would be to pay all the contents of the press in line for their contribution to the value generated by the purchase of equipment (PCs, smartphones, tablets …) for their contribution to the value of Internet subscriptions.

"For ten years, newspapers have made massive investments in the digital to win the battle of the Internet audience, says Marc Feuillée, president and CEO of SPQN group of Figaro. They have contributed to the rise of the digital economy while at the same time, value creation has benefited almost exclusively to technology players. "

A social issue

Kurt Salmon has calculated that 72% including news headlines highlighted on the Google News come from actors of the press online, against 28% who are from groups or audiovisual news agencies (AFP, Reuters …), and 30 to 40% of the news page of the portal Orange are also from news sites.

Considerable weight but that is not reflected in the value created by the digital economy, estimated at 10 billion euros per year (excluding equipment), revenue from digital media and had only 280 million euros in 2010, including 235 million in advertising and $ 45 million through the sale of content. 

The SPQN sees the opening of this debate a social issue, the press being the source of the media loop, that is to say, the first source of reliable information from other media, and therefore a essential to the general interest in the information society. "If we want to maintain quality information, it must regulate the digital marketplace," says Marc Feuillée.

Newsagents will choose their offer

The new Regulatory Authority for the distribution of the press (ARDP) makes his first arbitration. It just made enforceable reform of the assortment, which should allow 29,000 newsagents to choose some of the titles they wish to sell in order to respond more adequately to the demand of their customers. Adopted in November 2010 by the Supreme Council of the Courier Press (MHCP), this measure was blocked by a lawsuit from small publishers. The ARDP should also decide in the coming weeks on the adoption Tuesday by the MHCP new rules on notice of a transfer of securities to another email. According to the winning proposal, the notice period could now be conditioned on the seniority of the business relationship between the publisher and messaging and volume represented by the security involved in the transfer.

ALSO READ:

"Proust:" The press needs a solid sales network "

"Metro acquired by its largest shareholder

"The Tribune puts an end to the daily paper

 

"Thanks to telework I've been promoted," says Isabelle Bouet, marketing director in Jabra, a leading global provider of solutions for businesses of headsets and call centers. Recruited five years ago to head the Southern Europe, she was based in Trappes. Until her husband is transferred to Montauban. "I was ready to resign when my manager told me: we have all the technology solutions so you can work from there." She has since taken a liking to this way of working that promotes concentration, open space away from noise. "I won in productivity, she says. In particular, I worked on a development plan in Latin America, which earned me a promotion. "

Increasing interest

The productivity gain is good, according to employees, the main advantage of this way of working. This is what reveals a survey conducted in February for Citrix Online, a provider of "online solutions for working anywhere" (*): 87% of employees surveyed felt that telecommuting can be "as much or more productive. " For 72%, the ability to telecommute would be an argument in seeking a new job.

The survey data also confirms a well-known telework struggled to take off in France, limited by the brakes of a cultural nature. Largely based on working time and the-face, the French model leaves little room for this type of organization that involves going to a performance-based approach, the Anglo-Saxon. There is also concern among managers of losing their authority. Not surprising that 56.2% of employees say they do not have the opportunity to telecommute. "For that telecommuting is progressing, it is necessary to define it legally," says Sophie Vandriessche, Commercial Director Southern Europe of Citrix Online. The advent of telework in the Labour Code should encourage developments instant payday loans.

"However, the survey also reveals the growing interest of French companies for this kind of work," she adds. Among employees who telework, 55.1% say they have the opportunity for over two years. The vast majority (63.7%), this telecommuting does not exceed one week per month. It is therefore far from any telecommuting.

Pilot

"To keep in touch with employees, companies prefer telecommuting pendulum at a rate of one to two days a week," says Veronique Perozzo that telecommuting pilot commission of the Observatory of Corporate Parenthood (OPE). For the observatory, which campaigns for a better balance between work and private life, teleworking is clearly a lever for improvement. He also publish a guide in March.

Precursor, Renault signed an agreement in 2007, completed in 2010. To date, 920 employees are concerned, 83% of one or two days a week. The parity is set at 52% of teleworkers. L'Oreal, which has developed its agreement in 2008 was assumed that every employee is eligible. Its 200 teleworkers have a particular plant manager.

Before the plunge, many companies to engage in pilot experiments. Ferrero in this experiment, which began in April 2011, extends over one year. Upon arrival, it concerns 14 people (on 1200), half of executives and non executives, both at headquarters and at an industrial site and two warehouses. A telecommuting egalitarian.

(*) Survey conducted in February 1169 by Maximiles with employees of French companies.

ALSO READ:

"Telecommuting: France late

"Quality of work life: employers rewarded

SERVICE:

"Find all the jobs in France and abroad with Cadremploi

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON FIGARO:

"Twitter: @ LeFigaro_Emploi

 

Social negotiation of the last five-year promises to be one of the most difficult. Unions and management have started on Friday the MEDEF, their discussion of "competitive employment agreements" intends introduce the president. Nicolas Sarkozy gave in late January, two months to agree on these devices should allow, after majority agreement concluded in the company to adjust temporarily the working time and compensation of employees to cope with the hollow of activity. Specifically, employees would agree to reduce their wages and working hours while their employers would commit to maintaining employment for a specified time and so do not dismiss. The agreement will require all employees, without the possibility of individual refusal.

All participants had not Friday the same objectives. One thing in common: the desire to prolong the debate. "I understood that discussions would take some time," admitted Patrick Bernasconi, the leader of the employers' delegation. "We have to hold until April 22, confessed to a trade unionist. Nicolas Sarkozy is elected and he will impose his bill, or it's Francois Hollande and it will not respond to our exchanges. We should just save time. "A strategy that seems part: three bargaining sessions have been scheduled Friday, the last … April 13.

Both sides of the trade union side

In addition, two camps are emerging trade union side. First there are those who are willing to discuss, but not under the pressure of political events. "If the goal is to maintain jobs temporarily in companies, we are open to negotiate with employers, assumes Thouvenel Joseph, vice president of the CFTC Payday advance. But we must first there was agreement on what constitutes the concept of competitiveness and employment it will take a few weeks. "Same story with the CFDT, which is, as always," ready to engage " but from the moment the debate is extended to matters of "corporate governance, sharing of wealth and investment in research and development." A program that far exceeds the specifications set by Nicolas Sarkozy

.

And then there came no will power to sign, but not to be accused of refusing social dialogue. CGT head, which speaks of "coup" government to impose greater flexibility in business and reduce workers' rights. "I forgot my pen to sign the text employers", ironically also Maurad Rahbi, one of its negotiators at the entrance to the meeting, before continuing: "We have seen that an agreement competitiveness Employment provided in Conti Clairoix. Employees agreed to wage cuts and strong the company closed three years later. "

FO is on the same wavelength as the competitive employment agreements are for it as "blackmail to employment." For Stéphane Lardy, his "Mr. Employment "negotiations should address the issue of" joint management "sine qua non for the success of such devices across the Rhine. "If you want to import the German model, it must be taken in its totality," he causes, convinced that employers in France there are "not ready".

ALSO READ:

"Competitiveness and employment: no law before the presidential

"More flexible working for more competitive

2010 marks a departure for French exports of military equipment. With a total of 5.12 billion euros, they are falling over 8.1 billion garnered in 2009 (6.5 billion in 2008). The objective of Paris was to beat all its records by signing for "at least 10 billion of export contracts" is more or less the equivalent of what the French army spending for its own every year.

Nevertheless, the government notes in the twelfth edition of its report to parliament on arms exports to France for 2010, "France has maintained fourth largest exporter of defense equipment (…) in a situation difficult ".

The world export market has stabilized at 70 billion euros.And in total military spending worldwide have slowed to 1.127 trillion euros, an increase of over 1% against a growth of 5% per year between 2001 and 2009. "Over the decade," the report notes, "the United States, the European Union, where Britain and France stand out, Russia and Israel share 90% of the export market."

The decline in export activity in 2010 due to the lag of several large contracts – as in 2009, with sales in Brazil of four submarines and 50 helicopters – that France hoped to sign the year last.

Remarkable performances

In discussions since 2009, the contract for the sale of two ships of projection and command (BPC) Mistral class in Russia was finally signed in June 2011 between DCNS and Rosoboronexport to 1.1 billion euros.It is therefore not recorded in 2010.

And ongoing negotiations with several countries to sell the Rafale combat aircraft built by Dassault Aviation, have not yet been completed. Among the most promising, the Brazilian has cooled with the decision of the President Rousseff to defer any decision to buy 36 fighter in 2012. The second, United Arab Emirates, is still active.

Negotiations, that France hoped to see succeed in 2010, continues with Abu Dhabi. Just over a week, Gerard Longuet had found that Paris had entered "a final negotiation." The defense minister had described as "very high" probability that the contract is concluded. France and the UAE have been negotiating the sale of 2008 copies of 60 Rafale.The French fighter is also short list in India along with the Eurofighter, developed by EADS, BAE and Finmeccanica to supply 126 aircraft to the Indian Army.

France can also expect to have the benefits of its commitment to Libya where the effectiveness of French equipment was again demonstrated (after including Afghanistan) under real conditions in a theater of operation. Of these, the performance of Tiger helicopters (EADS) and the Rafale, whose versatility allows him to perform all the tasks (surveillance, attack in depth, defensive etc.) were noted. "This is the only aircraft in the world capable of performing such a feat today," says a military engaged in Operation Harmattan.

For France, the stakes are high because the Rafale irrigates the French industry, including Ile-de-France and Aquitaine.The French fighter involved 500 industrial partners and represents more than 8000 jobs in total.

ALSO READ:

"The UAE may buy" Rafale "

"The state is negotiating with Dassault to buy drones