Recessions have always produced a certain amount of trading down – often merely transient. But, in 2008, things might well prove to be different.

Agency Assessments International There is nothing new in the idea of sending work overseas, although the term 'offshoring' itself is new, and many of the venues are a surprise.

Today, hundreds of students from all over Britain will converge on Golden Square in London to learn about 'creativity' in business. On this side of the Square, advertising. On that side, the movies. Over there, radio and TV.

Editor's note: Ten years ago, in 1998, there was much frenzied talk of an imminent recession. In March of that year, the following article appeared in the very first issue of Market Leader.

In Korea, 'bali, bali' isn't a reference to a tropical island so good they named it twice – it's a much used expression meaning 'quickly, quickly'. On first impressions, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the whole country runs on that basis.

The words 'free' and 'open' are fundamental values that were built in to the DNA of the World Wide Web by its inventor Sir Tim Berners- Lee. Today we are all reaping the benefits.

Recently, a planner I know asked me a question: How does advertising actually work? That's a very good question, and it's not one you hear people asking much these days. Some 20 years ago, there was a lot more debate about how advertising works.

With average tenure somewhere between two and three years (depending on the region) the odds are stacked against CMOs progressing into general management and then the top slot.

Consider the tools that anyone with online access has at their disposal today: Wikipedia and others for collaborative authoring, Facebook for social networking, Twitter for microblogging, RSS feeds, iGoogle – the list goes on.

At the end of 2007, Radley + Co, makers of distinctive handbags branded with a small Scottie dog, exchanged hands for £130m – only two years after it had been valued at £42m in its first private equity deal. Truly 'bags to riches'.