Do a bit of branding: Debenhams and the case for upstream creativity

There is no denying it’s tough out there on the high street. With Toys R Us, Maplin and House of Fraser all filing for administration this year, it seemed inevitable another casualty would fall prey to the four horsemen of the retail apocalypse – wage slumps, inflation, e-commerce, and shifting consumer preferences towards experiences. What a surprise though to discover it was Debenhams who, mere days before appointing advisers, enacted another, more colourful survival stra