BrandSnark: Good Week/Bad Week for the Big Brands

Good Week: Iceland The windswept Nordic nation enacted a law requiring employers to prove that that women and men doing the same jobs are paid equally. Noncompliance comes with steep fines. #Reykjaviktory

Bad Week: Motel 6 The ubiquitous budget motel chain was sued by the attorney general of Washington for allegedly revealing private information on thousands of guests to U.S. immigration authorities in direct violation of the state’s consumer protection laws. Apparently, when Motel 6 says “we’ll leave the light on for you,” they’re not exactly talking about Liberty’s torch.

Worse Week: Sears & Kmart – Sears Holdings – owner of both Sears and Kmart – announced the closing of 103 stores: 64 Kmart and 39 Sears locations across the U.S. and Canada will cease to exists… and these venerable brands will likely do the same.