Making sense of the past seven days
Christmas is often touch-and-go for retailers and, although this year looks as if it will be better than last, the signs are that competition will be fiercer than ever.

Battle commenced in earnest on Wednesday evening, when Woolworths and Boots launched their TV ad offensives. Both, in different ways, were pointers towards how intense the fight for purse-spend will be. In each case, the retailer is determined to make shoppers view their business in a fresh way.

Woolies is spending£25 million on its seasonal campaign - the most since its demerger from Kingfisher five years ago - as it bids for a greater purse-share and positions itself as a multichannel business.

Boots has run with an erotically-charged post-watershed ad designed to prompt consumer reappraisal of the chain and its gift offer. It's a huge departure from Boots' traditional Christmas style.

In their distinct ways, both are strong campaigns. Woolworths has strived to rekindle the warm feelings many people have about the chain from childhood with traditionalist imagery, while flagging modern and convenient ways that shoppers can make their purchases.

It's a safe bet that Boots' radical tactics will become a talking point among retail marketers - the ad has already made tabloid headlines.

Next week, Marks & Spencer - the sector's marketing star following the success of its womenswear and food ads and the winner of this week's Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) Award - is likely to reveal its seasonal campaign. If it's up to the standards of its predecessors it should be pretty good.

The exact impact of marketing campaigns on sales is hard to quantify, however gut instinct usually tells you when you have a success on your hands. Memorable and distinctive ads stand out among the wallpaper of TV's commercial breaks. At retail's most important time of year, the marketing winners will help drive the top line.

The only time I can remember Tony Blair turning up at a retailer's premises was during last year's election campaign, when he made an appearance at Carphone Warehouse's HQ.

So it's a great tribute to the backers of the Fashion Retail Academy that the PM personally launched the venture. Top companies GUS, Marks & Spencer, Next and Tesco all supported the academy, energetically spearheaded by Sir Philip Green.

The point of the academy is to develop future retail talent, but it will bring other benefits too. The stores sector often feels unloved by government, but such high profile and well-supported initiatives will help get the sector's interests taken seriously in the corridors of power.