Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Ten slams analysts' bearish predictions

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 54 : 2 April 2008
Original article by Neil Shoebridge

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Ten Network CEO, Grant Blackley, accused analysts of being more bearish than necessary on 1 April 2008. According to Blackley, brokers including Goldman Sachs JBWere, ABN Amro, Macquarie Research Equities and Credit Suisse attempted to "outdo each other" in terms of their forecasts regarding the decline in the TV advertising market. Blackley said TV ad revenue rose by 7.7 per cent in the six months to February 2008, despite falls in international markets. Universal McCann MD, Henry Tajer, said network ad rate increases would drive growth in 2008, rather than increasing demand

Products & Services

Boutiques in low-cost advice battle

Independent Financial Adviser
Page: 12 : 31 March 2008
Original article by Victoria Young

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Advice Connect is an online service aimed at providing low-cost financial advice to Australian consumers. It was developed by WealthPoint, which contends that it provides basic financial advice up to 10 times more effectively than face-to-face planning. LocumsGroup and 2020 DirectInvest have become the first two planning groups to sign up as users of Advice Connect. Michael Lannon, of LocumsGroup, believes that there is a huge demand for the type of low-cost and online advice offered by Advice Connect

Schiavi sets sights on local shapewear market

Ragtrader
Page: 3 : 21 March 2008
Original article by Assia Benmedjdoub

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian entrepreneur Bruno Schiavi says he plans to launch his "Dr Rey's Shapewear" range in Australia in May 2008. He developed the shapewear range in partnership with US plastic surgeon Doctor Robert Ray. The range was launched across Sears' 860 department stores in the US in October 2007, with $A1 million worth of sales being achieved in the first weekend. Target has the exclusive rights to the "Dr Rey's Shapewear" range in Australia, with garments in the range expected to sell from between $A30 to $A40

Club 21 general manager Michelle Curtis

Ragtrader
Page: 18 : 21 March 2008
Original article by Belinda Smart

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian consumers are starting to understand where "Armani Exchange" (AX) fits within the overall Giorgio Armani portfolio. This is according to Michelle Curtis, the general manager Australia for Club 21, the Singapore-based owner of the AX brand. She says consumers were previously confused about AX's price point, but now appreciate that AX represents the "entry point" to Giorgio Armani. Curtis says there are currently four AX stores in Australia, with two in Sydney and two in Melbourne, while she says 2008 will see Club 21 focus on its new "CK Ready to Wear" chain

E-Business

CBA boosts netbank security

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 56 : 2 April 2008
Original article by Renai LeMay

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Banks in Australia want to stamp out internet banking fraud. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has signed up around one million customers to use its new internet banking security system. Drew Unsworth, of the CBA, notes that these customers use "two-factor" authentication protocols, which require users to enter one-time passwords to authorise some online transactions. Those using the enhanced security system receive the passwords via an SMS message. The CBA argues that this system has reduced online banking fraud. The National Australia Bank and Westpac have used similar services for longer than the CBA. The ANZ Bank relies on back-office detection systems to eliminate or reduce online banking fraud

Big players onboard for luxury online store

Ragtrader
Page: 4 : 21 March 2008

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Kath Purkis, a former employee of fashion designer Akira Isogowa, has launched a new online fashion web site. The site, aimed at both Australian and overseas consumers, offers products from a number of established designers, including Jessie Hill and Fleur Wood, as well as Purkis's own collection, with the latter retailing at between $A45 and $A80. Purkis's new site will contain a daily fashion blog, potentially exposing the wares of young Australian designers to customers in over 100 countries

Marketing Strategy

A white knuckle ride

Ragtrader
Page: 16 : 21 March 2008
Original article by Belinda Smart

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Businesses are often told to "think outside the box", but US consultant Wendy Liebmann says "there is no box". Liebmann was one of the speakers at the 2008 L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival business seminar, at which the prominent message from speakers was the speed at which global commerce and industry is changing. Liebmann says that because consumers do not feel they can influence big things like petrol prices and greenhouse gas emissions, they are more inclined to seek control over smaller details, such as the products they buy and their "retail experience"

Consumer Behaviour

As safe as houses becomes the new savings habit

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 14 : 2 April 2008
Original article by Adrian Rollins and Geoff Winestock

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Australian households are among the worst savers in the world, according to recent economic figures. An annual average savings rate of just 2.9 per cent was recorded in the 10 years to 2004, although the figure did rise to 3.1 per cent in the September 2007 quarter. Macquarie Bank senior economist, Brian Redican, says a seven per cent rise in real household income since 2004 was largely responsible for the increase. The Housing Industry Association's Ben Phillips says mortgage stress is affecting 25 per cent of Australian households and 37 per cent of Americans

Cross-channel presence now vital for retailers - survey

Ragtrader
Page: 6 : 21 March 2008
Original article by Assia Benmedjdoub

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Fifty per cent of Australians use the internet first before making a physical retail purchase, according to a recent survey. The December 2007 survey, conducted by the Australian Centre for Retail Studies for Google also found that 25 per cent of consumers felt the internet was their most valued source of information, ahead of sources like television commercials and print catalogues. Ross McDonald from Google notes an increasing number of retailers are offering consumers the ability to order goods on the internet and then get them shipped to their closest store