Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Pizza is a name, not a number

The Sydney Morning Herald
Page: 33 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Julian Lee

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

The listed Australian pizza chain, Domino's Pizza, has changed its telephone number to a name. On 9 April 2008, Domino's unveiled its new number, which is 1300 Dominos. The idea is that this is a simple, catchy name which will be easier for customers to remember. Other groups in Australia which have converted their telephone numbers to names include Westpac, Harvey Norman, Aussie Home Loans and Hayman Island Resort. Jack Singleton is the brains behind the Phone Name Marketing group. He says many companies are cautious about changing their telephone number to a name and are taking a "wait and see" approach

Products & Services

MySpace makes play for digital music market

The Australian
Page: 30 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Michael Sainsbury

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

The social networking site, MySpace, has linked up with Universal, Warner and SonyBMG to set up the new MySpace Music portal. The labels will each take a stake in the venture, which will compete with Apple's iTunes. MySpace marketers say the new portal will allow music fans to buy music or concert tickets. MySpace hopes that the many young people who visit MySpace will see the new portal as an online music "one stop shop"

Privacy fears as Google hits road

The Age
Page: A3 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Asher Moses

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Google plans to release detailed photographs of Australian streets as part of its Google Maps application. Google's global vice-president, Marissa Mayer, says the technology, which displays private residences, number plates and faces, will be released in late 2008. Google is currently being sued by a US couple who claim their house, which is in a private street, was photographed and displayed without permission. Mayer says mistakes will occasionally occur, but the technology is not based on breaching privacy rights

Falcon's safety gap comes under fire

The Age
Page: A5 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Andrew Heasley

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Ford Australia will launch its new FG Falcon in May 2008. Ford claims to have outlaid around $A500 million to develop a very safe car. The new FG Falcon will have four airbags, rather than six. Ford will charge those purchasing the car $A300 for curtain airbags, which are designed for side-impact traffic accidents. Bill Osborne of Ford Australia said that the new Falcon is one of the safest cars on the market and the safety of the car is not diminished due to fewer airbags. Osborne noted that people can walk away from a car accident because this car is so safe. Journalists asked Osborne why six airbags were not standard in this car

Something old, something new: Goodman Fielder gets baking

Ad News
Page: 3 : 4 April 2008
Original article by Mark Chenery

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Goodman Fielder is an Australasian food group which sells a number of bread brands. The group has created two new bread brands, to capture a greater share of the $A1.3 billion Australasian bread market. The two new brands are Country Life LowChol and Lawson's Traditional Bread, which is packaged in a brown paper bag. Australian advertising agency Jack Watts Currie was awarded the advertising account for the two new brands. Goodman Fielder spent $A4.3 million on main media advertising for its bakery products in 2007

Grazia set to shake up women's market

Ad News
Page: 4 : 4 April 2008
Original article by Nikki MacLennan

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian publisher, ACP, is getting ready to launch a new women's magazine. It will launch the Australian version of Italy's "Grazia" magazine later in 2008. "Grazia" is a women's fashion magazine which was started in Italy in 1938. It does not have a lot of celebrity gossip, but focuses on fashion. It is aimed at affluent, educated women with a large amount of disposable income. The launch of the magazine will be accompanied by a media advertising campaign

E-Business

MySpace makes play for digital music market

The Australian
Page: 30 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Michael Sainsbury

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

The social networking site, MySpace, has linked up with Universal, Warner and SonyBMG to set up the new MySpace Music portal. The labels will each take a stake in the venture, which will compete with Apple's iTunes. MySpace marketers say the new portal will allow music fans to buy music or concert tickets. MySpace hopes that the many young people who visit MySpace will see the new portal as an online music "one stop shop"

Online video streaming a virtual flood

The Sydney Morning Herald
Page: 33 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Paul McIntyre

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

More and more Australians are tuning in to online video clips. This has led to a flurry of advertisers seeking to advertise over the internet. News-related online videos are very popular, as are entertainment online video streams, such as clips from TV shows. Jason Scott, of Ninemsn, notes that big news events have been "instrumental" in luring people to watch online video streams. Ninemsn and Fairfax Digital have seen a rise in interest in their online video products. The biggest video streaming site in Australia is YouTube, owned by Google. Jack Matthews of Fairfax Digital says advertising attached to video streams attracts premium rates

Aussie spends 100% online

Ad News
Page: 3 : 4 April 2008
Original article by Mark Chenery

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Aussie Home Loans is well-known for its TV advertising. The group decided to spend 100% of its advertising budget on online advertising in March 2008. The idea was to test the market, to see if online saturation generated more leads and led to more business. Aussie Home Loans has not yet analysed the results of the experiment. Stuart Tucker, the general manager of marketing at Aussie, say he will bring online spending back to around 40% of the total media budget for 2008. Nielsen Media Research figures show that Aussie Home Loans spent $A7.3 million on main media advertising in 2007, excluding internet advertising

Marketing Strategy

Bank gears up for battle on customer service

The Sydney Morning Herald
Page: 33 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Julian Lee

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Westpac plans to make customer service its top marketing priority, according to new CEO, Gail Kelly. The bank is set to carry out a review of its marketing strategy, although sustainability has been identified as a key message and will be retained. The review's likely impact on Westpac's advertising firm, Red House, and the Y&R Brands agencies that reside within it is yet to be revealed. Westpac's agencies are due to meet the new general manager of sustainability, brand and communications, Sally Herman, on 10 April 2008

Nelson predicts big spending

Ad News
Page: 5 : 4 April 2008
Original article by Paul McIntyre

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Charlie Nelson is a consultant who forecasts future trends. He is the head of the Melbourne-based forecaster, Foreseechange. Nelson is confident that retail spending in Australia will slow only moderately in 2008, dropping back to around 6% growth. He argues that there is unjustified negativity about consumer spending, and several groups of consumers will not stop spending at all, even though interest rates have risen and petrol prices are high. Nelson argues that marketers have to continue marketing, targeting groups like the wealthy and the affluent, who will continue to spend no matter what. Nelson noted that Australia has strong immigration, rising house prices and strong jobs growth, so the economy will not slow too markedly

Consumer Behaviour

$A consolidates after strong rally

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 34 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Katja Buhrer

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Australian dollar peaked at $US0.9322 on 9 April 2008, amid speculation that Chinese interests will seek to invest in BHP Billiton. However, the currency drifted lower early in the European trading session, following the release of bearish data on consumer confidence levels in Australia. Consumer confidence has now fallen to its lowest level in 15 years, which has dampened expectations of a further tightening of monetary policy in May

Retailers caught by tighter purse strings

The Age
Page: B1 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Ari Sharp

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Australian retail sector is coming under pressure as households reduce discretionary spending after a series of interest rate rises. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute's consumer sentiment index for April 2008 was 1.3% lower at 87.4 points. There has been a 12.7% decline in the number of consumers who believe it is a good time to purchase a major household item. Orex Recruiters said casual staff will be the first to be affected as retailers seek to reduce costs

Seven's Lycra army wins the ratings war

The Age
Page: 18 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Debi Enker

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The top-rating program in Australia in early April 2008 was the Seven Network's "Gladiators". It attracted 1.86 million viewers. The show rated second in Melbourne, being beaten by "Enough Rope". Some programs that debuted during the first week of the ratings period disappointed. In Melbourne, Seven gained a 27 per cent share of the audience, followed by the Nine Network with 26.6 per cent and the Ten Network with 23.6 per cent

Threat to room rates

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 63 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Lisa Allen

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

In all Australian capital cities, 2007 was a strong year for hotel room rates, but the outlook for 2008 is not as promising. A sharp increase in Australians travelling overseas and a decrease in arrivals from Asia are the two main challenges facing hotels. Perth, Sydney and Melbourne were best placed in terms of revenue per available room in 2007, while regional centres faced a downturn in demand and did not fare as well

Viewers not in the picture on digital TV

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 5 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Neil Shoebridge

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Australians are largely unaware that analogue television broadcasts will end in five years. A survey by the Australian Communications & Media Authority released on 9 April 2008 shows almost 70% were unaware of the changeover deadline and that only 42% watch digital free-to-air television. The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, blames the TV stations for not acting sooner to promote digital television. The commercial stations have established a marketing campaign to promote a service called FreeView

Local beauty spurned for cheap thrills overseas

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 3 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Lisa Allen

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Australian tourism industry has taken a dive, as travellers take advantage of cheap international flights to experience exotic overseas locations. The number of Australians going abroad has increased by 14.5% since 2007, a figure that has the Queensland Tourism Minister, Desley Boyle, concerned for regional operators. Bad weather during peak season did not help. Industry experts say there is no simple answer to encourage domestic travel

Nelson predicts big spending

Ad News
Page: 5 : 4 April 2008
Original article by Paul McIntyre

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Charlie Nelson is a consultant who forecasts future trends. He is the head of the Melbourne-based forecaster, Foreseechange. Nelson is confident that retail spending in Australia will slow only moderately in 2008, dropping back to around 6% growth. He argues that there is unjustified negativity about consumer spending, and several groups of consumers will not stop spending at all, even though interest rates have risen and petrol prices are high. Nelson argues that marketers have to continue marketing, targeting groups like the wealthy and the affluent, who will continue to spend no matter what. Nelson noted that Australia has strong immigration, rising house prices and strong jobs growth, so the economy will not slow too markedly