Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Campaigns

Adbrief
Page: 3-4 : 11 April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

A groundbreaking campaign called "The UN Voices Project" has been launched by Saatchi & Saatchi Australia. Mobile phone technology allows people to listen to the campaign's outdoor posters and press and online advertisements. Meanwhile, a campaign featuring free cholesterol checks at supermarkets is being run by Unilever for "Flora" margarine. Amnesia, Universal McCann and Pulse Communications are involved with the promotion. The Furnace has developed a new segment of an ongoing campaign for real estate brand Domain

Launches

Adbrief
Page: 4 : 11 April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

A brand campaign for VicUrban's Docklands has been launched by RBD Melbourne. The campaign espouses the benefits of living and working in the waterfront precinct and has the slogan "Make it your own". Elsewhere, a cross-platform specialising in parenting information has been introduced at ACP Magazines. The Inspiration Room's promotional tool for creatives, "the room", has been revamped. Star Advertising and the Brandshop have developed a campaign for "Curios", a new Sanitarium brand aimed at people who miss breakfast

Products & Services

Procter and Gamble plays by own recruitment rules

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 62-63 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Fiona Smith

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a large global conglomerate. P&G has an unusual policy of hiring new people - it only takes graduates straight from university. It picks the best and brightest, those not "tainted" with another company's culture. This policy is deliberate and it is called "build from within". Thus, P&G promotes its own "inside" people, it never brings someone from outside to be the boss over a long-term employee. This policy makes sure that P&G retains the best and brightest and can train new recruits. P&G managers put all candidates through two online tests. P&G pays its staff very well and it offers posts across the globe. Staff turnover in the US is a staggering 2% a year and many staff have a job for life

Asian exposure all the rage

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 60 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Ben Wilmot

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Goodman Property Investors recently signalled that it will begin raising capital for a $US500 million Asia-Pacific fund of funds. The new offering will be managed from Sydney and will target an annual return of 14 per cent. Goodman Property Investors currently manages more than $A14.2 billion worth of assets globally. Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch has indicated that it is raising a Pacific Rim real estate fund worth between $US2.5 billion and $US3 billion, which will invest in various types of property in markets including Australia and Japan

Future-proofing Fairfax with the help of TheVine.com.au

Mediaweek
Page: 3/2 : 14 April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

A new youth venture entitled TheVine.com.au has been launched by Fairfax. The significance of the initiative was evident at the "Fairfax Digital Media '08" summit, which was held in March 2008. The Australian publisher's Cinnamon Pollard says that Fairfax has not traditionally focused on the youth demographic, and so it developed the new site with assistance from Lifelounge. It is hoped that music companies will view TheVine as a medium for breaking new artists. Efforts will also be made to encouraged site visitors to buy Fairfax's Sunday newspapers

Praemium wins UK approval for hybrid fund

Money Management
Page: 10 : 10 April 2008
Original article by Lorna Thornber

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian portfolio administration provider Praemium has received an approval to launch a new product in Great Britain. The Financial Services Authority approved Praemium's separately managed account/managed fund offering. According to Praemium, the new hybrid product, to be known as Smartfund, enables clients to take advantage of British tax benefits for managed funds. Smartfund will run on the company's portfolio administration platform

E-Business

Positive picture at Quickflix

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 17 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Noelle Waugh

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Quickflix reported a 14 per cent rise in revenue receipts to $A1.68 million in the March 2008 quarter. According to Quickflix MD, Simon Hodge, total subscriber numbers rose 22 per cent, while overall expenditure fell 10 per cent to $A2.7 million. Hodge said the company has completed its "necessary phase of investment" and is now able to generate sufficient revenue to cover its core operating costs. He said Quickflix would look to further increase subscriber numbers throughout 2008

Hiro gets ad-approved clear light

Mediaweek
Page: 6 : 14 April 2008
Original article by Marc Andrews

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Clear Light Digital, a member of the BlueFreeway Group, is approaching its third birthday. The Melbourne agency specialises in digital marketing and interactive advertising technology. Ten Network, News Digital Media and Australia Post are among its clients. The co-founder and MD of Clear Light, Jamie Silver, notes that the agency quickly broadened its offering beyond search engine marketing and optimisation in order to provide a more integrated approach. The agency licences a video advertising technology called Hiro from an Israeli company

Adspend up 11.5% overall

Adbrief
Page: 1 : 11 April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Data on advertising spending in 2007 has been issued by the Commercial Economic Advisory of Australia. The agency reveals in its "Advertising Expenditure Main Media Report" that ad revenue increased by 11.5 per cent during the year, to $A13.5 billion (net of goods and services tax and commissions). Spending at suburban newspapers surged by 27.9 per cent, while pay TV also posted a hefty 29.8 per cent rise. The biggest increase, of 34.5 per cent, was achieved by the online sector

Marketing Strategy

Mower king eyes fresh fields

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 18 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Damien Lynch

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

The operator of Australia's largest franchise chain, Jim's Group, is seeking a partner to take the business global. Jim's Group founder, Jim Penman, hopes to sell a stake of up to 25 per cent in the company to fund expansion plans, although he says retirement is not on his agenda. Jim's Group generates annual turnover of around $A200 million from its 25 divisions, which include Jim's Antennas and Jim's Test & Tag. The company has 2,700 franchisees in New Zealand, the UK, Canada and Australia, each turning over an average of $A75,000 per year

Kleenmaid "struggling to maintain business model"

Inside Retailing
Page: 1-2 : 14 April 2008
Original article by Bruce Atkinson

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Just eight of Kleenmaid's 35 stores in Australia are franchise outlets. At least two of these are believed to be seeking to leave Kleenmaid. Historically, the majority of Kleenmaid's stores were franchises, and there is a suggestion that the whitegoods chain's franchise model is not working as well as it used to. It has been noted that Kleenmaid has been advertising the same sites to potential franchisees for some months without any apparent takers. Kleenmaid's wholesale operation seems to be more successful than its retail operations at the moment

Australian inventor wins global recognition for POP solution

Inside Retailing
Page: 9-10 : 14 April 2008
Original article by Kiren Thandi

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

A promotional display developed by Creative Instore Solutions for Red Bull in Australia has won a major overseas award. The display, based on an antique petrol bowser, won the top award at the North American Popai Outstanding Merchandising Achievement Awards in March 2008. Steve Howell, the MD of Creative Instore Solutions, said it did not take very long to come up with the idea for a drink dispenser based on a petrol bowser. He notes that it was originally created for Caltex Australia, but Red Bull believed it had global potential

Consumer Behaviour

Fitness industry gets clean bill of health

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 19 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Mark Fenton-Jones

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

IBISWorld believes that spending on the health and fitness industry will fall in 2008, as a result of interest rate rises and the credit crisis. Health and fitness centres are expected to grow by 6.3 per cent in the 2008 financial year, down from around 15 per cent per year since 2003. According to Ezypay's first Australian fitness industry survey, there are currently around 3,500 fitness clubs in Australia, 22 per cent of which are less than 12 months old. IBISWorld's GM for Australia, Robert Bryant, said the local sector is now "ripe for consolidation"

Home lending falls as rate rises bite

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 1/4 : 15 April 2008
Original article by Adrian Rollins

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Australian economy is bracing for an increased impact from international economic pressure as local indicators show a sharp downturn. On 14 April 2008, a day before an important speech by the Reserve Bank of Australia governor, Glenn Stevens, the sharemarket fell almost two per cent to close at 5,342.4 points, and reports showed home loans to owner-occupiers had dropped by 5.9 per cent in February. Also in February, the number of home owners shifting their mortgages to fixed interest rates increased to almost 24 per cent. The Australian Government is becoming increasingly alarmed by the effects of the global financial turmoil, which will affect its Budget plans

FHSA a departure from election promise

Super Review
Page: 4 : April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Many younger Australians find it hard to save for a deposit for a home loan. The current Australian Government pledged to set up a First Home Saver Account (FHSA) scheme during the 2007 election campaign. This would operate via superannuation funds and would help people build up a home deposit. The Association of Super Funds of Australia (ASFA) has written a submission to the Australian Treasury. It argues that the latest proposals for the FHSA scheme are different to those outlined during the election. The difference means added costs for super funds, costs which some funds will not be able to bear. ASFA argues that the super industry must have a say in how this scheme will operate

Getting the tax settings right

Super Review
Page: 13-14/16-18 : April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

A round table of superannuation experts has discussed the taxation of super in Australia. They discussed the fact that the superannuation guarantee (SG) of 9% is not adequate for many Australians. Those on lower incomes, with a 9% SG, cannot accumulate enough in retirement savings to live decently in retirement. The suggestion is that the SG should be lifted to around 16%. At the same time, the experts agree that it should be made easier to salary sacrifice, so that anyone can have part of his or her salary put immediately into super. Many women, who take time off to have a family, stop building a super nest egg. Something must be done to ensure that women with a broken work pattern can still accumulate enough in super for a decent retirement