Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

New code on ads a toothless tiger, say critics

The Sydney Morning Herald
Page: 3 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Julian Lee

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Marketing industry experts believe the new children's advertising code, which bans the sexualisation of children, is immaterial. The code will also ban the use of pester power, in response to criticism over junk-food and "alcopop" marketing. The Australian Association of National Advertisers established the code, but was unable to name a current advertisement that would be affected by the new rules. Health campaigners and child advocates believe the code will not have a great effect on tackling junk-food advertising

Products & Services

eBet upgrades profit forecast

The Age
Page: B2 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Ross Kelly and Kate Castellari

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian-listed eBet is a poker machine technology and online gambling group. It has forecast that its pre-tax profit will lift in 2008. The group added that it will begin to distribute a new ticketing product for poker machines in 2008. It has also forecast that its annual pre-tax profit will rise by 50% to 70% to between $A1.8 million and $A2.2 million. Shares in eBet rose by $A0.01 to close at $A0.075 on 16 April. The group's new ticketing product is called Ticket-In Ticket-Out and it gives players a barcoded thermal ticket to cash in and cash out credits on poker machines

E-Business

Need for speed propels Australians towards gigabit age and beyond

The Age
Page: B10 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Sol Trujillo

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

There is more and more demand for fast broadband services in Australia. Consumers and businesses want fast broadband. More and more computer applications need fast broadband and this is set to continue as people demand more and more from broadband. Jobs growth depends on Australia keeping pace with new technologies. As the "gigabit" future takes shape, the infrastructure needed must be created by groups with experience. Groups like Telstra have the people, the skills, the experience and the vision to develop the complex broadband infrastructure. This is difficult in Australia because of the sheer size of the country and the remoteness of some locations. The Australian Government must work with industry to get the job done

eBay fronts ACCC to protect its PayPal

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 9 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Julian Bajkowski

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Online auction group, eBay, has to deal with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). eBay wants to make its wholly-owned subsidiary, PayPal, the only way a consumer can make electronic purchases from its Australian website. eBay has applied for immunity from prosecution under the Trade Practices Act. If its application is successful, the only way a consumer could buy goods via eBay will be via PayPal or cash on delivery. The Reserve Bank of Australia may intervene in the ACCC deliberations, because it wants to see more competition in the online payments market. A big part of eBay's argument is that PayPal is the most secure way to pay for goods on eBay