Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Unloved ad ban snares two firms

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 58 : 18 April 2008
Original article by Rachel Nickless

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

The New South Wales Legal Services Commission is calling for changes to the ban on personal injury services advertising. New South Wales and Queensland are the two states that ban references to personal injury in advertising, in attempts to reduce the amount of litigation and insurance costs. The Law Society of New South Wales has drafted guidelines for reform, that would ensure consistency across all areas of law, eliminating inappropriate content or incitement to litigation

Not so squeaky clean

BRW
Page: 42-43 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Kate Burgess

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is alleging carmaker Saab has engaged in deceptive and misleading conduct. The ACC claims the conduct, which represents a breach of the Trade Practices Act, centres around Saab's claim in its advertising that buying a Saab represents a switch to "carbon neutral motoring". If found guilty of the allegations laid by the ACCC, GM Holden, which imports and distributes Saab in Australia, could be fined as much as $A1 million

Products & Services

Kit car a coup

BRW
Page: 52-53 : 17 April 2008
Original article by John Hagel and John Seely Brown

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

The recently launched Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world by quite a long way. The Indian car sells for around $US2,500 ($A2,700), around half that of its nearest rival, the Maruti 800. Despite the fact that the number of patents filed by Tata in relation to the Nano is much fewer when compared with other new car models, the Nano is arguably very innovative. It is much lighter than comparable models, and is made from components that are capable of being shipped to other locations for assembling. Originally published in "BusinessWeek"

Marketing Strategy

Overdue and under-rated

BRW
Page: 63 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Neil Shoebridge

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

There is pressure on the Australian marketing sector to replace the current audience measuring system with a new one. Harold Mitchell, executive chairman of the marketing services firm Mitchell Communications group, says the new measuring system should reflect the high level of integration between different media. At present, there is no harmonisation between audience measuring systems used by the internet, newspapers, radio, and outdoor segments. Another fault of the current systems is that the engagement of consumers is not being monitored

Consumer Behaviour

Card debt steadies as rate rises bite

The Age
Page: A2 : 18 April 2008
Original article by Tim Colebatch

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

As Australian consumer confidence falls in relation to interest rate rises, credit card debt is growing at the slowest rate in 15 years. Australians have $A43 billion of collective credit card debt, as credit card interest rates average 19.4%. Economic forecasting reveals that Victoria's growth will slow to 1.5%, while the resource rich states of Western Australia and Queensland continue to enjoy high growth rates of 5.5% and 4.3% respectively

Petrol to go down, then up and up

The Age
Page: A9 : 18 April 2008
Original article by Daniella Miletic

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The RACV believes petrol prices will fall in coming days, after reaching a high of $A1.529 per litre on 17 April 2008. RACV spokesperson, David Cumming, said the weekly price cycle will initially cause prices to fall, although a record high is expected on 23 April. Federal Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen, said although world crude oil prices undoubtedly had an impact on the cost of petrol, nobody had been able to explain reasons behind the weekly price cycle

Posh prams

BRW
Page: 14 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Agnes King

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Parents are spending big money on their children's clothing and accessories. They often opt for designer-branded items which are used to promote the image of the family. Foolhardiness of parents has no limits. Those who are seriously wealthy buy the Norwegian-made Stokke, which retails for between $A1,900 and $A2,500. Fiona Baker, editor in chief of ACP Magazines' parenting division, says it is fashionable in Australia to have an European-made pram

Affordable out of reach

BRW
Page: 16 : 17 April 2008
Original article by Chris Richardson

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Housing prices are driven by demand. Ian Macfarlane, the ten governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, said in 2006 that the demand side plays a crucial role in the housing market. House prices in Sydney and Melbourne are closely linked with the proximity to the city centres. Waterfront suburbs are more expensive than non-water side ones. It seems that governments have little impact on the market. People will continue to favour inner suburbs, even if houses and land are much cheaper on the fringes of Australia's capital cities