Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

People moves

Adbrief
Page: 2 : 9 May 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

There have been plenty of recent personnel changes within the Australian advertising sector as at early May 2008. Andrew Cox, who has been credited with the creation of the "Bundy Bear" character, has joined Love Communications Sydney from Grey, while Mike Morrison plans to take a break from the advertising sector after six years at Young & Rubicam. Six years was also how long Megan Hales had spent with Hyro before joining George Patterson Y&R Sydney, while Matt Melik has moved from the UK to become a managing partner of George Patterson Y&R Sydney as well

AMA calls for ban on dense food

Adbrief
Page: 3 : 9 May 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Banning the marketing of "energy dense" foods could make a big impact on the reduction of obesity in Australia. This is according to the Australian Medical Association (AMA), which is particularly keen to see a ban apply to the marketing of such foods to children. The AMA also wants to see government subsidies for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as increased taxes on soft drinks that have lots of sugar and other "junk foods"

Planning pizazz

Marketing Magazine (NZ)
Page: 26-31 : April 2008
Original article by Patricia Moore

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Attention to detail and the appropriate level of creative input seem to be the two main elements of successful events marketing. Stu Robertson, of New Zealand events organiser Orange Group, says a great event can be compared to a great symphony. He says a good events company makes sure they get to understand what the company's brand stands for and "treat it as if it were their own". Donna Clapham, of Workz4U, says a good event needs to have some element of creativity or it will be boring, no matter how well it has been organised

Products & Services

Super Cheap set to roll out bike chain

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 54 : 14 May 2008
Original article by Noelle Waugh

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Super Cheap Auto announced plans to launch a bicycle retail chain on 13 May 2008. Super Cheap MD, Peter Birtles, said that after three years exploring the durable-goods market, the company was now ready to replicate the success it has enjoyed with its Super Cheap Auto chain. Birtles said Super Cheap's $A6 billion acquisition of Goldcross Cycles would underpin the creation of a national chain of 50 superstores. The company will invest around $A4.5 million in fiscal 2009 and a further $A1.2 million each subsequent year

AMP in pro-bono advice pilot

Money Management
Page: 10 : 8 May 2008
Original article by Liam Egan

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

AMP is a very large financial services group in Australia. It has unveiled details of its six-month Pro Bono Advice program, which will operate in tandem with the Salvation Army. The pilot will be launched in both New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Some 12 self-employed AMP financial planners will donate their own time and resources to help the less well-off. Financial advice will be given for free to recipients of various Salvation Army services. The help will be given when the Salvation Army counsellors cannot deal with more complex financial problems. The planners will give advice relating to compensation payments, insurance claims and maximising social security benefits. They will spend up to 12 hours each giving advice and writing down recommendations

E-Business

ACCC gets motoring on FuelWatch

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 66 : 14 May 2008
Original article by Julian Bajkowski

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has moved to put its FuelWatch scheme into action. It released tender documents for the $A20.9 million petrol price surveillance system on 13 May 2008. It aims to begin the scheme by the end of the year. The applications development will be outsourced and external suppliers will also host and maintain the system. Petrol stations will use email or interactive telephone to send their prices to the web site, which will publish the data. Text messages will also be sent to consumers

Yahoo! No deal disappoints

Adbrief
Page: 1 : 9 May 2008

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Online advertisers are disappointed that a possible merger between Yahoo! and Microsoft did not eventuate. Elias Plishner, of Universal McCann, says that a combination of the two would have helped in part to combat the dominance of Google, with their combined web sites attracting a total of 127 million users a month. Advertisers may now decide to switch to media such as mobile telephones and social networking sites such as Facebook, as the Yahoo! and Microsoft deal has fallen through

Marketing Strategy

Extra aid for exports falls short

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 26 : 14 May 2008
Original article by John Kerin

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Exporters will be disappointed by the Australian Government's May 2008 Budget. Federal Trade Minister, Simon Crean, announced that assistance will increase by $A50 million in 2009-10, following an extra $A50 million in 2008-09. However, the increase to the Export Market Development Grants scheme follows cuts by the previous government. The scheme is being reviewed, with the report due by 31 August

How to get exactly what you want

New Scientist
Page: 32-37 : 10 May 2008
Original article by Dan Jones and Alison Motluk

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Psychology professor Eric Knowles, of the University of Arkansas, says that persuasion is a basic type of social interaction. Mimicry is known to have persuasive power, while a study at Oklahoma State University shows that people are more likely to agree to something if they are cognitively exhausted. A study by researchers at Ohio State University and the Autonomous University of Madrid suggest that presenting a couple of supporting ideas is more persuasive than presenting numerous arguments. Monique Mitchell Turner, of University of Maryland, claims the persuasive power of anger is under-rated

Tough times

Marketing Magazine (NZ)
Page: 10 : April 2008
Original article by Fiona Morris

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

There is not a lot for New Zealand marketers to feel optimistic about in April 2008. Petrol prices continue to rise, the property market is slumping, and there is a general view that consumer confidence is down. Marketing budgets are being cut, with about 45 per cent of US firms indicating they are reducing their newspaper advertising. However, there is one area where there is at least some optimism, namely online advertising. The medium's main attraction to marketers is that it is easy to measure, so advertisers can see if their money is being well-spent

Franchising code of conduct changes

ACCC Update
Page: 16 : April 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Franchisors are advised to familiarise themselves with the new Franchising Code of Conduct, which became law on 1 March 2008. Under the new laws, franchisors are required to provide a greater level of information to franchisees. Franchisors should review their disclosure documents and internal procedures to ensure that they comply with the changes to the code. Franchisors are now required to present information to franchisees within 14 days, rather than the previous 60 days

Consumer Behaviour

Aussie youth net bound

Adbrief
Page: 3 : 9 May 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Australians aged between eight and 24 claim the internet is the best media consumption channel for getting the most useful information. Fifty-eight per cent of young Australians who took part in Synovate's third annual "Young Aussies" study rated the internet as being the most useful, followed by newspapers (11 per cent) and TV (nine per cent). They also rated the internet as being the best medium for keeping them up to date. Brent Stewart, Synovate's CEO for Australia and New Zealand, said that young Australians are able to cope with huge amounts of information at the one time

2008, consumers watch and wait

Adbrief
Page: 3 : 9 May 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Grey Group has released the results of its 2008 "Eye on Australia". The study, now in its 17th year, is conducted by Grey in association with Sweeney & Associates. The 2008 "Eye on Australia" survey found that worrying about their finances was the thing keeping most Australians awake at night, followed by home affordability and having enough money to live on when they retire. Sixty-five per cent of Australians said they were either "very" or "extremely" satisfied with life, while 91 per cent said they would trust a company that owned up to making mistakes

Nice to see you

Marketing Magazine (NZ)
Page: 11 : April 2008
Original article by Simon Young

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Internet users have a strong preference for video over audio podcasts, according to Russell Brown. Brown, the operator of the social networking site Public Address System, suggests the difference in usage is about five to one in favour of video broadcasting. It is suggested that the main reason why online video is so popular is that it is simple to use and that the vast majority of broadcasts are under five minutes. Research indicates that the most watched video broadcasts are news or current affair programs