Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Revamped JWT hunts new clients

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 54 : 26 May 2008
Original article by Noelle Waugh

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Noel Magnus was appointed the CEO of the JWT advertising group four months ago. Since his appointment he has restructured the company's operations, added new services and hired new staff. JWT has added approximately $A10 million in new billings since January 2008 and Magnus is now turning his focus to winning new clients. According to Magnus, the company is on track to achieve its revenue target for 2008. In the week ended 23 May, JWT established a joint venture with Evocatif covering sponsorships, sales promotions and experiential marketing

Surprise cost in Telstra package

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 6 : 24 May 2008
Original article by Ben Woodhead

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Telstra is running a special offer on its "Next G" broadband bundle, where customers are promised a "$0" laptop. The word "free" is not used in promotions. In reality, the structure of the deal means that customers pay over $A500 for the $A700 laptop. A similar principle applies in "$0" mobile telephone packages offered by many Australian telcos. The actual cost of the handset to customers is hard to gauge with such bundling. Robin Simpson, of Gartner, says some of the deals represent good value for some customers, but the offers are time-consuming to assess

Products & Services

Mergers not just about cost-cutting

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 57 : 26 May 2008
Original article by Andrew Cornell

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Company directors at Westpac Banking and St George Bank have emphasised a proposed merger will focus on customers and branding success. Westpac CEO Gail Kelly says that bank mergers in the past have had an emphasis on costs, but she believes that this has shifted to a revenue focus. Branding is a key factor, and with a combined value of Westpac's and St George's brands at nearly $A5 billion, the challenge will be for the entity to preserve its service and expectations. Even though brand success cannot be measured on a balance sheet, it is a crucial sign of success

I'll pay for that by mobile

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 62 : 26 May 2008
Original article by Julian Bajkowski

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australians will be able to pay bills by mobile telephone with a new service from Telstra. The Australian telco will announce the new product in late May 2008. Prepaid users of its "Next G" service will be able to load credit from their handsets through a credit or debit card linked to Visa and MasterCard. Competitors will monitor the new payment option. Vodafone is considering a similar service. At the same time, some retail pre-payment services are experiencing difficulties

E-Business

Yahoo! in revolt as Microsoft moves on

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 62 : 26 May 2008
Original article by Paul Smith

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Web directory, Yahoo!, faces internal opposition after the failure of a takeover bid by Microsoft. Negotiations over the $US47.5 billion ($A49.5 billion) buy-out collapsed on 3 May 2008. Yahoo! head Jerry Yang has lost the confidence of shareholders. One, billionaire Carl Icahn, was critical of Yang's dismissal of the bid and has challenged the re-election of directors. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that the acquisition was only part of its strategy and it has other options. The failed bid has also left it with $US50 billion for acquisitions

Macquarie goes "back-to-basics"

Money Management
Page: 8 : 22 May 2008
Original article by Liam Egan

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Macquarie Investment Lending (MIL) has launched a new website with gearing information for inexperienced investors. The website also has detailed product information, and tools and resources for planners. Another Macquarie website, GearUp, is a secure client service site which provides live share prices and up-to-date portfolio information

Marketing Strategy

Sport shoe makers need Olympic kick

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 56 : 26 May 2008
Original article by Noelle Waugh

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Sales of sports footwear and apparel declined in Australia in 2007. Orders increased sharply in 2006 due to sporting events and marketing of products with improved technical performance. Wholesale sales have fallen from $A961 million in 2006 to slightly over $A900 million in 2007. Retailers have returned unsold stock and reduced forward orders. Manufacturers hope to reverse the trend with new products, as well as advertising campaigns focused on events including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Simple but smart: the JB Hi-Fi story

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 24 : 24 May 2008
Original article by Sue Mitchell

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Australian-listed discount home entertainment goods chain JB Hi-Fi is one of the success stories in the retail sector. CEO Richard Uechtritz was at the helm of the Rabbit Photo business in the 1980s, and has managed to turn JB into a network of 88 stores with turnover of $A1.8bn per annum. This compares with $A135m in 2000, when he acquired the company for $A40m after gaining the support of investment bank Macquarie Bank. JB was originally set up in Victoria in 1974 and has maintained a store design and layout that signals discounted prices, which appeals to the target market of males aged between 18 and 39 years. Uechtritz plans to open 20 more JB sites in the second half of 2008

Pop-up bookstore in franchising mode

Inside Retailing
Page: 8/9 : 23 May 2008
Original article by Lyn White

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Andrew's Books owner Andrew Ball is hoping to turn his pop-up bookstore prototype into a franchise. Ball opened his first bookstore in Melbourne's Ringwood in 1977, but only established the kiosk in Federation Square in October 2007. The convenience of having a mobile book-store makes it an attractive business concept, one that has taken Ball time and effort to develop. Ball sees potential for success in small towns where a large, traditional bookshop is not viable

Consumer Behaviour

Defined benefits felled by the paradox of growth

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 63 : 24 May 2008
Original article by Robert Samuelson

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

American consumers who consider themselves part of the middle class are increasingly worried about their own and the nation's economic future. Falling residential real estate values and higher oil prices play a large part in this, but equally important is the feeling that entitlements such as unemployment benefits, pensions or medical assistance payments are being eroded. A growing sense of uncertainty has emerged, but voters should realise that it is flexibility that will create the greatest positives in the long run