Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

Court ruling stomps on ticketless Perth rugby fans

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 5 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Marsha Jacobs

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

The Federal Court of Australia has ruled against Corporate Sports Australia (CSA) in a Trade Practices Act case. The group had argued it was uncompetitive for the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to stop it from onselling corporate hospitality packages and tickets to an international rugby match event in Perth. CSA had obtained the tickets for just $A280 each from the Subiaco Football Club, and then sold them for $A990. This occurred only a short time after CSA had walked away from its contract with the ARU. Those who bought the 125 tickets in question will now need to purchase new official ones at a slightly discounted rate of $A825 from the ARU

Rules to ensure ads sell it straight

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 5 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Mark Davis

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

New guidelines on political advertising were released by the Australian Government on 2 July 2008. Taxpayer-funded advertisements will not be allowed to attack political opponents, to garner political support for the government, to include political messages or name the political party in power. Ministers will be kept out of the campaign development process and half-yearly reports on expenditure will be presented to Parliament. Further rules apply to content and style

"The SMH's" pitch to win even more readers

Mediaweek
Page: 1/5 : 30 June 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Advertising & Promotion Campaigns

A new brand advertising promotion has been launched for "The Sydney Morning Herald". The "Life's calling" campaign encompasses the print, outdoor and TV mediums. The newspaper also held a business and economic forum in Sydney on 24 June 2008 featuring presentations by staff including long-standing economics editor Ross Gittins and political columnist Annabel Crabb. Alan Oakley, editor of the "The Sydney Morning Herald", says management expects the quality end of the newspaper market to flourish

Products & Services

Download wars heat up

The Age
Page: 23 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Adam Turner

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Australian retailer EzyDVD will introduce a video downloading service later in 2008. The EzyDownload service will allow consumers to rent or purchase movies or TV shows via the internet. The new service will use the infrastructure of ReelTime, a failed company that offered a similar service. Consumer access to high-speed broadband is a key issue for online movie rental services, and EzyDownload is in talks with ISPs to have movie downloads excluded from internet users' monthly download limits

Foxtel's HD+ "changes and evolves" Australia TV

Mediaweek
Page: 9 : 30 June 2008
Original article by Marc Andrews

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Over 15,000 subscribers to Foxtel have already upgraded to the pay TV group's "HD+" service. The much-anticipated service was launched on 22 June 2008. Kim Williams, the CEO of Foxtel, says his company has been a central agent in the evolution of TV in Australia in the past 12 years. Williams describes the Foxtel iQ2 used to power HD+ as "remarkable". Full HD+ packages will be offered of sports events such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games

E-Business

Local digital ad market goes Tribal

Mediaweek
Page: 6 : 30 June 2008

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Tribal Fusion has entered the Australian market and set up an office in Sydney. The firm was founded in 2001 and has since become the biggest independent online advertising network in the world, as well as the foremost web site representative company. Tribal represents 1,500 web publishers around the world. Its clients include 38 of the world's leading 50 advertisers, such as AT&T and Microsoft. The firm's Vicki Lyon reports that Tribal's network fold includes 4.2 million unique users in Australia

Consumer Behaviour

Household wealth leaps for most Australians

The Age
Page: B3 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Dewi Cooke and Ben Schneiders

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The household wealth of Australians has risen. A survey by the Melbourne Institute's Household, Income & Labour Dynamics in Australia found that the average net worth of households rose by $A207,000 to $A608,000 between 2002 and 2006. This was due to increases in property prices, superannuation balances and share values. The OECD has predicted that unemployment will fall to 4.2 per cent in Australia in 2008. However, it is forecast to rise to 4.7 per cent in 2009

ACTU backs loans plan

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 54 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Ben Wilmot

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

A private seminar hosted by Rismark International has heard that institutions are becoming more supportive of shared equity home loans. In 2007, Rismark launched a private-sector shared equity scheme with the Bendigo & Adelaide Bank. Over the 12 to 18 months to July 2008, the Western Australian and South Australian Governments have also introduced shared equity programs. ACTU president, Sharan Burrow, has dismissed criticism of shared equity incentives for fuelling housing demand. She anticipates shared equity mortgages will "take root" in the middle and higher ranges of the income distribution. According to Burrow, superannuation funds are beginning to allocate a share of their investments to residential property

Even with padding, Schapelle a drawcard

The Age
Page: 14 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Debi Enker

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

The Nine Network was a clear winner in the Melbourne ratings race in the week ended 28 June 2008. Nine had a 29 per cent share of the viewing audience, ahead of the Seven Network with 27.4 per cent and the Ten Network on 20.7 per cent. However, Seven had the top-rating show for the week, with its Sunday evening news bulletin attracting 566,138 viewers. Nine also topped the ratings nationally, with its documentary on convicted drug smuggler Shapelle Corby attracting 1.58 million viewers, making it the third-highest rating show of the week

WA steals a march on Queensland

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 10 : 3 July 2008

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Western Australia (WA) has become the fastest-growing state in Australia. At a conference in Alice Springs in early July 2008, Ross Barker of Queensland's Department of Infrastructure & Planning said that WA had a growth rate of 2.4 per cent of its population in 2007, overtaking Queensland for the first time. However, Queensland had the greatest population growth, attracting over 92,000 people. The new residents were mainly overseas migrants, rather than coming from interstate

May's retail rebound seen as a one-off

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 9 : 3 July 2008
Original article by Adrian Rollins and Sue Mitchell

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

An unexpected 0.7 per cent bounce in retail sales for May 2008 is not exciting the Australian retail sector. The data, released on 2 July 2008, also indicated a 0.8 per cent fall in department store sales. Department store group David Jones is forecasting flat or negative growth for the first nine months of the 2009 fiscal year. Other data showed an easing in the very tight Australian jobs market, and that household income increased by over $A200,000 to an average of $A608,000 between 2002 and 2006. Some economic analysts are forecasting an interest rate rise in August 2008 to further control inflation