Tag: Australia

Sydney, Australia – Out-of-home (OOH) media company JCDecaux has announced that it will be launching its first carbon-neutral product in Australia by early 2022. Said product will be applied to JCDecaux’s Transit network, wherein it will be placing its OOH ads across trams and buses in Australia.

“For JCDecaux, reducing our environmental impact is a priority. In 2022 our plan is to launch the first carbon neutral out-of-home media product across our Transit network – a first for Australia. All parts of the Transit product produced by our in-house printing service GSP Print, will be carbon neutral,” said Steve O’Connor, CEO at JCDecaux.

In order to ascertain the product’s carbon neutral feature, JCDecaux’s sustainability team has analyzed the life cycle for Transit, calculating all the carbon inputs end-to-end.

“We have ambitious plans to offer sustainable media solutions to our clients who are wanting to make more responsible choices. We have bold plans for sustainable solutions and our intention is to make our other products carbon neutral in the future,” O’Connor added.

JCDecaux has long been focusing on improving its sustainability endeavors across its products.The company was the first OOH company to join the RE100, a worldwide organisation that advocates for a commitment to 100% renewable energy. In ANZ, this has made JCDecaux the first media company to commit to this and means the entire network, including offices, will be powered by 100% renewable electricity by 2022.

In 2014, JCDecaux renewed its commitment to sustainable development through the implementation of its Sustainable Development Strategy. Priorities are across three components – environment, social and stakeholder, and include reducing energy consumption, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening employee commitment toward sustainable development.

The company has also been a certified carbon neutral business since 2015 through Climate Active, an Australian Government organisation that certifies Australian businesses as carbon neutral, and is also working to achieve carbon zero status in New Zealand.

Sydney, Australia – The National Australia Bank (NAB) has ranked first among five known banks in Australia regarding its implementation of customer experience to its services, the latest index from research and advisory firm Forrester shows.

NAB has improved its CX quality the most with a 6-point increase over last year, propelling the bank from third to first place in Forrester’s ranking, compared to last year. The bank has also had the highest percentage of customers reporting excellent experiences (47%) and the best performance across all three dimensions of CX quality: effectiveness, ease, and emotion.

The research also noted that among customers of Australian banks who felt valued, 62% plan to stay with the bank, 77% plan to spend more with it, and 84% will advocate for the bank. In contrast, of customers who feel frustrated, only 21% plan to stay with the bank and to spend more with it, and a mere 13% will advocate for the bank.

Riccardo Pasto, principal analyst at Forrester, noted that while banks are racing to elevate the digital experience of their websites and mobile apps, oftenly they neglect the importance of human interactions.

“At a time of strict social distancing and lockdown orders that make in-person interaction not feasible, video chat and other digitally enabled human interactions allow banks to get closer to customers and connect with them on a deeper emotional level. Our research shows that CX leaders grow revenue faster than CX laggards, drive higher brand preference, and retain more customers, who are more inclined to forgive stumbles made by brands with good CX,” Pasto said.

He also added that brands with the best customer experiences during the pandemic shutdown will benefit the most from pent-up demand on the other side.

The index also added that communicating in plain language is one of the top three drivers of CX quality; just 58% of customers say that banks are successful at this. Having transparent interest rates and fees is one of the top four drivers for retaining customers, but just over one-third of banking customers report that banks do a good job with prices and fees (36%), indicating room for improvement.

“Even a minor improvement to a brand’s customer experience quality can add revenue by reducing customer churn and increasing share of wallet. Additionally, superior CX leads to reduced service costs and lowers the cost of customer acquisition through word of mouth,” Forrester said in a press statement.

The index benchmarks the CX quality of brands and is based on a survey of more than 5,000 Australian adult customers, including more than 1,400 customers of five banks, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, NAB, Suncorp, and Westpac.

Sydney, Australia – Sometimes, when asked by someone of ‘what you want for Christmas’, chances are you are put into a spot, feeling overwhelmed and unsure. Hence, instead of saying what you want really, you resort to describing vague terms regarding your gift wish.

Such a quirky ‘dilemma’ is the spotlight of the latest ad from Australian department store chain Myer, centered around the concept of ‘unriddling Christmas’ to Aussies.

Titled ‘The Vague Carol’, the ad portrays a slew of people describing what they want for Christmas, yet still giving vague answers such as “I’m not really sure, surprise me” or “no pressure, whatever, I’m easy…”. In addition, the ad’s song is also a reinterpretation of the famous Christmas song, ‘Joy to the World’.

Geoff Ikin, chief customer officer at Myer, noted that the campaign is all about capturing the joy and fun of Christmas for all Australians by playfully turning those vague wishes into wonderful gifts, adding this provides a great way to showcase the many reasons they continue to be the ‘home of Christmas gifting’.

“Christmas is a busy time of year, that’s made ever so slightly more complicated by our attempts at trying to guess the perfect gifts for loved ones. With the vast Christmas range on offer in-store and online at Myer, we’re here to help Australians Unriddle Christmas, with our expert Giftician service and wide range of gifts that everyone will love,” Ikin said.

The ad, made by agency Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, was first previewed to the MyerOne loyalty program, with over 5 million members. The campaign then comes to life across all of Myer’s platforms including TV, BVOD, OOH, digital, social, online and in-store.

One of the many OOH campaigns for Myer’s ‘Unriddle Christmas’ campaign.

“We can all relate to giving and getting those annoyingly vague responses at Christmas. But one thing’s for sure, it’s been a joy to reimagine this classic tune with Fiona and the team. We hope this spot inspires some loud and proud Christmas carol singing. And of course, helps Australia Unriddle Christmas and turn those unhelpful hints into wonderful gifts,” said Ellie Dunn and Huei Yin Wong, senior creatives at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.

Myers also added that the campaign’s media approach, led by AKQA, is steeped in making their ‘Unriddle Christmas’ campaign one you cannot miss. 

“Unmissable media with in-depth partnerships ensures Myer creates and owns this relatable conversation, and showcases that no matter who you’re purchasing for, the perfect gift is waiting for them at Myer,” the company stated.

Sydney, Australia – Out-of-home (OOH) media company JCDecaux in Australia has promoted Morgan Hannaford and Gemma Watkins to the roles of sales director in the state of New South Wales.

Hannaford will take on responsibility for direct clients and independent agency groups, while Watkins will lead the teams working with global agency holding groups.

Gemma Watkins takes up her role immediately, whileMorgan Hannaford will commence in January 2022 upon her return from parental leave.

Hannaford’s 13 years in media have been aligned to delivering customer solutions in the direct and independent agency space. Meanwhile, Morgan’s flair for collaboration and results has driven key partnerships with the Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA), and some of Australia’s biggest brands.

John Harris, who was recently promoted to the role of general manager for sales at JCDecaux Australia, commented, “Gemma [Hannaford] is the ultimate team player, who leads by example. A former media salesperson of the year award winner, Gemma has a natural ability to problem solve for her clients, and consistently drives high levels of customer satisfaction with experience working on key holding groups Mediabrands, Omnicom and dentsu.”

He added, “Morgan’s energy and professionalism is a huge asset for JCDecaux. She is driven to achieve results for her customers and has nurtured a group of highly talented salespeople in such an important area for the business.”

Harris further stated that the two appointees have market-leading high-performance reputation, with a connected culture mentality at the core of their strengths, adding that they are truly excited to see them lead the NSW sales team.

JCDecaux Australia has seen a lineup of appointments this year, including Amanda Munce as head of campaign execution and Oliver Newton as chief sales officer.

Sydney, Australia – In celebration of the little moments which make an Aussie summer iconic, the Australian retail chain of liquor stores, BWS, has launched a new brand campaign to encourage consumers to have some fun this season.

The campaign, which was created in collaboration with marketing agency M&C Saatchi Sydney, highlights why BWS, a 1,400 store network, is the most convenient way to get drinks this Summer.

Called ‘Big Wonderful Summer’, which plays with the BWS initials, the campaign is made up of a series of fun, alternative acronyms for BWS, such as Boldly Worn Smugglers, BBQ Without Salad, and Badass with Sandals, as well as Badly Wrapped Stuff, and Beats Wrapping Socks, to further emphasize why BWS and summer go together.

Vanessa Rowed, the head of marketing at BWS, said, “This is our testament to the perfect summer – nothing short of getting Aussies back to the beach, park, or backyard with a cold drink in their hand. It’s these iconic summer moments that make for a relatable and fun campaign.”

Brendan Donnelly, M&C Saatchi Sydney’s creative director, shared that this campaign aims to make BWS a part of any occasion this summer. 

“We’re looking forward to opening it up for UGC to put their own spin on a BWS summer,” said Donnelly.

On the other hand, dentsu’s media agency Carat has been tasked with media strategy, planning, and buying for BWS’ ‘Big Wonderful Summer’ campaign, bringing it to life across social, online video, OOH, and in-store.

The campaign will be running for two months.

Sydney, Australia – Full-service independent agency Apparent has been appointed by Active Super, a local-based profit-to-member superannuation fund, to lead and handle its media business.

The agency has secured the Active Super business following a three-way pitch and will manage media strategy, planning, and buying, including performance, media and SEO.

Chantal Walker, chief digital and marketing officer at Active Super, said, “As we continue to tell our new Active Super story, Apparent impressed us with their expertise in driving awareness and building the brand through our responsible investing policies and highlighting our fund performance to drive acquisition.”

Walker also added that Apparent’s team showed clear strategic thinking on how to grab the attention of their target audience across media touchpoints and their ability to work collaboratively with their other agency partners.

Active Super, formerly Local Government Super, rebranded in May this year and has AU$14b of funds under management. It is one of only four Australian super funds with all its products certified responsible by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia and is also certified carbon neutral by Climate Active.

Meanwhile, John Halpin, head of strategy and media at Apparent, added, “It’s always great to work with an organization launching a new brand into the market and all the exciting opportunities [that present] from a media strategy perspective.”

He added, “It’s also satisfying to be doing it for a partner which demonstrates their values in the responsible investment of its members’ funds. We’re delighted to have been appointed and will work closely with Chantal, her team, and the other agencies to make Active Super a household name.”

Active Super is the latest win for Apparent’s media division and follows the decision by Sydney Symphony Orchestra to appoint it to manage strategy, planning, and media buying.

Sydney, Australia – Despite ongoing lockdowns in Australia for the past few months, the local influencer marketing scene remains unfazed, as more and more brands have tapped online influencers via sponsored activity, according to data from AI analytics platform HypeAuditor.

From data collected from 1 to 28 of October, there were 3,179 sponsored posts from 1,651 influencers, categorized as those with an authentic following of more than 1000, with the hashtag #ad and/or #sponsored, slightly down from 3,722 sponsored social media posts in September when both Sydney and Melbourne were in lockdown.

While the brands’ influencer marketing campaigns were running as usual during lockdowns, influencers were quick to embrace #freedomday on their social media platforms. Between October 1st and October 25th, 794 influencers shared 1,037 posts using the hashtag #freedomday, reaching 2.5 million people. 

The hashtag #freedomday refers to the sweep of restrictions lifting across Greater Sydney, with 213 posts by influencers peaking by 11 October. 

On October 22, when Melbourne’s lockdown ended, influencers posted less than half as much, with just 95 posts. Considering it was Melbourne’s sixth lockdown in 2021, the novelty of #freedomday has clearly worn off.

“Australian brands and marketers understand that influencer marketing is a foolproof strategy within their overall marketing plans. A significant by-product of city-wide lockdowns was people being on their devices and on social media more than ever, seeking new forms of entertainment. Influencer marketing proved to be one of the best ways to reach consumers during a lockdown, and keep the marketing lights on when people are not out and about,” said Alexander Frolov, CEO and co-founder at HypeAuditor.

He added, “#freedomday for influencers means more creative freedom to create paid content for brands, as they are no longer restricted to the confinement of their homes. Over the next few months, we can expect to see a spike in travel-related content from influencers as interstate as well as international borders reopen and travel brands come back in full force after the devastating effects the border closures had on the industry.”

Sydney, Australia – Leading accommodations platform within the sharing economy, y Airbnb, has appointed independent public relations agency, Thrive PR, as its sole PR agency for the ANZ region.

The appointment will see Thrive supporting Airbnb’s consumer and corporate public relations work, and initiating a number of major projects throughout the year. Led out of Sydney, Thrive will be boosting Airbnb’s strategy and creative duties, with specialist support across key locations including Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast, as well as Perth, and Auckland.

Leilani Abels, Thrive’s founder and managing director, believes that both companies share the same entrepreneurial spirit and passion for community and creating memorable experiences. 

“I’m excited for our consultants to have the opportunity to work with Airbnb’s first-class team, on an incredible brand and with a world leader in its category. We have begun our journey to deliver great value, innovative thinking, and business impact to Airbnb,” said Abels.

In August this year, Thrive has announced the appointment of two new senior hires, namely Natanael Bloch, the new group account director for Melbourne, and Taryn Silver, the new account manager for Sydney, to lead its specialist business team called Business, Purpose, and Brand Reputation.

Australia – Australian Radio Network (ARN) has launched ‘ARN Audio Connections Planner’, an innovative online planning tool that allows commercial partners to analyze and enhance their audio campaign delivery and messaging by using its research-backed insights and consumer data.

The ‘ARN Audio Connections Planner’, which was created in-house, is a complementary tool to existing metrics that enhances audio buys for marketers and agencies, and is designed to bring together data on audience metrics, category involvement, and mental availability. 

Moreover, the new online planning tool gives advertisers the best possible chance to connect with consumers at their most receptive moments of the day, bringing essential data for planning effective audio campaigns.

Lauren Joyce, ARN’s chief strategy and connections officer, shared, “ARN is making it easier than ever for our commercial partners to utilize our expertise to create sophisticated and effective audio campaigns right across our Audiosphere, resulting in connections with consumers that create measurable actions.”

The ‘ARN Audio Connections Planner’ works by evaluating activity across three key data segments to better understand the ‘how’, ‘when’, and ‘what’ of consumer audio engagement.

ARN uses data that explores how listeners are engaging with audio such as how people are feeling when they are listening based on research about mood and mindset at various points of the day. This unique insight adds data from ARN’s in-house Neuro Lab research studies to understand what listeners will respond best at the moments that matter most. By using this data set, the new online planning tool will be able to show which parts of the Audiosphere are the most effective to create a connection with consumers.

Sydney, Australia – Advertising agency The Works, part of Capgemini, has appointed Iggy Rodriguez, former group creative director at global advertising agency R/GA, to be its new creative partner.

Rodriguez brings with him more than 18 years. Aside from his previous role at R/G, he held leadership roles at various advertising agencies, namely McCann and Leo Burnett. Rodriguez has also worked across agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB Sydney, and Ogilvy Sydney.

The appointment, which is effective in November 2021, aims to help continue to expand and diversify the agency’s creative work. Rodriguez will be focusing on the agency’s creative output, leading the creative department with creative director Nathan Bilton and will help bring new innovative thinking across all the agency clients, including Subaru, Aware Super, and H&R Block, as well as Goodman Fielder, and Masterpet. 

Commenting on his appointment, Rodriguez said, “It’s a really exciting time to be joining The Works. The backing of Capgemini adds a unique strength to our creative offering to tap into more tech and digital innovation for clients. With some great brands already on the roster, I’m looking forward to diving into the role and creating some amazing work with the team.” 

Meanwhile, Damian Pincus, The Works’ founder and creative partner, believes that appointing Rodriguez is a testament to where the agency is heading right now, as they have a very exciting future ahead, with an amazing group of clients who are all focused on winning in the market.

“The timing is great too. As we’ve recently gone public with our new Be Significant brand mission, what better statement of intent than to appoint one of the industry’s finest and boldest creatives around,” said Pincus. 

Jasmine Lansdell, the general manager of people and operations at The Works, commented, “We’re so excited to have Iggy join our senior team. Iggy brings exceptional talent and creative leadership to The Works and will push us to be better. Given the talent market right now, adding an internationally acclaimed creative partner is a great win for the agency.”

Most recently, The Works has also announced the appointment of senior producer Katie Harper as the agency’s new head of production, where she will be leading the agency’s in-house production team of directors and editors, overseeing work for several key clients including Goodman Fielder, Aware Super, and Masterpet, as well as H&R Block and Subaru.