Is outdoor and radio stealing budget from TV?
Does a digital billboard have the same impact as a video ad? Ben Willee says no. And that’s likely why the latest SMI figures have seen an about-face in OOH investment. The July SMI figures reminded me of my first week in advertising. I asked my boss Peter Hickox why our clients spent most of their money […]
Dull advertising isn’t just boring your audience, it’s costing you money
Dull advertising. We know it, see it and have possibly been guilty of it. And there’s a million excuses why it ended up that way that aren’t your fault. It’s easy to accept the possible incremental gains and move on. Stakeholders are appeased, all is nice and safe. But lately, I read a report that […]
Fear and Greed podcast, Nine paid $305 million for the Olympics. Was it worth it?
Broadcaster Nine spent $305 million buying the rights to the five Olympics, from Paris through to Brisbane. In terms of gold medals, Paris has been our most successful Olympics ever. But has it paid off for Nine, and for the advertisers? Ben Willee, General Manager and Media Director at Spinach Advertising, talks to Sean Aylmer […]
Lessons in standing out from Trader Joe’s, Migros, Bonobos
A long-held marketing principle is that brand differentiation is fundamental to success. And there’s no doubt differentiated brands experience higher preference, recall, usage and ‘brand love’. For many brands, however, true differentiation is almost impossible to establish, let alone communicate to customers. Research across 17 markets by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science has found lack of […]
What do privacy changes mean for the relationship between media and creative?
The government’s proposed changes to the Australian Privacy Act coupled with the departure of cookies mean big changes are ahead. But these aren’t just issues for media agencies. Creatives, suits and production people have to come to the party to ensure clients are getting the most from their advertising spend. Ben Willee explains. I know […]
Are we in an advertising recession?
Are we in an advertising recession? SMI data says no but are we splitting hairs? Ben Willee asks the question and mulls the implications. The latest SMI numbers are out and after adjustments, it looks like we have narrowly avoided an advertising recession. The definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth […]
Lessons in loyalty from a company with no customers
After working in ad agencies across retail clients for more than 20 years I moved to a startup. It was a fascinating place – innovative and very well-run. Still is. Beyond the wake-up call of an industry change, I found the startup mentality incredibly interesting and refreshing. Finding customers is one thing, but evoking a […]
Why Coles is doubling down on home brands at both ends of the price spectrum
While the ongoing inquiries into supermarket pricing have been generating plenty of headlines in recent weeks, they barely came up during Coles’ Q3 earnings call on Tuesday. Instead, Coles’ CEO and managing director, Leah Weckert, spent plenty of time explaining how the retailer is providing value to customers as cost-of-living pressures continue to weigh on […]
As France weighs fast-fashion ban, is the circular economy the future of retail?
This week, France announced legislation to “limit the excesses of ultra-fast fashion”. Key measures include a ban on advertising for cheap textiles and an environmental charge on low-cost items. While the proposed laws need to pass a vote in France’s senate, they signal an increased need for focus on sustainability in the retail industry. It’s […]
Consumer confidence just got a boost. How can you capitalise on it?
The Reserve Bank’s decision to keep interest rates on hold is set to have a ripple effect throughout the economy. While the smart money says rates probably won’t go down until well into the July-December half, very few people – if any – are predicting more rises. Add to that news of pending tax cuts […]