Olympics, TV ratings and cookies. Is the end nigh?
In this episode of the ‘Fear and Greed’ business podcast Adam Lang interviews Ben Willee, Spinach General Manager and Media Director about what’s happening in the world of media and advertising. This week they discuss the push by some networks to abolish overnight TV ratings, whether the upcoming Olympics will be a ratings winner or […]
Confessions of a former client-side marketer: Why I ditched my agency roster
During her time client-side, Nicole Miranda saw first-hand the drawbacks of a disparate agency roster. While the desire to have the best people in every discipline working for your business is understandable, it usually means more work. So what’s the alternative? When I started my career, all agencies were full service. I was working at […]
Are members-only supermarkets the future of grocery?
Alibaba is expanding its membership-driven hypermarket chain Store X, bringing together its best practices from online and offline shopping, as it seeks to capitalise on China’s burgeoning middle class. Two new stores opened last week, offering a supersized format of Alibaba’s Freshippo supermarkets to paying members. For RMB258 (US$40) a year, members can avail of […]
Fear and Greed asks Ben Willee more about Sports Rights
In this ‘Fear and Greed’ business podcast, Adam Lang speaks to Ben Willee, General Manager and Media Director at Spinach about the potential for tech giants like Amazon to enter the market for Australian sports broadcast rights. Listen to Ben speak here: Check out the podcast & transcript here: Fear and Greed – Interview: Ben Willee […]
Is it time for the return of homemaker centres?
In 2019, research by Morgan Stanley noted that shoppers were migrating away from homemaker centres and the big box retailers that flog their goods there. The reason, according to the global investment bank, was that shoppers had less time to travel to homemaker centres. Instead, they preferred to bundle all their errands into one convenient […]
Analysis: Is Ikea ready to become a lifestyle brand?
On Thursday, Ikea will be launching a limited edition 10-piece clothing and accessories range in Australia, both online and in-stores. Could this be a publicity stunt or the beginnings of the Swedish furniture giant expanding into a lifestyle brand? Ikea’s Efterträda collection debuted in Japan last year, then was released in Singapore, Thailand and South […]
Big tech is going after sports rights in the US. Will we be next?
Amazon has made a play for NFL rights adding to its growing collection of international sports. Could Aussie codes be next in the tech giant’s sights and are fans going to make the jump from free-to-air to watch? Ben Willee explores the question. There are two inarguable facts in this world: We’re a bona fide […]
Analysis: Is boring large format retail finally over?
The pandemic has a lot to answer for, but the need for large-format (or big-box) retailers to shake up their business models isn’t one of them, given they were already feeling the winds of change before the world was turned upside down. In 2019, Morgan Stanley found that only three out of 22 Australian big-box […]
Why Coles, Woolies, Dan Murphy’s are ready for the next Facebook smackdown
Facebook’s decision to demonstrate its market power by shutting down every page on its network that shared news content sent shockwaves across multiple industries, and not just in this country. If you’re not already, you should be paying attention. While most retail brands might have escaped the wrath of the social network this time, they […]
What Facebook pulling news content in Australia means for advertisers
In Australia, Facebook has gone nuclear in response to the government’s News Media Bargaining Code. Spinach’s Ben Willee on what all this means for advertisers. For the past 10 months, Australian media owners have been holding their breath as the government went into battle with the tech giants over the use of the news content […]