Stories by Brad Howarth

Telecommunications can be a brutal game, with brands coming and going faster than Australian prime ministers. So for Australian-born Boost Mobile to have survived for 20 years is a noteworthy feat, especially given that many of its much larger US carrier partners, including Nextel and Sprint, have come and gone in that time.

It’s been 35 years since Australian motorists first started saying ‘hi to Hyundai’. But while the massive Korean manufacturing conglomerate has done an amazing job of building recognition as an automotive brand, some of its other its other products are not so well recognised.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent clampdown on conferences and seminars, lead generation still needs to come from somewhere.

For Australian linen and homewares brand, Lorraine Lea, decline had set in long before the COVID-19 crisis hit.

Cambell Holt is not the first marketer to concede there is a lot in his professional realm he doesn’t fully understand. But what does make Mercer’s chief customer officer different to many of his peers is who he turns to when filling in those gaps.

As recent months have clearly shown, having a strong digital marketing and commerce capability has been one of the defining factors of those organisations that have best coped with the COVID-19 crisis.

A few years ago, century-old South Australian-born company, National Pharmacies, decided to update its mission.

When the COVID-19 crisis pushed Australian consumers online in unprecedented numbers, ecommerce and auctions company, Grays, turned to an unconventional channel to help fuel its growth.

It was 12 March 2020 when Elma Beganovich saw the world suddenly change. As co-founder and chief operating officer at New York-based influencer-led digital marketing agency, Amra & Elma, she had been monitoring rising concern regarding the COVID-19 health crisis among the global influencer community and their followers.

Data enables marketers to better understand the true state of the world within which they operate. But what do you do when the data being used to make those predictions no longer describes reality?

When Carl Hartmann and Mark Livings set out to build Lyre’s Spirit Co, they were looking to create a product and brand that would provide a palatable and socially acceptable alternative to alcoholic spirit-based beverages. Little did they know, the COVID-19 crisis was about to deliver a hoard of potential customers looking for a healthier lifestyle while in lockdown.

The COVID-19 crisis forced thousands of businesses across Australia to either fundamentally re-evaluate their business model or risk shutting up shop for good. But at Vision Personal Training, it’s served to stimulate digital transition that could have long-term benefits.

There are few marketers who haven’t seen their plans derailed by COVID-19. Even for those brands that have traded successfully during this period, success has usually come as the result of being able to flex marketing programs quickly to suit changing conditions.

As Australian businesses begin to emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown, there’s a growing trend suggesting those best placed to recover quickly are the ones who stayed engaged with their customers throughout.

Many Australian children have grown up with posters of their favourite sports stars taped to their walls. Fifteen recipients of the Australian of the Year honour have had a background in sport, and sports stars are perennial favourites as ambassadors and spokespeople for all manner of brands.