Stories by Brad Howarth

When the Covid-19 lockdowns hit Australia in 2020, no segment of the advertising sector was hit harder than our-of-home (OOH) advertising. According to PwC, the sector saw a 39 per cent decrease in year-on-year revenue to A$772 million.

When is dog food not dog food? Perhaps when its intended purpose is to be much more than just food for a dog.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought on many changes in consumer behaviour, but not all are here to stay. Indeed, for several marketers, the new normal is starting to look suspiciously like the old one.

Every eight hours, one woman dies in Australia from ovarian cancer. Unlike some other forms of gynaecological cancer, ovarian cancer has no early detection test, meaning many women are not diagnosed until the cancer has reached its more advanced stages. This makes ovarian cancer the most lethal female cancer.

Online tracking using third-party cookies has long been one of the more questionable aspects of digital advertising. These changes have forced a rethink of digital ad strategies, especially those relating to acquisition and retargeting. They're also driving significant changes to the positioning of data management platforms (DMPs) used to manage digital advertising efforts.

Like many other manufacturers, Miele has noted these initiatives are becoming more important to consumers. But according to Miele executive director for marketing and sales, Axel Kniehl, for the company to achieve its full sustainability ambitions, it must embrace the idea that responsibility continues long after its goods have left the warehouse.

For Scott Edington, CEO at San Francisco-based AI startup, Deep Labs, techniques used to steer people away from their better judgement are what he refers to as dark patterns. And they have become something he and his team are keen to protect people from.

Since its inception almost 40 years ago, national franchised bedding retailer, Forty Winks, has prided itself on providing exceptional in-store customer service.

Would you put your brand into the hands of a complete stranger? For a rapidly increasing number of Australian marketers, the answer is yes.

Veteran media executive, Kim Williams, is no stranger to new or unproven ideas. Fifteen years ago, he was involved in bringing video onto mobile phones in his role as chief executive at Foxtel – an idea which garnered its share of detractors.

The ascent of the digitally savvy consumer has accordingly given rise to the fully digital brand. But in an era where experience trumps almost everything else, sometimes even the most sophisticated digital solutions fall short of what a customer actually needs.

Customers might be the most important part of many organisations, but by definition, they tend to be external to its processes and functions. They can be polled, surveyed and observed, but inevitably they are at risk of being left out of key decisions, especially during times of extensive or rapid transformation. But when it came time for Super SA to undertake its digital transformation, the leadership team found a simple yet effective way of keeping customers at the centre of their thinking.

Investing is a serious business, and one that poses significant consequences for reckless or risky behaviour. But it can also deliver rewards above and beyond just financial gains, especially for those investors who enjoy the thrill of picking winners.

For Australian ready meals company, My Muscle Chef, ‘strength’ was originally defined in physical terms, with its products catering to nutrition seekers in the workout crowd. But as the company began looking to expand beyond its initial success as a direct-to-consumer food business, head of marketing, Liam Loan-Lack, and his team started questioning exactly what strength means in today’s context.

Australia’s banks have not always enjoyed the strongest corporate reputations, consistently earning headlines that are best describe as bad news. So it takes a particularly bold perspective and a tonne of supporting proof points for a bank to muster the conviction that it deserves to be seen as a force for good.