Stories by Brad Howarth

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.

Brands spent somewhere well above $750 million sponsoring sporting events and clubs in Australia in 2019. That number was on track to be bettered in 2020 thanks to the benign economic climate and the Tokyo Olympics.

Internal communications may not be the most glamourous task within the marketing function. But in a time of crisis, it plays a vital role in both distributing information and creating social cohesion among the workforce.

Some brand symbols are iconic, and immediately convey not just an identity but a set of attributes that clearly describe what the brand stands for. Such recognition can take years to establish, and it is something most brand owners are loath to mess with.

Customer loyalty programs have become a ubiquitous aspect of brand marketing, adopted as much for their efficiency in harvesting customer data as for their ability to keep customers buying. So what value does a loyalty program hold when a customer can no longer transact? And how can a brand ensure its loyal customers are still loyal once restrictions are lifted?

What do you do when you know you have a great product, but lack the resources or brand appeal needed to tell the world about it? Maybe get Alicia Keys to do it for you.

The long-term impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the Australian events industry won’t be known for some time, but one immediate outcome is the rapid rise in interest in virtual conferences.

​With so many physical events now being cancelled, many organisations are turning to virtual platforms to retain at least a semblance of presence and engagement. But as anyone who has ever attended a virtual event knows, a successful experience requires more than just pointing a video camera at a presenter and pressing record.

The emergence of service-based delivery models in what were previously product sales categories has been one of the key sales trends of the 2010s.

Most campaigns are designed to be noticed, but every now and again a campaign attracts attention for all the wrong reasons.

Last September, outdoor adventure apparel and equipment retailer, Kathmandu, turned heads by announcing it had become a certified B Corporation.