The everlasting nature of Olympics ideals - persevering and making sacrifices in the pursuit of excellence - gives marketers plenty of positive values to work creatively with in 2021. Yet these are the Olympics of the new normal and things have changed.

Lorna Jane has been penalised $5 million by the Federal Court after admitting it made false and misleading consumer claims around its ‘LJ Shield Activewear’ technology suggesting it would prevent customers catching Covid-19.

It might be a catchy line, but the Federal Government’s latest Covid-19 vaccination advertising line campaign, ‘Arm yourself’, lacks punch and the right mechanisms to motivate Australians to change behaviour and get the jab.

One of the lasting legacies of 2020 will be the boost it gave to digitalisation projects in Australia, as consumer flocked to the Internet to buy groceries, order food and entertain themselves.

Half of the Federal Government’s $6 million digital advertising spend over the past 15 months has been related to Covid, but just $32,000 of it reflects vaccine-related messaging.

Balancing flexibility and routine, community contribution and the consumer’s desire for optimism proved instrumental for The Lott’s marketing team over the last 15 months. And they’re the keys to getting through this next normal, too.

Covid changed consumers’ shopping habits and some new habits look set to stay, according to a new report.

Quick thinking to pivot a series of physical events to virtual to build partner pipeline has certainly seen Nutanix’s head of marketing, Amber Watson, earn her stripes as an adaptive marketing chief this past year.

The owner of women’s fashion brands including Katies, Millers and Noni B has been fined more than $600,000 for multiple breaches of the Australian consumer law relating to its health essential product line.

The pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping, and with it has come innovative ways retailers and brands are connecting with consumers. Livestreaming is one of the growing new ways consumers can shop in real time while watching live videos.

During the height of the Covid pandemic last year, some 87 per cent of consumers tended to remain with brands they knew, according to the 9th annual Australian customer loyalty and loyalty program research study, For Love or Money 2021.

Fintech and neo-lender, Wisr, opted for a brand redesign around the tagline, ‘For your smart part’ to emphasise its proposition of helping Australians improve their financial wellness.

In 2020, negativity led to lower conversions across a range of industries including ecommerce, fitness and nutrition, and home improvement, according to the Unbounce 2021 Conversion Benchmark Report.

Brands and marketers now have to find ways to engage in social justice discussions, from Black Lives Matter and racial unrest to consumer demands for sustainability, whether they want to or no, says Forrester's chief marketing officer.

While grounded planes and shuttered hotels were stark visual symbols of how the global coronavirus pandemic hit travel and tourism, what wasn’t so obvious was the impact on technology platforms that support the industry.

Scenario planning, in-depth consumer and brand research, improving structures and processes and strategic collaboration are some of the ways Tourism Australia’s CMO is working to ensure her team remains adaptable in the face of ongoing challenges in domestic and international tourism.

Marley Spoon chief growth and marketing officer, Kate Whitney, is the first to admit the past year didn’t go as she expected it to.

In March 2020, Breathe Education was operating in-person, combined with some elements of its pilates instructor training course delivered online. Then Covid hit and as many places were shuttered, the training business was facing an uncertain future.

A two-speed recovery from the COVID advertising downturn is underway in the local ad market, with advertisers showing clear preferences for media less impacted by the pandemic, according to the latest Standard Media Index (SMI) report.

As the COVID crisis revealed the critical need for businesses to have a strong digital strategy in order to evolve and meet new demands, Iron Mountain knew the time was right for a rebrand.

It’s a year on from the first COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia and as consumers we’ve become more digitally adept, conscious of the food stocked on our pantry shelves, willing to try new brands and are more actively seeking local, sustainable products and services.