Several Australian businesses including NAB, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and Microsoft are trialling a series of eight principles aimed at driving more ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Loyalty programs are being rehashed and relaunched almost continuously as smart marketers know it costs far less to retain a customer than get a new one.

Turn any which way at Telstra and you’ll encounter transformation. From the introduction of its T22 strategy, culling staff, product plans and pricing, to departure of former group executive for media and marketing and a significant executive reshuffle, through new organisational structures and Agile ways of working, the launch of 5G network and a technology overhaul, every aspect of the business has been disrupted.

As many big players ramp up their loyalty program efforts, the ACCC has released a draft report highlighting a number of concerns about the programs, in particular the sharing of consumer data without consumer knowledge.

More than 770,000 Telstra customers have signed up to the telco’s revamped customer loyalty program since its launch in April.

The launch of Telstra Plus last month and a new marketing campaign to back it up are just the beginning of efforts to overhaul its customer experience, the telco says.

​Jarther Taylor, former GM of marketing at Telstra, has been appointed marketing director of KPMG nationally.

​In a move that demonstrates the growing important of martech not just for the marketing function, but at an infrastructure level across organisations, WPP ​AUNZ recently hired its first chief of marketing technology​ – a role sure to become more vital as businesses look to technology to create brand experiences.

Consumer expert and former marketing function leader, Vicki Brady, has been appointed CFO and head of strategy for Telstra.

Telstra has officially taken the wrappers off its new tier-based loyalty program giving customers the opportunity to earn points and rewards based on spending.

In yet another sign of how marketing roles continue to develop in the face of rapid technological change, WPP AUNZ has appointed digital transformation specialist, Adam Good, to the newly created role of executive director of marketing technology.

​Qantas has become Australia’s strongest brand, surging from third place last year and improving its brand strength index to 86.6. Telstra remains Australia’s most valuable brand, despite its brand value dropping 7.3 per cent, according to the latest brand value report by Brand Finance.

​Former RACV CMO, Nick Thomas, has been appointed the managing director of specialist executive search and advisory firm, Ampersand International Melbourne.

Telstra is planning to introduce a new customer loyalty program in March 2019 as part of its wide-reaching T22 strategy.

The City of Melbourne says Telstra’s new payphones are actually ‘advertising masquerading as payphones’ and will seek to halt the roll out of 80 more of the structures.

The online world has delivered massive benefits to Australian corporations and consumers alike. Well, most of them.

Telstra’s CMO, Joe Pollard, will exit the embattled telco next month as part of a shake-up of its executive restructure.

Telstra is cutting 8000 staff and contractors, slashing customer plans and pricing and creating a new infrastructure business unit in a strategy shake-up it claims will simplify structure and cut costs while improving customer experience.

Telstra and the AFL are teaming up on a new digital content and events play aimed at encouraging stronger engagement between football players and their fans.

Suncorp customer experience stalwart and former CMO, Mark Reinke, is leaving the business after 14 years.

Telstra is writing off investment in fledging video adtech and platform player, Ooyala, and will exit the adtech side of the business after it failed to meet performance expectations.