MBS Marketing Association

MBS Marketing Association presents 

  BrandManager@Work

Listen, discuss and share ideas with brand and product managers in Australia as they share what they do on the job at MBS Marketing Association’s BrandManager@Work speaker series.  Each speaker series will feature marketers from leading brands and products in the industry. 

For the first installment of the series, we are proud to introduce:

Kate Lester, Marketing Manager for Lavazza at Valcorp Fine Foods

Michael McLean, Product Manager for Techtronic Industries

(AEG, Milwaukee, Ryobi and Stilletto).

Kate and Michael are MBS alums with multiple years of experience in marketing functions. We believe their different company backgrounds will add extra depth to the session.

DATE: Tuesday,3 Aug 2010

TIME: 4:40 - 6:00 pm

VENUE: BTR Nylex

DRESS CODE: Business Casual

To sign up for the event, and to get more information, visit the events page on facebook : : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135042243199802&ref=search

MBS and the Marketing Association are delighted to host Andrew Scott, Managing Director of Whybin\TBWA\Tequila Melbourne who will profile a number of WHYBIN\TBWA?s internationally recognised advertising and marketing campaigns from the last few years. Utilising the organisation?s Disruption® methodology, Andrew will step through how the agency has overturned conventions and shaken up the marketplace of some of the world?s leading brands.

Highlighting campaigns for household names such as PEDIGREE and NISSAN, Andrew shows how good ideas become great. He will be discussing that it is important to ?disrupt? commonly held business beliefs, uncovering the culturally embedded biases and conventions that shape standard approaches to business thinking and identifying those which get in the way of creative thought.

Andrew will demonstrate how WHYBIN\TBWA shatters conventions and forges new vision of products, brands and services ? creating award-winning campaigns along the way.

Date: 27 May 2010 (Thurs)

Time: 6:15 pm

Venue: CUB Theatre, MBS

Register NOW at MBS Events!

Three marketing internship opportunities in Australia.

Johnson &Johnson Australian Medical Devices & Diagnostics business is using the global internship program as an opportunity to get in three strong candidates who can potentially join in a full-time position after graduation in 2011.

The hope is that these new MBA graduates will transition to fill key leadership positions in the next few years. This means that our intern criteria is particularly high:

· Permanent work authorisation for Australia

· Availability to undertake a full-time internship for 12 weeks between May and September 2010 (length and timing somewhat negotiable)

· Interest in pursuing a full-time opportunity with Johnson & Johnson in 2011, after graduation

· At least five years work experience

· Strong ethics and fit to J&J culture

· Strong team player with ability to work effectively across functions and departments

· Intellectual curiosity in identifying opportunities and a willingness to try new innovations

· Demonstrated success in leading, influencing, motivating and coaching others

· Whilst experience in health care and commercial environments are desirable, we are very happy to consider students without these so long as they can demonstrate a genuine interest in healthcare and strategic thinking capability

Interested students should contact Joanne Hogbin directly (details provided below).

Joanne Hogbin | Senior University Recruiter - Asia Pacific

Johnson & Johnson

1-5 Khartoum Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia

Direct: +61 2 9878 9290 | Mobile: + 61 (0) 400 385 872 | Fax: + 61 2 9815 3928 | Email: jhogbin@its.jnj.com

Register now at MBS Events!

I never thought much of a country as a brand.  Sure, one could put a catchy tag line to market the country as a destination, which would work to draw in some tourism dollars, but as a brand by itself?  How doesone brand something so large, so diverse and so intricately complex like a country?  With all these questions in mind, I walked into the Country Brand Index 2009 presentation by Erminio Putignano from FutureBrand, hosted by MBS Marketing Association, with a tinge of skepticism. 

The presentation opened with a picture of a gorilla wearinglipstick.  Strange, indeed, but then again, one might expect something creative like this from a marketing professional.  Coming back to the beautified primate, Erminio went so far as to agree with the skeptics ofcountry branding.  In short, he agreed, that if one were to splash marketing dollars to simply come up with a catchy tag line, jingle and everything else that goes with commercialized marketing to reap the benefits of the valuable tourism dollar, that would indeed be putting lipstick on a gorilla.

The real essence to country branding, Erminio argued, lay buried deep within the whole concept of branding.  This essence can be gently coaxed out by asking a series of questions, which Erminio confessed was a common conversation starter with his dining guests.  The first is whether you would like to visit the country as a holiday destination.  This is, basically, the pretty Gorilla.  The second is whether you would like to live in that country.  Now it gets a little bitdeeper, and a little bit more personal.  The million-dollar question to understanding country-branding, as it turns out, is to ask whether you would want to have this country as your nationality on your passport.

Country branding, as I understand it now, is about identity.  Its more than just how the country is seen by the world based its external visual representations, such as a tourism poster of a kangaroo hopping around in the outback.  It’s more internal, and deeply personal.  It is an accumulation of everything that makes up a country.  It’s the perceptionof whether a local stranger will help you carry your groceries (with no sleazy ulterior motives, of course).  It’s whether you need grease a few palms to get your business running.  It’s whether the end of the week on Friday means joining the mates at the pub at 530pm, or leaving the office just in timefor an early Saturday morning breakfast at Burger Kings.  Most importantly, it is how intimately youidentify with the country and the perceived lifestyle.  Does your lifestyle, personality and goals align with the brand of the country, so much so that you would become a citizen?  This, in my opinion, is country branding. 

Erminio’s relaxed presentation style and friendly demeanor allowed for a lot of discussion and debate. It was very encouraging that there was very active participation from the floor, with various thoughts and opinions being thrown around.  The session was even more intriguing, as the audience, true to typical MBS fashion, was a mix of people of different nationalities.  Thus, opinions about a certain country’s brand perception were a bit more personal and accurate, bordering on intimate and passionate.

At the end of the day, Erminio shared the various attributes that was used by FutureBrand to complete the country brand index.  These ranged from beaches, to business, toarts and culture.   Then, he shared some possible theories on why America made it to the number one spot this year, ahead of Canada and Australia (he attributed it to ‘Obama-ism’).  He also talked about where Australia lost some luster in the eyes of the world, for instance in terms of its local friendliness and its beaches, attributes which were always considered very ‘Aussie’.

All in all, it was a very engaging presentation, delivered by a captivating speaker.  It left me with a different personal opinion about country branding.  It also gave me a better understanding of how a country’s brand might actually affect me, the business world, the company I work with, and basically, everything in life.

Would I consider this to be putting lipstick on a gorilla?  That would really depend on the gorilla.

Get complete information about FutureBrand’s 2009 countrybrand index here: http://www.futurebrand.com/think/reports-studies/cbi/2009/overview/

Interested in Corporate Social Responsibility? Curious about the effect of CSR on customers? Whether you're a cynic or a keen supporter, join us on Thursday, 18 Feb. Professor Klein will be sharing insights from her latest research on how consumers actually view CSR, and there'll be ample opportunity for debate on this exciting issue.

Professor Jill Klein is a Professor of Management - Marketing at MBS. She has been a member of faculty in the Marketing Department at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and INSEAD, and her research interests include consumer boycotts, corporate social responsibility and international marketing.

DATE: Thursday, 18th Feb 2010

TIME: 12.15 pm - 1.15 pm

LOCATION: MBS (BTR Theatre)

REGISTRATION: Online at MBS Events

The humble mustache was not that long ago considered a relic from the late 70’s and early 80’s, something that never quite came back into fashion and was rarely seen in public apart from the occasional retro party.

In 2003, Adam Garone and a group of friends sat down in a bar in Fitzroy and discussed how they could bring back the Mo’. Inspired by the growth of the Breast Cancer Movement, they decided to grow a Mo’ for the whole month of November to encourage discussion about men’s health issues and at the same time raise a small amount of money. Six years later, the Movember movement has raised over A$60M in the fight against prostate cancer and depression in men. The phenomenon has spread to countries such as New Zealand, US, Canada, UK and Ireland with more Mo' locations (Mo’cations) starting every year.

On 4th February, MBS Alumni and current students eagerly listened as Adam shared his story of how Movember started and the challenges the organisation faced as it grew to where it is today. He took time to focus on the social media tools used to make the brand visible in the marketplace and build relationships with each participant. After the presentation, Adam was kind enough to answer a variety of questions relating to Movember and his experiences in growing a sucessful non-profit in today’s climate.

The evening was a fantastic experience for all involved, and the MBS Marketing Association would like to thank Adam for taking the time and effort to return to MBS and help us celebrate the Mo’.

Adam is an MBS Alumnus (Master of Marketing 1999) and the co-founder & CEO of Movember. He is also the inaugural winner of the School's Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award.

If you missed this event and would like to find out more, you can listen to Adam's presentation via MBS Direct.

I admit I was a little surprised at the name settled upon for Kraft's newly re-jigged Vegemite offering, but what I find really interesting is the unadulterated outrage spewing forth from consumers around the country.

Marketers bandy the term "iconic brand" around a lot, but if there ever was a product that fits that definition it must be Vegemite. On the one hand I can see how messing with such a brand could ruffle a few feathers, but the angry comments posted in response to this story  go beyond brand loyalty and belie a scary hatred of marketers in general.

I know marketers can have a bit of a reputation for the light and fluffy sometimes, but do people really hold us in such low esteem? And what can be done to address the problem?

Source article: iSnack2.0 fury prompts naming rethink, The Age, Sept 30 2009.

"Elitism, atrophy, complacence and a resistance to new ideas?: MediaCom's Strategy Director Philip Phelan didn't mince words when he pronounced the cause of the newspapers' deteriorating health at the MBS Marketing Association's event Who Killed the Newspaper? this month.

But although dire, the printed newspaper as a medium is not dead yet, and the situation may in fact be beneficial to marketers.

Across the globe, newspapers are failing, and soon LA, Boston, San Francisco or Miami will be the first major US city without a daily newspaper.

Australia is yet to experience the kind of carnage seen elsewhere in the world, but Phelan points out that our model is no more sustainable than America's. With steadily declining readerships and the cost of advertising continuing to rise, he suggests we're due for a correction.

"What you're ending up with is the demand for an asset and the valuation of the asset stretching further and further apart. A bubble if you like."

The problem is that online readers are only half as profitable as paper readers. As a consequence, newspapers cut costs, leading to decreased quality. This annoys readers, forcing them to go elsewhere, and the cycle starts again.

So is there a remedy to the newspaper's lingering malady?

Phelan says there's a lot to learn from papers like Melbourne's Herald Sun. Although it too has seen a decline in numbers, the Herald Sun maintains a circulation more than twice that of the Age, and three times that of the Australian.

The reason, he argues, is populism.

"Populism gets a bum rap these days, often being associated with idiot presidents and popular dictators. But populism re-discovered is a beautiful thing."

"Populism is a believer in the rights, wisdom and virtues of the common people. Populists believe in organizing for popular empowerment -- the capacities of the ordinary person to be an agent of their own life, a shaper of their community and the larger world."

Broadsheets in particular have resisted this path because of what he describes as an "elitist" view of what the news should be. But one has only to look at the monumental success of channel Ten's MasterChef to witness the true power of populist content to draw people back to a declining medium.

At its peak, the reality cooking show attracted an audience of over 4.1 million viewers, destroying the previous record set five years ago by Ten's Australian Idol, which got 3.4 million.

Phelan says that only by abandoning their elitist attitudes and embracing populism can newspapers begin to rejuvenate their withering numbers. After all, he says, the great strength of newspapers is in their ability to deliver new, surprising and entertaining ideas about the world.

"It's critical for papers and the marketers that use them to remember serendipity -- the surprise of learning something you weren't expecting to. Most advertising is about giving a consumer a new idea to think about and ideally do something with."

Another strength is the way readers regard "their" newspaper as a badge of identity. The genuine affinity many people feel for their newspaper makes the medium an excellent way to target a message, and papers still provide great opportunities for advertising, sponsorship and partnership.

Phelan says that from a media buying perspective there's never been a better time to consider newspaper advertising. He suggests that newspapers are more open to negotiation on cost, flexibility and partnership than ever before.

"Exploit the hunger", he says. "They need you more than you need them."

He also advises marketers to remember what newspapers are for and how readers use them. The papers lend themselves to the provision of comprehensive and persuasive information. People make time to read them.

"Have lots of ideas in your communications -- not bill-boards in print. That's what out-of-home is for."

And for those with the budget, he advises briefing the owner groups -- not just the papers. Negotiating packages across press, digital and other media forms is more likely to get you an integrated response.

In the end Phelan -- who describes himself as a "newspaper lover" but not a "newspaper industry lover" -- is hopeful that newspapers will turn their plights around.

He says what's truly unique about the paper is it's tangible qualities.

"Newspapers offer a physical experience that the internet does not. The touch, the feel, the weight, the size and even the smell of a paper are part of this experience. Ritual and routine are a key part of what keeps people reading newspapers."

He says the more the media owners can heighten and attune the physical experience of the paper to the reader's needs and wants, the greater the loyalty that can be attained.

It's a lesson that's probably just as pertinent to the marketers who advertise in them.

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To view a video of the event go to our video section.

ok guys.... a bit on marketing and brand from the fashion world....

We all know that Gen Y is the most cynical generation on earth when it comes to marketing and advertising. They hate being 'sold' to and expect so much more from a brand than just the product.

Read more from The Cool Hunter:

http://www.thecoolhunter.com.au/fashion

A few people have asked how to get an RSS feed of the MBS Marketing blog. Just scroll waaay down to the bottom of the blog page and you'll see the tiny orange RSS button. Click on that and follow the instructions.

cheers

MM

http://www.marketingmag.com.au/around_the_table/

How to Market in a Downturn

by Ann Marsh

 

One of the best-known academic minds in marketing is John Quelch, a 30-year veteran of Harvard Business School and one of 10 marketing experts profiled in the 2007 book Conversations With Marketing Masters, by Laura Mazur and Louella Miles. Quelch’s own co-authored book, Greater Good: How Good Marketing Makes for Better Democracy, points out that marketing serves a higher purpose in society than simply moving products. Quelch writes the Marketing KnowHow blog for Harvard Business. Here he talks to BNET about the two types of luxury consumers and how to hang onto them in a recession.

 

http://www.bnet.com/2403-13237_23-322730.html?promo=713&tag=nl.e713

The issue of predatory pricing has come up a number of times in various classes, but a recent class discussion on this topic made me want to go and look up the legislation for myself.

Someone suggested that a legitimate strategy for introducing a new product is to price below cost. The argument went like this:

1. A new product can involve a new manufacturing process.

2. Firms typically become more efficient over time (i.e. the experience curve).

3. With increasing efficiency comes reduced cost.

Therefore, a firm that was confident in its ability to shift down the experience curve would be justified in charging below cost, because with time they would eventually be able produce at, or hopefully below, the initial price.

I was a little dubious about how well this would work, but I'm told this is common amongst consumer electronics firms. Assuming you work for a firm that has the kind of cash flows required to underpin this kind of behaviour, and assuming your superiors hold you in the kind of esteem required for the authorisation of activities that make a loss, (these are big assumptions) I guess it’s possible. But is it legal?

According to the ACCC, “Predatory pricing occurs when a company sets its prices at a sufficiently low level with the purpose of damaging or forcing a competitor to withdraw from the market.”

By my interpretation, the setting of low prices alone, even if they are beneath cost, is not sufficient to classify the behaviour as unlawful. Rather, it is the clear evidence of “anti-competitive purpose” that makes it wrong. As the ACCC website states:

“It is the presence of a clear anti-competitive purpose that may turn price cutting by a company with substantial market power or market share into predatory pricing. Once competitors are damaged or eliminated, the likely results are that the company can raise its prices and exploit consumers.”

In short, someone needs to prove that you were acting in a way that forces your competitors out. So if, for example, you’re charging at below cost just to meet the competition you’re probably fine (although arguably in the wrong business). If you’re charging below cost, your competitors get angry and they take you to court, you’re in a trouble.

See the ACCC website for further details.