July 2019
PwC under fire after Facebook debacle
The credibility of PricewaterhouseCoopers' marketing advisory service has come under pressure after the demise of a high profile piece of research.
- Max Mason and Edmund Tadros
Superfast fashion, 3,500 influencers create $1.5bn fortune
Shares of fast fashion retailer Revolve have more than doubled since the company’s IPO in June, creating a $1.5 billion fortune for founders.
Robocallers tap data breaches for personalised scams
Scam callers are using stolen personal information to tailor calls to specific consumers, posing as trusted companies to swindle money, according to analysis of 40 billion calls.
Amazon pays $10 to shoppers to let it track them
On Prime Day, Amazon offered shoppers $10 of credit in return for letting it track the websites they visit.
‘I don’t trust you guys’: Lawmakers unite to take aim at big tech
Lawmakers leveled stinging criticism and sharp questions at Big Tech executives this week, attacking Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.
Brands face a 'moral obligation' to society with social media
The CEO of the powerful World Federation of Advertisers, Stephan Loerke, says brand owners have been "late to the party" accepting their moral obligations to society by backing unregulated social media platforms and not supporting quality news and media. Things are about to change.
- Paul McIntyre
Reinvesting over cost cutting drives growth for General Mills
As Kraft Heinz becomes the cautionary tale of food mega mergers and cost cutting, General Mills has delivered mostly flat or higher organic quarterly growth since refocusing on brand building.
Arnott's frenzied innovation outlined before private equity sale
As a $3 billion sale looms, Arnott's chief marketing officer David McNeil unveils a "massive and meaningful" innovation program, under way for 18 months, aimed at taking on multinational rivals like Nestle, Mars and Mondelez, and start-up "insurgent brands".
- Paul McIntyre
PepsiCo says gamers buying so much it can't keep up
PepsiCo, trying to navigate a generational decline in cola consumption, has found one surprise niche: Mountain Dew for gamers.
Marriott faces $123 million fine in UK for data breach
British Airways is facing a £183m (AU$329m) fine and Marriott a £99m (AU$178m) for data breaches.
WPP to announce 60% Kantar sale 'in days'
WPP plans to announce the sale of a majority stake in its Kantar market-research business to Bain Capital within days, according to people familiar with the matter.
NTT slashes 28 global units into one brand and invests
Business-to-business marketing strategies are forging closer to their consumer marketing peers, says NTT's new global CMO, Ruth Rowen.
- Paul McIntyre
CEOs future is engaging punters on social media
The c-suite doesn't always like the idea but "the people" want to hear directly from transparent and authentic CEOs.
- Paul McIntyre
Nike misses quarterly profit estimates on higher marketing expenses
Nike boosted quarterly revenue by 4 per cent but saw profit fall 11 per cent after spending heavily on marketing and new product launches.
YouTube dodges Netflix subscription wars with ad-funded model
Youtube hired veteran TV executive Susanne Daniels four years ago as global head of original content to go head to head with Netflix. Now the platform is pulling back.
Commbank creates new head marketer role
Commonwealth Bank has created a new senior executive role to oversee marketing and corporate affairs, as it looks to regain customer trust and restore its reputation.
WPP in exclusive talks to sell Kantar stake to Bain Capital
WPP is in exclusive talks to sell a majority stake in its research and data analytics unit Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital in a $4 billion deal aimed at steering the world's biggest advertising company back to growth.
June 2019
NRMA shifted from tech to people, signed up 1.5m members
The NRMA needed to reinvent its near ubiqitous member program, long defined by its roadside service, and discovered real people, not systems, delivered the magic it needed.
- Paul McIntyre
Banks become coffee shops to stay relevant
Banks are shrinking their physical footprint and swapping counters for baristas in a bid to remake branches for the digital age.
Big tech could be forced to tell consumers what their data is worth
US senators have tabled legislation to try and make big tech companies tell users what data they are collecting and how much it is worth.