It’s Australia Day tomorrow. Time to celebrate living in this beautiful country. Time to enjoy a barbecue with friends. And time to look at some of the iconic brands that “still call Australia home”.

I couldn’t resist throwing in part of the Australian classic “I Still Call Australia Home”.

Now on with the blog …

First to Vegemite. You’ll find it in most Australian households either for frequent use or to have on hand for the overseas visitors.

I have personally only acquired the taste for Vegemite in the past few years but now don’t have to be worried about being found to be un-Australian. The only problem is a need to avoid the word c-word in the world: carbs (so vegemite on toast is off limits most days!!)

Before we look at the good. Let’s look at the not so good. iSnack 2.0. Where do I plug it in? How many batteries does it take? Will it play my podcasts? The brand copped a lot of flack over the decision to tinker with the classic taste and the name. After much public outcry, Kraft soon dropped the name and moved on to better things.

Now they’re back with another attempt to win Australians over with a name change. This time, they’ve opted for the name Australia. Watch out for the limited edition jars featuring a red Australian flag and Australia on the label. They’ll make any overseas visitor enjoy the taste even more.

The name change isn’t Vegemite’s only campaign to cash in on Australia Day. They are also celebrating Australia Day with special limited edition Vegemite jars featuring 10 remarkable but everyday Australians in the “Toast of a Nation”. It reminds me a little of the stamp series launched by Australia post back in the late 90s – remember?

I think both campaigns have turned out well and I am even considering rushing out and buying one or two of the limited edition jars. Thankfully they remembered to include Tasmania on their map of Australia, unlike Shapes.

That’s enough of a spread on Vegemite, now onto some other iconic Australian brands.

Hands up if you haven’t (at one point or another) had a hills hoist in your back yard? If not, put the mouse down and head off to Bunnings to check one out.

I can remember many hours spent with grandma hanging clothes on her hills hoist. And because of the set up of her back yard, we were able to jump on at the low point and fly around.

It’s one of many great Australian inventions and has become a symbol of Australia in many artistic works. It’s also a great example of a brand that spread like wildfire and came to represent a whole category of products. It’s our very own Xerox.

Another classic Australian brand is Bonds. Hands up (I know it’s starting to feel like we’re in a classroom) if you have never owned a pair of Bonds undies or a Chesty Bonds singlet? Now owned by Pacific Brands, the company has continued to produce a range of popular products. They company has also had its share of controversy with a large number of jobs moving overseas.

Australian tennis player Pat Rafter and model Sarah Murdoch have both promoted the brand in recent years.

I’m a Queenslander so I couldn’t let this post past without a reference to Bundaberg Rum and XXXX. Both brands are as Queensland as the Broncos and sunshine.

Last but not least, we can’t write a post about iconic Australian brands without mentioning Qantas. The “Spirit of Australia” has helped millions of people fly around this vast country of ours to weddings, concerts, business meetings and so the list goes on. As well as being a pioneering Australian company, they’ve also survived a number of other Australian airlines and dealt with a number of crises including the recent grounding of their entire fleet.

And who can talk about Qantas without thinking about the Qantas choir and their renditions of Peter Allen’s “I Still Call Australia Home”.

Here are some c-word brands to think about on Australia Day:

• Caramello Koala – 40 million sold in Australia each year
• Carlton & United Breweries – call in for a Carlton at our friends at Meyers Place
• Cascade Brewery – image adopted for its label in 1987, H. C. Richter’s 19th century illustration of the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger
• Castlemaine Perkins – producers of XXXX (see above)
• Chiko Roll – inspired by the Chinese egg roll and spring rolls
• Clag (glue) – feels cold to touch and when applied to paper, it sometimes alters the colour of what is on it and causes paper to warp
• Claytons – non-alcoholic Australian beverage
• Coon cheese – available in every supermarket around Australia
• Coopers Brewery – yet another Australian beer brand
• Cottee’s – my dad picks the fruit that goes to …
• Crown Lager – originally only available to visiting dignitaries but we can thank the Queen for making it available to the public
• Crown Pilsner – yet another Australian beer

From everyone at the c word, have a wonderful Australia Day.

Cheers,

Jack & the c word crew

While not everyone in the c word office is a World Cup tragic, we are all marketing tragics. So we have been interested in the Socceroos performance at the World Cup, and how the marketing of the round ball game continues in this country.

There are some big sponsorship dollars involved with Optus, Sony, Coles and even Weet-Bix heavily promoting the game. But with strong competition from codes like the ALF and NRL, will they continue to do so if the Socceroos don’t perform beyond expectations?

Prior to reaching the 2006 World Cup, you would not have seen the Socceroos on merchandise at all. However qualifying after thirty years and reaching the Top 16 instantly boosted the profile of the game in Australia.

Even thought the Socceroos have not performed as well as four years ago, they have still reached the pinnacle of the international stage in a truly world sport.

Football Federation Australia now has the difficult task of competing with other codes for audiences, participation, TV coverage and sponsorship; but certainly not an impossible one. The game has been on a course of constant growth and change for many years. Back in the National Soccer League days, the teams had strong affiliations with their ethnic roots and crowds reflected this. Italians went to watch Marconi, Greeks watched South Melbourne Hellas and the Croatians barracked for either Sydney or Melbourne Croatia, depending on their city.

The A-League has certainly made significant inroads here, with crowds exceeding 20,000 for high profile games. Although the quality of the game and its players has increased, the A-League can’t compete with the financial rewards of an overseas contract. Currently, there are more than 100 Australians playing internationally.

Despite this, there is definitely an appetite for football in this country. Soccer is one of the Top 10 sports played in Australia among men and women despite the minimal mainstream TV coverage. That said, 1.4 million Australians tuned in to watch Germany dash the Socceroos World Cup hopes with a 4-0 thrashing and similar numbers watched the team play against Ghana. Even 3AW’s This Sporting Life, which is AFL centric, committed significant airtime to discuss the merits of the teams, tactics and who the next coach of the Socceroos will be.

So what does Football Federation Australia have to do the keep building the game in Australia?

1. Firstly, playing on the world stage is paramount for promoting the game. Hiring a stand out coach for the Socceroos and player development are key. Not much a marketing department can do about that, however a successful team makes it an easier sell for sponsors and the general public.

2. Continue to build interest among children and future players. School visits by A-League players and Socceroos are necessary to keep the interest alive for younger fans. I love the Optus Small Sided Football competition to win a training session with Lucas Neil. Keep doing this Football Federation Australia. I’d be interested to know how well this site is doing.

3. World Cup bid 2022 – let’s get this right. To bring the world stage to our doorstep would be phenomenal. South Americans and their drums, African and their vuvuzelas (maybe…not), the Dutch, Germans, English and Italians. World Cup is a world party and who wouldn’t want to be a part of that.

4. Select ambassadors that children and adults relate to. Tim Cahill is great. And Schwarzer – is anyone not impressed when he saves a goal? Let’s use some local based players too like Archie Thompson. There was a missed opportunity to market our next hope. Who is he? I want to know who I’m going to be cheering for over the next few years. We all know the old guard will not be around so this was a failure to not start profiling our next champions.

5. Celebrate the history of the game, especially in this country. Let’s see some old video footage from the good old days. This is more for us older folk but it’s great to reminisce. It doesn’t need to just be about the Socceroos. Let’s profile those trailblazers like Craig Johnstone. That 1986 F.A. Cup final goal he scored for Liverpool is one of my first memories of the game.

6. Marquee players, local and international. Let’s pay for them to play here. And use them to boost the presence of the game

Well done to the Socceroos to secure a win against Serbia last week. A Gallant effort.

So now let’s hope the sponsors are committed to the development of the game long term. What else can we do?

While you have your thinking caps on, check out the new ad for the upcoming Hyundai A-League season created by BMF. I got a chuckle out of it.

the c word

Tourism ads are more widely criticised than the Olympic uniforms for our sports stars. At the c word, we just wish they would opt for a more simple approach with a classic tune.

The visual images for the current ad are quite beautiful and diverse. However the song… that’s another story. Let’s take the approach that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

Looking back at the 1984 Hoges campaign was a nice little trek down memory lane. What worked about this ad is its simplicity and its star appeal. Remember Paul Hogan was pretty big in the States thanks to Crocodile Dundee. Yes, the language is a little naff but it made me giggle. Do you remember this gem?

It appears organisations like Qantas and even Network Nine (back when they were still the one) do a better job of showcasing Australia without the cringe factor. The Qantas “I Still Call Australia Home” ads are timeless – great song, great visuals, ridiculously simple concept. We all know what they look like so no need for a reminder here.

One ad that stuck in our memories was a 1999 Network Nine promotion using Gangajang’s “Sounds of Then (This is Australia)”. The simplicity of the concept and longevity of the song doesn’t really date the clip. Only thing that does is the Nine talent – spot Don Burke, Kerri-Anne and good ole Ray Martin.

What do you think of this one?

Wonder how long the latest campaign will last before they try another? When Tourism Australia does attempt another campaign, please use a classic song. We have great music in this country. Let’s use it.

So what song would you choose to represent Australia?

Cheers,

the c word

Maryann Separovic is an Account Director at the c word. She made the move to the c word after years of experience in arts and entertainment publicity and promotions.

Tell us about your typical day in communications?

It all depends on which campaign I’m working on but it usually starts with checking news sites to see what happened in the world while I slept. I try to check my Google Reader at this time too; I get a wealth of information here from PR news, social media to what’s current in the blogosphere.

While I tap away at my keyboard, I like to keep an eye on Twitter. This is a great tool for me to source articles, news and also engage with fellow communicators, clients, media and the community.

Our projects at the c word are varied so the day can include anything from strategy development, proposal writing, copy writing and editing, research to brainstorming sessions and coming up with creative ideas and plans for our clients. Publicity tours can means endless days shuffling from one radio station to a TV studio with my phone glued to my ear.

When did you first know you wanted to work in communications?

After finishing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications, my career took a slight detour in IT. I leant some invaluable skills in varied roles but I wanted to put my communication skills into practice. A little bit of networking goes a long way and I was offered a fantastic opportunity to work with a freelance film publicist and reintroduce myself to the world of comms.

Who’s your communication hero/mentor?

I’ve worked with some amazing women in the early years of my career who taught me the ropes. Their support, tenacity, guidance and expertise were invaluable. Thanks Roxanne and Elise ☺

Given that I’ve invested years into watching the West Wing, I think I can count C.J. as a mentor too. What a woman!! Great press secretary and super awesome Chief of Staff.

Which tools can’t you live without?

My laptop and my iPhone. I consider them extensions of my body. I cannot fathom what life was like several years ago when we weren’t connected ALL the time. What did I do with my time?

What are the biggest challenges in your role?

Keep up to date with the changes brought about by technologies. This not only includes the technology itself but knowing that Sally from the suburbs may be a key influencer in your field.

Tell us about the best campaign you’ve ever worked on?

I’m very proud of the Run for Safe Climate social media campaign we worked on last year. We didn’t have much lead-time but we hit the ground running (oh dear … pun not intended) and managed to achieve some great results for Safe Climate Australia. During that manic six weeks, we grew their social media network to 1500+ fans on Facebook and close to 1000 Twitter followers. With key influences like Greenpeace, Cool Australia, Green Cross and Victoria Police lending support through their networks, we reached a further 50,000 fans and followers and also secured interviews with traditional media via Twitter.

Working on Passion of the Christ also needs a special mention. Up until this film, I had worked mainly on small independent films that did solid box office takings given their size. The media mayhem that led up to the film’s release was eye opening. Great experience.

Which campaign do you most admire?

I love the campaigns that do so much with so very little.

Given my history in film publicity and love of the Interwebs, I always admired the crazy phenomenon that was the Blair Witch Project. To be a worldwide success on a small marketing budget is remarkable. With a clever strategy anything is possible. Artisan Entertainment picked up the film in 1999 and the late Steven Rotherberg developed the groundbreaking distribution campaign. It extensively used the Internet, creating a website suggesting that the events that took place in the film were real. I still get shivers recalling their website and the Blair Witch legend. Blair Witch Project grossed more than US$248 million worldwide, making it the second most successful independent film of all time (It was only recently surpassed by Paranormal Activity). Source: Wikipedia

This was well before myspace, Facebook and other social media channels. Word-of-mouth at its best.

What’s been the biggest change to communication/marketing/public relations since you began your career?

While technology has changed how we work as practitioners, the fundamentals are still the same. Building and nurturing relationships, and conveying key messages are still crucial but we may go about it a little differently.

If you had to cut/keep something in your communication budget, what would it be?

*hand over ears* nah nah nah… I can’t hear you.

What quality do you look for in your communication team members?

Curiosity, enthusiasm and diligence.

What’s your favourite brand?

Hmmm…not sure if I have one. Apple may be my closest experience with brand loyalty but even I look upon that relationship cautiously.

I am impressed with a couple of Australian organisations who have flourished since gaining an understanding of their audience and tapping into it effectively. Channel Seven and Country Road have made this turn around. Sportsgirl is another I admire for having an impressive digital strategy.

What book/blog do you think every communicator should read?

When I was in New York in 2009, I happened on a book launch tweetup for World Wide Rave. The tweetup launch was being held at the NASDAQ with author David Meerim Scott ringing the bell to open the NADAQ stock market. It was a fun day and introduced me to this fantastic read about marketing online packed with useful examples.

After attending the launch, I added Mr Scott’s blog Web Ink Now to my Google Reader subscriptions. Easy read, great advice, the man knows his stuff.

What tips do you wish you’d known starting out in communications?

The Scout’s are onto something … be prepared. Research and planning make solid foundations for any campaign or activity.

Finish this sentence: ‘Communication is…’

Ever evolving

Last night, like a million other Australians, I tucked into Masterchef (1.611 million viewers) and washed it down with the finale of So You Think You Can Dance (1.041 million).

These TV shows would have traditionally flown under my radar had it not been for the crazy amount of live tweeting surrounding them.

Live tweeting provides an instant community for you to engage with during your favourite TV show. And it certainly provides a reprieve from the repetitive advertisements for Coles during Masterchef. While advertisers may not be over the moon about this latest distraction, it’s important they pay attention. And it’s not all bad news, while I may not be watching the advertisements, I’m certainly hearing about them … the compliments and the complaints!

I am a huge fan of live tweeting about TV shows and events. Take the Oscars for example. How does one make it through a long awards show without nodding off?? The answer is simple – watch what the Twitterverse has to say about who should win, what they’re wearing, the quality of the speeches and who was ‘robbed’! Now I wonder if we’ll see the same live tweeting from Australians during this year’s TV Week Logie Awards? But without Susan Boyle what will we tweet about?

Back to live tweeting, I love seeing the comments of my fellow tweeting TV watchers. The proclamations of love, the rants, the jokes, the predictions, the sarcasm, and the highs and lows when a favourite contestant gets booted off. All of this compliments the TV viewing experience so well, especially as the single person household becomes more common.

Live tweeting is also becoming a larger part of social networking strategies. It’s the perfect way to build awareness of major events and also raise the profile of major sponsors. If you’re a tweeter, who hasn’t followed the tweets from a major event such as a launch or conference?

But sticking with television, how do television shows, advertisers and networks capitalise on this activity?

Firstly, I’d love to see live tweets incorporated into my TV screen, than I wouldn’t have to constantly look away. Perhaps one day soon we’ll be able to opt-in to see tweets for live sports, reality shows and even panel shows like ABC’s Q & A.

Not only do they extend engagement with the show, the Twitter updates provide instant access to a pool of research. Networks get an instant reaction to what works, what doesn’t, and who viewers love or hate.

It’s like having a hundred thousand people in a test screening. Gone are the one-way mirrors and facilitators, replaced with 140 characters and a smart phone.

What do you think? What else can television networks do to capitalise on this popular trend of live tweeting?

Have a lovely long weekend,

the c word

Last night I scurried along to the Melbourne launch of Silver+Black; an exhibition and retail initiative hosted at 1000 £ BEND.

Firstly, what a fantastic exhibition; secondly, what an amazing branding opportunity for Asahi. Kudos to the Liquid Ideas team for pulling off a great event with free flowing Asahi beer, delicious canapés (steamed eel – yum) and a jam packed crowd enjoying the space, the art and the atmosphere.

The Asahi event is just the tip of the iceberg; lately wherever you look there are interesting campaigns for alcohol brands using creative and memorable approaches to spread the word. Heineken tricked ardent AC Milan fans into attending a classical music/poetry performance instead of watching a Championship League match. Southern Comfort recently brought New Orleans to Australia by sponsoring a tour of the Polyphonic Spree and New Orleans Bingo! Show. What was particularly impressive about this tour was the way they decked out audience members with complimentary feather head gear, fedora hats, face masks and Mardi Gras beads. Walking into Melbourne’s Forum Theatre and seeing a sea of feathers, masks and fedora hats was jaw dropping, and the atmosphere created by adding a simple touch of fancy dress was electric!

Asahi’s Silver+Black merges art, fashion and design in a retail space with limited edition objects of desire, some of which will be available for purchase. The curated selection of work acknowledges the Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ spirit of finding beauty in imperfect things.The standout of the exhibition is clearly the Karakuchi Project; a global art project where artists visually interpret the Japanese characters on the beer’s label.

As you may have guessed, I’m a fan of creative campaigns that use less traditional approaches to get their brand’s key messages in the public domain, especially when the arts community benefits from the exposure. What do you think?

Participating artists in Silver+Black include Andrew Curtis, Asuza, Evan Demas, Dave Kinsey, Julia Deville and Kazari. The Karakuchi Porject features Dylan Martorell, Usugrow, McBride Charles Ryan Architects, Michael Leon, Natas Kaupas and Toshikazu Nozaka.

The exhibition runs until 18 April at 1000 £ BEND, 361 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne. Head down and check it out.

Chin chin (or Kanpai as they toast in Japan),

the c word

Apart from the usual benefits of brand alignment and media exposure that you can gain from sponsorship, sometimes the little details can make an impact too. There are number of different ways you can leverage your sponsorship investment:

• Brochure and promotional material placement
• Develop and supply an electronic pack with your logo and brand elements to ensure it is placed on promotional materials, websites and other channels
• Website acknowledgement and links back to your own site
• Secure invites to events and networking opportunities; an ideal way to meet potential clients
• Have information packs ready with background info, FAQs and fact sheets; these can be used across e-newsletters, websites and even annual reports
• Secure acknowledgement in annual report
• Offer to participate in joint case study presentations
• Provide your own staff for talks and presentations at functions, conferences or staff events
• Secure referrals to other suppliers and clients

Get creative and come up with your own ideas. Or contact Jack or Maryann on 03 9676 9040 or email info@thecword.com.au. We can work together to find ways to get more value from the money you spend on sponsorships.

Check you later

the c word

After spending a few weeks developing sponsorship proposals for clients, we thought we would share some pointers to help if you are in the same boat.

Start by answering the three main questions potential sponsors will have:

1. What is the project/campaign about?
2. Why are we being approached?
3. What’s in it for us?

You should answer the first question by painting a picture of your organisation and the project/campaign you are trying to attract sponsorship for. Your response should include:

• Summary of the project including the project vision
• Background and experience of the organisation including a brief history and mission
• Goal and objectives
• Structure: Is it a festival, exhibition, website or all three?

Secondly, you need to explain why you have decided to approach this particular sponsor. You can set the context for the partnership by providing details such as:

• Audience profile and alignment with the sponsor
• Market research
• Community feedback

Finally, you need to explain what’s in the sponsorship for the sponsor. This is where you should outline:

• Sponsor benefits: Detail all the marketing opportunities and benefits for the sponsor (make sure you tailor this specifically for each sponsor)
• Marketing plan: Explain how you will promote the project; via publicity, advertising and social media.

Other things that can come in handy when you’re seeking sponsorship for your event or project include a sponsorship strategy, sponsor profiles and sponsor benefit brainstorming sessions.

If you need more help with your sponsorship proposals, don’t hesitate to call Jack or Maryann on 03 9676 9040 or email info@thecword.com.au.

Cheerio,
the c word

the c word’s Maryann went into the style retreat a walking, talking, tweeting PR pro and came out the other side our very own Georgie Parker in her own version of Zoot Review. While you can’t help but laugh at the Loot Review segments sending up poor Ms Parker (see clip below if you haven’t seen it already) there’s no denying the marketing power of having someone spruiking the benefits of your product.

Georgie Parker aside (she’s top of mind because *shock horror* I may have watched part of the final episode of All Saints) we thought there were plenty of things to learn from the experience about the power of getting a consumer to test a product and how they soon can act as a brand ambassador – payment in kind!

Experiential marketing is about creating a memorable experience and getting the person to walk away thinking (or hopefully saying) “wow”. And it’s something you can do every day – no matter how big or small your organisation is and whether you have a product or a service – just think how do I create an experience that makes my customer/client go “wow!”.

According to the every helpful people (you) at Wikipedia, Experiential Marketing is “the art of creating an experience where the hoped-for result is an emotional connection to a person, brand, product or idea. It is a form or marketing or advertising based on the principle of marketing a product or brand through an experience rather than the placement of advertisements”.

Another example that’s making news at the moment is the L’oreal Powder Room at Flemington, frequented by many Melbournians during the Spring Racing season. It’s been in the news of late because the company has opted to stick with this marketing activity while many other companies are flying the coup.

According to Marie Claire the fashionable fillies are “invited to find their perfect shade from the Infallible Lip Gold collection and have their nails painted in the latest glossy spring shades.”

There’s also something for the men with mini face massages and goody bags for everyone who attends. The goody bags are the perfect conversation starter over that fifth glass of bubbly.

So what can you learn from experiential marketing campaigns like VOODOO and the L’Oreal Paris Powder Room.

1. Experiential marketing is only as good as the experience you create – no one will rush off and talk about something they could do any day of the week – make it memorable
2. Have something for everyone to do – don’t forget about the people accompanying your core customers – VOODOO works well because they give the men a cocktail while they wait
3. Keep it exclusive and pick your targets – think about who will be your best ambassadors and when will be the best time to tap them on the shoulder with a unique experience
4. Build an ever growing tool box with a range of experiences ready to suit a range of people – this goes for every day too – one idea or experience is never enough (have two or three ready to go!)

According to VOODOO’s website “to help you experience the magic, VOODOO invites you to Launch Pad, a luxury dressing room style retreat complete with styling bars, a mobile hair salon and make-up artists.”

After walking away with her goodies and a fresh face of make up, Maryann became the brand’s best ambassador – reeling off the personal benefits, listing prices, describing the “magical” experience and then sealing the deal by giving her attentive audience the times and dates and telling them they’ll also walk away with a goodie bag.

The crew won’t be packing up their make up kits, hair straightening-wands, stockings and cocktails for a while and are there Thursdays and Fridays from 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Take a gander at the times and dates and get yourself along to get a pair of stockings, cocktail and goody bag – not a bad way to start the weekend!

Have a great week,

the c word