Stuart Tucker

Should brands do good? 96% of Aussies think so 🤔 Earlier this year, Leo Burnett released their “What Good is Doing Good?” report in collaboration with The UTS Business School and Zenith Media. The report found that 96% of Aussies believe it’s important for brands to be doing some form of good in the world. So, does that mean brands should be rushing to ingrain some form of social, environmental or political cause into their overall strategy if they don’t already? Definitely not! Consumers gravitate towards brand authenticity.  The report also supports this. Adjusting your strategy to revolve around something that your brand doesn’t actually believe in - consumers see straight through it. Not a good look. I personally believe it’s important for brands to strive to do good, especially on an environmental, social and staff well-being front - even better if it’s genuinely at their core. But don’t go fakin’ it. Greenwashing… no thanks. Here’s the thing about doing good though. The report found that 90% of Aussies believe a brand is good if it treats people respectfully and fairly, and has positive financial integrity. This encompasses: → Treating staff & the public with respect → Paying employees and suppliers fairly  → Providing stable and fair employment → Paying the appropriate taxes So if brands are already doing the basics of business right, which they should be, they’re already perceived to be doing good. ~~~~~~~~~~ Want to see more thoughts, insights and advice on branding and marketing? Follow me for more - JYE BECKETT

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Some things are worth a second share. Last month, I posted the print version of my NZ Marketing Magazine piece on brand fame and the power of earned. Now, it’s officially online, and - if you want a read - still bringing insights on why earned media should be your go-to for building brand recognition.

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Looking forward to presenting this webinar to upskill the industry on the importance of contracts and some key issues to consider. #influencermarketing #influencers #aimco

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Early engagement with your superannuation fund significantly boosts confidence in retirement. Increasing regular contributions, financial planning, and effective money management increases optimism about life after work. When did you first engage with your super? What made you start engaging?How is your superannuation fund engaging with its members early on? https://lnkd.in/gzTHQq-Z

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Great analysis of how to 'Do' and 'Not Do' customer service

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Ever wonder how Aussie businesses can compete in today’s fast-paced market and respond quickly to get new offers in market? I’ve been in the marketing game long enough to see a recurring issue, design bottlenecks! 🛑 They slow down your business and stifle revenue generation. But what if I told you there’s a way to solve this? A way that’s efficient, cost-effective, and tailored for small to medium businesses. Enter the Graphic Design Subscription Model. 🎨 Imagine having a dedicated designer without the overheads of an in-house department, 💵 All from just $499 a month, where you can pause or cancel at any time ⚡ Your own queue, and quick turnarounds mean you can keep up with market trends and stay ahead of competitors. This model is a game-changer for Aussie businesses. So, why let design bottlenecks hold you back? Embrace a subscription model and see how it transforms your marketing efforts. Got questions or want to know more? Drop a comment or send a message, and let’s chat. 💬

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Is your Australian small business communicating what it does & why it’s different - not only in a consistent way from a message perspective, but from a frequency perspective? At Little Marketing, we had 2 chats with clients yesterday who are great examples of this. One from a client who’s been emailing his database twice a month to stay top of mind & drive sales of his product. The other is a business in the design sector who shows off on Insta how great their work is. Simple right? Small business owners often OVERCOMPLICATE things & procrastinate on some “genius” marketing tactic. With time, money, energy & skills being a sacred resource, just understand what your key positioning is and then get it out there. You have to start somewhere. 🏁

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With the release of Joe Astons’ book on Qantas, and the recent ructions at WiseTech, there will no doubt be a new round of governance discussions on how boards can better deal with a "dominant" CEO.   Many of these ideas will be around more distance between management and board, and greater independence by directors.   I am about to make a suggestion (and it will run counter to convention) – that instead we should examine having more non-independent directors.   In a recent Harvard Business Review, leading Canadian academic Bryce Tingle, KC sets out the many benefits of having non-independent directors https://lnkd.in/guFnmbys   Having more insiders on the board, like senior executives (be it the CFO, COO or business unit heads), seems completely at odds with corporate governance. Yet, rather than entrenching CEO power, insider directors do the opposite. Tingle says: “In their capacity as directors, insiders become the CEO’s boss. They have unfettered and confidential access to the rest of the board. This actually makes them a rival power centre inside an organisation that the CEO must respect”.   Companies with insiders on the board are much less likely to be dominated by a powerful CEO personality, and they are much more likely to have the views of a wide range of groups in the company, represented in board discussions.   Inside directors bring advantages that are tough to find elsewhere. They are not dependent on the CEO for their information about the company and have a deep understanding of the company.   As I read Tingle’s research, I could not help but think of the strapline of Dr Strangelove - how I learned to stop worrying and love non-independence.

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The tech landscape is more complex than ever. Genuine connections between tech vendors and tech media helps the entire community explore and define the tech that will carry Australia forwards. Register at www.TechLeaders.com.au to find out more #TechPR #TechJournalism #Event #TechMarketing

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The AFR Higher Education Summit this week did not disappoint. The debate on free vs managed markets for international students was particularly interesting. How do we get the balance right between individual choice for students and national interests? We launched our new report, Balancing Mission and Markets, at the summit. It highlights tensions between market demands and the sectors ability to meet them. It brings together insights from university leaders, academics and students to uncover new opportunities to enhance the educational offering of universities. Read the report now at https://lnkd.in/gmT2qwqc Christine Samy Ned Lis-Clarke Zhengyuan Zhang Emily White #HigherEducation #MissionandMarkets #CourseOffering

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Mi3Australia recently released their Marketing & Customer Benchmarks: FY25 Outlook. The report gathers insights from 105 top marketers responsible for $3bn-plus of budgets of an emergent three-speed marketing economy and upended KPIs and priorities. Some highlights to note: - The FY25 Marketing & Customer Benchmarks report finds a three-way split on investment trends across those pulling back hard, those holding and those powering into the new financial year. For many (43 per cent) performance or lower funnel investment will rise. - Marketers now have heightened responsibility for customer thrust upon them, adding to already complex remits that are leading many to rethink their agency supply chains and how they are managed. - In turn, KPIs are shifting hard to customer lifetime value (CLV) with metrics like net promoter score (NPS), cost per acquisition and purchase frequency in decline. We are seeing these trends a lot with our clients both in Australia and overseas especially the KPI focus shifting harder to CLV. The good news is that CLV is a core metric that a sound loyalty program can drive enabling businesses to effectively measure and exponentially improve their customer lifetime value.

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🚀 Unlock the Power of Funding for Your Startup! Join me for an exclusive webinar with Tim Clark from Hyper Startup Studio! In this session, we will be unpacking and guiding you through: 🌏 Navigating Australia’s Grants Landscape – Discover what’s available, how to apply, and which grants are best suited for startups and scale-ups at every stage, from pre-seed to high-growth. 🔍 R&D Tax Incentive 101 – Get a clear understanding of how the Australian R&D Tax Incentive works, eligibility criteria, and top insider tips to maximise your claim and drive innovation. 💡 Maximise Your Funding Potential – Learn strategic, actionable tips to secure grants and incentives that can fuel your growth journey and set your business up for success. Whether you’re in the early stages, heading to market, or scaling up, this webinar is packed with essential insights to help you harness grants and incentives for your startup’s advantage. Don’t miss out! DM me to get the link to access the webinar.

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So far this year, according to the Ad Standards Case Reports, 6 advertisers have been the subject of complaints about breaches of the AANA - Australian Association of National Advertisers Code of Ethics when it comes to distinguishable advertising, with one complaint involving 8 different posts. With 3 of those complaints upheld, 2 remain listed as not modified or discontinued on the Ad Standards website. Last month, the ACCC released its 2024–25 Compliance and Enforcement Policy and Priorities, noting that consumer and fair-trading issues in the digital economy, particularly misleading or deceptive advertising within influencer marketing, online reviews, in-app purchases, and price comparison websites, remain a top priority for the regulator. The ACCC also noted in their findings of their internet sweep of testimonials and endorsements by influencers, released in December 2023, that the ACCC will monitor adverse findings made by Ad Standards to assess whether they involve ACL concerns, and take enforcement action where appropriate. With 17 case reports listed on the Ad Standards website with "Upheld - Not Modified or Discontinued" as their determination in relation to the distinguishable advertising obligations under the AANA Code of Ethics, watch this space to see what action, if any, the ACCC takes in the coming period in relation to these ads, determined by the Ad Standards Community Panel to be non-compliant with the relevant self-regulatory code in Australia. The products advertised in these ads span clothing, food and beverage, health products, retail and information technology. Whilst the ACCC of course cannot pursue all matters that come to their attention, and some advertising of certain products may fall into the jurisdiction of other regulators, the ACCC does have a range of compliance and enforcement tools at their disposal to encourage compliance with the law, and focus on circumstances likely to impact consumers experiencing vulnerability, harm the competitive process or result in widespread consumer or small business detriment. What do you think? Putting aside the fact that proper ad disclosure builds confidence and trust in influencer marketing, and is therefore important for the industry, in your view, is hidden advertising in influencer posts advertising the abovementioned types of products likely to impact consumers experiencing vulnerability, harm the competitive process or result in widespread consumer or small business detriment, and therefore worthy of an allocation of regulatory resources to stamp out? #influencermarketing #accc #adstandards #aana #influencers #digitalmarketing #policy #priorities #opinion

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Further to this post, I expect that we will see the ACCC take action in relation to influencer posts in the coming period. Here's why:   1) We still see influencers failing to comply with Ad Standards Community Panel findings despite the potential for damage to a brand’s, agency’s or influencer’s reputation following negative publicity about these adverse findings. 2) Non-compliance with self-regulatory codes doesn't attract any financial penalty to significantly deter non-compliance, and therefore whilst most brands will take steps to ensure compliance, others will continue to fail to do so.  3) Influencer content can often reach a large audience, and significant sales can flow to the brand (and their agency) from increased publicity from influencer campaigns. 4) It's often evidenced in follower comments on influencer posts and in the conversion rates using influencer codes that followers are influenced to make purchasing decisions based on content uploaded by influencers they admire and trust. 5) The ACCC had concerns about posts uploaded by 81% of the influencers they monitored.  Risk is increased in my view where influencers have not been appropriately briefed about the products or services they are advertising, where no formal influencer agreement exists, and where influencer content is not vetted by the brand or their agency for false or misleading statements about the products or services and to ensure that appropriate ad disclosure is evident. What do you think? Do you agree? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. #influencermarketing #influencers #adstandards #aana #accc #adlaw

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If you want to achieve a higher return on your advertising spend (ROAS) for your ecommerce store, ask yourself this question. Who is more motivated to generate a higher ROAS for your business? A company that charges you a flat retainer, regardless of the ROAS they reach, or one that earns more for reaching a higher ROAS for you? If you run or know someone that has an ecommerce store and you think they may want better results. Please let them know they can always reach out to us to find out how our performance model can work for them https://lnkd.in/gtTVEYJ8

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Helping companies elevate a customer lens in their business strategy deepens brand connections and accelerates integrated organisational impact and value-based outcomes. Pretty exciting. https://lnkd.in/gYPRvDQt #customer #customerexperience #digital #value #strategy

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Our subscribers are reading exclusives about Forbes' pre-sale battle with Google, Australia's brilliant men's site, Future's digital plans, the Covid 'hidden' impact on trade shows and Reuters' big launch. Why not subscribe now and join media industry leaders every Friday?https://lnkd.in/eNYM2GAy Flashes & Flames: The Global Media Weekly

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This week, Rachel and Lyndal had the pleasure of attending the Marketing Association’s event "How Not to Suck at YouTube!" led by Reuben Halper, the Head of YouTube NZ. Reuben emphaised how people are spending several hours on YouTube each day, making it a prime space for targeted advertising and content marketing. Key Takeaways: YouTube emphasises content that embodies the three E's & an I: Engage, Entertain, Educate, and Inspire. This approach aims to meet the diverse needs and interests of audiences, making content more compelling and shareable. Current YouTube Stats in NZ: >>> 4.13 million users as of early 2024, accounting for 78.7% of the total population. >>> Ad reach was 82.2% of the country's total internet user base in January 2024. >>> Particularly popular among the 25-34 age group, reflecting global trends. Consider integrating YouTube into your marketing strategy to leverage its vast audience. If you need help with this, let's talk. #SocialMediaMarketing, #OnlineMarketing, #contentmarketing, #videomarketing, #digitalmarketing,#youtubemarketing, #youtubecontent, #youtubeads, #contentcreators #BusinessTips, #SmallBusinessAdvice, #NZBusiness, #NZEntrepreneurs #StartupLife, #MarketingTips, #NZSmallBusiness

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We're celebrating breakthroughs across the Australian business landscape with 12 new categories in the Pause Fest & Awards. If you've had a business success in the past year, now’s your chance to be recognised alongside Australia’s most ambitious innovators. New category highlights include: Creative Maverick — for unstoppable leaders. Splash Down Under — for entering into the Australian market. Always Evolving — for a culture of continuous improvement. Collab — for mutual growth and innovation. Going Global — for international growth and success. Next Level — for scaling through acquisition or integration. Popular old categories: Women in Business — for female leaders creating opportunities. Future Builder — for determined and resilient founders. Company of the Year — for leadership, resilience and impact. Defiant Ones — for leading technological innovation. On the Rise — for early-stage startup success. Enter today: www.pauseawards.com Pay by today (Friday 16 August) to lock in the best rate, then write your entry post-payment until the final deadline on 30 August. George Hedon #PauseAwards #Judge #Innovation #Breakthrough #Leadership #Business #Australia #TogetherWeBreakThrough #CleverIdea #EnterNow #Awards

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