Vision to Communication

Pretty much everyone at some point has either heard of Vivid Sydney or come across the incredible displays scattered across the city. In case you have been living under a rock or live abroad and have no idea what Vivid Sydney is, it’s an annual 23-day festival of light, music and ideas. Unfortunately if you haven’t seen it yet, you’ve missed the boat because Vivid Sydney 2017 finished few days ago.

It’s a well-known event that attracts millions of tourists to the city. Last year alone, 2.3 million domestic residents and overseas tourists attended Vivid Sydney 2016, making it Australia’s largest festival event, and the largest event of its kind in the world. It features many of the world’s most important creative industry forums, a mesmerising free public exhibition of outdoor lighting sculptures and installations and a cutting-edge contemporary music program.

Vivid Sydney is where art, technology and commerce intersect to offer opportunities for a huge number of artists, designers, and manufacturers who share updated information on their industries while looking for new opportunities and innovation.

Vivid Lights, Vivid Music, Vivid Ideas

Vivid Sydney is comprised of three programs, which demonstrate the cooperation across different functions. During the festival there are also competitions between professionals within their respective industries to display amazing visual images, live music and creative networking all in front of our eyes.

I wonder how many people know just how much creative process is involved in generating such a rich and diverse flow of ideas and creative discussion to support the development of Australia’s creative sector.

The University of Sydney is also a part of this momentous event, covering all these three programs. We have demonstrated our expertise across a number of fields for Vivid Ideas Exchange by sharing ideas and influencing decisions by supplying information from fashion and the arts to big data.

Graphic Design lights up our thoughts on creativity

The show didn’t just leave a colorful visual impact to promote our wonderful city, it also lit up our thoughts on creativity.

Consider all the aspects that jump out at us when we see an eye-catching advertisement or promotional product. When you think about it, the graphic design on labels or product logos have the same eye cathcing effect as Vivid Sydney.

Graphic design is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. It known as communication design. The form of the communication can be physical or virtual, and may include images, words, or graphic forms. Designers have arranged type, form, and image on posters, advertisements, packages, and other printed matter, as well as information visualizations, and graphics for newspapers and magazines. What’s more, motion graphics are equally predetermined and crafted, but are meant to be experienced over a fixed time span, such as for the opening credits of a movie or an online video meant to accompany a newspaper article.

Light up Communication

As Marketing students, we might consider that graphic design is related to art, which is far from our major and what we supposed to be focusing on.

There are thousands of forecasts about the trend of graphic design each year. Graphic design, as a visual aid, serves as the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon. A definition which is intended to be very broad and inclusive. Expressed in terms of functions, or the tasks that graphics performs, the definition covers magical, illustrative, persuasive and informative graphics.

The visual communication of Vivid Sydney screams, ‘Sydney, you are beautiful!’ The makers of the event have figured out just how important it is to communicate this message to customers in the market with vivid visualization. Sydney is rapidly morphing into ‘Tomorrow’s Sydney’ and in case anyone missed that memo, Vivid succeeds at driving that message home.

Graphic Design, Art and Marketing tend to coincide with each other in the realm of decision making, encountering not only rational analysis, but also perceptual empathy. All are essential to influence potential customers imperceptibly, along with strengthening brand loyalty. So when it comes down to it, when it comes to marketing, in the end it’s often not what you say, but how you say it that is important.

Hazel Chen
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.

How to Fight In the Complex Social Media Environment

According to the BBC, due to pressure from many countries Facebook has revealed measures to remove terrorist content. How are they going to do this? Well besides being akin to The Eye Of Voltron (pardon the Lord of the Rings reference), Facebook has mastered the use of artificial intelligence to spot clusters of fake accounts, pictures, videos and other content that’s related to terrorism.

The Social Media Environment Is Becoming More And More Sophisticated.

After the fake news issue from the US presidential election, criticism can be heard in many places challenging the information authenticity of social media. So it makes sense that Facebook are now fighting to find a balance between encouraging users to share ideas freely and suppressing fake news.

With this cutting edge technology in place, Facebook claims that they can use image-matching algorithms to block photos or videos that the system has matched previously with extremist content. This is a wise approach to stopping terrorism going viral, but the fact still remains that it is still controversial as some people regard this as another form of censorship. Using special controls to influence the media environment in the long term will gradually limit the users’ original freedom of speech in social media.

Do sponsored posts make you mad?

Apart from this, another rising concern in the social media environment is the increasing frequency of commercial advertisements’ popping up in our newsfeed and side bar. Contrary to the pure conversational platforms that they used to be, social media (i.e. Facebook) is now flooded with ads, the majority of which are even tailor-made, based on users’ personal information.

From the business perspective, it is a valuable channel for companies to build their brand exposure, while providing a platform to talk to the consumer directly. However, performance of advertisements is in decline due to too much noise online. According to Hubspot, 40% of users now click dislike on Facebook ads- and that’s not good news.

Statistics from VIEO design shows that people have a negative attitude toward online ads:

- 91% of people say ads are more intrusive today than 2-3 years ago
- 87% say there are more ads in general than 2-3 years ago
- 79% feel like they're being tracked by retargeted ads

As the development of social media environment is impacting the users’ attitude and behaviour towards it, marketers should be wiser while using the social media, and make sure their strategy is fitting with consumer’s preference.

Here are some tips for online ads from VIEO design:

1. Don't set up videos to autoplay.

It's interruptive, annoying, and downright rude.

2. Don't mislead people.

Luring consumers in with something that sounds hyper-relevant to what they're reading or watching, but ultimately isn't. Baiting will not convert visitors into leads... but it will turn them off.

3. Dumb is just as bad as misleading.

Fifty-six percent of consumers say, "most online ads these days are insulting to my intelligence," which contradicts the idea that you need to write for the lowest common denominator.

4. Ads need to—and this is very important—not look tacky or amateurish.

That may seem obvious, but when 63% of people say "Most ads I see online don't look polished or professional". Consumer's standards are likely higher than you think.

5. If you do use pop-ups, be judicious.

The ads most resented by consumers are, surprise-surprise, pop-up ads, with a 73% disapproval rating. But if you do use them, before you interrupt their browsing, give people time to find value in what you're providing.

6. Retargeting requires some finesse.

About 79% of people say, "I feel like I'm being tracked because I've seen ads for items I've bought in the past. Making your potential customers feel like they're being stalked is definitely something that you try to avoid.

With built-in advanced technology, social media possesses a super power which enables it to differentiate itself from traditional media. Social media is global, ubiquitous and cheap. It provides an opportunity for individuals and groups to start up conversations and share ideas. Furthermore, consumers can also be producers in the social media context, an evolution that has lead to content spreading world-wide in record time (The power of social media).

In the age of social media, the increasing concern about the social media environment is something that marketers should be paying attention to. So while we continue to try to reach and target consumers through this widely used tool, it is essential to maintain a healthy social media landscape for a long term business perspective.

So that leads us to the question, how can we get the best from social media and at the same time operate and manage it in a more ethical way?

Bowie Chen
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.
Bowie has several years’ experience working in FMCG marketing, media, and consulting field.

Learn to Fail like a #GirlBoss

Everybody loves a success story. But what’s interesting about Sophia Amoruso’s Netflix biopic ‘Girl Boss’ is that we already know the end of the story culminates with the bankruptcy of her fashion empire.

Have you ever failed? Some people never fail because they’re too scared to try. For others, failing is a weekly, if not daily, event. One can only imagine how much worse it must feel to fail so spectacularly whilst being in the public eye.

That’s what this last year has been like for Sophia Amoruso. Once listed as the youngest Forbes Richest Self-Made Women, Amoruso’s business is in tatters and her fortune decimated. She has been slammed by critics who have been awaiting eagerly for her demise, but like a phoenix from the ashes, the femmetrepreneur will rise again.

The rise and fall of Nasty Gal

Founded from humble beginnings in 2006, by 22-year-old Sophia Amoruso, Nasty Gal started by pure luck when Amoruso started “flipping clothes” on eBay and, later, launched her own e-commerce fashion store that took the world by storm, only to later lose it all to bankruptcy.

You’re probably wondering right now if this is supposed to be an inspirational story. What it’s not is another cliché about women in business. Just keep reading and you will see what it’s all about.

So, what happened?

Nasty Gal’s CEO, Sheree Waterson, confirmed that the start-up was unable to secure capital as the gap between top-line growth and profitability widened. Amoruso had already resigned from her CEO role in early 2015 before Waterson took the reins. Amoruso told Forbes in an interview last year, "I’m a creative. I’m a brand-builder. I’m a rainmaker. I’m a pretty good marketer, but that’s not something I want to do every day."

According to an interview with Collective Hub’s Lisa Messenger, Amoruso described the decision as the most responsible option to prevent closure. However, after years of downsizing and hours spent in court, the inevitable happened. Nasty Gal’s intellectual property was acquired by UK e-commerce site, Boohoo, for a meagre $20 million. Now Nasty Gal continues to operate, but without Amoruso’s input.

Enter Girl Boss, stage left.

But it’s not all gloom and doom. I really do believe that everything happens for a reason and what I’m about to tell you next proves just that. Just think, if Sophia had been busy playing CEO of Nasty Gal, she never would have found the time to focus on the #GirlBoss brand that was built on the back of Nasty Gal’s then success. Now, she has a 2014 New York Times bestseller, a hit podcast, a just-released coffee table book, and a Netflix comedy series, co-produced by Charlize Theron.

Talk about making the best out of an unfortunate situation. Imagine where she would be now if she hadn’t gone down that road.

The rise again of Sophia Amoruso

As an entrepreneur, Amoruso realised that there was no point in licking her wounds. She had a thin window of opportunity with her Netflix series to get herself back up on top. And if I’m going to be honest, her humility in the face of failure makes her story so much more inspiring.

#GirlBoss is so much more than just a clichéd book title. In fact, Sophia has turned a book deal into a media company that enables women to connect across social, digital and experiential platforms. The #GirlBoss Foundation empowers women, allowing them to share knowledge about their careers, finance, relationships and businesses. To date, it has awarded US$120,000 in grants to women in creative industries to help fund their passion projects.

"Were all flailing in different ways and stumbling in different ways, the rest of the world just doesn’t hear about it. But, to us, it feels like that’s all that’s happening. So to see someone who you may have thought had it all ‘figured out’ totally start over is probably very refreshing, and puts your life into perspective in some way.’’- Sophia Amoruso with Lisa Messenger for Collective Hub.

So say what you will about Sophia, but there’s no denying that she’s filled a gap for women who are looking for role models who aren’t afraid to be imperfect. She swears too much, doesn’t wear a powersuit, she doesn’t play golf and she certainly doesn’t conform. She is the businesswoman redefining success in a world that celebrates women in business purely for the fact that they are women. I think we can all learn something from Sophia Amoruso. Don’t you?

Alyce Brierley
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.

Pedal Power

Getting caught in a traffic jam and being stuck on the road for hours is always a nightmare. Not to mention, a waste of our precious time. With the growing population, combined with the increasing number of cars on the road, many countries are encountering public transport issues, as well as heavy fuel consumption and air pollution.

Under the umbrella of “the sharing economy”, ride sharing and bus sharing have already taken off thanks to the flexibility, low cost and convenience on offer. Now, the bike sharing system has followed suite. Let’s take a look at how this thriving trend came to play a part in the game.

Low cost, convenient and environmentally friendly
A bicycle sharing system is a service which offers bicycles for shared use to individuals. Many bike sharing systems offer subscriptions that are either free for the first 30-45 minutes or at a very inexpensive deal (for example, 99c per 0.5 hour). This set-up encourages people to take advantage of a low cost flexible transport system with the added bonus of reducing vehicle emissions, congestion and fuel consumption.

Lots of people find it very convenient and easy to use, especially when they are routinely stuck in traffic jams or going home late with no public transport available. Bike sharing is a very low cost alternative that is the convenient choice for solving the consumer’s “last mile” problem.

Bike sharing company Ofo

Bike sharing goes worldwide
With all the benefits mentioned above, the bike sharing trend has exploded worldwide.

According to Bike-Sharing Blog, there were 2.3 million public-use bicycles globally in 2016, which is more than double compared to 2015.

China, Italy, USA, Germany, Spain, France, Switzerland, Greece, Austria and Japan are the top ten countries with the most bike sharing programs.

With the rapid growth of technologies, many bike sharing programs have introduced new systems, such as electric and dockless bikes to enhance the customer experience. In China, more and more user-friendly approaches can be seen spreading throughout multiple cities. Bikes can be paid using a smartphone and left anywhere, with GPS tracking enabling them to be located via a mobile app.

The world’s first bike sharing service was launched in June 2015 by a Beijing-based start-up called Ofo. The company now has around 2.5 million yellow-framed bikes in more than 50 cities throughout China. Its main rival, Mobike, which only started up a year ago, says it has “several million” of their orange-wheeled bikes spread across a similar area. Another competitor, Bluegogo, has half a million bikes in six Chinese cities, with plans to grow by a new city every two weeks, according to the Economist.

Vélib' is a large scale bicycle sharing company in Paris, France. Fun fact: the French words vélo (English: "bicycle") and liberté ("freedom") were combined to form the name Vélib'. Compared to the metro, it is time efficient, and has gained popularity among Parisians thanks to an easy subscription system, vast number of docking stations, and built-in LED lights for night-use.

Vélib’ automated pay station

In Melbourne, Australia, Blue Share bikes are becoming popular, with unlimited 30 minute rides between stations, and subscriptions starting from just $3 per day. Australia was actually the first country to make wearing bicycle helmets mandatory, so free helmets are provided as a courtesy with Blue Share bikes.

Marketing campaigns
There have been a number of intriguing and fun campaigns launched to attract more users by a number of bike sharing companies.

Bluegogo sent out Santa Claus on Christmas to give gifts to citizens and encouraged people to find the blue sharing bike on that day.

Mobike has found a way to collaborate with external companies by offering up advertising space on the front of their bikes.  You can see an ad for sunsreen products below, encouraging more people be sunsafe while using the bike service.

Although there are still some issues in the bicycle sharing industry, such as theft, vandalism and maintenance, the future looks optimistic. Co-founder of Baas Bikes, Robert McPherson said, “Bikes can be the best partner of the city. If you conduct it well, it will be a big revolution in public transport.”

However, the real question is, how will bike sharing services fare down under? Where, for many Australians, owning a car isn’t a luxury but a necessity. Could this be the answer to all our gridlock problems?

Bowie Chen
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.

New Printing World

3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), refers to the process used to create three-dimensional objects by successively layering material using computer controls. The possibilities for creation are endless. But with this future technology now at our doorstep, the question is: how are marketers going to use 3D printing for marketing campaigns in the future?

Although the 3D printing boom didn't take off until 2012, many of you might be surprised to know that it's been around since the 1980's. But up until now, it hasn't been advanced enough to capture the imagination of the business world. Now that our reality has become a lot more Back to the Futuresque, we can expect to see it used for printing homes, bionic body parts and maybe it will be used in artificial intelligence (AI) for humanoid robots just like in HBO's 'Westworld'.  

Undoubtedly 3D Printing has already invaded our daily lives and pushed the boundaries of human experience. Let's take a look at some of the current applications.

1. 3D Printed Glass

In 2015, researchers at MIT (USA) unveiled a new process called G3DP – a method that allows for the creation of complex 3D glass structures. G3DP goes to the next level of data transfer efficiency, demonstrated through remarkable artworks which traditional handicraft could never achieve.

3D printed glass structure from Smithsonian design Museum in New York in 2016.

2. 3D Printed Industrial Parts

3D printing in the automotive industry is no longer a technical bottleneck nowadays. General Motors used stereolithography, specialized software that combines mathematical data and laser sintering to build parts out of liquid resin. A process which resulted in breakthrough improvements in the design of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The rapid prototyping proved especially useful for the floor console, which has smartphone holders for the driver and passengers. This technique was also implemented on the front fascia design and front-seat back panels. The lightweight parts make the Malibu not only aesthetically pleasing, but economically sustainable when it comes to fuel consumption.

3. 3D Printed Bionic Ear

In 2013, scientists from Princeton University created a 3D printed bionic ear that can hear much better than the average human's. The bionic ear was printed with cells and nanoparticles to explore an efficient method of merging electronics with organic tissues. This technique has the capacity to bring great benefits to people around the world living with disabilities.

4. 3D Printed Shoes

Sneaker loves will be hapy to know that a few days ago, Adidas debuted its newest shoe, which has a 3D printed sole. 5,000 of the innovative 'Futurecaft 4D' shoes will be available at retail stores in fall and winter this year. Unlike other 3D printed shoes, made from materials that often become rigid or malleable, the Futurecraft 4D is different. The shoe was co-created with Silicon Valley-based startup, Carbon, using a new technology called digital light synthesis. The process enables the material to be springy and able to bounce back almost instantaneously. 

 
The technology works by using UV lasers to project a pattern for a midsole liquid. The light turns the liquid into a solid and the result is a flexile, but durable, midsole. The technology could save time and money in the production process and tailor physiological data and needs on demand for each individual.

Why 3D printing is more important to marketers than you think.

Global brands such as Coca Cola, Warner Bros. and eBay have experimented with 3D printing, but as of yet, marketers have yet to tap into its potential. The good news for marketers is that 3D printing provides many opportunities to deliver out of the box solutions. The technology provides innovative ways to develop and strengthen relationships with existing and potential customers. According to Steve Heller the figures show that mainstream 3D printing growth in the industry is expected to grow by 31% each year into a $21 billion market by 2020.

As marketers, we are well aware that successful marketing campaigns have one thing in common: distinctiveness. Businesses are now able to actually make and 'print' advertising and promotional products as well as interactive ideas, enabling marketers to offer originality and personalisation for consumers. Something that will be integral for the success of tomorrow’s business. 

3D Printing will not only have an impact on business and marketing, it will change our lives in more ways than we can imagine. It elaborately and seamlessly integrates the internet and digital technology with an extensive consideration of novel construction, combined with innovative materials. 3D Printed products have already been created in the fields of art, product design, interior design and architecture.

The possibilities for innovation are endless, yet the question still remains unanswered. Is it something that will be integral to business campaigns in the near future, or a passing gimmick? If you ask me, 3D printing is here to stay.

Hazel Chen and Alyce Brierley
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School. 

The Disruptor Strikes Down Under

Get ready to have your world changed forever because the Australian Amazon countdown has begun! In case you’ve been living under a rock and have no idea what I’m talking about, Amazon is set to land on Australian shores. This is huge! 

We’re all well aware that Australia may be one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but it’s also incredibly isolated. This can make things tricky for shoppers who rely on online platforms to get the latest goods. Besides having to wait weeks to receive products from overseas vendors, there’s always the threat of quarantine, poor quality or counterfeit goods, even the risk of things getting lost in transit.

If you’re like me, perhaps you’d rather play it safe and go pay full price for something in-store. Lucky for us, things are about to change.

Where does that leave retailers?
It’s been confirmed that from September, Amazon will be launching their retail business in Australia. They aren’t just dipping a toe in the water. No, they’re doing it in a big way. What this means is that Amazon’s scope would cover far more than web services.

Are Aussie retailers ready for the challenge? Surprisingly, according to Commonwealth Bank Retail Insights Report 2017, a third of retailers had no idea Amazon was coming to Australia.

Source: Commonwealth Bank 2017

The key area where retail is falling behind is innovation. While half of Australian retailers were experimenting with new strategies to attract and retain customers, they still lag behind the telecommunications and education sectors. With retail margins being thin, proactivity and innovation in regards to understanding the local market’s needs is crucial for positive change.

Retailers have been warned that, ‘Amazon Marketplace will eat your business’. And with statements such as those from former Amazon employee, Brittain Ladd, retailers are readying their pitchforks.

Ladd was quoted saying, ‘We are going to destroy the retail environment in Australia’. Amazon will “introduce a whole new world of retail and services” to a nation where “entrenched and in some cases duopolistic market conditions have been detrimental to consumers and suppliers”.

While it’s evident that Amazon is set to dramatically impact on the local retail industry, Amazon’s billionaire chief executive Jeff Bezos maintains that he doesn’t want to ‘destroy’ anybody. He just wants to focus on the customers.

“Amazon is obsessed with providing customers with excellent service and choice, and the only way it will be successful in Australia is if local consumers are satisfied with the service and value they receive.”

Did somebody say jobs?

After months waiting for the decision of the US online retail giant’s warehouse location, last Thursday, Amazon finally signed a lease deal for a warehouse in Sydney’s Eastern Creek. The large, purpose-built warehouse will be situated at the Goodman Group’s $50 million Oakdale Industrial Estate.

Bezos spoke of the countless job opportunities he would bring to the area. “We are excited to bring thousands of new jobs to Australia, millions of dollars in additional investment, and to empower small Australian businesses through Amazon Marketplace.”

See this is a good thing! An investment of this scale will generate not only jobs to support its distribution system, but Amazon’s lightening speed delivery times. There will be numerous positive impacts for the companies who partner with Amazon. Not to mention the individuals who will use the platform to sell their own products and services.

We can only hope that the ‘low prices, vast selection, and fast delivery’ concept of Amazon Prime Now will be soon to follow. What’s not to love about one-hour delivery?

Bad news for Woollies and Coles.
Along with electronics and other goods, Amazon Fresh will offer customers same-day delivery of thousands of different fresh grocery items. This is going to revolutionise the way we shop for food.

As of yet Amazon has not made an official announcement, but current market leaders, Woolworths and Coles, should keep on their toes as a dint in their market share and millions of dollars worth of lost revenue. After the invasion of German, low-cost supermarket ,ALDI, Australian retailers would be more prepared to face the threat of global competitors.

Bad news for electronics retailers too.

Traditional supermarkets won’t be the only ones facing challenges. In a report by JB Hi-Fi and Nielsen, a survey showed that 67% of Australians aged over eighteen would likely buy electronic goods from Amazon. As the largest Electronics retailers in Australia, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman will likely face even more challenges in near future.

What about Amazon Go? 

Can you imagine a store without checkouts or queues? Amazon did exactly that with Amazon Go. Shoppers can simply scan into the store with the Amazon app on their mobile and get tracked while they shop. When they’re done, they just pick up their purchases and the bill is automatically docked from the individual’s account.

The concept of “pick up and go” is a win-win for everyone. The streamlined internal stock systems have the capacity to largely reduce costs for Amazon.

The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Amazon has plans to open a series of city-based physical stores in Australia and tie in a large TV debut or rollout to hook in local customers. The concept could even combine a drive-through service, which even put fast-food retailers in danger.

As a consumer, you don’t really care about any of this, do you? Let’s be honest with each other. All we want is the convenience of shopping for affordable products from the comfort of our homes while wearing our pyjamas. It’s our hard-earned money and we’ll spend it how we want. So if it’s easier to click some buttons and wait for the knock at the door, than to brave the traffic and drag ourselves down to Westfield. Well, we’re probably going to just click the button. Retailers should be aware of this and plan accordingly. 

Hazel Chen 
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.

18 Days and 18 Nights

Have you imagined living at home for 18 days without setting a foot out your door or dying of starvation?

Well, I have good news for you! Now staying at home is easier than ever. With the growing abundance of online home services, you can live happily in your own little cocoon without the stress of going outside, while at the same time maintaining a pretty high quality of life.

The Experiment

Don’t worry, the experiment was not based on the horror movie. The experiment that I’m referring to was recently conducted by QDaily in China. It’s purpose? To see what life would be like for a person to stay at home for 18 days, using only online applications and their services. Surprisingly, during the 432 hours, even with a power blackout and illness, the test subject successfully managed to avoid leaving the house even once. AND she had an exceptionally enriched life.

Here’s what the experiment involved:

- Trialling 103 online applications, and following 61 social media service accounts.

- Using 72 kinds of online home delivered services

- Total spending of $1000

- Without a reserve of groceries stocked in her pantry, friends were allowed to visit but not to bring any products through the doors

Forget boredom…

First, the most obvious need was for food, but with lots of home delivery apps, the test subject got sufficient groceries, food supplies, and even in-house chef services (similar to the CHEFIN in Australia).

Home delivered groceries                                             Dinner with in-house chef service

The next problem was housework. Because she was working from home, she didn’t have the time or patience to do housework herself. However, thanks to on-site services, she got a cleaner, a wardrobe repairer and a launderer to do the dirty work for her.

Cleaner

When she got sick, online diagnosis apps helped her to self-diagnose and self-medicate. Along with the help of medicine delivery services, her products were delivered to her door within the hour.

Delivered medicine

What about leisure time? Yoga trainers, masseuse and hairdressers all provided excellent services for keeping fit and staying beautiful, all from the comfort of her home.

   Hair dresser                                                  Yoga trainer

Still not enough to stave off boredom? She got roses delivered and even found a rental pet to play with for the day.

Delivered roses                                                Rented pet dog

After the 18 days were up, she was still healthy, energetic, well fed, with a clean and neat house that was even decorated with flowers. What’s more, some of the people who provided their services eventually became her friends.

This might sound a bit out there to you, but with the sheer number of digital apps filling up our lives, this is what our world has become. Even though many of don’t yet heavily rely on on-site services, most of us are using at least 2 to 3 apps every day. And that number is sure to only grow.

Online statistics show that the amount of internet users has doubled during the last seven years, and the average time spent online has gone through the roof. With more advanced technology and the abundance of online services available, users are able to live through the internet. Whether it’s to work, play or shop, consumers are able to make decisions simply by clicking buttons on a digital device.

This lifestyle trend has influenced all industries. Consequently, online business have thrived in recent years. New applications have flooded the app stores, and e-commerce companies are fighting to increase their delivery speeds. For example, several years ago in China, where the trend is way ahead of the western word, in most areas the average delivery time was one and a half days. Now it takes less than 24 hours. Some firms with specialised products are competing to deliver in under half a day and in some cases less than one hour!

More and more companies have joined the digital platform, which has in turn created a diverse online ecosystem. They have analysed customer migration pathways in detail and partnered with other firms to cover entire neighbourhoods. In order for the ecosystem to function, consumers have been saturated with ad exposure, attractive content, entertainment interaction, physical shops filled with tempting products and convenient delivery services.

With this level of convenience, coupled with the ever accelerating fast pace of life, it is altogether too tempting for consumers to further simplify their lives by integrating the real world with their digital devices. Let’s face it, you would have to be crazy not to!

Bowie Chen
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.
Bowie has several years’ experience working in FMCG marketing, media, and consulting field.

Fresh in Our Memories

Happy Monday everyone! What’s so happy about Monday you ask? Well for one thing, tomorrow we get a day off because it’s a national holiday. But before you get excited, I should tell you that it’s not the appropriate time for celebration. 

In case you hail from other parts of the world, you might not know that tomorrow is ANZAC Day. Yes, ANZACs are a delicious biscuit that you might have come across in Woolworths, but although Aussies are more than a little eccentric, we don’t love biscuits enough to give them a national holiday.

The Iconic ANZAC biscuit.

Australians recognise ANZAC Day, 25 April of each year, as a day of national remembrance. It’s a time for our country to commemorate all Australians who served and died in war and on operational service. 

Around the country, millions of service goers get up early to attend commemorative ceremonies. I know this is quite somber and I apologise, but I am going somewhere with this.

While it’s still fresh in our memory…

In recent years marketers have tried to cash in on the day with disastrous PR consequences. Some may still remember Woolworths blunder back in 2015 where they called Australians to upload photographs of individuals affected by World War I to their "profile picture generator", which was then watermarked with the Woolworths logo and tag "Lest We Forget Anzac 1915-2015. Fresh in our memories".

Backlash from Woolworths ‘Fresh in Our Memories’ campaign.

I’m hoping that you might see how that could be construed as offensive. Sorry Woolies. You are still my supermarket of choice, but that wasn’t cool. Besides the fact that things will always get complicated when exploiting the loss of lives for financial gain, why would they want to have that kind of negative brand association?

While they are not alone, others have jumped on the bandwagon in a slightly more sensitive way. A spokeswoman from Coles said this year customers could support the Bravery Trust, which helps veterans and their families, by donating at registers or by purchasing a 12-pack of Coles Bakery Anzac Biscuits, Coconut Drops or Choc Chip Cookies.

The launch of the Raise a Glass initiative at the Kent Hotel in 2009. Photo: Darren Pateman.
Image courtesy of Canberra Times.

Back in 2009, Aussie beer giants, VB, took a different route and simply asked Australians to ‘Raise A Glass’ on Anzac Day to remember the Diggers. The ad featured General Peter Cosgrove and the campaign raised money for the RSL and Legacy. 

Who could forget the bugle bungle?
Channel Seven was forced to give an on-air apology, after the network accidentally cut to an advertisement during the playing of The Last Post ahead of the Richmond-Melbourne AFL game.

A bugler was 20 seconds into playing The Last Post for the Anzac commemoration, when the network cut to an advertisement for My Kitchen Rules.

Last year, the Anzac Day bugle tribute at MCG was cut short by ads, leaving viewers at home baffled and outraged.
Image courtesy: The Age

Negative Brand Associations
Besides being ‘one of the most dangerous days of the year for marketers to try to get involved in’, as pointed out by Ben Willee, of Spinach advertising firm, ANZAC day in Australia is a sore topic.

Poppies adorn a memorial shrine for ANZAC Day services.
Image courtesy SBS

Marketing consultant Adam Ferrier said to the Sydney Morning Herald that Anzac Day was a "tough day for retailers to get right as there is very little they offer which fits what Anzac Day actually commemorates.

"Therefore when brands do try and associate themselves with the day it comes across as forced and opportunistic. Most brands prefer to safely quietly revere the day, and leave it as sacred.’’ So fellow marketers, take this lesson and remember that there are other ways of providing value to customers without compromising ethics or harming your brand’s image. And sometimes that way, is to be silent and say nothing at all.

Alyce Brierley
Current student from the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School.

Food for Thought

As the winner of the ‘Discipline of Marketing Prize for the Best Consulting Project Proposal’, Donna Hudson shares her experience working with WWF-Australia. Currently in her second semester of the Master of Marketing program 2017, Donna had to opportunity to assist them with working towards one of their key goals of drastically reducing food waste before 2021. 

Consulting Project for Reducing Food Waste

Most of you will have heard of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). As one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organisations, WWF works to tackle major global and local issues such as; the environment, ocean, climate, and more recently- food. Food is the division of which this project is based. 

As an individual I am passionate about the environment and conscious of the adverse effects that we, as humans, are creating. However, prior to commencing this project I was unaware of the huge impact that food waste has on the environment.

I am now eager to educate others and assist WWF achieve their goal to drastically reduce waste before 2021.

Food Facts 

• The amount of food waste each year around the world is enough to feed three billion people. That’s 41.25% of the world’s population!
• In Australia, more than half of all food waste occurs at the point of consumption. Yes that’s right, we are the biggest cause!
• In Australia alone we waste a third of the food that is produced and yet an astonishing 2 million Australians seek food relief each year. 
• We are likely to throw away one in five bags of groceries each week, that’s $8 billion worth of food each year. 
• Research suggests that we don’t seem to be concerned about the issue of food waste and its effects.
• The biggest food wasters youths between the ages of 18-24 years, households with a combined income of above $100k, and young families. 

So What Can We Do About All This Waste? 

The above is stipulated from existing research conducted. However, compared globally, it was identified that food waste data available in Australia is lacking. Therefore as part of my project, I intend to complete vital research that will assist WWF with going forward to reach their overall goal. 

Research includes in-depth interviews, focus groups and surveying WWF’s supporter community.

Education Is Key

The overall objective for this project is to change the attitude and behaviours of Australian consumers towards food waste by educating consumers, utilising existing channels and partnerships, whilst exploring new ones.

The challenge is AWARENESS. To achieve the objective, Australian consumers need to be made aware of the issues of food waste and WWFs involvement with this issue. More importantly, they need to care about and understand the issues of food enough to change their habits. 

After all, changes are sparked by an individual’s understanding of an issue. I hope to make a big change in Australia.

Thank you for reading.

Donna Hudson is originally from the UK but now happily resides in Australia and a current student in the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School. Donna’s background has always been in marketing across various industries and she has an evident passion for the environment.

Donna’s top tip for MKTG6209 students:

Are you a student who has not yet completed the consulting project, or thought about which type of organisation you would like to approach? 

Don’t forget about all of the amazing non-profit organisations here in Australia who would relish on the opportunity for you to help them keep making a difference. The consulting project requires you to use your skills and knowledge to identify a marketing issue within an organisation and see it through to realisation. 

NGO’s are fantastic organisations full of passionate and inspiring people. 

Make a difference where it matters!

Yeezy Boosts - The perfect example of Celebrity Endorsement

It’s only fitting that since my previous blog talked about Influencer Marketing that today I’ll talk about Celebrity Endorsements - particularly in the fashion and sneaker industry.

In December 2013, Kanye West left Nike for Adidas. Fast forward to today, Adidas is riding a buzz-wave of sneaker and pop-culture. It is both directly and indirectly tied back to Kanye and his Yeezy clothing and shoe line. Adidas was set on using a different endorsement technique from Nike.

Instead of limiting the creative control of product development, Adidas saw this collaboration as a ‘joint venture’. It is to give the celebrity partner the sense of having creative input and strategies. This includes them having a say in the go-to market strategy and tactics.

If you ask any ‘sneakerhead' about the coolest ‘kicks’ around, the answer will very likely be the Yeezy Boost 350. In 2015, the Adidas Yeezy Boosts won the FNAA Shoes of the Year Award, another evidence of the success of the Kanye West and Adidas Originals collaboration. It is no surprise that Adidas sales increased by 14%.

How exactly did the Yeezy Boost 350s sell out in 12 minutes and become the most coveted sneaker out at the moment?

1. Target the right celebrity for endorsement to make sure the product is always in the media’s eye.

Celebrity endorsement is one of the most powerful word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing tool available and generates engagement amongst today’s tech-savvy, trend-conscious youth. The target audience of the Yeezy collection are fashion-conscious millennials with high purchasing ability to keep up with the trend. And the way to keep up with trends are by keeping up with celebrities on their social media feeds.

Image: Faded Fashion

2. Kanye personally endorses the brand, wearing his design in concerts, award events and what not.

Kanye is highly regarded as a celebrity fashion icon. He has a huge following for his provocative views and tastes. Weeks prior to the launch of a new collection of Yeezy, Kanye proudly wears his personal design to events where paparazzi and fans are eager to catch a glimpse of the sneakers. This is a way to build up the hype way before the official launch.

Image: Footwear News

3. Limited number to build exclusivity and hype.

Yeezy Boost might be the perfect definition of demand exceeding supply. With each seasonal release of the Yeezy Boost, only a limited number of pairs are made available worldwide. The ‘average consumer’ can’t simply hope to walk into the nearest Adidas store to purchase a pair.

Time and effort are needed to keep up with the pre-launch news and the actual launch date. Getting a pair at a retail price would require you to count on your lucky star. This exclusivity generates tons of WOM around the product because everyone will likely be talking about trying to get it or how they got it.

Image: Footlocker UK

Stanley Ritz Kurniawan
Current student in the Master of Marketing program at the University of Sydney Business School

The Importance of Influencer Marketing

A recent study revealed that 84% of marketers plan on executing at least one influencer marketing campaign in 2017. But what exactly is influencer marketing? Well to put it simply, it’s that middle territory between a legitimate testimonial and mentioning a product subtly, which is usually done in passing.

Not to be confused with celebrity endorsements, influencer marketing creates word-of-mouth advertising using people that are trusted in their industry/social circle. With this marketing strategy, influencers are building up the brand’s image in the minds of their followers. Whereas celebrity endorsements attaches the fame of a celebrity to a brand or product so that they are associated with that product — as a result people want to buy that product. Both strategies use well-known people to influence the target market. But the way they are executed and how they influence their target market is very different. Today we’ll focus on influencer marketing.

Influencers are specialists in what they do. Different from celebrities, they build communities around themselves in a very niche space. For example, when a brand sends food bloggers their newest cake offering as part of an influencer campaign, the intent is not from their fame but rather the true recommendations within the targeted community.

But why Influencers?

Influencers are deemed to be more authentic as they are perceived to be creators of the entire message. From beginning to end, the message is considered theirs and that lends it a certain credibility. Go and scroll through your Instagram feed now — You can still see your favourite influencers representing products and promoting brands, all while still staying true to their unique voice and story.

Why influencer marketing?

Consumers trust recommendations from word-of-mouth more often than the brand itself. It makes sense if you think about it on a more personal context. Let’s put it into a scenario — You don’t usually trust a person at a party who comes up to you and brags about themselves, but you often believe your mutual friend who vouches for that person. An influencer is the mutual friend connecting the brand with the target audience.

What brands will get in return is targeted exposure to the right consumer, one who is already interested in that particular area and will likely be paid attention. Speaking of paying attention — 47% of online consumers use ad blockers nowadays, giving brands even more reason to put their money behind influencers instead, as they are the ones holding everyone’s attention.

Social media influencers exist on all the primary social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. These platforms have given birth to Internet famous celebrities and influencers. They are becoming more and more savvy about how to properly collaborate with brands for their own creative campaigns.

In 2017, the use of influencer marketing is rising. Collaborations between brands and influencers are only to increase. It’s only a matter of time before social media shifts into a social marketplace.