There is much debate amongst my colleagues, friends and clients on what is an 'effen great bloke' because through Marketing Eye's promotion of effen Beer, we have all been absorbed with the entries that have been rolling in for the competition.
Everyone has their own idea of what an effen great bloke is and I am sure by December 1, 2009, all of Australia will know what the general consensus is on the topic.
Whilst we all have an opinion, the reality is that there is no right or wrong answer. Afterall, it's just an opinion.
Ask around your office and find out what each person in your office thinks about what an effen great bloke is. Then log onto www.effengreatbloke.com.au and enter. I am keen to hear what you have to say.
For your efforts, you may just win a year's supply of beer for you and a mate.
It doesn't matter if you are a woman or a man. We all drink beer and if you don't, it's always handy to have beer in the fridge for when someone comes to visit and particularly if you are thinking about having a Xmas Party.
Mellissah Smith
Marketing Eye
Marketing Eye promotes brands we believe in. effen is a great tasting beer that is smooth and reminds me of a quality Belgium beer. Recently, it won an award in Melbourne for the best Lager at the Micro Brewery Showcase. Now the many thousands attending this event can't all be wrong - right?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
THE DEATH OF A PUBLICIST
Whilst we all espouse to work with companies that have the same ethics, culture, and key set of values - it doesn't always happen that way for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, when times are busy, we don't always do the due diligence that we should on clients and take them on board because it means more revenue and hopefully more profits, rather than a good fit.
Secondly, often we take things on face value and when someone needs your services and you believe you can help them, it appears on face value to be a 'no brainer'.
And last, but not least, no matter how hard we try to be ahead of the game and how often we hear people try to fool us, it still happens. No-one, no matter how many knocks they have had, seems to be immune.
A couple of weeks ago, I met with a company that I really thought we could make a difference to. They needed PR and marketing, but in the first instance, wanted to get some good press for undisclosed reasons.
I met with them and was somewhat enthusiastic about what Marketing Eye could do. Afterall, improving people's brands through the media and through our marketing efforts is what we do best.
After a secondary meeting and after Marketing Eye's services were engaged, I was introduced to the newly appointed CEO, and have to say I was disappointed. Very disappointed.
Not only did she lack the 'oomph' of any CEO I have previously worked with, but there was a real issue with being misleading. Now, when you are dealing with media, this type of thing is something they see all the time and it doesn't take them long to work it out. When they do, its disaster for any publicist.
I was dismayed after reminding the new CEO of what she said either on the phone or in person minutes ago and how the story kept changing, but she was completely unnerved and kept going and going. All taped I might add because I was meant to be getting content.
Other than a few body language indicators like scratching of her nose and pulling of her ear - if I didn't have such a good memory, I would have let it just go by.
Ultimately, it is important that the product or service you market, is something that you wholeheartedly believe in.
It has to be something you can proudly talk about to journalists and stand by through good and bad press.
However, if the product or service is not quite right to start off with, you're typically the wrong person/company to be representing it.
Honesty is important to me in business, in friendship and as a key value of each and every employee that Marketing Eye employs.
We have built a successful company where this has never been compromised.
Years ago, I worked with a dodgy property developer (or marketeer) who I didn't have a clue about their dealings. We achieved remarkable good press for the owner in all the key editorials - The Australian, BRW etc and they were particularly focused on press about wealth creation and their 'new found toys', so I had an overwhelmed client and was giving myself some pats on the back for every win.
I thought this was all ego centric to be getting so much press about how rich this guy was and how many toys he had but at the time, there were a few of those around doing the same things, so I put it down to 'new money'.
Then one fatal day, a journalist did their research to find that this person was not what they seemed.
They rung me and told me the facts and I was completely shocked.
I then rung the client and said that I could no longer represent them. They were taking none of that and threatened me with big muscly men. My youth at the time made this more amusing than scary, but I suppose in hindsight, I should have taken it a tad more seriously.
Whilst I was pondering what to do (and at the time was only 27 years old might I add), the journalist rung me (who was a Murdoch employee) and said that he and his family had just been threatened. I was mortified! I apologised profusely over and over again for introducing them, of which the journalist was ever so nice. I then basically crawled under a rock swearing that I would never deal with anyone that I have not done due diligence with again and if my gut instinct said 'no' it was 'no!'.
Nevertheless back to my current story, I made a decision immediately that I could not represent this company with a CEO that couldn't get their story straight. I had a conversation with her later in the week and advised her as much.
It's these valuable lessons we learn in business that ensures that there is no 'death of a publicist' trying to promote the wrong brand for the wrong reasons.
The Marketing Eye brand is as much impacted by the quality service we provide as the clients we keep. It is important that we work with businesses that are aligned to our key values and that see honesty as being important.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that specialises in helping small to medium sized businesses grow through marketing.
Firstly, when times are busy, we don't always do the due diligence that we should on clients and take them on board because it means more revenue and hopefully more profits, rather than a good fit.
Secondly, often we take things on face value and when someone needs your services and you believe you can help them, it appears on face value to be a 'no brainer'.
And last, but not least, no matter how hard we try to be ahead of the game and how often we hear people try to fool us, it still happens. No-one, no matter how many knocks they have had, seems to be immune.
A couple of weeks ago, I met with a company that I really thought we could make a difference to. They needed PR and marketing, but in the first instance, wanted to get some good press for undisclosed reasons.
I met with them and was somewhat enthusiastic about what Marketing Eye could do. Afterall, improving people's brands through the media and through our marketing efforts is what we do best.
After a secondary meeting and after Marketing Eye's services were engaged, I was introduced to the newly appointed CEO, and have to say I was disappointed. Very disappointed.
Not only did she lack the 'oomph' of any CEO I have previously worked with, but there was a real issue with being misleading. Now, when you are dealing with media, this type of thing is something they see all the time and it doesn't take them long to work it out. When they do, its disaster for any publicist.
I was dismayed after reminding the new CEO of what she said either on the phone or in person minutes ago and how the story kept changing, but she was completely unnerved and kept going and going. All taped I might add because I was meant to be getting content.
Other than a few body language indicators like scratching of her nose and pulling of her ear - if I didn't have such a good memory, I would have let it just go by.
Ultimately, it is important that the product or service you market, is something that you wholeheartedly believe in.
It has to be something you can proudly talk about to journalists and stand by through good and bad press.
However, if the product or service is not quite right to start off with, you're typically the wrong person/company to be representing it.
Honesty is important to me in business, in friendship and as a key value of each and every employee that Marketing Eye employs.
We have built a successful company where this has never been compromised.
Years ago, I worked with a dodgy property developer (or marketeer) who I didn't have a clue about their dealings. We achieved remarkable good press for the owner in all the key editorials - The Australian, BRW etc and they were particularly focused on press about wealth creation and their 'new found toys', so I had an overwhelmed client and was giving myself some pats on the back for every win.
I thought this was all ego centric to be getting so much press about how rich this guy was and how many toys he had but at the time, there were a few of those around doing the same things, so I put it down to 'new money'.
Then one fatal day, a journalist did their research to find that this person was not what they seemed.
They rung me and told me the facts and I was completely shocked.
I then rung the client and said that I could no longer represent them. They were taking none of that and threatened me with big muscly men. My youth at the time made this more amusing than scary, but I suppose in hindsight, I should have taken it a tad more seriously.
Whilst I was pondering what to do (and at the time was only 27 years old might I add), the journalist rung me (who was a Murdoch employee) and said that he and his family had just been threatened. I was mortified! I apologised profusely over and over again for introducing them, of which the journalist was ever so nice. I then basically crawled under a rock swearing that I would never deal with anyone that I have not done due diligence with again and if my gut instinct said 'no' it was 'no!'.
Nevertheless back to my current story, I made a decision immediately that I could not represent this company with a CEO that couldn't get their story straight. I had a conversation with her later in the week and advised her as much.
It's these valuable lessons we learn in business that ensures that there is no 'death of a publicist' trying to promote the wrong brand for the wrong reasons.
The Marketing Eye brand is as much impacted by the quality service we provide as the clients we keep. It is important that we work with businesses that are aligned to our key values and that see honesty as being important.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that specialises in helping small to medium sized businesses grow through marketing.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
IS THERE A NEW LOOK LIBERAL PARTY?
Last night I was invited to attend a dinner for a up and coming politician that has just won pre-selection in the seat of Kooyong.
Joshua Frydenberg is a Director, Melbourne Corporate Finance for German bank, Deutsche Bank. He is giving up his high profile and incredibly successful career for public service. His motive - to make a difference.
After listening to Joshua talk about his vision, what he thinks of the current political climate and in general, his thoughts on the world, it struck me that this is no normal wanna be Politician.
Here we have a smart, articulate and driven man who really wants to make a difference. He isn't misled in thinking that any of the Political parties are perfect, but he is committed to a significant pay cut and a future in door knocking and campaigning for what he believes to be the best direction and policies for the Australian public and for now, the people in the seat of Kooyong.
I am impressed as was the 18 people who were at this dinner that introduced Joshua Frydenberg to some young and energetic business people.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps businesses grow through marketing. 1300 300 080
Joshua Frydenberg is a Director, Melbourne Corporate Finance for German bank, Deutsche Bank. He is giving up his high profile and incredibly successful career for public service. His motive - to make a difference.
After listening to Joshua talk about his vision, what he thinks of the current political climate and in general, his thoughts on the world, it struck me that this is no normal wanna be Politician.
Here we have a smart, articulate and driven man who really wants to make a difference. He isn't misled in thinking that any of the Political parties are perfect, but he is committed to a significant pay cut and a future in door knocking and campaigning for what he believes to be the best direction and policies for the Australian public and for now, the people in the seat of Kooyong.
I am impressed as was the 18 people who were at this dinner that introduced Joshua Frydenberg to some young and energetic business people.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps businesses grow through marketing. 1300 300 080
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
THE RACE THAT STOPS A NATION
A last minute decision to attend the 'race that stops a nation' reminded me why gossip magazines sell so well and how gen-y is absorbed with the idea of celebrity, so much more than I remember my generation ever being.
Melbourne Cup is recognised as one of the top racing carnivals in the world. It's well branded and attracts every celebrity and their hanger-on in abundance.
Typically, I am not a gambler and putting a bet on a horse is to me, an uneducated gamble that usually ends in me donating my hard earned cash to Tabcorp. So, it is with great trepidation that I chose to put money on a horse, but in the spirit of Melbourne Cup and so that I am not the odd one out, I put a few dollars on a couple of horses that didn't win.
I asked a good friend of mine (Mad Punter!) who to tip and generally speaking, he is pretty good. Not on this particular day to my dismay. I bet of horse 20, 1, 3, and 4. I never knew their names - just their numbers, but like everyone else who joined me in the Lavazza marquee in the Birdcage on Melbourne Cup Day, I jumped up and down as the horses raced and for a second thought one of my horses may come in.
Unfortunately, it didn't, so I had to console myself with champagne courtesy of Lavazza and a boogie or two on the dance floor.
Lavazza has long been known as the place to be during the Spring Racing Carnival. It is full of celebrities and who's who of society, in which the owner, the Valmorbida's are very acquainted with.
The food, the champagne and the entertainment is second to none. There is no more prized invitation than this high profile Lavazza branded marquee - and I have to say, I was very pleased about being there, out of the weather and enjoying a few good tunes.
Michael Klim and his lovely wife Lindy were there. As were Good Charlotte and a few Idols. A carefully sectioned off area gave the celebrities some reprieve from the hordes of people wanting a photograph or a signed autograph. Yes, even celebrities were asking other celebrities of their photo to my astonishment.
Lindy then showed off her DJ skills and belted out some tunes that had the entire marquee on the dance floor going off. John Valmorbida then put on a few old tunes that he was obviously partial to with 60's music not causing too much of a stir but in fact keeping the invited guests very entertained and producing some very high pitched vocals.
Other than the inconvenience of not being able to go to the restrooms without having to wait in line, I have to say Melbourne Cup was thoroughly enjoyable. And yes, I will now go out and buy George Clooney's Coffee machine from Lavazza. Not only was their hospitality exceptional, my brand association with this company acknowledges that they are very hip and happening - and definately a brand that I want to be associated with.
As for the celebrities, I am not one to care about what job one person has over another, so it doesn't really affect me but I have to say, I can't believe how many people where falling over themselves to get to Good Charlotte. What is that about? I know they sing a few good songs, but please, embarrassing yourselves and interrupting people from their conversations for a photograph or autograph is bad manners. Have these people not learnt how to be polite?
Maybe I just don't understand celebrity but typically, the people in question were gen-y, and they had no qualms about elbowing people out of the road for a photo of someone they got to stand next to for only a few seconds.
Melbourne Cup did stop a nation but Lavazza ensured it rocked on!
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps companies grow.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Carbon Market Expo Gold Coast Event A Huge Success
Carbon Market Expo Austalasia 2009 has been lauded a huge success with the highest number of participants for any carbon market expo for 2009. The event has attracted almost 1000 delegates and all the key carbon market influencers in attendance. Today at 12 noon, Brett Janissen, the Executive Director, Asia Pacific, Emissions Trading Forum (AETF) will give a Background briefing on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), policy and market developments with the Deputy Secretary, ACCRA Group, Australian Government Department of Climate Change. ABC's Land Line will be filming this briefing along with a contingency of more than 50 journalists. Michael Whitehead has spearheaded this very important event at what is seen as the most critical time for carbon market announcements with updates saturating the news. A second workshop at 12 noon will include Ilona Millar, Senior Associate, Baker and McKenzie and Richard Doyle, Division Director, Macquarie Bank Environmental Financial Products as key note speakers. They will provide a very important background briefing on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Whilst the bustle of the corridors at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is full of people eagerly awaiting the key note speakers and their views and announcements on the topic, people are expecting to walk away for this event better informed and more up-to-date with carbon markets. Don't miss the 2.30pm sessions with John Marlow from London (Macquarie Bank, London, Global Head, Environmental Financial Products, and India's Global Lead Partner, CDM, Ernst and Young, Sudipta Das. These two international speakers will join Martijn Wilder, Partner at Baker and McKenzie, Michael Wiener, Director Operations, Perenia, Arek Sinanian, Asia Pacific Technical Executive, Climate Change, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Garth Taylor, Trade Commissioner for ASEAN, Austrade, Kuala Lumpur and the Hon. Kate Jones, Queensland Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, to discuss The Clean Devleopment Mechanism and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Check out the days events and updates on www.carbonexpo.com.au. Mellissah Smith Marketing Eye
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday - and I am pissed off!
It's Friday and everyone should be happy, but guess what? I am not!
Firstly the day starts with this second rate web development company that has been working on a simple website for an education company for more than 6 months and still it is incomplete. The design was crap, the attention to detail - non existent and customer service - terrible.
Here we are trying to fix the mess... and keep the client from ringing the web companies neck. Hard work let me assure you.
Then, I am reminded by a man in his 70's just how great Paris Hilton is. According to this elderly gentleman, she is good looking and runs a great business. To his credit, he is right on both accounts. However, I am tired of being reminded about people who make it by walking the 'easy road'.
Here I am slogging it out in front of my computer 12 hours a day and being zapped of energy by the demands of staff, clients and sometimes friends.
On the flip side, I love my job. I can't wait to get to the office every morning and I dream of the next great marketing campaign that I am going to work on.
Mostly, my clients are adorable. They always engage in banter with me on topics ranging from the newest marketing technique to the colour of my shoes or my dogs behaviour.
Currently we are engaged in a pretty big PR campaign for Carbon Expo Market on the Gold Coast next week. Over 50 journalists are in attendance and after giving lessons to my inhouse PR team on effective ways in which to get media to respond, they have now been inundated with calls. He he... us older marketers still have a few tricks up our sleeves.
Next week I am off on a road trip to see two clients that are intelligent, enthusiastic and full of life. Should I really be complaining? Possibly not.
With a company that is currently recording 20 - 30% growth year on year and boasts some pretty talented individuals, I think I am fairly lucky.
So, what is there to complain about? Not too much. It's all in a days work and things are getting done.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Firstly the day starts with this second rate web development company that has been working on a simple website for an education company for more than 6 months and still it is incomplete. The design was crap, the attention to detail - non existent and customer service - terrible.
Here we are trying to fix the mess... and keep the client from ringing the web companies neck. Hard work let me assure you.
Then, I am reminded by a man in his 70's just how great Paris Hilton is. According to this elderly gentleman, she is good looking and runs a great business. To his credit, he is right on both accounts. However, I am tired of being reminded about people who make it by walking the 'easy road'.
Here I am slogging it out in front of my computer 12 hours a day and being zapped of energy by the demands of staff, clients and sometimes friends.
On the flip side, I love my job. I can't wait to get to the office every morning and I dream of the next great marketing campaign that I am going to work on.
Mostly, my clients are adorable. They always engage in banter with me on topics ranging from the newest marketing technique to the colour of my shoes or my dogs behaviour.
Currently we are engaged in a pretty big PR campaign for Carbon Expo Market on the Gold Coast next week. Over 50 journalists are in attendance and after giving lessons to my inhouse PR team on effective ways in which to get media to respond, they have now been inundated with calls. He he... us older marketers still have a few tricks up our sleeves.
Next week I am off on a road trip to see two clients that are intelligent, enthusiastic and full of life. Should I really be complaining? Possibly not.
With a company that is currently recording 20 - 30% growth year on year and boasts some pretty talented individuals, I think I am fairly lucky.
So, what is there to complain about? Not too much. It's all in a days work and things are getting done.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Liberals need some serious marketing
I had the pleasure of attending the Malcolm Turnbull Dinner last night held at the Crown Casino in Melbourne to raise money for the Australian Liberal Party.
It's a sad day when one party outshines the other, not because of performance, but due to the fact one is better at marketing themselves than the other.
At the end of the day, the Coalition Government left billions in the bank and took just 11 years to get rid of the deficit that Labor handed them of $96 billion dollars and turn it into a surplus.
My generation will never be able to repay what debt the current Labor Government has handed our future generations. They are so big on spending for votes and like all other instances in which they have come into power, taken our Federal finances into the red - that I just don't seem to get why they get voted in.
Is the average Australian not good at basic mathematics or is it that they have bought the marketing 'bullshit' that spin doctors put in the papers we read and the television we watch.
How embarrassing is it that our Prime Minister tries badly to make jokes on Rove. Now if you are going to do Rove then you should do every other talk back as it is very un-Australian to pick one show over another.
I don't have a personal problem with Labor and to be honest, their PR job is so far superior of that of the Coalition Government that it is laughable. From a marketing prespective, I have to applaud that.
But I am not a numbers person and I don't want to pretend to be, but if the information that went up on the screens last night about Hon Peter Costello's very impressive track record is in fact true, then I am scared. How much more are we going to get in debt before everyone wakes up?
I don't pay too much attention to Politics and I was an invited guest, so I don't actively participate but sitting in front row forced me to listen and some of the information coming out which I know is one-sided was concerning.
Coalition really needs to;
- Get better PR people
- Present themselves better
- Engage in communicating their key messages repetitively to Australians
- Choose a leader like a Joe Hocking who always looks fresh faced and trustworthy. We all know Malcolm Turnbull can do the job, but the public are not going to vote him in so move aside. It's not personal.
- Engage more in Web 2.0
- Get new speech writers - the speech from Turnbull was long-winded and boring. Never bore the socks off your audience.
Simple, but true.
Marketing Eye could help but we are A-Political and know too little about Politics!
It's a sad day when one party outshines the other, not because of performance, but due to the fact one is better at marketing themselves than the other.
At the end of the day, the Coalition Government left billions in the bank and took just 11 years to get rid of the deficit that Labor handed them of $96 billion dollars and turn it into a surplus.
My generation will never be able to repay what debt the current Labor Government has handed our future generations. They are so big on spending for votes and like all other instances in which they have come into power, taken our Federal finances into the red - that I just don't seem to get why they get voted in.
Is the average Australian not good at basic mathematics or is it that they have bought the marketing 'bullshit' that spin doctors put in the papers we read and the television we watch.
How embarrassing is it that our Prime Minister tries badly to make jokes on Rove. Now if you are going to do Rove then you should do every other talk back as it is very un-Australian to pick one show over another.
I don't have a personal problem with Labor and to be honest, their PR job is so far superior of that of the Coalition Government that it is laughable. From a marketing prespective, I have to applaud that.
But I am not a numbers person and I don't want to pretend to be, but if the information that went up on the screens last night about Hon Peter Costello's very impressive track record is in fact true, then I am scared. How much more are we going to get in debt before everyone wakes up?
I don't pay too much attention to Politics and I was an invited guest, so I don't actively participate but sitting in front row forced me to listen and some of the information coming out which I know is one-sided was concerning.
Coalition really needs to;
- Get better PR people
- Present themselves better
- Engage in communicating their key messages repetitively to Australians
- Choose a leader like a Joe Hocking who always looks fresh faced and trustworthy. We all know Malcolm Turnbull can do the job, but the public are not going to vote him in so move aside. It's not personal.
- Engage more in Web 2.0
- Get new speech writers - the speech from Turnbull was long-winded and boring. Never bore the socks off your audience.
Simple, but true.
Marketing Eye could help but we are A-Political and know too little about Politics!
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