Apple’s latest ad for its iPad Pro, which depicts a variety of creative tools being crushed by a hydraulic press, has sparked controversy and criticism from various quarters. The ad, released last week, features the destruction of pianos, trumpets, metronomes, paint, sculptures, pinball machines, desks, screens, and books. High-profile critics include actor Hugh Grant and Hollywood creator Justine Bateman, who accused Apple of insensitivity to the creative community. Grant described the ad as the “destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley” while Bateman stated, “Tech and AI means to destroy the arts and society in general. This is not making things better. This is just making some people insanely wealthy at the expense of all of us.”
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OpenAI unveils GPT-4o, makes it free, suggests a leap forward in AI interaction
OpenAI has launched its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4o, with several updates including a new desktop service, vision reasoning, and enhanced voice assistant features. Unlike previous versions, GPT-4o will be available for free, a departure from the subscription model for previous ChatGPT 4 users.
Commbank Household Spending Index drops amid rate rises
The CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) Index saw a decline of 3.9% in December. This drop is attributed to interest rate rises and consumers’ holiday spending. The HSI Index, which is based on de-identified payment data from approximately seven million CommBank customers, representing around 30% of all Australian consumer transactions, saw a fall in eight of its 12 underlying categories.
Chartered Accountants, AFL, Menulog, recruiters back Australian Marketing Institute’s push for all marketing industry execs to pursue Certified Practising Marketer status; Mi3 alliance announced, professional development points earned for reading content
This article is about getting marketers, agencies, media and tech talent to become more like chartered accountants – in a good way. That is, have letters after their name that mark them out to employers, peers and recruiters as the most horizontally skilled and relevant in the business – and be required to continue learning every year to keep them. It’s why marketing leaders at the AFL, Menulog and Chartered Accounts Australia and New Zealand are backing the AMI’s competencies framework, embedding it to future-proof their teams and drive marketing upstream – and pushing for industry-wide CPM status. And it’s why Mi3 and the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) have partnered as part of the industry body’s ambition to elevate the profession’s standing. From today, AMI members can log-in and read Mi3’s articles and earn continuous professional development (CPD) points that count towards retaining the AMI’s Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) status. CPMs need 100 points every year to keep their status. So keep reading – as getting to the end of this article earns a point while unpacking
Chartered Accountants, AFL, Menulog, recruiters back Australian Marketing Institute’s push for all marketing industry execs to pursue Certified Practising Marketer status; Mi3 alliance announced, professional development points earned for reading content
This conversation is about getting marketers, agencies, media and tech to become more like chartered accountants – in a good way. That is, have letters after their name that mark them out to employers, peers and recruiters as the most horizontally skilled and relevant in the business – and be required to continue learning every year to keep them. Which is precisely why Mi3 and the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) have partnered. Log-in and read Mi3’s articles and earn continuous professional development (CPD) points that count towards retaining the AMI’s Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) status. CPMs need 100 points every year to keep their status. So get reading.But first, listen to why chartered status, continuous learning and breadth of skills are critical for marketers and those in the supply chain that want to a) remain relevant and b) progress to the top and beyond.Menulog CMO Simon Cheng is using the AMI framework of 25 competencies to create “horizontal” marketers. “Don’t be afraid to swim in other lanes, and become best mates with the CFO” is his advice to marketers – and amass financial acumen much earlier in your career. For AFL marketing boss, Anthony Voyage, harnessing the framework is all about “marketing fitness” and gaining incremental advantage through it. Chelsea Wymer knows exactly the value of chartered status – because she’s CMO at Chartered Accounts Australia and New Zealand, which accredits 136,000 chartered accountants. Her advice? “Take control of your own learning” – and sign up with the AMI: “It really does tell the organisations we work for that we’re more than just ‘the colouring in department’; that we’re experts with serious tech and digital skills – and commercial acumen.”AMI CEO Bronwyn Heys says businesses need “bench-ready talent” if they are to promote from within – which requires more horizontal and “more adaptable” talent given accelerating flux. Hence developing the AMI’s 25 competencies with counterparts in the UK, Europe and the US. But she says there is one constant: “If you do not have commercial acumen as a marketer, you are going to fail.”AMI Board Chair Andrew Thornton says recruiters are exasperated at the lack of “broader, non-marketing expertise” in those applying for CMO roles. “It is really hindering where they are going,” he suggests.If recruiters are telling you what’s closing off your job options… it’s probably worth listening.
Flybuys pips Woolworths Everyday Rewards as local loyalty leader; Wesfarmers’ One Pass closing fast; loyalty proves a bulwark for brands on the nose as latest data reveals ’emotional loyalty’ payoff – but privacy clouds loom
Consumers and politicians may be grumpy about prices at the grocery checkout, but that hasn’t stopped Flybuys and Woolworths Everyday Rewards from locking in their spots atop the For Love or Money SPV Index in this year’s loyalty study by Adam Posner. Wesfarmers OnePass was a strong third. And while direct comparisons with last year’s index are not possible due to the changing mix of companies, it’s also clear that Adair’s Linen Lovers – one of the wooden spooners last year – has achieved a big improvement in its relative standing. The report this year unpacks issues such as emotional loyalty and the returns it brings to brands, as well as the impact of loyalty on the experience of a brand.
What it takes to do good: Latest Leo Burnett, UTS study finds stark contradictions in way Aussie consumers want brands to contribute – and it’s not politics or social issues but more about the concept of a ‘fair go’
The quagmire of doing good: Consumers want brands to do more, but there are contradictions galore in the way they expect ‘good’ to manifest. In the latest Leo Burnett The Good Study, authenticity and operating with integrity show up as table stakes for brands. Yet overt political participation and support and advocacy around societal causes can have very different affects on an increasingly woke consumer culture. Speaking on the report findings on a panel last week, UTS Business School dean, Carl Rhodes, former Domino’s CMO, Adam Ballesty, and activist, author and brand strategist, Azure Antoinette, presented conflicting views on how ‘greed-flation’, Australian belief in getting a fair go, war, politics, economics and the hip pocket are influencing the way consumers perceive how businesses should be doing good.
Gippsland Dairy unveils ‘Slow Good’ platform, celebrating craftsmanship in yogurt production
Gippsland Dairy is launching a new brand platform this week, titled ‘Slow Good’, which pays homage to the unique, time-consuming process by which its yogurt is crafted.
Forethought unveils BrandComms.AI to improve creative effectiveness
Forethought, a marketing advisory, strategy and analytics company, has launched BrandComms.AI, a Gen AI platform aimed at revolutionising the development of effective creative by using Forethought’s marketing science methodologies.
Nielsen’s 6th annual marketing report reveals ROI strategies and budget allocation insights
Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, has released its sixth Global Annual Marketing Report. The report, which surveyed nearly 2,000 global marketers, delves into Return on Investment (ROI) strategies and budget allocation, with a particular focus on improving ROI.