August 2017
StartupAUS says Federal Government Response to IP Review is only the beginning
by launch-admin Aug 31, 2017 0 News
MEDIA RELEASE
StartupAUS says Federal Government Response
to IP Review is only the beginning
Copyright safe harbour high on the agenda
Australia, 31 August 2017: Australia’s peak advocacy group for startups, StartupAUS, has called for Productivity Commission recommendations on intellectual property systems to be fast-tracked.
The Federal Government asked the Commission to prepare the year-long review, which was delivered in September last year and publicly released in December. Last week, the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Arthur Sinodinos, and the Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield, delivered the Government’s response to the review’s findings, commenting favourably on the Commission’s recommendations.
StartupAUS CEO Alex McCauley welcomed the Federal Government’s positive response to the recommendations but highlighted the need for concrete steps to be taken.
“This is an important area of reform for Australia. We need a copyright safe harbour regime if we want to unlock the potential of emerging digital businesses while also providing an effective mechanism for protecting the rights of copyright holders.
“This review is the latest in a string of reviews that have recommended this sort of reform over the years, and it’s now time to act. We’ve already seen draft legislation this year, and we’ll certainly be pushing strongly in the coming weeks and months to see the recommendations return to Parliament so that these reforms can become law,” said Mr McCauley.
Mr McCauley added that a number of Australia’s most promising startups were being held back by the current copyright regime in Australia, which he said lagged other similar countries.
“In places like the US and the UK, copyright safe harbour has been standard for many years. That’s allowing businesses to grow fast, employing large numbers of people in those countries. Businesses like Facebook, Twitter and Google would not exist without these laws. It’s time Australia caught up and unlocked the very real potential job creators we have right here at home.”
-ENDS-
Media:
Sarah Bond sarahbond@launchgroup.com.au 02 9492 1003 / 0452 574 244
About StartupAUS
StartupAUS is a not-for-profit entity with a mission to transform Australia through technology entrepreneurship. StartupAUS believes a strong home-grown tech sector is vital to future Australian jobs and wealth. But getting there will require a national imperative to create the right environment, with a supportive culture and more entrepreneurs with the right skills.
For more information visit: www.startupaus.org
Afterpay celebrates one million customers with Afterpay Day – a 24-hour online shopping spree
by launch-admin Aug 30, 2017 0 NewsSydney, Australia, 28 August 2017 – Leading retail payments innovator Afterpay (ASX: APT), will give retailers and customers the chance to shake off the winter blues with a new, 24-hour discount shopping initiative.
Afterpay, which this week announced it hit the one million-customer mark in Australia, has teamed up with over 100 of its top retailers to offer savings across the biggest spending categories, going live from midday Wednesday, 30 August to midday Thursday, 31 August.
Customers can look forward to bargains from Australia’s leading brands – including Country Road, General Pants, Mon Purse and more, with discounts of up to 40 per cent available during the 24-hour window.
Afterpay sales are expected to skyrocket over the 24-hour period – a welcome relief for retailers after a traditionally slow winter.
Retail sales remain conservative, although according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures, Australian retail turnover rose 0.3 per cent in June 2017, and 0.6 per cent in May 2017 – in seasonally adjusted terms.
Afterpay CEO Nick Molnar said the website and app, which was released in May 2017, are ready for the demand.
“We’ve worked around the clock to bring the best retail experience to our loyal customers, from the diversity of products to the technology which will ensure quick navigation, as well as the seamless and safe transactions which our customers have come to expect.”
Even before the shopping discount initiative, Afterpay has seen sales go through the roof. The ASX-listed company’s 2017 financial year results, released on 24 August 2017, revealed a 1,405 per cent increase in underlying sales from the 2016 financial year – jumping from $37.3 million to $561.2 million.
With more than 7,200 retailers to choose from, customers are spending the most on homewares and appliances; followed by media, fashion and beauty; personal and recreation; department stores, and – finally – toys.
“We’re excited to host the inaugural Afterpay Day in celebration of us hitting one million customers. We’ve strategically selected a period when retail can be challenging. Afterpay has proven itself as a vehicle that helps grow traditional and online retail spending, and we look forward to taking this to another level with the Afterpay Day initiative,” Molnar said.
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About Afterpay Touch Group (ASX: APT)
Afterpay Touch Group is a technology-driven payments company that comprises of the Afterpay and Touch products and businesses. Afterpay is driving retail innovation by allowing leading retailers to offer a ‘buy now, receive now, pay later’ service that does not require end-customers to enter into a traditional loan or pay any upfront fees or interest to Afterpay. Afterpay currently has over 1,000,000 customers and over 7,200 retail merchants. Afterpay Touch Group was created on 13 July 2017 through the merger of Afterpay Holdings Limited and Touchcorp Limited. For more information, visit www.afterpay.com.au.
Media Contact
Christine Kardashian
Launch Group
02 9492 1000 | 0416 005 703
christine@launchgroup.com.au
Afterpay celebrates one million customers with Afterpay Day – a 24-hour online shopping spree
by launch-admin Aug 30, 2017 0 NewsSydney, Australia, 28 August 2017 – Leading retail payments innovator Afterpay (ASX: APT), will give retailers and customers the chance to shake off the winter blues with a new, 24-hour discount shopping initiative.
Afterpay, which this week announced it hit the one million-customer mark in Australia, has teamed up with over 100 of its top retailers to offer savings across the biggest spending categories, going live from midday Wednesday, 30 August to midday Thursday, 31 August.
Customers can look forward to bargains from Australia’s leading brands – including Country Road, General Pants, Mon Purse and more, with discounts of up to 40 per cent available during the 24-hour window.
Afterpay sales are expected to skyrocket over the 24-hour period – a welcome relief for retailers after a traditionally slow winter.
Retail sales remain conservative, although according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures, Australian retail turnover rose 0.3 per cent in June 2017, and 0.6 per cent in May 2017 – in seasonally adjusted terms.
Afterpay CEO Nick Molnar said the website and app, which was released in May 2017, are ready for the demand.
“We’ve worked around the clock to bring the best retail experience to our loyal customers, from the diversity of products to the technology which will ensure quick navigation, as well as the seamless and safe transactions which our customers have come to expect.”
Even before the shopping discount initiative, Afterpay has seen sales go through the roof. The ASX-listed company’s 2017 financial year results, released on 24 August 2017, revealed a 1,405 per cent increase in underlying sales from the 2016 financial year – jumping from $37.3 million to $561.2 million.
With more than 7,200 retailers to choose from, customers are spending the most on homewares and appliances; followed by media, fashion and beauty; personal and recreation; department stores, and – finally – toys.
“We’re excited to host the inaugural Afterpay Day in celebration of us hitting one million customers. We’ve strategically selected a period when retail can be challenging. Afterpay has proven itself as a vehicle that helps grow traditional and online retail spending, and we look forward to taking this to another level with the Afterpay Day initiative,” Molnar said.
– ENDS –
About Afterpay Touch Group (ASX: APT)
Afterpay Touch Group is a technology-driven payments company that comprises of the Afterpay and Touch products and businesses. Afterpay is driving retail innovation by allowing leading retailers to offer a ‘buy now, receive now, pay later’ service that does not require end-customers to enter into a traditional loan or pay any upfront fees or interest to Afterpay. Afterpay currently has over 1,000,000 customers and over 7,200 retail merchants. Afterpay Touch Group was created on 13 July 2017 through the merger of Afterpay Holdings Limited and Touchcorp Limited. For more information, visit www.afterpay.com.au.
Media Contact
Christine Kardashian
Launch Group
02 9492 1000 | 0416 005 703
christine@launchgroup.com.au
StartupAUS welcomes startup growth highlighted in inaugural report Mapping Victoria’s Startup Ecosystem
by launch-admin Aug 25, 2017 0 News
Media:
Sarah Bond sarahbond@launchgroup.com.au 02 9492 1041 / 0449 543 181
About StartupAUS
StartupAUS is a not-for-profit entity with a mission to transform Australia through technology entrepreneurship. StartupAUS believes a strong home-grown tech sector is vital to future Australian jobs and wealth. But getting there will require a national imperative to create the right environment, with a supportive culture and more entrepreneurs with the right skills.
For more information visit: www.startupaus.org
Heavyweight brands pilot loyalty programs on Stocard mobile wallet app
by launch-admin Aug 24, 2017 0 News
Qantas and MYER get on board world leading mobile loyalty wallet
Sydney, Australia, 24 August 2017 – Stocard, the world’s leading mobile loyalty wallet, today announced iconic retail brands Qantas and MYER have joined the platform. Currently in trial phase, the brands are working with Stocard to roll out various campaigns extending special offers to loyalty members via the app for Qantas epiQure and MYER one customers.
With 1.7 million Australian users and growing organically per month at a steady rate, Stocard offers marketers the opportunity to engage with existing customers, as well as acquire new customers. Stocard Australia and New Zealand Country Manager Radinck van Vollenhoven revealed retail partners have experienced, on average, a 10 per cent uptake in sales due to increased transactions from customers engaging with retailer offers inside the Stocard app.
“We feel privileged to collaborate with such prestigious retail brands – Qantas and MYER – and are excited for the opportunity to connect consumers with these brands to receive great deals for being loyalty members. From a merchant perspective, Stocard creates value for retailers by unlocking access to consumer data previously unavailable, allowing them to increase engagement with personalised offers and drive sales growth.”
Recently released data from Stocard ranked Qantas Frequent Flyer and MYER one in its top five most popular loyalty programs, the majority being female customers. Members using Stocard are generally active customers – Australian consumers, in particular, female household decision makers have embraced the app. A number of major Australian retailers including Woolworths Group, Wesfarmers and Spotlight Retail Group use Stocard – now including household names Qantas and MYER.
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About Stocard
Stocard was founded in Mannheim, Germany in May 2011 where its headquarters is based, with offices recently opened internationally in Australia and Italy. Stocard lets users store all their loyalty cards in one place – on their smartphones. With more than 17 million global users, Stocard is the leading wallet app for loyalty and combines smart technology with maximum usability. A simple scan feature lets users scan every card and add it digitally to the app. Moreover, targeted offers from retailers can be received by users. In the near future a payment solution will be added in order to implement a complete mobile wallet. For more information, visit www.stocardapp.com.
Media Contacts
|
Christine Kardashian Launch Group 02 9492 1000 | 0416 005 703 |
Sarah Bond Launch Group 02 9492 1000 | 0449 543 181 |
Cook Islands programmatic campaign study shows 20% online ad recall, 3% increase in Australians wanting to visit the Islands
by launch-admin Aug 17, 2017 0 News
MEDIA RELEASE
Cook Islands programmatic campaign study shows 20% online ad recall, 3% increase in Australians wanting to visit the Islands
Sparcmedia measures success of campaign using Pureprofile Brand Impact Study
Australia, 17 August 2017: Insights-fuelled advertising company, Sparcmedia, has unveiled the results of its programmatic advertising campaign with The Core Agency, on behalf of Cook Islands Tourism (CIT), aimed to increase awareness and change brand perception of the Islands among Australians and New Zealanders.
Sparcmedia ran a month long programmatic advertising campaign in April 2017 and included video, search and display ads across web and social targeting Australians and New Zealanders across all ages and regions. In addition, custom audience segments were built in a data management platform (DMP) to reach psychographic-based consumer segments interested in adventurous travel.
The campaign was backed by an online pre and post campaign survey conducted by parent company Pureprofile – an online profile marketing and insights technology business. The survey measured the key objectives of the campaign: the advertising impact on raising brand awareness; and whether the Cook Islands were now being recognised as an adventurous destination rather than a resort island.
Using a Pureprofile Brand Impact Study, Sparcmedia provided The Core Agency with metrics on how the advertising campaign affected consumer sentiment of the Cook Islands.
When comparing the pre and post campaign surveys, the results revealed that, among adult Australians, brand awareness for the Cook Islands had increased by one per cent, brand recall increased by five per cent, and the desire to visit increased by three per cent.
Pureprofile Founder & CEO Paul Chan said the results highlight the powerful sentiment-shifting effect programmatic advertising can have in a short period.
“Layering Pureprofile’s Brand Impact Study over Sparcmedia’s programmatic campaign with The Core Agency is a fantastic example of how sophisticated insights can provide real ROI results on advertising spend. Through these results, we can confidently conclude this was a successful digital campaign that improved the awareness and perception of the Cook Islands over a four-week period.”
The study also revealed that in addition to the Cook Islands being seen as an exploring destination, the perception of it as adventurous increased by five per cent amongst New Zealanders and, as a result, expanded CITs usual customer segment. This insight allowed Sparcmedia to optimise the media strategy accordingly and save wasted advertising dollars.
Mr Chan added: “These initial results indicate the huge shift a longer campaign could have on customer perceptions, spending intentions and ROI. Programmatic advertising with the identification of specific audience segments allows for more targeted advertising and messaging. This in turn generates more relevant campaign insights which can drive even more targeted messaging, media buy and creative.”
The results also revealed that online advertising – including social media – had a brand recall of 20 per cent among Australians and 28 per cent amongst New Zealanders.
Pureprofile acquired Sparcmedia in 2015 as part of its move to list on the ASX. The acquisition accelerated Pureprofile’s knowledge and product offering in the programmatic advertising and insights space by combining its 15 years of consumer research and profiling technology with Sparcmedia’s programmatic trading and performance marketing capabilities.
Mr Chan continued: “The campaign surrounding Cook Islands Tourism is a great example of why Pureprofile acquired Sparcmedia – to increase the effectiveness of marketing and advertising campaigns by providing deeper insights into consumer behavior. Combining a programmatic campaign with a Brand Impact Study empowers brands with a complete overview of a campaign; from who engages to how brand sentiment is affected.”
Karla Eggelton, Director of Sales and Marketing at Cook Islands Tourism said; “We were excited to trial out a programmatic advertising campaign with Sparcmedia in our mission to increase awareness and change brand perception of the Cook Islands. It’s fantastic to see how programmatic advertising has been successful in changing consumer sentiment in such a short period of time. The addition of Pureprofile’s brand impact study has been an accurate way for us to measure our ROI.”
Ends
Media Contacts:
Sarah Bond, Launch Group: sarahbond@launchgroup.com.au | 02 9492 1041 | 0449 543 181
About Pureprofile (ASX: PPL)
Pureprofile Limited (ASX: PPL) connects brands with empowered consumers across the world by finding, understanding and engaging them through direct-to-consumer technology platforms. The Pureprofile group is now a global leader in data insights, programmatic media, big data, and quantitative research, as well as consumer lead generation through the recently acquired Cohort group. Pureprofile delivers next generation marketing solutions for more than 700 brands, publishers and research groups worldwide.
