Coles has defended its position on its low-priced milk with the launch of a new video via Facebook and Twitter today. The video aims to inform Coles customers of information that is “often overlooked” when reporting the ongoing debate between farmers and Coles over its low-priced milk. According to Coles in its new video, only 25 per cent of all milk produced in Australia is used for Australian drinking, with the rest exported or used in the production of other dairy products. Further, 4 per... ...Read more »

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a formal warning to McDonald’s in relation to its “Send to Friends” e-marketing campaign for McDonald’s Happy Meals. Various food companies in Australia have been criticised in the past year by consumer groups for targeting children in their marketing  (see recent Australian Food News reports such as criticism of Kellogg’s, criticism of junior sport promotion, and parental concerns about so-called pester power at supermarkets). Yet... ...Read more »

Brands and retailers should be investing time into social media according to latest research by global market research company Nielsen, which found that social media usage continued to grow 37 per cent from 2011 to 2012. According to Nielsen, the rapidly growing social media market still lead by Facebook, has been “offering global consumers new and meaningful ways to engage with the people, events and brands that matter to them.” Nielsen’s Social Media Report 2012 highlighted that US consumers... ...Read more »

Woolworths has announced it will delist a range of infant fruit juices under the Bebi brand, which have raised concerns from angry parents on the Woolworths Facebook page. The Bebi fruit drink range claims to be the world’s first infant suitable beverage, and is marketed as being suitable for infants from six months. The juice range in “organic white grape” and “organic apple and banana” flavours is sold in a bottle that comes with a teat, just like a baby’s bottle. Australia’s consumer... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola South Pacific has unveiled the Fanta Unbottle the Fun campaign, calling on Aussie teens “to add a bit of spontaneity to their everyday lives” through a series of “tongue-in-cheek ‘Funstigator’ challenges.” The core activity of the summer campaign is a Fanta Funstigator app available on the Fanta Australia Facebook page and as a smartphone app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Through the Fanta Funstigator app, users can take on Funstigators challenges as well as well... ...Read more »

A consumer research company in the United States, The Harman Group, has released a report Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture revealing that mothers with children under thirteen are the main online market and consumers of social media in the food industry. The report said that in the US, mothers with children under thirteen are shaping food trends though social media, as they spend 15.2 hours a month on social networking sites (compared with men who only spend 8.4... ...Read more »

The Communications Council has released a set of guidelines for the use of social media in Australia. The Communications Council is the Australian industry body representing agencies in the marketing communications industry to media, government and the public. The new guidelines are called the “Communications Council Best Practice Guide Social Media Code of Conduct”. The Code provides specific guidance on best practice behaviour when working and operating within social media, to help businesses... ...Read more »

Online advertising in Australia for the 12 months ended 30 June 2012 has reached $3.14bn, which has beaten the previous record by more than $549 million.  The figures come from a report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. The report reveals a number of interesting trends in the habits of advertisers and reinforces the shift from the traditional method of televised advertising to other digital media. The figures showed that the online advertising platform will overtake television advertising expenditure... ...Read more »

Ninemsn has announced that Coles is extending its existing sponsorship relationship with ninemsn’s cooking destination website, “Food.” According to ninemsn, the “Food” website has seen a massive growth in visitors since its launch in October 2011. Managing Director of ninemsn, Alex Parsons, said that tailored Coles-branded content that had been integrated across the site had proved particularly popular. This has enhanced the business of both groups and is the equivalent of a partnership... ...Read more »

The Australian Advertising Standards Board has ruled that a Facebook page can be considered a ‘marketing communication tool’ when used by an advertiser. Accordingly it falls within the jurisdiction of the Advertiser Code of Ethics for industry complaints. This throws the onus upon all companies to regulate all content that appears on a promotional Facebook site, including what is written by other Facebook users, to ensure it is in compliance with the Advertiser Code of Ethics. By extension, other... ...Read more »