Archive for July, 2008
July 30, 2008 at 11:55 am · Filed under America, Workplace, Australia
I met this morning with a former client from my days in Hong Kong. Then he led marketing at a funds management firm. Today he’s CEO for Australia of a major mutual fund company.
Sydney has so much going for it. It’s one of the best cities in the world with beaches, parkland, restaurants…you name it! It’s a great city to raise children with low crime and few social issues of concern.
Yet it isn’t Hong Kong, London or New York. For a career it can mean a step sideways (or backwards) versus the global opportunities in other cities. My friend had led all his company’s international business from London. When I was in the USA I led global communications at Ford Credit ($210 billion in 40 countries).
Australia is far removed from the major global markets so most Sydney roles are national in scope. While the USA has a market of 300 million people, Australia is 1/10th that size. This lack of density allows the quality of life. But if you’ve cut your teeth in a bigger market some days Sydney feels slow. For family that’s a blessing. For the career that’s a “road less travelled.”
July 28, 2008 at 11:01 am · Filed under America, Media Industry
The US Presidential race looks like a one hose race if the media coverage is to believed. This weekend newspapers devoted extensive coverage to Barrack Obama addressing 200,000 people in Berlin. At the same time John McCain went grocery shopping with a mother and her children - then stopped by a wiener stand. Earlier in the week he was photographed driving in a golf cart with former president Bush (the first one).
Comparing the two images it’s not hard to see who is the media’s darling. When Obama travelled the Middle East news anchors were flown in to host live coverage from each stop. That same week McCain had an Op-Ed refused by “The New York Times.”
This won’t be an election - it’s shaping up to be a landslide.
Yet in the months that await the general election, Obama has to manage his campaign. If it’s presumed he’ll win then supporters won’t bother to vote. And McCain can use he underdog status to his advantage - so long as he’s not driven to the polls by an old man in a golf cart.
July 23, 2008 at 9:30 am · Filed under Media Industry
“Who” magazine has the formula. “Vanity Fair” was dragged back from extinction by Tina Brown by mimicking the same approach. Celebrities sell magazines. Increasingly, they sell newspapers and boost television ratings.
Earlier this month Pamela Lee Anderson was in Australia for a guest appearance on Channel Ten’s “Big Brother” show. While filming on the Gold Coast she took a petition to the local branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken to protest the treatment of pre-meal chickens. Her entrance to the fast food outlet received a 1/4 page in “The Australian.” Of course the photo of her in a low-cut top featured prominently.
Last weekend the latest installment of Batman broke box office records. Last night star Christian Bale was questioned for hours in a local police station as his mother and sister accused him of assault. He was released without charge.
Channel Nine evening news has morphed into a celebrity roll-call each night. August publications like “The Australian” dedicate large swathes of space to starlets delivering animal rights messages. Radio National on ABC brings assault accusations to the top of the hour news broadcast.
It’s not fair to fault the media. They are delivering what consumers want. In a constant race for better ratings, news outlets fill up with the material consumers want. And if we’d prefer stars to hard news then that’s what we’ll get.
July 16, 2008 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Australia
We’re Catholic Central in Sydney today - World Youth Day kicked off last night with an opening mass for 100,000 pilgrims. The even was filled to capacity before the first homily was spoken. Thousands mor were turned away.
This world record mass for Sydney will stand for a few days - on Sunday 500,000 are expected for the Pope’s mass at Randwick in Sydney.
On the streets there’s a wonderful buzz. People are smiling and clapping and shouting hello. There are flag bearers from every nation. While traffic is chaos and normal city life has come to a halt it’s all for a good cause.
Enjoy Sydney, pilgrims! Just make sure you leave it as clean and beautiful as you found it!
July 16, 2008 at 12:03 pm · Filed under Australia
We’re leaving Commonwealth Bank after five years, and have refinanced our home with Westpac. I realise there’s little difference in service levels today. Instead we shopped for the best product fit.
What was interesting was the call I received yesterday from the “Customer Retention Unit” at Commonwealth Bank. Their operator called unsolicited and starting asking questions to verify my identity. Having received hundreds of phishing emails over the years I wouldn’t speak to him until I could verify he was actually from CBA. That took another call - and a telephone answer tree - and five minutes. But later we were re-connected.
I like the idea of a “retention team” but by the time a bank has received discharge instructions it’s probably too late. And for me the tipping point was when I was referred to (again ad again) as a “Valid Customer.”
I’m sure I am.
But more than likely the customer retention specialist meant “Valued Customer.” It’s time for more training CBA. Good acts poorly executed lead to bad results.
Fare thee well!
July 16, 2008 at 10:49 am · Filed under America, Australia
Today the Australian dollar is approaching parity with the USA greenback. The Federal Government in America is taking a larger role in managing the economy with the bail-out of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Global stock markets are shedding value quicker than the “Biggest Loser” drops kilos. And in California depositors line up around the block to withdraw funds from failed bank IndyMac.
When did our grandparents know they’d entered the Great Depression?
The October 1929 stock market crash was one event. It did not define the Great Depression - it was the first major indicator. Then a series of collapses and inter-linked events sent the world into depression. These included bank failures (not unlike Indy Mac or Bear Stearns), company collapses, property price drops and loss of confidence in the central bankers.
When did they know? When will we know?
July 15, 2008 at 1:19 pm · Filed under Australia
On Saturday night we were all discussing the transformation of Sydney to a holy pilgrimage site. The last time this many frocked congregants arrived was for Mardi Gras and that was a different party altogether.
I was pinned as a communications person because of my annoyance at the World Youth Day logo.
Look - it is nice and visual and snappy. But the annoyance stems from the mix of an acronym (WYD stands for World Youth Day) and an abbreviation (SYD is short of Sydney). Wid Sid 08 rests uneasy on the eyes and the tongue.
That said - I wish all pilgrims in Sydney a wondrous week. I had the pleasure of sharing a bus ride this morning with international revellers. It’s great to see the city abuzz with cheering visitors - go Wid Sid!
July 8, 2008 at 4:34 pm · Filed under America, Australia
I serve on the Board of Directors of The American Club, a private dining and business club on the pretty end of Macquarie Street here in Sydney. The name hearkens back to post-WWII when ex-servicemen started an entertainment venue for Yanks. Today the club caters to all nationalities and commands the top three floors overlooking Sydney Harbour.
In recognition of its American ancestry, the Club has two portraits framed at the entrance. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and US President George Bush greet all newcomers.
Last week the club hosted an event and amongst the crowd were a mob of unruly Texans. (Editor’s note: I understand unruly and Texan is overkill, much like patrician New Englander.) The next morning both framed portraits were missing! Someone stole George Bush and Kevin Rudd.
Kevin didn’t go far. Must be his conservative nature. He was found in the lobby of the building no worse for wear.
George is still missing. Seems he was more attractive to our Texans than Kev ‘07. So if you see a framed portrait of George wandering the streets of Sydney, tell him a wall on Macquarie Street misses him.
Sydney has so much going for it. It’s one of the best cities in the world with beaches, parkland, restaurants…you name it! It’s a great city to raise children with low crime and few social issues of concern.
