EDITORIAL: DIRECT MARKETING

The best quote I’ve read about direct marketing recently was in an advertising magazine, where the writer described how she got 300 emails at work, many were unopened or deleted. But when she went home there was one piece of mail in her letter box (affluent, wealthy suburb, avid consumer) so she opened it and read it.

My plea to direct marketers is please send me something interesting in the mail. All I get is bills. And I prefer ‘them’ by email.

I once organised to decal a van (major soft drink manufacturer beginning with C) and ran an AFL handball competition with people in costume on stilts handing out fliers. So there was me, a tennis player and soccer nut organising a promotion outside a Swans game in Sydney and the MCG in Melbourne. But it was taking the promotion ‘direct’ to the people. It worked. And 4 lucky winners got to go to the AFL final and my decal van got to do an honour lap at the final. This poor ad executive just got to stay at home and drink a left over Coke.

Little wonder I enjoy working on digital campaigns these days – still have to be creative to get cut-through but they are frankly easier. And cheaper. And we at The Galaxy still love a tactile, touch and feel, lovely print colours, direct mail brief.

We have again been taking The Galaxy direct to the people, last time at the Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) Forum. And our well worn putting mat was used again. Incredibly Bruce Vial from Bluestar slotted in 38 putts in a row. Seriously. He is not related to or coached by Tiger evidently (but we are adding this opt-out clause to our terms and conditions). Our challenge to the sporting capital of Australia – Melbourne – is beat that.

The putting mat and our Galaxy exhibition will be rolled out at the Australian Business & IT Expo at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre (16-18 August). Even if you can’t putt, come and say Hi to myself, Coco and Bec. And take home our latest direct marketing brochure. It will save us postage.

Cheers,

Mark Woodrow
Editor and CEO
The Galaxy

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GALAXY OVERNIGHT

Clients have been doing a variety of smaller jobs including animated banner ads, two sub-brand web logos, print ads and a small production job.

We are regularly asked how do we do jobs overnight. No we don’t get work done in India. But on the Indian Ocean. The answer is Perth.

Angela Bonfato, who has a dynamic digital design and business project management background, has set-up shop for us in North Perth. We also have also added an excellent copywriter, Rachel and a freelance designer, Ian on the team. We of course do longer projects and local WA projects when you are looking to roll-out your national presence.

The office is 121c Angove Street, North Perth WA 6006. Tel 08 6313 3965.
In the Sydney design studio we often work later shifts these days, to provide the fast-turnaround.

It is most important to book your job in early, telephone 1300 733 701 or email overnight@thegalaxy.com.au

If you want to be registered to use the service or find out more contact Coco Griffiths-Poppa in Melbourne. Mark Woodrow in Sydney or Angela Bonfato in Perth.

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DELL ANNOUNCES INCHARGE IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

Incharge Group, a longstanding client of The Galaxy, has been announced as one of 10 Australian finalists for the 2008 Dell Small Business Excellence Award.

Incharge Group provides an online expense management system that automates the expense claim, approval and finance processes for companies of all sizes.

“The No. 1 reason small businesses use technology is to better serve customers, and no one is doing that better than this year’s 10 finalists,” said Joe Kremer, vice president and managing director of Dell Australia and New Zealand. “These companies are applying technology in innovative ways to break new ground and raise the bar.”

“We’re honoured to make the top 10 and stand alongside other progressive companies who are also doing some amazing things, said David Hancock, Managing Director of Incharge Group. “We’ve constantly invested into research and development to improve our software and deliver a 75% cost reduction to CFOs, so when we saw the brief for this award we just had to go for it.” Finalists hail from across the country, range in size from two to thirty-two employees and represent industries from technology and communications, to retail, health, construction and manufacturing.

The Galaxy has been a design and marketing partner of Incharge Group for a number of years, having developed their brand identity, marketing plan, launch strategy and more recently the user interface design for the latest version of Incharge software, Essential 6.2.

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STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

Externally, Woolworths is one of most talked about companies in Australia. But internally, it's a real challenge for the communication team to get news to employees in 777 stores nationwide before they read it in newspapers, hear it from customers or see it on TV. David MacGregor, Internal Communications Manager at Woolworths, will be at the 5th Annual Strategic Communication Management Summit Australia to explain how the retail giant communicates with a large and diverse workforce by using internal television.

Other speakers will be outlining ‘best of the best’ communication strategies from Telstra, Shell, AstraZeneca, St. George Bank, GlaxoSmithKline, CGU Insurance, Bristol-Myers Squibb, HIP Super, Sensis, Aon Consulting, Department of Justice, Bond University and Powerlink Queensland.

Melcrum's 5th Annual Strategic Communication Management Summit Australia
10-11 September 2008, plus two half-day workshops: 9 September 2008
Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour

The full conference program is available at: http://www.melcrum.com/au-email/scm-syd-2008.pdf

Mark Woodrow is going from The Galaxy and would love to hear from anyone else who registers, so we can link up.

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COFFEE CLUB

The topic for the next Coffee Club in Sydney is Innovative Techniques in Qualitative Research.

Guest speaker, Jerry Berowne, Director of Galaxy Research, has in excess of 20 years practical experience and is a specialist qualitative researcher with extensive experience in marketing management, research and communications - both in Australia and the UK. He has helped build brands for Mars, Guinness, Procter & Gamble, Alberto Culver, 3M, Sanitarium, Goodman Fielder, Arnott's, Toyota, NRMA, McDonald’s, Lend Lease, George Weston Foods, Foster’s and Golden Circle. Jerry has a particular interest in advertising campaign evaluation, and has authored three winning cases in the AFA's Advertising Effectiveness Awards.

7.30am Friday 15 August. The venue is The Galaxy, 1-3 Derwent St Glebe. Coffee and a light breakfast served during the talk and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and interact.

If you are interested in coming along let us know by phone or email us at marketing@thegalaxy.com.au

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FINANCIAL YEAR CALENDAR

We still have a few desk top calendars left for the 2008/09 financial year. Let us know if you would like one by emailing marketing@thegalaxy.com.au (still a steal at zero dollars and nothing for postage – if you would like one to go to a colleague, then send their details)

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