Peer News Archive

Travelex introduces the ultimate travel convenience for tech-savvy travellers 

Peer PR prides itself on aligning with forward thinking, innovative companies and global foreign exchange specialist Travelex is no exception.

Recognising the need to cater to the growing field of ‘digital immigrants’ and tech-savvy travellers, Travelex has introduced world-first SMS reload capabilities on its prepaid travel card (Cash Passport) in Australia.

This new service gives travelers a simple and highly secure way to access travel funds 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the world with mobile reception.

Travelex says the travel money breakthrough reflects developments in communications and how travellers carry and access foreign currency overseas, and will appeal to the increasing number of Australians who travel with their mobile phone for business and leisure.

Although the general concept of SMS payment is not new, this is the first time the technology has been used for foreign exchange. (8 October 2008) 

Introducing 'Peer Inside'

This week Peer launched 'Peer Inside' - the Peer PR company blog. Weekly posts written by Peer staff will offer an insight into the company and the people who work at Peer, with staff sharing their opinions, views and comments on what's happening in the news, the industry, and in their professional lives. Check-out the blog at www.peerpr.com.au/blog (3 September, 2008)

Aussie families tighten purse strings as higher costs bite

In the lead-up to the new financial year, Peer released research on behalf of ING DIRECT which revealed that personal luxuries, holidays and restaurant meals were off the menu as Australian families look to tighten their purse strings in the next 12 months.

The ING DIRECT Savings Census showed that three-quarters (74%) of families plan to cut back on power usage, one-in-four (27%) would drop pay TV, and 60 per cent will spend less on household technology such as plasma and LCD TVs to make ends meet.

Families are planning to shun restaurants, change holiday plans, and cut back on luxuries such as gym membership and beauty treatments – 39 per cent will even spend less on birthday gifts for family and friends.

The research revealed that more than half (56%) of families have already made changes to their spending habits to adapt to life under increased petrol, food, rental and mortgage costs.

A snapshot of Australian family spending intentions revealed:

·      74% plan to use less power at home                    

·      66% of families plan to have fewer restaurant meals

·      66% plan to cut back on personal luxuries

·      65% will take fewer or less expensive holidays

·      62% plan to spend less on credit cards

·      61% plan to take fewer trips in the car (rising to 68% in regional areas)

·      54% will attend fewer live sports events

·      39% plan to spend less on birthday gifts for family and friends

·      27% plan to abandon pay TV

In spite of the cut backs, 40 per cent of Australians say they will save more in the coming year, with only 18 per cent saying they will save less. The rising cost of living has not dented the confidence of 18 to 24 year-olds in particular, with 59 per cent planning to save more over the next 12 months.

The ING DIRECT Savings Census is a national study of 1,052 Australians conducted by Galaxy Research on 13 to 15 June, 2008. The research generated 19 newspaper articles, 16 online stories, 173 news grabs and interviews on FM and ABC radio networks, and ran across 77 TV stations nationally. (2 July 2008)

Flying the Redkite: Helping families through cancer for 25 years

This year marks an important milestone for Australian children’s cancer charity Redkite. In the lead-up to August, the official celebratory month, Peer Public Relations will assist Redkite with PR activities centred around the 25 year anniversary, growing awareness of this important charity and its achievements throughout its history.

Redkite supports young people and their families through cancer by providing emotional guidance, financial relief and educational services. (16 June 2008)

Marketers not yet switched on to sustainable marketing opportunity

The majority of Australian marketers surveyed prior to last month’s Earth Hour said that the event was not a factor in planning their advertising schedule. However, more than half of respondents said their company was participating in Earth Hour.

In a survey of 300 marketers, mext market management consultants investigated the extent to which Earth Hour influenced advertising decisions.

It appears, therefore, that many marketers and their media companies do not consider Earth Hour to be a significant issue with direct implications for their advertising and marketing activities.

This is at odds with research that found almost two-thirds of Australians said they would feel more positive towards a company that took part in Earth Hour (AMR Interactive); over 50% claim they prefer to buy sustainable product options (Ipsos – Paris based global survey company); and, around 58% of Australians participated in Earth Hour.

There were some ads from Purina, SPC and SBS specifically created to promote their support for Earth Hour, which were advertised outside Earth Hour. However, Toyota and NAB advertised during the hour which is interesting considering their core green branding values.

mext has studied sustainability motivations across eight countries in Europe, North America and Australia and advises several leading companies on the implications for brands and marketing.

mext senior consultant Gareth Evans said the results of the consultancy’s investigations are in-line with previous experience.

“Consumers are confused by the topic of sustainability and look for companies to take leadership in spirit and action,” Evans said. “Yet marketers are unsure of how to drive sustainability for their brands to tap into consumer’s motivations.

“From mext’s global studies it has become clear that the constant barrage of global threats and preaching ‘you should’ drive a perception of sustainability as being a sacrifice and hence it’s often rejected by consumers.

“Earth Hour is a perfect example of an experience to tap into the positive motivations found missing in most other sustainability messages. Switching off for an hour stimulates people to do things they have not done for a while. In fact, Earth Hour celebrates switching off. Thus it becomes a positive and rewarding experience and a collective sense of achievement,” he said.

Evans believes this is in stark contrast to ‘e-day’ in the UK, when the public was asked to save energy for the day. Unfortunately, the communication was designed to make people feel obliged to participate in the initiative, meaning that it was perceived as a sacrifice rather than a positive event. The end result was that energy consumption actually went up.

With the increased attention from Earth Hour across the globe this year from consumers and business, it will be interesting to see how the event and sustainability messages will be integrated into marketing planning decisions in the future. (4 April 2008)

Our new website hatches

Since the launch of the Peer brand in 2006, the team have not only been busy building the profile of clients, but its own as well.

Welcome to the new online look of Peer Public Relations. To leave no doubt as to who we are and what we do, our new website is a snapshot of Peer PR – our abilities, approach, ideas, and achievements. (19 March 2008)

Save the Snubfin

ING DIRECT is funding valuable research into Australia’s only endemic dolphin species which is already at risk of extinction less than three years after it was discovered. Australia’s largest direct bank has provided $50,000 towards a research boat, and a further donation of $2 for every Savings Maximiser customer who switches to online statements. Peer is working with the project’s partners – ING DIRECT, WWF Australia and NT Government – to raise awareness of the snubfin’s plight. (26 February 2008)