Botany Town Centre recently featured in a front page article in the New Zealand Herald, Business Herald section, which talks about the relationship between promotional sales and consumer spending.

According to research conducted by BRW and AMP Capital Shopping Centres (owner of Botany Town Centre) in Australia, retailers across the Tasman are facing an uncertain future as shoppers increasingly become immune to promotional sales and discounts offered by retailers. However, unlike their Australian counterparts, there is no sign of New Zealand shoppers getting ‘sales fatigue’. Barry Hellberg, the New Zealand Retailers Association spokesperson, says that despite the challenging retail environment in New Zealand, discounts and promotions are still an effective revenue-driving tool for retail companies.

Botany Town Centre Senior Marketing Manager Desiree Clark agrees that New Zealand retail is slightly more optimistic. “New Zealand hasn’t suffered from the massive discounting and sales culture of the United States and Australia.

“Unlike the Aussies, we have the Rugby World Cup 2011 to look forward to which will give our retail environment a much needed boost.”

Click here to read the full article.

South Canterbury Finance receivers William Black and Kerryn Downey of McGrathNicol have confirmed the $44million sale of their stake within Scales Corporation.

The receivers sold their 79.7 per cent shareholding in Scales Corporation to Direct Capital Investments – another New Zealand investment company.

The completion of this transaction comes just one week following the confirmation of the sale of Helicopters New Zealand to Canadian Helicopters for $154million. Receiver Kerryn Downey says that the sale of their Scales Corporation stake is a “very positive outcome for the company, its shareholders and us as receivers”.

Click here to read the full article on nzherald.co.nz

Campaign Overview

A new social change enterprise, Be. Institute, was launched at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on 6 May 2011.

Three innovative national campaigns were introduced on the evening: Be. Accessible, Be. Leadership and Be. Welcome. All three are highly significant for New Zealand. Be. Accessible is the country’s first nationwide accessibility programme, and Be. Leadership, New Zealand’s first national disability leadership programme. Be. Welcome is a unique location accessibility assessment programme.

Be. Institute aims to inspire and enable a 100% accessible society for all New Zealanders. The driving force behind the programmes is to improve the accessibility of the physical environment, enable better access to information, promote the inclusion and leadership of disabled people in employment and the community, and change social attitudes and behaviours.

Alexander Communications was briefed to assist with building the profile of Be. Institute and raising awareness of the three programmes and the recent Be. On The Road national tour.

In June, Be. Accessible launched a nationwide tour, Be. On The Road. The three-week roadshow visited the 12 Rugby World Cup host cities to introduce the Be. vision and accompanying programmes, and to discuss the current and future accessibility of each city.

Results

The Be. On The Road tour received a warm welcome from each host city and the Be. team met with passionate advocates who shared and supported the Be. vision.

The news of Be. On The Road caught the attention of local media, which were curious to learn more about the Be. Institute and supporting programmes. Reporters attended the presentations, and face-to-face interviews with Be. Accessible chief executive Minnie Baragwanath were secured.

The regional publications supported the campaign by including stories about Be. Accessible visiting their city to address local accessibility. Articles were featured in the Taranaki Daily News, Southland Express, Manawatu Guardian, Nelson Mail, Waikato Times, Northern Advocate and Manawatu Standard among others.

Local radio stations and television also showed excellent interest in the campaign and several interviews with Minnie Baragwanath were secured. The news of Be. On The Road and the accessible campervan featured on Dunedin’s 9 Local News, and interviews with Ms Baragwanath were broadcast on The Breeze Manawatu, Newstalk ZB New Plymouth, More FM Rotorua and Classic Hits Whangarei.

Most recently, Next Magazine featured Minnie Baragwanath as the Change Maker personality in its August 2011 issue. The full-page spread includes a Q&A session with Ms Baragwanath and references the Be. Institute and its founding origins. In positioning Ms Baragwanath as an industry leader, the article also discussed why a social change enterprise such as the Be. Institute is necessary for our community.

Earlier in the year Simon Collins from the New Zealand Herald sat down with Tony Howe of the Disability Resource Centre. They discussed Be. Accessible and the vision of the campaign for a story which featured in the New Zealand Herald metro section.

To find out more about the Be. Institute and the supporting programmes, visit www.beaccessible.org.nz

Ted Jordan, the chief executive of leading software company ActionStep, was interviewed by New Zealand Herald reporter Hamish Fletcher this week to discuss the phenomenon of ‘cloud computing’.

Jordan describes cloud computing as a technology that enables companies to source computer software and services from an off-site or even offshore provider. With cloud computing, companies no longer have to install a suite of software onto individual PC’s, instead users only need access to the internet where they can log into a web-based service which hosts all the programmes they require for their job. This means companies need only pay for the software their staff actually use – a major benefit for small business that are struggling to stay afloat.

Despite the success and popularity of cloud computing overseas, Jordan explains that many New Zealand businesses are unaware of the IT model and its benefits. Of the 250 small-to-medium businesses asked about cloud computing, 70 percent do not use or are unaware of “the cloud” services. Jordan says that the results are surprising considering the advantages that the cloud provides, “You’d think businesses would be looking for anything that could make their lives easier…they are missing out on straightforward ways to grow productivity and profitability, which are challenges for Kiwi companies at the best of times”.

Click here to read the full article and learn more about cloud computing.

A new enterprise was launched on Friday 6 May, along with two new campaigns.  Be. Institute presented two significant initiatives: New Zealand’s first nationwide accessibility programme, Be. Accessible, and the first nationwide disability leadership programme of its kind, Be. Leadership.

Simon Collins from the New Zealand Herald sat down with Tony Howe of the Disability Resource Centre to discuss Be. Accessible, and the vision of the campaign.

The driving force behind the Be. Accessible campaign is to inspire and enable a 100% accessible society. In a step towards achieving this goal, the campaign encourages sites likely to be visited during the Rugby World Cup 2011 to make any necessary changes that would make them more accessible to visitors who may be temporarily or permanently disabled.

As a result of the campaign, disabled people have been secured some of the best seats at Eden Park and the North Harbour Stadium. Public transport and ‘fan zones’ have also made changes to become ‘fully accessible environments’ so that those who are in need of additional support have the chance to contribute fully to society.

To date, about 60 Auckland sites likely to be visited by Rugby World Cup visitors have been audited by Be. Accessible.  Mr Howe is also training other assessors to audit facilities in the other 11 Rugby World Cup cities.

Click here to read the full article.

Campaign Overview

Challenge Trust is one of many New Zealand charitable trusts invested in paving the way for a brighter future and supporting those in need. A unique not-for-profit organization, Challenge Trust is a recovery-services specialist group which has grown from its initial sole facility to over 20 residential homes providing care to people with a variety of needs relating to addiction, mental illness, physical disability and rehabilitation, intellectual disability, and eating disorders.

Challenge Trust appointed Alexander Communications to assist with raising its profile as a leading recovery services provider and presenting to the public its new initiatives, service centres and programmes.

The AC team has been fortunate to work with CEO Clive Plucknett and his dedicated team at Challenge Trust. The team’s passion and commitment to their work and the people they help was evident from the outset, and this message is reflected in our work.

In September 2010, Challenge Trust and the Auckland DHBs launched Thrive, a much-needed service for the treatment of eating disorders in the upper North Island. The first of its kind in the region, Thrive’s opening in two buildings in Parnell, Auckland was attended by guests including health professionals, DHB board members and select media.

Results
For the official opening and launch of Thrive, our brief was to raise awareness about the centre and bring the service into the public eye.

Tact and sensitivity was crucial in our approach to a widely misunderstood issue. AC worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Challenge Trust to introduce key print and broadcast media to Thrive by arranging private tours of the facility and one-on-one interviews with Clive Plucknett.

AC secured feature stories on TV One News, TV3 News, and Radio New Zealand.

Coverage was also seen in national and community newspapers and in online media, including the Sunday Star Times, New Zealand Herald, Gisborne Herald and Eastern Courier.

The launch of Thrive was a great success, with child advocate Christine Rankin accepting the invitation to officially open the centre. The achievement by Challenge Trust of a substantial brief in a short timeframe was a proud moment for the Challenge Trust team and the many families involved.

The much-needed facility was well received by the community, and several local schools demonstrated support by responding generously to AC’s request for inspirational artwork for permanent display at Thrive. Coverage regarding this school support was seen in Education Today, www.times.co.nz, www.scoop.co.nz and www.infonews.co.nz

Additionally, AC recently secured the cover-page story ‘What business owners can learn from NFPs’ in NZ Business Magazine. Clive Plucknett was the subject of the cover story by Ruth Le Pla.

An inspirational leader with considerable experience across many industries (including a previous career with the NZ Police), Clive says, “The most valuable asset you have is self knowledge,” and advises leaders to figure out when they need to pull in someone else. “A lot of people are so busy being busy that they don’t step back and look around.”

Challenge Trust was profiled for a second time on the evening news, TV3 6PM, when Clive Plucknett was featured as an expert in the area of mental health and recovery. Appearing on two consecutive nights over a weekend, the two stories reinforced Challenge Trust as a leading recovery services and mental health organisation, with direct quotes from Clive.

Clive Plucknett has appeared extensively in the media on other occasions, and was quoted in the National Business Review, in ‘Depression the Silent Epidemic for Executives’. This article has been a valuable profile piece and has generated significant response from other executives direct to Clive.

Earlier in 2010, Clive appeared on TVNZ’s NZI Business with Corin Dann to discuss the topic of mental health treatment for high-level executives. His appearance reinforced the message of Challenge Trust’s leadership in this area of health, and highlighted the programmes available to assist those with depression.

To find out more about Challenge Trust and the services they offer, visit www.challenge.co.nz

Morale-boosting author Stephen Lundin discusses his famous “Fish” philosophy in an interview with the Herald on Sunday’s Andre Hueber.

The Knowledge Gym proudly presents Stephen Lundin, co-author of the best-selling Fish!.  Lundin is in New Zealand this week to conduct a number of seminars and spread his fish philosophy to business managers all over the country.

Inspired by the lively and motivated work environment observed at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, the Fish philosophy uses a set of simple and practical tools to create a more positive, energetic and happy work atmosphere for managers and their employees. Essentially, the Fish philosophy focuses on having a good time, “Freedom is the most motivating thing you can provide in the workplace”.   

Click here to read the full article or find out more about The Knowledge Gym

The clinical psychologist designing Auckland’s long-awaited residential eating disorders service for Challenge Trust wants it to have a kitchen located at the heart of the home.

Martin Johnston interviewed Clive Plucknett (pictured left), CEO of Challenge Trust and also Chris Thornton. He wrote about the new service in the Weekend Herald on August 21st.

Click this link to follow through to the story on www.nzherald.co.nz

Clive was also interviewed by Susan Pepperell from the Sunday Star-Times who wrote the article ”Auckland to Get Eating Disorders Unit” on the 15th August. You can read further on the Stuff website where the article is republished.

Stephen Lynch, chief operating officer of NZ business consultancy firm Results.com, has spent the past 15 months setting up the Calgary office and is now in LA setting up the firm’s first US office.

His overseas experience has been captured in the article Expanding your horizons – work overseas by Gill South in Heraldjobs, NZH.

Stephen shares his insights to working and expanding a business overseas.  A young company, it is a far cry from taking a secondment with your well established international business, he says.  “We are boot-strapping our way on to America, paid for by clients we have picked up along the way.”

The business’s focus is on helping companies execute their business strategy, which it has been very successful with in the NZ market.  “What we learned is that what we have done in New Zealand can work in a global context, and you need to think bigger, on a much grander scale,” he says.

Now in LA, chosen for its proximity to New Zealand, he has already tapped into various relevant business networks. Results.com is already working with clients in Texas in a virtual way. “We find the US market highly receptive. We are already working with firms throughout the US.”

Click here to read the full article about Expanding your horizons.

February has been a busy month for Switch Business, which featured in three articles,  each one focusing on harnessing opportunity.

First, Switch Business is pleased to announce that all-American burger chain Johnny Rockets plans to enter the New Zealand market with the help of Switch founders David Newport and Paul Devcich.

The introduction of the iconic brand to the South Pacific provides a plum opportunity for would-be buyers to purchase their own business and possess a slice of feel-good Americana.

Featured in Business to Business (12 February), the Switch team discusses the area development projection of 10 Johnny Rockets restaurants to be established around the country over the next decade.

Second, David discusses business sale strategy with Gill South in the My Generation pullout.  Serving up food for thought, Newport provides his perspective on selling now, how to prepare and who to target, revealing a market you might not have considered. 

And finally, David’s New Zealand Herald opinion piece on baby boomers as new-age business owners was published on 15 February. He discusses the burgeoning business desire among baby boomers as they approach ‘official’ retirement age and discover their inner entrepreneur.

Switch Business has also gained recent coverage in the NZ Retail magazine, March 2010 which mentions the expansion of the classic burger chain Johnny Rockets to NZ.