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Supermarket heavyweight Coles sent Aussie families into a frenzy with the release of a fresh collectables campaign earlier this month.

And now, it seems Woolies is planing to take on its biggest competition with a top-secret new craze of its own.

Mysterious cardboard cut-outs hinting at the new campaign have been popping up at Woolies stores around the country.
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The cut-outs - which strongly resemble iconic Disney character Mickey Mouse - bear the words: "The magic arrives on 27th Feb" and is accompanied by a number of question marks, adding to the drama.

A Woolworths spokeswoman remained tight-lipped about the possible new campaign when contacted by news.com.au today.

However, she did confirm the grocery giant had "some magic coming to our customers soon", and that shoppers should "stay tuned for further details".

Pictures of the cut-outs have been circulating on social media, including on Facebook groups dedicated to Coles and Woolworths collectables, such as the Coles, Woolworths and other collections group.

Speculation has run wild over what the campaign, which is due to launch next Wednesday, will involve.

However, one Facebook user claimed "rumour has it as Disney-themed Scrabble tiles".

It's not the first time Woolworths has run a successful collectable program.

Similar campaigns run in the past include Woolworths' Marvel Heroes Super Discs in 2017 and Woolworths' Dominos Stars in 2015.

Meanwhile, families are already going crazy for Coles Stikeez, a partnership between Coles and the Healthy Kids Association, which arrived on February 13 - hot off the heels of the company's wildly successful Little Shop program.

Just hours after launching, complete Stikeez sets were being sold on platforms such as eBay for staggering prices, with one sporting a massive $500 price tag.

Stikeez - and the associated Coles Fresh Rainbow Challenge - is designed to encourage Aussie kids to eat more fresh produce by making healthy eating fun, with 24 mini fruit and vegie characters to collect.

Customers can receive one free collectable for every $30 they spend in store.

Some are named after actual Coles producers, such as Marie the Mango representing Marie Piccone from Manbulloo in the Northern Territory, Carlo the Cucumber inspired by Carlo Pippo from Fresh at Heart in Ballina, NSW, and Sunny the Strawberry which symbolises Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm in Main Ridge, Victoria.

Will you be collecting? Continue the conversation @carey_alexis | alexis.carey@news.com.au

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Speculation runs wild over Disney-themed collectables campaign

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Supermarket heavyweight Coles sent Aussie families into a frenzy with the release of a fresh collectables campaign earlier this month. And now, it seems Woolies is planing to take on its biggest competition with a top-secret new craze of its own. Mysterious cardboard cut-outs hinting at the new campaign have been popping up at Woolies stores around the country.

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Coles sales fall back to earth after Little Shop, profit falls 29 per cent

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Coles' sales growth slowed drastically in the final months of last year, as the sugar hit from its popular Little Shop toy giveaway wore off.

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Aldi has joined Coles in refusing to follow Woolworths' lead in raising the price of its fresh milk. That's despite farming groups pleading with Woolies' rivals to back its move.

Yesterday, Woolworths officially called an end to $1 a litre milk price war with its shock decision to add 10c to the price of each litre of home brand milk.

From today, a two-litre bottle of milk will cost $2.20 and a three-litre bottle $3.30.

The supermarket giant has said the move will benefit struggling farmers who will receive "every cent" of the price increase.

Coles, Aldi and Woolworths have been under increasing pressure to raise the cost of fresh milk by the dairy industry that has long said $1 a litre is unsustainable and was sending farmers broke.

However, in a long statement released on Tuesday, Aldi's head of buying, Oliver Bongardt, said the German supermarket would be keeping prices where they were.

In fact, he criticised Woolworths for going around the major milk processors to deal directly with dairy farmers.

"Aldi is not supportive of retailer-lead initiatives that seek to bypass the normal supply chain and channel money directly from retailers to primary producers, whether for the dairy industry or any other of the many agricultural sectors currently impacted by difficult conditions," Mr Bongardt said.

"The most meaningful and effective action Aldi can take in response to the difficult conditions that face many primary producers is to work with the suppliers with whom we have direct relationships. In the case of milk, our suppliers are the major milk processors.

"To this end, Aldi has accepted significant cost price increases in recent times from our milk processors to properly reflect market conditions. We in turn expect all our suppliers, including milk processors, to deal fairly with primary producers by paying sustainable prices."

Mr Bongardt said "ensuring that we provide the lowest everyday prices to the Australian community is integral to our customer promise".
COLES SAYS NO
In a statement released late yesterday, Coles said it would not be upping milk prices and would instead explore "additional options ... to best support Australia's hardworking farmers".

Coles also encouraged customers to support Aussie farmers by putting money in the donation tins sitting at each supermarket aisle from February 25.

The supermarket giant would then match donations dollar for dollar.

"Coles is passionate about supporting our farmers and producers and in the past six months has committed $16 million to support this important industry," Coles said.

"This includes contributing around $4 million to almost 640 dairy farmers through the Coles Dairy Drought Relief Fund and more than $7 million in partnership with the Country Women's Association, resulting in over 2,300 additional grants for drought-affected farmers."

Coles said it was seeking a "long-term solution that does not disadvantage customers and supports our dairy farmers".

Yesterday, Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said times remained tough for farmers: "This is affecting milk production and farm viability, which is devastating for farmers and the regional communities in which they live. It's clear something needs to change and we want to play a constructive role in making this happen.

"We believe the long term sustainability of our dairy industry - and the regional communities they help support - is incredibly important for Australia."

Mr Banducci said the price hike would deliver higher milk prices to more than 450 Australian dairy farmers supplying Woolworths branded fresh milk.

"While we're realistic this won't solve broader structural issues, we hope it will help inject much needed confidence into the sector and the regional communities dairy farmers do so much to support," he said.

Coles was the first supermarket to cut milk to $1 a litre. The move in January 2011 caused waves throughout the dairy industry and led rivals to similarly drop their milk prices.

At a senate inquiry into the dairy industry later that year, Coles' then boss Ian McLeod said the firm was not "out to damage" farmers but the decision had been made to assist with the "hardship facing many Australian families".

In 2013, Woolworths launched its "Farmers Own" brand. This was an alternative to the standard homebrand variety which saw Woolies dealing directly with dairy farmers rather than going through a processor that creamed off its own profits.

Since September, Woolworths has also sold a special "drought relief milk", the price of which is now identical to the new price of the store's standard milk, which it says has delivered $5.8 million to 285 dairy farmers. Woolies will now withdraw the drought relief milk given its private label milk will return the same amount to farmers.

Coles added a 10c levy to benefit dairy farmers at the same time but only to its 3ltr bottles. The levy ended last year.

Australian Dairy Farmers CEO David Inall has backed Woolies' move: "There is no doubt that this is a game changer in the fight against discount dairy that has long frustrated the industry.

"It is reassuring that Woolworths has committed to deliver the full 10 cent increase back to those farmers who supplied the milk into that product category."

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said he hoped the decision was the beginning of the end for Australia's "$1 milk disaster".

"Supermarkets can't pretend selling milk cheap doesn't hurt farmers and they've got to be called out on this rubbish," he said.

The minister said Australia's competition watchdog had found supermarkets used their market power to drive down what they paid processors, and processors used their bargaining power to drive down what they paid to farmers. "There were around 7500 dairy farmers in 2010 and now there are just under 6000 as the industry has consolidated. There's no point having cheap milk for consumers today if it sends farmers broke."

In NSW alone, milk production has fallen by 11 per cent over the past year and the NSW Farmers' Association says Coles and Aldi must also act if they want a sustainable diary industry.

Woolworths acknowledged some customers would be dismayed by the price change.

"We're acutely aware of the budgetary pressures facing many of our customers and have not taken this decision lightly," Mr Banducci said.

"We believe it's the right thing to do and a key step in shoring up fresh milk production in Australia. We'll continue to work very hard to offer great value to our customers across their total shop."

- with AAP.

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Aldi has joined Coles in refusing to follow Woolworths' lead in raising the price of its fresh milk. That's despite farming groups pleading with Woolies' rivals to back its move. Yesterday, Woolworths officially called an end to $1 a litre milk price war with its shock decision to add 10c to the price of each litre of home brand milk.

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Naomi and Chad Pridue are among a new breed of Australians creating extra cash from caravans, motorhomes and other recreational vehicles.

The couple have been using sharing platform Camplify - which describes itself as "the Airbnb of caravans" - to generate thousands of dollars of extra cash from holiday-makers wanting to borrow a temporary home on wheels.
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Mrs Pridue said the couple tried the platform after realising they only spent only four or five weeks a year using their caravan.

"We had no idea how popular it was going to be," she said. "We received eight bookings in eight weeks on one van and were already turning bookings away so decided to purchase another.

"The same thing happened to the next van and the pattern went on. The money we have made from hiring our caravans has enabled us to expand our fleet and turn it from a bit of fun into a fast-growing business."

The couple now manages five caravans, including three that they own themselves, and have secured more than $12,000 of bookings before New Year's Day.

"A lot of people don't realise they can do this - and this results in a lot of idle caravans or people even choosing to sell their vehicles because they can't justify storage and insurance costs," Mrs Pridue said.

"Perhaps people are also nervous about sharing their beloved caravans - we were at first, but were reassured knowing that we had fully comprehensive insurance and support."

Camplify founder and CEO Justin Hales said there were now more than 3000 recreational vehicles (RVs) listed on its platform and these were expected to generate their owners more than $4 million over summer.

"The Australian market is very buoyant at the moment, and the outdoor tourism industry is an exciting place to be right now," he said.

Mr Hales said owners could generate income between $10,000 and $20,000 from their RV. "A $20,000 camper trailer in the right market could make around $10,000 per year, and the right motorhome around $20,000, he said.

"Camplify also uses the power of its owner community to negotiate deals including insurance packages."

Caravans aren't the only set of wheels being shared by enterprising owners and budget-conscious customers. Peer-to-peer car rental company DriveMyCar says holiday-makers can save hundreds of dollars over Christmas using car sharing.

Its analysis found car rental companies charged 3.3 times as much for rentals in December than they do in November. "Travelling is pricey enough without having to pay a Christmas tax for car rental," DriveMyCar CEO Chris Noone said.
@keanemoney READ MORE MONEYSAVER NEWS: THE DANGERS OF INTEREST ONLY LOANS INSURANCE 'LOYALTY TAX' EXPOSED HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR APPLIANCES REALLY LAST

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Naomi and Chad Pridue are among a new breed of Australians creating extra cash from caravans, motorhomes and other recreational vehicles. The couple have been using sharing platform Camplify - which describes itself as "the Airbnb of caravans" - to generate thousands of dollars of extra cash from holiday-makers wanting to borrow a temporary home on wheels.

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Updated February 11, 2019 16:29:26

Shares in JB Hi-Fi have enjoyed a bounce, after it increased its profit and sales in the first half of the financial year, despite gloom in the broader retail space.

The electronics retailer posted a 5.5 per cent increase in half-year net profit to $160.1 million.

Comparable sales across its Australian JB Hi-Fi business grew 3 per cent, with online sales lifting 21 per cent.

In New Zealand, comparable sales rose 12.6 per cent. The company said it closed a loss-making New Zealand store in July.

Whitegoods chain The Good Guys, which JB Hi-Fi purchased in 2016, saw comparable sales increase by 1.5 per cent but its margins decreased slightly.

However, it was an improved performance from the second half of last financial year, allaying some concerns about the housing market downturn damaging demand for appliances.

Shareholders will receive an increased interim divided of 91 cents per share.

The market welcomed the result, with shares hitting a six-week high in early trade, before easing to close 1.5 per cent higher at $22.92.

Signs of 'increased volatility'

The result comes against a sluggish backdrop in the retail sector, with sales falling in December as Christmas spending shifted earlier into November as promotions, including Black Friday sales, grow in popularity.

JB Hi-Fi sales have seen growth at the start of this year, but at a slower pace than 12 months ago - Australian comparable sales rose 1.5 per cent in January.

"In the Christmas quarter and January there has been increased volatility and a bias in customer purchasing towards key promotional periods," the company said in a statement.

For the full-year, the retailer expects net profit to rise between 1.6 and 5.1 per cent to be in the range of $237 million and $245 million.

"That's a wider range than usual and it probably reflects at the moment that there's a lot of moving parts", chief executive Richard Murray told an investor call today, noting that the second half of last financial year was "tough" for The Good Guys.

The company has opened four new JB Hi-Fi stores and two The Good Guys stores during the past six months and plans to open one more JB Hi-Fi store this financial year.

Two Australian JB Hi-Fi stores will be closed in the second half.

Topics: retail, business-economics-and-finance, company-news, australia

First posted February 11, 2019 13:13:07

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JB Hi-Fi grows sales despite retail slump but warns of volatile conditions

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Updated February 11, 2019 16:29:26 Shares in JB Hi-Fi have enjoyed a bounce, after it increased its profit and sales in the first half of the financial year, despite gloom in the broader retail space. The electronics retailer posted a 5.5 per cent increase in half-year net profit to $160.1 million.

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Entrepreneur - Nominated for Telstra Entrepreneur of the year award

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Entrepreneur - Nominated for Telstra Entrepreneur of the year award

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Matcha Mylkbar offers 10 super-food lattes, from matcha to turmeric.

"You could only find it in Asian grocers with no English packaging and added sugar," she says. "There was none that really tapped into the benefits for your adrenal system and metabolism."

The Matcha business that keeps growing and growing

Holloway and her boyfriend Nick Davidson tried to import their own matcha from Japan but could only get a 10 kilogram bag.

"I thought if I sell one bag I can call myself an entrepreneur on LinkedIn and that's all that counts," Holloway says. "We Googled everything about how to start a tea business it was all so DIY. We launched through social media and did a little pre build up and it sold out in a week and we were blown away by how much demand was just sitting there."

The couple started with $5000 in capital, dubbed the business Matcha Maiden and promoted it using beautiful packaging and carefully curated shots on social media.

Matcha Maiden broke even in its first month.

"It just kept growing and growing I was still at the law firm and not a good employee," she says. "Six months in, Urban Outfitters saw us on Instagram. We were just winging it but it obviously resonated and they said 'We love what you are doing, can you do something for our beauty section?'"

Matcha Maiden founders Nic Davidson and Sarah Holloway. Credit:Cameron L'estrange

In 2015 Urban Outfitters placed an order for 3000 packages every month for a six-month period and Holloway realised the only way they could fulfil the order was to turn what had been a side project into her full-time job.

"I resigned the next day and that was the best moment of my entire life," she says.

I thought if I sell one bag I can call myself an entrepreneur on LinkedIn and that's all that counts.
Sarah Holloway

Matcha Maiden now turns over $500,000 a year with 83,000 Instagram followers, distributors in every state and a warehouse in the United States to cope with demand there.

Cafe life

Holloway and Davidson have taken their online business into a bricks and mortar store with the opening of Matcha Mylkbar in St Kilda last year.

Matcha pancake stack with chocolate sauce from Matcha Mylkbar in Melbourne.

They teamed up with long-time friend and hospitality veteran Mark Filippell after a trip to Los Angeles to scout out the cafe scene.

The vegan cafe serves matcha burgers and matcha pancakes alongside matcha lattes and Holloway says there have been two-hour queues for tables "since day one".

"None of us are vegan," Holloway says. "In LA we noticed that the amount of vegan eating and matcha drinking is exploding beyond every trend. Because we don't serve meat or dairy our costs of goods would be less than most although labour costs are high."

The Hemsworths have declared themselves fans and Holloway is opening another Matcha Mylkbar in Sydney in August.

Meanwhile she says Matcha Maiden "just keeps growing by itself".

"We were totally ready for it being a fad but it has continued to grow," she says. "We got in early but now there are millions of Instagram matcha companies."

Loyal drinkers

One of those Instagram matcha companies is newcomer Matcha.lab founded by Bridget Waddell and Ziggy Huang.

"We are both designers and we do a lot of branding for small business so we thought why not create something ourselves," Waddell says. "We really enjoyed the product. So the time it was starting to get pushed into the mainstream but a lot of people didn't know what it was."

Matcha.lab sells matcha powder and matcha accessories such as whisks and scoops online and with selected retailers with turnover of around $2000 a month.

Waddell says Matcha.lab is still a very small business at this stage.

"There is a positive to being small and manageable in terms of quality control and communication to our customers and stockists," she says. "It's a case of knowing when it's the right time [to grow] and knowing when to do it properly. At the moment it's a side project it's an outlet for us to have fun with a product that we love."

She says Matcha.lab customers are loyal.

"When you find a matcha that is very palatable you find people stick with your brand and they recognise quality from inferior products," she says. "I don't think it's a fad. I started drinking it and from drinking it I felt better. When people incorporate [matcha] into their diets, you can't not notice the benefits. The Japanese have been drinking this for centuries and I think there's a reason behind that."

Risky business

Ken Burgin, the owner of Profitable Hospitality, a consultancy that advises restaurants and catering groups, warns it's "quite risky" to build a business based on on trend ingredients.

"I think people are using this for colour, we see green lattes and pink lattes and blue lattes, we have a giggle and take a photo it goes on Instagram," he says. "Has it peaked?"

But Burgin says there is an ongoing movement towards wellness in food and beverages.

"Every cafe owner I talk to, they put their vegan menu on and it just goes nuts," he says.

That's certainly been Holloway's experience.

"Its gone gang busters and I sometimes wake up and think, I can't believe what has happened with my life," she says.
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"You could only find it in Asian grocers with no English packaging and added sugar," she says. "There was none that really tapped into the benefits for your adrenal system and metabolism." Holloway and her boyfriend Nick Davidson tried to import their own matcha from Japan but could only get a 10 kilogram bag.

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Terms such as 'mate' and 'she'll be right' remain in use, indelibly associated with our national character.

Once upon a time, 'mate' was code for a person you could rely on, who didn't 'dob' others in, a benchmark for worthy behaviour. 'Mate' has egalitarian origins (click for a detailed discussion on its etymology).

The term acquired more unsavoury connotations during the 1980s, when former attorney general Lionel Murphy was accused of seeking favours from a stipendiary magistrate for his 'little (solicitor) mate'. The more modern usage 'mate's rates' isn't a whole lot better, as while technically this signifies a discount, it's also suggestive of an improper process.

Is it time these and other Aussie expressions, and linked behaviours, were overhauled in the interests of improving workplace leadership and practice?

How to turn vague into specific without alienating

' She'll be right ' means it'll work out (somehow). Something will only be right when the design thinking and component parts are verified and validated, and correctly assembled. Just ask any state transport body - hoping for the best is not going to cut it with angry commuters.

Far better to consciously evolve from 'no worries', 'she'll be right' and 'down the track ' to agreed standards, timelines, quality and accountability.

Build a professional feedback culture that everyone agrees to

With royal commissions and similar exposés lifting the lid on unethical work practices, 'mate' is increasingly a four-letter word in the business lexicon. Plain speaking, provided that it's respectful, constructive and considered, is probably the biggest example all Australians can set.

It's great to have mates at work, to have bosses who are mates, staff who are mates, but we must also be able to give feedback when there are performance issues and not let the 'mate-ship' get in the way of professionalism. Develop skills for giving and receiving feedback, so blaming, defensiveness and concerns about 'dobbing' are no longer issues.

Ensure integrity and transparency 100% of the time

'Fair dinkum' usually means the genuine article, a byword for honesty. For those who thought 'fair dinkum' had gone the way of , who Barry McKenzie , our current Prime Minister has kindly . However, maintaining you're 'fair dinkum' about what you do reeks of weasel-speak. Just ask Atlassian's Mike Cannon-Brookes offered to clear up the PM's misconceptions of renewable power.

We need to counter any laidback approaches to integrity, such as accepting someone's word for it. Overcome any temptation to ' bend rules ' or ' cut corners ', as this only comes back to bite (like the proverbial redback on the toilet seat).

Draw a line of acceptability for language, jokes and swearing

People need to guard against over-familiarity in the workplace. With a bigger mix of ethnicities and identities, off-colour or semi-racist/sexist/ageing humour can cause offence. Work with the informality we're known for, and don't wipe out the Aussie blunt humour and self-deprecating style. Seek commonalities instead. Or as Michelle Obama says, aim high instead of going low.

Build teams that communicate respectfully

If we look at our usage of 'mate' in light of breaking down redundant class, race and gender distinctions, that's worthwhile, too - almost a flat management approach. Similarly, the concept of a 'fair go' is good, provided people's unconscious biases receive some active pruning (otherwise it's more rhetoric than reality). Enhance the mateship that began on the goldfields, appreciate diversity and jointly seek to overcome conflicts.

Strive for work-life balance

This isn't unique to Australia, but while unionists and employers squabbled for centuries over the improved apportioning of wages and working hours, Melbourne stonemasons in 1856 were the first to successfully campaign for (the world's first eight-hour working day). It was a huge achievement during the oppressive work conditions of the 19th century, and led to other countries following suit.

In the modern era, while productivity shouldn't necessarily be defined in terms of hours spent at work, value-added is the differential. Anyone who contributes value should be valued. The way we measure value needs continual refinement as jobs, products and services and technologies evolve.

We don't need to be 'flat-out like a lizard drinking'. We can aim for relaxed and comfortable (to quote former PM John Howard) in much the way kangaroos know when to rest in the shade and efficiently draw on scarce resources for survival, but also to progress in great bounds.

Nationalities' idioms can be alienating at first encounter, but they tell a story of how cultures evolve. We need a new 'Aussie Day', with opportunities to make Australia's collective narrative earthy, inclusive and sensible. In fact, let's aim for 'consummate' (demonstration of great skill as well as forging relationships).

Advance Australia Flair!
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She'll be right, mate: Leadership in the 'Aussie' workplace - SmartCompany

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Terms such as 'mate' and 'she'll be right' remain in use, indelibly associated with our national character. Once upon a time, 'mate' was code for a person you could rely on, who didn't 'dob' others in, a benchmark for worthy behaviour. 'Mate' has egalitarian origins (click for a detailed discussion on its etymology).

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The latest lamb ad released ahead of Australia Day suggests the country has "lost the plot" and should unite with New Zealand to reclaim its former glory.

"We used to be the greatest country on Earth but we've lost the plot," Gary, who appears to be a government official, laments as the Australian Lamb ad begins.

"Cheating at sport, we can't even hang on to a prime minister."

The solution? "We finally make New Zealand part of us," another official suggests.

"Genius, we create one nation!" Gary enthusiastically responds.

Australian officials meet some unsuspecting New Zealanders halfway between the two countries. Source: Australian Lamb

But reality quickly hits as Gary points out New Zealand hates Australia, "they still haven't forgiven us for the whole underarm thing, how are we ever going to convince them?"

The other official suggests "lamb and a Hemsworth" but of course the Hollywood star is unaffordable for the government.

The ad then cuts to a couple of New Zealanders sitting on inflatable chairs somewhere in the ocean that divides the two countries. They come across an inflatable barbecue where lamb cutlets are sizzling and the two Australian officials put forward their proposal.

Source: Australian Lamb

"As we all know Australia is the greatest country on Earth but frankly right now New Zealand is doing Australia better than Australia," one official says.

"We propose we unite to create 'New Australia'," Gary adds.

When the name doesn't go down well, a second suggestion of "New Australialand" is offered.

"We could even have a new Australia Day," Gary suggests.

"On a date we can all agree on," his colleague adds.

There are cheers from other Australians sitting in nearby inflatables as one says: "finally!".

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New lamb ad suggests Australia unites with New Zealand

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The latest lamb ad released ahead of Australia Day suggests the country has "lost the plot" and should unite with New Zealand to reclaim its former glory. "We used to be the greatest country on Earth but we've lost the plot," Gary, who appears to be a government official, laments as the Australian Lamb ad begins.

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"We've really started to put forward the improvements we've made in the customer experience, the removal of the data overages, the ability for customers to add on services easily," Mr Nicholas said.

Telstra is in the middle of its massive Telstra2022 transformation project. Customer experience is a key area the telco is revamping with greater digitisation and automation.

In terms of brand marketing, Mr Nicholas said the telco continued to use a broad mix of channels.

Banks under fire

Last year's No.2 and No.3 most valuable brands - Commonwealth Bank of Australia and ANZ - slipped off the back of renewed negativity towards the finance sector thanks to the banking royal commission, recording brand values in 2019 of $10.6 billion and $9.1 billion respectively.

Jumping up ahead of the two big banks were supermarket giants Woolworths, coming in second with a brand valuation of $11.2 billion, and Coles, at third with a brand valuation of $11 billion.

"There is a view banks were profiteering, there previously has been other negative publicity. Some of that consumer reaction has been 'not surprised'. This decline in brand strengths is a very significant [part] of how they might lead to a decline in brand revenues," Mr Crowe said.

"As much as there has been downward pressure on the banks, the retailers have performed strongly. What you've seen is strong customer metrics and very positive brand investment, both scoring well in promotions.

"If current growth trends were to continue, Woolworths will again challenge Telstra for the most valuable Australian brand in coming years."

National Australia Bank managed to hold onto sixth ranking, with its brand value actually increasing to $8.6 billion, while Westpac slipped to eighth, from seventh last year, to a brand valuation of $7.3 billion.

BHP took out seventh spot with a brand value of $8.3 billion, while Optus came in at $5.3 billion and Rio Tinto at $4.7 billion.

Qantas takes off

Meanwhile in brand strength, Qantas surged into No.1 position, taking the title from Commonwealth Bank, which fell to seventh. Brand strength is based on marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation.

"Qantas' brand performance is quite exceptional given that enterprise value has decreased by 8 per cent," Mr Crowe said. "This result highlights the importance of the iconic brand to the company as it deals with increasing competition on its domestic and international routes."

Qantas' brand strength surged in 2019. Peter Braig

"Brands in the airline sector have been to the fore in Australian aviation with both Jetstar [owned by Qantas] and Virgin Australia also recording strong increases in value."

Mr Crowe said Qantas had benefited from the rebranding it did in 2016 and significant marketing investment.

"We've spent almost 100 years building our brand but a large part of that is making sure you deliver every day for customers," Qantas chief customer officer Vanessa Hudson said.

"The expectation of a brand has to meet the reality and we invest a lot in making sure we improve on both."

Virgin Australia came in as the third-strongest Australian brand, behind Harvey Norman at No.2.

Optus at fourth pipped rival Telstra at fifth in terms of brand strength, while Westfield jumped from outside the top 10 to sixth.

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Telstra is Australia's most valuable brand, while Qantas is the strongest

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"We've really started to put forward the improvements we've made in the customer experience, the removal of the data overages, the ability for customers to add on services easily," Mr Nicholas said. Telstra is in the middle of its massive Telstra2022 transformation project.

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The Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is on course to finish the week with a bang following the release of a business update this morning.

In early trade the payment solutions company's shares are up 10% to $15.68.

What was in the update?

In the first half of FY 2019 the company's strong underlying growth and performance continued.

Underlying sales in the first half came in at over $2.2 billion, up 140% on the prior corresponding period. Playing a big role in this strong growth was the company's performance in December, which was the largest on record for the Afterpay platform.

The main driver was the company's Australian & New Zealand operations. Approximately $2 billion in total underlying sales were processed through the Afterpay platform in the first half, which is double the prior corresponding period.

Its ANZ holiday season underlying sales performance was particularly strong, with a significant uplift and contribution from Afterpay's larger merchant partners.

The U.S. business also continued its strong form, processing $260 million of underlying sales in the first half. This compares to over $115 million of underlying sales at the end of October.

Its expansion into the United States means that there are now over 23,000 merchants that have transacted with Afterpay globally over the last 12 months.

Management advised that there are now over 3.1 million active customers using the Afterpay platform, up from 2.8 million at the end of October. Customer numbers grew at an impressive 7,500 new customers per day during the second quarter.

Pleasingly, thanks to scale benefits and its investment in risk management capabilities and processes, Afterpay has reduced its gross losses while also reducing late fees. Late fees as a percentage of total Afterpay income are estimated to have declined to below 20% in the first half.

Another positive is that despite the reduction in late fees, it has maintained its Net Transaction Loss (NTL) performance. NTL in the first half was broadly in line with the prior corresponding period and is estimated to be at the lower end of its target range of 0.6% - 1.0%.

Should you invest?

I think this update demonstrates why Afterpay Touch is one of the most promising tech companies on the Australian share market along with Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) and Appen Ltd (ASX: APX).

All in all, I believe it would be a great buy and hold investment. However, due to the enormous amount of future growth that has already been built into its share price, it is certainly a high risk one and suitable only for those with a high tolerance for risk.

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO, Altium, and Appen Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Afterpay Touch share price rockets higher on business update

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The Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is on course to finish the week with a bang following the release of a business update this morning. In early trade the payment solutions company's shares are up 10% to $15.68. What was in the update?

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Australian retail sales improved in November, boosted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales held late in the month.

Non-food sales increased by 0.6%. This is regarded as being a better guide on discretionary spending patterns.

Online retail sales accounted for 6.6% of total sales during the month, the highest level on record.

In 2017, sales brought forward Christmas spending into November, resulting in a big decline in sales during December. A similar scenario could occur again on this occasion.

Cumulative credit card spending through the CBA's network fell 3.7% between November to early January compared to the levels of a year earlier, underscoring the risk of weakness in the December retail sales report.

Australian retail sales topped forecasts in November, recording the largest monthly percentage increase since April last year.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), nominal turnover increased by 0.4% in seasonally adjusted terms, topping market expectations for an increase of 0.3%.

Sales previously increased by 0.3% in October, unchanged from the original estimate.

Ben Faulkner, Acting Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys at the ABS, said the result was boosted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales held in late November.

"Household goods retailing, at 1.2%, led the rises," he said.

"There was also a notable rise for clothing, footwear and personal accessories retailing of 1.5%. Both of these industries were impacted by strong promotional activity in the November month, including Black Friday sales."

Excluding food sales, turnover increased by 0.6% after seasonal adjustments, the largest increase since August 2018. Many regard this as being a better guide on discretionary spending patterns across the country.

Adding to evidence of the impact of online sales in late November, the ABS noted online turnover accounted for 6.6% of total sales during the month in original terms, up from a 5.9% contribution in October. One year ago, online sales accounted for just 5.5% of total sales.

"This is the highest level recorded in the series and continues a pattern of increasing online contributions to total sales in November," the ABS said.

Elsewhere, food and department store sales rose by 0.2% and 0.4% respectively, offsetting declines in "other" goods and at cafes, restaurant and takeaway services which fell by 0.1% apiece.

By state and territory, the ABS said that after falling heavily in the prior two months, sales in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, rose strongly, increasing by 0.8%.

At 1.6%, sales in the ACT led the national gain during November.

Turnover also increased by 0.6%, 0.4% and 0.1% respectively in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria, offsetting declines of 0.9% and 0.2% respectively in the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Sales in South Australia were unchanged from October.

Despite the monthly total exceeding market expectations, sales growth over the year slowed sharply, falling from 3.6% in October to 2.8% in November. The steep slowdown, leaving annual growth in sales at the weakest level since May last year, reflects the high base effect created by a huge 1.2% increase in turnover that occurred in November 2017.

Excluding food sales, turnover increased by an even slower 1.9% from a year earlier, also the smallest gain since May 2018.

While, on the surface, the November result was reasonable, the key question now is whether the boost provided by sales late in the month brought forward spending that would normally be seen in December?

One year ago, after turnover surged by 1.2% in November 2017, that was followed up by a decline of 0.5% in December, reflecting the impact of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in bringing forward demand, along with issues in applying seasonal adjustments over November and December given these events are new to Australia.

The reversal in non-food sales in 2017 was even more acute with November's 2.1% gain followed up by a 1.4% plunge in December.

Given what was seen during that period, there's a clear risk a similar scenario plays out on this occasion.

Based on credit card transactions processed through the Commonwealth Bank between November and early January this year, the bank found that total cumulative spending was down 3.7% on the levels of a year earlier, underscoring the risk of some statistical payback when the December retail sales report is released early next month.

"Retail Sales data around this time of year are particularly interesting as consumer spending patterns have been shifting," says Ray Attrill, Head of FX Strategy at the National Australia Bank.

"The rise of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Click Frenzy sales have seen households bring forward their Christmas shopping and Boxing Day Sales shopping into November. Reports from retailers suggest sales in December were weaker than in November.

"As such, markets will likely interpret any strong November Retail Sales outcome with a degree of caution - a solid result could easily be offset by a weaker December result due to these shifting seasonal spending patterns."

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Australian retail sales receive a boost from Black Friday sales

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Australian retail sales improved in November, boosted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales held late in the month. Non-food sales increased by 0.6%. This is regarded as being a better guide on discretionary spending patterns. Online retail sales accounted for 6.6% of total sales during the month, the highest level on record.

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Maya Angelou on Courage and Creativity - HBR

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Maya Angelou on Courage and Creativity - HBR

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How to build an enduring, multi-billion dollar business - Sarah Tavel

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How to build an enduring, multi-billion dollar business - Sarah Tavel

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In my last post, I wrote that Uber built a multi-billion dollar business by using mobile to create a 10x better product than the incumbent (taxis), and did so at a lower price. The "and", as I wrote, is everything.

What's exciting to me is that Uber is not the first, nor will it be the last. Indeed, when you start to look for it, you realize "[10x product] and save people money" is the undercurrent running through dozens of breakout companies ranging from Airbnb to WhatsApp.

What's Amazon? Endless selection/convenience and the best price.

Remember Netflix's original marketing? More selection/convenience than your neighborhood Blockbuster, and no late fees.

Airbnb is all about unique accommodations and it'scheaper than a hotel.

Skype introduced presence/chat etc, and free international calls. WhatsApp did to international SMS what Skype did to international calls.

Alibaba, Craigslist, CreditKarma, eBay, Expedia, Poshmark, Priceline, Orbitz, Shutterfly, Transferwise, TurboTax, .... I could go on. (Oh, and if you're building one, I'd obviously love to hear from you: sarah at benchmark dot com.)

It shouldn't be a surprise that 10x + cheaper is such a killer combo for consumers. Who doesn't want something better, cheaper? It also happens to be a great catalyst for word of mouth. People love to talk about a new service they discovered that's better and saved them money - telling a friend how to save $20 can feel like actually giving the friend $20.

So how did they do it? Or perhaps more pointedly, how can you do it?

To me, there are two key ingredients:

1. It's about the [10x product]. Saving money is pouring gas on the fire.
As my former Pinterest colleague David Rubin pointed out to me, your service shouldn't lead with "saving money". You must create an offering that is so compelling, it stands by itself in the consumer's mind.

Case in point: when I first started to talk to people about my thesis, they'd push back. "Uber is just so much better than a taxi." "Amazon is all about convenience." "Airbnb is experiences you can't get at a hotel." Of course, they're right, but it's the "and" that accelerated the behavior change for most people. The 10x product is what kept those people as customers.

If you can get people to take your price advantage for granted, you've won. If on the other hand, your brand becomes more identified with saving money, then that's likely because your offering isn't sufficiently differentiated. Saving money is the feature. This puts incredible downward pressure on a company's unit economics. It's a lot harder to build an enduring business if you're forced to constantly optimize for price. Think: flash sale and deal sites.

The one exception I'd add here is that "free" is its own 10x product. If you can offer something for free that used to cost lots of people money (I'm looking at you Skype and Robinhood), growth will be the least of your worries.

2. Use technology to recast incumbent cost structures.
Okay, so you've got a 10x service. That's the easy part. Providing the 10x product cheaper in a sustainable way is where the rubber hits the road.

The key is to use technology to recast incumbent cost structures. This creates a structural cost advantage, and if you have economies of scale or network effects, an advantage that can endure as you grow.

Here are some of the strategies companies have used to do this:

E-Commerce

E-Commerce companies disrupted brick and mortar retailers by centralizing operations and benefiting from economies of scale.

Sharing economy

The "sharing" economy enables companies to unlock latent value in underutilized assets, and by doing so disrupts asset heavy approaches.

Peer to peer marketplaces

P2P marketplaces eliminate broker fees and middlemen, letting them pass savings to participants in their marketplace and reducing operation costs.

"Full stack" startups

More broadly, " full stack " startups use technology to fundamentally rethink services and disrupt the incumbents.

Emerging: AI, virtual reality, others?

Fast forward, and I've got to imagine that in addition to the existing techniques I mentioned, emerging technologies like AI and virtual reality will create a new class of 10x products that save consumers money.

For example, imagine not having to travel to the Serengeti because you can have an experience in virtual reality that's just like being on a safari, or getting a prescription almost immediately because you've been diagnosed by a neural network.

It's hard not to get excited for future startups capitalizing on these strategies.

What do you think? What emerging companies do you see doing this? I'd love to hear from you.

Follow me on Twitter @sarahtavel.

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How to build an enduring, multi-billion dollar business

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In my last post, I wrote that Uber built a multi-billion dollar business by using mobile to create a 10x better product than the incumbent (taxis), and did so at a lower price. The "and", as I wrote...

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Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee - NY Times

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Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee - NY Times

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Opinion | Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee (Published 2015)

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The sad reality in workplaces: Women help more but benefit less from it.

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The year 1777 was not a particularly good time for America's newly formed revolutionary army. Under General George Washington's command, some 11,000 soldiers made their way to Valley Forge. Following the latest defeat in a string of battles that left Philadelphia in the hands of British forces, these tired, demoralized, and poorly equipped early American heroes knew they now faced another devastating winter.

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