MEMO>ricardo

MEconomicsMO Pop-trance singer Loreen’s win at Eurovision 2012 in Baku, means Sweden will have the responsibility of hosting the world’s third most watched television event, behind the Olympics and Soccer World Cup. But can the Scandinavian country afford to stage it? Here are some statistics which even surprised me about Sweden. It is the European … Continue reading »

A brand identifies a product or service. It can be a name, design, symbol or any other feature that differentiates a seller’s good or service from another. As consumers know, often, brand alone, can be enough to draw a consumer to a product or service. That’s why valuing a brand is so important. Brand valuation, … Continue reading »

MEconomicsMO Later this year, I’ll be going on what may be every business journalist’s dream; a visit to Europe’s ailing economies. The truth is, when I booked my Mediterranean holiday last year, the plan was to laze in the sun and let the world go by. But now, as the European debt crisis escalates, it … Continue reading »

MEconomicsMO Earlier this week, European central bankers for the first time, spoke publicaly about the possibility of Greece leaving the Eurozone. It was a much taboo topic, often denied, but as Greece’s political uncertainty grows as a government fails to form, more and more financial leaders are contemplating a Union without the Hellenic state. Overnight, … Continue reading »

MEconomicsMO One of the hardest comments to get out of market watchers is their opinion of where the Australian dollar is going. And that’s because there are just too many factors, often unpredictable factors, influencing currency moves. Interest rates, global politics, economic growth and carry-trades are just some of the variables. The recent slide in … Continue reading »

MarketingEMO Coles’ revamped flybuys scheme has been online for around 2 weeks now. One of its more unique promotions is the my5 option, which allows customers to pick 5 products to receive a 10 per cent discount on. Over dinner last week with friends, the program came up for discussion and we compared which products … Continue reading »

MEconomicsMO More than one in five Australians over the age of 18 opened their wallets for a chance at the $50million Oz Lotto jackpot last night. A Tatts group spokesperson told me, the amount estimated to have been spent by hopeful players couldn’t be revealed, because it’s an ASX listed company and the information is … Continue reading »

MEMediaO It seems like if you’re running a television network these days, profits are on the decline. If you’re on the network, starring in a successful show, then your personal profits are up. Shares in Seven West Media slumped as much as 23 per cent today, after investors reacted to the company’s profit warning two … Continue reading »

MarketingEMO The first time I saw a Range Rover Evoque, made by Land Rover on Sydney’s streets, my head turned. I remember that moment well. I was at my regular Surry Hills cafe and saw the Evoque glide past. I loved the way it looked. It oozed style. So how can one improve on good … Continue reading »

MarketingEconomicsMO Get ready to hear the words “Do you have flybuys?” a lot more, especially at the Coles cash register. The supermarket giant is relaunching the loyalty program and it has promised to make reaching reward levels easier and quicker. I’ve got a flybuys card. Don’t know where it is though, and I haven’t used … Continue reading »

MEconomicsMOpinion When Steve Jobs died, there was a mass outpouring of grief for the man who introduced Apple to the world. And while I’m an Apple user, it wasn’t my first experience with a computer or game console. The first piece of computer equipment my family owned was a Sega Master System II. The one … Continue reading »