FutureBrand Australia

Employers urged to be open-minded about company culture

5:22PM | Wednesday, 30 May 2012 |  Start-ups should remain open-minded with regard to piercings and tattoos among potential employees, experts say, or risk becoming too rigid in their culture and customer interactions.

Sprinkle your start-up with stardust

5:07PM | Tuesday, 1 May 2012 |  When done properly, celebrity endorsements can help small businesses gain much-needed exposure. However, there are also some potential pitfalls to avoid. BY MICHELLE HAMMOND.

Don’t stereotype gay consumers, advertisers warned

2:53PM | Friday, 17 February 2012 |  Start-ups have been urged to ensure advertising aimed at LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) consumers is subtle and avoids stereotypes, following calls from a senior ad man for greater business focus on the community.

Hungry Jack’s slogan change highlights branding challenge

10:52PM | Wednesday, 19 October 2011 |  Small businesses that introduce a new tagline must ensure it reflects larger changes within the brand, experts say, after fast-food franchise Hungry Jacks ditched its 16-year-old slogan.

Coles’ clothing range prompts add-on advice

8:27PM | Friday, 26 August 2011 |  Retail experts say Coles’ new clothing range won’t threaten smaller players, while others say it highlights the pros and cons of introducing add-on products.

Start-ups must dodge Colorado’s branding blunders, experts say

6:49PM | Wednesday, 15 June 2011 |  Start-ups need to diversify their offering without diluting their brand, according to industry experts, to avoid suffering the same fate as debt-laden clothing and footwear company Colorado Group.

Businesses urged to adopt subtle baby boomer approach

4:20PM | Friday, 1 April 2011 |  Start-ups looking to market their offerings at the increasingly wealthy over-55 demographic have been warned to steer clear of stereotypes and refrain from being patronising in their approach.

My First Vegemite highlights perils of spin-off products

2:28PM | Thursday, 17 February 2011 |  A branding expert says start-ups must tread with caution with launching spin-off products or they run the risk of undermining their brand.

Start-ups can learn from Starbucks’ logo woes

1:13PM | Friday, 7 January 2011 |  The consumer backlash sparked by the decision of global coffee chain Starbucks to change its logo had led branding experts to warn that it’s crucial for companies to get their logos right from the start.