Maurice' successor could be named by November
Maurice Levy is due to retire in may next year but it's been reported that he may name his successor as nearly as November, according to MediaPost. Levy, who has been Publicis Groupe since 1987, was speaking at the Goldman Sachs media conference in New York yesterday and suggested that the appointment might be sooner than people were expecting. He's mulling what his role with the group will be in the future, joking that maybe he'll be “the doorman”. Speculation is that it's likely to be Authur Sadoun, who runs operations on the creative side of the business. Sadoun recently addressed the Australian industry at the Agency Symposium via video link - many at the session reported him to be an impressive figure. WPP is also in the process of preparing to name Sir Martin Sorrell's successor -but it;s not clear how close or far off that it.
Submissions due for Media Reform bill
Media companies and others with a vested interest in the Media Reform legislation have just one day left to get their submissions in to the senate committee examining the issue, The Australian is reporting. According to the News Corp-owned paper, the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee last week asked media companies, industry bodies and others that made submissions to a previous inquiry in March to send new information in relation to the proposed reforms, which include the abolition of the population reach rule and the two-out-of-three cross-media ownership law. The previous bill was put on the backburner after Malcolm Turnbull called a double dissolution election in July.
It is thought that the inquiry is due to report on November 7, but it is not clear whether another round of Senate hearings will be conducted.
ACCC to assess legitimacy of Uber and Airbnb reviews
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is assessing the review policies of sharing economy platforms, such as Uber and Airbnb, as pair of an international initiative targeting online reviews and endorsements. This review is part of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN)’s annual internet sweep, involving more than 50 consumer protection agencies around the world. This year the focus of the sweep online reviews and endorsements and the ACCC will be focusing on the way in which reviews operate in the sharing economy. The aim is to ensure businesses cannot make false or misleading representations through testimonials and reviews.
SCA poaches from Twitter for new social media director
Southern Cross Austereo has poached Chris Ledlin from Twitter to take up a newly created social media director post at the radio network. Ledlin was one of the first employees of Twitter Australia and helped launch its entertainment, TV and media division. He also launched the lifestyle and digital talent division last year. He's also previously worked at Nine Entertainment where he worked across social strategy for news and current affairs. He will report to SCA's head of digital product Chris Johnson.
Ogilvy Sydney names new strategy lead
Ogilvy Sydney has named Toby Harrison as its chief strategy officer, luring him back to Australian soil to take the role. Harrison returns to Sydney after a three-year stint at adam&eveDDB London, where he won the IPA Grand Prix for effectiveness. As head of strategy, he jointly ran a 30-strong planning department, and as part of the management team, helped steer the agency to back to back 'Campaign Agency of the Year' awards and Cannes Agency of the year awards. Prior to his time in the UK, Harrison worked at Droga5 Sydney, The Monkeys and BMF.
Priceline pushes two-week CSR campaign to raise money
Priceline has kicked off a two-week long CSR campaign to help raise funds for its Sisterhood charity foundation. It is encouraging customers to visit stores to buy items from a range of selected products which will automatically see a portion of the costs donated. Customers can also make in-store donations, or donate online or via SMS. The aim is to raise $1 million under the #Share4Sisterhood banner in two weeks. It supports five charity partners; Alzehier's Society, Children First Foundation, Hear to Listen, Look Good Feel Better and Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia. Ita Buttrose is the foundation's patron and model Samantha Harris and actress Ada Nicodemou are also part of the campaign. The retailer started the foundation in 2011 after being inspired by a talk by Sir Bob Geldof. The purpose is to use its high profile to raise funds and support women and their families.
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