Abl's Awareness Push - Australian Business Limited launchese ad campaign - Brief Article - Company Profile

Business Asia, April, 2001

RAISING AWARENESS about export assistance packages will be one of the key aims of Australian Business Limited's (ABL) new brand awareness advertising campaign.

The new advertising campaign, aimed at boosting the group's image and promoting greater awareness of the organisation, began in February, and is currently circulating through various media channels including television, radio and print.

ABL's managing director Phillip Holt says the new campaign has been designed to inform businesses about who ABL are, and what they offer.

"We want businesses to understand that we are an organisation that can help them in all aspects of their business operations," he said.

Holt says ABL's strength lies in its diverse range of business operations -- either by providing advice or information, servicing clients with products, or even just pointing them in the right direction. The campaign, he says, "provides an overview of the many ways that we can assist businesses -- advice, information and assistance with meeting their workplace obligations, OHS, training their people, raising equity, award information, and assistance with exporting".

Alongside the more mainstream television advertisements, which focus on generating awareness of ABL, the company has also put together a selection of 30-second radio advertisements which introduce and discuss some of the more specific services ABL offers. One of these has been created to promote federal and state government export packages for businesses that are either exporting, or looking to export in the near future.

ABL general manager of international trade Dr Walter Roso says that the radio campaign is fundamentally about informing businesses of the various assistance packages available to them for developing their export capabilities.

"We're advertising to get the message out that the Federal Government is strong in its support for businesses," Roso said.

One of the main support programs being promoted by ABL is the Federal Government's $150 million Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) scheme, which provides assistance to small and medium Australian exporters who are looking to start exporting. The scheme reimburses businesses for 50 per cent of their export marketing expenses above $15,000 each year for up to eight years. Through the scheme, applicants can receive as much as $200,000 per year.

Roso says, however, that the EM DG scheme is only the "tip of the iceberg."

"In addition to the Federal Government, there's a lot of state government support," he said. "Combined together, there's a bag full of money available to exporters and potential exporters if they want to take it.

"And with the low Australian dollar, there's never been a better time to get into exports."

Roso says that Australian Business' role lies in advising potential exporters about programs that are available to them.

"There's different programs for different needs. We help businesses to access the right program and get the money," he said.

So far, reception of the brand awareness campaign has been positive. Holt says that the campaign has triggered a lot of interest from a wide spectrum of businesses.

"Inquiries range from helping them to raise capital, helping with debt recovery, opportunities to network with other business people, training for their staff, wanting general business information and advice, award information, how to sell a business, and assistance with workplace issues, such as how to deal with unfair dismissals," Holt said.

The brand awareness campaign in now being seen via television, radio, newspapers, business magazine and internet advertising.