Email Marketing Metrics Report - Australia (Jan-Jun 08)

Vision 6 have just released their latest metrics report for Email Marketing in Australia for H1 2008. Here are some of the top line stats:

Open Rates: 20.99%
Click Thru Ratses: 4.45%
Click Thru vs. Open Rate: 21.22% (vs.20.31% in H2 2007)
Bounce Rate: 10.34%

For more information and to see the report, you can go here.

Mobile Payments - Are they Secure?

Here's a stat that some of you might be interested in. The annoying thing is that I can't remember were I read it. If anyone knows, please feel free to comment on this article and let people know. So here goes:

'The average time it takes before a person realises they have lost their mobile is around 25 minutes compared to the average time it takes for a person to realise they have lost their wallet which is around 1 day'

Interesting. Plus add onto this that all payment transactions can be validated through a user name/password mechanic and over https as per a user's experience on the web, I am definitely sitting in the 'secure' camp.

iPhone – Pleasure or Pain?

It’s been a while since we last posted to the blog so its only right that with our last post being about the iPhone, that our first post back should be about the iPhone.

Its been nearly 2 months now since the iPhone launched and if you’ve been keeping up the with the press and industry news you’ll know that the iPhone’s launch has been plagued with problems around their MobileMe product. But and I mean a big BUT, as the AFR pointed out in yesterday’s edition, Apple are one of the only brands that can withstand this kind of negative press and still come out of it smelling of roses! I consider myself a pretty hard critic but even I am yet to turn on Apple. They still remain the only company that have managed to make me part with more money for something just because of its colour – when the black MacBook launched, they were just too stylish to pass up!

So although I’m still an iPhone advocate, they’ve got to work quickly. There’s still issues with delayed messages and emails, and even in some cases the phone hanging. If this carries on it won’t be too long before even the greatest Apple advocates turn on their beloved. (P.S. you can check out more of the crazies here.....and no this is not me!

Phone, iPod, Internet, and more. iPhone 3G.

Wow.....and its 'twice as fast' but only 'half the price'. Sweet. I'm excited. July 11th can't come soon enough for me. And with MobileMe their mobile version of .Mac also about to launch, this could be a really sweet solution for businesses. I know we are using it. Long may it continue.

Singapore to see first 3G iPhone

Insiders at Singtel have leaked the launch date, June 23, for the Apple's first legitimate iPhone's in the region -- more than two weeks ahead of the world. Apple's official worldwide release isn't scheduled until July 11.

The new look to motorsport :) A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all I think. Ben was awesome. He went from 20th to 7th and if there hadn't been - shall we say - some really poor driving in Race 1 on Monday by other drivers on the circuit, our car wouldn't have been taken out and have to have had started in 20th.

Derryn and the boys at Icon Motorsports really did us proud, even getting a backdrop for the race pit garage created by a student of a well known Australian cartoonist called Reg Mombassa.

Got some great 'talkability' for the Orange Cow brand but we also managed to help out a genuinely nice guy who is a seriously great racing talent. Long may the relationship continue!

Full video footage of the race (Sandown) and subsequent races will soon be made available, streamed from The Orange Cow site web/mobile for the remainder of the Forumla Ford National series.

Watch this space!

Holy Cow! Morley and Club Icon Head into Sandown

The Orange Cow, a leading digital communications agency, has come onboard as a major sponsor to support Ben Morley and the Icon Motorsport Team when they contest the third round of the National Formula Ford Championship at Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne Victoria this June Long Weekend.

Morley, who currently sits only 5 points adrift of current National Championship leader Paul Laskazeski in second place, is naturally thrilled to receive the major backing of The Orange Cow for the Sandown round and is hoping that this support will help him continue his stellar start to the year aboard his Spectrum 011C.

"To have a company such as The Orange Cow become involved with Icon Motorsport is certainly a major boost for the entire team heading into the third round of the National Championship," enthused Morley.

“Our aim is to continue our surge towards the top of the leader board in the championship, and the main focus is to be consistent and most importantly finish all our races as that are what championships are all about.
“I was quite lucky during the last round, due to a number of other drivers failing to finish a race, when I finished out of the points in race three. I was still able to maintain my second position in the championship, but next time, I might not be so lucky.”

Having only competed at the Sandown International Raceway circuit on one previous occasion, back in 2002 in the now defunct MG Series, Morley believes that his previous experience around the circuit is going to be of no advantage.

“I can honestly say that running a MG around Sandown some six years ago is going to be of little advantage to me, it’s just going to be like visiting a new circuit again,” explained Morley.

“Normally we have two practice sessions at the National rounds but we only have one this weekend, which I think will help out the local drivers a little, but having said that, I’m still looking forward to the challenge.”

In between rounds Morley and the Icon Motorsport team have been able to do something that they haven't been able to do so far this year.... a testing session.
“Being able to have a test session has certainly built up my confidence heading into this weekend’s round without a doubt, and up until this point we haven’t been able to undertake a full test session for one reason or another,” Morley expressed.

“We were able to try a few new things with the car during our test session that we have naturally been unable to do in the heat of competition, and that is going to help us for the remainder of the year.”

With The Orange Cow coming on board for Sandown, the last 4 weeks have been a good one for Morley and Icon with members of the "Club Icon" supporter group additionally contributing to the next two rounds, and Powerhouse Global Logistics confirming
its renewed support in 2008 by becoming the Tyre Sponsor for the remainder of the year.

National Formula Ford Championship point standings (after two completed rounds):

1 Paul Laskazeski – 77
2 Ben Morley – 72
3 Nick Percat – 61
4 Brad Lowe – 54
5 Kristian Lindbom - 52

Icon Motorsport are still in the hunt for more sponsors and also members to join Club Icon and to find out more information about these exciting opportunities visit the official Icon Motorsport website: www.iconmotorsport.com.au

-ENDS RELEASEIcon

Motorsport media enquiries Daniel Powell – Redline Media

Phone: 0246 832 287
Mobile: 0432 126 210
Email: daniel@redlinemedia.com.au
Website: www.redlinemedia.com.au