Browsing: Xero

News
Music industry returns to growth after 15 years in NZ, Kiwis wholeheartedly embracing streaming services
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The traditional notion of the music industry has been well and truly dumped on its head over the past few years, since music started its march from CD shelves to digital shelves. Yesterday New Zealand’s music revenue results were released, showing just how quick and drastic this change has been, revealing that streaming is well and truly taking over. We caught up with Spotify’s Kate Vale who says New Zealand in particular has embraced streaming with open arms, as one of the highest ‘Premium’ conversion rates of any Spotify market in the world.

News
Tech sweeteners: Xero, TradeMe and Vend’s guide to staff engagement
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There’s a battle for talent happening in the tech sector, as evidenced by the massive salaries and various sweeteners being offered by big tech companies like Facebook, Google and Apple. That battle is also being waged in New Zealand. And while it might not be on the same scale as Silicon Valley, Kiwi tech companies are also employing a range of different tactics to try and find good staff and keep them engaged. From charity schemes to creative offices to Friday kegs, here’s what TradeMe, Vend and Xero are doing.

News
Xero’s Andy Lark on why marketing comes after product and service
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Due to its rapid growth and ongoing success, Xero has on numerous occasions been dubbed the Apple of accounting by the media. And while the company is going through a rocky patch at the moment with reports showing its annual loss widening and speculation that the Australian Stock Exchange might investigate the company on account of failing to disclose information to stock holders, it remains a major Kiwi success story, which has already made strong headway in the Australian market and is also getting noticed in the US. And despite having his hands quite full at the moment with international conquests, the company’s chief marketing officer Andy Lark recently chatted to StopPress’ sister publication Idealog about taking on the US and why marketing cannot be a substitute for a great product or sterling service.

News
Horse’s Mouth: James Hurman
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After a couple of years as managing director at Y&R NZ, James Hurman has taken the best bits from his life in advertising and started up an innovation consultancy called Previously Unavailable that aims to help Kiwi companies create better products and services. So why did he do it and what will he be doing?

News
Horse’s Mouth: Jonathan Allan, Xero
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If, as suggested in the media recently, New Zealand is set to be one of the world’s ‘rock star economies’, then Xero would have to be the rightful lead singer. General manager of marketing Jonathan Allan talks about ‘doing beautiful business’.

News
Kiwi e-heroes go huntin’ for Webby votes—UPDATED
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The Webby Awards aim to honour general internet awesomeness, and fighting it out for gongs with big global beasts like Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest are local hopes Shift for Tourism New Zealand, Resn for Toyota’s Camry Effect, Xero and DDB/Rapp Tribal for McDonald’s. And they need your votes. 

Movings & Shakings
Movings/Shakings: January 16
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New year, new (and even some pre-Christmas) news in this bumper edition of Movings/Shakings, as Saatchi & Saatchi kicks off its Creative Collective with two hires, DDB adds a six pack to the creative coterie, tributes flow for Wellington’s Mike Boekholt, Adshel announces its new marketing director, Michelle Boag farewells Ogilvy, Courtney Lambert exchanges Fairfax for Xero, Kath Hurley swaps the MPA for the MA, NZ Lotteries chooses its new chief, Holly Dean takes a break from The Sweet Shop, and Cliff Joiner switches allegiance. 

News
NZ has no internet entrepreneurs
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That’s according to the 2009 NZ Internet Awards. At the award ceremony in Wellington last month, Best Business Application went to Xero for its online accounting system, Best Education Product or Service Award was won by digital content directory Digital NZ and the Societal Impact Award went to the …