
Woke management decisions similar to what kicked off a downturn in Big W Owner Woolworths, fortunes after they gave Australia Day a two finger salute, seem not to have been heeded by executives at Melbourne based Australian Venue Co, with management appearing to duck for cover after it was exposed that the Company initially planned to implement a policy that would ban Australia Day festivities for patrons at more than 200 of their venues around the country. Blind Freddy would have known, that any such decision was set to enrage Australians, with 97% of the Daily Telegraphs readers believing that retailers and hospitality venues Should not get political about Australia Day? Clearly visible is any comment by individuals from the Company behind the pub group, with most management appearing to not want to be associated with the decision including CEO Paul Watterson. Now with their brand reputation in tatters with tens of thousands set to boycott their hospitality establishments we went searching for answers as to how the business came to the conclusion that it was okay to give Australia Day a two-finger salute. The business that appears to be heavy in female decision makers in key consumer engagement roles have not responded to our request for comments. Some of the people we contacted were: Marianne Mewett (Seen below) Chief Experience Officer at Australian Venue Co, she previously worked at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. Recently Australian Venue Co. launched a new retail media network, AVC Experience+, aimed at enhancing customer experiences and promoting products through its venues and digital assets. They claimed that the network was designed to drive consumer action at the point of purchase by delivering tailored brand experiences, now brands are looking to drop their association with the venues. AVC Experience+ was designed to allow suppliers to connect with hard-to-reach audiences by leveraging a mix of digital and in-venue channels. The network’s portfolio includes over 219 venues, potentially reaching up to 15 million consumers annually. Partners can also tap into AVC’s annual digital customer interactions, which include 30 million+ website views, 365 million+ organic social impressions, 2.29 million+ eDM recipients, and 102 million+ impressions via The Pass loyalty app and digital ordering platform. The network is led by an in-house team, under the oversight of AVC Chief Experience Officer, Marianne Mewett. Mewett claimed at the launch “AVC Experience+ offers something unique: front-row access to an attentive and receptive audience when they are in their cultural and social comfort zone: eager to engage, hyped to explore, and poised to embrace new brand experiences.” Genevieve Hassall is Senior Brand & Communications Manager; after moving to New York in 2019, she rejoined the Company recently in a key Optimization role. Other decision makers at the Australian Venue Co include Jodie Ingham a Board Member at Australian Venue Co she took up the role in March 2024. Michelle Jones (Below) is Marketing Manager Australian Venue Co. Zoe Sepesiova Executive Operations Leader. Paul Watterson CEO Australian Venue Co. All of these senior executives seem to have not reviewed the backlash that came out of the Woolworth debacle. One of the questions we wanted answers to was ‘Are you able to give an explanation as to how you reached the conclusion that a ban would add value to your revenues and above all the brand perception for your venues”. As the fall out unfolded a statement was released on Monday, where the Company finally admitted the decision had caused “concern and confusion.” “We sincerely regret that – our purpose is to reinforce community in our venues, not divide it. It is not for us to tell anyone whether or how to celebrate Australia Day.” When asked if they had backflipped on the ban, Australian Venue Co simply responded by directing The Daily Telegraph to the their recently released statement. The decision to ban Australia Day celebrations sparked widespread criticism. What’s not known is whether CEO Paul Watterson knew of the decision and actually supported it. . “Let’s spread the news of these Australia Day bans far a wide and boycott these hotels, not just on that day, but every day,” one person wrote. “I’ll make sure I never set foot into any of your pubs ever again,” another man posted. “Pretty simple really — just boycott the establishments, there are plenty of other alternatives out there,” wrote another. In 2017, KKR purchased an 80% stake in the Dixon Hospitality Group which was owned by the former CEO of Qantas Geoff Dixon. The company’s portfolio initially consisted of five venues in Melbourne but has been expanded to over 200 venues across Australia and New Zealand. In March 2019, Coles Group and Australian Venue Co. established a joint venture (Queensland Venue Co) where AVC would take over operations of the Coles’ Spirit Hotels and receive its profits while Coles would run the group’s liquor stores and receive its profits. Coles received $200 million from AVC as part of the deal. In August 2023, PAG agreed terms to purchase KKR’s controlling shareholding for $1.4 billion.
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That's because a historic number of states were considering initiatives for ranked choice voting or to end partisan primaries. Instead, voters dealt them big losses in the November elections. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota all rejected proposed changes to their voting systems. In Alaska, a proposal to repeal ranked choice voting appears to have narrowly fallen short. The losses in many states came even though election reform supporters raised more than $100 million, easily outpacing opponents. Supporters say they aren't giving up but plan to retool their efforts. The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities Ukraine has witnessed since Russia's full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war. It began with U.S. President Joe Biden reversing a longstanding policy by granting Kyiv permission to deploy American longer-range missiles inside Russian territory and ended with Moscow striking Ukraine with a new experimental ballistic weapon that has alarmed the international community and heightened fears of further escalation. Storm dumps record rain in Northern California, while US Northeast deals with winter storms HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — A major storm continues to drop heavy snow and record rain in California, causing small landslides and flooding some streets. Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday from parts of the Northeast to central Appalachia. The storm on the West Coast arrived in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, before moving through Northern California. Forecasters predicted that both coasts would begin to see a reprieve from the storms as the system moves into eastern Canada and the one in the West heads south. Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weight Most people taking popular drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight have shed significant pounds. But obesity experts say that roughly 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not see robust results with the new medications. The response to the drugs varies from person to person and can depend on genetics, hormones and differences in how the brain regulates energy. Undiagnosed medical conditions and some drugs can prevent weight loss. Experts say it can take experimentation to help so-called nonresponders find results. 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Leave yourself time. And other tips for reducing holiday travel stress Travel, especially during the holiday season, can be stressful. But following some tips from the pros as you prepare for a trip can make for a smoother, less anxious experience. One expert traveler suggests making a list a week before you go of things you need to do and pack. Cross off each item as you complete it during the week. Another tip is to carry your comfort zone with you. That could mean noise-canceling headphones, playlists meant to soothe airport travelers, entertainment and snacks from home. Carry a change of clothes and a phone charger in case of delays. Stay hydrated. Leave extra time. And know your airline's rules. Downloading the airline's app can help with that.
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