WA Wool Strategy Group's Medici Report recognised as innovative marketing strategy

27/10/99
The Western Australiain Wool Strategy Group's Medici Report has been recognised as an innovative marketing strategy for the future development of the State's wool industry in the 1999 Australian Marketing Institute Awards.
The Medici strategy was commissioned in 1998 by the Minister's Wool Strategy Group with the idea of building new supply chain partnerships between woolgrower coalitions and downstream processors.
The Medici Report was the result of significant research into the wool industry by the Marketing Centre.
The strategy was awarded the Australian Marketing Institute's prestigious national manufacturing award after first winning the WA final. The awards were presented in Melbourne.
Mr House said the award recognised the importance of the strategy in developing value chain partnerships in the WA wool industry.
"The development of commercial opportunities for WA wool growers to deliver wool directly to major processors or retailers will help reduce the length of the supply chain and make the process more profitable," he said.
"By reducing the multiple changes of ownership of wool between the grower and the retailer, the supply process will be more streamlined and efficient."
The implementation of the strategy was complemented by the Minister's visit to the UK to meet with Marks and Spencer's suppliers, buyers and processors earlier this year.
As a result, a recent shipment of five and a half tonnes of WA wool was delivered to Marks and Spencers in the UK for processing into women's knitwear garments and men's socks.
Mr House said that if the consumer trials proved successful, WA could anticipate commercial orders by early next year
He said the Australian Marketing Institute Awards recognised and rewarded organisations and marketers who had achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practices.
Judging for the awards took into account the underlying campaign, innovative qualities, strategic planning, eventual impact and financial result.
The Wool Strategy Group was initiated in 1993 by the Minister for Primary Industry and charged with the responsibility of developing initiatives for improving the position of the WA wool industry in the world market. The group also provides industry direction to the Wool Program of Agriculture WA.
Media contact: Julie Cole 9481 2044