I mentioned this afternoon about a campaign to help a small school in Tonga that has no internet...to learn about the world. Here are the details :0)

Matt

Post card blitz for Vaini School, Tonga

Wherever we go in this consumer driven society, we're constantly bombarded with advertising. Billboards, tv commercials, radio ads, catalogues and the list just keeps growing.

But amongst all of this contant bombardment, there is still the consumer who will make up their own minds about what brands and products they prefer to use.

So what drives you to use a certain compa'ny's product? Is it loyalty, convenience? Cost? or is it that you "trust" a particular brand. Mum used it and her Mum and possibly her Mum as well; so it must be alright.

Every year magazine publication Readers Digest commisions a survey to find out Australia's most trusted brands ... well the results are in and it seems out of the small cross section of Australians surveyed Colgate is the most trusted brand used by Aussies.

Now of course there are a lot of categories in this survery....cars you drive, fast food you like, skincare products, even breakfast cereal.

So what is it for you that dictates what you spend your hard earned money on?? Take a look at the results of this survey below and see what you agree or disagree with.

til next time

Matt

Foods and humdrum domestic products dominate a list of the most trusted brands in Australia, according to research from Reader’s Digest.

Colgate is the country’s most trusted brand, followed by disinfectant brand Dettol. Cadbury is third, then Panadol and Band-Aid.

Nokia is the only technology brand to make the top ten.

By category, none of the big four banks appeared in the most trusted banks list. Bunnings was the most trusted retailer, Subway the most trusted fast food and Dyson the most trusted home appliance.

Last year, when a different survey company – The Digital Edge – was used, Band-Aid topped the survey, followed by Cadbury, Panadol, Sony and Colgate.

Australia’s most trusted brands:

1. Colgate
2. Dettol
3. Cadbury
4. Panadol
5. Band-Aid
6. Pine O Cleen
7. Nokia
8. Gillette
9. Dairy Farmers
10. Peters

The survey was conducted by McCrindle Research with a sample size of 1,200 Australians in January 2011.

The most trusted brands by category

Cars
Winner: Toyota
Highly commended: BMW, Holden

Banks
Winner:  Bendigo Bank
Highly commended: St George, ING

Mobile phones
Winner: Nokia
Highly commended: Apple iPhone, Sony

Retailers
Winner: Bunnings
Highly commended: Woolworths/Safeway, Target

Home entertainment
Winner: Sony
Highly commended: Panasonic, Apple

Beverages
Winner:  Milo
Highly commended: Dairy Farmers, Schweppes

Fast Food
Winner: Subway
Highly commended: Hungry Jack’s, McDonald’s

Breakfast food
Winner: Uncle Toby’s
Highly commended: Sanitarium, Kellogg’s

Confectionary
Winner: Cadbury
Highly commended: Natural Confectionery Co, Mars

Dairy
Winner: Dairy Farmers
Highly commended: Peters, Streets

Frozen Foods
Winner: Heinz
Highly commended: Bird’s Eye, Ingham

Skincare
Winner: Johnson & Johnson
Highly commended: Nivea, Olay

Shampoo and conditioner
Winner Johnson & Johnson
Highly commended: Dove, Sunsilk

Cleaning products
Winnter:  Pine O Clean
Highly commended: Vanish NapiSan, White King

White goods
Winner: Fisher & Paykel
Highly commended: Westinghouse, Miele

Insurance
Winner: NRMA
Highly commended: AAMI, Suncorp

Home appliances
Winner: Dyson
Highly commended: Breville, Sunbeam

‘Iconic brands’
Winner: Vegemite
Highly commended: Bunnings, Campbell Arnott’s

Last Sunday (31st July) was a special celebration for my church's kids club. It celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special service that was held at the school hall just up the road from the church. 10 years ago, the student minister and some of the leadership in the church wanted to have some way of reconnecting with their holiday club participants rather than just the annual holiday club...so the idea of a weekly kids club was born and 10 years on its stronger than ever with many participants coming in a walking bus from the nearby school every Wednesday afternoon.

Anyway one of the great songs that the kids did as part drama part choir piece was called "There once was a Whale". The service had focused in on the story of Jonah and even had veggie tales as the sermon...but this song has been running around in my head since Sunday morning and my wife and I were just laughing about it this morning. So I have been searching the internet using various search engines and have come up with zip, zero, nothing :( I even email my minister to see if he could remember, but his response was only slightly helpful

The title of the song is "There Once Was a Whale" and I can't remember all the words either, but I'll give you my best shot.

"There once was a whale (swish! swish!)
a monsterous whale (swish! swish!)
who lived in the briney old sea
he ....?...? [loved to swim] about
and ...?...? [he had] a water spout
and a tummy like a jumbo jeeeeet."

Blessings,
Pete.

PS   Don't forget the actions! lol

So this is where I need YOUR help! Do you know the song, where can I find it and who sings it (and the actions to go with it lol)....if the internet in all its searching power can't help me....can you???

Look me up on facebook and let me know www.facebook.com/matt.ucbaus

til next time

Matt (swish, swish)

Most days I try to find a section of the news that is just a little left of centre. Today I was talking about the deputy nationals leader of the Northern Territory and his celebrity bake off efforts. ABC News Online reported the story in their offbeat section and showed a photo of the cake decorated with a croc and Julia Gillard's arm in its mouth. Read the story for yourself and judge if you think its a political statement or just something a little humourous....apparently the PM was only dissapointed she didn't get a piece of the cake.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-27/scullions-cake-for-gillard/2812506