Commonwealth Bank puts its money behind Multicultural Marketing

04.06.08

Minister for Juvenile Justice and Minister for Western Sydney and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship, Barbara Perry at the unveiling of the 2008 Multicultural Marketing Awards trophy with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission For a multicultural NSW, Stepan Kerkyasharian, today welcomed a new major sponsor for the National Multicultural Marketing Awards with the question:

“Which Bank in the Fifties and Sixties was synonymous with migration advisory services across the country, at the time of a heavy influx of new arrivals from Europe?”

Mr Kerkyasharian  was speaking at the launch of the 2008 nation-wide quest for excellence in multicultural marketing, by the Minister for Juvenile Justice and Western Sydney and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship, Barbara Perry, at the Westin Hotel, Sydney.

“The Commonwealth Bank has decided to revive its close public connection with immigration by now helping to promote the economic benefits of the cultural diversity that resulted from it, through sponsorship of the National Multicultural Marketing Awards

“Of course, the Commonwealth has continued its support for migrants since those early days in many ways, including the introduction of Commonwealth Bank International Customer Services, whereby migrants can now set up their banking needs long before they arrive here.

“I am delighted to welcome the support from the Commonwealth which, as the nation’s biggest bank, is very well placed to reap the benefits of cultural diversity. Its sponsorship sends a very powerful message that multicultural marketing is something of great value”, Mr Kerkyasharian said.

The existing sponsors are the NSW Government, the Australian Newspaper, Qantas, Integral Energy, CMC Markets, the Westin Hotel and Yellow Tail Wines.

The National Multicultural Marketing Awards have been conducted by the CRC for nineteen years.

Last year’s winners included the NRMA, Heinz Foods, Travelex, Bollywood Dreams and E-translate, a company which won the contract to develop and operate the international multilingual ticketing system for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Calling for marketers in the public, private and community sectors to enter the 2008 Awards, Mr Kerkyasharian said today: “Why not show us this year what you have done in the last twelve months to benefit your organisation and benefit our nation through clever multicultural marketing? ”