In world news, we have been saddened and disturbed by the escalating Israel-Gaza crisis. As the rising conflict continues to dominate the media landscape, as it will for the foreseeable future, we hope, like many, for a peaceful resolution. 

Australia decides the fate of the Voice 

After months of campaigning, Australia (60.6 per cent) voted ‘No’ in the historic referendum.  

The referendum was defeated in every state and the Northern Territory, with the Australian Capital Territory the only region with a majority ‘Yes’ vote.  

A statement from Indigenous Australians who supported the Voice called for a week of silence to grieve and reflect on the outcome. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are flying at half-mast to acknowledge the result. 

An analysis of the level of political discourse during the Voice campaign highlights “very worrying” levels of misinformation and disinformation fuelled by politicians, media outlets and on social media platforms.  

Apple’s newest sustainability advertisement  

Apple’s latest campaign video shows CEO Tim Cook welcoming Mother Nature (Octavia Spencer) and answering her probing queries on its sustainability practices. The team lists Apple’s commitment to make all products carbon neutral by 2030 in a five-minute short, rather than a report. Playing on consumer criticisms of greenwashing, the ad highlights Apple’s commitment to sustainability while also promoting the new Apple Watch 9 – timed in line with new iPhone models releases.  

Although Apple is doing plenty in the climate and sustainability space compared to other tech companies, they still have a long way to go.  

 Meta Connect 2023 

In other tech news, Meta Connect 2023 announced its latest suite of products. The main attraction was the Quest 3 Mixed Reality headset as well as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Other announcements included AI advancements such as the introduction of Emu, an AI software that generates high-quality images for free. Meta has also collaborated with celebrities and influencers to create AI bots with unique interests and personalities. Among the chatbots is Australian soccer sensation Sam Kerr who plays a free-spirited Sally. It is yet to become available in Australia. 

Meta has also started to roll out its first generative AI-powered features for ad creatives in Meta’s Ads Manager. The new features include background generation, image expansion and text variations to help unlock creativity and maximise productivity and performance.  

Modibodi supporting women experiencing menopause 

This month is Menopause Awareness Month, created to support women dealing with the symptoms of menopause by destigmatising the conversation around women’s health. Symptoms can include night sweats, hot flushes and light bladder leakage. These can be disruptive to daily life and cause women to feel isolated and ashamed.  

This is why global absorbent apparel brand, Modibodi is committed to empowering women to manage their menopause symptoms with confidence by offering a range of products designed to help women feel cool and comfortable. In 2021, Modibodi introduced menstrual, menopause and miscarriage paid leave in support of its people. 

Modibodi is an IMPACT client.