Brand who refuses to do interviews with appliance or consumer technology, channel media on this issue, or any other issue, despite repeated requests, was last night apologising to consumers on the ABC program PM, for his Companies "shocking" track record which has resulted in the Company being fined millions for false marketing claims.
Currently under investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, LG Australia is facing further fines for misleading consumers after consumer watchdog Choice claimed that LG Electronics has duped consumers by using an illegal device within some fridges to make them appear more energy efficient.
They have also made claims over false labelling.
Choice, said that they had recently discovered a banned circumvention device within two LG fridges which overestimates the energy efficiency of the product. Choice reported the problem to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
For several weeks ChannelNews has been chasing Brand, to explain how LG Australia only managed to make $13K profit on a turnover of close to $1 Billion dollars. We have also sought an explanation as to why in the 2008 to 2009 year when Brand was in control of the Korean Companies marketing did LG Australia revenues decline by $152 million from $1.12 billion in 2007 to $968 million in 2008.
Click to enlarge |
| David Brand LG's embattled Marketing Director seen far left in happier days with the Cronulla Sharks. |
Documents obtained by ChannelNews also reveal that in the 2007/2008 financial year, LG Australia only had profits of $17,228 despite revenues of $1.12 Billion.
Brand who joined the Company in early 2008 was the former marketing director at spirit and wine distributor Maxxium Australia. In his role at LG he has direct responsibility for all marketing activities as well as direct responsibility for advertising agency management and media.
Prior to working at Maxxium, Brand was marketing director Burger King Asia Pacific and marketing director Tourism Tasmania. He had no prior technology or appliance industry marketing expertise prior to joining LG.
Last week the Stan Bilinski the Marketing Manager of LG's consumer AV division quit the Company only days out from the launch of a major new range of 40 LG TV's.
