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Opinion | Features
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The Scam Lions? Count me out
Mumbrella will no longer attend the Cannes Lions. Mumbrella's Tim Burrowes argues that the scam in Cannes has become too much...
I love everything about the Cannes Lions experience. So I'm sad that I'm probably never going to get to do it again. -
Brandis' leaked copyright proposals are unrealistic
In this cross-posting from The Conversation Nicolas Suzor and Alex Button-Sloan from the Queensland University of Technology look at why the leaked plans to change copyright laws could lead to a lot of unintended problems for consumers.
The Australian Government has proposed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) monitor and punish Australians who download and infringe copyright.
In a discussion paper circulated by Attorney-General George Brandis, and leaked by Crikey last Friday, the government proposes a sweeping change to Australian copyright law. If implemented, it would force ISPs to take steps to prevent Australians from infringing copyright. -
Why Nine's investment in Quickflix makes it tougher for Netflix to launch in Australia
Last week Nine Entertainment Co made a $1m investment to buy eight per cent of streaming company Quickflix, whilst preparing to launch its own operation StreamCo. Here Nic Christensen looks at the underlying reasons for Nine buying into a rival.
In the world of video streaming last week's investment by Nine into rival Quickflix did not go unnoticed, but as always with these deals the devil is in the detail. In this case, a series of warrants and covenants that came with this batch of shares.
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With awards the more you get, the more you get
Following recent controversy surrounding entries to the Cannes Lions awards Eaon Pritchard argues until we have a better way to evaluate the merits of agencies than awards all agencies will be highly incentivised to do whatever it takes to win .
Advertising's outcomes are notoriously hard to measure. Which is why in advertising agencies, we love to measure outputs instead. -
Why aren't more media companies offering job sharing to get experience back in the door?
With the media industry churn and talent drain a constant issue Lucy Formosa Morgan asks why more companies aren't open to job sharing.
There’s rarely a shortage of applicants for coordinator positions however when it comes to recruiting experienced middle / senior level people, the talent bank seems to dry up. Agencies can struggle to fill vacancies for months or end up having to recruit from overseas. So if we have plenty of juniors that we’re devoting time and money to training up, where are they going? Why is there such a shortage of good talent out there? -
Marketers are the ones whose reputations are most at risk if they are complicit in scam advertising
With questions being raised over the integrity of some awards entries in recent weeks, former creative director Darren Woolley says scam can be as damaging for marketers as the agencies involved.
Scam awards entries have come to industry attention again, following the most recent Cannes Lions Awards. In the process, several high profile advertisers have been associated with their agencies’ entries. But what are the implications for the advertiser?
It is a standard response that advertisers are not really interested in creative awards. But the fact is that marketers are human and those that have healthy and close working relationships with their agencies actually enjoy seeing them being recognised, especially for work they may have created together. -
Terry Savage defends debated Cannes Lions entries saying 'Super Bowl ads run once'
In a Q&A conducted by email, Terry Savage, chairman of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, defends the integrity of the competition and answers questions around scam ads following an investigation by Mumbrella into a series of ads from Australia entered into the Press category which ran just once in regional media.
What is your definition of scam?
"We require the work to have been approved by the client and to have used paid Media in the execution, if there is a query we get validation via the agency the client and the Media schedule that the work has run and complied within our entry rules. In the case of self promotion and NGO that is not the case." -
Australian Women's Weekly editor on how its latest cover has changed industry attitudes
The cover of the July edition of the Australian Women's Weekly features the image of ultra-marathon bushfire survivor Turia Pitt, a move which surprised many in an industry driven by image. Editor-in-chief Helen McCabe spoke to Miranda Ward about how the cover came about, and its effect not only on the public, but also the beauty and fashion industries as we.
The July cover of the Australian's Women's Weekly has done more to market "what the heart and soul of the magazine is" than anything else the magazine's editor-in-chief Helen McCabe has done in her five years at the helm.
Speaking to Mumbrella about the July edition which featured Turia Pitt, a survivor of the bushfire that swept through an ultra-marathon in Western Australia's Kimberly region in September 2011, McCabe said the cover is "a really strong signal to market that this magazine is committed to Australian women, quality stories, independent journalism, long-form story telling and quality writing. -
If you don't want to enter real work into awards, then fuck off and be an artist
In this guest post, awards jury veteran Matt Batten, a former ECD of Wunderman Australia, argues that the practice of scam advertising - raised by Mumbrella in recent days - hurts the whole industry.
Reading from 10,553 miles away – that's 16,983km in the metric – I'd like to commend you on your dogged determination to find answers to the burning questions surrounding some of Australia's most intriguing Cannes Lions winners this year.
Some say that this is the way of the world (at least our small part in it) and that creativity should be let free upon the award shows regardless of whether or not it was a legitimate response to a brief or a proactive project to help solve a genuine business problem for a real client – or a made-up ad for a brand that had no idea of its existence. -
Does culture really eat strategy for breakfast?
Good startups often point to their culture as a driver of their success, but Eaon Pritchard asks whether that culture can be derived without a clear strategy?
Culture, in an organisational sense, is usually interpreted as the collective behaviours, attitudes and beliefs that — when mixed together — create a particular set of norms within said organisation.
Obviously there can be ‘good’ culture and ‘bad’ culture. -
Five things Wicked Campers needs to do online right now
Wicked Campers has been in the midst of a media controversy over the last few days. Sebastian Vasta takes a look at how the brand could better manage the online and media crisis.
The latest cry to end Wicked Campers’ misogynist toilet humour is certainly not the first time the budget backpacker van company has been in trouble.
But it’s certainly the loudest the online outrage has ever been. -
Cut here: Reshaping the ABC
After the ABC unveiled its first round of cuts after having its funding cut in the last budget Ben Goldsmith of the Queensland University of Technology looks at how it might look in the future, in this cross-posting from The Conversation.
Monday’s announcement that the ABC will make 80 positions redundant is just the latest move in an enforced process of change to the public service broadcaster. It has a long way yet to run.
The announcement finally put the lie to Tony Abbott’s election eve pledge, live on national television, that there would be “no cuts to the ABC or SBS”. In concert with other recent announcements, it seems clear that public broadcasting – and in particular the ABC – is squarely in the government’s sights. -
Lost dog - can you help us find him?
Adland is an industry that likes to give back. Today, we're asking you to help us find this dog.
You can find out more about Windblown Dog's history below: -
The future of Facebook is forensic
Marketers should stop using Facebook as a mass reach tool and start thinking about conversions not conversations argues Jack Smyth. Forget conversations – the future of Facebook is forensic By now you’re probably sick of the same articles recycling the same Facebook statistics. Over 12 million Australian users, spending on average 8.5 hours every week and so on. We all know Facebook offers massive reach. -
Two stats about Netflix that should scare Foxtel and Quickflix
With US streaming site Netflix poised to enter the Australian market next year Andrianes Pinantoan from Pocketbook crunched some numbers to see try and ascertain what the local pay-TV market already looks like now.
Netflix is set to enter the Australian market, but that doesn’t stop a few enterprising Australians from accessing it now. Actually, it’s more than a few.
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Live blog: Thursday, July 31
Welcome to Mumbrella’s live blog, our daily roundup of what’s happening in media and marketing.
Top Stories:
8:18am - Good morning, here’s what’s broken overnight internationally:
Mashable: Hey Jude, Nice Moves. Law Dances Up a Storm for Johnnie Walker Blue
“Never before in the history of bar bets did one end with a gyrating Jude Law. Until now, that is.
This just-launched short film for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, distributed by Unruly, features the internationally known leading man cutting a rug to win his friend’s coveted sailboat. He shuffles, he claps, he poses and preens. And then – there it is! – he charmingly shakes his hips. It’s no Miley Cyrus down and dirty -– blink and you may miss it — but he’s a double Oscar nominee after all.”
The Guardian: Twitter: the future’s bright – but more like Facebook than ever
“Just two days ago, there was a consensus, of sorts, around Twitter’s predicament. Its stock had fallen 44% over the course of the year, partially because of a drop-off in the number of new users it was getting each month. That led the company’s chief executive, Dick Costolo, to admit that the service wasn’t easy enough for newbies to get their head around.
Worse, the average revenue per user wasn’t rising anywhere near as quickly as Facebook’s; without the massive levels of personal data that its main competitor has, Twitter can’t deliver targeted ads with the same degree of accuracy.”
AdWeek: People Terrified by Haunted Apartment in Real Estate Company’s Ad Prank
“2012 called, and it wants its prankvertising back.
Danish real-estate site Lejebolig.dk and production company Mayday Films staged a hidden-camera apartment haunting that was designed to warn the public to use common sense and avoid rental rip-offs.
The scenario is well staged and restrained by the standards of the genre. Still, the basic setup seems stale from its use in other campaigns, and there’s a disconnect between intent and execution that further lessens its impact.”
Live blog: Wednesday, July 30
Welcome to Mumbrella’s live blog, our daily roundup of what’s happening in media and marketing.
Top Stories:
- Opinion: Why Mumbrella won’t be heading to the Cannes Lions any more
- Mumbrella hangout with R/GA founder Bob Greenberg at 1pm
- Paramount Pictures apologises for combining ‘that artwork’ with September 11 opening date of Turtles film
- US media commentator Bob Garfield warns of grim future for journos, agencies and advertisers
- TV ratings: Ten’s new Jamie Oliver show finishes fifth in timeslot as X Factor wins prime time
4:22pm - If scam work entered into awards is innovative enough it can be ok for jurors to let it pass because it is showing the way forward, Bob Greenberg, co-founder of R/GA told Mumbrella during a live video hangout.
3:13pm - Mike Daniels from The Behavioural Architects is telling the MSiX audience about the intersection between psychology and advertising.
3.02pm – Adweek is reporting this BBR Saatchi & Saatchi print ad for Ford Israel contain an optical illusion. Can you see it?
2.29pm – Interesting piece on CNN asking if digital subscriptions to the New York Times might have peaked.
R/GA founder Bob Greenberg admits if scam work is innovative judges ‘let it pass’
Greenberg
If scam work entered into awards is innovative enough it can be ok for jurors to let it pass because it is showing the way forward, Bob Greenberg, co-founder of R/GA told Mumbrella during a live video hangout.
Greenberg took part in a live video hangout with Mumbrella today touching on a variety of topics including the future of the industry, the model behind the agency, his views on the future of wearable technology, and his view on award shows and scam advertising.
Greenberg was reflecting on his experiences as a juror at the Cannes Lions, where the Press category has been the subject of a Mumbrella investigation in recent weeks, noting “that the one thing we know about Cannes is that you can’t win without doing a sophisticated, complicated video”.
“Sometimes we even view, oddly enough, that something may not be real, it still may be very innovative and so we sort of give it a break sometimes based on that, not knowing whether or not its completely real and certainly the facts they are stating are questionable, but there’s a lot of innovation.
“If it’s really innovative, and it might have a bed of scam connected to it, we sort of let it pass,” he clarified. “It’s still showing the way forward.”
KFC promote re-vamped burger range with ’80s music inspired campaign
KFC is promoting its re-vamped burger range with campaign introducing two new burgers sets to iconic ’80s track ‘Oh Yeah’, best known for featuring in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Created by Ogilvy Sydney, the re-vamped range comes as a response to competitors growing their chicken burger ranges with the campaign aimed at reminding consumers that “there is only one place to get the best chicken burger around – KFC”.
Introducing the new Zinger Stacker, the ad is complete with shots of the burger from a variety of angles, before the camera pulls back to reveal a man has attached his seat to a crane like device to move himself around the burger.
Mumbrella hangout with R/GA founder Bob Greenberg
Greenberg
The founder of one of the most influential digital agencies in the world Bob Greenberg told Mumbrella during a live video hangout that “planning is controversial”, arguing planning insights have evolved beyond consumer insights.
He was interviewed by Mumbrella editor Alex Hayes and Mumbrella Asia editor Robin Hicks on a variety of topics including the future of the industry, the model behind the agency, his views on the future of wearable technology, and his view on award shows and scam advertising.
Responding to a question from social media around what talents R/GA looks for in planners specifically he said: “Planning is controversial. We went through different versions of planning and we think that the insight now has changed dramatically from being one that would be used for a storytelling, metaphorical commercial and again I’m not suggesting those are going to go away, I’m just suggesting they’re going to become less relevant. A really great planning insight together with great production is going to be a very successful commercial, that type of planning is still very relevant.
Another version of Leo Burnett’s ‘Bundy’ Lions entered Press ad ran in National Liquor News
Leo Burnett Sydney’s ‘Bundy’ ad celebrating Bundaberg Rum’s 125th anniversary appeared on the cover and as a double page spread of the November issue of trade press title National Liquor News, Diageo has confirmed.
‘Bundy’ as it appeared in the National Liquor News
Yesterday Mumbrella ran a comprehensive wrap up of where each entry into this year’s Cannes Lions Press category ran, with a search by Ebiquity showing a version of the ‘Bundy’ ad had run in the Courier-Mail last November.
However, the execution, and the one highlighted by Diageo, are subtly different from the execution which was entered for Cannes but failed to make the shortlist. Under the rules of the Lions entries must be submitted exactly as they ran in the media. Read more »
Don’t rely on marketing alone to solve a crisis, Vodafone marketing boss says
Marketing alone will not haul a struggling business off its knees, Vodafone’s chief marketing officer has said, after admitting that one of its own priorities to rebuild the embattled brand was to win over disgruntled staff.
Kim Clarke said Vodafone was beginning to get back on its feet after a turbulent period which saw the company become the least trusted brand in the sector.
Not only did public sentiment slump – and one million customers desert the network – but “our own people stopped believing in us”.
“That for me was telling,” Clarke told a room full of marketers yesteday .
Native advertising ‘incredibly controversial’, admits Forbes executive
Native advertising that is not clearly labelled risks destroying the long-held trust between reader and brand and amounts to nothing more than prostitution, media experts have warned.
A panel discussion at the Association of Data Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) conference heard yesterday that branded content can only work if it is made clear to the consumer that what they are reading or watching is not independent.
Forbes Media has embraced the native advertising model, and chief insights officer Bruce Rogers acknowledged that it was highly contentious when the company began to carry branded content.
“We knew it would be incredibly controversial and we were very careful,” he told delegates. “We picked our partners and our editors are not producing content, unlike other organisations. A marketing team assists in creating content. It was very important to introduce it in the right way because we knew it could make or break it if we did it wrong.” Read more »
Netflix insights head: CMOs must use gut instinct with data
US streaming giant Netflix’s consumer insight director Tim Donza today told a room of marketers how the best marketing decisions come about through the use of a combination of gut instinct and data analytics.
Speaking this morning at the ADMA Global Forum, Donza explained to the audience how just as the film industry had found the formula for successful film-making involved forging an emotional connection with people, marketers needed to find a way to connect their product to consumers “as people”.
“You should look for that emotion selling proposition,” said Donza. “Brands are looking to connect with people as people, on a deeper level and really forge that connection with the brand itself.” Read more »
Today Tonight report on Christian group breached TV code of practice rules ACMA
The media watchdog has ruled Channel Seven Sydney breached factual accuracy clauses of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice in a story on Today Tonight which portrayed a Christian organisation as having prayed over a dying woman rather than getting medical help.
An investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that in reporting on the death of a female member of a the ‘Bruderhof’ organisation after suffering a stroke, the community and the woman’s son were portrayed by Today Tonight to have treated her with prayer and hymn singing as a substitute for medical care.
The segment proceeded despite a Medical Tribunal inquiry reporting, shortly before the story went to air, that the dying woman was given sympathetic and competent medical treatment in the form of palliative care, and the doctor’s decision was motivated by his belief that his mother would have elected not to receive aggressive medical treatment.
Seven has said it is “disappointed” in the ruling.
The ACMA also found that the licensee breached the factual accuracy clause relating to the promotion of news or current affairs by claiming, in a promo for the program, that the Bruderhof ‘prayed…instead of seeking medical help.’
Forbes Insights boss: CMOs must focus on ‘hard’ not ‘soft’ KPIs
Bruce Rogers chief insights officer of US business giant Forbes Media has told a forum this morning that marketers must be focused and remunerated based on so-called “hard” metrics such as sales and revenue.
Speaking on day two of the ADMA Global Forum at the Hilton Hotel Rogers told the audience that it was those chief marketers who were working with key stakeholders such as the CFO who would have the most longevity in their roles.
“It’s not about brand measurement… its not about how many likes likes, shares, or followers it’s about revenue. What does the CEO care about? That’s what they care about,” said Rogers. Read more »
Jeep rolls out more Patriot and Compass ads
Jeep has followed up its a cliff spot with two new ads promoting the 2014 Patriot and the 2014 Compass.
Created by Cummins & Partners, the spots continue with the ‘bought a Jeep’ positioning.
The ad for the Patriot sees a primary school student talk about her family’s weekend away at a remote beach during show and tell to which a watching student whispers to his mate ‘they must have bought a Jeep’.
Media world ‘in chaos’ as journalism, publishing and agencies face grim future, according to US commentator
The future of traditional journalism, particularly at a regional level, is “fucked”, as are legacy publishers and even agencies, with all becoming obsolete in the digital age, according to a media commentator.
Veteran US journalist Bob Garfield painted a picture of near-armageddon with out of work journalists, a defunct advertising model and agencies who are no longer relevant.
He also had strong words for creatives who “like to give trophies to one another for their creative genius and parade like Tony the Tiger down Madison Avenue every Fall during ad week,” warning “if they think people love their ads they are sorely, tragically mistaken”.
Speaking at the Association of Data Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) conference in Sydney yesterday, Garfield, a columnist for Media Post, said the Internet has spawned “billions of journalists on the ground and camera phones in hand in search of a story”.
“I represent the last generation of journalists whose vocation was a handsome livelihood,” he told delegates.
Asked about the future for a 30-something journalist, he said: “You are fucked,” adding that a journalist friend with years of experience now waters plants in offices for a living. Read more »
Paramount Pictures apologises for combining ‘that artwork’ with September 11 opening date of Turtles film
Paramount Pictures has now apologised for a poster promoting the Australian release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on September 11 which featured the heroes falling from a New York skyscraper.
“We are deeply sorry to have used that artwork for the marketing materials promoting the September 11 opening in Australia,” said Paramount Australia in a statement. “Combining that image and date was a mistake. We intended no offense and have taken immediate action to discontinue its use.”
The poster, which was launched on Paramount Australia’s Twitter and Facebook pages yesterday evening drew immediate criticism on social media for its similarity to images from the Twin Towers attack in New York of September 11 2001. On both social media websites the poster for the film – set in New York – was uploaded with the comment: “Check out the official poster for #TMNTin cinemas September 11!”
Caltex aims to differentiate its Aussie roots with new brand campaign
Caltex is aiming to differentiate itself from its multinational giant fuel supplier competitors in a new campaign which looks at the various ways the product is used in Australia.
Created by Leo Burnett, the commercial is a montage of shots of different vehicles presumably running using Caltex fuel and ends on the tagline ‘One name moves more Australians than any other. Caltex, with you all the way”.
The Block: Glasshouse struggles to lift as Ten’s new Jamie Oliver show comes fifth in 7.30pm slot
The Block: Glasshouse failed to find a big lift last night after dropping below a million viewers against the finale of Masterchef on Monday night, coming second to Seven’s the X Factor in the 7.30pm ratings battle.
Nine’s returning reality show got 1.002m viewers, making it the sixth show of the night overall, while Seven’s singing contest pulled in 1.107m, but was still down on last week’s 1.16m viewers despite the absence of Masterchef from the timeslot.
Hamish & Andy’s South American Gap Year also suffered a drop last night for Nine from last week’s season high after being moved to the later 8.30pm timeslot, getting 987,000 metro viewers according to OzTam preliminary overnight ratings. However the show did top all the demographics ahead of The Block and X Factor.
In place of its coking show which finished on a high on Monday Ten ran Jamie Oliver’s new series Save with Jamie which got just 441,000 viewers at 7.30pm losing in the timeslot to SBS’ Who do You Think You Are, which saw 471,000 people tune in to see Richard Roxburgh’s family history. ABC’s 7.30 (651,000) and Foreign Correspondent (616,000) ensured Jamie was relegated to fifth place for the timeslot
Ten slipped back further still as the struggling second season of Under the Dome got just 399,000 viewers at 8.30pm after getting 522,000 last week, up against Hamish & Andy and Seven’s Winners and Losers which got 768,000, well down on last week’s 860,000. Read more »
Paramount Pictures removes controversial Australian 9/11 Ninja Turtles poster from social media
Paramount Pictures has tonight deleted from its Facebook and Twitter accounts its film poster for the opening of movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on September 11 which features its heroes falling from a burning New York skyscraper.
The poster was up for just a few hours but quickly drew social media comment about its apparent insensitivity, particularly as the film opens on the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US.
How Paramount Pictures tweeted the poster
Live blog: Tuesday, July 29
Welcome to Mumbrella’s live blog, our daily roundup of what’s happening in media and marketing. Top Stories:
- McDonald’s CMO says questions over Cannes winning work is ‘tall poppy syndrome’
- TV ratings: Masterchef’s finale outrates The Voice’s final
- Hercules pushes to the top of the box office in first weekend
- Opinion: Why Brandis’ leaked copyright plans won’t work
- Ten revenues hit a low of 20.1 per cent while Seven equals record share
- Publishers of New Philosopher launch new quarterly mag Womankind
7.10pm – It’s a tough job, but Ten’s amiable frontman Russel Howcroft is willing to do it…
Don’t miss @missworldaus14 Courtney Thorpe on @theprojecttv tonight at 6.30pm on @channelten #missworldaustralia pic.twitter.com/znHyiiv5y6
— Russel Howcroft (@howcroft) July 29, 2014
6pm - A poster for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which opens in Australia on September 11, has begun to create a stir on social media. It features the heroes of the film falling from a NY skyscraper as it explodes behind them.
4:20pm - Mumbrella will be hosting a hangout with Bob Greenberg, co-founder of digital agency R/GA at lunchtime tomorrow. Get ypur questions in via #askbobg and via the comment thread here. Read more »
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