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Opinion
The keyboard warrior of Twitter
In this guest post, NBN staffer Scott Rhodie writes an unofficial, personal view on his experience with a hostile Twitter critic.Last night I had a strange incident. While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated. I wrote a small note back explaining they were incorrect.
And their response? The lovely gentleman (whose Twitter profile says: ‘Father of 5 kids, Loving Grandfather of 10 Grandchildren,and 2 Great Granddaughters. love to give heaps to Pollies and Poofters’) said to me: “Go and lick Gillards C*** out U commie Prick”
What's in a name?
In this guest post, Moensie Rossier wonders about the power of names for brands and marketers.
Brands have been having a bit of fun with names lately, not to mention a fair bit of success. Interbrand just named a headhunting firm Cloak & Dagger. And ‘Share a Coke’ showed how much power there is in a name.
The Coke campaign effectively short-circuited the usual mechanics of communication. It undoubtedly stroked people’s egos. But, I believe, its success stems from the fact that it directly and automatically affected people’s behaviour, rather than doing so indirectly by shaping attitudes.
Best ads from Super Bowl 2012
The Super Bowl is all done and a team from North America won. But as well as some sort of sporting event, it’s the world’s biggest advertising showcase. See the best of them right here… and please tell us what you think.
How to debunk media myths
In this post, UWS’s Ullrich Ecker, John Cook and Stephen Lewandowsky argue that cognitive science can help PRs form strategies in managing media misreporting.
A growing cohort of commentators has bemoaned the descent of contemporary political “debate” into a largely fact-free zone.
How about simply focusing on what consumers want?
In this guest post, Peter Mountford argues that brands should think more about what is really going on for consumers
Who here is hoping their favourite brand of toilet paper is going to be organizing a flash mob on their way home from work today?
What the Optus web copyright victory means
In this analysis first published on The Conversation, RMIT’s Marita Shelly examines the implications of Telstra’s defeat over the online rights to the AFL broadcast deal
This week’s Federal Court ruling that Optus customers are able to view sporting matches minutes after they are streamed live without breaching copyright is a landmark decision that alters our understanding of copyright law, and has significant implications for the AFL’s broadcasting rights deal.
Does Gina Rinehart’s bite of a chunk of Fairfax make her an oligarch?
In an article that first appeared in The Conversation, Mark Rolfe wonders whether the mining magnate’s move could turn Fairfax into something resembling America’s Fox network.
Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has moved to increase her stake in Fairfax Media, owner of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and a number of radio stations. Rinehart has already shown her desire to play a role in public life, campaigning against former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s aborted mining tax. She has also demonstrated a willingness to make media investments to ensure her pro-business worldview is promulgated.
What does this latest move by Rinehart mean?
Gillard's Australia Day crisis
PM Julia Gillard’s media adviser Tony Hodges has been forced to resign over the Australia Day tent embassy debacle.
It came after it emerged he had revealed opposition leader Tony Abbott’s whereabouts, leading to both politicians being rescued by police in ugly scenes.
Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes and advertising practitioner Jane Caro debate the topic on Weekend Sunrise’s masters of Spin segment:
The biggest cock-up I made in business
In this guest post, Chris Savage urges agency staff to live the brand.I still shudder when I think about how incredibly stupid I was when I made the biggest stuff up of my career. And then, 18 years later, I did it again. Do not make this mistake with your clients. Ever.
Hey Groupon. Thanks for fucking up email
In this guest post, Daniel Monheit warns that group deal overload is devaluing email marketingEmail marketing used to be fabulous. Back in the heady days of 2010, brands would work hard to build up well qualified databases, upon which they’d bestow carefully crafted correspondence filled with information, offers and incentives. The recipients, of course would be delighted: “Oh look! An email! From one of my favourite brands! And it’s 40 cents off at Woolies this week!”.
The staggering sway of Harold Mitchell
The Power Index today names Aegis Media chairman Harold Mitchell as the most powerful person in Melbourne. Andrew Crook profiles him.
Harold Mitchell takes pride in dispensing with the niceties. When The Power Index visited his South Melbourne private office before Christmas, fresh remains were scattered all over the boardroom table.
Share a Coke with… the moronic masses
The most-read story on Mumbrella last year, with not far off 100,000 page views, was a fairly humdrum yarn about the launch of Coca-Cola’s name-on-a-bottle campaign.The headline, “Coca-Cola puts people’s names on bottles in ‘Share a Coke’ campaign”, though hated by any self-respecting sub-editor, was loved by Google. And in rushed what can be politely described as the public.
Assumptions kill creativity
In this guest post, Gual Barwell disagrees that the sales success of the Old Spice social media campaign was overstated.Yesterday’s post from Cathie McGinn suggested the Old Spice campaign failed to connect with consumers. Based on the facts and figures, I disagree.
What Old Spice and Wieden + Kennedy has done and done phenomenally well is to create a franchise.
The SMH's readers (are wrong) editor
We are now about five months into the reign of Australia’s first readers’ editor. And I don’t think it is working.
It struck me at the time of Judy Prisk’s appointment to the Sydney Morning Herald that the fact that her boss was editor-in-chief Peter Fray was not going to be ideal if she was going to be the independent voice of the reader.
The emperor's new fragrance: Old Spice’s campaign failure
In this guest post, Cathie McGinn slays a sacred cow of 21st century marketing – the highly awarded Old Spice campaign.One of the biggest myths of recent times (by which I mean a story of great heroism and triumph we’d all like to believe but deep down know to be untrue) is the Old Spice social media campaign. It’s been much lauded and awarded as an example of outstanding content, a creative and collaborative way of connecting with consumers and driving a record increase in sales.
30 Seconds TV audience falls away
Viewer interest in adland comedy 30 Seconds appears to have significantly faded, according to weekly ratings figures for pay TV.
The first episode of the show – created by Three Drunk Monkeys founders Justin Drape and Scott Nowell and Prodigy’s Tim Bullock – was the 20th most watched on subscription television that week with an average audience of 38,000.
But a fortnight later, according to an analysis of the last week prepared by the Seven network, the Comedy Channel show no longer even makes the top 100, meaning it had less than 19,000 viewers per screening.
However, it should be noted that the Comedy Channel does not come as part of the basic pay TV package, so not all subscription TV viewers would have access to it. And that data does not include repeat screenings on Comedy Channel +2.
Last night the Comedy Channel screened the first three episodes of 30 Seconds together as a catch-up. And the show also picked up some welcome publicity with co-star Stephen Curry talking it up on Rove on Ten.
The most watched pay TV show of last week was the Crime & Investigation channel’s The Winchester Assassination which investigated the 1989 murder of ACT police chief Colin Winchester. It rated 68,000 viewers.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:29 am
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Comments
28 Sep 09
11:18 am
Unless I’m off the pace Tim Bullock works with Prodigy Films, not Revolver as stated above in your story… Certainly the Toyta ad he just directed – featuring elsewhere on this blog – is credited that way.
28 Sep 09
11:42 am
You’re never off the pace, Mr Zerhut… now corrected – ta
28 Sep 09
12:30 pm
30 seconds problem is that it isn’t funny.
28 Sep 09
1:51 pm
I agree , the laughs just dont come often enough or hard enough. I’ve watched all three but recently with growing reluctance. Still a worthy effort as it does get across the pointlessness of the majority of what goes on in agencies. I’m hoping it will improve based on some deeper exploration of the lead characters who are still cardboard cut outs. Not holding my breath though.
28 Sep 09
5:59 pm
Yes unfortunately I’m still waiting to find the funny. It doesn’t help that none of the characters are remotely likable. I really really wanted to like 30 Seconds.
29 Sep 09
11:13 am
Sadly, 30 Seconds is even more disposable than the average 30 second spot.
If you really want a laugh on Monday nights at 8.30pm, try Gavin & Stacey on UKTV.
29 Sep 09
2:29 pm
Unfortunately with such a funny subject matter, this story falls so flat it’s not funny. To use a comparison, imagine a documentary about WWF that failed to make someone laugh – that would ultimately just be sad.
Hey Hey It’s Saturday was funnier.
29 Sep 09
2:30 pm
Sorry, *WWE….
Slight difference.
29 Sep 09
3:30 pm
I concur, I tried to love 30 seconds and even saved it on IQ to ensure I do not miss it. After 3 episodes, I am rapidly turning off it. If I do not find the latest episode remotely funny, it is gone!
30 Sep 09
11:29 am
I don’t usually respond to such reporting but your analysis of 30 SECONDS’ performance is inaccurate and incomplete, although considering your source of information (Ch7), it’s no surprise.
I won’t bore you with the critical acclaim this show has already received, as I’m sure you’re already aware, I’ll just give you the facts.
Firstly, you mention the first episode averaging 38,000. In fact, it’s average audience for the 8.30pm premiere was 49,000, plus an additional 12,000 tuned in at 10.30pm on Comedy +2.
Secondly, let me re-introduce you to a concept with which I am sure you are already familiar. It’s called ‘Time Shifted Viewing’, and it is the way content is consumed these days.
Unlike the commercial networks Foxtel is all about choice – the choice to watch what you want, when you want.
Based on that philosophy, our viewers have FOUR opportunities to watch 30 SECONDS each week, Monday 8.30pm, Monday 10.30pm, Sundays 7.00pm and Sunday’s 9pm.
We therefore look at a cumulative audience as a measure of a show’s success and not the individual outings.
Total numbers to date:
Ep 1 – 100,124 Average Audience
Ep 2 – 73,984 Average Audience
Ep 3 – 71,234 Average Audience
Despite a small drop from launch (as expected), we consider this show a huge success, and have the numbers to prove it is holding up strongly and consistently.
Also, FYI, in some cases the Sunday screening out rates the Monday night, as does the Comedy +2 channel out rate the main channel.
And finally, if that’s not all, there’s also the IQ factor.
Foxtel has experienced extraordinary uptake of the IQ, clearly demonstrating that people are now watching from their recorders – at a time that is convenient, not a time that is dictated by programmers.
Early research suggests that scripted content and serialised dramas are mostly subjected to IQ recording.
The good news is that come November/December, time shifted viewing will be measured as part of the ratings system and everyone will finally get the real facts on show performance.
We would therefore expect a significant increase in the numbers above.
As a personal supporter and commissioner of creative works I urge you to tread carefully in your reporting of a show’s success, especially in this current fragmented media landscape.
Considering our business is based on perception, you have a very powerful role. If we fail to support these shows and give viewers all the facts, then we may bring about a shows demise prematurely.
Do you recall a little show called Seinfeld? Well they said it would never work.
Alex Ristevski
General Manager – The Comedy Channel & 111 HITS
30 Sep 09
11:36 am
The above comment was originally by email to me from Alex, and I’m reproducing it here with his permission.
While every point he makes is valid, and accurate, the numbers that Mumbrella usually uses are the overnight, headline 5-city metro OzTam figures.
These do not take into account time shuifted viewing or regional audiences.
While this gives an imperfect picture, it does provide somethign of a yardstick. Clearly if a show was the 20th most watched one week, and slipped out of the top 100 the next, there has been a shift, regardless of whether we are talking about audiences of 38,000 or 100,000.
And as I’ve mentioned before, it’s still a good show.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
11 Oct 09
4:10 pm
Alex, your reply was too long and even though it says ‘I wont bore you’ obviously you have. Also, your underlying tone of facetious arrogance is very unprofessional and makes me thankful that I’m not subscribed to the comedy channel.
11 Oct 09
4:10 pm
Also, how dare you put Seinfeld anywhere near the ball park of thirty seconds???