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Opinion | Features
Can sport save Ten?
First there was the Grand Prix. Next came the reported $500m bid for cricket rights, then Ten secured the 2014 winter Olympics. So, can sport save the ailing network? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.The television sports rights bidding process is a bit like a game of poker.
Check, fold or bet. Those were the options for the Ten Network last week when it had to finalise its bid for the cricket rights.
Andy Lark: good for the marketing of marketing
I can still remember the first story I wrote about Andy Lark, when it emerged that he was to be the new chief marketing officer of CommBank.
It was immediately clear that Australia was about to meet an interesting marketer, one who blogged and tweeted and thanks to his time at Dell in the US was digitally savvy. Even two years ago, that was a big deal. The fact that he also had a stint in public relations gave him an absolutely intriguing background before he even arrived.
Storming the media barricades - advice for young journalists
This week Mumbrella’s Nic Christensen, who began his career four years ago, gave the keynote address to would-be journalists at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s Student Day. This is an edited version of his speech.Good afternoon, I can remember distinctly the last time I was in this room.
It was 2009 and I was sitting where you are. I’d come to this event, a friend and myself — from memory we sat up the back — and I can remember at the time wondering if I’d ever get a job as a journalist.
It was only four years ago and then as now getting a job was ultra competitive but I’m not sure there was quite as much media ‘doom and gloom’ as there is now…
Paywalls will help fund campaigning journalism
In this guest post, News Limited’s group editorial director Campbell Reid responds to the views of ninemsn’s Hal Crawford that the company’s push into metered paywalls is about data rather than dollars.Hal Crawford is both right and wrong in his article which argued that our digital subscription plans are all about the data.
Fake it 'til you make it... as a features editor
Cosmo’s Kate Leaver tells us how to bluff it in her job in a feature that first appeared in Encore.What do you do, as a features editor?
Really, play with words and ideas all day. At any one time, we’re working across three issues of the mag – getting one on its way to the printers, pooling all the words together for another, and planning the issue after that. It’s busy but it’s a pretty magnificent process.
Savage counsel - JFDI
Hi Chris,I run a medium-sized agency that is doing pretty well. As the leader, I am finding my workload just seems to go up and up. I am struggling to stay motivated and particularly to tackle the bigger and tougher challenges I have to face every day. How do I keep up the energy when there just seems so much to do? How do you do it?
Productive, successful executives are those able to consistently tackle difficult and big challenges. It’s a constant struggle for me so I know how you feel. How do the successful leaders do it?
Q&A with Brett Clegg
Brett Clegg, group director – business media, Fairfax Media, in a Q&A that first appeared in Encore, on the journo who refuses to work with him – his wife.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Hard to go past Rupert Murdoch. He controls the single largest and most diverse portfolio and is intent on leveraging its scale (and, of course, influence). He’s an innovator and his will to win is obvious to all.
The experiential experience
Anyone can throw up a tent in a high-traffic area and harass the general public, but what does it take to pull off an effective experiential event? In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Matt Smith investigates.A television commercial can easily be muted and ignored, but try ignoring a purring, squirming cat in your arms. That was the experience awaiting passers by in Sydney’s Martin Place in October last year when Mars Petcare built Whiskas Kitten Palace.
The News Limited paywall isn't about revenue. It's about data
In this guest post, ninemsn’s editor in chief Hal Crawford argues Fairfax Media and News Limited’s new paywalls won’t draw much revenue, but will generate data. And they’re late to the data party.When I first learned that ninemsn’s major digital competitors Fairfax and News Ltd were going to introduce paywalls across their mainstream properties, I was excited.
Every obstacle thrown in the way of their audiences is an opportunity. People hate friction and anything that makes life difficult on a rival site is a chance to get them on yours.
Is this the worst time to be a journalist?
With scores of redundancies in 2012 and a mass exodus of experienced journos, is this the worst time to be a journalist? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen asks the question.In June last year a tsunami of redundancies began to sweep across Australia’s media landscape. They came in a series of waves and in the 12 months that followed, an estimated 1,200 journalists departed the mainstream media.
Are you a conscious leader?
As the advertising and marketing industry struggles to address the issue of rocketing rates of staff churn in their businesses, Slingshot CEO Simon Rutherford argues that today’s ‘conscious leaders’ should be more focussed on creating ‘staff wellness’ in order to deliver high performing teams and healthy profits.
A conscious leader believes the business has a greater responsibility towards the community it operates in. To ensure sustainable long-term profits, people must come first. Awareness, trust, authenticity, transparency, 100% responsibility, connection, compassion, and love: these are the tools of the conscious leader.
Suits: less popular than pest controllers
Advertising suits have a thankless job that is currently being eroded by the changing industry says Naren Sanghrajka in a piece that first appeared in Encore.Not in my wildest, craziest nightmares would I ever have thought I’d say this. But I’m going to. Being a bean counter is far more appealing than starting as a suit in advertising. There it is. I said it. I actually said those words.
Yes, it’s incredibly depressing. But it’s true.
An answer for Adam: What's the future for creatives?
Each fortnight, Adam Ferrier poses a question to the industry. This week, he asks about the future of the creative.
Who or what is a creative? It’s an old thought, but as I continue on my merry journey in advertising I wonder if there is a role for a ‘creative’ and if there is, what that role is?
In the world of film and TV there is not a ‘creative’. There is a director, a writer, a producer, a DOP and so on. From this mix the creativity happens. But no-one is charged with being ‘the creative’.
Australian films stand on their own merit
The argument that Australian audiences only embrace local films once they’ve picked up a gong at an international festival is inherently flawed says Lee Zachariah in a piece that first appeared in Encore.As much as we like to pretend that we collectively fulfil the world’s need for a country comprised entirely of laid-back, mellow beach dwellers, we do seem to get disproportionately excited when someone else mentions us. Our cool exterior drops away as our local news bulletins breathlessly report that CNN or the BBC or really anyone in one of the ‘real countries’ acknowledged our existence.
We feel detached from the world, and therefore crave its validation.
The vindication of Paul Fishlock
Wow.You may have noticed that not much went up on Mumbrella over the last couple of hours.
That’s because I’ve been reading the judge’s findings in Paul Fishlock’s case against The Campaign Palace.
I’d always known that agencyland can be a brutal place. But the picture of the cynical, ego-driven, unsentimental world that comes through in the findings of Justice John Sacker is something else. I recommend you take the time to read it yourself.
The reputation of Young & Rubicam’s global creative director Tony Granger certainly takes a battering in my view. The word “bully” is a hard one to come back from.
And former Campaign Palace CEO Mark Mackay comes across as someone you might think twice about either hiring or working for, based on the evidence presented. The judge calls him contemptuous of both Granger and Fishlock.
Celebrity Splash finds a decent audience
Celebrity Splash may have been derided by the critics, but its debut was a hit for the Seven network last night, with a capital city audience of 1.315m according to preliminary overnight ratigns from OzTAM.
The show – fronted by Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies – saw celebrities such as Brynne Edelsten and Housos creator Pauly Fenech take part in a diving contest. Read more »
Media agency Digital Stars revealed
Yahoo!7 has unveiled the five winners of its 2013 Digital Stars program who will be getting VIP trips to June’s Mumbrella360 conference and the Mumbrella Awards dinner on June 6.
Gunadi
Berry
Hamzic
Langenfeld
Minchin
The contest, in its second year, was open to new talent working within Australia’s media agencies.
The winners are: Read more »
Mumbrella360 – last chance for earlybird price
The last chance to attend Mumbrella360 with a $600 discount expires at the end of today.
Anyone who books before the close of business will be able to attend both days of the conference for the price of $1,199, a one third discount on the full price of $1,799.
The event – moderated by 2UE and Sky News presenter Paul Murray – takes place at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney on June 5 and 6.
Twitter’s global brand champion Melissa Barnes
Coles CMO McDowell
It features keynotes with Coles chief marketing officer Simon McDowell interviewed on stage by Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes about the brand’s transformation; and the first Australian appearance by Twitter with global head of brand and agency advocacy Melissa Barnes opening the second day.
A new feature for Mumbrella360 – which was last year named conference of the year at the Australian Event Awards – will be a series of case study joint presentations of brand success stories by marketers and their partner agencies. Already announced case studies include the rebranding of Virgin Australia, the launch of Cadbury’s Joyville and AAMI’s Rhonda and Ketut romance.
Also new will be a series of Ten Minute Talks where experts on culture and trends, entertainment, PR, social media and marketing give a series of cutting edge insights.
Sessions already announced include a presentation from Naked Communications on how technology can be used to solve a real brief from client Unilever.
PHD’s strategy director Chris Stephenson will discuss gamification’s implications for the marketing world.
Nine Entertainment Co’s CEO David Gyngell
Group M chairman John Steedman
And Group M chairman John Steedman will interview Nine Entertainment Co CEO David Gyngell live on stage.
Meanwhile NIDA will offer a masterclass in presentation skills.
Other topics being covered include the psychology of marketing disasters, and the rise of marketing fads.
There will also be a showcase of the best creative work from across Asia Pacific.
The four streams on the first day and three streams on the second day are designed to ensure that regardless of which part of the media, marketing and entertainment industry people work within, they can build themselves a full program which will be relevant and entertaining.
More details of the conference including how to book can be found on the Mumbrella360 website.
Iron Man rockets to the top of the box office
Marvel’s third instalment of the Iron Man franchise has comprehensively taken out the top spot of the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia weekend box office.
The Walt Disney-distributed film made $14,090,713 on its debut weekend in Australia on 631 screens in both 2D and 3D. It also took out the highest average taking for a screen, with more than $22,000.
Starring Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce, Iron Man 3 has made more than its predecessor The Avengers, which took more than $13m on its opening weekend. Read more »
Adrian McCaffrey new St George Bank marketing boss
St George Bank has appointed Adrian McCaffrey as its new head of marketing, brand and planning after the departure of his predecessor to Singapore. Read more »
Kid hits the road with Expedia
A young adventurer heads off to see the world in the new Expedia campaign created by DDB.
Two ads, running at 30 and 60 seconds, made their debut on TV yesterday and the “out there, starts here” campaign will be rolled out across cinema, tablet and mobile, outdoor, and online.
McDonald’s brings in the Chickens
McDonald’s is promoting its range chicken products through 20 people with the surname Chicken.
Created by DDB New Zealand, the TV, radio, online, and outdoor advertising is used to spruik the new McSpicy Chicken Burger as well as its range of burgers and nuggets.
Kia campaign highlights the ‘uncomfortable moments’
Car maker Kia has launched a new television campaign for its Cerato built around the idea of avoiding life’s “uncomfortable moments”.
The first ad, which is one of three to be rolled out in coming weeks, features a couple on a date when the male receives a call from a woman who he is meeting later.
Rather than reacting badly the woman in the car says they’ll skip desert in order for him to make his 10pm date.The ad finishes with the tagline: “So many features, there’s never an uncomfortable moment.” Read more »
Twitter to make first Australian public appearance at Mumbrella360
Melissa Barnes, global head of brand and agency advocacy at Twitter, is to make the first Australian public address by the social network at Mumbrella360.
It is the first time anyone from the micro-blogging giant has appeared at a major conference in the Australian market. Twitter made its first Australian hires earlier this year.
Barnes will discuss how brands and agencies can more effectively engage with Twitter and use the service as apart of a marketing strategy. The keynote, to take place at the beginning of the second day of the conference, will include time for audience questions.
Barnes, who is based in San Francisco, was formerly senior vice president at Fleishman-Hillard where she led the New York consumer digital team. Read more »
Vodafone couple says it by SMS
Vodafone has rolled out the third instalment of its campaign targeting 20somethings through a soon-to-be-married couple.
The latest ad features the loved-up couple arguing who is going to hang up first before boyfriend, “Steven”, rapidly ends the call when he is joined at the pub by his mates.
University of Melbourne launches new media site The Citizen
The Centre for Advancing Journalism has this morning launched a new online media site The Citizen, which is centred around the idea partnering professional journalists with citizen and student journalists.
The project is being lead by journalism academic Margaret Simons who will serve as editor-in-chief while the site itself is edited by veteran journalist Simon Mann, who was previously a senior reporter with The Age.
Simons, who is director of Centre for Advancing Journalism and an occasional contributor to newsletter Crikey, said: “This is the start of something and it will grow, increase and hopefully make a positive contribution.” Read more »
James Warburton tipped to be the new boss of the V8s
Warburton: New V8s boss?
The former CEO of Channel Ten James Warburton is set to be the new boss of the V8 Supercars, reports The Australian Financial Review.
According to the newspaper Warburton, who was fired by the board of Ten in February, has been “lined up” by the majority shareholder in the V8s, private equity firm Archer Capital, to take over as CEO of the motor sport.
David Malone, the CEO of the V8s stepped down two weeks ago after only 15 months in the role. The paper quotes sources close to the sport saying: “(Warburton) was the only candidate for the top job and expected the appointment to be confirmed within the fortnight.” Read more »
Home and Away has better writing than most Aussie films says Packed to the Rafters creative
One of Australian TV’s biggest creative forces has labelled the Australian film industry a “tarty old hooker who used to be a high-class call girl”.
Bevan Lee made the scathing comments in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, saying filmmakers create “dull little films” about their “dull little lives,” adding they’re still riding on the coattails of successes such as Muriel’s Wedding which was 19 years ago.
“I compare the Australian film industry with a tarty old hooker who used to be a high-class call girl,” he told the newspaper. “I have seen better writing in half an hour of Home and Away than I’ve seen in a lot of our movies.” Read more »
My Kitchen Rules winner announcement approaches 3m viewers
The winner announcement for Seven’s My Kitchen Rules delivered a metro audience of 2.952m according to preliminary ratings.
In a night that belonged to Seven, the launch of new drama A Place To Call Home rated 1.768m according to OzTAM. However, the preliminary numbers may be amended – although the published start time of A Place To Call Home was 8.30pm, MKR ran until 8.44pm, possibly boosting the initial reported numbers for the drama.
The main MKR grand final show averaged 2.154m.
Nine’s The Voice rated 1.975m.
It was a much slower night for Ten. Read more »
Get Up! skewers Rinehart over Ferguson lawsuit
It might sound like Adele but it’s not probably not the Adele you were expecting.
Activist group Get Up has posted a YouTube video in which they rework well known singer Adele’s song ‘Someone like you’ and instead fronts the video with the face of Fairfax business journalist Adele Ferguson.
The video called “Someone (Else) To Sue” chastises mining magnate Gina Rinehart over her attempts to force journalist Adele Ferguson into revealing her sources by suing her in court.
The song, which highlights how Rinehart is also a major shareholder in Ferguson’s employer Fairfax, includes the chorus lyrics: “Bugger off and find someone else to sue. I was just doing what a journo is meant to do. My source will always be protected, as they always expected. Sometimes it works to sue but sometimes you comes undone.” Read more »
Kleenex launch new ‘Share the Softness’ campaign
Kleenex will this Sunday launch a new campaign aimed at reminding consumers about the softness of their tissues and the emotional connection they have with tissues.
The campaign is built around the idea of ‘share the softness’ and invites consumers to promise an act of softness for a loved one via a virtual ‘wall of softness’ on the Kleenex website.
“The Kleenex brand is more than just Australia’s softest tissue, it’s a brand that cares about bringing softness to the lives of consumers,” said Jane McGlinchey Kleenex’s marketing manager.
As part of the campaign Kleenex has enlisted media personality Deborah Hutton, Marion Grasby from Masterchef and Shaynna Blaze from Selling Houses Australia, to feature in three 30 second television commercials sharing their personal pledges. Read more »
Students to get free places at Mumbrella360 MGrad Project again
Mumbrella will again be providing 100 free places for students thinking of working in the media and marketing industry to attend a stream of tailored content at Mumbrella360.
The full day’s MGrad program, taking place on the second day of the June 5 and 6 conference, is again being sponsored and curated by WPP’s media division Group M.
The content is aimed at second and final year graduate students.
Successful students will also be able to attend to opening keynote of the second day, along with Mumbrella Question Time which closes the conference.
The rest of the day will see presentations from some of the most senior staff within Group M and WPP explaining how the industry works. Read more »
Monster truck for bridezilla in new Vodafone ad
Vodafone’s engaged couple have returned in a second ad for the struggling telco, this time to promote the fact that customers can be sent text alerts to warn them about how much data they have left in their package.
The characters were first introduced in an ad acknowledging Vodafone’s poor reputation for connection problems and offering a cancellation guarantee to new customers.
The new “no data dramas” ad by Ogilvy sees the fiance and his friends discussing the best wedding vehicle and settling on a monster truck.
A hallmark of recent Ogilvy work has been the creation of characters whose story is told across a series of ads, most notably the romance of Rhonda and Ketut for AAMI insurance. Read more »
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