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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 While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated.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.
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.
How reliable are radio ratings?
In this guest posting, Jason ‘Jabba’ Davis wonders how accurate radio ratings can be, since the data is collated from handwritten diaries.
So, the radio ratings season gets underway tomorrow. After a well-earned break, Australia’s commercial radio stations will renew their obsession with figures to see how many of us are listening. Are they winning or losing the ratings war?
The much feared radio survey is the only way to measure the success or failure of a station’s playlist, talent, promotions or even good old Black Thunder crosses. With six-figure salaries riding on the make-or-break nature of ratings, just how accurate are Australia’s radio survey results?
HSBC launches summer offensive with the line ‘Let’s Bankercise’
HSBC is hoping to get the phrase ‘Let’s Bankercise’ into the vernacular, with a summer campaign to encourage people to get their finances into shape.
In the campaign, created by JWT with media by MindShare, a ‘financial fitness instructor’ called Brick Phillipps, who has the “banking body of your dreams”, features in an online video series.
Liz Green to head MCM marketing
Former ABC publicist Liz Green is the new marketing and PR director of MCM Entertainment Group.
The new role will work across MCM Media, which produces entertainment properties including Take 40 Australia and TV show Live At The Chapel; video platform Movideo and digital agency Igloo.
Green spent nearly ten years with the ABC, most recently as digital communications marketing manager for ABC TV.
She joins the company after a period of turmoil which saw the chairman spilled after just months at the helm. The main point of contention was whether to continue investing in the promising but loss-making Movideo, or to focus on the profitable MCM Media. Founder Tony McGinn won his battle to continue the video push. Read more »
PHD wins $60m ANZ account
Strong rumours have reached Mumbrella that media agency PHD has won the account for banking giant ANZ after a head-to-head pitch against incumbent Mitchells.
Update: ANZ has confirmed the news, and issued the following statement:
ANZ today confirmed it has appointed PHD as its new global media agency responsible for media strategy and buying across all geographies and segments.
The account sees an Australian media spend of around $60m. If confirmed, it is the biggest win for PHD since the Omnicom-owned agency rebadged from Total Media just over three years ago. It would grow the agency’s annual billings to well over $300m.
ANZ was understood to be running the pitch in keeping with its ambitions to grow globally. Last year ANZ pitched its global creative account in a process led by the brand’s group managing director of strategy, M&A, marketing and innovation, Joyce Phillips, handing advertising duties to Whybins.
APN buys stake in digital start-up
APN News & Media has struck a deal with digital incubator Pollenizer that sees the company acquire 25% of Friendorse, a fledgling online recommendation business.
Tassie awards issues call to entries
The inaugural Tasmania Advertising & Design Awards – known as the TADAs – has issued a call for entries.
AdNews sees departure of fourth editor in three years
AdNews editor Darren Davidson is to leave the magazine after eight months at the helm.
The Australian said today that Davidson would be joining the newspaper as a business media writer in March.
Davidson is the title’s fourth editor to depart since 2009.
Davidson became editor of AdNews in May last year, inheriting the role from Danielle Long who was in the job for just over a year. Prior to Long, Matt Porter also edited the title for just over a year, following on from Andrea Sophocleous who left in February 2009.
Davidson’s appointment was one of several revealed by The Australian today. Also joining are KPMG demographer Bernard Salt, the AFR’s David Crowe, economist Adam Creighton and Adelaide reporter Sarah Martin.
Sandra Hook ousted as boss of News Limited’s magazine operation
Sandra Hook, boss of NewsLifeMedia, has become the second magazine company CEO in a matter of weeks to make an abrupt departure.
NewsLifeMedia, which recently rebadged from News Magazines, is the magazine and lifestyle arm of News Limited.
Hook’s departure comes just a month after Phil Scott, CEO of ACP, suddenly departed.
And the move is just weeks after she led the company rebrand.
An announcement from News Limited said: “The chief executive officer of News Limited, Mr Kim Williams, today announced the departure of NewsLifeMedia chief executive Sandra Hook who has decided to seek a new challenge.”
A statement from Hook said: “After nearly eight years with the business, through its evolution from FPC Magazines through News Magazines and now NewsLifeMedia, I have decided after a Christmas break it is time to look for a new challenge. Read more »
Magazines fall furthest in 2011 ad spend study
The print industry suffered the biggest drop in advertising spend in 2011, according to an independent adspend indexing firm.
Magazines saw the largest decline in adpsend, down 8.2% on 2010, with a total adspend of $433.6m, reports the Standard Media Index. This was followed by newspapers, down 7.3% on 2010, to $1.29bn.
Tennis Australia launches ad to get more people playing tennis
Tennis Australia has launched a new campaign featuring US Open champion Sam Stosur that encourages tennis watchers to become tennis players.
The TV spot goes to air on Seven and Fox Sports to coincide with coverage of the Australian Tennis Open, which attracted 9.4m viewers last year.
News Limited appoints Belinda Hickman-Newton editor in chief of Quest Newspapers
News Limited has appointed Belinda Hickman-Newton as editor in chief of Quest Newspapers.
Hickman-Newton has been promoted from assistant editor (features) of Brisbane’s The Sunday Mail.
She replaces former Quest editor in chief Neil Melloy, who took on the editorship of The Cairns Post last year – Hickman-Newton was previously assistant editor of The Cairns Post.
She was also formerly launch editor of U on Sunday, The Sunday Mail’s colour magazine which launched last year.
Boating industry chairman says he knew nothing about pro bono pitch after backlash
Vaux: Unaware of pitch
The chairman of Australia’s boating industry body has moved to distance the organisation from a pro bono pitch after a backlash from agencies objecting to being asked to work for free for an industry that claims to contribute $4bn a year to the Australian economy.
The comment thread on the news item was soon full of objections to agencies being asked to work for free, even if the organisation itself is not for profit.
Today, BIAA chairman Darren Vaux told Mumbrella that the initiative had been driven by the organisation’s Queensland organisation and he had not been aware of it. Read more »
Ro Markson behind PR agency launch: ‘We approach each brief as if there are no rules’
Publicist Ro Markson has been revealed as the brainchild of fledgling PR and activation firm AC Agency.
The agency has been operating under the radar for some months, and has picked up clients including Jenny Craig, Twinings, Confederation of Australian Motor Sports, Choice, Britex and most recently, consumer goods company SPC Ardmona.
Markson, the ex-wife of publicist Max Markson, left Photon Group-owned PR agency Mark Communications, an agency she founded and ran as CEO, in September 2010.
She has been joined at AC Agency by Matt Bailey, the former CEO of Photon Group, who part owns the agency and takes on the title of chairman.
Compare Travel Insurance wins Mumbrella’s Ad of the Month
An ad featuring a fat man, a dwarf and a chainsaw has won Mumbrella’s December Ad of the Month.
Created by agency Blow Communications, “Save Yourself from Risk” promotes the travel insurance-comparing website.
Mumbrellacast: The Jenny Craig PR disaster | The Gruen Olympics | Australia Day marketing | Making radio ads
Featuring Ralph van Dijk of Eardrum, Mumbrella editor-in-chief Tim Burrowes, Mumbrella managing editor Robin Hicks and producer Colin Delaney (56:37)
- Eardrum boss Ralph Van Dijk on taking radio ads to the rest of the world – 0:43
- Updating the radio ratings diary system – 9:02
- The Kyle Sandilands Jenny Craig debacle – 14:23
- Verdict on Rosso & Claire’s first days on air – 22:55
- The ad outlook for 2012 – Dan Johns – 25:03
- Gruen’s Olympic focus – 30:00
- Will Kekovich lead the countdown? – 32:55
- Spread Australia on your toast – 39:24
- The Hoff on Celeb Apprentice – 43: 36
- This American Life, the podcast to rule them all? – 48:53
Cricket Australia launches ad to push one-day tournament
Cricket Australia has released a campaign to promote the one-day tournament between Australia, India and Sri Lanka on February 5 – and encourage fans to come to matches wearing fancy dress.
According to Cricket Australia’s product brand manager Panayiota Samartzis, the campaign aims to “combat the negative perception of a cricket match being a place for beer-swigging louts”.
“We wanted to show the positives of summer cricket beyond the action on the field – the good times with friends, live entertainment and the ‘festival’ atmosphere in the stands, ” Samartzis said.
Warburton: Mott is the best
Ten CEO James Warburton has used his first public appearance to issue a vote of confidence in programming boss David Mott, describing him as “the best in the business”.
Speaking at the launch of Young Talent Time, Warburton used the event to signal that Mott is among the executives he wants to stay.
It follows his comments in an interview with The Daily Telegraph earlier in the month that there would be an announcement on executive departures.
(Update: Ten states that the Telegraph misquoted Warburton)
Tonight Warburton told the audience: “2012 is about returning us to the broadcasting fundamentals of ratings and revenue. Read more »
Matt Granfield joins Heritage Bank as marketing manager
Matt Granfield, the former head of digital strategy at Queensland agency Memery and author of HipsterMattic, has been appointed marketing manager of Heritage Bank.
Granfield’s brief is to bring the customer-owned bank’s People First proposition to life across all media.
Greenpeace uses real oil-covered dead birds in ads to warn of dangers of deep sea oil drilling
Greenpeace has launched a campaign attacking the New Zealand government’s decision to open its waters to deep-sea oil drilling.
The campaign features actual birds killed by the oil spilled from the MV Rena cargo ship, which was grounded in October. Oil prints of dead birds have been sent to celebrities and used as posters and in an online video.
The agency behind the campaign was Publicis Mojo Auckland.
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