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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 While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated.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?
Melbourne becomes Australia’s biggest radio market as Sandilands effect sends Sydney backwards
Sydney no longer holds the crown as Australia’s biggest radio market, with one factor behind the change being the commercial reverberations of the Kyle Sandilands controversy.
The Melbourne market has overtaken Sydney for only the second time in recent years, Commercial Radio Australia data on adspend for January released this afternoon has revealed.
Last month saw ad spend in the Melbourne market rise by 6.07% on January 2011 to $13.729m.
Meanwhile the Sydney market fell by 0.15% to $13.689m.
One factor behind the change was the continuing woes of 2Day FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show, which is Sydney’s top rating FM breakfast show.
Although the show is a relatively small part of the overall market, the value of advertising pulled from the show since Sandilands’ controversial comments late last year is significantly larger than the $40,000 dollar difference between the markets, meaning the row made the difference between Sydney losing its crown. Read more »
Aussie rock band seeks legal counsel after Super Bowl ad song apes its own
An Australian music act is seeking legal advice after an ad that ran during the Super Bowl featured music similar to one of the band’s songs.
The John Butler Trio was made aware by its fans through social media that the melody to a Oikos Greek yoghurt ad was very similar to the band’s song Zebra.
The ad features Full House actor John Stamos getting headbutted.
Nine’s Mornings debuts just over 100,000 – but loses to Seven’s The Morning Show
Nine revealed its new-look morning show – simply called Mornings – yesterday, and pulled in just over 100,000 viewers for its first outing.
Hosted by Sonia Kruger and David Campbell, Mornings rated with 104,000 – not quite enough to reach Seven’s timeslot leader The Morning Show which received 166,000 viewers, according to preliminary reports from Oztam.
The new show did however beat Ten’s The Circle, which rated 51,000.
Ten agencies line up for pro bono boating industry pitch
A pro bono pitch held by the boating industry has received submissions from ten interested agencies.
The pitch, held by Queensland Marine, the state’s boating industry body, was called last month.
The Boating Industries Alliance of Australia, the industry body that oversees Queensland Marine, declined to reveal the identities of the agencies involved.
One agency that expressed interest early on was Splash Media Design.
Samsung appoints ex-Lion Nathan marketer Arno Lenior to run marketing
Samsung Australia has appointed a new marketing director.
Arno Lenior, a former Lion Nathan marketer, joins as marketing director, corporate.
At Lion Nathan, he was marketing director of premium brands and innovation, and was behind campaigns such as Boag’s ‘Pure Waters’ and Speight’s ‘Great Beer Delivery’.
He replaces Lambro Skropidis, who left the company in December last year.
Retail marketing agency Retail-X launches in Australia
A new retail marketing agency has launched with offices in Sydney and Melbourne – and 25 staff.
The new agency is backed by three owners, Robbie Robertson and Alex Ritchie, the founders of experiential design consultancy e2, and former client-side retailer Sarah Cave.
Cave, who has worked at Vodafone, Tom Tom and Sainsbury’s, will run the agency as MD.
Among the 25 staff – 6 in Melbourne, 19 in Sydney – are interior designers, graphic designers, merchandisers and client service people, with experience on brands including Google, Tarocash, Commonwealth Bank and ACP Magazines.
The agency would not reveal the identity of its founding client.
Public trust in media rises but most think government is lying
Public trust in the Australian media has increased significantly, while trust in the Government has fallen, a survey published today by PR agency Edelman suggests.
According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, confidence in the media to do the right thing has risen from 32% last year to 43% this year. At the same time, trust in the Government to do the right thing has declined from 52% to 47%.
Whereas a year ago, the gap between public trust in media and government was 20%, it is now just 4%.
Domain highlights horrors of Saturday home buyer battles
The drama of the Saturday home inspection, where couples compete against one another for their dream home, sets the scene in a new ad for Domain by Whybin\TBWA\Tequila Sydney.
The Brand Agency buys digital agency Market United
Perth’s The Brand Agency has acquired highly regarded digital agency Market United.
The acquisition will see The Brand Agency’s staff numbers in its Perth office rise to 95, and the company now claims to have Perth’s largest digital arsenal. STW owns 80% of The Brand Agency.
Market United will be absorbed into The Brand Agency and the resource used across its offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.
A statement from The Brand Agency MD Steve Harris, sent to Mumbrella, read:
Aegis Media launches innovation unit Jumptank, hires Justin Baird from Google
Media buying group Aegis has launched a business unit designed to drive innovation within the group.
Jumptank will service the clients of Aegis agencies Mitchells, Carat, MPG and the newly relaunched Vizeum, as well as the agencies themselves, with advice on products, technology, client service, campaign activity and pitching.
The unit will be run by Kristian Barnes, who was formerly group MD of MPG and Media Contacts and is the founder and owner of YoungGuns, as chief commercial officer.
A major new signing for Jumptank is Justin Baird, who joins as group innovation director from Google, where he held the role of innovationist.
Beauty Mate tells men: Punch above your weight
Male grooming brand Beauty Mate has launched a campaign based on the premise that its products help men to ‘Punch above your weight’.
The TV campaign, created and produced by Big Dog Creative, is an edited version of an online video launched last year.
Phil Whitehouse appointed to run DTDigital Sydney
Phil Whitehouse, the digital strategy director of London-based agency The Team, has been appointed by DTDigital to run its new Sydney office.
Whitehouse joins the agency as general manager.
Brian Vella, MD of DTDigital, said: “When we launched DT Digital Sydney last month our commitment was to hit the ground running with a strong and credible team aligned under one leadership structure. Phil’s appointment is the first step towards fulfilling this commitment and he takes the helm of the Sydney team with a raft of operational and strategic background experience to his credit.”
Tourism Victoria appoints OBM Advertising as fast turn-around agency
Tourism Victoria has appointed Melbourne-based OBM Advertising to handle fast turn-around work after a pitch that involved almost 50 contenders.
The agency of 27 staff, which also has an office in Brisbane, lands a contract that will initially run for four years, starting January 1 2012.
According to a statement from Tourism Victoria, OBM Advertising will handle projects that are “boutique in scope, cost-effective and require fast turn-around times.”
The news comes four months after the tourism body awarded its big brand business to Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, ending an 18-year relationship with Publicis Mojo.
New Australian news site Global Mail launches
One of the world’s best funded independent journalism projects today launched in Australia.
The Global Mail is the brainchild of former ABC journalist and Media Watch presenter Monica Attard.
It has been funded at around $3m-$4m per year by philanthropist Graeme Wood. Read more »
BD Network brings Brit strategy chief Lee Barber to Melbourne
Integrated marketing agency BD Network has transfered London-based head of strategy Lee Barber to its Melbourne office.
A founding member of BD Network, Barber is one of the key figures behind the growth of the agency’s Coca-cola business in the UK.
He has also worked on Bacardi, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Nike, Mars, Molson Coors, Cadbury, Nintendo, Diageo, Tesco and Virgin.
He will run BD Network’s strategic product in Australia, with a focus on digital.
Uncle Tobys launches campaign to teach kids to swim
Uncle Tobys and the Royal Life Saving Society Australia have launched “Operation 10,000″ to help under privileged kids learn to swim.
The campaign, part of the organisations’ joint foundation Swim Kids, aims to provide 10,000 less fortunate kids with free swim and survive lessons in 2012.
Uncle Tobys brand ambassador Grant Hackett features in a long form documentary that tells the story of Charbel, a six year-old boy afraid of the water who learns to swim. The documentary has been cut down to a TV spot.
Ex-Nine sales director Gerard Max launches media agency
Gerard Max
Gerard Max, the former Melbourne sales director of Nine, has set up his own media agency, Mumbrella can reveal.
Max, who left Nine in September last year after a 16-month stint, has launched Max & Partners, a media strategy and implementation firm.
The new company has formed strategic alliances with Omnicom media buying agency M2M, brand and design agency Clear Design and mobile and social media specialist B2Cloud.
Clients so far include SuperChef Warehouse, retail estate agent Run and cosmetic surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer.
Ten’s Sunday line-up performs strongly, except for The Project
Ten has continued to perform well with its Sunday night line up, with four shows in the top ten last night, despite numbers dropping slightly.
The network’s highest rating show was new American comedy New Girl rating 1.24m, according to preliminary ratings from OzTam.
Modern Family followed closely in fifth place with 1.19m viewers, Homeland placed seventh with 1.11m and Young Talent Time placed eighth with 1m viewers.
However, The Project continues to struggle in its new timeslot, failing to make the top 20.
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