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Opinion | Features
Q&A with Adshel's Rob Atkinson
Online trading is the next big thing says Rob Atkinson in a piece that first appeared in Encore. Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Harold Mitchell because of his influence and the footprint he has left. He’s built a huge brand in Mitchells, offloaded it into Aegis, Aegis has obviously done extremely well to be then sold on to Dentsu. So if you think about it, he is very much a father figure of the industry.
Making it overseas
Is the best way of being successful in Australia not be here at all? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Lee Zachariah speaks to Aussies making it big abroad.I always wanted to work in New York,” says Julian Cole. “I thought it was the number one place to work in advertising; a lot of the best campaigns were coming out of there. So I moved over and was lucky enough to have a couple of interviews in the first couple of weeks.”
Cole’s story is indicative of the somewhat contentious idea that the best way to be successful in Australia is to not be in Australia any more.
Got a book in you?
From journos to ad execs and PRs, these days everyone seems to have a book in them. But what does it take to get published and will you actually make any money? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Brooke Hemphill finds out.Attention wannabe authors. Forget big fat advance cheques and living off royalties. The reality of having a book published today is another story altogether. There are only two reasons you should even consider sitting down at your computer to bash out a manuscript – passion or profile.
Savage counsel
In an article that first appeared in Encore, Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas in his weekly advice column.Hi Chris,
My clients seem to be demanding more and more from us. At the same time, it seems many of the younger people in our industry simply don’t have the client servicing skills my generation grew up with. How do we instill in our executives some of the good old-fashioned behaviours that would keep a client happy and loyal?
Fake it til' you make it... as an ad agency receptionist
From dressing the part to playing the gatekeeper, Leo Burnett Sydney’s Susie Henry tells us how to make it as the face of adland in a piece that first appeared in Encore.What does a receptionist in an ad agency actually do?
Well, there’s the frantic every-day, all-day stuff of deliveries, courier bookings, doing expenses for directors – always challenging – plus arranging all the travel. But one of my main jobs is counselling the account service people. I also keep up with all sports information to discuss with our sports-loving clients – because who wants to be bored while they’re waiting? And I know how they like their coffee. You need to know everyone – from accounting to HR. I’m also the go-to for all catering and sending flowers.
Whose views skew the news? Media chiefs ready to vote out Labor, while reporters lean left
Most journalists lean left-of-centre, says Folker Hanusch of the University of the Sunshine Coast, in a post first published on The Conversation.Most Australian journalists describe themselves as left-wing, yet amongst those who wield the real power in the country’s newsrooms, the Coalition holds a winning lead.
But while the media’s political leanings will no doubt be debated in the lead-up to September’s federal election, our study has also found other largely unscrutinised biases remain – particularly whose views disproportionately shape the news.
It's time for a new New Wave in the film world
Government funding bodies are lazy and decadent, says industry veteran Michael Thornhill but in a piece that first appeared in Encore, Ed Gibbs begs to differ.I vividly remember the time I first saw Animal Kingdom, David Michod’s breathtaking labour-of-love feature debut. The press screening was half empty, despite the film winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance just months earlier, in 2010. Yet its superb performances, stylistic flourishes and overall polish left me speechless. Could this really be a feature debut, an Australian one at that, I wondered, almost out loud? It seemed too good to be true.
Going cold turkey on an agency addiction
Life is sweet for freelance writer Max Kitchen, but in a feature that first appeared in Encore, he admits his struggle against returning to the agency fold.I’ve never taken heroin. But I suspect if I had, the temptation to try it again would not be too dissimilar to the lure of returning to agency life.
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.
CommBank asks: Why are we waiting to buy the things we need?
CommBank has launched a new ad campaign aimed at persuading consumers to switch to the bank’s new credit card in order to make the purchases they have been putting off.
With a soundtrack of “Why are we waiting?”, the M&C Saatchi-made ad features people making do with fridges, vacuum cleaners, spectacles and iPhones fixed with tape.
Comments
4 Sep 12
11:19 am
from the same bank who brought us the ‘equity maate’ commercials that persuaded people to remortgage their homes during the housing booms to spend money on stuff they didn’t need. How many of those guys are regretting that advice now that their houses have dropped in value and they owe more than their properties are worth?
nice, responsible stuff then from a financial institution whose future we guaranteed the minute times got tough 5 years ago.
perhaps they should stick to making jokes about bombs at the Olympics.
4 Sep 12
11:23 am
An irresponsible campaign. Why are people waiting? Because they CANT afford it. The last thing people need is more debt.
Maybe if you passed on more of the RBA rate cuts they would be able to afford to buy more things using money they own.
4 Sep 12
11:31 am
A credit card is now a personal loan.
4 Sep 12
11:57 am
I find this super offensive. “Why are we waiting?”- because I can’t afford to fix my smashed iPhone, and I can’t afford to be in any *more* debt with Commbank- that’s why I’m waiting. Commbank, don’t pose the question if you’re not going to like the answer.
4 Sep 12
12:39 pm
Really? Is it all that bad that a bank can enable you not to put up with crappy stuff in your life?
4 Sep 12
12:39 pm
Watch out, nitwits. I’m going against the now popular sport of CommBank Bashing.
What’s wrong with a bank enabling you not to put up with crap in your life? If I could swipe away your tired negative comments, and owe a bit of cash? In a heartbeat.
4 Sep 12
12:43 pm
Why are we waiting? Fiscal responsibility perhaps.
Oh hang on, this is Australia. Sorry, carry on as you were.
4 Sep 12
12:48 pm
since when has advertising had to be responsible?
4 Sep 12
12:49 pm
Shameful. What happened to responsible lending?
4 Sep 12
12:49 pm
I am waiting because I am saving money and don’t need a new iphone5 because my iphone3 is kind of working just fine.
4 Sep 12
12:50 pm
Made me smile. Nice and simple.
4 Sep 12
12:51 pm
The premise is fine by me. Life’s too short, waiting sucks.
4 Sep 12
12:58 pm
Usual haters out I see.
Get back to work.
I didn’t mind the ad at all.
4 Sep 12
12:59 pm
If I Can, I will,, plus, the sun’s shining, sniff the light people
4 Sep 12
1:03 pm
Moral questions aside – Pretty clever though – good insight led campaign
4 Sep 12
1:15 pm
insight led? what? people want to spend more than they can afford… no shit! that’s an awesome insight. i agree, People should enjoy spending, but this is an ad worthy of the lowest of the low sub-prime marketers in the US. The sad thing is the offer will work and they will use it to rationalise the ad to themselves… this organisation is lost in the wilderness and is slowly getting hooked on the crack of “promo”… hopefully it wont be long until they check themselves into the Betty Ford Clinic for brands
4 Sep 12
1:25 pm
Commonwealth bank posted -47 billion- in revenue last fin year.
If that’s your definition of lost then I don’t want to be found.
4 Sep 12
1:37 pm
I agree that this is a very nicely led campaign and a well shot simple message with friendly voice and clear and effective background message. Excellent work.
I am troubled by the message, only because I have been here for a long time. and I remember a world in which Dad worked five and a half days a week, Mother kept house and family together and in order, and we all benefited from a home, three meals a day, warm clothes, beds, a television, a car, a telephone and annual holidays.
My brother and I had bicycles and we mowed the lawn on the weekend with a motor mower, and we got birthday parties and presents and the same at Christmas.
We never had a brand new car, but we always had a car, and I remember Mother buying a new fridge, a new vacuum cleaner and a new electric stove when I was a school boy. Mother died eight years ago and she still had the stove and vacuum.
Neither my Dad or my Mother ever had a credit card.
4 Sep 12
1:49 pm
A garden sprinkler made from a soft drink bottle…
Genius…
4 Sep 12
1:57 pm
For Christ sakes can we just comment on communication rather than taking the moral high ground every time a commercial comes up for a bank or a supermarket.
I’ll add Qantas. And even fucking Target to that list.
They’re just businesses you left leaning tossing journos. Yeah, yeah – it’s a pity they make a profit – through not if you’ve got shares in them, which you probably all do.
Hypocrites.
4 Sep 12
3:00 pm
Because it’s more financially responsible to save up to buy things, much like the Commonwealth Bank’s Dollarmites program taught me when I was in primary school.
4 Sep 12
3:59 pm
Hahaha this spot rings true. That taped up fridge shelf looks like mine.
4 Sep 12
4:10 pm
Because the last time I had a Commbank (student) loan, they incorrectly overdrew my account, whacked me with a $50 overdrawn fee and I didn’t eat for three days.
Harsh lesson in banking, but turned me off credit for life. Not owing a cent rocks. No bank tax on your daily existence. Thanks, Commbank!
4 Sep 12
4:14 pm
Feels like an old ANZ ad strapped to an Optus soundtrack.
4 Sep 12
4:21 pm
Hugely irresponsible campaign. Just at a time when we need to start making do with what we have, both for our back pocket and for the health of the planet. Cut up the credit card Commbank …
4 Sep 12
4:57 pm
If I had one of those cards I would buy Margaret a hug.
4 Sep 12
7:57 pm
CommBank tactics.
Sure, we’ll lend you money, go forth and spend on anything you want, but, if we are doing it “tough” we’ll recall the loan facility which will put you in default then we’ll up your repayments to triple what they were in the initial contract sending you bust then we own your asset and call in the receivers to get our money back leaving you with nothing. This is how they post $7.11 Billion profits…
Check out Unhappy Banking and Save Our Sando websites!
Ralph Norris is earning $63,000 a day for running the bank in this manner.
4 Sep 12
10:17 pm
Not sure it’s a question of moral high ground – more like basic brand management.
All the banks complain about bank bashing and spend $millions on campaigns that try to attach themselves to positive emotions – like Can – and projecting images that they’re really nice people honest and not like the others/don’t put profits before customers’ best interest (despite the supernormal return on equity they enjoy in Australia). And then they go and do campaigns like this.
Just basically not smart to undo your positioning with your own work – actions speaking louder…
5 Sep 12
8:33 am
I *like* this ad. It reminds me of the values of creative problem solving that have kept this country rolling. It reminds me of all the things I have managed to prop up and keep functional, sometimes for years, when they were doing the job perfectly well but were no longer as pretty as they might once have been (a bit like me, really!).
There’s a lot to be said for duct tape and wire coathangers.
5 Sep 12
9:32 am
Everyone’s complaining about doing it ”tough” am I missing something?
No, just well off. Smell that..? Smell of wealth! Oh my wallet…
5 Sep 12
3:47 pm
Ward – you cant be seriously suggesting that the target is to get you to default so your assets can be siezed? Profits would be much higher if there were no defaulters!
6 Sep 12
1:19 pm
5 months of spending on the bank and the rest of my money sits in my Home Loan offset minimising interest – Too easy, …as long as I pay it all back at end of 5 months its a freebee on CBA! …why not
3 Oct 12
1:25 pm
The country is in uncontrolled debt and one of the big four are telling us to rack up a bit more… perhaps they should jump to pass on interest rate cuts to its customers and reduce or (aha moment here…..) ELIMINATE fees on their general accounts.
Could result in stimulating the economy and keeping their customers happy. Let’s face it, loyalty is diminishing in the Australian banking world.