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Opinion | Features
Woz not great
In this guest post Tony Prysten argues that the thousand dollar price of seeing out-of-touch Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack on his Australian tour was a waste of money.
This week, for the cost of two iPads (yep, two) I went to the Woz Live conference in Melbourne. I was not impressed.
What the hell is transmedia?
From advertising campaigns to online video series, the term ‘transmedia’ gets quite the work out. But what does it actually mean? Cathie McGinn trawls the media landscape for a definitive definition.
Transmedia, all media and multiplatform are terms often used interchangeably when referencing modern storytelling techniques. Yet, depending who you speak to, there are distinct differences between them.
According to industry experts Encore spoke to, the key elements that define transmedia can be summarised as follows: platform, time, audience, adaptation, and creative collaboration.
Innovation is the remedy for the ailing magazine industry
With magazine circulations plummeting, FHM closing and rumours rife on future ownership of ACP Magazines, Paul Merrill says the only way forward is launching new titles.Eight years ago in the UK, nearly a quarter of all magazine sales came from magazines that were less than four years old. In Australia, the figure was slightly lower, but still significant. Today, the situation is very different. For a start there are so few new magazines. Yes, Masterchef briefly flared, and Top Gear made an initial impact. But Grazia and Alpha fizzled, and now ACP has shelved their plans to launch Elle.
More than a game: broadcasting the Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics will be the biggest televised sporting event of our time. Brooke Hemphill discovers the logistical challenges and technical requirements of producing the event.
From July 27 to August 12, the Australian media will go sport crazy as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, aka the 2012 London Summer Olympics, unfold. The games will be the most televised sporting event of our time as broadcasters look to master every manner of technology at their disposal.
The Voice - Australia's best example yet of social TV
In this guest post, Sputnik’s Rodd Messent has a theory on why audiences have taken to The Voice .I am an addict of Channel Nine’s hit show The Voice. Such is the extent of my addiction I seriously think my housemate might kick me out of our apartment for the semi-frenzied yelling and tweeting that ensues in our lounge room each time the show airs.It’s the first time in almost three years that such disagreement has resulted in less than civil behaviour towards one another, and it’s made me think it might be a microcosm of the large volume of online debate about the show and, correspondingly, an explanation for its success as a social TV experience.Why brands are the US Army - and culture jammers are the Viet Cong
In this guest posting, Dave Burgess, who painted ‘No War’ on the Sydney Opera House, claims that ‘amoral’ advertisers have copied his idea.
Culture jamming is a 28-year-old term coined by the San Francisco-based band Negativland, who declared that the ‘Studio for the cultural jammer is the world at large’.
Branded content is dead. Long live branded content
In this guest posting, Anthony Freedman argues why branded content is making a comeback.
A few short years ago, probably concurrent with the advent of the PVR, a new term emerged within the marketing communications industry; branded content. This was really synonymous with advertiser funded TV shows where programming was created by brands and deals struck with networks to broadcast them.
There were varying degrees of success with this model.
Shock advertising: 30 ads that would give Australia's ad watchdog a coronary
Is shock an underused weapon in Australian advertising, asks Robin HicksToday, Sydney agency The Cabana Boys used an image of a mouth sewn together to shock people with the idea that problem gamblers lie to conceal their habit. Is it the most disturbing image ever? No. Will it get banned by the Advertising Standards Bureau? No. But it did make me wonder why shock is not used more often in Australia – and not just by charities and government bodies. (WARNING: NSFW)
The making of ratings blockbuster The Voice
Jason Mountney goes on the set of Channel Nine’s talent search series, The Voice, to see how the format, based on an international franchise, has come together. What ingredients have gone into making this certified hit that’s rated more than two million viewers on three consecutive nights?
Mike Goldman has one of the toughest jobs on the set of the Nine network’s new talent show, The Voice. He not only has to narrate the show, but also keep the audience from losing their enthusiasm as they realise shooting TV programs takes a lot longer than the one-hour bursts they see in their lounge rooms. A lot longer.
Nine problems stopping The Global Mail from getting an audience
While it’s a shame The Global Mail has failed to make an impact on the media landscape, the signs have been there for some time.I love the concept of a well resourced, philanthropically-funded independent news site. Anywhere in the world, that’s a rare and wonderful thing. In Australia even more so. So I hope that Grame Wood gets to see his investment make a difference.
And I have no inside info on whether Monica Attard’s sudden departure is linked to the site’s failure to find an audience so far.
Regardless, here are nine areas they can easily start to address:
Journalism’s new model?
Does the launch of philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail signal a new era for journalism or is the model destined to be a passing fad, asks Cathie McGinn in this article first published in Encore magazine.With little fanfare, philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail launched in February this year.
The online-only title received a generous five-year funding commitment from businessman Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website wotif.com, who donated $15million.
Five things that make a great suit
In this guest posting, Gareth Collins argues that the role of a great account manager is to make the work betterI’m surprised at how many suits I meet who don’t know their role in the advertising business. The question ‘what does an advertising account manager or director do?’ is frequently met with answers such as project manager, relationship manager, plate spinner or go between … and those are the nice ones.
Success is judged on the ability to manage a process, be strong administratively and get stuff done. And while a good suit needs to do all of these things brilliantly, if these are the traits that define a great suit, then I’m in the wrong job.
What the hell is transmedia?
From advertising campaigns to online video series, the term ‘transmedia’ gets quite the work out. But what does it actually mean? Cathie McGinn trawls the media landscape for a definitive definition.
Transmedia, all media and multiplatform are terms often used interchangeably when referencing modern storytelling techniques. Yet, depending who you speak to, there are distinct differences between them.
The top seven...most patronising pieces of communication
Sometimes brands have big ideas. Sometimes marketers get so caught up with a grandiose idea that instead of finding engaging ways to sell breakfast cereal, they start to believe their own rhetoric. And sometimes it’s just lazy marketing. Here are my top seven inadvertently patronising pieces of communication…
1) Last night thousands of women gathered in Sydney’s Centennial Park to take part in She Runs the Night, an event created by Nike.
TV audience measurement – why big isn’t always beautiful
In this guest post, Chris Walton argues that the media industry needs to take a new approach to TV tradingThere has been a significant amount of coverage recently about how successful The Voice has been. Indeed, audience figures of 2.6m+ people are very impressive these days. Based on reports, this is apparently double the size of audience that Nine was hoping for in the lead up to the programme launching.
‘Cougar Town’s shit but we promoted the hell out of it. We’ll do the same for Matthew Johns’
Like many, Dr Mumbo finds few things more entertaining than the imaginative ways Seven finds to spray its rivals, particularly Nine.
But Dr Mumbo nearly spat out his metaphorical cornflakes this morning when he picked up the Sunday Telegraph to read Seven boss David Leckie’s comments on Cougar Town, one of his network’s own shows:
“OK, the Cougar Town, it’s a shit show but we promote it and we get nearly 1.4 million watching it.”
Leckie’s conversation with the paper was to discuss Seven’s signing of Matthew Johns to present a new NRL show.
He added: “If we can promote Cougar Town, we can promote Matthew Johns.
“We’re going to promote the shit out of this fucking show.”
And while he gives good soundbite, Leckie is less wise in the expectations management department, revealing: “I want a couple of million a night.”
There are a lot of media buyers who will no doubt look to hold Seven to that.
His comments are already generating a fruity response from TV viewers. One commenter says on TV Tonight: “Leckie is such an arrogant tosser; he takes the shine off The Seven Network with his stupid arrogant statements.”
February 14th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
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Comments
14 Feb 10
7:07 pm
Cougar town is shit, my kitchen rules is shit, the white room is shit, today tonight is shit, Sunday night is shit.
It seems 7 only has shit to promote. Fair call then leckie.
14 Feb 10
8:00 pm
You can’t polish a turd but you sure as hell can “trick” people into watching one
15 Feb 10
12:13 am
You can’t teach a pig to sing.
You waste your time.
And you annoy the pig.
- Dawn Steel.
15 Feb 10
1:39 pm
So the shit’s hit the fan ??
15 Feb 10
4:19 pm
i am sorry – but cougartown IS one of the stand out shows of the year, as well as modern family – if this network boss thinks it is shit – then he should get out of network TV, or perhaps go over to MTV and work on “quality” programming like The Hills…. as he probably thinks that is a great ratings winner…
cougartown DIDNT work cos of your promos… it worked cos of the buzz generated on the internet and from people downloading it PRIOR to you showing it and loving the show that they would watch it again!
no wonder TV is dieing – Cougartown is a HIT with the punters… but if you dont care about them, your advertisers wont care about you…
15 Feb 10
4:28 pm
Another schooner of Drambuie?
15 Feb 10
5:17 pm
David Leckie your arrogance is simply unbelievable. I am going to make sure my clients read your comments and then I am going to suggest they individually call you to negotiate a rate for the shit shows on 7 that reflects your lack of confidence in its quality. I remember your National Sales Director telling the assembled throng at your shit 2010 program launch what a high quality show Cougartown is. He was obviously spinning shit.
Seriously, you need to pull your head in and remember who pays your bills.
16 Feb 10
12:51 am
You can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Ummmm it has been said before. Lets see how Top Gear goes with the new commercial format.
16 Feb 10
1:02 pm
There is a rumour of a new show based around the male version of a Cougar called ” RhinoHood”
16 Feb 10
1:44 pm
Sean G. You really think 1.4 million people downloaded Cougartown? Give me a break! The highest percentage of viewers are female 25+… how many female 25+ viewers do you know that download pirated content? You may be a young male who views content online, but your the only demographic that does that.. and you don’t represent the other1,399,999 viewers. This was a case of 7 once again using Tennis at the beginning of the year along with their 6:00 News and Today Tonight to promote the hell out of something tacky and terrible. Don’t get me started on MKR.. they tried to copy Masterchef but didn’t realised the success was in the positive spin and quality of contestants and the recipes… 7 have tried to combine, Amazing Race, Beauty and the Geek with a cooking show. Terrible.
16 Feb 10
2:17 pm
Malbino, christ i hope thats true!!!!
Cougartown is rubbish, but people enjoy it, so i guess that makes it a good show. Sean G, it was successful at the start because of the promotion, dont kid yourself.
I tried to watch the start, but turned it off, but know tons of women who love it.
Nothing suits everyone all the time, but if some love it, and others can stand it being on when they eat dinner, then its a success.
I think the real story here however should be how the contrast is between the potential backlash of Matty Johns being on air with women viewers, and those same viewers having a negative rejection of him when they watch cougartown which places young men in a catagory of sex-objects and dispencable. Should be good to watch that!
16 Feb 10
3:31 pm
Why is it that in no other industry would behavior like this be tolerated from a CEO?
Leckie is not funny, knockabout or boisterous, simply embarrassing to his staff and anyone working in the FTA TV industry. Kerry Stokes should be ashamed of himself for repeatedly condoning or at least ignoring these tired and emotional outbursts.
16 Feb 10
9:55 pm
Cougartown is shitt..why is there so many people watching it.?…but they continue to watch that very highly respectful and thoroughly researched today tonight and the worst news on Australian tv 7 news and mkr isnt that the same as my restuarant rules and that was crap.I guess if you promote it to death they will come .But the question i have to ask is WHY to they stay when its so bad.
17 Feb 10
1:07 pm
@sean – there aren’t ‘so many people’ watching CT! 1.4 mill for a show that has had the ‘shit’ promoted out of it = poor.
Lets see how many people tune in this week. I won’t be one of the them and neither will my g/f, who lost patience with it about 3 mins in.
18 Feb 10
10:37 am
1.4m for TV is fantastic these days… television is a dieing format! i love how your all blowing it up me for my online comment – but good luck booking your ads on something that no one watches…. but then again most ad bookers and agency types only give a shit about ticking a box on a spreadsheet rather than getting ROI for their clients and using mediums that actually reach markets.
Maca, not sure where your stats are from… but i dont agree. Thats just like saying all RnB fans are from cabramatta! lol
My comments were about the quality of promotion for Cougartown – with the HYPE being created online… many people did watch online – you look at stats for teasers, show segments and other “jokes” pulled from the show on youtube, vimeo and other sites…
as one final statement about the ‘quality’ of australian television… EDDIE MAGUIRE ON THE OLYMPICS! WTF?!?!?!
19 Feb 10
1:58 pm
@maca – you silly bastard, way to grossly generalise the ‘piracy’ market.
I am a 25+ y.o. woman, I download all manner of (good) shit off the ‘Net. And so do my female pals, most of whom are older. This is WHY there’s such a huge incidence of piracy, it’s not just your pimply teenage boy, it’s EVERYONE – why do you think there’s such a huge jump in bandwidth allowances from ISPs? Before you tell me I am an anomaly, tell me why I can easily find ‘The September Issue’ *doco on Vogue magazine*, eBooks of Confession of A Shopaholic series, the entire back catalogue of Gossip Girl and Sex and The City etc etc…you’re not telling me it’s all BOYS downloading/consuming this content.
An argument for another time and place is why more marketers haven’t cottoned on to the fact that a lot of girls want good content, easily accesible online, and that they’re on their using the ‘Net’s resources just like their male peers.
Back on topic, Cougar Town looks shit. Off again, I don’t watch commercial TV, too crap, I prefer to download my content and watch it at my leisure. Would love to see a subscription service offering content from around the world, in whole series, available at the click of a mouse/remote button – advertising could be displayed between programs (like a screensaver – loads when the broadcast is inactive) and localised according to location, viewing habits recorded allowing targetted communication with consumers and better value for advertisers and we’d have a far more democratic access to media, instead of the ‘Aussies wait a year to see what the Yanks have all been crowing about’. Until that happens, I’m sticking to torrents/rapidshare.
23 Feb 10
4:27 pm
Sean G!
Im curious where you say that TV is a dying format (it’s spelt dying btw), and in regards to booking these apparent show’s that nobody is watching, well inventory across FTA and STV are all filling at a frantic race and hence tell a different story. I believe that this dying market you have highlighted is actually not at all. It has simply changed its model to ensure it isn’t on the way out, hence the focus on Multi-Channeling and other venues to ensure they engage their audiences through interactive and technological advancements. Surely if you know so much about online, you must know something about TV?
Your comment about 1.4 million being a great number for audience because it’s is a dying format, is out of context. TV isn’t dying because audiences are dropping, people have more choice. With online TV, up to 15 FTA channels and up to 100 pay tv channels means the audience is more segmented. If you work in advertising, media or digital, you’d be well aware that it is definately not dying like your comments!
And in regards to Cougar Town and it’s 1.4 million people watching? FTA television has always been about choosing the best of the crap that is available. It hasn’t changed with their multi-channels. It’s trash TV (just like the Hills). It isn’t hard to get a decent audience when 99% of Australia has access to a television.
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