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Opinion | Features
Cannes - a reminder that celebs need adland too
The Cannes Lions may have been full of celebrities this year, but that’s because they need brands, argues Profero’s Wayne Arnold
Having only been here for two days, I’ve already managed to soak up some of the glamour of Cannes, witnessing the media scrum around Sean Combs and (very nearly) bumping into Jack Black on La Croisette.
If 2012 was the year of the client, it seems 2013 may be the year of the hard working celebrity.
Melissa Doyle is ready for prime time (but what does it mean for Today Tonight?)
It’s easy to be dismissive of TV presenters – particularly when they’re doing something as fluffy as morning television.
But today’s announcement of the departure of Mel Doyle from Sunrise is a reminder that it’s harder than it looks.
How bosses can build trust by baring themselves to staff
In this guest post, Simon Rutherford, CEO of Slingshot Media, argues that bosses should be vulnerable in front of their staff.
Winston Churchill once said: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
Fake it til you make it...as a radio newsreader
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Emily Hoskins from ARN tells us how to do her job.
What does a radio newsreader actually do?
A radio newsreader has to be switched on from the moment they sit at their desk. At the Australian Radio Network each journalist writes, researches, edits and reads their own news bulletins under tight deadlines – every 30 minutes during the breakfast shift and every hour after 9am.
Keith Reinhard on freedom to fail, winning back Maccas and how agencies can survive
In an exclusive interview in Cannes today, advertising icon Keith Reinhard, one of the founding fathers of what is now DDB Worldwide, talked to Mumbrella’s Robin Hicks about freedom from fear, his favourite ads of all time, winning back McDonald’s and why the most important thing in advertising is passion.Savage counsel - little white lies
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas. This week, he talks about when it’s okay to lie to clients.
Hi Chris,
I often find myself telling little white lies at work – I tell people on the phone that I don’t want to speak to I’m about to duck into meetings. I told my colleague her new haircut was great when really it wasn’t and I praised someone’s work when actually it was kind of shit. After each of these occasions, I felt pretty terrible and wonder if you could tell me how can I speak with candour in the future – for my sake and others.
How to build a culture
How important is a company’s culture and how do you ensure you are breeding a good one? Matt Smith investigates, in a piece that first appeared in Encore.When production companies Cordell Jigsaw and Zapruder’s Other Films merged early last year, bringing the staff together within the walls of the Zapruder building proved to be something of a challenge. While the two companies weren’t strangers to each other due to six months of talks and negotiations, working together on a full-time basis was a different story.
Q&A Damian Keogh
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Val Morgan CEO Damian Keogh reveals his potential alternate career.
Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
I’d say Kerry Stokes, slightly ahead of Harold Mitchell and Kim Williams. He controls the entity with the largest revenue across free-to-air, online, magazines and newspapers. On pure size alone, his influence and leverage over advertisers, media agencies and consumers is unmatched. Harold is still the king in media, slightly ahead of John Steedman, but Henry Tajer and Leigh Terry are the heirs apparent. Kim Williams controls News and that’s a big base to work from.
If a violent game is okay, then so is using a violent ad to promote it
An ad for video game Dead Island Riptide was banned by the ad watchdog. James Whitehead of online entertainment publisher IGN argues that it was the wrong call.A fortnight ago, it emerged that the Ad Standards Board had banned a television commercial for the video game Dead Island: Riptide, due to its depiction of violence – specifically suicide.
Why content makers are leaving our shores
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Craig Anderson says there simply isn’t enough opportunity for content makers in Australia, especially for those making comedy.Last year I had multiple meetings with production companies in Australia and discovered that apart from the odd commercial campaign, there’s no proliferation of paying platforms for comedy. From my own experience there’s iView, which will buy content once it’s already been made (though I live in hope that it will one day be granted the financial power to commission content). I’ve also had the odd informal commission from the SMH iPad consisting of two narrative series and a comical review show. But none of these endeavours were financially viable.
Managing your management style
In an article that first appeared in Encore, Stephanie Brown says the advertising industry often leaves people ill-equipped when it comes to managing staff, especially when they’re promoted into management roles.Managing people is hard. In fact, I actually think it’s the hardest job in the world. With no disrespect intended, I often joke that if my job didn’t involve other people to manage, it would be a walk in the park. I could get about my day’s work in a nice, linear fashion, happily checking off my to-do list as I go. I’m a process-orientated person. I get a kick out of getting things done.
Why the Facebook chase is making brands treat consumers like morons
You know how we look back at quaintly patronising ads from the 1950s and wonder what on earth the advertisers were thinking?
I’ve got a feeling that in a few years time, we’ll be looking at the behaviour of big brands on Facebook the same way.
An entire generation of marketers – or at least a sizeable proportion of them – have lost their minds.
So many have become so obsessed with generating user interactions at all costs, that all thoughts about overall brand perceptions or long term marketing goals have vanished. All that counts now, is generating likes and comments at all costs.
Blog this!
Paid content, sponsored posts and brand ambassadorships – in theory, today’s blogger can be just as valuable to brands as mainstream media. But does blogger outreach actually work? In an article that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.“I get approaches from PR companies constantly,” says blogger and author Kerri Sackville, with more than a hint of exasperation. “I have never done a sponsored blog, on my own site, but that doesn’t stop them from asking.”
McLennan right man for job
It’s all change at troubled broadcaster Channel Ten with new directions, new executives and a brand new CEO. Managing director of Adstream Peter Miller says Hamish McLennan is the right man for the job, in an article that first appeared in Encore.I am a bit of a schmuck when it comes to movies. I love romantic comedies. My favourite is One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney.
Q&A with Richard Herring
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, CEO of APN Outdoor Richard Herring talks media.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
I don’t know if there is one person in particular. The fragmentation of traditional media and new entrants has made it a more level playing field with regards to major influencers. As was demonstrated with the recent media reform recommendations, together, the broader media community still has a very influential and powerful voice.
What one medium could you not live without?
Outdoor – clean, entertaining, evocative and informative.
Down Under gets the Telstra treatment for Olympics ad
Telstra has launched its Olympics advertising campaign based around Australia’s unofficial national anthem Down Under.
The ad, created by DDB Sydney, features Men At Work’s Colin Hay and a cast of thousands.
The 60-second commercial breaks in time for the Olympics tomorrow morning, and follows a series of 15-second teaser spots that kicked off on Monday of this week.
Mark Buckman, Telstra’s marketing chief, said in a press release: “The campaign has been designed to ignite patriotism among Australians and encourage them to support our athletes in London by sending a Telstra HeroMessage. A Telstra HeroMessage is a powerful and emotional way to connect with our Olympic athletes and I encourage all Australians to harness the Olympic spirit and spur on our athletes and teams to greatness in London.”
Dylan Harrison, ECD at DDB Sydney, commented: “What better way to create the ultimate message of support for our athletes and kick-start the London 2012 HeroMessage service than to re-record one of the most identifiable tracks in Australian music history.
He added: “Down Under has always been synonymous with our strong sense of sporting patriotism and the sentiment we feel toward our sporting heroes. It strikes a real chord with Australians no matter where they are in the world and we had an overwhelming response from Aussies everywhere wanting to belt out the tune.”
Credits:
- Chief Marketing Officer: Mark Buckman
- Director Corporate Marketing: Inese Kingsmill
- Brand Marketing Manager: Kieran O’Donnell
- Production Company: Rogue Films (London) / Chief Entertainment (Australia)
- Director: Tubby Brothers (London) / Stuart McFadyen
- Creative Agency: DDB
- ECD: Dylan Harrison
- Creative Director: Rupert Hancock
- Managing Partner: Brent Annells
- Media Agency: OMD
- TV Trading Manager: Simon Lee
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Comments
27 Jul 12
3:39 pm
Nice ad.
Telstra must have offered to pay Men at Work’s legal bill after the copyright dispute.
27 Jul 12
3:43 pm
That $6100 Larrikin Music Publishing paid for the rights to ‘Kookaburra’ is probably looking like a good investment right now.
27 Jul 12
3:47 pm
I don’t have the best ears in the world but it would seem that controversial part of the song has been altered?
27 Jul 12
3:56 pm
Well said, Matt Granfield. My thoughts exactly.
Leaves a bad taste, actually.
27 Jul 12
4:01 pm
A nice final shot would have been of Greg Ham’s coffin.
27 Jul 12
4:01 pm
I thought this was the “social media” Olympics… shouldn’t we be sending hero tweets? SMS is so 2009.
27 Jul 12
4:04 pm
Telstra is loaded – I hope Men at Work refused anything less than half a million for the song.
27 Jul 12
4:11 pm
I’ll bet Qantas are annoyed they didn’t chase up this tune to refresh their brand. Would have been a nice evolution. The Telstra ad has nailed the feel good feeling.
27 Jul 12
4:26 pm
First it was Mark Ronson then Men at work
27 Jul 12
4:27 pm
Every time a new Aussie ‘patriot’ ad is released I can’t help but pay special attention to the ethnic diversity.
I also hate to sound like a broken record, but once again an Ad promoting Australia/about being Australian contains a cast off 99% white Australians.
I’m white, by the way. I’m also sick of seeing ads depicting our society that are blatantly false.
27 Jul 12
4:44 pm
Yep Damo, they’ve taken the “Kookaburra” bits out, in a firm single finger salute to the IP parasite that pursued them in the past.
27 Jul 12
4:46 pm
Encourage Patriotism… rephrase: encourage usage stimulation. How much did DDB get them for this time?
27 Jul 12
4:49 pm
Hi Jared, re: “social media” Olympics – messages can also be sent via Facebook at http://bit.ly/HeroMessage
27 Jul 12
5:38 pm
mmm, makes the Coles ad look a little sad and somewhat flat doesnt it?. nice ad.
27 Jul 12
6:28 pm
Wow, who would have thought Tesltra would be showing QANTAS how it’s done?
27 Jul 12
7:48 pm
Correct. Can’t recall that much white skin whenever I’ve been there. Still, truth has always and continues to be the great Aussie dream.
27 Jul 12
10:44 pm
Why are there AFL players all over an ad about the Olympics? And an NRL field? There’s a complete disconnect… no?
27 Jul 12
11:19 pm
Brilliant. Love it. Assuming Qantas use Daniel Johns’ savant-esque humming throughout the Olympic telecast, then this spot will dominate.
The haters can hate on the casting
28 Jul 12
2:29 am
Love this….the original song made me want to come to these beautiful shores! Love Australia xxx
28 Jul 12
9:15 am
Well done, bloody brilliant!
28 Jul 12
4:34 pm
When this first appeared on TV, I thought it was going to be a new Qantas ad. Anyway, the best Aussie ad released during the Olympics so far. Hits all the right notes… goose bumps and all. Well done Telstra.
28 Jul 12
10:06 pm
I thought this was a great rendition. though too much of the AFL blokes.
29 Jul 12
12:56 pm
I am not originally Australian and yet to call it home inspite of having lived here for 4 years, but the ad did its charm. Felt the emotion and patriotism indeed. Well done Telstra!
30 Jul 12
10:17 am
Great song. this should be the national anthem
30 Jul 12
11:30 am
I just posted this same comment on Campaign Brief…
When you look at the comments for the same ads on CB which, I believe, is mainly a creative blog vs. Mumbrella which, I believe, is mainly a client/media/suit blog you really see a drastic difference between views.
For the same ad, on Mumbrella (take this one) you typically get vastly more positive feedback and chat about how the public will like it. On CB you get chat about how the campaign was “done before” in some obscure (or non-obscure) country that no Australian consumer would know or care about…or that it’s just shit.
Both sites are anonymous.
What does that tell us? Might it say that one side is more concerned about the consumer than their personal “reel”? Is one side just creatively “out of it” and the other the only real authority on what’s great creative?
Maybe I’ve got the audiences between CB and Mumbrella wrong, but it’s an interesting analysis and comment on the industry…
30 Jul 12
1:21 pm
Never thought I would ever say this about a commercial – but, when can we see a longer version ?
30 Jul 12
1:55 pm
“Australia’s unofficial national anthem Down Under…..” ??????????
I think the correct response to that is: WTF???
That could only have been written by someone who isn’t an Australian.
Our national anthem, in the hearts of all Australians, is Waltzing Matilda.
Nothing comes close to its power over the people, and their love for it.
Nothing wrong with “Down Under” but it’s not even in the same galaxy as Waltzing Matilda. And I daresay it won’t be sung in a century’s time like WM is.
30 Jul 12
4:13 pm
Maybe you are right Mike, but when I lived in England and also travelled through the Continent, Africa etc for Rugby and Football World Cups I never once heard WM belted out in a bar, pub, football ground or nightclub and saw the punters come simultaneously from from North, East, South and West to join in as one and sing WM… Down Under on the other hand caused a rapturous cheer and a stampede to the microphone, dancefloor or stage and every single time a truly lung busting rendition of DU was performed by all.
31 Jul 12
11:28 pm
I first viewed the ad on this site, and have subsequently seen it many times on the Olympic coverage, as was Telstra’s intention. I love the idea of the ad, but can’t warm to it due to bitterness of the court case that engulfed this iconic song.
Each time I see it, I can’t but help think how Greg Ham should be standing alongside Colin Hay, playing the riff that made the song.
Larrikin Music, you have tainted this song forever, in so many ways
8 Aug 12
10:01 pm
Great ad. Love seeing it.
15 Aug 12
2:37 pm
Great add!