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Opinion
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.
Share a Coke with… the moronic masses
The most-read story on Mumbrella last year, with not far off 100,000 page views, was a fairly humdrum yarn about the launch of Coca-Cola’s name-on-a-bottle campaign.The headline, “Coca-Cola puts people’s names on bottles in ‘Share a Coke’ campaign”, though hated by any self-respecting sub-editor, was loved by Google. And in rushed what can be politely described as the public.
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?
Mardi Gras’ marketing gamble, foolish or forward thinking?
Mardi Gras has taken an interesting marketing approach to how it’s announcing its key music line up for its main revenue raising event.
It’s not. That is, it’s not saying a word.
In spite of former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland letting the cat out of the bag yesterday that she would be headlining the popular Mardi Gras Party on March 6, its organisers have refused to confirm or deny this.
It’s also refusing to respond to speculation that Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston or George Michael will also be the other headliners during the event.
A Mardi Gras spokesman said: “We have a policy this year of not confirming acts for major shows for the Party.”
Could you imagine Big Day Out or Good Vibrations refusing to tell people what their line up was? There would be a riot.
And could you imagine how their sponsors would react? Not very kindly I would suspect, given their reliance on ticket sales and the ongoing impact of the GFC on consumer spending.
With all the attention centering on the Sydney Festival with its “best launch yet”, it would be easy to forget that the annual Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras brings in an estimated $30m into the New South Wales economy and attracts an estimated 21,500 international and interstate visitors.
It’s a big event for NSW tourism, behind the $155m New Year’s Eve celebrations brings into the state.
So, good on Mardi Gras for having to balls to try something different. But with tickets to the Party at $135 a pop (plus booking fee), they’d better hope it doesn’t blow up in their faces.
Camille Alarcon
January 13th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
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Comments
13 Jan 10
2:46 pm
This is exactly the approach Mardi Gras used to take a few years ago when they were running packed events.
13 Jan 10
2:46 pm
different? they do this every year………..they release tid bits now and then to boost ticket sales but how hard can it be to market an event to a captive audience I mean really…………they managed to **k up the orgnaisation by sorting a deal out with gay cruise sponsors and by not checking dates for the first time ever having to split the parade and the party…………..these guys are not rocket scientists
13 Jan 10
2:49 pm
this has been standard policy for MG over the years – so not all that new.
half the fun of going to the event was the reveal of artist after months of speculation and rumour.
lets not forget that is a HUGE community event so comparisons to BDO etc arent so relevant.
13 Jan 10
2:59 pm
Agreed this has been a strategy in the past, but not in recent yrs.
I still maintain it’s slightly risky and also interesting given the number of high-profile music festivals that have popped up since Mardi Gras first launched – all of whom are battling for consumers’ dollars.
And it’s def. not just the gay community who go to the various Mardi Gras events – an ave. of $30m annually being injected into the NSW economy can’t be all from the pink dollar!
Cheers,
Mumbrella – Camille
13 Jan 10
2:59 pm
They’ve done this forever. Then everyone spends February trying to guess which of the wild rumours about guests are actually true.
The other rumour I heard was that someone forgot to book the venue this year and that’s why the party is happening a week after the parade. Wouldn’t want to be owning up to that one.
13 Jan 10
3:13 pm
I saw an ad that said this is policy. this is like the good ol’ days, i think the year before they had one surprise act Cyndi Lauper (worst kept secret in town she was at teh State Theatre) . every music festival says ‘plus more to be announced’ and ‘surprises on the night’ but mardi gra is teh only ones that have said an offical policy not to announce the big name talent. even if they have gaga and whitney, they ain’t saying. that’s new. that’s risky. but they must have some pretty good acts to be keeping quiet about. am tempted to go…
13 Jan 10
3:17 pm
These guys were around long before BDO, I guess the new festivals have pushed some of the little guys out and they have to compete any way they can. Risky decisions and all. They are certainly pulling impressive tourists.
13 Jan 10
3:27 pm
With-holding the performers, bands and headliners seems to work rather well for Glastonbury and a number of the smaller festivals in the UK. Glastonbury make a point of selling the “Experience” not the bands or the headliners.
/y0z
13 Jan 10
3:28 pm
Actually, I’d be interested in knowing what your stance on this was Camille.
Do you think it’s foolish..as you seem to suggest in your comment above or is it forward thinking, which you (sort of) acknowledge in the final line of your peice??
Anyway, the policy got them this peice didn’t it.
I would say it’s a clever tactic that has history and tradition within the gay community.
13 Jan 10
3:45 pm
Hi Sean,
Yes, I think it’s a clever tactic – esp. in the current day when you need to have greater stand out as a brand. You’re right, it’s certainly getting the Mumbrella community talking….
Also, given that Sydney Festival will be getting extra Govt. funding to the tune of $6.25m over the next five yrs, it’s most certainly not only competing against the music festivals.
Cheers,
Camille – Mumbrella
13 Jan 10
4:23 pm
The old Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras organisation had a clear policy not to disclose its really big names and it was one of the really special things about the Party. When New Mardi Gras was set up it really had to work hard to build up its reputation again. The focus changed to using big names to give people a reason to buy their ticket.
When we haven’t announced major talent in recent years (Cyndi Lauper in 2008 or Tina Arena last year being good examples) it has been due to contractual obligations. Where we could announce (Olivia Newton-John in 2008) we tried to get as much publicity as possible. In 2006 and 2007 we were able to announce all our acts and did.
So this is indeed a change of policy. With a string of creatively successful seasons under our belt and a track record of delivering great talent at our parties, New Mardi Gras has decided to return to the previous policy.
Why is this? Firstly, it’s actually easier for us to get really big stars with this policy in place. They are able to do our party without impacting on ticket sales to their other events. Secondly, and most importantly, we believe the suspense and speculation generated adds to our community’s experience of the Party. In an era of instant gratification and all the information you need at the touch of a button there is some charm in surprises.
And Mardi Gras Party will be a night of surprises in 2010.
Damien Eames
Head of Marketing & Communications
New Mardi Gras
14 Jan 10
2:54 pm
Keeping talent a secret worked years ago, because Party was about so much more than who was on the line up.
As NEW Mardi Gras becomes more and more vapid and superficial, and as Police crackdown even further on people taking drugs into the party, what else is left to get excited about but the performers?
These days Mardi Gras feels like a sad parody of itself. Constantly talking about how NEW it is, but always relying on its history for legitimacy. Dragging the same cliches down Oxford street, oblivious to the fact that the period of history is actually over. I mean, has anyone BEEN to oxford street lately?
Can the government hurry up and legalise euthanasia so we can put the whole tired thing to bed!
19 Jan 10
9:35 am
Mardi Gras is very relevant for a community of people still struggling to gain the most basic of human rights within their relationships. The party is much more than a line up and much more than getting drugs into a party. It’s a celebration of a community that still has a lot left to fight for.
Good on Mardi Gras for trying to reinvent itself to remain competitive in a tough market, while still remaining true to it’s history!
20 Jan 10
11:33 am
but it’s not remaining true to its history. it’s remaining true to sponsorship deals and the city of sydney. it’s sold the community down the river.
and when was the last time mardi gras parade actually created any kind of change? nobody – especially those in power – take it at all seriously. it no longer has any power, which is really sad… believe me, nobody loved mardi gras more than me once upon a time!
20 Jan 10
2:55 pm
Mardi Gras Party and BDO are completely different events, why would you even compare them?
The headliners for the Mardi Gras party HAVE been announced. David Guetta, Carl Cox, Dusty Kid, as well as other DJs Dan Murphy, Jake Kilby, Alan Thompson, Sveta, Gemma, Ben Drayton, Mandy Rollins and many more.
They haven’t announced their special guests because they will only perform one or two songs. If they announced them as headline acts people would surely complain.
20 Jan 10
3:20 pm
wow i’d love to be part of a community that celebrated and was celebrated every year! Mardi Gras belongs to the Sydney identity and is based on celebrating and creating media around a really important topic – freedom – equality – tolerance.
Josh, the world has changed… all organisations have bigger commerical issues to face, it isn’t the same landscape for events and Mardi Gras has had to adapt. Sydney would be a shell of a city without this event on its calendar.
Why can’t bitter people see that it’s still wonderful to be celebrated for being you whilst raising awareness for a REAL issue. Mardi Gras gets more intenational media every YEAR than anything else Sydney does (since the Olympics).
So while thousands are out during mardi Gras enjoying the city, meeting the tourists and going to places across Sydney (not just Oxford St) that have gay things happening, I hope you are not too lonely at home Josh…