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Opinion
Outlook is cloudy for McDonald’s mood app
If you’ve been on YouTube this morning, you’ve probably been boinked squarely between the eyes by the McDonald’s home page takeover.
If you follow the link, it’s an apparently ambitious digital campaign that looks like its merely fails in the execution. Read more »
Why every agency boss needs to hear how Goodby got its groove back
In the last three years I’ve probably sat through dozens, if not a couple of hundred, industry-related presentations. Just a handful stick with me. Read more »
With a little PR magic from Max Markson, Naomi Robson’s lizard didn’t happen and neither did the cannibals
I had an intriguing press release from publicist Max Markson today.
Naomi Robson is back in front of the camera. Even if it’s only online. And Markson Sparks PR is helping her with the launch of The Naomi Show. Read more »
Coke’s phoney happiness machine is a fail for me
In this guest posting, Tony Richardson argues that the Coke Happiness Machine viral sucks.
The folks at Coke have created a viral video and as hoped it’s being circulated worldwide … but for all the wrong reasons. The main one being that it is possibly the lamest viral ever created. Read more »
Saying no to copy approval
“We’d dash back to the office to knock up a dry, arse-licking account of our “intimate chat” with Peter Andre to email to CAN, who would duly remove every trace of insight or humour, before making us feel sooooo special by perhaps deigning to allow us to publish it. No thanks.”
Will Renai LeMay’s new media business model work?
I’ve been curious for a few days now on what Renai LeMay’s plans are.
Since announcing he was leaving ZDNet, he’s been coy about what he’d be doing next.
Which of course made it all the more interesting. Read more »
Where are our marketing heroes?
“The great Australian tradition of attacking success and anyone that sticks their head above the parapet is stronger than ever. In my recent experiences around the world I can honestly say I have never experienced such collective distaste for one’s own kind.”
The Australian tries to win back Kevin
“One might wonder whether News Ltd feels the need to get on the right side of the Prime Minister, having managed to get itself thoroughly offside with him since the 2007 election.”
Bernard Keane on why Rudd was The Oz’s Australian of the Year
AFR falls four days behind The Oz
On Saturday, we woke up to discover that Wall Street had suffered a big fall. Read more »
Tips for better ideas
While it’s rather cool that Vancouver agency Rethink funds a scholarship for future art directors and designers, the ad they’ve created around it offers even better advice on the creative process. Read more »
Sack the copywriter
Here’s a nice innovation from consumer watchdog Choice, rounding up the best of the month’s Aussie ad blunders. Read more »
If agencies were bands…
The other day I was chatting to the boss of a new agency that’s about to launch.
I asked her what she wanted her agency to stand for. If it was a band, which would the agency be, was my question.
Which then got me to thinking about which bands Australia’s existing agencies would represent. As I began to make notes, I began to realise that it doesn’t look good… Read more »
When a global marketing blunder is a local problem
Sometimes I wonder if being a brand with an international affiliation is more trouble than it’s worth.
Jenny Craig – a weight control brand that’s doing very well in Australia, thanks very much – is the latest to face blowback from an international gaffe. Read more »
Vegetarian and chicken ads prove Sam’s lamb is still the one to beat on Australia Day
When Sam Kekovich’s latest pro-lamb Australia Day address was unveiled last week, a fair bit of the debate centred on whether it was time to change the strategy. Read more »
In defence of disaster journalism
The somewhat grubby tussle between Seven and Nine over who gets credit for rescuing baby Winnie from the Haiti rubble makes an easy target for those who see disaster journalists as vultures.
After all, what can the media do, but get in the way? Read more »
Foxtel channel upgrades come at a price
Foxtel’s big switch-on of new TV entertainment services has coincided with increases in subscription prices varying from just under 4% to more than 10%.
This weekend saw the arrival of a string of new channels including LifeStyle You, the Style Network, Starpics, ad-free children’s channel KidsCo, new movie channels and new HD services. Sky News has also switched on its metro channels.
The digital basic monthly subscription price has risen from $56 to $58 – an increase of 3.6%.
The movies deluxe package has increased from $29 to $32 – an increase of 10.3%.
Among Foxtel’s “My” packages, the get started option has risen from $40 to $42 – an increase of 5%. At the premium end, the platinum HD package has gone up from $131 to $135 – an increase of 3.1%.
The heftiest increase comes for those who subscribed either to the HD Sport or HD Explore for $10 who will be moved onto a full HD package priced at $16 – an increase of 60%.
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THE MUMBO REPORT
You can now watch clips of the Mumbrella Readers Choice Awards ceremony category by category.
The first clip is the shortlist round up and winner of media and marketing blog of the year, which went to Ben Shepherd’s Talking Digital.
Read more »
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Comments
15 Nov 09
6:13 pm
So much American crap.
So many ads.
As soon as web TV matures a bit I’ll be ditching Australia’s absolutely awful PayTV networks forever.
15 Nov 09
6:42 pm
smithee – i hope you’re ready for equal amounts of ‘american crap’ and ads when webTV improves too.
cos you know, tv requires advertising to pay bills and stuff. and american crap is generally the majority of programming due to these reasons.
even if the distro method changes these 2 elements probably won’t.
15 Nov 09
7:30 pm
@Larry
You’re making some huge assumptions there.
I’d be very happy to pay to download individual programs, queue them up, have some suggested programs queued based on entered preferences etc etc. More European and UK content, bit of Japanese etc
Maybe you’re also not aware of premium cable” services overseas where you pay extra to have no ads ? Meanwhile Australia has the highest permitted ratio of ads-to-programs in the *world*.
Our cable services are absolutely woeful and you’ll be hearing lots of piggy-squealing noises once they have to face some real competition.
16 Nov 09
12:17 am
I was checking out the HD channels this evening and the picture was terrible – constantly breaking up (which also affects sound) – anyone else experiencing this?
If that’s what HD is like there’s no way I would pay for it.
16 Nov 09
11:06 am
Just got back from a week away from Foxtel. Didn’t miss it one bit but thought I’d select something from my ‘Premium Subscription’ to close the week off last night.
Was besieged with channels and channels of crap. Looks like they’ve just managed to spread things thinner and repeat them more often.
I’ll be disconnecting tonight, head down to the local library and spend my +$100 a month on two cases of James Boags. Hey – and 25 November ‘The Hangover’ is available on DVD – that should provide plenty of entertainment on the rainy days.
(I love James Boags Premium and ‘The Hangover’ but don’t have any other connection with them)
16 Nov 09
2:01 pm
I see little difference, aside from a $3 a month drop and free access to all the extra crap for a couple of weeks. As soon as I can find somewhere to get the footy w/o needing foxtel, its gone and my $83 per month will be better invested…I think
16 Nov 09
3:17 pm
I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled by the new Foxtel channels. Definitely the best purchase that I have made in 2009, although my Geox loafers are a close second – essential in the Melbourne heat.
16 Nov 09
4:45 pm
I think Foxtel is great , but was a bit disappointed to see the line up of channels when they kicked in over the weekend.
I view pay TV as providing many channels targeted towards small but specific niche audiences. Unfortunately, most of the new channels seem to be targeted towards middle age, female skew viewers… who like American TV. It would be great to see some more ethnic diversity on Foxtel in terms of programming.
19 Nov 09
12:00 am
I think you will find that the prices have actually gone up Gavin. I too received an email from foxtel before the 15th November informing me that we will receive all these extra channels on the same plan for $3 less per month! Upon paying the October invoice noticed the drawing from automatic debit was actually $3 more. After many enquiries being pushed from department to department for over an hour, I was eventually told that the email was infact an error and it should have said increase instead of decrease! What a joke! Only foxtel can ge away with this crap! It sucks and once my contract is up next month I will be d/c from this woeful no signal service!
19 Nov 09
12:37 am
Hey Trudi!
Well I should not be surprised as the creator of #fuckyoufoxtel hashtag on twitter and my recent experiences, which, can read on my blog.
They really are a poor excuse for a Customer focused company. As I’ve just written elsewhere, to be published, they only survive due to the lack of competition because of their absolute focus on their $ rather than our value. Ah well, the days of reckoning fast approach!
Gavin
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