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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.
Grill’d boss: Mumbrella took us out of context. When we said we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook, and putting up posters saying we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook, we never meant that we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook
The CEO of burger chain Grill’d has attempted to dampen a growing social media backlash to the brand’s new campaign poking fun at the likes of Twitter, Facebook and bloggers. Simon Crowe took to the brand’s Facebook page claiming that Mumbrella “showed one of our posters without context”.
Mumbrella posted the story after being sent a press release by the company’s PR agency One Green Bean, along with the only image supplied by the agency.
After Mumbrella reported the campaign, which also includes staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chefs’, some commenters on Twitter began to point out that the move was a risky one for a brand which has a Facebook page and Twitter profile as part of its marketing strategy.
During the afternoon, Grill’d briefly began to trend on Twitter.
More than three hours after the story was posted, with the backlash well and truly under way One Green Bean sent Mumbrella a further four images for the campaign which emphasise the anti-celebrity chef angle rather than than the tongue-in-cheek social media ban.
Meanwhile, Crowe posted on the Grilll’d Facebook page:
“There has been some talk about our loathing of social media.
“An advertising website showed one of our posters without context and it has created a bit of a stir. No problem. We are happy to have people talk and debate any issue and we know that it is our guests & fans that ‘own’ our brand. Simply put, they didn’t get our sense of homour!”
Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes adds: We stand by the accuracy of our story in its entirety, and used the image entirely within context. We understood your “sense of homour” and referred to it as the stunt it was. You appear to be confusing the comment thread that followed the story, and indeed the discussion that followed on Twitter, with what we have written.
While I’m at it, if your campaign is targeting celebrity chefs, why the hell are you banning cravats? Matt Preston might be on Masterchef, but that doesn’t make him a celebrity chef. He’s a food writer.
The original press release:
MATT, WE DON’T WANT YOUR CRAVAT!
From Tuesday March 27, Grill’d is waging a war on celebrity chefs with the introduction of three new burgers that the team is proud to have created themselves; the Hot Hombre, Goats Cheese & Hummus and Perfect Pear.
Whilst more and more restaurants and brands have to rely on celebrity chefs to get a ‘cravat’ of approval, these delicious cooked-to-order burgers are made with love, sans endorsement.
From today, stores nationally will be decked out with table talkers, posters in store windows, staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chef’ badges and a range of point of sale materials that all clearly displays that Grill’d has declared war on celebrity chefs. Other posters call on foodies to respect customers with bold rules such as:
· No bloggers
· No tweeting
· No instagramming
· No Facebook
· And absolutely NO cravats
“We’re committed to feeding the nation the Grill’d way so are shifting the focus back towards what’s important; the great taste of our burgers,” says founder and managing director of Grill’d Simon Crowe.
“From Tuesday, we’re calling on hungry guests to leave their cravats at the door and enjoy our new burgers. We understand that celebrity chefs can flambé, julienne and souse-vide, but sowhat? The new range is made by our team from only the freshest ingredients. Put bluntly; they’re loved by the foodies, but made for you, and we guarantee you won’t leave hungry!” adds Crowe.
So if you’re in need of a fast fresh feed, get into Grill’d to try one of the new cooked-to-order burgers.
Mumbrella’s original report:
Burger chain Grill’d has declared war on social media and celebrity chefs in a stunt aimed at promoting its unpretentious menu offerings.
Signage is going up in the fast food chain’s stores urging hipster customers to not blog about or photograph their food, but instead just eat their burger. Instagram is an iPhone app beloved of hipsters looking to add effects to their pictures.
In a swipe at Masterchef judge Matt Preston, a further new rule from Grill’d is no cravats.
The campaign will see the chain wage war on celebrity chefs as it promotes three new burgers.
The signage includes table talkers, posters in store windows, staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chefs’ badges and point of sale materials.
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Comments
28 Mar 12
8:58 pm
Ummm Mumbrella you have totally played into their hands it’s all a piss take can’t you see that!!?
But thanks for sourcing and posting the rest of the posters for us
They are the ones I saw and commented on previously.
Very very funny, great campaign, great reactions and I’m sure the agency and Grill’d are having a good old giggle!
28 Mar 12
9:04 pm
Guys, the campaign is sharing a joke – not a dick. Don’t take it so hard.
28 Mar 12
9:18 pm
They haven’t addressed why the campaign is so laaaaame. That’s the context. A lame poster in the context of other lame posters.
28 Mar 12
9:27 pm
Dear Grill’d Boss, maybe you have learned a valuable lesson – maybe not!
Either way please let Mumbrella readers know what effect your campaign has had on sales.
xoxo
28 Mar 12
9:48 pm
Ohhh the irony of social media hipsters getting all up in arms after being grilled by Grilld.
Nice one! I love the campaign, and the fact they give almost everyone who put’s their business card in the cup a bunch of free burgers. Fairly savvy marketing all around in my opinion.
And to the Twitterati, stop taking yourself so goddamn seriously. Excellent comment bait headline BTW Tim
28 Mar 12
9:56 pm
This is hilarious – love the campaign!
A quick search on Twitter shows most people are getting it and having a laugh – Tim think you may have missed the broad reaction, but then again you are as willmrt says baiting people here too
28 Mar 12
10:09 pm
Totally agree willemrt,that’s my point – I love the campaign, but the reality is has it sold more burgers? If Twits don’t like it, who cares! As long as you sell more burgers !
29 Mar 12
12:38 am
Interested, since finding out about the story from Mumbrella, I’ve followed it up with Grill’d's PR agency and started reporting on this story.
The media release as supplied to me around 1.50pm had the anti social media references removed.
29 Mar 12
2:29 am
Bit naughty to try and pin the social media backlash on ‘an advertising website’. The original post by mumbrella was pretty fair and matter of fact. This could have been a great campaign if the producers themselves had seen (and admitted) the humour of it!
29 Mar 12
3:03 am
How does that Oscar Wilde quote go again?
“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”
Whether the marketing community likes this campaign or not is irrelevant, it has got people talking.
If you can get people talking about your brand, you increase the chances of product consideration and trial.
That’s why marketing departments exist.
That’s why marketing exists.
Well done to Grill’d for getting people talking – it is no mean feat and it’ll be interesting to see what impact it has on footfall / sales this week.
29 Mar 12
8:28 am
It’s always good to be against something. But an anti-influencer strategy…. They should have the courage of their convictions
29 Mar 12
8:45 am
I don’t like this at all. Yesterday I hit my local Grill’d for lunch and had to wait 10 minutes longer than usual because of the heavy traffic. No sweat though; the vibe was way up…the punters were mouthing the ads! People love a joke and a Joker!
29 Mar 12
9:06 am
Has anyone tried the lamb with goats cheese and hummus? My god, it’s delicious. All this debate on Mumbrella made me hungry yesterday
29 Mar 12
9:08 am
I luv Grilled, thanks for the reminder that of that – will be off to eat their tonight. Hope the ques arent too long with all with promotion going on
29 Mar 12
9:08 am
This is all so ridiculous. I can’t believe there are so many people who can’t spot a joke. I’ve never heard of or been to Grill’d myself, but the message was pretty clear. God forbid we offend the hipsters.
29 Mar 12
9:14 am
who care the burgers are tasty and they make me feel upper middle class once I hand over a $50 for me and the wife.
29 Mar 12
9:24 am
It’s a JOKE people! If you don’t get that it’s a joke- you probably fit their ‘foodies’ profile quite well. Top of the class Grill’d!
29 Mar 12
9:52 am
The orgiastic pseudo-intellectual feeding frenzy that so often erupts on social media sickens me.
Don’t people have anything better to worry about?
29 Mar 12
10:53 am
Why do I feel as if Grill’d suddenly has a new Astroturfing burger?
29 Mar 12
11:45 am
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.
29 Mar 12
11:47 am
Maybe the hipsters will be wearing ‘ironic’ cravats this year too.
29 Mar 12
1:41 pm
Don’t care if it’s a joke, don’t care if it’s not. The burgers are great, the campaign aint.
How about spending less money on this stuff, and more on opening new stores. How about some good old fashioned exposure via storefrontage?
I’d like one near me please.
29 Mar 12
3:20 pm
For some reason I really feel like a hamburger now.
29 Mar 12
3:21 pm
never heard of grill’d before this, so it must have worked at least a little bit
29 Mar 12
3:28 pm
Congrats to Grill’d, mumbrella have made them a star overnight!
29 Mar 12
3:34 pm
I think the labelling of Matt Preston as a celebrity chef is a genuine mistake in a campaign that is otherwise hitting its targets. Fairly largish mistake though…
29 Mar 12
3:37 pm
Yummy burgers, crappy marketing… Yes – it got my attention but because I thought it was stupid, not funny or witty.
29 Mar 12
3:47 pm
Grill’d – don’t blame the failure of your weird campaign on a lack of understanding your “sense of humour”. We get it, we just don’t like it.
29 Mar 12
3:53 pm
I’m now craving Grilled.
29 Mar 12
3:57 pm
It’s hilarious that some people are not getting the joke, although most seem to be. In my experience people that are obsessed with social media take it far too seriously, it’s no wonder they got defensive. Off to Grill’d!
29 Mar 12
4:22 pm
Why do people ‘defend’ social media. It’s not a cause it’s an easier email. I know it’s all been resolved now. But just say Grilled really didn’t like social media. there burgers would still be yum. There chips would still be herby. And their stores would still be rad.
29 Mar 12
4:36 pm
Astroturf on Mumbrella just makes absolutely zero sense…
29 Mar 12
5:01 pm
great, now I feel like Grill’d for dinner
29 Mar 12
5:07 pm
“Congrats to Grill’d, mumbrella have made them a star overnight!”
Easy now.
29 Mar 12
6:40 pm
I like this grilled social media campaign
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/.....ites-back/
31 Mar 12
1:54 pm
Oh and by the way:
Bondi Beach locals are not interested in having your outlet down here…
expensive burgers R NOT us
1 Apr 12
10:13 am
This Simon Crowe character sounds like an arrogant $%&!!