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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.
Kellogg’s ads targeted by campaign group Parents Jury
Cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s has been named the main villain at the Fame & Shame Awards, organised by campaigning group Parents Jury.
It’s the fourth year running that Parents Jury has singled out Kellogg’s for what it claims is “one of Australia‟s worst junk food marketing campaigns to target children”.
However, Kellogg’s points out that it is a signatory to the industry’s codes of practice on marketing of food to children and abides by those standards.
The two Kellogg’s products singled out Parents Jury were LCM snack bars which won the “Pester Power” award and Nutrigrain, which won the “Smoke and Mirrors” award.
JWT is Kellogg’s ad agency.
According to Parents Jury, the LCM campaign is “distasteful”, while Nutrigrain is “promoting the sugary cereal as being good for young boys who want to become iron men”.
However, a spokeswoman for Kellogg’s told Mumbrella that the LCM ad targets parents, with the media schedule focused on family shows such as Seven’s Packed To The Rafters and Nine’s Two And A Half Men, rather than kids’ shows. Nutrigain ads target teenagers. She added: “We take our responsibilities seriously. Nutrirional information appears clearly on the product labelling.”
November 17th, 2010 at 11:38 am
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Comments
17 Nov 10
11:44 am
Presumably, Kellogg’s is unaware of Ironwomen – it’s campaigns for Nutri-Grain are monumentally sexist.
17 Nov 10
12:30 pm
I’m more troubled by two and a half men being considered a family show than I am by either of these ads.
17 Nov 10
12:33 pm
Who elected this Parent’s Jury? Can we have a re-vote?
17 Nov 10
1:25 pm
um, they have a LONG way to go judging by that first ad. That was intern material
17 Nov 10
2:05 pm
“It’s the fourth year running that Parents Jury has singled out Kellogg’s for what it claims is “one of Australia‟s worst junk food marketing campaigns to target children”.”
Yes, they basically just change the dates on the same old press release year in, year out.
Who are the Parent’s Jury? I mean, specifically. What is their motivation? How many members do they have? What is their ultimate aim? What are their qualifications to make these judgements?
And why doesn’t anyone who prints their press releases year in year out, ever ask these questions?
17 Nov 10
2:16 pm
Won’t somebody think of the advertisers?!?
17 Nov 10
2:20 pm
A quick Google search reveals the following: http://www.parentsjury.org.au/
I think Kellogg’s should be ashamed of themselves, but not more so than any other marketer of junk food to the ignorant (Maccas etc). Nutrigrain is actually around 1/3 sugar – how on earth can they claim it to be suitable for ‘iron men’?!
Just because they put the ads on during shows that are more what parents are expected to watch doesn’t mean they don’t target kids. I love how they consider ‘serious’ responsibility for advertising involves simply abiding by legislation for labelling… it’s still junk Kellogg’s, hello!
17 Nov 10
3:09 pm
@Anon and @Rascal
My sentiments exactly! Who are these so called doers of public good?!
I demand we sack them and start again with actual ‘real’ people (or those without lofty standards that the rest of the world can never hope to live up to!)
Parent’s Jury my butt! Where’s my invite?!
17 Nov 10
3:20 pm
i just looked at the website. It’s an online forum and anyone can join … you know … just saying … it might be interesting if …
17 Nov 10
4:09 pm
A Current Affair ran an editorial piece last week showing families the best fast food bargains from the big fast food chains. That trumps Kellogs!
17 Nov 10
7:17 pm
Thanks Mooky. I’m aware of the website. Doesn’t prove anything except that they know about web design and using the web as a means of disseminating information. How many people does it take to manage that? 2? 3?
And as for the ‘support’ they get from various health bodies, what exactly does that mean? Money? Research assistance? A nice letter on letterhead?
If the Parent’s Jury are so enormous in influence, then someone reading Mumbrella or any other newspaper they’ve been quoted in, must know someone, or of someone who’s involved? Someone apart from Mooky?
18 Nov 10
4:26 am
Gotta love the advertising lobby. Defending the indefensible.
Tobbaco industry anyone?
Selling Hardy Bros products.
Bring on the new series of The Gruen Factor to expose these frauds.
18 Nov 10
7:15 am
It’s elementary my dear Watson.
What is indefensible about advertising products that are perfectly legal for sale?
When a majority of the population decide that a bowl of Special K is simply too risky to eat and therefore the product shouldn’t be on the shelves then we’ll stop advertising it.
Just maybe the frauds are groups such as The Parent’s Jury who seem to think they represent the majority of the population. How many members are there? How do they vote on these awards? I didn’t seem then on my votine paper last polling day.
18 Nov 10
8:37 am
@ Holmes, According to your logic, it’s ok to promote the legal propaganda of Nazism and Pol Pot. Have you no morals? Ah right, it’s legal.
Your patronising, condescending reply says alot about you and the advertising industry.
18 Nov 10
9:10 am
No, that was not my logic. I was merely pointing out that the products you rail against are legal and for sale all around the country. They are also consumed by millions upon millions of consumers exercising their choice. I am neither condoning nor condemning the products. Should you passionately believe that these products should not be for sale take it up with government, politicians and food regulators. I am sure that once they find a scintilla of evidence of their medical malfeasance then they will act. Until then, let’s get on with our lives.
Your equating of LCMs in the lunch box with the genocide of Nazism and Pol Pot beggars disbelief and offends my high moral standards.
18 Nov 10
11:17 am
Watson…
er..bring on the new series of Gruen transfer to expose the frauds.
because Todd Sampson’s gonna speak from a position of strength – you do realise Leo Burnett get’s 30% of it’s global revenue from Philip Morris (including some in Australia), that Diageo is their second biggest client and that the only reason they don’t work on Maccas any more is because they weren’t as good as DDB.
not saying there’s anything wrong with this…just that the Gruen Transfer is a group of heads who are part of the industry, not some higher standard
18 Nov 10
12:02 pm
It doesn’t seem to matter either way, Kellogs advertising is so awful that it can’t possibly be effective.
If it’s not effective then it can’t be harmful can it?
18 Nov 10
1:27 pm
Holmes: You’re right. How dare these people assert an opinion on product quality or the real value of food. Legal or not, Kellog’s is a disgrace, and its advertising promotes rubbish as healthy food. Don’t care? So what? At least someone’s offering an alternative to Kellog’s line of bull.
18 Nov 10
3:23 pm
As much as my instinct says don’t comment on a post after Nazism is brought up…
Think we’ve lost the point a bit here. The question isn’t whether these products are rubbish, it’s whether they’re positioned as something they’re not (Nutri-Grain), or using dubious methods of promotion (LCMs).
…hope i don’t hurt myself getting off this high horse.
18 Nov 10
7:44 pm
Kellogs deserved the award, it’s like getting a Razzie, suck it up, take your award and try to laugh it off as if it didn’t hurt.
19 Nov 10
3:35 pm
Well said dark nightie… Since when was the Gruen transfer anything other than a means for Denton to make money from advertising
19 Nov 10
3:51 pm
by the way before anyone gets too excited about a Gruen mauling from the Todd Leo Burnett… is Kellogg’s major agency worldwide