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Opinion | Features
Disclosure in Social Media: How transparent should bloggers be?
In this guest post, blogger and digital creative Laura McWhinnie argues for more disclosure in the bloggersphere.
The bloggersphere has always been a bit like the Wild West. Bloggers could post about products to their heart’s content without having to disclose their relationship with the brand. This meant that consumers had no idea who was behind the marketing messages influencing their purchasing decisions. But in 2009 that all changed
Liars, cheats and thieves
Is our industry full of cheats and liars or do people of honour who stand by their word still exist in business? In an article that first appeared in Encore, Cameron Boon investigates. The recent court case involving Paul Fishlock suing his former employer The Campaign Palace brought into focus more than just the struggle of one man. It highlighted that there are some in adland whose word cannot always be relied upon.
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.
KFC launches The Double – the sandwich that replaces bread with chicken
KFC is to launch its controversial Double Down snack in Australia on Wednesday.
The snack launched in the US last year where it was dubbed “the unhealthiest sandwich ever” but was also a major marketing success with a planned six week shelf life extended on the back of strong sales.
Featuring no bread or salad, it sandwiches two types of cheese and bacon between two pieces of chicken.
The product – renamed for Australia as The Double, rather than Double Down, is being marketed as “the ultimate manfood”. It will be backed by a month of marketing activity targeting KFC’s mile customer base labelled “The month of mantime”.
A mailout went to KFC’s cutomer base today telling them:
“There are no equivalents here, The Double IS the man. It’s the burger that says NO to bread buns and HELL YES to double fresh breast fillet, rasher bacon, double cheese, double awesome!”
Nutritional information on The Double is not yet available on KFC’s Australian website, but the US version lists it as amounting to 540 calories (2268kJ) and containing 32g of fat. At present KFC’s chicken cheeseburgers contain 19.6g of fat.
The launch is likely to put renwed focus on the issue of responsible marketing in Australia by fast food companies. Although there is a Quick Service Restaurant Industry code of conduct administered by the Advertising Standards Bureau, it only covers responsible marketing to children.
Among the first to experience The Double in Australia was Chaser Chas Licciardello who custom ordered one last year and tweeted the moment.
Comments
28 Mar 11
6:46 pm
Did Chas get paid for that? If not, he should have. Someone should pay for the heart surgery.
28 Mar 11
6:50 pm
just had a heart attack from looking at the pics
28 Mar 11
8:16 pm
Please, you can order plenty of burgers from McD’s and Hungry Jack’s with more fat than this.
Yes, it’s a ludicrous menu addition but it’s not the unhealthiest thing you can buy these days.
28 Mar 11
9:10 pm
Surely this is as bad as selling cigarettes?
28 Mar 11
9:57 pm
i got really excited for the double down when it came out in the states, but was let down by the sogginess–i expected something nice and crispy! now that i live in oz, i have high hopes that “the double” will delight, since you guys generally serve better quality food. now, when will kfc’s signature buttermilk biscuits (think scones, but more buttery/flaky) grace australian menus?!
28 Mar 11
11:55 pm
Awesome.
Now the rest of you – stop moralising the dirty bird.
29 Mar 11
12:19 am
I saw ads for a Burger King “Back Porch Burger” when in Miami. And the size of people’s back porches there made me think it was a sucess.
29 Mar 11
9:11 am
It’s April 1st already?
29 Mar 11
9:43 am
I don;t know if it’s because it’s before ten in the morning, or if this product is just completely vomit-inducing full stop…but I feel sick as a dog just looking at it.
29 Mar 11
9:52 am
Just so long as the fatties don’t try blaming their size on ‘glands’, ‘genes’ or the fact that ‘I just look at food and put on weight’.
29 Mar 11
10:13 am
I love the idea of this product. Doing away with the bread is just fantastic.
Maybe at some point they will get rid of the chicken too.
29 Mar 11
10:29 am
soooo gooood
29 Mar 11
10:36 am
it needs a hash brown in it as well
29 Mar 11
10:40 am
Turns out it has less enegry and fat (and presumably carbs) than a Quarter Pounder – sodium is off the hook though:
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2.....ur-health/
29 Mar 11
10:41 am
Low carb diet?
29 Mar 11
10:56 am
A quick look on the KFC website reveals the tiny Original Recipe Snack Box contains more kilojoules than this supposedly world-ending Double Down burger. As do pretty much all other burgers, wraps,
Storm, teacup, etc.
Move on.
29 Mar 11
11:08 am
It will certainly save time cooking food for my four obese children.
29 Mar 11
11:09 am
http://www.facebook.com/KFCAus.....3264374505
29 Mar 11
12:42 pm
YUM. Heart foundation X
29 Mar 11
1:53 pm
You should check out the drama unfolding on the KFC Australian Facebook page!
Note to KFC: When you decide to run a promotion through facebook offering customers a sneak preview at a product, make sure you’ve told the stores!
People all over the country are trying to buy this new product after being told they could through the Facebook page only to discover that it’s not for sale today in most stores.
Great way to make yourself unpopular and fill your Facebook page with negative comments.
29 Mar 11
2:08 pm
Indeed, dramas are unfolding…. http://www.facebook.com/KFCAustralia?sk=wall
29 Mar 11
2:08 pm
I am so happy, I put way plenty these when I was in NY, I joined the facebook petition to bring them to Australia
29 Mar 11
2:10 pm
f the heart foundation. we are all responsible adults with the ability to make our own choices. there is nothing irresponsible about serving and marketing this burger. if we want to kill ourselves its not against the law. who cares about fat, were all fat and happy and enjoying our food, leave us alone. we all obviously love fast food since there is one on every corner, and growing!!!
bring on the double. the bread probably has more sugar and fat than the chicken anyway!!
29 Mar 11
3:20 pm
HAA! Social Media Fail!
I feel ill looking at this. But a twisted part of me wants to try it. Then vom.
29 Mar 11
3:21 pm
I just had one for lunch, and now I feel like I need to sleep for 18 hours to simply digest the thing.
I’d probably do it again though..
29 Mar 11
3:44 pm
Where’s the tick from the Heart Foundation?
29 Mar 11
3:48 pm
filthy disgusting!
29 Mar 11
3:48 pm
Double Bypass
29 Mar 11
3:49 pm
That is absolutely disgusting. Your body wasn’t created to process this junk. If you eat this kind of shit you’re asking for disease and early death.
29 Mar 11
3:50 pm
This all reminds me of a billboard I once saw in LA many years ago.
It had a big image of a burger with mountains of beef, cheese, bacon all oozing out of the 2 buns.
The headline: “Our heart surgeons are standing by”.
The billboard was promoting a private hospital!!
29 Mar 11
3:51 pm
KFC have streamlined this product by removing the bread – well in!
29 Mar 11
3:52 pm
Will nobody think of the children?
29 Mar 11
3:54 pm
Love to see this little baby as a temptation in the Biggest Loser…think I’ll pass on this one..
29 Mar 11
3:55 pm
I want this more than air.
29 Mar 11
4:03 pm
The bread makes the burger… this is just a well placed meat. And yes… it needs a hashbrown!
29 Mar 11
4:05 pm
all it needs is a can of condensed milk to wash it down and you got yourself a
snack sized coronary!
Maybe KFC are trying to tackle world over-population one heart attack at a time…
29 Mar 11
4:07 pm
Guys, you’re missing the point. Only bogans eat KFC, and this burger is a more effeciant way to kill said bogans.
29 Mar 11
4:10 pm
@Herald Sun Reader: YES. the next logical step is a no bun, all deep fried chicken burger with cheese, bacon and cigarettes.
BEHOLD THE FUTURE.
29 Mar 11
4:19 pm
Most of the criticism really is quite lame. It’s just a few pieces of chicken with some cheese and bacon in the middle. Apparently it’s around 500 calories which is just a little more than a Big Mac.
The only reason people are paying the crap out of it is because it’s weird. I bet half of you will be out eating one tonight.
29 Mar 11
4:34 pm
Seriously people, this one isn’t even marketed at families, you’ll find it’s marketed at adult males to coincide with some ‘Man month’ push they’re about to do. SO if you as an 18 year old male lving in this country while you still have the right to make your own adult decision, (before the PC police get control), decide you want to eat this with all it’s calories, be my guest.
I won’t, but that’s my choice and I respect anyone adult enough who choses to eat one or not, you dont need me to nag you one way or the other.
20,000 dead in Japan and it had nothing to do with this burger and that’s a serious point in that there are bigger issues out there.
What is interesting and the relevent part of this in regards to what this website is about, is the Facebook PR disaster that KFC have on their hands, that’s actually a media story, not opinions on KFC releasing an unhealthy burger, (well duh, and Philip Morris just released minty cigarettes)
29 Mar 11
4:39 pm
I am definitely getting one of these.
29 Mar 11
4:56 pm
Beautifully designed for the obese!
29 Mar 11
4:57 pm
Oh my god my punani is tingling with moist excitement!!!
29 Mar 11
4:59 pm
Geez it’s like reading the comments section of news.com.au in here. I need to change my previous post to fit in. Here goes:
omg kfc are KILLERS they shoudl be BAND from advertising they aer makeing us all OBEAST
29 Mar 11
5:01 pm
still battery farm chicken rubbish whatever else they do with it. fail.
29 Mar 11
5:02 pm
RELEASE THE KRAKEN …. i mean BACON!!!
Oh and yes. Get a hash brown in there.
29 Mar 11
5:07 pm
Bring it On…. I want one now
29 Mar 11
5:52 pm
I’m going to eat 2 of these straight after Gym!! I love how KFC are unhealthy and proud of it. Only makes me want to eat their food even more!
29 Mar 11
6:10 pm
The Double actually has less fat than the KFC Twister, or a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder from McDonalds.
Much ado about nothing, really.
30 Mar 11
6:58 am
Order it with a diet coke, that’ll save ya!
30 Mar 11
8:34 am
Yummy.
30 Mar 11
10:22 am
Josh @ 6.10pm,
all you’re really doing is reinforcing the fact that the vast majority of fast food is incredibly bad for us.
Stacking up well in comparison to a KFC Twister or a Quarter Pounder is hardly a ringing endorsement.
But yeah, at least KFC doesn’t pretend to be anything but junk. You eat there, you’re definitely going in with your eyes wide open.
30 Mar 11
11:37 am
But its not just about individuals choosing what they like to eat. The people who eat this stuff regularly will expect, in 20 years or so, to get good quality medical care to compensate for their poor diet choices – heart surgery, medications and hospital care. The people who don’t eat this stuff, and make responsible food choices, will not need it, but their taxes will pay for it. How is that about individual choice? Levy the sales of these products to pay for the inevitable drain on the health budget in 20-odd years I reckon.
30 Mar 11
12:03 pm
A double whammy of fallacy there:
How is “this stuff” defined?
Cheese? Bacon? Chicken? Put a levy on these? Butter too? Chocolate? Bread? A chicken mayo sandwich? A slap-up meal at a fine French eatery?
The “but they are a burden on our society” argument is a strange stance, driving towards a more libertarian direction.
Shoud society levy parents for their kids and the subsidy provided for their upbringing and education. Stuff child benefit, have a child tax?
Tax sunbathing, surfing, skiing as they have significantly higher injury risks? It’s a slippery slope you’re standing at the top of.
30 Mar 11
12:33 pm
totally getting one for lunch.
30 Mar 11
2:21 pm
Don’t forget to upload a photo to WIN MANSTUFF
http://www.facebook.com/KFCAus.....6643074113
30 Mar 11
4:16 pm
AdGrunt wins as usual.
1 Apr 11
12:04 am
Bring on the Child Tax!
1 Apr 11
1:54 pm
I can’t believe they didn’t call it a Shit Sandwich…
3 Apr 11
3:27 pm
“Levy the sales of these products to pay for the inevitable drain on the health budget in 20-odd years I reckon.”
Sure, just so long as we put similar levies on contact sports. Wanna play football? Submit a blank cheque in advance to cover potential medical expenses.
Also a rich person who pays lots of taxes should be allowed to eat unhealthily, but poor people should only eat green vegetables and lean meat. It’s only fair.
Great idea, buddy.
3 Apr 11
5:03 pm
Fck the captaincy, I’ll have one of these in a bun, with extra Mayo ‘thanks’!
All that advertising over the years at every oval when I have played cricket has resulted in a sudden urge for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Yes, I know, Mr Warner has endorsed Macca’s but I want a dose of the 3 lettered dirty greasy bird
Large chips and a thick shake too please Sheila!
In Canada ‘Pup’ is something served in burgers, similar to veal… I think there is one called a ‘Fresh Captain Burger’ and they serve beer in the fast food joints, with free refills.
Burgers don’t kill people, cricketers do! I heard it on the TV channel SBS 2…
I wonder if I will be allowed to change my 20/20 shirty name to Ricko?
4 Apr 11
6:30 am
Have you seen the size of them?! Its fcking tiny! How do they get the 2000mg of sodium on the zinger.
Half of it’s weight is grease.
4 Apr 11
8:58 am
KFC are doing a great job advancing Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Only the most stupid people will eat this crap because the others can see the health consequences. They will die prematurely hence lifting the average of the population. Everybody wins. More power to the fast food people, more power to the tobacco people, clean up the world!
4 Apr 11
11:54 am
This is a ridiculous example of plagiarism, what are KFC playing at? In Coming To America we had McDowells ripping off the awesome real deal Maccas, and now this.
I can only assume The Colonel watched as much Ren & Stimpy as I did and thought the idea of a meat sandwich using meat as bread, all washed down with a glass of meat.
I would have provided a link, but Viacom are too cross and tight to let me find it on YouTube.
17 Apr 11
3:50 pm
mmmm so goood! makes you animal!
18 Apr 11
12:07 pm
Groucho, I’m with you: this is an excellent contribution to the process of natural selection.
If you’re stupid enough to eat this garbage, please be my guest, we’ll manage just fine without you