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Opinion | Features
Keith Reinhard on freedom to fail, winning back Maccas and how agencies can survive
In an exclusive interview in Cannes today, advertising icon Keith Reinhard, one of the founding fathers of what is now DDB Worldwide, talked to Mumbrella’s Robin Hicks about freedom from fear, his favourite ads of all time, winning back McDonald’s and why the most important thing in advertising is passion.Savage counsel - little white lies
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas. This week, he talks about when it’s okay to lie to clients.
Hi Chris,
I often find myself telling little white lies at work – I tell people on the phone that I don’t want to speak to I’m about to duck into meetings. I told my colleague her new haircut was great when really it wasn’t and I praised someone’s work when actually it was kind of shit. After each of these occasions, I felt pretty terrible and wonder if you could tell me how can I speak with candour in the future – for my sake and others.
How to build a culture
How important is a company’s culture and how do you ensure you are breeding a good one? Matt Smith investigates, in a piece that first appeared in Encore.When production companies Cordell Jigsaw and Zapruder’s Other Films merged early last year, bringing the staff together within the walls of the Zapruder building proved to be something of a challenge. While the two companies weren’t strangers to each other due to six months of talks and negotiations, working together on a full-time basis was a different story.
Q&A Damian Keogh
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Val Morgan CEO Damian Keogh reveals his potential alternate career.
Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
I’d say Kerry Stokes, slightly ahead of Harold Mitchell and Kim Williams. He controls the entity with the largest revenue across free-to-air, online, magazines and newspapers. On pure size alone, his influence and leverage over advertisers, media agencies and consumers is unmatched. Harold is still the king in media, slightly ahead of John Steedman, but Henry Tajer and Leigh Terry are the heirs apparent. Kim Williams controls News and that’s a big base to work from.
If a violent game is okay, then so is using a violent ad to promote it
An ad for video game Dead Island Riptide was banned by the ad watchdog. James Whitehead of online entertainment publisher IGN argues that it was the wrong call.A fortnight ago, it emerged that the Ad Standards Board had banned a television commercial for the video game Dead Island: Riptide, due to its depiction of violence – specifically suicide.
Why content makers are leaving our shores
In a piece that first featured in Encore, Craig Anderson says there simply isn’t enough opportunity for content makers in Australia, especially for those making comedy.Last year I had multiple meetings with production companies in Australia and discovered that apart from the odd commercial campaign, there’s no proliferation of paying platforms for comedy. From my own experience there’s iView, which will buy content once it’s already been made (though I live in hope that it will one day be granted the financial power to commission content). I’ve also had the odd informal commission from the SMH iPad consisting of two narrative series and a comical review show. But none of these endeavours were financially viable.
Managing your management style
In an article that first appeared in Encore, Stephanie Brown says the advertising industry often leaves people ill-equipped when it comes to managing staff, especially when they’re promoted into management roles.Managing people is hard. In fact, I actually think it’s the hardest job in the world. With no disrespect intended, I often joke that if my job didn’t involve other people to manage, it would be a walk in the park. I could get about my day’s work in a nice, linear fashion, happily checking off my to-do list as I go. I’m a process-orientated person. I get a kick out of getting things done.
Why the Facebook chase is making brands treat consumers like morons
You know how we look back at quaintly patronising ads from the 1950s and wonder what on earth the advertisers were thinking?
I’ve got a feeling that in a few years time, we’ll be looking at the behaviour of big brands on Facebook the same way.
An entire generation of marketers – or at least a sizeable proportion of them – have lost their minds.
So many have become so obsessed with generating user interactions at all costs, that all thoughts about overall brand perceptions or long term marketing goals have vanished. All that counts now, is generating likes and comments at all costs.
Blog this!
Paid content, sponsored posts and brand ambassadorships – in theory, today’s blogger can be just as valuable to brands as mainstream media. But does blogger outreach actually work? In an article that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.“I get approaches from PR companies constantly,” says blogger and author Kerri Sackville, with more than a hint of exasperation. “I have never done a sponsored blog, on my own site, but that doesn’t stop them from asking.”
McLennan right man for job
It’s all change at troubled broadcaster Channel Ten with new directions, new executives and a brand new CEO. Managing director of Adstream Peter Miller says Hamish McLennan is the right man for the job, in an article that first appeared in Encore.I am a bit of a schmuck when it comes to movies. I love romantic comedies. My favourite is One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney.
Q&A with Richard Herring
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, CEO of APN Outdoor Richard Herring talks media.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
I don’t know if there is one person in particular. The fragmentation of traditional media and new entrants has made it a more level playing field with regards to major influencers. As was demonstrated with the recent media reform recommendations, together, the broader media community still has a very influential and powerful voice.
What one medium could you not live without?
Outdoor – clean, entertaining, evocative and informative.
Q&A with screenwriter Craig Pearce
Craig Pearce, screenwriter for The Great Gatsby, spoke to Encore about working with Baz and writing for 3D.
How did you get into script writing?
I always loved stories and acting and dressing up and being anything but myself and I never realised that was not something other people did. After leaving high school, I did a three year acting course at NIDA but always thought I would one day write. Baz was a good friend and he had a theatre company. He wanted to extend a 20 minute version of Strictly Ballroom. We got it to 45 minutes then he was approached by producers to turn it into a feature film. I started helping him out on the film while they were looking for a real writer but eventually Baz had to go to the producers and say, “There’s this guy who’s my best friend and he is a really good writer”. To the producers’ credit, they believed in Baz so we had two weeks to re-write it.
Savage Counsel - winning pitches
Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas in his weekly Encore advice column.
Hi Chris,
It seems we have to increasingly pitch for everything. Even with existing clients, we’re now expected to pitch ideas, competitively, for every project. We’re winning about two out of five of what we’re pitching for. It’s a huge burden on our time and budgets. What is your secret to winning a pitch presentation? How do we make sure our presentations are a knockout?
Fake it til you make it...as a TV writer
Jess Harris, series creator and writer of ABC2 comedy series twentysomething tells us how to bluff it as a TV series writer in a feature that first appeared in Encore.
What does a TV series writer actually do?
Create fictional characters and a make-believe world for them to play in. Basically, I’m a liar.
The third dimension
From Avatar to Gatsby and the ads in between, in a feature that first appeared in Encore, Lee Zachariah looks at the state of the 3D market.When sound came in,they said it was a gimmick,” says director Baz Luhrmann. “It’s early days, and the [3D] tool is still being explored. But look at what Ang [Lee] did with the beautiful Life of Pi. And Dial M For Murder is just drama in a room.”
Media agencies ‘ticking out-of-date demographic boxes’
Falkinder: ‘Blind’
Media agencies are “simply ticking out-of-date demographic boxes on their planning programs and turning a blind eye to niche opportunities” a new sales house has claimed.
The claim came from Jake Falkinder, head of strategy at the newly formed Misfit Media.
The sales operation, based on the Gold Coast, will represent website shockmansion.com, skateboarding platform skateboard.com.au and digital surf magazine 18seconds.com.au, targetting an under 35 male audience.
In a statement, Misfit Media attacked “increasing neglect by media planners to properly utilise popular niche websites as suitable advertising platforms for their clients”.
Falkinder claimed that “time reasons, or perhaps simply a lack of visibility” of certain sites were making agencies and advertisers overlook relvant opportunities. He said: “These sites are attracting a large majority of 18 to 35 year old Australian guys, so the advertisers who are wanting to target these guys end up missing their target.”
Clark: ‘Lacklustre’
His comments were echoed by Misfit’s creative director Chris Clark. He claimed: ”The mainstream online advertising channels simply don’t reach out to these guys, and as a result we are seeing digital ad campaigns trying to target this audience, and delivering lacklustre results.”
He added: “There’s a significant market of Aussie men who check the surf a lot more often than they check the local news. The same guys would rather watch a 90-second skate clip on YouTube than Lady Gaga and Gangnam Style.”
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Comments
1 Nov 12
1:04 pm
They should neglect to wear their square glasses
1 Nov 12
1:25 pm
Do you have to wear black rimmed glasses to work at misfit?
1 Nov 12
1:27 pm
Looks like they’d know the hipster demo well
1 Nov 12
1:42 pm
Not every platform fits into a clients media strategy/budget/creative communication – white thong brigade
1 Nov 12
1:54 pm
read: you agency guys are such lazy pricks. so … when should i schedule in that face to face meeting so i can tell you in person how lazy you are? Never … okay.
1 Nov 12
2:16 pm
Well now when I want to target a 35 year old male who’s interested in skateboarding I know exactly where to go…
1 Nov 12
2:17 pm
i am sorry but I just cant take anyone seriously who would wear those glasses
1 Nov 12
2:20 pm
You’re in sales right? Awesome way to alienate a massive chunk of your potential client base.
Oh and by the way, the average media planner knows that “demographics” are hardly the way to plan effective campaigns in 2012.
1 Nov 12
2:53 pm
“These sites ate attracting a large majority of 18 to 35 year old Australian guys…”
Oh really???????
1 Nov 12
2:55 pm
Most workers in agencies are lazy junior burgers who dont want the stress of trying to work out performance of a new media, they recommend and buy what they know, they simply want to do as minimum as possible to earn their 45k a year.
1 Nov 12
2:58 pm
I understand where these guys are coming from, but in reality advertisers are still reaching large volumes of men through the other channels they are using. Agency folk are notoriously time poor so they will try to reach as many of their desired audience as they can, through as few channels as possible. They dont have the time to talk to every niche magazine or website that has an audience of the demo they are after!
We work in the multicultural space and the same can be said here but probably in larger numbers. There are large volumes of the population who aren’t reading mainstream tradition aussie media, but unfortunately to try to get budget allocated to multicultural media is a struggle.
Its not a laziness thing (in most cases)…..just a reflection on how the agency model doesnt actually work!
1 Nov 12
3:02 pm
Maybe learn a bit about the challenges in a media agency today and how to be a solution rather than just bagging them. Great sales pitch.
Oh – and I trust you see the irony in whining about standard demo’s and then refer to your audience as 18-35 men?
1 Nov 12
3:26 pm
“These sites are attracting a large majority of 18 to 35 year old Australian guys…” *
Really?
*Yes, as long as they’re into Surfing, Skateboarding and live on the Gold Coast.
1 Nov 12
3:41 pm
He has a point – we clearly need that brand new demographic of “18 to 35 year old Australian guys”, because the existing Men 18-34 or Men 18-39 just don’t cut it.
.
1 Nov 12
3:43 pm
I know who won’t be getting briefs from me, as for subculture platforms there are plenty of them and ‘large majority of M18-35′ means more than 50%
I think they have spent too much time in the GC sun and their brains are fried
1 Nov 12
4:03 pm
I work for a niche publication and website. The fact of the matter is, unless we increase our cost for advertising substantially – which can in turn put off our core client base – agencies aren’t interested, unless they can get a larger commission. No matter how relevant the product is to their clients. It means raising the rate card way above and beyond what we generally charge our clients.
Probably not the most popular ethos to have on this site I’m sure but……. why don’t businesses employ marketing professionals to do their job’s and actively book the company’s advertising, instead of just liaising with agencies, costing businesses even more money?
1 Nov 12
4:12 pm
Men into skateboarding ONLY look at skateboarding sites.
Just like gay people only read gay only websites (isn’t that right?)
1 Nov 12
4:18 pm
Lumping all media agencies in one box is the same as saying all 18-35 men are the are into skateboarding. I guess you can’t see the irony. Should have gone to Specsavers!
1 Nov 12
4:26 pm
Jake, Chris, fellas, please think a bit harder before going public with such utter tripe – it’s bad for business – yours!
1 Nov 12
5:05 pm
I am on the marketing client side of things and so is my wife. We were having this exact conversation the other day and both expressed our concerns that some buying agencies seem focussed upon selecting channels to fit the commission structures and not the product and it’s fit for the audience. Valuable debate, for agencies and sunglass retailers me thinks….
1 Nov 12
5:15 pm
These Joe90′s are awesome. Genius marketing spin on how to attract media agencies!
1 Nov 12
6:12 pm
Being a niche publisher, I have found it far more difficult to engage with agencies over the past couple of years for even the most compelling of proposals.
In many instances, after beating my head against a wall with agencies for weeks on end without so much as a reply email, I have presented direct to the client who makes an affirmative decision within 7 days and directs their agency to book or even does it themselves.
I can only conclude that many media buyers – particularly at the larger agencies – simply don’t have the time or resources to properly serve their clients these days…
2 Nov 12
11:49 am
I will say agencies, CMO’s and marketers are largely missing the mark around understanding consumers / audiences in this era of digital disruption.
Too many if not all are unfortunately using pre-digital methods to segment their consumer base.
Here’s a great article which I 100% agree with, written by Ray Velez, global CTO for Razorfish – ‘Targeting Readiness Study Shows CMOs Missing Their Mark’ http://www.cmo.com/targeting/t.....their-mark
Here’s more detail about the study referenced in the article above – http://www.razorfish5.com/arti.....ng.aspx#01
CMO’s, marketers and agencies are content to use old models for understanding consumers rather than taking advantage of the massive torrent of data that the digital age has turned on to get better results from marketing. When it comes to targeting, there’s a lot of room for companies to get smarter.
The other problem is too many marketers and agencies are placing too much emphasis and money on survey’s and focus groups to understand and or validate consumer attitudes and behaviour. Consumers almost always say one thing and yet do another. ‘Identity Shift: Where Identity Meets Technology in the Networked-Community Age’, is a great new book written by Alcatel-Lucent’s Allison Cerra and Christina James. The book focuses on the question – Does technology cause a shift in how we perceive our relationships and ourselves?
To find the answer, global communications leader Alcatel-Lucent commissioned an extensive research study. Subjects crossed geographic, generational, socioeconomic, and cultural boundaries. Hundreds of hours of documented observation and interviews with real people led to the fascinating conclusions in these pages. While technology will never define us, this study reveals how profoundly it influences the way we define ourselves. The study demonstrates quite dramatically that people say one thing when questioned and surveyed but do another.
I’ve seen Alison present twice now and here is a good video of one of her presentations where she highlights these behavioural differences and how users perceive themselves in a digital world – http://vimeo.com/42481958
The bottom line is that marketers and agencies need to be investing time, money and effort in behavioural based personas and not old world pre-digital segmentation models.
2 Nov 12
12:32 pm
And conversely I urge everyone to read Byron Sharp’s “How Brands Grow (What Marketers Don’t Know)”. I found it a very challenging read, often muttering to myself ‘that can’t be right’. But the longer and deeper I thought about things, I came down in Professor Sharp’s camp.
While it is very presumptuous of me to try to summarise Sharp’s work, I believe that in essence he is saying that mass media creates mass brands by having broad reach and impact far beyond that of “the target”. His evidence based on studies conducted by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Sciences at the Uni of SA is quite compelling. Brands may be able to very precisely, efficiently and effectivley target and impact in the digital world, but who are they missing out on to grow their brand into a mass brand?
2 Nov 12
2:03 pm
Most workers in agencies are airheads i by pass the agency and just go direct you get an answer staright away
2 Nov 12
2:26 pm
Martin Walsh, you are one smart cookie – Definately agree!
6 Nov 12
11:05 am
agencies looking for higher commissions? what are you guys smoking.
Most clients get the media commission rebated to them at any rate & work on retainers.
when chasing niche audiences, it is hard to stack up on a CPM basis, which is what TA-DA the clients ask for.
next time I get a brief targeting gold coast skateboarder hipsters that are aged 18-35 I know who to go to
6 Nov 12
11:37 am
Totally agree IMP. Last time I saw media commission retained was when I was in media in a full-service agency. In the past decade plus I’ve never seen an account in which the media commission wasn’t rebated (either to the client or upon their instruction back to the creative agency).
Sorta shines a light on how up to date they are!