Opinion

• After Harold

  The ‘Harold rumour’ rarely goes away.

  Last time round WPP was rumoured to be looking at buying Mitchell Communication Group. On another occasion one of the trade magazines hoaxed a rival into reporting that Telstra was the buyer.

  This time, the rumour appears to have a great deal more substance. Read more »

• Intelligent TV – the next big thing?

  I was, I must confess, mistaken about last night’s Gruen Nation.   Read more »

• Masterchef: Homophobic? No. Racist? No. Ageist? Maybe

  In this guest posting, Tactical TV’s Tony Richardson argues that Masterchef shows Australian TV audiences are ready for multiculturalism but not older faces

  When the popularity of a TV show bumps the prime minister and the leader of the opposition to an earlier time slot, you know you have a phenomenon.   Read more »

• Bad enough the SMH iPad app is just a PDF, forcing a print subscription is insane

  So yesterday Fairfax launched its Sydney Morning Herald iPad app. The strategy – designed to shore up print – and the execution – already derided by users as a “glorifed PDF reader” – are both laughable.

  If there were ever doubts that Fairfax is two companies pulling in different directions, then the handling of the iPad app dispels them.   Read more »

• Is a kettle boiling a good ad?

  So would you watch a kettle boiling? The weekend magazines carriedied an unusual ad.

  It was a plain, unbranded address for the url Life is too short.com.au. Read more »

• Guest post: Why Sensis believes in the cause

  After Mumbrella criticised the Facebook campaign by Sensis to give socks to the homeless, we invited the brand to explain its thinking. In this guest posting, Sensis communications manager Danielle Horan explains the background to the idea

  The debate about the intention behind the Sensis 1234 Warm Up campaign certainly unearthed a range of differing opinions. Read more »

• Hungry Jack’s – something to sing about

  I often enjoy giving the Hungry Jack’s ads a kicking, so it’s good to see a new one where there’s an interesting idea. Read more »

• The big election question

  As an occasional media commentator, I’m sometimes asked: ‘Tell me Tim. Given that politicians  want to engage the electorate beyond the hardcore politics junkies, would it be a good idea to schedule the leaders’ debate at the exact same time as the final of Masterchef, arguably Australia’s favourite TV programme and likely to be the most watched show of the year?”   Read more »

• Why this is NOT the Twitter election

  If you read the last few days’ papers, you would think that the Twitterati will  decide the outcome of the election.   Read more »

• Paging the fun police

  While any brand has to worry about the legal implications of running a contest, there does come a point where the entire thing looks so unappealing it may be worth going back to the drawing board. Read more »

• Oh PETA

  This ad is a tough watch.

  If you don’t want to see seals being clubbed, then don’t watch.   Read more »

• Sensis – social responsibility isn’t about patronising the needy about their socks

  I wish I could put my finger on what it is that makes this social issues campaign for Sensis feel so icky:   Read more »

• Old Spice: Best use of social media yet?

  Today has been a good day. You know those very rare moments where you see an advertising idea and you can recognise not only how good it is, but how it’s going to inspire other great work? What Old Spice did next is one of those moments.

  It combines great advertising, great writing, a huge PR idea and excellent use of social media as a two-way channel.   Read more »

• If that’s how paywalls work then we’re utterly flipping screwed

  So tonight, for the first time, I went behind Fairfax Media’s pay wall.

  Based on that experience, if the future of journalism is paid content then every one of us working hacks is utterly screwed.   Read more »

• Media Watch picks an odd target

  I’ve got a nasty feeling I’ve finally gone native.

  Much like Stockholm Syndrome where kidnap victims come to adore their captors, journalists have always been susceptible to a similar syndrome.   Read more »