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Opinion | Features
Why is advertising so much better in New Zealand than Australia?
Ok, so this isn’t a new observation.
But it really hit home after I watched some TV ads for a kiwi supermarket yesterday that advertising in New Zealand is so much better than much of the crap that is being served up in this country at the moment.
Why is it that Colenso BBDO Auckland can turn something as bland as a supermarket chain into a brand I almost like, while Australian agencies succeed only in either irritating me (Coles) or passing me by unnoticed (Woolies) because the ads are so average?
My memo to your boss
So let me guess?
You really want to come to Mumbrella360, but you’ve got to justify the time and cost to your boss?
Good news! I think I can help.
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.
Over-the-top property obsessives at the centre of property site campaign
Obsessed house hunters who are willing to lie and cheat to get their hands on the home they want are the subject of an online video campaign created by digital agency Amnesia to promote the launch of new features on realestate.com.au.
The videos feature a couple who pretend to be ghosts to frighten off bidders, an airline pilot who flies his plane over the house to drive down the price, a fake heavy metal fan next door neighbour, a man who poses as the naked old man from next door and a couple who give deliberately awful references.
The videos also sit on the House Hunters section of the new look realestate.com.au site.
Henry Ruiz, general manager of consumer marketing, said: “This campaign is a great way to communicate the enhanced realestate.com.au site to our consumers and furthers our ongoing strategy to continue to innovate and provide a superior user experience.”
The social media element of the campaign includes an effort to persuade consumers to share their stories about obsessive house hunting via Twitter or Facebook.
A Facebook-based property game with a $50,000 prize will follow later this month.
April 14th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
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Comments
14 Apr 10
3:02 pm
Embarrasingly bad – I couldn’t watch any of them all the way through.
14 Apr 10
3:12 pm
Oh dear, just confirms why I use realestateview.com.au, and the Domain iPhone app. Hardly inspires the hapless house hunter with hope either.
14 Apr 10
3:35 pm
I agree,
This is really bad, first thought kinda stuff!
At least use decent actors!
14 Apr 10
3:39 pm
Thanks for the comments guys.
It’s worth noting that the videos sit in the context of the campaign site:
http://househunters.realestate.com.au/
It’s not meant to be a TV show and we like to think these anecdotes connect with people looking for the edge on the competition.
Keep an eye out for the launch of the game.
Thanks for the feedback though
14 Apr 10
4:19 pm
i dont know anyone involved from a bar of soap but i think you’re judging it too harshly, people
as Andy said – look at the ads in the context of the site and the game which they are supporting. The ads will help fire people’s imaginations for their competition entries.
I think you’ll be surprised how many people this will appeal to
14 Apr 10
4:20 pm
Hate the new website. I could use the last one. Anyone tried using it on the mac?
A complete clusterF*&^%
And the ads/videos….oh dear.
Andy, it doesn’t matter what context the videos appear in, they should not make the audience hurl. Did someone qualified write these?
14 Apr 10
4:53 pm
They are an accurate reflection of the ugliness that is Sydney real estate business.
They look like a bad high school video project written by a committee.
14 Apr 10
4:58 pm
Yuck and double yuck – a missed opportunity methinks…
14 Apr 10
5:28 pm
Iain from Amnesia here.
We’re always grateful to hear feedback good, bad, ugly.
Whilst the comments above are negative that’s ok. There’s always more than meets the eye in a digital campaign. We have a very defined brief and clear objectives from the client. No oscars were expected here. These are not TV ads. There’s a broader strategy – and it all has a job to do in the context of their new look site which we have just worked this campaign into.
Fingers crossed we’ll be able to show some results at the end. Right now we’re listening carefully to everything and will continue to do our best to make the campaign a success for realestate.com.au.
Keep the feedback coming
Thanks.
14 Apr 10
5:33 pm
There is a decent idea in there but the execution is naff. The gags are ok if a bit predictable but they take way too long to get to the point then attempt poorly to transition from entertainment to product spec…zzzzzzzzz. Could have got the point across in 30 secs not 2 mins.
Not very original, reminds me of another directory services campaign from Truelocal done back in 2008.
Expected more from an online business.
14 Apr 10
5:33 pm
Amnesia is known for some great stuff…but this is just awkward to watch if not impossible.
FAIL!
14 Apr 10
5:37 pm
i love the ad industry
on the one hand, people will definitely watch 14 minutes of ads every hour
on the other hand, poeple definitely won’t watch 90 seconds of branded content online
14 Apr 10
8:52 pm
Aarrrgh this is so close and yet so far. This idea has delicious ingredients but the chefs turned it into a shit pie. Biker one was the closest to being good. Crazy old guy could have been hilarious but really poor writing and direction ruins it. Opportunity missed.
15 Apr 10
7:04 am
I tried to watch with an open mind, but I couldn’t sit through the full length of any of the videos, they drag on for too long without being particularly funny. No good sorry.
15 Apr 10
7:56 am
The whole time I couldn’t help thinking that it was some kind of amatuer student film done on a handycam after class.
No appeal, the production information is a clear break from the content previous. It doesn’t flow, and it doesn’t interest.
It was just cringe-worthy.
Sorry guys, maybe time for a Carlton Draught style retractment?
15 Apr 10
9:40 am
hmmn, i dont know any pilots who say they fly a “jumbo jet”. FAIL.
15 Apr 10
1:36 pm
I’m not even sure why I’m giving this campaign enough credit to comment about it – Bad doesn’t begin to sum it up… Has anyone actually thought of the homeowner here? You know, the ones that actually pay realestate.com.au to promote their properties? It’s basically showing buyers how to devalue the home and use trickery to bring the price down. Clearly Amnesia forgot that there are other users of the site besides desperate buyers.
15 Apr 10
1:52 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing the game/app for the $50k prize. the videos don’t seem to be the whole piece of the pie. The new site itself doesn’t look to bad either.
15 Apr 10
3:48 pm
Sorry Ian but I have to agree in part with Adsuit:
“There is a decent idea in there but the execution is” …well… workman like.
I do however think your strategy and insight were spot on.
I believe that if digital agencies like Amnesia invested in some real, dare i say it, more traditional based creative writing talent and stopped trying to get digitally brilliant minds to produce entertaining ideas outside their skill set, they will be unstoppable.
I would love to meet with you Ian to discuss further if you are up for it?
15 Apr 10
4:02 pm
Having recently gone through the looking for a new place to live washing machine that is Sydney real estate, I understand what they are trying to achieve but really don’t think they hit the mark. The guy in number one and four who never says anything (maybe he did towards the end I couldn’t sit all the way through the “Ghosts” one, is freaky and creepy and a little surprising he’s with a woman). Also their “fastest route to the next house” map thing isn’t going to do shit if the three or four places you want to have a look at are open between 11:00 to 11:15 even if they were next door to each other. These only exacerbate the frustration of the Sydney housing market, not provide solutions.
15 Apr 10
9:24 pm
The new REA marketing campaign has been pulled. Read about it on http://www1.propertyportalwatc.....nly-1-day/
15 Apr 10
10:56 pm
Seems the only time people bother to post a comment is when they have something negative to say. Yawn! I didn’t notice any particularly creative alternative ideas being posted?? I actually thought they were funny.
16 Apr 10
9:36 am
What garbage.
I wish I actually had amnesia after watching that.
16 Apr 10
10:17 am
I’ve been told that most negative comments are made by un/under-employed creatives
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