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Opinion | Features
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.
Savage counsel - JFDI
Hi Chris,I run a medium-sized agency that is doing pretty well. As the leader, I am finding my workload just seems to go up and up. I am struggling to stay motivated and particularly to tackle the bigger and tougher challenges I have to face every day. How do I keep up the energy when there just seems so much to do? How do you do it?
Productive, successful executives are those able to consistently tackle difficult and big challenges. It’s a constant struggle for me so I know how you feel. How do the successful leaders do it?
Q&A with Brett Clegg
Brett Clegg, group director – business media, Fairfax Media, in a Q&A that first appeared in Encore, on the journo who refuses to work with him – his wife.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Hard to go past Rupert Murdoch. He controls the single largest and most diverse portfolio and is intent on leveraging its scale (and, of course, influence). He’s an innovator and his will to win is obvious to all.
PR agency ‘fires’ client Qatar Airways
Sandra Devahasdin
Perth PR agency Devahasdin has fired client Qatar Airways.
In an email to contacts, the agency’s founder Sandra Devahasdin described the relationship as “untenable”.
Devahasdin would not reveal the reason for the split, telling Mumbrella Qatar Airways “does not fit into our business plans”.
Devahasdin began working with the fast-growing airline, recently voted the best in the world for the second year running, nine months ago.
The email from Devas read:
Devahasdin will no longer be the PR representative for Qatar Airways, effective immediately.
While we very much enjoyed working on and achieving great results for the launch and several promotions, an ongoing effective relationship is untenable.
We would like to thank you for your support of Qatar and Devahasdin, and trust we will be in touch with you before too long regarding other client matters.
Qatar Airways were unavailable for comment at the time of writing.
Qatar Airways recently announced it would bring the first Boeing 787 Dreamliners flights to Australia, although one aircraft was grounded the day after the announcement due to an electrical problem.
Comments
14 Dec 12
2:35 pm
Why do agencies feel the need to report this kind of story? is it similar to breaking up in a relationship with your parter when a teenager? or just trying to grab some airtime?
either way. poor form in my opinion. Thanks PR lady, we wont be bringing our business to you… it’s obviously about you more than us.
14 Dec 12
2:40 pm
A brave move. It is always a tough call when a client relationship isn’t delivering for both parties. And who in our industry hasn’t dreamed of telling a particularly challenging client (read rude, demanding, plain psycho) their cheques are not longer required?
14 Dec 12
2:45 pm
Having done it (proactively parted ways with a client – ‘fires’ is such a dramatic term isn’t it), I recall it was a bitter-sweet experience. However, I am surprised an agency would want to make it public – it might raise questions about the ability to work with the agency rather than any deficiency of the client. Will more details be publicly revealed in coming days although many in the industry probably know why already?
14 Dec 12
2:50 pm
She should fire her stylist also, big collar, big belt, big no no.
14 Dec 12
2:50 pm
Nice outfit though.
14 Dec 12
2:53 pm
you only pull this ruse if you’re about to be fired yourself – ad agencies do this all the time.
14 Dec 12
3:00 pm
today we are all untenable.
14 Dec 12
3:05 pm
Am with @shaun. why publicise this?
14 Dec 12
3:11 pm
I disagree Shaun. Bad clients need to be outed. How else can we avoid them if we don’t know who they are? Well done Sandra.
14 Dec 12
3:15 pm
I agree with you Shaun….. even though, its tempting, and especially when you feel unfairly treated by a client during the relationship, the best thing to do is “shut Up” and move on.
Bad move, from a so called PR specialist.
14 Dec 12
3:23 pm
There is a Qatar Airlines?
14 Dec 12
3:32 pm
No doubt the PR agency hasn’t been paid. That’s usually the main reason an agency fires a client!
14 Dec 12
3:33 pm
How do you all even know they publicised this? It sounds to me like they sent an email to their clients and now its been reported on.
14 Dec 12
4:20 pm
This is the airline – Qatar, or is it catarrh? – that wind-bagged yesterday that Sydney airport should be a 24 hour airport.
As selfish, thoughtless acts of bastardry go, that’s hard to beat.
Good on the PR agency for firing them.
Until Qatar Airlines starts behaving like a socially responsible corporate, they should get the hell out of Australia, and stay out.
14 Dec 12
4:32 pm
Wendy, you’re absolutely right. By way of clarification let me say, Mumbrella’s headline and lead para regarding Devahasdin / Qatar Airways was wide off the mark.
I regret the report and can confirm we did not ‘fire’ the client. We had, and continue to have, a healthy relationship, which has been maintained beyond our amicable separation.
The email quoted was a personalised message sent to travel media so they were aware Devahasdin would no longer be the contact point for media queries relating to Qatar, and supplying them with the new contact details to ensure there was no loss in promotional opportunities for Qatar.
14 Dec 12
5:32 pm
I find it very interesting timing that Devahasdin ‘fired’ Qatar and sent that email out on the very afternoon that Qatar announced it would start flying the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth, which is a big deal because this will be the first 787 flying in Australia (see http://www.ausbt.com.au/austra.....perth-doha for more on that). It’s hard to imagine the two are unrelated, that the timing was pure co-incidence, so I think there is more behind this story.
14 Dec 12
5:45 pm
The world’s best airline suggests Australia’s busiest airport should be like most other major airports around the world and operate around the clock. Why does Mike think this is an act of bastardry and that Qatar is being a socially irresponsible corporate? Does he live under a flight path like I do? I have no problems with it.
14 Dec 12
7:48 pm
While my Qatar gently weeps.
15 Dec 12
8:47 pm
“an amicable separation” and “an ongoing effective relationship is untenable.” do not really seem to fit together.
15 Dec 12
9:16 pm
Whoops!
16 Dec 12
7:59 pm
Who cares?
17 Dec 12
11:05 am
Spindoctor, I have a huge problem with a 24 hour airport. I’ve been living in Newtown since before there was a 3rd runway, so don’t give me any of this “Well, you shouldn’t have moved there” crap. If our government’s weren’t such cowards, I wouldn’t have to note all the curfew breaches and contact Airservices Australia so often.
I suspect In The Pink is right about not getting paid. It’s very hard to get money out of the Gulf – if you have any disagreement about terms at all it basically gets parked for a once-a-year settlement discussion with the Emir or Sheikh controlling the region – the ultimate arbiter of commercial disputes. If he doesn’t feel like dealing with it, it just won’t get paid. Several US corporations have had to write off tens of millions of dollars because of this process, but they do it because they bulk up the fees on other projects so much.
There was an agency in Pyrmont NSW who went bust about 3 or four years ago because of unpaid work from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but I can’t remember their name right now. How fast agencies fade from view once they’re gone.
17 Dec 12
11:23 am
Read my comment before you put your other foot in your mouth ant – I didn’t say anything about not moving there. By your comment you’re suggesting that you moved to Newtown before the airport was built! I think not. As I said, I live under a flight path and it doesn’t worry me.
17 Dec 12
4:06 pm
Well said ant.
If SpinDoctor doesn’t think that’s an act of bastardry by Qatar airlines – which incidentally is from a country that is run by an absolute monarchy dictatorship – then we can only assume poor old SpinDoctor is equally lacking in empathy for his/her fellow citizens as the Emir of Qatar is.
Sociopathy is incurable – you have my sympathy.
17 Dec 12
4:23 pm
Are you on the same planet? Do you actually read comments before you respond to them? And why the comments about monarchy in Quatar and me lacking empathy? You obviously know nothing about me or the global business as it applies to the aviation industry. Spare us any more of your rantings.
17 Dec 12
4:54 pm
As a PR person who’s had to give out my personal number on occasion (working for charities or tight agencies that won’t supply a phone) I still get phonecalls from jobs as far back as 2004. I think it’s fair to say there’s probably more to this story than meets they eye but clearly the original purpose of the email was to tell day-to-day contacts “we don’t do these guys any more, call someone else”. Nevertheless, I’m going to err on the side of caution and avoid flying in a Boeing 787…
17 Dec 12
5:00 pm
Spindoctor you’re a muppet
these days if you live in Sydney, you live under a flight path
how happy will we be to be woken throughout the night by a 24 hour privately owned corporation conducting it’s particular style of commerce
ever heard of ‘externalities’, Spindoctor?
17 Dec 12
6:45 pm
An advertising agency being honest and everyone’s surprised!
17 Dec 12
7:36 pm
NS – given you appear to be a dickhead I take your comment as a compliment
18 Dec 12
12:25 am
Spindoctor, perhaps Sydneysiders would prefer to revisit horse-and-carriage as the primary mode of transport.
Calling people sociopath etc after a paragraph on curfews is pathetic.
18 Dec 12
9:00 pm
It’s clear Devahasdin didn’t ‘fire Qatar Airways’ and I’d bet the farm it had nothing to do with 24 hour airports!
This stuff happens all the time and before blogs and such it would be purely industry gossip and that’s it.
If I had to guess, it would on a scenario something along these lines:
Qatar when they first entered the Australian market, their presence wasn’t all that big. Consequently, they mainly wanted to their PR firm promote the airline into the travel industry and give it a bit of ‘glitz and glam’.
This probably went really well but when the airline started to up its presence in the market and issues arose. Maybe the PR firm started getting more media calls and were doing more reactive media relations than Qatar was paying them for.
Devahasdin thinks AHA more billing coming up but when they tell the client the extra fees are because the AFR or The Australian are ringing not just travel industry news things go pear shaped. The airline thinks that maybe they’d rather someone else handle that. Devahasdin keep the events, the glitz and glam and the maybe the trade media. They sent the email because their bread and butter is what they’ve kept and they want to protect their reputation.
What’s the best Sandra and Co have online issues management to their service offering and we now all have to call Mumbrella when anything like this happens and say ” it’s no biggie, but….”