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Opinion
The keyboard warrior of Twitter
In this guest post, NBN staffer Scott Rhodie writes an unofficial, personal view on his experience with a hostile Twitter critic.Last night I had a strange incident. While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated. I wrote a small note back explaining they were incorrect.
And their response? The lovely gentleman (whose Twitter profile says: ‘Father of 5 kids, Loving Grandfather of 10 Grandchildren,and 2 Great Granddaughters. love to give heaps to Pollies and Poofters’) said to me: “Go and lick Gillards C*** out U commie Prick”
What's in a name?
In this guest post, Moensie Rossier wonders about the power of names for brands and marketers.
Brands have been having a bit of fun with names lately, not to mention a fair bit of success. Interbrand just named a headhunting firm Cloak & Dagger. And ‘Share a Coke’ showed how much power there is in a name.
The Coke campaign effectively short-circuited the usual mechanics of communication. It undoubtedly stroked people’s egos. But, I believe, its success stems from the fact that it directly and automatically affected people’s behaviour, rather than doing so indirectly by shaping attitudes.
Best ads from Super Bowl 2012
The Super Bowl is all done and a team from North America won. But as well as some sort of sporting event, it’s the world’s biggest advertising showcase. See the best of them right here… and please tell us what you think.
How to debunk media myths
In this post, UWS’s Ullrich Ecker, John Cook and Stephen Lewandowsky argue that cognitive science can help PRs form strategies in managing media misreporting.
A growing cohort of commentators has bemoaned the descent of contemporary political “debate” into a largely fact-free zone.
How about simply focusing on what consumers want?
In this guest post, Peter Mountford argues that brands should think more about what is really going on for consumers
Who here is hoping their favourite brand of toilet paper is going to be organizing a flash mob on their way home from work today?
What the Optus web copyright victory means
In this analysis first published on The Conversation, RMIT’s Marita Shelly examines the implications of Telstra’s defeat over the online rights to the AFL broadcast deal
This week’s Federal Court ruling that Optus customers are able to view sporting matches minutes after they are streamed live without breaching copyright is a landmark decision that alters our understanding of copyright law, and has significant implications for the AFL’s broadcasting rights deal.
Does Gina Rinehart’s bite of a chunk of Fairfax make her an oligarch?
In an article that first appeared in The Conversation, Mark Rolfe wonders whether the mining magnate’s move could turn Fairfax into something resembling America’s Fox network.
Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has moved to increase her stake in Fairfax Media, owner of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and a number of radio stations. Rinehart has already shown her desire to play a role in public life, campaigning against former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s aborted mining tax. She has also demonstrated a willingness to make media investments to ensure her pro-business worldview is promulgated.
What does this latest move by Rinehart mean?
Gillard's Australia Day crisis
PM Julia Gillard’s media adviser Tony Hodges has been forced to resign over the Australia Day tent embassy debacle.
It came after it emerged he had revealed opposition leader Tony Abbott’s whereabouts, leading to both politicians being rescued by police in ugly scenes.
Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes and advertising practitioner Jane Caro debate the topic on Weekend Sunrise’s masters of Spin segment:
The biggest cock-up I made in business
In this guest post, Chris Savage urges agency staff to live the brand.I still shudder when I think about how incredibly stupid I was when I made the biggest stuff up of my career. And then, 18 years later, I did it again. Do not make this mistake with your clients. Ever.
Hey Groupon. Thanks for fucking up email
In this guest post, Daniel Monheit warns that group deal overload is devaluing email marketingEmail marketing used to be fabulous. Back in the heady days of 2010, brands would work hard to build up well qualified databases, upon which they’d bestow carefully crafted correspondence filled with information, offers and incentives. The recipients, of course would be delighted: “Oh look! An email! From one of my favourite brands! And it’s 40 cents off at Woolies this week!”.
The staggering sway of Harold Mitchell
The Power Index today names Aegis Media chairman Harold Mitchell as the most powerful person in Melbourne. Andrew Crook profiles him.
Harold Mitchell takes pride in dispensing with the niceties. When The Power Index visited his South Melbourne private office before Christmas, fresh remains were scattered all over the boardroom table.
Share a Coke with… the moronic masses
The most-read story on Mumbrella last year, with not far off 100,000 page views, was a fairly humdrum yarn about the launch of Coca-Cola’s name-on-a-bottle campaign.The headline, “Coca-Cola puts people’s names on bottles in ‘Share a Coke’ campaign”, though hated by any self-respecting sub-editor, was loved by Google. And in rushed what can be politely described as the public.
Assumptions kill creativity
In this guest post, Gual Barwell disagrees that the sales success of the Old Spice social media campaign was overstated.Yesterday’s post from Cathie McGinn suggested the Old Spice campaign failed to connect with consumers. Based on the facts and figures, I disagree.
What Old Spice and Wieden + Kennedy has done and done phenomenally well is to create a franchise.
The SMH's readers (are wrong) editor
We are now about five months into the reign of Australia’s first readers’ editor. And I don’t think it is working.
It struck me at the time of Judy Prisk’s appointment to the Sydney Morning Herald that the fact that her boss was editor-in-chief Peter Fray was not going to be ideal if she was going to be the independent voice of the reader.
The emperor's new fragrance: Old Spice’s campaign failure
In this guest post, Cathie McGinn slays a sacred cow of 21st century marketing – the highly awarded Old Spice campaign.One of the biggest myths of recent times (by which I mean a story of great heroism and triumph we’d all like to believe but deep down know to be untrue) is the Old Spice social media campaign. It’s been much lauded and awarded as an example of outstanding content, a creative and collaborative way of connecting with consumers and driving a record increase in sales.
Rapper Melle Mel makes Kia The Message
Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five member Scorpio become a driver’s imaginary friends in a new spot for the Kia Sportage featuring classic rap track The Message.
The ad has been created by Kia’s in-house agency Innocean in conjunction with Prodigy director Tim Bullock.
It features a mild white man reliving his youth while popping out for some nappies.
Steve Watt, national marketing manager of Kia said: “We wanted to use popular culture to humanise the brand and show its more youthful side. The launch of the Sportage is extremely important for us and will play a significant part in Kia’s ongoing success in the Australian market.”
Amanda Wheeler, General Manager of Innocean said: “At the core of this campaign is a simple insight about growing up, but not wanting to grow old. When we spoke to potential customers they recognised that they were going to be buying a more practical vehicle but didn’t want to give up all of the fun in their life. This insight ties perfectly in with the offering of the new Sportage, a stylish, but practical SUV and combined with a great creative execution has resulted in a fun and memorable campaign.”
Bullock added: “Getting to work with Melle Mel and Scorpio – two of not only the coolest but nicest guys on the planet – well, that was simply awesome.”
The original:
August 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
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Comments
10 Aug 10
11:52 am
A few more of these ads, and Kia will be in my “consideration set”. Its a long journey for a brand to re-position itself for middleaged wanna be dudes who have to face the reality of their situation….everyday ! I liked it.
10 Aug 10
12:00 pm
Props to anyone putting Grandmaster Flash in an ad. Nice performance from the lead too.
But why are all those people staring dumbstruck as the Kia drives past? It’s just a normal bloke driving a normal car down a normal street singing to himself. Yet people are staring slack-jawed like the Pope is riding an elephant through their neighborhood, accompanied by a troupe of burlesque dancers on stilts.
Such a pathetic ad-cliche.. the “dumbstruck stare”. Never happens in the real world, only in AdWorld. I know Bullock is trying to make 45 seconds of ‘car driving down street’ interesting, but really… the “stare” should be banned, along with redheaded weird looking kids.
10 Aug 10
12:01 pm
Truly nice work and an insight sadly missing (or badly told) in most other car comms. Well done.
10 Aug 10
12:09 pm
Hi Hmmm,
I think you’re reading the “dumstruck stare” wrong. Time to turn up the irony detector a tad I think.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
10 Aug 10
12:16 pm
I saw this on the telly as 30sec and I laughed and thought – yeh nice. I had no idea the rappers were the real guys. Neither would 99% of punters but a nice touch all the same.
10 Aug 10
12:29 pm
Right song, wrong car.
10 Aug 10
1:22 pm
What does the insight have to do with the car?
10 Aug 10
1:27 pm
its just so bad its good
10 Aug 10
1:30 pm
Yeah no idea who they were. Could have been anyone. The ad itself wasn’t offensive though and that’s a bonus these days. The car is middle aged, middle class, defeat personified.
10 Aug 10
1:35 pm
I’d imagine that anyone that didn’t recognise Melle Mel are under 35 and not in Kia’s target market – I don’t think they would be too upset about that.
10 Aug 10
1:40 pm
Granted this ad is funny – But does nobody think this is just a poor man’s version of the same concept – done better by Toyota with their Sienna TVC?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4
10 Aug 10
1:41 pm
Irony detector must be malfunctioning today, unfortunately. But my familiarity detector is working alright because I just remembered that Toyota did this whole thing extremely well not too long ago. Worth a look if you’ve got a couple of minutes.
(I still think all dumbstruck stares should be banned, along with weird ginger kids AND women eyerolling the camera after their hubby/bf does something seriously dumb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4
10 Aug 10
1:54 pm
Well I love it! it is enough to make me consider buying one of these cars now!
Had to go to you tube after seeing the ad a few times, found the original there! Loved it as well!! Then found Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight!! There is another one KIA, you will dominate the airwaves, tv coverage and watercooler talk!!
Well done in a lame and lazy advertising market!!
10 Aug 10
1:57 pm
I don’t know or care if this ad is effective – but I’m REALLY thankful sameone paid for these guys to come to Australia and have some fun…their appearance on GNW was absolute gold
10 Aug 10
2:04 pm
Props to Innocean. Great insight, Great idea, Well executed.
10 Aug 10
2:12 pm
Ballsy idea, ballsy client –
nice job!
10 Aug 10
2:18 pm
Credits?
10 Aug 10
2:18 pm
I LOVE THIS COMMERCIAL!
I drive a Kia Rio to now I just have to decide who is imaginarily going to sitting next time…big decision ahead. Maybe Delta Goodrem or Kylie could make an appearance? Or perhaps John Farnham on my bad days…haha
10 Aug 10
2:21 pm
AND the Kia is actually funny and quirky. The Toyota one goes for too long and is just plain daggy and cringe worthy.
10 Aug 10
2:28 pm
Yep, this ad made me caaa-ringe – but the awkward-looking white man trying to do black also made me chuckle….
And admittedly it’s a much better effort than this directories brand in the UK called 118 118 which somehow managed to convince Ray Parker Jr to sing a version of his classic Ghostbusters song….. so bad, oh so bad….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqnRdSPv2IE
And if you’re game, there’s even a TWO MINUTE VERSION….. why Ray Parker Jr, why???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZw87CSV-o4
10 Aug 10
2:44 pm
OK, so the bar is pretty low but that is by so far the coolest Kia thing I’ve ever seen. The Swagger Wagon (via Saxon Shirley) is well worth a look. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a whole new level.
10 Aug 10
3:32 pm
is it ironic because if you own a KIA you will spend a lot of time “pushing it”?
10 Aug 10
5:14 pm
@Saxon Shirley I was wondering if anybody had spotted that too. Kinda samey… just sayin’
10 Aug 10
5:28 pm
Well played Simon Rush.
10 Aug 10
8:02 pm
Interesting comments here – particularly those around class and age. Provides a truly sad insight into how many people align a car with their self-worth. Pathetic – if you took the Kia badge off and slapped a BMW, Merc or even VW badge on it, most of you would be drooling.
Great ad, great song and I am sure the car has a solid place in many people’s lives who choose to define themselves as individuals, not through their car
10 Aug 10
9:21 pm
it made me smile. Forwarded it to all my Gen X friends who are as fanatical about hip hop as only a white kid from Ireland can be. Win
11 Aug 10
9:40 am
Entertaining. Everyday kind-of moment. Everyday kind-of car. Fits.
11 Aug 10
11:27 am
I like it. Love the track, like the insight and think the car looks good. not sure I’m quite ready to buy one yet but definitely improving.
just quietly….are ay agencies producing better car advertising tghan innocean right now?
11 Aug 10
11:28 am
shokcign spelling in last mail. my hmble apolagees
11 Aug 10
1:32 pm
Just another voice that it feels heavily influenced by ‘Swagger Wagon’.
11 Aug 10
1:49 pm
Nick w seems a “great supporter”??
This spot does not even rate against the Toyota Swagger Wagon verision.
To his question – hard to beat Mazda Zoom-Zoom I would think..and the punters seem to agree.
11 Aug 10
6:59 pm
I loved this ad when I saw it last night during the 6 o’clock news. I’m 32 years old and use to listen to this song back in the day and it was really good to go back down memory lane a bit.
It repositioned the Kia Sportage in my mind from a brand I would never consider because its a wagon and I have no need for one in my life to a brand I would seriously consider as a lifestyle accessory.
I’m so glad I’m single though and not married and don’t have to rely on trips to get the nappies to get my dose of old school.
I think they should run with this theme of “growing up and not growing old”. They could apply it across their range of vehicles and make this their tagline.
14 Aug 10
11:06 pm
I googled “Who made the Kia Sportage advert?” because I wanted to find somewhere to leave feedback about this advert. I liked it so much I wanted the makers of it to know what I, a potential customer, thought. A 25 yr old mother of 3 young children under 5 yrs of age I was drawn to find out more about the car this person was driving and normally I completely ignore adverts lol. I loved the advert because I do the same thing when influenced by soul moving music xD
This advert brings out the entertainment factor of a car.
16 Aug 10
10:11 am
Catchy, light, entertaining. Good ad. Casting and performance also very good as the hero isn’t swallowed up by the “guest stars” but seems comfortable as one of the gang. Good work talent!
17 Aug 10
8:09 pm
YOU KILLED A GREAT SONG! Was cool – now not!!
17 Aug 10
8:58 pm
Wow, who woulda thought gangstars would sell out for a car…
Lol, i guess it’s not as bad as having them cruise around in one in their video-clips, but hey… who the hell would drive around in one of these on mtv.
I Saw grandmaster flash at the Espy last year. Was so excited!!
..It was the biggest waste of petrol money in my life (got the ticket for free thank god). He has no skills, it was just a quick “hey im grandmaster flash, i was huge 15 years ago, so i’ll use my name to sell tickets, then not even use the decks”.
Kia obviously arent concerned (edited by MUmbrella for legal reasons).. The guy who wrote the song has done nothing but grow old.
Shame on you Grandmaster Flash, And Shame on you Kia.
Shame Shame Shame.
18 Aug 10
10:56 am
some of the comments in this thread are on drugs.
19 Aug 10
4:45 pm
As a younger man i.e just below 30, who is actually looking to purchase a new car you would think that I would be in the ideal demographic for this ad, minus the children.
Unfortunately I found this ad repulsive, cringe-worthy and felt as if it was thrown together like a last minute university essay. So much so that I now would not buy a Kia out of plain spite of my hatred of this ad.
I think Metlink still seems to be the top of my transport advertising, their ads actually made me want to take public transport. (and that’s a serious feat)
22 Aug 10
2:59 am
Reminds me of when me and a mate went out to get roof paint and came back with a Jack Russell puppy.. his wife was not happy
23 Aug 10
9:08 pm
Considering I have seen approximately 500 car TVCs in the past 10 years, and haven’t remember one since “bugger”, I think some of you are particularly harsh. That is a great TVC, and even greater because it connects with a bunch of dads who probably need a car like that. ie – I think it will sell product.
28 Aug 10
12:18 am
It reminds me of the libra ad where the guy gets busted for playing with the pads. The male characters are portrayed in the same way (being silly), with the gf/wife pulling them up. Which makes me wonder if females will drive Kia sales… if that’s who they were really trying to convince?
28 Aug 10
7:21 am
The message has been lost in the ad.
31 Aug 10
1:39 pm
the haters on this thread are all nappy-wearing whingers so are not within the target audience and should be ignored. When you grow up you’ll understand what this ad achieves to the young fathers its targetting
the song makes the ad and is seminal as it was arguably the first commercially successful rap track
6 Sep 10
3:18 pm
Love it, love it, love it but I can’t stop singing this song now. Surely there has to be a follow up?! (btw, is the guy from Thank God You’re Here?)