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Opinion | Features
Disclosure in Social Media: How transparent should bloggers be?
In this guest post, blogger and digital creative Laura McWhinnie argues for more disclosure in the bloggersphere.
The bloggersphere has always been a bit like the Wild West. Bloggers could post about products to their heart’s content without having to disclose their relationship with the brand. This meant that consumers had no idea who was behind the marketing messages influencing their purchasing decisions. But in 2009 that all changed
Liars, cheats and thieves
Is our industry full of cheats and liars or do people of honour who stand by their word still exist in business? In an article that first appeared in Encore, Cameron Boon investigates. The recent court case involving Paul Fishlock suing his former employer The Campaign Palace brought into focus more than just the struggle of one man. It highlighted that there are some in adland whose word cannot always be relied upon.
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.
Sex Party launches its election ad campaign
The Australian Sex Party has released a set of ads ahead of the anticipated federal Election.
Created by Bret Treasure of WA-based web marketing consultancy Free Beer, the aim of the ad is to remind voters that it doesn’t matter who they tell friends they’re voting for as their ballot is private. According to Treasure:
“Advertising should fit the personality of the brand and the Australian Sex Party doesn’t take itself quite as seriously as the established parties. Not expecting the other parties to use humour all that much so it stakes out territory and appeals to those who find the adversarial thing a bit of a drone.
“In those millions of pre-election conversations about to occur in workplaces and homes, very few people will put their hand up and say “I’m voting Sex Party”. We’re reminding people here that nobody sees who they vote for in the final analysis.
“We’re also doing two other things in the ad; visually legitimising a vote for the party by showing a Sex Party vote on a ballot paper and we’re explaining that socially enlightened people are under-represented in parliament.”
Treasure is himself a candidate.
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Comments
15 Jul 10
3:39 pm
i’d vote for them if I was a citizen already
15 Jul 10
3:43 pm
But it doesn’t say how racist they are and what they will do to those dodgy boat people and the evil people smugglers who take their cash, bring them to our country, blow up the MCG and then take our jobs. How can we compare them to Julia and Tony?
15 Jul 10
3:47 pm
Thanks Tim,
Some minor copy alts since then; people interested can follow your ‘According to Treasure’ link. Main copy change is the addition of drug decriminalisation as a policy objective; i.e. decriminalisation of drugs for personal use in small quantities. The Party is still in favour of prosecuting drug traffickers.
15 Jul 10
3:49 pm
Got my vote.
15 Jul 10
4:08 pm
@Pedro; well, Tim’s site is not the place for political discussions but you can compare Sex Party policies on many social issues to the major parties. We’ll build a broader policy platform over time but it’s probably the most ‘humanist’ of parties. We wouldn’t be turning any boats around.
15 Jul 10
4:22 pm
Just had a read through their policies. A lot of their policies I am quite passionate about so it’s great to see that they are really putting themselves out there. Win or not, thank you for your voices. A few people might hear and actually listen.
Cheeky ad campaign too, I like it!
15 Jul 10
4:24 pm
So, if they’re about all these “other issues”, issues other than sex, why are they calling themselves the Sex party?
How about they stop beating around the bush and just come out with what they’re really about? Which, I think many people will rightly assume is about what their name is based on…
If they’re so “socially enlightened” they might not need to hang their identity on their sexuality and realise there are plenty of more pressing issues in our world beside what people do with their pink bits.
15 Jul 10
4:34 pm
@Anon; I don’t know how much more open you can be than calling yourself the Sex Party and campaigning for some enlightened policies in those areas. The same conservative forces that constrain progressive policies affect areas like drugs and censorship so we feel they’re close to home. We’ll be advocating change in some other areas too.
What might not be a pressing issue for you might well be a pressing area for someone else, depending on their circumstances. It’s healthy to have a range of topics discussed; there is more than one agenda.
15 Jul 10
4:45 pm
After reading their policies it’s not all about pink bits Anon. They are very relevant issues to many and still filter back to what would seem to be their core values. I couldn’t care less what a political party is called! If they are doing what is best for the country and it’s people then that’s what matters.
That said, you can’t please 100% of people 100% of the time. Impossible. Every political party has holes in their arguments and policies.
I’d hate to be the PM, what a shit job and you get paid less than the average CEO in the country you’re RUNNING! Take a wrong turn and your cabinet sack you anyway.
Anyway, rant on about politics al you like, refreshing to see a ad that isn’t the same old naff shit.
15 Jul 10
4:55 pm
*hearts Clara*
15 Jul 10
5:11 pm
Guys, just because you’re calling yourself the Sex Party doesn’t mean you’re open.
It means you think Sex is a solution to running the country.
Sure, there are other policies raised, but I thought we were all marketing experts on this forum? If you were about all these other “Socially Enlightened” issues, why not call yourself the Social Enlightenment Party?
You don’t think calling yourself the Sex Party is going to get you alienated before you’ve even opened your mouth?
Sure, why doesn’t Apple bring out the new SexPhone and show the world how socially enlightened they really are. Come on people, its not rocket science!
15 Jul 10
5:28 pm
Just to add a response to “What might not be a pressing issue for you might well be a pressing area for someone else, depending on their circumstances. It’s healthy to have a range of topics discussed; there is more than one agenda.”
The Sex Party limits the perception of themselves to one issue and one agenda by their very name, that’s my point. The choice of name in its own right indicates a limited, small minded, puerile approach to both politics and marketing – which is about reaching people.
I also care about addressing the other issues they’ve raised; don’t believe in internet censorship, am sexually liberated, have loads of gay friends and have taken drugs – so what? They won’t be getting my vote, simply for being such wankers – literally.
15 Jul 10
5:30 pm
Hmmm, asking Aussies to cast a vote for sex? Cant get more Australian than that!
15 Jul 10
9:58 pm
A few posters above hit the nail on the head. Policies… in reality what do we see Abbot mainly doing? Slagging off labor what do we see Labor doing? SDlagging off the liberals and again no real policy. apart from the net filtre, the nanny state Kev wanted us to become and the mining tax which was never properly reported anyway.
The time for real change is now, we most certainly need to up-end the libs, labor, throw them out of power and install the Sex party and the greens so we can get carbon reducing, have a real inquiry in to the Catholic church and why so many pedder priests get away without ending up where they belong which is in prison.
If the gay community really want to have their own reality check when it comes to Divorce then hey im a 100% behind them (hello Boys) lets allow them to be legally married.
This country is rapidly becoming a $hit fight with a bunch of mad right wing christian f-tards pulling too many strings.
Clean up australia should now apply to a new subject. Canberra.
15 Jul 10
11:10 pm
I find it amusing that so few people care about this story to even bother commenting on it.
16 Jul 10
9:14 am
Mick EXACTLY! I will say, let’s not let people confuse “legally married” as gay people wanting recognition from the church either. They don’t. They just want the same legal rights as anyone else.
Anyhow I think a vast percentage of people vote for the best of a bad bunch and really, for quite some time that’s all we’ve had!! Yes Anon the NAME “Sex Party” takes the risk of alienating people who are conservative narrow minded stuff shirts but I dare say their policies…these ppl wouldn’t agree with anyway. I like their policies. I’ve voted Greens for the past handful of elections, do they get anywhere? No. It will take a RADICAL change for this country to be led by a party other than lib or labour, which is frustrating. Hopefully it happens in my lifetime! As you say Mikck, I’m sick of the major parties standing over a step and slinging mudat eacthother rather than fixing things that need to be fixed!
I’ll say it again though, as this is a forum related to advertising, good to see some political ads that are a bit left of centre!
16 Jul 10
12:12 pm
F.Y.I. Portugal legalised drug use back in 2001 all the shock horror wankers were out in force saying the country would become a denauched writhing mess.
http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=5887
In a new paper for the Cato Institute, attorney and author Glenn Greenwald closely examines the Portugal experiment and concludes that the doomsayers were wrong. There is now a widespread consensus in Portugal that decriminalization has been a success. The debate in Portugal has shifted rather dramatically to minor adjustments in the existing arrangement.
It’s time for this country to take it’s proverbial hand off of it and move on up to the 21st century.
This is one aspect I love about the democracy we still have, that right, while we still have a free internet is to call that bunch of puss bags in Canberra a bunch of scum sucking low life c-nts. As hopefull the wankers (that’s us the people) will tip them in to the lake to drown.
Will you have the guts to step up to the plate of be one of the Sheeple?
18 Jul 10
1:31 pm
Gr8 read guys.
Anon your comment: “The choice of name in its own right indicates a limited, small minded, puerile approach to both politics and marketing – which is about reaching people.
I also care about addressing the other issues they’ve raised; don’t believe in internet censorship, am sexually liberated, have loads of gay friends and have taken drugs – so what? They won’t be getting my vote, simply for being such wankers – literally.”
We needed a name that stood out – social enlightenment is too mainstream. Sex sells & is the largest industry in the world above food (I do need to get solid stats on this).
Intimacy and connection are mother nature’s solution to the man made disease of materialism. Without the health benefits of a strong sexual urge every species would die off. In 100 yrs if the world is still here it won’t matter whether there was a pothole on a country road – we need to think BIG!! GLOBAL! And that requires major changes fast – even if you don’t vote for us at least you’ll have noticed us. As for being wankers, if a person cannot please themself they will rely on others and other substances to feel good – which doesn’t do society any good at all.
Many kisses from the East.
18 Jul 10
1:33 pm
PS Forgot to say that if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear. I daresay ppl advertising their affiliation with the Sex Party realise they will be held up to scrutiny & thus are “clean” by majority’s standards
19 Jul 10
5:07 pm
Anon, Comment 11. Apple will never do that because they’re not socially englightened at all. They’ve even said that if you like sex don’t buy an iPhone and to buy an Android
19 Jul 10
9:25 pm
Definitely got my vote. I care deeply about the policies that the Sex Party lists on their site and I really don’t think that people who support those policies are going to be concerned about the name. I’ll be delighted to see some Sex Party members in the Senate or even the Reps!
3 Aug 10
4:45 pm
I LOVE ZUHAL BUHAHAHAHA
I CANT GET OVER HER
I WNA SEX PARTY 4 HER
WAT A HEAD
GOODBYE