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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 While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated.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.
Skirt looking for a ‘bold and beautiful’ agency
In a clever case of role reversal, one anonymous agency strategist has put herself on the market as a “skirt for hire”.
She’s popped up on Twitter, created a blog and posted a job ad on Mumbrella, where she writes: “An opportunity for a bold and beautiful agency has arisen, with a senior skirt now available for hire.”
Specialising in communications, marketing, PR and social media, the Skirt launched her recruitment push last week.
The only hint of who she is, is the fact that she works in Melbourne, she’s done in-house comms for government departments and a not-for-profit organisation. And she’s also had experience in issues management, having worked for the Victorian Department of Health.
And she’s not shy either, telling prospective agencies: “If you are interested in finding out more about this rare opportunity to hire one of Melbourne’s most dedicated skirts, apply immediately as our client is keen to appoint the right agency as soon as possible.”
Dr Mumbo would like to know if there are any educated guesses on just who this Skirt may be…
April 14th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
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Comments
14 Apr 10
1:33 pm
Hmmm… methinks Karalee Evans
14 Apr 10
1:47 pm
That was my initial thought also to be honest.
14 Apr 10
1:48 pm
Stan Lee.
14 Apr 10
1:52 pm
Thanks for the write up, Mumbo!
14 Apr 10
1:54 pm
Pants or skirt for hire too – I don’t mind what I wear as long as the position is interesting and you pay appropriately.
14 Apr 10
2:09 pm
Gotta love the good-ol’ double standards. Last time I heard a bloke refer to a woman as “a skirt” he was roundly attacked for being a “sexist pig” and “misogynist” and had to attend a special meeting with a special “expert” in workplace relations.
But hey, if it’s a self promotional gimmick from some unemployed “skirt”, apparently the term is perfectly acceptable it seems, I’ll make a note.
14 Apr 10
2:09 pm
@James Duthie and @Joel
Interesting that you both guessed Karalee… she should be flattered either way
14 Apr 10
2:14 pm
I love the Twitter handle, for some reason reminds me of Mad Men
It’s a cheeky little poke of fun Nate, wouldnt worry about it. We should all enjoy making a little fun of ourselves now and then 
I wish The Skirt well!
14 Apr 10
2:18 pm
@Nate I run by this rule: If you own it, you can use it.
14 Apr 10
2:22 pm
@Nate,
‘Skirt’ is the female equivalent of ‘suit’ in most agencies. It’s not ‘skirt’ as in ‘chasing skirt’ like your colleague probably employed it. It’s all about the intent… like, for instance, how you’re not allowed to call black hip hop artists ‘niggers’, no matter how many times they refer to themselves that way. When they say it, it’s either just a noun or a term of endearment; when you or I say it, it’s slander and a bit KKK. I think it has something to do with the idea of ‘context’. Grown ups understand this.
14 Apr 10
2:28 pm
@Rowena “It’s a cheeky little poke of fun Nate, ” I agree, it’s a moeratly clever little gimmick for whoring a bit of attention…
But make no mistake, it IS a double standard, Women fought long and hard for EQUAL rights, and having different rules for which kind of person is allowed to use certain terms in certain contexts, based solely on the arrangement of ones chromosomes is not equality at all, it’s what we call hypocrisy.
Perhaps we should imagine this exact same stunt, but perpetrated by someone of a lovely dark skin tone… “Nigger for hire”? after all… in certain sub-cultures the “N word” is accepted and used liberally, but ONLY tolerated as long as a white person isn’t using it.
Same thing, Same hypocrisy… but in THIS example, I imagine the reaction would be VERY different, don’t you?
14 Apr 10
2:32 pm
@OtherAndrew, “grown ups” at least intelligent ones, would realize that applying different rules for who can say what and when based only on genetic factors, from either side of the fence, is racist as implied by my above post.
Just because it’s happening and is excused as “owning” the term, doesn’t make it okay to demand that if you look different you’re not allowed to use it.
14 Apr 10
2:49 pm
@Nate,
For the record, I consider myself reasonably intelligent (although not always very grown up).
Life is, unfortunately, very complex. Sometimes, we can’t make simple rules, and we’re left with grey areas and inconsistencies. Sometimes, we have to rely on judgment and ‘context’ to determine what is or isn’t appropriate. For example, your mate can call you a bastard with a slap on the back, and it’s fine. A stranger can call you a bastard and hit you with equal pressure, and you’ll want to punch his lights out. The difference is, you got it… context.
If, by ‘racism’ you mean that it’s discriminatory for black people to use ‘nigger’ when we can’t, then you’re right. But ‘racism’ actually refers to a belief of racial superiority (which usually leads to discrimination), in which case you’re wrong. The same goes for your argument about sexism re the Skirt for Hire name. It’s not based on a belief of gender superiority in this context, it’s just a description.
Perhaps we’re missing the point – maybe we should ask The Skirt if the name ‘Non-Gender-Specific Apparel for Hire’ was taken?
14 Apr 10
2:52 pm
@otherandrew
well put. Agreed.
14 Apr 10
3:04 pm
@OtherAndrew, If you are happy to live with inequality, double standards and “inconsistencies” based on nothing more than gender or race, prepared to accept them and excuse them, then fine, But I’m proud to call out this shit when I intersect it.
People like you, who seem so eager to make excuses for this kind of hypocrisy, have retarded the progress and establishment of true equality for too long, In my opinion.
14 Apr 10
3:17 pm
@Nate,
Yep, more than happy to. Would probably make me angry otherwise.
In terms of real progress, I’m not sure how denying the right of women to refer to themselves as ‘skirts’ or black people to refer to themselves as ‘niggers’ is really holding back things like equal work for equal pay or inequalities in education or health care standards. Maybe if I objected to a tongue-in-cheek employment ad more strongly, we’d finally see the equality you are so desperate for.
Lighten up, you bastard.
14 Apr 10
3:22 pm
Could it be The Stig’s girlfriend??????
14 Apr 10
3:23 pm
@ Nate you are blowing this completely out of proportion. As “The Skirt” referred to HERSELF in this manner why are you so worked up about it? Also as your name suggests you are male, so again…why are you getting so worked up?!
14 Apr 10
3:32 pm
Problem solved, she IS The STIG’s girlfriend see http://femaleracingnews.com/wp.....s/tiff.jpg
14 Apr 10
3:33 pm
@OtherAndrew “I’m not sure how denying the right of women to refer to themselves as ’skirts’ or black people to refer to themselves as ‘niggers’ is really holding back things ”
And there is where you’re utterly failing to comprehend. It’s not about “denying them the right” to anything, it’s about the use of a word not being only acceptable based on the physical characteristics of the speaker.
Let me see if I can dumb it down for you… either everyone has the “right” to use certain words freely, or no-one does, anything else is inherently unequal and bigoted
As long as people, like you, make excuses for this type of selective tolerance any fight for the “big stuff” like pay/education/health will be more difficult purely because the acceptance of this behavior, reinforces bigotry in a broader sense.
And no, I choose not to “lighten up” on this issue… Perhaps you think people like Rosa Parks should have “lightened up” a bit and not taken shit so seriously, why fight this bullshit in all it’s forms right? just chill out and let shit slide by, it’ll all work out in the end right? I mean seriously, a BLACK person challenging bigotry? Absurd, and a bloody WOMAN too! Silly skirt should have stayed in the kitchen right?
.
14 Apr 10
3:33 pm
Let me know when you find out. I’d like to look this Skirt up.
14 Apr 10
3:36 pm
Will the real “Skirt” please stand up….these guys have gone way too seriouse.Good on “the Skirt” great use of social media.
14 Apr 10
3:39 pm
To quote AvenueQ – “everyone’s a little bit rascist sometimes” or sexist in this case.
14 Apr 10
3:40 pm
@Jess “why are you so worked up about it? Also as your name suggests you are male, so again…why are you getting so worked up?!”
I’m sorry, are you implying that because I’m Male that I’ve no right to hold the opinion I do, or just that I shouldn’t be passionate about it because I’m a bloke?
I’d explain it to you, but YOUR name implies you’re just a chick…. It might confuse you to consider the fact that not all the people who have worked, or are working for true equality are, in fact, actual members of the various minorities, downtrodden, victims or gender seeking to obliterate bigotry.
Don’t let this revelation get your nylons in a knot.
14 Apr 10
3:49 pm
I think the deterioration of this comment thread is evidence that people on the internet will argue about absolutely anything, regardless of a complete lack of importance.
@Nate Lets assume you won this argument and it impacted the world:
Thanks to you women will never use the “S” word again, you have however stunted the intelligence and humor of the entire human race. The world is plunged into a darkness less funny than “Meet the Spartans.” Carman Electra is elected supreme overlord and is deemed to be the perfect intellect, all those deemed to be more intelligent are placed in death camps and made to watch episodes of Big Brother until their brains have completely deteriorated.
All this is the result of your argument on a marketing forum… Was it worth it?
14 Apr 10
3:49 pm
@Nate this song is for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9QOEZ2phV0
14 Apr 10
4:00 pm
A genuinely amusing thread. Brings a smile to my face this afternoon.
14 Apr 10
4:02 pm
@Joel “All this is the result of your argument on a marketing forum… Was it worth it?”
For all you know, I’m a plant trolling this comments section to sweep it up into “most commented” furthering the exposure of the “skirt”.
Perhaps I’m a Bored teen.
And while I don’t deny people online will argue given the slightest opportunity, your implication that the subject I raised isn’t worth even expressing an opinion, and your attempts at sarcasm to diminish the discussion, only tells me that you’re also happy to tolerate inequity… just as long as it doesn’t directly impact you.
Then again, seing as you’ve either been unable, or have deliberately chosen to misunderstand the point, maybe you’re the troll.
14 Apr 10
4:03 pm
Thank you all. The whole office is in hysterics.
Amusing arguments and hilarious comebacks!
14 Apr 10
4:04 pm
@Nate
the fight against discrimination: ur doing it rong
14 Apr 10
4:04 pm
I for one welcome our new Carmen Electra overlord…
14 Apr 10
4:04 pm
It’s true… I live under a bridge…
14 Apr 10
4:06 pm
Good god…
14 Apr 10
4:17 pm
@Joel,
Under a bridge? I saw your place on the news the other day with that whole F3 traffic shambles thing (Joll’s Bridge for those who missed it).
@Jon,
Very amusing.
@The Skirt,
I’ll leave it up to you with whether or not you want me to respond to Nate’s comments… feeling a little guilty that we seem to have hijacked the thread. Test question for the PR person: is any trafffic good traffic?
14 Apr 10
4:18 pm
Good on her. Personally, I would have gone for 4″ Heels for Hire, but someone might have got in touch with Alexander Downer.
14 Apr 10
4:23 pm
Now look what you’ve done silly skirt person. You’ve wrecked the internet
14 Apr 10
4:24 pm
Ha ha Sandra you win Comment of the Day
14 Apr 10
4:31 pm
@nate I love a good keyboard warrior with nobody to fight….. posts and nobody answers, so he posts again.
14 Apr 10
5:10 pm
@nate…..hilarious!
14 Apr 10
5:17 pm
While all you lot talk amongst yourselves in the comments, I’d like to thank a well known Twitter Celebrity for the plug. See on on Chatroulette tonite Annik. xxx
14 Apr 10
5:25 pm
@nate very gallant indeed – I’m sure your manbrand is in great shape (yes we work on LNA activations from time to time before anyone gets their knickers in a twist).
Would you be offended by African Americans calling themselves ”n*ggas”? I’m just curious
14 Apr 10
5:39 pm
I’m genuinely in stomach pain from giggling. Happy to lend you my skirt, Nate if you feel this will bring back equality?
14 Apr 10
5:39 pm
Jeez @Wilhaus read up.
The N word has already been debated, but they used the ER suffix not the A.
14 Apr 10
5:53 pm
For the record, I have never referred to myself as “Nate”. Thankyou.
14 Apr 10
5:56 pm
@Goose
I know it’s been debated just figured it could apply here too.
ie. Earnt the right to use it for themselves
I do love how these threads go waaaay off topic and now I’m contributing further to the waywardness. Oops.
@ The Skirt
nice idea. Hope you find a nice agency or at least they find you..
14 Apr 10
5:57 pm
Nate in a power dressing skirt would be adorable! ^_^
…
…only I thought that? ..oh. *awkward*
14 Apr 10
5:59 pm
I’m a chick and I reckon ‘the skirt’ is awesome. Wish I had have thought of the idea when looking for work … well I still technically am… project by project.. and no project at the moment… Inspired by ‘the skirt’ I am now working on my own blog and online CV. Funny discussion though…Nate needs to take a chill pill!!!
….. I agree ‘the skirt’ has made a great use of social media … savvy in strategy, yet the webpage is a bit uninspiring (sorry skirt)… would love to know who you are and what agency you end up hiring;) Good on ya skirt! You rock!
14 Apr 10
7:25 pm
Yes Ange, it’s true. My tumblr webpage is bland, and lacking in creative execution. Most planners/strategists know that a good strategy is often let down in execution. I have indeed let myself down. I look forward to working with creatives who can do justice to my awesomeness.
And before Nate goes off, I’m of course kidding.
14 Apr 10
9:20 pm
@The Skirt,
Why does everything always come back to you? This was a post about racism and the lack of progress towards sexual equ… oh, wait a minute – what’s that? It IS all about you? Well, carry on then…
Make sure you come back and update all your commenters with your progress. We’re all on this journey together now
14 Apr 10
9:31 pm
This stuff gets you a jpb now?
14 Apr 10
9:34 pm
@anon,
Yep. So does the ability to use a keyboard. And owning up to your opinions by not posting anonymously.
14 Apr 10
9:39 pm
@anon,
Sorry, that sarcasm was probably a bit of overkill. But I happen to think it’s clever – especially when you consider that the role of a PR person is to engage a wide audience.
14 Apr 10
10:52 pm
fair call otherandrew
although i’m not sure anyone is really “engaging a wide audience” …
will make sure i pay more attention to my tpying moving forward
15 Apr 10
1:54 pm
Ha! Thanks mumbrella – very nice piece of Simpsons placement. “One thing is for certain, there is no stopping her….Carmen Electra will soon be here.”
15 Apr 10
3:16 pm
@Nate & @other Andrew… BACK TO WORK!
15 Apr 10
3:54 pm
Glad you spotted that, Rex… http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/.....-overlords
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
15 Apr 10
3:59 pm
Dear Skirt,
personally I feel it is quite demeaning putting yourself out there as
“A skirt”.
I would also worry about the motivation behind any man hiring you.
Good luck anyway.
15 Apr 10
4:20 pm
Hi non feminist
Definitely understand where you are coming from with your comment. I did have a while to think about the ‘pitch’ and its puns before I launched. I entered this with eyes wide-open, playing on a simple proposition that female agency strategists are often referred to as ‘skirts’ where as males are ‘suits’. I knew the risk, and was careful not to play too much on the female/sexual side.
From all the emails, DMs and tweets I can honestly say I’ve not had one approach or comment that has concerned me from a male or a female. Most agencies/people who have contacted me have genuinely responded to my skill-set with the conversation starter being the ‘campaign’. I think people get it – or at least the people I was targeting.
16 Apr 10
11:51 am
Oh! Didn’t know it was originally from a Joan Collins movie in 1977. That is even more obscure.
16 Apr 10
12:00 pm
It just occurred to me that I have never saeen Nate and the Skirt in the same room at the same time…hmmmm. Take off that skirt the Skirt! I want the truth!
16 Apr 10
12:35 pm
*cough* I can assure you, I’m not a man nor am I ‘Nate’.
16 Apr 10
11:11 pm
James (and Joely) get the points.. well done!
http://twitpic.com/1fx7fl
3 May 10
9:41 am
This discussion is pants. The Skirt can say whatever she wants about herself.
Best of luck with the job hunt.
5 May 10
2:12 pm
Great thread.
Will certainly be looking up Karalee when we’re in the market for one with ‘The Skirt’s’ skills and personality.
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