Opinion | Features
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  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.
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- 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.

Sunny Queen Farms turns the smile upside down with Whinging Poms eggs

Sunny Queen Farms has created a stunt that sees the smiling face printed on its eggs replaced with a frown to represent “Whinging Poms”.

Backed with print and online, the campaign asks consumers to vote on whether there should be a Whinging Pom Eggs brand.

There is also a Facebook fan page inviting consumers to place their votes.

The campaign – which includes a spoof news report claiming the British has a “whinging gene” – has been created by BCM.

The whinging pom stereotype is not an entirely new one in Australian advertising.

Four years ago M&C Saatchi created the “Poms will whinge” campaign on behalf of British Council scholarships.

And three years ago, Tooheys New took the “Pom’s worst nightmare” approach for the launch of its Super Cold range. The Advertising Standards Board ruled against the Saatchi & Saatchi ads.

January 27th, 2010 at 1:31 pm

Comments

Not an Australian
27 Jan 10
2:00 pm

Yet another advertiser walking that comedy vs. racism tightrope.

“Let’s poke fun at another country to sell more product! Don’t worry, it’s not racist, it’s funny!”

And we wonder why our kids are beating up Indian students.

half pom half aussie
27 Jan 10
2:14 pm

Boring!!!

As Mumbrella rightly pointed out, using the whinging pom concept is by no means original…
I can picture it so clearly, the agency pitching this to their client and the client absolutely loving it… (they are from QLD after all)

Kimota
27 Jan 10
2:16 pm

I am so, so, SO over the whinging pom stereotype which is about as unfunny as jokes about all aussies being criminals.

Of course, by even making this comments, some wag will no doubt see it as vindication of the stereotype. “See? You’re whinging!” It’s a lose lose situation – take it in good humour otherwise you justify the stereotype.

The kind of ridiculous circular logic that makes me want to smash those that use it with a chair. Who’ll be whinging then, huh?

Adam Joseph
27 Jan 10
2:30 pm

Reminds me of an old joke:

“What’s the difference between an egg and a national stereotype?”

A = “You can beat an egg”

(tumbleweed … distant church bells chime …)

AdGrunt
27 Jan 10
2:52 pm

Like so many similar campaigns, it fails as it has no apparent customer insight or need. Or a funny joke.

The “Whinging Pom” bit is very, very trite and the overall campaign is only tenuously linked. You could stick any stereotype and almost any product in this framework. Either way you get dross out.

Overall, it’s a bit shit, but the SQF Marketing Manager is no doubt laughing like a drain.

Spunky1972
27 Jan 10
2:52 pm

Oh well – no more buying Sunny Queen Farm eggs for me then

Lachyw
27 Jan 10
3:01 pm

I like the campaign, and there’s hardly anything new about the “whinging pom” line, it’s a fun bit of banter we’ve enjoyed for decades. The Poms give as good as they get too.

What concerns me is another marketing department lacking the balls to launch a new product line without asking the public whether or not they should. And dressing the poll up as “consumer engagement”. *Yawn*

Todd NOTHANKS
27 Jan 10
3:03 pm

BORING

Milly
27 Jan 10
3:27 pm

Sorry to “whinge” but it’d be even beauter if they spelt “whingeing” right.

Brissy
27 Jan 10
3:55 pm

Interestingly this morning at early morning group training (here in ‘sunny’ Qld) I actually overheard one of my fellow team members make a comment about the whinging pommy eggs (who BTW then proceeded to actually name the brand – unsolicited), all the while having a good dig at our resident pommy team member (who had been complaining no less) and wishing that the eggs were actually available so that she could give him some.

Being in the industry it was great to hear the banter (and no the lady who made the comment isn’t in the industry – she’s in medicine). Isn’t that what we all want …. talkability & intent to purchase?

Lana
27 Jan 10
4:00 pm

Guys – I think you are missing the point here. I think this is a great way to see consumer insights put to work & glowing with sucessful results.

Alf Welch.
27 Jan 10
4:53 pm

I bought some Sunny Queen Farm eggs the other day and they were all bad !!
Must have been hanging around on a shelf too long, hence the ad to try and get shot of them.

glynn
27 Jan 10
5:09 pm

lazy at best. The only joke in it would have been attending the ‘creative’ meeting….”So, how do we sell more eggs you ask? Well we thought we’d use a negative national stereotype! Waddya think? Bleeding edge or what!…..” Lets prey they don’t get the Coon Cheese account

anon1
27 Jan 10
5:20 pm

It isn’t a stereotype that bothers me since it only serves to make me feel superior to the ponytailed Antipodean admen who couldn’t come up with something more original, pertinent or amusing than this.

Anyway, I wouldn’t touch Sunny Queen Farm eggs because they’re not free range. If drawing a little face on a battery product forced out of some poor caged beast brightens the breakfast of Sunny Queen’s customers, good luck to them.

Stephen Smith
27 Jan 10
5:41 pm

Proof if it were needed, that the “gene” still very much at work in Aus is the racist one. Unfunny – and unhelpful at a time when Indian students are being attacked.

Steve
27 Jan 10
7:43 pm

It’s a shame that Sunny Queen Farms thinks this is clever. Given Brits make up around 10% of the population, that’s an awful lot of people to get offside.

Glad to see that they thought through the launch date as well given Australia day is about the celebration of multiculturalism, not slagging off other nationalities.

If KFC think they had a tough deal with upsetting the African American and West Indian African populations who saw their ad on the net, I think Sunny Valley well and truly crosses the national/racial stereotypical line in the sand and may get some flack OS for this charming piece of product promotion.

Alf Welch.
27 Jan 10
9:27 pm

In future it may be an idea for us ex Brits who became Aussies, define ourselves in a different way .I can see now why Lebanese Australians and other dual Nationals do this. They don’t like the idea of assimilating totally with morons.
In future I will call myself an English Australian. Thats a first.
If Sunny Queen Farms ever decide to put the Aussie Flag on their ads,please remember to add Tasmania on the Bottom Right Hand Side. Us Brits remember the silly things Aussies do at times. It is a standing joke that the only thing wrong with Australia is the Australians.But enough of this frivolity, We Brits know and understand how delicate and precious you Aussies are in the face of criticism.

Dom C
27 Jan 10
10:07 pm

Digg the change in designs on the eggs – that’s a clever twist to a great idea. Pity the whole thing was so poorly executed. Its disappointing to think that money was actually exchanged for that “news report”…. shudder.

Derek
28 Jan 10
6:29 am

I’m hoping Quaker Oats might do an ad for their porridge featuring an Australian dressed in convict uniform and a ball and chain.

Stephen Gash
28 Jan 10
9:29 am

Sounds like another Irishman having a “hate-the-English” moment. It won’t be long we start hearing about Irish-Australians. The hyphen-drivers don’t take long to make their Oirish roots visible.

Art Vandelay
28 Jan 10
12:14 pm

Few whinging poms in here by the looks of it. Like flies to s**t.

Mrgareth
28 Jan 10
12:25 pm

Egg-cellent (boom-boom-tish) way to make sure they pass-up on sales to the several million 1st or 2nd generation poms in Australia. Its a brave sales director that turns his nose up at that kind of number…

Andrea
28 Jan 10
12:42 pm

With more consumers choosing to buy free range, Sunny Farms has had to resort to this desperate gimic to shift eggs that are barn laid.
No wonder the eggs have a sad face

anothermous
28 Jan 10
12:45 pm

Oh christ it is so bad and worse it goes on forever … which year 8 high school kid produced it??

Caveman
28 Jan 10
1:22 pm

That egg just doesn’t have the necessary ennui to be a whinging pom. It looks much more like a local from the shire.

Gilly
28 Jan 10
9:14 pm

Craig Gill Will be organising a MASS PICKET to stop delivery of these eggs hitting the streets of Sydney ! Are you in !! This will show those EGG HEADS not 2 mess with us Poms !

Roo Bradley
28 Jan 10
10:44 pm

Fucking imperial cocks. Yes Aussies are dumb racists. At least we don’t jump on marketing blogs and whinge about it. Man up and get some sun cancer you superior, imbecile prats.

Racist Aussie
28 Jan 10
11:01 pm

My art director’s Spanish, my girlfriend’s Indian and I work for Jewish guys, all of which pride themselves as Australians. But I’ve never encountered such provincial racism as I have when I tell English people my family’s originally from Birmingham. Strange isn’t it?

English seem to be the only tiffs that consider themselves superior and still English even when they’ve lived here 15 years. What’s the deal guys? Even my girl, who’s been here 5 years calls herself Australian.

By the way, it’s easy for us to spot an east-ender putting on heirs so no matter how you try to round your accent, you’re even worse scum than the people who brought you up ever tried to be. At least they called a spade a spade.

Derek
29 Jan 10
4:40 am

(This comment deleted on the grounds that the editor finds “If your country is so good, why don’t you live there” statements vacuous)

anothermous
29 Jan 10
10:43 am

This argument should not focus on the sensitivity of the Poms as I think they get their fair share of mostly good natured ribbing in this Country and seem to handle it reasonably well… this should be about the appalling lack of craft and humour in this pile of shite of an ad produced by an Australian agency

Derek
29 Jan 10
7:36 pm

Editor you deleted my comment about the Irish as being vacuous and yet you left comment 27 ‘Yes Aussies are dumb racists’. Ok for me to say the Irish are dumb racists is it?

Anonymous
29 Jan 10
11:26 pm

People, don’t get stressed! We should instead just remember that this is the only way the Australians can try to make us feel threatened. Well, they’ve failed.

Blaggard
30 Jan 10
11:01 am

PR Stunt gone whingy.

Maree Marshall
31 Jan 10
5:49 pm

At least we don’t fill up the gaols, our children don’t go round in gangs stabbing people and selling drugs, we work hard and pay our taxes and are not bludgers, so you can stick your Sunny Queen eggs where the sun don’t shine. No more Sunny Queen Eggs for me.

Been smoking?
2 Feb 10
9:18 pm

Maree – are you talking about the English?

Scousers?

Even a consummate Pom like myself would have to agree there’s far more crime, bludgers and gangs in the mother country than here.

Stephen Gash
6 Feb 10
8:44 am

@ Art Vandelay

LOL! I’m glad you realised where the s**t lies that attracts the whinging Poms.

Stephen Gash
6 Feb 10
8:47 am

@ Racist Aussie
Really? What about the Irish? I remember seeing a picture of a Welsh flag painted across the whole end of a house in Australia.

Andy
18 Feb 10
4:58 pm

I work for a magazine called whingeing pom which has been around for the last 2 years. The magazine is a look from a Brits viepoint on the differences between the UK and OZ. For the record we take the rise out of the UK more than OZ hence the reson so many of us are here. I think the point that no-one from what I can see has made is that the Poms and the Aussies have one BIG thing in common which is the ability to take the mick out of each other as well as themselves. As a whingeing Pom if I did live in Queensland I would have no trouble at all buying some, most Aussies I know given the chance in WA would love to serve them to me if I was heading round for a bit of bacon and eggs!!!

Laurence
19 Feb 10
1:53 pm

I’ve always found it ironic that we (the poms) got this reputation. You talk to a pom in Australia, and they’re (and I’m counting myself here, too) loving being here.

Talk to an Aussie who lives in the UK and all they do is moan about how crap it is