-
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.
Santa surfs with ham in Christmas ad for Aldi
Discount retailer Aldi has created a Christmas TV ad that features an army of Santa Clauses who go surfing.
One Santa catches a wave while holding a large chunk of ham. A jingle mixed from classic surf anthem Hawaii Five-0 and Santa’s ’Ho, ho, ho’ laugh plays in the background.
The ad, which attempts to position Aldi as part of “The perfect Aussie Christmas”, was created by BMF.
-
-
Email Newsletter
Latest Jobs-
RSS
Comments
3 Dec 12
5:39 pm
wow! ’tiss the season for horrible christmas ads!
3 Dec 12
5:57 pm
I think it’s great.
3 Dec 12
6:12 pm
You must be kidding. That was really fun to watch. Best Christmas ad I’ve seen in a while.
3 Dec 12
6:24 pm
i like xmas
3 Dec 12
6:25 pm
Was this idea thought up by a non surfer?
3 Dec 12
6:42 pm
This is not the way to advertise food.Sorry.
3 Dec 12
7:10 pm
Great spirit. Lighthearted, fun and quirky. Love it.
3 Dec 12
7:12 pm
I’m an Atheist, but because of that peace that fills the air on Christmas day (well I feel it) I’m all for the xmas spirit. Santa Surfing with a ham, has the same effect on me as the Mario Lanza xmas album. I don’t like it, but I stomach it in the interest of peace and goodwill.
3 Dec 12
7:27 pm
It’s one of those shoots when everyone on shore was splitting their sides as they watched all the great footage they were getting. Then reality hit when they got to the edit suite and realised, it wasn’t that funny after all.
3 Dec 12
8:30 pm
God work marketing team. I have sent to Ireland and England stating this is how we do Xmas in Australia. Love it. makes me happy. Yes an Aussie ad at last.
maureen
3 Dec 12
9:25 pm
@ Maureen. That is it!!!! I bet this ad was created by non Aussies, who see the novelty of Santa surfing in summer. It reminds me of English / Irish backpackers on Bondi Beach.
4 Dec 12
7:02 am
It’s brave and different from any Christmas ad. Congrats.
4 Dec 12
7:24 am
Non Aussies, really, like half this industry?
Gronk.
4 Dec 12
8:51 am
A simple and fun retail ad that consumers will like, will remember and that will sell some hams. Sometimes it’s not such a complicated business! Looks easy to do, but as anyone who has worked on a retail account will know, is actually damned hard to bring to life.
4 Dec 12
10:52 am
Great fun and surfing is not too bad either – maybe Santa can take Slater out at Pipe this year !!
4 Dec 12
11:52 am
@another surfer
“Great fun and surfing is not too bad either – maybe Santa can take Slater out at Pipe this year !!”
And then Parko wins YES!!
4 Dec 12
11:56 am
So Aldi sells Christmas hams. I didn’t know that, and now I do.
4 Dec 12
12:08 pm
@comment 13
Exactly.
A couple of pasty Pome’s probably thought this up, because to them, it is a novelty. However this ad is engaging Aussies, not Pome’s.
I think this ad would fly over in Blighty for sure, because it would be novel.
4 Dec 12
12:08 pm
@ Close Out….Yep that is the plan !! Slater out, Parko wins, Santa gets the wave of the contest…
4 Dec 12
12:17 pm
Me too… The question now is, are they any good!
4 Dec 12
12:40 pm
Don’t like Surfing. Not fussed on Ham. Love this Ad. Well done Aldi and your agency
4 Dec 12
1:03 pm
I think we now where where the red stain on Sydney’s beaches came from.
4 Dec 12
1:05 pm
The trouble with Aldi is that if you serve up Aldi products at your Christmas lunch or dinner everyone thinks you are cheap.
And nasty.
Unless of course you live in a Housing Commission apartment.
4 Dec 12
1:51 pm
Ja, but I don sink you are looking deep enough here.
Aldi, like Santa has come to our sun drenched shores from over the seas, many of their products also surf in from foreign shores. They were not welcomed by all, some were even hostile at their arrival on the scene.
The Santas are trying to get out via the floatation devices, the coloured stripes of which represent the buoyant duopoly that once existed. But the tide has turned and they come back on a wave of success, brandishing their good in the air, which symbolises their new acceptance.
Now we all see that the outsiders, Aldi and Santa, once as out of place in Australia as the Christmas ham and the boiled pudding, are accepted by all. This is the kind of thing that makes Australia and an Aussie Christmas.
5 Dec 12
6:01 am
Best ad love it well done
5 Dec 12
9:46 am
The Santa at 34 seconds is going to get his jingle bells punched in… dropping in like an Aldi ham amongst Woolies Turkeys
5 Dec 12
7:06 pm
Simple idea executed nicely – its a bit of fun at this ‘festive’ time of the year! Cracking spot BMF! Aldi your ads are making their way into my top 5
5 Dec 12
11:01 pm
love the fricken song….. “tanananananananan Ho HO HOO ! .. tanananananananaaaaaaaaa Hoo HoOOoo HOOOOO !
6 Dec 12
9:32 am
Congratulations Aldi, this ad is brilliant good on you. Proud to be Australian.
7 Dec 12
6:30 pm
Good on you Aldi and for all the Grinches out there, BAA HUMBUG, we like it and it’s so Aussie, thank you to Aldi for tailoring their ads to us and not using recycled European or American ads
11 Dec 12
10:19 pm
Best Christmas ad ever. bored with white Christmas. lets celebrate the best Christmas n the world. the aussie Christmas. where we surf and enjoy the sun than sitting shivering in the snow.
And this ad has just captured that spirit.
Club Christmas with summer surfing, BMF how did you come up with such a brilliant idea. this is called thinking outside the box.
12 Dec 12
7:21 pm
Great ad, good light fun, where was it shot?
12 Dec 12
8:54 pm
Wonderful , sharing the Ad with others overseas as they keep asking do I have a BBQ Xmas lunch. No No no. this is more of an Aussie humor , I do not care who made the Ad it is the BEST. I look frward to more. Cheers Maureen.
12 Dec 12
9:35 pm
@Sam comment 31
13 Dec 12
9:22 am
Ho! Ho! Ho! In a decade of watching Aussie ads I’m hard pressed to recall many good ones. This one I’ll remember.
17 Dec 12
10:20 am
Love it! Great Australian Christmas fun ad!
17 Dec 12
11:21 am
Brilliant sound track.
18 Dec 12
11:24 am
What a fantastic ad! Congrats Aldi for giving us a true Aussie Christmas ad to suit our summer free from silly snowmen – I assume anyone who doesn’t understand this ad is not Australian? Now…if only we can get rid of those Reindeer Antlers placed on cars…..
28 Dec 12
9:31 pm
I am not really into the whole Santa thing, but I do like this ad. It’s light-hearted and not too annoying. The tune is really catchy, and I think kids would see the ad and go “look mum, surfing Santas!” to which the mum replies “Oh really? Oh Aldi has ham for $XX”, which is what the ad should do, grab attention. It’s a good one.
2 Jan 13
2:41 pm
It’s not Santa, it’s: Father Christmas!