-
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 While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated.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.
High impact 20 year road safety montage pulls in 1m+ viewers
The Transport Accident Commission’s powerful video montage of 20 years of advertising campaigns has seen its YouTube channel become the third most-viewed sponsored Australian channel on the video-sharing website.
The montage, which was put on the video-sharing site on December 10, has now had over one million views, behind Roadshow Films and the Pineapple Express channel.
The TAC video, edited by Grey creative director Nigel Dawson and editing house MRPP, features several scenes over the 20 years since the launch of its first advertisement.
All the ads featured were created by Grey, with the exception of one creative which was done by The Furnace.
The video has attracted views from around the world, particularly the US, Poland and Canada.
Philip Reed, TAC head of community relations, said: “This montage of our most graphic ads has resonated across the world. The comments show that viewers have been affected by the montage and they appreciate its potential to help drivers realise the consequences of ignoring road safety.”
He added that social media had a growing role in spreading the TAC’s message: “Many of the YouTube viewers sharing the video with others on Facebook and other similar websites.”
March 2nd, 2010 at 6:08 pm
-
Follow Us
-
Email Newsletter
Latest Jobs- Digital Project Manager - Melbourne
- FREELANCE Senior digital producer - 3/4 weeks - Sydney
- Digital Project Manager - Melbourne
- Marketing Manager – Optus - North Ryde, Sydney
- Film Services Coordinator - South Yarra VIC
- Marketing Specialist - Sydney
- PR: Senior Account Manager (Consumer) - $75k+ - Melbourne
- Studio Manager - Sydney
- Marketing & Customer Service - NSW Sydney
- Digital Producer - Sydney
Comments
2 Mar 10
7:22 pm
Marketing for a genuine cause. Underrated.
2 Mar 10
10:39 pm
Wow. I didn’t expect that… Well, that should be something the government spends some money on as an ad (sorry, TVC) on every channel at the same time, I wouldn’t mind my tax dollars being spent on that. It should also be shown to every high school student and everyone booked for speeding or drunk driving.
Still got tears streaming down my face, I must be getting old.
2 Mar 10
11:48 pm
I’m lost for words. I woudl play this ad to every single person with a drivers licence in this country. Make them sit through it when they get their licence, when they renew their licence.
It scares me, it moves me, I cant imagine a better way of making people remember how dangerous driving can really be.
And if Simon B is getting old, so am I……
3 Mar 10
8:48 am
Very powerful indeed…..each ad on it’s own works, but when put together like that it makes them even more effective, forces you to stop and think. National all channel road block would be very worthwhile.
3 Mar 10
10:14 am
Powerful indeed. But because I’m a pedant, they aren’t the “third most most-viewed Australian YouTube channel” as claimed here, they aren’t even CLOSE to it with “only” 1,427,060 total upload views, what they are is the third most viewed “Sponsor” Channel, which means they paid (a significant amount) to google for a youtube channel with special channel page privileges.
3 Mar 10
10:22 am
Hi Nate,
You’re absolutely correct. I spotted our omission at about the same time as you, and added the vital word sponsor to the intro at the same moment you were typing that comment!
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
3 Mar 10
10:26 am
Nate, not entirely correct. Google offers sponsor pages gratis to institutions such as universities (my employer has one) and I wouldn’t be surprised if the TAC got one for free, too, as a public interest thing.
3 Mar 10
10:28 am
This kind of montage should be mandatory viewing in all schools and before P’s are awarded (at least).
When each execution is presented like this, as a historical view, it brings a whole new context to the overall campaign.
Contemplative and chilling. Well done TAC for sticking with the campaign when everyone said that shock wouldn’t work.
3 Mar 10
2:16 pm
I used to work at Grey and vividly remember watching the TAC show reel one day – every commercial back to back. While the individual ads had an impact, the sum total of all them left me a blubbering mess in the boardroom. Had to take a moment before heading back to my desk. Incredibly powerful viewing.
3 Mar 10
2:23 pm
I know ill be driving home extra careful tonight.. powerful stuff
3 Mar 10
2:26 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM
Another road safety ad with a happier message but very well done
3 Mar 10
2:28 pm
Congrats to all invloved in the creation of these campaigns over the years. What a back catelogue for Grey (and The Furnace). If I was running their New Business department, I don’t think I’d be bothering with PowerPoint.
3 Mar 10
2:31 pm
I do really appreciate the work of these advertising campaigns.
But I couldn’t help but feel this divulged into a bit of violence porn.
The first 2 minutes which is all just build up was really effective.
The reactions of people (the families mourning lost ones; the responsible drivers living with their guilt) was very powerful.
But close to 2 minutes of crashes, blood, gore, humans flying around like rag-dolls, being ripped apart, complete with bone breaking, flesh tearing sound effects … a bit gratuitous in my opinion.
I appreciate its value in short 30 second doses (i.e. 5 seconds of violence). But this montage just seems a bit self-congratulatory and the violence too gratuitous for me.
3 Mar 10
2:32 pm
that was amazing and frightening ! it shouldn’t just be mandatory for kids to watch – seriously all adults should be made to watch it – the amount of idiots that still drink and drive and speed is one scary statistic.
3 Mar 10
2:34 pm
Wow. Very moving. It actually makes you think about how easy it is to take somebody’s life and ruin your own. Really great job as I am never usually moved by these ads.
3 Mar 10
2:47 pm
I have to agree with Simon B, Tarkam etc
And yet people still claim councils and governments are revenue raising for using speed cameras.
3 Mar 10
3:09 pm
Bloody hell that has some impact. Brilliant stuff, if those are the right words.
3 Mar 10
3:18 pm
It’s the people that tailgate on freeways and shake their fists at people doing 60 on the Beach rd in Melbourne that I want to make watch this. That and people who think “the back way home” is alright after a few. An extremely powerful communication, I have always thought that the TAC have done it well (their creative’s rather) and all together it packs a hell of a punch. “Pictures Of You” still really resonates with me.
Agree with the others….anyone going for their license should have to watch this!
3 Mar 10
3:34 pm
great, important stuff
3 Mar 10
3:45 pm
I’m a blithering mess.. it must be the sum of all of them seeps into you.
3 Mar 10
4:08 pm
I have to disagree with Lachyw.
As this was a montage of 20 years worth of advertising campaigns I would expect it to showcase not only the buildup and reactions, but also the violence associated with an accident.
I don’t think most people realise what really happens during a car accident, the tremendous violence and trauma. That your seatbelt is not going to help when you run into the back of a truck and its tray decapitates you.
3 Mar 10
5:38 pm
You don’t have to be a father to get emotional over this stuff.. but I am.. and it tears me up. Awesome stuff.
4 Mar 10
5:48 pm
Agree with all above emotive/powerful comments…and importantly, I’m off to look at ANCAP safety ratings to upgrade to a safer car – with all these drivers out there I think I might need a small tank.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks