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Opinion | Features
Why is advertising so much better in New Zealand than Australia?
Ok, so this isn’t a new observation.
But it really hit home after I watched some TV ads for a kiwi supermarket yesterday that advertising in New Zealand is so much better than much of the crap that is being served up in this country at the moment.
Why is it that Colenso BBDO Auckland can turn something as bland as a supermarket chain into a brand I almost like, while Australian agencies succeed only in either irritating me (Coles) or passing me by unnoticed (Woolies) because the ads are so average?
My memo to your boss
So let me guess?
You really want to come to Mumbrella360, but you’ve got to justify the time and cost to your boss?
Good news! I think I can help.
Woz not great
In this guest post Tony Prysten argues that the thousand dollar price of seeing out-of-touch Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack on his Australian tour was a waste of money.
This week, for the cost of two iPads (yep, two) I went to the Woz Live conference in Melbourne. I was not impressed.
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.
According to industry experts Encore spoke to, the key elements that define transmedia can be summarised as follows: platform, time, audience, adaptation, and creative collaboration.
Innovation is the remedy for the ailing magazine industry
With magazine circulations plummeting, FHM closing and rumours rife on future ownership of ACP Magazines, Paul Merrill says the only way forward is launching new titles.Eight years ago in the UK, nearly a quarter of all magazine sales came from magazines that were less than four years old. In Australia, the figure was slightly lower, but still significant. Today, the situation is very different. For a start there are so few new magazines. Yes, Masterchef briefly flared, and Top Gear made an initial impact. But Grazia and Alpha fizzled, and now ACP has shelved their plans to launch Elle.
More than a game: broadcasting the Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics will be the biggest televised sporting event of our time. Brooke Hemphill discovers the logistical challenges and technical requirements of producing the event.
From July 27 to August 12, the Australian media will go sport crazy as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, aka the 2012 London Summer Olympics, unfold. The games will be the most televised sporting event of our time as broadcasters look to master every manner of technology at their disposal.
The Voice - Australia's best example yet of social TV
In this guest post, Sputnik’s Rodd Messent has a theory on why audiences have taken to The Voice .I am an addict of Channel Nine’s hit show The Voice. Such is the extent of my addiction I seriously think my housemate might kick me out of our apartment for the semi-frenzied yelling and tweeting that ensues in our lounge room each time the show airs.It’s the first time in almost three years that such disagreement has resulted in less than civil behaviour towards one another, and it’s made me think it might be a microcosm of the large volume of online debate about the show and, correspondingly, an explanation for its success as a social TV experience.Why brands are the US Army - and culture jammers are the Viet Cong
In this guest posting, Dave Burgess, who painted ‘No War’ on the Sydney Opera House, claims that ‘amoral’ advertisers have copied his idea.
Culture jamming is a 28-year-old term coined by the San Francisco-based band Negativland, who declared that the ‘Studio for the cultural jammer is the world at large’.
Branded content is dead. Long live branded content
In this guest posting, Anthony Freedman argues why branded content is making a comeback.
A few short years ago, probably concurrent with the advent of the PVR, a new term emerged within the marketing communications industry; branded content. This was really synonymous with advertiser funded TV shows where programming was created by brands and deals struck with networks to broadcast them.
There were varying degrees of success with this model.
Shock advertising: 30 ads that would give Australia's ad watchdog a coronary
Is shock an underused weapon in Australian advertising, asks Robin HicksToday, Sydney agency The Cabana Boys used an image of a mouth sewn together to shock people with the idea that problem gamblers lie to conceal their habit. Is it the most disturbing image ever? No. Will it get banned by the Advertising Standards Bureau? No. But it did make me wonder why shock is not used more often in Australia – and not just by charities and government bodies. (WARNING: NSFW)
The making of ratings blockbuster The Voice
Jason Mountney goes on the set of Channel Nine’s talent search series, The Voice, to see how the format, based on an international franchise, has come together. What ingredients have gone into making this certified hit that’s rated more than two million viewers on three consecutive nights?
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.
Nine problems stopping The Global Mail from getting an audience
While it’s a shame The Global Mail has failed to make an impact on the media landscape, the signs have been there for some time.I love the concept of a well resourced, philanthropically-funded independent news site. Anywhere in the world, that’s a rare and wonderful thing. In Australia even more so. So I hope that Grame Wood gets to see his investment make a difference.
And I have no inside info on whether Monica Attard’s sudden departure is linked to the site’s failure to find an audience so far.
Regardless, here are nine areas they can easily start to address:
Journalism’s new model?
Does the launch of philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail signal a new era for journalism or is the model destined to be a passing fad, asks Cathie McGinn in this article first published in Encore magazine.With little fanfare, philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail launched in February this year.
The online-only title received a generous five-year funding commitment from businessman Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website wotif.com, who donated $15million.
Five things that make a great suit
In this guest posting, Gareth Collins argues that the role of a great account manager is to make the work betterI’m surprised at how many suits I meet who don’t know their role in the advertising business. The question ‘what does an advertising account manager or director do?’ is frequently met with answers such as project manager, relationship manager, plate spinner or go between … and those are the nice ones.
Success is judged on the ability to manage a process, be strong administratively and get stuff done. And while a good suit needs to do all of these things brilliantly, if these are the traits that define a great suit, then I’m in the wrong job.
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.
The new Westpac ad may be great – but you’ll have to take their word for it
Westpac is VERY proud of its new marketing postitioning. And achingly modern with its PR too.
So modern in fact, that it’s issued an Interactive Media Release – one of the first that Dr Mumbo has been sent
They’ve got all of their social media bases covered.
There’s even You Tube video of marketing manager Andrew Seagar talking about how great the ad is…
… and brand director Jee Moon agreeing with him…
… and Group Executive Peter Hanlon agreeing with both of them.
You can even read their bios (or two of them, anyway).
Sadly, there’s some kind of rights problem, so they can’t actually show the ad online, which is something of a pity for an interactive press release about an advertisement. So we’ll have to take their word for it on what a jolly good job they’ve done.
May 8th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
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Comments
8 May 09
4:11 pm
That is too funny…
8 May 09
4:19 pm
But the press release doesn’t mention anything about the videos being made in the 80′s…
8 May 09
4:23 pm
lets hope the production values of the ads are a bit better than these vids. not overly impressed with lamo tagline “the bank you can bank on”…..hope they didn’t pay to much for that little gem of thinking
good on ‘em for trying something new with interactive release, pity execution not thought through
8 May 09
4:27 pm
the only thing better than a carefully curated, legally approved, non offensive to anyone quote is a carefully curated, legally approved, non offensive to anyone quote filmed on a cheap handycam and put online.
look out youtube servers
8 May 09
4:37 pm
At least they’re not pretending to be different
8 May 09
5:14 pm
This is hilarious…
I particularly love the part of their interactive media release where they say ‘The campaign re-introduces the phrase ‘We’re a bank you can bank on,’ providing a subtle nod…’. I don’t really see what part of that phrase is meant to be ‘subtle’.
I also agree with Zac, what a great return to the 80′s!
8 May 09
5:34 pm
I am amazed that they chose an out-of-date technology- the incandescent lightbulb, as a symbol of their NEW campaign which is outlawed now by even the Australian government?
8 May 09
5:38 pm
maverickwoman not to mention how hackneyed the light bulb is in the first place
8 May 09
6:45 pm
Couple of quick tweaks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1VdASGXFAU
Now Westpac, you’re using the power of the internets.
8 May 09
7:51 pm
Marklen – I salute you…
9 May 09
7:34 am
Oh dear…
9 May 09
1:22 pm
Always happy to see another major corporation embrace online.
But are they taking the piss with those YouTube videos? Fake digital wallpaper by Target, badly chroma keyed behind handycam talking heads, foreheads shining in desperate need of makeup. Did they want it to look like the office junior shot them in-house?
Is it some subtle satire? Westpac marketing during the GFC? A dig at YouTube UGC? Some kind of nefarious experiment in hypno-marketing?
10 May 09
12:37 pm
Who was responsible?
10 May 09
8:59 pm
awful, absolutely awful, and I’m talking about the clips not the ad which I have just seen on their website and which does nothing for me.
Last time you told me ‘my future was your future’ but I take it now you think my future is so worthless you no longer want to be associated with it?
A bank you can bank on. Great, thanks, really means something to me that. I presume we will be subjected to more inane commercials showing how we can bank on them to not follow the RBA rates down, give us such great credit card rates, etc etc.
Please please please though, whatever ads you release next, can we not have these awfully produced clips from undoubtedly overpaid and underworked marketing people trying to pretend they are so cool and clever.
What’s funny is that presumbably there is a hierachy thing happenning here anyway and so one of the three will not be there for the next ad, that one being the one whose daft idea the clips were – my moneys on the bald ugly one, at least the other two made some sense!
11 May 09
1:53 pm
Can anyone remember Westpac’s “Who can you bank on?” campaign?
All singing, jingling, elbows and knees acting and dancing.
Glad to see the palace re-cycling old junk. Quite green of them really.
11 May 09
2:09 pm
Just watched the ad… so can anyone else see the irony in Westpac being;
The “Bank you can bank on.”
The “Jumper in case” –
The “Safety bar… not the rollercoaster”
While at the same time….
Being at the forefront of online social media…
First to market.. in their online strategy…
Telling you… (Before you can actually see it televised) that they are Great… and Revolutionary marketers…
while at the same time being;
“Factor 50” (more like aged 50) … that “stick to the path”
I think the line that sold me was
“The Iron that is definitely switched off”
… In other words not switched on??
11 May 09
2:12 pm
Marklen, I’m with Tim….bloody genius!!!
11 May 09
2:34 pm
I just thought in the first clip that there was this spooky ghosting Christ-like halo around that blokes head! Maybe this is the second coming for Westpac!
Speaking of financial institutions – and I can’t remember which brand it is – there is an ad floating around where they talk about how times are tough and how they recognise how important our dwindling savings are, followed by the tag-line “We want what you want”.
Damn right they do. I want my money … and quite clearly they want my money as well !
11 May 09
3:15 pm
westpac, putting the “W” in bank
11 May 09
5:57 pm
Great to see a bank telling us how great it is…sure, great bank, love some of what you do – but can someone ring me from Westpac so I can share my customer service feedback about the disastrous experience we had with a branch when we got our $500K worth of home loan?
Consultant had no interpersonal skills, left other customers’ personal details on the screen (which we could see!), had snot hanging out of his nose, his phone rang constantly (which he ignored), insisted on us completing a credit card application (which we told him we didn’t want) and an inflatable Santa next to his desk was so loud we could barely hear what he was saying…
Can’t help but feel cynical about the ads as a result.. consistency in your customer service would be a great start before splashing about ad dollars!
11 May 09
6:00 pm
In addition, if a bank thinks that if it tells us how great it is often enough and loud enough, do they truly believe we will all start to believe it?
12 May 09
12:35 pm
But enough about me, let’s talk about what you think about me. Signed W.
13 May 09
2:10 pm
This is pretty hilarious.
How anyone could ever have thought putting the exectuive team into a video press release was a good idea!
Did I just walk into a heavy carpeted 1980s community branch building society?
And you can totally imagine the politics around each person being involved. Why do all 3 of them need to be in their own video?!
Stupid waste of money that damages the brand not builds it.
17 May 09
7:08 pm
Westpac add: “We’re factor 50″
What the hell is that suposed to mean?
Is it in relation to the sunscreen index or someother finance world crap?
17 May 09
7:11 pm
the new west pac commercial.
“the bank you can bank on”.
I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what they are suggesting when they say ‘we are not on a first date’.
thanks.