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Opinion
After Harold
The ‘Harold rumour’ rarely goes away.
Last time round WPP was rumoured to be looking at buying Mitchell Communication Group. On another occasion one of the trade magazines hoaxed a rival into reporting that Telstra was the buyer.
This time, the rumour appears to have a great deal more substance. Read more »
Intelligent TV – the next big thing?
I was, I must confess, mistaken about last night’s Gruen Nation. Read more »
Masterchef: Homophobic? No. Racist? No. Ageist? Maybe
In this guest posting, Tactical TV’s Tony Richardson argues that Masterchef shows Australian TV audiences are ready for multiculturalism but not older faces
When the popularity of a TV show bumps the prime minister and the leader of the opposition to an earlier time slot, you know you have a phenomenon. Read more »
Bad enough the SMH iPad app is just a PDF, forcing a print subscription is insane
So yesterday Fairfax launched its Sydney Morning Herald iPad app. The strategy – designed to shore up print – and the execution – already derided by users as a “glorifed PDF reader” – are both laughable.
If there were ever doubts that Fairfax is two companies pulling in different directions, then the handling of the iPad app dispels them. Read more »
Is a kettle boiling a good ad?
So would you watch a kettle boiling? The weekend magazines carriedied an unusual ad.It was a plain, unbranded address for the url Life is too short.com.au. Read more »
Guest post: Why Sensis believes in the cause
After Mumbrella criticised the Facebook campaign by Sensis to give socks to the homeless, we invited the brand to explain its thinking. In this guest posting, Sensis communications manager Danielle Horan explains the background to the idea
The debate about the intention behind the Sensis 1234 Warm Up campaign certainly unearthed a range of differing opinions. Read more »
Hungry Jack’s – something to sing about
I often enjoy giving the Hungry Jack’s ads a kicking, so it’s good to see a new one where there’s an interesting idea. Read more »
The big election question
As an occasional media commentator, I’m sometimes asked: ‘Tell me Tim. Given that politicians want to engage the electorate beyond the hardcore politics junkies, would it be a good idea to schedule the leaders’ debate at the exact same time as the final of Masterchef, arguably Australia’s favourite TV programme and likely to be the most watched show of the year?” Read more »
Why this is NOT the Twitter election
If you read the last few days’ papers, you would think that the Twitterati will decide the outcome of the election. Read more »
Paging the fun police
While any brand has to worry about the legal implications of running a contest, there does come a point where the entire thing looks so unappealing it may be worth going back to the drawing board. Read more »
Oh PETA
This ad is a tough watch.
If you don’t want to see seals being clubbed, then don’t watch. Read more »
Sensis – social responsibility isn’t about patronising the needy about their socks
I wish I could put my finger on what it is that makes this social issues campaign for Sensis feel so icky: Read more »
Old Spice: Best use of social media yet?
Today has been a good day. You know those very rare moments where you see an advertising idea and you can recognise not only how good it is, but how it’s going to inspire other great work? What Old Spice did next is one of those moments.It combines great advertising, great writing, a huge PR idea and excellent use of social media as a two-way channel. Read more »
If that’s how paywalls work then we’re utterly flipping screwed
So tonight, for the first time, I went behind Fairfax Media’s pay wall.
Based on that experience, if the future of journalism is paid content then every one of us working hacks is utterly screwed. Read more »
Media Watch picks an odd target
I’ve got a nasty feeling I’ve finally gone native.
Much like Stockholm Syndrome where kidnap victims come to adore their captors, journalists have always been susceptible to a similar syndrome. Read more »
Toyota’s sexist ad disaster spreads to the US
Toyota’s PR disaster has gone international with US and British media turning their attention to the controversial “Clean Getaways” winner of its Yaris film making competition.
The influential Huffington Post has published a story about the pulling of the ad from the Saatchi & Saatchi-moderated Clever Film Comp site. It has already generated hundreds of responses from its mainly American audience over its ’sexist’ content.
As Mumbrella reported last night, there has also been coverage from the British media including the Times and Telegraph.
Mumbrella first revealed the growing online backlash on social media networks including Facebook on Sunday afternoon, before mainstream Australian press followed up yesterday.
The ad – directed by Frazer Bailey and written by Micha McDonald – was created in a contest to make a short film featuring a Yaris and was selected as the winner by a jury including Toyota and advertising agency representatives.
Toyota spokesman Mike Breen later apologised for any offence caused, although the brand has so far been unable to say whether the advertisement remains as the winner of its contest.
December 15th, 2009 at 11:18 am
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In today’s Mumbo Report from Studio 33:
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Comments
15 Dec 09
12:14 pm
I too am disgusted with the tone and content of this sexist advertisement by Micha McDonald for TOYOTA — reveals more of the yobbo and sexist culture which is so entrenched in Australia. Does the Toyota company accept and support his comments/views? I would hope not!
I’m a toyota customer, but …. maybe not for long!! This ad should not be the winner, because that would like saying its OK to treat women this way!! No way Jose!
15 Dec 09
12:30 pm
Who let Maureen out of the kitchen?
15 Dec 09
12:58 pm
@anonymous. Who let you out of your cot?
15 Dec 09
1:02 pm
First Westpac, now this. It’s clear that big companies just don’t GET social media!
15 Dec 09
1:47 pm
They should have approved my campaign script:
In a sunny day in Sydney….
A man was walking in the street when he heard a voice. “Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you.” The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished.
He went on, and after awhile he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted: “Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you and you will die.” The man did as he was instructed, just as a Toyota came careening around the corner, barely missing him.
“Where are you?” the man asked. “Who are you?”
“I am your guardian angel,” the voice answered.
“Oh yeah?” the man asked. “And where the hell were you when I got married?”
15 Dec 09
1:59 pm
yes its not a great ad – kinda lame – but who cares?
entering a world of branded content we do not want to scare brands away from doing anything not strictly PC.
backlash should be against the content being lame – not sexist.
15 Dec 09
6:50 pm
McDonald is obviously aware of the taboo he is breaking, like a child finding out that saying something rude will get attention. Yet he stops short of the sort of conduct that would have him arrested. What’s stopping him from going all the way (pardon the pun)? Cowardice, I suspect; the core of such bullying behaviour. To win an award for being cleaver, when all he did was be, at best insensitive, at worst mean-hearted, is a bad joke poorly told. Having said that, I don’t mind double entendra if it is cleaver. In fact, my wife said just yesterday that she likes a good double entendra, so for Christmas I’m gonna give her one.
15 Dec 09
8:45 pm
I just love the wanker comments by tbone and anonymous. I would have thought in 2009, advertising and corporate idiots can sell cars without usually typically boorish and unimaginative sexist advertising. Guess what men – everytime you use this to try and sell anything, there is a whole movement of women deliberately spreading the word to boycott your products.
15 Dec 09
9:28 pm
I would have thought in 2009, people would understand what the word ’sexist’ means.
16 Dec 09
2:46 am
So people are going to boycott toyotas over this storm in a tea cup….. yeah.. like THAT is gonna happen…. do people really sway away from products because of something that will be forgotten by the next scandal only days away??? i still use gillette products regardless of tigers impending divorce….coz i buy products… not advertising….
16 Dec 09
8:06 pm
Yawn.
17 Dec 09
2:37 pm
Advertising companies (sorry ‘agencies’ bullsh$t)
clearly, once again, and again, do NOT understand how to USE social media. Its another sales channel, not a great advertising medium for these types of campaigns.
anyway…who approved this?
And now when i walk down the street and see a Yaris, driven by a chick…i think naughty thoughts. hee hee.
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