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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.
Vegemite vote 2.0 gets underway
Vegemite has launched its second attempt at voting on the new name for its snack after public derision led to the ditching of iSnack 2.0.
Vegemite owner Kraft gives users six options:
- VEGEMITE CHEESYBITE
- VEGEMITE CREAMYMATE
- VEGEMITE SMOOTH
- VEGEMITE SNACKMATE
- VEGEMITE VEGEMATE
- VEGEMITE VEGEMILD
- I WOULDN’T PICK ANY OF THESE NAMES
Details have just been published on the Vegemite website. Voting begins at 5pm AEST.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
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Comments
2 Oct 09
3:31 pm
Vegemate sounds a bit rude.
2 Oct 09
3:33 pm
Creamymate? Really? I can see now why they went with iSnack 2.0…
2 Oct 09
3:38 pm
Vagi-mite may open it up to a new audience. So to speak.
2 Oct 09
3:39 pm
VEGEMITE SMOOTH & VEGEMITE VEGEMILD sound like Cigarette brands, VEGEMATE & CREAMYMATE sound like euphamisms …
nice work Kraft .. keep screwing that pooch, it’s hilariously entertaining
2 Oct 09
3:41 pm
Still think the best one came from The 7pm Project:- Yamumite…why can’t I vote for that?
2 Oct 09
3:43 pm
Whats thier obcession with “mate”.
3 out of 6 options? Gimme a break.
Suddenly, iSnack doesnt seem so bad.
2 Oct 09
3:49 pm
Why not just keep it as Vegimite? Was it broken to start with? If not DON’T TRY TO FIX IT xxx
2 Oct 09
3:54 pm
Tim, you’re right – they all suck. Truely, is this the best (as in better than good-better-best) they can do? Thanks for the Friday arvo laugh!
2 Oct 09
3:55 pm
Bugger, I meant truly…
2 Oct 09
3:55 pm
oh, they didn’t include ’2ritemite’, I quite liked it as a name.
2 Oct 09
4:02 pm
Why not “Vegemite with Cream Cheese”
2 Oct 09
4:05 pm
“i mite not snack” with any of those hideous names.
2 Oct 09
4:18 pm
‘Bob’ is a nice name, but it isn’t on the list.
2 Oct 09
4:27 pm
It seemed to be selling pretty well without a name. The six choices aren’t strong. Is this a comment on our collective creativity – from Vegemite to iSnack2.0?
2 Oct 09
4:27 pm
Vege-maybe not
2 Oct 09
4:35 pm
r.i.p iSnack 2.0 your stardom was short but bright
2 Oct 09
4:48 pm
CreamyMate sounds like a homo-erotic dating site.
Here’s some other suggestions:
Bonzamite
CobbaSpread
Faircrackofthewhipmite
DinkumSpread
PooPaste
2 Oct 09
4:50 pm
P.S. My guess is that the ‘mate’ obsession (3 from 6 ideas) is from the lazy product insight of two mates in the cupboard – vegemite and cream cheese – getting together. Yawn.
2 Oct 09
4:54 pm
old school – vegemite
new school – vegecan
2 Oct 09
4:54 pm
MAAAAAAAATE! Geez they’re blokey at Kraft aren’t they…
I am looking forward to seeing this buried on the highest shelf at my local supermarket by the end of the year…
2 Oct 09
4:57 pm
Wow what a boring selection of names. Not one on the list that would offend ANYONE… once bitten, twice shy i guess..
2 Oct 09
5:04 pm
Where is the creative team behind this so that they can receive a bitch slap? This is horrible.
VEGEMITE CHEESYBITE – So now it’s a baked product?? What the??
VEGEMITE CREAMYMATE – Am I making friends with my food that I am eating?
VEGEMITE SMOOTH – Absolutely NO connection to the product. Did someone pick up a peanut butter jar and say “yep that’ll do – pop that one into the mix”
VEGEMITE SNACKMATE – “Lets just remove the i from the old name and add a mate next to it so that it sounds really Aussie! Yeah I like that one!”
VEGEMITE VEGEMATE – “Lets just take the word vegemite, duplicate it 2 times and change mite to mate!! Yeeeah! Too easy”.
VEGEMITE VEGEMILD – Ohh… is this now some type of chilli sauce?
LAME. Jury still out on the whole thing.
2 Oct 09
5:16 pm
VEGEMITE CHEESYWILL
2 Oct 09
5:23 pm
We should all choose “I don’t like any of those options” and see where that gets ‘em.
2 Oct 09
5:27 pm
Or this name….
Vegemite fucked by a US parent company who without any understanding as to the product’s heritage or consumers demanded new product development and brand ‘engagement’, neither of which anyone who buys the bloody thing wanted-mate
….but we’re gunna need a bigger jar!
2 Oct 09
6:11 pm
Is that all JWT, with blistering input from Kraft, could come up with overnight?
2 Oct 09
7:36 pm
@OliYoung “VEGEMITE SMOOTH & VEGEMITE VEGEMILD sound like Cigarette brands”
Well, they are owned by Philip Morris, the makers of Marlboro.
2 Oct 09
8:16 pm
Vege-Mightier. It’s the only name that makes sense.
2 Oct 09
8:44 pm
@OliYoung maybe they should release a Vege-Menthol variant?
2 Oct 09
11:13 pm
Voldermite
‘The product that cannot be named’
2 Oct 09
11:15 pm
I just picked “I wouldn’t choose any of those names”, hopefully that wins. They’d have to use very small print on the tiny sized jars if it does.
2 Oct 09
11:16 pm
Voldermiteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
3 Oct 09
12:51 am
i like the idea of a pack that cannot be named.
has there ever been an unnamed product before?
3 Oct 09
9:46 am
Personally I’m going for “Vegemate”
3 Oct 09
12:36 pm
I don’t like any of your suggestions. Why try to to complicate matters by choosing silly names?
I think somthing very simple such as VEGEMITE EXTRA or VEGEMITE PLUS is all it needed or even VEGEMITE CHEESE EXTRA or VEGEMITE CHEESE PLUS if you want to include the cheese addition.
Stop trying to be cute – it doesn’t wash with Australians!
3 Oct 09
2:29 pm
I’m all up for creamymate. Sounds like something you end up with after Mardi Gras. Imagine asking a mate if they’d like you to spread some creamymate on their sao?
3 Oct 09
3:43 pm
Based on the innovation findings here & not personal preference I will go with SMOOTH.
http://twitpic.com/jowth
3 Oct 09
4:33 pm
Creamymate ??? You may as just as well call it SMEGMITE arghhhhh (think about it).
I reckon they should just call it SMITE. After all my dictionary meaning shows: to impress favorably; charm; enamor.
If it only lives up to that description it’d be OK.
3 Oct 09
4:43 pm
I reckon Krafty Cheesy-Stunt would be most accurate
3 Oct 09
4:43 pm
Ps. careful how you say it.
4 Oct 09
9:53 am
Vegimate..A great name Cobber.
4 Oct 09
9:57 am
Vegemate…..Yummmmm!
4 Oct 09
8:32 pm
VeguHATE….okay, okay, VegeMATE
5 Oct 09
12:24 am
Hmmm…. Now talk about being creative! (Or not!)
* VEGEMITE CHEESYBITE – This just sounds rather lame.
* VEGEMITE CREAMYMATE – Nice one. Very funny, Kraft.
* VEGEMITE SMOOTH – Probably the best one out of the bunch.
* VEGEMITE SNACKMATE – As opposed to the original Vegemite substituting a full meal?
* VEGEMITE VEGEMATE – This just sounds wrong.
* VEGEMITE VEGEMILD – Wrong again.
Smells like a bit of a publicity stunt to me. Either that, or its a great accidental ‘project’ to revamp, restore and revitalise a once stale Aussie brand – into a now one, of the most talked about brand names in Australian history. Like I said before, nice one, Kraft!
5 Oct 09
9:27 am
What about iSnack 3.0
5 Oct 09
11:33 am
VEGESMEG
5 Oct 09
11:49 am
How about
VEGILITE?
VEGIMITE LITE?
5 Oct 09
12:08 pm
I don’t think they have any great stand out idea.
It should be.
mite B vegi
After all you get vitiam B by eating it, it is a 1st cousin to vegimite.
5 Oct 09
12:35 pm
How about ‘Your-mum-mite’
5 Oct 09
12:49 pm
‘Vegepun’ – Vegemites cheesy cousin.
Hey, at least iSnack was talked about!
5 Oct 09
5:42 pm
Vegechomp
5 Oct 09
5:43 pm
Vegebite
6 Oct 09
9:07 am
Boo to all of them. How about iSnack 2.0?
6 Oct 09
10:01 am
Vegemite Mix. Or remix.
7 Oct 09
9:27 am
If this is the best the Australian public can come up with, please, PLEASE hire consultants next time – that way at least we can poke fun at them.
The only credible suggestion is Cheesybites. The other options invoke images of cigarettes or lube. Snackmate is about as useful as iSnack.
7 Oct 09
10:52 pm
why cheesybites? pizza hut already got that one.
cheesymite would be a much better idea.
or just vegemite: cream cheese flavour.
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