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Opinion
When the powerful buy into the media, can the media still scrutinise the powerful?
Economist Richard Denniss of Australian National University argues in a post that first appeared on The Conversation that the public needs to decide if it cares who owns the media.The mining industry is used to having its voice heard in Australian public debates, so it should come as no surprise that mining billionaires such as Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer would consider buying up a bigger slice of the Australian media.
While the estimated $20m spent by the mining industry on television advertisements opposing the introduction of a mining tax was the most visible example of the industry’s determination to influence the public it is, in fact, just the tip of the iceberg.
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 While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated.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.
Why BMF, OMD, Three Drunk Monkeys and One Green Bean are the ‘Apart from…’ agencies
Have you been using the “Apart from…” test when you talk about agencies?
I have, although I didn’t realise it until I said it out loud. I should probably explain…
On the rare occasions I escape my keyboard, the conversation sometimes turns to how agencies are travelling.
It usually goes: “So who’s doing good work? Obviously, apart from…”
And those are the agencies that are doing so well, it’s just a given.
So based on recent conversations, I can report that the “Apart from…” creative agencies are BMF and Three Drunk Monkeys; the “Apart from…” media agency is OMD; and the “Apart from…” PR agency is One Green Bean (although that one’s been a bit quieter recently).
Of course plenty of other agencies then get a mention, but it strikes me that for it to be a given that you’re doing well is all the word of mouth that one could hope for.
Tim Burrowes
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:35 pm
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Comments
3 Jun 09
10:11 am
Tim, how do you define ‘good work’ in this context? I’m asking a serious question about industry perceptions, client perceptions, business results etc. Is ‘small’ good for creative and ‘big’ good for media? Is it about number of awards won or number of awards entered i.e. some don’t ever enter…does that make their work less worthy? Do clients want agencies who generate a lot of PR for themselves…or for their clients?
Interested to hear some thoughts on how we define ‘good work’.
3 Jun 09
12:42 pm
A good question Rachael, because it’s probably not something that ever gets consciously defined in that sort of conversation.
I suspect it’s about creating a consistent image of creativity and momentum.
In each of the above cases, it’s a slightly different combo.
For BMF, it’s about getting to that size and continuing to do good and sometimes excellent work (can you remember the last time they were caught putting out soemthing lousy? I’m sure they have, but I don’t remember it).
For the Thrunkeys, they’ve built up that reputation despte until recently not bothering much about PR. If you discover their work in other ways then it tends to have more of a feel of authenticity about it.
For OMD, at least in part, it’s about what everyone else says about them. I’ve even heard their rivals talk enviously about the strength in depth of the management team. That sort of comment from a rival carries a lot of weight.
I hesitated slightly to put One Green Bean on the list, because the biggest buzz about them was when they were new, and I’m hearing them talked about a little less. Which may simply imply that people are getting used to them. I think there’s a vacancy for the next brilliant PR agency.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
3 Jun 09
12:44 pm
Apart from the relentless self promoters who else captures your attention?
3 Jun 09
12:53 pm
I’d argue that’s a bit harsh on the agencies in question. First, when I mention the “apart from..” comment, that tends to come from people who are within the industry but aren’t necessarily being promoted to. Yet those agency names have tended to seep in there.
And in the above examples, none of them overdo it. Until recently, Three Drunk Monkeys hardly did PR; BMF occassionally send their breaking campaigns but that’s about it; OMD will happily talk to you if you talk to them, but don’t come out chasing it.
How would you define “relentless self promoters”?
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
3 Jun 09
1:00 pm
I know media wise most agencies are a little bit worried going up against OMD in pitches … moreso the momentum they have from winning business rather than anyone really knowing how they approach the process.
3 Jun 09
1:10 pm
On the subject of Rushy’s self promotion comment if anyone else would like a great management team that will win more new business than anyone else for 5 years in a row drop me a line .. james.greet@theladder.com.au
3 Jun 09
1:14 pm
Rushy – you’ve nailed it, and Tim you’ve alluded to it with “I suspect it’s about creating a consistent image of creativity and momentum” – specifically the word “image”. But this is an industry built around image, so good luck to them! Of course that is not to say that good work is not being done, but Oh, the tales one could tell if they were allowed to ….
3 Jun 09
1:31 pm
yeah i agree
3 Jun 09
2:00 pm
I’d like to put an agency forward that should be included in this list. How about Octagon…the guys behind Australia’s Greatest Athlete, XXXX Beach Cricket, the Speights Great Beer delivery…to name some of the projects they have led? We’ve worked with them before…and reckon they deserve more credit in the marketplace
3 Jun 09
2:30 pm
i’ve had the pleasure of working with bmf and one green bean and it’s not down to awards or self-promotion. it’s down to the people there. i moved my business from another creative agency to bmf because the person concerned moved there. they are the best.
3 Jun 09
3:17 pm
Interesting – none of those agencies are run by short sighted, quarterly profit chasing accounting scum.
3 Jun 09
3:19 pm
Just to clarify – I wasn’t meaning to take away from the accomplishments of the agencies mentioned (they are indeed good). My question was genuine and I was interested in your POV.
3 Jun 09
3:24 pm
Hi Rushy,
And funnily enough, I can think of a couple of agencies who do promote much harder – while it may generate some short term column inches, I’m not sure it actually adds to the word of mouth buzz though.
As a digression, a lot of people used to see Mat Baxter as a self publicist in his days at Naked. But in truth, the journos used to call him, rather than the other way round. It was just that whenever he opened his mouth he had something interestign to say.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
3 Jun 09
4:53 pm
Tim, as you bring up Naked so following your digression a wee while…I know this has been done to death but within the discussion of ‘good work’ who got what out of the Witchery stunt? Were the clients happy? And while a lot of PR was generated good and bad about everyone involved, did it help position the Witchery Men’s brand launch where it wanted to be? A genuine question…not sure I ever heard the straight answer.
I also agree that the agencies mentioned in the original post are on the whole, excellent, and I’ve been lucky enough to work with a few of their talented folks in my time. This may sound boring but I think what I consider ‘good work’ almost always requires a client who has ‘imaginificationing’ skills beyond their brief template. It could be a creative, strategic or business management vision…but invariably, a vision for change or desire to be ‘the hero’. The most important WOM for me is from my clients (and geez having said that maybe I should check in on some!).
I would rather win business by referral than by a long drawn out, numbers focused, expensive pitch any day!
3 Jun 09
7:44 pm
Rachael, good question re the jacket. I’d also like to know the results of the NAB to run the same TV ad for the entire AFL season. Anyone?
3 Jun 09
8:20 pm
All good but I’ve heard the Monkey’s staff are all looking like death from working 18hr days…
3 Jun 09
8:50 pm
Tim, on the subject of WOM, you’ve surely got it sussed – I’ve lost count of how many people mentioned your post today…. thanks for getting them talking…!
Seriously though, having been nudged by a client or two, but mainly to acknowledge the hard work of my team (and knowing I risk a tide of accusations of self promotion in doing so), the Beans have been eyes down and quietly grafting hard… the last 8 weeks has seen them co-ordinate a ‘forensic crime scene’ inspired press launch for Dove, an experiential installation outside the MCA for Kleenex, the launch of Bing for Microsoft and ninemsn, not to mention a two week media tour with Vanilla Ice for Virgin Mobile (yes, the pinnacle of my career to date, I confess). But to Rachael’s point, agency output is determined by working with enlightened clients who subscribe to shared philosophies – what we share with the other agencies you’ve called out is without doubt a bunch of clients keen to push boundaries in search of brand fame.
3 Jun 09
11:35 pm
Why holding companies are becoming unstuck… If you are a client you are much better off giving your business to people who have skin in the game rather than a master who demands under-servicing clients to maximize profits.
from adscam:
WPP also told shareholders that for the remainder of the year the short-term focus would continue to be balancing staffing costs against the fall in company revenue. In the medium and longer term, WPP said its strategy remains focused on six objectives: increasing operating profit by 10-15 percent annually; raising margins by half to one margin point annually; reducing staff cost-to-revenue ratios by up to 0.6 margin points annually; growing revenue faster than industry averages; and continuing to improve “our creative reputation and stimulating co-operation among group companies.”
4 Jun 09
8:44 am
We’re still talking about when One Green Bean contacted the SMH Diary the other week and said they’d happily offer that poor cat food blogger girl a job to show her how to do social media properly. Ouch! Great industry stunt that got noticed
8 Jun 09
7:12 pm
ive heard the monkeys are going to put out a tv show called The Monkeys
23 Jun 09
10:21 am
I just always find it funny, that EVERY company in Australia, including agencies, media buyers…..all proclaim to be “One of Australia’s leading….”. At the end of the day, word of mouth recommendation is the strongest form or endorsement.
call me old fashioned!!