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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.
World exclusive: Someone famous was in the same restaurant as me
Today Dr Mumbo asks the big question:
Is this the worst front page story an Australian daily metro masthead newspaper has ever produced?
March 19th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
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Comments
19 Mar 10
12:09 pm
Yes.
19 Mar 10
12:10 pm
hmm really expected more from the hard hitting news journal that is MX
19 Mar 10
12:11 pm
If only I’d known that was all you needed to get a front page – I would have had dozens! This entire article should only have ever appeared on her Facebook page…
19 Mar 10
12:12 pm
I thought that when I saw it – but it made me pick it up… Very lame though
19 Mar 10
12:15 pm
She’s been doing it for years
19 Mar 10
12:15 pm
No worse than the Daily Tele having a test drive of Lara Bingle’s Aston Martin on their front page!
19 Mar 10
12:16 pm
I guess Rupert was right, people will have to pay if they want quality journalism.
19 Mar 10
12:17 pm
Thursday night is blokey payday night, yeah? This is just mX,‘s equivalent of lingerie waitress happy hour. Blonde chick on front page? “Mission Accomplished”, as they say.
19 Mar 10
12:18 pm
@buckle,
Such wisdom in those words – definitely the way things are heading, particularly online.
Question is: would you pay for mumbrella?
19 Mar 10
12:24 pm
I am such a bad photo journo. I was on the rooftop of Oxford Hotel for Mardi Gras Parade time lapse. George Michael was there the whole time I didn’t give a toss.
19 Mar 10
12:42 pm
I’m not privvy to the inner workings of print media, but how does “Hmm slow news day. I know, put me on the front page!” actually make it all the way up the chain of command and still get the nod?
Can’t imagine it goes down too well with your colleagues either.
19 Mar 10
12:46 pm
In health shorthand Mx stands for menstruation… so that this make this paper a rag??
19 Mar 10
2:18 pm
I enjoyed the article. MX is a free ‘light reading’ paper for city commuters – after a day at the office I would think most people enjoy reading ‘fluff’ pieces. I would much rather read about a journalist’s experience partying with Madonna and her entourage than about Lara Bingle.
19 Mar 10
3:50 pm
Yes…picked this up yesterday and was DISGUSTED…thanks for covering the abismal “journalistic” skills of this “news”paper.
19 Mar 10
3:55 pm
Not sure those have to be our only choices, @Sheena. I think reading mX actually can make you dumber.
Whenever I am desparate on a train [i.e., bookless, without BlackBerry/iPhone, and there's a boring looking person opposite] I pick up mX. I always feel a little bit sick afterwards. I think it is from swallowing dead brain cells. They’re like sea water in that way.
19 Mar 10
3:56 pm
At least they got the pitcure hierarchy right – hero the shorts! I think this journalist has a bit of Tyra Banks Syndrome
19 Mar 10
3:56 pm
I saw Russell Crowe at Cafe Zoe in Surry Hills a few weeks ago, in fact he’s probably been talking about me continuously as the girl that walked past with the retro 80s glitter sunglasses on, just like I’m sure Madonna rushed out to buy a pair of those dodgy blue hotpants! I posted my brush with fame in my Facebook status update but it was probably about as interesting to my friends as I found reading this cover.
@Other Andrew; I’d pay for Mumbrella, it’s the legitamate way our whole office takes a break from the daily drudge as none of us are smokers. Mumbrella is the unofficial smoko in our office!
19 Mar 10
3:56 pm
Buckle, you dickhead, mX is FREE!
19 Mar 10
4:26 pm
It was the worst pair of shorts ever featured on the cover of a newspaper.
I couldn’t get past that atrocity to reading the actual article.
19 Mar 10
4:38 pm
Surely those shorts are no worse than this pair of shorts on Samantha Fox?
Well, it’s Friday…
19 Mar 10
4:39 pm
Oh, dear Anonymous. You’re not reprezzenting for mX readers – then again, maybe you are.
19 Mar 10
4:45 pm
I must be dyslexic….I thought it said “Madonna walks into a bra!”
19 Mar 10
4:49 pm
Meh, it’s trash, but it’s Mx, what do you expect? I agree with Sheena, it’s vitriolic crud aimed at the lowest common denominator but at least they know their audience.
Meanwhile, it may be the worst front page story an Australian daily metro masthead newspaper has ever produced, but it’s also an awful picture – buy a scanner, Tim.
20 Mar 10
2:14 am
It’s good to know we have alternative afternoon papers to the Murdoch press!
20 Mar 10
1:35 pm
not sure MX is a newspaper. Newspapers require news generally.
MX to me seems like stuff that makes you forget your day at work and gives you inane stuff to talk about once you get home.
20 Mar 10
2:34 pm
Mx is the only paper you can read and know less than before you read it.
22 Mar 10
1:13 pm
Yeah Buckle – Ya Dickead!
Yikes…
4 Apr 10
1:13 pm
@ Anonymous – that was precisely Buckle’s point – mX is free… and therefore lacks quality… what don’t you understand?
4 Apr 10
6:16 pm
Mx should pay to clean up the mess they create in our afternoons or pay for recycling bins in train stations. Cityrail shouldn’t allow this. Go to a newsagent and buy something worth taking home, people.
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