And here’s how The Age’s editorial team intended its coverage of the New Zealand mining disaster to look:
ADVERTISEMENT
Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.
Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.
"*" indicates required fields
This website uses cookies for proper functioning and enhancing the user experience. By clicking 'Accept' on this banner or using our site you accept our use of cookies. You can also 'Read More' to view our Cookie Policy and learn how to control them. Read More
(Hat-tip: 
Is that actually how it came out? Doesn’t look real?
User ID not verified.
This isnt so unusual.
How often have you watched a sad news story video and been forced to watch an ad about toothpaste and how white it will make your teeth.
I am looking forward to the new business model where we pay for content because surely that means it will be advert free, correct ? 🙂
User ID not verified.
Ouch.
User ID not verified.
I was appalled by this front cover wrap on todays copy of The Age!
This cover was extremely distasteful. Surely someone could have seen this and made a decision to change it, before the paper was distributed.
On the matter of the cover wrap in general – I have vowed never to purchase any product which uses this highly annoying and wasteful advertising method – Pura Milk do you hear me??
The newspaper and it’s advertising staff should seriously reconsider this very annoying revenue raising exercise as it is an insult to its’ readers.
User ID not verified.
This, more than anything, shows why there’s a need for much more cohesive communication between the advertising sections and the writing sections of any news outlet.
This, while horribly distasteful, is the result of a lack of communication, rather than a blatant disregard for the people involved.
User ID not verified.
The last wrap we’ll see on The Age for a while.
And while the paper should’ve realised and pulled the ad prior to publication, what were the theme parks’ media & creative agencies expecting The Age to publish as their front-page story – a puppy being rescued by a brigade of novelty hat-wearing kittens? (Incidentally, I believe this was today’s lead story in the Herald Sun)
User ID not verified.
Jane Mills: Surely someone could have seen this and made a decision to change it, before the paper was distributed.
YES YES YES. This is just disgusting that the newspaper printers and collaters did not open their eyes to what was about to happen. No-one wants to take responsibility for anything, or speak up, so things like this happen.
Boycott The Age I say.
User ID not verified.
Charlie makes an excellent point.
Cover wraps used to be only for truly news worthy ‘marketing’ (e.g. Tjhe Olympics Opening, Great Masters at the National Gallery…) and always at the Editor’s discretion. There are very few campaigns that would meet that criteria and certainly this one doesn’t. Shame on The Age for putting revenue before good taste and credibility. I hope the Editor is ripping someone in Sales, a new one.
Also the agencies who thought this might be a good idea.
Listen up…”Not. A. Good. Idea”. You all look like fools. It’s precisely this kind of un-thinkery (yes I made up a word) that makes non-advertising people hate us.
User ID not verified.
FAIL.
User ID not verified.
Boycott Pura! They’re owned 100% by Mitsubishi anyway. Go with someone like Aussie Farmers who can deliver 100% Australian owned and produced milk to your doorstep.
User ID not verified.
I’m +1 for Aussie Farmers. We get a delivery twice a week and it’s top-notch service.
User ID not verified.
Interesting, it wasn’t until I saw this on the website that I had any idea what was on the wrapper on the paper. In order each morning I unwrap the paper, gingerly shake it by the spine to let any leaflets fall straight in the recycle bin, then toss any wrapper-extras away. Had no idea who it was from or what it said until now.
User ID not verified.
That is terrible.
User ID not verified.
The copy in the ad leads me to believe that there was every chance the ad would end up close to a very sad or shocking story. Seems a case of editorial, layout and advertising not communicating to pre-approve the copy in the ad.
The Age need to get thier act together. I rememeber when they ran a graphic aerial photo of one of the slain policeman in Moorabbin on the front page several years ago. Seems nothing much has changed since then.
User ID not verified.
Particularly distasteful, considering the family fun parks are being promoted and the front page image is that of a grief stricken family including young children.
I actually can’t fathom how this wasn’t flagged and removed prior to publication.
Maybe the $$$ is the number one consideration for Fairfax. Perhaps potentially loosing the revenue was frightening enough for many to wave it through the printing press
User ID not verified.
I don’t think someone in sales or the agency for that matter deserves a new A piece. the responsibility of the printers and ultimately editors surely should have protected this from ever seeing the print machine n’mind the news stand.
Epic fail..!
User ID not verified.
I don’t think someone in sales or the agency for that matter deserves a new A piece for this would have been sold, planned and bought weeks if not months ago.
Surely, the responsibility of the printers and ultimately editors surely should have protected this from ever seeing the print machine n’mind the news stand.
Epic fail..!
User ID not verified.
I agree with @Sam – how could the agency or even media agency know what todays news story was going to be? Media is booked weeks in advance, with no knowledge of the news stories.
The responsibility here falls to the Editors of The Age – surely someone (anyone) looked at a proof or first run and was sensible enough to say this ad should not run??
If I was the client i’d want compensation for all the bad publicity that I’ve been given for no reason other than booking a media placement.
User ID not verified.
Management would have been aware that this was how the paper was going out. But public anger for one day is nothing against the $80k they made from it. Its a business decision, and although ugly, a sound one.
TBH you cant run creative advertising without the risk of this happening. Everyone knows that the client didnt mean to make light of the situation, so its not their fault. And if we want to keep seeing newspapers they need to find ways to provide impact. Not buying the paper one day because it has a execution, as a way to punish Pura is so stupid.
Thats like me never buying from my local store (which needs my money) because they stock coke and i dont like coke. Even if I hated coke and they had big signs all out the front which made it hard to walk in the store without hitting, id know they are just doing what they need to survive and provide me with a service. Not to piss me off on purpose.
User ID not verified.
I should have said Pepsi, as i actually like coke
User ID not verified.
Phew! I’m glad that this has never happened with an online ad. That would be just so terrible.
User ID not verified.
I’ve seen worse:
http://angryatkin.tumblr.com/p.....-perth-now
User ID not verified.
Your arguament is spurious, Sam and Anonymous.
When have you known the fron page of ANY newspaper to be a happy story? Maybe 1 in 5? If I was in charge of placing this advert I would be on top of the editor like tiger woods on a cheap stripper, making sure the important bit is placed right.
User ID not verified.
I’d be expecting my money back if I was the client
User ID not verified.
This placement was the worst I’ve ever seen; it followed the Victorian bush-fires last year.
http://twitpic.com/1jo0c
User ID not verified.
Oh no, that happens so often when your looking something up online and the most inappropriate ad’s come up!
User ID not verified.