Ten mulls getting into the ad making business
Russel Howcroft
The Ten network is contemplating a push into making ads, general manager Russel Howcroft has revealed.
Speaking at a debate organised by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Howcroft was asked by moderator Stuart Gregor, chairman of the PR Council, whether the arrival of former Y&R global boss Hamish McLennan as CEO had fired ambitions in that direction.
Gregor asked: “One of your other revenue streams, there’s an advertising guy now running the TV network – producing your own ads, cut out the middleman?”
As well as McLennan, Howcroft is a former CEO of Y&R brands Australia while in April Matt McGrath – formerly executive chairman of Y&R Brands – joined in the new role of chief brand officer.
Howcroft responded: “Yes, producing your own ads is something that is occurring throughout the world by media companies, actually it always has. Radio has done it forever and TV does it a little.”
Ten’s rival Nine already does so through 9mm, while Seven’s cross platform offering SMG Red has some capabilities in the area.
Howcroft said: “And I can imagine that part of the business growing, especially as you’re getting some advertising-trained people inside the building who like making ads.
“If you have a look at Channel Four in the UK they’ve hired some very high profile, highly talented creative teams into their business and they have a creative vision. What’s its role? It’s to help clients be more successful.”
And Howcroft pointed out that the network already has promo teams creating trailers for programming
He said: “TV stations already make their own ads. The ads they make are the ads for themselves. The team would make five ads per day for what’s going out on Network Ten – the skills already exist and those skills can be used for advertisers.”
This story first appeared in the weekly edition of Encore available for iPad and Android tablets. Visit encore.com.au for a preview of the app or click below to download.
I love the thought of Stuart Gregor and Russell Howcroft sharing a stage – it puts paid to the rumour that they are one & the same person! #switched at birth #orisitjustme?
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Well, ad agencies are now making TV shows. So it seems only fair…
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Excellent idea!
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Very smart move.
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did Matt McGrath change his name?
Hate to say it lads, but TV stations have been making ads since Adam was a boy
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Good idea but they need to focus on getting their own promo’s right and working (ie generating decent audiences) before they stretch their resources to outside parties.
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Hi Nick,
Entirely my bad…
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
Dear god Channel 10.
If I can paraphrase ‘Rampaging’ Roy Slaven & HG’s Strategic Review
“Make better TV”
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Will be a first for Ten given they don’t make any of their shows in house.
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As we all know, if say 9 makes and ad 7 or 10 don’/won’tt run it. It is purely on air on the station that creates it.
Usually commercials are made for direct clients with very limited budgets that the station is chasing advertising on air revenue to fill spots where there is little or no scheduled spots to run.
And the ads usually look like they are station produced.
I can’t see big brand clients going direct to stations to make a brand ad for them to run purely on that station. Their budgets are torn already between all the new media platforms
Think Rus and his team need to concentrate on doing the job they were hired to do and are paid to do, unless they intend to turn 10 into an ad agency.
Looking at their latest news promo with the supposed shattered glass with images travelling on them, they need to get a decent art director, flame op and cgi person.
Terrible! Looks like large hunks of plastic and embarrassing.
But then maybe Todd is going to leave Burnett’s and run Rus’s advertising section.
I don’t think so.
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Sorry REALLY. You are way off, ads made for 9 do run on other networks as do spots made by Multiply at MCN. 10, 9 and 7 have been doing this for decades and not just for Direct clients.
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