19 March 2010

When we see a shit ad, it’s only natural to blame the agency. In fact, I’ve spent a fair few words on this blog doing just that.

But what I’m slowing realising is there’s far too many reasons a remarkable idea might never see the light of day. Perhaps, as a result, this leaves us with teh campaigns we judge so harshly.

Not just the fact that it can all come down to one person but issues with legal, budget, timing etc.

At the end of the day, if the client is happy then the rest of us should be too.

Posted by Zac Martin

17 March 2010

After two and a half years, writing this blog has served its initial purpose. I now work in advertising.

This week I started as the Social Media Manager at George Patterson Y&R Melbourne. It’s a part time gig while I finish my fourth and final year of university.

I can’t state enough how validating it is after doing nothing but talk for almost 28 months to actually do an internship and have people impressed with your work, enough so that they’re willing to pay you to keep you around.

And luckily for you lot, this blog will continue to kick on.

Posted by Zac Martin

11 March 2010

Well, today it was announced that Cookies ‘n’ Cream was the winning flavour of the Flavour Crusaders competition I was in and will be on shelves shortly. Unfortunately I didn’t win the overall prize money as well.

Despite this, I can definitely say I picked up a few things here and there and managed to learn something along the way. No doubt I’ll share some of this with you all at some point.

Anyway, mostly just wanted to say thanks to those who voted.

Posted by Zac Martin

09 March 2010

One of the things you pick up doing a business degree is how fucking awesome Google are. Used in nearly every human resource example possible, Google are constantly highlighted as the number one employer of choice. Pretty much of all time.

So when you’re told someone will be in touch from Google and you don’t hear back after three weeks, even with a follow up email, it’s a little disappointing. Especially when it comes from a brand you love.

It’s not enough to make me jump to Bing by any means, but a taint in a brand you love hurts the most.

And on a complete side note, the fact I applied for a gig in their Sydney office, told my best mate about it, he applied, he’s pretty much interviewed immediately, my application seems to get lost in bureaucracy, he soon after lands the gig and moves to Sydney next weekend has absolutely nothing to do with the bitterness of this post. ;]

Posted by Zac Martin

04 March 2010

Ahh, advertising. Despite what university textbooks and agency websites tell me, sometimes you don’t need strategy. Or even creative.

Running the most basic ad in a newspaper and some good shelf space is sometimes enough.

And that’s exactly what Coles have done to promote the new Wispa chocolate bar they’ve imported exclusively from Cadbury UK.

At the end of the day, a good product is a good product, and it’s certainly done a good job infiltrating my friendship circles. And it might even be enough to get me to shop at Coles occasionally.

Posted by Zac Martin

02 March 2010

Perhaps one of the finer moments during my internship was something I picked up on while working on a current user generated content campaign.

One video submission from a consumer featured a bear on the tee he was wearing. Seemingly harmless, this was approved and uploaded to the website, with consideration to then appear on national television.

Upon browsing the latest approved uploads that day, I quickly notified my boss that the bear was actually Pedobear, a popular icon commonly associated with paedophilia. The video was immediately removed.

Just another day as an intern in adland.

Posted by Zac Martin

25 February 2010

I think it’s a tell of a struggling medium when it advertises the fact you can advertise with them. I imagine their advertising revenue can’t be too successful if they have no ads to place in that media space.

You see it all the time on websites with banner ads suggesting one could “advertise here”. It’s also pretty popular on the inside of trains. And I realised today, that radio has been doing it for a while with a pretty heavy push lately.

Is this the sign of a dying medium, or at least a profitable one?

And how long until we see a major television networks running similar ads?

Posted by Zac Martin

19 February 2010

My final project as an intern at George Patterson Y&R was to do a presentation on the world of advertising through the eyes of a 20 year old.

And the first thing I did, was to go through the database that is nearly two and a half years of my own opinion. You would not believe how useful it was.

Although I’ve had some complete rubbish posts in the past, fuck I’ve written some good stuff if I can say so myself. And fuck it feels good to read a joke you wrote two years ago and still laugh at it.

Good times.

Posted by Zac Martin

18 February 2010

No one could answer my question as to what the letters B&T, the trade press publication, stood for. So I went straight to the top and asked…
And who said investigative journalism was dead?
Posted by Zac Martin

15 February 2010

You know what the best thing about being in a relationship is? You don’t get those annoying “Meet single 18 year old girls” ads on Facebook.

Upon this realisation, it reminded me of an argument I once had with a tutor. The class discussion was about database marketing, and her advice to students was to never sign up to any competition because your details will be used to spam you.

Perhaps it’s the naive utopian young marketer still yet to be beaten out of me by the industry, but isn’t the more knowledge a brand has about you the better?

Of course there will be brands who sell this information on to others. But ideally, brands can use this to reduce the amount of spam you’re receiving, not increase it. Ads become more targeted, personalised and therefore more relevant.

At the end of the day, ads are inevitable. And I personally would prefer brands to know as much as possible about me to make these ads as useful and value providing as they can be. And by definition, they no longer become spam.

Posted by Zac Martin