another advertising wanker » Brand Fails

A Flash in the Pan

Nathan Bush — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:09:04 +0000

This is an excerpt from the BCM blog, Two Cents, which I regularly contribute to…

I can hear the conversations now:

“We can use puppies. Everyone loves puppies…”

“Nope, too difficult. Never work with children or animals.”

“Well, what about using that guy from the ShamWow ad. He can sell anything!”

“Hmmm… that guy is expensive.”

“I’ve got it! Flash mobs! The kids love them. They’ve the flavour of the month! It’s cheap. It’s easy. It will be a viral masterstroke!”

“You’ve got a point, let’s do it.”

To continue reading head over to the BCM blog….

Hyundai Who30?

Nathan Bush — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:00:37 +0000

You know that Hyundai i30 ad with the cop out of the first season Underbelly? He introduces us to the barista who drives a Hyundai because it suits her lifestyle? In the the 30 seconds it goes to air we’re introduced to her, learn a bit about her and meant to trust her.

“Ooh she looks friendly. I like friendly people. Oooh she’s a barista. I know lots of nice baristas. Ooooh she drives a Hyundai. I want to drive a Hyundai.”

Sadly, it doesn’t work like that. She’s an actress.

But what if it was a real person? What if we could go online and find her online profile dating back to 2005? What if we knew wher lifestyle and what she does on the weekend? What if we could start talking to her? What if we could ask her real questions about her real car and get her real opinion?

Wouldn’t that be cool? I’d consider trusting her then.

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Facebook Without A Face

Nathan Bush — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:22:48 +0000

As a facilitator of modern communication and a gauge of popular issues, you’d assume the Facebook team would be open to dialogue with their users. Yet, finding out how to contact Facebook on the Facebook site is near impossible. When all else fails, try searching for ‘contact facebook’. This is what you will get…

Yep, listings for groups on Facebook petitioning to let them contact Facebook. It’s all a bit silly isn’t it?

Tourism Australia Miss The Boat

Nathan Bush — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:00:58 +0000

Earlier this week the UN released a report with the results of the Human Development Index. In short, it ranks countries as the best place to live. Australia came in behind Norway as having the second highest quality of life in the world. It was a world wide news story and reported in countries including USA, UK, Korea, Canada, Ireland and India.

If I’m a non-Aussie hearing this, I’m thinking Australia sounds like a pretty cool place. Even though I might not want to live there it might be worth checking out.

You’d think Tourism Australia would be all over it right? Unfortunately, they’re not. If you go to their websites here and here, you won’t see any news or commentary on the Index. Likewise, if you follow their tweets or are a Facebook fan there are no proddings for topical conversation.

These are the easy pickings! This is the kind of news that social media savvy companies would froth over and squeeze the life out of. Imagine the fun that you could have with this. After all, Norway is known for getting dark in the middle of the day, is home to Bergen who have the highest rainfall in the whole world and is responsible for winning Eurovision this year (thanks Stan). As a nation of piss takers, surely there’s a viral video or recount petition in that? That’s one idea out of a pile of potential ideas which could be executed quickly and cheaply to maximise this exposure.

Sure, it won’t involving an Oscar nominated director, a scantily clad model in cricket gear or majestic fly overs of the Australian landscape. But it will be relevant, timely, cost effective and most importantly, engaging for our audience. That’s a winner isn’t it?

The Origin of False Hope

Nathan Bush — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:15:38 +0000

If you look at Origin Energy’s homepage you would be pretty convinced they are doing their best to help the environment…

In total, seven mentions of ‘solar’, ‘green’, ‘solar’ or ‘sustainability’. It gets even better in the ‘sustainability‘ tab. It really hammers home how committed Origin Energy are to the environment. They have Gold Banksia and Ethical Investor awards, Green calculators, an Eco Store, sustainability reports and educational programs. All are great credentials for a company focused on being friendly to the environment.

Yet, if you ask Origin Energy to send your bills via email rather than post as I did, it is not possible. There is no paperless option. This means that there are paper statements produced and sent to 3 million customers for every piece of communication. With energy billed quarterly, this equates to 12 million paper bills generated per year.

Origin have a note on their site which says “At this stage, you cannot pay your account online through our website. We are working on this and look forward to providing you with a secure and streamlined online payment system in the future.”

Surely this should have been a priority for a corporation focused on ‘sustainability’?

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Essentially Booby

Nathan Bush — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:41:44 +0000

At the risk of turning this blog into a bloopers reel, today’s Essential Booby… I mean Essential Baby site might be worth a peak:

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Cascade Light… Genuine Puberty?

Nathan Bush — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:42:06 +0000

Ahh… who would have thought a light beer could put hairs on your chest?

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A Bus Stop Conversation

Nathan Bush — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:32:15 +0000

It doesn’t matter how much you try to control the conversation.

If there is enough passion, rogue voices will find a way to be heard.

(Photo taken after the Commonwealth Bank increased home loan interest rates during the global financial crisis)

Livewire: A Semi-Response From Non-Conroy

Nathan Bush — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:03:00 +0000

Many of you would be aware of the collaborative post between Matt Granfield and myself questioning the allocation of $14.7m to Starlight’s Livewire project and my subsequent letter to Senator Conroy asking for a breakdown in costs.

Last week, to my surprise, I received a response. But the surprise was not in the content but in how I received it. Remember, this was a response from the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. He sent it via the postal system (postage paid and all) and from his assistant secretary on his behalf. Broadband and communication anyone? Maybe his email was playing up or he couldn’t find the ‘reply’ button.

Anyway, the response sheds absolutely no further light on where the $14.7m has been allocated. It reads like a press release and delves no deeper than what has already been discussed. Dated 6 May 2009, here it is (snarky, sarcastic comments in bracketed italics provided by yours truly):

Dear Mr Bush

Livewire Project

Thank you for your email dated 19 March 2009 to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy concerning information about the Livewire project funded under the Clever Networks program. The Minister has asked the Department to review your email and respond on his behalf. I apologise for the delay in replying (oh no, please don’t apologise – blame it on Australia Post).

The Livewire project is co-funded under the Innovative Services Delivery element of the $118 million Clever Networks program (in the Department of Broadband Communications and Digital Economy. We love multiple departments with tricky names!) This program enables improvements in the delivery of essential health, education, community and emergency services through the innovative use of broadband technologies.

Livewire is one of 26 projects selected after a comprehensive competitive grants process that assessed in excess of 115 applications for funding (the others did not use the words ‘online community’, ‘children in hospital’ and ‘innovative technology’. Instant fail. There are no headlines in those projects). The Australian Government provided a $7.2 million contribution to the Livewire project. The project is managed and implemented by Livewire (business name of NFPOnline), a wholly owned subsidiary of Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia (ummm… who, what?) Starlight and Livewire‘s private sector partners are co-funding the project by a further $7.2 million.

Livewire connects young Australians, aged over 10 and under 21, living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability, in a safe and supportive online community, to one another. It will also connect their siblings, parents and carers once these sites are launched later this year (apparently this is a crazy new fad – kind of like Tamagotchi’s).

Livewire is a truly innovative application of broadband technology that enables a new model of health and related service delivery to young people across Australia – including those in regional areas (did you know that we have implemented broadband access for 99% of Australians? Subject to wind conditions of course).

Livewire funding is building a secure environment which provides an online community, content from selected experts and much needed peer and social support to young people with serious illness, chronic health condition or disability (damn, I’ve already used that description. Oh well), their parents, families and carers. Livewire also customises inspirational and entertaining content, interactive educational games and a full suite of blogs, chat rooms and community tools, to improve the young people’s emotional and social wellbeing (look at all the buzz words we are using!)

Livewire has no general public access to the online community. It is protected by high levels of security and authentication with a controlled membership base (not like that Spacebook which is full of porn, credit card scammers and NRL players).

Unlike most online communities, Livewire is moderated by specially trained professionals in cooperation with the Australian Federal Police to ensure that all members are able to use the site in a safe and secure way (you will be breathalised before posting any content).

The project also funds 90 Livewire on Wheels units into seven major hospitals around Australia. These units are purpose built hospital bedside units which have been designed in collaboration with health professionals and senior nursing staff and provided to hospitalised Australian children (if there’s more than 90 needed, the kids can visit Ikea.com.au and order their own).

Livewire provides a much needed and highly valued service for young people with chronic illness or disability. The project has recognised that technology is a natural part of life for kids and that it can be used to reduce the sense of isolation experienced when seperated from friends and families due to illness (so stop being an arsehole. Why do you keep questioning a measly $14.4 million when it makes sick kids feel really really good?)

Yours sincerely
Silvia Spaseski
Assistant Secretary
Broadband Development

So there you go, a press release in letter form. I think I give up on getting a breakdown on costs. I’m better off focusing my efforts into developing proposals for the government. $2 million to develop a Twitter page (background image include) for Senator Conroy seems reasonable doesn’t it?

Fast Food Chains Get Served Rotten Social Media

Nathan Bush — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:03:00 +0000

It’s not a fun week to be in the fast food business. Have a look at three social media disasters which have been served over the past week:

1. Domino’s add boogers and farts to their topping options

Result: Over 440,000 views. Almost 4,000 predominantly negative comments. Major press including the BBC, Sky, The Sun and News Limited run the story. Employees fired and threatened to be arrested.

2. McDonald’s boost kids entertainment with temporary trash adventure grounds

Result: Over 26,000 views. Over 100 predominantly negative comments. News Limited run the story. Staff “counselled”.

3. KFC staff wash the wrong chicks in kitchen basin.

Result: Photos leaked outside of MySpace. Press including The Times, News Limited and Fairfax run the story. Three teens fired. Story revisited in questioning the rights of the worker regarding social network content.

All this in less than a week. Pretty damaging stuff.

Would this have happened if they had a social media strategy in place? Yes.

It would have still occurred. There is little you can do to control individual staff’s actions in such a large organision. However…

Would they have been better prepared to respond if they had a social media strategy in place? Absolutely.

The learning and the experimenting has been done. The objectives and the communication style have been set. Nothing left to do but to get straight in there, respond and communicate!

Update 16/04/08 9am: Domino’s post a response on YouTube (thanks to @SocialMedia411)

Update 16/04/09 2pm: Domino’s have removed offending video but there are a number of replications which will pop up and down over YouTube – just search ‘dominos’ and ‘disgusting’ and you should get it.