Thursday, 11 March 2010

You’re a real doll, Babs

Lucky for us – especially Ian Ross – advertising has mostly avoided the scourge of political correctness.

Which is just as well because often the best advertising is about finding, then celebrating or confronting the truth in all its messy human inconsistency and frailty.

It ain’t always pretty.

Or PC.

Which is probably why Mad Men is so loved.

Not only because it celebrates the golden age of advertising. But because it captures an era when men were men and women were – how did they put it back then? – dolls.

Which makes it very fitting that Mattel has announced the addition of Mad Men characters to its equally un-PC Barbie range.

As the New York Times reports:

The pairing of Barbie and “Mad Men” is more interesting than the typical licensing agreement because of their shared history. Barbie was introduced in March 1959, and the first episode of “Mad Men” is set in March 1960.

“‘Mad Men’ represents so beautifully the universe that created Barbie,” said Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, because the series is about the selling of the American consumer society.

To be included are Don Draper, wife Betty and colleague Roger Sterling. Oh yeah, and Joan Holloway, the agency’s office manager and Roger’s one-time mistress.

And who could blame him?

She really is a doll.

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Kraft consumes Cadbury

After 180 years Cadbury has been swallowed by Kraft.

And while the iconic confectionery brand won’t disappear from our shelves, it’s worth reflecting on its place in advertising lore.

Take ‘A glass and a half’ for instance.

While Cadbury has now turned to an emotional selling proposition of ‘joy’, it’s the unique selling proposition that will be forever etched in chocolate lovers’ minds.

Which, of course, has also led to the label ‘Cadbury girl’, applied to those amongst us more easily prone to the influences of alcohol.

And who could forget the award winning ‘Gorilla’ TVC above?

(The John Farnham version is however best forgotten…)

But perhaps most interesting observation in The Age article about the Kraft takeover is the following:

Kraft’s revenue from its Australian operations was nearly $620 million in 2008, while Cadbury’s revenue was $985 million in the same period…

Which goes to show our love for a glass and half of goodness is much greater than our love of yeast extract.

Bon appetit!

Monday, 4 January 2010

A healthy start to 2010

Healthcare advertising is one of THE DM GROUP’s specialities.

So over the break we were pleased to read that pharmaceutical companies are now our biggest exporters of high-tech products.

With drug and vaccine sales exceeding $4 billion, it’s the first
time in years the automotive industry hasn’t topped Australia’s
export sales list.

As Mark Metherell reports:

‘The pharmaceutical industry contributes about $7 billion a
year to Australia’s economy and its $860 million research
and development sector.’

Even more pleasing, the biggest sellers are treatments we work on regularly in the fight against influenza, cervical cancer and HIV.

But now we know our campaigns aren’t just looking after the health of our clients and the community.

They’re looking after the health of our economy too.

Thursday, 29 October 2009

Aussie advertising icon dies

Today, the last edition of the Trading Post hits Australian newsstands.

The bible of classified advertising since 1966, it’s given everyday Aussies a taste of the advertising world for over 40 years.

Its iconic cultural status was confirmed with a starring
tell-’im-he’s-dreamin role in The Castle.

From now on, the Sensis owned title will only be available online.

And while it’s the way of the advertising world, it’s not quite the same as newsprint.

As one commentator observes:

Many people don’t want to read page after page of classified advertising on a web browser. It’s much easier to read in a newspaper and they also enjoy scanning the ads.

RIP.

Monday, 19 October 2009

A hatrick for Casey

Yesterday Casey Stoner won his third successive MotoGP at Philip Island.

We celebrated not only because he did Australia proud. But because he did our client Swann Insurance proud too.

Swann has been Casey’s only personal Australian sponsor since 2004.

It’s all part of their commitment to being a leading advocate for motorcycle safety. In fact, Swann appointed Casey their Motorcycle Safety Ambassador in 2007, so he can help them unveil the Motorcycle of the Future – a motorcycle that’s been designed and engineered to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

If you ask us, anything that keeps riders safer is worth celebrating.