Transitioning Loyalty to Another Media - Hamish and Andy

I knew this was going to smash it big when I was listening to the radio on the way home from work last night. Usually TV shows get a 10 second promo before the news or a one page advertisement in the paper next to the TV guide but Hamish and Andy's radio show shamelessly plugged the "Caravan of Courage" TV show. Their massively successful radio program has a very loyal following and it was no surprise when H&A made it known the Caravan was on Ten, everyone locked in their heads to tune in. They also got some help from Ten's 7PM project, a news program aimed at Generation Y which everyone said would fail but continues to rate very well.



Hamish and Andy are definitely setting themselves for a switch to television soon and if the ratings from last night are any guide, Ten may have a fight on their hands to keep Hamish and Andy.

Thursday’s ratings:
1. Masterchef Ten 1.829m
2. Hamish and Andy’s Caravan of Courage Ten 1.749m
3. Seven News Seven 1.382m
4. Today Tonight Seven 1.308m
5. Nine News Nine 1.231m
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.154m
7. ABC News ABC 1.123m
8. Sea Patrol Nine 1.101m
9. Two and a Half Men Nine 1.056m
10. Law and Order: SVU Ten 1.053m
11. Home and Away Seven 1.009m
12. The 7PM Project Ten 0.933m
13. Getaway Nine 0.891m
14. Ten News Ten 0.884m
15. The Footy Show Nine 0.729m

This is how you launch a new product - iiNET

I'm not from Scottsdale but after reading the letter that Scottsdale people got from iiNET, a part of me wishes I was there. One of the things people are usually most proud of is the suburb in which they live. So when you get a letter from the country's third biggest internet provider like the one below, what is your likely response?

I've always thought that local shops do not take advantage of their geographical advantage enough. The people who walk and drive past your shop are the ones most likely to be your loyal customers. I know iiNET sends out similar letters to suburbs in which they recently enabled for their ADSL2+ internet. It is this sort of targeted marketing which is most effective. Just sticking the name of the suburb in doesn't work. I'm speaking to you, real estate agents. Anyway, what do you think?

Rebranding the Big Bad Bank - NAB

Recently, one bank which has caught my eye has been the National Australia Bank. In advertising, usually people try to avoid using negative words or connotations but its surely a reflection of public opinion when a bank's main slogan is More Give, Less Take. I personally found this slogan quite catchy, although it somewhat implies the bank's past reputation. The advertisements have been quite effective, with ads such as the one below invoking a warm feeling on the viewer.



As I said, the bank with the unfortunate shortened name of nab, has been on my horizon for a while. However, its their most recent foray into social media that has got me quite interested. I saw this first through an advertisement on SMSPup, which seems to be the first place companies turn to launch a social media promotion.

The promotion is called "Doing the Right Thing" and the website implies there is some exposure via the Austereo network such as 2dayFM. People submit stories about people who have done the right thing even if it is as small as giving way to them on the roads or returning a stolen wallet. For every story submitted, NAB will pay $5 to a charity. I think the idea is brilliant because quit often these acts of kindness goes unrecognised and unnoticed. People are also very interested to see how people have been "blessed" by people around them. It also encourages readers to also (be a man and) do the right thing.

It is a good way to link your company subconsciously to a feelgood statement such as "doing the right thing" and I am sure many people don't even realise their impression of the bank changing from participating or hearing about this promotion.

MLC demonstrates a sign of the times

Effective advertisements reflect the sign of the times and one ad that does this well is the MLC ad about income protection. It starts off with a young couple talking at home with the guy on a laptop. The girl asks him about considering income protection insurance and he changes the subject by talking about the video he found on the internet about some elephant who dances or something. She gets distracted and eventually gives in to his beckoning to check out his discovery on the internet. The advertisement says "Isn't it funny how we make the time to talk about some things but not things that are important?" I am quite sure many of us didn't even realise that this ad made us consider the possibility of income protection insurance.

Foxtel ad we just hate! but works

Yeah we are nearing the EOFYS but nothing annoys me as much as the Foxtel ad. Unfortunately in advertising, its not about whether you love it or hate it, its whether you remember it or not that really matters. Running in probably the third year straight, the end of financial year sale advertisement obviously seems to have achieved previous expectations as it haunts us once again. Although the ad annoys me to no end, I feel it's necessary to include it below for the sake of completeness. Can't wait till the end of the financial year.