Archive for November, 2005

Advertising mould

Wednesday, November 30th, 2005

A campaign is a series of ads with some recognisable consistency between one ad and the next. Seldom done in education advertising here. Each department seems to have its own ideas. This is the only print campaign I’m aware of in recent times in the WA market.
A good campaign occurs when an ad […]

What IS IT with people hanging around lifts?

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2005

Continuing a series looking at print ads for tertiary institutions; today, Edith Cowan University. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear… another tertiary education ad featuring people and lifts. Very aspirational, I’m sure.

It’s not just your eyesight; the text in this ad is practically illegible even as a near full-page print advertisement. You may just be […]

Classic wine marketing

Sunday, November 20th, 2005

WA’s iconic white wine, Houghton’s White Burgundy, is to be renamed Houghton’s White Classic. This is necessary because of the 1994 Agreement between Australia and the European Community on Trade in Wine, and Protocol (Wine Agreement). In signing this, Australia agreed to respect French Geographic Indications (GIs) including the name Burgundy.
You wonder why they’ve chosen […]

World FDS

Thursday, November 17th, 2005

Just watched the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in a sports bar in Northbridge and became a soccer fan.
It reminded me of some thoughts I had on International Rules Football. The AFL and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) should get together and formalise the International Code. Lock up some intellectual rights.
Then the governing […]

Kangaroo marketing

Tuesday, November 15th, 2005

A magazine called Food Companion is running a food industry competition for the best new name for kangaroo meat. Why a new name? Obviously they believe that the cute animal thing interferes with the eat fleshy thing. The argument is, we don’t eat cows we eat beef. We don’t eat pigs we eat pork. So […]

Welcome to Gingin

Thursday, November 10th, 2005

This is the sign which announces the charming little town of Gingin, where I currently live.
The sign is conspicuously positioned on the Brand Highway. Visitors to Gingin and residents of Gingin drive past it in great number. What signal does it send to a potential visitor? *Scratches head*
Signs provide information but they are […]

Western Force Membership

Tuesday, November 8th, 2005

The Western Force, Australia’s newest RU team have signed up 18,000 members, more than any other club. If you’d like to join up, you can get a diamond, gold, silver, nickel or iron membership. Here is the membership brochure. A small missed opportunity: it would have been a significant West Australian statement to have ranked […]

Free Beer congratulates Murdoch University

Thursday, November 3rd, 2005

Continuing a review of print advertising by West Australian Universities …
Well, unlike the Curtin ad, this seems sound strategically. Reinforces the institution as high achieving. Clearly branded. Murdoch name is prominent so they’re not wasting money. Criticisms: Doesn’t really link Murdoch’s research work to any enrolment benefit. Boring as bird flu. Needs professional photography and […]

Stay ahead: be white, male and Anglo.

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2005

The first in a series of analyses, trying to understand advertising by educational institutions. I’m struggling to even imagine the nature of the brief given to the advertising agency for this ad. Was it: “We want you to tap into the warrior nature of potential postgraduates.” Or possibly: “We believe it’s important to convey […]