Designers Rip Into The New $5 Note

The new $5 note has received a lashing the past 24 hours.
Yesterday, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed the design of the $5 note pending its official release on September 1 this year.
But not everyone is loving it. Within hours of the RBA release, articles popped up around the interwebs parodying the design. Below is the new note, sans parodies.
News.com.au called it ‘vomit like’ – referencing social media posts – and Pedestrian.TV pulled together the numerous photoshopped fivers that are circulating. It’s garnered so much traction online The Guardian opened a thread for its audience to have their say. And it’s been picked up overseas by The Telegraph in the UK and New Zealand’s stuff.co.nz.
Not everyone abolishes the design – this journo liked it – but it’s hard to ignore the scornful comments coming from social media. Some designers too aren’t pleased with it, labelling it a “wasted opportunity”, a late April Fool’s joke and rendering it ‘design-by-committee’.
True, we do not have the brief for the design, so the comments are coming purely from an observational viewpoint. B&T understands the design was from a culmination of work from internal and external designers, with work from RBA’s printing company Note Printing Australia. The RBA selected one design from three and a preferred designer to refine the note.
Still, that hasn’t stopped Jaid Hulsbosch, director at design agency Hulsbosch, from quipping it’s like a late April Fool’s joke.
“I believe the Next Generation $5 note is very embarrassing for Australian design,” he told B&T.
“It unfortunately does not set a new standard; this was a great opportunity to create a design hallmark that reflected Australia’s ambitions and enterprise for the future.”
“I think the Queen looks like the rest of us feel,” remarked Graham Barton, creative director at design and branding agency Folk.
“They’re not great are they?”
Both Barton and Jennifer Segail, managing director and founder at design agency Jam&Co, agree it looks like ‘design-by-committee’ – a colloquialism for an idea that has many designers but no clear concept.
“You need to have focus otherwise the design can become confused and complicated which I think is what has happened here,” said Segail. “My opinions are purely based on what I see in front of me, but understand that the brief and the process would have played a major role in this rather disappointing outcome.”
Barton added it was “grasping at prickly straws”.
“It’s commendable to retain a distinctly Australian signature, resisting the temptation to simply gravitate to another’s visual style – be it drop-shadowy-Americana or Euro-minimalism,” he said.
But, if this is reflective of a nation, it’s unsurprising it’s getting paid out so much.
While the RBA said the note was designed to maintain the similar elements of the original $5, so as not to confuse people, Jam&Co’s Segail begs to differ.
“I believe it has been a wasted opportunity,” she said. “Surely we, Australia, should be able to update and modernise a $5 note quite dramatically without confusing people who are pulling notes from their wallets.”
Dan Ratner, managing director from design agency uberbrand believed the design was a missed opportunity to celebrate Aussie icon Fred Hollows.
“While there is a definite place for Queen Elizabeth in our currency, the five dollar note presents a great chance to showcase a true Australian hero who championed tirelessly to restore sight to those in need,” he said.
“There’s even a petition to ‘Put Fred on the Fiver’ instead of the current Parliament House image.”
And the actual design elements of the note are questioned.
“The complete mix match of images, lack of element hierarchy, and overall feeling of design confusion makes us look like we don’t know who we are,” said Segail.
“The overall artwork lacks simplicity and consistency – two critical principles for any iconic design,” put in Hulsbosch.
“It’s an over-complicated vision that results in a contradictory layout with a battle of detail versus graphic elements. You can’t have both. From the Queen’s head and on the reverse side Parliament House; the overwrought detailing fights wildly with interpretative graphics of the Prickly Moses wattle and the Easters Spinebill.”
Still, the ‘tactile’ element introduced to make the note easier to distinguish for those with visual impairments is to be applauded, added Hulsbosch.
And yet Folk’s Barton said the practicalities have overpowered the aesthetics.
“Clearly, practicality has been prioritised over aesthetics,” he said. “Assisting the vision impaired and foiling forgers. Which is difficult to argue against. But not impossible.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
$5 note Advertising Standards Bureau Blis Media customer fatigue reserve bank of australiaLatest News

Tourism New Zealand And DDB Invite Curious Explorers In New Global Campaign
Tourism New Zealand has unveiled its first global campaign in two years, IF YOU SEEK – the country’s invitation to international visitors. Launched today in core visitor markets such as Australia and the United States, IF YOU SEEK explores perspectives unfamiliar to the travel category; enticing audiences to explore Aotearoa New Zealand via glimpses of […]

Hardhat Lands Retail Pioneer Godfreys Account Following Tough Pitch
Following a competitive pitch, retail group Godfreys has announced the appointment of independent creative agency Hardhat. Following two years of growth, with the business now sitting at more than 150 stores and 3 million customers, Godfreys has set about transforming its retail stores to more accurately reflect the business’ category leadership and expertise. At the […]

Biggest Spenders In Podcast Ads Revealed By iHeart And Magellan AI
iHeart announces top ad spenders in podcasts. No word on how many listeners skip through every ad they encounter.

Revealed: Australia’s Top Ad Spenders For The First Half Of 2022
Feeling bad about your expensive coffee habit? This read should put your woes in perspective.

Google Wins Big After Australian High Court Deems The Search Engine Is Not A Publisher
Defamation laws may finally relax in Aus! Hence, why we are revealing our editor is addicted to gaviscons.

Rural Aussie Women Celebrated With The Announcement Of 2022 Shine Awards
Rural and regional women who have excelled in making their communities better places to live and work are set to be celebrated with the launch of the Shine Awards, a six-year partnership between rural and regional newspaper, The Weekly Times, and Harvey Norman. Readers are being asked to share their stories and nominate the unsung […]

Seven Drops Education Tool Attempting To Get Marketers & Agencies To Focus On Total TV
Seven no longer calling it just TV, but "total TV". Preferring you also scream it while doing jazz hands.

Seven Supremo James Warburton Takes Massive Haircut, But Still Banks $3.4M For 2021-22
The salaries for Seven's top earning execs are in & make for interesting reading. And completely depressing reading too.

“Exciting Times Ahead”: TotallyAwesome Raises $14.24 Million In Seed Funding
If you think seed funding has to do with feeding birds, this article is not for you.

Congratulations! AWARD State Finalists Announced For Top Student Of The Year Award
Do you get jealous of high achievers that are younger and have perfect blood pressure? Get ready for your blood to boil.

Study: Aussies Drinking Less Alcohol Post-Covid, As RTD Sales Hit Record Highs
B&T staff once again bucking the national trend as latest study reveals Aussies boozing less post-COVID.

Australian Turf Club Appoints Enthral To Lead PR For Upcoming Everest Carnival
Enthral intern spotted buying glitter, clown noses and comically big shoes to prepare the office.

“Massively Offensive!” Paint Ad Slammed As Misogynistic, As Brand Defends “Humour”
B&T throwing the old adage "as boring as watching paint dry" out the window today, as humble paint ad causes fury.

Matt Preston’s 10 Return Might Mean He Is Cooking Something Up With The Network
Preston clearly prepared to do anything for a free subscription to Paramount+

Tuesday TV Wrap: Matt Preston As A Gnome Beats Out Foodie Matt Preston
Preston giving Shaun Micallef a run for his money as the most seen man on telly! But neither have a stitch on Ms Kruger

A Letter To All Women Hustling In Their Careers: Sian Whitnall & Laura Nice, OMD
Need something to make you feel all warm, fuzzy and inspired! Then we'd humbly suggest clicking on this lovely yarn.

OMA Adds Blue Tongue Outdoor, SureVision And Veridooh To Association
The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has this month welcomed Blue Tongue Outdoor, SureVision and Veridooh as the latest companies to join the Association. Speaking about the three new members, Charmaine Moldrich, OMA CEO said: “We’re pleased to announce our continued expansion includes media owners, suppliers and adtech. Blue Tongue Outdoor is our first South Australia […]

Indie Agency Hypnosis Launches In Perth, Lands New Clients
Think Sam Worthington was the most exciting thing to come out of Perth! Think again.

Go-To Skincare Choses Wit Over Glam In First Brand Campaign Via Sayer Brand Momentum
Here at B&T, we won't hear a bad word said about Zoe Foster Blake! She's simply too fabulous.

Cheil And Samsung Pre-Empt Galaxy Z Flip4 And Fold4 Release With Melbourne Pop-Up
Data-driven, CX agency Cheil has teamed up with Samsung Australia for the unveiling of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Series, the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4, at one of Australia’s busiest shopping centres, The GPT Group’s Melbourne Central. The ‘Unfold your world’ takeover, which consists of a 64sqm pop-up store in the center of […]

UnLtd On The Hunt For New GM As It Gets Set To Launch In New Zealand
The Kiwis again pinching one of our great ideas. Much like the pavlova, Phar Lap and Russell Crowe in Gladiator.

Nespresso Launches Australian StartCup Challenge With A Focus On Innovation
Nespresso is today calling for entries to the Australian StartCup Challenge, a new competition which supports and rewards innovative, circular business ideas. The challenge is open to pioneering start-ups and SMEs from any sector or industry to pitch their circular solutions for review by an expert jury and then via public vote for the chance […]

CarExpert Acquires PriceMyCar For $4 Million
Australian new car website, CarExpert.com.au has today completed the strategic acquisition of PriceMyCar.com.au, accelerating the company from online publisher to new car marketplace. The acquisition is for 100 per cent of the business at a purchase price of $4 million. This is a mixture of an upfront payment with a two-year earn-out period which will […]

IKEA Festival Set To Launch In Sydney And Online
Calling all students, bachelors and couples who probably won't last six months, an IKEA festival is on its way!

“Dixon Butts!” US Politician’s Crude Adverts Turn Out To Be The Work Of TikTok Prankster
Appalled by the juvenile headline on show here? Well, be warned, things get steadily worse from there.

Crowe LLP Launches Volatile New Campaign Via Strawberry Frog
Crowe LLP, a public accounting, consulting and technology firm in the U.S. with offices around the world, has debuted a new integrated brand platform entitled “Embrace Volatility.” The campaign, which seeks to flip the perception that volatility is something to fear to something that creates opportunity, was developed by StrawberryFrog in its first project for […]

NOVA Nabs Zenith’s Joanna Fawkner As Commercial Operations Director
Joanna Fawkner forced to deny any knowledge of Kylie Minogue's back catalogue as she joins the NOVA team.

Georgie Tunny Lands Career-Making Gig At 10’s The Project
Georgie Tunny joins 10's The Project full-time. Has been pre-warned about parking in Lisa Wilkinson's car spot.

Optimizely Bags Strong Performer Result In Forrester Report
Digital experience platform (DXP) provider Optimizely has announced it was named a Strong Performer in The Forrester WaveTM: Marketing Resource Management, Q3 2022. The report states that, “Welcome’s legacy in content marketing and editorial shines through in its ample content and people management offerings. And its superior innovation roadmap plans, to employ AI for content […]

YouTube Looking To Get Into Streaming Subscriptions With Online Channel Store
Here's some hot breaking tech news that B&T pinched off a hot tech site known for breaking industry news.

Snapchat Drops New Features Exclusively For Paid Subscribers
Having racked up over 1 million paying subscribers since the release of Snapchat+, a paid subscription service complementing the communication app, Snapchat has announced a number of new features to further reward its user base. The newly added services include priority story replies, which highlights a users responses to Snap Stars; an option to show […]

Monday TV Wrap: Malcolm Turnbull Rousing On ScoMo Draws Viewers To 7.30
It was ear-to-ear grins on 7.30 last night as Big Mal returned to roast and baste the Morrison years.

Vampires Star In New Work For Tint-a-Car Via Indie Agency TRP
These vampires make a damn good shake of things. Not as good as Gary Oldman, but far better than Sesame Street's Count.

The Block Names 2022 Sponsors With Mitre10 Still On Site & Disney+ Joining The Build
Few surprises, as The Block names its 2022 sponsors. Well, you could argue a2 Milk is a bit left-of-centre.

Cam Hoelter Returns To DDB Sydney As Group Creative Partner
Cam Hoelter returns to head up DDB's McDonald's' business. Sadly, has no plans to revive Mayor McCheese.

Bohemia Group Appoints Phil Spurden As Head Of Performance
Bohemia name Phil Spurden as head of performance. That's brand performance, not the annual staff Christmas pageant.