Pulse Collective’s Lauren Fried Slams Government’s Census Campaign
The federal government’s 2016 Census campaign was “lazy”, “uninspiring” and filled with errors, according to Pulse Collective founder and managing director Lauren Fried.
Appearing on Gruen (the well-known TV show on the ABC that covers everything advertising) last night, Fried slammed the 2016 census ad campaign and the problems surrounding the execution of the data gathering exercise.
Dubbed #censusfail, the Gruen panel agreed the advertising campaign had little to do with Australians taking a pause, the campaign’s tagline, and should have been more about it going online, noting that there was no mention of the online component until two thirds into the television advertisement.
“This is a very lazy and uninspiring campaign,” Fried said. “This was an opportunity to make Australia really optimistic about the future, to make them excited and not scared, and it’s not what happened.
“When you see the imagery in the ad, it’s so boring. It’s like McDonalds showing you the transaction of paying for the burger or getting your rego papers in the mail. Show me how I’m going to feel when I’ve eaten the burger or driving my car down the street with people looking at me.”
The Census was plagued with problems when its online platform suffered an outage for more than 40 hours on the night of its official launch (9 August), with many Aussies still yet to complete the survey.
“Every single person that ever touched that campaign … should have been sitting in a room together – it’s one day. If anything was going to go wrong, it was that one day,” Fried said.
“They should have had 50 different landing pages for the website in case it went down so it goes up quickly. This is basic 101 about how to talk to customers.”
Before the Census even began, questions were raised about data safety and the government has since denied the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website was hacked or attacked and any data was lost.
Fried said data is a very sensitive space and we are seeing at least one red flag about data protection in the media every day.
“So it’s ludicrous to think this was well and truly not on their radar and a priority and a critical component of their campaign,” she said.
“Where it becomes a bit tricky is when the people you are handing your data over to you don’t trust. Government and businesses that normally we don’t trust are always on the defensive. They are not on the front foot when it comes to talking about data because they want to pretend the problem doesn’t exist.
“If you want to be a member of say Priceline you have signed that off and you know they have your data. In return you get discounts and stuff for free. With the government, because we haven’t agreed to it, that’s the problem.
While the Census colour and branding has traditionally been orange, this year the government changed it to green to reinforce its digital and environmentally-friendly approach.
Fried said businesses and brands don’t change their colours without good reason, and when they do, it is based on a core value of the business.
“If you’re going to be true to that then every tactic, media, marketing has to go through that filter,” she said.
“The way they celebrated that was to light up buildings (in green) using electricity? It’s like ‘let’s celebrate Earth Hour and turn all the lights on’. It was just error after error.”
Latest News
Former Agency Execs Launch Car Service Summon
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both worked together at Accenture Interactive, before co-founding Reactive a digital agency bought by Accenture in 2016, now they’ve combined their knowledge and expertise to create Summon. Summon offers […]
Hootsuite Shares The Top Social Media Trends Of The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
To honour the fantastic feats of the Australian Paralympians, Hootsuite has revealed the top trending hashtags and social media data of the Paralympics. The top trending hashtag during the Paralympics period, #tokyo2020, received over 38,000 tweets and retweets, amounting to 1.7M+ impressions, while other popular hashtags included #paralympics, #readysettokyo and #paraswimming. According to Hootsuite’s research, […]
Coco-Cola Australia Unveils New Recipe & New Look
Coke rolls out latest new look & new recipe. Despite having a checkered history of rolling out new looks & new recipes.
So Media Group Acquires Social Media Company Carma The Social Chameleon
Perth-based digital media publisher So Media Group has completed the acquisition of fellow Perth-based social media marketing ag
SCA Appoints ABC Executive Melanie Withnall To Head Of News & Information
SCA snares ABC radio veteran Melanie Withnall who brings with her 18 years' experience & an "I Love Ita" coffee mug.
VCCP Business Acquires Sling & Stone To Create $50m Global PR And Communications Group
B&T tried to get "David & Goliath battle" into this Sling & Stone headline; however, it proved not possible in the end.
CHE Proximity, DDB Sydney, TBWA Melbourne And Thinkerbell Melbourne Battle It Out In YouTube Skippys Competition
Some serious agency heavy hitters vying for YouTube's Skippys competition. Hopefully none will be gracious in defeat.
Aussies Can Now Stream The iHeartRadio Music Festival Live
Aussies can now stream the iHeartRadio Music Festival live. Not that it's stopping anyone on a temporary visa either.
We Are Social Launches Insta-Based Cultural Insights Publication, The Feed
Global socially-led creative agency We Are Social has launched The Feed, an editorial Instagram publication tracking digital culture and trends on a global scale.
SOON, Think Tank Giving Insights Into Future Trends, Officially Launches
SOON, a futures think tank focused on human insights, has launched today tracking trends, developments and disruptions across people, products and the planet. Led by internationally renowned futurist, social scientist and trend forecaster Sarah Owen (pictured centre) in partnership with TABOO directors Andrew Mackinnon (right) and James Mackinnon (left), the independently Australian-owned futurist company uncovers […]
Melbourne’s Non-Alcoholic Wine Brand NON SeesInternational Growth Spurt In Just 3 Months
NON is pioneering a whole new category of sommelier-standard 0.0% ABV wine alternatives, manufactured in a completely new way. Despite the lockdown, in 3 months NON has tripled their overseas distribution and begun work on a new NONLab production facility 6 times larger than their current space.
Nina Tsalapatanis And Vince Prochilo Join Orchard In Business Director Roles
B&T asks, is the tedious marketing trope "low-hanging fruit" banned in the Orchard offices?
Deloitte Digital Creative Snares Colenso BBDO’s Dan Wright As Sydney Chief Creative Officer
Deloitte continuing to fish in adland's pool. B&T assumes it's not using worms for bait but rather large pay cheques.
TIME Magazine Reveals 100 Most Influential List, As Harry & Meghan’s “Creepy” Cover Cops A Roasting
TIME unveils its 100 most influential list & mercifully sans any real estate agents, influencers, WAGS or anti-vaxxers.
Experiential Agency GPJ A/NZ Farewells MD Caleb Bush
GPJ MD Caleb Bush announces move to Europe. Has a low-mile 1998 Suzuki Swift on Gumtree if anyone's interested.
New LinkedIn Research Shows Aussies Are Less Hygienic & Have Forgotten How To Banter Due To Working From Home
One notable impact of lockdown has been B&T's desire to cook and then consume an entire roast dinner at 10am.
Aussie TikTok Star & Lockdown Protestor Hospitalised With COVID-19
B&T has gone for "Aussie TikTok star" in this headline. That could've been easily supplanted by "dickhead" or "f@ckwit".
iHeartPodcast Network Australia Launches SAS Australia Debrief Podcast
ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia has announced a new podcast, SAS Australia Debrief hosted by 2020 recruits Merrick Watts and Sabrina Frederick. The podcast is made for anyone that can’t get enough of Aussie celebs putting themselves through the toughest test of their lives on the Seven Network’s hit show SAS Australia. Or anyone that wishes […]
“The Roar Of The Crowd!” How Twitter Is Keeping Sports Fans Close To The Action In 2021
Footy team flop again this season? Well, Twitter now proving the platform for all coach & underperforming player abuse.
Nine’s Upfronts: Here’s What Agency Bosses Had To Say
Sadly, no news of an Ossie Ostrich return, but Nine's annual Upfronts were definitely less bum-numbing than years past.
Wednesday TV Wrap: 10’s Making It Australia Premieres To 474,000 Viewers
B&T enjoyed the Making It Australia premiere last night. Admittedly, we had no compulsion to want to make anything.
Rakuten Advertising Shares Blueprint For Affiliate Marketing
Rakuten Advertising has launched ‘A 5-Stage Blueprint for High-Performance Affiliate Marketing’, designed to educate and inform both advertisers and publishers about the strategic role that the affiliate channel is now playing in marketing strategies. The blueprint is based on input from members of the Rakuten Advertising International Collective (RAIC), comprising affiliate marketing specialists from leading advertisers […]
Study: 42% Of Aussies Say They Don’t Feel Represented By Advertising
Some 42% of Aussies say they don't feel represented by advertising. It was zero per cent for Coles Big Red Hand.
Are Media Highlights The Changing Face Of Beauty In Latest TRENDtalks Series
Are Media research highlights latest beauty trends. Yet no news of the return of the Boy George blush or the fake mole.
Nature Launches New Parental Leave Scheme
Nature unveils impressive parental leave scheme; however, it does carry the caveat of being impregnated first.
EngageTV Launches Metro Connected TV Campaign In Sydney And Melbourne
EngageTV, Australia’s most sophisticated CTV & BVOD service partner, has today launched a Sydney and Melbourne metro Connected TV campaign to help business owners and marketers better understand what can be achieved with CTV.
Buzzfeed Australia Launches Bloom, A Womxn-Focused Vertical
Bloom to cover topics such as sexuality, mental health & relationships. Bad news if you're looking for a sponge recipe.
ARIA Awards Axe Gendered Categories In An Inclusive Move
ARIA Awards announces the end of gendered categories. Which thankfully should shorten the event by a good 40 minutes.
Adland State Of Originality To Return For Nine’s 2022 Origin Series
Nine has announced the return of State of Originality, Australia’s biggest advertising prize, with $1 million again up for grabs to the brand and agency that creates the most original ad in the 2022 State of Origin Series. This year Nine launched State of Originality, challenging Australia’s marketers to help make State of Origin not […]
Nine Uses Upfronts To Reveal Content Slate For 2022
It's all your Nine Upfront news which sadly didn't include an impromptu version of 'New York, New York' by Mike Sneesby.
