TV’s Four HorseMEN Attack In Internet Evangelists’ Apocalypse
The slumbering giant of television has awoken and promised to smite its enemies in spectacular fashion at this morning’s reThinkTV Marketing Forum.
In front of a packed house of more than 500 people at Sydney’s Doltone House, TV’s biggest bosses in Australia Paul Anderson, Ten, Hugh Marks, Nine, Peter Tonagh, Foxtel, and Tim Worner, Seven, took to the stage together to show a united front against their common enemy of Internet platforms (mainly Facebook and Google).
In a sometime’s hilarious format, the four men were interviewed by ThinkTV’s Dominic White as they put their differences aside for the sake of their shared purpose. Tim Worner’s unease, in particular, was viscerally evident as the men he spends nine-to-five beating up on made statements on all of their behalf.
“MCN is the best at addressability,” from Peter Tonagh’s lips seemed to cause Worner actual pain.
To that point, Nine’s Hugh Marks commenced proceedings by saying “we won’t stop the odd skirmish”, no doubt referring to this week’s legal stoush between his and Worner’s respective networks.
The four men came together behind the official unveiling of the first stage of Ebiquity’s research into the ROI of advertising on FMCG sales. Research, which Ebiquity’s CEO Richard Basil-Jones spent at least 10 minutes labouring over to stress its independence and veracity.
Commissioned by ThinkTV, the research is aimed at battling what ThinkTV’s UK counterpart ThinkBox calls “numberwang”, the numbers “Internet evangelists” pull out of thin air, according to ThinkBox’s Tess Alps.
The numbers of course show TV is way out in front in terms of ROI on incremental spend, although admitting it only made a three per cent difference compared to in-store promotions in the grocery, booze and pharmaceutical sector.
Against this research, and citing Google’s call to marketers to slice 25 per cent off TV budgets to divert through its channels, Tim Worner said, “This is our response and we’re going to attack”.
Paul Anderson and Peter Tonagh both made concessions that TV’s long-term dominance had led to complacency and the dropping of the ball. Meanwhile Worner went so far as to say, “We’ve not been at our best as an industry for the past few years in terms of the shows we’re producing, we’re a bit off.”
Then Hugh Marks had his turn at attacking Facebook saying, “If you are an advertiser you want transparency and accurate transparency. Our measurement is laser like… it’s not a moment in time, it’s averages; all marketers should demand that level of scrutiny from all providers.”
Peter Tonagh chimed in saying he found it “inconceivable that you can be out by 50 per cent… if we did that we’d be string up from a lamp post.”
Tim Worner then issued something of a warning to CMOs suggesting the average tenure of a CMO was even shorter than a CEO’s and he “felt sorry for them because they’re being bombarded with all these numbers. They need to worry about what gets the tills ringing. We’re happy to be measured by what gets the tills ringing.”
In case anyone had missed his point that relying on what appear to be increasingly unbelievable numbers emanating from the Internet evangelists, Worner underlined his point with this: “CMO’s heads are the first on the block when times get tough.”
Feeling they may have served a mortal blow to the West Coast American Internet Evangelists, which Hugh Marks admitted to once being one of, Peter Tonagh turned his attention to NetFlix saying it “was an overstated threat.”
He cited the statistic that six per cent of its subscribers watched 80 per cent of the content. “It’s more of a threat to the DVD market and not to live TV”.
And in good news for the local production industry, the four all agreed that US content deals “were a millstone around our necks in recent years” and that “American TV was worth less [note the space]” because now local content provided so many more opportunities for brands to get involved with and there was also licensing opportunities for distribution overseas as well as extensions into other mediums.
Finally, the elephant in the room as soon as all four men took to the stage was that they were all men. White middle-aged men. The Twittersphere lit up and Dominic White had to ask the question.
Amid the squirming, Peter Tonagh said he had made a commitment to never appear on a panel without diversity but in this case it was a TV CEO’s forum so what could he do? Hugh Marks said his management team was absolutely 50/50 men and women and he hoped to see more ethnic diversity soon.
None of the men volunteered to throw themselves on their swords to make way for a woman. One of them did point to ThinkTV’s CEO Kim Portrate as something of a concession.
At least it was an issue and at least it got discussed. More work to be done.
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.