The federal government has done itself no favours in trying to recruit graduates to work in the Department of Finance, releasing a new ad that is just plain hard to watch.

The video, titled ‘The Game Changers’, is designed to promote the Department of Finance’s graduate program, and features a number of real-life staff who interact awkwardly in some terribly-scripted scenes that would have NIDA graduates doubling over in pain.

Government tenders obtained by Fairfax show the ad cost $37,400 and was created by Together Creative, and agency that describes itself as “famously good” with the ability to develop “head-turning campaigns”.

Speaking to Fairfax, Campaign Edge creative director Dee Madigan described the ad as “truly terrible”.

“I always say real people are terrible at playing real people. No one will watch that to the end,” she said.

“It’s probably one of the worst recruitment videos I’ve ever seen.

“This idea that you have to show the target market to appeal to them is incorrect. Having people in situ having fake conversations has very little cut through. If you actually need real people in an ad, you cast actors.

“Any department that approved that ad, you just wouldn’t want to work for. They should be asking for their money back.”

Cummins & Partners’ Adam Ferrier said the ad was cringeworthy and “unfortunate” given the time and money that went into the campaign.

“This I’m pretty sure would make many people who work in finance cringe,” he told Fairfax.

“People need to realise that everything, everything communicates. From the length of the video, the low production values, the clichéd language – it all communicates.”