DIARY: An Aussie guide to good taste in ads
<p>Across the Asia-Pacific region, we all look to our cousins down
</p><p>under for lessons in how to make our advertising as tasteful and
</p><p>sensitive as possible.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Take, for instance, this charming example of the adman's art, lovingly
</p><p>crafted by JWT's Melbourne office. The delightful gentleman pictured is
</p><p>none other than "Chopper" Read, a notorious Australian former hitman
</p><p>(although, we would like to add, in the interests of not being sued, he
</p><p>was never convicted for murder). Chopper, we are informed, got his
</p><p>unique nickname when he removed part of his own ears in prison. Well,
</p><p>you can understand that - it gets boring in there.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Apparently Chopper, who has now paid his debt to society and lives in
</p><p>Tasmania (some would say prison is preferable) has become something of a
</p><p>media celeb, not to mention a best-selling author. In addition to a
</p><p>series of crime novels, he has also written a highly-successful
</p><p>autobiography, which was made into a hit film (the imaginatively-titled
</p><p>"Chopper").
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>So, who better to give American sunglasses brand Black Flys an
</p><p>appropriately, er, edgy feel?
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Not that the Australian media has taken particularly kindly to the
</p><p>campaign.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Talk radio DJs are up in arms ("This is a disgrace!" spluttered
</p><p>breakfast talk show host Derryn Hinch). There's been an almighty furore
</p><p>in the national press. All this, of course,came as a complete shock to
</p><p>Black Flys and JWT, who were mortified at all the negative publicity,
</p><p>and weren't at all interested in the PR value they could extract from it
</p><p>- oh no, definitely not.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>There is a heartwarming conclusion to all this, of course, because
</p><p>Chopper has donated the fee he earned from appearing in the ad to a
</p><p>children's hospital. Makes you proud to be alive, doesn't it (or at
</p><p>least grateful that you are).
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Oh, and the other upshot is that Chopper has been offered more ad work -
</p><p>this time a road safety campaign for the New South Wales Government.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>The mind boggles ...
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p>
by
|
06/22/2001
Across the Asia-Pacific region, we all look to our cousins down
under for lessons in how to make our advertising as tasteful and
sensitive as possible.
Take, for instance, this charming example of the adman's art, lovingly
crafted by JWT's Melbourne office. The delightful gentleman pictured is
none other than "Chopper" Read, a notorious Australian former hitman
(although, we would like to add, in the interests of not being sued, he
was never convicted for murder). Chopper, we are informed, got his
unique nickname when he removed part of his own ears in prison. Well,
you can understand that - it gets boring in there.
Apparently Chopper, who has now paid his debt to society and lives in
Tasmania (some would say prison is preferable) has become something of a
media celeb, not to mention a best-selling author. In addition to a
series of crime novels, he has also written a highly-successful
autobiography, which was made into a hit film (the imaginatively-titled
"Chopper").
So, who better to give American sunglasses brand Black Flys an
appropriately, er, edgy feel?
Not that the Australian media has taken particularly kindly to the
campaign.
Talk radio DJs are up in arms ("This is a disgrace!" spluttered
breakfast talk show host Derryn Hinch). There's been an almighty furore
in the national press. All this, of course,came as a complete shock to
Black Flys and JWT, who were mortified at all the negative publicity,
and weren't at all interested in the PR value they could extract from it
- oh no, definitely not.
There is a heartwarming conclusion to all this, of course, because
Chopper has donated the fee he earned from appearing in the ad to a
children's hospital. Makes you proud to be alive, doesn't it (or at
least grateful that you are).
Oh, and the other upshot is that Chopper has been offered more ad work -
this time a road safety campaign for the New South Wales Government.
The mind boggles ...
