THE GRUEN TRANSFER’S NEW ZEALAND INVASION – MASSIVE HIT ONLINE
The debate on whether Australia should really invade New Zealandhas been raging since Wednesday night, when The Gruen Transfer onABC-TV laid down the gauntlet between two Sydney advertising agenciesto come up with a mock TV ad to promote an invasion. The ‘call to arms’was watched by 1.3 million people, making it the most-watched episodein this current series.
As part of the popular The Pitch segment,Neil Mallett from Marmalade and John McKie from 303 came up with twovery different and funny ads, which, since airing has been a massivehit online and generated media interest in New Zealand.
The clipshave been viewed over 50,000 times on the shows website (an increase intraffic of over 30%), as well as another 12,000 on YouTube.
OneYouTube viewers said yesterday; “Isn’t this a call to arms? Shouldn’tit be seen as an act of terrorism? NZ govt needs to look at the legalconsequences of this idiocy. I as Maori will not stand to be invaded byANYONE! BRING IT ON!!!”
Over 6,000 people have voted for theirfavourite ad so far, with 303’s 100% for the Taking, attracting 70% ofthe votes. Intriguingly, Gruen’s panel of advertising professionals sawit the other way, handing the coveted Gruen trophy to Marmalade’s adproposing an new Australian national holiday to celebrate ourall-to-easy conquest of New Zealand.
Meanwhile, TVNZ’s The Close Up screened the clips and the New Zealand Herald featured articles.
TheGruen Transfer’s regular New Zealand panelist, Bridget Taylor, fromDDB New Zealand said: “When ads become entertainment and spark debate,you know you’ve done your job as an agency. These campaigns hit thespot and have got everyone laughing, nervously for more than a fewkiwis.”
In the final episode to air on Wednesday, July 30 the tablesare turned, with two competing ad agencies acting on behalf of the NewZealand government to discourage international tourists from holidayingin Australia.
Kiwis can view The Gruen Transfer episodes online
5 Comments
Sydney Morning Herald ad column last week called this series an embarrassment and a hijack of those people talked into appearing on it. Any Australians got a comment on that? Lynchey?
Gosh it’s quiet.
What do we think about the new Sky HDi ads?
Funny, good, shit of a time to try and launch a top-end product like that
Zeitgeist…. Sky HDI, Canon (the camera ad at the bottom of the blog) and Vodafone.. crikey, all pretty much the same brief and at least two of them pretty much the same ad. Damned 21st Century! How about an ad for beer? Or a car?
Gruen is pretty muck eh?