Underage Drinking Ad Campaign

A new ad from drinkwise.com.au is currently airing on Australian tv.

Here's the full version (apologies that it repeats 3 times);


It's a well-made ad and uses CGI to great effect - I just wonder why the family portrayed are low income, and why they all seem miserable. It almost insinuates that low-income families are more likely to let their kids drink at a young age - and that low-income families have less common sense when it comes to parenting.

It is indeed a fact that there are higher incidences of crime in low-income areas, but underage drinking is something just as likely to be undertaken by the rich kids living in the eastern suburbs as by the poor kids out in the west.

Of course, when the rich kids are sprung for underage drinking on the streets of South Yarra they're more likely to be let go with a warning than end up with a criminal record - because the kids in the western suburbs have to be 'made an example of' or 'taught a lesson' so as they don't continue on to 'make a mess of their lives'.

I might be reading too much into it - but hey, that's my prerogative. I would like to see a second ad showing a young boy in a pink polo-shirt and tweed pants asking daddy dear for a bottle of Grange from the cellar - after which we see him decide to take the Lotus for a spin and crash it into the local tennis club.

Mind you, there would be a cut scene where the cops arrive and the boy says "Do you know who my dad is??" to which the policeman replies (whilst ruffling the boys hair) "Well as long as you promise not to do it again" *wink*.


* And yes, I do remember former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks' son being picked up for drink driving - but let's remember he lives in Williamstown, which lovely though it is, is a western suburb.

Breakfast with Eddie

The new Triple M breakfast team has Eddie McGuire not surprisingly at the helm. Luke D'arcy is said to be joining him in a 'revamped' show which will replace the axed duo of Pete Helliar and Myf Warhurst.

McGuire and D'arcy have been commentating the footy on AM sports station SEN and McGuire is still contracted to channel 9 (currently hosting Millionaire Hot Seat) and is the president of the Collingwood Football Club.

This move from Triple M is certainly a change of gear from the witty, more musically minded team of Helliar and Warhurst - not that it matters seeing as the music on commercial radio is pre-selected for air.

No doubt the new sports-oriented show will bring the ratings up in any case ... they could hardly have got much worse.

More 'project' for Ten

The Spearman Project, hosted by Magda Szubanski will begin (on channel 10) September 8th.

The idea of the program is to gauge popular culture by using online polling to rank the nation’s most celebrated moments. Supposedly it's very interactive - however it does reek of Bert's '20 to 1' (channel 9).

Szubanski has been in the spotlight for her massive weight-loss, (aided by the Jenny Craig program). She's been filling the glossies with her stories of triumph, and the current affairs programs have been chomping at the bit to get the latest picture or weight-loss update.

It will be interesting to see how this show goes - and if it suffers the same ratings as that other 'project' at 7pm.

More Quizzical Entertainment from SBS

Speaking of SBS - the new history quiz show ADbc starts tomorrow night (Thursday) at 8:30pm.

There are some fantastic comedic guests on the cards including Tony Martin and Angus Sampson. Tomorrow's episode will have everyone's favourite cravat-wearing food critic Matt Preston and comedian Celia Paquola.

And if watching the show doesn't make you more intelligent, you can follow the Twitter feed and get daily interesting facts to throw into conversation at dinner parties.

Adbc will be followed by the new season of one of my favourite series, Dave in the Life.

In fact, Thursday night is full of new programs for SBS, including My Family Feast and Costa's Garden Odyssey from 7:30pm. Who knows, this could mean there may actually be something good to watch on a Thursday!

East West 101

SBS is currently screening series 1 of East West 101 again in the lead up to the second season beginning September 29.

Series 1 is "the story of two men whose destiny is irrevocably intertwined", both crime squad detectives on the mean streets of Sydney's west - Malik and Crowley play a dangerous game of revenge.

I was reminded last night (episode 2, season 1) of just what a brilliant, professional, touching and well produced package this series is. It's one moment heart-stopping action, one moment heart-breaking drama, with characters to love, characters to hate and the odd hate-to-love and love-to-hate one thrown in for good measure. Aaron Pederson (City Homicide, The Circuit) stars in episode 2 as an Aboriginal leader and criminal lawyer and gives, as usual, a magnificent performance.

The whole series is fantastic and as one comment on the website aptly put it; "this makes Underbelly look B grade".

You can watch all 6 episodes form series 1 online here.

Qantas Calls Australia Home

The new version of the iconic Qantas "I Still Call Australia Home" advertisement has been unveiled this weekend on channel 7 following a 'making of' documentary.

Here is the full 2 minute version;


I like it.

The young boy at the beginning is singing in an indigenous Torres Strait Island dialect and there are many cultures represented in the young cast. Some people have suggested that the inclusion of the Aborginal boy is a 'token' gesture. In my opinion this representation is better than a half naked man with paint on his face holding a spear - which is the image we still see in many tourism campaigns for Australia (where the 'bloody hell' is our tact and grace?)

But this isn't a tourism campaign - this is an advertisement for an organisation that has had some serious PR problems over the last 12 months. So what's it trying to sell you? Security and trust.

Let's break it down;

Children - who's more trustworthy than these beaming little creatures? Soft focus? Check. Slow motion? Check. Whiter-than-white teeth? Check.

Safe travel - everything is smooth and slow in this ad. Most shots are wide and sweeping. No jolting movement, no turbulence.

Relationship - the Aboriginal boy signifies the idea of 'home'. He's singing out to all his friends across the world saying "Hey, go, travel the world, have a good time, I'll be here waiting" ... talk about subtle. Qantas is your old buddy - you've known them for years, they're not some fly-by-night (pardon the pun) young wowser come to give you a cheap flight who won't call you tomorrow.

Born to serve - I'm pretty sure child-labour isn't the image they were going for but the kiddles seem to be wearing an outfit that looks like they might have just dropped in from waiting on tables. It's plain, it's simple and it suggests good service.

Tradition - "I Still Call Australia Home"? It's a song we all know, that may (or may not) inspire nationalism. The way it's been mixed here with the rounds at the end (and the distinct indigenous instruments) is not throwing it in your face. It's subtle, it's sweet and oh so non-threatening. Put simply; young men will not be inspired to pump this through their Holden ute speakers at Cronulla beach.

And finally, the red rat at the end on the tail of the soaring beast floating gracefully across the wide, brown land ... in case you hadn't got the subtle imagery - here's a whack over the head with a cricket bat ... or what those in the biz like to call; "The Money Shot".

I think it's a good ad. I don't particularly like Qantas and if there's a cheaper flight I'll generally take it but I think ad agency Singleton Ogilvy & Mather have made a nice little piece of Australiana here. After all, they could have gone for the same old Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Ayres Rock, Barrier Reef montage but instead have created a beautiful ad representing something a bit more "here and now".

(And when it boils down to it ... I'd rather tear off my own skin than hear another "Let's floy Jet Staaaaaaaaaar" jingle).

Australian Idol FAIL

It's round one of the live performances tonight and I'm watching in pain as the performers are made to sing in the wrong key, to bad arrangements of bad songs. Where the hell is John Foreman when you need him?

Some gorgeous young thing was singing Stevie Wonder's "For Once in my Life" almost an entire octave below where she should have been - almost too low to hear her over the band. In fact, there are lots of old songs being bandied about tonight ... the 'country gal' boot-scooting to "You're Mamma don't Dance and your Daddy don't Rock'n'Roll" was almost too much to bear.

Could this be the beginning of the end for Australian Idol? Last nights show did badly in the ratings and whilst the new judge (Jay Dee Springbett) is likeable enough, all three of them seem to be waving from a sinking ship.

The novelty of a national karaoke competition is wearing off this old chestnut and I wonder how long it can stay even remotely entertaining?

Hopefully it comes good when the themed shows start and the real farce begins!

* Speaking of farce; Toby's vocal 'theatrics' on Coldplay's "Yellow" ... let the games begin.

Fancy Writing Excellence

I thought I'd highlight some excellent Australian writing today.

I have to say, I absolutely love The Scrivener's Fancy. Not only is the site crisp, clean and oh so easy to navigate, but it's so refreshing to read opinion pieces, feature articles and general musings that aren't shoving right (or left for that matter) wing rally-calls in your face. It's just good, entertaining, thoughtful and witty writing from intelligent people.

After all the recent posts referencing he-who-shall-not-be-named ... oh alright, once more ... Vile Kyle, I figured I, and perhaps you, needed a reminder that there is funny without sperm jokes, entertainment without naked fat people and all-round intelligent whimsy available to all.

So enjoy.

Social Media Etiquette

With the growing popularity of social networking sights like Facebook and Twitter - has the telephone become redundant? Why would you make a phone call to invite a few friends to dinner when you can post an update on your Facebook - saving you time, and the cost of the calls? We are now learning to communicate on a wholly different level to what we're used to and the rules of social networking have not yet been set in stone.

This got me thinking about what is acceptable behavior in social media. We all remember when SMS became popular and the old 'text breakup' was the ultimate in rejection. It seemed that not calling was better than "lets hve a brk ?" but since then text has pretty much morphed into an acceptable form of communication.

With online social networking being so new, the rules are a bit blurry. So what is and isn't acceptable? Here are just a few random observations I've made;

First of all - having a fight with someone on a status update is a big no. You know the one, where someone advises that they're upset, or insinuates another person in their unhappiness, and then that other person goes in for the kill to defend themselves. Whilst it's generally entertaining for the rest of us - it's also 'web-awkward' - in that you don't know whether to discuss said update with the person the next time you see them or, even worse, you commented on the update before the shit-fight started and are now inadvertently part of it.

Advising your family and friends of massive life changes on Facebook or Twitter is not kosher. Something like "mully just booked a three week trip to hawaii for next month!" is absolutely fine, whereas "mully will no longer be female as of next week - anyone up for a hospital run?" is not fine. Notifications like the latter might be acceptable for acquaintances, but close friends and family might need a phone call.

The next social networking faux pa is excessive introspection. No one needs to know every tiny little detail of your complex psyche. Of course, there's a fine line with this one - something like "mully wonders why humans are so shitty" is seemingly acceptable right? - but a series of updates following it containing details of said confusion and insinuations of depression at said lack of faith in humanity is boooooring. Phone a friend.

On the flip-side of this one is the "my life is f#cking awesome and you are so jealous" update. Whilst it's generally heart-warming to know your friends are doing well and are blissfully happy - after 17 updates in a row stating wealth, health and happiness - even the best of us have the potential to crumble into green-eyed-monsters.

Mind you, a bit of self-reflection and bragging is completely wonderful and interesting - but there's a fine line.

Then there's the profile pic. The semi-naked, suggestive pose is not acceptable under any circumstance - save those ones for Picture magazine. A good gauge of what is acceptable is considering whether your grandmother would be happy to put the picture on her bedside table (assuming her cataracts aren't too advanced).

And whilst we're on the topic of pics - it's not generally kosher to put a picture of yourself with someone else's partner as your profile. Unless you know the partner, and know that they're fine with it - leave that shit alone, lest you have a psychotic girlfriend/boyfriend stalk you and tear out your vital organs.

Posting pictures where you look fantastic but the other person looks like a troll is almost acceptable. But do you tag them? By tagging them it means that whenever they request 'friend' status with someone, that someone can see the horrific pictures. If someone tags you in a picture you don't like, you can un-tag yourself so it won't be linked to your profile ... but it will still be out there ... in infinite cyberspace. On the other hand, tagging them might be doing them a favour in that they're at least aware that the picture is out there ... somewhere.

You see, even in trying to outline some basic rules there are snags. That all being said, if an update is funny, it's generally forgiven all of the above.

So what do you think? Do you disagree? What do you love/hate about social media?

* please note, it could be the Gen X in me that makes me overly cautious about this newfangled "social" internet (- and of assuming people are interested in me or want to be my friend).
After all, we have been called the generation of underachievers - wink.

A Sad Affair

Whilst I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing about Kyle Sandilands and the 2DayFM lie-detector stunt, I just saw (on the late channel 9 news) a 'story' about the so-called family of the young girl at the centre of the scandal featuring on A Current Affair and basically 'outing' the girl as a liar.

So I went to the ACA website and saw the video of the story - which I decided not to embed here because it is ludicrous and wrong in so many ways. Basically the girls bogan aunts and cousin (who all have fake names and their images distorted) call the 14-year-old girl a tramp and a liar. They insist that any sexual activities the girl has been involved in have been consensual. ACA then showed footage from the channel 9 program Missing Persons Unit which featured the girl and her mother (previous to the radio incident) when the girl had run away.

I have to ask ... What the hell is ACA doing? Last week when the story broke that the girl had chosen to withdraw her complaint to police I wondered; 'why do we need to know this?' and 'how is this in the public interest?' - but this ACA story takes the cake.

From what I can tell it seems ACA is wanting to clear Sandilands of any wrongdoing by trying to put the blame not only on the mother but on the (may I repeat) FOURTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD.

Here's the thing channel 9 - it doesn't matter if, how, with whom or under what circumstances the girl had sexual relations - Austereo and the producers and announcers of the 2DayFM breakfast program ARE TO BLAME for the innapropriate use of a child in an on-air stunt.

The public does not and never did need to know anything about this girl - so why is her privacy continually being breached?

It's difficult for me to be shocked by current affairs programs, but considering even Today Tonight chose to feign disguist at ACA's story - surely that indicates that it's out of line.

Packed with Advertising

I've noticed during the final ad-break for Packed to the Rafters (channel 7, Tuesdays 8:30pm) that there is an advertisement for Sunrise with Mel and Kochie talking about a hot-topic from the show. For example, tonight it was something like this; (Kochie says to camera) "Wow, Trish certainly has some tough times ahead, join us tomorrow when we talk about separation and finding yourself divorced in middle-age." (- relating to the plot-line of tonight's Rafters and the character "Trish" dealing with her divorce).

It's been happening every week. Then of course, the Sunrise ad is followed by an ad featuring Jessica McNamee (who plays Sammy in the show, and is also currently starring in channel 7's Dancing with the Stars) flogging some kind of insurance. Later in the ad break we have Zoe Ventoura (who plays Mel) flogging a skin product.

And another thing - speaking of overkill, I'm looking at you Delta Goodrem. Let's see, Delta flogs Nintendo DS, Sunsilk, So Good, Proactive skin products, and even Australia in general ...

I couldn't tell you when she last released an album - or anything she's done in the way of singing actually (besides above, of course) - I guess the ads are paying pretty well.

Oh, and if that's still not enough, you can also see Delta in ads for Australian Idol at the moment where she will be featuring as a guest judge.

Idle Idol

So the ratings are in and the first episode of Australian Idol last night was beaten by Domestic Blitz (channel 9) and Dancing with the Stars (channel 7). It was only pipped at the post by DWS but it was still down from last years launch episode.

So have the public spoken? Are the ratings down purely because of Kyle Sandilands? Or is Australia just sick of over-edited, we-already-know-the-winner, let's-just-make-fun-of-people reality television? Will Australian Idol go the way of Big Brother? I guess we'll see in a few weeks when Sandilands is no longer a feature of the show.

Speaking of Kyle, he really showed what a great bloke he was on last nights episode by (a) leering at the young girls, (b) asking a contestant about their sex life - they were over 14 so that's ok, right? and (c) asking a lovely man who seemed to have an intellectual disability, "so how many sandwiches short are you?". I might say that I was shocked, but I really wasn't.

Idol last night was generally underwhelming. I don't know what's wrong with me but I just don't get any joy out of asshole producers making fun of people ... sure I was yelling at the TV "He is sooooooo shit!" - but that was mainly at the ones they actually let through to Sydney. There was one clearly tone-deaf man who sang Over the Rainbow who was interviewed before going in and was basically set up to look like an idiot. As was the overweight woman who, we were told, has her "fiance" (said in a condescending manner as though someone so unattractive could hardly have a fiance) to comfort her in her failure.

The web entries were torn to shreds - one of them was actually pretty good but was nevertheless ridiculed with Funniest Home Video style commentary.

I know, I know - the contestants are to blame - they put themselves out there to be ridiculed after all. But some are very young, some are very naive and some are very stupid. When did we become a society that loves watching people being taunted so cruelly? Their hopes dashed? their dreams crushed? I know that there are stupid people out there - I don't need to see them being made fun of on what is supposed to be family viewing.

Sandilands is only one part of the program that is offensive.

Of course I'll keep watching, because my sensibilities aren't so delicate *wink*.

Become Good Friends

Let's talk about Neighbours, shall we?

Neighbours is an Australian institution. It's a breeding ground for young actors, writers, sound engineers, cameramen, and any other television production role there is. People like Kate Langbroek and Marieke Hardy have cut their writing teeth on the drama unfolding in Erinsborough and I don't need to rattle off the list of actors and musicians that have sprung from the humble brown-brick that makes up the ironically named Ramsay Street (on account of it actually being a court).

So what are soaps really about? They're basically drama, mostly light-hearted drama. They have to do with relationships, growing up, growing old, growing apart, growing a serious hydroponic set-up in the roof ... - hang on, that's Home and Away, not Neighbours. Basically they are an escape to a happy, sunny street where if you "find the perfect blend" you can overcome most anything. The way stories are scripted means that conflicts are usually resolved either within an episode or within a week. Basically, everything comes up roses - the way it should do in a perfect world.

The reason I've been thinking about soaps is that I read this blog post by Clem Bastow (music writer, radio announcer and blogger among other things) that basically assessed a recent death on Neighbours as being punishment for underage sex. Which - it pains me - I have to disagree with.

A few weeks ago the much loved Didge (Eloise Mignon) died after a dramatic car accident. Didge had recently become a teenage mum with her boyfriend Declan (James Sorensen) and was a favourite on the show among its younger viewers. I have to admit, I watch Neighbours fairly regularly if I'm at home (there! - my dirty little secret is out!) so I'm familiar with the characters and storylines. Neighbours producer Susan Bower had actually pointed out, after the moral-panics raised questions about a teen pregnancy, that the storylines would not glamourise being a teen parent but try to show it as accurately as possible. In fact, the amount of whingeing from Didge about not being able to do the things her friends were doing actually became rather annoying.

My argument for Neighbours though, is not that it reflects reality (because it certainly does not) or that it is a perfectly acceptable moral compass for young people (because it certainly is not) - but that it is not supposed to be either of these things.

Soaps are fantasy - they are fiction. They are only supposed to reflect reality enough that you can relate to them, but that's it. Otherwise it's the fact that they are in no way realistic that makes them so appealing. It's not just the horny teens that get killed off - the wholesome gals and guys of Ramsay Street meet sticky ends too. Case in point, Toadie's (Ryan Moloney) dead bride Dee (Madeleine West) and Libby's (Kym Valentine) cowboy husband Drew (Dan Paris) - who fell off a horse, of course, of course.

There's generally a fair bit of dying to be done in soaps due to the high turnover of characters - and there are only so many times that a character can "move to Queensland" (ie. go to London to do a season of pantos and return a year later to do a guest spot on All Saints). There are also teens having sexual relations that don't end up disemboweled in a farming accident ... case in point Donna (Margot Robbie) and Ringo (Sam Clark) - in fact, Donna was portrayed as a promiscuous floozy not too long ago. She has since "come good" and is surprisingly healthy and happy - until actor Margot Robbie inevitably moves on to bigger and better things of course - in which case Donna will probably die a terrible death.

Basically it's a series of life events - birth, annoying-kid, teen-rebellion, courting, marriage, divorce, illness, death - throw in some crime, adultery and natural disasters and you have the basic life-span of a soap character.

If parents are counting on soapies to teach their kids what is morally right and socially acceptable they need a head-check. Whilst Neighbours is generally wholesome fair for the family, if one relied solely on it for moral guidance one might turn out to be a socially-retarded, extroverted egomaniac, speaking only of oneself in the third person and relying on internal dialogues to find resolutions to problems.

* Coming soon to a blog near you: Neighbours V's Home and Away AND Technical Marvels in Neighbours Post-Editing

Nine Keen for Success

Channel 9 launches the new digital channel Go! tonight, after some massive ratings failures over the last few weeks, I'm sure the hope is that Go! draws a few younger viewers in - a demographic channel 9 has largely ignored over the last few years.

The website says it all;

Attention, everyone who's young or young at heart: it's time to GO! digital. GO! is available now on fee-to-air television via channel 99 (or channel 88 for regional affiliates), offering more choice and entertainment than ever before.

Typical programs on GO! include favourites such as Gossip Girl, The Hills, TMZ, Fringe, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Weeds, The Wire, Survivor, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, CSI and hit comedy series Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Obviously there aren't a lot of funds being put into locally made content - and The 7pm Project over on channel 10 might have a run for it's money with "the worlds favourite entertainment news program" Entertainment Tonight.

Either way, it's good that another station is getting on board the digital bandwagon - it's just unfortunate that it consists mainly of more American crap.

Australian Web Use

I've been enthralled by this amazing site (found via Mumbrella) following the history of Australian use of the internet since 2001 - click on the pic below to check it out.
The most interesting bubble of course is Facebook and the rise and rise of social networking. Also interesting are the changing trends of search and government sites and the reminders of what was once the "next big thing" ... *waves to myspace*.

Kyle Unfit? ... Shocking!

In an announcement today from Austereo publicity manager, Kate Whitby, the Kyle and Jackie O show has been suspended indefinitely;

"... following a great deal of consideration and having consulted Jackie O and all stakeholders, Austereo has formed the view that it is in the interest of all parties, for the Kyle and Jackie O show to go into recess until we have completed an across-the-networks review of the principals and protocols of our interaction with our audience. This review commenced last Wednesday, July 29."

It seems Kyle is 'unable to perform his duties'. - That's a laugh, considering his 'duties' up to this point seem to have been to behave like a self-obsessed wanker, I'd say he's currently excelling at his duties.

There has also been talk of channel 10 possibly dropping him from Australian Idol, the thing is, he would simply be replaced with someone else exactly like him. Just like if the Kyle and Jackie O show was never to be reinstated - I doubt its replacement would be anything of any higher quality than the crap we hear on any commercial station.

The best result we can hope for from this event is that the Broadcasting Codes of Practice are reassessed.