The Gruen Transfer in a show about advertising. It screens 9pm on Wednesdays on Australia’s national broadcaster (a bit like the kid brother to the BBC) which doesn’t have paid advertising.
Each week they have a segment “The Pitch” where two agencies are asked to produce an ad to to sell an unsellable concept e.g. pro-child labour, pro-whaling, pro-global warming etc. This week (24/8/2011) they try to convince Australians to support a national ban on swearing.
NSFW
If gratuitous profanity offends you mate, just don’t clink the bloody link.
In Australia, we have no constitutional right of free speech, but speaking freely on prime time TV isn’t an issue. How would this go over in other juristdictions e.g. US or UK?
(Personally I thought the Gruen’s best remains the “Invade New Zealand” campaigns, but the first (from Meerkats) is a podium finish.
Much as I dislike the omni-present potty-mouths, I’d prefer a campaign to encourage civilized, intelligent conversation over a ban on swearing. Oh, wait - how about a ban on athletes saying “ya know” 47 bazillion times in post-game interviews? I could get behind that!
I’m pleasantly surprised to see that this show is still running. I thought It would be one of those shows that runs it’s course over one or two seasons.
Last time I watched it I got around to wondering if the whole show was a cynical (but excellent) ploy to get adverts through to credulous people who think they are above advertising influence, and now I find it’s made by a commercial free channel (In NZ it’s on commedy central, with ads)
I seem to be in the minority, I actually think the second ad is more effective, even though the first one is funny(Especially the space shutle at Uluru), that second one is almost like a few of the public service ads I’ve seen lately.
I also must add that the ‘worst products’ bit of the site contains some jaw-droppingly awful ads. I know with certainty that if I saw the microsoft songsmith ad twice in one day I would throw a boot at the TV - Did that actually make it on air?
I remember seeing a clip on YouTube a little while back from something along the lines of the “Australian Sex Party” wanting to keep the Australian government out of the bedroom. Suffice it say, it was pretty awesome.
