OzWatch survey shows a Big Ad as favorite

The latest OzWatch ad survey, funded by Melbourne advertising shop Onion Communications, asked 1200 Australians what their favorite television ad was. The top spot went to Carlton Draught's "Big Ad". Second place went to the Simple Life campaign from Optus featuring a bunch of singing animals.

However, the argument of marketing geniuses that prefer making bland ads is that punters don't remember what arty, funny, engaging ads are spruiking. They believe you've got to whack people around the head mercilessly with the product and brand before they will get the message.

There is certainly a case for good old tactical ads but more often the rationale for bland is a convenient argument used by management not willing to take a risk and get out of the cold communal trough of advertising slop.

Onion Communications' managing partner Richard Patterson makes a valid point in his analysis of the latest OzWatch study by asking why most of the biggest ad spenders in the country fail to trigger unprompted recall for their ads among consumers.

"Those that didn't rate a mention include Qantas, Ford, Holden, Myer, Telstra, Coles, Woolworths, the big banks, Nestle, Mars, P&G and any form of government advertising," he says. "It can only lead to one conclusion. If these brands agree with the sentiment that likeability is an important factor in (attention) cut through and sales generation, according to our research these advertisers are arguably not achieving it. And they should look long and hard at their agencies."

But equally the reason for so much grey wallpaper in TVadvertising - and in print for that matter - has as much to do with clients as ad agencies.

The most encouraging comments to be heard for years in the marketing game came from the global marketing head at Unilever, Michael Brockbank, during a visit to Australia for the Advertising Federation of Australia's advertising effectiveness awards.

Brockbank's advice to his colleagues in marketing should bestuck on their toilet doors. It went like this: "The really great ideas usually surprise the consumer - so they usually need to surprise the client. That needs bold strategies, bold ideas, risk taking - outside the client's comfort zone. Why not? Bland won't cut through. We need to engage our consumers, interrupting them is no longer enough. If you get it bold and wrong the consumer is very forgiving - Unilever's business science unit has only ever identified one piece of copy bad enough to have had a negative sales effect. But bold and right can deliver amazing growth, as our effectiveness cases from around the world demonstrate. We have to encourage risk taking but emphasise that effectiveness is the only goal - including in agency remuneration."

Onion Communications - OzWatch survey Top 10

1. Big Ad - Carlton Draught.

2. Optus' Simple Life spot.

3. Bundy bear soaks in the bath for Bundaberg Rum.

4. Citroen's car changing into a dancing robot.

5. XXXX Gold - XXXX.

6. Men in fishing competition with dog for XXXX.

7. McDonald's Inner Child.

8. AAMI commercial where a kid has roller-door remote control for garage and puts it up and down on car.

9. Toyota spot where footballers reenact their greatest moments.

10. Another AAMI spot where a dog chases bird and lands on top of car,which drives into lake.