From cringe campaigns to over the top slogans, RMIT’s Hungry Talks breaks down what makes ads… well, suck

Written by Sophie Lange, Hungry Talks

Why do so many ads miss the mark? That’s the question on the table for the third episode of Hungry Talks, RMIT’s student led advertising talk show, which launched its new season earlier this month. With some of the sharpest minds in the industry joining the next generation of creatives, this week we dig into what’s going wrong in ad land, and who’s to blame.

Hosted by Imi Hillier and Nic Cartledge, the episode kicks off with a challenge: if the advertising industry is filled with so much talent, why do audiences keep rolling their eyes at bad work? From there, it’s a mix of student hot takes, international news updates from Charlotte Hil, and the brave act of revisiting some of advertising’s most infamous disasters, from lawnmower ads that go completely off brief to a Coles ad that sparked plenty of debate in Campaign Brief’s comments.

To add to the discussion with leading industry perspectives, Hungry Talks welcomes Steph Gwee, Creative Director at TBWA, and Mika Parow, Senior Integrated Producer at TBWA. Join us as we dive into the creative process live, from briefing to execution, and examine how even the most promising ideas can sometimes unravel into clichés, missed connections, or total flops.

As always, the show isn’t just about pointing fingers. It’s about sparking debate, challenging assumptions, and giving both students and professionals the space to ask: what should advertising do better?

Check out Episode 3 of Hungry Talks on YouTube (or below). Whether you’re in the advertising industry, a student hungry for more, or just love seeing bad ads get roasted, this one’s for you.

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