Sydney Morning Herald launches new TV brand campaign via Whybin\TBWA\Tequila, Sydney
The Sydney Morning Herald has launched a new brand campaign via agency Whybin\TBWA\Tequila, Sydney, created to showcase the Herald’s outstanding journalism across its print, online and digital platforms.
A new 30-second TVC, shot in the Herald’s newsroom and featuring a number of Herald editors and senior journalists, went to air on the weekend. The campaign also features print and online executions.
Publisher and editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald, Peter Fray, said: “Consumers are increasingly critical of the sources of news they can trust.
“In our 180 years of publishing, The Sydney Morning Herald has never wavered from its core values and promise to our readers – to deliver journalistic integrity and independence. The campaign has been created to showcase what makes our journalism stand out above the crowd of news providers in this country,” Fray said.
With the sign-off “Independence. Integrity. Every day”, the campaign encompasses the essences of the Herald’s award-winning journalism in print, online, mobile and tablet.
“We’re neither controlled by a media magnate nor dependent on government funding. It’s an independence that is unique and goes to the vital role a modern newspaper plays in a free society,” Fray said.
The campaign is aimed at all media consumers in the greater Sydney metropolitan area, with the main focus on the ABC+, 35 years and over demographic.
“Most Sydneysiders have some connection with The Sydney Morning Herald,” Fray said.
“However, with the media landscape having shifted so quickly in recent years as people access their news in new ways, the line between what is trusted journalism and what is not has never been so blurred.
“We want to reinforce to our audiences that the Herald’s commitment to journalism with integrity and independence is more deeply ingrained in our DNA than ever,” Fray said.
The television commercial features 10 senior Herald staff: Herald editor, Amanda Wilson; editor of smh.com.au, Darren Goodsir; editor of the Herald’s tablet edition, Stephen Hutcheon; political editor, Peter Hartcher; economics editor, Ross Gittins; investigations editor, Anne Davies; multi-award winning photographer Kate Geraghty and investigations writer, Kate McClymont; chief restaurant critic, Terry Durack; and recently appointed readers’ editor, Judy Prisk.
Agency: Whybin/TBWA/Tequila
Executive Creative Directors: Matty Burton & Dave Bowman
Planning Director: Hristos Varouhas
Commander: Peter Fitzhardinge
Creative Team: Dez Anderson & James Ross-Edwards
Senior Account Manager: Bryony Marks
Project Manager: Amelia Babos
Producer: Nick Simkins
Editor: Brad Hurt
Cinematographer: Lee Mariano
27 Comments
It’s a nice ad. But it doesn’t reflect whatsoever, the SMH of today. A publication that is so profoundly dumbed down, it’s ‘integrity’ is lost. Good ad. Just for the wrong masthead.
It’s an ad for journalists and editors, not for the consumer.
Generally, all journos will make statements like this. After all, they all like to see themselves as completely unbiased.
It looks as if the planners didn’t get much say with the newspaper, who probably insisted on a more insular looking ad as opposed to something that truly communicated with the masses – who are deserting print media in favour of a quick check of the latest news on their phones on the bus – then on the web when they get to work.
Independence as a concept is fine and good, but newspapers are about in-depth analysis of stories. The web is great for bite-sized chunks.
client written poo bags.
no comment.
You would have thought if Whybins were promoting quality journalism they would have produced a quality TVC.
It just goes to show why journalists think we’re all a bunch of tossers.
Nonsense. They do have an agenda: to produce the most diluted, anaemic, unintelligent broadsheet in the souther hemisphere. Job done.
In an age where newspapers are facing the possibility of extinction you’d think they’d do something far more progressive and hard-hitting.
A missed creative opportunity too.
Soft all round.
Entirely predictable, generic to the category. Any newspaper could put its logo on this. So, Mr/Ms SMH Marketing Director, do you still think this sort of earnest, worthy nonsense was really worth writing, let alone producing? I presume other more consumer-friendly, meaningful ideas put up by the agency were rejected.
I say no. It’s appalling.
No idea, no cut through, no good.
Aside from the hackneyed shots and script, I was sure they were building towards something – and then I saw the ‘Client Mission Statement’ sitting under the logo like a cold leftover plate of spaghetti…… Independance – Integrity – Every Day.
I couldn’t help think that there was a missed opportunity.
I was sure there was a link between the dialogue/voice over and the recurring ‘we say NO’ in the pay-off line – ‘We say NO…so you can know’ (or some derivative of same).
All it says to me is that SMH is a newspaper that lacks passion, challenge and a dynamic desire to maintain its relevance to the public/reader.
Aside from the hackneyed shots and script, I was sure they were building towards something – and then I saw the ‘Client Mission Statement’ sitting under the logo like a cold leftover plate of spaghetti…… Independance – Integrity – Every Day.
I couldn’t help think that there was a missed opportunity.
I was sure there was a link between the dialogue/voice over and the recurring ‘we say NO’ in the pay-off line – ‘We say NO…so you can know’ (or some derivative of same).
All it says to me is that SMH is a newspaper that lacks passion, challenge and a dynamic desire to maintain its relevance to the public/reader.
This is truly awful work, SMH have done some decent work in the past, how did this idea get up? Dodgy strategy and an extremely dull execution. I was surprised to see there were any creatives involved.
Most creative thing coming out of Whybins is their job titles
reminds me of the New York Times Spot.
Not the same – just the same feeling.
I think the timing of this is pretty good, theres no journalist at the helm of News Limited any more.
And to the comments on Newspapers dying – they won’t die, they will shrink. But the journalism still has to come from somewhere and I personally thank god for institutions like this.
What do you want – an online media where no facts are cross checked and anyone can say anything they like without reproach?
Good work whybins. Ballsy as ever and one step ahead of the game.
HaHaHaHaHaHa!
The SMH. Oustanding journalism? LOL!
I like this. They say No a lot.
SMH doesn’t pull back punches? I’d like the creatives to confirm that after seeing this.
Looks like Whybin’s been picking up all the spare ‘yes’s the SMH weren’t using and threw in a few ‘sir’s of their own. No Balls.
18 months and counting.
Your ad bored me more than your articles. The real unfiltered, undiluted truth hurts
It ain’t Tomorrow’s Newspaper.
B\B\B\Boring.
Bland, boring with a generous sprinkling of generic thrown in.
This whole TBWA gig seems to have sucked all the immense talent and creativity out of the creative department.
The reality is guys, your ship looks more navy than pirate these days…
Planning is non existent round at Whybins ( wouldn’t be surprised if Greek was off the menu soon) and the management are focussed on on profit, not product. The work despite the track record of some of the people working there, is abysmal.