The Gruen Transfer proposition: Should there be advertising on the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
Selling advertising space on national icons such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Uluru could help preserve these icons for future generations.
In the interest of debate, The Gruen Transfer put this proposition to Richard Herring, CEO of APN Outdoor Advertising, and other leading advertising industry figures. Said Herring: “The advertising would need to be in keeping with the icon. You’ve got to be sensitive about it. But it would still have enormous impact.”
Speaking on the ABC-TV show, to air this Wednesday, Herring said: “Theimpact of advertising on something like the Opera House or Uluru wouldbe global. It’s hard to put a dollar value on it, but it would mostlikely be in the tens of millions. That money could then flow back tohelp maintain and preserve those icons for future generations.Government money could then be redirected from our precious nationalicons and used to support things like public hospitals.”
To encourage discussion, The Gruen Transfer has taken out ads innewspapers around the country this morning (pictured above). Otheradvertising industry figures supported the idea, saying, at the veryleast, that its merits deserve to be debated.
Says regular Gruen panelist, Todd Sampson (left), CEO of Leo Burnett, Sydney: “They’re already advertisingon the Opera House. They’re advertising for Pink Ribbon Day. It goespink and everybody knows. They’re using it as a public billboard. It’spink, nobody complains and everyone’s okay with it”.
Fellow panelist Russel Howcroft (below left), national MD at George Patterson Y&R, believesthere is enormous potential for these icons to raise money. “You couldgo with a global brand. Maybe Apple launching it’s latest i-ad on theside of the Opera House. The Opera House gets a million bucks for doingit for one day. That’s pretty good.”
Adds Herring: “The PR you’d get for it would be outrageous, that’s why you could charge a massive premium.”
A spokesperson for the Opera House declined to comment on the proposalbut pointed out that Opera House policy on illuminating the sailscurrently forbids the projection of any corporate logo or identity.
The Gruen Transfer returns to ABC-TV on Wednesday at 9pm.
23 Comments
Is there no depth we won’t plumb?
Only this industry is indulgent enough to suggest that covering national icons with rubbish that only we care about is for the greater good.
Gruen Transfer is getting a bit try-hard.
Is the show about to Jump The Shark?
It could work if it’s only available for special occasions, say 3 or 4 times a year for one day at a time. This would prevent the novelty from wearing off and would allow for a premium price to be charged.
Outdoor advertising larger than the bus bench variety should be outlawed altogether. It’s an eyesore and a violation of the public space because it leaves the viewer no option but to see it. There’s no page or channel to turn, there’s no pop up to cancel. Like the music blaring from retail stores, it infringes upon all our rights because it offers us no alternative.
The notion of advertising on a landmark like the SHB or the Opera House for anything other than a very worthwhile public cause (i.e. Breast cancer awareness, etc.) is just plain repugnant, and even raising then question shows how far the ad business has gone in losing it’s perspective and what may have been left of its moral center.
That all being said, I’m hopeful that Gruen was just taking the piss . . . but with that lot, you never know.
Do people still read newspapers?
Gruen Transfer sounds like it will again be must watch TV when we see the how and why of the lily-gilders and the depths they will plumb to mess with our minds and buy non-essentials.
the positing of the question of using national icons as billboards is timely – I fear that even though we intelligent viewers will be horrified, the might of the dollar, the crassness of the advertisers and their lackeys, and susceptibility of the boganistas will ensure that we get to see ads for incontinence pads on the opera house
It would be a great place for a campaign for, say, Save The Blob Fish…
Some children’s foreheads are pretty big, surely we can utilise this space that’s just going to waste.
Defacing a national icon with advertising?….bloody awful idea.
The mocked up visual says it all, ugly and absolutely unecessary.
Gruen should be ashamed for even suggesting it.
The broke NSW govt probably have not thought of making a buck out of this. Maybe we won’t have to sell the electricity off after all?
Oh God no.
I don’t see why boats with flashing neon signs aren’t parked under it already.
Next we could have a Nike ‘swoosh’ in the Simpson desert, visible from space. Or maybe an outline of Bart’s head.
Glad to see the show back.
Banjo in Freo
I agree with Simon, 2.38am.
Harold Mitchell got an AC on the w/end, in amongst the medical researchers and others that do so much good for our community. Just when someone in our industry is put in the same class as those serving the greater good, the next day this crap comes out.
When will this business ever show any desire for respect in the broader community.
Shame.
I notice that many entries are anonymous but I have no trouble in standing by my views.
To deface the Sydney Harbour Bridge or any other Icon would be a travesty of the greatest magnitude. These areas should be off limits to any money-grabbing agencies; their inherent beauty lies in the simplicity of their designs. Their beautiful lines should never be compromised under any circumstances.
As for any argument regarding the raising of money for hospitals; if the public purse was better managed by government agencies, we would not need to be raising funds through these means.
we’re talking…isn’t that the point of what they’re doing???
Everyone that’s getting upset: have you ever watched The Gruen Transfer? EVER?
Give it a go. You might learn something. 9pm Wednesday ABC1.
i can see everyone’s point of view here, and i’d just like to say that i agree that advertising on Australian icons is going a bit far if it was permanent, however, as anon stated earlier, if it was just a couple of days here and there every year that wouldn’t hurt too much. i mean you could get sooooooooo much money from a big company advertising like that, and yes of course its all about money.
this is but my humble opinion.
love eva ♥
Good old Denton, making everyone in advertising look like soulless arse-wipes.
When was the last time you were on a a commercial station?
Oh… that’s right…
I don’t see it ever happening on a commercial scale for products that are outside that of charity and government organisations but its nice that we’re discussing this stuff. It does make one think that if as an example the opera house is running at such a massive financial loss would it be willing to sell to big corporate in order to stay afloat. Or is it the role of local and state government to bankroll attractions. But if it were possible what an amazing competitive advantage for a new product.
How wonderfully ironic that industry whores (the above commentators ARE from within the industry, right?) are jacking up about this.
10:18
Just for the record, irony is the opposite if what is expected.
Citroen. Eifel Tower. 1925. There ya go.
I think the idea suits Sydney. We wouldn’t do it in Melbourne of course, but Qantas have stuck those little choir kids on the Opera House and the bridge, so whats the fuss all about? Personally I disagree with it being used for a charity. Their tone is usually quieter. I’d go the retail route, much better, much louder, much sydneyer.
It’s not so much the question should we, it’s more about why has the question been posed in the first place. This is a nice tactic by Gruen’s own advertising think tank, to use the power of shock to attract attention for themselves. That being said, I actually do like the show.