Allan Johnston’s 2GB ad campaign positions it as The Power Station
Sydney radio station 2GB is to run its first TV advertising in more than a decade as the battle for talk radio heats up, Mumbrella can reveal.
Allan Johnston – the Jo in Mojo – created the campaign with former Mojo colleague Doug Watson. Johnston also sang on the ad, which is inspired by the Billy Joel song We Didn’t Start The Fire.
The six week campaign – positioning 2GB as “The Power Station” has a spend of more than $1m behind it and will run across all three commercial TV networks.
I predict two things:
1. Creatives will hate it.
2. It’s spot on for the audience.
Glad the jingle’s not dead…
wow, makes me cringe.
Great poster frame for the ‘Power Station’.
So fresh…..
I lasted 12 seconds
Did anyone get the irony of the “power station” given the power sell off debacle in NSW at the moment. I wouldnt want to be associated with power at the moment….
I’m sorry, did I fall asleep and wake up in the 80’s?
I agree with “Old Timer” but I still think it’s awful and it doesn’t drive me, a mid 40’s guy with a family and mortgage, to switch to 2GB in the absence of any decent FM offer. It will be interesting to see if 2UE respond – if I were them I’d be pretty happy that 2GB have taken this approach.
“..Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc..”
Please! You’ve got to be kidding me? As an avid 2GB listen, that’s just a disgrace. I really can’t believe it. You wouldn’t know the most influential and successful broadcaster EVER worked at that station watching that ad. I challenge anyone to have a look at this classic ad of 2UE’s during the 80s with the jingle “Radio Active”, catchy music/sound effects etc and say the new 2GB ad is more adrenalin pumping. I watch it and absolutely love it. (The woman on the bed is an eye-catcher too, but that’s another matter). The point is: scrap the ad 2GB and excite, not put people to sleep. Play to your strengths. Accentuate the positives. BLOODY SHOW/LET PEOPLE HERE ALAN JONES!!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?.....38;h=3aedf
I agree Old Timer, targeting is spot on, but the rest of us still have to watch it. Production values are terrible! The money being flushed down the toilet wouldn’t be the production budget would it?
It’s very Liberal…
What are jingoistic Aussie brands going to do once Allan Johnston’s too old to crank out a tune? Why do I feel like watching the cricket while slathered in Meadow Lea?
Wow 12, 10 for me. Nice work
Why retire when you think you’ve still got it. With their collective experience they probably “cracked it” in 5 minutes after a 5 hour lunch.
Great ad that continues to stick the knife into our utterly incompetent federal and state (NSW) governments! More “power” to 2GB!!!
It’s theme from Only Fools and Horses
An oldie but a goodie … NOT!
Hmmm…
It’s hard to establish a Power position when standing on a bed of soft Cheese.
I can feel it coming on.
Their new Agency will be called “YOBBO”.
I feel like …… buying margarine.
The thing that struck me is that there is absolutely nothing positive or uplifting in the jingle. My out-take is that 2GB focuses only on bad news,sensationalism and negatives. I guess that rules me out completely from listening to the station as who wants to spend their time listening to a bunch of misery guts on the squawk-box.
There’s no way anyone under 40 ever calls 2GB. This ad is lying to me.
No, it’s just a bad jingle, it’s not something I’ll remember. The guy can’t sing.
Sung in slow nasal striney tone, accompanied by guitar
“Watto, Singo, Mojo, Banjo, Yobbos
Tinny, Esky, Barbie, Sunnies,
Footy, Beer Guts, Bali, ,Sunnies,
Wacko Jacko, mates with Beardos
Pollies, Pooftas, Johnno, Davo,
Limp wrists, Fish & chips with Spam
Dodgy talk with dopy Ben Fordham
Repeat Chorus
Watto, Singo, Mojo, Banjo, Yobbo……
WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TURN OFF THE RADIO!
It will probably appeal to those who already listen to 2GB and alienate the rest of Sydney.
Wait, when is the election?
2GB is democracy at its best.
They harness people power to hold everone in society to account.
A tung lashing from Ray Hadley or Alan Jones is enough to double the productivity of all workers in the great country of Australia.
We should all get behind the Power Station
How pissweak. You think they could at least use live action of the presenters – a moving photo? What was this edited in, iMovie?
Correct about appealing to the target audience – Who are a bunch of inbred, ignorant, fear-filled redneck dumb-shit hicks. It reminds them of a better time, (edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy)
The ads director is a Dick!
Now here is a radio advertisement. One of the best ever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF0PtUgrdc4&feature=player_embedded
I’m more worried about another 80’s ad icon….
http://tools.geelongadvertiser.....;offset=18
as sharp as an axe – buffed within an inch of its life. don’t particulary like it, but it taps into “betty and bob’ s” brain seamlessly – and yes.. the 80’s are back
Hey Mumbles,
Dick is the director’s surname.
No need to moderate my comment for legal reasons.
,
Is that a Liberal Party Ad?
That ad is a disgrace.
Why not just say you’re working for Abbott.
But still, I guess it works for the sort of unthinking zombies who listen to GB.
Why can’t these old farts are just go away already.
THIS ISN’T YOUR WORLD ANYMORE. Why do the younger generations have to put up with your racist, narrow-minded wars.
Liberal propaganda at it’s best. Station couldn’t be more bias – where have all the good press gone?
Liberals are on their way out – haven’t you heard?
Pink batts idea being taken up in England, Stimulus saved our arse, School halls 2.7% was “waste” or problems which is pretty good considering the darn size of it! Climate change is real – take a look around the globes and out states, Kevin Rudd was a bad team player and stuck with his 3 and never consulted the team – you work with someone like that, NBN Australia be proud to have such an advanced country ahead of everyone else and we will definitely reap the benefits in time to come.
How about Liberals use of mining corporations donations, cigarette companies – pushing their own selfish self interests – no mining increase (excuse me BILLIONS you can afford to pay more!) Liberals agreeing not to increase tax in smokes and against plain packaging – bribes? Corruption?
Tony Abbott, Andrew Robb, Joe Hockey’s lies and fraud with hiding 11 BiILLION blowout in their costings – then later found they weren’t even audited.
The Liberal and National Party wanting donations to stop a Flood Levy – utter disgrace.
Tony Abbott and their party never answer any question, only bag out Labor – they are con artists at the best with using their manipulation and lies and propaganda. Spreading HATE amongst people of Australia.
Labor Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd you have all done a top job! Well done! And thank you. Big thanks especially to Wayne Swan the unsung hero for his actions in the GFC, look around the globe, we are one very lucky country, hundreds of thousands could be out of work lost their homes. Labor’s stimulus was a success many economists around the globe have said so, it went to the right places and just in the nick to time.
Spot on Kevin.
Hayley
This ad is not Liberal party propaganda, its about Harnesing people power to hold everyone in society to account.
Jones amd Hadley are delivering democracy and holding all government to account.
You should listen to Jones and Hadley. They may be able to refine your wastful policy focus and better still they will hold you to account if need be.
GR, you’re either very silly, or delusional. Either that, or I want some of what you’ve been smoking/drinking.
Jones and Hadley are both hateful old men who have nothing at all positive to offer anyone, let alone the 95% of the populace who DON’T listen to them.
Elcat, Jones and Hadley are not hateful old men, they are rather well informed power houses, who seek the best for each and everyone of us.
Who can forget the courages work of Hadley in “blowing the whistle” on the Pink Bats diaster and then holding the government to account over the BER. He scrutined these programs well before any other media commentaters.
Elcat, Jones and Hadley are concerned about where your precious tax dollars are being spent and want the best for you. They won’t stand idley by and watch you work 12 hours a day in a very demanding industry while your tax dollars are flushed down the toilet. They will fight hard for your tax doller to be spend efficently and in the best interests of the Australian and you. They care about you and want the best for you and our great nation.
GR, I hope your bosses at GB give you a nice pat on the head for defending Mr Cash-for-comments so well.
If Jones isn’t a hateful old man, why his comments to incite violence at Cronulla in 2005? He’s a disgusting piece of work, and I’d happily tell that to his face. I’m sure though he just surrounds himself with sycophants like yourself.
Of the BER, there were less than three percent of the total jobs which reported a problem. THREE percent.
Where was Jones holding Howard to account over the Super Sea Sprite. Something in excess of $1.2 BILLION before it was axed, I believe. Of the JSF, which not only is now running late, but is costing far in excess of what it was supposed to. Or the Abrams tank, which doesn’t fit properly on the ships meant to transport them?
Or how well did he hold Howard and Downer to account over the AWB, where OUR money was being paid to Saddam?
Or Rieth over his claims that refugees “Absolutely” threw children in the water?
Or Rieth over the disgusting farce which was the waterfront dispute?
If Hadley and Jones cared one iota about the MASSIVE MAJORITY WHO DON’T listen to them, THEY’D JUST GO AWAY.
I have to hand it to you Elcat, you a passionate and well researched if a little naive.
Some of your criticisms are well constructed but you missed the mark with Peter Reith. Rocket Reith stood up, starred down those bludging wharfies on their 10th smoko of the day and said no more. We now have the most efficient wharfs in the world. The Australian people should feel short changed that Rocket never became prime minister. He would have twice as good as Rudd.
The great injustice of the world is that Jones and Hadley were not around to hold Gough Whitlam to account. The big man would not have been able to hide behind the scrutiny of his waste if Jones and Hadley were on to him. People like you look at the Whitlam area in a nostalgic way.
Get behind Jones and Hadley they are doing you a favour.
The first couple of times I saw it I thought it was a Liberal party ad. I still do. You oughta be congratulated if you think there’s a goodly proportion of balance in that bunch of crap.
Honest Abe, 2GB is not about the Liberal or Labor Party, its about standing up for the little guy and holding all government in this nation to account.
Jones and Hadley are there to protect your hard earned tax dollars and this notion transends the traditional Labor, Liberal Party divide.
Its seems that the people who are sensetive to scrutiny are the Labor Party. Jones and Hadley are not after the Labor party they are after the protection our tax payer dollars. The Labor aprty have been the party in charge of our tax payer dollars for the last 4 years and hence the scrutiny.
If they’re so concerned with our taxpayer dollars, then I guess they’ll be questioning several Liberal MPs who spent almost $300,000 in toner cartridges before the last election, more than double the Government.
While not massive amounts, it’s still a disgrace that they rorted Taxpayer funds to pay for electioneering material.
GR reminds me of Stirling Addison – http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/.....irling.htm – a character so well played you were never quite sure if it actually was a satire.
@GR – have you actually watched this ad? Most of the imagery mirrors the right-wing (Daily Telegraph) media view of the ALP – ie accentuate the possibility that there’s a rift between Gillard and Keneally, hint that that foreign-looking Tripodi bloke is a bit dodgy and imply that “our” money is being thrown away by “them”. It looks like a particularly clumsy (though in the Abott era, particularly adept) Liberal political ad. Basically the Libs/2GB are saying “the voters are a bunch of idiots, so let’s treat them like idiots and feed them all this nonsense imagery. It’s bound to stick in the heads of some of the morons”. Typical conservative contempt for the electorate/public. Hopefully the only ones taken in by this crap are died-in-the-wool Lib voters anyway. I don’t imagine there are that many ALP voters (or anyone else other than Lib supporters) who listen to these right-wing shock jock types anyway.
GR clearly demonstrates that maybe taxpayers dollars are not being spent to the best effect. Given the appalling spelling more needs to be spent on the education system.
Geez, get a room guys! It’s getting embarrassing. U should all sort it out behind closed doors.
How could anyone possibly accuse Alan Jones of Liberal bias?
I suppose all you lefties will say that just because he has ran for office for both The Country Party and The Liberal Party, and was speechwriter for both Malcolm Fraser and John Mason is some sort of evidence.
Funny Comment 49 – money being spent, less then 3% of schools and 1% of housing – do your research nothing but Liberal beat up, of course there will be some waste in such a huge project 3 % is brilliant and 1%! Of course they’ll pick those tiny percent and make it out of proportion.
I’m just staggered that you guys accuse Jones and Hadley of Liberal bias. They may be able to identify with the Liberal platforms, but to accuse them of Liberal bias is most disappointing.
You have to understand the World in which Hadley and Jones grew up in to understand them. In the late 1940s, the 1950s and 1960s the Labor party had a communist influence flowing through the Union rank and file. Sir Robert Menzies stood up to the Communists and prevented the Communists from moving south all the way to Australia. He stood there as Australia’s hero of free market economics, and all people in the advertising industry should be grateful that a free market economy can give there talents and idea’s expression. They would not have the same privilege of Australia was a communist nation, with a state run media.
Menzies stood in the way, and inspired a young Jones and Hadley to believe they can thrive in a free market society. The Labor party at that point in their history did not reject communist influence, were not free market thinkers (They wanted to nationalise the banks in 1949) and I suspect disappointed a young Jones and Hadley. You can understand why they have both been slow to support Labor Party Policy when Hawke and Keating were the Labor Parties first free market thinkers.
Hey GR, love the ‘Pink Bats’. Would like to see a flock of those in an ad sometime.
There probably should have been some ‘Pink Bats’ in the ad, but it’s tough to improve such a brilliantly executed ad. I love the riddle “Fat Cats, Bureaucrats, Pink Bats, Carbon Tax”.
This ad could do some damage in Cann.
Shit, GR is right!
I just checked under the bed and there were hundreds of Commos under there!
Gotta fly – I’m off to listen to 2GB so I’m never caught out again!
I hope you know that if you DON’T live in Sydney, the 2GB/AJ thing makes you all look slightly insane. But if this discussion is about the ad then I reckon it hits the target right between the eyes and will make a 2UE ascension harder, which is what they’re trying to do. I don’t think anyone could accuse 2GB of NOT knowing their audience, whether you agree with their political leanings or not.
My boyfriend and I felt like joining a suicide cult just to get away from the pain and trauma this ad caused.
You might like to know that 2GB achieved the highest rating increase in the Sydney market between January 15 and February 14th. Exactly the time this commercial began
and ran. Go figure.
Look at all the comments, from the left/greens cafe society on the dole or with pathetic part time jobs. Real Australians are out working to support their families and are getting screwed for their hard work.
2GB is our station.