Where did charity’s social media money go?; Brits don’t like Aussie sex ads; Which agency will win the war?

Tim Burrowes

March 9, 2009 10:31

In a detailed joint posting, the Another Advertising Wanker and Zakazukha Zoo blogs publish some uncomfortable questions for children’s charity the Starlight Foundation about how it came to spend nearly $15m on building a social media site for sick children. They claim the total cost should have been less than $2m.

Crude Australians are sullying British advertising billboards, complains Tess Alps, boss of the British TV marketing body Thinkbox. Discussing the Advanced Medical Institute’s “Longer lasting sex” billboards, she says:

“I did smile when I heard the institute is based in Australia. I suggest you have a go at saying the line with a Melbourne accent, with or without the addition of “cobber” at the end, and you’ll find it sounds authentically antipodean.”

Which agencies will win the battle for the social media territory? PR, ad or media agencies. Digital consultant Dave Lee reckons:

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

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1 COMMENTS

anonymous 10 Mar 09

AAW’s and ZZ’s article doesn’t suprise me. I worked at Starlight Children’s Foundation and was appalled by the poor management and overall lack of professionalism.

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