Marketers need to listen to the silence at State of Origin
This week, multiple State of Origin players chose to remain silent during the national anthem, in solidarity with Indigenous Australians. 3PM’s Marnie Vinall argues that, within that silence, there’s a lot for marketers to listen to.
This week, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous players refused to sing the Australian anthem at the State of Origin series opener in Brisbane, protesting its lack of Indigenous acknowledgment.
NSW Blues player Cody Walker, from Gove in the Northern Territory, was the first to boycott the anthem, saying it “did not represent him or his family”. Soon after, other players, including Josh Addo-Carr and Will Chambers joined him in saying they wouldn’t sing either. On the night, other players stood with their teammates and didn’t open their mouths when the song played.
Players during last night’s national anthem
If your take out from this is about marketing then you have deeply missed the point.
Hi Monkey, thank you for your comment. My take out from the protest isn’t in the slightest that is was a marketing stunt but rather that as marketers we should be listening to what is important to minorities in Australia, in this instance, Indigenous Australians. As Briggs tweeted this morning, “It’s about the dialogue Australia has with its Indigenous people”, and as we work in the communications industry, we should be listening and engaging with that dialogue.
What a load of left wing nonsense! If i had to describe you before seeing your photo, I would have thought you were a bleeding heart skinny vegan latching onto every BS cause out there. Over-educated but not too bright.
Michael Turner’s unfortunate affliction causes him to see things that aren’t there. Here’s what happens when he looks at:
A normal looking lady – “Durr bleeding heart skinny vegan.”
Indigenous Australians – “Durr di durr bleeding heart skinny vegans.”
F*** off huge elite rugby players – “Derp di diddly durr doo bleeding heart skinny vegans!”
Despite thinking they’re everywhere, Michael has never met any bleeding heart skinny vegans and deep down, he isn’t even sure they actually exist. Just ten cents a day can help people like Michael step away from their fictitious Youtube comment world and, like, maybe go outside every once in a while. Please give generously.
I love you