Guest post: Masterchef and the perfect consumer
In this guest posting, Tony Richardson, of TacticalTV, argues that Masterchef has a lot to teach marketers.
A giant piece of real research into the Australian character has just been completed. You can access it for free. If you watched the final of Masterchef Australia last night, you took part in the study.
Australians have put down the tea towel and wandered into the TV room in record numbers.
It’s been said that Masterchef has captured the spirit of the times (or zeitgeist for the show-offs): that we’re staying in and learning how to cook again.
Chris was a wanker… Nobody likes a wanker..
Here is the mass market presented in all its glory.
Holding a mirror up to society is always good practice in terms of ratings. What it does is capture the spirit of the times, reflecting the need for security and “feel good TV”. Delivered in spoonfulls from Master Chef. Even the love-in in the final ep did a great job.
What it doesn’t do and shouldn’t be expected to do is introduce new innovative thinking to programming and force a change in the mass market viewers expectations. Sometimes it is better and more profitable to deliver what the punters want now. And what advertisers need.
We might have to wait a while for a truly new and innovative format / idea to appear on Australian screens which are increasingly conservative.
In response to Sully’s comments about new and innovative TV, I say ‘thank God for the ABC.
Would Cath and Kim have ever launched on commercial TV without 2 years of building an audience on ABC first?
Did i say Po? I meant Poh. Sorry about that.
I’m sorry, but I have to take exception to the opening comment describing Chris as a wanker. Meg is certainly not the only person I’ve heard describe him as such, but I don’t think he was. He had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve if he were to win, was calm under pressure and was fairly consistent in his cooking. Clearly, this upset many people, but I do struggle to understand why. Since when has competence been so offensive?
Sorry Tony [11:57] but Kath and Kim was a sta[le skit on Big Girls Blouse on 7 long before the ABC comedy department rejected it.
I agree with Daisy.
Our reality stars don’t all have to be glamazons to the cameras or obsequious to the hosts. Big Brother made us hate reality stars who invariably were publicity obsessed individuals with no appreciable talent. The mood has changed.
He may not have had the full-on feel-good factor of the two finalists, but I got the impression that he was genuine wrt the food and the competition. A bit of a blokes bloke for some of the audience and a nice contrast to the other contestants.
I can’t see Chris leading a restaurant revolution, but I could see a “Beer Blokes Cook Book” sometime soon.