All Episodes 2008 - 2024

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A look at Brand Policing, the efforts by the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to protect sponsors underwriting the Games. We'll also spend some time in the pool with Stephanie Rice and Nick D'Arcy, wondering what it takes to attract an endorsement contract these days.

This week, the world's fastest ad space, Usain Bolt. From the outside, he looks like a purpose-built marketing machine. Why is he worth $20 million a year in endorsements?

This week we look at ambush marketing, ask if all sponsor money is good money, and wonder what the mascot designers were thinking. Adidas paid $63 million to be an official games sponsor, but surveys keep showing most people think the sponsor is Nike.

This week on Gruen Sweat we wrap up the 2012 Olympics. As London basks in the afterglow, who were the real winners? Who among our athletes will turn medals into lucrative sponsorship deals and who will go without? How has Brand London fared? Will Usain Bolt play 20/20 cricket in Australia? Could Matthew Mitcham be any cuter? So many questions...

Host Wil Anderson will be joined by regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft as well as Nation legends Dr John Hewson, Lachlan Harris and Annabel Crabb. Slogans, Jingles, Commercials – We run the x-ray machine across the opening ads of campaign 2013, the first efforts from the Labor Party, The Liberal Party, The Nationals and The Greens. Why are their slogans so bland? Why are their ads pretty much the same as last time? Why is the Greens ad so eerily familiar? What Would Poland Do? How do politicians from the home of the world’s most amazing election advertising get their messages across? The Small Picture – Where we focus on life’s little things. In tonight’s case, the obsession that Kevin Rudd, AKA Captain Selfie, has with uploading pictures of himself on Instagram and Twitter. And what he and Tony can learn about image management from global dictators? The Pitch: Kevin Macmillan from The Works vs Ed Berridge from Oddfellows The Brief: We asked two agencies to write election songs, one for Rudd’s Labor and one for Abbott’s Liberals. Can they sing their way into our hearts? On The Trail – Would Sunday night’s leaders’ debate have been better if it was on a sloping stage? Or if it had judges with their backs turned? What’s the point of being an underdog? And why don’t Kevin’s minders tell him to stop it with the crazy hand movements?

Host Wil Anderson will be joined by regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft as well as Nation legends Amanda Vanstone, Lachlan Harris and Annabel Crabb. Slogans, Jingles, Commercials – We run the x-ray machine across the opening ads of campaign 2013, the first efforts from the Labor Party, The Liberal Party, The Nationals and The Greens. Why are their slogans so bland? Why are their ads pretty much the same as last time? Why is the Greens ad so eerily familiar? What Would Poland Do? How do politicians from the home of the world’s most amazing election advertising get their messages across? The Small Picture – Where we focus on life’s little things. In tonight’s case, the obsession that Kevin Rudd, AKA Captain Selfie, has with uploading pictures of himself on Instagram and Twitter. And what he and Tony can learn about image management from global dictators? The Pitch: Kevin Macmillan from The Works vs Ed Berridge from Oddfellows The Brief: We asked two agencies to write election songs, one for Rudd’s Labor and one for Abbott’s Liberals. Can they sing their way into our hearts? On The Trail – Would Sunday night’s leaders’ debate have been better if it was on a sloping stage? Or if it had judges with their backs turned? What’s the point of being an underdog? And why don’t Kevin’s minders tell him to stop it with the crazy hand movements?

Host Wil Anderson will be joined by regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft as well as Nation legends Toby Ralph, Lachlan Harris and Annabel Crabb. You’re Soaking In It … True election fans wait for it every time: the arrival of the new Bob Katter ad. This year’s doesn’t let anyone down. It’s smart, it’s complex, it’s thoughtful and insightful … oh all right, it’s none of those things. It’s a song about a man and his hat. We also look at the messaging of the Greens, and their obsession with photogenic marsupials. What Would Poland Do?: What do Poland’s political Jedi do when they want to get a message across? Can’t give you any hints, but tonight’s Polish ad will haunt your dreams… The Small Picture: The campaign’s favourite fashion statement, Hi-Vis. Tony Abbott has clearly been told by a stylist that fluoro lime and orange are his colours. Kevin Rudd, on the other hand, always looks a bit like someone playing dress-ups … what’s the value of Hi-Vis? The Pitch: Daniel Clark from 303 Lowe versus Steve Coll from Havas Worldwide. The challenge? To create ads about Election 2013’s most colourful candidate, Clive Palmer. To make it fair, we asked one agency to go pro-Palmer and the other anti-Palmer. On The Trail: We strap on the blue tie and head out of the office to look at the local candidate, and the ground-level strategies of the two major parties. Includes some of our favourite local ads.

Host Wil Anderson will be joined by regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft as well as Nation legends Dr John Hewson, Lachlan Harris and Annabel Crabb. You’re Soaking In It … We look at Labor’s “Spotlight” ads. Is the scare tactic effective? Is suggesting that Tony Abbott might take recorders away from schoolkids actually a vote winner for the Libs? Why do so many Liberal ads look like they were made in Powerpoint? Do they really want us to pay attention? Oh, and we also show our favourite attack ad. What Would Poland Do?: What do Poland’s political savants do when they want to make a candidate look like a hero? They just do it, throwing in a bit of gratuitous sexism. Because they can. The Small Picture: It’s Silly Season, that time of the campaign when candidates hang out with FM radio crews and television comedians, desperately trying to make themselves look cool and authentic. What are the pitfalls? The Pitch: Simon Veksner from Naked versus Ron Mather from It’s The Thought That Counts. The challenge? To create ads that will make us all happy about voting this weekend, that will get us out of bed with a spring in our step. On The Trail: Why have there been so few streetwalks on this campaign? What’s the smartest way to handle a heckler? Do the jibes hurt? Are fans even more dangerous? And And just what kind of toll does campaigning take on a person?

How are the major parties trying to buy your vote? Is Clive Palmer getting his money's worth? And should Australia become a Republic? Wil, Todd and Russel join Claire Kimball, Annie O'Rourke, Annika Smethurst and Toby Ralph.

The major parties are on the attack but can you trust them? Can the PM change his perception? And can a great ground game make up ground. Wil Anderson and Todd Sampson join Lenda Oshalem, Sally Branson and Toby Ralph.

Wil Anderson hosts the first episode of The Gruen Transfer. The panel discuss why beer ads work, the beauty industry and the segment "The Pitch" includes a competition between two advertising agencies to make an ad for whale meat.

Wil Anderson hosts The Gruen Transfer with regular panelists Russel Howcroft and Todd Sampson, and guest panelists Jane Caro and Darryl Parsons. Segments include a competition between two advertising agencies to make an ad for a holiday in Baghdad. Ads critiqued this week: Agent Provocateur - Proof Holeproof - Nothing Bonds - Mash Antz Pantz - Sic 'Em Rex Underdaks - Airport Emporio by Armani - David Beckham Calvin Klein - Mark Wahlberg Ecko Unltd - Still Free Pakistan International Airways - Twin Towers

his week's panel included regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft along with guest panelists Bridget Taylor and Matt Eastwood. Ads discussed were: "Transport for London - Moonwalking Bear"; the ads from the four biggest banks in Australia; Chevrolet - Tahoe Anti-Ads; and "Philadelphia Cream Cheese - New Girl in Heaven". The pitch was to make celibacy sexy.

Wil Anderson, Todd Sampson, and Russel Howcroft are joined this week by Jane Caro and Dan Gregory. Segments include the bum-vertising challenge: what would you advertise on homeless people? How Do You Sell... chocolate. The Pitch: the Australian Democrats. Ad of the Week: Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo. Endorse Me: David Hicks.

The panel this week consists of regulars Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft, and guests Dee Madigan and Bram Williams. The segments include: What's Wrong With This Ad? a dog food ad. How Do You Sell... four wheel drives. The Pitch: plastic bags. Ad of the Week: a sex trafficking ad featuring Emma Thompson; Brad Pitt in an Edwin jeans ad.

Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft and guests Jane Caro and Matt Eastwood make up this week's panel. The segments are What's This Ad For? a French crime channel ad. How Do You Sell... feminine hygiene products. The Pitch for child labour. Ad of the Week: Ricky Ponting's many endorsements.

Wil, Todd, and Russel are joined by Bridget Taylor and Dan Gregory to decide what kind of commercial endorsement would be appropriate for John Howard, How Do You Sell... road safety ads, The Pitch: Invading New Zealand, Ad of the Week: Cheap warehouse ads & the Gruen Beauty Shouty Ad. The show finishes with a parody of a shouty ad, for 'Power Thirst'.

This week's panel consists of Todd, Russel, Dee Madigan, and Matt Eastwood. The segments ask: What to advertise on sheep? How Do You Sell... phones. The Pitch to embrace global warming. Ad of the Week: blender vs iPhone. Jesus Gruen beer viewer ad.

This week's panel consists of Todd, Russel, Jane Caro, and Bram Williams. The segments talk about Nude Creams, the Back up, and Brand Builders How Do You Sell... Skin Care. The Pitch: Buy Nothing Day. Ad of the Week: Cover Girl Make-up - Rihanna

This week's panel consists of Todd, Russel, Bridget Taylor and Dan Gregory. The segments talk about Zoot Reviews, the Whopper Freakout, Schweppes "Burst" and the Cadbury's Gorilla How Do You Sell... Skin Care. The Pitch: Anti-Tourism Campaign. Ad of the Week: Football Superstar

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Australia, The Pitch: Nuclear Power, Ad of The Week: CareerBuilder.com

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Oral Care, Ad of The Week: Witchery Mens, The Pitch: Don Bradman

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Bottled Water, Ad of The Week: Fake Internet Ads, The Pitch: Ice to Eskimos

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Petrol, Ad of The Week: Damage Control, The Pitch: Synchronised Swimming for Aussie Men

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Weightloss, Ad of The Week: Sexual Abuse, The Pitch: The GFC's effect on CEOs

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Breakfast Cereal, Ad of The Week: The Million Project, The Pitch: Cosmetic Surgery for Children

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Tobacco, Ad of The Week: Cruelty to Actors, The Pitch: Bring 2012 Olympics to Australia

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Yourself, Ad of The Week: Coca Cola's Health Claims, The Pitch: Cane Toads For Pets

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Meat, Ad of The Week: Speight's Beer, The Pitch: Fat Pride

In this episode : How Do You Sell: Hamburgers, Ad of the Week: GE sexy mine workers, The Pitch: Make Australians give up their public holidays

How do you Sell? Exploring the techniques and tactics agencies use to sell their Cleaning Products. The Pitch: Save the Blobfish Ad of the week: An indepth discussion of how the Government and Mining Industry have tried to sway public oppinion through their advertising.

How do you Sell? Adidas vs Nike, talking about the techniques and tactics agencies have used to sell their products in and around the World Cup. Time Tunnel:From 1981 hello sexy Nix. The Pitch: Visit Asbestos Ad Crunch: An indepth discussion of Daniel Cox's ad to help make people wear seatbelts, how does this film work and what makes it so affective.

How do you Sell? Exploring how advertising sells MasterChef and how MasterChef sells you. Raking in cash through ad sales, product placement and merchandising. The Pitch: Western Australia should become it's own country Ad Crunch: Analysing a provocative World Wildlife Fund ad, what does this piece of communication acheive and how effective is it.

Endorse Me: Kevin Rudd How do you Sell? A journey into advertising's armpit, the claims and solutions agencies use for the problems you just realised you had. Debating Deodorant advertising. The Pitch: Oil spills Ad of the week: Analysing the award winning Old Spice ad.

How do you Sell Televisions? The biggest purchase most people will make after a house and car how do they get you to buy their brand? The Pitch: Urine Ad of the week: McDonalds introduction of the Mighty Angus and the Gand Angus campaine was their most successful launch. What made sale increase to the tune of an extra $2 million a week?

Wil Anderson, Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft are joined by Matt Eastwood and Bridget Taylor on the final episode for this series. On How Do You Sell? we look at airlines and On the Pitch - NZ and Australia One Country.

On the very first episode of Planet, we unpick the messaging around: the only leader on Earth more besieged than Gaddafi ... our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Is there any hope for the PM? How would our Gruen communication specialists reposition her? Will an appearance on Junior Masterchef help? Or is she a Dead Woman Walking? SABMiller’s $12.3 billion purchase of Fosters. How do you sell Aussie beers that are no longer Aussie? How do you manage the public and media blacklash? Do brands really need to worry about patriotism? THE PITCH. In Grand Final week for the NRL and AFL, with the atrocities of mad Monday just around the corner, we’ve asked our agencies to come up with a campaign to convince Australians that we should stop expecting our footballers to be role models. Blackbocks (Adelaide) Vs Cooch (Perth) SPIN CYCLE. We look at three recent attempts to sell us a product, service, person or idea and nominate a winner. Who will it be?

This week, Team Gruen destructs; Crisis Management. A very recent example of what looks like a textbook PR disaster. Last week, a Melbourne woman claimed she was bullied and ridiculed in a retail store by a shop assistant. She complained to the company, who went even further in an over-the-top, abusive email. Unsurprisingly, the shopper posted the correspondence online and it went viral, trending worldwide. She ended up on current affairs shows, along with the company spokesman, who threw more fuel onto the fire by defending the company's position. As a result, the store got maximum exposure, but is all PR good PR? Pinktober. Pink lollies, pink windscreen wipers, pink copy paper, pink footies... The panel looks at the 'pinking' of products l in the name of Cause Related Marketing. Breast Cancer Awareness is a great cause, but are some cashing in on it? The Pitch. What happens when your name is your brand and that name has become, well, a little bit toxic. We've challenged our agencies to come up with a campaign to re-establish "Murdoch as a name everyone can trust."

Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft (GPYR) and Todd Sampson (Leo Burnett) give a big Gruen welcome to two debutantes – corporate image specialist Tim Allerton (City Public Relations) who has worked with Kerry Stokes and Russell Crowe and Suzy Yates, who has 15 years experiencing working with Sydney Airport and Bing Lee. This week, in Crisis Management, we’ll ask how a death threat could possibly be good PR. Someone at Qantas thought it could be, because the airline released a story to News Ltd newspapers about death threats to senior executives. A photo shoot was done to accompany the story. Radio and television interviews followed when it broke. But what kind of strategy was behind the decision to go public? In How Do You Sell, we’ll ask the question on the lips of many markets: what will this week’s death of Steve Jobs mean to Brand Apple. And during the Spin Cycle, we’ll count down and celebrate three tragically naked attempts to grab our attention this week. The Pitch. Two competing ad agencies come up with a campaign, on behalf of the Tasmania government to convince us to move all our refugee processing and detention to the Apple Isle. We welcome ABT and Sputnik to centre stage.

In the Gruen spin class this week, Wil Anderson is joined by Todd Sampson (Leo Burnett), Russel Howcroft (Y&R Group), Anthony McClellan (AMC Media) and Anouk Darling (Moon Communications). GOD SAVE THE ROYALS As the Queen touches down on Australian soil on Wednesday, we take a gander at Brand Royal 2011. After taking a battering in recent times, William & Kate’s wedding returned some of the shine to the family. The Royals exist in an uneasy truce with commerce, seen to be above petty money-making, yet locked in a dance with all kinds of brands and charities. And with support for the monarchy drifting upwards again, what does this visit mean for the Republicans? CRISIS MANAGEMENT This week, ice-cream brand Ben & Jerry’s released a statement supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement, despite the fact that the company is owned by Unilever, the kind of multi-national corporation the protesters were demonstrating against. We look at the pros and cons of brands trying to associate themselves with social and political revolution. SPIN CYCLE A countdown of three of the dodgiest, attention-grabbing publicity stunts from around the world. THE PITCH This week, we challenge our agencies to come up with a campaign for a fictitious client, Australia’s number one airline, Kwantas: The Flying wallaby. The ad has to sell the idea that moving airline operations offshore is the patriotic thing to do. Make Vs Thinkbone.

What do Joan Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dame Nellie Melba, Carson Kressley, Jean Shrimpton and Snoop Dog all have in common? They’ve all been on the celebrity guest list at Flemington. How much do companies pay for their attendance? What are the responsibilities of a good tent guest? And the question of everyone’s lips, will Leo, Shane and Liz turn up this season? On the Spin Cycle this week, we look at the marriage of death and publicity. From the World of Advertising and image control, The Renovators will look at Hungry Jacks: new burgers, new slogan, new healthier repositioning. From next year, in NSW it will be mandatory to include kilojoule counts on fast food menus. Last week, Hungry Jacks got in early, the first chain to roll out the changes. What’s the value of that in PR terms? Is it possible to sell the Ultimate Double Whopper, voted the unhealthiest fast food in Australia, alongside plastic cups of raw vegetables? And on The Pitch, returning to the racing theme, a campaign to convince Australians to ignore the Melbourne Cup. Braincells Vs sense.

Wil Anderson,Todd Sampson (Leo Burnett) and Russel Howcroft (Y&R Group) are joined again by City Public Relations’ Tim Allerton and for the first time, Rebecca Huntley (Ipsos-McKay), one of Australia’s most respected social analysts. On Crisis Management this week, we again turn our attention to the airline that stopped the nation. Qantas stranded an estimated 70,000 passengers on Saturday and upset many thousands more after management grounded its entire fleet. Even those of us who have always loved the airline are now wondering how we got into this damaging relationship. How will Qantas now rebuild its brand internationally and at home? And if this was a calculated strategy by the board, why confirm Alan Joyce’s huge pay increase two days prior? On Spin Cycle we count down this week’s shameless attention-seeking stunts. They involve a supermarket, a whale and a “celebrity”. A couple of weeks ago, we spoke about brands exploiting the Arab Spring. This week we look at the marketing and branding that has sprung up during the Occupy Wall Street protests. Millionaire celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon. How effective is that wattage of star-power to the cause? On The Pitch this week – a Twilight Zone hypothetical. It couldn’t happen ... or could it? Imagine Julia Gillard has been deposed and Kevin Rudd restored as Prime Minister and leader of the Labor Party. That’s right, a guy disliked by the public, with so few friends in his own party that they ditched him. Our agencies have to come up with a convincing ad to kick off his re-election campaign... Oddfellows Vs. Convert

Joining Russel Howcroft (Y&R Group) and Todd Sampson (Leo Burnett) for a rigorous Gruen spin class this week are self-described marketing bloke and occasional propagandist Toby Ralph, and a PR veteran of 15 years, Suzy Yates. On the Renovators this week, we look at the ways mining companies try to make us love them. With the watered-down mining tax legislation expected to get through parliament this week, we ask why these companies are still trying to win our hearts and minds. Is their investment in local communities just a diversion, to distract us from their mega- profits? And as ‘global warming’ became the softer sounding ‘climate change’, can the mining companies substitute ‘fracking’ with the gentler ‘seam stimulation’? Oh, and one last thing, what do you do when Alan Jones decides to attack you? On How Do You Sell...The PR cyclone Kim Kardashian and sister Khloe whipped through Sydney last week. How has this LA reality TV family managed to create an empire that turned over $70 million last year? Everyone bitches that she’s famous for absolutely nothing, but that fame just grows and grows. What is the need in us that Kim answers? On The Pitch, we ask our agencies to help an industry under threat. If you believe Clubs Australia, new poker machine laws will ruin this country. So to help the industry, we’ve asked our agencies to come up with a campaign to convince Australians to free the pokies from restrictive club environments and let them find new markets in shops, schools, waiting rooms. wherever… Jack Watts Currie Vs DraftFCB

Why don’t the new ads for Crown want to mention the C word? How come James Packer’s everywhere in the media these days? Did Pussy Riot’s message get lost in the media coverage? And can two agencies come up with an ad campaign to convince Australians that Gina Rinehart would be the right person to run Fairfax Media.

This week on Gruen Planet, we hang out with Brad Pitt’s younger brother Doug. Virgin Mobile has made him the face of its latest ad campaign. But is Doug really Doug or is he “Doug”? And why did so many Australian news outlets jump at the story when he was in town last week? We also look at the tactics Qantas employed to pave the way for some bad news it knew it had to deliver last week: a $245 million full year loss, its first since it was privatised in the 1990s. And a Pitch challenge to do what the government has struggled to do, sell us the carbon tax.

move? How much immunity does a cancer charity buy you? Why are his sponsors standing by their cycling-man? We also examine AAMI’ Rhonda and Ketut love story, a simple ad about insurance that has become a phenomenon. Why would we take advice from a woman who doesn’t even know about sunscreen? And in the week that TV show The Shire breathes its last, we have a special Pitch challenge. Two agencies compete to come up with a campaign that makes up for the damage done to Cronulla’s reputation by Lara Bingle, the race riots and The Shire.

The Gruen team looks at Gina Rinehart’s video address to her loyal subjects, asking the question: if money talks, then why is Gina? And can a woman who earned $20billion last year really argue our economy isn’t working? We also look at kids with webcams, another of marketing’s bold, new frontiers. Spin Cycle counts down three of our favourite recent attempts to catch a headline. This week’s nominees: Channel Nine, the Paralympics and the Australian Christian Lobby’s Jim Wallace.

You may not know it, but one of the methods used by the Australian government to stop the boats is advertising. The Gruen team looks at the No To People Smuggling YouTube channel, which has been aiming ads at smugglers and refugees for two years. In the wake of Victoria Bitter's apology to the nation, we ask, is saying sorry just a clever form of marketing? And Spin Cycle may be the only place this week that draws a line between AAMI's Ketut, the Free Syria Army and Woolworths' Wallace.

The Gruen team looks at Apple, the world’s biggest brand, unpicking the iPhone 5 launch, examining the ways buying frenzy is created through headlines and hype, and how its competitor Samsung has ambushed at every step. We also examine the Pink dollar. Same Sex marriage can’t get through parliament, but it is gradually weaving its way into advertising. Tonight we look at brands taking a stand and joining the debate.

This week, one of Australia's most powerful and successful communicators, Alan Jones, showed he could also be pretty bad at it. The panel picks apart Sunday's press conference, examining the spin tactics of distraction and deflection, apology and blame-shifting, and how 2GB advertising clients reacted to all of it. It also examines Advertising Crimes Against Music. Coles employees have written to the Gruen team to say that working in a store where Down Down is on high rotation is workplace torture. Tonight the panel investigates the process of turning popular songs into ear-bleeding company jingles. And if you thought Down Down was bad, you ain't heard nothing yet.

In tonight’s episode, Scientology, Movies and Spin – The Master, a movie with Oscar buzz based on the life of L Ron Hubbard, is heading to our shores. The panel looks at Scientology’s public image and its PR strategy. Also: in the 12 months that followed the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the area’s second in six months, Australian visitors dropped by 43 per cent. So can advertising turn a city associated with devastating earthquakes into a fun family holiday destination? The Gruen team looks at Christchurch’s attempt to lure us across the ditch.

How Do You Sell Newspapers – The panel looks at the challenges involved in selling a product many people think is dying. What were the values of the newspaper brand in earlier decades and what do they have left to sell? We also look at Shoppable Movies – Target USA has just released Falling For You, an online romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell, written and directed by Mad Men alumni. Viewers can click on hundreds of products in the movie, ordering them while they watch. What does this mean for advertising? And retail?

Fearless Felix – Last week, Felix Baumgartner jumped from 39 kilometres above the earth, breaking the speed of sound and various records on his way down. For sponsor Red Bull, it was the culmination of a seven year project. Why does Red Bull want to own the extreme? And what if Felix had died? Also, ABC Promos – are TV networks brands or just buttons on the remote? What do all those ABC bubbles mean? Ten, seriously?

'How Do You Sell' looks at the use of the One Direction brand in association with various Coles products, and the marketing power of this relationship. 'The Pitch' sees two Agencies competing to create the best Ad, which uses the arrival of Prince George to convince us to become a republic. 'Spin Cycle' evaluates recent PR moves in an attempt to protect a brand or change peoples perceptions of other brands.

This week Apple launched two new iPhones to a seemingly underwhelmed marketplace. On Gruen Planet, we revisit what, only a couple of years ago, was the world’s shiniest brand. Is Apple’s formulaic marketing now working against it? Is it a victim of its own hubris? How are the other players in the smartphone marketplace exploiting Apple’s vulnerability? Also, ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ is the most awarded ad in this history of this planet. The chirpy, quirky little YouTube clip for Melbourne’s Metro Trains has had more than 60 million views. Why does it work? How do you keep the awareness growing? If the death toll doesn’t fall, can it really be called a success?

On Gruen Planet this week, as we push deep into September, you can almost smell, almost touch, almost taste the Rugby League and Aussie Rules Grand Finals. Yet, even though the two codes have fan bases of similar size, and even though the two grand finals will be among the most watched programs on TV this year, only one of them seems to appeal to marketers. Why? Also, our screens are being bombarded with Defence Force job ads. The ADF is one of the biggest advertisers in the country, spending $40 million a year to attract recruits. What are the challenges of selling a job that might involve you being shot? And how hard is to convince women to join when sex scandals clog the headlines?

On Gruen Planet this week, we ask why advertising is turning into a giant episode of Candid Camera. Why are so many brands pranking people and putting the resulting videos on YouTube? Are the people in these ads actors? Is it okay to scare the crap out of people just so you can sell another TV set? Also, we take a trip to South Australia to pull apart the ‘Barossa – Be Consumed’ ad, the one featuring Nick Cave’s ‘Red Right Hand’ on the soundtrack. Is it just us or is SA wooing the usually ignored murder demographic?

This week, we rake over the coals of England’s most famous Harry. No, not Harry Styles. Prince Harry of Wales, who was here on the weekend for the shortest ever royal visit. We also spend some time with chickens, show the worst endorsement ever by a famous painter, find out what North Koreans watch on TV and wonder why so many ads play on female bodily insecurities, while so few play on male ones.

On Gruen Planet this week, Coca-Cola enters the Obesity War. We ask, what kind of responsibilities do brands have to the community? Wouldn’t Coke be smarter to acknowledge it’s an unhealthy, sugar-laden beverage that people love? And then stay out of a health debate it can’t win? And what does a can of fat taste like anyway? Should ASIO read your emails? We also visit Woolworfs, Jamie Oliver’s new pals. What are the risks and rewards of a supermarket aligning itself with an outspoken fresh food campaigner? Supermarkets sell fresh food, but they also sell aisle after aisle of often unhealthy, processed foods.

On Gruen Planet this week, the amber fluid, beer. Despite a decade of big budget, over the top ads, Australian beer consumption is at a 66 year low. What if all those commercials, regularly voted as among the world’s best, actually failed? And what can the industry’s marketers do to turn the situation around? Also, six months after the collapse of the Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh, we look at the ways brands respond to that kind of crisis. Is it better to go public or stay silent? Will the Australian consumer value low prices more than human life?

In light of recent same-sex marriage legislation, 'How Do you Sell' looks at varying Ad approaches that attempt to tackle this issue. 'Spin Cycle' celebrates the best and worst of marketing through ambiguous brand names, delicious business cards and marketable marketing managers. 'The Pitch' dares two Ad agencies to convince us to ban all advertising. 'Crisis Management' has the panel discussing anti-bikie laws, and the Ads that coincide with this development

How do you sell a product like pet food, when humans never eat it? The Pitch returns and we look for the Best Local Ad of All Time. Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft, and Todd Sampson are joined by Dee Madigan, Lauren Fried.

This week the panel looks at the rise of one brand, & the fall of another; controversial car-sharing app Uber; & cheating website Ashley Madison. Can an ad agency convince us we need a home grown royal family?

Brands love to be loved, but the far stranger phenomenon is when people really love brands. Enter Aldi. How does an airline advertise? Can two agencies convince us that the great Australian dream is NOT owning a home?

As he tours the USA, Gruen looks at Pope Francis as a brand, & all the brands who are cashing in on him; the stuffed-crust pizza wars; & a pitch to restore our faith in politicians, from the next generation of creatives.

Gruen examines the ad breaks in the footy grand finals. Who exactly is being sold to and what's the value of being a major sponsor? Plus ad agency DDB takes the competition in house in a pitch challenge to ban divorce.

The team deconstructs the latest advertising trend: anti-advertising. And they take a look at the communication around the issue of domestic and family violence including a recent ad targeted at teens.

We look at toilet paper ads to ask why something white, square & occasionally embossed sells itself using puppies & kids; YouTube pre-rolls; & a Pitch to convince us that Australia should manufacture nuclear weapons.

The Gruen team talk about when sledging meets marketing - ads that go negative & what to do when your brand is in the news for the wrong reasons. Toyota, ISIS & a Pitch to convince multi-national companies to pay tax.

The Gruen team looks at blockbusters & their merchandising; the ads that pretend to be movies - like the star-studded 16 minute film for James Packer's new casino & they look at the most expensive commercial ever made.

In the final Gruen of the year, Will, Todd & Russel unwrap some Christmas ads & look at one of our favourite ads of the year. Two agencies show us that wrinkles can be sexy. Guest panelists: Milla McPhee & Claire Salvetti.

Gruen is back to find out why we buy what we buy. Why do the ads on the side of our internet browser want us to buy more? Wil, Russel, Todd & a team of new & familiar faces will deconstruct the advertising landscape.

Wil, Russel, Todd & industry experts tackle the biggest advertising event in the world: The Olympics. Which brands will win marketing gold and who will come dead last? Plus two agencies Pitch to sell Tasmania to China.

We pick over the bones of the Census Fail; why there hasn't been an Australian organ donation ad in a year; the clichs & repetition in Olympic ads & the Pitch to convince us that bronze medals are better than gold.

How to sell a compulsory and slightly dull product: superannuation. Why FitnessFirst is filming in the show. Advertising crimes against English. And a Pitch to bring civility back to the internet.

This week on Gruen: Dadvertising and the Father's Day dollar. When advertising eats itself alive. Paralympics campaign We're The Superhumans. And a Pitch for an all female parliament.

How to sell a product it’s wildly popular to hate: Sugar. The rise of Awareness campaigns. The never-ending toothpaste arms race. What Would Justin Do. And a Pitch to pave the Great Barrier Reef.

How to sell something when it's a matter of life & death: funerals; men's fragrance ads; Justin Trudeau & when to get rid of a brand ambassador with a bad whiff. The Pitch this week is to change the date of Australia Day.

How to sell a plebiscite and the messaging tools used to debate same-sex marriage. Product recalls and Samsung’s explosive new device. Brands overusing emojis. And a Pitch to abolish private schools.

How do you sell fruit? The most talked about feminine hygiene ad of the year. The fastest growing sector in advertising: gambling. WWJD. And a Pitch to retire the vote after 60.

Gruen looks at lamb, the banks & the biggest advertising trend of the year: brands trying to be noble. Plus an extra dose of the PM everyone deserves & a Pitch to convince everyone to stop watching TV.

Gruen returns to ask: How do you sell the NBN, why big companies are bashing hipsters and the weird advertising trend of rapid aging. A Pitch to convince North Korea to aim somewhere else and Ads You Couldn't Make in 2017.

The 100th episode of the show that unpicks the dark arts of advertising, branding & spin. How to sell online dating when the product is you. A new Apple Watch campaign which is a matter of life & death. The Pitch smashes brand avocado & a look at who we were & how far we've come in Ads You Couldn't Make in 2017.

How brands are hijacking the same-sex postal vote. Ads that attempt to fix racism using comedy. Plus a Pitch for a one house policy, the science of marketing and more ads you couldn't make in 2017.

How banks are slashing ATM fees while still cashing in; Aussie toy Shopkins and the business of selling shopping to kids; what's going on in betting ads and a pitch to push for politicians to be born overseas.

This week: something we consume 15.9 million of a day & barely advertise: eggs; why BHP is banging on about superannuation & a Pitch to convince men to go to the doctor. Plus a mind-boggling ad that couldn't get made in 2017.

Amazon is coming, so what are Aussie retailers doing to defend themselves? A Pitch to rehabilitate the image of the creepy clown. Plus we look at McHappy Day - when charity and brands collide.

How advertising is tackling equal pay. One of Australia's biggest brands: the Hillsong church. A Pitch to make us turn off the news and why limited edition products are swamping supermarket shelves.

Uncorking the marketing successes and failures of the six billion dollar Australian wine industry. A Pitch to convince parents not to have kids. A new push against piracy. Plus more ads from the vault labelled 'never again'.

The AI assistant arms race - how Amazon, Google & Apple are trying to move in to your home; Streets ice cream & consumer boycotts; a Pitch to make uni free plus another commercial from the museum of advertising shame

On the series final of Gruen we look at Taylor Swift's launch of her PR-tinged new album Reputation & how she's changing the music industry in 2017; we rebrand the humble headache; plus a Pitch for a jingle to unite us all.

How are the big banks selling themselves during the royal commission? Will Coke No Sugar reverse sliding soft drink sales? Ads that murder our favourite songs, and a pitch to make Australia the USA's 51st state.

Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft and Todd Sampson analyse Facebook's ad campaign, a company in crisis, and the evolution of Brand Zuckerberg. Plus, selling Australia to the USA and a pitch to shut down the internet.

A look at the changing face of pharmacies - how did the humble chemist become a $16 billion industry? Why are so many celebrities flogging fragrances? Plus, a pitch to boycott the royal wedding, and David Warner's redemption tour.

The race to trace your saliva - the booming business of DNA testing. Selling gossip magazines in the aftermath of the Royal Wedding and Rebel Wilson. Plus, a Pitch for a compulsory parental payback scheme.

This week on Gruen, we pull back the covers on mattresses and find out how sleep is being sold and disrupted. A confronting animal rights campaign. Plus a Pitch to reposition the art of cheating.

How do you sell something a quarter of a million Aussies have ditched in the past year: health insurance. An IKEA ad that's almost as baffling as its store layouts and a Pitch to save the humble bee.

How the big hair loss brands target male insecurities. Amazon Australia, eBay and the online shopping wars. Plus, a pitch to pay teachers as much as politicians. Joining Wil, Todd, and Russel are Cam O'Keefe and Emily Taylor.

Eating in and the new way to take-out, we dish up on how Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Menulog and Foodora are changing food delivery; Raising awareness for a cancer no one talks about; a Pitch to take the World Cup across the ditch.

How confectionery is marketing itself without any TV ads; the flood of End of Financial Year Sales - do they work or do consumers have discount fatigue? Plus a Pitch to convince Millennials to move where the grass is greener.

On the final Gruen for 2018, the supermarket bag ban - was it a big PR win or a spectacular fail? Unpacking ASMR - an online trend with big brands riding on its coattails. Plus a Pitch to persuade us to abandon banks forever.

Gruen returns with a deep dive into supermarket collectables, Google's new campaign and a Pitch persuading meat eaters to go vegan and vegans to eat meat. Joining Wil, Todd and Russel are Dee Madigan and Karen Ferry.

This week on Gruen, the advertising aftermath of the royal commission: how the big, small and online financial institutions are banking on an image change. Plus KFC's very quiet re-rebrand and the Pitch tackles over 65s.

This week on Gruen: the Spring Racing advertising offensive, the department store death rattle, Big Vitamin. Plus a Pitch to convince Christians to become atheists and atheists to believe in God.

Overly melodramatic ads, the volatile influencer economy and brands wading into mental health. Plus, it's retail vs online shopping on The Pitch. Joining Wil, Todd and Russel are Christina Aventi and Rebecca Bezzina.

Wil and the team look at milkvertising: how dairy and alternative milks are vying to fill our cups. Plus books as brands, the marketing marathon that was the INEOS 1:59 Challenge and It's Fix it or Bin it on The Pitch.

Brandspiration, domestic tourism and how your state sells itself, the PR crisis engulfing spring racing season, and a pitch for and against Halloween. Wil is joined by Todd, Russel, Karen Ferry and Carolyn Miller.