Now with Beer Garden for our smoking patrons.Agree. And when they do use a younger person, they go with the airhead that hosts that poorly made local version of A Current Affair. Gotta love that genuine chemistry between her and Keith Conlon, it's about the most cringeworthy ad on TV. The only winner from those ads is the departure lounge at Adelaide Airport!joshzxzx wrote:Yep....
Tooooo many old people..
Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
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It's Our City
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Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
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stumpjumper
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Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
riceknackers, I'm well aware that SA Great has been around for a long time. I've dealt with them.
However, the point I was making is that it delivers the same old Rann govt/SA Tourism Commission/Australian Major Events/SA Motor Sports Board promotions model - lots of feel-good launches, expo booths and attendance at interstate and overseas functions, all based on the wineries/Kangaroo Island/major events/dodgy 'business efficiency' statistics that the Rann govt developed years ago.
The song hasn't changed, and neither have the singers.
Look at the personnel of the various bodies whose job it is to promote SA. Although Bill Spurr has retired after years as emperor at SA Tourism Commission (but is still consulting I hear), the day to day operation of the bodies in general is in the hands of the usual suspects. The problem with that is that the 'usual suspects' are conditioned by years of the same thinking. SATC is now run by Andrew McEvoy, a trusted and same-thinking former SATC marketing manager. Check out SATC's 'corporate website'.
Consider SA Motor Sports Board under CEO Andrew Daniels, who has moved on to become Chief Executive Officer of the Motor Accident Commission, sponsored by his good mate Kevin Foley (remember Foley's manic support for the Vic Park grandstand to be used four days per year by SA Motor Sports Board?). Not to be sexist, but the 9 permanent executive positions apart from Daniels' and one other, when Daniels was running SA Motor Sport, were taken up by what you could call the 'Rann sisterhood' - a network of ladies who move from SA govt body to SA govt body, always as I said pushing the same world view because they have been conditioned to it.
Presently at SA Great, under CEO Nikki Seymour-Smith and the 'personal assistant to the CEO' Lucy Burchall, the paid staff comprise 13 women and 1 male. All these quasi-government bodies, by the way, affect the language and titles of the corporate world. Managers are CEO's, the office accountant or bookkeeper is the Chief Financial Officer and there are numerous Marketing Managers, Marketing Services Managers, Communications Managers, Business Development Managers, and so on, all frequently seen at the Premier's Department drinks parties and launches. At one of the two Premier's Drinks' I have attended, in the wine centre, (I was a guest of SA Tourism Commission) I was told with a giggle by one of the Managers from SA Great that 8 of the other manager/coordinators were there too. This Manager told me that it was her 4th drinks party for the week (it was a Thursday afternoon) and the parties were 'boring because all the same people were always there'. 'They're free though,' I said, as yet another plate of king-sized prawns sailed past and my glass was filled yet again. She looked at me uncomprehending for a moment. I thought she was about to say, 'Isn't every thing always free?'. I think she twigged that I was less than sympathetic to the basically pointless waste of such a lavish event for the purpose, and retreated to the safety of people who thought just like she did. How well the other half (the government-funded half) lives.
Back at SA Tourism, too, over 75% of the emplyees are female and of the same mould. The whole place works hand in glove with the Premier's Department. Look at the corporate website again. SATC has for weeks been celebrating, with the Premier, the visit of Saint Lance Armstrong. In fact it's still celebrating it. The synchronisation between Rann's office and SATC is remarkable. They're all Twittering, too, especially the Big Boss Mike Rann. Apparently Saint Lance is a great Twitterer, and Mikey wanted to be just like his hero, of course, so now Media Mike (or one of his PA's) is Twittering at every opportunity. Get on his Twitter list, you'll see what I mean.
Anyway, it's Corporate SA in action at these government-funded bodies, a throwback to the 80's - a discredited way of doing things that survives in our outpost.
I'm not joking.
SA Great has been colonised by the Rann govt. Look at the connections between 'premcab' (the many-tentacled Department of Premier and Cabinet) and SA Great, SA Tourism Commission/Australian Major Events, SA Progressive Business Inc and so on. Same heads, same drinks parties, same tired old ideas.
Take Nikki Seymour-Smith as an example, chosen from many similar as being representative. Nothing against her personally.
Her background includes stints at the SA Wine Centre, SA Motor Sport Board, Tasting Australia Festival, Adelaide Convention & Tourism Authority and Australian Major Events. See a pattern? The management profile of all of those bodies is very similar, and all are very close to the Premier's Deapartment and are partly. or wholly funded by the SA govt. Running these outfits is a trusted male or female head honcho leading a group of highly paid, same-thinking young to youngish ladies who must conform to the script if they want to keep their all expenses paid seats on the gravy train. An endless round of lunches, dinners, comfortable travel and gold pass entry to everything plus endless networking opportunities to line up the next job. These ladies are well-paid, well-groomed and tend to have their personal assistants hovering around them like courtier/bodyguards. As I said, I know - I've dealt with them.
All that would be fine if it produced fresh ideas, but it doesn't. They're not receptive to new ideas, and can't recognise good ones when they see them. 'We know what works for SA' is their standard response. That means food, wine and festivals, with a trip to KI thrown in. Try them with 'gateway to the outback', or 'a sailor's paradise. or bushwalking or rock-climbing or a clubber's guide to SA. or even skateboarding around SA, anything outside their narrow view and you'll get that response.
They wouldn't even back the Tour Down Under when Mike Turtur first approached them. Hold your event, and if it's successful we'll include it in our calendar, he was told.
It's the lack of fresh ideas, the 'corporate' monoculture right down to the phony management jargon, and the repetition of strategies, that really p*sses me off.
However, the point I was making is that it delivers the same old Rann govt/SA Tourism Commission/Australian Major Events/SA Motor Sports Board promotions model - lots of feel-good launches, expo booths and attendance at interstate and overseas functions, all based on the wineries/Kangaroo Island/major events/dodgy 'business efficiency' statistics that the Rann govt developed years ago.
The song hasn't changed, and neither have the singers.
Look at the personnel of the various bodies whose job it is to promote SA. Although Bill Spurr has retired after years as emperor at SA Tourism Commission (but is still consulting I hear), the day to day operation of the bodies in general is in the hands of the usual suspects. The problem with that is that the 'usual suspects' are conditioned by years of the same thinking. SATC is now run by Andrew McEvoy, a trusted and same-thinking former SATC marketing manager. Check out SATC's 'corporate website'.
Consider SA Motor Sports Board under CEO Andrew Daniels, who has moved on to become Chief Executive Officer of the Motor Accident Commission, sponsored by his good mate Kevin Foley (remember Foley's manic support for the Vic Park grandstand to be used four days per year by SA Motor Sports Board?). Not to be sexist, but the 9 permanent executive positions apart from Daniels' and one other, when Daniels was running SA Motor Sport, were taken up by what you could call the 'Rann sisterhood' - a network of ladies who move from SA govt body to SA govt body, always as I said pushing the same world view because they have been conditioned to it.
Presently at SA Great, under CEO Nikki Seymour-Smith and the 'personal assistant to the CEO' Lucy Burchall, the paid staff comprise 13 women and 1 male. All these quasi-government bodies, by the way, affect the language and titles of the corporate world. Managers are CEO's, the office accountant or bookkeeper is the Chief Financial Officer and there are numerous Marketing Managers, Marketing Services Managers, Communications Managers, Business Development Managers, and so on, all frequently seen at the Premier's Department drinks parties and launches. At one of the two Premier's Drinks' I have attended, in the wine centre, (I was a guest of SA Tourism Commission) I was told with a giggle by one of the Managers from SA Great that 8 of the other manager/coordinators were there too. This Manager told me that it was her 4th drinks party for the week (it was a Thursday afternoon) and the parties were 'boring because all the same people were always there'. 'They're free though,' I said, as yet another plate of king-sized prawns sailed past and my glass was filled yet again. She looked at me uncomprehending for a moment. I thought she was about to say, 'Isn't every thing always free?'. I think she twigged that I was less than sympathetic to the basically pointless waste of such a lavish event for the purpose, and retreated to the safety of people who thought just like she did. How well the other half (the government-funded half) lives.
Back at SA Tourism, too, over 75% of the emplyees are female and of the same mould. The whole place works hand in glove with the Premier's Department. Look at the corporate website again. SATC has for weeks been celebrating, with the Premier, the visit of Saint Lance Armstrong. In fact it's still celebrating it. The synchronisation between Rann's office and SATC is remarkable. They're all Twittering, too, especially the Big Boss Mike Rann. Apparently Saint Lance is a great Twitterer, and Mikey wanted to be just like his hero, of course, so now Media Mike (or one of his PA's) is Twittering at every opportunity. Get on his Twitter list, you'll see what I mean.
Anyway, it's Corporate SA in action at these government-funded bodies, a throwback to the 80's - a discredited way of doing things that survives in our outpost.
I'm not joking.
SA Great has been colonised by the Rann govt. Look at the connections between 'premcab' (the many-tentacled Department of Premier and Cabinet) and SA Great, SA Tourism Commission/Australian Major Events, SA Progressive Business Inc and so on. Same heads, same drinks parties, same tired old ideas.
Take Nikki Seymour-Smith as an example, chosen from many similar as being representative. Nothing against her personally.
Her background includes stints at the SA Wine Centre, SA Motor Sport Board, Tasting Australia Festival, Adelaide Convention & Tourism Authority and Australian Major Events. See a pattern? The management profile of all of those bodies is very similar, and all are very close to the Premier's Deapartment and are partly. or wholly funded by the SA govt. Running these outfits is a trusted male or female head honcho leading a group of highly paid, same-thinking young to youngish ladies who must conform to the script if they want to keep their all expenses paid seats on the gravy train. An endless round of lunches, dinners, comfortable travel and gold pass entry to everything plus endless networking opportunities to line up the next job. These ladies are well-paid, well-groomed and tend to have their personal assistants hovering around them like courtier/bodyguards. As I said, I know - I've dealt with them.
All that would be fine if it produced fresh ideas, but it doesn't. They're not receptive to new ideas, and can't recognise good ones when they see them. 'We know what works for SA' is their standard response. That means food, wine and festivals, with a trip to KI thrown in. Try them with 'gateway to the outback', or 'a sailor's paradise. or bushwalking or rock-climbing or a clubber's guide to SA. or even skateboarding around SA, anything outside their narrow view and you'll get that response.
They wouldn't even back the Tour Down Under when Mike Turtur first approached them. Hold your event, and if it's successful we'll include it in our calendar, he was told.
It's the lack of fresh ideas, the 'corporate' monoculture right down to the phony management jargon, and the repetition of strategies, that really p*sses me off.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
Here's the snakes/ladders tv ad ==> http://sagreat.com.au/files/28501.mp4. It's message is don't panic! 
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
oh, and it's better to let SA Great know your concerns than simply post here on S-A.
http://sagreat.com.au/contact
http://sagreat.com.au/contact
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
and for clarity, the "Keith Conlon & Friend" adverts were made by the SA Tourism Commission, not SA Great.
This in part explains why Keith is sooo focused on wineries, murray, KI, etc - It's all about generating tourist dollars in those regions.
This in part explains why Keith is sooo focused on wineries, murray, KI, etc - It's all about generating tourist dollars in those regions.
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
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stumpjumper
- Legendary Member!
- Posts: 1497
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:10 pm
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
My point exactly, Wayno. SA Great/SA Tourism Commission/Festival Centre Trust/Premier's Dept etc. It's the same people. Many of them have been there for years, and they replicate themselves if they leave by training up a replacement.
Same people, same thinking.
How to promote SA?
Easy.
1. Formulate a strategy. Hey, how about wineries, food, major events and...oh, Kangaroo Island.
2. Cut and paste a business plan full of deliveries of positive outcomes and significant stakeholders etc. (Marketing to create PowerPoint presentation)
3. Get for a budget line for it.
4. Launch a website (See KWP! Business development and marketing to organise launch function. Use Powerpoint presentation.)
5. Launch brochures and POS material (See KWP! Business development and marketing to organise launch function. Use Powerpoint presentation.)
6. Review launch (Organise lunch. Ask KWP! Run through PowerPoint presentation)
7. Take a holiday. Job interview with Motor Sport Board.
8. Begin training of new staff member. Exercise: Develop marketing strategy - ideas: wine, food, major events and...oh, Kangaroo Island. Try a PowerPoint presentation. Here's an example...
Wayno, I've taken my complaints to Minister Lomax-Smith and had a meeting with Bill Spurr of SATC and with Jan Chorley of SATC (now of Festival Centre Trust). I was told in no uncertain terms that SATC 'knows what works'. I've spoken to Jan Chorley since she left and she told me, in public, that SATC is 'on rails'.
What can you do? Until the grip of the present crew is released, there will be no change. They are in a very pleasant comfort zone. Innovation, risk - there is no benefit to them.
Same people, same thinking.
How to promote SA?
Easy.
1. Formulate a strategy. Hey, how about wineries, food, major events and...oh, Kangaroo Island.
2. Cut and paste a business plan full of deliveries of positive outcomes and significant stakeholders etc. (Marketing to create PowerPoint presentation)
3. Get for a budget line for it.
4. Launch a website (See KWP! Business development and marketing to organise launch function. Use Powerpoint presentation.)
5. Launch brochures and POS material (See KWP! Business development and marketing to organise launch function. Use Powerpoint presentation.)
6. Review launch (Organise lunch. Ask KWP! Run through PowerPoint presentation)
7. Take a holiday. Job interview with Motor Sport Board.
8. Begin training of new staff member. Exercise: Develop marketing strategy - ideas: wine, food, major events and...oh, Kangaroo Island. Try a PowerPoint presentation. Here's an example...
Wayno, I've taken my complaints to Minister Lomax-Smith and had a meeting with Bill Spurr of SATC and with Jan Chorley of SATC (now of Festival Centre Trust). I was told in no uncertain terms that SATC 'knows what works'. I've spoken to Jan Chorley since she left and she told me, in public, that SATC is 'on rails'.
What can you do? Until the grip of the present crew is released, there will be no change. They are in a very pleasant comfort zone. Innovation, risk - there is no benefit to them.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
would their grip be greatly loosened if the Labor Govt lost the next election?stumpjumper wrote:What can you do? Until the grip of the present crew is released, there will be no change. They are in a very pleasant comfort zone. Innovation, risk - there is no benefit to them.
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
Oh god... what an embarrassment.Wayno wrote:Here's the snakes/ladders tv ad ==> http://sagreat.com.au/files/28501.mp4. It's message is don't panic!
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
And is the answer to life, the universe and everything 42?Wayno wrote: don't panic!
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
stumpjumper wrote:riceknackers, I'm well aware that SA Great has been around for a long time. I've dealt with them.
However, the point I was making is that it delivers the same old Rann govt/SA Tourism Commission/Australian Major Events/SA Motor Sports Board promotions model - lots of feel-good launches, expo booths and attendance at interstate and overseas functions, all based on the wineries/Kangaroo Island/major events/dodgy 'business efficiency' statistics that the Rann govt developed years ago.
82% of people believe anything you say when you put a percentage infront of it.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
and 5 quarters of people have troubles with fractions...Cruise wrote:82% of people believe anything you say when you put a percentage infront of it.
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
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monotonehell
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Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
Can anyone please outline the points that they find so objectionable about the 'snakes and ladders' ad? Isn't it just pointing out some of the things that we all post on this forum from time to time, that the general public may not be aware of?
Exit on the right in the direction of travel.
Re: Does anyone else despise the SA Great ads?
It just seem so try-hardish. None of the stats it quotes are mainstream economic indicators, and many are questionable as to whether they're positive or not (cause and effect).
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