Labor Party sacks Naked after it offered exclusive interviews with PM Rudd in exchange for free pro-Labor ads and editorial on youth websites
The Labor Party has sacked Naked Communications after it has been caught offering ”exclusive” interviews with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in exchange for free pro-Labor advertising and editorial on youth websites, reports the SMH.
According to the SMH, the deal, which also encouraged journalists to produce ”entertaining content on the theme of the inadequacy of the Liberal NBN plan”, had been rejected on ethical grounds by Fairfax Media’s popular culture website, TheVine. The ad agency has been sacked on the orders of Kevin Rudd.
Naked made this statement to CB: “Naked was engaged by the ALP to work on a small project and are no longer working with them. Unfortunately the relationship has terminated due to some activity that took place which was not authorised by the ALP or part of the brief agreed by Naked management. We will not making any further comment at this stage and will be in touch if we have anything further to add.”
16 Comments
This is just typical of an industry that is full of ill-informed idiots that have no understanding of the real world or of the ethical standards other industries adhere to.
start looking for a new job Kavanagh..pretty stupid play by him. although Ferrier will spin it in to a positive for the shop..
Jan, that is a pretty sweeping remark.
I agree whoever did this was extremely naive and stupid, but I can assure this industry is full of very intelligent and ethical people that wouldn’t dream of doing anything close to this.
Naked have exposed themselves!
Firstly, Nuke, I completely agree with you, Jan thats a pretty sweeping and ill informed remark. Its like saying everyone working in politics is corrupt, ummm …. 🙂
Secondly, after having extensive dealings with a couple of agencies recently, I wouldn’t expect anything else.
Naked is the best example I’ve ever seen of ‘the emperor’s new clothes’ – right down to the give-away name. Sad thing is so many corporates bought their snazzy sneaker scenario. They deserve a good tar and feathering, never mind a sacking.
Take off the rose coloured glasses. This is an industry that proactively produces ethically unsound ads for self-promotion all the time. Think JWT’s Ford Figo or the VW Polo Terrorist spot to name a few.
This is why the industry is rated below used car sales when it comes to trust.
Sorry. Just speaking the truth.
If only Gruen was on tonight and Adam was on the panel.
Says she (or he) with the name inspired from a classic Australian spot, whose line ‘not happy Jan’ found its way in to the Aussie vernacular.
Yes, I am sure you did it on purpose you ironic hipster you.
laborious…
This is from a guy who was only recently blathering on in his ubiquitous English accent about how there wasn’t enough risk taking in the industry here … Well done thrill seeker way to show the colonials how to do it.
What di I need to say to wave my pitchfork around???
Whether or not Naked was briefed by Labor is not the point. Naked had a choice and they made it. Now they have no alternative but to assume responsibility for that choice. Having been subjected to their CEO’s never-ending stream of commentary, judgements and pronouncements on what’s right, and wrong with this industry, Naked shouldn’t be surprised by the lack of industry support they’ll receive in this matter. They have little in the industry’s goodwill bank to draw from. A man once said, “It’s easier to stay out of trouble than to get into it”. You’d think a psychologist would know that.
Make that:
“It’s easier to stay out of trouble than to get into it”.
Jan, another sweeping remark…you are clearly on a roll.
Again I have to disagree. You are citing examples that come from the minority of what it is we do.
Get on your high horse and go and give real estate agents, plastic surgeons and taxi drivers a hard time – we’re bored of you…
I don’t buy the “we didn’t know about this” line from Naked management. All briefs where I work need to be signed off buy a management supervisor prior to them leaving the building. Clients also need to sign briefs too as that is what they are paying for us to execute on. This process is for the largest and smallest campaigns alike. If this did happen then Naked need to have a long hard look at how they execute and authorise work. This would be especially true for a campaign of a political nature.
This says more about the agency then the individual I think…