Last Gruen Planet Pitch of 2011: Can Aussies be convinced to give Christmas the flick?

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gruen team 1.jpgIt’s that time of year again where Gruen Planet say goodbye.

However before they do, Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft (Y&R Group) and Todd Sampson (Leo Burnett) are joined by Liquid Ideas PR Stuart Gregor (remember “Casual Russel”) and a familiar Gruen family member, social commentator and author Jane Caro.

On The Renovators this week, they play a few holes with Brand Tiger Woods.  Two years after the sex scandal that ruined his marriage, even after five major sponsors walked away, Tiger is still the highest paid sportsman in the world. And even though he isn’t winning, he’s just announced new deals with Rolex and sports nutrition company Fuse. His visit to Australia last week saw him attend Shane Warne’s new club opening at Crown. A smart PR move?

Religious ads are not that rare on TV anymore. The Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists run campaigns. And not long ago a bunch of Christian churches promoted Brand Jesus. But no-one’s tried to sell us Islam. Until now.

On How Do You Sell, they take a look at the MyPeace Ads that have been on Australian screens these last few weeks, mainly during breakfast television. With research suggesting that Australians are more concerned about Islam than climate change and boat people, MyPeace, a group of second generation Aussie Muslims, is trying to change our perception.

On the last The Pitch for the season, the challenge revolves around Christmas, the holy day of consumerism, a time when rampant spending depletes the planet’s precious resources. On behalf of a very special client, the Gruen team have asked the agencies for an ad that will convince Aussies to give Christmas the flick.

OBM vs It’s The Thought That Counts.

This year’s quest was to find the Worst Product Of All Time. It’s been an arduous trek across the jagged peaks of human stupidity. Sixteen weeks after the quest began, the votes have been tallied and the team will announce the winner of the Gruen Golden Steak Knives.