Much like Stockholm Syndrome where kidnap victims come to adore their captors, journalists have always been susceptible to a similar syndrome.

It may be one reason sports hacks rarely break bad news about the players. And when I worked on a magazine for doctors, it was a regular conversation with colleagues who were thinking of retraining as medics. And there are too many examples to mention of journalists who write about marketing who then move agencyside.

But I never thought it would happen to me.

Until last night’s Media Watch, when I’ve found myself siding with the marketers against the journalists.

The piece – the main one on the program – was something of a kicking for The Conscience Organisation. Media Watch accused them of “unconscionable” conduct in creating a “cynical online advertising campaign”.

Read the full article here

When he isn’t kicking goals/closing/having wins/making it happen, you will catch Mark skateboarding, having a ‘couple’ of beers or workshopping schemes to make millions importing T-Shirts from China and adding hilarious slogans to them for resale in the Australian market (he has done the numbers on this and remains confident).

After 2 years of gallivanting she decided it was time she shipped her life back to Australia to start a new chapter and pick up where she left off.

April studied at the Queensland College of Art in Brisbane, (graduating with a Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production), where she took to making music videos for indie bands (and waiting up until 2am to catch their slot on Rage), short films and documentaries.

Since then she has worked on corporate videos, spent a summer getting sunburnt working on a Nickelodeon Kids show about girls that morph into mermaids, and worked at Film events to schmooze with B-grade stars and drink cocktails.

Lured by the TCO neon sign and friendly faces, April brings her production knowledge, energy and support to help produce more great content with the creative kids at TCO.

Source: mUmBRELLA

Welcome to the “reaction economy” where there’s a new currency in circulation. It’s called earned media.

The units of that currency are comments, shares, likes, badging and posts. And as in all economies, he who gathers the most currency wins.

The emergence of the reaction economy has resulted in a shift from the traditional idea of simply building a creative and pushing it out there via bought media.

Read the full article here.

In the UK, Carly worked for three years as the Marketing and Events Manager at the APA, where she spent her time proclaiming the value of branded content. Her role entailed finding ways to demonstrate and showcase the deep levels of engagement that is created through specifically tailored and targeted content.

Now living in Manly, (she is English after all), she is overcoming her fear of the native Australian wildlife and currently holds the record for the most failed surfing attempts.

After 7 years I discharged from the Army and switched to radio where I got my first taste for advertising and finally understood the purpose and need for it. After a year and a half as the Traffic Manager at Darling Downs Radio Centre I left the small town of Toowoomba, packed up my car and headed to the big smoke.
Sydney sure didn’t disappoint. I landed a Buspak Executive role with APN Outdoor, where I quickly learnt to coordinating 1200 Static Billboards and 15000 Transit installations. 4 short years later, I was the National Installation Director. I was heavily involved in the success of national campaigns for brands such as Telstra, Coke, Emirates, Qantas and Paramount, to name just a few.
In 2009 my partner and I jetted to Las Vegas, New York and LA for almost 4 weeks, the highlight being getting engaged down the bottom of the Grand Canyon over a bottle of bubbly. We’ve now both been bitten by the travel bug and being a born organiser there is nothing I’m looking forward to more than planning our next adventure.

Reports to: Team Manager / Traffic & Process Manager
Position Type: 3 Month Unpaid Internship

Who we are

TCO is a creative company specialising in content creation and social media. We plan, create, produce, negotiate, deliver and measure both traditional and non-traditional concepts across content, the digital ecosystem, and client assets such as media and sponsorships.

We have extremely strong capabilities in creating and developing platform ideas. As both a communication and production company we are able to provide executions through a variety of different channels. A strong understanding of the media landscape enables us to help our clients distribute the content and ideas we create for them.

TCO specialises in branded content and digital production, TV formats, leveraging, social media and digital planning. We work with some of Australia’s leading companies such as: Coca Cola, Westfield, Boost Mobile, Ikon Communications, MediaEdge CIA, Mediacom, Fosters, Mindshare, Network Ten, Fosters, JAG, Nestle, Boost, Commonwealth Bank and more.

The Role
TCO is currently seeking a bright and passionate intern to support our Sydney team.

Digital / Social Media Team:
−    To manage social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and other relevant social sites with the Digital Strategist and Community Manager
−    Work to ensure proper messaging is being executed online and is relevant to brands.
−    Manage online discussions by listening to users, reading between the lines and responding in a timely manner to users needs and requests.
−    Research and prepare reports to update clients on usage statistics
−    Copy writing
−    Liaise with suppliers
−    Brainstorm creative ideas for fans to engage with for relevant brands.

Content Production Team:
-    Assisting the Producers prepare for shoots
-    Booking crew and actors
-    Researching locations
-    Researching visual reference material and new media
-    Quoting from suppliers

Strategy / Client Services Team:
-    Attending Client Meeting
-    Preparing contact reports
-    Assisting with Client Presentations
-    Participating in Brainstorming
-    Creative / Idea generation
-    Researching visual reference material

General Competencies

−    Initiative & drive for results
−    Teamwork
−    Communication
−    Customer Service
−    Strategic thinking
−    Leadership
−    Creative problem solving
−    Knowledge sharing
−    Learning & development

Education:

−    Preferably University student
•    Digital / Social Media Degree
•    Film or Media Production Degree
•    Project Management (Media), Business (Media) Management Degree

To apply:

If you think are you the right person for any of the 3 above positions, please send your resume to HR@theconscience.org
Please specify which Internship you are applying for.
Short listed candidates considered for this role will be contacted.

http://mumbrella.com.au/tco-reveals-first-bag-of-wins-since-coles-appointment-25998

The Conscience Organisation has revealed Yellowglen, Boost Mobile and Metcash’s retail liquor brands Bottle-O and Cellarbrations as the first slew of wins to be secured since the arrival of Julian Cole as head of social ideas and digital strategy.

TCO has been appointed to handle the advertising and digital strategy for Bottle-O and Cellarbrations, which will include TV ads and the launch of their Facebook pages.

The agency is now also handling social media activity for Foster’s sparkling wine brand Yellowglen. Working with Mediacom Melbourne, it will include the management of Yellowglen’s Facebook page, with a campaign due to be revealed in September.

Meanwhile, TCO has been appointed to handle the digital strategy for youth brand Boost Mobile.

The agency’s experiential team last month worked with Mediacom on the Alienware Clan Challenge 2010 event for Dell. It saw Australian gamers come together in Sydney to battle it out to win prize packs worth almost $6000 per gamer.

TCO founder, Clive Burcham, said: “The expansion of our services is significant since hiring Julian Cole and his digital team, plus developing the offering with strategist Tom Phillips.

“It provides clients with a one-stop-shop for cutting-edge social expertise, almost like a creative, production and media buyer all rolled into one in traditional advertising terms.”

Cole quit the social media agency The Population which he co-founded in December to join TCO.

That same month The Population closed its doors, with staff moving across to fellow Photon agency C4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XVN1AvEaCk&feature=player_embedded

AdNews

The Conscience Organisation experiential team recently activated the Alienware Clan Challenge 2010 for Dell which saw the best Australian Call of Duty players congregate in Sydney to battle it out. TCO’s digital strategist, Julian Cole, has written a case study on the content distribution strategy put in place to amplify the event online.