Hey buddy, pass the Paleo Pear Banana Bread

By March 29, 2017News
when recruitment video goes bad

I have a soft spot for many things. One of them is Australia. Another is amusingly terrible recruitment advertising. So when a story combining the two hit the headlines a few weeks ago, I felt like the merriest kookaburra in all the old gum trees. 

 

Many of you will already have seen the infamous Australian Dept of Finance Graduate Recruitment video. But there’s more to laugh at than just the video itself. And because there is not enough laughter in the world, I’d like to share some links with you (while making a few serious points)…

1. This is how not to make a grad recruitment video

If you haven’t already seen the video in question, you can enjoy it here. If you’ve seen it, watch it again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zlEFTgk1tg

Pretty special huh? It went viral within hours of being uploaded. It made the main TV news in Australia that night. It has entered the national public consciousness over there.

2. This is how to satirise a bad grad recruitment video

Within 24 hours the spoofs started appearing. There are lots out there, but two stand out. First, there is rather wonderful re-voiceover spoof (warning: features swearing): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opRLZz4ooH8

And SBS, the sort of public service broadcaster, quickly made their own version too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63vIdZSzDZ8

3. This is why editing is important

Some random bloke went to the effort of creating an anti-cringe edit (good on ya mate). This is worth a watch to see the value of editing. It’s still not great, but it’s not a total embarrassment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_RnA5Dk2ZE

4. There is a fine line between ‘award winning’ and ‘widely ridiculed’

The video was made by a company called Together Creative. They made a very similar video for Australia Post last year. Except they won an award for it from the Association of Australian Graduate Recruiters. Make of that fact what you will: http://junkee.com/team-behind-terrible-department-finance-video-made-another-shocker/97291

5. Criticise the creators, not the performers

Pundits and politicians queued up to ridicule the Department, Together Creative and the poor sods who volunteered to be in the video. This will give you an idea: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/this-hilarious-department-of-finance-video-may-be-the-worst-government-ad-ever-20170228-gunrhy.html

It is impossible not to laugh at the acting in this video. The participants make idiots of themselves. But none of them are professionals. It’s not fair to criticize them. It not their fault this video is terrible. The scorn should be reserved for the people who commissioned it, scripted it, directed it, edited it and then signed it off.

6. Check out the brass neck on this buck passing ****!

Take a look at this follow up story: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/department-of-finance-video-boss-wrongly-blamed-claire-for-paleo-pear-and-banana-bread-line-20170314-guxmf6.html

That’s some pretty shameless behaviour.  Don’t blame junior employees for the mistakes that you and your superiors have made. It just makes you even more of a galah!