The Demtel Man
Those who remember free to air television in the 80s and 90s will remember the advertising for ‘as seen on TV’ products marketed by a company called Demtel. A quick Google search will remind you of the process if you are fortunate enough to have either not lived through the era, only watched Channel 2 (the only ABC Channel in those long-gone days) or have completely and probably mercifully forgotten how annoying the advertising really was. Alternately, watch one of the TV shopping channels that infest digital television for ten minutes and think about how much they would have to speed up the delivery if they had to fit the product advertising into a minute or so long spot on one of the commercial television stations.
Demtel’s favourite ‘spruiker’ was Tim Shaw. He is famous enough to have a Wikipedia stub article. While the time-worn joke ‘but wait there’s more — ring in the next ten minutes and receive a free set of steak knives’ probably had its origins in a Demtel advertisement spruiked by Shaw, the promise of gold bullion or fame and riches beyond compare as the ‘free extra’ is probably an exaggeration. However, Shaw did attempt to sell the proverbial ice to Eskimos (with the previously mentioned steak knives as a free gift) with some initial success.
A bit like Scott Morrison really. Morrison has made a lot of announcements since his rise to the Prime Ministership. It’s almost looking like he’s back in the advertising agency brainstorming slogans to get the mug punter to buy the pretty shiny new toy they neither want or need. Former Liberal Party Leader (and co-incidentally also a former Member for Wentworth) John Hewson recently wrote an opinion article for Fairfax listing Morrison’s various policy announcements/backflips during the Wentworth by-election.
the lingering image of him hugging a lump of coal; his defence of advertising on the sails of the Opera House, wanting to see not just horse racing but also car racing; his mishandling of the issues of funding and independence of the ABC generated by the dismissal of chief executive Michelle Guthrie; his multiple positions on the treatment of gay students and teachers; the white supremacist/neo-Nazi parliamentary vote; announcing the possible shift of our embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (even after most devout Jews in the electorate would have already pre-voted, to avoid having to do so on the Sabbath); the possible rejuvenation of a New Zealand deal on refugee resettlement; and then, finally, the assertion that a Kerryn Phelps win meant “instability”, conveniently ignoring the instability in his own party that had resulted in the byelection in the first place.
Fortunately, it seems others with some influence aren’t buying the slogans either. A group who manages substantial Qantas shareholdings have asked the company to review its policy of transporting refugees and asylum seekers at the behest of the Australian Government citing
Qantas is “exposed to certain human rights-related risks”.
“Allegations of human rights abuses can inflict, at a minimum, reputational damage and may dramatically affect shareholder value … We believe that a thorough review of how this issue is being handled would be in the best interests of shareholders.”
Shareholders of Whitehaven Coal are likewise concerned about climate change, possibly moving a resolution at the Annual General Meeting in the next few weeks that
calls on the company to disclose climate change-related risks to shareholders, in line with recommendations of the Financial Stability Board’s taskforce on climate-related financial disclosures.
Another proposal says that shareholders call on the board to make strategy and capital expenditure decisions “consistent with the climate goals of the Paris agreement” in order to safeguard the longer-term success of the company and respond to risks and opportunities posed by climate change.
The same article also reports that the rail transport company Aurizon acknowledged at their Annual General Meeting that parts of their rail network may be stranded assets at some point in the next 50 years due to reduced demand for coal.
Even Hewson has a problem with Morrison’s lack of real management ability. From the same article as above
Morrison’s only hope is a new beginning. He will surely last until the next election, so he should seize the opportunity by leading a complete policy reset, a complete repositioning of the Coalition. Not just a remarketing exercise, but a substantive reset, addressing issues such as climate, refugees, integrity in government, the cost of living and broad-based tax reform. Policy boldness would be his electoral friend. He simply must be seen to be attending to the health of the government horse, putting other potential jockeys in their place.
I doubt he is capable of even thinking about this. I fear he will continue to slide from bad to worse. The COAG energy ministers are to meet this Friday. Energy is mostly a state responsibility, the Commonwealth having only a limited platform for influence. Yet, apparently Energy Minister Angus Taylor is attempting to heavy them to ditch anything to do with emission reduction strategies and an effective transition to renewables in favour of his “socialist” regulation of the “gentailers”. In the hope of a genuine energy/climate action plan, the states must stand their ground.
Morrison doesn’t have a quality product to sell and while there are always those that will fall for the fancy new thing regardless of its actual usefulness or quality, as people realise they are getting poor value for their money, they’ll move on. Morrison has been in power for a couple of months and there has been no improvement in the polls, continual criticism of his actions by his own side of politics and amazement that he still can’t articulate why Turnbull was so bad he had to go (while continuing to implement Turnbull’s policy settings).
Maybe we should go back to Demtel to see how this ends. Tim Shaw is now the breakfast announcer of Canberra’s ‘talk radio’ station (which also relays Alan Jones and Ray Hadley) while the company owner spent nearly five years in jail for money laundering. ‘But wait- there’s more’ indeed.
What do you think?
This article by 2353NM was originally published on The Political Sword.
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12 comments
Login here Register hereI am reminded of the Nazi adage that “Tell the same lie enough times and people will believe it as truth” or words to that effect.
The reminder come from the accompanying advertisement on the post about “Quiz: Germany in WWII: How much do you know about the Third Reich?”
ANSWER: Enough to know that the similarities between present day Australia and 1930s Germany are too many for sensible educated persons to overlook as mere coincidence. Fascism is raising its horrible head again in the name of the Liarbral Party of Australia …. and the Notional$ with their “family values” of Adultery, Alcoholism and Avarice. There is little difference between the current treatment of refugees by the Australian LNP misgovernment in our names and the treatment of Gypsies, disabled persons and other “races” in Germany between 1933 and 1939.
That around 46% of voters would still vote for this kakistocracy led by a man even more vacuous than the previous snake oil man is cause for concern. No one should be complacent about these shysters.
These narcissistic con artists all employ much the same set of techniques.
Thank you, Mr Hewson!
Scummo reminds me more of, “Where d’ya get it?” and the proverbial, “Not only, but also…”
The name Tim Shaw cropped up in Doctor Who a couple of weeks ago. To great merriment. But Mr Morrison is no Tim Shaw. Tim could actually sell. Morrison couldn’t even give it away. At the sun set he is just a failed Advertising Man. And you’re right the product he is selling is worse than useless it is positively dangerous. Neither shiny nor new. Just ugly and toxic. I mean I’m not enamoured of junk mail but this product isn’t even in junk mail class. What is bewildering is that 35% still buy it.
would you buy a third hand government from this man – talk about mad morrie’s used car lot – run by a bunch of clowns for their profit nobody else’s and no there’s no warranty
For me the most irritating thing about Morrison is how he talks and talks and talks non-stop like some sort of snake-oil salesman.
Every question asked of him becomes an opportunity to make a rambling advertisement about several other matters leaving no opportunity for the questioner to follow up, and that’s his deliberate strategy.
As Abbott said of Rudd, “Doesn’t this guy ever shut up?”
Zathras
How right you are. Incessant babble is Morrison’s most powerful and annoying linguistic weapon.
Two years ago, i wrote on this subject on The Political Sword: The Tale of Two Daleks. which describes the techniques of two of the government’s most accomplished daleks; DC (Dalek Cormann), and DM (Dalek Morrison).
If you take a glance at it at http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/posts.aspx?postid=8aef43b5-2ce0-4074-aa3f-ed17584a89ce you will see that nothing has changed since then, and likely never will.
A rabid and active right winger half-friend of mine said Morrison only knows one thing – namely marketing and that he has almost no political knowledge.
Not that surprising for an evangelical.
Anyway lets see how untruthful his marketing becomes around election time.
If you scroll down to the bottom (5.35 A.M.) there’s a little snippet about Nauru and children –
https://www.news.com.au/national/rush-hour/rush-hour-dads-perfect-response-to-thor-troll/news-story/8f36c69e42f4a4b6bbda75cf8e93a723
“Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the government has been “quietly” removing children from Nauru “in accordance with our policies”.” Scummo trying desperately to portray himself as a humantarian or “This has nothing at all, I repeat, nothing at all do do with a looming election.” Duh…me choose…
Why would Scummo and Co. waste money on actually providing help to veterans? It’s so much better to waste $500 million on a great big war memorial so they pat themselves on the back and say we care. I was going to swear but it’s just not worth it.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/01/rsl-urges-coalition-to-match-war-memorial-upgrade-with-spending-on-veterans-services