The next generation of advertising whiz kids from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Communication is switched on by The Gruen Transfer, the successful ABC TV show about advertising.While tickets for the show are usually limited to a maximum of four, 24 CSU advertising students recently arranged a block of tickets and travelled to Sydney to be part of the show’s studio audience.
Head of the CSU School of Communication and senior lecturer in advertising, Associate Professor Rod McCulloch, said “I was delighted by the students’ interest in the show and their enthusiasm to take the initiative to travel to watch the show being recorded. It’s this level of commitment that tends to distinguish our students, and makes me confident that CSU is helping to shape a talented workforce for Australia’s creative industries.”
Ms Jacinda Agnew, Mr Martin Peat and Ms Amanda Sartor, three final year double-degree advertising/marketing students who attended the recording of episode 6 (‘Cereal’) of The Gruen Transfer, agreed that the show helps to highlight and reinforce their studies and their understanding of the industry.
“The show captures the dynamic and often conflicting perspectives of advertising professionals as they strive for the hearts and minds of their clients and the consuming public,” said Ms Agnew, who grew up in Bathurst. “Our experience of watching the show being recorded didn’t change anyone’s minds about their choice of career but reinforced and motivated us. Seeing the show being recorded helped us to see how our uni study fits with the real-world demands and expectations of the industry. Plus, it was lots of fun, especially meeting Todd and Russell, two of the industry panellists on the show.”
Ms Sartor noted that all the CSU students were made to feel welcome by The Gruen Transfer production team and that it was practical and exciting to see the process of recording an episode. “The show provides insight by revealing the tricks of the (advertising) trade, which apply across all forms of advertising, not just TV advertising. I could see the parallels with my uni assignments, and the industry terminology has meaning for us as advertising students. There are not many industries that are now as transparent as advertising, thanks to The Gruen Transfer,” she said.
Social
Explore the world of social