The best part of this election campaign has been watching "Gruen Nation".

[Matilda]

That's where all the fun and wit and insight has come from.

But as for Action Man and the Gillardbot - boring, boring, boring. Tip-toeing around each other, terrified of saying anything unorthodox, and spouting a lot of slogans that were tired on the day they were written. And neither of them is really in charge – each of them is a prisoner of their partys' right-wing factions. I just don't believe a word either of them says, and there's not much to choose between them anyway.

The one good thing that will come out of this election is that the Greens will almost certainly hold the balance of power in the Senate, and jolly good luck to them.

Of course, I'll be glued to the ABC on Saturday night though – wouldn't miss Kerry O'Brien and Antony Green on
election night.

[depakid]

1. According to Peter Hartcher it's Tomato Nation!

:rofl:

[gemini_liberal]

2. Gruen Nation has been up and down

For ad execs they know very little about electoral advertising. Todd Sampson is a completely clueless tool.

Ironically John Hewson and Annabel Crabb are the ones who have the best nous on advertising.

Also, "each of them is a prisoner of their partys' right-wing factions."

May be true about Gillard but I'd hardly call Abbott a "prisoner" he's more like a guard...

[Matilda]

3. I worked for about five years in advertising at various times,

and while Todd Sampson is a bit of a pain, he does know his stuff - he's got all the psychology down pat, and understands how and why certain campaigns are orchestrated, and knows what they're aiming to achieve, whether or not he personally likes them.

And I've enjoyed some of the campaigns "ads" on The Pitch – sometimes you feel the parties concerned would have done better to hire the agencies turning out some of those ads.

But who would have thought John Hewson would turn out to be such a media star? He not only has the inside knowledge on how campaigns are run, he has a surprising sense of humour, and isn't afraid to tell a story against himself. Annabel Crabb writes better than she talks, but Hewson's a dream panellist for a show like this.

I even think Wil Anderson did a great job as compere, even though I don't particularly care for him - he wasn't too intrusive, and kept it moving at a good pace.

[velvet]

4. I thoroughly enjoyed Gruen Nation

And that Greens ad for The Pitch was brilliant. "If you think ..."

Yes I do.

[Matilda]

5. It was amazing - they should have asked to use it!

I also admit that the first week's ad for the Libs, with "Tony Abbott" talking about the birth of his first child, and what he could do for her future happiness, was brilliant, and would almost have made me think about voting for him.

Not that he needs my vote – I'm in his electorate, and he doesn't even bother campaigning here. Although to be fair, he's very active in the community at other times.


Edit: typo

[velvet]

6. they did ask to use it

But the ABC said no ...

The ABC says it cannot be seen to pick sides in the campaign.

An ABC spokesman was quoted as saying the advert was created solely for use on The Gruen Nation.

The Gruen Nation also provided reasons for the rejection on social networking site Twitter.

"@empatt Yep. All pitches in Gruen Nation and Transfer sign over copyright. Otherwise too risky for a organisation like the ABC to do it," it said on its Twitter account.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/12/2981137.htm

However the agency that made it, Republic of Everyone did put it on YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_jPNxRDeOk

[Violet_Crumble]

7. Yes, we CANberra was the best part...

I caught the end of Gruen Nation each week before it, and found Gruen to be bland and stodgy....

I'm not watching the election tonight as I'm scared I'm going to end up watching Tony Abbott become PM and I couldn't bear to see that.

I hope the Greens do get the balance of power in the Senate. I voted Green in the Senate and I'm hoping that the ACT will end up with a new Green Senator and finally be rid of that lazy Garry Humphries who won't work for the best interests of the ACT if the Liberals get in and start slashing the Public Service..