The Newspaper Works is an Australian organisation founded in 2006 to represent Australia’s major newspaper publishers and promoting newspapers as a powerful medium to advertise in. Their press advertising campaign presents a series of very short stories placed in newspapers: Ponytail, Cushion, Stilletto, Snowdome and Guitar.
“Do it Loretta”, he whispered, though he felt like he was screaming. When Greg had first awoken, sometime after dawn, there had been no warning to suggest today would be the day that would claim his scalp. But all of history’s most renowned leaders, thinkers, scientists and game show hosts had suffered its wrath, and today was Greg’s day. Now, Greg wasn’t usually one to buck the system, but on this morning he was in no mood to be messed with. Blame the cold shower he’d endured, or the triple espresso he’d downed, but when he caught that hideous reflection in the sunlit window, it was as good as done. He knew this one wasn’t going to go quietly, with a handful of mousse or a hat. “So long,” came the voice from behind him. And with that Loretta squeezed the scissors, sending earthwards the ponytail of the man she thought she knew. Greg’s bad hair day had finally come to an end. An awful hairdo isn’t always this momentous, of course. But it’s interesting how a newspaper, like the one you’re holding now, can make a severed ponytail so involving. If you’re an advertiser and believe that your brand is more interesting than a ponytail, why not engage people with newspapers? Imagine the story you could tell.
That cushion was the last thing they saw before he sliced open their stomachs. Bob followed the same ritual for five years. He sat on the cushion to rig his line, bait hooks and cat. When his catch was in, he’d grab a fish, show it to the cushion, then gut it. There had to be something in it, for his golden run showed no sign of slowing. Five times winner of the annual West Lakes Fishing Club competition. What gets Bob is that he knows it should’ve been six on the trot. Fool went and deserted his own luck that last year. Gave in an stuffed the flashy cushion in the fire after the guys at the club started calling him Liberace. The name had stuck, like only the worst nicknames do, leaving Bob little choice but to play along. Now when the ribbing starts he just winks, points to the winners’ board and starts whistling a tune; ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Satisfaction’, it doesn’t really matter what it is. But what is interesting is how a newspaper, like the one you’re holding now, can make a cushion in a dinghy so involving. If you’re an advertiser and you believe that your brand is more interesting than a fishing cushion, why not engage people with newspapers? Imagine the story you could tell.
She was going to kill her. Slowly. Jane started to sweat. First she’d be made to beg for forgiveness. Then she’d be forced to dig her own grave. Jane’s friend wasn’t prone to fits of rage, but they were her favourite shoes. Towering Italian heels that had the power to make wedding rings vanish, and flowers, drinks and taxis appear. Jane could hear her friend now: “How could you forget a shoe? How could you forget my killer heel?” Jane bit down hard on her knuckle. Maybe she should lie. She could say that when it came time to leave she was certain the shoes were in her bag. She could say something believable. Or she could tell her friend the far-fetched truth. Which story was going to save her skin? Who knows. But it’s interesting how a newspaper, like the one you’re holding now, can make a discarded shoe so involving. If you’re an discarded shoe so involving. If you’re an advertiser and believe that your brand is more interesting than a discarded shoe, why not engage people with newspapers? Imagine the story you could tell.
Credits
The Newspaper Works campaign was developed at BMF, Australia, by executive creative director Warren Brown, art director Grant Booker, copywriter Benn Sutton and agency planner Gerry Cyron. Photographers were Max Forsythe, Michael Corridore, Toby Burrows. Retouching was done at The Craft Shop, New Zealand.