The Best Episodes of Gruen
Last Updated: Jan 13, 2019
The Gruen Transfer is about advertising, how it works, and how it works on us. It decodes and defuses the commercial messages that swirl through our lives, with the help of a panel of ad industry experts. From Season 5 the show was renamed "Gruen Planet" and expanded the topics covered to include political and commercial "spin" as well as advertising. In 2015 it was re-named again as simply "Gruen"
#1 - Burgers
Season 2 - Episode 10
In this episode : How Do You Sell: Hamburgers, Ad of the Week: GE sexy mine workers, The Pitch: Make Australians give up their public holidays
9.40
#2 - The Church of Scientology
Season 5 - Episode 8
In tonight’s episode, Scientology, Movies and Spin – The Master, a movie with Oscar buzz based on the life of L Ron Hubbard, is heading to our shores. The panel looks at Scientology’s public image and its PR strategy. Also: in the 12 months that followed the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the area’s second in six months, Australian visitors dropped by 43 per cent. So can advertising turn a city associated with devastating earthquakes into a fun family holiday destination? The Gruen team looks at Christchurch’s attempt to lure us across the ditch.
9.33
#3 - Diets
Season 2 - Episode 5
In this episode : How Do You Sell: Weightloss, Ad of The Week: Sexual Abuse, The Pitch: The GFC's effect on CEOs
9.20
#4 - Cereal
Season 2 - Episode 6
In this episode : How Do You Sell: Breakfast Cereal, Ad of The Week: The Million Project, The Pitch: Cosmetic Surgery for Children
9.17
#5 - Yourself
Season 2 - Episode 8
In this episode : How Do You Sell: Yourself, Ad of The Week: Coca Cola's Health Claims, The Pitch: Cane Toads For Pets
9.00
#6 - Religion
Season 3 - Episode 9
9.00
#7 - Infomercials
Season 3 - Episode 11
9.00
#8 - Airlines
Season 3 - Episode 12
Wil Anderson, Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft are joined by Matt Eastwood and Bridget Taylor on the final episode for this series. On How Do You Sell? we look at airlines and On the Pitch - NZ and Australia One Country.
9.00
#9 - Alan Jones
Season 5 - Episode 7
This week, one of Australia's most powerful and successful communicators, Alan Jones, showed he could also be pretty bad at it. The panel picks apart Sunday's press conference, examining the spin tactics of distraction and deflection, apology and blame-shifting, and how 2GB advertising clients reacted to all of it. It also examines Advertising Crimes Against Music. Coles employees have written to the Gruen team to say that working in a store where Down Down is on high rotation is workplace torture. Tonight the panel investigates the process of turning popular songs into ear-bleeding company jingles. And if you thought Down Down was bad, you ain't heard nothing yet.
9.00
#10 - People Smuggling
Season 5 - Episode 5
You may not know it, but one of the methods used by the Australian government to stop the boats is advertising. The Gruen team looks at the No To People Smuggling YouTube channel, which has been aiming ads at smugglers and refugees for two years. In the wake of Victoria Bitter's apology to the nation, we ask, is saying sorry just a clever form of marketing? And Spin Cycle may be the only place this week that draws a line between AAMI's Ketut, the Free Syria Army and Woolworths' Wallace.
9.00
#11 - The iPhone 5
Season 5 - Episode 6
The Gruen team looks at Apple, the world’s biggest brand, unpicking the iPhone 5 launch, examining the ways buying frenzy is created through headlines and hype, and how its competitor Samsung has ambushed at every step. We also examine the Pink dollar. Same Sex marriage can’t get through parliament, but it is gradually weaving its way into advertising. Tonight we look at brands taking a stand and joining the debate.
9.00
#12 - Doug Pitt
Season 5 - Episode 2
This week on Gruen Planet, we hang out with Brad Pitt’s younger brother Doug. Virgin Mobile has made him the face of its latest ad campaign. But is Doug really Doug or is he “Doug”? And why did so many Australian news outlets jump at the story when he was in town last week? We also look at the tactics Qantas employed to pave the way for some bad news it knew it had to deliver last week: a $245 million full year loss, its first since it was privatised in the 1990s. And a Pitch challenge to do what the government has struggled to do, sell us the carbon tax.
9.00
#13 - Lance Armstrong
Season 5 - Episode 3
move? How much immunity does a cancer charity buy you? Why are his sponsors standing by their cycling-man? We also examine AAMI’ Rhonda and Ketut love story, a simple ad about insurance that has become a phenomenon. Why would we take advice from a woman who doesn’t even know about sunscreen? And in the week that TV show The Shire breathes its last, we have a special Pitch challenge. Two agencies compete to come up with a campaign that makes up for the damage done to Cronulla’s reputation by Lara Bingle, the race riots and The Shire.
9.00
#14 - Apple - Online Shopping - Dumb Ways to Die
Season 6 - Episode 2
This week Apple launched two new iPhones to a seemingly underwhelmed marketplace. On Gruen Planet, we revisit what, only a couple of years ago, was the world’s shiniest brand. Is Apple’s formulaic marketing now working against it? Is it a victim of its own hubris? How are the other players in the smartphone marketplace exploiting Apple’s vulnerability? Also, ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ is the most awarded ad in this history of this planet. The chirpy, quirky little YouTube clip for Melbourne’s Metro Trains has had more than 60 million views. Why does it work? How do you keep the awareness growing? If the death toll doesn’t fall, can it really be called a success?
9.00
#15 - Same Sex Marriage - Anti-Ads - Bikie Gangs
Season 6 - Episode 8
In light of recent same-sex marriage legislation, 'How Do you Sell' looks at varying Ad approaches that attempt to tackle this issue. 'Spin Cycle' celebrates the best and worst of marketing through ambiguous brand names, delicious business cards and marketable marketing managers. 'The Pitch' dares two Ad agencies to convince us to ban all advertising. 'Crisis Management' has the panel discussing anti-bikie laws, and the Ads that coincide with this development
9.00
#16 - The Pope
Season 7 - Episode 4
As he tours the USA, Gruen looks at Pope Francis as a brand, & all the brands who are cashing in on him; the stuffed-crust pizza wars; & a pitch to restore our faith in politicians, from the next generation of creatives.
9.00
#17 - Road Safety
Season 1 - Episode 7
Wil, Todd, and Russel are joined by Bridget Taylor and Dan Gregory to decide what kind of commercial endorsement would be appropriate for John Howard, How Do You Sell... road safety ads, The Pitch: Invading New Zealand, Ad of the Week: Cheap warehouse ads & the Gruen Beauty Shouty Ad. The show finishes with a parody of a shouty ad, for 'Power Thirst'.
8.75
#18 - Red Meat
Season 2 - Episode 9
In this episode : How Do You Sell: Meat, Ad of The Week: Speight's Beer, The Pitch: Fat Pride
8.75
#19 - MasterChef
Season 3 - Episode 3
How do you Sell? Exploring how advertising sells MasterChef and how MasterChef sells you. Raking in cash through ad sales, product placement and merchandising. The Pitch: Western Australia should become it's own country Ad Crunch: Analysing a provocative World Wildlife Fund ad, what does this piece of communication acheive and how effective is it.
8.75
#20 - Razors
Season 3 - Episode 8
8.75
#21 - Coca-Cola - ASIO - Jamie Oliver
Season 6 - Episode 6
On Gruen Planet this week, Coca-Cola enters the Obesity War. We ask, what kind of responsibilities do brands have to the community? Wouldn’t Coke be smarter to acknowledge it’s an unhealthy, sugar-laden beverage that people love? And then stay out of a health debate it can’t win? And what does a can of fat taste like anyway? Should ASIO read your emails? We also visit Woolworfs, Jamie Oliver’s new pals. What are the risks and rewards of a supermarket aligning itself with an outspoken fresh food campaigner? Supermarkets sell fresh food, but they also sell aisle after aisle of often unhealthy, processed foods.
8.75
#22 - Online Dating & Apple Watch
Season 9 - Episode 2
The 100th episode of the show that unpicks the dark arts of advertising, branding & spin. How to sell online dating when the product is you. A new Apple Watch campaign which is a matter of life & death. The Pitch smashes brand avocado & a look at who we were & how far we've come in Ads You Couldn't Make in 2017.
8.75
#23 - AFL vs NRL - Boat People - Defence Forces
Season 6 - Episode 3
On Gruen Planet this week, as we push deep into September, you can almost smell, almost touch, almost taste the Rugby League and Aussie Rules Grand Finals. Yet, even though the two codes have fan bases of similar size, and even though the two grand finals will be among the most watched programs on TV this year, only one of them seems to appeal to marketers. Why? Also, our screens are being bombarded with Defence Force job ads. The ADF is one of the biggest advertisers in the country, spending $40 million a year to attract recruits. What are the challenges of selling a job that might involve you being shot? And how hard is to convince women to join when sex scandals clog the headlines?
8.71
#24 - Feminine Hygiene
Season 1 - Episode 6
Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft and guests Jane Caro and Matt Eastwood make up this week's panel. The segments are What's This Ad For? a French crime channel ad. How Do You Sell... feminine hygiene products. The Pitch for child labour. Ad of the Week: Ricky Ponting's many endorsements.
8.67
#25 - 3D Television
Season 3 - Episode 5
How do you Sell Televisions? The biggest purchase most people will make after a house and car how do they get you to buy their brand? The Pitch: Urine Ad of the week: McDonalds introduction of the Mighty Angus and the Gand Angus campaine was their most successful launch. What made sale increase to the tune of an extra $2 million a week?
8.67