:30 Seconds

Season

2009

Australia

7.3

A funny look inside a fictional advertising industry, showing up the tricks, the language, and the scheming, behind the ads. e.g. - Selling cosmetics? Create a "National AV Dermatological Foundation", "AV2 technology", and "Micro Biotics", all based on aloe vera. The main character is Martin, who is forty-something, divorced, and Creative Director for BND, and often has hallucinations showing segments of life as ads. Bill is the new CEO of BND, who has come to re-organize the place, which he does on his first day there. Sumo and Kath are younger creative types. McBaney does most of the 'heavy lifting'. Marion is marketing director for Daiyonda automobiles, and must work with Martin on ads for her company. She tries to keep them honest, with limited success. Martin appears to be disillusioned with his work and personal life, and over the six episodes of the show we see his hallucinations and relationships with others, leading to a crisis in his life.

Episode List

S1 • E1

Drink Rexponsibly

While leaving the set where a new ad for 'Rex' beer is being shot, Martin runs over Rex the blue heeler. Bill arrives as the new CEO of the company, and starts his reign with a shakeup of personnel. Daiyonda automobiles have commissioned a new ad for their 4WD, and Marion, their marketing director, must work with Martin to create the ad.

S1 • E2

Be the Tool

Daiyonda's ad is to be aimed at the female market, so more women are needed in the meetings. Bill's answer is to hire a few women to go to the meetings, but Marion sees through this. Martin and Marion go out to dinner, but Martin 'zones out' and annoys Marion, who tells him how clichéd and predictable he is. Martin rethinks the ad, to Marion's approval.

S1 • E3

Good Clown Bad Clown

Bobo the clown is the front man for Bobo Burgers, but is cynical and burnout. A "brilliant new idea" for Bobo Burgers shows him exercising along with burger eaters, and a Bobo Fun Run is organized. A "burger stylist" is hired (at $40k/day) to make the Bobo Burger LOOK healthy. Bill forces Bobo to actually take part in the Fun Run - with tragic results. Daiyonda head office orders Marion to conduct market research on the projected 4WD ad (against Martin's advice), which directs it to be 'shot' in space.

S1 • E4

Invisible Fault Lines

The cosmetics industry - is it simply a matter of frightening women about looking older? The face of "Rejuvenale" is too old (Kath - "it says she's 25". Babs - "almost 30"), and difficulty finding a new face leads to the team choosing a 14-year old Icelandic girl whose skin has barely seen sunshine in her life. The Daiyonda campaign is interviewing for the actor for their ad, and Marion wants "real women, real mothers, real 40".

S1 • E5

Twenty One Today

Martin has dropped from number 3 to number 21 in rankings of ad execs. He promises Bill he (and the agency) can recover from this, and plans an ad based on dying from cancer to enter at Cannes. But if their cancer volunteer doesn't die, the ad won't qualify for Cannes. Daiyonda are fighting their 'gas-guzzler' image by pushing a hybrid car. Martin and the team must spin this into an ad, but discover they don't have access to the prototype car. Sumo steals Kath's idea for an ad, and Martin steals it from Sumo.

S1 • E6

A Matter of Trust

Bridge Bank want an ad to make them look friendly and likable. This worries Martin as their competitor, Provincial Credit Union, are a founding client of BND. After waking up next to Marion, Martin is worried about their relationship, and passes a Daiyonda ad to Sumo. A headhunter is trying to get Martin to Shanghai. Martin becomes worried about his hallucinations; things come to a head for him.