Comments on: Creative Showcase: Matters, Jet Ski, Testimonials

By: james w

james w — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:22:42 +0000

The “Grant” is definitely an Aussie humour thing. You yanks never get our humour.

By: Fred Goodwin

Fred Goodwin — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:43:26 +0000

I think it might be an Oz humour thing. It is obvious – to me anyways – that ‘Grant’ is a bit of a dag*. Which adds another humour element to the campaign. Closest example i can think of is TIm the Tool mans offsider, nice bloke, but…

*dag – noun Australian and New Zealand Informal. an amusing, unusual person.

By: The Financial Brand

The Financial Brand — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:44:12 +0000

Jim and Fred,

Thanks for the explanation. The campaign seemed a little more interesting when “Grant” was an Australian sports superhero. But since he’s just a regular nobody…not so much.

By: Fred Goodwin

Fred Goodwin — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:50:38 +0000

Ohh and Grant is a bit of a common name here in Oz, so it is sort of a Joe Everybody reference.

By: Fred Goodwin

Fred Goodwin — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:49:51 +0000

Not wanting to be rude, but you aren’t quite right Jim.

The Grant is actually the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) from the Federal Government. Currently First Home owners get a $14,000 grant for buying a Existing dwelling, or they get $21,000 for going into buying a new home (to be constructed). These figures include a BOOST amount that was added to help address housing affordability.

FHOG has been around since 2000 – when I bought I got $7k. And up until Budget night last week the BOOST was expected to run out at the end of June (as per the reference dates in the ads), but that has now been extended until September-ish as part of the program to fight the dreaded GFC.

Each state administers the FHOG for the Federal Gov, and YES Qld did recently drop stamp duty on various components of the loan.

Here is the QLD site about FHOG:
http://www.osr.qld.gov.au/first-home-owner-grant/index.shtml

By: Jim Perry

Jim Perry — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:08:00 +0000

“Grant” is actually a fictional character. Queensland Teachers’ Credit Union asked Junior Advertising in Brisbane to produce a print campaign for its Smart Starter product, a home loan that helps people utilize the “First Home Buyers Grant” program before it ends on June 30. The government program was instituted last September to help first time home buyers save the “transfer duty” which normally accompanies a home purchase in Australia. For a home valued at $500,000 it would save someone approximately $8,750.