Not happy, Jan!

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Not happy, Jan! is an advertising catchphrase which has entered the Australian cultural vernacular, used to express displeasure.

The television commercial from which the phrase originated was created by advertising agency Clemenger BBDO Melbourne for Sensis (the directories arm of Telstra), to promote the upcoming deadline for advertising in Australia's Yellow Pages. In the commercial, a businesswoman (played by actress Deborah Kennedy) has just discovered that one of her staff has neglected to book an ad in the upcoming year's Yellow Pages. Realising they will have to wait another year, she calmly goes through some anger management techniques, talking to herself and counting to ten, before opening the window and shouting a restrained "Not happy, Jan!" towards the fleeing figure of the eponymous Jan. The phrase was coined by Kennedy on the day of shooting. The ads ended up becoming lucrative for Australia's Yellow Pages, appearing on television from 2000 to 2003.^[1]

Since the advertisement, "Not happy, Jan" has entered the Australian vernacular to express displeasure, particularly at a problem caused by another's negligence or incompetence. In the time immediately following the advertisement, it was usually said in a manner which mimicked the advertisement, but today is usually spoken with a casual, slightly stern tone. Women named Jan were particularly targeted.

The phrase was co-opted by the unsuccessful 'Not happy John!' campaign, opposing the re-election of Australian prime minister John Howard in the Australian federal election, 2004. The title of the campaign also became the title of a book detailing the negative aspects of the Howard Government.^[2]

Both "Not happy, Jan," and "Not happy, John," are common noms de plume used in short letters to newspaper editors.

The commercial was featured on the Australian TV series 20 to 1 as one of the best Australian commercials of all time.

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