Mamamia has unveiled a major shift in strategy, moving from a “branded house” to a “house of brands” model in 2026. The shift will see the independent publisher invest further in podcasts, video podcasts, and new content verticals informed by what Australian women are talking about.
Announced at its Upfronts presentation this week, the new approach is supported by Mamamia’s proprietary data and findings from its 2025 State of Women survey, which polled 1,500 women aged 16 to 60. The publisher’s aim is to close gaps in content where audience demand is rising, including relationships, Gen X life-stage content, travel and food.
Attending the upfronts, the audience were sold on the ideals that have underpinned the Mamamia brand from the beginning – the idea of smart, honest conversations for women with women. The business likes to echo a statement made by founder Mia Freedman in its early days: it’s about making the world a better place for women and girls.
Behind the scenes, there is a lot of thought being given to taking that ethos and adapting it for a wider, audience where age and gender are being considered with greater inclusivity. This is where the need to become a “house of brands” takes on greater importance for the business.
“There are still people who think that Mamamia is just for parents, like it’s in the title. – a mum blog. Or they think it’s all about Mia, and they don’t relate to a woman in their 50s, right? If you’re in your 20s, you’re like, this thing’s not for me,” Mamamia CEO Natalie Harvey said to Mediaweek.
Natalie Harvey on stage at the upfronts event
Harvey used the launch of the launch last year of millennial brand Know as an example of where Mamamia is headed: “If you’re in your early 20s, trying to come into our ecosystem, we’ve got beauty, we’ve got fashion, but some of the broader shows, it’s not gonna be connecting as well. So when we launched Know, we deliberately kept it as non-Mamamia to get that younger audience, but also to make it non-gender specific. So the latest data that we’ve got shows that it is skewing more to younger men, which is really interesting.”
As Mamamia further embraces platforms like YouTube for video podcasts and social video, there will be a natural broadening of audience as viewers discover content based more on subject matter and less through the existing brand. Which isn’t to say that Mamamia as a brand isn’t valuable.
Chief Content Officer Eliza Sorman Nilsson told Mediaweek “Women are our bullseye audience. But as we go more into YouTube, I think that’s also gonna be a halo effect, especially with True Crime Conversations and No Filter. And even the spill that just have more broad appeal, I do think we will see more male audiences from the spaces that we’re playing in for discovery.
“If we can always nail the zeitgeist, that is what’s servicing the algorithm. And what you’ll see in our content slate this year and moving forward is a real strip away from evergreen.”
Growth in audience and engagement
The new slate follows strong network growth for Mamamia. It reports:
• 7.5 million Australian women reached monthly, plus 2 million men
• +3.5 million podcast downloads across FY25
• +5 per cent YoY growth in Australian podcast listeners
• Record monthly podcast audience in May 2025
• +1.8 billion organic social impressions
• +81 per cent YoY growth in social interactions
• +8 per cent rise in website and app page visits
• Newsletter open rates exceeding industry benchmarks up to 3x
Content expansion highlights
Mamamia will significantly expand The Spill entertainment brand, hosted by Laura Brodnick and Em Vernem, which saw a 16 per cent lift in downloads over the past quarter. New offshoots include:
• The Spill Morning Tea, hosted by Ash London, delivering daily celebrity news.
• The Spill: Reality Recaps and The Spill: Watch Party, diving into popular TV and film releases.
New verticals launching in 2026:
• This Is Why We Fight – Australia’s first therapy-based relationship podcast, hosted by Clinical Psychotherapist Sarah Bays. Launching October 2025.
• Parenting Out Loud – a spin-off of Mamamia Out Loud, hosted by Monique Bowley, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks. Available now.
• Unleashed by Mamamia – a Gen X-focussed ecosystem including podcast, social and events, expanding on the Very Peri brand. Launching early 2026.
• Retreat and Eats by Mamamia – mood- and need-based travel and food content, featuring travel contributor Paige Carmicheal. Launching February 2026.
Returning initiatives
Popular formats will also return, including Hot Pod Summer, which saw a 30 per cent year-on-year spike in downloads over the 2024–25 summer. Health brand Well by Mamamia will continue after research showed 57 per cent of women exposed to the content made or intended to make a lifestyle change.
New ad formats and brand partnerships
“This is about unlocking new rules for brand relevance,” said Georgie Nichols, Chief Revenue Officer, Mamamia. “From podcasts to vodcasts, shoppable video, and beyond, our partners have more ways than ever to engage deeply with our audience across any platform.”
Eight of Mamamia’s biggest podcast brands will be available in full-length video by the end of 2025, with investment continuing in vodcasting as a mid-term strategic growth area. Key titles moving to video include Mamamia Out Loud, You Beauty, Nothing to Wear, and No Filter with Kate Langbroek.
Mamamia will partner with Vudoo for new suite of shoppable ad products. This move aims to seamlessly
blend content and commerce, enabling brands to convert audience connection directly into sales.
“Our partnership with Vudoo supercharges the ability for brands to close the transaction,” said Michael De Silva, Head of Trading and Commercial Operations, Mamamia. “This isn’t just a shoppable video — it’s an evolution of the traditional sales funnel.”
Global expansion and video strategy
As part of its international push, Mamamia highlighted growth in global markets including New Zealand, the US and the UK. It is now offering programmatic access to international audiences across all its platforms.
The company has also expanded its video strategy, investing in two purpose-built podcast studios. Eight of Mamamia’s biggest podcast titles will be available in full-length video by the end of 2025.
Shows like You Beauty, Nothing to Wear, The Spill, Watch Party, Reality Recaps, and No Filter with Kate Langbroek will be fully vodcasted with integrated advertising opportunities.