As major global studio businesses continue to struggle, Warner Bros Discovery has announced a change of leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

Departing the company is Glen Kyne, who had a wide regional remit as Senior Vice President & Head of Networks, Warner Bros Discovery Australia, New Zealand, Japan.

Taking over at least some of those roles is Juliet Peterson. The region leadership will continue to be based in Auckland.

Currently Senior Director of Content and BVOD, Peterson will now lead the business as Vice President, Head of Networks, ANZ, reporting to James Gibbons, President, Asia Pacific, WBD.

Sydney-based Michael Brooks will continue in his dual role as MD of Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia, reporting to Ronald Goes, and Head of Studios, ANZ, reporting to Gibbons.

The company was in the news recently after the decision to close its New Zealand Newshub operations. Cutting the news service at TV3 impacted around 200 staff.

Just two weeks ago, Kyne took part in a press conference with Stuff owner and publisher Sinead Boucher about a news program the New Zealand publisher would be making for TV3.

WBD farewells Glen Kyne

James Gibbons commented: “Glen has done an incredible job of navigating industry disruption. He has been a popular and calming leader; his leadership of the organisation through its recent restructure put empathy and kindness at the forefront, two attributes that everyone who has worked with Glen knows he has in spades.

“Glen has been a pivotal member of the APAC leadership team, bringing an excellent mix of industry expertise, operational leadership, and commercial acumen to the business. Personally, I’ve valued Glen’s counsel and resilience. He has been an excellent partner and I want to take this moment to sincerely thank him for his contribution.”

On Peterson’s appointment, Gibbons added: “Juliet is exactly the right person to lead this business into the future. In the three years that Juliet has been with us, she has already demonstrated an amazing ability to build and lead strong teams. Prior to working at WBD, Juliet’s work at TVNZ across multiple business streams saw her grow and develop high-performing channels and platforms across both digital and broadcast. I’m confident that Juliet’s strategic vision and leadership can help drive the business forward.”

Kyne’s farewell words

Kyne said he is very proud of the work he has done at WBD but felt that the time was right for him to step down and allow someone else to lead the newly remodelled business.

“It is a genuine privilege to lead a media business, and to be part of a global company with the world’s most recognisable content brands.

“It has been 10 years now working at Flower St under different ownership structures but my love for our business, our people, and our industry has never been stronger. Being a part of Discovery and subsequently Warner Bros Discovery, I was lucky enough to build a true global lens across our ANZ operations, and I’ve been honoured to have had many wonderful experiences here that I will never forget.

“It goes without saying that it’s been a particularly challenging year for our teams, but the grace and professionalism with which they’ve carried themselves is a true indication of the people and culture here. I want to thank all of our people, and especially the leadership team for their trust, patience and support of me to lead through these years. It’s been the highlight of my career.

“I am also very proud and excited to see Juliet take the helm – she is a master of our sector, and her deep knowledge and experience combined with her digital leadership will see WBD ANZ thrive now, and into the future.”

WBD promotes Juliet Peterson

Peterson says she can’t wait to get stuck in to leading the new business and wanted to thank Glen for his leadership.

“I’m incredibly excited by what the future holds for WBD ANZ. We have the best team in the business and clear plans to scale audiences with the best content that Kiwis could ask for.

“We have built a strong base for ThreeNow in recent months, which has seen the platform achieve record engagement, which will continue to grow.

“I will also be looking across the whole ANZ business to evolve our portfolio in the Trans-Tasman market alongside our partners on both sides of the ditch. My focus is to grow these capabilities even further and continue to provide top-performing channels and platforms for the benefit of our partners and audiences in both markets.

“I am extremely grateful for everything I have learnt from Glen and his support in the last few years. We are set up for an exciting and successful future because of his strong leadership. He will be hugely missed across all parts of the company.”

Peterson will assume leadership of the ANZ networks operation immediately and work alongside Kyne through a transition period before he departs on 5 July.

Peterson has been with Warner Bros Discovery for three years. Before that she spent a total of two decades in roles at TV3 and then TVNZ.

Peterson could be the person who oversees the launch of Max streaming service in Australia and New Zealand in 2025 if that rollout is still the plan.

See also: Warner Bros. Discovery on local production plans and possible Max launch date

Almost six years after the title went on hiatus, Cosmopolitan Australia is the latest title to return amid a print renaissance, and publisher Katarina Kroslakova tells Mediaweek she has “not seen a reaction this emotional to anything I’ve ever done in my life.”

The first issue back will be out in August, led by Kroslakova’s publishing house KK Press, and produced in collaboration with Hearst Magazines International.

When asked why now was the time to bring Cosmo back, Kroslakova doesn’t hesitate. Her immediate reply: “Well, why not?”

“I’ve been talking to Hearst about this for a year, so this has been quite some time in the making. I was very, very, very careful about doing it at the right time.

“When I saw that women’s fashion and lifestyle readership were up 36% I thought, wow, we’re on to something. With T Australia [the New York Times‘ style magazine, which Kroslakova also edits], we went from six issues last year up to 10 issues this year in print – so that indicated to me that confidence in print products was massive.”

The new Cosmopolitan Australia magazine will be a digital-first property, with Kroslakova adding that she’s “really, really keen to launch digitally sooner rather than later, and maintain at least those six issues per year across in print.”

Kroslakova says the reaction to the title’s revival “has been out of control”, including people reminiscing on what the title meant to their younger selves.

“I have been in publishing for 20 years, I have not seen a reaction this emotional to anything I’ve ever done in my life, honestly. I’ve had people I haven’t spoken to in years and people on socials saying thank you for bringing it back. 

“To actually say thank you to a magazine publisher for bringing a brand back is so heartwarming, and it goes to show that when a magazine and a brand like Cosmo connects with the reader, that connection never goes away.”

For brands looking to make the most of the title’s connections with its readers, Kroslakova says the team is working to bring the product to life across multiple platforms, giving advertisers access to readers no matter where they find Cosmo. 

“We will have six print issues per year, and we will launch digitally just prior to launch, in July. We will be on TikTok, we will be on Instagram, all the socials, and we will also be producing some of the trademark Cosmo events – we will be working on a Cosmo sleepover and we will also be working on a Cosmo podcast. 

“There will be a bit of Cosmo for readers and advertisers at every step along the way.”

The search has begun to build the editorial team, including finding an editor.

“We’ve already submitted some of my preferred candidates to Hearst Global, there is a very thorough, very detailed questionnaire that needs to be filled in and some of the candidates have come back to me with the most extraordinary proposals. 

“That’s been really exciting, and quite invigorating.”

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Top Image: Katarina Kroslakov

According to Josh Faulks, “marketing is the one of the biggest drivers for growth and profitability.” The AANA CEO, speaking to Mediaweek ahead of next week’s RESET event, believes now is the right time to talk about growth following “a pretty turbulent year for a lot of businesses.”

“A lot of people expected us to be out of a slump by now, but it looks like the recovery is going to be a bit slower than we expected,” he says.

The AANA’s annual flagship event has a theme of ‘RESET for Growth’, which Faulks says is particularly pertinent for marketers as a tough economy continues to plague the industry.

Conversations on growth for the advertising industry matter, Faulks says, as marketers look for ways to sustain business growth, while tackling economic challenges.

“In some industries, it’s huge. We’re talking 30% plus increase in the cost of doing business,” he says.

In an environment where businesses are “squeezing margins and the cost of doing business is increasing,” Faulks observes that “everyone is talking about how we can grow.”  

He elaborates: “how they can grow their businesses, and how we can grow the economy, from the government and from the business’ side.

“There’s only so much [brands] can pass those costs onto consumers without damaging the reputation of the businesses or affecting demand. If you keep putting prices up, that also has an impact on inflation.”

Which is why, Faulks explains, the AANA’s roster was curated to represent world-leading examples of growth, highlighting creative efforts that have delivered significant and tangible results for brands, despite the challenging environment.

“Good creativity is not just creativity for the sake of creativity,” he says.

“The interesting angle this year is that some of the best marketers in the world are coming to the stage, and they’re talking about some of the biggest and most successful marketing campaigns around the world last year.”

Janine Allis

Last week, the industry body announced Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice, as the final speaker to join its lineup.

“All the speakers are talking about growth and various things that they’ve used, like creativity, leadership, and a range of other things to grow their businesses.”

Reflecting on the selection process, Faulks laughs, “I said I want the biggest campaigns.”

He continues: “I spoke to a few CMOs and went ‘Who are the people that you really like? [Of] the big ones, the very senior CMOs, who are the people that you’d like to see on the stage the most?’”

He points to the lauded marketing campaign behind the era-defining blockbuster film Barbie, which will be the focus for speaker Josh Goldstein, president of worldwide marketing at Warner Bros. Picture Group.

Diane Everett, general manager for brand, sponsorship and social at CommBank, and Jackie Lee-Joe, deputy chair of Football Australia will team up to discuss the marketing strategy behind the Matildas’ rise to iconic status.

“It’s not just about money and marketing,” Faulks remarks on the session. “They actually started a cultural movement, a cultural moment in time, for such a good thing around women’s sport.” 

“The inspirational part for me is that the next generation coming through will believe in women’s sport and see it as equal, whereas my generation was all boys.”

Futurist Bernard Salt AM will be discussing the reappraisal of the industry’s understanding of the consumer, concentrating on “the segments and the gateways and those kinds of periods you go through in your life, and how that’s moving now from a demographic perspective, and what that means for marketers.

“What they should be segmenting and targeting, and have they got that right?”

Anheuser-Busch InBev, and its Budweiser American lager brand, represented by vice president Richard Oppy, is another example, Faulks adds, of a brand that “put creativity at the centre of their business.”

“From that they won the two Cannes Lions [for creative marketer of the year], which has never happened. That has also transformed into significant growth,” he says.

Faulks hints that the AANA is pursuing its own growth ambitions.

“I’m a big fan of north stars,” says Faulks. “I like a big, audacious goal to say ‘this is where we should be.’”

He describes the AANA’s recent board session around its 2030 strategy, with such goals established “for two reasons.”

“One is that I want to truly represent the industry,” he says. “The second thing is, for our organisation, we want to be – and I think we’re getting to that point now – the leading industry body for the advertising and marketing industry.”

Building upon its 95-year legacy, Faulks declares the moving goal post for the AANA is to account for the full gamut of Australia’s adland.

While advertisers are still the priority, he says, “we’ve evolved also to the broader representation at the media agencies, the platforms, the media partners.

“If we’re going to be the leading industry body, we need to reflect and represent the whole industry.”

See also: Janine Allis joins AANA Reset’s final speaker lineup

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Top Image: Josh Faulks

A couple of days in to broadcasting in Melbourne, Kyle and Jackie O have launched a new marketing campaign asking Melburnians to tune in and make up their own mind about the show. 

The campaign launched earlier this week in print, featuring sensationalised headlines and quotes from competitor media personalities. It then follows up with a challenge to listeners to go beyond the click-bait and form their own opinion of the show. Now the TVC has been unveiled.

Produced in-house, the campaign – strongly featuring the KIIS pink and purple – is being supported across out-of-home, TV, social, and radio.

Lauren Joyce, ARN chief connections officer said: “Every morning Kyle & Jackie O deliver a unique, loud and always entertaining show and that’s exactly what this campaign is. You don’t get to be Australia’s most successful radio show by pretending to be something you’re not.

“Our plan was always to ‘own’ the headlines; and we’ve done that literally and figuratively.”

The campaign runs alongside competitor SCA’s own campaign. This week, The Fox launched the ‘Melbourne’s Biggest Party’ campaign, aiming to highlight Fifi, Fev & Nick’s connection with Melburnians. It features a stretch limo, motorbikes, a party bus, and an ice sculpture, as well as real listeners.

Following Mediaweek’s reports that Kyle & Jackie O’s Melbourne expansion came after rival SCA offered the pair national breakfast during last year’s contract negotiations, Dave Cameron, SCA’s chief content officer, said the idea of the network replacing any of its strong FM breakfast shows – particularly when they’re on long-term arrangements – “is just categorically untrue and fundamentally bonkers”.

See Also: ‘Fundamentally bonkers’: Dave Cameron on Kyle and Jackie O’s claim of attempted SCA poach

ARN was on a promotions blitz in the lead-up to the Kyle & Jackie O Melbourne launch, but purposefully hadn’t included the pair sipping lattes by the Yarra, or being spotted riding a tram. 

“They wanted us to do all these things. They said, ‘Why don’t you go and ride the trams and be seen drinking coffee in Chapel Street?’ I said that’s ridiculous – everyone knows where Melbourne is. We’ve all been there 1,000 times, it’s just expanding the footprint of the show,”Sandilands told Mediaweek.

“We could have done some big things, but I don’t want the people in Sydney to think all the fun is happening in Melbourne. We want everyone to feel included, both the Sydney audience, the Melbourne audience, and towards the end of the year, other markets as well.”

See Also: Kyle & Jackie O’s Melbourne expansion due to rival SCA’s offer of national show

Kyle & Jackie O can be heard weekdays from 6-10am on KIIS 101.1 in Melbourne and KIIS 1065 in Sydney.

Credits:

ARN

Chief Connections Officer – Lauren Joyce
Marketing Director –  Donna Gordon
Senior Brand Manager (KIIS) –  James Duffield
Marketing Coordinator – Lachlan McKenna
Executive Producer/Creative Director – Sean Vandenberg
Creative Director – Ante Miocic
Support GFX – Nick Palin
Design – Jarryd Haefele
Sound Design – Anthony Badolato and Todd Falusi

3D Composition / GFX / MOGFX– Where There’s Smoke
Media Buy – Initiative

Mamamia has appointed Danni Wright, Carat’s former chief strategy officer, to lead strategy across the media brand and its content marketing agency, Squad. She was at Carat for almost 10 years.

At Mamamia, Wright will be part of the sales leadership team, working closely with the content leadership and audience development teams to identify and create new content opportunities.

Natalie Harvey, Mamamia’s chief revenue officer, said: “Mamamia has incredibly deep insight into 7 million women we reach every month, and our ability to leverage these insights to help brands connect in an authentic and effective way is unrivalled.

“We are absolutely pumped to have Danni joining our team. Her experience, relationships and passion for media will be a huge asset to our team and elevate our already exceptionally strong product.”

Wright, who will commence her role as head of strategy on 24 June, added: “I can’t wait to get my teeth stuck into the new role and to join a team with palpable momentum and fire behind their uniquely positioned offering.”

Wright was one of the recent exits at dentsu. The holding co recently made 50 roles across iProspect and Merkle redundant – including vacant and contract roles. Danny Bass, Dentsu Media CEO, and Steve Yurisich, Merkle CEO, are also among the exits.

See also: Dentsu restructures: Danny Bass and Steve Yurisich exit, Fiona Johnston and Kirsty Muddle promoted

The business has restructured to create two streams: client counsel and commercial will be led by Fiona Johnston, formerly Bass’ direct report as chief client officer, and product and practices will be headed by Kirsty Muddle, formerly Bass’ creative counterpart as Dentsu Creative CEO.
 
“This is no reflection of the capabilities, relationships, and leadership Danny or Steve have brought into our business,” dentsu AUNZ CEO Patricio De Matteis said.
 
“We are grateful for their huge contribution and support in helping us shape what a winning future state model for dentsu looks like, and to help us set a strong platform for growth of our media and Merkle brands.”
 
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Top image: Danni Wright

Marketing and advertising are a young person’s game. And the data proves it.

Job Skills Australia reported in 2022 that of the 94,700 marketing and advertising professionals in Australia, only 7.3% were over 55 years of age, compared to 20.2% for all other occupations.

So clearly, in numbers at least, the Young Guns are outgunning the Old Guard. But does this mean the advertising industry has a problem with ageism? Or does it just mean that for many older people, a career in marketing and advertising no longer suits them?

Now before I outrage anyone over 40 in adland, let me get some caveats out of the way: I understand that stereotypes are problematic and our willingness to pursue a particular industry is not solely driven by age. I have known thirty-year-olds who were old before their time, and I personally know sixty-year-olds who could be going on fifteen both emotionally and psychologically.

However, science tells us, that with age comes increased aversion to risk. Brain research from Yale University in 2016 has shown that risk aversion is associated with the loss of grey matter, particularly in the frontal lobe, where higher level decision making is made.

By Dennis Flad

There’s an important biological reason for this, being that with time we carve off more risky options from our consideration to increase survival rates and reduce the cognitive load in our decision-making process.

The research also suggests that while the risk aversion behaviour is age related, it is not necessarily predicted by age with significant variations between individuals, e.g. most of us have that friend who has always kind of acted like they were born at the age of 40, or the reverse, the colleague who might be 60 but acts like he or she is still 25. 

But let’s accept the general premise of the research. The next question is – marketing? Risky? Really?

Well, to avoid overclaim, marketing is (of course) not fire-fighting risky. A career in the military is risky, so is professional skydiving. But marketing? Well, think about it. In corporate terms, of all the various business disciplines, marketing and advertising comes with a far higher level of risk – as in, risk involved in making decisions, in the day-to-day job – versus the norm.

Creativity comes with risk. Innovation comes with risk. Change comes with risk. Driving growth comes with risk – particularly when the measure of growth being sales, is seldom directly attributed to marketing and advertising. If nothing else, the relatively short average tenure of CMOs compared to colleagues in the C-suite is a demonstration of tight rope that many in our profession are asked to walk.

With greater and greater heights comes more and more professional danger.

And the concept of risk is not confined to what’s happening in the day job; it sits also in the corporate soothsaying required of marketers to keep abreast of the relentlessly high pace of technology-driven change in the discipline.

I can’t think of many disciplines outside of marketing where the disconnect between ‘what I learnt in my degree 30 years ago’ and ‘what I need to know now’ would be greater.  And the research suggests that one of the impacts of loss of grey matter is an unwillingness or even a loss of the cognitive ability to learn new things.

So yeah, it may well be that you can’t teach old dogs, new tricks. The problem today in adland there are new tricks arising every few months, if not weeks, and for those who perceive new as risky there is a problem with them falling further behind.

Finally, there is an economic delusion, particularly for the baby boomer generation and their belief in the value of experience. If you are working in a discipline over many years, there is a delusion that with time and experience, you become more valuable and therefore should demand greater pay and more status. But if you find yourself working in a discipline that is rewarding risk-taking and demanding embracing change, then you better hope that you maintain the grey matter in your frontal lobe. (Perhaps less long, boozy lunches in your 20s and 30s?)

Let me be clear, I’m not stating outright that the young gun will outgun the old guard. Nor that they should – don’t forget that I am part of the old guard myself. I strongly believe that there is still a place for knowledge, wisdom and experience in marketing and advertising; if I didn’t, I’d be doing something else.

But if we accept the research, the harsh reality is just that perhaps not all the old guard is up to delivering it because their changing brain structure, and associated risk profile, might be letting them down.

See Also: Woolley Marketing: Has FOMO become FOFO for marketers and their media buys?

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Darren Woolley is Global CEO of TrinityP3, Australia’s largest and most influential independent marketing / pitch consultancy and is well known to the advertising industry. Founded more than 20 years ago TrinityP3 has a significant presence in Australia where it leads the pitch process for many of the country’s leading advertising accounts as well as having offices in London, New York and Zurich.

Dennis Flad is responsible for Trinity P3 EMEA and founder of t’charta, a management consultancy boutique for strategic product management, pricing and go-to-market based in Zurich, Switzerland. Dennis worked his entire life in marketing and advertising, which allows him to infuse his whimsical drawings with a realistic understanding of management practices and behaviours.

Stabbing attacks, protests against gendered violence, and the conclusion of one of the most-watched defamation cases in the country – the last fortnight has been especially gruelling for those working in newsrooms.

Mediaweek spoke with Luke Davis, content manager of 2GB; Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks, founder of Missing Perspectives; and a Network 10 spokesperson representing their newsroom about how they look after their team and readers when you can’t look away. But firstly, how are they doing?

“I’m going okay, thank you for asking. It’s difficult not to be affected in some way by these news events, but I’ve taken great pride in the way that our 2GB team has covered the stories and kept our city informed and comforted,” Davis said.

Saintilan-Stocks added: “It’s obviously been a huge few weeks for the news industry, but I’m going OK. I am good at picking up red flags for burnout, so I was sure to take time off last week and rest on the weekends.”

Looking after journalists in a major news week

2GB’s Davis mentioned the business’ employee assistance program, and said that in the days following the Bondi Junction attack, a consultant from the EAP was on-site, “available for a chat with anyone who felt affected.”

“We’re also conscious that many of our broadcasters and news, program, social and traffic team members work in high-pressure, fast-paced environments almost every day – so the ‘come down’ after a major news week may take some time,” he added.

“Some may not realise they’ve been affected until some days/weeks/longer after the event. That’s why we’re focussed on regular check-ins and making our staff fully aware of what support is available to them at any time.

“Our 2GB Weekends broadcaster, Luke Grant, was one of those who sought support – and he shared his experience with our Converge consultant on air.”

Media start-up Missing Perspectives’ mission is to “challenge the underrepresentation of young women in news worldwide.” Reporting on women takes it toll, but founder Saintilan-Stocks said the team is big on “enforcing work/life balance”, even when it’s difficult.

“We are constantly checking in on each other’s well-being, and are mindful in sharing the load – particularly in heavy news weeks like the last fortnight.

“Reporting on issues facing young women can obviously be heavy and come with its own challenges – but our team is great at knowing when they need a breather or a few days off to reset, and there’s no shame in putting up your hand for some time out and rest.”

Network 10 has a health, safety and wellbeing manager on staff who is also a qualified psychologist. A spokesperson added that management “regularly checks in with newsroom staff during and after every major news event, communicates details of how to access the company’s wellbeing resources, and stresses the availability of health professionals and managers to all staff who need support.

“We offer bespoke sessions with a psychologist for all newsroom staff following significant events and provide an employee assistance program to all staff.”

Encouraging audiences to consume news responsibly

“When events like these happen, we’re particularly focussed on providing detailed (and importantly, accurate) information to our listeners – so that they’re fully briefed,” Davis explained. “We’re careful with our words, careful with our information and careful to deliver it in a way that will not panic or frighten.

“As part of our coverage, we also aim to gear our listeners with ways they can personally process the events. In the past week, we’ve shared details of support services available to the public, information about where people can gather and grieve, interviews with psychologists about how to manage mental health, and how to protect children from seeing disturbing images online. We’ve also led a campaign to drive blood donations, which has seen a healthy uplift of donations and community support.

“While 2GB comprehensively covers the difficult news stories, it’s also a great honour to share the many stories of bravery, hope and optimism. If there can possibly be a silver lining to these tragic events, it’s that they have brought out some of the best of humanity in our city.

“Importantly, the beauty of Talk Radio is that we provide a platform for our city to simply talk about the news, to express their views, concerns, fears and hopes. That, in itself, is healthy and therapeutic.”

10’s approach is to provide “factual journalism”, offer warnings for distressing content, and turn off social media comments on confronting stories. “We also blur or edit around distressing content, as per our responsibilities to the public.”

Saintilan-Stocks acknowledged that “the sheer volume of really unsettling news the last few weeks can be really overwhelming and impact mental health.”

“I think it’s all about letting audiences and consumers know that it’s OK to take a break from the news and have a breather,” she said.

“Trigger warnings are also really important from the newsroom side. As a newsroom we make a conscious effort to also make sure we publish positive stories each week, to help with the balance.”

Virginia Scully, formerly managing partner at Hatched, has launched Human Kind Collective, a people and culture consultancy for media agencies.

“The world of work has dramatically changed and, in many respects, isn’t actually ‘working’,” Scully said.

“We need to leave the practices of treating humans as resources in the past. To do that, a collective of HR revolutionaries is required. So we created one.”
 
Human Kind Collective aims to support media agencies of all sizes, particularly independents. It encompasses a wide range of people and culture services, including salary benchmarking, policy development and implementation, and psychosocial safety and mental health support.

“Indies are adaptable to rapid change and open to experimenting with new ideas,” Scully said.

“They can embrace innovation more readily with fewer layers of decision-making, giving them an enviable competitive advantage.

“Often, they have the biggest care factor but the least time and resources. Being independent, there’s no global HR support, which could result in reputational, legal, financial, and human risk. They don’t know what they don’t know.”

Human Kind Collective aims to fill that HR gap for media agencies with “large hearts” and limited resources.

“Agencies are facing several challenges, from women over 30 leaving the industry in droves to managing multigenerational workforces and a concerning level of mentally unhealthy employees. And that’s on top of an ambitious legislative agenda with the compliance and governance bar rising. This is not a time to go it alone.”

As a starting point, Scully has created a culture health check for agencies that points them in the direction of easy-to-apply services that will see positive social and cultural impact. Agencies requiring more assistance can engage Human Kind Collective to develop and action programs, systems, and training.
 
The Collective has already joined forces with its first agency partner, Media Republic.

Steve Fagan, Media Republic founder, said: “Unlike our hold co counterparts, many independent agencies don’t have the headcount to justify in-housing a full suite of P&C functions. But without them, we’re flying by the seat of our pants. We’ve been waiting for something like Human Kind Collective to come along. Virginia has hugely impressive creds and working with her simply makes sense.”
 
Human Kind Collective will be partnering with select agencies and offering members of the Independent Media Agencies Association (IMAA) complimentary access to the culture health check in addition to receiving a discount on a range of Human Kind Collective services.
 
“Our mission is to simplify complex challenges and build a foundation of kindness to drive positive change,” Scully added. “Together we can fuel industry economic growth through supporting gender equity, mentally healthy workplaces and organisations.”

The industry’s annual Mentally Healthy Survey is currently open, run by the Mentally Healthy Change Group.
 
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Top image: Virginia Scully

Advertising Council Australia (ACA) will host an industry-wide webinar to reveal the findings of its 2023 Create Space census on Tuesday 21 May, 2-3pm AEST.

The census exists to paint the latest picture of Australia’s advertising, media, and marketing industry’s demographics and its members’ experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion. According to the the national advertising industry body, close to 2,500 professionals contributed to the anonymous census in November last year.

The data will be compared with the findings of its inaugural 2021 census, shedding light on shifts in gender representation, social and ethnic diversity, mental health, family status, and experiences of inclusion at work to uncover whether progress has been made on DE&I in adland, and where the industry needs to focus its efforts moving forward.

Alongside the ACA’s Hannah Sturrock, the industry webinar will feature: Rose Herceg, ACA D&I committee chair and president, WPP ANZ; Renata Yannoulis, ACA D&I committee member and senior strategist, TBWA\Australia; Simon Wassef, ACA D&I committee member and chief experience and strategy officer, Clemenger BBDO; and Jessica Farrell, ACA D&I committee member and general manager, people and culture ANZ and head of diversity, equity and inclusion ANZ, Publicis Groupe.

Sturrock, ACA’s national head of engagement, said the webinar “will be a completely transparent and informative session that will give the industry a clear picture of where we are at in addressing inclusion and representation in Australian advertising.

“Thanks to everyone who took part in the census last year; it is a comprehensive piece of research. We look forward to seeing you online on May 21 to hear how we all can take the next steps in making adland more inclusive and diverse for everyone.”

ACA’s CEO, Tony Hale, described the robust data as “crucial to overcoming gaps in the diversity of our people and their experiences of inclusion and belonging.”

“Critically, there are no short-lived or short-term solutions. Create Space is a long-term commitment to setting standards, providing leadership, listening to our people and measuring progress every two years to ensure everyone feels they belong and have equal opportunities to contribute and thrive,” he said.

Last month, the ACA opened the 2024 Australian Effie Awards for entries with a new AI category. On time entries close on 13 May 2024. 

See also: ACA: Advertising industry needs to focus on retention and senior diverse talent

HAVAS Red has won the corporate communications account for digital operations management company, PagerDuty, in the Australian market, following a competitive pitch process.

HAVAS Red will be tasked with amplifying awareness of the PagerDuty Operations Cloud and elevate PagerDuty’s presence within the Australian market through earned media and media relations. 

Myrna Van Pelt, head of corporate and innovation at HAVAS Red Australia, said: “It’s a privilege to work with a brand like PagerDuty, known for its groundbreaking operational cloud innovation and impressive growth trajectory.”

Van Pelt described HAVAS Red’s commitment to contributing to the company’s success, saying the agency will be “partnering closely with the PagerDuty comms and marketing team to drive renewed awareness and growth in the Australian market.”

CEO of HAVAS Red Australia, Shane Russel, added that “over the past year we’ve added many ambitious B2B clients that we’re supporting with strategy, media relations, crisis comms, thought leadership, executive visibility, social media, and more.”

“Winning PagerDuty is testament to the people, strategy, and innovation we bring to corporate and B2B communications,” he said.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, in recent years PagerDuty has transitioned from a small, privately-held firm to a mid-cap New York Stock Exchange-listed company, with nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 serving as its customer base.

Senior manager of global PR at PagerDuty, Amberly Janke, said the company was “impressed by HAVAS Red’s strategic approach and creative vision during the pitch process. It was their passion for storytelling, an impressive client roster, and above all, the team’s ambition for our brand, that influenced our final choice.

“As we navigate a critical growth phase for our company, re-engaging our efforts and customer focus in Australia, we are confident our partnership with HAVAS Red will not only elevate our brand positioning but also help foster meaningful engagement with our Australian customer base and the media.”

In December last year, Avis Budget Group reappointed Havas Media Network and Havas Red, following a competitive pitch.

WiredCo. is the new creative and content agency of record for Australian home builder G.J. Gardner.

The independent agency, which pitched against 10 other agencies, will deliver strategic and creative duties that position the brand for growth via a new platform.

Todd Gordon, marketing manager at G.J. Gardner, said the family business was impressed with the agency throughout the process.

“They unpacked our brief in their own unique way and made sure they went the extra mile to not only understand the brand but the people behind it – our franchise owners. As an added bonus, they are great humans with values that align perfectly with ours, and we are excited to really break the mould of the home building category with them.”

In addition to brand duties, WiredCo. will also lead the development of its social and content, along with other special projects.

David Kennedy, partner at WiredCo, said: “G.J. Gardner is a fascinating business to get your head around; on the one hand they’re builders on an epic scale. On the other, they create this soft, emotional multi-sensory product.”

Angela Hampton, founder and managing director of WiredCo, added: “Building is generally seen as a rough and tough business, but when we met them, we connected over their belief that empathy should go into every stage of the building journey.”
 
The Australian home builder, which has been in operation since 1983, operates under a franchise model across Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
 
G.J. Gardner has 94 offices, employs 1,500 people, and builds nearly 6,000 homes a year. The company plans to double the size of its US business, with offices across California, Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Indiana.
 
WiredCo.’s client roster also includes Pizza Hut, R.M.Williams, Red Bull, THE ICONIC, Peters Ice Cream, Georg Jensen, and Indeed.
 
Earlier this year, WiredCo. teamed up with creative agency Sick Dog Wolf Man to launch the Let’s Clean Up Our Backyard platform for Peters Drumstick, with MasterChef judge Andy Allen fronting the campaign.
 
See also: Andy Allen fronts Peters Drumstick Clean Up Australia Day campaign via Sick Dog Wolf Man & Wired.Co

Monday 29 Apr 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s LEGO Masters recorded a total TV national reach of 1,783,000, a total TV national audience of 707,000, and a BVOD audience of 47,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,689,000, a total TV national audience of 1,034,000, and a BVOD audience of 66,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 1,757,000, a total TV national audience of 998,000, and a BVOD audience of 93,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,445,000, a total TV national audience of 881,000, and a BVOD audience of 53,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,152,000, a total TV national audience of 687,000, and a BVOD audience of 53,000.

See Also: TV Report 29 April 2024: The LEGO Masters pitch Jet Pack Hockey to Olympic Games

People 25-54

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 671,000
• National Audience: 325,000
• BVOD Audience: 30,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 511,000
• National Audience: 281,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 456,000
• National Audience: 275,000 
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 552,000
• National Audience: 285,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 479,000
• National Audience: 304,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

People 16-39

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 279,000
• National Audience: 138,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 218,000
• National Audience: 112,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 193,000
• National Audience: 126,000 
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 210,000
• National Audience: 120,000
• BVOD Audience: 28,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 135,000
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,318,000
• National Audience: 490,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,289,000
• National Audience: 812,000
• BVOD Audience: 53,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 904,000
• National Audience: 549,000 
• BVOD Audience: 43,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,371,000
• National Audience: 794,000
• BVOD Audience: 74,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,110,000
• National Audience: 684,000
• BVOD Audience: 77,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.

TV Report 30 April 2024:

Nine TV Report

LEGO Masters

Nine’s evening began with the ninth episode of LEGO Masters.

Teams were each given a base plate representing a typical room in a house and had to build minifigures living in the land of the giants surrounded by using life-size items found around the home. 

Krystle and Michelle won the challenge, building a Movie Night build that had minifigures around a giant brick-built retro TV.

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program looked into what Bonza Airlines collapse means for commercial aviation in Australia and the QLD premier faces scores of fed-up youth crime victims in a Brisbane rally.

Seven TV Report

Farmer Wants a Wife

On Seven, Farmer Wants a Wife saw the ladies tailor the perfect intimate dates for their farmer, before a light night message put the farmers on high alert.

Hoping to recreate the magic from their 24-hour date, Krissy planned to get up close and personal with Farmer Tom; while Sophie appealed to Farmer Dustin’s love of the simple things in life with a date by the dam.

After a day of romantic blind dates, the farmers were in for one more surprise when host Sam Armytage texted: “I have some important people I’d like you to meet. You must pack your bags and leave the farm immediately.”

Not knowing what was in store, the farmers heaved a sigh of relief when co-host Natalie Gruzlewski introduced them to a brand new farmer: Todd.

Home & Away

Before Farmer was Home & Away as Cash was ambushed by a determined Stevie, Bree tried to bury her past and Roo rallied for support in foster caring. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 investigated who could be in the race to be Donald Trump’s Vice President, looked into the risks of taking Ozempic and spoke to a Bondi stabbing victim’s mother who is pleading for mental health action.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef, it was an elimination cook and the contestants were challenged to ‘Keeping Up With Jamie’ on an Oliver Family recipe in order to keep their place in the competition.

Steph Griffen couldn’t keep up with Jamie in the challenge and was the second contestant to be eliminated from the new season. 

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, Sarah Ferguson interviewed Treasurer Jim Chalmers and investigated a case of a Melbourne woman who went missing earlier this month at an alternative wellness centre in country Victoria.

SBS

Great British Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo is in London, where he tracked the River Thames from east to west. He was drawn to the industrial eastern suburb by the unexpected sound of pipes. He finds their origins in a Sunday School band for girls begun by a cleric in the 1930s.