Domain has reported statutory revenue of $391.1 million, and a net profit after tax of $42.4 million, for FY24.

New listings were up in each quarter of the year, led by the Sydney and Melbourne markets.

Domain chief executive officer and managing director, Jason Pellegrino, said the “strong FY24 results” were a result of the efforts of “more than 1,000 talented people at Domain, who are delivering on our Marketplace strategy by building and releasing great solutions.”

For FY24, excluding significant items and discontinued operations, Domain reported revenue of $391.1 million, up 13%, expenses of $254.1 million, up 7%, and EBITDA of $37.1 million, up 26%. 

As of June 2024, net debt was $150.8 million. Net profit attributable to members of the company was $49.4 million.

A dividend of 4 cents per share has been declared, bringing the full year dividend to 6 cents per share, in line with FY23. This will be paid on 11 September 2024 to shareholders registered on 23 August 2024.

Residential revenue increased 19%, underpinned by growth in depth revenue. National ‘for sale’ listings increased 3% for the year, with the standout markets being Sydney and Melbourne.

In digital, core digital revenue increased 14% to $374.2 million, and core digital EBITDA increased 27% to $171.2 million.

Print largely stayed steady, with an increase of 1%. Domain reported that its print product has an average issue readership of 1.2 million, which is an increase of 6% year-on-year.

FY25 Outlook

Domain said FY25 costs are expected to increase in “the high single to low double digit percentage range” from the FY24 expense base of $254.1 million. The company expects stable EBITDA margins in FY25.

“Looking forward, this success has strengthened our resolve to vigorously compete and accelerate the benefits we deliver to customers,” Pellegrino said.

“We are increasing investment into our technology platforms, while retaining our track record of disciplined productivity improvement across the business.” 

See also: Nine’s Matt Stanton joins Domain board

The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, was crowned Agency Network of the Year at the 45th annual AWARD Awards, held as part of This Way Up at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

The creative agency also won four golds and The Grand Award for Play it Safe, which celebrated the Sydney Opera House’s 50th anniversary.

A total of 31 Gold Pencils were awarded across 18 different campaigns, with a further 74 Silver and 118 Bronze Pencils awarded. Special Awards were also awarded across 16 categories.

Revolver collected five golds across three pieces of work and was named Production Company of the Year. CHEP Network also collected four golds for Climate Doctor’s Certificate – National Climate Strike.

Other gold winners included DDB Group Aotearoa with three; Howatson+Company, M&C Saatchi, and TBWA\HAKUHODO with two each; and DIVISION, The Editors, Exit Films, The Glue Society, MullenLowe Treyna, Ogilvy Australia, The Nine Shanghai, Special Australia, and Special New Zealand all collecting one award each.

“Congratulations to all who picked up a Gold or Special Award at tonight’s Gold Pencil Award Party,” AWARD chair Mandie van der Merwe said.

“You’ve earned bragging rights across our region with work that not only stood out, but made us lean in, moved us and spurred us into taking action.

“AWARD Awards is the most prestigious creative show in our region because of our world-class judges. Heartfelt thanks to our jury president Liz Taylor, jury chairs and our team of judges who have given their incredibly valuable time freely and debated vigorously to uphold AWARD’s exacting standards for recognising creative excellence every year.”

The inaugural Best B2B Campaign, supported by LinkedIn, was awarded to Special Group Melbourne for the Shift 20 Initiative – The Dylan Alcott Foundation.

Daniel Hochuli, LinkedIn’s head of content solutions (APAC & China), said: “The Shift 20 Initiative specifically targeted behaviour change in brands and was the judges’ favourite because it drove significant B2B effects. Its messaging was incredibly effective, motivating 200+ brands to take action and get involved – a remarkable achievement.”

Silver and Bronze winners were announced earlier in the week during virtual announcement ceremonies.

“The winners this year represent the pointy end of creativity and set the bar high for the standard of work AWARD champions and celebrates in this corner of the world,” van der Merwe added.

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Top image: Tim Minchin in ‘Play it Safe’ by The Monkeys for The Sydney Opera House

According to demographer and columnist with The Australian, Bernard Salt, the biggest factor driving major life choices for Australians over the last hundred years has been “the relentless, obsessive pursuit of lifestyle and quality of life.”

As a result, he predicts that the next 10 years will be “the time of the regions,” experiencing a surge in population growth and consumer spending as millennials “pass through the peak income earning stage of the life cycle.”

Salt spoke on Wednesday at a breakfast in Sydney’s Barangaroo, hosted by the Boomtown collective and attended by 160 guests.

Bernard Salt

Describing the life of the “regional super consumer,” Salt told the room that peak growth is coming from those aged from 20 to 40 making the move to ‘lifestyle’ regional destinations, with the Gold Coast/Tweed Heads, Sunshine Coast, Geelong, Warragul-Drouin, Morisset-Cooranbong, Busselton, and Ballarat topping growth.

Regional super consumers are more likely to own a home, more likely to spend more per basket on groceries and online shopping compared to metro dwellers, live in multiple car households, spend more time improving and maintaining their homes, and are exposed to rising cosmopolitan influences – especially food.

“In big, bold, round numbers – 10 million people with the spending power of a first world nation, 4 million households. This is regional Australia, and according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, this is a market that will surge and blossom over the next 10 years,” Salt concluded.

Also speaking at the breakfast was Boomtown chair, Brian Gallagher, who said that in the five years since the launch of Boomtown, the sales teams from the collective has “spoken to hundreds of brands and … many hundreds of media buyers about the benefits of investing in these audiences.

“They have focused on the core benefit, the ability to achieve real outcomes in advertising ROI. As a result of these conversations turning into negotiations, significant ad spend growth to regional media has been achieved, which is what we set out to do.”

Brian Gallagher

In terms of numbers, Gallagher said that members of the Boomtown Collective have seen an increased share of the national advertising dollar, now at 17.6%. This is an increase exceeding 35% share growth since the campaign launched.

Referencing a research piece Boomtown did with Analytics Partners to review studies on the effectiveness of campaign activity using regional media, Gallagher said the analysis indicates up to 32% increase in ROI being achieved with regional media. 

“Local stories have always proven to drive audience attention and engagement,” Gallagher said.

“Attention and engagement that is equally important to advertisers to cut through the noise and make their mark with these same consumers. This also means local media outlets offer effective and brand safe advertising environments.”

See more: Boomtown and Thinkerbell debut campaign celebrating regional opportunity

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Top image: Brian Gallagher and Bernard Salt

Football fans are smiling this weekend with the return of the English Premier League. The 20-team competition is generally ranked as the best competition in the world with many of the best players.

There’s only one place to watch live games in Australia – Optus Sport. The 2024-25 Premier League season commences Saturday, 17 August (AEST).

The off-season has seen many fans occupied first with the UEFA Euros (also on Optus Sport) and then the Paris Olympics (not on Optus Sport).

Optus Sport has listed some of the highlights for the start of the season:
• Blockbuster matches in Australian prime time in the opening rounds
• Manchester City hunting record-breaking fifth consecutive title
• Australia’s Ange Postecoglou seeking consistency for second year in charge at Tottenham
• Five clubs start the season with new managers

All 380 matches will be live and on demand on Optus Sport with analysis from Premier League legends like Mark Schwarzer, Michael Bridges and more.

Premier League price rise

In a football league known for continuing inflation, some fans have been grumbling about they are now going to have to pay more to watch.

Optus Sport started life as a free add-on for people who were Optus customers for broadband or mobile. The price for those subscribers later climbed to $6.99 a month. Then just last month those customers were alerted to a 40% price rise to $9.99 a month. The price for non-Optus customers remains at $24.99 monthly.

The spin put on the price rise announcement was that Optus customers were getting a 60% discount on the price others have to pay. Optus Sport is not alone among streaming platforms. Virtually all platforms have lifted prices during 2024.

$120 a year for Premier League is seen as a deal-breaker for some, while others reckon it’s a worthy investment for not just Premier League, but also the other football competitions Optus Sport shows across a 12-month period.

See also: Optus Sport joins Hubbl

Opening weekend games

• Manchester United will start the season at Old Trafford against Fulham at 5am (AEST) on Saturday 17 August

• Liverpool and new manager Arne Slot, who succeeded Jurgen Klopp following his successful nine-year era with the Reds, will fancy their chances against newly-promoted Ipswich Town in the first of six 9:30pm (AEST) Saturday night games before daylight saving pushes those matches later in most states

• Ipswich Town, featuring Socceroo Cam Burgess and former Australia international Massimo Luongo, will be at home as it starts back in the Premier League

• Arsenal will get their campaign underway against the Wolverhampton Wanderers at midnight on Sunday, 18 August (AEST)

• Everton will also host Brighton at midnight on Sunday 18 August, the same time Newcastle United take on Southampton and Nottingham Forest come up against Bournemouth

• West Ham United and Aston Villa then meet at 2:30am on Sunday morning (AEST)

• Brentford host Crystal Palace at 11pm Sunday night (AEST)

• A blockbuster 1:30am morning game on Monday 19 August (AEST) sees Chelsea v Manchester City

• Leicester and Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur cap off the opening round of fixtures at 5am on Tuesday, 20 August (AEST)

Mark Schwarzer’s tips

Speaking on the Optus Sport Football Podcast, analyst Mark Schwarzer said: “There are three new teams, six new managers.

“I’ve got Manchester City winning it. But there’s a big question. Kevin De Bruyne, I think he’s obviously going to play a part, but I don’t think he’s a happy bunny when he’s not playing all the time. And I don’t think he’s at that level anymore. Then is it Pep Guardiola’s last dance? Because it’s the last year of his contract.

“My concern with Arsenal is a lack of transfer activity. Their big issue is scoring goals consistently, certainly having someone up there and they don’t have that yet. But obviously, there’s still time to go until the transfer window closes.

“I hope Chelsea are able to make the top four, but I don’t have them down as a top four. I’ve actually got Liverpool and Spurs making up the remaining two places in the top four.

“This is Ange’s make or break season. If he doesn’t start well, because there were those moans last season, if they do get exposed, there’s going to be an enormous amount of pressure on him. But who knows, Ipswich may be able to do something unthinkable!”

Optus Sport promises analysis, highlights and insights

Head of Optus Sport, Howard Rees, said Optus Sport is the only place to experience every match of the Premier League.

“There are so many tantalising questions as we head into the 2024-25 season – can Manchester City do what no team has done before and claim a record-breaking fifth-consecutive Premier League title? Can Arsenal deliver on their potential by going one better than last year? Can Australia’s Ange Postecoglou keep Spurs firing for the whole season?” he said.

“We can’t wait to bring all of the action, as well as plenty of analysis, highlights and insights from our team of experts throughout the season.”

How and where to watch

Optus Sport subscribers can stream matches live with replays, mini matches and extended highlights.

Subscribers can also watch Optus Sport via their website, mobile and tablet apps and a range of other apps across Smart TVs (including Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense, Android TV), streaming devices (including Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV) and games consoles (Xbox, PS4/PS5).

Optus Sport will also be the new home of the Emirates FA Cup from November 2024.

The new AppleTV+ series Omnivore is correctly being billed as an epic taking viewers on an immersive journey into the world of food.

The idea for the project came from René Redzepi, the chef behind Copenhagen’s multiple Michelin star-winning restaurant noma.

He had been hatching the idea for a TV show for several years. To simplify the pitch, the ambitious concept was to try and do for food what David Attenborough had achieved in his nature documentaries.

Redzepi polished his TV project with food writer and Anthony Boudain’s TV producer Matt Goulding.

In the early 2010s, then London-based Ben Liebmann met Redzepi during a visit to Denmark, where he shared his TV idea with the then Shine Group TV executive. Liebmann would later join noma as its chief operating officer. It was near the end of that time with Redzepi the idea for a series crystallised and a plan put into action. Liebmann became one of Omnivore’s executive producers.

Rene Redzepi and Ben Liebmann at an AppleTV+ preview screening in the US

Warner to Shine to Chefs: Ben Liebmann’s CV

Liebmann was no stranger to the world of media. He grew up watching his dad – broadcaster Steve Liebmann – hosting Nine’s Today show.

His first job out of university was a role at Warner Music Australia. He helped steer the business through the digital tsunami which washed away the physical music business. He observed the growth and subsequent fall of Napster, did Warner’s first deal with Apple Music, and saw the launch of the iPod. “It was the era of ringtones, Big Pond Music and the start if the iTunes store,” Liebmann told Mediaweek.

Six years at Warner was followed by a stint with Vodafone, before he joined Jon Penn at Fremantle Media Australia Enterprises. He joined the day the business morphed from Grundy and Crackerjack into Fremantle Media Australia with Mark and Carl Fennessy at the helm of the production business.

The production that changed the game for both parts of that business was the commission from 10’s then programmer David Mott for a daily food show, MasterChef Australia.

‘MasterChef was still the crown jewels’

Several years later, Liebmann left that business with the Fennessys when they launched Shine Australia with Elisabeth Murdoch. Liebmann set up a division called Shine 360. “A year later, Lis asked me to move to London, and set up Shine 360 globally,” he explained. “Shine 360 became the global commercial rights business.

“We had many wonderful shows, scripted, unscripted, factual, children’s. But MasterChef was still the crown jewels.”

The franchise versions alone give you an idea of the global success of that brand. The format that was supersized by the Fennessys and producer Paul Franklin had separate versions screening in around 50 different territories.

The MasterChef Australian version was also doing strong syndication business. At its peak, it was showing in as many as 100 different markets.

So how did Liebmann get to work for Redzepi? Standby, we’re getting close.

Liebmann stayed with Shine 360 as CEO until Lis Murdoch sold the business to News Corp, which merged that business with private equity outfit Apollo. Apollo controlled Endemol and so merged the brands into Endemol Shine.

See also: Mark and Carl Fennessy to leave Shine Australia

Sydney noma pop-up sells out quickly

Liebmann then moved back to Australia, but he’d already formed a relationship with Redzepi, who had appeared on MasterChef. Later, the two met in Japan while Liebmann dropped in to look at a noma pop-up restaurant.

The idea was floated to do one in Australia too and Liebmann took it on. “We built a partnership with Tourism Australia, Lend Lease, American Express, and Singapore Airlines. I remember the day tickets went on sale very clearly.

“I was in a meeting with Shaun James, a colleague from Warner Music then at Foxtel and I got a call saying 5,500 noma tickets had sold out in three minutes.

“Rene then told me he wanted me to move back to Europe so I packed the shipping container with a very patient wife, and we moved to Denmark. I was in Denmark for five and a half years. I worked with them for seven.”

It was at the end of that period that work started on the TV series. “We partnered with Endeavor Content, which became Fifth Season, which is Carl Fennessy’s and Hugh Marks’ partner in their business Dreamchaser.”

Omnivore calls Apple TV+ home

Fortuitously, they quickly found a home for the TV show. “Apple was the only company we wanted to sell it to and make it with,” said Liebmann.

The show has been well-received. IMDB reviews give it a strong 7.4 out of 10, it has a 100% Tomatameter and 75% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Good reviews followed, from The Hollywood Reporter to Time.

There is a chance of more episodes. Liebmann: “If the streaming gods allow us, we’ll get a second season. Certainly, that would be absolutely our hope. There’s a whiteboard in Copenhagen with maybe 100 ingredients that we think have just as important stories behind them.”

The first series covered just eight ingredients. Might take a while to get through 100.

Ben Liebmann’s side hustles

‘Side hustles’ might not be the correct term, but it sort of fits a person who has segued from music into TV rights and now makes TV. He has a bit of other stuff going on.

“I have been talking with some people about a music documentary out of the UK.” He also does corporate consulting, under the banner of Understory. He is working with a handful of chefs as well, but don’t call him their manager. “I offer them creative, commercial, strategic counsel,” he explained.

“If some call me their manager, then that’s what it is. I support some of them in terms of just their general business strategy direction. Others it’s helping them develop or secure interest in media, interest in raising money in investments, launching their own product companies, whatever it might be.”

Omnivore: How to watch

Created and narrated by René Redzepi, Omnivore lives on AppleTV+.

Each episode of Omnivore celebrates the cultivation, transformation, and consumption of eight of the world’s most essential ingredients.

Those featured in the first series are bananas, chillies, coffee, corn, pork, rice, salt, and tuna.

Redzepi and Emmy Award-winning executive producer Matt Goulding (Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown) guide audiences on a globe-spanning odyssey, unveiling intricate stories behind the ingredients that have shaped societies, cultures, beliefs and the course of human history. The series takes viewers to destinations around the world, including Denmark, Serbia, Thailand, Spain, Japan, Djibouti, Peru, South Korea, France, Colombia, India, Bali, Rwanda and Mexico, as well as locations throughout the United States. In each episode, Redzepi and various series contributors offer an exploration of culinary traditions, showcasing local efforts to honour, conserve and protect earth’s offerings.

Omnivore is produced for Apple TV+ by FIFTH SEASON and FILM 45 with executive producers Redzepi, Goulding, Chris Rice, Ben Liebmann, Michael Antinoro, Max Wagner, Collin Orcutt and Mateo Willis. Cary Joji Fukunaga developed “Omnivore” for television.

Incumbent agency Special Australia has withdrawn from ANZ Bank’s creative agency pitch, leaving the competition to the shortlisted agencies: Leo Burnett, dentsu, The Monkeys, and BMF, Mediaweek can confirm.

In a statement to Mediaweek, the big four bank‘s general manager, marketing Australia, Sian Chadwick, confirmed the creative independent‘s move.

“Special is not participating in ANZ’s current RFP. The decision was mutually reached by both organisations,” said Chadwick. 

“We continue to work with Special on a number of projects and are grateful for their support and collaboration over the last three years.”

ANZ called the pitch on Thursday 16 May, beginning a tender process with an RFP that focussed on creative strategy and development.

In a statement made Mediaweek at the time, Chadwick claimed the bank will hunt for an “alliance” of agencies.

“We’re constantly reviewing the ways in which we work with our Australian agency partners. As part of this, we are building an alliance of trusted agency partners which will allow us to achieve the best creative outcome for each campaign,” she said.

Special originally won the account in 2021 after a four-way shoot-out against CHEP, Hero, and incumbent TBWA\Melbourne.TBWA had held the ANZ account for 10 years, producing work like the Cannes-winning GAYTMs.

TBWA\Melbourne went on to win the creative account for another big four bank, NAB.

In April, Special released its latest work for ANZ, working with media agency PHD to bring back the ANZ Falcon, first introduced in Australia in 2006. The DoppelFalcons campaign aimed to educate customers about ANZ’s upgraded fraud protection technology.

The campaign featured customers and their lookalike falcons in a film directed by Steve Rogers from Revolver, with VFX produced by Alt.VFX.

ANZ’s media contract with PHD Melbourne, worth a reported $50+ million, was extended in February.

Special declined to comment on its withdrawal from the pitch.

See also: ANZ falcon returns in ‘DoppelFalcons’ via Special and PHD

Meta’s new AI Studio platform is “taking the first steps” to create a world where anyone can harness the capabilities of AI across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, according to Will Easton, managing director at Meta Australia. 

“To see this realised, it’s important we’re not just creating a single AI, but enabling lots of people to create their own AIs,” Easton told Mediaweek.

Meta’s AI Studio was rolled out at the end of July in the US, and allows all users to create, share, and discover AIs.

While anyone can use AI Studios to make an AI that teaches cooking, helps with Instagram captions, or generate memes, Easton says he thinks creators will find AI Studio “especially valuable.”

“[AI Studios] will give [creators] a way to communicate with their communities at scale and at any time of the day or night,” he said.

“They’ll be able to use AI Studio to create AIs that can chat with their community, answer people’s questions, create content, and more.”

While AI Studios is aimed at users and creators in its current state, Easton said Meta sees a future in which businesses will be able to create AIs that “reflect their brand’s values through our business tools.”

“Today, most small businesses or brands have a website, social media presence, and email address. In the future, every small business will also have an AI agent their customers can interact with.

“Our goal is to make it easy for every business to pull all of their content and catalogue into an AI agent that drives sales and saves them money. We have a fair bit before we get there, but AI Studio is an important step in that direction.”

While launched in the US, Meta is currently working on a release window for the program in Australia and New Zealand. 

Meta’s ANZ Q3 results showed that 3.27 billion people use at least one of Meta’s products each day, up by 30 million since last quarter.

See also: Instagram launches Off The Handle podcast with G Flip at Meta HQ

Sarah Cassell from Perth has been recognised as AWARD School’s national top student for 2024.

The announcement was made during The Gold Pencil Award Party at the 45th annual AWARD Awards, held at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. The event, hosted at This Way Up, celebrates the year’s leading creative work and emerging talent.

Cassell was selected from over 200 students across the Asia Pacific region and awarded the prestigious AWARD School Black Pencil. She was also recognised as the winner of the national outdoor/poster brief.

‘In your family for life’ outdoor/poster brief by Sarah Cassell

Last week, state finalists were announced, including Brooke Wiggins from New South Wales, Jess Gough from Victoria, Harrison Coates from Queensland, Albert Hopkins from South Australia, and Dominique Powe, who led AWARD School’s online program. All students’ work is available for viewing on the AWARD School website.

Additional 2024 national brief winners were announced, with Montana Hein recognised for film/TVC, Spencer O’Connor for audio, and Anna Kikuno O’Leary for her response to this year’s social media brief.

“Congratulations to all of you,” commented Mandie van der Merwe, AWARD chair and chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi.

“The judges were particularly blown away by Sarah’s creative thinking across the board. Her work was not only strategic but also consistently unexpected and surprising – qualities that set her apart from the rest.

“Her portfolio showcased flashes of brilliance and lateral thinking, making her the clear choice for 2024’s national top student prize. She is incredibly deserving of the honour.” 

The evening also saw The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, crowned Agency Network of the Year. The creative agency also won four golds and The Grand Award for Play it Safe, which celebrated the Sydney Opera House’s 50th anniversary.

See also:
The Monkeys crowned Agency Network of the Year at the 45th annual AWARD Awards
How Mark Green convinced Susan Coghill to help fund Play it Safe

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Top image: Sarah Cassell

Mediaweek’s Media Movers charts the biggest people moves in the industry over the past fortnight.

Cosima Marriner was named editor of the Australian Financial Review.

Tanya Vragalis returned to M&C Saatchi to become managing director, seven years after she left the agency to join TBWA.

Paramount promoted Travis Kirk to the newly-created role of commercial partnerships director – ad sales, Sydney.

HAVAS Group appointed Richard Clarke as its local chief growth and client officer.
 
Amy Bradshaw started a new role at TikTok as head of partnerships following her recent departure from VaynerMedia.
 
After 13 years at PHD, Mitchell Long joined Havas Media as chief strategy officer.

Captify appointed Jaclyn Hadida as local managing director.
 
In what has been described by some as “bombshell” news, Sam Armytage quit the Seven network. In an interview with Armytage, who is a News Corp Stellar columnist, she told The Sunday Telegraph she wanted to stay with Seven and make more series of Farmer Wants a Wife.
 
Mitch King has departed Mutinex as the company’s head of talent acquisition

Independent creative agency Howatson+Company created a new creative leadership structure, promoting executive creative directors Gavin Chimes and Richard Shaw to chief creative officer and deputy chief creative officer, respectively.

Editor-in-chief and creative lead of Missing Perspectives, Hannah Diviney, stepped down from her role with the platform she co-founded with Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks.

Ed Jamison, head of marketing – craft and hospitality at Lion, departed the beverage giant after 12 years, confirming he will take a short break “before writing the next chapter.”
 
Spark Foundry Australia promoted Sue-Ellen Osborn to the new role of national head of investment, while Cleo Lam steps up into Osborn’s former role as head of investment in Sydney.

Are Media appointed Megan Osborne as editor of Better Homes and Gardens.

Emotive nabbed Thrive PR’s national director of integration, Ashleigh Bruton, for the newly minted-role of head of fame.

IAB Australia appointed Vanya Mariani, commercial director – media (sales and customer solutions) for Carsales as chair of the board. Andrew Brain, director of data and growth at Seven West Media, has been appointed deputy chair.
 
Rebecca Costello will also join the IAB Board as the new representative for The Guardian, while Suzie Cardwell joins as Nine’s representative.
 
Initiative promoted Emma Greenhalgh to national head of communications design, effective from October, when her predecessor, Ryan Haeusler, will depart the Mediabrands agency. Haeusler had been promoted to the position last November.
 
The Idea Shed appointed John Fairley, former head of design at Dentsu Creative, as design director.
 
The ABC’s director of audiences and marketing, Leisa Bacon, is leaving the national broadcaster after a decade leading its core marketing and strategic audience functions.
 
Seven West Media (SWM) WA promoted Chris Pearce to the newly-created role of sport sales director, leading the integrated sport offering to the market across broadcast, streaming, print, and digital.

Independent media agency Magic introduced a new leadership team, led by Shahram Ghaffurian‘s appointment as CEO.
 
New appointments also include Bernie Cullen as head of media, Sarah Baskerville as head of growth, and the promotion of Sam Terminelli to head of strategy.
 
Five by Five Global appointed Mark Anderson as its managing director, replacing incumbent MD and founder, Matt Lawton, who is moving into a globally-led position within the parent company – Lawton Communications Group.
 
Advertising Industry Careers (AIC) appointed David Reid to its Advisory Board.

JOLT appointed Randall Taylor as senior data, strategy and insights manager, as the network prepares to scale its data and audience intelligence offering.
 
National industry body the Australia Association of National Advertisers (AANA) appointed four new board members: independent directors Gillian Franklin and Jeff Krug; ABC’s departing director of audiences, Leisa Bacon; and Google country marketing manager ANZ, Suzana Ristevski.
 
CTV ad solutions provider Amagi appointed Thomas Parsons as senior director of sales and business development.
 
oOh!media appointed Emmalee Crellin to the newly-created role of head of data sales.
 
MiQ hired Aaron Macarthur in the newly-created role of director of business development for Australia and New Zealand.

Bridget Brennan will be the new co-host of morning TV program ABC News Breakfast, replacing Lisa Millar who resigned from the show in July.
 
News Corp Australia officially launched its State and Communities Mastheads division, led by managing director and publisher, Mark Reinke.
 
Reinke has appointed John Lehmann to the newly-created role of commercial director of the State and Communities Mastheads, which includes the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser as well as regional, rural and community titles.
 
In this expanded role, Lehmann remains in his existing role of managing director, NSW.
 
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) appointed Lachlan Brahe, the general manager of retail media at Cashrewards, as the inaugural chair of its Retail Media Council, effective immediately.
 
Daniel Aguirre-Davies was promoted to head of search at GroupM Australia and New Zealand. His appointment to the role comes a year after he joined GroupM Nexus from Mindshare as group performance director.

Affinity appointed Emma Shepherd as communications director. Shepherd joins the indie agency after a year with The Trade Desk, where she served as editorial content manager, APAC.

Journalist and newsreader Sharyn Ghidella will return to Network 10 as presenter of Queensland’s 10 News First.

Starting in September, she will present Queensland’s 10 News First bulletin from the network’s Brisbane studios.

In 1990, Ghidella was recruited by Brisbane’s Channel 10 newsroom as an on-the-road reporter and update presenter.

Two years later, she transitioned to Nine in Sydney, starting as a reporter before being promoted to present Daybreak, and early-morning news program. She soon became the regular newsreader on the Today Show.

In 2007, she joined the Seven Network and presented the network’s Brisbane bulletin since 2013. Ghidella recently departed Seven after a 17-year tenure with the network.

“Returning to 10 News First feels like coming home,” Ghidella said.

“Network 10 provided me my first opportunity to work in a metropolitan newsroom and I have nothing but fond memories of my time there in the early 90s.

“To be returning to present a new local news service, with even more content relevant to Queenslanders, represents an exciting opportunity for me.

“Viewers recently have been very vocal about what they want in a news service, and 10 News First is tailoring its new local bulletin to meet those viewer needs.

“10 News First has long been committed to keeping its audience informed about the issues and events that matter to them, both at home and overseas, and I can’t wait to join this dedicated and highly professional team in the Queensland newsroom.”

Erin Edwards, executive editor at 10 News First Queensland, said she “can’t wait to start a new chapter” in Queensland.

“Sharyn is a masterful journalist. She deep dives into every story to give Queenslanders the facts without fuss. Sharyn loves Queensland. She understands Queensland.”

Martin White, head of broadcast news at Paramount Australia and New Zealand, added: “This is a great day for 10 in Queensland. We’re firm believers in local journalism and giving our audiences the best possible content – which aligns perfectly with Sharyn, Brisbane’s number-one newsreader.”

This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Biarta Parnham and Piper Daly from communications and content marketing agency Biased reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.

The Mediaweek series showcases diverse perspectives, thoughts, and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.

Biarta Parnham, managing director, Biased

Favourite podcast/read – I regularly tune into The Fin and BBC’s Your Dead to Me podcasts. I’ve recently finished reading Prima Facie by Suzie Miller and can’t stop thinking about it. We’re lucky to work with the team at QBD Books, which continues to fuel my obsession with reading.

Current streaming binge –  We watch a lot of Grand Designs at home, and You Don’t Know Me on Netflix is definitely worth investing in (especially for the plot twist).

Guilty pleasure content – Does doom scrolling on TikTok count? I’m a sucker for trashy reality shows like Below Deck and Summer House.

What do you have on repeat – Lately I’ve been getting into Remi Wolf’s music. We also have a vinyl titled Le Bapteme by Matthieu Chedid (AKA ‘M’) spinning on the turntable lately.
 
Best career advice – “No one respects Minnie Mouse” – one of my first bosses was an absolute PR powerhouse, and she taught me this when I was cutting my teeth calling journos back in the day. It still makes me chuckle. All too often we’re taught (particularly as females) to soften our tone and end up putting on a squeaky, high-pitched voice as a result. Finding your voice and having the confidence to speak up is crucial to success.
 
Leadership hero –  There are so many incredible leaders I look up to, but one of my long-term mentors is Lyn Tuit, principal of boutique agency Momentum2. She’s formidable and intelligent, but also has a soft spot for training the next generation, which I’m equally passionate about. Closer to home, I’m also inspired by my mum, who owned her own business for 42 years – she’s taught me a lot about the ebbs and flows of business ownership.
 
Best training course/session –  Studying law part time on top of working full time keeps me occupied, so I always prefer shorter communications and marketing courses that hold my attention. For leadership, I purchased a Masterclass subscription this year which has a broad range of lessons from industry experts.
 
I wish someone had told me – Date all the deadshits. It makes finding the right one all the more sweeter (and gives you plenty of entertaining stories along the way).
 
Favourite place to network – Dinner parties – I prefer having more meaningful one on one conversations with people to uncover their personal story and share experiences, rather than ‘working a room’. Also being involved in charity fundraisers – I’m on the planning committee for Lifeline Macarthur & Western Sydney’s annual fundraiser and I’ve met a diverse group of talented individuals through the experience.
 
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – There’s an abundance of work – I love how much people share new business opportunities and embrace collaborations for greater impact.
 
What is your hot take on the industry – Improving process efficiency with AI to free our time up for creative strategic thinking and building relationships.
 
Career goal for 2024 –  Enjoy the ride! Biased celebrated four years this year and I’m enjoying working on campaigns that feed my curiosity, alongside clients who are a delight to work with.

Piper Daly, account executive, Biased

Favourite podcast/read – The Cancelled Podcast with Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield.

Current streaming binge – Schitts Creek! My mum and I are watching it together and it’s become one of my new favourite shows.

Guilty pleasure content – Refer to question one – yikes!

What do you have on repeat – Anything Bakar, Mk.Gee’s Two Star & The Dream Police album, and always Fred Again. My music taste is quite broad so it really depends on the day.

Best career advice – Something that was not told to me, but I’ve learnt myself is to always listen to and learn from those senior to you but also don’t be afraid to put forward your own thoughts and ideas. I’ve come to find that a new perspective is usually appreciated and can often spark something great!

Leadership hero – As I am very early in my career I wouldn’t want to put such a title on someone – but MD of Biased, Biarta Parnham, has taken me under her wing for the past two years and I couldn’t be more grateful!

Best training course/session – I enjoy SMK’s Social Media trend labs as they give you an opportunity to look ahead to where you should start tapping into and where the industry is headed.

I wish someone had told me – That not everyone is on the same path with the same goals. You can’t compare yourself and your journey to people who are working towards different milestones and experiences in life.

Favourite place to network – At the moment, LinkedIn or any conferences I attend! I think it’s good to be thrown into networking conversations when it’s something I am still getting used to.

Something that’s surprised you about the industry – How much time and thought goes behind every aspect of marketing – which may seem like something that should be obvious, but coming into the industry at a young age, it’s just something I was never conscious of beforehand. It is inspiring to witness how much work goes into each decision and detail behind the scenes.

What is your hot take on the industry – Influencers should be very selective with the brands they partner with, and vice versa. It’s a sure way to lose your community’s trust and increasingly people have become better at detecting sell-outs.

Career goal for 2024 – Make more industry connections. I’m excited to build my next-gen contacts in the marketing and comms space.

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To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds, please email: [email protected]

Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.

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Top image: Biarta Parnham and Piper Daly

Worldwide visual communication platform Canva has launched a brand refresh, led by its executive creative director, Cat van der Warff. 

The refresh was designed for Canva to scale globally and connect locally, as it looks to enhance its enterprise capability.

The brand refresh was created by the in-house creative team using Canva’s own tools.

Ashleigh Bowring, creative director at Canva, said: “It was scrappier, more collaborative and more in-depth than anything else I’ve done before. The end result is something that is vibrant and full of heart; empowering everyday people to achieve their goals, no matter how big or small.”

As part of the rebrand, Canva collaborated with Vucko on the motion system and Buck on its new emojis. 

“There are so many elements I’m excited about, from photography that heroes our community, to simplified colour palette that prioritizes accessibility, to bespoke emojis we created with Buck,” van der Warff said. 

In July, Canva acquired generative AI platform Leonardo.AI, an Australian startup that specialises in generative AI content and research. 

Speaking of the acquirement, Cameron Adams, co-founder and chief product officer of Canva, said: “Bringing our worlds together will accelerate each of our teams’ work, taking us from strength to strength, and we can’t wait to get started.”

The Experience Advocacy Taskforce (EAT) has launched a new website in collaboration with Affinity.

This platform, formed in 2022 by Greg Graham, aims to reframe and redress workforce ageism in the media and advertising industry and encourage agencies to value experience as part of their diversity and inclusion efforts.

Statistics from the 2023 census by the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) showed that 81% of the industry are aged below 30.

In contrast, just 13.1% are in their 40s, and 5.1% in their 50s.

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) indicates that 62% of workers in the wider Australian workforce are over the age of 40.

“In a world of diversity and inclusion, the topic of ageism does not get nearly enough attention,” Greg Graham, founder of The Experience Advocacy Taskforce, said.

“It’s our goal, with the help of Affinity, to challenge and encourage agencies to take ageism more seriously.

“We’ve loved working with Affinity on the launch of the Experience Advocacy Taskforce. This was a fantastic team effort. They took our messaging, driven hugely by the wonderful Meredith Ansoul, scoped, did all the strategy work and built the site from the ground up.

“Our new site provides information and useful resources, and we encourage agencies to take the time to visit it to make the commitment to tackle ageism head-on.”

CEO of Affinity, Angela Smith, said the newly-positioned ‘growth accelerator’ “jumped at the chance to apply our expertise in strategy and technology to help grow the discussion around this last bastion of discrimination.”

“Somehow many people think it’s still okay to describe a professional by referencing their age with outdated euphemisms like ‘veteran’ – we all know that’s not ok for heritage, sexuality or gender. Why is it still ok for age?” she said.

“What we love about the taskforce is that they’re focused on practical and meaningful initiatives rather than the scourge of tokenism and look-at-me stunts. It was a no brainer to make an active contribution to this important movement.”

Vudoo has partnered with Scroll Media, a digital advertising network that represents advertising sales for over 40 premium publishers across AUNZ.

Scroll Media’s offerings, including display, video, and gamified ads, will now be charged by Vudoo’s shoppable and interactive content technology.

The collaboration will allow Scroll Media’s publisher partners to integrate Vudoo’s solutions into content and various ad formats, providing bespoke branding opportunities for clients and advertising partners. 

“As a publisher audience network, we can now offer not only top-of-funnel awareness and consideration metrics to our clients, but tangible business outcomes like add-to-cart and payment functionalities,” Scroll Media managing director Jane Ormsby said.

“What sets Vudoo apart is their unique ability to integrate a shopfront directly into in-stream video and content, resulting in higher click-to-conversion rates and a more seamless consumer journey.”

The partnership will also enable advertisers to engage audiences in meaningful ways, the pair said, such as completing product purchases, lead generation forms, booking test drives, scheduling consultations, requesting demos, and downloading information sheets—all seamlessly within the content.

Vudoo CEO and founder Nick Morgan added: “This exciting collaboration will help advertisers and agencies achieve new ways to entice, engage and excite readers and consumers alike, whilst ensuring both consumption and conversion are frictionless.”

Vudoo’s partnership with Scroll Media comes off the back of its partnership with Nativo, a content and technology company.

The collaboration aims to offer innovative and effective solutions for brands and publishers across the region.

By partnering with Nativo, Scroll Media said it will leverage Nativo’s advanced technology to deliver seamless content experiences that drive better results for advertisers and enhance user experience for audiences.

See also: Scroll Media partners with Nativo

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Top image: Nick Morgan

Man of Many has launched a fitness and workout series, Man of Many GAINS, with celebrity trainer Jono Castano.

The lifestyle publication’s eight-part series features Castano demonstrating the most effective and actionable workouts for each muscle group while sharing his expert tips for every exercise.

Man of Many GAINS is part of the publisherʼs editorial hub dedicated to fitness, integrating video content, editorial guides, and workout plans.

John Guanzon, Man of Manyʼs head of social and production, said the project aims to provide high-quality fitness content that caters to all levels, from beginners to advanced enthusiasts.

“Weʼre thrilled to launch Man of Many GAINS, a new series that embodies our commitment to providing our audience with top-tier fitness content,” he said.

“We already have some great workout content on our website, so it was only fitting to complement it with high-quality video content featuring a great talent like Jono Castano.”

Jono Castano

Castano added: “Super excited to be a part of this fitness series with Man of Many! I share my top tips to get the most out of your training and how to improve your fitness game.”

The Man of Many GAINS series is positioned to engage and captivate audiences across multiple platforms, the publisher said, including its 39,500 subscribers on YouTube, 236,000 followers on Instagram, and 108,000 on TikTok.

The series release follows Man of Manyʼs venture into longer-form video and IP through episodic series like Monday Munchies, The REV UP, Man of Many Talks, Suite Spot, and Hands On.

Man of Many GAINS Episode 1, Best Shoulder Exercises, is live now, with new episodes released weekly, every Friday. The series will be available to watch on the Man of Many website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms.

See also: Man of Many unveils new corporate site and two new hires

Wednesday 14 August 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 1,887,000, a total TV national audience of 974,000, and a BVOD audience of 139,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,068,000, a total TV national audience of 1,272,000, and a BVOD audience of 101,000.

Seven’s The Chase Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,457,000, a total TV national audience of 709,000, and a BVOD audience of 34,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,404,000, a total TV national audience of 934,000, and a BVOD audience of 145,000.

10’s airing of Thank God You’re Here recorded a total TV national reach of 1,314,000, a total TV national audience of 746,000, and a BVOD audience of 44,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 714,000
• National Audience: 412,000
• BVOD Audience: 86,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 547,000
• National Audience: 336,000 
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 381,000
• National Audience: 182,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 447,000
• National Audience: 300,000
• BVOD Audience: 82,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 336,000
• National Audience: 203,000
• BVOD Audience: 52,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 256,000
• National Audience: 168,000 
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 135,000
• National Audience: 69,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 183,000
• National Audience: 128,000
• BVOD Audience: 50,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ 

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,455,000
• National Audience: 749,000
• BVOD Audience: 110,000

10’s Thank God You’re Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 996,000
• National Audience: 571,000 
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

Seven’s The Front Bar:
• Total TV nation reach: 876,000
• National Audience: 439,000
• BVOD Audience: 21,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,124,000
• National Audience: 749,000
• BVOD Audience: 115,000

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.