“I believe I can bring a fresh, diverse point of view and a strategic mindset to help accelerate our growth even further,” Gavin Sommer tells Mediaweek.
Sommer joins AFFINITY in the newly created role of general manager, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience to the independent agency following his most recent post at Accenture Song. Before that, he was at Spark44.
“I’m looking forward to nurturing and growing AFFINITY’s talent and helping to grow our clients’ businesses in a sustainable way.”
He said that moving from a large organisation to a mid-size business has many advantages, which attracted him to AFFINITY and its offering in the first place.
“AFFINITY has a diverse client portfolio and a team of talented professionals. Part of the appeal at AFFINITY is the new way of working and the unique structure of the business.”
He said that for many years, AFFINITY co-founders Angela Smith, CBO, and Luke Brown, Group CEO, have had the vision to change how agencies work by removing the account service function and focussing on strategy and delivery teams to drive the client relationship and business.
“Although my career started in account service, I think AFFINITY’s approach is the right model for the times. It’s a proven strategy that I wanted to be part of.”
He said the agency had integrated a genuine advisory service dedicated to driving accelerated growth for businesses into the offering, which he noted was evident by AFFINITY’s ability to read the market and build solutions that clients need.
“AFFINITY is on an upward trajectory, and it’s just the start of great things to come. I’m looking forward to nurturing and growing AFFINITY’s talent and helping to grow our clients’ businesses in a sustainable way,” he added.
Luke Brown, Gavin Sommer and Angela Smith
Smith said that creating a new general manager role has been the culmination of a three-year business plan – albeit slightly interrupted by COVID – and an eight-month search for Brown and herself to find someone for the executive leader role.
“We don’t create roles and treat people as resources. We wanted to make sure we were ready for this important step. We needed to know that we had someone who was empathic in terms of a similar-sized agency role and had seen growth and success there.”
Smith called Sommers “the full package” for the agency and a “lovely human being.”
“Gavin can control his destiny with us. He’ll be responsible for the day-to-day operations and success of the agency. I think Gavin exemplifies the best possible practice in leadership and relationship skills,” she added.
Brown said Sommers will help expand and drive the agency’s ambitions for business growth.
“We already have those relationships at senior leadership levels within our clients, which is essential to driving genuine business growth. Gavin will help expand on that ambition.”
Sommer said his last three years at Accenture Song gave him “the opportunity to work with some incredible clients, solving their very real business problems. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had there.”
“Prior to that, at Spark44, the global agency of record for JLR (Jaguar Land Rover), we worked within a unique business model as part of a joint venture. And after being acquired by Accenture Song in 2021, we became part of a new opportunity with Accenture.”
Sommer noted that he will bring to AFFINITY the skills and global experience he learned at Spark44 and Accenture Song.
Gavin Sommer
Looking ahead, Sommers said “AFFINITY’s growth acceleration proposition is very appealing indeed. I couldn’t be happier to be here.”
For Brown, he said he’s “never been surer of the vision for the business” and is inspired to work on building that vision.
“Having someone of Gavin’s calibre who’s very like-minded in their vision of growing businesses and not just doing ad campaigns, is for me, genuinely liberating.
Smith shared that in a year, she hopes the agency will have had “interesting conversations” with different businesses at a C-suite level.
“It’s at that level where I fundamentally feel passionate about changing the perception of brand and marketing in terms of leveraging the opportunities that amazingly strong and smart brands have available to them. Working with them to use AI, data and technology and all the levers that they have available is where I believe we can really change things,” she said.
Smith believes “marketing is an under-leveraged, underutilised superpower in Australian business.”
“We want to be a big part of changing that conversation through a focus on business growth and outcomes. Our industry is in a little bit of a self-perpetuating hamster wheel, if you like.
“We’re constantly looking at 30-second TVCs. I have full respect for agencies that do amazing TVCs, and there’s a place for it. But I think we’re a little bit of a victim of our own successes, and we’ve pigeonholed ourselves way too finitely – a mark of our success will be if we start to break out of that paradigm,” she added.
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Top image: Luke Brown, Gavin Sommer and Angela Smith
One of the longest and most successful overseas TV correspondent postings is over with the decision to end Hugh Whitfeld’s gig in London.
Seven’s European bureau chief will be staying with Seven. His new role will be national news desk director and foreign editor.
The Whitfeld appointment broke via an update from Seven’s new director of news and current affairs Anthony De Ceglie late last week. The news was reported in The Daily Telegraph today via Jonathon Moran and former Seven News social media guru Brenden Wood who now works at News Corp.
The changes also see a move into Seven News for former News Corp entertainment reporter Wenlei Ma who becomes Seven News entertainment editor.
Moran and Wood published the full list of roles who would report to the Seven News Desk under Whitfeld:
National News Desk Director and Foreign Editor – Hugh Whitfield (NSW)
Federal Politics – Editor Mark Riley, with Rob Scott, Isabelle Mullen, Ben Downie and Josh Martin
Business Editor – Amelia Brace (NSW)
Business Reporter – Jessica Page (WA)
Investigations – Alison Sandy
Health Editor – Jen Bechwati (NSW)
Consumer Affairs – Georgia Holland (QLD)
Tech Editor – Shaun White (NSW)
Aviation Editor – Blake Johnson (Melbourne)
Property Editors – Angelique Opie (NSW), Melina Sarris (VIC) Anna McGraw (QLD), Jasmin Teurlings (SA) and Alice Murray (WA)
Defence Editor – Rob Scott (Canberra)
Asia Editor – James Carmody (WA)
Entertainment Editor – Wenlei Ma (The Nightly)
The Daily Telegraph quoted the memo: “The 7News National News Desk will be home to a centralised team of journalists whose responsibility as expert editors in their round will be to deliver exclusive content beyond anything seen on television. The specialist rounds cover everything from Business and Aviation to Property and Asia.”
Canberra and Foreign Bureaus will also fall under the national news desk remit.
See also: Seven’s Hugh Whitfeld in relative calm of Birmingham as he tracks Aussie Gold
Whitfeld has been reporting from Europe for over a decade and has covered everything from the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 exactly a decade ago, through to the invasion of Ukraine, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hugh Whitfeld covering the shooting down of MH17 in 2014
Wenlei Ma will increase the celebrity content on the channel with interviews with movie and TV celebrities. The trusted critic is currently the culture editor of The Nightly, reviewing TV and movies. She also records interviews with stars. A recent feature was a filmed inter with actor Austin Butler, star of The Bikeriders.
The moves at Seven News come after a raft of recent changes including the addition of a comedy segment with Mark Humphries, and a horoscope segment. Just last week the network sacked high profile Brisbane newsreader Sharyn Ghidella.
Whitfeld will work alongside Seven Sydney’s recently appointed director news Sean Power.
Power recently told Mediaweek’s Tess Connery: “Some of the most exciting opportunities for 7News lie in what the platform can bring audiences in the future.
“7News is such an incredibly strong new brand, it remains number one nationally, and when something big happens, we know people turn to 7News. They trust us to get it right, and to tell them what’s going on in their community. We will be continuing to bed that down, to make sure where the stories are, we’re there and we have the information.
“We also have the opportunity to champion things that need to change. I’m a real advocate for using our news broadcast services to highlight what is going on in our viewers’ lives, and using it where something isn’t right – using it as a tool to champion answers from the people who hold power. I don’t see enough of it in terms of where we are as a climate, I think there is too little scrutiny on those that have power concerning the decisions that they make in our day-to-day lives.”
See also: ‘News is the foundation of what I do’: Sean Power takes the reins of 7News Sydney
De Ceglie said in the staff memo: “I’m thrilled that Hugh, who has spent the past decade as Seven’s Europe Bureau Chief reporting on everything from war zones to Buckingham Palace, has agreed to come home and run this crucial new initiative. Hugh has operated at pace and often under intense circumstances in modern newsrooms driven by specialist correspondents and is the perfect fit to run our National News Desk. He will also take on the role of Foreign Editor, where his expertise will be used to comment and analyse world affairs.
“We plan to launch the desk during the first week of the Olympics, and Ray Kuka will take the lead until Hugh arrives back in Australia in September.”
The latest news shuffle at Seven comes as the ratings war heats up.
Nine reported yesterday that its Monday night bulletin this week was its highest rating bulletin of the year across Australia and the 5 City Metro.
The Olympic Games broadcaster reported 9News was Monday’s #1 program of the night across the 5 City Metro with Total People and all key demos. The combined national bulletins achieved a National Total TV Reach of 2.239 million and a Total TV National Audience of 1.434 million (up 19.8% year-on-year). Its BVOD audience of 111,000 was up 79.0% year-on-year.
In a metro market breakdown, Nine detailed 9News was also the #1 news bulletin in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
In Sydney, 9News recorded 43,000 more viewers than its nearest competitor.
In Melbourne, 9News recorded 91,000 more viewers than its nearest competitor.
In Brisbane, 9News recorded 59,000 more viewers than its nearest competitor.
While Nine was lifting in metro markets, Seven remained the #1 choice across Australia with the biggest combined metro and regional audience.
See also: Anthony de Ceglie’s ‘dream’ is a ‘unified’ Seven and new audiences
LiSTNR’s Hamish & Andy has again taken the top spot in Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA) and Triton Digital‘s June Australian Podcast Ranker.
Last month, Hamish & Andy recorded 848,612 monthly listeners and 1,634,586 monthly downloads.
The top four remain unchanged from May, with Casefile True Crime, ABC News Top Stories, and Mamamia Out Loud following Hamish & Andy.
The highest debut of the month is the newest investigative title from Hedley Thomas, Bronwyn.
Bronwyn Winfield was a mother of two, who disappeared in 1993 in the midst of separating from her husband Jon. Bronwyn’s family and friends never heard from her again. She was just 31 when she went missing.
See also: Hedley Thomas on Bronwyn, and doing ‘more good with this sort of journalism than most’
Also from News Corp’s stable of crime podcasts, Cocaine Inc. debuts at #108.
Up 5 places to #11, Abbie Chatfield‘s It’s A Lot has celebrated its largest monthly audience since launching in 2019, with 315,587 monthly listeners.
Rising 127 places to #65, The Grade Cricketer from DM Podcasts is the biggest lifter this ranker.
For the 50th survey in a row, ARN’s iHeart has been named the top podcast publisher.
ARN’s head of digital audio, Corey Layton, said: “Achieving the #1 Podcast Publisher status for the 50th consecutive ranker is a monumental feat and a testament to the dedication and innovation of our amazing partners and team. As I know all too well, it’s not the size that counts, but the level of engagement and passion Australians and brands continue to show for our incredible line-up.”
Similarly, LiSTNR continued its run as the top sales representation podcast network nationally.
“As LiSTNR continues to be the leading sales representation network, it’s great to see the LiSTNR sales team increasing its podcast revenue across June to finish +25% year-on-year,” executive head of LiSTNR podcasts, Grant Tothill, said.
“For Hamish & Andy to continue as Australia’s favourite podcast, and for Abbie [Chatfield] to achieve her best monthly audience, is a real credit not only to Hamish and Andy and Abbie, but also their respective teams,” he added.
By Leigh Lavery, head of growth intelligence at The Growth Distillery (and lifelong sports tragic)
I LOVE SPORT!
As a passionate sports fan who grew up on a steady diet of AFL (insert – Go the Dees and now Giants!), cricket (torn between Tugga and Warney), and a sprinkling of rugby league (Big Mal is still my favourite Canberran, as a proud Canberran myself), I’ve seen firsthand how sports fandom has evolved. Now, as a card-carrying Middle Aged Man in Lycra (MAMiL), my excitement for the Olympics, particularly the triathlon events at the Paris Games, is palpable.
Put simply, I’m part of a growing legion of sports fans in Australia – 16 million strong, with 2m new fans joining the club since 2021 according to Roy Morgan.
To break this fandom down even further, The Growth Distillery’s most recent study, Sporting Nation – The Next Generation, surveyed over 3000 Australian Sports fans on how sport tickles their (and my) itch.
The study highlights a fascinating shift in Australian sports fandom compared to when we first distilled sport back in 2021. The research shows that 56% of sports fans are now categorised as “fanatics,” up from 40% from 2021. These “fanatics” are people where sport is not just a pastime but a central part of our identity. We are at the nuffy end of the spectrum where small chat often revolves around the game just gone, or the one coming up.
Fanatics are typically passionate about two sports (think winter code/summer code), but tellingly, the number of sporting codes that fanatics follow overall has jumped from four back in 2021 to seven. This broadening interest is most pronounced among under 40 fans, who are increasingly embracing global sports such as basketball and football, alongside traditional and local favourites like AFL, NRL, cricket, and tennis.
Technology and media fragmentation have transformed our sports tastes into a veritable pick-and-mix. While traditional broadcasters and advertisers might see this as a challenge, it presents a unique opportunity for sports news services who have capacity to cover a wide spectrum. Consuming sports news has now become the number one touchpoint for under 40 fans, with 70% engaging with it, overtaking live coverage at 63%. This shift opens new avenues for brands to engage with sports fans beyond the confines of live events.
Our study also revealed that one-eyed fans do really exist, or at least in a commercial sense. With 59% of fans claiming a strong affinity to brands that back their favourite sport, and 70% likely to act on advertising seen within sports contexts, the implications for marketers are significant. Traditional winter football codes like AFL and NRL remain favourites among the over-40 demographic, however under 40 fans are increasingly gravitating towards basketball and football, putting pressure on the old guard.
The story of sports in Australia is also increasingly a story on the rise of women engaging with the codes. Since 2021, Australia has welcomed over 1 million new female sports fans, fueled by inspiring narratives like the Matildas. Our research highlights a growing appetite for women’s sports also, with 54% of total fans interested in consuming more and 34% of female fans having consumed more than last year (half of this group highlighted the Matildas as a key driver!). New female fans are continually emerging, with each representing a fresh opportunity for brands.
So what does this opportunity mean for marketers? Firstly, they need to embrace this broadening spectrum and partner smartly with platforms that cover a wide range of sports. While the long-tail of niche sports is exciting, there remains a substantial advantage in aligning with the favourites. Doubling down on the top sports while also capturing new audiences—both male and female—is a winning strategy.
The evolution of sports fandom in Australia offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with a diverse and passionate audience. By embracing the changing landscape and strategically partnering with sports platforms that cover the spread (with emphasis on the crowd favourites), brands can not only engage with loyal fans, but also tap into the burgeoning fanbase of new and diverse sports enthusiasts.
Find out who they are by downloading Sporting Nation – The Next Generation from The Growth Distillery website.
See also: Social connection the main motivation for sports fans under the age of 40: The Growth Distillery
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Top image: Leigh Lavery
By Biarta Parnham, founder and managing director, Biased
As a perpetual student, I’m passionate about lifeline learning, as I work hard to quench my thirst for knowledge. From watercolours to wine – you name it, and I’ve probably done a course in it.
Listening to Steven Bartlett live recently, his comments about skills stacking with contrasting areas really resonated with me.
That’s because over four years ago I started a boutique agency, Biased, but coincidentally I also started studying law at the same time. Sure, it was during COVID and lockdown provided me with a false sense of security around my availability, but hey, there were no implications if I failed. After all, my job doesn’t depend on it.
So why law? (as I’m asked all the time) Do I intend to practice? Probably not. Will Biased offer legal services one day? I doubt it. But, I’m constantly acquiring knowledge which is relevant to not only marketing, communications, but also the management of business, in unexpected crossovers between the disciplines.
For me, heading into a three-hour lecture after a 10-hour work day is unexpectedly calming. Nothing says mindfulness like turning your phone to flight mode, sitting in a lecture theatre, and listening to a topic that is unrelated to the multitude of tasks you’ve done that day. The immense concentration is a sure-fire way to stop my always-on brain thinking about the business every waking hour.
And it’s humbling to be at the bottom. Starting again, being a small fish in a big pond. I’m not 18, there’s no kick ons at Uni Bar afterwards (J.O.V represent), and I’m choosing to put myself through this, unlike when you’re graduating school and there’s some level of expectation that uni is next on the cards.
But while dorm-life may be behind me, the value in the relationships and contacts I’m making is just as important. I’ve made friends with my peers from all walks of life who are also balancing full time work, families, and social commitments.
Curiosity and entrepreneurship often go hand-in-hand. And while I appreciate not everyone can find the time, but where you can I encourage you to seek out studying things that you maybe never thought you were capable of when you were younger. Not necessarily for a career change, but because adding to your skills stack can only add to your growth. As the saying goes, knowledge truly is power.
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Top image: Biarta Parnham
Nine has outlined its “Principles for AI Use” to staff, stating that the principles are “underpinned by the expertise of our people, and focus on delivering the very best content for our audiences.”
Suzie Cardwell, chief data officer at Nine said in a staff memo the principles are dynamic and “will be constantly reviewed and updated in line with our ongoing business needs, developments in AI technologies and any relevant legislation.”
Cardwell said that FY25 will see a formal AI strategy delivered for Nine.
“This will identify the first areas of generative AI that will make the biggest difference to our people and our audiences,” she said.
“To guide this process, we will be establishing an AI oversight committee that will monitor the principles and guidelines and work with each business unit on responsible and effective AI implementation.”
Nine has outlined five specific principles for its AI use, including that all work will “start and end with humans” stating that “our people take responsibility for their work, including the journalism and content [Nine] produce.”
The company will also critically examine AI-generated output and automated decision-making for accuracy and fairness, as well as ensuring transparency with consumers about the use of data for AI, and “provide reasonable declarations when AI has been used to reformat content.”
Nine will build, train and tune models in a “closed Nine environment” and will ensure the models and data are protected, secured and confidential. It has also mentioned that it may in the future enter into commercial agreements with Large Language Model platform owners and other software vendors to license the use of Nine content.
In developing or implementing an AI tool or model for internal use, the people who use it will be involved in the testing, training and trialling of the technology.
Nine’s principles for AI use come as CEO Mike Sneesby said the company’s eight-year bet on the Olympic and Paralympic Games is paying off.
The Australian Financial Review reports Sneesby saying that the network will bank $135 million in advertising revenue for the upcoming Paris Olympics and insists it will turn a profit.
See also: Nine will bank $135 million in ad revenue for Paris Olympics: Mike Sneesby
DDB Sydney has appointed Jack Nunn as creative partner to lead the McDonald’s account, effective immediately.
Nunn will be joining the senior talent on the McDonald’s account, overseeing its full-service advertising, including brand, retail, and sponsorship portfolios. There is no confirmed creative partner at the time of joining, as DDB confirmed to Mediaweek.
He rejoins DDB Sydney after two years in London at Special and Ogilvy. During his previous tenure at DDB, he helped create campaigns for the fast food giant, including Middle Child, The Sting Re-Mix, and the launch of McCafe’s Coffee Fit For An Aussie platform.
Nunn and his team were awarded the Nine Network’s inaugural State of Originality prize for the 2021 McDonald’s State of Origin campaign, End of Night. He also served as the national co-head of AWARD School and has created work that’s won at every major international awards show.
Previously, Nunn worked alongside creative partner Dan Saunders to lead the McDonald’s account. Saunders left the agency in 2021, and now works as creative director at The Hallway.
“McDonald’s is a phenomenal brand, the team at DDB Sydney and Macca’s are filled with absolute legends. At the risk of double-dipping, I just had to come back for seconds,” said Nunn.
“I couldn’t be happier to have Jack back at DDB Sydney,” said DDB Sydney ECD, Matt Chandler.
“His energy, passion and talent are all you could ask for. I look forward to seeing him pick up where he left off with making more big, brilliant work for Macca’s that’s loved by fans across the country.”
The Omnicom agency has maintained a creative partnership with McDonald’s for over 50 years and has been the creative agency of record for McDonald’s throughout the restaurant chain’s entire history in Australia.
Earlier this year, DDB Sydney and OMD launched The Original Mouthful campaign for The Big Mac, a nostalgic tribute to the legacy of the iconic burger, featuring the revival of the classic chant: ‘Two all-beef patties, Special Sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.’ The campaign won one of 29 Silver Lions in the Brand Experience & Activation category at this year’s Cannes Lions.
In 2020, McDonald’s consolidated its creative account with DDB Sydney, absorbing the digital and social responsibilities previously held by WWP agency VMLY&R (now VML).
In 2017, the company similarly consolidated by parting ways with Leo Burnett, who had shared the creative account since 2004, including handling the McCafe business.
The appointment news follows the announcement of McDonald’s Australia’s director of marketing, Samantha McLeod, departing the company after ten months in the position. McLeod announced her exit on LinkedIn, stating she is “open to opportunities” with no immediate plans.
Earlier this month, DDB announced Rupert Price‘s appointment as chief strategy officer for its Sydney office.
See also:
Rupert Price joins DDB as chief strategy officer
McDonald’s and DDB Sydney revive 1987 Big Mac promo, ‘passing the baton of the chant between generations’
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Top image: Jack Nunn
Under Armour has appointed Sparro by Brainlabs to manage its paid digital media, above-the-line media, SEO, and affiliate marketing.
The global sports apparel, footwear, and accessories brand was founded in 1996 and its innovative products and experiences are engineered to make athletes better and designed to empower human performance.
Priscilla Larke, head of marketing at Under Armour, said: “We’re really excited about our partnership with Sparro. Together, we’re chasing the next generation of athletes and sports enthusiasts. Our agencies and their capabilities now reflect our own ambitions, capability and performance focus.”
“We were really impressed with Sparro’s digital-first approach, balanced with their above-the-line capabilities,” said Larke.
“Our customers are finding products and inspiration beyond professional athletes, both online and through emerging platforms. Sparro is finding media solutions that allow Under Armour to meet our audience wherever they are.”
Cameron Bryant, co-founder of Sparro by Brainlabs, said there was an alignment of values between brand and agency which played an instrumental part of the pitching process.
“Under Armour is the kind of brand we love working with: an ambitious challenger with a respected name that’s ready to go all-in on digital,” said Bryant. “Our teams immediately connected over our values of thinking differently and growing together — and the work we’ve already started together across multiple channels has reflected that.”
Bryant said the independent digital marketing agency has been evolving itself from a pure-performance agency into a full-funnel media buyer over the last five years.
“While we’ve been known for our paid digital media and SEO for over a decade, we’ve always been pushing ourselves to anticipate what our clients will need next. We started building our data science team in 2019, expanded into creative and production with our acquisition of Jack Nimble in 2021, focused on building our affiliate team since 2022, and have been expanding our above-the-line media planning capability since early 2023.”
He added: “We’ve always grown to meet the future needs of our clients and have seen the writing on the wall for years that brands want to consolidate agencies. We’ve made multiple rounds of new hires, built new teams, and expanded our service model to the point that we can now call ourselves full-service.”
Foxtel Group has signed a multi-year broadcast rights extension with Augusta National Golf Club that will continue to see the Masters Tournament broadcast across its platforms including Foxtel, Foxtel Now, and Kayo Sports.
The new agreement continues the company’s long-term partnership with Augusta National which spans almost two decades, and includes a dedicated channel during Masters week on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
It also includes exclusive coverage of Augusta National’s amateur tournaments: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
In addition to coverage of the events, Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscribers can also access an exclusive feed in 4K UHD from the Amen Corner.
Foxtel Group director of content acquisitions and sports partnerships Adam Howarth said: “Golf remains an important part of our sport schedule and we remain the undisputed home for golf in Australia as the official broadcaster for all the major tours across the world.
“We continually build on this commitment and are delighted to be, once again, adding additional feeds and content for our subscribers bringing them closer than ever to all the action.”
This week, FOX Entertainment and Foxtel Group entered an international agreement to co-develop scripted series for the Australian and U.S. markets.
Jointly announced by Rob Wade, CEO of FOX Entertainment, and Alison Hurbert-Burns, executive director, entertainment content & commissioner of Foxtel Group, the deal sees FOX Entertainment in the U.S. and Foxtel Group in Australia commit to identify and develop scripted series to be co-commissioned by the two media companies.
The pact also includes the development of original content for Foxtel and BINGE in Australia and third-party platforms in the U.S. and abroad. Programs created under the agreement will be produced in Australia by FOX Entertainment’s in-house studio, FOX Entertainment Studios, and involve above and below-the-line talent and crews from Australia and America.
See also: FOX and Foxtel Group enter international co-development deal for Australian and U.S. markets
The Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA) have developed a new industry-specific certification program that aims to deliver greater reassurance and security to organisations and their clients as increased cybercrime and high-profile data breaches become more frequent.
The program will be delivered through the ADIA Academy over a 12-month period, beginning in August, and aims to support the need to mitigate risk and maintain trust in a time of rising cybercrime activity.
The certification program is designed for small and large businesses and assists data, research and insights organisations in the preparation for certification to the global ISO 27001 standard.
ISO 27001 is recognised as the gold standard in information and data security best practice and helps organisations become risk-aware and proactively identify and address weaknesses in their information technology and security systems.
ADIA noted that in the past year, the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Signals Directorate (ASD) responded to more than 1,100 cyber security incidents from Australian entities. It also highlighted that nearly 94,000 reports were made to law enforcement through ReportCyber—around one every six minutes, representing an increase of 23% from the previous year.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) also reported that malicious or criminal attacks, including ransomware, cyber extortion, scams, and digital theft, are the leading cause of privacy data breaches, with 91% of these involved in some form of email interaction with consumers.
Sarah Campbell, CEO of ADIA, said: “ADIA’s program is a clear and accessible pathway to ensure a company’s information security system meets the ISO 27001 certification requirement.
“Our member organisations are already recognised as having the best quality practices and standards in the country, working under Australia’s only registered APP privacy code and the industry trust mark. This latest compliance program strengthens these practices and will help ensure members’ data security systems and processes are world class.
Campbell continued: “The research and insights industry relies on the goodwill of the Australian public and ADIA members remain committed to ensuring that continues to be a priority in their business.
“Protecting consumer respondents and sustaining the industry allows researchers to tap into public opinion and provide evidence-based research for critical social policy and commercial businesses on decisions that matter.
“In addition to launching this new program in 2024, the ADIA will also work closely with the OAIC on a new Privacy Code for member organisations once the legislation is passed later this year,” she added.
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Top image: Sarah Campbell
Industry veterans Meyrick Adams and Casey Midgley have partnered to launch Orizan, a strategic marketing consultancy designed to meet the marketing needs of Australian businesses.
The launch looks to address the increasing priority of growth for business leaders seeking new revenue opportunities while adapting to changing economic environments.
Adams and Midgley describe the consultancy as “placement-agnostic,” offering a collaborative approach with clients from the inception of campaigns and an unbiased approach to social, digital, AI, media and creative.
“Complex business problems often require sophisticated innovative solutions. Which is why we need to take a holistic view to best support a client,” said Adams
“For us it’s best strategy wins. Channels with lower margins may best suit our clients’ needs, as every campaign approach is as unique as their business.”
He continued: “Casey and I both have the battle scars from having experienced most things our industry can throw at us. And clients have been receptive to having senior counsel guiding the projects from inception, through to campaign effectiveness and reporting.”
Currently on Orizan’s client roster are Braille House, Union Shopper, and Hog’s Breath Cafe. The first work for the latter launched last week, tied to the Australian franchise‘s 35th anniversary.
Adams holds over 30 years of experience in media, having worked closely with brands like Lorna Jane, Vodafone, and Schick. He has worked on both sides of the fence, first on the publisher side at Austereo (now SCA) as agency sales manager in Sydney. He launched and later exited media consultancy OnRadio to start one of Australia’s first email and SMS marketing platforms. Meyrick has also held roles within teams that launched MTV Australia, and sold the proprietary competition ‘Freq Club’ to Austereo.
Midgley has run brand and design shop Maker Street Studios for the past 12 years. His experience includes work with Lift Brands (Snap Fitness, 9Round), Hygain Feeds, Brisbane Airport, and numerous startups across Australia.
“The world of marketing continues to evolve, and right now, the industry fails to match it,” said Midgley.
“To meet the shifting needs of business leaders we’ve deliberately chosen a collaborative and strategy-first approach. Getting the strategy right shines a light on the other parts of the puzzle we need to pull together to ensure we’re delivering real value.
“Those weighed down by inflated teams, can result in agencies trying to stick square shapes in round holes for clients. Being flexible and able to pivot on ideas quickly, has never been more important.”
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Top Image: Meyrick Adams & Casey Midgley
Nine’s Travel Guides recorded a total TV national reach of 1,814,000, a total TV national audience of 1,061,000, and a BVOD audience of 87,000.
Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,733,000, a total TV national audience of 1,083,000, and a BVOD audience of 86,000.
Seven’s Turbulence recorded a total TV national reach of 994,000, a total TV national audience of 325,000, and a BVOD audience of 22,000.
Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,297,000, a total TV national audience of 950,000, and a BVOD audience of 108,000.
10’s airing of MasterChef recorded a total TV national reach of 1,751,000, a total TV national audience of 883,000, and a BVOD audience of 72,000.
10’s airing of Have You Been Paying Attention? recorded a total TV national reach of 1,408,000, a total TV national audience of 855,000, and a BVOD audience of 41,000.
See Also: TV Report 15 July 2024: Travel Guides go caravanning for the first time in Tassie
Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 625,000
• National Audience: 360,000
• BVOD Audience: 48,000
Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 522,000
• National Audience: 314,000
• BVOD Audience: 46,000
10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 645,000
• National Audience: 318,000
• BVOD Audience: 41,000
Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 446,000
• National Audience: 313,000
• BVOD Audience: 61,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 574,000
• National Audience: 371,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000
Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 225,000
• National Audience: 103,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000
Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 195,000
• National Audience: 109,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000
10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 295,000
• National Audience: 146,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000
Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 194,000
• National Audience: 138,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 235,000
• National Audience: 162,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000
Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,402,000
• National Audience: 828,000
• BVOD Audience: 69,000
Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,346,000
• National Audience: 850,000
• BVOD Audience: 69,000
10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,338,000
• National Audience: 693,000
• BVOD Audience: 59,000
Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,008,000
• National Audience: 738,000
• BVOD Audience: 86,000
10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 1,121,000
• National Audience: 686,000
• BVOD Audience: 32,000
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 16 July 2024:
Beyond the Dream
Nine’s evening started with a Matildas documentary.
While it’s been a meteoric rise to fame and success, the Matildas now face their biggest battle yet – the Olympic Games – Paris 2024.
A Current Affair
Over on A Current Affair, the program met with the son of an MH17 victim who spoke out on the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy and also spoke to homeowners losing hope after waiting years to access a block of land.
Britain’s Got Talent
On Seven, Britain’s Got Talent saw judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli as they searched for golden-buzzer-worthy talent.
Home & Away
Before Dream Home was Home & Away as Tane made inroads with Perri, Levi tried again to repair with Eden while Remi and Bree enjoy their secret.
The Project
The Project on 10 looked into Trump’s new Vice President pick, JD Vance, the CFMEU fighting back and spoke to Natalie Portman.
MasterChef Australia
On 10’s MasterChef, Victorian barista, Nat Thaipun, was named the winner of MasterChef Australia 2024, taking home $250,000 and a residency at Crown Melbourne’s ALUMNI restaurant.
In addition to Nat winning the grand prize of $250,000 and a residency at Crown Melbourne’s ALUMNI restaurant, Pezza was awarded $40,000 to go after his food dreams and third place getter Sav Perera took home $10,000 for her efforts.
Upon winning MasterChef Australia 2024, Nat Thaipun said: “I feel so good, this is crazy! It feels like a dream but it’s not, it just happened, I just won MasterChef Australia.”
The Cheap Seats
Taking a look at the week that was were The Cheap Seats hosts Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald as Mel Tracina, Ben Lomas and Miguel Maestre joined in on the action.
I Was Actually There – Boxing Day Tsunami
A massive earthquake below the Indian Ocean unleashed the deadliest tsunami in history, killing 230,000 people. Those who were swept up in the wave had no idea of its scale.
Great British Railway Journeys
Michael Portillo begins the final leg of his journey at the Transport Research Laboratory, in Wokingham, where they have been keeping Britain’s roads safe for 90 years. Out on the road in a 1967 MGB Michael learns how practical research into road safety led to innovations such as seatbelts, zebra crossings, and mini roundabouts.
The Democratic president suspended ads and more bombastic political messaging in the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting at a Trump political rally in Pennsylvania. Secret Service agents killed the shooter and his motive remains unclear.
Biden, still trying to repair the damage from a halting debate performance last month, faces pressure from Democratic allies to maintain his verbal attacks on Trump to improve lacklustre polling in the most competitive election states.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Black wrote in a follow-up statement. “I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.”
“After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold,” Black added. “I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
Alphabet is in advanced talks to acquire Wiz, a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday, in an up to $23 billion deal that would be Google’s most expensive acquisition and provide it with cybersecurity products that defend against ransomware gangs wreaking havoc on large enterprises.
“There is a hot market for cloud security,” said Jerome Seguera, a senior intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity firm MalwareBytes, adding that Wiz gives customers “great visibility into their assets in a straightforward way.”
Kristian Williams is fuming after professional images of eight of his artistic designs – including kaftans priced at $649 each – were posted by three accounts claiming to sell the garments for as little as $86 a pop.
“I was horrified when a customer brought this to my attention,” Williams said.
“These people advertising counterfeits have no idea how much hard work goes into what I do, I have put my heart and soul into these designs,” he said.
Broadsheet Media, which publishes the culture and community news website Broadsheet and has 65 full-time employees, said it estimated it would lose up to 52% of its revenue if Meta no longer distributed news.
This would “make it nearly impossible for the business to survive,” it told the Australian Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society.
See also: 25% of Aussies use social media as main news source, despite Meta claims
A survey by professional-services firm KPMG shows that revenue generation has overtaken productivity as the primary gauge businesses use to measure AI’s return on investment. KPMG surveyed 100 US-based C-suite and business leaders representing organisations with an annual revenue of $1 billion or more.
The shift in focus comes amid a period of AI-generated turbulence within IT organisations worldwide, marked by hiring slowdowns in some areas, shifting C-suite dynamics and investment in technology that many CIOs are finding to be a heavy lift to implement.
See also: ANZ behind in implementing generative AI solutions and pilots
The piece sparked a conversation about ABC’s risk-averse nature and unwillingness to embrace and trust a younger generation of creatives. It also led to accusations from some senior ABC staff of ageism and sexism.
This brings me to ABC’s latest announcement: the new chat show Eve of Destruction, hosted by Shaun Micallef and set to premiere on August 14. Micallef, who left the ABC in 2022 after 10 years and 15 seasons of Mad As Hell, was the very first guest on the first episode of Frankly.
O’Keefe, 52, was charged on June 20 after police allegedly caught him driving a vehicle in the exclusive suburb of Bellevue Hill despite his licence being suspended.
“Following a vehicle stop on Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill by officers from Eastern Suburbs Highway Patrol about 1.30pm on June 20, police issued a 52-year-old man a Court Attendance Notice for the offence of drive while suspended,” a police spokesperson said.
Chatfield, known for her roles as the host of FBoy Island Australia, and former judge of The Masked Singer Australia, candidly shared in a Tiktok video that despite the glamour and excitement of TV hosting, the pay “isn’t as much as you’d think,” with social media being the real cash cow.
“If you’re coming from social media and have a decent following, you have to want to do TV for wanting to do TV,” Chatfield revealed.
Known online as Bella Brave with more than 7 million followers, the little girl struggled with various health challenges during her short life, including Hirschsprung’s disease and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
On July 10, her mum, Kyla, confirmed Bella was in hospital in Canada struggling with a lung infection, before announcing her daughter had passed away on July 14.