After almost three decades on air, 92.7 Mix FM Drive host Todd Widdicombe has made the deeply personal decision to step away from radio, revealing on-air that the loss of two loved ones to suicide last year has left him unable to continue.
Earlier this week, the Sunshine Coast station announced Widdicombe would be finishing up, though no reason was initially given.
That changed during yesterday’s program, when a visibly emotional Widdicombe opened up to listeners about the grief and clarity that followed two devastating losses within weeks of each other.
A deeply personal goodbye
With his voice trembling, Widdicombe told his audience: “At the end of September last year, one of my brothers, Joshua, he was 41 and he took his own life, and it broke my heart. And about three weeks later, a really old friend of mine, Marty… he did the same.”
The veteran presenter reflected on the illusion of time, the idea that there’s always another moment, another chance to reach out.
“All we ever do is say, ‘I missed you this time, but I’ll see you next time.’ And then suddenly there is no time. And it’s a really personal thing, and I know that I speak to loads of people when I say this, when we lose people in our lives, My God, how hard is it when they make that choice themselves to leave you and I’m just not I’m not okay. This is way too vulnerable,” he said.
Overcome with emotion, Widdicombe admitted he was no longer able to carry the weight of daily broadcasting while processing such profound grief: “I just can’t keep doing the radio show every single day and giving you my best without actually stopping and going, you know what? In the unlikely event of an emergency, the oxygen masks are falling from the ceiling, and apparently I’m meant to put mine on first.”
His co-host, Sami Muirhead, offered quiet support in response, telling him: “It will be okay, my friend, because you’re brilliant and you’re beautiful, but you’re busted up.”
Todd and Sami.
A long radio career, a new chapter
Widdicombe’s voice has been a constant for listeners across Australia for nearly 30 years. His online bio offers a snapshot of that journey: “27 years traversing this great brown land, on the run from video shops he owes late fees to and wearing out his welcome at multiple radio stations, only stopping down to get married (Cairns) and raise 4 kidlets (Sunny Coast). At 47 he’s still not sure what he wants to be when he grows up.”
His departure adds another layer to the ongoing conversation around mental health in the media industry, and particularly the pressure felt by male broadcasters who are often expected to be “on” at all times, regardless of what they’re carrying privately.
Men’s mental health in the spotlight
The issue of men’s mental health has long been taken seriously by radio networks. Triple M’s annual No Talk Day, now in its seventh year, sees the entire network fall silent from 6am to 6pm, encouraging listeners to reflect, check in with mates, and prioritise their mental wellbeing.
Former Triple M Sydney Breakfast host Gus Worland has championed the issue for years, founding Gotcha4Life in 2017 and fronting the ABC’s Man Up, a documentary series that urged men to open up and redefine resilience.
Suicide remains the 11th leading cause of death for Australian men, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The highest suicide rate among men is in the 55–59 age bracket, with 30.9 deaths per 100,000.
If you or someone you know needs help, Lifeline is always there on 13 11 14
Call them crazy, but the Seven Network has chosen to not only ignore the old adage to “never work with children or animals”, they’ve leaned into it. The working with children part, at least.
Case in point? The 7AFL Kids Call. So successful was the first instalment, it’s now back for a second round.
The second round of 7AFL Kids Call will stream live and free on Sunday, 20 July, as part of Round 19 of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. The broadcast, featuring the match between Collingwood and Fremantle at the MCG, will be available on 7plus Sport in Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia.
The program is part of Seven’s push to reach younger viewers with content made by and for them, a novel idea given the saturation of Sports! Sports! Sports! across the Australian media landscape.
It features a commentary team led by 12-year-old Alex Kouts, 13-year-old Ned Bolton, and 16-year-old Indie Axup. The three will offer full match coverage, plus pre-game and post-match insights, with support from seasoned AFL commentator Jack Heverin and current players Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs) and Nick Larkey (North Melbourne).
AFL Kids Call: Indie Axup, Cody Weightman, and Ned Bolton
Creating content for younger audiences
According to Kirsty Bradmore, Seven Network’s Head of Sport – Digital, the idea emerged from a gap in the way sport is typically packaged.
“When we look at sport, we don’t really take into consideration the younger audience,” she said. “We just pitch it to an adult and expect younger people to be aware and accept what they’re being told.”
Bradmore said the project was born out of the desire to deliver something “bespoke” for children, “by children.”
“It felt as though there was an opportunity to create bespoke programming for children by children, which is what we’ve done,” she said.
She added that traditional sports broadcasting often includes topics not necessarily appropriate for kids. “So in a broadcast, we might talk about drugs in sport, or we might talk about a scandal that a footballer has been involved with. And I don’t necessarily think when kids are watching sport, they need to know about those adult issues.”
Family-first programming and platform flexibility
Bradmore said Seven’s digital platform, 7Plus, has enabled the team to explore alternative coverage options without affecting the traditional stream.
“This was just another opportunity to say, well, we already have this stream, so pre-existing match feed, what else could we do with it?” she said.
A different commentary team and a shift in tone have helped shape what Bradmore calls a “brand new stream of content that runs alongside our traditional stream.”
She added, “And the digital platform of 7Plus… it’s endless, the opportunities that it provides the network.”
The Kids Call broadcast aligns with Seven’s broader strategy to program with families in mind. “We skew toward female viewership, and so we always at the forefront of what we’re is thinking about the family and thinking about families watching programming together,” she said.
Reception and reach so far
The first Kids Call broadcast went live during Round 15 and was available in Western Australia and Victoria. Bradmore said geo-blocking restrictions limited the stream’s reach, but this weekend’s broadcast will also include Sydney and Melbourne.
“We have a limit to how many matches we can show per weekend,” she explained. “This weekend will go to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. So we expand a little.”
Initial feedback has been encouraging. And while there’s no specific data to announce, the network are happy with the content.
“Success for us initially is just to have the content well received,” she said. “Our numbers were what we would consider to be strong first time around in comparison to what our uptake is for AFL on a digital platform.”
Brand support and future plans
Nintendo signed on as a key sponsor of the initiative, using the broadcast to help launch Switch 2.
“To have an international corporation that wants to align with this broadcast is really heartening,” Bradmore said. “I’m pretty sure the kids would be pretty stoked to have Nintendo.”
She added that the integration was kept simple: “They wanted us to do two spots, one in each game, which was the kids playing Nintendo. That’s it. And having a competition with our AFL players.”
If the format continues into 2026, Bradmore hopes it encourages more children to participate. “I hope we have a lot of children who are wanting to get involved,” she said.
AFL Kids Call: Indie Axup, and Cody Weightman
Building the next generation of voices
The young commentators weren’t selected by chance. Bradmore said she had been keeping an eye out for talent for several years.
She first came across Ned Bolton through his digital work with Collingwood Football Club, where his “Roaming Bolts” series, modelled after Roaming Brian, showcased his natural ability. “I thought Ned was amazing,” she said. “And so I approached him and he was really happy to get involved.”
Alex Kouts had also been on Bradmore’s radar after being named NAB Auskicker of the Year in 2024. “He had expressed an interest in wanting to try stand at calling because he’d been doing it in his bedroom at home. And he’s magnificent. He’s 12 years old and called an entire match of AFL football four weeks ago.”
“They are the most adorable young people,” she said. “They’re just wonderful to work with… and everyone’s having a really good time.”
A broader digital strategy in motion
Bradmore said 7Plus allows the network to be “not the one thing to one audience.”
“There are multiple audiences out there. And we now have that opportunity to try and create bespoke content that’s really going to be pitched at those audiences,” she said.
The digital format also allows for flexibility in advertising. “With digital programming, you have that two-pronged attack of being able to service a client in programme, but then also service a client programmatically.”
She added that this is already happening in cricket broadcasts and is something the network is actively exploring across sports coverage.
An evolving definition of involvement in sport
Seven’s work with the AFL has extended to align with AFL Play, a league initiative designed to offer children a variety of ways to engage with the sport beyond playing.
“They have an initiative called AFL Play,” Bradmore explained. “If you can’t play football, how else can you get involved? Do you want to be an umpire? Do you want to be a commentator? Do you want to start your own YouTube channel and do it?”
She said the Kids Call concept fits naturally into that framework. “There are many different ways that kids can connect with sport. And it doesn’t just have to be being a star athlete.”
Where to watch:
AFL Round 19, 7AFL Kids Call: Collingwood v Fremantle 3.00pm AEST, live and free on 7plus Sport
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, brushed off concerns over Meta’s AI-powered ad creation system after the holding company report strong H1 2025 results.
The French ad company report stronger-than-expected Q2 with +10% revenue growth, leading to +5.9% net revenue organic growth, despite a tough macro-economic environment.
Publicis Groupe reported strong global performance with the U.S. up 5.3%, Europe up 4.6%, and the APAC region to +5.7%.
The company also had a successful first half of the year with “unprecedented new business run”, including wins with Coca-Cola, Nespresso, Lego, Paramount, and Spotify.
It also upgraded its 2025 organic growth forecast to close to 5%, up from the previous range of 4% to 5%, after reporting 5.9% net revenue organic growth in the second quarter.
Sadoun said: “Despite the ongoing uncertainty of the global context, our unprecedented new business run of over a dozen material wins in the first six months of 2025 means we are raising our organic growth guidance to close to +5% for the full year, up from our previous +4-5% range.
“Now, in what is a particularly disrupted industry, we are looking ahead to the rest of the year and beyond with confidence and a single focus: executing on our strategy. We are uniquely positioned to continue to win market share by bringing clients the immediate business solutions they need to grow in an uncertain global context.
“We are reinforcing our status as a Category of One with a targeted M&A strategy to further accelerate on AI-led capabilities. And we will continue to invest to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. I’d like to thank our outstanding teams for their efforts in a challenging business landscape, and our clients for their trust.”
Arthur Sadoun
Meta aims to have its AI-powered ad creation system up and running by the end of 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. Brands and advertisers can upload product images or business URL with a budget, and the AI-powered platform will generate a fully formed ad campaign – along with creative and media plan across Meta’s family of apps.
However, Sadoun downplayed Meta’s power in an earnings call. He said that he think Meta is “completely underestimating the intelligence of our customers, who, moreover, are not fooled”, as reported by Reuters.
“I’ve been hearing for nine years that the platforms are going to ‘eat us for breakfast.’ Honestly, I think it’s time to stop talking about how platforms are going to replace us, because it’s not a reality.”
Publicis Groupe has made strides in adopting AI in recent years with its €300 million ($A493 million) investment in AI in 2025 over three years in a new AI platform called CoreAI, and the launch of Marcel, its AI platform created with Microsoft, and the acquisitions of Epsilon and Lotame.
Top image: Arthur Sadoun
Penny Spence, one of Australia’s first female television newsreaders and a longtime Channel Nine presenter and producer, has died. Her death was confirmed earlier this month by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), which described her as a “trailblazer in Australian television.”
Spence’s career, spanning from on-air news presenting to children’s programming production, left a lasting legacy at Nine and in the broader Australian media industry. She was known for her versatility and longevity in an era when few women held such roles in news and current affairs.
Spence first became known to viewers in New South Wales as the afternoon newsreader at TCN9 in the early to mid-1970s, while Brian Henderson anchored the evening bulletin. She also fronted a women’s current affairs program, presented the weather, and was a two-time Logie Award winner for Most Popular Female Personality in NSW (1969 and 1972).
Her presence on-air coincided with a formative time in Australian broadcasting, when television news was rapidly evolving and the presence of women in front of the camera was still a relative rarity. As the NFSA noted, “Spence was part of a pioneering group of women who were the first women to read television news in Australia.”
After her work on camera, Spence transitioned into production, focusing on children’s television both domestically and internationally. She became Executive Producer of the European Broadcasting Union’s children’s unit, and her production work at the Nine Network included a number of acclaimed titles.
Among the works archived by the NFSA are The Water Trolley (1988), which received an International Emmy nomination, Shipmates (1987), Sovereign Hill (1990), and Hinkler: The Aviator (1990). Her influence behind the scenes helped shape how Australian children’s content was created and distributed in the late 20th century.
Spence was the first wife of the late Geoff Harvey, Channel Nine’s long-serving musical director, who passed away in 2019. The couple had two daughters, Eugenie and Charlotte.
Spence’s contribution to Australian television is remembered both in her pioneering visibility on-screen and her creative leadership off it. Her work, preserved in the national collection, continues to reflect a career built on breaking new ground for women in media.
Reddit is expected to generate $1.8 billion (+49.6%) in advertising revenue this year following its IPO launch last year, according to WARC Media’s Platform Insights.
The platform, which aims to be an “alternative to social media”, brings together like-minded people through text-oriented engagement style through highly targeted search behaviour that enables brands to be discovered organically. WARC noted that AI ad targeting and content licensing agreements are further advancing its upward trajectory.
Reddit’s mid- and lower funnel revenue accounts for 60% of its total revenue with top of the funnel brand advertising revenue growing the fastest rate in over three years, according to its Q4 2024 earnings call.
Celeste Huang, Media Insights Analyst, WARC Media, and author of the report, said: “Reddit’s ad business is currently relatively small, but its impressive ad spend growth, its increasing reach, which now surpasses X, and its investment in AI is catching the attention of a wider pool of advertisers.”
Alex Brownsell, Head of Content, WARC Media, added: “This latest Platform Insights report provides evidence-based insights on the challenges and opportunities Reddit has to offer advertisers, and explores its latest trends across investment, consumption and performance.”
Celeste Huang: ‘Reddit’s ad business is currently relatively small, but its impressive ad spend growth, its increasing reach, which now surpasses X, and its investment in AI is catching the attention of a wider pool of advertisers.’
WARC predicts Reddit’s ad revenue is expected to grow to $2.5 billion by 2026 (+39.0%).
To attract advertiser dollars, the company has strategically leveraged AI across its business, from AI-aided content moderation and translation, to AI content licensing deals. Its AI search feature, Reddit Answers, has quickly gained traction with one million weekly users in Q1 2025.
In terms of daily active users (DAU), WARC said Reddit boasts 606 million DAU, surpassing X’s reach (586 million) and approaching Snapchat (709 million), according to Datareportal analysis.
Reddit also wants to be the alternative to AI search answers, through its community-driven, conversational engagement model.
The platform was one of Google’s top 20 search terms in 2024, and sixth in the last 90 days, according to CEO Steven Huffman. Users are often found to arrive via Google with a question in the hope of discovering an answer on Reddit.
Alex Brownsell: ‘This latest Platform Insights report provides evidence-based insights on the challenges and opportunities Reddit has to offer advertisers, and explores its latest trends across investment, consumption and performance.’
According to Reddit, its top markets by weekly views are the US, UK, Canada, Germany and Australia. For brands trying to reach new audiences, 30% of Redditors are not on Facebook, while 63% are not on Pinterest. However, GWI data suggests that as many as 81.8% of global Reddit users actively use YouTube.
Reddit reported that 43% of recommendation conversations on its platform involve users seeking new product options or alternatives.
Reddit advertisers can benefit from highly organic and trusting engagement with the platform reporting 25% of Reddit posts are recommendation-related, its trusted users come to find new products and inform purchase decisions.
The platform’s data reported 42% of users rank the ability to ask questions within trusted communities as top three priorities for product research while 76% of believe posts on the platform are more “honest and truthful” than other platforms.
However, nearly one in four recommendation posts elicit a “redirection”, meaning the original poster would consider another brand.
WARC noted that as consumers seek reciprocal relationships with brands on the platform, advertisers can leverage conversation-focused formats like Ask Me Anything (AMA) ads and Reddit Pro Trends to build organic strategies that enhance customer retention and satisfaction.
Reddit’s AI investments are enhancing targeting and lower-funnel capabilities, with advertisers using both Dynamic Product Ads and standard conversion campaigns to achieve 2x higher return on ad spend (ROAS) in Q1 2025.
Recent MMM meta-analysis found advertising on Reddit delivers gains across full media plans. Reddit was found to be among the top two paid social platforms in efficiency, with 11% of impact from boosting other channels.
Rising stars from Alpha Digital, Assembled Media and Bang Digital have taken out the IMAA’s 2025 Pitch-Chella competition.
Alpha Digital’s Lucy Nioa, Lauren Hunter, Giorgia Griffith and Jess O’Connor won the Gold medal for Pitch-Chella, with Assembled Media’s Chelsea Schultz, Samantha Keah and Sophie Morris winning Silver, and Bang Digital’s Sam Daisley, Ari Silberstein, Heidi Leung and Maddison Farmer taking the Bronze.
The winning teams were named Pitch-Chella at an awards night held at Melbourne’s Bells Hotel on July 17, with Alpha’s campaign for Mission Australia taking top honours.
The trio were among 21 teams who pitched creative fundraising campaigns for the charity as part of the IMAA’s annual challenge.
Alpha Digital
Alpha Digital prepared a pitch focusing on a “house of cards” theme and the notion that the media holds the trump card to shaping public perception around homelessness.
Their “House of Cards” campaign, to be executed across immersive public activations and bold creative using out-of-home, social and digital channels, focused on emotional marketing to drive action, building a human connection to reframe homelessness as a shared vulnerability, not a distant issue.
Assembled Media’s campaign centred on the “Unhidden Mission”, addressing Australia’s lack of awareness around the extent of the national homelessness crisis. The campaign was designed to disrupt the every-day media environment by embedding seemingly typical content where you don’t expect to see traditional charity messaging – such as digital and social media, high-impact free-to-air TV, and out-of-home advertising.
It proposed a partnership with influencers The Inspired Unemployed, using humour to lower defences, along with collaborations with podcast talent to share stories of hidden homelessness.
Creative was developed using “day-in-the-life” imagery to show individuals whose routines seem similar – until it’s revealed one is experiencing homelessness. The campaign was also supported with long-from content to subtly expose signs of housing insecurity.
Bang Digital pitched “The One Event Project 2026”- the idea of one act making a difference. The campaign focused on building empathy without exploiting vulnerability, by showing every-day Australians that they’re “one event away” from needing help, and equally, “one act away” from being someone’s lifeline.
Their strategy included an always-on campaign across Meta, Google, TikTok and organic social, using the hash tags #oneevent or #oneact to show how people have helped others experiencing homelessness, and was supported by a disruption phase, using augmented reality filters and Uber journey ads, and amplification across Optus and Allianz Stadium partnerships on digital billboards and out-of-home advertising.
IMAA Leadership Team member and Hatched Chairman, Mike Wilson, said: “We are excited to announce the winners of this year’s Pitch-Chella initiative. The judging panel had an incredibly difficult task in selecting this year’s winners – all our finalists prepared pitches that demonstrated a depth of thinking, creativity and strategy that was well beyond their years.
“I’d like to congratulate the teams from Alpha Digital, Assembled Media and Bang Digital – their pitches were detailed, innovative, and well-developed – all three teams had really thought about the brief and the important work of Mission Australia and how they could use the full suite of modern media tools to amplify its offering.
“The second annual Pitch-Chella program has again demonstrated the importance of nurturing young media agency talent and I look forward to seeing what all our winners and finalists do next.”
Mission Australia National Marketing Manager, Nicole Moore, said: “We were delighted to have been the client brief for Pitch-Chella this year. Many finalists were surprised as they learnt about the scale of Australia’s hidden homelessness crisis and that of the 122,000 people homeless in Australia each night, only 6% are rough sleeping.
“The standard of the entries was excellent – so many strategically thoughtful and creative ideas for how to amplify our work. The ideas will definitely be considered as part of our future campaign planning.”
The 2025 Pitch-Chella initiative was spearheaded by a steering committee of independent agency leaders, including Mike Wilson (Hatched), Lisa Blackshaw (Co.Gency) and Taylor Fielding (tfm.digital), along with the IMAA team.
Top image: Alpha Digital, Assembled Media and Bang Digital
YouTube and Meta have each refreshed their content policies this July to spotlight original, authentic material, and both are now penalising unoriginal content.
YouTube revisits monetisation rules
YouTube has updated its YouTube Partner Program (YPP) policy to crack down on “mass‑produced and repetitious” content, re-labelled as “inauthentic content”.
The company clarified this isn’t a ban on reused or AI‑generated videos, provided they add original value such as commentary, editing or narration.
YouTube emphasises that creators using AI remain eligible for monetisation if the content is authentic, with no changes to baseline eligibility for their partner program.
“In order to monetize as part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), YouTube has always required creators to upload ‘original’ and ‘authentic’ content,” YouTube posted.
“On July 15, 2025, YouTube is updating our guidelines to better identify mass-produced and repetitious content. This update better reflects what ‘inauthentic’ content looks like today.”
The update merely strengthens enforcement using enhanced detection systems, and flags that repetitive uploads or low‑effort AI narrations have always been ineligible—now under clearer, more consistent enforcement.
Meta follows suit on Facebook
Just days later, Meta said it would start demoting, restricting monetisation, or even removing reach for accounts that repeatedly repost videos, images or text without “meaningful enhancements”.
The move mirrors YouTube’s anti‑inauthentic content push, targeting mass shares and spam accounts, with Meta removing around 500,000 spammy profiles and 10 million impersonators in the first half of 2025.
Meta is testing features like pointing viewers to original posts and adding attribution links on copies. Importantly, reaction videos, commentary or trend participation with personal input are not targeted.
Why it matters
• Creators gain visibility: Platforms are shifting attention, and ad dollars, towards unique voices and penalising repeat offenders.
• AI content quality: With generative AI booming, both firms aim to discourage low‑effort, formulaic output.
• Ad value: Maintaining user engagement with original content sustains advertiser trust.
What creators should do
• Auditable originality: Add commentary, narration or custom edits.
• Avoid mass dumps: One‑click AI uploads or channel-wide duplications are at risk.
• Attribution, not repetition: Resharing is fine, with meaningful context or credit.
YouTube and Meta are synchronising efforts to raise the bar on authenticity. Monetisation rules and visibility are now tied to creative originality. For serious creators, the message is clear: invest in your voice, or pay the price.
More information about YouTube and Meta’s changes are available in their blog posts.
Foxtel Media has signed three major brand partners, Harvey Norman, KFC and Westpac, to support the 2025 NRLW season as broadcast sponsors, continuing its investment in the rising profile of women’s rugby league.
The season, now underway, follows a year of strong audience growth with NRLW viewership on Foxtel platforms up 38 per cent from 2023 to 2024. The new deals reflect both the commercial momentum and broader audience appeal of women’s sport.
Harvey Norman returns for a second year as naming-rights partner of NRLW on Fox, the dedicated magazine program for women’s rugby league. Its sponsorship includes studio branding, graphic swipes, and named segments like Player to Watch, Player of the Match, the Harvey Norman Replay, and game highlights packages.
KFC will sponsor live game day coverage, including naming rights and branded segments like the KFC FLG Moment at halftime and the Try Conversion graphic. Bulldogs player Andie Robinson will also feature in the KFC Player Interview segment on NRLW on Fox.
Westpac extends its NRL affiliation to the women’s code, taking ownership of the Westpac Redzone Tackle Opp 20 graphic and “Bringin’ the Footy” segment. The bank will also sponsor four player interviews focused on Olivia Kernick, Keeley Davis, Yasmin Clydesdale, and Chelsea Lenarduzzi.
All three brands will receive integrated support across live game broadcasts and NRLW on Fox, including custom-branded VIZ pull throughs and shared billboards.
Jackson Forbes, Head of Sport, Sydney at Foxtel Media, said the brand investment reflects wider cultural momentum: “Women’s sport has seen a remarkable rise in popularity in recent years, resonating with audiences across all demographics. The NRLW is no exception, and with the help of our NRLW on Fox program we’re working with brands that are keen to continue building profiles for these athletes”
Forbes added that brand impact in this space is measurable: “Our research shows that viewers of women’s sport are among the most engaged, with four in five recalling brands featured in women’s codes, making it a uniquely powerful space for influence. As the leading sports broadcaster and home to 80% of women’s sport content, we’re committed to growing all codes.”
Webjet Group has appointed Taras Lee as General Manager for its New Zealand operations.
He will lead strategy and operations for the Group’s Cars and Motorhomes rental brands.
Lee will oversee commercial growth, customer experience, and expanding the brands’ presence across key markets, in response to increased demand for self-drive holidays and digital travel services.
He brings more than ten years of experience to the role in international e-commerce and digital business development, with a background in vendor management and building cross-border teams.
Before joining Webjet Group, Lee was Director – Non-Food at zooplus SE, an online pet retailer in Europe, where he led the development of brands and product portfolios across multiple markets.
He previously played a key role in Domino’s Pizza’s expansion into Germany after working with the brand in the U.S.
Now based in Auckland, Lee will apply his international experience to support the next phase of Webjet Group’s growth in New Zealand.
“There’s huge potential in the motorhome and car rental market here in New Zealand and worldwide,” said Lee of his new role.
“Success will come from building stronger brand connections and delivering seamless digital journeys. Webjet Group New Zealand’s clear vision and solid foundation set us apart, and I’m excited to collaborate with the team to drive innovation and fuel our next chapter of growth.”
Katrina Barry, CEO and Managing Director of Webjet Group, said: “After an extensive global search, we are thrilled to welcome Taras in this role. He brings a wealth of international e-commerce experience, sharp commercial instincts, and a deep understanding of digital customer behaviour.
“This makes him ideally placed to help scale our Cars and Motorhomes rental brands, sharpen our competitive edge, and explore new applications of AI across the business to drive growth across markets and customer segments.”
Top image: Taras Lee
This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Sonia McLaverty and Alayna Kunitake from DDB Group Melbourne 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.
Sonia McLaverty, Head of Production, DDB Group Melbourne
Favourite podcast/read – Right now, I’d say the Smartless Podcast.
Current streaming binge – After being absolutely obsessed with Severance, I’ve just finished watching The Studio. Even though it’s very different to advertising in Oz, there are some mildly relatable moments.
Misconception about your role – That from the outset, producing looks relatively easy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It can be the most challenging role in the agency as we are right in the middle of creatives, account service, clients and production partners, needing to juggle multiple objectives and expected outcomes.
Best career advice – Having the right attitude is everything, as well as being infectious. Also, relationships are everything – with clients, production partners, peers, everyone.
How do you stay motivated – Being around creative, passionate, talented people, who I care about. It helps me want to be better, do better.
Best training course/session – Weirdly, becoming a parent. I think it put my ‘day’ job into perspective, which gave me real clarity, making me better at my job.
I wish someone had told me – There will always be a way to solve a problem.
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – That over the years I’ve made so many amazing connections, some of whom I now count among my very best friends.
What is your hot take on the industry – I think, generally speaking, the Industry has lost a bit of confidence over the years. There’s so much overthinking and questioning now, and not enough doing and making.
Favourite way to switch off from work – Going for a big beach walk or bike ride with the doggo and family.
Career goal for 2025 – Make great work. Look outside the box. Mentor.
Alayna Kunitake, Senior Art Director, DDB Group Melbourne
Favourite podcast/read – I famously lack resilience to commit to pods or reads, but my current wish list of coffee table (or positioned wherever I can find space in my home) books are: Made by MSCHF, Nadia Lee Cohen’s ‘Women’, John Waters: Pope of Trash and Visual Feast: Contemporary Food Staging + Photography.
Current streaming binge – Fantasmas – created, directed, and written (!) by Julio Torres. I attended MIFF’s Live in Conversation with him earlier in the year and was awestruck.
Misconception about your role – My title! Depending on the day, I do think an Art Director is also a stylist, a designer, a producer, a TED Talk speaker, an illustrator, a director, a curator, a director of photography, a content creator, a writer. I think it helps to have a base understanding in all the many fields when it comes to collaborating with experts in their respective professions.
Best career advice – “Write hot, edit cold”. Also, despite what the internet says about cassettes making a comeback, “you don’t get a cassette type playing alongside your ideas”.
Whatever the medium, our job as creatives is to communicate an idea within the execution itself. If the execution needs additional explanation, we’re not doing the idea justice.
How do you stay motivated – Keep getting jealous of good work. So I do whatever I need to do to be exposed to that work. Industry and non-industry publications, exhibitions, gigs, restaurants, films, internet doomscrolls (in moderation, they say).
Best training course/session – Rare Masterclass as part of Semi Permanent Festival. Founded in 2017 to address the lack of diversity in the creative industry, at a time when DEI initiatives weren’t a norm yet, Rare has always understood how diverse diversity is.
Through connecting with creatives in the course with an array of unconventional backstories, I no longer felt like I needed to define myself when I felt like the ‘only one in the room’.
I was just in the room. And from that day on, whenever I’m theoretically the ‘only one in the room’, I remind myself of that feeling. I no longer wait for a seat at the table, I just pull up a seat for myself. Huge!
I wish someone had told me – Not everyone is going to understand you, and that’s okay. Just focus on the kind of work you want to make, and through that, the right people will find their way into your life and bring out the best in you.
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – Your career can start with you, but it’s indeed nothing without the input of all the people you meet along the way. That’s the tangible input on a 9-5 basis, but more so the advice shared in the 5-9.
What is your hot take on the industry – It needs to evolve at the (incredibly fast) pace of culture.
Favourite way to switch off from work – Op shopping and swimming. In a parallel universe I own an underwater boutique so I can do both activities simultaneously.
Career goal for 2025 – Expand my knowledge on the intersection between food and advertising and see what wonderful things that does to my brain.
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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: Sonia McLaverty and Alayna Kunitake
Landor has appointed Andy Thomas as Executive Creative Director and Liz Kreuger as Executive Strategy Director for Australia.
Together they will oversee the brand and design consultancy’s creative and strategic output and support Landor’s brand work across the region.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andy and Liz,” said Trish Folan, General Manager, Australia.
“Their impressive track records and deep understanding of creativity, technology, and innovation make them ideal leaders to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
“Plus, you just know when you meet people who are brilliant at what they do but also genuinely kind and collaborative. Andy and Liz are exactly that – the kind of people you instantly feel comfortable with. ”
Lulu Raghavan, APAC President, Landor, added: “The Australian team at Landor is incredibly strong, and these appointments further solidify our leadership in the market. We’re seeing fantastic momentum across the region, and the calibre of talent we’re attracting, like Andy and Liz, speaks volumes about our agency’s growth and our commitment to delivering world-class brand solutions for our clients.”
Thomas joins Landor from Re, where he led Design and Experience as Executive Creative Director for M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ.
He previously held senior roles at Huge in London, New York, and Singapore, working with brands including CommBank, Optus, Woolworths, Warner Bros, Hublot, SK-II, and New Zealand Rugby.
Thomas said of his appointment: “I’m incredibly excited to join Landor and help our Australian clients navigate the evolving landscape of brand and design, creating unforgettable experiences that drive meaningful (brand) impact.”
Kreuger returns to Landor after a previous stint in the agency’s Hong Kong office.
Her background spans brand strategy, organisational transformation and customer experience, with work for clients including ASX, ABC, Cathay Pacific and HSBC.
Kreuger added: “I’m thrilled to be rejoining Landor and to be part of this exciting new chapter for the team.”
Top image: Andy Thomas, Trish Folan and Liz Kreuger
As inflation continues to erode household budgets and consumer confidence remains fragile, the pressure on marketers to justify every dollar of spend is intensifying. CMOs are operating in an environment where budgets are under rigorous scrutiny, and traditional ROI metrics often fail to capture the full, long-term value of a brand’s marketing efforts.
In this landscape, marketers must re-evaluate what efficiency and effectiveness truly mean. Efficiency alone – doing more with less can reduce waste, but without effectiveness delivering impact it rarely builds lasting brand value. The imperative now is to unlock smarter spending that delivers measurable business outcomes across the full customer journey.
At the centre of this transformation is precision media – a strategy that prioritises outcome-driven planning over channel-first thinking. The shift requires a fundamental change in how agencies and brands collaborate, starting with clearly defined success metrics that are aligned to the brand’s broader objectives. These may not always be conventional metrics like CPA (cost per acquisition) or ROAS (return on ad spend), instead, they might focus on brand uplift, market share, or behavioural change.
This approach reflects a broader industry trend. According to a WARC, 2024 report on media effectiveness, the most successful campaigns are increasingly those that take a full-funnel approach, balancing both short-term performance and long-term brand building.
While “performance media” has traditionally been associated with bottom-funnel conversions, precision media takes a broader, more strategic view. It ensures the right investments are made at the right stages of the funnel, using sophisticated targeting, first-party data, and predictive analytics to create high-impact, measurable moments.
Formats such as addressable TV, programmatic digital out-of-home and digital audio are no longer used solely for awareness, they are now measurable channels capable of driving both brand and retail outcomes. Research from the IAB shows that addressable advertising, when paired with strong creative, drives up to 30% greater brand lift compared to traditional linear approaches.
Media mix modelling has long served as the cornerstone of marketing measurement. But it’s no longer enough. The most progressive brands are embracing full-funnel modelling, a more nuanced method that evaluates media impact across every touchpoint, from awareness to loyalty. This enables marketers to connect media spend with brand preference, consideration, and ultimately, business growth.
A 2023 study by McKinsey emphasised the advantage of full-funnel planning, showing that companies integrating brand and performance efforts were 15% more likely to gain market share year-over-year.
Importantly, this smarter planning model doesn’t rely solely on increased media budgets. In many cases, the most effective strategies leverage underutilised assets within a brand’s owned, earned, and shared ecosystem. When tightly integrated with paid media, especially via partnerships and sponsorships, these assets amplify performance without requiring additional spend.
A Forrester report on media innovation supports this approach, noting that brands using a connected media strategy across PESO channels (paid, earned, shared, owned) saw a 20% increase in ROI over 12 months (Forrester, 2023).
The payoff is clear. Smarter, precision-led planning ensures media dollars work harder, not only increasing reach, but improving relevance. That translates into tangible business results including higher conversion rates, improved cost efficiency, and stronger brand equity.
It also allows brands to maintain a critical balance: delivering short-term performance while building long-term brand value. Marketers who lean too far into short-term tactics may experience initial gains but risk long-term decline. Precision planning, backed by robust data and strategic measurement, helps mitigate this risk.
Finally, smarter spending fosters internal alignment and stakeholder confidence. When marketers can demonstrate incremental value across multiple dimensions- brand, performance, loyalty – they reinforce marketing’s role as a strategic growth driver.
In an era where every dollar must prove its worth, the best-performing brands aren’t simply cutting costs, they’re redefining how they invest. Precision media, full-funnel planning, and smarter asset integration are no longer optional; they’re essential.
With the right agency partner and a commitment to outcome-based planning, this future isn’t hypothetical, it’s already here. For marketers willing to adapt, smarter spend won’t just protect value in a downturn, it will create lasting competitive advantage.
Top image: Paige Wheaton
The program declined to investigate allegations that the broadcaster masked Warhurst’s involvement while running a one-sided attack on her neighbour.
But, as Steve Jackson writes in The Australian, critics say the broadcaster broke editorial rules and wasted taxpayer money on a harsh takedown.
While the tech giant is signing fresh deals with Aussie publishers under pressure from Canberra’s media bargaining rules, it’s let the AAP FactCheck contract expire with little fanfare.
As Cam Wilson writes in Crikey, the global pivot reflects rising political pushback in the US, where fact-checkers have become a lightning rod for criticism from across the spectrum.
As Nadine Yousif and Lily Jamali report for the BBC, the settlement came on day two of the trial, with details of the final payout still under wraps.
The case centred on the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica debacle, where user data was siphoned off and weaponised by political consultants.
According to Kelly Burke in The Guardian Australia, the ATO found that writers aren’t just selling scripts, they’re providing a service, which makes them employees under superannuation law.
The Australian Writers Guild is now preparing to take on Screen Producers Australia over what it sees as decades of underpayment.
In short: AI needs to know how Aussies really talk, and that means mining real-life social content.
As Josh Taylor details in The Guardian Australia, in a submission to the Productivity Commission, Meta pushed back on looming privacy reforms, arguing that AI can’t learn from synthetic data alone.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, the Car Group CEO will step down in August after overseeing a 230 per cent surge in value and helping transform the Aussie auto classifieds giant into a $14 billion ASX 50 player.
McIntyre joined back in 2007 as CFO and helped take the business public two years later.
As John Buckley writes in Capital Brief, with nearly a million share rights set to vest just days before the 4 August shareholder vote, he could walk away with a tidy $7.5 million.
Pellegrino is lined up to lead CoStar’s Australian operations if the deal goes through, returning to a delisted Domain under the US real estate giant’s umbrella.
In an email to supporters, UAP revealed that hackers gained unauthorised access on 23 June, potentially lifting everything from email addresses and phone numbers to banking info and confidential attachments.
But, as Cam Wilson explains on Crikey, Trumpets of Patriots echoed the same message in a near word-for-word post on its site.
Titled What’s With Baum?, the story follows a neurotic, washed-up author whose third marriage is falling apart and whose latest mistake involves a failed kiss with a young journalist. Nice to see him trying something new.
As Ella Creamer writes in The Guardian, Allen, who married his adopted daughter in 1997 and whose memoir Apropos of Nothing was dropped by Hachette after staff protests in 2020, has long faced public scrutiny over abuse allegations he denies.
As Preston Potts explains on Sky News Australia, Spence was a familiar face to New South Wales audiences in the 1960s and 70s, Spence helped usher in a new era of broadcast journalism when she joined Channel Nine’s newsroom.
The National Film and Sound Archive paid tribute to Spence as a “trailblazer in Australian television” and part of a pioneering group that helped reshape the news landscape.
As Tansy Harcourt and Colin Packham detail in The Australian, Gazal’s name is most linked with Sunshine Broadcasting, a regional TV network in Queensland that he helped grow before selling to Kerry Stokes’ Seven Network.
Gazal’s style was fearless, he backed risky ventures during times of big industry shake-ups, turning some heads and wallets alike. Before media, he made his mark in food, co-founding Panfida Foods, which built a mini empire from pastries to bakery gear.