One in four Australians now say that social media is their main source of news, despite Meta claiming a sharp decline in interest was a key reason for ending its deals to pay for news content.

The 2024 Digital News Report – released this week and led by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute – found that three in four Gen Zs (74%) access news on social media: a 15 percentage point increase from last year.

Facebook remains the most popular social media platform among Australians, the report said, with 66% using it generally and 32% using it for news. 

This year’s survey was conducted prior to Meta confirming it would not renew its deals to pay Australian publishers for news content. The company attributed the decision to a drop in traffic to the dedicated Facebook News Tab.

Meta said the number of people using Facebook News in Australia and the US has dropped by over 80% last year, however, the report finds that Facebook is still the top social media platform for news among Australians. 

“We know that people don’t come to Facebook for news and political content – they come to connect with people and discover new opportunities, passions and interests,” Meta said in a statement in March.

“As we previously shared in 2023, news makes up less than 3% of what people around the world see in their Facebook feed, and is a small part of the Facebook experience for the vast majority of people.”

See also: Meta pulls the pin on news media deals with publishers and axes news tab

Meta has been contacted for comment.

Writing in the report, Crystal Andrews, founder and editor of Zee Feed, said Meta’s looming threat to block news for Australian users on all its platforms may come to fruition in a matter of weeks.

“Whether we like it or not, Facebook and Instagram have become important news channels for millions of Australians,” she said.

“Banning news would be a devastating blow to small publications, news ‘creators’, and the overall diversity of the media landscape.”

Andrews added that on social media, audiences get access to a range of informed perspectives, and news with a view that comes from ‘somewhere’.

“This is something mainstream news publishers don’t do very well on their own platforms.

“The result will be a population less engaged with news and more reliant on the opinions of ‘everyday’ people who reflect their point-of-view. 

“Whether this increases the spread of misinformation and poor journalistic practices any more than some sections of the mainstream media is up for debate.”

Gen Zs’ use of social media as a general source of news is on the rise, their engagement with online, print and radio news decreased to 49%.

However, for older generations, TV remains the most common source for news. Gen X (57%), Baby Boomers (74%), and 78+ (77%). Gen Y is the outlier, with online news websites being their top source of news (59%).

Overall, TV as a main source of news declined since 2023, dropping 4 percentage points to 36% this year.

See also: SBS News crowned Australia’s most trusted news brand

Increased concentration within the Australian media landscape and economic pressures on newsrooms have resulted in the syndication of content in local news in regional areas, according to Claire Stuchbery, executive director at The Local and Independent News Association (LIMA). 

Speaking on the 2024 Digital News Report – released this week and finding that local news is the most underserved news genre – Stuchbery told Mediaweek that these pressures have also caused fewer journalists to be on the ground covering local news stories across the country.

“It’s not surprising that audiences are left wanting information that’s directly relevant to them – local news,” she said.

“While there are many newsrooms around the country striving to meet that need, it’s a tough space to build a sustainable business model.”

The report found that local news has the biggest gap between availability and audience interest. Researchers compared the gap between audience interest in news topics and the proportion of people who say there is adequate availability of news on that topic.

The results saw local news emerge as the most under-served news genre, with an availability gap score of 25, followed by international news at 21, and news about crime and personal security at 19.

To close the gap, Stuchbery says LINA helps support existing newsrooms to provide the local news audiences’ needs and wants, and to help emerging newsrooms get established.

“There is significant opportunity in this space to respond to the news needs of audiences across Australia, but we’re finding publishers really struggle to do it alone, so it takes organisations like LINA and others, in partnership with the philanthropic sector, government and state and national news providers to meet that gap and ensure the news ecosystem as a whole is serving communities well.”

According to the report, created by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute, regional consumers are less likely to believe that the news media are doing a good job performing the various roles than people living in metropolitan areas.

Regional respondents were less likely to say the news is doing a good job at delivering news that makes them feel connected to others in society. Only 26% said news makes them feel better about the world, much lower than city dwellers (43% and 36%, respectively). 

Writing in the report, Karen Percy, federal president, media section at the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said the “public” needs to be put back into public interest in journalism.

“Audiences are once again declining. So too is trust in the media,” she said.

“If we are to slow or even reverse this, we must listen to our audiences – even then they are telling us things we don’t want to hear.

“The pressures on day-to-day news journalists are intense as they navigate a 24/7 news cycle, the constant threat of job cuts, filing across platforms, and the outsized role of social media.

“Many of the editorial decisions that upset viewers or readers or listeners are not made by rank-and-file journalists. They are made by the higher-ups based on clicks or commercial considerations.

“The answer is in reaffirming public interest, ethical journalism with appropriate checks and balances. The answer is in better-resourced newsrooms with a focus on quality and accuracy, and support for journalists. The answer is in slowing down, getting the story right, checking, then checking again. The answer is in thinking about what the audience needs and wants from us—not peddling outrage, partisanship, and confected conflict. The answer is in diversifying newsrooms so they reflect and represent the contemporary Australian public the audiences—they seek to serve.”

Day two of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity saw The Monkeys, part Of Accenture Song, lead the winning Aussie pack.

The agency won two Silver Lions – one in Film Craft and the other in Entertainment, for the Play It Safe campaign for the Sydney Opera House.

In the Design Lions category, honouring visual craftsmanship, 927 entries were received and 31 Lions were awarded by the jury.

The Hallway was among the recipients of the 14 Bronze Lions Awards for its work on The Cardboard Cake with the Wholegreen Bakery.

Ogilvy Australia claimed one of 10 Bronze Lions in the Entertainment Lions For Sport category for ‘Til It’s Done campaign with Football Australia and The Matildas.

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: “As we celebrate the Craft and Entertainment Lions on the second day of Cannes Lions 2024, I’m once again inspired by the body of work that’s emerging from the Jury rooms.

“It is truly setting the benchmark for world-class creativity that is driving the industry forward.”

Ogilvy Australia ‘Til It’s Done campaign

The second day of the Cannes Lions awards comes after a successful day one haul for AUNZ.
 
Howatson+Company‘s Touch campaign for Mastercard won bronze in the audio and radio category meanwhile – which received a total of 759 entries.
 
Ogilvy London and Sydney received one of 13 Bronze Lions in the print and publishing category for its 10 vs 10 campaign for Dove.
 
Plus VML Melbourne‘s FitChix work for Honest Eggs Co won a bronze Lion in the health and wellness category.
 
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Colenso BBDO won one of two Grand Prix in the Outdoor category on the first day.
 
Colenso won with its Adoptable By Pedigree campaign, which aims to democratise dog adoption ads using AI to transform the image of a shelter dog into studio-quality photography, in line with the brand’s ongoing ambition to end dog homelessness.

DDB Group Aotearoa and Dentsu Aotearoa also took home metal.
 
See also: First AUNZ winners at Cannes Lions: Colenso, Dentsu, Ogilvy, VML, H+Co, DDB

This is the first part of SKMG’s Cannes-edition of its newsletter COMMPRESS, CANNESPRESS, covering the Cannes Lions from La Croisette.

It’s Day 1 at the Palais and we’re yet to experience a session that doesn’t touch on generative AI. From Nick Law’s warning that it will synthesise everything to Chrissy Teigen’s concern that people won’t be able to know what’s real, to Open AI’s CTO Mira Murati chatting us through how the very definition of intelligence is changing. Because when 90% of internet content is predicted to be AI-generated by 2025, how should a person feel?

The gist we’re getting so far is that we should have faith in our own abilities to recognise authentic, real and relatable content. In fact, consumers are demanding it already. The return to real isn’t new, but our standards for authenticity are becoming more sophisticated as gen AI takes hold.

In other news, we’re seeing a shift in searches: less Google and more internet communities (think: Reddit), especially when it comes to seeking reviews. And speaking of authenticity, it can be nuanced: Snoop Dogg’s super stunt for Solo Stoves outraged the comms industry but sold a firestorm of stoves. It wasn’t him genuinely giving up smoking so much as it was a game of smoke and mirrors, and yet, the customers loved it.

Overheard in Cannes

“My therapist says that online time was almost a euphoric time for me. It was so fun, I was so connected, it was the wild west, and my therapist says I’m still chasing that high” – Chrissy Teigen

“They were born in the spotlight and they have a responsibility to be part of it” – Chrissy Teigen again, about why she and John Legend post about their kids so much.

“Make what the customer values valuable to the business” – Accenture Song’s Nick Law on putting the customer first.

“The tribes of performance marketing and brand marketing pull apart like oil and water. But we have vacated the middle, the understanding [of what consumers want]” – Nick Law again.

“Cultural impact can be engineered” – Danny Robinson from The Martin Agency, on Snoop Dogg’s controversial “smokeless” campaign for Solo Stoves.

“A lot of advertising is not creative. It’s written by something much worse than AI: research” – Accenture Song’s David Droga.

“You can’t um or ah and be spectators. You have to get ahead of it” – David Droga on generative AI, which both terrifies and excites him.

“The worst way to build your brand is to try and take market share from someone else. Why? Cause they’ll come at you. They’ll come at you on price, and more, and that’s bad for your market” – Procter & Gamble’s Marc Pritchard.

No quotes from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, one of today’s keynote speakers. There aren’t any because his presentation was a 30-minute sales pitch for Reddit. Clearly no one vetted what he was going to say.

Picks & Recs

Food of the day

Mozzarella bagel, a cookie that, according to Neil [Shoebridge], tasted vaguely of fish and a choke-a-pony-sized chicken baguette.

Determination, Cannes-style

Dragging a heavy steel chair from one end of the boardwalk to the other, in the blazing sun.

Oleanders, everywhere

We’re seeing Cannes’ most ubiquitous flower as a metaphor for the place itself: beautiful, yet poisonous if eaten.

Longest Palais queue

Getting it to hear Chrissy Teigen, John Legend and a lacklustre interviewer whose name fell out of our heads the moment after we heard it. Chrissy nailed it. John phoned it in.

A WTF moment

The person who spent the entire Chrissy Teigen-John Legend session taking selfies. See above: Cannes, poisonous, beautiful.

—

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Rory Heffernan – Atomic 212°’s national managing director and Mediaweek’s Next of the Best winner in the New Business Growth – Agency category – has told Mediaweek the “hard work and focus” of the independent agency’s 160-strong team is the key to its new business growth.

In the past 12 months, the agency has won brands such as BMW Australia and New Zealand, Tourism Northern Territory, Entain, My Muscle Chef, Victoria University, Craveable Brands, Sydney Water, and most recently, Darrell Lea. It had $43 million in new business billings in 2023.

As chief digital officer James Dixon recently told Mediaweek, the agency has billings of $300 million, and is aiming to crack the top five in the next three years by cracking $500 million. The goal this year is to break into the top 10 (last year, it came in at #11).

Heffernan spoke to Mediaweek about his trust in the Atomic team and what the industry can expect next.

The awards have been judged by an all-star line-up, what does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?

Thanks again to everyone involved in the process. As someone who has been part of the one business for so long, it can be more challenging to get an external viewpoint. I think the team and product we’ve got is the best in the business. Having a panel of all-stars agree is nice validation that what we’re doing at Atomic right now is as special as we think it is.

What has been the key to Atomic 212º’s new business growth?

Hard work and focus. Our success has always been a result of driving results for our clients. We’ve also got the 160 best people in the industry – across data, strategy, planning, performance, trading, SEO, you name it. Over the past 12-24 months in particular, we’ve focused our efforts and found more ways to form data-driven recommendations that drive results and clearly articulate this process back to each client’s business.

What is your philosophy to approach new business?

I don’t have one – every challenge, brief, category, and client is different and requires a unique response and support system. But I do have an incredible amount of trust in our team to deliver on this.

If you weren’t Atomic 212º’s national managing director, what do you think you would be doing instead?

Honestly? I have no idea. The ride we’re on at the moment is amazing – I love the people I work with every day, team and clients alike, and I know this period of time will forever be a career highlight.

Being Next of the Best – what can the industry expect next from you?

The focus we’ve put into our people and product over the last two years has been so rewarding. I want to continue the effort and momentum here to solidify A212’s reputation as the best media agency in the industry.

–

Top image: Rory Heffernan

Welcome to the industry HOT List of 2024, where Mediaweek marketing and agency editor-at-large and founder and CEO of TrinityP3 Marketing Management Consultancy, Darren Woolley, highlights and acknowledges the media and creative agencies, industry bodies, and events turning up the heat.

Feeling the cold winds blowing down the streets of ad land? Winter is upon us. Time to rug up and warm yourself by the fires of the innovative, the creative, and the successful as we embrace the hot list.

Sizzling HOT

Industry media

Never one to shy away from self-congratulations, the Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards was the hottest event this month. The room at the Ivy Ballroom last Thursday had the best and the brightest leadership talent in the industry recognised and acknowledged for their contribution to date and their future potential.

Because age is no barrier to future potential, the awards saw finalists and winners who would be considered ‘too old’ for the more ageist versions of these awards in the industry. And that is sizzling hot!

Next of the Best Awards 2024 winners

Very Hot

Industry

Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, co-host of Nova 96.9’s Sydney breakfast show, and Rob Galluzzo, founder of production company FINCH, have partnered to launch 36 Months, an initiative aiming to change legislation to increase the age of social media citizenship from 13 to 16.
 
The pro bono social change movement is calling on families, community leaders, and educators to sign the 36 Months change.org petition that will be taken to parliament.
 
While the arguments for and against the initiative rage, it is hot to see the industry working together to elevate an important issue to the national conversation and look for solutions to the social issues advertising supports.

Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo

Totally Hot

Media Agency

The northern hemisphere is heating up for summer and so is Australian media independent agency Atomic 212°, taking out gold for Global Independent Media Agency of the Year and Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year in London for Campaign.

Well done Mr O’Brien and the whole team at Atomic 212°. Why be the best in Australia when you can be recognised as the best in the world?

Barry O’Brien

Hot

Media

Just when you thought we had lost all trust in the media comes the hot news that SBS has been named the most trusted news brand in Australia by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s annual global Digital News Report 2024.

As if the ABC needed any more bad news, this knocks them into second place.

Hot

Pitching

Congratulations to IGA (Independent Grocers of Australia) for appointing Special Group as its agency of record, working across brand strategy and design, advertising, and communications following a competitive pitch. A hot win for Special in a highly competitive and challenging category.

And a quick note that the next ‘State of the Pitch in Australia Research’ kicks off on 1 July. So, agencies big, small, independent, network, and of all types, make sure you provide confidential feedback on the pitches you participate in, win, or lose here.

Making a difference? Going above and beyond? We would love to hear from you – send details to [email protected].

Criteria for making the Mediaweek Hot Lists
• Making a difference to clients, staff, the industry, and society at large
• Breakthrough campaign or idea that is a category game changer
• Challenging the status quo to drive innovation.

Jon Penn is the managing director Asia Pacific for Blue Ant Media. He works out of Sydney looking after this territory for the Canadian-based producer, distributor and channel operator.

His most recent deal was securing an agreement with Fetch for the launch of two FAST channels – Love Pets and Homeful. This brings the total of Blue Ant Media channels on the Fetch platform to five. It previously launched the free-streaming channels HauntTV and NatureTime on Fetch as well as pay TV channel Love Nature.

Penn knows his way around this part of the world. He spent over a decade with Fremantle, including time as CEO Asia Pacific, FremantleMedia Enterprises. He later moved to the BBC where he was for close to a decade including time as Executive Vice President – Asia Pacific.

Jon Penn

Penn joined Blue Ant Media in September 2023. He worked as an advisor during his time between BBC and Blue Ant. It was during that period he worked with Carlyn Staudt as a client. As EVP, global channels and brands at Blue Ant Media, Staudt is now his boss.

Penn runs the distribution business of Blue Ant Media in the region. He works out of Sydney and also oversees the recently opened Singapore office.

“The distribution business encompasses all program sales and pre-sales and we support co-production as well,” Penn told Mediaweek. “The channels business, which in pay TV terms is principally Love Nature, our premium natural history brand, is carried in different places around the world and throughout the APAC region.”

Blue Ant expands Fetch partnership

Love Nature is branded pay TV on Fetch and is not a FAST channel. Fetch customers can access it through one of the Fetch channel packs. Prime Video also offers Love Nature for an extra fee to subscribers.

“The portfolio of FAST channels sees Fetch now carrying Homeful and Love Pets. We also represent format sales and we’re in discussions with various broadcasters about those as well.

“The distribution and channels part of the business is separate from the production side of Blue Ant Media. That is principally focused in Canada and the US.”

Looking at his division, Penn explained, “The production part of the company is the engine room that yields the rights for us to then take into distribution and to program into channels where we can as well.

 “We work on rights from the production companies, but we also acquire rights on the market as well and represent third-party producers.

“We bring it all together under the one roof and then look for the appropriate distribution opportunity, whether that be a finished program sale or a pre-sale to a broadcaster. Some of those programs are bought internally and turned into channels and they become a FAST channel and that goes to a distribution point.”

Bondi Vet

Bondi Vet goes around again

One piece of content that is very familiar to Australian viewers is Bondi Vet featuring Dr Chris Brown. The program sits on the Love Pets FAST channel. Penn: “That’s been around the block a few times that show, but it’s still in demand with viewers. It’s a fantastic property with an established fan base.

“The other FAST channel going to Fetch is Homeful which I would describe as a home makeover destination. The core content is the Mike Holmes program library. He hosts Canadian home makeovers and home renovation.”

Holmes is no stranger to Foxtel viewers who’ve watched the Lifestyle channels.

Promo for the Homeful FAST channel

Growth of FAST

There are some pretty ambitious targets being floated about the potential size of the FAST market in Australia. Penn wouldn’t be drawn into putting a dollar value to the ad haul, but he did tell us: “It’s coming out of the blocks quickly and it’s growing rapidly. It is a new market but there is some overlapping with the existing advertising market and the channels business. Time will tell whether or not it’s an entirely new market or something that’s incremental to the existing business.

“We have carriage of some of our other FAST channels on 10 Play, 7 Plus, Samsung TV Plus, and Fetch.

“These platforms are getting behind FAST and there’s a bit of a discovery going on to work out what channels work, and what audiences are looking for.

“An advantage that Blue Ant Media has is that we’re already in the business of programming channels. Some of the other distributors who have entered the FAST space are new to the business of supplying finished channels. We went early into FAST and built out our existing programming and operations support functions to be able to support FAST.”

Blue Ant Media is present at larger buying markets around the world including the London Screenings and MIPCOM.

“For a mid-sized media company, we pack quite a punch in terms of our market presence and connectivity with clients,” said Penn.

Blue Ant Media distributed documentary Stormy

Recent Blue Ant programming

* A topical two-part documentary on Stormy Daniels. It was produced by Imagine Documentaries, Ron Howard’s documentary production company.

* The Hungry Games – Alaska’s big bear challenge from AMPLE Entertainment.

* Charles III – The coronation year from Oxford Films.

Blue Ant Media distibuted documentary Charles III

About Blue Ant Media

Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international production studio and rights business and channel operator. The company’s studio creates and distributes a slate of programming, in all content genres, for streaming and broadcasting platforms around the world.

Blue Ant Media also operates free streaming and pay TV channels under several media brands internationally, including Love Nature, Cottage Life, Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth Canada, HauntTV, Homeful, Drag Race Universe, Total Crime, Declassified, Love Pets and Love Drama.

Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with six international offices in Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, London, Washington and Sydney.

Sophie Paterson has joined Ogilvy PR in the newly-created role of head of gaming and entertainment.
 
Paterson brings more than 15 years of experience to the consumer PR and influence practice, with entertainment brands such as Sony Music and Spotify.

She worked for Spotify for eight years from 2012 to 2020, and at Sony from 2020 to 2023.

In her new role, she will be responsible for hunting opportunities in the entertainment sector, focusing on streaming services, music, film and TV, publishing, the arts, events, and festivals. Ogilvy said this focus follows strong sector growth and increased demand for fan engagement strategies. 

Ogilvy PR’s managing director for consumer PR and influence, Dan Young, said the new role had been created to help entertainment brands navigate increased competition.

“Given the increasing fragmentation of the entertainment industry, it has never been more important for brands to execute effective earned first strategies that connect publicity, social, influence and experiential to drive awareness and engagement,” he said.

“There’s a need for content platforms to drive local cultural salience and engage with the creative community and policy makers alike.  Sophie’s proven experience in audience development will enable us to grow our client base in a sector where we already have a strong track record of success. We’re excited to have her on board.”

Paterson focused on championing various social causes throughout her career, including racial justice, plus LGBTQIA+ and gender equity initiatives within both Spotify and Sony Music. She has mentored for the AIR Women in Music Mentorship Program, and volunteered on pandemic initiatives like Our Soundtrack, Our Stories and Our Soundtrack, Our Ads.
 
Paterson was also part of the working group that delivered the National Music Industry Review in 2021/22, a landmark initiative addressing systemic sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Australian music industry.
 
Paterson said of joining the agency: “I am incredibly honoured and excited to join Ogilvy PR as the head of gaming and entertainment. The gaming and entertainment industries are at the forefront of cultural innovation and influence in an environment where there has never been more competition for eyes, ears, and attention.
 
“I look forward to leading our talented team in creating impactful, cutting-edge, culturally relevant campaigns that resonate with audiences across the ANZ and Asia regions, ensuring our clients’ brands thrive in this dynamic landscape.”

–

Top image: Sophie Paterson

LiSTNR’s Hamish and Andy have again taken the hot spot in Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA) and Triton Digital‘s May Australian Podcast Ranker.

The duo recorded 970,415 monthly listeners and 1,893,174 monthly downloads over five new episodes.

Staying in second was iHeart’s Casefile True Crime, with 778,253 monthly listeners and 1,884,225 monthly downloads. 

After debuting in third position last month, daily news podcast ABC News Top Stories held on to the position in its second month with 578,082 monthly listeners and 1,717,423 monthly downloads. 

Rounding out fourth and fifth positions are Mamamia Out Loud and Shameless, with the top five remaining unchanged from the previous month. 

The release of Hedley Thomas‘ new podcast, Bronwyn, has caused a spike in interest across his previous titles. The Teacher’s Trial re-entered the chart at #96; Shandee’s Story lifted 66 places to come in #120, The Teacher’s Pet rose 32 places to come in #121, and The Night Driver: re-entered the chart at #172.

See also: Hedley Thomas on Bronwyn, and doing ‘more good with this sort of journalism than most’

The Kyle & Jackie O Show topped radio catch-up podcasts, with a lift of three places bringing the duo to #6.

The biggest lifters of the month are LISTNR’s Sit With Us, up 87 places to #45, and ARN’s JAM Nation, up 86 places to #106.

ARN’s iHeart kept its ranker position as the top podcast publisher in the country.

ARN’s head of digital audio, Corey Layton, said: “As Australia’s #1 podcast publisher, the engagement our slate continues to provide listeners and brands is incredible.

“As the home to half of Australia’s top 10 podcasts, a huge congratulations to our partners and the entire team that continue to produce content that the nation is seeking out.”

Similarly, LiSTNR continued its run as the top sales representation podcast network nationally.

Executive head of LiSTNR podcasts, Grant Tothill, said: “It’s encouraging to see the increase in both LiSTNR’s sales and publisher network audiences matching the LiSTNR sales results for May, as LiSTNR continues to drive podcast sales in Australia.

“The LiSTNR sales team achieved podcast revenue growth of 40.5% year on year, almost double the total podcast market average of 21.6% and driving market growth, CRA figures showed.”

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Medium Rare Content Agency has promoted Simone Aquilina to the role of Storyation general manager. 

Aquilina brings more than two decades of experience to the role, joining specialist content marketing agency Storyation in 2022 as commercial director, with previous leadership roles at Australian Geographic, Are Media, and Bauer Media Group.

Medium Rare’s managing director Nick Smith said he was “thrilled to appoint Simone as general manager of Storyation.”

“Not only does she have decades of experience in content, but she has the ability to create a valuable return to our clients’ investment in content that makes her the perfect fit,” he said.

“She’s been a driving force of the success of Storyation, bringing new business and specialisation to the agency.”

Speaking of her new role, Aquilina said she was “excited to lead Storyation into its next chapter.”

“Good quality content and strategy is fundamental for a brand’s success in today’s market. We have successfully widened our content service offering over the past two years, and with our expanded specialist team, we look forward to continuing to create award-winning content for our clients.”

Aquilina’s announcement comes as the agency makes two additional key appointments. Katie Goss has been named head of content, responsible for leading content marketing strategies, while Elissa Kent has been promoted to head of partnerships, responsible for leading the client partnerships team. 

Storyation was co-founded by Mimi Cullen and Lauren Quaintance in 2013, aiming to fill a gap in the market for story-based content with an editorial focus. It was acquired by Medium Rare in 2019, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corp Australia. 

Key Storyation clients include Virgin Australia, James Hardie, hipages, King Living, Journey Beyond, Hello Fresh, Viva Energy, Medibank, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Bunzl, and Nespresso.

See also: Content marketing agency Storyation blows out 10 birthday candles

72andSunny has launched The Strategy Studio, a global client offering created to provide a consultancy service for clients looking to drive growth.

The Strategy Studio has opened in each of 72andSunny’s global locations – Sydney, New York, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam – and will use its international resources to uncover the latest global insights and trends.

The global unit will also have access to knowledge from the agency’s global roster of client partners, such as Google, adidas, NFL, Adobe, Meta, Amazon, Spotify, TikTok, and Activision.

Ross Berthinussen, 72andSunny ANZ CEO, said: “72andSunny builds modern brands through strategy, advertising and design. We created the Strategy Studio because clients need a deeper level of strategic advice on how to navigate a marketing landscape that’s evolving faster than ever before.

“To engage new audiences and drive growth, clients need to be agile and fast to market, but must also understand the often complex, cultural context they are operating within. That’s exactly what our new offering does,”

The Strategy Studio has been set up to help client partners with strategic challenges including identifying growth audiences, developing foundational brand strategies, and go-to-market playbooks.

To lead the global consultancy team, 72andSunny has hired two agency alumni to work on projects across the agency’s client partners.
 
Miné Cakmak, head of consulting, re-joins the agency from her role as group strategy director at consultancy FNDR. Miné left a career on Wall Street for one in brand building, and has worked at agencies including TBWA/Chiat/Day and Johannes Leonardo.
 
Senior strategist, Aviva Mann, also re-joins 72andSunny alumni from design consultancy Landor & Fitch, where she helped brands such as Meta and Intel simplify complex portfolios and stretch into new categories.
 
Berthinussen said: “The Strategy Studio works with clients who need upstream thinking. But we also work with companies that need strategic firepower but not necessarily full-service support, either because they have needs that are bigger than marketing, or because they have in-house creative departments.”
 
72andSunny is Google’s main advertising and strategy partner in Australia, with recent wins including Stake, MLC, and BCF.
 
–
 
Top image: Ross Berthinussen, Miné Cakmak, and Aviva Mann

As part of the brand transition from Coles Express to Reddy Express, integrated Melbourne agency Spinach has revealed the first work for the fuel and convenience network.

In January, Spinach was appointed to help manage the transition from Coles Express to Reddy Express covering brand strategy, creative comms development, and campaign production.

The overarching brief was to build a new personality and identity for the brand that connects with customers, as well as tactical call-to-action campaigns that showcase the wide range of offerings people can find in their local Coles Express and Reddy Express stores.

Viva Energy Retail general manager, customer and marketing, Andrew Egan, said: “We needed to inject a healthy dose of personality and energy into the new Reddy Express brand, but continue to trade through in our stores, with limited disruption to our customers.

“Staying true to our core proposition while transitioning the brand was always going to be a challenge. However, we trusted that Spinach could deliver with speed and thoughtful execution, connecting with our customers on what’s important to them – quality, value and a positive experience to make their lives easier.”

The first campaign, created by Spinach, highlights the network’s signature $2 coffee offer, drawing on research that suggests once people try it, they’re surprised at just how good the coffee is.

The creative sees the female lead ‘teased’ by various people enjoying coffee as she walks through a Coles Express/Reddy Express site before realising the coffee is delicious and great value.

The second food-to-go campaign promotes the Reddy Express/Coles Express healthy and hearty lunch menu for people on the go. The Good Lunch Run takes people on the journey of needing to ‘refill’ as energy levels drop, before finding the way in-store to a range of fresh sandwiches and wraps.

The two campaigns will roll out across TV, out-of-home, digital, social, and point of sale in all markets.

Spinach CEO Craig Flanders said: “From market insights to customer research and long creative sessions, the high-volume fast retail pace is something we are very familiar with, but we settled into a solid working rhythm with the Viva Energy Retail team right from the start and are delighted to see it resonate with their customers.

“We’re looking forward to Reddy Express becoming a household brand and helping to shake things up in the petrol and convenience category in the years to come.”

Credits:

Client: Viva Energy Retail
Tracy Hammon – Head of Brand & Digital
Theo Papamanolis – Marketing Manager Food-to-Go
Vicky Fekete – Marketing Specialist Food-to-Go

Creative Agency: Spinach
CCO: Frank Morabito
ECD: Dom Megna
CD: Justin Groves
Account Director: Bambi Villacruz
Account Executive: Paige Sobczyk
Strategy Director: Glenn Myatt
Production Director: James Williams

Finished Art: Georgia Raynes-Greenow
Production: Spinach
1St AD: Will Gunn, Comma Films
Producer: Ayden Aramze, Comma Films
DOP: David Guest
Sound: Production Alley

By Ash Dharan, head of paid media, NP Digital

If you think back to your childhood, or even a few decades ago, I’ll bet there are some distinctive ads that you remember. The ones that made you laugh, think, or had a jingle you just couldn’t get out of your head. 

For me it was Emirates’ Keep Discovering from 2004, which featured a range of nationalities (unusual for the time) and a brilliant rallying call: “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

There’s a reason why ads like this cut through – they make a genuine emotional impact. By contrast, when was the last time you saw an ad on TikTok or Facebook you remember?

Okay, a quick caveat, I’m not here to bash all short-form digital advertising. It certainly has its place, but my question remains: in 20 years do you think any of them will still be in your head?

Advertising in the modern age is certainly a different proposition. People consume content at warp speed and almost entirely via mobile. So yes, I appreciate the old 30 second TVC isn’t the undisputed medium of choice it used to be.

But some truths are universal and many of the key elements that made those unforgettable long-form ads apply in other ways. Chiefly, you need to treat your customers like human beings to be wooed, not an advertising target to shout at, which is what performance advertising routinely does (in 30 characters or fewer).

Because ultimately, human beings don’t buy products, they buy the transformation the product promises – they are interested in what the product can do for them and how it will help them achieve the ideal after-state.

That’s why it’s key to form a relationship with your customer, so when they get to the moment of action, you’re the only one left standing. As Rick Willis from Wizard of Ads says, “Google Ads is the tax you pay for not having a strong brand.”

To be the last brand standing, it is vital your audience planning is up to par. The starting point for any performance campaign is to profile your customer and understand these avatars inside and out.

Once you have mapped their desires and objections, you can create ad copy and design creative that directly addresses their pain points and shows them how you can get them to their happy place. This makes your pitch much more compelling, because you demonstrate that you really ‘get’ them.

And that’s what we need to convey in our advertising. That we understand the customer’s needs and are there to provide solutions for them, because doing so builds trust and increases brand strength.

This element is really the art. But there are few more scientific elements that are required to ensure your advertising is working as well as possible for you.

When we are getting scientific, the best place to start is with an understanding of your business numbers. This means analysing how much you can afford to pay for a customer and crafting offers to keep them coming back for more. It also means avoiding paying over and over again to acquire the same customers – a trap performance marketers fall into regularly.

In your quest to do these things you may encounter people who will tell you they’ve found the silver bullet for lead generation or sales – that they’ve mastered the art and the science forever more. I think that sentiment is highly questionable, given the constant change we are faced with in the digital space.

I doubt you will ever find perfection, but if you want to be successful on a consistent basis, you have to continually get the basics right. And it doesn’t hurt to learn from those with those who live this philosophy either.

If you’re working with a partner to sharpen up your performance advertising, here’s what you should be looking for. For starters, they will understand the importance of getting the art and science right – that’s all those elements above.

They will also look at things in a holistic way. For example, they won’t think only of leads but the actual sale. It’s little things like ensuring form submission confirmation emails have a calendar link to book a call with your sales team, or an opt-in confirmation email with a couple of basic questions to help segment your CRM list. A good performance marketer knows the job is not done even when the conversion is complete.

A thorough partner will share information, insights and their proprietary tech, building a genuine relationship, rather than gatekeeping assets.

And they will also advocate to have a seat at the marketing table – yes, they perhaps aren’t your classic marketers, but they have the tools to amplify your message exponentially, so it is in your interest to give them the full business picture.

So remember, gone are the days you could throw a few thousand dollars on Google and Facebook and expect magic to follow. My advice for the 2024 advertising landscape is to stop relying on big tech platforms and go back to marketing basics. Lock in your art, science and preferred partners, and the results invariably will follow.

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Top image: Ash Dharan

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has unveiled The Audio Edge, an event dedicated to exploring the effectiveness of audio in today’s media landscape.

It will take place at The Edge in Melbourne’s Fed Square on Thursday, 18 July.

The event, hosted by Nova’s Jase & Lauren, will feature insights into the latest trends and strategies in audio.

Speakers set to appear include:

• Russel Howcroft, breakfast co-host at 3AW
• Fifi Box, breakfast co-host at 101.9 The Fox
• Christian O’Connell, breakfast host at Gold 104.3
• Joel Creasey, drive co-host at Nova
• Jacqui Felgate, drive host at 3AW
• Paul Sinkinson, managing director at Analytic Partners
• Rob Brittain, marketing consultant
• Denise McCormack, head of digital/data and tech at Hatched Media
• Nicole Bence, chief commercial officer at Nova
• Kim Loasby, head of LiSTNR ad product and operations at SCA
• Corey Layton, head of digital audio / iHeart Australia at ARN
• Ben Campbell, digital commercial director at Nine
• Nikki Clarkson, chief marketing officer at SCA
• Jo Dick, chief commercial officer at Commercial Radio & Audio

“We are thrilled to host The Audio Edge, an essential event for media agencies and advertisers who want to optimise their campaigns and learn more about the impact of audio,” said Jo Dick, chief commercial officer of CRA.

“Radio advertising is inherently creative, delivering cost-effective results and driving consumer engagement like no other medium. When combined with podcasting and radio streaming, the opportunities for advertisers are endless.”

The speakers will present across four sessions: The Audio Edge – Director’s Cut; Sonic Boom – Digital Audio’s Exponential Growth; Radio – The Ultimate Sidekick – off the back of Mark Ritson labelling it so at February’s HEARD conference – and Giving Brands the Audio Edge.

The sessions will explore audio’s role in the marketing funnel, radio’s ROI, and how audio can build relationships and foster brand loyalty.

Audio Edge will run from 9am to 11am in Melbourne’s Fed Square on Thursday 18 July.

The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) is hosting a #chatsafe webinar for members, the latest in its series of education webinars. The most recent instalment is designed to support safe content creation around mental health experiences in influencer marketing.

The free AiMCO webinar, to be held on 20 June, will explore how creators can manage mental health conversations with their followers in a safe way through online conversations.

The webinar will feature #chatsafe Research Fellow Dr Louise La Sala, from Orygen, a not-for-profit Centre for Youth Mental Health at The University of Melbourne, and creator Alessia Allfree of @tazandalessia.

Dr La Sala will share the core pillars of the #chatsafe guidelines and how to use them to support safe content creation. #chatsafe was developed by Orygen as a young person’s guide to communicating safely online about mental health.
 
Allfree will speak about how she applied #chatsafe advice in content as part of a recent campaign that discussed topics including suicide and self-harm.

Patrick Whitnall, AiMCO managing director, said: “A growing number of creators today use their content to destigmatise conversations around mental health and help others by sharing their own experiences.

“They can often find themselves, however, being overwhelmed by requests for support, starting unsafe conversations amongst young people, or feeling triggered themselves by what they’ve shared.

“The latest AiMCO webinar will help creators navigate how to create safe mental health conversations using the #chatsafe guidelines, and is an opportunity for our members to gain valuable insights and actionable strategies for these important conversations.
 
“It is another demonstration of AiMCO’s commitment to educating our members to improve the professionalism of the influencer marketing industry,” he added.
 
The free webinar will be held on Thursday, 20 June from 11am – 12pm.
 
See Also: AiMCO launches webinar on intricacies of influencer agreements

Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14

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Top Image: Dr Louise La Sala and Alessia Allfree

Monday 17 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s Do You Want To Live Forever recorded a total TV national reach of 1,726,000, a total TV national audience of 728,000, and a BVOD audience of 59,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,593,000, a total TV national audience of 1,136,000, and a BVOD audience of 78,000.

Seven’s Dream Home recorded a total TV national reach of 1,323,000, a total TV national audience of 651,000, and a BVOD audience of 50,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,330,000, a total TV national audience of 860,000, and a BVOD audience of 96,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef recorded a total TV national reach of 1,419,000, a total TV national audience of 743,000, and a BVOD audience of 64,000.

10’s airing of Have You Been Paying Attention? recorded a total TV national reach of 1,325,000, a total TV national audience of 827,000, and a BVOD audience of 40,000.

See Also: TV Report 17 June 2024: Tracy Grimshaw returns to Nine with Do You Want To Live Forever

People 25-54

Nine’s Do You Want To Live Forever:
• Total TV nation reach: 548,000
• National Audience: 233,000
• BVOD Audience: 32,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 460,000
• National Audience: 312,000
• BVOD Audience: 42,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 525,000
• National Audience: 274,000 
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 429,000
• National Audience: 207,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 394,000
• National Audience: 277,000
• BVOD Audience: 55,000

10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 544,000
• National Audience: 361,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

People 16-39

Nine’s Do You Want To Live Forever:
• Total TV nation reach: 219,000
• National Audience: 100,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 180,000
• National Audience: 130,000
• BVOD Audience: 21,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 255,000
• National Audience: 128,000 
• BVOD Audience: 20,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 183,000
• National Audience: 88,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 168,000
• National Audience: 125,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 239,000
• National Audience: 161,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s Do You Want To Live Forever:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,345,000
• National Audience: 556,000
• BVOD Audience: 47,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,238,000
• National Audience: 893,000
• BVOD Audience: 63,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,105,000
• National Audience: 586,000 
• BVOD Audience: 52,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,037,000
• National Audience: 505,000
• BVOD Audience: 40,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,048,000
• National Audience: 679,000
• BVOD Audience: 77,000

10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?
• Total TV nation reach: 1,048,000
• National Audience: 663,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

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 18 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

Paramedics

Nine’s evening began with Paramedics.

Nhi and Carlos face a confronting case as they are called to a woman running in front of traffic. Dan also helped a star footballer who busted his leg at training. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program investigated a former judge who sentenced Keli Lane who now wants her released and a rental is in ruins after a property manager pockets nearly $10k in repair funds.

Seven TV Report

Dream Home

On Seven, Dream Home saw the battle for supremacy explode at Hannah & Jonny’s home as the 3 top-placed teams went head-to-head. The 3 couples at the bottom of the ladder fight to claw their way back into contention. 

Home & Away

Before Dream Home was Home & Away as Bronte’s scheming pays dividends, Mackenzie tried to learn to trust Levi and Eden held onto anger. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke an Aussie woman struggling to have chronic UTIs treated and spoke to Olympic gold track cyclists Anna Meares and Harry Garside.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef, Hugh Allen returned to the MasterChef kitchen to set a pressure test merging classic French techniques with flavours of the Australian bush.

The Cheap Seats

Taking a look at the week that was were The Cheap Seats hosts Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald as Mel Tracina, Damien Fleming and Alexa Leary joined in on the action.

ABC

Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things

From silk sashes to a dictionary, from a trunk to a photo, Tony Armstrong discovers the story of Australia, one thing at a time.

SBS

Who Do You Think You Are?

Actor, Stephen Curry discovers a paternal family connection to treasures from Bronze Age Britain and, on his mother’s side, a courageous, whistle-blowing gold rush banker.