Monday March 2, 2026
Vinyl Group to acquire Val Morgan Digital in $10.5m deal
Vinyl Group has agreed to acquire Val Morgan Digital, the digital media business of Val Morgan and Co. (Aust.) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of The HOYTS Group, in a $10.5 million asset sale designed to significantly expand the reach of its publishing division, Vinyl Media.
As part of the transaction, HOYTS Group CEO and President Damian Keogh will join the board of Vinyl Group, while the deal also provides Vinyl access to Val Morgan’s cinema and out-of-home inventory through a broader commercial partnership.
The ASX-listed media and music technology company confirmed it has entered into a binding Asset Sale Agreement, with completion expected in approximately one month, subject to customary conditions precedent, including the novation of key licensing partnerships.
Val Morgan Digital’s assets include partnerships and ANZ licences with BuzzFeed Inc., Fandom, LADbible Group and Vox Media. The business previously operated as a direct competitor to Vinyl Media.
Source: Vinyl Media
Scale play for Vinyl Media
Vinyl said the acquisition would materially expand the scale of its publishing business and strengthen its national audience reach.
Following completion, Vinyl Media’s combined audience reach is expected to reach approximately 47% of Australians online in the Entertainment category and 51% in the News category, positioning Vinyl at a comparable digital audience scale to major Australian media organisations, including Nine and News Corp Australia.
Vinyl Group said the increased scale will support the expansion of its ‘Adaptive Media’ strategy, which integrates advertising across cultural media assets and distribution channels.
Under the terms of the agreement, Vinyl Group will acquire the assets of Val Morgan Digital for $10.5 million, comprising $7 million in cash and $3.5 million in Vinyl Group shares.
The shares will be issued based on the 15-day Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) ending the day prior to the agreement and will be subject to a 24-month escrow period.
The company said the cash component will be funded through a facility of up to $10 million provided by existing shareholders, with documentation currently being finalised.
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Revenue and earnings impact
For the 2025 calendar year, Val Morgan Digital generated unaudited revenue of $10.7 million.
Following completion and integration, the acquisition is expected to contribute approximately $2.5 million in annualised EBITDA to Vinyl Group on a pro forma basis.
Vinyl said the transaction would increase Vinyl Media revenue by approximately 73%.
Alongside the acquisition, Vinyl Group has entered into a cooperation and services agreement with Val Morgan covering cross-selling opportunities across outdoor and cinema advertising.
The partnership is intended to expand Vinyl Media’s integrated campaign offering for advertisers across multiple channels.
Vinyl Group CEO & Executive Director Josh Simons said: “The acquisition of Val Morgan Digital materially enhances Vinyl Group’s scale, and consolidates our position as one of the largest and fastest growing media conglomerates in Australia. I am excited to oversee our strategy as we usher in a new era of Adaptive Media at scale in Australia. This will enable advertisers meaningful brand connections in an integrated and immersive ecosystem, through a mix of our culture distribution channels.”
The HOYTS Group CEO & President Damian Keogh said: “This transaction recognises the strength of consolidation, bringing the assets of Val Morgan Digital into Vinyl Group. We have a large portfolio of premium cultural assets together with significant national reach, providing a unique and compelling value proposition for advertisers. I am excited to be joining the Board, working with Josh and his passionate team to contribute to Vinyl Group’s next phase of growth.”
Vinyl Group said it will update the market on completion in line with its continuous disclosure obligations.
Mediaweek is owned by Vinyl Group Media.
Main image: HOYTS Group CEO and President Damian Keogh, and Vinyl Group CEO & Executive Director Josh Simons
‘Kyle changes or she leaves’: Industry reacts as Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s KIIS absence stretches
Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s absence from the KIIS FM breakfast show she co-hosts with Kyle Sandilands has now stretched into a second week, with the radio host again missing from the microphone when the program went to air at 6am on Monday morning.
Henderson had been expected to return following last week’s on-air clash with Sandilands, which saw the pair engage in a tense exchange live on air. But when the mics switched on at the start of the new week, Henderson was nowhere to be found.
Her absence was only briefly addressed during the opening moments of the broadcast, when Sandilands and the show’s newsreader Brooklyn Ross confirmed that Henderson would now remain off air for the remainder of the week.
The development means Henderson’s time away from the program has doubled.
Kyle and Jackie O. Source: Supplied
The two of us
Sandilands and Ross discussed the situation at the top of Monday’s show, telling listeners Henderson would not return this week.
“It’s just the two of us,” Sandilands said to Ross.
Sandilands also insisted he remained largely in the dark about the situation, telling listeners he expected Henderson would eventually return to the program, but suggested even those responsible for managing the situation appeared unsure about the exact circumstances surrounding her absence.
The comments follow a turbulent week for the program, after a heated exchange between the long-running co-hosts played out live on air.
The on-air clash
The stoush began with Sandilands criticising what he described as Henderson’s recent “fixation” on astrology before broadening his attack to her overall performance.
“You’re not doing the rest of the job, and everyone in this building has mentioned it to me,” he said, claiming staff had repeatedly asked what was “going on with Jackie” over the past month. “It’s not great, it’s just a fact. Wake up (beep) .. I’m not lying to her to make her feel bad.”
Henderson pushed back, telling him: “Well, let management talk to me then. No, please, I welcome it.”
As the exchange intensified, Henderson became emotional.
“I would never say things like that about you,” she said. “There are so many things that you don’t do, and I would never bring them up, and I would never say what people say.”
Sandilands replied, “Feel free, it’s an open forum,” but Henderson declined to continue what she described as a “tit for tat,” labelling the situation “mean and nasty.”
Sandilands addresses the fallout
In the days following the incident, Sandilands returned to the issue on air, acknowledging he may have gone too far during the exchange.
“ I obviously upset her, and maybe in hindsight I shouldn’t have said it on the air, but we say a lot of things on the air here,” he said.
“It’s never meant to hurt her feelings, and obviously it did, and I regret hurting her feelings. No one wants to hurt someone, especially someone you care for,” he said.
Industry reaction
The situation quickly became a talking point across the radio industry.
Game Changers podcast co-host Craig Bruce was quick off the mark, uploading a video to the show’s Instagram account addressing Henderson’s absence.
“ What happens is something changes, either Kyle has to change, or she leaves. It’s the feedback I’ve had from a radio exec this morning.
And another told me it’s more serious than I thought; maybe there are other issues at play. It could be a money issue at the moment. These days off that ARN are paying for, there is that question around how the contract was constructed. And you know, if you’re taking a day off the air, then you’re not getting paid. So if Jackie has two weeks off, that’s a lot of money she’s leaving on the table. And if she’s saying to ARN, hey, it’s Kyle’s fault that I’m off the air, then who pays the bill?”
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A key show for ARN
The extended absence places renewed focus on one of the most commercially important breakfast shows in Australian radio.
The Kyle & Jackie O Show is the cornerstone of ARN’s KIIS Network and a major revenue driver for the company, which expanded the program into Melbourne in 2024 as part of a national growth strategy.
The show has long been one of Australia’s most recognisable breakfast programs, with the pair hosting together for more than two decades across Sydney’s KIIS FM.
The $200 million question
Henderson’s absence also arrives against the backdrop of one of the most expensive talent deals in Australian radio history.
In 2023, Henderson and Sandilands signed a 10-year contract reportedly worth around $200 million with ARN, locking the pair into KIIS FM breakfast until 2034.
The blockbuster agreement underpinned ARN’s broader strategy to expand The Kyle & Jackie O Show beyond Sydney, most notably through the show’s high-profile launch into the Melbourne breakfast market in 2024.
As previously reported by Mediaweek, the size of the investment means the program carries enormous strategic weight inside the business, with executives effectively betting that the show’s national scale will deliver the audience growth and advertising returns needed to justify the outlay.
For ARN, the calculation has always been long-term. But with Henderson now absent for a second week, attention is once again turning to the show at the centre of one of radio’s biggest bets.
Main image: Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson. Source: Instagram
'Aberrant creature': ABC chair Kim Williams comments on Benjamin Netanyahu
Chair of the ABC Kim Williams has commented on Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaking to The Age‘s Jacqueline Maley, the self-described “dedicated supporter of the state of Israel”, used an unexpected term.
Williams’ words came in the context of Maley asking him about a 2013 speech he gave at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
“I ask him if his engagement with Jewish spirituality has affected how he perceives the objectivity of news coverage of the Israel/Gaza war,” Maley writes.
She then reports Williams’ response:
“I don’t have any dilemma bifurcating the Netanyahu government completely away from my very deep engagement with, and respect for, Jewish humanism.
“I don’t think [Netanyahu] is part of that very long, deep history. I think he is an aberrant creature … I think he’s frankly an aberrant creature in the history of Israel.
“He checks himself. ‘But that’s a very inappropriate thing for me to say and I shouldn’t really be saying it’.”
Kim Williams, ABC chair.
Kim Williams’ history of supporting Jewish people
Maley explains that Williams “has a profound, longstanding engagement with Judaism, to the extent where it has even been reported he converted to the religion, although he tells me this isn’t true.”
She adds that he describes the relationship as: “I have a continuing, distinct empathy with the spirit of Jewish religious practice and ethical precepts.”
Maley cites Williams’ history with Sandy Gutman, whose comedic persona is Austen Tayshus, as an example of his support:
“When one [radio] station declined to feature Gutman, he went straight to the chair, whom he had known only vaguely, according to both men, decades prior. According to Media Watch, Williams intervened five times on behalf of the comedian.”
When Maley asked him about the events, Williams prefaced his response by saying he doesn’t want “to fan the flames of issues of very deep division in the community over matters to do with October 7, the Israeli response and what has happened in Gaza, and I think whenever people talk about it, it gets mixed into a miasma of other matters.”
On Gutman, with whom he’s denied any friendship, he relates: “[Gutman] went on about the ABC being … and this is why it’s awkward to talk about because I don’t want to fan any flames. He said the ABC was profoundly antisemitic, and I was just focused on getting emotion out of the room.”
According to Good Weekend, Williams wrote to the ABC’s director of audio Ben Latimer and head of regional, rural and metro news, Donna Field, highlighting Gutman’s credentials as a comedian.
Gutman told the publication that Williams “helped me in every possible way he could”, and added: “I made a comment to him that the ABC was biased against Israel. It was a general observation I made to Kim in passing.”
Top image: Kim Williams, ABC chair and, Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel
Total TV holds centre stage as Australians watch 41 hours a month
Australians continue to spend more than 41 hours a month watching broadcast TV and BVOD, according to the latest Total TV data from OzTAM, reinforcing television’s continued scale for advertisers and broadcasters alike.
The H2 2025 VOZ Total TV Viewing Report shows the combined broadcast and broadcaster video-on-demand ecosystem reached 87.2% of Australians each month – around 24.1 million people.
While streaming services continue to fragment global viewing habits, Australia’s Total TV environment remains stable, with broadcasters maintaining a central role in the national viewing landscape.
Broadcast TV and BVOD continue to deliver scale
According to the report, Australians watched more than 41 hours per month on average across broadcast TV and BVOD viewing, with the majority of consumption still occurring on television sets in the home.
Across the second half of 2025, combined broadcast TV and BVOD viewing delivered 15.7 billion minutes of weekly viewing, broadly in line with the first half of the year.
BVOD, however, continued to increase its share of overall reach.
Weekly BVOD viewing grew 27% year-on-year to 2.5 billion minutes, driven largely by increased live streaming and catch-up viewing across broadcaster platforms.
On a weekly basis, broadcast TV and BVOD together reached 19.4 million Australians, or 70.4% of the population, climbing to 87.2% reach across a month.
BVOD adds incremental reach
The report also highlighted the role BVOD continues to play in expanding audience reach beyond traditional linear viewing.
BVOD-only viewing added around 11% incremental reach to broadcast TV each week, rising to more than 16% among audiences aged 16-39 and 25-54.
For advertisers and media planners, that additional reach has become a core part of the Total TV proposition.
Karen Halligan, Chief Executive Officer of OzTAM, said: “The VOZ H2 data confirms a consistently strong Total TV market, with BVOD continuing to deliver significant incremental reach, particularly for audiences aged under 55. The TV set remains firmly at the centre of broadcaster viewing, even as behaviour evolves across screens, a pattern we also saw reflected in our Q4 2025 Streamscape report.”
She added: “The VOZ Total TV Viewing Report distils the macro trends that matter most. By continuing to share these insights, we ensure the industry has a clear, independent view of cross-platform consumption to support confident decision-making.”
VOZ remains the industry measurement standard
VOZ is Australia’s official Total TV measurement currency, combining panel data from more than 20,000 viewers across 8,300 homes with census-level BVOD viewing data from more than 16 million connected devices each month.
The system provides a national, de-duplicated view of broadcast TV and BVOD viewing across networks, including ABC, Seven, Nine, 10 and SBS and their respective streaming platforms.
OzTAM said the bi-annual report is designed to provide the industry with a clearer understanding of how Australians are consuming television content across platforms.
The latest edition covers the period from 29 June to 27 December 2025.
Telstra revives 'wherever we go' campaign with bigger sequel
Telstra has brought back its ‘wherever we go’ brand platform with a larger sequel campaign from Bear Meets Eagle On Fire (BMEOF) and +61, timed to launch with the start of the footy season.
The work follows the cultural spillover of the original campaign, including the Telstra walk trend, often dubbed the ‘Telstrut’, which the company says generated more than 27 million views on TikTok.
What is the new Telstra ‘wherever we go’ campaign?
The campaign returns to the whistling duet at the centre of the first iteration, with ‘Mick’ and his partner continuing the motif as more characters join in across the film and supporting spots.
Telstra said the “duet” is designed as a metaphor for partnership and possibility, linking back to the brand’s promise to Australians.
When and where is it launching?
The campaign launches with a 90-second film to coincide with the start of the footy season, supported by a series of 15-second spots featuring standalone duets.
Alita McMenamin, Head of Brand and Marketing Communications at Telstra, said the new execution was shaped by the response to the first campaign. “We were surprised to see more than 27 million views on TikTok, with people across the world creating their own versions of the Telstra walk, last time,” she said.
“This new iteration of the campaign is inspired by the fact that it’s not just about the journey, it’s about those you share it with,” McMenamin added.
Creative and production details
The film was directed by Smith & Foulkes from Riff Raff Films. Micah Walker, Chief Creative Officer at BMEOF, said revisiting the idea was always part of the plan.
“The amazing response we received last time gave us some playful ideas and cameos to add to this journey,” Walker said.
On the out-of-home side, Telstra has leaned into craft. The campaign features walking legs created by paper artist Jeff Nishinaka, with the artworks shot by photographer Carl Kleiner. Telstra said the pieces were built by hand using layered, folded paper, with executions designed to be unique to each media site.
OOH ads for the new Telstra campaign
Media strategy
The media agency is OMD Australia. Helen Guard, Managing Partner at OMD Australia, said the footy season provided a major cultural platform for the sequel.
“We’ve crafted the media strategy to hero this beautiful creative in premium, high attention environments,” Guard said, pointing to repeat viewing as part of the experience.
Credits
Creative Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
Partner Agency: +61
Media Agency: OMD Australia
Client: Telstra
Chief Marketing Officer: Brent Smart
Head of Brand and Marketing Communications: Alita McMenamin
Brand & Sponsorship Lead: Nicola Reeves
Marketing Specialist: Annabel Hudson
Head of Media & Marketing Operations: Paula Marreiros
Senior Media Specialist: Ally Chin
FILM
Production Company: Riff Raff
Directors: Smith & Foulkes
Executive Producer: Tracey Cooper
Production Assistant: Maddy Smith
Designer: Chris Martin
Post Production VFX: Black Kite Studios
VFX Supervisor: George Brunt
VFX Supervisor: Dan Moore
3D Animation Supervisor: Jorge Meurer
3D Lead: Oleg Troy
Concept Artist: Carlos Nieto
Colourist: George K
Executive Producer: Julie Evans
Senior Producer: Phil Whalley
Production Coordinator: Kit Hartley
Music Supervision: Trailer Media
Music Supervisor: Anton Trailer
Music Production Company: Manderley Music
Music Arranger: Ben Cocks
Music Producer: Sean Craigie-Atherton
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designer: Daniel William
Executive Producer: Michael Gie
OOH
Paper artist: Jeff Nishinaka
Photographer: Carl Kleiner
Retouching: Stiletto Studio
Australian internet ad market hits $18.4b as video drives growth
Australia’s internet advertising market has climbed to $18.4 billion, with video emerging as the engine of growth, according to the latest industry data.
The IAB Australia Internet Advertising Revenue Report, prepared by PwC Australia, found the market grew 11.5% year-on-year in 2025, reflecting continued advertiser demand for search, video and emerging digital formats, even as some display segments posted more modest gains.
Video advertising delivered the strongest performance across the market, rising 19.8% year-on-year to $5.4 billion, reinforcing the increasing role of streaming and social video in brand and performance campaigns.
Search remained the largest single segment of the market, reaching $8.0 billion in 2025, also up 11.5% year-on-year and setting a new annual high.
Other formats recorded more incremental growth. Classifieds increased 5% to $2.9 billion, while display advertising excluding video rose 1.9% to $2.1 billion.
Audio advertising reached $339 million, growing 8.2% year-on-year, with podcasting continuing to outpace streaming audio.
Video becomes the market’s growth engine
Video was the largest contributor to growth within display advertising during 2025, with social video significantly increasing its share of total investment.
Social video accounted for 40% of total video expenditure for the calendar year and grew 35.1% year-on-year, alongside sustained advertiser investment in broadcast video on demand (BVOD) and other video environments.
Video’s share of the overall online advertising market also continued to expand, now representing 29% of total online advertising expenditure.
Buying behaviour shifts
The report also pointed to changes in buying patterns across publisher display inventory.
Agency buying via insertion order increased its share in 2025, while programmatic buying lost share during the peak Australian sporting season, reflecting strong demand around major live-viewing environments.
Connected TV also continued to gain ground, reaching a new peak share of content publishers’ video inventory during the year. The growth was supported by high-demand viewing environments tied to major sporting events.
Retail leads advertiser categories
Retail remained the largest industry category for general display advertising across content publishers and media owners for the fifth consecutive year.
It was followed by automotive, entertainment, and media, while financial products and services, including insurance, recorded the largest increase in share during the year.
Home products also entered the top five industry categories for the first time, highlighting shifting advertiser demand across consumer categories.
Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, said the results point to a market expanding, but unevenly across formats.
“The 2025 results show a market that is growing, but selectively. Overall investment increased strongly, driven primarily by video and search, while other display environments saw more modest movement. Social video and podcasting continue to outperform the market.”
Le Roy said the mix of advertisers investing in digital channels is also evolving.
“While the large media agencies remain important drivers of scale, we’re also seeing strong investment from independent agencies, high-growth brands managing their own media, and SMEs. Established advertisers continue to expand in-house capability, and we’re seeing increased investment from Chinese and other international brands seeking to connect with Australian audiences.”
December quarter growth accelerates
The report also detailed results for the December 2025 quarter, which recorded $4.9 billion in total internet advertising expenditure, a 14.4% increase over the December 2024 quarter.
Video advertising continued to outperform during the quarter, growing 15.4% year-on-year, further cementing its position as the fastest-growing segment of the online advertising market.
Main image: AI-generated
TEG appoints Shaun Nik as head of sport in Asia
Ticketek Entertainment Group (TEG) has appointed Shaun Nik as Head of TEG Sport in Asia, as the company accelerates its international expansion across the region.
The appointment is designed to bolster the company’s presence in key Asian markets while strengthening touring pathways between Asia and Australia.
In a statement, TEG said the move marks “an important step in TEG Sport’s next phase of international growth, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building deep, in-market capability across Asia while strengthening multi-market touring pathways into Australia and New Zealand.”
Nik will report to Rachael Carroll, Managing Director of TEG Sport, and he will lead regional strategy and event delivery across priority markets, including mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, and broader North Asia.
Carroll said, “Asia represents a major growth frontier for TEG Sport. Shaun’s appointment reflects our ambition to embed experienced leadership on the ground, deepen strategic relationships and expand our footprint across key markets. With Shaun’s regional expertise and proven delivery capability, we are well-positioned to scale our presence and unlock the next phase of growth.”
Carroll added that the expansion across Asia directly supports the group’s domestic strategy.
“Building capability across Asia enhances our ability to attract premium international sporting content into Australia and New Zealand. Asia remains a key strategic priority for TEG Sport and the broader Group, and this investment strengthens our long-term pipeline.”
Nik joins TEG Sport from World Table Tennis, where he acted as Event and Experience Director and oversaw more than 25 major annual international events, including the Singapore Smash, Saudi Smash, and WTT Champions series. He has also held senior roles with Red Bull and IRONMAN Group.
Based in Singapore and fluent in Mandarin, Nik brings extensive regional experience across international rights holders, partners, and multi-market event execution.
Nik said: “Asia is one of the most dynamic regions globally for live sport. TEG Sport has built strong credibility across key markets, and there is clear demand for premium international sporting events.
“I’m excited to join at a time of momentum, to strengthen partnerships, expand across multiple territories and continue delivering world-class sporting experiences for fans across Asia and Australia.”
Main image: Shaun Nik. Source: Supplied
Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at Eurovision 2026
Delta Goodrem will represent Australia at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, with the pop star set to perform her new single Eclipse at the global music event in Vienna.
The announcement was made by Australian broadcaster SBS and production partner Beyond Productions, confirming the Australian music icon will travel to Vienna in May for the milestone 70th edition of Eurovision.
Goodrem will take to the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle, the host venue for the 2026 contest, performing Eclipse in front of an international audience of millions.
As one of Australia’s most globally recognised artists, the country could be in with a chance of performing well this year.
“I’m so honoured to represent Australia on one of the biggest and most iconic stages in the world at Eurovision!” Goodrem says.
“As a singer-songwriter, music has been my lifelong passion. I’ve always loved the creativity, individuality, and joy Eurovision brings, connecting and uniting people across the globe through music: the universal language. I can’t wait to arrive in Vienna and make Australia proud.”
Out today, Eclipse “captures the rare, breath-stealing moment when shadow and light fall into perforce harmony – a metaphor for clarity, alignment and stepping fully into your purpose,” according to a press release.
Goodrem wrote her new single alongside Ferras Alqaisi, Jonas Myrin, and Michael Catkin, the latter of whom also produced the single.
The accompanying music video, directed by Melbourne-born, London-based filmmaker Liam Pethick (known for his work with Ed Sheeran) and produced by acclaimed creative Brian Purnell (Troye Sivan, Tame Impala), is set across vast sand dunes in Newcastle, NSW.
Goodrem signed her first record deal at 15 and went on to become one of Australia’s most iconic music stars.
Her debut album, Innocent Eyes, is one of the highest-selling albums in Australian history, producing five No. 1 singles and remaining at No. 1 for a record-breaking seven-and-a-half months.
Goodrem has sold more than 9 million albums worldwide, achieved five No. 1 albums and nine No. 1 singles, and earned 12 ARIA Awards.
“After years of speculation, the moment has arrived. Everything has aligned for Delta to represent Australia at Eurovision, and there’s no better time than 2026 in the song contest’s 70th year, back where Australia’s participation began in 2015,” SBS Head of Entertainment Emily Griggs shared.
“To mark this milestone, we wanted to send one of Australia’s most iconic artists to the world’s most iconic stage. Her powerful voice is balanced by restraint and an openness that draws people in, creating performances that feel both intimate and expansive. Europe, get ready. Australia is lighting up the stage.”
Goodrem’s Eclipse is out now via ATLED Records.
Main image: Delta Goodrem. Source: Supplied
Women 45+ hold the purse strings - but brands are still missing the signal
More than one in four Australian women aged 45+ say brands don’t represent them, despite controlling billions in spending, according to new research from WPP Media and Are Media that challenges how influence is typically measured in today’s social-first marketing landscape.
It’s a curious disconnect at a moment when women over 45, think Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, remain some of the most recognisable and influential cultural figures on the planet.
Unveiled at the AIMCO Creator Summit, The Power Gap study suggests brands chasing reach, virality and creator hype may be overlooking credibility, the factor most likely to drive conversion among one of Australia’s most commercially powerful consumer cohorts.
The numbers alone are difficult to ignore.
Australia is home to 4.8 million women aged 45+, many at the peak of their earning power and household influence.
In beauty alone, this audience spent an average of $2.8 billion on health and beauty products in the past four weeks – accounting for 34% of total national category spend, more than Gen Z and Gen Y combined, according to Roy Morgan Single Source September 2025.
Yet despite that economic clout, many feel invisible.
More than a quarter of women aged 45+ surveyed said they do not feel represented by major brands across advertising, packaging and communications, rising to nearly one in three among the largest segment of the audience.
For Natalie Bettini, Head of Consumer Data & Insights at Are Media, that disconnect between influence and recognition is precisely where the opportunity lies.
“Women over 45 have always been central to household and discretionary spending, but what’s changed is their visibility and their voice,” Bettini told Mediaweek.
“Clearly, as the research highlighted, we still have work to do as an industry to reflect her authentically. The research is pretty detailed on this, with more than one in four women 45+ saying they don’t feel represented by major brands, despite being Australia’s most economically powerful female cohort. That gap between influence and recognition is what’s really driving the shift we’re seeing now.”
A $2.8 billion beauty signal
The spending signal is particularly stark in beauty.
According to the study, women 45+ now account for more than a third of all national beauty and personal care expenditure.
But the research suggests marketers may be misunderstanding how influence actually works for this audience.
The national quantitative study of 1,067 women aged 18+ found that women 45+ operate within a layered ecosystem of influence, built on expertise, trust, and validation across multiple touchpoints rather than on a single viral social interaction.
Nearly twice as many women aged 45+ reported not purchasing any beauty or personal care products based on a single social media recommendation in the past six months compared with women aged 18–44 (44% versus 23%).
However, when influence does resonate, credibility becomes the defining factor.
Among women who purchased following recommendations, those aged 45+ were four times more likely than younger women to have also noticed advertising for the product in editorial-driven media (36% versus 9%).
The research found that for beauty enthusiasts aged 45+, the most influential sources include editorial websites, contributions from experts and editors, consumer reviews, and paid advertising.
They were also more likely than younger audiences to follow specialist creators or editors (52% versus 44%), reflecting a preference for depth, expertise and consistency over celebrity-style personalities.
Expertise beats celebrity
For Shivani Maharaj, Chief Creator Officer at WPP, the findings highlight a widening gap between how brands approach creators and how this audience actually engages with influence.
“I disagree,” Maharaj told Mediaweek when asked whether women 45+ had previously been overlooked in advertising.
“A lot of ad dollars go to this audience, especially on TV. What has changed is that audiences have migrated to platforms, and representation (largely) on these channels is driven by younger generations. We need more creators 45+, creating to represent this part of Australia.”
According to Maharaj, the shift is less about spending power suddenly appearing and more about where influence now lives.
Maharaj said the research points to a fundamental shift in how influence works across life stages – and why brands relying on a one-size-fits-all creator strategy risk missing older audiences altogether.
“The people who influence younger generations are very different to those who influence older generations, and a lot of that has to do with life stage,” she said.
While younger audiences often gravitate toward personality-led creators – what the study describes as “generalists” driven largely by social media culture – influence among women 45+ tends to centre on expertise and credibility.
As audiences get older, Maharaj said they are far more likely to trust specialists: people with recognised authority, knowledge and track records in their fields.
That dynamic is reflected in WPP’s own creator data.
“Our WPP Brand AI data, which has 56,000+ creators in Australia, showed us that the people with influence for W45+ are people they grew up with, knowing their expertise and background,” she said.
Those trusted voices often come from established media and publishing environments – figures such as magazine editors, fashion directors, beauty columnists, restaurant critics, broadcasters and television personalities.
The social media blind spot
Maharaj argues the issue is not that brands are ignoring women 45+, but that many misunderstand how to show up on platforms where discovery now happens.
“I don’t think they are ignored by brands,” she said.
“I think there are some mistakes being made on social media, specifically, which is where brands are now discovered. Firstly, they don’t show up at all and think it’s for Gen Z only. Secondly, they show up with the wrong talent, or lastly, they brief it as if it’s an ad.”
The research also found that one in three women aged 45+ follow social accounts to support health goals or issues and to learn new skills, while more than one in four seek travel inspiration.
Bettini says that behaviour reflects a shift in how this audience consumes media and information.
“It’s not that the spending power is new; that’s been clear in the data for a long time,” she said.
“What’s changed is mindset. Women 45+ are far more intentional in how they consume.”
A call for more 45+ creators
One of the clearest implications from the study is the need for better representation within the creator economy itself.
“We need a call to arms for more women 45+ to become creators in our country,” Maharaj said.
“We need more of them in Australia, period. There’s only a finite group of them, and then we need agents to help them build their brands.”
For marketers under pressure to deliver performance, the advice from both organisations is straightforward: credibility and trust must sit at the centre of the influence strategy.
“Push your agency to find them. Use tools and technology. Do the research,” Maharaj said.
“Ask people who are 45+ who they follow and who influences them. You need to show up with them, and you need to show up with the people who influence them (younger people can influence them, too). A woman 45+ reads inauthenticity instantly, so you need to get this right. They are a strong, confident and very vocal group of women.”
Bettini added that brands should reconsider how they define influence in the first place.
“Brands need to rethink what influence looks like for this demographic, and that doesn’t always mean dipping into your usual creator marketing talent pool to brief in your social-first campaign,” she said.
“You need to pinpoint those people with real expertise and credibility, and that layer of trust, more often than not, for women 45+, comes from traditional channels that extend into social media, like publishing.”
In other words, if brands are still chasing hype, they may be missing the most powerful buyers in the room.
Allianz Australia tells the comeback story of the Matildas’ Amy Sayer
Allianz Australia has unveiled a new campaign via Howatson+Company, telling the comeback story of Matildas midfielder Amy Sayer ahead of this year’s major international women’s football tournament hosted by Australia.
As the Official Insurance Partner of Football Australia, Allianz has positioned the campaign within its broader brand platform, ‘Care you can count on’.
A comeback told through metaphor
Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Michael Gracey (FINCH) and set to Sia’s ‘Unstoppable’, the film, titled ‘Adrift’, follows Sayer’s return to the national team after an ACL injury kept her sidelined for 457 days.
Using the metaphor of being adrift at sea, the film reflects the isolation and uncertainty of injury recovery, before charting Sayer’s resilience and return to the pitch.
Laura Halbert, CMO Allianz Australia, said the campaign connects the athlete’s journey with the brand’s broader positioning.
“Australians are known for their resilience, whether it’s overcoming career-threatening injuries or facing unexpected events like severe weather.
“This campaign builds on our brand platform, ‘Care you can count on,’ by celebrating strength, determination, and the idea that ‘care never gives up’, just as Allianz is there to support our customers when they need us,” Halbert said.
Care as a lifeline
Gavin Chimes, CCO at Howatson+Company, said the story was rooted in the emotional gap between setback and recovery.
“No one plans for the moment that stops everything. For Amy, hundreds of days separated who she was from who she could become again.
“That’s why Allianz tells this story – because in those dark moments between loss and recovery, care is more than a promise, it’s a lifeline. And by never giving up on it, true greatness can be achieved. Michael Gracey understood this perfectly.
“It was a privilege having him and his team bring our script to life,” Chimes said.
The film was captured in a real water tank using practical sets, then enhanced with CGI by visual effects studio ALT VFX.
The campaign is rolling out across cinema, BVOD, YouTube, outdoor, digital and social channels.
CREDITS
Client: Allianz Australia
CMO, General Manager, Customer Strategy and Marketing: Laura Halbert
Head of Brand & Sponsorships: Gemma Cadwallader
Manager, Brand & Sponsorship: Charles Todhunter
Senior Specialist Media: Katrina Lochens
Senior Manager, Brand & Media: Elle Sproll
Managing Senior Legal Counsel: Sonja Nanevski
Senior Compliance Manager: Audry Concisom
Creative Agency: Howatson+Company
Chief Executive Officer + Founder: Chris Howatson
Group Managing Director: Renée Hyde
Client Partner: Fleur Lancaster
Senior Business Director: Brynee Roche
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Chimes
Group Creative Director: Simon Friedlander
Senior Creative (copywriter): Charlotte Berry
Senior Creative (art director) Tom Macphail
Chief Design Officer: Ellena Mills
Head of Design: Trent Michael
Design Lead: Shelby Lane-Brown
Senior Designer: Cory Lo
Studio Lead: Simon Merrifield
Finished Artist: Patrick Riveria
Head of Production: Holly Alexander
Senior Producer: Caitlin Perz
Head of Post Production: King Yong
Senior Lead, Sound and Music: Shane Vancuylenberg
Mark Broome: Senior Editor
Production: FINCH Company
Director: Michael Gracey
Executive Producer/MD: Corey Esse
Executive Producer: Martin Box
Producer: Viv Jaspers
Production Manager: Daisy Bray
Production Coordinator: Sarah Marcuson
Casting: Stevie McGregor Casting
DP: Matt Toll
1st AD: David Lethem
Production Design: Loretta Cosgrove
Stylist: Janai Anselmi
Editor: Patrick Correll
VFX & Postproduction: Alt.vfx
VFX Supervisor: Dave Edwards
Producer: Carly Rosenberg
Colourist: Ferg Rotherham
Music Supervision: Anton Trailer at Trailer Media
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designer: Dexter Cave
Executive Producer: Michael Gie
VFX Face Replacements: Rising Sun
VFX Face Replacements EP: Ian Cope
Media Agency: Wavemaker
Managing Director: Ian Edwards
Client Partner: Michael Talbot
Group Client Director: Thomas Grainger
Implementation & Activation Group Director: Tia McCann
Implementation & Activation Director: Laura Castro
Implementation & Activation Manager: Emily Kotevski
Strategy Director: Summer Treseder
Top Image: Howatson+Company
'The genie is out of the bottle': Agentic AI enters influencer economy
The idea that the internet is a void, starved of human contact and orchestrated by AI-generated content and autonomous bots, has never felt more real than in 2026.
Call it the “dead internet theory” or, as Nathan Powell, co-founder and chief product and strategy officer at Fabulate, terms it, “dead creator theory”.
“It challenges the idea of what happens if everyone can make content, but fewer people than ever are trusting what they see,” Powell told Mediaweek.
Nathan Powell Image: Fabulate
Powell says half of web traffic is driven by bots.
“When you look at content itself, more than half of all web-based content has passed through AI algorithms, whether generated, translated, optimised, or otherwise processed,” he said.
The theory, which dates back to 2016 to 2017, is based on the idea that “the internet isn’t as human as we think”.
Hence, the rise of what some describe as the “raw and messy” wave among internet creators and audiences, content that feels less polished, more immediate and more human.
With generative AI, the old notion of “I’ll believe it when I see it” is no longer a reliable test. Seeing is no longer believing.
While much of the AI conversation continues to orbit generative tools, Powell believes the real shift is happening elsewhere.
“We see AI falling into three categories: analytical AI, assistant Gen AI, and agentic AI,” he explained.
The first two, he says, are already embedded in creator marketing.
Analytical AI and brand safety at scale
Analytical AI is increasingly used for brand safety and risk management.
“If you took 10 influencers with an average of 185 videos at 1.5 minutes per video, that’s 46 hours of content to manually review.”
Powell said that AI can scan that back catalogue in minutes.
“Flag instances of brand safety concerns, for example, vaping and timestamp where they occur. There’s always a human in the loop to make the final call, but AI gives you the insurance policy.” Powell said.
Role of Gen AI
Assistant Gen AI, meanwhile, is driving localisation and content augmentation.
Powell pointed to MrBeast as an early example of creator-scale localisation.
“MrBeast famously realised around 35% of his audience was Spanish-speaking and initially hired voice actors to dub his content,” Powell said.
Today, AI can handle translation ethically and at scale, with consent and compensation, allowing creators to extend their reach without re-filming entire productions.
“Brands are producing thousands of content variants weekly by augmenting original creator assets. Image-to-video tools can also generate short B-roll-style clips from still images, saving time without replacing the creative core,” he said.
But Powell argues that the third category, agentic AI, is the real game changer.
“Agentic AI doesn’t just generate content; it acts,” he said.
“If you cut through all the hype of LLMs and generative tools, agentic AI is the real revolution.”
Agentic in practice
In creative marketing, that could mean AI agents filtering hundreds of inbound DMs and brand emails based on predefined parameters.
“It could mean negotiating rates within agreed thresholds and only alerting a creator when human judgment is required. It could mean checking content against compliance guidelines before submission, reducing rounds of revision,” he said.
Powell said the creative remains human; it’s merely the surrounding workflow that becomes automated.
Top Image: Google Gemini