LG Ads is getting serious about its presence in Australia. It’s not that LG Ad Solutions hasn’t been successful in Australia – it trails only the US, UK, and Canada – but there’s always room for more growth and to build stronger relationships with local buyers.

In January LG Ad Solutions brought over UK Senior Sales Director Alex Blundell Jones to head up a local team and this past week he has announced his first hires.

Raiding Samsung Ads sales team, Marj Hetherton and Adelina Moon are now officially on board at LG Ad Solutions as Sales Directors.

“They’re really committed to the market and have a very close relationship with the LG content and distribution team, who are out in Parramatta,” Jones told Mediaweek. After years of a fractured LG team, Jones believes app-partners are now benefitting from a ‘joined-up’ experience.

“For our streaming apps, like our endemic advertisers who make up a very significant part of our revenue, we’ve been working with them from internationally,” Jones explained.

LG Ads has two distinct products. It is selling ads on the LG TV home screen and LG Channels – its FAST channel offer.

The hunger for LG’s connected TV experience has been rapidly growing. Over the past 12 months, LG reports a 70% growth in Monthly Active Users (MAU), 455% growth in ad requests, and the amount of time users are spending on devices has a 2.5x growth.

It’s not an issue of Samsung Ads vs LG Ads

Talking to Jones, it becomes pretty clear that he doesn’t really view Samsung and its Samsung Ads products as competitors, but rather they make complimentary ad buys for advertisers seeking reach.

“Rather than just reaching 30% of the TVs in a country, you’d obviously want to reach 55 to 60. You’ll work with multiple device partners to get you that reach. From an ad standpoint, you know, again, there’s very little overlap between LG and Samsung households.

“Based on our data, 2-3% of households that have an LG TV and also have a Samsung in, when we think about our two ad products, obviously our own streaming app and our home screen product, to see those you need an LG or vice versa with them. So, they very much can be used together to get maximum reach,” Jones said.

Of course, there is a certain amount of competition at play. “Clearly, if there’s only a defined amount of budget, and they can only work with one of them, there’s a few different kind of activation differences that we believe we can win on. One of them is removing the friction of activation. It’s a big difference. You know, the Australian market is very programmatic thirsty, thirsty for it even.

“We’ve done a lot of work to ensure that pretty much all of our formats can be bought via programmatic pipes,” he said.

LG’s FAST channels

As of August 2025, LG Ads has 135 FAST channels in the Australian market. Top genres locally are News, Sports, and Reality TV. There’s no real surprises there.

The channel line-up is eclectic. Users will find recognisable channels including Sky News Australia, Bloomberg, PGA Golf Channel, FIFA+, MMA, beIN Sport Connect, and PBS History. There are also many of the channels one regularly finds on FAST services globally with the likes of Fail Army, The Pet Collective, and NOSEY. And there’s also a number of show-specific channels including Mr Bean, Fear Factor, Bondi Vet, and Come Dine with Me.

Being that it is LG, the FAST service has a number of channels reflecting pop culture from South Korea, with multiple K-Drama themed channels.

Daniel Monaghan has been confirmed as the Foxtel Group’s new Executive Director – Entertainment Content, taking on responsibility for entertainment content, strategy and channels across Binge and Foxtel.

He will start in February 2026, stepping into the role vacated by Wendy Moore.

The move follows Monaghan’s resignation from Paramount ANZ, where he has been Senior Vice President of Content and Programming since 2021.

His career at Network 10 began in 2008, where he rose through programming ranks to oversee hits including MasterChef Australia, Australian Survivor, The Masked Singer, Gogglebox and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! He also helped refresh long-running formats like Thank God You’re Here and The Amazing Race, while steering the launch of Paramount+ and its local commissions.

In an internal email sighted by Mediaweek, Foxtel Group CEO of Kayo Sports, Binge and Foxtel, Hilary Perchard, welcomed the appointment in a note to staff: “Dan’s appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to our successful entertainment services. Dan brings a wealth of experience from his current role as Senior Vice-President, Content & Programming at Paramount ANZ.

“Over nearly two decades, he has been instrumental in shaping the programming strategy for Network 10 and Paramount+, driving significant audience engagement and revenue growth across the business.”

Perchard highlighted Monaghan’s track record at Paramount+: “At Paramount+, Dan spearheaded the streamer’s local commissioning slate of originals across scripted, unscripted and kids’ content, driving Paramount+ to become Australia’s fastest-growing streaming service four years in a row.

Highlights include breakout hits such as Fake, The Inspired Unemployed: Impractical Jokers and Last King of the Cross, Logie-nominated children’s drama Rock Island Mysteries, as well as the launch of NCIS: Sydney, Paramount+’s most-watched local original on launch.”

With the new role, Monaghan will lead Foxtel’s entertainment team “to ensure our award-winning Australian entertainment, drama, and lifestyle content continues to set the benchmark for premium and engaging programming,” Perchard said.

“The team will continue to deliver compelling stories that captivate audiences, champion Australian voices, and share Australian stories with the world.”

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LiSTNR has dropped a new six-part investigative documentary series, Jailbreak, tracing the extraordinary life of Darko ‘Dougie’ Desic – the Northern Beaches local who broke out of prison with a hacksaw and bolt cutters and managed to stay free for nearly three decades.

The story begins with an unlikely scene: a neatly dressed man in his 60s walking into Dee Why Police Station to hand himself in.

Police soon realised they were face-to-face with one of Australia’s most elusive escapees, a man once featured on Australia’s Most Wanted.

From Yugoslavia to Avalon

Hosted by award-winning journalist and author Tim Elliott, the podcast follows Darko’s journey from his arrival in Australia from Yugoslavia, to his arrest for cultivating marijuana, his prison escape from Grafton, and his decades on the run.

Darko worked for wealthy Sydney executives, carved out a quiet life in Avalon, and even earned affection from locals who later rallied to support him after his arrest.

Along the way he relied on charm, quick thinking, and even some makeshift dentistry with pliers to survive undetected.

Inside the story

Elliott said Darko’s double life made for a compelling investigation: “I love escape stories, and when I heard about this fugitive who’d led a double-life, near where I live, I had to know more. And I soon realised the backstory to this mysterious intellectual recluse went so much further than had been reported.”

Clair Weaver, LiSTNR’s Head of Factual, said the series captures both the scale and the eccentricities of Darko’s story: “Secrets We Keep: Jailbreak is a wild, rollicking story about an eccentric but loveable anti-hero whose early attempts to fast-track his big Australian dreams land him in jail, until dire circumstances in his homeland drive him to escape.

“Tim Elliott and the LiSTNR Factual team have done an excellent job bringing Darko’s story to life in audio for the first time. This is a podcast you’re going to want to tell your friends about.”

The man behind the myth

Darko’s latest disappearance means the podcast may be the only direct account of his life and choices.

Jailbreak blends Elliott’s reporting with Darko’s own words to piece together a portrait of survival, secrecy and a community that struggled to reconcile affection for a neighbour with the reality of his past.

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HBO has marked this year’s Back to Hogwarts celebrations with fresh casting news for its upcoming Harry Potter television series.

Among the announcements is the return of Warwick Davis, who will reprise his role as Professor Filius Flitwick – the part he originated in the film series.

The annual Back to Hogwarts event, held globally on 1 September, brings fans together to celebrate the franchise and the fictional return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

New cast members join the series

Several supporting roles have also been confirmed. Elijah Oshin will play Dean Thomas, Finn Stephens takes on Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash joins as Gregory Goyle.

The staff of Hogwarts will include Sirine Saba as Professor Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Professor Cuthbert Binns, and Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey. Leigh Gill has been cast as Griphook at Gringotts.

Behind the series

The HBO Original series, due to debut in 2027 on HBO Max, is being written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner.

Mark Mylod will serve as executive producer and direct multiple episodes.

The project is being produced in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. Executive producers include J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, along with David Heyman of Heyday Films.

A long wait for fans

While the show is still two years from release, HBO is using its annual Back to Hogwarts moment to keep anticipation high.

For many, the return of Davis is a nod to the continuity between the original films and the new series – a way of linking past and present as the story is reimagined for television.

Main image: Warwick Davis

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Menulog has launched the next phase of its What’s Good in Your Hood platform, rolling out hyperlocalised creative across hundreds of Australian suburbs and regions.

The campaign continues the platform’s focus on supporting local restaurants and driving orders.

At the centre is An Ode to Local, creative work featuring hip hop act Bliss n Eso. The campaign uses AI creative and distribution tools to adapt lyrics, visuals and executions to spotlight restaurants in specific communities.

Thinkerbell, working with Heckler and Made Promptly, developed a custom toolkit combining live-action filmmaking, VFX and AI models. The system scaled one idea into hundreds of executions, featuring almost 500 restaurants. Participating venues receive advertising exposure equivalent to thousands of dollars in media value.

The campaign spans film, audio, out-of-home and digital, and the agency noted that each medium posed unique challenges.

For film, live action food shots were combined with AI trained models that regenerated everyday shopfront photos into cinematic motion. Each neighbourhood saw its own restaurant storefront elevated to big screen quality.

Bliss n Eso recorded a library of verses and personally trained a voice model for the radio and audio element of the campaign. This allowed new shout outs to be generated instantly for any suburb or restaurant while maintaining their distinctive tone, rhythm and energy. This was not generic voice cloning but a purpose built, artist approved system.

Restaurant photography was reimagined with premium food styling and paired with suburb specific headlines for Out of Home ads. Each regenerated image will be available to owners as professional photography, creating assets they can continue to use ongoing, while avoiding the high costs associated with shooting them.

The campaign, powered by Innovid’s dynamic ad-serving tech, powered more than 250 audio and 25 video assets, tailored at postcode level and adapted in real time with geo and first-party data.

“We have worked with several emerging technologies in the AI space to move beyond generic outputs into contextually relevant creative,” Sesh Moodley, Executive Creative Tinker at Thinkerbell, said.

“For us that meant using AI not as a shortcut, but as a collaborator that could help us handcraft thousands of local stories. Every suburb, every restaurant, every shout-out feels unique because it was designed to.

“Importantly, this campaign was not led by machines. It was led by creativity. Mushroom Records and Bliss n Eso were the perfect partners to prove that when you fuse artistry and technology, you do not diminish creativity, you amplify it.”

Simon Cheng, Menulog Marketing Director (CMO), said: “As the OG on-demand delivery platform, we have been part of local communities for almost 20 years, working with small and independent restaurants across Australia.

“While we deeply care about championing restaurant partners, it’s always been a challenge to feature them at a larger scale.

“This campaign enables us to feature hundreds of hyperlocal ads that do not just celebrate our food heroes but actively dive odes and value back into their businesses. It is proof that creativity and technology can come together to do something extraordinary, fresh and fun for the communities we serve.”

Kiely Decker, Head Thinker at Thinkerbell, said: “Our ambition was to weave hyperlocalisation into every execution, from audio shout-outs to shopfront visuals, without losing craft. That scale brought challenges in selecting the right routes, managing outputs and ensuring every suburb felt genuinely seen.

“Working iteratively with AI allowed us to refine until the craft matched the ambition. What I am most proud of is how the strategic thinking stretched from the big creative platform down to the smallest local detail, with localisation matching the media — hyperlocal for digital audio and out of home, broader for terrestrial TV.”

Menulog noted that the campaign is the world’s first scalable local campaign that maintains a handcrafted feel.

Credits
Client: Menulog
Creative agency: Thinkerbell
Media: UM
Production: Heckler
Production: Made Promptly
Sound: Heckler Sound
Music: Bliss n Eso & Mushroom Group

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BIC has rolled out its third consecutive Australia and New Zealand campaign for the EZ Reach Lighter, working with Media Words and The Reactor Group.

The campaign builds on learnings from previous years and combines out-of-home, digital, social, and influencer activity to keep the product front of mind.

Large-format and transit placements are paired with online and creator-led content that feeds into BIC’s organic channels.

Fronting the creative once again are Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg, continuing a brand partnership that began in 2008 and has extended across multiple collaborations.

Elise Hedley-Dale, Media Words Founder and Media Director, said: “For this campaign, the creative was brand new, which meant ensuring it played in the right environments without sacrificing reach.

“The ‘Dinner date’ execution in particular tapped directly into their shared love of food and entertaining, bringing their dynamic to life in a way that felt both relatable and disruptive.”

“Their genuine chemistry, mutual respect, and unexpected pairing make them the perfect ambassadors to show that BIC EZ Reach is fit for any occasion, whether you’re lighting candles like Martha or… other things, like Snoop.”

BIC Head of Marketing for Asia & Pacific, Felipe Favoretto, said: “Year three is about evolution. Each time we’ve partnered with Media Words and The Reactor Group, we’ve built on what’s worked and challenged ourselves to make the next campaign bigger, sharper, and more culturally relevant.

“And with Snoop in town for the AFL Grand Final, expect the campaign to land with even more buzz, bridging cultural moments on the ground in Melbourne with creative that’s already proven to capture global attention.”

Influencers are also positioning the lighter as a versatile household essential, creating content around themes like date nights, décor, and everyday hacks, while linking back to the OOH executions.

Creative direction is led by BIC’s global team, with The Reactor Group shaping the approach locally. The campaign is live and will run through to October 2025.

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Lipton Ice Tea has launched its new brand platform, Tea Changes Everything, with a TikTok LIVE concert streamed from a pirate ship on Sydney Harbour.

The event, Lipton Live, featured Australian artist and 2025 Eurovision representative Go-Jo, streamed via his TikTok channel and simulcast on Lipton Ice Tea’s account. Viewers were able to influence the concert in real time, directing interactions and challenges throughout the performance.

Bridget McBride, Pepsi Lipton Marketing Manager, said: “With ‘Tea Changes Everything’, we wanted to do more than launch a brand platform – we wanted to create a cultural moment.

“Working with TikTok to stream Lipton Live from Sydney Harbour is a bold, first-of-its-kind activation in Australia that brings our message to life in a way that’s joyful, immersive and deeply relevant to our Gen Z audience.”

“Lipton’s Ice Tea is all about uplifting mood – our magic ingredient tea transforms how we feel & act. This campaign shows how we’re using music and entertainment to turn everyday moments into something extraordinary.”

The activation integrated Lipton branding and product placements, supported by editorial and promotional content around the event. Mindshare worked with WPP Media’s Sports and Entertainment and Influence teams to deliver the partnership with TikTok.

“This is a media-first moment that showcases our ability to deliver experiences that resonate with culture,” Tayla Wright, Mindshare Client Director, said.

“We saw an opportunity to connect Lipton Ice Tea with Gen Z through music and mood, and the interactive TikTok LIVE is the perfect platform. This campaign is a testament to what happens when strategy, creativity and innovation come together to deliver real impact and talkability at scale.”

TikTok, with more than 9.5 million Australian users and a key platform for music discovery, was positioned as the primary channel to connect with younger audiences through music and entertainment-led content.

Headlining the show is Australian artist Go-Jo, he said: “Going viral on TikTok launched my career and enabled me to authentically reach a new audience.

“I love the intimacy of creating for my online community, and am pumped to be working with TikTok and Lipton to redefine live music experiences in Australia, meeting fans where they are and interacting in real-time.”

Lipton Live presented by TikTok is the first phase of the Tea Changes Everything platform, with further activity planned in the coming months.

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Subway Australia has launched a brand-owned gaming platform to coincide with the return of the SubDog and the release of its new Loaded SubDog range.

Developed with Publicis Groupe Australia’s Team Fresh, Player Media and Rival X, the Subway Community Hub will host EA Sports FC tournaments where players compete in country-themed teams aligned to the Loaded SubDog flavours: Germany (Original), Mexico (Mexican Loaded) and USA (BBQ Bacon Loaded).

Matches will be fronted by popular FIFA and mobile gaming creators, with participants competing for real-world and in-game rewards, including Subway vouchers, Steam vouchers, and a grand prize trip to the EA FC Festival in Vietnam.

“Our goal was to share crave-inducing flavours, build community and make it easy for players to engage,” Rodica Titeica, Director of Marketing for Subway Australia and New Zealand, said.

“Tapping into new opportunities that push the boundaries of social relevance and innovation is a key focus for Subway, particularly when it comes to targeting Gen Z.

“We’re proud to launch something that feels both culturally sharp and unmistakably Subway, as the first gaming initiative of its kind across Australia and New Zealand.”

Suzi Black, Client Partner Zenith Australia, part of Team Fresh said: “Gaming delivers what brands crave: attention, emotion, and community. Subway’s Loaded SubDog range brings flavour to a community that’s already dialled in, not interrupting the experience but facilitating gamers where they play.

“This is a QSR category-first in ANZ with Rival X, boldly stretching the brand into new spaces to meet the future of audience expectations.”

Matt Virtue, Rival X CEO, added: “Gaming is no longer just a channel, it’s a cultural arena where brands can connect with consumers in real time. The SubDog is already a cult favorite, and bringing it to life through competition, community and crave is the perfect recipe.

“With Subway, we’re creating a fully immersive, participatory experience – one that drives deeper engagement and brand recall than passive viewership ever could.”

The campaign features a custom Rival hub with tournament scheduling, Discord and e-commerce integration, rewards tracking, and in-game ad placements through Player Media.

First introduced as an April Fool’s gag in 2022, the SubDog returned due to fan demand. The Loaded SubDog range will be available in Australia and New Zealand from 1 September to 7 October 2025.

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M+C Saatchi has appointed Topher Jones and Louise Rutherford into senior roles across the agency’s leadership teams Sydney and Melbourne.

Jones has been named Client Experience Director, a newly created national role based in Sydney. He will oversee client services across Sydney and Melbourne, integrating teams and specialist expertise.

He joins from Droga5 Sydney, where he led the business management team, and has worked with brands including Westpac, Suntory, Meat & Livestock Australia and British Airways across roles at AMV BBDO, DDB, Agency.com and TEQUILA.

In Melbourne, Rutherford has joined as Client Partner, tasked with driving client growth and supporting the agency’s operational expansion in the market. Rutherford moves from Thinkerbell, where she led GWM and Bupa as Group Business Director.

Her career includes senior roles with TBWA\Australia, The Monkeys and Grey London, working with brands such as Vodafone UK, HSBC Global, Nissan and Australia Post.

Both Topher and Louise recognised the opportunity to join M+C Saatchi at a transformative time focused on growth and innovation.

Tanya Vragalis, Managing Director M+C Saatchi ANZ said: “These appointments reinforce our focus on bringing in exceptional leadership to deliver meaningful impact for our clients.

“Topher and Louise have a deep level of experience, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to building best-in-class client partnerships. They are also exceptional humans.”

Topher said of his appointment: “It was immediately clear this agency has big ambitions, strong values and a brilliant team behind it.

“I’m a firm believer that deep partnerships lead to heightened results – creatively, commercially and culturally – and M+C Saatchi has an incredible legacy of creating enduring brand platforms and long-term client relationships. I’m excited to build on that.”

Louise added: ”M+C Saatchi has an incredible resume, partnering with clients to create enduring and effective brand platforms. I’m grateful to have joined the Melbourne leadership team at such an exciting time.”

Top image: Topher Jones and Louise Rutherford

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Luke Spano, CEO of Avid Collective, has announced eight internal promotions across the company’s leadership team as it positions itself for its next phase of growth.

The restructure aims to accelerate adoption of PubSuite, Avid’s proprietary media platform, which streamlines how advertisers and media owners explore, buy, implement, and measure direct media partnerships.

Chloe Patterson has been named Director of Media Partners, where she will lead publisher and media owner engagement to enhance Avid’s tech stack for partners. Jade Scales steps into the role of Head of Advertiser Partnerships, overseeing commercial strategy and driving growth with agencies.

Leah Stalker becomes Head of Marketing & Growth, charged with unifying brand, product, and go-to-market efforts to increase platform engagement. Ash Webb has been promoted to Head of Platform Experience & Custom Solutions, responsible for improving usability and building tailored client solutions.

Madeleine Spicer takes on Head of Product Operations & Digital, a role encompassing Avid’s development roadmap and technical delivery, including the managed-service amplification tool AmpPlus.

Senna Spear has been named Client Success Lead: Advertiser, focused on onboarding and campaign outcomes for advertisers. Brittany Heniedi becomes Lead of Demand Tools, driving innovation across tools like Shopfront and modernising the advertiser briefing process with AI-powered features.

Gray Roberts rounds out the changes as Director of Operations, overseeing cross-functional efficiency and delivery.

Spano said the new leadership configuration was vital to Avid’s mission: “As we work towards creating a unified, digitised ecosystem for premium direct IO media partnerships, having the right leadership across every function is critical.”

“This evolved Leadership Team brings the expertise, relationships, and vision needed to make this shift a reality for the Australian market.”

All promotions are effective immediately.

PubSuite launched in 2024 as an end-to-end platform enabling agencies and publishers to reduce manual workflows and improve campaign delivery. It has since been shortlisted for the Innovation category at the 2025 Mumbrella Publish Awards.

Top image: Senna Spear, Gray Roberts, Chloe Patterson, Leah Stalker, Jade Scales, Luke Spano, Brittany Heniedi

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The Australian Radio Network (ARN) has confirmed that Brett Sandler will become its new Director of Sales – Total Audio (Perth), marking a return to his home city at the end of September.

Currently Group Sales Director in Melbourne, Sandler will step into the role with responsibility for metro, regional and digital revenues.

He’ll also work closely with the Integrate by ARN team and the global iHeart team to deliver solutions for advertisers across broadcast, streaming and podcasting.

Experience across markets

Sandler joined ARN in 2019 and has since played a key role in growing revenue for Melbourne’s direct and independent agency teams. He brings more than two decades of sales and leadership experience across radio, digital, e-commerce and technology.

He will report to ARN’s Director of Sales – Total Audio, Richard Hunwick, taking over from Aaron Bryant, who is leaving after six years in the Perth role.

Speaking about the move, Sandler said he was looking forward to the shift back west: “I’m thrilled to be heading back to my home city of Perth to take on this exciting new opportunity. It’s a dynamic time for audio with so much innovation happening across radio, streaming, and podcasting, and I can’t wait to work with the team to deliver impactful campaigns for our clients.”

Hunwick said Sandler was well-placed to lead the team: “Brett is a passionate and results-driven leader with a proven track record across multiple markets. His experience, strategic approach, and love for audio make him the perfect choice to lead our Perth sales team into its next phase of growth.”

Farewell to Aaron Bryant

Hunwick also paid tribute to outgoing Perth Sales Director Aaron Bryant, acknowledging his contribution since joining six years ago: “I’d like to thank Aaron for his outstanding contribution to ARN over the past six years. He has been instrumental in building strong client relationships and mentoring the Perth team, leaving a lasting impact on the business. We wish Aaron every success in the next chapter of his career.”

Sandler will officially take up the role at the end of September.

Main image: Brett Sandler

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Adobe has signed a three-year strategic supporter agreement with the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM), joining IBM as a key backer of the centre’s mission to promote responsible, creative and human-centric adoption of artificial intelligence across the marketing sector.

Announced on 2 September, the partnership will focus on upskilling Australian marketers and building ethical frameworks for AI use, while extending the reach of ACAM’s educational programs. Since its launch earlier this year, ACAM has grown into a national hub for AI education in marketing, with over 100 CMOs and senior leaders involved and nearly 700 attendees at its events to date.

The collaboration between ACAM and Adobe will kick off with the launch of a whitepaper titled The Marketing Team of the Future: Beyond Efficiency, co-authored by ACAM and a panel of leading CMOs. The paper explores how marketing teams are evolving through AI, outlining emerging roles, critical capabilities, and the ethical boundaries required to succeed.

The whitepaper will be launched during SXSW Sydney in October, where Adobe is a sponsor. Speakers at the event include Sian Chadwick, general manager marketing, Australia at ANZ; Simon Cheng, CMO of Menulog; and Aaron Michie, head of marketing operations, transformation and strategic programs at Foxtel.

Louise Cummins, co-founder of ACAM, said the partnership marked a pivotal moment for the sector: “This isn’t just a partnership, it’s a defining moment for the industry. Marketers aren’t debating whether to use AI anymore, the real question is how to do it responsibly, creatively, and with confidence.”

“By partnering with Adobe, we’re supporting all marketers in Australia to have access to the tools, insights, and frameworks they need to thrive in this new era,” Cummins added.

Adobe’s vice president of enterprise marketing, APAC and Japan, Duncan Egan, said the collaboration builds on Adobe’s longstanding focus on empowering marketers: “We are focused on unifying creativity, marketing, and AI, and giving marketers world-class tools to orchestrate the critical components of customer experience.”

“Our collaboration with ACAM ensures marketers not only have the tools, but also the frameworks and skills to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

ACAM’s AI Pioneers Circle includes executives from major brands such as IKEA, Menulog, The Iconic, Bluescope, Swarovski, Mirvac, Woolworths, Foxtel, NRMA, AGL and ANZ. More than 400 benchmarking reports have already been downloaded from ACAM’s resources, signalling strong demand for practical AI guidance across the industry.

The whitepaper will be formally launched on 15 October at Adobe’s Sydney headquarters, followed by an invitation-only experience at SXSW Sydney Unlocked in Tumbalong Park.

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UNIFIED Music Group has used BIGSOUND 2025 to unveil Ground Floor, a six-month accelerator program designed for unsigned, fully independent Australian artists.

The initiative is powered by Community Music and aims to give emerging talent direct access to senior mentors, hands-on training, and coordinated release support through UNIFIED’s network.

It was announced during the First Word: One Brilliant Idea session at the Brisbane conference by UNIFIED CEO Jaddan Comerford.

Backed by Community Music’s $10m pledge

Ground Floor forms part of Community Music’s $10 million commitment to supporting local artists and helping them build sustainable, long-term careers that reach beyond Australia.

Unlike traditional artist programs tied to rigid deadlines, Ground Floor has been designed as “always on.” Artists can apply at any time, ensuring they can line up the opportunity with their own creative timelines and release schedules.

How the program works

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by a committee of UNIFIED representatives. Candidates are assessed on skill, creativity, potential, and artistic distinctiveness.

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed, with a minimum of four successful artists chosen across the year. Winners will be announced progressively, allowing each act to receive tailored attention and support.

Building careers, not moments

Jaddan Comerford, CEO and founder of UNIFIED Music Group, said the program was about building stronger foundations for independent talent: “Ground Floor is a practical way to connect independent artists with mentors, marketing support and a clear release plan.

“By pairing Community Music’s tools with our teams across management, marketing, touring, and the wider UNIFIED ecosystem, we are building a straightforward pathway from demos to release and stage. The aim is stable careers, not one-off moments.”

Program snapshot

Duration: six months, tailored to the artist’s release timeline

Who it is for: Australian residents aged 16+, unsigned and fully independent, with at least three original songs or demos, and an EP, LP or multiple singles planned in the next 12 months

What artists receive

• Strategic mentorship – curated guidance from senior UNIFIED and partner mentors to shape vision, planning and decision-making

• Skills and education – workshops in media training, social and content strategy, touring and booking, sync licensing, legal and finance

• Release, marketing and DSP support – priority marketing and DSP pitching via Community Music and The Annex for the next release

• Live performance – a performance slot at a UNIFIED or Community Live event in front of peers and industry

Delivery partners

Community Music, UNIFIED Artist Management, Lonely Lands Agency, The Annex, Sound Story, Bush Music Fund.

Mentor group

Ash Hills – General Manager, UNIFIED Artist Management
Caleb Williams – Senior Artist Manager, UNIFIED Artist Management
Chelsea Donoghue – Senior Lawyer, UNIFIED Music Group
Coco Eke – Founder, Bush Music Fund
Dan Nascimento – Senior Artist Manager, General Manager, Community Music
Elinor Williams – Director of Marketing, The Annex
Francesca Caldara – Vice President, Community Music
Harry Moore – General Manager, Lonely Lands Agency
Jack Parsons – Founder, Bush Music Fund
Jaddan Comerford – CEO and Founder, UNIFIED Music Group
Kate McCabe – Sound Story
Mardi Caught – Managing Director, The Annex
Steve de Wilde – Senior Artist Manager, UNIFIED Artist Management
Will Cuming – Artist, Head of Product Development, Community Music

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