At the end of April this year Mediaweek visited the Seven West Media commercial team at its Sydney HQ. That day we spent time with chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette and national sales director Georgie Nichols.

Also joining me at the Mediaweek round-table were director 7RED Katie Finney, and national digital sales director Rachel Page.

The visit was to get some commentary about the changing face of TV. From the size of linear TV audiences, to the rise of streaming TV, to the revolution in TV ratings.

See also: Kurt Burnette and Seven sales team challenge TV narrative, comment on recent headlines

We were subsequently as shocked as any when just a few weeks after that visit, Burnette and Nichols exited the business. They were among a number of staff given redundancies, including other members of the executive team.

See also: Seven West Media: New divisions and leadership roles in wake of redundancies

Last week colleagues and clients finally got to pay tribute to Burnette and Nichols at an event at The Star in Sydney. It was just days before Seven hosted The TV Week Logie Awards at the same venue.

Georgie Nichols speaking at the Seven farewell with CEO Jeff Howard looking on

Attending were Seven West Media chair Kerry Stokes, new CEO Jeff Howard, and other board members including Ryan Stokes. Also on hand were members of the new Seven executive team. There were also other staff members and clients and media agency executives.

Those clients included Lisa Ronson now at Medibank, Tom Dobson from NAB and Stephen Basil-Jones from Sony Pictures.

Other guests included IPG Mediabrands’ Leigh Terry, OMD’s Laura Nice and Sian Whitnall, Hatched’s Mike Wilson, and Think TV Australia’s Kim Portrate.

Speaking afterwards about the gathering, Burnette said: “Thank you to the many messages of love and positivity I’ve received over the last few weeks, it has been truly amazing and humbling to see and read.

“I’m incredibly proud of my achievements with my time at Seven and I’m proud of how I’ve gone about achieving that success. I’m even prouder of the people I’ve worked with as colleagues and clients, many of whom I’m pleased to call good friends to this day. A lifetime of wonderful memories and achievements. Now for some much-needed and valued time with my family, friends and self before getting into what’s next.”

Nichols spoke about her time and her team at Seven. She recalled how Kurt’s wife Sam Burnette employed Nichols for her first job in the media. She explained how Kurt later recruited her from Carat, saying she joined Seven because of the great colture that had been created in the sales team.

ADMA, Mark Ritson and industry CMOs have teamed up to create a marketing skills assessment tool that identifies knowledge gaps for marketers.

Capability Compass aims to address the need for continuous skills development in an industry marked by rapid technological advancements and changing market demands.

The assessment tool launches as new research reveals huge gaps in Australian marketers’ knowledge. Only 32% of those surveyed were able to name the Ps of Marketing, and a mere 16% knew how to calculate ROAS.

Ritson, founder of the Marketing Week Mini MBA Mark Ritson, played a key role in developing the ADMA Capability Compass. He has over two decades of experience as a marketing consultant and educator and has taught at leading institutions like London Business School, MIT, and Melbourne Business School.

His expertise extends across brand strategy, digital transformation and marketing practices, and he has advised globally recognised brands across diverse industries.

Ritson’s insights have been instrumental in creating a structured approach and comprehensive evaluation of 13 key marketing capabilities and 65 underlying skills across three distinct phases: strategy, execution and analysis.

“Marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace and it can be hard to identify where the genuine gaps are in a marketing team’s skills and empower marketing leaders to build teams ready for the future of marketing,” Andrea Martens, ADMA CEO, said:

“Capability Compass isn’t just a tool; it’s a powerhouse for any business that wants to foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. It provides a 360-degree view of functional marketing skills and enables leaders to pinpoint strengths and areas for development aligned with their strategic goals. This is a major leap forward in marketing training and development, empowering marketing leaders and their teams to take charge of their own destiny.”

Ritson added: “The skills gaps uncovered in the research are nothing short of alarming and demand immediate action. I’m not surprised—I’ve been saying this for years. Experience and confidence alone won’t cut it; marketers need proper training.

“While some areas of marketing are evolving and require new skills, the fundamentals remain constant and should be the bedrock of every strategy. Right now, we’re not even getting the basics right. The ADMA Capability Compass will arm leaders with the data needed to pinpoint skills gaps in their teams, enabling us to build better marketers.”

Recent research on marketers’ capability will be unveiled during Ritson’s keynote address at ADMA Global Forum on August 20. He features alongside a host of world class speakers including Professor Scott Galloway, Tom Goodwin, Uber CMO Lucinda Barlow and The Iconic’s Joanna Robinson.

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Top image: Mark Ritson

Sydney was gripped by Metro rail fever yesterday and oOh!media was front and centre.

The out-of-home company hosted a half-year results presentation yesterday morning. But that didn’t stop oOh!media chief executive Cathy O’Connor and chief financial officer Chris Roberts from taking a train ride early in the day.

Mediaweek reported last year how oOh!media won the Sydney Metro competitive tender, securing a long-term contract to enhance the commuter experience in Sydney’s CBD.

Speaking to Mediaweek after the Metro experience, and the results presentation, O’Connor said: “What a beautiful [ad] environment that is. We are about 40% through the build of our new assets there. That’s now available to advertisers. There is lots of innovation around creative, 3D anamorphic, data-led targeting and dynamic creative that is possible in digital.”

All stations have active assets on the new line except for three stations – Crows Nest, North Sydney and Gadigal. The rest are showing off brand-new screens with different-sized formats.

oOh!media’s Cathy O’Connor and Chris Roberts at a Metro station on launch day

O’Connor said ahead of the opening of the new line, oOh!media had been taking clients and agencies on tours of some of the stations for several weeks leading up to launch day.

“The pent-up demand has been there. We have been able to convert that to bookings from Friday of last week.” That was the day the Metro launch date was confirmed.

How the year is getting better

With the strongest quarter of the calendar year ahead, O’Connor explained: “We are seeing a strengthening in the second half. We had a return to growth in August after a pretty flat three months. We have seen robust pacing from September onwards.

“The new assets are yet to play into that pacing which is another positive for us.

“We have only seen one other media company report yet – Seven West Media – and their guidance -4 in September and -5 in October. That is the first data point that shows the relative two realities – one for out of home and the other for established media.”

See also: oOh!media results: Record sector agency share, but revenue and profit slips in tough market

Good times ahead with December quarter

“It’s the strongest and the biggest,” said O’Connor about the three months ending December 31, 2024. “Increasingly the months of October and November are growing in prominence because of things like Black Friday, Halloween. There are a number of retail events ahead of Christmas that have built the prominence of that quarter.

“It’s an important quarter for us and we are looking for a strong end to the [calendar] year.”

oOh!media screen live on the Metro on Monday

Clients holding back dollars taking big risk

As to the possibility that some advertisers might hold back spend to the December quarter, O’Connor said that would be taking a big risk.

“The laws of supply and demand will sort that out pretty quickly. We are already giving some messages to market, as are other OOH companies, that premium large format avails are becoming tight from September onwards.

“There is nothing worse than missing out on a marquee property when you have a product launch or your competitors have the good assets.”

Making oOh!media more profitable

O’Connor: “We have addressed the issues we needed to and we are now trading strongly into the back end of 2024.

“The exit of the Vicinity contract had an impact from January. There was a change to the revenue mix of non-media revenue and it impacted growth YOY.”

O’Connor admitted she was disappointed with how FY2024 ended for the business. “I would put it down to not getting the success and conversion we would normally expect in what was quite a short term market.

“The sales team are now in market in a more agile and responsive way which is starting to bear fruit as discussed. Sales teams go through peaks and troughs from time to time. We have made some systems improvements to pricing, giving more autonomy into the hands of the frontline sales team. We probably needed to move more swiftly than we had been at times. That has all been course corrected.”

The arrival of Metro rail ad dollars will have a big impact on transit performance on the oOh!media books. “When you think about Metro trains it is a CBD contract in Sydney. We have been underweight in assets in the Sydney CBD. This is an important growth initiative for us. It really helps with our small format offerings.”

oOh!media’s Cathy O’Connor Metro report card

Contracts on offer

Recent wins for oOh!media include Metro Rail and the Woollahra contract, both won last year. “They are now coming online and will impact about $30m which we detailed back in February. We anticipate there is another $38m of new contracts which are not yet announced.

“There is also one last legacy contract from the Adshel days which is Auckland and the tender process is live now. We have submitted our response in that process and are awaiting the outcome.”

O’Connor said the business has had around an 80% success rate in securing new contracts. “There is another $60m-$80m of new opportunities anticipated to land. They are always developing. That might be greenfield contracts or competitor’s contracts coming up.”

Former News Corp Australia’s head of sales – NSW independent agencies and major direct, Michael Desiere has been appointed to a newly created partnerships role at Nine, working with its ad platform, Nine Ad Manager.

Desiere left News Corp in early June after 22 years with the business. He confirmed to Mediaweek that his exit was not connected to the wider editorial restructure that also happened during that time.

Posting on LinkedIn, Desiere wrote to thank Michael Stephenson and Nick Young for “entrusting me with this fantastic opportunity.”

Writing to his followers, he said: “I’m eager to connect with each of you in the coming weeks to showcase how Nine Ad Manager can propel your brands and businesses onto the big screen and into the heart of the family home.

“Day 1 has been a blast, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds with this amazing team!”

Desiere’s appointment comes as Nine reported its 2024 Paris Olympics coverage had a national total television reach of 19.5 million across Nine, 9Gem, and 9Now.

Week 1 of Nine’s coverage delivered a national total television reach of 17.5 million – the highest weekly reach in VOZ history. Week 2 delivered a national total television reach of 16.6 million, making it the second-highest weekly reach in VOZ history.

Since the Opening Ceremony on 27 July, the Olympics contributed to a daily average national total TV reach of 9.9 million viewers across Channel 9, 9Gem, and 9Now.

In the first week, Nine also attracted the highest daily share in VOZ history in the 16-39s demo, and a weekly national total TV reach for this demographic of more than 4.8 million. Across the entire duration of the Games, 5.6 million viewers aged 16-39 tuned into the broadcast.

9Now achieved a 16% incremental reach, with 2.7 million viewers tuning in exclusively to the Olympics through 9Now out of an overall national reach of 7.5 million. 

See also: Sneesby: Nine’s Olympic ad revenue lifts above $140m

News Corp Australia has unveiled a host of major Australian companies throwing their support behind the 2024 National Bush Summit which begins on Friday, August 23.

NBN, CommBank, Woolworths and Qantas are the national partners of the editorial and event series, joining Hancock Prospecting, which returns for a second year as the national presenting partner.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver the keynote address at the opening event in Townsville (QLD), with other major events to be held in Bendigo (VIC), Launceston (TAS), McLaren Vale (SA), Orange (NSW) and Port Hedland (WA).

Ampol and Suncorp are supporting the Queensland event, SA Government is backing the South Australian event, while Clubs NSW is on-board for the New South Wales event.

RAM Trucks is again supporting the National Bush Summit Road Trip, led by News Corp Australia cartoonist and writer Warren Brown, who is creating a series of videos celebrating life in the bush.

State & communities commercial director John Lehmann said: “The National Bush Summit is one of the most important events of the year for us at News as we advocate for those who live outside our capital cities. We appreciate the support of our corporate partners who share our vision to build a better Australia for all Australians.”

Now in its sixth year, the Bush Summit brings together the nation’s decision-makers and community leaders to discuss the biggest issues and opportunities facing regional Australia, including the cost of living, infrastructure, workforce issues, crime, manufacturing, agriculture, education, health and exports.

Speakers at the summit include Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Queensland Premier Steven Miles, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and Western Australia Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti.

The summit will be supported by an editorial campaign across The Courier-Mail, Townsville Bulletin, Herald Sun, The Mercury, The Advertiser, The Daily Telegraph, The Australian and The Weekly Times.

The Australian automotive industry has seen an 8% year-on-year rise in ad spend, growing to $690 million for FY 2024, according to Ad Intel and Consumer and Media View (CMV) data from Nielsen.

The increase in automotive advertising was driven by strong investment from the sector’s key players, as reflected by the list of Top 10 Ad spenders for the auto sector for FY 2024. This was led by Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Kia, and Nissan in Fifth. In sixth was Volkswagen, followed by BMW, Mazda, American Special Vehicles, and Isuzu UTE in tenth.

Nielsen CMV data also showed a growing consumer interest in electric vehicles (EVs). Over the last 12 months, there has been a 4.2% increase, or 985,000 Australians (of driving age) saying the next car they buy will likely be electric.

The change in consumer preferences reflected in media spend, with ads in the EV sector jumping 711% from $8.2 million in FY 2021 to $66.5 million in FY 2024. This was bookending the exponential growth of $25.2 million in FY 2022 and $57 million in FY 2023. 

The top five electric car models by ad spend in Australia for FY 2024 were: Kia EV9, Toyota BZ4X, Nissan X-Trail SUV, Polestar 2, and the Kia EV6 GT.

Rose Lopreiato, Nielsen Ad Intel’s Australia commercial lead, said: “In today’s highly competitive automotive market, understanding where and how your competitors are investing in advertising is crucial.

“With the rapid rise of EVs, the shifting media landscape, and the influx of new players contributing to the overall increase in the sector’s ad investment, having a clear view of competitor advertising spend and media allocation enables them to make informed decisions, optimise their strategies, and gain a competitive edge, regardless of whether they’re in the Top 10 or not.
 
“Nielsen Ad Intel provides the transparency needed to do that, enabling brands to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving and complex industry.”
 
Glenn Channell, Nielsen’s Pacific head of advanced analytics added: “As the automotive industry ramps up ad spend, especially on EVs, the need for precise and actionable insights has never been greater.
 
“The rise in both consumer interest and ad spend in the market highlights the need for advanced analytics tools, like Nielsen CMV, which provides the kind of quality data the market is crying out for, particularly when it comes to ensuring auto brands connect with their desired consumers at a time of massive change.”
 
Looking at media channels, the automotive sector’s advertising spend for FY 2024 was split across Metro TV (33%), General Display (20%), Regional TV (12%), Radio (12%), Social Media (9%), Out of Home (9%), Print (4%), and Cinema (1%).

Seven’s distribution partner, Banijay Rights, the global sales arm of Banijay Entertainment, has negotiated long-term sales agreements for My Kitchen Rules Australia with key overseas networks.

The networks include TVNZ in New Zealand, M-Net in South Africa, UKTV in the UK, DPG Media in Belgium, TVA in French-speaking Canada, SIC in Portugal, Talpa in the Netherlands and TV2 in Hungary.

My Kitchen Rules Australia is also a strong performer on Amazon Prime Video in the US, delivering an average of 12 million streamed minutes a month. Seasons one to 12 of the Australian series is a top 20 title for Amazon Prime Video in the US.

Over the years, 36 seasons of My Kitchen Rules have been produced under format license in 15 countries. Israeli TV network, Keshet Media Group recently commissioned a fifth season of the series.

Keshet Media Group head of programs and acquisition, Ilanit Siman Tov Hirsch, said: “Keshet is very pleased with commissioning the fifth season of the format in Israel. Last season was My Kitchen Rules’ highest rated season. The show reflected the hottest topics Israelis talked about and became the talk of the hour, thanks to the honesty of the participants that many Israelis could relate with.”

Banijay Rights’ Cathy Payne

Banijay Rights CEO, Cathy Payne, said: “My Kitchen Rules is one of the stand-out culinary formats in Banijay Entertainment’s burgeoning catalogue, with a loyal international fan base.

“Featuring everyday cooking by some of the best amateur cooks, this much-loved series continues to appeal to audiences worldwide across multiple platforms, as demonstrated by our ongoing global deals.”

Seven’s director of distribution and content partnerships, Richard Henson, said: “We are delighted to see My Kitchen Rules Australia continue to resonate in global markets. Our distribution partnership with Banijay Rights is one to be proud of and we look forward to working with the team to extend further format and finished tape sales in key territories.”

The 2023 MKR Grand Final reached 1.7 million viewers on Channel 7 and 101,000 on 7plus. It delivered the biggest My Kitchen Rules Grand Final audience since 2019 and was up 15% on the 2022 final.

The 2024 season of My Kitchen Rules launches soon on Channel 7 and 7plus.

Prime Video has announced that the Australian Original The Office will premiere on 18 October. 

The comedy series is the thirteenth version of the franchise and has the first-ever female lead in the iconic lead role, comedian and actor Felicity Ward (above – Time Bandits, Wakefield, The Inbetweeners 2) who plays Hannah Howard, managing director of Flinley Craddick.

All eight episodes of The Office will be available October 18 exclusively on Prime Video in 240 countries and territories worldwide (excluding the U.S.) in the Prime membership. 

Prime Video also released a first-look image from the series which features an ensemble of Australian and New Zealand comedy talent.

Starring alongside Felicity Ward is Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Power of the Dog), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess, Feel Good), Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires, Thor: Love and Thunder), Josh Thomson (How to Please a Woman, Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (Thor: Love and Thunder, What We Do in the Shadows), Susan Ling Young (Reckoning, Hungry Ghosts), Raj Labade (Appetite), Lucy Schmidt (The Pledge), Zoe Terakes (Talk To Me, Nine Perfect Strangers), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Claude Jabbour (Last King of the Cross, Stateless) with Susie Youssef (Deadloch, Rosehaven), Justin Rosniiak (Mr Inbetween, Last King of the Cross), Carlo Ritchie (Mikki vs the World), Rick Donald (Population 11, Wentworth), and Chris Bunton (Relic, Wolf Like Me) in guest roles.

In The Office, Hannah Howard is the managing director of packaging company Flinley Craddick. When she gets news from Head Office that they will be shutting down her branch and making everyone work from home, she goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep in order to keep her “work family” together. The staff of Flinley Craddick indulge her and must endure Hannah’s outlandish plots as they work toward the impossible targets that have been set for them.

The Office is co-produced by BBC Studios Australia & New Zealand, Bunya Entertainment, and Amazon MGM Studios, and is based on a BBC Studios format.

The Office was developed for Australia by writers Julie De Fina (Aftertaste) and Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers, Nude Tuesday) with the pair also serving as executive producers. Kylie Washington (Return to Paradise) is executive producer with lead producer Sophia Zachariou (Ladies in Black, The Moth Effect) and producer Linda Micsko (The Letdown, Laid).

Van Beek also serves as set-up director (Time Bandits, What We Do in the Shadows, Wellington Paranormal) alongside directors Christiaan Van Vuuren (Bondi Hipsters, A Sunburnt Christmas) and Jesse Griffin (Educators) who is also a writer on the series.

TOP 5

1. Deadpool & Wolverine – $4,569,358 (1)

Walt Disney’s Deadpool & Wolverine continues to perform exceedingly well, hitting over $1 billion in box office gross globally. This is the Merc with the Mouth’s first appearance in the MCU, which is now possible due to Disney buying Twentieth Century Fox in 2019. Aussie Hugh Jackman also returns as Wolverine. The film now has the eighth-biggest opening weekend of all time globally. Coming in first place this week, Deadpool & Wolverine took $4,569,358 in its fourth week, averaging $8,942 over 511 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $54,714,212

Synopsis: Deadpool’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.

2. It Ends With Us – $4,527,869 (2)

Sony’s It Ends With Us is based on the bestseller of the same name, written by Colleen Hoover. Boasting a massive debut, a sequel, is assumingly all but confirmed. It will also assumingly be based on the book ‘It Starts With Us’. Coming in second place this week, It Ends With Us took $4,527,869 in its second week, averaging $8,416 over 538 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $14,117,976

Synopsis: Lily Bloom moves to Boston to chase her lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid soon sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, she begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents’ relationship. When Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan, suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle gets upended, leaving her with an impossible choice.

3. Alien: Romulus – $3,116,607 (debut)

Disney’s new entry in the Alien franchise comes from the director of the Evil Dead remake, Fede Alvarez. Starring Cailee Spaeny in the leading role, the film returns to its horror roots while also adopting classic filmmaking techniques such as using animatronics, not CGI and building large sets, and not relying on green screen. Coming in third place this week, Alien: Romulus took $3,116,607 in its first week, averaging $6,413 over 486 screens.

Synopsis: Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.

4. Coraline 15th Anniversary – $837,737 (debut)

Coming in fourth place this week, Trafalgar Releasing’s 15th Anniversary re-release of stop-motion cult classic, Coraline took $837,737 in its first week, averaging $10,342 over 81 screens.

Synopsis: An adventurous girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.

5. Stree 2 – $694,052 (debut)

Coming in fifth place this week, Stree 2 took $694,052 in its first week, averaging $8,165 over 85 screens.

Synopsis: The town of Chanderi is being haunted again. This time, women are mysteriously abducted by a terrifying headless entity. Once again, it’s up to Vicky and his friends to save their town and loved ones.

Top 6 – 10

6. Inside Out 2
7. Despicable Me 4
8. Trap
9. Twisters
10. Borderlands

Native content specialists Avid Collective partnered with Are Media to host its first financial masterclass last Thursday 15 August at Hotel CBD in Sydney, attracting over 40 attendees from media agencies including UM, Wavemaker, and OMD.

The event focused on the strategic use of native content by finance brands to connect with audiences.

Are Media’s strategy team, representing titles like Marie Claire, Gourmet Traveller, and Women’s Weekly, focused on the role of publishers in leveraging consumer trends and how brands can differentiate themselves by tapping into publishers’ knowledge to engage with audiences where they spend their time.

A panel discussion explored the importance of advocacy through branded and native content for finance brands aiming to build trust, relevance, and empower audiences through education.

Finally, a Q&A session featured Trent Peppercorn, head of Mediabrand’s Content Studio, and Leah Stalker, head of direct advertising partnerships at Avid Collective, examined how brands, agencies, and publishers can collaborate to navigate compliance and approvals and drive effective content strategies.

“We know that when finance brands partner with trusted lifestyle publishers, they are creating content that showcases the real life value of their product,” said Stalker.

Stalker introduced Avid Collective’s ‘Role of Native Content’ framework, stressing the significance of understanding the purpose behind content creation. 

“Financial services and products aren’t necessarily top of mind for consumers,” she continued.

“By integrating into cultural and behavioural moments through native content, finance brands can create memorable connections through storytelling that aligns with consumers’ everyday conversations. Finally, we know that generally, consumers find financial concepts complex and difficult to understand.

“Through the creation of educational content from trusted category experts, brands can enhance credibility and simplify that complex messaging, making it easier for consumers to grasp, reduce confusion and build brand credibility.”

Ezechiel Ritchie, general manager at Avid Collective, commented on the positive reception of the masterclass.

“When we kicked off our masterclass series with travel in June, we were blown away by the response of attendees on the night, and that was no different this time around for finance,” he said.

“We were thrilled to hear so many incredible insights from our panel and have such a robust Q&A that centred around trust and connection with audiences. This is particularly important in the finance space at a time when people and businesses are tightening their belts, and finance brands are looking for ways to build greater trust among their consumer base.”

Ritchie continued: “We are looking forward to the continued rollout of our masterclass series which is having huge benefits for brands within these key verticals.”

See also: In pictures: Avid Collective launches Publisher SaaS platform at Incognito Art Show

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Top Image: Ezechiel Ritchie

The Creative Census is back for the third year running – the annual survey of Australia’s media and marketing industries, measuring creative thinking.

The 24-question survey asks participants working in media publishers, agencies (media, creative, content, production, communications) and consumer marketing for their perceptions about the level of creativity, collaboration, and innovation in their company, which is then measured against the broader industry.

Founder of The Creative Census, Wade Kingsley, said: “Industry leaders rightfully talk up creativity as an important differentiator of their business. The Census is designed to put some metrics around it.

“The degree of how creative, and effective campaign work is, is the job of awards. While that’s important, we think it’s measurement after the fact. With the Census we aim to elevate the conversation about how the creativity of organisations can be benchmarked and therefore improved.”

QMS is the presenting partner for 2024 and it’s chief marketing officer, Tennille Burt said: “Out of home has long been one of the most creative media channels and the exponential rate of innovation in DOOH has significantly increased its appeal, impact and influence.

“As the only survey of its kind in Australia, The Creative Census sets an important benchmark and adds to the marketing and media industry’s understanding of the value of We’re delighted to be partnering with Wade on this year’s survey.”

The Census will be open for participation on 1 September, with the results to be released mid-October.

The return of the Census comes as QMS prepares its network for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

QMS and its partners Toyota Australia, Allianz, Woolworths, and Bupa will use the QMS Paris 2024 Digital Screen Network to showcase the latest news from the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games, with stories and results as they happen in real-time.

The network will continue throughout the Paralympics as it spans QMS’ digital large format, City of Sydney, Gold Coast street furniture, and The Convenience Network assets.

See also: QMS prepares network for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

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Top image: Tennille Burt & Wade Kingsley

The Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF) has announced its pro bono partnership with This Is Flow, a collaboration made possible through Unltd., with the first step of the relationship to launch the 2024 National Songwriting Competition.

The competition remains the largest of its kind in the nation, providing a creative platform for young Australians to express their imagination and cultivate their songwriting skills.

oOh!media, Future Generation Australia, APRA AMCOS, Song Makers, the Australian Institute of Music, and AUSTRALIS Music Group are among the sponsors for the 2024 edition.

Media owners who have also provided pro bono media support include oOh!, VMO, JCDecaux, Westfield, Bishopp, Torch Media, ARE Media, Mamamia, Quantcast, MiQ, ATN, ARN.

Commenting on the partnership Frances Georgeson, general manager of ACMF, said: “We were thrilled that That Is Flow chose the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF) as their charity partner. 

“The media campaign they delivered to support the ACMF’s National Songwriting Competition is extraordinary, and we are grateful for all their passion, determination and support.  We cannot wait to see this campaign unfold and to work with the team into the future to support some of the most disadvantaged children through the power of music.”

Jimmy Hyett, founder and CEO of This Is Flow, added, “We are honoured to join forces with ACMF and support such a meaningful initiative. Music has the power to transform lives, and we are committed to making a positive impact through this collaboration.”

Jade Harley, director of partnerships at Unltd also said, “This Is Flow is the perfect partner for the ACMF. They are passionate, creative and forward thinking and we are very grateful for their significant efforts in launching this campaign. “

Credits:
Media Strategy: Sophie Stone and Justine Nikolopoulos
Media Planners: Breagha Everett and Katie Jackson
Artwork: Guts Creative and Dan Marshall

Petbarn has introduced its new Puppy and Kitten Club with a campaign via creative agency Howatson+Company.

The Club aims to support pet owners during the first year of their pet’s life, offering resources, including advice, rewards, and savings.

The launch campaign centres around a film that focuses on the bond between new pet owners and their pets. Directed by Arundati Thandur from FINCH, the film features a cover of Love is All Around, originally made famous by Wet Wet Wet.

“There are three universal truths that make the fabric of Petbarn unique, firstly our employee engagement scores tell us that our team members love what they do, our NPS data shows us that pet parents love Petbarn and most of all we know that pets love coming to Petbarn,” said chief customer officer of Greencross Pet Wellness Company, Nicholas Adams.

“The Petbarn Puppy and Kitten Club gives pet parents everything they need from advice, rewards to savings – doubling down on our commitment.”

The campaign, which officially launched on 18 August, is supported by a media mix of broadcast, digital, and outdoor.

“We needed to show that Petbarn is the place to go for all things puppies and kittens,” added Howatson+Company creative directors, Jared Wicker and Elaine Li.

“It just so happens that puppies and kittens are the most salient and loved assets of all time. So we went all in on that, from the lyrics of our song, to our set design, to showing as many breeds into the ad as possible.”

The work for Petbarn comes on the heels of Howatson+Company’s recent appointment by DuluxGroup as the creative agency of record for its adhesives and sealants business, Selleys. The appointment followed a competitive pitch process and is effective immediately. 

See also: Dulux Group awards Selleys creative account to Howatson+Company

Credits:
Agency: Howatson+Company         
CEO: Chris Howatson
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Chimes         
Chief Media Officer: Sasha Smith
Creative Directors: Jared Wicker and Elaine Li       
Head of Production: Holly Alexander
Head of Craft: Ellena Mills
Senior Art Director: Tom MacPhail   
Senior Copywriter: Maddie Semit    
Associate Design Director: Jo Cao   
Strategy Director: Georgia Pritchard           
Group Business Director: Belle Simmonds 
Senior Business Manager: Lucy Stock         
Producer: Charlotte Breene 
Editor: King Young
Vocals: Simon Friedlander
Media Director: James Frith and Jamie Nelson
Senior Media Manager: Monica Doan
Media Manager: Carla Ishak, Nicky Ta and Iris Hsieh

Client: Petbarn
Chief Customer Officer: Nick Adams
Head of Retail & Integrated Marketing: Sumeena Parimu
Creative Director: Kate Napier
Marketing Manager: Faye Andrews                       

Production Company: Finch
Director: Arundati Thandur  
Executive Producer/MD: Corey Esse           
Executive Producer: Loren Bradley  
Producer: Bryce Lintern        
Animal Wrangler: Suzanne Richards, Action animals          
DP: Campbell Brown 
Production Design: Ella Butler          
Colourist: Matt Fez    

Post Production: Heckler      

Sound Design: Mosaic Music & Sound        

Music Supervisor: Anton, Trailer Media

Sprite has partnered with spicy wing connoisseurs Wings and Tins to create an epic spicy wing challenge in Sydney at the end of this month.

Hosted by Sydney’s 2DayFM Breakfast show duo, Jimmy and Nath, the menu has been curated by the spice experts at Wings and Tins and designed to be perfectly paired with an ice-cold Sprite to help tame the tastebuds and provide some light relief for those taking on the challenge.

Guests will enjoy a selection of hot and spicy flavoured wings that can bring tears to the eyes of even the bravest of grown adults. With all that heat, guests will need to cool down and will be able to enjoy Sprite, providing the cool down. There will also be other spicy prizes and freebies up for grabs on the night, as well as a DJ pumping out the tunes and keeping the vibes high.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be bringing the heat to Aussies that love all things spicy! Kate Miller, senior marketing director for Coca-Cola in Australia, said.

“We know the feeling of loving spicy food but needing a refreshing beverage to help cool yourself down. We feel there’s no better way than with an ice-cold Sprite, so we invite Aussies to join us and take on our spicy challenge.”

Anthony MacFarlane, co-owner Wings and Tins, added: “We take our spice very seriously at Wings and Tins, so we’re pretty excited to work with Sprite to create a unique experience showcasing our delicious sauces and chicken wings which will definitely bring some proper heat to the spice lovers of Sydney.”

Sprite’s House of Heat will be located at Wings and Tins (2 Chapel St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010) on Friday 30th August and opens at 6.00pm. Register for a spot to take part in the spicy challenge for free here, those successful will be able to attend with a friend (two tickets per entry).

Sunday 18 August 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 2,357,000, a total TV national audience of 1,199,000, and a BVOD audience of 174,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,314,000, a total TV national audience of 1,278,000, and a BVOD audience of 102,000.

Seven’s coverage of the 64th TV WEEK Logie Awards recorded a total TV national reach of 3,351,000, a total TV national audience of 1,338,000, and a BVOD audience of 71,000.

Seven’s Logies Red Carpet recorded a total TV national reach of 1,994,000, a total TV national audience of 1,161,000, and a BVOD audience of 63,000.

10’s airing of Hunted recorded a total TV national reach of 980,000, a total TV national audience of 422,000, and a BVOD audience of 30,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 910,000
• National Audience: 524,000
• BVOD Audience: 108,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 775,000
• National Audience: 394,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s Hunted:
• Total TV nation reach: 403,000
• National Audience: 194,000 
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s Logies:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,133,000
• National Audience: 429,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 434,000
• National Audience: 259,000
• BVOD Audience: 65,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 341,000
• National Audience: 157,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

10’s Hunted:
• Total TV nation reach: 169,000
• National Audience: 74,000 
• BVOD Audience: 10,000

Seven’s Logies:
• Total TV nation reach: 434,000
• National Audience: 155,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,790,000
• National Audience: 923,000
• BVOD Audience: 139,000

Nine’s 9News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,753,000
• National Audience: 982,000
• BVOD Audience: 81,000

10’s Hunted:
• Total TV nation reach: 734,000
• National Audience: 315,000 
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

Seven’s Logies:
• Total TV nation reach: 2,625,000
• National Audience: 1,078,000
• BVOD Audience: 57,000

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.