Mamamia has appointed IAG marketer Zara Curtis as chief content officer.

Curtis becomes newly-minted CEO Natalie Harvey‘s first major hire, and will join the women’s media company in September from her previous role as head of customer experience, brand communications, and social impact for IAG.

“There is so much opportunity for a modern media business like Mamamia and Zara’s diverse experience will be a huge asset for our team as we accelerate into the future, building on the incredible engagement and enormous scale we already have,” Harvey said.

Curtis has 20 years of experience across content, creative, and marketing roles. Her resume also includes time as commercial director of news lifestyle media, and general manager of branded entertainment and commercial at Fremantle Productions. 

“I’ve always been truly inspired by Mamamia’s purpose ‘to make the world a better place for women and girls’ and I am a passionate believer in the role of independent publishing to authentically deliver on such an important mission,” Curtis said.

Curtis’ role will set the strategic content direction for audience growth and lead the Mamamia content team. This team includes the recently promoted Eliza Sorman-Nilsson (head of content), Jocelin Abbey (head of audience development), Jessie-Lee Klass (podcast content director), and Harrie Jack (creative director).

Curtis’ appointment coincides with Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman’s move into the chief creative officer role.

Freedman said she and Curtis had worked “incredibly closely back in the golden era of magazines,” and that she was “delighted to be reuniting with her at Mamamia.” 

“We have always shared a love of women’s media and the unrivalled power it has to influence culture, behaviour, and purchasing decisions,” Freedman said.

“For many years we have been looking for the right person for this role and I couldn’t be more excited to be working alongside someone I admire and trust so much and who ‘gets’ our brand so instinctively.”

Curtis noted that Mamamia has “earned the trust of 7 million Australian women’s ears and eyeballs and is the number one podcast network for women in the world.” She said she will focus on growing audiences across every platform and increasing engagement.

“With Nat Harvey at the helm and a leadership dream team, I am honoured to be joining. I’ll bring my creativity, passion, and deep strategic content and audience expertise to this already incredible team working alongside founder, friend, and fearless chief creative officer Mia Freedman to push the boundaries and over deliver on our collective ambitions for Mamamia as we continue to advocate, represent, and engage Australian women today and into the future.”

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Top image: Zara Curtis and Mia Freedman

Scott Purcell, co-founder of Man of Many, has told Mediaweek that being an independent publisher means the team can create “pure, honest content” with “no strings attached.”

Purcell won the Publishing Award at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards on Thursday evening. This adds to a year that has seen the Man of Many team debut Sydney Whisky Month, launch its inaugural online edition housed on a dedicated platform within the title’s website, and win Mediaweek’s February Sales Team of the Year accolade. 

Mediaweek caught up with Purcell to speak about his Next of the Best win and what the industry can expect from him next.

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

It’s an absolute honour. Two of the judges approached me after the awards, and hearing about their extensive experience in the industry was incredibly inspiring. Their insights and validation really reinforced the hard work our team has put in.

To be recognised by such esteemed professionals means the world to us. It’s a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in the publishing industry. Plus, having a few new LinkedIn connections who are industry heavyweights is always a nice bonus!

What content is resonating with the Man of Many audience in 2024?

Self-improvement, the latest tech gear, and entertainment always tend to perform well. Our audience loves a good TV series. Two I’d strongly recommend to the Mediaweek readers are Presumed Innocent and Dark Matter. Seriously, they’re so gripping that you might need to schedule a few ‘sick’ days to binge-watch.

We’re also seeing a significant trend in video content, particularly episodic and series formats like our popular Monday Munchies. This focus has led to our YouTube channel growing to over 36,000 subscribers, which is a big focus for us this year. Our audience is increasingly engaging with dynamic video content that offers both entertainment and practical value, which drives our continuous efforts to produce high-quality series that resonate with their interests.

What is the benefit of being an independent publisher?

Being independent means we have the freedom to create unique, unbiased content that genuinely resonates with our audience. It ensures authenticity and builds trust, which is priceless. No strings attached, just pure, honest content. Plus, no awkward board meetings with investors who just don’t get why we reviewed 50 different whiskies in one month.

Our independence allows us to stay true to our vision and purpose, which we’ve worked hard to cement over recent years. This clarity in our mission ensures every piece of content we produce is aligned with our core values and directly addresses our audience’s interests and needs. This independence also gives us the flexibility to experiment and innovate, keeping our content fresh and relevant.

If you weren’t at Man of Many, what would you be doing instead?

I started my career as a credit analyst in finance, so probably still doing that. But honestly, I think I’d still be tinkering on the internet. Man of Many was born out of a passion for exploration and sharing cool finds, so I’d likely be doing that in some other way.

I mentioned this before, but our purpose as a business is to empower people to make positive investments in themselves and their communities. It’s this drive to explore and share valuable insights that would have me pursuing something similar, even if it weren’t in the exact same format.

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

We’ve got tonnes of exciting things coming up this year. We just wrapped up Sydney Whisky Month with a bunch of sold-out tasting events. Next, we’ve got the second edition of our Digital Covers project coming out shortly, a new website design launching in August, and a new corporate advertising portal for our clients.

We’re also diving into some innovative work with AI, enhancing our operational efficiency and user experience. However, we’re maintaining a firm stance against using AI to publish content directly on our site, ensuring that our editorial integrity and the authenticity of our voice remain intact. Our audience can always expect genuine, high-quality content crafted by real people.

Stay tuned, it’s going to be a fun ride!

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Top image: Scott Purcell at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards

The third day of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity saw agencies from Australia and New Zealand pick up metal across Creative B2B, Creative Data, Direct, Media, PR, and Social & Influencer Lions categories.

Taking home awards on the day were Colenso BBDO, DDB New Zealand, Dentsu Creative Auckland, M&C Saatchi, and Special Sydney.

Auckland’s Colenso BBDO won one of 10 gold and one of 31 bronze awards in the Direct category for its work on the Adoptable By Pedigree campaign.

The agency also received a bronze for its work on the cat food brand Whiskas with Meowzer.  

In the same category, DDB New Zealand‘s Volkswagen campaign, The Greenprint, won a silver, while Dentsu Creative Auckland got a bronze for its work with FreshChoice on Aid Aisle.

Australia’s M&C Saatchi saw one of 16 silver awards in the PR category for the Minderoo Foundation on The Plastic Forecast.

Australia was represented in the Direct category by Melbourne’s CHEP Network with Climate Doctor’s Certificate work for School Strike 4 Climate, which was awarded a bronze Lion.

There were 1888 entries in the Media category and DDB New Zealand was awarded one of 30 bronze Lions for its Ad-Ons work for McDonald’s.

In the Social & Influencer Lions category, Special Sydney – and its Los Angeles counterpart – was recognised for its work on the Be Honest campaign for Uber Eats with a bronze Lion. 

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said “It’s inspiring to see the breadth of winners emerging and particularly first-time winners. We saw Iceland win their first Lion last night and tonight, Kazakhstan are taking home their first-ever Lion, having won Gold in the Social & Influencer Lions.
 
“Congratulations to all of our Lion winners, as well as those shortlisted, who are driving progress for people, businesses and society across the world,” he added.
 
See also: Day 2 Aussie Cannes Lions winners: The Monkeys, The Hallway, Ogilvy
See also: First AUNZ winners at Cannes Lions: Colenso, Dentsu, Ogilvy, VML, H+Co, DD

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

Day 2 starts with jaunt down Rue des Serbes, takeaway espresso, and a Cannes Special Edition of The Wall Street Journal in the back pocket. Well, at least it did for us,

Andrew [Knowles] appeared briefly with a face full of regret at 8:30am, rushing out the door to the Brand Marketers Academy. While yesterday smacked of generative AI talk, today was all about building the case for humanity. That is, until Mark Ritson did a full 180 in the final session of the day. We’ll get to that soon.

There’s a real hark back to the demand for brands to show their human side, be it through using comedy to relate, finding ways to connect with audiences over everyday moments, or taking a stand on issues that really matter. It’s about not discounting human ingenuity, especially at the technological turning point AI presents us with in 2024.

P&G’s Marc Pritchard opened with a belter: “humanity matters and AI just doesn’t get the spine tingling”.

It’s been noted that the present day is a pretty serious time in this post-COVID and high cost of living world, and so it took a comedian like The Mighty Ducks and SNL star, Kenan Thompson, to break down the ways humour can tackle serious topics, while also injecting purpose-driven messaging into brand comms. And, speaking of purpose-driven, Richard Edelman encouraged brands to not get into politics, but to instead have a stance on political issues and ideologies. He argued that we’re seeing an uptick in nationalism and brands should understand where their customers’ political allegiances lie.

Playing to a packed room, former Cannes skeptic Mark Ritson proved yet again why he’s often the smartest guy in most rooms. Without apology, he stepped the crowd through his explanation of why creativity represents 3% – yep, 3% – of total marketing effectiveness. He also travelled back 60 years to remind the people that the four Ps have always been the bedrock of smart marketing. Of course, at the end of his talk, he bowed to the audience like a third-rate opera singer. Sheer genius.

Overhead in Cannes

Australian marketing overlord Mark Ritson:
 
“No one gives a fuck what a toothpaste brand thinks about coronavirus.”
 
“Marketers have one brand to think about. Consumers have 9,000 brands coming at them all the time.”
 
“The problem with creative awards is we are smelling our own farts.”
 
“Creativity is important but we have rarefied it and over promoted it.”

“Marketing teams are not intellectually diverse enough. Marketing needs to be a big tent and be open to having employees with different opinions” – Richard Edelman, the godfather of modern PR.

“Brands are running naked in a marketing forest. You can run but you can’t hide” – Luis Miguel Messianu from MEL.

“You can’t manufacture a cultural phenomenon” – Kenan Thompson, comedian.

“We got a sleeper here. You all good? You need a soda or something?” – Kenan Thompson, upon spotting someone napping in the crowd.

“If you only work on cool brands, you lose half the challenge” – Patricia Corsi, former CMO Bayer and Heineken, now Kimberly-Clark.

“Faith is the North Star of creative commitment. Faith can take ideas a long way if you persevere and don’t give up” – Kika Douglas Castroviejo from 180 Global, as she was being tattooed.

“Empathy is a muscle. It’s a daily practice to fine tune it and make it super powerful” – Kika Douglas Castroviejo, again.

“Humour allows us to invite consumers into a conversation without judgement” – Chris Symmes, Hellmann’s.

Picks and Recs

Food of the day

Pic below. It’s so easy — too easy— to get a muffin wrong. But this perfect chocolate one  — rich, moist, and spiked with surprising melty bits —  from the Solarium Cafe in the basement of the Palais (not typically known for its culinary prowess) has reinstated Sam [Somers]’ faith in the muffin category as a whole.

You gotta know when to fold ‘em

Remember the days when Procter & Gamble marketing boss Marc Pritchard would hold Cannes in his hands with strong advice and unexpected insights? Not anymore.

Marc is truly a marketing legend but he delivered a paint-by-numbers keynote. What becomes a legend the most? A dignified exit. Leave them wanting more, not wishing you had said less.

The least popular store in Cannes

The Cannes Lion Shop. For sale: Cannes Lions totes, Cannes Lions drink bottles, tiny stuffed Cannes Lions. Customer count: zero. A 10% discount for select delegates just isn’t doing the trick.

Anouk Aimée

Saddest coincidence of the day

The death of French icon Anouk Aimee, the winner of Best Actress at the 1980 Cannes film festival.

Most cliched session of the day

“When societal progress meets resistance” featuring, among others, PR boss Richard Edelman. A few bits that sent us:

“We have to walk the talk.”

“Change starts at the top.”

“We have to be multilocal, not multinational.”

“It’s time for brands to take a stand.”

“It’s important for us to see ourselves as human.”

What else?

Andrew had a Fleur de Saltburn moment at the Brand Innovators’ party in Cap-Ferrat last night.

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To subscribe to SKMG’s COMMPRESS/CANNESPRESS, sign up here.

Career dissatisfaction has hit a three-year high for professional women in media, according to The Women in Media Industry Insight Report 2024.

Over half (57%) of women in media are unsure or explicitly dissatisfied with their career progress, and more than one-third (35%) are contemplating leaving their jobs. Driving these numbers are concerns about pay and a lack of opportunities for promotion.

Worryingly, these numbers have risen compared with last year’s report – 49% of women with 5-10 years of experience said they are not progressing as desired, up 11% from 2023. 47% of early-career women are dissatisfied, up 23%.

Petra Buchanan, strategic advisor to Women in Media, told Mediaweek that behind the rates of dissatisfaction are “current financial pressures in the economy” that are “bringing issues about pay to the forefront.”

“Year-on-year increases in dissatisfaction among women in the media industry are primarily driven by a combination of factors such as career stagnation, pay inequity, and limited opportunities for advancement,” Buchanan said.

“This dissatisfaction is exacerbated by a perceived weak commitment to gender equality within the industry, as well as fears regarding the availability of senior roles and potential redundancy.”

The statistics aren’t something to be brushed over, with Buchanan stressing that employers should be “highly concerned” by these numbers, as they indicate “a significant risk of losing talented women from the workforce.”

“With 35% of women considering quitting their jobs, particularly among senior and mid-career professionals, the industry faces a potential talent drain that could impact productivity and innovation. 

“The dissatisfaction related to pay, lack of growth opportunities, and a supportive environment suggest that without substantial changes, media organisations could struggle to retain and attract skilled women, leading to a more profound gender imbalance and lack of representation in the media sector.”

The report does provide ways for employers to address these concerns, with suggestions including creating an environment where women feel engaged, and addressing the gender pay gap.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures from November 2023 indicate that, on average, Australian women make $268.95 less than men per week, a gap of 7% – this rises to a pay gap of 9% on average weekly earnings ($409.40) for women working in the Information Media and Communications industry.

Buchanan admits that reversing these trends “will indeed be challenging but not impossible.”

“It requires a concerted effort from employers to address systemic causes of dissatisfaction, creating a more equitable workplace where women can thrive and transition into leadership positions.

“Key actions include enhancing transparency and a commitment to gender equality, providing clear pathways for career progression, offering competitive pay, and fostering a supportive work environment. 

“Additionally, prioritising upskilling opportunities in emerging areas like artificial intelligence, podcasting, and digital technology can help retain talent and support career aspirations of women in media.”

This year’s Industry Insight Report leads into the Women in Media’s National Conference, due to be held on 9 August. Headlining the event will be Justice Michael Lee of the Federal Court of Australia in conversation with Women in Media patron Ita Buttrose AC OBE.

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Top image: Petra Buchanan

Compared to the global average of other countries in 2024’s Digital News Report, Australians are much more uncomfortable about the use of AI in news than consumers in other parts of the world.

Across 26 countries surveyed in the report by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute, 45% were very or somewhat uncomfortable about news being mainly produced by AI, compared to 59% in Australia.

The report also found that almost half (45%) of participants said they feel very or somewhat comfortable with news mostly produced by a human journalist with the support of AI, compared to 17% who feel comfortable about news produced mostly by AI with some human oversight.

In a major election year that sees nearly half the world’s population head to the polls, the report found participants were least comfortable about political news being mainly produced by AI (19%) and most comfortable with AI producing sports news (31%). 

More than half (55%) said they are uncomfortable with AI mainly producing news about politics compared to one-third (34%) being uncomfortable with sport.

While Australians prefer news being produced mainly by a human journalist with AI support, there is a higher tolerance for AI-generated news with human assistance from men, younger generations, those with higher news consumption, education, and interest in news and politics.

Men (48%), Gen Z (54%), Gen Y (51%) and those with higher education (55%) are the most accepting of AI being used to assist in the production of news.

Speaking to Mediaweek, co-founder of men’s lifestyle site Man of Many Scott Purcell said while the site is trying to innovate with AI, it will not use AI to publish content.

“We’re maintaining a firm stance against using AI to publish content directly on our site, ensuring that our editorial integrity and the authenticity of our voice remain intact,” he said.

“Our audience can always expect genuine, high-quality content crafted by real people.”

After being named the most trusted news brand in Australia by the report, SBS’ news director Mandi Wicks added that newsrooms are under pressure to invest more in fact-checking, verification, ‘explainer’ journalism, and social media moderation. 

“Softer economic conditions will continue to impact newsrooms and their ability to scale up in these areas without utilising the time-saving measures offered by AI,” she said.

“When robust, fit-for-purpose AI tools are used responsibly and under human supervision, AI has the capacity to enhance rather than undermine trust by improving the reach, accessibility and reliability of news and information.

“Media literacy and enforceable government regulations will be critical to protect democracy and safeguard social cohesion and ensure consumers are exposed to accurate and impartial news and information wherever they choose to read, listen and watch.”

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

Amaysim has invited Australians to ditch their ‘Hellco’ and switch to better value with its latest promotional platform, The Escape Plan. Starting 18 June, the new campaign is across screens, radio, and social channels.

Crafted by Cocogun and brought to life by award-winning artist Ellen Porteus and animator Will Pietsch, the campaign reminds mobile customers that sky-high bills are a thing of the past.

Peter MacGregor, amaysim’s CEO, said that amidst cost-of-living pressures, Aussies are questioning their mobile bills.

“amaysim is the answer. So why stick with your pricey Hellco when you can escape to better value and service with The Escape Plan?” he said.

“We wanted to bring this message to life in a typically cheeky, playful and provocative way and to give new and existing customers even more reasons to escape to amaysim and stay.”

Cocogun managing director, Chiquita King, added: “With recent telco price hikes being the last straw for many, it’s an absolute pleasure to work with the amaysim team to offer a better option. The Escape Plan is a fun, light-hearted reminder to Aussies that they sure as hell don’t need to stay stuck in the fiery pits of Hellco.”

Elena Giannini, business director at Avenue C, noted that the agency believes in the platform “wholeheartedly,” and “have pivoted media plans to ensure maximum exposure for amaysim’s hot new message.

“We’ve always known the power of amaysim, and now more Australians can experience it for themselves when they plan their escape to us.”

Credits:

Client: amaysim
CMO, Marketing & CX – Peter MacGregor
Senior Manager, Brand and Communications – Rachel James
Content Manager – Jarod Green
Brand & Campaign Manager – Sheryl Singh

Creative Agency: Cocogun
Managing Director – Chiquita King
Creative Partner – Ant Melder
Senior Copywriter – Lewis Clarke
Art Director – Jimmy Williams
Senior Art Director – Loz Maneschi
Group Business Director – Emily Hahn
Group Business Director – Christine Watts
Designer – Shev Tan

Media Agency: Avenue C
Business Director – Elena Giannini
Media Director – Gaby Srour
Digital Director – Mark Zala

Production Company: Jacky Winter
Illustrator – Ellen Porteus
Animator – Will Pietsch
Senior Agent & Producer – Ree Shelton

Carat Western Australia will lead the media strategy, planning, and buying services for building renovating and developing company Summit Homes Group after winning the account.

“The WA building industry is a dynamic and hugely competitive sector; we look forward to leveraging the agency capability and Carat’s unrivalled understanding of consumers to help Summit Homes Group win in market,” Carat WA managing director Jim Groves, who joined the agency last year, said.

“Partnering with an organisation of Summit Homes Group’s stature and standing is a privilege.”

Alan Bayliss, client director at Carat WA, added: “Summit Homes Group is well known for building homes for West Australians and it’s going to be exciting to help this client take their vision forward.”

Summit, which was established over 45 years ago, is a Perth-operated, family-owned company that has worked with over 45,000 West Australians.

The Group encompasses over 19 subsidiaries, including four new home brands, land estates, residential solutions, supply services, and modular solutions.

“We’re excited to have appointed Carat as our media agency to help us drive business growth. We were impressed with the quality of the proposition and the demonstrated experience shared,” Alicia Butturini, Summit Homes marketing manager, said.

“We look forward to seeing how far we can elevate all the new home brands together.”
 
For Carat WA, the account win continues the agency’s strong growth trajectory in 2024.
 
Groves joined Carat Western Australia in 2023 alongside Shaun De Souza, who joined as a client partner.

In April, Carat retained Beacon Lighting, extending its seven year relationship with the brand. Carat was also recently appointed by General Motors to handle all paid media strategy, planning, and buying for the launch of the Cadillac LYRIQ into the Australian and New Zealand markets, plus the media account for FunLab, including Holy Moly, Strike, and Archie Brothers.

In Australia, Dentsu’s Carat has operations in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
 
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Top image: Geoffrey Langton, Alan Bayliss, Ashely Rattray

New SBS podcast Grand Gestures gets to the heart of deep multicultural Australian relationships

Comedian Lizzy Hoo is the host of SBS’s new podcast Grand Gestures, an interview podcast with 10 notable Australians re-telling family stories and speaking about the bonds they have with their grandparents.

“Grand Gestures is like a warm hug from your grandparents – it’s full of warmth and stories that remind you of your own loved ones,” said Hoo.

“Especially as we get older, we start to realise our grandparents are the keepers of all the family stories and histories.”

Grand Gestures talks candidly about the triumphs and challenges of settling in Australia, the migrant experience, and multigenerational, cross-cultural family life.

Guests will include Deni Hines, Alice Zaslavsky, Pia Miranda, Pat Abboud and Emily Wurramara, among others.

[Listen to Grand Gestures here]

Charlotte Bryan launches The Dog Podcast

In the first episode, Charlotte Bryan and Jo Burton dive deep into the world of Freework, a new approach to canine education and well-being.

Burton, who holds a diploma in canine communication and an advanced certificate in canine creative behaviour, shares her knowledge and experience in this field.

The episode covers a range of topics, including: the concept of Freework, historical background, benefits for different life stages, dealing with behavioural issues and Freework set-up. 

Burton emphasises the importance of giving dogs the choice to engage in activities and the positive impact this has on their overall well-being.

[Listen to The Dog Podcast here]

Fair Enough podcast by Lachlan and Jaxon Fairbairn to transition to MIK Made

Australian comedy duo Lachlan and Jaxon Fairbairn, the creators behind the YouTube channel Fairbairn Films and the Spotify Original podcast Fair Enough, are making a move to MIK Studio for the third season of their podcast. 

The move comes from the newly formed partnership between MIK Studios and Neuralle.

Dylan Adams, head of audio at MIK Studio and content director at MIK Made, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership: “The boys have obviously been on our radar for some time now, and I’m such a personal fan of their content. When we heard they were looking for a new publisher and production partner it was a no-brainer”.

Neuralle managing director, Jordan Michaelides, commented on the move away from Spotify: “The opportunity to build IP ownership on a show that their name on the tin was incredibly important for the boys. Dylan and the team at MIK have a strong belief in talent ownership which aligned with our goals and ultimately made us choose them over other networks.”

The new iteration of the show is currently in development and aiming for an October Q4 2024 release.

[Listen to Fair Enough here]

Podcast Ranker May 2024: Top five steady, new interest in Hedley Thomas titles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See also: Podcast Ranker May 2024: Top five steady, new interest in Hedley Thomas titles

Buzzsprout launches new podcast, Buzzsprout Weekly

Buzzsprout Weekly delivers essential updates, insights, and practical tips designed to keep listeners at the forefront of all things podcasting.

Each week, Buzzsprout discusses:

• New releases from Buzzsprout: Discover the latest tools from Buzzsprout.
• Industry insights: Updates on the latest podcasting trends and news.
• Tips and tricks: Practical advice and best practices 
• Events and meetups

[Listen to Buzzsprout here]

Cuddly Fabric Softener has launched its new campaign with VML, aiming to connect with modern families.

Love that Lingers centres on a family, highlighting the small, everyday gestures that express real love and the brand’s message: love isn’t about grand gestures, but it is in the little acts that often go unnoticed.

The agency said the idea stemmed from identifying a simple yet powerful disconnect – the things our parents did to show love growing up.

“Cuddly as a brand was a little disconnected from modern audiences… the idea that modern kids are going to shower us with praise for doing the washing didn’t really feel like a modern reality,” Paul Nagy, APAC chief creative officer at VML, said.

“But there’s a genuine truth that those little, loving efforts we make as parents can sometimes connect to the ones we love in very powerful ways… so we decided to make that the heart of this story because it still felt truly connected to the core of the brand – the little efforts that can mean so much.”

The creative narrative focuses on a family’s gestures: from the first day of school to sleepovers, underpinned by the brand message.

 “For many years, Cuddly has been a staple in Australian households, providing softness and freshness that families trust,” Anthony Crewes, senior marketing director at Colgate-Palmolive, said of the work.
 
“Our new campaign captures the essence of what Cuddly has always stood for—enduring love and care through every wash, making sure that the feeling of a parent’s hug is always close, no matter where life takes us.”

Credits:
Client: Colgate-Palmolive
Creative Agency: VML
Production Company: Revolver
Director: Dani Pearce
Post Production: Arc Edit
Music: Sonar
Sound design and mix: Electric Sheep Music
Media: Wavemaker

Antony Catalano‘s View Media Group (VMG) and Century 21 have partnered to revolutionise digital marketing in the real estate sector. 

This collaboration integrates VMG’s Acquire platform into Century 21’s proprietary CRM, eSales.

Acquire is VMG’s bespoke performance marketing solution that is white labelled and fully integrated within a residential agent’s digital ecosystem to automate vendor campaigns, agent branding campaigns, property management, and recruitment campaigns.

This is the first time Acquire has embedded the platform directly into a customer’s CRM, providing the full suite of functionality to Century 21 agents and offices within their own environment. This collaboration will be branded as C21 Edge and provides a listing advantage to Century 21 agents in Australia and New Zealand.

The multi-channel reach of C21 Edge extends audience engagement through a media strategy that includes social, display, and native ads, across static and video formats.

VMG stated that in simple terms, it delivers an end-to-end digital marketing automation executed from the eSales CRM environment with the click of a button whilst returning campaign data, customer insights, lead and appraisal generation back into the CRM.

Trent Casson, managing director of residential at View Media Group said C21 Edge brings a level of digital marketing sophistication never before offered as a push-button solution.

“Our team of Account Partners will be sweeping into the Century 21 office network to service agents at office level to support agents as the campaigns roll out,” he said.

“C21 Edge will deliver a genuine listing advantage for the Century 21 agent community and in turn offer vendors a level of sophistication and targeting that was once only available with the use of large budgets and teams of people.

“Helping Century 21 consolidate and leverage the vast amounts of vendor paid advertising that runs through the network and driving all the benefits back to Century 21 agents and the masterbrand is something we are incredibly proud of and aligns perfectly with the VMG philosophy of building agent’s businesses off the back of vendor paid advertising.”

Kent Pearson has joined Connecting Plots to lead the business’s social offering, a.glo, and expand its remit from social performance creative into always-on social, influencer, creator and content partnerships.

Pearson joins from GROUND, where he was managing partner and drove client growth for Bumble and Pet Circle. Prior to that, he was head of social and content at TBWA\Eleven.

His remit will be to use social and influencer to deliver brand growth and sales for clients.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the team during this exciting time for the business,” said Pearson. “Tom and Dave have built a great reputation for social that delivers genuine business impact and I’m excited to bring my expertise to build upon that specialist social and content offering further.”

‘Glow Up, Glow Out’, a.glo’s new influencer offering, has been designed by Pearson and applies marketing science and full-funnel thinking to influencers and content creators in campaign and always-on activity.

The new influencer product has already been rolled out to several clients and is part of a string of capabilities now offered by a.glo, including always-on performance creative and media, always-on social media management, and channel-specific creative.

a.glo also holds partnership accreditation with Meta and Snap Inc. and is a foundation partner of the TikTok Creative Exchange (TTCX), which helps advertisers connect with experts to create native TikTok videos for ad campaigns.

Left to right: Dave Jansen, Kent Pearson, Sophia Kang and Tom Phillips

Tom Phillips, Connecting Plots co-founder and CEO, said: “As a business, we have a strong track record in growing our clients’ businesses in digital and social channels – it’s how we started. As influencers grow, we’ve recognised the need to apply the same rigour you would to any advertising or marcomms and have the best specialist talent leading the charge.
 
“Kent has a reputation for his technical understanding and strategic know-how. He is supremely talented in connecting influencer and content creator activity to business impact. We are beyond excited to have him join the team and grow the a.glo offering further.”
 
–
 
Top image: Kent Pearson

JCDecaux has been awarded the tender for the exclusive advertising rights to Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station, Victoria’s busiest public transport hub.

JCDecaux has been providing advertising solutions at Southern Cross Station since 2007, but the new contract will see the company put in charge of full digitisation for all station assets. 

The new contract commences 1 July 2024.

The digitisation will include the installation of two new full-motion digital Large Format screens, taking the total to five. This includes the introduction of one of the largest digital screens in a train station, measuring 9m x 5m. 

All existing Small Format screens will be upgraded to digital displays.

Bronwyn Clementson, executive general manager – commercial, JCDecaux, said the company’s presence in Melbourne “has never been stronger,” with advertising solutions including the newly launched JCDecaux ICON, the West Gate Freeway, and the Young & Jackson. 

“Through our market-leading solutions, including our high-impact Station Domination opportunity, advertising at Southern Cross Station allows brands to create memorable marketing experiences that drive conversations and influence behaviour,” Clementson added.

Southern Cross Station is a primary metropolitan, regional, and airport gateway, connecting 1.2 million people each week. It will form part of JCDecaux’s Melbourne network spanning Large Format, Small Format, Rail, and Transit.

Advertising in Southern Cross Station provides brands with the opportunity to engage with a wide range of audiences journeying to and from Melbourne’s landmarks, business districts, shopping centres, sports venues such as Marvel Stadium, and entertainment precincts, the business said.

Last month, JCDecaux re-signed its airport advertising contract with Sydney Airport, being reappointed as the exclusive media partner of the site.

The company will introduce new assets in partnership with award-winning architects Tzannes, particularly within the T1 international terminal. There are also plans to enhance existing assets and introduce new digital large format sites as part of the new Domestic Gateway and the St Peter’s Interchange.

As part of the new partnership, Sydney Airport and JCDecaux will collaborate on new data capabilities, working to give brands the chance to gain deeper audience insights so they can target and convert high-value consumers.

Tuesday 18 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s Paramedics recorded a total TV national reach of 1,512,000, a total TV national audience of 617,000, and a BVOD audience of 42,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,607,000, a total TV national audience of 1,096,000, and a BVOD audience of 72,000.

Seven’s Dream Home recorded a total TV national reach of 1,321,000, a total TV national audience of 630,000, and a BVOD audience of 51,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,239,000, a total TV national audience of 830,000, and a BVOD audience of 99,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,298,000, a total TV national audience of 660,000, and a BVOD audience of 60,000.

10’s airing of The Cheap Seats recorded a total TV national reach of 1,170,000, a total TV national audience of 534,000, and a BVOD audience of 21,000.

See Also: TV Report 18 June 2024: Top-placed Dream Home teams go head-to-head

People 25-54

Nine’s Paramedics:
• Total TV nation reach: 482,000
• National Audience: 238,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 451,000
• National Audience: 275,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 480,000
• National Audience: 233,000 
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 443,000
• National Audience: 215,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 392,000
• National Audience: 267,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 467,000
• National Audience: 242,000 
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

People 16-39

Nine’s Paramedics:
• Total TV nation reach: 204,000
• National Audience: 102,000
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 188,000
• National Audience: 109,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 199,000
• National Audience: 99,000 
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 176,000
• National Audience: 79,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 161,000
• National Audience: 112,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 194,000
• National Audience: 95,000 
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s Paramedics:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,171,000
• National Audience: 491,000
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,253,000
• National Audience: 863,000
• BVOD Audience: 57,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,016,000
• National Audience: 520,000 
• BVOD Audience: 49,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,033,000
• National Audience: 499,000
• BVOD Audience: 41,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 972,000
• National Audience: 660,000
• BVOD Audience: 79,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 914,000
• National Audience: 426,000 
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.

TV Report 19 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

A Current Affair

Nine aired A Current Affair as the program met with a cafe feeding families for free which could be forced to close and met with experts who unpaced concerns as Australia’s worst-ever bird flu outbreak continues to expand.

Ski Rescue Down Under

A skier’s party-plans come crashing down after a collision with a snowbank and a head-first tumble down a set of cafe stairs wipes out a lady’s memory.

Seven TV Report

The Front Bar

The Front Bar welcomed John Kennedy Junior and Josh Kennedy as they shared a laugh about the world of AFL and caught up with stars of yesteryear and today, ahead of the fourteenth round of the AFL 2024 season.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Cash tried to reconcile Eden and Felicity, Dana is suspicious and Irene comes up with a shock solution. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Senator Bridget McKenzie on Coalition nuclear plans, met the man behind the Chinese Succulent Meal and spoke to Rita Ora.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, the contestants battled it out to reinvent the classic bacon and eggs. The stakes were high as the top dish won an mystery prize, but the bottom dish led to elimination. 

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into the Coalition’s nuclear energy policy being announced and the ugly fight between on of Australia’s biggest unions and the AFL.

Gruen

Gruen returned last night to discuss NAB, Allianz and Speedo. Wil Anderson was joined by Russel Howcroft, Todd Sampson, Lauren Zonfrillo and Carolyn Miller.

SBS

Hunt for Truth: Tasmanian Tiger

Tim Noonan joined a team of scientists from the University of Tasmania (UTAS) as they launched the most comprehensive search in history for the creature. Using thousands of camera traps, scientists have transformed the island’s wilderness into a “big brother” for wildlife.