Alex Cullen has taken on two significant new media roles following his departure from Nine earlier this year.
He is rejoining the Seven Network as a reporter and presenter while also stepping into radio as the resident sports guru on GOLD104.3’s The Christian O’Connell Show.
Return to Seven Network
Cullen is back at Seven, bringing his reporting and presenting skills to 7NEWS and special projects.
His return is framed as both a professional homecoming and a logical next step following his time at Nine.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be coming back to Seven,” Cullen said. “In many ways, it feels like coming home.” Based in Melbourne, Cullen’s new role spans news, sport and long-form programming, drawing on his diverse background.
Seven’s Director of News and Current Affairs Ray Kuka praised Cullen’s versatility and strong work ethic. “He’s one of the nicest guys in television, a country boy who grew up with a strong work ethic and still knows a hard day’s work,” Kuka said.
He noted that Seven is still finalising Cullen’s projects. “He’s joining us for a number of projects, but we also know his versatility is one of his greatest strengths. Alex isn’t just a sports presenter; he’s a sharp journalist and a compelling host.”
New radio home at GOLD104.3
Alongside his television role, Cullen has joined ARN’s The Christian O’Connell Show on GOLD104.3 in Melbourne as its sports expert.
During his first on-air shift, which took place this morning, he shared anecdotes about his relocation and family life. He told the show how the drive from Sydney was made memorable when “one of the girls, Evie, just starts vomiting in the car … and then halfway, Audrey does the same.”
Cullen also recounted an unintentionally humorous incident involving his daughter and a backyard accident. “I’ve come in here about it and bruised … my eye is full of blood,” he said.
“She said to me last night, ‘Daddy, tomorrow on the show, you have to say that you were beaten up by a six‑year‑old.’” His early arrival and grounded presence impressed his new colleagues: “a senior engineer … goes, ‘hey, Alex has been in since five am.’”
A new chapter, a broader platform
Cullen’s relocation to Melbourne with his family will see him appear across both television and radio. “There are familiar faces here I’ve known and worked with for more than 20 years,” he noted.
“I’m looking forward to reconnecting with audiences and getting back to what I love: telling real stories that matter.”
The video was just 15 seconds long, but the fallout has stretched much further.
A now-viral clip of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company’s chief people officer Kristin Cabot in an embrace at a Coldplay concert has triggered public scrutiny, a resignation, and a reputational crisis that experts say isn’t over yet.
While Byron’s resignation may have drawn a line under his formal role, communications professionals argue it’s not enough. The bigger issue, they say, is what hasn’t been said.
“They need to own what happened”
Neil Shoebridge, principal at Shoebridge Knowles Media Group (SKMG), says Byron and Cabot have so far sidestepped the most effective step they could take: addressing the fallout directly.
“Andy Byron’s resignation from Astronomer will take some of the heat out of the controversy, but not all of it,” Shoebridge told Mediaweek. “He and Kristin Cabot are still not taking the most obvious and sensible step. They need to own what happened. As of yesterday morning, neither had issued a statement apologising to their staff, other stakeholders and their partners.”
Shoebridge says that while viral videos can’t be pulled back, the response still matters, particularly when reputations are on the line. “Social media is having a lot of fun with the hapless couple and they can’t control that. What they can control is the damage to their reputations… well, they can at least try to contain it.”
Media professor Catherine Lumby from The University of Sydney agreed, reflecting on the scale of the story’s spread. “It’s very hard to get that toothpaste back in the tube once it’s out,” she told ABC News Channel. “This is well beyond just brand management and reputation management in its traditional sense. Social media can pick something up and it’s like a tsunami once it takes hold.”
A swift board response, but unanswered questions remain
Veteran corporate communications consultant Robyn Sefiani told Mediaweek the Astronomer board acted quickly, but the nature of this particular crisis, and how it unfolded, was unlike anything she’s seen before.
“In three decades of crisis management and observation I’ve never before seen a crisis trigger incident like the one the world saw at the Coldplay concert,” Sefiani said. “While concertgoers, the band and 100 million video-clip viewers may have been amused, the couple’s shock spoke volumes.”
Sefiani noted that the human impact, particularly on families, should not be overlooked. “The human aspect of this crisis and family relationships is the priority now. Sadly, families will be hurting. And the whole world is watching,” she said.
She added that the CEO’s prompt resignation was “the right thing to do” following the board’s investigation. “I envisage he will issue a statement of regret and apology soon. As the couple’s shock on discovery indicates they had not disclosed their relationship to the company, and the HR executive more than anyone should be aware of workplace policies, her position now appears untenable.” While the board did not ask Kristin Cabot to stand down, Sefiani said, “her resignation seems inevitable.” However, “unlike the CEO… she does not need to issue a public statement.”
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company’s chief people officer Kristin Cabot
TikTok virality meets workplace scrutiny
The incident began at a Massachusetts Coldplay concert, where a venue camera captured Byron and Cabot mid-embrace.
Projected onto the big screen and later uploaded to TikTok by concertgoer Grace Springer, the clip took off. More than 100 million views and millions of comments later, Astronomer confirmed Byron had been placed on leave, before announcing his resignation.
Cabot, meanwhile, remains in her position, and no public comment has been issued by either executive.
As Shoebridge warned, “The current firestorm will fade, but it will live forever online. If someone searches for ‘Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot’ in a few months and doesn’t find a contrite and honest apology from both of them, the damage will roll on.”
Owning the narrative before it owns you
From both Shoebridge and Sefiani’s perspective, the lessons from this unfolding situation are clear: leadership visibility, consistent internal policy, and an honest public response still matter, especially in an era where a misstep can go global in seconds.
Executives in crisis, they say, must resist the instinct to hide and instead lean into transparency. “Never underestimate the power of a genuine apology,” says Shoebridge. Right now, that’s what’s missing, and what might just start the reputational reset.
Veteran journalist Peter Ryan has died in Sydney at the age of 64, just weeks after retiring from the ABC to enter palliative care.
Known for his calm authority and commitment to the craft, Ryan leaves behind a legacy that spans nearly five decades of Australian journalism.
A career marked by purpose
Peter Ryan’s journalism journey began as a copyboy at Sydney’s Daily Mirror before joining the ABC, where he went on to hold some of the organisation’s most influential editorial roles.
From Washington bureau chief to founding editor of Lateline Business, and later as the ABC’s business editor and senior business correspondent, Ryan earned a reputation for trusted reporting and editorial rigour.
Among his career highlights was his award-winning investigation into misconduct at the Commonwealth Bank. The story earned him a Walkley Award in 2017 and contributed to the establishment of the banking royal commission. He was later named the National Press Club’s Finance Journalist of the Year in 2018.
A leader, mentor and advocate for good journalism
Ryan’s impact extended far beyond his reporting. ABC News Director Justin Stevens said Ryan “left a significant legacy” through his journalism and leadership. “Through his mentorship, friendship, and professionalism, he directly touched the lives of many at the ABC. Through his journalism, he had a profound impact on the lives of Australians and our society,” Stevens said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers also paid tribute at the time of Ryan’s retirement, calling him “an absolute legend” and praising his ability to deliver economic news with clarity and insight.
In 2022, Ryan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to journalism.
Before leaving the ABC, Ryan shared a note of guidance for colleagues, young and old alike. He wrote: “Avoid cynicism, be passionate… Be proactive… Maintain a fastidious contact book… and most of all: Be kind and caring to people who need it.”
To be quite honest, I wasn’t expecting to be impressed in the slightest by Truescope. After all, how different could it be from other media monitoring platforms?
When Truescope CEO John Croll opened up his Macbook to show me the platform, within a moment I could see that Truescope was setting the benchmark for what a modern client should expect from their platform.
As competitors iSentia, Streem, and Meltwater iterate their own products and start to lean further into AI, there is no doubt that they will catch up to what Truescope is offering. But Truescope, a relatively new entrant into the industry, has the head start.
There’s just one caveat you need to know about Truescope: This Australian company doesn’t have any Australian clients. Not yet, at least.
It’s a media monitoring company. If you haven’t worked in PR/marketing, or as a media communications staffer, you may not have used a monitoring service, but they’re a widely used, if seldomly talked about, vital service for media practitioners.
Media monitoring services provide companies and representative agencies real-time information of media coverage relevant to their respective business. This might include mentions of the business and key staff, issues of relevance to the business (for example, Coca Cola might be interested in conversations around nutrition or water supply or aluminium can recycling).
Truescope is an Australian company, which launched in 2019. It reports having more than 600 clients and has offices in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the USA. There are approximately 75 Truescope employees, with a small 12-person developer team in Australia. There is a larger customer-focused team servicing New Zealand where they have around 270 clients.
The Truescope platform
The man behind Truescope is CEO John Croll. I met with John Croll at the Truescope offices in Sydney.
John Croll is a life-long media monitoring professional. He’s best known as the former CEO of media monitoring industry leader iSentia. Croll joined the industry in his early 20s when, directionless, he joined his father’s print clipping business.
“He pretty much said: ‘You’re rowing badly, you’re doing uni badly and you’re working badly, do something.
“I was just rowing and I needed a job,” Croll said.
His father, a former journalist, was running media training for prime ministers, company presidents, and senior executives from Coca-Cola in Atlanta. He’d identify issues that were needed for media training and had his son track down news stories they could use to hit clients with unexpected questions.
That grew into a print monitoring business, which was later sold to the company that would be Media Monitors (which was later rebranded as iSentia).
For full transparency, I used to work for John Croll. He was CEO when I was on staff in the Brisbane office of iSentia. For this interview, I spoke with John for an hour. That was about 55 minutes longer than I had spoken to him across the couple of years I spent working at the company. Since then, I have worked in communications roles where I used iSentia and it’s competitors products. I also helped set up a media monitoring unit within the Queensland State Government.
Sitting down with Croll, he offered initially to show me the platform. I declined. I’ve spent enough years in and around media monitoring platforms. There was nothing he could show me that I would be impressed by. I was very wrong.
At the end of our interview, he showed me Truescope. I was blown away by how practical and innovative the product is.
Where Truescope has the advantage is that the company was formed in 2019 and has been developing its tech stack during the rise rapid AI development. Competing monitoring platforms are still focused on a dashboard and relatively manual report generation.
Launch Truescope and you’ll be surprised at how much the interface resembles an email platform like gmail. You can view your coverage there and that element of the experience is very similar to what you are getting from competitors. But, it’s when you take that next step and type a bespoke prompt into Truescope that the magic happens.
Just like if using ChatGPT or any other generative AI platform, it will write a report for you. You can have the platform generate, within a moment or so, comprehensive overall detail on your media coverage. It will produce written insights for you and even suggest a few questions you might want to ask the system for further insight.
Gone is the day of a comms manager (or their junior team member) being asked to go through the days coverage and write up a report of the coverage. It’s now easy enough to log in, type the prompt, and have the work done for you while you grab a coffee, read email, or talk to your enthusiastic desk neighbour about watching MAFS from the night before. That report can then be emailed around the company, sent straight to the CEO, or presented in an early morning meeting with speed and confidence in the product.
After using Truescope for a few minutes, the idea of going back to use a competitor platform is a thoroughly disappointing prospect.
As Truescope competitors like iSentia, Streem, and Meltwater further integrate AI into their products, the competitive advantage Truescope has won’t quite be as stark. But right now, purely from the fortune of building the product natively with AI at the core of the product, Truescope has a significant lead.
Of course, it is worth a reminder: Truescope is not available in Australia.
The origins of Truescope begin with the 2018 exit of John Croll from iSentia, a company that he led as CEO since 1999.
He told me about his decision to leave iSentia. It came after a rough couple of years that began with iSentia’s 2015 acquisition of content marketing company King Content.
“We probably had about 85% market share at that point. We’re a public company, people are looking for growth from us and we had these amazing client relationships. So we were looking for growth – how can we grow these fantastic relationships? And content marketing was really taking off at that point in time. So from a strategy point of view, we thought it was a really good extension of where we could take the business.
“Our mindset was like clients could have a great array of content ready to go and then as an issue came up into the media and we’d be monitoring those issues, then that would be a great trigger to use that piece of content and get your brand into that conversation early with well-written sort of stuff. It had a good strategy to it.
“We had all the best advisors who all gave it a great tick. But in the end, it came down to my decision. And it probably fell down to a cultural thing between a data-driven process business that was very, very efficient in getting stuff done every day and then a creative business that was all around thinking ‘what would be the new creative content that they could build for a business’ and it never really meshed,” he explained.
Serving as CEO of iSentia had been a passion: “I reckon 18 years of those 20, I really loved it… I do remember the day, just walking down the beach, I said to Susie, my wife, I think I’ll resign tomorrow. And she went: ‘Thank God. You don’t love it anymore.’”
But with some world travel under his belt and a six month break, the heart wanted what the heart wanted.
“I got the itch, you know? And I could see the issues with the legacy tech in the marketplace, not just Australia, but across the board. And I thought, if I could bring together some of the best people I’d worked with, we could do something pretty neat. And I also knew it would be my last gig, so I better do something I know well.
“We did really think there was a problem in how people were being serviced. The products hadn’t changed much. There was a lack of innovation happening in the industry and we thought we could change that.
“There was a lack of innovation happening in the industry, and we thought we could change that. And being able to do it second time through was, we sort of learnt a lot of the lessons. So that’s what got us super interested in doing it.
“And then, yeah, being able to put a team together of people who were really good at what they’d done and sort of probably lost a little bit of the, where they were working. They knew they could come together and we could do something great. Yeah,” Croll said.
Coca-Cola and Disney has launched a limited-edition Coca-Cola x Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy collection in Australia, featuring 21 exclusive cans and bottles with characters from the Star Wars franchise.
The range includes designs featuring Darth Vader, Yoda, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, The Mandalorian and Ahsoka Tano, available from today.
And from 1 August, consumers can scan QR codes on select cans and Coca-Cola advertisements to access an augmented reality experience and create a personalised Star Wars-style hologram message to share.
“At Coca-Cola, we’re always looking for fresh, fun ways to bring fans closer to the things they love,” said Martyn Ferguson, Senior Director of Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company Australia and New Zealand.
“What makes this campaign special is its ability to connect generations of Star Wars enthusiasts with innovative ways to celebrate their fandom.
“Whether you’re collecting cans or sharing hologram messages, it’s all about embracing the stories and characters that unite us,” he added.
Mindy Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships at The Walt Disney Company.
“A cornerstone of Disney’s collaboration with Coca-Cola continues to be creating campaigns in honor of fans.”
“Star Wars is a powerful cultural force around the world, with millions of fans across generations who carry these stories off the screen and into their lives. This custom campaign is for them and inspired by them,” she added.
The Australian launch is part of a global rollout across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The cans and bottles are produced locally and available for a limited time.
Made in Australia, the limited edition “Coca-Cola x Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy” cans and bottles are now available nationwide.
Maggi has introduced its Malaysian Kari noodles to Australian shelves, with the launch with a one-night-only hawker-style event that sold out in under 24 hours.
In partnership with creative agency Connecting Plots, the launch campaign aimed to tap into the growing demand for Asian flavours and the instant noodle subculture emerging on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Held at Ho Jiak Town Hall and hosted by Malaysian chef Junda Khoo, the Sydney event featured $3 Maggi Kari dishes served three ways: Kari Mee, Maggi Sup, and Kerabu Maggi.
Additional sittings were added after the event quickly reached capacity following coverage from outlets including Broadsheet and Concrete Playground.
“Malaysians love bold, spicy flavours, and curry noodles are a delicious way to show that,” said Ho Jiak Town Hall Head Chef, Junda Khoo. “Pure comfort food, us Malaysians eat them for lunch, dinner, or anytime in between.”
Maggi Kari is a staple in over 66% of Malaysian households. To promote the product locally, Maggi enlisted food influencers such as @dimsimlim, @anniesbucketlist, @sydneyfoodboy and @2hungryguys, who helped recreate the dishes and share recipes inspired by the event.
Junda Khoo: ‘Malaysians love bold, spicy flavours, and curry noodles are a delicious way to show that. Pure comfort food, us Malaysians eat them for lunch, dinner, or anytime in between.’
“We wanted to showcase that Maggi is part of authentic Asian food culture,” said Matt Geersen, Creative Partner at Connecting Plots. “Maggi Kari is loved in Malaysia so we are bringing that same street cred here, through taste, experience and storytelling.”
Beyond the event, to help Aussies elevate their 2-minute noodle game, earned media and influencers took inspiration from Junda’s spicy curry noodles to recreate recipes from the sold-out event at home.
Maggi Kari is now available in five-packs at major supermarkets across Australia (RRP $5).
Spotify is expanding its audiobook offering with the launch of Audiobooks+ in Australia, a new subscription add-on that gives Premium users more choice and flexibility in how they listen to books.
The new subscription offering
For an additional $15.99 per month, Audiobooks+ allows listeners to extend their audiobook time beyond the 15 hours already included in existing Premium subscriptions. The new option is available to all Premium Individual, Duo, and Family plan members.
The move comes as audiobook consumption continues to rise. According to Spotify’s commissioned research, one in three Australians now listens to audiobooks, while one in four adults have not read or listened to a single book in the past year.
Premium users who opt in to Audiobooks+ will receive 15 extra hours of listening time each month, on top of their existing allocation. This means those on Duo or Family plans can now access audiobooks independently, rather than sharing one pool of listening hours.
Spotify Audiobooks+
Audiobooks on Spotify
Spotify first launched audiobooks to Premium subscribers in Australia in November 2023, offering a catalogue of more than 150,000 titles. Since then, audiobook listening hours on the platform have grown by more than 40 per cent globally.
Spotify is positioning the new tier as part of its broader strategy to become an all-in-one audio platform. It follows successful trials of Audiobooks+ in Canada and Ireland earlier this year.
The company’s goal, according to Spotify, is to support the publishing industry while enhancing the user experience for book lovers. The launch also extends audiobook access to more listeners within shared plans, potentially unlocking a wider audience for publishers and authors.
MBCS has appointed Matt Holmes as its Head of Creative Strategy and Ideation as the agency unveils a refreshed approach.
The agency’s new approach aims to help brands stand out with ideas that reach far beyond paid media, drive talkability, cultural relevance, and real-world impact.
Holmes joins the creative arm of IPG Mediabrands to lead creative strategy and ideation across content, activations, influencer, experiential and partnerships – to bring media and creative thinking closer together from the outset.
Harry Preston, Managing Director of MBCS, said: “Matt brings a way of thinking that benefits a media-born creative business enormously, his modus operandi is creative thinking grounded in influence, storytelling and cultural impact, rather than just channels.
Holmes, who co-founder of Poem, brings over 20 years of experience across the UK and Australia, specialising in earned-first thinking, integrated brand campaigns and storytelling that lives beyond traditional media channels.
Preston continued: “Matt’s earned first approach, passion for integrated ideas and ways of working, along with his experience of running his own agency, will help bring paid and earned together to create ideas that result in an unfair share of attention for our clients. We’re incredibly excited to have him on board.”
Holmes’ appointment comes as MBCS evolves its approach to be more integrated, agile and media-led agency, with a renewed focus on ideas that earn attention, ladder back to media strategy and drive real-world results.
Preston said: “In a cluttered market, brands are crying out for ideas that stand out and connect. We’re not here to just make content – we’re here to create work that resonates, travels, and earns its place in culture. This new structure helps us do just that.”
Holmes said of his new role as Head of Creative Strategy and Ideation: “Over the last 20yrs in the UK and Australia I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some huge global brands, award-winning integrated brand campaigns, and at some best-in-class PR agencies championing putting earned thinking at the beginning of the creative process.
“The truth is most of the work was briefed in silo, or at best, at the end of the creative and strategy development and this limited the opportunity to maximise ROI by baking earned into the concept. Media budgets were already allocated so any great earned idea was rarely supported via significantly paid social or innovative media.
“This role is an incredibly exciting (and already fascinating) opportunity to be taking paid, earned and owned thinking and coming at it from the media side. To already have a seat at the C-suite table on several big brand briefs with the respective creative and media agencies is enabling MBCS to add real value across our specialisms of creative strategy, activations, content, partnerships, promotions and influencer. I can’t wait for our clients to reap the benefits of our new approach,” Holmes concluded.
MBCS’ creative leadership team has been further strengthened with the recent promotions of Andrea Bohorquez and Jack Bavin, to the roles of Head of Clients, Sydney and Head of Clients, Melbourne respectively.
Preston said: “Andrea and Jack have been instrumental to our recent success and collectively they add huge value, helping us deliver unified thinking across strategy, creative and execution across our client portfolio.”
Top image: Matt Holmes
Hungry Jack’s has raised a record-breaking $2.7 million for Make-A-Wish Australia during its June 2025 Wishmaker campaign, marking the largest single donation in the charity’s 40-year history.
The annual initiative, which encourages customers to purchase Wishmaker stars valued from $2 to $1,000, ran from 1 to 30 June across more than 470 restaurants nationally. All proceeds went directly to Make-A-Wish Australia to help grant life-changing wishes to critically ill children.
Since launching in 2021, the campaign has raised over $10 million, with each year surpassing the last. The 2025 edition exceeded its $2.5 million goal, once again solidifying the campaign as Make-A-Wish Australia’s largest single fundraising program.
Chris Green, CEO of Hungry Jack’s, said the result speaks to the enduring commitment of its staff and customers: “Our crew members continued to embrace Hungry Jack’s Wishmaker with passion, and we’re proud to see such an outstanding outcome for Make-A-Wish Australia.”
“The unwavering support from our crew, customers, suppliers, and franchisees continues to inspire us to truly make a difference. It’s a powerful reflection of the deep commitment we share with Make-A-Wish Australia and the meaningful impact we can create together.”
Sally Bateman, CEO of Make-A-Wish Australia, added: “We are incredibly grateful to Hungry Jack’s, their dedicated teams, and every customer who continues to support the Wishmaker campaign.”
“Each day, somewhere around Australia, a wish is coming true for a critically ill child. But as each wish is granted, another two new applications arrive. We rely on the community’s support to make wishes possible, and this incredible result will have lasting impact on the lives of critically ill kids and their families across Australia.”
There are currently over 900 children on their Wish Journey, including 20 kids set to experience their dream snow trip in the coming weeks. Among them is five-year-old Cayden, who wished “to go to the snow and build a snowman”, a moment that will be realised this August.
Mediaweek Australia is the media partner of the CMO ANZ Summit, taking place on the Gold Coast for two days on 28 and 29 July, 2025.
The two-day event, organised by the Marcus Evans Group, will assemble senior marketing executives, agencies and solution providers for a powerful exchange of insights and industry direction .
The CMO ANZ Summit has established itself as a must‑attend forum for marketing leadership. This year’s agenda delves into critical themes shaping the future of the industry: harnessing AI and data strategies, mastering generational targeting, adopting a challenger mindset, delivering ROI through strategic partnerships, unifying B2B and B2C storytelling, and embedding an employee‑first brand philosophy.
High‑profile speakers confirmed include Nicole Zosh (Football Australia), Melody Townsend (Bank of Queensland), Caitlin Bancroft (The Collective Wellness Group), Ruben Ahmed (HP ANZ), Tracy Chalk (UTS) and Heather McGovern (Domain Group).
Nicole Zosh and Heather McGovern
Over the course of two full days, the CMO ANZ Summit will explore in-depth how marketers can harness emerging AI tools and advanced data strategies to revolutionise campaign execution.
Industry leaders will show how AI can simplify complex marketing workflows, use predictive analytics for smarter decision-making, and deliver cost efficiencies, while driving innovation in customer engagement and personalisation.
These sessions aim to empower attendees to lead in a data-driven landscape, ensuring that marketing efforts are both efficient and impactful.
Attendees will also gain essential knowledge in mastering audience targeting, segmentation, and generational marketing, an area where understanding behavioural differences between Gen Z, Millennials, and other cohorts is critical. Expect insights into refining segmentation strategies and balancing hyper-personalisation with brand consistency.
The summit will explore adopting a challenger mindset, encouraging brands to stand out with culturally resonant, emotionally connected messaging that fosters loyalty at scale.
Other deep-dive sessions include a look at maximising ROI and revenue to guide marketers through optimised budget deployment, strategic partnerships, and robust attribution models.
Speakers will discuss aligning B2B and B2C narratives to harmonise long-term branding with performance metrics.
Event snapshot:
What: CMO ANZ Summit 2025
When: 28–29 July 2025
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach, QLD
The GumGum Mindset Graph has revealed a state-by-state breakdown of what ads audiences were most engaged in NSW and QLD during the State of Origin Games.
The 2025 series proved to be as big a clash in the digital arena as it was on the field with 57 million open web mentions captured between May and July.
GumGum’s Mindset Graph tracks contextual signals like sentiment and momentum to help map when audiences are most engaged. It offers a window into how people are feeling, reacting and responding, showing how attention builds and shifts during major cultural events.
When broken down by state, NSW’s attention skewed towards protection and lifestyle, with Medical Insurance at 3.7 seconds, Fashion at 3.1 seconds, and Automotive at 2.4 seconds leading the charge.
In contrast, QLD was focused on sport, with Rugby Union at 3.0 seconds, AFL at 2.8 seconds, and Rugby League at 2.2 seconds drawing the strongest engagement.
In Game 3, NSW may have led in total mentions, recording 27.3 million compared to Queensland’s 24 million, but the most significant shift in momentum came earlier in the series.
Immediately after Game 2, mentions of Queensland surged 11x overnight, representing the largest spike across the series.
The sharp rise in attention demonstrated that the rivalry had well and truly been reignited, with the emotional intensity carried into Game 3, highlighting how timing and emotional context can drive deeper audience engagement than volume alone.
From an advertising perspective, GumGum noted that Game 1 recorded the highest average attention time across categories like Air Travel at 4.9 seconds, Jewellery and Watches at 4.2 seconds, Vision Care at 4.07 seconds, and Medical Insurance at 4.04 seconds – brands that aligned with the audience mindset as the series kicked off.
“When the stakes are high and emotions run deep, audiences become more engaged than ever,” said Georgia Falloon, Sales Director, QLD, SA and WA at GumGum.
“The Mindset Graph helps brands show up in those key moments where attention is already high and the message is more likely to resonate.”
With the NRL and AFL finals coming in the next few months, GumGum noted that brands have an opportunity to align their messaging with more high impact sporting moments, when attention is laser focused on the action.
Australia’s leading online pet retailer, Pet Circle, has unveiled its largest brand campaign to date in partnership with Warner Bros. and DC Studios.
The national campaign coincides with the release of the new Superman film and the launch of Pet Circle’s redesigned digital platform, reflecting a strategic push to enhance personalisation and customer experience.
Timed with the theatrical debut of Superman, the campaign introduces a refreshed Pet Circle website and a $10,000 Superman giveaway, encouraging customers to create pet profiles for more tailored shopping.
The initiative marks a new phase in Pet Circle’s customer engagement strategy, placing a stronger emphasis on tech-driven personalisation.
The updated website offers faster navigation, dynamic product content, enhanced search capabilities, expert pet advice integration, and streamlined Auto Delivery options.
“When we heard the new Superman film would feature a canine sidekick named Krypto, we saw the perfect opportunity to rally our passionate pet-loving community around something super for Pet Circle.” said Ella Lymbereas, Vice President of Brand and Creative at Pet Circle.
“The campaign also gave us the ideal moment to showcase our new website — a powerful upgrade designed to empower pet parents with smarter features and a more seamless, personalised shopping experience.”
As part of the promotional activity, Pet Circle launched a limited-edition line of Superman-themed pet toys and treats featuring Krypto the Superdog.
The campaign also included branded delivery vans and boxes, as well as activations at the Sydney premiere with a Krypto lookalike, which was attended by influences Nick and Carrie.
View this post on Instagram
In collaboration with Animal Welfare League NSW, Pet Circle turned rescue dogs into “caped heroes,” highlighting adoption efforts through social and PR channels.
View this post on Instagram
The campaign is supported across digital, social, radio, and cinema platforms and will conclude with a consumer-facing giveaway event in Sydney later this month.
Chery Motor Australia has teamed up with Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps for a national brand partnership, marking the first full-scale brand takeover of HOYTS Entertainment Quarter (EQ) in Sydney.
The HOYTS EQ will transform into a Chery branded experience on Saturday 26 July, with every cinema, screen, and activation zone integrated into the launch.
More than 1,300 guests will attend two exclusive screenings of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps on opening weekend, complete with immersive foyer activations, vehicle showcases, and a giveaway of a new Chery TIGGO 7 Super Hybrid.
The brand takeover spotlights Chery’s fantastic four new TIGGO hybrid SUVs – the TIGGO 7, TIGGO 8, TIGGO 9 and TIGGO 4 Hybrid. The TIGGO 4 Hybrid, the first electric variant of Australia’s most awarded compact SUV range, will also be on display.
“This is the first time any brand has taken over HOYTS EQ in this way, and it’s the perfect setting to introduce Australian families to our new TIGGO Super hybrid SUV line-up,” said Lucas Harris, Chief Operating Officer, Chery Australia.
“Cinema is an incredibly powerful platform, and this collaboration allows us to make a big, bold statement about the future of Chery in Australia.”
Julia Willing, Group Partnership Director, Val Morgan, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Chery to bring this movie IP collaboration to life — delivering a multi-event and comprehensive media campaign to connect with families and fans across Val Morgan’s cinema, outdoor and digital network.
“It’s a brilliant example of how Val Morgan can deliver integrated brand storytelling across our three unique channels with cohesion, creativity, and scale.”
This collaboration marks a key milestone in Chery’s Australian growth strategy, combining cinematic storytelling and large-scale brand integration to support the arrival of its next-generation hybrid vehicles.
In addition to the Sydney launch, Chery-hosted screenings will take place in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Bingle Car Insurance, part of the Suncorp Group, has launched a new national campaign, No Fluffy Bits, promoting its no-nonsense, budget-friendly approach to car insurance.
Targeted at value-conscious drivers, the campaign, developed Leo Australia, positions Bingle as the smart choice for Australians looking for essential coverage without unnecessary extras.
At the heart of the campaign is ‘Fluffy’—a literal embodiment of all the frills consumers don’t need. In each ad, Fluffy meets an unfortunate end in scenes that highlight the insurer’s stripped-back, straight-talking offer.
Bingle Brand and Marketing Manager Naomi Sleeman said that with living costs climbing, drivers are prioritising affordability without compromising on quality.
“Bingle offers a no-nonsense approach, eliminating unnecessary extras to keep premiums low and affordable.”
“We’ve loved bringing the down-to-earth, cheeky challenger voice of Bingle to life by showing how we do away with the fluffy stuff many of our competitors promote. We know our target market is extremely savvy and don’t want to pay for stuff they don’t need, so we think they’ll enjoy seeing Fluffy ‘dispatched’ in these ads,” Sleeman added.
Aussie comedian Sam Campbell lends his voice to the films and accompanying Spotify ads, where he extends the idea that “fluffy bits” aren’t just in insurance—they’re everywhere.
Tim Woolford, Executive Creative Director, Leo Australia, said: “What a joy it’s been to bring our beloved Fluffy to life and then, of course, mercilessly send him to his doom in the name of lower premiums.
“Less joyful is the lingering fear I now have of revolving doors, hammocks, and bar stools. It’s been a genuinely great time working with so many people to get this out there. Please pour one out for Fluffy.”
The campaign rolls out across TV, digital and audio, reinforcing Bingle’s promise to keep car insurance simple, affordable and fluff-free.
Campaign Credits
Client: Bingle Car Insurance
Mim Haysom, Executive General Manager Brand and Customer Experience
Rapthi Thanapalasingam, Head of Brand & Content
Emma Roberts, Head of Digital & Customer Marketing
Naomi Sleeman, Bingle Brand & Marketing Manager
Katrina Pope, Group Content Lead
Suzzanne Bunn, Group Content Lead
Katrina Watkins, Content Marketing Specialist
Creative Agency: Leo Australia
Andy Fergusson, Chief Creative Officer
Tim Woolford, Executive Creative Director
Adam Frazer, Associate Creative Director
Nick Timms, Senior Copywriter
Paul Bruce, Senior Art Director
Dan O’Bey, Senior Copywriter
Mitch Hunter, Group Strategy Director
Amanda Wheeler, Chief Client Partner
Monique Bedford, Business Director
Ben Tunui, Business Manager
Joel Davies, Business Executive
Production: PXP Australia
Justine Dooner, Executive Producer
Anastasia Nielsen, Senior Integrated Producer
Tamara Kennon, Senior Integrated Producer
Animation Production: The Jacky Winter Group
Julian Frost, Animation Director
Will Pietsch, Animation Support
Katie Ayling, Producer
Music & Sound Design: Smith & Western
Media Agency: OMD Sydney
Young Australians are more financially cautious than expected, new research from BigCommerce has revealed
The 2025 ANZ Online Shopping Report shows over half of 18 to 24-year-olds prefer to use debit cards when shopping online, more than any other age group.
Visa credit card use across Australia and New Zealand has declined 8% over the past two years.
Debit card usage has remained steady, while PayPal continues to be popular with older consumers. Afterpay use is growing fastest among 25 to 34-year-olds.
Free shipping remains a key driver of online purchases, with 86% of shoppers selecting it as their preferred loyalty reward. However, delivery price tolerance is shifting.
Shoppers are now willing to pay up to $18.73 for faster delivery of small items, while acceptable fees for larger items have dropped from $119.49 in 2023 to $73.98 in 2025.
High delivery costs continue to impact purchase decisions, with 97% of respondents saying they would abandon a cart due to shipping fees.
Reviews remain a critical trust factor. While a third of shoppers don’t read reviews before buying, 77% say they would hesitate to purchase if no reviews are available. Detailed reviews influence 70% of respondents the most.
Demand for virtual try-ons and customer support chatbots is declining, while practical tools like price trackers (59%) and personalised recommendations (49%) are seen as the most useful features. The findings reflect changing shopper expectations amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
“The report shows that today’s shoppers expect thoughtful, value-driven experiences at every stage of the journey,” Shannon Ingrey, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at BigCommerce, said.
“Younger consumers in particular are demonstrating a strong desire for control and value. Whether that is through choosing debit over credit, expecting faster delivery, or trusting detailed product reviews, they are shopping with intention.”
“Retailers who understand and respond to these evolving behaviours will be best positioned to build lasting customer relationships.”
Australia’s top financial brands increased advertising spend by 16% year-on-year, according to Nielsen’s latest Ad Intel data.
From July 2024 to June 2025, the sector’s total spend rose from $600 million to $696 million, led by brand advertising, superannuation, and credit card categories.
The top ten financial advertisers during the period were Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, NAB, Aware Super, American Express, Bankwest, Square, REST Super, and Afterpay.
Digital channels dominated spend, with social media and general display advertising each accounting for 23%. Metro TV followed at 21%, with Out of Home at 18%.
Screenshot
Rose Lopreiato, Nielsen Ad Intel’s Australia Commercial Lead, said: “The significant increase in advertising spend reflects the strong competition within the financial services sector and underscores the industry’s focus on digital transformation.
“Financial brands are also increasingly engaging consumers through digital channels – a trend we expect to continue as they target tech-savvy, digitally connected Australians.
“The financial sector’s increased investment, particularly in brand-building and superannuation, demonstrates confidence in the Australian market and a commitment to long-term customer relationships.”
Earlier this year, Nielsen has published its 2025 Annual Marketing Report that highlighted how marketers are adapting to shifting technologies and economic pressures.
The seventh iteration of the report surveyed 1,400 global marketing professionals between February 25 and March 6, 2025, all overseeing annual marketing budgets of at least USD$1 million.
Three core trends emerged from the findings: investment reallocation in media channels, shifts in strategic priorities, and challenges in cross-media measurement.
Alison Gensheimer, SVP of Marketing at Nielsen, said of the findings: “Despite difficult economic uncertainties, marketers are demonstrating their inherent agility by embracing new touchpoints like Retail Media Networks and CTV.
“Reliable and comprehensive measurement is paramount and, at Nielsen, we are committed to ensuring measurement solutions keep pace with the complexities of modern cross-media advertising, supporting growth now and well into the future.”
By all traditional metrics, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a success.
It consistently led its timeslot, drew critical acclaim, and remained culturally relevant in an era where late-night TV is increasingly sidelined by streaming and social media.
And yet, CBS has confirmed that The Late Show will end in May 2026, with no plans to replace Colbert or the franchise.
Officially, the network says the decision was “purely financial.”
But many in the industry, and increasingly, the public, are asking a different question: Was this really about the bottom line? Or is Colbert’s exit a reflection of a deeper shift in how media power is being brokered, behind closed doors, at the intersection of politics, journalism, and business?
“This is all just going away,” Colbert told his audience on Thursday, after being informed of the cancellation the night before. “It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it, and it’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months.”
The crowd booed. Colbert, visibly emotional, thanked CBS executives, his team of 200 staffers, and the viewers who kept tuning in. The 61-year-old host wasn’t flailing in the ratings, actually, far from it.
During Q2 of 2025, The Late Show drew 1.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen, ahead of Jimmy Kimmel (1.5 million) and Jimmy Fallon (1.1 million). The only late-night show beating Colbert was Fox News’s Gutfeld! with 3 million, though that program operates within a cable news ecosystem, not a broadcast one.
And yet, CBS made its call. “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” the network’s leadership said in a statement.
But is that the full picture?
Colbert’s exit comes just weeks after CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, agreed to a $16 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump.
The suit stemmed from a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election campaign. Trump accused the network of editing the interview in a misleading way and demanded $20 billion in damages, a claim that First Amendment experts broadly dismissed as meritless.
Paramount didn’t pay Trump directly, but the settlement covered legal fees and included a contribution to Trump’s planned presidential library. There were also reports of agreements around future advertising, which Paramount denies.
This all unfolded while Paramount was seeking federal approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. That approval process rests with the Federal Communications Commission, now influenced by Trump appointees following his 2024 re-election.
Put bluntly, the stakes are high. And as David A. Graham points out in The Atlantic, CBS’s recent moves, including the Colbert decision, may be less about immediate financials and more about political positioning.
Graham doesn’t go so far as to say CBS cancelled The Late Show to curry favour with Trump. But he lays out a series of events that raise questions about editorial independence:
• CBS handed over internal 60 Minutes transcripts to Brendan Carr, a Trump-aligned FCC official.
• 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, widely respected in the industry, resigned, telling staff, “It’s clear the company is done with me.”
• Trump, once again in power, has shown he’s willing to use merger approvals as leverage against media companies, just as he tried with AT&T’s CNN-linked merger during his first term.
Then Colbert, a prominent Trump critic, is abruptly shown the door.
Senator Adam Schiff, a guest on Colbert’s Thursday broadcast, voiced concern after the announcement: “If Paramount and CBS ended The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.”
Stephen Colbert
In his column, Graham draws a warning from another institution, Columbia University, which also tried to take a conciliatory approach to Trump administration pressure.
That strategy didn’t de-escalate things; it invited more interference, eventually resulting in Trump seeking judicial oversight of the university. The takeaway? Give an inch, and the pressure doesn’t ease, it intensifies.
The same logic, Graham argues, applies to media companies. “Institutions that are willing to sacrifice their values for the government’s favour are likely to end up with neither,” he writes.
It’s a caution that feels particularly pointed when applied to CBS, a network that once built its legacy on the authority of figures like Walter Cronkite, but now finds itself navigating a media environment where political and corporate survival often collide.
It’s entirely possible CBS’s call was what they say it was: a tough financial decision amid the slow decline of late-night TV. But even if that’s true, the context around the decision muddies the waters.
When a media company settles a lawsuit with a sitting president, seeks his administration’s approval for a major merger, and then lets go of one of his most visible critics, within a span of months, it invites scrutiny. And perhaps more importantly, it prompts questions about how editorial choices are being made in the current climate.
As Graham puts it, “Colbert’s exit might seem like a one-off. A business decision. A talent moving on. But when viewed in the context of a merger, a lawsuit, and a political power play, it looks more like a symptom of something deeper.”
For now, The Late Show will continue until May 2026, with Colbert planning to stay at the helm until the final episode. What happens after that remains unclear, there are no plans for a replacement show or host.
What is clear, however, is that the media landscape is shifting, not just in terms of audience behaviour and content strategy, but in how power is being negotiated behind the scenes. Legacy outlets like CBS are no longer just broadcasters. They’re assets in billion-dollar deals, political players, and, at times, lightning rods in a culture war.
Colbert’s departure might be the end of a show. Or it might be the beginning of a more uncomfortable story about influence, compromise, and the slow erosion of editorial independence in American media.
As the dust settles, the bigger question looms: When gatekeepers stop guarding the gate, who’s left to protect the truth?
After a rocky $420 million buy-in, the outdoor ad player is starting to look like a serious competitor to oOh!media.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, fresh off acquiring MediaWorks in New Zealand, QMS has now snatched a $25 million Auckland transport contract from under oOh!’s nose, adding another 2000 ad panels to its growing portfolio.
The 96-year-old media baron and WIN boss is quietly weighing up how to tighten his grip on Nine Entertainment once its Domain stake is off the books and the market takes a breath.
He already holds just under 20 per cent via Birketu, but, as Tansy Harcourt writes in The Australian, come November, once some handy swaps convert, he’ll edge past 25 per cent.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, The message, which appeared recently in the platform’s self-service portal, flags the information as “confidential and financially sensitive.”
That’s raised a few eyebrows, especially given the ACCC is currently sniffing around REA’s pricing practices.
Despite the masthead, News Corp isn’t raking in the bulk of its profits from actual news anymore, and its latest investor update makes that clearer than ever.
The company this week launched a fresh US$1 billion share buyback program, signalling confidence in its stock price while quietly highlighting where the real money comes from.
The Prime Minister says it’s about protecting kids, full stop, and he’s sticking to the December deadline.
In this exclusive by Clare Armstrong in The Daily Telegraph, the age restriction is set to apply to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. YouTube, initially left out due to its educational content, is still being debated as part of a current review.
The private equity heavyweight was meant to take a minority slice, but with timelines shifting and pressure mounting, it seems the uncertainty was too much.
According to Dawn Chmielewski and Krystal Hu in this Reuters exclusive, the remaining consortium, led by Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic, is still in play, with a proposal that would leave US investors holding 80 percent of TikTok’s stateside business.
According to Steve Jackson in The Australian, the veteran broadcaster negotiated a hefty exit deal worth north of $2 million, despite walking away just six months into what was touted as one of talkback radio’s richest contracts.
While some sources say the payout is just a slice of his original $9 million package, the deal reportedly includes strict clauses: no media appearances elsewhere and no public pot-shots at Nine until 2027.
In a candid sit-down with The Daily Telegraph’s Nathanael Cooper , the veteran journo admitted the past 12 months were a challenge, marked by swirling rumours, newsroom shake-ups and more than a few “robust” chats with his old boss, Seven’s News Director Anthony De Ceglie.
Usher’s name popped up more than once as a possible casualty of De Ceglie’s rapid-fire reinvention of the newsroom, which included axing talent, adding comedy and astrology segments, and generally ruffling feathers. Usher, though, wasn’t buying into the drama, or the leaks.
As Georg Szalai reports in The Hollywood Reporter, The global hit show helped drive revenue to new heights, part of a broader push by the commercial arm of the UK broadcaster to double its 2021/22 revenue and profit by 2027/28.
Fussell’s been busy on the M&A front too, snapping up production companies and taking full ownership of BritBox International.
As Kevin Perry reports on TV Blackbox, The news was shared by his long-time colleague Michael Rowland, who paid tribute to Ryan’s extraordinary legacy and impact on generations of journalists.
Rowland described him as a friend with “unrivalled contacts and a record of story-breaking,” noting his influence stretched far beyond the newsroom.