LiveRamp’s managing director for Asia Pacific, Melanie Hoptman, believes data-driven marketing’s evolution beyond outdated third-party signals is enabling better measurement than ever before.

Speaking to Mediaweek, Hoptman describes data collaboration as using technology to combine and analyse data sets within an organisation or with partners to enable a wide range of use cases.

“Data collaboration can uncover new consumer insights and create brand-building media networks. It can be intracompany, by connecting data silos across the enterprise, cross-brand, cross-industry, cross-cloud, and more,” she said.

“In any case, it’s about imagining what data could transform your business and collaborating with partners to get it.

“In particular, authenticated identity offers a way for marketers to leverage people-based marketing, enabling them to understand their customer’s journey every step of the way, and better yet personalise every touchpoint to maximise the value for both sides while providing the engaging experience that customers want.

“By unlocking this ability to market to, and measure, every step of a customer’s journey, marketers are able to drive better results from their marketing.”

Hoptman says while these conversations surrounding measurement may have started because of the “rightful shift towards consumer privacy”, the industry needs to see the usefulness of data collaboration as companies look to grow their network of collaborations with strategies that respect consumer privacy.

“Companies are uncovering new data collaboration use cases every day, underscoring the tremendous upside of shiting to cookieless solutions that enable continued data-driven marketing.”

As third-party cookies rapidly leave the industry ecosystem, signal loss is one of the main consequences, and Hoptman says it is one of the key drivers for retail media networks.

“Retail media networks will play a critical role in creating new ways for advertisers to optimise campaigns, expand audiences, deepen engagement, and drive growth without the cookie.

“As more retailers and data-rich companies in other verticals launch media networks, advertisers need to be able to follow the customer journey across media networks in order to reach all of the places where their customers are.

“This makes it critical to have an identity solution that creates a consistent, unified view of consumers across channels.”

See also: Gavin Lockhart: Death of third-party cookies might be delayed, but brands should act now

According to Hoptman, better measurement is not only possible for marketers, it’s easier to realise the benefits of data collaboration than ever before. 

“However, marketers need to set themselves up to capitalise on these benefits.

“Creating the omnichannel view of the customer, as well as closing the loop with actual conversions and sales, is only possible when marketers have an identity strategy that helps them understand the real people they’re targeting and their touchpoints across their journey, as well as using this people-based marketing to power data collaboration with the retailers at the point-of-sale.

“All of these cutting-edge use cases require a solid foundation: starting with a first-party data strategy, then layering an identity solution on top of that, then leveraging the deterministic identity to power better outcomes from data collaboration.

“[Liveramp] is working with marketers who are realising the benefits of these strategies today, and there’s no argument that this is the way to continue driving the right consumer experiences, as well as the most meaningful marketing results, to drive companies forward into the future.”

Tom Sheppard, general manager of media technology at Atomic 212º, told Mediaweek that the independent agency’s position on “making media smarter, faster, and accountable” is central to his and his team’s work.

“I think we really live and breathe that mantra,” the winner of the Data and Research category at Mediaweek’s Next of the Best Awards added.

“We understand the client’s challenges and then figure out the best way to solve the problem in the most effective way possible.”

Atomic 212º’s success is reflected in a string of wins over the last year, including BMW Australia and New Zealand, Tourism Northern Territory, Entain and most recently, Darrell Lea.

Mediaweek caught up with Sheppard to chat about what the award means for him and his team and what excites him in the data and research space.

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 massive, especially given the strong calibre of the other finalists too. To have the judges select our entry is something else, especially given their deep understanding of the industry and having seen “many things and initiatives” before. So having what we are doing as a team externally validated and recognised by an all-star line up is extremely pleasing not only to myself but to the team itself that plays a significant role in bringing our projects to life.

What makes Atomic 212º’s work in data and research stand out in the industry?

Our advantage is we are a dynamic and nimble team that has this great ability to roll up our sleeves and get work done at a very fast pace by collaborating with different team members across the agency, particularly in trading & strategy. We understand the client’s challenges and then figure out the best way to solve the problem in the most effective way possible. Atomic 212 has a USP of making media smarter, faster and accountable and I think we really live and breathe that mantra. We have developed a great product and process that brings this to life through our own proprietary channel planning tool.

What currently excites you about the data and research space, and what do you want to evolve in it?

It sounds cliche but building out automation excites me, not just the standard tasks, but more the automation of complex logic and rules that can help with the standardisation of media planning by well-defined systems and rules that are grounded in our Atomic 212º best practice.

If you could be part of another division in Atomic 212º, what would it be and why?

I’m sorry A212 peeps – My role has interactions with most divisions of Atomic 212º in some form, and I think I have the best role here.

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

I like challenging the status quo. If something can’t be done or is considered too hard, I like to try and figure out how to solve that.

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Top image: Tom Sheppard

Seven Network has promoted Sean Power to director of news for Seven Sydney as Neil Warren steps aside from the role for family reasons.

Power currently serves as executive producer of Sunrise under Sarah Stinson, the director of morning television.

Warren’s TV career spans 44 years – 32 of which have been spent with Seven – has with roles as journalist, bureau chief, executive producer, and news director on his resume.

Prior to his most recent stint as director of 7NEWS Sydney, Warren spent eight years leading the 7NEWS Brisbane and Gold Coast newsrooms, and was involved in launching Seven’s Gold Coast news in 2016. He will stay on to support the Sydney news team through the transition period and help steer Seven’s news coverage of the Olympic Games. 

Jake Lyle

Stepping up into the EP position for Sunrise vacated by Power is supervising producer Jake Lyle. His promotion comes after the recent appointment of broadcast and print journalist Holly Fallon as executive producer of Weekend Sunrise.

Anthony De Ceglie, Seven Network’s director of news and current affairs and Seven West Media editor-in-chief, said: “Sean’s time at Sunrise has been marked by incredible success and creativity. I can’t wait to see what he will bring to the all-important 6pm news bulletin.

“His appointment is part of ensuring that Seven has next-generational leaders in place ready for the future. The appointments of Jake and Holly likewise are further testament to this.

De Ceglie continued: “Neil is extremely well-regarded by all his peers at Seven and across the industry. We’re sad to see him go but wish him all the best, and we’re grateful he will be sticking around for some time yet to ensure a smooth transition.”

Holly Fallon

Power said of his new role: “The opportunity to lead the 7NEWS Sydney team in this next chapter is incredibly exciting. We have the best journalists, producers, cameramen and editors in the country, in a new state-of-the-art studio and newsroom, and we will continue to put our audience first when telling the stories that matter most to Sydney.

“It’s certainly not goodbye to Brekky Central. We’ll continue working closely with the team, breaking stories from Sunrise to sunset.”

Meanwhile Warren said: “I’m extremely appreciative of all the opportunities and memories the network has provided me over many decades. Seven has been like a big family to me. But I know this is the right decision and now it’s time to give back to my own family in Queensland.”

See also: “It’s not just a job”: Sunrise EP Sean Power’s first months at the helm of Australia’s top brekkie show
See also: Seven promotes Chris Salter to Melbourne director of news, hires new Spotlight EP

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Top image: Sean Power

SKMG’s third Cannes-edition of its newsletter COMMPRESS, CANNESPRESS, covers the Cannes Lions from La Croisette.

No lanyard tans today, kids. Day 3 was an overcast one, a welcome reprieve for the many sunburned faces putzing around the Palais. And while clouds may be low, the temp, UV and the ambition remain high. But with rain comes free branded brollies, so it ain’t all bad.

Many of today’s sessions zeroed in on community building in one way or another. Pinterest CEO Bill Ready promised that his platform is a positive community — an oasis from toxic social media discourse — while the Guinness marketers outlined their model for co-creation, with its “Guinnfluencers” making it one of the fastest growing beer brands globally among Gen Z.

Heineken’s global marketer Natasha Maharaj somehow managed to bring Fortnite into the equation, explaining how it evolves from gaming platform to social hub through an effective community building strategy. Three NFL superstars mentioned authenticity 27 times in 30 minutes but still managed to sound, ahem, authentic about why it matters to them as brands and their communities of fans.

Some campaigns just couldn’t stop popping up, like Dove’s Real Beauty, which turned 20 this year and celebrated with a commitment to never use AI models in its marketing and to help shape the beauty standards that are becoming so biased by AI programs. It was the third time today that the campaign copped an onstage mention, and rightly so: it nods to Dove’s legacy since Real Beauty’s inception, while its stance on AI makes it relevant today, and its endeavour to change the way AI operates in the future for a more diverse and inclusive world sets the stage for what’s to come.

We also looked to the future – 18 months to be precise – when Leo Burnett’s Rebecca Rowntree reckons AI will continue to shape our lives but will only get more biased, making for a greater need to scrutinise AI answers in order to collectively help facilitate more diverse answers. And speaking of diversity, she also insisted that the future of diversity is microtransactions. That is, it’s the small actions of everyday people which make the biggest differences. We think she may have been subconsciously paraphrasing J.R.R Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings, when he penned, “I have found that it is the small everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay” and we’re not even mad about it. If Gandalf was presenting; we’d be first in line.

Overheard in Cannes

“People come to us and say we’re fearless. They have no idea what they’re talking about. I don’t sleep when I’m launching a new campaign.” – Fernando Machado

“Your job is NOT to be a prompt queen; if you want that, go to another classroom. That can be automated too. Your job is to apply human intelligence.” – Australian marketer David Shing, ex AOL

“Stop thinking about omnichannel, start thinking about the ecosystem. Elevate your thinking.” – David Shing

David Shing

“We saw it in the auto industry when seatbelts were regulated. Fast forward a number of years and auto manufacturers now compete on their safety measures. I would like to see a world in which social media companies compete for online safety.” – Bill Ready, Pinterest CEO,  on social media regulation for children

“For every influencer, the first rule when writing or speaking is don’t be a knob. If it sounds knobbish, cut it out.” – Satirist and creator Munya Chawawa

“People hear the word influencer and think it means I’m a member of the Kardashian family. It doesn’t and I’m not.” – Munya Chawawa

“Of course I’m afraid of AI. Hasn’t anyone seen Black Mirror? But if I was still at uni, I can tell you that every essay from me would be written by AI.” – Influencer and podcaster GK Barry (it’s funnier in a Cockney accent)

GK Barry

“A brand relationship with an athlete doesn’t work when it’s a one off. It needs to be long term and for the future. And I want to work with brand CEOs who are personable.” – Tennessee Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins

“Your core brand principles keep you grounded. Practices change but principles are permanent.” – Callum McCahon, Born Social, chatting about Guinness

“AI has a diversity issue. Type in ‘show me a picture of a CEO’ and it’s a white man. Diversity clearly is an issue here.” – Rebecca Rowntree, Leo Burnett (she ain’t no Ellen when it comes to the group selfie)

Rebecca Rowntree

“Four in five consumers would reward brands that uphold their values in the face of criticism.” – Anastasia Karklina Gabriel, Reddit

“The thing to remember with advertising in game is it’s not a passive audience, you’re running onto the Super Bowl pitch, don’t offer someone a Heineken while they’re trying to score a touchdown.” – Droga5’s Pelle Sjoenell, ex Activision Blizzard

Picks & Recs

Food of the day

Nothing notable other than a light coating of some Saharan dust that’s just blown over the south of France. Close your mouths when you walk, people.

Vin diving

This cheap and cheerful white blend from Alsace that ran laps around the fancier stuff. Fished out of the recycling bin specifically for this photo.

Conference speaker tip 1: Have an opinion

What is the worst thing a speaker at a big global conference can say? “It depends.” Not good enough. Have a clear opinion, FFS.

Conference speaker tip 2: Smile

The NFL’s celebrated “Helmets off” strategy was designed, in part, to show the players’ personalities. Great idea, but Cannes speaker Joe Burrow clearly left his personality at home. Would a smile have killed him? There wasn’t even a flicker of enthusiasm when asked about his upcoming runway turn at Paris Fashion Week. Fail.

Retail tip of the day

Look down, always. That’s how, lost below eye level in a vintage clothing store in a Cannes backstreet, you can find a pristine vinyl of Aretha’s Gold, the 1969 album that includes 14 of the Queen of Soul’s biggest. Dr Feelgood indeed.

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

Day four marks the halfway point of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and campaigns from across Australia and New Zealand continue to impress, winning across the Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Business Transformation, Creative Effectiveness, Creative Commerce and Creative Strategy categories. 

Australia’s big winners were DDB Sydney, VML Melbourne, Howatson+Company Sydney and CHEP Network Melbourne. New Zealand was well represented at the Awards show by DDB New Zealand, dentsu Creative Auckland, Colenso BBDO and Special Auckland. 

DDB Sydney won one of 29 Silver Lions in the Brand Experience & Activation category for The Original Mouthful for McDonald’s. DDB New Zealand was also awarded two Silver Lions in the same category, one for its Volkswagen NZ campaign, The Greenprint and the other for the Correct The Internet campaign for Team Heroine.

Meanwhile, winning one of 30 Bronze Lions in the same category was VML Melbourne for its work on the FitChix campaign with Honest Eggs Co, CHEP Network Melbourne’s work on Climate Doctor’s Certificate for School Strike 4 Climate, and Auckland’s dentsu Creative’s Aid Aisle campaign for FreshChoice supermarket.

Colenso BBDO continued its winning streak at the festival, winning one of two Silver Lions in the Creative Business Transformation category for the Adoptable By Pedigree campaign.

The Creative Commerce category saw Sydney’s Howatson+Company recognised with one of nine Bronze Lions for its work with brewery Matilda Bay on the campaign, Your 2nd Favourite Beer.

Australia and New Zealand were each awarded one of nine Bronze Lions in the Creative Effectiveness category. VML Melbourne was once again recognised for its FitChix campaign with Honest Eggs Co, while Special Auckland picked up metal for its work with Partners Life on The Last Performance campaign. 

The Creative Strategy Lions category also saw VML Melbourne’s FitChix campaign with Honest Eggs Co win both Silver and Bronze Lions.

Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, said: “As we pass the halfway point at the 71st International Festival of Creativity, Thursday has proven to be another day full of exceptional marketing experiences, effectiveness, strategy and innovation.

“We’re particularly excited to announce the first Grand Prix winner for our newly launched Luxury & Lifestyle Lions, LOEWE – a wonderful example of a future-facing, conscious luxury brand that showcases heritage craftsmanship in the modern age.”

See also: Day 3 AUNZ Cannes Lions winners: Colenso, DDB, M&C Saatchi, Special Sydney
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, DDB

Mutinex is launching a conference, Marketers and Money, which will feature speakers from business, agency, technology, and finance. Names on the line up include Telstra CMO Brent Smart and Seven’s chief marketing and audience officer Melissa Hopkins.

The marketing science company will host the one-day event on 1 August, which aims to empower senior marketers to speak the language of the C–Suite when it comes to marketing results.

In addition to Smart and Hopkins, Don Meij, CEO and managing director of Dominos Enterprises, and Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM Australia, will also take to the stage to share their industry insights.

Mat Baxter

Mat Baxter, APAC CEO of Mutinex, said: “There are plenty of CMOs that decry their loss of a seat at the executive table. The simple truth is the only way to reclaim it is by being able to prove marketing’s effect on commercial performance. And that’s the business we’re in.”

The conference will cover topics as diverse as how to turn creativity into financial impact, how agencies and marketers can leverage measurement for better media negotiations and how in-housing can impact marketing efficiencies.

Henry Innis, Mutinex Global CEO and co-founder, said: “We work with dozens of enterprise brands and the biggest challenge we see for senior marketers is the gap between what they report and what the C–Suite wants to hear in order to better understand how marketing is actually performing.

“As an industry we need to start talking numerically. Marketers and Money is our contribution to a better standard of conversation around marketing.”

Henry Innis

The launch of this Mutinex event comes off the back of Innis’ recent Leadership Award win at Mediaweek’s Next of The Best.

The Mutinex co-founder and global chief executive recently told Mediaweek that he’s a “sometimes brash but always learning and developing young leader.”

See also: ‘I’m very willing to debate ideas and be wrong fast’: Henry Innis on winning the Next of the Best Leadership Award

As TikTok and Instagram Reels rise in popularity, the 2024 Digital News Report has found that three in four (75%) of Australians say they have watched short online news videos.

This figure is followed by longer online videos (62%) and live online video streams (59%). 

The report – released this week and led by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute – also found that 16% of news consumers are daily users of short online news videos and 38% are weekly users.

While short-form news videos are proving to be a popular way of accessing news among Australians, Australia is still among countries with a lower proportion of consumers accessing online short-form news videos.

The report states that the top source of online news videos for Aussies is news websites or apps (23%) followed by Facebook (18%) and YouTube (16%).

A generational divide is also present in the use of different platforms for videos. Older generations use news websites or apps; 43% of Baby Boomers and older use news websites or apps compared to 10% of Gen Z.

Gen Z turns to YouTube (25%) and TikTok (20%).

The rising popularity of video for news is something that Seven’s newly-appointed news boss Anthony de Ceglie has said he wants to make the most of.

When video is “king”, he told Mediaweek a few days after being promoted to director of news and current affairs, and editor-in-chief, “that should be an advertiser’s and a marketer’s dream.”

“Looking at legacy media in traditional silos like TV, radio or print is a really antiquated and outdated idea,” he says.

“In 2024, it’s about bringing all of that together into one unified voice across all our assets, especially digital. Right now, for example, everyone agrees that video is king. Well, Seven West Media produces the best video in Australia every single day and night.

Kate Cox, head of content at Australian Community Media said video storytelling is not an add-on or afterthought, it leads the conversation.

“We will continue to invest because this is how audiences want to consume news,” she said.

“While the Digital News Report: Australia 2024 sensibly calls out short videos as the high performers in online news consumption, we will be rolling out a longer form video strategy, harnessing the high engagement of our subscribers.

“Given Meta’s decision to withdraw financial support for trusted Australian news content, the report says that news websites and apps are the primary sources for online news videos—followed by social media platforms. 

“Trust in news sources correlates with higher consumption and those who pay for online news are more likely to access videos on news websites/apps.”

ThinkNewsBrands states that media coverage of the University of Canberra’s 2024 Digital News Report has painted a bleak picture of the Australian news industry, despite the report showing the opposite to be true.

The organisation said the coverage focused on a rise in “news fatigue” and in people who “avoid the news” and while the results are understandable “given the febrile nature of the world in recent years”, they are at odds with the expressed behaviours the report reveals.

The report shows over half of Australians (51%) are accessing news more than once a day, a 3pp increase from last year.

News consumption among Baby Boomers has also seen a substantial increase (7pp) since last year. Heavy news consumption was strong among women and Gen Z who increased by 5pp respectively.

While consumption of national newspapers remained stable, regional and local newspapers rose.

The report showed that the proportion of people paying for online news dropped by 1pp to 21% and ongoing subscriptions remained stable at 11%.

ThinkNewsBrands says this is a strong result given the cost-of-living crisis and shows the value Australians place in news.

By comparison, according to National Australia Bank data, 37% of Australians have cut back on a streaming service in the past three months and 33% have trimmed spending on subscriptions for magazines, apps and other goods and products.

ThinkNewsBrands CEO, Vanessa Lyons says that a closer look at the data tells a much happier story than media coverage would suggest.

“The consumption figures in this report are really strong and show that Australians’ engagement with news is very healthy,” she said.

“The fact that payment for news has remained relatively stable in a cost-of-living crisis while we’re seeing cut backs on everything from streaming services to app subscriptions is a testament to how important news really is to Australians.”

See also: Australians more uncomfortable with AI-produced news compared to global average
See also: 25% of Aussies use social media as main news source, despite Meta claims

Mediaweek’s Media Movers charts the biggest people moves in the industry over the past week.

This week:

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 the multinational insurance company.

The Seven Network has appointed Gemma Acton to the newly-created national role of director of news operations. Acton will work closely with Seven West Media editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie, the metropolitan and regional news directors, executive producers, and other senior news leaders to drive culture and innovation across newsrooms nationally.

Former OzTam CEO Doug Peiffer will be joining Foxtel Media as a senior adviser. Foxtel Media said Peiffer’s new role will see him support the company in unlocking the power of ratings data from Foxtel Group’s 1 million+ Foxtel set-top boxes in partnership with Kantar Media.

Sophie Paterson has joined Ogilvy PR in the newly-created role of head of gaming and entertainment. Paterson brings more than 15 years of experience to the consumer PR and influence practice, with entertainment brands such as Sony Music and Spotify.

Spark Foundry has promoted Olia Krivtchoun to the newly-created role of chief client services officer.
 
Zambrero has appointed Jade Clark as head of marketing, after a seven month stint consulting for the Mexican restaurant chain.
 
Cashrewards has concluded its hunt for a chief marketing officer, hiring Zara Cobb to fill the vacancy left by Nicole Bardsley. As Mediaweek revealed in February, Bardsley left Cashrewards after two years to become head of marketing at Uber, Uber Eats, and Uber Car Share ANZ.
 
Comedian and presenter Luka Muller will join triple j Breakfast with Concetta Caristo from Monday, 1 July, as Bryce Mills moves to triple j Lunch with co-host Dave Woodhead.
 
Amy McCarthy has been appointed as executive producer of Nine’s A Current Affair, following the promotion of Fiona Dear, who is now the network’s director of news and current affairs.
 
Avid Collective has revealed a new structure for its senior executive team, with founder Luke Spano moving from MD to CEO. Meanwhile, commercial director Ezechiel Ritchie has also been elevated to the newly-created role of general manager.
 
72andSunny has hired two agency alumni to work on projects across the agency’s client partners. Miné Cakmak, head of consulting, re-joins the agency from her role as group strategy director at consultancy FNDR. Senior strategist, Aviva Mann, also re-joins 72andSunny alumni from design consultancy Landor & Fitch.
 
Kent Pearson has joined Connecting Plots as managing partner. He will 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.
 
Chris Hackney has joined Meltwater as chief product officer to lead product organisation and spearhead the strategic direction, expansion, and operation of the company’s product portfolio.
 
Joining the media monitoring company’s board of directors is Bryan Law, the chief marketing officer at go-to-market data provider, ZoomInfo.

This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Shai Luft and Orna Flanagan from independent digital media agency Bench Media reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.

The Mediaweek series showcases their diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.

Shai Luft, co-founder and chief operations officer, Bench Media

Favourite podcast/read – I only manage to read when I am on holiday and it’s almost always a thriller or mystery book. My favourite books are from Lee Child.

Current streaming binge – A bit late to the party but Ted Lasso. I needed something light after Baby Reindeer which was super intense!

Guilty pleasure content – Watching reruns of Seinfeld which I am now doing with my kids.

What do you have on repeat – My Spotify playlist, I’ve got about 60 hrs of my favourite tunes in there.
 
Best career advice – Do something you get a kick out of but don’t let it take over your life.
 
Leadership hero – Can I say Ted Lasso? He brings such positivity to everything and is so annoying, vulnerable and infectious at the same time.
 
Best training course/session – Anything from Simon Sinek is awesome for anyone in leadership roles.
 
I wish someone had told me – to buy shares in Google, Microsoft or Tesla 10 years ago!
 
Favourite place to network – Networking doesn’t come naturally to me as I am a bit of an introvert. I find networking events to be super awkward so nothing here would be a favourite thing.
 
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – How interconnected and what a small industry it is. Often you work with a client and they pop up somewhere else. If you’ve made a difference the first-time they will want to work with you again.
 
What is your hot take on the industry – It’s become easier than ever to start an agency which means lots of smart people are taking the plunge. Ultimately it gives marketers more choice and better outcomes to work with an Independent Agency where the owners are involved and bring their experience and energy to the client’s benefit.
 
Career goal for 2024 – To keep working on more awesome campaigns with great people who trust us to make a difference to their business and help them grow. Nothing better than being able to help clients look good and smash their KPI’s.

Orna Flanagan, performance manager, Bench Media

Favourite podcast/read – I love listening to the podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me, hosted by an Irish duo – comedian Joanne McNally and presenter Vogue Williams. It’s basically reality TV in podcast form – chewing gum for the brain. It’s perfect for when I want an easy listen and a good laugh.

Current streaming binge – Depending on my mood, I’m currently switching between Jack Ryan and Luxe Listings Sydney.

Guilty pleasure content – The Office US – it never gets old.

What do you have on repeat – Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department – predictable I know!

Best career advice – Consistency is more important than perfection. This can be applied to every aspect of your life. The more consistently you do something, the easier it becomes and don’t be afraid of making mistakes along the way.

Leadership hero – This would have to be my parents. It’s only now that I’m older I appreciate everything they have done for me, and how they have been pillars of support over the years.
 
Best training course/session – We recently had a Client Excellence training session with Wendy Gower, Founder of WeGrow, which I found really insightful. I came away from the session feeling empowered and with my own personal action plan to implement, both in my professional and personal life.

I wish someone had told me – How much it rains in Sydney!

Favourite place to network – I love trying new bars and restaurants, so networking is always a great excuse to try somewhere new.

Something that’s surprised you about the industry – It surprised me how small the industry is and how connected everyone is.

What is your hot take on the industry – A cookie-cutter approach to your marketing strategy is never the answer. There is no guaranteed formula for success and a specialized approach should be taken for each individual campaign to ensure optimal results.

Career goal for 2024 – To continue learning as much as possible.

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To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds, please email: [email protected]

Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.

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Top image: Shai Luft and Orna Flanagan

Presumed Innocent (AppleTV+) is the latest movie to be remade as a TV series and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It’s another legal drama from prolific producer David E. Kelley. This one features an unconvincing performance from Jake Gyllenhaal in the central role.

It now appears that any movie with a recognisable title will probably get a TV remake. That’s because it’s a great way to stand out in a crowded field. Presumed Innocent has already had a sequel TV miniseries and telemovie, so it’s much easier to remake the original and start all over again.

Who’s who in Presumed Inncocent

In this new version, Jake Gyllenhall doesn’t have the gravitas that Harrison Ford brought to the central role of a district attorney. His performance is very jumpy given this show really wants you to think he is guilty. Co-stars Peter Sarsgaard and Bill Camp (and an all too brief cameo from Patricia Arquette) are better, but are they enough of a reason to revisit this material?

TV has always been sniffing around successful movies and one of the first was 1953 musical How To Marry A Millionaire. Hitting TV four years after it had been in cinemas, there was no music or Marilyn Monroe, but it did feature future Jeannie star Barbara Eden.

In the 60s, one of TV’s biggest shows was Peyton Place, based on the 1957 movie. Throughout the 70s, M*A*S*H and The Odd Couple both surpassed the motion pictures that had inspired them.

However, for every series that worked, dozens more failed. TV tried to adapt Casablanca into a series twice, once in 1955 and again in 1983 with David Soul substituting for Humphrey Bogart. Unsurprisingly, nobody cared. After the success of 1978’s Animal House, all three US networks tried to turn it into a weekly sitcom. Without John Belushi, they all went nowhere.  

Presumed Innocent could be copying the template from last year’s TV adaptation of Fatal Attraction. Both were two-hour movies tuned into eight-hour series, and their stories are padded out with a new focus on the characters’ children. 

Fatal Attraction changed the movie ending and then finished with a TV cliffhanger, only to then be cancelled. Oops. Presumed Innocent could be planning something similar, given the final episode is being withheld from critics. Let’s hope it’s more convincing than Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance.

This week on TV Gold: Presumed Innocent, Exposure & Lost Boys and Fairies

Presumed Innocent (AppleTV+, 8 episodes) is a remake of the 1990 court-room drama of the same name starring Harrison Ford. In this TV version, Jake Gyllenhaal takes the lead role as he investigates the murder of a colleague.

Exposure (Stan, 6 episodes) tells the story of Jacs Gould (played by Alice Englert), a photographer, who is coming to terms with the death by suicide of her closest friend. While searching for answers, her own buried trauma percolates to the surface.

Lost Boys and Fairies (Stan, 3 episodes) is about Welsh gay couple Gabriel and his partner Andy and the challenges they face trying to adopt a child.

Listen online here, or on your favourite podcast platform.

After just shy of nine years, Claudine Hall is leaving her role as Are Media’s head of commercial marketing, brand partnerships and PR.

A finalist for Mediaweek’s 2024 Next of the Best awards alongside Joyce Li in the Marketing – Media category, Hall joined the company in 2016. Her resume also includes marketing roles at Fairfax Media, Network 10, and ARN. 

See also: Mediaweek Next of the Best winners revealed: Henry Innis, Robert Irwin, Celia Garforth, and more

Originally joining the company when it was known as Bauer Media, Hall’s time covered the publisher’s rebrand to Are Media in 2020.

In February, Are Media appointed Carly Bowra to the role of director of marketing, with Bowra joining from the Seven Network where she was working as a marketing consultant.

Reporting to Are Media chief executive officer Jane Huxley and joining the executive leadership team, Bowra has been responsible for consumer and channel marketing across the company’s digital and print brands – including subscriptions, marketplaces and the retail channels across newsagents and supermarkets – as well as building additional marketing capabilities as the company expands its omnichannel and content commerce strategies.

At the time of her appointment, Bowra said: “No-one knows women like Are Media does. I’ve been a fan of Are Media’s omnichannel brands for a long time – as both a consumer and a marketer – so the chance to be part of these brands is a dream come true.

“Are Media is a remarkable business in terms of its content, its engagement, its connection to Australian women and its ability to attract audiences of intention. Jane and her team have exciting plans for the business, and I’m really thrilled to be part of it.”

Last month, Are Media announced the launch of two new digital marketplaces, delivering more than 14,000 products via The Australian Women’s Weekly and Home Beautiful brands.

The Australian Women’s Weekly marketplace has a focus on fashion, accessories, jewellery, shoes, homewares and gifts. The Home Beautiful marketplace focuses on home décor, kitchen, bed and bath, dining, and prints and art.

In particular, research for the new Home Beautiful marketplace found that 77% of the brand’s customers were interested in buying from it, 86% were focused on purchasing homewares and home décor, and 85% said they would spend up to $150.

Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) has welcomed today’s Report from the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on the Copyright Legislation Amendment (Fair Pay for Radio Pay) Bill 2023, while still urging the Government to move quickly on implementing the recommendation for further research.

The Report recommends that the federal government conducts a cost-benefit analysis examining the impacts of removing the current caps on licence fees for the broadcast of sound recordings on radio.

While PPCA says it will fully participate in the review, PPCA has already recently released a report by Mandala looking at the economic impacts of removing the caps which, according to this Committee Report, “shows clearly that increases to licence fees unequivocally strengthen much-needed income streams to Australian artists”.

This report states that Australian artists could receive up to a 78% increase in radio royalties and record labels would have more revenue to invest in developing local artists if the caps are removed.

PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd says the recommendation to require another review is frustrating.

“How many reviews will it take to remove these deeply unfair provisions and put Australian artists on a level playing field with all other copyright holders and with profitable commercial radio networks that rely on music to bring in revenue of over $1 billion annually?” she said.

“All six reviews completed to date have found that the caps should be removed so PPCA can negotiate in a fair and free market.

“Most importantly, we sincerely thank Senator David Pocock for championing Australian music and bringing this issue before the Parliament.

“With Australian artists doing it tough at the moment, it’s never been more important to get the policy settings right for our homegrown talent, and Senator Pocock quite rightly saw this as a cost-neutral way to get artists paid fairly. We also want to thank Senator Hanson-Young and the Greens for being great supporters of Australian music and for supporting this Bill.”

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) chair Ciaran Davis has also welcomed the recommendation, stating it is good news for the 260 radio stations across Australia that CRA represents.

“This Bill would have had dire consequences for our industry,” he said.

“Commercial radio provides an essential service to communities across Australia, delivering local content, news and information in a challenging economic and regulatory environment.

“CRA expects that the cap debate can now be put to rest, to allow radio to sustain itself as a critical part of Australia’s media landscape and cultural identity.

“If there is to be further analysis, the focus needs to be on where the money is going, as we remain concerned that multinational record giants are profiting at the expense of Australian artists and industries.”

Yahoo Advertising has launched Yahoo Creative, its first full-stack data-powered ad creative solution, developed in partnership with Innervate, which aims to empower brands to take full advantage of creative for their campaigns.

The product aims to future-proof creative by activating Yahoo’s Identity Solution, which is powered by direct consumer relationships and a first-party dataset of more than 50M+ logged-in users across Australia and Southeast Asia.

As online ad-targeting adapts to identity changes, the importance of creative to engage audiences and maintain personalisation has increased. While programmatic technology has adapted to overcome hurdles in targeting and identity, the company says the evolution of creative tools has lagged. This gap highlights a key opportunity: by enhancing creative capabilities through technology and data, advertisers can maximise campaign effectiveness and optimise ROI. 

Brands like Princess Cruises and agencies like global omnichannel media agency Assembly use the creative solution, which is capable of working across the Yahoo DSP and will be interoperable with other advertising technology platforms.

Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, chief revenue officer, Yahoo, said: “In today’s cookie-less landscape, dynamic, relevant, and engaging creative is critical for campaign success. Yahoo Creative represents a major technological advancement, combining AI, data, and human expertise to usher in a new era of creative for advertisers. It empowers brands to achieve greater personalisation and engagement, driving superior campaign results.”

“Yahoo Creative represents a key advancement in creative within our industry,” said Tony Gemma, vice president and head of Yahoo Creative. “By bringing together Innervate’s cutting-edge technology, and integrating our robust data and creative services, Yahoo Creative is transforming the potential for creativity, and delivering superior results for advertisers.”

Yahoo Creative is also an omni-channel solution that works across CTV, mobile, display, and DOOH. Additionally, this solution enables Interactive Authoring, supporting advertisers to design more complex dynamic content that drives engagement and performance.

Jack Politis, VP, programmatic, Assembly, said: “The development of Yahoo Creative is an exciting continuation of their efforts to give creative the attention it deserves in programmatic advertising. Integrating dynamic and full-stack capabilities into their DSP, while still making it available elsewhere and future proofing it by tying its decision-making to its robust first-party dataset, makes it a very attractive prospect.”

“Yahoo Creative is a valued partner that enables our brand to scale our creative capabilities further,” said Marie Lee, vice president of integrated marketing and media planning at Princess Cruises. “The combination of Yahoo’s advanced technology and targeting with Yahoo Creative is a powerful tool as we continue to harness the power of digital marketing to drive demand to our iconic brand.”

See also: Yahoo launches Identity Solutions for CTV environments

Host of Melbourne’s GOLD 104.3 Christian O’Connell is launching his own mentoring service, Finding Fire.

O’Connell will draw on his personal and professional experiences to host and facilitate fireside conversations with fellow seekers, makers, and leaders. The new venture aims to help individuals transform their lives by shifting from “stuckness” to a free-flowing stream of possibilities. 

On why he wanted to launch Finding Fire, O’Connell said: “I’ve developed my own unique approach to supercharging everyday creativity and it allows us to rekindle the inner flame of our natural curiosity and wisdom, to amplify problem-solving, to get unstuck and light fuses to help launch our gifts into the world.

“Following the response I had from readers in my last book after being vulnerable about my own struggles and from the speaking engagements I’ve gone on to do, it’s led me to create Finding Fire – where I’m building a community for fellow seekers, makers, and leaders with mentoring, courses, workshops, and podcasts.

“Maybe even retreats. I’m lighting a small fire and this is your invite to come sit around it with me as we work to shift what may feel stuck in your life and turn it into a free-flowing stream of possibilities and potential.

“My mission has always been to wake people up every morning; now, it’s also about igniting your inner fire to help you show up in your full power and creativity all day, every day.”

The first offering from Finding Fire is ‘The Heart of Speaking,’ a live four-part online program with a session every fortnight across eight weeks.

The course is designed to help participants awaken their truest voice and express themselves more authentically. O’Connell will share practical insights and techniques to help individuals find their true voice and connect with their inner creativity.

Two mentoring groups will be available on launch, with one starting on 18 July and the second on 25 July.

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Top Image: Christian O’Connell

Melbourne independent media services agency Principle Media Group has lifted the lid on its new offices at Botanicca3 in Swan St Burnley. 

Joined by a crowd of more than 60 Melbourne publishers, those in attendance included Andrea Salmon, Nine’s director of sales – Melbourne, Rachel Page, Seven’s national sales director – digital, Martin Medcraft, Foxtel Media sports, sales and partnerships director, and Peter Charles, Seven’s Victorian and national independent agency sales director.

Nine Director of Sales – Melbourne Andrea Salmon, PMG founder Chris Nolan, Nine Group Business Director Marc Ashton and SCA Account Director Alexandra Braybon at the PMG office opening in Burnley

Principle Media Group runs more than $170m in billings and has a client roster including Sportsbet, Bob Jane T-Marts, Swisse, Lottoland, and Netball Australia.

Speaking at the event, Chris Nolan, founder and director of PMG said: “We launched PMG five years ago as a professional services agency whose expertise is in media. Our goal is to help our clients outgrow their competition, and we have pioneered the Plan To Grow method, to facilitate this. We believe that we have codified the role media plays as a growth driver for business.”

Managing partner Peter Toone added: “Tonight marks an important milestone for PMG as we enter our sixth year in business, and the first in our new office. We believe we have built a sophisticated proposition to help our clients succeed. Coupled with the experience of our team, we think we are well set up for future growth”.

“Our publishing partners here tonight play a key role in that growth. We deeply value those relationships, and our ability to work together to unlock strategic and emerging solutions for our clients competitive advantage.”

PMG’s senior leadership includes Nolan, a former COO of Publicis Media in Australia, Di Richardson, a former chief strategy officer of UM Worldwide New York, and Peter Toone, former managing director of Starcom Melbourne.

Since launching in 2019 PMG, has grown to more than 20 clients and a team of more than 40 people, servicing clients based in both Melbourne and Sydney.

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Top Image: Chris Nolan speaking at the opening of the new Burnley offices.

To celebrate the upcoming release of the highly anticipated documentary, I AM: CELINE DION on Prime Video on 25 June, Prime Video hosted a Special Screening of the film at the State Library of NSW in Sydney last night.

Celebrities, including Lucia Field and John Pearce (The Wiggles), Monika Tu,  Justin Hill, Patrick Abboud, Hannah Ferrier,  Anna Cocquerel (Home & Away), Donny Galella, Royston Noell, Tim Abbott, Vanity (Ben Moir), Jana Bartolo, Bridie McKim, Jeremy Blewit, Olivia Vasquez, Paul Capsis, Mikaela Binns-Rorke, Yvonne Sokias, Ellen Malone and Masha Mnjoyan attended the event.

Sydney Ensemble String Quartet performed a selection of Celine Dion’s most iconic songs as guests arrived.

The special screening opened with a special message for guests from Celine to introduce the film, “This is my love letter to my fans. I could not have done this without my greatest song of my life, my children. They have been at my side through this process, bringing me joy and love and support.”

Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I AM: CELINE DION gives us a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.

The premiere of I AM: CELINE DION is just one of a big list of highlights and premieres hitting the Prime Video platform this June and July.

The highly anticipated return of The Boys Season 4 is streaming now with episodes dropping weekly, and the finale premiering July 18.

The ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup is in full swing with all matches live and exclusive with Australia taking on Bangladesh from 10.30am AEST today. They will also play Afghanistan on Sunday 23 June at 10:30am AEST, and India on Tuesday 25 June at 12:30am AEST

Those About To Die starring Anthony Hopkins delves into the world of the games—a world characterised by bloodlust, greed for money, the pursuit of power, and corruption premieres July 19.

Guy Ritchie tells a story based on true events and the recently declassified files of the British War Department in The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare – an action-comedy about the first-ever special forces organisation formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming premieres July 25.

I AM: CELINE DION is presented by Amazon MGM Studios and is a Vermilion Films production in partnership with Sony Music Vision and Sony Music Entertainment Canada. It will be released globally on Prime Video on June 25.

Wednesday 19 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s RBT recorded a total TV national reach of 1,242,000, a total TV national audience of 548,000, and a BVOD audience of 43,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,469,000, a total TV national audience of 1,037,000, and a BVOD audience of 73,000.

Seven’s The Front Bar recorded a total TV national reach of 1,228,000, a total TV national audience of 563,000, and a BVOD audience of 25,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,297,000, a total TV national audience of 824,000, and a BVOD audience of 106,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,157,000, a total TV national audience of 656,000, and a BVOD audience of 60,000.

See also: TV Report 19 June 2024: MasterChefs aim to reinvent classic bacon and eggs

People 25-54

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 406,000
• National Audience: 200,000
• BVOD Audience: 25,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 421,000
• National Audience: 241,000 
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 444,000
• National Audience: 223,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 376,000
• National Audience: 252,000
• BVOD Audience: 59,000

People 16-39

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 153,000
• National Audience: 91,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 157,000
• National Audience: 80,000 
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 174,000
• National Audience: 100,000
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 159,000
• National Audience: 109,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ 

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 942,000
• National Audience: 416,000
• BVOD Audience: 34,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 920,000
• National Audience: 524,000 
• BVOD Audience: 50,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,184,000
• National Audience: 635,000
• BVOD Audience: 32,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,013,000
• National Audience: 642,000
• BVOD Audience: 84,000

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 20 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

Under 19s State of Origin

Nine’s draw for the evening was the Under 19s State of Origin at Leichhardt Oval. NSW ended up beating Queensland 14-10.

Seven TV Report

Britain’s Got Talent

On Seven, Britain’s Got Talent saw judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli as they searched for golden-buzzer-worthy talent.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Felicity and Eden tried to bury the hatchet, Irene walked further into Bronte’s trap and Dana made her suspicions known.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Maggie Walterson and she revealed how alters saved her life, Jelena Dokic opened up about internet body shaming and the team welcomed Jimeoin to the desk.

Taskmaster Australia

On 10’s Taskmaster Australia, contestants Josh Thomas, Jenny Tian, Lloyd Langford, Anne Edmonds and Wil Anderson were instructed to hunt Tom Cashman down and also fight it out to create the next big conspiracy.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Benson heads to the Bronx SVU for answers after becoming the target of a ruthless gang leader. Meanwhile, Fin works with Sgt Kate Dixon and Det Terry Bruno to help clear Bronx SVU’s case backlog.

ABC

7:30

7:30 saw Laura Tingle interview the head of encrypted messaging app Signal plus the program met with communities split over the prospect of having a nuclear power plant nearby.

Restoration Australia

Host Anthony Burke meets a couple turning an 1880s two-storey weatherboard wreck in South Melbourne into a dream home for their growing young family.

SBS

Guillaume’s French Atlantic

Renowned chef Guillaume Brahimi took viewers on an unforgettable gastronomic adventure in the premiere episode of Guillaume’s French Atlantic.

The Hospital: In the Deep End

Costa, Samuel and Melissa take on roles in St Vincent Hospital’s transplant, mental health and reconstructive surgery departments to see how they’re coping with the pressures of today, and what insight they provide for the future of our health care.