Dentsu Media CEO Danny Bass and Merkle CEO Steve Yurisich have exited dentsu as the Japanese-owned holding company makes 50 roles redundant – including vacant roles, freelancing arrangements, and contracts.

The restructure is in service of a “new and simplified model to create meaningful growth for clients.”

That model involves the creation of two streams: client counsel and commercial, and product and practices, accompanied by the promotions of Fiona Johnston, formerly Bass’ direct report as chief client officer, and Kirsty Muddle, formerly Bass’ creative counterpart as dentsu Creative CEO.

Across AUNZ, Johnston becomes the lead of client counsel and commercial, while Muddle will lead product and practices, which captures media, creative, data, and digital.

“This is no reflection of the capabilities, relationships, and leadership Danny or Steve have brought into our business,” dentsu AUNZ CEO Patricio De Matteis said.

“We are grateful for their huge contribution and support in helping us shape what a winning future state model for dentsu looks like, and to help us set a strong platform for growth of our media and Merkle brands.”

Bass – the former Snap, Mediabrands, and GroupM exec – joined the business a year and a half ago, while Yurisich was promoted to CEO of Merkle a year ago. He joined Merkle in March 2022 as chief growth officer.

dentsu added that Bass “has fulfilled a huge role over the past 18 months helping firm up dentsu’s media business, bringing in senior key talent to lift its capability, deepen key client relationships and strengthen dentsu’s media and Mutinex partnerships.”

Yurisich, meanwhile, “has played a pivotal role in helping reposition the Merkle business as a strategic partner for clients with the right capabilities, expertise, and agility to drive large scale transformations.”

De Matteis joined dentsu 16 months ago, taking over from former CEO Angela Tangas, who headed to the UK for a senior role with the holding company. She  had succeeded Henry Tajer in 2019, following his short-lived stint in the top job.

Last year, dentsu had a 93% client retention rate locally, and improved its staff retention by 13 percentage points: churn has gone from 45% in 2022 to 22% in 2023 under De Matteis’ leadership.

He said that the new model will deliver benefits to clients by unifying dentsu’s capabilities.

“Our clients are experiencing increasing pressure to evolve at speed. We need to help them deliver at the pace they need and the consumer expects. Importantly with a solution and product that delivers growth now and for the next,” he said.
​
“What excites me is the convergence of all of our capabilities, strategy, data and tech, creative, media, CXM to innovate for our clients, without any barriers. Not only can we move at the pace our clients want, but create at the pace consumers need.”

Amidst the changes, Rob Harvey will remain CEO of dentsu New Zealand. Johnston, Muddle, and Harvey will continue to report to De Matteis.

The streamlined proposition at a holding company level will not impact the individual agency brands: Dentsu Creative, iProspect, Carat, dentsuX, SMG, Cox Inall Ridgeway, TAG and Merkle will “remain strong and active”, dentsu said.

The changes were announced to staff on Monday afternoon. 

—

Top image L-R: Bass, Yurisich, Johnston, Muddle

“What we do is the most visible,” Patrick Rowe tells Mediaweek of Publicis’ creative agencies, as he marks a year as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia.

“I like to say that we are the shopfront window for Publicis Groupe, where our work is what’s seen and noticed, and clients might come in through a creative doorway.”

Succeeding Anthony Gregorio in February last year, Rowe arrived as no stranger to Publicis, having spent 25 years within the holdco‘s ecosystem. Before joining Saatchis, he served as the managing director of team one, Publicis’ bespoke agency for Lexus.

Rowe is one of many leaders settling into their new positions at Publicis, following a series of CEO-level appointments over the past 18 months, starting with Jason Tonelli at Zenith in August 2022, and followed by Matt Turl at Spark Foundry in December 2023. Most recently, Claire Pickens and Davy Rennie were named CEOs at Leo Burnett, and Digitas and Balance, respectively, in February this year.

Dave Bowman also joined Publicis as regional chief creative officer in March 2023, working alongside Saatchi and Saatchi’s joint CCOs, Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan, who arrived in September.

“There’s a real responsibility to maintain that standard of output,” Rowe says of the double-edged sword of creative agencies’ visibility and brand-building role. “That’s a key challenge, but it’s an amazing opportunity.” 

‘Creative agencies are living, breathing things’: Balancing heritage and modernisation

Rowe brought with him a vision for Saatchi & Saatchi: “to continue to be famous for best-in-class creative and strategic thinking,” while addressing a need to expand its creative thinking across more customer platforms. 

Building upon the founding ethos established by Maurice and Charles Saatchi in London in 1970 – “Nothing is impossible” – he introduced his own, contemporary version: “My mantra is that we want our creative thinking to have more impact, more often for our clients.

“Best-in-class strategic and creative thinking applied to a client’s business problem or to help them achieve something they thought was potentially out of reach.

“The key thing for us is to be great at what we do: we are a creative agency.”

Since inheriting the baton at Saatchis, Rowe has been a staunch advocate for leveraging data and tech to elevate its critical and creative thinking. “Technology, tools, the shift in media attention span, all of those things means we are moving faster than ever. It can be exhausting at times, and particularly if you don’t have the right sort of resource mix,” he says.

“Advertising and communications is a constantly moving forward wave. You have to keep up on the latest trends, data, whatever it might be, or you drop off the back.”

Rowe believes in expanding the relevance and impact of creative work across a robust channel mix, and in the efficiency of leveraging clients’ existing platforms and systems: “The use of data, technology and tools to understand the full-platform thinking of any client is a big part of our business.”

“We’ve made some significant investments since I’ve been here,” he continues. “Our creative thinking needs to be at home in social media, CRM, digital content activation, and in-store, as it is through traditional channels.”

And in the search for the holy grail behavioural insight, Rowe explains: “data done well allows you to predict future behaviour, not just report on what’s happened. So it’s hugely empowering for creative teams. It helps you understand more about the customer, the insight.

“Creative agencies are living, breathing things, and we constantly need to change as the industry changes. There’s always new ways of doing things.”

During his first year in the job, Saatchis clinched the the 2023 Grand Effie for for the ‘How Little Moments Made Big Bickies’ campaign for Arnott’s, announced in November last year. Rowe describes the win as “a huge success story.”

Rowe also names the September 2023 ‘In the Middle – An Unbreakable Connection’ campaign for Toyota HiLux as outstanding work. Directed by Tim Bullock of Scoundrel, the film portrays a divorcing couple who discover their enduring affinity for their split-custody HiLux makes it all the more difficult to part ways.

‘It’s fierce out there’: On attracting and retaining talent

Rowe is acutely aware of pervasive industry challenges such as the battle for talent, managing operational speed and resources, and navigating an ever-evolving mediascape. He recalls the return-to-office struggle post-COVID. Capturing the energy in an era of hybrid working is an ongoing, collective challenge, he says.

“The inherent value of our company is people and ideas, and the best ideas come from people working together,” he explains. “It’s been difficult as we make sure that all of our agencies and Saatchi & Saatchi in particular embrace a flexible working environment that still allows for optimised creative and strategic thinking by our people. I’m not the only person to face that challenge.”

He sees attracting and retaining talent as a “major” challenge the industry is facing, compounded by a persistent allure for Australians to seek shinier opportunities abroad. Aussie talent is well-placed in the international market, he says.

“We’re in a bit of a sweet spot in terms of the industry here,” he says. “Australians are generally very adept at fitting in anywhere. In Australia, your job in an agency is to think strategically, write the brief, play a role in creative development, oversee production and dispatch, and have a point of view on media.”

He compares this to the situation in countries like the United States, where “some agencies are so big that people become experts at one piece of the process.”

However, it’s not just the competition from adland that is fuelling the talent war, Rowe contends. “Once upon a time, advertising was the creative industry to get into, but now there’s so much competition from tech, entertainment companies, and others, that it’s fierce out there to attract the very best.”

Bucking the trend, last September, Saatchis welcomed respected creative duo van der Merwe and Gordhan, who moved from their joint stations as chief creative officers at dentsu Creative. “They’ve had a huge impact; they’ve been inspiring to work with,” says Rowe.

“I’m privileged to … work with an amazing bunch of people, many of whom have been here for years, but also being able to bring in new talent and fresh thinking.

“We bring in new people and fresh thinking and new ideas, and it’s invigorating for everybody.”

See also: Davy Rennie’s to-do: Give CMOs ‘unfair advantage’, get his agencies to ‘stop being so bloody humble’

–

Top Image: Patrick Rowe

First airing in 2009, MasterChef Australia enters its 16th season in 2024, and has experienced its biggest makeover yet, headlined by new judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli joining Andy Allen.

Ahead of tonight’s premiere on 10 and 10 Play, network EP and Paramount’s head of non-scripted Sarah Thornton; Endemol Shine’s director of content, Melbourne Marty Benson; and new co-host Levin spoke with Mediaweek about how the new season is changing things up and why it continues to be a hit with audiences. 

What does the new judging lineup bring to MasterChef Australia?

Thornton: There is a really great diversity across the panel. We’ve obviously got Andy who brings out consistency and knowledge of MasterChef and genuine skill, Poh who is the heartbeat of MasterChef, Sofia brings a kind of contemporary approach to food, and is a genuine eater, which I think is so important in shows like this. And then Jean-Christophe is bringing his experience to it. So what I think we have from this judging panel is a new point of view, and a real cross-section of the world of food, which I think is also really brilliant.

MasterChef is much-loved and there is a reason for it. It’s because it’s an incredibly truthful, authentic, and exciting experience to the viewer. And I do think this year, in addition to a spectacular judging panel, we have really exciting contestants who are so memorable. Honestly, I walk around thinking about them in my downtime. They’re in my mind, they’re under my skin. And I think that viewers are really going to connect with this batch of home cooks in a way that maybe they haven’t for several years. So I think for that reason, I’m super excited for people to see it.

Sarah Thornton, network EP MasterChef Australia, head of non-scripted, Paramount Australia

What was behind the decision to send the show back to Hong Kong for the first time since season one? 

Benson: We do love to go away. 

We’re on air for 12 weeks so it’s nice to go away somewhere. But what’s most important whenever we go away is that we go somewhere that’s got an incredible food scene and hands down Hong Kong is just amazing. As we experienced from the streets to the Michelin Star restaurants, everywhere is a delight in Hong Kong. So really it’s because of the food scene.

And you look back at the other countries we’ve been to over the years, Japan, Italy, California, London, Paris, it’s always because of the food scene. So that was the main reason. It was wonderful to collaborate with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to create some incredible challenges while we were there, really exciting stuff.

Marty Benson, director of content, Melbourne, Endemol Shine Australia

Why do you think MasterChef continues to be a hit with audiences after 15 years on air?

Benson: I think it’s the production values of MasterChef and it might sound cliche, but it’s also one of the most honest and authentic shows on television. Our philosophy is ordinary people cooking extraordinary food. And that is exactly what happens now. I think people can just see themselves in the contestants. We’ve also got a history of almost 70% of our contestants over the years having changed their lives by being on MasterChef.

In your opinion, what makes MasterChef stand out in the sea of reality cooking programs?

Levin: I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot, and I think it’s multifaceted. Yes, it’s the feel-good, uplifting, encouraging, family-friendly show that everybody knows and loves. But from my point of view, the thing that has been most surprising has been just how on the pulse MasterChef Australia is.

Coming from the food media, restaurant journalism side of things, when we write stories, we’re looking for what’s trending. We’re looking for chefs doing things. We’re looking for chefs creating dishes and concepts that are really interesting and innovative. From the ingredients used in the MasterChef Kitchen through to our guests, they’re all topics that I would write about and pitch to a publication as a journalist.

Sofia Levin, new judge on MasterChef Australia

So if you are interested in not just the human side of things, if you’re genuinely interested in the food scene in Australia and how that translates across the world and really puts us as one of the main players on the global stage, MasterChef Australia is then absolutely a legitimate place to find out what’s going on in the world of food and hospitality. And you get to meet amazing people simultaneously.

Yes, we’ve got Jamie Oliver, who has been iconic for decades. But then you’ve got Josh Niland who’s completely changed the way we treat seafood and we have these incredible cooks and chefs who have made a name for themselves through social media. So it sounds like a cliche to say there’s something for everybody, but I feel like MasterChef invented the cliche before it was a cliche.

I’m just really, really excited for everybody to watch this new chapter because I know for the contestants, this is the start of the rest of their lives, but I think it feels that way for us as judges as well.

—

Last April, judge Jock Zonfrillo passed away aged 46 just before the last season was set to air. In October, the day before Ten’s upfront in October, it was revealed judge Melissa Leong would not be returning to the format in 2024, with only Allen remaining as part of the new four-judge lineup.

The 2024 season will see the cast and crew return to Hong Kong for the first time since season one in 2009, 15 years ago. The cooking show will film three episodes in the culinary hot spot, which is home to 77 Michelin-starred restaurants and over 15,000 dining establishments.

MasterChef Australia is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company). The format was created by Franc Roddam and represented internationally by Banijay Rights. 

MasterChef Australia premieres Monday 22 April at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play. 

News in March reached 20.7 million people, with both entertainment stories and more serious headlines capturing Australia’s attention, according to the latest Ipsos iris data.

On the lighter side, the AFL and NRL season launches – particularly the NRL Las Vegas event – the Sydney Mardi Gras parade, the Oscars winners and red carpet, and the final weeks of Married At First Sight and Australian Idol drove online news.

More serious news people turned to included Princess Katherine’s cancer diagnosis, the Matildas’ Sam Kerr’s alleged racial slur to a police officer, the wars in the Ukraine and Gaza, youth conflict in Alice Springs, the arrest of Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer, the Baltimore Bridge collapse, and Moscow Concert Hall attacks.

More than 20.7 million people used a news website or app in March, reaching 96.6% of online Australians aged 14+. A total of 21.5 million Australians aged 14+ used the internet in March and spent on average 4.3 hours per day, or almost 134 hours in the month, online.

Ipsos iris data shows that news.com.au holds the top digital news brand spot for the 15th consecutive month, with an audience of 12.94 million in March – up 4.2% month-on-month. The average time spent on the site was 27 minutes per person.

News.com.au editor Kerry Warren said a main driver of the result was the About Bloody Time campaign, which launched on 1 March and advocates for longer, Medicare-funded consultation for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.

“We launched About Bloody Time with the goal of getting 20,000 signatures on our petition by International Women’s Day on March 8,” Warren said.

“Instead, we got 20,000 in under 24 hours, and finished up with more than 50,000 signatures. Even though we knew more than one million Australians suffer from endometriosis, the results blew us away.”

In the wider results, sports was the fastest growing category, up 11.2% in March compared to February 2024. It was followed by automotive (up 1.9%) and health (up 1.7%). The average time per person spent on the sports category rose by 29.8%, as the AFL, NRL and Super Rugby all kicked off their 2024 seasons.

Lifestyle websites and apps also saw a significant increase in average time spent per person online for the month, growing by 11.4%.

The Siren Awards will no longer be run as a standalone event, with Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) striking a trade deal to fold the gong into an existing awards ceremony.

See Also: Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) searching for new CEO after Ford Enalls quits

The move to shutter the Siren Awards has been described by CRA chief commercial officer Jo Dick as a “refresh” that “will ensure the initiative keeps up with our fast-evolving industry” and “expand the scope of the award to reflect excellence across all audio platforms – not just radio.”

The change has been met with mixed opinions, with Kade Robinson, creative director at ARN Media, writing on social media that the change was “extremely disappointing” and that it was “hard to see this as anything other than an axing.”

With the new award blending the Sirens’ Single, Campaign, Craft, and Innovation categories, Robinson argues the result will be “fewer awards and less recognition for audio creative in Australia.”

Sirens founder, Eardrum’s Ralph van Dijk admitted the move was “the end of an era,” but added that it was “the start of a new one.”

“I’m excited to see how the Siren’s partnership with Advertising Council Australia can help foster the next generation of creative excellence in audio. While the Cannes Lions prize will be sorely missed, focusing resources on upskilling creatives will reap even greater rewards,” van Dijk said.

Thinkerbell’s Adam Ferrier said “The Siren Awards have been an important creative initiative for two decades, and this move will carry it into the next 20 years. Expanding the award from just radio to all audio is also vital, as it shines a light on how impactful audio is and what it can deliver for brands. 

“Audio is too often undervalued, so anything that holds up the creative possibilities of this medium should be encouraged.”

CRA has also announced it is partnering with Advertising Council Australia (ACA) to support AWARD School 2024, as a presenting partner for the Audio Week brief. AWARD School has already kicked off for 2024, with participants receiving their Audio Week brief from tutor David Fraser of BMF – which won the 2023 Siren Award for its work with ALDI.

Dick added that “by teaming up with ACA to support AWARD School, we will be encouraging new and emerging creative talent to embrace audio.”

SBS has become the first broadcaster to measure the carbon footprint of a television program’s production through Sustainable Screen Australia. 

The Cook Up with Adam Liaw had its carbon footprint validated by the ‘Albert calculator’ – a tool to calculate and validate greenhouse gas emissions – via Sustainable Screen Australia, of which SBS is a founding member.

SBS director of television, Kathryn Fink, said: “At SBS, we have ambitious plans in sustainability and are committed to ensuring they are credible, sound and have meaningful third-party validation which the albert calculator provided. 

“The Cook Up with Adam Liaw recorded emission levels below international industry averages, demonstrating the work being done both behind and in front of the camera to lead in sustainability.

“Not only does the show itself value and celebrate sustainable food and cooking practices, but our production crew have also made impactful changes to catering and transportation to minimise our carbon footprint.

Insight and Going Places with Ernie Dingo will be the next two shows to have their footprints measured.

“This is an important first step for this show and others to minimise emissions in production and set up the blueprint for our next shows in this process,” Fink added.

SBS has also initiated the process of submitting its net zero targets to be validated by the global standard Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the internationally recognised standard for science-based greenhouse gas emissions targets. The SBTi will audit the broadcaster’s decarbonisation modelling to ensure it aligns with the latest science.

Also coinciding with Earth Day, SBS Audio will launch the first two episodes of its new podcast Everything We Need, which explores how regional communities are meeting the challenge of climate change.

From dust storms that completely darken towns in the middle of the day to extreme bushfire risk, the six-part series speaks to people experiencing the harsh realities of climate change. 

At its 2024 Upfronts in October, SBS made several sustainability announcements, including that it had achieved net zero on its direct emissions (covering Scope 1 and 2) and that it was also setting up a target to reach net zero by 2045 across all three scopes, including its supply chain. 

See also: ‘More relevant than ever’: Living Black returns for 31st season on NITV and SBS

NAB has launched the latest iteration of its ‘Wrangle Your Money’ campaign via TBWA\Melbourne and Mindshare, which was first introduced in March as an extension of the bank‘s ‘More Than Money’ brand platform.

The ad playfully depicts an emotional farewell to a cropped puffer jacket, a financial trade off in pursuit of saving for a ‘Euro summer’.

The new work is designed to speak directly to Gen Z customers who are feeling the ongoing cost of living crisis. According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), 82% of Gen Z feel financially stressed, and are twice as likely to want to better manage their finances, compared to 70% of other generations.

NAB’s head of group brand, Sue Brailsford, said the research shows “Gen Z want to be more confident when it comes to managing their finances, and knowing where to start can be overwhelming.

“NAB’s new campaign aims to connect with Gen Z Australians through relatable situations, demonstrating how NAB can help these customers wrangle their money to make better financial decisions.”

The campaign content will roll out nationwide across social (TikTok and Snapchat), as well as YouTube, OOH and digital audio.

The work further taps into research that shows over half of Gen Zs (52%) say they’ll engage with creative and entertaining ads, versus 42% of boomers. 

Matt Stoddart, executive creative director at TBWA\Melbourne, said while it seems almost everyone has an opinion on what Gen Zs should be doing with their money, the agency “decided to let Gen Z take control in a way that felt fun, relatable and appropriately funeral-ly”. 

TBWA\Melbourne creative Kale McRedmond, who directed the campaign, added: “Making content for a younger audience is always tricky. You want to reflect how they feel, but you also risk sounding like a high school teacher with their hat backwards. I think we struck a good balance.”

See also: NAB launches ‘Wrangle Your Money’ campaign with TBWA\Melbourne 

Credits:
Production and creative agency: TBWA\Melbourne 
Chief creative officer: Paul Reardon
Executive creative director: Matt Stoddart
Creative and director: Kale McRedmond
Creative: James Southey
Editor: Chris Gillingham
Head of planning: Virginia Pracht
Senior producer: Janine Wertheim
Production manager: Phoebe Graham
Managing director: Ricci Meldrum
Client partner: Sarah Tukua
Senior business director: Jade Mittermair

A MasterChef Australia Mystery Box was served up at Federation Square this weekend with Melbourne fans experiencing the activation ahead of season 16’s premiere tonight.

Developed and designed by Paramount Australia in conjunction with XPO: The Mars Agency, the activation stands 1.5 stories high and popped up to build intrigue and excitement in the lead-up to the launch of season 16.

A photo opportunity in itself, the mega Mystery Box features a plasma TV on the exterior showcasing promos for the new season and inside, fans can pose in a miniature MasterChef Australia kitchen, with a photo wall of past winners plus life-sized pictures of the four brand new judges, and a mini Coles-branded MasterChef Australia pantry. 

Andreana Walton, Network 10’s head of marketing – broadcast and digital said: “Serving up the iconic MasterChef Mystery Box in a way that has never been seen before, and watching the joy the experience has brought to fans, has been a career highlight for my team and I.

“We’ve taken a holistic and integrated approach to ensure the experience and all touch points are true to the MasterChef Australia brand, engaging fans in meaningful ways, creating excitement and anticipation for the new season.”

The mega Mystery Box activation was supported by bespoke content recorded with influencers, and social posts on MasterChef Australia and Channel 10 accounts, as well as organic social media reach from fans, a visit by the KIIS 101.1 team, and a fly over by The Australian Traffic Network chopper.

The activation culminates tonight with the first episode of MasterChef Australia at 7.30pm airing on the big screen at Fed Square, with a special intro from Kyle & Jackie O, ahead of their debut on Melbourne airwaves next Monday.

The activation ends tonight upon the conclusion of the first episode. 

Season 16 of MasterChef Australia is fronted by new judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli plus the returning Andy Allen.

Ahead of tonight’s premiere on 10 and 10 Play, network EP and Paramount’s head of non-scripted Sarah Thornton; Endemol Shine’s director of content, Melbourne Marty Benson; and new co-host Levin spoke with Mediaweek about how the new season is changing things up and why it continues to be a hit with audiences. 

“MasterChef is much-loved and there is a reason for it. It’s because it’s an incredibly truthful, authentic, and exciting experience for the viewer,” Thornton said.

“And I do think this year, in addition to a spectacular judging panel, we have really exciting contestants who are so memorable.”

See also: MasterChef Australia team on S16: ‘Viewers are going to connect in a way maybe they haven’t for several years’

The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) has revealed the six senior marketers who will judge the 2024 MFA Awards as Signature Judges: Martin Brown, Lisa Robson, Ben Hill, Naysla Edwards, Nicole Smart, and Sarah Sorrenson.

Signature Judges were introduced at last year’s MFA Awards to provide a strong advertiser voice to lead judging and ensure the focus remains on proven effectiveness.

The Signature Judges will lead a judging cohort of more than 100 experienced professionals drawn from the whole spectrum of the industry: media agencies, media owners, tech companies and a record number of marketers.

Martin Brown is general manager at Nestlé and AANA chair. Naysla Edwards is VP of customer marketing and member experience, American Express ANZ. Ben Hill is chief marketing officer at Mars Wrigley. Lisa Ronson is a senior marketer and an adjunct professor at Deakin Business School. Nicole Smart is GM group media and media planning at Woolworths Group. And Sarah Sorrenson is head of Global Media at Diageo.

MFA Awards chairs Sophie Price, chief strategy officer at EssenceMediaCom, and Chris Colter, chief strategy and product officer at Initiative, thanked all six marketers for committing to help identify the most effective and inspiring media thinking in Australia.
 
“We’re delighted to welcome our six Signature Judges to act as champions for proven effectiveness in the MFA Awards judging room. With enormous expertise and knowledge among them, we believe they will make a valuable contribution to the process of identifying the most innovative and effective media thinking in Australia,” they added.
 
Brown said he was looking forward to returning as an MFA Awards Signature Judge this year: “Last year’s judging experience was enormously inspiring and a great reminder of the high calibre of media thinking being delivered by Australian media agencies. As always, I will be looking for breakthrough ideas that led to exceptional brand and business results.”

Smart, Woolworths group GM group media and media planning added: “I’m a strong believer in the power of media to drive commercial impact, which is why I’m excited to be judging the MFA Awards. In addition to effectiveness, I will be keeping a keen eye for collaboration, innovation and ideas that take me by surprise.”

This further bolsters the MFA Awards program’s rigorous judging process, which includes automatic conflict filtering, independent auditing, blind voting and proof of media contribution.

Entries to the MFA Awards are open until 3 May to MFA member media agencies, clients and media owners, with a call to showcase work that lives up to the industry’s We Are The Changers purpose, demonstrating best-practice media thinking and long-term business growth for clients. The winners will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner at White Bay Cruise Terminal in Sydney on 19 September.
 
Tickets to the 2024 MFA Awards are now available here.
 
The 2024 MFA Awards sponsors are:
 
Grand Prix Sponsor: Seven Network
Platinum Sponsors: Meta, Outdoor Media Association, SBS
Gold Sponsors: Ad Standards, OzTAM, Foxtel Media, News Corp

Deloitte and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have launched ‘The First Effect’ – a co-branded campaign created by the local Deloitte Digital team in Australia and New Zealand – to mark the 100-day countdown to Paris 2024 Games.

The campaign is a celebration of Olympic moments and athletes who have achieved unprecedented feats, and the lasting impact of their accomplishments.

It features the stories of five trailblazing athletes: Great Britain’s Nicola Adams, who made history as the first female boxer to secure an Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games; Sarah Attar, the first female to represent Saudi Arabia in athletics at the Olympics; South African swimmer Natalie Du Toit, the first amputee swimmer to qualify for the Games; Algerian 1,500-metre runner Abdellatif Baka; and Rose Lokonyen, who competed as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team in Rio 2016.

The campaign further brings to life other momentous “firsts” including the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 being the first to be broadcast live globally, and the Paris Olympics in 1900 being the first to feature female athletes.

“Beautiful work team. So nice to see this idea progress from strategy, into idea and manifest into a wonderful execution. You held it tight and never let go,” Nick Garrett, Deloitte Digital’s global leader – marketing and commerce, wrote on LinkedIn about the campaign.

“Working into two clients isn’t easy, but i am proud of our business for pushing for work like this and in partnership with the IOC, it magnifies the meaning and scale of the very poignant message you are saying.”

Deloitte joined The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme in 2022. Deloitte Global’s global partnerships managing director, Pia Devitre, said the campaign anticipates the many Olympic “firsts” to come, “the human ambition and what the athletes themselves might deliver for the first time.”

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games always provide an opportunity for a set of ‘firsts’,” she said. “Paris 2024 will be no exception, with the first time that the Opening Ceremony will happen outside a stadium, and the first time that we will see equal numbers of male and female athletes participating.”

Anne Aikman, IOC television and marketing services’ vice president of delivery and activation, added: “Worldwide Olympic Partner Deloitte’s ‘The First Effect’ campaign epitomises the spirit of pioneering excellence that defines the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

“As we look forward to the start of Paris 2024, this campaign highlights the IOC and Deloitte’s belief in the transformative power of sport,” she said.

The campaign is currently live and will be rolled out across platforms including Olympics social media channels, Meta, TikTok, and X throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

See also: Barry O’Brien: Advertisers should compete to be part of Olympics magic

Top Image (L-R): Sarah Attar, Nicola Adams, and Rose Lokonyen

Cadbury and Rugby Australia have struck a deal that will see Cadbury become the principal partner of the Wallaroos for the next six years, through to Australia’s home Rugby World Cup in 2029.

Cadbury has been the national women’s rugby team’s major partner since 2021 and has now elevated its partnership, with the Cadbury logo to now feature across the Wallaroos home and away jerseys. 

Kathy De Lullo, director of marketing excellence at Mondelēz International, custodians of Cadbury, said: “We know Australians are passionate about sport on the world stage, and Cadbury’s values of creating connections, generosity, and community spirit resonate with this partnership with Australian Rugby and the Wallaroos.

“Through our commitment, we want to support the Wallaroos at the elite level and promote visibility and equality for women in sports.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said Cadbury’s new commitment is a watershed moment for women’s rugby In Australia.

“Cadbury has been an invaluable partner to Rugby since 2021, and we are proud to announce together the brand’s expanded commitment to Women’s Rugby for the next six years.

“The 2029 Rugby World Cup promises to be an inspiring moment for the game, and to be able to enjoy the support of such a prominent brand in the lead-up to that major event is a huge boost to the Wallaroos program.

“In February, Rugby Australia announced it will invest more than ever before into its Women’s Rugby program In 2024, with higher player payments, a full-time head coach, our first dedicated women’s high-performance manager, and an increased Wallaroos schedule.

“We still have work to do; however, we are seeing the flow-on at the community level too – Women’s Rugby is the fastest growing part of the game at the grassroots level; we saw a 16% increase in female participation in clubs in 2023.

“This major partnership with Cadbury will be a significant factor as we strive to continue growing our financial commitment to Women’s XVs, and especially in driving greater visibility of our athletes and the Wallaroos.”

Cadbury has a history of supporting Australian sports, both at elite and grassroots levels. The brand has previously partnered with the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams, Hobart Hurricanes, Matildas, and AFLW.

Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI) has tasked Orphan creative agency to create an end of financial year tax campaign, encouraging donations for its medical research.

Founder of Orphan, Ant Hatton, explained the task was to create work that “brought together the three pillars of Children’s Cancer Institute; The children. The research. And the donors (the Australian public).

“‘They need our help. We need yours’ highlights the importance of both medical research and the public’s donations that help fund it.”

With a focus on a single child overwhelmed by a research laboratory where they can barely reach the microscope, the film captures the dependency of children with cancer on others to help them through the disease.

Heather Mcilfatrick, general manager of brand, communications and digital at CCI, emphasised the crucial role research plays in developing safe and effective treatments for children with cancer. In Australia alone, over 1,000 children are diagnosed wth cancer each year.

“Orphan has, once again, hit the mark with a campaign that combines both love and science and lets you know exactly what you need to do and why,” she said. “Children deserve to grow up and grow old but only research can change outcomes.” 

The work is the latest extension from the ‘A life should be long’ brand platform, developed by Orphan for CCI in September 2022, following the ‘Donate your age’ campaign that went live last year.

It will run until the end of June across TV, cinema, OOH, DM, print, digital, and social.

See also: Clemenger BBDO encourages bowel cancer conversation with its Irregular Valentine’s Day campaign

Credits:

Client: Children’s Cancer Institute
Chief marketing and fundraising officer: Anne Johnston
General manager, brand, communications and digital: Heather Mcilfatrick
Head of brand and content: Paul Wiggins

Creative agency: Orphan

Production company: Revolver
Directing collective: Glue Society
Director: Paul Bruty
DOP: Jay Torta
MD/co-owner: Michael Ritchie 
EP/partner: Pip Smart 
Producer: Jasmin Helliar 
Producer: Lily Warland 

Post production: The Glue Society Studios
Editor: Luke Crethar
Online: Eugene Richards 
Colourist: Martin Greer 

Sound: Rumble Studios
Executive producer: Michael Gie 
Owner/creative director: Tone Aston 
Sound design: Daniel William, Sean Wilkinson
Composer: Alex Booker

Photographer: Toby Burrows  
Retoucher: Giles Davies

Media: Zenith

Communications agency Sefiani has made two senior hires and two senior promotions across its digital, corporate, and crisis management teams.

Long-term Sefiani director Nick Owens has been promoted to president of corporate and crisis communications. Owens will continue to advise Sefiani clients while supporting crisis responses for clients of its parent company, Clarity Global.

Iain Waterman has been promoted from senior account director to vice president. Waterman leads programs for clients in the aerospace, cybersecurity, and financial services sectors. Last year, he was recognised as PR Professional of the Year at the 2023 PRIA Awards.

Katrina Calvi has been appointed account director for digital strategy and content, leading the agency’s digital marketing offering, and working closely with Clarity Global’s digital teams in London and New York, as well as the Sydney-based head of editorial content, Alice Spraggon.

Georgia Swindley joins Stefiani as account manager, working across corporate, professional services and technology clients. Swindley moves from UK agency Citypress, where she worked with global brands including Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Lloyds Banking Group, and Rabobank.

In January last year, the Sydney-based agency, which was founded in 1999 by former Edelman executive Robyn Sefiani, was acquired by Clarity Global Group.

Following the move, Sefiani was appointed Australia and New Zealand president and reputation counsel and joined Clarity’s global presidents’ board.

Sefiani’s managing partner Mandy Galmes said, “as part of our acquisition by Clarity Global, we wanted to ensure we could grow all of our people, including our senior team members. Through the new professional development pathways available to our team, we are excited to see both Nick and Iain step into their new roles, where we know they will thrive.

“We warmly welcome Katrina, Georgia and Rochelle and know the diverse services and sector experience they bring will further enhance our integrated communications offering across earned, paid, shared and owned digital and mainstream media channels.”

Sefiani added: “The composition of our Sefiani team is reflecting what we know clients want: meaningful and measurable positive impact from communication campaigns and enhancement and protection of brands and corporate reputations.”

“Recent high-profile corporate fails in crisis response have escalated corporate awareness in Australia of the need for expert reputation management counsel,” she said. “It’s why we are now seeking to recruit a talented addition to our market-leading crisis management team.”

See also: Sefiani Communications: Clarity Global Group acquires the Sydney-based agency

–

Top Image: Iain Waterman and Katrina Calvi

Bread Agency has developed a new communications platform and creative tagline for Connect Hearing. ‘Sounds Good’ was created by the agency as a way to simply communicate the benefit of prioritising hearing health with the Sonova-owned national healthcare network.

According to healthdirect, one in six Australians experience hearing loss, with noise exposure being one of the leading causes.

The new platform and tagline will be rolled out across a series of 30 and 15 second TV commercials, point-of-sale (in over 240 clinics across Australia), social media and digital assets.

Sonova’s marketing director, Renee Kraus, said Connect Hearing has “long operated behind the scenes, focused on cutting edge technology and client focused outcomes, enriching the lives of countless Australians over the years.”

“Our aim is to reach even more Australians, enabling our clients to enjoy the delight of hearing and living a life without limitations,” she said.

“This new communications platform is designed to educate and empower communities about the importance of hearing health so that they can take action.”

Bread Agency has worked with Connect Hearing since the agency’s inception. Co-founder Amaury Treguer added: “having the opportunity to release this new platform to support the brand further is very exciting for both teams.

“Being able to clearly hear what people say. Sounds good right?! That’s exactly what we’ve tried to encapsulate with this new tagline ‘Sounds good’.” 

Bread Agency’s remit for the account entails strategy, creative, and content creation through always-on and campaign work.

Earlier this year, period underwear brand Modibodi announced the appointment of Bread Agency as its global social media partner, aiming to amplify the brand’s social presence across multiple regions including Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, and Germany.

See also: Modibodi taps Bread Agency as global social media partner

Credits:
Client: Connect Hearing (Sonova Group)
Social agency: Bread Agency
TV production: We Know Video
Media partner: HAVE Partners

GumGum has integrated Playground xyz’s media portfolio into its Asia-Pacific (APAC) business to create a suite of AI-powered, advanced contextual ad solutions to help advertisers tap into audience mindset and achieve standout attention rates.

Playground xyz, acquired by GumGum in 2021, is an attention-based advertising platform that incorporates a raft of creative ad formats. These include Hang Time, Super Skin, and Hoverboard.

The platform’s media arm in the APAC market and the formats are now fully integrated into GumGum’s fleet of ad solutions. Playground xyz’s APAC media business will adopt the GumGum brand for unification and global alignment.

Playground xyz’s Attention Intelligence Platform (AIP) will continue as a standalone data solution delivering global attention measurement for GumGum’s media business and the broader industry across Display, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, OLV and more.

This integration of GumGum’s media businesses in APAC represents the final piece of the rollout of The Mindset Platform, launched in North America and Europe in late 2023. The Mindset Platform combines AIP, GumGum’s media products, and GumGum’s advanced contextual intelligence platform, Verity.

Sorrel Osborne, head of media of APAC, at GumGum said the ability to tap into consumer mindset and capture and measure attention has become mission critical for brands in an increasingly crowded and distracted digital ecosystem.

“The rollout of The Mindset Platform in APAC offers our clients the essence and core DNA of Playground xyz with the increased scale of GumGum.

“Our combined media and data offering gives brands the tools they need to stand out and achieve better outcomes, with real-time attention insights, a combination of high impact ad products, and cutting-edge contextual intelligence,” Osborne added.

Global pizza brand Domino’s was the first brand to leverage The Mindset Platform for its “50% off” pizza campaign in the United Kingdom. The campaign achieved an average overall return on ad spend of 225% and an additional 3000 hours of attention on one creative element (against control). The campaign won the award for Game-Changing Technology at The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising in 2023.

Fur Media has entered into a partnership with online pet platform Mad Paws, working to help advertisers reach the network’s estimated 1.6 million pet owners.

The partnership comes into effect immediately. 

See Also: Michael Ryan and Nic Cann target pet owner market with launch of Fur Media

Under the partnership, Fur Media will exclusively handle in-bound advertising for Mad Paws Holdings – which includes Mad Paws and subsidiary companies Pet Chemist, Waggly pet toys and treats, and Sash pet beds. Fur Media will also sell digital advertising for Mad Paws and its owned brands.

For brands, the partnership offers access to a community of pet lovers, with advertising opportunities across Fur Media’s digital kiosk and content network in vets, along with Mad Paws’ websites, eDMs, social media channels, long-form and short-form content offerings, distribution and sampling, and content collaborations with ambassadors.

Mad Paws CEO, Justus Hammer, said the partnership brings “its own special synergy,” and that the team are “thrilled to embark on this journey with Fur Media, whose expertise in in-bound advertising perfectly complements our mission to connect pet lovers with the best services and products.”

“Together, we’re poised to reach new heights and create even more tails of happiness for pets and their owners.”

Fur Media co-founder, Nic Cann, said the Mad Paws partnership “directly aligns with our mission to change the face of pet media,” and that pet owners are “a massive demographic for brands to reach and connect with.”

“We know advertisers are keen to reach pet owners. They’re an affluent audience, who are willing to spend big on their pets. In 2022 alone, Aussies spent a whopping $30.7 billion on food, vet, and health services; and with pet numbers now outstripping humans at 27.8 million nationwide, now is the time for advertisers to start focusing on reaching this demographic,” Cann said.

Following its premiere at the Westpac OpenAir cinemas in February, Mastercard’s Australian-first motion picture without pictures, Touch, is now being taught in film schools and entering the international film festival circuit.

Developed in partnership with Westpac and brought to life through Dolby 7.1 sound, ‘Touch’ is geared towards blind and low vision audiences (BLV). Inclusive filmmaking organisation, Bus Stop Films, also consulted and supported the production as Mastercard’s inclusion partner.

Directed by Australian director, Tony Krawitz, and Oscar-nominated sound mixer, Wayne Pashley, the film follows the story of young man, Ben, and his two friends, Naomi and Mo, who get trapped in the consciousness of Ben’s unusual father, Frank, after an experiment gone wrong.

To escape his mind, the trio must embark on an adventure through Frank’s memories, learning more about a man they thought they knew along the way, and more about themselves, too.

The production and creative was led by Mastercard’s agency parter, Howatson+Company, with the creative agency bringing together BLV and non-BLV collaborators from around the world. TBWA Group‘s Eleven PR took charge of the earned media strategy and delivery, while We Are Social managed the social strategy and execution.

Mastercard’s in-house integrated marketing communications team took on the overarching responsibility for project management.

Since its premiere, Touch has started to be taught in film schools including AFTRS, wth plans to progress its roll-out in cinemas and festivals globally in 2024 and beyond.

Julie Nestor, Mastercard’s executive vice president and head of marketing and communications for Asia Pacific, said the film “represents an important step in Mastercard’s multi-sensory journey, embodying its commitment to inclusion.

“Collaborating closely with key stakeholders, alongside blind and low vision crew members and inclusion partners, Mastercard navigated uncharted territory to create a powerful cinematic experience.”

Howatson+Company ECD, Gavin Chimes, said the team pulled out all the stops to create an immersive film unlike any that has come before it, “from an original audio-first screenplay to Dolby Atmos sound design to cinematic scores composed by members of the blind and low vision community.”

“Working with Mastercard and our incredible production partners, we reimagined how a film can be created for everyone, including people who are blind or have low vision,” added Chimes.

Deb Deshayes, CEO of Blind Citizens Australia, which consulted on the project, stated that, “it’s crucial to have entertainment that not only considers people who are blind or vision impaired, but also involves them in the whole development process.

“To have a film like TOUCH is an important step towards building a more inclusive future that will allow 500,000+ Australians to enjoy content like everyone else.”

The initiative followed Westpac’s move earlier this year to become the first Australian issuer to roll out accessible cards with the Mastercard Touch Card feature. The design system is made of simple yet distinct tactile notches to help BLV individuals differentiate their credit, debit and prepaid cards. 

See also: Mastercard and Westpac partner for pictureless film powered by sound

Credits:

Client: Mastercard

Creative and production: Howatson+Company
Earned: Eleven
Social: We Are Social
Paid: McCann
Media: Carat

Production company: Heckler Sound
Executive producer: Bonnie Law
Partner/creative Director: Johnny Green
Head of sound: Dave Robertson

Inclusion partner: Bus Stop Films 

Cast and crew:
Director: Tony Krawtiz
Directors attachment: Benjamin Phillips

Cast:
Ben: Alexander England
Naomi: Maeve Dermody
Mo: Adam Briggs
Frank: David Field
Young Frank: Kyzen Petelo
Sarah: Hannah Waterman
Murray: John Waters
Casting: Stevie Ray CGA
Casting assistant: Michelle Ny
Casting director Attachment: Lily Mitchell

Sound department:
Sound studio: Heckler Sound
Executive producer: Bonnie Law
Supervising sound editor: Wayne Pashley (Big Bang Sound Design)
Re-recording mixer: Dave Robertson
Sound post co-ordinator:  Libby Villa (Big Bang Sound Design)
Sound editors: Jared Dwyer, Nick Keate, Dave Robertson and Chris Doherty
Foley artists: Jared Dwyer, Eliza Jayne South, Jack Okeby
ADR recordist: Dan Hackett
Dialogue editors: Derryn Pasquill and Dan Hackett
Assistant dialogue editor – Max Pashley

Music by Stare Crazy
Composed and performed by:
Amy Andersen
Reggie Beer
Judith Brandenburg
Jonathan Dreyfus
Meggy Freidhof
Stefan Janik
Daniel Müller

The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) and RSL have partnered for the fifth consecutive year to mark ANZAC Day with the That’s the ANZAC Spirit campaign.

The OMA and its members have donated more than $25.6 million in advertising space for ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day commemorations, with the campaign broadcast across OMA members’ national outdoor media network in the lead up to and on ANZAC Day, this Thursday 25 April. 

The That’s the ANZAC Spirit campaign urges Australians to embrace their connection with the ANZAC spirit – whether that involves families taking their children to a service for the first time, grandparents sharing stories of service with grandchildren, or friends gathering to remember the service of veterans. 

OMA CEO Elizabeth McIntyre strongly encouraged all Australians to attend an ANZAC Day service.

“Our members are proud to support the RSL and amplify their message with the industry’s network of digital signs, reminding and encouraging people to come together and reflect on a day of such significance to our nation,” she said.

“The OMA is honoured to rally our communities, to come together and pay homage to our shared history, and we salute the RSL for its efforts to give all Australians the chance to stand in solidarity to commemorate ANZAC Day.”

RSL Queensland state president major general Stephen Day DSC AM said ANZAC Day is, “a time for us to come together, young and old, to reflect on how far we’ve come as a nation while paying our respects to current and former members of the defence force who have been paramount in protecting the freedoms that we’re so lucky to have.

“The RSL is proud to continue our partnership with the Outdoor Media Association and its members to once again bring this message to all Australians.” 

OMA members supporting the campaign this year include:
• Australian Outdoor Sign Company (AOSco)
• BIG Outdoor
• Bishopp Outdoor Advertising
• Cartology
• Civic Outdoor
• Ei Media
• Gawk
• goa billboards
• JCDecaux
• JOLT
• LUMOS
• Motio
• oOh!media
• Paradise Outdoor Advertising
• QMS
• S Connect – Stockland
• Tayco Outdoor Advertising
• The Media Shop (TMS)
• Total Outdoor Media (TOM)
• Tonic Media Network
• TorchMedia
• VMO
• Vicinity Centres

Earned media agency Example has promoted Daniel Goldstein to head of PR.

Goldstein joined the agency as an account manager in 2019 and has led award-winning campaigns for brands such as Smirnoff, The Singleton, Talisker, JW Marriott, Australian Venue Co., Chargrill Charlie’s, Koko Black and QT Hotels.

As head of PR, Goldstein will collaborate closely with the strategy and creative leads to drive the development and execution of earned campaigns for high-profile venues, precincts, and brands.

Rebecca Jarvie-Gibbs, managing director of Example, said the earned agency and culture practice is passionate about positioning brands in spaces, moments, and conversations that traditional advertising can’t reach.

“Daniel’s instinct for what is driving the media conversation and relentless pursuit of results make him an ideal leader to propel our mission forward.”

Jarvie-Gibbs commended Goldstein for his passion for elevating brands through earned media and his leadership style. She added: “Under his guidance, we’re excited to see our PR division continue to push boundaries and set standards of excellence in the industry.”

Goldstein’s leadership extends to overseeing the PR team, which includes publicity managers Amy Chilcott, who joined Example in 2022 from Kabuku PR after several years working across arts and culture clients including Sydney Comedy Festival and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Ellie Lee, who has recently relocated from UK after four years working at Red Lion where she managed accounts for The Campari Group, lululemon, Laura Ashley, and Nokia.

Goldstein said of his promotion: “I have had the privilege of creating campaigns that spark conversation, contribute to culture and make a lasting impact over my four and half years at Example. I’m excited to step into this next chapter and lead our PR team as we continue to deliver captivating ideas that build brand participation, relevance and trust.”

Also joining the PR specialists is talent and Influencer manager, Asha Overstone. She previously worked at MAXCONNECTORS where she led brand collaborations, and Social Soup working with clients like Clarins, Trilogy, Accolade Wines and Philips on mid to high-tier influencer campaigns, running end-to-end management.

Overstone is responsible for overseeing talent requirements within earned campaigns and building strong relationships with influencers, ambassadors, and content creators.

See also: Example launches Culture Practice and welcomes new hires to the team

–

Top image: Daniel Goldstein

Nexxen has launched TV Viewership Audiences across Australia in partnership with VIDAA, building on the advertising technology platform’s broader TV Intelligence offering.

The platform’s offering includes a suite of planning, targeting and measurement capabilities rooted in automatic content recognition (ACR) data from VIDAA, the operating system powering Hisense, Toshiba, and other original equipment manufacturer brands.

TV Viewership Audiences leverages the ACR data to create custom segments based on viewership patterns, specifically brand ads’ exposure activities, using opted-in household viewership data. It is built to enable brands to reach TV audiences with precision and scale.

Nexxen’s exclusive access to VIDAA ACR data will enable the provision of a full-fledged TV solution.

Josif Zanich

Nexxen’s approach is supported by shared infrastructure and technology between its demand-side platform and supply-side platform. 

Josif Zanich, managing director JAPAC at Nexxen, called the launch a “huge milestone” for the platform in the JAPAC region.

“Having exclusive access to VIDAA’s ACR data will not only enable us to push the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering advanced TV solutions to advertisers, but will also allow us to exponentially enhance the effectiveness of TV buys across all screens, unlike ever before.”

Guy Edri, CEO at VIDAA, said: “With our shared goal of empowering advertisers with valuable insights derived from TV viewership behaviours, we aim to drive innovative advertising solutions tailored to the unique needs of this market, ultimately providing greater efficiency and success for advertisers.”

This follows Nexxen’s USD$25 million investment in VIDAA in 2022.

• This weekend, the Australian box office made $9,114,154, down -11% from last week’s $10,266,960.

TOP 5

1. Kung Fu Panda 4 – $2,009,178 (1)

Jack Black returns to voice Po, the Dragon Warrior in Universal’s fourth outing of martial arts madness. The film has already made $132.9 million domestically in the US. Staying in first place this week, Kung Fu Panda 4 took $2,009,178 in its fourth week, averaging $5,152 over 390 screens.

Synopsis: Po goes on a thrilling journey as he dives into the wonders of ancient China. His passion for martial arts and insatiable appetite collide in the most unexpected ways.

2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – $1,312,378 (2)

In the latest entry to Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse, Godzilla and King Kong have decided to put aside their differences from their last battle to team up to take on an undiscovered threat. It hasn’t been too favourable with critics, currently holding a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but on the flip side, it holds a strong 93% audience score. The film took $1,312,378 in its fourth week, averaging $3,804 over 345 screens.

Synopsis: The almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla confront a colossal, undiscovered threat that challenges their very existence and ours.

3. Challengers – $880,855 (debut)

As Zendaya’s Dune: Part Two exits the top five, she’s straight back into it with her new film, Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, entering the top five this week. Similar to Dune, Challengers was supposed to be released in the back half of 2023 but was delayed to 2024 because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The film took $880,855 in its first week, averaging $2,669 over 330 screens.

Synopsis: Tashi, once a tennis player herself, has taken her husband, Art, and transformed him from an average player to a globally renowned Grand Slam champion. 

4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – $790,133 (5)

The film is a sequel to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and serves as a continuation of the 80s films, featuring the return of the original Ghostbusters from the 1984 film. The film took $790,133 in its fifth week, averaging $2,359 over 335 screens.

Synopsis: The Spengler family and the original team are back at the iconic NYC firehouse, unveiling a cutting-edge lab to kick ghost-busting up a notch. 

5. Civil War – $722,188 (4)

Roadshow’s Civil War is the newest film from British writer and director Alex Garland who previously directed Ex Machina and Annihilation. Based on a fictional civil war taking place in the US, the film stars Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist documenting the war across the country. The film took $722,188 in its second week, averaging $2,543 over 284 screens.

Synopsis: In the near future, a team of journalists travel across the US during a rapidly escalating civil war that has engulfed the entire nation.

Top 6 – 10

6. Abigail
7. Dune: Part Two
8. Back to Black
9. Spy x Family Code: White
10. Wicked Little Letters

TV Report 22 April 2024:

Nine TV Report

LEGO Masters

Nine’s evening began with the fifth episode of LEGO Masters.

The episode featured the teams tasked with building a fighting robot, or brickbot, that went into battle against the other teams in the Brickbot arena.

Team Denmark scored their first win with their sleek and indestructible Stingray fighting robot build, inspired by their ‘Shark Guy’ Minifig. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program spoke to a mum after she was kicked out of a comedy show, and the infamous Larrimah property goes on the market.

Seven TV Report

Farmer Wants a Wife

On Seven, Farmer Wants a Wife saw a day of dates, farm work, and farewells for the ladies as they explored whether rural life is for them. 

Home and Away

Before FWAW was Home and Away, as Dana stuck her nose in, Rose worked through a tough call, and Tane’s friends tried to get through to him.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Andy Allen about coming back to MasterChef and also spoke to comedian Sarah Keyworth and The Fall Guys‘ Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling.

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, it was the start of a brand new era for the long-running cooking program as Andy Allen welcomed three new judges: Sofia Levin, Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli, plus guest judge Jamie Oliver in the premiere of season 16.

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into the standoff between Elon Musk and the Australian government over tweets about the Sydney stabbing and Sarah Ferguson interviewed the former secretary of the Home Affairs department, Mike Pezzullo. 

SBS

Finding Your Roots

Henry Louis Gates uncovered the roots of actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley, travelling back generations to recount significant events in history – from the American Revolution to the journey of the Mayflower.

Sunday 21 Apr 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s LEGO Masters recorded a total TV national reach of 2,002,000, a total TV national audience of 795,000, and a BVOD audience of 52,000.

Nine’s 60 Minutes recorded a total TV national reach of 1,335,000, a total TV national audience of 458,000, and a BVOD audience of 30,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 2,125,000, a total TV national audience of 1,059,000, and a BVOD audience of 88,000.

Also on Seven, 7NEWS Spotlight recorded a total TV national reach of 1,325,000 and a total TV national audience of 642,000 and a BVOD audience of 29,000.

10’s airing of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! recorded a total TV national reach of 1,371,000, a total TV national audience of 749,000, and a BVOD audience of 74,000.

See Also: TV Report 21 April 2024: Skye Wheatley crowned I’m A Celebrity winner

People 25-54

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 764,000
• National Audience: 353,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Nine’s 60 Minutes:
• Total TV nation reach: 539,000
• National Audience: 190,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!:
• Total TV nation reach: 592,000
• National Audience: 342,000 
• BVOD Audience: 45,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 605,000
• National Audience: 312,000
• BVOD Audience: 48,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 398,000
• National Audience: 163,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

People 16-39

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 320,000
• National Audience: 141,000
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Nine’s 60 Minutes:
• Total TV nation reach: 191,000
• National Audience: 70,000
• BVOD Audience: 9,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!:
• Total TV nation reach: 246,000
• National Audience: 149,000 
• BVOD Audience: 32,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 269,000
• National Audience: 144,000
• BVOD Audience: 26,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 145,000
• National Audience: 53,000
• BVOD Audience: 7,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,449,000
• National Audience: 560,000
• BVOD Audience: 42,000

Nine’s 60 Minutes:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,004,000
• National Audience: 354,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,035,000
• National Audience: 567,000 
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,657,000
• National Audience: 841,000
• BVOD Audience: 70,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,068,000
• National Audience: 520,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000

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.