Well, it’s the morning after the night, or rather, the afternoon before, Kyle Sandilands filed his statement of claim against the Australian Radio Network.

Mediaweek has gone through the filing in detail to unpack exactly what he’s arguing and where he claims the broadcaster got it wrong.

What are the documents about anyway?

The ‘concise statement’ of claim, prepared by Sandilands’ barristers Scott Robertson SC and Philip Boncardo, lays out the structure of the KIIS FM deal underpinning The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the thresholds required to terminate it, and why Sandilands argues those conditions were not met.

Boncardo previously acted in Antoinette Lattouf’s unlawful termination case against the ABC, while Robertson examined former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian at the Independent Commission Against Corruption in 2020.

At the centre of the claim is a direct challenge to ARN’s “serious misconduct” argument. The applicants (that’s Sandilands) contend the on-air exchange in question was consistent with the show’s long-established tone, style and “robust character”, a dynamic the broadcaster had explicitly acknowledged and endorsed in the deal.

From there, the filing builds a broader case: that the contract anticipated this kind of content, placed responsibility for managing risk with the broadcaster, and set a high bar for termination that was not satisfied.

Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

A high-value deal with layered payments

In addition to a base fee of $7.4 million per year, the deal includes a $200,000 annual consultancy fee tied to CADA, a $120,000 annual flight allowance, and $500,000 in contra airtime.

Separate intellectual property licence fees of $2 million annually also apply.

Across the full 10-year term, the total value of payments under the agreements exceeds $85 million.

Contract built around Sandilands’ on-air style

A central plank of the argument is that the deal was designed around Sandilands’ established persona.

The agreement explicitly acknowledges his “robust” tone, style and voice, and signals a desire for that to continue on air.

At the same time, responsibility for managing risk sat with the broadcaster. Under the contract, CBC agreed to monitor all broadcasts in real time, operate a 30-second delay, and remove any non-compliant material before it aired.

While Sandilands delivered the content, CBC controlled what ultimately went to air.

High threshold for breach

The agreement sets a deliberately high bar for holding Sandilands in breach.

He would only be liable if he knowingly aired content that breached the contract and if the broadcaster’s own censor or legal team could not reasonably have identified the issue beforehand.

The structure anticipates controversial content and places significant weight on the broadcaster’s own safeguards.

Strict conditions for termination

Termination rights are tightly defined.

CBC can only terminate immediately in cases of “serious misconduct” causing significant and immediate harm to the business, and only after Sandilands is given a reasonable opportunity, of up to 14 days, to remedy the issue where possible.

Alternatively, termination may occur for serious and ongoing breaches, again requiring notice and an opportunity to resolve the issue.

The filing argues those conditions were not met.

It claims the incident was a one-off rather than a persistent breach, did not cause serious and imminent business harm, and that Sandilands was not given a genuine opportunity to remedy the issue.

Co-host clause in focus

One clause now central to the dispute relates to Jacqueline Henderson (Jackie O).

The contract required the broadcaster to use its best endeavours to ensure she continued to perform her role and cooperate with Sandilands.

According to the filing, CBC required Sandilands to resolve Henderson’s refusal to work with him, while at the same time terminating her contract, effectively making that resolution impossible.

Why the termination being challenged

Taken together, these provisions underpin Sandilands’ core argument.

He claims the contract anticipated the nature of the content now in dispute, that the broadcaster held the tools to manage that risk, and that the threshold for breach and termination was high and specific and was not satisfied.

The unconscionable conduct claim

Beyond the contract mechanics, the case moves into broader conduct.

Sandilands alleges CBC engaged in unconscionable conduct under Australian Consumer Law.

The claim is that the broadcaster set expectations that could not realistically be met, undermined his ability to comply, and then relied on that failure to justify termination.

What Sandilands wants from the court

Sandilands and his companies are seeking a declaration that the termination is invalid, enforcement of the agreement or payment of what is owed, and potential damages or compensation.

The big picture

At its core, the case turns on whether a contract built around a controversial, high-impact broadcaster, and supported by systems to manage that risk, can be unwound on the basis of the very behaviour it anticipated.

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Hugh Marks, ABC Managing Director, released a statement on Monday to Mediaweek, in response to failed pay negotiations that have led to a planned strike by staff at 11am on Wednesday.

Thousands of ABC journalists and staff members will strike for 24 hours – for the first time in two decades – after 60 per cent of staff rejected the broadcaster’s latest pay offer.

The ABC’s chief people officer, Deena Amorelli, informed staff on Monday morning of the result; that the proposal of a 10 per cent pay rise over three years and $1000 signing bonus was denied by 395 votes.

Marks responded to a request for comment yesterday afternoon, addressing concerns about job security, automatic salary progression, and pay levels.

He also confirmed the ABC will be asking The Fair Work Commission (FWC) for support: “We have reached a point that we can’t get agreement. Without an agreement on a way forward with staff, we have no choice but to approach the FWC for assistance to resolve bargaining.”

Hugh Marks’ full statement on failed pay negotiations

“Voting on the ABC Enterprise Agreement 2025-2028 (EA) revised offer closed at 2pm AEDT on 22 March 2026.
The preliminary outcome shows the majority of ABC staff voted against the EA offer with 40% of staff voting ‘Yes’ and 60% voting ‘No’.

“As a reminder, the offer included a 10% salary increase over three years with a 3.5% increase in the first year, backpay to October 2025, as well as a $1,000 bonus for all on-going and fixed-term staff covered by the existing EA.

“I believe the revised offer that we asked staff to vote on appropriately balanced fairness to our staff against the ability of the ABC to continue to invest in content and services for the benefit of our audiences.

“The offer was both sustainable and financially responsible.

“I want to discuss the main issues that have been raised by union representatives, noting of course, that each individual staff member will have their own reasons that underpin their vote.

“Lack of security of employment

“The average tenure of an ABC staff member is more than 10 years which is three times the economy average. Over 90% of ABC staff are ongoing employees. And of those on short-term contracts, many are covering parental leave, long service leave, illness or working on programs for limited production periods.

“Of course there are individual examples of poor experiences with the ABC, particularly at an entry level but, as a general rule, lack of security of employment at the ABC is not accurate.

“Automatic salary progression in band

“We understand that there are a number of staff at the ABC who feel frustrated that they have no opportunity to progress to higher salaried positions, often having worked at the ABC for many years.

“The ABC wants to move to a system that reflects rewarding staff based on their performance, rather than automatically progressing due to tenure, as demanded by the unions. We want an organisation that encourages personal and career development, ultimately with that investment benefiting our audiences. We are prepared to invest in staff but doing that solely based on automatic progression ultimately limits individual career options rather than encouraging them.

“Pay levels

“I understand that in the current climate higher pay would help many individuals, but we must also remain focused on the long-term sustainability of the ABC and its relevance to all Australians. It is a balance.

“No one has provided any evidence to me to suggest ABC staff are paid less than industry standards. In addition, the leave provisions ABC staff receive are generally more generous than many other major workplaces.

“Our revised offer further expands on our current provisions, including benefits such as 20 days of personal leave, three days of disability leave and increased parental leave for secondary carers. I believe the pay offer reflects the maximum level the ABC can sustainably provide and is balanced when looking across all the factors that we need to consider.

“The content and services that we provide to our audiences are paramount. In fact, across the year we have made great progress in advancing our content offerings across screen, audio and news with a lot of success. Continuing to progress the content and services we make available across the ABC to our audiences must remain our primary focus for the long-term benefit of the audiences we serve. We compromise that at our peril.

“The Fair Work Commission (FWC) supports organisations like the ABC when we have reached a point that we can’t get agreement. Without an agreement on a way forward with staff, we have no choice but to approach the FWC for assistance to resolve bargaining.”

Top image: Hugh Marks. Image: ABC

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Australia’s media agency workforce is shrinking, but the latest MFA Media Communication Industry Census suggests it’s also becoming leaner, more focused and more execution-led.

The 23rd annual Census, released today and pegged to September 2025, shows total headcount across MFA member agencies fell 5.1% to 4,411, down from 4,650 a year earlier.

However, with 350 roles currently vacant, that figure would lift to 4,761 once filled, pointing to an industry in transition rather than outright contraction.

The decline was driven by reductions in Sydney and Brisbane, partially offset by growth in Melbourne, broadly tracking softer conditions in the advertising market.

Structural reset, not hiring pause

Despite fewer people overall, vacancies have climbed to 7.8%, up from 4.9%, signalling structural resizing rather than a short-term slowdown in hiring.

More than 76% of open roles are across activation, implementation, and client service, underscoring where agencies continue to invest.

At the same time, the composition of roles is shifting. Activation positions grew 19.8%, while client service, state management, SEO and support functions declined, reflecting flatter operating models and a greater focus on delivery.

Shift to execution and automation

The Census points to a clear pivot toward execution-heavy roles, as agencies respond to increasingly complex, data-led media environments.

Support functions, including research, admin and finance, have contracted, pointing to consolidation and increased automation across agencies.

The result is a leaner structure, with fewer layers and a sharper emphasis on implementation and client-facing work.

Diversity improves as workforce evolves

The data also shows progress on diversity and pay parity.

Gender pay parity has narrowed to 1.4%, down from 2.8%, while women now make up 65% of the workforce.

Representation in leadership is also improving, with women holding 46% of CEO, managing director and general manager roles, up from 37% in 2018.

Cultural diversity continues to rise, with 23.1% of professionals from an Asian cultural background, up from 14.6% five years ago, and 28% speaking a language other than English at home.

Pipeline pressures begin to surface

While average tenure has increased to 4.1 years, suggesting greater stability, churn is also rising. The proportion of people leaving the industry has climbed to 18.3%, highlighting emerging pipeline challenges.

Entry-level hiring remains steady at 7.2% of the workforce, but agencies are increasingly hiring older entrants, with 22% of new hires aged 27 or above, reflecting demand for more experienced talent.

Aimee Buchanan, Chair of the Media Federation of Australia and Chief Executive Officer of WPP Media ANZ, said the industry is adapting to new realities.

“The shifts we’re seeing in workforce structure reflect an industry that is actively adapting, not reacting to new realities,” Buchanan said.

Sophie Madden, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Federation of Australia, said the findings highlight both resilience and risk.

“The Census highlights an industry in transition, with clear consolidation and a tightening of structures focused on delivery expertise,” Madden said.

Imogen Hewitt, Deputy Chair of the Media Federation of Australia, Chief Executive Officer of Spark Foundry ANZ and Chief Media Officer of Publicis Groupe, said agencies are already evolving in real time.

“Media agencies are reimagining their role, finding smarter ways to partner with technology, and doubling down on the skills that matter most,” Hewitt said.

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The reportedly reclusive billionaire who acquired adult content platform OnlyFans and transformed it into a multibillion-dollar empire, has died of cancer aged 43, the company announced Monday.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Leo Radvinsky. Leo passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer,” an OnlyFans spokesman said.

“His family have requested privacy at this difficult time.”

Radvinsky had been private about having cancer in recent times, but in 2024, he and his wife were both major public supporters of a $US23 million grant program for cancer research.

The billionaire was generous in other ways; for example, he donated $US5 million to Ukraine relief in 2022.

OnlyFans owner Leo Radvinsky dies

Leonid Radvinsky was a Ukrainian-born American businessman and computer programmer based in Florida.

Earlier in his career – in 2004 – Radvinsky founded the camera site MyFreeCams, developed various other tech websites, and in 2018 became the majority owner of adult content subscription service OnlyFans.

Radvinsky guided the company to focus on being a platform for pornography creators, with OnlyFans taking a 20 per cent cut of any profits made.

Last year, the site generated $10.27 billion from users who pay subscriptions to the content creators, as well as offer tips and payment for special requests.

Forbes reports that the tech entrepreneur had an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion (US) at the time of his death.

Top image: Leonid Radvinsky, CEO, OnlyFans. Image: X

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Influencer marketing practices have been placed back under the spotlight, with one of Australia’s biggest photobook retailers caught in the crosshairs.

Online photobook business Tomsem Consolidated Pty Ltd, trading as PhotobookShop, has been fined $39,600 in penalties after the ACCC issued two infringement notices over allegedly misleading influencer reviews on Instagram.

Gifted products not disclosed

The ACCC’s investigation began after an influencer raised concerns about an agreement from PhotobookShop that requested that gifted products not be disclosed in reviews.

“Businesses must not mislead consumers by posting misleading reviews or failing to disclose when an influencer has been paid to create social media content, whether that payment is free, gifted products or services, or money,” ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.

“Influencers can be a powerful marketing tool, and the Australian Consumer Law applies as much to the digital world as it does to bricks and mortar retailers.”

Between August 2024 and September 2025, PhotobookShop commissioned influencers to produce social media reviews and, on 107 occasions, instructed them not to disclose that they had been paid with gifted products valued between $50 and $400.

Following those instructions, at least one influencer published a review without disclosing the commercial arrangement.

The ACCC alleges this created the impression that the content was organic when it was not.

Edits that changed the story

A second infringement notice focused on how PhotobookShop handled influencer content after creation.

The ACCC found the company edited an influencer video review to remove negative commentary about its AI assistant tool, which had been described as “a bit fiddly” and “a bit confusing”.

The edited version retained only the positive elements of the review, without disclosing that changes had been made.

“When a business posts a review on social media, consumers would reasonably assume that the post genuinely reflects the review,” Lowe said.

“In the case of PhotobookShop, we consider the review it posted did not reflect the overall impression of the influencer’s review, and appeared more favourable to PhotobookShop.”

“PhotobookShop’s misleading reviews may have caused consumers to buy PhotobookShop’s products when they would not have bought them based on the complete video review.”

The case lands as the ACCC continues to sharpen its focus on influencer marketing practices, particularly around disclosure and authenticity.

“Influencers, businesses hiring them as well as any third-party facilitators need to be aware of their Australian Consumer Law obligations,” Lowe said.

The regulator has already identified deceptive digital advertising and marketing practices as an enforcement priority and is expected to release more detailed guidelines for influencers in the near term.

Industry codes are already in place.

The Australian Association of National Advertisers requires that advertising be clearly distinguishable, while the Australian Influencer Marketing Council outlines best practices for disclosure.

The ACCC said it will continue to take enforcement action where it identifies conduct that may mislead consumers.

Main image: PhotoBookShop

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Bastion has appointed Peter Filopoulos as Managing Director, Experience, as the agency looks to strengthen its position across sport, entertainment and experiential.

Filopoulos will commence in early April, leading Bastion’s experiential, partnership, and sponsorship offering, with a mandate to drive growth, operational excellence, and world-class delivery across the agency’s client portfolio.

He will report to Cheuk Chiang, Group Chief Executive Officer at Bastion.

Filopoulos past experiences

Filopoulos brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across sport, entertainment, venues, media and major events, with a strong track record in commercial growth and partnership development.

Most recently, he worked as a consultant with Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, supporting brand, marketing and commercial strategy across Canada Soccer’s professional football, national teams and media platforms ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

He previously served as Chief Customer, Brand and Marketing Officer at Football Australia, where he led customer, brand and communications strategy from 2020 to 2025.

During that time, he played a key role in the growth and cultural impact of the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos, as well as the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.

Across his career, Filopoulos has secured more than $100 million in sponsorship and partnership value while leading large-scale brand and commercial initiatives.

CEO comments

Chiang said the appointment reflects Bastion’s ambition to redefine experience-led growth.

“Peter is one of the most respected leaders in the industry with deep expertise across sport, entertainment and major events. His experience building high-performing teams and commercially powerful partnerships makes him uniquely placed to lead Bastion Experience into its next chapter.

“We have built Bastion to deliver end-to-end capability for the modern marketer and Peter will play a critical role in bringing our experiential, partnership and sponsorship offering together to create truly integrated solutions for our clients.”

Filopoulos comments

Filopoulos said the role presents an opportunity to scale Bastion’s experience offering.

“Experiential has fundamentally evolved. Clients are no longer looking for one-off campaigns but for connected platforms that create enduring brand relevance and deliver measurable commercial impact.

“Experience has the power to act as the integration engine across brand partnerships, content and audience building scalable growth platforms that drive both cultural impact and business results.”

Building momentum

Filopoulos joins Bastion at a time of continued growth for the agency, which combines advertising, experience, media, insights, digital and communications under one model.

The appointment signals Bastion’s ongoing investment in experience-led marketing and its focus on delivering integrated, commercially driven outcomes for clients.

Top Image: Cheuk Chiang and Peter Filopoulos

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Think you’re too smart to fall for an AI deepfake or an algorithmic disinformation campaign?

Think again. Because, unfortunately the data disagrees.

A staggering 97% of Australians have very limited skills to verify information online. And a new three-part ABC documentary series maps the frontline of this global crisis.

Northern Pictures, in association with Media Ocean, produced The Matter of Facts, which premieres on Tuesday 24 March 2026 on ABC and ABC iview.

Veteran journalist Hamish Macdonald hosts and Tosca Looby directs the series, which explores the real-world consequences of digital deception. Mediaweek caught up with Looby to discuss why the smartest among us often prove the easiest to fool.

Visualising the invisible web

Turning abstract concepts like algorithmic bias into compelling television posed a major creative challenge. And Looby determined early on that the series would avoid typical visual tropes.

“I was determined that it wouldn’t be a whole lot of people looking at computers, and it’s not,” Looby said.

Instead, the production team sought out scenarios to keep the storytelling active. “We tell the story of bedbugs because it’s such a kind of, you know, we all have a visceral reaction to bedbugs and we were really able to play with that visually.”

Now, I don’t know how those scenes played out. Or even how they relate to misinformation. And I didn’t ask. You’ll have to watch to find out.

The psychology of being duped

Many of us tell ourselves a comforting lie. We believe that only the uneducated fall for online manipulation.

The first episode of the series introduces the psychology behind our susceptibility. And it quickly puts to bed the idea that any of us remain immune.

“We all think that, and actually statistically the more you think that, the more likely you are to be duped,” Looby told Mediaweek.

Tech ethicist Tristan Harris features in the series and breaks down why this manipulation bypasses our intellect entirely.

He argues that social media platforms simply exploit our evolutionary structures, meaning susceptibility has nothing to do with having a degree.

MacDonald put himself through a test to demonstrate where he fell on the spectrum. The team measured the rate at which he succumbed to distraction. A kind of gauge of his skills related to multitasking.

And he wiped out.

Looby let it slip that MacDonald got more wrong on an editing task than the university students tested alongside him. It turns out that no one is much chop at multitasking.

To push some of the scientific rigour further, he put his mum to a test to see if she could spot the difference between a real and an AI-generated version of him. Turns out that when identifying AI-generated faces, humans essentially guess.

So, she had a 50/50 chance of identifying her Hamish.

A local microcosm for a global crisis

To anchor some of the more abstract concepts in a live situation, the production travelled to Mount Kosciuszko to examine the debate over wild brumbies. This regional dispute serves as a tangible example of how a single issue violently divides a community.

“People end up in these really entrenched camps, and where they’re getting their information from, is their camp, from their tribe,” Looby explained.

Half the community argues the horses remain largely absent. The other half claims to know the animals by name and markings. The situation leads to a terrifying core question.

“This is the morass you land in, which is kind of the crux for the whole series,” Looby said. “What happens when we don’t believe anything anymore?”

Influencers as the new political agenda setters

To examine how disinformation operates as a tool for securing power, Looby, MacDonald and crew ventured to the Philippines. They attended political rallies that felt vastly different from traditional campaigning. Particularly the sort we’re used to here in Australia.

Influencers dominated the media sections at these events. So much so, that the Electoral Commission has to assume influencers pushing party lines receive payment to do so.

With 90 million social media users in the country relying on these platforms, influencers profoundly impact voting habits.

Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa features in the series and warns that the Philippines often operates as a testing ground for social media tactics that later roll out globally, including in the United States. Looby noted that Ressa’s warning serves as a global wake-up call.

“She talks about this murky water that we swim in and our increasing inability to recognize when we’re in it,” Looby said. “And says, wake up.”

The fact checking dilemma

Ensuring the integrity of a documentary about lies requires some serious heavy lifting. Especially when 97% of us don’t seem to have the faculties to properly fact-check.

Thankfully, Looby found enough to employ those who did.

“I would say we do land in the 3% of people who know how to fact-check,” Looby stated. “And if you could see the script, it’s very heavily footnoted.”

How much has the misinformation on the web grown over the last decade? Looby reflected on her previous work directing Strong Female Lead, the Julia Gillard documentary. Looby noted that even back then in 2013, there was enough to fill the story three times over.

But the sheer volume of digital vitriol has evolved at a terrifying pace since Gillard served as Prime Minister.

“If we were doing that doco now, imagine that amount of information,” Looby remarked. “The memes about Julia Gillard. I mean, they’re still going on.”

Looking forward with optimism

Despite spending a year steeped in the darkest corners of the internet, Looby holds out hope. She notes a growing hunger for digital literacy among the public and points to highly subscribed educational programs at local libraries, where people sign up in droves.

As for her next move after tackling the global collapse of truth? Looby stands ready for a change of pace.

“I’m looking to do a feature documentary next, and I’m looking for projects that have laughter in them,” she said. “I am going for laughs.”

Feature image- Hamish MacDonald in ‘The Matter of Facts’: supplied

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Interest rates have just increased again. Petrol prices. They remain better left unmentioned. And Trump’s chaotic war in Iran lacks an obvious end.

That all sounds like a polycrisis to me.

So, the term is becoming a buzzword for good reason. And the year of the fire horse has hit like a bucking bronco.

But the mood shifts in the tranquil surrounds of the Southern Highlands.

I arrive just in time for the second instalment of the 2026 series of News Australia’s Frontiers sessions. And enter a picturesque pavilion just as Leigh Lavery completes his presentation. He’s dropped a thought leadership and research piece on the power of passion.

The room echoes with applause.

His story has clearly resonated. Part of his narrative explores the aforementioned polycrisis and how it drives consumers to pursue their passions.

This time, however, additional editorial insight bolstered the theme.

Attendees gained direct access to publishing heavyweights Ben English and Edwina McCann, who provided the perfect finger-on-the-pulse overlay.

I caught up with both editors and three leading agency heads to understand exactly how this instalment of Frontiers made a commercial impact.

Escaping the doomscroll

If you think the polycrisis hurts the media business, Vogue editorial director and publisher McCann politely disagrees. She watches the traffic spikes instead.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a retreat,” McCann said. “I actually think when a new polycrisis emerges, there’s actually a gravitation to trusted brands”.

She acknowledged that audience fatigue eventually sets in during prolonged global crises, but the desire for escapism becomes a highly monetisable asset.

“Without a doubt, people come because they want that escape,” she noted.

Daily Telegraph editor English agreed. He pointed out that the pandemic created a collective existential crisis for audiences that permanently altered consumption habits.

“We realise we’re just not going to live as long as perhaps we imagine,” English said. “So let’s make the most of it”.

He added that the Telegraph drastically broadened its definition of news to include health, wellness, and education pillars to capture this inward turn.

The clients in the room acknowledge the opportunities associated with wellness. Why? Because health-related fandom can be a highly lucrative asset.

“The people who are most passionate about you and your brand and your product, become your greatest advocates,” English explained. “And in a world where you might have zero marketing spend, that sounds pretty attractive to me”.

Finding the way in for brands

Why is this critical right now? Consumers deal with the polycrisis by retreating into the very things that give them a break from the doom mongering, according to UM Australia newly minted CEO Stevie Douglas-Neal.

The trick for brands is to find an authentic entry point into these passion verticals.

The Frontiers presentation outlined distinct pathways, such as community and mastery, providing agencies with a tangible roadmap. Douglas-Neal explained that a brand must identify its right to play.

“Am I a subject matter expert? No, then mastery is maybe not my way in,” she explained. “But creating a community could be my way in”.

She pointed to American Express and its Shop Small initiative as a prime example of a brand leveraging community to cut through the noise.

Getting clients in the room

Getting the clients out of the city and into the workshops alongside their agency counterparts proved to be a real differentiator of Frontiers Mach Two.

OMD Sydney chief media partnerships officer Jane Coombs noted the stark contrast to other iterations of the event.

“In previous years, we’ve really skimmed the surface of six or seven clients,” Coombs noted. “Whereas I feel like today was very different– in that we could really deep dive into a live brief”.

OMD Sydney managing director Amanda Watts echoed this sentiment. She pointed out the immense value of having an entire room full of people discussing their biggest business challenges.

Watts revealed that her team brought Sony Pictures into the room to directly workshop a major film release. (although the specific title remained a closely guarded secret.)

The agency representatives also expressed surprise and appreciation for the absence of a hard sell.

“As opposed to many years ago, where there was a lot of pushing of News products, to be honest,” Coombs said. She observed that workshop participants pitched ideas not centred around news and that publisher representatives never shut them down.

“It was all about the idea generation and the relationship building, which was really key,” Coombs added.

Collaboration creates community

Watts noted this collaborative approach left clients feeling highly valued and bought into the process.

In an industry usually obsessed with the next aggressive pitch, simply putting the client’s brief at the centre of the room proved to be the ultimate power move.

“They were very happy and impressed that they’ve had all this attention on them and their business problem,” Watts explained. “Like a whole room of people talking about their biggest challenge for a few hours”.

Douglas-Neal echoed the power of this collaborative energy. She noted that magic happens when a brand perfectly meets an editorial need.

Through this co-creation, she revealed her team found an enduring, meaningful conversation space for their client rather than just chasing a fleeting social media trend.

English summed up the delicate balance of these brand partnerships perfectly.

He acknowledged that serving content useful to both consumers and clients remains tricky, but getting it right serves a much higher purpose.

“I think as a result of the discipline of doing these sorts of projects, we do actually end up with outcomes that have improved the community,” English concluded.

As it turns out, collaborating with all the key players at the exact same table might just be the secret to making that happen.

Feature image- Edwina McCann and Ben English: supplied

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The Bold and the Beautiful is going global with the launch of its new streaming platform, BBTV.

The subscription service launched on March 23, coinciding with the show’s 39th anniversary, and gives fans worldwide access to more than 9,000 episodes spanning 37 seasons.

Opening the vault

For the first time, the series’ full archive will be available in one place, with new episodes added as they are released.

The platform also features exclusive content, including original cast auditions, behind-the-scenes footage, talent interviews and the 2016 documentary Becoming Bold and Beautiful.

The show continues to draw a global audience of more than 25 million viewers across 50+ countries, including Australia, with 3.1 million viewers per episode in the U.S. via CBS and Paramount+.

A global legacy

Since its debut in 1987, the series has become one of the most successful daytime dramas, earning 106 Daytime Emmy Awards from 345 nominations.

Longstanding cast members Katherine Kelly Lang and John McCook remain central to the show’s legacy, having appeared since its premiere.

The series has also featured high-profile guest appearances from artists and celebrities, including Usher, Gina Rodriguez, Daddy Yankee, Denise Richards, Wayne Brady, Mario Lopez, James Corden and Betty White.

‘A love letter to fans’

Executive Producer and Head Writer, Bradley Bell, said the new platform is designed to deepen fan engagement.

“BBTV is not just a streaming service, it’s a heartfelt love letter to our viewers. Featuring over 9,000 episodes that honour character development and narrative continuity, all woven into a global fan community like no other.”

The platform has been developed by Octopean Media, part of 3BMG, and is available across web browsers, mobile devices and smart TV platforms, including Apple TV, Roku and Samsung.

The launch positions The Bold and the Beautiful to further expand its global audience through a direct-to-consumer streaming model.

Top Image: The Bold and the Beautiful

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Despite Australia’s influencer economy closing in on the $1 billion mark, many brands and agencies are still treating creator marketing as an add-on rather than a core part of campaign planning.

Even though creators do make it into the mix, success is often measured through traditional ROI frameworks that do not fully reflect how creator-led work actually performs.

In an interview with Mediaweek, Rachael Webb, head of brand and partnerships at Sticki and DataSauce, said creator marketing may now be accepted inside most media plans, but many brands are still being brought in too late, limiting both creative impact and long-term commercial value.

Originally discussed during a panel at AiMCO Summit, Webb said creator marketing still sits in a difficult space between cultural influence and hard commercial measurement, with marketers often being asked to prove impact through frameworks that do not fully reflect how creator-led work performs.

“There’s still a vague grey area between organic content that appears online about a brand and whether you can actually trace conversion back to it. No one is really owning the full purchase funnel or clearly identifying what drove that purchase,” Webb said.

“That’s where the accountability theme comes in. A CFO in a boardroom wants to know the direct bottom-line impact of a campaign, while an influencer manager is often trying to explain that the value goes beyond just immediate revenue.”

Creators still arrive too late

Webb said the biggest missed opportunity remains the late introduction of creators into campaign planning.

“They get added at the end, then given a pool of budget for a one-off campaign. But by the time you find creators, brief them, develop concepts, produce the content, post it and gather insights, the moment has already passed.”

She said that approach creates short bursts of activity without long-term brand memory.

“What that creates is a campaign cycle of peaks and troughs. From both an ads and organic influencer performance perspective, that does not build memory or connection.”

“The missed opportunity is not building creators into the core campaign structure. Always-on creator strategies matter, whether that’s monthly or bi-monthly UGC, supported by micro and mid-tier influencers, with macro creators brought in for major launches or big awareness moments.”

Why brands stay stuck in one-off mode

According to Webb, two factors continue to hold brands back: budget pressure and operational uncertainty.

The first issue is the budget.

“Because influencer marketing often sits in a grey area from an ROI perspective, it can be harder to secure funding for always-on creator work than it is for something directly trackable like paid ads.”

Webb says the second issue is resourcing.

“A lot of people know they need a more structured creator strategy, but they do not know how to build or scale it.”

Webb said many teams still struggle with usage rights, negotiations and workflow, even when internal appetite exists.

Testing is where brands learn

For Webb, creative testing remains one of the clearest indicators of whether brands are actually progressing in creator marketing.

“Before you start briefing a campaign, you need to know what you’re actually trying to get out of the channel,” she said.

“There are so many things you can test: creator size, content length, creative angle and more.”

She said the biggest risk is relying only on past performance.

“If you keep doing the same thing without looking outside your own past performance, you can end up with blinders on. Then when it stops working, you have to start again from scratch.”

Webb said the biggest change over the past year is that brands no longer need convincing that creator marketing belongs in the mix.

“Most people already know that it does. The challenge now is that they are still unsure where to invest and how to structure that investment,” she said.

“The shift has been from proving necessity to solving execution.”

Top Image: Sticki

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What does Maxibon’s new Choc Chip Cookie Bon launch campaign look like? Well, according to SICKDOGWOLFMAN, it starts by asking what would happen if someone turned into a cookie.

The new integrated campaign marks the Australian launch of Maxibon’s Choc Chip Cookie Bon and will run across BVOD, online video, social and out of home, including custom builds.

Directed by Revolver’s Matt Devine, the hero film follows a man who realises he has turned into a cookie and shouts, “I’m a cookie!” before his housemate arrives to help. The situation then shifts when the housemate becomes distracted by how appetising he looks and tries to take a bite, prompting the plea: “Don’t eat me!”

To create the effect, the production team worked with Sharp FX to build a full prosthetic cookie suit from scratch. The suit was designed to include the cookie texture, choc chips, cracks and limbs, while still allowing enough movement for performance.

The campaign extends across social

Beyond the hero spot, the campaign includes social-first content for TikTok and Meta. The creative explores the day-to-day problems of living as a cookie, from leaving crumbs around the house to having fingers dipped into a glass of milk.

Maxibon said the product is a first-of-its-kind launch for the brand in Australia. The Choc Chip Cookie Bon features a cookie dough-flavoured slab with choc chips, sandwiched between two choc chip cookies on one end and dipped in chocolate with extra cookie pieces on the other.

Jess Wheeler, creative director at SICKDOGWOLFMAN, said: “This is a transformational piece of branded content that completely changes the conversation. In the sense that we transformed a dude into a giant cookie whose conversations are now about being attacked by birds every time he goes outside.

“The Choc Chic Cookie Bon is going to be an instant hit, and this was a seriously fun way to bring it to life by ‘going full cookie’. Matt and the team at Revolver did an incredible job.”

Eileen Whitta, marketing manager, Maxibon, said: “Cookies are having a real cultural moment and we wanted to lean all the way in. The Choc Chip Cookie Maxibon is exactly what it sounds like, a full cookie experience in true Maxibon style.

“And speaking of ‘Maxibon style’, there’s nothing more Maxibon than turning someone into a full-blown cookie. We really love this campaign and we’re sure our Maxibon tribe will feel the same.”

Credits

Client: Maxibon
Head of Marketing: Andrea Hamori
Creative Lead: Damian Kelly
Marketing Manager: Eileen Whitta
Brand Manager, Maxibon: Isabelle Quayle

Agency: SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Creative Director: Jess Wheeler
Creative Director: James Orr
Design Director: Jake Turnbull
Business Director: Jarrick Lay
Senior Copywriter: Siobhan Joffe
Art Director: Leonie Duff
Designer: Dan D’Angelo
Account Director Victoria Concha
Senior Account Manager: Harshini Sivaraj
Senior Account Manager: Hannah Clements
Agency Producer: Nick Livingston

Production Company: Revolver
Director: Matt Devine
Managing Director / Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer / Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer / New Business: Nick Payne
Producer: Max Horn
DOP: Simon J Walsh
Production Designer: Francesca Carey
Food Stylist: Carmel Gohar
Wardrobe: Nell Ferguson
Hair + Make up: Nat Burley
Photographer: Chris Hillary
Retoucher: Gabi Hughes

Prosthetics: Sharp FX

Post-Production: Glue Society Studios
Editor: Luke Crethar
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
Sound: Production Alley
Engineer: Ben Lowe

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