DDB has promoted its Melbourne MD, Mike Napolitano, to the newly-created role of Melbourne Group CEO.

“Having spent so much of my career at DDB Melbourne, I am incredibly proud of Mike and the whole team for what they have achieved in the last few years,” DDB Group AUNZ CEO Andrew Little said of Napolitano’s elevation.

“Mike is a brilliant leader who not only runs the Melbourne Group businesses but contributes significantly to our other leaders and businesses across the region. This is a very popular decision and is most deserved.”

In the new role, Napolitano will continue leading DDB Group in Melbourne across DDB, Tribal, Rapp, and Mango.

Napolitano joined joined DDB Melbourne in 2020 as group managing director. Prior to DDB, he was managing director of TBWA Melbourne, and has also worked in leadership roles at George Patterson Y&R – now part of VML following the merger at the end of 2023.

During his time at DDB, Napolitano has transformed the leadership team and won big accounts including Coles – DDB is a core part of Smith St – New Balance, Dulux, Movember, and government business. His hires include group executive creative director Psembi Kinstan, head of planning Matt Pearce, head of DDB group experience Ella Ward, and chief operating officer Tristan Alexander.

“It’s a great privilege to lead this amazing team in Melbourne. We’ve all worked hard on making the experience of being here at DDB Group Melbourne one of the best in the industry and that’s true for our people and our clients,” Napolitano said.

“There is still so much potential in our team and I’m excited and committed to working with the hugely talented leadership group to grow people’s careers and grow our clients’ brands through the creative power of our business. I truly have one of the best jobs in the industry.”

His promotion follows the appointment of Khia Croy as DDB Melbourne’s general manager. In May, DDB Melbourne also promoted creative partner Giles Watson to deputy executive creative director, and group creative director James Cowie to creative partner – head of copy.

Last week, DDB Melbourne client Porsche Cars Australia put its creative account up for pitch. DDB first won the account in 2015 in a pitch supported by Trinity P3.

Last week, Mediaweek revealed the Omnicom Group agency appointed Vanessa Boueyres as managing partner on the Westpac account at DDB Sydney, replacing Sasha Firth, who recently departed.

See also:
Exclusive: Vanessa Boueyres replaces Sasha Firth as DDB Westpac MP
New Balance and Kic launch run club via Mango
Porsche Cars Australia’s creative account up for pitch

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Top Image: Khia Croy and Mike Napolitano

News Corp Australia’s head of sales – NSW independent agencies and major direct, Michael Desiere, is leaving the business after 22 years.

Posting on LinkedIn, Desiere wrote that it was “with a mix of excitement and nostalgia that I’m announcing my departure (redundancy) from News Corp Australia.”

Desiere’s last day will be next Friday 14 June.

“To my agencies, clients, and colleagues who have trusted me, collaborated with me, and shared countless memories – THANK YOU! You’ve made my time at News a truly unforgettable experience filled with growth, learning, and, most importantly, friendship,” Desiere said.

“While this chapter comes to a close, I’m excited for what the future holds and the new opportunities that lie ahead.”

Desiere confirmed to Mediaweek that his exit is not connected to the wider editorial restructure.

News Corp Australia has begun rolling out that major restructure, which will see the publishing business divided into three divisions and involve news.com.au’s editor-in-chief, Lisa Muxworthy, exiting.

Last week, Muxworthy, the editor-in-chief of news.com.au – the most popular news website in the country – and John McGourty, the Editorial Innovation Centre’s group director, were among the first to exit.

See also: Lisa Muxworthy among exits under News Corp restructure

Reflecting on his time with the business, Desiere said he will continue to spotlight the highlights of his two decades with News Corp in the lead-up to his last day. 

The first: “Being part of one of the most successful and celebrated media campaigns – The Heart Foundation’s Serial Killer campaign.

“With the support from the team at Customedia, not only did our integrated advocacy and editorially led partnership get the Government to change the policy to include Heart Health Checks on the Medicare levy, it has prevented tens of thousands of people from having heart attacks and saving countless lives.”

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Top image: Michael Desiere

According to Telstra CMO Brent Smart, “Nothing has ever been invented that’s as good at killing ideas as a corporation – they’re built to kill ideas.” 

Referencing the idea that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” Smart said: “If you can create a creative culture inside a corporation, it’s an incredibly powerful thing.”

Reflecting on his career, Smart said he “loved” his 20 years in agencies, but it got to a point where “the driving motivation” to leave agencies and become a marketer “was frustration with clients.”

“I was just frustrated because I felt like we were putting the right ideas on the table, but they weren’t getting through to the corporations that we were working with for a multitude of reasons. I thought, what if I could be on the other side of the table? What if I could be able to say yes to ideas, and create the conditions for ideas to not die, but thrive?”

It was this thought that brought Smart client side, he said. “You can have more impact being in charge of a brand as opposed to trying to influence people who are in charge of a brand.”

Smart was talking to Dan Krigstein on The Growth Distillery’s Reset for Growth vodcast, run by News Corp Australia. 

Smart pointed to originality, and doing things that are distinctive in the market, as being the fuel for creativity.

“We’ve all been so busy trying to make experiences frictionless and spending a lot of time thinking about how we digitise these different experiences, that in many ways we’ve taken the personality and creativity out of them. 

“The world’s only getting noisier and noisier. There’s never been more content there, so you’ve got to do something interesting and creative to stand out and cut through. Sometimes a bit of friction is a really good thing.”

Smart pointed to a fixation on short-term performance as something the industry is too focused on at the expense of good growth.

“Every market is under pressure. We’ve never had better tools to deliver short-term growth – we’ve got better data, we can target better, we can optimise in real-time. It’s all fantastic, but I think that short-term focus leaves a lot of growth on the table,” he said.

“When you build brands over the long term, you build future demand for your brand, which you might not see this quarter. In fact, you might not see it next quarter, next year, or the year after. Taking that long-term view and really thinking about the work we do today won’t necessarily just convert demand today, it’s actually going to build future demand.”

The solution isn’t just fixing a brand’s focus longer term. Smart said the biggest antidote to a fixation on short-term performance is building a culture in which everyone is focused on the idea that they will be defined by output. 

“We’re not going to be defined by the PowerPoint presentations we create, or having good meetings, or great graphs – we’re going to be defined by the output, what we put into the world, what we make.

“If you can get a whole team who are really excited to make creative things and make things that are different, that have an impact in the market, that your mum talks about, those teams tend to have more of a focus on building great things.”

Last year, Smart overhauled Telstra’s agency model – appointing a bespoke agency called +61 made up of holding group behemoths TBWA and OMD, and indie hot shop Bear Meets Eagle on Fire.

Speaking to Mediaweek, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire’s founder Micah Walker said he takes his relationship with Smart very seriously – when Smart was CMO at IAG, he gave Bear the opportunity to launch ROLLiN. It was the first project he had entrusted the creative shop.

“I take that burden very personally,” Walker said.

“You know, people often ask what drives you. And I say, ‘Everybody’s different. Some people want houses. I’m just always terrified to let someone down.’

“I’m very humbled by the trust and we’ll do everything we can to try and live up to the ambition that we know he has and that we have on behalf of Telstra.”

See also: Micah Walker on making Telstra ‘more than it currently is’, and being ‘terrified’ to let Brent Smart down

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Top image: Brent Smart speaks on the Reset for Growth vodcast 

The Seven Network has appointed Mark Mooney as 7NEWS Adelaide’s news director, replacing Chris Salter, who was recently appointed director of news in Seven Melbourne to fill the vacancy left by Shaun Menegola.

Mooney was previously deputy news director of 7NEWS Adelaide and will report to Seven Network director of news and current affairs and Seven West Media editor-in- chief, Anthony De Ceglie.

“Mark has been a brilliant deputy on the back of a storied career as a journalist and I am very excited that he now has the chance to lead the South Australian team in his own right,” De Ceglie said.

“I can’t wait to see what his tenure brings as 7NEWS continues to dominate the ratings and grow its digital offerings with bold new direction across our senior leadership team in Australia.”

Mooney joined the 7NEWS Adelaide team in 2008 and has been deputy news director since 2021. 

“I’ve loved being part of the talented, hard-working 7NEWS Adelaide team for the past 16 years and I’m so excited to take on the role of News Director,” Mooney said.

“Keeping South Australians informed is a passion of mine and it’ll be a privilege to lead our brilliant newsroom.

“I can’t wait to get to work ramping up 7NEWS’ digital offerings while continuing to hone our broadcast news service for the people of South Australia.”

His predecessor, Salter, became the director of news at Seven Melbourne after six years at Seven in Adelaide. At the same time, the network also appointed a new executive producer for Spotlight: Gemma Williams.

“Chris has done an amazing job in Adelaide, where 7NEWS has been #1 for more than 13 years,” De Ceglie said at the time of Salter’s promotion.

“I’m really pleased that he has agreed to take this new role and I know he is going to make a huge mark on 7NEWS Melbourne as we endeavour to think differently about the future of our platforms.”

See also: Seven promotes Chris Salter to Melbourne director of news, hires new Spotlight EP

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has appointed Overdose Digital and Match & Wood to its media account, effective 1 July. The account went up for pitch in March, managed by Dan Johns from Tumbleturn Media.

The media incumbent is Half Dome, while Howatson+Co handles the business’ creative account.

Stephen McKeown, head of marketing at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, said the collaborations “mark a significant step forward in our commitment to having a media presence that enables clients to get access to justice.

“Overdose brings innovative performance expertise and a proven track record of driving results. Their agility, smarts and passion have made them a highly valued partner, and we are excited about continuing to work with them. We are very excited to continue our existing collaboration with Laura Jackson and her team at Overdose Digital.”

Laura Jackson, CEO of Overdose Digital, said: “We are genuinely excited to deepen our partnership with Maurice Blackburn. We pride ourselves on delivering innovative and impactful performance strategies. We are committed to driving meaningful results and look forward to working even more closely with Stephen McKeown and his team.

“This collaboration is not just about business; it’s about creating lasting value and achieving shared goals.”
 
McKeown added that Match & Wood impressed the brand with its “strategic thinking and deep understanding of our industry’s complexities, combined with their robust capability across all channels.”
 
Lyndelle O’Keefe, CEO of Match & Wood, said: “We’re so excited to have the opportunity to partner with Maurice Blackburn, a distinguished brand with a solid reputation, and our team is keen to collaborate closely with their broader business to drive impactful results. This will be a true partnership across both businesses.”

Maurice Blackburn thanked incumbent, Half Dome, for shaping its media strategy and amplifying the law firm’s message over the past six years. 

“We sincerely thank them for their dedication, effort and friendship. Half Dome has been an integral part of our journey, their contributions have been valuable, and we wish them continued success,” McKeown added.

Howatson+Co has held the creative account since June 2021. Its acclaimed Exhibit AI campaign for the law firm used AI to visually capture refugees’ experiences in detention centres, where photography is banned, based on 300 interviews with refugees.

With all eyes on the Melbourne radio market for tomorrow’s survey three results, Fifi Box tells Mediaweek “it’s never been more exciting” to be on air.

“It’s so exciting to have radio talked about – it’s the most it’s been talked about in a long time,” Box says.

“It’s really reinvigorated the conversation and people’s interest in radio. We just hope that interest remains, and people keep having this conversation.”

The biggest radio news of the year has been the expansion of ARN’s Kyle & Jackie O into the southern city. The duo’s marketing efforts have centred on Sydney and Melbourne not being that different; in response, rival SCA has branded Fifi, Fev, and Nick’s show proudly local: “Brekky in the Burbs’ has been the perfect way to further connect with their audiences on the ground. The team is Melbourne through and through.”

When asked if there is a world in which Fifi, Fev, and Nick expands into Sydney, Box says the team “love[s] being a local breakfast show, we believe in that and the power of that.

“I’ve been doing radio for 25 years, I’ve done national drive shows, I’ve done a Sydney Breakfast Show, I’m now doing a Melbourne Breakfast Show. I can tell the differences in shifts and the nuances between the cities. But who knows where radio is heading and what the future holds.”

Besides, the show already has listeners from Sydney – and beyond. 

“We do have listeners all over the country. I was in Fiji on holiday recently and I had two guys come up to me that said ‘we listen to you every morning from the Gold Coast’ – with streaming and the LiSTNR app, you can access people anywhere.”

Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody: SCA’s local Fox Melbourne breakfast

‘The little train that could’: Brekky in the Burbs becomes Melbourne’s Biggest Party

The show’s Brekky in the Burbs sees the team pack up each Friday and head to a different location around the city. It began in 2022 as a way to celebrate lockdowns ending, and has become a staple of the show ever since.

“When it was just an idea, we thought at the time, that takes a lot. Staff have to organise that and then you’ve got to hope people come along – it really is the little train that could,” said Box.

The project started with 100-odd attendees, a number which has grown to see Brekky in the Burbs turn into “festivals every Friday” attracting people from across the city.

“We were at Epping with The Wiggles, and we had people from Frankston – they’ve literally crossed the city to be there. So they’re really fun and really reaffirming.”

Brekky in the Burbs was the inspiration for the latest campaign for the show, ‘Melbourne’s Biggest Party’, with Box explaining that the goal was to replicate the party vibes of each Friday in a commercial.  

“It was a really, really fun shoot, we love that ad. It really captures not just The Fifi, Fev, and Nick Breakfast Show, but also The Fox. We said to our listeners, ‘If you want to be in a commercial come along’ – so when you see the thousands of people descending upon our big party, it’s all our listeners.”

Bouncing back: ‘People need that connection’

The local connection has always been important to the show, but the ups and downs of the last few years have highlighted that. 

“We had a really tough time through COVID, the listenership of every radio show in Melbourne dropped when people weren’t on the roads. Prior to that, we’d been number one for 22 books in a row, and then suddenly, we had this shock where COVID wiped the city and we had no one listening. But the core that were still listening were people who needed the connection, they needed to feel like we were in this together. 

“That was almost a rebirth for us. Suddenly you realise it’s not enough to just watch shows on Netflix and download podcasts, people need to feel that connection.”

As for what remains in 2024, Box says the rest of the year is just as packed. 

“We’ve got so many exciting things that we’re chomping at the bit to get stuck into. More Brekky in the Burbs, bigger parties, and some exciting content on the air. Lots of reasons for Melburnians to be excited.”

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Top Image: Nick Code, Fifi Box, and Brendan Fevola on the set of the ‘Melbourne’s Biggest Party’ shoot

Former Meta Australia partner Liz Harper will join Australian startup Springborads.ai as director of agency partnerships.

Harper has over 15 years of international agency and big tech management experience. Most recently, she was the creative agency partner at Meta Australia for just under five years. The role was made redundant in the November round of Meta layoffs in 2022.

Prior to Meta, Harper served as head of account management at TBWA (then Whybin TBWA), where she worked across clients including Mastercard, Chobani, Krispy Kreme, Airbnb, GoDaddy, nabtrade, NIVEA, Brancott Estate (Pernod Ricard), and more.

Harper wrote about the “big time life and work update” on LinkedIn last week:

“TLDR: I joined an Australian startup, Springboards.ai, am working with some truly awesome people, and building some awesome stuff.

“On a professional front, I haven’t rushed the job thing… I knew that my next gig outside the home needed to be ‘right’ from a growth, strengths, and mindset perspective. And I knew I wanted to do something different and ‘additive’ in my career journey, after 15 years at top ranking global creative agencies and five awesome years at Facebook/Meta.

“So with that brief in mind, I’ve joined Amy Tucker, Pip Bingemann and the team at Springboards.ai as director of agency partnerships and I am STOKED. If not now, when?!”

She described Springboards as a made-specifically for agencies suite of tools that puts AI in the hands of agency planners and creatives to get to better creative ideas, faster.

She cited the “small but mighty” team behind the “extraordinary” product as one that is growing fast into markets and agencies around the world.

“We’ve even had to shut our sales doors while we scale a partnerships team to meet the demand (yes, we’ll be hiring in USA and EU too, so HMU if you’re keen),” she said.

“Most of us know that AI will change (and is already changing) work as we know it. I also believe that the very smart and very creative thinkers (aka PEOPLE) at agencies will remain the most valuable assets in our industry, because they will be the ones harnessing AI’s power alongside human insight to improve strategy and the work.”

Harper said she is excited to help agencies build value for their businesses and clients, “and I am thrilled to be connecting again with an industry and people that I love.”

“And a huge thanks to those of you who were amazing supports to me on this crazy 18 month journey from layoff to baby to new gig.”

Springboards was was co-founded by former head of brand marketing at Unstoppable Domains, Pip Bingemann, and former senior marketing lead APAC for merchant community engagement at Shopify, Amy Tucker.

This is the second joint venture from the duo, who joined forces last March to launch marketing, advertising, and experimentation studio, Trilingual.

Mediaweek has reached out to Harper, Bingemann, and Tucker for comment.

See also: Pip Bingemann and Amy Tucker join forces to launch Trilingual

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Top Image: Liz Harper

Anurag Dahiya, chief commercial officer at ICC, has told Mediaweek the cricketing body plans to not only draw in American audiences, but keep them, as the World Cup is played in the US for the first time ever.

“While the World Cup plays a crucial role in grabbing the attention of fans and potential fans of the market overall, what really counts is what legacy this World Cup will leave in the US,” he said, speaking to Mediaweek in the media boxes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

“We have been running something called Creo, which is informal, softball cricket with minimal rules. It’s designed to make our sport more accessible to new fans and we are going to have festivals in Florida, Dallas, and New York.

“The goal is that this World Cup will also inspire kids in school activities. We are partnering with schools to incorporate cricket into their physical education programmes.”

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is being played in the West Indies, and the US, with a ground in New York built specifically for the World Cup.

“As we get to the Olympics in LA in 2028, we are aiming to have a million American school kids playing cricket, and we hope to properly kick that off with the World Cup in the US,” Dahlia added.

Announced in October 2023, the men’s and women’s cricket teams will compete for gold at the LA Olympics in 2028 in the T20 format. It’s the first time cricket will be played in an Olympics since the 1900 Olympics in Paris. 

Prime Video World Cup ambassador and player Usman Khawaja told Mediaweek he thinks audiences in America will show up, at least with the big games.

“There’s a lot of cricket coming up in the US. The Major League Cricket (MLC) is straight after this World Cup and there’s a lot of people that watch cricket in America, including expats,” he said.

“I think it will take time though to try to get the next broader audience in America to watch the game. I think it will take time to build around personalities, and I think other documentaries like The Test will help people get insight into what goes on behind closed doors and provide a better understanding on the game.”

Worldwide broadcast partners for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

Prime Video held a launch event in Trinidad and Tobago for its coverage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which it has exclusive streaming rights to in Australia.

While the tournament didn’t start until 2 June, the Prime Video team was on the ground in Trinidad and Tobago last week alongside the Australian Men’s Cricket Team, which was gearing up for the tournament.

Some big names such as captain Pat Cummins weren’t present due to commitments at the IPL in India, but Prime Video T20 World Cup ambassador Khawaja was a big part of the launch, leading the tours around various cricket grounds as well as a cricket game at Maracas Beach with some players from the team. 

Press, including Mediaweek, was invited to spend the day with Prime and Khawaja, which started bright and early at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

Most of the Australian men’s team was present, training ahead of their first match against Oman on 6 June. 

Next up was a tour of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, one of the biggest grounds in Trinidad and Tobago, where the semi-finals are set to be played at the end of June. 

The day ended with a launch event at Maracas Beach, where Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis, Tim David and the head of Prime Video Australia and New Zealand Hushidar Kharas were present to usher in the new streaming era for the T20 World Cup in Australia. 

Kharas told Mediaweek that Prime wants to grow cricket in Australia while also growing its audience base.

He also spoke about the streaming service’s outlook on securing audiences for the tournament, amidst the free to air networks’ ongoing anti-siphoning lobbying to keep sports free. 

“I don’t think we’re dragging anyone away,” he said.

“I think it’s a rich media landscape, it’s dynamic, and people can watch things in different places at different times.

“Our worldview or mindset is never that we want to be the only service, we want to be part of a bouquet of services that customers use, and we want to provide value back to them.”

See also: ‘I don’t think we’re dragging anyone away’: How Prime Video is securing T20 World Cup audiences

Press was also invited to join a friendly game of beach cricket with some players from the team, with the backdrop of a Caribbean sunset and the T20 World Cup trophy on display, alongside a band playing tropical tunes.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup commenced on 1 June internationally and 2 June for Australian fans. Cricket fans across Australia will have exclusive access on Prime Video to all matches in every tournament of ICC competition, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Apparent has appointed Simon Pugh as its chief media officer to lead and grow the independent agency’s media offering in Australia and around the world.

He has previously held senior roles across Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, and Dentsu in Sydney, New York, and San Francisco.

Before joining Apparent, Pugh helped establish the newly formed essenceMediacom agency in Australia as chief client officer. He has worked with startups through to international brands including Square, Microsoft, Diageo, and The Coca-Cola Company.

“I was drawn to Apparent because it’s an agency that’s focussed on solving complex client problems through the integration of media, creativity, data and technology,” Pugh said.

“Importantly, these are deep specialisms that currently all exist within the agency, not typical across today’s Australian agency landscape.

“In a world where clients are needing help to design and operationalise their future-focused marketing capabilities, I really believe our integrated, agile and tech focused model is a differentiator. From my very first conversations with Phil [Smith] and Suzy [Smiley] I was impressed by the culture of the agency and its singular focus on delivering business impact for clients.”

Pugh is the latest senior appointment at Apparent. Jason Hill joined the agency in December in the newly created role of chief strategy officer.

Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Simon to Apparent’s leadership team. His considerable experience working with major brands at some of the most recognised and awarded agencies, will help accelerate our media and marketing capabilities.

“We continue to attract top talent to Apparent that helps drive our clients’ businesses and expand our global footprint.”

See also: Jason Hill joins Apparent in the newly created role of chief strategy officer

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Top image: Simon Pugh

Australian Venue Co. (AVC) has launched a retail media network, AVC Experience+.

AVC is a food and beverage-led hospitality group that owns and operates pubs, bars and venues across Australia, including Untied in Barangaroo, Little Pearl Bar in Manly, and Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda.

The retail media network gives partners access to over 200 venues and the ability to reach up to 15 million consumers annually via curated brand experiences, digital content, and tailored promotions.

Partners can also blend digital media presence with in-venue activations, customer experiences, and visual branded assets, ensuring the rollout of strategic campaigns that maximise consumer touch points and meet customers in a socially relaxed and receptive mindset.

Hotel Esplanade, St Kilda

AVC Experience+ is led and managed by an in-house team, with support from the broader digital and experience teams and oversight from AVC chief experience officer Marianne Mewett.

Mewett said AVC Experience+ offers partners a combination of scale and unprecedented access to a unique and untapped audience of in-demand, high-intent consumers.

Partners will be able to leverage AVC’s 6+ million first-party data profiles.

“AVC Experience+ offers something unique: front-row access to an attentive and receptive audience when they are in their cultural and social comfort zone: eager to engage, hyped to explore, and poised to embrace new brand experiences,” she said.

“Increasingly, there is an expectation for brands to actively engage, connect, and integrate into the cultural landscape of their consumers’ lives. The extraordinary point of difference of AVC Experience+ is that it helps brands deliver relevant content to consumers at a unique point of culture, enhancing salience and driving top-of-mind awareness.”

Little Pearl Bar & Restaurant, Manly

Mewett said the launch of AVC Experience+ was driven by partners wanting to grow their business with the group and connect more meaningfully with customers.

“AVC Experience+ invites brands to think big and act bold with digital campaigns that are integrated with on-site customer experiences, such as feature bars, booth takeovers, venue activations, and sampling experiences, supported with high-impact, strategically placed branded visuals, including posters, coasters and umbrellas.

“Picture the visually explosive, powerfully effective strategy of commandeering every AVC outdoor umbrella at a venue, across a state, or even nationwide for a seasonal campaign that integrates with digital media to elevate brand fame and maximise return and value.”

Annually, the group has 30 million website views, 365 million organic social impressions, 2.29 million EDM recipients, and 102 million impressions via The Pass loyalty app and digital ordering platform me&u.

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Top image: Marianne Mewett

Australian non-profit health fund HCF is inviting its members to take over 60% of its advertising inventory – from airtime to OOH – for their personal use in its latest Value Ads initiative via Clemenger BBDO. 

The Value Ads work is the second iteration of HCF’s We Put Our Money Where Our Members Are brand platform, which was developed by the Clemenger Group agency and launched in March last year.

In another, Jemma uses her TV spot to thank her doctor for her liver transplant, and show off the medals she won at the Transplant Games.

Over 6,972 unique ad placements have been secured for the Value Ads initiative across TV, radio, social, digital, out-of-home, and in-branch.

“At HCF we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to bring value to our members,” said HCF general manager, marketing, Tatiana Papavero.

“We needed to hone in on the value members are seeking in a meaningful way. Consumers want enduring value, something this campaign shows HCF delivers in spades.”

Clemenger BBDO executive creative director, Tristan Graham said “HCF is going from strength to strength in terms of brand salience and likability – proof that when you have a clear point of view on the world, and a unique way to bring that view to life creatively, it’s easy to create effective, breakthrough work.”

In May, Clemenger’s CHEP Network announced the promotion of Tash Johnson to national head of integrated production.

Last week, Clemenger Group promoted James Schaw to the newly-created role of national workplace experience and building manager.

See also:
Clemenger names James Schaw workplace experience and building manager
CHEP promotes Tash Johnson to national head of integrated production

Credits:

Client: HCF
General Manager – Marketing: Tatiana Papavero
Head of Brand and Content: Lindsay Carter
Senior Brand and Sponsorship Manager: Patricia Wade 
Senior Marketing Manager: Alexandra Roche-West, Zac Hancock 
Senior Campaign Manager: Laura Entwistle 
Marketing Manager: Tegan Brown 
Marketing Specialist: Stephanie Halbisch
Assistant Brand Manager: Laura Hart 
Senior Media Manager: Jessica Adler 
Media Manager: Samuel Stacker

Creative Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Chief Strategy & Experience Officer: Simon Wassef
Executive Creative Director: Tristin Graham 
Group Creative Director: Anthony Phillips 
Senior Creatives: Ellie Dunn, Hugh O’Connor 
Strategy Partner: Brooke Thompson 
Strategy Director: Milica Djurovic
Managing Partner: Georgie Winton 
Group Business Director: Natalie Robinson 
Business Manager: Genevieve Bowes & Jack Maclean 
Account Coordinator: Millie Cheshire 
Executive Producer: Karolina Bozajkovska & Alana Teasdale
Junior Producer: Alexandra Egan
Executive Director of Digital: Claire Bisset 
Digital Producer, Made This: Meera Srikanth
Interactive Designer, Made This: Claire Johnson 

Media: Spark Foundry

Production Company: Good Oil
Director: Dave Wood
DOP: Danny Ruhlmann
Executive Producer: Simon Thomas
Producer: Lee Thomson
Photographer: Andrew Craig 
Post House: Arc Edit
Editor: Drew Thompson (Phase 1) & Laurence van Camp (Phase 2)
Online Editor: Jamie Scott (Phase 1)
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
Sound: Squeak E. Clean
Sound Engineer: Paul Le Couteur 
Casting:  Citizen Jane
Casting Director:  Natalie Jane Harvie

The Australian has begun celebrating its 60th anniversary, supported by commercial partners including Qantas, Harvey Norman, Hancock Prospecting, CommBank, Ampol, and Woodside. 

The Australian’s managing director, John Lehmann, said: “We are thrilled to partner with some of Australia’s most iconic brands, some of which have been with us since those early years and have helped to shape the nation.”

On 15 July 1964, Rupert Murdoch published the first issue of The Australian. Today, according to Roy Morgan, it is the most read national newspaper in the country with 4.091 million readers across print and digital. 

“Today, we reach more Australians than ever before, across more platforms than we ever thought possible in 1964,” The Australian’s editor-in-chief, Michelle Gunn, said.

“Our audience is invested, engaged and determined to help build a better Australia. Our subscribers play a critical role in our commitment to serve the country into the future.” 

Starting today, The Australian will begin rolling out a special editorial series, Six Decades in Six Weeks. The series will highlight the biggest news stories, cultural and lifestyle events, business and sporting achievements, and memorable pictures and cartoons of the past 60 years, decade by decade. 

On 13 July, The Australian will publish a special glossy 104-page 60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition magazine, featuring influential people from the past 60 years.

The list will include prime ministers, business titans, sports champions, musicians, scientists, and artists.

The special magazine is supported by Rolex, Omega, Viking Cruises, Abercrombie & Kent, and Bolton Clark among others. 

As well as editorial content across print, digital, video, social, and a podcast via The Front, there will also be a gala black-tie anniversary event on 25 July – Rupert Murdoch himself is expected to attend – and a consumer marketing campaign across print, digital, social, radio, television, and outdoor. 

“As staff gathered in an unfinished, unheated building in freezing Canberra, the 33-year-old Rupert Murdoch was telling ­potential readers about the new publication.

“A promotional book outlined the desire for ‘a newspaper of ­intelligence, of broad outlook, of independent spirit and of elegant appearance’. This was ‘the birth of a great newspaper.'”

See Also: The Australian and HarperCollins announce literary award for Aussie storytelling

By Jasmin Bedir, CEO at Innocean

It’s been a big week, with lots of conferences on the topic of AI. If you have followed my musings here, you’ll know that I don’t think conferences are necessarily where we should get all of our wisdom from, but I went to one regardless and in the spirit of sharing, here is where I got to.

The Australian Financial Review AI summit was pretty interesting and confirmed for me what I already believed to be true. There is a massive divide between big businesses and those of us who aren’t building data centres, semiconductors, or running banks.

Solutions to the dilemma of how to navigate the next decade in business in particular feel distant and opaque at best and something one must look at, but one is not exactly sure how and when.

Maybe it’s my own generalised anxiety about the state of the world that makes me feel restless and actually want to get on the tools. Or maybe it’s the possibility of losing one’s job within the next 48 months, which was a major headline at last week’s AFR AI summit.

As the cynical person that I am, I read it as a pretty grim message: Adapt or die. Or in nicer words, AI won’t replace you but you will be replaced by someone who knows how to utilise AI.

The capex and opex investments of large enterprises are in double-digit billions of dollars to be ready for the 4th industrial revolution, so how does one in a small to medium business not die?

If your AI literacy level is limited to a little bit of chat GPT-ing, and some fun images on Midjourney, you have reasons to worry.

But it’s not all bleak. Stela Solar, Co-chair of The Commonwealth AI Consortium, spoke about the large upside for SMEs, where business challenges can certainly be turned into growth opportunities.

But yes, our industry will look entirely different, and what that means not even Chat GPT can answer. But this I know: Adaptation is a choice for survival.

See Also: Jasmin Bedir: Is anybody listening?

– 

Top Image: Jasmin Bedir

QMS has expanded its NSW portfolio with a new agreement with Transport for NSW, covering nine Sydney-based digital out-of-home assets.

Each of the nine digital sites will be powered by 100% Green Power.

The new partnership with Transport for NSW takes effect on 1 January 2025, and includes high-traffic locations in Cremorne on Military Road, Crows Nest on the Gore Hill Freeway, Maroubra on Anzac Parade, North Ryde on Epping Road, Wiley Park on King Georges Road, and Blakehurst on the Princes Highway.

Speaking of the acquisition of the new sites, QMS chief operating officer, Sara Lappage, said: “Creating a compelling and balanced network for our clients and agency partners in Sydney has been one of our key strategic priorities.”

The new agreement with Transport for NSW “is a game-changing addition to our existing portfolio of premium digital large format billboards,” she said.

“We’re excited to have been selected as Transport for NSW’s new partner for these sites, which are in highly sought-after locations and are considered some of Sydney’s most prestigious and important digital out of home assets.”

The partnership follows other recent wins for QMS, including The Hills Shire Council, the Australian Turf Club’s Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, and the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s (ARTC) out-of-home assets across Sydney.

Combined, the four new agreements will expand QMS’ digital large format network in NSW by more than 40%. This means that QMS’ expanded digital network now has the opportunity to reach more than 92% of the Sydney population each week.

QMS’ City of Sydney Network is currently working with Vivid Sydney 2024 – the latest in a line of major events for the outdoor company, with the Olympics and Paralympics on the horizon. 

The Paris 2024 Digital Screen Network supports both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and was launched in April with partners including Allianz, Stan, Toyota Australia, and Patties Food Group. 

See also: John O’Neill: Paris Olympics and Paralympics pose huge advantage for brands. Are you ready to play?

Campaigns for KFC, New Balance, FIFA, L’Oreal and ALDI have been named among the finalists in the 2024 MFA Awards, which will be held on 19 September.

The list of finalists includes small and large agencies, local independents and multinationals, and a growing group of collaborative partners.

The 2024 cohort of more than 100 judges consisted of close to 50% client CMOs, who provided an advertiser voice to the selection process. Judges looked for work that demonstrated effectiveness, long-term business growth and media agencies’ industry purpose of We Are The Changers.  

Naysla Edwards, VP customer marketing and member experience at American Express ANZ, said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to be a Signature Judge at this year’s MFA Awards; I was wowed by the calibre of media thinking and the work that’s gone into delivering clear and powerful entries.

“Phenomenal to see the focus across the media agency industry on how their efforts are driving tangible business growth, long-term impact and outstanding innovation.”
 
Woolworths Group GM group media and media planning, Nicole Smart, added: “In judging the MFA Awards, I felt proud of our industry peers and loved seeing media shine.
 
“We saw some truly inspiring work across a broad range of business categories, from brands both big and small – reinforcing the belief that customer insight, brilliant strategy, and brave execution are equally important in achieving strong results.”

Winners were chosen by silent vote – meaning no one will know the results until the MFA Awards gala dinner in Sydney on 19 September.
 
MFA CEO Sophie Madden said: “A big congratulations to the finalists of the 2024 MFA Awards for continuing to live up to our industry’s We Are The Changers purpose. Each year, I am blown away by the quality of strategic thinking, innovation and collaboration our members are delivering for their clients.
 
“I’d also like to thank our judges, who devote a huge amount of time to the significant task of identifying and awarding the most innovative and effective media thinking in Australia.”
 
The MFA Awards Grand Prix (presented by Seven), and awards for Industry Contribution, Hall of Fame and the NGEN Award will also be announced at the MFA Awards gala dinner on Thursday 19 September 2024 at White Bay Cruise Terminal. The awards will follow on from the MFA EX conference. MFA EX will also be held in Melbourne on 5 September 2023.
 
The NGEN Award opens for entries on 25 June.
 
The 2024 MFA Awards finalists are:

OUTCOMES

Brand Impact – Sponsored by Meta
• EssenceMediacom, Google Pixel Perspectives, Google – Collaborating partner: PHD        
• Mediahub, Run Your Way, New Balance             
• UM and TBWA, The SEEKret to turn plateau into growth, SEEK

Business Impact
• EssenceMediacom, KFC Modelled Menu, Yum!              
• Foundation, Telfast Disrupts Its Way To #1, Sanofi
• Initiative and ARN, Win a Billboard, ARN Media – Collaborating partner: JCDecaux

Behaviour Change       
• CulturalPulse, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Multicultural Fan Engagement, FIFA                      
• EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
• Initiative, Mental Fitness Gym, Gotcha4Life Foundation – Collaborating partner: Science Fiction
• OMD, Project Enigma, NSW Cancer Institute

Data-Led Activation     
• Atomic 212°, Red Is The New Black, My Muscle Chef – Collaborating partner: Chello       
• iProspect, Using Data to Beat the January Blues, Air New Zealand
• OMD, Project Enigma, NSW Cancer Institute      
• Zenith Media Australia, How a Built-from-Scratch Data Set Won Christmas 2023, ALDI – Collaborating partner: BMF

Long Term Results        
• Bohemia Group and M&C Saatchi, Unleashing Personality to Outgrow The Category, Yellow Tail – Collaborating partner: Dig         
• PHD Australia, Getting the Australian Open to the Magic Million, Tennis Australia
• Wavemaker, Maybelline Game-Changing Results, L’Oreal – Collaborating partners: HERO, Photoplay Films, Livewire

EXECUTION

Best Integrated Campaign        
• Initiative, Daisy Jones & The Six on Tour, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio, Nova, SCA, Spotify, Vevo
• Initiative, Delivering Holiday Smiles, Amazon – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), JCDecaux
• Initiative, Taking Aussies back to ’07, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: ARE Media, Mediabrands Content Studio, Scentre Group, Snapchat, Spotify
• OMD, SPF your deck, Dulux Group – Collaborating partner: Thinkbell Melbourne
• PHD, Mountain Goat: Untamed Music, Asahi – Collaborating partner: Spotify

Best Use of Small Budget <500K           
• EssenceMediacom, Dogs and Pubs are Better Together, My Dog – Collaborating partner: The & Partnership
• EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
• Foundation, Lunar New Year, HSBC
• UM, Did You Hear That?, Australian Government – Collaborating partner: Spotify

Partnership Award       
• EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
• Foundation, Telfast and Seven: Disrupting our way to #1, Sanofi – Collaborating partner: Network Seven
• Initiative, Insuring Indigenous Stories, IAG / NRMA Insurance – Collaborating partners: NITV, SBS

Innovation       
• CHEP, Climate Doctor’s Certificate, School Strike 4 Climate – Collaborating partners: Doctor Nick Abel and Doctor David Karoly
• Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic
• OMD Create, Free Calls to Santa, Telstra – Collaborating partners: OMD, fullstop.ai, The Monkeys
• Wavemaker, Salon Brilliance, Henkel (Schwarzkopf) – Collaborating partners: Goat, Hogarth, Connecting Plots

Best Content Amplification Strategy     
• EssenceMediacom, Creating a Newspaper to Make Driving Safer, Queensland Government – Collaborating partner: The Betoota Advocate
• Initiative, Taking Aussies back to ’07, Prime Video – Collaborating partners: ARE Media, Mediabrands Content Studio, Scentre Group, Snapchat, Spotify
• Principle Media Group, Healthy Minds Campaign 2024, Swisse – Collaborating partner: Traffik Creative

ESG Campaign – Sponsored by SBS
• EssenceMediacom, Cinema for ALL, Mable – Collaborating partner: Val Morgan
• Initiative, Empower With Flowers, Prime Video – Collaborating partner: Mediabrands Content Studio
• Wavemaker and GroupM, The Power of Search, Black Dog Institute – Collaborating partners: Google, Reddit, Folk Agency

Media for Good           
• GroupM and Wavemaker, The Power of Search, Black Dog Institute – Collaborating partners: Google, Reddit, Folk Agency
• Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Pro Bono/Cause Marketing Incentive (In recognition of Pam Lane)       
• CHEP Network, Climate Doctor’s Certificate, School Strike 4 Climate – Collaborating partners: Doctor Nick Abel and Doctor David Karoly
• EssenceMediacom, Putting an End to Childhood Bullying, Dollys Dream – Collaborating partner: The Open Arms
• Initiative, Mental Fitness Gym, Gotcha4Life Foundation – Collaborating partner: Science Fiction
• Mindshare, The Greet Reef Census, Citizens Of The Great Barrier Reef – Collaborating partner: ReThink Everything

Agency Talent & Culture (<100)
• Dentsu QLD
• The Media Store
• This Is Flow

Agency Talent & Culture (>100)
• Atomic 212°
• Initiative

CHANNEL EXCELLENCE 

Best Use of Screens     
• Initiative and Kinesso, Wonder, Goodman Fielder – Collaborating partners: Flybuys, Channel 9, Channel 7, SBS
• Match & Wood, The Bedroom Binge, Snooze

Best Use of Technology
• Foundation, Renewables Ad Engine, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Australia – Collaborating partner: Adylic
• OMD Create, Free Calls to Santa, Telstra – Collaborating partners: OMD, fullstop.ai, The Monkeys

Best Use of Audio        
• PHD, Mountain Goat: Untamed Music, Asahi – Collaborating partner: Spotify
• UM, Did You Hear That?, Australian Government – Collaborating partner: Spotify

Best Use of Outdoor – Sponsored by OMA
• Initiative and ARN, Win a Billboard, ARN Media – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux
• Initiative, Delivering Holiday Smiles, Amazon – Collaborating partners: Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), JCDecaux
• UM, Guinness Brewery of Meteorology, Lion – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux, Thinkerbell
• UM, XXXX Gold Pride in your Origin, Lion – Collaborating partners: JCDecaux, Thinkerbell

Best Use of Performance Media                       
• Initiative and Kinesso, Wonder, Goodman Fielder – Collaborating partners: Flybuys, Channel 9, Channel 7, SBS
• Intender, Lighting the way with Integrated Media, EnergyAustralia
• iProspect, Nailed It, L’Oréal ANZ
• OMD, Performance Value Engine, Telstra

Best Use of Events and Experiential      
• EssenceMediacom, Google Pixel Perspectives, Google – Collaborating partner: PHD
• PHD, Scrum Saga, Asahi Beverages – Collaborating partners: DRUM, Pedestrian Group

The 2024 MFA Awards sponsors are:

Grand Prix Sponsor: Seven Network
Platinum Sponsors: Meta, Outdoor Media Association, SBS
Gold Sponsors: Ad Standards, Foxtel Media, News Corp Australia, OzTAM

Yahoo has appointed Maddie Basso to the newly-created role of head of commercial. 

Basso will be leading a team of 15 people, and tasked with driving the company’s overall commercial strategy across partners, resellers, and operations in the Australian market. Her main goal will be enhancing growth in Yahoo’s joint business partnerships with agencies and advertisers. 

Basso joins Yahoo after seven years at Captify, where she relocated from the UK to Australia to launch the company’s first APAC office. Her previous role was Captify’s head of sales. 

Andrew Gilbert, director of commercial and platforms at Yahoo, said Basso is “an incredibly strong leader with a natural warmth that has helped her build and maintain deep relationships across our local industry from a standing start just a few years ago.

“Not only is she a fantastic business brain who will help our partners achieve their goals, she’s also a strong people leader who is going to add a lot of value to our team. We’re all incredibly excited to have Maddie on our team.”

Speaking about her new role, Basso said she was: “Over the moon to be joining the exceptional team at Yahoo. Not only do they have so many best-in-class tools for advertisers, they’ve also cultivated an exceptional culture that is the envy of so many businesses in the industry. 

“I’m eager to help brands and agencies master this cutting edge tech in channels like CTV and retail media and as they look to navigate the ever-changing media landscape with confidence.”

Yahoo has also grown its ad sales strategy and solutions teams in recent weeks with several new hires, including Christian Shead in business partnerships, Declan Dowd in platform solutions, and Francesca Tichon in strategy.

See Also: Yahoo launches Identity Solutions for CTV environments

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Top Image: Maddie Basso

Meta is expanding its age verification tools on Facebook and anti-bullying features on Instagram in Australia.

The news follows the launch of 36 Months, a campaign lobbying to change legislation to increase the age of social media citizenship from 13 to 16.

Facebook users attempting to edit their date of birth from below 18 to above 18 will be asked to verify their age by either uploading a video selfie or submitting an ID. The tech giant has partnered with Yoti, a company that specialises in online age verification.

Instagram will now also feature ‘limits’ for teens to safeguard young people from cyberbullying. ‘Limits’ will allow teens to hide interactions, such as comments, DMs, and tags, from people who aren’t in their Close Friends list without letting others know their content isn’t being shown.

The platform noted that the ability to limit interactions to Close Friends on Instagram allows teens to still safely connect with their friends on the app, even if they are experiencing online bullying.

Meta is also set to expand its ‘Restrict’ feature, which lets teens take action on a specific bully without having to block them. When someone is restricted, in addition to hiding their comments, any tags or mentions by that person will only be visible to the person who has been restricted.

“Our priority continues to be investing in privacy-preserving tools and features that help support young people online,” Naomi Shepherd, Meta group industry director, said. 

“Following the success of the age verification tool on Instagram, we have been working behind the scenes for some time to see this feature expanded on our Facebook app in Australia, ensuring that everyone has age-appropriate experiences on Facebook.

“We also know bullying can be very personal for teens and they may be hesitant to take direct action, like blocking. Even an innocuous word or emoji might mean nothing to one person but be upsetting to another.

“The ‘Limits,’ feature will now give teens more ways to manage their online environments, including bullying, when they’re worried about blocking leading to retaliation in person, like at school. With this expansion, teens can limit interactions to Close Friends only, and we’ll prompt teens to turn it on if we detect they’re experiencing a wave of bullying.

“These are important updates but our work never stops in this space. We’ll continue to have teams dedicated to building tools and features that give teens safe, age appropriate and positive experiences on our apps.”

The 36 Months initiative, launched last week, is led by Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, co-host of Nova 96.9’s Sydney breakfast show, and Rob Galluzzo, founder of production company FINCH.

It is a pro bono social change movement supported by News Corp Australia and NOVA Entertainment, calling on families, community leaders, and educators to sign the 36 Months change.org petition that will be taken to parliament.

“We’re already in talks with major policymakers identifying the steps needed to change the official entry age for kids starting their own social media accounts,” said Wipfli.

“As parents, we want to give our kids the best shot at becoming resilient and independent adults,” added Galluzzo.

Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo

According to Raising Children Network, the rise of social media usage has been linked to mental health issues, cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide in Australian teenagers. 

Research links social media’s impact to the critical phase of psychological development, particularly during the 36 months between the ages of 13 and 16. 

See also: Exclusive: Wippa and Galluzzo launch 36 Months to raise social media age

The AFL has launched Break the Aussie Rules with creative agency TBWA, national media agency of record PHD, developed in partnership with the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, and Sydney Swans.

The creative brand platform is a fresh twist on traditional football posters, with fashion, family, music, and, naturally, football at its core. Redefining football norms, the campaign playfully undermines the traditional football code by with overlays of bespoke messaging and imagery.

The goal is to establish a connection with audiences less familiar with Aussie Rules Football and help grow the sport’s popularity in New South Wales and Queensland.

“We’re excited to launch our new Break the Aussie Rules campaign in New South Wales and Queensland that is fun, different and will engage with new and casual fans like never before,” said AFL’s executive general manager of customer and commercial, Kylie Rogers.

 “The most authentic way to engage with new fans is to create meaningful connections with people and acknowledge and celebrate what makes them unique. The Break the Aussie Rules campaign delivers on this and will help strengthen our position in the northern markets as we continue to move the needle in this region.”

The campaign is live across out-of-home, digital, and social platforms, as well as activations across the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants and Sydney Swans’ media channels, including handing out four match day experiences to winners of a social comp.
 

Earlier this month, Red Rooster teamed up with Four’N Twenty pies – the ‘official pie’ of the AFL – for a limited edition chicken and gravy pie ahead of the Australian footy final season, launched via Leo Burnett Australia.

See also: Red Rooster and Four’N Twenty launch collab via Leo Burnett

Hearts & Science’s content division, Shape, has integrated LG home and entertainment appliances in the first round of home reveals on Seven’s Dream Home.

LG integrated its technology into contextually relevant moments on the program to showcase how the brand can be one of the building blocks in creating the ultimate home. 

The brand will promote its suite of home entertainment and appliances in a marketing campaign that spans Seven’s broadcast and digital ecosystem, LG, and retail channels.

LG has further extended their partnership by leveraging 7CIC, Seven’s new shoppable, in-content ad product.

The product takes contextually relevant moments that line up with a client’s brand and are identified by 7CIC in content. A “shop now” button appears and invites viewers to use their remote to open a full-screen ad with brand messaging and a QR code to direct people to the client’s website.

Gemma Lemieux, LG marketing director, said: “We are excited to be a launch partner for Dream Home and deliver incredible home makeovers fitted with LG’s innovative technology to some very deserving Aussies. LG products help to enhance and elevate the everyday life of a homeowner, therefore integrating into Dream Home made complete sense.

“And viewers will now be able shop our products that they have seen in the show, from the comfort of their sofa via Seven’s new shoppable format.”

Dream Home, hosted by Chris Brown, debuted on Seven and recorded a total TV national reach of 2,253,000, a total TV national audience of 950,000, and a BVOD audience of 64,000.

Lauren Peris, Hearts & Science trading director, added: “Unlocking an integrated sponsorship of this magnitude with a first-to-market shoppable ad format has been a tremendous effort from our Hearts & Science media team and content division, Shape.

“We are committed to finding new and better ways for our clients to innovate and cut through in advertising, through partnerships that deliver seamless creative integration tied to real-world shopping moments, which is the key to our clients winning in today’s attention economy.”

Hearts & Science’s sponsorship work with Dream Home comes after news that Omnicom Media Group has merged Foundation into Hearts & Science. Effective from today, the Foundation brand will disappear, with the conjoined team coming under the Hearts & Science brand.

As part of the shift, current managing director of Foundation, Liz Wigmore, will become managing director of Hearts & Science, across both Sydney and Melbourne offices.

See also: OMG merges Foundation into Hearts & Science

The Seven Network is partnering with AdFixus, an Australian identity platform, to provide addressable audiences across all of Seven’s digital properties including 7plus. 

AdFixus allows online businesses to personalise customer experiences and optimise advertising without compromising personal information. Through a privacy-centric identifier, consumers gain control over their data, while businesses benefit from visibility and longevity of their audiences across multiple domains.

Seven West Media director of audience development and growth, Andrew Brain, said: “Partnering with an ambitious Australian tech start-up like AdFixus is a fantastic opportunity. We are committed to taking bold steps to enhance our audience proposition and deliver optimal outcomes for our advertising partners.

“With the incorporation of AdFixus’ solution, we can now offer full addressability across our diverse range of digital properties, such as 7plus and 7NEWS.com.au, which will prepare us for any form of signal loss and privacy reform set to land later this year.”

For advertisers, the partnership enables the creation and management of integrated cross-platform digital experiences maintaining full addressability.

Marko Markovic, CEO and founder of AdFixus, said: “Seven’s commitment to delivering privacy-centric addressable audiences aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are thrilled to contribute to their goals. This strategic milestone comes during our most successful year to date.”

Seven’s partnership with AdFixus comes after the network extended its data partnership with Visa, adding three new segments: luxury brands and stores, SMB owners, and seasonal shoppers.

Seven and Visa have previously worked together to build a data solution visualised by 7REDiQ before being made available to advertisers. Marketers can leverage the data to target audiences across Seven’s digital platforms. 

“All of this ladders up to our overall strategy to ensure 7REDiQ continues to provide the market with the most advanced, intuitive and innovative guidance when advertisers are seeking maximum efficacy with minimum wastage,” Brain said.

As part of the partnership, Seven will also tap insights from Visa economists to provide foresight on upcoming disposable income.

See also: Seven and Visa renew exclusive data partnership

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Top image: Andrew Brain

Athletic brand New Balance and wellness platform Kic have launched a second campaign partnership – a run club for young women and non-binary folks across the country to learn how to run with confidence.

Launching wth events in Melbourne and Sydney via Mango Communications, part of DDB Group, the run clubs form part of Kic’s eight-week challenge (KICRUN).

The initiative aligns with New Brand’s global Run Your Way platform. To create an inclusive and accessible space for female runners, New  Balance and Kic’s new run club meetups aim to help runners overcome self-doubt while encouraging fun and support.

Guests at the launch trialled New Balance’s latest running shoe, the Fresh Foam 1080v13, and participated in a run led by Kic co-founders, Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith.  

“This new initiative isn’t just about running, it’s about connection, empowerment and having fun,” Henshaw said.

“It was so special to work with New Balance and create a positive, judgement-free space for women and non-binary people to support and uplift each other.

Smith said she used to hate running because of comparison. “Running is trending right now but in saying that it’s important to understand that we are all at different stages of our running journey.

“Together with New Balance, we’re committed to showing women across Australia that if they have the ability to run, they are runners, no matter how they do it.”

The run clubs address common barriers to entry that were revealed by a research survey of over 5,000 respondents by Kic and New Balance. Motivation (62%), sense of community (37%), and boost in mood (25%) were the top reasons to run with friends or people in the community.  

“It’s been so rewarding seeing people experience the benefits of running together,” said Polly Morris, brand marketing manager at New Balance.

“We’re hearing such positive feedback from New Balance fans and Kic members who have loved the launch of the new run clubs and the community it brings.

“The run club meetups mark the natural evolution of the partnership between Kic and New  Balance, now in its second year. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds.”  

Alex Lefley, general manager at Mango, added that the evolution of the New Balance and Kic partnership was a testament to all partners involved.

“We started with Run Your Way talking to barriers of running independently and are now expanding to the power of connection – whether that means you enjoy running in a group or connecting with yourself,” he said.

“We can’t wait to take  both brands to the next level in the performance category.”

In April, Casper Yuli of Affinity wrote about the remarkable brand transformation of New Balance for Mediaweek, shifting from daggy dad brand to hyper-cool, global phenomenon.

In August last year, New Balance unveiled a collaboration with the trendy, once-niche Danish fashion brand GANNI for the 1960Rs, which were notably worn by Taylor Swift.

See also:
Kate O’Loughlin: Marketing lessons from the rise of run clubs
Caspar Yuill: New Balance’s resurgence from daggy to desirable

Credits:

Client: New Balance
Joel Hanlon: Head of marketing ANZ
Polly Morris: Brand marketing manager  
Sophie Thomson: Marketing coordinator  
Cameron Maurice: Kic senior partnerships and events manager  

Mango Communications  
Alex Lefley: General manager 
Emily Perry: Group account director 
Chris Banks: Senior account manager
Ruby Loosli: Account manager 
Emilie West: Senior account executive  
Aimee Burn: Account coordinator

TV Report 2 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

Travel Guides

Nine’s evening began with Travel Guides.

The guides started this episode in Miami at South Beach. They explored Little Havana and Miami’s art scene, before visiting a gator park. From there the guides went to the Bahamas on the world’s sixth largest cruise ship and swam with pigs. 

NRL – Roosters v Cowboys

The Roosters v Cowboys game on Nine saw the Cowboys dominate, winning the game 18-16 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

Seven TV Report

Dream Home

On Seven, Dream Home saw the judges tour the finished spaces at Ellie’s Watsonia and Brad and Mel’s Northcote homes. All couples came face to face with the experts for the first time in the competition, for feedback and scores.

7NEWS Spotlight

The program conducted an investigation into the Cost of Living, as David Koch and a panel of experts revealed the secrets to making dollars go further. 

10 TV Report

The Sunday Project

The Sunday Project spoke to Olympian Shane Rose on his injury comeback, DJ Lenny Pearce on making toddler techno and also spoke to Eric Idle. 

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, king of the sea, Rick Stein made an appearance where over two rounds, seafood was on the menu but it was one cooks last time in the kitchen. 

ABC

Call the Midwife

Dr Turner experienced the biggest test of his career, while Trixie’s approaching nuptials caused stress levels to escalate.

After the Party

Following Midwife was After the Party, as Penny tried to make amends, she unearthed the trauma of another family member’s relationship with Phil, with devastating consequences. 

SBS

Bronze Age Apocalypse

This film explored the mysterious and catastrophic collapse of ancient civilizations during the late Bronze Age, revealing the tumultuous events that brought an end to a thriving era of human history. 

Thursday 30 May 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Seven’s AFL – Port Adelaide v Carlton recorded a total TV national reach of 1,327,000, and a total TV national audience of 450,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,084,000, a total TV national audience of 724,000, and a BVOD audience of 54,000.

Nine’s NRL- Eels v Sharks recorded a total TV national reach of 1,002,000, a total TV national audience of 440,000, and a BVOD audience of 48,000.

Seven’s Home and Away recorded a total TV national reach of 786,000, a total TV national audience of 563,000 and a BVOD audience of 83,000.

ABC’s Restoration Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 782,000, a total TV national audience of 439,000, and a BVOD audience of 16,000.

People 25-54

Seven’s AFL – Port Adelaide v Carlton:
• Total TV National Reach: 580,000
• National Audience: 212,000
• BVOD Audience: 0

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV National Reach: 405,000
• National Audience: 257,000
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

Nine’s NRL- Eels v Sharks:
• Total TV National Reach: 480,000
• National Audience: 213,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000

Seven’s Home and Away:
• Total TV National Reach: 291,000
• National Audience: 205,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

ABC’s Restoration Australia:
• Total TV National Reach: 167,000
• National Audience: 83,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

People 16-39

Seven’s AFL – Port Adelaide v Carlton:
• Total TV National Reach: 275,000
• National Audience: 100,000
• BVOD Audience: 0

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV National Reach: 186,000
• National Audience: 111,000
• BVOD Audience: 7,000

Nine’s NRL- Eels v Sharks:
• Total TV National Reach: 240,000
• National Audience: 103,000
• BVOD Audience: 23,000

10’s The Project:
• Total TV National Reach: 135,000
• National Audience: 60,000
• BVOD Audience: 5,000

Seven’s Home and Away:
• Total TV National Reach: 129,000
• National Audience: 95,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Seven’s AFL – Port Adelaide v Carlton:
• Total TV National Reach: 1,327,000
• National Audience: 450,000
• BVOD Audience: 0

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV National Reach: 1,084,000
• National Audience: 724,000
• BVOD Audience: 54,000

Nine’s NRL- Eels v Sharks:
• Total TV National Reach: 1,002,000
• National Audience: 440,000
• BVOD Audience: 48,000

Seven’s Home and Away:
• Total TV National Reach: 786,000
• National Audience: 563,000
• BVOD Audience: 83,000

ABC’s Restoration Australia:
• Total TV National Reach: 782,000
• National Audience: 439,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

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