Nick Jacobs has been promoted to chief strategy officer of M&C Saatchi Group Australia and New Zealand, Mediaweek can reveal.

Jacobs joined M&C as senior strategy director in 2019, and was promoted in 2021 to join Rachael Fraser as head of integrated strategy. He replaces former CSO Emily Taylor, who departed the agency in February after three and a half years.

M&C Saatchi has confirmed the appointment to Mediaweek.

Taylor said of her time at M&C Saatchi: “It’s been a brilliant 3.5 years working with an epic bunch to build some of Australia’s best brands with our amazing clients. But it is time for a little break. So I’ve decided to say goodbye to M&C and hello to a bit of R&R.

“A big thank you to Justin Graham, my fellow exec, my marvellous strat team and the rest of the M&C legends for making it so much fun. I will pop my head up after a breather and when I have news on my next adventure.”

This week, M&C Saatchi Sydney restructured its creative department, which included the exit of group creative director, Sharon Edmondston after nine years at the agency.

Chief creative officer Cam Blackley left in October last year, subsequently replaced by The Monkeys’ creative director, Steve Coll. Blackley and Taylor both resigned from their roles with no immediate plans.  

M&C Saatchi is soon to lose one of its key clients, Tourism Australia, with the account up for pitch, and the incumbent failing to shortlist.

Endeavour Group is also putting its key accounts – BWS and Dan Murphy’s – to pitch, with M&C currently holding the BWS account.

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Top Image: Nick Jacobs

With all eyes on the Melbourne radio market following Kyle & Jackie O’s arrival this week, ARN stablemate, GOLD FM’s The Christian O’Connell Show, has entered the marketing fray: steering clear of the sold-out billboards and instead taking its advertising to the curb with ‘bin boards.’  

Kyle & Jackie O and SCA rivals Fifi, Fev, & Nick have both launched multimillion dollar campaigns this week in the tug-of-war for Melbourne breakfast share. Across the city, punters can spot branded billboards, bus shelters, and even transportation vehicles.

GOLD has taken a different approach. Listeners of The Christian O’Connell Show can register online for their bins to be cleaned by The Bin Butlers and plastered with a sticker promoting the show.

“We’ve been told there’s no more marketing money for this show this year. It’s all going towards Kyle & Jackie O,” O’Connell said. 

“That’s fine. I’m thinking what are we actually going to do? Yesterday was my bin night and as I’m taking my big old bin out, I’m thinking this is the only thing that I can ask you for right now. This is what we’ve come down to, a kind of very smelly, dirty rebel alliance army.”

ARN chief connections officer Lauren Joyce added, “The Christian O’Connell Show is all about the listeners and our most successful marketing to date has been where we have involved them in the campaign.  This is yet another example of that.  By giving them the opportunity to be ‘bin-fluencers’, we’re turning their loyalty into advocacy and delivering a reminder of the show every time they go to the bin.”

Bin Boards

Kyle & Jackie O’s marketing campaign asks Melburnians to tune in and make up their own mind about the show, featuring sensationalised headlines and quotes from competitor media personalities. Beginning in print, a TVC has been added to the campaign.

SCA’s The Fox launched the ‘Melbourne’s Biggest Party’ campaign for breakfast show Fifi, Fev, & Nick.

Following Mediaweek’s report that Kyle & Jackie O’s Melbourne expansion came after rival SCA offered the pair national breakfast during last year’s contract negotiations, Dave Cameron, SCA’s chief content officer, said the idea of the network replacing any of its strong FM breakfast shows – particularly when they’re on long-term arrangements – “is just categorically untrue and fundamentally bonkers”.

By Lucie Jansen, chief investment officer at Spark Foundry

Like many people in our industry, I jumped into an agency role with an unrelated degree under my belt some 20 years ago, not quite sure where I was heading.

I spent a few years in London buying TV, congratulating myself if I managed to get a spot in Coronation Street, and enjoying a busy, work-related social calendar. But I questioned myself too at times: Was I doing any good apart from playing a minor part in persuading people to buy my client’s shampoo? I wanted to do something to make a difference, but I had no idea where to start.

It took me a couple of years to understand that this industry is like no other when it comes to being able to influence change. Indeed, the answer was right in front of me.

Advertising contributed $53 billion to the Australian economy in 2022, 2.1% of the nation’s total GDP. By generating competition amongst brands, advertising increases the quality of necessary goods and services, and consequently, creates a wealth of jobs across the world. It is the force that keeps the wheels of the economy turning.

But it does much more than that too. In those early days in London, I wasn’t privy to the work that individuals were doing outside of their day jobs. In the last few decades, with the advent of LinkedIn and Facebook, I have seen a significant and positive shift in our industry. Our ability to amplify initiatives across social platforms and amongst our peers has encouraged and inspired more people to contribute to causes beyond their day-to-day that they are passionate about. It’s part of a broader movement across adland, emphasising how we can drive positive change in society and give back to the communities we serve.

This doesn’t purely come from the senior levels, either. There is also a better understanding at the entry level that the marketing and media industry has more influence on society and culture than any other. This movement is being powered by a new generation of talent who want to work for companies that offer both the opportunity and the encouragement to do good.

The shift we have seen in the openness of leadership has also played a huge part. Today, being a great leader is contingent on authenticity, empathy and vulnerability. These attributes are not ‘nice to haves’; they are essential. The more our leaders talk about and normalise struggles that in the past were hidden, the more we are learning to support each other and our wider communities.

A wonderful example of such leadership is Publicis Global chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun. In March 2022, he was diagnosed with HPV-related cancer. He was open and honest about what he was going through, and the abundance of heartfelt responses to his candour revealed a significant problem. Globally, 50% of employees from across every industry are scared to tell their employers when they are diagnosed with cancer for fear of discrimination or losing their jobs.

As a result, the global Publicis Groupe initiative Working with Cancer was launched. This initiative aims to erase the stigma of cancer in workplaces across the globe. It also provides much needed support for those battling the disease or caring for someone with cancer, through encouraging businesses to take the Working with Cancer pledge and commit to building recovery-focused workplaces.

Since being promoted at the Super Bowl in 2023, the pledge has been an undisputed success in both support and adoption, with more than 1,600 businesses signing on globally, including Toyota, Meta, Pfizer, Unilever and Mondelēz. At Publicis Groupe, we are also leading by example, guaranteeing the job and salary of all employees diagnosed with cancer for up to 12 months.

On a personal level, this initiative is hugely important to me. Like most of us, I have seen first-hand the enormity of cancer-related struggles, both for those battling the disease and for friends and families supporting their loved ones. I have also seen the devastation caused by battles lost to cancer.

For someone who must take time away from work, with a mortgage to pay, and a family to support, the prospect of job insecurity can add a huge level of anxiety to an already highly stressful situation. Removing the fear of losing a wage makes an enormous difference mentally and can significantly help an individual’s recovery and reintroduction to work.

That’s why I am supporting this initiative as best I can, raising awareness to encourage more companies in Australia to sign the pledge and donate important funds to our Working with Cancer partners locally, the Cancer Council.

One of the ways Publicis Groupe is doing this is through La Course – a fundraising effort where team members from across Australia and New Zealand commit to running half-marathons. Now in our second year of running, we have received great support from friends, clients and media owners alike.

So, my message is this: If you are lucky enough to work in this great industry, you can make a difference, no matter your level. Build your network and lean in to the opportunities, and you’ll find this an industry that allows you to effect change, lead and help with causes you care about by connecting you with almost every other industry in the world.

Arthur’s work on Working with Cancer has inspired me to leverage this incredible industry and everything it offers to drive positive change. As I continue on my own journey, I hope in sharing it I can encourage those around me to harness the momentum, get involved and create change for the causes they care about most.

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If you would like to support Lucie and the Publicis Groupe La Course runners in the upcoming Sydney Hoka Half Marathon on 5 May, please donate via the following link: Do It For Cancer – Team #WorkingwithCancer NSW.

See also: Publicis launches Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

The ad spend market fell 6.6% during March, partly due to Easter’s timing this year, according to newly-released figures from Guideline SMI.

Despite the softer demand, cinema and outdoor reported strong results, with year-on-year growth of 46% and 0.5%, respectively.

Jane Ractliffe, Guideline SMI APAC managing director, said the Australian ad market continues to differ from international markets, with both the US and Canada reporting the third consecutive month of growth in March.

“As only the government and auto brand categories lifted their Australian media investment by more than $5 million in March, it seems as though most marketers are adopting a more cautious approach to their ad budgets in the first half of this year,” she said.

“March demand was at least in part impacted by the timing of Easter (last year, the holiday was entirely in April), but even so, we saw only 35% of categories grow investment, and at least some would also be waiting to see how the market evolves after the July Olympics.”

Ractliffe highlighted Guideline’s US database reported a 4.5% increase in March ad spend and Canada grew 2%.

She said the growth in government ad spend in Australia this month (+36% YOY) was mostly due to the Tasmanian election, but that growth was offset by large declines in ad spend from the communications and travel categories.

Q1 bookings were back 3.7%, but outdoor experienced a record level of Q1 ad spend (+1.4%) while digital (+2.7%) and cinema (+8.4%) were also in positive territory.

In contrast, most other markets are reporting positive Q1 results: up 6.5% in the US, 2.8% in the UK, 8% in Canada, and 3.7% in China.

Guideline SMI has previously forecasted a year of growth for Australia’s ad market, with the combination of state elections, the Olympic Games, and the easing of supply chains predicted to contribute to a strong year.

See also: “Very hard not to grow” Guideline SMI predicts growth for Australian ad market in 2024

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Top image: Ractliffe

The 20th season of The Block is coming. The series this year is set in the sleepy hamlet of Cowes on Phillip Island. It will go to air on Nine in what is truly a Block-buster year for the broadcaster.

The network bookends the year with the biggest shows on television – Married at First Sight and The Block. In 2024, it has the Paris Olympics in July and August. By the time The Block season 20 goes to air, there won’t be many people who won’t have seen a promo.

See also: The Block remains a ratings champ, one of the richest TV prize shows in the world

Work on the new Block properties has been underway for some time. The location is a former holiday park just a few minutes from Cowes.

First reveal of houses for buyers

The series held its Buyer’s Choice event last night.

Local real estate agents invited 20 guests each. The crowd of around 100 met at Cowes RSL and were loaded onto two buses. The journey to the former holiday park was around 10 minutes. All the former accommodation has been demolished for the new builds.

Buyers’ Jury guests were told it was still a construction site and to be careful where they walked. The visitors were allowed to take photos, but asked if they wouldn’t mind holding until the episodes aired.

In Mediaweek’s exclusive photos, we have been careful not to drop any spoilers. If you don’t want to see the new Block McCafe, look away now!

Each house was hosted by a different agent with drinks and snacks on offer. The new Blockheads were on hand, some taking more time with the guests than others. It was a busy night!

The builds were still in progress with the kitchens and living areas finished. Also some of the bedrooms and bathrooms.

The Block host Scott Cam with Phillip Island Buyers’ Jury member Katrina Lawrence

Building site gridlocked with guests

All the houses were multi-storey properties, but access wasn’t available upstairs to all the homes.

The whole site was almost gridlocked with visitors, with around 100 visitors plus camera crews capturing the jury buyers’ reactions. There were also Block judges, the foremen, EP Julian Cress and hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft. And a handful of tradies who explained the whole site is as busy as this every day as they struggle to make each week’s deadline.

After visiting each of the properties, the visitors voted on which they thought was best. The Mediaweek spy said the properties were all very different. One house stood out because of its higher position and water glimpses. The downside: it was closer to the road. No spoilers, but the jury vote was split with a surprise winner.

The identities of special guests for the Buyers’ Jury reveal are staying secret, for now. But if former buyers Danny Wallis and Adrian Portelli were there, this might be their transport.

According to Tom Sheppard, client strategy director at Newsamp NSW, one of the highlights of Newsamp’s Finish campaign was not just the way the team responded to the brief, but the way they got the brief to begin with. 

“It all started with one of my direct reports, Angus Manson, who said, ‘I can see a cost of living crisis coming’. He pulled together this huge piece of work that took maybe two months, that essentially said a cost of living crisis is coming, and it’s going to hit FMCG brands the most. He developed this huge piece of thought leadership, and we got it out to every FMCG brand within our portfolio.”

A few of the key statistics in Manson’s report included that 41% of Australians were cutting back on eating out and ordering in, 61% were cooking more significantly at home, and 47% of Australians were looking for more confidence and security in their day-to-day life. 

This data was just what the Finish team needed to tackle the problem it was facing. 

“When we spoke to Finish, they said ‘we’d love you to use some of these insights to help us, because right now, we’re really up against our competitors.’ They were still maintaining a number one share in market, however, they were starting to lose ground,” said Sheppard.

The Newsamp team approached the challenge by asking how it could help Australians feel more comfortable and secure within their homes with another crisis on the horizon.

“We looked at the brand challenges that they were trying to achieve, which were centred around increasing purchase intent, increasing relevance, and trying to maintain that number one position for that brand,” said Sheppard. “Then we crossed it over with what we knew Australians were feeling at that point in time.

“We broke the campaign out into a few different spheres – easy entertaining recipes to get cooking more, video content about cooking in a clean fashion and not messing the kitchen up too much, and a competition that heroed Australia’s best kitchen cleaners rather than Australia’s best kitchen cooks.”

Kantar measured the results of the campaign, which Sheppard described as “fantastic.”

“84% of respondents felt that the content fit within the site that it appeared on. We had an 11% increase in purchase intent – and that’s one of the most ridiculous numbers I’ve seen in five years, we don’t usually see numbers like that so it made everyone here exceptionally happy.

“We had huge relevancy scores as well, 75% of the exposed who were dishwasher owners were in the correct audience category. We even saw almost a 5% increase in awareness of Finish itself, which is just ridiculous when you look at the fact that they’ve been the number one dishwashing brand for 15 to 20 years in Australia.”

Reflecting on the campaign, Sheppard said the biggest takeaway was making sure that messages are heard in contextually relevant environments. Whilst it’s easy to focus on making sure you’re talking to the right audience at the right time, he suggested that what sometimes gets forgotten is the right place. 

“People who have kids are going to be cooking a lot more than people who don’t, because they have more people to feed. Putting the Finish campaign on KidSpot, with the authoritative voices of mums who are actually talking to this problem really helped the audience relate on a personal level. 

“Being able to add that contextual relevance to the campaign is something that we’ve now really dialled into pretty much everything else that we’re doing. It’s not just the right creative, it’s not just the right audience, it’s not just the right time, but it’s surrounded by the right voices and the right context.”

The results got the thumbs-up from the Finish team as well, with Jennefer Elten, senior digital CX manager in Finish’s brand team, telling Mediaweek: “Partnering with News Corp Australia and Newsamp was a strategic move to elevate our brand and align us with relevant food contexts. Newsamp’s bespoke solutions aligned perfectly with our goal to maintain and build our brand equity among a foodie audience.

“The campaign’s success exceeded our expectations, delivering an 11% increase in purchase intent and a 4.6% lift in awareness. These results not only solidify Finish’s position in the market but also strengthen our brand among key demographics, particularly parents with a love for home cooking. This partnership has justified the importance of contextually relevant environments for our content to thrive.”

See Also: How Glenfiddich lifted luxury perception by 12% with Newsamp and iProspect

Alone Australia season two’s BVOD success has led to overall growth for SBS On Demand. 

SBS director of media sales, Adam Sadler, likens Alone to the World Cup, telling Mediaweek that the event nature of the series brings in millions of people to SBS’ platforms and allows viewers to sample different content.

“Around 20% of season 2 Alone viewers have gone on back to watch season 1,” he says.

“For a platform like SBS On Demand, with its deep library, this is tremendously important as Alone is driving our active watchers and bringing people into the platform.” 

Season two’s first episode garnered a BVOD national audience of 327,000, with 52% of overall viewership coming from digital viewing. 

Sadler states Alone is a mass-reach, digitally-led program and clearly illustrates the power of TV as a medium.

“Implicit within that is reach across all ages and that of course includes the advertiser-friendly 25-54s demo.

“This year, we have seen a tremendous reaction from advertisers who know this is a unique franchise and who are keen to capitalise on the audiences across both broadcast and digital.

“With that Total TV lens, the franchise continues to deliver tremendous ROl for all our partners, and a clear testament to that is we had a lot of returning advertisers this season. They know it works.”

In 2023, Alone Australia drew more than 1 million viewers for each episode, with almost half of its audience coming from digital.

SBS director of television, Kathryn Fink says: “The conditions might be getting colder and harsher on New Zealand’s South Island as the second season of Alone Australia enters its final weeks, but Australians are continuing to warm to the raw and inspiring stories of the brave survivalists who remain.

“Following the enormous success of the launch of Alone Australia last year, the second series is also drawing significant audiences on TV and on SBS On Demand, and we’re delighted the show has once again positioned itself as a standout hit of the year.”

The newest episode of Alone Australia had a Total TV National Average of 264,000 and a BVOD national average audience of 39,000. 

Endeavour Group is pitching the creative account for its key brands, including BWS and Dan Murphy’s.

The retail drinks and hospitality business recently completed a closed EOI process involving both current and potential agencies, in search of a single, leading creative agency.

The process is now in the closed RFP stage, reportedly due to be completed by the end of June 2024.

The incumbent for BWS is M&C Saatchi, which has held the account since its appointment in 2021, while Thinkerbell manages the Dan Murphy’s account.

Thinkerbell last worked on the Dan Murphy’s brand in December 2022 with a festive tale about the life of the liquor retailer’s founder, Daniel Francis Murphy, commemorating the store’s 70-year-long contribution to Aussie Christmas celebrations.

M&C Saatchi’s latest brand work for BWS was the A Win’s a win value campaign, which celebrated small victories with everyday deals. Launched in late 2023, the campaign concluded its rollout in February 2024.

Endeavour Group was established in 2019 as part of Woolworths Group’s restructuring of its alcoholic drinks business. It then spun out of Woolworths Group in June 2021.

In 2022, the business introduced an omni-channel function, known as Endeavour Marketing, to grow its customers base and brands, along with a trove of new roles across its brand marketing, digital marketing, media, planning, and marketing analytics divisions.

Endeavour Group’s chief marketing officer, Jo Rose, explained at the time that the omnichannel function included a new centralised marketing team to work alongside existing brand teams, while also bringing together the company’s internal digital media, creative studios, and customer insights capabilities.

As that point, Endeavour Group represented Australia’s largest retail drinks network and the largest portfolio of licensed hospitality venues, comprising over 2,000 stores and venues. Alongside its variety of digital platforms, this generated around 200 million customer interactions annually.

The Tourism Australia account, also held by M&C Saatchi, is up for pitch too, with the incumbent failing to make the shortlist.

See also: Endeavour Group introduces new omni-channel marketing function

Social media will continue to dominate the global media landscape in the year ahead, with WARC predicting it will reach $247.3 billion in ad spend in 2024, up 14.3% from the previous year.

Social platforms are now the largest channel worldwide by advertising investment, overtaking paid search last year, according to WARC’s latest forecast.

This is supported by findings from data.ai, which reported worldwide user numbers across social platforms have risen 169% since 2014. Meanwhile, GWI data revealed time spent on social platforms has increased by 50% since 2014, and the average daily consumption of 95 minutes jumped to 152 minutes in 2024.

Alex Brownsell, head of content at WARC Media, said: “Much of social media’s success has been driven by Meta’s remarkable renaissance. However, social’s stronghold on budgets can also be seen in TikTok’s rise, and a return to double digit ad revenue growth at Snapchat and Pinterest.

“However, with this dominance comes challenges, such as rising advertising loads in social environments, and the impact of AI on media planning. In this report, we take a holistic view of the global social media landscape, which shows no sign of losing momentum.”

Among the highlights of WARC’s Global Advertising Trends: Social media reaches new peaks is Meta being on track to overtake global linear TV in advertising spend in 2025. This comes as both Facebook and Instagram grew by more than 20% year-on-year in Q1 2024.

Meanwhile, Meta is forecast to earn $155.6 billion in ad revenue this year, representing a 63% share of global social spend, fuelled by a wave of investment from Chinese exporters, and the popularity of its AI tools.

The WARC report has also forecast TikTok’s continued growth. The platform is expected to earn $23.1 billion this year amid concerns of the platform’s ban in the US.

The report noted that the 18.3% year-on-year increase marks a significant slow-down from the 87.8% growth it clocked up last year, despite the introduction of new search and shopping ad formats. Given TikTok’s unique popularity with Gen Z audiences, many advertisers in the US will be hoping a ban does not come into effect.

Pinterest is also set to enjoy a 17.3% year-on-year increase in ad revenue in 2024, while Snapchat is forecast to grow 13.7%, according to the WARC report.

Meanwhile, Twitter/X’s ad revenue woes are set to continue in 2024 with a predicted decline by 6.4% globally and 5.1% in the US.

However, WARC said that, compared to its startling 46.4% decrease in 2023, this would mark something of a stabilisation for the Elon Musk-owned platform, largely due to political ad spend. However, marketers remain concerned with brand safety and X’s much publicised issues with bots.

The WARC report highlighted ad loads rising across social platforms. The platforms are aiming to improve monetisation “efficiency” with new search and shopping ad formats. According to the report, Meta increased its ad load in Q4 2023 to 19.1%, with most Reels sessions now having seven or more ads.

WARC also highlighted that social platforms are becoming increasingly homogeneous. As TikTok prepares to launch a photo sharing app, Notes, and Meta invests in AI search tools, social platforms are converging in the advertising formats and commerce functionality they offer to brands. 

Rachel Morman, global head of social, PHD Global, said: “AI offers incredible new opportunities for [social advertisers], delivering multi-advertiser contextual ads, but that may not be suitable for all brands – such as those that need to heavily consider exclusivity and adjacency.”

Gillian Collison, GroupM’s global head of social, added: “The challenge remains to enable brands to leverage their own data and analytics to understand target audiences at a deeper level, enabling personalised experiences across all mediums.”

WARC’s report also offered an outlook on social media in the US, UK, China, and APAC.

In the APAC region, more than 70% of consumers in Asian markets, including Indonesia and the Philippines, use social media across multiple stages of their buying journeys. GWI data shows that social media users in APAC are 11.2% more likely than the global average to purchase a product or service on a weekly basis because of social media influencer endorsement.

There are some great docuseries to watch right now, with feel-good fare like This Is Going To Be Big (iview), and disturbing exposes about powerful people behaving badly in Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (Foxtel/Binge) and Miriam: Death of a Reality Star (Channel 4).

This Is Going To Be Big was funded as two separate projects, a feature film that screened at the Melbourne International and London Film Festivals, and now this 2-part series with extra content on ABC.

A school for kids with disabilities decides to challenge its students by mounting an ambitious John Farnham musical. A group of neurodiverse students are cast and the challenge is on to get to opening night. All of the kids are inspirational and their teachers are absolute champions. Thumbs up.

Not so joyful is Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. This 5-part docuseries looks at Nickelodeon shows from the late 90s and some of the footage is shocking. It shows kids series doing inappropriate sexualised humour, and minors being forced into degrading stunts that adults would have balked at.

Former producer Dan Schneider has just sued this production for defamation. He admits to being a “bad leader” amidst accusations of racism, sexism and verbal abuse on his sets. What he objects to is any implication that he was involved with or facilitated the hiring of two convicted child abusers. Very disturbing. 

Next week, the two-part documentary Spacey: Unmasked (Wednesday on Nine) is being rushed to air just hours after being screened in the UK. This expose on Kevin Spacey has been commissioned by Channel 4, who just did another doco about a reality TV shocker.

Miriam: Death of a Reality Star looks at the horrible 2004 Sky series There’s Something About Miriam. Six young men were flown to Ibiza to participate in a dating show, but nobody was told that Miriam Rivera was a transgender woman.

None of them picked it throughout filming, but their reaction to the truth in the dying moments of the show resulted in violence and a lawsuit. Meanwhile, Miriam was pilloried in the British press for being a cheat and a liar, while producers salivated over how much publicity they were getting. Yuk.

What’s not mentioned in this 3-part series is an Australian connection because Miriam was flown down under to be an intruder on Big Brother (2004). Unlike the English lads, housemate Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald picked her “secret” straight away.

Miriam’s life spiralled out of control after reality TV, and she would later die in tragic circumstances. She isn’t as well-known as Kevin Spacey, so there’s no sale to an Aussie network yet. Hopefully that might change soon.

TV Gold: New episode of Mediaweek’s weekly TV podcast

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform for 30 minutes of TV reviews and recommendations every week from Mediaweek’s Mercado on TV columnist Andrew Mercado and editor-in-chief James Manning.

We want your comments, feedback and questions – [email protected].

This week: After the Party, Baby Reindeer, Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story

Baby Reindeer (Netflix, series) is the latest hit series from the hottest streaming platform this year by a long way. Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Disney+, series) features interviews and archival footage with original band members including former guitarist Richie Sambora. After The Party (ABC iview, series) is a brilliant New Zealand drama starring Robyn Malcolm which will keep you riveted until the final moments of episode six.

TV Gold Bonus episode: Andrew and James are joined by Robyn Malcolm for an extended talk about After the Party (iview). Plus we also hear about last year’s brilliant Far North (Paramount+).

Listen online here, or on your favourite podcast platform.

Whether it’s a childhood jingle that you can still sing word for word, or a campaign that influences the way you work today, everyone has an ad that has really stuck with them.

Mediaweek has been asking the industry to take a trip down memory lane, to find out all about the ads that made us.

Lorraine Woods – National Head of Trading, Atomic 212°

Should’ve gone to Specsavers

“The ads are funny, light-hearted, attention-grabbing and – after 15 years – they now form part of our everyday language when poking fun of someone for missing something. They are great ads and the brand is now an intrinsic part of our lives.”

Julie Fitzpatrick – CEO and Founder, Gravitas

Kleenex – ‘Everyone Needs Softness’

“Watching the ‘Everyone Needs Softness’ ads by Kleenex, I was always moved to tears – exactly the response they aimed for. Each ad wasn’t just selling tissues, it was reminding us of the universal moments when we all crave comfort and connection.

“What stuck me was not just the emotional pull, but how these moments of vulnerability linked directly back to the product in hand. It was a clever play, where the very act of needing a Kleenex became a testament to the campaign’s message. These ads touched my heart, making me reach for a tissue, beautifully illustrating their point without saying much at all.”

Susie Mather – Sr. Client Partner, DoubleVerify

Guinness – ‘The Surfer’

“TV ads have always been so powerful for their great storytelling and use of captivating imagery, but this particular ad took it a step further with its added play on amazing audio weaved in with moments of silence. In fact, it’s the lack of audio at times – the silences, the gaps amongst the pulsating beat of the music that make it so special.

“How clever to turn waiting for the drink into anticipation and reward, transforming the negative into a positive. I also loved Guinness’ choice of black and white creative that aligns with the product’s characteristics.”

See Also: The Ads That Made Us: Total Eclipse, Being Tango’d, and French Polishers

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Top Image: Lorraine Woods, Julie Fitzpatrick, Susie Mather

Imagination has promoted Alistair Wilson to managing director of Australia, overseeing the Sydney and Melbourne studios.

He replaces Antony Gowthorp, who has left the experience design agency after almost 12 years.

“I extend our gratitude to Antony for his support and dedication driving our Australia offering and wish him the very best for the future,” Patrick Reid, CEO of The Imagination Group, said.

“With Alistair’s unmatched global and Australian experience and our exceptionally talented teams in Sydney and Melbourne, we look forward to an exciting new era in delivering world-class creative solutions and experiences for our clients.”

Wilson steps into the new role from his previous position as managing director of Melbourne, and will drive the company’s growth initiatives for Australia.

Imagination’s leading clients include ANZ, AWS, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Bank, Telstra, and Workday.

In his new role, Wilson will spearhead efforts to expand that client portfolio across Imagination’s core offerings: consulting, destinations, content, and live experiences.

Wilson has been with Imagination for over 25 years, holding leadership roles across the UK, Hong Kong, China, Australia, and, most recently, the U.S.

“It is time to write the next chapter of Imagination Australia’s story and I am excited to lead our passionate and exceptionally talented team of Imagineers moving forward,” Wilson said.

“Every day, our focus will be living up to our name by creating transformative, strategically valuable work for our clients that accelerates the future success of their businesses.”

He supported the establishment of Imagination Australia in 2006 and joined the Australian leadership team on the ground in 2010, playing a pivotal role in securing early major client wins, including Sydney’s New Year’s Eve Event, Ford Motor Company and Shell, and working on milestone projects like the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Review in Sydney Harbour.

In 2015, Wilson took up the managing director role in Shanghai and worked on work like the Jaguar F-Pace Loop the Loop and launching the Lincoln brand into China. In 2018, he relocated to the US as managing director of Imagination Detroit. 

See also: Imagination welcomes Justine Carr as head of growth in Australia

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Top image: Alistair Wilson

Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, has said she is “focused on ways to enable a diverse and sustainable media landscape to support a strong and healthy democracy.”

In her opening address at the second annual LINA Summit, Rowland told the audience that “local, hyper-local, digital and independent news is key to this.” 

She also spoke about a bill being worked on to introduce an Australian content obligation on streaming services, as well as legislation to give ACMA the ability to hold digital platforms to account for misinformation and disinformation online.

“All Australians – regardless of where they live – want, and deserve, access to local news that they can rely upon. LINA’s members provide precisely that,” Rowland said. 

LINA Summit 2024

The summit is held in Port Douglas and co-hosted by Port Douglas’ local news service, Newsport. It brings together more than 75 delegates from across the country, representing more than 50 news-making organisations and industry stakeholders. 

Topics of the week include revenue and sustainability for newsrooms, audience trust and engagement, public interest journalism, and how journalists and publishers can support their work by harnessing new technology, including AI.

LINA executive director Claire Stuchbery said the summit was “an opportunity for publishers to connect with one another while workshopping new strategies and receiving training and insights from expert leaders in the media.

“It’s important that we support news publishers through this turbulent time of industry transition by providing them with resources to diversify income streams, connect with new audiences, and continue to produce high quality news within their communities.”

Stuchbery also pointed to the importance of local news in places like Port Douglas, with titles such as Newsport covering the impact of, and recovery operation for, Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

“Local newsrooms play a critical role delivering information and connecting communities in a media landscape that is becoming increasingly impacted by news deserts and content syndication.” 

Clemenger Group has welcomed its first graduates, Anna Upton and Harriet Watson, into its Redhanded and Porter Novelli teams, following the launch of its inaugural Agri Graduate Program.

The holdco‘s Agri Graduate Program marks the first specialised agriculture graduate program in Australia’s marketing communications industry.  

The program is an effort to foster talent within the agricultural sector and attract graduates from diverse academic backgrounds.

Porter Novelli’s chief executive officer, Rhys Ryan, explained: “Agribusiness is a major part of our work at Porter Novelli and welcoming graduates with lived experience has been an exciting investment in our business and one that we know will directly benefit the outcomes of our agriculture industry clients.” 

Watson, who graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Queensland, has enjoyed the transition to the media and communications side of agriculture.  

“Having worked on large beef enterprises and doing a harvest season in the Mallee, it is great to be  involved in advocating for the industry. I’ve been able to tap into my expertise and background on  farm when speaking with both farmers and rural journalists,” she said.  

Upton, who graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology wth a Bachelor of Advertising, grew up diving her time between Victoria’s Benalla and Melbourne.  

Upton said that “practical knowledge of the agriculture industry and my understanding of regional and rural communities has helped my work with Redhanded.”

Redhanded is a full-service agency, specialising in communications for regional and rural Australia.

“It has been interesting to learn the creative processes behind the advertising that I’ve grown up seeing in local newspapers,” she said.

Stuart Shepard, managing director at Redhanded, added that the agency is “proud to be supporting the next generation of Australian agribusiness professionals.”

“Anna and Harriet’s arrival starts a new chapter  in us helping to develop the brightest minds who share our vision for a strong agribusiness sector,” he said.  

Last month, creative agency Clemenger BBDO launched a new brand campaign for Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s TABtouch, alongside AFL spots.

See also: Clems launches brand campaign for Racing and Wagering WA’s TABtouch

Levi’s Jeans has consolidated its media account worldwide, appointing UM as its global media agency.

The Mediabrands agency has worked with the heritage denim brand in the Americas – across US, Canada and Mexico – since 2019.

A UM spokesperson said in a statement: “We’re happy to confirm UM as the global media partner for the Levi’s brand. This relationship will help drive greater cohesion, scale, agility and insights to support brand connection with Levi’s fans everywhere.”

The global win for UM, worth an estimated $142 million according to 2023 spend data from Comvergence, comes after the Australian branch was appointed as the media agency of record for the car manufacturer, Chery, earlier this year.

The Chery and Levi’s wins offset key account losses such as Quickbooks and Coca-Cola. The federal government’s master media account is also up for pitch after sitting with UM for six years, worth between $150 to $240 million.
 
UM has managed the government’s buying, planning and strategy since 2018. In 2021, UM was successful in retaining the major account, extending it for another three years until June 2024.

UM initially won the master media account back in 2002 and held it until 2014, when Denstu Mitchell won the business. After four years, the Mediabrands agency successfully took back the account.

The successful agency will enter into a contract with the government spanning 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028, with options to extend up to four years. The tender closed on 14 March.

See also: Federal government master media account is up for tender after six years with UM

APRA AMCOS has revealed the winners of the 2024 APRA Music Awards which were held in Sydney, Gadigal land in a room filled with Australian songwriters, their publishers and music industry guests.

Taking out the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year was Troye Sivan and co-writer Styalz Fuego with Rush, the lead single from Sivan’s third studio album Something to Give Each Other.

Dean Lewis took home two APRA Music Awards for How Do I Say Goodbye. The song, which expresses the love, fear, and shock that followed his father’s cancer diagnosis has resonated widely and is the Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work. These awards take Dean’s tally to six APRA Music Awards since he made his songwriting debut in 2016.

The Teskey Brothers were named Songwriter of the Year by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors.

Taking out the inaugural Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work category are APRA Music Awards debutants Parkway Drive with Darker Still. Each receiving their first APRA Award was Sydney duo Polish Club (with writer and producer Robby De Sa) for their upbeat Good Time which was the Most Performed Rock Work.

ONEFOUR (with co-writers Bailey Pickles, Chandler Hammond, Hugo Hui and Caleb Tiedemann) took out their first APRA Music Award in Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work for COMMA’s featuring CG. Australian-New Zealand electronic music duo Shouse (Jack Madin and Ed Service) scored their first APRA Music Award for Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work for Never Let You Go which features American hitmaker Jason Derulo. Also receiving his first APRA Award is JKING, whose song Cinderella was the Most Performed R&B / Soul Work.

Rounding out the Most Performed categories was Sia, who for the fifth time has the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas, this year with Unstoppable from her seventh studio album This Is Acting, and Taylor Swift who was recognised as the International Work of the Year recipient for Anti-Hero, the lead single from her tenth studio album, Midnights.

The full list of winners can be found here.

Top Image: Don Waler, 2024 Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music recipient Bart Willoughby, and Stephen Pigram. 

Wednesday 1st May 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s RBT recorded a total TV national reach of 1,267,000, a total TV national audience of 524,000, and a BVOD audience of 36,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,388,000, a total TV national audience of 880,000, and a BVOD audience of 55,000.

Seven’s The 1% Club recorded a total TV national reach of 1,845,000, a total TV national audience of 763,000, and a BVOD audience of 34,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,219,000, a total TV national audience of 809,000, and a BVOD audience of 93,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,346,000, a total TV national audience of 651,000, and a BVOD audience of 49,000.

See Also: TV Report 1 May 2024: MasterChef contestants put everything on the line at Queen Victoria Night Markets

People 25-54

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 403,000
• National Audience: 181,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 409,000
• National Audience: 236,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 489,000
• National Audience: 248,000 
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 465,000
• National Audience: 229,000
• BVOD Audience: 19,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 393,000
• National Audience: 263,000
• BVOD Audience: 53,000

People 16-39

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 161,000
• National Audience: 78,000
• BVOD Audience: 11,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 161,000
• National Audience: 89,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 205,000
• National Audience: 105,000 
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 178,000
• National Audience: 77,000
• BVOD Audience: 10,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 164,000
• National Audience: 112,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s RBT:
• Total TV nation reach: 982,000
• National Audience: 409,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,096,000
• National Audience: 700,000
• BVOD Audience: 44,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,035,000
• National Audience: 504,000 
• BVOD Audience: 40,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,165,000
• National Audience: 617,000
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 968,000
• National Audience: 643,000
• BVOD Audience: 74,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.

TV Report 2 May 2024:

Nine TV Report

NRL – Rabbitohs v Panthers

Nine’s draw for the evening was the Rabbitohs v Panthers, which saw the Panthers dominate, winning the game 42-12. This win marks the Panthers winning 11 of their past 13 games at Accor Stadium as the Rabbitohs have won only one of their past seven games against the Panthers.

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program spoke to a Hillsong Church victim claiming she was ‘pushed out’ and met with a mother forced to hike up flights of stairs days after giving birth due to a broken lift.

Seven TV Report

AFL – Adelaide v Port Adelaide

On Seven, Adelaide went up against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, with the Crows ending up taking the win, smashing Port Adelaide by 30 points.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Stevie crossed a boundary, Remi and Bree had a heart-to-heart and Eden played the third wheel in her own relationship. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Homeowners who are speaking out after a battery burned down their home, investigated how the Ballarat community is healing after tragedy and spoke to Todd McKenney & Shane Jacobson.

Jamie’s Air-Fryer Meals

On 10’s Jamie’s Air-Fryer Meals, Jamie Oliver cooked prosciutto-baked fish, scones, then a whole roast chicken and crispy pork noodles. He then whipped up an air-fried peach Alaska. 

ABC

7:30

7:30 looked into infamous child killer Robert Farquharson, imprisoned for life for murdering his three sons as he prepares for a fresh bid for freedom. Sarah Ferguson also interviewed Joanna Lumley.

Foreign Correspondent

Foreign Correspondent looked into South Korea’s Sham Adoptions. In the decades since the Korean War, over 200,000 children have been adopted worldwide. Now, adoptees are demanding investigations into falsified documents, identities and stolen children. 

SBS

Bettany Hughes’ Treasures of the World 

Boarding a traditional gullet yacht, historian Professor Bettany Hughes set sail along the coast of Mediterranean Turkey.