Melbourne Radio Ratings
GfK Survey 3 2024
Survey Period: Sun 25 February to Sat 30 March & Sun 14 April to Sat 18 May

UP: SEN +1.6
DOWN: 101.9 FOX FM -0.7

3AW 14.4% (13.8%)
Cume: 764,000 (+43,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 16.6% (13.5%)
Best Breakfast 22.7% (18.1%)

3AW in Melbourne rose 0.6 percentage points this survey to a 14.4% share overall.

Ross and Russ lifted 1.7 percentage points in the breakfast slot, and are still clearly on top with a 19.8% share. 3AW remains #1 overall in breakfast, morning, and evening. Tom Ellliott’s third survey in the morning slot sees him retain the top spot with a 17.5% share, up 0.6 percentage points. Afternoons with Tony Moclair was 1.4 up to a 11.8% share, behind Gold and Fox. Jacqui Felgate’s drive audience lifted 0.4 percentage points.

Key station demos were mixed: 55-64 down 0.5 to 16.5%, 40-54 were up 0.6 to 7.5%, 25-39 up 1.1 to 3.9%, and 18-24 up 0.9 to 3.7%. 65+ dropped 2.0 for 33%.

Gold 104.3 10.8% (10.9%)
Cume 1,228,000 (+47,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 12.7% (9.6%)
Best Breakfast 12.2% (8.4%)

Gold (10.8%) has kept ahead of Fox (9.4%) despite a 0.1 percentage point slide. In breakfast, Christian O’Connell, Jack and Pats were back 0.5 percentage points to slide in front of Fox in brekky. The station went back in morning (-0.5), afternoon (-2.0), and drive (-0.3)  It dropped to #2 FM in morning but has kept #1 FM in evening.

In the demos, Gold remained static with 25-39s (7.1%) and rose in 55-64s (+1.1). In 18-24s, it rose -0.9, and -1,5 for 40-54s.

smoothfm 91.5 10.3% (8.9%)
Cume 1,155,000 (+73,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 9.9% (8.5%)
Best Breakfast 8.9% (6.6%)

In 2023, the station was above a 9% share for all surveys except one. Survey 3 sees the station rise 1.4 points, now holding a 10.3% share. Breakfast jumped 0.4 points to 8.1%, while it also experienced a notable upswing in mornings (2.1) and afternoons (2.3). Drive also increased 1.2 points for a 9.4% share. 

 Big demo swings included 18-24s (up 5.1 points to 13.9%) and 55-64s (up 2.3 to 12.5%).

101.9 Fox FM 9.4% (10.1%)
Cume 1,276,000 (-60,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 10.5% (8.8%)
Best Breakfast 11.0% (9.4%)

Fox breakfast team Fifi, Fev and Nick have dropped behind Gold in the #1 FM breakfast spot, recording a -1.2 point drop for a 10% share in breakfast.

Morning (-1.0), afternoon (-.02), and evening (-0.5) were all down too. In drive, Fox recorded a 0.2-point lift for a 10.6% share, moving into the #1 spot.

Fox recorded a -0.6 point drop in 18-24s for a 16.1% share. It also experienced a drop in 40-54, dropping -1.7 points for a 12.2% share, however, still holds the #1 spot in that demo. 

Nova 100 7.2% (7.6%)
Cume 1,197,000 (-45,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 8.5% (5.7%)
Best Breakfast 7.3% (5.0%)

In Jase and Lauren’s second survey since taking the breakfast reins, the duo climbed 0.4 percentage points in the breakfast slot to a 8.7% share.

It was down a touch in all other slots across the day, and the biggest demo dip was in 18-24s, back 3.8 points.

105.1 Triple M 6.6% (6.1%)
Cume 820,000 (+68,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 6.9% (5.3%)
Best Breakfast 7.2% (4.7%)

In breakfast, Triple M rose by 0.2 points to 5.9%, and also rose in Drive (2.0 points for an 8.7% share) and Evenings (3.7 points for a 6.9% share).

It rose in every demo, with 25-39s seeing the highest lift (1.1 points for a 10.2% share). Cume audience rose by 68,000.

KIIS 101.1 FM 5.7% (6.2%)
Cume 1,030,000 (-12,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 7.6% (6.5%)
Best Breakfast 9.1% (6.5%)

In Kyle and Jackie O’s first part survey since launching in Melbourne, the duo have dropped -0.5 points for a 5.9% breakfast share. Share dipped across all the day parts.

Duncan Campbell, ARN’s chief content officer, said: “It’s still too soon to get a true idea of the impact of The Kyle & Jackie O Show in Melbourne given they were only on air for three of the ten weeks surveyed.

“We will continue to deliver audiences in both cities the engaging content and star power Kyle and Jackie O are renowned for and look forward to seeing their full impact in the coming surveys.”

In drive, Will and Woody dropped by 0.8 to 7.1%. Biggest demo move was in 18-24s, where it went from 13.9% to 11.2%, -2.7.

Cume audience dropped by 12,000.

SEN 5.1% (3.5%)
Cume 428,000 (+49,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 3.7% (1.8%)
Best Breakfast 3.1% (2.3%)

Breakfast with Garry and Tim was up 1.4 to 4.9%. All other dayparts posted growth too, with Gerard Whateley in mornings bringing in the station high of 5.9%, up 1.5 points. All demos were up except for 65+, which dropped -0.7 points.

Magic 1278 1.3% (1.3%)
Cume 158,000 (-1,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 1.6% (0.8%)
Best Breakfast 0.8% (0.3%)

Breakfast remained static at 0.8%. The best daypart was weekend with a 1.7% share, back 0.3, while morning dropped a touch for a 1.4% share.

The demos remained steady, with 65+ back 0.1 to 2.8%.

3MP 1377 1.2% (1.4%)
Cume 212,000 (+11,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 1.6% (0.6%)
Best Breakfast 0.8% (0.3%)

Breakfast slide 0.2 to 0.8%. Weekends remain the strongest daypart on 1.6%, even though that was a small drop of -0.3.  Best weekday slot is afternoon on 1.3%.

RSN 927 0.5% (0.5%)
Cume 72,000 (+3,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 1.2% (0.6%)
Best Breakfast 1.3% (0.8%)

The station holds a 0.7% share in breakfast, 0.4% share in morning, and 0.6% share afternoon. The station remained at 0.4% in drive before dropping to 0.1% in evening, (-0.6 points).

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See also:
Melbourne Radio Ratings 2024 Survey 1: Ross, Russ and Christian again in charge, KIIS tumbles
Melbourne Radio Ratings 2024 Survey 2: Kyle and Jackie O to start with 6.4% share
Melbourne Radio Ratings 2023 Survey 8 – Fox & Gold level, but Fifi Fev & Nick #1 FM brekky

GFK Radio Ratings Survey 3, 2024

Sydney

Smoothfm tops KIIS but 2GB stays #1, Ben Fordham tops brekky, Nova slides

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Melbourne

Kyle & Jackie O debut, Ross & Russ extend brekky lead, GOLD tops FM

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Brisbane

SCA takes #1 and #2 with B105 and Triple M, Laurel, Gary & Mark slide

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Adelaide

Roo, Ditts & Loz lead brekky with 5MMM on top, MIX slides

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Perth

96FM takes #1, Nathan, Nat & Shaun stay brekky #1

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See Also: Radio Ratings 2024, Survey 2: Highlights + Full Results

Sydney Radio Ratings
GfK Survey 3 2024
Survey Period: Sun Feb 25 to Sat Mar 30 & Sun Apr 14 to Sat May 18.

UP: 2GB +1.4
DOWN: Nova 96.9 -2.0

2GB 13.3% (11.9%)
Cume: 736,000 (+69,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 14.3% (11.0%)
Best Breakfast 18.1% (14.0%)

The Nine Talk station continues the year as the top Sydney station, picking up 1.4 points for a share of 13.3%

In breakfast, Ben Fordham has reclaimed top spot recording a share of 16.6% – picking up the 1.7 points the show dropped in the last survey. 

smoothfm 95.3 10.7% (11.0%)
Cume: 1,329,000 (+48,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 11.4% (9.1%)
Best Breakfast 8.3% (6.5%)

Nova’s smoothfm tied with KIIS in the last survey, but broke away in survey three – despite a dip of 0.3 points – to bring the station share to 10.7%. 

In breakfast, Bogart Torelli and Ron Wilson were up 0.4 points for an 8.5% share. Drive has dipped 0.4 points to bring in a share of 10.5%, holding second overall show in the daypart.

Smoothfm has also recorded the highest cume of any Sydney station, with 1,329,000, up 48,000.

KIIS 1065 10.3% (11.0%)
Cume: 1,277,000 (-113,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 13.0% (10.0%)
Best Breakfast 17.9% (13.9%)

Hot on the heels of smoothfm after a tie last survey, KIIS is down 0.7 points for a share of 10.3%.

In breakfast, Kyle and Jackie O take the FM crown once again despite a dip of 1.4 points, bringing the show to a 14.7% share. 

In Drive, Will and Woody are down 0.2 points for 10.8%, holding first place in the daypart.

KIIS FM remains the top station in the 10-17 and  25-39 demographics, claiming back 18-24 from Nova in this survey.

WSFM 9.6% (8.7%)
Cume: 985,000 (+46,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 9.4% (7.6%)
Best Breakfast 10.2% (7.7%)

WSFM has risen 0.9 points for a share of 9.6%. 

In breakfast, Jonesy and Amanda rose a point, for a share of 9.7%.

Nova 96.9 6.1% (8.1%)
Cume: 1,094,000 (-86,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 7.7% (6.4%)
Best Breakfast 7.3% (6.3%)

Nova has slid two points, with a share of 6.1%. The breakfast lineup of Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie slid 1.8 points for a 7.1% share. The Drive lineup of Ricki-Lee, Tim and Joel was down 1.9 points for a 7.0% share.

104.1 2Day FM 5.5% (5.5%)
Cume: 940,000 (+40,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 5.8% (4.7%)
Best Breakfast 5.4% (4.0%)

2Day FM has recorded a 5.5% share in the Sydney radio ratings, staying flat in survey three. 

The Breakfast Shift with Hughesy, Ed and Erin has dipped 0.3 points, bringing in a share of 5.0%. In Drive, Carrie and Tommy were up 0.6 points for a 6.7% share.

104.9 Triple M 5.2% (5.3%)
Cume: 764,000 (-24,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 6.1% (5.0%)
Best Breakfast 5.8% (4.6%)

Triple M has stayed largely steady, dipping only 0.1 points for a share of 5.2%.

In breakfast, Mick Molloy and Mark ‘MG’ Geyer have reflected the wider station, down 0.1 points for a 5.0% share. Drive was down 0.3 points. 

2UE 954 4.0% (5.0%)
Cume: 194,000 (-4,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 4.5% (3.3%)
Best Breakfast 2.9% (1.7%)

2UE has dropped a point for a 4.0% share this Sydney Radio Ratings. The station’s biggest demo was 65+, with a 11.8% share – dropping 4.3 points.

In breakfast, Trevor Sinclair was down 0.7 points for a share of 2.3%.

SEN 1170 2.1% (1.6%)
Cume: 142,000 (+26,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 0.7% (0.4%)
Best Breakfast 0.8% (0.2%)

SEN has lifted 0.5 points for a 2.1% share. Breakfast with Vossy and Brandy was up 0.5 for a share of 1.8%.

Sky Sports Radio 1.4% (1.2%)
Cume: 153,000 (+17,000)
2023 results Best (Worst)
Best 10+ 1.7% (1.2%)
Best Breakfast 2.3% (1.2%)

Rising 0.2 points, Sky Sports Radio has continued the year with a share of 1.4%. 

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Amidst News Corp’s ongoing restructure, The Daily Telegraph has launched DTTV, a new video platform editor Ben English says “is the most significant transformation of our newsroom in years.”

DTTV will cover breaking news, analysis, information, and entertainment.

“This is the future of news,” English said. 

“It’s news when you want it, how you want it. Our audience has told us they want more video – so we’re delivering. We’re taking our audience inside our newsroom and behind the stories to give them the insights and knowledge they crave.” 

The Daily Telegraph will form part of the new state and community mastheads division at News Corp – which is currently restructuring to organise its editorial departments into three divisions. The other two include prestige, and free news.

Mark Reinke will head the state and community mastheads division, which will capture The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, and Advertiser, plus regional and community publications. English will step up into a bigger role leading the national team of reporters.

Lisa 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, are among the first to exit. Michael Desiere‘s role as head of sales – NSW independent agencies, has also been made redundant, separate to the editorial restructure.

Executive chair Michael Miller told staff: “As we are now living at a time when the way news and information is created and consumed is changing faster than it has ever changed, we too must continue to evolve.”

DTTV will feature in-depth interviews with newsmakers as well as on-the-scene news coverage and expert analysis from specialist reporters. 

DTTV journalist James Willis will host the daily 5@5 Bulletin, consisting of five stories in five minutes at 5pm. Willis is an award-winning journalist who spent more than a decade at 2GB, most recently as Ben Fordham’s executive producer.  

“DTTV is a vertical video experience that brings The Daily Telegraph’s stories and journalists to life through video,” English added.

“It will enhance our content, adding a dynamic dimension to stories that would otherwise remain as text and static images.

“Our style is straightforward, informative and conversational. It’s our journalists telling it like it is, like only they can. That’s our point of difference.”

Rival Seven is also intensifying its focus on video. Recently-promoted editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie told Mediaweek his dream is to make the most of having “the best video in Australia” by integrating digital newspaper The Nightly in 6pm bulletins and ensuring video is synced and unified across Seven properties.

The latest Ipsos iris rankings showed The Daily Telegraph has an audience of 4.585 million people, up 31% from the previous month.

For the 16th month in a row, another of News Corp’s titles, news.com.au, topped the list of digital news brands in April, recording an audience of 12.397 million, with an average time spent on the site of 27 minutes per person.

News.com.au editor Kerry Warren pointed to the Westfield Bondi Junction tragedy on Saturday 13 April, as one of the biggest reasons readers came to the site. 

“We saw a spike in readers coming directly to our homepage, as our reporters and editors worked around the clock to ensure every angle was covered and Australians were informed,” Warren said.

BMF’s chief creative officer Alex Derwin and The Monkeys’ chief strategy officer Hugh Munro have left their posts to launch the market’s latest creative indie: Rick Barry.

Mediaweek broke the news of Derwin’s departure from BMF and intention to launch his own shop in April. He was with BMF for almost nine years, joining in 2015 as a creative director, and working his way up to executive creative director, then chief creative officer. 

Munro also joined BMF in 2015 as planning director. At the end of that year, he was promoted to head of planning, and stayed until 2018, when he moved to The Monkeys as business strategy director. Munro became The Monkeys’ head of planning in 2019, and was promoted to CSO at the end of 2022.

The pair said they’ll speak further about Rick Barry’s creation and ambitions once they have launched their first work. The agency’s LinkedIn page describes the agency as “Unorthodox. Effective.”

“Yo soy Rick Barry. Tú eres Rick Barry. Wir sind Rick Barry,” the page’s description reads, translating from Spanish to “I am Rick Barry. You are Rick Barry. We are Rick Barry.”

Rick Barry is the latest in a string of recent agency launches: Last week, it was Cam Blackley and Emily Taylor‘s Bureau of Everything, the week before ex-Bullfrog partners’ Pembleton. This year, Ryan O’Connell and John Marshall also set up jnr, and Hawke’s Brewing Co’s founders and former Droga5 creatives launched The Ministry for Communication & The Arts.

The independent creative landscape has exploded across the past few years, led by former holding co execs. There’s Chris Howatson‘s Howatson+Co; Jaimes Leggett‘s Today the Brave; Justin Hind‘s Reunion; Laura Aldington, Simone Gupta, and Jon Austin‘s Supermassive; Pete Bosilkovski‘s It’s Friday.

BMF CEO Steve McArdle told Mediaweek of Derwin’s desire to go out on his own: “He’s got an itch he needs to scratch, and we respect the bravery and belief that takes, so we’re excited for him as he embarks on that next adventure.”

BMF is yet to announce Derwin’s replacement, but had already “started conversations with some of the best creative leaders in the business” in April.

The advertising market continues to be soft in the second quarter, with April’s total ad spend down 5.6% year-on-year, according to Guideline SMI.

Reduced ad spend affected all major media, except for news – the only channel to experience growth. While newspaper spend fell 6.6%, digital grew 18.2%, leaving news with overall growth of 1.8%.

The decline for TV (-10.4%) and radio (-5.7%) slowed – in March, the channels fell 14.6% and 8.1% respectively.

Both outdoor and digital declined, but on a smaller scale: by 1.5% and 2.4%, respectively.

Guideline SMI APAC managing director Jane Ractliffe said this month, smaller product categories were responsible for most of the decline, with the 10 largest product categories collectively only reducing ad spend by 2.6%.

“There’s been some strong growth among large categories this month with the auto brand market continuing to return to pre-COVID levels with growth of 10.4% in April, while the toiletries/cosmetics category grew ad spend an astonishing 21%,” she said.

“But we’re also seeing the cost-of-living issues impacting ad demand as travel category ad spend has fallen 15% YOY in April; gambling ad spend is back 19.6% and restaurant ad spend is back 13.6% all due to a 64% fall in revenue from the food delivery subcategory.”

Ractliffe also said the Australian ad market continues to differ significantly from others, with the US, UK, and Canadian markets all reporting strong growth in April.

“Australian ad demand is very much out of sync with similar sophisticated ad markets as in the US in April we reported growth in ad demand of 9.5% YOY, in the UK the growth was 3.8%, and in Canada it was 7.2%,” she said.

Ractliffe noted that as more late bookings come into the Australian database, the year-on-year decline is just -1.9%, with both digital (+4.8%) and outdoor (+3.4%) in positive territory.

“As the market is so short it’s taking longer for some ad spend to come through, and that’s especially the case for digital media as we’re now seeing that for March the level of programmatic and social media bookings has continued to grow significantly since the last data release.”

Across the financial year-to-date, the Guideline SMI data shows the total market to be back just 1.7% from last year’s record level of ad spend.

See also: Ad market falls 6.6% in March, 3.7% in Q1: Guideline SMI

Matt Kaufman has joined Amazon Web Services as head of marketing across Australia and New Zealand after 11 years spent at Google, most recently as marketing director, global experiential marketing.

Jadanne Dare held the role for over four years, from 2019 until May 2023, when she became director, head of brand and marketing strategy at KPMG. In November, she was promoted to chief marketing officer.

“I am incredibly humbled, and excited to join the Amazon team, in a region where they continue to go from strength to strength,” Kaufman wrote on LinkedIn about his new role.

“I have been so impressed with Amazon, and their vision for the Cloud. AWS continues to invest in products, services and infrastructure that are enabling builder-led invention and reinvention.

“Generative AI is yet another vector that AWS is enabling customers to take advantage of across the full stack of AWS offerings, not to mention the thriving Partner ecosystem that continues to build their businesses around AWS’s market leadership.

“Amazon’s clear focus on the customer resonated throughout every step of the process, and I can’t wait to be part of the continued journey of customer-led success in the region.”

Kaufman joined Google in 2013  as head of enterprise product marketing, based in Tokyo. He also worked at Google offices in Singapore, San Francisco, and Mountain View.

He thanked the Google team for more than a decade of “fun, growth and learning from day 1.”

“Some of my proudest professional moments took place at Google, and it was only possible due to the incredible team of leaders and colleagues from across the globe that I had the pleasure of working with over the years,” he added.

“Thanks for the memories. I’ve hung up my propeller hat (and more than a few t-shirts!), but they’ll always be a great source of pride.”

Kaufman has also worked at Drake International, and SMS Management and Technology, where he spent almost eight years climbing the ladder to become marketing director. He finished at Google in December, and spent the past few months deciding on his next role.

“What I’ve taken away from these past few months is the importance of taking the time to reset, reflect, and re-evaluate what’s most important to you professionally and personally.

“It’s an often quoted cliche, but we truly are living and working in a time of unprecedented change, with the pace of work and innovation only accelerating. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses from time to time, which includes reflecting on the value and impact that you deliver day-to-day.”

—

See also: Ex-Amazon execs launch Deep Media, consultancy specialising in Amazon Ads

The recent Michael Hill rebrand attracted the attention of the marketing sages on ABC’s Gruen. They offered conflicting views about the repositioning of the retail jewellery chain, including the company’s attitude to the existing customer base.

The retailer recently launched its re-brand at a new Melbourne flagship store at Chadstone shopping centre.

To hear about how and to whom Michael Hill will be marketing the rebrand, Mediaweek spoke to chief marketing officer Jo Feeney.

Jo Feeney

Something of a retail marketing specialist, Feeney has been with Michael Hill for just over three years.

After starting her career in New Zealand, Feeney moved to Australia and held marketing roles at Telstra and Foxtel. She spent nearly eight years with McDonald’s.

What is Michael Hill?

The jewellery brand was started in New Zealand by Sir Michael and Lady Christine Hill. There are 270 stores across New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, with close to 150 stores in Australia.

The company recently expanded the footprint of its Chadstone outlet to open what is called a Michael Hill global flagship store.

Inside the Michael Hill global flagship store.
Top: Jo Feeney and the facade of the Chadstone store

Pitching the rebrand

“We are on an aspirational brand journey,” Feeney told Mediaweek. “And have been for the last few years since I started. We recognised a space in the category for us to push into. There have been a range of value jewellers and others at the luxury end.

“We’re not pitching ourselves at luxury, but at an audience seeking something a little more premium. We have gone through a process not to alienate our current customers. We’ve got a lot of very loyal, important customers to the brand, and we did a lot of work to understand how they would feel about this change and the rebrand.

“Many of our current customers are excited about modernising and it was right for us to move with the times a little bit more and to evolve.

“The rebrand refers back to our DNA and our history as a fine jeweller when Sir Michael and Lady Christine started the brand nearly 45 years ago. They are very passionate about the craft and creativity. That’s always been a really important part of the business.”

Feeney stressed the rebrand is not starting a range of more upmarket stores. The Michael Hill rebrand is being rolled out across all stores in the network.

“We will aim to have a flagship store in each of our markets as a starting point.”

The company will refresh stores over time to adapt to the new brand and look.

See also: Michael Hill names Miranda Kerr as first brand ambassador

Miranda Kerr for Michael Hill

Marketing challenges

“We are making sure we are talking to our current customers who will essentially feel better about the new Michael Hill. We still have a wide range of accessible price points.

“We’ve added a layer to the top end, which really elevates the brand and brings in a different customer. We’ve been working hard on our product evolution for the last few years to really focus on more unique products.”

Marketing spend

“The challenge for a lot of CMOs is how to do more with less. It is about being a lot smarter about how you spend your dollars.

“I haven’t had an increased budget since the day I started at Michael Hill. I had exactly the same marketing spend when I began.

“We’ve been working on the rebrand for a couple of years because it does take time to build these things and do them at the right time.

“We’ve been shifting our marketing communications for the last three years to elevate how we appear. It wasn’t like we just ripped a big band-aid off.”

Jo Feeney with company founders Sir Michael and Lady Christine Hill

Brand positioning

“In our space, brands are often considered to be either mass or luxury. We talk a lot about premiumisation, which is in between those two. We would like to think we’re sort of accessible premium.

“Our media is geared to encouraging our customers to engage with our website and our stores.

“The website is sometimes the first window to the brand. Our website has gone through a complete refresh in this process as well.

“It was critical that happened at the same time as the brand refresh in the stores. People like to explore and understand a product, learn a little bit and see before they go into a store.

“In the jewellery category, people often want to physically see the product first, particularly if they are spending a reasonable amount of money.”

See also: Michael Hill jewellers enters ‘new era’ with brand refresh via CHEP

Where did the media money go?

Guiding the media spend for Michael Hill is Feeney and media agency OMD.

“For the Chadstone store, we have done some local area marketing. In a retail centre, out-of-home plays a key role in some of those premium environments. Particularly Chadstone where they’ve got some incredible assets in that mall.

“We’ve been doing more with the likes of Vogue Australia. We are trying to appear in the places where we know our growth customer is. A brand like Vogue, for example, has a lot of trust. People really listen to what they say.

“We’ve chosen to go down that path of partnering with some of those brands. Choosing the right channels is important. We’ve had some great success in the relaunch with out-of-home, which has been impactful.

“We certainly look to use a variety of different channels. Taking a personalised approach to our customer comms through our EDM program and things like that. We do use propensity modelling and predictive data when we talk about our strong loyalty program.

“The more we can learn about our customers and the more personalised we can be with our customers, the better.”

Michael Hill partnered with JCDecaux for this Valentine’s Day campaign

Increasing digital spend

“The big shift since I’ve started at Michael Hill is our digital spend. The business used to spend money on catalogue distribution, for example. I switched that directly into direct media channels.

“With media spend, I’m very particular that we have the right mix where we can target the customer rather than just a spray and pray approach.

“You have to cherry-pick a little bit more and you have to be really targeted.

“If someone were to reduce my marketing spend, media is probably the place that I would want to affect the least.

“Getting people to see your brand and what it looks like is really important. You can have the best media placements in the world, but if you’ve got the worst creative, you’re ineffective.”

Feeney explained the type of ad campaign impacts the spend.

“For a sale campaign, we would do a lot more in retail out-of-home close to our stores.

“Whereas with the brand relaunch campaign, we did a lot of big format out-of-home to make sure we had big reach and we had impact.

“If we use radio, it is very specifically for a sale moment. Because jewellery is a visual category.

“Certain channels work for certain campaigns, but I wouldn’t run radio all the time, for example. We do cinema because we get to portray our product in a really beautiful, visual way. I’m also a very big believer in emotional storytelling when it comes to brands and certainly in a category like jewellery, it’s very personal.”

Buying media bargains

With media companies under pressure to meet their budgets, Feeney was asked about special rate cuts and packages being offered to advertisers.

“I think we’re going to see more of it is what I would say. We ask the question often about what is happening in the space. I feel that heading into the next six or so months, we will see a little bit more of that happening.

“My view is we all want to be in it to support each other. How do we support the media channels for the long term as well?”

Michael Hill feels some media channels are more appreciative of being able to partner with the firm.

“I’ve built a very strong relationship with Edwina McCann, for example, from Vogue Australia. They’re a business that has many luxury brands who support them all the time. They love what we’re doing. They want to support us and it’s mutually beneficial.

“I know from when we have discussions with OMD, there are definitely partners who certainly are openly appreciative of the ongoing commitment and support.”

While Michael Hill is keen to deal, Feeney added: “It’s all about relationships as well. And not trying to whittle people down too far, because it becomes unsustainable.”

By Lauren Meisner, founder of Centennial World and host of Infinite Scroll

Bumble’s anti-celibacy campaign took a misguided stab at young women’s boundaries, sparking immediate backlash. Users queried if any women were involved in this rebrand, while marketers suggested that perhaps the brand didn’t pre-test this campaign. However, as an internet culture journalist, I see this fumble as a fundamental misunderstanding of why Gen Z women are setting these boundaries in the first place.

Despite the supposed era of ‘cancel culture,’ Gen Z have proven they are not ruthless and unforgiving. Bumble’s well-executed apology is a prime example of how brands can make amends with this generation and recover quickly from mistakes.

After updating its features and launching a rebrand targeted at young women who are “exhausted” by dating, feminist dating app Bumble rolled out a series of anti-celibacy billboards. The billboards, which quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons, featured text like, “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.” They appeared to be in response to the growing voluntary celibacy movement among millennial and Gen Z women— who make up 61% and 26% of dating app users, respectively.

Gen Z dating experiences are notably different from previous generations because of how the social media landscape has evolved.

Over the past few years, we have seen a renaissance of regressive ideas about feminism and gender roles online. Masculinity influencers like Andrew Tate have millions of followers and tradwife propaganda videos fill our feeds.

The nature of social media algorithms, particularly TikTok’s For You Page, have made it easier for Gen Z men to be exposed to misogynistic, anti-woman, and incel ideologies. Previously, this content lurked in niche corners of the internet like 4Chan or Reddit forums. The sheer volume and accessibility of misogynistic content online have made it more socially acceptable for young men to be outwardly anti-woman.

However, these algorithms are not exclusive to young men. Most young women will also be fed versions of this content. As a result, Gen Z women are more aware of how dangerous men can be. This shift in the online landscape has also contributed to some scary real-world consequences, like the ongoing war against women’s reproductive rights in America.

Ultimately, as TikTok users are involuntarily exposed to misogynistic content, many social media pundits have started questioning how algorithms manipulate our experiences in the online world. This, in turn, has left many Gen Z women feeling that the algorithms on dating apps are designed to retain users— instead of helping them find partners. This disillusionment is further intensified when online daters, particularly minorities, face misogyny and harassment within these spaces.

With this context, it’s no surprise that the anti-celibacy billboards did not go over well with Gen Z. But this is where Bumble’s fumble ends.

As the backlash intensified, the brand released a statement on 13 May addressing users’ concerns.

Bumble explained that the campaign was a mistake, said it’s removing the ads, and will be donating to the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the U.S., as well as other organisations that support women. The dating app also said the billboard spaces will be offered to those organisations to display “an ad of their choice” for the remaining duration of the ad run.

This apology was received well. Really well.

Bumble did several things right with their response that helped get Gen Z back on-side:

1. Acted quickly
2. Acknowledged the hurt they caused
3. Detailed why people were hurt by this campaign
4. Expressed remorse
5. Offered to make amends in a tangible way

Bumble’s willingness to accept responsibility and take action has shown users that their voice matters– something that’s of massive importance to Gen Z.

Though Gen Z is highly critical of corporations, they understand they must engage with them. The trade-off? They want to feel like the brands they support are listening to them.

The online landscape is too fast-paced for brands to attempt to dictate narrative– something that worked well on millennials (hello, magazine culture!) but doesn’t work on Gen Z. Rather, brands must make a concerted effort to understand Gen Z behaviours, habits, and choices.

Considering this, Bumble’s anti-celibacy campaign felt like a clear misunderstanding of the Gen Z experience. In making light of their sexual choices, the brand alienated the one generation it appeared to be targeting.

But a couple of weeks on, Bumble has largely been forgiven. The think pieces have stopped and the TikTok algorithm has moved on. In copping its mistake, Bumble was able to bounce back quickly– proving that ultimately, Gen Z doesn’t expect perfection from brands. They expect respect.

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Top image: Lauren Meisner

Antoinette Lattouf was sacked by the ABC after she was taken off-air for posting content from Human Rights Watch about the war in Gaza on her personal Instagram account, the Fair Work Commission has ruled. 

After Lattouf was sent home on day three of a five-day assignment presenting at ABC Radio Sydney in December, she lodged an unfair dismissal claim against the ABC. 

The ABC told her she breached its social media policy, she told the FWC. The ABC claimed Lattouf was not terminated, because she was paid for all five days.

In a decision published today, the FWC found that Lattouf’s employment was terminated by her managers during a meeting in December, meaning she can now pursue her unfair dismissal case, which she has filed in the Federal Court.

The Commission’s deputy president, Gerard Boyce, found that the ABC did not tell Lattouf in the meeting with her managers that she would be paid for the full five days of her contract.

“I find that the weight of the ABC’s own evidence points toward there being no firm position or even an understanding, leading up to, or immediately after, the 20 December meeting, that the applicant was to be paid for the remainder of her shift hours after she was told to leave the ABC’s premises,” he said.

“The applicant was not allocated any further or other work to perform, and she was asked to politely leave (sooner rather than later) the ABC premises.”

After deputy president Boyce’s decision was published, the media union, the Media, Entertainment, and Arts Alliance, posted on X, congratulating Lattouf for “standing your ground when you were unfairly dismissed by the ABC.”

Congratulations to @antoinette_news for standing your ground when you were sacked by the ABC. This is an important outcome for the right of journalists to do their jobs with #NoFearNoFavour. #MEAAmedia https://t.co/XXatplL0cY

— MEAA (@withMEAA) June 3, 2024

The day before she was let go, Lattouf shared a post from the Human Rights Watch to her personal Instagram story, which reported that the Israeli government was using starvation as a weapon of war. 

She added the comment: “HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war.”

The ABC also reported on the same story, a day prior to the Instagram story going live. 

In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Lattouf revealed she is pleased that the Fair Work Commission dismissed ABC’s claim that she wasn’t sacked.

“I believe the ABC’s challenge was a waste of taxpayers’ money, causing unnecessary delays in my pursuit of truth and justice,” she said.

“I remain bitterly disappointed that I was fired for posting a fact the ABC itself was also reporting, namely a report of Human Rights Watch about starvation used as a tool of war.

“I remain committed to achieving a just outcome in this matter, for me and a free and fair press. An unprecedented amount of journalists have been targeted and killed in Palestine. Countless journalists in Australia are also under attack. The truth isn’t always convenient or comfortable, but it doesn’t stop being factual.

“I remain passionate about an ABC that is fearless, independent, and not brittle and susceptible to external pressure.”

Last week, the ABC’s chief political correspondent for 7.30, Laura Tingle, was counselled by ABC news director Justin Stevens for calling Australia a “racist country” at the Sydney Writers Festival.

Stevens said the comments “lacked the context, balance and supporting information of her work for the ABC and would not have met the ABC’s editorial standards.”

Tingle maintained the backlash was “yet another anti-ABC pile on.”

See also: ABC Sydney staff threaten walkout over Antoinette Lattouf’s termination

ARN and Saatchi & Saatchi have partnered to create a digital audio campaign turning Ampol’s radio ads into lifesaving road safety alerts.

The Last Chance Servo campaign uses ARN’s dynamic audio inventory to trigger contextually-tailored commercials, leveraging location, time, and meteorological data to communicate with drivers travelling along one of Australia’s most remote roads. 

The centre of the campaign is an isolated Ampol “servo” in the small village of Glendambo in outback South Australia. 

Drivers in the area who are listening to podcasts or streaming radio on ARN’s iHeart app will hear timely reminders to prepare for the potentially perilous journey ahead of them – where running out of fuel and water can escalate into a life-or-death situation.

Michael Dargan, ARN head of creative, said, “We’ve seen fantastic results from our Dynamic campaigns in cap cities, so we’re thrilled to be extending the inventory beyond regional stations into remote areas.

“Contextual relevance at scale is a huge focus for us in media, and at ARN we’re thrilled to be right in the middle of that discourse, producing data-driven, hyper-targeted and contextual messages for clients across Australia.”

The Last Chance Servo campaign message is reinforced on the ground with point-of-sale collateral at the Glendambo Ampol, so that drivers won’t miss their last chance for food, refreshments, and toilet breaks for 251 kilometres. 

Piero Ruzzene, creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, added, “The heat, inhospitable terrain, and vast distances of the Australian outback claim roughly 40 lives a year.

“For this reason, the humble Ampol servo is vital in remote parts of Australia. With ARN, we saw an opportunity to help avoid future tragedies and prove Ampol’s positioning as a brand that understands Australia’s uniquely tough conditions.

“Last Chance Servo takes dynamic audio technology and reimagines it to alert drivers of the dangers of driving through the outback unprepared while directing them to stop at a nearby Ampol station to stock up, rest and prepare for their (now safer) journey ahead.”

Ampol’s Last Chance Servo campaign can now be heard on ARN’s free iHeart App in selected areas in regional South Australia. 

Credits:

Ampol Australia
Noni Guest – Head of Brand and Marketing

ARN
Kade Robinson – Creative Director
Anthony Badolato – Mixing Engineer
Todd Falusi – Mixing Engineer
Ray Peters – Recording Engineer
Michael Dargan – Head of Creative
Ashley Lush – Group Business Director, Agency
Jenna Thomas – Account Director, Agency
Susan Dickens – Senior Account Director, Agency

Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Dave Bowman – Group CCO
Mandie Van De Merwe – CCO
Avish Gordhan – CCO
Piero Ruzzene – Creative Director
Carlo Mazzarella – Creative Director
Mac Wright – Copywriter
Tamara Kennon – Senior Integrated Producer
Dave Tang – Director
Joe Giuffrida – Edit & Motion Graphic Lead
James Tracy-Inglis – Group Account Director
Suzanne Leddin – Account Director
Edward Moult – Account Manager
Allie Naylor – Account Manager

Ogilvy Network ANZ has teamed up with Gidget Foundation Australia to launch a confronting campaign showing how much newborn parents need care.

The harrowing hero film, which went live this week, shows a newborn’s carer struggling to cope with the demands of early parenthood.

It aims to remind the broader community that newborn parents need as much tender care as their babies in what can be an overwhelming time of change for many.

The end tagline “Gidget Foundation is here for you” also positions the not-for-profit organisation as a point of emotional support and mental health care for expectant and new parents.

The campaign was developed as a joint project between WPP’s Ogilvy Network ANZ and Hogarth, spearheaded by WPP’s chief strategy officer Katie Rigg-Smith, and Ogilvy ECDs Kristal Knight (NZ) and Hilary Badger (Melbourne) who led creative.

Knight explained that emotive imagery and audio had been deliberately used throughout the campaign’s executions to cut through an otherwise idealised image of parenting in the early years.

“This campaign aims to evoke those deep protective feelings we all have for the vulnerability of newborn babies, and then with a rug-pull moment reveal that their parents are newborn too,” she said. 

“As mums ourselves, Hilary and I related deeply to those overwhelming feelings of being lost in a whole new world of sleeplessness, responsibility, fear and the pressure to act like everything’s peachy.

“We have huge admiration for the Gidget Foundation and hope this campaign shows that they’re here to help anyone who’s struggling, and provides a frank reminder to all Australians that new parents need as much nurturing support as their babies.”

 
Arabella Gibson, CEO at the Gidget Foundation, said with perinatal depression and anxiety affecting 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers, it was vital to have a campaign that could target people who are pregnant, parents of babies, and their families and supporters.
 
“Perinatal mental health issues impact around 100,000 newborn parents in Australia each year. Maternal suicide is also a leading cause of death amongst expectant and new mothers. But despite these confronting statistics, admitting that you’re struggling is still stigmatised because the newborn years are supposed to be a bubble of bliss.
 
“We want everyone to understand that perinatal mental health issues are a common and often expected part of parenting, and that help is available. We’re proud to launch this campaign as a vital step towards more people asking for that help.”

Rigg-Smith added: “What the Gidget Foundation does is so important it cannot be overstated. It was such a privilege to be part of this journey with them and the team from Ogilvy. It is beautiful work and I genuinely hope we can reach as many people as possible with it.”

The campaign was launched on 1 June to coincide with the Global Day of Parents, across broadcast TV, BVOD, social, radio, digital OOH, large format OOH, and YouTube.

Credits:

Gidget Foundation
Arabella Gibson – CEO, Gidget Foundation Australia
Alicia Yelavich – Marketing Director, Gidget Foundation Australia 

Creative and strategy: Ogilvy Network ANZ
Production Company:  Finch Company
Producer: Christina Wilmont
Director:  Zia Mandviwalla
Managing Director / Exec Producer:  Corey Esse
Executive Producer:  Nick Simkins
Producer: Amy Dymond
DOP:  Sean Ryan
Production Designer: Janai Anselmi

Casting Agency: Natalie Harvie / Citizen Jane
Post House:  Arc Edit
Editor: Joanna Scott
Post Producer:  Amelia Walton
Sound company: Massive Music 
Sound Designer: Myles Lowe
Composer: Lance Gurisik
Sound Producer: Luci Roe
Photography Production Company: Photoplay
Photograther: Lester Jones
MD/Exec Producer: Alison Lydiard

Audible has launched its first global brand marketing campaign, There’s more to imagine when you listen, set to roll out across multiple markets over the next few months.

The campaign will have a consistent voice across all markets and audience touchpoints, bringing to life how listening to the audio storytelling service creates immersive experiences. 

Susan Jurevics, Audible’s chief brand and international officer, said: “Through breathtaking visuals, powerful audio mechanisms and an interactive digital and social approach, we were able to create a singular brand position that exemplifies the transportive and captivating qualities of listening to Audible.

“As a company with millions of worldwide listeners with different habits, rhythms and interests, it was crucially important to identify a precise voice and marketing approach to appeal to our expansive listening audience.

“Audio storytelling continues to scale—and audiences increasingly engage with Audible in ways that fit into and enrich their day-to-day. What’s clear through consumer insights and in conversations with our listeners is that listening to Audible gives people a way to imagine more and brings flavour, texture and colour to the everyday rhythm of their lives.”

Locally, Ben Rolleston, country manager of Audible Australia, said that “Audible has a rich history of bold and impactful brand campaigns, that have grown awareness of the category and listening experience over time.”

“With this new campaign, we are inviting listeners to unlock their imagination in everyday moments, made possible by Audible’s unparalleled access to entertainment, escapism, education and culture,” he added.

The campaign was created across three continents, with shoots in Brazil, Thailand, and the UK, and commercial A/V spots were directed by multi-award-winning director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet.

The campaign will run in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, India, Spain, UK and US.

Credits:

Fold7 – Creative Agency
ICP—Transcreation Services
Partizan—A/V Production
Lightfarm Studios—Key Visuals and Social Media Production
Viral Nation – Influencers & Social Shoot Creative
WPP – Social Media Management
Wavemaker (Group M)—Media Buying

See also: Wavemaker named as agency of record for Audible media

The Hallway has introduced GWM Australia and New Zealand’s Cannon Alpha Hybrid as a new entrant in the ute market in a new campaign, Makes effort look effortless.

In the campaign, the independent agency showcases the Cannon Alpha Hybrid’s performance, off-road capabilities, and advanced engineering technology.

The hero TVC opens to a rugged, windswept location with equally rugged-looking locals watching on as the Cannon Alpha rises to the challenge and tows a hefty boat from the water, up the boat ramp, and along a steep road with ease.

Simon Lee, The Hallway CCO and partner, said: “There are no doubt there are pubs in Australia that you’d be laughed out of if you mentioned the words ‘ute’ and ‘hybrid’ in the same sentence, so we knew there’d be some raised eyebrows at the launch of Australia’s first ever full hybrid ute.

“You’ve got to see it to believe it – and there’s nowhere better for a ute to prove its worth than in the cauldron of performance anxiety and machismo that is the steep Aussie boat ramp.”

The integrated campaign launched in late May and will run across TV, online video, social media, digital and out of home. 

“This new campaign for the GWM Cannon Alpha showcases the world-class engineering that delivers a full hybrid powertrain to Australian ute buyers for the first time,” Steve Maciver, head of marketing and communications, GWM Australia and New Zealand, added.

“Combining a familiar and often daunting scenario with a hint of humour, while demonstrating hybrid performance, this campaign should resonate well with potential buyers and help solidify GWM’s position as one of the country’s most innovative auto brands.”

Credits:

Client: GWM Australia & New Zealand
Head of Marketing & Communications: Steve Maciver
Marketing Specialist: Rebecca Jeffery 

Creative Agency: The Hallway 

Scoundrel
Executive Producers: Adrian Shapiro and Kate Gooden
Director: Ariel Martin
Producer: Giordi Caputo
Director of Photography: Max Walter
Editor: Lucas Vazquez
Post-Production: Mr Fox
Colourist: Matt Fezz

Rumble Studios (Audio)
Music & Sound: Rumble Studios
Composer: Rino Darusman
Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Music & Sound EP: Michael Gie

Media: Nunn Media

BBC Studios has launched the BBC News channel live stream in Australia, available digitally on BBC.com and the BBC app. 

The channel’s launch allows audiences across Australia to catch up on the latest live headlines at any time and wherever they are through the BBC’s digital platforms. The option to ‘watch live’ will appear directly on the BBC homepage.

The livestream is the newest addition to the BBC’s digital transformation, following the launch of the new BBC.com site and BBC app globally.

Fiona Lang, general manager at BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said the BBC News livestream on BBC.com and the BBC app is an important step forward for the company’s evolving business in Australia.

“BBC News is the number 1 international online news brand accessed daily in Australia and so it’s exciting to be able to offer unrestricted access to the BBC News channel via our own platforms in the coming months, expanding its reach, the viewer experience, and the advertising offer yet further,” she said.

In May, the BBC announced it would be launching BBC Verify US, a dedicated unit to counter disinformation in preparation for the 2024 US Presidential Election.

The new US unit, based out of Washington D.C., will use a range of forensic investigative skills and open-source intelligence capabilities.

Jamie Chambers, vice president, advertising and BBC news distribution, ANZ at BBC Studios told Mediaweek that the US election is one of the biggest stories of the year, and resonates in Australia. 

“Our expanded presence in the US and our breadth of coverage means that the BBC is perfectly placed to connect these events with our Australian audiences,” he said.

“We know that Australians turn to the BBC at times of global importance, and these are also key moments for advertisers across our platforms.

“Brands can safely capitalise on these unique levels of engagement thanks to our developed approach to brand safety, that leverages rigorous editorial controls together with smart technology.

“Combined with the newly launched BBC.com and BBC app products, audiences and advertisers will benefit from an enhanced and more integrated experience when following this key story.”

See also: BBC launches unit to counter disinformation ahead of 2024 US Election

Quantcast has launched a self-serve platform designed to simplify advertising on the open internet for independent agencies and advertisers. 

Quantcast stated this new initiative allows businesses of all sizes to tap into new audiences, offering tools and insights previously available only to large ad spenders. 

AI-driven insights is one of the key features Quantcast is pushing for the new self-serve technology. It allows users to gain access to AI and machine learning capabilities. 

Quantcast is also offering a simplified campaign management interface, with its goal to make programmatic advertising accessible to all, allowing for easy campaign setup, management, and analysis.

Konrad Feldman, CEO of Quantcast, said today’s legacy DSPs are too complex, too time-consuming, and too dependent on third-party cookies.

“Our goal is to empower businesses of all sizes to effectively reach their audiences, bringing the simplicity and efficiency of the walled gardens to the expansive and diverse open internet. There is a huge opportunity for marketers to improve their advertising performance and drive meaningful results.”

Clare Rogers, business director at This Is Flow, said thanks to Quantcast, the agency has been able to efficiently target its key audience segments, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates.

“Their innovative approach to advertising without third-party cookies has given us a competitive edge. We’re extremely satisfied with the performance and results, and so are our clients.”

The launch of Quantcast’s new platform comes after the advertising technology company expanded its APAC sales team in March with three new appointments. 

Alara Yenisey joined as client success manager in ANZ, and Koh Chew Hoi and Amanda Soh joined as client success manager and senior sales manager, respectively. They are based in Quantcast’s Singapore office. 

Prior to joining Quantcast, Yenisey held key account manager and digital planning roles at News Corp Australia, UM, OMD, and SBS, working with national and global clients including Coles, Optus, and McDonald’s.

See also: Alara Yenisey, Koh Chew Hoi, and Amanda Soh join Quantcast’s APAC sales team

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Top image: Konrad Feldman

The Local and Independent News Association (LINA) has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at growing diverse, community-focused voices in Australia’s media landscape.

The Our News. Your Voice campaign calls on Australians to actively support local and independent news organisations as the nation’s media industry faces wider funding and resourcing challenges.

33 publishers will participate in the campaign, promoting it across their digital channels.

Australia has one of the 10 most consolidated media landscapes in the world, with the campaign working to help diversify media ownership.

Recent statistics from the Public Interest Journalism Initiative show there have been 157 outlet or newsroom closures between December 2019 and December 2023.

With approximately 133 new mastheads, stations or websites launched since 2019, new players are entering the market with the goal of meeting the demand for local news. However, 35% of these titles have less than two staff members and 16% are purely volunteer-run.

LINA’s nationwide fundraising drive aims to ensure the survival of local community news, the organisation said.

“We’ve just wrapped the 2024 LINA Summit in Port Douglas, where the energy of our members in working to drive change in their communities was incredible to see,” said LINA’s executive director, Claire Stuchbery.

See also: Michelle Rowland speaks to importance of local news at LINA Summit

“These publications are ‘green shoots’ emerging in a difficult transition period for media in Australia. It’s critical that discussions around important events and issues in the public discourse are nuanced with as many different perspectives as possible.

“Independent and local media outlets produce this type of coverage for their communities. It’s therefore vital that these media organisations are supported to be sustainable and continue to thrive as an essential, functional part of our democratic society.”

Orchard has promoted practice lead, Hannah Bissex, to the newly-created role of managing partner – health to support and strengthen its healthcare marketing division. 

Bissex joined the creative technology agency in 2015 as a group account director and has helped expand the agency’s growing medical education offering.

Prior to joining the Enero Group agency, she worked in agencies in the UK and Australia, working with clients such as GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biogen, and Roche. She launched healthcare campaigns in all areas of health, including oncology, analgesia, cardiology, respiratory, haematology, and animal health.

As managing partner – health, Bissex will be responsible for setting the vision and growth for Orchard Health, expanding its footprint into medical education, and working with industry-leading brands to design and build connected medical experiences.

Wai Kwok, CEO of Orchard Group, said: “Navigating the realm of health requires more than just expertise; it demands commercial acumen, the ability to lead diverse teams, and a deep understanding of therapeutic areas. Hannah possesses all of these qualities and more. Her calm, compassionate demeanour coupled with her relentless drive to ‘make stuff happen’ sets her apart.

“Her dedication to her clients and her team is unwavering and I have every confidence in Hannah’s ability to lead us into the future.”

Bissex added: “It’s an interesting time in health. There are unique changes happening across the landscape which are shifting the way businesses need to operate; but it brings me a lot of excitement.
 
“I’m really looking forward to pushing the boundaries not just for Orchard, but for our clients in the health sector, to ensure we’re constantly three steps ahead. Because, there is always a better solution, a better approach, and a smarter way of doing things which will bring increased value and effective outcomes for our clients.”

–

Top image: Hannah Bissex

APRA AMCOS and Paramount Australia have partnered to present Screen Songhubs 2024, an industry-first opportunity for women and gender-diverse screen composers. 

Participants will be immersed in scoring tracks for consideration in productions currently under development, including The Dog House and Aussie Shore. 

Giving guidance and direction from a programming perspective will be Sarah Thornton, head of non-scripted at Paramount Australia. 

“Women still have to fight harder for their place in the Australian screen industry, so I’m excited to be partnering with APRA AMCOS, and can’t wait to hear the music that comes out of the workshop,” said Thornton.

Established and emerging screen composers, who identify as women and gender-diverse music creators, are invited to apply for the sessions, which takes place on 24-26 July at Sydney’s Church Street Studios.

Twelve positions are open in total: 10 for Sydney residents and two for APRA AMCOS members living anywhere in Australia.

Multi-award-winning Australian screen composer Caitlin Yeo will curate the sessions. With over 80 film and TV credits to her name, she is well known for scores such as Every Little Thing (Sundance 2024), Bad Behaviour (Stan, Berlinale 2023), The Valerie Taylor Story (Disney+, Sundance), and more.

Yeo has won eight APRA Screen Music Awards and three AACTA Awards, among others. She is also an APRA AMCOS ambassador and industry advocate.

This is the third Screen SongHubs to take place, following 2019’s camp in Los Angeles and 2022’s Screen SongHubs South Australia. 

Pash Ostovar, APRA AMCOS screen and games manager, said the organisation is excited to be working with Paramount Australia to help the career development of women and gender-diverse composers who are under-represented in the screen sector.

“The networking opportunities this type of initiative can create for our members will also help to build potential ongoing professional relationships for unrepresented Australian screen composers,” she said.

Paramount Australia will have the option to continue working with composers to further develop any suitable music created in the camp. 

–

Top image: Caitlin Yeo

P2 Content Creators and DMC Digital have merged to create a new production agency, Producible.

Producible said it is the most established full–service production agency in the market, led by Marc Collister, managing director and partner, and David Flanagan, director of strategy and creative.

The Producible team

Flanagan said: “When clients approach us, we consistently hear the same recurring frustrations – promises of quality and effective collaborations don’t always materialise, with content expectations falling short, without tangible results.

“At Producible, our deep, extensive experience equips us to tackle any brief head-on. Having successfully navigated clients’ requirements consistently and effectively over the years, there is never a problem that is too big for our seasoned team. From the initial briefing to the final deliverable, we have demonstrable experience of getting the job done – right – every time.”

Under the new brand, the video production companies bring a combined 40 years of experience and a team of 30 specialists to service their portfolio of household names, including Apple, Samsung, Disney, Breville, IGA, Microsoft, Best&Less, and Fetch TV. 

“We want Producible to be recognised as a beacon of thoughtful creativity,” Collister said.

“Our clients recognise the intrinsic value of a full-service production partner who seamlessly marries ideas with flawless execution, time and again. With decades of experience under our belt, we will continue to navigate the complexities of any brief with unwavering confidence.

“Our refreshed identity signifies a renewed commitment to our clients, both existing and new, ensuring that their needs remain at the forefront of everything we do. We are launching a club that invites visionaries, creatives, and producers to execute exceptional work. We’re not a fleeting spark of brilliance; we’re the bedrock of consistency and excellence.”

–

Top image: David Flanagan and Marc Collister

Tangram has been appointed to lead the digital transformation for independent brand experience agency Uniplan.

Tangram will streamline and consolidate operations for the event specialist agency, implement new platforms and technology to streamline workflows, and standardise processes across Uniplan’s eight global offices.

Christian Arpe-Hansen, partner at Tangram, said: “We’re excited to work with Uniplan and our global team is well-positioned across EMEA and APAC to help support this transformative roadmap. 

“We are passionate about partnering with forward-thinking agencies like Uniplan, who prioritise digital-first innovations to drive sustainable growth.”

The pair said the partnership is a strategic move to modernise the brand experience agency’s technology and align its processes with a client-centric, data-driven approach.

Uniplan’s Christian Zimmermann and Todd Nash

Todd Nash, Uniplan chief information officer, said: “Our extensive RFP process aimed to identify the best partner, and Tangram stood out for their unparalleled experience in implementing technology and processes across multiple markets.

“Their industry expertise and stellar reputation make them the ideal partner as we embark on our broader transformation program.”

Tangram has recently expanded its footprint, bolstering its APAC team with recent hires and launching a presence in the UK.

Uniplan has over 300 employees across eight offices in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The privately-owned event-services agency has a strong automotive client base, partnering with brands like Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Porsche, and Mercedez-Benz.

Uniplan team

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Top image: Christian Arpe-Hansen

• This weekend, the Australian box office made $10,146,686, up +20% from last week’s $8,445,443.

TOP 5

1. The Garfield Movie – $2,965,489 (debut)

Sony’s newest iteration of the Monday-hating, lasagna-loving cat is voiced by Chris Pratt, who is now known as Garfield, Star-Lord in the MCU, and the voice of Mario in the Super Mario animated films. Coming in first place this week, The Garfield Movie took $2,965,489 in its first week, averaging $7,198 over 412 screens.

Synopsis: After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father, the street cat Vic, Garfield is forced to leave his very comfortable life with Harald behind. Together with Vic and Odie, he plans a crazy robbery.

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – $2,290,614 (1) 

Warner Bros. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is its newest entry into the Australian-set, post-apocalyptic franchise. Directed by George Miller, the film is a prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, a film that was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won 6 of them. In a running theme for the 2024 box office, this film was also partially shot in Australia, with some filming taking place in the small NSW towns of Hay and Silverton.

Coming in second place this week, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga took $2,290,614 in its second week, averaging $4,431 over 517 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $6,575,138

Synopsis: Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.

3. IF – $1,313,825 (2)

Actor and Director John Krasinski is taking off his horror (A Quiet Place) directing cap and putting on his family/comedic directing cap with Paramount’s IF. The film took $1,313,825 in its third week, averaging $3,732 over 352 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $6,743,562

Synopsis: After discovering she can see everyone’s imaginary friends, a girl embarks on an adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.

4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – $1,069,548 (3)

Disney’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the brand new entry in the Apes franchise. While set 300 years after the reboot trilogy and featuring an entirely new cast of characters, the film is set in the same universe and references old characters from the trilogy. Similar to The Fall Guy, some filming took place at Disney Studios in Sydney and also in the Illawarra. Coming in fourth place this week, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes took $1,069,548 in its fourth week, averaging $3,174 over 337 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $10,527,761

Synopsis: Under the direction of Wes Ball, the global franchise breathes new life into a future era post-Caesar, where apes reign in harmony while humans exist in the shadows.

5. The Fall Guy – $580,547 (4)

Universal’s The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, is the latest film from Bullet Train director David Leitch. It was mostly shot in Sydney at Disney Studios, located near Centennial Park and even shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge to film an adrenaline-pumping chase scene. Dropping to fifth place this week, The Fall Guy took $580,547 in its sixth week, averaging $2,250 over 258 screens.

Total Australian Box Office gross to date: $13,228,177

Synopsis: After leaving the business one year earlier, stuntman Colt Seavers springs back into action when the star of a big studio movie suddenly disappears.

Top 6 – 10

6. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle
7. Unsung Hero
8. The Way, My Way
9. The Strangers: Chapter 1
10. Challengers

Sunday 2 June 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s Travel Guides recorded a total TV national reach of 2,102,000, a total TV national audience of 1,175,000, and a BVOD audience of 90,000.

Nine’s NRL – Cowboys v Roosters recorded a total TV national reach of 1,264,000, a total TV national audience of 547,000, and a BVOD audience of 49,000.

Seven’s Dream Home recorded a total TV national reach of 1,996,000, a total TV national audience of 808,000, and a BVOD audience of 59,000.

Also on Seven, 7NEWS Spotlight recorded a total TV national reach of 1,078,000, a total TV national audience of 487,000, and a BVOD audience of 24,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,148,000, a total TV national audience of 610,000, and a BVOD audience of 53,000.

See also: TV Report 2 June 2024: Cowboys snatch a late victory at Allianz Stadium

People 25-54

Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 743,000
• National Audience: 432,000
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

Nine’s NRL – Roosters v Cowboys:
• Total TV nation reach: 403,000
• National Audience: 169,000
• BVOD Audience: 28,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 417,000
• National Audience: 220,000 
• BVOD Audience: 30,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 642,000
• National Audience: 272,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 357,000
• National Audience: 170,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

People 16-39

Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 279,000
• National Audience: 153,000
• BVOD Audience: 24,000

Nine’s NRL – Roosters v Cowboys:
• Total TV nation reach: 170,000
• National Audience: 66,000
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 173,000
• National Audience: 93,000 
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 250,000
• National Audience: 101,000
• BVOD Audience: 17,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 112,000
• National Audience: 54,000
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s Travel Guides:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,597,000
• National Audience: 892,000
• BVOD Audience: 72,000

Nine’s NRL – Roosters v Cowboys:
• Total TV nation reach: 941,000
• National Audience: 410,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 898,000
• National Audience: 487,000 
• BVOD Audience: 43,000

Seven’s Dream Home:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,545,000
• National Audience: 637,000
• BVOD Audience: 48,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 847,000
• National Audience: 392,000
• BVOD Audience: 20,000

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 3 June 2024:

Nine TV Report

The Summit

Nine’s evening began with The Summit.

The last 5 hikers began their final climb to the summit, but ahead of them, a terrifying obstacle could seem them burning cash. A shock at the final checkpoint was nothing compared to the game-changing twist to come.

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program met with clients who are demanding answers after a custom shed company failed to deliver and met with a community choir tackling loneliness through singing. 

Seven TV Report

Dream Home

On Seven, with half the Melbourne houses renovated and judged, Brad, Mel and Ellie, finally get to see their work-in-progress Dream Homes. Everyone then headed back to make a start on their final rooms.

Home and Away

Before Dream Home was Home and Away as the Bay rallied for Tane’s day in court, a shock twist could derail the trial and Alf called on Rose for help.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 met with the magnet fisherman who snagged $100,000, investigated why Aussies love Donald Trump so much and spoke to Jane Goodall. 

Matildas v China PR

On 10’s coverage of the Matildas v China PR match, the Matildas won their final pre-Olympics game, beating China 2-0 in front of 76,798 fans in Sydney. 

Have You Been Paying Attention?

Have You Been Paying Attention saw Kitty Flanagan, Guy Montgomery, Claire Hooper, Ed Kavalee & Sam Pang all compete to see who’s been paying attention the most with host Tom Gleisner and special guest quizmasters Alan Fletcher and Meg Lanning.

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into where kids should be banned from social media and met with a community who wants companies like Coca-Cola to stop taking water out of the ground for free. 

SBS

Tony Robinson’s Marvellous Machines

Tony Robinson looked under the bonnet of some innovative machines leading the green revolution.