UPDATE: Anthony Albanese has since apologised for the comments. But let’s revist what led to the apology and, hopefully, learn something in the process. Shall we?

On a list of things I do not need to know about, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s sexual proclivity sits somewhere between the story of my conception and how Diet Coke is really made.

Alas, I must be due for some particularly icky karma, as the answer to one of those questions is now seared forever (and ever) into my consciousness.

So, it turns out that Albo wants to shtup Kyle Minogue if ever given the chance. Yes, Albo. Newly married Albo no less.

How do I know? Well, the nightmare began last Friday, when Albo decided to front Nova’s Bush Deep podcast, hosted by Nikki Osborne, to answer a string of infantile questions, one in particular which has left many with a bad taste in their mouths.

Much like a cheap meal, the gravity of the interview has taken this writer several days to digest. Even now, the reflux is still gurgling away.

Let’s get one thing straight – this isn’t a political takedown, and I’ve no intention of wading into that particular dragon’s den. This is about something far less partisan: knowing the steps to the media dance, and, more crucially, knowing when to decline the invitation altogether.

And, action!

After beginning the podcast – a performative pantomime of amateur proportions – Osborne and Albo settled in for a round of shag, marry or date – truly, the crown jewel of Australian cultural discourse.

“Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman or Rhonda Burchmore?” Osborne asked.

To his credit, Albo did at first attempt the diplomatic dodge. “I’ve just got married, I’m only six months in…”

Osborne wasn’t having it. “But if it goes t*ts up?” Indeed. We do love a girls’ girl.

“Kylie, clearly,” he said. No pause this time.

“You’d marry Kylie? And shag her? And date her?” Osborne pressed.

“All of the above,” Albo confirmed, with a little giggle for good measure.

“She’s terrific.”

Six months married. Terrific, apparently, is the operative word.

No doubt, along with “where can one get a prescription for Propofol”, you are asking “Why do we need to know this?” Well, you don’t. No one did.

Especially not Jodie Haydon, Albo’s perfectly glamorous wife.

Let’s go viral

We know it well – TV shows, podcasts, Instagram desperately trying to fling themselves onto that freight train of cultural relevance. Some are successful and stick the landing. Many are not. Case in point.

The push and shove by brands to prove their virality (or, in Albo’s case, virility) tends to produce the exact opposite effect. Audiences can sniff out a staged moment from a mile off. Pre-emptive strikes don’t work. We don’t need the games – we need the real translated into the reel, as untouched as possible.

Oh, but I can hear the objections: Don’t be such a prude! Come on, it’s just a bit of fun!

Only, It’s not. Not really. If we peel away the hierarchical layers, what we’re left with is an image of a 63-year-old newly married man telling the world who he’d like to have sex with.

7NEWS Political Editor Mark Riley said it best when discussing why politicians venture into the social media swampland: “They do podcasts to be like the cool kids. ”

Well, at least that’s another ick we can all collectively add to our lists.

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The Supreme Court of NSW has blocked the ABC from publishing private text messages an athlete says were taken from their old phone without permission.

Justice McGrath handed down the ruling on 1 July 2026, ordering the ABC, the athlete’s ex-partner and a journalist not to use or publish the messages while the case continues.

The court has also banned anyone from revealing the real identities of those involved. For now, they’re referred to only as AB, the athlete; GH, their ex-partner; and the ABC.

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According to the athlete’s case, GH accessed AB’s old phone multiple times after the pair split and photographed messages from a private group chat that AB shares with a close friend, who is also a professional athlete.

GH then reportedly gave those photos to a journalist working on a story for the ABC.

The court also heard that GH approached AB’s sporting club in May 2026 to raise concerns about AB’s ongoing selection, days before the club confirmed AB would keep playing.

Justice McGrath found AB had “very strong prospects of success” in arguing the messages were private and had been misused. He rejected arguments from the ABC’s side that the messages weren’t serious enough to protect, or that they’d already lost their confidentiality by being shared around.

“There is no evidence that they have entered the public domain,” Justice McGrath found, adding that nothing in the messages exposed any wrongdoing by AB.

The judge also sealed the case itself, ruling that identifying anyone involved could fuel damaging speculation even without the messages being made public. Court documents, including witness statements and transcripts, are now suppressed nationwide.

AB has until 21 July 2026 to file a formal statement of claim, with the ABC and the other defendants required to respond soon after.

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Havas Media has been appointed media agency of record for Spin Master in Australia and New Zealand, effective from 6 July 2026, following a competitive pitch process.

Under the appointment, Havas Media will manage media strategy, planning and buying for Spin Master’s ANZ brand portfolio. This includes Bitzee, PAW Patrol, Hatchimals, Melissa & Doug, Rubik’s Cube, Cool Maker and Kinetic Sand, along with licensed properties Monster Jam and Gabby’s Dollhouse.

“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with Spin Master, a brand synonymous with creativity, innovation, and global growth,” Havas Media ANZ chief executive officer Kate O’Ryan-Roeder said.

“This appointment reflects our commitment to being deliberately different. Through our Converged.ai model, we bring together bold thinking, data-led insights, and integrated media solutions to drive meaningful connections and measurable impact for Spin Master.”

READ MORE: HAVAS Red wins Smartsheet ANZ PR account

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Client reaction

Spin Master ANZ general manager Jacqui Webster said the agency’s approach was a factor in the decision.

“As we continue to grow the Spin Master brands, Havas Media’s deliberately different approach, combining strategic insight with a deep understanding of audiences, gives us confidence in their ability to help us connect with families in more meaningful and engaging ways,” Webster said.

Havas was founded in Paris in 1835 and employs close to 23,000 people across more than 100 countries.

The group’s operations are supported by Converged.AI, which it describes as a system that unifies data, technology, and AI across the customer journey.

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The Australian Registrar of Trade Marks has ruled in favour of Sydney beach brand Swim Shady in its trademark battle over the name Slim Shady (the alter ego of rap superstar Eminem).

Marshall Mathers (hence his stage name), has used his alter ago ‘Slim Shady’ for more than two decades, with the iconic The Real Slim Shady being one of his biggest hits.

Eminem filed a trademark dispute against Swim Shady in 2025, claiming the company name was too closely linked to his own trademarked moniker.

Owners of Swim Shady – from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Jeremy Scott and his partner Elizabeth Afrakoff – launched the brand in 2024.

The rapper has owned the trademark rights to “Shady” and “Shady Limited” in Australia since 2002. But the term “Slim Shady” was not trademarked as a term in Australia until January 2025, a month after Swim Shady was launched.

Nevertheless, Mathers still argued the Aussies’ use of the term was “highly confusingly similar and/or legally identical in sight and sound.”

The rapper opposed the company’s attempts to secure trademark protection across a range of products, including beach canopies, umbrellas, towels, and apparel.

Last week, the Australian Registrar of Trade Marks found that the “Shady” and “Shady Limited” trademarks registered to Eminem hadn’t been used on clothing, footwear, headwear, bags, or leather goods in Australia.

It was not convinced by evidence submitted that included tour merchandise, website sales figures, and social media posts, and found most of the “Shady” branding was tied to Eminem’s Slim Shady moniker and music career rather than functioning as a standalone product trademark.

 

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Eminem vs Swim Shady

Mathers’ trademarks will lose coverage for clothing, footwear, headgear, bags, and leather goods from August 1st, though he retains “Shady” for other categories including music and electronics.

He’s also been ordered to pay Swim Shady’s legal costs. Eminem’s team has until July 22nd to appeal.

Swim Shady co-founders Scott and Afrakoff told Rolling Stone Australia:

“Elizabeth and I are delighted with today’s decision. We’re grateful for the careful consideration the Delegate has given to the evidence and are extremely pleased with the outcome.

“While this is an important milestone for Swim Shady, it is one step in the broader trade mark proceedings, and we recognise there are still matters to be resolved.”

Main image: Eminem on X

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https://www.mediaweek.com.au/tag/omd/ WA has promoted Jodie Traynor to the newly created role of Head of Government, effective immediately, following a win with the Western Australian Government.

Traynor, who has more than 20 years of media industry experience, has worked across a broad range of WA Government portfolios throughout her career. In her new role, she will lead OMD WA’s dedicated government team, with a focus on securing maximum value for government clients and delivering media investment and service excellence for the state’s public sector.

She will work closely alongside Molly Trumble, Omnicom Planning Director WA, combining strategic planning with media investment and implementation expertise.

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CEO points to investment in government capability

Adam Marshall, CEO, Omnicom Media WA, said Traynor was “widely regarded by both clients and media partners as the best media operator in Western Australia.”

“Her deep understanding of the government sector, unmatched media expertise and relentless focus on client outcomes make her the ideal leader for this important portfolio. Jodie has earned enormous respect across the industry and consistently delivers exceptional results for our clients,” Marshall said.

Marshall said the appointment came as OMD WA continued to invest in its government capabilities, combining industry talent with Omnicom’s global scale and proprietary technology.

“Our government clients face increasing complexity in media, data and communications. Through Jodie’s leadership, supported by Molly’s strategic planning expertise, we are bringing together the strongest government media offering in the market,” he said.

“OMD’s proprietary tools and data capabilities provide a unique competitive advantage, enabling smarter planning, deeper audience understanding, enhanced measurement and better investment decisions.

“Combined with the most resourced government media team in Western Australia, we’re uniquely positioned to help our clients achieve stronger outcomes and greater efficiency from every media dollar,” Marshall said.

Traynor focused on service and value

Traynor said she was looking forward to expanding OMD WA’s government offering.

“Western Australian Government agencies play a critical role in our community, and it’s a privilege to partner with them to deliver important communications that drive awareness, engagement and positive outcomes for the people of WA,” she said.

“My focus will be on ensuring our clients receive exceptional service, innovative thinking, outstanding value and access to the very best media expertise in the market. Supported by the strength of OMD’s people, tools and capabilities, we have a tremendous opportunity to continue setting the benchmark for government media services in Western Australia,” Traynor said.

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Forget the algorithm for a hot second.

While the smoky, sweaty, and pulsating atmosphere that breathes life into every pub gig may seem worlds away from the precise data-driven world of Spotify, the team behind the music streaming service insists the two universes are more closely aligned than many would believe.

“The thing about live events is that, for us, it’s almost the zenith of connecting the artists with the fans,” Ben Watts, Spotify’s Australian and New Zealand head of music, told Mediaweek.

Watts is talking about Turn Up Aus, Spotify’s homegrown initiative to get Australian artists heard, and seen, and felt, both locally and abroad.

“Live events are also where you build memories. They’re the things that provide that extra magic,” he said.

“We want to support live where we can and get involved in it while we’re a streaming platform; it’s still part of the musical experience we want to be involved in.”

Live music’s growing pains

That commitment comes at a time when the live music sector is under real pressure, a reality Watts isn’t shying away from.

“There have been challenges with the live music industry. That’s something we can’t ignore, and so I think for us it’s been about looking at those challenges and seeing where we can help,” he said.

One practical response: event discovery, built directly into the platform.

“We’ve launched live event listings on Spotify and on event pages so you can look up local venues, see who’s playing, and connect the artists you’re listening to on the platform to those live events,” Watts said.

READ MORE: Spotify data reveals Australian music’s global takeover

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Consolidating under one banner

Turn Up Aus itself, Watts explained, isn’t a standalone campaign so much as a container for work Spotify was already doing.

“Turn Up Aus is the brand platform initiative. And we call it a brand from a marketing point of view, but I also think it’s a global rallying call,” he said.

“So it really sits across all of those endeavours we were already doing to support the industry, kind of consolidating them under one brand, if you could say, and then taking it to the next level.”

Since launching, the initiative has supported more than 500 Australian artists through editorial, marketing and live events, put local acts on more than 1,000 billboards from suburban streets to landmark locations overseas, and brought more than 2,000 fans closer to artists through exclusive live experiences.

Australian artists were streamed 223 million more times by Australian listeners in 2025 than in 2024, according to Spotify.

The latest chapter, Turn Up Aus Live, revives the classic pub gig format.

Billed as a “love letter to Australian music and the fans who keep it alive,” this year’s series centres on a residency at The Bat & Ball in Sydney, with a run of completely free gigs.

Building fandom, not just listens

For Watts, the point of all of it – the billboards, the gigs, the event listings – is what happens after someone streams a song.

“One of the key things about Turn Up Aus is about making more than just a connection between hearing a song you like and just listening to it – this is about connecting that with the artist and then building fandom out of that. That’s what will drive artists and their careers in the long term, which is what we’re trying to do,” he said.

That fandom, it turns out, isn’t confined to Australia.

The Philippines and Brazil are now the two biggest growth markets for streaming Australian artists internationally, with Australian acts streamed 202 million times in Brazil and 142 million times in the Philippines in March 2025 alone.

Pop is the genre driving that appetite in both markets, with Indonesia, Mexico and France also emerging as growth markets.

Total export streams of Australian artists on Spotify grew 37% between March 2021 and March 2025.

Dance remains the biggest international export by genre, with Australian dance anthems streamed more than 1 billion times by listeners outside Australia in March 2025 alone. Pop placed second, with electronic music rounding out the podium.

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Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters have received government funding intended for documentaries – but sources have said much of the ‘reality’ shows are scripted, Guardian Australia has reported after an investigation.

Aussie Gold Hunters, a documentary series distributed by Warner Bros Discovery, has an audience of 40 million viewers in more than 140 countries.

But in April, the ABC’s Media Watch cited other scenes in Aussie Gold Hunters that appeared to be staged, including one featuring a “poacher” who was in fact the series producer, Michael Dye.

Dye told Media Watch the scene was a “recreation” in which he had no choice but to play a part because there was no one else available.

But the issue is larger than that. As Guardian Australia reports, Electric Pictures has received direct funding from the WA government’s Screenwest documentary funding scheme.

Electric Pictures has also benefitted from tax offsets through the federally funded Screen Australia, on the basis that it is an Australian-made documentary.

The production company received more than $4.7m from Screenwest between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2022, when funding data ceased to be made public, of which $4.1m was directly earmarked for Aussie Gold Hunters.

Guardian Australia observes, “But the Media Watch report and documents seen by Guardian Australia have raised questions about whether the series should properly be considered a documentary – as opposed to reality TV, which is ineligible for government grants and tax perks.”

The masthead’s investigation has also looked at Outback Opal Hunters, and found it “takes place in the writing room of its Fremantle-based production company, Prospero Pictures. The series, also commissioned by Warner’s Discovery Channel, is now in its 14th season and is screened in more than 100 countries.”

It has further been found that Outback Opal Hunters has received grants of more than $850,000 from Screenwest since 2018.

Sources speak about Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters

Amongst the detailed investigation, Guardian Australia found a number concerns.

An Electric Pictures employee told it: “I said, ‘Oh, that’s so amazing, they find the gold just before the wet starts.’ And then someone said, ‘That’s a hose, mate.’ And then I took another really careful look and I could see that it was fake.”

The source added, “You’d have these meetings with Discovery Channel and they’d be saying, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be good if this happened?’ So you’d write scripts where you were saying this sort of thing might happen, but what they really meant – all unsaid or not in writing – was that’s what you had to make happen.”

And a former cast member of Aussie Gold Hunters said:

“It’s staged, like a drama.

“When things get stolen in the camp, it’s always a set-up. When people’s cars break down, the loader or the dozer, it’s all made up, it’s all a set-up. These things do happen out here, but not when we’re filming.”

A statement from Prospero Productions’ managing director, Julia Redwood, said the stories told in Outback Opal Hunters were “authentic and based on extensive discussions with our contributors”.

“Story recreations can occur if anecdotes or scenarios happen when our cameras are not in the field.”

Electric Pictures chief executive Andrew Ogilvie said: “These funding agencies have clear eligibility criteria which they rigorously assess, and Aussie Gold Hunters has been found to comply with the relevant guidelines on multiple occasions, over many years, by all agencies involved in the production.”

For more details read here.

Mediaweek will provide updates as more information is released.

Main image: Media Watch shared a snippet from Outback Gold Hunters. Image: YouTube

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IAB Australia and Pureprofile research has found cost-of-living pressure is making Australian online shoppers more deliberate before they buy, with 71 per cent changing their retail choices and spending due to rising costs.

The sixth wave of the Commerce & Discovery Report 2026 found 69 per cent of Australian online shoppers rely on online research to feel confident before making a purchase.

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Despite tighter household budgets, online shopping is becoming more embedded in everyday life. More than a third of Australian online shoppers now shop online at least weekly, up six percentage points year-on-year, while 84 per cent shop online at least monthly.

Grocery is also becoming a more regular online habit. The report found 55 per cent of Australian online shoppers buy groceries online at least monthly, up from 40 per cent in 2021.

Shoppers are checking more sources

Search engines and online retail stores remain central to product discovery, with 92 per cent of online shoppers using one or the other to discover, research or compare products and brands.

The report also found shoppers are using a wider mix of sources before spending. These include AI tools, reviews, social media, creators, marketplaces, retailer websites, catalogues, apps and loyalty programs.

Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, said cost pressures are changing how Australians shop.

“Australians are still under pressure, and that is changing the way they shop. They are more careful and considered, looking both for value and confidence before they spend. They are researching and comparing more and validating information across more sources.”

AI is part of the journey, but not the only source

AI is now part of the shopping journey, particularly among younger consumers. Six in ten online shoppers use AI-powered tools or features at least sometimes when shopping, rising to 75 per cent among shoppers aged 18–39.

However, shoppers are not handing purchase decisions over to AI. Among those using AI when shopping, 78 per cent use AI summaries for a quick answer and then click through to websites for more detail.

The report also found 74 per cent use AI as one of several sources, rather than the only one. Eight in ten Australian online shoppers have some concern about using AI to find and research products, led by accuracy, privacy and trust in recommendations.

Social media and creators influence discovery

Influencer and creator content across social media, video platforms and podcasts is also shaping what shoppers notice and consider. The report found 68 per cent of Australian online shoppers use social media to discover, research or compare products and brands.

Among shoppers aged 18–39, that figure rises to 88 per cent. Trust remains important, with 86 per cent saying the reputation of the brand being promoted is at least somewhat important when acting on creator recommendations.

Martin Filz, CEO of Pureprofile, said the path to purchase is becoming more fragmented.

“The path to purchase is becoming far more fragmented, with Australians discovering and validating products across social platforms, creators, retailer channels and AI-powered tools. But while shopping behaviours are evolving quickly, the research shows trust and confidence still sit at the centre of decision-making.

“Consumers are embracing new ways to discover products, while continuing to cross-check information carefully before they buy.”

Retailer channels and loyalty programs remain powerful

Retailer-owned channels continue to influence shopping behaviour. Retailer websites were the most frequently used retailer touchpoint, with 83 per cent of Australian online shoppers reading or looking at them often or sometimes.

Loyalty programs are also widely used, with 96 per cent of Australian online shoppers participating in retail loyalty programs. However, 47 per cent believe retailers receive more value from loyalty programs than consumers do.

Member prices, discounts and coupons were the most valued benefits in exchange for data. Free delivery and cashback or money off the next shop followed.

Key findings from the report

• Marketplaces with multiple sellers remain the leading online retailer type, with 57 per cent of Australian online shoppers purchasing from them in the past 12 months.
• Convenience is driving younger shoppers, with 58 per cent of online shoppers aged 18–39 purchasing from a food delivery service in the past 12 months, compared with 31 per cent of shoppers aged 40–70.
• Sixty-five per cent of Australian online shoppers prefer to buy Australian-owned brands, up six percentage points year-on-year.
• Eight in ten Australian online shoppers find some level of appeal in discovering and buying a product without leaving the app or website they are on.
• Eighty-eight per cent have some concern about buying products directly through ads without leaving the platform, led by payment security, privacy and product quality concerns.

The Commerce & Discovery Report 2026 is now in its sixth wave for Australia and third wave for New Zealand. It is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,079 Australians and 877 New Zealanders aged 18–70 who had shopped online at least once in the past 12 months.

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Entries for the 2027 AACTA Awards have opened, with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) confirming the ceremony will return to the Gold Coast for a fourth consecutive year in February 2027.

The announcement, made on 6 July 2026, confirms the awards will again be presented by Foxtel Group. Finalists for the 2027 edition will be named in the lead-up to the ceremony.

Previous AACTA finalists and winners include Cate Blanchett, Chris Hemsworth, David Gulpilil, Sam Neill and Deborah Mailman, underscoring the awards’ role in recognising leading names across Australia’s screen industry.

At the 2026 AACTA Awards, Bring Her Back was the night’s biggest winner, taking out ten awards from 16 nominations.

The 2027 AACTA Awards will include updates to several TV categories, including clearer recognition for comedy acting and changes to how reality, entertainment and factual entertainment programs are considered. The film awards, however, remain unchanged for 2027.

The Best Comedy Performer category has been retired and replaced with two dedicated comedy acting categories: Best Lead Acting in a Comedy and Best Supporting Acting in a Comedy.

“The changes better recognise the breadth and depth of Australian comedic acting talent while aligning these categories with the Academy’s broader acting categories,” a spokesperson said.

The Best Reality Competition Program category “recognises the evolution of competition-based reality television into one of Australia’s most ambitious production genres.”

Content previously eligible for Best Reality Television Series will now be considered, where appropriate, within the Best Reality Competition Program or Best Factual Entertainment Program categories.

The AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program, meanwhile, has evolved into the home for Australia’s most engaging non-fiction entertainment, bringing together the best in lifestyle and factual programming under a single, broader category.

“The award now celebrates programs that entertain audiences through real people, real places and real experiences and reflects the diversity and competitiveness of the Australian factual entertainment space,” the press release states.

And the Best Comedy Entertainment Program category has also been incorporated into Best Entertainment Program, “ensuring programs are assessed within the most relevant contemporary category.”

More announcements about the 2027 AACTA Awards are set to arrive in the coming months.

Find out more about the 2027 AACTA Awards here.

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By Jess Torstensson, Client Growth Director, Bench Media

Every year the same Cannes ritual plays out. The medal tally lands in every inbox; the agencies celebrate; the industry debates who was overlooked; and within days, Cannes is filed away as advertising’s awards season. But that misses the point.

The most valuable insight isn’t who collected the most Lions. It’s what the winning work reveals about where marketing is heading. This year’s standout campaigns, both globally and from Australia, weren’t defined by bigger budgets or bigger productions. They were ideas rooted in genuine customer problems, brought to life through deep integration across creativity, media, technology and data. For Australian marketers, that’s more than an encouraging trend. It’s a competitive advantage hiding in plain sight.

So, let’s review Australia’s 2026 medal tally: we didn’t win more Lions this year; in fact, we won significantly fewer than last year. (2025 – 31 total: 2 Grand Prix, 2 Gold, 8 Silver, 8 Bronze, 13. 2026 -11 total, 2 Grand Prix, 2 Gold, 6 Silver, 1 Bronze)

But the awards that Australian agencies took home in 2026 were among the festival’s most significant. Special Australia and Special US won the Media Grand Prix for Uber Eats’ Build Your Own Super Bowl Commercial, Australia’s first Media Grand Prix. Leo Australia’s Sydney office won the Titanium Grand Prix, arguably Cannes’ highest honour, for Suncorp’s Haven. TBWA\Sydney took Gold in Outdoor for mycar’s Sunburnt Car. VML Sydney picked up Silver in Health & Wellness. That isn’t just a good year.

It’s a signal.

Look across the Grand Prix winners and the same pattern emerges. KitKat turned the theft of 12 tonnes of chocolate into a live “heist tracker”, transforming an unexpected logistics crisis into a global media event. Heineken built a WhatsApp bot that traded long voice notes for a free beer, using an everyday irritation to encourage participation rather than asking consumers to learn something new. Mercado Livre transformed an entire football pitch into a scannable barcode, converting live sport into an instant retail experience.

Different brands, different markets, but ostensibly the same principle.
The work wasn’t driven by media spend; it was driven by noticing something true about the world, then building the brand around it. And that’s particularly relevant for Australia this year.

We’ve never had the scale of the US market or the production budgets of many European campaigns. Australian agencies have always had to compete through ingenuity, speed and close partnerships with clients. Increasingly, that’s exactly what Cannes is rewarding.

Take Suncorp’s Haven. It wasn’t simply another advertising campaign. It was a personalised AI-powered climate risk tool that required deep integration across data, technology and communications. It solved a genuine customer problem rather than creating another piece of branded content. It’s difficult to imagine a better example of where creativity is heading: less interruption, more utility.

Another shift was equally clear: creative effectiveness is no longer measured by launch-week performance. This year’s Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix went to AXA for work that had previously won Titanium the previous year, making it the first campaign in Cannes history to win both awards in consecutive years. The implication is significant. Creativity is increasingly being judged over years rather than quarters, rewarding ideas that continue creating commercial value long after the campaign launches.

Earned media has also matured from an aspiration into a creative discipline in its own right. SKF, an industrial bearings manufacturer, won Creative B2B after generating hundreds of millions of editorial impressions without paid media, simply by telling its sustainability story in a way the world wanted to share.

Heinz achieved something similar by recognising that fast-food fry boxes around the world already resembled its iconic Keystone label. Rather than inventing a new brand asset, it revealed one consumers had been looking at for years.

For marketers facing tighter budgets and greater scrutiny, that’s perhaps the most encouraging message from Cannes. The best work wasn’t built on extravagant production budgets; it was built on observation, speed, relevance and craft.

Australia’s 2026 performance shouldn’t be remembered because of the number of Lions we won. It should be remembered because the work recognised on the world’s biggest creative stage reflects capabilities Australian agencies have spent years developing out of necessity.

If Cannes is a forecast of where creativity is heading, the way Australian agencies have learned to work, leaner, closer to clients, and built around solving real problems rather than making bigger campaigns, is no longer a compromise; it may well be our competitive advantage.

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