Bear Meets Eagle on Fire’s creatives aren’t “quirky” or “eccentric”. They’re bloody good at their jobs.

“I find it quite patronising,” Micah Walker tells Mediaweek. Walker is the founder of the creative studio, which has, since its inception five years ago, been making waves in Australia’s ad industry through its distinctive work.

“I think there’s a kind of laziness sometimes in the way that people describe us where they go, ‘they’re wacky’, or ‘they’re zany’, which I really don’t like, in all honesty,” Walker admits.

Already well-established through projects for ROLLiN car insurance and NRMA, Bear was catapulted to the top of the industry zeitgeist towards the end of last year, when it became a key piece of the +61 puzzle – the standalone agency built for Telstra, bringing together the Bear, TBWA and Telstra’s existing media agency, TBWA’s Omnicom stablemate, OMD. It’s now home to the biggest advertising account in Australia.

To Walker, the oversimplified descriptors of Bear’s work undermine its accomplishments. Ultimately, Bear stands out because its smart and highly considered work is deeply considerate in its response to a brief, he says.

“We would never make something just strange to make something strange. We would never make something funny just to be funny. I think it’s all connected to: What are we trying to solve? Who are we talking to?

“We try to do the right thing for a brand in surprising ways, and then really care hard about the detail and the craft and bring that to life.

“We don’t want a house style, we want to be able to do stuff that’s distinctive for whatever is appropriate for that particular problem.”

While Bear might not have a house style, the studio resolutely believes that “blending in is a choice.”

“We do fundamentally believe that you’re wasting a brand’s money if you’re not doing work that’s distinctive, and I think there’s real diligent, strategic foundations that we work through that unlock that distinctiveness. It’s not like we just sit around and go, ‘what would be cool?’”

From the very beginning, Walker wanted Bear to be a movement, and a force in brand creation.

“I’ve always said I want to work somewhere and I want to work on things where I’m allowed to care hard.”

The Bear Meets Eagle on Fire name was trademarked when Walker was first engaged to help create the sexual health brand, Smile Makers, with Swedish entrepreneurs 15 years ago, developing a range of vibrators from design through to packaging.

“The whole idea was that they would never be sold in sex shops, they were only going to exist in the health and beauty section.

“That was before the entire category went nuts.

“At the time, I remember it was really hard to get into even three or four markets, because it was so different. Now it’s a regular feature on Goop and they’re in like 111 markets.”

“We didn’t make a lot of money but, at its core, what was wonderful about it was that it was brand creation and design that informed everything from product design to packaging and positioning.”

It was a similar situation when, a few years after its official establishment in 2019, it launched ROLLiN Car Insurance. While not Bear’s first major work, it was a turning point. Industry interest piqued.

The great thing about ROLLiN, Walker says, “was that it was a project that was uniquely suited to us and that it was everything from naming the brands to creating the kind of strategic foundations for the brand to the brand design right through ultimately then to some advertising.

“We went through the process, working really closely with them on absolutely everything from the kinetic identity, straight through to the ethos and foundations for the brand. So super fun, and also very nice to get a brief to go, ‘we fundamentally want to do something that feels not like insurance advertising.’”

Nowadays, Walker believes brands often come to Bear when they have lost their way, dissolving into the background of their category.

“We’re at our best when we are at a stage with a brand, whether it be a new one or an old one, where a change of direction is essential for whatever reason,” he says.

Even for major national brands like Telstra, Walker says that “it’s our job to continue to push and try and match the ambition of what [it] can become.”

“It’s not like we have to fix it, it’s not like it’s a business in trouble or anything like that. But it is a brand that is capable of being more than it currently is. And that’s very exciting to us.”

As far as creative trust and respect goes, Walker has an enviable relationship with Telstra’s chief marketing officer, Brent Smart. Indeed, the ROLLiN project was the first task Smart ever entrusted to Bear.

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

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

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

“In our time together on ROLLiN, NRMA, and even Telstra, it’s always a very respectful exchange that does genuinely feel like partnership.”

+61 was first pitched to Smart as a solution that would grant him Bear’s creativity at scale, while allowing Bear to maintain its identity as a studio. 

“Obviously a piece of business like that needs it, it needs infrastructure, and it needs scale to be able to do the amount of things that they do,” Walker explains.

“So we had this conversation about finding a unique solution that would allow Bear to be Bear and find a way to give Telstra the kind of scale and things that it needed.”

The bespoke agency allows Bear to work in synergy with TBWA, with whom they share a “sibling-like” relationship.

“It is unusual, I understand it’s probably confusing from the outside for some people. But I think that was part of what made it exciting,” he says.

“But it wasn’t built for efficiency. It wasn’t like, Bear will do brand and TBWA will do all the day to day stuff. It was built as a creative endeavour. The charge of +61 is a more integrated, elevated standard of work.”

+61’s first work launched in April: an out of home campaign, From Space to Your Place, for Telstra’s satellite home internet. The second instalment of work, and first TVC, was dropped later that month: Pointless, a film directed by Finch’s Christopher Riggert.

Smart lauded the OOH: “I love how ambitious, yet simple this work is. And of course it’s beautifully crafted, like everything Micah and his team does. We are just getting started.” 

See also: First Telstra work from +61, From Space to Your Place, launches

The benchmark for Walker and his team is to create impactful work for ambitious brands, and to be curatorial about its projects.

“I do think the industry overall is in a funny place. The business model is a bit tricky,” Walker says.

“We’re fundamentally built differently. We’re elastic, not because of the market conditions, but by design.”

Walker sees the networks as largely sharing a similar problem: inefficiencies are partly translated into a markup on head hours, plus directional challenges that come from innumerable reporting lines.

“There’s a lot of waste in the traditional agency structure,” he says. 

“What we wanted to design was something where you actually get more time off the people that are dedicated to your project. Like a production, there were times where we’ve been 18 people, and there are times where maybe, at our smallest, we were eight.

“We run very senior and very lean. We’re project-based, so we don’t actually tend to take on a lot of retained projects, and we’re output-based rather than head-hour based, so we don’t charge based on time.”

“Scale for us is in influence and potency, it’s not in headcount,” says Walker, who dismisses the usual “media conversation” which approximates headcount growth with business success.

“We’ve doubled revenue, we’ve been able to build that network in a way that helps us thrive without having 20 to 30 people.

“When your goal is not growth at all costs… and you’re not greedy, you can work in a way where we probably never have any more than about five or six clients.”

Walker says one of Bear’s enduring goals will be to maintain the balance between this structure and creative freedom, and the needs of clients.

“The beautiful thing about an independent is you can set the vision, you can set those principles and you can choose to try and be everything to everyone or you can choose to go well, ‘We don’t want to be everything. We want to do this.’

“For Bear, we never wanted to be everything to everyone, and we fundamentally did not want to be just an advertising agency. We wanted to be a creatively driven studio where our emphasis and what we were paid for wasn’t time.”

See also: First +61 film work for Telstra launches: ‘Pointless’

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Top Image: Micah Walker

Dave Hughes has told listeners of 2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed and Erin show that “as far as I know, The Masked Singer won’t be filmed this year for Channel 10.”

Hughes has been a judge on all five seasons of the Australian iteration of the show, telling his radio co-hosts: “We’ve been waiting on a production schedule. That production schedule has not come through.”

In a statement, a Network 10 spokesperson told Mediaweek: “We are currently confirming our program schedule for the second half of the year, with announcements being made soon.”

Reflecting on his time on the show, Hughes went on to say The Masked Singer has “been such a fun show to be on,” and that the decision was “a tough one for the production team.”

“So many great singers have been on. We’ve had great panels. We started with Jackie O, Dannii Minogue, Lindsay Lohan, then Urzila Carlson came in. We’ve got Abbie Chatfield, Chrissy Swan, Mel B. All stars in their own right.”

Hughes said that in a discussion he had with Chatfield and host Osher Günsberg, the feeling amongst the show’s stars was “flat”, adding, “apparently it’s an expensive show to produce.”

“I think it will come back, I don’t know when, but I’d say that for the Channel 10 budget this year – doesn’t have enough money for it,” he said.

This week, TV Tonight reported that the show’s producers, Warner Bros TV, have been “gauging interest from rival networks”.

In the finale of the 2023 season, Snow Fox was unmasked to see Dami Im crowned the winner of The Masked Singer Australia.

The Eurovision star won the title ahead of platinum-selling recording artist and songwriter Darren Hayes (Grim Reaper) and award-winning performer Conrad Sewell (Bouncer).

See also: Behind the Mask: Peeking into the top secret backend of The Masked Singer Australia

WSFM has revived the Jonesy & Amanda action figures, bringing them into the real world in the latest major radio marketing campaign to go live.

The ‘Dolls’ creative for the Jonesy & Amanda Breakfast Show first debuted in August 2021. Three versions of the new campaign feature the taglines: “They’re a bit cheeky”, “They’re good eggs”, and “They’re good in a crisis.”

In They’re good in a crisis, a man sits in his new Mustang with a sheepskin steering wheel cover and vanity numberplates, as Jonesy and Amanda makes quips that it marks a mid-life crisis. The dolls sit on the back seat. “Well not you, Greg. This suits you.”

The action figures also come to life at beach and in the kitchen. Developed in-house, the campaign launched on Monday and is being supported across all mediums – out-of-home, transit, TV, social, digital, print, and radio.

Lauren Joyce, ARN chief strategy and connections officer, said: “After few trips to the dolly hospital following an unfortunate incident with Amanda’s dog Mini, it’s great to be breathing new life into the concept.  

“The focus remains on using Jonesy & Amanda’s trademark wit and banter to bring the dolls to life, but showing how the pair interact with the listener better reflects the role they play in the audiences’ lives every morning. Our goal was to use their content to sell the content and that’s precisely what this campaign does well.”

Commenting on the campaign, Jonesy said: “I can’t believe they pixellated my mound, Ken never had to put up with this.” Amanda added: “Like all dolls, you have to be cautious of the small parts.” 

This is the third major campaign from ARN to launch in the past week, as the radio battle has heated up with the launch of Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS in Melbourne. 

First up was Kyle & Jackie O’s marketing campaign asking Melburnians to tune in and make up their own mind about the show, featuring sensationalised headlines and quotes from competitor media personalities. 

Next was GOLD FM’s The Christian O’Connell Show, which entered the marketing fray by steering clear of the sold-out billboards and instead taking its advertising to the curb with ‘bin boards.’  

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

In the most recent radio ratings survey, Jonesy & Amanda rose 1.7 points for a share of 8.7%, making the duo the third FM breakfast show in the Sydney market.

Credits:

Creative: ARN VP Team & ARN Marketing
Chief Connections Officer – Lauren Joyce
Marketing Director – Donna Gordon
Senior Brand Manager (Pure Gold Network) – Erin Donati
Senior Marketing Executive – Alicia Brown
Marketing Coordinator – Lachlan McKenna
Executive Producer – Sean Vandenberg
Director – Becky Lillyman
Creative Director – Ante Miocic
DOP – Michael Jackson – Jackson Pictures
GFX – Nick Palin
Design – Steve Liu & Jarryd Haefele
Sound Design – Todd Falusi
Media Buy – Initiative

The Mediaweek Heavy Hitters podcast has welcomed back a guest we had in the studio 12 months ago, Simon Ryan.

Quite a lot has happened in those 12 months to the RyanCap founder and his start-up.

Below are some of the highlights from the podcast. Listen to the full unedited interview with Mediaweek editor-in-chief James Manning here.

Recapping RyanCap

When Simon Ryan was last in the Mediaweek Studios he recalled how he launched the RyanCap business in 2020, surrounded by Covid. Ryan is ex-Dentsu, having run their business in Australia. In between departing Dentsu and starting RyanCap, he did some consulting work and took “gardening leave”.

As he told Mediaweek 12 months ago, the idea for RyanCap was to fill what he saw as gaps in the market.

RyanCap businesses now part of the Labelium portfolio

Podcast highlights: Launching RyanCap

We launched [three businesses inside RyanCap] Rival Media, Foxcatcher and Tightrope in 2020. Those businesses will be four years old come July 2024.

Retrospectively, the timing to launch the business was spot on. There was Covid, which I won’t mention again during this podcast, because we’re all a bit sick of that.

There was a work-from-home mentality. The global businesses were reducing their costs and venturing into a very uncertain economic position at a macro level. I thought it was a good opportunity to launch a media, tech and data and consultancy business that would then be able to grow market share across Australia.

Since then we’ve built and scaled businesses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. We have over 100 staff in isolation in RyanCap.

Selling RyanCap to Labelium

First of all, I just want to say how great Labelium are. They have been and continue to be outstanding together with their backers. And they really saw Australia as a growth opportunity for them.

They were already here in Sydney. We have now moved in together in that city in a really good office.

They were on the acquisition trial, which I didn’t know. But I had an incoming phone call pretty much after our last podcast.

It was a very interesting time for our business in that we were considering to grow, scale higher, win new clients. And grow geographically across the three states that we’ve chosen to grow in across Australia.

The incoming call [from Labelium] asked, would you be interested in having a chat? Obviously, those chats then moved through a number of different conversations with a number of different people.

At that point in time, we had no intention of selling the business because it was scaling. The free running cashflow was very good. EBITDA was strong, client happiness and culture happiness were extremely good.

Myself and the two other shareholders had a look at Labelium like they had a look at us and we decided to continue the conversation. A part of our original plan was either to keep the business as it was and just keep running it. Or eventually, bring in another shareholder.

We decided as a shareholder group that we would commit to Labelium. It’s a very, very good business to be associated with. They’re not scaled in Australia, so they gave us an opportunity to scale together.

See also: RyanCap acquired by France-based Labelium Group

Simon Ryan with Mediaweek’s James Manning

RyanCap road map didn’t change

Our plan hasn’t changed. It’s really important that our staff, our clients and anyone who’s associated with the business from an external perspective realise that our plan has not changed. We’re still growing.

We wrote a five-year midterm plan. I’m in the midst of writing that for the next three to four years and we’ll look at acquisitions.

We’ll look at further geographic growth, hiring high-performing talent and scaling the business together.

Client portfolio

We’ve moved into retail, automotive, financial, health. There are a couple of other areas that we’re working on at the moment from a pitch perspective, which I won’t talk about right now. The good news is that we’ll be active in approximately 14 or 15 of the top 20 categories by the end of this calendar year.

Original RyanCap shareholders

[Have they been paid back?] Absolutely. When we started the business, I was obviously the sole shareholder. As we continued along, two other shareholders joined] who currently work in the business.

I won’t name them, but it won’t be too hard to guess who they are. They’re doing a great job. The three shareholders in the existing RyanCap business were all active in the business and still are active in the business.

Simon Ryan with Labelium’s Jean Kerboul in 2023

Simon Ryan not going anywhere

The other two RyanCap shareholders are a bit younger than me. They’re in their 40s. I’m turning 50 in May.

We want to continue to work. I made it very clear to Labelium and the backers that we all wanted to continue to work regardless of the acquisition.

Helping clients build brands

The common desire is to treat your clients well, and your staff, and build brands in the market. If you look at a number of the big international agencies, they’re probably not doing the acquisitions that they used to, and that’s okay. That’s a cycle of business.

They work through their own machinations as when they can afford and when they can’t afford. If you look at successful businesses, they’re really driven by organic growth.

Could the name change?

Not while I’m there. [Labelium] loves the brands. They love the fact that the brands give them the opportunity to grow.

Eventually, obviously, the focus should always be the brands and the client-facing brands, which is where our focus will be. [Rival Media, Foxcatcher and Tightrope]

Eventually, like most M&As, they eventually change names and roll them into the name that acquired the business. Or they keep them going depending upon the success and the heritage that they have in the market.

Potential for acquisitions

[Is it a time when people might be more open to discussions about joining forces with a better-resourced partner?] Yeah. I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone in particular. I do know of many agencies that are for sale, and it’s pretty obvious they are for sale. And that’s OK.

It’s not necessarily a reflection on a business, whether it’s for sale or not for sale. If you look at some of the businesses that are for sale, they’re doing everything right.

Agency competition

Clearly, I’ve got friends in the industry. And some people are probably threatened by me too, and they shouldn’t be. We’re all in there together to try and drive outcomes for our clients.

Obviously, I’m probably a little bit more aggressive on the competitive side of things to drive outcomes for the business and our new owners. That will be my absolute focus. There are a number of agencies that I talk to either from a potential M&A perspective or from a purely friendship perspective.

Having worked in the industry for 25-odd years now, you gather a lot of friends along the way. I’m proud to have those people as friends. But at the same time, it’s a competitive environment and we must pitch to win. We must drive client outcomes and we must deliver outcomes for our business.

We’re as competitive as a number of the large international advertising agency groups.

Other good agencies?

[Are there any colleagues or friends in similar-sized businesses that you think are doing a pretty good job?] Absolutely. Yeah. But I won’t mention them.

There’d be two or three independent agencies like RyanCap that are doing exceptionally well.

For much more from Simon Ryan, including a commentary on the market and his outlook, listen to the complete unedited Heavy Hitters podcast here.

Head of strategy at Match & Wood, Sam Enshaw, has announced his exit from the independent media agency after just under three years.

Speaking to Mediaweek, Enshaw said: “A sincere thank you to the Match & Wood team for the last three years and I’ll be able to share more over the next week.”

While Enshaw did not disclose his next move, it is understood he will be moving to a creative agency.

Match & Wood’s chief executive officer, Lyndelle O’Keefe, said to Mediaweek: “We all wish Sam the very best and he will be missed. I have no doubt he will continue to do brilliant, highly creative work in his next role, and we’re grateful for his contribution to our culture and strategic product over the last three years.”

Mediaweek has asked Match & Wood for its plans to replace Enshaw.

Enshaw broke the news in a LinkedIn post on Monday: “Last week I finished up a crazy 3 years at Match & Wood.

“Pitched lots, won some, lost some. Laughed until we were crying in the ‘silly goose pod’ and made memories I’ll take with me forever. Produced incredible work and rinsed the Richmond Club’s steak day every Tuesday. I got to see young superstars find their voices and pushed the boundaries of what an indie is capable of.

“To everyone at Match & Wood, a heartfelt thank you for those memories. You’re my heroes.

“Now I start my week in the garden before my next big, scarily exciting adventure.”

Enshaw joined Match & Wood in 2021 as national strategy director, previously working across Australia and Asia Pacific at UM as digital account manager and Initiative as strategy director.

Prior to his time at Match & Wood, Enshaw also tenured at IPG Mediabrands APAC, first as regional implementation manager, before being promoted to regional implementation director a year later. He also served as digital account manager at McCann Australia.

Enshaw was promoted to the head of strategy post in August last year, taking responsibility for the agency’s strategic product across the Melbourne and Perth offices, and continuing to build on the agency’s momentum in market.

Enshaw has been recognised locally and globally for his work; he was a finalist at the inaugural Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards in the Media Agency Specialists – Independent category.

See also: Match & Wood promotes Sam Enshaw to head of strategy

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has appointed JCDecaux to the bus advertising contract for all buses in the Sydney metropolitan regions.

The win extends JCDecaux’s transit reach across the whole of Sydney metropolitan regions into LGAs, including the Northern Beaches, the Hills District, Campbelltown, Liverpool, and Camden.

Steve O’Connor, CEO of JCDecaux Australia and New Zealand, said: “We look forward to continuing our bus advertising partnership with TfNSW, which confirms JCDecaux as market-leaders in transit advertising across Australia.

“In an era of digitisation across most out-of-home products, bus advertising maintains significant appeal for advertisers through its distinctive blend of broad audience reach, high frequency and visibility, and cost-effectiveness. It presents a powerful format for advertisers seeking to build their brand, amplify their message, and effectively engage with diverse audiences.

“This expansion to our portfolio also provides an exciting platform to relaunch transit later this year with innovations and impactful product enhancements.”

JCDecaux oversee advertising for a fleet of over 3,200 buses and build upon the existing JCDecaux Sydney Buses network, which reaches 90% of Greater Sydney every two weeks.

To oversee its transit and the national portfolio, JCDecaux has also promoted Ben White to the role of general manager, transit. White has been working across a portfolio of projects within his role as national director – customer growth and head of nurture.

O’Connor said of White’s appointment: “Ben’s extensive experience, commercial awareness and passionate understanding of the JCDecaux transit portfolio, makes him the ideal person to step into a newly created role to spearhead growth in this space.”  

The out-of-home advertising company’s successful bid included a strong focus on data innovation as well as positive environmental and social impact. JCDecaux said transit advertising offers brands the opportunity to support sustainability and invest in cities by delivering revenue that helps finance public transport services.

JCDecaux has also created the Low Emissions Bus Network product, allowing advertisers to display across the growing electric bus network. The company said it will continue to innovate more sustainable products like this, so advertisers can actively choose to support the climate transition in transport and advertising. 

JCDecaux recently retained the Adelaide bus advertising contract for seven years, and renewed the Perth bus advertising contract. It also holds the bus contract in Brisbane and the tram and bus contracts in Melbourne.

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Top image: Ben White

Foxtel Media’s sales team is Mediaweek‘s March winner as part of the Sales Team of the Year initiative.

In 2023, Mediaweek launched Sales Team of the Year to highlight some of the high-quality work done in the industry. 

Each month, a media sales team is selected by a rotating panel of judges as the nominee for that particular month, culminating in a final set of nominees by the end of the 12 months. The judges will be assessing each team on criteria such as proactivity, strategy and execution, and client and agency relationship management.

See Also: Mediaweek’s Sales Team of the Year: February spotlights Man of Many

Mediaweek caught up with Foxtel Media’s chief sales officer, Nev Hasan.

“There’s been a lot going on in the last 12 months,” Hasan laughs.

Nev Hasan

A key project the team has undertaken is converging the TV and digital sales teams, bringing them together into one entity.  

“That was a major piece of work for us to do but one that was super, super important in terms of where our growth was. We want to be known as a streaming video platform, but also to support the internal team’s learning, development, and growth,” Hasan said.

Driving results for the sales team, Hasan points to the fact that Foxtel has “amazing streaming products,” and that there is “always something new or exciting to talk about with the content offering.”

Beyond that, however, Hasan said the team itself is a factor in the growth.

“Our retention has been great. We’ve had single digits in people leaving throughout the last year, which is super positive. I don’t think many companies can say that. We’ve had consistency with the team. 

“We’ve got this culture of engaging, creating learning opportunities, and training. I think they’ve really got on board with that – our internal happiness score is sitting at 80% and there’s a buzz around the place. There’s a good culture here, you can learn fast, fail quickly, and it’s safe.”

It’s one thing to bring clients on board, but it’s another thing to keep them. With client retention high on the team’s list of priorities, Hasan said: “Clients like working with us because we’ve got this way of bringing in unique audiences.

“We’ve got the best sports content rights in Australia. We’ve got something as powerful as Australian sport where we know it has audiences that engage, we’ve got a product like Kayo attracting new subscribers onto the platform, and you’ve got the juggernaut of Fox Sports creating amazing experiences. Clients want to be in those environments.

“We launched Binge with ads last year. Again, you look at the content rights, we’ve got not only the powerhouses from overseas, but some of the local content we produce is amazing.”

Looking ahead, Hasan said the big focus for the team over the next 12 months will be continuing to drive Kantar measurement across linear platforms, and data lead segments. 

“That’s the next evolution of our business, and where we’re going to drive better ways to target our audiences to deliver better effectiveness and better campaign results,” Hasan said.

Being authentic, and having the skills to get those in your team to bring their whole selves to work, are the hallmarks of a good leader according to Will Koukouras, national director of sport and entertainment at Publicis Groupe.

“To do that, you really need to open up. As a leader, you need to model the behaviour that you want to see from others, and I think if you do that, that’s a pretty good start.”

Speaking to News Corp Australia’s director of the Growth Intelligence Centre and independent think tank The Growth Distillery, Dan Krigstein, Koukouras added that the way to go about modelling this behaviour is not necessarily big sweeping gestures, but rather small things day to day.

“You watch your team start to mirror that and start to feel a bit more confident. I think that’s what generates trust and respect – two really important pillars of leadership.”

Koukouras also spoke about the challenges of walking into an environment where “everyone’s so driven by the work and by the outcomes that they forget about the human side and their connection.”

“When that happens and your leader is not leaning in, not asking you questions, not getting to know you, I think that’s where the mask goes up and you’re in defence mode,” Koukouras said.

It’s a major pitfall that can happen as early as the interview, with Koukouras adding: “That’s another time when people get it wrong.”

“They go to an interview and it’s work, work, work – here are all my achievements. You realise as you get older, that’s only a small piece of what the business is looking for.”

Speaking with Mediaweek after the vodcast recording, Koukouras said he was only too happy to jump behind the mic as part of the series with The Marketing Academy participants as a means of “paying it forward.”

“Part of the core of The Marketing Academy is to pay it forward, its success depends on it in a way. I really wanted to help spread the word. 

“The other part was that one of the things I focused on last year was addressing my confidence, and the voice inside my head that says that no one wants to hear what I’ve got to say. Part of this is tackling challenges head on, and putting myself out there – I haven’t done this kind of stuff before.”

Koukouras said he hopes the episode boosts the confidence of both leaders and the people they’re leading. 

“I hope people are more confident. I hope leaders become more confident to share who they are, and equally, the people that work for leaders to equally be comfortable or vulnerable enough to share their stories. It only works if it’s a two-way sharing exercise.”

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Top Image: Will Koukouras

PrettyGood, the new agency launched last month to service Australian small and medium businesses, has appointed Jonathan Lyon as co-founder and chief product officer.

Lyon brings over 25 years of marketing leadership experience to the purpose-driven brand and media business. He has held roles at OMD New Zealand, Digitas NYC, TEDx Auckland, and Wunderman in London, where he drove strategies centred on human insights.

In the role, he will work alongside Hamish Smith, PrettyGood CEO and co-founder, to make marketing solutions more affordable for small and medium businesses across Australasia, allocate a share of revenue to support community initiatives and local charities, and leverage data and technology.

“By seamlessly blending cutting-edge marketing solutions, transparent pricing strategies, and impactful corporate giving initiatives, we can empower small and medium enterprises while collectively working towards a better world,” Lyon said.

“It’s this beautifully orchestrated convergence of ethical business practices and positive social impact that fuels my passion and drives me forward each day.”

Smith called Lyon an “internationally recognised marketing pioneer” and acknowledged his dedication to elevating customer insights and accelerating media innovation in his career.

“His expertise and shared commitment to using business as a force for good make him an ideal co-founder as we work to reset the marketing and media landscape across Australasia. I’m really looking forward to working with him and offering his fresh thinking to our clients.”

Lyon founded the “Appiness” social enterprise concept designed to alleviate poverty and homelessness through direct peer-to-peer connections. Meanwhile, Smith has worked closely with the Kindness Collective and Springboard, donating $10,000 since launching PrettyGood in April 2024.

“At our core, Jonathan and I want to leverage new thinking and technologies that can make a real difference for underserved communities,” Smith added.

“PrettyGood is charting that path by empowering the businesses that fuel local economies, while simultaneously fueling positive impact for people in need.”

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Top image: Jonathan Lyon

VMO has entered into an exclusive agreement with Stockland to manage the operations of 22 large format digital screens throughout nine Stockland town centres across Australia.

The addition of the centres has resulted in an uplift in VMO’s retail portfolio, extending its reach to approximately 55 million shopper visits annually.

Anthony Deeble, chief commercial officer of The HOYTS Group and VMO, said the team is “delighted” to continue working with Stockland, expanding the partnership into the retail space.

“This strategic collaboration forms part of our growth strategy and is an example of our commitment to expanding our retail footprint across Australia, reinforcing our position as industry leaders within retail outdoor.”

Paul Butler, managing director of VMO, added that the significance of the partnership is in the fact that it strengthens VMO’s retail portfolio, but also gives partners more opportunities to advertise across key shopping destinations throughout Australia.

“Stockland’s large format network is an exciting addition, seamlessly integrating into our retail portfolio as we continue to bring bigger and better opportunities for brands to engage with consumers where it matters most. It’s another step in our journey that underlies our ongoing growth within the retail outdoor sector.”

Centres include Stockland Piccadilly in Sydney’s CBD, Stockland Merrylands and Wetherill Park in Western Sydney, Stockland Green Hills in the Hunter region, Stockland Shellharbour on the south coast of New South Wales, Stockland Hervey Bay and Stockland Rockhampton in North Queensland, and Stockland Point Cook and Wendouree in Victoria.

“Working with VMO allows us to elevate the shopper experience through dynamic content from leading consumer brands with opportunities to scale across our metro and regional centres,” Michéle Pirozzi, Head of S Connect at Stockland, said.

The announcement follows VMO’s launch of its office media network in Australia in September last year, which saw screens deployed across 100 commercial property portfolios, including Stockland.

See Also: Val Morgan names Toyah Elder group sales manager

Snapchat has partnered with Gelato Messina to mark National Mates Day, launching a brand campaign to drive awareness of the platform’s focus on real relationships and friendship.

The social platform will take over the Gelato Messina Surry Hills store in Sydney, transforming it into a Snap-yellow brand experience that aims to bring friends together to enjoy a free scoop and capture Snapchat content for sharing.

A limited edition Snapchat gelato flavour – Oh Snap! – will be available for free across all Gelato Messina stores nationwide on 8 May, inspired by the classic vanilla slice, and featuring vanilla custard gelato layered with passionfruit puree and crunchy caramelised puff pastry pieces. 

The integrated campaign will run across publicity, physical store activations nationally, paid content and influencer, social and email marketing, and Snapchat in-app advertising to encourage the platform’s community of 8 million Australians to grab a free scoop.

Snapchat users can also sending Snaps using a Mates Day augmented reality (AR) lens.

Tony Keusgen, managing director of Snap Inc. Australia and New Zealand, said: “Snapchat has always been different to social media, giving our community fun and creative ways to stay connected with their real friends, free of the pressures of other platforms.

“We thought Mates Day was the ideal moment to bring Aussies together to celebrate with the people that matter to them most and bond over some seriously good Gelato Messina. This brand campaign is a joyful way to remind everyone about what continues to make Snapchat an everyday part of millions of people’s lives, right across the country.”

Sian Bishop, head of brand and marketing at Messina, added: “Bringing people together for good vibes and delicious gelato is part of Messina’s DNA. We are so excited to celebrate friendship this Mates Day with Snapchat. Creating Oh Snap! was fun. Getting to dish it out nationwide for free, in the name of friendship, is even better.”

Snap’s integrated Mates Day campaign comes off the back of the global brand campaign, Less Social Media. More Snapchat, launched in February.

Energy networks owner, Jemena, has launched an educational campaign via Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), The Big Picture, aiming to raise awareness about the role renewable gas will play in the ongoing energy transition.

It is the first campaign to market since MBCS was appointed as Jemena’s creative agency of record early last year.

Under the master The Big Picture creative and messaging platform, MBCS is responsible for strategy, creative development, activations, digital, and communications.

Initiative managed the multi-channel integrated campaign, which spans TV, digital platforms, radio, print, and out-of-home.

The campaign launched late-April, running in NSW, where Jemena owns the gas distribution network and renewable gas demonstration facilities. 

See also: Initiative retains Jemena as Mediabrands Content Studio appointed as creative agency of record

Central to the campaign is its 60 second hero film created to engage an audience ranging from everyday Australians and business operators through to heavy industry and manufacturing sectors about what renewable gas is, and how it is being developed.

The hero video is supported by a range of different iterations plus digital and static assets including print and out of home.

MBCS’ general manager, Marshall Campbell, said the campaign was centred around the fact that “there is not one silver bullet when looking to reduce carbon emissions.”

“When we take a step back and look at the big picture, we can see there will be multiple energy solutions required to get us all through the energy transition efficiently, one of which is renewable gas.

“Our holistic narrative approach has allowed us to show the small things we all enjoy every day when using gas, to then pan out to reveal how it can have a positive impact on cities, countries and even the world.”

Sandra Centofanti, general manager, customer and commercial at Jemena Networks, added that the new campaign is “designed to tell the story about the importance of renewable gas in Australia’s energy transition.

“By showcasing the benefits and potential of renewable gas we hope to raise awareness and interest levels, inspire action and drive positive change towards a lower emissions future for thousands of gas-reliant businesses and manufacturers, as well as many hard-to-electrify communities.”

Last month, Cancer Chicks launched a new brand platform and campaign FUCC It via MBCS and Initiative’s purpose-led consulting division, Initiative IMPACT.

See also: Cancer Chicks launches ‘FUCC IT’ via Initiative IMPACT and MBCS

Credits:

Client: Jemena
General manager customer and commercial: Sandra Centofanti
Head of strategy and marketing:  Alan Simpson
Brand and marketing manager: Peter Keli

Creative agency: MBCS
Managing director: Olivia Warren 
General manager: Marshall Campbell
Creative director: Shanan Goldring 
Senior account manager: Shikha Shah 

Production Company: Convicts 
Director: Justin McMillan
Executive producer: Pete Maiden 
Producer: Johnny Greally
Cinematographer: Tim Tregoning 

Post Production: Heckler & Heckler Sound 
Executive producer: Will Alexander 
Executive producer (vision): David Kelly
Executive producer (sound): Bonnie Law
Editor: Andrew Holmes

Media Agency: Initiative
Chief strategy and product officer: Chris Colter
Group business director: Charlotte Wills 
Group investment director: Tahnee Fleming
Client director: Joe Golden
Investment Director: Julian Monty

Whittaker’s has launched a new brand positioning and platform, Hello Chocolate Lovers, via Bastion Shine. 

J.H Whittaker & Sons first appointed Bastion Shine as its integrated advertising and communications partner in New Zealand after a competitive pitch process in May 2023.

This latest brand platform is positioned around Whittaker’s unique way of making chocolate. It aims to cement Whittaker’s market position in New Zealand, while strengthening its momentum in Australia.

Central to the campaign is its suite of hero films directed by Jesse James McElroy of Flying Fish, which dramatise the rituals of chocolate lovers, such as the “pantry piece.”

The efforts will be supported by a roll out across outdoor, social, and brand experiences.

Soraya Cottin, Whittaker’s chief marketing officer, said that Whittaker’s is “constantly innovating to see how we can keep Chocolate Lovers coming back to us and to encourage new Chocolate Lovers to experience our product, because when they do, they love it.”

Ryan Jordan, Bastion Shine’s head of strategy, explained that there are “people who like chocolate, and then there’s people who love it.”

“We wanted to create a brand platform that would allow us to talk directly to people who were in the know and reflect back the intimate behaviours and intricate rituals they have with Whittaker’s chocolate,” he said.

Bastion Shine’s chief creative officer, Rich Maddocks, added that “we know people tend to get a little crazy around Whittaker’s.”

“By tapping into the humour around that, we think we’ve hit on an area that’s not only entertaining but also incredibly relatable. We hope Chocolate Lovers can see a part of themselves in this work.”

Bastion Shine was created in 2021 through Bastion’s acquisition of New Zealand creative and digital agency Shine. Bastion has has since announced the addition of other specialist business units, including Bastion Creative, Bastion Digital, Bastion Amplify, and Bastion Transform.

Last month, Bastion Agency appointed Cheuk Chiang as its new CEO for Australia and New Zealand. Chiang moved from his position as APAC CEO for Dentsu Creative.

See also: Bastion Agency names Cheuk Chiang as new CEO

Credits:
Client: Whittaker’s
Brand strategy, creative: Bastion Shine
Production: Flying Fish
Media: MBM
PR: Straight Up PR

Josh Frydenberg was a guest on Sharri Markson’s Sky News Australia program last night. It was the former federal treasurer’s first major interview since disappearing from public life. During his appearance, it was revealed he has been working on a documentary for the news channel.

Frydenberg told Markson: “Like so many Australians, I have been shocked by the speed and the scale in the rise of anti-Semitism after October 7. Many Australians don’t know how bad and how dangerous the situation is today. I wanted to use my voice to ring the alarm bell.”

Later in the night, Paul Murray also shared the news with his big 9pm audience.

See also: Chris Uhlmann joins Sky News as political contributor

To be hosted by Josh Frydenberg, the one-hour documentary is called Never Again: The Fight Against Antisemitism.

It will examine what Frydenberg calls an alarming rise of antisemitism in Australia and its impact on the country and democracy. For him, this issue goes beyond politics.

Following the attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists on October 7 last year, the documentary examines the rise in hostility towards Jewish people taking place around the world at levels not seen since the Holocaust.

From the steps of the Sydney Opera House to the heartland of Melbourne’s Jewish community in Caulfield, the documentary will track an escalation of antisemitism that has been widespread and violent.

The incitement has seen violent demonstrations but also the desecration of national monuments, interruption of major events, the boycott of Jewish-owned businesses, doxing of Jewish artists and harassment of community members.

Frydenberg examines the rising tide of antisemitism with prominent Australians. Never Again: The Fight Against Antisemitism features interviews with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, former prime ministers John Howard and Julia Gillard, Olympic champion and former senator Nova Peris, former governor-general Peter Cosgrove, and award-winning Australian music artist Deborah Conway and survivors of the Holocaust.

Josh Frydenberg said: “Since the attack on October 7 antisemitism in Australia has reached an unprecedented and dangerous level. Red lines have been crossed and a green light given to what clearly is unacceptable conduct. This is a time our leaders need to show courage and moral clarity, taking stronger and more decisive action to call out and stamp out antisemitism in Australia.”

Never Again: The Fight Against Antisemitism also takes a close look at radicalisation in the community and how antisemitism has been allowed to take hold. Frydenberg also asks what needs to be done to stop it.

Resolution Digital has been appointed as the media agency for personalised numbersplates business, myPlates, which will include traditional media, digital media, and SEO.
 
David McGrath, CEO of myPlates, said the company has been looking for an agency with strong technical and strategic abilities.

“As a data driven e-commerce company, we need a media agency who understands ad tech and how to use data intelligently. Resolution Digital brings a wealth of knowledge around intent-based performance marketing and dynamic messaging, which complements our marketing strategy,” he said.

Matthew Keegan, managing director of Resolution Digital, said the team was looking forward to supporting myPlates on their ongoing evolution.

“From the initial chemistry call with the myPlates team, it was clear that they had a vision to design, build and implement a fully connected media, creative, and data and tech strategy. We’re delighted to have been chosen as the partner to help myPlates bring this ambition to life”, Keegan said.

This win for the Omnicom Media Group agency comes after it was appointed as the dedicated global website agency for the a2 Milk Company (a2MC) in March.

Edith Bailey, chief marketing officer at a2 Milk Company, said: “Resolution Digital showcased a strong comprehension of our short and long-term business goals, presenting a well-defined and thoughtful strategic recommendation.”

See also: Resolution Digital named global website agency for a2 Milk

Resolution Digital was also recently appointed to lead digital media and SEO for El Jannah, as the Lebanese-Australian charcoal chicken chain plans to expand with 50 restaurants open in Australia by mid-2025.

“The win is testament to our evolution framework, which focuses on maximising the quick wins whilst strategically planning for the future of El Jannah”, Keegan said at the time.

See also: Resolution Digital wins El Jannah’s media and SEO account

SXSW Sydney has unveiled its first speakers for the 2024 Conference, including Courtney Act, Nakkiah Lui, and Craig Tiley.

SXSW Sydney chair and TEG Group CEO, Geoff Jones, said: “After the success of the inaugural SXSW Sydney in 2023, we are once again inspired by the overwhelming response from the creator communities to participate in the 2024 program.

“This is the first of many announcements as we roll out the extensive and diverse range of visionaries and creative thinkers from around the globe that make up the SXSW Sydney 2024 conference lineup

“SXSW Sydney is about discovery and an opportunity to be surrounded by the best and brightest minds from Tech & Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture. This year’s SXSW promises to be as inspiring as ever.”

The first round of featured speakers for SXSW Sydney 2024 include:

• Australian astronaut at the Australian Space Agency, Katherine Bennell-Pegg
• World-renowned futurist and authority on global business, politics and corporate governance, Ryan Patel
• Global head of business marketing at TikTok, Sofia Hernandez
• Trend curator and founder of Non-Obvious, Rohit Bhargava
• Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant
• Award-winning Australian filmmaker and director of Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat 2, Simon McQuoid
• Gomeroi and Torres Strait Islander writer, actor, director and publisher, Nakkiah Lui
• Boy, girl, artist, advocate, global queer icon, Australian entertainer and television personality, Courtney Act
• Founder of POPS Worldwide, revolutionising Vietnam’s digital music landscape, Esther Nguyen
• Vice president of product – AI platform at IBM, Armand Ruiz
• Australian human rights lawyer and barrister, Jennifer Robinson
• Tennis Australia CEO and director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley
• Vice-Chancellor and president of the Australian National University, Professor Genevieve Bell AO
• CEO and founder of multi-million dollar production studio Spawnpoint Media, Jordan Barclay (AKA EYstreem)
• Group CEO of leading Singapore-based creative agency, The Secret Little Agency, Eunice Tan
• Vice-Chancellor and president of the University of Sydney, Professor Mark Scott AO
• Co-founder of Metaphysic.ai and Codec.ai, Martin D. Adams
• Founder and chief AI officer at the AI Leadership Institute, Noelle Russell
• Filmmaker, 2019 Australian of the Year, and Lieutenant Governor of South Australia, Dr Richard Harris SC OAM
• Founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing, Professor Michelle Simmons
• Host of the podcast, The Psychology of your 20s, Jemma Sbeg
• Ass. Dean Indigenous, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Professor Christopher Lawrence
• Co-Founder, Andromeda Robotics, Grace Brown
• Resident architect-councilor, HY William Chan
• Mathematician, comedian, raconteur, and conversationalist, Adam Spencer

The first round of Sessions announced include:

• 36 Months: Raising the Threshold for Social Media Citizenship (Hamish Blake, parenting specialist Maggie Dent, Michael “Wippa” Wipfli, and Felicity McVay, former global head of entertainment at TikTok)

• A New Playing Field: Opportunities to Monetise Athlete IP and Expand Sport Globally (Australian cricketer David Warner, sports advisor David Gallop, Olympian Tillie Kearns, and Nicholas Saady, Pryor Cashman)

• AI and You: What You Need to Know Next (Dr Sandra Peter and Professor Kai Riemer, University of Sydney)

• Designing with Country: Cultural Design as Driver of Extraordinary Contemporary Places (Ros Moriarty, MD, co-founder and creative executive, and Ngunnawal man Johnny Bridges, Indigenous Creative Lead, Balarinji)

• Beyond the Big Screen: Film Tech in the Real World (Aaron Corera of XM2, filmmaker Gregory Read, Duncan Jones, CEO of Myriad Studios)

• For News Media, Digital Transformation Isn’t a Process – It’s a State (Lucy Blakiston, founder of Shit You Should Care About; Duncan Greive, founder of The Spinoff; Gaven Morris, Bastion Transform, Lee Lowndes, CEO Daylight)

• The Digital Fashion Experience: In Conversation with Jere Calmes, CEO, The Iconic (Jaana Quaintance-James, CEO of the Australian Fashion Council)

• Meet: Nature – Your Actual CFO. How Nature Impacts Every Organisation and Will Dictate Your Future (Moderated by Atlassian’s work futurist Dom Price, with climate and ecological experts Chris Ewing of Taronga Conservation, Guy Williams of Pollination, Dr Rachel Marshall of Accounting for Nature, and Cr Bradley Widders, National Parks Wildlife Service)

SXSW Sydney 2024 will take place from 14 to 20 October. 

See also: SXSW Austin 2024: Virtual try ons the future of online shopping, suggest J.Crew and Google

Love Media has appointed Alana Dowling as client director, strengthening the independent agency’s client services team.

Dowling brings nearly two decades of experience in media investment and marketing strategy to the agency. Her most recent role was as investment, marketing, and L&D director at Orion Worldwide. Previously, she held roles at Magna Global, Carat, and Initiative.

Love Media said she will leverage her experience to drive client strategy, foster innovative media solutions, and strengthen the agency’s commitment to superior client service.

Rob Wall, managing director of Love Media, welcomed Dowling to the team and noted that her “background and deep understanding of the media landscape will be invaluable” as the agency continues to grow and evolve.

“Alana’s media experience and personal qualities as a wonderful human align perfectly with our goals, making her an excellent addition to our agency. Alana and I worked together at Carat, and I am looking forward to working with her once again,” he said.

Dowling said of her appointment: “I am thrilled to join Love Media and look forward to working with the team to deliver exceptional results for our clients. It’s an exciting time to be part of the independent media agency landscape, and I am eager to contribute to Love Media’s success and plans for the future.”

This comes after Love Media teamed up with Dentsu Creative to launch a new brand platform for The Iconic, coinciding with its refreshed company purpose: Creating a better way for people to shop.

The integrated campaign rolled out across owned, paid, and earned media, with a range of executions bringing to life some of the different ways you can shop at The Iconic: fashion, sport, beauty, exclusives, and pre-loved – all with the renowned fast delivery offering.

See also: Dentsu Creative and Love Media launch The Iconic’s new brand platform

–

Top image: Alana Dowling and Rob Wall

Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) has celebrated the success of its inaugural Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme with events in Sydney and Melbourne and announced its new 2024-25 programme.

To mark the success of the 2023-24 programme, the 16 mentees and mentors, along with mentee leaders, IMAA directors, and the IMAA leadership team, came together at oOh!media’s offices in Sydney on 29 April and in Melbourne on 2 May.

Led by Angela Smith, IMAA DE&I Chair and AFFINITY CEO, and Wendy Gower, executive trainer and coach from We Grow, the initiative saw 16 selected mentees benefit from a structured six-month mentoring programme that included online and face-to-face sessions, training, and meet-ups with mentors.

Mentor and oOh!media CEO, Cathy O’Connor, said: “The way the IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme has been designed and its ability to give back to everyone involved is invaluable to the future of our industry and the next generation of female leaders.

“Through my involvement as a mentor, I’ve discovered there is a new generation who have found their voices more confidently than when I was starting out, and I’m incredibly encouraged by this development.”

The purpose of the programme was for participants to gain valuable industry and personal insights, lessons, skills, and professional networking opportunities from their mentors.

The six-month programme aimed to create a support network between senior media staff and their mentees, matching mentors with future talent from the nation’s indie media agencies for both online and face-to-face sessions.

All the participants described the programme as “life-changing” and acquired new leadership skills, and 86% said they felt more confident to use their leadership skills in more difficult situations and “put themselves out there.”

One mentee said: “The dedicated time spent with my mentor has been transformative for my leadership journey, significantly enhancing my ability to navigate challenging situations and foster a team environment.”

Wendy Gower and Angela Smith

Angela Smith, IMAA DE&I chair, said the outcomes of the program “exceeded expectations.”

“It was important to us to ensure this programme was so much more than feel-good rhetoric and had some baseline measures to determine its impact on the mentees,” she said.

“Based on their responses, every participant told us the programme had helped them move into a more proactive phase of leadership, and they were already applying new skills and perspectives in their day-to-day roles.

“This fundamental shift underscores the effectiveness of mentorship in fostering continuous learning. The results were a resounding validation of the role this programme has played will continue to play in the development of these women’s careers and beyond.” 

Female Leaders of Tomorrow Programme facilitator, Wendy Gower, added: “The scope and depth of learning gained through the programme has been nothing short of inspirational. Without exception, these women have all grown and discovered practical ways to build on their already great potential.

“They have learned about the power of vulnerability, how to be themselves in difficult circumstances and how to effectively address imposter syndrome – an outsized problem for most women in leadership.”

Cathy O’Connor

The 16 IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow mentee graduates include Zoe Amos from Kaimera, Angela Brand and Hayley Clarke from Hotglue, Sue Cant and Elly Catchlove from Half Dome, Denize D’Silva from Media Republic, Eleni Endt from Adenium, Lenka Kleinova and Kimberley Leopoldo from Hatched, Sally Lawrence from Enigma, Erienne Lette from Slingshot, Annie Marendaz from The Media Store, Jana Mehrtens from Admatic, Mattie Mould from Apparent, Samantha Murphy from Assembled Media, and Olivia Scott.

In Sydney, the 2023/24 mentors were Cathy O’Connor (CEO at oOh!media), Lauren Joyce (chief strategy and connections officer at ARN), Nikki Rooke (Sydney sales director at Nine), Lara Brownlow (head of channel sales APAC at LinkedIn), Mark Fairhurst, Melinda Petrunoff (country manager at Pinterest) and Gaye Steel (marketing and content director consultant and academic lecturer at Torrens University Australia).

In Melbourne, mentors included Andrea Salmon (Nine director of sales – Melbourne), Peter Whitehead (chief commercial officer at ARN), Natalie Warren-Smith (general manager – brand and channel at Stockland), Emma Fulford (head of marketing at Smiggle), Rachel Page (network digital sales director at the Seven Network), Amanda Connors (global chief marketing officer at Total Beauty Network), Karl Winther (chief marketing officer at Kogan), and Andrew Will (commercial director and market lead at NOVA Entertainment).

Melbourne mentors and Mentees

The Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme is exclusively available to IMAA members and designed for people who currently hold manager or director positions, with a minimum five years’ experience in any media agency discipline. Applications for the new programme intake will be announced soon.

See also: IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow Mentors: Nova’s Andrew Will

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Top image: Sydney Mentees and Mentors Board

• This weekend, the Australian box office made $7,388,664, down -26% from last week’s $9,942,882.

TOP 5

1. The Fall Guy – $2,467,355 (1)

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. Staying in first place this week, The Fall Guy took $2,467,355 in its second week, averaging $5,140 over 480 screens.

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. 

2. Challengers – $703,397 (4)

As Zendaya’s Dune: Part Two exits the top five, she’s straight back into it with her new film, Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, staying in the top five this week. Similar to Dune, Challengers was supposed to be released in the back half of 2023 but was delayed to 2024 because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The film took $703,397 in its third week, averaging $2,503 over 281 screens.

Synopsis: Tashi, once a tennis player herself, has taken her husband, Art, and transformed him from an average player to a globally renowned Grand Slam champion.

3. Kung Fu Panda 4 – $671,063 (2)

Jack Black returns to voice Po, the Dragon Warrior in Universal’s fourth outing of martial arts madness. The film has already made $132.9 million domestically in the US. Kung Fu Panda 4 took $1,594,905 in its sixth week, averaging $2,290 over 293 screens.

Synopsis: Po goes on a thrilling journey as he dives into the wonders of ancient China. His passion for martial arts and insatiable appetite collide in the most unexpected ways.

4. Tarot – $445,510 (debut)

Sony’s Tarot is based on a 1992 novel, Horrorscope, by Nicholas Adams and stars Jacob Batalon, best known as Ned from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film took $445,510 in its first week, averaging $2,053 over 217 screens.

Synopsis: After getting their horoscopes read, a group of college friends begin dying in ways connected to their fortunes. 

5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – $364,401 (3)

In the latest entry to Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse, Godzilla and King Kong have decided to put aside their differences from their last battle to team up to take on an undiscovered threat. It hasn’t been too favourable with critics, currently holding a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but on the flip side, it holds a strong 93% audience score. The film took $364,401 in its sixth week, averaging $1,649 over 221 screens.

Synopsis: The almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla confront a colossal, undiscovered threat that challenges their very existence and ours.

Top 6 – 10

6. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (25th Anniversary)
7. Star Wars Original Trilogy 4K Re-Release
8. Dune: Part Two
9. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
10. Golda

TV Report 6 May 2024:

Nine TV Report

LEGO Masters

Nine’s evening began with the eleventh episode of LEGO Masters.

The final four teams battled it out in the LEGO Masters Semi-Finals as they brought to life their own floating ‘Lily Pad’, featuring a specific colour palette, to earn a place in the Grand Final. 

Felix and Annalena won the challenge, with Brickman praising them for their clever use of unconventional LEGO bricks. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program met with a mum who is warning against online scams targeting Aussie teenage boys and spoke to a business owner who is in a lease battle and has to sleep inside a shopping centre restaurant. 

Seven TV Report

Farmer Wants a Wife

On Seven, Farmer Wants a Wife saw the farmers and their chosen dates set out for another 24-hour adventure.

Farmer Tom took a leaf out of a romantic novel and booked an entire steam train for an epic 24-hour date with Sarah C: “She has said that she’s a big romantic, so trying to live up to that.”

Farmer Joe began his magical 24-hour date with Sarah, hoping to learn more about her, while Farmer Bert and Caitlin rekindled their romance on a long-overdue second date.

As the other farmers were getting close to finding love, Farmer Todd took the first steps on his romantic journey as he invited Daisy to his farm for the first 24-hour date, before the rest of his ladies joined them.

During the farewell dinner the next evening, Dustin ended Izzy’s farm journey, while Bert send Taneil home. Feeling the pressure of his first farm farewell, Todd said goodbye to Iyesha. 

Ahead of the farewell dinner on Joe’s farm, Keely made a bold move: “Calya has said to us girls that she doesn’t see herself living on the farm. That’s something that Joe is very adamant about, that he wants someone to move to the farm. I think he has a right to know the truth,” she said before approaching Joe.

Feeling blindsided once again, Joe cleared the air when he pulled Calya aside for a chat: “I want to just hear it straight from Calya, so I just want to know what’s going on. I’m a bit sick of being blindsided by stuff, to be honest.”

After the chat, Joe and Calya mutually decided to end her journey on the farm.

Home and Away

Before FWAW was Home and Away as Mackenzie confronted Eden and Levi was left heartbroken.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to Australians Electric Field who are ready to perform at Eurovision and also spoke to Sooshi Mango and the new Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa. 

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, Monday’s Mystery Box came with a twist, as four judges threw in a secret ingredient that the cooks had to wrangle. 

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into the pro-Palestinian camps popping up at Australian universities and Sarah Ferguson interviewed Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. 

SBS

Tony Robinson’s Marvellous Machines

Tony Robinson met the mighty machines that do the real heavy lifting. From a vehicle that snatches super yachts out of the water, to a bridge-building mechanical monster. 

Monday 5 May 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s LEGO Masters recorded a total TV national reach of 1,972,000, a total TV national audience of 799,000, and a BVOD audience of 47,000.

Nine’s NRL – Dragons v Sharks recorded a total TV national reach of 1,238,000, a total TV national audience of 500,000, and a BVOD audience of 37,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 2,209,000, a total TV national audience of 1,071,000, and a BVOD audience of 92,000.

Also on Seven, 7NEWS Spotlight recorded a total TV national reach of 1,335,000, a total TV national audience of 571,000, and a BVOD audience of 28,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,228,000, a total TV national audience of 624,000, and a BVOD audience of 46,000.

See Also: TV Report 5 May 2024: LEGO Masters’ Dianne and Shane inspire Brickman with Joker build

People 25-54

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 782,000
• National Audience: 376,000
• BVOD Audience: 30,000

Nine’s NRL – Dragons v Sharks:
• Total TV nation reach: 412,000
• National Audience: 174,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 468,000
• National Audience: 238,000 
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 679,000
• National Audience: 298,000
• BVOD Audience: 50,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 383,000
• National Audience: 145,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

People 16-39

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 307,000
• National Audience: 148,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Nine’s NRL – Dragons v Sharks:
• Total TV nation reach: 156,000
• National Audience: 63,000
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 201,000
• National Audience: 110,000 
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 272,000
• National Audience: 115,000
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 123,000
• National Audience: 43,000
• BVOD Audience: 7,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s LEGO Masters:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,433,000
• National Audience: 560,000
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

Nine’s NRL – Dragons v Sharks:
• Total TV nation reach: 942,000
• National Audience: 379,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 974,000
• National Audience: 501,000 
• BVOD Audience: 38,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,702,000
• National Audience: 840,000
• BVOD Audience: 73,000

Seven’s 7NEWS Spotlight:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,056,000
• National Audience: 462,000
• BVOD Audience: 22,000

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