Taylor Auerbach has taken to the stand in Bruce Lehrmann‘s defamation case against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, and been quizzed about his claims that he was asked to “delete any materials that could be damaging for Seven”.

Yesterday, Justice Michael Lee was meant to hand down his judgment. Instead, 10 won a bid to reopen the case earlier this week, and Auerbach, a former producer for Seven’s Spotlight program, took to the stand instead.

After some back and forth about the submission of subpoenaed documents in the morning session, at 2:15pm, the court returned to hear Auerbach’s evidence.  

Detailing what happened when he attended the Meriton hotel in January 2023, Taylor Auerbach told the court about Lehrmann buying a bag of cocaine.

“When we got upstairs to the room, he pulled it out and started to put it on a plate. He then started talking to me about a prospective Spotlight story and his desire to order prostitutes to the Meriton that night, and began googling a series of websites to try and make that happen,” Auerbach said.

“During that conversation, he agreed to be in a Spotlight interview, as long as we didn’t ask him about what happened on the night in Canberra.”

When asked what his response was, Auerbach said he was “taken aback.”

Recounting a text exchange with his boss Steve Jackson, Auerbach said that Lehrmann was “on the warpath again”, and that “this is fucked.”

Auerbach claimed Lehrmann put invoices into Seven for per diems to cover the costs of the drugs and sex workers.

Auerbach was also asked about his claims that he had been indirectly asked to “delete any materials that could be damaging for Seven” by lawyer Richard Keegan in the days ahead of the Spotlight interviews going to air, and that executive producer, Mark Llewellyn, suggested that he “wipe all contact” with Lehrmann ahead of the interviews airing. 

“Mr Keegan never said anything to you suggesting you should destroy or delete anything, did he?” Lehrmann’s barrister Matthew Richardson SC asked.

Auerbach pointed back to “the words indicated in my affidavit”, with Richardson following up and suggesting “he [Keegan] never so much as hinted that you should do anything of the kind.”

“That’s completely incorrect,” Auerbach said.

On Thursday night, Seven responded to the claims made in court with a spokesperson saying the network was “appalled by the allegations made in recent days. We do not condone the behaviours described in these allegations,” making it clear, “They do not reflect the culture of Seven.”

“Seven did not offer a promotion or pay rise to Mr Auerbach in November 2022, nor did it do so at any time after that.

“Seven did not reimburse Bruce Lehrmann for expenditure that has allegedly been used to pay for illegal drugs or prostitutes, and has never done so. Seven notes the matter remains before the courts,” the statement concluded.

Lehrmann provided two interviews for Spotlight in 2023. A bombshell series of affidavits from Taylor Auerbach this week allege that the show was provided with thousands of pages of confidential documents that Lehrmann had in an “e-brief” for his criminal trial, but which were not tendered in court.

Whilst the company’s decision to pay for Lehrmann’s rent in Sydney had already been widely reported, the affidavits include new allegations that Seven paid for “perks” including reimbursement for illicit drugs and prostitutes, $10,300 on Thai massages, several expensive dinners, and a $401.83 round of golf in Tasmania for Lehrmann.

See Also: Copied documents and financial perks: Lehrmann judgment delayed as new evidence emerges

AFL Gather Round in two short years has grown to be a massive success for a sport you might have thought couldn’t get any bigger.

After the success of Gather Round 2023, every media player with any sort of sports connection wants in. You couldn’t move around Adelaide this week without seeing reporters and broadcasters making sure they had a piece of the AFL pie.

Not having broadcast rights doesn’t mean you can’t be all over the sport for your audience. However, there is only one place for viewers wanting to watch the code – Seven and Fox Footy.

And just one place to watch all the games – Fox Footy. Either via Kayo Sports or Foxtel.

The Foxtel Group was out in force in Adelaide, as was Seven. Both media groups had a small content army covering every angle of the weekend. Both media groups also had much of their executive team visiting the city.

On the opening night, the Foxtel Group was well represented. Fox Footy has around 20 commentators and presenters in town to work across the weekend. Add in another 10+ production people.

Watching the first game were News Corp and Foxtel executives including Michael Miller, Patrick Delany, Julian Ogrin, Les Wigan, Steve Crawley, Cate Hefele and their guests.

Two people critical to securing and keeping the group’s AFL rights spoke to Mediaweek at halftime about the AFL. Rebecca McCloy is executive director – commercial, sport at the Foxtel Group. Michael Neill is the general manager of Fox Footy.

Behind the scenes at Fox Footy

AFL Season 2024

Among the initiatives at the dedicated AFL channel this year are significant timeslot changes. The daily football analysis show AFL 360, hosted by Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson, has been moved an hour earlier to 6.30pm daily.

“The numbers for the show are up a little bit so far this year,” said Neill. “We felt we were possibly missing a little bit of audience earlier in the night. That timeslot work well for NRL 360. We still manage to get multiple relays in and build the cume audience.

“It has allowed us the space to showcase the new product The Tackle which has also been going very well.”

The Tackle airs at 7.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with a rotating panel of Herald Sun sports journalists.

Neill admitted there was some initial concern the Fox Footy audience might not find the show with its earlier start. “The audience has adapted quickly. People really love the show which is an institution at the station after being on air for so long.

“It’s appointment viewing and it’s become the show of record for AFL.”

Best On Ground gets more votes

Neill also admitted the weekly Saturday night show Best On Ground might have been an ambitious move when it first launched two years ago. It looks like it is expensive to get on air. “It is! But it has a future though. We are doing a special here in Adelaide this weekend. Between the two Gather Round games at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday there will be a one-off edition.

“Next year we are looking at revamping Best On Ground and don’t be surprised to see it back on your screens.”

Adelaide Oval providers a dramatic backdrop

Supporting sports rights with adjacent programming

Part of the Fox Footy attraction for the AFL is the promotion the code gets away from the nine games every week.

McCloy explained: “It’s one of the reasons why sports partner with us as a group. When you do a rights deal for seven or eight years you have to be committed to innovating. Maybe without even knowing what those initiatives might be at the time.

“The Gather Round is an example of that. Even though we are in contract, we and the AFL realise it is important to innovate. To bring in new fans and reach new subscribers.

“We look at making sure we continue with high production standards. And we continue to have great storytelling. That’s why Mick and his team have been in Adelaide all week.”

Dedicated sports channels – Fox Footy and later Fox Cricket – are moves that have helped the Foxtel Group forge strong relationships with both the AFL and Cricket Australia.

Fox Footy panel prepare for Gather Round

Technical innovation

Trying out new tech in the coverage has been something high on the agenda at the sports channels.

Neill: “We were trying out something called aeroshot in Round 1 of the AFL this year. It’s a little bit like a spidercam. We have been working with the AFL about getting onto the ground after goals to get tighter shots of players. That’s something that seems to resonate with the audience. Our directors are always looking at the best way to cut the game. What is the best experience for the viewer?

“The motto at Foxtel overall is to be different, better, special. We are constantly challenging what we do. We need to keep reinventing and getting better. Otherwise, people will go past you.

“It’s not unlike a footy team. If you win the premiership one year, you can’t then go and trot out the same thing the following year. Other teams will know what you are doing and go straight past you.”

McCloy: “Our focus with the AFL is already on next year where we have the biggest opportunity we’ve ever had. We will be able to produce all matches every round with commentary, and graphics. It’s the opportunity we have been waiting for.”

That change is going to make 2025 Gather Round extra special for Fox Footy.

Neill: “We are very proud of our coverage and the opportunities for us next year are enormous.”

Fox Footy’s Michael McNeill with hosts Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King and Leigh Montagna

Competing and partnering with Seven

Fox Footy competes hard with FTA AFL rights holder Seven for viewers. It also partners with them where it makes sense on the coverage.

Neill: “We are separate broadcasters, yet we share facilities like OB providers [NEP]. There is a friendly rivalry. We work very closely with Seven on a number of things. They try to outdo us and we try to outdo them. It’s great for the game.”

McCloy: “Because Fox Footy is the only place to see every game, we need a strong FTA partner that can showcase the game to everyone. Or job is then to bring in some of those people who want to watch their team every week.

“We will still be the exclusive digital home for all games from next year. That’s a really important position to have. But we need to be able to work with Seven overall to grow the game.”

See also: ‘You grow sport by making it more accessible’: Seven doubles down on anti-siphoning lobbying ahead of 2024 AFL season

McDonald’s, Toyota, Chemist Warehouse, Telstra, and Movember are among the brands with the biggest presence at this weekend’s AFL’s Gather Round in Adelaide, the second annual ‘festival of footy‘.

McDonald’s, which first partnered with the AFL in 2014 and extended its deal for a further 10 years from 2022, had its Fry-Thru on display, created by Akcelo in 2023 for the Women’s World Cup. A giant version of the Golden Arches acted as a swing, and Macca’s tents handing out collectible player cards had an hour-long queue.

The Golden Arches as a swingset

Telstra’s Footy Country Print Press allowed fans to have their guernseys printed with a name or nickname, building on The Monkeys’ acclaimed This is Footy Country campaign which launched for the brand last year, before CMO Brent Smart appointed bespoke model +61 – made up of TBWA, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, and OMD – to the biggest combined advertising account in the country.

Yesterday, Telstra also announced its first Footy Country Grants Program funding will roll out, with $1m to go to more than 250 local AFL clubs.

At Macca’s Footy Festival at Elder Park, there was also the Chemist Warehouse Fan House, a giant bottle of Solo filled with footies as free cans were handed out, an oversized  ‘Oh What a Feeling’ sign from Toyota, and a Movember pop up called ‘Talk More, Play Better’ in partnership with Coles, encouraging players, parents, coaches, umpires, and volunteers to prioritise their mental health.

Adelaide’s Rundle Mall shopping strip – which experienced a 16% surge in foot traffic during last year’s inaugural Gather Round – is also home to activations, including a giant Sherwin footy.

Gather Round kicked off last night at Adelaide Oval with a match up between home team the Adelaide Crows and the Melbourne Demons. The Dees prevailed 78-63. 

Gather Round is the latest sporting event pumping money into cities around Australia. Last month, F1 fans and media descended on Melbourne for The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, with a record 452,000 attendees across four days watching the practice rounds, qualifying, and race, plus enjoying the brand activations and food and drink scene. Next month, Brisbane will get its turn with the NRL’s Magic Round.

Nova Entertainment’s Fiveaa has long been the Adelaide breakfast AM champ. Later this year, David Penberthy will pass a milestone that not many breakfast shows get to celebrate. He will have been on air in the timeslot for 10 years. Will Goodings joined him as co-host the following year.

In GfK Survey 1, 2024, David and Will were comfortably #1 AM in their timeslot. The program’s share was well ahead of the station average. The show was only outrated by one Adelaide FM station – Triple M.

Mediaweek visited the Fiveaa breakfast show on a busy Thursday morning in what is probably the biggest week of the year in Adelaide – AFL Gather Round.

David meets Will

When discussing how the AM #1 Adelaide breakfast show might have changed over the decade, Penberthy offered: “It has got more news content now than it had.”

Goodings added: “It was an angrier show when we first started. It was initially more interview-based. We were two people who didn’t know each other well at the start. We had no experience of working together.

“There were more interviews with politicians and they tended to be at times antagonistic. These days we have built so many more segments into the show. That gives us more freedom without having a rigid interview format across the morning.”

Penberthy: “The news cycle changed a lot over the past nine years. We started at the end of a long period of Labor rule. There were a lot of problems facing the government.

“These days South Australia’s economy is doing well compared to other states. We had an easy path through Covid-19 compared to elsewhere. We’ve got a stable [state] government which apart from some challenges is doing a lot right.

“At the moment people feel really happy about living in Adelaide. They know how hard and expensive life is in Melbourne and Sydney. The show reflects that people are happy with their lot here.”

David and Will at an outside broadcast last week at Adelaide Central Market

Alan Jones wouldn’t rate at Fiveaa

Penberthy said what works elsewhere in radio could bomb in Adelaide.

“If you came into Fiveaa and pretended you were Alan Jones, no one would listen to you. The idea that you could start the show by ranting and raving about how the city is a dysfunctional dump. And that no one in the government has any idea of what they are doing. That wouldn’t gel with the mood of the audience.”

Goodings: “Things have changed here after two years of Covid restrictions. The appetite of our audience for hard news changed. There was then a bit of a backlash against news. Now it feels like we are returning to a natural level where peoples’ engagement with the news cycle has allowed us to be newsier.”

Identity crisis at ABC

The topics that David and Will tackle range from long-form political analysis, to short and sharp quiz segments. Penberthy explained something that might be helping them at present.

“The ABC nationally seems to be having an identity crisis in the talkback space. In the past ABC Radio has been regarded as having something of a monopoly on political analysis in this town.”

Penberthy was speaking on the day Matthew Abraham joined the hosts for an in-depth discussion about the latest in state politics.

Penberthy continued: “Matt was for a long-time part of ABC Adelaide’s #1 breakfast show with David Bevan. We have been working with him for several years and that challenges the presumption that people make about going to the national broadcaster to get intelligent political discussion.

“The liberating thing about working at a station like Fiveaa is you can say whatever the hell you want. Based on our read of what the listeners are saying, we can confidently call something a failure or a triumph in politics. Without worrying whether there is going to be a house committee meeting about whether we have gone too far.”

Understanding ratings success

After nearly a decade together, Penberthy and Goodings have some understanding of the measurement system. And why their numbers might fluctuate at times.

Goodings: “We can’t identify ratings movement as well as stations on the FM band can. They can track the relationship that promotions have with cume especially.

“The nature of a talk radio listener is they are often listening for most of the day. We can see ebb and flow because of the news cycle.”

Penberthy: “I don’t know why we go well. But I think I know why we go poorly sometimes. You tend not to worry about anything when you are going well. You just hope you keep going well.”

He identified two periods where the show has struggled most in the ratings. “The first was the end of Covid, people were sick of hearing about it. There was a split of maybe 50/50 of people who thought we needed to open the borders as a matter of urgency. Then there were those who wanted them staying shut to keep the infected hordes from the east out.

“Our view was we can’t stay under the doona forever. Let’s get this show on the road. A lot of our older listeners were alarmed. Even angry by that position.”

The Voice was a turn-off for some

“The other thing that hurt us was that Adelaide’s northern suburbs, where much of our audience is, returned the highest ‘No’ vote in The Voice referendum.

“Many of our listeners not only didn’t like the idea of The Voice. They got sick and tired of even hearing about it.

“[Some days] it might have been just an item in the news and Will and I didn’t discuss it. Some listeners thought they were paying $7 for a punnet of blueberries while these two halfwits were rabbiting on about The Voice.”

Goodings: “We don’t lose a listener like they do at an FM station when they hear something they don’t like. They just don’t listen as long. The strength of our ratings is time spent listening (TSL).

“The secret for us is to ensure the audience is engaged with the show for as long as humanly possible.”

Fiveaa competition

When pushed about where the Fiveaa audience might go when they look for an alternative, Penberthy kept it in-house. “They might go to something like smoothfm.”

What about Triple M? “Some might go there. It might be some of The Voice people. The one thing you’re not going to get on Triple M is anyone talking about politics.”

Goodings noted the ABC and Triple M are the competition. “But in very different ways. Triple M for sport, and the ABC for news. We try to cover both those things at the same time which is a balancing act.”

Side hustles

In addition to hosting Fiveaa breakfast, both hosts are in demand elsewhere.

Penberthy is a South Australia correspondent for The Australian. He admitted he is probably writing a little less for the masthead now than he was previously. “Often we are doing something on breakfast when I think it would make a good piece for The Australian.”

Two News Corp newspapers get weekly columns from him too. He writes a state column for The Advertiser on Fridays, then a nationally syndicated column for News Corp Sunday tabloids.

Penberthy turned his attention to his colleague. “In terms of side hustles, Will is your man.” [Laughs]

Goodings was previously presenting the local sport on Network 10 Adelaide. “That was a casualty of Covid,” he explained, “when they moved the local broadcast away.”

He then moved from sport on 10 to co-presenting Seven’s 6pm Adelaide news. A bulletin that has been a ratings champ for several decades.

“Seven have been very accommodating about what my daily workload is like. It’s not that extraordinary. It’s just that the middle of my day is like the end of most peoples’ days.”

DDB Sydney’s chief strategy officer Fran Clayton has left the agency after almost 10 years to become AUNZ CSO at Ogilvy, Mediaweek can reveal.

In an email to staff seen by Mediaweek, DDB Group Sydney CEO Sheryl Marjoram said, “it’s a massive role and we could not be happier for her or prouder of her.”

“It’s safe to say she will be missed and there will be a giant Fran shaped hole in our hearts for some time to come. Unusually and due to a competitive conflict, we have had to put Fran on gardening leave immediately. that means while she is in our employ until 21st June, she will not be working.

“We will have finalised client communications by the end of the day.”

DDB Sydney works with McDonald’s, while one of Ogilvy’s key accounts is KFC. Ogilvy has been contacted for comment. Clayton replaces Ryan O’Connell, who left at the start of the year after more than a decade at the agency to start his own shop, jnr.

In a statement to Mediaweek, Marjoram added: “We could not be more thrilled for Fran in this new, larger role at Ogilvy … She did a brilliant job at DDB and we’re incredibly proud.

“We have begun the recruitment process for our new chief strategy officer, so stay tuned.”

While DDB Sydney hunts for Clayton’s replacement, managing director of strategy and innovation Leif Stromnes will lead the strategy team. Marjoram said the McDonald’s account, which the agency has held for over 50 years, will have additional strategy support in sister agency adam&eve’s chief strategy officer, Martin Beverley. 

Clayton first joined DDB in 2013, before she left in 2018 to join McCann Australia with then-DDB CEO Nic Taylor. Taylor, now CEO of the LEGO agency, moved overseas to join DDB bespoke agency C14torce at the end of 2019, while Clayton returned to DDB at the start of 2020.

In the email to staff sent this afternoon, Marjoram added that after Clayton’s “little ‘gap year’ away”, she “carried on as she always had, living in the trenches with the Macca’s team over the past year, seeing all the hard work pay off with great work happening for ‘Big Mac,’ ‘McCafe,’ and ‘Family.'”

Marjoram continued: “If there’s anything I’ve learnt about this industry and the world we’re living in, it’s that change is the constant. Of course, it comes in all shapes and sizes and it’s true that when it relates to our people, we often find it the hardest.

“DDB continues to be a place that keeps its talent well past the ‘normal’ life cycle. It feels like every month we are celebrating a five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty plus year stint. We also have our unfair share of boomerangs. Fun fact: Fran is both a boomerang and an almost ten year veteran.”

DDB Group AUNZ CEO Andrew Little and Stromnes have both been with the agency for more than 20 years, while Sydney ECD Matt Chandler marked 10 years with the business this week.

In her stints at the agency, Clayton has worked across every major client, including Volkswagen – she worked on Naked Ute, which eight years on “still inspires VGA to do great work,” Marjoram said – Westpac, and McDonald’s. Over the past week, DDB Sydney has revived the iconic Big Mac jingle for Macca’s, and launched RooBadge for Volkswagen, an innovative car badge to prevent kangaroo deaths.

Clayton’s departure follows that of Davy Rennie, who recently left DDB Group to become CEO of Publicis’ Digitas and Balance after running DDB Group’s digital arm, Tribal.

By Vanessa Lyons, chief executive officer at ThinkNewsBrands

Back in the 70s, studies suggested the average person was exposed to around 1,000 ads per day. Fast-forward to today and estimates range between 4,000 and 10,000.

That is an extraordinary number of ads and an extraordinary number of ads that are simply ignored.

So how do advertisers cut through in this ‘attention economy age’ amidst a sea of other messages?

Vanessa Lyons

Well, according to some of the best in the business, the answer is news publishing.

National head of investment at Mindshare, Nik Doble, says: “quality journalism attracts audiences and keeps them engaged… You can have your eyes off the screen but if I’m consuming an article, I’m 100% engaged. My eyes are on the screen, on the content.”

Doble

Raj Gupta, chief strategy and growth officer at UM Australia, agrees, saying: “if there’s one thing I would recommend people look at news for, it is not just the eyeballs.”

Gupta believes the power of news is its ability to retain readers’ attention so advertisers can get across the information they need to.

“If I’m trying to build a brand, if I’m trying to create attributes for a brand, and I’m trying to get more complex messages across, I’m going to use that news environment because I know that’s a destination where they’re actually spending time, as opposed to just scrolling through feeds.

“I think news in terms of the attention level that it actually brings to the decisions we’re making as media partners is really important.”

Gupta

That point of view is backed up by recent research which found that advertising content in news publishing is highly engaging. A study by FiftyFive5 found that written news is the third most engaging medium, after podcasts and cinema, and that when you add audience scale, it becomes the most impactful. That’s because 75% of readers are fully engaged when reading written news, which helps to keep them gripped and creates lean-in attention moments that are incredibly valuable for advertisers.

Jacquie Alley, chief operating officer at The Media Store, said her agency sees written news in the same way.

Alley

“I think over 60% of Australians are now paying for their news so we’ve got a highly lent in engaged audience.

“News in our planning tools is categorised as two things. One is it offers detailed information and also that extra engagement.”

Find out how news publishing can improve your media mix: [email protected]

ThinkNewsBrands helps advertisers and their agencies understand how advertising in today’s news content drives real business results.

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Top image (L-R): Raj Gupta, Jacquie Alley, and Nik Doble

The IAB digital out-of-home (DOOH) Working Group has announced two new co-chairs, as the group continues to work to advocate for the benefits of DOOH amongst buyers. 

The first is Brad Palmer, national programmatic director at JCDecaux, and the second is James Lambert, head of advanced DOOH at GroupM Nexus.

The announcement was made at IAB and OMA’s Powering Digital Out of Home event, held in Sydney’s Surry Hills on Thursday. 

Ben Allman, head of sales at Broadsign, was appointed co-chair of the IAB DOOH Working Group in 2019.

“Both of these people have made a significant contribution to the digital out-of-home working group over a number of years, and I’ve got no doubt that they’ll do a fantastic job as co-chairs and as ambassadors for the digital and home medium more broadly,” Allman told the room.

IAB Australia launched the DOOH Working Group in 2019 in response to the growth of the Australian digital out-of-home and particularly the programmatic DOOH market. 

The council strives to educate marketers and agencies on the value of DOOH and programmatic DOOH, as well as setting standards and driving education in market.   

See Also: JCDecaux’s Brad Palmer: Harnessing programmatic out-of-home for a dynamic start to the year

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Top Image: Brad Palmer and James Lambert

Partners Simon Bagnasco, Alex Speakman, and Matilda Hobba are to depart creative agency Bullfrog. The trio will be launching their own venture, with Speakman staying on in a reduced capacity at Bullfrog.

Effective immediately, Elle Bullen will transition from her current co-creative leadership role to a sole position as creative leader.

Additionally, chief executive officer Dalton Henshaw, will also take on the duties of managing director.

Hobba joined the Melbourne independent in February last year, later rising to the rank of partner upon the arrival of Bagnasco and Speakman in May 2023, both from Saatchi & Saatchi.

All three have held the partner position for less than a year. In a comment, a spokesperson said Bullfrog had long been aware of Bagnasco, Speakman, and Hobba’s aspirations to start their own company and bring to life “a brilliant idea” they had nurtured for many years.

“We knew that when we brought them on board and have supported that passion over the last 12-months,” said the spokesperson.

“They are going to pursue that now, but they leave on extremely good terms – in fact, Alex will be staying on with Bullfrog in a reduced capacity, that will give him the freedom and flexibility to make this idea a reality and continue to support our clients as he has done brilliantly over the last year.

“We genuinely wish them all the best and can’t wait to see them bring their passion to life.”

In February, partner (communications and innovation) Alex Sol Watts left the agency after six months spent opening and leading the Sydney office.

Watts joined the independent agency in February last year on a contract as a strategy consultant. In August, he assumed a permanent role as a partner. That September, Bullfrog announced the appointment, and his addition to the leadership team.

When announcing his departure earlier this year, Watts told Mediaweek it was a matter of trusting his gut.

Watts said: “I needed something a bit different that matched my professional ambitions and personal focuses, and so we parted ways graciously. With these things, it’s better to make a call when your gut tells you versus waiting and seeing.”

See also: Alex Sol Watts departs from creative agency Bullfrog

Nine Publishing’s The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have launched a new campaign spotlighting the range of journalism featured in the mastheads.

Titled All Yours, the campaign debuted in Sydney and Melbourne last week, showcasing flagship content spanning sport, puzzles, Good Food, and Traveller.  The campaign also features investigative reporters Kate McClymont and Nick McKenzie, along with celebrity chef Adam Liaw.

Driven by research indicating audiences seek more than just core news from their subscriptions, the campaign aims to engage readers with content that resonates with their interests.

Developed in collaboration with Publicis Worldwide Australia and Taxi Film productions, the campaign mirrors the content experiences available through the Herald and The Age apps. Directed by Tristan Houghton, a proud Yindjibarndi man from the Pilbara region of WA, the film features actor Joshua Sasse navigating the app’s content, reflecting the Sydney and Melbourne markets.

Tory Maguire, managing director – publishing, said the All Yours campaign “celebrates the wider range of engaging content that readers are seeking out, and encourages them to discover more with us.” 

“Our journalists are driven to deliver the best, extending beyond traditional news — to the way we live-blog the Taylor Swift tour or provide access to the country’s best recipes and reviews with Good Food, we’re passionate about enriching the news experience.”

Vera Straubinger, head of brand and acquisition for publishing, added: “We recognise that our readers want to immerse themselves in content they enjoy anywhere, anytime. We’re excited to bring this to life creatively, showcasing the engaging experience readers can expect as we continue to invest in new ways to bring quality journalism and exciting content to our audiences.”

The campaign will run for eight weeks, spanning multiple channels such as broadcast TV, cinema, out-of-home advertising, transit, retail, print, and audio platforms like Spotify, LiSTNR, and Nine Podcasts.

Credits 

Nine Entertainment
Director Subscriptions & Growth: Kristen Turner
Head of Brand & Acquisition: Vera Straubinger
Marketing Lead Brand & Acquisition – Metros: Kymberley Joseph
Marketing Manager Brand & Acquisition – Metros: Leah McNeill

Agency: Publicis Brisbane
Managing Director: Simone Waugh
Executive Creative Director: Ryan Petie
Group Creative Director: (Copy): Jim McKeown
Creative Director: (Art) David Schaak
Executive Production Director: Vicki Lee
General Manager/Chief Client Partner: Jude Johannesen
Senior Account Director: Mary Graham
Account Executive: Matisse Sipa Borgeaud
Strategy Director: Simon Murphy
Strategy Director: Swati Shivshankar

Production Company: Taxi Films
Executive Producer: Andrew Wareham
Director: Tristan Houghton
Producer: Simone Mackie
DOP: Mark Desiatov
Art Director: Laura Elkington
Robot Operator: Brendan Isaac

Stills Photography: Compadre Pictures
Photographer: Jason Starr
Producer: Katherine Cooke
Retouching: Justin Overall
Post Production:
Editor: Tim Eddy
Grade: Kali Bateman
Online/VFX: Barnaby Bretton / Mesh FX
Sound: Ross Batten / Rosco Audio

Original Music Composition: Jarsonic
Raf Mikolajczyk

Coca-Cola has introduced Coke Studio to Australia and New Zealand, featuring a debut campaign that unites Australian artists Tones And I and Young Franco with New Zealand’s CHAII to create a music track and video.

The global music platform was officially launched into the Australia and New Zealand markets at the University of New South Wales in Sydney yesterday, Thursday 4 April, with a surprise performance by the Mount-Martha-born Tones And I.

Coca-Cola launched the platform in 2008, before embarking on its global rollout, starting in 2022.

Since its global launch, the enterprise has orchestrated many high-profile collaborations worldwide, including partnerships with Sam Smith, Jessie Reyez, and Cat Burns, as well as Imagine Dragons and the Inner-City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

Kate Miller, senior director of marketing at Coca-Cola South Pacific, said Coke Studio brings new experiences to fans through the release of unique collisions and new music.

“Coke Studio is a proven global platform that we are proud to bring to the ANZ market. We always look for ways to engage our consumers, and Coke Studio has done just that all over the world, bringing different fan communities together,” said Miller. 

“This collision between Tones And I, Young Franco and CHAII is just the first Coke Studio collaboration – we have lots more exciting things to come. From giving emerging talent opportunities to collaborate with household names to mixing different genres together. We will also give fans behind the scenes content via our Coke Hub.” 

CHAII, Tones and I and Young Franco at Coke Studio Australia and New Zealand launch

The maiden collaboration in Australia and New Zealand will result in an original track and music video by the three artists, set to be performed live in Sydney and streamed major music platforms, including YouTube.

Coke Studio’s digital-first approach provides music enthusiasts with an Access All Areas (AAA) pass, offering a behind-the-scenes experience to follow the creative journey of the artists as they craft the new track and music video.

Attendees at the launch event also enjoyed an AI experience through the Coketoda Studio AI Photo Booth, where their photos were digitally altered to create personalised Coke Studio album covers.

Last year, the mega beverage brand also utilised AI technology to create bespoke and shareable digital Christmas cards using the brand’s archive of Christmas imagery on CreateRealMagic.com.

At the time, Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola’s Global head of generative AI, said the company wanted to use the holiday season to create a positive space for people to express their creativity.

See also: Coca-Cola launches AI tool to create shareable and bespoke digital Christmas cards

After the success of Happy Valley, Last Tango In Halifax, and Gentleman Jack, one would have thought the new series Renegade Nell from acclaimed writer and producer Sally Wainwright would be anything but big news. How odd then that it was launched over Easter to little fanfare.

Renegade Nell is unlike anything Wainwright has ever done before. It’s a period drama about a female highwayman with fantasy and supernatural elements. That sounds like an awful concept, but somehow it turns into rollicking fun.

Derry Girls’ Louisa Harland plays Nell and Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed is her mystical guardian angel, a cross between a leprechaun and fairy. Again, totally bizarre, but with guest stars Joely Richardson, Adrian Lester and Pip Torrens, they can pretty much get away with anything. Count me in for the long haul. 

Another Derry Girls alumni is starring in a raunchy comedy that was made for Channel 4. Big Mood (Stan) stars Nicola Coughlan as Maggie, a manic playwright who has stopped taking her medication. It’s left to her long-time best friend Eddie (Lydia West) to keep her on track.

Big Mood also stars Aussie actor Eamon Farren as the rat-obsessed bartender, but he is just another oddbod in a series that doesn’t quite find its groove. It’s not very likable or believable, which is a shame given the talent on board. 

A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount+) is a fictional historical drama set against real Russian history. After the 1917 Revolution, aristocratic Count Alexander Rostov (Ewan McGregor) is put under house arrest in an upmarket hotel. Watching on closely is a young girl (Alexa Goodall), a Bolshevik bully (Johnny Harris), and love interest (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

Check out this week’s TV Gold podcast to why James Manning thinks this could be a career-best for McGregor after watching all eight episodes 

Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces (Apple TV+) gets off to a great start. Before The Jerk (1979), which is how most Aussies first became aware of him, he was honing his craft during his first part-time job. Yep, from ten years old, Martin worked at Disneyland. Wow.

Recollections of his vast movie career run across both parts, but Part 2 goes on for too long, even though it is fun seeing Martin hang out with Martin Short. Yep, they really are friends. 

Read more Mercado on TV columns.

Spotify has launched Spotify Hits, a new initiative that celebrates effective advertising campaigns that ran on the streaming platform in the past year.

Spotify said it will celebrate the brands that proved great creative can lead to even greater campaign results.

Brian Berner, head of global sales and partnerships at Spotify, said: “From Celebrity Cruises to Dan Murphy’s, advertisers are increasingly using digital content to create unique and engaging experiences for their audiences.

“With Spotify Hits, we want to showcase the brands that are defining what best-in-class looks like on our platform and give them a moment of well-deserved recognition for being creative leaders in this space.” 

The five winners include:

Best Overall Campaign: Celebrity Cruises (PHD)

This campaign utilised tailored creative to target five specific Celebrity Cruises audiences. A dedicated microsite helped visitors discover their ideal holiday destination and itinerary, complete with a bespoke Spotify travel playlist. The digital experience also included a competition, allowing users to score their very own Celebrity Cruises trip. 

Best Use of Format: Samsung NZ (Spark)

Samsung NZ wanted to capitalise on the cultural moment of Spotify’s yearly recaps leading into the holiday gifting season. As part of their global joint business partnership, Samsung was offered an exclusive sponsorship of Spotify’s top end-of-year playlists including ‘Your Top Songs’ and ‘NZ Top Tracks 2023’.

The brand’s sponsorship lasted throughout December as part of a broader Q4 campaign that combined audio, video, display and sponsorship formats. This campaign also broke new ground in New Zealand, as the first-ever to include a Nielsen Brand Effects report.

Best Audience Strategy: Dan Murphy’s (Carat)

The liquor retailer partnered with Spotify for the ‘Christmas Moments’ campaign, which utilised Spotify’s first- and third-party audience segments to create highly targeted ‘moments’ including Christmas Parties, Festive Dinners, Road Trips, and Summer Fun, to engage with customers across smaller festive occasions.

The campaign was tied together by a sponsorship of Spotify’s popular summer playlist ‘Happy Pop’, and delivered above-average benchmarks for completion rates, engagement, and CTR scores.

Most Creative Test Hypothesis: Asahi / Great Northern Brewing Co. (1house and PHD)

To launch Great Northern’s new Ginger Beer, Asahi developed a creative campaign to reach ‘Today’s and Tomorrow’s Adventurers’ with the goal of acquiring new customers. The brand had already discovered that females presented the largest growth opportunity in the food and beverage category, so—to put this insight to the test—the brand partnered with Spotify to produce 3D audio ads with both male and female voice overs.

The campaign was highly targeted, combining relevant first- and third-party segments to reach users in the right moment, mood and mindset across key locations. A Nielsen Brand Effect Study revealed that the campaign delivered high confidence increases across all brand KPIs and, most importantly, grew net new category buyers for Great Northern Brewing Co.

A new Trade Desk report has found that the vast majority of Australian advertising budgets are invested in online platforms where consumers are the least actively engaged. 

The Not All Time Online report seeks to better understand where Australian consumers find engagement and inspiration on the open internet, and ensure marketers identify opportunities that optimise their digital advertising budgets. 

The key findings include that more Australians are engaged on the ‘open internet’, with a third (33%) of consumers saying they feel informed and attentive while consuming content on fast-growing platforms. 

However, two-thirds of ad budgets are being spent on ‘walled gardens’, where consumers are zoning out. Nearly half (46%) of Aussies say they’re more likely to skip ads on walled gardens, including YouTube and other social media platforms. A further 52% believe these ads are “listening” to them.

James Bayes, vice president ANZ at The Trade Desk, said that time is a precious commodity, and Australians are becoming more intentional about where they spend it online.

“It’s these intentional spaces on the open internet that advertisers can forge meaningful consumer engagements. This is where Aussies are more engaged and far more likely to trust the ads they see,” he said.

James Bayes, ANZ vice president, The Trade Desk

Over a third (37%) of 18-34-year-olds said their use of the open internet has increased, while another 32% expected it to increase further. Among the same cohort, there was a nearly 50% increase in time spent on podcasts and music streaming and a 36% uptick for BVOD. Time spent on online games saw a 42% rise. 

“Advertisers who focus solely on walled gardens due to their sheer size are missing out on the broader spectrum of consumer behaviour. It’s crucial for advertisers to diversify their advertising strategies,” added Bayes.

“The open internet is home to fast-growing platforms such as BVOD and digital audio, and it provides opportunities for more meaningful connections, offering greater precision to reach Aussies where they are most engaged.”

The Trade Desk stated it surveyed 2,002 Australian consumers in late 2023 on their online media habits, attitudes, and experiences. This sample is representative of key demographic factors such as age, gender, and income, and additional weights were applied to ensure that the sample was representative of the population.

In tandem with the survey, qualitative interviews took place with a cohort of 14 industry experts.

Bench Media has been appointed to manage digital media campaigns for Australian fertility services clinic, Genea Fertility.

The independent digital agency will work on raising targeted awareness of Genea, staying top of mind for those considering assisted fertility in order to continuously drive patient enquiries.

In adland, Genea is best known for the 2021 Where Babies Come From campaign with creative agency CHEP Network, which included a provocative film and heartwarming children’s book.

Anthony Fargeot, VP of growth at Bench Media, welcomed Genea’s addition to the Bench portfolio. Bench and Genea also partnered with Studio LDN to bring to life Genea’s brand proposition of “cutting-edge science meets heartfelt care.”

Studio LDN founder and director James Sutton said: “We found that infertility can be a silent struggle. It was therefore important to position Genea as breaking this cycle of silence and destigmatising fertility challenges, creating a positive connection rooted in Genea’s focus on exceptional patient care and treatment outcomes.”

Bench’s strategic partnerships director, Ben Farnsworth, added that fertility is a sensitive topic that requires “innovative media strategies to effectively reach the desired audience.”

“We did some really in-depth work with contextual targeting and intent-driven keywords to capture the right audience at the right time.

“It was important to stay top-of-mind and to do so efficiently. Several studies have shown that favouring a multi-channel approach can lift brand recall from 12% to 25%. We therefore opted for a strategy including audio, video, social, search and display. We also ensured that all channels were talking to one another, favouring a seamless customer journey, rather than operating in silos.”

Tanya Rivera, general manager of marketing at Genea, said the agency understands the challenges and aims of the business in order to develop an integrated media strategy and plan with many complexities.

“Bench has been committed to forming an integrated partnership with Genea and have helped us flesh out a robust strategy,” she said.

“That includes building on brand awareness, being able to profile our doctors and services, but most of all, meeting the consumer where they are on their journey.”

Australian creative Julia Spencer has been selected as a participant in the 2024 See It Be It talent acceleration program by Cannes Lions.

The announcement marks the 10th anniversary of Cannes’ See It Be It initiative, which strives to promote equal gender representation among global creative directors and leaders.

Spencer, known for her role as a freelance creative director and co-founder of the Australian Mums in Ads (MIA) network, joins a cohort of 19 creatives from 14 different markets.

Last year, MIA launched a jobs board featuring roles with full-time/part-time negotiable options, supported by 49 Australian agencies committed to promoting career progression opportunities for women.

This initiative, inspired by the Advertising Council Australia’s Create Space Census, aims to address the decline in women’s participation in the industry after the census revealed a marked decline in women’s participation in the industry from the age of 35.

“We’re proud to be helping move conversations about gender equity into a place of action and excited to witness our famously competitive industry coming together to make this issue a priority,” said Spencer at the time.

See also: MIA launches job board backed by ad agencies to keep senior women from leaving the industry

The selected See It Be It creatives come from diverse regions like the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Colombia, and the Netherlands. This year’s cohort also includes individuals from previously unrepresented markets such as Kazakhstan, Kenya, and Thailand.

Daniela Varela, creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day has been appointed as the alumni tutor to provide support to the participants.

Madonna Badger, chairperson and ambassador of See It Be It, lauded the collective courage and purpose of the 2024 cohort.

“These exceptional creative women are reshaping the future of our industry and redefining what is possible,” said Badger.

“Their shared resolve to pursue excellence, break barriers and drive positive change is awe-inspiring and I absolutely love seeing each of them step into their power.”

Frank Starling, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at LIONS, further reaffirmed the program’s commitment to addressing gender imbalances and empowering women and non-binary individuals in the creative sector. 

“See It Be It brings together the best and brightest leaders from around the world and we are proud to continue our mission to challenge the creative sector’s gender imbalance and empower women and non-binary creatives to excel in their careers,” said Starling.

“Our impressive alumni are Lion-winners, change-makers, disruptors and challengers in their disciplines, paving the way forward for future participants to flourish and challenge the status quo.”

The full Cannes See It Be It 2024 cohort are:

• Arwa Al Jundi, Associate Creative Director, United Arab Emirates
• Carina Toma, Digital Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup Romania, Romania
• Diana Moldagulova, Art Director, GForce CCAR, Kazakhstan
• Estefanía López, Strategy Lead, Sancho BBDO, Colombia
• Jessica Stahl, Cartoonist & Freelance Creative Director, The Netherlands
• Johana Martínez, Creative Director, Majority, Colombia
• Joy Richu, Illustrator, Joy Richu, Kenya
• Julia Spencer, Freelance Creative Director, Australia
• Kopal Naithani, Ad Film Director, Superfly Films PVT. LTD., India
• María Carrillo López, Senior Art Director, DAVID Madrid, Spain
• Mayara Ribeiro, Associate Creative Director, Galeria, Brazil
• Meritxell Ruiz, Associate Creative Director, VML, Spain
• Michelle Marais, Senior Conceptual Copywriter, Dentsu Creative, South Africa
• Nicky Lorenzo, SVP Executive Creative Director, 205 Worldwide, USA
• Pulp (Nonthaporn) Ketmanee, Creative Director, The Leo Burnett Group, Thailand
• Palak Kapadia, Copywriter, Amazon Brand Innovation Lab, India
• Pooja Manek, Founding Member and Creative, Talented Agency, India
• Stephanie Rumierk Briceño, Associate Creative Director, TBWA\Colombia, Colombia
• Winona Wee, Senior Creative, Wieden+Kennedy London, Singapore

–

Top Image: Julia Spencer

Eight new Australian personalities are set to trek across the globe to delve into the mystery of their ancestral pasts in the brand new season of Who Do You Think You Are? which returns to SBS and SBS on Demand on Tuesday, 7 May at 7:30 pm. 

The new season will see Manu Feildel, Miranda Otto and Pat Rafter join the cast, following in the footsteps of their ancestors, to understand the global and personal events that shaped their family history. They will be joined by Kathy Lette, Wayne Blair, Melissa Doyle, Stephen Curry and Heather Ewart.

Trekking to isolated parts of Australia, Norway, the United Kingdom, the USA, New Zealand, and France, they unearth secrets and stories that change their understanding of their own family, and their sense of self.

In episode one of the new season, chef and TV personality Manu Feildel travels back to France to discover generations of culinary excellence in his mother’s family and reconnects with his father in an emotional reunion.

Guests on each episode include:

Episode 2: Miranda Otto
Episode 3: Kathy Lette
Episode 4: Wayne Blair
Episode 5: Pat Rafter
Episode 6: Melissa Doyle
Episode 7: Stephen Curry
Episode 8: Heather Ewart

Bernadine Lim, SBS commissioning editor for documentaries said: “Who Do You Think You Are? is one of SBS’s most beloved and successful series. Through the deeply personal stories of some of Australia’s biggest stars, the program explores the universal desire of wanting to understand our past and where we came from.

“A fascinating and colourful journey that is often described as life-changing for those involved, the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? promises to captivate and entertain.”

Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS. 

The new series airs at 7:30 pm Tuesdays on SBS and SBS On Demand, starting May 7.

Wednesday 3rd Apr 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars recorded a total TV national reach of 1,356,000, a total TV national audience of 431,000, and a BVOD audience of 47,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,528,000, a total TV national audience of 1,046,000, and a BVOD audience of 62,000.

Seven’s The 1% Club recorded a total TV national reach of 1,390,000, a total TV national audience of 673,000, and a BVOD audience of 27,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,237,000, a total TV national audience of 808,000, and a BVOD audience of 87,000.

10’s airing of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! recorded a total TV national reach of 1,322,000, a total TV national audience of 687,000, and a BVOD audience of 64,000.

SBS’ Alone Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 614,000, a total TV national audience of 287,000, and a BVOD audience of 39,000. 

See Also: TV Report April 3, 2024: Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars fail miserably in front of Matt Moran and Scott Pickett

People 25-54 TV Ratings

Nine’s Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars:
• Total TV nation reach: 502,000
• National Audience: 183,000
• BVOD Audience: 29,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 441,000
• National Audience: 280,000
• BVOD Audience: 35,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 538,000
• National Audience: 313,000 
• BVOD Audience: 39,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 413,000
• National Audience: 200,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 387,000
• National Audience: 252,000
• BVOD Audience: 50,000

People 16-39

Nine’s Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars:
• Total TV nation reach: 210,000
• National Audience: 74,000
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 180,000
• National Audience: 111,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 232,000
• National Audience: 143,000 
• BVOD Audience: 27,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 166,000
• National Audience: 73,000
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 152,000
• National Audience: 99,000
• BVOD Audience: 30,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+

Nine’s Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,060,000
• National Audience: 337,000
• BVOD Audience: 37,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,202,000
• National Audience: 824,000
• BVOD Audience: 50,000

10’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here:
• Total TV nation reach: 981,000
• National Audience: 511,000 
• BVOD Audience: 51,000

Seven’s The 1% Club:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,081,000
• National Audience: 523,000
• BVOD Audience: 21,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 975,000
• National Audience: 646,000
• BVOD Audience: 70,000

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

TV Report April 4 2024:

Nine TV Report

NRL – Panthers v Broncos

Nine’s draw for the night was the Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm, which saw the storm take out the close game, ending with a 34-32 win at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Broncos captain Adam Reynolds did not return for the second half due to a suspected hamstring strain.

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, a former Seven producer was in the spotlight as the Bruce Lehrmann case returned to court and doubts are cast again over convictions in the 1988 Balding murder.

Seven TV Report

AFL – Demons vs Crows

Over on Seven, the Melbourne Demons went up against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval, with the Dees ending up taking the win, beating the Crows by 15 points. 

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Mali gets in Rose’s way and Dana faced her mess.

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 warned of the Cicada-Geddon incoming this year and spoke to Guy Montgomery and Colin Farrell.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

On 10’s I’m A Celebrity, live from the African jungle, Candice Warner had a nightmare snake encounter.

ABC

7:30

7:30 highlighted why Australia’s music festivals are failing plus Sarah Ferguson interviewed Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. The program also highlighted the debate over nuclear power.

Foreign Correspondent 

On Foreign Correspondent, the program went to Son Doong, a magnificent underground cave passage in Central Vietnam, undisturbed for millions of years, and highlighted why its future has been placed in doubt with plans to make it a tourist mecca.

SBS

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Actor Stanley Tucci visited Calabria, a region of rugged landscapes, dramatic mountain ranges, and some 500 miles of incredible coastline. Connected to Basilicata in the north and separated from Sicily in the south by the narrow Strait of Messina, Calabria is also the homeland of the Tucci family’s ancestors.