In an effort to combat the looming threat of deep seabed mining, a global impact campaign has launched under the leadership of Laura Clarke, co-founder of the Palau Pledge, with Coogee-based agency Emotive leading the strategy and creative.

Despite international regulations designating the deep seabed as the “common heritage of humankind,” there are growing concerns over the exploitation of these resources for profit. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), established by the UN to govern deep seabed activities, faces mounting pressure to reconsider its stance on mining ventures.

The global campaign gains momentum following the premiere of Jason Momoa‘s environmental documentary, Deep Rising, at Sundance in 2023. The documentary sheds light on the perilous consequences of deep seabed mining, drawing attention to the urgent need for action.

Clarke, head of impact for Deep Rising, stressed the crucial need for intervention, citing the lack of scientific research on the environmental consequences of deep seabed mining.

“If we can unite and draw mass global awareness to the fact that the seabed is the birthright of everyone on the planet, we can create direct action ahead of the ISA’s forthcoming decision in July this year on whether they will grant licences for pro-mining nations and companies to mine an area of the Pacific Ocean the size of Europe,” said Clarke. 

To amplify the campaign’s reach, Emotive has unveiled a powerful mural, created by Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa in partnership with Apparition Media. A call-to-action has also been issued to the marketing industry, urging support through media donations.

The initiative aims to secure $5 million worth of donated global media – backing imperative to raising awareness and mobilising efforts to oppose deep seabed mining.

Deep Rising Mural by Reg Mombassa at Emotive Office in Coogee, Sydney

The urgency of the campaign stems from the profound ecological impact of mining activities on oceanic ecosystems. With over half of the planet’s biodiversity residing in the ocean and the deep sea comprising a significant portion of the earth’s biosphere, preserving these habitats is paramount.

Simon Joyce, CEO of Emotive, elaborated on the timely significance of the campaign.

“Deep Rising isn’t just a campaign; it’s a vital call to action to safeguard our planet’s future,” he stated. “We’ve always believed in the power of creativity to change how people feel, and what better cause to apply that to than this.”

The move highlights a growing momentum within the creative industry to amplify voices for ocean conservation through increasingly impactful campaigns and innovative partnerships.

At the most recent Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards, agency network Innocean, in collaboration with Australian folk singer John Williamson, received the inaugural Award for Best Use of Australian Music in Advertising (over two minutes).

Their acclaimed campaign, Voice of the Sea, was created for the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), recognised for its impactful work in raising awareness for ocean conservation.

Williamson described the ARIA recognition as “an honour”, praising the award’s encouragement of advertisers to use Australian music.

“This will hopefully continue to spread the message of the Australian Marine Conservation Society to take care of our precious oceans,” he said.

The campaign launched in late 2022 alongside the release of Williamson’s song, intending to create a national anthem for the ocean, provide an educational platform for children, and inspire the next generation of conservationists.

See also: Innocean, John Williamson honoured as adland’s ARIA Award returns for second year

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Top Image (L – R): Michael Hogg, Pia McMorran, Laura Clarke, Paul Sharp, Reg Mombassa & Mattheiu Rytz

Top Gear Australia co-host Beau Ryan has confirmed the eight-part series will hit Paramount+ in May.

Ryan, speaking at the Paramount suite during the weekend’s Australian Grand Prix alongside co-hosts Blair Joscelyne and Jonathan LaPaglia, said the trio finished filming on Friday morning, on the F1 track.

The hosts wrapped by doing a ‘hot lap’ around the Albert Park circuit, after filming across the US and Australia for four months. Ryan emphasised how unusual it is to take four months to film just eight episodes.

“This is the most excited we’ve been for a show in 10 years,” he added.

Ryan, LaPaglia, and Joscelyne speaking with Angela Bishop in the Paramount suite on Friday

Top Gear Australia was well-promoted across the Australian Grand Prix. At the Paramount+ activation, a Top Gear car was on display, tempting fans to enter a competition to go for a hot lap in the vehicle at the show’s upcoming launch event.

The Top Gear car on display at the Paramount+ activation

The new Australian version of the show was announced at Ten’s upfront in October.

At the time, Paramount AUNZ’s SVP of content and programming, Daniel Monaghan said: “Top Gear Australia promises to deliver everything fans love about the show but with an Aussie twist. We can’t wait for Jonathan, Beau and Blair to get behind the wheel of the world’s biggest car entertainment show.”

The Paramount+ activation at the Australian Grand Prix

Ryan also hosts The Amazing Race, while LaPaglia is best known for hosting Survivor. Joscelyne is the co-creator of the popular indie auto YouTube series Mighty Car Mods. 

“When Network 10 and BBC Studios asked me if I’d be interested traveling all over the world to test really cool cars and behave like an idiot I said, ‘Of course I’m interested. Where do I sign?'” LaPaglia said in October.

“Top Gear is arguably the biggest (and greatest) car show ever and as a massive fan, I used to fantasise about being on it one day as a guest racing the Reasonably Priced Car around their test track. I waited, that call never came. But 20 years later someone at Top Gear HQ screwed up, confused me with someone else, and asked me to be the host of Top Gear Australia? Buckle up, this could get bumpy.”

Top Gear Australia is produced by BBC Studios’ local production arm. The exact May launch date will be announced soon.

Paramount and Ten executives hosted client, media, and agency partners in the Paramount suite across the weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

The Paramount suite was tucked in between the chairman’s suite and the Kick Sauber F1 team’s suite, two doors down from Williams Racing’s suite, and right above pit lane.

Inside, wait staff and bar staff donned navy, Paramount-branded boiler suits, an old fuel tank was given a new coat of Paramount life, and a wall of headphones allowed guests to tune in to Ten’s F1 coverage on the many screens dotted around the room.

The Paramount podium

Friday’s festivities were hosted by Ten presenter Angela Bishop, and featured appearances from Top Gear hosts Beau Ryan, Blair Joscelyne, and Jonathan LaPaglia – who revealed the show will launch on Paramount+ in May – and former F1 team principal and Ten commentator Guenther Steiner.

Chief sales officer Rod Prosser worked the room, as did general manager of ad sales Nick Bower.

Ryan, LaPaglia, and Joscelyne with Bishop

A boiler suit on display

The McLaren suite, just down the hall

Outside, meanwhile, the large Paramount+ activation attracted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Top Gear, and Halo fans. In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tunnel, fans could create graffiti on a large screen, while Halo fans – the season two finale has just dropped on Paramount+ – could experience the action up-close in an oversized helmet.

The Halo helmet

The Top Gear car was also on display, tempting fans to enter a competition to go for a hot lap in the vehicle at the show’s upcoming launch event.

The Top Gear car on display at the Paramount+ activation

A year ago, Paramount became an official partner for the 2023-2024 season. The partnership involves Paramount characters and content coming to life at F1 events in Fan Zone areas, plus on-track and trackside signage and branding.

Paramount and Halo branding visible along pit lane

The deal did not encompass broadcast rights. In Australia, Ten has been the broadcast partner for the F1 for over 20 years, but in the US, for example, ESPN retains the broadcast rights until 2025.

At the time of inking the deal, Marco Nobili, executive vice president and international general manager of Paramount+, said: “I am confident this partnership with Formula 1 will continue to support our growth globally.

“Becoming an official partner of Formula 1 means bringing the Paramount+ brand and all our characters to life for hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. Through this global deal the worlds of motorsport and entertainment will come together, resulting in powerful storytelling opportunities on and off the grid.”

Last week, Beverley McGarvey was confirmed the solo lead for AUNZ following Jarrod Villani‘s departure. She will report in to Nobili.

Hubbl and Kayo joined the ranks of the brands entertaining guests at the Australian Grand Prix on the weekend.

Hubbl House was the name of the venue at the Formula 1 in Melbourne. The hospitality suite was situated trackside in Deck@13, named for the view it gives visitors of turn 13: the penultimate bend in the track before cars enter pit straight.

Formula 1 has long been part of the Foxtel Group’s offering to customers. This year, the focus was linking the sport to the new streaming management product Hubbl.

Kayo Sports on the big screens inside Qantas T3 terminal in Sydney

Don’t miss the Kayo and Hubbl messaging

For guests and F1 fans travelling to Melbourne from Sydney, it was hard to miss the streaming messages. Kayo Sports had messaging inside the Qantas departures hall then Hubbl and Andy alongside the Tullamarine Freeway into Melbourne. Binge has long had a presence on the airbridges onto planes at the airport.

Fox Sports inside Hubbl House: Jess Yates and Neil Crompton with guest

Speading the hospitality costs

All media companies are looking to spread costs and a presence at the Grand Prix ticked a few boxes for the Foxtel Group. In addition to showcasing Hubbl, the Hubbl House facility was also home to Foxtel Media hospitality and the location for a Fox Sports F1 studio.

Leading the team at Hubbl House was Foxtel Group and Hubbl’s chief executive Patrick Delany. Looking after advertising partners was Foxtel Media’s sales and brand partnerships director Marty Medcraf.

NBL Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman, Executive Director – Hubbl Dani Simpson and Foxtel Group & Hubbl CEO Patrick Delany

Delany was spruiking the Hubbl experience across Saturday and Sunday. There were Kayo screens mounted throughout Hubbl House with several Hubbl Glass screens mounted on the walls. Delany had a demo space strategically near the entrance where he gave Hubbl demos. All that was missing was a checkout to close any sales he made!

See also: Hubbl – The CEO interview – Patrick Delany on why you need this streaming device

Hubbl House guest list

Executives from the Foxtel group included executive director – commercial, sport Rebecca McCloy, Kayo Sports Cate Hefele, chief strategy officer & managing director Foxtel Hilary Perchard, chief content and commercial officer Amanda Laing, Hubbl managing director Les Wigan, Hubbl executive director Dani Simpson, Foxtel’s national sales manager health Tom Enright, Foxtel Media head of Melbourne sales Rian Wisemantel, Foxtel Media head of sport NSW Caitlin O’Meara, Foxtel Media head of sport Victoria Monika Poposki, and executive director media and advertising John Matthews.

Foxtel’s Amanda Laing (right) keeping in touch with the content. With Catherine Davies, Ronde’s Ben Davies and Easy Tiger’s Rob Gibson. (In the background, F1 commentator David Croft on the Fox Sports set).

A Crowded House

Hubbl House guests included Supercars CEO Shane Howard, Warner Bros Discovery managing director Michael Brooks, The Walt Disney Company ANZ’s SVP and managing director Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Ronde Media founder Ben Davies, Easy Tiger CEO Rob Gibson, Nova Entertainment CEO Peter Charlton, cricketers Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey and Nathan Lyon, Netball interim CEO Stacey West, TikTok head of sports partners Wade Shipard, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, NBL executive chairman Larry Kestelman, NBL CEO David Stevenson, JB Hi-Fi merchandise director Craig Mackie, News Corp Australia GM product and partnerships The Australian and prestige titles Zac Skulander, The Daily Telegraph editor Ben English, Fox Footy’s Nathan Buckley and Jonathan Brown, Fox Cricket, Fox Footy and Howie Games broadcaster Mark Howard, long-distance runner Nedd Brockman, and star of Foxtel’s Strife Asher Keddie.

Cricketers Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, and Nathan Lyon

Foxtel Media guests included UM’s Anthea Ruys and Ben McCallum, Loop Media’s Andrew Catchlove, Tom Clapham and Gonzalo Saavedra from Bunnings, Lion’s Clare Tsubono, Amex’s Sarah Wickham, Tradie’s Alan Goodfellow and Ben Goodfellow, Ford’s David Noonan and John Hatzimanolis, Initiative’s Alana Lowe, Host Plus’s Brandon Clarke, Rutene Wharekawa from Chemist Warehouse, Spark’s Peter Butler, Toyota’s Anthony Nobile and Sportsbet’s Kathy Schokman.

GM product and partnerships The Australian and prestige titles Zac Skulander, The Daily Telegraph editor Ben English, Fox Sports presenter Mark Howard and Erica Howard

Managing director, Hubbl Les Wigan and Nova Entertainment CEO Peter Charlton

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, Fox Footy’s Nathan Buckley and executive director – Kayo Cate Hefele

Mediaweek was the guest of the Foxtel Group at the Australian Grand Prix.

Top image: Nova Entertainment’s Peter Charlton with Walt Disney Co’s Kylie Watson-Wheeler, and Patrick Delany

There are three things that Terri Martin has learned from the mistakes she’s made throughout her career: Always listen to your gut. Don’t rush. Even if things aren’t great, look at what you can learn from it.

Martin is head of corporate at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, CEO and founder of The Business Bunch, and vice chair and non-executive director of ADHD Australia. Joining The Growth Distillery vodcast, she told host – News Corp Australia’s director of the Growth Intelligence Centre and independent think tank The Growth Distillery, Dan Krigstein – that “I go very fast, I’m really fast-paced.”

“My motto is to get shit done. That works sometimes, but when you’re making these really big decisions, you’re not listening to your gut, you’re moving too fast. Then you turn around and go, I knew this was going to happen, I should have slowed down a bit and listened to myself.”

Even in situations where the ultimate outcome was out of your control, Martin urges listeners to “understand what role you played.”

“If you have, for example, a really toxic boss, maybe you can’t change that because that’s who they are, but did you stay a bit long? Should you have maybe not taken that job? Were there signals that you should have seen? Always taking responsibility for what you can control and how you manage that, it’s really, really important,” she said.

The episode dives into Martin’s life, and occasionally goes into some very vulnerable territory. Reflecting on the episode and what it was like detailing the evolution of her life, Martin told Mediaweek, “I actually felt more comfortable than I thought I would.”

“This is at the heart of who I am – maybe I haven’t always been like this, maybe that’s the journey, and I’m a bit more mature now with a bit more experience under my belt. But I actually think that if I want to be a leader who expects this from my teams, I’ve got to lead by doing it myself.”

That vulnerability is something that Martin said she has learned throughout her life and career, and is something she said “connects mentors and mentees.”

“I remember when I was younger and I looked up at people, I was always petrified that they knew more than me, they never made mistakes, they were just these Oracles of amazingness. I now know that’s just not true,” she said. 

I don’t want anyone who’s coming up the ranks to look at me and think I’ve got it all together, because the reality is that I haven’t. I make mistakes, but it’s okay as long as we learn from them. That translates to that mentor and mentee relationship, modelling the behaviour that you really want the next generation of leaders to have.”

Ultimately, for those looking to move into mentorship positions, be it in the near future or further down the line, Martin’s advice is that you’ve got to want to do it for other people, not for yourself.

“If you’re doing it because you want to put it on your LinkedIn or you want to feel good about yourself for doing something good, unfortunately that’s not the right reason. You’ve got to genuinely want to believe in someone and know that they’re worthy of your time, it’s got to be selfless. Otherwise, forget about it.”

See Also: Why Salesforce’s Catherine Bowe makes ‘generous assumptions’

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Top Image: Terri Martin

In a bid to redefine and broaden the experience of Easter as a more inclusive and accessible occasion, Cadbury expanded its Accessible Easter Egg Hunt, hosting the event for the first time in Sydney with NextSense on Saturday 23 March.

NextSense is a nonprofit organisation catering to Australians with visual or auditory impairments. Formerly known as the Royal Institute for Deaf & Blind Children (RIDBC), NextSense underwent a rebrand in in 2021 via brand consultancy Interbrand to better align its identity with its mission of enhancing the futures of children with sensory impairments.

Nicole Smith, NextSense’s director of marketing and communications, at the time emphasised the importance of accessibility in their brand, which was manifested through their strategic colour palette and design choices.

Said Smith: “Our aim is to enhance lives for people with hearing or vision loss and this brand brings that to life through its accessible AAA compliant colour palette, hyper legible bespoke font and vibrant photographic style while our tone of voice is empathetic, empowering and positively focussed on enhancing futures.”

See also: ‘They’ve already got some brand recognition’: Branding the Tasmania Devils AFL team

Saturday’s Accessible Easter Egg Hunt, which followed the success of its inaugural event in Melbourne last year, was produced in collaboration with FutureLabs, a creative technology studio.

Through the partnership, Cadbury reintroduced its state-of-the-art Accessible Easter Egg, leveraging sound, Bluetooth, and proximity sensor technologies. This approach shifts the traditional Easter egg hunt experience from visual to auditory, enabling individuals with visual impairments and their families to participate in the tradition.

Ben Wicks, vice president of marketing Australia and New Zealand for global snack brand Mondelez (of which Cadbury is a part), said the decision to extend the Accessible Easter Egg Hunt to Sydney stemmed from Cadbury’s observation of NextSense’s impactful work.

 “Opening up the Accessible Easter Egg hunt to the members of the NextSense community who are vision impaired and their families has further solidified our commitment to continue supporting the wider community and make Easter an accessible celebration for all,” said Wicks.

Chris Rehn, chief executive of NextSense, echoed the sentiment, remarking on the social significance of initiatives like The Accessible Easter Egg Hunt.

“It’s important we continue talking about how to make Australia a more inclusive society and events like today help to keep that very important conversation going,” said Rehn.

See also: Publicis launches Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

Boomtown has launched a new campaign urging national brands and agencies to incorporate regional Australia into their FY25 advertising plans, for five good reasons. The campaign, debuting on Monday, aims to showcase why regional Australia is the ideal destination for brands this fiscal year.

The campaign’s creative focus revolves around five key motivations to invest in Boomtown, supported by statistics highlighting the region’s growth, population, and spending potential for brands to leverage.

The five reasons to invest are:

Population: Boomtown boasts a substantial population of 9.6 million Australians, nearly double the population of New Zealand. Moreover, 14 out of Australia’s 19 cities are located within Boomtown, with most regional Australians residing in these cities and other urban hubs.

Income: Over a third of regional household incomes surpass $100k, offering residents a higher standard of living coupled with lower costs and more affordable housing options.

Spending: Disposable income in Boomtown is on the rise, providing residents with greater purchasing power. Notably, grocery expenditure in regional Australia exceeds that of metropolitan areas by 6.5%.

Growth: Regional areas are experiencing consistent growth, evidenced by record migration, job opportunities, and incomes each year. Boomtown is attracting more millennials than ever, reinforcing its status as a thriving destination.

ROI: Boomtown presents an advertising landscape for brands that is characterised by lower CPMs, less market clutter, and enhanced brand visibility. 92% of regional media buyers attest to Boomtown’s ability to deliver robust ROI, making it a prime choice for advertising endeavors.

Boomtown chairman, Brian Gallagher, said that the statistics speak for themselves, and prove “Boomtown is the place to be for Australian advertisers.”

“Our latest regional advertising campaign is designed to clearly show why regional Australia should be non-negotiable for brands. The data demonstrates what we’ve known about Boomtown for years – that it represents huge growth and sales opportunities for brands looking to reach a significant market with cash to spend. And it’s continuing to grow – migration to regional Australia is at a record high, with metro residents seeking out a ‘tree’ or ‘sea’ change and better lifestyles,” Gallagher said.

See Also: Advertising in regional Australia should be a ‘no-brainer’ for brands

JCDecaux has debuted the Aspire, a new Digital Large Format portrait sign. Unveiled in Sydney’s Pyrmont, the inaugural site comes as a result of  JCDecaux’s contract with Sydney Trains. 

Crafted by internationally renowned Australian architects, Tzannes, the design stands as a global first within the JCDecaux portfolio.

The Aspire network has been manufactured using recyclable stainless-steel cladding, while the garden area beneath the site has been replanted with native grasses, as per JCDecaux’s (ESG) principles. The Aspire has also been engineered to optimise energy efficiency by using direct green energy sources, reducing electricity consumption.

With the first Aspire screen located two kilometres from Sydney’s CBD, on Saunders Street in Pyrmont, it presents an opportunity for advertisers wanting to connect with urban professionals. In the area, 74 per cent of audiences are pedestrian and 67 per cent are business professionals.

Max Eburne, chief commercial officer, JCDecaux Australia and New Zealand said: “This unique new format sets a new standard when it comes to architecturally designed advertising infrastructure. With its standard portrait ratio, it will be easier than ever for brands to take their Small Format campaigns to the big screen, bringing them to life across the Digital Large Format Aspire network.”

Nine more Aspire sites have been approved for roll-out across the eastern seaboard in locations including Lindfield and Pymble in Sydney, Coburg and Richmond in Melbourne, and Milton in Brisbane. Further expansion of the network is planned, with a goal to initially establish 30 locations across the eastern seaboard.

The launch of Aspire follows JCDecaux’s introduction of global airport programmatic digital Out-of-Home (prDOOH) trading, allowing brands and agencies to launch campaigns across JCDecaux’s Airport network globally.

The global prDOOH network is initially available at the top 15 worldwide airports, including Sydney Airport.

See Also: JCDecaux takes off with global airport programmatic trading

While the launch of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! revealed the new lineup of celebrities heading into camp, 10 have also revealed the brands entering the jungle for its 10th season.

ahm Health Insurance, Bedshed, Mahindra, McDonalds, Nature’s Own, Surf and more will swing through the jungle this season.

Rod Prosser, chief sales officer at Paramount Australia said the new hosting partnership with Robert Irwin and Julia Morris has piqued the market’s interest.

“We have seen an unprecedented level of positive feedback,” he said.

“This season we’re going to harness the incredible star power of Australia’s newest ‘It’ couple, with Robert and Julia collaborating on integrated brand content, in unique and entertaining ways.

“We’re excited to welcome our valued existing partners back to the jungle as well as a suite of new brands who are thrilled to work with us and take content integrations to the next level.”

Tamar Hovafimian, head of integration & partnerships at Paramount Australia said an emphasis on entertainment and innovation will be present this season that will bring partner brands to life in creative and authentic ways.

“We’re continuing to focus on broadcast innovation this season with the launch of our very first scan ID, plus exciting digital extensions including a content series, opportunities for voting partnerships, as well as market-leading digital ad products.

“And we know that layering premium show integrations with our top-tier ad products delivers even bigger results because we have the research to prove it.”

The six-year Science of Sponsorship research study conducted by Paramount with the Marketing Scientist Group showed that the layered effect of fully integrated sponsorship, including billboards, a bespoke TVC and in-program integration lifted unprompted recall 167% more than a standard TVC alone.

In addition, results showed an 8% lift in brand awareness, 14% lift in brand consideration and a 56% lift in purchase intent.

See also: I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2024: Meet the cast

BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, and BBC News have launched the all-new BBC.com and BBC app, transforming how audiences outside of the UK read, watch, and find stories from the broadcaster.

The new website and app boast an updated design and navigation along with more journalism that consumers rely on the BBC for across the world. 

Audiences will experience a new website with an updated design and navigation, and allow for a more premium and sustainable commercial offering with ad tech enhancements that unlock new opportunities for advertisers.

The BBC app replaces the International BBC News app and brings together content from across the broadcaster. The new app also mirrors the refreshed BBC.com experience while continuing to offer stories and videos across Business, Innovation, Culture, Travel, Earth and more, alongside News, Sport, and live coverage.

Tara Maitra, chief commercial officer, BBC Global Media & Streaming, BBC Studios, said: “These new digital products deliver an experience as premium as our news and storytelling and offer us the opportunity for future growth as we remain focused on finding new and innovative ways to make BBC content more easily accessible across the globe.”

Naja Nielsen, digital director for BBC News, said the new app will better showcases the work of its journalists as their stories reach more than 400 million people each week.

Alistair McEwan, SVP Advertising and BBC StoryWorks APAC, said the new web and app products mark a fundamental step-change in the BBC’s digital advertising proposition.
 
“We’re excited that these significant enhancements make it easier for brands to connect with our global audiences, unlocking new partnership capabilities and opportunities for marketers,” he added.
 
The BBC revamped app is available for download in the App Store for Apple users and for Android devices via Google Play.
 
BBC.com, which re-launched in North America last December, and the BBC app allow users to engage with the BBC’s content in a more cohesive experience. Some of the changes to the website and app include:
 
• New Homepage: The new BBC.com homepage and home screen now include a mix of the biggest global news stories of the moment plus a selection of timely and relevant features, curated by BBC editors.
• New Look, Same Trusted News: Visitors looking to dig deeper into what’s happening around the globe can navigate to News to find articles, videos, and live coverage. Those looking for news from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East can find it in the World section under News.
• New Sections: BBC’s arts and entertainment coverage in Culture, Technology, Science & Health and Artificial Intelligence in Innovation, and sustainability and environment in Earth. Sport, Business and Travel continue to offer agenda-setting stories from around the world, as well as the thought-provoking features readers have come to love from the BBC.
• More BBC Videos: New Video section offers an extensive library of BBC videos and multimedia storytelling featuring content ranging from news and sport updates to captivating stories on climate, sustainability, science, health, entertainment, and history.
• More Live Coverage: New Live section makes it easier to find live news updates and live global sport coverage as they unfold.
• Up-to-the-Minute Breaking News Alerts: Audiences can sign up to receive the same breaking news notifications they always have.
• The BBC Direct to your Inbox: Discover our newsletters, including The News Briefing, US Election Unspun, Tech Decoded, Future Earth, The Essential List and the brand-new In History.

The new website and app create a streamlined digital ecosystem that makes it easier than ever for audiences worldwide to discover a wider array of BBC content. The consistent layout across web and app also allows for more opportunities and flexibility for advertising and sponsorship across both web and app.

Advertising partners can now take advantage of more premium high impact ad units that live seamlessly alongside the BBC’s content, making for a more effective consumer journey. Marketers will benefit from advanced targeting capabilities featuring more sophisticated audience intelligence, segmentation, and attribution that connects campaigns across web and app products, delivering enhanced measurable results for partners.

BBC.com and the BBC app are the latest step in the company’s ongoing digital transformation, and is supported by its investment in North America, which includes an expanded newsroom that facilitates deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the world.

BBC also launched the BBC News FAST channel in the U.S. across leading services, more than doubling the channel’s reach in the region.

The development and operation of BBC.com and the BBC app is driven by BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming division, which leverages the power of the BBC to reach and engage audiences worldwide. GM&S is responsible for the distribution and advertising of BBC News globally outside of the U.K.

Murmur Group has partnered with Aryma Labs, a global marketing ROI solutions company, to deliver data-driven marketing solutions in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania.

The media and marketing agency will be the sole channel partner for Aryma Labs in the region and includes exclusive access to Aryma’s flagship “ArymaEdge” product.

The partnership combines the marketing science company’s advanced MMM solutions with Murmur’s expertise in data-driven marketing and media advisory services. It aims to expand both entities’ specialist offerings, addressing the growing demand for sophisticated marketing analytics and insights in the region.
 
Dave Levett, managing director of Murmur Group, said agencies must continually challenge the status quo and do things differently to compete successfully in today’s tough economic environment in a way that solves customers problems and what is offered to the market.
 
He noted that marketing mix modelling showcases the effect of all aspects of the marketing mix on consumer behaviour. Levett said that offering clients an informed strategic base to plan marketing efforts effectively through blending data-driven insights lead to the increased return to the bottom line and sustained business growth.

“The growth potential behind our partnership with Aryma Labs is what really excites me and I can’t wait to lead the strategic direction of the partnership across ANZ, integrating Aryma’s MMM products and services into Murmur ‘s existing offerings and giving our clients a jumpstart ahead of their competitors,” Levett added.

Venkat Raman, co-founder & CEO of Aryma Labs said the partnership with the agency aims to bring the best of MMM to the Oceania region.

“With every partnership, Aryma is getting closer to its mission of providing clients with accurate marketing measurement and attribution solutions and our alliance with Murmur will help us fulfill our ambitions.”

News of the partnership comes after Murmur Group’s work on the promotional campaign for Rare Spares Rockynats off-street car and motorbike festival, announced last year.
 
See also: Murmur Group rolls out media campaign for Rockynats 04 car and motorbike festival

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Top image: Venkat Raman and Dave Levett

Zitcha has partnered with Leroy Merlin, a home improvement and gardening retailer, to launch a full digital retail media network, marking its move into the South African retail media market.

The Australian-founded retail media platform will manage its digital retail media ecosystem, including on-site, off-site and in-store media. This will be done through its automated platform to drive additional new revenues from brand advertisers and enhanced customer experiences through personalisation.

Zitcha will enable Leroy Merlin’s brand advertisers to connect with consumers along the path to purchase across an end-to-end digital retail media network that includes on-site sponsored products, sponsored ads and banners, off-site media channels including Meta and Google and in-store retail media.

Leroy Merlin, the French-headquartered DIY chain with outlets in Europe, Asia, and South America, is part of ADEO and turned over A$61.7 billion (€37.8 billion) and more than 130,000 employees. 

The retailer’s large e-commerce marketplace represents a complementary innovation for the business that allows brand advertisers to leverage first-party data and Zitcha’s platform self-service functionality to efficiently connect with consumers along their purchase journey.

Nick Hinsley

Nick Hinsley, chief commercial officer at Zitcha said the partnership with Leroy Merlin will see the launch of their real media network in South Africa drive incremental new revenue for the business. It will also give brand advertisers the opportunity to reach consumers on-site, off-site and instore using Zitcha’s self-serve platform.

“They are Zitcha’s first retailer in South Africa and the latest home improvement chain to realise the full suite of capabilities the platform offers in building and running a robust and effective retail media channel,” Hinsley added.
 
In August last year Zitcha made its first entry into the fast growing Canada market after being selected to launch a full digital retail media network for Canada’s leading hardware and agricultural specialist chain Peavey Mart which has 90 stores in the country.
 
Dmitriy Anderson, CIO and head of eCommerce and Marketplace Strategy at Leroy Merlin, said the company has ambitious targets to grow the offering and Zitcha’s platform enables the company to realise those objectives.
 
“As we scale our retail media network we require a platform capable of meeting the needs of our advertising partners across our digital and physical store ecosystem.”
 
Zitcha’s move to South Africa follows the recent launch of its operations in Europe with a dedicated London office and sales team and its entry into the US with Axonet leveraging first-party convenience store data and retail media touchpoints across tens of thousands of North American convenience stores.
 
The retail media platform also works with The Warehouse Group in New Zealand and Coles Group in Australia.
 
See also: Aussie retail media platform Zitcha enters North American market

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Top image: Nick Hinsley

Moments That Matter: Home Retail, the latest data from The Growth Distillery, dives into the economic and technology forces that are redefining the home retail shopping dynamic, and creating a unique challenge for brands. 

The research found more than 80% of home retail buyers are concerned with the current economic climate and how they will be able to afford the items they need. It also found that while 80% say technology improves their lives, almost half say they are overwhelmed by the pace of tech change for home retail items. And while 70% of shoppers prefer to go in-store, more than half will do their research online to ensure they are well prepared. 

The Growth Distillery’s study pinpointed three moments along the consumer purchase journey where brands wield significant influence:

The Catalyst: In 75% of cases, home retail buyers encounter sudden home-related incidents prompting urgent action in a category they typically overlook. This creates a scenario where consumers may feel overwhelmed and unprepared, seeking quick solutions. Building brand familiarity and trust becomes crucial in instilling confidence during these critical moments.

Considerations: Amidst a plethora of options, consumers grapple with a balance between excitement and confusion, as well as reconciling desires with practicality to fulfil their needs. Brands need to steer consumers towards informed decisions, guiding them through the complexity towards meaningful purchases.

The Closing: As shoppers near the point of purchase, last-minute doubts and compromises can impede decision-making. Providing reassurance and showcasing value become paramount in ensuring consumers feel secure and confident in their choices.

Research director of The Growth Distillery Ciel Graham said: “Home retail isn’t a category most buyers expect to find themselves in, until they are and all of a sudden there’s so much to think about and do. 

“Our research highlights the stress and confusion shoppers can feel along the journey. Understanding those moments that matter and helping make those moments easier for consumers to navigate, is an incredibly valuable opportunity for brands, retailers, and marketers.” 

The Growth Distillery is an independent research think-tank, powered by News Corp Australia.

After a decade in the industry, Vistar Media now claims to operate the largest global marketplace for out of home transactions.

In its latest move, the programmatic tech company for digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising introduced an upgraded demand-side platform (DSP) coupled with an extensive global rebranding effort.

The reimagined DSP promises to offer advertisers a more sophisticated planning experience, citing deeper insights into campaign delivery and enhanced transparency regarding targeted inventory allocation.

The enhancements include a streamlined workflow, detailed insights panel, upgraded venue imagery, creative preview tool, and enhanced audience visualisation.

The development follows Vistar’s February announcement of a partnership with audience data company Eyeota. The collaboration aims to enhance audience targeting for advertisers in Australia’s growing DOOH market by integrating Eyeota’s audience data into Vistar’s DSP.

The partnership aims to leverage the anticipated growth of Australia’s programmatic DOOH (prDOOH) sector, building on recent research showing increased adoption rates of prDOOH among Australian advertisers, with significant increases in spend predicted to be on the horizon.

According to a VIOOH report, in the last 12-18 months, approximately 37% of Australian advertisers have incorporated prDOOH into their campaigns, with an anticipated increase to 43% in the next 18 months.

See also: Eyeota and Vistar Media unveils partnership as DOOH market grows in Australia

Michael Provenzano, CEO of Vistar, highlighted the company’s impact on shaping the OOH industry, stating that the updated brand identity reflects both its legacy and ongoing innovation within the prDOOH marketplace.

“We first helped supercharge the programmatic OOH marketplace more than a decade ago, and a lot has changed since,” said Provenzano.

“It was time to reintroduce ourselves in a way that better reflects the work we’re delivering to marketers and media owners everywhere.”

He also commented on the company’s dedication to driving innovation in OOH advertising.

“We’ve built Vistar on our unwavering belief in OOH as a channel, and its ability to make a real, business-driving impact for marketers,” he said.

“We’re constantly pushing our brand and technology forward, which is what drove enhancements to our DSP as well, so the platform can better represent what the channel has to offer advertisers and how they can take advantage of it successfully.”

Vistar Media DSP

Micaela Bos, activation director at Omnicom Media Group (OMG), commended the announcement from Vistar.

“These adjustments make the platform even easier and more intuitive to navigate – allowing users to more clearly see all targeting options and gain a deeper understanding of available inventory,” said Bos.

“Being able to easily see creative specs and venue lists, and seamlessly export plans for client stakeholders has been key in fostering confidence in their OOH campaigns.”

See also: Vistar Media welcomes Luke Adams as director of enterprise sales and promotions across APAC

TV Report March 24, 2024:

Nine TV Report

Married at First Sight

Nine’s evening began with the morning of the final Commitment Ceremony on Married at First Sight. 

Following the Dinner Party, Sara and Tim are excited to show off how far they’ve come in the experiment. For Eden and Jayden, the argument they had last night has boiled over to this morning, and the pair are currently in gridlock. Eden wants to avoid conflict, while Jayden wants to be able to discuss his feelings openly. Lauren and Jono’s homestays reignited the flame between them. While they’re feeling closer than ever, this morning Tori has found out some information that threatens to blow up Lauren and Jono’s relationship. 

The first couple on the couch is Eden and Jayden. The pair have been struggling to deal with conflict, and their fight at the dinner party highlighted their issues with communication. Eden feels she needs to ‘bow down’ to Jayden and feels she doesn’t have a voice in the relationship. Jayden doesn’t agree, but Expert John calls him out for his toxic fight style. Jayden has a breakthrough, revealing he doesn’t feel good enough for Eden. Eden thinks Jayden is more than enough for her, and they both decide to stay. 

Jade and Ridge, Sara and Tim, Tori and Jack and Lauren and Jonathan all decide to stay. 

Lucinda reveals she felt unwelcome at Timothy’s house during homestays. Timothy admits he didn’t have the best attitude going into homestays and didn’t really make an effort. Lucinda reads a heartfelt but honest poem before revealing she has chosen to leave. Timothy has also decided to leave, but it’s on good terms and they both hope to continue their friendship. 

60 Minutes

Over on 60 Minutes, the team investigated Princess Catherine’s shock announcement, looked into the startling vision showing China’s dominance over a Pacific nation; and the benefits of intensive care in the treatment of dementia patients. 

NRL Sunday Footy: Sea Eagles v Eels

Sunday afternoon also saw the Sea Eagles take on the Eels at CommBank Stadium as the Eels thrashed the Sea Eagles 28-24.

Seven TV Report

Australian Idol

Over on Seven, the final three contestants – Amy, Dylan and Denvah – performed to win Australia’s vote to become the next Idol. Tonight’s final episode will see the Idol crowned in the Grand Finale. 

Judge Marcia Hines made a late withdrawal during the finale show after she fell ill before taping. She was replaced by Guy Sebastian for the episode.

Sam Fisher, Delta Goodrem, Morgan Evans and Conrad Sewell also performed in the episode. 

Lockerbie

With access to victims’ families, investigators and other figures who have not spoken until now, the series examined unanswered questions and explored the truth behind the Lockerbie air disaster.

10 TV Report

The Sunday Project

The Sunday Project saw the program chat with Guenther Steiner who recapped the F1 in Melbourne and then spoke to Robert Irwin, Julia Morris and Frankie Muniz who were all live from the African jungle for the first episode of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

On 10’s season premiere of I’m A Celeb, the new season showcased all of the new celebs making their way to the African jungle. 

The celebrities include:

• Frankie Muniz
• Brittany Hockley
• Peter Daicos
• Stephen K. Amos
• Ellie Cole
• Candice Warner
• Skye Wheatley
• Tristan MacManus
• Michelle Bridges
• Callum Hole
• Khanh Ong

See also: I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2024: Meet the cast

ABC

Death in Paradise

The team investigated the murder of a water taxi driver at the same time Neville received an anonymous letter warning them a murder is due to take place. 

SBS

Bettany Hughes’ Treasures of the World

The island of Cyprus lies between the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa and, as such, has often been desired as a strategic location by many different powers throughout history. Bettany Hughes explores the legacy of these diverse influences on Cyprus through four of its unique treasures.