Australia’s gaming market is worth $4.21bn – up from $2.67 billion in 2021 – yet it remains a niche market for advertisers with industry experts claiming it is wildly misunderstood. 

Despite the continuing growth in the category locally and globally, there remains a lag in understanding of the audience, according to Ryan Cunningham, CEO / Founder of specialty gaming agency You Know Media.  

“Gaming is a key part of Australian culture, and also just culture generally, around the world. While it’s massive in terms of money it generates, it’s also massive in terms of the audience that participates, of all ages.”

“Some are still late to the party, but that’s because of a lack of understanding of what gaming has become in contemporary society.”

Cunningham says the market is in the midst of a “huge shift in how games are perceived by not only gamers but people who don’t play games.”

Using gaming platforms as media opportunities has seen a renaissance in the past decade. This renaissance has come from the gaming zeitgeist that grew popular in the 2010s and exploded in the 2020s. Some know what Fortnite is, most know the moral panic surrounding violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto and everyone knows someone who plays games.

“While obviously much bigger now, there was still a huge gaming audience 10 years ago, but brands didn’t understand what it was. They had a real bad PR problem,” he said.

“Then, most people thought gamers were just 14-year-old kids on their Xbox or 45-year-old men in their mum’s basement. I literally had CMOs tell me those exact quotes. 

The launch of Prime Video’s newest series Gen V has brought with it an ad campaign made in collaboration with Rufus – Powered by Initiative, MBCS and You Know Media. It sets out to prove games can be used for effective, attention-grabbing marketing that engages target demographics and provides results.

Eight Twitch and YouTube streamers got a taste of the superhero university life by playing The Sims 4, a game published by EA and developed by Maxis. With over 70 million players worldwide across all platforms as of April 2023, The Sims is a powerhouse franchise that has been at the forefront of games popular among young women.

Popular Twitch Streamer Loserfruit playing The Sims 4

The campaign involved the streamers playing a tournament titled ‘Supe My Sim’ which saw them playing as characters inspired by the show, completing challenges related to the themes of the series.

The brief given to You Know Media said the campaign was aimed at women under 30, and to them, that meant going outside of the box. 

“Our team along with Rufus thought, what if we use The Sims and utilise their university expansion pack to recreate both the characters and also the experience of the show and make it tangible in a digital world for the audience and we use different talent to bring it to life.

“Then it morphed into what can we actually do with the IP, in terms of understanding the rules of what EA would allow us to do. EA ended up loving it and thought it was a great way to make it real along with the streaming talent integration.”

In terms of appealing to the target demographic of young women, a large chunk of the execution went into ensuring they had the right talent on board.

“The question of what talent we wanted to use was floated around a fair bit and we know it was significant because we needed them to fit towards this idea at this specific game. 

“Pulling in creators that only play Call of Duty and getting them to play The Sims for a campaign was a no-go zone, we knew audiences would hate that. 

“A lot of qualification analysis went into picking from our pool of talent, and that part of the process was super tricky.”

‘Ticking the box’ is something Cunningham said clients are still accustomed to doing, and he stresses that box-ticking is not going to bring the potential success that can come out of advertising in the games space.

“There are still a lot of clients out there that are just looking for an easy solution. They just want to tick the box with gaming and they’re having less success. 

“In saying that, real success advertising in the games space doesn’t mean investing millions of dollars, the smallest campaigns can be the most successful if done properly.”

See also: IAB Australia Gaming Summit 2023: The misconception around gamers and how a gaming ad campaign can be a catalyst for change

With Big Brother back on Aussie screens for 2023, the show is proving once again that it’s a format that brings significant audiences to BVOD.

Last week, 274,000 tuned in for the season premiere of the show, with Seven Day Total TV numbers seeing the episode lift 41% for a total audience of 620,000.

Seven Network chief content officer, entertainment programming, Angus Ross, told Mediaweek that the lift in total audience was reflective of the fact that programmers are focussing more and more on catch-up audiences.  

Angus Ross

“The total television number for the first episode of the new season of Big Brother on 6 November proves what we have been saying for a long time: linear TV overnight audience numbers simply do not tell the full story of a program’s reach and engagement with viewers,” said Ross.

“The 41% jump in the launch episode’s audience to 620,000 – including 134,000 on 7plus – clearly demonstrates that Big Brother still connects with a significant number of people, no matter what screen they are watching on. This connection will continue to develop with the 7plus exclusive series, Big Brother Uncut.”

Shows like Big Brother performing well on catch-up are good news for advertisers as well, with Atomic 212° chairman, Barry O’Brien, telling Mediaweek that catch-up offers the opportunity for audiences to catch shows – and the ads that come along with them – whenever they have the time.

Barry O’Brien

See Also: “Very proud”: Atomic 212°’s Barry O’Brien is inducted as the newest Mediaweek Icon

“The big increase for Big Brother shows the power of catch-up TV, particularly for programs targeted at younger viewers. They use catch-up TV to its full advantage,” said O’Brien.

“They can stay up to date with all the drama, happenings, evictions and events that Big Brother is generating when they want to, as opposed to committing to a certain time to watch when it’s on linear free-to-air TV.”

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Top Image: Big Brother host Sonia Kruger 

Craig Hutchison, the CEO, key on-air talent aka Hutchy (above), and chief motivator at Sports Entertainment Group [SEG], has been the subject of further examination in a look at the group’s business model.

In September, the Herald Sun looked at the sports media group and its recent full-year results under the headline ‘Craig Hutchison’s business woes after $9.2m loss’.

This week it was The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that probed the business model under the headline ‘Craig Hutchison’s sports and media empire on the ropes as directors, auditor sound alarm’.

Hutchy: What the Herald Sun said

After the September alarm sounded by the Herald Sun, Mediaweek reported on an episode of the Sounding Board podcast that Hutchy hosts with Damian Barrett where Hutchy went into some detail.

When asked by Barrett to deal with the specific inaccuracies of the Herald Sun report, Hutchison started:

“We made $4.8m profit EBITDA. There were some markdowns and impairment of assets that created a paper loss. We have made money every year. We haven’t had a year where we haven’t made money. Would we have liked to have made more? Yes. Is it my job to make more for our shareholders per annum? Yes.

“This was the last year of our audio build and our radio build in conjunction with our stakeholders to finish the job we set out to do five years ago.

“We have been playing a long game on assets, as opposed to a short-term game on earnings. That job is finished and we have no more audio stations to buy or build. We have a two-country platform that will serve us well.”

When asked if SEN was a deal away, or a day away, from going under, Hutchison replied:

“Goodness. We are in fantastic health. We have made money and built at the same time.”

Hutchy: What Nine newspapers reported

The report stated:
Craig Hutchison’s media and sports empire is at serious risk, as company directors and auditors warn about his group’s ability to survive if it does not find a cash injection or new investors in the next nine months.

The article continued:

The company is now seeking fresh capital, pitching to high-net worth private investors, in an attempt to reduce its comparatively large borrowings before the deadline, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the process not authorised to speak publicly.

Mediaweek has reported on Sports Entertainment Group ever since the Crocmedia reverse takeover back in 2017 and on Crocmedia for much of the decade prior to that.

As we covered the aggressive expansion years Hutchison has been patient in explaining the process. At the end of 2021, Mediaweek reported:

Using the traditional method of measuring radio success you’d have to call SEN Sydney an underperformer. The ratings for 2CH’s final two surveys as a music brand saw station and breakfast shares over 4%. In SEN’s first year the station peaked at 0.7% and breakfast at 0.5%.

But ratings only convey part of the SEN story. “Because we distribute our content in so many ways it can take some people a little while to get used to our model,” Hutchison explained.

For people who do get it, he added: “It has been highly effective and really successful with advertisers which is one of the reasons we have had such good client retention.”

The recently released SEG Annual Report again goes into great detail in a lengthy report from chairman Craig Coleman and CEO Hutchison.

As this chart below shows, the company has finished its aggressive build of assets and its touting a new period of increased revenue ahead of what it has labelled a “financial payoff”.

What might make investors nervous

As chief executive and in effect the chief sales officer as well, the health of the company is intrinsically linked to Craig Hutchison. SEG without Hutchy is unthinkable. Investors might feel more comfortable with a broader team carrying the management load.

In addition to a leadership team under Hutchy, a refresh of the SEG board might help build confidence. The same unfamiliar board members have been rubber-stamping investment opportunities pitched to them for some time. A recently retired media, sales or marketing executive would be a good addition.

Although many marketers buy into the narrative of SEG’s digital reach, it doesn’t get much of a run in mainstream media. Should the SEN broadcast and digital play be pushed harder across the market. SEG has many of the country’s best broadcasters from Gerard Whateley to Garry Lyon, Kane Cornes and Andrew Voss, Matty Johns and David King, Andy Maher, Gerard Healy, Jimmy Smith and many more. How compelling a product is Trade Radio and how good was the late-night Ashes coverage on SEN? Does the public and the ad market fully appreciate the depth of the talent?

Time for assets to deliver

The SEG Annual Report notes:
Over the last four years, SEG has invested $53.3 million in strategic acquisitions and $17.2 million in capital expenditure.

We are confident we have created a suite of assets with long-term growth and in strategic value. Our significant investment to establish multiple media platforms – radio, TV, digital, print, teams – supported by broadcast rights, talent and extensive content is unique and hard to replicate.

It’s time for that suite of assets to deliver. From each of the 60+ radio stations to the collection of sporting teams, to the growing list of print assets.

It’s going to be an interesting FY24 for SEG. As the company reported in late October, the latest quarter is heading in the right direction: “Revenue for the first quarter of FY24 has been positive with 9% growth on the previous corresponding period.”

The advertising industry needs to focus on the retention and upward mobility of its diverse talent, according to the Advertising Council of Australia’s (ACA) national head of engagement Hannah Sturrock.

“If you think about it, even if you do a brilliant job at hiring a diverse talent base, and by ‘diverse’ that’s gender, ethnicity, and sexuality, neurodivergent, all different aspects of humanity. But then if they all leave within a year or two, then really, the discussion about diverse recruitment is null and void.”

Sturrock argues that the retention and upward mobility of its diverse talent is one of the most pivotal priorities of the advertising industry. “We’ve got a fairly ethnically diverse industry overall, but not once you look at the senior roles. 

“Equally, we have quite a high representation of LGBTQ talent, when you look at the industry overall, but again, when you look at the senior levels, that really drops right down. 

“We even see one in three LGBTQ people do not feel comfortable being out at work. That would suggest that we’re not as inclusive as we’d like to think.”

Sturrock’s comments come as the ACA conducts its second annual industry-wide Create Space census aims to benchmark the industry’s progress on DE&I and highlight gaps and opportunities for greater representation and inclusion across the sector.

Yesterday, the head of the Diversity Council Australia (DCA)  warned the use of AI-powered recruitment tools by the media and advertising industry could tip the scales further in the wrong direction in terms of diversity and inclusion hiring.

Sturrock suggested the industry focus on cementing broader, functional DE&I strategies to amend the systemic issues in the hiring processes before the large-scale adoption of AI tools in recruitment. The concern being that these tools may perpetuate more of the same representational disparities the ACA is striving to overcome.

Sturrock told Mediaweek the ACA census, which is open until November 28, hoped to see small signs of progress, particularly in the industry’s understanding of DE&I policy. The 2021 census had revealed 53% of respondents were not even aware of their companies DE&I policies or strategies.

“I’m under no illusion that two years can really transform the systemic, and socioeconomic trends.

“This is always going to be a slow and quite painful process, I think to rewire our industry, and build on perhaps some of our strengths, but really also be addressing the gaps and the pressure points.” 

“Then at least we’re making some progress in putting this topic on the agenda, talking about it, socialising it, and inviting a bit more scrutiny of these policies and strategies.”

Industry outlook: now and into the future

Launched in 2021, in collaboration with global insights agency Kantar, the landmark biennial census report provided data that detailed the makeup of the advertising industry in Australia, and the experiences of the people at work who constitute it. The report highlighted the industry’s strengths, gaps and identified areas where action was most needed.

See Also: Kantar trends report predicts big year for video-on-demand

At this time the census revealed that twice as many people with a disability were made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace than those who are non-disabled, the experience of discrimination and negative behaviour is near three times higher for people who identify as Asian, and 23% of respondents reported feeling anxious at work as a result of identifying as LGBTQIA+.

The report also listed the gender pay gap as 33%.

Off the back of these results, ACA launched an action plan to encourage change and combat these negative behaviours, to which three new items were recently added designed to support those with disabilities, minorities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the industry. 

See Also: Diversity Council Australia warns AI tools could “negatively impact” industry attempts to address diversity

Sturrock is keen to see the changes , “Obviously the last census was at the end of 2021, with a lot of us still working from home. It was the end of a very odd year. At the same time, there was a real talent shortage. 

“Now, two years later, so much has changed. We’re back in offices, there’s recessionary pressures, but then also a lot more awareness of D&I has also been part of the last two years of work in the industry.”

Commenting on her hopes for this year’s census revelations, Sturrock stated, “Our inclusion index, if we get it to go up even by a couple of points. I would love to think so. 

“That’s the great thing about [our] index methodology, you do get that big number that will help us to track progress and see whether we’re going in the right direction.”

–

Top Image: Hannah Sturrock

Commercial Radio Australia has released the 50th edition of the Australian Podcast Ranker tables, charting performance in the month of October 2023.

The ranker now has 30 publishers, including 24 non-radio publishers, and four charts: top 150 podcasts, top 150 all-Australian podcasts, top publishers, and top sales representatives.

The 50th Ranker also includes Ted Talks Daily for the first time – coming in at #53.

HODD Media (How Other Dads Dad with Hamish Blake) also joined the Ranker this month, taking the number of new publishers added in 2023 to nine.

Still enjoying top spot is LiSTNR’s Hamish & Andy, with 990,858 monthly listeners and 2,127,181 monthly downloads this month.

Second place is still held by iHeart’s Casefile: True Crime with 860,922 monthly listeners and 2,377,687 monthly downloads.

After taking third place off of Mamamia Out Loud in the last ranker, Shameless has kept its place rounding out the top three. October sees Shameless record 694,546 monthly listeners and 1,672,458 monthly downloads.

The biggest lifter of the ranker this month was LiSTNR’s Luke And Sassy Scott, up 35 places to #106. Not far behind was Nine’s The Ray Hadley Morning Show, lifting 32 places to #75.

ARN’s iHeart remained the top podcast publisher in October. ARN’s head of digital audio, Corey Layton, said: “To have held 5 of the top 10 podcasts in Australia for almost a year is an astonishing feat by our Partners and team. With audience engagement and brand investment continuing to soar, it’s clear why podcasts are Australia’s fastest growing mass media.”

LiSTNR has retained its top position as Australia’s largest podcast sales representatives network, reaching more than 7.5 million monthly listeners in October.

“As Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) celebrates the 50th Podcast Ranker, we are delighted to be a part of the growing podcast industry in Australia. To have Hamish & Andy achieve 22 number ones is simply outstanding. We have enjoyed continued growth across our owned and operated podcast titles along with our partner titles. To be the leading podcast sales network is a great outcome,” SCA executive head LiSTNR podcasts, Grant Tothill, said.

“In a modern podcast business, there are so many people that play such a vital role beyond the incredible creators. I’d like to thank all of the people at LiSTNR that keep on driving our podcast business forward as we play our role in growing podcast audiences and offering new environments for advertisers to reach them.”

See Also: Podcast Ranker September 2023: Hamish & Andy continue time on top

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In this-new industry HOT List of 2023, Mediaweek Marketing & Agency Editor-At-Large and Founder and CEO of TrinityP3 Marketing Management Consultants, Darren Woolley highlights and acknowledges the media and creative agencies, the industry bodies and industry events turning up the heat.

The thermometer is rising as we sit on the doorstep of another Australian Summer. But it is not just the time of year that is making things hot. In media and creative agencies, the race to the end of another calendar year is causing all sorts of friction and turning up the heat in the industry. This month’s Hot List is testament to how much the industry is feeling the heat. (See criteria below).

Sizzling HOT

Creative agencies

The hot news was the final decision and appointment of TBWA and Bear Meets Eagle On Fire to the massive Telstra account. A game changing win for any agency, but what makes this particularly hot is not the clever name (+61 – the IDD country code for Australia) but Telstra CMO Brent Smart’s explanation for the approach, modelled heavily on the TBWA-led The Media Labs for Apple.

According to Smart, the model’s simplicity will reduce waste and improve efficiency, but the real benefit is the ability to support creative thinking across all aspects of the organisation’s marketing. Which makes this one sizzling hot prospect. Fingers crossed it delivers on the promise.

See also: Telstra announces new agency partnerships with +61, Bear Meets Eagle On Fire and TBWA

Very Hot

Industry Bodies

IMAA hosted more than 300 media industry heavyweights at Sydney’s WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo in Darling Harbour for their interactive Who’s Who in the Media Zoo event.

The event included a panel discussion, hosted by Affinity Media’s CEO, Angela Smith, featuring marketing director – Shapes at Arnotts, Krishma Sood; Spirits at Lion GM, Ed Stening; and CMC Markets APAC & Canada head of marketing, Liam Loan-Lack providing their perspectives on pitching. Always a hot topic.

Left to right: Sam Buchanan, Angela Smith, Liam Loan-Lack and Ed Stening

See also: IMAA welcomes indie agencies to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo for Who’s Who in the Media Zoo

HOT

Creative agencies

M&C Saatchi has created an anti-vaping campaign supported by Minderoo Foundation. Aimed at young adults it provides facts and resources on the health impacts of vaping and a way to warn others.

Called UNCLOUD, it’s being rolled out by the Minderoo Foundation, the charity launched by tycoon Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, and includes a website and campaigns for sites the audience use like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Hot.

Also HOT

The Monkeys finish their time on the Telstra account on a high. Hot off the back of the This Is Footy Country TVC is their Christmas TVC. Producing such terrific, consistent, big-brand, work while still losing the account – it’s a class act.

If you’re firing the agency that is still turning out work like this, then expectations of what is coming next must be extremely high. And that is hot.

Making a difference? Going above and beyond? We would love to hear from you – send details to [email protected].

Criteria for making the Mediaweek Hot Lists
• Making a difference to clients, staff, the industry, and society at large
• Breakthrough campaign or idea that is a category game changer
• Challenging the status quo to drive innovation.

Meeting of the Minds brings together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.

The Mediaweek series aims to showcase their diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions.

This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Ryan Hedditch and William Ryan from News Corp Australia reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge and career goals.

Ryan Hedditch – head of ad product and strategy

Best career advice – Stay humble. Always. Because humility is the secret sauce to success – it keeps you grounded as you step through your career.

My favourite podcast/read – Evan Shapiro and his substack channel – I love the way he very simply decodes the mysteries of the media’s landscape. He breaks down the current global chaos, noise and #fluff in the media industry; simple explainers and Star Wars analogies also help.

Current streaming binge – The Crown! Fully prepped for this month’s next chapter of regal drama – the anticipation is real!

Leadership hero – Sir Alex Ferguson – the maestro of leadership on and off the field. Taking notes from a legend!

I wish someone had told me – Careers are like roller coasters – full of twists, turns, highs, and lows. Embrace the squiggly journey, and enjoy the ride! Things have a way of working out.

Guilty content pleasure – Well, I have a soft spot for the thrill of stumbling upon barn find classic car discoveries on YouTube. The Late Brake Show with Johnny Smith is my go-to guilty pleasure. From late ’80s turbos to Lamborghinis hidden in the UK’s deepest countryside, it’s a treasure hunt for automotive gems. I can’t get enough of the rare finds, and Jonny’s genuine enthusiasm makes it a well-produced show worth binge-watching.”

Best training course/session – Kudos to the News Corp Australia’s Pacesetter event in Uluru! An amazing experience, learning from the industry’s finest and connecting with top sales talent nationwide. Our D_CODED event is also an amazing session for the market, but I would say that as my team curate the story.

Your mentor – I don’t have one, but I tend to focus on developing micro-mentors, not the formal stuff. Instead of sticking to one mentor or a strict program, I learn from all kinds of people, young and old with different experiences, some in real life and others from podcasts or videos. Different perspectives keep things fresh and teach me new stuff all the time. No stiff rules, just genuine connections. Life’s a journey, and I’ve found that having a mix of micro mentors helps me roll with the punches and stay on my game. If I have to name one today, it would be Pippa Leary, she reminds me every day to keep it simple.

Hot medium or show – My go-to hot medium is News Shorts; it’s our new video platform providing mobile first, vertical video stories. You can find it across all of our news and lifestyle sites. It’s been incredible seeing our journalists transform their storytelling to this new short form snackable content. It’s so easy to catch up on the hard news each morning from news.com.au or our mastheads, or if I need some dinner inspiration I’ll jump onto taste.com.au to get my latest air fryer hack! 

Favourite media event – Mediaweek Australia’s Top 100 Power List – one day, I aim to make waves and be on that prestigious list!

Wish I’d done that –  Invented the headless commerce technology behind our shoppable video, image and text products. Our partners Vudoo have been a phenomenal tech partner and innovator in the commerce space, it’s been a great experience working with them to realise this as a world first in digital publishing across our ad products. 

Career goal for 2023 – As we get closer to the end of the year my goal now is to take some time to reflect on the year that was, and put some attention toward 2024 before it arrives. Our product team has grown a lot this year so taking some time out to reflect, celebrate and have some fun with everyone will be important before the end of the year, roll on the Christmas party!

William Ryan – senior data and ad product commercial manager

Best career advice – “Solutions not problems” as an old director of mine used to say, has served me well in my career thus far. Forcing yourself not to complain about an issue, but instead put the time and effort into finding a solution is a valuable trick, and once learnt it’s incredible to notice how creative your problem solving ability becomes.

My favourite podcast/read – Anything written by Graham Hancock, America Before was a big standout. Not that I’m sure anything he claims is accurate as I’m not a historian but his books are a great read and he makes some compelling arguments. I think I also just like the thought that we don’t have it all figured out and there’s still some unsolved mystery out there.

Current streaming binge – Alone (Netflix), it shouldn’t be as compelling as it is; people living in solitude in the arctic for 100 days. Yet here I am, three seasons deep and still going strong.

Leadership hero – A potentially controversial choice in Elon Musk. His handling of X, taking on a struggling company was blunt but effective in making the hard call. The vision for Tesla was incredible, taking on a relatively new market concept (at launch) and pioneering the space – all whilst trying to land humans on mars.

I wish someone had told me – That a commitment to mistakes can be a commitment to growing. Particularly professionally I’ve learned more from my mistakes than my wins, and often mistakes indicate you’re out of your comfort zone.

Guilty content pleasure – Geordie Shore (original cast), the madness hooked me in.

Best training course/session – A presentation course (which I can’t remember the name of) which I took in my first year in media. Being forced as a coordinator to get up and present in front of seasoned professionals was a daunting experience but taught me some great tools I’ve used throughout my career.

Your mentor – I’ve been fairly lucky to have had a few mentors over the years in my career, previous sales directors have taught me the value of relationships, creative leads have taught me to think outside the box and managers have shown me how to lead (or not to lead in some cases).

Hot medium or show – Reddit, I spend far too long browsing shower thoughts or ‘am I the asshole’ as well as F1 threads.

Favourite media event – Media Hall of Fame in Melbourne has always been a fantastic day out with a great crowd.

Wish I’d done that – Machu Picchu, but plenty of time!

Career goal for 2023 – With 2023 nearing its end, my goal for 2024 is to be recognised by the industry for the work I’ve done with News Corp Australia over the past 3 years.

–

To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds please email: [email protected]

–

Top image: Meeting of the Minds – Ryan Hedditch and William Ryan

Acast has announced a global partnership with Proximic by Comscore – a division of Comscore Inc. and a provider of audience and content targeting solutions for media activation.

The partnership will work to enable cookie-free audience targeting for podcast advertisers around the world.

See Also: Mediaweek’s Sales Team of the Year: Acast brings noise to September

As the global media landscape faces signal loss and prepares for the deprecation of the third-party cookie, advertisers are challenged to find solutions that will continue to reach the right audiences with scale and precision. Predictive Audiences from Proximic by Comscore enables targeting based on behaviours such as personas, TV viewership, gaming habits, and retail purchases, but delivered contextually. This is made possible through the combination of Comscore’s first-party data sets and deep machine learning-backed predictive models.

The most recent reports on the global podcast advertising market forecast the industry to reach a $12.7 billion valuation by the end of this year and to lift to $40 billion in value by 2032.

“The podcast advertising industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years, but has been challenged to harness its full potential largely because innovations in ad tech still lagged behind more traditional media forms,” said Lee Blickstein, VP targeting solutions at Proximic by Comscore.

”With Acast’s global platform, agnostic reach, and Proximic by Comscore’s Predictive Audiences capability, podcast advertising is prepared to continue growing in both scale and efficiency despite the continual loss of access to persistent identifiers.”

Henrik Isaksson, managing director Acast AU/NZ said, “Addressibility and measurement is something Australian advertisers and agencies are really passionate about. Partnering with Proximic by Comscore allows us to better identify hard-to-reach audiences in podcasting across Australia and international content creators. Upon launching programmatic buying in Australia, Acast was committed to developing leading ad tech solutions. This latest example is proof that innovation in product and developments are core pillars of our strategy in market.

“For nearly a decade, Acast has been a pioneer in podcasting and ad tech innovations. This partnership with Proximic by Comscore complements Acast’s current third and first party targeting capabilities while enhancing scale, performance, and efficiencies for advertisers around the world,” said Elli Dimitroulakos, Global Head of Ad Innovation at Acast. “On a global scale, this partnership is significant in further improving addressability throughout the entire podcasting landscape.”

Predictive Audiences is now available to advertisers in each of Acast’s 15 markets around the world. 

Coles 360, the retail media arm of Coles Supermarkets, is partnering with Meta and Zitcha to enable Managed Partner Ads (MPA) to strengthen its off-site retail media offering.

Off-site media is estimated to be worth US$40 billion globally, and the supermarket chain is the first Australian retailer to leverage the Meta integration with Zitcha. This partnership will enable brand advertisers to connect with off-site audiences across Facebook and Instagram at scale.

New Zealand’s largest retail group, The Warehouse Group and its retail media network, MarketMedia, were the first to use Zitcha’s MPA integration, and its initial results showed up to 32 times the return on advertising spend for MPA campaigns that have run. 

Meta’s MPA will provide capabilities for retailers and brand partners to track and measure off-site video and image ad performance down to the SKU level – a feature unavailable on Meta platforms for other campaigns – while safeguarding user data and delivering a direct return on advertising spend.

The MPA API feature is accessible using the Zitcha Platform. True closed-loop reporting and actionable data drive greater campaign optimisation and return on investment, and brand partners have the flexibility to leverage retailers’ brand equity by using their Facebook or Instagram handles or their own for enhanced personalisation and audience targeting. 

Retail media networks deploying MPA drive web traffic and sales through brand partner-driven Facebook and Instagram ads, diversify revenue streams and extend incremental revenues by optimising off-site media channels. 

GroupM predicts global advertising revenue from retail media channels will grow 9.9% to reach US$125.7 billion in 2023, hitting US$180 billion in five years and surpassing television revenue in 2028. Off-site media forms a major component of that growth, in conjunction with on-site and in-store retail media channels.  

Kate Box, director, global business group retail of Meta ANZ, said the initial tests from Zitcha with recognisable Australia and New Zealand’s brands have been positive and that they are looking forward to seeing how they will evolve in the retail media space.

“It’s great to see our partners innovate with new technology and help retailers reach the right people, with the right message at the right time.

Zitcha has pioneered the first integration with Meta’s MPA API, and will work with retailers and brands around the world to extend off-site capabilities with MPA.

Troy Townsend

Troy Townsend, CEO of Zitcha, called Meta’s MPA “a game changer for retailers and brand partners” to use Meta’s channels for their off-site retail media networks.

“We are seeing massive demand from brands to move marketing dollars from traditional channels into retailers with off-site capabilities that show, in real-time, the return on advertising spend.”

Townsend added that their strong relationship with Meta has enabled Zitcha to leverage MPA for forward-thinking retail media networks MarketMedia and Coles 360 that are looking to extend and capitalise off-site media channels.

Paul Brooks, general manager of Coles 360, welcomed the partnership and said: “It will help us reach audiences beyond our own assets, expanding reach and enhanced targeting to deliver a more comprehensive advertising strategy for our supplier partners.”

Jonathan Waecker, chief customer and sales officer of The Warehouse Group said that integrating the MPA with Group’s first-party proprietary audiences, brands are able to amplify their performance metric.

“Zitcha has further revolutionised the landscape by empowering brands to be able to do this all self-service, providing real-time analytical insights at their disposal, all while in a privacy safe way,” he added.

Ryvalmedia has won the full media remit for Racing Victoria.

The new partnership commences immediately, with the first campaign set to roll out in the new year. The digital media agency’s scope of work includes holistic media strategy, planning, and buying across all channels, digital and non-digital.

Racing Victoria was established in 2001 to independently govern the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry. Its objectives are to develop, encourage, promote, and manage thoroughbred racing by encouraging broad participation and sustainably growing the industry’s economic and social value. The membership of Racing Victoria includes Country Racing Victoria, Melbourne Racing Club, Moonee Valley Racing Club, and Victoria Racing Club.

Ryvalmedia’s managing director, Joseph Pardillo, celebrated the win, which will see the agency’s work with the Racing Victoria rolled out across metropolitan and country Victoria

Joseph Pardillo

“The Spring Racing Carnival was back in full force over the past week alone, and it was fantastic to see people having a great time, socialising with family and friends while being entertained by world-class racing and entertainment.”

Pardillo said that the agency is looking forward to “elevating” and moving the experience forward, in line with Racing Victoria’s future business strategies and marketing efforts. “It truly is part of the social fabric of Victoria and Australia,” he added.

Rebecca Moffat, Racing Victoria’s general manager – customer marketing, said that the racing authority was looking forward working with the digital agency.
 
“Ryvalmedia not only showcased an excellent grasp of our industry’s dynamics and forthcoming challenges in captivating a younger audience for racing but also wielded the precise tools needed to ensure optimal results from our media investments. Their strategy is not just promising, it’s poised for excellence.
 
“It’s a strategic alignment that promises to turn heads, capture hearts, and reshape our narrative in the spotlight. With confidence, we anticipate that our new partnership will not only bring continued growth for Racing Victoria but redefine the standards of success in our industry,” she added.

Ogilvy Sydney has announced the appointment of Aisling Colley as managing partner, further bolstering its senior leadership team. Colley, with over 15 years of experience in creative agency and leadership roles, previously led the ALDI Supermarkets account at BMF, contributing to its success as one of the most effective and creative brands in Australia. She brings extensive experience across various sectors, including QSR, sport, FMCG, and tourism, with a focus on large retailers.

See Also: Ogilvy ANZ welcomes Ant Simmons as group creative director for Melbourne team

In her new role, Colley will lead the agency’s partnership with KFC and provide leadership support for Ogilvy Sydney’s overall operational efficiency and effectiveness. This includes working closely with managing director Michelle Holland.

Holland expressed of Colley’s appointment, “Aisling brings the kind of business acumen that provides real value to an agency’s operations. She delivers on all that she does, is detailed and driven, and understands the importance of Ogilvy’s approach to creativity; applying the best talent to solve our clients’ business issues, whatever they are and wherever they are. Her passion for culture and creativity is also a perfect fit for Ogilvy.”

Colley, who has been recognised in the industry with a number of industry accolades, expressed her enthusiasm about joining Ogilvy.

Colley expressed her enthusiasm, “to be joining Ogilvy at a time where positive change is not only encouraged but embraced. There is a crystal-clear focus on creative excellence to deliver strong results for all clients right across the business, and throughout all its capabilities. Teamed with an impressive list of long-standing partnerships, it’s an incredibly exciting business to be joining.

“To help shape the future of the Ogilvy and KFC partnership is a dream, and I’m looking forward to being part of its ongoing success. It’s also a brilliant opportunity to partner closely with a leader like Michelle and the broader leadership team.”

Colley’s appointment follows a series of senior hires at Ogilvy Sydney, including Jane Jacob as Head of Strategy, Clare Lambert as Sydney Client Lead, and Emily Shum as CX Director. Colley assumes her role with immediate effect.

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Top Image: Michelle Holland & Aisling Colley

The Hallway has appointed Kent Boswell as creative tech and innovation director, leveraging his background in technology and production. Boswell, who recently served as the national director of Interactive at Traffik, the activation arm of the Clemenger Group, for four years, brings a wealth of experience to the role.

See Also: The Hallway welcomes Graham Sweet as head of strategy

In his newly created position, Boswell will play a crucial role in shaping “Affective Ideas” that utilise latest technologies to maximise impact throughout the brand experience. His experience provides a unique perspective as a creative technologist and innovator, complemented by a deep passion for high-level creativity.

Before joining Traffik, Boswell served as the executive producer at Nakatomi (Finch) and executive producer at Resolution Design. Commencing his career at Saatchi & Saatchi in the late 90s, he accumulated global experience at organisations such as The Jim Henson Company (London), Curiious, and Fuel VFX.

A career highlight for Boswell was his contribution to the acclaimed “Project Revoice,” which was honoured with the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good and the elusive D&AD Black Pencil for Creative Use of Technology. Additionally, he served on several international award juries, including Cannes Lions, London International Awards, Effies, New York Festivals, and Spikes Asia, where he held the position of Jury President.

Jules Hall, CEO of The Hallway, noted, “It’s rare to find someone with a deep understanding of technology, brands, and creativity. Kent is that person. He’s uniquely qualified to assist in the creation of Affective Ideas for today’s digital world, adding significant strength to our growing team.”

Reflecting on his new role, Boswell expressed, “The possibilities within the realms of Digital, Tech and Innovation have never been more exciting. I’m thrilled to be a part of this highly talented team, contributing to the agency’s momentum, and expanding our current production capabilities, all in the pursuit of delivering exceptional work for our diverse portfolio of clients.”

In recent years, the concept of personal branding has gained significant traction, with many recognising its importance yet struggling to grasp its intricacies.

In mainstream business, concepts such as brand identity, brand values and even brand voice are widely understood. There is also a steadily growing trend in people desiring it to apply these principles to themselves as a person, whether as an employee, entrepreneur, industry leader or champion of change.

Personal branding, akin to the practice of farmers marking cattle for identification, is where individuals craft a distinct identity that sets them apart from other “like” entities.

The beautifully empowering aspect of the personal brand process is that a) you choose the mark you wish to identify with and b) you apply it to yourself, as and when and how you wish.

It’s important to note that the power is not in the “mark” itself, but the emotion that’s evoked in others, the feelings people experience when your brand comes to mind.

Jeff Bezos is famously attributed with saying that your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. 

What your brand stands for is one thing, and a very important thing at that. But how you get it in front of people, and how you strategically use it to achieve commercial objectives is where “personal positioning” comes into the forefront.

Personal positioning is what gets you in the room.

Nina Christian

Personal positioning involves making deliberate decisions about how, where, and when you present your brand to the world, strategically leveraging it to achieve your personal and commercial goals and objectives.

Modern marketing is a new ballgame – there are new rules, new players, new locations, new equipment and new crowds.

In the dynamic landscape of modern marketing, personal positioning is the key to choosing where you place yourself in the ever-evolving game.

Like players in the major leagues, who pick and choose who they “play for” at any given time, as a brand you’re at choice who you “lend” your brand equity to. It might be your own brand, it might be someone else’s. Players align with a team who for a season, benefits from their skills, experience, reputation (to draw crowds) and dedication (commitment to the team).

When an employee works for an organisation they’re doing the same thing. Lending their skills, experience, reputation and dedicated to a larger “brand”. But they still have their own personal brand too.

Just like a player is generally at choice to move teams, or if they wish, take up a solo sport! Where they no longer have to follow a strict set of guidelines, they are free to pursue anything they wish. Of course that also means that the outcome rests entirely on their shoulders and they don’t have the support and resourcing of the team on an ongoing basis. So for many they stay happily part of their team, and choose the ones they most align with and enjoy being a part of.

Personal positioning as a personal brand is choosing how and where you show up, and what you communicate yourself to others – and when used strategically it can benefit BOTH employer and employee – as the brands morph and meld together for a while.

And the business or brand is yours, you are at choice what cause, message or purpose you apply your personal brand to at any given time, and how and when and where you communicate that in the world.

You get to “position” as you wish.

And it’s ok to evolve, change and adapt how you do that – just as the world around us continues to change and evolve.

You have a brand. How much you are in control of that is up to you. And as we head into 2024 perhaps it’s not just the personal brand, but the personal positioning you need to get more intentional about.

According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report 63% of people buy or advocate for brands that align with their beliefs and values.

You can have an authentic and compelling personal brand but if nobody sees or knows about it, how is it helping you?

How are people able to advocate for you, hire you, refer you, buy from you?

Whether you’re a business looking to attract and retain rising talent, a solopreneur looking to win new clients, an employee looking to have the pick of the positions, a change-maker seeking to rally people behind your ideas and inspire action – it’s not just about getting noticed. People do business with people – and this comes in equal parts from “being the brand” people align with and feel good about, fuelled by the power of personal positioning to get the right message in front of the right people at the time.

It’s not up to your employer. It’s not up to your industry. It’s not up to your marketing person. It’s not up to your audience.

It’s up to YOU.

And as you explore and embrace the synergies around personal branding and personal positioning and fuel these with intention and integrity, the flow-on effect is that your influence and impact amplify so much more naturally and authentically.

You effortlessly connect with people who are eager to advocate for you, because they are clear on what you stand for and how you can help them and others in their own life or business.

And this isn’t just commercially savvy; it’s profoundly personally rewarding, as you shape your presence both personally and professionally, and the impact of your genuine self reverberates and expands through intentional sharing with the world.

See Also: Fuelling Your Brand: Lessons from an emergency landing

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Nina Christian is a Marketing Futurist, & Global Marketing Mentor who helps people do their marketing in a more human way. 

She is a Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM), Life Member and Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute & AMI State Chair (Vic) and for 20 years was director of marketing agency Braveda (Winner, Best Marketing Agency, Australian Marketing Excellence Awards).

Several years ago Nina saw the world of marketing shifting – this time as people became their own brands.  With this, she created a new business as a thought leader, combining her expertise in brand building with personal positioning, resulting in a breakthrough praxis known as Marketing Me® which she delivers globally to business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs.

She is the author of the book Marketing Me: Take Charge of Your Personal Brand and Make Your Mark on the World which helps professionals who want to market themselves authentically, but don’t understand what makes them truly unique and significant or have the confidence to express their value in a way that feels good.

Being a hands-on mum of five children, Nina has developed a knack for simplifying complexity. As a result, her systems and processes are practical, accessible and impactful.

Studio 10 has been axed after ten years on Network 10.

On Tuesday, hosts Tristan MacManus and Angela Bishop confirmed the morning show would not be returning in 2024 in a video on the program’s official Instagram account.

MacManus said: “After an absolute epic decade on Australian TV screens, trying to put smiles on your faces every morning and love into your heart. Unfortunately, we have some sad news for you today, in that Studio Ten will not be returning for 2024.”

Bishop said: “It’s a tough day for the whole Studio 10 family because we have loved bringing you the show every day for the last ten years. It’s been a blast.”

MacManus noted that the show will continue until Christmas with co-hosts Neralda Jacobs and Daniel Doody. He added that each of them will be working on new projects for 10 in the year ahead and noted that the Studio 10 crew will continue to be part of their new projects in 2024.

Bishop acknowledged the hard work and effort the hosts and crew put in over the past 2500 episodes, particularly during the pandemic.

“It’s an incredible achievement in terms of Australian television, and we’re all really proud to have been a part of it,” she added.

MacManus told viewers: “We’ve loved spending every single morning with you. It really has been great, at times tough, but always rewarding.

“We’re making the announcement now but we still plenty of episodes left before Christmas. So we’ll definitely be going out with a bang, and again, trying to bring those smiles and that love to you every morning. We hope you feel it in your living rooms.”

Daniel Doody, Angela Bishop, Neralda Jacobs and Tristan MacManus

Bishop concluded the message with the quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

A Ten spokesperson said in a statement: “Network 10 today announced that the last episode of Studio 10 will air on Friday, December 22 after more than a decade on Australian screens.

“Studio 10 has been a great contributor to Network 10’s daytime program lineup. We would like to sincerely thank all those who have participated in and supported the program over the past decade and to the millions of viewers who tuned in over that time.

“It has been a show that has provided copious amounts of feelgood fun, joy, passion, heart, entertainment, and unforgettable moments all against the backdrop of live television.

“Although we are sad to be farewelling the program, the decision to cease production of Studio 10 comes after a change in viewing habits in daytime television.

“In 2024 there will be a new morning lineup with an increased focus on news and current affairs later in the day.

“The hosts of Studio 10 – Angela Bishop, Narelda Jacobs and Tristan MacManus, with special roving reporter Daniel Doody – will remain with the network in different roles and many of the staff will be redeployed.”

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Top image: Tristan MacManus and Angela Bishop

Vudoo has announced the appointment of Peter Manten as its new managing director for the Asia Pacific region.

Manten brings over 20 years of experience in media management and senior sales roles to the SaaS/AdTech platform. He will be responsible for developing and executing Vudoo’s APAC business strategies for market growth and building and managing relationships with key stakeholders.

Manten’s last role was as the head of sales for Spotify Australia and New Zealand. He also previously served as digital strategy and commercial director ANZ for Bauer Media, national head of digital sales at Network 10 and head of interactive sales at ITV UK.

Vudoo CEO Nick Morgan welcomed Manten’s appointment, noting his “balance for experience in traditional publishing and big tech” provides the company with insights for their customers and provides “incrementally better solutions”.

Nick Morgan

“His proven commercial leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow our business and expand into new markets.

“Peter will focus on ensuring that Vudoo continues to provide excellent customer service and support to our existing customers in ANZ while also expanding its reach and impact to new customers in Southeast Asia,” Morgan added.

Manten said he’s looking forward to bringing his passion for video and interactivity to the Vudoo team and stepping into a role and business with a global appeal.

“Vudoo has incredible and progressive capabilities and solutions in the ever-exploding content commerce, retail media, commerce media and VOD/CTV sector,” he added.

Morgan previously featured on an episode of Mediaweek’s Heavy Hitters podcast in the lead up to SXSW. In the episode, he discussed SXSW Sydney, the impact of mindset coach Ben Crowe on Ash Barty’s iconic Australian Open grand final win.

See also: Heavy Hitters SXSW episode 5: News Corp’s Paul Blackburn and Vudoo’s Nick Morgan

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Top image: Peter Manten

• The Project welcomed superstar Robbie Williams

Overnight TV Ratings, November 14

Primetime News
Seven News 841,000 (6:00pm) / 817,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 659,000 (6:00pm) / 684,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 526,000
10 News First 193,000 (5:00pm)/ 139,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 121,000 (6:30pm)/ 92,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 646,000
7.30 419,000
The Project 145,000 6:30pm / 247,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 216,000
Today 186,000
News Breakfast 145,000

Share summary

Nine won Tuesday night with a primary share of 18.7%; however, Seven took out the top network share with 27.4%.

Nine took a network share of 26.1% while Seven’s primary share was 17.0%.

10 took a 13.0% primary share and a network share of 19.5%.

7Two has won multi channels with a 4.4% share.

Nine

Nine’s A Current Affair (646,000) put the spotlight on a 70-year missing persons case that has been resolved after a public appeal from NSW police and family members. The program spoke to Donna Truscott, the granddaughter of Donald Gordon Buckley, who was last seen at Warwick Farm in 1954 when he was 24. Following the public appeal, it was subsequently established that the man had changed his identity and died from natural causes in 1980 at Moree.

Then, 327,000 watched My Mum Your Dad. The remaining couples went on their final dates ahead of the Blessing Ceremony and the kids saw more than they bargained for after lights out.

A repeat of Paramedics followed for 201,000 where a car crashed 100 metres down a ravine and rescuing the injured driver turned into a nightmare for flight paramedic Ray. 

Seven

440,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as John’s absence was felt at the Surf Club and the Fowler siblings clashed. 

361,000 then sat down for 7News Spotlight: Remembering Johnny Ruffo. The program looked back on the life of performer Johnny Ruffo who passed away at age 35 after a courageous battle with brain cancer on November 10. In 2021, Spotlight had spent six months with Johnny and his partner Tahnee Sims as he confronted the devastating condition that would eventually take his life. The special event also looked at the beautiful love story of the couple and their fierce love for one another.

130,000 then stayed on for Big Brother Australia where Intruders Bella and Teejay were ready to explore their options for love inside the house and there was drama when Minee wasn’t impressed that Bella was openly flirting with Louis.

10

On 10, The Project (145,000 6:30pm / 247,000 7pm) welcomed popstar Robbie Williams who is in town for the start of his Aussie tour, who spoke about but his new Netflix documentary that details the hardships he’s faced behind the scenes. The program also looked at a new report that has detailed how rental affordability has sunk to an all-time low across Australia, pushing people out of the major cities.

Dessert Masters then followed as the first elimination of the season took place, seeing contestants pull out all the stops to avoid being the first chef to go home. Contestants had two and a half hours to create a dessert that was made to be smashed before it was judged. Rhiann Meade became the first eliminated contestant after creating a piggy bank, the same as chocolatier Kirsten Tibbals. When they tasted it, the judges found the thickness of her chocolate was too heavy, meaning it didn’t eat well, nor did it smash well. 451,000 tuned in.

The Cheap Seats was up next for 348,000 as hosts Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald were joined by Mel Tracina and special guest Richard Osman.

ABC

419,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 look at how an Indigenous burial ground was uncovered at a $3 billion housing development and also told the story of a woman caught in the cracks of the justice system. Plus Sarah Ferguson interviewed Ayman Safadi.

277,000 then watched Take 5 with Zan Rowe. This week, host Zan Rowe chatted with master storyteller Lin-Manuel Miranda. As the creator and star of the smash hit Hamilton, he brought musical theatre to a whole new audience, discovering the five songs that make up his story.

Rose Gold followed for 160,000. The program went behind the scenes with iconic Australian sportsman Patty Mills and the Australian Men’s Basketball team the Boomers.

Tom Gleeson’s Secrets of the Aus Museum was up next for 113,000.

SBS

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Great British Railway Journeys with 131,000 tuning in to see Michael Portillo continue his railway journey through the Midlands and West Country, reaching the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, where the ongoing construction of Britain’s biggest railway project was taking place.

Total TV Ratings, November 7

1,269,000 tuned into 10’s The Melbourne Cup where Without a Fight was victorious, up 10%.

965,000 caught The Masked Singer Australia Grand Finale – Reveal as Dami Im (Snow Fox) was named the winner, up 13%.

604,000 watched Nine’s My Mum Your Dad where new Mum Donna arrived, up 44%.

562,000 viewed ABC’s Old People’s Home for Teenagers as the participants put on a big show at the retirement village, up 26%.