With the Christmas lights being strung up, the year is beginning to wind down – however, it’s full steam ahead for Seven and the team behind BVOD platform 7Plus. 

To speak about the strategy behind the platform and what’s coming in 2024, Mediaweek caught up with Brook Hall, Seven’s director of content scheduling, and Andrew Green, head of 7plus content and acquisitions.

See Also: What 7Plus is doing to change the streaming game in 2024

When asked what, exactly, it is that’s bringing audiences into 7Plus, Green said “It’s a combination of factors. We try and cater for as many different genres and demographics as we can.”

Green: “Obviously, we have to broadcast content that drives a decent amount of audience, but then we have a big library of content that provides something for everyone – but our main target is 18 to 49 year old females. We’ve found ourselves a bit of a niche in that area, and we push hard into that zone. It’s mostly with dramas, which have proven to be really successful for us, the majority being US drama that you probably haven’t seen on BVOD platform for free before.”

When selecting shows for 7plus, Green said that the key lies in making sure that it is a show that data proves will make it worth bringing onto the platform.

Green: “We tend to focus on broad appeal programmes, away from niche audiences. That’s where US and UK dramas come in, which have historically worked really well for Australia. We’ve used them to get a feel for things, see if it’s something that we think would fit our target audiences, and if so, we’ll go for it.”

Partnering with Databricks

Earlier in the year, Seven’s 2024 Upfront unveiled the company’s partnership with Databricks – one of the world’s leading cloud, data and AI companies – that uses AI to drive contextual, relevant advertising experiences for its audiences.

When asked what the partnership would mean for users, Hall said that the tech is used in a way that users will not even notice. 

Hall: “The one big thing that I think we’ve done really well on 7plus is the user is not quite aware that everyone has their own unique homepage experience. Whilst we curate a lot of that content and feature content around our broadcast pillars, we’ve got such a vast library that it would be physically impossible if we were doing it as one unified experience.

“The biggest thing is expanding on that personalisation, so that what you come to see is using all of that data to give a unique experience. We think the formulas are quite good at matching that, and what we’ve seen is month-on-month 20% growth on our audience as people are coming in.”

Event TV

One of the other highlights of the Upfront was that in 2024, Seven will be bringing the AFL and cricket to 7plus with the introduction of full digital rights.

The AFL rights will kick in with the Brownlow Medal and the AFL Grand Final in 2024, followed by the AFLW and then the full 2025 season. Seven’s digital rights to cricket start in October 2024, with Test matches, Women’s Internationals, BBL and WBBL running on 7plus for the first time.

Hall: “People think of Channel Seven, and they think of news, big tentpoles, Home & Away, and they think AFL and cricket – that hasn’t touched 7plus yet. 7plus has been powered without those two giant sports. 

“We’re going to have basically 52 weeks a year of these big premium sports driving the viewers. We’re very excited that we’ve got that regular user base coming to stream those sports for free.”

When it comes to the major tentpoles, the pair also point to Big Brother Uncut as an example of 7plus exclusive shows that are drawing in audiences. 

Hall: “I think that that’s a great example for when people go, what’s the difference between broadcast and digital? Ideally, you just want the best content, and digital gives you a lot of opportunities to play. We’re not limited to a time, so how do we give more control to the user in regard to when they want to watch? 

“Big Brother is a great example of where we’ve got specific things going on broadcast, and it’s a big streaming play. It doesn’t always have to be one or the other – it can be a combination. This show is a combination of where we’re placing it and the audience is finding it.”

Green: “Changing with the times! It doesn’t have to be on at 10:30pm on broadcast, you get it now as a digital exclusive and people are pouring into find it.”

Big Brother host Sonia Kruger

Looking Ahead

With 2024 just around the corner, Green said that there will be more content on the horizon for 7plus viewers.

Green: “We’re going to have about 4000 hours of new content coming to 7plus next year, from a range of different distributors. We taking the Farmer Wants a Wife United States series, which is the first season of that. We’ll have Farmer Wants a Wife Canada – which they rebadged Farming For Love. Those are a couple that we’re pretty excited about, so we’re hanging out for those ones.”

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Top Image: Brook Hall and Andrew Green

The end is in sight for the 2023 radio ratings year, with the seventh survey results released last week.

See Also: Radio Ratings 2023, Survey 7: Highlights + Full Results

Mediaweek spoke with ARN’s chief content officer Duncan Campbell, to discuss the survey highlights and what the rest of the year will look like for ARN.

Reflecting on the day overall, Campbell said that it was “a positive result” for ARN.

“KIIS 106.5 continues to go from strength to strength, as the highest cume station in the country today and number one in breakfast overall. It’ll be a very strong end to the year for that station. We had some big success in Melbourne with Gold, and KIIS 101.1 had a nice lift ahead of Nova and Triple M. 

“We had good results in Perth and Adelaide, and it was a very tight race in Brisbane again. That’s anyone’s game next survey.”

“It was a really positive day for us – strong results, number one network overall, I’m very happy.”

One of the noteworthy takeaways from the survey is that, in Sydney, KIIS 1065’s Kyle & Jackie O were crowned the top breakfast show overall for the 5th time this year, meaning they have taken home the title the most times in 2023.

“It is huge,” said Campbell. “A lot of work has gone into how many times they’ve ended up ahead of Ben [Fordham] from 2GB – but it’s been a really good battle. It’ll go down to the wire in the next survey as well, so it’ll be an interesting end to the year.

“The fact that Kyle and Jackie O have enjoyed their most successful years while working for us versus SCA is something which we take a lot of pride in as a company. We’ve never attempted to change that show, we’ve given them the space to be themselves and be creative. That produces amazing results.”

Kyle and Jackie O

With one survey left for 2023, Campbell said his message to the ARN teams was simple: “Let’s close out the year strong.”

“We tend to do that. Certainly, since I’ve been here since 2010, this has been one of the most challenging years we’ve had. We had a tough start to the year with budgets, and we lost the number one network halfway through the year – but we managed to get that back again. We’ve always punched well above our weight, and we do have a very clear strategy.

“It gives us and advertisers confidence that we’ve got a strong network that is resilient and can weather the occasional storm. We’re in a very strong position to end the year, and in the case of some stations, the strongest they’ve been in the history of ARN really.”

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Top Image: Duncan Campbell

Amazon has once again topped a list of 15 brands investing in advertising on Australian podcasts in Q3 as the overall market also surged 88% year-on-year.

According to ARN’s iHeart and Magellan AI, Q3 spending on Australian podcast advertising grew by 88% on the previous year, with the uplift in investment most notable in the biggest categories, such as kids and family (up 673%), science (up 493%), sports (up 133%) and history (up 122%) year-on-year.

The upswing in advertising is a testament to podcasts position as Australia’s fastest-growing mass media in the current media landscape, according to Corey Layton, ARN’s head of digital audio. Layton said the media’s ability to foster “unparalleled” engagement and intimacy between advertisers and audiences was the key to its success.

“With an 88% surge in Australian podcast advertising spend year-on-year, it highlights the continued proven impact of the medium and a host’s ability to connect and drive action.”

The Q3 2023 list of top spenders on Australian podcast advertising features brands from a broad range of categories including online retailers, health and entertainment, with Amazon, BetterHelp and Takeaway.com Group the top 3 ad spenders.

The report, which uses artificial intelligence to analyse thousands of episodes from 400+ of Australia’s most popular podcasts, determines the top brands advertising in this medium.

The Q2 report found spend on Australian podcast advertising grew by 64% year on year, indicating a clear trend of brands increasing their investment in podcast advertising.

The report found that all podcast genres continue to see an uplift in investment, with a marked increase in the biggest categories society and culture (up 48%), news (up 49%) and comedy (up 127%). It also noted that growth in brands embracing the undeniable engagement of True Crime content had hit new heights of up to 116% year on year.

See also: Amazon tops iHeart and Magellan AI’s Australian top 15 podcast advertisers for Q2

Purposeful experience

Every year, FutureBrand publishes the FutureBrand Index, which measures how the top 100 global companies by market capitalisation rank based on the strength of their brand as assessed by a set of key attributes. One of the most interesting things in this year’s Index is that the organisations that have performed well are the ones that have been able to deliver a tangible impact and avoid the ‘purpose void’ caused by a failure to deliver on their promises. The gap between not doing what you say and failing to live up to the expectations you have set impacts nearly every part of the organisation, not least the day-to-day experiences of customers, employees and the wider community.

It’s a gap that needs to be closed, but knowing where to start can be challenging at best, daunting or even impossible at worst. With a deep understanding of the business, it’s easier to recommend the best place to start. Still, a couple of common patterns are often evident and useful, no matter your brand’s scale or industry sector.

Think big, start small.

Starting anywhere is often better than doing nothing at all. But, when finding ways to make the most impact, starting at the wrong place can mean that you end up nowhere or, even worse, you spend a lot of time and money only to find you’ve solved the wrong problem.

One of the easiest places to start looking for small moments with a big impact is in and around hand-off moments. These might be transition points between related services or natural endings of a phase or stage that usually involve switching between platforms or channels. In these situations, it’s easy for there to be a noticeable disconnect in everything from visual assets and tone of voice to ease-of-use and more. This inconsistency is where an experience can become unstuck.

Addressing these transition points can mean something other than creating smooth and seamless shifts. Instead, they should be signposted so it’s clear that something has happened. From here, we can start to determine which parts of the experience should be flexible and which parts need to be fixed. Fixed moments should include a tone of voice consistent with the brand, for example. This might be ensuring accessibility and inclusivity, letting people know what to do next and having access to a human, wherever possible.

Amazon has understood the importance of ensuring that these moments not only function seamlessly across the digital experience but also translate to other parts of the journey. Everything from the reliability of delivery to ensuring they are continuously adapting and innovating to be indispensable across multiple parts of peoples lives in ways that feel ‘on brand’.

“One of this year’s notable risers, Amazon, climbed 15 places to get back into the Top 20 – the first time since 2017. A rise that was driven in large part by a strong indispensability score.”

Spend the time to understand what matters most.

It’s critical to take a step outside the business and talk to your customers and interact with them in their communities. This could be as informal as time spent sitting next to your customer as they go about their day or a more formalised customer panel that gives a window into the world of a cross-section of people using your product or service. Looking at some of the top performers in this year’s FutureBrand Index, there are clear examples of businesses not just challenging the ‘purpose void’ but thriving as they deliver authenticity in their vision and actions.

One of the most notable examples is NVIDIA – a leading supplier in AI software and chips – which tops the rankings of both ‘places to work’ for and ‘want to buy products from’. NVIDIA has excelled in the last ten years by banking on the impact of AI as the future of computing. However, the way they have done this is by recognising and actively listening to the needs of their customers. By engaging with developers and online communities through dedicated programs that encourage users to participate in workshops, events and hackathons to share knowledge, NVIDIA has been able to improve and innovate in ways that are relevant to the evolving needs of their customers.

Bringing it all together

Creating a consistent experience that spans multiple channels, touchpoints, audiences and needs spread over multiple business segments isn’t simple. With Apple topping this year’s rankings(for the third time), it’s a great example of a brand that is famous for being able to deliver a cohesive experience that is not only seamless (across every part of the experience), but also scores highly on measures of pleasure. Apple’s level of attention to detail comes from a straightforward story and ethos that is pulled through every part of the business – from the experience of data security through to operational considerations such as resource management. Having a strategy that will stretch is critical to make sure it all comes together, and clear personality and overarching experience principles can help keep everything on track.

Avoiding the ‘purpose void’ is about more than creating a fantastic experience. Instead, creating a consistent, purposeful experience that is relevant and meaningful to customers and employees is a starting point that can impact perceptions and elevate the moments that matter most.

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Top image: Sam Hughes

Morgan Hipworth became the second contestant eliminated from Dessert Masters on November 19, an experience he claims left him with newfound “respect” for the home cooks that participate in MasterChef Australia.

Speaking to Mediaweek following his elimination, the 22-year-old described the scene in the coveted kitchen as “intense.” In particular, he recalled the gruelling wait contestants must endure between the bake and the final verdict, which can take up to six hours.

It was a memory Hipsworth found so stressful that he avoided watching his Dessert Masters episodes in fear of reliving it.

“It’s a lot of anxiety and a lot of stress after the cook. Until you hear the verdict it’s probably a good five or six hours, so it’s a long time of waiting,” he said. “Seeing each contestant going in and filming their tasting and waiting for yours. It’s definitely very, very stressful, to say the least!”

Morgan Hipsworth on Dessert Masters 2023. Ten

Describing the differences between serving as a judge versus donning the apron to bake, Hipworth used Adriano Zumbo as a prime example of just how challenging it can be for a competitor, the “nature of” which is captured by the pressured environment in the Dessert Master kitchen.

“Unless you’ve done it before, like someone like Reynold [Poernomo] and Jess [Liemantara], you don’t know what to expect.

“We’ve got some amazing people with some amazing experience – and much, much more experience than I have – and they’re struggling and they’re making mistakes and things are going wrong.”

“It all comes down to the individual cook that you have on the day and that kitchen can really bring out a whole other side of someone or it can bring out their weaknesses. I think it just goes to show that anyone can be at the bottom.”

Morgan Hipworth with the cast of Dessert Masters 2023. Ten

Reflecting then on what amateur MasterChef contestants must face, Hispworth commented, “To not have much experience in a commercial setting, you’re putting yourself into a very interesting situation, and a very intense situation.

“So, I have a lot of respect for them just to be able to hold their own because they must love food, they must love cooking.”

The renowned “doughnut kid,” who has set challenges on MasterChef himself, continued: “I think that anyone from the general public who goes on that show, and especially if they perform, I take my hat off to them, that’s for sure.”

Dessert Masters 2023 continues at 7.30 pm, Sunday – Tuesday on 10 and 10Play.

See Also: Three new judges to join the MasterChef kitchen in 2024

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Top Image: Morgan Hipworth

This weekend, the Australian box office made $9,277,014, up 30% from last week’s $7,198,401.

Top Five

Movie-goers flocked to the cinemas to catch the latest instalment of Roadshow’s The Hunger Games franchise: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sitting at number one for its debut, the film took $5M, just shy of $2M ahead of The Marvels debut last week.

It also managed to take $108.1M globally and with an audience score of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s only expected to continue on the up.

Taking the number two spot this week was Walt Disney’s The Marvels for its second week in release. The superhero flick took $1.16M at the Aussie Box Office this week (down 64%) making $4.9M to date.

Coming in third — and still ticking along four weeks after release — was Universal’s Five Nights at Freddy’s. The gamefied-horror brought in $667K nationally (down 49%) taking its overall cume to over $13.13M in Australia.

Sitting at number four this week was Mindblowing’s Indian flick Tiger 3, bringing in $453K, up 35% from the previous week, bringing its overall tally to $1.25M.

Finally, rounding out the top five and making its debut this week was Sony’s Thanksgiving which took $353K for its opening weekend.

Top 6 – 10

Other films in the top 10 this week were Saltburn, Killers of the Flower Moon, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Stop Making Sense (Remastered).

Releasing this week

Napoleon, Cat Person, Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning, Uproar and Trolls Band Together.

TOP FIVE

1. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – $5,055,710

Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin has resigned from the besieged telco after the massive network outage left more than 10 million Australians with no coverage.

Bayer Rosmarin’s resignation comes just days after the Senate committee hearing on the network outage which left people unable to even dial triple-0.

The outage was the second major brand disaster for the Optus brand following last year’s cyber attack which resulted in 2.1 million customers having personal data stolen.

Bayer Rosmarin, who has been in the role since April 2020, was widely criticised for her handling of the two events, specifically for the lack of communications and transparency around the issues.

Optus has appointed chief financial officer Michael Venter as an interim CEO until an official replacement is announced.

Her resignation comes just days before the arrival of former Optus business managing director Peter Kaliaropoulos who assumes the newly created role of chief operating officer.

According to reports in The Australian, Kaliaropoulos’ appointment is part of a “broader shakeup” by Optus parent company Singtel.

Optus’ brand value dropped to $3.3bn on the Brand Finance valuation following the cyber attack. The valuation revealed the brand’s coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Matildas’ record-breaking journey was a huge factor in its recovery.

The brand also suffered huge reputational damage in 2018 when its much-lauded coverage of the FIFAWorld Cup on the Optus Sport platform continuously failed to cope with the demand. Optus was left with no choice but to give all its exclusive matches to SBS to ensure viewers had access to the coverage.

The brand new season of Australian Idol is set to hit screens in early 2024 and with it comes a slew of new twists and turns, building on the reinvigorated look and feel of last year’s season. 

Touted as the toughest season of Idol ever by Seven’s head of entertainment, Majella Hay, the new season will feature a tighter format, having only a top 30 rather than a top 50 as seen with last season. 

Hay explains that even though there will be more episodes in the new season, getting a golden ticket into the top 30 will be harder.

“The 30 who make it into that group have got to work harder to get there, and have to impress our judges to get that golden ticket,” she said.

“Because of our new format, we can slightly shorten the audition run of getting the people through the door to see who has the potential to be an idol.

“There will be people who viewers will love from the get-go in the top 30, and they will follow just those 30 voices as they start their journey to become an Australian Idol.”

Australian Idol – 2023 winner Royston Sagigi-Baira

The new season’s judging lineup will feature three faces instead of the usual four, with Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark returning alongside Idol original Marcia Hines, with Hay revealing that all three-panel members have a wonderful respect for each other, meaning that each one of them can be the best version of themselves.

“Amy and Marcia used to live in the same apartment block, so they’ve known each other for years and you can just tell that through the rapport that comes through. They don’t always agree, but they are the best versions of themselves.

“Marcia brings this energy to the show that is so commanding, but warm, and you just hang off every word she says, as do the artists.”

Earlier this year, Idol increased its audience year on year in its timeslot, reaching 8.32 million viewers nationally on broadcast and 1.06 million on 7plus. Hay says the new season will replicate that success and hopefully excel it.

“We do what we do well and with all the changes we have made, we are very confident in the show we have put together. 

“We know it’s a competitive time slot, we know it’s a competitive quarter, but we think that with everything we are doing right now such as bringing the things that everyone’s always loved about Idol back again, we will get that year on year growth that we would like.”

Singing contest programs have always been a staple of not only Aussie television but television in general, with the ‘Idol’ franchise being one of the few household names among the sea of others. Hay says the new season will stand out from the others and stay fresh against the competition by being the toughest season ever. 

“The contestants will be challenged at every step of the way and will be challenged in ways that are very authentic to the music industry.

“We’ve got a saying this season: There are singers and then there are idols, and we are looking for an idol, which means you have to be the whole package.

“Having vocals is just one part of that package, that package being able to sell yourself and you just have to have something about you.

“The fact that there are only 30 golden tickets in the audition phase means that the contestants have to fight harder than ever before. We are definitely heating them up more this year to see if they’ve got what it takes to ultimately be not just a singer, but to be an idol.”

Australian Idol is produced for the Seven Network by Eureka Productions.

Australian Idol premieres in early 2024. 

“Tonight, our four remaining couples put their young love to the ultimate test,” Kate Langbroek said on the final episode of Nine‘s My Mum Your Dad. 

With Eight parents remaining (four couples), the choice was now up to their children to give their blessing and round out the show’s second season. 

Masi and Nadia, Dani and Wes, Bec and Ben, and Simmo and Janine were the final four couples headed into the Blessing Ceremony, placing the final say into their children’s hands.

The kids making the decision for each couple were:

• Brandon and Jake – Wes and Dani
• Harper and Mona – Masi and Nadia
• Gracie, Jasmine and Jaxon – Bec and Ben
• Sarah and Tiarn – Simmo and Janine

See Also: My Mum Your Dad 2023: Janine told us exactly who stayed together after the finale

In the heartwarming conclusion to the show, all four couples received their children’s blessing.

One of the most touching moments of the episode was Dani and Wes’ Blessing Ceremony, which saw Dani remove her wedding ring for the first time after admitting that she was finally ready to move on from her third husband, who had passed in 2019 from cardiac arrest.

“It’s a sign of a new beginning for me. I really have moved on,” Dani said, after her son Brandon asked whether she was ready to move forward with Wes.

“She’s ready to move on and love herself again and be open up to love… I can’t even describe how incredible this feeling is,” Brandon said of his mother’s decision.

Speaking to Mediaweek ahead of the show’s premiere, Kate Langbroek said that

“We all know that the reward in life is ostensibly getting old, and there’s a lot of messages about getting older that are kind of negative. However, finding love is very uplifting because it can happen at any point, but you have to open yourself up to the possibility.”

See Also: Kate Langbroek on how the new season of My Mum Your Dad breaks stigmas around getting older

My Mum Your Dad is produced by ITV Studios Australia.

Innocean and The 100% Project have announced the next phase of their 18-month research project, following a comprehensive literature review focused on media.

The research seeks to investigate the representation of masculinity and masculine archetypes in the media, exploring the hypothesis that such portrayals contribute to negative impacts on gender equality.

Initiated in July 2023, the research project centres on the depiction of men in the media, with a particular emphasis on scrutinising how men in leadership roles are portrayed and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles. Additionally, it examines longstanding male archetypes and their influence on gender equity in society, workplaces, and leadership.

See Also: Innocean Australia launches advisory and implementation company lowercase

The initial literature review, titled “Media’s Influence on Masculinity and Gender Roles through Masculine Archetypes,” identified prevalent male archetypes such as “the Hero,” “the Provider,” and “the Hedonist.” These archetypes often reinforce traditional gender roles, perpetuating stereotypical behaviours that are associated with adverse health outcomes for both men and women, while also contributing to gender inequality.

According to the review, media’s portrayal of masculine archetypes plays a significant role in shaping societal norms around masculinity and gender roles, influencing how people assign meaning and make assumptions.

The review has put forth various recommendations for the next stage of research, including evaluating masculine archetypes across different time periods and media formats, as well as fostering active partnerships with the media.

Jane Hill, co-chair of The 100% Project, emphasised the importance of understanding the impact of stereotypes and gender roles in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Hill stated, “This literature review brings to light some of the masculine archetypes that exist within media and explores whether these have shifted over time.”

Jasmin Bedir, CEO of Innocean and founder of Fckthecupcakes, highlighted the responsibility of redefining aspirational culture for future generations.

Bedir articulated the influential role of media in shaping beliefs and assumptions surrounding masculinity and gender roles.

Bedir expressed, “We have identified a need for researchers and brands to partner with media and the entertainment industry to conduct large scale research that helps confirm or deny the shifts from traditional to modern or current day media representations of masculine archetypes.

“Given there is limited research on how men of today see themselves depicted in media, there is a need to bring men into the conversation.”

The review highlighted that failure to provide alternative expressions of archetypes could hinder the progression of gender diversity, equity, and inclusion in society and workplaces. It urged production and advertising companies to continue challenging and dismantling masculine archetypes attached to traditional gender roles to address the negative impact on individuals and society as a whole.

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Top Image: Jasmin Bedir

The Media Store has won the search engine marketing (SEM) account for ZircoDATA, a document and record management companies in Australia, following a competitive pitch.

The account is the first standalone performance win for the independent media agency, which manages its other clients’ search accounts within a broader cross-channel mix.

ZircoDATA is a market leader in records and information management (RIM), providing secure document storage and recording lifecycle solutions, from information governance and digital conversion through to storage, language services and secure shredding since 1995. With world class record centres across Australia, the company delivers solutions that reduce business risk and inefficiencies, securely protecting and managing customers’ records and information 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Daniel Minichiello, Zircodata sales and marketing group director, said The Media Store was a standout agency throughout the process and understood the business beyond SEM

“They challenged us to think differently with their search innovation being unparalleled. Their performance team are not only experts in their craft but incredibly likeable and agile, onboarding our accounts within weeks.

“They transitioned us to a more sophisticated bidding platform and are building impressive live dashboards integrating our CRM and paid media activity. We are excited about the partnership and the results that will follow,” Minichiello added.

The Media Store CEO, Stephen Leeds, said welcomed the new account and said it was an opportunity for the independent agency to dive into the B2B space showcasing its performance credentials

“Over the years we’ve had to shake misconceptions that we are a traditional above-the-line media agency. We have always been ahead of the curve in the digital and performance media space, having our own trading team in-house that works closely with our strategists, planners and buyers, ensuring that our integrated responses exceed client objectives.”

The ZircoDATA account adds to The Media Store’s new business wins, including About Time We Met, Travel Texas and Cure Cancer.

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Top image: Stephen Leeds and Jacquie Alley

Assembled Media has won Golf Australia, which sees the agency in charge of the organisation’s entire range of media activity.

The independent agency’s services were acquired in October following a competitive pitch, and the partnership will see the agency and organisation work together for the next three years.

Zac Chapman, managing director of Assembled Media, said the agency’s range of experience sets his agency’s work apart from others and helped to secure the win.

“We are certain that we can create a new way to better connect with budding golf enthusiasts and make the game, in all its forms, more accessible to Australians,” Chapman said.

Assembled Media’s core services centre around data sophistication, user experience and strategy in addition to media activation.

The agency will provide the entire suite of media expertise to support Golf Australia’s ambition to make the sport more accessible for all Australians, including women, kids, and people with disability.

Golf Australia is the governing body of the sport in Australia and is responsible for developing programs and conducting tournaments across the country to increase interest in the game.

Tim Cook, Golf Australia’s senior brand and marketing manager, said that they are looking forward to working with the agency and leveraging its skillset to help get more Australians playing more golf in line with the Australian Golf Strategy.

“Their expertise, knowledge and passion stood out from day one – and these qualities are important in helping continue to grow Golf Australia’s national participation programs for kids and adults,” he added.

This comes after Assembled Media appointed Alex James as head of social earlier this year to help brands build deeper connected relationships with their customers.

James leads the agency’s social media product and the team and oversees the delivery of best-in-market social media strategies for the agency’s new and existing diverse range of clients.

See also: Agency Assembled Media appoints Alex James as head of social

Paper Moose has launched its first campaign for Mitsubishi Electric.

The new campaign is also the first appearance of Mitsubishi Electric’s new brand platform, A Life More Electric, uniting its consumer and commercial product lines in Australia and helping separate the brand from competitors.

Brad Bennett, head of customer success at Paper Moose, said Mitsubishi Electric’s industry insights and collaborative spirit was an asset throughout the creative journey.

“We’re immensely proud of what we’ve created together and can’t wait for Australian audiences to respond to the campaign’s rad simplicity and divergence from category norms.”

Jessica Millard, marketing and communications manager at Mitsubishi Electric, shared that Paper Moose challenged them to create a platform to distinguish a life more electric and elevate their brand and product.

“This creative concept establishes a new and vibrant partnership with our customer so they can visualise the comfort of a Mitsubishi Electric air conditioner,” she added.

The campaign is live now on Free-to-air, BVOD, Digital, OOH and Radio.

Back in July, Paper Moose announced it was appointed as the agency of record for Mitsubishi Electric. The signing for the B Corp agency represents a strategic shift in creative direction to drive long-term growth.

See also: Paper Moose appointed as agency of record for Mitsubishi Electric

Agency: Paper Moose Executive
Creative Director: Nick Hunter
Head of Client Success: Brad Bennett
Head of Strategy: James Sykes
Creative Director: Jeremy Willmott
Senior Creative: Pete Saladino
Design Director: Georgia Shillington
Motion Designer: Tchaan Wilson-Townsend
Senior Account Director: Brigitte Harbrow
Account Director: Jorge Camargo
Production: Paper Moose
Production Lead: Lucy Whirledge
Post Producer: Jon Buchan
Line Producer: Henry Richardson
Directors: Kids of Bill
Director of Photography: Sean Ryan
1st AD: Stuart Beedie
Production Designer: Laura Murray
Photographer: Hugh Peachy
Wardrobe Stylist: Emma Kalfus
Makeup: Ameila Fell
Editor: Oliver Trauth-Goik
Retoucher: Jason Riddell
Colourist: Marcus Friedlander
VFX: 3P Studio
Composer, Sound Design & Mix: Caleb Jacobs

Jaywing has been appointed to lead paid media and drive new members to Future Super

The data, creative and performance marketing agency will oversee Future Super’s Google and Meta paid media strategy and execution.

Future Super was founded to help people take climate action and invest in a fossil fuel-free future and in climate solutions.

Amanda Chase, executive director of customers and growth, Future Super said the ethical fund is looking forward to working with the agency to help grow the movement of people choosing to invest their retirement savings in line with their values and in climate solutions.

“Our impact is achieved by creating a movement of people who choose to divest from unethical and harmful activities and invest in projects that are making the world sustainable and equitable.”

Rai Campbell, commercial director of Jaywing, said the agency is leading Future Super’s paid media across Google and Meta.

“We have already seen a significant uplift in performance since starting work, and we look forward to continuing to exceed the ambitious objectives we’ve been set.”

Rai Campbell

Future Super joins a growing list of recent new Jaywing clients, including The a2 Milk Company, Myer, CROCS, New Balance and Cashrewards.

This comes after the agency welcomed the appointment of Lily Hopkinson last week as its first head of planning, to oversee the planning, implementation and optimisation of performance marketing and media campaigns.

Hopkinson joins Jaywing after more than seven years at performance marketing and media agency, Direct Response Media, where she started out as a media planner buyer before rising to become general manager.

In the role, she will oversee the planning, implementation and optimisation of performance marketing and media campaigns, for the agency’s growing portfolio of clients, which includes the recent wins of Myer, New Balance, Cashrewards and Crocs. In addition, as Jaywing expands operations above the line, she will manage planning for the increased media channels the agency operates in. 

Read more: Lily Hopkinson joins Jaywing as its first head of planning

ABC‘s Biggest Little Bluey Countdown drew an audience of 1.3 million metro and regional Australians on Sunday, November 19, from 6am to 7:30pm on the ABC Kids channel. This countdown led to ABC Kids achieving the top ranking channel by share in the daytime slot, while the ABC Network secured the number one position as the daytime network overall*.

ABC Kids also recorded its highest metro share (including Total People and Children’s demographics) for the channel in a single day since its launch in 2011.

The 13.5 hours of consecutive Bluey episodes also established a new daily record for an ABC Kids live stream, with fans viewing 16.3 million minutes of the countdown’s live stream on ABC iview. This figure marked a significant increase of 12.9 million minutes compared to the previous record set in May of this year.

The positive outcomes of the Biggest Little Bluey Countdown extended beyond ABC Kids, lifting the entire ABC network’s broadcast performance. The 24-hour reach across all four channels increased by 16% on Sunday, compared to the daily average in 2023 year-to-date.

Peak viewership occurred at 7:21pm during the reveal of the #1 episode in the countdown, just before the announcement of “Cricket” as Australia’s top Bluey episode.

The Biggest Little Bluey Countdown served as the concluding event for Bluey Fest, a month-long celebration commemorating five years of Bluey on the ABC.

For those who missed the countdown, it is available for viewing on ABC iview via the Bluey Fest Live Stream.

*‘Daytime’ defined as 6am-6pm. The Biggest Little Bluey Countdown was the #1 for the  Children’s demographics (CH0-4 and CH5-12) across the entirety of the broadcast (6am 7.30pm), and #1 for Total People from 6am-6pm. The countdown was the #2 for Total People when considering the full broadcast time of 6am-7.30pm.  

Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro and Regional TAM combined data; Overnight. Total PPL, CH0-4 and  CH5-12. ABC Kids channel 0500-1930. Broadcast overnight data, including start and end times,  is preliminary and subject to change. Reach counts 5 minutes consecutive viewing. Regional  excluding spill.

See Also: Bluey drives BBC profits, but media frenzy around scandal overshadowed Annual Report

Metro Overnight TV Ratings November 20

Primetime News TV ratings
Seven News 904,000/895,000
Nine News 730,000/738,000
ABC News 571,000
10 News First 205,000 (5:00 pm)/151,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 123,000 (6:30 pm)/117,000 (7:00 pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 662,000
7.30 526,000
The Project 187,000 (6:30pm)/ 280,000 (7pm)
The Drum 127,000

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 216,000
Today 201,000
ABC Breakfast 135,000

Share summary
Nine won a second consecutive night in primary channel share after the cricket victory to start the week.
Seven sat second in primary share, but a share of 4.9% watching 7TWO gave the network a winning combined channel share of 28.0%.
10 was on 11.2% primary and a combined channel share of 18.6%.

Nine

A Current Affair started with Dimity Clancey reporting on a murdered grandmother, her family and the psychotic man who killed her. The audience of 662,000 also later saw a report on an expanding sinkhole threatening a suburb. The program averaged 570,000 Monday to Friday last week.

The series final of My Mum Your Dad followed on 335,000 after 316,000 on Monday last week.

Australian Crime Stories, from Sydney production company The Full Box, returned for another season in a new format. Told by the investigators themselves, ACS: The Investigators lifts the lid on the personal case files of some of Australia’s greatest detectives. In the series premiere, The Jane Doe Mystery took viewers behind the Australian police investigation, led by Michael Plotecki, that saw detectives and support staff trying to identify the body of a young woman murdered and left abandoned on a suburban street, and the work that rewrote the forensic record. ASC launched with 240,000.
Visit 9now.

Seven

One hour of Home and Away to start the soapie’s penultimate week of 2023 week with 429,000 watching the first episode and then 364,000 the second. The average overnight audience last week was 432,000.

Episode 11 of Big Brother was next with the Monday episode pulling a crowd of 134,000 after 155,000 watching a week ago. The drama included Big Brother allowing the girls to eavesdrop on the boys in the garden. Minee was annoyed to hear Louis refer to the original girls in the house as “psychos”.
Visit 7plus.

10

The Project started on 187,000 and then climbed to 280,000 in an episode that featured a warning about online scams during Black Friday sales. The episode also featured Dan Andrews’ golfing ban and an interview with Macklemore.

Dessert Masters was inspired by the King of Chocolate as contestants celebrated all things chocolate as they competed for immunity. It was fitting the audience of 449,00 saw the Chocolate Queen victorious. The overnight Monday audience TV ratings last week was 477,000.

A screening of the second season of The Secrets She Keeps from Lingo Pictures followed with 145,000 watching.
Visit 10play.

ABC

Australian Story was the channel’s most-watched after ABC News (571,000) and 7.30 (526,000). The audience of 512,000 saw the Australian Story team spending time with Elly-May Barnes as she stepped away from the shadow of her father Jimmy as a cabaret artist in her own right. The episode also delved into the challenges she faces living with cerebral palsy.

With Four Corners on a summer break, a second episode of Evacuation screened for 286,000.

Media Watch then did 328,000 followed by Q+A, hosted by Patricia Karvelas, with 183,000 watching.
Visit iview.

SBS

Inside Aldi took 139,000 interested shoppers behind the scenes of the global supermarket giant.

1967: Summer of Love had a great soundtrack for an audience of 109,000.

Secrets of the Tower of London then got another screening at 9.30pm for 47,000.
Visit SBS On Demand.

Total TV Ratings November 13, 2023

Seven
Home and Away had a national Consolidated 7 Total TV audience of 903,000 on Monday last week. The BVOD number included in the total was 127,000.

Nine
A Current Affair pushed close to 1m a week ago with 940,000 national.

10

The second episode of Dessert Masters had a national audience of 806,000 with the overnight audience up 27%.
Visit Mediaweek’s TV ratings home page.