At Pinterest Presents, the company’s annual global advertising summit, Pinterest argued why this year is a prime opportunity for brands to partner with the social media platform.

The online event included appearances from famous faces including Heidi Gardner, Aisling Bea, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, and Harvey Guillén and unveiled a slate of new and updated products and features.

To talk about the suite of new tools and products announced by the company for both advertisers and consumers, Mediaweek caught up with Pinterest’s Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand, Melinda Petrunoff. 

“We are launching a really robust roadmap that we’re super excited about,” said Petrunoff.  “Really enhancing not only existing products, but we’re launching new products and that’s creating a great opportunity for advertisers to lean into. We’ve got a very commercial audience that comes with full intent. That’s very different to our competitors.

“We know we’re going after a very competitive global advertising market, but leaning into what makes us unique and different is the key for us. We’re not your typical social platform. We’re not here to lean back and get entertained. People who are coming to Pinterest are definitely leaning in. They have intent. What makes it useful for advertisers is they have commercial intent, they are there to find ideas and take action.”

Pinterest’s Premiere Spotlight on search and home feed

With the company’s new ad product, Premier Spotlight, brands can now exclusively own placements on Pinterest’s search and home feed to promote their campaign to assist in maximising visibility with consumers. Petrunof said that Pinterest was thoughtful in protecting the user experience by offering premium content that is relevant to them.

“It’s our first high-volume ad product for advertisers to be able to reach Pinners at scale. It’s a premium ad unit in terms of placement and reach. We first tested it on our search feed, which is one of our highest engaged pages on our platform. Mecca was the first advertiser to test with that, followed by L’Oreal who tested the the first beta with the homepage. It’s now available to all advertisers and in Australia, and both homepage and search page are sold as one opportunity.”

Showcase ads and Quiz ads

Pinterest also announced two new ad units, Showcase ads and Quiz ads. 

“One of our key priorities is to make sure that across the platform, we’re driving engagement and we are driving relevance,” Petrunoff said. “Both of those new ad units absolutely aligned with that priority.”

Showcase ads is an interactive ad solution that allows users to preview and explore a brand’s content by swiping through branded images. The tool aims to help consumers discover things like seasonal looks, mini recipe books, or unique features of a car. 

With Quiz ads brands can create a quiz that aims to lead consumers to more personalised ideas. With this data, they can move consumers toward a purchase.

“Showcase ads give advertisers the ability for users to go deep into their content,” said Petrunoff. “Country Road Group were the first advertiser to beta test that product and they did a beautiful job.

“Quiz ads are more about creating an entertaining ad unit, and the ability for brands to make it fun on Pinterest by creating a quiz. Equally, that allows them to provide personalised recommendations to users on the platform.

“It’s prompting users to answer questions typically done in a fun or an entertaining way, but then driving people to understand and give personalised recommendations for their products.”

Pinterest Presents

Creative Studio

Pinterest’s Creative Studio tool is currently in early testing. It works by giving brands a quick way to generate lifestyle imagery for product pins. Brands will be able to add their Pin link, select the prompts that match their need, and Creative Studio will then generate a selection of custom background images.

According to Petrunoff, even the Pinterest team was surprised and delighted by this announcement: “The intent is to really give brands a speedy way to create and to build their product pins on the platform. It’s tapping into the vast library of owned content that Pinterest has to generate those custom background images and help brands activate their ads on the platform quickly. That will go live in the US as they test it before we roll that out globally.”

Making Pinterest a shopping destination

Pinterest Presents saw the announcement of new features that will aim to help users discover more shopping destinations.  

To assist with this, Pinterest’s mobile deep links will assist in quickly directing users to a specific page in a retailer’s mobile app, making it easier to shop for products after clicking on a shopping ad. Direct links take people straight from a Pinterest ad to a retailer’s website, reducing the steps it takes for users to go from discovering a product to checkout.

Pinterest is also expanding its integration ecosystem with two new integrations for Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce native applications to all monetised markets. These integrations aim to allow merchants to manage their Pinterest product catalogues and set them up directly within the applications they already use for Salesforce or Adobe.

Petrunoff believes that these products align with the goals of the business by helping to show stronger and faster conversions.

“More than 50% of people are coming to the platform ready to shop, and our goal is to make Pinterest a shopping destination. For the retailers that are already uploading their product catalogues, we know that they are generating faster growth on the platform. Extending these e-commerce integrations with Salesforce and Adobe is creating a seamless way for retailers to continue to be able to upload catalogues. In some of the results, we’ve seen around a 30% increase in attributed checkouts for those retailers that have uploaded catalogues.

“If we want to create a destination shopping platform, we need to make it as seamless as possible. Not only are we expanding our E-commerce integrations, but we’re also adding new products to make that journey through the funnel much faster. We are launching two new products, mobile deep links and direct links to help that shopping experience be much better.”

Collages

The new Collages feature announced at Pinterest Presents is designed to help users personalise ideas and refine their vision by leveraging the platform’s visual technology. Collages enable users to cut objects out of a Pin and combine them with other cutouts to create an interactive collage of ideas. Brands can get involved by updating their catalogues so users can add their products to Collages. 

Petrunoff expressed how this new tool gives users the ability to cut out objects from pins on the platform, pull those together, and create ideas.

“That is currently in early testing, and it’ll be rolled out globally soon to all users. That’s going to be a very cool application. It particularly lends itself so well to our fast-growing Gen Z audience.”

The future at Pinterest

When asked about what’s next for the brand following this big set of announcements, Petrunoff said that Pinterest is leaning into what makes it unique.

“There are three key things that we are focused on to make sure that we will be successful in making ourselves different. The first is making sure that the platform is engaging and relevant for all of our users. That’s so important.

“Improving that funnel for shopping is our second priority. We want to make sure that not only are people coming in and finding inspiration, but they’re able to take action.

“The third is proving value to our advertisers. With these new innovative products, the early testing is showing that they’re delivering strong results. The measurement solutions that we’re expanding are proving that we are driving value, and that is critically important.”

Petrunoff continued to explain that Pinterest has typically been known as a very strong upper funnel platform with strength in awareness, but the additional measurement solutions now at the bottom of the funnel are helping the company to prove its value. This is done through methods such as conversions API to help prove conversions on the platform with first-party data. Pinterest has also done a third-party data partnership with Live Ramp to help advertisers in testing cleanroom solutions.

“These are two very important initiatives that help us improve the bottom of the funnel. Ultimately, with all of these new ad products that we’re announcing, it’s delivering on our opportunity to continue to drive strength throughout the funnel. That lends itself beautifully to our goal of becoming that shopping destination. We have to be able to allow brands to have their products discovered and we want to make it seamless for our users to take action and make purchases.”

See Also: IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow: Pinterest’s Melinda Petrunoff

It was literally lights, camera, and action for Pinterest this year, as the company’s version of a global upfront, Pinterest Presents, unveiled a slate of new and updated products and features. The online event was an on-brand reimagining of an upfront from the perspective of the Pinterest executives fictionally preparing for an upfront presentation.

The annual global advertiser summit highlighted why this year presents a prime opportunity for brands to partner with the social media platform, and included appearances from famous faces including Heidi Gardner, Aisling Bea, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, and Harvey Guillén.

Speaking about the new suite of products, chief revenue officer Bill Watkins said “We are innovating faster than ever before with a robust slate of relevant, personalised products to reach consumers with intent, and we’re building with the goal to be the industry’s best full funnel solution.

“We’ve made Pinterest more measurable from first impression to last click and we’re excited to share more about our new products that span the consumer journey, all in a more positive place online.” 

See Also: Pinterest announces AI tool to increase the platform’s body representation

Bill Watkins

The new and updated products and features announced at the summit are:

For Advertisers and Brands

For advertisers and brands looking to reach Pinterest’s audiences, the platform will be offering a series of new ad formats and tools.

Premiere Spotlight on search and home feed: Brands can exclusively own placements on Pinterest to promote their campaign. This change will work to maximise visibility with consumers. 

Showcase ads: The new interactive ad solution allows users to preview and explore a brand’s content by swiping through branded images. As a result, the tool aims to help consumers discover things like seasonal looks, mini recipe books, or unique features of a car.

Quiz ads: Brands can create a quiz that aims to lead consumers to more personalised ideas. With this data, they can move consumers toward a purchase.

Creative Studio: This new tool is currently in early testing. It works by giving brands a quick way to generate lifestyle imagery for product Pins. Brands will be able to add their Pin link, select the prompts that match their need, and Creative Studio will then generate a selection of custom background images.

For Shoppers

Shopping is a major driver of visitors to Pinterest, and a study shows that 55% of Pinterest users think of the platform as a place to shop. Pinterest Presents saw the announcement of new features that will aim to help users discover shopping destinations.  

Mobile Deep Links and Direct Links: Mobile deep links aim to quickly direct users to a specific page in a retailer’s mobile app, making it easier to shop for products after clicking on a shopping ad. Direct links take people straight from a Pinterest ad to a retailer’s website, reducing the steps it takes for users to go from discovering a product to checkout.

eCommerce Integrations: Pinterest is expanding its integration ecosystem with two new integrations for Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce native applications to all monetised markets. These integrations aim to allow merchants to manage their Pinterest product catalogues and set them up directly within the applications they already use for Salesforce or Adobe.

For Agencies 

Pinterest has also unveiled improvements to its automated business tools to help manage its clients’ presence on Pinterest. 

Pinterest’s Business Manager: A tool for advertisers that helps them automate workstreams.

For Users

Finally, the new innovations wrapped up with a focus on the people who make Pinterest tick: the user base. 

Collages: This new feature is designed to help users personalise ideas and refine their vision, working to bring their inspiration to life. Leveraging the platform’s visual technology, Collages enable users to cut objects out of a Pin and combine them with other cutouts to create an interactive collage of ideas. Brands can get involved by updating their catalogues so users can add their products to Collages.

In the ongoing series of interviews on podcast and video, Mediaweek recently explored the growing importance of sport in the streaming world. Talking with Mediaweek editor-in-chief James Manning were Kayo Sports marketing director Kim McConnie and Samsung TV Plus head of business development Ed Love.

The discussion below is just part of the highlights from the full Behind the Screens podcast, powered by Samsung Ads. Listen to the unedited podcast session:

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Fragmented sports streaming road map

Kim McConnie: The market is definitely becoming more fragmented and the market across streaming and as a whole is becoming more fragmented. That actually makes a position like Kayo even a little bit stronger, because we still have over 50 sports. It’s pretty diverse and it’s pretty broad, and global as well. People will gravitate to what can make it easier for them. Streaming fatigue is having too many streaming apps. Sport is something that will be a little bit fragmented, but ultimately, people will look for where can they get the biggest sports, both globally and locally in one place.

Kim McConnie

Viewing experience and ad loads

Kim McConnie: There’s always going to be different approaches. We believe the viewing experience and no interruptions with ads works really well for us. If you think about The Ashes. People did expect The Ashes to be on Kayo. It wasn’t and it was probably the best test cricket we’ve seen in many years. We were encouraged by the fact there was also a lot of frustration and comments on social media about the ads. It reinforced to us that people really value that uninterrupted viewing experience.

Ed Love: I’ve got to say I’d rather not see ads. Obviously, they also serve an enormous purpose in getting rights onto different platforms. So from our perspective, even as a platform, generally our ad load sits a lot lower than, for example, free-to-air. That’s a choice we’ve made to create a point of difference. Then during sport were sort of beholden to the channel partner that owns the rights to it. Some don’t carry any ads at all during live sports. Some do, but it’s definitely a lower ad load, which I think the viewer would be much happier with.

Live is still king, but…

Kim McConnie: What we’re seeing on Kayo is a shift in behaviour. The live game is absolutely king. But we’re starting to see an increase in snackable, on-demand streaming consumption. Things like our Kayo Minis and VOD streaming are performing very well. The shift in behaviour I think will be people searching for more to complement the live game. It really comes down to freedom and flexibility. We all live such busy lives, that if I can’t watch that live game, in the moment, I want to be able to see all the highlights within minutes of the game ending. I want to be able to rewatch the game at my time, when and where I want as well.

The rise of the mini

Kim McConnie: We gave it scale by doing it across nearly all of our sports. It became a regular behaviour that people could rely on and now people really rely on it. F1 is a great example. We see the huge benefit from [Netflix’s] Drive to Survive bringing in a more casual fan base. They’re not staying up at 2am to watch the race. They still want to stay engaged with the sport and they are waking up and watching the minis of the race over breakfast or on their way into the office.

Sports bodies going direct to consumer

Ed Love: Sporting bodies doing it themselves [direct to consumer or DTC] is in my view much more complimentary as opposed to an and or. Let’s talk a lot about the NFL because I love it. NFL has had NFL Red Zone for years. It’s a direct-to-consumer model, and a lot of people have it as an add-on to them watching the game on free-to-air or on cable or how ever they might consume it. We’ll see more and more of that as the sporting bodies become much more aware of the rights they maintain and how they can use that to get to a new audience. I can’t see a world, and in particular in Australia, where sporting bodies will go totally direct to consumer.

Ed Love

Importance of pre and post-game coverage

Ed Love: We saw with the Women’s World Cup the importance of the pre and post-game shows around the matches. They were actually great and they rated really well. For the viewer, if their team has won, then they are hanging around because they just want to soak it all in.

The attractiveness of a sports FAST channel

Ed Love: It’s probably less on the acquisition side of things. It’s more about the sporting rights owners realising they do have a treasure trove of content and that they can utilise it in new ways. The FIFA FAST channel we launched is fantastic. They own all the rights to every bit of back catalogue, every World Cup, and all those premium documentaries they’ve created. They obviously saw an opportunity to spin up a channel around that. More and more sporting rights bodies will start to realise what they are sitting on. Most of them do retain rights to their games, pre-certain periods, perhaps pre the latest broadcast agreement. Then it’s about really honing in on what they own, and how to find a new audience for it. To re-monetise the content that they monetised maybe 10 years ago.

Different sporting bodies also have different priorities. For some, it’s a monetisation issue for a lot, it’s eyeballs, and it’s engagement. If we look at some of the global sports that haven’t always been a tier-one sport here, they’re trying to grow their brand in this country. To get into the country and show all this premium content. People on Samsung TV Plus are getting it for free and it’s very much a premium streaming product.

What’s ahead on Kayo and Samsung TV Plus?

Kim McConnie: It is a really strong back end of the year. The Men’s Cricket World Cup in India is just around the corner. There is also the Las Vegas Formula One which is going to be exciting. And that’s going to be a great time zone for us [5pm AEST]. And then we’ve obviously got other Formula One. It is a really strong next six months of sport which Kayo loves.

Ed Love: From a sports perspective, this has been a really big year for us. We’ve prioritised our sports offering which is something we wanted to grow. We did launch FIFA+ and we’ve got some really exciting channel launches coming towards the end of the year. What we’re really trying to do is give as broad a sports offering as possible to our viewers.

You can watch and listen to other Behind the Screens programs powered by Samsung Ads.

Nine CMO Liana Dubois in the Samsung Ads Behind the Screen Studios with Mediaweek’s James Manning

Behind the Screens: The Future of Television

Episode one podcast
Episode one video

In the first episode Cathy Oh, VP & global head of marketing Samsung Ads, spoke about how technology is driving viewing behaviours, the future of connected TV advertising and key questions for marketers.

Episode two podcast
Episode two video

In the second episode, Mark Frain, CEO Foxtel Media, and Nick Thomas, chief investment officer at EssenceMediacom Australia spoke about the importance of attention as a measurement of advertising success.

Episode three podcast
Episode three video

In episode three, Richard Henson, Seven Network director distribution & content partnership, and Alex Spurzem, Samsung Ads ANZ general manager discuss the growth and opportunities offered by FAST channels.

Episode four podcasts
Episode four video

In episode four, Is connected TV the new cookie? our special guests were IAB chief executive Gai Le Roy and Paramount ANZ’s digital advertising and product director Shani Kugenthiran.

Episode five podcast
Episode five video

For the final episode, The Future of Television, Behind the Screens speaks to the chief marketing officer at Nine Entertainment, Liana Dubois.

Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery

LiSTNR captures the Love Story between Aussies and Taylor Swift in Behind The Hits

As fans prepare for The Eras Tour, LiSTNR’s Behind The Hits podcast has released an episode all about the story of Taylor Swift.

From her first Aussie shows in 2009 to sold out stadium tours, the podcast episode dives into Taylor’s story through exclusive archived interview audio. The podcast also hears from industry pals including Ed Sheeran and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, as well as a number of Swifties. 

Podcast Week’s Tess Connery caught up with host of Behind the Hits – Taylor Swift, Nic Kelly to chat about putting the episode together.

When it came to why the team chose to cover Taylor Swift, Kelly said it came down to the fact that she is “literally the biggest walking human headline on the planet right now.”

“In this podcast, we’re not only hearing from her across the multiple eras of her life and career, but from her peers. We spoke to Joe Elliott from Def Leppard, who might be a left-of-centre choice to talk to about Taylor Swift, but I think he helps us highlight just how transcendent she is as a musician, and how much she means to the music industry as a whole. 

“She’s basically rewritten the rulebook with her masters being re-recorded to re-release years after they first came out. She’s taught the music industry how to be kinder, and how to be more considerate towards artists and creatives. She’s really been able to use her platform and power, especially over the last five years or so, to rewrite the rulebook on what artists can expect from the music industry and make it a fair place for artists to come after her. On multiple levels, her icon status is there.”

With so much material to cover when it comes to Swift’s career, Kelly said that above all else, what the Behind The Hits team are trying to do is “create a snapshot via audio of a moment in the history of music.”

“It’s a mishmash of stories that you’ve heard and some you haven’t heard, but then we add new context. We did an interview with Paul McCartney not too long ago that was able to add some new context to the scenario, whereas what we’ve done with Taylor – because we can’t get access to her, because she does very few interviews these days – is build a documentary using archival audio. We also spoke to fans and experts, and really pieced together a new framework to talk about these artists. 

“We’re trying to bring a fresh lens to their story and do justice to the highs and lows and depths of their career.”

When asked if there were any particular anecdotes or nuggets of information that suck with him during the production of the episode, Kelly points to two facts about Swift’s career.

“The first thing for me was realising just how long she’s been doing this for! Through the research for this podcast – which I did alongside Cameron Adams, our music journalism stalwart, and Georgie Page, our executive producer – we discovered how she actually first was discovered by fans on MySpace. You don’t even think about MySpace as part of the music conversation these days. 

“There’s also how important Australia was to her story. Australia was responsible for introducing her to Ed Sheeran, Australia was one of the first places where she had a number one single. She’s been coming out here since 2009.”

Ultimately, Kelly said that he hopes listeners leave the podcast with an understanding of why the Taylor Swift name is as powerful as it is – both at home and around the world.

“The thing with artists like Taylor is that the story has often been told in this very tabloid kind of way – we see the depths of the lows of her career and the more unfortunate moments. The re-recordings and the fallout with Scooter Braun was such a pivotal moment in music history, and it really required her to rewrite the rulebook in a very calculated way. 

“I hope people understand just how important she has been to changing the narrative on so many levels of music, not just in terms of giving credibility to pop music. I think in Australia, more so than the US and the UK, we’ve had a bit of a tall poppy attitude towards pop music. I think there’s definitely been a layer of misogyny that has existed towards pop music and musicians as unashamedly pop as Taylor.”

[Listen to Behind The Hits – Taylor Swift here]

Podcast Ranker August 2023: ARN celebrates milestone, LiSTNR claims 8m+ audience

Commercial Radio Australia has released the latest Australian Podcast Ranker tables for performance in the month of August 2023. Increased listening is leading to climbing podcast revenues.

The results comes after it was recently revealed digital audio advertising spend in Australia reached $68.1 million in the June quarter, a 14% jump over the same period a year ago, and up 31% from the 2023 March quarter’s $51.9 million, according to IAB Australia’s Online Advertising Expenditure Report (OAER) prepared by PwC.

Podcast advertising lifted by 24% to $27.5m in the June quarter and rose 39% from $19.8m in the 2023 March quarter. Streaming audio spend grew over 8% to $41m for the June quarter.

The 2023 Infinite Dial Australia study revealed Australia has the most voracious podcasts consumers globally, with monthly Australian podcast listening at 43% of Australians aged 10+ listening monthly.

Podcast Ranker winners August 2023

The biggest mover in the top 10 was Shameless, published and represented by Shameless Media. The podcast was up three spots and into the Top 5 at #4.

The highest “new” entry on the Podcast Ranker was Australian True Crime. It is actually close to 400 episodes old and the Acast series, hosted by Meshel Laurie and Emily Webb, has just been listed for the first in the Ranker.

New in the Top 40 on debut was Your News Now, a bulletin from ARN/iHeart.

LiSTNR’s Secrets She Keeps debuted on the chart at #62.

[Read more]

LiSTNR announces audio partnership with Los Angeles Rams for 2023/24 NFL season

LiSTNR has announced an audio-first partnership in Australia with the famed American NFL team, the Los Angeles Rams.

The partnership brings Aussie and expat fans live coverage of every play, every touchdown, and every moment from the LA Rams’ 2023/2024 NFL season. 

In addition to offering live broadcasts of the LA Rams’ games, the audio platform will offer LA Rams fans an extra dose of premium content, by featuring two hit podcasts produced by the LA Rams, including Between the Horns and Rams Revealed, allowing fans to stay up to date with commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and analysis.  

Between the Horns is a weekly, in-season podcast, bringing Rams fans the latest news on the team, while Rams Revealed is hosted by ‘voice of the Rams’ and sports broadcaster J.B. Long as he sits down with Rams players each week.

Under the new partnership, LiSTNR will take a direct feed from the team’s Los Angeles flagship radio station, ESPN LA 710 AM for each LA Rams game, where fans can hear the call of play-by-play from announcer J.B. Long, analyst Maurice Jones-Drew, and sideline reporter D’Marco Farr.

[Listen to the LA Rams coverage on LiSTNR here]

Dr Sneha Wadhwani launches new podcast with LiSTNR debunking myths surrounding women’s health 

The most common questions and myths around women’s health will be debunked on LiSTNR’s new podcast with women’s health advocate and GP, Dr Sneha Wadhwani, called Everything from A to V.

Alongside Dr Wadhwani’s expert guests, including Dr Ginni Mansburg, sexologist Georgia Grace, Dr Susan Evans and more, listeners will find answers to questions such as “Why is the women’s bathroom line always so long?”

Everything from A to V sifts through medical facts and fiction, providing women with the knowledge needed to take charge of their health. It explores a range of topics such as menopause, bladder health, STIs, care for ‘down there’, and IVF among others.

Podcast host, Dr Sneha Wadhwani, said: “As a women’s health GP with over 20 years’ experience, I’ve seen science evolve and medicine change exponentially. But despite this, there remains an abundance of health ‘fact’ inaccuracy circulated in social media and by friends and family in the women’s health space. With so many self-purported ‘experts’ in the space, it can be really challenging for women to source reliable, clinically accurate and evidence-based information outside of the consultation.

“Everything from A to V sets out to take this approach from beyond my consultation rooms, into a space which is accessible to all women. To do this well and with the best clinical expertise, and the forefront of medical evidence, I’ve got some of the best women’s health experts joining me to share real evidence-based facts, demystify women’s health and debunking some myths along the way.”

[Listen to Everything from A to V here]

Tanya Hennessy has ‘More To Say’ in her new podcast with Nova

Comedian/presenter Tanya Hennessy is teaming up with Nova Entertainment to bring listeners a new original podcast, More To Say.

The new podcast will explore how she navigates life’s challenges and personal relationships, from the highs and lows of work to her big life goals.

Tanya will also feature guests on her new podcast with her first guest jumping on to join the conversation being her fiancé Tom. 

As well as a new podcast, Tanya is also back on the radio airwaves, co-hosting Confidential on Nova alongside News Corp’s Jonathan Moran until the end of the year. Tanya and Jonathan can be heard nationally on Sunday nights from 7pm.

Tanya says, “Over the past two seasons of Hennessy’s Hotline, I have had the opportunity to explore some wild and wonderful stories as well as to entertain and connect with a wide range of listeners. One thing I have realised with some of the topics is that I have more to say…

“So welcome to my new podcast, More to Say! Each ep I will be delving deeper into topics that need more exploration – it’s going to be funny, frank, at times deeply personal and as always, sexy. Looking forward to having you along for the ride.”

[Listen to More To Say here]

Everything Caravan & Camping ventures into the podcast space, hosted by Channel Seven’s Scott Hillier

The weekly ECC Podcast will provide Australian campers, caravanners and 4WDers with the latest news, products and services to help them on their next adventure in Australia or New Zealand.

Scott Hillier will delve into the major issues confronting campers, caravanners and 4WDers, as well as provide recipes from Everything Caravan & Camping chef Harry Fisher and speak to ECC influencers including ECC Off-Grid Travel Series hosts Simon and Liz Bailey from The Lifestyle Pioneers.

“Australian adventurers are always on the lookout for the latest information and services available to help make their holiday or weekend away a memorable one, and the ECC Podcast will deliver that in spades,” said ECC Podcast host Scott Hillier.

“Each week we will have special guests, discuss the topics that the caravan, camping and 4WD community want and need to know about, and we will have some funny stories along the way.

“Whether listeners are at home, work, on the road or at their favourite destination, they can tune in each week to the ECC Podcast.

“And we want to hear from campers, caravans and 4WDers as well, so make sure you tune in and get involved in the Everything Caravan & Camping Podcast.”

The ECC Podcast launches on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and can be found on all major podcast channels.

iHeartPodcast Network announces season two of The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong

The iHeartPodcast Network Australia has announced the return of The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong for a second season.

Hosted by Tony Armstrong, this season promises to dive deeper into quirky sports stories you’ve never heard before.

This season will cover stories like the surprising mystery of Phar Lap’s heart, the legend of Heather McKay the champion Aussie squash player who only lost twice in 20 years, and the celebratory wave which cost a racing legend a Formula 1 win.

Armstrong said: “This is such a fun podcast, each week I get to sit down and share an unbelievable sports yarn, and the stories in this new season will not disappoint. Tune in, enjoy and then go share the story with your mates and wow them.”

Stephanie Coombes, ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network content director said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing back The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong for its second season. Tony has a natural ability to connect with his audience and the podcast has resonated strongly with listeners. We can’t wait to see where Tony takes us in this exciting new season.”

[Listen to The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong here]

Crimtan was founded by Paul Goad in 2009, who began in the industry with DoubleClick as a founding employee in 1997 before Google acquired it.

The company started as an audience management platform before it built a demand-side platform a few years ago. This evolution meant Crimtan could buy audiences, understand user behaviours, interests, and intent and put ads in front of them in real time.

Now Crimtan is a leader in total lifecycle marketing for programmatic and aims to deliver relevant, consented programmatic advertising that drives incremental ROI..

Though headquartered in London, Crimtan has grown and expanded globally with offices in New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Leading Crimtan in the Japanese capital is Josh Wilson, JAPAC commercial director. He spoke to Mediaweek about Crimtan’s growth, the impressive range of clients, industry hot topics, and his outlook on the company and industry.

Wilson on leading Crimtan in the JAPAC region and its impressive client portfolio

Wilson joined Crimtan in 2016 just as the company looked into opportunities in Japan. He had previously worked in digital marketing, mainly in affiliate marketing using programmatic technology and social media marketing. He began as a client services manager in Sydney and did consultancy work on exploring Japan as a market.

In 2019, he relocated to Japan to open the Tokyo office and moved up the ranks in the company. Now, as commercial director for the JAPAC region, he oversees the commercial hubs in Australia, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Crimtan works with clients from various industries, such as retail, travel, finance, auto brands, B2B, technology, recruitment and education.

Wilson also noted that they also work with governments, such as prefectural governments like Osaka and Tokyo and the Japanese National Tourist Organisation. He said: “Even though that’s a brand we work with here, locally, in Japan, they execute their marketing campaigns outside Japan. We help them with their marketing globally.”

Crimtan has done plenty of work in Australia with BWS and Bank Australia. Globally, the company has done work with Avis, UNICEF and McDonald’s

How Crimtan aims to solve challenges in the industry

Wilson highlighted media wastage/data leakage, the end of cookies and measurement as current hot topics challenging the industry.  

Wilson noted that when Crimtan was first established, the hope was for the company to be a one-stop shop for programmatic needs. He explained that the wide range of DSPs available can lead to data leakage or the discrepancy between one system and another if they want to work with other technologies outside the ecosystem.

“With Crimtan, all of the tech is built by us. It’s designed to minimise data leakage because it’s seamless, well-oiled technology.

“Sometimes, the analogy I give clients to explain this is Apple computers. They make the operating system, the screen, the chip, and all of the hardware to a certain extent, and it’s designed not to crash, get viruses and bug out.

“Whereas a PC might be a Dell monitor or a Samsung hard drive. All these bits and pieces coming into that. It’s like trying to stitch things together that may not work together efficiently.”

Wilson highlighted that Crimtan’s solution to data leakage and media wastage is its ArchiTECH. The platform combines DSP, DMP and DCO to deliver powerful marketing insights, ad performance, transparency and efficiency.

Crimtan has been ahead of the curve when it comes to the cookieless future. Wilson said that the company had to change its platform as far back as 2018 to comply with UK and European changes to privacy regulations, including GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). He noted that such changes have been filtered throughout the company in other markets over time.

However, Wilson said such legislation has taken time to catch up and still has a way to go. He noted that in the past, it was more of an issue for the UK and Europe. But changing technology from companies like Google and Apple has driven countries like Australia to keep up.

“It’s a global problem. For Crimtan, we’re a bit of a thought leader on it because we’ve had to do that since 2018. Our solution is Active ID, which is the ability to do consented relevant advertising, even if we can’t use cookies.”

The third industry issue Wilson highlighted is accurate measurement. He said: “What’s happening in the industry is that media planners or technology platforms that can’t target in a cookieless environment will just exclude certain platforms that have stopped tacking.

“If you’re running a campaign and only targeting half of the online population, you’re missing out on a massive pool of relevant audiences.”

Wilson noted that while many places still use cookies, Crimtan is moving toward helping their clients with professional services and platforms to help analyse what is happening to the campaign. This includes halo effect analysis that looks at the path to conversion, relevancy and how transactions are made, and TMA (Total Media Attribution), a type of mixed media modelling.

“It’s looking at a campaign holistically and then at each channel’s influence on the outcome. Because of changes in legislation, technology and cookies going away, helping our customers understand the success of their campaign is also a hot topic,” he said, noting the halo effect analysis and TMA as bringing visibility to campaigns.

Wilson’s optimistic outlook for Crimtan and the industry

With eight years under his belt at Crimtan, Wilson shared that the outlook ahead is “positive”.

“If I didn’t feel that, I probably wouldn’t be at any other company and speak positively about it. For us at Crimtan, we’re lucky that we have our headquarters in the UK now and a strong presence in the US because they’re the innovators of the ad tech space to a certain extent.

“What happens in those markets usually trickles down to where we are, so being ahead of the curve helps us understand if headwinds are coming up. Like going cookieless, we can prepare for that. Or if it’s a new concept, like attention, we can speak to that to keep ourselves relevant and in the conversation.

Wilson noted that he is looking forward to what is in store for the future.

“There’s going to be a lot of unknowns, like what will happen when cookies phase out. We all have ideas about what’s going to happen, but we still need to find out the reality of the situation. It’s exciting times.

Wilson also highlighted the momentum of programmatic. He said: “A lot of media buying is moving towards programmatic; you can buy a Kia ad in Japan shown on a TV in a cab. You can buy outdoor panels, audio, and Netflix coming to the table with programmatic bias.

“There’s so much going on that it’s hard to keep up. But it’s exciting,” Wilson concluded.

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Top image: Joshua Wilson

SXSW Sydney has announced Charlie Brooker, the creator of the Netflix anthology series Black Mirror, will join as a headline speaker at the futurist event taking place for the first time outside of Austin, Texas, in October.

Black Mirror reveals humanity’s worst traits, greatest innovations and the darkest side of our future and shocks audiences with every episode. The series provides commentary on the potential futures and how humanity can shape them.

Brooker joins a stacked program of over 1,000 ground-breaking events and sessions, drawing inspiration from visionary thinkers worldwide across Tech and Innovation, Screen, Music, Games and Culture as Sydney becomes the worldwide epicentre for the creative industries.

Brooker said: “Having to quickly provide a personal quote for a press release about how excited I am to join the inaugural Sydney-flavoured SXSW event is exactly the sort of thing ChatGPT is for, but I’ve written this one myself because I still care about our species, dammit.”

“Although I initially misspelt “inaugural” just then until I got corrected by a machine, so actually maybe we’re just rubbish. This tense love-hate relationship with technology is what Black Mirror is all about,” he said.

“That and stories about prime ministers and pigs. Anyway, I can’t wait to attend and get so cowed by all the creativity and innovation on display that I go home feeling depressed and inadequate. I’m genuinely looking forward to it,” he added.

Colin Daniels, managing director, SXSW Sydney, said: “SXSW Sydney seeks to offer unique perspectives of the future, making Charlie Brooker an ideal speaker for our event. Black Mirror consistently leads the cultural conversation on what we face in the now or may confront in our future, offering a chance for reflection and change. Charlie embodies what attendees can expect from SXSW Sydney; creativity and innovation.”

Brooker will appear alongside previously announced headline speakers including GRAMMY Award winner Chance The Rapper, Coachella festival CEO Paul Tollett, visionary Slack co-founder Cal Henderson, futurist and AI expert Amy Webb.

Read more: Chance the Rapper heading Down Under to speak at SXSW Sydney

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) has responded to Gurner CEO Tim Gurner after he called for “unemployment to jump 40 to 50 per cent” at the publication’s Property Summit on Tuesday.

Gurner said that the problem was that people did not want to work so much through COVID, impacting productivity, and have been “paid a lot to do not too much”.

“We need to see unemployment rise. Unemployment has to rise 40-50% in my view. We need to see pain in the economy. We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around,” he said.

“There’s been a systematic change where employees feel the employer is extremely lucky to have them as opposed to the other way around. It’s a dynamic that has to change, we’ve got to kill that attitude, and that has to come through hurting the economy,” Gurner added.

As we write, the AFR clip has been viewed 22.4 million times on X (formerly Twitter), and has been shared by high profile people including New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

AFR reporter Mark Di Stefano has tackled the attention the clip has garnered online, reminding readers of Gurner’s privilege. He noted that Gurner previously made headlines for suggesting people should eat less brunch if they wanted a stake in the property market – yes, he is the original Avocado Toast Guy.

Di Stefano also highlighted that Gurner revealed in an interview with 60 Minutes in 2017 that he bought his first apartment in St Kilda apartment for $180k, with the help of his boss at the time.

“My first investment property was an apartment bought for $180k in St Kilda and I was fortunate enough to have my boss at the time approach me to renovate it while he fronted up the money,” he said, as reported by news.com.au at the time.

Gurner then went on to explain after selling the property and making $12,000 in profit. He made a business proposal to his grandfather which got him an additional $34,000, which he then used to get a $150,000 loan to buy a gym that was renovated and later sold.

Di Stefano called out Gurner, and said: “Of course! Because it’s a tale stitched into the fabric of the Australian dream. The lump sum inheritance, or the familial guarantor. The financial backstop that’s always there in every story, though never in the headline. They are the foundational facts that are glazed over in the origin stories of Australia’s over-levered property wunderkinds.”

“Tim Gurner encapsulates all the fears that regular people have of the property industry. That when landlords and property developers go into functions and hotel ballrooms, they all privately gripe about the ungrateful serfs. But the mask didn’t slip here. Timbo ripped it off.”

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Top Image: Tim Gurner

Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) has announced 16 mentees in Sydney and Melbourne as part of its Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme. The mentees will be matched with mentors to coach the up-and-coming leaders.

Female Leaders of Tomorrow launch events have been held in Sydney and Melbourne at oOh!media’s offices. Mentees and mentors undertook “speed networking” sessions where each mentee sat down with each mentor for four minutes to introduce each other and to determine who would be their best fit.

The 16 IMAA Female Leaders of Tomorrow mentees are:

• Zoe Amos – Kaimera
• Angela Brand – Hotglue
• Sue Cant – Affinity
• Elly Catchlove  Half Dome
• Hayley Clarke – Hotglue
• Denize D’Silva – Media Republic
• Eleni Endt – Adenium
• Lenka Kleinova – Hatched
• Sally Lawrence – Enigma
• Kimberley Leopoldo – Hatched
• Erienne Lette – Slingshot
• Annie Marendaz – The Media Store
• Jana Mehrtens – Admatic
• Mattie Mould – Apparent
• Olivia Scott – Kaimera

In Sydney, mentors are Cathy O’Connor (CEO at oOh!media), Lauren Joyce (Chief Strategy & Connections Officer at ARN), Nikki Rooke (Sydney Sales Director at Nine), Lara Brownlow (Head of Channel Sales APAC at LinkedIn), Mark Fairhurst (Executive General Manager at QMS), Liam Loan-Lack (Head of Marketing APAC & Canada at CMC Markets), Melinda Petrunoff (Country Manager at Pinterest) and Gaye Steel (Marketing and Content Director Consultant and Academic Lecturer at Torrens University Australia).

In Melbourne, mentors are Andrea Salmon (National Head of Audio Sales at SCA), Peter Whitehead (Chief Commercial Officer at ARN), Natalie Warren-Smith (General Manager – Brand and Channel at Stockland), Emma Fulford (Head of Marketing at Smiggle), Rachel Page (Network Digital Sales Director at the Seven Network) Amanda Connors (Global Chief Marketing Officer at Total Beauty Network), Karl Winther (Chief Marketing Officer at Kogan) and Andrew Will (Commercial Director & Market Lead at NOVA Entertainment).

The six-month programme aims to create a support network between industry leaders and their mentees by matching mentors with up-and-coming women in indie media agencies. The programme is part of the IMAA’s work in fostering long-term diversity and inclusivity across independent media agencies nationally.

The programme will be facilitated by Wendy Gower, the trainer and coach behind WeGrow, which specialises in mentoring for the communications industry.

IMAA DE&I Council Chair, Angela Smith, said “The media industry isn’t immune to the same issues at large, where there simply isn’t enough representation of women at a senior level.  Mentees have the chance to help shape themselves within the independent media community and the world more broadly by taking this opportunity and working with their mentors to become a stronger more effective leader, to be proud of who they are and what they can offer those around them.”

“I would like to thank our mentors for their generosity which will make a world of difference to our mentees. We are blessed to have such an impressive group of women in this programme.”

IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan, said: “I’d like to sincerely congratulate each mentee who has been accepted into our Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme. Our evaluation panel had the privilege of reviewing many outstanding applications against a set of criteria, and it was a tough decision to finalise the mentees. We were genuinely impressed by the calibre, dedication, creativity, and passion we have within the independent sector, and we are looking forward to watching these women become our leaders of tomorrow.”

News Corp Australia will hold its inaugural Future Energy Summit in Sydney on September 15 to discuss how the nation will keep the lights on and prices under control as it transitions to renewable energy.

The Future Energy Summit will bring together decision-makers and industry leaders to deliberate on the challenges, opportunities and pathways towards the government’s commitment to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and put pressure on energy generators to accelerate Australia’s production of cleaner energy.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver the keynote address. He will be joined at the Summit by speakers including Office of Hydrogen Power South Australia chief executive officer Sam Crafter; Alinta Energy chief executive officer Jeff Dimery; Australian Energy Council chief executive Sarah McNamara; and Grattan Institute Energy Program Director Tony Wood.

News Corp Australia’s Publishing Board Chairman Jason Scott said: “News Corp Australia is well positioned to lead important debates through our traditional role of hosting the contest of different ideas that form the national conversation. 

“The Future Energy series highlights the importance of our future energy needs and, like the national Bush Summit and our focus on improving education outcomes for all Australians, we are keeping our audiences informed about the issues that matter most.”

The event will conclude a week-long Future Energy editorial series by News Corp Australia’s state mastheads, which commenced on Sunday, September 10, exploring the energy roadmap as Australia transitions to a broader mix of energy sources to power homes, transport and businesses.

The Advertiser’s Editor Gemma Jones is leading the editorial series and said: “Australia is at a critical moment, net zero by 2050 is legislated so the country is committed to that path. 

“Decarbonisation of the economy is an enormous undertaking. The energy transition will touch every aspect of Australian life and it is important people understand the consequences, which include both challenges and opportunities. 

“It is important also that power is affordable and we will be gathering some of the best minds in the country who are committed to that outcome.”

The Future Energy Summit will be livestreamed here.

See also: How News Corp is going behind the ‘why’ of the housing crisis

Anthony Freedman has announced the launch of a new holding company, Common Interest, bringing together investors from the worlds of entertainment, film, tech, media, gaming and advertising.

Freedman was the founder of Host, One Green Bean and former Havas AU/NZ chair.

Common Interest is funded by a group of entrepreneurs united by a recognition that cultural connection represents the most compelling opportunity for impact and growth through the 2020s and beyond, creating a holding group for a new era of brand building.

While legacy ad networks are pursuing a narrowing focus on incremental performance gains driven by data, Common Interest is dedicated to driving brand growth through popular culture. The new group is committed to delivering big, bold creative impact at the intersection of brand, entertainment, modern media and technology.

Anthony Freedman said: “Common Interest is born out of a gap that exists in today’s industry. We’re in an age where technology has radically transformed the media and entertainment industry, yet brand indifference is at an all-time high. Moreover, as traditional advertising formats are diminishing in relevance, the stories behind brands matter more than ever.”

“Our core focus will be to create positive change through the power of common interest. As a group founded in culture and privately funded by strategically aligned investors (myself included), it’s not about short-term gains and shareholder returns but about our shared ambition to change the direction the industry is heading. We’re here to find new ways to harness the power of creativity in culture to deliver growth in brand and business.”

This view is reflected in the company’s first acquisition: TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, founded by former Airbnb Global CMO Jonathan Mildenhall with ex Chiat\Day CSO Neil Barrie and led in the US by ex Redscout CEO Colin Chow.

Jonathan Mildenhall, Neil Barrie, Anthony Freedman and Colin Chow

TwentyFirstCenturyBrand is renowned for its role in defining today’s iconic brands through the lens of culture, technology and purpose, the consultancy has built a cult-like following on the back of its work for category-defining unicorns such as Pinterest, Peloton, Instacart and Depop as well as established global giants such as Pepsico and Mars Inc., to name a few. 

Barrie said: “From our very first days huddled around Jonathan’s kitchen table, we knew one day we’d need an ally who would support, inspire and challenge us to achieve our ambitions.

“We’re a people-centred business and finding a partner who truly shares our values and understands our culture was not easy. That changed when we met Anthony. Anthony is a human-first leader with a pedigree of building progressive creative businesses, and he has a unique vision of what a new iteration of the ‘holding company’ can be.”

Chow, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand managing partner, North America, added: “Our ambition has always been to drive purposeful growth for both TwentyFirstCenturyBrand and our clients. Common Interest ensures our clients can access the world’s most diverse and creative talent as they build the brands that shape popular culture in the 21st century.”

Mildenhall, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand’s co-founder and Chairman, said of the acquisition: “The impact of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand has exceeded my wildest expectations over the past five years. This deal will help turbo-charge our mission over the next decade. I couldn’t be more optimistic for our 21CB team and clients alike.”

With a trans-Atlantic footprint, this initial acquisition gives Common Interest an immediate presence in both Europe and North America from TwentyFirstCenturyBrand’s London base and San Francisco HQ, from which to further its growth with up to 10 acquisitions planned by the end of 2024, alongside backing smart founders with a proven track-record in start-ups.

Mildenhall, Barrie and Chow will each remain in their respective roles and oversee significant growth with new divisions soon to launch within their expanding consultancy. 

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Top image: Anthony Freedman

Howatson+Company has welcomed Andrew Drougas as managing director – Melbourne. 

Chris Howatson, founder and CEO, said of the appointment: ”I’ve had the pleasure of working with Drougie for many years. He deeply cares about his clients and how to grow their business.

“He creates a climate of understanding, care and ambition within the agency. And is truly energised by the transformational power of creative thinking.”

“His experience will immediately elevate our business and help define our next era. I’m thrilled to welcome him and be working with him again,” Howatson added.

Drougas will partner with the agency’s existing leadership team, including Renee Hyde, who has been promoted to group managing director, and Rebecca Robertson, who continues in her role as managing partner.

Drougas said of his new role at the agency: “I’m so pleased to be joining the team – it already feels like home. D&AD Global Independent Agency of the Year. Cannes Global Independent Agency of the Year (Good). The list goes on and on, and in such a brief amount of time since it’s inception because of a great group of people doing great creative work.

“It’s such a simple yet hard formula to achieve but Howatson+Company have got the runs on the board, and I can’t wait to add to the agency’s continued growth and success.”

Prior to joining Howatson+Company, Drougas was chief operating Oofficer and managing director – Melbourne at CHE Proximity as part of his 15 year tenure across the Clemenger Group. He was central to the foundational team responsible for CHEP’s early innovative capabilities and rapid growth.

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Top image: Andrew Drougas, Renee Hyde and Chris Howatson

XPO: The Mars Agency has announced the appointment of Gavin McColl as eCommerce director.

The newly created senior role is designed to enhance the shopper and activations agency’s digital commerce capabilities, with digital commerce taking an increasing stake in the commerce journey.

McColl, previously held the role of head of experience and eCommerce at Resolution Digital, joins after a four-year stint in the same role for OMD. His background extends to retailers, with significant experience across Coles, Target and Officeworks.

McColl will join the global eCommerce team of 50 with specialities across Digital Shelf, Amazon and Amazon Enterprise.

McColl of joining the company and his new role: “Australian eCommerce is a rapidly evolving space, but many brands are unsure on how to properly capitalise with an engaged consumer online. With our eCommerce offering at XPO: The Mars Agency, we are primed to create engaging online experiences wherever your customer converts and ultimately improve our clients’ share of the online shelf, driving incremental sales that connect across the entire shopper journey.”

Gavin McColl and Sally Tobin

XPO: The Mars Agency’s eCommerce offering focuses on all the online consumer touchpoints, with a key lens on eRetail, Direct-to-consumer marketplaces like Amazon, B2B distributor platforms, as well as the growing capabilities of social commerce. The service offering will be enhanced through the agency’s first to market commerce platform, Marilyn®.

Sally Tobin, managing director of XPO: The Mars Agency, said: “Shopping journeys are increasingly spanning the phy’gital space; with recent grocery reports indicating 52% of online shopping journeys start online and continue in store in the coming days*.

“The key to driving online growth is plugging the data gaps that brands often face whilst selling through online channels to ensure we are understanding the impact online retail has on total share of shelf. By leveraging Marilyn®, we will enable our clients to make data-driven decisions and allow brands to quantify the impact of our work by giving our clients comprehensive measurement and analytics.”

Read more: XPO: The Mars Agency launches its Retail Media Division in Australia

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Top image: Gavin McColl

Venetian Media Group (VMG)’s full-service marketing agency, Yakkazoo has appointed Rosie Thompson-Jones to lead its experiential and events division. 

In the new role, that is effective immediately, Thompson-Jones will nurture Yakkazoo client relationships and drive new business opportunities. 

Thompson-Jones was most recently executive producer for INVNT and brings with her two decades of live event and storytelling experience.

Her portfolio includes work in pharmaceutical, automotive, technology, finance, media, and IT events, as well as FMCG B2C and B2B campaigns. 

Thompson-Jones said: “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into some new and exciting projects. The Yakkazoo team is working on some truly awe-inspiring experiences, setting the bar for physical and digital engagement.”

Thompson-Jones will report to VMMG chief executive officer, Michael Fishwick who said: “At Yakkazoo, from conception to execution, we’re all about the extraordinary journey. We create magic in everything we do, and our events and experiential team is at the heart of that. With a proven track record of delivering memorable experiences, a dedication to client satisfaction, and a sky’s the-limit attitude, Rosie is the perfect person to lead this agency to new heights.”

Recent client wins from Yakkazoo include a successful New Balance in-game mobile advertising campaign, which has seen increases in foot traffic to retail stores. The marketing agency will also be leading a sponsorship with Innovation Bay for ‘The Hub’ at SXSW Sydney in October.

This week, SXSW Sydney announced that multiple Grammy Award winner Chance The Rapper is heading to the event to speak.

Celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop, Chance is coming to reflect on the genre’s impact on both his beloved Chicago South Side and a wider world of fans. Described by former US President Barack Obama as “an outstanding role model”, the rapper, singer-songwriter, producer and humanitarian continues to pay his success forward, empowering creative leaders through his SocialWorks foundation and roving international Black Star Line Festival.

See also: Chance the Rapper heading Down Under to speak at SXSW Sydney

26 Talent Agency is offering small to medium businesses the opportunity to partner with an influencer and collaborate with them to highlight the power of influencer marketing.

The agency was founded by Mikhailla Fitzgerald in 2019 with the aim of matching brands with the right influencers for mutual success.

For September, 26 Talent Agency has invited businesses to register their details to be in the running for a chance to partner with an influencer and give their business a boost on social media.

Fitzgerald said: “At 26 Talent Agency, we understand that SMEs may not have the budget, don’t understand how to effectively leverage social media, or simply can’t comprehend the value of influencer marketing.”

The launch of this offer aims to help businesses tap into the power of influencer marketing. The free but limited initiative is particularly ideal for SMEs new to the influencer marketing world or those looking to reintroduce themselves.

Fitzgerald added. “Influencer marketing is often misunderstood and underrated, but it has the ability to bridge heartfelt connections between brands and audiences.”

“In an age where trust is currency, influencers are the genuine storytellers crafting narratives that resonate and convert. All businesses should have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of influencers sooner rather than later.”

26 Talent Agency began with influencers Steph Pase and Jessiika Wilson under her management and has since grown to a stable of Australian social media stars.

Since then the agency has gone on to spearhead multiple high impact campaigns using the formidable clout of social media influencers to skyrocket brand profiles.

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Top image: Mikhailla Fitzgerald

Brand-suitable and contextually-delivered advertising was found to be, on average, 28% more attention than industry-wide benchmarks. That’s more than one second of extra attention per placement, according to a study by Channel Factory and Playground xyz.

Channel Factory engaged with Playground xyz to deliver a comprehensive review of 76 campaigns across eight verticals. 

The analysis revealed that Channel Factory’s contextually-targeted solutions outperformed industry benchmarks, generating nearly 70% more attention for skippable ads. Both non-skippable and skippable ad formats consistently demonstrated good performance, exceeding benchmarks 97% and 95% of the time, respectively.

The study, which compared 110 different executions in terms of targeting, creative, ad type and duration, found that the platform’s curated activity delivers above benchmark more than 80% of the time.

Alex Littlejohn, managing director APAC at Channel Factory, said: “Every second of attention on an ad has a huge impact for brands, which makes these results incredibly powerful. They prove beyond doubt the direct relationship between contextual relevance and increased user attention metrics.

“While it stands to reason people will engage more with advertising that’s relevant to their interests, too many advertisers are still ignoring this fact and blindly spraying ad placements in non-curated environments. Channel Factory technology helps brands deliver their campaigns more efficiently and in contextually relevant environments and now with the added benefit of attention measurement and reporting incorporated in their buys.”

Rob Hall, CEO of Playground xyz, said: “Attention metrics give brands the key to understanding how their campaigns are resonating with customers. Our partnership with Channel Factory gives advertisers the ability to understand their YouTube campaigns on a deeper level and drive ROI.

“In today’s world where consumer attention is fleeting, the brand suitability technology that Channel Factory deploys helps drive greater ad relevance, which in turn drives higher attention.”

Playground xyz is also now an attention partner of Channel Factory in six markets across the APAC region and the United Kingdom.

Through this new partnership, APAC and UK based advertisers using the platform can measure and report Attention Time through Playground xyz’s Attention Intelligence Platform (AIP).

DoubleVerify has released the findings from its report, Raising the Bar in APAC: How Media Quality and Performance Drive Outcomes.

The report, developed in conjunction with WARC, explores the impact of media quality and attention metrics on driving performance for advertisers in APAC. It found that 91% of Asia-Pacific (APAC) marketers agree that measuring media quality is important, 98% use ad verification tools and more than half are confident in measuring that quality.

Of surveyed marketers, only 17% evaluate media across the four key metrics of fraud, brand safety, viewability and ensuring the ads were served in the intended geography. In addition to this, one in three marketers only use verification tools on an ad hoc basis.

The report noted that APAC’s unique local ad ecosystem is rapidly developing; consumers are using incumbent global platforms to discover brands and purchase products while making social connections, and local super apps and marketplaces are becoming retail media networks.

Ali Bremner, media lead at TPG Telecom and a contributor to the report, shared his thoughts on how his brand was experimenting with emerging channels like gaming and CTV.

“As the digital landscape and media consumption becomes increasingly fragmented, test and learn strategies must diversify and embrace new frontiers. The continued development of brand metrics in reporting has been instrumental in enabling advertisers to better understand how new media channels perform compared to more traditional mediums,” Bremner noted.

Imran Masood

Imran Masood, country manager of ANZ at DoubleVerify, said: “Media quality is a prerequisite for media effectiveness, allowing advertising to cut through, drive performance and not waste money. This report shows that traditional metrics such as viewability barely scratch the surface when measuring media quality. Marketers must consider the nuances of our local digital media ecosystem to effectively deploy ad verification across all campaigns and digital environments.”

DoubleVerify’s report also highlighted key findings, include:

• According to the report, a wide range of attention metrics are used across the region. While 98% of marketers surveyed claimed to measure attention through a range of metrics, the metrics used varied greatly based on channel, format, and desired KPIs. This points to the importance of considering all metrics in their entirety for more accurate attention measurement.
• AI will profoundly impact the scale of content creation and may introduce new forms of unsafe content, making it even harder to find quality inventory that is brand safe and suitable.
• The global digital media duopoly is less relevant in APAC, with growth in the local media ecosystem driven by the post-pandemic digital commerce revolution.
• Local e-commerce platforms, such as Lazada, are replacing traditional search-led discovery, with 57% of shoppers in the region now searching for products on these platforms.
• Retail media networks in APAC, including retailers like Woolworths, super apps like Grab and e-commerce marketplaces such as Lazada are poised to grow. 99% of APAC marketers indicated they plan to increase retail media spend over the next twelve months
• CTV and gaming were identified as the new ad frontiers in the region, with local video services beating international streaming giants in some instances and many streamers preferring free ad-supported television content (FAST) instead of subscribing to an ad-free platform.
• In fact, 94% of Australian gamers noted watching an ad is their preferred method of progressing in a game than making in-app purchases, with 52% recalling that ad.

The DoubleVerify and WARC report was developed to understand how media quality impacts performance outcomes across the region. It draws insights from 329 brand marketers responsible for media buying in India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and the Philippines.

It incorporates insights from in-depth interviews with brand marketers and industry experts and a review of WARC’s global data, DV’s data and examples to help marketers raise the bar of media quality in APAC.

NOVA Entertainment has announced the promotion of Mandi Tapp to Brisbane sales director, following almost 14 years in the business, including most recently her role leading the local direct sales team.

Beginning at Nova in 2010 as business development manager, Tapp’s new role will see her responsible for the day-to-day sales function in the Brisbane market as they continue to provide clients with all-of-audio solutions across NOVA’s radio brands (Nova 1069 and Smooth), streaming and podcast assets.

Tapp will report to Antonell Doyle, whose role as commercial director for Perth will now extend to include the Brisbane market.

Antonell Doyle spoke to Tapp’s promotion and the anticipation of working with her on evolving and executing NOVA Brisbane’s commercial strategy. 

Doyle said: “I’m thrilled to announce Mandi’s promotion to sales director. During an exhaustive search for a commercial leader in such an important market for NOVA Entertainment, Mandi was an exceptional candidate. Her success in getting this new role is a reflection of her outstanding leadership, commercial acumen and market knowledge.

“Mandi’s understanding of the local commercial landscape is second to none, and her ability to drive business outcomes for clients is a true testament to her ability to take on this new role. I look forward to working with Mandi and I know she is ready to take the Brisbane Commercial team to the next level.

Nicole Bence, NOVA Entertainment’s chief commercial officer said: “The announcements of both Mandi and Antonell are extremely exciting for our commercial team nationally. I have full confidence in Mandi’s ability to lead the team on the ground in Brisbane and know her experience and knowledge of the market is a true asset to both our team and our clients.

“I am delighted that Antonell will be taking her talent and expertise to the East Coast, where I know her leadership will be invaluable.”

See also: Dominating Perth Radio: In the studio with Nova’s Nathan, Nat and Shaun

Matt Dyktynski has announced that he will be stepping down from Mix94.5’s breakfast show after eight years. His final show on the station will be Friday, 15 September. 

Commenting on his departure, Dyktynski said: “I have loved every moment being a part of this Perth institution and I know Mix94.5 will just keep going from strength to strength.

“I’ll be focusing on a musical that I have written with my wife, called ‘Funeral – The Musical’, which had its first public reading in August. I’m very excited to get this off the ground.

“I hope not to be a stranger to Perth radio in the future and can look back at the last eight years with tremendous gratitude to SCA for giving me the opportunity to join this very special radio station. And to the wonderful Mix94.5 listeners, I will miss you and want to say a humble thank you, for allowing me into your hearts and homes.”

In the last radio ratings survey, Mix 94.5 maintained its third-place position dropping by 1.1 points with a share of 11.1%.

The breakfast lineup decreased by 1.8 points for a 10.5% share, placing tied second in the breakfast slot for Survey Five.

See also: Perth Radio Ratings 2023, Survey 5: Nova 93.7 continues their dominance

Mix94.5 content director, James Speed, said: “Matt leaves Mix94.5 with a legacy any broadcaster should be extremely proud of. A true gentleman, Matt has been making our audience laugh out loud for eight years, as well as our team. The care he shows for his teammates is a true testament to the type of person he is, and he will be very much missed.

“We thank Matt for the great times he has brought into our building and out of the speakers and wish him the absolute best in his future endeavours. Whatever he puts his mind to, he’ll do an incredible job. I for one can’t wait for a front-row seat to watch his upcoming musical.”

The Mix94.5 Breakfast Show, Pete & Kymba, will continue to be heard from 5.30 – 9 am weekdays and on LiSTNR.

University of Newcastle journalism student Daneie Geddes has been named as winner of the 2023 Brian White Scholarship, an annual radio news cadetship for the scholarship finalist who best exemplifies a passion for and talent in radio news and current affairs reporting.

The scholarship includes a four-week paid placement in Australia’s leading commercial radio newsrooms. The scholarship, supported by the radio industry body Commercial Radio & Audio, is named in honour of Brian White, the country’s first radio news cadet and the pioneer of the news/talk format in Australia.

“Being named the recipient of the 2023 Brian White Scholarship is an honour and a life-changing opportunity,” Geddes said.

“It not only offers financial support to help me transition from my studies into the commercial radio industry but also opens doors to networking and mentorship with industry leaders. It is an incredible chance to gain hands-on industry experience from the very best in the field.”

Geddes was revealed as the winner after a nationwide search, which resulted in five finalists meeting at the Sydney SCA Rooftop to participate in a radio news masterclass.

The other 2023 scholarship finalists were Caitlin Cefai (Monash University), Claudia Goundar (University of Melbourne), Gareth Thomson (AFTRS) and Ebony Weston (Swinburne University of Technology).

Brian White workshop L-R E Weston, G Thomson, F Ellis-Jones (ARN), E Maher (Nine Radio), F Ennals (CRA), M Stephenson (NOVA), A Goggins (SCA), D Geddes, C Cefai, C Goundar

“Radio news reporting is a career like no other, and a good journalist needs to get at the root of a story, quickly and accurately, telling it in a way that resonates with your audience,” said Michelle Stephenson, NOVA national audio news editor who has been a judge for the Brian White Scholarship since its inception in 2017.

“We’ve got to be people’s eyes and ears, telling the story in human terms, delivering content that’s fair, impartial and balanced,” Fiona Ellis-Jones, ARN head of news and information said at the masterclass.

“As a talk/radio network, Nine Radio keeps the community informed of what’s going on in their city, state, country and the world every hour, 24 hours a day. If you love news and current affairs, there’s no better career than being a radio journalist,” Erin Maher, 2GB Radio senior newsreader and editor added.

See also: Ian Moss, Budjerah, and Mia Wray to perform at 2023 ACRA Awards

Coca-Cola Australia has launched a new branding initiative featuring their new flavour, Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar, and an AI-powered experience from Coca-Cola Creations.

Y3000 Zero Sugar is the first flavour co-created with human and artificial intelligence from the drink company. By scanning the QR code on the can, consumers will be taken to the Creations Hub where they can use the customised Y3000 AI lens.

Coca-Cola Creations is the new global innovation platform rolled out in 2022. The platform was developed under the new ‘Real Magic’ brand platform that was revealed in late 2021. Through limited-edition sequential releases, the initiative will bring in new products and experiences across physical and digital worlds.

“Coca-Cola Creations is all about creating unexpected and magical moments for our fans. We wanted to create a refreshing, future-themed drink that blends Coca-Cola’s signature taste with the power of artificial intelligence,” said Livia De Salvo, marketing manager, Coca-Cola Australia.

“With the help of AI-powered technology, Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar imagines how a Coca-Cola from the future tastes and introduces innovative experiences to explore the future. It’s the Coca-Cola taste you love while bringing something new to your tastebuds. We can’t wait for people to try it!”

The perspectives of consumers from around the world, combined with insights gathered from artificial intelligence, helped inspire the taste and look of the new flavour.

Key themes and stylistic preferences were inputted into an AI image generator to curate a mood board that inspired the design of the product pack design and key visuals. The final design showcases liquid in a morphing, evolving state that merges to represent human connections.

Coca-Cola looked at flavour trends and preferences to discover what consumers think the taste of the future will be like. These learnings were used as inspiration to help develop flavour profiles and pairings, recommended by artificial intelligence.

Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar is available now. 

• Frankie McNair wins Thank God You’re Here episode six
• 1.1 million tune into The Block in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, September 6

1,128,000 watched Nine’s The Block where the pressure was building for the Blockheads with only three days left until the Living and Dining Room reveal, up 45%.

923,000 viewed Seven’s My Kitchen Rules where it was time for identical twins Radha and Prabha to cook, up 26%.

824,000 tuned into 10’s 10’s Thank God You’re Here as Michelle Brasier, Marty Sheargold, Ray O’Leary and Julia Morris stepped through the blue door up, 39%.

721,000 sat down for another instalment of ABC’s Hard Quiz, up 13%.

Overnight TV Ratings, September 13

Primetime News
Seven News 862,000 (6:00pm) / 846,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 761,000 (6:00pm) / 755,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 544,000
10 News First 217,000 (5:00pm)/ 154,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 127,000 (6:30pm)/ 108,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 664,000
7.30 397,000
The Project 184,000 6:30pm / 299,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 209,000
Today 192,000
News Breakfast 139,000

Seven won Wednesday night with a primary share of 23.6% and a network share of 32.6%. 7Two has won multi channels with a 3.1% share.

428,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as questions were raised about whether Irene was headed to prison and if Marilyn could repair things with Roo. Then, 622,000 watched My Kitchen Rules where it was time for Claudean and Anthony to cook. Even though Claudean had A LOT to say about everyone else, she got her just desserts, placing second-last on the leaderboard. At the end of the episode, Coco and Pearls were eliminated from the competition while Radha and Prahba were sent straight through to the Semi-Finals before a twist was revealed. Three new teams, the Gatecrashers! 164,000 then stayed on for Unbelievable Moments Caught on Camera.

SEE ALSO: My Kitchen Rules 2023 Recap Episode 6: Claudean gets her just desserts and one team goes home

Nine’s A Current Affair (664,000) revealed two anonymous TV personalities accused of committing heinous crimes against children in Queensland. Then, 526,000 watched The Block. Kristy and Brett continued with the conspiracy theory that Eliza and Liberty were a Channel 9 plant while Scotty Cam and Shelley Craft did their weekly walkaround. Given there is more drama than a MAFS dinner party, they were more interested in the Blockhead gossip than the homes. 190,000 then tuned in for Luxe Listings Sydney where D’Leanne’s client confronted her with unwelcome news during a family celebration and Gavin chased a lead on a unique Bondi listing.

SEE ALSO: The Block Recap Episode 24: Kristy and Brett join the tin-foil hat club

On 10, The Project (184,000 6:30pm / 299,000 7pm) welcomed Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp to the desk while also recapping this year’s MTV VMAs. 463,000 then tuned in to see Joel Creasey, Frankie McNair, Lloyd Langford, and Julia Zemiro step through the blue door. McNair was named the episode’s Bachelor of Bulls**t. Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers followed with 181,000 watching as the boys played one of their favourite games, You Laugh You Lose. Five Bedrooms was up next for 111,000 as Heather was in a funk, hitting peak mediocrity and just tolerating Ben. 

397,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explore how the High Court has rejected an appeal by Qantas after the Federal Court found the airline had illegally sacked staff, plus, it’s the final sitting week of parliament before the Voice referendum and David Speers spoke to Nick Kaldas. 402,000 then watched Hard Quiz followed by another episode of Mother and Son. Arthur battled with his identity when Maggie took in a Ghanaian lodger at her house. 282,000 watched on. WTFAQ followed for 235,000 as the team looked at whether indoor plants really purify the air and the least edible food you can still eat. 

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Michael Mosley Secrets of the Superagers with 118,000 tuning in to see Dr Michael Mosley look at advances at the frontier of medicine that are attempting to turn back the clock on ageing. Meanwhile, researchers at a biotech firm in California have developed a method of using plasma taken from blood to keep Parkinson’s disease at bay.