TikTok put on quite the show as it welcomed over 500 industry partners in person and thousands more via live stream to its second #ForYou Summit Australia at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Tuesday.

The event was opened by Brett Armstrong, general manager, global business solutions TikTok AUNZ. Hosting duties were passed on to 2022 Australian of the Year, sporting great and disability advocate Dylan Alcott AO, who helped deliver by showcasing the innovation, creativity, and impact of the platform.

TikTok’s #ForYou Summit showed attendees how to use the power of the platform, from awareness to action to unleashing the creative potential to captivate audiences and activate its communities,

Media buyers who attended the TikTok #ForYouSummit revealed to Mediaweek what stood out to them, what was missing and what they would invest in.

Felicia Charman, senior paid social specialist, Sparro

It was great to hear from brands who have been rolling out TikTok campaigns and demonstrating the platform’s ability to drive full-funnel performance. 

The most impactful presentation of the evening though was from Dylan Alcott who hosted the entire event. He spoke about the Shift 20 Initiative and how brands can invite their communities to participate in conversations about disability and better represent Australia’s true diversity. He spoke about how, as marketers, we can help improve representation for people living with a disability — both behind and in front of the camera. 

It was a necessary reminder that brands and agencies hold the power to drive change and better represent the 20% of our population living with disabilities.

Brett Armstrong and Dylan Alcott

The biggest selling points of the presentation.

Hearing from brands who have taken creative risks that have paid off was definitely a major selling point. Plenty of brands are still reluctant to get on TikTok, so it’s always great to hear about success stories. 

Andy Morley, director of marketing APAC at Uber, shared some ideas that weren’t an initial ‘yes’ for Uber (at least from a brand standpoint), but were aligned with the nature of content that audiences expect on TikTok. It was a great reminder that sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and trust in what works for the platform — even if it’s uncomfortable to start. 

What makes TikTok an attractive investment?

The days of needing a Hollywood budget to create content are behind us. Expectations and capabilities have changed, and it’s been proven by the fact that mobile-first creative production tends to outperform high-production value content on TikTok. 

What does this mean for brand marketers? The barriers to entry for new platforms aren’t huge, ongoing costs are pretty modest, and (if they aren’t already) brands can lean into using creators to create effective UGC that won’t break any budgets.

Was there anything that stood out that might move the needle on the amount advertisers spend with TikTok?

Two things:

1. The sheer size of the audience on TikTok should be reason enough to invest in it. The old assumptions that TikTok is only for teenagers should be long gone. TikTok is growing audience numbers across lots of demographics and it doesn’t look like it will slow down anytime soon. 

2. TikTok offers brands a chance to engage their audience in entirely new ways. You can’t just duplicate your strategy on other platforms. TikTok allows a new form of engagement and brands can lean into this to find new audiences (and customers). 

Kevin Fernandes – national head of partnerships and AdTech, Havas Media Network Australia

The TikTok #ForYou Summit was all about the glitz, glam, stars and true to its platform – creators. The overarching theme that stood out for me in this one was that TikTok continues to be that platform for brands to be innovative, disruptive and as cliche as it sounds, different to their brand image.

The message from early adopters such as Guzman y Gomez, Nestlé, and Uber was to continue being curious by adopting a test and learn strategy, embrace the content creator community, edit TV or video assets to make them fit for purpose but most importantly have fun in the TikTok world. Holding yourself to a success metric while doing all of this will guarantee a positive effect for your brand.

Another key callout for me was the ability to Recut, Remix, and Reimagine creative messaging as this ensures effective advertising on the platform. In 3 easy steps across the creative centre, brands and agencies have all the tools to elevate their creative game. With the creative assistant, marketers can build smart creatives and run them across most of the existing and emerging ad formats but with the ability to engage with the creator marketplace, we can further turbocharge brand association and growth. 

Last but certainly not least was the powerful message from Dylan Alcott on The Shift 20 Initiative. It was most definitely inspiring to know that there continue to be brands that are focusing on increasing disability in their advertising. Australians with disability make up almost 20% of the population, yet in advertising they are only represented 1% of the time. 

Andrew Murray, head of trading, UM Australia

Whilst there were minimal major announcements made on new opportunities for advertisers on the TikTok platform, there was a clear focus on the three areas of strength for TikTok in their presentation;

1. Proving effectiveness of the Tiktok platform in delivering business results for clients.
2. Ensuring that you are willing to ‘test and learn’ on the platform
3. Driving ‘TikTok for Good’ with the support and partnership of the Dylan Alcott Foundation’s ‘Shift 20 Initiative’

It was great to see the major focus was proving the impact and effectiveness that the TikTok platform has on delivering business results for clients. We heard from several major clients, including Anneliese Douglass, director of marketing and communications, Nestle Australia, on how partnering with UM and working through a robust measurement framework on what defined success on TikTok was critical in establishing the right level of investment.

There was also a series of further demonstrations from an array of Australian marketers on how the platform, when harnessing the ‘right’ creative approach for each brand on the platform, was critical in maximising the business results they were able to achieve.

In today’s tough economic environment where every marketing dollar needs to prove a result to our client’s leadership team, it will be critical moving forward for TikTok to continue working with agencies, clients, and brands to build out fit-for-purpose measurement frameworks that demonstrate what the platform can deliver for clients.

Dylan Alcott with UM’s Adam Krass and Nestle Australia’s Anneliese Douglass

For UM and its clients in 2024, demonstration that a specific media channel can deliver results will dictate the agency’s continued and/or increased usage of the chosen platform.

Another enlightening and inspirational component of the presentation was the open discussion on the ‘Shift 20 Initiative’ which aims to have the Australian advertising industry, in front of and behind the camera, represent the 4.5 million Australians who live with a disability both visible and invisible.

It was very positive to see over 13 Australian companies, including Tourism Australia, sign-up to be launch partners for this initiative.

As part of the Mediabrands Responsibility Index which reviews all key media partners in the key areas of Inclusivity, Sustainability, Data Ethics and Safety, programs such as the ‘Shift 20 Initiative’ supported heavily by TikTok will be impactful in the index and well received by clients.

Mark Zala, digital director at Avenue C

Full disclosure, I love TikTok. I love the platform as a consumer, I love the opportunity it gives brands to speak to consumers in new and exciting ways, I love the way it has revolutionised audience consumption habits. So it is with bated breath that I say I was a little underwhelmed by TikTok’s #ForYou summit.

Maybe I’m being unfair as they suffered from playing second fiddle to YouTube’s brandcast last week. As spectacles go, it was enjoyable nonetheless. But it just felt a little flat after the pomp of Brandcast. It didn’t feel as big, it wasn’t as polished, it didn’t have the marketing gravitas and industry pull of a Mark Ritson. At times it felt like the event was a little contrived and more like a semi-scripted TV awards show.

But maybe that was the point. TikTok are the self-anointed intersection between entertainment & reality. Old world media dictates professionally produced, hi-fi content; new world favours imperfection and authenticity. ‘Creativity’ was the evening’s hook which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Democratising content by encouraging people of all walks of life to creatively entertain, story tell and share experiences has been the cornerstone of TikTok’s success and why it appeals to so many.

TikTok’s Ankita Shetty and Anthony Dever presenting Recut, Remix, Reimagine

Throughout the event, three key points emerged. First, TikTok aimed to dispel the myth that creativity is a hurdle for brands. They introduced the “3 R’s” approach to TikTok ads: “Recut” for resource-light brands to make existing assets TikTok-friendly, “Remix” for established brands blending high-production TVC with native content, and “Reimagine” by diving headfirst into TikTok and collaborating with creators, epitomizing “Think like a marketer but act like a creator.”

Next, advertiser case studies took the spotlight. Uber brilliantly recruited drivers by leveraging content from existing driver-creators. Guzman Y Gomez stressed intimately understanding your brand and engaging through storytelling. Nike’s “1000 Victories” campaign showcased TikTok’s ability to drive meaningful societal change beyond sales.

Lastly, TikTok tackled trust issues. Addressing concerns about ties to the Chinese government, data security, and their impact on young users, they reassured us that our investments are secure while throwing a few subtle jabs at competitors.

Was it a success? On the whole, yes. I believe brands will have left more confident in their ability to build distinct, memorable content in TikTok. Vertical video isn’t going anywhere, so it’s almost non-negotiable that brands need to reinvent how they connect with customers. And for all their competitors (think Reels, Shorts), TikTok is still best placed to deliver that message.

Stoja Trkulja, client solutions manager, Half Dome

TikTok’s #ForYou Summit this year was nothing short of extravagance and entertainment, with a lineup of well-known Australian personalities as speakers and a showcase of success stories from brands like Uber, Guzman Y Gomez and Nestle. In amongst all the quirk and fun transitions, the message for brands was quite simple; be brave and embrace TikTok in your marketing mix.

The agenda of the summit had a single focus on creative, with brands and agencies advised to lean into the ‘no brainers’ and cultural trends that are created by the TikTok community, bringing the ‘Creative Renaissance’ notion to life. Culture is now in the hands of TikTok, with online trends turning into social movements.

We are in a new era of storytelling where perfect and polished is overlooked and as advertisers are asked to streamline, be authentic and adapt. Doing this will allow brands to speak directly to their audiences across emerging and traditional channels, no matter who they are. Ultimately this will reduce costs on high end creative production and see more investment in video-centric platforms like TikTok.

TikTok’s Matt Fahd with Lara Thom

To help us do so, TikTok then shifted our attention back to the creative principles introduced some time ago: Recut – your TVC, Remix – your asset to be ‘TikTok-ified’  and Re-imagine – plan your creative production for Ti Tok.

They continued to hit back at the hesitation brands face before entering the platform, with many examples shown where some minor tweaks of traditional TVCs can still deliver a strong TikTok asset, increasing the attraction for advertisers to dive into the platform. This was then further reinforced with the introduction of ‘Branded Mission’, an industry first ad solution that lets advertisers tap into the creator community and source authentic, creator-led content to utilise in a branded ad campaign.

The recommendations on creative adaptation were endless, with marketing leads from Uber, GYG and Nestle showcasing their success and, in doing so, seeing impactful ROI on their TikTok campaigns. This instils confidence in other brands by highlighting the part measurement tools like brand lift studies have to play and providing advertisers with considered, traditional media metrics to reassure and reinforce TikTok into their modelling mix.

Hannah Dunlop, account manager, The Pistol 

Culture now moves at the speed of TikTok.

This one-liner was slotted throughout the For You Summit, but it perfectly summarises why TikTok is and should be an attractive investment for advertisers.

There are now 8.5 million Australians on TikTok and 350,000 businesses.

You have a platform here that speaks to a new generation of content creation and consumption. It has the same wild feel that YouTube did back in 2005, anyone can create content, it doesn’t have to be polished, it just has to be real – difference is celebrated. And if you ask anyone around you who uses TikTok, you won’t be surprised to hear how they spent four hours on the platform last night in what felt like a matter of minutes.

I could tell you about CPMs and ROI, but that’s not what ultimately matters here. It’s the fact that if you aren’t on TikTok, you are missing out on an entire generation of consumers and a growing audience. This was reflected throughout the event, where the cost of living crisis and brands tightening budgets in 2023 was skated over ever so briefly, overshadowed by the resounding message to ‘have a go’.

As a sound on, whole screen situation, TikTok is highly engaging, which makes it the perfect place for advertisers to play if they are wanting to tap into that consciousness.

And play they should, if there’s anything you take away from this, it’s that when creating content for TikTok, you want to focus on something that is distinct, memorable, unexpected and unmissable that stops users from scrolling. How can you do this, you ask? TikTok’s ‘Recut, Remix and Reimagine’ framework is a good place to start.

Sam Kelly with Andy Morle, director, head of marketing APAC Uber

Recut is where you take existing assets and make them work on TikTok, such as repurposing a TVC. You want to use animated text to land key messages, tight framing and fast shots to evoke emotion and of course, open with your hook in the first three seconds. As Head of Marketing at Uber, Andy Morley, said: ‘You need to bash them over the head at the start.’

Remix is where you make assets to be more ‘TikTok’, such as using native audio, remixing the footage to make it seem more native with emojis and text overlays as well as leaning into trends to capitalise on the conversations already happening.

And lastly, Reimagine is where you plan, shoot and produce content to be native in TikTok’s feed, thinking like a marketer, but acting like a creator, focusing on entertainment first. This is a great place to bring in creators as well, who tend to outperform traditional brand content on platform.

There are great things happening on TikTok and this event felt like a drop in the ocean of what is to come. Even if you’re late to the party, it’s a fun place to be.

Angus Beven, performance executive, The Media Store

TikTok has made significant strides in the past 12-24 months, offering not only branding opportunities for advertisers, but also shifting the needle across bottom funnel metrics. During Tuesday’s TikTok Advertiser’s Summit, big-name brands like Nestle, Guzman Y Gomez, and Nike shared their TikTok success stories, revealing a substantial incremental impact on brand metrics, ad equity, and sales.

Dylan Alcott fittingly hosted the summit and encapsulated the ethos of the event with his words, “have a crack.” TikTok, often associated with a younger demographic and trends like ‘how often do men think about the Roman Empire?’ (about once a week), now boasts an addressable audience of around eight million Aussies, spanning diverse demographics and interests. This is now a space where advertisers need to dip their toes in and adopt a test and learn approach to see what works best for them.  

Hearing from Anneliese Douglass, the director of marketing and communications at Nestle, a great example of this is that they’ve tapped into TikTok to reach parents searching for healthy lunchtime snack options for their kids, showcasing the versatility of the platform. This shift in audience and on-platform content is a testament to TikTok’s now broader appeal past fun trends and cat videos.  

What Makes TikTok an Attractive Investment for Advertisers?

One of the key themes was creativity and how brands can unlock the best results. Although it may be daunting for some brands, TikTok’s “Recut, Remix, Reimagine” creative framework allows brands to produce native, engaging content with ease. Advertisers can easily repurpose existing creative from other channels or collaborate with the platform’s creators to craft thumb-stopping ads that will drive great performance. Being brave, adventurous, and creating native content tailored to TikTok’s audience is the key to unlocking its potential with brands now not needing to be a digital Picasso to nail TikTok content.

Advancements in Tracking and Measurement

TikTok is also catching up with the likes of Meta by introducing advanced tracking capabilities. Advertisers can now implement server-to-server tracking (cookieless solution), advanced matching, brand and conversion lift studies, and post purchase surveys. These tools offer valuable insights into incremental performance, helping advertisers make data-driven decisions and optimise their campaigns more effectively.

In conclusion, with a diverse and growing audience, a creative-friendly environment, and robust tracking tools, TikTok has become an attractive investment for advertisers looking to tap into the platform’s immense potential. The message is clear: it’s time for advertisers to be brave and “have a crack” on TikTok to reap the rewards.

See also: TikTok showcases its brand stories and product updates at its second #ForYou Summit

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Top image, left to right: Felicia Charman, Kevin Fernandes, Andrew Murray, Mark Zala, Stoja Trkulja, Hannah Dunlop and Angus Beven

The first of August 2023 was a big day for Paramount ANZ, as multichannel 10 Shake officially rebranded to the Nickelodeon channel. The new offering brought families across Australia a free suite of Nickelodeon content for the first time on free-to-air linear television.

Previously being shown in Australia through a long-term partnership with Foxtel, the move saw Nickelodeon content move completely in-house within Paramount ANZ’s content portfolio.

To chat more about the transition and what comes next, Mediaweek sat down with Jules Borkent (managing director and executive vice president, international kids and family brands, Paramount Global) and Beverley McGarvey (executive vice president, chief content officer, and head of Paramount+, Paramount ANZ). 

“I love Australia,” Borkent said, speaking both about visiting the country and how the market performs on the global stage when it comes to kids’ content.

Borkent: “It’s almost 30 years that we’ve been in this market, we launched in 1995. It’s like unbelievable how beloved the Nickelodeon brand is in this market – for a brand that has been behind a paywall for so many years, there is such a love and connectivity for the brand and our content.”

It’s been a little over seven weeks since 10 Shake was switched over to Nickelodeon, making Australia one of the few markets internationally where the brand has been brought to free-to-air.  

Since the switch, Nickelodeon is up 14% in prime time, 38% in daytime, and has landed the top spot for commercial multi-channels in kids 0-12 in daytime.

“It’s a testament to the love of the brand,” Borkent said of the results.

Borkent: “It really starts with the content. 10 Shake was a great platform, and it really laid the groundwork for our foray into free TV for Nickelodeon. We’ve worked over the last couple of years to really bring kids’ content into the open, but I think what this has allowed us to do is bring even more content to a wider audience in Australia. 

“We’re super excited about the initial results, kudos to the local team.”

McGarvey: “Nickelodeon is a much-loved brand, people love working on it, it’s got great content. It is great for the brand to switch over and for people to embrace it.

“It’s good for kids to have access to that quality and that depth of content in front of the paywall, which they don’t have in any other commercial sense.”

Spongebob

It’s not the first time that Nickelodeon has been freely accessible to audiences – Nickelodeon content has been shown on competing networks before – but the switch from 10 Shake brings the brand completely in-house for Paramount. 

Borkent: “The brand has always been out there and the content has been out there, but what’s beautiful about this is that we are really now managing the ecosystem ourselves. We have Paramount+ in SVOD which has exclusive content, we have the broader reach on the Nickelodeon free-to-air channel, and kids’ content is really performing super well on FAST channels – not surprisingly, because that’s a theme that we see outside of Australia as well.

“It’s lovely to be able to bring a library of content and curate the viewer experience across the different platforms.”

In the long term, McGarvey said that the team’s goals for Nickelodeon in Australia involve bringing audiences the content they love in a way that makes good business sense. 

McGarvey: “What we want is for the Nickelodeon brand to live across multiple Paramount platforms, get the content to where the audiences want to find it, and make it effective from a monetisation point of view. We’re utilising that great Nickelodeon content across the market in a way that supports our Paramount business strategy.

“We also want to continue for people to respect and love the brand. There are other kids’ brands out there, but I think the really interesting thing about Nickelodeon is that kids love it. It’s not something you’re telling them they have to watch, they want to watch it for themselves – and that’s an incredibly valuable asset.”

Paw Patrol

Reaching Kids Where They Are

With the way that people consume content constantly evolving and changing, Borkent said that Paramount are making sure that “we are everywhere that kids are.”

Borkent: “In Australia, linear viewing is still very popular, and parents love the safe environment Nickelodeon provides as a free-to-air channel. It’s a trusted brand, they know they can put their kids in front of it. What we’ve also seen is that there is a lot more co-viewing and family viewing happening in every market since Covid. We’re focusing heavily on that, as far as platforms are concerned. 

“As we mentioned, we have FAST channels, SVOD, and linear, but also we do a lot on YouTube. We have channels around our famous IPs on YouTube that are also incredibly popular.” 

What Comes Next?

With 2024 on the horizon, Borkent said that there are already a number of projects in the works for next year and beyond.

Borkent: “Animation takes a long time to make, so we’re already planning for 2025 and 2026. In the immediate future, looking at 2024, we’re focusing heavily on the launch of DORA and the new reimagining of that series. It’s SpongeBob’s 25th anniversary next year, so there’s going to be a big global celebration of that. 

“With my international hat on, we’re really focusing on new content out there that we can find. Rock Island Mysteries is a great example of something that we did locally and made in Australia, but it’s for a global audience. That’s what I always look for, because for every great franchise we have, it’s also important to start building new franchises.”

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Top Image: Jules Borkent and Beverley McGarvey

Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery

Setting sail into history with LiSTNR’s Sports Bizarre

Monday, 26 September 1983. The country held its breath as Australia II crossed the finish line in the deciding race of the America’s Cup, ending a 132 year winning streak – the longest winning streak in the history of sport.

The moment instantly became one of Australia’s greatest sporting moments, and you may know the quote that comes along with the win – following Australia’s triumph, newly elected Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously said, “any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum.”

LiSTNR’s Sports Bizarre with Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy is set to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the victory with a series exploring the history and rare facts of the America’s Cup.

Podcast Week’s Tess Connery caught up with O’Reily and Molloy to get tot he bottom of what made the America’s Cup such an iconic moment in Aussie history. 

First of all, what do you think it is that has made the 1983 America’s Cup win so iconic in Australia?

Titus: “It came at a time when Australia was down on its luck. Drought, bad economic times, and suddenly we defeat America and end the longest winning streak in sport, 132 years.”

Mick: “It also gave us the boxing Kangaroo and Bob Hawke telling any boss who sacked a worker for not coming into work they were a bum.”

Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy

What were your goals when putting the series together?

Titus: “To educate people who were too young to remember it, what a big victory it was, and what it meant. We also wanted to put into context for those that did remember it, why it was such a big achievement. Australia did something that the British had tried for over 100 years and couldn’t do.”

Mick: “You could argue it’s still undersold in Australia just what an achievement this was.”

Are there any stories or facts that you came across that have particularly stuck with you while putting the series together?

Mick: “In 1886, Lieutenant Paddy Henn challenged the Americans and showed up with a crew that contained five dogs, a cat, a lemur, a raccoon and an official mascot of the ship, a monkey named Peggy, who wore a pullover and a hat.

“Peggy the monkey knew how to sail, and could be seen during the cup racing, pulling on the ropes to adjust the sails. The Americans said the monkey was the only one who knew how to sail.”

What do you hope listeners take away from the series?

Titus: “Hopefully a sense of just how wild the America’s Cup was and how much the Americans had stacked the deck against anyone who challenged for it.”

Mick: “It’s a story of how a bunch of rebels from Australia beat the largest superpower in the world at their own game, and then the whole country partied for weeks on end.”

Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for Sports Bizarre?

Titus: “We’ve got episodes coming up on the invention of rugby for the World Cup and a series on Keith Miller.”

Mick: “We also interviewed John Bertrand for this series. We’ll be looking at doing more of that too, telling these stories and speaking to the people who were there.”

[Listen to Sports Bizarre here]

Variety Australia launches their own podcast hosted by Poppy Reid

In the debut episode of the podcast, host Poppy Reid explores the blow-by-blow account of how Barbie blew up at the box office and explores the first stages of Seven Network’s major overhaul. 

There is also a special feature episode with American entrepreneur and author Gary Vee taken from his keynote interview at the Variety CMO Dinner, during which he walked guests through his thoughts on AI in marketing, finding the right balance between math and art in Marketing, the Barbie campaign, the Twitter rebrand and more.

“I’m so excited for Poppy to be launching the Variety Australia Podcast,” explains The Brag Media CEO Luke Girgis, “bringing her unique voice that has been so loved by Rolling Stone readers into film and entertainment.”

The launch of the Variety Australia Podcast closely follows the release of data that reveals Australians have eclipsed their counterparts in America when it comes to podcast consumption. 

[Listen to the Variety Australia podcast here]

LiSTNR and the Law Society of NSW announces season 2 of Lawfully Explained

The second season of the Lawfully Explained podcast series features a range of legal experts talking about everyday legal issues in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format.

Episode topics include ‘Should I use ChatGPT for legal advice?’, ‘My friend wants my help to have a baby – should I say yes?’, ‘How can the law support the transgender community?’, ‘My friend is in a violent relationship, how can I help?’, plus the legal rights of tenants.

Guests will include Grant Arbuthnot, principal solicitor at the Tenants Union; Katie Green, managing principal at the Inner City Legal Centre; and Simon Burns, Partner at Gilbert+Tobin, and expert in cyber security, tech and data privacy.

President of the Law Society of NSW, Cassandra Banks, said: “Lawfully Explained plays a crucial role in giving the community useful information about common legal problems and questions that can confront people during their lives.

“Lawfully Explained is so successful because it engages listeners who are curious about the way the law works and can affect them as they navigate common, but potentially complex legal issues. These include preparing a will, dealing with legal trouble overseas, and whether ChatGPT can provide reliable legal advice. Spoiler alert – it can’t.

“Getting the right advice from a lawyer shouldn’t be complicated and this second series of Lawfully Explained will go a long way towards helping people facing legal issues to look for advice in the right places.”

[Listen to Lawfully Explained here]

Acast and Slip.Stream partner to allow Acast podcasters access to over 70,000 songs for use

Acast has announced its partnership with Slip.Stream which allows Acast podcasters access to more than 70,000 songs for use in their content creation. 

The first podcast partnership for Slip.Stream will see all 100,000 Acast podcasters receive “Pro Level” access free for six months, and a special discount offer to upgrade to an annual Pro plan thereafter. 

Guy Scott-Wilson, Acast content director for Australia and New Zealand, said: “Our goal at Acast is to make it as easy as possible for podcast creators to access the tools and support they need to professionalise and monetise their work, wherever their audience might be listening. This exciting new partnership with Slip.Stream is another great example of this mission, empowering podcasters to meet the growing expectations of discerning audiences.”

Andy Lee launches his ninth addition to the Do Not Open This Book series on LiSTNR

Pretty Please Do Not Open This Book sees Wizz, voiced by Lee, on another adventure. This time he agrees to dance in public and has to face his fears. His friend and dance partner in the story is Nessie, voiced by Lee’s real-life partner Bec Harding.

Lee became an award-winning children’s author by accident. The first book in the series was only ever meant to have one copy as he wrote it as a surprise for his sister and her husband to celebrate their son George’s first birthday.

When he asked his mate to print him one copy, his mate said: “This book is good, can we print more?” Lee replied: “No. DO NOT print this book.” The rest is history with the book winning 16 book awards, becoming a best seller in Brazil, Portugal, France, Italy, Japan and Iceland and being selected for Portugal and Brazil’s official state school reading program.

LiSTNR head of parenting and kids entertainment, Evan Kaldor, said: “In this ninth book in the series, Wizz returns with his characteristic mischievousness. However, this time, Wizz asks the reader to help him tackle something new – stage fright. Wizz has a positive message to encourage kids to take the first step in doing those things in life that make them scared or anxious and we hope families, carers and educators enjoy reading this story together.

[Listen to Pretty Please Do Not Open This Book here]

New book showcasing the secrets of profitable podcasting announced

Media coach Christine Blosdale is set to release her new book on International Podcast Day on September 30, called “Podcastonomics: Unlocking The Secrets of Profitable Podcasting For Beginners.”

The book demystifies the world of podcasting for beginners who are considering launching their own podcast. Blosdale offers knowledge, strategies, and insider tips to help readers navigate the dynamic landscape of podcasting.

“We are thrilled to release ‘Podcastonomics’ on International Podcast Day,” said Blosdale. “Podcasting has become a global phenomenon, and this book is designed to help individuals harness its power to achieve their personal and financial aspirations. Whether you’re an aspiring podcaster or a seasoned pro, there’s something in ‘Podcastonomics’ for everyone.”

[Podcastonomics is available here]

By Clive Burcham

Clive, a third-generation farmer, embodies entrepreneurship. From childhood, he juggled lawnmowing, farming, milk delivery, and supermarket work, at 16, he produced his first TV show, and by 25, became Creative Director of Australia’s record setting Comedy Channel. He has since founded or co-founded ten organizations, most notably, The Conscience Organisation, selling to WPP at 10x (and buying it back for 0.5%).

Clive has advised and served on boards for organizations including Rare Birds and WelleCo. Philanthropy is central to his life, leading fundraiser for charities like Oz Harvest, and the founding partner of Global Citizen. By chairing the Young Presidents Organisation forum, he has worked with region’s most influential business leaders. In 2022, he launched Compadres, a transformative service for CEOs and Founders, driving personal and professional growth across education, design, tech, creators, real estate and media.

Clive Burcham

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It’s true. They did. I was sucked in and took big sips of the kool aid, consuming way too much to keep up with Mr. and Mrs. J!
 
Teddy Roosevelt once said “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Mark Twain felt even more strongly about it, exchanging the word thief for death.
 
Lips, hips, cars, careers, clothing, houses, horses, holidays, friends, frequent flyer status, rewards, awards, even kid’s school grades – yeesh. This is people-powered propaganda to keep astride with the Jones’ (also see: marketing meets consumerism meets capitalism).
 
I raise my hand, so guilty.
 
My start was low-key as I grew up in the country without much affluence and certainly no influencers, before the onslaught of luxury goods, and the new product development cycle to drive market share and/or shareholder value.
 
But later, as I built a digital marketing business and some cashola rolled in, I was filling my emptiness with stuff and things. Dialling up the w@$ker with $400k Porsche (which I later sold for $230k, less payments etc a net loss $400k), Panerai, Patek, and a porky belly bursting my buttons to fit my indulgences. I had a whole room for the sneakers, a wine collection, a cigar collection, so much of too much nothingness. Perhaps somewhere inside me, I thought the world might end, so I had better have enough of everything (that didn’t matter)! I enjoyed the short-term high of the delivery, the unboxing, the metaphoric and literal new car smell. I think we all share that empty feeling after the box is empty and the new smell is gone. That is the direction culture pushes and pulls us.
 
My friend Tim Foote said something like “We go to work, earn money and buy things that look good to people who don’t care who we are,” or as Dave Ramsey put it, “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.”
 
Our kids go to school where there is fierce influence to compete against each other, to achieve, and to be awarded for it. I have seen systems where every kid gets an award so others don’t feel bad when they compare themselves for not winning. I know of students who don’t like their marks being called out in class. Exchanging marks secretly is a thing. Then we spend the latter part of our lives unpacking, learning that “comparison is the thief of joy”, that working together as a team, for the betterment of our planet is the purest thing for fellow earthlings.
 
The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd is an exceptional book that makes you question what you’re growing, being productive or working obscene hours for. The default path, is it something you’ve been “scripted”? What happens when you achieve success based on others’ terms and still feel miserable? It’s about our unhealthy relationship with work, money, accomplishments and how to fix that. The most attention goes to people with money, degrees and power, and then you die. Paul also talks about career prestige, the choices we make to flare up your LinkedIn profile and bring heat to job chat around the career campfire. Guilty!
 
Who doesn’t look at their social media and think, “bugger, I wish I was like Terry”? We were recently on a trip to Europe (which I gleefully spray across my socials) and the only thing I bought was gifts. Not cured from comparison, but in past years I would have come home with a bloated suitcase, or maybe another bag. The only reason I am mentioning that is I felt the difference – better. Less empty inside because of a suitcase less full.
 
Back living in the country after a gluttonous city life, there’s not much comparison, well, not at mortgage-harm levels. Most of the Jones clan got booted out decades ago. Everyone drives a white Toyota LandCruiser. Wild people buy one that’s not white (ours is white, but with all the upgrades). But as we re-enter metropolitistic atmosphere of city life, I find myself emotionally excited by cars again. Pull up at traffic lights and I get a warm rush when I pull up next to Mr. and Mrs. Jones driving that shiny new black European thing. The Joneses are unavoidable unless you live in a cave or are in jail.
 
I recently started working with one of the fastest-growing agencies in Asia Pacific, one of the co-founders drives his beloved 2014 white station wagon. Respect! It’s the path I wish I had taken!
 
Anyway, I think I’ve almost learnt my lesson about comparison and consumerism. But clearly, Mr. and Mrs. Jones are still poking me in the eyeballs. We all need to close our eyes and wallets, and trim it in. I have 10% of what I had, and that’s still too much. I don’t have the answer, just something to keep your eyes on you (not the Joneses).
 
Five by Clive
1. What’s right for the crew may not be right for you.
2. Unsubscribe, don’t buy, opt-out and win!
3. Ask yourself; Does this add value to my life goals, or my ego?
4. The Crowds often lie, culture or trends aren’t necessarily headed in a good direction. Cut your own path!
5. Nothing compares to you. The happiest people are too busy to compare.

Live from New York, the 2023 Fast Company Innovation Festival has convened the world’s most exceptional innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers at Manhattan’s Financial District for their 9th annual event. Celebrity headliners include Halle Berry, Gabrielle Union, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Christy Turlington Burns.

The Festival kicked off on Monday with the opening of their “Fast Tracks”, a field trip of open doors across Manhattan, welcoming attendees into the offices of some of the world’s greatest brands. 

Panels and headline speakers commenced on Tuesday. The Mediaweek team was on the ground to attend a number of these sessions throughout the day. Here is a recap of some of the highlights:

The World According to Ray Dalio

Lauded American investor and entrepreneur, Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s biggest hedge fund firm, Bridgewater Associates, was joined on stage by Ainsley Harris, senior writer at Fast Company. 

The interview, conducted by Harris, drew its inspiration from Dalio’s most recent publication, Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed or Fail, in which Dalio draws from his study of world history to anticipate future forces that he predicts will change the world in our lifetime.

Dalio explained, “I studied the last 500 years, in order to understand what’s going to happen tomorrow. And those forces, though, showed this pattern of the rise and declines, and why they happen.”

Supposedly talking to an American audience, these forces include enormous increases in debt and the monetisation of debt, unprecedented internal conflicts, and the power of international conflict. An overview of these principles can be found here.

Though the listed predictions painted a rather stark picture of the world, including the ESG debate being “one of a large number of issues where there are irreconcilable differences” and America’s “frightening lack of belief in the decision-making systems, including the legal systems” which is a characteristic harbinger of past civil wars, Dalio did assure the audience, “I have a principle: if you worry, you don’t need to worry. If you don’t worry, you need to start worrying.”

It’s in the Bag: How Clare V. Became a Culturally Conscious Cult Brand Supporting Maternal Health

Moderator Liz Segran, senior writer at Fast Company, hosted Clare Vivier, founder, CEO, and creative director of the cult handbag brand, Clare V., and Christy Turlington Burns, American model, and founder of NFP Every Mother Counts, an organisation dedicated to fighting for the rights of individuals to have equitable access to pregnancy-related healthcare. 

The two have been long-term collaborators, but as individuals, both Turlington and Vivier exemplify the effectiveness of leveraging established followings and communities to elicit action towards issues that matter to them. In this case, the focus was on injustices in healthcare and reproductive rights. The discussion however broadened to “performativity in the business world” in general, and how even the smallest of startups can get involved in activism, if just through the dissemination of knowledge via their community channels.

That being said, Turlington acknowledged the tension that exists for brands (including personal brands) who want to make an impact needing to “narrow it down a bit… to really build that credibility, and to take the time to become an expert or to become an informed advocate to be able to use your voice.

“But it doesn’t mean that when something comes up that breaks my heart that I don’t still want to post something about it, and that could be perceived as performative.”

Vivier, who like Turlington, has been outspoken about the ongoing abortion debate in America. When asked what gave her the confidence to speak out at the risk of alienating her customer base, Vivier responded:

“Certain forces in this country are making the conscious decision to work against women’s healthcare. I think that’s wrong. So I’ll stand on that hill and shout from the rooftops, whatever I have to do, because I have a voice.

“I think that customers are respecting that more. They have so much choice these days – you can buy a bag from anyone. So am I going to alienate some customers? Perhaps. But I’m also going to gain respect from other people who have a wide choice of where to buy any kind of carryall.”

Turning Setbacks into Comebacks: How Slutty Vegan’s CEO Built a Multimillion-Dollar Food Empire

Pinky Cole, founder and CEO of the plant-based Slutty Vegan restaurant chain, joined Julia Herbst, senior editor at Fast Company for a session that was all about failure, resilience, and personal growth.

The session is aptly in the countdown to the release date of Coles’ latest book, I Hope You Fail: Ten Hater Statements Holding You Back from Getting Everything You Want.

Cole, who just recently cracked the Time100 list, shared with attendees the lessons she has learned on her turbulent road to success as a self-made entrepreneur, including listening to your inner-voice when it comes to decision making, brand-building, team management, and her current challenges to achieve scalability while keeping true to her brand values of inclusivity and love.

“One of my biggest challenges is scaling culture,” Cole described. In one of her most candid revelations about the future of her business, the author revealed, “I’m at a fork in the road, right? I can be this popular entrepreneur that people know, or I can continue to build this iconic movement. 

“In order to do that, I got to put people in place that can really scale the business in a way that I can’t. And most CEOs can’t be honest about that.”

Leaving the audience with a final thought, Coles encouraged, “Being an entrepreneur is not easy. But always remember in the moments we feel like giving up because of failure or the things that seem hard: what is your why? What is your intention?”

Navigating the New World of Work with Slack CEO Lidiane Jones

Slack CEO Lidiane Jones closed the day as final headline speaker, interviewed by Fast Company’s global technology editor, Harry McCracken.

In a post-COVID world it’s easy to forget the productivity transformation that Slack was already inspiring in the workplace before the term “hybrid workplace” was part of the corporate vernacular.

See also: Coachella CEO, Queer Eye star, and Co-founder of Slack join SXSW Sydney

In their continuous path to evolve the way we work, Slack has recently rolled out a number of innovations including new workflow builds, Slack Canvas (a surface for knowledge curation), and a beta for Slack AI. This AI will launch “catch up” functions for users returning to an archival conversation, or even to summarise lengthy active threads.

Naturally, the comparison to ChatGPT came up, to which Jones asserted that the use cases for AI were entirely different.

“That’s what we get compared to, is chat capabilities…

“[However] when we talk to customers that have competitive products, what I have come to realise is that what we’re solving is quite different. 

“What we’re solving is this idea that you’re finding new ways of working, that you’re transforming productivity. It’s not just about chat.”

Jones stated in sum, “That’s our team’s primary purpose: are we meaningfully moving the needle and helping our customers?”

Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, has surpassed 100 channels in Australia, a three-fold channel increase following its launch in late 2020.

Monthly active viewing time has grown to 104% across millions of Samsung Smart TVs over the last 12 months, according to Samsung.

The rapid growth of FAST in the last year alone has seen over 450 FAST channels become available in Australia. By 2027, global FAST revenues are projected to reach 12 billion, and Australia will be one of the top five markets worldwide.  

Samsung TV Plus is available in 24 countries, and the last 12 months saw over 29 million hours streamed in Australia alone.

A recent Telsyte study revealed that nearly five million Aussies have watched a FAST service or channel in the last 12 months, while 57%  say content on free streaming services is improving. Samsung TV Plus is one of the top three streaming apps on Samsung Smart TVs in Australia.

Launched in 2020, as one of the first FAST services in Australia, Samsung TV Plus has steadily expanded its reach and content offering to deliver over 100 channels across news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, music,  movies and more, making it easier for audiences to discover and access quality free content.

• Premium Content: Samsung TV Plus Australia has expanded its ‘binge channel’ offering giving audiences 24/7 access to their favourite shows, including everything from Shark Tank and Deal or No Deal, to Mythbusters
• Commitment to Owned & Operated (O&O): The platform continues to anticipate and deliver on fan favourites with its exclusive O&O channels including Entertainment Hub (Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Beverly Hills Pawn), Throwback TV (Dawson’s Creek, Party of Five, The Goldbergs), and the Movie Hub (Point Break, Eat Pray Love) all consistently ranking in the top 10 most watched channels over the last six months
• Expanded News Offering: Samsung TV Plus offers an impressive lineup of global and local news with Bloomberg, Euronews, GB news and recently the launch of Sky News Now, and the Breaking News Channel by LeadStory.

The latest FAST channels to arrive on Samsung TV Plus – taking the platform over the milestone – include The Chat Show Channel, featuring The Jonathan Ross Show, Chatty Man and more, the Homeful Channel, which adds to the platform’s popular lifestyle offering, and the Movie Hub 2, the platform’s sixth O&O channel. It runs movies on an alternative schedule to the Movie Hub main channel, giving the audience greater flexibility when choosing what movies to watch. 

Cameron Crain

Cameron Crain, product manager Samsung TV Plus ANZ, said: “FAST is still considered by many as the new kid on the block. For Samsung TV Plus to build an impactful platform in just a few years shows how fast our industry is evolving and audience behaviour is changing.

“We’ve already seen the number of monthly active users increase by 45% since this time last year. Reaching this milestone is significant because it gives us the foundations to bring even more of the very best free TV to millions of viewers.”

Alex Spurzem

Alex Spurzem, general manager Samsung Ads ANZ, said: “Consumers across Australia – particularly those reigning in their household spending – are now benefiting from a huge choice of premium free content in exchange for ads.

“The advanced capabilities from Connected TV have opened up a whole new world of possibilities to reach and engage with these consumers. More advertisers are turning to Samsung Ads to take advantage of this opportunity and improve the experience for viewers and brands alike.”

oOh!media announced the launch of seven new large-format digital billboards across the Eastern seaboard, all of which are now live, further solidifying oOh!’s leadership in large-format digital across Australia. 

The outdoor advertising and media company‘s seven news sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Greater Brisbane allow advertisers to drive maximum impact and reach at prime locations to make brands unmissable. 

Paul Sigaloff, chief revenue and growth officer, oOh!media, said: “These seven new sites, including our premium locations at Sydenham in Sydney and Brooklyn in Melbourne, are now live and available for advertisers to engage with audiences in out-of-home environments at scale.

“In addition, these sites are integrated into oOh!’s national network of 35,000 digital and classic assets, enabling full campaign planning and attribution reporting through oOh!’s recently announced data partnerships with Unpacked by Flybuys and Westpac Data X.”

The two new sites in Sydney include Sydenham, a classic conversion located on the Princess Highway in the city’s busy inner west and is the largest digital on this arterial. The second new site at the Warriewood Shopping Centre on Jackson Road reaches the hard-to-reach and affluent Northern Beaches audiences.

In Melbourne, oOh! has launched four new digital sites, including a premium, brand-new double-sided spectacular on the West Gate Freeway. This location is strategically positioned to capture attention on one of the city’s busiest arterials. Additionally, its complemented by a new site on St Kilda Road, linking the Nepean Highway, Punt Road, Queens Parade and St Kilda Road, and a new location at Ormond, on North Road in the city’s southeast. Together these two sites strengthen oOh!s coverage in Melbourne’s south-east.

The company has also expanded its presence in Greater Brisbane with a new location at Vicinity’s Grand Plaza shopping centre in the City of Logan. The site on Browns Plains Road reaches shoppers heading to the retail centre, which is home to Big W, Kmart, Target, ALDI, Coles, Woolworths, Event Cinemas and more than 110 speciality stores.

Sigaloff added: “oOh!’s strategy continues to focus on securing the right sites in the right locations that complement not only our existing Road inventory, but our total network across Street and Rail, Retail, Fly and Office. This gives advertisers even more options to connect with audiences at the right times and locations to drive return on marketing investment.”

The seven new sites follow oOh!’s long-term agreement with EiMedia in January to represent its 17 digital billboards all positioned on major Sydney roads and motorways.

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is excited to reveal the nominees for the inaugural Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement awards, inspired by the Our Soundtrack Our Ads campaign, with the winners set to be announced at the 2023 ARIA Awards on Wednesday, 15 November at the Hordern Pavilion on Gadigal Land.

Nominees for Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (under two minutes) 

• 72andSunny / Google
Baker Boy – Helping You Help Others

• M&C Saatchi Sydney / Tourism Australia
King Stingray – Come and Say G’day

• The Brand Agency / Tourism WA
Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream

• BRING Agency / Wild Turkey
Matt Corby – Music 101: Trust Your Spirit

Nominees for Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (over two minutes) 

• INNOCEAN Australia Pty Ltd / Australian Marine Conservation Society
John Williamson – Voice of the Sea

• Bolster Group / Sims Sessions
Becca Hatch – Blessed

• M&C Saatchi Sydney / Tourism Australia
King Stingray – Come and Say G’day short film

• BRING Agency / Vodka Cruiser
The Veronicas – The Solo Project

The awards were introduced following the announcement of Our Soundtrack Our Ads, an extension of the existing Our Soundtrack Our Stories, which was launched in 2021 to promote the use of Australian music across the business and media landscape. It received overwhelming support from all commercial free-to-air television networks, Coles, 7-Eleven and more.

The nominees were determined by seven judges across the advertising and music industries: Beth Appleton, CEO at Jaxsta Music; Eric J Dubowsky, ARIA and Grammy-winning producer; Holly Rankin (aka Jack River), artist and founder of Our Soundtrack Our Stories; Justin Graham, group CEO at M&C Saatchi AUNZ; Libby Minogue, CMO at Virgin Australia; Madeleine Stockwell, marketing manager at Smirnoff; and Mohamed Komba, senior director, A&R Australasia, at Warner Music. 

Annabelle Herd, ARIA CEO, said: “We’re thrilled to see such a wide range of agencies and heavy-hitting clients participate in the ARIA Awards’ first acknowledgment of the important role advertising can play in the careers of Australian artists, and the creative talent and clients who facilitate those opportunities deserve recognition on Australian music’s biggest stage.

“Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you for your support of our outstanding home-grown talent.”

The full list of ARIA nominees for 2023 will be revealed via a live stream featuring Nine Network’s Brooke Boney at 10.00am AEST, Thursday, 21 September. Tune in here.

SXSW Sydney will transform The Lansdowne Hotel into Spotify House across four huge days from 18 – 21 October, with the region’s best up-and-coming artists, future-focused music minds and once-in-a-lifetime experiences on show.

By day, guests can expect to be informed and inspired as global music thought leaders provide their perspective on the Asia Pacific music industry through panels, workshops and fireside chats. Everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop and how we continue to strive for gender equity. Some sessions will be open to SXSW Sydney Badge Holders, while others will be exclusive invite-only events.

In the evenings, the Spotify House stage will light up with some of the best and brightest talent from across the Asian Pacific region, with a focus on Australian and South Korean artists. The full showcase lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Sulinna Ong

Sulinna Ong, Spotify’s global head of editorial, will uncover the global music trends that are moving music (and artists) around the world, while Xavier Jernigan, aka ‘X’, the voice of Spotify DJ, will take a look at how dynamic AI voice with human touch is creating perfect personalisation for listeners.

Also visiting the Harbour City for Spotify House at SXSW Sydney is Jungjoo Park, head of music at Spotify Korea, to uncover the phenomenon that is Hallyu (that’s Korean wave, FYI).

Alongside Live Nation Australasia’s Wenona Lok and Virgin Music’s Claire Tate, this panel will explore the rise of Korea’s culture economy from stream to stage.

Gautam Talwar, general manager, Asia Pacific at Spotify, said: “We’re excited to bring Spotify House to SXSW Sydney in October, along with some of Asia Pacific’s best and brightest talent and the sharpest minds in music. It’ll be an action-packed four days and a celebration of some of the region’s most vibrant music cultures that bring the world together.”
 
The full Spotify House programming and showcase schedule will be revealed in the weeks ahead.

Xavier

Kantar Australia has announced the promotions of Allan Breiland and Sharon Hilton to the role of joint heads of media effectiveness of the marketing data and analytics business.

Jonathan Sinton, Kantar Australia chief commercial officer, said: “It is always fabulous to be able to promote from within because it shows that we’ve been able to successfully nurture the next generation of leaders.”

“Both Sharon and Allan are powerhouses within the media insights industry, and both bring a unique – yet complementary – set of skills to this joint leadership role. Both have been with Kantar for many years and their mutual respect and proven track history of working together means we have formidable leadership team to take the Kantar Australia Media team forward to the next phase of the business evolution.”

Breiland has worked in the Australian media industry understanding brand effectiveness for over a decade along with in-depth experience in media in both Southeast Asia and the US. Hilton’s 13 years of experience in research focused on media planning, strategy and campaign evaluation is complemented by her deep passion for understanding how effective campaigns are at driving brand outcomes, which channels are working hardest to deliver on key objectives, and how best to optimise for future campaign activity.

In a joint statement, Breiland and Hilton said: “We’re incredibly thrilled to continue to drive Kantar as a leader in the industry, leveraging the combination of Sharon’s passion for maximising advertising return on investment and Allan’s deep technical expertise.

“The media industry is ever-changing, and we are excited to help advertisers and publishers prove effectiveness and navigate this shifting environment. The rise of retail media, the incredible growth of CTV and how this balances LTV, and the navigation of measurement in a cookieless world are just a few of the many areas that we are excited to see develop and lead Kantar’s media team and clients into growth in this very exciting future.”

Both Breiland and Hilton will continue to be based in Kantar’s Sydney headquarters. They replace Straford Rodrigues who is leaving the business at the end of September after a more than 14-year tenure at Kantar in Australia, US, UK and Singapore; and who Sinton said, “under whose stewardship the Australian media practice has truly thrived.”

“I would like to thank Straford for his contribution to the Kantar business over the years and wish him success in the future.”

A complete list of all the AFMA winners celebrated at the Awards event in Melbourne this week.
Judges comments are in italics.

BEST AFLW REPORTER/REPORTING – print, digital, radio, TV

Entrants judged on news breaking, impact and a high standard of reportage of AFLW stories.

Winner: Sarah Black, AFL Media

Sarah’s entries demonstrated a complete body of work, and was impossible to go past. She had all bases covered, from an emotional player story, to a seven-player trade, to behind the scenes on a goal that should never have happened, Sarah is a deserving winner of this award.

Commendable Mention: Marnie Vinall, The Age

BEST AFLW PROGRAM/FEATURE – print, digital, radio, TV

Entrants judged on insight into football, relevance, depth of discussion/feature writing and impact.

Winner: Lauren Wood, Herald Sun

Feature on Daisy Pearce ahead of last year’s GF was a very well-researched feature on Daisy gaining valuable insights from Daisy herself as well as colleagues and teammates to provide a very deep appreciation of her life and journey in football.

Commendable Mention: Sarah Black, AFL Media

 BEST DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PRESENTATION – print, digital, radio, TV

Open to individuals and organisations, this award seeks to recognise outstanding media work supporting diversity and inclusion within the AFL system.

Winner: Anne Fedorowytsch, AFL Media

In an outstanding field of nominations, the panel recognise the incredible reach and impact of Sammy’s Moment on social media – the highest-reaching piece of content in the history of the AFL’s social media channels.

Commendable Mention: Lauren Wood & Michael Klein, Herald Sun – This Is How I’ve Always Meant To Be and Andrew Wu, The Age – The Asian Australians Forging Their Way In Football

AFL Media’s Sarah Black (left) and Anne Fedorowytsch

BEST PODCAST

Must be a dedicated podcast, not a re-packaged broadcast product. Entrants judged on football insight, depth of discussion, entertainment, quality of analysis and relevance.

Winner: 3AW Football, Nothin’ Like The 90s

In what was noted as a strong category, the judging panel highly commended The Age Footy Podcast and AFL Daily and the Ben and Harry Podcast. But the winner of best footy podcast for 2023 is Nothing Like the 90s. The panel commented that they loved the fresh approach and reminisced on a fantastic decade of footy. Hosted by Anthony Hudson it was great to hear some iconic voices talking about the many and varied stories from the 90s including Terry Wallace, David Parkin, Leigh Matthews and Eddie McGuire.

Commendable Mention: The Age Footy Podcast

PRINT/ONLINE

BEST OPINION/ANALYSIS

Entrants judged on the most impactful and articulate opinion and analysis.

Winner: Greg Baum, The Age

Greg Baum’s elite writing style shines in a crowded media landscape. His column on gambling sponsorship entitled “Shut up, and let the bookies take your money”, oozes creativity and is a major standout. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.

Commendable Mention: Caroline Wilson, The Age

BEST NEWS REPORTING BY AN INDIVIDUAL

Entrants judged on exclusivity in news reporting, accuracy and overall impact.

Winner: Sam Landsberger, Herald Sun

Sam has had an excellent year, writing with depth, accuracy and impact in multiple stories from across the AFL industry. His exclusive on new Essendon CEO Andrew Thorburn’s affiliations with a controversial church organisation which caused him to step down shortly after being appointed to the role was one of the stories of the year and an outstanding piece of news reporting.

Commendable Mention: Mick Warner, Herald Sun and Jake Niall, The Age

 BEST FEATURE REPORTING BY AN INDIVIDUAL

Entrants judged on overall impact and accuracy, exclusivity in storytelling, and insightful and excellent writing.

Winner: Greg Baum, The Age

Greg’s feature on the storied Daicos name was insightful, warm, and superbly written. It gave us greater insight into the bond Josh and Nick share with their father, Collingwood icon Peter Daicos. After reading, you’re left with little doubt as to just how – and why – the Daicos brothers are as talented as they are. It’s a feel-good yarn, even if you’re not of the black and white persuasion. And, with more than 40 entries in this category, Greg is a very worthy winner.

Commendable mentions: Michael Whiting, AFL Media and Jake Niall, The Age

BEST ACTION PHOTO

Entrants judged on an ability to best capture the highlights, emotion, storylines, and the highs and lows of the game.

Winner: Quinn Rooney, Getty Images

Joe Daniher being “falconed” while trying to mark over Bradley Hill is a superb action photograph by the ultimate professional photographer Quinn Rooney. It’s a different entertaining photograph & one that causes a reaction.

Commendable Mention: Jonathan Di Maggio, Carlton Football Club

BEST NEWS/FEATURE PHOTO

Entrants judged on an ability to capture moments which best illustrate the non-game stories.

Winner: Daniel Pockett, Getty Images

Daniel Pockett was the only photographer to capture Jamarra Ugle -Hagans stand against racism at the mcg . This powerful image Thirty tears after Nicky Winmars gesture at Victoria Park reinforces he is  “ Proud to be black “ after being racially vilified by a opposition supporter during a game the previous week.

Commendable Mention: Michael Willson, AFL Photos

AFMA RADIO/TV

BEST NEWS OR FEATURE REPORTING BY AN INDIVIDUAL

Entrants judged on overall impact, exclusivity in storytelling, reporting excellence, originality and accuracy.

Winner: Tom Morris, SEN

Tom Morris broke the important story of Damien Hardwick stepping down as Richmond coach and his report on SEN was definitive, detailed and accurate. In what was a competitive award, the Hardwick story gave Morris the nod over the others. Caroline Wilson’s body of work on Footy Classified was excellent too.

Commendable Mention: Caroline Wilson, Footy Classified

BEST OPINION/ANALYSIS – INDIVIDUAL

Entrants judged on the most impactful and articulate opinion and analysis. Open to radio and TV match broadcasters, as well as panelists on football programs.

Winner: David King, Fox Footy

In a hotly contested category, David King nosed the field with his forensic breakdown of games, players and tactics. King makes excellent use of the modern televisual tools, is very well researched and presents engagingly. At least twice, he correctly anticipated key developments in the season before anyone else. A groundbreaker.

Commendable Mention: Garry Lyon, Fox Footy

BEST RADIO PROGRAM

Entrants judged on football insight, discussion depth, entertainment, analytical quality, relevance.

Winner: Whateley, SEN

Whateley draws out strong opinions from regular guests to set the agenda on football’s hottest topics and rarely wastes an interview, driving to the heart of an issue to gain the sharpest perspective from the game’s key figures. His knowledge and attention to detail ensures the listener and decision-makers within the game are forced to think about issues from all angles.Only Gryan Miers and Lionel Messi comparisons stump him.  

Commendable Mention: Sportsday, SEN

BEST RADIO MATCH CALLER

Entrants judged on clarity, accuracy, colour/flair, use of the language/ability to paint the picture.

Winner: Anthony Hudson, 3AW

A master in flair and creativity with language. “Charlie’s angles have done it for the Lions” just one stand out in a season of stand out moments. He manages to weave unique and entertaining observations into his commentary while maintaining control of the overall story of the match. Quite simply, he is at the peak of his calling prowess.

Commendable Mention: Gerard Whateley, SEN

BEST TV PROGRAM

Entrants judged on football insight, discussion depth, entertainment, analytical quality, relevance.

Winner: The Front Bar, The Seven Network

Channel 7’s The Front Bar continues to be a leader in the category of the Best TV Program. Hosted by Andy Maher, the program features famed comedians Mick Molloy and Sam Pang – plus occasional high profile fill-ins – who produce a show full of humour and rich storytelling. As well as presenting and discussing the current issues in what can only be described as a unique style, the trio also take their audience down memory lane with a great selection of former players who reflect on their illustrious careers which are often the centre of some embarrassing moments from their highlight reel. Full of originality, The Front Bar is a joy to watch.

Commendable Mention: Footy Classified, Nine

BEST TV MATCH CALLER

Entrants judged on colour/flair, accuracy, use of the language and an ability to marry the words with the pictures.

Winner: Anthony Hudson, Fox Footy

In a high-quality group of entrants where the top two shone the brightest, Hudson’s flair and descriptive use of language added to the rich tapestry of the match-day coverage. He delivered energy and insight in the big moments and never let his voice overpower what was happening on the field. 

Commendable Mention: Dwayne Russell, Fox Footy

CLUB CATEGORY

BEST CLUB CONTENT

Entrants judged on originality, impact, creativity, public interaction.

Winner: Collingwood Football Club, The Julie McCreery Mother’s Day Pre-Game Address

An engaging and emotional piece that took us deep into the inner sanctum of the Magpies and helped lift the lid on Craig McRae and his inclusive, modern approach to leadership and coaching. This piece was thoughtfully shot and edited and is the type of content that makes members and supporters love their club all the more. And Julie was the clear star of the show.

Commendable Mention: North Melbourne Football Club, Inner North video series

MAJOR AFMA AWARDS

ALF BROWN AWARD

Presented to the overall best media performer. To qualify, the winner must have not only been successful in a 2022 award category, but also have been put forward by the judges of that category for consideration for this award. A separate panel of judges determine the Alf Brown Award.

Winner: Tom Morris, SEN

It was clearly the biggest news event of the 2023 season, arguably the biggest football story in years. Three-time Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick suddenly decides at Round 11 he has lost his enthusiasm for coaching. That he wants out. Immediately.

The story came out of the blue and Tom Morris broke the news clearly and decisively on SEN the night before the club’s official announcement to players and staff and then the public. Morris told us Hardwick was going, why he was going and when the announcement would come. It was an old-fashioned scoop. There were several others with excellent bodies of work, but the judges decided the Hardwick decision was so impactful and far-reaching, it deserved the gong.

Commendable Mention: Gerard Whateley, SEN

LOU RICHARDS MEDAL 

Winner: Jason Dunstall, Fox Footy

Jason takes care of the game with superior knowledge and authority. His delivery is laced with a wonderful mix of light and shade. Jason is the ultimate professional and brings a bit of fun and entertainment to a broadcast. His expertise shines through in the language he uses and, despite being out of the game for a while, he still brings excellent and insightful analysis to the audience. 

Commendable Mention: Luke Hodge, Seven Network/SEN

CLINTON GRYBAS EMERGING TALENT AWARD

Presented to the best emerging talent in football media. No age criteria, and discretion on “emerging” talent to be determined by an editorial executive of the organisation at which an entrant has worked. The award is open to media people who have had work published or broadcast (including match-day coverage), as well as those who work behind scenes in production.

Winner: Ryan Warren, Triple M

The judges noted Ryan’s versatility as he nears the end of three years producing the Sunday Rub on Triple M alongside a his Monday to Friday responsibility anchoring and producing The Rush Hour.
Noting his ability to mix it with the station’s big name and colourful characters the judges commended Ryan’s emerging appeal as a host on the midweek rub along with football producing duties for Triple M’s Thursday AFL fixtures as well as Saturday production duties headlining his three year.

Commendable Mention: Jimmy Williams, SEN, Zoe Scutter, Triple M and Liam Bradley, AFL Media

AFMA LIFE MEMBERS

Brian Taylor

The Seven Network. Triple M

Michael Klein

Herald Sun

See also: Seven Network’s Brian Taylor is honoured with a life membership at AFMA Awards

Main photo: Brian Taylor and Jason Dunstall

Jounce Media has recognised Yahoo Backstage as the “largest MFA-free supply source on the open Web.”

The recognition follows the results of Jounce Media’s independent audit on the direct-to-publisher.

Research from the ANA recently revealed that “Made for Advertising” (MFA) websites drive nearly one-quarter (21%) of all programmatic ad impressions while securing 15% of all total ad spend.

Yahoo Advertising tapped Jounce Media to audit Yahoo Backstage, its DSP-direct path to curated, premium publisher inventory. In addition to Yahoo-owned and operated properties, like Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Finance, over 100 leading publishers are featured on Yahoo Backstage through the Yahoo DSP.

Yahoo Backstage supports transparency, control, and supply path optimization (SPO), while maximising media spend and ROI for brands.

Chris Kane, founder of Jounce Media, said: “Our audit of the Yahoo Backstage internal delivery data confirms Yahoo’s commitment to curating the very best of the open Web. We found exactly zero MFA inventory and observed DSP-direct access to nearly every premium publisher. There is no other supply source that offers buyers a comparable scale of premium web supply with no exposure to MFA inventory.”

Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, chief revenue officer, Yahoo, said: “We’re focused on supporting the industry’s dynamic needs, offering trusted paths to premium supply. This recognition not only underscores our commitment, but also our drive to innovate and foster more transparency and better outcomes in the ad industry.”

Yahoo serves as a trusted guide for hundreds of millions of people globally, helping them achieve their goals online through our portfolio of iconic products. For advertisers, Yahoo Advertising offers omnichannel solutions and powerful data to engage with our brands and deliver results.

See also: Samsung Ads Behind The Screens: Advice from Yahoo’s Elizabeth Herbst-Brady

Veridooh has appointed David Di Tonto to lead its national sales team to oversee the rapid growth of independent media agencies partnering with the out-of-home verification provider.

Di Tonto joins the adtech firm with more than 12 years of experience in advertising, including at businesses such as Nine, SCA, and most recently Playground XYZ where he was national sales team lead, also for independents.

In the newly created role, Di Tonto steps in as group business director for independent media agencies and will focus on helping teams deliver greater value to their clients through Veridooh’s world-first independent verification solution. This involves understanding the unique challenges agencies face and how they can tap into Veridooh’s suite of products to help solve them and ensure they’re exceeding their objectives when it comes to OOH advertising.

Veridooh cofounder Jeremy Yang said: “We’re thrilled to welcome David to our team, marking yet another stage in our growth as more agencies adopt independent verification as a standard in their marketing toolkit.”

“Indies play an important role in OOH advertising and as our work with them expands we want to ensure we have someone on the team that is dedicated to working side-by-side with them, helping them grow by unlocking the full potential of their OOH investment. David is the perfect person for the job. He has worked alongside indies for close to a decade which brings unique insights to the business.”

Veridooh’s proprietary and patented technology, SmartCreativeTM independently collects the data needed to verify OOH campaigns across any format. It’s the preferred verification partner for GroupM, IPG Mediabrands, and Omnicom Media Group in Australia. Veridooh also works with a growing list of independent media agencies.

Di Tonto said: “I’m incredibly excited to start a new chapter with Veridooh and be part of their journey of supercharging growth in OOH by injecting greater levels of transparency and confidence in the sector.”

“Independent agencies are going through an exciting period of growth, adding a lot of value to the industry. However, I believe there’s a lot more growth opportunity when it comes to their investment in OOH. By helping them independently track, measure, and verify their campaigns, we’re helping them take the first steps to optimise and ultimately increase their OOH investment.”

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Top image: David Di Tonto

Following its US launch, Engaging.io has appointed Melissa Erickson to lead the growing North American business.

With 15 years of experience in tech consulting, Erickson has been appointed as North America solutions consulting lead. She will work in partnership with Ben Whitehead who recently joined Engaging.io in the US as a sales and solutions consultant.

Michelle O’Keeffe, CEO, Engaging, said: “After successfully completing a number of HubSpot integrations with US enterprise businesses from our APAC team, it was evident that to meet the increasing demand for our services we needed to build a local team based in the US to drive further growth. 

“Melissa has an extensive career in tech consulting and from our first meeting we were hooked. She will provide expert advice to US clients as they navigate the challenging process of complex CRM migrations, while simultaneously working closely with HubSpot as more enterprise businesses transition from legacy CRM players.

“We have some major projects already underway in the US, including working with a leading NBA team, and Melissa will expand the opportunities to leverage our expertise and Hubspot partnership to drive effective customer relationships and one to one marketing capabilities for organisations across North America.”

Erickson added: “I’m delighted to be joining Engaging and look forward to working closely with Michelle and the wider APAC team to deliver effective CRM solutions for enterprise organizations across North America.”

In July, Engaging.io appointed sales and solutions consultant, Ben Whitehead to manage US client growth. 

Based in Salt Lake City, Whitehead joins the new Engaging US office from multinational software company Hyland and Netsmart which develops technology and software services for the healthcare industry. He will help clients address business problems by working alongside the Engaging team and Hubspot to identify the best solutions for them.

See also: Engaging.io appoints Ben Whitehead to manage sales and solutions as it grows in the US

VMLY&R has announced its partnership with WorkSafe Victoria, leading a campaign platform that will roll out over three years.

Following a competitive pitch, the company was appointed the task of reducing work-related violence in Victoria. 

Jake Barrow, group executive creative director at VMLY&R said: “We can’t wait to apply our creativity to help Victorians become safer in the workplace.”

VMLY&R has been tasked with reframing the narrative around work-related violence, raising awareness of the less obvious forms of aggression and their cumulative impact on employees’ health.

Vanessa Tout, VMLY&R managing partner said: “Work-related violence is an important issue and we’re deeply committed to partnering with WorkSafe to shift attitudes amongst the community and reduce incidents of violence and aggression in Victorian workplaces.”

Kristy Taylor, director of social marketing and communication at WorkSafe said: “VMLY&R’s mandate to raise awareness of the prevalence of work-related violence and spotlight the subtler forms of aggression showcases our joint determination to ensure every Victorian feels secure, safe and valued where they work.”

The first phase of the campaign is set to hit the market in the second half of 2024.

In July, VMLY&R announced it had expanded its team with the appointment of four new senior hires to its Brisbane office.

Creative director Mikey Tucker joins the agency, having recently returned to Brisbane from Europe, where he was CD of DDB Prague. During his five years in Europe, Tucker worked with Netflix, Spotify, Volkswagen, MINI, Zalando and Metro. Prior to that, Tucker spent 17 years in Melbourne producing award-winning work at a host of creative shops.

Ben Davis, VMLY&R executive creative director in Brisbane said “It’s been a special start to 2023 for the agency – and it’s wonderful to bring onboard such phenomenal talent to help deliver work that truly connects brands to people. Mikey, Jess, and Dilip are lovely people that will collaborate brilliantly with our client partners and complement our team.”

See also: VMLY&R welcomes four new senior hires to the creative and strategy teams in Brisbane

Bobbi Mahlab AM has joined the board of directors for Women in Media.

Bobbi Mahlab AM is an entrepreneur, board member and gender equality activist and also is the chair and founder of Mahlab Media.

Mahlab said: “It brings me great pleasure to become a part of the Women in Media board during this period of growth with a focus on developing programs and creating opportunities that empower professional women to network, enhance their skills, and attain career progression and well-deserved recognition.”

Mahlab will join co-chairs Anita Jacoby AM and Victoria Laurie on the nine-person board of directors for a three-year term.

Anita Jacoby, co-chair of Women in Media, said, “Bobbi truly embodies excellence in the media industry; she is a visionary leader who champions women and utilises her strategic mind to address pressing challenges with impactful solutions that empower others. We are absolutely delighted to welcome her to the Women in Media board of directors.”

In July, the Women in Media Industry Insight Report 2023 revealed that the majority of women (54%) continue to be either unsure or explicitly dissatisfied with the progress of their careers in the media industry. 

Three times more women in 2023 than 2022 cited limited access to training/development and mental health/stress as obstacles to career progress. Dealing with bias/discrimination was five times more commonly cited as a factor for career stagnation year on year.

Women in Media strategic advisor Petra Buchanan says the survey puts a spotlight on employers and the media industry to act.

“We cannot ignore the consistent barriers faced by women in the media industry, as revealed by the Women in Media Industry Insight Report 2023. The findings highlight deep concerns about gender equality and a lack of industry support that continues to hinder women’s career progress,” said Buchanan.

See also: Report: Almost one-third of women in media considering leaving their job

• 1.098 million watch My Kitchen Rules in Total TV
• 1.061 million tune in to The Block in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, September 13

1,098,000 viewed Seven’s My Kitchen Rules where it was time for Claudean and Anthony to cook for the first time, up 24%.

1,061,000 watched Nine’s The Block as Kristy and Brett continued with the conspiracy theory that Eliza and Liberty were a Channel 9 plant, up 44%.

903,000 saw Home and Away as questions were raised about whether Irene was headed to prison, up 25%.

825,000 tuned into 10’s Thank God You’re Here as Joel Creasey, Frankie McNair, Lloyd Langford, and Julia Zemiro stepped through the blue door up, 33%.

720,000 sat down for another instalment of ABC’s Hard Quiz, up 17%.

Overnight TV Ratings, September 20

Primetime News
Seven News 840,000 (6:00pm) / 835,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 714,000 (6:00pm) / 734,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 565,000
10 News First 208,000 (5:00pm)/ 146,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 132,000 (6:30pm)/ 107,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 656,000
7.30 403,000
The Project 168,000 6:30pm / 266,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 208,000
Today 184,000
News Breakfast 137,000

Seven won Wednesday night with a primary share of 21.8% and a network share of 30.5%. 7mate and 7two have won multi channels with a 3.3% share each.

443,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as tensions between Roo and Marilyn arose while Remi lashed out at Bree, before 523,000 stayed on for My Kitchen Rules. Gatecrashers Amber and Mel delivered sweet success in dessert, but their lacklustre entrée and main caused them to crash to the bottom of the leaderboard with 61 points. Their Instant Restaurant, Salty Secrets, started living up to its name as soon as the guests settled in as head-to-head confrontations emerged around the table. Unbelievable Moments Caught on Camera followed for 139,000.

SEE ALSO: My Kitchen Rules 2023 Recap Episode 9: Amber and Mel leave the other contestants feelin’ salty

Nine’s A Current Affair (656,000) spoke with Professor Richard Scolyer, one of the world’s best cancer doctors, who has offered himself up as a guinea pig for experimental treatment as he undergoes his own battle with brain cancer. Then, 555,000 watched The Block. Brett was forced to apologise to the crew after swearing at them during an early morning interview. Then, it was time for Scotty Cam and Shelley Craft’s walkaround. While he spoke budget with Kyle and Leslie, Shelley was horrified at the state of Leah and Ash’s living room, who had failed to tarp up their existing styling. The BayCISS challenge was also completed, leaving the Blockheads feeling like they had done some good. Luxe Listings Sydney followed for 166,000, where Simon and a client landed a private viewing where he tried to take it off-market.

SEE ALSO: The Block Recap Episode 28: Brett’s swearing rampage leaves a sour taste

On 10, The Project (168,000 6:30pm / 266,000 7pm) spoke to Aussie indie-folk band Boy and Bear and looked at how Mexican doctors say they have found “no evidence of any assembly or manipulation of the skulls” of the so-called “non-human being” that was presented to Mexico’s congress last week. Thank God You’re Here then followed as Melanie Bracewell, Rhys Nicholson, Dane Simpson and Urzila Carlson stepped through the blue door. Guest judge Adam Hills named Nicholson as this week’s “Bachelor of Bulls**t” and Grant Denyer was a surprise guest. 464,000 tuned in. Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers followed for 180,000. During the episode, Virtual Golf became virtual insanity. 106,000 stayed on for Five Bedrooms as Harry found himself charged with organising Ainsley’s questionably-themed ‘white-party’ Hens.

403,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explore how in 2017 Tasmanian Police secretly recorded dozens of conversations that should have been protected by legal privilege. Plus, the program looked at how the NSW government’s mining strategy is under scrutiny amidst community concerns. Laura Tingle also interviewed Ian Macfarlane. Hard Quiz followed for 400,000 while 265,000 watched Mother and Son. During the episode, Arthur and Maggie both engage in sexual misadventures with disastrous results. WTFAQ followed as Chas Licciardello took a bath in custard to see if Centrelink’s hold music was deliberately annoying. 218,000 watched on. 

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Bettany Hughes’ Treasures of the World with 108,000 tuning in to see Professor Bettany Hughes reveal the secrets of the Adriatic coast of Albania.