The countdown is well and truly on until SXSW Sydney kicks off for 2023, with punters now beginning to put together lists of what they want to see at the week-long event.

One brand that people won’t be able to miss on the ground will be Seven, with the broadcaster offering a range of experiences on top of their 2024 Upfront presentation. 

Mediaweek caught up with Seven’s chief marketing officer, Melissa Hopkins, ahead of the final preparation for the festival to speak about the partnership between the two massive brands. 

When it comes to what was behind the original decision for Seven to partner with SXSW Sydney, Hopkins credits her “partner in crime and upfronts,” chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette, for coming up with the plan.

“What we found really exciting was that SXSW Sydney is the first festival outside of Austin,” said Hopkins. “The tech, innovation, games, music and the screen industries really converge with culture for unexpected delivery and discovery, and we thought that this was a perfect opportunity for us to really signal a major step change for Seven.”

Seven prides itself on bringing Australians major moments such as the Matildas World Cup campaign and the AFL Grand Final – as well as less expected moments like the John Farnham documentary that catapulted him back into the ARIA Charts earlier this year. Hopkins says that Seven’s creation of “mass cultural experiences” was also a major reason for their interest in the festival.

The Matildas

“We thought that there was a really great opportunity to be sitting in an environment that champions creators every single day, and for Seven to really show up and demonstrate at our core what we’re all about, and what makes us different.”

The jewel in the crown of Seven’s presence at SXSW Sydney will be the October 18 Upfront, held within the festival as part of the event partnership. Hopkins said that for her and Burnette,  the whole reason for the partnership was to demonstrate where Seven is now and where the team are going in the future.

“It’s one thing to tell stories, it’s another thing to show it. Showing up at SXSW Sydney for Upfronts, if I’m honest, is a huge responsibility. It is really important that we show up authentically and that our Upfront feels worthy of any other presentation or programme that is happening at South by Southwest. It’s absolutely added to the pressure and upped the stakes a little.

“Our Upfront actually runs the entire week, so whilst we are on the 18th of October, we’ll also be putting on a series of immersive events.”

Outside of the Upfront, Seven will be bringing SXSW Sydney to people all over the country as they bring the digital news team on site for the week, and share the content with the rest of Australia across Sunrise and the news channels.

Sunrise’s Edwina Bartholomew, Natalie Barr, Matt Shirvington and Mark Beretta

For the people on the ground, however, Seven will be making their presence felt across the festival. 

“We have Seven House in Tumbalong Park, which is open from the Monday through to the Friday. At that house, we have a full week of events across the two floors – from intimate dinners with amazing keynotes, and lunches that are invite only, to masterclasses about AI and tech, creativity, and culture,” said Hopkins.

“We’ve got amazing events going on during the week, everything from wine tasting, to a lot of our amazing talent showing up and having discussions, we have an unbelievable VR experience that I don’t want to give too much away about. We’re bringing people into the heart of Seven, and they get to experience that themselves.”

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Top Image: Melissa Hopkins

SXSW Sydney unveils full program ahead of event launch

SXSW Sydney has lifted the lid on its full schedule for 2023, with punters now able to plan out how they will spend the week from 15 – 22 October.

The whole event will be made up of over 1,000 sessions, including 700+ speakers, 300+ performances, 170+ games demos, 200+ screen events, a huge Tech & Innovation expo, as well as a week of free programming in Tumbalong Park.

The full SXSW Sydney 2023 schedule can be seen here.

Recommended sessions from the people in the know can be seen here.

Chance the Rapper heading Down Under to speak at SXSW Sydney

Multiple Grammy Award winner Chance The Rapper is heading to Australia to speak at SXSW Sydney 2023 next month.

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.

Chance The Rapper

“As we celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop in 2023, I’m reminded of the transformative power this culture has had, not just on the world stage, but on the streets of Chicago’s South Side,” says the Chicago-born rapper. “Hip-hop has provided a rhythm to our stories and a canvas for our creativity. I’m really looking forward to joining SXSW Sydney as a speaker to expound upon Hip Hop’s transcendent legacy.”

Colin Daniels, managing director, SXSW Sydney adds: “Chance The Rapper is renowned for both his chart-topping and community advocacy. There’s few out there like him, who take what they’ve made and use it to build the dreams of others. His genre-blurring sounds reverberate across generations, making him a powerful voice to reflect on the past 50 Years of Hip Hop. His unique perspective bridges the gap between the genre’s rich history and its dynamic future.”

Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker joins SXSW Sydney speaker lineup

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.

Charlie Brooker

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.”

SXSW Sydney unveils free activities for the general public at Tumbalong Park

SXSW Sydney has unveiled a slew of free activities for everyone to get a taste of what the globally renowned event has to offer, which will be held at Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park.

From 15-22 October, Tumbalong Park will be transformed into a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation, featuring captivating events to ignite the imagination, inspire and entertain.

The free activities offer the chance to experience tech and futuristic fun, from augmented reality at Snapchat House to using drone technology to drive full-sized Rovers on the other side of the country.

This futuristic playground offers the public to dip their toes into SXSW Sydney and enjoy Sydney’s dynamic creative industries in action. The free events range from live music performances, interactive brand activations and tech demos to live gameplay, conference speakers, radio broadcasts and much more.

John Graham, minister for Jobs and Tourism, minister for the Arts and minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, said: “SXSW Sydney will be a unique event that celebrates the ability to wander from place to place, a roving festival offering activations to enjoy along with other members of this creative community – it will be an experience that people are going to love.

“If you’re not on board by now, you’ve got a month to get on board to celebrate the incredible creative people and places we have here in Sydney.”

Geoff Jones, SXSW Sydney chair, said: “We are delighted to be sharing SXSW Sydney with the whole city and to provide a glimpse into the future of technology, music, ideas and gaming with all the action that will take place at Tumbalong Park.”

SXSW Sydney is also pleased to announce The Daily Telegraph as presenting partner of the Tumbalong Park Stage.

Ben English, editor said: “At The Daily Telegraph we’re for a vibrant and exciting Sydney. And that’s exactly what SXSW Sydney will create for a week in October.

“We hope to see all Sydneysiders – and visitors to our great state – enjoying for free the best in show content, be it screenings, bands, presentations or live radio shows, on the Tumbalong Park Stage presented by The Daily Telegraph – elevating Sydney’s reputation as the southern hemisphere’s home of innovation and creativity.”

SXSW Sydney also wishes to acknowledge the City of Sydney’s support this inaugural event, specifically around bringing the events free programming in Tumbalong Park to life.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said: “The City of Sydney council understands that a city’s culture is its beating heart, so we are delighted to be the Principal Local Government Sponsor of the inaugural SXSW Sydney – an event showcasing emerging talent and the cultural diversity of Sydney and the Asia Pacific.”

Spotify set to take over The Lansdowne Hotel as part of SXSW Sydney

Spotify will take over The Lansdowne Hotel as part of SXSW Sydney to create Spotify House, operating across four days from 18 – 21 October, with up-and-coming artists, future-focused music minds, and unique musical 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 the brand continues 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 feature 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, 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 (Korean wave).

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.

BRING announces Amex x Universal Music House collaboration as part of SXSW Sydney

BRING: Universal Music for Brands, a division of Universal Music Group, has announced the unveiling of Amex x Universal Music House as part of the major program at this year’s SXSW Sydney festival.

The collaboration affirms the music-based entertainment company’s position in market heading into the festival’s Southern Hemisphere launch.

The landmark announcement marks the evolution of BRING’s partnership with American Express, which most recently saw the creation of a deconstructed city-wide festival post-Covid through their “Back The Night” program in March 2022.

Adam Ireland, managing director of BRING, said: “Amex x Universal Music House broadens our partnership with American Express, allowing Universal Music to further showcase premier and emerging music talent, as well as future-focused industry panels as part of the inaugural SXSW Sydney Music Festival. We’re extremely proud to be collaborating with the festival, American Express, our music business labels and artists, in creating a unique property for this culturally important event.”

On October 18, 19 and 20, alongside curated live performances, BRING will introduce the acclaimed BRING Artist x Brand Summit (‘BABS’) to SXSW Sydney 2023. Designed to generate conversation and inspire new ways of thinking about collaboration in culture today, Universal Music House will host some of the most innovative artists, brands and thought leaders, unpacking topics for brands, creatives and media agencies leaning into the passion-point of music.

Naysla Edwards, VP of Brand, Marketing and Member Experience at American Express said: “Over the past five years we have looked for ways to back the music industry, providing more than $1 million in grants to emerging artists and businesses. We are delighted to join forces with the BRING team to deliver a platform at this year’s SXSW Sydney that continues our ongoing support of the music industry and provides an incredible experience for all visitors.
 
“Music has always been a passion area for all of us at American Express and through the House’s overarching theme of Music Futures we’ll showcase some of the best local and international music talent and curate a line-up of innovative thought leaders to inspire, educate and entertain.”

Sean Warner, president + CEO Universal Music Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are mobilising across international and domestic labels focusing on some of the most exciting talent of today and tomorrow.  The partnership with SXSW Sydney, American Express and our artists will play a pivotal role within SXSW Sydney’s Music Festival program and we’re thrilled to activate the first Amex x Universal Music House experience as a truly unmissable part of the festival.”

Colin Daniels, managing director of SXSW, added: “We are delighted to have both American Express and Universal Music be among our partners at SXSW Sydney. This marks a truly momentous moment, in what will undoubtably become a key part of this year’s festival line-up.”

Amex x Universal Music House will host a three day/night schedule of entertainment, a pop-up music store and the BRING Artist Brand Summit.

The House will be open 18, 19, 20 October.  Full event programming details will be announced in the coming weeks, including international talent and hot domestic artists from major Universal Music labels including EMI, Island Records, Neon and more.

Holders of a SXSW Sydney badge of any type, or a Music Festival wristbands, will have access to Amex x Universal Music House.

WPP announces next round of speakers for WPP House at SXSW Sydney

WPP has unveiled the next round of speakers presenting at the WPP House at SXSW and is the named sponsor of the conference’s Marketing & Advertising Track. 

As part of the partnership, WPP will take over Powerhouse Museum to create a central hub called WPP House, where new ideas and current and future issues within the industry will be explored.

WPP House will host WPP’s agencies and partners throughout the week-long event (15-22 October), focusing on the power of creative transformation, providing five days of creative provocation, emerging ideas and open conversations.

The round of speakers presenting include:

• Dylan Alcott AO – Paralympian
• Tolga Balabaner – Creative Strategy Lead, AUNZ, Google
• Jason Barnes – Chief Revenue Officer, APAC, PubMatic
• Stephen Connor – Managing Director, Volvo Car Australia
• Stephanie Coombes – Podcast Content Director, ARN
• Matthew Horn – General Manager, Customer and Digital, Country Road Group
• Matt Hunt – COO APAC, SmartMedia Technologies
• Ben Kerr – CEO/Founder Eco Outdoor Group
• Michelle Martinis – Head of Marketing, Home Ownership, National Australia Bank
(NAB)
• Bronwyn Powell – CEO, AMI (Australian Marketing Institute) 
• Orrie Tzamouranis – Director of Procurement, L’Oréal
• Jacqui Waine – General Manager, Marketing and Community, Scentre Group
• Emily Yri – Vice President, International Marketing, PubMatic

WPP House will also feature experts from across WPP’s network including:

• Tim Devine – Executive Innovation Director, AKQA
• Maria Grivas – CEO, Australia and New Zealand, Mindshare
• Rose Herceg – President, Australia and New Zealand, WPP
• Justin Peyton – Head of Web3, Metaverse and Emerging Channels, Wunderman
Thompson
• Katie Rigg-Smith – Chief Strategy Officer, Australia and New Zealand, WPP
• Raphael Ruz – Creative Technologist, Hogarth
• Lee Simpson – CEO, whiteGREY
• Christian Solomon – Managing Director, Melbourne, Mindshare
• Mikhail Tokarczyk – Director of Technology and Innovations, Hogarth
• Marine Turner – Group Strategy Director, EssenceMediacom
• Brian Vella – Managing Partner, AKQA

Initiative Australia won 10 awards at the MFA Awards on Thursday at the Winx Stand of Randwick Racecourse.

The media agency’s LEGO City Goes Nitro campaign was the most successful of the evening, winning five awards – most notably the Grand Prix.

Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative Australia, spoke to Mediaweek about how she marked the win, the key to the agency’s success, the effectiveness of the LEGO campaign and her outlook for 2024.

Celebrating Initiative Australia’s success

While it was a big night for the Initiative Australia team, it was an early night for Fein, who revealed she had early morning meetings the following day.

Instead, she shared that the agency will be celebrating across the country this week in different ways by state and client group.

Melissa Fein said that she and her team rarely stop to reflect on what they’ve achieved as they are always on to the next thing. But for Fein, she said Initiative’s wins at the MFA Awards were a noteworthy accomplishment.

“I took the time out over the weekend to reflect on what this has meant to us and our clients, but also an opportunity to reflect on what has/ hasn’t worked and how we can’t rest on our laurels,” she said.

Fein noted that Initiative’s DNA is in the work output and that the agency remains “relentlessly focused” on the work to deliver consistency to all of their clients, not just a select few.

“This recognition was especially special for Chris Colter and Sam Geer for years of relentless focus on the work!

Fein said: “Awards are never the goal; it’s the inputs that matter, and right now, the inputs are exceptional from our bench of talent and tools.”

Melissa Fein and the Initiative Australia team at the MFA Awards

Fein on the key to Initiative Australia’s success and the important figures who made it happen

The year so far has been quite the successful journey for Initiative Australia, with client wins, impressive campaigns, and a swag of accolades.

Fein said that this success for the agency took time.

“Initiative’s success this year was born three years ago with a transformation strategy and a clear three-year plan. It has been a brick-by-brick strategy, and we are still on that journey.”

Fein explained that the agency has a clear employee value proposition – “that you come to Initiative to do the best work of your career.”

“We understand people may move on, but we ensure they have a great impact whilst they are here and build their personal brand and equity to increase their value in market,” she said.

Fein highlighted Chris Colter, chief strategy and product officer, and managing director Sam Geer for their leadership on the work.

“I am in awe every day of working with these two guys. Their energy and smarts are contagious through the agency!”

Fein said that together, they build a high-performance culture where pride is instilled into every Initiative employee, no matter their department.

“Great talent attracts great talent, and we have built out the strongest talent bench in the country; our depth is incredible across all crafts!”

Fein also noted Mediabrands Australia’s chief operating officer Geoff Clarke, whom she has worked with since day one of the agency and described as “instrumental in driving the transformation of Initiative.” 

“There are many Initiative heroes across the board, from Michael Chong (who leads our analytics team – for which we awarded at the MFA Awards) to our cultural drivers (our market MDs), to the chairs of our DEI / ESG committees, and everyone in between,” she said.

“Building a high-performing business is like naming the team line-up to play at the Grand Final. Every individual plays a critical role and contributes to our success in their own very important way,” Fein added.

Initiative Australia – 10 awards at the MFA 2023

What makes Initiative Australia’s campaigns effective

Five of Initiative Australia’s ten awards went to LEGO City Goes Nitro. Meanwhile, two awards went to the Cricket Covers for NRMA Insurance.

For Fein, the non-traditional use of media was part of what made the campaigns effective. She highlighted that it was about thinking beyond what could be bought off a shelf and what would create impact.

“These were both stellar examples of maximising all owned, earned, shared, paid (and adding new ‘made ‘channels) to command attention and drive conversation,” she added of both campaigns.

Fein also noted that the message was also part of the reason why both campaigns, respectively, were effective.

“In both cases, the brands enhanced the experience versus badged it, bringing their own unique promises to life in meaningful ways. From HELP and protection with the cricket covers to creativity and imagination in enabling kids to design their own stunt vehicle, these campaigns prove focusing on acts over ads delivers greater impact.”

Fein also noted that both examples were brokered by Initiative and MBCS, which she said was “almost unheard of for a media agency to be involved in these decisions, let alone drive them.”

“It just goes to show the strength of our strategic partnership with our clients and the trust they have in our negotiations and executional delivery.”

Fein’s outlook for the rest of 2023 and the year ahead

With just three months left to the end of the year and achievements under the belt, Fein noted that as a retail-heavy agency, they have a busy period ahead for their teams.

“We have some exciting, innovative executions launching in coming months,” she said.

“We have also had some great new business wins recently, so we are taking stock and focusing on embedding those businesses into the Initiative portfolio,” she added.

Looking to the year ahead, Fein shared that they are currently planning for 2024 and where her attention will be.

“I have one eye focused on our investment + growth plans for Australia,” she said.

Fein also revealed that the new year will see Initiative invest more into its launched NZ operations.

“We have had such a warm welcome into the market. It seems the market was ready for a new energised challenger brand, and we will be delivering the energy the market deserves,” she added.

See also: Initiative Australia wins Grand Prix at the 2023 MFA Awards

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Top image: Melissa Fein

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

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

This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Kelly Healy and Phillipa Monti from News Corp Australia reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge and career goals for 2023.

Kelly Healy, General Manager Sales QLD, SA and WA, News Corp Australia

Best career advice – Always do your best to keep growing and learning. Lifelong learning allows you to focus on personal development. Don’t forget to diversify your experience across all media channels.

My favourite podcast/read – I love Greg McKeown’s book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. It’s such a good read and I’d recommend it. It talks about doing less but better, so you can make the highest possible contribution in whatever you do. Don’t be mistaken though, it isn’t about getting more done in less time but it’s really about getting the right things done.

Current streaming binge – Have you ever thought about the friendship you’ve shared with your friends and how it’s evolved over the years? “And Just Like That” is exactly what it’s all about – navigating the complicated reality of life and friendships; something that we all go through. If you’ve enjoyed Sex and the City, then you should definitely watch this because this is a sequel of the American television drama series.

Leadership hero – Take a guess? It’s none other than Louise Barrett, Managing Director of National Sales, News Corp Australia. Lou’s is an industry veteran and someone that I will always look up to and respect. I’m so grateful for the advice and guidance she has shown me over the many years working together.

I wish someone had told me – Always know your “why”. Because if I had known earlier, maybe I would have found my passion and path in life earlier than i did post-school life!

Guilty content pleasure – Who says Harry Potter movies aren’t for adults like me? I love watching Harry Potter movies with my boys and spending quality time with them. It’s one of the best things mums can do with their kids!

Best training course/session – It has to be News Corp Australia’s Pace Setters! I was part of the program this year – A prestigious reward program which recognises News Corp Australia’s top achievers across advertising sales nationally. What an honour.

Your mentor – My network of female friends who inspire, encourage and ground me. They are the best and I’m forever grateful for having them.

Hot medium or show – Unchained on SBS – a devout Rabbi-detective, whose job it is to free the women whose husbands deny them a divorce and a new life, finds that in his own home lurks a secret that threatens his own world and marriage. It’s so good.

Favourite media event – Definitely News Corp Australia’s Client Christmas Party in Brisbane  – aka “Tools Down for the Year”.

Wish I’d done that – start a business like Naked Foods. An Australian-based health & wellness bulk foods franchise for everyday people. #healthylifestyle #eco-friendly

Career goal for 2023 – Build and foster client relationships across the Queensland, South Australian and Western Australia territories I manage, and to further understand how we can continue to help their businesses grow.

Phillipa Monti, Client Service Executive QLD, News Corp Australia

Best career advice – Value relationships especially in this industry and do what you love. But also… make friends with pricing, finance, security and the office manager at News Corp Australia 🙂

My favourite podcast/read – She’s on the Money (podcast and book) by Victoria Devine. I listened to the podcast and read the book simultaneously whilst travelling Western Australia and driving back to Victoria. Ironically at a time where I pretty much didn’t have a cent to my name, it inspired me to get smart with my money and taught me some great lessons about financial independence.

Can I choose another podcast (please?)… I love the Imperfects, in a world where we are constantly reminded of the way others live, what they might have that we don’t and are blinded by the highlight reel we see online, the Imperfects allows us to really get to know those people we might aspire to be like and learn more about what makes them human. It’s one I think everyone should give a go.

Current streaming binge – I just finished Painkiller. It’s a Netflix series about the OxyContin epidemic in the United States. This was eye opening, to hear the story behind the creators and mastermind of this highly addictive and deadly pill and the real families that were destroyed by it. So confronting.

 Leadership hero –  My parents – they are caring, nurturing, generous and hardworking. Looking back as an adult I can appreciate the hard times they went through throughout different stages of our life, in amongst it all they raised three kids who have grown up to have our own lives. We are very close and it makes me incredibly happy to see them having a full circle moment, creating a fulfilling life for the two of them again, with one or all of us never far away of course.

I wish someone had told me – Don’t wish time away, because the older you get the faster it goes. Not too long ago I would have dreamt about getting to this point in my life. It’s important to enjoy every moment, because one day these will be the ‘good old days’ we look back on.

Guilty content pleasure – Watching short snippets of reality shows like Below Deck on Facebook and Instagram… because I don’t have the time to commit to the full series, but I feel invested by the amount I do watch just in individual scenes!

Best training course/session – I’d have to say the MFA NGEN program. Being new to the industry can be overwhelming, but the regular sessions have been great to understand more about media outside of what I do day-to-day, as well as the opportunity to network with other like members from the industry.

Your mentor – My Dad, I look up to him and admire his achievements and experiences. He is who I call on the way to work before a meeting or on the way home from work to talk about something that might have come up that day. He always gives the perfect advice and gives me confidence and reassurance as a newbie to the media world.

Hot medium or show – Instagram reels, there is so much funny content out there for a laugh at the end of the day. There’s also a lot to learn, I have almost started my own affiliate marketing side hustle a number of times now lol.

Favourite media event – News Corp Australia’s Newscast “Behind the Mic” audio event last month. An intimate event hosted in Brisbane with a panel of talent from NewsCasts library of amazing podcasts. I loved listening to what the ladies had to say about their different experiences in podcasting and storytelling. It was an engaging conversation with plenty of laughs.

Wish I’d done that – Started in the media earlier. I spent a lot of time not knowing what I wanted to do, but I wish I had jumped into a role like I am in now earlier as I think deep down I knew I might have ended up here but didn’t have the confidence to jump into something so foreign and new.Also, I wish I had have turned around at the WA border that time, bought a Troopy ( that’s a Land Cruiser ) and travelled Australia for another 6 months 🙂

Career goal for 2023 – To look back on my first year in media and be proud of what I’ve achieved and will continue to achieve into next year and beyond.

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

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Top image: Kelly Healy and Phillipa Monti

COMvergence has released its Media Agency New Business Barometer report for Australia, looking at the first half of 2023.

The Barometer is based on media account moves and retentions and is aimed at assessing agency performances in new business.

According to the COMvergence data independently obtained by Mediaweek, the first half of 2023 saw 109 account moves and pitches, 55 of which were won or retained by holding company agencies. Meanwhile, 54 were won by independent agencies or went in-house, while eight remained with the incumbent.

Two rankings were produced from the data: new business values by agency and new business values by group.

At the top of the COMvergence rankings for new business by agency for the first half of 2023 is Publicis Groupe’s Zenith, which netted US$45 million in new business.

GroupM’s Wavemaker followed with $43 million in new business, including two retentions that resulted in a spend of $ 15 million.

Atomic 212 was the highest-ranked independent agency with $24 million in new business with a retention rate of 100%. Ranked fourth on the list is OMD at $20 million, followed by Bohemia/M&C Saatchi with $ 14 million in new business.
 
In equal sixth place in the COMvergence ranking for new business by agency were Initiative and Spark Foundry, with $13 million in new business and retentions. However, Initiative had a more robust retention rate of 33% and netted $9 million, excluding retention. Meanwhile, Spark Foundry had netted $13 million, excluding retention.
 
Publicis Media took the top spot in the new business values by agency group category, with a total of US$65 million, including retentions, and 13 new clients for the first half of 2023.
 
GroupM followed with $38 million in total, including new business. The report noted that the agency group recorded nine new client wins with a total ad spend of $37 million and a retention rate of 51%, resulting in an ad spend of $29 million.
 
Rounding out the top three rankings in the first half of 2023 is Mediabrands, which had a total of $6 million in new business, including one retention with a total ad spend of $4 million.
 
See also: COMvergence: Wavemaker takes the title of top global media agency network in new business results for H1 2023

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.

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“Sorry, I’m running late”. Sometimes it’s understandable. But I don’t like saying it, and sometimes I don’t like hearing it. There is a meme floating around, like the one below, something along the lines of, “sorry I’m late, I didn’t really want to be there”.

But it happens, right? Meetings run over, traffic happens, unexpected toilet breaks, big nights, lost my keys, lost sense of purpose, or even lost sense direction, a lost cab driver! I once set my alarm clock for PM and not AM, and I missed a whole shift at my job at the local TV Station – the ramification was two hours of lost broadcast, lost advertising revenue and almost a lost job.

There are people in my life who are always late. My hippy friends. My busy friends. My overcommitted friends (see: Boundaries). It’s all good in the end but, myself, I get anxious, sometimes sweaty, often frustrated, and sometimes I get angry with myself and others when I’m running late to something I’ve committed to. Sometimes when certain members of my family are up to hour two in the bathroom, and we are running late, I begin to resent vanity.

Rush kills good vibes, rush kills intimacy and peace. It abolishes that moment of “so how are you, really?” with your child, that fruitful chat with a colleague, meaningful discussion with your partner, funny chat with your friend or that D&M with the Uber driver! The number one problem you will encounter in life is time! Period. So be with it as gracefully as possible. You will not be emotionally healthy in a hurry. You don’t win points anywhere for being in a hurry, in fact, the police department penalises you and so will the people around you! So be ahead of yourself, and everyone else too.

When I ran creative businesses, I would always say to my teams; “be early, at the every latest be on time”. Here’s why:

1. You can relax and get present to what’s about to happen next. Get closer to items on the agenda, and the outcomes you’re driving for!
2. Catch people in the reception area; The client, be seen, make new friends,
3. Send that follow up email, address that outstanding matter (like weeing). Have a social media ‘tea break’ moment.
4. Friendly catch up with your colleagues, role playing the meeting.
5. Call that loved one who’s missing you.

I remember as a fast growing independent creative agency, getting a client’s attention was an uphill battle. They are busy, they have retainers with the bigger agency groups. So I was always looking for the edge. I often found sitting around in the Coca-Cola reception area was a way to trip up that Marketing Manager who wasn’t getting back to my email for a purchase order number. Nestlé was the same, their reception area was a feast for follow-ups. I found it complimentary to my intentions to do a great job. It’s a better environment to connect than being at an industry event. There’s also je ne sais quoi when Client A from one category, product or brand sees you in their offices, but not there to meet them, rather Client B. Curiosity, FOMO, whatever it is, it works.

Either way, being consistently ahead of schedule in your day-to-day life will have a strong impact on the long-term outcome of your entire life. It will have a wonderful impact on your relationships too. You’re respecting yourself, your own time, and the time of the people around you. Some of the greatest inventions save us time. The greatest relationships are built on respecting the time you have together. Time is all we have.

Time.
Is.
My.
Everything.

–

To become a Compadres, DM Clive via Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit www.wearecompadres.com

Spotify has revealed plans this week to test Voice Translation for podcasts, a feature powered by AI that translates podcasts into additional languages – all in the podcaster’s voice.

The Spotify-developed tool uses the latest AI innovations including OpenAI’s newly released voice-generation technology, used to match the original speaker’s style.

The new tool would see a podcast episode originally recorded in English, available in other languages keeping the speaker’s distinctive speech characteristics. 

As part of the test, Spotify has worked with podcasters, Dax Shepard, Monica Padman, Lex Fridman, Bill Simmons, and Steven Bartlett to generate AI-powered voice translations in other languages – including Spanish, French, and German – for a select number of catalogue episodes and future episode releases. 

“By matching the creator’s own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before,” said Ziad Sultan, VP of personalization. “We believe that a thoughtful approach to AI can help build deeper connections between listeners and creators, a key component of Spotify’s mission to unlock the potential of human creativity.”

Voice-translated episodes from pilot creators will be available worldwide to Premium and Free users. Spotify is starting by releasing an initial bundle of translated episodes in Spanish, with French and German rolling out in the coming days and weeks:

1. Lex Fridman Podcast – “Interview with Yuval Noah Harari”
2. Armchair Expert – “Kristen Bell, by the grace of god, returns”
3. The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett – “Interview with Dr. Mindy Pelz”

Last week, Spotify announced that they will take over The Lansdowne Hotel as part of SXSW Sydney to create Spotify House, operating across four days from 18 – 21 October, with up-and-coming artists, future-focused music minds, and unique musical experiences on show.

See also: Spotify set to take over The Lansdowne Hotel as part of SXSW Sydney

WPP has unveiled the next round of speakers presenting at the WPP House at SXSW and is the named sponsor of the conference’s Marketing & Advertising Track. 

As part of the partnership, WPP will take over Powerhouse Museum to create a central hub called WPP House, where new ideas and current and future issues within the industry will be explored.

WPP House will host WPP’s agencies and partners throughout the week-long event (15-22 October), focusing on the power of creative transformation, providing five days of creative provocation, emerging ideas and open conversations.

The round of speakers presenting include:

• Dylan Alcott AO – Paralympian
• Tolga Balabaner – Creative Strategy Lead, AUNZ, Google
• Jason Barnes – Chief Revenue Officer, APAC, PubMatic
• Stephen Connor – Managing Director, Volvo Car Australia
• Stephanie Coombes – Podcast Content Director, ARN
• Matthew Horn – General Manager, Customer and Digital, Country Road Group
• Matt Hunt – COO APAC, SmartMedia Technologies
• Ben Kerr – CEO/Founder Eco Outdoor Group
• Michelle Martinis – Head of Marketing, Home Ownership, National Australia Bank
(NAB)
• Bronwyn Powell – CEO, AMI (Australian Marketing Institute) 
• Orrie Tzamouranis – Director of Procurement, L’Oréal
• Jacqui Waine – General Manager, Marketing and Community, Scentre Group
• Emily Yri – Vice President, International Marketing, PubMatic

WPP House will also feature experts from across WPP’s network including:

• Tim Devine – Executive Innovation Director, AKQA
• Maria Grivas – CEO, Australia and New Zealand, Mindshare
• Rose Herceg – President, Australia and New Zealand, WPP
• Justin Peyton – Head of Web3, Metaverse and Emerging Channels, Wunderman
Thompson
• Katie Rigg-Smith – Chief Strategy Officer, Australia and New Zealand, WPP
• Raphael Ruz – Creative Technologist, Hogarth
• Lee Simpson – CEO, whiteGREY
• Christian Solomon – Managing Director, Melbourne, Mindshare
• Mikhail Tokarczyk – Director of Technology and Innovations, Hogarth
• Marine Turner – Group Strategy Director, EssenceMediacom
• Brian Vella – Managing Partner, AKQA

See also: SXSW Sydney unveils full program ahead of event launch

Clear Hayes Consulting has announced it is taking over the Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium Darling Harbour during SXSW Sydney.

Organised by a group of SXSW (Austin) veterans from Clear Hayes Consulting, a B2B agency specialising in marketing to marketers, Clear Hayes House aims to bring together a mix of top-tier thought leadership, unique meetups and networking opportunities, parties and industry activations.

Taking over Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium Darling Harbour for two days on October 18 and 19, participating partners include Yahoo, Outbrain, ADMA, Amplify, MOOD Tea and StudioSpace. Immersive thought leadership sessions, dynamic activations and an official SXSW Austin meetup will be the backbone of the daytime, whilst the evening will see some fantastic music and fun parties taking place.

Alex Hayes, Clear Hayes Consulting principal, said: “Having been to SXSW in Austin six times in the last 10 years, I always leave excited and inspired by what I see and experience there. That is the feeling we’re aiming to capture at Clear Hayes House.

“It’s great to be able to work with some of our industry’s best brands to bring this space to life, and I’m incredibly excited by the lineup of speakers, events and acts set to grace our stage. Our mission is to make this the best House at the entire festival by opening up to collaboration and capturing the essence of what makes SXSW unique.”

Content in the House during the day will see huge names from the marketing and media industry come together to cover everything from the creator economy and how brands can capitalise on this ever-evolving landscape, to exploring finding the right partners, marketers asking the hard questions on the future of media and a deep dive on how not to ruin your career. More details of programming will be released in the coming days.

Clear Hayes House will operate 9am -11pm, at the Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium in Darling Harbour on Wednesday, October 18 and Thursday, October 19.
 
Limited collaboration opportunities are still available for brands interested in being a part of Clear Hayes House at SXSW Sydney, for more details contact Alex Hayes.

AFR BOSS has lifted the lid on its 2023 Most Innovative Companies List, highlighting the creativity and talent of organisations from Australia and New Zealand. 

This year marks the 12th year of the Most Innovative Companies List, with the final result judged by a panel of experts and assessed by Inventium specialists.

Companies are judged on three elements: an innovation they have implemented in the past 24 months; how the company has embedded innovation into their organisation; and performance on Inventium’s Innovation Benchmarking survey which assesses performance on a range of innovation drivers.

This year the list attracted more than 700 nominations.

The Media and Marketing category was won by whiteGREY, who were named as the AFR most Innovative Media & Marketing Company for their work on The Hope Narratives for The Missed Foundation (formally MPAN). whiteGREY also won Most Innovative Small Company in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Hope Narratives is a world-first therapeutic tool that helps people navigate ambiguous loss, the psychological burden felt by the families of missing people. The modular, therapeutic language system has now been translated to 6 languages.

Lee Simpson, CEO of whiteGREY, said “Being awarded the number one spot on the List against so many of Australia’s most highly regarded companies is an unbelievable honour and I could not be prouder of our team’s accomplishments.”

“Thanks to our clients and our team who continually strive to make extraordinary ideas happen”.

Lee Simpson

In second place was Special Australia, for their work on The Middle Seat Lottery. When research showed that less than one per cent of fliers chose the middle seat, Special worked with Virgin Australia to give away a prize for one passenger in the middle seat of every flight.

“People would rather sit in long traffic or visit the dentist then get stuck in the middle seat,” Special Group’s Dave Hartmann said.

“It was about convincing customers that if we can make that one thing better, we can make everything better.”

M&C Saatchi Group rounded out the top three with The Plastic Forecast for The Minderoo Foundation. 

In eighth place, SBS came in as the only broadcaster in the top 10, with their A World of Difference innovation. 

See Also: Beyond Canberra: Behind the scenes of NITV’s coverage of The Voice referendum

The Top 10 Media and Marketing Companies in AFR’s 2023 Most Innovative Companies List

whiteGREY – The Hope Narratives
Special, Australia – The Middle Seat Lottery
M&C Saatchi Group – The Plastic Forecast – The Minderoo Foundation
Special, New Zealand – Dave’s Unusables’ for Motor Neurone Disease NZ
PHD Australia – Virgin Australia: Real-Time Routes
TRA – Ideal.ly
R/GA – R/GA’s We Are Warriors
SBS – A World of Difference
CHEP – Samsung Flipvertising
In Marketing We Trust – ScalePath

Women Sport Australia (WSA) has signed News Corp Australia as its national media partner in a major extension of the publisher’s existing association with the Women in Sport Photo Action Awards (WISPAA). 

News Corp Australia has extended its support to cover Women Sport Australia’s advocacy initiatives and programs as national media partner after two years partnering with WSA on the Women in Sport Photo Action Awards (#WISPAA). 

The partnership is aimed at increasing WSA’s visibility, allowing the WSA to have a stronger voice advocating for women and girls sport in Australia. 

WSA commercial director Helena Dorczak said she was proud News was extending its support of WSA.  

Dorczak said: “Women Sport Australia has had a great working relationship with News Corp Australia for several years through #WISPAA and we are really delighted to extend the partnership to Women Sport Australia more broadly.

“With so much fantastic momentum around women’s sport following the FIFA Women’s World Cup, having News Corp Australia as a national media partner will help amplify our advocacy work and help us reach a broader audience.”

News Corp Australia’s MD news sport network, Michael Wilkins, said becoming the national media partner of WSA reflected the publisher’s commitment to support the communities in which it operates while extending its leadership covering women’s sport in Australia.  

Wilkins commented: “News Corp Australia is the number one destination for sports lovers to get the latest news and the  best analysis, and women and girls’ sport is a huge priority for our audiences. As WSA’s national media partner, it means we can better support WSA in their important work advocating for and prosecuting the arguments women’s sport needs – from grass roots community sports right through  to our global champions.”  

Since incorporating in 2005 Women Sport Australia has worked in collaboration with stakeholders from around Australia and the world to improve opportunities for girls and women in sport and recreation – both on and off the field – and see this partnership with News as a key strategic goal.

See also: Meeting of the Minds: News Corp Australia’s Kelly Healy and Phillipa Monti

Suncorp Group has shared the results from its investment in advertising in regional Australia, pairing creative with audience insights for a lift in brand consideration, sentiment, and customer quotes.

The Suncorp Group and its insurance brand, AAMI undertook several campaigns targeting Boomtown, using creative and messaging to capture the hearts of regional Australia and the specific issues they face.

Suncorp’s One House campaign, which took out Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Innovation in 2022, was targeted to regional Queensland and focused on helping customers protect their homes from floods, cyclones, and fire.

The insurer created a prototype traditional Queenslander home, dubbed One House which was designed to be more resilient to bushfires, floods, and cyclones. The One House to Save Many campaign was then weaved around the house.

The campaign paid customer and commercial dividends: it increased consideration of Suncorp by 10 points (+12 points with non-Suncorp customers), increased customer quotes by 25% and increased new business units by 11.1.

The group’s insurance brand AAMI also undertook two Boomtown campaigns. Its Warning Spots campaign used AAMI’s crash index data to identify high-risk crash locations in certain regional areas prone to high traffic during holiday periods.

The subsequent campaign, Rest Towns, encouraged people to stop and rest during long-haul trips, by directing people into upcoming towns on their road trip and creating two-hour Spotify playlists, reminding drivers when to stop. This was supported with radio messaging and billboard advertising.

92% of people exposed to the Warning Spots campaign expressed positive sentiment towards AAMI, and it resulted in a reduction in accident claims. For Rest Towns, brand consideration rose 3.5 points initially, and then continued to increase ‘worth’ perceptions by 6.55 percentage points.

Additionally, the campaigns encouraged safer driving, while also providing income for regional businesses still recovering from adversity.

Suncorp Group’s EGM of brand and marketing, Mim Haysom, said: “For the Suncorp Group, it’s always been really important to us to make sure we’re educating customers all across Australia and we’re engaging and servicing them with products and services they need. As a brand, metro and regional  have always been equally important to us – in some cases, even more so in regional.

“Many marketers think you’ve got to go metro and scale big to win creative and effectiveness awards and that’s not the case. We’ve found if you are targeted, bespoke, and creative you are with regional audiences, you can create really significant impact. There’s a great opportunity from a brand, business, customer, and creative perspective to be found, if you’re willing to do the work to drill in and find the insights.”

Suncorp’s results come on the back of Boomtown’s new Uncapped and Untapped campaign, designed to rally the nation’s marketers to put regional media buying on their planning agendas.

Boomtown chairman, Brian Gallagher, commented: “The Suncorp group has achieved incredible results with their investment in Boomtown and their ability to mine regional audience insights and platforms to find customer growth and engagement.

“We’re encouraging other marketers across the country to follow suit and proactively build out regional marketing strategies to find growth. Boomtown is an untapped market for thousands of brands across Australia – and Suncorp’s initiatives show there is significant new customer build and revenue opportunities to be had.”

See also: SEN granted licence to Suncorp Super Netball League’s newest team

Ryvalmedia Melbourne managing director Joseph Pardillo has announced an expansion of the agency product offering with the launch of the Media Partnerships and Affiliates dedicated unit.

Pardillo has also welcomed the appointment of Pooja Aggarwal to the newly created role of client partnerships and affiliates lead, effective immediately.

The Affiliates capability will complement Ryvalmedia’s digital-first offering, leveraging its full spectrum of communications expertise to drive new streams of business growth and tap into new audiences for its new and existing client portfolio.

Aggarwal has held several senior advertising and agency roles, with extensive industry experience spanning strategic media planning, campaign management, client service, mar-tech, ad-tech, and data and digital solution remits.

In her most recent position before joining Ryvalmedia, she played a crucial role in owning, managing, and growing the Affiliates Program at Dentsu for the Woolworths Group of brands in Australia and New Zealand, strategising and implementing performance campaigns based on tailored KPIs and budgets within their Affiliates & Partnerships space.

Similarly, her task at Ryvalmedia is to launch and scale the agency’s media partnerships and affiliate capabilities with client partners and brands to drive e-commerce sales growth for their respective affiliate programs. This capability will be a vital specialisation and another string to Ryvalmedia’s bow of digital media expertise as it looks to partner with its clients in negotiating optimal exposure, commission structures, rates, and co-funding opportunities with media partners and stakeholders across the ANZ markets.
 
Ryvalmedia will also manage and liaise with affiliate networks and partners (including Impact.com and Commission Factory) to drive engagement, enhance performance, and ultimately return on ad spend for clients.

The catalyst to launch the affiliates unit was after collaboration with several client partners identifying strategic growth opportunities from affiliate marketing that improve market reach and YoY revenue during key e-commerce events, as well as key product and sales offers.

Aggarwal will lead the new team in analysing data around product sales, customer purchase patterns, basket value, and other related inputs that will help derive actionable insights and implement critical business optimisation learnings for clients.

One of the first client partners onboarded under Aggarwal’s stewardship will be MyDeal, implementing a new affiliates management platform, amplifying revenue streams by incorporating new suitable partners, optimizing the current relationships, and driving overall performance and revenue growth across the program.

Pardillo said: “We are excited to unlock a wide range of business growth avenues for our clients in the new economy where opportunities are limitless. Affiliate marketing is nothing revolutionary, yet the economic system that has emerged out of the disruption from the rapid rise of technology, digitisation, and innovation means that we need to be equipped with tools and capabilities beyond the traditional agency skillsets to optimize revenue growth for our clients.

“In this new economy, not only do brands need to rapidly transform to fend off the competition from new entrants who have changed the way we work, shop, and live, but they also need to partner deeper with like-minded businesses to equip themselves with that winning edge. Therefore, building and integrating this capability within our infrastructure must almost become a hygiene service for our client partners,” he added.
 
Aggarwal said of her appointment: “I am thrilled and deeply honoured to be joining the incredible team at Ryvalmedia. As I step into this new chapter of my career, I want to express my utmost enthusiasm for the opportunities that lie ahead. The prospect of leading the charge in launching and scaling our agency’s media partnerships and affiliate capabilities is both invigorating and promising.
 
“Together with our valued client partners and brands, we are poised to drive significant e-commerce sales growth through affiliate programs, and we are already seeing success with the MyDeal program, achieving, and surpassing the KPIs despite platform migration and variables. Thank you, Joseph, for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity, and I look forward to the journey ahead.”

–

Top image: Pooja Aggarwal and Joseph Pardillo

Cartology has announced its partnership with Haben to extend its large format Shopper screen network across four new neighbourhood, sub-regional and major regional centres; Casey Central, Cleveland Central, The Pines Shopping Centre and Wollongong Central. 

The centres are home to retail, dining and entertainment precincts including major supermarket and specialty stores; Aldi, Coles, David Jones, Target and Woolworths.

As part of the partnership, Cartology will supply, install and maintain five new high impact, full motion screens, further increasing its large format portfolio.

Tom Windeyer, Cartology’s general manager of commercial development and new business, said: “We’re pleased to continue the growth of our retail out-of-home network and extend our large format screen portfolio in partnership with Haben. The additions further cement our screen expertise and the impact we can drive for partners across the connected customer journey.”

With a shared ambition to improve the centre experience, the growth of the screen network gives brands further opportunity to connect with customers from sofa to shelf, powered by rich customer insights. 

Antony Keenan, head of investment management at Haben, said: “We’re excited to extend our partnership with Cartology and drive impact for customers through large format. The new screens located across some of our finest retail and entertainment precincts will bring the centres to life for customers and enhance their in-centre experience. 

The announcement comes after Cartology recently added 33 new centres to its Shopper portfolio. The new builds bring Cartology’s 100% digital retail screen network to over 4,000.
 
Cartology has announced the evolution of the in–store shopping experience powered by digital transformation.
 
The health, beauty and baby aisles of over 400 Woolworths Supermarkets stores nationally will be digitised as the Woolworths Group’s media business installs a premium, full-motion digital, front-of-aisle screen network.
 
Through Cartology, brands can understand and target customers across their connected shopping journey based on category-specific purchase behaviours.
 
See also: Cartology digitises in-store experience with front-of-aisle screen network

The Brag Media has announced it has signed an exclusive representation deal with digital advertising network Scroll Media.

The deal will see the digital advertising network represent the premium youth content publisher’s advertising inventory in New Zealand.

Scroll Media, which was established in 2018, manages the outsourced ad sales for a number of premium publishers, including Healthline, Gameloft, Autotrader, Student Job Search and Pricespy, and is fast growing its customer base of media agencies in the market, alongside direct bookings and programmatic buying. 

The Scroll Media network reaches more than 1.6 million people in New Zealand each month.

The Brag Media represents some of the most iconic titles in the world, including Rolling Stone, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, TheBrag.com, Tone Deaf, The Music Network, Enthusiast Gaming, Life Without Andy, HypeBeast and more. It also publishes Rolling Stone AU/NZ magazine in New Zealand and covers music and culture content on the Rolling Stone New Zealand website.

The Scroll Media

The Brag Media’s editorial presence in New Zealand will remain unchanged, with recent highlights in the market including the launch of Tone Deaf New Zealand and last week’s Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards, which saw the music industry gather in Auckland to celebrate the best of the best in Kiwi music. Winners on the night included Six60, L.A.B., COTERIE, The Beths and Bic Runga.

Joel King, The Brag Media chief operating officer, said: “The New Zealand market has demonstrated a robust hunger for local music and entertainment content, and The Brag Media is committed to satisfying this hunger. We’ll continue to enhance our editorial presence locally through premium titles including Rolling Stone and Tone Deaf.
 
“Aligning with Scroll Media is more than a partnership; it’s a powerful synergy. This collaboration fortifies our commitment to editorial excellence, and we’re confident Scroll’s expertise in the market will make it a perfect commercial partner for our agency clients.”
 
Scroll Media CEO, Jane Ormsby, said: “Scroll Media is very pleased to be representing Brag Media exclusively in NZ to bring advertisers branded content and iconic event opportunities like the Rolling Stone NZ Music Awards. We thoroughly respect the collaboration with the team at Brag Media and are really enjoying the partnership working across such iconic titles as Tone Deaf, Rolling Stone, PlayWire and Variety.”

Taboola has announced its Skimlinks platform has recorded significant growth in Australia, with an expanded team.

Skimlinks, which is owned by Taboola, continues to grow its stable of Australian publishers and has operated across APAC for the past four years. The leading commerce content platform platform has a strong presence in Australia, attracting several leading national news publishers.

The Skimlinks team has doubled in-market since 2020, opening offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Bangkok, and recording 25% revenue growth across APAC last year.

The recent wins, accompanied by sustained growth across the platform, has prompted the business to appoint digital executive Jade McDade as its new APAC director for Skimlinks.

McDade comes to Taboola after a decade-long career at News Corp Australia, holding several high-profile positions, including head of e-commerce and head of commercial development.

Taboola acquired Skimlinks through its US$800 million acquisition of Connexity from Symphony Technology Group in 2021. Connexity had in turn acquired Skimlinks in 2020.

The acquisition was part of Taboola’s “Recommend Anything” growth strategy, designed to introduce new types of recommendations and enter new segments, while leveraging its significant scale and recommendations platform to deliver even greater value to its 9,000 digital property partners, 13,000 direct advertisers and 600 million daily active users.

Adam Singolda, CEO and founder of Taboola, commented previously: “We’re so excited to welcome the Connexity team to our Taboola family.

“The rise of social commerce proves the value of commerce alongside content, and with Connexity, Taboola is primed to bring this value to the open web. E-commerce is the future of the open web, consumers will be buying outside of Amazon, on publishers’ sites next to trusted editorial content a lot more than they are today. Amazon has millions of merchants, but merchants mainly have Amazon.

“That changes today. Combining Taboola and Connexity’s technologies is one step forward in creating an alternative to walled gardens.”

See also: Taboola announces acquisition of e-commerce media platform Connexity

Specialty multi-channel publisher BrandX Live has announced Marc Riley has commenced his role with the company as its new chief executive officer.

Marc Riley joins BrandX Live after roles with NGO Training Centre as head of sales and marketing, and as a group sales director with News Corp Australia.

At BrandX Live Riley will oversee a growing team of sales, creative, and editorial staff working in its Gold Coast head office and remotely from across Australia.

BrandX Live is the publisher of education news site The Bursar [www.bursar.live], which publishes news and information for teachers, parents, and students as they seek to get the most out of their primary, secondary, and tertiary education. The company also publishes Animal Care Australia [www.animalcareaus.live], a daily news site focused on the care and well-being of pets, wildlife, aquatic, and exotic animals.

“I’m excited to join the team at BrandX Live. The momentum since the launch of The Bursar and AnimalCare Australia sites earlier this year has been exceptionally strong, and I’m thrilled to be able to help the team build upon its fantastic content by helping maximise opportunities with sales partners,” said Riley.

“Our portfolio of sites is growing with the upcoming launch of consumer construction and renovation site Build-It.live, and a yet-to-be-revealed lifestyle product. We are also getting started on executing our multi-channel strategy involving podcasts and video.

BrandX Live chief executive Marc Riley

“I was attracted to the role because of the potential being realised by the team. BrandX Live has attracted talented creatives and editorial staff with experience working for Australia’s biggest print, digital, and broadcast companies and we are working together to scale up the business over the coming months.

“One of the challenges for media publishers in our current moment is to produce original, compelling content. The industry is about to be swamped by publishers pushing low-quality AI-generated content. We are dedicated to publishing original content, written by humans for humans with very human interests and concerns. BrandX Live has a great team who are up to the task, and I’m very excited to lead them moving forward.”

This is Flow (Flow) has welcomed the appointment of Straford Rodrigues as chief data dfficer.

Rodrigues joins the independent media agency from Kantar, where he served as head of media and marketing effectiveness.

With an agency background and over 14 years at Kantar spanning multiple continents, including the UK, US, Singapore and Australia, he brings a high level of expertise and a truly global perspective to Flow.

In his new role, Straford will be instrumental in evolving Flow’s data and measurement capabilities – elevating media and marketing effectiveness into the forefront for all Flow clients. He will also work alongside the agency’s data science unit to continue driving innovation in data and technology.

This is a significant hire and a key role within the business, as Straford now joins chief strategy officer, Catherine Rushton and CEO, Jimmy Hyett, to further expand on the agency’s SCIENCE, ART & VALUE proposition.

Hyett welcomed Rodrigues to the team and said: “This appointment marks a key moment for Flow, where our goal of shifting mindset from fee-based service into outcome-based value, becomes one step closer. Straf has led media and marketing effectiveness for many brands, both in the US and Australia, and will bring a wealth of experience into the agency that will directly flow onto all of our clients.

“With two of the smartest minds in media working together to combine art and science, we’ll see a new level of innovation, understanding and opportunity that extends beyond campaigns into real business impact,” he added.

Rodrigues said of his new role: “I am sad to leave Kantar but super excited to join Flow and work with the team there.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to leverage my experience and work alongside a talented group of professionals, starting from a blank sheet of paper and creating solutions to address our clients’ needs.”

–

Top image: Straford Rodrigues

Global car manufacturer Chery has appointed whiteGREY as its digital agency of record, effective immediately, following a competitive pitch process.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies as they collaborate to establish Chery’s market presence in Australia.

The agency’s remit includes the digital transformation and performance media business across the car manufacturer’s brand portfolio, including website strategy & development, UX, CRM, digital content creation and lead generation.

Lee Simpson, CEO of white GREY, said: “With a shared vision of driving ambitious growth through an innovative digital experience, whiteGREY’s digital and strategic approach to marketing will play a pivotal role in bolstering Chery’s market presence in Australia.

“Chery’s heritage in design and technology sets them up for success in a competitive Australian market. We look forward to working closely with Chery in creating a distinctive brand experience through digital channels to engage and inspire Australian car buyers,” he added.

Chery, known for its commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles that combine technology with unmatched performance and design at competitive prices, views the partnership as an opportunity to further enhance its Australian brand identity.

By leveraging the agency’s extensive digital experience, across the tech stack, the car manufacturer aims to strengthen its market position, cultivate deeper connections with its customers and drive sustainable growth.

Mark Vukoja, Chery brand and marketing director, said: “We are delighted to join forces with whiteGREY as we establish Chery as a major contender in Australia’s affordable small car, EV and SUV sectors.

“The agency’s innovative and strategic approach aligns perfectly with our vision and together we will unlock new possibilities, using digital experiences to connect with our audiences and create a lasting impact in Australia’s automotive landscape,” Vukoja added.

Work between the whiteGREY and the car manufacturer has already commenced with the first campaign to market in Q3.

Sydney-based independent creative agency It’s Friday has announced that it is partnering with Sydney Water following a competitive pitch.

Sydney Water‘s head of brand, media, and marketing, Megan Miller, said: “Sydney Water is delighted to be partnering with It’s Friday to create a cut-through, clever advertising campaign to spike awareness around the very serious issue of water conservation as we approach the prospect of another drought.

“Enticing Sydney to save water isn’t an easy task but we’re confident that the breadth of creative talent at It’s Friday will make a significant difference.”

The company’s CEO Pete Bosilkovski remarked: “It was only three years ago that Sydney’s biggest ever drought finally ended, and now as we face the return of El Nino, our great city is vulnerable once again.

“It’s an honour to partner with Sydney Water to create an advertising campaign that will make a difference at a time when it’s never been more important.”

Earlier this year It’s Friday was appointed as the creative agency of record for global human resources software company, ELMO.

Bosilkovski commented at that time: “We’re excited to be working with Kate Jones and the team at ELMO who are an outstanding and passionate bunch of marketers with big and audacious growth plans for the brand. We are super energised by the opportunity that lies ahead in our partnership to help realise those growth plans.”

Kate Jones, head of marketing at ELMO, added: “We have bold, ambitious goals for the brand, and we’re thrilled to partner with It’s Friday who will play a pivotal role in our brand revitalisation journey.

“We have been impressed by the immediate impact the It’s Friday team have already demonstrated on our business, as they bring some of the smartest strategic and creative minds in the creative and digital space.”

See also: It’s Friday named creative agency for ELMO

KOJO has been awarded a new multi-year contract with Optus Stadium as its in-house production suite services team.

Reappointed by stadium operator, leading venue management and hospitality services provider, VenuesLive following a competitive market process, the renewal follows a successful five-year appointment, cementing the company’s position as the principal sports production and presentation services provider in Australia.

Chris Loftus-Hills, Optus Stadium’s general manager of events and operations, said the partnership with KOJO had been critical to delivering an innovative world-class fan experience since the venue opened in 2018.

“KOJO’s ability to maximise the use of our renowned production assets, drive event presentation outcomes and facilitate the needs of hirers of the venue is at an elite level,” he said.

Optus Stadium, named Venue of the Year in 2022 at the Stadium Business Awards in Manchester, has developed a reputation for its exceptional sports and entertainment live experiences. In conjunction with KOJO Sport, it was the first in Australia to deliver a mixed reality activation in-stadium with ‘Time to Fly’ for the West Coast Eagles.

Chantella Perera, KOJO Sport’s general manager, a four-time WNBL champion and former AFLW player with the West Coast Eagles, is responsible for leading and growing the KOJO Sport team to produce some of the most game-changing fan experiences ever seen in Australia.

“We are thrilled that KOJO is continuing to work with global stadium leader, Optus Stadium to deliver some of the best experiences in the sporting arena,” she said.

“Sport is driven by its fans, so we are committed to always taking a fan first approach to everything we do. It’s a dream opportunity to develop Western Australia as a national leader in live events.”

Since its appointment with Optus Stadium in 2018, KOJO has delivered in-stadium production and presentation for hundreds of events including the 2021 AFL Grand Final, WBBL and BBL Finals, Chelsea Football Club vs. Perth Glory, Manchester United Tour, two State of Origins and both Bledisloe Cup games.

The team will continue delivering innovative fan first experiences for AFL Clubs West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers, as well as reigning BBL Champions, Perth Scorchers.

KOJO has 25 years of experience, specialising in sports presentations, brand and marketing campaigns and in-stadium activations. The team has developed a unique FanX strategy which provides sporting venues, sports bodies, clubs, major tournaments and brands with a strategy blueprint across the full fan journey. This allows organisations to deliver against key outcomes at each step of the fan journey and build greater internal collaboration, efficiency and transparency.

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Top image left to right: Chris Loftus-Hills, Chantella Perera and Rebecca Purcell

Wil Anderson is celebrating as he clocks up the 300th episode of his interview-based podcast, Wilosophy, with all episodes available on LiSTNR.

Wilosophy, which began in 2014, features the Australian comedian asking smart people not so smart questions, all in the hopes of finding the meaning of life. The outcome is conversations that delve deep, resulting in what many guests describe as a bucket list experience.

For the 300th episode, Anderson sat down with American comedian, actor and host of the Never Not Funny podcast, Jimmy Pardo. Reflecting on his experience, Pardo said: “Wil is a genius. He’s one of the funniest guys in the world. This is a very raw Jimmy Pardo. I’m very open and honest on that episode and it was a lot of fun to do.”

As the podcast moves beyond its 300th episode milestone, upcoming Wilosophy conversations will continue to feature popular Australian comics and international acts. Guests include Australian comedians Adam Hills, Mel Buttle, Dave Thornton, Anne Edmonds, The Chaser’s Andrew Hanson, 2Day FM’s Ed Kavalee and Tripod’s Scott Edgar. Also joining Anderson in future episodes is American writer Josh Gondelman, UK comedian Phil Wang and American stand-up, Jackie Kashian.

Reflecting on the longevity of Wilosophy, Anderson said: “I’m sorry. After 300 attempts, we still haven’t figured out the meaning of life. I hope listeners have enjoyed the show anyway.”

LiSTNR original podcasts head of entertainment and culture, Sam Cavanagh, said: “Wil Anderson is a true pioneer of podcasting in Australia, and being a guest on Wilosophy is a rite of passage for many Australian performers. We are ecstatic for Wil to have achieved this milestone and look forward to many, many more Wilosophy conversations.”

The 300th episode of Wilosophy and the show’s complete back catalogue is available here.

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

Following a two-year hiatus, the wildly popular Love It or List It Australia is back for a fifth season and once again along for the ride are beloved interior designer and property expert duo Neale Whitaker and Andrew Winter.

Speaking to Mediaweek ahead of the September 27 premiere on Foxtel, Whitaker explained that while he was “tempted” to say the instalment will be “more of the same”, he admitted that it “would not do the job.”

“I think this season has really taken the show up a few notches,” he said. “I think that the two-year break was good for all of us because I think we’ve come back with the strongest season yet. The quality of renovations and the quality of real estate is all next level.”

Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker. Foxtel

The series’ fourth season was filmed in 2020 (with a 2021 release date) at the height of COVID and for the hosting pair, they were “facing a very different landscape”.

“COVID has left the world in a very changed place,” Whitaker said. “Real estate is much more volatile than it was. People don’t have the renovation budgets that maybe they had a few years ago. So, there were a lot of new built-in challenges that we hadn’t really had to face. So, I think the stakes were probably higher in this season than they’ve ever been before.”

When asked if it was something we should be “concerned” about when it comes to the housing market, he said that “it’s not something to be concerned about but it’s hard not to factor it in, because we’re all living with that at the moment.”

“All of us are living with the endless interest rate rises. We’re living with the fact that there are still delays to timelines on renovations. They are circumstances that we’ve inherited from COVID in the last few years. And realistically, they’re probably not going to change anytime soon. So, I think all of us are affected by it. If we’re in that game, if you’re planning to buy or sell or if you’re planning to renovate.”

“We never mentioned the word COVID [during the season]. But I mean, I guess it is the elephant in the room,” he added.

Foxtel

Neale Whitaker on the decisions people make of whether to “Love It or List It”

A huge component of the hit series sees couples questioning whether they love their place or whether they wish to list it for someone else to call their forever home.

When asked what people should be looking for when making these types of decisions in the real world, Whitaker said “There’s two entirely different questions there”.

“Let’s take renovate first. To renovate, at the moment, in particular, I think you have got to be very worried that it always comes down to budget. I mean, it’s frankly, plan plan and then plan again. And always make sure that you’ve got a bit more in the back pocket than you think you’re going to need because you will need it,” he said before adding: “At the moment, with things being a little bit volatile and prices changing, you just need to make sure you’ve got funds to do what you want to do. Different things apply if you’re renovating for yourself to live in the home or if you’re renovating for sale.”

He continued: “I always urge people — and I think Andrew would do the same — to take a look at other properties in a similar bracket. Other properties in your area that are going for the same price as you would hope to achieve. What have they got? What style are they? What have they got that you haven’t?”

Neale Whitaker. Nine

As for relocation, there’s also a lot to consider.

“In terms of relocation, which is a different thing entirely, think long and hard about social networks. Think about what the advantages are far from where you live now, and outweigh them with the possible advantages and disadvantages of moving to a new location. For a lot of people, there is the fear of moving to a new location which is taking them away from social networks, friends, family and support systems.”

Whitaker then used his and his partner, David’s home on the South Coast as a “perfect example”. While it is a little slice of heaven, it does have its own challenges.

“You [interviewer] mentioned at the beginning of this conversation about me living on the South Coast, living the dream. Yes, I am. But also, I have to be honest with you. Sometimes it can be a real headache living there too, hours away from Sydney when so much of my work requires me to be in Sydney. I spend a lot of time on the road.

“I was aware that would happen. So it’s not like that didn’t occur to me until I moved here. But that’s the kind of thing that you have to factor in, particularly at the moment when a lot of people are still dreaming about moving to the country, moving out of the city. You need to think about how your life is going to be impacted by that move.”

Love It Or List It Australia is produced by Beyond Productions, a Banijay Company exclusively for FOXTEL. Format created by Big Coat Productions and represented by Banijay Rights.

There was not a dry eye in the house when Summer Warne was unmasked during the September 25 episode of The Masked Singer Australia 2023, dedicating her performance of Coldplay’s Yellow to her late father, Shane Warne. 

Now, speaking to Mediaweek after her elimination, the 20-year-old has revealed how she is coping with the monumental loss and what qualities she has inherited from Australia’s most famous spin bowler.

“Every day brings a new challenge,” Summer said. “Every day, there’s something new that I wish I could tell him and sometimes a daughter just needs her dad’s advice, and they need that dad to lean on. But every day, I just think he would just want me to live my life and want me to be happy and live the life that he couldn’t. And so I’m just trying to make little special moments like this might just make just kind of make the most of it.”

Summer also revealed what she does to remember him following his death on March 4, 2022. 

“If there’s a time that I’m struggling, that I really need him, I go back to watch videos and interviews and podcasts that he’s done,” she said. “And I just always remember the things he taught me and who to be.”

Summer and Shane Warne. Instagram

The quality Summer Warne inherited from Shane Warne

During an interview with the Herald Sun, Summer admitted that while overall the commentary on her performance was positive, just like her dad did in the past, she too received some negativity from online trolls.

“Everyone had a word to say about him but it never really got to him, unless it was to do with us three kids. Or to do with his family,” she told the publication. “I’ve got dad’s fire and I’m a bit of a hothead.”

When Mediaweek asked her what other qualities she inherited from her father, Summer summed it up beautifully.

“I think his thoughtfulness, his caringness [sic] and his honesty,” she said. “I’ll always be honest. I’ll never pretend to be someone that I’m not.”

Instagram

She continued: “I will treat everyone the same. He always said, “No matter where you come from, no matter what status, how much money you have, who you are, where you went to school, everyone’s equal at the end of the day, and you treat everyone with the same respect and how you would want to be treated. It costs nothing to be kind.”

Summer also went on to say that she hoped her performance would give others hope that “anything is possible”.

“If I can go in a giant avocado on stage, you can do anything. You can go to that job interview, or you can ask that boy or girl out on a date. Just simple things like that. Just live your life the way you want and don’t let anyone tell you how to live it.”

Summer Warne as Bad Avocado. Ten

What’s next for Summer Warne?

After leaving the country in awe after her performance as Bad Avocado on The Masked Singer Australia, Summer is excited for the next chapter to begin.

In fact, performing is in her blood, having loved dancing and acting since the age of three. And while she tried out for school musicals when she was younger, Summer admitted she was “never good enough” and always ended up “playing a tree”.

“There are videos of me in ballet classes and dancing, acting, and singing classes,” she said. “Videos of me literally just trying and being the best person I could be. So, if anyone needs an extra or an actor or a little tomato or beetroot…I’m just so excited to kind of see where this takes me and the new experiences that will come up.”

The Masked Singer Australia continues Monday at 7.30 pm on 10 And 10Play.

• 1.1 million tune in to The Block in Total TV
• 1 million watch My Kitchen Rules in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, September 19

1,199,000 watched Nine’s The Block where  Kristy had set her sights firmly on Eliza and Liberty, up 40%.

1,025,000 viewed Seven’s My Kitchen Rules as Claudean and Anthony headed to the kitchen once again for their redemption round, up 26%.

899,000 saw Seven’s Home and Away as Kirby yearned for her best friend and Marilyn gave Roo an ultimatum, up 22%.

837,000 tuned into Seven’s RFDS where Wayne’s grief surrounding a sudden death resulted in dire consequences for his own health, up 63%.

Overnight TV Ratings, September 26

Primetime News
Seven News 914,000 (6:00pm) / 900,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 713,000 (6:00pm) / 719,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 584,000
10 News First 194,000 (5:00pm)/ 117,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 121,000 (6:30pm)/ 95,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 669,000
7.30 426,000
The Project 168,000 (6:30pm) / 284,000 (7pm)

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 200,000
Today 189,000
News Breakfast 139,000

Seven won Tuesday night with a primary share of 23.6% and a network share of 32.8%. 7Mate has won multi channels with a 4.3% share.

432,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as Dana saw an opportunity while Marilyn was evicted. Mali was in crisis over love and obligation. Before, 563,000 stayed on for My Kitchen Rules. South Australia’s Sonia and Marcus’ second go at their Instant restaurant saw them score a commanding 85 points to take them to the top of the leaderboard. “Last time we served stress on a plate. Tonight, we want to serve fun and love on a plate,” Marcus said. RFDS followed for 299,000 as Dolly Hardon’s charity drag night got underway. What was supposed to be a night of fun for the RFDS team and the community descended into chaos when a bad batch of MDMA was found to be doing the rounds. Ambulance: Code Red was up next for 101,000.

SEE ALSO: My Kitchen Rules 2023 Recap Episode 11: Sonia and Marcus blew the judges away

Nine’s A Current Affair (669,000) investigated apartment owners who were left with a $4.6 million defect bill and have backed calls for urgent reform to protect future homeowners. Then, 626,000 watched The Block. As 100 buyers descended on Charming St, Leah and Ash had a change of heart over their behaviour and friendship with Kristy and Brett. Meanwhile, Steph and Gian were awarded $50k after winning the Domain Listings Challenge. A repeat of Ray Warren: Calling Time followed for 91,000. The Wide World of Sports special presentation gave a unique insight into the life and career of one of Australia’s greatest broadcasters and characters, Ray Warren. Love Triangle then had 62,000 viewers engrossed in the drama as Patrick and Lisa took the other couples to task at a fiery couples’ party before the Love Triangle twist finally dropped — the other suitors moved in! 

SEE ALSO: The Block Recap Episode 31: Leah and Ash have serious regrets

426,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explore Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ resignation. Plus, the program looked at how health experts were warning a fentanyl influx would lead to a ‘disaster’ in Victoria and Tasmania’s Commission of Inquiry into the government’s responses to child sexual abuse has delivered its final report. 327,000 then watched Kitchen Cabinet. Over trout pasta, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie explained the loneliness that comes from being in the eye of a political scandal and instructed Annabel Crabb in the art of clay target shooting at a Wodonga rifle range. 253,000 then tuned in for The Whiteley Art Scandal where evidence appeared to mount against the two men accused of creating fake Whiteleys – but a sensational piece of evidence casts doubt on the case. 155,000 also viewed Makers of Modern Australia.

On 10, The Project (168,000 6:30pm / 284,000 7pm) put the spotlight on Victorian Premier Andrews’ resignation, who said that after nine years in the job, it was the “honour and privilege” of his life. 2023 ARIA Award nominee, Kylie Minogue, also spoke with the panel via satellite to talk about her latest single Padam Padam. Shark Tank then followed for 216,000 as some strong pitches had the Sharks in stitches! First into the Tank was mum-of-two, Aami Mills with her baby-focused brand. With four out of the five Sharks having children, Aami was hoping that the odds were on her side when asking for $100,000 for a 10% stake in her eco-friendly cloth nappy business, Mimi & Co. Davie Fogarty teamed up with Jane Lu to share a $100,000 investment for 30% equity. Then, 325,000 sat down for The Cheap Seats where hosts Melanie Bracewell and Emma Holland were joined by Mel Tracina, Ed Kavalee and comedian Nath Valvo.

SEE ALSO: Shark Tank Australia 2023 Recap Episode 5: The Sharks go gaga over modern cloth nappy

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Great British Railway Journeys with 144,000 tuning in to see Michael Portillo continue his post-war exploration of northwest England in Bradford, Shipley and Hebden Bridge. In Centenary Square in Bradford, Michael encountered Bradford’s literary giant, J.B. Priestley.