Are Media has been the home to some of Australia and New Zealand’s most familiar, female-centric mastheads and a staple of its publishing landscape since the 1930s. 

While in that time it has naturally grown to boast a formidable omnichannel offering, including its digital publishing presence, the recent Roy Morgan numbers point to a renaissance of audiences reaching for the traditional glossy. 

See Also: Roy Morgan readership numbers report 5.9 million readers a month for Are Media

Mediaweek spoke with Are Media director of sales, Andrew Cook, to understand more about what’s driving the consumer predilection for print, and what Are Media is doing to rise to the occasion.

Consumer trends

Are Media chief executive officer, Jane Huxley, previously said about the Roy Morgan numbers: “We are really seeing a clear trend around offline media having a resurgence.

“I think this is directly connected to the overwhelming amount of content and connections that people deal with in a digital sense on  a daily basis.”

Expanding on this apparent surge in the need for analog engagement, Cook told Mediaweek, “There is something very luxurious about buying something to read and spend time with.

“We offer escapism. And definitely with brands like Marie Claire, there’s that sense of both inspiration and aspiration, and letting people dream.

“That’s far better than social media, in general, which is mindless, mind-numbing, scrolling. I believe adults are waking up to that.”

Going further into how Are Media’s content has matched this awakening, Cook continued, “I think all media who have a print and digital variation are learning the push and pull of what works as the algorithms change, as well.

“Brand is everything and then the media and how you use the media on that brand can complement how the user wants to engage with it.

“We feel that we’re getting that mix right in terms of how we can provide depth and insight and a longtime read when it comes to print [and] some striking visuals as well. Then, how we can have that ready reckoner in the newsworthy launch pieces [like] a carousel of images from the Met Gala.

So we use media the best way we see fit, being an omnichannel approach.”

Content innovations driving growth and sustainability

According to Roy Morgan numbers, Better Homes & Gardens has retained the title of Australia’s most-read paid print magazine, with 1.82 million readers per average issue in the June quarter, a 16% increase from their June 2022 quarter.

Crediting some of the strategies that have contributed to this success, Cook mentioned, “The editorial team have a great working relationship with the team at Seven, and it’s a wonderful partnership.

“The brand is the hero and both parties ensure that there’s a complementary element to what you see on TV, across the site, and in the magazine. It’s a true omnichannel approach.

“Dora Pappas, the editor, is the champion of the brand across platforms, and she has countless conversations with the executive producers at Seven and her teams to make sure that the brand has a level of consistency.’

Are Media June 2023 readership

Similarly, Cook discussed the influences behind how Women’s Weekly has maintained its appeal and relevance to its readers, as evidenced by its 90-year birthday milestone which was celebrated earlier this year. 

He described, “I think that’s talking to them. An editor of a printed product has an amazing connection with their audience. The amount of letters we get, and the amount of feedback, now through email and social as well, is a big part of what helps shape the future content.

“We’ve [also] got one of the largest research groups talking to women in Australia within our research panel. Then there’s also data behind the back end of our sites.

“Those three elements help ensure that we deliver what we believe at the time is the best product every single month, or every single week.”

See Also: The Australian Women’s Weekly kicks off 90th birthday celebrations

The churn state of the media buying industry and its impacts 

It would hardly be controversial to state that the advertising industry has experienced unprecedented turnover rates in staffing post-pandemic. At the same time, new and emerging agencies continue to bolster their presence on the scene.

Cook expressed how the risk that results from this trend is the potential for simple, short-term thinking with a narrow point of view about best practice, and how it warrants the need for “a re-education”.

He noted, “We need to work with agencies and make sure that we are educating them on the benefits of the print media as a whole.

“We worry about that, because of this churn and because of this re-education, it takes a while to understand the role of what each media does, and its strengths and its weaknesses.

“A lot of people who are under 30 don’t often walk into a newsagent, they often don’t buy a tangible printed product, be it a newspaper or magazine.

“So we have a job to do in educating them about the benefits of what these products bring.”

Australia’s media agency advertising market has received a strong boost from the Matilda’s performance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, reports Standard Media Index (SMI).

An examination of the media spend by Australia’s largest media agencies shows huge growth in TV streaming ad spend. That investment in the sport helped secure a stable July 2023 result, with bookings down just 1.3% from the July 2022 record result.

Helping drive the July 2023 result was demand for outdoor and cinema. SMI reports outdoor bookings were up 19.7% with cinema growing 18.9% of the back of interest in the blockbuster hits Barbie and Oppenheimer.

SMI AU/NZ managing director Jane Ractliffe said the month was notable for the impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup despite the fact only 10 days of the event fell in July.

“The fastest growing media sector in July was video sites – which includes ad spend for all the TV streaming services – and we saw the value of its ad revenues up by 58.6% in July, mostly due to huge increases in demand for those streaming services focused on sport,” she said.

“Within the advertiser market we saw that advertising by sports-related groups surged in July with SMI’s sports category the fastest growing of any with total bookings up 205% year-on-year. Most of that extra revenue was directed to outdoor media.”

SMI also reported demand for metro press (+2.3% YOY) and metro radio (steady YOY). All outdoor sectors reported the biggest moves, led by the largest lift from posters where ad spend climbed 33% YOY.

SMI: Impact of government ad spend

Ractliffe continued: “The market is continuing to show strong resilience given the record level of ad spend in July 2022. That result was driven by the huge increase in government bookings and with that removed the underlying market is reporting growth of 0.5%.”

Also down was the largest category, retail, falling 10.6%. That dip was partly offset by increases from the automotive brand sector (+16.5%) and toiletries/cosmetics advertisers (+33.7%).

Ractliffe noted the market was also reporting solid results for the first seven months of the calendar year with total ad spend back just 2.8% on the record period reported last year.

With government and political party bookings removed, the market is up 0.3% on the same seven months last year.

See also SMI June 2023: Outdoor shines as ad spend recovers, Travel and Automotive also up

By Harriet Swinburn, group strategy director, iProspect

At the ADMA Global Forum, we heard a lot about AI. It got me thinking about how it can help productivity.

Strong demand following the pandemic, wage and income growth and sluggish productivity are the things the RBA and Phillip Lowe tells us we need to get under control to improve Australia’s current inflation issue. Productivity gains being an especially difficult one in the service-dominant economy Australia has.

At iProspect, we champion brand thinking with a performance mindset. We do this by focusing on growth acceleration at the core of our thinking for clients. AI could be the growth accelerator that we need, and I think it is for our ways of working. But when it comes to marketing, I think AI is a smokescreen. Distracting us from planning fundamentals that are bigger growth drivers.

And so did several speakers on the day, including Mark Ritson. Yes, this is not a Mark Ritson is wrong/right article. That would be too clickbait-y (and also play right into his hands for the next conference he speaks at). This is a Mark Ritson is kind of right (in my eyes) article.

Mark Ritson

I can agree that AI will be a huge growth accelerator as a tool for us to use. Injecting growth into businesses through streamlining tasks and much sought after productivity into the economy. Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing at NYU Stern, spoke about the best way to build a profitable company was through a “time machine” and AI is certainly that. He believes that “AI won’t take your job, but someone using AI will,” a nod to the place he sees AI playing in complimenting the workforce.

As for all the layoffs in tech? Galloway describes this as impacting those in “Cashmere Careers” – a profitability move made by tech but impacting those who are educated and can pivot. A headline but not an economic pressure point.

Amanda Johnstone

Amanda Johnstone, CEO of Transhuman, spoke about AI and its ability to enhance emotion and bodies. She highlighted how body data is already being harvested for good in the health space and the opportunity for enhancing experiences. Ethically this one is a minefield for me.

Melissa Hopkins, Chief Marketing and Audience Officer, Seven West Media, was a brave reminder that when we hit crisis point (as Optus did when their customer data was hacked), the human instinct of decision making and protecting customers thrives over any automated decision making. We’re more empathetic than machines (for now at least!).

This was fascinating but brought me back to my belief that currently AI is a productivity hack, whereas accelerated client growth will still be leveraged from smart planning principles.

Ritson busted up much of his Mini MBA. He told us segmentation was a waste of time. Now as a strategist, I was waiting for Mark to tell us that segmentation is indeed necessary when tough marketing decisions have to be made. And he delivered. Phew!

Melissa Hopkins

Speaking of tough decisions, Frank Body Co-founder Jess Hatzis bridged the challenge many marketers are facing balance higher growth expectations with flat or less resources. The lines of brand and performance are blurring and at iProspect we approach this challenge with a performance mindset. Which means that everything needs to deliver a business outcome. Hatzis summarised perfectly with her session title ‘You Can’t Convert Demand That Doesn’t Exist.’ Alexander Meyer had his answers “Brand is your first love” and that to survive these tough conversations you need to talk like a CFO.

So how does a CFO talk? Growth. There is no time more important to accelerate growth than now. And no tool more important to write well than the brief. Ritson maligned the ‘bad brief’ and how this murky lack of clarity leaves the receiver with little direction. And I am aligned with him. How can we unlock growth if the growth KPI doesn’t exist? And we need a singular proposition to accelerate growth.

And look, I can even get around his view on segmentation (although I did think he was going to rubbish my speciality for a moment there). He advocates for Prosaic Target Segments – bullseye, actionable and meaningful target segments for growth.

There are definitely times when clients need mass and I’m all for it. But I’m increasingly seeing that we need to unlock high value audiences in this ever-incrementality-obsessed-world to drive quick business growth. We do this at iProspect by fuelling our segments with the brand and performance data, leveraging demonstrated human behaviours as a code for future growth opportunities. I can see that by satisfying the short-term and accelerating business growth will allow us to have a longer view on brand growth.

Intense views engaged us at ADMA from the death of brand to the rise of brand. My opinion is there’s a sweet spot in the middle where brand and performance can learn from each other sharing insights and ideas to fuel better planning. At the end of the day consumers don’t think about brand and performance they think about the brands they want to buy from, who’s services they want to use and who they will keep going back to. And our planning should reflect this.

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Harriet Swinburn is group strategy director at iProspect Australia, a dentsu company. In the role she drive brand difference, perception and preference and finds a bold way forward. She ensures her team drive effective change and results for our clients, from start-up to scale-up or legacy brands evolving.

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Top image: Harriet Swinburn

Last month, the IMAA launched its Female Leaders of Tomorrow programme as part of its commitment to fostering long-term diversity and inclusivity across independent media agencies nationally.

The six-month programme aims to create a support network between accomplished industry leaders and their mentees by matching senior staff with up-and-coming women in indie media agencies for knowledge-sharing and professional development opportunities.

One of the IMAA mentors involved in the programme is Lara Brownlow, head of channel sales APAC at LinkedIn, who tells Mediaweek about the importance of mentorship in the industry.

What’s the most important/best piece of advice you’ve received during your career

“In the first few years of my career, working as a sales coordinator, I was paired with the magnificent Michelle Dooley, who taught me about the importance of understanding your customer’s business, asking the right questions, and becoming invaluable to your customers in the long term. This customer-centric approach has consistently helped me thrive in whatever role I’ve taken.

“Dools, as she is affectionately known, also emphasised the importance of having fun. She would often remind me, ‘We’re not saving lives,’ and ensured we found time for laughter each day.”

Who do you look up to in business and why?

“Where do I begin? Just kidding, but I truly admire so many! I want to specifically highlight leaders who speak authentically. It’s easy to project a polished professional image, but I admire those who succeed while openly discussing the challenging times or obstacles they’ve overcome.

“Melissa Hopkins at Seven is a great LinkedIn follow in this regard. Sunita Gloster AM is someone I deeply admire as she eloquently and passionately fights for what’s right in our industry and society at large. Lastly, my good pal Naomi Shepherd at Meta, a long-time friend and former colleague who balances work and personal life seamlessly and actively supports other women. At LinkedIn, we have far too many senior leaders I could mention, but you all know who you are, and I don’t want to come across as too biased.”

Did you have a mentor and what did they teach you?

“Absolutely! I’m lucky to have a few incredible mentors, each offering me different perspectives. One is an incredible cheerleader who helps me quiet my inner critic, another is my go-to for anything tech-related due to their expertise in the field and their grasp of cutting-edge technology. And then there’s my coaching/challenger mentor who pushes me to think differently about things. I truly couldn’t navigate without all three, and they’ve played a pivotal role in my success in this industry. Special shout-outs to a couple of my support crew: Liam Walsh and Danika Johnston.”

What does mentoring mean to you and why is mentoring important?

“Mentoring to me means having people in your corner who are genuinely invested in your success. They want the best for you and provide candid feedback with the intention of helping you grow. Mentors offer fresh perspectives and illuminate new opportunities or ways of thinking that are crucial for personal development.”

Why is it important to have more women leaders in the industry?

“Having more women leaders in the advertising field is a significant deal. It’s not solely about fairness – though that’s undeniably important. Research has shown that more women leaders lead to better business metrics. The lack of women in leadership positions, often referred to as the ‘glass ceiling’, isn’t just a concern for those directly affected; it’s also about challenging conventional norms and advancing equality across industries.”

What’s on your business reading and podcast list?

“I’m a big fan of podcasts and tune into various professional and personal series. One podcast I enjoy is the NY Times’ Hard Fork, which delves into the latest developments in the tech industry. For personal growth, I listen to How To Fail with Elizabeth Day, and I also engage with a variety of podcasts from the global and local trade press.”

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

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Top Image: IMAA mentor Lara Brownlow

Tom Elliott has been named as Neil Mitchell’s replacement, with Jacqui Felgate appointed 3AW’s new Drive host, and Tony Moclair stepping into Afternoons, headlining the changes announced for 3AW’s new line-up.

Elliott, who began his radio career on 3RR in 1993, has been a force in the Drive slot over the past 10 years, building a loyal audience and dominating the ratings. 

Station manager Stephen Beers said, “Tom is the perfect choice to receive the baton from Neil Mitchell and build on his legacy of championing our listeners, holding politicians and business to account, and celebrating our great city of Melbourne.”

Elliott said, “It’s a huge honour to succeed Neil Mitchell in hosting 3AW Mornings. Ever since I started at the station in 2002, Neil has been the gold standard for how to host this iconic talkback show. I have always looked up to Neil, and cannot wait to talk with the Mornings audience in January 2024.”

Replacing Elliott in Drive will be Jacqui Felgate. Felgate is a multi-award-winning journalist with 20 years’ experience in broadcast, radio and print, who built a huge following by guiding Melbournians through the Covid lockdowns with the latest news and information. 

Stephen Beers said, “The 3AW listeners have embraced Jacqui over the past 18 months during her stints on Breakfast, Afternoons and hosting our Friday night AFL coverage. She’s an outstanding appointment and will continue the great tradition of breaking news on 3AW Drive.”

Felgate said, “It’s an absolute privilege to be in the 3AW Drive chair and I look forward to chatting to Melbourne every afternoon. One of the most remarkable things about 3AW is the role the station plays in the lives of our listeners and I’m so humbled to be able to hear their stories every day.”

Completing the new line up is Tony Moclair, who moves from his Australia Overnight slot to take on Afternoons, replacing Dee Dee Dunleavy. A comedy actor, writer and performer across radio and TV, Moclair has held numerous roles across multiple stations. 

“Tony epitomises what 3AW is all about – information and entertainment – great companionship. The listeners love Tony, and he loves them right back,” said Beers. 

Of his new role, Tony Moclair said, “I’m looking forward to broadcasting from midday, instead of midnight, and I’m delighted to be wedged between Tom and Jacqui on the new looking and sounding 3AW.” 

Elloitt, Moclair, and Felgate will begin their new roles in January 2024.

Media Movers across the industry include:

• The latest move in a number of ABC staffing shuffles, Virginia Trioli has told listeners that she will be leaving as host of ABC Radio Melbourne‘s Mornings show. Her last show will be Friday, September 15.

See Also: Ita Buttrose to step down as ABC chair in March 2024

Beginning the show on Thursday, Trioli said “After many years of daily broadcasting, and almost two decades of rising for the toughest alarms the ABC has to offer, life circumstances require me to work and live differently now.”

Read more: Virginia Trioli leaves ABC radio, returning to TV with a new arts show

• Karina Recchi takes over as the new editor of 9Honey. She was previously the homepage editor at nine.com.au.

• Shannon Hollis steps into the role of acting general manager for audio at News Corp Australia. Prior to this role, she was the head of commercial audio at NewsCast.

• Raf Epstein will take over as host of the Mornings program on ABC Radio Melbourne, following is stint as Drive presenter.

Epstein’s new role comes after Virginia Trioli announced that she will farewell Mornings on Friday, 15 September. 

Epstein has built a large and loyal following, keeping the Drive audience up-to-date and connected with what is happening in Melbourne at the end of each working day for the past 11 years. 

Read more: ABC Radio Melbourne welcomes Raf Epstein as host of Mornings

• Channel 9 Melbourne welcomes Gillian Lantouris as crime reporter while Lana Murphy is on parental leave.

• i98FM has announced the promotion of Jaben Ryan as content. He was previously an advertising account executive.

• 3AW morning announcer Neil Mitchell has been the subject of much conjecture about his future at the market-leading Melbourne radio station. He had been running promos before his Friday show alerting listeners that he would reveal his decision regarding that decision.

“You know I don’t like talking about myself and I don’t like self-indulgence,” he started his 3AW announcement. “And here it is, no mucking around…

“I am stepping down from the morning program on 3AW and I will stand aside in three months.” He later revealed his final day on air would be Friday December 1.

Read more: Neil Mitchell announces decision to quit 3AW live on morning show, reveals new role

• The South Sydney Morning Herald has welcomed Christine Chen as a reporter. She is a graduate journalist at Momentum Media.

• Triple M Dubbo welcomes Jodi Howard as part of the new breakfast team with Chris “Matho” Mathison. The program will be known as Jodi and Matho for Breakfast and will broadcast from 6-9am. 

• Accenture Song has welcomed back Bronwyn van der Merwe.

Van der Merwe will work across the Australia and New Zealand business as functions lead with a remit to help drive purpose-driven growth for clients across its product innovation, marketing, commerce, and customer sales and service offerings.

Van der Merwe brings over 20 years of experience in the design and innovation space to the role.

Read more: Accenture Song welcomes back Bronwyn van der Merwe

• ABC Western Queensland has welcomed Grace Nakamura as a journalist. She was previously a part-time Journalist at ABC News Brisbane.

• The Guardian Australia has welcomed Jack Snape as sports reporter. He was previously a sports journalist at the ABC based in Canberra, ACT.

• Superdream has announced the appointment of Ashleigh Cox as account director.

Cox brings with her an impressive background in marketing and advertising to the Brisbane-based full-service marketing agency. She has previously held roles as senior account manager at WonderKarma and account director at HERO.

Her experience includes working with brands like Suncorp, BHP, Goodstart and AVEO.

Read more: Superdream welcomes Ashleigh Cox as account director and announces internal promotions

• Leroy Brown, content director of 96three FM, takes over as breakfast host at the station starting on 11 September 2023

• Pedestrian Group has welcomed Courtney Borrett as an e-commerce writer. She was previously a freelance writer and a copywriter at Snack Drawer.

• dmg media has announced the promotion of Lachlan Heywood to the position of managing director, Daily Mail Australia.

In this executive role, Heywood will assume responsibility for the day-to-day commercial operation of Daily Mail Australia while overseeing sales and working closely with editor Barclay Crawford and our Australian editorial team.

Rich Caccappolo, CEO dmg media said: “We are pleased to announce Lachlan’s promotion to managing director. With his extensive background as a seasoned media executive and over 25 years of experience in various leadership and management roles across Australia, including his successful tenure working alongside us, we are confident he will help lead our team through our next phase of growth.”

Read more: Daily Mail Australia promotes Lachlan Heywood to managing director

• The National Indigenous Radio Service has welcomed Nance Haxton as a senior reporter. She is also a freelance investigative journalist and podcaster.

• ARN welcomes Laura Anderson as a journalist and newsreader. She was previously the news director of 4BC.

• Seven has announced premiership hero and 7AFL expert commentator Daisy Pearce will join Seven’s AFLW team for the 2023 season, following her retirement from the game earlier this year.

Her addition to the team comes as the new season is set to begin, and Seven Network’s AFL Women’s commentary team is locked and loaded, ready to bring fans an epic season eight of the AFLW competition on Seven and 7plus.

Fresh off the back of her decorated career with Melbourne, Pearce will join Seven’s commentary team for the opening clash between reigning premiers Melbourne and Collingwood, where she will join her former teammates one last time to unfurl the 2022 premiership flag under lights at Ikon Park from 7.00 pm AEST live on Seven, 7mate and 7plus.

Read more: Daisy Pearce joins Seven’s AFLW commentators for 2023

• Eleanor Pendleton moves into the role of publisher at Gritty Pretty as Danielle Gay steps into the role of editor.

• Channel 10 Sydney farewells Alexandra Anastassiou as social and digital editor. She has been in the role since November 2022.

• Paramount Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) has announced that head of entertainment and factual programming, Stephen Tate, will depart the business.

For over two decades, Tate has enjoyed one of the longest continuous tenures of any commercial Network Executive in Australia.

Tate has been responsible for some of Network 10’s most successful franchises including Australian Idol, Big Brother, Australian Survivor, The Bachelor Australia, The Masked Singer Australia, The Amazing Race Australia and of course I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

Read more: Stephen Tate to leave role as Paramount ANZ head of entertainment

• Warwick Tiernan retires as assistant head of audio at the ABC’s Audio Network and has worked for the ABC for over 20 years.

• ABC managing director David Anderson has had his term extended by the ABC Board for a further five years.

• Edwina Storie has been promoted to the lead role of SBS’s youth and current affairs brand, The Feed.

• ABC News has welcomed Luke Royes as the NSW digital editor. 

• Eliza Spencer will soon begin a new role as a rural and regional reporter in Cowra for the Rural Network at the Guardian Australia.

• CNET has farewelled Jackson Ryan at CNET after four years as the science editor.

• Chloe Burgess-Jones is now a casual weekend announcer for Central Coast’s Hit 101.3.

• The Border Mail has welcomed back Georgia Smith as a sports journalist.

• Bridget Judd has been promoted to Queensland deputy digital editor of ABC News Online. 

• Joshua Louder has moved on from A Current Affair after 10 years of journalism.

• ABC News has welcomed Kathryn Diss as WA’s chief reporter.

• Dominique Loudon will now appear on 9 News Queensland as the new weekend sports presenter alongside Mia Glover.

• Melissa Wait has returned to the comms space as brand experience lead for SAFM at Southern Cross Austereo. 

• Joseph McGowan has joined 9 News Adelaide as a news producer.

Sky News Australia has announced audience growth of 21.5% over the last 24 months, with 11.1 million Australians now engaging with the brand each month.

The data comes from the new Sky News Australia Audience Study 2023, which unpacks consumers’ news consumption habits and preferences.

The 2023 report examines what news agenda items drive continued interest and how generations consume news differently, identifying cost of living as the most critical issue for Australians today across all generations.

The second iteration of the study comes two years after the inaugural report launched in 2021, which showed news interest and broadcast viewership skyrocketed significantly across the country during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Paul Whittaker, chief executive officer Sky News Australia, said: “It’s been two years since we last undertook this study, and in that time we have expanded our content reach onto more platforms including news streaming service Flash, Sky News Radio on the Nova Player, Sky News Now on Samsung TV Plus, and the relaunched Sky News Australia App – all playing a contributing role in amplifying our reach and diversifying our viewer audience profile.

Paul Whittaker

Sky News still Foxtel’s #1 non-sport

“Across broadcast platforms, Sky News remains the number one non-sport channel on Foxtel while our regional free-to-air channel Sky News Regional continues to grow year-on-year.

“The research has indicated that audiences are accessing our content on more platforms than ever before, with growth across new and existing digital platforms driving audience engagement. No doubt this has contributed to Sky News maintaining its position as the number one Australian news brand on social media.”

Audience study highlights

• Brand grows its monthly unique audience to 11.1 million Australians (up +21.5% from 9.1 million in the Australia Audience Study 2021), reaching 42% of the national population every month.

• The average Sky News viewer across all content offerings is aged 45 years old, as consumption on digital increases. YouTube +34.9% (4.4m), Facebook +28.5% (4.1m) and SkyNews.com.au +23% (2.9m) visitors are all up when compared to the previous study.

• Australians are accessing more news sources than ever before. On average viewers access 6.4 unique news sources compared to 3.4 for non-Sky News viewers, with the average number of news sources all Australians access increasing from 3.7 in 2021 to 4.3 this year. The average Australian is accessing Sky News on 2.2 platforms per month.

Viewers other news sources include The Guardian, SBS and ABC

• Viewers value Sky News’ political and business coverage as well as a wide range of opinions, with 74% believing the brand covers issues relevant to their community and 73% agreeing the channel has the news live as it’s breaking.

• All generations – Baby Boomers (84%), Gen X (80%), Gen Z (79%), Millennials (78%) – see cost of living as the issue of most importance to them. Issues around health and the hospital system are ranked second for all – Baby Boomers (78%), Gen X (70%), and Millennials (63%) – except Gen Z which prioritises the housing shortage (70%).

• The economic climate hasn’t impacted the propensity to purchase with more people planning to buy across all key categories than in 2021. Viewers are significantly over-indexing for purchase consideration across all categories including streaming media and/or entertainment services, travel services and household goods – all seeing 42% considering making a purchase in the next six months.

Sky News Australia commercial director Cathryn Adams said: “This year’s study has helped us understand more about the motivations of Australians in consuming their news as well as resonance of advertising and the propensity to purchase – which is increasing.

Cathryn Adams

“We can also better quantify the benefit of integrated sponsorship investment, for our partners, across our growing multi-platform content offering, now reaching up to 11 million Australians.”

Hoop Research group director Liz Farquharson said: “The results validate the multiple platform approach and the strength of its digital platforms to not only rapidly grow audiences but also to secure a younger, more diverse consumer.

“Overall, we see a significant lift in the interest and consumption of news services over the last two years. The impact of this increased engagement on the audience can be quantified by a +35% lift with respondents agreeing that Sky News covers relevant content for the community, and a huge +37% lift in support for Sky News sponsors.”

*Sky News Australia commissioned Hoop Research Group to conduct an independent Audience Study, replicating the study of 2021, to track key shifts in audience profiles, behaviours and attitudes. The national survey consisted of n=2034 Australians aged 18-75. Age, gender and region quotas were applied to the sample and all final data was weighted to reflect the latest ABS population estimates as well as presence of Foxtel. The findings in this document are the result of a survey conducted by Hoop Group in May/June 2023 where the survey was used to fill gaps in actual currency data for the same period and provide the basis for deduplication calculations. Final reach figures are validated by Audience Research. Contents of this report may be reproduced provided appropriate credit is given to the source: Australia Audience Study, Hoop Group 2023.

About Sky News

The channels operated and distributed by Australian News Channel include Sky News, Sky News Weather, Sky News The Voice Debate, Sky News UK, Fox Sports News and Australia Channel for international audiences. Australian News Channel is owned by News Corp Australia, a subsidiary of News Corp.

See also: Sky News Australia reveals its digital growth in 2022

The ninth video in Social Soup‘s What Good Influence Looks Like content series discusses strategies for effective product sampling.

When done well, providing people with hands-on experiences with products can supercharge customer engagement to create lasting behavioural change and brand growth.

Here are the six essential considerations to elevate your trials and product sampling strategies for a successful campaign:

1. Product Value and Targeting: The value of the product is determined by its relevance to the target audience. Sending out fewer products to the right people can generate better returns, brand affinity and reduce wastage.

2. Supported Trial: It’s important to ensure that trial participants experience the product in the right context. Consider whether they should receive a sample size or full-size product. Allowing them to trial it in their home environment can increase relevance.

3. Drive Reciprocity: Providing trial opportunities can create a sense of reciprocity. When people receive a trial from a brand, they’re more likely to purchase and provide reviews, recommendations and insights.

4. Create Conditions to Share: Encourage sharing experiences with the product, especially if the product is naturally shared between networks. Facilitate inclusivity and provide tools for participants to share their experiences more broadly.

5. Personalisation: Personalised experiences drive significantly higher purchasing and advocacy rates. Brands should allow participants to feel that the trial is tailored to them, whether by allowing them to choose their own sample or through personalised communications and activities.

6. The Social Soup App utilises scan and collect technology to engage consumers actively, encouraging them to scan barcodes and receive micropayments for purchasing the product, effectively guaranteeing in-store momentum and creating a personalised engagement with the brand.

The realm of trial-based marketing offers a remarkable pathway to forge authentic connections between products and consumers. The journey beyond just platforms and content into tangible, everyday moments hold the key to enduring influence at a grassroots level. By allowing individuals to encounter products firsthand, trial-based strategies unlock the gateway to trust, loyalty, and emotional resonance.

Explore more of the What Good Influence Looks Like series here.

Journalist and television present, Jan Fran, has taken to Instagram to express her opinions following Peter Dutton‘s appearance on ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet, hosted by Annabel Crabb.

The show sees Crabb breaking bed with powerful figures across the Australian political gamut, with its informal setting creating a framework for more personal conversations that the public may not otherwise be privy to.

Dutton, leader of the Opposition of Australia, featured in a recent episode featured, stirring mixed responses from audiences, including Fran, who critiqued the episode in a ten-part carousel on her Instagram, aptly titled “Some Thoughts About Peter Dutton on Kitchen Cabinet”.

In the post, Fran commented about the “curious” juxtaposition between recounts of Dutton’s “rather jovial” nature, as seen in the Kitchen Cabinet episode, compared to his “hard line in policy and rhetoric.”

Fran wrote: “The duality is interesting, I suppose. But then I think, who cares?”

Commenting on the nature of the ABC show, Fran questioned, “Who actually cares about the ins and outs, the niceties of these people living outside of Canberra?

“And for those who do care, might they not be able to find that information amid the slew of curated content from the politician’s PR team? This is a genuine question.”

Publicis Groupe, Dentsu, Ogilvy Australia and Resolution Digital have been named employers of choice at the 2023 Australian Business Awards.

The Employer of Choice (EOC) from the Australian Business Award recognises organisations that develop workplaces that maximise the full potential of their workforce through established policies and practices that demonstrate effective employee recruitment, engagement and retention.

Publicis Groupe

This is the third consecutive Publicis Groupe has received the recognition, Michael Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe Australia and New Zealand was proud of the company’s efforts to achieve the title.

“While creating a supportive environment will always be an ongoing journey, being named an Employer of Choice for the third-year running is something we’re extremely proud of.

“Building an organisation that connects over 20 unique agency cultures through an inclusive and inspiring workplace is a testament to the creativity and talent of both our agency leaders and People & Culture team,” he said.

“Whether it be through the local rollout of our Working with Cancer initiative, our always evolving L&D programs, the launch of new and diverse employee action groups, or our focus on employee mental health and wellbeing, it’s great to see our endeavours to turn positive employee experiences into great life experiences being recognised,” he added.

Ogilvy

The Australian Business Awards noted that throughout 2022, the continued focus at Ogilvy has been on key leadership decisions.

Sally Kissane, CEO of Ogilvy Australia, made it her goal to deliver growth by transforming five business units – advertising, brand and content, consulting, experience, health, and public relations – across Australia and New Zealand into one high-performance, fully integrated company.

Australian Business Awards noted that Kissane’s leadership team and their ability and track record of collaborative working demonstrate the business model and, in action, continue to be a true reflection of the company. The agency’s vision was to stop surrounding a client’s budget and to start surrounding their business problems – project and every new business opportunity were being examined through how a ‘cross-functional’ team could deliver better results through the network effect.

Ogilvy’s energy and effort were channelled directly into creating more marquee work that delivered effective outcomes in this way. 

The company also recognised their staff enjoyed the freedom and autonomy of working from home and embraced the new working behaviours of the business, adapting the entire company rhythm to enable staff to collaborate and create together, even when they were physically apart.

At the foundation of this is a deep sense of trust from the Ogilvy management and offering their staff the freedom to decide what working behaviours would be best for themselves and the team. This also allowed for employees to balance out their priorities against the needs of their team, leaving them to define the ways of working that suited everyone. 

Dentsu

The Australian Business Awards highlighted Dentsu ensures their people have endless career possibilities within their greater network.

The global media, marketing and creative company looks for new and innovative ways to ensure they’re creating new pathways for their people to achieve their personal career goals.

This is done through investing in talent programs, cultural development, and career management that enable Dentsu to say they prioritise their people. The Australian Business Awards noted that the investment is supported by robust business processes and systems that allow the company to gain deep insights and develop meaningful products for all its people.

Dentsu is committed to growing industry skills and promoting meaningful employment pathways.

The company focuses on building engaged teams, promoting growth into leadership roles, and consistently monitoring key people metrics to ensure success. At the centre of Dentsu is its belief its people are the reason clients choose to work with them, and they will continue to be a significant strategic focus as it propel towards never-before-seen heights.

Resolution Digital

Resolution Digital has been involved in industry opportunities, contributing to the wider community, and supporting and providing learning opportunities for people to keep across trends, updates, and Industry changes.

The agency has also been recognised as an industry partner Google Analytics Most Awarded Partner for the past three years. Its Culture Code covers culture, leadership and strategy and guides and defines working methods. The foundation of Resolution’s excellence highlights the opportunities and initiatives, particularly the Re: Charge platform launch and many wellness and social events.

Resolution Digital has made a conscious effort to ensure that its policies evolve, supporting employees to have a Remarkable experience. Its education, training and development program is designed to cover both technical and soft skills training.
The agency also constantly checks in with teams to ensure learning opportunities are customised to accommodate employees that ensure impactful learning.

Resolution’s Performance, Recognition and Remuneration process is made up of a comprehensive framework fuelled by a proactive attitude in managing and rewarding people fairly and transparently.

Last year, the agency reported growth in results for clients and internal headcount, with the team strengthened and continuing to thrive. Resolution Digital has grown to 348 people. The agency is focused on the Employee Experience with a new reward and recognition platform called Re: Charge that give their staff instant recognition and allows them to make significant cost savings through discounts to over 400+ retailers.

The Uluru Dialogue – the architects of the Uluru Statement – have launched their new film, You’re the Voice, pairing John Farnham’s iconic song with transformative moments in Australia’s history to galvanise support for its YES campaign on the referendum for a First Nations Voice.

As the next iteration of the History is Calling campaign, the new film is a direct call to action to remind Australians they have a chance to change history for the better.

The ad campaign was launched yesterday and features an A-team of industry talent. Joining John Farnham, the campaign brings together filmmaker Warwick Thornton, film production company Photoplay, media agency OMD, creative agency The Monkeys, TalentWorks’ Tim Wheatley, and PR company Porter Novelli.

The film starts in the 1980s – at the time the now iconic song was released – and follows a family through the years as they witness several key moments that are now forged in our collective memory playing out on their TV screen: the 1967 referendum, the Mabo decision, America’s Cup, the Uluru handback, Cathy Freeman’s gold medal, the 1996 gun reform, the 2008 apology and the marriage equality plebiscite.

Professor Megan Davis, Cobble Cobble woman and co-chair of the Uluru Dialogue said the purpose of the film is to mobilise the nation and motivate people to support the Voice as the next chapter in Australia’s history.

“You’re the Voice is the nation’s unofficial anthem. I was in primary school when it was released and, as a young girl, instantaneously felt the power of its message about agency and walking together. It is an empowering message,” Professor Davis said.

“History isn’t just something we witness and observe, but something we ourselves can influence. And now we all have a voice in what happens at this critical moment, and we must use it.

“Through Australia’s history, we as a nation have debated and discussed major change on the grounds of fear and uncertainty. Whether it was Mabo and native title laws, Howard’s gun control laws, the apology to the stolen generations, or marriage equality…there are always fears for the worst. But time and time again history has proven those fears were unfounded and we believe it will be the same with the Voice.

“We are proud to finally announce and launch the use of this iconic song and partnership between John Farnham and the Uluru Dialogue. The number one question Aussies have asked me for six years is ‘Have you thought of Johnny Farnham and You’re the Voice?’.

“We hope You’re the Voice will show Australians that we all have a role to play in making this referendum a success and that it will inspire people to walk with us on this movement for a better future.”

John Farnham and Tim Wheatley

The partnership sees John Farnham AO lending his voice to the Voice and says he hopes the song will help change the lives of First Nations Peoples. This is the first time permission has ever been granted for its use in a commercial.

“This song changed my life. I can only hope that now it might help, in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better,” Farnham said.

Tim Wheatley, John Farnham’s close friend and son of his manager Glenn Wheatley, said the iconic song is aligned with humanity and is a song for all Australians.

“You’re the Voice is not aligned with any political party. It is aligned with humanity. It’s a song for all Australians. Always has been, always will be,” Wheatley said.

“Win or lose this referendum, this song will forever remain on the right side of history. Both John and my father have fiercely protected this song’s use for decades, I think for this very moment.”

Pat Anderson AO, Alyawarre woman and co-chair of the Uluru Dialogue said she hopes the film will remind the nation of the historic opportunity we all have by voting YES for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice and has urged the Australian public to get behind the movement.

“When it matters most, Australians show up for each other. You’re the Voice is archival proof of the people of this country using their voice to show up and stand on the right side of history. We’ve made history before and very soon we will have the chance to do it again,” Anderson said.

“The Voice is a simple proposal. Listening leads to better decisions. This is a proposal supported by 83 per cent of First Peoples, because they know when we have a say, it means better outcomes for our communities for generations.”

Working on the ad campaign with John Farnham

The campaign was developed by The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, alongside Professor Megan Davis and historian Professor Clare Wright OAM. It was produced by Photoplay and directed by Kaytetye man and award-winning feature film director and cinematographer, Warwick Thornton. The film is the first commercial directed by Thornton.

“When asked to work on this project, I instantly said YES and it has been an honour. It has empowered me. I feel all the films I have made have been practice for this one very important and beautiful film,” Thornton said.

Professor Wright OAM said as a historian, she knows history never ‘just happens’.

“History is made by people turning up at the turning points when their actions and their courage and their ambition matter most. History is not inevitable. We, the people, all make history. This campaign is a reflection of that truth.”

To download and view the film, visit: https://youtu.be/br8dB_0z3Fk

For more information on the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart, visit https://ulurustatement.org/

To show your support for the Voice, download assets from the Supporter Kit here: https://ulurustatement.org/take-action/supporter-kit/

Campaign Credits

Client: The Uluru Dialogue
Historical Consultant: Professor Clare Wright OAM
Producer: TalentWorks & Wheatley
Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song
Media Agency: OMD
Public Relations: Porter Novelli
Production Company: Photoplay
Director / DP: Warwick Thornton
Executive Producer / Producer: Emma Thompson
Production Manager: Rachael Dore
Production Designer: Kerrie van Lambaart
Wardrobe: Joanna Mae Park
Gaffer: Andy Robertson
Grip: David Griffiths
Casting: Anousha Zarkesh
Post Production: White Chocolate
Editor: Simon Njoo
Colourist: Trish Cahill
Online Artist: David Mosqueda & Chris Grocott

Music Supervision: Big Sync Music
Head of APAC: Michael Szumowski

Sound Design: MassiveMusic
Head of Sound: Simon Kane
GM/EP: Katrina Aquilia
Music Production, Remastering: Turning Studios
Composer/ Producer/ Founder: Elliot Wheeler
Producer: Carla de Menezes Ribeiro

Archival Footage Production: Savage Archive
Archive Producer: Lisa Savage

Photography: Benjamin Fry, WestFilm

See also: Beyond’s John Farnham hit movie: Audiences had no problem Finding The Voice

Exclusive Mediaweek podcast: TV Gold on Finding the Voice

To coincide with the home entertainment release of the John Farnham feature-length documentary Finding the Voice, the weekly podcast TV Gold has recorded a special episode dedicated to the Australian singing superstar. TV Gold hosts Andrew Mercado and James Manning are joined by co-manager and long-time Farnham family friend David Wilson who reveals the lengthy discussions he and Glenn Wheatley initially had with John about making the documentary. David also discusses the highlights of John’s career as captured by the filmmakers. This is the perfect audio companion for the DVD release of the feature-length doco.
Listen to the podcast on your favourite audio platform.

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Or your favourite podcast platform

Last week, cartoonist Jon Kudelka published a blog post on his website titled Why I’m not entering the Walkleys this year. Kudelka cited the close ties that fossil fuel company, Ampol, has with the awards as the reason for his decision. 

The Walkley Awards were launched in 1956 by Ampol Petroleum founder Sir William Gaston Walkley, after a partnership with the Australian Journalists’ Association. The full history of Ampol’s connection with the awards is detailed on the Walkleys website.

As well as founding the fossil fuel giant, racist comments that Walkley made in a column for The Sydney Morning Herald in 1961 have resurfaced.

“His views do not reflect the values, views and ethics of the Walkley Foundation. We apologise for the deep hurt and offence these statements will have caused for journalists and the broader community,” the board of directors said in a statement.  

“As an ethical organisation, we must call out the mistakes of the past.”

The Walkleys board also addressed the concerns of Ampol’s current sponsorship of the Walkley Awards. The connection has sparked a protest from media personalities, who are refusing to enter the awards or withdrawing their entries for this year’s awards. 

See Also: Media personalities withdraw 2023 Walkleys entries in protest of fossil fuel sponsorship

Those writing on social media that they were joining the protest include Greg Jericho, Rachel Withers, Fiona Katauskas, First Dog On The Moon, Mat Golding, and Glen LeLievre.

“We recognise their concerns about fossil fuel sponsorship and hope to welcome them back as entrants in future years,” the board said.

“The Foundation has a responsibility to show leadership in the journalism community. It will continue to pursue excellence in all its activities and actions to ensure they reflect a modern and diverse Australia.”

The Walkley Foundation said that is in the final stages of formalising a revised sponsorship policy, which will be announced shortly.

News Corp Australia, Samsung Electronics Australia and CHEP Network have partnered to launch a major campaign for the new Samsung Galaxy Z Series led by Australia’s leading fashion media brand Vogue Australia.

The ‘Join the Flip Side’ campaign, brought to life by Vogue Australia and Newsamp, the client strategy and solutions division of News Corp Australia, in conjunction with Samsung Electronics Australia and its agency CHEP, positions the Samsung Z series in the context of Gen Z fashion as the ultimate accessory and the choice for individuals that choose their own style.

The multi-platform fashion content has been created by and for Gen Z to convey the launch of the Galaxy Z Series in a unique and fashionable format. It spans print, to provide a curated view, and digital, vertical and interactive video and social channels such as Snapchat and TikTok, to bring the flip side of fashion to life in the palm of readers’ hands.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a bespoke magazine entitled ‘Miz Vogue’ inserted in the bumper September issue of Vogue Australia, out today, that celebrates the next generation of talent.

Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Christine Centenera said: “In many ways, magazines are the flip side to the endless scroll of the internet. They offer a highly curated snapshot of people and ideas influencing culture right now in ways big and small. We believe the creatives featured in these pages are not only defining the current moment but shaping the years ahead.”

The campaign stars Australian singer and online sensation Mia Rodriguez who will also perform at Vogue Australia’s Fashion’s Night Out launch in October.

Mia Rodriguez

News Corp Australia managing director national sales Lou Barrett said: “When Samsung approached Newsamp with the idea of creating something special to mark the launch of its new Samsung Galaxy Z Series, we couldn’t think of a better brand than Vogue Australia to connect with their target audience of 18-29 year-olds. Showcasing the phone features in the context of fashion for the campaign provided the perfect framework to bring this partnership to life in an impactful way, whilst also delivering Samsung high level integration at scale.”

Joanna Baxter, Samsung MX head of marketing communications, said: “We are incredibly excited about our partnership with Vogue Australia, marking a pioneering collaboration where Samsung continues its connection with the realm of fashion. The campaign’s content is meticulously designed to strike a chord with those who embrace self-expression. The multi-platform approach across print, social and digital has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to authentically engage with the fashion-forward audience and make a meaningful impact.”

Catherine Shen, CHEP head of media, Sydney, said: “The creation and execution of this campaign is testament to collaborative efforts of CHEP, Samsung, Vogue Australia and Newsamp. The Samsung Z Series Flip and Fold phones are unique and we needed to find a unique way to connect with consumers and showcase the phone features. Our goal is to spark curiosity, ignite a sense of adventure, and encourage participation in the flip side movement. Integrating within the world of fashion and Vogue Australia promises to fulfil that aspiration.” 

Edwina McCann, Vogue Australia editorial director and publisher, said: “The genius of Samsung and CHEP in partnering with Vogue Australia is they have recognised the brand’s reach directly with Gen Z’s on social platforms such as TikTok which will then drive sales of the magazine with its retro cool appeal to younger generations.”

The Join the Flip Side campaign will be amplified through high impact display, social and video on news.com.au and the wider News Corp Australia network.

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Top image: Mia Rodriguez

Out-of-home sites across Australia are displaying The Media Federation of Australia’s (MFA) media industry purpose ‘We Are The Changers’ as part of a campaign targeting media agency office locations.

Out-of-home companies JCDecaux, oOh! Media, QMS and Val Morgan have generously provided multiple pro bono formats for the campaign, including large-format sites, bus and tram shelters, and screens in office buildings, to a total value of over $ 1 million. All sites are located near and within media agency offices to reach agency employees on their way to and from work.

The goal of the broad-reaching out-of-home campaign is to continue to drive awareness of ‘We Are The Changers’ with the ultimate aim of eliciting pride among media agency employees and helping them feel inspired and motivated about the work they do.

Launched by the MFA in 2022, the industry purpose of ‘We Are The Changers’ is now recognised by over 41% of the industry. The industry body is aiming to increase that awareness to 60% by the end of 2023 with the ultimate aim of eliciting pride among the almost 5,000 people employed in media agencies. ‘We Are The Changers’ renews focus on the industry’s ability to drive positive change.

The out-of-home campaign has been scheduled to coincide with the upcoming MFA EX events in Melbourne on 5 September; and in Sydney on 21 September, where We Are The Changers will be brought to life on stage for the over 2,500 media agency professionals set to attend one of these events.

Content will include inspirational stories from our Industry Changers including Anathea Ruys, CEO, UM, and Rose Herceg, president, WPP ANZ on the Unstereotype Alliance; Gemma Hunter, GM marketing, Myer on being Customer Obsessed or People Focused? Tim Hodgson, Founder, MyNetZero and Scott Laird, CPO, GroupM on No Greenwashing, No Excuses.

OMD will also lead a great industry debate on AI vs EQ; and we will hear a variety of topics from Weird Partnerships, to Lessons in Improv. from Inspiration X speakers – colleagues with less than 15 years’ experience.
 
MFA EX is where the industry comes together to be inspired with ground-breaking media thinking, best practice, innovation, and people development in driving our media industry forward.
 
Sophie Madden, MFA chief executive officer, added: “We Are The Changers’ articulates all the great things we do as an industry in a way that elicits pride, is inspirational and motivating, particularly to media agency newcomers.
 
“It reminds agency employees that every single one of them, every day, is influencing change for their clients, for society, for the economy, for the agencies in which they work, and for their own careers. We are delighted to again have the support of JCDecaux, oOh! Media, QMS and Val Morgan to make sure that our Industry Purpose is shared with our Changers loud and proud!”
 
The OOH campaign is running until the end of September.

Val Morgan Outdoor (VMO) has announced the launch of its office media network across Australia, with 100 locations in the ground and growing to 300 by the end of 2024.

VMO is disrupting the office media space, pioneering a next-gen screen network within premium A/B buildings spanning Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra.

The new network will see screens deployed throughout Stockland, Centuria, Centennial Property Group, and Abacus Property commercial portfolios.

VMO is no stranger to office media after originally launching a network in New Zealand in 2014. It has since grown to be the only dedicated provider of office media in the country after acquiring oOh! media’s office tower assets in 2021.

Anthony Deeble, chief commercial officer of The HOYTS Group and VMO, said: “After successfully building the biggest and now only office media network in New Zealand, we realised the office media space in Australia was ripe for disruption. We’re thrilled to develop and scale our brand-new office network that complements our existing verticals in Australia.

“We’ve worked closely with our property partners to strategically develop a network comprising premium A/B grade towers, hosting top-tier tenants and audiences.”

In collaboration with sister brand Val Morgan Digital, VMO has developed a home-grown content strategy for the network, giving advertisers the opportunity to align with highly informative, brand-safe content across headline and business news, entertainment, travel, food, and technology.
 
Brands also have the opportunity to create original branded content for the network by utilising Val Morgan Digital’s in-house editorial and creative team.
 
Paul Butler, managing director of VMO, added: “It’s a watershed moment for us as we boldly launch our new office media network in Australia. Our network has gone from strength to strength as we continue to evolve our place-based product offering, and this new vertical empowers brands to connect with affluent AB working professionals across Australia within a high-reach and high-frequency environment. It’s just another way we do outdoor differently.”
 
Butler added: “We also have content at our fingertips. We’re in a unique position to have a digital publisher sister brand that has developed a bespoke content strategy for the network and has the capacity to deliver original content for brands.”
 
This announcement comes after VMO recently launched their Dynamic Creative Optimisation solution (DCOOH) in June, and their new brand positioning Outdoor Done Differently in May.

Meta has announced parental supervision tools are now available on the Messenger app.

The first set of parental supervision tools on Messenger will allow parents and guardians to get updates on changes to their teen’s Messenger contact list, as well as their teen’s privacy and safety settings.

Parents can also get notified if their teen reports someone (if the teen chooses to share that information), view who can message their teen (only their friends, friends of friends, or no one) and if their teen changes this setting, and also who can see their teen’s Messenger stories. 

Meta made the announcement at their recent Youth Safety Summit in Singapore, held from 29 to 30 August. The event brought together safety experts from across the Asia Pacific, including BRAC, ECPAT International, Netsafe, UNICEF, and the Stairway Foundation and Australian partners, Butterfly, Project Rockit, Save The Children & ReachOut.

Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety, at the sidelines of the Youth Safety Summit in Singapore, said: “Over the years, we’ve developed more than 30 tools to support families, including supervision tools that help parents and teens work together to manage teens’ time on our apps.
 
“We’re committed to making sure teens have age-appropriate experiences across our technologies, and we’ll continue working with safety experts as we build tools for young people and their families,” Davis added.

These supervision tools are in addition to other features and protections that Meta has launched over the years, including tools that help teens have safer and more private experiences, further restricting the options advertisers have to reach teens as well as the information that used to show ads to teens, and providing teens with more tools to better manage their experience on Instagram.

The Meta’s presence at the Youth Safety Summit comes after unveils its new offerings at its Performance Marketing Summit.

The Performance Marketing Summit, held in Sydney and Melbourne, with an upcoming one in Brisbane, will showcase new products and solutions from Meta to key partners.

The last 18 months have seen Meta undergo significant changes in the business – from restructures to new product launches and redesigns – and improved fiscal outcomes in Q2.

See also: Meta unveils its new offerings at its Performance Marketing Summit

The In-House Agency Council (IHAC) is thrilled to unveil the recipients of this year’s IHAC Awards, presented by TikTok, Monday.com, and EKCS.

The judging panel comprised senior leaders from the marketing and advertising community. The IHAC Awards serve as a platform to honour exceptional work within the industry, celebrating in-house and hybrid teams and creating a repository of best practice case studies for IHAC members’ learning.

This year’s winners are:

In-House Agency of the Year
Winner: Canva Creative Team
Highly Commended: 1House team at Asahi

Best Creative Work
Winner: Splash @ Treasury Wine Estates for Squealing Pig – Summer of Love Campaign.

Best Integrated Campaign
Winner: Splash @ Treasury Wine Estates for Squealing Pig – Summer of Love Campaign.

Best Agility
Winner: Crime X by Newscorp

Best Innovation
Winner: Sportsbet for their pioneering use of Generative AI in campaigns.

The Canva team clinched the In-House Agency of the Year award. Their impressive growth, remarkable suite of work ranging from brand campaigns to global events, and their positive influence on both culture and business results were lauded by the judges. Notably, the 1House team at Asahi received a ‘highly commended’ recognition for their consistent excellence and potential for future accomplishments.

The Innovation Award was secured by Sportsbet for their implementation of Generative AI, setting an example of how this technology can tangibly enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Splash made a double win, securing both the Best Creative Work and Integrated Campaign of the Year titles. Their task to own the summer for Squealing Pig was smartly executed across various channels, resulting in impressive brand growth.

Introducing the Agility Award for the first time this year, the Newscorp team’s swift response with Crime X+ demonstrated their agility and resonated with audiences, delivering real value for the business.

Chris Maxwell, In-House Agency Council executive chairman, said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the deserving winners of this year’s IHAC Awards. The consistently high standard of integrated thinking and craftsmanship showcased by our winners is truly impressive.

“I would also like to express my gratitude to all of the participants who contributed their exceptional work. Your dedication and innovation have set a remarkable precedent for the years to come, and I am eagerly anticipating even more wonderful achievements in the future.”

Town Square has announced the appointment of experienced strategist Jeff Malone as its new chief strategy officer.

Across a global career that spans more than 15 years and four countries, Malone has held senior leadership positions at some of the world’s biggest agencies.

Malone joins the independent creative agency from Cummins & Partners where he was chief strategy officer in Melbourne. He has also worked at TBWA and DDB in Australia and had senior roles at Mullen Lowe in the US and at Ogilvy in the US, India and New Zealand, on brands including Jeep, Unilever, Hyatt, ANZ, Telstra, Arnott’s, McCain and Cancer Council Australia.

An award-winning strategist, Malone has led several strategy departments, launched and built a behavioural science consultancy and worked at drinks giant Lion as a creative strategist, where he helped drive new product development.

Alison Ray, general manager at Town Square, said: “Jeff brings a wealth of diverse strategic thinking and leadership experience to the agency that will benefit all our existing and new clients. We continue to attract significant brands to the agency wanting the expertise and benefits working with an independent brings, and Jeff will only elevate that further. In addition to being a big brain, he’s also a great person and we are delighted he’s joined the Town Square team.”

Malone added: “It’s rare to find an agency that cares as much about their own people as they do the work. Add to that to a solid foundation of great clients and some huge ambitions and I was sold.”

Malone appointment comes at a time of new business growth for Melbourne-headquartered Town Square.
 
It was recently appointed by Hilton for its luxury Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas in Qatar, and other clients include The Ghan, Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism, Ego Power Tools, Armaguard, and The Big Issue. The agency also recently won two AWARD Awards for its ‘Know First Aid’ campaign for St John Ambulance. 

Icon Agency has appointed three senior staff, spearheaded by Emma Bridgeman who joins in the role of director of technology and B2B.

David Radestock, executive director of communications, said Icon’s continued search and appointment of best-in-class industry professionals was central to the agency’s ongoing success, and the new hires bring experience with large agencies and brands to bolster Icon’s team continuing the agency’s growth agenda.

Radestock said: “Hiring this talented trio demonstrates our commitment to bringing in the best consultants—and best humans—in the industry. They bring unrivalled experience and expertise, as well as the boundless curiosity and relentless drive that sets apart our team in the market.”

Emma Bridgeman joins Icon as director of technology and B2B, based in Sydney. Prior to joining Icon, she held senior positions at Apple, Ogilvy and Herd MSL.

“This is a great opportunity to spearhead Icon’s growing focus on the technology sector. With a group of exceptional clients and specialist consultants, we’re perfectly placed to grow rapidly through our best-in-class, truly differentiated offer,” said Bridgeman.

Rania Aissaoui joins as account director, following several years at Ogilvy and Teneo. Aissaoui’s previous work in crisis and reputation management allow her to add valuable experience to Icon Reputation, Icon’s specialty crisis and issues management division.

Stefanie Safahi joins as a senior account director also based in Icon’s Sydney office. Safahi was previously Head of Communications at Folklore Ventures, and brings deep sector expertise across enterprise technology and the startup ecosystem to the agency.
 
Radestock highlighted the new team member’s varied backgrounds.
 
“We continue to build the best team in the country in the knowledge our growth is not because of the amount of people we add to the team, but the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches they bring.”
 
The hires continue a successful period of growth for Icon, which has seen the integrated agency establish offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, and Brisbane. The organisation has garnered industry recognition as one of Australia’s leading communications agencies with a number of exciting client wins.

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Top image: Emma Bridgeman, Rania Aissaoui and Stefanie Safahi

Raf Epstein will take over as host of the Mornings program on ABC Radio Melbourne, following is stint as Drive presenter.  

Epstein’s new role comes after Virginia Trioli announced that she will farewell Mornings on Friday, 15 September. 

Epstein has built a large and loyal following, keeping the Drive audience up-to-date and connected with what is happening in Melbourne at the end of each working day for the past 11 years. 

Much-loved ABC Radio Melbourne regular Ali Moore will move into the Drive slot on Monday, 11 September, until the end of the year. 

Acting manager for ABC Radio Melbourne, Mary-Jane Fenech said Epstein had been excellent company for the station’s audience during the drive-time commute.

“Since Raf took over Drive in 2012, he has put his audience at the centre of every conversation, delivering the latest news and thought-provoking interviews,” Fenech said.

“Raf helped Melbourne navigate the pandemic years. He gave a voice to the audience by asking the questions that needed answering during the daily covid press conferences and he provided companionship through lockdowns. We are thrilled to welcome Raf to Mornings and know he is going to be Melbourne’s champion each weekday from 8.30am. And it’s great to see Raf farewell his audience on a high, with a bump to Drive’s share and reach in this week’s survey.”

Epstein said he couldn’t wait to build on the powerful tradition of Mornings, encapsulated by Virginia Trioli. 

“I will ask fearless questions and listen carefully to every answer. Interviews are crucial, but the most important voices are callers, who understand and care deeply about what happens next in our city and across the state.” 

Epstein is an award-winning journalist and one of Australia’s most experienced and skilled investigative journalists. 

Epstein has worked for both the ABC and Fairfax (now Nine) newspapers and has worked in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Europe. Raf has won two Walkley awards for investigative reporting with his exposure in 2004 of links between corrupt police and underworld murders and his report in 2006 that exonerated Dr Mohammed Haneef, who had been held under anti-terrorism laws. 

Raf’s last Drive show will be next Friday 8 September. He will start on Mornings on Monday 18 September.  

Ali Moore has been a familiar voice to ABC listeners for more than three decades. She began her career as a journalist with the ABC Radio and News team, later becoming the ABC’s China correspondent. On her return to Australia, Ali joined ABC TV before moving to Channel Nine’s Business Sunday program as a reporter and later host of the program.

Moore rejoined the ABC in 2006 as inaugural host of Lateline Business and later as co-host of Lateline. Ali also spent four years with the BBC, based in Singapore. Since 2008, she has been a regular presenter at ABC Radio Melbourne, returning frequently to host local radio and earning the respect and trust of the audience.  

Fenech said: “We know that Ali will bring her razor-sharp wit to Drive, ensuring that the Melbourne audience is on top of everything that is happening in our city. Ali can ask the tough questions whilst also bringing her warmth and sense of fun to any program she presents.”

See also: Virginia Trioli leaves ABC radio, returning to TV with a new arts show

–

Top image: Raf Epstein

The 20th-anniversary edition of Vulture Street from legendary Australian band Powderfinger debuts at the top of the ARIA Albums Chart this week.

Vulture Street was the fifth studio album from Powderfinger and spent three weeks at #1 in 2003, going on to win Album of the Year at the 2003 ARIA Awards. The band has won a total of 18 ARIA Awards between 1999 and 2010, including Best Group in 2001 and 2003. 

On their success, Powderfinger said: “We are completely honoured and astounded that Vulture Street is back at the top of the pops after all these years. We are so humbled to have received such continued support from everyone at our management, Secret Sounds, our label Universal, but most of all from you, our fans. You are the ones that make it all possible and we want to say how much we love and appreciate your support. We are very, very lucky (ahem) boys. Mil gracias GUAPETONES. Love JC, Hoggy, BF, DZ and Cogs xxxx.”

In the #2 spot is the debut of Zach Bryan’s self-titled album. It is his fourth studio album, with its predecessor American Heartbreak, peaking at #65. This week it is at #98. 

It’s been a good week for The Weeknd, with the announcement of his Australian tour in November sending his albums flying back up the chart. His greatest hits package, The Highlights, holds at #3; former #1 album Starboy jumps from #18 to #4; while three of his other #1 albums also climb: After Hours from #27 to #17, Dawn FM from #65 to #25 and Beauty Behind The Madness from #93 to #38.

In more debut news, Road by Alice Cooper is new at #19. Road is the veteran rockstar’s 29th studio album. He has also released 11 live albums and 21 compilations, with his first release dating back to 1969. Eight of his albums have reached the top 10 here, with the best performers being Lace & Whiskey in 1977 and Detroit Stories in 2021, both of which peaked at #3.

On the Singles Chart, Doja Cat’s Paint The Town Red holds at #1 for a second week. It samples Dionne Warwick’s 1964 classic Walk On By, which was written by music legends Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
 
The Weeknd’s former #3 hit Die For You jumps back into the top 10, up from #18 last week to #10, he also lands #9 with Popular, featuring Playboi Carti and Madonna. Popular is Madonna’s 41st top 10 single here, stretching back to Holiday in 1983. It’s also her first top 10 in 15 years, since 4 Minutes (with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) got to #1 in 2008. 

Miley Cyrus returns with Used To Be Young, new at #13, the fourth single from her Endless Summer Vacation album, which hit #1 in March. Its lead single, Flowers, spent 12 weeks at #1 earlier this year.
 
Zach Bryan is new at #19 with I Remember Everything, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Kacey Musgraves. His long-running hit Something In The Orange is at #12 this week in its 59th week on the chart. For Kacey, it is her first charted hit here.
 
Selena Gomez also debuts at #26 with Single Soon. She has had six top 10 singles here, with the best performer being Lose You To Love Me, which topped out at #2 in 2019.

2023 ARIA Chart Toppers

Singles
January 2 Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You
January 9 Sam Smith & Kim Petras Unholy
January 16 SZA Kill Bill
January 23 Miley Cyrus Flowers
January 30 Miley Cyrus Flowers
February 6 Miley Cyrus Flowers
February 13 Miley Cyrus Flowers
February 20 Miley Cyrus Flowers
February 27 Miley Cyrus Flowers
March 6 Miley Cyrus Flowers
March 13 Miley Cyrus Flowers
March 20 Miley Cyrus Flowers
March 27 Miley Cyrus Flowers
April 3 Miley Cyrus Flowers
April 10 Miley Cyrus Flowers
April 17 Morgan Wallen Last Night
April 24 Morgan Wallen Last Night
May 1 Morgan Wallen Last Night
May 8 Morgan Wallen Last Night
May 15 Morgan Wallen Last Night
May 29 Morgan Wallen Last Night
June 5 Morgan Wallen Last Night
June 12 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
June 19 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
June 26 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
July 3 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
July 10 Olivia Rodrigo Vampire
July 17 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
July 24 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
July 31 Central Cee & Dave Sprinter
August 7 Billie Eilish What Was I Made For?
August 14 Billie Eilish What Was I Made For?
August 21 Billie Eilish What Was I Made For?
August 28 Doja Cat Paint The Town Red
September 4 Doja Cat Paint The Town Red

Albums
January 2 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 9 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 16 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 23 Taylor Swift Midnights
January 30 SZA SOS
February 6 Sam Smith Gloria
February 13 Taylor Swift Midnights
February 20 Paramore This Is Why
February 27 P!nk Trustfall
March 6 Harry Styles Harry’s House
March 13 Harry Styles Harry’s House
March 20 Miley Cyrus Endless Summer Vacation
March 27 Morgan Wallen One Day At A Time
April 3 Lana Del Ray Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
April 10 Melanie Martinez Portals
April 17 Cub Sport Jesus At The Gay Bar
April 24 Metallica 72 Reasons
May 1 Morgan Wallen One Thing At A Time
May 8 Peach PRC Manic Dream Pixie
May 15 Ed Sheeran –
May 29 Lewis Capaldi Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent
June 5 Taylor Swift Midnights
June 12 Foo Fighters But Here We Are 
June 19 Niall Horan The Show
June 26 The Teskey Brothers The Winding Way
July 3 Kerser A Gift & A Kers
July 10 Taylor Swift Midnights
July 17 Taylor Swift Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
July 24 Taylor Swift Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
July 31 Barbie The Album
August 7 Travis Scott Utopia
August 14 Travis Scott Utopia
August 21 G Flip Drummer
August 28 Barbie The Album
September 4 Powderfinger Vulture Street (20th Anniversary)

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Colin Fassnidge has revealed the one missing ingredient that he has brought back to My Kitchen Rules, something he felt had been lacking over the course of the show’s previous 12 seasons.

Speaking on Mediaweek and Chattr’s The Entertainment Hotline Podcast, the 50-year-old admitted that the series “had lost its way” halfway through its run and he was now ready to bring back the “fun”.

“When it first started, when I started on MKR, it was so much fun,” he said. “And then a little bit in the middle, it sort of lost its way because it got a bit drama and people, even my kids, didn’t want to watch that and Australia didn’t obviously want to watch that either because they said it. And now they’ve sort of come back the last few years, [and now] it’s about heart.”

In addition to this, Fassnidge said that Aussies weren’t keen on just hearing people complain.

“I don’t want to sit around the table with people complaining, I’ve got that at home,” he said. “I’ve got that with my teenagers. So when I’m away, I want to have fun.”

This year, Fassnidge joins Manu Feildel as a “top dog” (as he likes to refer to it), with the pair deciding to rejuvenate the show to bring back the joy.

“I think me and Manu directed it that way, that’s what we want. If you’re here for your 15 minutes of fame, or if you’re here to be grumpy, we don’t want to talk to you… so we’re back to basics on this one.”

Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge. Seven

Now that he’s sitting at the head of the table, Fassnidge feels privileged to be working alongside Feildel, whom he affectionately calls “Frenchy”.

“I used to say to Pete [Evans] years ago, ‘I want your job’ and I said, ‘One day I’m gonna have it.’ And it’s good because I love MKR and I love hanging out with Manu. And I realised that we’re in a very great spot in our lives to do this job and to have a show that people want to watch.” 

Colin Fassnidge on the My Kitchen Rules 2023 cast

This year, six brand-new teams will be inviting Fassnidge and Feildel into their homes, and as usual, they are a mix of everyday Aussies who would never sit around a dinner table together.

“I don’t know where they find these people,” Fassnidge said. “But I love it because they are people that I would hang out with.”

In particular, the TV chef made note of Claudine and Anthony.

“Ooft, get ready for this!” he said. “Claudine is a whirlwind of a lady. I love her. We had so much back chat with each other, that we would just stop and be going at each other. Not in a bad way, but in a fun way. So I really appreciated her being there.

“It’s just a good mix of people and it’s different demos. You’re just like, ‘What is going on?’ sometimes.”

My Kitchen Rules 2023 cast. Seven

Colin Fassnidge on Nigella Lawson

TV legend Nigella Lawson will also return as a guest judge during finale week and like the rest of the world, Fassnidge has a “huge crush” on her.

“She’s the boss,” Fassnidge admitted. “I was the top dog until she turned up…I’ve had a crush on Nigella since she started on TV, and they always say, ‘Don’t meet your heroes because you might be disappointed’. I met Nigella and I was just like, ‘I love you’. I’ve even told my wife that she is my crush.

Feildel, Nigella Lawson and Fassnidge. Seven

“And they [production team] said to me, ‘When you go on set, don’t be Colin because Nigella’s royalty and like, you’re a bit loose.'” So, I was like being all mannerly and watching my p’s and q’s and then at one stage, Frenchy stopped the shoot and he’s like, ‘Look at Colin. He’s got his mouth open.’ I was in awe of Nigella.

“So, when I got to meet her, it was an honour. She is royalty. And when she speaks and does her critiques, it’s like she swallowed the dictionary.”

Listen to the full chat with Colin Fassnidge on The Entertainment Hotline Podcast.

My Kitchen Rules 2023 premieres on Monday, September 4 at 7.30 pm on 7 and 7Plus.

• Sharks win the final game of the NRL regular season 

Total TV Ratings: August 27

Nine’s The Block saw some of the houses experience severe water damage before the Work from Home spaces were revealed. Up 36%, the show was the top overall show of the night with 1,459,000.

It was the final Blind Auditions on The Voice, as coaches Jessica Mauboy and Jason Derulo filled their teams with unique voices. 1,272,000 tuned in, up 18%.

ABC’s Bay Of Fires lifted 77% for a total audience of 835,000.

Faithful Roha was murdered while super fan Annabel was banished on The Traitors, up 46% for a total audience of 420,000.

Overnight TV Ratings, September 3

Primetime News
Seven News 816,000  
Nine News 808,000 
ABC News 518,000
10 News First 200,000 (5:00 pm)/ 152,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 157,000 (6:30 pm)/ 105,000 (7:00 pm)

Daily Current Affairs
60 Minutes 449,000
7NEWS Spotlight 465,000
Insiders 300,000 
The Sunday Project 176,000 (6:30pm) / 239,000 (7pm) 

Breakfast TV
Weekend Sunrise 195,000
Weekend Today 175,000
Weekend Breakfast 143,000

Nine has won Sunday night with a primary share of 26.1% and a network share of 32.8%. 

It was judgement day for the Guest Bathrooms – and one moss wall – on The Block. It was a split opinion on the unique decor choice, with Block judge Marty absolutely hating the look, but 816,000 watched Darren admitting the moss wall was “growing on him”. The show was the top rated program overall on Sunday. 60 Minutes then took a walkthrough of the submarines at the centre of the AUKUS deal, taking 449,000 into a Virginia Class sub at sea.

Earlier in the afternoon, the final match of the NRL regular season brought in 246,000 as the Cronulla Sharks took down the Canberra Raiders 24-6, winning themselves a home final next week.

The Voice brought 694,000 to Seven as a favourite walked out of the competition. As coach Jessica Mauboy weighed up the decision of who to send to The Battles, Bushwackers member Dobe Newton said: “I think we can make this easier for you. This show and the challenges to come – we think – are about people just beginning on their career journey, so Roger and I have decided that you need Ezra in your Battle team.” 7NEWS Spotlight then looked into the experiences of people who have de-transitioned after previously coming out as transgender for 465,000. 

On the ABC, Death In Paradise took 332,000 to the scene when a TV news presenter was found strangled in her pool. Bay of Fires followed for 303,000, before a repeat of Mother and Son brought in 76,000.

The Sunday Project (176,000 6:30pm / 239,000 7pm) covered the news that John Farnham had allowed the Yes campaign to use his iconic song You’re The Voice in advertisements, and interviewed comedian Wil Anderson. On The Traitors, a betrayal at the previous Banishment Ceremony saw Sam back Blake into a corner in order to recruit a new Traitor. 211,000 watched as Camille joined the dark side, leaving three Traitors and only five Faithful remaining. 

The highest rated non-news show on SBS was Building The Vatican: Secrets Behind The Holy City, with 129,000.