Mediaweek is excited to announce that Darren Woolley and Rowena Millward will be serving as the key advisors of the Agency 50 list, which will be unveiled at the Mediaweek 100 Industry Lunch on October 13, at the Pearl Ballroom in the Crown Sydney.

The Agency 50 will count down the top 50 most influential and powerful media agency executives in the country and consider how they positively influence the industry, their organisation, and the client’s business.

Buy tickets to the Mediaweek 100 Industry Lunch here.

The Mediaweek 100 Considerations Portal is available here

In this role, the pair will work together to guide the direction of the Agency 50 list, alongside Mediaweek’s Alisha Buaya and Amy Shapiro.

Alisha Buaya and Amy Shapiro

Woolley is the Global CEO of TrinityP3, and also serves as Mediaweek’s marketing/agency editor-at-large. 

TrinityP3 is one of Australia’s largest and most influential independent marketing/pitch consultancies. TrinityP3 has a significant presence in Australia where it leads the pitch process for many of the country’s leading advertising accounts as well as having offices in London, New York and Zurich. This makes Woolley one of the most relevant and respected voices in the industry.

A scientist by training, Woolley fell into advertising as a copywriter but ended up creative director of JWT before moving over to launch TrinityP3 in 2000 where he has sought to bring a more rigorous approach to the selection of agencies and marketing partners for brands. 

Millward is the capability and careers Chair for Mediaweek Academy and has spent over 20 years working client side in marketing in Australian, APAC, North American, and Global roles across companies such as Procter & Gamble, Neutrogena and Johnson & Johnson, the last of which she spent over 15 years.

Millward consults and runs capability programs for many of the world’s most admired brands and companies.  Her leading-edge knowledge across marketing, business and leadership has helped hundreds of brands transform and reinvent themselves in the digital age.

Millward is also a two-time best-selling author.  Her book Uncomfortable Growth® – Own Your Reinvention is now a leading program helping executives navigate career and life crossroads to create their next chapter.

Millward currently leads OMD Elevate (OMD’s client engagement program), is part of ADMA’s Education Advisory Committee, is a founding mentor for The Marketing Academy and is on the faculty for Thought Leaders Global.  

Commenting on his new role in the Agency 50 list, Woolley said: “The Agency 50 list is quickly becoming the industry bellwether for identifying the shifts in influence within the media agency landscape. It is no longer enough to be in a position of power simply. Today, it is more critical to leverage that power to positively influence advertisers, media owners, employees, and the broader community.

“After all, being promoted into a position of power is just the first step. How someone uses their position to influence positive change is the real measure of power. This year, we are looking for those who use their influence to create the most positive outcomes, not just consolidate their position in the industry”.

Millward also added: “Media spend is the biggest investment on a Client’s marketing P&L, and the Mediaweek Agency 50 is an invaluable resource. It’s a privilege to partner with Mediaweek in recognising the Agencies at the top of their game. I’m proud to partner with Mediaweek to recognise the top 50 Agencies who are transforming our industry”

Mediaweek is excited to announce the next round of Sales Team of the Year entries is open. The awards are an initiative to highlight some of the high-quality work done in the industry. 

Each month, a media sales team will be selected by a rotating panel of judges as the nominee for that particular month, culminating in 12 nominees by the end of the 12 months. The judges will be assessing each team on criteria such as proactivity, strategy and execution, and client and agency relationship management.

See Also: Mediaweek’s Sales Team of the Year: And the first month’s winner is…

The 12 nominees will then all go into the running to be named Mediaweek’s Sales Team of the Year. 

The form to nominate a team can be found here

The next round of judges are: 

Luke Povee – co-founder and general manager, Yango
Jacquie Alley – chief operating officer, The Media Store
Nick Grinberg – head of strategy, Next&Co

Luke Povee, Jacquie Alley, Nick Grinberg

Key Dates for September:

Entries open Wednesday September 6 
Entries close Friday September 29
Winner announced October 23

Independent digital platform Mamamia hosted its Upfronts showcase in Sydney on Tuesday morning, to 250 senior marketers at Doltone House.

Creators Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright, and Clare Stephens opened by sharing the stark findings of Mamamia’s new longitudinal study The State of Australian Women: two thirds of women, across generations, are shouldering the burden of managing the household’s budget through inflationary times. As wallets tighten, it is women who are calling the shots.

And it’s an ocean of purchasing power (see chart below): from beauty to home entertainment to auto, it’s only when you get to home renovation that shared decision-making becomes more common than women making all or most decisions.

The study also found that Health & Fitness and Travel & Holidays were the areas where women’s intentions to spend more in the year ahead outnumbered intentions to cut back.
Holly Wainwright, executive editor, said: “She’s done living a small life where she’s at the bottom of her list of priorities. She wants to grab experiences, travel and maximise time with the people she loves. It’s a tequila shot of carpe diem after the tough years of life on hold.”

Executive editors Elfy Scott and Leigh Campbell joined the stage to speak to the intergenerational (lifestage) nuances: Gen Z being the loneliest, prioritising relationships, intimacy, sex and mental health; Gen Y wrestling most to keep their way of life intact, side-hustling if possible, with economic pressures buffeting a growing family; and Gen X having a bit of an identity crisis.

Mamamia’s content announcements across digital formats respond to the insights, broadening the ‘Help, Heart & Humour’ the platform provides women, with new opportunities for brands:

• The Mamamia Travel Concierge – A curated ecosystem across written, social and podcasting.
• You Beauty – The beauty community is getting a glow-up, with new podcast co-hosts joining the roster, and the You Beauty Awards back in 2024.
• MOVE by Mamamia – A fitness app for any body, anywhere. Equipment-free workouts across strength, cardio, yoga and Pilates.
• WELL – ‘Your life, but better’, a wellness podcast without the woo-woo.
• Dear Doctor – A written series with expert medical information about very personal problems.
• Nothing To Wear – A fashion podcast hosted by Leigh Campbell, with written, social and eDMs in the ecosystem.
• The Parachute – A podcast to help anyone experiencing grief to feel seen and supported.
• The Baby Bubble and Mid – The family slate is expanding across podcasts, written, social and eDMs, leaning hard into humour with a reboot of The Baby Bubble, following twin new mums Clare and Jessie Stephens. Mid is a podcast and collection of hero written pieces for Gen X women who are feeling mid-life, mid-family, mid-identity crisis, hosted by Holly Wainwright.
• Once Upon A Friend – Life-affirming, captivating stories of friendship.
• Mamamia’s Big Pod Night Out – No Filter, Cancelled, Mamamia Out Loud and more, live on stage with special guests in 2024 for one big pod night out.
• Rize Up partnership – Mamamia is providing funds, media and content to support the charity that offers practical support for women and children survivors of domestic violence, to transition from temporary refuge into a safe and welcoming home.

Co-founder Mia Freedman concluded with the numbers and the narrative for marketers to remember:

One meaningful brand standing for trusted women’s voices, candid on every topic, with audience engagement like no other; a monthly reach of seven million Australian women across generations Z, Y and X; over-indexing VS average household income by +27%;
trusted recommendations about brands like no other (52% more than the nearest radio network – Pureprofile & Mamamia podcast study Dec-Jan ‘23).

Freedman said it adds up to Mamamia being Your Super Channel For Women and Your Super Channel For Purchasing Power. “Because in 2023 the world learned what Mamamia has always known: women’s economic power can move mountains. Come move them with us.”

The Upfront was held after an update to the Mamamia editorial team. Mamamia’s current editorial team is now made up of:

• Eliza Sorman Nilsson, Editor-in-Chief
• Valentina Todoroska, Editor
• Polly Taylor, Page Editor and commissions
• Alix Nicholson, Weekend Editor
• Charlotte Begg, Morning Editor
• Laura Brodnik, Head of Entertainment
• Erin Docherty, Beauty & Health Editor
• Chelsea McLaughlin, Senior Entertainment Writer
• Tara Watson, Senior Content Producer – Entertainment
• Laura Jackel, Senior Content Producer – Family
• Isabella Ross, Senior Content Producer – News
• Shannen Findlay, Content Producer

Top Image: Co-founder Mia Freedman and executive editors Clare Stephens, Leigh Campbell, Holly Wainwright, and Elfy Scott

Mamamia hosted its final Upfronts showcase in Sydney on Tuesday morning, following presentations in Brisbane and Melbourne. The event held at Doltone House in Pyrmont had 250 attendees and included the company revealing the findings of Mamamia’s new longitudinal study The State of Australian Women.

At the event, Mediaweek spoke to Rob Farmer, group director of marketing and partner solutions, and Holly Wainwright, executive editor, about the purchasing power of women and how Mamamia will reach that audience.

The study showed that two-thirds of women, across generations, are managing the household’s budget through inflationary times. 

The study also found that Health & Fitness and Travel & Holidays were the areas where women’s intentions to spend more in the year ahead outnumbered intentions to cut back.

Farmer: “Women’s economic power moves mountains. The State of Australian Women research just makes the point that attention and the spending power of women is so starkly clear. Two in three women are shouldering the brunt of managing the household budgets during cost of living rises. I’m not sure that has properly been understood by the market. There’s a lot of talk about orientating your brand strategy to the household budget but that’s a further step that we’ve illuminated. You’ve got to actually get even closer to the heart of purchasing power, which is women.”

Wainwright: “The nuance that we expressed was that it’s not absolutely everything that she’s cutting out. The priorities have shifted within that. Our research showed that it is definitely belt-tightening times, and women are making all those calls, but it’s not only red pen. We’ve been through this really tricky few years and they are not going to just lay down.”

Farmer: “The second big point is that nobody engages with them like Mamamia. We have a reach of 7 million a month, and others will have their figures but the real point of difference is engagement quality and that trust, in the form of the voices you saw on stage today, nobody else has got such a diverse set of trusted voices.”

The State of Australian Women report was at the heart of Mamamia’s Upfront presentation, which was done in partnership with Pure Profile. 

Farmer: “It’ll be an annual thing that we do. We want to keep it as objective as possible, which is why we went through Pure Profile for the samples. 1500 samples make it nationally representative and it is 18 to 64. It will only get more interesting over time, you can see what things change in this direction. With data, you have to always work back from what’s useful about it and tell the story back from what’s useful.”

Wainwright: “What we very much want to do with the Upfronts is to make sure that the market is hearing from the creators. We are data-obsessed too because we’ve all worked in digital media for a long time, and you need to be. It’s really about pulling out those really important messages and being able to make them clear.”

“It is always interesting because Rob would like more bar charts and Mia and I would like fewer bar charts.”

Farmer: “We compromised on one which was spot on, and it tells an interesting story.”

Mamamia’s content announcements across digital formats respond to the insights of The State of Australian Women report:

• The Mamamia Travel Concierge – A curated ecosystem across written, social and podcasting.
• You Beauty – New podcast co-hosts are joining the roster, and the You Beauty Awards are back in 2024.
• MOVE by Mamamia – A fitness app with equipment-free workouts across strength, cardio, yoga and pilates.
• WELL – A wellness podcast
• Dear Doctor – A written series with expert medical information about very personal problems.
• Nothing To Wear – A fashion podcast hosted by Leigh Campbell, with written, social and eDMs in the ecosystem.
• The Parachute – A podcast to help anyone experiencing grief
• The Baby Bubble and Mid – The family slate is expanding across podcasts, written, social and eDMs, leaning hard into humour with a reboot of The Baby Bubble, following twin new mums Clare and Jessie Stephens. Mid is a podcast and collection of hero-written pieces for Gen X women who are feeling mid-life, hosted by Holly Wainwright.
• Once Upon A Friend – Stories of friendship.
• Mamamia’s Big Pod Night Out – No Filter, Cancelled, Mamamia Out Loud and more, live on stage with special guests in 2024.
• Rize Up partnership – Mamamia is providing funds, media and content to support the charity that offers practical support for women and children survivors of domestic violence, to transition from temporary refuge into a safe and welcoming home.

Wainwright: “We’re very strategic about what we add. I know it feels like that slate is ambitious and it is ambitious. We’ve learned a lot, particularly in podcasting, about what we rest, what we cut and what we bring in as a seasonal show and how we manage all of those things to make sure that we’re evolving with the audience.

“We are obsessed with making sure that we’re hitting an unmet need. We don’t just go ‘We want to do five new things next year’. We’re very much ‘What is she telling us she wants?’ and let’s be strategic about it because more isn’t necessarily better. She’s overwhelmed, there’s a lot of content and a lot of choices out there. That’s where the trust comes in and being able to say we’ve listened and we know you want to know more about these categories and that’s why we’re launching strategically in that.”

Farmer: “From a numbers point of view in reach, there’s not a lot more reach to be won. 7 million monthly reach of Australian women, and there are only 8.2 million Australian women in the 16 to 64 age bracket. It’s about increasing the time that those women spend with Mamamia because more needs are being met.”

— 

Top Line: Co-founder Mia Freedman & Executive Editors Clare Stephens, Leigh Campbell

Just days before Nine’s 2024 Upfront takes place in Sydney, Mediaweek was given access to the media group’s Olympics and Paralympics preview floor high above North Sydney.

The temporary installation has taken over a floor at the top of Nine’s Sydney office tower and commands impressive views across North Sydney to the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney CBD.

Looking around the installation, Nine’s chief sales officer Michael Stephenson told Mediaweek: “Our Olympics and Paralympics arena is where all of our IOC and AOC partners and potential partners have for the first time experienced Nine’s Olympic plans.

“We wanted to bring people into our environment to really highlight just how different the Olympics and Paralympics will be on Nine and across Nine’s assets. The rights that we have are so significantly different to what anyone in this country has ever seen, or indeed globally.”

Looking around the decked-out floor, which is a cross between an Olympic-themed museum and an Olympic or Paralympic sports stadium, Stephenson added: “The process in here has been our advertisers and partners come in and we share with them the power of the Olympics movement, what Nine is doing and how we shall share it with audiences across our platforms. We also reveal opportunities for brands.

“We then use our Powered brand and have a Powered Sprint and have a session where we help guests understand the types of areas they can explore around our Olympics coverage.”

Stephenson said that guests visiting the installation leave the showcase feeling like they have begun their Olympic journey with Nine.

See also: Nine begins the countdown to Paris 2024 with a year to go until Olympics

Nine’s Olympics: Paris and beyond

In addition to Paris 2024, and then summer games in Los Angeles and Brisbane, Stephenson reminded Mediaweek about the opportunities for brands for Milan and Canada or Japan for future Winter Olympic meets.

“When an IOC or AOC partner has committed for multiple Games we are also having conversations about multiple-year commitments.

“Irrespective of the commercial outcome, what we are building is a much closer relationship with those brands and Nine. Our proposition goes well beyond the Games. It is not just the 17 days of the Olympics or the 12 days of the Paralympics. We start in January [2024] the road to Paris allowing our partners to leverage our assets all the way through until September.”

Nine’s conversations at its Olympic installation and also any partnerships flowing from its Upfront showcase come as the network commands a leading 40%+ share of metro commercial FTA ad revenues.

“Our aspiration is to continue to grow that share number,” said a confident Stephenson. “Metro TV in isolation is only one part of the story. We have the WIN team now as part of Nine and we now represent regional markets as well. We have grown share in regional markets and we have nearly a 50% share of the BVOD market when you look at it as a traditional market with Seven, Nine and 10.

“Against every metric from a share point of view in a commercial perspective, we are leading the way.”

All photos: Edwina Pickles 

UPFRONT SEASON: Don’t miss Mediaweek’s full coverage of Nine’s 2024 Upfront. Every announcement is detailed in full as soon as the Upfront wraps.

By Aliya Hasan, Head of Strategy, Nature

With cost of living pressures rife, it’s easy to assume opportunities for growth are restricted, but you might be surprised. The key to unlocking growth, even in the face of a crisis, is to understand the mindset of your target audience and how the value proposition of your brand has changed.

The nation is divided. Over the cost of living crisis, four distinct consumer mindsets have emerged based on our representative survey of 1,000 Australians, these mindsets are determining changes in decision dynamics and expectations of brands. They are:

• Struggling: concerned about the rising cost of living and often stress about affording their regular expenses, making up 30% of the nation.
• On Alert: concerned about risings costs but are coping better mentally than the Struggling segment, making up 25% of the nation.
• In Control: less concerned about costs and have faith in their financial stability. They also make up 25% of the nation.
• Coasting: least concerned and making minimal sacrifices, covering 20% of the nation.

These segments suggest we need to rethink the rulebook on managing brands during a financial crisis. There is no blanket best practice. With purchase behaviour in a state of flux, it is critical for brands to be crystal clear on what they stand for. Analyse where your proposition sits between “value” or “premium”, or somewhere in the mainstream middle, determine how it is translating across audiences, if it has shifted at all, or if it needs to shift.

Depending on where your brand sits, adapting your messages, targeting and customer engagement tactics can have significant commercial impact. The right approach will open up the opportunity to attract and retain customers even in these circumstances.

For value brands: The priority is retaining brand equity

Struggling and On Alert segments require both defensive and growth tactics:

• Brands should demonstrate their support and give back to consumers. Lean into messages of empathy, generosity or even humour to connect with positivity.
• Think of ways to help make everyday living better, easier, smarter, providing tools or life hacks. Chunk down price points and value markers such as cost per serve or use.
• Nurture the loyalty loop, offer rewards for smaller purchases or more often and find creative ways to deliver or gamify deals.

In Control and Coasting segments, present the potential to attract new prospects or purchases:

• Reduce friction, such as via automated payments or subscriptions and fuel decision making by reinforcing benefits of buying ‘now’.
• Offer ‘added value’ on products or services and enhanced customer experiences. With longer or delayed decisions, help plan for bigger expenses and aspirations.
• Reinforce how integral your brand is to people’s lives. Highlight factors such as quality, provenance, dependability, and care to provide reassurance.

Mainstream brands: How to win out against the big squeeze

Struggling and On Alert segments pose an opportunity to defend or build volume:

• Wielding the power of a portfolio can be a significant asset for mainstream brands. Consider portfolio tiering via new entry level or fighter brands.
• Use range to cater to both Maximiser and Satisficing mindsets, be it smaller serves, bundles or supersizing. Testing any optimisations and price pack architecture impact.
• With sustainability and cost of living increasingly at odds for many, encourage sustainable behaviours over purchases, leaning into DIY and the circular economy.

With In Control and Coasting segments there is a potential platform to grow value share:

• On the flip side, consider portfolio tiering or extension via Premiumisation strategies.
• Innovate in the form of multifunctional products or services or cross category partnerships for increased interest, exposure and to maximise value.
• Ensure transparency in any product and necessary pricing changes, linking it back to brand benefits that are communicated carefully, avoiding eDM overload.

Premium brands: It’s about agility

The strongest growth opportunity lies within the In Control and Coasting segments:

• Fuel big innovation, incremental improvements or collaborations that drive novelty or entice re-entry. This could also mean establishing or expanding omnichannel footprint.
• Deliver a brand experience that ‘surprises and delights’ existing and most importantly exiting customers. Consider individual affirmation messages and discrete offers.
• Create opportunities such as swaps or trade ins to protect against brand defection.
Struggling and On Alert segments can still be meaningfully persuaded to engage:
• Reinforce durability, longevity, superior quality and highlight why your product is a smarter choice. Showcase total cost of ownership or customer lifecycle benefits.
• Consider brand extensions that deliver on escapism and little indulgences.
• Make it easier to buy. Lean into behavioural science principles to simplify range and influence choice or introduce low-cost financing and layby options.

Amid the ambiguity, one thing is certain: as people re-prioritise purchase decisions and re-appraise brand choices, the window of attention is wide open. There is opportunity for brands to tap into both sides of the divided nation.

This situation should be seen as a catalyst for innovation, for reimagining portfolios and optimising your marketing mix. Forward thinking brands who understand what they represent or how they’ve changed will harness this duality, winning trust and affinity on both sides.

See Also: Nature survey finds the cost of living impacts 36% of Australians’ mental health

The AFL final season starts Thursday night on Fox Footy with just eight games to sort out which of the eight remaining teams will face off in the AFL Grand Final.

Fox Footy will broadcast the eight games over the next three weeks ad-free during play for Foxtel’s Fox Sports and Kayo Sport subscribers.

The Fox Footy channel gets to show every AFL game of the year live and ad-free during play with one pretty important exception. That is the AFL Grand Final which remains an exclusive Seven property.

In the lead-up to the first final between Melbourne and Collingwood, Fox Footy has reported viewers streamed 5.2m minutes this year across the home and away season, an increase of 18% year-on-year.

“We’re chuffed to see fans and viewers growing each year which is a testament to the talent and product we’re showcasing,” said Steve Crawley, executive director of Fox Sports.

So far in the lead-up week to the first finals, Fox Footy has been featuring some of the coaches leading their teams into battle on the weekend. Lions coach Chris Fagan took a seat during On The Couch on Monday ahead of Carlton’s Michael Voss and then Sydney Swans’ John Longmire on AFL 360 at 7.30pm.

AFL 360 continued its final preview on Tuesday night ahead of a special Face To Face episode with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore being interviewed by Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon.

Another episode of the finals week Face to Face follows on Wednesday with Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow speaking with Fox Footy’s Nathan Buckley.

All these Fox Footy programs are available on-demand on the Fox Sports and Kay Sports platforms.

On Thursday, viewers are being promised the best seat in the house when Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King and Leigh Montagna broadcast live from the MCG when Collingwood takes on Melbourne.

One day later, Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley and Jordan Lewis then take to the Fox Footy live stage at the MCG on Friday night for the Carlton v Sydney blockbuster.

The channel will also be screening live and ad-free during play the two remaining weekend clashes on Saturday between St Kilda and the GSW Giants and, in the only match outside of Melbourne this week, Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide from the Gabba.

Come Grand Final day coverage kicks-off early with the Grand Final Breakfast then the annual Fox Footy’s Longest Kick returns to the banks of the Yarra River to see superstars of the game boot the Sherrin further than their rivals. The only thing missing from Fox Footy that day of course is coverage of the Grand Final which is live and exclusive on Seven.

Between now and Grand Final Day, the channel will continue its weekly analysis programs On The Couch, AFL 360, Face To Face, First Crack and Bounce.

Kelli Underwood and Ruby Schleicher

AFLW on Fox Footy

The channel will also be screening the AFLW during the month of September. This is the first AFLW season where every AFL team is competing and Fox Footy will cover every clash including all the AFLW finals series including the AFLW Grand Final.

Special coverage will include the Festival of Footy in Round 5, Indigenous Round in Rounds 7 and 8, plus a Pride Round celebrating diversity and inclusion in Round 10.

Fox Footy’s call team AFLW All-Australian defender Ruby Schleicher, while Western Bulldogs star Ellie Blackburn is ready to dominate both on the field and in the commentary box.

Fox Footy AFLW Call team: Ruby Schleicher, Ellie Blackburn, Hannah Priest, Sarah Hosking, Meg McDonald, Alicia Eva, Amanda Farrugia, Kara Antonio, Ben Dixon, Will Schofield, Andrew Krakouer, Tom Rockliff.

Callers: Kelli Underwood, Adam Papalia, Jess Webster, Ben Waterworth, Jack Heverin.

See also: Gravity Media partners with JAM TV to produce AFLW season for Fox Sports and Kayo

Mediaweek’s Ad Placement of the Month examines submissions of creative and clever placements over the past few weeks.

August may have slipped away, but not without agencies putting forward their best submissions for Ad Placement of the Month.

This month saw agencies come up with witty, innovative, and ingenious ways of capturing audience attention while on the go. From outdoor advertisements to cleverly formatted campaigns that call out audiences.

Before Mediaweek reveals the winner of August, we’d like to mention that next month’s Ad Placement of the Month and the series going forward will be different.

Judging for the series will be done by Darren Woolley, Global CEO of TrinityP3 and Mediaweek’s marketing/agency editor-at-large. Submissions will be made through Mediaweek’s consideration platform, and further details will be announced in due course.

Returning to the winner of August, after careful consideration and deliberation of all entries, this month’s Mediaweek Ad Placement of the Month winner is:

UM – City2Surf Hahn

UM has taken the title of Mediaweek’s Ad Placement of the Month for August with its campaign for Hahn placed during City2Surf.

Throughout the City2Surf Hahn have placed OOH messages at key milestones in the start, middle, and end of the race for 10’s of thousands of entrants. These serve to align with what the runners will be feeling at the various stages and will give them the bliss of the best ice-cold beer to look forward to at the finish line.

Client: Lion
Head of Media: Clare Tsubono
Media Lead: Michelle Scalise
Marketing Manager: Sammy Russo
Brand Manager: Matthew McKay
Brand Director: Chris Allan
Partnerships Lead: Alex Honson

Media Agency: UM
Client Lead: Lauren Thornborough
Creative Connections Lead: Amy Cummings
Planning Lead: Aidan O’Brien – a special shoutout from Amy, ‘He did such an amazing job of mapping out the sites for the race!’
Trading Lead: Mai Trong
 
Creative Agency: Thinkerbell
Digital Agency: Affinity
Brand Experience Agency: Yakusan

Today The Brave – See the Big Picture

Following in second place is full service creative agency Today the Brave with it’s creative work for national cinema brand, HOYTS.

Operating over 490 cinema screens across the market, the brand is known for offering an unforgettable experience that begins from the moment patrons walk in, to the moment they leave. However in a world increasingly geared towards the consumption of content in smaller formats, how can HOYTS communicate the full scale of the cinema experience?

Instead of surrendering to smaller media formats, ‘See the Big Picture’ showcases HOYTS’ cinema-sized experience, regardless of the channel. The campaign is an invitation from the brand to movie-lovers who also love everything the cinema offers – big sound, taste, comfort, luxury and those recliner chairs – a combination that HOYTS provides best. Aimed at highlighting that there really is only one way to experience the marvel and magic of movies, and that’s if you ‘See the Big Picture’.

A testament to the cultural importance cinema continues to play, HOYTS has sold 1.35M across their 58 cinemas in Australia and New Zealand since the openings of recent releases Barbie and Oppenheimer which have gripped the public imagination.

Consisting of four genre executions – Zombie, Comedy, Animation and Space – ‘See the Big Picture’ comes with a catch. Each ‘short-ad’ uses tight, close-up frames that reveal only a fraction of the action or impact of the cinema experience, leaving the audience wanting more.

One of the iterations, ‘Zombie Army’ teases the viewer via narration from celebrated VO artist Lee Perry, laying out the unfolding scenes of Carl’s (zombie) death and the hoard of Zombies that are missed owing to the viewers ‘not so cinema-sized screen.’.

HOYTS will be rolling out the campaign and visual identity until the end of the year, running across broadcast channels including Foxtel, and across Catch Up TV channels Nine, Ten and Seven.

CREDITS
Production Co: MOFA
Director – Nick Kelly
Executive Producer – Llew Griffiths
DOP – James Brown
Art Director – Sam Lukins
Casting – Citizen Jane
SFX Make Up – Make Up Effects Group
Offline Editor – Hayden Somerville
Grade – Greg Constantaras
Online – Eugene Richards
Photography – Milos Mlynarik

Akcelo – McDonald’s FIFA Women’s World Cup

In third place is McDonald’s FIFA Women’s World Cup activation, with creative partner Akcelo, was creativity and immersivity.

The World Cup was promising to be a turning point in women’s sports, and a chance for Australia and New Zealand to put on a show for the rest of the world and set a standard for others to follow. 

Akcelo decided to bring McDonald’s to life in a way no one had ever seen before, or had ever expected to happen. The result is an activation that’s one of the key ways in which fans have been drawn to engage in the World Cup.

Akcelo partnered with McDonald’s to create activations for 6 key cities. In Sydney, for the FIFA Fan Festival, fans were treated to the world’s first ‘Fry Thru’ – a purpose-built restaurant serving the world famous Macca’s fries, alongside multi lingual McDonald’s arches and ‘M’ swing for the perfect photo op.

The Fry-Thru truly tapped into the collaborative and multicultural nature of the World Cup, with fans able to try out the ‘Sauces of the World’, inspired by the participating countries at the event. Outback barbecue sauce and Wasabi flavoured mayonnaise are just two examples of these.

For game day fans, McDonald’s invited them to join the Macca’s All Star’s team – an immersive photo experience where they could take home a customised, holographic player card and digital GIF to commemorate their match.

Client: McDonald’s Australia
Creative Agency: Akcelo
Media: OMD
PR : Mango PR Communications

Mediaweek’s highly commended ad placements for August are:

Spark Foundry – Prestige Brands Australia

To unveil the latest fragrance by global superstar Billie Eilish, the Spark Foundry team had the idea to illuminate a multi-story mural with a lightshow simulating a storm.

To do this, a hand-painted mural was commissioned from experiential marketing company Habitat Media to showcase the creative campaign. This artwork, located in Sydney’s Inner West suburb of Redfern, was then brought to life with an after-dark light projection emulating a rainstorm together with a product sampling activation.

Credits:
Client: Prestige Brands Australia
Jacqui Vargha – General Manager
Jessica Charlesworth – Business & Marketing Director
Andrea Rennie – Senior Brand Manager
Krissy Wong – Marketing Coordinator

Media: Spark Foundry
Nora Nasser – Client Director
Bec Cooke – Senior Planning and Activations Executive 
Rhys Taylor – Client Coordinator

Mural and Light Activation: Habitat Media

Outdoor Partners:
Revolution 360

Editorial & Digital Partners:
Vogue Australia

Wavemaker – Henkel

We developed a strategic platform centred around “Life is better when it’s LIVE(d) to it’s full expression with music as one of the core pillars.

However, we  had a distinct challenge about adding audio into the media mix as Schwarzkopf Live Colour was all about the ‘end-result’ and about visually showcasing the Live Colour range to our target audience.

We developed a multi-formatted solution across Spotify by combining the power of audio, video and display formats to ensure the LIVE Colour semi-permanent messaging was unmissable to the audience.

By leveraging contextual targeting with Spotify’s 1st and 3rd Party data, we connect with the LIVE Colour target audience in contextually relevant moments through;

1. Demo & segment targeting to key Gen Z consumers
2. Customised playlists including the creation of four tailored audios to encourage users to be bold, adventurous and empower them to change their hair colour with LIVE Colour based on their listening data; genre, mood or mindset.
3. Sponsorship of a Spotify owned and operated playlist – Viral Hits for additional brand boosting.

The campaign is live across ANZ with creative adapted in New Zealand with a local voiceover.

Credits:
Client – Henkel
Ana Andre – Senior Brand Manager, Schwarzkopf Colour ANZ
Tanya Kohli – Assistant Brand Manager 

Media – Wavemaker
Sophie Stubbert – Client Associate Director
Stefany Bohorquez – Performance Associate Manager
Annastasha Gounder – Performance Associate Director
Megan Clapham – Account Director
Matias Flores – Account Manager
Nicole Chan – Performance Coordinator
Nikita Sharma – Digital Manager
Eva del Rio – Performance Director

Media Partner – Spotify
Ashley Maroun – Client Partner
Jordan Sawday – Account Manager
Nicholas Aria – Senior Account Manager
Hannah Milne – Client Partner

Creative Agency
Amelia Chadwick – Account Executive, Made in Katana
Alana Spinelli – Account Director, Connecting Plots
Mikayla Henderson – Account Executive, Connecting Plots

Special PR – Uber Eats petitions to rename the capital CanBEERa

Uber Eats has launched a petition to change the name of our nation’s capital to CanBEERa, in an irreverent new campaign by Special PR. The first campaign by Special Australia’s new offering – Special PR – it drove awareness through a mix of media including roving billboards as well as relics of a bygone era including a town crier (who may just be a dead ringer for Boris Johnson!) to carry the petition to rename the city to Parliament ahead of International Beer Day on August 4.

Generating national media coverage, the campaign showed it passed the pub test – just weeks after Uber Eats launched their offering in Canberra to help local bottleshops power their deliveries in the ACT.

CREDITS
Client: Uber Eats
Head of Marketing ANZ: David Griffiths
Communications Director ANZ: Peta Fitzgerald
Senior Communications Manager ANZ: Nick Vindin
Brand Lead ANZ: Channa Goonasekara

Agency: Special PR
Managing Director – PR, Special Australia: Alex Bryant
Managing Director – Uber, Special Australia: Lauren Portelli
Team Lead: Caity Cowper
Account Director: Ed Nash
Business Manager: Genevieve Bowes
Creatives: Joel Grunstein and Jeff Seeff
Design: Maggie Webster
Studio: Jen Bailey
Head of Production: Nick Lilley
Senior Producer: Danielle Senecky
Senior Producer: Kat Stephens

Town Crier outside Parliament House with the petition to rename Canberra CanBEERa.

Town Crier outside Parliament House with the petition to rename Canberra CanBEERa and Uber Eats General Manager Retail, Lucas Groeneveld and Capital Brewery co-founder Laurence Kain.

OMD – Delux

Colour has the extraordinary ability to evoke feelings of joy and positivity, and that same feeling can also be sparked by a game of sport. As the market leader in the paint category, Dulux was excited to get behind the Matilda’s with a tailored Out of Home campaign.

To be part of the conversation, the team selected Dulux Green Paw Paw and Dulux Gold Rush to show solidarity and support for the women’s soccer team. It was known that people would be rushing around town to get a good seat to watch the game, so Dulux/OMD/DDB jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with media partners and select premium outdoor sites in high footfall areas, including Flinders St Station and Melbourne Central in Melbourne.

The creative was simple yet effective and aligned perfectly to the Matilda’s team colours. This campaign is a prime example of the impact a brand can make when reacting quickly and effectively to cultural moments. The best part is that OMD, DDB and our media partners managed to turn this around in 48 hours from brief to execution!

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 month’s Meeting of the Minds sees Marcelle Gomez and Natalie Tobin from iProspect reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge and career goals for 2023.

Marcelle Gomez, iProspect NSW managing director

Marcelle Gomez

Best career advice: In this industry, your reputation is everything. Always do what you say you’re going to do and take a long-term view on relationships. You never know where you’re going to cross paths again (and I guarantee you will), so make sure you foster relationships that are respectful and built on trust.

My favourite podcast/read: Anything by Taylor Reid Jenkins.

Current streaming binge: The Diplomat – I watched it in a few days and was hooked the whole way through. Seeing Keri Russell in this is a far cry from her Felicity days and I love it!

Leadership hero: Toto Wolff for his authenticity, honesty, tenacity, determination, and ambition. He talks about following your intuition and the importance of calculated risks in leadership.

I wish someone had told me: Not to sweat the small stuff. I’m naturally a perfectionist so I’m not sure how it would have gone down at the time. But now with age and experience I know what to focus on and what to let go of that doesn’t serve me. There is liberation in that.

Guilty content pleasure: I can’t pick one and anyone who knows me, knows I love me a bit of Bravo. So, it would have to be Below Deck and Real Housewives. I watch all the franchises, but my absolute favs are Below Deck Sailing Yacht, RH of OC and RH of New Jersey.

Best training course/session: I attended a future leaders residential in Berlin about eight years ago, with 29 peers from across the world. Not only was it amazing to experience the best of Berlin, but it was also a deeply transformative experience for me as a leader. We worked on our vulnerability as leaders and how to lead with authenticity. I came back from that experience energised, understanding myself better and having built lifelong friendships and a support network that spans the globe.

Your mentor: There are a few who have had big impacts on my career and they are all 20+ year relationships. The most notable would be Henry Tajer who always believed in me, advocated for me and created opportunities for me, Chris Winterburn who helps me see a different perspective and is a great listener and sounding board, and Anne Parsons who showed me that I could do anything (it’s true that you need to see it to believe it).

Hot medium or show: Vanderpump Rules. If you missed the unravelling of Scandoval, get out from under that rock and do yourself a favour – watch it.

Favourite media event: Melbourne knows how to do an event well, so it would have to be the F1 Grand Prix. Who doesn’t love fast cars and Lewis Hamilton?

Wish I’d done that: Continued studying French beyond Year 10 so that I could be fluently tri lingual.

Career goal for 2023: Simply put, to continue to grow the iProspect team and business.

Natalie Tobin, iProspect, senior client manager

Natalie Tobin

Best career advice: Advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak up about your achievements, skills, and career goals.

My favourite podcast/read: The Rest Is Politics. It’s a twice weekly podcast discussing politics/current affairs in the UK and abroad. It helps me feel up to date with news from home, whilst staying informed about global topics that get little mainstream coverage. 

Current streaming binge: The Parisian Agency. Patiently waiting for a new series.

Leadership hero: I don’t have a single hero as such, but I admire women like Angela Merkel and Jacinda Ardern who have occupied some of the most influential roles in the world, leading with empathy and diplomacy.

I wish someone had told me: You don’t always have to be 100% certain when it comes to making a big decision. The best decisions are often the ones you weren’t sure about.

Guilty content pleasure: I can easily watch back-to-back episodes of ‘Closet Confessions’ (@trinnylondon) and ‘What Are People Wearing?’ (@unknownvlogs) on YouTube.

Best training course/session: I took part in the 2022 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program which was great – it involved a series of networking and speaker events over several months, culminating in a residential to Byron Bay (the only part I couldn’t make, still gutted). More recently, iProspect have started a ‘Management Essentials’ program run by The Hummingbirds. It’s been super informative, covering everything from how to motivate, to giving effective feedback. The fact the trainers have a background in media makes it even more engaging.

Your mentor: My manager from my first role in London has given me great career advice and was the person who inspired me to work agency-side. Otherwise, my unofficial mentors are family and friends whose opinions I value. 

Hot medium or show: I’m terrible with TV so will have to say Spotify or YouTube. There’s just so much good content to be discovered through both. I love finding new music/live events, so Spotify is one of the best mediums for this.

Favourite media event: Quantcast know how to throw a good party.

Wish I’d done that: Learned to surf when I was younger and more fearless.

Career goal for 2023: Get more involved in new business/pitching.

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

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Top image: Marcelle Gomez and Natalie Tobin

The Brag Media has entered into an exclusive agreement with global digital publisher Evolve Media to represent its premium advertising inventory in Australia. 

Evolve Media’s publishing network spans an impressive range of titles covering music, gaming and film. Headlining these are film and television review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, film and culture publication ComingSoon, Aussie online music title Music Feeds, and gaming websites GameRevolution and PlayStation Lifestyle. The network also includes WrestleZone, SuperHeroHype, Sherdog, and Mandatory.

Evolve Media’s titles join the existing brands within The Brag Media’s publisher network, including Rolling Stone, Variety, HypeBeast, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Enthusiast Gaming, Tone Deaf, The Music Network and more.

The partnership continues to add significant scale and reach to The Brag Media’s growing portfolio of digital media brands. This brings the audience across The Brag Media’s network of titles to 10 million monthly active users in Australia.

Jessica Hunter, The Brag Media general manager of Partnerships, said: “We are thrilled to announce our exclusive partnership with Evolve Media, which solidifies our position as the leading youth publisher in Australia. The addition of Evolve Media’s iconic titles to our network further strengthens our portfolio of premium youth content, spanning music, entertainment, film, fashion, and gaming.

“This partnership will allow us to expand our youth reach, with our high-quality content and targeted advertising solutions, and we are confident that it will be a win-win for both brands and audiences.”

Joel King, The Brag Media chief operating officer, who founded Music Feeds in 2008 and is a former managing director of Evolve Media, said: “Evolve Media’s suite of publications aligns perfectly with our existing premium, brand-safe titles, and this is a fantastic opportunity for The Brag Media to expand our offering for advertisers.
 
“Having worked with several brands in the Evolve Media ecosystem during my time with the business, this feels like a full-circle moment and I’m looking forward to working with iconic publications like Music Feeds once again.”

Aaron Broder, Evolve Media founder & CEO, said: “We are thrilled to work with Joel, Jess and The Brag Media team. They have demonstrated a deep understanding of digital publishing for the youth market, and we know that they will be effective stewards of our brands in the Australian marketplace.”

Clemenger BBDO has appointed Simon Wassef as chief strategy and experience officer to expand upon the agency’s CX capabilities.

In the senior leadership role, Wassef will lead strategy and customer experience across the Clemenger business. The remit will include growth, new business, elevation of talent, and new practices.

Wassef first worked at Clemenger 21 years ago as a junior account planner.

He joins the agency after more than two and a half years as national chief Strategy officer at whiteGREY. Prior to that he was chief strategy officer at TBWA\Chiat\Day in Los Angeles. 

Wassef’s  experience includes over 20 years working in Europe, the US and Australia: three years at R/GA in London, three years at SID LEE in Amsterdam, plus stints at Droga5, AMV BBDO, AKQA and Host Sydney. 

Clemenger BBDO CEO, Dani Bassil, said: “Simon really is one of the best in the business; if not THE best. He’s worked everywhere I’ve ever wanted to work, R/GA London, Sid Lee Amsterdam. Chiat\Day LA.

“The fact he’s bringing all this experience to Clemenger is a game changer for us. The experience is the brand and the fact he is so expert in both realms is exactly what we’ve needed in this leadership role”

Wassef has worked across leading international and Australian brands, including IKEA, Qantas, adidas, Absolut, Samsung, HSBC, Red Bull, Electronic Arts, Guinness, Google, Johnnie Walker, Volvo, Panadol, Westfield, Nike and Beats By Dre.

He has won the Grand EFFIE, APG UK Gold, Jay Chiat Gold and David Ogilvy Gold. He serves on the AdCouncil DE&I Committee judges Creative Strategy for AWARD and teaches Advanced Strategy for AdSchool.

Of his new appointment, Wassef commented: “When Clemenger calls, you have to answer. Let’s go.”

Wassef’s appointment at Clemenger BBDO follows the recent appointments of Anita Zanesco to the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer and two managing partners – Georgie Winton and Anita Deutsch.

See Also: Clemenger BBDO welcomes Anita Zanesco as its first chief growth officer with new managing partners

Automotive marketers have a huge opportunity to influence new buyers with two thirds of people entering the market for a new car undecided and with low brand loyalty, according to a new study from Yahoo.

The Trends and Opportunities in Auto Industry Australia 2023 report identifies evolving trends that advertisers can leverage to enhance their strategies.

The study found that one in two buyers know what style of vehicle they want when they begin their search, and 66% are actually “brand agnostic,” meaning they have no brand affinity going into their car buying journey.  

Additionally, 70% of consumers have undertaken actions while shopping that could have been influenced by advertisements, and 50% of buyers purchase outright.

Interestingly, older generations also move faster. Once they decide to buy, 60% of Boomers purchase a vehicle inside a month, compared to a third of the wider population. Meanwhile 15% researched and purchased entirely online, adding a new twist of complexity to a previously in-person industry.

The study also finds that significant life events are a key driver for purchase decisions among buyers.

For example, 22% of people who have purchased/leased a new car had adopted a pet in the previous six months, whilst 19% of intenders had started a new job and 17% had had a recent promotion. 

Dan Richardson, director of data & insights AUSEA at Yahoo, says: “The auto industry has come roaring back post-COVID, as supply chain issues even out and dealers are able to meet pent-up consumer demand.

“But, as Australia has one of the most competitive and crowded auto markets on earth, brands can’t rest on their laurels as the majority of people coming into the market are undecided and have little brand loyalty.

“Our study shows people are also willing to switch brands if they think there is a better deal, newer technology or better fuel economy to be found.

“This creates an opportunity for car brands to capitalise on omnichannel advertisements. This will enable brands to guide and persuade buyers to make decisions that align with their offerings.”

According to the Yahoo report, the Australian automotive industry is witnessing a remarkable growth trajectory with revenue projected at $165.8 billion in 2023, indicating a substantial increase of 6.3% from previous years.

The study identified several key purchase motivations among consumers, including the brand loyalty, desire for new experiences, and the quest for better value. 

As the market continues to evolve, understanding consumer behaviour shifts will be critical for brands aiming to capture the attention of their target audience effectively. 

See Also: Yahoo acquires Commonstock to deepen insights for Yahoo Finance users

Channel Factory has announced the promotion of James Rose to managing director of Australia and appointment of Linus Hjoberg to the newly created role of managing director, New Zealand.

Rose has more than 10 years of experience in sales and adtech, having held roles at MiQ, Amobee and Interplay Media before joining Channel Factory.

As Rose steps into this elevated Australia role, Linus Hjoberg joins the brand suitability platform as managing director of New Zealand.

With over 20 years of experience in the media and advertising industry, Hjoberg has held a number of leadership roles, including CEO at MediaCom Sweden (now EssenceMediacom) for 13 years and managing partner at OMD Wellington.

Within their respective roles, Hjoberg and Rose will be responsible for the overall commercial and operational growth of the ANZ business and helping agency and brand clients deliver content-suitable, contextually relevant and inclusive campaigns across social video.

Rose said of his promotion at the business: “Since joining Channel Factory 18 months ago, the business has gone from strength to strength, expanding not only in ANZ but APAC as well. I am excited to step into this role and continue to work with the incredible team and our partners as we evolve into our next era of growth and innovation.”

Hjoberg added: “I am super impressed by the amazing team and Channel Factory’s dynamic technology and capabilities. I am joining at a really interesting time where more than ever the industry is looking to find better ways to improve the transparency and control they have over their digital investments. And I look forward to partnering with Channel Factory’s clients to help them solve these evolving challenges.”

Alex Littlejohn, managing director of APAC at Channel Factory, said the new appointment and promotion cements a continued focus on accelerated growth in APAC through Channel Factory’s offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Vietnam, Philippines and Singapore.

Littlejohn said: “James has been a great asset to the APAC team over the past year. His market expertise and commercial experience will play a crucial role in the company’s growth trajectory in Australia. 

“I’m also pleased to welcome Linus Hjoberg into the fold. Linus brings in years of valuable industry experience to Channel Factory and I could not be more excited to see him join the team as we continue to scale in the region and bolster our relationships with valued clients and partners across ANZ.”

The appointments are effective immediately.

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Top image: James Rose and LInus Hjoberg

Innocean, creators of Fck the Cupcakes, and B Corp agency Paper Moose, have joined forces to take a deep dive into how the industry is interacting with other people’s work and its impact.

Around 28% of the ad industry is affected by an ongoing mental health condition, and one in three people do not disclose this to their employer. Research from Mentally Healthy shows more than half of the members of the industry suffer from anxiety or depression at a scale that is unhealthy.

Giving good creative feedback is an art and yet important in the quest for creating great work. However, the impact of negative, unconstructive feedback on each other’s work may be profoundly affecting the advertising industry and adding to the talent crisis.

The two agencies have created a survey for the creative community to gather information and better understand the issue. The survey will be open until September 22. The results will be analysed to produce a report on the impact of creative feedback. The goal is to receive industry-wide support and create a voluntary code of conduct for both agencies and publishers.

Jasmin Bedir, CEO at Innocean, said: “As an industry, we can do a lot better in collectively celebrating the thinking and craft that goes into our work and our contribution to the Australian economy. Tearing each other down makes us smaller in many ways.”

Jeremy Willmott, creative director at Paper Moose, said: “I’ve seen the effects, first-hand, of creatives receiving poor feedback on their ideas or reading anonymous feedback online about their work. Words really do sting.
 
“But most creative leaders never get any formal training in how to give good feedback and we don’t hold ourselves accountable, as an industry, to a code of standards, so we thought it was time we do something about it.”

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Top image: Jasmin Bedir and Jeremy Willmott

JOLT, Australian third-party verified sustainable, digital out of home and electric vehicle charging network, has announced the appointment of Sam Hannaford as its new programmatic director.

In this newly created role, Hannaford will be responsible for managing JOLT’s programmatic client stable. He will report to JOLT head of sales and platforms, Michael Selden.

Hannaford is an experienced advertising executive and was most recently national group programmatic manager at Pedestrian Group. He has also worked at Nine as group business manager – programmatic, and Fairfax Media in sales management. 

Selden said Hannaford’s appointment follows a strong, sustained surge in the company’s programmatic growth: “JOLT is thrilled to welcome our new programmatic director to the team as our client base continues to grow.

Sam brings extensive programmatic credentials and experience to JOLT’s team as we continue to expand our sales offering, with Sam joining our recently appointed NSW Sales Director, Hannah Pritchard.

“In this newly created position, Sam will further leverage JOLT’s first party data, creating relevant and highly targeted campaign opportunities that only JOLT can provide.”

See Also: JOLT welcomes Hannah Pritchard as its new NSW sales director

Commenting on his appointment, Hannaford said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the JOLT team during a period of rapid growth for the business.

“As the programmatic out-of-home market continues to grow at pace, JOLT is uniquely positioned to offer advertisers a truly sustainable way to trade on valued audiences.

“I look forward to working with the team on further expanding JOLT’s programmatic and first party data capabilities.”

Hannaford’s appointment comes as JOLT continues to expand its operations globally, having recently announced a major deal with TELUS to roll-out 5,000 EV chargers across Canada.

JOLT’s Australian operations continue to grow in 2023, with major partnerships secured with Transport for NSW and Endeavour Energy. 

Hannaford’s appointment is effective immediately.

With MKR debuting on Seven for another season on Monday night, there has been a major change in sponsorship of the cooking show. Seven has confirmed to Mediaweek that Woolworths is now the go-to place for MKR cooks to shop, replacing the previous sponsor, Coles.

On the supermarket’s side, a Woolworths spokesperson said in a statement that: “We’re thrilled to be involved in this season of My Kitchen Rules to celebrate the best of Australian home cooks. As the Fresh Food People, we aim to give our customers all the best value, quality ingredients and fresh produce, and we’re excited to see what the contestants cook up this year.”

The change didn’t go unnoticed on social media, with viewers writing on X (formerly Twitter) “Ooo MKR has gone to Woolies now no longer coles?! Scandal!” and “Wait, they’re walking into Woolworths? I thought Coles sponsored this?”

The season premiere had 470,000 five city metro viewers tuning in. Friends Tommy and Rach were first up, with everything going well until a rogue garlic flower ruined dessert. 

Ahead of the show’s launch, Mediaweek spoke to Colin Fassnidge, who said that he was ready to bring the fun back to MKR.

See Also: Colin Fassnidge spices things up as he revives a missing ingredient in My Kitchen Rules

“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.”

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.”

Vudoo and the University of Technology Sydney’s Data Science Institute have partnered to develop an Artificial Intelligence-based recommendation engine to derive deep insights on user consumption of video content.

The project, “Deriving deep insights from user behaviour based on interactive videos”, aims to better understand how customers interact with videos and develop strategies to unlock the value of data in Google’s BigQuery data warehouse based on six years’ worth of data from Vudoo.

The data source has no personal identifiers and comes from a range of customers who have executed unique video journeys on the Vudoo platform.

Nick Morgan, founder and CEO of Vudoo, said: “Ultimately, we want to unlock a powerful prediction and AI engine to help other brands get to outcomes faster based on the data we collect. Predictive models can also be used to help serve our new and existing customers better.”

“Data used on the project is completely anonymised, and we can assure all our customers and users of the utmost privacy and confidentiality when using our platform.”

According to Safa Ghannam and Professor Farookh Hussain, UTS School of Computer Science Research fellow and head of Software Engineering, respectively, the project was timely with the adoption of AI and machine learning on the rise.

“UTS was interested in the unique set of data points that Vudoo has been collating in the behavioural analytics space, interactions, and attention metrics around video usage. With vast expertise in  data science, it’s important we lead the way in finding practical applications for our research, and partnering with innovative startups like Vudoo is an ideal way to achieve this,” said Ghannam and Professor Hussain.

The project is backed by a $50,000 Entrepreneurs’ Programme federal grant secured by the interactive video platform and a matching data analytics business, which will top-up an additional $96,000 to the research and development collaboration with UTS.

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Top image: Nick Morgan

The 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership has been the most watched NRL season on Fox League, available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel, with the top eight getting ready to kick off the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series this weekend.

The average total audience for the 2023 season was 430,000 per match, with streaming audiences up 14% year-on-year. 4.9 billion minutes were streamed across the Foxtel Group’s services in season 2023, up 20% on season 2022. 

Fox League regular programming will continue throughout September. The first week of finals will have a list of guests joining fan-favourite programs on Fox League. 

Sunday nights with Matty Johns will round out the week, with former Rabbitohs Premiership winner Sam Burgess to guest host throughout the Finals alongside Matty Johns, and Bryan Fletcher and Nathan Hindmarsh.  

Monday, 11 September, on Face-Face, journalist Yvonne Sampson sits down for an interview with former Queensland Origin Coach Carl Webb, who will discuss  his current battle with motor neurone disease. 

Fox League will continue showcasing the NRLW competition stars. Every game of the NRLW is live and ad-break free during play, including the Grand Final on October 1.

See Also: Fox League announces launch of NRLW on Fox hosted by Lara Pitt

Fox League, available to watch on Foxtel and stream on Kayo  Sports, is the home of Rugby League with every game of every round, plus every finals game before the Grand Final live in HD and ad-break free during play. 

In the coming months, Kayo Sports customers can look forward to the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be held in India from October 5 – November 19, with every game live available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel. 

See also: AFL Finals time on Fox Footy as Garry Lyon and Nathan Buckley go Face to Face

Stan has released an exclusive sneak peek featuring Karl Stefanovic, Rebecca Breeds, Kick Gurry and Ariel Donoghue in the Stan Original Series C*A*U*G*H*T, premiering 28 September, all episodes at once and only on Stan.

The series features an ensemble of Hollywood and home-grown talent in an Australian original television production. Additional cast members include television presenters Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon joining Ariel Donoghue (Stan Original Series Wolf Like Me) and Rob Carlton (Stan Original Series Black Snow) in the series, alongside recently announced cast members Nicholas Hammond (The Sound of Music) and Silvia Colloca (The Twelve).

The story follows four Australian soldiers (played by Gurry, O’Toole, England and Younes) who are sent into the war-torn country on a secret mission to retrieve a file after the Australian Minister of Defence (Erik Thomson) texts a ‘secret file’ to the Princess of Behati-Prinsloo, a small war-torn island nation.

Mistaken for Americans, they are captured by freedom fighters (Bazzi, Jarnson and Nkono) and produce a hostage video that goes viral. When the soldiers reach celebrity status on social media, they realise that being caught might just be the best thing that could’ve happened to them. They’re about to make search history.

Director, producer and writer Kick Gurry (Edge of Tomorrow) leads the cast alongside Sean Penn (Gaslit), Matthew Fox (Lost), Bryan Brown (Palm Beach), Ben O’Toole (Detroit), Lincoln Younes (Last King of the Cross), Alexander England (Stan Original Series Black Snow), Susan Sarandon (Blue Beetle), Mel Jarnson (Mortal Kombat), Fayssal Bazzi (Stateless) and Dorian Nkono (The Twelve). 

Also starring in the series is Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Rebecca Breeds (Clarice), Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey), Bella Heathcote (Stan Original Series Scrublands) and Erik Thomson (Black Snow). The series will be released globally by Fremantle.

Erik Thomson as Colonel Bishop and Bella Heathcote as Jemima Justice

Ariel Donoghue and Kick Gurry

Following a deal with Fremantle, the series is due to launch exclusively on new streaming service ITVX in the UK in October 2023.
 
The Stan Original Series C*A*U*G*H*T is created, produced and directed by Kick Gurry. Sean Penn executive produces alongside producers John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, Stan Original Film Gold) from Deeper Water Films, and Brendan Donoghue. C*A*U*G*H*T is executive produced by Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan.
 
The series is produced in association with Fremantle, who will also handle international distribution for the series.

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Top image: Rebecca Breeds with Karl Stefanovic

LiSTNR recently hosted 200-plus guests at its first “A Night with LiSTNR” events in Sydney and Melbourne.

Attended by media agency executives and advertisers, the event uncovered the content and scale of podcasting and the commercial opportunities this provides advertisers.

Guests were treated to two panels – the first, with LiSTNR’s podcast content creators, was moderated by SCA Executive Head – LiSTNR Podcasts, Grant Tothill, with Hamish & Andy’s Andy Lee, The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show’s Jess Rowe and SCA Head of Factual and Drama   LiSTNR Original Podcasts, Jen Goggin. The panel discussed what they understand about audiences, how they create for them and how they connect brands through content.

Andy Lee gave the audience some words of advice: “If brands trust us, they get a much better outcome.”

The second panel in Sydney was moderated by SCA Chief Marketing Officer, Nikki Clarkson, with guests SCA Chief Commercial Officer Seb Rennie, Thinkerbell Lead Thinker, Josh Manning, SCA Executive Head – LiSTNR Commercial, Olly Newton and Lion Head of Media, Clare Tsubono.

In Melbourne this panel included guests Thinkerbell Head Brand Thinker Katrina Khao, and 7 Eleven Senior Manager – Brand Strategy, Robert Wilde along with Rennie and Newton.

On the panel, Rennie pointed to audio’s much deeper connections with audiences. In the case of podcasts, Rennie cited integration, context, the endorsement of creators and their deep relationship with their communities as compelling evidence of podcasts’ power for brands to engage in singular ways. “Audiences spend 4.5 hours a day with audio. More than screens. More than social,” he said.

• 1.3 million tune in to The Voice Australia in Total TV
• 1.1 million watch The Block in Total TV

Total TV Ratings, August 29

1,302,000 watched Seven’s The Voice Australia as the second round of Callbacks took place, up 27%.

1,149,000 viewed Nine’s The Block where it was a disastrous few days on Charming Street as Kristy crashed her car into a pole and  Eliza and Liberty were told off for working in chaos, up 42%.

911,000 tuned in for Seven’s RFDS where still reeling from the gut punch of Eliza’s return, Pete was forced to work with her, up 51%.

901,000 also saw Seven’s Home and Away as Kirby clashed with Forrest, up 24%.

678,000 sat down for ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet as Annabel Crabb spoke to Minister Linda Burney, up 23%.

Overnight TV Ratings, September 5

Primetime News
Seven News 865,000 (6:00pm) / 840,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 789,000 (6:00pm) / 817,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 571,000
10 News First 185,000 (5:00pm)/ 124,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 148,000 (6:30pm)/ 124,000 (7:00pm)

Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 698,000
7.30 455,000
The Project 160,000 6:30pm / 257,000 7pm

Breakfast TV
Sunrise 225,000
Today 201,000
News Breakfast 133,000

Nine won Tuesday night with a primary share of 21.7%; however, Seven took out the top network share with 29.5%. 7Two has won multi channels with a 3.4% share.

Nine’s A Current Affair (698,000) spoke to former Qantas pilot of 34 years Richard de Crespigny who said it was “time for Alan to go” after it was announced that Alan Joyce’s time as the Australian airline’s CEO had come to an abrupt end. Then, 597,000 watched The Block. Foreman Keith showed concern for the Blockheads, saying he didn’t want to hold their hands through every step and Kristy stole a couch that Steph wanted, egged on by Leah. 331,000 also sat down for The Hundred with Andy Lee. Host Andy Lee was joined by Sophie Monk, Mike Goldstein and Luke McGregor before 102,000 watched Love Triangle.

SEE ALSO: The Block Recap Episode 19: Kristy steals Steph’s couch and other such Mean Girls antics

425,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as Felicity ran from her problems. Eden and Remi faced their reality and Irene uncovered Harper’s secret. My Kitchen Rules followed as South Australian mother and son team, Sonia and Marcus argued their way through the show’s second restaurant of the season. Claudean made waves once again as she interrogated best friends, Tommy and Rach and Nick admitted his huge crush on Rach. 444,000 watched on. Then, 307,000 saw RFDS, as Eliza was tasked with leading the review into the White Cliffs incident as the team were faced with a skydiving accident, a missing patient and an old friend who had suffered a dangerous fall. 68,000 then stayed on for a repeat of Ambulance: Code Red.

SEE ALSO: My Kitchen Rules 2023 Recap Episode 2: Sonia and Marcus argue like…well, mother and son 

455,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explore the Reserve Bank which left interest rates on hold after Philip Lowe’s last meeting as Governor and looked at how Alan Joyce is spending his final week as Qantas CEO. 380,000 then watched Kitchen Cabinet as Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe, noted for her fiery ways, chatted with Annabel Crabb, who dove into what has shaped her life and views. Matt Okine Is Going To Die followed as actor Matt Okine went on a mission to demystify death for 188,000. From adding ashes into fireworks to dying in a simulator to creating an immortal digital clone of himself – he revealed the power of confronting death. Makers of Modern Australia then followed for 119,000.

On 10, The Project (160,000 6:30pm / 257,000 7pm) spoke to Shadow Transport Minister Bridget McKenzie about Joyce’s resignation and welcomed Glee star Darren Criss, who is in Australia on tour. Shark Tank Australia then followed as 13-year-old Lucas Lane wowed the Sharks with his nail polish for men. Other entrepreneurs pitched a video games museum, a self-cleaning dog toilet and a 3D-printed set of designer wheels, topping it off with a uniquely Australian drink. 262,000 watched on. The Cheap Seats followed with hosts Melanie Bracewell and Tim  McDonald who were joined by Mel Tracina, comedian Anthony Lehmann and journalist Leigh Sales. 340,000 tuned in. A repeat of The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers followed as the jokers became wait staff at a fancy restaurant for 116,000.

SEE ALSO: Shark Tank Australia 2023 Recap Episode 2: The youngest ever entrepreneur wows the Sharks

The highest rating non-news show on SBS was Great Coastal Railway Journeys with 154,000 tuning in to see Michael Portillo’s journey to Lee on the Solent in Hampshire, before arriving at the training centre of Britain’s fourth emergency service, Her Majesty’s Coastguard.