The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) have announced 10 new media members to the 30 already signed for the year ahead.
The new members include TikTok, TorchMedia, Acast, Outbrain, Pinterest, MiQ, Fabulate, Crimtan, Bishopp and Tonic Media.
This brings the total number of media members to 40 for the year ahead, in addition to the 30 already signed.
TikTok is the world’s leading destination for short-form mobile video, with more than 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.
TikTok Australia general manager, Brett Armstrong, said: “TikTok For Business is always looking to support and partner with the industry in meaningful ways. We’ve seen the vital role that independent agencies play in the ecosystem, and how they’ve grown in strength over the last couple of years, locally and globally.
Partnering with IMAA is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the innovative and collaborative spirit of TikTok – but more so than that, a chance to give agencies the skills they need to tap into TikTok as a powerful marketing tool. We’re truly excited to work with the IMAA to bring this to life for the organisation and its members.”
Tonic Media is Australia’s largest health and wellbeing media network, created by health professionals, in collaboration with Out-Of-Home specialists, delivering evidence-based at point-of-care content in waiting rooms nationally.
Tonic Media commercial director, Sev Celik, said: “As an independent, Australian-owned publisher, we understand some of the challenges indies have in turning the spotlight on their clients and themselves. We are thrilled to partner with the IMAA and are excited to unlock a multitude of opportunities collaboratively with them in 2022.”
TorchMedia is a transit Out-of-Home specialist, with a unique focus on light rail, trains and ferries.
TorchMedia managing director, Kirsty Dollisson, said: “TorchMedia is thrilled to be collaborating with the IMAA for 2022. As a proudly independent, Australian-owned business, TorchMedia understands the unique value and quality of service that independent agencies provide to advertisers. We look forward to collaborating with the indies this year to deliver results with big impact.”
Acast is the world’s leading independent podcast company. Its network of 35,000 podcasts is home to the most popular shows and the biggest names in global publishing.
Acast Australia and New Zealand managing director, Henrik Isaksson, said: “At Acast, we help creators and advertisers of all sizes to reach listeners in the most immersive environment in the world. As a creator-first podcast company, Acast will always champion and celebrate independence, so partnering with the IMAA is a natural fit for us.
“We’re looking forward to showcasing the value of podcast advertising, talking through industry insights and trends, and working with members looking to access Acast’s network of 35,000 podcasts to reach the right people, in the right context, for the most effective results,” he added.
Bishopp is Australia’s leading regional Out-Of-Home advertising company, with sites located across Queensland.
Bishopp agency head, Alison Powell, said: “We recognise the talent and leadership found in independent agencies, and we look forward to going above and beyond to help our fellow Australian businesses deliver outstanding campaigns in Queensland in 2022.”
Outbrain offers a world-class global advertising platform, helping brands connect with consumers through engaging ad formats that inspire action.
Outbrain managing director (APAC and growth markets), Andrew Burke, said: “Outbrain is proud to partner with the IMAA in 2022 to help continue to build on its impressive work for the independent media agency sector. With an emphasis on client needs and an innate ability to keep up with the market, independent agencies represent a large proportion of Australia’s media spend.
“Through our partnership with the IMAA, we hope to help agencies further develop their digital capabilities in a rapidly-evolving landscape and create a new level of trust and transparency with consumers to help grow Australian brands sustainably,” he added.
Crimtan pioneered lifecycle marketing for programmatic advertising to deliver maximum value to its clients. Its results-focused, data-driven advertising is powered by proprietary technology and trading expertise, enabling it to intelligently target users throughout the customer lifecycle.
Crimtan head of ecommerce/retail, Laura Kleiman, said: “In this challenging and ever-evolving media and marketing landscape, independent media agencies continue to offer their clients a highly invaluable, personalised partner solution. The IMAA provides essential support to members, helping to educate, pool resources and drive efficiencies to be more competitive.
“This is perfectly aligned with Crimtan’s philosophy of helping our agency partners deliver the best service, value and outcomes to their clients’ digital marketing efforts. We look forward to lending our programmatic expertise to help IMAA partners understand the continually changing complexities of the programmatic ecosystem,” she added.
Pinterest is the visual inspiration platform that millions of people around the world use each month to shop products personalised to their taste, find ideas to do offline and discover the most inspiring creators.
Pinterest agency lead, Cassandra Gilbert, said: “As Pinterest continues to grow in the Australian market, we look forward to working and developing our relationship with the independent agencies, and are especially excited to partner with the IMAA network. As the digital industry continues to evolve, the IMAA provides an invaluable opportunity to work with the ever-growing independent space.”
MiQ is a programmatic media partner for marketers and agencies, sales director Stuart Parker said: “The independent agency market in Australia continues to flourish, driven by exceptional talent, ambition and a client-centric approach that delivers tangible results in an ever-changing media landscape for marketers.
“Over the past few years where we have experienced a monumental shift in connecting people and exchanging information, the IMAA has solidified itself as an integral part of the industry, providing a forum to educate, inspire and offer a unified voice for independent agencies.
“As an independent programmatic-managed service ourselves, MiQ are thrilled to partner with the IMAA and look forward to sharing real time insights and driving innovation within the indie market throughout 2022 and beyond,” he added.
Fabulate is an Australian content creation platform that connects creators with companies that require professionally produced content.
Fabulate chief revenue officer, Ben Gunn, said: “As an independent Australian start-up, we are excited to be partnering with the IMAA and the independent agencies it represents. We’re looking forward to helping IMAA members and their clients drive additional growth through Fabulate’s industry-leading content marketing solutions platform.”
IMAA general manager, Sam Buchanan, said they are thrilled to welcome a diverse range of media partners for 2022.
“The number of new partner sign-ups is indicative of the important role independent agencies play, particularly as the sector continues to navigate a constantly changing media landscape. We anticipate continued strong media owner support for indies in 2022, as brands seek out agencies who provide a more personalised, highly agile service,” he added.
The new members join IMAA’s other media partners including the Seven Network, Nine, Network 10, Foxtel Media, News Corp, ACM, Yahoo, EMX, Quantcast, Kargo, Facebook, Spotify, Gumtree, LinkedIn, BlisMedia Australia, Amobee, Criteo, Weatherzone, The Trade Desk, SCA, ARN, Nova, oOh! Media, JCDecaux, QMS, Shopper Media, Go Transit, Moove Media, Val Morgan and GWI.
Mediaweek has been profiling members of the IMAA – previous features can be found here.