Welcome to the industry HOT List of 2024, where Mediaweek marketing and agency editor-at-large and founder and CEO of TrinityP3 Marketing Management Consultancy, Darren Woolley, highlights and acknowledges the media and creative agencies, industry bodies, and events turning up the heat.
Feeling the cold winds blowing down the streets of ad land? Winter is upon us. Time to rug up and warm yourself by the fires of the innovative, the creative, and the successful as we embrace the hot list.
Sizzling HOT
Industry media
Never one to shy away from self-congratulations, the Mediaweek Next of the Best Awards was the hottest event this month. The room at the Ivy Ballroom last Thursday had the best and the brightest leadership talent in the industry recognised and acknowledged for their contribution to date and their future potential.
Because age is no barrier to future potential, the awards saw finalists and winners who would be considered ‘too old’ for the more ageist versions of these awards in the industry. And that is sizzling hot!
Next of the Best Awards 2024 winners
Very Hot
Industry
Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, co-host of Nova 96.9’s Sydney breakfast show, and Rob Galluzzo, founder of production company FINCH, have partnered to launch 36 Months, an initiative aiming to change legislation to increase the age of social media citizenship from 13 to 16.
The pro bono social change movement is calling on families, community leaders, and educators to sign the 36 Months change.org petition that will be taken to parliament.
While the arguments for and against the initiative rage, it is hot to see the industry working together to elevate an important issue to the national conversation and look for solutions to the social issues advertising supports.
Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo
Totally Hot
Media Agency
The northern hemisphere is heating up for summer and so is Australian media independent agency Atomic 212°, taking out gold for Global Independent Media Agency of the Year and Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year in London for Campaign.
Well done Mr O’Brien and the whole team at Atomic 212°. Why be the best in Australia when you can be recognised as the best in the world?
Barry O’Brien
Hot
Media
Just when you thought we had lost all trust in the media comes the hot news that SBS has been named the most trusted news brand in Australia by the University of Canberra and Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s annual global Digital News Report 2024.
As if the ABC needed any more bad news, this knocks them into second place.
Hot
Pitching
Congratulations to IGA (Independent Grocers of Australia) for appointing Special as its agency of record, working across brand strategy and design, advertising, and communications following a competitive pitch. A hot win for Special in a highly competitive and challenging category.
And a quick note that the next ‘State of the Pitch in Australia Research’ kicks off on 1 July. So, agencies big, small, independent, network, and of all types, make sure you provide confidential feedback on the pitches you participate in, win, or lose here.
Making a difference? Going above and beyond? We would love to hear from you – send details to [email protected].
Criteria for making the Mediaweek Hot Lists
• Making a difference to clients, staff, the industry, and society at large
• Breakthrough campaign or idea that is a category game changer
• Challenging the status quo to drive innovation.