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.
The last days of autumn are upon us. Counting down the days to winter and the winter solstice. And while the headlines are filled with the challenges of the economic headwinds and the impact they are having on the industry, the independent agencies are fanning the flames of innovation and creativity.
Sizzling HOT
Media
The biggest media and marketing story of the past month has been Kyle and Jackie O’s storming into the Melbourne radio market. ARN has a lot riding on this investment and it’s fair to the say there was a media tsunami – both paid and earned – around the launch.
Not many brands would run full page newspaper ads with testimonials like “Melbourne deserves better”, “Kyle’s a grubby buffoon”, and “Wouldn’t listen to Kylie in a fit” and then a tagline of “Make Up Your Own Mind”, but the polarising pair have done what they do best and lent into controversy, not against it. All eyes are now on the next radio ratings survey to see if it works.
Editorial about Kyle and Jackie O in the Sunday Herald Sun
Very Hot
Creative Agency
When it comes to M&A, we usually expect big holding companies to buy up the successful independents. But Chris Howatson‘s three-year-old indie, Howatson+Co, showed it’s not done growing, acquiring Kenny Hill’s Melbourne-based creative agency Akkomplice. The move shows just how dynamic the indie agency market is at the moment.
With this expansion by acquisition, it will be interesting to see how long Chris will maintain his commitment to growing no bigger than 200 people, for 30 years, with no holding company sale, getting the best clients (not the biggest), and sticking with them?
Kenny Hill
Totally Hot
Media Agency
Afterpay has appointed Kaimera as media agency of record to oversee the full-funnel media planning and buying for Afterpay in Australia and New Zealand following a fiercely fought competitive pitch. The incumbent, Initiative, had held the account since 2021.
This is a big win for the high-profile media independent which, in the words of the client Joel Moran, “inspired us with innovative ideas that highlighted how they can take performance marketing to the next level for us.” Now that is hot!
HOT
Industry Bodies
Congratulations to the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) for resetting RESET for growth with a new location and an all-star line-up of home-grown speakers who are making their mark globally and flew back into Sydney to share their observations, lessons, and advice.
Nic Taylor, Richard Oppy, and Janine Ellis shared the stage and the day with Bernard Salt, Josh Goldstein, Dianne Everett and Jackie Lee-Joe. A hot line up bought together by the hard-working AANA team.
See also: ‘We need to come together to defend our industry’: Josh Faulks opens AANA RESET
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.