“There’s lots to do. The first thing, we want to keep growing. The majority of the funds are going to go into building our presence here (in the US), building our teams here and expanding our client footprint, which is going really well,” John Sintras, president, US and multinational of Mutinex, told Mediaweek following news the marketing measurement start-up raised $17.5m AUD in funding.

Led by Marbruck Investments and supported by EVP and Archangel Ventures, the fresh funding brings the MMM platform’s value to $132.5m AUD.

Sintras, who has grown the Mutinex office in the US to operate across multiple categories and customers, said the capital will help the company grow its team on the ground and evolve its product to meet the market’s needs.

“The product is already fantastic, but there are lots of great improvements that have been activated this year and lots more on the roadmap over the next 12 months, so that (funding) is really going to help us to accelerate that too.”

“It’s all in the service of clients,” Sintras added. “We want clients that are absolutely thrilled and for whom we’re solving pain points. Essentially, it means we hopefully get to have more great clients that attract even more great clients, and the snowball continues.”

The US team, which consists of almost a dozen people, is set to double over the next three months as a result of the raise, Sintras said.

This includes the recent appointment of the company’s new sales director of North America, Lamar Tuten. Sintras noted: “I’m thrilled to have him on board. It’s only week one, but it’s great to have him hit the ground running.

“(Tuten) will be building out his team. We’ll be building out product teams, and customer success teams as we scale. I’m thrilled to bits with the people that we’ve already attracted there.

“As the customers grow, we’ll grow that team as well because it’s all about customer success. Otherwise, we don’t have a business.”

Sintras also noted that the raise will have a flow-on effect on the rest of the business in Australia and other markets.

“There’s still lots more growth in that marketplace and we’re really committed to seeing that out. There’s opportunities in APAC and Danny [Danny Bass, chief revenue officer] is looking for a head of sales out of Singapore, which will be super exciting to start leveraging as many clients have asked us about expanding our footprint.

“We do have lots of markets that are already servicing out of Australia in APAC, so it’d be good to keep that expanding as well,” he said.

“Everybody rises on the tide. The product improves and that helps everybody.”

Sintras added: “The US is the biggest market in the world. If we’re disproportionately successful there, then everybody benefits from that growth in terms of more investment to put into the rest of the organisation as we grow.”

Mutinex co-founders Matt Farrugia and Henry Innis both said they were pleased to have raised the funding to support its growth into new markets.

“We are razor-focused on improving our fundamental processes including onboarding speed, usage of data and expanding our predictive analytics capability and suite.”

Tom Aouad, investor at Marbruck, said: “Mutinex’s phenomenal path to date has hit an exciting inflection point, driven by their AI advancements that allow clients to replace traditional marketing consultants.

“Their technical team’s capabilities and efficient enterprise onboarding through DataOS and Growth OS, coupled with an impressive US client base, set them apart from competitors in market. We’re excited to partner up with the team at Mutinex as their innovative approach and strong momentum have us excited about the future.”

Justin Lipman, partner at EVP also reaffirmed his confidence in the scale-up. “The company has exceptional retention rates with almost every customer we speak to providing glowing reports.

“It is clear the product is delivering significant ROI across its customer base making adoption across the market straightforward. Mutinex is far and away the largest investment in EVP’s history at c. $19m invested over the last two years.”

Rayn Ong, partner at Archangel Ventures, said: “In venture investing, you don’t often see software companies scale their revenue following a triple, triple, double, double, double (T2D3) growth trajectory. Henry’s team at Mutinex has achieved more than that, by delivering very high ROI to their blue-chip customers.

“Armed with a strong moat, I’m very bullish about the AI capabilities that will come next. We are grateful to be one of the lucky investors of this fast rising super star Aussie startup.”

In line with the announcement, with highly experienced chief revenue officer, Danny Bass, has now settled in his CRO role on the executive team after joining in July. Co-founder Matt Farrugia will be taking this opportunity to transition from his global role as chief customer officer into an APAC focused leadership role.

The funding comes after Mat Baxter, who joined Mutinex in May, stepped down from his role as APAC CEO and transitioned to a board advisor role last month.

 See also: Mat Baxter quits Mutinex, board persuades him to stay connected as an advisor

–

Top image: John Sintras

Leadership isn’t just about guiding a team; it’s about facing storms head-on, navigating the unknown, and sometimes, it’s about finding the courage to rebuild when everything feels like it’s falling apart. In this heartfelt episode, Rowena Millward sits down with Mark Coad, the CEO of IPG Media Brands Australia and New Zealand, as he shares his raw, unfiltered journey through the ups and downs of leadership.

Listen to Uncomfortable Growth here.

Coad, affectionately known as Cody, opens up about his path of embracing uncomfortable growth. From being thrust into the deep end of running a media agency when everyone was jumping ship, to stepping up as CEO, to tackling the challenges of parenthood.

Coad’s narrative is filled with moments of self-doubt, reflection, and the inevitable question: “What is the answer?  I’ll just have to figure it out.”

But this isn’t just a story about career milestones—it’s a story of personal growth. Coad shares a touching moment from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a story about his son standing at a crossroads between education and passion. It’s an experience that many parents will connect with—the delicate dance between guiding our children and letting them chase their dreams.

Throughout the episode, Coad talks about the importance of leaving a legacy, building strong teams, and finding the courage to believe in yourself, even when things get tough. He opens up about the skills that have shaped him: resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to lift others as he rises. 

With his natural ability for having a yarn and a laugh, this episode is for anyone who has ever faced the fear of stepping into something new, the uncertainty of career shifts, or the joys and challenges of being a parent. It’s an honest, real conversation about the uncomfortable growth that defines us, the doubts we battle, and ultimately the self-belief that make it all worthwhile.

New episodes of Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut drop weekly and are available to stream across all major audio networks. 

Subscribe now

Coming next on Uncomfortable Growth Uncut

Episode 3: Imogen Hewitt, A Leap of Faith

Rowena Millward interviews Imogen Hewitt (Chief Media Officer of Publicist Group, Australia / New Zealand), on her Uncomfortable Growth story.  From the daunting decision to move her family to Singapore to start a new agency with no clients or staff, to the realization that growth and comfort cannot coexist, Imogen’s insights are a beacon for anyone standing at the crossroads of opportunity.

Learn more about Uncomfortable Growth here.

The world doesn’t need more stories of success; it needs real conversations about resilience, vulnerability, and the human spirit’s incredible capacity to turn trials into triumphs.

That’s why the Uncomfortable Growth Uncut podcast was born. It’s a reminder that struggle and success are intrinsically linked, that growth is rarely easy, and that the moments we feel most uncomfortable are often where our greatest breakthroughs lie. 

“I never wanted to be on air. It never interested me,” Gemma O’Neill tells Mediaweek.

The co-host of the new hit podcast Her Best Life has taken a long journey to a role behind the microphone.

That journey includes working reception for 2Day FM when it was Sydney’s #1 FM station, producing breakfast radio shows for Wendy Harmer and Kyle and Jackie O and managing radio networks in Australia (SCA) and New Zealand (NZME). She also spent time producing radio in the UK (Global). Let’s not forget the years Gemma O’Neill spent working for Nicole Kidman in her production company (Blossom Films).

Gemma O’Neill and Jackie Henderson

Launching Besties Australia

After a recent two years running the management company Gemmie Agency, O’Neill recently wound it back. Her sole management client is now Jackie Henderson. O’Neill is also the CEO of the business she runs with Henderson, Besties Australia.

The company started life bringing Gwyneth Paltrow to Australia in 2023. The company has now diversified beyond events into travel packages and online courses. It is also home to the Living Her Best Life podcast hosted by Henderson and O’Neill.

During her career in the media, O’Neill has never been far from the microphone. But she never wanted to grab it! “Even when there were opportunities that would come up early in my career to go on air, like fill in for people or when someone was sick, it just had zero interest for me.”

Henderson has been floating the idea of a podcast for some time. O’Neill was reluctant. “I didn’t want to do the podcast. For a long time.”

Henderson and O’Neill with Gwyneth Paltrow

So how did Henderson get O’Neill across the line?

“We were in Europe on a holiday earlier this year – on a girl’s trip for a friend’s wedding. Jack just started filming content while we were there for her socials.

“She said to me at the end of the trip that content had been the highest rating social media posts that she’d ever done.”

It was then that Henderson pounced with another request for O’Neill to consider the podcast.

“She just got me at the right time. I was like, oh, maybe we could give it a go.”

The Besties soon secured a sponsor – dating app Bumble – and the feedback was good for the first episode.

Her Best Life has been a success because of Henderson’s persistence. “I have to give her full credit. It’s all been her idea,” said her best friend.

“It’s her baby. And she’s the one who had the creative vision. From the design assets to the photo shoot.”

Her Best Life and its commercial partner

Opening up on air

Gemma O’Neill explained: “I’ve had to apply a very different approach to the podcast than I did to my old life. Across 20 years in radio and audio, I would usually like to dissect everything. I was hungry for data and would look at the analytics and then assess everything. I’ve had to go completely the other way with the podcast.

“I think in my head that no one’s listening to it. That’s the only way I can get through it. I just think of it as Jack and I chatting, which is what we’re usually doing at her house a few times a week.

“The only reason I’m willing to be so vulnerable and honest is because I do get women coming up to me, which is very strange, but lovely. I get women coming up to me saying, ‘I just want you to know I’m really loving the podcast and it’s made me feel like I’m not so alone.’ That’s enough to keep me going for now.”

Other Bestie adventures

As yet there has been no repeat of the 2023 Gwyneth Paltrow celebrity event.

“We had two [celebrity events] lined up for the back end of this year but we’ve purposely pushed those back. We just felt like the climate right now doesn’t seem right with the cost of living challenges.

“We quickly evolved into other areas. There was the podcast and now we’re doing online courses. We did a dating and relationships course called the Red Flag Project which has gone gangbusters for us. Next is an online negotiation course for women.”

When asked about any other business that gave them inspiration, O’Neill notes how she and Henderson were impressed with what Paltrow achieved with her company Goop.

O’Neill: “Goop started as a newsletter with places to go in cities. Now it’s evolved into a fully-fledged lifestyle brand for women with a podcast, with products, and with so much content.”

The business partners liked the risks Paltrow took and her defiant attitude of not caring what other people thought about the venture.

The Jackie O brand

Henderson seems so busy it’s easy to think maybe she just says “yes” to most proposals that land on her and O’Neill’s desk. Not exactly.

“We’ve knocked back about 90% of things proposed to us,” admitted O’Neill.

“She really is very picky. She’s selective and I am very selective for her.”

What’s planned for Besties future?

Planning, not often. Although the day after we met, O’Neill was presenting Henderson a grand plan with a road map forward.

“You’re giving us a lot of credit there,” laughed O’Neill about their operation. O’Neill is a planner, but her business partner likes spontaneous moves.

“I’ve done a 24-month business strategy, but as soon as I say that to Jackie, her eyes glaze over. She looks at me like, what? Because she’s the opposite to me, that’s why it works.”

Manager to the star

As noted above, while running a business with Henderson, O’Neill also continues to manage Jackie O.

Last year, O’Neill worked on the biggest-ever employment contract in Australia, possibly in any sector. She secured her client a reported $10m a year deal as part of the Kyle and Jackie O $200m 10-year ARN contract to continue their breakfast show.

There’s ongoing maintenance of that relationship. O’Neill doesn’t get involved in the day-to-day radio strategy. That’s something she left behind after her time running the Hit Network for SCA.

O’Neill does speak regularly though to ARN. Depending on the issue, it might be meetings with CEO Ciaran Davis, chief content officer Duncan Campbell or head of KIIS network Derek Bargwanna.

It’s a strong relationship and O’Neill knows them all very well. “DB and I used to be flatmates when we were 20,” said O’Neill.

“There’s so much mutual respect there. I understand they have a job to do. They understand I have a job to do.”

Don’t miss Podcast Week every Thursday in Mediaweek

Collingwood is Australia’s most valuable football club brand, with an impressive brand valuation of $145 million, according to a new report from Brand Finance.

The report reflects the club’s long-term success both on and off the field, with its star-studded roster, rich football heritage, and highly influential partnerships all pivotal in elevating its status within the league.

At the heart of Collingwood’s success is its ability to maintain a consistent perception of excellence, driven by a team of marquee players that excite fans and enhance the club’s brand strength. This strong connection with the community, coupled with the club’s historical significance in Australian sport, makes it a revered and formidable entity in the AFL.

Mark Crowe, director, Brand Finance commented: “This valuation of Australia’s biggest sporting clubs shows that despite being almost entirely domestic competitions, Australian brands are as strong as some of the brands playing in the world’s richest and biggest European and American football leagues. The Australian clubs have incredibly valuable assets in the form of their brands – value that can be measured and built for the benefit of the AFL and NRL.”

Collingwood Football Club

Brisbane Broncos Leads NRL for brand value and strength

The Brisbane Broncos has reaffirmed its dominance as the number one club brand in the NRL, with a value of $124 million and the strongest brand strength score of 81. Despite not securing a premiership since 2006, the Broncos’ brand equity drives their commercial success. Since its inception in 1988, the club has remained the flagship for Queensland rugby league, bolstered by its monopoly on Brisbane’s market until the Dolphins’ arrival last year.

See also: NRL Grand Final winners – Penrith Panthers and Nine dominate night of NRL season climax

Big Victorian Clubs Lead AFL; West Coast Leads Non-Victorian AFL Clubs

Collingwood’s Victorian rivals Carlton and Richmond Football Clubs also rank highly in the AFL brand landscape. Carlton, with a brand value of $115 million, is the second most valuable AFL club brand, despite a nearly 30-year Premiership drought affecting its perceived ambition. Richmond, valued at $101 million, sits in third place, known for its blend of tradition and recent success.

Among the non-Victorian AFL clubs, the West Coast Eagles lead with a value of $68 million, excelling in fan engagement and stadium experience. In South Australia, Port Adelaide Football Club leads with a valuation of $67 million, known for its passionate fanbase and innovative approach.

Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions Reign in the North

Amongst the northern AFL clubs, the Sydney Swans, with a brand value of $66 million is the most valuable club. While Brisbane won this year’s AFL on-field premiership, the Brisbane Lions trails close behind with a valuation of $64 million. Both clubs maintain their edge over newer teams such as Greater Western Sydney Giants and Gold Coast Suns, which still face challenges in building their brand value and fan base.

Penrith Panthers Surge Ahead

The Penrith Panthers, in conjunction with winning four successive premierships, have seen its brand value skyrocket to $108 million, positioning it as the second most valuable NRL club brand.

The privately owned South Sydney Rabbitohs are the third most valuable NRL club brand, with a value of $73 million, marginally ahead of the North Queensland Cowboys at $72 million. Leveraging its “rich heritage and history”, the Rabbitohs maintain a strong brand presence despite recent inconsistent on-field performance. Its financial independence, buoyed by commercial assets and loyal fans, continues to bolster the Rabbitohs as a powerhouse in the NRL.

Penrith Panthers

Queensland NRL Teams Continue to Thrive

The North Queensland Cowboys have established itself as a major NRL brand with a value of $72 million. Their new Queensland Country Bank Stadium has been instrumental in growing its commercial revenues, propelling it to become the fourth most valuable NRL brand. In only their second year, the Dolphins have made a strong entrance into the league with a value of $49 million. Notably, their arrival has not diminished the Broncos’ value, indicating a growing market for NRL in Queensland.

Melbourne Storm’s Impressive Rise in a Non-Traditional Market

In the heart of Australia’s sporting city, the Melbourne Storm have become one of the NRL’s greatest success stories. With a brand value of $55 million and equal third in brand strength (77), the Storm have defied original expectations, excelling in areas such as “ambition”, “iconic sponsors”, and having a “great stadium”. Despite challenges, such as their 2010 salary cap breaches, Melbourne’s consistent success has solidified its position as an NRL leader.

Rolling Stone House will open its doors at SXSW Sydney in October, taking over UTS Underground from 16 – 18 October in partnership with American Apparel, Cholula and Vinyl.com.

This year, Rolling Stone House will feature performances from some of Australia’s hottest up-and-coming acts, with the full lineup to be revealed in the coming weeks. SXSW Sydney badge holders will gain priority access to Rolling Stone House.
 
The Rolling Stone House lineup is curated by independent Australian music powerhouses LLA and UNIFIED Music Group, with Hockey Dad, The Grogans, Full Flower Moon Band, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers (DJ set) scheduled to perform.

Register for Rolling Stone House here.

Hockey Dad

Jessica Hunter, head of The Brag Media, said: “After the success of Rolling Stone Courtyard at last year’s inaugural SXSW Sydney, we can’t wait to go even bigger and bolder in 2024 with Rolling Stone House.

“We hope people will come for the incredible music and stay for the vibes across three epic nights of live performances and brand activations. We have an incredible lineup planned, which will be announced over the coming weeks.

Brag Media’s Jessica Hunter

“With the Rolling Stone brand, The Brag Media can deliver world-class activations and performances, bringing together all elements of Australia’s creative scene. Together with American Apparel, Cholula and Vinyl.com, we know that Rolling Stone House will be the party everyone wants to be at this festival.”

The Grogans

Full Moon Flower Band

Dave Hillen, director American Apparel Asia Pacific, said: “Partnering with Rolling Stone at SXSW Sydney is an exciting opportunity for American Apparel to celebrate the convergence of fashion, music and culture.

“This collaboration is a perfect fit for our shared values of creativity, individuality and self-expression. Together, we aim to bring an unforgettable experience to festival-goers, amplifying the spirit of SXSW Sydney.”
 
Megan Brabant, director consumer sales and marketing at McCormick Foods Australia, added: “Cholula Hot Sauce is excited to be part of the upcoming SXSW Sydney for the first time in 2024, exploring a world of innovation and passion linked to the brand’s fiery essence and spicy visual identity.”

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers (DJ set)

See also: Countdown to SXSW – Commercial opportunities and preview of returning brands for 2024

Spotify has taken a deeper dive into what Gen Z wants with the release of it’s sixth annual Culture Next report, giving advertisers a window into the mind of Gen Z.

The report found that Gen Z is open to brands being part of their everyday moments – 74% of Gen Zs in AUNZ said brands that create playlists for specific moods and moments feel more in tune with their life. 

Half (45%) of Gen Zs said that a brand sponsoring live music events or concerts would make them more likely to buy that brand in the future.

For brands looking to resonate with Gen Z, the report says they can lean into formative moments on Spotify with ads that tap into a wide range of emotions, whether it leverages a mood, an introspective moment, or being there at the right time of day. 

68% of Gen Zers say they trust Spotify with their personal data more than other apps. 

The report also dives into podcast listening. In Australia & New Zealand, Music is one of Gen Z’s fastest-growing podcast categories, increasing +53% YoY. Leisure increased +52%, Science by 40%, and Religion and Spirituality increased by 25%.

Adrian Bingham, head of sales at Spotify AUNZ said: “Gen Zs are looking for connection and support as they navigate new life experiences, and because Spotify continues to be the home for Gen Z, it’s ripe with opportunities for brands looking to engage with this generation.

“Spotify transforms once-lost spaces, like doing chores or commuting to work, into moments for profound introspection or learning. Not only that, it is the #1 home screened app, and is considered the top “must-have” for the average consumer according to recent Hub Entertainment Research. For advertisers, this presents unique opportunities to reach highly-engaged audiences in these otherwise unreachable ‘in-between’ moments of life.”

The full report can be read here.

First-run episodes of Grand Designs Australia used to screen on Foxtel. But Lifestyle Channel host Peter Maddison presented his final season early in 2023.

Now 18 months later, the format is back with a new host and a new channel. What has not changed is the formula or the production house – Fremantle Australia.

See also: “Going out on a high” – Peter Maddison on farewelling Foxtel’s Grand Designs Australia

The new channel is ABC, and the host is no stranger to lovers of property programming.

In season 11 of Grand Designs Australia, host Anthony Burke (who also fronts Restoration Australia and Grand Designs Transformations for ABC) charts the journeys of some of our most imaginative and ambitious architectural trailblazers as they push their finances and their families to the limit in their quest to create spectacular homes.

Production notes

Grand Designs Australia is produced by Fremantle Australia for ABC
Head of Unscripted: Josie Mason Campbell
Supervising Executive Producer: Brooke Bayvel
Executive Producer: Michael Collett
ABC Commissioning Editor Factual: Jo Chichester
ABC Head of Factual: Susie Jones
ABC Head of Screen Content: Jennifer Collins
International Distribution: Fremantle Distribution

Grand Designs: Take the professor’s advice

Earlier this year, Mediaweek spoke to Anthony Burke about the importance of listening to his advice:

Burke gives a lot of advice to people working on their properties across the various series. They don’t always listen. He thinks they should.

“People often ignore the advice to their peril. Does that pattern keep repeating this year? Yes. Yes.

“There’s right advice at the right time. If a big mistake, like a floor plan type error has occurred, I kind of figure it’s not much point me walking on site when it’s already happened.

“It’s best to try and keep ahead of the homeowners and give them something they can work on. Half the time, they do. They’ll listen to the advice and they’ll really try hard to action it or respond to it in some way.”
[Read more]

Grand Designs Australia: Episode Guide

Episode 1 Anthony Burke and Kevin McCloud, Road Trip
Thursday, 10 October, 8pm and iview

To celebrate Grand Designs Australia’s return, new host – Professor of Architecture Anthony Burke is joined on an architectural road trip by Grand Designs icon Kevin McCloud. Together they pack up a Kombi and go in search of award winning contemporary Australian design that helps solve the problems of liveability, affordability and sustainability.

Along the way, Kevin shares hosting insights with Anthony, gained from decades making Grand Designs in the UK.

On Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, they visit a modern take on the traditional farmhouse. Despite its enormous size, it almost disappears into the lush landscape.

On Queensland’s Gold Coast there’s a multi-million-dollar beach “shack”, complete with 12 car garage, surfboard room, wine cellar, and guest pavilion.

At Koonya in Tasmania, art meets architecture in a home with glass walls.

In Melbourne’s inner-city Fitzroy, a tiny Victorian terrace has been transformed from narrow, dark and pokey, to a light filled haven by moving its backyard to the centre of the house.

In Brunswick, a group of architects has joined forces to design and build a village of six apartment blocks that provide sustainable, affordable housing, in a way that brings residents together in a single shared community.

In Sydney, there’s the house judged best of the year; built on just thirty square metres of land, this ingenious tiny home is a shining example of how little space we really need.

Kevin McLoud with Anthony Burke

Episode 2 Fish Creek, Victoria
Thursday, 17 October, 8pm and iview

Ross and Cathy, along with their three children Grace, Abbie and James, are wild about the outdoors. In fact, the more rugged and isolated the conditions, the happier they are. As nature lovers, hikers and camping enthusiasts it makes total sense that their family-run business sells all-weather, all-terrain outdoor gear. But after three decades living in the busy inner-city suburbs of Melbourne, only escaping the grind occasionally, the family needs to create a permanent retreat “out bush”.

Ross and Cathy have settled on the idyllic natural wonderland of Fish Creek in East Gippsland, Victoria. With its abundance of Australian native wildlife, ancient forest growth and impressive rolling hills, the location is picture perfect, aside from the fact it’s in an extremely high wind and bushfire zone.

Not that it worries Ross and Cathy; they plan to use what they know about protective clothing to build a house which can withstand even the harshest of elements, including a clever membrane to ward off the weather. However, the real secret weapon of this ambitious project appears to defy logic; panel after panel of a super compressed straw will be used to create impenetrable insulation.

Despite their insider knowledge, and a healthy budget of $1,000,000, the project’s remote location proves challenging for their merry band of tradies – all of whom are family friends – as the build drags on indefinitely due to overseas joinery delays. But with Ross on the tools, Cathy on interiors, daughter Abbie in charge of the fireplace design, and son James living and loving working on site, the project is more than a building, it’s an experience for all the family to treasure.

Anthony Burke at the Fish Creek build

About Anthony Burke

Anthony Burke is a Professor of Architecture in the Faculty of Design Architecture and Building at the University of Technology Sydney, and host of the series Restoration Australia, and Grand Designs Australia and co-host of Grand Designs Transformations all airing on the ABC.

A sought-after expert presenter, host and regular contributor to academic and popular discourse on architecture and the value of good design, Anthony holds a Master of Advanced Architecture from Columbia University in New York, and a Bachelor of Architecture from UNSW with first class Honors.

An assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley in the College of Environmental Design from 2002 working with Intel and the Berkeley Art Museum Anthony arrived back in Sydney in 2007 to lead a new advanced architecture degree at UTS, before taking on the role of Head of the School of Architecture and Associate Dean International and Engagement from 2010 – 2020. He has worked in architectural practices large and small, and held visiting professor positions at the Beijing Institute of Technology and Institute of Teknolgi Bandung from 2018-2020. Anthony is recognized as an advocate for the benefits of quality design, and for his work in architectural theory, curation and commentary.

In 2012 he was co-creative director for the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale and was invited to curate the architecture and design symposium for the 40th Anniversary celebrations of the Sydney Opera House. He has presented at TEDx and is a regular keynote presenter in international academic and industry contexts. He has published three edited books and many articles, curating numerous exhibitions and symposia, completed commissioned research reports and contributed commentary on a range of contemporary architectural topics with a fascination for the changing nature of architecture and good design in Australia.

Chair of the board of the Australian Design Centre (ADC) from 2013-2016, Anthony has served on a range of industry, academic advisory and design excellence review committees, across architecture and the creative industries, most recently for the National Gallery of Australia, the Powerhouse design competition and Indigenous Residential College competition at UTS. Having spent time living in Hong Kong, Stockholm, New York and San Francisco, Anthony is now based in Sydney, his hometown, and regularly presents at local venues such as the Art Gallery of NSW and leads international architectural tours while continuing to work on public broadcasting projects.

Key Creatives Biographies

Brooke Bayvel | Supervising Executive Producer
AACTA and SPA award winning producer Brooke Bayvel has worked across multiple genres including current affairs, sport, reality, factual and entertainment. In her 30 years in the Australian television industry, she’s worked on numerous programs including 7.30 Report, Sportsworld, Farmer Wants a Wife and The Secret Millionaire. More recently she’s specialised in producing premium prime time lifestyle shows including Location, Location, Location, I Own Australia’s Best Home, Restoration Australia, Grand Designs Australia and this year, the high rating spin off series Grand Designs Transformations. Having joined Fremantle in 2015 to head up the company’s marquee property shows, she is a masterful storyteller with a love of inspired architecture and design.

Michael Collett | Executive Producer
Michael is an AACTA award-winning producer specialising in premium lifestyle formats, with over two decades of experience in the industry. Michael has worked on a diverse set of productions for every major network in the UK and Australia, from reality juggernauts MasterChef and The Bachelor to factual series RBT, Bondi Rescue and Star Gazing Live. Michael began his career as a journalist before moving into unscripted television in London, in 2010 he moved to Sydney and joined Fremantle in 2016. Michael’s passion is producing dynamic, remarkable and exciting stories that connect with audiences the world over. Michael is currently the Executive Producer of Grand Designs Australia and Restoration Australia.
[With ABC TV Publicity]

The Imperfects Podcast to join LiSTNR

From 7 January 2025, LiSTNR will be the official sales representation for The Imperfects.

This partnership brings together The Imperfects thought-provoking content with LiSTNR’s growing digital platform and AdTech Hub.

Hosted by The Resilience Project founder Hugh van Cuylenburg, his brother Josh van Cuylenburg, and comedian and actor Ryan Shelton and produced by Bridget Northeast, The Imperfects has built a loyal following through its honest and humorous exploration of mental health and self-improvement.

With more than 400,000 monthly listeners, the show features interviews with guests who vulnerably share their own struggles and imperfections, world-leading experts who dissect the subject of imperfection, and resident clinical psychologist, Dr Emily Musgrove.

van Cuylenburg said: “We love making our podcast – a show about our collective imperfections. But we’re a pretty small team, so it’s hugely exciting for us to be joining this fantastic, much larger team, at LiSTNR. We’re looking forward to a future supported by the incredible people in the LiSTNR sales team, allowing us to continue to make our imperfect show.”

LiSTNR original podcasts head of entertainment and culture, Sam Cavanagh, said: “The Imperfects have created a genre of their own; content that is equal parts funny and important, entertaining and challenging. We are so excited to have them join our lineup of diverse, high-quality podcasts. As Australia’s no. 1 podcast sales representation network, LiSTNR is the go-to destination for Australian content creators wanting to grow their audience, and marketers wanting to access addressable digital audio audiences.”

[Listen here]

news.com.au debuts new investigative podcast – Witness: William Tyrrell

Hosted by journalist and News Corp Australia’s editorial director, audio, Dan Box, and executive produced by senior audio producer, Nina Young, the podcast sets out to uncover the truth about the police investigation into the disappearance of William Tyrrell.

The podcast will be released weekly with episodes to run until the end of the year. It will be supported by extensive editorial coverage on news.com.au incorporating real time reporting on the inquest into William Tyrell’s disappearance, due to resume public hearings in November.

News.com.au editor Kerry Warren said: “William Tyrrell’s disappearance is one of those few crimes that almost everyone across Australia knows of, and yet so little about this tragic case is really understood. In this podcast, news.com.au aims to answer all those outstanding questions and reveal the truth about the police investigation into the little boy in the Spider-Man suit.

“As the biggest news site in the country, we can provide an unrivalled spotlight on this case. Our team has spent almost two years working on this project and this is the kind of journalism that sets news.com.au apart.”

Box is one of few reporters to have covered William Tyrell’s disappearance over the 10 years since it happened on September 12, 2014.

“So much of the investigation into William’s disappearance has been kept secret over the 10 years since he went missing,” he said. “In that time so many people’s lives have been damaged by the fall-out, in ways that no one seems to talk about today. We’ve spent the past two years investigating the police investigation, and what we’ve found still shocks me.

“A lot of different people have worked on this series over the past two years and I’m grateful to all of them. We’ve worked hard to do the story justice.”

[Listen here]

Australian comedians the Fairbairn Brothers launch a new season of their podcast via MIK Made

Sketch comedy duo and brothers Lachlan and Jaxon Fairbairn are back with a brand new season of their podcast, The Fairbairn Podcast.

Each episode is a 45-minute hang out with the duo filled with banter about things that piss them off, soap box moments about things that don’t matter, and unique solutions to problems that never were an issue to begin with. 

Produced by MIK Made and launched this week, the new podcast is available to stream on Spotify + Apple and episodes will be launched weekly.

[Listen here]

Wanda Pogue joins Adam Ferrier and Brent Smart on Black T-Shirts

In this episode of Black T-Shirts, Wanda Pogue, CSO of VanyaMedia, speaks to how her understanding of creative strategy has evolved from her days at Saatchi & Saatchi to now being on the trailblazing side of the industry in an agency that prides itself in finding innovative new ways to tell brands’ stories. Wanda talks about the value of creatives who make, and strategists who focus on strategy after the idea.

Wanda also explains the concept of putting vast amounts of creative ideas into the world, listening carefully, and doubling down on what works. This model takes them from social posts to Super Bowl ads with confidence.

[Listen here]

Nova Podcasts’ Rachel Corbett on signing new programs, educating media agencies and podcast strategy

Head of podcasts and digital content at Nova Entertainment Rachel Corbett says because podcast audiences take a while to build, Nova “[is] not in the business of being able to wait for three years for a show to really hit its stride.”

“We need to build an audience quickly,” Corbett told Mediaweek.

“[At Nova] we look to bring on board hosts that have an established relationship and strong engagement with their audience.

“Ideally, we want those people who have already invested time with the people that they love on whatever platform it is, and then come across to the podcast. Having those people that we know have built a strong community already is really important when we’re starting a show from scratch.

In September, Nova Podcasts strengthened its reach with 18 to 34-year-old listeners by adding the One Daydream Network’s Just for Girls and Where’s Your Head At? podcasts to its line-up.

Just for Girls and Where’s Your Head At? are created by the newly established One Daydream Network, a podcast production company who produce Australian podcasts across a range of genres.

These signings form the start of a partnership between the One Daydream Network and Nova Entertainment.

“It’s also really important for us to have talent, particularly when we’re looking at commercial potential,” she said.

“We don’t make things that we don’t feel very confident will sell. We are always in close conversations with the commercial department when we’re thinking of partnering with anybody or coming up with anything brand new internally.

“It always has to have commercial interest buy-in, and we have to feel confident that the sales team will be really chuffed to take it out in the market.

“We also need people on board the network who are really comfortable with partnering with brands and who are really happy to read scripts for brands and even potentially, extend out on their social pages with brands, because [brands] are really interested in that.”

[Read more]

UM Australia and Chery Motor Australia have teamed up and transformed Vogue Australia for the launch of two new Chery models to the Australian market, the Omoda E5 and Tiggo 4 Pro.

The cross-platform campaign has been designed to build awareness of the Chery brand among Gen Z and Millennial consumers, 68% of Vogue Australia’s total ‘fashion-forward’ audience, according to Roy Morgan research.

As part of the launch, Vogue Australia will co-host the exclusive Australian launch of the new Chery models in Sydney this week with Chery ambassador Erin Holland, hosting up-and-coming designers and the pick of Sydney’s creative community who have featured on the pages and posts of Vogue Australia.

Lou Barrett, News Corp Australia’s managing director of client partnerships, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Chery and UM in a campaign that perfectly encapsulates the power of collaboration and innovation. Our National Client Partnerships team is focused on delivering seamless, integrated solutions that drive growth for our clients.

“This campaign is a prime example of how we leverage data-led strategies, creativity, and multi-platform reach to connect brands with the right audiences, ensuring we exceed client expectations and set new benchmarks for industry success.”

Lewis Lu, Chery Motor Australia CEO, said: “This is a landmark event for Chery as we launch two innovative new models, including our first electric vehicle, the Omoda E5, and the street-smart new compact SUV, the Tiggo 4 Pro, and we are delighted to partner with Vogue Australia, one of the world’s most prestigious brands for this celebration of innovation.

Collaborating with Vogue Australia highlights Chery’s innovative and refined style, and this event truly represents an expression of technology and fashion through the shared values of Vogue Australia and Chery.”

UM Australia CEO Anathea Ruys said: “Bringing together two brands who share a passion for style, innovation, and forward-thinking was a natural choice. By collaborating with one of the most iconic voices in fashion, Chery directly engages with a new generation of Australian consumers who value best-in-class design and seamless, modern living, an ethos they also stand by.

“This partnership reflects Chery’s commitment to delivering vehicles that are not just functional, but a lifestyle choice, we’re delighted to see our idea come to life,” she added.

“With 65 years publishing history in Australia, Vogue Australia has partnered with many brands as they enter this exciting new market,” Edwina McCann, Vogue Australia editorial director and publisher, said.

“We are pleased to partner with Chery Motor in a coming together of innovation and new ideas. We love the accessibility of the fashionable and innovative design that aligns with our core purpose, which is to lift up young creatives of our time, giving them a broader platform to achieve success.”

The campaign includes native content, high impact ad formats and multi-format video that will run across Vogue Australia’s digital, print and social channels and amplified across the wider News Corp Australia network including news.com.au. All powered by the company’s enhanced audience intelligence platform, Intent Connect, reaching specific audiences relevant to each of the models.

In partnership with the Australian Space Agency, independent creative agency Amplify has launched Beyond the Horizon, a Culture Briefing report exploring brand marketing’s next frontier: outer space.

Amplify’s global Culture Briefings initiative is a series designed to help brands stay up to speed across developments in the cultural spectrum all around the world. Or, as in this case, around the galaxy.

This is the first time Amplify Australia has curated an edition of Culture Briefings. These reports map out key opportunities, insights and must know information to keep brands on top of the cultural pulse.

The ‘Beyond the Horizon’ report explores how brands can take an active role in one of the most generation-defining cultural moments of the next decade: space exploration. It highlights opportunities for marketers to engage with in the emerging conversation, drawing distinctions between the Apollo and Artemis missions and their relevance to today’s youth.

Amplify Australia’s ‘Beyond the Horizon’ debuted recently. An event in Sydney’s CBD featured a panel discussion with Katherine Bennell-Pegg, the first astronaut trained under the Australian flag and Keegan Buzza, director of communications and community engagement at the Australian Space Agency; alongside Amplify’s strategy director, Lucinda O’Brien, and executive creative director, Tim Baggott.

Bennell-Pegg highlighted the impact space exploration will have on a social- media driven generation, saying: “When we go back to the Moon, it’s not going to be with just one TV signal pipelined through Australia – it will permeate through all the different social media and other kinds of media that we have, in ways that the conversation will be far more broad.”

O’Brien added: “The space renaissance is here and Beyond the Horizon has been developed to help brands find an authentic way in. As we venture into this next chapter of space exploration, and our role as a nation is more embedded, we should consider how brands can connect with the next gen by bringing a distinctively Australian lens to the storytelling – one that reflects our landscapes, our diverse cultural identity and our values.”

Buzza echoed this sentiment, encouraging brands to look beyond traditional pathways: “The avenue and opportunity for brands is not just through astronauts. There are so many other entry points to be able to bring space into your storytelling or your marketing opportunities.

“If brands want to get involved in space, I'd encourage them to think about it more broadly than just needing to be aligned to a mission. Look at it from the perspective of what happens within a space organisation, the incredible innovation, ambition and eccentricity,” Buzza adds.

–

Top image: Lucinda O’Brien, Strategy Director Amplify, Tim Baggott, ECD Amplify, Katherine Bennell-Pegg and Keegan Buzza, Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Australian Space Agency

Engaging.io has touched down with a major National Football League (NFL) team to enhance its marketing automation to drive greater fan engagement.

The Florida-based NFL franchise turned to Sydney-headquartered Engaging to lead a major HubSpot implementation following its work with a Texas-based US National Basketball Association (NBA) team late last year.

The NFL team, which was previously using Microsoft’s Dynamics 365, selected Engaging and HubSpot following a competitive review of five tier-one CRM platforms, including Salesforce and Adobe.

The NFL team previously used multiple teams to build workflows and emails. It has turned to HubSpot’s Marketing Hub Enterprise to improve marketing automation and more efficiently communicate with fans across the NBA franchise and associated sporting and stadium properties within its portfolio.

Michelle O’Keeffe, CEO at Engaging added: “This win demonstrates our ability to deliver tailored marketing automation solutions for better business outcomes. Along with HubSpot, we’re helping the franchise streamline its operations, enhance personalisation, and ultimately create more meaningful connections with their fanbase. It’s exciting to see our expertise resonating with major US sporting organisations, and we’re eager to continue pushing the boundaries of digital transformation in the sports industry both in the US and in Australia.”

In December last year Engaging spearheaded a major HubSpot implementation for a Texas-based US National Basketball Association (NBA) to create greater efficiencies, personalisation and a more seamless experience for fans.

Initial results show HubSpot has increased eCommerce revenues through improved personalised customer journeys, dynamic content and targeted campaigns.

In July WIRES, Australia’s largest native wildlife rescue organisation, appointed Engaging to transform its rescue and care operations with HubSpot and deliver more streamlined services for the benefit of sick and injured animals and the wildlife carers who rescue and rehabilitate them.

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Top image: Michelle O’Keeffe

Ideally has appointed Kim Le Gras to the newly created role of strategic client partner, based in Sydney, to strengthen and deepen the company’s key strategic enterprise client relationships.

She brings two decades of experience across the UK and Australia to the customer insights research platform. She has collaborated with blue-chip clients such as Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Suncorp, Kellogg’s, and Woolmark.

Her appointment follows other recent additions to the team, including Elliot Wardle as sales development representative and Anastasia Gorr as release manager.

Le Gras’ background includes DDB Sydney, Hogarth Australia, Yes Agency, and AnalogFolk. Her extensive background positions her perfectly to drive growth and manage the complex, cross-functional needs of large enterprise clients.

“Off the back of Ideally’s recent raise announcement, it’s incredible to have someone of Kim’s calibre join the team,” Simon Gawn, head of Ideally Australia, said of Le Gras’ appointment.

“As part of the next stage of our growth journey, it was clear we need to establish and grow deeper relationships with our enterprise level clients, so Kim was a natural fit for the job. She is an established leader with a passion for building relationships, and her experience within agency plus working with some of the best and biggest companies in Australia makes her an ideal choice.

“Kim’s appointment gives us the bandwidth for growth and to shape the future of enterprise marketing in the Australian market; plus provides capabilities with global enterprise businesses as we expand our footprint internationally,” Gawn concluded.

Le Gras said of her appointment: “I am excited to be joining Ideally at such a pivotal time. The platform’s ability to provide real-time customer insights is revolutionising the way brands and agencies approach creativity and innovation. I am looking forward to helping our enterprise clients unlock even greater potential by integrating customer feedback more effectively into their strategies, ensuring we continue to deliver strong campaigns that resonate in market and drive significant growth.”

Ideally, which launched in August 2023, aims to provide marketers with rapid customer insights to validate and test concepts, messages, products and ideas. By bringing the customer voice to the forefront of the creative process through timely, affordable and accurate research, Ideally helps agencies and brands build stronger, more resonant campaigns.

The platform is embedded in the creative and innovation processes of more than 115 customers across ANZ including Asahi, Telstra, Bupa, Revlon, Hanes, Lion, Kraft Heinz, Afterpay, Nine, and Goodman Fielder.

Ideally is also used by 25 of the top creative and advertising agencies in Australia, including DDB, VML, M&C Saatchi, Ogilvy, Special Australia and Thinkerbell. Awarded Marketing Technology Company of the Year in 2024.

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Top image: Kim Le Gras

PubMatic Inc. has appointed Laura Greally as marketing director for the Asia-Pacific region.

In this role, she will lead the development and execution of marketing strategies to increase publishers’, broadcasters’, media buyers’, and commerce partners’ awareness, consideration, and adoption of the technology company’s innovative solutions.

Greally brings nearly two decades of experience in B2B marketing and deep expertise in the digital advertising and publishing industries to the role.

She has previously held senior leadership positions at Thunderdome Marketing, CNN International, IAB Southeast Asia + India, and BBC Worldwide, where she played pivotal roles in driving programmatic advertising adoption, enhancing market penetration, and fostering industry collaborations across the APAC region.

Greally will oversee the execution of regional marketing campaigns across digital, paid media, and account-based marketing strategies to drive product adoption and brand visibility. She will also lead PubMatic’s participation in high-impact industry events and product launches across the APAC region and report to vice president of international marketing, Emily Yri.  

Additionally, she will be responsible for managing the marketing teams in both Northern and Southern APAC, working closely with cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.

“I’m thrilled to join PubMatic at such an exciting time for the APAC digital advertising market,” Greally said of her appointment.

“With the dynamic evolution of programmatic advertising and increasing opportunities across media formats, I look forward to driving impactful marketing campaigns that further establish PubMatic as a leader in this space,” she added.

Yri welcomed Greally’s appointment to the team and said: “Her comprehensive experience in strategic marketing and extensive knowledge of the digital advertising ecosystem will be instrumental in driving PubMatic’s continued growth and innovation across the APAC region.”

Greally’s appointment follows the return of Peter Barry to Australia following his appointment as PubMatic’s VP, addressability and commerce media, APAC, earlier this year.

See also: Pubmatic names Peter Barry as VP, addressability and commerce media, APAC

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Top image: Laura Greally

BCM Group and Born Bred Talent have launched the integrated social, advertising, digital and POS campaign for the debut fragrance of football great, Lionel Messi.

The global campaign showcases Messi The Fragrance, a bespoke men’s perfume by Game On in a bold, sleek deep blue bottle. It features rapid scenes of mirrored reflections and a moving narration to capture the many sides of Messi.

‘A footballer… a world champion… a father… a gentleman… a legend’ plays throughout the campaign to portray the essence of both Leo’s personality and his global Messi brand, having much more than we see.

“Messi’s brand speaks for itself, but the campaign peels back the layers and public perceptions to convey the unseen sides of the athlete we all know and love,” Shaun Egan, BCM Group’s co-creative director, said.

Sam Boyd, BCM Group’s co-creative director, added: “We’ve used a really simple but powerful duality in ‘more than we see’ to connect the unseen sides of Messi with the product itself as a scent that says something to the world about you, without being visible or seen.”

The campaign is a result of a global collaboration between media agency BCM Group, product development and licensing specialists Game On Product Group, global studio and production company, Smuggler, Australian talent agency, Born Bred Talent, and renowned director and world-class choreographer C Prinz, who has worked with the likes of Zendaya, Billie Eilish and Charli XCX.

Phil McDonald, partner and MD at BCM Group said: “It’s not every day that you are entrusted with bringing a global brand to life, in partnership with the greatest footballer in history, but the Game On team did and for that we are extremely grateful. I can’t wait to see this brand fly off shelves around the world.”
 
Ann Reilly, BCM Group’s head of broadcast and content production said: “This was a demanding and logistically complex production from day one, and we really relished the challenge.

“We shot the campaign over two days in Miami, filming Messi inside a mirrored set which was purpose-built to show his different sides as reflections in the space. The build itself was also inspired by the fragrance’s bottle design, so the entire production felt interconnected.
 
“Our production approach felt fitting for a global footballing legend too, with our partners spanning the UK, the US, Australia and Argentina. This made it an incredible international team effort.”

Stephanie Scicchitano, general manager of Born Bred Talent said: “It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to do a global launch campaign with one of the world’s greatest athletes. Collaborating on this with BCM and such a globally renowned team, has meant we’ve been able to create something really quite incredible.”

Daryl Czarny, Game On Product Group managing director, said: “A huge part of the importance and success of a fragrance is the advertising campaign, so there was an enormous task at hand to create something that represented both the fragrance and Messi’s own brand. The final creative shows exactly that coming to life, which has been a real team effort with experts from all corners of the globe coming together to make magic happen.”

Elliot Rubenstein, Game On Product Group managing director added: “We are extremely proud of what we have all accomplished here. Everyone worked tirelessly to create a world class advertising campaign with the results truly surpassing all expectations.”

The campaign is launching internationally across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and NZ, with the fragrance to be sold across major retailers such as JC Penney and exclusively at Chemist Warehouse in Australia.

Credits:
Client: Game On Product Group
CEO Chemist Warehouse: Damien Gance
Managing Director: Daryl Czarny
Managing Director: Elliot Rubenstein
Creative Lead: Rhian Joseph

Creative Agency: BCM GROUP
Managing Director: Phil McDonald
Creative Director: Shaun Egan
Creative Director: Sam Boyd
Head of Broadcast & Content Production: Ann Reilly
Group Account Director: Jana Tann
Digital Design Lead: Max McDonald

Born Bred Talent
General Manager: Steph Scicchitano

Production Company: SMUGGLER
Director: C Prinz
Executive Producers: Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, Carlin Wilson-Webb
Head of Production: Alex Hughes
Producer: Ashley Roberts
Production Supervisor: Chad ‘Frenchie’ Alburtis
Commercial Co-ordinators: Patty Courtland, Shauna Womack
1st AD: Shawn Thomas
Director of Photography: Xiaolong Liu
Production Designer: John Richoux
Key Costumer (Celeb): Veronica Volpi

Offline Editing: Cabin Edit, London
Editor: Amber Saunders
Edit Assistants: Aiden Jordan, Chris Day
Edit Producers: Dave Frost, Caylee Banz, Amber Clayton, Joanna Dawson
Executive Producers: Ruth Minkley, Kayt Hall

VFX & Online: Cutting Edge, Brisbane
Creative Director: Zenon Kohler
VFX Supervisor/Lead Compositor: Steve Leacey
Compositors: Benjamin Ying and Bruno Ribeiro Profeta
Motion Designers: Brad Coomber, Victor Bandeira
3D Artists: Phil Jackson, Leyton Brown
Executive Producer: Trelise Blade
VFX Producer: Sarah Taylor
VFX Coordinator: Rylee Bannan

Music / Audio:
Composer: Joaquin Pastor
Sound Design & Mix: Joaquin Pastor
Strings performed by: Simone Porter
Additional Sound: Cutting Edge, Brisbane & Ark One Studios, Buenos Aires

Grade: Blacksmith.TV New York
Colorist: Mikey Pehanich
Color Assist: Matt Gehl
Color Producer: Adam Vevang

Photography
Photographer: Israel Rivera
Stills Producer: Carolina Gesser
Stills Assistant: Julio Carlos
Digi Tech: Andrew Claridge
Senior Retoucher: Rebekka Lee Johnson
Additional Product Photography: Chris Crawford

Admosis Media Group has appointed Rob Patterson to the newly created role of general manager.

He will be responsible for growing the agency’s client roster and team, nurturing client campaigns and supporting co-founders Dan Copsey and Adam Ennis in overseeing the day-to-day running of the business.

Patterson brings to the role a wealth of experience across marketing, branding and advertising. He joins after seven years at branding and content agency Willow & Blake, where he was general manager working with clients such as BMW, Asahi and Bras N Things, as well as dozens of smaller brands across Australia and the US. 

Prior to Willow and Blake, Patterson made the shift from accounting at Deloitte to the world of advertising at Clemenger BBDO and McCann Melbourne. He has worked on campaigns for The University of Melbourne, Seeing Eye Dogs Australia and VB. 

Dan Copsey, co-founder and director at Admosis Media Group, said: “I’ve known Rob for a number of years. and I’ve always been impressed by his drive and knowledge of the industry. Like Adam and I, Rob is passionate about developing high-quality campaigns that drive real business growth for brands, which made him the obvious choice for the role.

“His experience across both larger and mid-sizes agencies, combined with his dedication and passion, will no doubt help accelerate our growth trajectory as we’re working towards expanding our footprint.”

Patterson said of his appointment: “I’ve been very fortunate in my career to work with some extremely talented people and I’m thrilled to be linking up with Dan, Adam and the team. We’ve all heard about clients’ budgets being increasingly stretched but I’ve found their most scarce resource to be their time.

“Many are looking to consolidate their agency roster without impacting the quality of work. As a full service agency, Admosis Media Group prides itself on being incredibly agile as well as delivering strong ROI for clients. My goal as general manager is to ensure that Admosis delivers relevant, creative and effective campaigns for the brands it works with.”

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Top image: Rob Patterson

Bundy R. Bear from Bundaberg Rum made a comeback after a 15-year hiatus during the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final as part of a new brand campaign – ‘Forever Classic’.

The new platform was delivered by Leo Burnett Australia with Hearts & Science for media planning and Havas Red who led the earned storytelling of the campaign. It centres on Bundy Rum, facilitating good times and classic moments with friends, focusing on classic stitch-ups to bring a nostalgic yet refreshing twist to the brand.  

To ‘bring back the bear’, Bundaberg Rum and its lead creative agency partner worked with Academy Award-winning costume and prosthetics house ‘Odd Studio’ to develop the fully animatronic 7-foot polar bear, which will be used in all future commercials. 

The 30-second film, titled ‘Bear Transplant’, premiered on broadcast and in-stadium during half-time at the NRL Grand Final and starred the famously bald NRL legend Gorden ‘The Raging Bull’ Tallis.

This is the first in a series of four TVCs that will go live over the coming months to bring the Forever Classic platform to life, all directed by Mr Inbetween director Nash Edgerton.  

To further bring the banter to life in-stadium and connect to the world of the TVC, fans who purchased a Bundy & Cola received a white polar bear wig, with one lucky wig-adorned attendee going on to win the prize of a hair transplant in Turkey. This was facilitated through the NRL Fan App and announced live during half-time.

“The return of Bundy R. Bear at the NRL Grand Final is a proud moment for us, embodying the humour, heart, and unmistakable Aussie spirit of Bundaberg Rum,” Matt Miles, marketing manager – Rum portfolio at Diageo, said.

“We’re thrilled to bring Bundy Bear back to his loyal fans after such a long break, and having Gorden Tallis onboard for this classic Bundy moment only heightens the excitement. This is just the beginning of many more timeless moments with our mate Bundy as we launch the ‘Forever Classic’ platform.”

Tim Woolford and Tommy Cehak, group creative directors at Leo Burnett Australia, added: “Getting the opportunity to bring back the iconic Bundy bear was a real career highlight.

“We’re excited for Aussies to connect with their 7-foot furry mate even more as the whole campaign rolls out over the next few months. We were unfortunately not eligible to enter the Turkey promotion.”

Credits 

Diageo | Bundaberg 
Marketing Manager – Matt Miles 
Senior Brand Manager – Emma Ryan  
Assistant Brand Manager – Laura Rey Rodriguez  
Marketing & Innovation – Hayden Abercrombie  
PR & Culture Lead – Joanna Walsh  

Creative Agency – Leo Burnett Australia 
General Manager – James Walker Smith  
Chief Creative Officer – Andy Fergusson  
Chief Strategy Officer – Catherine King 
Group Creative Director – Tommy Cehak 
Group Creative Director – Tim Woolford 
Copywriter – Bill Scheggia  
Copywriter – Kevin Ma 
Art Director – Lewis Catalano 
Senior Designer – Johnson Diep 
Senior Designer – Tiffany Wilson 
Group Account Director – Tyson Mahon  
Senior Business Director – Thomas Smyth  
Senior Integrated Producer – Libby Spark  
National Director of Production – Michael Demosthenous  

Media – Hearts & Science 
Chief Strategy Officer – Kim Dolengowski  
Group Business Director – Katie Hailes 
Business Director – Declan Peach  

PR Agency – HAVAS Red 
Managing Partner, Consumer & Brand – Laura Cario 
Client Services Director – Georgina Thompson 
Senior Account Manager – Anokina Ruel 
Senior Account Executive – Claudia Warren 
Account Executive – Ffion Williams  

Bundy Production Credits 
Production Company: Collider  
Managing Partner & Executive Producer: Rachael Ford-Davies 
Director: Nash Edgerton 
Executive Producer: Tom Slater 
Producer: Serena Paull 
Production Manager: Celia Tulevski 
1st AD: Adam Wareham 
Director of Photography: Crighton Bone 
Production Designer: Mike Price 
Animatronics: Odd Studios 
Wardrobe Stylist: Sophie Fletcher 
Casting Director: McGregor Casting – Stevie Ray 
Post Production: Arc Edit 
Post Producer: Olivia Reddy 
Editor: Drew Thompson ASE 
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham 
Online: Richard Lambert
Editor: Drew Thompson ASE 
Producer: Olivia Reddy 
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham  
Online: Richard Lambert 
Sound Designer: Damian Waldell (MassiveMusic) 
Sound Producer: Alexa Tonkin (MassiveMusic) 

Bundy Bear created by Odd Studio 
Design & supervision: Damian Martin 
Workshop supervisor: Adam Johansen 
3D Sculptor: Colin Ware 
Lead fabrication: Phoebe Thompson 
Fabrication: Kim Morris 
Key animatronics: Greg McKee 
Key animatronics: Matt Ward 
Animatronics: Phil Young 
Lead Fur artist: Katyani Tumahai 
Fur artist: Amy Vaughan 
Fur artist: Kala Harrison 
Fur artist: Emily James 
Foam runner: Steve Katz 
Mould shop: Luke Brown 
Mould shop: Nathan Larsson 

Optus is bringing three new propositions to market, solving a known customer constraint with creative agency Emotive and media agency UM, following the launch of the telcos commitment-free network trial.

The product propositions represent different parts of the business – Prepaid, Postpaid and Home Internet – and appeal to different audience needs. However, the ambition is far bigger than just to drive sales and convert current demand.

As a suite, they represent an Optus brand intent on delivering great value and challenging the status quo with simple product experience.

Cam Luby, head of consumer marketing of Optus, said: “This work is Optus on the front-foot. Following on from our Network Trial launch in July, we’re showing customers that Optus offers incredible value and simple experiences that are unique in the category.

“This is not about promoting products in lieu of brand, it’s about using our strong product propositions to drive growth and brand together with a focus on customer needs and wants at the core.”

The conscious effort to launch disruptive products to build the brand’s challenger credentials extends to Optus’ approach to advertising them. With the different spots featuring characters ranging from an eshay upgrade fairy to a fox puppet, this isn’t your average product campaign.

“We’re picking up where we left off with the Optus ‘No catch’ campaign, with a bunch of products that people will actually like and are genuinely helpful,” Darren Wright, group creative director, Emotive, said.
 
“This campaign sees people in instantly recognisable scenarios and then turns up the entertainment by throwing in a fox puppet, eshay fairy and amped up nana, all beautifully orchestrated by Ariel and the Scoundrel team.”

The campaign includes three 30″ ads – one for each product proposition, with various cutdowns. And to follow, the campaign will extend into social via bespoke creative built purposefully for format and channel, in collaboration with TikTok. All this is complemented by a full suite of OOH, digital and retail comms courtesy of Optus’ internal Yes Agency, and media supported by UM.

Michael Hogg, managing partner and head of strategy, Emotive said: “With three products that deliver on the brand strategy, the advertising part gets a lot easier.
 
“Offers like Unlimited Data on Weekends and Early Phone Upgrades are disruptive, compelling and represent great value, so they’re not only sales drivers, they communicate Optus’ re-found challenger spirit. We just made them as unmissable as possible.”

The campaign goes live 10th October 2024.

Credits
Client: Optus
Head of Consumer Marketing: Cam Luby
Director, Product & Channel Marketing: Akshay Sardana
Senior Brand Manager: Prue Cope

Creative: Emotive
CEO: Simon Joyce 
CSO & Managing Partner: Michael Hogg 
Group Creative Director: Darren Wright 
Creative Directors: Kat Topp and Paul Sharp
Client Service Director: Andrea Dalton Doran 
Account Director: Aoife Lehane & Vikesh Mistry 
Head of Fame: Ashleigh Bruton
Strategy Director: Gerad Petherbridge
Head of Production: Hayley-Ritz Pelling
Lead Producer: Sophia Del
Senior Producer: Rosie Parker 
Designers: Dan Mortensen & Eunice Nie
Senior Producer (social): Savannah Anseline
Creatives (social): Lucy Karsai and Al Hill
Editor (social): Sam Gadsden
Dispatch Manager: Rebecca Love Williams

Production: Scoundrel
Director: Ariel Martin
Executive Producer: Adrian Shapiro
Producer: Helen Morahan 
Production Manager: Jo Black 
1st AD: Jeremy Fitzgerald 
DOP: Danny Ruhlmann 
Grip: Ian McAlpine 
Gaffer: Matt Hoile 
Production Designer: Michael Icano 
Costume Designer: Matt Stegh 
Hair and Makeup: Briar Wilkins 
Casting: Citizen Jane
Stills Photographer: Ingvar Kenne

Post Production: ARC EDIT
Post Producer: Kani Saib
Senior Editor: Phoebe Taylor (Postpaid & Home)
Senior Editor: Drew Thompson ASE (Prepaid)
Colourist: Billy Wychgel
Online: Viv Baker and Stu Bedford
VFX: The Machine Room

Sound: Rumble Studios
Executive Producer: Michael Gie
Producer: Irene Kakopieros
Sound Designer: Daniel William
Music: Resonance 

Media: UM

AGL has launched a new campaign to highlight ways of being energy efficient, with a focus on reaching Australians in their preferred language, with real stories about real families.

The campaign, created by SBS Media’s client solutions division, SBS CulturalConnect, in collaboration with Identity Communications, is designed to help Australians better manage their energy use and to help ease cost-of-living pressures families are experiencing nationwide.
 
AGL and SBS collaborated to develop bespoke creative based on unique cultural insights, sharing the personal stories and energy-saving insights of five Australian families from First Nations, Lebanese Arabic, Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese backgrounds. Executed as 10 x 30’ TVCs, including 15′ cutdowns and supporting social content, the campaign delivers both cultural authenticity and humour.

Yasmina Pinto, head of brand, AGL, said: “Our team has loved working on this exciting first of its kind community initiative which is part of our two-year $90 million Customer Support Package to assist customers with cost-of-living pressures.”

“Cultural and linguistically diverse Australians and First Nations peoples make up over a quarter of the Australian population and a large portion of AGL’s customer base. We felt SBS was the perfect partner to create bespoke, in-language energy literacy content that authentically resonates.”

The campaign, which goes live on October 10, is supported by a comprehensive list of additional free in-language tips, translated by SBS and available on an AGL hosted web page, helping Australians achieve greater energy literacy.

“This is beautiful creative work that recognises and celebrates the diversity of Australia,” said Kate Young, national manager, SBS CulturalConnect. “SBS Media partnered with AGL, collaborating closely with Identity Communications, to develop a campaign that speaks directly to these diverse communities, reflecting SBS’s deep connections with these audiences.

“As subject matter experts, we leveraged our insights to ensure that the campaign not only reaches but resonates authentically with target audiences. For AGL, a brand that values inclusivity and connecting with diverse customers, SBS CulturalConnect designed a tailored approach that seamlessly integrated cultural nuances into the creative strategy,” Young added.
 
Santosh Murthy, managing director, Identity Communications, said: “AGL has demonstrated tremendous leadership through this initiative by going above and beyond to engage all Australians. The campaign creative incorporates cultural nuances and showcases the impact of authentic storytelling – ultimately, making a real difference to real families across Australia.
 
“With their ability to engage real families and its established brand among both multicultural and First Nations (NITV) audience groups, SBS was an ideal partner for co-creation and implementation of this campaign,” Murthy added.

Credits
Brand: AGL
Media Agency: Identity Communications
Creative Agency: SBS CulturalConnect
Production Company: SBS CulturalConnect

Saatchi & Saatchi and Toyota Australia have launched the new HiLux campaign that showcases why it is the epitome of quality, durability and reliability, setting the benchmark for every other ute.

The integrated campaign, directed by Tim Bullock from Scoundrel, will be activated across key sponsorships, OOH, broadcast, BVOD, digital, radio, in-store, CRM and social with further extensions to follow.

Vin Naidoo, general manager, national marketing division, Toyota Australia, said: “HiLux holds a special place in the hearts of Australians – it’s always there, day in and day out, no matter what with its signature quality, durability and reliability. Owners have relied on HiLux to succeed where others haven’t been up to the task.”

Avish Gordhan, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, said: “There are lots of utes out there that look the part. Those regular utes can do regular jobs.

“But we heard so many stories of people who, when they found themselves in a pickle, needed a HiLux to bail them out.

“This campaign tells that story with tongue planted firmly in check. The warning is clear: Don’t send a ute to do a HiLux job.”

Campaign Credits:

Client: Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Senior Manager, Marketing Operations: Anthony Nobile
Manager, Communications – Commercial and Brand: Kylie Graham
Senior Brand Specialist –  Commercial Vehicles: Kellie Burmeister
Brand Specialist – Commercial Vehicles: Abbey Harrington 

Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Chief Creative Officers: Dave Bowman, Mandie van der Merwe, Avish Gordhan
Creative Director: Piero Ruzzene, Carlo Mazzarella
Creative: Jake Blood & Hannah Payton, Robert Bamford, Ben de Klerk
Head of Design: Tod Duke-Yonge
National Director of Production: Michael Demosthenous
Senior Integrated Producer: Sara Kennedy and Esta Lau
Chief Client Officer: Ben Court
Executive Strategy Director: Joe Heath
Group Business Director: Zoe Kypros
Senior Business Director: Melanie Bunn
Business Manager: Jen Weston
Business Executive: Miles Donellan

Media: Spark Foundry Australia

Production Company: Scoundrel 
Director – Tim Bullock 
Executive Producers – Adrian Shapiro, Kate Gooden
Producer – Tessa Simpson
DOP – Simon Duggan
Casting  – i4Casting, Nick Hamon
Editor/Post Production – Adam Wills 
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
VFX: Blockhead
Audio: Massive Music                                                                                             
Sound Designer – Simon Kane @ MassiveMusic
Executive Producer: Katrina Aquilla
Music Supervision – Michael Szumowski @ Big Sync Music
Production Company: Prodigious Australia
Executive Producer: Tim Pietranski
Producer: Sophie Elliott
Photographer: Janyon Boshoff
Behind The Scenes Shooter: Jeremy Shaw
Stills Digi Op: Simon Taylor
Stills CA: Matteo Macri

Tuesday 8 October 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block recorded a total TV national reach of 1,984,000, a total TV national audience of 1,070,000, and a BVOD audience of 162,000.

Nine’s 9News recorded a total TV national reach of 1,958,000, a total TV national audience of 1,179,000, and a BVOD audience of 98,000.

Seven’s Seven News recorded a total TV national reach of 2,047,000, a total TV national audience of 1,242,000, and a BVOD audience of 68,000.

Also on Seven, My Kitchen Rules recorded a total TV national reach of 1,701,000, a total TV national audience of 915,000, and a BVOD audience of 87,000.

On MKR, Hannah and Lawrence’s love bubble burst when their Instant Restaurant scored 53 out of 110, leaving the couple at the bottom of the leaderboard and at risk of elimination. 

10’s airing of Taskmaster Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 829,000, a total TV national audience of 360,000, and a BVOD audience of 19,000.

People 25-54

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 801,000
• National Audience: 476,000
• BVOD Audience: 99,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 565,000
• National Audience: 318,000
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 536,000
• National Audience: 270,000
• BVOD Audience: 48,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 402,000
• National Audience: 190,000 
• BVOD Audience: 13,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 358,000
• National Audience: 214,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 216,000
• National Audience: 107,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 210,000
• National Audience: 107,000
• BVOD Audience: 26,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 170,000
• National Audience: 90,000 
• BVOD Audience: 8,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s The Block:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,549,000
• National Audience: 830,000
• BVOD Audience: 130,000

Seven’s Seven News:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,658,000
• National Audience: 1,018,000
• BVOD Audience: 55,000

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,366,000
• National Audience: 743,000
• BVOD Audience: 70,000

10’s Taskmaster:
• Total TV nation reach: 635,000
• National Audience: 258,000 
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Data © OzTAM and Regional TAM 2024. Not to be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without prior written consent of OzTAM and Regional TAM.