Google has launched the latest iteration of its Ads Safety Report, building on the progress made with policies for ads and publishers, as well as its accountability for maintaining a healthy ad-supported internet.

In a Mediaweek exclusive, Google’s general manager of Ads Safety, Alex Rodriguez, spoke about how the tech platform blocks and suspends bad ads and advertiser accounts, the reliance on human moderation, and how policies around AI-generated election ads are being enforced.

Advanced AI tools

The report highlighted that Google’s investment in AI-powered tools such as large language models in ad safety, accelerates the enforcement against bad ads, the ability to prevent fraudsters, enhances the ability to uncover and avoid networks of bad actors and repeat offenders, and frees up people to do complex tasks.

In 2024, Google said it blocked or removed 5.1 billion bad ads globally. The majority of these were abusing the ad network (793.1 million), followed by trademark (503.1 million) and personalise ads (491.3 million), legal requirements (280.3 million) and financial services (193.7 million).

The tech giant also reported it suspended over 39.2 million accounts, the majority of which were suspended before they ever served an ad.

In Australia, Google reported 205.7 million ads were removed while 841,000 ad accounts were suspended in 2024.

Google’s Advertiser identity verification tool has also helped prevent suspended bad actors from returning and provided transparency about who is behind an ad.

The program claims to cover more than 200 countries and territories, with over 90% of ads seen by people on Google coming from verified advertisers, on average.

Collaborating with the industry to fight scams

Google has also had a collaborative approach with the industry in combating sophisticated and ever-changing scam techniques. Google teamed up with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance to create Global Signal Exchange, an enhanced cross-industry information-sharing network.

The tech giant also updated its misrepresentation policy to fight public figure impersonation ads, which Google claims have led to a 90% drop in reports of such scam ads in the last year.  

Safeguarding election integrity

Google has expanded its efforts in supporting election integrity through identity verification and transparency requirements for election advertisers in new countries.

This includes ‘paid for by” disclosures and a public transparency report of all election ads that provide transparency for users and identify election ads and who paid for them.

Google is also launching disclosure requirements for AI-generated content in election ads, building on our existing transparency efforts around elections. The tech giant said it verified more than 8,900 new election advertisers and removed 10.7 million election ads from unverified accounts. It also enforced policies against false election claims around the world.

Rodriguez on Google AI and the reliance on human moderation

Google’s general manager of Ads Safety, Alex Rodriguez explained to Mediaweek that Google trains AI models with information, signals and human reviews. After enough training, from there he said that it can figure those things out and make certain judgments on its own.

“Then we routinely sample and test its decisions versus good known human reviews to make sure that it’s acting in a way that we feel is appropriate and we do measurements and have metrics all around that.”

He noted that information and signals can continue to be added but human moderation comes into play when something seems risky in which a person will review and make a call.

“Humans are still very, very much so in the loop and we must continue to do that because we want to make sure that we’re continually testing and probing this model to make sure that it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing and acting in a good way.

“We see that too, by any number of signals, both our human reviews, we also take user feedback very seriously. If a user goes and reports an ad, we have humans that go look at that report or that look at those, the initial report on any given ad. So that’s critical for us to kind of maintain and build our models and make them more effective.”

Rodriguez on enforcing policies on AI-generated election ads

Google was among the first to introduce disclosure requirements for AI-generated election ads. Those policies are being enforced by asking advertisers to be honest and transparent and disclose themselves.

Rodriguez said: “If it is, and they’re not providing disclosures, we do follow up and we engage to make sure that they are correctly disclosing as we see fit for our platform.”

He also noted that the tech giant also has tools and the capability to understand if the content is AI-generated.

On whether there is potential for transparency standards and disclosure requirements to be expanded to non-political advertising, Rodriguez said: “We’re currently considering how and what makes the most sense for public disclosure across all ads.

“It’s nothing that we’ve made necessarily a decision on just yet, but we are definitely in conversations to figure out what we think would make the best sense for the platform.”

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Veteran journalist Liz Hayes is heading back to television, just months after announcing she was departing Nine following a 44 year career at the network.

Hayes has now jumped ship over to rival network Seven, and will be a guest correspondent for Spotlight, the Seven’s flagship current affairs program.

Hayes will front a long-form interview with Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo.

It will mark Lauren’s first public conversation since her husband’s death in a Melbourne hotel room in May 2023. The exclusive is expected to air on Spotlight in the coming weeks.

Executive Producer of Spotlight, Gemma Williams, said the addition of Hayes brings weight to the project: “We’re privileged to welcome Liz Hayes to Spotlight as a guest correspondent. Widely respected for her decades of experience, storytelling expertise and journalistic integrity, we look forward to collaborating with Liz on this special project.”

Hayes joined 9News in 1981 as a reporter and then went on to present the morning bulletin. In 1986 she became co-host of Today with Steve Liebmann, a role she held for 10 years.

Hayes joined 60 Minutes in 1996 and has covered everything from US presidential elections to the heart-wrenching Syrian refugee crisis, as well as natural disasters across the globe.

On leaving, she posted a video to Instagram saying, “I have had the most extraordinary life telling wonderful stories working with brilliant people and an audience that, thank you, you have hung in there with me.”

Over the past four-and-a-half decades, Hayes’ contribution to journalism has been recognised with a Logie Award for producing and presenting acclaimed documentary The Greatest Gift and the 2024 Media Diversity Australia Award for Under Investigation with Liz Hayes.

The award celebrates journalists making an outstanding contribution through their reporting on diverse people or issues in Australia, and was the first time any commercial television network has been recognised in this category.

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The five finalists for the SBS Media Sustainability Challenge have been shortlisted.

Australian Ethical, Fresh Select/Nutri V, the NRMA, OzHarvest Ventures and Southern Seagreens will now proceed to formal pitching before a winner is decided.

The SBS Media Sustainability Challenge is an initiative offering brands and agencies $500,000 in free advertising inventory for the best TV creative normalising sustainable behaviour and highlighting better environmental consumer practices.

Central themes explored by each shortlisted candidate were superannuation investments (Australian Ethical), food waste (Fresh Select/Nutri V and OzHarvest Ventures), electric vehicles (the NRMA) and seaweed farming (Southern Seagreens).

The winning ad will also receive consulting services and training through Sustainable Screens Australia to help ensure the advertisement meets best practice for sustainable production.

The jury was made up of: Adam Liaw, host of SBS’s The Cook Up with Adam Liaw and co-chair of Sustainable Screens Australia; Jane Palfreyman, SBS chief marketing and commercial officer (chair); John Pabon, sustainability author and consultant at Fulcrum Strategic Advisors; Abigail Thomas, SBS head of sustainability; and Kate Young, national manager CulturalConnect at SBS.

‘For the planet, good for audiences and good for business’

“Congratulations to our shortlisted brands – we were impressed with the level of creativity and consideration put into their submissions which showcased how their brand or product is normalising sustainable consumer behaviours,” said Kate Young, national manager CulturalConnect at SBS and a member of the five-member jury.

“The shortlist for the Sustainability Challenge represents the best of the crop in terms of authenticity and innovation, how compelling the creative is to the consumer, creative excellence, and a sustainable production approach which makes sure brands walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

“The SBS Media Sustainability Challenge is very much aligned to the sustainable action we are taking across the SBS network, including our ambitious goal to reach Net Zero by 2045 on supplier emissions.

“We are thrilled at the huge interest brands and agencies have had in the Challenge, which we hope will drive change to increasingly prioritise sustainability in the industry. Ultimately that is good for the planet, good for audiences and good for business.”

Entrants to SBS Media’s Sustainability Challenge submitted an idea for a 30-second television script with a detailed rationale on how it aimed to normalise sustainable practices.

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Adgile has revealed a seat-by-seat breakdown of how YouTube is targeting by parties in the lead up to the 2025 Federal Election.

So far Australians have seen Labor and Liberal locked in a creative arms race on YouTube. Labor have used 266 creatives and 958 targeting lines.

Meanwhile, Liberals have used 251 different YouTube creative and 1,184 distinct targeting lines and have leveraged the platform for tactical seat by seat messaging. Clive Palmer is using a blunt-force approach on platform, outspending the major parties and even targeting under 18s.

“It is clear in this election that YouTube is one of the central battlegrounds. Last time the parties largely used it simply to extend the reach of their campaigns,” said Shaun Lohman, managing director of Adgile.

“This time round we are seeing a four-way battle between  Labor, Liberals, Greens and Trumpet of Patriots for dominance on the platform. The major driver of this change? YouTube’s ability to hyper-target based on demographic and location.”

The video measurement company noted that the 2025 campaign has really seen the Liberals embrace YouTube. In 2022, their YouTube presence lagged behind minor parties, but in the first two and half weeks they have run over 251 different pieces on creative on YouTube, with over 1,184 different targeting lines, often placing creative that is hyper-targeted to local issues.

Lohman said: “This is no longer just a TV campaign where you focus on mass reach – it’s a hyper- targeted video strategy the likes of which we haven’t seen before.

“The Liberals in particular appear to have learnt lessons from the recent Queensland State Election. In that campaign we observed the Queensland Liberals making significant changes to support specific marginal seats via YouTube throughout the campaign. They appear to be now using this tactic on steroids in this campaign.”

 Labor is also embracing YouTube’s targeting, with 958 targeting lines and 266 creatives, but their shift to YouTube is less dramatic and they are buying -10% fewer impressions than the Coalition.

While YouTube provides the ability for the major parties to double down on local issues in their messaging the Coalition has a slight tendency to push a single message per video compared with Labor.

“While both sides are using attack ads it is clear the Liberals are using targeted YouTube videos to really drive home negative ads in certain seats,” Lohman said.

In contrast, Clive Palmer’s party, Trumpet of Patriots, appears to be using a broad brush, outspending the major political parties on YouTube so far in the campaign.

“It is very clear that Clive Palmer isn’t just focusing on traditional media, newspapers or outdoor, in this election,” said Lohman. “He is also spending big on YouTube, outspending the major parties at the halfway point of the campaign, with a broad spend reaching all demographics.”

Palmer also appears not to be using YouTube’s ability to geo-locate or focus on particular demographics; rather, he seems to be using the platform to buy broad audiences across the country as cheaply as he can.

“Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party appears to be targeting every YouTube user in Australia, and this would include a significant number of Australians aged under 18, estimated to be at least 10 per cent of YouTube’s total audience”, said Lohman.

“This is in contrast to the Greens and major parties who appear to be employing a very focused and regional YouTube strategy where they are geo-locating and sending messages  relevant by electorate. So whilst Palmer is only spending 10 per cent more on YouTube than either Labor or the Coalition, he has more ads playing than those parties combined.”

Adgile’s analysis also provided a state-by-state breakdown of YouTube ad delivery and showed that Palmer’s broadcast approach was not delivering a balanced share.

“You’d think Palmer heartland would be somewhere like Queensland. What is interesting with the broad approach he is taking is that he is shouting down some of the major parties on YouTube in places like the ACT and South Australia. One wonders if that is a deliberate strategy.”

The video measurement service also looked at the Greens’ spend and found the minor party launched over 350 distinct YouTube creatives, tightly tailored to specific genders, age groups and electorates, with the party favouring linear television in Adelaide and Perth but digital video in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

“The Greens are still using linear TV in Adelaide and Perth, but in other states we see them shifting spend to digital video on the TV networks and YouTube. It’s a modern, multi-platform strategy, cost-efficient, data-led and electorally precise,” he said.

“It’s still early days in the campaign and negative attack adverts are slowly beginning to ramp up from all parties, with the Greens the notable exception. But in the first half of the campaign we have seen the Liberals go negative from the outset with a very sophisticated geo-location strategy, something they have been refining in recent state elections. We are seeing a step up on the use of technology and they are selectively attacking rival parties on a seat-by-seat basis.

“Labor launched their own attack ads in week two, but the majority of their spend remains with positive messaging about achievements or future policies.”

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The Max Original And Just Like That… will make its season three debut on Friday, 30 May, streaming exclusively on Max.

New episodes of the 12-part season will drop weekly on Fridays, wrapping up with the season finale on 15 August, a strategic slow-burn release aimed at keeping audiences and advertisers engaged over nearly three months.

A stylish series with strong brand alignment

Executive produced by Michael Patrick King, the series continues to follow Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Seema, and LTW as they navigate friendship, love, sex, and life in their 50s in New York City.

For marketers, the show offers a familiar yet fresh landscape rich in lifestyle storytelling, fashion cues, and high-gloss aesthetics.

With a cast led by Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, joined by Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, and John Corbett, the show maintains strong pull with a high-value demographic for luxury, beauty, and lifestyle brands.

A legacy IP reimagined for streaming audiences

Building on the legacy of Sex and the City, And Just Like That… is developed and executive produced by King, alongside Parker, Nixon, Davis, John Melfi, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, and Susan Fales-Hill.

Originally created by Darren Star and based on the book by Candace Bushnell, the series has evolved into a contemporary touchpoint for both audiences and advertisers.

Plans and pricing

Max is available via three plans:

• Basic With Ads: Stream on two devices in full HD.

• Standard: Stream on two devices in full HD with up to 30 downloads for offline viewing.

• Premium: Stream on four devices in 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos (where available), and up to 100 downloads.

Australians who sign up by 30 April, 2025, will receive a special promotional price for the first 12 months, available across all plans. Full details are available at www.max.com.

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TikTok has introduced brand suitability controls to give advertisers greater flexibility over where their ads appear and rolled out its new Brand Safety & Suitability Playbook which offers a guide to all the platform’s solutions.

Australia is set for a trivia experience like no other with the The Floor set to debut on Nine later this month.

With $200,000 on the line, 81 contestants will face off in a thrilling battle of wits, hosted by Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Underbelly). The high-stakes competition will be available to stream live on 9Now.

How does it work?

Contestants begin with a single tile on the arena floor, representing their area of expertise.

Their objective is simple: outsmart their opponents in head-to-head duels, claim more tiles, and make it to the final showdown for the life-changing prize.

The game features an eclectic mix of contestants, from teachers to tradies, nurses to entrepreneurs, with familiar faces like Married at First Sight star Jules Robinson and popular MasterChef contestant Amina Elshafei joining the challenge.

A global game of strategy, skill, and knowledge

Since its debut in the Netherlands in 2023, The Floor has captivated audiences in over 15 countries, including the USA, France, and Spain.

Now, Australian viewers will get to enjoy this fast-paced game, which combines trivia with fierce competition and non-stop entertainment.

With a range of categories that will keep audiences on their toes, The Floor promises to be the ultimate family game night, one where viewers can test their own knowledge from the comfort of their homes.

Produced by Eureka Productions for the 9Network, The Floor premieres Monday 28 April at 7.30 pm AEST.

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Mr Roses has launched a cheeky new campaign that taps into the thought that a bouquet of premium long-stemmed roses is all it takes to stay in the good books.

The rose delivery service campaign, ‘Marriage Insurance by Mr Roses’, features tongue-in-cheek creative running in the lead up to Mother’s Day.

The campaign is anchored by ads in the Australian Financial Review, with multiple insertions booked over the coming weeks. The eye-catching campaign will also reach ears across Sydney via Nine’s 2GB radio network, bringing the humour-infused messaging directly to morning and evening commuters and weekend listeners.

The bold creative playfully suggests that a regular rose delivery might be the smartest policy a husband can take out and one with immediate, fragrant benefits.

Supplemented by a strategic media relations campaign and influencer marketing strategy, the campaign seeks to drive purchase consideration for Mr Roses.

‘We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do take relationships and quality seriously.’

“We know our customers, especially men, often send flowers as a gesture to say thank you, I’m sorry, or I love you,” said Mr Roses Founder, James Stevens. “This campaign gives a wink to that truth, showing we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do take relationships and quality seriously. Whether it’s for Mother’s Day for the mother of your children, or just because, a bouquet from Mr Roses always lands well.”

Data from Mr Roses shows a significant spike in male purchases around key calendar dates, particularly in the week before Mother’s Day, with men accounting for 45% of Mother’s Day purchases, buying for the mothers of their children, as well as their own mothers.

The “Marriage Insurance” line taps into this behaviour with humour that’s instantly relatable, memorable and shareable.

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Nine’s Wide World of Sports will showcase one of the defining moments in women’s sport with Breakthrough: The Rise of Women’s Rugby League, premiering Wednesday, April 30 at 8.30pm AEST on Channel 9 and 9Now.

The feature-length documentary charts the meteoric rise of women’s rugby league, culminating in the record-breaking 2024 State of Origin series, now recognised as a watershed moment in the sport’s history.

Over two million Australians tuned in to watch the inaugural three-game series, and the documentary tells the story of how it all came to life, both on and off the field.

The film traces the evolution of the women’s game from its grassroots beginnings to mainstream recognition, capturing the people and moments that made it possible. It also features exclusive behind-the-scenes access to preparations for the upcoming 2025 Origin series, including mic’d up training sessions with Queensland and New South Wales squads.

Key figures from across the rugby league world lend their perspective, including ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys AM, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, Harvey Norman CEO and women’s sports advocate Katie Page, and some of the biggest names in the women’s game, Millie Elliott, Ali Brigginshaw, Ruan Sims, and Allana Ferguson.

Current stars Lauren Brown, Jaime Chapman, Julia Robinson, Corban Baxter and Kennedy Cherrington also feature prominently, alongside commentary from rugby league legends Andrew Johns and Phil Gould AM, offering a comprehensive view of the game’s rapid evolution.

Nine’s Wide World of Sports Head of Creative and Innovation, Alex Rolls said: “The rise of women’s rugby league has been a phenomenon. This is a story that has to be told and we’re thankful to all the people that have played their part to bring this film to life.

“It’s the perfect curtain raiser to the 2025 Women’s State of Origin series and continues Wide World of Sports commitment to documentary story telling.”

Breakthrough: The Rise of Women’s Rugby League premieres on Wednesday, April 30 at 8.30pm AEST on Channel 9 and 9Now and 8.40pm in Adelaide and Perth. 

In this episode of Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut, I sit down with Jo Gaines, Head of APAC at Asana, entrepreneur, and fierce advocate for women.

Jo’s story begins with her professional challenges, including facing redundancy as a single parent with a four-year-old and a baby.  The redundancy news came as a devastating blow, making her question her identity and capabilities. However, Jo’s reflection on this period reveals how it became a pivotal moment for her personal and professional growth.

Tough challenges continued, as Jo then joined a demand-side platform company, which became insolvent. Despite the executive team resigning, Jo chose to stay and lead the remaining team through the challenging process of trade selling the business.

It was the continuation of struggles that led Jo to learn cage fighting. Through a six-month training program, Jo learned mixed martial arts, which taught her valuable lessons about stepping into challenges rather than backing away. This experience not only transformed her physically but also empowered her to face life’s metaphorical punches with confidence.

My three favourite quotes from Jo’s story are:

“Learning how to cage fight taught me how to step into a punch and be brave.”

“Worrying is praying for a future that you don’t want.”

“I felt like I had to do it all and be it all and, you know, be as successful as possible as soon as possible.”

Her story is packed with honesty, resilience, and powerful reminders that growth often comes from life’s toughest moments. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation

The world doesn’t need more stories of success; it needs honest conversations about hard challenges, vulnerability, and proof that trials can ultimately become 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 where our greatest breakthroughs lie

Learn more about Uncomfortable Growth® & Rowena here.

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Thompson Spencer, the New Zealand-based independent advertising agency, is expanding into Australia launching offices in Sydney and Melbourne.

The agency already services clients in the Australian market including Wattyl, Seagrass Hospitality Group, Chartered Accountants and DoorDash with the move coming hot on the heels of a landmark merger with performance media agency Reason, forming one of New Zealand’s largest full-funnel independent agencies.

“Our vision has always been to build one of the greatest modern ad agencies in the world. We’ve earned our reputation in New Zealand and proven our impact globally,” Melanie Spencer, co-CEO of Thompson Spencer, said.

“Now, we’re ready to take on the Australian market with the same fearless, future-focused mindset. Setting up a base in Sydney and Melbourne allows us to deliver our bold creative vision directly to Aussie brands.”

Wendy Thompson, co-founder of Thompson Spencer, added: “Australia is a dynamic and thriving market and presents an exciting opportunity for us, as well as our Kiwi clients eyeing their own move into the market.

“Our ambition is to help brands dominate, not just participate. We do this by blending creative disruptors, media maestros and AI futurists to deliver bold ideas and real impact, leading advertising innovation across the globe.”

Leading the Australian expansion is Olivia Thompson and Madison Trevella. Thompson has relocated from New Zealand after working with Thompson Spencer for six years and will head up the Sydney office.

As a key figure in the agency’s journey, she brings extensive experience from her previous role at Thompson Spencer NZ, where she spearheaded numerous large bluechip clients such as New World, Mitre 10 and The Warehouse Group in New Zealand .

Trevella will headed up Thompson Spencer in Melbourne working with clients such as Chartered Accountants, bringing local expertise and leadership to drive the agency’s presence in the Victorian market.

Olivia Thompson, Business Director, Australia, says: ”This is a major milestone for Thompson Spencer and I’m excited to have the opportunity to shape the next chapter for us. We’ve already built great relationships with Australian brands and having boots on the ground means we canbe more hands-on and in tune with the market. We’re here to deliver creative that challenges, strategy that sharpens and media that gets business results.”

Founded 15 years ago by Wendy Thompson as Socialites, the agency initially made its mark as a leader in social media marketing. In 2019 Melanie Spencer joined the vision to evolve the agency into a full-funnel creative and media powerhouse.

Over the years the agency has acquired four specialist agencies in traditional and digital media, video production, Chinese advertising, influencer and talent management and rebranded to Thompson Spencer.

Last month marking an exciting new chapter, Thompson Spencer merged with Reason, further amplifying its ability to deliver innovative and integrated marketing solutions. The combined agency now boasts an expanded team of over 53 talented professionals, actively recruiting to meet the rising demand and to continue their trajectory of growth across global markets.

Top image: Tim Pointer, Wendy Thompson, Melanie Spencer, Matt Rowe

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