US President Joe Biden stepped down early Monday morning Australian time. The news broke just as breakfast radio shows were firing up and breakfast TV shows started the new week.

The news broke too late to make the print editions of Monday newspapers, but publications pushed out the news quickly on their socials and then remade home pages.

On Nine’s Today show, the hosts Karl and Sarah were anchoring the program from Paris ahead of the start of Paris 2024 this Friday.

Seven’s Sunrise had reporters crossing live to hosts Natalie and Matt back in Sydney – David Woiwod was outside the White House with Mylee Hogan in Delaware covering Joe Biden.

ABC Breakfast had co-host Michael Rowland outside the White House where he interviewed passers-by for reactions. Among the guests ABC breakfast put to air was former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

As 9am passed this morning both Sky News and ABC News continued rolling coverage of the Biden retirement.

Also outside the White House was Trudy McIntosh for Sky News Australia where she reported back to breakfast host Peter Stefanovic about the changes. Annelise Nielsen was in the Sky News US studio.

One of the quickest responses to the changes came from TIME magazine which quickly updated its recent Joe Biden front cover. It featured US President Joe Biden working off the political scene with just a one-word coverline – Panic. The new cover featured Vice President Kamala Harris walking onto the scene with no cover lines.

The first newspaper commentary came from The Australian just days after it celebrated its 60th birthday. Greg Sheridan wrote:

Joe Biden fought fiercely against reality and ultimately reality won.
Everyone who witnessed his shocking debate performance a couple of weeks ago saw an old man in manifest mental decline who was plainly not fit for the presidency or indeed any responsible job
That Biden ignored and denied reality for so long has done his party enormous damage. It must now pick a replacement in a panic.
Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden endorsed, is probably not the best candidate, but it will be bitter and difficult if she is passed over.

Seven West Media’s new online publication The Nightly quickly pushed out a detailed summary this morning under the subject line Biden drops US president re-election bid, backs Harris. The update contained five features about what happens next and detailed Donald Trump’s “brutal response”.

US cable TV shows quickly assembled panels for what will no doubt be wall-to-wall coverage for the rest of the week.

Speaking to Uber’s relationship with agencies EssenceMediacom and Special, Andy Morley, director of marketing at Uber & Uber Eats, APAC, told Mediaweek “they’re a true extension of our team.”

“Undoubtedly, the reason we began with, and stay with, both agencies is the brilliant people within them,” he added.

The relationship between EssenceMediacom (then Essence), Special Group, and Uber began in 2017 with the star-studded ‘Tonight, I’ll be eating…’ campaign, which featured Boy George, Poh Ling Yeow, Beau Ryan, and Sophie Monk.

Both the media and creative agencies won the respective work accounts independently when the business was new and growing in Australia.

Rob Frost, national head of strategy at EssenceMediacom, told Mediaweek it has been interesting to see how each party has grown in the partnership.

“It means that a lot of us have been able to get to know each other well over the years, consistently find new ways of working together and continue to push for great, breakthrough work.”

Celia Garforth, head of strategy at Special Group, told Mediaweek the agency’s relationship with Uber is “familial in a way that’s rare in this industry.
 
“With that comes all the wonderful messiness, closeness, push and pull of a familial relationship,” she said. “It’s hands-on, everyone leaning in and working at pace together, rolling with the many punches as they come!”

The evolution of Special, EssenceMediacom, and Uber

For Garforth, the early days of the partnership consisted of smaller teams, very little formalisation, and clients willing to “back big ideas.”

Now, teams have expanded, relationships are deeper, with more layers that added time to the process, yet the “let’s all get stuck into it together basis” of the relationship has remained the same.

Frost said the trio’s relationship was “dynamic”, and working with Uber meant everyone needed to be agile and prepared for change.

“While we have key roles and processes, there often isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution that can be applied to every brief. So, our relationship has had to continually adapt in line with that.”

Rob Frost

Frost noted that great relationships and support to achieve a common goal have been consistent over the years between all parties.

“This way of working means that we’re always pushing what we can do to break through, deliver great campaigns, unlock something new and drive growth for Uber.

“Leaning into each other’s work – even as far back as when I worked in the US and Special was launching ‘Tonight, I’ll be eating’ (TIBE) in market – meant that we always had one clear point of view, where creative and media came together as one.

“We’ve tried to maintain this way of working across several markets. Today, we’re a lot more consistent with how we do this,” he added.

The biggest development for the network has been how it has matured as an agency village.

Frost said there are greater opportunities for the agencies to craft ways of working together through formalised work processes with the client.

Celia Garforth

Garforth highlighted this cooperation in a recent example during the production stage of an Uber One campaign, which required a change of purpose to parts of the OOH plan “from a visual-led brand message to various harder-working value messages.”

“Our creative pivot had a big knock-on effect with the media plan. However, EMC quickly reshaped the media plan to ensure we were showing up in places and spaces that accommodate a harder working, less visual-led creative,” she added.

In addition to highlighting the maturation of the agency village, Morley also pointed to Uber’s growth as the client. “We were such a needy and painful client in the early years, always trying to move at a ridiculous pace and changing our plans regularly.”

“As our teams have grown and our function has matured, we’ve become much better planned and implemented processes and a culture, which continuously improves our effectiveness together.  Both agencies have also matured in partnership with this.”

Andy Morley

He added: “We’re definitely not perfect – and I’m not sure we’ll ever be – but it’s a pretty great operation, and we’re proud of the work it produces in a magical way.”

Morley said the partnership between the agencies has resulted in a strong partnership that has built world-class programs.

“The opportunities we’re working on for improvement are getting clearer on our processes and the roles each partner plays in each stage, which we’re continually refining.

“I think it’s good as everyone brings a teamwork perspective, respects each other and gets along brilliantly,” he added.

Shaping each other’s work

A creative and innovative dynamic in close working relationships can lead to considerations that need to be made that shape the output of the work, such as the case with EssenceMediacom and Special.

Frost said that the media agency prides itself on continuously and closely reimagining how creative ideas are brought to life.

“The secret to doing this well is having a media team that truly understands the creative strategy and idea as well as anyone at the creative agency.”

He noted that was evident in long-lasting platforms such as TIBE and ‘Get Almost, Almost Anything’ (GAAA).

“Special are great at determining what makes these platforms successful. Our team then spends a disproportionate amount of time channelling that thinking so that it can be applied in creative ways through media.”

Frost noted that this is the same for media ideas built off extensions of a creative idea and that Special’s creative input “helps to fine-tune experiences to feel truly cohesive and part of the campaign.”

He highlighted Uber Eats’ collaboration with the video game Starfield as an example that delivered an activation aligned to the campaign tone and bespoke billboards aligned to the game and strategically placed.

Frost added: “Creative considerations should always be pulled through to what we do, while media considerations should ultimately impact the shape of the creative execution. It ultimately needs to work as a system.”

Garforth said that the beauty of having close relationships is that “briefs aren’t approached in silos but collaboratively and iteratively, the thinking from both sides influencing the other as we go.”

“In particular, some of our most innovative work has been heavily informed by what’s possible from a media perspective – like several of our Australian Open partnerships that involved hacking live broadcasts or being responsive to real-time play.”

She noted the ‘Get Almost, Almost Anything’ campaign, in which Special worked closely with EssenceMediacom to identify media signals that can inform a specific combination of Uber Eats delivery products, as shown in the ‘Yes/No’ creative. 

Morley noted Uber plays the role of realigning focus in every brief. “Usually, the bigger the brief, the more the complexity of the process, and this is where the marketing managers need to play a more active role in steering the ship,” he said.

He said that building the first ‘Get Almost, Almost Anything’ campaign, which took over a year of work, was a prime example as it needed to be pulled back on track at multiple points.

“However, it has now scaled out to ten other countries and is proving to be a very successful multi-year platform, so it was well worth the effort.”

The key to the longstanding relationship (and applying it elsewhere)

With seven years of partnership under their belt, Garforth said everyone in the village is “rather comfortable with getting messy together.”

“Our projects are not a straight line, so respecting each other as we go, being transparent in it and quite frankly having fun in the maze (or mess) is where the magic happens. We’re in it together.”

Garforth also praised EssenceMediacom for hiring “wonderful people” and Uber for fostering a close and collaborative agency village that encourages time spent together not just on the tools but outside of it at social events.

Frost also shared Garforth’s points on people, agency culture and love for the work as keys to maintaining the longstanding relationship.

“Ultimately, this all comes together in a desire to achieve success together,” he said.

“Sharing successes and wins has been a great motivator for the kick-off of the next campaign, and so on. The Uber AV winning marketing team of the year a couple of years ago is a great testament to this.”

The partnership has also been successful in yielding positive results for the client both in terms of business results and campaign awards. Special has tallied over 100 awards won, while EssenceMediacom recently bagged several finalist nominations for Uber at the New Zealand Comms Council’s 2024 Beacon Awards.

Morley noted that the industry can continue to expect a mix of fantastic work from EssenceMediacom, Special, and Uber. “Some epic failures, some innovative approaches and an agency village who all have a lot of fun and pride along the way.”

–

Top image: Rob Frost, Celia Garforth, Andy Morley

From its South African roots to its mysterious Black Cards club sported by stars such as Ed Sheeran, Nando’s has a long and somewhat surprising relationship with music. When it came to extending its relationship to Australia, the restaurant chain needed something that would continue its legacy as a friend of the music industry.

“I’ve always been a firm believer that brands aren’t built from ads alone. They’re built by the role they play in culture,” Tom Blackburn, Nando’s head of brand and marketing ANZ, tells Mediaweek.

Held on Saturday at Nando’s Fitzroy on Melbourne’s Smith Street, The Chicken Shop Session featured local DJ and dance producer Nina Las Vegas, reggae-rock band Coterie, multi-genre singer-songwriter CHAII, and 20-year-old singer-songwriter ISHAN. 

The event marked the first step in Nando’s local music strategy and its declared commitment to supporting local artists.

Top Row: Nina Las Vegas, Coterie.
Botton Row CHAII, ISHAN.

‘We’re ready to accelerate the brand’: Nando’s brand journey in Australia

The Chicken Shop Sessions initiative follows an extensive effort by Nando’s in Australia and New Zealand to reclaim control of the brand. The original franchisee structure, established when Nando’s first entered the market in 1990, had caused the brand to drift away from its core values.

“At our peak we had close to 300 restaurants.” says Blackburn. “Unfortunately, the jeopardy of franchisees is you lose control of the brand slightly. And what we found is they weren’t cooking the food properly, they weren’t treating staff properly. We were having some issues articulating the brand the way we wanted to. 

“We spent the best part of the last 10 years buying back all of those restaurants, closing the ones that were no good, and rebuilding our footprint.”

Now, he attests, “we’re at this trajectory in the Nando’s brand where we’ve got the right network of restaurants, they look amazing. And we’re ready to really accelerate the brand.”

Finding a place in the ‘cultural fabric’ 

Blackburn explains that the brand saw this integration as a meaningful opportunity to support the local music scene, which has been devastated by the gradual disappearance of major festivals, including this year’s Splendour in the Grass and Groovin’ The Moo.

“The great, big Aussie festival is disappearing,” he states. “What’s really important is that Australia and New Zealand are just so unique in comparison to the UK and US. To really move ourselves into the cultural fabric here, we need to understand what that is.

“One of the big things we see here is the strain on music at a grassroots level. Something like 1,300 live venues have closed since Covid. For us, that’s 1300 fewer opportunities for emerging talents, and it’s no coincidence we’ve chosen to play this event on the same weekend as what would have been Splendour In the Grass.” 

In fact, many of the Chicken Shop attendees were hopefuls left disappointed when Splendour in the Grass announced its cancellation of the 2024 dates earlier in March.

Blackburn describes the local music industry as facing a twofold problem: the reduction of “cultural experiences” for young Australians and Kiwis due to the dwindling live music and festival landscape, and the lack of opportunities for young talent to hone their craft and break-through.

“We’ve got this abundance of young music talent that aren’t getting the opportunities,” he continues. 

According to Blackburn, the Sessions concept was developed from a desire to address these issues by using Nando’s platform to elevate up-and-coming local talent, building on the success of its music-centric initiatives overseas.

Ishan

“It acts over ads, from a brand-building perspective,” he says. “It’s [about] how we, as brands, make being a young person in Australia and New Zealand a better experience.”

“Those musicians get exposure, and everyone else gets a great experience.”

Coterie

‘Music is one of the biggest articulations of creativity’: Authentic brand integrations

As far as the authenticity of Nando’s becoming a part of the local Australian and New Zealand music scenes, Blackburn is confident it’s true to the brand legacy, which began in 1987 in Johannesburg and has remained deeply involved in music ever since.

“Creativity is at the heart of what we do, and I think of everything music is one of the biggest articulations of creativity,” he says.

“Through to the Afro-Luso music that’s in our restaurants, we’ve always done so much in the music space. All the way to our friends like Ed Sheeran and Stormzy in the UK, Post Malone and Beyonce in the US, who we famously support.”

From its hand-painted logo by South African artist Marks Salimu to its ownership of one of the largest collections of African art, with over 29,000 original pieces displayed in its restaurants, one of the best testaments to this commitment is Flame Studios.

In 2021, Nando’s opened Flame Studios, an accessible recording studio and creative hub, at The Old Fort, Constitution Hill, a heritage prison in Johannesburg.

“It’s a space that is reserved for young emerging new talent in South Africa that need access to recording studios and they don’t have the means to do so,” Blackburn explains. “We’ve even done something similar where under our Soho restaurant in London.”

The Soho recording studio, located on Frith Street, opened in 2018. It’s similarly free to use and meant to support London’s next generation of music artists.

In Australia and New Zealand, while Blackburn says the Chicken Shop Sessions represent a chance to help foster a “renaissance” in the local music scene and eventually become a pillar of it, he expects the trajectory to be “a slow burn.”

“There’s a lot of surface-level ways in which brands try to behave,” he continues.  “It starts with helping people at a grassroots level, not trying to create a branded moment of content. This shouldn’t be about the Nando’s brands, stamping everything like it’s a lunchbox branding. 

“This is about a long-term ambition to become a part of the cultural fabric of the music industry.

Ultimately, he believes, “we have to be reactive to the times whether it’s larger scale [events] like this, or it’s smaller, more intimate pop-up gigs at restaurants.

“We’re happy to flex to make sure we find the right thing.”

Tom Blackburn, Nando’s head of brand & marketing ANZ

See also: Flying the coop: How Red Rooster shook off outdated perceptions to drive 40% growth

–

Top Image: CHAII (Mona Sanei)

Netflix has reported a strong Q2 with 17% revenue growth and an operating margin of 27% vs 22% last year.

The streaming business now expects full-year 2024 reported revenue growth of 14% to 15% (up from 13% to 15%).

It’s been a huge week for Netflix. On Wednesday the streamer learned it was the most nominated brand for the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Netflix received 107 nominations across 35 series, TV movies and specials, including for dramas The Crown, Baby Reindeer, Ripley (pictured above) and 3 Body Problem; documentaries Beckham, and The Greatest Night in Pop; reality shows Love is Blind, Queer Eye and Love On The Spectrum; movies Unfrosted and Scoop; animated series Blue Eye Samurai; and its live nomination for The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady.

Netflix has also just revealed the cast and release date for its next big-budget Australian original drama, Territory.

Anna Torv in the forthcoming Netflix drama Territory

Membership closing in on 300m

Netflix global membership surged over 16% YOY from 238m to 277m. If that sort of increase is maintained, Netflix will be looking at 300m plus subscribers sometime in 2025. As co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on the earnings call, if subscriber growth continues it will increase the US$17b annual content spend proportionally.

Numbers of subscribers are not released for individual countries. Australia is part of the APAC region for Netflix. The growth there was significant – 40m to 50m in the past 12 months. The growth in the Indian market would account for much of that.

The best guidance we have to the number of customers in Australia comes from Telsyte about 10 months ago when the Netflix subscribers base was reported to be just over 6m.

Baby Reindeer

Making the platform better

With its latest earnings, Netflix addressed several areas of the streaming business.

“We’re working to improve every aspect of Netflix so we can better serve existing and future members,” said the company’s shareholder’s letter.

The platform has had a string of hit series so far in 2024. Some of the Q2 shows it named included Bridgerton S3, Baby Reindeer, Queen of Tears and The Great Indian Kapil Show. Popular Q2 films included Under Paris, Atlas and Hit Man and the largest-ever Netflix live event, The Roast of Tom Brady.

Other highlights from the Q2 earnings were:

• We began testing a new, simpler and more intuitive TV homepage in June, which we believe will significantly improve the discovery experience on Netflix.
• We’re making steady progress scaling our ads business. Ads tier membership grew 34% quarter on quarter, and we’re building an in-house ad tech platform that we’ll test in Canada in 2024 and launch more broadly in 2025.

Engagement and competition

The company updated investors on time spent viewing, both via Netflix and its competitors:

Viewing is key to Netflix’s success. It’s the best proxy we have for member happiness, and when people watch more, they stick around longer (retention), talk about Netflix more often (which drives acquisition) and place a higher value on our service.

According to Nielsen, streaming accounts for 40% of total TV time in the US today, with Netflix and YouTube the clear leaders in direct-to-consumer entertainment.

Collectively our two services account for almost half of all streaming TV watch time in the US. In H1 2024 (and despite headwinds from paid sharing) Netflix generated more view hours in the Nielsen Top 10 across film, series and licensed titles than all the other streamers combined. The challenge for so many of our competitors is that while they are investing heavily in premium content, it’s generating relatively small viewing on their streaming services and linear continues to decline.

Netflix and YouTube compete for people’s time and attention. Our movies and TV shows drive excitement and fan engagement on YouTube, as well as social media. We believe that our entertainment offering satisfies important needs for both consumers and the creators of great movies and TV shows, who need partners that can share in the risk inherent in bringing these stories to life. Looking to the future, we believe our biggest opportunity is winning a larger share of the 80%+ of TV time (primarily linear and streaming) that neither Netflix nor YouTube has today.

Why Netflix is spending US$17m this year on content

One thing heard often from market observers is the amount of content commissioned for Netflix.

Commentators often ask if Netflix needs so many shows and films, and the answer is an emphatic yes. With 278m member households — and more than two people per household on average — we’re programming for an audience of over 600m. It’s a huge number and to delight this many people, we need lots of great stories that appeal to many different tastes and moods. It’s why we continue to increase the investment in our programming, even as many of our competitors are pulling back.

In Q2, we delivered variety and quality across an amazing slate of loved titles, including Bridgerton season 3 (98.5m views), which is now our sixth most popular English language TV series of all time. #Polin [Penelope and Colin] also propelled seasons one and two of Bridgerton, as well as Shondaland’s prequel Queen Charlotte, back into the Top 10. Under Paris*, our buzzy shark horror movie from France, is now number three on our most popular non-English film list with 90.9m views. Other successful titles include the Spanish investigative TV thriller The Asunta Case (31.3m views), the crime series Crooks from Germany (15.7m views), which we just renewed for a second season, Queen of Tears (29.3m) from Korea as well as the sci-fi action movie Atlas starring Jennifer Lopez (79.3m views), the acclaimed comedy Hit Man (33.2m views) and City Hunter (16.5m views), a live action adaptation of the Japanese manga.

Hits still to come in 2025

In an answer to a question on the analysts call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos spoke about key content still to come:
Just before the end of this year, we’ve got the Squid Game return. We’ve got Emily in Paris return. You’ve got a new season of Selling Sunset, Lincoln Lawyer, The Diplomat, Virgin River, Love is Blind. Ryan Murphy has an incredible new season of Monsters that tell the Lyle and Erik Menendez story.

Netflix live

The Roast of Tom Brady (22.6m views) was the platform’s biggest success ever in live event programming. Something Netflix calls its ability to deliver big, buzzy live moments for its members.

There is a slate of live events scheduled which will include Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats, a live comedy special broadcasting into Australia on August 4. It is Rogan’s first comedy special in six years. Also, Chestnut vs Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef (a hot dog-eating competition!), the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson boxing match as well as weekly WWE programming starting in 2025. In the US, Netflix will be the home for both Christmas Day NFL games this year.

Partners yes, Bundling no

The streaming service also explained its ongoing relationship with partners. And it clarified its stance on bundling which many see as a solution for some of streaming platforms searching for profitability.

From the early days of streaming, we saw partnerships with device makers and pay TV and mobile operators as key to ensuring Netflix was easy to find and use. These partnerships are a win-win – making it simple for people to discover, sign up, use and pay for Netflix. In turn, our device and operator partners benefit through increased device sales from consumers seeking devices integrated with Netflix and greater customer acquisition and higher retention as well as the opportunity to upsell higher-value data or content packages.

We haven’t bundled Netflix solely with other streamers like Disney+ or Max because Netflix already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment thanks to the breadth and variety of our slate and superior product experience. This has driven industry-leading penetration, engagement and retention for us, which limits the benefit to Netflix of bundling directly with other streamers.

Advertising: Ratings coming to UK market

Advertising has been key to driving subscriber growth, as Netflix explained.

Ads fulfill two important strategic priorities for Netflix: first they enable us to offer lower prices to consumers; and second, they create an additional revenue and profit stream for the business. Just over 18 months since launch, we continue to scale our ads tier, which now accounts for over 45% of all signups in our ads markets.

Its attractiveness ($8 a month in Australia) – coupled with the phasing out of our Basic plan in the UK and Canada, which we will now start in the US and France – has increased our ads member base by 34% sequentially in Q2.

We also continue to improve the service we offer advertisers. For example, in the UK, starting September, Barb will measure Netflix’s ad-supported plan, making it easier for clients to plan campaigns and understand their audiences on Netflix.

Testing new ad tech, expanding programmatic

We also have new features like the “pause” or “keep watching” ads and in the two months since the launch of the beta in May, we’ve closed over 60 pause ad campaigns with big brands like Expedia, Coca-Cola, Ford, L’Oréal and McDonald’s. Most important of all, at our Upfront, we announced our new, in-house ad tech platform, which we’ll test in Canada later in 2024 and launch more broadly in 2025. This will give advertisers new ways to buy, insights to leverage and ways to measure impact.

On the programmatic side, we’ll also expand our capabilities this summer to include The Trade Desk, Google DV 360, and Magnite.

Our ad revenue is growing nicely and is becoming a more meaningful contributor to our business. But building a business from scratch takes time — and coupled with the large size of our subscription revenue — we don’t expect advertising to be a primary driver of our revenue growth in 2024 or 2025.

See also: Netflix and YouTube remain top choice for Australian audiences: YouGov

ABC NEWS was Australia’s leading news brand in June, with almost 12.6 million unique visitors in June compared to news.com.au, which had 12.4 million unique visitors, according to Ipsos iris data for June.
 
This comes as ABC NEWS prepares to launch a major upgrade and update to the site, which is currently in a “beta” testing phase to about 10 per cent of the audience, who will be invited to give their feedback.

Justin Stevens, ABC director, news, said: “It’s wonderful that on the same day ABC NEWS achieves the No 1 news brand ranking we can also announce the biggest upgrade to ABC NEWS online for seven years. We’re excited to deliver an even better service for our online audience.

“So much has changed in the past seven years. The media environment has transformed. How audiences want to consume news, their needs and expectations, are very different. Storytelling and technology have evolved significantly.

“This upgrade ensures our online audience gets the best user experience of Australia’s best and most trusted journalism.”

ABC NEWS prepares to launch a major upgrade and update to its news site

In June, Australians were eager to see the latest updates on the US presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on the road campaign trail to the 2024 US election across news websites and apps, according to Ipsos iris data for June.
 
Major stories, including toxic carcinogens in drinking water nationally, NSW’s win in State of Origin Game 2, the disappearance and subsequent discovery of British TV presenter Michael Mosely’s body, and the lead-up to the UK general election and the Euro Football Championship, had Australians flocking to digital news websites and apps as an essential source for their news.
 
More than 20.7 million people used a news website or app in June, reaching 96.8% of online Australians aged 14+.
 
The chart below shows the News brands’ ranking during June 2024 by online audience size.

Overall, 21.4 million Australians aged 14+ used the internet in June, spending an average of 4.5 hours online per day, or almost 135 hours for the month, according to the Ipsos iris data.
 
Search engines were the most consumed website and app categories in June at 21.3 million, followed by social networking (21.3 million), technology (21.3 million), retail and commerce (21.1 million) and entertainment (21 million).
 
The end of the financial year sales had Australians searching for bargains, with the automotive category reaching its largest audience number this year at 12.2 million, up by 2% or 276,000 month- on-month.
 
Key sports events including the men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, rugby league State of Origin, and the Euro 2024 Football Championships, saw consumption of sports websites and apps increase by 3% (+383,000) in June.
 
Home and property also grew, up 3%, or 452,000, on last month’s figures. The chilly weather may have driven people inside and onto their devices, with entertainment websites and apps also up significantly in June. The average time spent online for the month was up 8.3%, with Australians consuming a considerable 129 minutes more on average than the previous month.

Travel category reaches biggest audience

The travel category recorded its biggest audience number so far for 2024 with tourist information seeing the largest jump by 3.5% to nearly 7.5 million, and hotel, resort and home sharing, which increased by 3.1% to nearly 7.9 million.

The rise was likely driven by the lead-up to the July school holidays, with many families seeking a mid-year break in the sunshine. End-of-year travel sales may also have contributed to the rise, as Aussies sought to secure a deal on their next holiday.

The chart below shows the Travel brands’ ranking during June 2024 by online audience size.

See also: Budgets, Aurora Australis, Singapore Airlines: News reached 96.7% of Aussies in May

Journalists employed by Nine Publishing will take industrial action this week in pursuit of a fair deal in a new enterprise bargaining agreement. 

Journalists at the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times and WAtoday will begin taking action through social media and calling for public support. They will meet this week to discuss future actions including stop works.

The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) notified Nine Publishing on Friday of the results of a ballot that showed more than 90% of union members who voted were in favour of protected action including an indefinite strike.

Members taking part in the action include journalists assigned to cover the Paris Olympics, which begin on 26 July.

The acting director of MEAA Media, Michelle Rae, said members were prepared to walk off the job if management did not put a serious offer on the table.

“Members’ anger is white hot that the job cuts will fall disproportionately upon the publishing division, which is profitable and productive,” she said.

“These mastheads are strong financial performers, and have a reputation for award-winning journalism, and Nine needs to put its editorial front line ahead of its financial bottom line.

“Australian Olympic athletes have the chance to stand on top of the podium once every four years, but editorial workers at Nine are delivering gold every day with quality public interest journalism.

“MEAA members are also angry at a lack of acknowledgement of the role that the independent reporting of the publishing division has played in upholding the reputation of the company’s news division.

“They don’t want to take industrial action but management’s intransigence has left them with no choice.”

The MEAA say negotiations have been underway for several months, but management has refused to budge on key claims, including a fair pay rise that keeps ahead of the cost of living, a commitment to better workplace gender and cultural diversity, improvements to grade progression, and adherence to the MEAA freelance charter of rights.

MEAA members are also seeking formal recognition of the charter of editorial independence in the new agreement along with genuine consultation and commitments over the use of generative Artificial Intelligence.

Following the announcement of 200 job cuts at Nine in June, MEAA members at Nine Publishing passed a resounding vote of no confidence in Nine’s managing director and CEO, Mike Sneesby. 

AWARD have confirmed Chaka Sobhani, Nilesh Ashra and Wade Kingsley as part of the keynote speakers for This Way Up, to be held at Sydney’s MCA from August 13 to 15.

The three-day festival will feature a range of talks, workshops, courses, award shows and more, all curated for Australia’s creative community.

Sobhani is president and global chief creative officer of DDB Worldwide and has led campaigns for global brands over the past two decades that have won numerous Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, and Clios along the way.

Ashra, tech futurist and founder of OK Tomorrow, will explore new creative collaborations grounded in creativity, serendipity, and generative AI as part of his keynote, ‘Meeting the Machine Age with Creative Experimentation’.

While Kingsley, head of Contagious Australia, will host ‘Cannes Lions Deconstructed’, the guide to award-winning advertising derived from a week at the international festival grilling jury presidents on strategies underpinning the smartest campaigns of the year.

Mandie van der Merwe, AWARD chair, said: “Three years in and This Way Up is proving its mettle as the place where globally renowned innovators, futurists, and trailblazers come to share their knowledge and insights with Australia’s creative community.

“Creativity comes first, second and third at this festival — no focus on programmatic or tech stacks here. We look forward to welcoming everyone again for two days filled with valuable perspectives and worthwhile opinions on the greatest business driver of them all.”

Unmissable panel events and speaker sessions at This Way Up include:
 
• ‘What Would Taylor Do?: Renowned industry leader and Ogilvy Global Chief Creative Officer Liz Taylor will draw inspiration from another Taylor – Swift – alongside her own career experiences to share how great creative risks can reap even greater rewards, and illuminate career lessons that anyone can take forward to help chart their future and that of the industry.

• What the F**k is Creativity Anyway? What do people think creativity is and what can it actually do? In this unmissable session, Damon Stapleton, co-founder and CCO, The Monkey’s Aotearoa, showcases the gap between the definition and the underused superpowers creativity has.

• ‘We’re together … but not together together’: The beautiful balance of creative client relationships: Some of Australia’s award-winning CMOs and ECDs including Brent Smart, Lucinda Barlow, Mim Haysom, Micah Walker and Andy Fergusson, reveal what makes their long-standing creative collaborations so powerful and productive in the pursuit of innovation and business growth.

• The Work Behind The Work: AWARD hosts celebrated creatives and strategists from The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song,as they go unpack the process, creativity and inspiration behind 2024’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning campaign ‘Play it Safe’ for Sydney Opera House.

• ‘Back to the future: Returning to Adland’: Join creative luminaries Dave Bowman (Publicis Groupe), Tara McKenty (BMF), Matty Burton (DDB Group Aotearoa), and Steve Coll (M&C Saatchi) as they share their experience of moving from top advertising roles to lead tech giants, and what brought them back. Hear their insights and advice for creatives considering a similar path.

Additional festival events include AWARD Uni – two instalments of a curated series of workshops for mid-weight creatives, the prestigious AWARD Hall of Fame black-tie gala dinner, and The Gold Pencil Award Party, giving the industry cause to celebrate outstanding creative talent past and present.

DDB Sydney has promoted executive creative director Matt Chandler to chief creative officer of the creative agency.

He joined the agency in 2014 as a copywriter, following stints in London at Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT. Over the decade, he rose through the ranks to lead global work for DDB Sydney’s roster of long-term partners Westpac, McDonald’s and Volkswagen.

During his time on the DDB creative leadership team, the agency has been awarded multiple Agency of the Year titles, as well as Cannes Gold, Spikes Grand Prix. Last month, the agency won a Silver Lion at Cannes for its “Original Mouthful” campaign for Macca’s.

Chandler is a consistent and active figure in the industry, having served as the national head of AWARD School, and now as a board member of the National AWARD Council. Chandler’s promotion rounds out the refreshed Sydney leadership team with new chief strategy officer Rupert Price, and group CEO Sheryl Marjoram.

Marjoram said: “Matt is one of those rare humans that cares deeply about the work and equally about the people behind it. He is one of our industry’s greatest storytellers. Everyone leans in to listen and in these increasingly challenging times, emotional storytelling is what makes all the difference.

“Matt’s superpower of emotionally charged storytelling, coupled with Rupert’s relentless pursuit for effectiveness, is going to be a formidable force.”

Chandler said “When I walked into DDB Sydney’s Mountain Street offices 10 years ago, I was just excited to be working with the best people and brands you could find in Australia. Honestly, I feel the same way today.
 
“I’ve been a beneficiary of the many talented and generous people who have passed through the agency. The responsibility of now leading DDB Sydney is an opportunity for me to repay all that goodwill by making sure everyone gets the same experience.
 
“The only reason to stay in one place for a long time is because you feel like there’s potential for you and for the agency. Working alongside Rupert and Sheryl and what I reckon is the best creative department in the country, there’s never been more potential than right now.
 
“That potential I see at DDB extends to the rest of our industry, which I know to be filled with wildly talented and ambitious creative people, and I’m proud to be part of it. I hope we continue to all make each other bolder and better, more and more often,” he added.
 
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Top image: Rupert Price, Sheryl Marjoram and Matt Chandler

Are Media’s Gourmet Traveller has unveiled its annual shortlist of Australia’s leading hospitality talent.

The finalists in Australia’s longest-running restaurant awards hail from all six states across six categories: Best New Talent, Best New Restaurant, Best Destination Dining, Restaurant Personality of the Year, Wine Bar of the Year, and the return of the Readers’ Choice Icon Award.

The winners will be announced on Monday, 19 August at a ceremony in Sydney at waterfront restaurant, Catalina, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this September.

Other awards presented on the evening will be the peer-voted Chef of the Year, Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality and the night’s top award, Restaurant of the Year.

The Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards are presented by S.Pellegrino, with support from Devil’s Corner Wines, Lexus, Lurpak, Mutti, PorkStar and Riedel.

Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin said the awards are more important than ever this year as the hospitality industry navigates a series of challenges.

“It’s important we continue to lift up the industry and take time to celebrate these milestones and achievements,” she said.

“There is no question 2024 is proving a tough year for hospitality, with many restaurateurs forced to make difficult decisions. At the same time, there are still plenty of success stories and new experiences to discover; the awards are here to remind Australians of the exceptional dining on offer across the country and to celebrate the joy of dining out.”

Details of all the finalists are in the August issue of Gourmet Traveller. All the winners will be profiled in the September issue, on sale Monday, 26 August, which will also include the annual Restaurant Guide, featuring Australia’s top 95 restaurants.

The finalists are:

Readers’ Choice Icon Award
Attica, Melbourne, Vic
Lake House, Daylesford, Vic
Quay, Sydney, NSW
Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads, Old
Sean’s, Sydney
Vasse Felix, Margaret River, WA

Best New Restaurant
Gibney, Perth, WA
LVN, Adelaide Hills, SA
Maria, Hobart, Tas
Kafeneion, Melbourne, Vic
King Clarence, Sydney, NSW
Pneuma, Brisbane, Qld

Best New Talent
Sofika Boulton, Sonny’s, WA
Jun Hwang, White Horse, NSW
Simon Ming, Ode, SA
Mischa Tropp, Toddy Shop, Vic
Pietro Segalini, Pilloni, Qld

Wine Bar of the Year
Bar Olo, Melbourne, Vic
Havilah, Launceston, Tas
Poly, Sydney, NSW
Otherness, Barossa Valley, SA
South West Wine Shop, Busselton, WA
11e Cave, Canberra, ACT

Best Destination Dining
Chauncy, Heathcote, Vic
Elementary by Soul Co, Mt Gambier, SA
EXP., Hunter Valley, NSW
Nunu, Palm Cove, Qld
Wills Domain, Margaret River, WA

Restaurant Personality of the Year
Sarah Baldwin, Joy, Qld
Lachlan Colwall and Sophie Pope, Omotenashi, Tas
Mel Hamilton, Temperance, SA
Dot Lee, Longshore, NSW
Tess Murray, Chauncy, Vic
Jae Woods, Le Rebelle, WA

Advertising Council Australia has revealed 98 finalists for this year’s Australian Effie Awards, representing 19 agencies and 41 clients.

Agencies with multiple finalist entries include The Monkeys Sydney, 303 MullenLowe Sydney, BMF Australia, CHEP Network, DDB Australia, Dentsu Creative, Howatson+Company, M&C Saatchi, Ogilvy Australia, Saatchi & Saatchi, Special Australia, TBWA\Melbourne, The Brand Agency, Thinkerbell and VML.

The Effies cover 26 categories and are assessed by a team of 60 senior marketers, consultants and researchers.

Chair of judges Colin Wilson-Brown said: “I’d like to thank the first-round judges for their time, insights and scrutiny. This year has seen a high number of finalists progress who demonstrated a high standard of efficacy.

“Round two judging takes that further as cases and results are assessed by CMOs and consultants providing a client perspective on how agency work is driving business performance.”

The Effie winners, including winners of the Effective Agency of the Year, Effective Advertiser, Chairman’s, Best Smaller State Campaign and Grand Effie Awards, will be announced on the evening of Thursday, 10 October, at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf.

The Effie Awards are jointly presented by Advertising Council Australia and the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) in association with Think TV. Sponsors and supporters include Meta, OMA, Tracksuit, Ad Standards, Google, and UnLtd.
 
Agency with multiple finalist entries, The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, appointed senior creatives Danny Pattison and Max Rapley as associate creative directors this month.
 
Pattison has been promoted from senior art director, a role he has held since 2017. Rapley, who joined the agency as a copywriter in July 2018, is being promoted from senior copywriter, which he was promoted to in 2021.
 
The Monkeys confirmed that Pattison and Rapley will join the agency’s existing team of ACDs, including Lennie Galloway and Thomas Gledhill, who were tapped by the creative agency from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners earlier this year.
 
See also: The Monkeys names Danny Pattison and Max Rapley associate creative directors

ADMA (The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising) has appointed Dr. Rob Nicholls, a senior regulatory specialist, to manager of regulatory and policy.

In his role, Nicholls will collaborate with Sarla Fernando, director of regulatory and advocacy, on policy and regulatory matters related to data governance and data-driven marketing. He will engage with government stakeholders to advocate for responsible data use in marketing and assist ADMA members in navigating the evolving regulatory environment.

“I’m honoured to be joining ADMA and working alongside Sarla Fernando, Andrea Martens, and the wider team who have shown incredible leadership in this space over the past few years,” said Nicholls.

“I’m eager to leverage my expertise to help marketing practitioners adapt to the upcoming changes and create more sustainable practices which serve the needs of consumers and business alike.”

Nicholls has over 40 years of experience in competition, regulation, and governance, with a background that includes positions at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Webb Henderson, and Gilbert + Tobin. He has advised regulators, governments, and the regulated sector both in Australia and internationally, and led academic research on the intersection of technology and regulation.

Nicholls holds a PhD and MA from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is an accredited mediator.

“We’re excited to welcome Rob to our team,” said Fernando. “His extensive regulatory expertise makes him a great fit for this role, especially as the marketing industry faces some huge regulatory changes, including the biggest overhaul the Privacy Act has seen.

“This reform will have a wide-ranging ripple effect and Rob’s exceptional regulatory and privacy knowledge make him a fantastic voice to Government for the marketing industry, and will also help ADMA members adapt to the changed landscape.”

See also: ADMA Global Forum returns to tackle marketing’s biggest challenges

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Top Image: Dr. Rob Nicholls

JOLT has appointed Donna Tauro as its new group sales manager, as it continues to expand its Australian sales team. 

In the new role, Tauro will be responsible for managing sales across JOLT’s New South Wales and Queensland client base.

She will be based in JOLT’s Sydney office, reporting to JOLT sales director (NSW and QLD), Hannah Pritchard.

Tauro has more than 17 years of experience in media sales and management, leading teams across strategy, customer solutions and product. 

Tauro joins JOLT from Dentsu, where she was an Investment Director. Prior to this, she spent more than a decade at oOh! in several senior leadership roles, including Group Sales Leader, managing a NSW agency remit, and National Channel Integration Director, executing go-to-market strategy and initiatives across a broad product offering. She has also had stints at oOh!’s Eye Corp and Adshel.

Pritchard said: “JOLT is thrilled to announce Donna’s arrival to our Sydney sales team. Having previously worked with Donna, I’ve witnessed firsthand her remarkable strategic vision and deep industry expertise.

“Her contributions will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and disrupt the out-of-home landscape with JOLT’s unique and fast-scaling proposition in the market. Donna brings a wealth of diverse knowledge to JOLT, which will elevate our service offerings and drive a more customer-fixated approach across NSW. I’m truly delighted to welcome her on board.”

Tauro said: “I am excited to join JOLT during an exceptional period of growth for the company. I look forward to collaborating with their talented team and continuing to build on JOLT’s out-of-home success by driving meaningful client outcomes.”

Tauro’s appointment comes as JOLT continues to expand both its network and advertising partners globally. It recently announced plans to roll-out 130 additional new digital advertising screens across Sydney, courtesy of funding from the NSW Government.

The company has also continued to grow its multi-channel advertising offering, recently adding video and rich media ads to its suite of mobile advertising products.

Tauro’s appointment is effective immediately.

The Butterfly Foundation, the charity for Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, has retained Think HQ as its communications partner.

Think HQ will continue support the charity’s strategic communications activities across media relations, media training, issues management, creative campaign development, events, and ambassador management   

Melissa Wilton, head of communications and engagement at The Butterfly Foundation, said: “Think HQ came to us with a considered and innovative pitch, and an obvious passion for Butterfly’s work and purpose.

“We were impressed with Think’s genuine commitment to tell the Butterfly story, and we are excited to be working alongside the team to drive important conversations that dismantle stereotypes, break down stigma and encourage help seeking.”

The agency’s appointment comes at a critical time for Australians. In the latest Paying The Price report, released by Butterfly earlier this year, it was revealed that eating disorders have risen by 21% in Australia since 2012, with an estimated 1.1 million Australians living with an eating disorder in 2024.

Wilton added: “Calls to the national Helpline and demand for treatment services are increasing exponentially, yet we know that less than 30% of people with an eating disorder seek help – so this represents a massive problem. It’s never been more critical to be visible, share our stories and amplify the voices of lived experience.

“Think HQ’s unique offering coupled with their team’s experience make them an ideal partner to help us achieve our communications priorities, of which there are many!”

“We are thrilled to be acting as an extension of Butterfly’s dedicated and passionate team,” Jen Sharpe, Think HQ’s founder and managing director, said. “We see this as the start of an incredible working relationship and cannot wait to tell important stories together. As the positive change agency, Think HQ is perfectly placed as Butterfly’s communications partner, and we look forward to driving real impact together.”

The first piece of work from the new partnership is due to land in September for Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week (BIEDAW).

UM held its seventh global Impact Day on 18 July, across more than 50 countries and 100+ offices worldwide.

In Australia, more than 400 employees from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra united under the theme “ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World” to help domestic abuse organisation Rize Up and Roundabout Canberra.

Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM Australia said Impact Day is a special day on UM’s calendar as teams from all around Australia – and the world – come together to participate in the company’s loved annual tradition of contributing to a #Better World.

“Contributing to the communities we live and work in is important for all of us at UM. As a business throughout the year, we work to support different partners and charities, and many of our people contribute to their communities in meaningful ways,” she said.

“Impact Day is a very important way for us to stop, step away and focus on how strong we can be when we all come together.

“This year’s theme “ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World” made us focus very much on being ONE family so we can help vulnerable Australians by working with two Australian charities making a huge difference for some of our country’s most vulnerable people – women and children impacted by domestic violence and abuse, and families in need of clothing and equipment for babies and young children.

“We aimed to help these Australians feel like they belong to a #BetterWorld by offering financial and physical support with RizeUp Australia in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Roundabout in Canberra, helping them to move forward with dignity and confidence.

“Across Australia, around 400 UMers worked with these worthwhile organisations raising funds; collecting non perishable products; household items and cleaning goods that have been donated to charity and so much more.

“I am exceptionally proud of every one of us as we gathered to help make an impact on our society.  It is humbling yet inspiring to watch my team help build a #UMBetterWorld for everyone to enjoy, share and love.”

Globally, UM employees participated in activities around three Impact Day pillars:

• Equity – Acts of service that directly impact underserved communities.
• Sustainability – Acts of service that directly impact our planet, locally or globally.
• Wellness – Acts of service that directly impact the well-being of another person’s physical or mental health.

“UMers from all over the globe look forward every year to volunteering as one connected team for our beloved Impact Day tradition” said Andrea Suarez, global CEO of UM.

“Our theme this year, ‘ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World’ highlights the incredible impact we can have when we harness the power of our collective action to give back to the communities in which we live, serve and flourish.”

NRMA Insurance is introducing a new brand positioning, establishing itself as A Help Company, via Accenture Song. The new position aims to build on the insurer‘s near 100-year heritage by highlighting how it helps its customers through its core products and services, as well as its education, social impact, and advocacy initiatives.

The new brand position will feature a new visual identity rolled out across all customer touch-points and a multi-channel marketing campaign. The effort coincides with NRMA Insurance’s broadcast partnership with Nine’s coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

The launch campaign centres around a TVC directed by Sanjay De Silva, produced by Division. Featuring a cover of The Beatles’ classic Help! by Australian band The Murlocs, the TVC asks the question: What would A Help Company do?

“This work shows the power of a simple but deeply relevant idea,” said Accenture Song CEO, David Droga. “In a category that can feel complicated, NRMA Insurance is providing a  customer experience that honours the heritage of its brand and makes things simpler for its  customers. This is the kind of creative and tech-powered solution Accenture Song was built  to deliver for our clients.” 

“Help is a very human thing and for NRMA Insurance it’s more than just goodwill – it’s a promise made to all Australians,” said Accenture Song ANZ CEO, Mark Green. “As NRMA Insurance commits to the next 100 years of help, we feel privileged to partner with one of the country’s most trusted and iconic brands steering business transformation and driving home its position as a category leader.”

Julie Batch & Michelle Klein

“Help has been at the heart of NRMA Insurance since its humble beginnings in 1925 as a member-only company that provided motor insurance policies to some of the first drivers in New South Wales,” said NRMA Insurance CEO Julie Batch.

“Establishing ourselves as A Help Company is a bold declaration for how we will deliver for our customers now and into the future through the insurance we provide and the ways we help  create safer communities.”  

“Being A Help Company is more than marketing, it means taking action to educate and advocate for our customers at scale but it’s also about delivering the basics brilliantly and that’s what we wanted to capture through this new positioning and the first campaign that supports it,” added NRMA chief customer and marketing officer, Michelle Klein.

In December last year, the insurer launched the second iteration of its Until Then campaign via creative agency Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, building upon the platform introduced in 2022.

Accenture Song was part of the agency village that won the Tourism Australia account, announced earlier this month, alongside The Monkeys (part of Accenture Song), and Droga5, which secured the contract with the government agency after a rigorous tender process.

See also: Tourism Australia appoints Accenture Song, The Monkeys and Droga5 to its creative and digital services

Credits:

NRMA Insurance: 
CEO NRMA Insurance: Julie Batch 
Chief Customer & Marketing Officer: Michelle Klein
Executive Manager, Marketing, Brand and GTM Strategy: Sally Kiernan 
Executive Manager Customer Experience, Brand & Social Impact: Zara Curtis 
Executive Manager, Channel, Performance Marketing and Measurement: Mark Echo 
Executive Manager, Business Enablement and Operational Effectiveness: Luke Farrell 
Executive Manager, Marketing Growth and Vector Strategy: George Exikanas 
Manager, Brand and Creative Execution: Lynn Clift 
Principal, Brand Communications and Creative Execution: Mahsa Merat 
Principal, Brand Communications and Creative Execution: Esther Horsley 
Principal, Media: Lisa Jarvis 
Specialist, Media: Josh Harrison 
Specialist, Content Producer: Luke Mortimer 
Specialist, Marketing Partnerships: Brittany Riordan 

Accenture Song: 
Global CEO: David Droga 
ANZ President: Mark Green 
Creative Chair: Nick Law 
Global CCO: Neil Heymann 
Managing Director: Matt Michael 
Executive Creative Director: Barbara Humphries 
Chief Creative Officer: Tara Ford 
Creative Directors: Cameron Bell & Sam Dickson 
Creative Team: Ewan Harvey & Aïcha Wijland 
General Manager: Kezia Quinn
Business Management: Samar Karim, Ciara Moloney & Kevin Diep 
Strategy Director: Tim Wilson-Brown 
Head of Production: Penny Brown 
Producers: Simone O’Connor & Tamara Wohl 
General Manager (Visual Identity): Grace Rennie 
Executive Creative Director (Visual Identity): Richard Smalley 
Senior Business Director (Visual Identity): Monique Ghosn 
Design Director (Visual Identity): Jess Tainsh 

Production Company: Division 
Director: Sanjay De Silva 
Executive Producer: Geneviève Triquet 
Producer: Melissa Weinman 
DOP: Sam Chiplin 
Casting Company: Citizen Jane Casting 
Casting Agent: Natalie Harvie 

Postproduction: The Editors 
Producer: Isabella Key 
Editor: Leila Gaabi 

VFX: FIN Design 
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham 
Online & VFX: Mikey Brown 
Producer: Emily Newbould 

Sound: Massive Music 
Senior Engineer: Abby Sie 
Music & Sound Executive Producer – Katrina Aquilia 
Music: The Murlocs  
Music Supervision (The Beatles) – Level 2 
Music Supervision (The Murlocs) – Michael Szumowski, Big Sync Music

Bega Group is celebrating its 125th birthday this week by transforming the town of Bega into Toastie Town with the help of creative agency Thinkerbell. The campaign invites locals and visitors to ‘Raise a Toastie’ with Bega cheese and Vegemite spread in honour of the occasion.

The Bega Toastie Town rebrand includes updated signage at the town’s entrances and a Toastie Hub pop-up at the Bega Heritage Centre. Toasties are further featured on the menus at cafes, bakeries, and other venues throughout town. The activation is also being promoted across earned and social media, with hundreds of toasties being given away.

“For more than a century the Bega Group has played a significant role in shaping Bega’s local community and surrounding areas,” said Thinkerbell chief creative, Tom Wenborn.

“We wanted to celebrate this milestone and pay homage to the people who have been part of the Bega Group’s journey by putting one of their most famous innovations on the map… The humble toastie. From local community members and employees to the brand’s customers, it’s been wonderful to see everyone get behind the idea.”

“Our success would not be possible without the support of the nation,” added Bega Group executie chairman, Barry Irvin.

“As we celebrate 125 years with a toastie or two, we look forward to continuing to build on our legacy with new products and sustainable practices that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Earlier this year, Thinkerbell was behind the Vegemite billboard that welcomed megastar Taylor Swift as she arrived in Melbourne for the Australian leg of her Eras Tour concerts.

The work further follows the agency’s latest work for brewery Hahn, encouraging the nation to kick carbs, not beer with its zero-carb beer, Hahn Ultra Zero Carb. Lauded Aussie kicker Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin fronts the campaign, literally kicking carbs (a football-shaped bread loaf).

See also:
“From one icon to another, welcome to Australia”: Vegemite welcomes Taylor Swift with a cheeky billboard
Buddy Franklin ‘kicks carbs not beer’ in Thinkerbell’s latest for Hahn

DDB Sydney, along with its PR, social, and comms agency, Mango Communications, has launched an AI-powered Chicken McNuggets recognition campaign for McDonald’s, #BootPursuit.

This campaign celebrates the ‘superior dipper’ among Chicken McNugget’s four classic shapes – bone, ball, bell, and boot – offering fans a chance to win one of 2,000 pairs of limited-edition Macca’s Nuggies boots over the next three weeks.

The campaign is being rolled out nationwide across the restaurant chain, supported by social media, PR, influencer, and sponsorship activities.

DDB Sydney claims this promotion is the first to use generative AI for chicken nugget recognition through Google Gemini as a user-generated content (UGC) entry mechanism.

“The boot-shaped Chicken McNugget  is a fan favourite. It always tops the poll for number one nugget”, said the agency‘s ECD, Matt Chandler.

“It was time to reward Australia’s  boot enthusiasts. The leaps we’re seeing in AI are remarkable, writing Shakespeare, generating  news, and now analysing Chicken McNuggets. What a time to be alive.” 

Participants with a Chicken McNugget can follow the QR code on their pack. The scanner app uses the phone’s camera to identify a boot-shaped Chicken McNugget and provide access to the entry form.

The AI scanner program has been trained to recognise a perfect boot-shaped Chicken McNugget, distinguishing it from other nugget shapes and objects.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing Nuggies back, and to give fans the opportunity to get their feet in them,” added McDonald’s Australia brand manager, Chloe Brannagan.

“Limited edition Macca’s merch has always been hot property, so to give them away with fun use of  tech is the icing on the cake. Or the breading on the nugget, so to speak.”

This campaign follows the announcement of Jack Nunn‘s appointment as creative partner at DDB Sydney, effective immediately. Nunn returns to DDB Sydney after two years in London with  Special and Ogilvy.

Earlier this year, DDB Sydney and OMD launched The Original Mouthful campaign for The Big Mac, a nostalgic tribute to the iconic burger.

The campaign won one of 29 Silver Lions in the Brand Experience & Activation category at Cannes Lions.

It was recently announced that Samantha McLeod, McDonald’s Australia’s director of marketing, was departing the position after ten months.

See also: DDB Sydney appoints Jack Nunn to lead McDonald’s account

Client: McDonald’s Australia 
Creative Agency: DDB Sydney 
Media Agency: OMD 
PR & Influencer: Mango Communications 
CRM: Digitas 
POS: Akcelo

Maybelline New York has launch its Born With It campaign to support the next generation of female music artists in Australia and New Zealand.

The event gives a platform for both established and emerging female artists and aims to engage local music fans.

The campaign will kick off with the debut live music event, Born With It Live at CIEL, in Melbourne’s Southbank on the 25 July. The concert will also be streamed live on YouTube

Riiki Reid, Kita Alexander, Ayesha Madon, Ashwarya Shah and Abbey Stone

Headlining the event are recording artist Kita Alexander, who recently released her album Young in Love, and Ayesha Madon, known for her role in Netflix’s Heartbreak High and recent single Eulogy.

Other performers include Melbourne-based pop artist Abbey Stone, New Zealand singer-songwriter Riiki Reid, and Indian-Australian singer Ashwarya Shah. 

In the lead-up to the event, Maybelline has launched the Born With It Studio Sessions content series to introduce the featured artists and their musical journeys across media and music platforms.

“Maybelline New York is thrilled to be welcoming and celebrating five local Australian and New Zealand power-house musicians into our family,” said Melanie Bower, marketing director at Maybelline New York

“This live concert event and overarching campaign is an example of Maybelline’s continued commitment to female empowerment, and the support of individuality, and diversity in creativity. We couldn’t be more excited to bring this event to life.”

Born With It Live is also serving as a platform for the makeup brand to spruik its Superstay Vinyl Ink long-lasting lip colour, which is claimed to last 16 hours or 292 songs, which will be donned by all performers.

The campaign follows the brand’s global partnership with international DJ, Peggy Gou.

See also:
Tapping into the passion of music fans across all of Vinyl Group’s brands
Kate O’Loughlin: ‘Brat’ is the ultimate lesson in distinctive media devices

Alt/shift/ has partnered with the Victorian Transport Accident Commission (TAC) to lead the creative integrated communications for the 2024 TAC Club Rewards Program and Road Safety Round, in collaboration with AFL Victoria.

The message, Show up for your team. Slow down on the road, focuses on speeding and calls on local football and netball communities across the state to band together for road safety.

The strategy was developed by alt/shift/’s behaviour change division, led by behavioural scientists Kate Napoli and Maddy Chambers.

“It’s clear that young male drivers are still overrepresented in speeding-related crashes. A common excuse is the panic of running a little late, and how socially unacceptable that can feel,” said Napoli.

“With this campaign, we’re targeting the mindset that being late means letting the team down.
We’re showing footy and netball players that their team, coaches, and community won’t mind if they’re a bit late – as long as they arrive safely.”

Under the Show up for your team platform, the campaign is championed by its Late Laps creative, starring former Western Bulldogs vice-captain Mitch Wallis and AFL great Isaac Smith, a four-time premiership player with Hawthorn and Geelong Cats, along with members of the local footy and netball community.

Late Laps is a message geared towards team sports players, particularly footy and netball, urging them to resist the temptation to speed if they are running late for practice because their teammates would rather they arrive safely.

Anna Fullerton, alt/shift/ group creative director, said the creative focuses on a universal experience.

“Anyone who plays football or netball has been in the situation where they were worried about being late to training and having to run laps of the boundary as punishment,” she said. “Late Laps plays off this anxiety by having members of the sporting community bank late laps during Road Safety Round, so that no one feels pressure to speed in order to arrive on time.” 

“Effective and original content is a key component of creating real behaviour change in the community; this year’s Road Safety Round concept speaks to its audience in their voice and gives them a call to action to promote within their clubs,” added TAC senior manager marketing, media and partnerships, Ange Hann.

The campaign is amplified by an integrated communications strategy across owned, earned, and paid channels.

The work for TAC follows alt/shift/’s May campaign for Australia’s largest waste management company, Cleanaway, A Throwaway Decision – a safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of putting batteries in household bins.

That same month, creative agency Clemenger BBDO produced work for the TAC that aimed to give tired drivers a serious wake-up call and address the statistic that in Victoria, 16% to 20% of all fatal crashes can be attributed to fatigue.

See also:
TAC and Clems launch ‘Driving tired? Wake up to yourself’ awareness campaign
Cleanaway taps alt/shift/ for ‘A Throwaway Decision’ safety campaign

Credits:
Client: The Transport Accident Commission (TAC)
Georgia Hillman:Partnerships Advisor, Partnerships, Community and Communications
Ellen Crocker: Stakeholder Manager – Community Engagement, Partnerships, Community and Communications 

Agency: alt/shift/ (Behavioural Change Division)
Elly Hewitt: Director & National CEO 
Kate Napoli: Behavioural Science & Strategy Director
Maddy Chambers: Strategist & Behavioural Scientist
Anna Fullerton: Group Creative Director
Benny Moore: Senior Creative
Royce Akers: Senior Creative 
Damian Davitt: Social & Content Director 
Sophie Truter: Group Account Director
Madeline Garisto: Senior Account Director 
Maddie Wrench: Senior Account Manager
Paula Cardamone: Account Manager 
Lucy Morgan: Account Coordinator 

Production 
Producer: Douglas E Pope
DOP: Jesse Lane
1st AC: Oscar Nastri
2nd AC: Monty Callen
Gaffer: Hamish Rayner 
Tracking services: The Mountain Goats Films
Sound recordist: Andrew Collie Richards
Photography: Paul Hermes
H&MU: Nat Vincetich
Production assistant: Sammie Walters
Edit: Good Grief
Sound Design/Mix: Andrew Collie Richards

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Top Image: Mitch Wallis

TV Report 21 July 2024:

Nine TV Report

Travel Guides

Nine’s evening began with Travel Guides.

The guides went on an Olympic-sized tour of France – starting in the host city of Paris. They dove into the country’s food and art scenes, took in the Moulin Rouge, before an emotional visit to Normandy.

NRL – Sea Eagles v Titans

The Sea Eagles v Titans game on Nine saw the Sea Eagles dominate, winning the game 38-8 at 4 Pines Park in Sydney.

Seven TV Report

Dancing with the Stars

On Seven, Fashion designer and model Nadia Bartel became the first to hang up her dancing shoes on Dancing With The Stars after AFL legend Ben Cousins escaped a close brush with elimination. 

Having recovered from her injury, an emotional Julie Goodwin thrilled the crowd with her Viennese Waltz, scoring 27 points. 

The final leaderboard for the night:

James Stewart and Jorja Freeman: 31
Lisa McCune and Ian Waite: 30
Ant Middleton and Alex Vladimirov: 30
Julie Goodwin and Andrey Gorbunov: 27
Ben Cousins and Siobhan Power: 16
Nadia Bartel and Lyu Masuda: 15

7NEWS Spotlight

The program looked into The Enhanced Games, the controversial, modern alternative to the Olympics. The new competition sees elite athletes push themselves to the limit with drugs to enhance their performance.

10 TV Report

The Sunday Project

On 10, The Sunday Project looked into the fact that more animals than previously thought could have names for each other and spoke to Budjerah and Bindi Irwin.

ABC

Spicks and Specks

MSO’s Ben Northey and Athina from Gut Health were guests this week with Cam James and Peter Helliar. Plus, the Bamboos guest star playing Look What They’ve Done to My Song Ma.

SBS

The Secrets of Mount Olympus

Once the residence of the gods in Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was celebrated by ancient peoples for its supernatural phenomena. Today, scientists are going to seek rational explanations of events which gave birth to myths, thanks to an exploration of the highest part of the mountain, towering 2917 meters above the Aegean Sea.