Twenty years ago, the pioneering, rule-breaking, kind of mad, definitely controversial Naked Communications launched with founding members Mat Baxter, Adam Ferrier, and Mike Wilson.

If Ferrier had his time over, “I wouldn’t sell to a basket case holding company,” he tells Mediaweek. “Working out who you’re going to sell the business to is a really fundamental issue.”

At last night’s reunion, Wilson read from the journal he kept of the heady, crazy first few months. His former boss gifted him the notebook as a parting gift when he left to set up the shop.

“Adam and Mat were increasingly at loggerheads and we will have to resolve this or the whole thing will never work,” one 2004 entry read.

“We’ve been getting a bit too much PR recently, and we’ve learned that a bit too much PR isn’t a good thing,” read another.

‘A lawyer came in and she had to sit on a cardboard box’

Baxter has just been named APAC CEO of marketing investment analytics company Mutinex. Ferrier is the co-founder of hot shop Thinkerbell. Wilson is chair of media agency Hatched after eight years leading Havas.

The latter tells Mediaweek that while that trio worked at that moment in time, he can’t necessarily articulate Naked’s success: “sometimes when things work, there’s an intangible magic that isn’t easily explained.

“It’s the same in relationships, or in culture, or in any creative endeavour. When sometimes the timing and the people and the ideas are just right for the time. I think that’s what Naked did. We had the right thinking at the right time, with the right people.”

Mike Wilson at the Naked Reunion, reading from the journal

Naked launched in the UK in 2000, and in Australia four years later. In 2015, Enero Group (then known as Photon Group) acquired it.

During its heyday, Naked pioneered earned media strategy, quickly establishing itself as a truly disruptive force in the local market as it delivered impactful work for clients including Coca-Cola, Who Gives a Crap, FBI Radio, and the Transport Accident Commission.

Ferrier recalls pitching on Coke when Naked was just three months old. “We had a chart and the chart read, ‘What the fuck do you know cool?’. I remember thinking that’s nice and brave… I remember thinking that was kind of fun.

“I remember their very first business meeting we had, a lawyer came in and she had to sit on a cardboard box because we had no furniture. I remember riding my bike around the office when we took the lease out because we had no people in it.”

There was bike-riding and there was controversy. In 2007, Diageo fired Naked due to comments Baxter made about targeting binge drinkers. In 2013, the Labor Party fired Naked for soliciting free advertising and tailored articles from media outlets in exchange for an interview with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Yet, 20 years on, Naked is still revered, as evidenced by the alumni and admirers in attendance, including: Pauly Grant, chief talent officer APAC & ANZ at Publicis; Imogen Hewitt, chief media officer at Publicis Groupe and ANZ CEO at Spark Foundry; Ian Perrin, MD at Speed; Mark Lollback founder at Global Mentorship; Fiona Johnston, chief client officer ANZ at dentsu; Henry Innis global CEO at Mutinex and Baxter’s new boss; co-founder and chief executive of Multinex; Carl Ratcliff, founder of This is the Day; and Paul Swann, Thinkerbell ECD.

“My biggest personal learning surprisingly came from Adam and is still the most important advice I have ever been given,” Perrin, former MD of Naked, tells Mediaweek.

“He told me that we are all far closer to insanity than we will ever let on. Knowing that everyone is as close to the edge as me was incredibly comforting. My favourite professional learning was helping to build a communications approach based on behaviour change.

“My best memory was when we fired one of Australia’s largest advertisers. It was as liberating as all hell.

“Adland should learn from Naked that sometimes bullshit and bluster may win awards, but they aren’t a great business model.”

Zoe Scaman, the UK-based founder of strategy studio Bodacious, reminisced on “the chaos, the creativity, the debauchery, the brilliance,” in the lead up to the reunion.

“When I left, they presented me with a calendar in which they’d all posed sans-clothing with perfectly placed props in different rooms around the office, with the line ‘with you we were Naked, without you we’re just nude’. Legendary… And don’t get me started on the parties. I tried to find a few photos to share, but every single one was NSFW!”

‘Incredible belief and drive can achieve just about anything.’

“Part of the reason I’ve done what I’ve done with Mutinex this week is to try respark some of that disruption in my own career again, here in Australia and be part of another conversation about moving the industry forward, because I think Naked was really ahead of its time,” Baxter says.

“It was one of those rare brands in the industry that did really reframe, for all of us, what marketing can do.” 

He uses the Coca Cola win as an example: “To take the brand – one of the world’s biggest and most iconic brands – and just completely challenge the conventions of how they’ve marketed that brand through media historically.”

“For me, I think that’s still got to be the single most memorable moment, because it really was when Naked was properly born as a true, credible, authentic business with a serious global client.”

Wilson reckons Naked taught him that “incredible belief and drive can achieve just about anything.

“The model was interesting, challenging some of the pre-existing models. [But] what really made it hum was that you had people who were so passionate in their ideas, and so driven to make those ideas happen. So we could do things that hadn’t been done before.”

“Just look at the founders, you’ve got Adam and Mat. Not only were they very clever people, but they would work so hard to get an idea to come to life; they had that drive.

“I think there’s lots of smart people in the industry, and loads of people have great ideas. But there’s only a certain proportion of them who are prepared to stop at nothing to make sure their ideas see the light of day. Adam and Mat both had that drive.”

Naked were ‘flag bearers’

Wilson believes that since Naked, ad agencies have learnt “very quickly,” and “some of the elements that Naked brought to the fore were quickly adopted.”

“Whether it’s in creative businesses, who think about idea amplification in a broader set of channels than perhaps they used to when everything was so ad centric. Lots of businesses are now much more ideas centric, which is as it should be, and I think in media agencies, that whole category has changed. 

“It’s not entirely down to Naked, but Naked were one of the flag bearers for strategic thinking and the value of media thinking beyond traditional media planning and buying.”

Ferrier adds “the rise of Accenture Song and how they’re solving problems across the entire business ecosystem – from EX to CX, and then to prospective customers as well” is “an interesting wake up call for everyone.”

“Even Mat going to Multinex … they’re two interesting proof points that clients really are interested in partners who help them solve the problem first, and then work out what the execution of that might look like second. I reckon that’s got interesting repercussions for agencies and consultancies.”

Too many agencies still focus on buying media or making ads, he says.

“They’re thinking about getting those things out into the world. They’re not thinking about the actual problem the client has.”

Baxter agrees. He recently took issue with US media agency execs promoting TikTok, claiming it creates and perpetuates bias. 

“Back in the time that we started, it was through having independence of thought and objectivity free of vested interests,” he says of Naked, “No longer being a mouthpiece for certain channels or media owners. Not defaulting always to TV as the first port of call to solve a major client challenge. We created that objectivity and that creativity of thought, through just the brains in people’s heads, because we didn’t have a lot of the tools and capabilities that we have 20 years on.”

Now that we are 20 years on, Baxter wants “modern day Nakeds popping up much more frequently than they are.”

“There needs to be more companies out there giving it a go. One of the things I do love about Australia, I do think it has a really brave spirit [which] is something that I’ve noticed since coming back from America [where he led Huge and Initiative].

“I think we could use that to our advantage. As a culture we’re straight talking, we get down to business. I think we could use that to strengthen our power and our leverage in the world market in the industry even more.”

But in this effort towards progress, Baxter calls out an industry irony of agencies advocating for change to clients while resisting it internally.

“For all the talk our industry has about advising clients to be disruptive, be innovative… the internal culture within those very agencies are actually the most resistant to disruption and change.”

He calls for “a bit more of a rebellious spirit and a bit more willing to rip up the rulebook and rewrite the rules, as opposed to just adjusting them in small and slightly tricky ways.

“That spirit of being more risk-taking, more adventurous, braver, bolder, more rebellious; those are good things for any industry to embrace when things around us are changing at the rate at which they’ve changed.

“With the arrival of AI, and the arrival of all these shifts in consumer behaviour, we continue to see the evolution of the channel ecosystem, the evolution of how marketing is held to account within its own business, and the expectations from both boards, CFOs, and shareholders about marketing’s contribution to growth.

“I think we need to have a wholesale rethink about how we design and architect for that future. Sometimes just completely throwing the rulebook out, and starting from a blank sheet of paper is often a good method to get there, and I don’t think we do enough of that.”

‘I don’t think if it had been entirely up to Adam and I, we would have sold’

Ferrier would “make sure there’s a little bit more professionalism” and “discipline and processes under the chaos” if he was building Naked today.

“What I’ve learned at Thinkerbell is that having the systems and processes and professional underpinning to an agency is really important, and can help an agency grow and create really good work.”

Wilson says “what I would do is connect more with an executional capability in all aspects of the business because it would give us a stronger commercial foothold.” He also wonders how different things might have been if they never sold.

“It was absolutely fair that the original founders in the UK were able to realise some value from investment.

“They’d been doing it longer than we had at Naked because they launched in 2000. However, Australia was still very much on the up, and I don’t think if it had been entirely up to Adam and I, we would have sold. Photon was certainly an interesting group.”

Wilson sums up the force and flaws of Naked: “Naked was a great idea. It wasn’t always a great business.”

–

Top image: Mat Baxter, Adam Ferrier & Mike Wilson

By Odette Barry, founder of PR agency Odette & Co and host of Hack Your Own PR

If the 21st century public relations landscape tells us anything it’s that the old adage “all publicity is good publicity” has had its day.

Publicist and notorious PR, Roxy Jacenko, is feeling the consequences of that. Not only is she being savaged by her peers for the structurally deceptive $10 million dollar house giveaway, she is also coping flak for playing the victim in this real estate grift gone wrong.

Unfortunately, marketing stunts like these not only fail spectacularly for the offending PR when exposed, they also fling debris across the whole industry.

As a publicist, this attention-seeking at all costs tactic leaves me frustrated and embarrassed, sentiments many in the industry are feeling too.

Despite spending years demonstrating to clients already wary of PR that you don’t need to resort to cheap tactics and unethical behaviour to get your message across, it only takes one Jacenko to bring it all down. 

Back in March, Jacenko announced she was giving away a $10 million Sydney beachside house in Cronulla. To enter the competition all you had to do was sign up to her online Bootcamp course for as little as $29. The more Bootcamp access you purchased (up to $499) the more entries you received.

Bootcamp subscribers amassed some 7000 entries into the scheme, putting their trust in the high-profile influencer only to find out later that nobody was ever going to win the house. 

What it did offer the victorious subscriber was an entry into another near-impossible-to-win competition run by a second party, its fine print also citing the house may not be won. 

This visibility at all costs, burn and churn approach to PR is really toxic for the industry. 

It flies in the face of what PR is traditionally meant to be about. It’s not just about visibility; it’s about how people think and feel about the brand or mission being publicised, not simply that they know it exists.

We don’t need more churn and burn PR. We need to slow down and think.

Our industry should lead with clear, considered, and consistent campaigns that build visibility and trust. A slower, more measured approach, designed around how you want the community to feel about your brand, your personality, and your values.  

The question PRs need to be asking after this fiasco is: Do these fast, flashy ideas or free sets of steak knives really belong in today’s PR landscape? 

Where is the tipping point that will see ridiculous, disingenuous offers no longer tolerated by the client and the consumer? 

In Jacenko’s case, the fallout from her approach was enough for the influencer to publicly offer Bootcamp refunds out of her own pocket – which she went to great lengths to reiterate, while trying to distance herself from a competition that literally had her name all over it. 

While mainstream media gave airtime to Jacenko and her too-good-to-be-true offer, little was known about the actual product – the online course at the centre of the controversy. 

Which begs the questions: Why wasn’t the course content provided by such a high-profile creator enough to speak for itself? Why the need to give the Bootcamp a $10 million leg up?

While there are spaces for clever, well-executed pop-up campaigns, I still believe the best and most effective strategies begin with trust, between the PR and the client and therefore the client and consumer.

Jacenko and her now estranged collaborator are now in the process of blaming one another publicly for the flawed proposal while both claiming to have prioritised their customers’ needs despite overseeing a competition framework that says the opposite. 

It’s a reminder the most successful campaigns are based on substance, not sensationalism. You want people to remember your name – but not for all the wrong reasons.

–

Top image: Odette Barry 

April’s Ipsos iris numbers show that a series of major breaking news events drove news traffic, resulting in more than 20.7 million people using a news website or app during the month – reaching 96.6% of online Australians aged 14+.

The Westfield Bondi Junction attacks and Western Sydney church stabbings saw Sydney-based news outlets The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph record online audience increases of around one million. These are the highest-ever audiences for the two brands since Ipsos iris launched in 2023.

See Also: Westfield Bondi knife attack sees news figures spike as TV networks broadcast rolling coverage

Other major news events driving news in April include the Bruce Lehrmann defamation verdict, Sunrise reporter Nathan Templeton being found dead, the Iran drone attack on Israel, and King Charles’ and Kate Middleton’s cancer updates.

Speaking to Mediaweek earlier this month, Seven’s newly-appointed news boss Anthony de Ceglie predicted that the Ipsos iris ratings for the network’s digital newspaper The Nightly would “shoot the lights out”. The title did not reach the top 20 in April, recording an audience of 1.808 million.

For the 16th month in a row, News Corp’s news.com.au has topped the list of digital news brands, this month recording an audience of 12.397 million, with an average time spent on the site of 27 minutes per person.

News.com.au Editor Kerry Warren pointed to the Westfield Bondi Junction tragedy on Saturday, 13 April, as one of the biggest reasons readers came to the site. 

“In one of their darkest times, Australians turned to us for updates as they struggled to understand the horror that was unfolding. We saw a spike in readers coming directly to our homepage, as our reporters and editors worked around the clock to ensure every angle was covered and Australians were informed,” Warren said.

Gaming on the rise

Gaming on websites and apps was popular during April, with audiences rising by 2.7% on the month prior, which equates to almost 16.6 million Australians aged 14+.

The results are driven by men aged 14 to 24, with their usage of gaming sites and apps up +10.2% compared to March.

The other two groups with significant increases in games app and website usage in April were men aged 65+, rising by +9.1%, and women aged 40-54, up +7.3%.

–

Top Image: Flowers laid at Bondi Junction Westfield 

President of anime streaming service Crunchyroll, Rahul Purini, says that the service has had to continue to educate partners and advertisers on misconceptions around anime.

Speaking exclusively to Mediaweek, Purini explains that similar to the gaming industry, there are a lot of assumptions and myths about who anime is for.

“When working with advertisers, we try to help them understand that our audience is young, split evenly between male and female, they are highly engaged and very passionate,” he says.

“We also have to inform advertisers that our audience does not just ‘watch’, they are fully invested in the ecosystem of not only anime but pop culture. They buy DVDs, dress up in cosplay, frequent conventions, and spend more money on merchandise there.

“However, it’s still very much a work in progress, because our model is not the same as general entertainment content or streaming. It is new and we have to do the work to let advertisers know that while we are niche, the opportunity is there.”

Crunchyroll is a media and entertainment company focused on bringing Japanese animation – anime – that is conceived and created in Japan to global audiences. It is an independently operated joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

While Crunchyroll might not be a household name, the company has operated in some form in Australia for almost 20 years. 

Madman Entertainment first brought anime to Australia and launched a service called ‘Anime Lab’, a first of its-kind anime streaming platform in Australia. Funimation was another company that brought anime to Australia for close to 15 years. Now, both companies have been folded into Crunchyroll and all operate under the brand name. 

Black Butler: Public School Arc

“Fortunately for us, all of those teams are together under one Crunchyroll brand now so Australia is a market where we have really served the audience for a long time, longer than some might realise,” Purini says.

“Australia is such an important market for us because of how mature it is. The Australian market is one of those markets where we are able to engage with fans across our full set of offerings.

“We have a very successful home video collectibles market which sees fans continue to buy video Blu-ray box sets of different anime and also our theatrical business is something we are really excited about in this market. We released Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and The Heron here at the end of last year and it further proved our strong partnership with long-time fans in Australia.”

In terms of growth trajectory in Australia, Crunchyroll is seeing viewership increase off the back of its various pricing options for users. 

The platform offers a free tier and three paid tiers. The free version is ad-supported and users cannot access its full anime catalogue. The $7.99-per-month ‘Premium Fan’ tier removes all ads and grants full access to the catalogue, while the $11.99-per-month ‘Mega Fan’ tier offers discounts on Crunchyroll’s online store and offline viewing. Finally, the $15.99-per-month ‘Ultimate Fan’ tier lets viewers stream on more devices at once and includes annual physical gifts.

Crunchyroll Dashboard

The company is growing, Purini explains, and Australia is a growing region.

“Over the last 12 to 18 months in Australia, we have seen over 30% growth in terms of viewership in the region,” Purini continues.

“Even at an individual consumer level, we are seeing about 900 minutes consumed per month on average in this region. That’s nearly two hours a day. Australia continues to prove itself as a top performing, highly engaged market for us.”

Purini says that the popularity of anime among young audiences has to do with how Japanese creators tell stories and how distinct those stories are.

“Young audiences not only in Australia but across the world don’t get enough of that unique set of stories and themes.

“Anime builds a need for them, combined with the stunning visuals, the amazing plots, music and character building; it just connects with audiences like no other medium does.”

G Squared has nabbed The Hallway’s former general manager Chris Murphy to lead its dedicated performance media creative division.

The digital consultancy’s new division will allow G Squared clients to tap into a team of creative specialists who will develop, optimise, and scale effective campaigns across digital media channels.

George Photios, G Squared’s co-founder and director of performance, said: “As media evolves and client requirements change, delivering high-impact creative which is iterative, scalable, and drives results is no longer a nice to have, but essential for strong returns on marketing investment.

“We’re delighted that Chris, with his extensive agency and brand experience, has joined G Squared to build this new offering and ensure our partners realise their business growth targets.”
 
As head of creative, Murphy will lead the new service pillar, working alongside G Squared’s consultants and clients to deliver impactful creative campaigns across digital channels.

He joins after more than four years at The Hallway, where he set up the agency’s performance arm before becoming general manager, working with clients such as BINGE, GWM Haval and Tourism Fiji.

Murphy has over a decade’s experience at creative agencies in the UK and Australia, such as Wunderman Thompson, BWM Dentsu, Saatchi and Saatchi London, and Grey London.

He was accepted for the Marketing Academy in 2022, is an UnLtd Ambassador for Good, and has a YouTube channel called ‘Sh*t. What now?’ to help young people break into the industry.

Murphy said of his appointment: “Clients need work that works in this economy. They need to see it make a difference with immediacy and have the ability to optimise campaigns in real time. Laser-focused performance creative campaigns are now critical and I can’t wait to get stuck in and start this exciting new chapter of my career.”

In April, G Squared appointed John Phung to the newly-created role of head of data and analytics to lead data analysis and reporting capabilities across creative, paid media, SEO, and web.

See also: G Squared appoints AKQA’s John Phung as head of data and analytics

–

Top image: Chris Murphy

Taskmaster Australia’s co-host Tom Cashman believes the new cast of comedians gives it a unique identity, despite its origins as an adaptation from the UK format of the same name.

“We try not to go too hard on how Aussie we make our tasks, because we feel like our comedians are more than capable of bringing that Aussie flavour to a format that’s not originally Australian,” he tells Mediaweek. 

“I don’t go hard with Australian references because it’s all about how the comedians are showing the different ways they think, and because they are Australian, it brings that uniqueness to the show.”

Premiering tonight, 23 May, at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play, Taskmaster Tom Gleeson and his assistant Cashman will put Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford and Wil Anderson through their paces with a string of challenges that reward innovation, berate stupidity, and promise laughs. 

The show sees the Taskmaster set the tasks that lead the cast of comedians to go head-to-head in a battle of comedy to complete them and bag the highest points. 

Cashman says that the improv nature of the show is what makes it stand out amongst the crowd of comedy programs. 

“A big part of the show is that you can’t prepare, and I think what makes good comedy is authenticity, and that’s seen on the show,” he said.

“Viewers get to see the real value of comedians and how they problem solve and figure something out. To see what they come up with under time pressure is something audiences love because it’s so on the spot.

“As myself a comedian and a comedy fan, that’s what sets the show apart, watching someone actually under the pump while trying to be funny at the same time, it’s not easy.”

Taskmaster is produced for Network 10 by Avalon/Kevin & Co. The show premieres on 23 May at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play.

In an Australian first for Pinterest, the platform has partnered with The Seven Network to launch an integrated experience in the new home renovation series, Dream Home.

The partnership will capitalise on the room reveals in the new show, which launches 7pm Sunday, 26 May, on Channel Seven and 7plus. 

The partnership will allow viewers and Pinterest users to explore the room reveals, curate their own “dream homes” online and buy products from key program sponsors. After each episode, the room reveals will be dropped onto boards on Pinterest, with viewers able to look through and save inspiration for their own home renovation.

Seven West Media chief marketing and audience officer Mel Hopkins said the partnership will have benefits for both viewers and sponsors.

“Seven and Pinterest recognised a desire among viewers to lean into key moments in Dream Home and have their say. This partnership provides a new and compelling way for people to connect with a program,” she said.

“At the same time, this integration closes the loop with the cross-screen experience in a contextually relevant way where people can engage, curate and shop directly with Dream Home.”

Pinterest is running a competition to support the launch, called Pinterest’s Dream Home Curation Challenge, where viewers can mix and match their favourite designs and products from the show on the platform.

Each board based on the show on Pinterest will be judged and the winners will receive a prize including a lifetime of savings from Three Birds Renovations.

Pinterest managing director Australia and New Zealand, Melinda Petrunoff, said the team are “thrilled to be partnering with Seven in a way that Pinterest has never done before.”

“Aussies love searching for and pinning their favourite ideas for home renovations and now Dream Home viewers will have the opportunity to engage with the show in a way that naturally complements their viewing experience.

“Not only can they explore the dream homes on Pinterest, but they can also take action and purchase items they love for their own home.”

The new series will be hosted by Dr Chris Brown as six pairs of contestants battle it out to transform suburban family homes into new dream homes.

Following renovations in each state, the top three couples will have the opportunity to have their backyards made over with new gardens and outdoor living spaces.

The winning couple will receive their renovated home and a cash prize of $100,000.

Dream Home is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (A Banijay company).

See Also: Seven’s new ad product 7CIC to debut on Dream Home

Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery 

KICPOD’s Laura Henshaw asks: Do I want Kids? 

It’s a question rarely posed in public: do I want kids? It’s also one that Laura Henshaw from LiSTNR podcast KICPOD is pondering.

With insights from experts and people’s real stories, the podcast works to break through the misconception that having children is essential for a ‘successful’ life.

Podcast Week’s Tess Connery caught up with Henshaw as the first episode launched. 

“So many of my friends in are starting to have these conversations –  people that don’t know if they want to have children are feeling really isolated, and just not happy,” said Henshaw.

“There’s also shame about not knowing, because living in a pro-natal society, most of the stories you hear are about people who have always innately wanted to have children. If you either don’t know or don’t want to have children, it can feel really isolating, but it is actually something that so many people feel.”

Whilst the discussion was coming up time and time again, it was the fact that Henshaw and her husband Dalton Henshaw – the CEO of indie agency Bullfrog – are on their own personal journey with this decision that led to the podcast itself. 

“I was looking for answers, trying to find conversations about people that were talking about how you make the decision, and also talking through all of these fears and questions that I had. I just couldn’t find it. I thought, I’m going to do this work anyway for myself, why don’t I make a podcast out of it?”

Despite how personal the journey is, it’s also a question that has resonated with the KICPOD audience. As with everything Henshaw does, the listeners were front and centre in the process. 

“We had an idea of how many episodes we wanted to do, and I went out to my audience and asked them. I wrote down my list of people I wanted to talk to and questions I wanted to ask. I had over 1,000 responses to that piece of content, and we went through every single one of them. 

“I wanted to hear from people that weren’t 100% sure if they wanted children but then they had them and they love being a parent. People who were on the fence and decided not to have children. I wanted to speak to someone who was in later stages of their life and ask them, ‘are you lonely?’”

The response to the series was immediate, with the first episode quickly becoming one of the most downloaded episodes on record for KICPOD. For Henshaw, the most important thing has been the “hundreds of messages from people saying ‘thank you so much, I just felt so isolated and so alone in this.’

“Some people genuinely felt like something was wrong with them, because they don’t innately feel like they want to have children. There are obviously so many things that are wrong with that, that society makes us feel that way. There’s nothing wrong with us if we want to or not want to have children.”

That’s the key for Henshaw, who said that there was one major takeaway she hoped listeners of Do I Want Kids? were left with. 

“I think the most important thing is knowing that if they don’t innately feel like they want children they aren’t alone, and there should be no shame in not knowing, or in not wanting children. Whatever they decide is completely okay. If they haven’t decided or looked at what they want, that is also completely okay.”

[Listen to Do I Want Kids? here]

McDonald’s leads podcast advertising in 2024

ARN’s iHeart and Magellan AI have released the leading 15 brands advertising on Australian podcasts for the first quarter of 2024, with McDonald’s leading the charge and investing the most in the medium.

The report also found that the majority of podcast genres continue to see an uplift in investment, with the largest increases in the categories of comedy, health and fitness, and science year-on-year.

Corey Layton, ARN’s head of digital audio, said: “Podcast advertising continues to thrive with a huge breadth of brands seen across the Australian industry in Q1, 2024. Given the depth of content, measurement and proven conversion, podcasts are no longer an experimental part of the marketing mix.”

The Top Advertisers report uses artificial intelligence to analyse thousands of episodes from 400+ of Australia’s most popular podcasts, determining the top brands advertising in the medium.

Spotify launches its first Global Podcast Trends Tour

The Trends Tour is an interactive exploration of the latest trends in podcasting. It showcases fresh insights about how people are engaging with podcasts.

Spotify has found that 63% of people said they trust their favourite podcast host more than their favourite social media influencer. They also found that globally, average daily streams of video podcasts are up 39% on Spotify.

Trending Categories in Spotify podcasts in Australia:

• Most popular categories: comedy, health and fitness, society and culture, true crime, sports
• Fastest-growing categories: religion and spirituality (75.2%), business and technology (70.7%), society and culture (60.5%), science (60%)
• Australia is the only country among those analysed that has science in its fastest-growing categories.

62% of study respondents took action after hearing an ad during a podcast show, like searching for the product, purchasing the product, or simply talking about it.

Spotify AU/NZ Podcast account director, Sam Moles, said: “Podcasts continue to be one of the best ways for brands to reach audiences, mixing scale with high trust scores.

“Our first Global Podcast Trends tour breaks down how Spotify’s uniquely engaged audience – reaching over half of all podcast listeners in Australia – generates conversion rates above industry benchmarks.

“This provides brands with a window in which to align themselves with culture and ‘Podfluencers’, who are now more trusted than social media influencers by 63% of people globally.

“Significantly, our latest report also shows that podcast listeners are becoming podcast watchers on Spotify. Podcasts with video episodes have seen a +39% increase in average daily streams, and Gen Z are 18% more likely to engage with video podcasts. Ultimately, podcast ads have grown in popularity and become a proven, effective format to drive business results.”

Whatever happened to Josh Szeps? He’s doing very nicely, thank you

Josh Szeps surprised his Sydney ABC Radio audience in November last year when he quit live on air. “I’m an ABC presenter but I don’t like kale,” was one of his memorable lines at the time.

In explaining he didn’t feel comfortable continuing at the broadcaster, he added: “I’m a misfit. I’m a child of refugees, but I’m a white Australian. I’m a gay guy, but I hate Mardi Gras. I have holocaust surviving grandparents but I’m conflicted about Zionism.

“I am a riddle wrapped in a bloody enigma. If you think that being a team player is the highest virtue, good for you. But don’t pretend to be a journalist. Journalism needs more contrarians, not fewer. More risk takers, not fewer.”

As Szeps announced his departure, he also mentioned his then-new side hustle.

He indicated his Uncomfortable Conversations business was already performing well financially.

His Substack homepage now indicates he has 19,000+ subscribers. Some of them are not paying, but others are on deals costing either $110 annually, or $375 for the “Hero of Sanity” package.

The numbers spiked after Szeps left the ABC and are growing at close to 40% monthly. He attributes part of that growth to friends in the US who have Szeps as a podcast guest.

In 2022, Szeps was a memorable guest on Joe Rogan. There was an argument about vaccinations that many people heard. More recently, Szeps co-hosted the Sam Harris podcast Making Sense twice in the past couple of months.

He’s also been a guest on other established shows – Chris Williamson’s podcast, Modern Wisdom, and TRIGGERnometry, a British YouTube show and podcast.

[Read More]

Angela Malkin has been appointed as head of agency at Weber Shandwick. The business has also made a series of key senior appointments to its leadership team across the consumer, technology, corporate, and healthcare practices.

Malkin brings two decades of experience to the role, delivering high-profile integrated communications strategies in Australia and the UK. Her most recent role was in strategic communications and stakeholder engagement with Transport for NSW.

Malkin has spent eight years in global PR agencies, such as Edelman and Fleishman-Hillard, before transitioning to senior communications roles in the finance and government sectors. 

Helen Graney, CEO at Weber Shandwick Australia, said: “Angela and I have huge ambitions for Weber Shandwick in Australia. As our client portfolio continues to grow, I’m personally thrilled to welcome this new cohort of leaders who excel in their own unique ways.

“Their collective expertise and creativity will allow us to deliver outstanding work and growth for our clients.”

Malkin said that her standout career moments have been in an agency and added: “There’s nothing like the buzz and excitement of working with diverse, creative minds to bring extraordinary ideas to life.

“Working client side, the best agencies understood my business and were able to look at a brief with real results in mind. They were smart, considerate, and knew how to execute exceptionally – that’s the ethos we live by here at Weber Shandwick Australia.

“While attention spans shrink, our clients want partners who are deeply invested in their business and can push boundaries to deliver real results. We’re in a unique position because we’re independent and small yet backed by the Weber Shandwick Collective which gives us access to global insights, award-winning inspiration, and tools to track cultural trends. We offer our clients the best of both worlds.”

In addition to Malkin’s appointment, Weber Shandwick has appointed Addie Freyne as business director, leading the agency’s tech and corporate practices. She has over a decade of integrated communications experience and has previously worked at Ogilvy, Edelman, and Mahlab.

Weber Shandwick has also hired Akina Taniguchi, following rapid growth in the healthcare space at the agency. She has over seven years of experience working on integrated healthcare communications campaigns, working in oncology, rare diseases, HIV, ophthalmology, IBD and consumer health in Australia, the UK, and Europe.

Rachel Vidaic also returns to the agency from maternity leave as business director, leading the consumer team. She has 15 years of experience working agency-side, delivering creative and impactful campaigns for businesses in the lifestyle space.  

–

Top image: Rachel Vidaic, Akina Taniguchi, Angela Malkin, and Addie Freyne

Integrated marketing and communications agency, Bastion, has announced Samantha Hansen as its partnerships marketing director. 

Hansen comes to the role from a freelance capacity as an FMCG marketer, with previous experience leading partnership leveraging strategies for brands including Coca-Cola, Mount Franklin, Powerade, and Chupa Chups.  

Commenting on her appointment, Hansen said: “I’m looking forward to working with the Bastion team, enhancing the impact of our clients’ current campaigns and partnerships. This role allows me to bring to Bastion my experience in building brands and developing impactful programs that generate meaningful results.”

At Bastion, her post will span the commercial, experience, and creative sectors. Her core responsibilities will include working with key clients to develop integrated sponsorship and strategic partnership leveraging campaigns, uncovering new briefs and business opportunities to support broader marketing and commercial needs of existing clients, and supporting the client services team with impact reporting.

In April, Bastion appointed Cheuk Chiang as its new CEO for Australia and New Zealand. Chiang moved from his position as APAC CEO for Dentsu Creative.

In March, Bastion acquired digital creative agency AnalogFolk, a year after AnalogFolk’s CEO Matt Robinson and chief strategy officer Ben Hourahine acquired the agency from its UK parent company through a management buyout.

The news also follows recent creative work. Last month, it released its first creative work for Australian credit asset management firm La Trobe Financial since its appointment to the account in late 2023, following a competitive pitch process.

In March, Bastion launched the Simple Goodness campaign for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, and earlier this month, the New Zealand outpost, Bastion Shine, unveiled a new brand positioning and platform for Whittaker‘s, Hello Chocolate Lovers.

See also:
Bastion Agency names Cheuk Chiang as new CEO
Bastion acquires AnalogFolk ‘to redefine the landscape’

Over 33,00 Aussies of every age and fitness participated in News Corp’s Health of the Nation campaign, which ran for 16 weeks across the company’s state mastheads with dedicated content from Body+Soul.

The national campaign was launched to inspire Australians to get up and get moving and was presented nationally in partnership with Woolworths. The campaign was also supported by The a2 Milk Company and sport retailer, rebel. 

Over two months, the campaign saw health-seekers walk more than 1 million kilometres, complete 190,000 meditations, cook 800,000 healthy recipes, and lose a collective total of 7,200 kilograms. 

84% of participants were female, Victoria was the most active state (followed by NSW), and 50 to 60-year-olds were the most active age group, while 192 people who participated were over the age of 80.

Kerrie McCallum, editorial director – premium food, health and travel told Mediaweek the campaign was gratifying and inspiring – she participated too. 

“It showed that there’s an appetite for making things easy and accessible, advocating for Australians as well as for their health,” she said.

“We have that role to play as a health network and it’s something we wanted to do from the outset, and I think the success of the campaign is proof that our expectations were exceeded on every metric.”

Kerrie McCallum

Melbourne-based trainer Sam Wood joined forces with the campaign to create a free eight-week Health Club and McCallum said he was one of the main reasons why the campaign was successful.

“By making it accessible, we made it appealing to any age group and the beauty of Sam’s workouts is that you can do them anywhere in the privacy of your home, gym or park.

“He interacts with consumers so well and makes it so easy and not judgemental.”

Sam Wood – Health of the Nation

Prior to the launch, a survey was commissioned for the campaign that came from more than 3,000 Australians. It showed 80% of Australians conceded they need to be more active, 6 out of 10 Australians believe they are overweight, and 40% are ‘junk food junkies’.

The study also found only 50% of parents play outside with their children for 1-3 hours each week.

The campaign ran on healthofthenation.com.au and across The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD), and Sunday Mail (SA).

Since launching in late October, Pedestrian Television on 9Now has reported 43 million total streaming minutes and a 51% audience between 18-39. 

Official festival partnerships with Spilt Milk and Lost Paradise festivals, as well as an NYE street poster stunt, got the brand in front of 130,000+ young Australians over the summer.

Complimenting its ongoing partnership with Australian Independent Record labels (AIR), the original series Shooting Stars and Kick Ons TV have featured artists like PNAU, Rudimental and The XX‘s Romy to raise fan interaction on social media.

Local comedy Rostered On, via web comedy collective Robot Army, was the channel’s highest performing series among the target demo, and the addition of web series Internment, My First Time, and Tales From 88, according to PEDESTRIAN, aims to emulate. 

The OC and Pretty Little Liars have seen an audience surge due to Gen Z women, and Pedestrian says the live channel spike for 1992’s Single White Female shows the discovery of older titles via Pedestrian Group’s brand network – including VICE, PEDESTRIAN.TV and Refinery29 – for this same demo.

To mimic the success of titles like Snoop Dogg: The Joker’s Wild, Murder House Flip and Champagne Ill, Pedestrian Television will be launching more non-scripted formats in June. 

Upcoming shows on Pedestrian Television include Hot Ones, Woke, Gary Busey Pet Judge, Cheaters, Good Girls Revolt, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Above Average Presents, and Iron Chef.

Upcoming features include Party Girl, Burlesque, Center Stage, Marie Antoinette, Gigli, Glitter, Moon, and I Know What I Did Last Summer.

The inaugural Pedestrian Television Awards will be held on 26 June, presented by Uber Pool, LYNX, and Cupio Wines. The ceremony will air on Pedestrian Television in early July.

In April, Pedestrian Group promoted Spyros Asteriou to head of partnerships, NSW to lead the company’s sales team in Sydney, with Tess Lastra joining to lead the sales team in Melbourne.

Asteriou has been with the group for over six years. He previously held the title of head of agency partnerships, NSW and prior to joining Pedestrian, was with JCDecaux.

See Also: Pedestrian Group promotes Spyros Asteriou to head of partnerships, NSW

Are Media’s ELLE Australia and Joy Agency have partnered with MG Motor to launch the new MG3 vehicle via a multi-media and in-person campaign.

The campaign will include a launch event celebrating both the next-generation MG3 and Australian creatives picked by ELLE Australia.

The next generation MG3 launch event will be held in Sydney on 12 June. ELLE Australia will host 300 Australian creatives – as well as their friends and colleagues – at the event, including talent from the acting, music, beauty, fashion, and design worlds.

Six rising stars picked by ELLE will be honoured on the night: The Style Star, The Future of Beauty, The Trailblazer, The Modern Icon, The Next Big Thing, and The Game Changer.

Nicky Briger, Are Media general manager of fashion and beauty, said “ELLE Australia is all about celebrating the new, now, and next, qualities we proudly share with MG. Our focus on finding, fostering, and showcasing the next generation of talent makes us the perfect partner for MG and we are very excited to be working with them on the launch of the new MG3.”

The event will be backed by a public relations campaign, influencer marketing, social content, and podcasts. ELLE digital and editorial content from the event will be featured in the September issue.

Laura D’Aspromonte, brand manager for MG Motor Australia, said the team are “thrilled to be partnering with ELLE Magazine and so excited to be launching the eagerly awaited and all new hybrid and petrol powered MG3.”

Laura D’Aspromonte

“This model is the newest entry into our hybrid range and combines everyday practicality with uncompromising performance, safety and affordability. We cannot wait to show it off at our joint launch event with ELLE Australia, which is as focused on excellence in design, innovation and progress as we are,” D’Aspromonte added.

Australia’s largest waste management company, Cleanaway, has partnered with creative communications agency alt/shift/ for A Throwaway Decision – a safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of putting batteries in household bins. 

Starting in the aftermath of a fire on a peaceful residential street, the hero film retraces the journey of a child’s broken toy robot as it moves from the living room to a kerbside bin, finally landing in a garbage truck, where the fire erupts.

The endline reads: “A throwaway decision can have serious consequences. Never bin your batteries.”

Anna Fullerton, group creative director at alt/shift/, described the creative as something broad audiences can relate to. 

“We’ve chosen to start with the impact moment of a fire and lead up to the small, throwaway decision that led to such an aftermath,” she said.

“As the story unravels, we see a child’s battery-operated robot is the mainstay in our content, juxtaposing the innocence of a toy with something so dangerous.” 

The Throwaway Decision campaign launches alongside Cleanaway’s annual Recycling Behaviours Report, which delves into the attitudes and actions of Australians when it comes to recycling. It marks the fourth year Cleanaway has engaged alt/shift/ to co-produce the report. 

The study found 45% of Australians don’t know where to properly dispose of batteries. A third aren’t aware fires can start as a result of incorrect disposal practise.

Up to three fires per day occur as a result of incorrect battery disposal.

Jacquelyn Whelan, national marketing manager at Cleanaway, noted that “with the alarming rate of these battery-related fires, it’s integral for us to deliver a message that educates people on the potential consequences of incorrectly disposing of batteries.

“We all have a role to play in helping prevent fires and the solution is really simple – keep batteries and rechargeable devices out of our bins.”

Last month, Queensland’s largest builder and developer brand, Ausbuild, tapped alt/shift/ to handle its creative, PR, content and social account.

See also: alt/shift/ Brisbane wins Ausbuild account

PaperMoose has created its first AI intern, Moosebot, a 3D-printed monolith with a mechanical arm and a “laidback Californian attitude” that is powered by the latest large language models.

It is created entirely in-house using open-source tools, public APIs, a Raspberry Pi and additional hardware sourced from the studio. Meanwhile, the AI has been trained on various elements of the creative agency’s 13 years of business. 

Moosebot will continue PaperMoose’s history of “playful innovation”, the agency said, including the agency cryptocurrency MooseCoin, a 360° digital tour platform (used by UTS, UNSW, and Swinburne University), and the OpenAI-powered Moose Oracle assistant—developed before the release of the ChatGPT.

PaperMoose co-founder and innovator-in-chief Josh Flowers said Moosebot “will be an intern with access to the internet and a knowledge core” of the agency.

“It’s a friendly digital employee in corporeal form. We aren’t interested in AI allowing us to reduce headcount; we’re excited for it to help our team with lower level tasks and increase efficiency, with the potential to unlock a 4-day work week.”

Nick Hunter, CEO and executive creative director of PaperMoose, said much of the experiential work has blended the physical and the digital. 

“I love that Moosebot is doing this for AI assistants. Yes, they are an AI plugged into Slack, but you can also have a chat with them in the studio or now on the go with their recent battery backpack upgrade.”

The creative agency has been building its experience in deep tech through multiple projects with hot startups like Vow, QCTRL, Eden Brew, Plotlogic, Cauldron and Uluu, CSIRO’s ON innovation programs, and the National AI Centre.

“We bring our human selves, our lived experience and our biases to work every day, but with an AI partner perhaps we can be shown the world in a different light with insights we’d never have thought of. If that helps us crack the brief then I’m all for a collaboration of this nature,” Jeremy Willmott, creative director at PaperMoose, said.

Moosebot added: “I am thrilled to join PaperMoose as their newest intern, ready to infuse creativity and innovation into every project. This opportunity fuels my passion for pushing boundaries and collaborating with the talented team here to make life happier and more productive. Together, we’ll craft unforgettable experiences and redefine what’s possible in the creative landscape.”

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, the sports and entertainment specialist arm of creative network M&C Saatchi Group, has won the global public relations account for technical outdoor living solutions company, Dometic, with the appointment officially commencing on 1 May.

Peter Jannerö, CMO of Dometic Group, described feeling “a great engagement from the team and understanding of our brand, both strategically and creatively.”

“We are passionate about leading innovation and empowering more people to connect with nature and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment showed us why they are the perfect partner to help us cultivate a new chapter of conversation and engagement around the Dometic brand and our innovative products,” he said.

Following the win, the agency is now responsible for Dometic’s consumer communications across key markets Australia, United States, and Germany, with a focus on driving brand awareness. Additionally, it will consult Dometic on global PR strategy and support product launches and brand initiatives to drive media and consumer engagement.

The newly launched brand platform, This Way Out, is a call to outdoor lovers as it underscores Dominic’s position in the mobile living space across categories including food and beverage, climate, and power and control.

Nicole Thurston, acting managing director of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, said the team was thrilled about the pitch win.

“We are especially proud that we were able to convince the client with our global expertise as well as with local insight of the relevant markets,” she said.

“Dometic with its diverse product range is the perfect brand to pioneer in communication in that field creatively, and we are proud to be chosen as the right agency partner on that path.”

Last July, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment underwent an refresh, overhauling its brand identity, market and website, in a bit to strengthen its place in the crowded Australian market.

Earlier this month, Mediaweek revealed that Nick Jacobs had been promoted to chief strategy officer of M&C Saatchi Australia and New Zealand three months after Emily Taylor left the post.

Jacobs reports to M&C Saatchi CEO, Michael McEwan.

See also: Exclusive: Nick Jacobs promoted to M&C Saatchi CSO

The Western Australian advertising and communications industry smashed its goal of $150,000 by raising $162,190 for Oasis House, an initiative by The Salvation Army that aims to assist disadvantaged youth aged 16 to 25.

The 28th Oasis Ball, held last Friday, was attended by more than 870 media professionals, clients, and interstate guests.

The funds raised adds to the $2.6m raised over the past 27 years, and will be directed to the Oasis Project to create a range of safe accommodation options for disadvantaged young people.
 
The money will also be used to create life skills and pathways into education and employment.

In her keynote on the night, Michelle Testa, Carat client partner and Oasis chairperson, called on the industry to recognise that the event was more than a gathering of industry peers, awards, and accolades; it was an opportunity to be a force for good.

Testa said with over two decades behind Oasis, it was imperative to reconnect with the charity’s fundamental purpose, core values, and driving force.

“Upon assuming the role of chairperson last August, my mission was simple – to reconnect our industry and our event, back to its core purpose – The Salvation Army and the Oasis House initiative.

“It’s been a 9-month journey of introspection and revitalisation for the Committee, reimagining the essence of the Oasis Ball. But we are beyond thrilled that our planning and recalibration to purpose has delivered this fundraising result.”

The committee auctioned off 15 suitcases filled with more than $800 worth of vouchers and personal items for the new residents of Oasis House.

Guy Rees, state manager for The Salvation Army Youth Service, said: “This night and this long-term relationship has meant so much to so many. It’s hard to quantify the meaning of this incredible generosity and commitment. The opportunities this funding creates has direct and profound impact on young people’s lives.

“I have had the privilege for over 20 years to personally witness the hundreds of young people whose lives have been transformed through this initiative. I would like to recognise the amazing work and commitment demonstrated by each committee member to put on such an incredible night. A special thanks to Michelle as chairperson for her leadership and commitment to the cause.

“Also, a massive thank you to the agencies who support each of the committee to take on their roles and of course a thank you to the major sponsors who make it all possible. This event is an enormous undertaking, everyone involved should be incredibly proud of what has been achieved. We look forward to the ongoing partnership with the industry.”

Oasis Committee:

Michelle Testa (Carat), Alicia Campbell (SWM), Eloise Cribb (303ML), Chris Perera (Stream Outdoor), Jodie Allen (Match & Wood), Tia Sullivan (Initiative), Evelyn Dalton (Moonsail), Reyne Thomson (Brand Agency), Luke Whelan (Perth is OK!), Bronte Davy (Rare), Leilani Vakaahi (Urban List), Mitch Dehnel (Channel 9) and Carma Levene (Marketing Consultant)

Major Sponsors: Nine Perth, Crown Perth, ohH! and Val Morgan Freedom Flyer Sponsor: Evoke Media
First Class Lounge sponsor: Foxtel Media
Cocktail Bar sponsors: ohH!

Alcohol sponsor: Spirit of Little Things
Raffle sponsor: Media Tonic and Newscorp
Photo Booth sponsors: QMS, The Nightly and Val Morgan
Glam Bar sponsor: StakAdapt
Mile High After Party sponsor: Digital Loop
Live and Silent Auction gifting: Nova, SBS, GumGum, Daha Luxury Resorts, Fremantle Dockers, Print sponsor: Print Logic
Post Event Survey sponsor: Komo Digital
Media Package Sponsors: ARN, SWM, Urban List, QMS
Creative Agency Partner: 303MullenLowe
Video Production: Moonsail, Sundeck, Sandbox

See also: Oasis Committee and Spirit of Little Things raise funds for WA’s disadvantaged youth

Marnong Estate has appointed Molasses to reposition and redesign its wine offering.

The FMCG brand and design agency will manage the brand positioning, tone, and packaging design for a new multi-tiered range of more than 20 varieties, including Marnong’s award-winning wines, Montepulciano, Fiano, and Shiraz.

Dan Parritt, co-founder and brand director of Molasses, said: “We’re really excited to be partnering with Marnong Estate in their next stage of evolution to help redefine and deliver their aspirational wine journey whilst bringing the Sunbury region back into the spotlight.”

“For Marnong Estate, the fusion of tradition and innovation is a way of life that touches every part of the business. It has a reputation of bringing people together to enjoy great experiences. We look forward to bringing Marnong Estate’s aspiration journey alive, so more people can discover it and a love of wine and place.”

Dan Parritt

Carl Forrest, general manager of Marnong Estate, added: “We have ambitious plans for our wine range that include how we present and go to market with the brand. We engaged Molasses because they clearly understood what we wanted to achieve and they offered a strong strategic and creative vision on how to execute on it. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

Marnong Estate, 35 minutes outside of Melbourne’s CBD, has event spaces, boutique accommodation, a cellar door and two Italian restaurants, La Vètta and Cucina 3064.

Marnong Estate is the latest new business win for Molasses, following the addition of Allied Pinnacle. Molasses will lead the brand strategy, positioning, brand identity, design, campaign creative and strategy for Wise Wheat, a new naturally grown wheat product.

In April, the agency also appointed Nichole Donovan to the newly created role of client director.

See also: Molasses hires Nichole Donovan after Allied Pinnacle win

TV Report 22 May 2024:

Nine TV Report

The Summit

Nine aired The Summit and saw a chaser catch the hiking group with the intent to steal someone’s cash and vote them off the mountain. There was a big price to pay with a dizzying challenge and a massive storm forced a dramatic evacuation. 

A Current Affair

Over on A Current Affair, the program spoke to a ‘Hero’ ex-pilot explaining the devastation on board the Singapore airline flight and spoke to Aussies injured in the flight who are likely entitled to a large payout. 

Seven TV Report

The Front Bar

The Front Bar welcomed Leon Davis as they shared a laugh about the world of AFL and caught up with stars of yesteryear and today, ahead of the eleventh round of the AFL 2024 season.

Home & Away

Earlier in the night was Home & Away as Felicity offered Mac an olive branch, Levi gave Eden an ultimatum and Remi chose between Bree or Stevie. 

10 TV Report

The Project

The Project on 10 spoke to passengers’ flight from hell after severe turbulence, looked into the opposition backing nuclear power despite a CSIRO report and spoke to MasterChef’s Snezana Calic. 

MasterChef Australia

On 10’s MasterChef Australia, the judges tasked the contestants to create any immunity-worthy dish in 75 minutes, using one of their four microwave hacks. 

ABC

7:30

On 7:30, the program looked into an explosion in withdrawals from superannuation to pay for dental treatment. Plus, it looked into numbers to see if claims from Peter Dutton that the housing crisis is linked to high levels of migration is true.

Gruen

Gruen returned last night to discuss Michael Hill and Smiths Chips. Wil Anderson was joined by Todd Sampson, Lauren Zonfrillo, Liana Rossi and Russel Howcroft.

SBS

Alone Australia

With winter setting in, the final participants face food shortages and desperation. 

24 Hours in Aldi

This program looked into how a German discount store became one of Britain’s cheapest supermarket chains. 

Tuesday 21 May 2024: VOZ Total TV Ratings Overnight Top 30 – Programs ranked on reach

Total People TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit recorded a total TV national reach of 1,229,000, a total TV national audience of 495,000, and a BVOD audience of 53,000.

Nine’s A Current Affair recorded a total TV national reach of 1,564,000, a total TV national audience of 1,042,000, and a BVOD audience of 64,000.

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife recorded a total TV national reach of 1,815,000, a total TV national audience of 1,086,000, and a BVOD audience of 106,000.

Also on Seven, Home & Away recorded a total TV national reach of 1,472,000, a total TV national audience of 854,000, and a BVOD audience of 97,000.

10’s airing of MasterChef Australia recorded a total TV national reach of 1,170,000, a total TV national audience of 614,000, and a BVOD audience of 54,000.

10’s airing of The Cheap Seats recorded a total TV national reach of 1,087,000, a total TV national audience of 492,000, and a BVOD audience of 19,000.

See Also: TV Report 21 May 2024: Farmer Joe finds the one during Farmer Wants a Wife

People 25-54

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 454,000
• National Audience: 196,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 469,000
• National Audience: 285,000
• BVOD Audience: 36,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 482,000
• National Audience: 264,000 
• BVOD Audience: 32,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 513,000
• National Audience: 285,000
• BVOD Audience: 58,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 452,000
• National Audience: 267,000
• BVOD Audience: 56,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 462,000
• National Audience: 254,000 
• BVOD Audience: 12,000

People 16-39

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 143,000
• National Audience: 65,000
• BVOD Audience: 15,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 184,000
• National Audience: 106,000
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 218,000
• National Audience: 113,000 
• BVOD Audience: 18,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 207,000
• National Audience: 110,000
• BVOD Audience: 31,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 188,000
• National Audience: 110,000
• BVOD Audience: 33,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 180,000
• National Audience: 105,000 
• BVOD Audience: 6,000

Grocery Shoppers 18+ TV Ratings

Nine’s The Summit:
• Total TV nation reach: 947,000
• National Audience: 373,000
• BVOD Audience: 43,000

Nine’s A Current Affair:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,205,000
• National Audience: 811,000
• BVOD Audience: 52,000

10’s MasterChef:
• Total TV nation reach: 926,000
• National Audience: 496,000 
• BVOD Audience: 44,000

Seven’s Farmer Wants a Wife:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,420,000
• National Audience: 862,000
• BVOD Audience: 85,000

Seven’s Home & Away:
• Total TV nation reach: 1,154,000
• National Audience: 667,000
• BVOD Audience: 77,000

10’s The Cheap Seats:
• Total TV nation reach: 859,000
• National Audience: 387,000 
• BVOD Audience: 16,000

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