“I’ve never heard of Optus,” Ricky Gervais says in a piece to camera as he leans back on a chaise lounge with a plain white mug in hand. 

It was this line that left Australians cackling during Gervais’ first Optus ad to promote a Netflix package back in March 2015 – an ad brought to life and executed by independent creative agency Emotive.

The ad smashed all expectations for Emotive and Optus.

It achieved 15 million video views online with more than five million organic views across Facebook and YouTube. It was the second most watched advert on YouTube in Australia that year, while on Facebook it was the fastest branded video to hit four million views in the history of the platform in Australia.

For Optus, the clever ‘anti-ad’ generated six times higher interest than any previous Optus TV campaign, and resulted in a 165% lift in searches for the brand.

The initial TV spot spawned a series of follow-ups with Gervais which drove a similar narrative and kept audiences engaged over how irreverent the comedian would be next.

For his part in the iconic ad, Gervais said: “They said I could say whatever I wanted, so I did. I wrote and directed the ads and filmed them in a day. Easy money.”

As the inaugural campaign and Emotive mark 10 years, Mediaweek chats to CEO and founder Simon Joyce, behind how the ad was executed and brought to life, its impact and legacy and celebrating a decade in the industry.

The early days

Back then, the agency was just a small, ambitious team of six people, set up in a tiny workspace in Clovelly, NSW. Among the team were Joyce, Alison Daly and Ben Keep, who are all still part of Emotive, plus then ECD Charlie Leahy.

“We set up Emotive because we felt brands overcorrected to performance marketing. There was a lack of emotion in brand communication,” Joyce recalled of the agency’s beginnings as a content agency that offered smart strategy, great ideas, executed through content.

“We saw content and film as some of the best ways to bring emotion to the forefront on behalf of the brands, the most powerful immersive technique there is.

“We had a very clear enemy from day one and that was dull brand creativity, and we felt there was a lack of genuine emotional storytelling on the other side.

Left to right: Ben Keep, Alison Mitchell, Charlie Leahy, Simon Joyce, Aimee Stewart, Jamie Crick.

“We set out on this big mission which is very similar to our purpose now, big ideas change how people feel. Our philosophy in bringing those ideas to life was to ‘create entertainment, not interruption’ whether that’s in ads or in content or experiential or whatever it may be.

“We felt there was a real problem to solve especially, as I reflect on the time, there was just so much ineffective branded content.”

“On YouTube, there were a lot of brands trying to play in this space, with work that was fractured from their brand strategy at times, and it wasn’t working cohesively with the broader campaign.” 

“YouTube had become a little bit of a dumping ground of ineffective branded content. We said, ‘No, there’s a role here where big ideas can come to life through content, and you can do it with an ‘entertainment first, not interruption’ lens.”

Simon Joyce on the launch day of Emotive

Walk down memory lane

“When we launched the business, given my media background I was fortunate enough to have a relationship with Optus and we were given the opportunity to pitch our credentials at launch.

“As fate would have it just after launch, this brief came to life quite late. In fact, I can still remember we were briefed on 10 March 2015 to launch an Optus/Netflix partnership, for something that had to be live two weeks later.

“At that time, Optus had more of a retail campaign approach on traditional channels. We had an opportunity with the clients, Nigel Lopez-McBean and Karen Phipson, to work in the content space alongside the more traditional campaign rollout.

“The campaign message was very simple, ‘if you signed up for Optus on certain postpaid packages, you got three months of Netflix for free’ and so that became part of your Optus subscription essentially.

“It was compelling, and Netflix was very new to the Australian market back then. We were fortunate when we launched the business, we pitched our credentials and then there happened to be this gap and it happened to be in our sweet spot, and as I say, the rest is history.”

Casting Ricky Gervais

“As a creative agency founder, in nine out of 10 cases, more time equals better work,” added Joyce. “But you do have to structure the business to jump in and solve problems at pace. You’ve got to understand how to run the business in that way, in those moments, but you can’t have every campaign like that because you’re never going to get the best work.

“But every now and again it works. And as a new business you have no distractions, you’re just single-minded. Optus was our first client, and it was our first real opportunity three or four weeks in. So you live and breathe that.”

“In understanding that brief, firstly we felt there was an opportunity. The driving insight was more of a category insight, there was an opportunity to do the most honest telco ad because telcos were renowned for having lots of terms and conditions and this was actually a really simple consumer offer.

“With that insight and the gravitas of Netflix we wanted to make the most honest telco ad ever. That’s where we started leaning into that category truth.”

Ricky Gervais on set

From there, it was go time for the Emotive team as they moved into discussions about who they could work with, while they kept in mind Netflix’s position at the time as becoming the epicentre of entertainment culture.

“We said, if our idea is the most honest telco ad ever, creatively, we need to show up in a way that’s as entertaining as Netflix itself. We need Optus to be synonymous here with great entertainment, they’re going to represent Netflix,” said Joyce.

“At that point, we agreed the best way to do that with the time we had was going to be a talent-led strategy. We then cast three particular talent that we wanted to negotiate with and one of those was of course the one and only, Ricky Gervais. 

“And it moved incredibly quickly. I can remember, we presented the idea, we got permission to go forth and continue and set up the discussions with Ricky. That was from late on a Wednesday night, and by Friday midnight, the deal was done.

“Then we went through this incredible journey. Saturday, 2am, it was off. By Saturday, 6am, it was back on. We were on the plane to London by 11am that morning, where we shot there on the Monday.

Production team on set with Ricky Gervais

“There were four of us that worked around the clock, then we had such a fast post-production, it was beyond fast and furious.

“It happened at incredible pace and Optus were amazing throughout in really trusting a new agency at the time and giving us that opportunity.

For Joyce, as a leader, the experience was incredibly hectic, stressful and exciting all at once.

He recalled: “You’ve just started, you’ve got nothing to lose, but you’ve got everything to lose. It was our first piece of work and we really wanted to make a statement. Looking back, we had no right to get Ricky Gervais, but we had belief, tonnes of tenacity and the planets did align.

“That underpinned our way of thinking at the time, to have that crazy level of belief that you can take stuff on, that you can make what seemed like the impossible happen. Sometimes it comes off, but you should never, ever lose that level of belief. And this was one of those moments.

“To this day, there’s a fair bit of that ‘let’s give this a crack’ ethos that remains in the business.”

BTS of Gervais on set for Optus

Leaning into simplicity

The ads oozed simplicity, delivered through humour by Gervais, and were anchored in truth.

Joyce explained that the team trusted the audience to recognise that Gervais was being paid an exorbitant sum for the job, that he did not know who Optus was and that he wanted to do the bare minimum.

‘There was this beautiful truth about it, and in a category that’s renowned for a fair bit of puffery in what is communicated, this was the exact opposite and the audience lapped it up.”

Joyce noted Gervais as a key factor about why the ad was a success. “When you work with talent, you’ve got to get that synchronicity between brand talent and audience. This absolutely had that. This was vintage Ricky. He’s the only talent that could pull that off. 

“The audience got more of what they love from Ricky, and it just so happened it involved a brand, and they (the audience) lapped it up even more.

“So often when you work with talent as a brand, it’s going to be an underperforming content vs non branded work. But in this case, it was one of Ricky’s best performing ever assets in terms of the content that he put out there through his social channels.”

Joyce noted that the ad set a new benchmark for brand uplift, sales uplift scores and media metrics.

“It had a pretty big impact and still to this day, the amount of people that still talk about that and still remember continues to amaze me.”

Credit to the team

Joyce praised the hard work and effort of the small team who brought their inaugural campaign with their first client, alongside Starcom Optus’ media agency at the time.

Among Emotive’s key people at the time were Alison Daly, who managed the delivery of the campaign, and Ben Keep who worked with Joyce on negotiating the contract – both still work for Emotive.

Joyce highlighted Charlie Leahy, ECD at the time, as a “massive part” of bringing the creative together and Jamie Crick, who oversaw the ad’s distribution. The team worked with UK production unit Caviar London with director Sam Washington who Gervais was keen to work with.

He also credited Will Ward, the comedian’s talent agent from WME, for taking a chance on Emotive, despite it being a brand-new agency.

Will Ward commented: “Ten years on and the brilliant Ricky Gervais Optus ads are still being talked about. It was one of those rare moments where the stars aligned: a perfect synchronicity between brand, talent, and audience.

“And though we hadn’t worked with Emotive before, it was immediately clear they had a real desire to embrace Ricky’s unique & groundbreaking scripts, and that they were perhaps slightly rebellious and a little mad given the insane timelines we had.”

Charlie Leahy, Sam Washington with Gervais

Joyce gave special mention to Optus, saying they took a gamble on so much. “The way they backed it at the time, that rarely ever happens,” he said, still incredulous. 

“There was some wonderful leadership, and they were willing to trust the audience to understand the joke, and to understand and realise this is classic Ricky.

“Optus were just the best partner and have been the best partner for ten straight years.”

But for Joyce, no one deserves more credit than Ricky Gervais. He said the improvisation and all round comedy genius was what made this entire campaign a hit.

“He’s an absolute legend.”

Joyce also thanked his family who have supported him in his endeavours with Emotive since its beginnings. “My wife, Tarnia, and our three kids, Lucas, Kalan, and Milla have all been part of this journey in one way or another. Their backing has been massive, and there’s no way Emotive would be where it is today without it.”

Launching a new brand identity, a production company and celebrating ten years

Joyce’s chat with Mediaweek marks the start of Emotive’s celebration of 10 years that’s seen the agency grow and develop attention-grabbing campaigns, including HOKA, Unilever, Google, Optus, and Pernod Ricard.

Over the next three months, the agency will have a program of events to underscore the unveiling of its new brand identity that brings to life its purpose: ‘Ideas that change the way people feel.’

“That’s a litmus test for the ideas we put forward,” Joyce said. “And having an agency wide ambition of fame is critical to deliver on that. After all, you’re more likely to change how someone feels if you can create an idea that’s worth talking about.”

“As a philosophy, it means ideas first, not ads. It means fame as an essential, not a nice to have. That then means, execution-wise, how do we entertain instead of just interrupt?

“We’ve got the idea firepower, but equally, we understand there’s mechanics that are more likely to propel an idea into culture.

“That’s where our specialism come into play, covering social, talent, PR, brand experience and partnerships, that all sit under the one roof. We understand the nuances of these areas and that are more likely to over-index in earned media.”

The agency will also be launching Emotive productions, a wholly owned business that specialises in bringing ideas to life through content via an end to end production offering. 

On marking a decade in business, Joyce said: “Hitting a decade as an indie is huge, and it’s important to take a beat and celebrate, not just where we’ve been, but where we’re going. 

“More than anything, I feel grateful. So many people, our team, clients, partners, have helped build this business, and this is a great chance to acknowledge them all.

“We’ve got a clear plan for what’s next, but over the next few months, it’s about taking a few moments to appreciate the crazy fun, stressful and rewarding journey so far.”

Top image: Simon Joyce

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Mediaweek has officially claimed the number one position in Australia’s media and marketing publishing category, according to the latest Ipsos iris data for February 2025.

The latest Ipsos iris rankings, recognised as the industry standard for digital audience measurement, show Mediaweek reaching 365,157 Australians last month.

The result reflects growing interest from professionals across media, marketing, advertising and tech who are turning to Mediaweek for news, analysis and industry insight.

Ipsos iris data February 2025. [click to expand.]

Head of content, Frances Sheen said the growth is a result of deliberate focus on original stories and clear, consistent coverage of the issues that matter most to the industry.

“We’ve doubled down on real reporting, trusted sources and timely insights,” she said. “Our readers are decision-makers, creatives, strategists and leaders, they rely on us to be across everything, and we take that seriously.”

Editor-in-Chief Emma Shepherd said the milestone reflects the publication’s renewed editorial vision and strong reader engagement across platforms.

“We’re absolutely thrilled,” she said. “Our team has worked hard to bring fresh energy to the brand, and it’s clear our audience is responding. Media professionals want relevant, intelligent, and timely news they can trust, and we’ve made that our mission.”

The 2025 Mediaweek leadership team is driving the brand’s continued momentum, with Frances Sheen as head of content and Emma Shepherd as Editor-in-Chief, supported by agency editor Alisha Buaya and journalist Natasha Lee. On the commercial side, Andrew Mulready oversees partnerships and advertising as head of commercial, while Sarah Chapman steers overall operations in her role as general manager.

The strong February numbers cap off a string of editorial and commercial wins for Mediaweek, with expanded newsletter subscriptions, daily audience growth, and a sharper presence across LinkedIn and industry events.

With a mix of breaking news, exclusive interviews, data-led analysis, and weekly deep dives, Mediaweek has become a must-read for Australia’s fast-moving media and marketing ecosystem.

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Kerrie McCallum doesn’t just lead some of Australia’s biggest lifestyle media brands — she builds them. As head of food, travel and health at News Corp Australia, McCallum oversees a portfolio of powerhouse titles, including delicious., taste.com.au, body+soul, and Escape. But what makes her approach unique is how she combines gut instinct with hard data to grow these brands across multiple platforms – and deliver for both audiences and advertisers.

“I like launching things and building out brands,” McCallum told Mediaweek. “That’s one factor that I enjoy. My teams also include very good people, many of whom I’ve worked with for a long time. We have a shorthand for working together quickly and efficiently.’

Building brands with purpose and process

With over 25 years in publishing, McCallum has held senior editorial roles across fashion, food, travel, and health – a track record that gives her the confidence to move quickly, but also the wisdom to slow down and study a brand deeply before changing it.

“My family and friends might not think I’m a methodical person,” she laughs, “but when it comes to building out a brand, there’s a method to my madness.”

That method includes aligning editorial direction with audience needs, commercial goals, and market opportunities – an approach she applies consistently, whether she’s onboarding a new brand like taste.com.au, or refreshing a legacy title.

“The most important thing I’ve learned is never to assume you know it or that it’s easy,” she says. “When I think about moving from fashion to food, then to travel – it’s a whole new world each time. Travel looks so fun and fabulous, but it’s a multi-layered, competitive, global industry. And mass food is very different from premium food.”

Powering growth with the News Corp Australia network

What sets McCallum apart is how effectively she harnesses the wider News Corp Australia ecosystem – in particular the Growth Intelligence Centre (GIC), marketing, and commercial teams – to fuel audience engagement and advertiser outcomes.

“I love looking at a brand and figuring out where the opportunity is to grow it,” she says. “Often we’ll start with our GIC, then bring in the commercial and marketing teams to align on the opportunity we have. That’s when the creative part begins – how do we grow and evolve it while protecting the core?’

That rigorous process helps ensure that every move is audience-led and commercially viable. It also means clients benefit from data-informed solutions, not just creative flair.

“I used to do things based on gut feel,” McCallum reflects. “Now, I start with a gut feeling, but I validate it with the data before I move forward. I’ve made mistakes in the past by changing things the audience loved – you learn not to assume.”

This approach has paid off across her entire portfolio. The News Food Network now reaches 6.23 million food lovers every month*, the News Health Network reaches 5.4 million Australians*, and the News Travel Network helps more than 5.89 million* Australians plan and book their holidays.

Leading Australia’s top lifestyle media brands

McCallum is the editorial lead for Escape, the country’s most influential travel media brand. Under her watch, the Sunday edition hit maximum capacity, leading to the launch of a new Tuesday section – driven by advertiser demand and high reader propensity to transact within 48 hours of Sunday’s content.

“We know our readers act quickly after seeing the big Sunday edition,” she says. “So clients were asking for a new environment to capture that intent. The beauty of the model is that regionals and metros can pick it up – it’s built within our national system, and clients have jumped on that.”

She points to the partnership with Flight Centre as a strong launch case, with more interest continuing to build.

“Clients might be talking to the sales team, but they like talking to someone in editorial who can say, ‘OK, you’re looking to target luxury cruisers who may not think cruising is for them – here’s what we can do to engage them across our network.'”

Her multi-brand oversight means McCallum can help advertisers connect the dots across categories, building holistic campaigns that resonate across food, health, and travel.

“Travel interlinks with all of my categories,” she says. “Food is a major motivator for travel, and so is health and wellness. So from an editorial and commercial perspective, we can build out really strong, integrated campaigns.”

McCallum is also the editorial director of Travel + Luxury, Body+Soul, delicious., and taste.com.au – each playing a distinct role in the network.

Recently, she describes how Body+Soul underwent a makeover after internal research revealed Australian’s attitude towards health had changes drastically in the wake of COVID.

“Our values had shifted,” McCallum explains. “It was no longer about weight loss, it was about happiness. That helped shape how we rebuilt our pillars – from progress over perfection to digital detox, sex and relationships, and wellness travel.”

The Body+Soul team also partnered with Chemist Warehouse to build the House of Wellness platform, which has seen 20% growth in organic traffic and a 60% reduction in bounce rate.

“It’s been an incredible model,” says McCallum. “They work closely with us to ensure it fits within our brand and has real context.”

Building for advertisers

McCallum says she believes her years of experience have given her a deep understanding of editorial, audience, and advertising goals allowing her to act as a bridge between commercial and content – a role that brands value more than ever.

“Clients love ideas,” she says. “They especially love launching exclusive projects or having something built for them. That’s something a lot of our travel clients are looking for – a creative solution that’s also strategic.”

Whether she’s expanding sections to meet advertiser demand, collaborating on wellness content that aligns with market shifts, or tapping into cross-category insights to connect audiences with brands, McCallum keeps one thing constant: her focus on building brands that matter.

“It’s not like I got it all at once,” she reflects. “I might launch something and then grow to learn a new pillar, and just as I’m feeling comfortable, I might get something new to challenge me. But I like being challenged.”

*Roy Morgan Single Source Australia; Jan 24 – Dec 24; P14+; Last 4 weeks

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As Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to deliver his fourth Federal Budget, the television networks are gearing up to launch a full-scale cross-platform news and analysis rollout.

Here’s what they’ve got planned for Tuesday, the 25th of March:

Seven

Coverage kicks off with the 7NEWS bulletin at 6.00pm AEDT, setting the tone with fast analysis on what the Budget means for everyday Australians. With the Budget handed down from 7.30pm, Seven will deliver breaking updates throughout the night across both broadcast and 7plus – offering real-time reactions from Canberra and beyond.

At 9.30pm, a dedicated 7NEWS Budget special – hosted by Michael Usher – will provide deeper analysis. He’ll be joined by chief political editor Mark Riley, national business editor Amelia Brace and BetaShares chief economist David Bassanese. The panel will unpack what the numbers really mean for mortgage holders, families and businesses.

“This is the most important of Jim Chalmers’ four Budgets so far – a chance for the government to set the economic agenda and springboard itself into the election campaign,” said Riley. “Our experienced Canberra team will be looking at every line, every detail to determine what this Budget means for our viewers and their families.”

On Wednesday 26 March, Sunrise will pick up the baton from 5.30am with Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington breaking down the budget’s winners and losers.

7NEWS will also activate its Election Needle – a proprietary tool that provides instant reaction from the electorate.

Nine

Budget day will be covered from every angle on Nine, with the coverage led by federal political editor Charles Croucher, national affairs editor Andrew Probyn, money editor Effie Zahos, and finance editor Chris Kohler.

They’ll be joined by political reporters Liz Daniels, Claudia Vrdoljak and Amanda Copp to provide rolling updates and context throughout the day – beginning with Today live from Canberra and continuing across bulletins at 11.30am, 4.00pm and 6.00pm.

The cornerstone of Nine’s Budget programming will be the 9News Budget Special at 10.00pm, hosted by Peter Overton. The hour-long broadcast will feature analysis from Croucher, Probyn, Zahos and Kohler.

Exclusive interviews with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor will anchor the special, with additional industry reaction from Copp rounding out the night’s reporting.

The morning after the Budget, the 9News team will continue decoding the numbers – offering deeper analysis, audience reactions, and takeaways.

Ten

Ten is throwing its weight behind a Late News: Federal Budget Special Edition, set to air at 10pm AEDT on Tuesday 25 March across 10 and 10 Play.

Hosted by Ursula Heger, the one-hour special will unpack the 2025 Federal Budget as it lands, with live reports and reactions tailored to speak directly to Australians concerned about cost-of-living pressures, economic recovery, and future stability.

Political editor Ashleigh Raper and national affairs editor Hugh Riminton will report live from Parliament House in Canberra, providing in-depth commentary on the government’s fiscal strategy and how it plays with voters, households, and businesses alike. Their analysis will include reactions from both Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor.

10’s Late News coverage will zero in on what matters most to viewers: the real-world consequences of government spending, tax reform, and policy changes. With cost-of-living stress at the forefront and an election looming, the bulletin will explore how the budget plays into broader political storytelling – and how it may reshape the national mood.

Available both on linear TV and via 10 Play, the special edition is part of Network 10’s broader strategy to deliver live, relevant news programming across platforms.

ABC

Kicking off at 7pm AEDT, ABC NEWS will feature a national Budget preview led by Jeremy Fernandez, simulcast across the 7pm news bulletins in select markets. The real action begins once Treasurer Jim Chalmers steps up in Parliament, with the ABC ramping up its coverage across all major platforms.

Immediately following the speech, 7.30 will air a special Budget edition hosted by Sarah Ferguson. Treasurer Chalmers and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor will go head-to-head in exclusive interviews, alongside expert commentary from 7.30 political editor Laura Tingle and political reporter Tom Crowley.

At 8:30pm, Insiders goes prime time for the night, with David Speers anchoring a live special from inside Parliament House, offering a high-level political breakdown of the Budget and its broader implications.

From 9:30pm, the focus shifts more squarely to the business and economic landscape. The Business airs a special edition on the ABC NEWS channel, bringing in big-name business leaders and top economists for in-depth analysis. Expect trade implications, investment impacts, and key insights into how the Budget will affect Australia’s economic engine.

On the audio front, ABC Radio will carry the Treasurer’s address live from 7:30pm, followed by Budget analysis until 9pm with a focus on how fiscal decisions will hit households, businesses and markets.

ABC NEWS Digital will be running a real-time live blog packed with reaction, key takeaways and analysis from political and business heavyweights including Annabel Crabb, Ian Verrender and Jacob Greber. Special explainers will break down the Budget’s winners and losers, and dedicated content will roll out across the ABC’s social media platforms.

And finally, the Opposition’s counterpunch: Peter Dutton’s Budget Reply will air live at 7:30pm on Thursday 27 March.

Sky News Australia

Coverage begins Tuesday 25 March at 4:30pm with a special edition of Business Now, where business editor Ross Greenwood and reporter Ed Boyd will break down what to expect from the evening ahead. At 5:00pm, The Kenny Report with Chris Kenny will explore the policy battlegrounds and potential political flashpoints inside the budget papers.

At 6:00pm, Peta Credlin takes the reins with a 90-minute budget edition of Credlin, placing Budget 2025 in the broader context of the federal election. Then at 7:30pm, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will deliver the Albanese Government’s budget speech live from Parliament House.

Immediately following the speech at 8:00pm, chief news anchor Kieran Gilbert will lead a panel of political and business insiders, including political editor Andrew Clennell, Ross Greenwood, and Sharri Markson. Contributions will also come from Laura Jayes, Chris Uhlmann, and former Labor minister Stephen Conroy, with analysis focused on the political and economic impact of the government’s pre-election budget.

At 9:00pm, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor will provide the Coalition’s live response, joined by Independents Zali Steggall and Dai Le, Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, and Senator Jacqui Lambie. Commentary from The Bolt Report’s Andrew Bolt and Labor veteran Graham Richardson will add further insight.

Paul Murray will follow at 9:30pm with a 90-minute special edition of Paul Murray Live, offering a breakdown of what Budget 2025 means for Australian households, businesses, and voters. Wrapping up the night at 11:00pm is The Late Debate, with James Macpherson, Liz Storer and Caleb Bond providing their reactions, and the first look at how the front pages are shaping the post-budget narrative.

On Wednesday 26 March at 12:30pm, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will return to the spotlight with a live address at the National Press Club, offering further clarity on the government’s economic strategy.

Then, on Thursday 27 March at 7:30pm, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will deliver his official Budget Reply, outlining the Coalition’s alternative vision for Australia’s fiscal future.

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Bankwest has launched its new brand platform ‘Just Enough Bank’ after reimagining its entire banking experience with creative studio Bear Meets Eagle On Fire.

The integrated campaign – which centres around the idea that banking should be more proportionate in people’s lives – was launched on 23 March with a series of off-beat spots and a visually striking out-of-home campaign that rolls out nationally over the coming weeks.

The idea, along with a new design system, will start running through every aspect of the brand, with more work across physical and digital cards and sponsorship on the way. The hero spots, directed by Steve Ayson from 3&7, focus on the idiosyncratic things people can spend more of their time on now that banking with Bankwest is so simple and intuitive.

The brand design system builds from the same idea of proportionality, launching a new, colourful graphic identity for Bankwest that’s as distinctive as it is playfully insightful.

While most startup and digital banks cater specifically to younger people, Bankwest has chosen to speak specifically to a more grownup audience, the adult in the household who looks after the family banking.

“It’s early stages in the roll out of this new platform, but right from the outset, we loved the confidence and distinctiveness of the work BMEOF brought us,” said Bankwest GM customer, marketing and communications Jodene Murphy.

“‘Just Enough Bank’ is a big idea that will permeate through our business – and is exactly what we need at such a pivotal moment in Bankwest’s 130-year history.”

“This is such a perfect brand and project for us,” said Micah Walker, founder and chief creative officer for Bear Meets Eagle On Fire. “The truth is, there is lots we’d rather be doing than banking, and highlighting all the familiar, random and idiosyncratic things we could be doing if banking got out of the way, is as fun as it is never-ending.”

The first iteration of the campaign will run across cinema, broadcast, online video, OOH, digital and social.

Credits:
Client: Bankwest
Creative Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Production Company: 3&7
Director: Steve Ayson
Producer: Allison Lockwood
Director of Photography: Adam Stone
Production Designer: Ruby Matthews

Post Production: ARC
Editor: Peter Sciberras
2nd Editor: Harrison Carr
Colour: Trish Cahill
Online: Eugene Richards
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designer: Daniel William
Sound EP: Michael Gie
Music Supervision: Trailer Media
Music Supervisor: Anton Trailer

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Seven West Media’s The Nightly celebrated its first birthday with a federal election forum at the Sydney Opera House last Thursday.

The event brought together leaders from across the media and marketing industries and featured an address by The Nightly’s Editor-in-Chief Chris Dore, panel discussion with ThinkNewsBrands CEO Vanessa Lyons and Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine, and two other panel discussions with some of the The Nightly’s top writers.

In addition to fantastic political insights from The Nightly’s writers, the night included info on The Nightly’s strategy and first year performance; consumer sentiment and polling, in the lead up to the federal election; and media insights into the power of news publishing during an election period.

The Nightly’s Editor-in-Chief Chris Dore.

The Nightly’s growth and future plans

Chris Dore began the evening by sharing impressive performance figures, revealing The Nightly’s audience has grown to 3 million monthly readers nationwide.

“Through a powerful tabloid front page with a sophisticated broadsheet edge each night, we have come a long way in a short period of time, and we have a long way to go,” Dore said.

With a strong product and faithful audience in place, Dore revealed The Nightly is now looking towards its next phase of growth, with several initiatives in the works to be announced in the coming weeks, including a new weekend travel focus set to be launched around the end of the financial year.

“This will be our first foray into lifestyle categories, and it will be the first digital-first travel product among news publishers,” Dore said. “The Nightly is transforming how people think about news published on digital platforms, as we build a unique bridge between traditional newspaper journalism and the mobile reading habits of the modern news consumer.”

ThinkNewsBrands CEO, Vanessa Lyons and Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine.

Australia’s bleak sentiment

Michele Levine and Vanessa Lyons then took the stage to examine the political and consumer landscapes in the lead-up to the federal election.

Levine presented the latest Roy Morgan data, painting a bleak picture of consumer confidence.

“It’s at its lowest point this year, with nearly half of Australians saying their families are worse off financially than they were a year ago, and for the first time, more respondents expect their financial situation to decline rather than improve over the next 12 months,” she noted.

Levine also said economic pessimism was the highest it’s been all year.

“Only 8% of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the economy in the year ahead, while 32% anticipate ‘bad times’… Put simply, it’s bleak out there as we head into the election,” she said.

News media opportunity during an election period

Lyons and Levine then discussed how news media represents a great opportunity for media buyers and advertisers during an election period, noting major global and local events deliver readership surges across Australia’s major publishers.

Levine said, “In 2023, news readership across the country had its second highest month in October, in large part due to The Voice referendum, and in 2022, the Federal election made May one of the highest readership months of the year.”

Lyons said this made sense given people turned to news publishing more than any other channel for political information.

“ThinkNewsBrands research shows news publishing is the top media choice for Australians when it comes to political content – more than 5x social media and 7x radio,” said Lyons.

Vanessa Lyons, CEO of ThinkNewsBrands.

Lyons and Levine predicted even greater numbers of readers would flock to trusted news sources in the lead up to the federal election given uncertain times and widespread concern about misinformation.

“With the election around the corner, it’s really a great opportunity for brands to maximise reach and engagement by investing in news publishing,” said Lyons.

Spotlight on The Nightly’s successful strategy

The panel concluded with a discussion on the industry and consumer trends behind The Nightly’s successful strategy.

“The Nightly has firmly positioned itself as a national publication,” Lyons said, highlighting that 80% of its readership is outside of WA, with the majority in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.”

Lyons said this was a product of digital accessibility seeing state/territory news brands gaining large readership numbers outside their local markets in addition to local audiences.

“Digital accessibility has allowed state-based news brands to expand their reach beyond traditional markets, and The Nightly has capitalised on that trend,” Lyons said.

The Nightly’s evening drop has also proven key to its success.

Lyons noted, “Its 6pm release time aligns with a major evening news consumption peak, complementing existing morning and lunchtime readership surges.”

Lyon’s concluded by saying that a strong transformation from print to digital was taking place in the industry to match consumer preference and that The Nightly was one at the forefront of the transition.

Said Lyons, “The Nightly has always been digital-first and really focused on the potential of a digital-first product. It’s an exciting example of what the future of news publishing may look like.”

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oOh!media has awards the 2025 Indigenous Business grant to tour operator Budj Bim Cultural Landscape.

The Aboriginal-owned and operated tourism business, Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tours offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the rich cultural and natural history of the approximately 7,000 square kilometre Budj Bim region in south-western Victoria.

As the only UNESCO World Heritage-listed site in Victoria for its cultural values, Budj Bim faces challenges in attracting a steady flow of visitors due to its remote location, positioned four hours from Melbourne and six hours from Adelaide between the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians, meaning many travellers bypass the area.

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape will receive an Out of Home media package to the value of $200,000 across oOh!’s digital network with support from oOh!’s innovation and creative hub, POLY.

Harriet Keatley, marketing manager at Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, said: “Winning the oOh! Indigenous Business Grant is an incredible opportunity to shine a light on Budj Bim and the deep cultural significance of this landscape. Being just one of two UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites in Victoria, our region remains largely overlooked, with limited exposure and few drive-by visitors.

“This grant will help us amplify awareness and attract more people to experience the rich history and enduring connection of the Gunditjmara people to this land.”

oOh! launched the Indigenous Business Grant to support and amplify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses by leveraging oOh!’s national digital Out of Home network. The inaugural winner was The Unexpected Guest, an Australian made and owned breakfast food products company which creates health bars and organic mueslis made with native ingredients.

Andrew Every, chief strategy and retail media officer and RAP executive sponsor at oOh!media, said: “The quality of entries for this year’s Indigenous Business Grant were once again outstanding, showcasing the incredible talent, innovation, and impact of First Nations businesses across Australia. Budj Bim Cultural Landscape stood out as a truly unique and deserving winner, not only as the only tourism operator to enter, but also as a business with a powerful story to share.

“Leveraging oOh!’s Out of Home network will help bring greater attention to this often-overlooked region, encouraging more visitors to experience the deep cultural significance of Budj Bim. By increasing awareness at scale, we hope more people will take the opportunity to explore this extraordinary landscape and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of our shared history.”

Following continued strong interest and significant numbers of applications from a range of businesses including technology, consulting services and beauty in 2025, oOh! will be opening entries for the 2026 Indigenous Business Grant in December.

7Bravo has found its new red carpet queen. Bella Varelis, a familiar face in Australian media and digital circles, has stepped into her dream role as the host of 7Bravo and the face of Live From E!’s red carpet coverage.

“Becoming the host of 7Bravo and the face of such an iconic global brand is a dream,” says Varelis. “I grew up watching Live From E!, so to become the face of 7Bravo’s red carpet coverage is a pinch-me moment.”

From interviewing A-listers at the Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy premiere and the AACTA Awards to gearing up for the 2025 Met Gala and the Logies, Varelis is set to be front and centre at some of the year’s most-watched entertainment moments.

But beyond the glam, there’s a clear focus on brand integration and audience engagement – and Varelis is bringing her content creator savvy to the fore.

Brand storytelling, the Bella way

Varelis’ mini-series Between Friends: Bella Beauty is more than just beauty tips and product talk. It’s a platform for brands to connect with audiences in an authentic, social-first way.

“My role is a key bridge between audiences and brands looking to connect authentically,” says Varelis. “Between Friends: Bella Beauty is all about exploring the latest in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle, giving brands an opportunity to feature within a format that feels natural and exciting to our audience.”

Whether it’s product placement on-air, co-branded segments, behind-the-scenes digital content, or influencer collaborations, Varelis is embracing a multi-platform approach.

“Social media is where we amplify it all with real-time brand moments and shareable content that keeps the conversation going,” she adds.

From personal brand to platform power

With a loyal online following, Varelis has built a trusted digital presence that resonates with her audience. She sees her followers as an extension of the 7Bravo audience – curious, engaged, and ready to be inspired.

“Social media allows me to work with the brands I love, be creative, and authentically talk to my community of women,” she says. “As the big sister or friend, they can always look for tips, tricks, and advice. I’m so proud of the girl gang I’ve got online.”

7Bravo’s brand strategy

For Peta Crum, senior director of commercial and marketing at NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC, the decision to elevate talent like Bella into front-and-centre roles is part of a broader content-meets-commerce strategy.

“Authentic storytelling is key to brand connections,” says Crum. “Our Friends of 7Bravo network offers a curated roster of content creators across categories like beauty, travel, lifestyle, and fashion – all producing premium entertainment experiences that capture the attention of our highly engaged audiences.”

Key verticals such as Between Friends: Bella Beauty and Between Friends: What to Wear with Elliot Garnaut are built to integrate brands in a way that feels seamless and native, not disruptive. “It’s aspirational, relatable and shareable,” Crum adds. “We’re creating direct pathways from content to commerce with shoppable features like QR codes and swipe-ups.”

360° engagement across platforms

In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, Crum says 7Bravo is embracing a platform-agnostic mindset: “We take a 360° approach, ensuring our content and brand partnerships reach audiences across broadcast, streaming, social media, and events.”

Linear TV continues to drive discovery and appointment viewing, while 7plus expands reach through catch-up and ad-supported streaming. Meanwhile, curated social content ensures 7Bravo stays part of the real-time cultural conversation.

“Live From E! events hosted by Bella generate viral content, positioning 7Bravo at the forefront of entertainment moments,” says Crum. “It’s about creating sharable moments that captivate and convert.”

Peta Crum, senior director of commercial and marketing at NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC

A bold and audience-first future

Looking ahead, 7Bravo is doubling down on its role as a cultural connector. From integrating with tentpole events like Australian Fashion Week to expanding its Between Friends franchise, the channel is investing in brand storytelling that meets audiences where they are.

“We’re not just following trends – we’re helping to set them,” says Crum. “With AI-powered personalisation, interactive formats, and talent-led storytelling, we’re focused on delivering experiences that matter – to fans and brands alike.”

As Varelis brings her energy, polish, and digital fluency to the screen, she’s not just hosting red carpets – she’s helping reshape how brands show up in culture.

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News Corp Australia has rolled out a new true crime series, Dear Rachelle: The Hunt For My Sister’s Killer, a ten-part investigative project delivered across podcast, video, and digital editorial.

At the centre is the unsolved 2001 murder of 23-year-old Rachelle Childs, whose body was found burned on the NSW South Coast hours after she arranged to meet someone at a local pub.

For more than two decades, her family and friends have fought for answers. Did Rachelle know her killer? Who was she supposed to be meeting at the Bargo Hotel the night she died? Now a new cold case team has unearthed damning new evidence.

Murdered Bargo woman Rachelle Childs. Photo: News Corp Australia

The podcast

Fronted by News Corp journalist Ashlea Hansen and retired detective Damian Loone, famed for his role in The Teacher’s Pet, the series picks apart the original case file, cross-examines alibis, and presents new evidence in the hope of unlocking long-awaited answers.

Executive produced by Rachel Fountain, the series also features award-winning journalist Patrick Carlyon, with Sarah Blake serving as executive editor.

True crime meets content strategy

Dear Rachelle is more than a podcast – it’s a multi-platform storytelling play designed to tap into growing consumer appetite for longform, investigative true crime.

Supported by News Corp’s state mastheads, including The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser, the campaign includes interactive digital features, video, and rolling editorial coverage.

“We hope that by bringing the reach and power of News’ network to this case, we can finally answer the question of what happened to Rachelle,” said Blake.

For more go to dearrachelle.com.au.

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Mediaweek’s Media Movers charts the biggest people moves in the industry over the past week.

Adrián Flores

Adrián Flores has exited from Clemenger BBDO after joining May as chief creative officer in May last year.

A spokesperson said in a statement: “Adrián Flores has left his role as Chief Creative Officer of Clemenger BBDO Australia. He has made a positive contribution to the agency, in both the work created for clients and in evolving the structure of the creative team.

“We thank Adrián for his efforts and wish him all the best in his future career endeavours. The structure of the unified Executive Leadership Team for the new Clemenger agency will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Are Media has announced that MasterChef Australia’s first winner, Julie Goodwin, is reuniting with The Australian Women’s Weekly as a regular columnist. After a six-year break, she returns with Family Favourites, a monthly series celebrating nostalgic, home-cooked meals that hold a special place in her heart.

Goodwin, who first joined The Weekly the day after her MasterChef win in 2009, shared her love of food and family with readers for nearly a decade before stepping away in 2019. Now, she’s back, bringing with her a collection of recipes inspired by generations of family cooking.

Andrew Every, Mark Fairhurst, Cathy O’Connor, Neil Ackland

Neil Ackland is exiting oOh!media after seven years with the outdoor media company. His departure coincides with the senior executive appointments of Mark Fairhurst and Andrew Every.

Ackland has decided to move on from oOh!, having been a key member of the oOh! executive team since 2019 following the company’s 2016 acquisition of Junkee Media, which he founded.

Fairhurst will step into the role of chief revenue officer. Fairhurst joined oOh! in November 2024 as revenue advisor and had been acting chief revenue officer since December, he brings over 25 years of experience in sales, strategy, and change management.

Every will take on the new expanded executive role as chief strategy and retail media officer. He joined oOh! 12 months ago from the NRL and has a strong track record in establishing and driving the commercial success of partnerships at the edge of media and technology.

Jocelin Abbey

Are Media has appointed Jocelin Abbey to the newly created role of general manager, homes and lifestyle.

Effective from 7 April, Abbey will take charge of some of the country’s most influential lifestyle and home media brands, including Better Homes and Gardens, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Home Beautiful, Belle, Australian House & Garden, Country Style, and Homes to Love.

MiQ Australia and New Zealand has bolstered its leadership team with the appointment of seasoned media executive Chris Freel as chief revenue officer. The newly created role comes as the programmatic media company continues its rapid expansion across the region.

Freel, a widely respected industry figure, brings more than 20 years of commercial media experience to the role. Most recently group sales director at oOh!media, his career includes senior leadership positions at Fairfax Media and Pandora, followed by a six-year tenure as CEO of industry charity UnLtd.

Sacked Triple M broadcaster Luke Bona has been handed a lifeline by rival network 2GB. The announcement was made by Ben Fordham on his top rating breakfast show this morning.

Bona will be stepping in for Drive host Clinton Maynard over Easter while also securing a regular spot on Phil O’Neil’s new overnight show across 2GB and 4BC. Starting this week, Bona will deliver The Bona Report live between 4am and 5am every Thursday morning, bringing his signature style to the early morning audience.

Amaury Treguer, Emelie Jessika Lundberg, and Mary Proulx

Bread Agency has appointed Emelie Jessika Lundberg as its general manager.

Lundberg joins the social commerce agency from The Works (Part of Capgemini), where she was head of social, and brings a wealth of experience in delivering innovative brand solutions and driving growth through social media for leading clients.

At Bread Agency, Lundberg will oversee operations, spearhead new business initiatives, and help elevate the agency’s creative and strategic capabilities.

Del Fordham is no stranger to audio storytelling. Having led 9Podcasts and previously served as head of audio at News Corp, he has spent years refining strategies that drive engagement and revenue in the podcasting space.

Now, as he steps into his new role as associate director for Audible APAC Originals, he is set to help shape the platform’s premium content strategy in a rapidly growing market.

Susan Lyons

EssenceMediacom has appointed Susan Lyons as the new managing director for its Brisbane office.

Lyons brings almost 20 years of experience in the media industry and a broad skillset across brand, behaviour change and data and customer experience (CX) to the GroupM media agency.

News Corp Australia’s Sport Network is strengthening its editorial and commercial leadership with a series of key appointments designed to expand its audience and unlock new opportunities for advertisers.

Jessica Montague has been appointed head of commercial content for the news sport and prestige networks, a newly created role that bridges the gap between sport, fashion, and lifestyle.

Eliza Sewell returns to News Corp to take the helm as editor of Code Sports, bringing extensive experience from her tenure at the Herald Sun and as National AFL Editor for the News Sport Network.

As part of the editorial reshuffle, Will Hogan steps into the role of AFL Editor. Since joining News in 2021 as AFL chief of staff, Hogan has played a key role in shaping the Sport Network’s football coverage.

Meanwhile, Herald Sun veteran Jay Clark has been elevated to Chief Football Writer for the News Sport Network.

Grace O’Brien, Lucie de La Chaise and Jacque Kennedy

Newly launched creative studio, Outside In, enters the market with co-founders Grace O’Brien, Jacque Kennedy, and Lucie de La Chaise at the helm.

The trio, who were the creatives behind global period underwear brand Modibodi, have drawn on their combination of in-house and agency experience with an offering that makes big brand creative thinking and execution accessible to emerging brands across the arts, lifestyle and technology sectors. 

Boomtown has appointed Francesca ‘Franky’ Ryan as its new marketing lead.

Ryan steps into the role, replacing outgoing acting marketing lead Nikki Clarkson, who has been appointed chief marketing officer at the Victoria Racing Club. Clarkson has been acting in the role since the departure of Leanne Glamuzina, who joined oOh!media earlier this year.

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Consumers are demanding more transparency and control over their data, and marketers are juggling increasingly strict privacy regulations while still trying to deliver meaningful, effective campaigns. That’s where data clean rooms and privacy-first technologies come in, offering smarter ways to work with data that build trust and unlock valuable insights.

What are data clean rooms?

Data clean rooms are secure environments that allow multiple parties to collaborate on data without actually sharing or transferring control of it. As Lauren Wetzel, CEO of InfoSum, explains, the concept was first popularised by Google through its Ads Data Hub.

“Data clean rooms began as a concept with the idea of connecting data in a secure way,” she says. They enable organisations to generate insights, activate campaigns, and measure results, without compromising data control or consumer privacy.

Wetzel stresses how important this is for brands navigating today’s regulatory environment. “Privacy-enhancing technologies are critical for brands to stay compliant with regulations and maintain consumer trust,” she explains. “It’s a way to understand your customers without sacrificing their privacy.”

Traditionally, data collaboration meant physically sharing files or sending data to a third party for matching, processes that were not only time-consuming but also introduced significant privacy and security risks.

“Every time you wanted to match data, you had to send it outside of your enterprise,” Wetzel recalls from her time in the telecom industry. “Data clean rooms completely change that narrative.”

In Australia, clean rooms are gaining traction, particularly in sectors like retail and loyalty. Woolworths, through its Cartology division, and Flybuys, via Unpacked by Flybuys, are leading the way by providing advertisers with access to anonymised consumer insights while maintaining high privacy standards.

“InfoSum allows you, as the data owner, to collaborate without actually sharing that data,” Wetzel adds. “This decentralised model supports secure, multi-party collaboration.”

By connecting anonymised datasets, brands can gain a more holistic understanding of their customers—without ever handing over sensitive information.

“This kind of collaboration is especially valuable for CPG brands, which often struggle to form direct relationships with consumers,” Wetzel says. “They typically interact with people only at the point of transaction, so clean rooms offer a rare opportunity to enrich that understanding.”

The risks of “Privacy Washing”

With regulators sharpening their focus globally, from Australia’s incoming Privacy Act reforms to California’s CPRA, brands can no longer afford vague or unsubstantiated claims about data protection. Third-party certification is becoming essential, with frameworks from the IAB Tech Lab and privacy-tech providers like Ketch emerging as new standards for accountability.

As more privacy technologies hit the market, there’s growing concern over “privacy washing”, where companies market solutions as privacy-safe without adequate protections in place. Wetzel urges brands to critically evaluate the technologies they adopt. “It’s vital to ensure they are genuinely protecting consumer data.”

Key questions include whether the technology is decentralised and whether it can prevent the re-identification of individuals.

This need for scrutiny reflects a broader challenge in the industry. “The industry has become careless, often running campaigns without taking appropriate data protection measures,” Wetzel warns. “When using phrases like ‘privacy-safe,’ companies must back it up with real solutions.” If a brand can’t confidently answer questions about data control and security, its credibility is at risk.

The shift to First-Party Data

As the marketing world moves away from third-party cookies, the pressure is on for brands to build robust first-party data strategies. This shift places transparency, trust, and consent at the heart of modern marketing, and significantly raises the stakes for consumer data protection.

In Australia, while many marketers recognise the value of first-party data, execution still lags behind. According to the IAB Australia white paper, too few brands have strong CRM systems or clear, permission-based strategies in place, highlighting the urgent need for long-term investment in data maturity.

“First-party data not only offers more accuracy in targeting but requires brands to handle this data with care,” says Wetzel. She adds that data governance is no longer just a compliance issue, it’s a “CEO-level agenda,” because the cost of losing consumer trust can be catastrophic for a business.

“Investing in first-party data solutions is increasingly vital,” she says. “But with that comes greater responsibility. As the industry moves beyond its reliance on cookies, brands must re-architect their data strategies to protect consumer privacy by default.”

Emerging trends shaping the future

The role of data clean rooms is expanding well beyond measurement and targeting. In 2024, they’re increasingly being used for predictive analytics and even training AI models, enabling smarter audience insights while keeping privacy intact.

There’s also a growing shift toward interoperability. Marketers want clean rooms that work across platforms and identity solutions, not just within walled gardens like Google or Meta. This evolution signals a future where clean rooms are central to marketing strategy, not just a compliance tool.

In markets like Australia, the combination of retail data and connected TV (CTV) insights is opening up powerful opportunities for brands. As Wetzel notes, “Combining insights from loyalty programmes, transaction data, and media consumption enables brands to develop a comprehensive understanding of consumer behaviour.”

One of the most exciting developments locally is the collision of retail media and BVOD (broadcast video on demand). Advertisers are now connecting Woolworths’ loyalty data with CTV campaigns to understand which media exposures drive in-store purchases, bringing a new level of sophistication to attribution and planning.

Wetzel also highlights how the purchase journey itself is evolving. “Understanding how consumers progress from awareness to conversion has never been more crucial. The ability to link data points enables brands to create relevant messaging, making the funnel appear less linear and more dynamic.”

She adds: “The decentralised nature of clean rooms enables brands to keep control of their data, fostering trust and transparency.”

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News Corp Australia has once again secured its position as the country’s leading digital news and information publisher, according to the Ipsos Iris February 2025 rankings released today.

The media giant reached more than 17.6 million Australians online – representing four in five internet users – and recorded a 2.2% year-on-year increase in total audience.

With 144 browser page views per person, News Corp Australia continues to blend reach with deep engagement – critical metrics for both advertisers and media buyers looking to place their bets on premium inventory.

The company also dominated video, pulling in a 2.08 million-strong audience and racking up 56 million views for the month.

Audience engagement fuels commercial strength

At the organisational level, News Corp led the News category with a monthly audience of 14.594 million and a staggering 482 million page views.

On average, users spent more than 41 minutes on its sites, clocking 33 page views per person – placing it well ahead of competitors in both scale and stickiness.

“Every month, millions of Australians come to our network of trusted news and lifestyle sites,” said Pippa Leary, managing director and publisher, Free News and Lifestyle at News Corp Australia.

“They actively explore multiple pages and invest considerable time in our content. Our laser focus on building a network of engaged audiences at scale is key to delivering strong results for our clients.”

Pippa Leary, managing director and publisher, Free News and Lifestyle at News Corp Australia

News.com.au tops engagement and video

Flagship site news.com.au emerged as the top-performing brand in the News category’s top 10, pulling in 12.214 million users and delivering 260 million page views. It also topped engagement with 21 browser views per person and an average dwell time of over 21 minutes.

The brand’s video arm is also proving to be a major force, accounting for 45 million of News Corp’s 56 million total video views – more than half of the entire category. “It’s pleasing to see video achieve 45 million views, representing more than half of the total video views in the category,” said Leary.

Strength across categories

Beyond hard news, News Corp’s brands also performed strongly across key verticals.

In the Lifestyle category, taste.com.au continued its dominance with 4.372 million users and an engaged reach of 14 page views per person.

Meanwhile, news.com.au – Lifestyle followed closely with an audience of 4.133 million.

In the Sports category, news.com.au – Sports took the top spot with 3.380 million users, while in Travel, news.com.au – Travel led with 2.118 million, trailed by Escape.com.au with 1.017 million.

Overall, six News Corp brands landed in the top 25 news sites for the month, including The Australian (3.574 million), Herald Sun (3.366 million), SkyNews.com.au (3.296 million), The Courier-Mail (3.196 million, up 10.4% month-on-month), and The Daily Telegraph (3.052 million).

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LinkedIn has revealed its 2025 Skills on the Rise list, with AI literacy taking the top spot among the fastest-growing skills professionals need to stay competitive.

The report highlights how artificial intelligence is not just creating new jobs but transforming existing ones, with Australian companies increasingly prioritising AI expertise in hiring decisions.

According to LinkedIn, demand for AI skills has skyrocketed in Australia, with AI-related hires surging by more than 240% over the past eight years.

The number of professionals adding AI skills to their LinkedIn profiles has also jumped 29-fold since 2016 – far outpacing the global average increase of 20-fold.

As AI adoption accelerates, Australian jobs are expected to change by 66% by 2030 compared to 2016, underscoring the urgency for workers to upskill.

Soft skills still indispensable

While AI is revolutionising industries, it is also elevating the importance of human-centric abilities.

Soft skills like communication, strategic thinking, and adaptability feature prominently in LinkedIn‘s top five Skills on the Rise, reinforcing the value of emotional intelligence and problem-solving in an automated workforce.

LinkedIn career expert, Cayla Dengate, emphasised the growing role of interpersonal skills: “AI is transforming every job, team, and business. Your job is changing, even if you’re not changing jobs. However, AI is also elevating the value of human-centric abilities. Soft skills enable professionals to build strong relationships, foster collaboration, and drive innovation, making them indispensable in today’s job market.”

The shift is evident in LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list, which includes roles like English teacher, fundraising manager, and employee relations specialist – careers that rely heavily on communication, empathy, and agility.

Even frontline hospitality roles highlight the increasing need for people skills to navigate an AI-driven economy.

LinkedIn rolls out AI-powered career tools

To support professionals in developing these in-demand skills, LinkedIn Learning offers courses covering topics like AI fundamentals, innovative thinking, and communication strategies.

The platform has also introduced an AI-powered coaching tool designed to help users sharpen interpersonal skills, such as public speaking, through interactive exercises and personalised feedback.

Additionally, LinkedIn’s new job match feature will allow job seekers to instantly assess how their skills align with job listings, providing real-time insights into qualifications and career fit.

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