Full service agency Apparent has appointed Hamish Stewart in the newly created role of chief creative and experience officer to elevate and grow the agency’s integrated offering.

Stewart is the agency’s latest senior appointment, following the earlier additions of Simon Pugh as chief media officer in June and Jason Hill as chief strategy officer in December.

He previously served as the national executive creative director of experience at CHEP Network. He has also held senior positions at R/GA Sydney, M&C Saatchi, and GHO.

Throughout his career, Stewart has led creative initiatives for many of Australia’s top brands, including Optus, CommBank, Google, and NRMA Insurance. His extensive experience spans the full range of marketing creativity, encompassing brand development, customer experience, digital strategies, sponsorship, design thinking, and innovation.

With a passion for driving innovation that makes an impact, Stewart has also been a mentor for two startup accelerators – Remarkable, for early-stage startups using technology to positively impact life for people with disability, and EnergyLab, ANZ’s largest climate tech accelerator.

At Apparent, he will oversee the agency’s entire creative output, working alongside its more than 150 strong team and portfolio of clients across Australia and around the world.

“We’re excited to further bolster our leadership with the addition of Hamish into the new chief creative and experience officer position,” Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, said. “His extensive, award-winning experience with major brands at some of Australia’s top agencies makes him the ideal leader to help us deliver on our ambitious agency strategy and continued global growth.”

Stewart added: “Apparent is dedicated to solving clients’ complex business challenges by integrating creativity, media, data, and technology. I’m delighted to be joining the agency and collaborating with its talented team to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients and accelerating the agency’s overall creative offering.”

Stewart is the latest senior appointment at Apparent, one of the largest full service independent agencies in Australia. In May Simon Pugh joined as chief media officer in another newly created role.

In collaboration with creative agency Clemenger BBDO, Myer’s 2024 Christmas campaign, ‘Share The Joy’, isn’t just about decking the halls – it’s about celebrating the fun, the unexpected, and the joy of Christmas, however you find it.

This year, Myer is reminding everyone that Christmas isn’t just for tinsel lovers and carol-singers. Whether you’re a mistletoe maniac or a Christmas grinch, Myer has something to make you smile.

At the heart of the campaign is Humbug. This grumpy Christmas anti-hero finds the usual festive fun such as carols, decorations, and bright lights, too much for his sensitive soul. Humbug can’t resist causing merry mayhem in the neighbourhood, until an unlikely friend teaches him that no matter how you find joy, it’s always better when it’s shared.

Humbug will be popping up everywhere with the campaign coming to life across a channel mix including; TV, BVOD, OOH, digital, social, PR, online, in-store VM and immersive experiences, gift wrapping and team member uniforms. Customers can also take Humbug home by purchasing their very own plush toy created especially for the campaign, available in-store.

Geoff Ikin, chief customer officer at Myer said: “This campaign is all about celebrating the festive season in its many forms; embracing the fun, the unexpected, and even a little bit of mischief.

“Whether you’re decking the halls or trying to dodge the mistletoe, Myer is proud to be Australia’s favourite one-stop destination for bringing Christmas magic to life. From decorating, gifting, or just soaking up the season, we’re here to help ensure there’s joy for all Australians this Christmas.”

Adrián Flores, chief creative officer at Clemenger BBDO said: “As a notorious humbug myself, I know too well how it feels to have to grimace your way through Christmas. This campaign is for all the humbugs out there just trying to make it through to New Years. It’s always great when a brand isn’t afraid to have some fun and stand out, and this Myer campaign is exactly that – a moment of levity that reinforces the retailer’s position as the home of Christmas for all Aussies.”

‘Share The Joy’ launches on Sunday 3 November and runs until Christmas Eve.

Credits:

Client – Myer
Chief Customer Officer: Geoff Ikin
Chief Marketing Officer: Clarabella Burley
Senior Marketing Manager – Nicola Stanton

Creative Agency – Clemenger BBDO
Chief Creative Officer: Adrián Flores
Executive Creative Director: Tristan Graham
Creative Director: Anthony Cassidy
Creatives: Ellie Dunn, Hugh O’Conner, Lara Smith, Hazel Squair, Nicole Sykes, Wayne Ching,
Design: Sade Ballestrin, Ant Yee, David Anderson
Chief Strategy & Experience Officer: Simon Wassef
Head of Strategy: Brooke Thompson
Strategy Director: Cecilia Hund
Strategist: Helena Duniec
Managing Partner: Anita Deutsch-Burley
Group Business Director: Charlotte Stevens
Senior Account Director: Carrie Hack
Senior Producer: Alana Teasdale

Digital & Print production – MADE THIS
Retouching: Adrian Foot, Adrian Garofalo, Prue Ibbotson
Finished Art: David Walsh
Digital Production: Natalia Lukasiewicz, Tanya Gidwani
Head of Project Management: Sam Scalise

Endeavour Group, the retail drinks and hospitality business, has revealed changes to its group executive leadership team.

Chief marketing officer Jo Rose will exit Endeavour after three years to spend time closer to her family in the United Kingdom. Rose has led the marketing and customer teams since joining the business shortly after demerger, coming to Australia nearly nine years ago originally to join Woolworths.

She also led the establishment of Endeavour’s unified customer strategy and end-to-end demand generation practice, strengthening its leading brands.

Ilana Stringer will step down as chief strategy and transformation officer in February after more than three years with Endeavour and five years with Woolworths prior to demerger.

Stringer established Endeavour’s Group Strategy and M&A practices and led the organisation and Board through the initial strategy cycles of the business. She also established the first Transformation office and commenced the One Endeavour program.

Rose and Stringer will both continue in their roles in the business until the second quarter of the next calendar year.

Meanwhile, Paul Carew has been appointed as managing director of ALH Hotels, and will begin in the role in the new year. He brings more than 18 years in leadership roles in gaming and entertainment to the position and is currently the chief operating officer at Tabcorp.

Carew replaces interim ALH Hotels managing director Paul Walton, who has led the business since Mario Volpe stood down in 2023 due to ill health. Walton will return to his substantive role leading the Group’s Pinnacle Drinks business.

Harinder Saluja has also been appointed to a newly created role of chief transformation officer, joining from the NSW Government’s Process and Technology Harmonisation Program. Harinder brings deep technical and leadership experience and will drive the One Endeavour transformation program along with upgrades of key technology systems in the business.

Steve Donohue, Endeavour Group chief executive officer said, said: “Paul and Harinder bring new skills and deep experience to the executive team and will help drive the next phase of Endeavour’s success. I am very pleased they have accepted these important roles with the business.

“I would also like to thank Paul Walton for his leadership of ALH Hotels, taking on the role in difficult circumstances and creating substantial value for the business.

“Jo and Ilana have both made outstanding contributions to Endeavour, establishing strong platforms for growth and improving the performance of the business. On behalf of the entire management team, I wish them the very best for the future.”

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Top image: Jo Rose

Merrick Watts has officially launched Posca Hydrate, a sports drink inspired by an ancient Roman hydration beverage. The debut took place at the premiere of ‘Gladiator,’ perfectly aligning with the drink’s historical roots.

The concept for Posca Hydrate emerged during the COVID-19 lockdown, when Watts, a self-proclaimed history buff, stumbled upon the story of Posca, a drink favoured by Roman warriors for its hydration properties. Intrigued, he began experimenting with recipes at home, facing several challenges before deciding to collaborate with professional formulators.

“I was determined to create an all-natural, sugar-free drink, which proved to be a significant challenge,” Watts shared. After extensive refinement, he developed a hypertonic electrolyte drink with bubbles — making it the first of its kind in the world.

Recognising the potential, Watts reached out to Ed Stening, a former colleague at Lion, who became Posca Hydrate’s co-founder and CEO. Stening helped assemble a team of industry experts who identified a market gap for a refreshing, all-natural sports drink. The founding team includes ex-Lion creative director Mick Boston, as well as Hazel Kitson, Almin Azeem, Chris Adams, and Tom Bills, each bringing their unique skills to the venture.

Danielle Collins, now the digital marketing manager of Post Hydrate,wrote on LinkedIn, “When I first heard the story behind Posca, I knew I had to be part of it. So much so that I asked for a job— and they gave me one!” She added that Posca Hydrate stands as a true challenger to traditional sports drinks, highlighting its zero sugar, all-natural ingredients, and lack of artificial additives.

The advisory board features notable industry figures, including Thinkerbell co-founder Adam Ferrier and Lion’s chief growth and commercial officer Anubha Sahasrabuddhe.

Posca Hydrate will hit shelves across Australia this month, available in convenience stores, gyms, and quick-service restaurants.

News Corp Australia has appointed Dean La Rosa to the newly created role of general manager, commercial data.

La Rosa will spearhead the next phase of growth for News’ in-house data science capabilities to elevate the company’s audience intelligence platform, Intent Connect.

He most recently worked at the Seven Network as head of commercial data and programmatic, and prior to that at Nine Entertainment and Acxiom.

He will sit within the free news & lifestyle division led by managing director and publisher, Pippa Leary.

“Dean is a trailblazer in the data space, bringing a wealth of experience in data analytics, commercial strategy, and leadership to this new role,” Leary said. “His unrivalled expertise in digital media and data-driven strategies will be crucial as we embark on a new chapter and further enhance our Intent Connect offering.”

Pippa Leary.

In this cross-functional role, La Rosa will work closely with News’ Client Partnerships team to align the company’s data and product development strategies with its performance and planning objectives.

“I am thrilled to join News, the leader in this space,” La Rosa said. “With the rapid evolution of data-driven decision-making, we have a unique opportunity to elevate the way we connect with audiences and deliver outcome based marketing.

“I look forward to accelerating our data science capabilities and further strengthening our position as a leader in audience intelligence to empower our partners with insights that drive meaningful results.”

La Rosa’s appointment is effective immediately. He is set to make several key hires as he expands the commercial data team.

The 2024 US election will see Vice President Kamala Harris go head-to-head with former President Donald Trump, in a race that will shape the global political landscape for years to come. But how can you watch the US election unfold in Australia?

While results from the election will start rolling in from the afternoon of Wednesday, 6 November in Australia, each network is set to have its own coverage with its own talent covering the crucial race.

How to watch the US election on Australian TV

ABC

ABC will have live coverage on 6 November across ABC TV and ABC iview. Viewers can also watch explainers on the key issues and news from the campaign trail at the USA Votes collection on ABC iview.

The ABC News website and the ABC News app will also have the latest news and analysis. On the day, ABC will have interactive results explainers that will help readers understand which states helped win the White House.

Nine

Nine’s coverage will start at 10:00 am AEDT, immediately following an extended edition of Today.

Channel 9’s host and analysts include: Karl Stefanovic, Liz Hayes, Charles Croucher and US political analyst Laura Schwartz, reporting live from Washington, DC. Croucher will offer Australian audiences insights and accessible analysis.

Nine’s US correspondents Jonathan Kearsley, Alison Piotrowski and Lauren Tomasi, along with 60 Minutes correspondent Amelia Adams, will report directly from key battleground states, giving audiences the latest, on-the-ground updates. Additionally, with its partnership with CNN, Channel 9 has access to developments from both Democrat and Republican headquarters.

Seven

Seven’s coverage will feature analysis and commentary from its team of journalists and experts live on Channel 7, 7plus, and across 7NEWS.com.au and social platforms.

7NEWS Spotlight will broadcast a special one-hour live US Election edition on Sunday night from 7:00pm AEDT on 7 and 7Plus, featuring an interview with former White House communications director under the Trump administration, Anthony Scaramucci.

Hosted by Michael Usher, Spotlight’s Sarah Greenhalgh and Liam Bartlett, as well as 7NEWS US Bureau Chief David Woiwod, will cut through the spin to deliver an election breakdown ahead of the final showdown between Trump and Harris, also featuring interviews with commentator Piers Morgan, former Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, and former consultant to the Clinton administration Barbara Heineback.

From Monday, Sunrise will be live from 5:30 am every morning, live to Natalie Barr on the ground in Washington, D.C.

On Election Day, Seven’s all-day live coverage begins with a special edition of Sunrise LIVE from 5.30 am AEDT, then Michael Usher and Angela Cox, alongside Barr in the US, will steer 7NEWS rolling coverage from 11.30 am AEDT.

They’ll cross to Woiwod and 7NEWS US correspondents Tim Lester and Mylee Hogan in key battleground states across America, while 7NEWS foreign editor Hugh Whitfeld will be joined by special guests in the studio, as they unpack results in real-time and explain what it all means for Australia.

Broadcast times on 7 and 7plus
Wednesday 6 November

Sydney, Melbourne
5.30am Sunrise
9.00am The Morning Show
11.30am 7NEWS Presents: America Decides 2024
4.00pm Seven’s Afternoon News
5.00pm The Chase Australia
6.00pm 7NEWS

Brisbane
5.30am Sunrise
9.00am The Morning Show
11.30am 7NEWS Presents: America Decides 2024
3.00pm The Chase UK
4.00pm Seven’s Afternoon News
5.00pm The Chase Australia
6.00pm 7NEWS

Adelaide
5.30am Sunrise
9.00am The Morning Show
11.30am 7NEWS Presents: America Decides 2024
3.30pm Border Security
4.00pm Seven’s Afternoon News
5.00pm The Chase Australia
6.00pm 7NEWS

Perth
5.30am Sunrise
9.00am 7NEWS Presents: America Decides 2024
4.00pm Seven’s Afternoon News
5.00pm The Chase Australia
6.00pm 7NEWS

10

Network 10’s coverage will include Hugh Riminton, national affairs editor, and Waleed Aly, co-host of The Project, reporting live from Washington, and US Correspondent, Katherine Firkin, following the Trump campaign in Florida.

Coverage starts at 10am with rolling reports, special 10 News First bulletins, an extended edition of The Project and a wrap up of the day in 10’s Late News at 10.40pm.

10 News First will also post quick digestible social media stories across all channels and platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, with the latest news on election results, rolling updates and live content at multiple points throughout the day.

10’s coverage on 6 November (All times are AEDT):

10.00 – 17.00: America Decides: Election Coverage

17.00 – 18.00: 10 News First

18.00 – 19.30: America Decides: The Project

22.40 – 23.05: 10’s Late News

Sky News

On election day, Danica De Giorgio will start it’s coverage with a special edition of First Edition: America Decides. Sky News Washington correspondent Annelise Nielsen will be live from Washington DC.

See also: USA Election: Sky News’ Annelise Nielsen on working the Washington beat and talking to voters

First Edition anchor Peter Stefanovic will report live from Trump headquarters in West Palm Beach, while AM Agenda Anchor Laura Jayes will bring all the latest updates from Harris headquarters.

Sky News Australia’s coverage across the day will also include former Australian Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey, former Deputy Press Secretary to President Bill Clinton Jim Kennedy, former White House chief of staff to President Donald Trump Mick Mulvaney, former White House Press Secretary for President Trump Sean Spicer, foreign editor at The Australian Greg Sheridan and Sky News US analyst Michael Ware.

Sky News chief news anchor Kieran Gilbert will be joined during the day by political editor Andrew Clennell, Sky News political contributor Chris Uhlmann, anchor of The Kenny Report Chris Kenny, anchor of The Bolt Report Andrew Bolt, anchor of The Rita Panahi Show Rita Panahi and host of Afternoon Agenda Ashleigh Gillon will be live from a watch party in Perth.

Sky News coverage will also be carried live on Sky News regional and FAST channel Sky News Now, and through Sky News Radio on DAB+ in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

More on the US election, 2024:

Newspaper editor Bevan Shields still believes in an election editorial stance

ABC’s Carrington Clarke on Trump, Harris and the campaign trail

Sky News’ Annelise Nielsen on working the Washington beat and talking to voters

SBS relies on enough ad funding to warrant a flashy Upfront showcase for advertisers. This year the event took place at the Sydney Town Hall for 500 guests, later the event was replicated, on a somewhat smaller scale, in Melbourne.

The messages this year were focused and to the point. The event barely lasted 60 minutes and included a detailed review of the content to come in calendar 2025.

The messaging for advertisers was simple, and according to Alisha Buaya’s Friday feature in Mediaweek, resonated in a way the broadcaster would have been happy with.

See also:  Media buyers on the SBS 2025 upfront: ‘Well-rounded’, ‘very smart’ and ‘punchy’

Jane Palfreyman, SBS chief marketing and commercial officer, explained to Mediaweek: “It’s about being absolutely clear on who we are as a network, what we stand for and the value we bring from an audience perspective. We want to make sure our clients and partners are really clear on the offer.”

The partly funded-by-government broadcaster had much to shout about. For its Upfront, it focused on news for the commercial partners in the audience. For a detailed look at the broadcaster’s achievements, take the time to thumb through its recently released 247-page 2024 Annual Report.

Jane Palfreyman SBS’s Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer (centre), with some of the members of the SBS Media sales leadership team (L:R) Keiran Beasley, National Sales Manager – TV & Digital, Lee Callagher, National Manager – Operations and Digital Product, Kate Young National Manager CulturalConnect, Kevin Harris Head of Operations and Trading.

SBS funding

The broadcaster has just ended the first year of its five-year funding cycle. The government funding was $335m for the 12 months. Much of the rest of its budget is made up of advertising and sponsorship. In FY 23-24 that was $145m.

Like all broadcasters, ad spending dipped across the year. In FY 22-23, SBS reported advertising and sponsorship revenue of $171m. That haul was boosted by the fact it was a World Cup year. That’s how much impact the festival of football has every four years.

Commercial metro TV broadcasters were hurt in the most recent year too. ThinkTV reported their revenue dipped 12% YOY. Collectively they dwarf SBS though, with a metro haul of $2.224b for Seven, Nine and 10.

Ad revenue challenge

Palfreyman: “It’s been a challenging year of course for all of advertising but I think we’re performing well navigating the inflection point around the shift to digital viewing.”

If the market comes back, SBS could be well positioned. “For 2025 we’ve got a wonderful content slate. It’s premium content, it’s diverse content and it’s a wonderful mix of our returning favourites like Alone and Rogue Heroes and Tour de France and The Handmaid’s Tale as well as some really thought-provoking new content with The Idea of Australia and Robodebt. Next year will be an exciting year for the network.”

It will also be the broadcaster’s 50th birthday year. “It’s worth having a party for,” said Palfreyman.

“What the 50th birthday is allowing us to do is look back at our beautiful humble beginnings. SBS started as two little multilingual radio stations. The country has changed a lot in the half-century and our really critical role is ever more important. That’s something to celebrate and we’ll be excited about talking to audiences and clients about that next year.”

SBS key messages: 35-64 is the new 25-54

Two big takeaways from the SBS presentation were about demographics and the exclusive audience reach.

“The 35–64 audience is increasingly important,” said Palfreyman. “We are seeing some really smart marketers and brands recognising this and already working with us on that demo.” There’s room for more though: “We’d like more broad support in acknowledging the value of that demo,” she added.

Exclusivity of audience

As to the unique SBS audience, Palfreyman said: “We showed some really clear stats around our unique audience. They are hard to reach elsewhere and they are valuable.”

How unique? Around 70% of SBS viewers don’t watch a commercial FTA or a major subscription platform.

“We showed a lot of slides detailing the percentage of both our linear viewers who are not watching the other linear TV networks. Also our BVOD viewers at SBS On Demand who aren’t watching their equivalent streaming channels like 9Now for example but also our BVOD viewers are not watching Prime and Netflix for example.

“We have clear statistics around this as a valuable audience and it is hard to reach anywhere else. It demonstrates SBS has a clear role to play in partnering with clients to reach this audience.”

SBS ratings

Atomic 212° chairman Barry O’Brien told Mediaweek SBS successfully positioned itself against the streaming services rather than the other free-to-air networks.

Yet the broadcaster has a number of key properties that stand proudly among the best of commercial FTA in terms of eyeballs. Those programs include the Australian version of Alone, and the annual festival of pop that is Eurovision. Also strong performers are programs fronted by British broadcasters, the sadly departed Dr Michael Mosley and the man who travels by train, Michael Portillo. And, of course, the forthcoming World Cup.

Michael Mosley on location in Mt Isa for Artemis Media.
Top: Michael Mosley with Celia Tait.

Advertiser support

Ad revenue might be down, but it’s a similar percentage drop that is being felt elsewhere. “Broadly we have great support from both the big agencies and the independent agencies,” said Palfreyman.

“We’ve seen really strong support across all categories from many brands, so we’re really pleased.”

Palfreyman also spoke to the updated Beyond 3% initiative. Beyond 3% was launched in 2021 to engage media agencies and marketers to address the gap that exists in investment in First Nations media. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represent 3.8 per cent of the Australian population, but it’s estimated that less than 0.3 per cent of advertising in Australia invested in media is dedicated to reaching these audiences.

“We are looking at things like Beyond 3% to make sure we are partnering with brands who see the opportunity to talk to First Nations audiences in an authentic way. Also broadly diverse audiences. If you’re a brand that’s looking to grow and you look at Australia as a nation the growth is coming from diverse audiences and from immigration and at SBS that’s our unique offer in terms of connecting brands with the real Australia.”

SBS On Demand – first mover advantage

“We hold a leadership position in digital and you see us continuing that with the announcement we are rolling all of our audio into SBS On Demand. That is about having one premium destination and continuing to push forward with digital innovation.”

SBS On Demand has a registered user base over 14m. When it comes to user experience, SBS On Demand has always performed well.

Palfreyman: “For some time we have been the number one rated [streaming] app on the Apple Store and more recently this year we’re also the number one rated app in the Android Store. That demonstrates the leadership position in terms of focus on user experience and the strategy of being audience first.”

FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026

It might be 20 months away, but SBS is already making a big noise about its exclusive rights to the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026.

“Not only is it the biggest sporting event in the world, but it’s actually getting even bigger in 2026,” said Palfreyman. “We’re going from 60 matches to 104 over six weeks with more teams competing. In early 2025 we will be talking to brands about how we’ll partner with them and the line we’re going with is ‘where great brands play’.”

It’s about the content

SBS spends a lot of money and a lot of time curating content. Something it does well when you look at the breadth of the programming. They manage to beat their competitors – both FTA and streamers – with some sort-after offerings.

“We are very much focused on the SBS On Demand product and making sure we are delivering on our charter by educating, inspiring and celebrating content that tells different stories. We’re very proud of that. We also spend a lot of time listening to audience feedback to really understand where we’re doing well and how we reduce any friction in that user experience and that approach really serves as well.”

Top image: Coming to SBS in 2025 – [L-R] The Handmaid’s Tale, Marion Grasby’s Endless Summer, Big Backyard Quiz, Great Australian Road Trips

See also:
• SBS Upfront 2025: SBS announce Sustainability Challenge to encourage industry acceleration
• SBS Upfront 2025: NITV launches exclusive Indigenous Advisory Offering
• SBS Upfront 2025: SBS challenges industry on 25-54s demographic focus
• SBS Upfront 2025: SBS celebrates 50 years with new line-up of Australian stories
• SBS Upfront 2025: SBS On Demand reveals FIFA+ FAST channel alongside FIFA World Cup 2026 ad packages
• SBS Upfront 2025: SBS to bring together TV and live audio in one destination

Quiip, the social media and online community management specialists, have appointed three new senior hires and an expanded service offering.

Kelly McParlane and Luke de Zilva join as team leads, bringing their expertise to guide the company’s clients, as Dr Alison Milfull returns to the company as the new marketing and business development director, strengthening Quiip’s leadership as the company navigates the next phase of growth.

McParlane brings over a decade of experience in social media and community management, having worked on high-profile events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Commonwealth Games.

De Zilva is a seasoned marketing and digital professional with extensive experience across the arts, creative, and cultural sectors. He has worked with organisations, including the Sydney Opera House, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Tranby Aboriginal Cooperative.

Dr Milfull has over 20 years of experience in ethical marketing and digital engagement, having worked with organisations such as ACMI, BirdLife Australia, Zoos Victoria, and La Trobe University. The team’s collective expertise in brand management, digital transformation, social media strategy, and purpose-driven marketing will help Quiip navigate its growing client base.

The company has also enhanced its service offering to support new and existing clients throughout the upcoming holiday season. Round-the-clock social media and online community management support is provided, and additional resources are dedicated to growing out-of-hours coverage to ensure consistent community engagement, effective risk management, and peace of mind.

The expanded service offering has been developed in response to a significant increase in misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, spam, and bot activity. It reflects Quiip’s focus on continuing to connect, protect, and support people and organisations online.

“We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made this year—our new hires bring a synergy that enhances the momentum within our team,” Quiip CEO, Alison Michalk said.

“As our services grow and our team evolves, we’re building a solid foundation for continued success, which drives our excitement to build partnerships with even more clients.”

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Top image: Dr Alison Milfull, Luke de Zilva and Kelly McParlane

Emotive, in collaboration with Unilever, has launched its new summer campaign for Weis following the creative agency’s appointment to the Australian ice cream brand earlier this year.

‘The Saviour of Summer’ campaign shows how Weis bars are the perfect taste of relief, with a Weis-A-Corn – a magical character with a Weis Bar horn – ready to offer cool, refreshing moments for Australians.

The Weis-A-Corn, voiced by Aussie actor Justin Rosniak, highlights the brand’s essence to life in a quirky and unexpected way, capturing the fun and refreshment that Weis has delivered for generations.

The campaign rolls out nationally across TV, digital, social, OOH and owned assets from 4 November.

Malcom Connor, the outgoing chief operating officer of UM Australia, has thanked the agency and Mediabrands for his two-decade long career with a heartfelt message.

In a LinkedIn post on Friday, he said: “Farewell. Many people, after being made redundant, find it difficult to say nice things about the company they’re leaving, but I can’t do that.

“A company is made up of people, not spreadsheets and data points. I cannot say unkind things about the people at UM and Mediabrands. They have been (and will continue to be) my colleagues and friends. They have supported me in my growth, and for that (and much more), I am forever grateful.

“I wish everyone at MB all the best,” he said.

Connor’s departure from UM Australia comes as part of the agency’s structural alignment across IPG Mediabrands.

Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM Australia, explained that the structural alignment is part of the centralisation of operations at an IPG Mediabrands level as the Group continues to work more closely together and as tools, processes and operations across the Group become more standardised to enable agencies to effectively and efficiently scale their business.

In a statement to Mediaweek at the time, Ruys said: “Malcom has been part of UM’s team for more than 20 years, including leading the Government team for eight years and as MD of Sydney/Canberra for 4 years.

“He has been a wonderful colleague, offering his calm, thoughtful and insightful perspective on all number of topics that have influenced and shaped UM.

“Clients and colleagues alike respect him and he will be sorely missed. I am very sad Mal will be leaving and wish him all the very best in his next stage of his career. He will always be a friend of the agency and a friend of mine,” she added.

Connor first joined UM Australia’s Canberra office in 2004 as group director, where he led the development of media campaigns for the Australian Government.

See also: ‘Clients and colleagues alike respect him’: Malcom Connor departs UM after two decades as IPG Mediabrands ‘centralises operations’

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Top image: Malcom Connor

Triple M has confirmed its drive show lineup for 2025. As expected there will now only be two drive programs across the vast Triple M national network.

In a surprise development, Marty Sheargold has made a bold comeback…at least in the northern states.

After a not-so successful stint in Melbourne breakfast, the radio veteran is being moved back to his traditional radio home – the drive show.

Sheargold will fill the 4-6pm drive slot in Sydney and Brisbane, while continuing to deliver an one hour show from 3pm nationally across the Triple M network.

Triple M listeners in southern states where AFL is king will receive the JB and Billy drive show with James Brayshaw and Bill Brownless.

See also: Gus Worland quits Triple M: After 16 years the Grill Team and Rush Hour host hits the off button

Marty returns to drive

Sheargold has enjoyed his biggest radio success in drive shows. As co-host on the national program The Shebang with Fifi Box, they made a mark in drive in the early 2000s before the show moved to Sydney breakfast and fizzled.

Sheargold later turned up at Nova and spent several years as part of the successful Kate, Tim and Marty drive show.

Marty Sheargold commented: “I’m looking forward to returning to the drive shift for NSW and Queensland listeners in 2025 and giving them the extended version of the show. The commute home is a time to unwind and finish the day with a chat and a laugh, and that’s exactly what I will be aiming to deliver. I also wanted to thank the teams from the Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast and Queensland Rush Hour shows who have all had amazing stints and been hugely entertaining. I’m committed to carrying on their legacies.”

The move to extend JB and Billy across two extra states had been flagged some time ago what SCA axed the existing Rush Hour programs in Adelaide and Perth.

James Brayshaw and Bill Brownless commented: “We’re excited that our live show will now be extended for our listeners in South and Western Australia, which are legendary footy states with an incredible history of successes, as Bill knows because he attends all their premiership reunions. We also want to acknowledge the Adelaide and Perth Rush Hour teams, many of whom are great mates, and congratulate them on their shows. We don’t underestimate the opportunity we have been given and we are focused on creating a show that honours them and their listeners.”

SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron oversaw the moves and explained: “Triple M in 2025 will continue its transformative content approach for the continued audience growth that we have seen in the last two years on Australia’s legendary Triple M Network, by delivering two already well-loved shows that will both extend into new markets next year in drive.

“Marty Sheargold is one of this country’s favourite comedians and radio personalities, and we know how much listeners nationally love hearing him in the afternoon already. To now get an extended version of the Marty Sheargold Show for our NSW and Queensland listeners is hugely exciting. Likewise, JB and Billy are already household names in Australia’s southern states and have a legion of fans in Adelaide and Perth, so we know that listeners will tune in for their unique blend of serious sport chats and banter, which can only come from decades of friendship.

“We sincerely thank our existing state Rush Hour shows for their hard work and commitment over the last few years and look forward to a different approach nationally in 2025 with more exciting announcements to come soon.”

The 2025 Triple M Drive line-up commences across the Triple M network in January 2025.

Outgoing Brisbane Rush Hour team: Liam Flanagan, Leisel Jones and Ben ‘Dobbo’ Dobbin

Another blow for Brisbane radio

The Sheargold move leaves current Brisbane drive hosts Leisel Jones, Liam Flanagan, and Ben “Dobbo” Dobbin without roles when the program wraps up next month, reported The Courier-Mail.

“It’s very devastating news,” Jones said on air last week.

“It’s something that we’ve been really proud of here at the Rush Hour and what we’ve built and all about local stories.”

The decision to run The Marty Sheargold Show here comes despite the strong performance of The Rush Hour, which held a 10.1 per cent market share and secured third place in Brisbane’s drivetime slot, according to the latest GfK survey.

“We never thought the show would work as well as it did, and we were hoping to do this together for the next 10 years. For whatever reason, it’s not to be,” Dobbin said

Also now without a radio gig are Townsville presenters Annabelle Brett (A.B.) and Elliot Lovejoy who were the most listened-to drive show in the region according to the 2024 radio ratings from Xtra Insights, but that didn’t save them from the chopping block.

See also: Triple M in transition – 12 months after ARN grenade, where to for the SCA brand?

Outdoor advertising led the recovery in Australian ad demand in September, achieving significant growth of 15.8%. This surge has raised Outdoor’s market share to a record 16%.

Overall, total ad bookings in Australia improved, with only a 1.5% decline compared to the record spending reported in the same month last year, according to Guideline SMI’s September results.

Jane Ractliffe, Guideline SMI APAC managing director, said Outdoor’s growth was very broad-based, with every Outdoor sector reporting double-digit growth in ad revenues this month.

“It’s clear many product categories are moving their media investments from both Digital and Television to Outdoor as we’re seeing large category share swings. For example, the Food category has grown its Outdoor investment by 46% this month while the Banking category has lifted its Outdoor spend by 46.2%,” she said.

“It’s also evident in the In-Home Entertainment category (which mostly comprises ad spend by TV Streaming brands) as the Streamers have typically allocated more than 70% of their ad budgets to TV and Digital, but this month, Outdoor’s share of TV Streaming ad spend has grown to 34% from 18% in September 2023.”

Ractliffe noted that the growth in Australian Outdoor media was also replicated in NZ with GL SMI’s September data showing NZ Outdoor ad spend up 16% this month to an even higher record share of 19% of all NZ September agency ad spend.

The results showed Digital ad spend grew 0.3% overall; Cinema showed a lower-than-market decline of 1%, and both linear TV and Radio benefited from higher digital bookings, with the Video and Audio (linear plus digital) totals back just 6.4% and 2.6%, respectively.

Among the categories, the strongest growth in ad demand came from the Banking product category (+13.9% driven by growth in sponsorship investments), Government ad spend (also +13.9%) and Toiletries/Cosmetics (+18.3% as bookings from both Skin and Oral Care advertisers doubled).

Ractliffe said the better September data also indicated market growth this calendar year, as September quarter ad demand is back just 0.9% while for the nine months of the 2024 calendar year the market is back just 0.2%, or $9.7 million.

“The reality is that the market remains very short, so we’ve continued to receive extra late bookings for previous months and that’s resulted in total spend over the nine months being back by less than $10 million in a $6 billion-plus market,”she said.

“And with the momentum now evident in key parts of the Australian ad market, we remain confident that we’ll be reporting advertising market growth for the full 2024 calendar year.”

The Kid LAROI, Royel Otis, Middle Kids and RUFUS DU SOL lead the nominations for the 2024 J Awards as Triple j kicks off Ausmusic Month this November.

The J Awards, now in its 20th year, is the broadcaster’s annual recognition of the best in Australian Music, from the country’s biggest international breakouts to the hottest emerging acts. More than 25 local artists have scored a nomination for their contribution to Australian Music over the past year.

Winners of the five award categories – triple j Australian Album of the Year, Unearthed Artist of the Year, Double J Australian Artist of the Year, triple j and rage Australian Music Video of the Year, and Australian Live Act of the Year – will be announced on Thursday, 14 November.

November marks Triple j month-long celebration of all things Aussie music, starting with the J Award Nominees and 24 hours of all local artists spinning across Triple j, Double J and triple j Unearthed.

Like A Version and Live at the Wireless will also feature a stacked line-up of Australian talent, all month long, and there’s Ausmusic T-Shirt Day on Thursday 28 November, raising critical funds for the Australian music industry via Support Act.

Check out the 2024 J Award Nominees below and listen to Triple J on the radio, online or on the Triple J app, and connect via Instagram, TikTok and YouTube as we get around all the very best music made right here in our own backyard this November.

2024 J Award Nominees

Triple j Album of the Year
3% - Kill The Dead
Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness
Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt 1
Nick Ward - House With The Blue Door
Royel Otis – Pratts & Pain
RUFUS DU SOL - Inhale/Exhale
SPEED – ONLY ONE MODE
Sycco – Zorb
The Buoys - Lustre
The Kid LAROI - The First Time

Unearthed Artist of the Year
aleksiah
Ben Gerrans
Lithe
Maanyung
The Belair Lip Bombs

Double J Australian Artist of the Year
Amyl and the Sniffers
DOBBY
Emily Wurramurra
Missy Higgins
Nick Cave

Triple j and rage Music Video of the Year
3% – Won’t Stop [Ft. Jessica Mauboy] – Dir: Nick Rae And Jordan Ruyi Blanch
Amyl And The Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing That – Dir: John Angus Stewart
Emily Wurramara – Lordy Lordy [Ft. Tasman Keith] – Dir: Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore
Nick Ward - Shooting Star – Dir: Nick Ward & Charles Buxton-Leslie
Party Dozen - Coup De Gronk – Dir: VERSUS

Live Act of the Year
Angie McMahon
Confidence Man
SPEED
Teenage Dads
What So Not

RAM Trucks Australia and Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences have revealed a new partnership that brings the world of Yellowstone to life, with the reveal of a RAM heavy-duty pickup truck inspired by the series.

Christie Scandura, director of licensing and retail, Australia & New Zealand, Paramount Consumer Products said: “The highly anticipated return of the fifth season of Yellowstone this November has presented the perfect moment to release this iconic partnership bringing together the ultimate combination of ruggedness and grit for Australian fans to experience a piece of the show.”

Based on the 2500 Heavy Duty model, along with the model features and capabilities, the special edition will be instantly recognisable by the following elements:

• Exclusive official Yellowstone graphics on the rear of the cargo tub.
• Yellowstone Edition badges on front doors.
• Yellowstone Edition badge above the rear cabin sliding window.
• Black badging, mirror casings, and front grille.
• Black 18-in alloy wheels.

RAM Trucks Australia general manager, Jeff Barber said: “RAM Trucks have featured heavily throughout each of its five full seasons, so we’re delighted to launch an officially-licensed 2500 Yellowstone Edition in Australia.”

The RAM 2500 Yellowstone Edition is now open for orders.

The new season of the hit show is currently scheduled to premiere Monday, 11 November on Stan (same day as the US).

Southern Cross Media (SCA) this week reported a lift in audio revenue for Q1, FY25. The reported revenue of $100.4m was up 4.8% on the same period YOY.

The announcement came just days before the launch of a new metro radio show in one market. The broadcaster has 10 metro breakfast shows which drive company revenues. A new one is therefore a big deal, even in a smaller market. As Mediaweek has reported before, there are still a number of new shows that could be announced before radio year 2025 starts.

There could be new breakfast teams coming for Triple M in Sydney and Melbourne, plus a new 2Day FM brekky show.

See also: More changes ahead for Triple M with changes expected at Sydney and Melbourne breakfast.

Moving the ad dollars needle

The big driver of the revenue increase was a lift of 48% in digital dollars while revenue for broadcast radio was flat.

Total revenues at SCA for the quarter weren’t quite so bullish. The needle moved just 1.5% into positive territory YOY.

The company noted that it is well-positioned for the future:

In the most recent metro radio survey published on 1 October 2024, SCA maintained its leading share of the core buying demographics for men and women aged 25-54 for the 26th survey in a row. This provides a strong platform for continued operating performance and momentum in FY25.

The key to the digital performance has been the success of LiSTNR with 2m+ signed-up users. SCA reported digital growth is coming from the LiSTNR AdTech Hub driving inquiry from advertisers willing to pay a premium to connect their messages to targeted and addressable audiences.

While SCA’s LiSTNR and ARN’s iHeart battle monthly for bragging rights about who is bigger, SCA this week commented:
LiSTNR remains the number one podcast sales network in the September Australian Podcast ranker, with over 7m monthly listeners.

SCA’s John Kelly

For Sale sign still on regional TV assets

SCA continues to talk positively about the sale of its regional television assets. Speaking as if it’s just a signature away from agreement on a deal, it noted the company would apply the proceeds of the sale of its television assets towards reducing net debt.

When could this happen? “SCA will update shareholders on the progress of these negotiations in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations,” was the answer.

In a note accompanying the SCA Q1 update, SCA CEO John Kelly said: “The positive operating momentum from the second half of FY24 has continued into the first quarter of FY25, and our strategy of building and monetising audiences that matter has delivered our third consecutive quarter of growth in our share of metro radio revenue, along with ongoing growth in digital audio revenue.

“Our key differentiator in digital audio is our LiSTNR AdTech Hub, which enhances our advertisers’ ability to connect with relevant and targeted audiences on LiSTNR and other digital audio distribution platforms. By driving increasing inquiry and premium commercial returns for our advertisers, the LiSTNR AdTech Hub is a key reason for our 48.2% growth in digital audio revenues in the September quarter.

“SCA remains the home of the audience that matters in the core buying demographic for men and women aged 25-54. Over 70% of agency briefs target these segments. SCA had a market-leading 35.3% share of this segment in the most recent metro radio survey published on 1 October 2024.

“Our in-depth understanding of this segment has seen our Triple M and Hit Networks record the largest metro radio audiences in this segment for the last three years (26 consecutive surveys).

“Whilst advertising markets remain short, SCA is maintaining positive operating momentum into the second quarter of FY25.”

SAFM’s Bernie and Emma G

New breakfast for oldest station

SCA has confirmed that Adelaide is set to wake up to a new SAFM breakfast show called Bernie & Emma G from Monday 11 November.

The FM station is where the network launched from nearly 45 years ago.

The breakfast moves come after the axing of the Bec and Soda breakfast show last week.

Mark Soderstrom quit breakfast radio as he faces what he called the “biggest challenge of his life”.

Soda’s SAFM breakfast co-host, Rebecca Morse, later shared news of her departure on an Instagram post:

I was told on Tuesday that my contract would not be renewed and was offered the opportunity to see out the week. Unfortunately, the way the events unfolded meant I felt emotionally unable to return to the studio so I want to say sorry to the SAFM family that I didn’t say goodbye.

I am grateful for the past six years, the lifelong friends I’ve made and the things they’ve taught me about radio. Thank you to the community we built and the listeners who told me my Mum Fails and Hot Messes made them feel like they were not alone. I never took for granted the platform we have on breakfast radio to try to make a difference.

Thank you to my family and friends for tolerating my sleep-deprived moods, you can decide whether seeing more of me now is a blessing or a curse.

Taking over breakfast at SAFM is former Triple M drive co-host Bernie Vince. He will be teamed former Triple M Adelaide colleague Emma ‘Emma G’ Georgiadis.

In a release, SCA noted the former workmates (Georgiadis previously anchored The Rush Hour alongside Vince, a program that was recently axed) are great mates in real life and, now back together, they are excited as they prepare to launch their new show.

Bernie Vince is a former Adelaide Crows and Melbourne Demons Best and Fairest recipient who retired from professional footy in 2018. In 2019 he joined Triple M as part of the footy commentary team and was regularly heard on Dead Set Legends. He has also been a regular on Fox Footy’s The Bounce.

Most recently from the Hit Network’s national late-night show The Pulse, Georgiadis has worked in the entertainment and media industry for almost 20 years. A born and bred Adelaidean, with a background in teaching, she risked it all to follow her dream as a radio announcer.

Bernie Vince said: “SAFM breakfast alongside my mate Emma G, how exciting! She is a star, and I can’t wait to get started with this amazing opportunity for the both of us to build something new, even though we’ve worked together on-air for several years. We are both passionate about S.A. and having fun on the radio and I cannot wait ‘til the 11th to give you the pre-season listen to 2025!”

Emma Georgiadis added: “As a passionate Adelaidean, I’m super excited to be back on the airwaves in my hometown, and on the station I listened to and loved growing up. Bern has a magnetic energy and is a legend to work with. We can’t wait to wake up with Adelaide every morning!”

SCA’s Dave Cameron

The executive making the decision about breakfast shows around the networks, SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron said: “Absolutely nothing beats a new breakfast show that is built on genuine friendship and fun. We cannot wait for Bernie and Emma G’s amazing chemistry, which already exists in their strong relationship, to come to life on air.

“SAFM listeners are in for a fresh new level of energy and cheekiness with these two, who have a long history of working together but now get to do it with their own, exciting new show. Adelaide already loves Bernie, and they’re about to fall in love with Emma G’s infectious vibe. And best of all Adelaide gets an early sneak peek into 2025 with Bernie and Emma G starting in two weeks.

“We would like also to thank Bec and Soda for their passion and contribution during their time on SAFM Breakfast, and wish them all the best for the future,” Cameron concluded.

The SAFM Breakfast show with Bernie & Emma G can be heard from 6am to 9am, Monday to Friday. The new show begins on Monday 11 November.

Carat SA will work on collaborating on media for EnergyFlex, an Australian veteran-owned energy analytics and renewables education company.

Responsible for media planning and strategy, the dentsu agency will partner with EnergyFlex’s other agency partners, including TBWA, as EnergyFlex launches its first ever brand campaign as it seeks to accelerate the clean energy transition by providing the tools, education and confidence to make Australia Renewables Ready.

Carat SA managing director Adele Gibb said: “At Carat, and dentsu more broadly, we are passionate about wanting to leave the world a better place and working with an exciting brand like EnergyFlex really delivers upon dentsu’s B2B2S philosophy which is all about creating work that is good for business, good for people and good for society.”

Founded in 2021, EnergyFlex wants to put every Australian on a pathway to free and clean energy and believes the more people it can help become energy flexible, the faster Australia can lead the world in decarbonising its economy and meeting its net-zero targets.

EnergyFlex CEO and co-founder Garry Harding said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for Australians to understand the positive impact of the renewable energy transition on their financial, community, and energy wellness. Our free app teaches users how to align their energy habits with renewable energy in the grid, reducing their energy costs and carbon emissions, regardless of which energy retailer they’re with. Importantly, we want to make the tools and education available to as many Australian homes and businesses as possible, which is why we’re excited to partner with Carat SA, who can help us spread the word, raise awareness, and get Australia Renewables Ready.”

In May, EnergyFlex launched its energy management app designed to help households and businesses save on energy costs, reduce their carbon footprint and benefit from the renewable energy transition. Free-to-use, EnergyFlex calculates a rating out of 5, providing a clear measure of a business or household’s renewable energy use. A low rating indicateshigher fossil fuel reliance, while a higher rating reflects greater use of renewables from the grid or on-site electricity generation assets. EnergyFlex then guides users on an energy wellness journey, helping them to take action to improve their rating, while taking pressure off their bank accounts, the environment, and the energy grid.

In addition to tracking and improving energy use, the EnergyFlex app also includes a plan comparison tool to help users find the best energy deal for their needs. This feature allows users to easily compare different plans and tariffs, ensuring they are on the most cost- effective and environmentally friendly option.

The EnergyFlex app is available for free on iOS and Android devices.