Nova Entertainment has announced Mindshare, part of Group M, as its new media agency partner, following a competitive tender process.
With the appointment, Mindshare will take charge of its complete portfolio, speculated to be worth around $9 million. This includes includes the Nova Network, Smooth FM, FIVEAA, Star 104.5, and the Nova Podcast Network.
The partnership will commence on 1 June 2024, with the first work slated for Q3.
The incumbent Carat had been Nova Entertainment’s existing media agency partner since 2017.
Nova’s chief growth officer, Adam Johnson, told Mediaweek the move signalled an act of “stepping back and assessing rather than the direct need for change.”
“It wasn’t necessarily about moving,” said Johnson.
“It was the right time for us to review our media agency partnership, having been with Carat for eight years. I think it’s incumbent on all client-agency relationships to make sure that we are reviewing, and make sure they’re working for all parties.”
Adam Johnson
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He continued: “We’re an ever-evolving business.”
“As we work to deliver our audio strategy, [it] involves a lot more digital – both from a product and a marketing point of view. We’re constantly in flux, and it felt like the right time to extend that strategic review to our agency partnership.”
Johnson, who described the competitive pitch as “solid and close-run,” said Mindshare’s appointment was ultimately predicated on presenting Nova with the best strategic response to its brief, as well as “the strength of the team that they put forward.”
“We gave them a very specific brief and their thinking around it through a consumer lens was excellent, as well as their understanding of our commercial levers as a business around audience growth.”
He acknowledged that access to Mindshare tools, systems, and the broader support within the GroupM ecosystem also worked in its favour.
“But I was impressed with the responses from all partaking agencies,” he adds.
In a press release, Maria Grivas, CEO of Mindshare Australia and New Zealand, said her team was excited by the appetite for transformation and growth it saw from Nova Entertainment throughout the tender process.
“Audio plays a unique role in Australians’ lives and Nova Entertainment has incredible talent on, and off, the air,” said Grivas.
“Our teams are thrilled to bring Mindshare’s approach towards this to Nova Entertainment, delivering strategic thinking and innovation across their portfolio of leading radio, podcast and live music brands.”
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