News Corp Doubles Down on Video, Folds Visual Domain Into Medium Rare in Power Play for Brand Dollars

Why It Matters

By consolidating creative production with data‑driven strategy, News Corp positions itself to capture a larger share of the fast‑growing video advertising spend in Australia, giving brands a single partner for both planning and execution.

Key Takeaways

• Visual Domain merged with Medium Rare and Storyation under Nick Smith.
• New leadership adds Chantelle Love as GM of Creative Production.
• Integration offers advertisers end‑to‑end video strategy and production.
• Research shows 91% of businesses now use video as core marketing tool.
• News Corp aims to capture more brand advertising dollars in Australia.

Pulse Analysis

Video has become the linchpin of modern marketing, with budgets shifting dramatically toward moving images. Recent industry surveys indicate that more than nine in ten companies now list video as a primary channel for customer acquisition, and marketers attribute an average 20% lift in sales to well‑executed video campaigns. This surge is driven by higher mobile consumption, the rise of short‑form platforms, and the need for immersive storytelling that static ads can’t provide. As a result, media owners are scrambling to offer integrated solutions that combine creative production with audience analytics.

News Corp Australia’s decision to integrate Visual Domain with Medium Rare and Storyation reflects a strategic response to that demand. By placing all three under Nick Smith’s leadership and adding seasoned executives like Chantelle Love and Sarah Worthington, the company creates a one‑stop shop that can ideate, produce, and measure video content at scale. The combined capabilities span everything from data‑informed audience segmentation to high‑end CGI production, allowing advertisers to move from concept to distribution without juggling multiple vendors. This model mirrors similar consolidations in the U.S. and Europe, where conglomerates bundle creative services with tech‑enabled insights to win larger agency contracts.

For brands, the integration promises greater efficiency and measurable outcomes. Access to Storyation’s audience intelligence means video assets can be tailored to specific consumer journeys, while Medium Rare’s strategic expertise ensures the messaging aligns with broader campaign goals. In a market where Australian advertisers are allocating an increasing portion of their media spend to video—projected to exceed AUD 2 billion this year—News Corp’s unified offering could attract a significant slice of that pie. Competitors will likely follow suit, accelerating a wave of end‑to‑end video services that blur the line between agency and publisher.