‘The Brand Has Got To Fit The Show’: As Sportscafe Expands To Aus, Ric Salizzo Explains Winning Partnerships
Sportscafe, the New Zealand‑originated YouTube‑first sports show, has launched an Australian version, extending its podcast and video footprint across Sydney and the broader market. Founder Ric Salizzo stresses that brand partnerships must improve the viewer experience rather than interrupt it, a philosophy that has driven over 2.5 million views, 56 million social impressions and 120,000 organic followers. The show’s long‑standing tie‑up with Steinlager illustrates how a natural brand‑fit can become audience‑identified, turning sponsorship into a loyalty driver. Expansion into Australia is framed as a chance to tap the region’s rich sports storytelling while maintaining an audience‑first mentality.
Foxtel Recruits NBL’s Ted Helliar To Supercharge Its Fan Community
Foxtel Group has appointed former NBL executive Ted Helliar as Director of Engagement, Community and Fandom for its Kayo Sports and Fox Sports brands. In the role, Helliar will oversee all social and creator teams, aiming to deepen fan connections...
JOY Grows Team Following Client Wins
JOY announced nine new hires—including activation directors, coordinators, a manager, a business director, and an activation executive—following recent wins in the automotive and sports apparel sectors. The appointments are designed to reinforce the agency’s integrated growth model that spans strategy,...
Harvey Norman Takes The Throne From Foodstuffs As NZ’s Biggest Advertiser In 2025
Harvey Norman has become New Zealand’s biggest advertiser in 2025, overtaking Foodstuffs NZ. Retail led ad spend with $675.4 million, outpacing leisure and food categories. Telecommunications saw the strongest year‑on‑year growth, adding $41.8 million (25 %) to reach $206.8 million. The Nielsen report highlights shifting budgets...
Bunnings’ Justine Mills & CommBank’s Jo Boundy Talk Retail Media’s Transformative Business Effects
Bunnings’ marketing chief Justine Mills and CommBank’s Jo Boundy discussed the disruptive potential of retail media during B&T’s CMO Power List interview. They highlighted how Hammer Media reshapes supplier‑to‑consumer engagement and how Bunnings is now acting as a publisher, leveraging...
TAG Wins Skin Control Account To Drive Next Phase Of Digital Growth
Digital growth consultancy TAG announced it has secured Australian skincare brand Skin Control as a new client, expanding its portfolio that already includes MYOB, Modibodi, Morgans, Australian Unity and Nala. The partnership tasks TAG with overseeing strategy, marketing and technology...
Myer Celebrates TOPSHOP Arrival With Star-Studded Campaign Via Howatson+Co
Australian department store Myer announced the arrival of British fast‑fashion label TOPSHOP with a high‑profile “My Store Is” campaign. The campaign, produced by Howatson+Company, stars actress Olivia De Jonge, TikTok creator Guy Vadas and artist Bella McGoldrick, emphasizing personal style as identity....
Urban Ethos Appoints TRP For Brand Strategy, Creative & Media
Urban Ethos, the Australian design‑focused kitchenware brand, has engaged independent agency TRP to steer its brand strategy, creative development, and media planning. The partnership targets accelerated growth and heightened category recognition amid a crowded, competitive market. Urban Ethos emphasizes eco‑conscious...
Ticketek Appoints Greg Segal As Managing Director, Sponsorship & Premium Experiences
Ticketek Entertainment Group has appointed Greg Segal as Managing Director of Sponsorship and Premium Experiences, creating a new business unit to integrate brand partnerships across sport, music and live events. Segal arrives with over 30 years of experience, most recently...
Untangld Appoints Amanda Quested As Managing Director
Untangld has named Amanda Quested as its new Managing Director, bolstering the firm’s senior‑led strategy offering. Quested arrives with over 25 years of brand, growth and communications experience across the UK and Australia, most recently heading group marketing at M+C...
‘Humour Is How We Connect With Customers’: Jetstar Boards MAFS Bandwagon
Jetstar tapped the popularity of Nine’s reality show Married At First Sight (MAFS) with a humor‑driven TikTok video that links the show’s drama to its flight offers. The clip uses AI‑generated dancing footage of a contestant in an orange star...
KAYAK Launches Global ‘Got That Right’ Campaign Via Rethink
KAYAK unveiled a new global brand platform, "Got That Right," with agency Rethink to address the anxiety travelers feel during the booking decision. The campaign targets 25‑45‑year‑old users and centers on two comedic 30‑second video spots that highlight the app’s...
Thompson Spencer Appoints Ex-OMG Group Director As Head Of Performance
Thompson Spencer announced the appointment of Sam Casey, former OMG Group Director of Media Implementation, as its new Head of Performance. Casey brings extensive experience in programmatic, paid social and search across New Zealand, Australia and global markets. The hire coincides...
UGG & Love Athletica Partner Up To Celebrate ‘Her’
UGG has teamed with Australian Pilates network Love Athletica to launch a women‑focused partnership that blends comfort footwear with wellness experiences. The collaboration will roll out a series of in‑studio events, exclusive discounts for members, and product seeding to trainers...
Imagination Australia Appoints Laurel Cook As Strategy Director
Imagination Australia has appointed Laurel Cook as its new strategy director, bolstering a team that grew 30% in 2025 and earned Agency of the Year honors from Campaign and the Australian Event Awards. Cook brings a diverse background in management...
Optus Launches ‘Pride Blooms From Yes’ For Mardi Gras 2026 Via Apparent
Optus has unveiled its ‘Pride blooms from Yes’ campaign, marking the telecom’s fifth year supporting the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2026. Developed by creative agency Apparent, the platform features a video series that spotlights personal moments from Optus’s...
Woolworths Senior Media Manager Joins Comcast’s FreeWheel
Comcast’s FreeWheel has hired Woolworths senior media manager Alan Jenner as Director of Platform Partnerships for Australia and New Zealand. Jenner spent nearly five years leading programmatic at Woolworths and previously held senior roles at LiveRamp, Comscore, Optus and Telstra. FreeWheel,...
Clems’ Sophie Gallagher Hops To M+C Saatchi
Sophie Gallagher has been appointed group strategy director at M+C Saatchi, where she will head the agency’s Connections Strategy offering. The role focuses on fusing media and creative disciplines to shape audience perception and drive measurable business outcomes. Gallagher arrives with...
Pizza Hut Launches Cheeky ‘First Sweet, Then Heat’ Campaign For The Return Of Hot Honey Via Jnr.
Pizza Hut Australia is re‑introducing its limited‑time Hot Honey Pizza, accompanied by a new advertising push titled “First Sweet, Then Heat.” The campaign is the inaugural collaboration between Pizza Hut and trans‑Tasman creative agency jnr., with media planning by Initiative...
Sarah Peacock Joins Opus Agency As Head Of Marketing
Opus Agency, previously known as The Company We Keep, has appointed Sarah Peacock as Head of Marketing for the APAC region. Peacock arrives with more than 20 years of experience at PwC Australia, Business Australia, TrueLocal and Skip, and will...
Tinder & Netflix Bring Back ‘Yearning’ With ‘Let Thy Swipe Season Begin’ Campaign
Tinder has teamed with Netflix to roll out the “Let Thy Swipe Season Begin” campaign, leveraging the popularity of Bridgerton’s Regency romance to re‑energize Australia’s dating market. The partnership is anchored by Tinder’s new Yearn Index, which shows more than...
Majority Of PR Agency Leaders Forecast Growth After Torrid 2025 – CPRA Survey
PR and communications agency leaders are optimistic about 2026 after a challenging 2025. The CPRA survey of 56 agency heads shows 70% expect revenue growth, with 62% targeting more than a 5% lift, and 74% anticipate profitability gains, 58% above...
Keiran Beasley To Depart SBS After 13 Years
Keiran Beasley is leaving SBS Australia after a 13‑year stint as national manager of digital and TV sales. He joined in 2012 to lead the 2014 FIFA World Cup sales and later oversaw the 2018 tournament, the SBS Annual Upfronts...
Roy Morgan Survey Reveals 2.5M Young Aussies Watch YouTube
Roy Morgan’s Young Australian Survey finds that 2.5 million children aged 6‑13 – roughly 89 percent of the cohort – regularly watch YouTube. Gaming and animation dominate the platform, with 1.33 million viewers for gaming and 930,000 for animation. Boys drive gaming and sports...
‘Low Hanging Fruit’: Why Regional Audio Is Australia’s Biggest Opportunity For Brand Growth
Commercial Radio & Audio’s CEO Lizzie Young urged advertisers to tap Australia’s regional audio market, citing research that shows a 33% lift in campaign effectiveness. The analysis of the Advertising Council Australia database reveals that regional listeners—9.9 million people, 37% of...
Nib Appoints Soccer Star Mary Fowler As Chief Health & Wellbeing Officer
Nib Group has appointed Australian soccer star Mary Fowler as its chief health and wellbeing officer, underscoring the insurer's push for health literacy, inclusion and female representation. Fowler will leverage her athletic platform to inspire Australians to prioritize wellness and...
Mark Ritson Urges Marketers To Drink Less Digital Kool Aid And Invest 11% In ‘Unsexy’ Radio To Win
Marketing professor Mark Ritson is urging brands to allocate at least 11 percent of their media budgets to radio and audio, citing research that links this spend level to markedly higher campaign effectiveness. The analysis of over 600 Effie‑winning campaigns from...
Nike Ropes In Next-Gen Trail Runners With Interactive Experience
Nike has unveiled All Conditions World, a WebGL‑based interactive platform that brings its All Conditions Gear (ACG) line to life. The digital world showcases real trail routes curated by elite athletes such as Cesare Maestri and Nienke Brinkman, complete with...
Hourglass Launches DTC Channel In Australia & New Zealand
Hourglass has launched its first direct‑to‑consumer website, hourglasscosmetics.com.au, targeting Australia and New Zealand. The rollout includes free standard shipping for the first month, a 10% welcome discount, and complimentary gifts for orders over $120 and $150. The DTC channel runs alongside...
Drive’s Latest Campaign Shows Car-Buying As Easy As Ordering From Drive-Thru
Drive has launched a multi‑million‑dollar "Drive‑thru" campaign during Nine’s broadcast of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, positioning car buying as simple as ordering food at a drive‑thru. Created by the Not Bad Pretty Good studio, the ads use a relatable...
Beforepay Celebrates The Year Of The Fire Horse With Fortune Cookie Activation
Beforepay is inserting branded fortune cookies into Melbourne restaurants to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse. Each cookie carries a supportive message and a QR code that directs diners to a dedicated landing page...