2DayFM Leans Into Nostalgia with Second Format Change in a Year
After a year of experimenting with a youth‑focused playlist, Sydney’s 2DayFM has rebranded as an Adult Contemporary station aimed at women aged 25‑44. The station resurrected its classic “Better music and more of it” slogan and now mixes 1990s‑2000s staples like Britney Spears and Usher with newer acts such as Olivia Rodrigo and Harry Styles. The shift responds to listener surveys that favored familiar, sing‑along tracks over the previous “hits before they hit” approach. The change also follows a broader reshuffle of breakfast talent across Sydney’s commercial radio market.
Amazon Ads Introduces AI-Powered Video Generator for Australian Advertisers
Amazon Ads has rolled out its AI‑powered Video Generator to Australian advertisers, letting businesses of any size produce up to six high‑motion video ads in just minutes at no extra cost. The tool pulls product images, existing videos or Amazon...
Live and Unloved – Kyle and Jackie O Are Back in Court and on Screen
The Kyle and Jackie O Show is back in the Federal Court of Australia, facing a directions hearing that the court has chosen to livestream. The court announced the live stream on LinkedIn, turning a normally dull procedural matter into...
WPP Media NZ Appoints Sarah Kenny as Head of Data and Technology
WPP Media New Zealand has created a new Head of Data and Technology role and appointed Sarah Kenny, who returns from WPP Media UK, to fill it. Kenny previously led data and technology solutions at Wavemaker in the UK and helped...
WPP Media Wins BYD Australia Account
WPP Media has won the Australian media planning and buying mandate for electric‑vehicle maker BYD, taking the account from independent agency Yango. The new partnership will be delivered through a bespoke WPP division, mirroring its Open Mind model for Nestlé...
Set for Life Offers Escape From Miserable Side Hustles in Special Group Campaign
The Lottery Corporation’s Set for Life launched a new “Monthly Cash, No Catch” campaign created by Special, featuring three humorous ads that dramatise the lengths people go to earn extra money before a phone notification reveals they’ve won $20,000 AUD a...
ACM to Axe Weekday Editions of 150-Year-Old Tamworth Newspaper
Australian Community Media (ACM) announced it will cease Monday‑to‑Friday print editions of the Northern Daily Leader, a newspaper with a 150‑year legacy in Tamworth. The daily will become digital‑only on weekdays starting May 11, while an expanded weekend edition will be...
CommsCon Catchup: What Journalists Think of Themselves, AI and Public Relations
At CommsCon, Medianet’s Amrita Sidhu revealed that 73% of Australian journalists detect AI‑generated pitches and label them lazy, eroding trust. Meanwhile, AI tools are now used by 54% of newsrooms, up from 37% a year earlier, yet journalists remain wary...
Nike Turns to Australia for Its First Local Tiktok Play
Nike has launched @nikeaustralia, the brand’s first country‑specific TikTok account, debuting with a CommBank Socceroos‑themed bulldozer stunt and later featuring Paralympian Dylan Alcott’s Ability Fest promotion. The move marks a shift from Nike’s global‑first model to a local‑first strategy that...
Mamamia Out Loud Breaks Podcast Ranker Record with 1.2m Listeners
Mamamia Out Loud attracted 1.22 million individual listeners in March 2026, setting a new all‑time high for any Australian podcast on the Australian Podcast Ranker. It marked the show’s third straight month at the top of the ranker and the first...
More Brands Employing Affiliate and Partnership Marketing: IAB State of Nation Report
The IAB Australia released its 2026 Affiliate and Partnership Marketing State of the Nation Report, showing that affiliate programs are delivering strong commercial results for brands and agencies. Forty‑two percent of advertisers increased their affiliate spend over the past year,...
SBS Reveals Lineup for Next Season of Who Do You Think You Are?
SBS announced that the 17th season of “Who Do You Think You Are?” will launch on 12 May 2026, featuring eight prominent Australians including Guy Sebastian, Curtis Stone, Rosie Batty and Matt Day. Over eight episodes the series will trace each celebrity’s ancestry, uncovering migration stories,...
Women in Media Adds Emma Macdonald to Board
Women in Media Australia announced that award‑winning journalist Emma Macdonald OAM has joined its board of directors. Macdonald, a double Walkley Award winner who spent 23 years at The Canberra Times and later served as associate editor of HerCanberra, brings...
Less Chit-Chat at Media Agencies Is a Grave Mistake
A We Grow Agency Pulse study of 226 Australian media professionals reveals a growing "zero‑tolerance" stance toward casual conversation, with email and messaging now the default. The shift is driven by compressed timelines, leaner teams, and hybrid work models that...
ARN Taps Tiktok’s Ollie Wards for Top Level Video and Social Role
Australian Radio Network (ARN) has created a senior Director of Video and Social role, appointing former TikTok music director Ollie Wards to lead the effort. Wards, who spent five‑and‑a‑half years at TikTok launching a bespoke radio station with ARN’s iHeart...
‘A Drop in Toxicity’: Comment Moderation Platform Sence Signs Pulse Tasmania as First Australian Client
New Zealand‑based AI startup Sence has landed its first Australian customer, digital news publisher Pulse Tasmania, to power comment moderation across the outlet’s social channels and on‑site comment sections. The system now scans more than 10,000 reader comments each week,...
CommsCon Catchup: The Real Cost of Reputation
At CommsCon, panelists argued that corporate reputation has evolved from a PR issue to a balance‑sheet liability that can now be quantified with AI‑driven analytics. Michelle Hutton of Burson cited research estimating a $7 trillion global reputation economy, while Choice’s Mark...
Edelman CEO Tom Robinson to Depart
Edelman Australia’s chief executive Tom Robinson announced his resignation, effective 15 May, after nearly four years at the helm. Robinson, who joined from Mediacom in August 2022, highlighted the agency’s new positioning and growth trajectory before stepping down. The firm...
Daily Mail All-In on Subscriptions as Dynamic Paywall Experiment Goes Live
Daily Mail Australia has launched a dynamic AI‑driven paywall that selectively locks 10‑15% of articles based on each reader’s likelihood to subscribe. The experiment supports a broader subscription push, with the outlet aiming for one million paying users by October...
Relationship Issues in Agencyland and the Case of the Disappearing Media Jobs
BMF and Westpac announced a split after just one year, an unusual case of an agency ending a client relationship. A new We Grow study highlights that agencies now demand agenda‑driven meetings and reject casual outreach from media salespeople. Within...
CommsCon Catchup: AI Frees up Younger Workers to Be Creative — if Given the Opportunity
At CommsCon, a panel of communications leaders examined how AI is reshaping work across five generations, freeing junior staff from routine tasks and enabling them to focus on creativity. They highlighted that Generation X’s experience is becoming a premium asset...
Ryobi Explores the Addictive World of DIY in ‘Come Equipped’
Ryobi, owned by Techtronic Industries, unveiled the "Come Equipped" campaign to dramatize the addictive pull of DIY projects. The ad follows a househusband whose simple drill trigger ignites a cascade of increasingly elaborate wood constructions, symbolising how one tool can...
‘We Are Making History’: Meet Jordan Baker, New Editor of Australia’s Oldest Paper, the Sydney Morning Herald
Jordan Baker, the newly appointed editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, marked the paper’s 195th anniversary on April 18, highlighting its status as Australia’s oldest continuously published newspaper. Despite industry doubts, the Herald’s print edition still generates roughly $129 million USD in...
Media Job Apocalypse Continues: Thousands Cut at Disney, Snap and BBC
The BBC announced a 10% workforce reduction, cutting 1,800‑2,000 jobs to save roughly £500 million (about $635 million) over two years. Snap Inc will lay off around 1,000 employees – about 16% of its staff – aiming for $460 million in savings for...
Nine Snatches Netball TV Rights From Foxtel
Nine secured a five‑year partnership with Netball Australia, taking over broadcast and streaming rights for Suncorp Super Netball, Australian Diamonds matches, and the 2027 Netball World Cup from Foxtel. The agreement delivers free‑to‑air coverage on the Nine Network alongside streaming...
Spotify Rolls Out Government Vaping Education Campaign
Spotify has teamed with the Australian Government to launch the third phase of its anti‑vaping initiative, titled “Buddy Up – Make a Pact to Quit Together.” The new phase shifts focus from education to a community‑driven model that encourages peers...
Vamp Strengthens Team with Four New Hires
Vamp, a tech‑enabled influencer marketing agency, announced four senior hires to bolster its leadership team. Simone Bevan joins as Head of Brand and Integration, tasked with shaping go‑to‑market and large‑scale creative strategy. The new senior product manager, client delivery manager, and...
Prophet Publishes Market Mix Modelling 101 Guide
Prophet, Australia’s leading decision‑intelligence platform, has released a Market Mix Modelling (MMM) 101 guide to help marketers move from past‑focused reporting to future‑oriented rehearsal. The guide includes a blind‑spot checklist, case studies and a framework for building a business case,...
Esky Goes Social-First as The Social CliQ Brings Creators Together for TikTok-Led Campaign
Australian cooler brand Esky has launched a social‑first campaign built around a one‑day creator shoot on the Gold Coast. The Social CliQ, appointed in 2025 to run Esky’s social channels, gathered 16 digital creators who produced over 50 short‑form videos...
Inside the Surge of Indie Media Wins
AI‑enabled tools are letting independent media agencies punch far above their size, with a 20‑person shop delivering output comparable to a double‑sized operation. Over the past year indie firms in Australia and New Zealand have seized 64% of new‑business pitches, exemplified...
CommsCon Catchup: Want to Survive the AI Revolution? Make Sure You’re in the ‘Trust’ Business
At CommsCon, Peter Wilkinson warned that by 2030 the chief corporate‑affairs officer will eclipse the CMO as AI reshapes buying decisions. He argues that AI gives consumers direct access to data on price, ethics and risk, making trust the key...
Unilever Hunts CMO as Another Marketer Departs
Unilever is actively recruiting a new chief marketing officer for its Australia‑New Zealand (ANZ) division after two senior marketing leaders exited within six months. Former ANZ CMO John McKeon left in January to take a global role in Malaysia, and his successor,...
Guzman Y Gomez Global CMO Lara Thom Resigns
Lara Thom, the global chief marketing officer of Australian fast‑food chain Guzman y Gomez, is leaving after a ten‑year tenure that helped grow the brand to more than 200 stores in four countries. She will depart on April 24, with...
Enigma Signs Kate Sheppard as Managing Director, Ramping up Sydney Firepower
Independent agency Enigma has appointed Kate Sheppard as Managing Director of its Sydney operations, joining CEO Lisa Sutton Gardner and other senior executives. Sheppard arrives with more than two decades of experience spanning QSR, FMCG, travel, retail, professional services and...
Government Rolls Out $20m ‘Every Little Bit Helps’ Fuel-Saving Campaign
Australia's federal government has unveiled a $20 million AUD (≈$13 million USD) “Every little bit helps” fuel‑saving campaign, the second phase of its four‑stage National Fuel Security Plan. The multi‑channel effort, managed by UM, includes TV, radio, print, digital and outdoor ads...
AMI Interim CEO Says ‘High Tide Will Help All Ships’ as New Marketing Group Launches
The Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) named Kathryn Illy as interim CEO following Bronwyn Heys' departure. At the same time, marketer Michael Apte launched the Sydney Marketing Community (SMC), which has already attracted about 1,000 members. Both SMC and The Marketing...
Catalano’s Australian Community Media Posts $7.9m Loss
Australian Community Media (ACM) reported a 30 million‑AUD (≈20 million‑USD) revenue decline to 214 million AUD and a net after‑tax loss of 7.9 million AUD (≈5.2 million‑USD) for FY2025, up from a 2.5 million‑AUD loss the prior year. The drop was driven by a 13 million‑AUD (≈8.6 million‑USD) fall in...
Ritson Is Right About WPP — but He Is Using the Wrong Map
WPP announced a sweeping re‑branding that places its flagship agencies—Ogilvy, VML and AKQA—under the new WPP Creative umbrella, a move championed by CEO Cindy Rose. Mark Ritson praised the intent but warned the strategy relies on the three‑decade‑old Aaker brand‑architecture...
Quiet Achiever Acast Says ‘Authentic Integration Is on the Rise’
Acast, the Swedish‑founded podcast network, has secured the return of Abbie Chatfield’s “It’s A Lot” podcast and highlighted a surge in “authentic integration” where ads extend beyond audio to social and video platforms. The company leverages its global footprint in...
Tourism Fiji CMO Srishti Narayan Steps Down
Tourism Fiji’s chief marketing officer Srishti Narayan will depart next month after three years steering the nation’s post‑COVID tourism revival. During her tenure she oversaw record visitor numbers for three straight years, launched the “Happy Passports” and “Be Fiji” campaigns,...
Paramount Launches Book Division as President Steps Down
Paramount Global announced the creation of Paramount Global Publishing, a new division that will turn its extensive portfolio of franchises—such as Star Trek, Transformers, and SpongeBob—into print, digital, and audio books. The unit will sit within the products and experiences group,...
‘All We Feel Is Panic’: Time to Resurrect the Creative Project Team
The article argues that the traditional agency practice of running multiple creative teams on a single brief inflates costs and dilutes ownership, leaving freelancers panicked and clients overcharged. It contrasts this with the 1990s “project team” model—small, tightly knit groups...
The Free Ticket You Just Got Offered to Mumbrella360 Is Not Legitimate
Mumbrella has warned that a phishing email offering a free ticket to its Mumbrella360 conference is fake. The scam uses the sender name “The Mumbrella Team” and the address messaging-service@post.xero.com, with the subject line “Your Complimentary Mumbrella360 Ticket.” Recipients are...
Best Foot Forward: Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards Opens with New Categories
The 2026 Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards have opened, expanding the program to reflect the evolving travel‑marketing landscape. New categories recognize AI‑driven campaigns, content creators, and a split between print and digital publications. A multi‑tiered Brand of the Year award now...
Nine Lifts the Index as Vinyl Group Takes a Hit
Australian media stocks mostly slipped on Tuesday, but the Unmade Index closed in positive territory thanks to Nine's 2.6% rally, lifting its market capitalisation to just under $1.6 bn. Vinyl Group suffered the steepest drop, shedding 6.3% to a $104.2 m valuation,...
Goverment Flags Change to Copyright Laws to Accomodate AI
Attorney General Michelle Rowland signaled that the Australian government is reviewing copyright law to better accommodate artificial intelligence, while affirming that existing protections for rights holders will remain intact. The move follows lobbying from AI firms such as Anthropic and...
Stax Burger Co’s ‘Customer From Hell’ Skits Deemed Too Sweary for Ad Standards
Australian fast‑food chain Stax Burger Co’s social media skits featuring a profanity‑laden “customer from hell” have been found in breach of the Advertising Standards Board’s anti‑profanity guidelines. Four Instagram and Facebook videos, starring the founder’s father, repeatedly used slurs such...
Albanese’s Address to Australia Was a TV Ratings Smash
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s four‑minute national address aired simultaneously on all five free‑to‑air networks at 7 p.m., drawing 3.722 million live viewers. Adding YouTube streams from broadcasters and the PM’s own channel pushed the total audience to at least 4.183 million. The viewership...
Newspaper Ad Spend Rebounds 17.4% After Year-Long Decline
Print newspaper advertising in Australia rebounded 17.4% year‑on‑year in February, marking the first growth period since February 2025. Media agency spend across print and digital titles rose 11.2% YoY, driven largely by regional publications and the South Australian election cycle....
Four-Day Week Puts Equality Media Top of AFR Workplace Rankings
Melbourne‑based Equality Media + Marketing has retained the top spot in the AFR BOSS Best Places to Work rankings for Media & Marketing, thanks in part to its four‑day work week introduced in 2022. The agency, now with 30 employees,...