Mumbrellacast

This week Pearman Media's Steve Allen joined the Mumbrellacast team to breakdown Google Showcase and what it means for publishers as negotiations in the News Media Bargaining Code roll on. As well as being the first major media brand to sign up to Google Showcase, Seven West Media revealed its significant debt pile had been slashed by 42% to $329 million and reported a net profit of $116.4 million in the first half of the financial year, meaning the company's $170 million cost savings program is on track. In a better position than expected, the results raise questions about the importance of the performance of its upcoming content slate and whether the company should consider paying back the Job Keeper benefits which reportedly saved 120-150 jobs. Plus, this morning Facebook announced it was pulling all news sharing from its platform, effective immediately. It wasn't just publishers that work up to find their pages blocked and content missing, but satirical sites, sports teams and the Bureau of Meteorology

TV ratings returned this week, this time with the unusual inclusion of the Australian Open in the official ratings period. After doubt and quarantine crisis surrounded the tennis until its launch, how has the new schedule impacted programming on Seven and Ten? 2021 will be a big year in TV, but with the Olympic question remaining in everyone's minds, what will the landscape look like this year? And with the Super Bowl comes headline-grabbing ads. But how did the big game ads differ this year after brands continue to feel the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic? And with the tennis in play and football on the horizon, how can Australian marketers make their mark in sports this year? Plus, Chris Maxwell and Andy Gibson talk all things in-housing off the back of launching new consultancy Lution. The pair dive into the benefits of in-house advertising teams for marketers, how it improves creative work and answer if it really does attract high-level talent to the client-side.

This week, how did Time Out pivot to Time In? Managing director Michael Rodrigues joins the Mumbrellacast to give insight into how a publication that celebrates experiences out and about navigates an era of sudden and sometimes prolonged lockdowns. With the News Media Bargaining Code on the top of all publishers' minds, Rodrigues also discusses where Time Out sits on the issue. The week also saw the battle for sports rights heat up as new entrants in the streaming market began to emerge. Telstra withdrew from streaming the AFL and NRL, with its customers now offered discounted access to Kayo's broadcast. Stan Sport announced the team that will lead its Super Rugby coverage, soon after announcing its streaming service will come in cheaper than Kayo. And Amazon Prime is making moves, picking up the swimming and presenting itself as a dangerous player in the periphery. In this quickly growing market, who will rise and who will fall? Plus, with Google threatening to pull out from Australia, Microsoft stepped in

It was a week of Google news, and fresh off the back of the Senate's hearing into the News Media Bargaining Code the ACCC released its interim report for the Digital Advertising Services Inquiry. Here, the team gives the rundown of its initial findings and chats about what the industry has to say now that agencies seem to be out of the woods. Three agency leaders also left in seven days. David Fox is off to Ogilvy Middle East and North Africa, while Justin Drape announced he was leaving The Monkeys and Colenso BBDO's Scott Coldham is simultaneously becoming the CMO of two different brands. Were any of these moves a surprise? And what is happening inside these agencies? Plus, Nick Keenan gives the team an insight into his experience taking over the leadership of Starcom while getting to know his staff working remotely. With transformation on the cards, Keenan chats about his learnings from the client side and the pivotal role talent development is playing in the future of the agency.

On the final Mumbrellacast for the year, the whole team pitches in to count down the top stories of 2020. Popular campaigns came from Menulog and Hungry Jacks, thanks to famous faces and famous burgers. But, by far the biggest story was the impact COVID-19 had on the media and marketing industry. The team looks back on the warning shot to the media industry that was News Corp's regional closures, the major talent redundancies at Ten, how brands handled challenging conditions, and reflect on what became of the industry as 2020 rolled on. To round out the year, the Mumbrellacast team reveals their picks for the biggest news story that came across the desk, from Hugh Marks' upcoming departure from Nine to Ben Lilley's purchase of McCann.

Ex-Isobar CEO Konrad Spilva joined the Mumbrellacast this week to talk all things, Dentsu, independents and his new business Shadowboxer. Taking a look back at the his departure from the Dentsu International-owned agency, Spilva reveals how he knew it was the right time to go and why a global job wasn't for him. And, in the new world of independent agency forces Spilva chats about what creative consultancy, Shadowboxer, has to offer the market. The week also saw the last radio ratings survey of the year. Who went out on top? And who has a lot to look forward to next year? The chaos of 2020 has particularly disrupted the radio industry, following the months-long pause in ratings in the middle of the year. The Mumbrellacast team takes you through what radio bosses had to say about 2020 drawing to a close and their plans for next year. Plus, the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code bill has finally been introduced into parliament. The team runs through the key points in Treasurer Josh Fry

It all kicked off in adland this week. First came the news the WPP plc had made a takeover bid for the rest of the shares in WPP AUNZ. The move would bring the local business in line with the global operations and strategy, but the announcement wasn't a surprise to the market. If it were to go through the team speculates what happens to the original agencies that were part of the STW family, and what will become of CEO Jens Monsees? There will be a new independent player in town come February next year, following the announcement that CHE Proximity CEO Chris Howatson and chief creative officer Ant White are leaving the agency to open their own shop. How have they done it? Are there any clients involved? One thing is for sure, the industry is rife with gossip. And how did Special Group go about setting up offices in Melbourne and the US in the height of COVID? Founding partners Lindsey Evans and Cade Heyde gave an insight into the process, noting talent was everything when it came to setting the culture. Wit

This week, the latest chapter in 2Day FM's quest for a breakfast team that sticks continued, as it was announced that Hughesy and Ed would be shifting from drive to the morning, accompanied by Erin Molan. After a series of hosts beamed into Sydney from other states, and brief reprieve with a music-only show from Jamie Angel, locality is the name of the game. The Mumbrellacast team breaks down the strategy behind this latest talent update. And, all eyes are on the ad market as the end of 2020 draws closer. Latest figures from the IAB showed growth in digital advertising for Q3, following positive early October numbers from the Standard Media Index. Market sentiment is high looking ahead 2021, but will we see a steady return to growth in the end? Plus, TikTok's Brett Armstrong took the team through what's on the cards for the content sharing and social media platform. Fresh off launching its first consumer marketing campaign Armstrong reflects upon making a name for TikTok in Australia, why it is an important

This week's Mumbrellacast comes to you straight from Mumbrella360: Reconnected, featuring a chat with WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees. Discussing the progress of his transformation plan for the business, Monsees described where the holding group has gone wrong in the past, how he is now steadying the ship and explained why he moved halfway across the world for this job in the first place. Consolidation of WPP AUNZ's agency brands is a key element of Monsees's plan for the holding company. Coincidentally, Monsees appearance at 360 comes as the business negotiates the new merger of AKQA and White Grey, as well as Geometry shifting into the VMLY&R network. The Mumbrellacast team breaks down what these moves mean for the group and how these diverse offerings will come together. And in the most unexpected news of the week, Nine CEO Hugh Marks announced his imminent departure from the business, set for the first half of next year. Stating that his mission of drawing Nine, Fairfax and Macquarie Media together into a dig

This week on the Mumbrellacast, Publicis Groupe AUNZ CEO Michael Rebelo stopped by to reflect on how the group navigated COVID-19. Luckily the business introduced flexible working with Publicis Liberté not long before the pandemic hit. Rebelo also chats through the measures the group took to save as many jobs as possible, because "one job made redundant is too many". And, looking forward to 2021 and beyond, Rebelo discusses the major changes made at the group this year - including the merger between Mercerbell and Performics - and how it will guide the group into the future. Plus, in the news this week, Nine has bolstered its position in the sports broadcasting market with the launch of Stan Sport. Stan Sport, with support from the commercial television network, has picked up broadcasting rights for Rugby Australia and Wimbledon. The move also marks a significant change in the streaming market as the local offering continues its focus on growth. And, Woolworths' retail media business, Cartology, has expand

This week it’s everything radio as the team look at the results from GfK radio ratings survey seven. In Melbourne, Nine Radio’s 3AW blew critics away with another massive gain, while Sydney saw Kiis FM legends Kyle and Jackie O retain their FM crown. What should the industry expect from survey eight? Media monitoring business Isentia had a rough week, dealing with fall out of a cyber security attack at its business Mediaportal. With rival businesses snapping at its heels and unhappy investors to appease, what does the future look like for Isentia? The team speculate over how much damage the loss will do to the business and whether it can recover when it still isn’t able to provide clear guidance. And deputy managing editor Brittney Rigby sits down with PHD CEO Mark Jarrett. He stepped into the top position at the end of 2019, ahead of a year nobody could predict. How does one settle into their first CEO position when there’s a global pandemic raging and wreaking havoc across the media industry? And what im

Over the weekend the AFL and NRL grand finals were played in back-to-back ratings hits. On this week's Mumbrellacast the team discusses the controversial change from an afternoon to night grand final for the AFL and Australia's push for a local Superbowl TV event. The networks would be overjoyed with the numbers but as the team points out, restrictions made viewing at home more common and viewing in pubs much harder - impacting the ratings. And, what do Australian brands have to gain from making jokes about US president Donald Trump? Just days out from the election, Grill'd is taking aim at Trump's dietary habits, saying 'You are what you eat'. Sportsbet has also launched the a specialised betting hub enabling punters to gamble on the president's unpredictable behaviour. The team discusses the delicate balance of politics in advertising. There’s change at ACM including the retirement of CEO Allen Williams after 30 years, and deals being made with IVE and realestateview.com.au. The team give their prediction

This week, Seven rounded out the commercial free-to-air upfronts season, boasting ‘disruption, but in a good way’. After announcing last year it was time to refresh the content slate and being hit the hardest of all the networks in production by COVID-19, Seven is coming out swinging for 2021 with Holey Moley finally hitting screens alongside the revival of Australian Idol, a refreshed The Voice and Ultimate Tag. The Mumbrellacast is joined by chief marketing officer Charlotte Valente, chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette and director of network programming, Angus Ross, to discuss what Australia should expect from Seven in 2021. The week also saw the first Christmas ads emerge on TV. Michael Hill alluded to the tough times we've lived through, but Kmart invested in childhood joy. With very different approaches to the holiday season in a year like no other, the team discusses how to go about making a Christmas ad in 2020. And, with Group M's Nicola Lewis moving overseas to take up a job with its addressable

It was the week of Ten's upfronts, giving media buyers an insight into what the network will look like in 2021. Bachelor in Paradise won't be returning next year, but three new shows, including Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman's Making It, have been added to the slate. The Mumbrellacast team gives their impressions on how Ten's virtual performance went, and Brittney Rigby breaks down all the network has to offer with key executives Beverley McGarvey and Rod Prosser. Also this week, Gruen returned. Fresh off his success in the Melbourne radio ratings, Russel Howcroft joined the podcast to discuss why talkback radio deserves more ad spend, what keeps Gruen fresh, and how marketers and agencies should be preparing themselves for the continuing onslaught of market changes. And, Tourism Australia revived 'Holiday here this year' to kick off another domestic tourism push ahead of the summer holidays. Starring Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster-Blake, the campaign puts an upbeat spin on the cabin fever many Australians are

"COVID basically has accelerated the digital transformation at the consumer level, at the media level... and then last but not least at the enterprise level." In this special episode of the Mumbrellacast, Mumbrella founder Tim Burrowes chats with S4 Capital founder and executive chairman, Sir Martin Sorrell. Up for discussion is Sir Martin's outlook on the economic climate, why the 'growth' model of S4 Capital outstrips those of traditional holding companies, how WPP is cannibalising itself, and the legacy of David Ogilvy. Sir Martin reflects on previous economic crises, offers his views on whether the 'quadrennial effect' of the Olympics and US election on marketing spend will actually take place in 2021, and explains why he is "quite bullish about next year". He also dives into holding group models; critiquing WPP's recent mergers of Wunderman and JWT, and Y&R with VML, analysing why traditional models need to be dismantled, and explaining why S4 Capital's growth strategy is built for this era.

This week, Ten's The Bachelorette delivered the lowest-rating premiere in the show's history. Despite the shake-up of the format with sister-bachelorettes, the Mumbrellacast team asks, do viewers still care about it? In agency land, the team weighs in on the industry opinion that it's time for independent agencies to shine once more, thanks to COVID-19. Ben Lilley finally put the 'independent' stamp on his McCann-led business, and Aden Hepburn compared starting up his indie, Akcelo, to his 15 years at WPP. As clients continue to demand more for less, is it time for them to look for a more nimble partner? And, Coles released new brand platform 'Value the Australian way'. Featuring Curtis Stone with a lamb chop in hand, plus some everyday Australians, the team might not believe it has reinvented the wheel of advertising, but it does mark an important investment into Coles' brand ahead of Christmas. Plus, Brittney Rigby spoke with Masterchef host, Melissa Leong, ahead of this weekend's launch of its Junior se

"What's important to me is taking risks, because if we take the right risks, the rewards make it all the more worthwhile." This week the Mumbrellacast team was joined by Futurebrand Australia's CEO and new owner, Richard Curtis, to discuss the ins and outs of his takeover of the Interpublic agency. Noting his "favourite thing about this is that the media industry now has Ooh and Are", Curtis also offer his views on Bauer Media's rebrand. After being bought by private equity business Mercury Capital earlier this year, the industry knew a name change was coming, but is Are Media the fresh start it was expecting? The team also deep dives into Facebook's ban of a Modibodi ad that alludes to period blood with the colour red. Curtis says when utilising controversy, it has to make sense for the brand, and the team agrees this time it does. But with Facebook's 'higher set of standards' for ads operating on its own playing field are we about to see more bans of this sort? Plus, the content quotas for children's te

Kicking off with a bang, Uber Eats and Special Group launched the famous 'Tonight I'll be eating' brand platform into the US this week with help from sci-fi icons Mark Hamill and Sir Patrick Stewart. Hannah Blackiston and Brittney Rigby reflect on the evolution of the brand platform, from getting blasted in the comments, to international success. And, keeping up with agency land, is Thinkerbell's Thrive@55 initiative for interns over 55 years old an obvious play for PR or a valiant move to meet the industry's ageism head-on? Plus, reflective of the tumult created in 2020, the sporting deal sagas keep going. Qantas broke up with Rugby Australia after 30 years, and Seven came back to Supercars, offering $40m less than Ten did five years ago. As sponsorship and broadcast rights dollars keep shrinking, where to from here for Australia's sporting codes? And, Tim Burrowes spoke with Eardrum's Ralph van Dijk and Song Zu's Ramesh Sathiah to announce their new dedicated audio branding venture, Resonance. Learn how

In this week's Mumbrellacast, the team gives you everything you need to know about Nine's upfronts for 2021, including a chat with chief sales officer, Michael Stephenson. So, how exactly does it new audience targeting partnership with Adobe work? Is it really going to put Nine in competition with Google and Facebook? And, will we see more media companies developing their own defence against the cookies? And, what will content look like in 2021? The team was hoping for a shiny new TV show, but instead Nine will be putting a 'refreshed' Celebrity Apprentice Australia and Beauty and the Geek on air (so much for Seven trying to "revive yet another Nine show"). Is Nine just playing it safe in this world of complicated productions? Looking beyond the upfronts, small publishers spoke out against the ACCC's news media bargaining code in fear of Google and Facebook shutting down news in Australia, and industry watchdog Ad Standards upheld the first complaint under its new body image rules.

It was a week of controversy, and the Mumbrellacast kicks off with the king of FM radio, Kyle Sandilands. After last year's comments about the Virgin Mary, he received a slap on the wrist from ACMA. After comparing their own stories about interacting with Sandilands, the team debates how and why he always manages to slip through. Addressing the second big controversy of the week, the team debates whether the Sydney Morning Herald should have named a junior journalist from Domain who was found to have fictionalised quotes in their reporting. Is the fact they weren't caught sooner indicative of an ever-growing problem in the publishing industry? Or can the entire blame be placed at the journalist's door? And, ahead of the launch of the new season of Body Hack on Ten, Todd Sampson revealed what it was like to film in some of the most dangerous places on the planet, only to learn about the pandemic and be called home. The former adman also discusses why he decided to step away from advertising, whether he has o