2014 Annual: the year that was – November
It was another year of continual change in the media and marketing world. Over the next 12 days, Mumbrella’s Miranda Ward provides a month-by-month recap of the major stories and developments that affected the industry.
As the year started to wind down advertising holding company Publicis Groupe made an offer of $25 per share to acquire the independent Sapient digital advertising agency.
Netflix appointed Droga5 to handle its creative duties locally, with We Are Social appointed to lead the social media push ahead of the US streaming giant’s announcement that it would launch in Australia and New Zealand in March next year.
In marketing news, Optus head of fixed product Sue Bailey was handed the interim brand and marketing duties while a permanent success for Nathan Rosenberg was found and former Publicis Mojo chief executive Joe Pollard was named Telstra’s new head of media and marketing.
It was announced that Nine Entertainment Co and Fairfax Media’s joint-venture TV and movie streaming service was to be called Stan.
David Jones kick started its Christmas marketing campaign with a two minute emotive TV ad.
Network Ten confirmed it had appointed Citi Bank to help it assess “a range of potential strategic options” following reports of interest in buying the company. It was then reported Time Warner had floated a $680m takeover bid.
Qantas unveiled its first TV-led brand campaign since 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16RhgfA662k
The Australian Radio Network rebranded its Melbourne station Mix 101.1 as Kiis 101.1 with Dave Hughes and Kate Langbroek replacing Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross in national Drive.
Worldwide chairman of M&C Saatchi Tom Dery announced plans to depart Australia for the US.
iiNet pitched its media account.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed the extent of funding cuts to the ABC and SBS. ABC managing director Mark Scott later unveiled details of the corporation’s cost-cutting strategy, with up to 10 per cent of the workforce to go.
Vodafone appointed Cummins & Partners as its creative agency following a competitive pitch.
Mumbrella revealed that media agency MediaCom had overcharged at least two clients, Foxtel and Yum Brands, by submitting inflated claims on the TV audiences its campaigns had delivered.
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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(hopefully on the right thread this time but not sure anyone is reading anyway!)
I’ll say it again, until and unless the majors (telstra, optus) offer both fast (>50mbs) and unlimited data plans at reasonable prices (and unbundled) Netflix et al will never go mass market.
Just a question of when…but not sure Netflix has picked the right time to launch. When NBN gets hold of the optus/telstra cable and allows anyone to offer cable (or better) then these guys will take over.
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Have netflix now with downloads speeds of about 30mbps. Multiple people in the same household will be on it at once and there is no issue. Netflix recommends speeds of only 5mbps for hd and from my own personal experience would agree. A lot of people only have download speeds of 10mbps and issues could come up there or if a lot of people are on at once and you have poor bandwidth that could also be a problem. Also note that hevc codec will be coming into the mainstream over the next year or two (means you will get the same quality at only half of the original data rate). So there is great potential to help out even the people with poor speeds.
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