Brisbane Times revamps brand presence as Nine gears up for the Olympics
As a part of Nine’s long-running preparation ahead of the 2032 Olympics, its metro title Brisbane Times was treated to a brand refresh this week. “We’re not Sydney or Melbourne, and we’re not just Queensland. We’re Brisbane, and it’s our time,” said the masthead’s editor Sean Parnell.
Brisbane Times has been running on a digital subscription model similar to its sister publication WA today. Nine Entertainment Co also owns mastheads The Sydney Morning Hearld and The Age, leaving Adelaide the only metro city where the media company doesn’t have a publishing presence.
“Over the years, Brisbane Times perhaps hasn’t known what it was meant to be in the broader Nine orgnisation or even in Brisbane,” Parnell said. “So we set about rethinking all of that.”
Olympics coverage
The refresh saw new hires on Brisbane Times’ editorial team, a new brand identity and new multichannel marketing campaign. New faces at the masthead include including food and culture editor Matt Shea, city reporter Courtney Kruk and sport reporter Nick Wright.
While the move is touted as a response to south-east Queensland’s population surge and changing landscape, investment into the masthead now will also ensure better on the ground coverage when the Brisbane Olympics rolls around in 2032.
Nine secured the broadcast rights for the next three Olympic Games in February this year.
Nine’s managing director of publishing, James Chessell, told Mumbrella that a combination of editorial and commercial considerations informed the timing of Brisbane Times’ revamp.
“[Brisbane Times] has kind of never been given the proper resourcing and scale that it needs to have a meaningful presence in this city,” he said.
To set it up as a serious subscription-driven business newsroom rather than a beachhead (which was Fairfax’s strategy when Brisbane Times was first launched in 2007), Chessell said it needs investment on a bigger scale.
At the same time, Nine is very “focused on ensuring that we do the Olympics justice”, said Chessell, and this is shown by having a meaningful presence in Brisbane.
“We don’t want to become too obsessed with the Olympics, but it’s a big part of where Brisbane is.
L-R: James Chessell, Mike Sneesby, Tory Maguire and Sean Parnell at a Brisbane launch event for the metro masthead
“Having been in Sydney for the Games a long time ago, I think it’s not just about those two weeks, it’s also about the period before and a period after.
“There’s a lot of great debate that leads up to it, and a feeling of energy, excitement and momentum, and we need to document that.”
Speaking of the role Brisbane Times will play alongside Nine’s broadcast coverage, Parnell said: “We are part of that, but we also sit to the side of it. There’s a lot of scrutiny on on governments and authorities to deliver this Olympics and do it well.
“There’s an expectation for the government to demonstrate that it’s worth the investment, particularly at a time now where there’s housing issues and cost of living issues. So we will apply all that scrutiny.”
Campaign creatives
Working with Publicis Worldwide, a multichannel campaign will roll across free-to-air, subscription, and on-demand TV, digital and social media, radio and OOH.
The 30-second TVC includes works of award-winning photojournalist Adam Ferguson, who was raised in Brisbane and went on a mission to capture the the city’s DNA.
His visuals were complemented by bespoke music created by Bluey composer Joff Bush, who was also Brisbane-born. The voiceover is provided by Guyala Bayles, a 21-year-old model, poet and actress originally from the Murri community in Queensland.
Managing director of Publicis Worldwide, Simone Waugh, added: “You can feel the change in the air with the amount of progress, infrastructure and restaurants opening their doors in Brisbane. With the 2032 Games on the horizon, it’s now time that the capital has a news source that reflects the optimism of this city of the future.
“Our partnership with Nine has been incredibly fulfilling for us as an agency, as we’ve been able to articulate who Brisbane is as a place and a community to create the new Brisbane Times – a more contemporary news source for Queensland.”
Head of brand and acquisition at Nine, Vera Straubinger, said: “We felt very strongly about showcasing the world-class creative talent that Brisbane has to offer, and the campaign is a testament to that.”
Credits
Nine
Director Consumer Subscriptions and Marketing: Kristen Turner
Head of Brand and Acquisition: Vera Straubinger
Marketing Lead: Kymberley Joseph Marketing Manager: Leah McNeil
Publicis Worldwide
Executive Creative Director: Ryan Petie
Creative Director: David Schaak
Executive Strategy Director: Mike Redfern
Executive Production Director: Vicki Lee
Executive Director Client Partners: Jude Johannesen
Senior Project Director: Mary Graham
Production
Production Co: Photoplay
Executive Producer: Alison Lydiard
Photographer: Adam Ferguson
DOP: Jake Koning
Post House: Cutting Edge
Post Producer: Samara Keune
Editors: Felicity Krantz, Steve Leacey
Design & Animation: Zenon Kohler & Bruno Profeta
Colourist: Kali Bateman
Audio Engineer: Mike Lange
Music: Joff Bush
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Darcy Song was a reporter at Mumbrella, covering media owners, adtech and social platforms. She left in October 2023.
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