Initiative launches national media-diversity directory
Initiative has launched a national media-diversity directory.
The announcement:
Media agency Initiative has launched a national media-diversity directory to coincide with their inaugural Forgotten Upfronts. Forgotten Upfronts is a platform for publishers catering to niche audiences to showcase their unique offerings to the industry with the same attention and fanfare as major networks receive.
During the event Initiative announced the creation of The Diversity Directory – www.diversitydirectory.com.au – an open-source website for the media industry to search for and contact publishers catering to niche communities. Positioned as a starting point to better enable more inclusive planning, the site is designed to build over time as more media owners are made aware and register their businesses.
The first Forgotten Upfronts, hosted yesterday, attracted a huge audience. “We were blown away by the industry response to this event,” said Initiative chief strategy officer, Chris Colter. “To have more than 500 of Australia’s leading marketers, publishers and agencies join our Forgotten Upfronts is testament to the importance we all see in breaking our marketing biases. Feedback has been incredible and we can’t wait to host many more in the future.”
The Forgotten Upfronts showcased four businesses:
Starts at 60, which exists to connect brands with digitally savvy +55 year-olds, showcased how they are evolving from a media publisher to a content and commerce eco-system. Headlined by their boomer marketplace, they are providing brands direct opportunities to capitalise on one of Australia’s most affluent audiences.
“There is a perception us boomers are brand loyal – that’s just rubbish. We are savvy, research our purchases and you can’t bullshit us. We’ve seen it all.”
NITV, highlighted a suite of premium First Nations program releases and integration opportunities, such as Yokayi Football, Mob Breakfast and Ernie Dingo’s travel show “Going Places”, returning with four new First Nations hosts.
“The opportunities for integration and sponsorship are all there – the potential just hasn’t been realised yet.”
Boomtown reminded marketers that all tentpoles and solutions they are seeing in metro upfronts are available in regional/rural Australia, whilst also showcasing a suite of workshops and open-source planning tools to change perceptions of regional Australians media habits.
“Fascinated by how people perceive Regional Australia, it’s definitely not the regional Australia that I’ve experienced.”
S&J shared emerging opportunities to target Chinese Australian audiences across Chinese streaming, social, and shopping channels, alongside announcing their Multicultural Premium Network – enabling marketers to customise engagement to over 57 different nationalities.
“Speaking the language is only the basic. We need to utilise creativity to capture the attention of the audience and drive consideration.”
Initiative has committed to Forgotten Upfronts being a bi-annual event and will continue to draw attention to lesser-known opportunities for marketers.
Source: RMG Communications media release
