Features

What’s behind Australia’s declining ad spend?

On this week's Mumbrellacast, the team discuss what the latest SMI figures mean for the Australian market, before considering the real motivations behind the CEO of Tabcorp's strong statements to the inquiry into online gambling. The team then touches on the latest update to the Murdoch defamation case, as Private Media asks to update its defence for the fourth time, to the judge's dismay. Finally, Meta's Carolyn Bollaci and Naomi Shepherd join the podcast to chat what's next for the tech giant now that Metaverse hype has faded.


Yesterday it was revealed that the Australian market has seen another month of declining ad spend in February, according to the latest figures from Standard Media Index. With the industry facing the “normalisation from government spending” in 2023, off the back of a record start to the year in 2022, the team breaks down what this might mean for the industry. Is this just a balancing of the scales from last year, or are marketers starting to pull back on spend?

Then, Tabcorp CEO, Adam Rytenskild, raised eyebrows yesterday when he told the inquiry into online gambling that the “proliferation of gambling advertising” had in TAB’s opinion, “gone too far”. Rytenskild’s comments come as calls for greater industry regulation have become more pronounced, with research from the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies last week demonstrating that more than half of Australians would support a ban on wagering advertising before 10:30pm. The team pick up the conversation from last week’s Mumbrellacast, considering the possible motivations behind Tabcorp’s stance on the issue. The team also takes a look at the perspectives of other adjacent brands, and from the AFL and NRL’s chief executives.

Next, the team wrap up the latest update on Lachlan Murdoch’s defamation case against Crikey, after Private Media requested to update its defense for a fourth time. The publisher is seeking to connect its defense to the ongoing Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against Fox News in the US, which could potentially push the case out to October.

All that before Meta’s agency director for Australia & New Zealand, Carolyn Bollaci, and group industry director, Naomi Shepherd join the podcast to discuss the tech company’s current focus, and the long-term prospects of its Metaverse readiness. The pair touch on the latest results for Meta and its advertisers, noting that the platforms are “on fire” in terms of client outcomes and user growth, and why ads on its platforms are getting cheaper.

Episode breakdown

  • SMI figures for February (2:04)
  • Tabcorp CEO’s statements to the inquiry into online gambling (6:35)
  • The latest on the Murdoch defamation case against Crikey (13:15)
  • Meta’s Carolyn Bollaci and Nicole Shepherd join the podcast (17:12)
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