As Boomtown prepares to appoint its second intake of Insiders, the inaugural Boomtown Insiders alumni take stock of their experience as regional media champions.
What became clear to us through the experience is that regional advertising is still largely overlooked and misunderstood by the industry, and programs like the Boomtown Insiders are crucial to highlighting the real value that exists in regional Australia.
Throughout the program, one message was consistent: regional Australia is not simply a coverage extension or a ‘rest of Australia’ audience to add at the end of a media plan. It’s made up of distinct communities, local economies, media habits and trusted voices. This may sound obvious, but in the pace of agency life, we often look for solutions that feel efficient, familiar and easy to compare. But efficiency shouldn’t come at the expense of curiosity, and young media talent need to take the time to truly understand the opportunity outside the capital cities.
Recent CommBank iQ research highlighted that around $250 billion in annual spending power sits outside Australia’s metropolitan areas. That’s not a niche audience – it’s a significant part of the Australian economy, with audiences whose lives, priorities and purchase decisions cannot always be understood through a metro lens alone.
This doesn’t mean every brief needs a regional solution, just that regional should be considered with the same strategic intent we bring to any other audience decision. Who are we trying to reach? What matters to them? What role does the media play in their lives? Are we looking at the opportunity with enough nuance?
Engaging regional communities is also an opportunity to look beyond simple numbers and place a genuine focus on culture. Regional Australia is rich with diverse communities, and who spend more than their metro neighbours in many everyday spending categories. When we collaborate early in the planning process to celebrate those distinctions, we build authentic connections that deliver far more impactful outcomes for clients.
Why we signed up – and our biggest takeaways
Most of us initially signed up for the chance to learn more about regional media. Some of us were born and bred in the regions (shout out to our Newy friends!), while others conjured thoughts of Akubras, cattle and tractors whenever regional Australia was mentioned. And while we all came with different mindsets, we have collectively walked away with a deeper understanding of the size, diversity and scale of regional Australia, and the value it presents for brands and agencies.
But it’s the connection, shared learning and fresh perspectives that have been the real takeaways from our time as Insiders. There’s simply no replacement for genuine human connection, and having a space to share your experiences, challenge your thinking and collaborate with like-minded professionals at the same stage in their career.
When you enter the media world, there’s a danger of becoming caught up in the day-to-day – the budget constraints, the client objectives, the procurement processes, the measurement frameworks and the deadlines. Always the deadlines. Boomtown Insiders gave us the chance to get outside those day-to-day pressures, broaden our perspective and reconnect with why we do what we do.
Embrace new perspectives – and take them to your clients
Boomtown Insiders reminded us of the importance of challenging our thinking. There’s a real need for media professionals, particularly emerging talent, to take the time to learn and to listen – to industry experts, to the market and to possibilities – and then take that new thinking to their clients.
Stepping into another part of the industry’s shoes was a valuable part of the Boomtown Insiders. It was a reminder to make room for perspective and to challenge assumptions. Ask more questions. Look beyond the default answer. And spend time with the people who see audiences from a different angle.
Build relationships and don’t be afraid to share the wins – and the woes
Many of our conversations went well beyond regional media – and they needed to. We all feel the pressure of working in this industry, and the competing priorities to navigate on a daily basis. Being part of the Insiders created a dedicated space for us to share our success stories and our failures, and to have honest conversations.
We talked about client challenges, measurement, budget pressures and the reality of working in an industry that never slows down. We got the chance to collaborate and learn from people across a huge variety of senior agency, client and media roles. That level of connection proved that our industry’s best work happens when we move past transactional interactions and just sit down at the same table. It’s a reminder that strong relationships are built through openness, early conversations and a willingness to solve the brief together, rather than simply responding to it.
Ultimately, the Boomtown Insiders’ experience has been career changing. Our advice to anyone considering joining this year’s cohort: do it. You may join for the regional media insights, but you’ll leave with a fresh perspective on what great collaboration can achieve.
Written by Courtney Birch (Enigma), Zoe Gothard (Nine), Angus McLeod (Atomic 212), Arya Mishra (Ptarmigan Media), and Matthew Tan (Starcom Australia).
