While the first full day of sessions was only just getting underway, the Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest had already announced itself in emphatic fashion, with delegates moving from a live sonic rebrand straight into one of the most ambitious creative briefs the industry has been handed.
The Teads breakfast laid bare the uncomfortable truth that more than half of all digital ads are less engaging than watching cows eat, to StackAdapt’s midday session, which packed delegates in before the panel had even begun.
Elsewhere, StackAdapt’s midday lunch session, packed delegates in before the panel had even begun, declaring that the race to build competing technologies faster is fundamentally what the media landscape is getting wrong.
By the time News Australia’s Andrew Bucklow had crowned Leigh “Lethal” Lavery the inaugural Tubi Cairns Crocodiles Quiz Show champion on the Hemingway’s Brewery stage, it was abundantly clear that Tuesday had set a tone that the rest of the week.
Toast & Talk Breakfast With Teads
As delegates sipped their morning coffees and settled in for breakfast at the Cairns Conference Centre, anticipation quickly built for Teads’ highly anticipated ‘The Morning Double Shot’ session. Any early-morning tiredness disappeared as guests were drawn into an engaging discussion exploring the science of attention, emotional connection, and what truly makes advertising memorable.
Over plates of eggs on toast with scrumptious bacon, mushrooms and spinach, attendees heard from Teads executives Abi Rhodes and Wine Wyne, who unpacked the growing challenge facing marketers: audiences are expecting more, while brands are being asked to do more with less.
The session highlighted that many campaigns are missing attention, with Wyne explaining how the human brain determines what it notices, ignores, and ultimately remembers, highlighting the widening “attention gap” across digital advertising.
“Only 35 per cent of viewable ads are actually looked at,” Wyne said. “Even more concerning, only 20 to 40 per cent of viewed ads are remembered afterwards.”
In one of the morning’s standout moments, Wyne joked that “55 per cent of ads are less engaging than watching cows eat,” drawing laughter from the room while stressing the importance of creating genuinely compelling creative.
Delegates also heard how the industry is moving beyond traditional eye-tracking methods and embracing neuroscience-backed predictive AI to better understand audience behaviour.
The presenters also explored the role of emotionally resonant creative, revealing that human faces consistently command stronger attention and drive more memorable engagement, while relatable everyday moments encourage audiences to connect more deeply with campaigns.
Guests left the breakfast session inspired and energised, with plenty of fresh ideas to bring back to their own brand and creative strategies.
Came For a Beer, But Stayed For a Yarn with News
From 4-6, the who’s who of media, marketing and advertising took over Hemingways to unwind with a couple local brewskies. Conversations were flowing over a couple responsible drinks as the star-studded line-up of guests discussed their favourite sessions from the day.
It was only 35 minutes earlier that the guests had their socks knocked off by the mesmerising quiz show hosted by the hilarious Bucky, and the Tubi quiz master winner Leigh “lethal” Lavery.
News Australia was spinning yarns, doing the rounds and mingling with the brightest industry folk. The team were complemented by the legendary views of the Hemingway’s Brewery that overlooks the dazzling Cairns waterfront.
For those who didn’t want to forget such a wonderful evening, the relaxing, networking atmosphere was paired with the Tubi Photobooth activation, where guests captured pure joy and high-quality moments with colleagues.
It was truly the most perfect way to unwind after some groundbreaking sessions. And as the eving reared closure to the opening party, the guests continued flowing in with their dazzling extra celestial outfits. Think glitter, refelctive silver and everything in between.
StackAdapt Pours Wine & Big Ideas On Partnership Workflows
StackAdapt’s lunch quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the day, as delegates packed into the room well before the panel even began. Over delicious food, wine and networking, conversations centred around one major question facing the industry: are partnerships genuinely creating value, or simply adding more layers?
The session, Frenemies, Frameworks & the Future, featured Aimee Gossage from Audience Group, Ashley Grey from Brand Collective and Richard Knott from InfoSum, with the discussion quickly diving into collaboration, measurement and the growing complexity of the media landscape.
When discussing what brands should look for in agency partnerships, she said: “It comes down to access, being able to access audiences in different capacities.”
Grey sparked one of the biggest talking points of the lunch, arguing the industry is too focused on building competing technologies rather than working together.
“We’re all trying to build new tech really quickly, but we should rather build better tech together, that’s fundamentally what we are doing wrong,” she said. “We have all entered a rat race.”
She also challenged attendees to rethink how they approach partnerships and communication.
“The biggest thing for me is curiosity. That stands on not making assumptions,” Grey said.
“What does incremental growth actually mean for your brand? Because often what you think is not what your CEO thinks.”
Meanwhile, Knott brought a practical perspective to the conversation around entrenched systems, noting: “If we tried to get SAP out of our business it would just be incredibly difficult.”
The session also delivered lighter moments, with Knott joking he preferred Cannes Crocs over Cannes Lions “because at least there are actually crocs here.”
Bucky Has Audiences In Stitches at Tubi’s inaugural Cairns Quiz Show
After four groundbreaking panels at Hemmingway’s, Tubi and News Australia reporter Andrew Bucklow stole the show on the brewery stage, bringing joy and a whole lot of laughs to the attendee’s afternoon.
Bringing the best Quiz Show in town to you, Bucklow pitted Johnny & Inkie from Star 102.7 against a handpicked Leigh Lavery from the crowd. The result was a chaotic, genuinely funny and the most entertaining game show to never air.
As the arvo began to fall away the three contestants traded blows in a rapid-fire quiz built entirely from the deep catalogue of Tubi. Think cult classics, guilty pleasures and forgotten gems, all fair game, and above all – sparked passionate debates amongst the crowd.
There were no safety nets. Just sharp questions, sharper answers and an unforgettable afternoon. A shirt was handed out to a gentlemen in the crowd who could answer five movies that Robin Williams features in, laughs came easy and surprise questions and answers landed just often enough to keep everyone on their toes.
Taking out the evening was “lethal Leigh” who took home Tubi’s inaugural Cairns Crocodiles Quiz Show.
Cairns Crocodiles Unveils New ‘Mogo’ Sonic Branding
Before the content started in earnest on Monday, Cairns Crocodiles unveiled a brand new Mogo – or musical logo – produced by Rajeeve Raja’s BrandMusiq.
The mogo was performed with help from a live band comprised of local Cairns musicians and incorporated a litany of different instruments from a saxophone and trumpet to a pulsating didgeridoo.
The pulsating performance got the crowd pumped and ready for a day of content.
