With the NRL and AFL deciders just around the corner, what better time to look at what was moving the dial for brands and consumers this time last year.
From the MCG to Accor Stadium, the 2024 AFL and NRL Grand Finals captured the nation’s attention, on and off the field. GumGum’s Mindset Graph reveals how fans leaned in during these high-stakes spectacles, offering advertisers a front-row seat to where audience focus was strongest and how they can apply those lessons this time round.
In the lead-up to the AFL Grand Final, the Sydney Swans, somewhat ironically, captured the lion’s share of attention with 89,234 mentions. The Brisbane Lions followed closely with 73,940 mentions. The Swans’ stronger digital presence reflected the build-up of anticipation in Sydney, where momentum carried right through to the final siren.
For the NRL decider, the Penrith Panthers once again proved their dominance, not just on the field but in the digital conversation. They recorded 103,919 mentions and a standout 4.17 seconds of attention time—the highest across both codes. The Melbourne Storm held their own with 53,756 mentions and 3.59 seconds, but it was Penrith’s consistency and presence on the big day—having won the previous three premierships—that drove deeper audience focus.
Outside of the game, GumGum’s Mindset Graph highlighted where Australian audiences leaned in most during this finals window (September 23 – October 3). Categories like electric vehicles (4.74s avg. attention), air travel (4.42s) and theatre and musicals (4.40s) were among the strongest creative performers by vertical, showing that cultural and lifestyle themes held powerful sway alongside sport.
The finals period also highlighted which content kept audiences most engaged and reading. Legal content held the longest focus at 4.52 seconds, followed by video gaming (4.31s) and politics (4.28s). Categories like sports (4.14s) and automotive (4.16s) also performed strongly, showing how naturally finals season aligns with brands that tap into movement, competition, and lifestyle.
GumGum’s Mindset Graph combines contextual intelligence with attention data to map what people are reading, watching, and actively engaging with across the open web. By analysing billions of impressions each day, the technology uncovers the true meaning of a page—going beyond keywords to also understand imagery on the page, video frame-by-frame, and even audio transcripts.
This powerful blend enables advertisers to identify, in real time, the environments that hold attention most effectively and to understand how different verticals perform around cultural moments like the AFL and NRL finals.
“With the AFL Grand Final this Saturday, and NRL decider the following weekend, brands have a unique window to tap into moments where attention is already at its peak,” said Georgia Falloon, sales director, QLD, SA and WA at GumGum.
“When advertisers show up in these emotionally charged contexts with creative that fits the moment, they can elevate their message and connect with fans in powerful ways.”
As the countdown to the finals begins, one thing is clear: attention and passion go hand in hand. For brands, the chance to be crowned champion lies in matching the energy and timeliness of these cultural moments.
