Here’s What You Missed Over The Christmas Shutdown

The return to work after Christmas is always fraught. None of your clothes fit, you’ve forgotten the name of the person who sits a couple of banks of desks behind you and you’re completely and utterly clueless as to what’s gone on in the industry without your daily download from B&T.

But reader, fear not. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you with the skinny on all the news that happened while you were sitting at home chatting to formerly estranged uncles and wondering whether it is actually acceptable to start drinking at 9.30 am during that weird bit between Christmas and New Year.

Ascential completed the sale of its digital commerce Business To Omnicom for $1.2 billion

Ascential, the company behind the Cannes Lions Festival, announced last year that it would be selling its digital commerce business — Flywheel — to Omnicom. On 2 January, that deal concluded, with the business moving over to Omnicom for a whopping $AU1.2 billion.

“The acquisition of Flywheel significantly broadens our reach and influence in the rapidly expanding digital commerce and retail media sectors, two of the fastest-growing parts of the industry. Together, we will seamlessly integrate our offerings across retail and brand media, digital and in-store commerce, and CRM, ultimately delivering superior results for our clients,” said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom.

Flywheel’s CEO, Duncan Painter, also stepped down from the Ascential Board but carried on as the CEO of Flywheel at Omnicom.

Vinyl Group Acquires The Brag Media

The Brag Media, publisher of TheBrag.com, The Music Network and Tone Deaf, as well as Penske Media Corporation (PMC) titles Rolling Stone and Variety Australia and New Zealand, was acquired by the ASX-listed Vinyl Group in late December.

Vinyl Group paid $8 million in cash for the business, with a further $2 million payable in cash or stock based on financial performance.

The deal certainly raised eyebrows, given that The Brag Media generated $8.39 million in revenues, including $334,824 in net profit.

Ben Shepherd To Become Schwartz Media CEO

A big new job for Shepherd who left dentsu Media mid-way through December as he took the reigns at Schwartz Media, the independent publisher behind The Saturday Paper, The Monthly and 7am podcast.

He takes on the remit left vacant by Rebecca Costello, who moved across to Guardian Australia as general manager in September. He’ll start the new gig in February.

“Schwartz Media is home to the most vital, most respected and most enduring media brands we have in Australia, produced by Australia’s most respected voices,” said Shepherd.

“To serve the amazingly talented people in the business, its outstanding writers and its loyal and engaged readers, as its CEO, is a privilege.”

Val Morgan Acquires commercial representation of LADbible Group in Australia and New Zealand

Following reports that the LADbible Group would be shutting its Australian operations, and canning some 100 roles in the process — something the business denied — it was announced that Val Morgan Digital would be taking on the commercial representation of the publisher in Australia and New Zealand.

Effective from 1 January (and marking terrible news for hungover staff), the LADbible Group sales and strategy teams integrated with the Val Morgan Digital team, taking their knowledge of the audience and content with them, to expand and build LADbible Group’s advertising solutions. Australian-based creators are also set to partner with the brand to create bespoke localised content for Australia and New Zealand.

Indie Agency Awaken Wins Opal HealthCare’s Media

Another story that snuck out on B&T‘s first day off, indie agency Awaken won the account for Opal HealthCare residential care homes.

In winning the account, the Opal HealthCare team was impressed with Awaken’s fresh outlook on the business, particularly the agency’s combination of creative strategy, data and research to drive media results, and a nuanced understanding of Opal HealthCare’s mission.

Awaken founder and CEO, Chris Parker, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Opal HealthCare team. From our initial conversations, we were immediately inspired by Opal HealthCare’s innovative approach to their brand, with a focus on building communities. Our partnership with Opal HealthCare is an opportunity for us, as an agency, to help support families and deepen their respect for aging loved ones. Ageing is a concept all of us can relate to and knowing there is a people-led community available will bring comfort to many. We look forward to telling that story.”

The One Club announces 2023 Creative Rankings – Aus doesn’t feature

The One Club for Creativity announced its creative rankings for 2023 but Australia didn’t really feature.

FCB New York, Serviceplan Munich and VMLY&R New York were named the top three global creative agencies while Leo Burnett Mumbai took the APAC agency of the year. Serviceplan Munich also took the top indie spot, followed by Rethink in Toronto/Montréal/Vancouver and Wieden+Kennedy Portland.

However, the Government of Tuvalu was named as the best creative non-profit client. The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, currently controls its creative work.

Black Friday’s Biggest Spenders

Remember Black Friday? Nielsen does. It announced that Harvey Norman, Myer and Chemist Warehouse spent the most on their Black Friday campaigns this year. TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor ad spend for the whole retail sector in November topped $187 million.

Nielsen Ad Intel’s Australia Commercial Lead, Rose Lopreiato, said: “These Ad Intel numbers for the Black Friday sales clearly show that retail’s ‘big guns’ are strongly backing advertising as the best way to connect brands with
customers during one of the most competitive retail periods of the year.

“The large ad budgets involved in Black Friday make it even more crucial for marketers to make the smartest decisions possible about how they invest those ad dollars, utilising the very best data to get an edge on their competition and maximise their ROI, which is what Ad Intel does best”.

The other top advertisers, in order, were Amazon, JB HiFi, Officeworks, Bunnings, The Good Guys, Kmart and Big W.

Thinkerbell’s new work Big M and James Squire

Thinkerbell produced new work for Big M and James Squire that just missed the B&T publishing schedule.

Big M worked with Thinkerbell to create “the official drink” to leave out for Santa over Christmas — a delicious Original Chocolate Milk with bespoke packaging where families can personalise a note to the Big Guy.

For James Squire, Thinkerbell produced some new masterbrand work focusing on the hustler spirit familiar to the brand.