After officially separating from oOh!media, Gawk has wasted no time cementing its position as Australia’s premier regional billboard specialist.
Signalling Gawk’s aggressive growth ambitions, the regional billboard specialist has appointed industry veteran, Alex Anthony as group agency sales director for NSW and QLD.
Independence Unlocks Opportunity
The separation from oOh!media marks more than just a structural change for Gawk, it represents the evolution of a company that has always been defined by its regional expertise. While the partnership served its purpose, independence allows Gawk to operate with the agility and focus that regional markets demand.
“Regional is what we do. Regional is all we do,” said James Course, Gawk director. “That level of specialisation requires complete focus and independence gives us exactly that.”
With the largest regional billboard footprint across Victoria and NSW and growing presence in South Australia, Gawk’s independence positions the company to move faster, partner smarter and deliver the kind of regional expertise that agencies and direct clients increasingly demand.
Strategic Growth: Enter Alex Anthony
Independence is one thing. Capitalising on it requires the right leadership which is where Alex Anthony comes in.
Appointed as group agency sales director for NSW and QLD, Anthony brings eight years of agency experience and a deep understanding of how media buyers and planners think about regional opportunities. His mandate is clear: make Gawk the first call for agencies planning regional campaigns.
“Agencies are increasingly sophisticated about regional,” explained Anthony. “They understand the audience opportunity, the reduced ad clutter and the ROI potential. What they need is a partner who lives and breathes regional, not a metro operator treating regional as an afterthought. That’s where Gawk dominates.”
Anthony’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment. With regional Australia
representing 9.9 million people, roughly 36 per cent of the nation’s population and media buyers becoming more educated about regional opportunities, the market is primed for a specialist player.
Why Regional? Why Now?
The case for regional media has never been stronger. Metro audiences are
oversaturated, ad-blocked and can be expensive to reach. Meanwhile, regional Australia is growing both in population and purchasing power.
Recent data shows regional Australians have higher disposable incomes than many metro counterparts, lower media saturation and audiences that actually notice and engage with outdoor advertising. For brands looking to grow, regional isn’t just an add-on; it’s essential strategy.
But here’s where it gets complex. Metro agencies get it; Toorak and Sunshine are 25km apart in Melbourne, but they’re different universes. Different audiences. Different strategies. You wouldn’t run the same campaign in both and expect it to work.
Now think about regional Australia. Not 25 kilometres. Millions of square kilometres. Not two suburbs. Hundreds of towns. Each one different. Each one requiring genuine local knowledge.
The expertise needed to navigate regional effectively isn’t just metro knowledge transplanted elsewhere. It’s an entirely different skill set, built over years of actually operating in these markets. Understanding Toorak versus Sunshine is one thing. Understanding Ararat versus Cobram versus Wagga versus Dubbo? That’s what separates regional operators from metro players dabbling outside their comfort zone.
“Agencies used to treat regional as a tick-box exercise,” explained Anthony. “Now they’re building campaigns around regional opportunities. That shift in thinking plays directly to our strengths.”
Gawk’s coverage across Victoria, NSW and SA means agencies can execute
comprehensive regional strategies through one partnership. No juggling multiple regional operators. No inconsistent reporting. No compromises. Just results.
Looking Ahead: Regional Dominance
Independence brings opportunity, but also responsibility. For Gawk, 2026 is about proving that regional specialists deliver better outcomes than generalists dabbling in regional markets.
The company’s roadmap includes expanded coverage in key regional markets, deeper agency partnerships and continued investment in understanding what makes regional audiences unique. With Anthony leading agency sales in NSW and QLD and Gawk’s proven track record across Victoria, NSW and SA, the message to market is clear: no one does regional like Gawk.
“We’re not trying to be everything to everyone,” said Course. “We’re regional
specialists. That focus is our competitive advantage and it’s exactly what the market needs right now.”
As the regional media landscape continues to evolve, Gawk’s combination of independence, expertise and strategic leadership positions the company not just to compete, but to dominate.
