Last night’s Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) showcase mapped its next chapter with Seven West Media, offering insights into how their recent merger will benefit from a broadened media ecosystem while entertaining a room full of marketers and media buyers.
Although technically it was SCA’s final showcase of audio, a main focus of the night was how it plans to integrate of television, publishing, audio and data to enhance data-led targeting and cross-platform storytelling. The combined entity will reach of 25.5 million Aussies, including a large regional footprint of 6.8 million.
SCA chief commercial officer Seb Rennie said: “This is about strengthening what already works and extending it into new and powerful ways.
“By bringing together total audio, total television and publishing data, we’re building one of Australia’s most powerful media ecosystems, designed to unlock more opportunities for advertisers than ever before.”
The event also celebrated the evolution of LiSTNR as the platform continues to expand, enhancing the capabilities of LiSTNR’s AdTech Hub alongside new innovations like Precision+.
AdTech Hub is a platform that helps advertisers personalise and optimise campaigns at scale, and is entering its next phase with Precision+, which allows for campaign tracking across a campaign’s0 lifespan. This allows brands, advertisers and marketers to optimise campaigns in real time.
LiSTNR AdTech Hub also enables dynamic creative optimisation, which uses first-party and advertiser data matching through privacy-first clean room.
A new partnership between LiSTNR and Fabulate was also revealed. This combines SCA talent with Fabulate’s AI-powered data driven platform to identify and activate relevant creators at scale.
Brands can now engage entire communities, amplifying campaigns through over a million potential micro-influencers beyond traditional audio audiences.
Kim Loasby head of digital ad product & operations SCA said: “Audio is the original influence of what is a live read, if not influence. We’ve seen that influence develop from radio through to radio streaming and now into podcasts and the communities that have been developed around them.”
Olly Newton executive head LiSTNR Commercial added: “It’s important to understand the difference between video and audio and how they are consumed. Videos can seem one way, whilst audio is still the ultimate companion media. In a recent test, we created an organic reach of 437,000 people with a house rate ad delivery.
“LiSTNR has revolutionised the way digital audio advertising campaigns are planned, optimised and delivered, and SCA continues to lead the market with both content and advertising technology capabilities.
“As we look ahead, LiSTNR’s expansion into multi-format audio, video, creator-led content and influencer collaborations signals our next phase of growth, extending beyond audio to connect with audiences wherever they are, in the formats that suit them best.”
The night included some new content announcements, including the additions of the Life Uncut podcast with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne, and Club Casts, a new podcast delivering club-specific AFL content to fans.
The event also featured two lively panels. One featuring SCA stars Hockley, Tommy Little and Beau Ryan with the other including James Brayshaw, Kate McCarthy and Aaron ‘Woodsy’ Woods, all talent signed to the network, to discuss the evolving landscape of radio and podcasting and its impact on brand opportunities.
Using their signature humour, both trios livened up the room while exploring how personality-driven content can engage communities and amplify campaigns. The trio bantered with each other and the audience in a way that felt like a playful with Ryan welcoming Little “ to the big leagues.”. A footy reference that flew straight over his head, evident when Little attempted to banter back welcoming Ryan “to the first leagues”.
Media buyers enjoyed the presentation and praised the efficiency of the event itself, while also noting the importance of sustaining the company’s positive culture for long-term success.
Chris Walton managing director, Nunn Media said: “It was pleasing to see that they had a good balance between data/tech/systems and content. Many recent events have been a bit too focussed on the former with not enough on the latter.
They face big challenges in the future, not least how they protect to the positive company culture they have fostered so well over the last year or so. Time will tell how well they can do this this, which will be important if they are to be successful in the longer-term.”
Kathryn Furnari national head media thinker Thinkerbell added: “Its a massive win for those of us who want more simplified solutions for our clients. Having scale like that through a single point of contact is a real competitive advantage. And it doesn’t just simplify the buy- it allows us to create more seamless, culturally resonant ideas that are in the right context for our consumers.
And the data play is huge. The combined power of first party data now makes the single ID extremely valuable when marketers are trying to maximise attention and business outcomes.”
