While the official agenda is yet to begin, Cairns Crocodiles is already in full swing, with delegates easing into the week via a packed schedule of waterfront dinners, yacht parties and sunset cocktails across Tropical North Queensland.
From beachfront conversations on the future of premium media with The Trade Desk at NuNu, to Disney Advertising transforming a luxury superyacht into one of the most talked-about gatherings on the eve of the festival, the industry wasted no time getting into networking mode.
Elsewhere, Boomtown gathered marketers and media leaders at Sails for sunset cocktails and big conversations around regional media, while News Australia hosted an intimate Mediterranean-style dinner alongside some of the country’s most influential media and marketing figures at Floriana Boutique Hotel and Restaurant.
With the Cairns Crocodiles Awards judging now complete and delegates beginning to descend on the city ahead of a packed week of sessions, debates and celebrations, the tone has officially been set for another huge year.
Seaside Sunset Spread & Session With The Trade Desk At NuNu
As the palm trees swayed in the soft evening breeze, and the warm waves of Cairns melted against the sand, The Trade Desk kicked off their much-anticipated beachfront dinner at the glorious Nunu Restaurant.
In a sheltered location among coconut palms with views of the endless sweeping ocean, The Trade Desk’s Stephanie Famolaro and James Bayes dived into their latest research and a perspective on the evolving role of premium media, and what that means for today’s advertising landscape.
Comments were made on the growth of Cairns Crocodiles over the years, with a loud round of applause from delegates.
The group then settled into a relaxed and delicious display of modern Australian cuisine, including a phenomenal line-up of lush, fresh produce from the rainforest, the reef and outback cattle stations.
It was a dinner that sparked important and meaningful discussion, and a sense of connection between delegates across the industry.
Disney Advertising Yacht Party Sets The Scene On Eve Of Cairns Crocodiles
Leave it to Disney to create a real-life scene from one of its films. A luxury superyacht hosted by Disney became the setting for an evening of cocktails, conversation and extraordinary views. A sweeping sunset, over the open water, could’ve passed as a still from Moana. The only thing delegates were missing was The Rock.
As the vessel eased away from the shoreline, the deck quickly filled with a mix of marketing, media and brand guests doing that very familiar industry trick of balancing a drink in one hand and a campaign brief in the other.
Canapes circulated, while conversations drifted between campaign performance, cultural moments and the slightly more urgent questions of whether anyone had actually stopped taking photos yet.
The yacht itself did most of the talking, though, offering a backdrop so serene that just for a moment it felt like it might have been rendered rather than real.
By the time the sun had fully set, the mood had settled into that easy drift, where you’re no longer networking, but in complete relaxation mode.
Sunset Sips & Seriously Big Ideas At Boomtown’s Cocktail Party
The sharpest and brightest minds of the media, marketing and advertising industries descended upon Sails for what the locals call, “one of the best views in Cairns”.
Located on the city’s lively and stunning waterfront, delegates sipped on the freshest and sweetest pina coladas and mango daiquiris with Boomtown’s marketing team whilst mulling over the opportunity of the underutilised regional media.
As delegates sipped their cocktails, networked, and discussed the advantages of partnering with Boomtown, all guests were treated to a gorgeous sunset that lit up the most spectacular marina views.
News Australia Opens Cairns Crocodiles With Glitz & Glamour
A who’s who of the industry descended upon the Floriana Boutique Hotel and Restaurant for an intimate Mediterranean-style dinner hosted by News Australia on Monday night.
News Australia’s sales boss Lou Barrett—one of Australia’s most influential media executives—and long-term Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann, welcomed guests and also revealed News Australia is launching a new brand to market.
“We have been in the business of transforming brands that people think of as traditionally print for years. To be able to launch something into the market that was born in 1937 and is in 30 countries around the world is just an extraordinary opportunity,” McCann said about News Australia’s launch of Glamour this year.
“This is going to be a creative-led brand, so this is a very different way for us to show up, but we are using the expertise of the Vogue team, the GQ team, and we’re really good at these experiential moments that we can turn into extraordinary content marketing opportunities for brands.
“I know a lot of you are working with clients who would struggle a little bit in the influencer world to make sure that you’re really getting the ROI from the content…so we are extremely excited about it.
“Myer has come on board as a foundation partner for beauty. We’ve got 120 new brands coming on, so to be able to work together in just the beauty category is so exciting. But for everybody else in the room, whether you’re in auto travel or any other brands, we will obviously be coming to talk to you to see how we might be able to work with your brands too or with your agencies.
“I hope that people understand that News Corp are committed to launching really good quality brands, and that we are going to do this better than anyone who’s ever launched a brand, ever.”
Barrett added: “Beauty sits at the heart of Glamour, but the execution is social first. It is vertical video, creator led storytelling, TikTok native content, how-to formats and audience participation. It is dynamic, highly visual and deeply connected to culture and community in a completely different way to legacy publishing models.”
In attendance were Jaguar Land Rover’s Gavin Merriman, the IAB’s Gai Le Roy, Accenture Song’s Chris Colter, Tubi International’s Suzanne Strasser, Hoyts’ Damien Keogh, Mutinex pair Henry Innis and Mat Farrugia, the UN’s David Ohana, Joy Agency’s Ameilia Thackway, Hatched chair Mike Wilson and more.
Guests were served an exquisite three-course meal featuring scallops for starters, a perfectly cooked Stradbroke Island sirloin and sweet potato cheesecake dessert. McCann will be hosting a fireside with Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi today at the Cairns Crocodiles.
