Vistar Media has announced the opening of its new office in Melbourne and two new on-the-ground hires to service the city. The expansion marks another significant milestone as Vistar continues to enhance its presence and operations in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
The Melbourne office will be led by Ben Swaik and Alice Aram, who will be dedicated to providing on-the-ground support to Melbourne-based holding companies and independent agencies. This strategic move aims to build upon the strong foundations laid by the Sydney team, ensuring clients receive unparalleled service and expertise in programmatic OOH advertising.
In 2023, the Melbourne market accounted for 23% of Vistar’s total billings. This figure has surged to 28% in the first half of 2024, reflecting the growing importance of this market to Vistar. Additionally, Melbourne market spend for Vistar in Q1 2024 grew by an impressive 109% compared to Q1 2023.
“Opening our Melbourne office is a significant step for Vistar as we continue to grow our footprint in Australia and the broader APAC region, underscored by compelling growth figures that highlight the necessity of establishing a dedicated office to better serve our clients,” said Ben Baker, managing director for APAC at Vistar Media. “With Ben and Alice on board, we are extremely excited to continue providing our clients in Melbourne with the highest level of service and support across their OOH campaigns.”
Ben Swaik has been appointed to the newly created role of account director, demand sales, Melbourne. With over a decade of experience in the Melbourne media market, Ben brings a wealth of knowledge and a results-driven, solution-oriented approach to Vistar. His career includes significant roles at organisations such as News Corp Australia, Carsales, and GumGum (formerly Playground xyz).
“I am excited to join Vistar and build the Melbourne office. The potential for programmatic OOH in this market is immense, and I look forward to working with our clients to help them create impactful, data-driven campaigns,” said Swaik.
Alice Aram, also joining as account director, brings over ten years of experience in the advertising industry across the UK and Australia. Alice has a deep background in data and programmatic advertising strategies both on the agency and tech sides. She has most recently held positions at Unpacked by Flybuys and Dentsu Aegis Network, where she collaborated closely with FMCG and retail marketers to power programmatic advertising.
“Joining Vistar at this pivotal moment is incredibly exciting. Vistar’s innovative technology and customer-first approach to OOH is unmatched in the industry, and I am eager to help our clients leverage these tools to maximise their campaign success,” said Aram.
This expansion highlights Vistar’s commitment to supporting the growth and success of its clients through innovative programmatic OOH solutions. By combining local expertise with its globally renowned marketplace, Vistar aims to help brands capture better attention with data-driven OOH strategies that are both impactful and measurable.
Vistar has a strong presence across the APAC region, with offices, operations and partnerships in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Mainland China and Hong Kong.
