Westfield parent Scentre Group spoke to advertisers and media agencies on Thursday afternoon, arguing that brands perform better in places where consumers feel emotionally connected, rather than on platforms built purely for reach.
At its first-ever BrandSpace Upfront event in Sydney, Scentre Group announced a new positioning for its media division BrandSpace: “The World of Wonder”. This positioning is centred around immersive, real-world brand experiences across its 42 Westfield destinations in Australia and New Zealand.
However, there was one big message during the event.
According to Scentre Group, Westfield is no longer just a shopping centre, it’s an essential part of people’s lives and, in turn, one of the most powerful environments for brands to grow.
Jacqui Waine, general manager of marketing and community at Scentre Group, delivered one of the most emotional moments of the presentation, describing Westfield as the backdrop to many of life’s defining memories.
“Imagine this, a young girl, maybe 10 or 11, standing on stage under the atrium at her local Westfield singing in her school choir,” Waine told the audience.
“She’s looking out into the audience, she sees her family, her friends, and she thinks, just for a moment, she might be destined for something big.
“A few years later, she’s back there, this time in a Kmart uniform, working her first shift. She’s a little nervous, but completely independent for the first time.
“Not long after that, she’s back there again at the cinema on her first date, and her heart is racing… and yes, she gets her first sneaky little kiss,” she continued.
“Then life just keeps unfolding. Her first professional job, her first suit… and she’s walking the centre hour after hour trying to get her baby to sleep.
“All of these moments, big and small, happening in the same place.”
Waine then revealed the story was her own, before linking the anecdote back to why Scentre Group believes Westfield offers something “fundamentally different for advertisers”.
“What matters isn’t just how many people come through our doors, it’s how they feel when they’re with us, because that’s what ultimately drives behaviour.”
According to Waine, Westfield welcomed more than 540 million customer visits in 2025, while 21 million people live close to its destinations across Australia and New Zealand.
John Papagiannis, group director of businesses at Scentre Group, said the company’s ambitions extended far beyond traditional retail.
“Westfield exists to help businesses connect with the Westfield customer across the entire ecosystem,” he said.
“Whether you’re a small business, a brand looking to make an impact, or an established brand partner, our focus is the same — helping you grow.”
Papagiannis said the role of Westfield destinations had fundamentally shifted in recent years, with consumers increasingly visiting for experiences rather than purely transactions.
“People are coming with more purpose, for more reasons, and staying for longer,” he said.
“Today, almost half of our outlets are experience-based and consumed onsite — dining, entertainment, wellness, fitness, beauty, education, just to name a few.”
“That mix, along with how we activate our environments through events and activations, has shifted us beyond a place simply to transact, to a place people choose to spend time in.”
The company also highlighted strong commercial metrics during the presentation, including occupancy levels sitting at 99.8 per cent — the highest since 2013 — alongside record partner sales in 2025.
“What this means is there is incredibly strong demand for our spaces, with space becoming more scarce,” Papagiannis said.
“So what we are witnessing is the result of highly engaged customers, real productivity and real growth for those businesses operating inside our environments.”
Scentre Group also outlined a multi-billion-dollar investment strategy designed to deepen that engagement further.
Papagiannis said the group currently has a $4 billion redevelopment pipeline underway, including a $240 million transformation at Westfield Bondi focused on lifestyle, entertainment and dining experiences.
“This is about reshaping why people come, how they feel when they arrive, and how long they stay,” he said.
The Upfront also showcased how BrandSpace plans to expand its role as a major media and experiential platform for advertisers.
Adam Sadler, BrandSpace Media general manager, said brands were increasingly seeking environments where audiences were actively engaged, rather than simply exposed to advertising.
“In 2026, brands are turning to environments where attention is earned,” Sadler said.
“I’m proud to unveil our new value proposition, The World of Wonder, which reflects our ability to provide extraordinary brand experiences for our partners.”
“Large destination retail is redefining retail out-of-home, now proving to be one of the strongest performing traditional media channels for ROI.”
As part of that push, BrandSpace announced partnerships and activations with companies including SBS, Netflix, LEGO, Tesla and Trinny London, while also highlighting broader Westfield collaborations with Disney, Live Nation and the Australian and New Zealand Olympic Teams.
Waine said those partnerships were helping turn Westfield destinations into cultural hubs rather than purely commercial spaces.
“These partnerships bring culture into our destinations in a way few others can,” she said.
