News Analysis

Regulators and lawmakers are working up rules that prevent tracking and data collection without explicit informed consent. But a vast trove of probabilistic data can be harnessed to build accurate alternatives. UM's global media chief Joshua Lowcock, Civic Data co-founder Chris Brinkworth and Havas data and adtech lead Kevin Fernandes think fingerprinting is alive and kicking for now – but may be next in the firing line. Publishers and adtech firms take note.

Complaints of terrible BVOD user experience from Uber’s top regional marketer have struck a chord and threaten to hobble TV's great white hope. TV execs and advertisers weigh in on frequency capping fails but some suggest Australia's big video publishers have a fundamental decision to make: short term ad dollars or viewer experience. Networks reject accusations they are putting commercial interest over UX and point to programmatic supply chain apathy, increasingly complex technical challenges and a supply-demand imbalance. But ultimately the experience buck stops with them.

In a change that would have profound implications for the $13 billion digital advertising industry, the Federal Government is looking to define what counts as “personal information” in its overhaul of the nation’s privacy laws. Experts say the proposal in its most recent Discussion Paper, however, would include any digital identifier that is assigned to a specific user – even if the user isn’t explicitly named. That could cover most post-cookie ID initiatives currently being developed and even Facebook and Google’s audience matching platforms. Salinger Privacy's Anna Johnston, Bird & Bird partner Sophie Dawson, ADMA's Sarla Fernando, Luxury Escapes' Willem Paling and Guardian Australia's Dan Stinton weigh in on what brands, agencies and media should know. 

Qantas has quietly restructured its marketing team and appointed a new CMO to replace former chief Jo Boundy, now at Commbank. Petra Perry has been named CMO of both the airline and its loyalty program after almost two years leading the latter. Former CMO and current Qantas Chief Customer Officer Steph Tully told the ADMA Global Forum yesterday the airline pulled out all the stops to stay afloat during Covid with new - and used - products flying off the e-commerce shelves. The flightless airline shifted pyjamas, bar carts, sold out of round trips to nowhere and made $10 million ads on shoestring budgets. It kept its magazine going so its publishing partner, News Corp-owned Medium Rare, could do the same, selling ads and staying connected with frequent flyers. Tully says Qantas is not yet out of the woods but there is optimism.

Across every category and every channel, marketers are struggling to keep pace with runaway demand for content. The choices are pay a premium locally, offshore cheaply or hand over to the machines. Hogarth Worldwide CEO, Justin Ricketts, thinks Australian brands are "at a tipping point" when it comes to outsourcing and creative automation. Only those that completely rebuild creative planning processes will succeed, he warns, while retailer media ups the ante.

A year on from Apple's privacy pinch, more than 70 per cent of Australia's Apple users have rejected being tracked by advertisers. Meanwhile, Facebook fallout will continue as small businesses suffer big losses in ad effectiveness, suggest SMB search specialists. The ad industry should prepare for further headwinds, warn data and privacy experts, as government gives regulators more resource to intervene and consumer advocates smell blood.

Coles’ new brand and digital chief has fired the starting pistol on a $100m-plus holdco scramble to prove who has the ultimate integrated model across just about every key marketing-CX-media discipline as it bids to catch Woolworths. Where and when it ends is anyone’s guess, including theirs, but consolidation at the top end of town now appears a confirmed trend.

YouTube is marching towards a $2bn revenue milestone in Australia if the latest figures from PwC and IAB are worth their salt. 

Veteran Mindshare CEO Katie Rigg-Smith will exit the media agency she started at as an intern two decades ago to become WPP’s Australia and New Zealand Chief Strategy Officer, replacing Rose Herceg who was recently appointed WPP’s ANZ President. The hunt is on for her replacement, which GroupM CEO Aimee Buchanan said would not necessarily be another woman. Rigg-Smith will stay in the role until her replacement starts.