In the evolving landscape of Australian news media, digital advertising campaigns have become pivotal in engaging audiences and driving revenue. Several case studies exemplify how innovative strategies have led to remarkable success.
News Corp Australia’s data-driven advertising
News Corp Australia harnessed the power of machine learning to enhance its advertising revenue. By partnering with Vidora, the media giant transformed raw data into actionable predictions, enabling swift business decisions.
This collaboration allowed News Corp to leverage first-party data, resulting in increased advertising revenue and operational efficiency. The integration of Vidora’s Cortex platform facilitated the rapid transformation of continuous data streams into valuable insights, accelerating the company’s data operations.
Meat & Livestock Australia’s ‘Make Lamb, Not Walls’ campaign
In a creative endeavor, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) launched the ‘Make Lamb, Not Walls’ campaign in 2021, developed by The Monkeys agency. The campaign satirically addressed Australia’s COVID-19 border restrictions, featuring references to political figures and popular culture.
This provocative approach not only garnered extensive media coverage, including features in The New York Times and The Sydney Morning Herald, but also led to a 16.8 per cent increase in lamb sales. The campaign’s success was further recognised through multiple national and international advertising awards.
ThinkNewsBrands’ challenge to ‘brand suitability’
A multi-study report by ThinkNewsBrands, supported by major Australian media companies, challenged the notion of “brand suitability,” which suggests avoiding hard news contexts to protect brand reputation. The research found no negative effects on brand perception or advertising effectiveness when ads were placed next to hard news topics.
On the contrary, news media’s high trust, focus, and engagement levels were shown to boost campaign effectiveness and brand recall. This study advocates for a reassessment of advertising strategies, encouraging brands to invest in news media placements to enhance campaign outcomes.
These case studies highlight the dynamic and innovative approaches Australian news media organisations are adopting in their digital advertising campaigns.