Created with Howatson+Company, the campaign, titled “Did You Get My Mural?”, is inspired by a simple insight: many parents worry when their children fail to respond to texts or calls.

The activation features three real parents whose faces now appear on large murals across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Positioned near universities, the murals serve as public reminders for students to check in with their families.

The campaign follows research showing that 92% of Australian parents worry when they have not heard from their child, while nearly one-third say they become concerned when a text message goes unanswered.

By bringing a familiar family experience into the public space, Vodafone aims to create a humorous but relatable conversation around staying connected.

The campaign also supports Vodafone’s student mobile offering, featuring unlimited national calls and texts, highlighting how easy it is for students to stay connected with loved ones.

According to Vodafone, the campaign is designed to show students how much a simple message or phone call can mean to parents. 

Bec Darley, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Vodafone, said “This new campaign is designed to show kids just how much their parents want a simple text or call back. The good news is that our student plans offer unlimited calls and texts so kids can stop ghosting their parents and drop them a call or message.”

Richard Shaw, Deputy CCO at Howatson+Company, also shared, “As soon as you move out of home, you have less contact with your parents and often don’t  reply to messages as much as you should. “Did you get my mural?” is a cheeky reminder to students  (and other parents) about the fact you get unlimited call and text – so just use it!”

Running across out-of-home, content and social channels, the campaign uses humour and real-life stories to encourage stronger connections between parents and students while reinforcing Vodafone’s positioning around staying connected.

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In her new role, Samuel will lead the agency’s strategy function, helping clients align business objectives with customer insights, market intelligence, and media strategy to drive stronger commercial outcomes.

The appointment reflects Bench Media’s continued investment in strategic consultancy as marketers face increasing pressure to deliver measurable business results in a rapidly changing market environment.

Samuel brings more than 20 years of experience across business, brand and marketing strategy in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Throughout her career, she has worked with major global brands including Samsung, L’Oréal, Ferrero, Abbott, Mondelēz, LVMH and Citi, supporting business transformation, growth planning, and customer engagement initiatives.

Her appointment is expected to strengthen Bench Media’s ability to support clients from early-stage strategic planning through to media execution and performance measurement.

Ori Gold, CEO and Co-Founder of Bench Media, said that Samuel’s expertise in connecting business strategy, customer experience and media planning will help clients make more informed investment decisions and uncover new growth opportunities.

“Andrea brings exactly that mindset to the table. She’ll help us ask better questions, identify new opportunities and deliver even stronger commercial outcomes for our clients. Beyond her impressive experience, what really stood out was her curiosity, strategic thinking and collaborative approach. She’s a fantastic fit for our team and our clients,” shared Gold. 

Commenting on her appointment, Samuel said she was attracted to Bench Media’s focus on solving business challenges beyond traditional marketing objectives. 

“The team has built a strong reputation for combining independent thinking with measurable outcomes, and I’m excited to help further strengthen that proposition,” concluded Samuel. 

With Samuel joining the leadership team, the agency aims to further strengthen its strategic capabilities and deliver deeper business value for across a range of industries.

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The appointment comes after The Y Australia’s 175th anniversary and follows the organisation’s transition from its former YMCA Australia identity. 

Think HQ will create a nationally scalable brand platform that unifies the organisation’s 12 member associations and diverse service offerings under a single strategic proposition.

The platform is designed to strengthen Australians’ emotional connection with The Y, reshape brand perceptions, and encourage greater participation nationwide. 

Its first national creative campaign is scheduled to launch later in 2026.

Think HQ secured the account after a four-week competitive pitch involving four agencies.

Alexandra Ash, CEO of The Y Australia, said the agency stood out for its strategic thinking, collaborative approach, and understanding of the organisation’s purpose.

“From the outset, Think HQ showed they genuinely understood who we are, what we stand for and the diverse communities we serve across Australia,” Ash said.

“Their strategic thinking reflected the complexity of our audience while identifying a clear and compelling creative direction for the future of our brand. Combined with their experience delivering complex national projects, they were the standout partner to help us take the next step in our brand evolution.”

Jen Sharpe, Founder and Managing Director of Think HQ, said the partnership was built on shared values and a common vision for the organisation’s future.

“Throughout the pitch process, we built a genuine partnership based on shared values and a clear understanding of where the brand wants to go next,” Sharpe said.

“We’re excited to develop a creative platform that not only resonates with Australians today but provides a scalable foundation for The Y’s future growth.”

Formerly known as YMCA Australia, The Y operates across more than 650 communities nationwide, employing over 12,000 people and recording more than 23 million visits to its programs and facilities over the past year.

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The expansion comes after the agency reported 20% revenue growth, a 12% increase in profit and the addition of six new clients over the past 12 months.

Leading the appointments is Nat Kuznetsova, who joins as Head of Strategy, a newly created role designed to strengthen the agency’s brandformance offering. She joins from Dentsu Creative, where she served as Group Strategy Director and worked on THE ICONIC’s award-winning “Got You Looking” campaign.

“Nat’s hire is one of the most important strategic moves we’ve made as an agency. Brandformance only works if the strategy underneath it is fresh and airtight, connecting the creativity of brand-building and science of performance in a way that’s genuinely additive,” shared David Kennedy, Managing Director and Partner at WiredCo. 

“Nat’s already proven she can do that at the highest level, and having her lead strategy for us means every client gets fresh, sharp thinking and big ideas,” concluded Kennedy.

Oliver Carthy has also joined as Head of Media & Strategy, bringing more than a decade of experience across agency and client-side roles, including leadership positions at Carat Sydney and Nestlé Nespresso.

Angela Hampton, Founder & CEO, WiredCo., said “Ollie is a genuine growth expert. He’s built and scaled media businesses from the inside, he understands how media performance and brand outcomes connect, and he lives and breathes brandformance the same way we do. That’s rare.”

“Bringing someone with his calibre into lead paid media is a huge statement of intent about where we’re taking this agency next,” added Hampton. 

To support growing client demand, WiredCo. has also expanded its earned media team with the appointments of Sophie Young as Senior Account Executive and Cobey Johnston as Account Executive.

Michelle Hampton, Managing Director and Partner at WiredCo., said “Earned budgets are growing faster than any other part of our business, and it’s not by accident. Brands are realising that earned media doesn’t just build reputation — it’s increasingly the raw material that large language models (LLMs) like Claude and ChatGPT are pulling from to inform what they recommend to consumers.”

“If you’re not earning organically created, third party content, that’s GEO optimised, you’re not showing up in the answers people are getting from AI. That shift is driving real demand, and Sophie and Cobey joining the team means we can meet it head-on,” added Hampton. 

The agency has also strengthened its AI visibility and search capabilities, appointing Amy Vu as SEO & GEO Lead, Haiying Tang as SEO & GEO Executive, and Irene Sang as Paid Media Specialist.

According to WiredCo., the appointments reflect increasing demand from brands for integrated services that combine strategy, media, earned communications, and AI-driven discoverability.

The agency’s earned media division has been one of its fastest-growing areas, with headcount increasing by more than 40% and profits rising by 36% year-on-year.

WiredCo. said the expanded leadership team will help the agency scale its capabilities and continue delivering its brandformance model, which combines brand-building and performance marketing to drive measurable business outcomes.

By investing in senior talent across key disciplines, WiredCo. is positioning itself to meet growing demand from brands seeking stronger visibility across both traditional and AI-powered channels.

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The campaign marks a move away from traditional airline advertising, instead putting real traveller experiences at the centre of the creative.

Built around the platform, “OMG, I’ve got to tell you about my flight,” the campaign is based on a simple insight: when people have an unexpectedly good flight experience, they immediately want to tell someone about it.

To bring the idea to life, Cathay Pacific and KBD worked with nano creators and real passengers to capture authentic reactions through TikTok-style formats, including FaceTime conversations, post-flight recaps, and direct-to-camera testimonials.

The campaign aims to help Cathay Pacific build stronger connections with a new generation of affluent travellers who increasingly favour authentic and relatable content over traditional brand messaging.

Marcus Willis, Co-Founder and CEO of Kill Boring Dead shared, “Airlines have spent decades telling people their flights are amazing. We wanted to do the opposite: build something that lets real Cathay Pacific travellers tell their own flight stories, in their own words, the way people actually share them on TikTok.”

“This is the kind of work we live for: brave, simple ideas that trust real people more than they trust polished advertising. That’s how brands actually move culture, not just buy attention in it,” Willis added. 

Meanwhile, Kelly Arnison, Travel Marketing Manager for Oceania at Cathay Pacific said, “We know younger travellers are incredibly discerning when it comes to the content they engage with, particularly on platforms like TikTok.”

“KBD understood from the outset that this audience doesn’t want traditional airline advertising. They want to hear genuine experiences from real people in formats that feel honest, entertaining and relatable. The campaign captures the premium Cathay Pacific experience in a way that feels culturally relevant while staying true to our brand.”

Led by KBD’s Melbourne office, the campaign forms part of Cathay Pacific’s broader always-on paid social strategy across TikTok and Meta.

The campaign also marks KBD’s first work for Cathay Pacific since being appointed earlier this year following a competitive pitch process.

By putting travellers in the spotlight, Cathay Pacific is seeking to make its premium flying experience feel more culturally relevant and native to the platforms where audiences spend their time.

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Under the alliance, the three agencies will collaborate on projects and share resources where capabilities align, while retaining their individual ownership structures and brands.

The move strengthens 303 and Mediahub’s presence in Melbourne alongside their existing operations in Sydney and Perth, while giving Pembleton access to on-the-ground support beyond Victoria.

Anthony Gregorio, Executive Chairman at 303, said evolving client expectations and opportunities in the Melbourne market drove the partnership.

“In a world where the agency landscape is changing rapidly, clients increasingly want experienced senior people in multiple locations actively working on their business. This alliance allows senior talent from both organisations in several Australian markets to collaborate closely and deliver seamless outcomes for clients, while remaining agile and efficient.”

The alliance builds on longstanding relationships between the leadership teams. 

Pembleton Directors Alex Speakman, Simon Bagnasco and Mac Wright previously worked with Gregorio at Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, creating what the agencies described as a strong foundation of trust and collaboration.

Matilda Hobba, Director and Managing Partner at Pembleton, said the arrangement enables the agency to broaden its reach without compromising its independent operating model.

“Pembleton’s model has always seen senior brains on the tools end-to-end, supported by bespoke specialist teams to execute the thinking. The alliance with 303 provides Pembleton with a greater pool of specialists to tap into on the projects that need it, along with the opportunity to support our friends at 303 where relevant.”

She added that remaining independent allows both agencies to continue structuring projects and client relationships in the way that delivers the strongest outcomes.

Gregorio said the agencies share an entrepreneurial culture that extends beyond the partnership’s commercial objectives.

According to Gregorio, the combined expertise will help both businesses pursue growth opportunities while expanding their integrated service offering across strategy, creative, media, digital, PR and retail activation.

The alliance follows 303’s return to independent ownership after dropping the MullenLowe branding in December 2025. 

At the time, the agency reaffirmed its integrated business model by bringing together its creative, media, strategy, digital, PR and retail activation capabilities alongside Mediahub.

Since the rebrand, 303 and Mediahub have secured new client wins including the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and Cancer Council’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

The agencies were also recently appointed to the Western Australian Government’s Common Use Arrangement (CUA) panel for media strategy and buying.

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Cambridge returns to Initiative after serving as CEO of Omnicom Media Digital Australia and New Zealand, bringing more than 18 years of experience across agencies, publishers, technology platforms, and media businesses.

In his new role, Cambridge will lead Initiative’s strategic direction, focusing on deepening client partnerships, building on the agency’s momentum and helping brands unlock growth through culture, people, and technology.

The appointment comes as Initiative continues to evolve its proposition as a cultural experience agency, with an increased focus on delivering integrated solutions that connect brands more meaningfully with audiences.

Cambridge’s experience spans some of the industry’s largest organisations, including TikTok, where he served as Head of Agency for Australia and New Zealand, as well as senior leadership positions at Nine Entertainment and Initiative itself.

Kristiaan Kroon, CEO of Omnicom Media Australia, said Cambridge’s broad experience across the media ecosystem made him well suited to lead the agency’s next chapter.

“[Cambridge] is a people-first leader and already knows what makes Initiative special. He understands the culture, ambition and talent that sit at the heart of the agency, and he shares the values that have long differentiated Initiative in the market. We’re excited to welcome him back into the brand,” said Kroon. 

Commenting on his appointment, Cambridge said returning to Initiative was an opportunity to build on the agency’s strong foundations and continue delivering meaningful experiences that support client growth.

“The agency has always stood apart because of its people, its culture and its relentless focus on helping brands grow through experiences that matter. I’m excited to work alongside the talented Initiative team to build on the agency’s strong momentum, deepen our client partnerships and shape what’s next for the business,” shared Cambridge. 

Cambridge succeeds Jo McAlister, who recently departed the agency to join News Corp as general manager of StoryX.

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Based in Sydney, Sigaloff will oversee Quantcast’s operations across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other Asian markets, with a focus on helping brands and agencies drive data-led growth through AI.

A key part of his remit will be leading the regional rollout of Q+, Quantcast’s new goal-based advertising platform designed to help marketers optimise campaigns across the open internet through a single ad set.

The platform enables advertisers to set one performance objective—such as cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS) or site engagement—while using AI to automatically allocate budgets across display, video, connected TV and native advertising in real time.

Quantcast said the appointment comes as demand for AI-powered advertising solutions continues to grow across the region.

Sigaloff brings more than 25 years of experience across media, digital, technology and advertising, having held senior leadership roles across the UK, Australia and Asia-Pacific.

He previously spent nearly a decade at Yahoo, where he served as vice president of APAC and led the company’s digital media and technology businesses across Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.

His career also includes leadership roles as chief revenue and growth officer at oOh!media and, most recently, global chief customer officer at marketing intelligence platform Mortar AI.

In addition to his corporate roles, Sigaloff currently serves on the board of UnLtd, the media and marketing industry’s social purpose organisation.

“As AI reshapes how brands buy advertising across APAC, Q+ is a critical launch for Quantcast in the region and represents what we believe is the future of autonomous performance for brands. It treats the entire open internet as a single, fluid inventory pool, with a focus on driving performance, not just buying media,” said Konrad Feldman, CEO of Quantcast. 

“Paul is an impactful and purpose-driven leader, known across the industry for his energy,  vision and people-first approach. His experience in sales and leadership, and his expertise in media, AI and working closely with both brands and agencies, will be critical to our mission to help clients not only reach audiences but meet performance goals with Q+,” added Feldman. 

Commenting on his appointment, Sigaloff said, “Advertising is being rewritten by AI, and  the winners will be the brands that turn data and intelligence into real business outcomes,  not just impressions. Quantcast has spent two decades building exactly that capability,and I am thrilled to lead our growth across APAC.”

“This is a moment to move the industry forward – for our clients, for our people, and for good,” added Sigaloff. 

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Effective immediately, Chadwick will continue in her existing role as General Manager of Marketing for Australia Retail while taking on enterprise-wide responsibility for ANZ’s marketing agenda. 

Her remit includes overseeing brand strategy and identity, improving marketing effectiveness, guiding marketing investment, and coordinating marketing activity across the group.

The appointment comes as ANZ continues to sharpen its customer-focused growth strategy by strengthening its marketing capabilities and ensuring greater consistency across its business.

Chadwick brings extensive experience across brand strategy, customer engagement and marketing transformation. In her expanded role, she will focus on building stronger marketing capabilities, improving how the organisation measures marketing impact and delivering greater value for both customers and the business.

Pedro Rodeia, Group Executive for Australia Retail at ANZ, said Chadwick’s leadership experience makes her well positioned to lead the bank’s next phase of marketing evolution.

“Sian is a highly respected marketing leader with deep expertise across brand, customer engagement and transformation. She is highly regarded for building capability, bringing teams together and delivering strong outcomes for customers and the business. We are delighted to appoint her as ANZ’s Chief Marketing Officer and look forward to her leadership as we continue to strengthen our marketing effectiveness and customer focus,” said Rodeia. 

Commenting on her appointment, Chadwick said she is looking forward to building on the work already established across the organisation while continuing to strengthen ANZ’s marketing capability.

“I’m excited to build on the strong foundations established by Astrud [Burgess] and the team, continuing to strengthen our marketing capability, enhance how we measure impact and ensure every marketing investment delivers value for our customers and the business. We have a strong brand, talented teams, and a clear opportunity to deepen customer relationships through our marketing,” shared Chadwick. 

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Effective immediately, Hudson will oversee Burson’s operations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, as well as its specialist government relations firms, Hawker Britton and Barton Deakin. Based in Sydney, she will report to Burson APAC CEO HS Chung.

Hudson joins Burson from Johnson & Johnson as Director of Communications & Public Affairs for Australia and New Zealand, bringing over 20 years of diverse in-house and agency leadership experience across healthcare, technology, and corporate affairs.

Before Johnson & Johnson, Hudson spent 11 years at WE Communications, including serving as Executive Vice President for its International Health practice across APAC and EMEA. She also previously led the agency’s Australia and New Zealand business as CEO.

With the appointment, Burson aims to strengthen its position in Australia and New Zealand while helping clients navigate an increasingly complex communications landscape spanning consumer and brand communications, corporate affairs, advocacy, public policy, and government relations.

HS Chung, APAC CEO at Burson, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Gemma to lead our AUNZ business as we accelerate our growth ambitions and continue to expand our offering.”

“Gemma brings a valuable client-side perspective and deep sector experience which will bolster our healthcare practice and elevate the unique ‘culture to cabinet’ positioning in AUNZ – supporting clients across consumer and brand, advocacy and influence, corporate affairs and government relations,” added Chung. 

Commenting on her appointment, Hudson said she is looking forward to returning to agency life at a time when organisations face growing challenges around reputation, policy and culture. 

“Today’s geopolitical environment has made it more important than ever for organizations to navigate culture, reputation and policy. I’m delighted to be joining a business that brings together the capabilities to support clients across that full spectrum,” Hudson shared.

“AUNZ is a dynamic market full of opportunity, and I am looking forward to unlocking that potential with an exceptional team. Burson’s enviable data and tech stack will underpin everything we build in Australia, helping us deliver smarter, more impactful solutions for clients as they navigate an increasingly complex communications landscape,” she added.

Her appointment also reinforces Burson’s focus on investing in strategic growth markets and expanding its reputation-led communications services across the Asia-Pacific region.

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