Seven flags merger ambitions as it posts $444m loss | Optus shakes up creative roster, again | Multiple execs depart WPP | News Corp launches new title | 28 new jobs | Libra's #BloodNormal campaign comes to Aus

[View Newsletter Online]( [Mumbrella Newsletter]( Give your career a boost and enter the Mumbrella neXt Awards now Have you been in the media and marketing industry under 10 years? Your time has come to get the recognition you deserve. The [Mumbrella neXt Awards]( is back to recognise Australia’s rising stars of the industry. There are 13 categories up for grabs across events, video, marketing technology, content, PR, media and more. [Submit your entry today.]( News [Seven hit with $444.4m loss as new CEO James Warburton says it will go on the hunt for mergers and acquisitions]( Just days after Seven West Media announced its long-serving CEO Tim Worner would be leaving the business, replaced by James Warburton, the company has reported a loss after income tax of $444.4m on total revenue of $1.55bn. The company found $38m in cost reductions across the financial year, but still has a net debt of $564.4m. [READ MORE »]( News [Seven execs leave WPP AUNZ including group client director Kate Walker and Wunderman Thompson MD Paul Everson]( A host of executives have departed WPP agencies VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson. The departures include WPP AUNZ group client director Kate Walker and Paul Everson, managing director of Wunderman Thompson. [READ MORE »]( News [M&C Saatchi Sports and Entertainment returns to the Optus roster, as TBWA Sydney is added]( TBWA Sydney has been added to Optus’ full-time agency roster, and Mumbrella can reveal M&C Saatchi Sports and Entertainment has returned to the list. M&C Saatchi Sports and Entertainment was dropped from the full-time roster in March last year, but the telco said at the time that the agency would “continue to work with Optus on bespoke projects”. [READ MORE »]( News [Libra takes a stand to normalise periods with #BloodNormal campaign]( Libra is taking a stand to address the stigma surrounding women’s periods by launching the #BloodNormal campaign in Australia and New Zealand. The ads openly show the experience of a periods and period blood, showing a series of young women in every day scenarios such as swimming, showering, having dinner with friends and working whilst having their period. [READ MORE »]( News [Twitter launches new video buying model with six-second bidding]( Twitter has launched a new, global video buying model. With six-second bidding, advertisers will only be charged if a video is viewed for at least six seconds, with the pixels 50% in view on the user’s screen. The social media platform said the launch is to help advertisers get their videos in front of audiences, since brand impact happens within seconds. [READ MORE »]( News [This Time Next Year brings in 595,000 metro viewers for its second outing]( The Karl Stefanovic-fronted This Time Next Year, which sees people commit to a life change and return 12 months later with an update, has dropped almost 100,000 metro viewers for its second outing, falling to 595,000 from a premiere of 686,000. In the same slot Ten’s Have You Been Paying Attention? drew 736,000 metro viewers and Four Corners pulled 653,000. [READ MORE »]( Sponsored Post MAKING MESSAGES MEMORABLE Three short words that speak to the [power of cinema]( and its unique ability to connect with audiences on a deeper level to leave a lasting impression. Contact your account manager to find out [why cinema is a must have]( part of every screen strategy. News [72 and Sunny reveals its first work for Kosciuszko Pale Ale]( 72 and Sunny has launched its first campaign for Kosciuszko Pale Ale. Last week, Mumbrella revealed that 72 and Sunny had been appointed to the Lion agency roster for Kosciuszko Pale Ale. The campaign is also Lion’s first focused marketing campaign for the Kosciuszko brand, launching the platform ‘Beer with Altitude’. [READ MORE »]( News [Annalect names PHD's Schalk van der Sandt as head of Melbourne operations]( Omnicom’s Annalect has named a head of Melbourne operations in Schalk van der Sandt, who joins from sister agency PHD, where he has served as head of digital for seven years. In his new role, van der Sandt will oversee a team of eight to bring data and technology solutions to clients across the PHD, OMD, and Hearts and Science agencies. [READ MORE »]( SUPPORTED [Download exclusive e-book on brand building in the experience economy]( At the turn of the Millenium, the biggest brands in the world included Nokia, Dell, MTV, AOL and Barbie. Today, those that survived can’t squeak into the top 100 after being swatted aside by the likes of Apple, Uber, Spotify and Netflix. It’s a reminder of how – in a world of endless tech disruption – customers are willing to abandon what they know in favour of businesses which prioritise delivering great user experiences. [READ MORE »]( News [News Corp launches The Newcastle News, the next title in its digital-only masthead strategy]( After launching four digital-only mastheads since September 2018, News Corp is continuing to push towards its goal of 17 titles by the end of the year with the launch of The Newcastle News. Amy Ziniak will be the lead journalist on the title, having lived in the region for more than 12 years, reporting across TV, radio and digital. [READ MORE »]( News [Bohemia names Vizeum's Tessa Mahoney as media director]( Media agency Bohemia has appointed Tessa Mahoney to the role of media director. Mahoney joins from the Dentsu Aegis Network’s Vizeum, where she was client director, and has more than a decade of experience in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. [READ MORE »]( News [Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood takes $6.6m in first weekend]( The ninth, and penultimate, film in director Quentin Tarantino’s career, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, has taken $6.6m in its first weekend at the Australian box office, catapulting it to the top spot and knocking off last week’s winner The Lion King. Disney’s live-action Lion King remake took $2.2m for its sixth weekend, showing across 411 screens compared to Hollywood’s 624. [READ MORE »]( News [Vogue Australia revamps subscription offering with Vogue VIP loyalty program]( Luxury fashion magazine Vogue Australia has launched a new bid to entice subscribers, with a loyalty program that rewards readers using exclusive experiences and events, special content and premium partnerships. Vogue VIP is being billed as the publication’s biggest ever consumer-facing launch and will provide loyal subscribers with the ability to redeem offers and experiences across a range of categories. There will be no additional cost for subscribers and the launch price is $6.50 per month. [READ MORE »]( News [Met Life appoints Lina Saliba as head of customer experience]( Life insurance provider Met Life has appointed Lina Saliba as head of customer experience. Saliba joins from management consultancy Achieve Able, where she advised on customer experience. She has also previously worked in customer experience for the National Broadband Network and Commonwealth Bank. [READ MORE »]( News [Cannings Purple creates specialist stakeholder engagement team]( Corporate communications agency, Cannings Purple, has created a specialist stakeholder engagement team. The team will be led by Charlie Wilson-Clark, and will also include director Simon Corrigan, special counsel Dr Paul Vogel, associate director Renee Wilkinson, senior consultant Jordin Payne, and consultant Sarah-Jane Dabarera. [READ MORE »]( SUPPORTED [Why harnessing location data can improve customer experience]( Ravi Nath, head of sales and growth strategy at Pitney Bowes Software, explains how bricks-and-mortar retailers are tooling up to compete with e-commerce. Better engagement with customers starts by understanding them better. Many organisations have basic internal information – the types of products they buy and who they are – but they may not know more specific details such as age or interests or family composition. In 2019, we can now turn this anonymous data into known or best-guess information by collecting industry data. [READ MORE »]( News [Beauty retailer Look Fantastic appoints Polkadot Communications to its Australian PR account]( Polkadot Communications has won the Australian account for European beauty retailer Look Fantastic. The agency will be responsible for generating earned, social and owned media results, as well as facilitating SEO and SEM services to raise awareness of the brand in the Australian market. [READ MORE »]( News [Sefiani wins communications account for trading and investment platform Etoro]( Sefiani has been appointed as the communications agency of record for asset trading and investment platform Etoro, following a competitive pitch process. The agency has been tasked with developing a communications plan for Etoro that improves the financial literacy amongst the brand’s growing user base. [READ MORE »]( News [Stellar wins the communications account for hair and beauty brand True Me]( Communications agency Stellar has announced it has won two new clients, including hair and beauty brand True Me. The agency’s remit includes marketing strategy development, content creation and strategy, paid digital, social and publicity, including influencer programs. [READ MORE »]( News [PR agency ID Collective adds Yu Kitchen to its client list]( PR agency, ID Collective, has won the account for Melbourne restaurant Yu Kitchen. Under its new remit, ID Collective will be working to amplify the Yu Kitchen brand across mainstream media outlets. [READ MORE »]( News [All Blacks partner Air New Zealand predicted Bledisloe win with full-page SMH ad]( Air New Zealand threw itself into the Bledisloe Cup fight, backing the New Zealand All Blacks with a taunting full-page ad in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday. Titled ‘Dear 17-year-old Australians, on behalf of all New Zealand’ the ad lists a number of things that 17-year-olds have seen in their lifetime, including drones, podcasts and planking, before ending with a promise that an Australian Bledisloe win wouldn’t be on the cards. [READ MORE »]( Get the latest update in digital marketing [Mumbrella’s Digital Essentials]( is returning to Sydney and Melbourne in October. From social media mastery and programmatic priming to owning owned media and understanding an array of strategic principles – this is your chance to take your digital skillset to a whole other level. Tickets booked before September 23 will be discounted by $200. [Lock yours in today.]( Jobs [28 new jobs]( F.Y.I • [Peters launches Maxibon printed socks and beanies for Beyond Blue]( • [Antidote festival adds Kerry O’Brien, Wendy Harmer, David Speers and Lenore Taylor to its lineup]( MOST DISCUSSED [Alan Jones' Jacinda Ardern comment sparks mass exodus of advertisers]( [2Day FM cancels Sydney breakfast show]( [The Monkeys and Pizza Hut part ways, as brand brings back 'Dougie']( [Alan Jones’ contract to be terminated if he missteps again: Macquarie Media]( mumbrella.com.au Sent By Focal Attractions Pty Ltd 46-48 Balfour Street, Chippendale, NSW, 2008, Australia If you would rather not receive this newsletter, you can [unsubscribe]( or [manage subscriptions here.](