Commonwealth Bank Chief Analytics Officer Andrew McMullan studied machine learning, taught mathematics and is now leading the bank’s AI-fuelled customer strategy. The ‘math man’ and CMO Monique Macleod have been working hand in glove on what is next for Australia’s biggest bank.

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Commonwealth Bank Chief Analytics Officer Andrew McMullan studied machine learning, taught mathematics and is now leading the bank&rsquo;s AI-fuelled customer strategy. The &lsquo;math man&rsquo; and CMO Monique Macleod have been working hand in glove on what is next for Australia&rsquo;s biggest bank.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

A weekly wrap of the “must-know” developments in Marketing, Media, Agency and Technology for leaders and emerging leaders in the industry. Veteran industry journalist and Mi3 Executive Editor Paul McIntyre talks each week with guest marketers who are in the know on what matters at the nexus of marketing, agencies, media and technology. Powered mostly by Human Intelligence (HI).

A weekly wrap of the “must-know” developments in Marketing, Media, Agency and Technology for leaders and emerging leaders in the industry. Veteran industry journalist and Mi3 Executive Editor Paul McIntyre talks each week...

Mi3 Audio Edition

CommBank's analytics boss on how its AI-powered ‘customer engagement engine’ is changing everything

Host: Andrew Birmingham - Editor - CX | Martech | Ecom

A year after Mi3 Australia began its agentic AI research deep dive – dubbed Inside the Tornado – that first wave of febrile experimentation has given way to what feels like the beginning of a Cambrian explosion as businesses embed AI agents into core operations, and realise measurable gains in areas ranging from pricing optimisation to creative production. But as adoption accelerates, executives say attention is shifting from the promise of autonomous systems to the practical realities of governing them, understanding and controlling costs and ensuring they do not drift off course – because they will absolutely drift of course.

Speaking with Inside the Tornado author, and Mi3 Tech editor Andrew Birmingham, T2 Tea marketing director Peter Randeria and Omnicom Oceania chief product officer Alex Pacey argue that the organisations moving fastest are not those taking the greatest risks, but those building the strongest governance foundations. Their message is clear: agentic AI can create significant commercial value, but success depends on the discipline to supervise it, redesign workflows around it and manage its rapidly growing economic footprint, as much as it requires corralling a still immature and rapidly evolving technology that even its developers sometime still struggle to understand.

Host: Andrew Birmingham - Editor - CX | Martech | Ecom
A year after Mi3 Australia began its agentic AI research deep dive &ndash; dubbed Inside the Tornado &ndash; that first wave of febrile experimentation has given way to what feels like the beginning of a Cambrian explosion as businesses embed AI agents into core operations, and realise measurable gains in areas ranging from pricing optimisation to creative production. But as adoption accelerates, executives say attention is shifting from the promise of autonomous systems to the practical realities of governing them, understanding and controlling costs and ensuring they do not drift off course &ndash; because they will absolutely drift of course.
Speaking with Inside the Tornado author, and Mi3 Tech editor Andrew Birmingham, T2 Tea marketing director Peter Randeria and Omnicom Oceania chief product officer Alex Pacey argue that the organisations moving fastest are not those taking the greatest risks, but those building the strongest governance foundations. Their message is clear: agentic AI can create significant commercial value, but success depends on the discipline to supervise it, redesign workflows around it and manage its rapidly growing economic footprint, as much as it requires corralling a still immature and rapidly evolving technology that even its developers sometime still struggle to understand.

Beyond the Tornado: Agentic AI's first year unpacked with lessons learned, governance wins, workflow traps, agent drift and why the organisations moving fastest are the ones that moved most carefully

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/fa8af030-97d7-4429-b683-b47100630526/transcript

Host: Paul McIntyre, Editor-At-Large

Not all retailers are victims of scale.

North America is pouring billions of dollars into retail media, largely sponsored search and digital screens, making giants like Amazon, Kroger and Walmart richer and other retailers chasing scraps.

But luxury department store chain Holt Renfrew has carved out a higher-end niche in Canada, and its physical-plus-digital approach is pulling in new advertisers like Mercedes, as well as taking a larger share of endemic advertiser budgets as they bid to build brand and drive performance in a single hit.

Demand for both physical and digital inventory is running hot, helped partly by Holt Renfrew’s retail media operation three years ago moving to its own P&L under trade marketing boss, Ashlee Nickel – whose 16 years at the firm also span merchandise, buying and vendor marketing.

It means she speaks the merchandise team’s language as well as that of brands selling through the store.

That’s critical to avoid “conflict”, says Sonder’s Jonathan Hopkins.

“Media has been used as merch’s sweetie jar for decades, and that entrenched behaviour doesn't change overnight.” He argues retailers will increasingly struggle with their retail media ambitions unless they “create a cross-functional team with people from merch, marketing, finance, media,” all pulling in the same direction. Even then, he says, “give and take” is a pre-requisite. “Pick your battles would be my recommendation.”

Since the shift from top line co-op to standalone, Holt Renfrew’s profitable media revenue has changed how every program is priced, packaged, and pitched to vendors. In all, it’s packing 245 distinct media formats, all evaluated by Sonder.

It will soon have another – but given Holt Renfrew’s store environment makes even Apple’s look cluttered, a design challenge looms as the retailer mulls how to roll out a screen network that doesn’t damage that aesthetic.

Sonder’s Angus Frazer isn’t worried – subtlety is key, he says. “Retail media is not an excuse to ignore CX. Done well, it's an opportunity to improve CX and deliver on broader business objectives.” I.e. “highly profitable commercialisation”.

Trade marketing boss Nickel is now hunting more of them – in places where few retailers have thought to monetise. She’s already added in-store beauty carts and cafe menu takeovers to the inventory stack, and has brands queuing up for its in-store Montreal F1 Grand Prix weekend experience – and Holt Renfrew doesn’t even have an official partnership.

“One of the biggest opportunities in the space right now is looking beyond the obvious,” says Nickel. “When you start thinking differently about the retail environment, there are often opportunities that don't fit within a traditional media place.”

Outside of physical environments – and despite huge digital retail media spend, many are overlooking powerful channels – particularly email, say Sonder’s Frazer and Hopkins, leaving easy money on the table.

Host: Paul McIntyre, Editor-At-Large
Not all retailers are victims of scale.
North America is pouring billions of dollars into retail media, largely sponsored search and digital screens, making giants like Amazon, Kroger and Walmart richer and other retailers chasing scraps.
But luxury department store chain Holt Renfrew has carved out a higher-end niche in Canada, and its physical-plus-digital approach is pulling in new advertisers like Mercedes, as well as taking a larger share of endemic advertiser budgets as they bid to build brand and drive performance in a single hit.
Demand for both physical and digital inventory is running hot, helped partly by Holt Renfrew&rsquo;s retail media operation three years ago moving to its own P&amp;L under trade marketing boss, Ashlee Nickel &ndash; whose 16 years at the firm also span merchandise, buying and vendor marketing.
It means she speaks the merchandise team&rsquo;s language as well as that of brands selling through the store.
That&rsquo;s critical to avoid &ldquo;conflict&rdquo;, says&nbsp;<a href="https://email.mi-3.com.au/t/t-i-whuhyty-l-f/">Sonder</a>&rsquo;s Jonathan Hopkins.
&ldquo;Media has been used as merch&rsquo;s sweetie jar for decades, and that entrenched behaviour doesn't change overnight.&rdquo; He argues retailers will increasingly struggle with their retail media ambitions unless they &ldquo;create a cross-functional team with people from merch, marketing, finance, media,&rdquo; all pulling in the same direction. Even then, he says, &ldquo;give and take&rdquo; is a pre-requisite. &ldquo;Pick your battles would be my recommendation.&rdquo;
Since the shift from top line co-op to standalone, Holt Renfrew&rsquo;s profitable media revenue has changed how every program is priced, packaged, and pitched to vendors. In all, it&rsquo;s packing 245 distinct media formats, all evaluated by Sonder.
It will soon have another &ndash; but given Holt Renfrew&rsquo;s store environment makes even Apple&rsquo;s look cluttered, a design challenge looms as the retailer mulls how to roll out a screen network that doesn&rsquo;t damage that aesthetic.
Sonder&rsquo;s Angus Frazer isn&rsquo;t worried &ndash; subtlety is key, he says. &ldquo;Retail media is not an excuse to ignore CX. Done well, it's an opportunity to improve CX and deliver on broader business objectives.&rdquo; I.e. &ldquo;highly profitable commercialisation&rdquo;.
Trade marketing boss Nickel is now hunting more of them &ndash; in places where few retailers have thought to monetise. She&rsquo;s already added in-store beauty carts and cafe menu takeovers to the inventory stack, and has brands queuing up for its in-store Montreal F1 Grand Prix weekend experience &ndash; and Holt Renfrew doesn&rsquo;t even have an official partnership.
&ldquo;One of the biggest opportunities in the space right now is looking beyond the obvious,&rdquo; says Nickel. &ldquo;When you start thinking differently about the retail environment, there are often opportunities that don't fit within a traditional media place.&rdquo;
Outside of physical environments &ndash; and despite huge digital retail media spend, many are overlooking powerful channels &ndash; particularly email, say Sonder&rsquo;s Frazer and Hopkins, leaving easy money on the table.

	Retail Media Builds Bridges: Canada’s leading department store Holt Renfrew on how marketing and merch alignment powers growth in demand, CX and profit

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/b2927495-3e6b-4c8b-87ae-b46c017c1455/transcript

Host: Paul McIntyre, Editor-At-Large

For the shopping public, Coles’ ‘Down Down’ has stuck like super glue for more than a decade – while loathed by adland’s elite. They’ll be mostly thrilled on what Horton – Down Down’s creator – figures is likely now in a rare and wide-ranging interview and podcast. Think rest and hibernation, not a Down Down burial.  

Horton ran four winning election campaigns for former Prime Minister John Howard and is characteristically frank on the effect the Down Down campaign had on him and his Big Red agency – it spawned a new shop BRX with co-founders Bridget Cleary and Marty Hungerford - to snap the straightjacket it created for him and Big Red. BRX is now being circled by potential suitors. 

Horton is the last old adman standing – at 74 he’s seen-off John Singleton and Mojo’s Mo and Jo. And while very uncool today, he remains adamant good jingles etch into consumer memory encoding faster than fancy, award- winning creative. It’s why he still warns on the warping dangers of advertising awards in the lead-up to the international Cannes gongfest in two weeks, proffering an ego-busting encounter with his then boss, Mojo’s Alan “Mo” Morris on why. "While you and all your mates are sitting around in a circle telling each other how good you are, your mum and dad are sitting at home singing my ads,” Horton’s recounts with a dense injection of Mo expletives. He’s never been the same since.

But Horton casts wider than jingles and Down Down, to the “pseudo science” of attention metrics, “insecure” creatives and a pause-for-thought observation that the uncool craft of catalogue copywriting in the 80s and 90s has striking parallels to what works in social media today. It’s those craft skills, which BRX has captured, templated and automated, that is now partly why global holding companies and others are said to be circling.

Here’s the thoughts - and confessions - of adland’s oldest creative.

Host: Paul McIntyre, Editor-At-Large 
For the shopping public, Coles&rsquo; &lsquo;Down Down&rsquo; has stuck like super glue for more than a decade &ndash; while loathed by adland&rsquo;s elite. They&rsquo;ll be mostly thrilled on what Horton &ndash; Down Down&rsquo;s creator &ndash; figures is likely now in a rare and wide-ranging interview and podcast. Think rest and hibernation, not a Down Down burial. &nbsp;
Horton ran four winning election campaigns for former Prime Minister John Howard and is characteristically frank on the effect the Down Down campaign had on him and his Big Red agency &ndash; it spawned a new shop BRX with co-founders Bridget Cleary and Marty Hungerford - to snap the straightjacket it created for him and Big Red. BRX is now being circled by potential suitors.&nbsp;
Horton is the last old adman standing &ndash; at 74 he&rsquo;s seen-off John Singleton and Mojo&rsquo;s Mo and Jo. And while very uncool today, he remains adamant good jingles etch into consumer memory encoding faster than fancy, award- winning creative. It&rsquo;s why he still warns on the warping dangers of advertising awards in the lead-up to the international Cannes gongfest in two weeks, proffering an ego-busting encounter with his then boss, Mojo&rsquo;s Alan &ldquo;Mo&rdquo; Morris on why.&nbsp;"While you and all your mates are sitting around in a circle telling each other how good you are, your mum and dad are sitting at home singing my ads,&rdquo; Horton&rsquo;s recounts with a dense injection of Mo expletives. He&rsquo;s never been the same since.
But Horton casts wider than jingles and Down Down, to the &ldquo;pseudo science&rdquo; of attention metrics, &ldquo;insecure&rdquo; creatives and a pause-for-thought observation that the uncool craft of catalogue copywriting in the 80s and 90s has striking parallels to what works in social media today. It&rsquo;s those craft skills, which BRX has captured, templated and automated, that is now partly why global holding companies and others are said to be circling.
Here&rsquo;s the thoughts - and confessions - of adland&rsquo;s oldest creative.

Coles ‘Down Down’ blockbuster not dead yet says brainchild Ted Horton after ACCC wins lawsuit over ‘deceptive’ price spikes - but agency economics breaking, attention metrics ‘pseudo science’, ad awards still warp industry

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/6cbc4f6e-d231-4ff1-a011-b465007145ad/transcript

CommBank's analytics boss on how its AI-powered ‘customer engagement engine’ is changing everything

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