Work

Marketing to marketers is one of the hardest briefs in the industry. They know the tricks. They’ve built the playbooks. They can spot safe work instantly. Our founder, Alex Hayes , joined James Lawrence on the Smarter Marketer podcast to talk about: • Why SXSW Sydney created real industry connection and why its absence leaves a gap • Why marketers don’t hate being marketed to, they hate being sold to • Why brand is compounding while attention is fragmenting • And why ma

Let’s be honest. Most newsletters are boring. This one isn’t. Our new monthly round-up cuts through the clutter with sharp takes and standout stories from across the industry, designed to inspire, educate and maybe even give you a laugh. It’s a curated edit of smart campaigns and bold thinking. Short, sharp and (hopefully) not boring. We’re keeping it punchy, useful and worth your scroll. Want in? Sign up below.

A new era for marketers: ADMA has officially launched Individual Memberships, giving every marketer direct access to the professional ecosystem behind Australia’s peak industry body. Previously only available to organisations, individual marketers can now gain access to regulatory short courses, AI and data resources, Global Forum tickets, exclusive webinars and networking. Crucially, it provides direct access to regulatory expertise to help individual members stay ahead of

Springboards.ai just dropped a brilliant parody ad that shows what happens when AI takes over the creative process: sameness, traffic jams, lost originality and a few legal grey areas when it comes to IP. Their message? AI should spark creativity, not replace it. Judgment and human still matter. It's well worth a watch, especially for any marketer leaning a little too hard on the ‘AI can do it all’ crutch. We’re proud to help share the story for a team pushing the industry f

In his latest op-ed, Peter Leonard (Chair, ADMA ’s Regulatory and Advocacy Working Group) explores while 2025 wasn't necessarily about new laws, it was definitely all about enforcement. Regulators are cracking down on adtech, tracking and data flows. If you can’t explain where your data goes or how it’s used, you’re exposed. The law hasn’t changed, but the scrutiny has. We're happy to work with ADMA to bring this perspective to light. An important read for anyone in the in

ICYMI, Jeanswest’s latest campaign is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. From suspiciously blurry “human” models and a general cartoonlike quality, it's a textbook case of what not to do with AI-generated content. We worked with some brilliant industry voices to help unpack the chaos in this B&T feature. Springboards.ai ' Pip Bingemann called out the lack of a clear creative idea, Snack Drawer 's Hannah McElhinney (She/Her) dubbed it a "metaphor for our times

The last thing we wanted to see was Gyoza Gary shedding tears and pouring one out for his homies at SXSW Sydney , but today's news has devastated him. Clear Hayes House curator and our bossman Alex Hayes shared his thoughts on the massive festival that burned brightly but not for long enough. PS: Where should Gary show up next?

In his contribution to AdNews Australia ' 'Perspectives' series, Vevo 's Tim O'Connor explores how music fandoms became the most passionate and high-potential audience of the year. From bucket hats to merch drops, Tim offers a fresh take on cultural connection - and a smart reminder on where attention will actually go in 2026.

Maddie Basso, Head of Yahoo DSP Australia, calls out the industry’s favourite fashion trend: being busy . Back-to-back Zooms, bloated WIPs and “urgent” decks no one reads have become a badge of honour, but she argues it’s killing creativity, stunting learning and fast-tracking burnout. Her take? Less performative busyness, more thinking time, because great work doesn’t come from a packed calendar, it comes from breathing room. Read her full op-ed below.

Face 2 Face is a podcast series from Facebook Australia featuring two top marketers being interviewed by host Jules Lund. It unearths ideas that thrive in a connected world. Clear Hayes acts as content director for the series from end-to-end, sourcing the right talent for the appropriate topics, researching relevant stories, preparing the guests and host for the interviews, directing during the interviews, inputting on episode direction and scripting and helping with final ap

Clear Hayes leads Advertising Week’s AW360 platform across APAC, helping build a world-class trove of thought leadership which delivers on the promise of being ‘Advertising Week the other 360 days of the year’. We help thought leaders from APAC connect with local and global audiences, creating a unique portal which helps to lift the entire media and marketing industry, and promotes the biggest media and marketing conference in Australia. Visit the site here .