AiMCO Podcasts

The Power Gap: Who Really Influences Women 45+ in Australia?

Join WPP Media and Are Media as we unveil new research exploring who women aged 45+ are actually influenced by — across social platforms, culture, community and society. We’ll unpack the motivations, trust drivers and creator types shaping their decisions today, and reveal how brands can authentically reach them. This is a conversation not just for beauty, but for every category seeking growth in an age of evolving influence.

Moderator:
🎙️Toby Boon, Head of Client Strategy - Are Media

Speakers:
🎙️Catherine Wolkers National Head of Research & Insight - Wavemaker
🎙️Nicky Briger General Manager, Luxury - Are Media
🎙️Shivani Maharaj Chief Creator Officer - WPP

PITCH PERFECT: Watch Australia’s Biggest Creators Pitch Live to Win an Audible Brief

Three of Australia’s most influential creators take the stage to pitch a bold, audience-first idea for the chance to win an Audible brief. The challenge is simple: deliver an influencer-led content idea, stunt, activation or experience that cuts through culture and earns an unfair share of attention for Audible.

Speakers:
🎙️Sam Kelly, CEO Hello (facilitator)
🎙️Polly B Global Head of Brand Media, Audible
🎙️Ben Staven, Director of Social & Talent, Hello
🎙️Gemma Hewson, Creative Strategy Lead, TikTok

Creators:
🎙️@Taz&Alessia
🎙@ToniandRyanPodcast
️🎙️@SamFricker

You’re being seen. But if you’re not being heard, you’re not being remembered.

In a world obsessed with visual branding, most brands have mastered how they look but very few have defined how they sound. In this session, Aaron Matthews of Original Audio, breaks down why music and sound stay in our brains longer than logos, fonts, or colour palettes and why audio branding is one of the most powerful (and underused) tools in a digital-first world. Blending psychology, culture, and real campaign examples, this talk explores how brands can move from being seen to being remembered.

Speaker:

🎙️ Aaron Matthews - Founder & Creative Director, Original Audio

The ROI of Creativity: Building Creator Ecosystems That Actually Work by Sticki

The next generation of creator campaigns are built not just to entertain, but to perform. Hear from Sticki, MagicBrief (Canva), and Meta on how to scale and optimise creator content across performance channels to build a sustainable content ecosystem.

Speakers:

🎙️ Rachael Webb - Head of Brand & Partnerships, Sticki
🎙️ Annalise Deakin - Industry Manager Consumer Packaged Goods, Meta
🎙️ Maddie King - Marketing Lead, MagicBrief (Canva)

From "Shoes" to Studios: The Evolution of the Original Creator Economy

Everyone remembers their first YouTube obsession. Whether it was Potter Pals, treadmill music videos or Becky and her "Shoes", YouTube has always offered something for everyone. But those first viral moments weren't just funny videos; they were the spark of a creator led revolution. In this talk, we explore how YouTube has evolved from the OG of video sharing, to the epicenter of content and culture where creators, fans and brands thrive.

Speaker:

🎙️Jonathan Hiley, Creative Partnerships Lead, Google

The Storytelling Shift: Disability Representation in Content Creation

Over 20% of Australians have some form of disability, but are represented on our screens at a rate of less than 2%. The Shift 20 Initiative, and partners like Tourism Australia, are here to change that - through increasing representation and inclusion of people with disability in advertising and marketing campaigns. Join us for a discussion on the importance of disability representation, how disabled creators can navigate brand partnerships, how we should all be challenging brands to be more inclusive in their marketing, and examples of successful campaigns in this space.

Speakers:

🎙️Priya Addams Williams Shift 20 Initiative Lead, Dylan Alcott Foundation
🎙️Zoe O’Sullivan, Global Advocacy Manager, Tourism Australia
🎙️Christine Balaguer, Deaf Beauty Queen, Model and Creator Economy

The Creator Economy, Decided

Two leading voices from the creator economy, Ant McCormack and Jim Louderback, cut through speculation to call what’s next: what’s locked in, what won’t happen, and what only works if a few non-negotiables line up.

No trend-chasing. No hedging. Just sharp calls, lived perspective, and a clear view of where the creator economy is heading.

Built for creators and marketers who need to make smarter bets and stop wasting time on narratives that won’t survive contact with reality.

Speakers:

🎙️ Ant McCormack - Founder, Changer Studios
🎙️ Jim Louderback - CEO Inside the Creator Economy

YouTube Killed the TV Star, Not Quite...

Television once set the rhythm for viewers and brands alike, but in a new era of on-demand viewing, primetime routines have given way to personality-driven media like YouTube. This conversation explores what it means to make entertainment in 2026 and why the traditional titans may be better placed to thrive by collaborating rather than competing with today’s data-driven storytellers. Speakers:

🎙️ Jayden James - Creative Lead at Spawnpoint Media
🎙️ Dan Fahy - Independant Consultant

Flipping the Script

Everyone loves a peek behind the scenes. Influence @ WPP Media is bringing the BTS of big media, entertainment and creators to centre stage. This session will turn the Hollywood tradition of table reads into a live creator pitch. Creators will go head-to-head pitching their content ideas in front of brand judges and AiMCO’s live audience with the potential to launch a real partnership and find a brand to back it!

Speakers:

🎙️Trent Peppercorn, Managing Partner, WPP Beauty Tech Lab
🎙️Joey Woodley, Creator
🎙️Harry Garside, Creator and Olympic Medallist
🎙️Plus, a panel of industry judges.

AiMCO Summit Podcast